the purple onion 2/16/13

What did you think of the

election results?

MaggieGehlsen

&(175$/�&20081,7<�+,*+�6&+22/��($67��7+�67��'(:,77��,2:$��92/��12��)(%58$5<��

Donovan: whale or Saber at heart?Five seniors compete to be Mr. Saber

Getting over your stage fright. Drew Dieckmann, Dylan Hance, Cameron O’Neil, Remington Meggers and Cameron Donovan wait on stage for their turn of the inter-view portion of the Mr. Saber competition. Photo by Sarah Risinger.

“I’m usually left leaning (liberal), so I was ex-

cited for the turnout of the election. I thought the inau-guration was great because it incorporated more pop culture than ever before with performances by Kelly Clark-son, James Taylor, and Beyon-Jt�� 0[�KLÄUP[LS`�ZLLTLK�TVYL�modern than other inaugura-tion ceremonies, which only ZLLTZ� Ä[[PUN� MVY� V\Y� NLULYH-tion and our President.”

Mr. StephenButler

“I wasn’t happy with the result,

although it’s very great that our society has peaceful elec-tions and can elect whomev-er without violence.”

“I found it to be very e x c i t i n g . R e g a r d -

less of where someone’s po-litical standings may lie, the fact that America was able to elect an African-American as President of the United States shows tremendous progress within our country.”

Mr. Matt Ohnemus

Mrs. Kathleen Goetsch

“ O v e r a l l , the nega-tive tone of the election

and the results of many of the races were very disappointing to me. The number of gov-ernment controls is rising at an alarming rate. In an age where we have city govern-ment telling you what size beverage you may buy, I have to wonder what’s next. Based on some of the persons who were voted in or re-elected, I have trouble being very opti-mistic for our future.”

AMBER HAACKYEARBOOK CO-EDITOR

Most senior boys can’t say that they’ve ever competed in a masculine beauty pageant. However for Cameron Donovan, Drew Dieckmann, Cameron O’Neil, Remington Meggers, and Dylan Hance there are many stories to be shared from their Mr. Saber contest experience.

“The hardest part of the contest was WU\LQJ� WR� ÀQG� FRQWHVWDQWV�µ� 0DJJLH�Gehlsen, student council organizer, said. “It takes someone very brave to get up and do what those guys did in front of the entire VWXGHQW�ERG\�DQG�WHDFKHUV�µ

The Mr. Saber contest was an ongoing process for quite some time.

“The original Mr. Saber was going to KDSSHQ� EHIRUH� &KULVWPDV� EUHDN�µ� 0UV��Denise McAleer said. “We are used to hiccups. It’s really a learning situation, it teaches the kids to deal with crisis situations when event planning and to DOZD\V�UHPDLQ�ÁH[LEOH�µ

Due to the lengthy Christmas break the contestants and judges were only able to ÀQLVK� WKH� LQWHUYLHZ�SRUWLRQ�RI� WKH�FRQWHVW�causing the rest of it to be postponed .

´,� ORYHG� WKH� LQWHUYLHZ�µ� 'LHFNPDQQ�said. “We were asked goofy questions like ‘Who is your Mrs. Saber?’ and serious questions like ‘How would you better VSUHDG�VFKRRO�VSLULW"·µ

On Thursday, Jan. 24, the guys took part in the second portion of the contest, the photo shoot.

“It was a lot of fooling around and a lot RI�IXQ�µ�0HJJHUV�VDLG��´,�ZDVQ·W�VXUH�ZKDW�WR�GR�DW�ÀUVW�EXW�DIWHU�D�FRXSOH�VKRWV�,�JRW�WKH�NQDFN�DQG�ZDV�D�QDWXUDO�µ

´,� ZRUH� D� VH[\� FRZER\� FRVWXPH�µ�Donovan added, “along with my handy GDQG\�ZUHVWOLQJ�VLQJOHW�µ

7KH�ÀQDO�SRUWLRQ��WDOHQW��ZDV�FRQFOXGHG�on Friday, Jan. 25, at the Saber pride assembly put together to crown the Mr.

Saber and recognize the winter sports.“I’d have to say I enjoyed the talent

PRVW�µ�2·1HLO�VDLG��́ 1RW�YHU\�PDQ\�SHRSOH�can say they wore their little sister’s cheer RXWÀW�DQG�SUDFWLFHG�D�IXOO�URXWLQH�µ

“My favorite part was the talent SRUWLRQ�µ� +DQFH� VDLG�� ´,� FKRVH� P\� WDOHQW�EHFDXVH�,�ORYH�WR�UDS�µ

Minutes after the talent show, judges Mr. Stephen Butler, Mrs. Morgan Burbach, Mr. Kurt Kreiter, and Ms. Rachel Niles collaborated about who would reign as Mr. Saber. Drum rolls accompanied Gehlsen in announcing the rankings of each contestant.

+DQFH�WRRN�ÀIWK�SODFH�DIWHU�SHUIRUPLQJ�D�rap song as his talent. “I thought I deserved WR�ZLQ�EHFDXVH�,�VKRZHG�DQ�DFWXDO�WDOHQW�µ�Hance said.

“I thought I deserved the title of Mr. Saber because I consider myself an avid fan of athletics, try my best while taking tests DQG� SDUWLFLSDWH� LQ� FRPPXQLW\� DFWLYLWLHV�µ�Meggers, Mr. Saber’s fourth place contestant, said, “all of which are qualities RQH�ZRXOG�ORRN�IRU�LQ�D�0U��6DEHU�µ

Taking third place was O’Neil after hoping to cheer his way to the top. “We have a great student body and I feel like a leader of that student body. I am the student council president and at football games ,�ZDV� WKH� VWXGHQW� VHFWLRQ� OHDGHU�µ�2·1HLO�VDLG��´EXW�,�WKLQN�ZH�DUH�DOO�ZLQQHUV�µ

5XQQHU�XS� 'LHFNPDQQ� IXOÀOOHG� KLV�interest in the art of fake juggling as well as showing school spirit and getting everyone pumped up for winter sports. “I try to show a lot of school spirit in the activities

We have a winner. Cameron Donovan is crowned Mr. Saber. He gives off his winning pose. Photo by Aidan Connolly.

Don’t mess up. Judging contestants in the Mr. Saber competition were Mr. Stephen Butler, Mrs. Morgan Burbach, Ms. Rachel Niles, and Mr. Kurt Kreiter, who seemed to have as much fun as the candidates and audience. Photo by Sarah Risinger.

,�SDUWLFLSDWH�LQ�DQG�WKH�DFWLYLWLHV�,�DWWHQG�µ/DVW�� EXW� GHÀQLWHO\� QRW� OHDVW�� *HKOVHQ�

crowned Donovan Mr. Saber of 2013.“I did think Cameron would win. He’s

personable and outgoing, not to mention very supportive of the school and has plenty RI�VFKRRO�VSLULW�µ�*HKOVHQ�VDLG��´+LV�WDOHQW�was hilarious. Most probably couldn’t get E\�ZLWK�VLPSO\�WHOOLQJ�D�ZKDOH�MRNH�µ

“I honestly thought that I would not ZLQ�µ�'RQRYDQ� VDLG�� ´:KHQ� ,� VDZ� ,�ZDV�RQH�RI�WKH�WRS�WZR�P\�KHDUW�ZDV�UDFLQJ�µ

Donovan later added, “As the reigning Mr. Saber I think that my responsibilities are to carry myself with immense Saber pride and to show everyone what our VFKRRO�DQG�FRPPXQLW\�DUH�DOO�DERXW�µ

Playful competition. Cam O’Neil and Rem Meggers goof off during the photo shoot. Photo by Aidan Connolly.

AKASH CHAUDHARISTAFF WRITER

FEATURES2The Purple Onion

Central High SchoolDeWitt, Iowa 52742

February 16, 2013=VS��5V��

JARED BOLINSKYGUEST WRITER

Covering Central High Schoolstudents of DeWitt, Grand Mound,

Low Moor and Welton, Iowa

Editor in Chief: Jolene SangerAssistant Editor: Amber Haack

Managing Editor: Aidan ConnollyStaff Writers:Lydia Ahrens

Joe PenaCourtney Burmeister

Logan HaleyAlyssa Kent

Peter KeeganAllie Anderson

Shelbey KoesterKyle Bauer

Hailey FranzenKayla Lancaster

Drew VolrathEmmitt EnyeartKaelyn HagensSarah Risinger

Akash ChaudhariAustin Holst

Adviser: Mrs. Christine Cash Gilroy, CJE2011 Iowa Journalism Teacher of the Year

Take a deep breath. Second-time blood donor Lydia Ahrens tries to sit back and enjoy her time knowing that she is saving another person’s life just by donating.Photo by Shelbey Koester.

Students donate to save multiple lives at one time

“I HATE needles,” Bre Rohde said as she trembled walking into the gym.“I signed up because I wanted to save lives.”

Rohde was one of many students who signed up for the National Honor Society blood drive Feb. 4 at the high school in the auxiliary gym. Ms. LeAnn DePue, special education teacher, is the sponsor of NHS.

Walking into the gym, many emotions go through the donor’s mind. Billy Kruse was not scared because he doesn’t mind needles, but Krista Duffy was the complete RSSRVLWH��%RWK�ZHUH�ÀUVW�WLPH�GRQRUV��

The turnout was not what NHS mem�bers expected because of the snow day on the last day of semester, which postponed the blood drive.

“We lost college students who had to go back to school,” Aidan Connolly said. “Also athletes that couldn’t give on Mon�day, and other people just because of the date.”

Even though there was confusion and misunderstanding, there were students who gave doubles to make up for the others who could not attend the blood drive.

“I chose to give doubles because I was told it helps more,” Billy Kruse said. “Not many people can do it as well.”

Giving doubles is an experience because it includes a lot of steps, such as donating the blood and pumping the saline back through your body and repeating that one more time.

“It was not as bad as I thought it was going to be,” Kruse said. “Besides, when the saline went back in and made me feel cold and sick.”

The end result can go one of two direc�tions, good or bad.

“I felt like all the energy was taken out of me,” Duffy said later.

“I felt sick after,” Kruse said. “I also felt really good that I could help more by giv�ing double the blood.”

“More people should really donate blood,” Rohde said. “It’s very helpful and seriously not as bad as everyone makes it out to be.”

SHELBEY KOESTERSTAFF WRITER

Prom. It’s something most people hope to get the chance to go to in their high school years.

Dressing up, doing make up, walking the runway next to their date for the night, spotlights shining down on them putting them at the main focus of the evening for just long enough to matter.

Proceeding to dance the night away, hang with friends and make memories that will last a lifetime.

