The Rampage

This weekend marks students' last opportunity to order a 2014-2015 yearbook at the discounted price of $50.  Students can order a yearbook at www.jostens.com for $50 until January 31.  Yearbooks will be $60 starting February 1. Questions?  Email kristin.looney@southeastpolk.org .

Kenzie Baldwin Feature Editor             Spanish IV students have mixed emotions over the Spanish plays that they have to perform. There are around six people in every performing group; they will be acting out certain fairytales. They plays will be performed on February 3 rd .             Though the students have to out an entire fairy tale, they are calm and are not stressing over it too much.             “My part is pretty easy to memorize. I play the prince and he doesn’t say as much. But it’s going to be hard who I come after,” said senior Joscelyn Woodward.             There are a couple different reasons students took Spanish IV. Some of them wanted to do the plays while others wanted the college credit.             The students got to choose what fairy tale they would like to perform, as long as another group hadn’t already taken it.            “My group picked the Princess and the Pea, it sounded the best of the few options we had,” said senior Katie Mitchell.

Izzy Schrock Convergence Editor      Iowa’s Department of Education has stated that they will no longer automatically grant waivers to school districts wanting to start earlier than the week of September 1. The only exception to this is if the school can make a strong case that starting later would have significant damaging effects of its students learning (read: highly unlikely).  Junior Brendan Anderson says the later calendar start wouldn’t really matter to him, he’s always ready for when school starts. Many students like the postponed start date so they have time to go to the Iowa State Fair and relax and prepare for school the week after. “[I go to the Fair] everyday, at least every night,” said sophomore Aspen Phillips. The Iowa State Fair, lasting from August 13-23 in 2015, is filled with Southeast Polk students. “We have a lot of student involvement, with the shuttle and FFA,” said sophomore McKenna Cox.  With the postponed date, many people are worried about the s

Kenzie Baldwin Feature Editor      Senior Destiny McGinnis joins the Army National Guard.  According to chacha.com 17% of girls in high school join the Army and the total number of women in active duty in the Army is 76,694.      "What inspired me to join the military is that I wanted to prove to people and myself that I could do it," said McGinnis. According to pewsocialtrends.org eight in ten veterans (79%) have an immediate family member who has served in the military.      "My brother is in the Army and he's been a really big inspiration for everything," said McGinnis. Teens joining the military face different challenges depending on each individual.     "The hardest thing that I've been through so far is just learning everything that they expect out of you and the ranks," said McGinnis.  Veterans and active members of the military are full of advice for people wanting to join or just interested in the military.      "Ad

Drew Brown Staff Reporter      After over a decade of coaching at Southeast Polk, Coach Dennis Muller resigns as head coach of the football team. Muller has been coaching the Varsity football team for 13 years and has led the Rams with the factory worker’s mentality.       “Southeast Polk has always been a very aggressive team…” says Muller “…I feel that someone younger would have more energy to coach the team.”      Muller resigned for several reasons including health issues which led to cutting back on coaching because it had led to a lot of stress on the longtime coach.  Muller has been thinking about resigning for the past couple of years because of the stress and family issues.        “My brother is very ill and we don’t know how much longer he will be around so I want to spend as much time with him as I possibly can,” says Muller.       “I don’t think the traditions will change, I think it’s always been there. They work hard, it is how they go about it that may chang

Izzy Schrock Convergence Editor      This Saturday, January 24, 2015 the SEP Speech Club is going to compete at Speech Districts located at North High School. There are multiple group acts like improv, short film, one-act play, choral reading, and many more. The events are scheduled all throughout the day. This is sophomore Hunter Manz’s second year of speech club.      “I love trying to read with different inflections and acting as characters that are nothing like me in real life,” said Manz. Manz is hoping to score a 1 (the best option) in Choral Reading. If a production scores a 1, they will move on to the State speech competition. Junior Sydney Scott joined speech this year and will be performing in the Reader’s Theatre and Choral Reading categories.      “I’m actually terrified. So nervous,” said Scott concerning this weekend’s competition. Emotions are on a roller coaster as the competition approaches. Feelings of anxiousness and excitement are completely normal.    

