April 26, 2011 | Volume 23, Issue 8

Local pastor and assistant football coach Roger DeWaard will be the new district business manager effective July 1. He replaces Jon Miller, who had held the position for the past 10 years. Miller will be retiring after 33 years of working in school finances. The business manager is the person in charge of the finances for the school district. This includes payroll, account management and ensur-ing the execution of the district budget. The business manager works closely with the school board and superintendent to guarantee proper financial execution within the district. “The position involves doing something different all the time, but in a nutshell, the business manager is responsible for all of the district finances,” said Miller. DeWaard is a Central College graduate, where he received his degree in accounting. He worked for a number of years as a certified public ac-countant, which included a number of audits involving school finances. He also worked as a small business owner in the technology business.

He has spent the past six years working with churches in the area. “I did a lot of work as a CPA, and that included doing audits of schools and districts, so I have some experience in that area,” said De-Waard. DeWaard has a personal interest in the success of the district, as his wife, Wendy, works as an associate at Madison Elementary, working in the pre-school and kindergarten areas. They have three children: Jacob, a junior, Josh, a sophomore and Jessica, an eighth grader. DeWaard has also been a part of the Pella football program as an assistant coach for the past nine years. “I’ve always appreciated the district and have always thought that if there was a job that was a positive fit for me, I’d look into it. I felt quali-fied to pursue this opportunity and appreciate Jon Miller’s work in the position,” said DeWaard. Being in charge of the district finances places DeWaard in an influ-ential role for the upcoming years. •See DeWaard, p. 3

Caravanned by Gov. Terry Branstad, the proposal of zero percent allowable growth will freeze school-designated state-aid for the next two years. Allowable growth, based on the number of enrolled students, varies each year depend-ing on what the state government decides. For the past four years, it has been substantially decreasing, with last year bringing only two percent growth. But, never in the history of the state has zero percent growth been implement-ed. If this were to take place, Pella may not be as impacted because of its increasing enroll-ment, but schools, such as Melcher-Dallas, will be losing more than $136,000. “I understand that we have to tighten our belts, but education should be the govern-ment’s number one commitment. Instead, it feels like they are short changing educators. This is terribly frustrating, I feel like we are getting beaten down, and it’s not about the students. It’s a matter of power,” said Superin-tendent Mark Wittmer. If the government does settle upon zero percent growth (Wittmer believes there is a 60 percent chance they will), schools under Sena-tor Paul McKinley’s district will be losing over $750,000 for the next fiscal year. The district is already planning on raising property taxes as they did last year. They are set to increase from $13.99 to $14.21, which will approximately bring $380,000 into the district. Wittmer be-lieves that most of this money will go to the special education deficit. Fortunately, the dis-trict also has $248,000 left from last year’s Jobs Bill that they can rely on if zero percent allow-able growth is approved. Even so, Wittmer still seems weary of saying the district won’t have to make cuts. “The list is back, which is where we will look to first if we need to make cuts. We will probably have to look back at the things we reinstated from last year. We added back ex-tended contract days, term-life insurance, pep band, fully-paid flu shots, and more, but we may have to cut some of these things again. In

reference to cutting positions, we always want that to be a last resort. But, I can’t guar-antee what the next year or so will hold. We can’t make any definitive decisions until we finish negoti-ations,” said Wittmer. At the moment, he is staying optimistic to the financial future of the dis-trict. With an increase in cash levy reserve and undesignated unreserve from last year, the district should be able to weather the storm. What needs to be taken into account is the amount of solvency rate set up by the district to how much they should be saving each year. For years, solvency has been set between the ratio of five to 10, but after a recent financial session, Wittmer be-lieves the district needs to be closer to 10 to stay afloat. This could put a strain for future expenses, which would require a higher budget to be put in reserve. “We have to stay vigilant to the idea that sav-ing is the key to financial success. This should be our game plan for the next few years, and if we follow it, we should be able to keep provid-ing the same kind of educational opportunities as we were before. We have our own obliga-tions to our staff and students to provide them with the best that we can in terms of material and environment,” said Wittmer. While the district budget has been main-tained by the current collaboration of Wittmer and business manager Jon Miller, they are both

PROTEST. Pelladium adviser Ann Vissor pickets at Iowa State’s “First Amendment Day” April 7.

•Photo by Tiffany Carter

set to retire at the end of the 2011 fiscal year. While the loss of the two will be felt by the district and future financial decisions, Wittmer feels sure that the two have enough experience to make the best decisions. “Jon and I won’t be leaving the community, so we will be available whenever they need us. We love this district and will continue to be involved for as long as they need us,” said Wittmer. •Megan Card (mcpelladium@gmail.com)

Business manager opening filled by former pastor, coach

State proposes funding freezeMcKinley district schools risk $750,000 loss

“...Education should be the gov-ernment’s number one commitment. Instead, it feels like they are short changing educa-tors. This is ter-ribly frustrating, I feel like we are get-ting beaten down, and it’s not about the students. It’s a matter of power.” • Superintendent

Mark Wittmer

0% = proposed finan-cial aid increase for all schools

$750,000 = risked loss by McKinley district schools

$0.22 = proposed tax in-crease for Pella residents per $1000 assessed

Athletes juggle dual sports, p. 5

Page Editor: Kelsey Van Tasell

Briefly Speaking ...

April 26, 2011

She’s not a student or a teacher, but Rayelle Miller is a familiar face throughout the school. Miller has been a small group leader at Third Church for seven years, also helping countless others in those years. She’s traveled on several mission trips with the students and has also been a leader in Moxie, a program to teach young women to be leaders who are confident of their own identity. Now Miller is onto a new mission to serve others. She is headed to a Youth With A Mission [YWAM] base in Hawaii to learn how to help through her engineering degree. YWAM is an organization that has been around since 1960 and has bases located in over 171 countries. Before doing long term work with the organization, you must complete a 6 month training session called Discipleship Training School [DTS] Some of the major bases in the United States are in Denver, Colorado, Tyler, Texas, Salem, Oregon and the main headquarters is located in Kona, Hawaii. A person interested in the program looks at the emphasis of the trainings offered and applies to the specific base. Some of the base emphases are for music, photography, justice, compassion and even snowboarding. “The emphasis I had learned about is Call2All. It is a newer class, and therefore not offered many places; I found it in Hawaii. I’ll be there for about 3 months going through multiple lessons about knowing God and making Him known to others. Then as a group we do outreach for three months. At this time the tentative plans are to include possibly South Africa, Brazil and the Philippines. We will care for people through basic needs and share the message of Jesus’ love with them,” said Miller. Miller looked at several different engineering programs focussed on working with youth, but she states that picking YWAM was the right choice. “The doors to YWAM opened wide for me, and my hope is to go through this training to learn more about a well-run Christian organization focused on missions with youth, to make contacts with mission organizations around the world and to be the hands and feet of Jesus. I’m sure that when this training is done and we complete our outreach I’ll be changed in many positive ways I can’t even imagine. I hope that

the fire I have inside for Jesus turns into an even larger burning passion to love God and love people,” said Miller. She is truly thrilled about this new experience and all of the opportunities it could entail. “I’m most excited for the people I’m going to meet, the places I’m going to go and the things I’m going to learn that I could have never imagined. My DTS class has about 36 people and they come from Africa, Korea, Canada, Europe, the United States and more. The things we’ll learn together and the impact we’ll have for the Kingdom is so exciting to me! 2 Corinthians says we are

Ambassadors for Christ. I hope I did that in Pella, and I can’t wait to see what that looks like in this new way. I’m open for what God will do with

me, and a n y t i m e you are truly willing to go and be His hands/feet things seem to happen that you can’t even imagine in your wildest dreams,” said Miller. Though she’ll miss several things while being away from home, Miller says she will miss the people the most. “When I moved to Iowa my plan was to be there forfive years and run away as fast as I could, people from my home [Wisconsin] didn’t consider Iowa all that great. However, my roots were laid there. I already miss Third [Church] and the awesome worship service, those in the high school ministry, the young professionals of Pella, girls I coached with softball, my co-workers at Pella Corp. Pella is such an amazing community, and I believe I’ll appreciate that more when I’m gone,” said Miller. As for what’s next after her YWAM trial, Miller is unsure of what is next. “I have a plane ticket to come home on Sept. 27

where I’ll be coming to see family and friends and hope to share about my adventures. There could be opportunity to go to a base with YWAM and work with a culture I’ve not known and help care for them. I might come back to Pella for awhile either in industry or faith related, and there are many other things that could happen I don’t even realize are possibilities. The opportunities will be endless and exciting!” said Miller.

