Boys Varsity Game vs. Dubuque Wahlert Catholic High School

Boys Varsity Game vs. Dubuque Wahlert Catholic High School

January 4th, 2019

     The Kennedy Boys Varsity Basketball team faced off against Dubuque Wahlert Catholic high school here at JFK. Starting with a 15-11 lead at the first quarter, followed by a 31-15 score at half time, the Cougars continued to dominate as they ended with a final score of 79-39.

AP 101

Here at Kennedy High School, there are a wide variety of opportunities to gain knowledge and skills to help you succeed in the future. Advanced Placement, or AP classes allow you to experience college introductory courses while still in high school. You are able to develop important skills such as effective time management and collaborative abilities. 

            There is often a negative association followed with the idea of these advanced classes. The late nights, the heavy workload, and the overall advanced level of content tends to drive students away in fear of not being good enough. Yes, it is stressful, yes, you will contemplate your decision to enroll in that class, but if you are willing to put in the effort and step out of your comfort zone, succeeding will not be an issue. 

            “As long as there is a teacher adequate enough to help you get through this and you really apply yourself, then I feel like it should be an option for everyone.” Jami Martin-Trainor, a sophomore at Kennedy High School, shares some advice regarding AP courses, “Just keep your standards high because that will help push you to work harder to get those good grades.”

            Often offered as a two semester class, you are given the opportunity to take the AP Exam at the end of the school year, which can earn you college credits and/or placement in advanced courses if you decide to further your education.

            Deciding to take an AP class lets colleges know that you are willing to do what it takes to succeed in your future academic choices.

            Lori Clore, a counselor here at Kennedy, informs us that, “ Taking the harder class, the more rigorous version of history for example, looks good. That helps students stand out.”

            With 20+ classes to choose from, Kennedy students have lots of choices in regards to AP courses that can cater to your specific interests, yet many students are still hesitant to choose this more challenging route.

 Although not official yet, there is a possibility of a new course next school year that may be helpful to those who are unsure. It is designed for students who are, for the first time, currently taking or considering taking AP/ Kirkwood courses. You will learn new strategies of learning, studying, and test takin techniques. You will also have an opportunity to gain a system of support from peers and staff. It will be paced to help you, and other students enrolled in college level courses, succeed.

So, if you are not currently enrolled in an AP class, or you are still unsure, I highly suggest utilizing your resources such as counselors, teachers, and peers, or possibly taking advantage of the new college course readiness class. 

Media Law and Fake News

Media Law

       A new concept that interested me was the Shield Law, which protects a journalists right to maintain their source's amenity. If your source requests to remain anonymous in a piece you that you plan on  publishing, it is your ethical duty to respect their decision and protect them no matter what. Breaking this promise can not only result in the fall of your career as a journalist, but it could also completely destroy someone's life, whether it be the source itself, or people connected to their statement. ( e.g. Chelsea Manning )

       Although as a high school journalist, I do not believe I will come across many situations in which I will have to use anonymous sources or even need the use of the shield law, it doesn't hurt to be prepared and educated on my rights as a student journalist. I understand how important it is to do the  right thing in respecting your sources choice, but i should also keep in mind that the use of an anonymous source has the possibility to cause controversy and people may question if the source is reliable.

Fake News

      Although I was aware of Fake News, I didn't realize how common it is. Seen on almost every social media platform, Fake News is presented as real journalism that lacks the concept of truth and credibility. Unfortunately these false statements tend to spread faster than the real deal, and many people believe it because it's what they want to hear. Without checking sources or facts, people share their “findings” , which causes lots of misinformation. Also keep in mind that click bait or over sensationalized news isn't necessarily fake, just misleading.

       Thanks to my new knowledge on the subject, I can be more aware of what I read on the internet. I know the importance of double-checking information and if I come across news that is "too good to be true", it probably is.

Revised Merritt Profile

I Love Being a Mom 

By: Olivia Riley-Schmelzer

 “Being a mom, nobody tells you if you're doing it right.” Kristina Merritt, a math teacher here at Kennedy High School, shares the struggles of balancing her teaching career and her life at home. Living with her three young boys, Brody, Cade, and Knox, her home life can get a bit hectic, making it difficult for her to play both the role of a mother and a teacher.

Regardless of the stresses throughout her day, Merritt is always excited to come home to her kids, stating that “they keep me on my toes.” but She worries about bringing her school life home to her family, finding that it isn't always easy to switch out of teacher mode. Often keeping her schoolwork put away until the kiddos are sound asleep, Merritt states it “Tends to lead to late nights, but I love being a mom.”

As an active member in our community, Merritt participates in volunteering such as ‘adopting’ several families for Christmas. A common goal throughout her life has been to help people, and she hopes to pass the trait on to her boys. She also wants her boys to learn other important life lessons such as, “giving is better than receiving.” along with “Be kind, love one another, and show respect.”

