Issue No. 1
Staff
Editors: Mariah Eekhoff, Maggie Milby,
Karyn Vander Wal
Journalists:
Seniors: Vanessa Blankespoor, Delaney
Dugger, Allie Groenenboom,
Valerie Jochems, Amy
Dunsburgen
Sophomore: Kira Braun
Guest writers for this issue:
Levi Vander Molen, Kyndal Reimer, Leah Blankespoor,
Michaela Chapman, Julia
Dykstra
Advisor: Noreen Vander Wal
The Eagle’s Cry is a publication of the
PCHS Advanced Journalism class and
is intended to provide an educational
experience for those in the class as well
as information and entertainment for the
community. The news and opinions stated
in this publication do not necessarily
reflect the views and opinions of the
Pella Christian High School Society or its
administration.
Letters to the editor may be addressed
to Eagle’s Cry, 300 Eagle Lane, Pella,
IA, 50219. The editors reserve the right
to edit letters for content and length.
Anyone wishing to subscribe to the
Eagle’s Cry should send a name and
address along with $5.00 to the school.
a student publication of Pella Christian High School
300 Eagle Lane, Pella, IA 50219
September 25 , 2012
iPads become part of PCHS life and learning
Maggie Milby
[email protected]
A new, technology-based change has
happened at PC this fall. All of the staff,
teachers, and students have gone 1:1,
meaning that everyone has been given an
iPad to use for school purposes. The iPads
have the ability to provide on-the-go
access to assignments, notes, and emails.
“There wasn’t one main reason that
PCHS went 1:1,” said PC technology
coordinator Frank Vanden Bosh. “There
were many reasons that we made the
switch, the main reason being that we
want to stay competitive and current.
Also, having the iPads helps with access
to technology and teaches how there are
good and bad parts to technology.”
On August 22 PCHS successfully
presented every student with an iPad
on Roll Out Day. “Roll Out Day went
pretty well! There were a few hiccups,
but overall there was a good wireless
system, and we got positive feedback,”
said Vanden Bosch.
Switching from the traditional learning
style to a technology base does present
many differences. Technology can be
used in positive ways and in negative
ways. Some concerns expressed about
the iPads included mature applications
that could be downloaded, technological
Forced veggies make for hungry student body
Fresh fruit, cooked vegetables, and a variety of salad options have been added to the
daily lunch choices for students, in attempt to encourage healthier eating habits.
by Michaela Chapman & Kyndal Reimer what they take is being thrown away.
Van Wyngarden said, “I can force them to
[email protected]
take the fruit, but I can’t force them to eat it.
[email protected]
A new set of lunch rules have been As Christians, it hurts me even more because
set in place by the government, and PC they aren’t eating what they are taking.”
Van Wyngarden tries to put out a variety
students have noticed a difference in the
of fruit so that the students have more
lunch line lately.
According to Food Service Coordinator choices. Some constituents have donated
Bonnie Van Wyngarden, these new rules produce to help keep the costs down and
include the following: students must have to provide better options.
Both students and parents have been
a fruit or a veggie, they’re only allowed
10-12 oz of meat and breads a week, and complaining about these rules. They
believe that students aren’t getting enough
2% milk is no longer available.
“I was very unhappy hearing about to eat to last them the day.
The government’s idea in all of this is
these new rules,” said Van Wyngarden.
“One, they require more calculating and to have healthier kids in America. Van
restrictions on my part. And two, that’s Wyngarden, as well as the rest of the food
more food for kids to just throw away. service, don’t see this as their role. Kids
Our goal is to have meals (students) who aren’t being filled up at school go
home and eat stuff that is probably not
enjoy,” she said.
One of the hardest parts for the food staff healthy all the time.
“I know for a fact there are kids leaving
has been the fruit or vegetable requirement.
Some kids have no problem with this, here after school and going to McDonald’s
because they love any kind of fruit or because they are hungry,” said Van
vegetable. Other kids take it because it Wyngarden. “Unless (healthy eating) is
is now required to have at least one cup reinforced at home, it won’t matter.”
of vegetables and fruits on their tray, and
Each PC student now has an iPad to use both at home and at school as part of the
new 1:1 program initiated this fall.
temptations, and misuse of the Internet outside of school hours.
in class. The school has addressed all of
The 1:1 program is a permanent switch
those concerns in different ways: gaming for PCHS and is expected to return for the
applications are not allowed in class following school years. The school hopes
and will result in a noon or after school to get three years from the batch of iPads
detention, depending on the offense. All presented to students this year. Vanden
mature applications have been blocked. Bosch has high expectations for the iPads.
Facebook and twitter have been restricted “I hope the iPad starts to feel as common
during the school day, and Facetime has as a notebook or textbook. We hope that
been blocked. The school also encourages the iPad becomes very ubiquitous, or part
families to apply their own rules for use of everyday lifestyle,” he said.
Enrollment decline smaller than expected
by Vanessa Blankespoor
[email protected]
The PCHS class of 2012 graduated
91 seniors last spring, an exceptionally
large group. The incoming freshman class
expected for this fall had a below average
enrollment of about 50. So as of last
spring, the expected enrollment for this
school year was unknown. The goal was
250 students, a drop of 30 from last year.
Now PC is blessed with 253 students,
and it turns out the freshman class is, in
fact, not the smallest. In addition to the 10
international students and 57 freshmen,
the student body also acquired 11 transfer
students.