• Kelsey Van Tasell (kv.pelladium@gmail.com)

Miller begins new chapter, strives to make impact

•Carnaby Club is at 7 p.m. both Friday and Saturday in the old gym. Performances will include Jazz 1, Jazz 2 and a percussion ensemble.

• Strolling Strings: The orchestra will be strolling at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday and Friday of Tulip Time.

• Seniors Jake Anderson and Shaun Van Weelden and sophomore Jacob Van Essen placed second at the TSA Quiz Bowl State Championships April 11.

•Jazz I placed third in the 3A Iowa Jazz Championships. Senior Nathan Kooker, juniors Sarah Van Maanen and Tukker Bogaard and sophomore Connor Naaden earned outstanding solo honors. Bogaard and Kooker were recognized as two of top four soloists in the 3A class.

•Senior Awards Night is May 11 at 7 p.m., recognizing seniors who have received awards or scholarships. Dollars for Scholars designations will also be made.

•Student council participated with Des Moines East High School in a student exchange. East students came to Pella April 18, and the student council went to East April 21. “It is kind of enlightening to hear about what it is like going to an inner city school as compared to going to a school like Pella. Hearing what they thought was different about our school, like the unlocked lockers, the non-congested hallways and the attitude differences between the students was very interesting,” said sophomore Micah Zeimetz.

• Evan Jones (ej.pelladium@gmail.com)

PROTEST! Sophomore Mark Dykstra protests about freedom of speech at the First Ammendment Day on the Iowa State Campus. “I had a great time bonding with my fellow journalism students. I also really enjoyed the speaker, Frank LoMonte, he was very interesting to listen to. He was really knowlegda-ble about representing journalism students’ First Ammendment rights and he seemed to really care about the individuals he helped,” said Dykstra. •Photo by Tiffany Carter

SMILE! Miller poses for a snapshot with her small group girls. The girls are 2010 graduates.“Rayelle Miller cannot help but to make an impact on everyone she meets. She has a special gift of encouraging people, and young girls like me especially, to follow the Lord and to be the people that He has called us to be. She has impacted me the most by simply being someone who knows Jesus intimately, and has allowed Him to transform her life. She has impacted me by being someone who is always seeking after the Lord for more and more wisdom in how to love and follow Him everyday, and loving other people as He does. She has such a firm trust in God that she was even willing to quit her job and sell her house, simply to learn to love and serve people in new ways. In all things, she trusts the Lord to guide her, and is joyful in all circumstances. That joy has definitely spilled over into my life in wonderful ways!” said small group mem-ber Monique Meck. • Photo submitted

“... The opportunities will be endless and exciting!”

Rayelle Millerformer Pella youth leader

Page Editor: Maddy Scholten April 26, 2011

Tulip Time excitement builds as preparations, planning begins

Pella Exploring Near Space (PENS) will be launching a high altitude balloon into space, April 30. Students from the Pella Science Club, Pella Christian Science Club and the PEACE homeschool co-op group will be conducting this operation. This balloon launch is sponsored by the Pella Amateur Radio Club.

“The entire launch will probably take up to three hours; I’m guessing one and a half hours up into space and one and a half hours down,” said art teacher Jim Emmert, who helped conduct the launch.

Not only have students gained knowledge, they also gained hands-on experience from participating in the launch.

“The purpose is to give students direct hands on experience with the bona fide space program, experience with high technology and to be able to play with amateur radio,” said Emmert.

This balloon launch is the only student conducted space launch in Iowa. An early estimation was that it would take $4,000 to provide an accurate financial base to create PENS. Since this is the

first of its kind, gaining money was easy. Right away, grants began to roll in from other Pella organizations, as well as ones throughout the state and country.

Emmert wrote for grants and had money donated to the program. The $10,000 grant came from the Quest grant and was presented by the Iowa Association of School Boards. It was financed by the Quest foundation. This grant earned PENS $10,000. Places that donated money to PENS included The Pella Community Foundation, ABC5, Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association and Kiwanis.

“I wrote four grants, and it was very easy to sell because people are interested in what children want to do. This has never been done in Iowa, and I think people want the children to have knowledge and hands-on experience about this,” said

Emmert.The things that will be in the balloon are

a CamSat, resembling a form-board box, a 3,000 gram latex balloon, a Canon camera, a parachute, a Flip Video recording device, student experiments and other knickknacks. The outside has three layers

of space blanket, separated by two layers of scrim. Attached to the

space blanket is an American flag and a sheet to inform

the finder what they found and how to get

back in contact with PENS.April 16 was the planned

day for the launch, though the weather forecast of snow has pushed the launch date back

to April 30. Emmert hopes that even with the delay, the

launch will run smoothly. “I think everything will go flawlessly

and perfectly, as planned. But, there could also be a 1,000 different things that you won’t expect to happen; other than that, it will go well,” said Emmert.

•Kayla Da (kd.pelladium@gmail.com)

•SMILE. The Tulip Court, including Queen Tricia Wisniewski and court members Leah Engelbrecht, Karissa Schaudt, Rachel Greving and Kristi Van Wyk (Pella Christian), appeared at the State Capitol in early April. The court visited Gov. Branstad and passed out Dutch letters. Photo Courtesy of Karissa Schaudt.

PENS plan balloon launch to spaceThe most recent Iowa budget plans call

for zero percent allowable growth in edu-cation funding, meaning the budget for the district will not be able to grow over the next couple of years. This translates into budget cuts and spending that must be careful and deliberate. “Funding and finance have always been a challenge for both schools and government, which is all the more reason why we need to be diligent with district finances,” said DeWaard. DeWaard hopes to pick up the job where Miller left off. His goals for the position and district include continued teamwork and success within the district, as well as a maintained leadership role for the district. “I want to continue the tradition of mutual respect and a positive environ-ment and build on and enhance the strong financial foundation within the district. Hopefully, we can continue to be recog-nized as a leader,” said DeWaard.

•Jake Anderson (ja.pelladium@gmail.com)

DeWaard(Continued from page 1)

Doubling of the population, singing in the streets, costumes that represent the town’s heritage, unfamiliar faces, flowers blooming, and a queen of the town. It has been 76 years, and the tradition still stands. For three days this spring, tulips will be in full bloom. The first Tulip Time did not have actual tulips, but had 125 four foot tall wooden tulips crafted by George Heeran, a local cabinet maker, placed around the square. It was only one day long, and was planned because of the success of a local Operetta. This year’s Tulip Time marks one year past the record breaking wooden shoe stomping of the 75th. May 5, 6 and 7 were chosen to be the golden days of 2011. As always, the Klompen Klassic will be held prior to the festival, on May 4, and will be the kick off day. The Tulip Court this year consists of seniors Queen Tricia Wisniewski; and court members Leah Engelbrecht, Karissa Schaudt, Rachel Greving and Kristi Van Wyk (Pella Christian). “The theme for this years Tulip Time is ‘A Real Dutch Treat’ putting an emphasis on the things that Pella has to offer. I am most excited for the parades, and being able to share the last couple of experiences with the girls on the tulip court,” said Engelbrecht. In addition to an appearance by Gov. Branstad, recording artist Lynn Cooper and Bob Ralston’s Theatre Organ Concert will be performing. The boys’ basketball team will not be having a food stand, but instead will sponsor a basketball trampoline. The game will be located in West Market Park. “This time of year is so busy, and doing a food stand can be difficult. We think that with the basketball trampoline, we will make more money, and it will also be

easier to set up,” said junior Jace VerSteeg. The Tulip Time steering committee has been working around the clock to make sure that this years Tulip Time

is ‘A Real Dutch Treat.’ Brenda VerSteeg, a member of the Tulip Time steering committee, and mother of Jace, has an active role in preparing for Tulip Time. “There are six of us that are a part of the committee, and we all have our individual tasks. I have eleven things that I am in charge of, which is basically things like getting the bleachers set up, lining up the parade order,