Being a role model both at home and at school is not an easy task. Although she still has doubts and often questions herself, Merritt believes she is finally starting to get the hang of it.

*authors note: it's very choppy and I wish I had more information.*

News Story 1

Olivia Riley-S

10/25/18

“Pub G is better.”

I was given the opportunity to represent Kennedy at the International Roundtable at Xavier high school. I got to meet the foreign exchange students of Cedar Rapids and ask them a series of questions, along with other school representatives and the Xavier student body.  With 38 students from 17 different countries, it made for a very interesting event.

                Stereotypes can mislead our impressions of the people we meet, whether it be race, religion, or even gender. I think we tend to alienate foreign exchange students because of their different cultural backgrounds, when in reality, they are normal teenagers, just like me and you. Even with the thousands of miles between our homes, we share a lot of similarities.

 “I just watched a lot of American movies.”  Lara, from Belgium, paints a picture of her dreams of coming to an American high school. The lockers, the lunchroom, the typical Hollywood scene, and so far, she’s experienced just that. Although we have met a lot of her expectations, we haven’t quite hit all the marks, “I’m still waiting for a High School Musical scene.” Lara says, and honestly, so are we.

They also have political opinions, not just in their own country, but in ours as well. Of course, Trump was mentioned, starting with a question asked by a Xavier student,

“What’s your opinion on Trump?”

“Do you like Trump?” asked Julia from Brazil.

“Let’s just say he’s making America great again.”

“I’m really sorry for you.”

That conversation sparked more opinions from the other exchange students, “I might be a little biased, but Trump has been the worst thing to happen to this country.” Said one, followed by, “He’s a joke to the rest of the world.”

Unfortunately, none of them seemed too keen on Fortnite. When asked about the game, Danny from the America’s stood abruptly from his chair and exclaimed, “I do NOT play Fortnite and never ask that again.” Before passing the mic on and returning to his seat. He wasn’t the only one with an opinion, the others felt the need to put in their two-sense, for it was a very important subject, “The entire Fortnite fanbase is cringey twelve-year olds.” And finally, “Pub G is better.”

Playing video games, partying, and doing dumb stuff with friends are common activities here, as well as their home countries. We are very similar, so as Kabylbekova from Kyrgyzstan said, they are “Probably the same as you guys.”

Flat Earth One-Pager

Olivia Riley-S

September 26, 2018

Is The Earth Flat? Meet The People Questioning Science

Flat-Earthers, as the intellectuals on this planet, we have decided that all conventional science is not only flawed, but completely fabricated altogether. We have gathered a mass amount of people all around the globe who state that science has been pulling a prank on humanity. The Earth, is not and never has been, round. You want proof? Simply google images of the Earth, notice anything? I’ll give you a hint, THEY'RE PHOTOSHOPPED! “They’re all different!” claimed two men seen at the UK’s first ever Flat Earth convention, they take note of the color of the ocean, and the placement of the continents while “Looking for the Photoshopped Images,” 

Notice here, the oceans are two completely different colors, how else could you explain that? That’s right, there’s no other explanation, check-mate Flat Earth Society.

“How do you not walk off the edge?” those who ask that question obviously practice the phrase ‘Ignorance is bliss’ and they are unable to grasp the facts. Darren Nesbit, a part-time musician who drives a van for a living, informs us that if you “Walk off one edge,” “through a quirk of space and time you’ll appear on the other side.”       

            Those who question us? Don’t worry, we just hit them with the facts.

Here’s the thing, there is not a single piece of evidence to prove us wrong because anything that may contradict our theories has been falsified by the government and the so called “scientific” community.

In conclusion, don’t believe everything you read. Who knows what you might find?

*side note* not only is the world flat, but the moon is also a projection.

Opioid Epidemic one-pager

                Olivia Riley

September 13, 2018

Most Doctors Are Ill-Equipped to Deal with the Opioid Epidemic. Few Medical Schools Teach Addiction

Who: Medical students, Doctors

What:  are not taught how to deal with opioid addiction in patients

When: RIGHT NOW

Where: America

Why: Opioids are highly addictive, so when a doctor prescribes them to a patient to relieve pain, and the patient becomes dependent on the drug, the medical professional SHOULD know how to approach the situation.

                In this article, The New York Times’ Jan Hoffman addresses the fact that doctors and medical students have not/ are not being taught how to manage chronic pain patients who might be susceptible to substance abuse.

                According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, addiction to substances result in about 632,000 deaths every year right here in America, yet, according to Dr. Kevin Kunz, only 15 out of the 180 medical school programs teach substance abuse.

                Treating the patient doesn’t just depend on your knowledge of abuse, you also need to understand how to address it and talk about it with your patient. Wording Effect is EVERYTHING, a simple use of the word "clean" can discourage patients to open up due to the impression that they are considered "dirty".