T H E

VOLUME 52 ISSUE 20 1015 Division St. Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613

The choir students will be hosting their annual Vocal Pops Concert at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 23, at Prairie Lakes Church.

Pops concerts are unlike any other concert throughout the year because students perform songs that most everyone either knows or has at least heard of.

“The students, along with myself and Mr. Healey, the UNI student teacher, have been working extremely hard over the past few months pre-paring music,” director Eliott Kranz said.

Preparing for a concert that brings in a larger audience than most other concerts and can take a lot of time. Senior Brittany Beck said, “I’ve put in about three hours of work

a day in and out of school. I have a group solo this year, and we are doing choreogra-phy, so the bar has definitely been raised.”

Not only will the three choirs be showing off their hard work, but there will also be solo and group solo acts during the show. “All of the solo acts the students selected on their own, prepared on their own and then had to

Hannah RoethlerStaff Writer

Vocal Pops concert prepares to bring in crowdaudition to be selected to perform on the show,” Kranz said.

“Last year the pops concert went very smoothly, so hope-fully this year is just as good,” senior Parker Smith said.

With the same expecta-tions as last year, a lot of hard work has been poured into getting this concert ready. “We work all through class, going over and over our lines.

It’s a lot of work, but hope-fully it’ll show in time for the concert,” sophomore Briley Duggan said.

With hopes a lot of people come and support the choir, junior McKenzie Sesterhenn said, “This year’s concert will be amazing because it will be a lot shorter than last year. There is a possible chance that everyone who comes will get a Scratch cupcake.”

Dance marathon raises over $2,500Over 200 students turn out for Friday’s dance marathon for children’s hospital

Above left, juniors Jared Connerly and Halle Benson bust some moves. On right, junior boys celebrate winning the dodgeball championship. Bot-tom left, junior Raud Kashef warms up to play for the “Big Cat” team. Bottom right, se-nior boys handicapped their dodgeball game with morph suits.

Anna Love photos

See state wrestling results on page 3

Contact the Tiger Hi-Line

The Tiger Hi-Line is a weekly publication of the journal-ism classes of Cedar Falls High School, 1015 Division St., Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613. Our website is www.hiline.co.nr. The Hi-Line is distributed to CFHS students on Tuesdays to read in their free time.

Columns and letters do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Hi-Line or Cedar Falls Schools. The Hi-Line editorial staff view is presented weekly in the editorial labeled as Our View.

Reader opinions on any topic are welcome and should be sent to the Tiger Hi-Line staff or delivered to room 208. All letters must be signed. Letters must be submitted by 3 p.m. on Thursday for publication the following Tuesday. Letters may not exceed 300 words and may be edited to meet space limita-tions. Include address and phone number for verification.

Editorial StaffEditors-in-Chief: Sara Gabriele, Ellen Gustavson, Meg Lane

News Editors: Maya Amjadi, Sara Gabriele, Chandal Geerdes

Opinion Editors: Meg Lane, Karl SadkowskiSports Editor: Jared Hylton

Feature Editors: Ellen Gustavson, Sandra Omari-BoatengEntertainment Editor: Lucas Hamilton

Hi-Line Online Editor: Martha HallStaff Writers: Lindsey Davis, Chase Eremieff, Isabelle

Hayes, Trevor Johnson, Kathrine Mayhew, Hannah Roethler, Rhydian Talbot

OpinionFeb. 21, 2012 hiline.nr.co

Lucas HamiltonEntertainment EditorThroughout my life, I have

always wondered why it was so common to see people argue unrelentingly rather than settle their differences with communication and open minds. It has perplexed me at how the human race is so undeniably stubborn. I love seeing people come together in the face of adversity and disaster, but I feel that it only happens when the worst has come and nothing other than cooperation will help. People have become too self-centered in their ways. Where has all the unity gone? Technology has come to rule everything we are. In our world of end-less connections, where have the connections gone?