The process for accomplishing this may not be the easiest task, in fact the hardest part may be picking out what you are go�ing to wear.

As far as the men are concerned, they just have to stand there while their date picks out the color of his tie or vest so they match perfectly.

In order to match, there has to be a dress WR�SDLU�LW�ZLWK�LQ�WKH�ÀUVW�SODFH��

These dresses can come from a friend, you could make it, or most often you can buy your own.

These dresses do not come cheap. This is where the G.O.4.I.T. Prom Dress Sale can help.

Giving Organizations For Iowa Teens (G.O.4.I.T.) has been successful in offer�ing this sale in years past.

What happens is girls from around Clin�ton County price their used prom dresses and turn them into the organization.

$OO�GUHVVHV�WKDW�DUH�VROG�EULQJ�SURÀW�WR�the previous owner as well as the club.

The previous owner will receive 60 SHUFHQW�RI�WKH�SURÀW�RU�WKH\�FDQ�FKRRVH�WR�take a discounted price on a dress of their choice.

The club will then make 40 percent of WKH�WRWDO�SURÀW�IURP�DQ�LQGLYLGXDO�VDOH��

The amount the organization makes will be given back in the form of grants to QRQSURÀW�RUJDQL]DWLRQV�WKURXJKRXW�&OLQWRQ�County.

The day of the sale all the collected dresses are put on display for anyone who stops in to see.

G.O.4.I.T. sale — be there or be square

HAILEY FRANZENPHOTO EDITOR

Join us to pick out your perfect one of a kind prom dressIf you come in and like what you see,

\RX� FDQ� WU\� LW� RQ� LQ� WKH�PDNHVKLIW� ÀWWLQJ�rooms for as long as you wish. You can try RQ�DQ\�RU�DOO�RI�WKH�GUHVVHV�XQWLO�\RX�ÀQG�the right one for you.

Members of the organization will be working throughout the day to make sure \RX�ÀQG�WKH�SHUIHFW�RQH��

Anyone and everyone is welcome to come to the event on Saturday, Feb. 23, from noon to 4 p.m. at the DeWitt Evan�gelical Free Church (1921 Elmwood Road, DeWitt).

If you are looking to sell your dress, why not let G.O.4.I.T. do it for you?

All you have to do is name your price and bring your dress(es) in for drop off on Friday, Feb.y 22, from 6 to 8 p.m.

If you would like to sell your dress, but the drop off time does not work for you, please contact Kaitlyn O’Leary by email at [email protected] or by phone at ��

You may also contact Ellen Reynolds by email at [email protected] or by SKRQH�DW��

Four simple rules on how to be a heartbreaker

February 14th is a day the most people know if they are in love. Valentine’s Day, named after St. Valentine, the patron saint RI� ORYH�� LV� D� JORULÀHG� KROLGD\� WKDW� PDQ\�feel is a waste of time. These people are the perfect ones to understand that even though you don’t have someone you can still have yourself.

These short four rules have may help

as that day rolls around. These are rules that help the lovelorn and the willing hope�fuls. These are the rules for how to be a heartbreaker. Rules that are used to break hearts? That isn’t for Valentine’s Day! Well, these are not just simply for Valen�tine’s Day, they can be used year round.

Rule No. 1 is that you have got to have fun. This just simply means what is says. Have fun but when you’re done always be WKH�ÀUVW�WR�UXQ�DQG�OHDYH��

Rule No. 2 is don’t get attached to somebody you could lose. This means if you know they are way out of your league

you could still try because you never know, it could just be that it might not work out.

Rule No. 3 is to wear your heart on your cheek, but never on your sleeve, un�less you want to taste defeat. This means don’t put your heart out for people to walk on. If it is on your cheek (near your brain) it could be that simply you would listen to your brain. Because if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Rule No. 4 is that you have to be look�ing pure. Always be all the way into some�thing. Don’t just be in halfway. Kiss them goodbye at the door and leave them want�

ing more. This is just simply as explained, be in something all the way. The most un�likely things happen when you have the best time with people you know and trust.

In short, listen to your brain and your KHDUW��ÀQG� WKH�KDSS\�PHGLXP� LQ�EHWZHHQ�the two. Just let me tell you that this is how to be a heartbreaker.

Many people like the danger. The ones who fall for the strangers, the players, the ones that just say “I love you” but don’t mean it. Everybody wants to love and be loved, but in the meantime try this and see how it goes.

ON CAMPUS 3The Purple OnionCentral High SchoolDeWitt, Iowa 52742February 16, 2013=VS��5V��

Gaining Knowledge.�5PNO[^YP[LYZ�NH[OLY�HYV\UK�PU�H�JPYJSL�VM�KLZRZ�[V�IL�NP]LU�H�[HZR�I`�4Z��3Pa�+HN\L��YPNO[��MVY�[OLPY�^YP[PUN�WYVTW[��7OV[V�I`�2HLSÙ�/HNLUZ�

Ten teens attending the overnight of NightWrite Jan. 12-13 at the high school got a prompt from the Executive Director and Young Emerging Writers (YEW) Di-rector Ryan Collins.

Nightwriters. At-[LUKPUN�V]LYUPNO[�^YP[PUN�WYVNYHT�^LYL�:PLYYH�4VVYL��9`HU�:JV[[��5VY[O�:JV[[��,THSLL�;O\S��1LUPMLY�:[VMLY��)YPNP[[H�4L`LY��/LPKP�:[VMLY��:HIYPUH�*SHL`Z��WYVMLZZPVUHS�^YP[LY�9`HU�*VSSPUZ��2HLSÙ�/HNLUZ��4VYNHU�4P[JOLSS��*SPU[VU��HUK�2HPSLP�9PNNZ��*VSSPUZ��IHJR�YPNO[��^HZ�[OL�MLH-[\YLK�ZWLHRLY��7OV[V�I`�4Z��3Pa�+HN\L�

Writing the night awayWriter Ryan Collins is highlight of event

Collins started off the night by handing out a few short poems and prose. Collins read and then opened to a group discussion about each reading to the students. “When Ryan Collins was reading his prompts,” Kailei Riggs said, “which were dark poetry, that inspired me to write dark stories.” � 7KLV�ZDV� WKH� ÀUVW�HYHU� RYHUQLJKW� FDPS�sponsored by the club Authors Anony-mous. Ms. Liz Dague, LA teacher who in-spired the writing event, said, “I attended a poetry camp as part of the Poetry Out Loud camp in 2011. The overnight event was re-ally fun and I wanted to try a new event.”

Dague said, “Planning wasn’t very hard. 7KH�GLIÀFXOW�SDUW�ZKLOH�SODQQLQJ� WKLV�ZDV�ÀQGLQJ�D�WLPH�WKDW�ZRUNHG�EHVW�IRU�HYHU\-one.” Eight students showed up from Central to participate, plus one each from Clinton and North Scott.

Heidi Stofer described the atmosphere: “It was really open, and basically we wrote

what we wanted to.” The valuable informa-tion was described by Heidi Stofer as, “that whales have the hearts the size of small cars,” learned by a prompt she took part in.

After this event Riggs says she thinks about attending Authors Anonymous. As far for any more camps in the future, Da-gue said, “most likely, but as of right now we’re not planning anything new.”

Front Row. (TILY�/HHJR��1LU�:[VMLY��2H[PL�9VSPUN��:HYH�/HZLUTPSSLY��/HPSL`�-YHU-aLU��2H[LSÙ�:PLNLS��4HNNPL�.YLSS��Back Row. 4H[OL^�;VÛZSL �̀�(UUPL�3HKLOVMM��,SSPL�3HKLOVMM��:HYHO�:JOVLS��)YVVRL�*OHWTHU��(PKHU�*VUUVSS �̀�;HZOH�)LJRLY��*VS-SLLU�.HUUVU��/HUUHO�3H �̂�5V[�WPJ[\YLK!�;H`SVY�4J.YHUHOHU��*VU[YPI\[LK�7OV[V�

Quad stack. )V[[VT� [V� [VW�� /HPSL`� -YHU-aLU�� :HYHO� :JOVLS�� 2H[LSÙ� :PLNLS� HUK� :HYH�/HZLUTPSSLY� WPSL� VU� K\YPUN� MYLL� [PTL�� ¸>L�Q\Z[�^HU[LK��[V�ZLL�PM�^L�JV\SK�KV�P[��HUK�^L�JV\SK�¹�-YHUaLU�ZHPK��*VU[YPI\[LK�7OV[V�

>HY[I\YN�VMMLYZ�UL^�L_WLYPLUJLZ(UU\HS�OVUVY�IHUK�H[[YHJ[Z��MLZ[P]LOPNO�ZJOVVS�T\ZPJPHUZ

At 8 a.m. on a cold Saturday morning, 17 band students departed for Wartburg College to attend the 43rd annual Meis-tersinger Honor Band.

“I didn’t look forward to getting up that early to spend hours rehearsing,” junior Katelyn Siegel said, “but in the end, the concert sounded amazing.”

The Meistersinger Honor Band is com-posed of two bands: one freshman band, and one sophomore, junior, and senior band.

Freshman Sara Hasenmiller said, “I liked how we were all the same age so we

weren’t playing with seniors above our skill level.”

Director Mr. Josh Greubel agreed. “Wartburg’s Honor Band Festival is unique KDYLQJ� D� IUHVKPDQ� VSHFLÀF� JURXS�� 0RVW�freshmen do not have a music resume because their middle school accomplish-ments are on a different level than high school students, so it’s hard for them to compete. It’s a wonderful opportunity for freshman students to get a chance to play in an honor band.”

Both bands rehearsed for 10 hours over two days before performing a concert on Sunday afternoon.

´,�WKRXJKW�UHKHDUVDOV�ZHUH�ÀQH�µ�MXQLRU�Hailey Franzen said. “They didn’t seem too long because the music was fun to play. We also got time away from the whole band for sectionals.”

7KH�ÀQDO�FRQFHUW�FRQVLVWHG�RI�ERWK�KRQ-or bands, and also Wartburg’s two concert bands, the Symphonic Band and the Wind Ensemble. Each of the Wartburg concert

bands played one selection. The Symphonic Band chose “Un-

usual Behaviors in Ceremonies Involving Drums,” while the Wind Ensemble played “Yagi Bushi,” which is being featured in a medley the band is working on now.

´$W�ÀUVW��,�GLGQ·W�NQRZ�LW�ZDV�WKH�VDPH�piece,” junior Amber Haack said, “but once it to the melody, I started humming and tapping my foot because it was famil-iar to me.”

“Looking back on the weekend,” Fran-zen said, “it was a lot of fun. I thought it was a success because I got to make new friends and learn new music.”

