Dec. 2014 Volume 90 Issue 4 Buzzing For More News?

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Or follow us on twitter @TJHSJournalismLeRette’s big day

Taylor StanfillReporter

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“It was what I expected, but it was like I was in a different world,” said Lerette. “I met Nick Jonas, got to see the Rockettes, and saw Aladdin on broadway.”

LeRette and her group had to be at their spots at 6:30 a.m. and did not get to move until 10:00 a.m.. Due to the cold weather, they were given aluminum foil to keep warm

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Girls Basketballvs. Omaha RoncalliDec. 12th

at Sioux City West Dec. 16th

MAC Shootout Dec. 18th-19th

Boys Basketballat Lincoln Pius X Dec. 13th

at Sioux City West Dec. 16th

MAC Shootout Dec. 19th-20th

Boys Swimmingat DSM Hoover Dec. 13th

at Elkhorn Dec. 20th

Wrestlingat MAC Dec. 12th-13th

at Abraham Lincoln Dec. 18th

at Waukee Dec. 20th

Varsity Bowlingat Plaza Lanes Dec. 11th

at Lightning Bowl Dec. 12th

because they were not allowed to wear anything else under their uniforms.

LeRette has come a long way. From her first time dancing as a young girl, up until this current year of her experience at the Macy’s Day Parade. If you watched her in the parade make sure you congratulate her on her accomplishments.

Ana AguilarReporter

At TJ, there are students that have to go to AL for classes that are not offered here. Because of differences between the schools, students face some pros and cons while being over there.

“Abraham Lincoln offers more AP classes, and I know that the engineering program has better equipment than the one here at TJ,” said junior Claudia Hernandez.

Students think that it is a great idea getting the opportunity of being able to take classes at AL that are not offer here. They have access to certain tools and programs that can further their education.

However, there are disadvantages, too. It takes students 15 minutes to

come from AL back to TJ, which affects the students attendance and being late to their next class.

“I miss the first part of PreCalculus CE, and that is when the teacher explains everything. So I’m always lost on Mondays,” said junior Marbella Avalos.

Due to the fact that students have their next class back in their home

school, they have to leave early from their class to try to make it on time for their next one. Most of the time they are 10 minutes late and miss part of their class.

“All you have to do is talk to your counselor about wanting to take them,” said Avalos. The majority of the reasons that students do not take those classes is because of lack of information on

Possible routes from TJ to AL via Google Maps.

Route to success

Casie LeRette, a TJ junior, was invited by a talent scout to dance in the famous Macy’s Day Parade this Thanksgiving in New York City.

LeRette has been dancing ever since she was three-years-old. She was inspired by her mother, who had her own dance studio. She hopes to continue her dream of being a professional dancer if she gets accepted to Iowa State University.

Not only did she participate in the TJ dance team, she also served as Captain. LeRette was on the dance team as a freshmen and sophomore, but is now only involved with the varsity swim team.

She has performed many times in front of several people, but at the Macy’s Day Parade there were millions of viewers. LeRette was 1 out of 200 girls chosen for this opportunity. Much of her success comes from how much time she spends practicing to be the best she can be.

Casie LaRette photo by Angela Gardner. Macy’s Parade photo courtesy of Spririt of America Pro-ductions.

how to take them, in reality they can obtain the classes as easy as taking classes here at TJ.

So next year, if anyone is interested of taking classes that are offered at AL, they should go talk to their counselors and take initiative to getting the classes.

www.jostensyearbooks.com

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Dylan Montgomery

Reporter

ENTERTAINMENT

Alejandro VieyraCopy Editor

Yes, they made a new Call of Duty and this warfare is very advanced. Yes this review may be a little late, but it is finally here.

Call of Duty Advanced Warfare was developed by Sledgehammer Games and published by Activision. It is the 11th Call of Duty and the first developed primarily by Sledgehammer Games. It was released for Microsoft Windows, Playstation 3, Playstation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.