Many factors contributed to the higher
than expected numbers. Principal Darryl
De Ruiter believes this can be partially
attributed to our new initiatives. “A
deciding factor for some families who
potentially considered Pella Christian
were our new initiatives. For example,
going 1:1 and Winterim attracted people
to the school,” said De Ruiter.
The biggest reason enrollment was
a concern was because of the school
budget. A $250,000 drop in the annual
budget would create problems if the
school system wanted to remain similar
to past years.
There was more to administration’s
concern than just the financial
consequences. Guidance counselor Dan
Van Kooten explained that enrollment
affects the classroom, and thus the
teachers’ positions. “One issue is when
there are not enough students in a class,
then it is difficult to offer three full
sections of a certain required class. That
makes scheduling more difficult and also
creates the potential for a teacher to move
from full time to part time,” he said.
At least ten teachers at PC have been
directly affected by this year’s decline
in enrollment. Several commented that
the change in teaching assignments
has made them busier. Adjustments in
teaching assignments added courses for
science teacher John Evenhouse, who
acquired physics, as well as math teacher
Larry Hessing, who took on Math I
and Statistics, in addition to his regular
Algebra I and II.
Instead of taking on a new course for the
semester, family consumer science teacher
Jan Blunck is now teaching fewer sections
of Creative Living and Child Development
than previous years. “One positive thing
about teaching less classes is that I have
the privilege of helping Mrs. Van Wyk in
the Special Ed room. I am really enjoying
working with the students and thank God
for this opportunity,” said Blunck.
De Ruiter was prepared to make up for the
possible loss in students while maintaining
the best schooling possible. “We wanted
to keep the highest level of staffing and
programs with a budget deficit and still pay
for it. Not only classes, but extracurricular
cuts were considered,” he said. “Thankfully,
there were no long term reductions, and no
serious cuts with staffing or major programs.
Some reduction was inevitable, but it was
very minimal.”
De Ruiter was and will continue to be
affirmed in God’s faithfulness despite
the unknown future. “We didn’t worry
because God was faithful in the past, and
we know He will continue to be faithful
to us in the future,” he said. “Regardless
of enrollment, it is our intent to work hard
in educating and nurturing each student to
serve in God’s world.”
Page 2 Eagle’s Cry
September 25, 2012
New teachers, new classes create more options
Footloose
generates
excitement
by Karyn Vander Wal
[email protected]
For the past six weeks, 48 students have
been hard at work preparing for this fall’s
musical Footloose. The musical was cast
last spring and the leads and supporting
roles were given music to learn at the beginning of August. Music was learned with the
help of choir director Tim Van Voorst, choreography by Brenna Vogel, and lines and
blocking by director Marlo Van Peursem.
Footloose is a modern story of a boy,
Ren, (senior Nicolas Dahm) who moves to
the small town of Bomont from the big city
of Chicago. Ren loves to dance but gets
into trouble when he finds out it is against
the law to dance in the hick town run by
an overly controlling preacher, Reverend
Shaw (junior Cory Van Gilst). The reverend’s daughter Arial (junior Cali Beyer)
is a rebellious teen who goes for the bad
boys, but she eventually falls for Ren and
helps him petition for the right to dance.
Van Peursem is very excited about this
energetic piece. “I wanted to do a fun and
energetic musical with a contemporary
theme,” he said. “The students may be excited about the choreography, but I loved
the theme of how society responds when
bad things happen: Ren loses a father and
becomes rebellious, and the minister loses
a son and becomes controlling. It isn’t until
they both realize they need each other do we
see true acceptance of each of their losses.”
Footloose will be performed on October
25, 26 and 27, at 7:00 in the Vermeer Auditorium at PCHS. Tickets will be available
through the school office or for students
anytime at lunch or break. Students will
receive one free ticket, but can purchase
more for if needed. Adult tickets can be
bought for $6 and student tickets for $4.
by Val Jochems
[email protected]
This fall two new teachers joined the
PCHS staff and two new classes have
been added to the curriculum. Band director and chapel cordinator Shannon Dykstra was hired after former director Ron
Zwiers retired after 28 years at PCHS and
Noreen Vander Wal gave up the chapel
planning position.
Dykstra is originally from Ada, Oklahoma, where she graduated from Ada High
School and later received her bachelor and
master degrees from the University of Oklahoma. She and her husband Ted have three
children: David, a junior at PC; Hannah a
7th grader and Daniel a 5th grader at PCHS.
Dykstra previously taught at Twin Cedars
Schools for 8 years, Pella Christian Grade
for 6 years and most recently at Pella High
School for 2 years. She is looking forward
to learning about PCHS and the students,
as well as those great “light bulb” moments
that create memories for a lifetime.
“God always plugs those light bulb moments in for me and students just when we
need them most.” Dykstra said “My goals
Foreign language teacher Joni Van Der
Pol and band instructor Shannon Dykstra
joined the PC staff this fall.
Senior Travis Veenstra measures before
cutting a board in building trades.
for the students are to have fun while using our gifts, always honoring God, and
to do our best-everyday every rehearsal.”
Dykstra has started to implement some
changes to the band, one of which is having
Pep Band at football games. Dykstra said,
“My vision is that the band becomes part of
the sporting events and helps create a home
field advantage for our players.” She is
also starting to use a music software called
Smart Music to help students receive immediate feedback on note accuracy.