It appears as if we made technology able to simultane-ously connect us constantly to anyone imaginable and imprison us within the boundaries of typed, emotion-less words on a screen. The technology is wonderful, but the lack of actual connections between people should not be swept under the rug and avoided. Yes, collaborations across the world and com-

our view

munications open up and that is a wonderful thing. But, the fallout of real human experi-ence is inevitable.

The unifying force of how we are all simply human is becoming harder to find because too many wires block the view of our counterparts on the other side of the instant message, text, phone call, or e-mail. So much is lost when face-to-face conversations are absent. The march of the technological age will not, and should not end. People just need to take the time to get their fingers off the key-pad and lend their eyes to the beautiful world that surrounds them.

Technology is not the sole reason for the lack of unity and cohesiveness between people. To put it simply, everyone wants to be unique, and with everyone lusting after their individuality, they ever-so quickly forget that they can’t escape their human-ity. No matter the amount the work put into becoming unique, there will always be someone similar. Maybe not at this very moment, but one will come along. When people overly obsess with

discovering themselves, there is a tendency for working together to suffer. People can’t properly assess obstacles in communicating as just a mere differences. Instead of viewing the obstacles as conquerable, they have been deemed too overwhelming, and the cause is lost. In no way is finding yourself a bad thing, but it has shifted its way there because people become blinded to the realities of everyone sharing universal human traits.

Critical thinking sets the table for a mind full of wonder and creativity. But with the excess of eas-ily accessible answers at the simple search engine, critical thinking skills have slumped into the shadows. Technol-ogy has set the tone with Internet becoming the greatest information center. People are learning to rely on their quick answering searches rather than their hard-earned answers that coincide with legitimate learning. We shouldn’t neglect the avail-ability of all the information online, but we actually have to teach people. Tell them how they can use their minds

Connections and cooperation

Are you having trouble proving your full potential? Wondering where you really belong in this world? Don’t worry. You’re certainly not the only one.

Several weeks ago, Jeremy Lin of the New York Knicks put himself into the spotlight of fame after being rejected from Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets. When the Knicks’ two star players couldn’t play because of a family death and a personal injury, Lin got his chance to prove himself on the court and turn the heads of many unsuspecting Knicks fans.

A ‘Linsation’ had just hit the crowd.Lin graduated from Harvard University in 2010 with a degree in economics. Not only is this unusual, but Lin

has especially earned his right to attention because he is one of the very few Asian Americans in NBA history. But even in his attending the Ivy League university, he received no athletic scholarships for his talents. So this jewel remained hidden.

Odds were heavily stacked against Lin in his entering the NBA draft. The last Ivy League player to be drafted into the NBA was in 2003, and the last from Harvard was in 1954. He did not get drafted in 2010. Lin persisted with honing his basketball skills in hopes that one day he would be able to make a starting squad.

So do you think you can’t get a spot in this world of competition? Well, think again, young one. This game of life is all about failure, struggle and eventual success. So get out there, show your stuff and become a cham-pion! Lin style!

It’s ‘LINspirational’, everybody!

to help create a better tomor-row for all. We as a people have become immersed in the pleasure and leisure of easy access to knowledge that we are forgetting the importance of the development of the overwhelming knowledge and especially the importance of teaching how to use informa-tion that we have.

There is no limit to what we can create as a whole population. But there are obstacles. Unfortunately, you and I are those obstacles. And the only way to work through them is to work together instead of relying on the won-ders that technology provides

us with. There’s the vicious cycle. We need to break free of the obstacles that bind us from working together, but the only way to do that is to work together. Take the time to separate yourself from the technologies that bombard us daily and really attempt to connect with people. No matter how scary some people seem, there is a good side to all of us. Maybe our minds will spark together with excitement, and we can start to work towards things greater than we could ever imagine. The only dreams that will never come true are the ones that aren’t worked for.

Working together should not be second best to pursuing individuality

People have become obsessed with their inanimate technology instead of their real human connections.