Kaelee Keesee Managing Editor             The Wrestling Rams have gone undefeated so far this season with no one even coming close to touching them on their path to their next state title, as expected. Even with a number of minor injuries and senior Briar Dittmer out for an extended period with a shoulder injury, the Rams have slid through each tournament and each dual meet with ease.             Now, with the state tournament looming closer and closer, the boys are looking better than they have all season. With the leads becoming more and more exponential as the weeks go on, they plan on taking the same approach in their dual meet against Waukee tonight.             “The goal is to win in a dominant fashion,” said junior Ethan Andersen, who is currently ranked first in the state and sixth at the national level. Andersen has handled this season just like the last with an undefeated record and pin after pin victories.             Andersen has reached the feat of 100 career wi

Kenzie Baldwin Feature Editor Art student Mica Post working on a graphite drawing. Photo by Kenzie Baldwinn. In Art III the students are expected to draw their faces. They get to use a mirror to look at themselves as they draw, the art utensils they were given were pencils, shading pencils, erasers and sharpeners. The purpose of this piece was to draw themselves and imperfections they had, also everything needed to be scaled correctly. This specific art piece is a challenge for some and a self esteem boost for others.             “It makes me feel different about my face because I realized my philturn (the indent under the nose) is deeper than I thought it was and my ears are bigger than I had thought,” said junior Mica Post.   The students try hard to make themselves look as good as they can and accurate.             “It definitely was a learning experience...it was a challenge for me because I want to make the piece look better than the picture actually looks,” said Post

Izzy Schrock Convergence Editor The textbook, The American Pageant , used by the AP US History class. Photo by Izzy Schrock.       Students in AP US History are now over half way through their curriculum and their book, The American Pageant. Fondly called "apush", students have been working hard in class to learn and prepare for the exam. The class is now on chapter 25 of 42 total chapters.       “[I’m] technically on 24 and a half,” said junior Michael Altes. Outlining chapters can be tough, but due dates are flexible so students can stay balanced.       “It feels a bit like death,” teases sophomore Holly Hemann. By the end of the year students will have read The American Pageant cover to cover.       “It gives all the answers, and is better than a lecture,” Hemann said. The main difference between regular US history and AP US History is that it covers from Columbus to modern day, has more reading, and is faster paced. The class averages about a chapter and a ha

Kaelee Keesee Managing Editor Varsity Cheerleader Molly Sweeden. Photo courtesy of Kaelee Keesee.                 Senior Molly Sweeden has been a member of the SEP varsity cheer squad since her transfer to the school her freshmen year. Now, in her senior year, Sweeden will be making her second trip to NCA Nationals in Dallas, Texas, the last year she went being the 2013-14 season where the team placed seventh.                 Sweeden spends four days a week plus extra practice time with her team getting ready for the big competition. The team boards the plane to Dallas at 4 Friday morning and will compete Saturday.                 “I’m most excited to show off in front of thousands of people,” said Sweeden. The team will also be competing against teams they saw at state including Waukee and Ames.             A competitive cheer routine consists of a two and a half minute routine with elements of a cheer, dance, stunting and tumbling. The met with a choreographer from the f

Kenzie Baldwin Feature Editor A student studies the AP Composition book. Photo courtesy of Kenzie Baldwin.       AP Composition students shy away from the eight page syllabus handed out on the first day. The AP College Board requires each AP course to have their syllabus approved, prior to teaching the class. Their requirements for the syllabus are extensive and result in a lengthy syllabus.       “When creating a syllabus for my other, non-AP classes I can typically fit the need-to-know information on one sheet of paper. So no, I do not naturally write really long syllabi,” said language arts teacher Kayla Borseth.  In the syllabus, the parts that are included are a course description and overview, resources and materials, writing/reading tasks and assignments, the writing process, grading scale and a short note on plagiarism, and the unit calendar.       “The AP College Board wants to make sure students with different teachers and from different schools all receive instr

Kaelee Keesee Managing Editor Senior Aaron Meyer takes down his opponent. Photo courtesy of Aaron Meyer. Total domination. Those are the words everyone is using to describe the Southeast Polk wrestling season.  There are nine returning state medalists on the current varsity line-up, including sophomore Zach Barnes, seniors Mason Kerr and Deion Mikesell, bronze medalists  seniors Nolan Hellickson and Keegan Shaw, runners-up seniors Briar Dittmer, Aaron Meyer and Jake “Turbo” Marnin, and state champion at 220-pounds, junior Ethan Andersen.  Completing the line-up are state qualifier senior Brady Buchheit, returning varsity member junior Kameron Padavich who finished his season with a bronze medal at districts and two newbies with impressive records of their own, freshmen Gauge Perrien and Nathan Lendt. “The battle at 106 lbs. between Gauge Perrien and Adam Brown is also probably the battle for the #1 ranking in the state,” said coach Jessman Smith. “Continuing