The second new teacher to join PCHS
is ESL and foreign language teacher Joni
Van Der Pol. She and her husband Doug
have three children: Kristina a senior, Jenna a sophomore, and Olivia a 6th grader.
Van Der Pol is originally from Solon,
Iowa, and attended Central College. In
House finds new home
by Maggie Milby
[email protected]
The house that once sat on the corner of Eagle
Lane, has now been sold for $100 dollars to a PC
supporting couple who chose to move it 3 miles
north. The lot which once had 5 buildings sitting on
it is now left with just the barn, which will be used
for the new building trades class and storage. The lot
will be seeded this fall and reseeded next summer,
with possible signage in the near future.
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Van Der Pol has taught all levels of Spanish in both public and Christian schools in
Iowa and St. Louis, Missouri. Van Der Pol
said she wants to “teach with excellence,
and hopefully instill an awareness of God’s
great love for all people around the world
and that He will use each of us to be His
instruments of grace to others.”
Here at PCHS Van Der Pol is teaching
Spanish I, an online Mandarin Chinese
class and English as a Second Language
(ESL). Nine students are currently taking
the Chinese class. “This new online class
is an excellent opportunity for students to
begin learning a language that I think will
be the language of the future for many careers,” said Van Der Pol.
She also teaches ESL, which most of
the new international students take. ESL
is a support class in which the students
receive help with everyday conversation
and academic work.
Another new class offered this fall is the
building trades and small engines course.
Industrial Arts instructor Paul Monsma
teaches the class of 19 students in the red
barn on the northwest corner of PCHS
campus. They plan to build sheds for
Habitat for Humanity before moving on
to study, take apart and rebuild engines.
“I hope students learn what it takes to
follow a blueprint and be able to make
a useful product out of lumber. I would
also like them to learn to work together in
groups,” said Monsma.
This past year the graduation requirement of 3 years each of science and math,
starting with the class of 2016, was adopted. As a result, new math classes have
been added. Math III, taught by Kevin
Herdegen, will provide this third year of
math to the students who choose to take
Math I and Math II. These classes divide
Algebra I and Geometry into three years
instead of two.
“The greatest benefit of this class is providing a third year of math to those who
like or need a class at a slower place,” said
Herdegen.
A statistics class has also been added to
the curriculum this year and is taught by
Larry Hessing. Statistics is a one semester
course that can be taken instead of or in
addition to calculus. It is often a required
class in college and this course will build
a good foundation.
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Page 3 Eagle’s Cry
September 25, 2012
Transfer, new international students adjust to life at PC
by Kira Braun and Karyn Vander Wal
[email protected]
[email protected]
Not only from all over America, but also
from around the whole world, students decided to come to PCHS. The international
students at PC this fall are made up of six
Chinese, one boy from Ukraine, and two
German siblings.
The Chinese students have perhaps the
biggest adjustment to make. “In China I
was surrounded by 8000 students every
day,” said junior Edward Wang, “and I
had to share the classroom with 50 other
kids.” Here Wang can get to know people
better, although he doesn’t like to translate
everything that he doesn’t understand. In
spring he hopes to join the soccer team.
The school routine is also very different from the Chinese one. “Normally in
China I had to do a lot of homework after
a 13-hour school day,” freshman Yadi Xu
said. “Being on the Cross Country team
is on my mind rather than doing a pile of
work after school.”
International students have some tough
challenges. “English and Bible class are
the most difficult classes for me,” sophomore Far Zhu said. Zhu inspired two of
his friends to take the possibility of doing
an exchange year.
All of the international students have
great motivation to learn English fluently
PC welcomed a number of new students from as far away as China to as close as across town.
by the time they head home or go to college. “If I get a good degree here, it will
be much easier for me to get into a college
in Ukraine,” David Kish explained. He
knows it will not be easy, but God’s servants will be with him just as they helped
him to get where he is now.
Some students are only here for the
experience. “Before becoming a banker,
I would like to get to know a different
school system and culture,” junior Thaddeus Braun, known as the Swag-bag, said.
Not only the luxurious iPads are different from his school, also the teachers are
nicer than in Germany. Luckily new technology and camera phoning allows him to
stay in touch with family and friends at
home.
Not only were 57 freshman and 10 international students welcomed, but also
13 students new to the PC school system.
Four of these new students came due to
a parent joining the PC staff. Sophomore
Alicia Munoz’s father teaches at Pella
Christian Grade School as one of their
new Spanish Immersion teachers. Munoz
came to PC from Pella High.
Senior Kristina Van Der Pol and her
freshman sister Jenna moved to Pella from
Ledyard, Iowa. “It’s nice seeing my mom
every day,” said senior Kristina Van Der
Pol. “I really enjoy having the privilege to
be able to attend the same school that she
works.” Their mom teaches Spanish I and
helps some of the international students
with their English and other studies. Junior David Dykstra’s mom is the band director this year at PC. Dykstra joined the
student body from Pella High. “I’m not
use to having chapel and Bible classes,”
said Dykstra. “It’s different, but I like it.”
Although many of the new student at
PC came from Iowa or surrounding areas, that is not the case for freshman Maria Bandstra and her junior sister Lydia.
These two came to Pella from Florida after their dad was deployed to Afghanistan
for a year. The Bandstras have often come
to Pella to visit family and take a vacation,
so up until the start of school, living here
did feel like vacation for them.