and getting volunteers to take part in garbage pick up. We have a lot of volunteers and tell them what we need them to do,” said Brenda. The committee starts meeting as soon as the previous Tulip Time comes to an end. There is a meeting once a month until about this time of year, when the committee starts to meet once a week. “The stressful part of being on the committee is pleasing everyone, because there are so many different people that want different things. Just keeping everyone happy; and you never know how the weather is going to cooperate. I just want everyone to enjoy it. The most exciting thing is that I love Tulip Time, and love being involved. Seeing the excitement from people who come to visit, and how they love our town is really neat. A lot of us take everything in our town for granted, and it’s nice to see that we really do have a special town here, and just being able to be a part of that for three days is a privilege,” said Brenda. The steering committee and the Tulip Court have been busy preparing for the festivities, and it is the time of year where everything is in full throttle. “I think as a court we’re hoping to make Tulip Time special for all of the tourists by displaying Pella as a great place! Tricia is an amazing queen and we’re always there for support. Already we have made such great relationships and we can’t wait to show the many visitors the heritage of our great town, and if the weather stays nice we might actually have tulips and a non-rainy and cold Tulip Time, which would be nice,” said court member Schaudt.

•Madeline Meyer(mm.pelladium@gmail.com)

•Photo by Maddy Scholten.

While many dream of being able to spend time in another country, sophomore Hannah Van Heukelom will be living it. For her junior year, Van Heukelom will be staying in Brazil as part of the Rotary Student Exchange Program. “I will be going to Blumenau, Brazil, and will be in the state of Santa Catarina. I don’t have a set date to leave. I know I won’t leave before July 16, and I should be in Brazil by the end of August. I am not sure when I will be returning back to Pella. I will probably stay until the next June. It’s approximately one year that I will be gone,” said Van Heukelom. Van Heukelom is the only student from Iowa who will be staying in Blumenau, so she has much to anticipate.

To some, the idea of leaving behind a year of high school isn’t very appealing, but for her, it is the chance of a lifetime. “I chose to go to Brazil, instead of staying in Pella, because I love to learn about other cultures and study foreign language. I enjoy traveling, and what better way than to live abroad for about a year? I believe that I will gain a better understanding of other cultures and even my own,” said Van Heukelom. Even though she is overjoyed to be given the chance to spend time somewhere new, worries come with it. For anyone, the task of learning a new language (Portuguese) can be a challenge. It takes time to adapt to the new environment, even more so when going to a place so

different from what one is used to. “I’m becoming very nervous for the first couple months. I barely know any Portuguese, except for what I’m teaching myself. I’m hoping to catch on quick. I’m also nervous for the small cultural differences that I won’t be aware of, that could potentially send a wrong message,” said Van Heukelom. Van Heukelom is determined to make the time in Brazil enjoyable. She will be spending the majority of her time with different host families. Along with that, she will be learning a new language and becoming more involved with her Rotary group.

•Haley Sytsma (hs.pelladium@gmail.com)

Page Editor: Jocelyn Van Dyke April 26, 2011

Boat’s Home Furnishings620 Franklin St. Pella, IA 50219628-2040

Sad: feelings of unhappiness or grief. While this can describe many individuals who make negative choices in their lives, the student group, “SADD,” is set out to guide students in the right path, away from adverse decisions. “SADD,” “Students Against Destructive Decisions,” is a national program created in 1981. Originally, “SADD” was a drunk driving prevention program, but now has expanded to include all things harmful to teenagers. The group is against underage drinking, substance abuse, impaired driving, violence and suicide. Sophomore S h a w n M c M e n a m i n d e c i d e d to take the i n i t i a t i v e to start p r o m o t i n g this message t h r o u g h emails and fliers. “I got this idea when I was working at an Orchard Place, [a place for troubled teens]. There was a group there called 'JELSADD' which is a combination of 'Just Eliminate Lies' and 'SADD' I was interested and got more information about it. I’ve always been against drugs, alcohol and violence. This is my first time doing anything like this, and, hopefully, more students and faculty members will be interested in this,” said McMenamin. “SADD” endorses positive peer pressure and role modeling. McMenamin wants to initiate an outreach program by visiting schools around the district and influencing

students to not make poor decisions once they reach high school. This was one of the many things that caught senior Lynae Toom’s attention and motivated her to contact McMenamin about this group. “I was definitely interested right away. We are interested in spreading the message to younger kids. I can’t always stop people if they choose to make these decisions, but when it affects someone else’s life, that’s not o.k. We are seeking kids who can say no and stand up for their beliefs, even if

they are the only ones standing,” said

Toom. The group has just started and is actively l o o k i n g for more participants. F a c u l t y m e m b e r s

and adults are also welcome

to contribute to this group as mediators in

meetings and chaperones during outreach to other schools. “We plan on meeting every other Wednesday. Our group is in need of members, and you can talk to us in the hallways or email Shawn. It is open to anyone,” said Toom Additional information about "SADD" can be picked up in the office, or through email at: Shawn.Mcmenamin@student.pella.k12.ia.us.

• Michael Ge (mg.pelladium@gmail.com)

Brom Auto Service & Sales, Inc.819 Broadway St.Pella, IA 50219628-1700

Community 1st Credit Union500 Main St.Pella, IA 50219628-2022

Brazil opportunities await Van Heukelom

Students band together against destructive decisions

,

Page Editor: Madeline Meyer

Tri-County Vet.650 Hwy T-14Pella, IA 50219628-4040

Recker Dental Care2114 Washington St.Pella, IA 50219628-1604

Silver Lining733 Franklin St.Pella, IA 50219628-3650

MidWestOne Bank700 Main St. Suite 100Pella, IA 50219628-4356

Red Rock ChiropracticCenter, P.C.1400 Fifield Rd.Pella, IA 50219628-9991

Pella Pets Veterinary Clinic411 Oskaloosa St.Pella, IA 50219620-8880

Midtown Tire Company109 E. Oskaloosa St.Pella, IA 50219641-628-1072

TRIUMPH Martial Arts308 S.E. 97th St.Pella, IA 50219(866) 648-8480

TK Concrete1608 Fifield Rd. Pella, IA 50219628-4590

Pella Nail Salon604 Liberty St. Suite 129Pella, IA 50219628-1104

Leighton State Bank900 Washington St.PO Box 6Pella, IA 50219628-1566

Precision Pulley, Inc.300 S.E. 14th St.Pella, IA 50219628-3115

Royal Amsterdam Hotel705 East First St.Pella, IA 50219620-8400

Van Dyk-DuvenFuneral Home615 West First St.Pella, IA 50219628-2540

Sports Page Grill1111 W. 16th St.Pella, IA 50219620-1149

Sports Page Sporting Goods1562 Washington St.Pella, IA 50219628-4999

Stravers True Value/ Radio Shack/ U.S. Cellular818 Main St.Pella, IA 50219628-3330

TD&T Financial Group, P.C., CPAs606 Franklin St.Pella, IA 50219628-9411

April 26, 2011

With spring sports options such as golf, tennis, track and soccer it can be difficult for many students to choose just one to participate it. Some students are ignoring that decision and challenging themselves by playing two sports. Senior Spencer Boeyink, junior Zach Buchheit and sophomore Zoe Vermeer are three examples of those students taking their talents to multiple sport locations. Vermeer plays soccer and tennis, whereas Buchheit and Boeyink are both running track and playing soccer. For Boeyink, the task of doing both sports was just finding a way to shoulder the load. “I’ve always loved soccer, and track has been something I’ve always wanted to be a part of. I’ve worked out with the track team before soccer practices started in previous years, but this year I thought I could handle doing both. There hasn’t been any stress, but my body has gotten exhausted at times.” said Boeyink. Boeyink, a four-year varsity soccer player, has been used as somewhat of a “utility man” during the young track season. He has participated in the shuttle hurdles, high hurdles and 400 hurdles along with the 4 x 200 meter and 4 x 100 meter relays. He has also ran in a few open events.

