Aug. 9, 2011 I Vol. 76 I Issue 1
*Carmel High School’s student magazine
Carmel High School 520 E. Main Street Carmel, IN 46032 www.HiLite.org
Still Going Strong
76 years after its inception, HiLite has become one of the top student publications in the country. Also in this issue: A competitor for Bub’s Burgers - see page 9
Page 2 | Table of contents | HiLite | hilite.org | Aug. 9, 2011
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
5
news Senate Bill One encourages high teacher performance in the classroom.
cover story
10 6
feature Population growth in Carmel influences local businesses and schools.
14
sports Girls’ crosscountry begins a successful fall season.
Although we missed the anniversary of our 75th volume, the HiLite now celebrates 76 years of quality news gathering with a look at our own history.
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: Editor in chief Laura Peng welcomes HiLite readers to a new platform, Greyhound Media Network. Managing editor Patrick Bryant shares his opinion on new media technology further dividing generations.
perspectives
16
The HiLite staff examines the new School Gate Guardian system.
Managing editor Monica Cheng relates Borders’ store closings to the influence of technology.
9
entertainment Detour competes for business in downtown Carmel.
Conner gordon / cover graphic
Managing editor Yameen Hameed advocates for change in the methodology of punishing digital piracy. Managing editor Caroline Zhang supports the notion that authors’ writing styles are integral to literature.
15 minutes
20
Two leaders in student government voice their goals.
Aug. 9, 2011 | hilite.org | hilite | just a minute | Page 3
Are you
JOHN WILLIAMS, SUSAN HASKETT / SOURCES MELINDA SONG / PHOTO AND GRAPHIC
? This summer, CHS installed a new security system, School Gate Guardian, for both students and visitors. But how does it work? STEP THREE
A printer will then create a badge that includes the visitor’s picture from his or her driver’s license, the date and the visitor’s intended destination within CHS, such as the media center or bookstore.
STEP ONE
STEP FOUR
Those leaving the building must have their badges scanned prior to exiting CHS. According to Williams, this action ensures that the building is secure. However, as students enter in the morning or leave in the afternoon, the doors will be open as usual.
A computer with the School Gate Guardian software installed greets visitors. According to Principal John Williams, Carmel Clay School district began its transition to the School Gate Guardian last school year. At CHS, entrances 1, 4 and 13 already have the new software installed.
But wait... there’s more.
STEP TWO
For an adult visitor entering the building, a scanner screens his or her driver’s license. The School Gate Guardian will then compare the address on the driver’s license to information in a database of sex offenders and other questionable personnel.
The HiLite answers all your questions about this new security system. How will students be affected? If students have prearranged appointments, they need to present school IDs upon returning to class. If unable to present an ID, they will be asked to have their ID delivered to the school or to purchase a new one. Students who persistently have this problem will have their names turned over to student services.
Are there any other changes? Physical changes to CHS prevent students and visitors from gaining entry between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. without going through one of the primary entrances: doors 1, 4 and 13.
For even more, visit hilite.org and search “School Gate Guardian.”
Page 4 | news | HiLite | hilite.org | Aug. 9, 2011
NEWS
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Dates to remember: Aug 9: First day of school Aug. 11: First late start Sept. 5: Labor Day Sept. 16: Homecoming
Go online For more information, go online to hilite.org.