“Up until we moved here, Pella was always where we came for vacation, never
for school or anything,” Lydia said. Lydia
is managing the volleyball team this year
and might play softball this summer as
well. “I’m looking forward to making
some good new friends, and just having a
good year in general.”
Spanish Immersion Program introduces youngsters to foreign language learning
by Julia Dykstra and Levi Vander Molen
[email protected]
[email protected]
Imagine being back in kindergarten on
the first day of school and spending the
whole day listening to a foreign language.
That is what it was like for the kindergartners and first graders in the Spanish Immersion Program at PCGS. New to the
school this year, this program is designed
to help students achieve a high degree of
fluency by fifth grade.
Senor Rogelio Gomez is the lead Spanish
immersion teacher. He taught for 17 years
in elementary as well as college classrooms
in Chiapas, Mexico. Along with Gomez,
teacher Jodi Pierce, who is also conversant
in Spanish, assists in the classroom.
Pierce believes that the children will
learn Spanish the same way they acquired
their English skills. “They are learning their second language just like they
learned their first language: by having
meaningful interaction in that language,”
she said.
Math, reading and Bible are just a few
examples of things students learn in Spanish. “We do the same things any other
classroom would do, except everything is
in Spanish,” said Pierce.
The students understand what the
teachers are talking about because the
teaching duo uses lots of motions, as well
as pictures and signals, to go along with
the words. These actions help to keep the
students focused and engaged. “We have
to be so entertaining—jumping, dancing,
modeling what we are saying. We have to
be the show,” said Pierce.
The students, excited and motivated to
learn, try their best to communicate with
their teachers and classmates. They also
understand that learning a second language will not be easy. “It is very hard
to speak Spanish,” commented one first
grader named Ellison.
For now, if students have a question,
they may use English. “If we don’t know
the question in Spanish, then we ask Senor Gomez in English, and he replies in
PCGS started a new Spanish Immersion program for kindergarten and first graders this fall.
Spanish,” said Ema, a first grader.
(those challenges),” he said. “I have my
Some students enjoy going home and own English immersion program here,”
being the teacher. “I get to teach my fam- he said.
But Gomez is confident the immersion
ily Spanish,” said Cooper, a kindergartener.
Generally the kids seem open to lan- method is working, and that by the end
guage learning, said Gomez, who is sym- of the year his students will be speaking
pathetic to the challenges of hearing a Spanish. “I expect that. The students are
foreign language all day. “I understand amazing. Smart,” he said.
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Page 4 Eagle’s Cry
September 25, 2012
Angry Authors
by Delaney Dugger, Vanessa Blankespoor,
& Allie Groenenboom
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected]
Although it is early in the school year, there have been
a few issues that we as seniors feel we should discuss with
the student body (ahem, underclassmen). So listen up!
First of all... LUNCH. Food changes, table seating,
and tray stacking have all bothered quite a few of us. We
know it is not Bonnie’s fault that our food portions have
been depleted, but the empty vending machine isn’t helping our case either. I mean, think about the football boys
going to practice on empty stomachs...can’t even imagine! And juniors, do you even KNOW which tables are
yours? The seniors need 2 tables at least! Then the next
one is a junior table, the next a sophomore/junior table,
Random Facts
then a sophomore table, a freshmen/sophomore table,
and finally a table for the freshmen (who also feel the
need to sit at senior tables occasionally). We know this
does not include everyone from every grade, we’re just
trying to save you from the wrath of India Sarver. :) Note:
if “your” table is taken, please use the shorter overflow
tables on the west side of commons. And another thing,
if you start a stack of trays in the side kitchen window by
the trash cans, the silverware holder should be on the side
closest to you (on the south side, for those of you who
know your directions).
So these iPads are great ‘n all, but the amount of technical difficulties is really slowing us down...technologically, and with the flow of traffic in the hallways. Ever
since we’ve laid hands on these babies, no one seems
to want to pay attention in the hallways anymore. Everyone’s always looking down playing games, checking
email, and ignoring face to face conversations. We all
know the ipads are cool, but please stop using them during break and lunch when you should be interacting with
the actual people around you not to Talking Ginger. To
be honest, these iPad walkers are slower than texters and
PDA’ers...didn’t think that was possible!
Like the lunch tables, the railing upstairs also has its
“assigned” spots. Juniors need to STAY ON THEIR
SIDE and underclassmen need to stay downstairs! We
understand that if you have a significant other on a different level that you might occasionally come talk to them,
but don’t forget about your friends. And PLEASE, for the
sake of the school, couples: cut down on the excessive
PDA in front of all of us (you know who you are).
And another thing-kudos to those of you who cheer at
football games; freshmen/sophomores, give it your best!
GO CRAZY.
. . . everything you never wanted to know
by Amy Dunsbergen
[email protected]
According to fanpop.com...
