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Proust Questionnaireby Hannah Eisen

The Proust Questionnaire was popularized by French author Marcel Proust in the �800s. The answers to the quiz are supposed to be revealing of someone’s personality.

Each issue, Tower Times features a prominent person in the East community, or someone we think will give good answers.

Besides dressing up for Spirit Week, Mr. Torres teaches Geometry, ESL Algebra, and supervises

National Honor Society. He’s taught at East for three years.

What do you most value in a friend? Honesty.

What would you like to be? I wish I was a Kellogg’s corn flake.

What quality do you like most in a man? The ability to quote movies with me.

What quaility do you like most in a woman? Sense of humor, of self,

Tower TimesEast Side High School���� E. Washington Ave.

Madison, WI53704

EditorHannah Eisen

Photo EditorGrace Liu

ContributorsErin CarlsonGeorge OttoMara Lynch

Anna Hipke-KrugerIan Olson

Rose StangelMaimoua Xiong

Photo ContributorsGrace Liu

Eric BertunJD Stier

www.bridgetformadison.com

Cover ArtGrace Liu

AdvisersBeth TorrisonGreg Rittman

Mr. Torres supervises National Honor Society and teaches math. Photo by Hannah Eisen

of taste.What is your favorite color? To wear: BlueTo say: Cerulean

What is it you most dislike? Talking about the weather.

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?Camping in the rain, alone...without any Beef Jerky or Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups to eat.

What is your present state of mind? Under construction.

3

At less than two feet wide and one foot tall, it’s easy to underestimate the capabilities of NSBE Jr.’s Lego robot.

But hidden under wires, Lego pieces, and hardware lies an amazing ability to closely follow black lines

Designed, constructed and programmed by NSBE Jr. members Xavier Buesing, Andrew Goldsby, Tenzin Khedup and Johnathon Martin, the little robot won first place at the regional competition

in Detroit in November. The team hoped to

travel, along with Physics teacher Mr. Cox, to the national conference in Las Vegas, where their robot will follow a thin black line around treacherous turns and up steep inclines.

But NSBE Jr. does much more than the Lego Robot competition.

Sponsored by the National Society of Black Engineers, NSBE Jr. aims to inform students of all races about science, technology and engineering.

NSBE Jr. members can try a variety of activities including

NSBE students practice science and math with legos and robotsby Erin Carlson

On Tuesday, April 7, voters in Madison, including many East students, will have the opportunity to vote for their representative in City Council.

There will be a few fresh, young faces on the ballot, including Bridget Maniaci and Bryon Eagon. Both Maniaci and Eagon are UW students who volunteered for the

Barack Obama campaign last year.

Bridget Maniaci is running to represent

District � of Madison, which includes East High School and the Tenney Park area.

Her goals include promoting local businesses by addressing parking and rent issues and decreasing crime by improving street lighting.

Maniaci, a Madison native, is running for public office only two years out of college, setting an example that young people who take the initiative can have a significant impact on their communities.

by George OttoYoung former Obama volunteers run for city council

science fairs, bridge building competitions, campus meetings at the UW-Madison, and middle school outreach.

U W - M a d i s o n sponsors NSBE’s bridge competitions.

During a bridge competition, eight students compete against other teams to build a bridge. The bridge must fulfill certain requirements, like height.

Last summer, NSBE Jr. members Andrew Goldsby and Erin Carlson led middle school students in engineering activities.

Students developed their creativity and spacial

awareness.The middle school

students built mechanical arms out of yard sticks, cardboard, string and tape. Unfortunately, the elimination of Purgolder time has led to a decline in NSBE Jr. membership. Fun activities like the Lego Robot competition rely upon student involvement, and NSBE Jr. encourages anyone interested in going into science, technology or engineering to join. Curious students can talk to Ms. Chin or show up after school on Tuesdays at room 334.

Bridget Maniaci posed at Tenney Park with Mayor Cieslewicz (left) and former Mayors Sensenbrenner (middle) and Soglin (right). Photo credit: www,bridgetformadison.com

Student Life

Continued on page 8,please see

“City Council”

4

H o l l y Drifke is a junior and was co-captain of

East’s gymnastics team, The team tripled in size this year, growing from seven members last year to �� this year.

What sports do you participate in at East? I did gymnastics and I’m doing track when the season is over. I actually have never done track before. I like that both sports work so much of your body.