“They’ve been trying me out in a few different events every meet. So it could always be something new next time.” Buchheit, who says he has a high possibility of running track or cross country in college, is just trying to enjoy the experience. “Some say it is stressful, which it is at times when both sports conflict. But, as long as you keep your priorities straight, it is a lot easier. It’s fun. You kind of get the best of both worlds you could say. You get to take part in two different atmospheres and totally different people so I’m enjoying every minute of it,” said Buchheit. Vermeer may find the spring decision the most difficult. Unlike Boeyink and Buchheit, she is taking on two sports because tennis and soccer are her favorites. “Having [soccer and tennis] fall in the same season is really just bad luck. If had to pick one over the other, I honestly don’t know which one I would choose. I’ve always just loved the sport of tennis. It’s one sport that everyone can find fun. And on the soccer team, all the girls are awesome. I get the chance to hang out with a lot of new people,” said Vermeer. Buchheit and Boeyink also enjoy the social aspects of

participating in multiple

sports. “ I ’ v e

gotten to know people in track that I

otherwise wouldn’t have. My favorite part about track

has been hanging out with everybody during meets and encouraging others while they run,” said Boeyink. Buchheit loves to hang out with some of his cross country teammates. “It really gets me excited for next year’s cross country season,” said Buchheit. •Nick Dorman (nd.pelladium@gmail.com)

Athletes juggle two sports in season

This month, new requirements will be created in order to protect students from a growing health issue in contact sports - concussions. The Iowa concussion measure, which goes into effect July 1, comes from growing concerns over concussions in youth sports. Iowa is among the 14 other states to create a concussion law. Over the past two years, laws and committees have been attempting to fix the problems that arise in sports due to head injuries. These laws have gone all the way from little league and recreational sports to the college and professionals. The National Football League, in particular, is supporting laws and campaigns to support the issue. Since the issue has arisen, the league has urged all 50 states to pass a concussion law. The suicide of a former NFL player last month highlighted the issue for the NFL. The Iowa law covers 7-12 athletes. It requires parents or guardians to read and fill out paperwork that details the symptoms of concussions. It also requires coaches to remove players from competition if they show signs of a concussion. After being benched, the player may only resume play if they are cleared by a medical professional. Varsity football coach Jay McKinstrey believes the law is necessary.

“You know, you’d hope people in sporting events would put the player’s health first. I’d like to think that most do, but you get a few ‘win-at-all costs situations’ where you can lose perspective in the heat of the battle,” said McKinstrey. He did not believe, however, that much would change in PHS policies on concussions.“A kid’s health is always the number one priority. Ever since I’ve been here, we’ve been using a policy like this, so things won’t change all that much here,” said McKinstrey. Concussions can also occur in nonorganized or recreational sports. As many as 3.8 million sport

or recreation related concussions occur in the United States each year according to the Brain Injury Association of America. Even with new, safer helmets and equipment, concussions are still occurring at an alarming rate. Recent studies have shown that one in two athletes have suffered some

sort of a concussion during their high school careers. Officials believe these new requirements and laws should help raise awareness about the danger, as well as make contact sports safer for athletes.

•Jack Parisee (jp.pelladium@gmail.com)

New Iowa law protects athletesTrack Senior Mariah Vande LuneWhat do you do to prepare yourself for an event or the entire meet?“When I’m getting ready to race, I start drinking a lot of water. Then I kind of go through stages of wanting to run and not wanting to, changing my mind back and forth. After that, I tell myself I’m ready and go run.”

Soccer Junior Grant BarrickHow does high school soccer differ from your Menace experience?“High school soccer is way more relaxed; the coaches for Menace were pretty intense. The games are a little more aggressive, too! Driving to Des Moines three times a week made it interesting, along with the out-of-state

teams that we played.”

Tennis Senior Kara BurnettHow is your senior year of tennis coming together? Will you miss it?“Tennis has been really fun! I’m really going to miss it, and the nostalgia is definitely setting in. Having a new coach my last year has been a little different, too, but the team has been doing great work.”

Jock Talk

•llustration by Marielle Gaiser

•Graphic by Jack Parisee

Page Editors: Megan Card, Jessica SalporApril 26, 2011

Although the Fifth Amendment is notoriously known for its right to remain silent, it is clear that there’s much more to it than initially assumed. An in-depth study reveals the details of the freedoms outlined in this amendment.

Protection from prosecution without indictment refers to having the right to a trial under a grand jury. A grand jury is made up of a group of peers who determine whether a suspect should be formally charged, or indicted, with a crime. This is different than a petit jury, which is designed to determine guilt or innocence.

Known by the term “double jeopardy,” protection from being tried for the same crime twice means that if you are found innocent of a crime, you may not be tried for that same crime again nor may you be punished twice for the same offense. It is important to remember, however, that the double jeopardy clause does not apply in all circumstances. For example, if a jury finds the defendant not guilty but the judge overrides their decision, the prosecution may appeal the decision. Also, double jeopardy does not prevent a person from being tried by different sovereignties. In the United States, both the state and federal courts are considered separate sovereignties; therefore a person may be tried for the same crime in each of these courts.

The Fifth Amendment also guarantees protection from testifying against or incriminating oneself. In other words, this protects the right to remain silent. It awards the right to withhold self-incriminating speech or any statement provided that may lead to being charged with a crime. It is important to note, however, that this does not give you the right to refuse to give a police officer your name, for example.

Protection from the loss of life, liberty, or property without due process of law is also awarded under the Fifth Amendment. Due process refers to the right to be tried fairly in a manner that respects all of a person’s legal rights. This is to say that a person has the right to defend themselves against criminal charges and plead their case before a jury of their peers. Any procedure that takes away their liberty unfairly or affords them with lesser treatment than others is a denial of due process.

The final right guaranteed by the Fifth Amendment is the right to be justly compensated for any private property that is taken for public use. In the United States, the federal government and each state is considered eminent domain. This means the federal government and individual states have the authority to seize private property for public use without the consent of the property owner. The Fifth

Amendment requires that upon the use of the government’s power of eminent domain, the government must fairly compensate property owners. More so, this provision does not mean that private property must be used by the public, but rather it must be used in a way that benefits the public.

The five rights of the Fifth Amendment are often misunderstood. Once broken down and clarified, the Fifth Amendment gives citizens more than just “the right to remain silent.”

•Jocelyn Van Dyke (jvd.pelladium@gmail.com)•Photo Illustration by Marielle Gaiser

The Second Amendment of the Bill Of Rights is the right to assemble a well-regulated militia if it is necessary to insure security of a free state. It is also the right of the people to keep and bare arms.

Over the years, the Second Amendment has shown to be a particularly intricate and sometimes controversial right. As recently as last year, the amendment was once again tested in the Supreme Court. In the case, McDonald v. Chicago, the r e q u i r e m e n t s for registering a hand gun were checked. The ruling ended up creating restrictions such as “prohibit[ing]...the possession of firearms by felons or mentally ill,” and “forbidding the carrying of firearms in sensitive places such as schools and government buildings.”

The most controversial piece of the Second Amendment is the right to assemble a well-regulated militia. This section of the amendment allows a citizen, who meets all the requirements to purchase an automatic weapon, purchase and keep the weapon. However, since the Gun Control Act of 1986, civilians are not allowed to possess fully automatic weapons unless they were manufactured prior to 1986. The weapons manufactured before

1986 are “Grandfathered,” meaning they can still be legally transferred. Opposers of this piece argue that it puts weapons capable of killing hundreds in the hands of the average Joe.

“I haven’t had a problem with it. I’m fine with background checks at purchase, and if the person is a criminal, they obviously shouldn’t be buying guns. If they restrict anything

further, however, I might have a problem with it,”

said freshman, Brady Vande Voort. But

the government’s backing to the a m e n d m e n t stresses how important it is to be able to revolt against the government

and form militias, if there is a need.

History has shown, and even the recent situation in

Egypt shows how important the ability to have a revolution.

All in all, the goal of the second amendment is to allow guns in a controlled manner. Although controversial, the recent restrictions on gun control have, overall, been taken well.

“It’s good to know that the right people have guns. It makes me feel much safer,” said sophomore Sarah Davis.