Advanced Warfare was suppose to be an original idea, but in my opinion it doesn’t seem so creative. The concept of the game is the same and they haven’t changed since the very first one, with the exception of

more modern equipment with every new Call of Duty they drop on the market.

I think the coolest thing, and from what I have heard everyone’s favorite addition, is the exosuit. The exosuit allows you to double jump and get on top of buildings, fling your body to the side, and punch things like doors and other players very hard.

“The exosuit gives the game a new feel,” said senior Logan Hotz. “It makes things more fun and exciting.”

Some things people do not like is that the Dead Silence perk is gone from the game. If you use Dead Silence, your footsteps are silent. This was a great perk they had in other Call of Duty games because it allowed you to sneak around the map in silence.

Personally, I feel like every Call of Duty they

come out with, the spawn points get worse. A spawn point is when you die and restart with a new life in the game. The newer Call of Duty’s have spawn points where everyone is really close to each other and it is an easy way to get killed.

Another thing I noticed is that the guns get worse for the users and I feel like a lot of people, including me, complain about the guns and the power they have. Some are really overpowered and some hardly do any damage.

“Only one gun is good,” said senior Dylan Nightser, “Everything else isn’t very good.”

Now that I have given my thoughts, I’d say that the game gets 3 out of 5 Buzzes.

If you think that you have ever had a really bad day, try living the life of 11-year-old Alexander Cooper. In fact, he had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

Based off of the book by Judith Viorst, the movie is about Alexander, who experiences bad luck everyday of his life. The day before his birthday he makes a wish that his family would know what it is like to experience a day like his. This wish will soon come true, and his family will step into his shoes.

In the film there were some well known actors that I know and love. Steve Carell played Alexander’s father; and Jennifer Garner

played his mother. I am also familiar with his sister, who is played by Kerris Dorsey. These three made the movie fun and easy to laugh along with.

Ed Oxenbould, who starred in the movie as Alexander, did a fantastic job playing in his breakout role. He has played in a few other movies but did not play any main roles, and this was good for his first time. I would be open to seeing Oxenbould in other movies he may do in the future.

Although the movie was funny, and family friendly, I would not say this movie was hilarious or too touching. It was just a nice average family comedy, and that is why I would give it 3 out of 5 Buzzes.

Game Review:Advanced Warfare

Movie review:Alexander...

GodspellAdriana Ibarra

Reporter

On December 12-14, TJ will be showcasing their winter play “Godspell.” With a cast of over ten students, this production should be a good one.

“Practices are long and hard but we get a lot done,” said freshman Timothy Ginn. “There are always nerves but, I’m excited for people to see it play out.” Ginn plays the character “Timmy,” who is a part of the chorus.

Freshman Tatum Clingenpeel has a similar perspective when it comes to practices.

“They are pretty good. It’s kind of hard to memorize

everything,” said Tatum. She does not always get the chills while performing, it depends on if the play is big or small.

Freshman Brad Krug, who is playing “John the Baptist” and “Judas” is very outgoing. He is well known to the freshmen for being energetic, and on stage he is no different. He enjoys being in drama because it gets people out of their comfort zone.

“When they applaud it makes you feel good that you could entertain them,” said Krug.

Make sure to catch your classmates’ hard work in action. Tickets can be bought for $5 for adults and $3 for students. Freshman Brad Krug photo by Morgan Wooton.