Would you rather practice or compete? I love to do both, but if I have to choose, I guess I’d say practice. There is no pressure when you’re practicing.

Do you have any rituals before competitions? We have pasta dinners the night before competitions, but that’s about it.

What is your favorite event in gymnastics? My favorite event is definitely vault. Pretty much, the vault is awesome! I personally only do handsprings, but am working on a handspring half-off.

It’s hard to describe, but imagine doing a handspring off a giant object with a powerful running start. It’s really exhilarating. It doesn’t look like it’d be that difficult, but sprinting full-speed at a stationary object with only one chance to get over it can

be a bit scary at times. What were your

goals for the gymnastics season? Have more people come to our meets! And to have as much fun as possible, and learn new things. Also, encourage the rest of the girls to do their best and have fun as well

What has been your proudest moment in East Athletics? My proudest moment would definitely be being chosen for captain of gymnastics. I became captain at the beginning of this year’s season, along with KD Reeve.

Are there any hobbies or sports that you participate in outside of school? I swim a lot outside of school.

I have never swam for a team; I just do it for fun. I have a pool at home I take advantage of.

Who inspired you most to excel in sports? My mother, for sure. She was an awesome softball player and track star but got badly injured in high school. I wanted to make up for that.

What have you gained most from doing East sports? Muscles for sure! No, I’ve gained quite a bit of confidence in myself and others, and I am a much harder worker than I was before. Really though, I’ve gotten some muscles!

Holly Drifke vaults for gymnastics, runs track and swims for funSports

by Mara Lynch

5

With a Pep Rally, extra spirit days and the surging excitement in the halls, it’s almost impossible not to know that East’s

basketball team made it to the post-season this year. East played four games. Tower Times collected photos from all four games.

On �/�6 East lost 56-45 to Memorial. East won 64-60 against Tomah on 3/3. Against Sun Prairie on 3/7 East won 64-49. East

lost against Waunakee 5�-49 on 3/�3. Photos from Memorial game by Grace Liu. Photos from other games by Eric Bertun.

Boys Basketball had most successful season since 1993

2/26: Madison East vs. Madison Memorial at Madison Memorial

3/3: Madison East vs. Tomah at Madison East 3/7: Madison East vs. Sun Prairie at Madison East

3/13: Madison East vs. Waunakee at Waunakee

Sports

6

The persis-tent cold weath-er can lead to winter blahs

around this time of year. Fortunately, we’ve found a handy treatment in the form of local band Bon Iver.

A play on the French for “good winter,” listen-ing to their debut album For Emma, Forever Ago is the equivalent of drinking a mug of tea or hot choco-late, or watching snow fall, from the warmth of

indoors. This isn’t to imply that

their music is boring, rath-er, it embodies the type of energy we sometimes need to make it to spring again. Based in Eau Claire, the official mem-bers for concerts are Jus-tin Vernon, Mike Noyce, Sean Carey, and Matthew McCaughan, although Emma is credited entirely to Vernon.

All nine tracks were composed and recorded

in a secluded cabin in the Wisconsin woods follow-ing the breakup of Ver-non’s previous band.

His original intent was to take a rest from music writing and recuperate from a recent illness, but he soon began to formu-late a record.

With some basic re-cording equipment, a gui-tar, bass drum, and exten-sive dubbing, he recorded what eventually became the first album of his new band. The tracks are ethe-

real, shadowy, and Ver-non’s vocals are almost unhumanly beautiful. Emma is a must for any-one who needs reminding that winter can indeed be good.

For Emma, Forever Ago was released on Jag-jaguwar Records. The song Skinny Love is avail-able on the band’s website, www.boniver.org. The al-bum is available at B-Side on State Street and online at www.amazon.com.

.Wisconsin band, Bon Iver, releases album to soothe winter blues

N a t t y N a t i o n ’ s new album, Reincarnation,

has a great message. Its lyrics, which forward peace, justice and love, are coupled to amazing music.

Too often good lyrics come at the expense of musicality, but Natty Nation’s mix of reggae, rock, roots, and dub works.

Strong bass and drum beats are offset by keyboard and rhythm guitar for a sound that is earthy and rich without being too heavy. Backup vocals support the lead on most of the tracks, and timely interjections of rap

add even more variety. If you’re skeptical,

take it from Natty Nation’s songwriter and singer, Demetrius “JAH Boogie” Wainwright, who agreed to answer a few questions about the band and the album.

How did you get started as a band?