“Although I wish I could have been watching the Super Bowl,” Haack said, “I’m glad I took the time to experience Wartburg.

Central’s high school concert band’s next performance is Feb. 24 at 1:30 p.m. at the Central Performing Arts Center.

AIDAN CONNOLLY4(5(.05.�,+0;69

KAELYN HAGENSSTAFF WRITER

ON CAMPUS4

LOGAN HALEYSTAFF WRITER

!e Purple OnionCentral High SchoolDeWitt, Iowa 52742

February 16, 2013

I would like... Juniors Mollie McCulloh, Kayla Lancaster and Alex Kimes work the concession stand to help raise money for prom May 4. Every junior is required to help fundraise in order to be allowed in to the prom festivities. Contributed photo.

Fishing brings to mind images of serene lakes, hours of peace, relaxing on a boat.

Last year Riley McDowell pioneered WKH�LGHD�RI�VWDUWLQJ�DQ�RIÀFLDO�FOXE�UHODWHG�WR� ÀVKLQJ� DQG� ZDQWV� WR� NHHS� LW� JRLQJ� LQ�2013.

0F'RZHOO� GHVFULEHV� ÀVKLQJ� DV�� ´PRUH�than a hobby, it’s a passion,” and no one FDQ�JR�ZLWKRXW�QRWLFLQJ�WKDW�KH�PRVW�GHÀ-QLWHO\�KDV�D�SDVVLRQ�IRU�ÀVKLQJ��

´,W�DOO�VWDUWHG�ODVW�\HDU�ZKHQ�P\VHOI�DQG�VRPH�EXGGLHV�DOO�GHFLGHG� WR�JR�ÀVKLQJ�DV�a group. We went down to the Wapsi and had a great time. We started doing it regu-larly and the group started to grow.” That’s when McDowell decided to make LW�RIÀFLDO�DQG�VWDUWHG�WKH�HIIRUW�WR�PDNH�WKH�

ÀVKLQJ� FOXE� DQ� RIÀFLDO� VFKRRO� FOXE�� +H�started by getting approval from school administration.

6RRQ�DIWHUZDUG�KH�FUHDWHG�DQG�VROG�´RI-ÀFLDO�&HQWUDO�)LVKLQJ�&OXE�DSSDUHOµ�LQ�WKH�form of T-shirts.

´,�ZDV� VXUSULVHG�E\� WKH� LQWHUHVW� LQ� WKH�VKLUWV� E\� DOO� WKH� VWXGHQWV�� ,W� KHOSHG� PH�NQRZ� WKDW� ÀVKLQJ�ZDV� VRPHWKLQJ� TXLWH� D�lot of people were interested in.”

This year McDowell hopes to raise money in a different way in the form of cookie dough.

´(YHU\RQH� ORYHV�FRRNLHV�� VR� ,� WKRXJKW�this would be a great idea to raise money for the club.” The money will be used for purchasing shirts for the 2013 season and other necessary expenses.

´1RW�HYHU\RQH�ORYHV�WR�JR�ÀVKLQJ��DQG�PRVW�SHRSOH�DUHQ·W�TXLWH�DV�H[FLWHG�DERXW�LW� DV� ,� DP�� EXW� HYHU\RQH� VKRXOG� JLYH� LW� D�FKDQFH�DQG� LI� WKH\�GRQ·W� OLNH� LW� WKHQ�ÀQH��

PETER KEEGANSTAFF WRITER

*VVRPL�KV\NO�M\UKYHPZLY�[V�OLSW�W\YJOHZL�ZOPY[Z�MVY�ÄZOPUN�JS\Ibut there’s always that chance you will dis-cover a new hobby that you’ll love,” Mc-Dowell said.

7KH� &HQWUDO� )LVKLQJ� &OXE� LV� FXUUHQWO\�selling tubs of cookie dough for $14.

Almost every teacher right now is faced with the exact same problem, how to keep their students’ attention in class when the students won’t get off their laptops. One teacher, Mr. Stephen Butler, however, has found a lot more creative solution to the growing problem.

Butler has built a laptop rack out of wood, and asks students to place their lap-tops in the storage unit before class and not get it out unless instructed.

´/DSWRSV�DUH�DQRWKHU�WRRO�WKDW�VWXGHQWV�can use to enhance the overall learning H[SHULHQFH�µ�%XWOHU�VDLG��´,�DP�LQ�IDYRU�RI�anything that helps students learn.

´8QIRUWXQDWHO\��VRPH�VWXGHQWV�DUH�PDN-ing poor choices in their use of the laptops and for those students the laptops have become another gaming device, which distracts from learning. As far as why stu-GHQWV� PHVV� DURXQG� RQ� ODSWRSV�� ,� VXSSRVH�

One solution to inappropriate laptop usage during classthat answer varies with each student. Some are bored, some may have other priorities than what is going on in class at the mo-ment, etc.”

What do students think of this new idea for keeping students on track?

%URRNH�&KDSPDQ�VDLG��´,�EHOLHYH�WKDW�LW�ZDV�D�JRRG�LGHD�DQG�,�VHH�KLV�UHDVRQLQJ�IRU�EXLOGLQJ�LW��,�GR�QRW�PLQG�WKH�VWRUDJH�UDFN��+H�VWLOO�DOORZV�XV�WR�XVH�RXU�ODSWRSV�ZKHQ�we need them for assignments, projects, and activities.

´:KHWKHU�RU�QRW�RWKHU�WHDFKHUV�ZLOO�WDNH�advances like this in the future to keep SHRSOH�RQ� WDVN�KDV�\HW� WR�EH�VHHQ�� ,� WKLQN�that each teacher will continue to do things WR� ¶FRQWURO·� WKH� ODSWRS� XVDJH�µ� &KDSPDQ�said. She feels that teachers are frustrated with students using their laptops for things RWKHU�WKDQ�VFKRRO�ZRUN��´,�WKLQN�WKDW�D�IHZ�teachers may create a storage area for the ODSWRSV�µ�&KDSPDQ�VDLG��́ EXW�,�GR�QRW�WKLQN�that it will become a popular trend.”

,W� FDQ� EH� KRSHG� LQ� WKH� IXWXUH� VWXGHQWV�and teachers will learn how to utilize more than they already are, and we won’t have

to worry about whether or not a student is on task or just messing around on their laptops during their free time. Meanwhile,

The junior class is in charge of work-ing the concessions at the boys’ basketball games to raise funds for prom. Mrs. Denise McAleer, prom committee coordinator, has announced to the junior class that in order to attend prom you must work concessions.

´7KLV� \HDU� LV� D� WKRXVDQG� WLPHV� EHWWHU�WKDQ� ODVW� \HDU�µ�0F$OHHU� VDLG�� ´/DVW� \HDU�we had to have class meetings to get people to sign up. We’ve gotten fabulous support this year.”

The junior class has raised $1,100 be-fore other costs this year from concessions.

´,� WKLQN� VWXGHQWV� DUH� DIUDLG� RI� QRW� EH-

ing able to go to prom if they don’t work and that is motivating them to sign up,” McAleer said.

Some students agree that working the concession stands is fair.

´3URP�LV�D�SULYLOHJH��ZH�VKRXOG�HDUQ�LW�µ�MXQLRU�-RVKXD�+DDFN�VDLG��´,�GLGQ·W�ZDQW�WR�ZRUN�DW�ÀUVW��,�WKRXJKW�LW�ZRXOG�EH�ERULQJ�EXW� LW� WXUQHG�RXW� WR�EH�SUHWW\�IXQ��,�JRW� WR�KDQJ�RXW�ZLWK�VRPH�SHRSOH�,�GRQ·W�QRUPDO-ly get to.”

´,� WKLQN�LW·V�IDLU� WKDW� WKH� MXQLRU�FODVV� LV�EHLQJ�UHTXLUHG�WR�ZRUN�µ�VDLG�MXQLRU�+DQ-QDK�7KHURV��´EXW�,�GRQ·W�WKLQN�LW�LV�IDLU�WKDW�ZH�KDYH� WR�ZRUN� WKH�FRQFHVVLRQ�VWDQGV�� ,�think we should have options on how we want to help out for prom.”

7KHURV� DUJXHV� WKRXJK�� ´:H·UH� VR�EXV\�with homework and jobs that not everyone KDV� WLPH� WR�ZRUN� WKH�FRQFHVVLRQ�VWDQGV�� ,�wish we had more options.”

Although not many other options for helping out the prom cause has popped up, many students have volunteered their time to help raise funds.

Junior class must raise funds for prom

JOLENE SANGEREDITOR IN CHIEF

Concession stand staffed by juniors at basketball games

keeping your students on task, using any means necessary, seems to be what works for now.

A handy job. Social studies teacher Mr. Stephen Butler admires his handiwork. He built a laptop storage area where students are required to put their laptops before class to limit the distractions. Photo by Logan Haley.

,I� DQ\RQH� LV� LQWHUHVWHG� LQ� SXUFKDVLQJ�cookie dough or wish to learn more about WKH�&HQWUDO�)LVKLQJ�&OXE��WKH\�FDQ�FRQWDFW�Riley at <[email protected]>

Quite the catch. ��ÄZOPUN�JS\I�1VL�*HYILY��9PSL`�4J+V^LSS��)PSS`�+VSHU��*OYPZ�3\IILU��;VTT`�7L[LYZVU��;`SLY�4PSSLY�HM[LY�H�KH`�VM�ÄZOPUN��*VU[YPI\[LK�WOV[V��

ON CAMPUS 5The Purple OnionCentral High SchoolDeWitt, Iowa 52742February 16, 2013=VS��5V��

State speech gives juniors something to look forward to next year

It only takes 25 cents to help a starving child, and this is just the National Honor Society took in after some of the NHS stu-dents attended a Quad City Hunger Ban-quet.

They learned about many others who have fought to help world hunger and now they thought it was their turn.

� 7KH\� OHIW� WKH� EDQTXHW� UHDG\� WR� IXOÀOO�the challenge that they were given. So the NHS came up with ideas that would also challenge the Central High School students to come up with $250, with the prize of having an extra Chicken Patty day at the high school.

During the day at lunch and athletic events NHS members walked around ask-ing the students to donate money, or even simple pocket change to get closer to their $250 goal for the high school.

“We chose chicken patty day because it was something different and it was some-thing everyone would almost be interested in,” Brooke Chapman, Central NHS Mem-ber, said. The Central High School reached the goal, giving them the prize of chicken Patty day Jan. 30.

“It wasn’t just the NHS who took part in the challenge, the whole school took part in ÀJKWLQJ�IRU�ZRUOG�KXQJHU�µ�&KDSPDQ�VDLG��“Every person that donated helped us save lives.”