Izzy Schrock Convergence Editor        If you’re looking for something fun to do this winter break, try going to Brenton Skating Plaza in downtown Des Moines. Brenton is open every day of the week. On weekdays adult admission is $5 and weekend (including Friday) is $6.50. Skate rentals are $3.75 per pair. Brenton holds a special price on Tuesdays for student skating. For only $5 students can buy admission and rent a pair of skates if their student ID is brought. Brenton skating plaza is an open-air rink with an indoor concessions and skate rental. Admission is cheap, and you have the option to stay for as long or short as you like! If you get the chance, stick around long enough to catch the zamboni. Not only is the ice best for skating after, but watching the bright purple zamboni resurface the ice is entertaining and mesmerizing. Don’t know how to skate? Brenton Plaza offers a four-week learn to skate class for $40 that you can sign up for at brentonplaza.

Brett Blakemore Sports Editor Students often have trouble balancing sports and classes.  However, these athletes find that being busy helps them measure  their time more effectively. Photo courtesy of Josi Bambrook  and Brett Blakemore. The battle of being a student athlete, while known to many, is also an incredible challenge to balance. School itself, keeping grades up, and ultimately graduating is a feat enough for some students. Throwing in daily practices, weekends not being home, and having virtually no time for school work cannot be easy. Senior hockey player Tyler Kruse knows this all too well. Playing for the Iowa Wild AAA U18 team, it is a rarity to be home for more than five days at a time. He plays tournaments frequently in cities all over the country, including Ann Arbor, MI, Boston, MA, and most recently Denver, CO. “Most of the bus trips are five to six hours,” Kruse said. “We have done one ten hour and one 12 hour trip as well.”

A student sets and alert to ensure she gets home before curfew. Photo courtesy of Ellen Bombela. Ellen Bombela News Editor Nowadays, teenagers have a lot of activities that keep them out late at night, whether it is school activities, work, or hanging out with friends. With teens being actively involved in night life, two Iowa towns have modified their curfews in order to better regulate the flow of students. In the towns of Montrose and Burlington, according to the Des Moines Register, “the under-18 crowd in Montrose (and Burlington) by law will need to be safely sequestered indoors from 10 pm-5 am all week.” The exceptions to this rule are students that are coming back late from school events or jobs, or if they are with an adult. Officials in the towns said that the new curfew was put into effect to help keep students out of trouble.  In the same article, City Councilwoman Mary Van Pelt stated that “when you’re in a small town like this, you

Kaelee Keesee Managing Editor Nicole Craig asked Jacob Marnin to Winter Formal using a football. Photo Courtesy of Nicole.            In the world of high school, there are few things that one looks forward to more than dances. And while there are many reasons one looks forward to said dances, a big part is the excitement of being asked.             Another exciting part is the asking. Winter formal is coming up within the next couple weeks which means proposals are in full swing. Among the many newly arranged dates for the winter dance is senior Nicole Craig who asked her date senior Jacob Marnin.             “[I was] so nervous, I was shaking!” said Craig about asking Marnin. Craig asked Marnin in the guidance office on Friday morning. She threw him a football as he walked in the door that said, “Will you tackle formal with me?” with the words “Touchdown” and “Offsides” instead of “yes” and “no.”             “My cheer squad and my mom helped me come up with the idea o

Kenzie Baldwin Feature Editor       Teacher Academy students are currently going inside classrooms to get experience teaching younger students. This class gives students the opportunity to see if teaching is what they want to do as a profession.       "I think it is beneficial because if you want to teach or are considering it, this program is exactly what students need to help them be more sure," said senior Katelyn Hoenig.       This semester, the class is focusing on teaching and getting involved in classrooms. The students can choose any grade level from kindergarten to eighth grade they want to observe and teach in to see if that certain grade level fits them.       "This class has helped me decide which grade to do. First I had kindergarten and I loved it, then when I had eighth grade I was always bored. So it helped me decide the younger grades were what I wanted," said Hoenig.       Students that are a part of Teacher Academy have learned t