We started in �995 out of another band called Arawak Jah.

Do you have any major musical influences? Who?We try to be original, but we like KRS ONE, all (Bob)Marley, and, K-os.

How many countries has the band played in?

We have been to six countries so far.

Which usually comes first when writing songs, the lyrics or the instrumentation?Writing songs, it can go either way. Usually music first.

How has the sound of Natty Nation evolved? It crosses a lot of genres. Do you ever feel it tending in the direction of one more than the others?Every day the music evolves. It depends on our mood.

Local band, Natty Nation, wants you to listen to reggae

by Anna Hipke-Kruger

by Anna Hipke-Kruger

Music

Natty Nation often performs locally. Photo by JD Stier.

Continued on page 8, please see “Natty

Nation”

7

Culture and FashionEast integrates new with old during Hmong New Year

East’s fourth annual Hmong New Year Cel-ebration kicked off with the themes of courtship and family. The United Asian Club and Hmong for Hmong Speakers class showed students the im-portance of the celebra-tion.

At a typical Hmong New Year, expect to see people dressed in Hmong clothes known as “paj ntaub.” They participate in performances and a ball-toss where couples or friends toss a ball back and forth. In the past, peo-

ple went to these events to find their “soul mates.” Today, it’s an event that brings Hmong and many people with different backgrounds together.

Though Hmong and American cultures have blended, East’s New Year involved traditional per-formances that reflected Hmong culture like “Kuv Txiav,” known as Hmong freestyle. East’s Hmong New Year shows how we can identify ourselves through the traditions and customs and teach others our culture as well.

East’s Hmong New Year was a fusion of traditonal Hmong culture and American culture. Photo by Grace Liu.

by Maimoua Xiong

8

Leo Don’t cry when you spill your milk at lunch next week. Use a freshman to wipe it up!

Libra Just because your 6th hour teacher is evil doesn’t mean they’re a witch. The fact that they ride a broom to school, however...

Cancer Sorry, Cancer. When you’re that rude to the lunch ladies, you’ll have to deal with picking the hair out of your food!

Capricorn Your friends weren’t admiring your haircut today. Mr. Krause happened to walk behind you and his dome was looking fresh.

Aquarius You will find a key to the school this week. Don’t snoop, just lock up the school and end our misery!

Aries Everybody loves when you yell at your friends at the top of your lungs, Aries. Please, just keep screaming forever.

Sagittarius If you want to make up for

the fact that you still watch American Idol... well, that’s too bad. Nothing will make up for that.

GeminiIt’s getting warm outside and everybody will be out and about. In other words, spare the public some pain and stay inside until after dark.

Taurus The school year is nearing its end, Taurus. Your bad hair day, however, is nowhere close to being over!

Virgo You will see a recording of the Madison Symphony’s Final Forte competition

on TV this week and die of amazement. That pianist was so good!

ScorpioThe reason nobody will talk to you, Scorpio, is because somebody said you were doing Frisbee. If that is true, you won’t be getting any more Zoroscopes.

PiscesIf you ever doubt that you have the coolest principal ever, just wait until he smuggles you into a basketball game.

Zoroscopes!!by Ian Olson

Does anything set Reincarnation apart from your other albums?On the new album we worked with several outside producers, which we have never done before. The message in the music is more Yogic & Hindu than Rasta.

Do you have a favorite track?Cool & Proper is a favorite track.

Finally, is there anything in particular you want students at

East to know about Natty Nation, or anything you’d like to say to them? We would like to see more young people listening to reggae because of its positive message. Reincarnation can be sampled at the band’s website, www.nattynation.com, and purchased online or at local record stores such as B-Side Records on State Street.

“Natty Nation,” continued from page 6

“City Council,”continued from

page 3Bryon, Eagon, a junior at the University of Wisconsin, is campaigning for the 8th District council seat. This district encompasses much of the UW campus and several student dorms.

Eagon is concerned with issues important to residents of the 8th district and the rest of Madison, including promoting apartment tenants’ rights and landlord accountability. He also wants to address the issues of safety and poverty in

the downtown area. During his campaign,

Barack Obama spoke often about the importance of youth having a sense of community involvement. Maniaci and Eagon prove that this is idea still true.

Young people have as much a voice as anyone else, and if we make sure we are heard, we can create the kind of changes we want in our communities, our city, and our nation.

Remember, the election is April 7 and, no matter your individual political leanings, it is important to vote for the people you want to represent you.