Also credits go to Mr. George Pickup, other administration staff and of course the kitchen staff that supported us with the chicken patty day.

“We are still having more fundraisers at Happy Joes, Pizza Hut, and Hall of Fame to raise money from the buffets to reach our total $750 goal, which will go to the NHS to donate to Kids Against Hunger,” Chapman said, “which is a program to re-duce the number of starving children in the United States and all over the world.”

“There are 1.02 billion people who have nothing to eat. It is not just Africa suffer-ing from this. It is in the United States. It is in Iowa. It is DeWitt. It is in your own backyard.”

“The main statement we tried to focus on was that we want people to realize that there are students in our district do not always know that they are going to eat right after school, on the weekends, or on breaks,” Chapman said,

“We want people to realize that world hunger is a problem in our own little town of Dewitt.”

National Honor Society takes on chicken patty day challengeCOURTNEY BURMEISTER

STAFF WRITER

Nerves can get the best of you if you al-low them to, but when a state competition is on the line, nerves aren’t an option.

�)RU�ÀUVW�WLPH�FRPSHWLWRU� MXQLRU�.D\OD�Smith, getting past this obstacle for state VSHHFK�ZDV�DOPRVW�PRUH�GLIÀFXOW�WKDQ�WKH�actual performance.

“I thought I might throw up,” Smith said. “I get so worked up performing in front of people.”

But the performance put on Feb. 2 at state speech contest at Cedar Rapids-Ken-nedy by Smith and the rest of her group, fellow juniors Brooke Chapman and Hai-ley Franzen, suggests otherwise.

“Our scenario was a lot of fun,” Chap-man said. “We were acting out grandpar-ents being taught how to use the Internet IRU�WKH�ÀUVW�WLPH�µ

“I had to try to teach Brooke and Hai-ley how to make a Facebook account and send an email,” Smith said. “It was funny because they had to be so confused about what was going on the whole time.”

“We got a lot of laughs out of the people

that came in to watch us,” Franzen said. “That’s usually a good indicator of how well we do.”

Despite good feedback during the per-formance, their overall score wasn’t as ex-pected. “I was a little disappointed that we got a two and not a one,” Chapman said. “But I felt good about how far we had made it and how much we’d improved.”

Franzen agreed. “I was really happy about how far we made it,” she said. “Be-sides, there’s always next year.”

The trio performed together as a group IRU� WKH� ÀUVW� WLPH� XQGHU� JURXS� LPSURYLVD-tion.

LYDIA AHRENSYEARBOOK CO-EDITOR

“I was interested in doing contest but didn’t know what to do and so I talked to Mr. (Tom) Dean,” Chapman said. “He told me that Hailey was interested in an improv group, so I asked if I could join her.”

“I would love to do contest with Brooke and Hailey again next year,” Smith said. “I thought we worked really well together and we had a lot of fun with it.”

Though contest is about the ratings, there is more to it than just the competition.

“I never imagined that I would be do-ing speech, but now I wish we would have started sooner,” Chapman said. “Overall, it was a great experience.”

“I think the coolest part was getting to hang out with people from other schools,” Franzen said. “I saw some people I recog-nize from other activities and it was neat to get to see everyone in a different atmo-sphere.”

Rylee Kerper, Brigitta Meyer and Heidi 6WRIHU�SDUWLFLSDWHG�LQ�VKRUW�ÀOP�FRQWHVW�DW�the state level, but did not submit their in-formation in time for this issue.

And the scene is... Juniors Kayla Smith, Hailey Franzen and Brooke Chapman competed in group improvisation at the state level on Feb. 2 at Cedar Rapids Kennedy High School and received a di-vision II. Photos by Lydia Ahrens.

1-2-3...� 1\UPVY�HUK�5H[PVUHS�/VUVY�:VJPL[`�TLTILY�)YVVRL�*OHWTHU�[HRLZ�[PTL�to help count the proceeds raised to help Kids Against Hunger, a program created to help reduce the number of starving children around the world. Donations were taken in the cafeteria during all lunch periods. Photo by Courtney Burmeister.

Got Facebook?Saber Publications is on Facebook!

Read the Purple Onion, get updated with live sports scores, and check out our sports photos. Find us at www.facebook.com/saberpublications, or scan the QR code with your smartphone.

You can also contact us at [email protected]

I wonder if they’re going to send one to the same girl. Rem Meggers and Lucas Sheppard decide which Valentine’s Day gram would be best to send to their special someone, with the new student council fundraising project. Photo by Joe Peña.

VALENTINE’S DAY6!e Purple Onion


February 16, 2013

Why start the new semester with the same old traditions? This year for Valen-tine’s Day student council is going to be doing V-day grams, Maggie Gehlsen said.

“With the loss of the matchmakers, we thought of doing the same thing but not with candy canes,” Gehlsen said. “All the money that we will get on these events will go toward the prom and the Iowa Assess-ment prizes.”

Gehlsen said student council usually brings in about $150.

“We did not have a great turnout last year,” Mrs. Denise McAleer, student coun-cil sponsor, admitted. “I think it gets to be less interesting doing it in consecutive years. You need new students coming in.”

When discussing student council events with other schools in the WaMac, Central picked up on the idea of a turnabout dance.

´7KH�WKHPH�IRU�WKH�GDQFH�MXVW�ÀW�QLFHO\�with the timing,” McAleer said. “It is good to have it surround a special occasion and we all know how romantic girls are! So, now they are put in the typical male posi-tion, having to ask the boy to the dance. I know the boys are expecting some pretty creative proposals since they are demand-ed to do so for prom.”

Student council makes sure the school is in full spirit and that everyone has the opportunity to be involved in the school.

“All student council are in charge, but we often have freshmen make the signs, of-ÀFHUV�VHQG�RXW�EODVW�HPDLOV��DQG�WKH�UHVW�RI�the crew sell during lunch,” McAleer said.

Even though student council is having the turnabout dance, they are still having the V-day grams.

“Hopefully with the change of things this year, we can still get an awesome out-come like we do every year,” Cameron O’Neil said. “I know the kids of the school will raise money for the good things in school.”

JOLENE SANGEREDITOR IN CHIEF

His last message to his beloved: ‘From your Valentine’

About $17.6 billion will be spent this \HDU�RQ�FDUGV��ÁRZHUV��MHZHOU\��FDQG\�DQG�many other gifts all for one day, Feb. 14.

Valentine’s Day is celebrated every year in many countries around the world, but mostly in the west. Legend states that Valentine’s Day started in Rome. Emperor, Claudius II was having many problems getting soldiers to join his military, because Roman men did not want to leave their sig-QLÀFDQW�RWKHU��VR�KH�VROYHG�WKH�SUREOHP�E\�cancelling all marriages and engagements in Rome.

Saint Valentine was a priest in Rome in

��$�'��+H� GHÀHG�&ODXGLXV�� DV� GLG� RQH�of his close friends, Saint Marius, and they continued to perform secret marriages for young lovers.

Of course, they were eventually dis-covered. Saint Valentine was sentenced to death by being beaten to death with clubs.

While waiting for his execution, legend has it Saint Valentine fell in love with his jailor’s daughter who would visit him. Be-fore his death Feb. 14, he allegedly wrote her a letter signed, “From your Valentine.”

By the 15th century, Valentine’s Day had become an occasion when lovers ex-SUHVVHG� WKHLU� ORYH� E\� SUHVHQWLQJ� ÁRZHUV��offering candy and sending handwritten cards known as “valentines.” Since the 19th century, handwritten valentines have given way to mass-produced greeting cards.

9DOHQWLQH·V� 'D\� LV� GHÀQLWHO\� VWLOO� FHO-ebrated by couples today who take a break from everything, and remember everything they love about their other half. They buy each other presents, go out to dinner to-gether, and spend as much of the day to-gether as they can.

But I don’t think all of that should be limited to just one day a year. If you care about someone, you should tell them, ev-eryday, you should tell them.

,I�D�JX\�JDYH�PH�ÁRZHUV�RQ�9DOHQWLQH·V�Day, I’d be happy and grateful, but if he JDYH�PH� ÁRZHUV� RQ� D� GD\� GLIIHUHQW� IURP�Valentine’s Day, it would mean so much PRUH��*LYLQJ� JLIWV�� FDQG\�� DQG� ÁRZHUV� LV�expected on Valentine’s Day. It means so much more if it’s just something out of the blue.

Why should you beconsidered for

Most Eligible Bachelor?

orMost Eligible Bachelorette?

“I "#$% &'$%%# ()%%*)+#, '$-%./$0#,"/$',-,/’1 *##2/$0 +#,)3%,'#,"/$',-.”

“B)4'5() / '1 6#,"'$ 7#,%..”

“I’1 1-#&$ 1'$&/%. 1-#&$ (%-*).”

“I 4'$% +/$" &.'% /’1 *##2/$0 +#, /$ D)W/%%.”

Mitch Green

Jordan Porth

Hunter Ilg

“B)4'5() / '1 ' G,))$ '$"

/ .'8) ./0. (%'$"',"(.”

“T.) 9#-( /$ #5, (4.##*

',) '**4#42-.”

“I 4'$’% +/$" &.'% I’1

*##2/$0 +#, /$ D)W/%%.”

Ellen Green

Jordan Kent

Morgan Oldsen

It’s the day to treat your honey specialBuy your special someone a student council message

JOSEPH PEÑASTAFF WRITER

ALLISON ANDERSONSTAFF WRITER

Giving cards that say things like “Be mine” and “I’m yours” is sweet, but if it’s a card you bought in a store, a million other people receive the same thing.

The day before Saint Valentine was executed, he wrote his love a letter telling her how he felt about her. She’s the only woman who would ever receive a letter with those words.

It’s more personal. I’d so much rather receive a handwritten letter than any other Valentine’s Day gift.

Valentine’s Day isn’t just about the cards or gifts. It’s about the person you love. It reminds you of why you fell in love ZLWK� WKDW� SHUVRQ� LQ� WKH� ÀUVW� SODFH��:KLOH�picking out gifts this year, let’s remember how this whole holiday got started.

“From your Valentine.”

VALENTINE’S DAY 7!e Purple OnionCentral High SchoolDeWitt, Iowa 52742February 16, 2013

Staff Survey: Who is your

celebrity crush?