Athleteof

the Week

Tigers in Action

Sportshiline.co.nrFeb. 7, 2012

1. What is your favorite wrestling memory? Defnitely wrestling the kid from Washington and finally beating him at State.It felt pretty good to finally beat him, especially at the biggest stage.2. What was one of your goals this year?

I wanted to get better as the season progressed and make it down to State ulti-mately.3.What advice would you give to next year’s wrestlers?

To work your hardest to get to where you want to be. If you work hard and try, you can get better and make it to State.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALLTuesday, Feb. 21, 7p.m @ Marshalltown vs. Ames

MEN’S BASKETBALL Friday, Feb. 24, 7p.m. @ Home vs. an oppo-nent TBD

Jared HyltonSports Editor

The Tiger wrestling team took four qualifiers to the State tournament over the weekend, and some big sur-prises developed.

Senior Nick Terpstra had an exceptional day on Thursday, Feb. 16, defeating Tyler Burrell of Cedar Rapids Washington who was ranked first in class 3A heavyweights. Burrell had defeated Terpstra twice this season already, once by seven points and the second time by only one point. Terpstra earned a take down late in the third period, giving him a one-point lead, and eventually he rode Burrell out with one second left in the match. It seemed that Terpstra had a sure victory, but it wasn’t over yet.

On the ensuing start, Terp-stra let Burrell have an escape, tying the match. “I thought I was up by two, and I let him up, and I saw it was 3-4 and gave him a point, so we had to go into overtime.”

Terpstra had the last laugh, pulling the victory off in three overtimes. He then lost his second match on a 10-6 decision to Bryce Fisher of Southeast Polk, sending him to the consolation half of the bracket where he then lost to Jake Oldaker of Clinton.

Junior Nick Hagedorn recorded a 1-minute 58-sec-ond pin of West Des Moines Dowling’s Isaiah Patton in his first match. Subsequently, he won his second match, defeating Max Krieger from Mason City by a score of 5-4. Hagedorn then lost in the semifinals by a 14-3 major decision to Zeb Wahle from Lewis Central, who would go on to be the 160 lb. Class 3A champion.

Freshman Dan Kelly had an emotional weekend wrestling at 106 pounds, he was the only freshman from Cedar Falls to qualify for State. Kelly lost his first match in a 9-6 decision to Tra-vis Willers of Pleasant Valley. In wrestle-backs, Kelly was

defeated by Jake Koethe of West Des Moines Valley by a 8-2 decision.

Senior Sam Dagit made his last state wrestling appearance for the Tigers. Dagit lost his first match to Connor Ryan of Bettendorf by a 1-minute

24-second pin. Dagit bounced back in wrestle-backs winning his first consolation match by a 5-3 decision, but he was defeated in his next match by a score of 8-0 by Jack Randall of Spencer High School.

Of the four wrestlers the

Tigers qualified for State, two will be returning to the team next year. They will also be returning Cassy Herkelman, who made an appearance at State as a freshman. She will be a junior next year.

Anne Love Photo

State wrestling this weekend held a pandora’s box of emotion for junior Nick Hagedorn, top, and freshman, Dan Kelly, bottom. Hagedorn was beat in the semi-finals, placing 4th. Kelly was defeated by Jake Koethe of West Des Moines Valley 8-2.

Tigers place at state wrestling

Nick Terpstra State Wrestler

Anne Love Photos

FeatureFeb. 21, 2012 hiline.co.nr

Rhydian TalbotStaff Writer

Director Martin Scorsese, acting legend George Cloo-ney, English teacher and film aficionado Marguerite DeM-oss — each, in their own right, Hollywood royalty.

For though only two of the three listed will be walk-ing the red carpets at the 84th annual Acad-emy Awards, only one has viewed each and every televised Oscars ceremony since its black-and-white television debut in 1953.