1. An average American will spend an average of 6 months during his lifetime waiting at red lights.
2. Every day more money is printed for Monopoly than for the U.S. Treasury.
3. The world’s youngest parents were 8 and 9 and lived in China in 1910.
4. There are more chickens than people in the world.
5. A hummingbird weighs less than a penny.
6. Every time you lick a stamp, you’re consuming 1/10 of a calorie.
7. Over 1,000 birds a year die from smashing into windows.
8. Thomas Edison, light bulb inventor, was afraid of the dark.
9. During your lifetime, you’ll eat about 60,000 pounds of food. That’s the weight of about 6 elephants.
10. Fortune cookies were actually invented in America.
11. Chewing gum while peeling onions will keep you from crying.
12. Wearing headphones for just an hour will increase the bacteria in your ear by 700 times.
13. In the course of an average lifetime you will, while sleeping, eat 70 assorted insects and 10 spiders.
14. Sloths can take up to two weeks to digest their food.
15. Money isn’t made out of paper; it’s made out of cotton.
p
a
n
S p
u
C
by Delaney Dugger
[email protected]
Way to go! You are the best! I like what I see! All of these
describe what a snap cup is about. The PC snap cup is found
in the library. Anyone who would like to say “Good job!” or
give a word of encouragement is invited to submit their comment for publications. So . . . SNAPS to . . .
*The Senior Class!
*Carson D for rocking the drums in chapel!
*Mr. Vanden Bosch and Ms. Haveman for dealing with us and our iPads.
*All the swagbosses
*Marching band for rocking those awesome tunes! Woot! Woot!
*Trisha F for playing Clash of Clans in study hall with the volume ALL THE WAY UP!
*Jacob B for being an amazing KICKER! Go #40
*Michael M for taking on the role as Chuck, Bad Boy!
*International students for being awesome!
*Youtube for helping the government class learn the Preamble
*Shine Drill Team for being great flash-mobbers and rocking it on Channel 13 RV TV
*Jisoo for being ADORABLE!
*Cory VG for his awesome football get up!
*Cowboy Bob (Caleb VZ) for putting up with Mariah E and Delaney D in the Footloose church choir
*Thaddeus for being a swagboss
*NUT (Jordan P) #sky’s the limit
*Coltin C for being a hawt QB -Secret Lover <3
Date
Night
Kyndal Reimer & Leah Blankespoor
[email protected]
[email protected]
Looking for some inexpensive, local entertainment? A fun fall outing
that we have stumbled upon is just
simply hanging out in the back of a
pickup, taking in nature and watching
the sunset while enjoying each other’s
company. As it’s getting colder, don’t
forget the warm drinks and blankets to
add to this scenario.
Blast some classic country tunes,
and you’re all set for the perfect autumn date. The scenery is charming,
and it doesn’t take very much work to
set this up. Or, create your own “drive
in movie night” by bringing a handy
dandy portable DVD player. This beats
out the typical movie theater or stay-athome option by a long shot.
With the seasons changing and the
air getting brisk, who doesn’t love toting a delectable hot drink? Well, we
have an abounding love for a firstclass cappuccino, and those can be
hard to find. We have discovered that
Casey’s, yes, the gas station, has the
best French vanilla, and English toffee cappis.
Don’t judge the fact they aren’t
from a dainty, cute coffee shop before
you’ve tried them. They are noticeably cheaper and a lot more flavorful.
What’s not to love? Pumpkin flavor
lovers, be ready for the famous October flavor, Pumpkin Spice, and be
sure to get it before October is here
and gone. We’ve learned the hard way
that these fall specials fly by way too
quickly.
Page 5 Eagle’s Cry
September 25, 2012
Top 10 . . . reasons to love autumn
by Mariah Eekhoff
[email protected]
10. The colors on the trees. All of the reds, oranges, yellows, and purples; it’s really beautiful.
9. Pumpkins! Pick them, carve them, paint them, bake them, eat them. Not to mention a fun trip to the Pumpkin Farm.
8. The Return of TV Shows- After waiting all summer for something new to watch, we finally see the return of popular television shows like “The Voice,” “Glee,”
“The Amazing Race,” “The Office,” and “Survivor.”
7. Soup. Let’s face it, summer really isn’t a soup season. It’s finally time to head over to Smokey Row and grab a big bread bowl of cheeseburger chowder.
6. The weather. The chilly crisp air of fall is so nice in comparison to the scorching heat we had this summer.
5. It’s that much closer to Christmas. Just ask Jacob Lanferman. He has a countdown going all year.
4. An extra hour of sleep. I don’t think anyone has ever complained about getting more sleep. Ever. Sleep. <3
3. Boots! Time to break out those Uggs, ladies.
2. Bonfires. Bonfires. Bonfires.
1. And the number one reason to love fall: football. You have so many options! High school, college, NFL, fantasy. Take your pick. It’s the most anticipated sports
season of the year.
Would
you
rather…
by Karyn Vander Wal
[email protected]
Go without a shower for a week?
25%
Wear the same clothes for a month?
In a recent survey taken by the PCHS
student body, students were asked,
“Would you rather . . .
75%
Seniors Amy Beekhuizen, Jisoo Kim, Delaney Dugger, Vanessa Blankespoor, Cailee
Veenstra, Valerie Jochems, Pella junior Sydney Swanson, and PC seniors Johanna
Brouwer and Jaclyn Kuyers play Messy Twister.
Pin it!
Messy
Twister
by Valerie Jochems and Amy Dunsbergen
[email protected]
[email protected]
Pinterest is a website that allows anyone who has an account to post a “pin”
with ideas for crafts, food, photography,
hairstyles or anything else onto their pinboard. According to Flowtown, from September 2011 to February 2012, the monthly unique visits to the Pinterest site grew
by over 866%. Here is one fun idea some
PC students tried recently.
