Volume 94, Issue 3 - My High School Journalism

4 News Little Dodger, Fort Dodge Senior High Nov. 5, 2010
Williamson to teach new college class Texting Ban Law
By Karlee Frein
Staff Reporter
Students looking for the opportunity to take
advantage of college courses while still in high
school now have a new option thanks to social
studies teacher Brett Williamson.
Having previously taught the government
course at Iowa Central, Williamson is a natural
fit for teaching the new high school class.
The Iowa Central government class will now
be offered at the high school in place of A.P.
Government. Reasons for this replacement are
appropriate due to the fact that students will be
exposed to college materials while still in their
familiar high school environment.
Rather than earning a political science credit
for high school graduation in just A.P. Government,
students can kill two birds with one stone,
as they earn high school and additional credits
for college.
Williamson and Assistant Principal Ben Johnson
had nothing but positive comments to offer
about the new government course being added.
“(Williamson) will not only deliver the college
level content of the course but will also explain
Schedule
continued from page 2
for only 50 minutes compared to the hour and
a half classes that currently exist at the school.
This schedule might be easier to learn subjects
such as foreign language and math. If this
schedule is chosen, it will be implemented the
following school year.
The flex mod schedule is a type of schedule
where periods will differ on time depending on
what the teachers feel they need to instruct a
specific type of class. For instance, a class like
yearbook would require longer periods, but for
only half of the year, where an English class
would only need 40 minutes a day but would
be instructed all year long. If this schedule is
picked, it will be used during the 2012-2013
school year.
News Briefs
On Saturday, Oct. 16, over 380 cheerleaders
from across the state of Iowa packed Valley
High School to try out for the All-State cheerleading
squad.
Three out of the four Dodgers who tried out
for the team made it.
Juniors Ashley Ebelsheiser, Erin O’leary, and
Katie Rickels will represent Fort Dodge on the
All-State squad, which accepts only 34 cheerleaders.
Practices will start in December and will take
place once a month in order to prepare the
squad for their performance at the boy’s state
basketball game in March.
the material to our high school students,” said
Johnson. “This benefits the students, providing
the framework to become accustomed to college
courses before actually leaving the high school.”
The Iowa Central government course will kick
off with two periods, beginning fourth semester.
While both are excited for the course to begin,
Williamson is hopeful that he will be capable of
spreading his knowledge of the political science
and government fields to his students. His main
goals being: “civic participation and getting people
excited about politics. (Kids should) debate
more and have a better sense of what’s going on
in their communities, not just sit back, relax and
watch politicians do what they do.”
In addition to encouraging political participation,
Williamson said that the class will cover
the branches of government, how they function,
civil liberties, and civil rights.
To be a part of the high school’s new class,
adjust your schedule soon as Iowa Central Government
is filling up quickly at the high schol.
Take Mr. Johnson’s advice : “Stretch yourself in
high school, don’t just be minimalistic.”
Another option is to stick with the block schedule
that has been in place here at the high school
for the past 14 years. Advantages of the block
schedule are that students have many more opportunities
to get credits then they would on a
trimester or flex mod schedule. Also in classes
that need productivity time such as shop or art
classes, having hour and a half long classes are
good for both students and teachers.
Deciding on which schedule to pick will not be
easy; Keane has put together a group of faculty,
students, and parents to do research and carry
out mock school days with each schedule. All
the findings will be brought to the table on Nov.
17.
All-State Cheerleading Special Olympics
The Special Olympic Bowlers competed at
Ridgewood Lanes on Oct. 14. Out of the 13 that
competed, four bowlers are moving on to the
state level competition in Des Moines on Nov.
20.
Jessica Boitnett bowled a 78-75, Sara Boitnett
bowled a 30-33, Rebekah Hoefling bowled a 35-
70, David Hollers bowled a 61-47, Tyler Jarvis
bowled a 104-98, Shaquille Lawbaugh bowled a
52-58, Elliot Lee 125-133, Ariel Mullins bowled
a 61-73, Matthew Nellis bowled a 69-107, Allen
Smith bowled a 105-116, Clint Terrell Jr. bowled
a 99-77, Alexander Watson bowled a 63-65, and
Zach Williams bowled a 92-99.
www.littledodger.net
Teens getting creative
By Amanda Becker
Staff Reporter
Since July, police officers have been enforcing
driving without texting. In spite of this,
teens have been figuring out ways to text
while driving and not get caught.
“It is a 127 dollar ticket if a person is caught
sending, opening or reading a text message
while driving,” said Police Officer Chuck Guthrie,
“for the first year, officers are only to give
out warnings.”
The reason the law was created was to reduce
the accidents and fatalities that happen
while texting and driving.
Craig Hamilton, an insurance agent for State
Farm said “We usually do not deal with people
who have gotten into an accident due to texting,
but I have a feeling not everyone is telling
the truth.”
“It is difficult to spot someone driving while
texting because teens have figured out ways
to avoid getting caught. If a person is driving
while texting, the police officer has to be driving
right next to the car looking in the vehicle;
the purpose of the law is to be a deterrence,”
Guthrie said.
Many teens have created ways to avoid getting
caught texting while driving.
“I usually try to stop if I want to text, but
otherwise I don’t even look at my phone while
I text,” said senior Josh Lennon. Senior Stephanie
Grandors on the other hand “drives with
her knees.”
Senior Jon Cygan’s parked car was struck by
another car. The driver of the car was texting
while driving.
All these student advise not to text while
driving. It is a dangerous thing that can lead
to fatal accidents.
“Those people who have lost friends or family
to texting while driving understand and appreciate
the new law,” Guthrie said. “We want
to avoid making any more fatalities on the
roads.”
Crossroads Mall-
Fort Dodge