Opening Options House Bill gives qualifying students vouchers to attend private schools if they choose By Patrick Bryant pbryant@hilite.org
F
or those who have made a switch to a public school from a private one or vice versa, the transition can be tough. For senior Jordan Cohen, that transition occurred twice. As an eighth grader, Cohen was a student at Creekside Middle School, but his plans were to switch to the private Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School for his high school career. Now, three years after his first day at Brebeuf, Cohen is beginning his third year as a Carmel High School student. “I like the atmosphere better at Carmel,” Cohen said. For students throughout the state of Indiana, the opportunity to attend a private school with state dollars subtracted from their tuition is something that could play into the school decision-making process. This portion of a larger education reform bill, specifically what was House
Bill 1003, sets parameters on who can apply for the voucher. The bill, signed into law by Gov. Mitch Daniels last May, only includes families that make less than 150 percent of what would qualify a student for free and reduced lunch. According to School Choice Indiana, families of four that make approximately $61,000 per year or less could receive money to help with the cost of a private school education. The less a family makes, the more the state will potentially pay for that student. Considering that many Carmel students would not be financially eligible for the program, Roger McMichael, assistant superintendent in charge of business affairs, said he does not think it’s something that would become a “major issue” for this school district. Despite that feeling, McMichael said there still could be a few students who do end up leaving the district for a private school, not because Carmel is an underperforming district, but solely for reasons like class size or religious preference. The problem for the district if students leave is the fact that they would
be taking their funding from the state with them. Knowing that not 100 percent of the funding goes directly to students but to costs like salaries and utilities, Carmel—although to a lesser extent than other schools—could be facing less money coming in from the state to pay for unchanging expenses. Despite that potential, State Representative Robert Behning, who co-authored the bill, said that the goal of this legislation is to provide options for students, not to ensure districts balanced budgets. “I believe if we want to have an educated work force, we need to provide options for (where students can go to get an education),” Behning said. “You (either) have to do what’s best for institutions or (what’s) best for kids.” When it comes to how the state will determine the amount of these vouchers for families, it will grant the least amount among three different scenarios. According to School Choice Indiana, the state will pay either the cost of tuitions and fees, $4,500 for those in grades 1-8, or “an amount based off the per-student state funding for the students school corporation of residence.” Regardless of which of those three is the least amount, the state would be spending less to give that student the voucher than to factor them into the public school funding. In fact, Behning said that this proposal would help public education because the portion of the funding per student that wouldn’t be following those going to private schools would be put back into the state’s money that funds public schools. Continued on next page Despite that opportunity for some
What would qualify a family of four for a voucher? An income level of less than... of the federal free and reduced lunch program
stuart jackson / photo
STUDENT SUBSIDIES: Roger McMichael, assistant superintendent for business affairs, discusses the financial background of Carmel Clay Schools in his office on April 28. According to McMichael, district funding is approximately $5,500 per student.
or
$61,190
The Foundation for Educational Choice / Source Andy yang / graphics
Aug. 9, 2011 | hilite.org | hilite | News | Page 5 students to leave failing school districts, McMichael said that he is concerned about the students whose families would not send them elsewhere and therefore end up attending school at an underperforming district. “(School districts) begin to get more and more people who are dissatisfied for whatever reason, and rather than trying to work toward improving whatever it is they’re dissatisfied about, they just leave,” McMichael said. “And so, what concerns me then, which is what you see in these urban environments, are the children that are left are often times those that don’t have an advocate. Their parents aren’t the parents that are going to take the extra time and effort to drive them to a private school or (pay for it).” Yet Behning said that taking away funding is not what causes these districts to underperform. Behning said Indianapolis Public Schools, for instance, receives more Continued from previous page
money per student than any district in the state of Indiana, yet they perform the worst. “If money made the difference, it would have made the difference,” Behning said. For a student like Cohen, the decision to leave a public school or return to a public school was a result of class preferences. He said a big difference between Carmel and Brebeuf is the attention that comes with smaller class sizes at the latter school. With that, Cohen said, there is more academic rigor and scholastic focus at Brebeuf. He said that he thinks it would be very difficult for someone coming from a struggling school district to go to a place like Brebeuf. “I think it would be really hard for them,” Cohen said. “I think they would be really challenged (by) the curriculum.” Lauren Auld, press secretary for the Indiana Department of Education, said the state feels the potential of students leaving districts will in turn motivate schools to improve for the sake of retaining students.
“We want to see schools step up their game,” Auld said. “Money doesn’t equal excellence.” Despite that philosophy, McMichael said he is not sure why the state would send funds away from public schools instead of working to improve the problem. “I would prefer the focus be on improving the public schools because I believe as an institution,” McMichael said, “one of the great strengths we have in this country is free public education.” He said he understands the argument of parents who do not want their children attending a failing school district, but at the same time, the taxpayers should have a vested interest in the performance of an institution that they financially support, Carmel included, whether they receive benefits from it or not. “I don’t benefit from the fire department unless my house catches on fire,” McMichael said. “Then I’m glad we have one.”