Materials
• white trash bags
• duct tape
• washable paint: red, blue, yellow, green
• camera
Instructions
1. lay out the trash bags, the size of a
twister mat, on a flat piece of cement
2. tape them together and then tape them
to the cement
3. pour small puddles of green, yellow,
red and blue paint in the formation of
a regular twister mat
4. use a twister spinner & play twister (or
if you don’t have one, make it up as
you go)
5. when you get sick of playing twister,
have a paint war!
6. be sure to take lots of pictures
by Vanessa Blankespoor
[email protected]
Q: What are you most looking forward to about senior year?
A: Not as much homework, hopefully!
Q: What advice would you give to underclassmen?
A: Get involved in at least a few things and try hard in school.
Q: How do you enjoy spending your free time?
A: What free time?
Spencer Fynaardt
Q: Describe yourself using one word.
A: Dedicated
Q: If tomorrow was your last day on earth, how would you spend it?
A: Probably either playing ping pong or fishing.
Q: If you could relive any year of your life, which would it be? Why?
A: Freshman year because it was so much fun meeting a ton of new people and having very little homework.
Senior
Spotlight
Parents: Russ and Myrna Fynaardt
Page 6 Eagle’s Cry
September 25, 2012
Football team remains undefeated 4-0
by Amy Dunsbergen
[email protected]
The Eagle’s started off the season strong with a win
over neighbors Lynnville-Sully (40-19) followed by a
blowout victory against PCM (44-6). Kicking off the district season, the Eagle’s traveled to Central Decatur to
gain another win, beating the Cardinals 35-14.
The Eagles went on to beat Des Moines Christian 4320, keeping their season a perfect 4-0. The DMC score
showed PC on top, but the team did suffer a loss. Senior captain Caleb Morgan suffered a broken ankle, most
likely ending his season.
Morgan sees increasing team unity as a factor in the
upset against PCM. “The team played great that game,”
he said. “We really came together and played as one
team, rather than a bunch of individuals.”
The PCM victory was memorable for coach Rich Kacmarynski as well. “We have a lot of team speed this year.
My favorite memory is the first two touchdowns of the
game,” he said.
Student coach, junior Nick Lanser, also sees speed as
a team strength. “The guys are working really hard and
have lots of speed, athleticism, and potential,” he said.
Seniors Mason Howerzyl and Josh Van Gorp provide
blocks against PCM.
“We are well conditioned and can play hard through the
fourth quarter.”
Senior Nicholas Dahm attributes some of the Eagle
success to crowd support. “The amount of energy that
comes from our student section is phenomenal. Look at
any other high school cheering section. They look like a
bunch of junior high boys with their first girlfriend. Silent,” he said.
Volleyball team faces tough schedule
by Mariah Eekhoff
[email protected]
Starting off the season with a service project in the
summer heat and a few games against 5A schools, the
Eagles volleyball girls are already representatives of
this year’s theme “Strong and Courageous,” taken from
Joshua 1:6-9.
The Eagles, currently 7-9 on the season, faced their first
tough competition early on, playing games against bigger
schools like Johnston, Marshalltown, and Urbandale. A
win against Fort Dodge at the Ames tournament on August 25 was the team’s first glimpse at a victory. Losses
ensured harder work at practice, but coach Cindy Nikkel
provides optimism.
“The difficulty will be to stay confident through fierce
competition and realize we are getting better and better,” she
said. “If we truly believe in our abilities and our progress, we
will rise to the top of the Little Hawkeye Conference.”
This year’s varsity team is made up of five seniors, five
juniors, and three sophomores. With several games already played, the girls are developing close relationships.
“We all know we can share anything that needs to be said
with each other,” said sophomore Tessa Howerzyl. “We
have tons of trust in our team! Each girl knows they belong, and it’s like we’re a family.” Junior Logan DeGraaf
agrees with Howerzyl. “This is definitely the closest team
I have ever been on,” said DeGraaf.
In addition to close relationships with each other, the
team is also focusing on their personal relationships with
New members bring depth
to cross country team
by Kira Braun
[email protected]
Probably with the hardest meet, the cross country team
started their season at Central College on September 1.
Ten more meets are yet to come and with them, the great
experiences the kids and the coach make.
Not only that the team bonds together and nobody gets
left behind, but also “seeing how much everyone improves
throughout the season,” as coach Jocelyn Meinders said,
makes it fun for her to be around the runners.
The team has some lofty goals of potentially going to
state this year, especially since the boys team is quite
competitive. Most of the boys have returned from last
year, and junior transfer student David Dykstra, who has
run cross country before, completes the team.
The girls got two transfer students, too: junior Kandace Breckenridge and sophomore Alicia Munoz, both
seasoned runners. Three international students also got
involved in the team.
Freshman Yadi Xu and sophomore Kira Braun run, and
Far Zhu is manager for the team. “Far is the best manager
we have had so far,” sophomore Marina Shannon said.
Their great attitudes and will to work hard are “the
keys to a successful season,” said coach Meinders.
Sophomore Tessa Howerzyl goes for the spike.
God. They take a few minutes at the beginning of every
practice spending time with Him. At this year’s volleyball
retreat, the girls had opportunity to pray, read the Bible,
and talk to each other about their faith.
With upcoming games against Pella High on September 25, Norwalk on October 2, and Grinnell on October
11, the team has multiple opportunities to shine and show
that they are “Strong and Courageous.”
Sophomores Jonathan Beltman and Jackson Schelhaas
push hard at the Central meet. Some new talent has
broadened the team this fall.