•Jack Parisee (jp.pelladium@gmail.com)

Freedom of speech. Freedom of religion. Freedom of the press. The right to assemble. The right to petition. Five basic rights guaranteed to every United States citizen that many take for granted.

The official definition of the First Amendment “guarantees freedom of religion, freedom of expression (including speech, press, assembly, association and belief), and freedom to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”

This definition is universal, applying to citizens. Yet, there still remains the question why some do not follow this amendment, or even why many do not even know their basic rights.

Colorado is one of seven states where high school student journalists’ rights are protected. The Colorado Student Free Expression Law states that student publications can be restricted, but only if they contain obscene information, promote unlawful acts, disrupt school or interfere in a person’s right to privacy.

A high school newspaper in Colorado has recently experienced their First Amendment rights being taken away. The article in question was written about a classmate who had died; it stated the cause of death in the article. After reviewing the article, Leon Lundie, the Overland principal announced he would stop the publication of this paper. Since then, the student journalists have been fighting for their rights.

The article stated that the cause of death of sophomore Leibert Phillips was a blood clot, developed after fracturing his ankle in a wrestling match. Overland High paper editor Lori Schafer obtained the death certificate, validating the cause of death written in her article. The principal still would

not allow the article to be published.

I n

addi t ion to the Overland High School newspaper no longer being published, the 14-year advisor for the high school paper has also lost her job as advisor, being moved to full-time English teacher.

“Situations like this should be of great concern to every publications advisor in this country. The students were responsible; the students did do what they should have done, yet she ends up losing her job because the truth is printed. It doesn’t make much sense to me,” said publications advisor Ann Visser.

Journalism students have many of the same thoughts.“The situation was unfortunate, but I’m glad they’re getting

much needed support. I hope that the journalism program will be reinstated,” said senior Kelsey Van Tasell.

It is clear that though people know the rights guaranteed to them by the First Amendment,

these rights are not always honored. First Amendment Day is a celebration of such rights. 35 journalism students from the high school attended First

Amendment Day April 7.“It was such a great opportunity

to take advantage of my First Amendment rights. The march really opened my eyes to how privileged we are as American citizens. Hearing the Colorado

students share in how they stood up to the journalistic injustice that was acted upon them was really inspiring,” said newspaper staff member

Tiffany Carter.•Taylor Rennich (tr.

pelladium@gmail.com)

Colorado principal denies students’ free speech, poses threat to First Amendment rights

Speech, press, petition, assembly and religion. First Amendment Day is dedicated to the celebration of these five freedoms granted to American citizens under the Constitution. Freedom is significant to every person in a different way; sophomore Evan Jones interprets his understanding of the First Amendment.

“I basically get to do what I want without getting in trouble. It’s a pretty big cornerstone of freedom,” said Jones.

First Amendment Day kicked off with a Freedom March that started at Ames City Hall, and ended at the steps of Beardshear Hall on the Iowa State University campus with a recitation of the First Amendment. Dozens of students carried signs ranging from protests to promotions and included everything from budget

cuts to gay pride. “The march was cool because I got

to bond with friends while v o i c i n g

personal opinions. There wasn’t any pressure to change your thoughts on issues or take a side. It’s great that we can speak out against our government and not be persecuted because we have the freedom of speech and assembly,” said junior Madeline Meyer.

Following a recitation of the First Amendment, a sit down with a guest speaker, Frank LoMonte, began in the Union Hall of the campus.

LoMonte is the executive director of the Student Press Law Center (SPLC). He lectured about student’s First Amendment rights and how they know when

their rights are being manipulated. He spoke from experience when telling stories and gave important tips to journalism students. LoMonte touched base on censorship, and how the state laws regarding that topic differ from state to state under the First Amendment rights. While retelling stories of historical cases regarding censorship and infringements upon First Amendment rights, a feeling of hope filled the room, implying that people should fight for their rights. His best advice was to have allies if problems evolve into lawsuits. Never fight a hard battle alone. People have all the allies they need, whether it’s parents, the SPLC, other journalism organizations or even law specialists.

Along with his stories of censorship, LoMonte ushered forth a pair of girls to recount an incredible journey filled with legal red flags.

Kalpana Ramgopal and Lisa Brinkley, from Overland High School in Colorado, spoke about their ordeals regarding the loss of First Amendment rights. A lawsuit had been filed against the school board when

the principal and board tried to change the content of the paper.

The elaborate and complex story that was full of obstacles and hindrances fascinated the audience. It is disturbing to think that people so close to home are having their rights smothered.

However, the girls and paper staff recognized that they weren’t being provided with all of their rights, and sought help immediately. They are currently winning the battle for their

rights in court, and this sends a positive message.

Anyone can make a difference if they speak up and fight for what is

important to them. Days such as commemorating the First Amendment are crucial to establishing awareness and regard for the liberties held with being an American. The Bill of Rights could now be given a new, revitalizing breath into informing the next generation.

•Jillian Sagers(jsag.pelladium@gmail.com)•Graphic by Micah Ziemetz (mz.pelladium@

gmail.com)

Fifth Amendment silences the injustice of legal process

First Amendment Day marches for freedom

•Illustration by Jillian Sagers

The Second Amendment barrels down on providing arms

•Photo Illustration by Marielle Gaiser

Staff Editorial

Executive Editors: Megan Card, Nathan Kooker, Eric Moore, Kelsey Van TasellPage Editors/Reporters: Tiffany Carter, Michael Ge, Benji McElroy, Madeline Meyer, Taylor Rennich, Jessica Salpor, Maddy Scholten, Jocelyn Van DykeVisuals: Marielle Gaiser, Eric Moore, Jillian Sagers, Mitch Shepperd, Micah ZeimetzReporters: Kayla Da, Nick Dorman, Mark Dykstra, Adam Gromotka, Evan Jones, Sarah Muller, Jack Parisee, Shaun Sokol, Haley Sytsma, Whittney ReinierAdviser: Ann Visser

The Pelladium is a monthly tabloid produced by the high school journalism department to serve as an informative, educational and entertaining communications media and to provide an open forum to students and readers. •Letters to the Editors are welcome and encouraged. These letters must be signed and should, in no way, be libelous, irresponsible or obscene. Letters must have verified facts and should deal with issues. The Pelladium reserves the right to edit grammatical errors, libelous content or length due to the space limitations. Letters may be brought to Room 201 or sent to Pella Community High School, Box 486, Pella, IA 50219. •The Pelladium will strive to deliver information in a fair and truthful manner. The Pelladium will function in accord with all applicable laws, both in regard to the rights and restrictions of journalism. •The views expressed in this publication are those of the individual writer and not necessarily those of the Pella Community High School Administration or the Pella Community Schools Board of Education. The Pelladium will make retractions in the event of errors made in the content of printed stories. Retractions will be printed in the issue immediately following the issue containing the errors. •The Pelladium is a member of the Iowa High School Press Association.

Pelladium Staff

Page Editor: Benji McElroy March 29, 2011

Editorial Cartoon

Alternative News•Eric Moore (em.pelladium@gmail.com)

Americans take rights for granted,need to acknowledge good fortune

We are exceptionally lucky to be United States citizens. If there’s one patriotic sentiment that is too often abridged from our Americanization process, it is a reverence for this fact. For regardless of who we are, what we do, and how we think, endowed to each and every one of us is a set of irrevocable civil liberties. These personal rights, as framed by the Constitution, are the very cornerstones of our country atop which every branch of the American government rests. Comprising this foundation are our well-known rights to voice our opinions, to practice our religions, to vote for our leaders, to bear weapons, and to be tried in court among many others. They seem so logical, so natural that it is hard to imagine them being rights not inherently granted to every human. Yet this is the dismal reality. In fact, such concrete fundamental liberties are a rarity among the world’s political units. The very idea of assuring citizens their own immutable powers is largely a western conception of many years in the making. If we look to the east today, we see countries just beginning to demand their civil rights from their governments, and we see even more countries dominated by authoritarian regimes and populated by citizens who lack almost all of the liberties we take for granted. These American rights are not trivialities either. These aren’t merely the pretentious flaunts of our brainy founding fathers. These aren’t just wordy statutes meant to fill lines in law books. These are our well-exploited utilities. Every time we thoughtlessly post a status to Facebook, we exercise our liberty to voice our opinion. Every time we are pulled over for pushing the speed limit, we are protected by our civil liberties from unfair prosecution. Even the fact that you are reading this paper indicates we are enjoying our right to publish it. Try to imagine a life where these amenities are inaccessible or illegal, and you may as well be envisioning the lives of half of the world’s population. With little thought, it is clear that our civil rights are utterly invaluable. What is vital to realize, though, is the fact that while these rights remain legally uninfringeable, they are nonetheless socially susceptible. To put it simply, our constitutional rights are only guaranteed when we are sitting in a courtroom before a judge. In the open air, they are prone to subtle infringements, and it is up to our keen perception to recognize and refute such encroachments. Only a thorough understanding of our basic liberties can enable us to prevent them from being violated in the classroom, in the workplace, or in other public environments. In this month’s In-Depth section, we pay homage to our constitutional rights, those pillars that play such an integral yet unacknowledged role in our daily lives. We the Pelladium staff urge you to meditate on both your liberties and your luck. It is only by chance that you live in this country and are blanketed by your basic freedoms. We hope that you might find a revitalized appreciation and understanding for these few things more American than apple pie.