Senate Bill authorizes teacher evaluations in order to increase performance By Taylor Acton tacton@hilite.org On April 20, the Indiana House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 1, which went into effect on July 1. The law requires teachers and principals to receive annual evaluations based on factors such as student growth and performance. These evaluations will play a part in the way teachers earn pay increases, so aspects other than just seniority and degrees earned can be considered. Despite the possible ramifications of the new bill regarding teacher and school evaluations, Principal John Williams said he treated the passing of the bill as he would any new law or policy at Carmel. “I think (the bill) could be very positive for our school (and give) our school direction. Our intent is to continue to work with our teachers to have good evaluation instruments that allow us to meet the requirements of that law,” Williams said. Like Williams, sophomore Erin Brady said she believes the bill will have a positive effect. “Our school has some of the best teachers. Just because one teacher has been around for longer than another, that shouldn’t be the reason that they get paid more. Some of the younger teachers at Carmel may have a more effective way of teaching. It’s nice knowing that they might have a good chance of getting paid better, which makes them happy. If a teacher is happy, usually the whole class is,” Brady said. Williams said the bill will, in fact, aid the school board in identifying better teachers. “It gives a uniformed expectation of teacher requirements and the hope is,” Williams said, “that it helps the school board and schools be able to do a better job of recognizing good teachers and good activities.” Brady said, “I didn’t know much about(the bill) until this year. Now that the bill passed, it makes me rethink how teachers are assessed and the reasons they get paid.” Sophomore Trevor Witta said he is content with the passing of Senate Bill 1. “When teachers are getting paid more for doing a good job, it makes me happy because I know I’m getting the best education I can get with some of
Kathleen bertsch / photo
Teaching in Action: Social studies teacher Will Ellery conducts an oral exam with seniors Hannah Ahlrichs and Brian McDonald. Starting the 2011-12 school year, teachers like Ellery will receive pay based on student performance. the greatest teachers in Indiana,” Witta said. According to Williams, the bill affects all private school and public school teachers across the state in different ways. “I don’t know that I was for or against the bill. I understand both sides of the bill. When we’re being evaluated, while this is primarily about teachers, all administration is
going to be evaluated. When we are evaluated we want the evaluation to be fair and consistent.,” Williams said. Regardless, Williams said the meaure will be respected as the law that it is. He said, “once it passed and became the law, I’m fully in support of us obeying the law not just (for) the intent but (for) the spirit as well.”
Page 6 | feature | HiLite | hilite.org | Aug. 9, 2011
FEATURE Growing Pains
Did you know? For the next 40 years, the world’s population will grow by about 150,000 people every day.
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npg.org / source
Go online For a visual representation of the population changes in Carmel, go online to hilite.org.
The world population is projected to reach 7 billion by the end of the year, places like Carmel are feeling the strain. By Ryan Zukerman rzukerman@hilite.org
Michels’ decision to open additional locations in Carmel, Westfield, Fishers and Broad Ripple.
s is the case with most students, junior Grecia Michel has a job. “On Saturdays, I work as a hostess at Cancun Mexican Restaurant,” she said. But Michel doesn’t just work there. Her family has owned and operated the restaurant for 16 years. Families like the Michels are not hard to come by in Carmel, as many own small businesses, and many are feeling the strain—of population growth, that is. According to the U.N. Population Division, the world population will reach seven billion by the end of the year. If this trend continues, the population could reach 10.5 billion by 2050, and statistics in Carmel reflect this massive growth. According to Mike Hollibaugh, the director of the department of community services for the City of Carmel, the city pays close attention to both local and regional population growth. “Our city has been one of the fastest growing places in the state for 40 years and has far outpaced growth of our state and country,” he said. “The state of Indiana added 400,000 new residents between 2000 and 2010, and during that same period, Carmel’s population growth was 41,000, the highest percentage increase of any city in Indiana.” This population growth, Hollibaugh said, has a direct effect all types of businesses. “I believe that population growth is good for businesses, big and small, service type and retail business,” he said. “More people equals more customers, and more customers should lead to increased revenue, and then hopefully profit. An increasing population also has an effect on business competition: New companies start up or move into the area, attracted by the increased population.” As a result, businesses such as the one owned by the Michels have had to take action, whether through expansion, franchising or adding services. Such is the reason behind the
Where to Now?