Mr. Ed Vance

Mr. Keith Townsley

Mr. Cody LaKose

Ms. Rachel Niles

Mrs. Kathleen Goetsch

Mr. Karl Burmester

Mr. Stephen Butler

“Miranda Lambert”

“Betty White”

“Uma Thurman”

“Johnathan Rhys

Meyers”

“Kevin Costner”

“Emma Stone”

“Mrs. Norris”

Mrs. Mary Landau

“Denzel Washington”



8The Purple Onion



Monkey Business. LaKose League members mean business when it comes to playing bas-ketball, but off the court they are nothing but fun. Front: Akash Chaudhari, Emmitt Enyeart, Jesse Brackey. Back: Mr. Cody LaKose, Jacob Thumann, Austin Holst, Jacob Kagemann, Drew Volrath, and Tyler Stillmukes on the hoop. Contributed photo.

DREW VOLRATHSTAFF WRITER

Central High School holds tons of tradi-tions, like at football games when the play-HUV�WDNH�WKH�ÀHOG�WKH\�UXQ�WKURXJK�D�GHFR-UDWHG�KRRS�RU�HYHQ�WKH�\HDUO\�FDNH�DXFWLRQ�GXULQJ�EDVNHWEDOO�VHDVRQ��

7KHVH�WUDGLWLRQV�KDYH�EHHQ�KHDYLO\�SXE-OLFL]HG�WKURXJKRXW�WKH�VFKRRO�DQG�WKH�FRP-PXQLW\�� EXW� WKHUH� LV� RQH� WUDGLWLRQ� ZKLFK�PDQ\�RI�\RX�DUH�QRW�DZDUH�RI��,Q�WKH�VSULQJ�RI� �� LQ� KLV� ÀUVW� \HDU� RI� WHDFKLQJ�0U��Cody LaKose was in search of a way to VWD\�LQ�VKDSH��KH�ZDVQ·W�IXOO\�VROG�RQ�MXVW�OLIWLQJ��

/D.RVH� VDLG�� ´2QH� PRUQLQJ� ,� QRWLFHG�\RX�JX\V�SOD\LQJ�EDVNHWEDOO�DQG�,�LPPHGL-DWHO\�VKRZHG�LQWHUHVW�µ�/D.RVH�KDV�DOZD\V�KDG�D�SDVVLRQ�IRU�EDVNHWEDOO��´,�HYHQWXDOO\�RIIHUHG�WR�RSHQ�WKH�J\P��EXW�P\�VWLSXODWLRQ�ZDV�WKDW�,�JRW�WR�SOD\�µ�

Shortly after he made this agreement WKH�WUDGLWLRQ�UHDOO\�EHJDQ�WR�VSDUN��

´:H�EHJDQ� WR� SOD\� WKUHH� WR� IRXU� WLPHV�D� ZHHN�� RQ� OLIWLQJ� GD\V� DQG� RQ� RII� GD\V��:H�JHQHUDOO\� VWDUWHG� DW� �� D�P�� RQ� OLIW-LQJ� GD\V� DQG�ZH� SOD\HG� DW� �� D�P�� RQ� WKH�RII�GD\V�µ�

They start so early so that they can get a few games in before lifting, or to allow /D.RVH�HQRXJK�WLPH�WR�JHW�UHDG\�EHIRUH�KH�KDV�WR�EH�LQ�KLV�URRP�DW��/D.RVH�VDLG��

´:H�XVXDOO\�SOD\�IRU�DERXW��PLQXWHV� WR�DQ�KRXU��EXW�RQ�ODWH�VWDUWV�RU�FDQFHOODWLRQV�ZH·YH�SOD\HG�FORVH�WR�WZR�KRXUV��´�/D.RVH�ideally wants at least six people so they FDQ�SOD\��²�RQ�²��EXW�KH�DOZD\V�KRSHV�IRU�HLJKW�WR��JX\V�VR�WKH\�FDQ�JR�XS�DQG�GRZQ�WKH�FRXUW�

With the need for players there had to EH�D�FDSWDLQ�RU�FRPPLVVLRQHU��/D.RVH�VDLG��´,�ZRXOG� FRQVLGHU�(PPLWW�(Q\HDUW� DV� WKH�FDSWDLQ��,�DOZD\V�SXW�KLP�LQ�FKDUJH�WR�JHW�JX\V�WR�WKH�J\P�DQG�WR�ÀJXUH�RXW�WKH�WLPH�ZH·UH�SOD\LQJ��,�DOZD\V�KHDU�\RX�JX\V�MRNH�DURXQG�DV�EHLQJ�WKH�´FRPPLVVLRQHUµ��DQG�,�ZRXOG�VD\�WKDW·V�SUHWW\�DFFXUDWH�µ��

(Q\HDUW� LV� D� FRQVLVWHQW� SDUWLFLSDQW� LQ�WKLV�OHDJXH��(PPLWW�VDLG��´�3OD\LQJ�LQ�WKLV�OHDJXH� LV� D� FRPPLWPHQW�� ,� WU\�P\�EHVW� WR�JHW��SOD\HUV�EXW�VRPH�GD\V�,�FDQ�RQO\�JHW�IRXU�RU�ÀYH�SOD\HUV��EXW�ZH�XVXDOO\�HQG�XS�SOD\LQJ��²�RQ�²��LI�WKDW�KDSSHQV�µ

7KHUH� DUH� DOZD\V� JRRG� DQG� EDG� TXDOL-WLHV� WKDW� FRPH� ZLWK� WKLV� H[FLWLQJ� OHDJXH��/D.RVH� VDLG�� ´7KH� EHVW� WKLQJ� DERXW� WKLV�OHDJXH� IRU� PH�� LV� WKH� JUHDW� H[HUFLVH�� %XW�TXLWH�RIWHQ�ZH�JHW�VRPH�UHDOO\�JUHDW�JDPHV�JRLQJ�DQG�WKDW·V�D�ORW�RI�IXQ��,�WKLQN�ZH�DUH�all very competitive, so it’s great for me to VWLOO�EH�DEOH�WR�FRPSHWH�LQ�EDVNHWEDOO��

+H� VDLG� WKDW� WKH�ZRUVW� WKLQJ� DERXW� WKH�OHDJXH�LV�WKH�GD\V�ZKHQ�\RX�GRQ·W�ZDQW�WR�JHW�RXW�RI�EHG��+H�VDLG��´,�DOZD\V�VWLFN�WR�P\� SURPLVH� WKRXJK�� VRPHWLPHV� ZH� PD\�RQO\�KDYH� IRXU� WR�ÀYH�JX\V� VKRZ�XS��EXW�WKDW·V�EHWWHU�WKDQ�QRWKLQJ�µ�

�/D.RVH�DOVR�VDLG��´,�KDYH�QR�FOXH�KRZ�WKH� QDPH� ¶/D.RVH� /HDJXHµ� RULJLQDWHG�� ,�PXVW� VD\� ,� ORYH� WKH�QDPH�RI� LW��EXW� ,�ZDV�QRW�WKH�RQH�ZKR�FDPH�XS�ZLWK�LW�µ

� /D.RVH� VDLG�� ´,W·V� WRXJK� WR� WKLQN� RI�´EDGµ� WKLQJV� UHODWHG� WR� WKLV� OHDJXH�� 2QH�WKLQJ�WKDW�,�FRQWLQXRXVO\�ÀQG�P\VHOI�WKLQN-

Basketball for breakfast: LaKose League plays for funLQJ�DERXW�LV�LI�WKHUH�DUH�DQ\�XQGHUFODVVPHQ�WKDW� ZLOO� FRQWLQXH� WKLV� WUDGLWLRQ�� ,� ZRXOG�ORYH�WR�NHHS�SOD\LQJ�DV�ORQJ�DV�,�FDQ�µ�

,I�DQ\�RI�\RX�DUH�EDVNHWEDOO�ORYLQJ�VWX-GHQWV�� JLYH�0U��/D.RVH� D�QRWLFH� WKDW� \RX�DUH� LQWHUHVWHG� LQ� SOD\LQJ��0D\EH� \RX� FDQ�FDUU\�RQ�WKLV�\RXQJ�WUDGLWLRQ�

Boys’ basketball team wraps up the season

Over the years the high school has ZDWFKHG� LWV� VWXGHQWV� JURZ� DQG� GHYHORS�WKRXJK�PDQ\�GLIIHUHQW�ZD\V��2QH�RI�WKHP�KDV�EHHQ�WKH�JLUOV·�EDVNHWEDOO�SURJUDP��$W�Central the girls have grown close to each other in a way that can only be described as D�IDPLO\��7KH�JLUOV�RI�WKLV�\HDU·V�WHDP�KDYH�KDG�D�ORW�WR�RYHUFRPH�DV�D�WHDP��EXW�KDYH�shown their fans that they can overcome WKH�ZRUVW�VLWXDWLRQV�DQG�JLYH�WKHLU�DOO�

$EE\�:LOOLV�D�MXQLRU�WKLV�\HDU�DQG�D�FDS-

WDLQ�RI�WKLV�\HDU·V�WHDP�KDV�VWHSSHG�XS�WR�D�SRVLWLRQ�WKDW�VKH�QHYHU�WKRXJKW�VKH�ZRXOG�JHW��6KH�LV�WKULOOHG�WR�EH�D�FDSWDLQ�EXW�VKH�LV�DOVR�JODG�WKDW�VKH�KDV�0LUDQGD�0HODQG�DV�D�FR�FDSWDLQ��

´,�ZDV�VXUSULVHG�ZKHQ�,�ZDV�WROG�WKDW�,�ZDV�JRLQJ� WR�EH�D�FDSWDLQ��EXW� ,�ZDV�DOVR�H[FLWHG�µ�:LOOLV� VDLG��´:KHQ�RXU�RQO\� VH-QLRU�(O\VH�JRW�KXUW�VKH�GLGQ·W�VWRS�FRPLQJ�WR� SUDFWLFHV� RU� JDPHV�� (YHQ� LI� VKH� FDQ·W�SOD\�ZLWK�XV�VKH�LV�VWLOO�D�SDUW�RI�RXU�WHDP��DQG�ZH�ZLOO�PLVV�KHU�ZKHQ�VKH�JUDGXDWHV�µ�:LOOLV� VDLG�� ´$V� D� WHDP� ZH� KDYH� KDG� WR�overcome a lot of things to get to where we DUH�QRZ��EXW�,�WKLQN�LQ�WKH�HQG�LW�KDV�SDLG�RII�DQG�PDGH�XV�D�VWURQJHU�WHDP�µ

:LOOLV�DOVR�VDLG�WKDW�WKHLU�PDLQ�VXSSRUW�KDV�EHHQ�VHQLRU�(O\VH�$UHQVGRUI�ZKR�ZDV�LQMXUHG� HDUO\� LQ� WKH� VHDVRQ� DQG� KDV� EHHQ�RXW� VLQFH� WKHQ�� ´(O\VH� KDV� FRPH� WR� HYHU\�JDPH�DQG�SUDFWLFH�DQG�FKHHUHG�XV�RQ�IURP�WKH�EHQFK��6KH�KDV�EHHQ�WKH�WHDP·V�ELJJHVW�

VXSSRUW�V\VWHP�µ�:LOOLV�VDLG��7KH�JLUOV�DUH�also welcoming a new coach this season ZKR�LV�WKH�JXLGDQFH�FRXQVHORU�IRU�WKH�PLG-GOH�VFKRRO�VWXGHQWV��&RDFK�&DUO�6PDOO��

Small has already made an impression on the girls, and they are already making IRQG�PHPRULHV�ZLWK�HDFK�RWKHU��

´,� UHPHPEHU� GXULQJ� SUDFWLFH� ZKHQ�&RDFK� 6PDOO� ZDV� WHOOLQJ� XV� WR� UXQ� EDFN-ZDUGV� DQG� KH� VWDUWHG� UXQQLQJ� EDFNZDUGV�DQG� IHOO� GRZQ��:H� DOO� FUDFNHG� XS� ODXJK-LQJ�µ�:LOOLV�VDLG��

7KH� JLUOV�PD\� KDYH� VWDUWHG� RXW� DV� MXVW�DQRWKHU�VSRUWV� WHDP��EXW� WKH\�KDYH�JURZQ�LQWR�D�IDPLO\�

�$�IDPLO\�ZKR�PD\�QRW�KDYH�D�JRRG�GD\�EXW�WKH\�DUH�DOZD\V�ZLOOLQJ�WR�JLYH��SHU-FHQW�ZKHQ�LW�FRPHV�GRZQ�WR�LW��

¶6XFFHVV·�LV�ZKDW�.\OH�%DXHU�ZDQWV�IRU�WKH�UHVW�RI�WKH�ER\V·�EDVNHWEDOO�VHDVRQ��The varsity boys’ basketball team has PDGH�XQIRUJHWWDEOH�PHPRULHV��ERWK�RQ�DQG�RII� WKH� FRXUW�� 7KH� PRVW� UHPDUNDEOH� PR-ment was “beating Solon by nine who is ranked 2nd�LQ�WKH�VWDWH�DW�KRPH�µ�VD\V�0LWFK�*UHHQ��%XW�%DXHU�VDLG��´,W�ZDV�H[SHFWHG��:H�FDPH�LQWR�WKH�VHDVRQ�NQRZLQJ�ZH�FXOG�EHDW�DQ\RQH�EXW�LI�ZH�GRQ·W�ZH�FDQ�ORVH�WR�DQ\RQH��2YHUDOO� WKDW�ZDV� WKH�EHVW� SDUW� RI�WKH�VHDVRQ�VR�IDU�µ��

The boys had a big win against Solon DW� RXU� KRPH�JDPH�� ´,W�ZDV� D� ELJ�ZLQ�ZH�KDQGHG�WKHP�WKHLU�ÀUVW�ORVW�RI�WKH�\HDU��ZH�ERXQFHG�EDFN�DIWHU�D�WRXJK�ORVV�WKH�SUHYL-RXV�JDPH�DQG�LW�SXW�XV�LQ�D�JRRG�SRVLWLRQ�LQ�WKH�FRQIHUHQFH�µ�7UHYRU�*UHHQ�VDLG�

7KH�WHDP�KDV�D�SUH�JDPH�WUDGLWLRQ��´%H-IRUH�ZH� JR� RXW�ZH� KXGGOH� DURXQG�&RDFK�(UQVW�DQG�KDYH�D�FKDQW�WKH\�GR�EHIRUH�HY-HU\�JDPH� WR�JHW�SXPSHG�XS�µ�%DXHU�VDLG��The Saber boys’ basketball team has had a great season so far with their record of 9 DQG��DQG�RQO\�KDYH�D�IHZ�JDPHV�OHIW��

´0\�H[SHFWDWLRQV�IRU�WKH�UHVW�RI�WKH�VHD-VRQ�LV�WR�KDYH�IXQ��JHW�D�IHZ�PRUH�ZLQV�DQG�PDNH� D� GHHS� UXQ� LQWR� WKH� SOD\RIIV�µ� VDLG�7UHYRU�*UHHQ��0LWFK�*UHHQ�VDLG��´:H�MXVW�

QHHG�WR�JHW�EDFN�LQ�WKH�J\P�DIWHU�VWXG\LQJ�WKH�ÀOP�WR�VHH�ZKDW�ZH�QHHG�WR�ZRUN�RQ��WR�ERXQFH�EDFN�IURP�D�ORVV�µ�

$V�%DXHU� VDLG��´:H�QHHG� WR� MXVW�FRPH�LQWR� WKH� QH[W� SUDFWLFH� IRFXVHG� DQG� KXQ-JU\� IRU� DQRWKHU� ZLQ�µ� EXW� 7UHYRU� *UHHQ�explains their biggest part of their wins: “Teamwork, when we win we always have D�KLJK�QXPEHUV�RI�DVVLVW�DQG�WKH�SRLQW�WRWDO�LV�VSUHDG�WKURXJKRXW�WKH�WHDP�µ

SARAH RISINGERSTAFF WRITER

Girls’ basketball team works hard, plays harder-XQLRU��VRSKRPRUH��VXUSULVHG�ZKHQ�DZDUGHG�YDUVLW\�FDSWDLQ�VWDWXV

Be aggressive. Junior Abigail Willis jumps into the middle of the action to gain control of the ball for the Sabers. Photo by Sarah Risinger.

And that’s two. Mitch Kirby adds to the scoreboard for the Sabers. “Right before I shoot, my thoughts are, I’d better make this, if not, I’m going to get yelled at.” Jesse Brackey and Trevor Green look on. Photo by Aidan Connolly.

KAYLA LANCASTERSTAFF WRITER

SPORTS

SPORTS 9

Central has been looking at a great year of Saber wrestling.

“Everyone on the team has great goals,” Head Coach Ed Vance said. “The wrestlers are working really great at practice to meet them all.”

Vance lets the leadership team set the goals and the direction for the team, but they are always looking to qualify for state duals.

“It’s no different than football,” Vance said. “Making it to state is destination for each individual.”

7KH�WHDP�KDG�D�WRXJK�ÀUVW�PHHW�DJDLQVW�Wilton. “Of course, we would like to have started off with a win,” Vance said, “but everyone wrestled hard and there are many things that we have been building off of.”

The tournament at Clinton Jan. 19 was one of the toughest of the year. Everyone wrestled better than expected. There were 30 teams including out-of-state teams.

Central hosted the Saber Invitational Dec. 15 and did great as a team. “Getting 2nd place out of 11 teams was awesome,” Junior Emmitt Enyeart said.

Senior Cameron Donovan, varsity wrestler wrestling at 220 lbs., feels very FRQÀGHQW�JRLQJ� LQWR� WKH�VHDVRQ��'RQRYDQ�IHHOV�FRQÀGHQW�QRW�RQO\�DERXW�KLV�SHUVRQDO�season, but about the team as a whole.

“We have a lot of veterans coming back

into the lineup and some promising new- comers as well.” Donovan’s key goals are to be a state place winner. “I’m going to push myself as hard as I can to reach these goals,” Donovan said.

The WAMAC is one of the premiere conferences in the state, with a lot of good teams including West Delaware, West Dubuque and Williamsburg. “No matter how hard the teams are, I know we can compete with all of them,” Donovan said.

Junior Doug Hayen, varsity wrestler wrestling at 285 lbs., is excited and pleased with his season so far. His main goal is to be a district champ, and he works every day to get there. The biggest challenge Hayen has faced is mainly keeping his stamina high.

“Wrestling isn’t easy,” Hayen said. “If you want to be good at it you have to be willing to work for it.”

“I feel like we are more of a team this year, and we’re doing great for the second part of the season,” he said.

Enyeart, wrestling at 138 lbs., said, “It seemed like a slow start losing to Wilton, but at the Burlington tournament, everyone looked good, having two champions (Don-ovan and Jake Feldpausch).”

“Greyson Doolittle beat a state-ranked kid,” Enyeart said. West Delaware is raked the number 1 team in the 2A district. “We see them a lot this year so we all must work very hard to compete with them. “I’m not concentrated on my wins and losses I’m focused on fundamentals and skills.

“The boys push each other to do their best in the room during practice,” Enyeart said, “which is making for a better season.”

There are good practices and some tough competitions. “Not backing down from any challenge makes us feel great,” Vance said. “We are nowhere near where we want to be at the end of a season, the

focus is in February, right now we’re build-ing a foundation.”

It’s really exciting that six wrestlers will travel to districts Feb. 9 in West Liberty: Walker Wegener wrestling at 126, Doo-little at 152, Drew Schroeder at 170, Chase Kraklio at 182, Feldpausch at 195 and Cameron Donovan at 220.

“It was nice knowing I can make it to districts this year, because last year I was out for an injury,” Wegener said. “The Ma-quoketa guy made it to state, and I beat him.”

Vance’s biggest challenge is to have a relationship with 30 or more kids with hav-ing only 14 varsity spots, so it’s hard to make everyone happy. The biggest strug-gle Vance has is that wrestling isn’t like ev-ery other sport, you can’t just put anyone in, you have to have the right weight class and if you don’t you have to forfeit and that makes it hard for the team.

Wrestlers take it down to stateEd Vance: ‘Focus is in February, right now

Cameron Donovan

Focus in. Waiting for the whistle for his match is Emmitt Enyeart, right. “When I’m on the mat nothing else matters,” Enyeart said. Photo by Aidan Connolly .

EMMITT ENYEARTSTAFF WRITER

The crowd cheering on the wrestlers. The crowd cheers on all the young wrestlers at the Sabertooth Wrestling tournament on Jan. 19. Photo by Alyssa Kent .

ment, said, “The tournament was really ZHOO� UXQ� DQG� HIÀFLHQW��:H� XVHG� WZR� GLI-ferent gyms. The seventh and eighth grade were in the auxiliary gym while the rest of the wrestlers were in the competition gym.” The tournament ended around 2 p.m., and

was cleaned up in about 30 minutes due to the help of parents, wrestlers, coaches and club members.

The tournament ended an hour before most tournaments end and had about twice as many wrestlers as the other tournaments.

Sabertooth gets younger kids involved

Central held a youth wrestling tourna-ment on Saturday, Jan. 19. The Sabertooth wrestling tournament has been a huge suc-cess in the past and brings wrestlers from all around.

“The Sabertooth wrestling tournament is in its 23rd year, so it is certainly is a success,” said Ed Vance, high school head wrestling coach. “This year we had over 300 young wrestlers participate.”

Vance added what makes the tourna-ment so successful is that it is a well orga-nized tournament.