(The Pelladium Staff voted in favor of this editorial, 26-0)

Every time we thoughtlessly post a

status to Facebook, we exercise our liberty to

voice our opinion

Administration’s censorship foiled Additional protection for journalism students in Colorado against administrative censorship, provided by the Colorado Student Free Expression Law, has been ignored by Overland High School principal Leon Lundie. Lundie made the decision to discontinue the school newspaper after reviewing an article about a student’s death before publication. This is just one of the many examples of journalistic injustice in the world today. After two members of the newspaper staff began to protest this decision, Lundie has now stated that the newspaper can continue publishing for the remainder of the year. “Congress shall make no law respecting all establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” These are the freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment to every American. Because of this amendment, all citizens, including high school journalists, have the right to inform the public of any event or happenings in the world. Whether it is an occurrence in another country or the events within a local high school, we are legally able to report any information we find of journalistic value. Many find it admirable of the Colorado journalism students to be fought back against the injustice acted upon them. Often times, there are other situations where individuals or groups that attempt to silence the voice of the public informers, stand in the way of fair reporting and, for instance in the Colorado case, intercept stories and prevent them from being told. These actions are unfair and are injustices to the journalism community. It is important for all to know and take advantage of the rights granted in the First Amendment and face any abuse of these rights.

•Tiffany Carter (tc.pelladium@gmail.com)

Sophomore Josh Witten

“I don’t think it’s fair to take away a story from someone. It’s America,

everyone should have the freedom to write whatever

they want.”

Page Editor: Eric Moore April 26, 2011

Brink of SagacityEric Moore (em.pelladium@gmail.com)

Reading Is DangerousNathan Kooker (nk.pelladium@gmail.com)

Action Reaction

Yes, it’s cliché; a future journalism major bashing you over the head with the First Amendment of the United States Consti-tution. And it may even be cliché for me to acknowledge myself being cliché,but there’s a reason for it to be bashed into your head, thickly ingrained into your skull; it’s important. In fact it’s vital to preserving the manner in which Ameri-cans have grown accustomed to living. Since 2011 has thus far proved to be the year of the protest, it has made me real-ize more than ever how lucky American citizens are to have the protection guaran-teed by those 45 words. Others around the world have had to protest, fight and die for their beliefs, all in hopes of spark-ing change in their countries. For the most part, these countries are moving forward, but other countries seem to be doing the opposite. France, a well-developed coun-try with a literacy rate of 99+ per-cent and a GNP per capita 32,700 recently passed a law that prevents wearing burqas (a traditional attire of some Muslim women) in public places, with a fine of 150 Euros for fail-ing to comply, and a 30,000 Euro fine for forcing a woman to wear one. As nation-alistic as France has historically been, I was still extremely shocked to see the ban actually happen. This is a clear violation of religious freedom, and something that would never happen in the United States. Those in support of the ban argue that women are forced or “brainwashed” into wearing them, ergo wearing them is not religious “expression” but religious “re-pression”. Well, that’s a good argument, but is it really up to the government to decide whether that is a justifiable reason to pass legislation preventing the activ-ity? What’s to keep them from stepping in further and limiting other forms of multi-cultural and religious freedom? Other supporters of the ban desire great-er French nationalism. After all, a burqa is not exactly the most “European” stylistic statement. But it was estimated in a 2009 report by domestic intelligence that only about 367 women wear full veils. This is out of 62 million total citizens. That means .0006 of a percent of the population is af-fected by the ban. With such a miniscule number of women actually sporting such

veils, I find it hard to believe the image of France would be heavily deterred. The real reason is a European fear of Is-lam. The Dutch and the Belgians are at-tempting to implement similar bans. In January 2010, a plan to build what would have been Europe’s largest mosque, and would have accommodated 12,000 wor-shipers was cancelled proceeding protests of over 250,000 people, who claimed its proximity to the 2012 London Olympic Games was the reason its building needed to cease. Muslims have gotten a bad rap, espe-cially and most obviously in the past 10 years, but each new anti-Muslim move-

ment just takes us backwards, not forward. It’s a depress-ing thing when stereotypes and prejudices can still be formed, even in the most informed times. Prevent-ing religious freedoms be-

cause people have similari-ties to extremists groups does

not mean they are extremists groups. To cite a more relatable

example, Martin Luther King Jr. was sometimes catogorized

with Malcom X and black national-ism. The difference between the two was vast; with one man working towards civil rights through negotiations and the other man using violence to spread his beliefs. If this unfair grouping continued, where would civil rights be for African Ameri-cans be today? The world is in the midst of a similar sit-uation with Muslims. The stigma simply isn’t justified, and it is unfortunate that so many people are unable to learn from history. In a town that’s about as diverse as movies from the 1950’s, these types of things are something to think about. Reli-gious freedom exists in Pella as much as anywhere else, but there are undoubtedly some de facto social laws in our conserva-tive little town. To avoid ending with a “we’ve come a long way, there’s a long way to go” sort of statement, I will leave you with this; re-alize the importance of the First Amend-ment, of its current power and the reasons why it needs to be retained. And if you disagree with me, rest as-sured, you have to right to do so.

If I had a dollar for every non-Christian I’ve met in Pella, I’d be rich enough to buy a gallon of milk and a box of Ritz Bits with a coupon. I know fewer atheists, agnostics and assorted believers of other religions than there are fingers on my hands, and though I might only be acquainted with a fraction of the community, there’s some-thing of significance in that ratio alone. It is for this reason that I am willing to posit that most of you readers are of the pious sort, and that I feel warranted using the following paragraphs to outline some thoughts that have been gnawing on me deep down. Today, we discuss the Big Bang theory. For the most part, Christians adore the offspring of science. They broadcast their digital dogma to every corner of the in-ternet and build hospitals to kindle the progress of medicine. But when astrono-mers attempt to decipher the history of the universe, many Christians will draw a line, turn a cheek, and maintain that God simply talked his masterpiece into existence. They discredit the science com-munity’s prevailing origins explanation, the Big Bang theory, as a farfetched yarn incompatible with their creation story. Many of you might agree. I have dis-covered that plenty of my Christian peers consider the Big Bang theory an impious and downright heathenistic delusion. But what they fail to realize is that the theory was conceived by a Belgian priest named Georges Lemaître, and that the Vatican has been a proponent of the Big Bang the-ory since the 1950s. In truth, this theory that’s caused such a fuss among many presumptuous Christians takes root in the religion itself. Cosmologists are quite certain of one thing: the universe is expanding. Hubble proved this decades ago by observing a phenomenon called the “redshift” in dis-tant stars. Accordingly, there is a constant tug-of-war between the outward thrust of expansion and the inward pull of gravity. Before Lemaître and his contemporaries, scientists subscribed to a notion called the