A
(Carmel) has been one of the fastest growing places in the state for 40 years and far outpaced growth of our state and country. Mike Hollibaugh
Department of Community Services
While this population growth may be beneficial for business owners, the city of Carmel is in a bit of a pickle. Since the city is surrounded on all sides by competing communities such as Indianapolis, Zionsville, Westfield, Noblesville and Fishers, it is running out of room for expansion. According to Hollibaugh, Carmel is similar to San Francisco in that both cities are approximately 50 square miles in area. He stressed, however, that it is not Carmel’s intention to become another San Francisco, but that some growth and rejuvenation of the city is necessary to maintain a viable city. “Our city will continue to grow for the foreseeable future,” he said. “We have some room to grow and to refine our current low density development pattern in the residential areas east of Keystone Parkway and west of Spring Mill Road. Most of this will be on the smaller tracts of real estate already surrounded by homes that will be competing for future parkland, possibly an occasional corner store, and some may remain as habitat or farmland for local food production.”
School Situation
Jenna Ruhayel / Photo This lack of room for expansion has also created a small problem for Hard at work: Junior Grecia Michel works as a hostess at Cancun schools. According to Hollibaugh, Mexican Restaurant. According to Michel, an increase in business at the the City and school administrations restaurant has forced them to expand to five different locations. work together by sharing not only building permits and population projections to plan for growth but also numbers that help monitor growth and make accuAs for the school board, new redistricting legislation rate assessments of development. was passed at its Feb. 14 meeting. According to Steve This continued growth results in redistricting, a process Dillon, director of student services for Carmel Clay that inconveniences students who are affected. After new Schools, highlights of the plan included providing for redistricting legislation passed in 2003, junior Stephanie growth on the west side, moving approximately 800 Volkmar had to move from Carmel Elementary School to students and assuring that no student currently attending Smokey Row Elementary School. According to Volkmar, the affected schools had been redistricted before. The she opposed the redistricting at first but has since grown district is extremely careful, however, to appreciate it. to make sure that all redistricting “The change helped me understand what it was like to be a efforts move seamlessly. Continued new student and caused me to grow socially,” she said. At the Feb. 14 meeting, Kim Barrett, on next page
Aug. 9, 2011 | hilite.org | hilite | feature | Page 7 principal at Smoky Row Elementary School, announced a plan of action for redistricted students. She said all transferring students would receive a backpack with their new school’s logo on it along with a pencil and a welcome letter from the principal. Families will also receive newsletters and invitations to upcoming events at school. Furthermore, the schools plan to host activities nights for the incoming students so that they can acclimate to their new environments. Continued from previous page
A Booming City
As Carmel copes with the ongoing onslaught of population
problems, students often feel the growing pains. What seems like endless construction and constant physical growth may hinder students, but according to Hollibaugh, these pains are necessary. Infrastructure, he said, such as water and waste utilities, parks and recreation and public safety, have all been expanded to meet the growing needs of an increased population. Roadwork, however, is the biggest factor. “The city has built and refined its roadway network to accommodate local growth in residential traffic, business traffic and regional traffic and have increased our construction of bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure to allow residents (more) transportation options,” he
Out of Focus
said. “In recent years the city has partnered with IndyGo and CIRTA on the Express commuter bus for morning and evening commuters and been active in the regional transit planning initiative called IndyConnect. We are also in the early planning stage of a local transit system.” Still, according to Hollibaugh, one thing remains certain: Despite impending population growth, Carmel will continue to flourish. He said, “If the City of Carmel and Carmel Clay Schools can maintain high standards of expectation for the future and remain willing and able to be flexible as the future demands, we have the opportunity to live in one of the great communities anywhere.”
Despite the size of the school, students with attention disorders manage to cope
by the num
$36 52
billion.
2x
as likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than girls are.
3 to 7
percent of American children have ADHD.