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Holiday

Editor-in-ChiefDerrick Johnson

Copy EditorAlejandro Vieyra

PaginatorAngela Gardner

Web ContentHannah-Grace Northam

StaffAna Aguilar

Morgan BarthMegan Carroll

Dylan MontgomeryKaylin SkillettTaylor Stanfill

Morgan WootonAdriana Ibarra

AdviserRob Lindquist

Phone: 712-328-6493Facebook: CBJacketJournalism

Twitter:@TJHSJournalismWeb: cbjacketjournalism.com

THE SIGNAL

The Signal is a school-sponsored publi-cation of Thomas Jefferson High School 2501 W. Broadway Council Bluffs, Iowa 51501. The Signal’s office is located in room C128. The Signal is printed by OH-K FASTPRINT in Omaha, NE. The Signal is a school-sponsored-publication and therefore recognizes its responsibil-ity to stay within the boundaries that the school administrator sets. The Signal will therefore inform its readers using a high standard of morals and ethics. The Signal encourages readers to respond in the form of letters to the editor, which can be sent to room C128. The Signal’s editorial staff reserves the right to edit the letters for grammatical errors and to remove any profanity. The editors also reserve the right to exclude letters that are false in their statements or accusations. The Signal will not accept advertisements that promote activities illegal to minors. Advertising rates are available upon request.

Morgan BarthReporter

Recipe:Muddy Buddies

Ingredients-A bag of chocolate chips-A bag of powdered

sugar-A box of Chex Mix-Jar of Peanut Butter-Red and Green sprinklesProcedure -Set burner on medium-Depending on how

much you are making pull out either a small,medium, or large sized pan, and pour in only ¼ of chocolate chips

-When the chocolate starts melting, take a medium-sized spoon and scoop of two spoonfuls of peanut butter and stir it with the chocolate

-After the peanut butter and chocolate melt in with one another, take a cup full

of Chex Mix and pour it into the mix

-Began to stir the Chex Mix into the chocolate and peanut butter until it is all coated

-When the Chex Mix is coated in chocolate and peanut butter, dump the mix into a big bowl with a lid

-Take the bag of powdered sugar and begin to dump it over the mix

-Put the lid onto the bowl, and began to shake the bowl

-When done, take the lid off and make sure that the mix is covered in the powder sugar

-If wanted, take the sprinkles and sprinkle the colors over the Puppy Chow

Kaylin SkillettReporter

Homemade gifts

Homemade gifts are fun to make and easier on your pocketbook. There are tons of gifts you can make out of materials you have at home. These are just three ideas of gifts to give people.

Dinosaur Phone StandMaterials Needed: Plastic Dinosaur (Dollar Store)Suction CupCaulk or GlueBox CutterStep 1. Use box cutter to

cut plastic dinosaur in half.Step 2. Fill the back end

of the dinosaur with caulk or glue.

Step 3. Place suction cup in glue/caulk and wait for it to dry.

(Make sure suction cup is able to stick to phone)

Coffee CozyMaterials Needed:FeltScissorsHot GlueDisposable Coffee Cup

(From Store)Step 1. Measure felt to fit

disposable coffee cup.Step 2. Cut to that size.Step 3. Hot glue ends of

felt together.(If you want: Cut out a

felt design and hot glue it onto the cozy)

Scrabble Board Picture Frame

Materials Needed:Heavy Duty Double

Sided TapePicture FrameScrabble Letters

“Muddy Buddies” starter pack photo by Morgan Barth.

YOU’RE FUNNY - a comic by Kaylinn Skillitt

2700 College Road (712) 325-3200

RulerA Background ImageStep 1. Pick and organize

letters to put in frame.Step 2. Arrange on the

background for frame and measure to make sure they line up.

Step 3. Use double sided tape to tape them onto the background. (Use ruler as guide)

Step 4. Put frame back together with background and letters organized inside.

Enjoy making your gifts.

Home made coffee cozy Photo by Kaylin Skillett

Season of giving Megan Carroll

Reporter

Giving to those in need, especially during the holidays, can have a positive effect. TJ students are taking advantage of this time of the year by participating when charities roll around.

Taking part in charity events during the school year not only benefits those in needs, but the classrooms as well. TJ classrooms have been involved in friendly competitions for charities

Earlier this year, whoever gathered the highest number of canned foods for the food drive for their START class was rewarded with doughnuts. Mr. Pope’s class had the highest number of items of 192, and Mrs. Kvammen followed behind with 147 items.

Other charitable activities outside of the classroom are taking place with Jackets sports. TJ’s softball team will be taking part of the

Open Door Mission’s Project Santa. Coaches and teammates will be preparing clothes for families and their children. They will also help bag and hand out toys, food, and clothing.