“steady-state” universe. They thought the galactic counter-forces had always balanced, and the universe simply had always been. Of course, that didn’t fly with Christians in the early 20th Century. Steady-state theory was not only riddled with flaws, but it had no beginning, no cause, no cre-ator. Lemaître’s Big Bang theory provided both a more scientifically viable idea – that the matter of the universe had once been collapsed into a single, super-dense particle, and the expansion we see is its eruption from this epicenter – and one consistent with the Christian worldview. It called for a creator, someone to light the fuse, and some scholars even go as far as saying the theory demands an intelligent designer. What’s more, Lemaître’s notion has been backed by more and more sup-porting evidence with each decade since its conception. That’s Big Bang in a nutshell. Is the truth more appealing? It’s embraced by most all of the scientific community, but leagues of Christians refuse to buy in. The ques-tion is, why does the Big Bang theory stir such a ruckus? Why do so many ardently refuse to acknowledge a concept woven straight into the fabric of their beliefs? The way I see it, Christians swerve from rationality because they fear it detracts from their faith. To them, and even to people of all faiths for that matter, I say this: do not be wary to put a little reason behind your belief, whatever kind of be-lief it is. Neither faith nor reason, are com-pletely independent of one another. Can we ever be sure of something without making at least one basic assumption? Can we ever have faith in something without first weighing out its plausibil-ity? A balanced brew of reason and faith is healthy, it’s human. Debates have raged for centuries, but the way I see it, science and religion are not difficult to marry. All we need to do is set aside our ignorance, build bigger bookshelves, and stock some encyclope-dias next to our Bibles.

It’s nearly that time of the year when the dusty wooden shoes and Dutch costumes are pulled from the back of the closet ... Tulip Time. Some students are excited for early dis-missal, others dread the neverending work hours. What excites or annoys you about Tulip Time? •Whittney Reinier (wr.pelladium@gmail.com)

“I like that it is busy and how everyone is doing their own thing, and that people are minding their own business and not bugging you. ... the extra people are an-noying and the food to me isn’t good.”

Freshman Ben Hardesty

“I’m excited for it all, but I also don’t like all the extra traffic, other then that I’m very excited.”

Sophomore Taylor Kramer

“I like it because there is lots of things to buy and shop for, but I hate having to shove my way through the people and how expensive the food is.” Junior Kati Schumann

“I like the food and how it draws a lot of new people to the local businesses.”

Senior Dylan DeBoef

•Graphics by Eric Moore (em.pelladium@gmail.com)

On a scale from the Bay of Pigs to the Louisiana Purchase, the decision to switch the vending machines to Pepsi products is firmly entrenched in the Bay of Pigs side of the spectrum. Each machine has three products: Gatorade G2, SoBe Lifewater and old school water. Sorry, but that giant leaf in the cafeteria doesn’t mean you’ve shrunk down to the size of a bug, it means that delicious Vitamin Water has been replaced by ineffective posers. SoBe Lifewater might be the worst of the bunch. Every flavor is barely noticeable, which makes it end up tasting like pop that’s been left out since 1987. Each sip of SoBe Lifewater left me anxiously waiting for the flavor to hit my tastebuds, but it never happened. If you like pop that’s been left out for ages, then SoBe Lifewater might be for you. Not only is the taste marginal,

but the flavor names are also questionable to boot. “Macintosh Apple Pear,” gives you that special feeling of drinking Macintosh advertisements. “Fuji Apple Pear” is just as controversial. With our economy still in shambles, how can we afford to be outsourcing our beverage names to Japan? Every Gatorade fanatic has been blindsided by the stealthy disgustingness of G2. The bottle appears to be just like any delightful Gatorade, but then you take a sip, and bam, you’re hit by a freight train of displeasure. G2 isn’t just any Gatorade, it’s “healthy” Gatorade (which means it has half the calories). Like anything “healthy,” it leaves you not only disappointed, but also with the taste of dead marsupial in your mouth. On the bright side, at least G2 doesn’t have a giant lizard on its bottle that screams, “I wear Ed Hardy and beat up my girlfriends.” The plain-old-water, or Klarbrunn water, probably has commie bacteria in it that will turn everyone into an army of Soviets. To be fair, though, at least the water didn’t have any critters floating in it. If all of the drinking fountains were blown up, Klarbrunn water is a decent alternative. The switch to Pepsi products gets 2/5 stars. All of the selections are substantial downgrades compared to their Coke predecessors. SoBe quite literally falls flat in the taste department, G2 is a mixture of whole wheat bread and Diet Coke, and Klarbrunn water is quite decent, I guess. At the end of the day, it’s difficult to picture spending hard earned money on bland, colored water.

•Benji McElroy (bmc.pelladium@gmail.com)

You walk through the doors, and you’re greeted with a warm, “Welcome to Jimmy John’s.” You’re also greeted by a clean and modern looking facility that’s a little more up-to-date than Pella is probably used to. However, it’s not just the atmosphere that makes Jimmy John’s superb. This being my first time at a Jimmy John’s establishment, I asked the folks at the counter to suggest an order. They nailed what I wanted by suggesting I order an eight inch sub that included cheese, turkey, lettuce, tomato and mayo. It sounds simple enough, but the quality really stood out. The taste shows that the bread is fresh baked, and the other ingredients also worked well. I actually saw an employee shredding lettuce behind the counter. This is a little more than I can say about

experiences I’ve had with the lettuce in tubs at Subway. Besides the food being freaky-good, it was also freaky-fast. As their slogan suggests, I only had time to get a Coke and choose out a bag of chips before the employee at the counter called out my order. The store also provides a delivery option, although the radius they’ll drive to deliver is limited. With the five minute trip maximum, anyone in town will be fine ordering lunch at home or the office, but those out of town will have

to drive themselves to the experience. Overall, my outing at Jimmy John’s was great. The restaurant offers a delicious experience, dine-in or carry-out, and does so at a pace that lives up to the expectation. The limited delivery range offers a minor set-back for the consumer, but the location places it pretty central in respect to other restaurants in town, and doesn’t really hurt the experience. It’s good to see more variety brought to the city of Pella.

•Adam Gromotka (apg.pelladium@gmail.com)

Page Editor: Tiffany Carter

At a glance...

Where? Jimmy John’s608 Oskaloosa

204-0025Why? They’re

freaky good and freaky fast

April 26, 2011

Eat. Jimmy John’s

Vander Ploeg Bakery711 Franklin St.Pella, IA 50219628-2293

Dr. Gregory Vannucci, D.D.S, P.C.2601 Washington St.Pella, IA 50219628-2011

Work Systems Rehab & Fitness308 SE 9th St.Pella, IA 50219621-0230

TK Concrete1608 Fifield Rd. Pella, IA 50219628-4590

Stravers True Value/ Radio Shack/ U.S. Cellular818 Main St.Pella, IA 50219628-3330

TD&T Financial Group, P.C., CPA’s606 Franklin St.Pella, IA 50219628-9411

Sports Page Grill1111 W. 16th St.Pella, IA 50219620-1149

Sports Page Sporting Goods1562 Washington St.Pella, IA 50219628-4999

Subway714 Liberty St.412 E. Oskaloosa St.Pella, IA 50219628-8923 628-3054

Taco John’s 911 West 16th St.Pella, IA 50219628-8818

Tri-County Vet650 Hwy T-14Pella, IA 50219628-4040

TRIUMPH Martial Arts308 SE 9th St.PO Box 41Pella, IA 50219866-648-8480Ulrich Ford-Lincoln-Mercury1130 West 16th St.Pella, IA 50219628-2184Van Dyk-Duven Fu-neral Home615 West 1st. St.Pella, IA 50219628-2540