2.7
4
children take medication for ADHD.
million
In 2005, the annual societal cost of ADHD was between:
bers
percent
ADHD:
misdiagnosed with attention deficit disorders. Mulligan said she is not surprised by the results of this study. “I have heard a lot of people say that they have ADHD, and I feel like it definitely could be overdiagnosed,” she said. For Mulligan, however, she also added that she has never thought her personal ADHD diagnosis was a mistake. According to Gelatt, a great risk of being misdiagnosed with ADHD at an early age is taking unnecessary medication that may inadvertently result in severe long-term effects. Yet for children with a correct diagnosis, the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry has reported that that by adolescence, almost 50 percent of all children diagnosed with ADHD no longer have symptoms. In line with this statistic, Mulligan said she has seen optimistic improvement since her initial diagnosis. “I definitely still experience symptoms,” Mulligan said, “But I feel so sure that they’re getting less and less, like I’m overcoming it.”
and
Imagine this common classroom scene. As a teacher begins to explain a new concept with the use of a Powerpoint presentation, students take notes and ask questions. Fifteen minutes pass. Although many students are still engaged, one student’s mind begins to wander. For junior Grace Mulligan, who was diagnosed with an attention deficit disorder in third grade, this learning experience is not uncommon. “It’s hard for me to concentrate and stay concentrated for a long time,” she said. “I get really distracted easily.” Yet Mulligan is not alone. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), over five million children ages four to 17 have been diagnosed with a type of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the United States, as of 2007. In addition, the CDC has identified three types of ADHD: predominantly inattentive, predominantly hyperactive-impulsive and a combination of the two. Mulligan said she would fall into the first category. According to school nurse Carol Gelatt, teenagers diagnosed with attention deficit disorders face greater numbers of challenges than children with the same diagnosis. “During that period of your life, you’re balancing a lot of things. (It’s) not only school and friendships socially, but also sometimes a work schedule,” Gelatt said. “You’re just busier— thinking about college. (There are) lots of things to think about and prepare for.” Mulligan echoed this viewpoint. She said, “There’s so much going on and so much to think about.” Many of an adolescent’s problems may stem from his or her high school environment. Mulligan said she feels that the large size of this school could cause adolescent ADHD patients to have a harder time coping, but Gelatt has a different opinion. “I don’t know if (ADHD) play any differently here than they do anywhere else for any other student,” Gelatt said. With the alternative learning options CHS offers, she also added that this school strives to satisfy the necessities of all of its students. She said, “We’re a great academic institution, so hopefully we’re meeting the needs of (ADHD) students thoroughly and adequately.” Despite difficulties during her adolescence, Mulligan said she chooses to abstain from taking medication as treatment. “I’ve probably taken about nine different medications,” she said. “The medicine always made me kind of down and
not very talkative, and not really myself. I wouldn’t eat, I wouldn’t really sleep and I lost a lot of weight. And it wasn’t really healthy for me.” According to Gelatt, treatment for patients varies from case to case. “(Treatment) could be providing study time, time management and getting their work accomplished in a time frame which meets the expectations for the classroom,” she said. “Sometimes the 90-minute class sessions may be difficult, and that is something (ADHD patients) would need to talk to their health care provider about.” Mulligan said she frequently loses focus in the classroom. “(It is) probably at most, 15 minutes, before I lose focus,” she said. “But once I realize I’m not focusing and (that) I’m just kind of doing something else, I’ll try to get back on track. That’s usually how it goes (in) every class.” In an August 2010 study, Michigan State University researchers found that nearly one million children have been
Boys are
By melinda song msong@hilite.org
of children have ADHD and a learning disorder.
melinda song / graphic Center for Disease Control / source
Page 8 | entertainment | HiLite | hilite.org | Aug. 9, 2011
Entertainment Football fan film face-off
Upcoming movies “The Help” — Aug. 10 “30 Minutes or Less” — Aug. 12 “Glee the 3D Concert Movie” — Aug. 12
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To get readers pumped for the start of football season, co-editors Natalie Maier and Amira Malcom reviewed classic movies in the drama and comedy genres Drama ‘The Blind Side’ He never knew his father. His mother is a drug addict. He has little to no formal education and is living in a world that doesn’t seem to care. Meet Michael “Big Mike” Oher (Quinton Aaron). Based on a true story, “The Blind Side” is the inspirational story of Oher’s rise to fame after he is taken in by headstrong wife and mom Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock) and her family. Leigh Anne goes all out to help Michael achieve success, hiring a tutor, helping him sign up for the football team, even becoming his legal guardian. Slowly but surely Michael raises his GPA and dominates the football field. Viewers can’t ignore this heartwarming story of love trust, and, more importantly, football. So if you’re looking for a movie that includes the whole family, don’t turn a blind eye to “The Blind Side.”