“People who attend know that it moves along quickly so that they can have the af-ternoon to spend with their families. The Sabertooth board spends a great deal of time organizing and preparing for this tour-nament, months ahead of time.

“We also have great volunteers who do-nate their time to carry out the operations, such as table help and concession work-ers,” Vance said.

The youth wrestlers have the oppor-tunity to go to many tournaments on the

weekends. The Saber event seems to attract most wrestlers from around the area.

“This tournament compares competi-tion-wise,” Drew Durant, a member of the Sabertooth wrestling club, said, “because you will see all the local wrestlers that you will see around districts and it just gets you ready for an even bigger tournament. Oth-er than the local wrestlers, you will see tough competition from everywhere else.” Durant added, “There are great wrestlers that attend the tournament.”

The Sabertooth Wrestling Club is a well run club that helps kids learn and prepare for high school wrestling.

“The best thing,” Vance said, “that the SWC does is get kids introduced to the sport and get them motivated to wrestle at the junior high and high school levels.”

Competition is not required and win-ning is not what is important at this age level in the eyes of the club coaches.

There is quite an age range of partici-pants, from preschool to 8th grade. The kids are well coached and prepared, which allows them to grow a love for the sport.

The tournament was run really well. The tournament started at 9 a.m. and was GRQH�ÀYH�KRXUV�ODWHU��

Troy Hamilton, a worker at the tourna-

ALYSSA KENTSTAFF WRITER

The Purple OnionCentral High SchoolDeWitt, Iowa 52742February 16, 2013=VS��5V��

SPORTS10The Purple Onion



AUSTIN HOLSTSTAFF WRITER

Saber Shootout huge success for athletic boosters

Smiles of gold. Fifth grade team, DeWitt Dragons take home well deserved gold after a weekend of determination and teamwork. Players include: Ethan McCaul-ley, Will Burke, Alex McAleer, Tucker Kinney, Ethan Pierce, Logan Hofer, Ethan 4J(SLLY��4H[[OL^�9VSPUN��5VSHU�/HHJR��HUK�,aYH�6URLU��7OV[V�JVU[YPI\[LK��

The bowling team picked up right where they left off last year. They are ranked third in Class 1A. They average the second high-est match score in the state.

These are two huge accomplishments but not enough for the squad. Bowling leaders Lucas Perdieu and Alby Saliu and varsity bowler Lucas Thul said their goal is to win state and do the best at every meet. This looks like an attainable goal for the talented group.

What is different from last season?“We have a younger varsity team,” Sa-

liu said, “and the younger kids are stepping XS�DV�ZHOO�DV�ÀOOLQJ�WKH�YDUVLW\�VSRWV�µ��

Perdieu said, “I have put in a lot more time and effort during the offseason than I ever have.”

The team has lost only one meet as a team to Western Dubuque, who has be-come their only real competition.

Both of these bowlers got started in the sport when they were middle school-ers. They both joined a league, which re-ally jump-started their interest in the activ-ity. Saliu, Perdieu and Thul came to agree that many friends have been made through playing.

”Being able to consistently throw the ball over your mark,” Perdieu said, is what KH� ÀQGV� WKH� PRVW� FKDOOHQJLQJ� DVSHFW� RI�bowling.

Saliu said his biggest challenge is “just being able to be consistent with your throws and picking up your spares.”

Thul added, “The most challenging part is not getting discouraged if you do some-thing wrong. You can be mad, but you can’t take that into the next frame.”

Seniors Allen Mumm and Perdieu are in the top 10 boys individual scorers, with Mumm averaging a 214.1 and Perdieu a 214.5 average. Sophomore Shelby Carrier is also ranked in the top 10 girls individual scoring by averaging an impressive 187.3.

Sometimes meets don’t go as planned.“If you mess up late into the game,”

Thul said, “your score won’t be as good as it could have been.”

Perdieu said lane breakdowns are an-noying. “When a lane breaks down,” he said, “it can take a long time for it to JHW� À[HG� DQG� FDQ� NQRFN� \RX� RXW� RI� \RXU�rhythm.”

To prevent this, Perdieu uses his own

pregame ritual. “Every time before I bowl,” Perdieu said, “I sniff my vanilla scented rosin bag.” Who knows, this may be the key to his success.

The bowling team, proven to be one of the best in the state, has set its goals in VWRQH�DQG�ZRQ·W�EH�VDWLVÀHG�LI�WKHVH�JRDOV�are not met.

No blows for bowlersTeam continues hot streak, aims for state trophy

Hoisting the Hardware. The varstiy team holding up the trophy they earned. In-cluded top left. Tim Hansen, Allen Mum, Lucas Perdieu, Mitch Scott, Bottom left. Karson Smith, Alby Saliu. Contributed photo. Alby Saliu

KYLE BAUERSTAFF WRITER

The cold weather and snow did not stop the young basketball players from compet-ing in the Saber Shootout Tournament.

The two-day event is hosted by the Saber Athletic Booster Club. “The Saber Shootout started many years ago but ended in 2009, while the school was under con-struction,” Dave Kirby, President of the Booster Club said, “In 2012 the tourney re-sumed with the date to hold being changed from fall to January.”

“The Central Saber Booster Club is a volunteer organization, whose mission is WR�SURYLGH�VXSSRUW�DQG�ÀQDQFLDO�UHVRXUFHV�to enrich the athletic experiences of the student athletes of the Central Commu-nity School District,” Kirby said. “They help fund the STAR Campaign, purchase track hurdles, football end zone camera, uniforms, warm-ups, and exercise equip-ment.”

Dave Kirby and his wife, Becky, are co-chairs for the tournament along with Greg and Amy Haack. They worked together in the over all coordination of the tourna-ment.

“They advertise online and by word of mouth to get teams to participate,” Becky said. “They plan the menu, purchase food and beverages and hire the referees, for the event.”

“It takes a lot of hard to pull this off but is well worth the effort,” Becky added.

“The Saber Shootout is a big event for the Saber Athletic Boosters, as it is the biggest fundraiser they sponsor during the year,” Kurt Kreiter, Central’s Actvities Di-

rector said. “The revenue generated from the tournament is channeled back into the athletic program in many different ways.”

Kreiter is in charge of lining up the high school students, and coaches as well as teachers for running the event. “It takes a lot of manpower to run the two-day event and he was very proud of how the staff, members, and student-athletes stepped up to make it run like clock work,” Kreiter said.

The enjoyable part for him is talking to people during the tournament. Wheth-er it be staff, students, Booster members, people from our community or acquain-tances from the QCA, who had children participating, it was fun to chat with them throughout the event.

Booster club members and their fami-lies, friends and Central athletes donate their time and help to make the Shootout a success. Keeping stats, running the clocks, manning the concession stands to tourna-ment cleanup were just a few of the de-mands the volunteers were involved with.

“Kevin Henning sets up the tournament brackets to get the ball rolling,” the Kirbys said.

The tourney is open to grades 4 to 8 for the boys and girls. Kirby said, “Teams that participated came from the Quad Cities, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Dubuque and Il-linois to name a few.”

All four gyms at Central were utilized for the games, along with a couple games held at St. Joe’s gym.

On Saturday, the tournament tipped off at 8 a.m. with 52 boys teams signed up to play. The championship games were at 9 p.m.

Our local teams put on an impressive display. The 8th grade bracket was won by the Sabers and the 5th grade by the DeWitt

Demons. Bettendorf had two teams that won their

brackets and the Fulton team won the 4th grade division.

Sunday the girls brought their teams to WKH�ÁRRU�DW��D�P��DQG�WKH�WRXUQH\�FRQFOXG-ed at 6 with the girls’ championship games.

Once again our local teams represented DeWitt well with the 4th grade division, Sassy Sabers taking home 1st place.

Pleasant Valley also had two teams from the 7th and 8th grades taking home champi-onships.

The Booster Club would like to express their appreciation to all the teams that par-ticipated, the entire Saber Athletic Board, the school, businesses of the community, parents and students for making the tour-nament such a success.

On the run. During a fast-paced Saber shootout game, Talbott Kinney, sister of freshman Callaway Kinney, races to-ward the basket. Contributed photo.

Two DeWitt teams take home well deserved gold

FEATURES 11

SARAH RISINGERSTAFF WRITER

The Purple OnionCentral High SchoolDeWitt, Iowa 52742February 16, 2013=VS��5V��

Community members enjoyed a carni-val night held Jan. 9 in the middle school J\P�WR�VXSSRUW�IUHVKPDQ�*ULIÀQ�/HQWK�LQ�his fundraiser for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Muscular dystrophy is a genetic disor-der that weakens the muscles that help the body move. People with MD have incor-rect or missing information in their genes, which prevents them from making proteins they need for healthy muscles.

´*ULIÀQ��/HQWK��LV�D�IULHQG�RI�PLQH�WKDW�I met at youth group a couple years ago,” Brooke Chapman, organizer of the event, said. “He asked us if we would join his team for the Muscular Dystrophy Associa-tion Muscle Walk last year, so I signed up.”

The MDA Muscle Walk was held at the South Park Mall and will be held there again March 2 from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Many families and friends of MD patients make “teams” and raise money for the Muscle Walk which all goes to the MDA for fami-lies affected by muscular dystrophy for things like medical expenses and a summer camp that kids with MD can go to.

“After listening to some of the speakers at the walk last year, my ‘problems’ didn’t seem so bad,” Chapman said. “It really made me think about all that I have.”

After attending the walk, some of /HQWK·V�IDPLO\�DQG�IULHQGV�ZKR�KDG�DWWHQG-ed the walk discussed ways of raising an even larger sum of money. Thus came the idea for the carnival night.

´$W� ÀUVW� LW� ZDV� MXVW� WRVVLQJ� LGHDV�around,” Chapman said. “After meeting ZLWK� *ULIÀQ·V� PRP�� $QQ�� 0U�� *HRUJH��3LFNXS��0U��.XUW��.UHLWHU��DQG�0UV��7HUUL��6HO]HU��ZH�ÀQDOO\�GHFLGHG�RQ� WKH�FDUQLYDO�night at the end of September.”

Several groups from the school such as )&&/$�� /(2� &OXE�� 1DWLRQDO� +RQRU� 6R-FLHW\�� )%/$� DQG� 6WXGHQW� &RXQFLO�� DORQJ�with the local Boy Scouts troop, helped ZLWK� YDULRXV� MREV�� (PPDXV�<RXWK�*URXS�worked the games and helped decorate. Junior Adrian Templeton, Mrs. Val Betz, and Ms. Beth Scheckel organized the con-cession stands. Games were donated by (PPDXV�5RDG�&KXUFK��&UHDWLYH�/HDUQLQJ�Center, and the Cal. Co. of Calamus.