Though her resume is strung with character roles in various theater produc-tions, DeMoss’ passion for acting’s big night bur-geoned well before taking to the stage herself. “Ever since I could read I was in love with movies, always tearing through movie magazines and movie gos-sip,” DeMoss said. Such love, perhaps, was fostered by necessity. “In my small town, there wasn’t much to do except go to the movies or ride your bike around, so every Satur-day afternoon for years I was at the matinee. We just had a little theater, and it just showed one movie on Satur-day after-noon and three other nights a week. It was always, always a cowboy movie, and those would involve a little cartoon and newsreel.”

From cowboys and car-toons grew film genres star-ring some of America’s most famous historical heartthrobs.

Big names like Elvis Presley and Marlon Brando took to the big screen, redefining the movie experience for viewers unfamiliar with such leading

man potential. “There weren’t anything like teenage movies per se, but when James Dean came around, I thought

I’d died and gone to heaven. You can only imag-ine the devastation when news

broke of his car crash,”

DeMoss said.With strong

pulls to the world of films, 1953’s first televised Oscars ceremony drew DeMoss’ at-tention with ease. Citing winners like Shirley Booth’s best actress nod for “Come Back,

Little Sheba” and Gary Cooper’s turn

in “High Noon,”

DeM-oss re-

called the televi-sion

event with apparent attachment. “I was still fairly young, so it was a big deal that my grandparents let me stay up to watch. They sat to watch, too, and got so caught up in it that they forgot I was there, and I stayed up the whole time.”

Since the first airing in 1953, DeMoss has religiously followed the ballot race every year, annually following the award show and the hype sur-rounding it. Such longevity in dedication and time allows her to compare the star-studded show throughout the decades. “The ‘50s were always fun because you’d always get one or two films that were really racy for the time, and they just rocked the rafters because it all seemed so wicked!”

The 1960s and 1970s also provided memorable soundbites as stars utilized their stage time politically, treating the acceptance podi-ums as platforms for protest. DeMoss recalls Jane Fonda’s infamous Black Panther fist raise after her Best Actress win and the audience that booed Vanessa Redgrave for her acceptance speech that morphed into an attack against Israelies. Infamous protester Marlon Brando shook up the Academy Awards when he enlisted a Native American to accept his Best Actor award in his place and to deliver a

DeMoss screams for the silver screen

statement about the misrepre-sentation of Native Americans in the film industry. “That was a scandalous year. Brando sends up this gorgeous Native American princess who, as it turns out, isn’t even Native American, just some actress he’d hired. That was also the same year a naked streaker ran behind [host] David Ni-men,” she cackled.

Though format remains essentially the same — film-industry greats receive ac-colades, stars deliver gasping speeches that last too long, shows consistently run over-time — certain aspects of to-day’s Academy Awards differ from its inaugural television debut in 1953. “Nowadays, the productions are always just so much more extrava-gant than they ever have been. There weren’t really the red carpet affairs that they have today, and the jokes are much raunchier than they ever have been,” DeMoss noted.

The thrill of speculating, however, transcends time. “I’m typically always most interested in the nominees for

Best Actor and Actress. My son usually calls and asks for predictions, but I’m fairly certain [Best Supporting Ac-tor] Christopher Plummer will walk away this year, and it’s an absolute toss up between Meryl Streep and Viola Davis for Best Actress, and Best Actor is definitely going to be Jean Dujardin from ‘The Artist’ or George Clooney for ‘The Descendants,’” DeMoss said.

As DeMoss settles in on Feb. 26 to watch her predic-tions unfold, celebratory traditions from years past will be maintained. “I don’t dress up or throw elaborate parties. I’ll be celebrating the way I always do: with a big steak and a glass of red wine. My sons know I will not be answering the telephone during the broadcast, except during the commercials. They also know they can’t exceed commercials or else I’ll hang up,” she said, laughing.

The 84th Academy Awards airs at 7 p.m. Feb. 26 on ABC with red carpet coverage beginning at 4 p.m.

English teacher Marguerite DeMoss has watched every Academy Awards showing ever since the televised debut in 1953.

For almost 60 years of Oscar action,