‘Remember the Titans’
Winner: Best Football Drama
Based on a true story, “Remember the Titans” is a movie that’s about much more than just football. Starring Denzel Washington as Coach Herman Boone, the film documents the first integrated football season for T.C. Williams High School. Though this movie is often a staple of every Black History Month (often perceived as a bore), “Remember the Titans” features realistic struggles of America’s first years of integration while also including some laughs and a few wins along the way. Through the course of the film you see the Titans become more than a football team and even in the face of tragedy they prevail. This movie will make you laugh, cry and jump for joy and hopefully after you’ve finished your popcorn, you will definitely “Remember the Titans.” pbear6150 / via creative commons
Comedy ‘The Longest Yard’ A 2005 remake of a 1974 movie of the same name, “The Longest Yard” stars Adam Sandler and features his signature slapstick humor. Like all remakes, the idea is not exactly original, but Sandler adds a lighter spin to the potentially dark comedy. Paul “Wrecking” Crewe (Sandler) is a famous former football player, but he turns to alcohol and ends up in prison for driving under the influence. In prison, Crewe meets up with Chris Rock’s character and makes a team, which eventually becomes a success. As only this cast could manage, “Yard” tackles issues like racism and survival skills in the prison system, but this sometimes comes off as raw and offensive to viewers. MonkeyFox / via creative commons
‘Leatherheads’ A film based on the start of professional football in the mid1920s, “Leatherheads” features a notable cast with George Clooney, Renée Zellweger and John Krasinski. The movie begins when the captain of a struggling football team, the Duluth Bulldogs, convinces a decorated World War One hero to join the team. The new addition to the Bulldogs creates hope and causes increased attention, especially from a reporter (Zellweger) who becomes the love interest of Clooney’s character. Although widely a box office fumble, this movie is underrated. It has all the elements of a successful comedy, as well as a good historical perspective on the rise of football in American society.
Winner: Best Football Comedy
Aug. 9, 2011 | hilite.org | hilite | entertainment | Page 9
Take a ‘Detour’ from life
New competition for Bub’s serves decent fare for CHS students and community members, though higher prices might drive away customers By Shayan ahmad sahmad@hilite.org
F
or as long as most CHS students can remember, Bub’s Burgers has dominated the scene for downtown Carmel American-style cooking. Now, they have competition in the form of Detour: An American Grille. This sandwich and burger joint is located right across the street from Bub’s, making it inevitable to want to compare the two of them. However, Detour has a much broader range of food and has a focus further away from solely burgers. Their menu has a variety of American foods, ranging from quesadillas to steaks. On our trip, we ordered a starter of the Construction nacho platter, an entrée of the signature Bypass sandwich and closed off with a red velvet cupcake. The Construction nachos were quite possibly the most intimidating item on the menu, as the waitress kindly informed us, but we decided to go ahead and order them. As the waitress said, at the mere sight of the nachos we realized this could only be a starter for a man who eats Big Uglies for appetizers. The nachos were of decent quality, although the melted cheese tended to cling to single nachos, leaving many barren of any toppings. This was a shame considering the ludicrous amount of toppings placed on the plate. After finishing roughly half the platter, which cost $10, we moved on to the entree. The Bypass, an Italian beef sandwich filled with an array of vegetables and grilled mozzarella, was a feat to stomach after the battle that was the Construction nachos, but the meat quality was excellent without a doubt. The juicy meat was a treat for the taste buds, blending in excellently with the peppers, celery and onions. Adding to the delicious mix, the melted cheese kicked in with a punch after the initial taste faded away. Unfortunately, the sandwich had one major downfall: It was far too dry. The plate was accompanied by a small cup of au jus, but this did not suffice in making the meal possible to eat without constantly needing a drink. This became a large problem throughout the experience because of the restaurant’s service. Anticipating the dryness of the $14 sandwich, I ordered
food:
report card
B+
service:
B+
atmosphere: price:
B+
B-
overall grade:
B
ADELE ZHOU/ GRAPHIC
amira malcom / photo
Put on your hardhats: The Construction nachos at Detour: An American Grille feature a huge amount of toppings. Detour is located in the Carmel Arts and Design District at 110 W. Main St., across the Monon Trail from its closest competitor, Bub’s Burgers.