Vermeer Sales and Service661 Hwy. T-14Pella, IA 50219628-2000

Silver Lining733 Franklin St.Pella, IA 50219628-3650

Catch up on the latest news at

pelladium.com

Always a New Issue

•Photo by Blake Lanser

Innovation is hard to find within mainstream music. Many artists today string together broken English, align it in a pattern and slap a couple of beats in the background. Following suit, Britney Spears unveiled her seventh album “Femme Fatale.” Two years since her “Circus” days, Spears’ newest album debuted March 25. Managing to scale back the vulgarity she once held, Spears’ again repeats Top 40 content of lust, attraction and sex throughout the album. Not veering far from other artists, Spears found inspiration from her primitive senses, failing to acknowledge that her listeners may have additional interests. When I first listened to songs like, “Gasoline,” “How I Roll” and even, “Hold it Against Me,” I thought I actually liked the music. As I drove home, I was engaged with what was playing,

but once I stopped the album, it hit me. I, like many others, am horrible about half listening. I gave the songs what I thought was my full attention, but once my key was out of the ignition, I didn’t remember a thing. I didn’t appreciate the two years Spears spent working on the album, and I surely didn’t remember the talent she might have possessed. As I had feared, my listening had unconscientiously gone to autopilot. Spears’ style was more of the same: same from her, same from popular music. I don’t hate popular music, but when I grew up belting out hits like “Oops!.. I Did it Again,” I expect a forward progression, or at least some semblance of growth and maturity from an artist that’s been around for a while. Past the shortcomings, something I did appreciate was Spears’ album title, “Femme Fatale.” I’m hoping the time she didn’t spend reinventing herself, purposefully went into the clever title. The extended idea of seduction and infatuation are perfectly embodied in this two word phrase. Once used to describe convicted WWI spy Mata Hari, Spears managed to show some creativity. As the last seconds play, listeners will surely have mixed feelings. Spears did deliver an album that fits perfectly with what is popular now, but easily replaceable within upcoming months. Listeners can bob along to the broken fragments and finish as happier people. Others will be left unsatisfied with Spears’ newest project, but thankful that she has debuted her newest publicity excuse.

•Jessica Salpor (js.pelladium@gmail.com)

At a glance...

What? Spears’ seventh album,

debuted March 25.

Who? Britney’s back, this time with a full head of hair.

Listen. “Femme Fatale”

At a glance...

When? The beverage switch went into

effect April 1.

Why? Find out what you’re spending your hard earned money on

Drink. Pepsi vs. Coke

•Graphic by Micah Ziemetz

Since the dawn of time, people have been putting down others in order to make themselves feel better. Cain did it to Abel, the Senate did it to Julius Caeser, and Republicans do it to Obama every day. With the advent of the internet, the anger has spread, and a new class has been born. We call these people “haters,” and they really leave us steaming.

Jake: As I was surfing the internet yesterday, I was reminded once again of the annoying haters who seem to fill the world these days.

Adam: Yeah, I was just trying to leave a nice comment on Rebecca Black’s “Friday” song, and the compliment was lost in a sea of hate.

J: It feels like constructive criticism and kind words are a thing of the past. It’s just not cool to be nice anymore. I seem to remember my mom telling me if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.

A: Nowadays, it seems that if you don’t have anything mean to say, you might as well find a way to be negative to get attention.

J: We could all benefit from listening to “Elephunk” and remembering to ask, “Where is the Love?”

A: Wow, you’ve got a bad taste in music. Wait, I just hated without even realizing it!

J: Even unintentionally, hate is always going to be here.

A: Although you may not like it, the first amendment protects the rights of haters to hate.

J: There should be a petition against haters. We could use their first amendment against them!

A: Maybe we should just try peacefully assembling. Nah...

Jake Anderson (ja.pelladium@gmail.com) and Adam Gromotka (apg.pelladium@gmail.com)

Fish & Sheps • Mitch Shepperd

Page Editor: Michael Ge April 26, 2011

High School Hazard • Jillian Sagers

Green Supporters...Applebee’s, 1600 Washington St., 620-8646Bos Landen Golf Club, 2411 Bos Landen Dr., 628-4625Braafhart’s BP Amoco, 834 Washington St., 628-2474Central Cellular, 1530 Washington St., 628-9520Comfort Inn & Suites, 910 West 16th St., 621-1421Dutch Meadows Landscaping, 100 1/2 Vermeer Rd.,628-4450Eyecare Partners, 823 Franklin St., 628-9225Jansen’s Decorating & Kitchens, 614 Franklin St., 628-4247Leighton Processed Meats, Leighton, 626-3211Nick’s Greenhouse & Floral Shop, 219 Oskaloosa, 628-2230Oriental Express, 706 Main Street, 620-1199Pella Implement Company, 655 Hwy. T-14, 628-2131

Pella Implement Company, 655 Hwy. T-14, 628-2131Pella Printing Co., 1190 West 16th St., 628-4941Prudential First of Pella Realty, 601 Franklin St., 628-9840Sadler Sign & Design, 203 SE 16th St., 628-9889Van Maanen, Sietstra and Meyer, P.C., 705 Main St., 628-3737Van Maanen Seed & Chemical, 2073 Eaton Ave., Leighton, IA, 626-3471Windmill Cafe, 709 Franklin St.,621-1800Windmill Mall Antiques & Collectibles, 637 Franklin Street, 628-1095

Hate can drive us off the tracks

You’re sitting in class when, out of the corner of your eye, you see the kid next to you start to ever-so-slightly raise his leg like a pitcher preparing to go into his windup. You’ve been through this too many times to be naïve towards what’s going to happen, but without the proper equipment, you’re going to have to take this nose on. All of the sudden it happens. “Pffffft,” rings out from 9 o’clock. You’re left smelling something reminiscent of the love child of raw dough and hard-boiled eggs, yet your instinctual reaction is to crack up. For some reason though, after all of this, your cold teacher fails to find the comedy in the situation and echoes the all too familiar company line: “grow up.” A case of the giggles can be contracted at almost any time. You might be harmlessly flipping to page 473 in your health book when all of a sudden, the book opens up to a picture of “reproductive organs.” Come on, there’s a diagram of lady parts in the book and they’re even labeled all scientific-like to boot, but cracking a smile is sacrilege? Or what if someone has a current event about John Boehner, but they clearly have no idea how to pronounce his last name? Throughout it all, though, we’re expected to keep a perfect poker face, which is an expectation bordering on the completely unreasonable. Being infected with a case of the giggles can result in being scolded, kicked-out, or, the worst, being called the I-word: immature. What does immature even mean? Technically speaking, it means “not mature, ripe, developed, perfected.” I guess that means a teacher is implying our humor isn’t developed and perfected when we laugh at a toot, but really, that’s completely unfair. Before teachers were hardened during their 80-some-years of

service, they too laughed at jokes that originated in second grade. You can’t tell me that every fun-loving, red-blooded American loves farts and “reproductive organ” jokes, but somehow, by some freak coincidence, there are a solid amount of teachers that don’t. This means they’ve turned off the part of the brain that says, “Hey, you just heard the word “gonorrhea,” now laugh hysterically.” During even the most enjoyable of classes, everyone’s eyelids are doing their best dying houseplant impression, but when a potentially electrifying toot rings out, we’re supposed to act like we’re in the gallery at The Masters? Embrace the “immature,” teachers. At the very least, let us enjoy stumbling upon a diagram of the urinary tract. Or even take it one step further: enjoy the juvenile tomfoolery with everyone else. The very principle of school is boring. It’s the heart of education’s anatomy, but that doesn’t mean you can’t help us spruce up the experience a little bit. Cackling at elementary-tier jokes can be like an effective form of PE4Life that doubles as a weird form of class bonding. Think of all the inside jokes teachers could make once they embrace the immature. “Class, go to page 234 in your book.” The class then proceeds to flip to a full page spread of monumental ovaries and bursts out in unified laughter. Teachers, kick back and share a few laughs with everyone. It should get to the point where everyone can accurately mock the high pitched squeal you make halfway through snickering. Amidst a hard day of school everyone’s definitely earned the right to chuckle at the word “wiener.” Plus, when all’s said and done, who likes a Fart Grinch? No one. That’s who.

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Casino Night 2011Page Editor: Taylor Rennich April 26, 2011

•Photos by Blake Lanser

•Photos by Karen Ryals

•Junior Caitie Hones

•Juniors Josh Ravestein and Jessica Salpor

•Seniors Schatzie Shrout, Taylor Veenstra and Tyler Elliot

•Senior Morgan Van Maanen

•Senior Kirsten Maakestad

•Junior Shen Huang

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•Senior Lisa Houser

•Junior Jessie Ryals

Prom was held April 9. Approximately 350students attendedCasino Night, an

evening of dancing, games and hypnosis.

•Juniors Meg MacRunnel and Angie Nelson

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•Senior Preston Dixon with date Mariah Buckley and senior Jocelyn Van Dyke•Junior Kelly Anderson