Mock trial

BY LINDSEY RUSSELL

When students at Western Dubuque High School think of Sociology class, they often think of the mock trial, which usually takes place anywhere from the middle to the end of the semester. It is a way for the entire class to work together and overall is a very fun experience. Ms. Rogers, the Sociology teacher, has answered a few questions regarding the mock trial:

What are the main parts of the trial? The beginning is mainly vocabulary and establishing everyone’s role. The middle is where the crime takes place. The preparations and the actual trial are the last parts.

How long does the mock trial take? The mock trial usually takes about one month or 10 to 11 block days.

Are the crimes always murder? Yes, because other things, like kidnapping, are harder for the students to investigate.

Have there been any past trials that have stood out to you? Each trial is unique because of the different students and faculty involved, but last semester stood out the most because everyone really got into the trial.

What is your favorite part of the mock trial? Getting more people involved from outside of the class and the overall involvement of the students.

The most important part of the mock trial is the unification of the class as they all come together to make the mock trial whole. Everyone involved, plays a key role in the mock trial. From the investigators, the lawyers and even the jury—which often consists of underclassmen—everyone participating is important to the overall quality and experience of the mock trial.

Kick off to the season

BY SARAH WALSH

The soccer team is getting ready for their next season, hoping they will finally beat their record of games won. Their Coach Cece Zangara gives us an interview about their upcoming season.

What sport do you coach? I coach soccer.

What is the team doing to improve in the offseason? We have open gyms, Clarke League, and off season weightlifting.

What were your stats last year? Our stats last year were 7 loses and 6 wins.

When does your season start? The soccer season starts on March 27.

Who are the returning players? Our returning players are Mikaela Armstrong, Kim Barlett, Melissa Burds, Sarah Errthum, Claudia Greenwood, Katrina Hoffman, Kasi Berg, Lydia Smith, Molly Waller, Sarah Walsh, Racheal Leibold, Jenna Prier, Lindsey Russell, Madison Simon, Gretchen Gaul, Madison Schabillion.

Are you excited about any new players? I am always excited about new players. They bring new talent to the team and help push the returning players.

Who are you playing in your first game? Our first game is a scrimmage against Maquoketa, and on April 8 we have our first real game against Williamsburg at Williamsburg.

Katie Wolter

BY SYDNEY LUNDGREN

Where are you headed off to in the fall? University of Iowa.

What are you planning on doing on the future? I would like to be a dentist.

What’s your biggest pet peeve? When that one classmate reminds the teacher that you had homework.

What advice would you give freshman? To not waste your senior year taking easy classes. College courses in high school are free, in college they aren’t.

 What’s your favorite school lunch? Spaghetti with cheese…oh wait.

What’s your favorite class? Anatomy.

What are you most looking forward to in college? Meeting new people and going to sporting events as a Hawkeye.

If you won a million dollars what would you do? Buy a new car and sell my 1993 Honda Accord.

Explain being a senior in one word? STRESSFUL.

What is senioritis? It’s when you push everything off to the last minute and start to not care about anything.

Where is your favorite place to hang out? Sk8 Country (Skate Country).

What’s your favorite hashtag on twitter? #dontcare #sorrynotsorry

“Her” movie review

BY: ALEXIS HEALEY

“Her” is an extremely moving story that takes the viewer on an emotional journey. The film follows Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix), an impassioned man who struggles with the reality that his marriage has failed. Living in a world where technology has evolved, he finds himself starting to communicate with a computer programing system named Samantha (Scarlett Johansson), designed to help humans with organization.  He finds himself confused and having feelings for this programming device, all the while finally feeling true emotions again. Directed by Spike Jonze, “Her,” is a true eye-opener. It won many awards such as “Best Picture from the 2013 L.A. Film Critics Association, Best Production Design- K.K. Barrett also from the 2013 L.A. Film Critics Association, and Best Director - Spike Jonze from the 2013 National Board of Review. It also was nominated for many other awards such as Joaquin Phoenix as best acting in a motion picture. I would most definitely give this film five out of five stars.  It was drastically funny in a very interesting way. I really did enjoy the movie; however I wouldn’t recommend it to young or immature viewers. Clearly, the film was designed for adults, and it occasionally got very inappropriate.

“Divergent” book review

BY CORTNEY GLAWE

Good reads Choice Award 2011 Winner “Divergent,” written by Veronica Roth, is on its way to the theaters in March. The story is set in futurist Chicago where the world is split into 5 fractions: Abnegation - the selfless, Amity - the peaceful, Candor - the honest, Dauntless - the brave and Erudite - the intelligent each representing a trait. Being sixteen is a little more important than being able to finally drive on your own. You have to make a choice that decides who you are for the rest of your life and this is where Beatrice Prior’s story begins.

When I came upon “Divergent” it sounded like “Hunger Games,” but with a new spin, and I was excited about it. Unlike the “Hunger Games” the world didn’t come off as believable or logical, and the history of why the world came to be that way wasn’t really explained. The Dauntless seemed more like reckless bullies then military soldiers like they were supposed to be. There was a lot of bullying in the book that seemed to be overlooked by the teachers. Either that or they never knew because the recruits never told them about it. If they were really brave, they would have told someone so it could be handled in a more appropriate manner, but I guess they are Dauntless so they don’t care about safety especially with that never stopping train of theirs. I get that Veronica Roth was trying to get the point across that they were brave but bravery goes farther than jumping off a never-ending train. If you get past all the ways the story didn’t seem very logical or how it liked to skim in-depth details then it can make for a good read.

For those of you who would like to give this book a try, it also has two follow up books “Insurgent” and “Allegiant.” I have not read them. Maybe they will explain more of the in-depth questions I wanted to know. As the first book in the series, I feel it should have laid out more foundation.  Instead the reader isn’t asking questions on they should have been answered details, but they ask questions like what's going to happen next?