Out of the various TJ club organizations, DECA and NHS will hold the next can food drive. Through 2nd hour classes will have their students donate canned goods until December 19th. Those who raise the highest number of cans will receive doughnuts, second place will receive cookies, and third with suckers.

Involved in charity events can benefit the Council Bluffs community as a whole.

Make local volunteering a part of your holiday tradition.

Volunteering helps those in need during the holidays

Page 4

Morgan BarthReporter

Christmas: too early

Christmas lights photo by Morgan Barth.

People in the metro area started hanging up their Christmas decorations some time after Halloween. Along with that, they have been listening to holiday music way before the month of December even starts.

“Omaha’s Christmas Station” 102.3, started playing holiday tunes November 1st. Even though Halloween had just ended, people had already started to “get into the spirit.”

This has been

happening for years; some people have always put their holiday decorations up early.

Chase Wilson, who is currently working for Brodahl Gutters, states that it is too hard for the company to put up their gutters. Especially when they have no room, or have to work around the decorations.

“People expect us to get our work done, and we have nowhere to work,” Wilson states.”

Also, former Gordman’s employee, Jami Miedl, says that her store was putting

their Christmas decor out during October. “Customers have been in and out of here getting their lights and window cling-ers,” said Miedl. “I just don’t understand it.”

Miedl believes that people should start putting up their decorations some time after Thanksgiving, and no sooner.

Some other people are okay with the holiday coming early. Former babysitter Sara Jo, does not mind the fact that some people are showing off their Christmas spirit early.

“I love Christmas, so I

don’t mind the fact that it came a little too quickly,” said Jo. “The kids I babysit love listening to the Christmas music. It helps when they have something to do.”

People in the community

have gotten a kick-start on the upcoming holiday. Hanging up their decorations, and showing their love through music. This may have caused people to become confused or even rushed.

Winter BreakDec 22nd- Jan 2nd

Opinion

902 Dodge street Omaha, NB (402) 315-4301

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Derrick Johnson

Editor-in-Chief Over the years, music

has begun to get a bad reputation. People believe that everything released is just meaningless, sexually charged, and focused on drugs. However, those critics are wrong.

Hidden under the mainstream radio play, there are musicians who take their musical talents and choose to make art instead of garbage. Take the highly underappreciated George Watsky for example.

George Watsky is a spoken-word poet who makes rap music for all to enjoy. Instead of rapping about how much money he makes, his music spreads

a positive and thought-provoking message that all can relate to while having catchy choruses and complex lyrics. In addition to his music, his spoken-word poetry is some of the best. It goes on a level deep enough to make listeners cry, while also being fun enough to make them laugh out loud. Although his sounds have not turned mainstream yet, some students at TJ have already experienced the greatness that is George Watsky.

Senior, and fellow Watsky listener, Jon Ybay has been listening to Watsky for three years.

“He is extremely talented, musically and lyrically. In general, I think he’s a very intelligent man,” said Ybay.

“He’s got a different sound. All these famous rappers saturate their voice with all of these different effects. With Watsky, it’s so ugly, it’s beautiful. It’s just nasally, pure, untainted human vocals. He deserves a bigger audience.”

With Watsky, I can listen to his albums all day on repeat and never get bored

The range of styles his music covers can make any situation a better one. He’s definitely one of the most creative musicians in the game today, in my opinion.

Ever since his self-titled debut album released in 2009, Watsky has become an even bigger star with world tours and seven studio albums, his most recent being All You Can Do, which came out last August. He’s collaborated with many musical talents and made projects that I

George Watsky

consider to be some of my favorites.

After about a year and a half of listening to him, I can confidently say that this dude knows how to make

George Watsky photo via his website.

good rap music that appeals well to all ages. Even if you are not into hip hop, I highly suggest you give this man’s work a listen. I doubt you will regret it.

2323 W BroadwayCouncil Bluffs, IA(712) 328-9792

Changing rap music through poetry