“My family also helped a lot with plan-QLQJ�µ� &KDSPDQ� VDLG�� ´2Q� VHYHUDO� RFFD-sions my parents, along with my pastor, -DVRQ� /DQJ�� ZHQW� WR� ORFDO� EXVLQHVVHV� IRU�donations.”

With all of the donations made, Chap-man raised more than $1,500 at the carni-val night alone.

“The carnival was a great success,” Chapman said.

“We hope to continue raising money, especially for the walk, but we are more than happy with the tentative total.”

Clowning around.�-YLZOTHU�.YPMÄU�3LU[O��SLM[��Z[LWZ�H^H`�MYVT�[OL�JHYUP]HS�MVY�H�ZTPSL�^P[O�MYPLUKZ�ZVWOVTVYL�;`SLY�2L[LSZLU�HUK�(UKYL^�(UKLYZVU��;OL�JHYUP]HS�UPNO[�^HZ�OLSK� 1HU�� HZ� H� M\UKYHPZLY� MVY�T\ZJ\SHY�K`Z[YVWO`� PU�OVUVY�VM� 3LU[O��Organizers of the fundraiser hoped to attract interest in the Muscle Walk, which ^PSS�[HRL�WSHJL�4HYJO��H[�[OL�:V\[O�7HYR�THSS�^OLYL�¸;LHT�.YPMÄU¹�^PSS�THRL�HU�HWWLHYHUJL�HUK�Z\WWVY[�3LU[O�PU�[OL�^HSR��7OV[V�JVU[YPI\[LK�I`�)YVVRL�*OHWTHU��

LYDIA AHRENS@,(9)662�*6�,+0;69

Carnival night fun supports Lenth in fundraiser

When you wish upon a star

For the most part we have all heard of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, an organi-zation that raises money and is able to use the money to grant kids wishes.

There are requirements to have your wish chosen, and there is one person in Dewitt who was granted her wish.

1LFROH� /RZHU\� KDG� KHU� ZLVK� JUDQWHG�last week by the Make-A-Wish Founda-tion, after her doctor in Iowa City recom-mended her to the Foundation.

5KRQGD�DQG�5R\�/RZHU\�IRXQG�RXW�ÀUVW�IURP� WKH� )RXQGDWLRQ� WKDW� 1LFROH·V� ZLVK�ZRXOG�EH�JUDQWHG��$�IHZ�GD\V�ODWHU�1LFROH�received a letter in the mail that said that VKH�ZRXOG�JHW�WR�JR�WR�)ORULGD��1LFROH�ZDV�beyond excited when she found that she would be able to go to Sea World, Disney World and Universal Studios.

1LFROH� ORYHG� WKH�KRW�ZHDWKHU� DQG� VDLG�that she would “love to go back to Florida soon.” She loved the free ice cream that she got when they were in the village that the Make-A-Wish Foundation owns.

The village is made up of little villas where people can stay in if they are with the Foundation. She was able to get all

the free ice cream that she wanted and she loved it.

1LFROH�ZDVQ·W�WKH�RQO\�RQH�ZKR�ZHQW�RQ�the trip to Florida. With her were her par-HQWV��5KRQGD�DQG�5R\�/RZHU\��DQG�KHU�WZR�VLVWHUV��6KHLOD�DQG�(PLO\��

Sheila also enjoyed the weather in Flor-ida and was not happy to come home to the cold weather. Sheila knew that the trip to Florida was going to be a great chance for her family to have a fun time and to see 1LFROH�KDSS\�

(PLO\��KRZHYHU��GLGQ·W�OLNH�WKH�ZHDWKHU�at all, but she did like that everyone was nice to them no matter where they went. (PLO\�DOVR�OLNHG�XQLYHUVDO�VWXGLRV�WKH�EHVW�because of the wizard in Harry Potter��(Y-HU\RQH�OLNHG�WR�VHH�KRZ�KDSS\�1LFROH�ZDV�during the trip no matter what they did.

“It was good to see her happy,” Sheila said.

5KRQGD�/RZHU\�VDLG�WKDW�1LFROH�ORYHG�KHU�ÀUVW�DLUSODQH�ULGH��DQG�WKH�IDPLO\�DOVR�found out that she also love carousels, which she rode every chance she got.

“The Make-A-Wish Foundation has made a profound impact on our lives and ZH� ZLVK� WR� JLYH� EDFN� WR� WKHP�µ� 5KRQGD�said.

They all have found memories from their trip that will last them a lifetime.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation has made an impact on many people’s lives, DQG�1LFROH�LV�RQH�RI�WKH�PDQ\�VSHFLDO�NLGV�who have had their wishes granted.

As long as Foundations like this keep doing what they are doing more kids like 1LFROH�ZLOO�EH�DEOH�WR�VKDUH�IXQ�WLPHV�OLNH�this with their families.

Make-A-Wish sends Lowery to Florida

A royal grin.�-YVU[!�:OLPSH��5PJVSL��)HJR!�,TPS �̀�9V �̀�9OVUKH��5PJVSL�HUK�OLY�MHTPS`�capture the moment with a snapshot in front of Cinderella’s castle before beginning [OLPY�M\U�ÄSSLK�KH`�H[�+PZUL`�>VYSK��7OV[V�JVU[YPI\[LK�I`�[OL�3V^LY`�MHTPS �̀

OPINION12The Purple Onion



In accordance with the article above, I want to tell my view on things in the “high school life.” 5V[�VUS`�[OPZ�[LLU��I\[�[OLYL�

are many in all schools who are going through tough times, dilemmas, and trials in life. We all have our trials. Some show it, some hide, some can’t control them.

As a high school student, there are lots of pulls to be one way or the other. It is important to not conform, and maintain originality. A lot of people want to run with the popular crowd and some will do whatever it takes to be no-ticed or become popular.

As humans, we are wired to judge people. We instinctively

When I look back on my life, it’s not that I don’t want to see things as they happened; I just prefer to remem-ber them in an artistic way.

Many have often asked me why, but there is never any reason to talk to people who have a home. They have no idea what it’s like to seek safety in other people, for home to be wherever you lay your head. It takes having everything you ever wanted and then losing it to know what true freedom is.

Many things exist now, only in my memory. My memories are the only things that sustain me, and my only real happy times.

I have friends, yes, but I prefer not to get too attached. For many of you WR�XQGHUVWDQG�P\�ZD\��\RX�PXVW�ÀUVW�

see what I see, this meaning fully un-derstanding how I work and operate in my day-to-day life being a gay teen. )LUVW�WKLQJV�ÀUVW��PDQ\�RI�\RX�NQRZ�

me and don’t realize who I am. But I am among you, sticking to the shad-ows of the high school underbelly so as not to get caught up in all the permeating stench of drama. I have enough of my own and do not need everyone else’s.

I was asked to do this so people would get to know me. I am a person, not a very popular one. I still have dreams, but upon many unfortunate events see these dreams dashed and divided like a billion stars in the night sky, that I wish on over and over again.

I am a 17-year-old boy who likes music. I am human like you, I am in no way perfect but I never claimed to EH��1R�RQH�PLQGV�,�KDYH�D�ÁDW�EURNH�down life. In fact, many people admire me, how I roll like a rolling stone. All

make fun of others to seem “cool” and divert the spot-light off ourselves.

What we have to remem-ber is everyone has their own battles, and we won’t always know what they are. People need to continually show compassion because we don’t know what others are going through.

School is supposed to be a safe place where we can be ourselves. School is not safe for many people; young adults don’t accept things that stray from the new fashion, norm, fad, or whatever it is.

I believe in God and my faith is important to me. I view some people’s personal choices as wrong, such as

the things in my life suck, I am not go-ing to go into detail because we would be here for the next seven hours. My life can’t be summed up in a few simple paragraphs, or one word.

For you to feel what I feel, you PXVW�ÀUVW�SXW�\RXUVHOI�LQ�P\�VKRHV��D�gay teenage boy in a high school full of people who are not all accepting of that fact. I do get made fun of and yes, I ignore it. I don’t really mind it because I know that someone stopped WR�WKLQN�RI�PH��,�GRQ·W�H[DFWO\�ÁDXQW�LW��

Hopefully most of you know who I am by now. This will still be signed DQRQ\PRXV�EXW�WKDW�LV�ÀQH�ZLWK�PH��I don’t really care if you know who I am or not. I try to be friends with everyone because I see the better in people. I know even though many talk about me behind my back, I will still say hi and lend a hand when I can.

I couldn’t care less what people think of me. It doesn’t bother me that I am gay. At least I can admit who I

am. Many are not brave enough and go their whole lives without saying a word to anyone. They take those secrets to the grave with them and that is where they stay.

Every night I used to hope that I’d ÀQG�P\�SHRSOH�DQG�ÀQDOO\�,�GLG��5LJKW�here at this school. We have nothing to lose, nothing to gain, nothing we desired anymore, except to make our lives into a work of art. Live fast, die young, be wild and have fun.

I believe in the country America used to be. I believe I’m the person I want to become. I believe in the free-dom of the open road. And my motto is the same as ever; I believe in the kindness of strangers, and when I’m at war with myself I ride, I just ride.

Who are you? Are you in touch with all of your darkest fantasies? Have you created a life for yourself where you can experience them? I have, I am crazy. But I am free.

—Anonymous

sexual orientation, but people still deserve the right to be treated fairly and with respect. I may not like others’ decisions or lifestyle, but looking past differ-ences, every human should be treated equitably.

In Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, love/belonging is the third level. His hierarchy states every human being requires friend-ship/family. The fourth level is esteem, which includes self-LZ[LLT��JVUÄKLUJL��HUK�YLZWLJ[��Maslow’s hierarchy supports people’s needs to be respected and not ridiculed by others.

In other words — be a human with a heart, show compassion to others, and treat others the way you want to be treated!

—Christian Wright

Editor’s Note: The homeless teenager who submitted the letter below has now found a place to call home, but he wishes that people would just be accepting of the good person that he is and stop making fun of people.

Teen reaches out for acceptance, understanding

Teens should have compassion for others despite di!erences

P"#$%&/S"'(&$ Y$"#)**+ A,-"#$ -&.'' "/".'")'$ 0*#

123 - 1445, ,$6$%,.%7 *% -.8$.Y$"#)**+- "#$ 0*# -"'$ 0*#

193 &:#*(7: M"#;: <. T:$ =$"#)**+ ",/$#&.-.%7 ;">6".7% .- .% 0('' -?.%7.

B$ " 6"#& *0 .& "''.C*%&";& M#-. G.'#*=:

[email protected]

the purple onion 2/16/13

Documents