O SKALO O SA CHIROPRACTIC
CLINIC
TERRYL L. WOLFSWINKEL, D.C.
*OFFICE HOURS BY APPOINTMENT*
PHONE: 641-672-2540
211 NORTH J STREET
OSKALOOSA, IA 52577
Zylstra Welding
201 SE 14th
Pella, Iowa 50219
641-628-3920
Dahm Dental
providing:
-invisalign®
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2 0 1 8 Was h i n g t o n St .
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Pella
641-628-3115
Pella Engraving
1811 Washington St.
Pella, Iowa 50219
641-628-2791
Page 7 Eagle’s Cry
September 25, 2012
Five Eagles named to All Conference teams
by Kira Braun
kirbrau15pceagles.org
The PC baseball team ended their season 12-22, falling
6-5 to PCM in the District Semi-finals. With a conference record of 5-13, the Eagles tied for fifth place in the
LHC Conference.
Graduate Jordan Rossler and senior Spencer Fynaardt
made first team All Conference; graduates Leighton
Schnedler and Dan Hessing and junior Coltin Collins
were named to second team All Conference.
Although the loss against PCM in the second round in
the district was the biggest disappointment for the boys,
there were highlights to the season as well. They shattered the school’s record from two years ago with 58
doubles.
Beating Pella was also a highlight. “The win at Principal Park against Pella was the best game this season,”
said coach Brad Rolffs. It was a back and forth game and
they pulled it out in the later innings, winning 9-5.
Graduate Jordan Rossler was one of five players named
to a LHC All Conference team.
Players agreed that being together as a team was the
best part about the season. The Eagles made their goals
of last year happen, which included continuing the spirit
of team unity and togetherness.
Only nine more months till the first pitch, and the boys
of the summer will be back on the diamond.
Seven new faces join cheerleading squad
by Mariah Eekhoff
[email protected]
At any home football game, the encouraging chants of
the PC cheerleaders energize the fans. This year seven
rookies and seven veterans cheer for the Eagles, but seven new faces aren’t the only changes to cheer program.
In years past, a competitive cheer team has gone to
state competition. However, this year, there is no competition team. “To be able to balance all of the girls’ activities and find a good time to practice that works for
everyone would be nearly impossible,” explained coach
Nicole Van Wyk, who is starting her fifth year of coaching cheerleading at PCHS.
In spite of not having a competition team, some things
remain the same. Every year, the cheerleaders hold a
clinic to teach girls in grades K-5 the basics of cheer. The
clinic took place on the morning of Saturday, September
8. The little girls learned a few cheers, a dance, and how
to do some basic stunts. “My favorite part of the clinic
was getting to show the girls a bunch of stunts and seeing
their reactions,” said junior Allison Johnson. This year,
they not only hosted this clinic, but they will also offer
a stunt and tumbling clinic for grades 6-8, as well as all
current PCHS girls, during basketball season.
With junior Cali Beyer and seniors Marissa Ferguson
and Kara Jansen as captains to lead the way, the cheerleaders are excited about the season. “Our dances are
really cool this year, and our stunts are a lot more advanced! We also have more tumblers,” said Beyer.
Ferguson has been involved with cheerleading for
Phone 641-628-3330
Fax 641-628-9796
818 Main Street
Pella, Iowa 50219
five years and loves cheering for her friends at football
games. “I feel a part of what they’re doing. I get so into
it, and it just comes naturally for me to want to see the
team succeed and do well,” she said.
Gregory P. Vannucci D.D.S., P.C.
John R. Pasqual, D.M.D
Excellence in Surgical Care
826 Main Street
Pella, Iowa 50219
641-628-7311
by Val Jochems
[email protected]
The PCHS softball team made the best of a challenging season. They had a young team with only one senior
and a strong schedule working against them.
As coach Nate Van Wyk said, “We had a crazy tough
schedule. Every school on our schedule was 3, 4 or 5A.
Also every team was at one time ranked in the top 10 of
their respective classes.”
The season ended with a record of 7-22. The team battled hard in the first round district game against Pleasantville, but it ended in a disappointing 4-6 loss.
Their love of the game of softball kept the team strong
and determined to keep doing their best. “We worked
hard and also had a lot of fun!” said senior Jaynee Vande
Weerdhof. Bonds were built during the season. “This
team’s strength came through their team unity,” said Van
Wyk. This team unity started early at the team camp out
at JV softball coach Karen Harrill’s house, which was a
highlight for many of the players.
The team will miss the great personality and leadership ability of 2012 graduate Sami Veenstra. “She was a
great leader because she didn’t just tell us what to do, she
always led by example,” said senior Veronica Francis.
Cheerleaders lift senior captain Kara Jansen at a recent home football game.
Diplomate American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
®
Challenging season ends
with disappointing District
loss to Pleasantville
1116 E. Pennsylvania
Ottumwa, Iowa 2501
Phone: 5641-682-2350
Fax: 641-628-8942
813 Washington St.
Suite A
Pella, Iowa 50219
Phone: 641-628-2011
Junior Cara Turner lays down a bunt at a home game
this summer.
Schiebout Tire Co. Inc.
641-628-3153
815 W. 10th
Pella, Iowa 50219
Roland & Dieleman C.P.A.
823 Franklin Street
Pella, IA 50219
(641) 628-9225
808 4th Avenue
Grinnell, IA 50112
612 4th St.
Sully, IA 50251
641-236-6558641-594-4286
Page 8 Eagle’s Cry
September 25, 2012
What do you think of your new iPad?
by Maggie Milby
[email protected]
Upcoming Events
by Allie Groenenboom
[email protected]
With the new iPads being such a drastic switch from last year, opinions vary regarding the use of them. Most students like the new iPad, with 62% saying that they love the iPad and find them helpful and useful. Another 23% of
students love the iPad for its games. A few students find them confusing, however, with 8% feeling that the iPad is
hard to work with, and another 8% saying they dislike the iPads because they have created more homework.
I dislike the iPads because…
I like the iPads because...
junior Claire Van Weelden:
“When they don’t work…
frustrating!”
sophomore Andrea De Bruin:
“You don’t have as many
worksheets to keep in your
binder.”
senior Nicholas Dahm:
“It stinks to type on them!”
senior Amber Sneller:
“Internet access at anytime.”
Power Poll
by Delaney Dugger
[email protected]
Van Voorst- Hoping they can sing their way to the top.
Noble- With taking 3rd place last year, maybe they can
make a comeback.
Renaud- With all the JSB stress gone, maybe you can
go for gold!
Anderson- Don’t let any dollar signs get in your way
of gold.
Hessing- It’s as easy as counting 1, 2, 3, so don’t count
10, 11, 12.
Herdegen- Solve. 9x-7i > 3(3x-7u)
Monsma- Boards and nails are the building blocks for
success.
Blunck- Cooking up something good?
Vermeer- Go back in history and win it all? Or not.
Van Wyk- Bottom of the pack, how’s it feel?
Faber- Use your phalanges and get that win!
Van Peursem- No willy nilly fooling around!
700 Washington
Pella, Iowa 50219
641-628-1270
sophomore Jacob Lensing:
“I like how I can view the
teachers’ PowerPoint.”
senior Paige Engbers: “I like
that we are able to be on the
Internet all the time, and
that you can take all your
notes on your iPad.”
freshman Mitch Fopma:
“They have games and are
touchscreen.”
90 Tr uman Road• Pella, IA 50219
(641)628-9223
PellaCarCare.com
Dr. Eric R. Recker
Dr. Mark W. Recker
Dr. Leigh H. Rasmussen
2114 Washington Street
Pella, Iowa 50219
(641) 628-1604
BRUCE VEENSTRA
641-660-0856
KYLE VEENSTRA
641-660-4946
VEENSTRA
CONSTRUCTION, INC
1765-210th Street
Oskaloosa, IA 52577
September
25 Varsity Girls and Boys Cross Country @ Knoxville
Pine Knolls Country Club, 5 pm
Varsity Volleyball @ Pella, 7 pm
25-26 Freshmen and juniors take ITEDS
27 2:15 Dismissal
Parent-Teacher Conferences 6-8 pm
28 Jostens Class Ring Delivery Day, 7:45-8:25 am
STUCO Travelogue 6 pm
Varsity Football @ Ogden, 7 pm
October
2
3
4
Junior High Volleyball Promotion night
Varsity Volleyball @ home vs. Norwalk, 7:15 pm
2:15 Dismissal
Varsity Volleyball @ home vs. Eddyville-Blakesburg,
7:15 pm
4-5 No classes-Heartland Conference
5 Varsity Football @ Van Meter, 7 pm
6 Drive One 4UR School Event
8 Varsity Boys and Girls Little Hawkeye Conference
High School Cross Country Meet @ Oskaloosa
Edmundson Park, 5 pm
Varsity Volleyball @ Knoxville, 7:15 pm
9 Fall Music Concert, 7 pm
11 Boys and Girls Cross Country @ Chariton, 4:15 pm
Varsity Volleyball @ home vs. Grinnell, 7:15 pm
12 Varsity Football @ Colfax-Mingo, 7:30 pm
13 Football Pancake Breakfast
Varsity Volleyball Tournament @ Knoxville, 8:30 am
15 Board Meeting 7 pm
17 End of 1st Quarter
Optional PSAT for 10th and 11th graders
First Round Varsity Volleyball Tournament,
time TBD
18Boys Varsity Cross Country District/Regional
Meet, time and place TBA
19 Varsity Football @ Mount Ayr, 7 pm
20 All State Music auditions @ Indianola
22 2:15 Dismissal, Parent Teacher Conferences 6-9 pm
23 Varsity Volleyball Regional Tournament, time and
place TBA
24 1:30 Dismissal-Teacher In-Service
Fall Musical Production Footloose Matinee
First Round Football Playoffs
25-27 Fall Musical Production Footloose, 7 pm
25 11:30 Dismissal
Parent-Teacher Conferences, 12-2 pm
Varsity Football Playoffs, time and place TBA
26 No classes-Teacher work day
Varsity Regional Tournament, time and place TBA
27 Boys State Cross Country, time and place TBA
ACT Testing @ PC, 8 am-noon
29 Second Round Football Playoffs, time and place
TBA
30 Varsity Sub-state Volleyball, time and place TBA
November
1
2
3
Junior High Music Festival @ PCHS
No school (K-12 Teacher in-service)
Football Quarterfinals, time and place TBA
State Solo Dance @ Newton High School
JEFFREY F. ALLEN, D.D.S.
839 Broadway. Pella, Iowa 50219
Phone 641.628.1121 l Email [email protected]
Website pellasmiles.com l Follow Us