queso sauce along with it, which the waitress specifically recommended. As the meal arrived, however, there was no queso present. Ignoring this small problem, I asked the waitress to bring the sauce separately as a side. At no point did I get the queso. Then, to exacerbate the dryness, the wait for drink refills simply became longer and longer. Admittedly, however, we ate the meal in the restaurant’s first week open, and this may have been an incident which doesn’t occur often. As a dessert, we ate our regular-sized red velvet cupcake with cream cheese icing. The cupcake was indisputably great—it even entailed a Food Network moment of an eyes-closed hum of content—but as with the other dishes it had a major flaw. The single cupcake, no larger than one of average size, was $7. At an average grocery store, a box of 20 cupcakes costs the same amount, and I can assure that Detour’s specialty was by no means of 20 times better quality. This sums up the greatest problem for CHS students at the eatery: The meal ended up costing well over $30. To be fair, there are other items on the menu which are cheaper, such as the $8 Nick’s Burger, but for the regular teenager a meal will almost always end up costing at least $20. That leaves only the final category of atmosphere. At first sight, the inside of the restaurant is highly impressive. The sleek, modern look is a fresh sight in a suburb, and the indoor bar is far from anything else in the downtown area.
As we ate our meal, however, we came to a simple realization; the restaurant is like any other big-city bar, and the fact that it is placed in Carmel does not make it any better. Also, the grill advertises its live music on weekends, but these shows begin at 10 p.m. and continue on until one in the morning. Clearly these aren’t exactly student-friendly timings, and a daytime live music scene would add to the atmosphere greatly. Overall, Detour is a refreshing change of pace in our suburban downtown. As a place to go with family for a good meal and a metropolitan feel, it passes all tests. As a hangout spot for students, though, the same cannot be said.
The juicy meat was a treat for the taste buds, blending in excellently with the peppers, celery and onions. Adding to the delicious mix, the melted cheese kicked in with a punch after the initial taste faded away.
Page 10 | cover story | HiLite | hilite.org | Aug. 9, 2011
Through the Ages Compiled by Victor Xu
W
Previous topics have ranged from the e missed our anniversary. If you study last student body’s thoughts on the racial desegregation of African Americans year’s HiLite covers, you will notice that the by redistricting to women’s positions volume number is shown as 56, making in predominately male-dominated We continue this tradition today 1954 the founding year of our newspaper. The HiLite fields. with the coverage of subjects such as staff, however, knows this to be false—probably due to homosexuality and obesity. Throughout the course of its history, a mistake sometime in the last half-century—because the HiLite has become a nationallywe have a Pinnacle yearbook dating back to 1935 that recognized scholastic newsmagazine. Both the print and online editions of references the HiLite. our publication have earned awards from organizations such as the Quill & Scroll International Honorary Society, the Columbia According to that source, last fall marked the 75th Scholastic Press Association and the National Scholastic Press anniversary of the HiLite student newspaper, but our staff Association, just to name a few. unfortunately did not realize this until late last school year. We The HiLite has certainly changed significantly in the past missed a golden opportunity, but there is a simple alternative. 76 years; we have evolved from a two-page pamphlet to a 32This first issue of the now fixed volume 76 is the opportune page newsmagazine (except for this first issue). However, our time to celebrate our 76th year of publication. goal has remained constant. The foremost objective throughout our history has been to We dedicate this issue to our anniversary and to our provide quality news that is pertinent to the students at CHS. mission to bring timely and relevant news to student bodies Past staffs have taken the initiative to cover controversial past and present. issues with the utmost professionalism and sensitivity.
I think the HiLite is much more serious now. Students are tackling big issues. I think the nature of journalism has changed too, and that has also changed our student paper. As far as school news, we still require some amount of credibility, which we don’t even see as much of in local media. Amy Skeens-Benton
Assistant Principal and graduate of Class of ‘89
19
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Aug. 9, 2011 | hilite.org | hilite | cover story | Page 11
I didn’t see another HiLite until my son entered CHS in 2000. I was blown away when he brought home an issue. It was so much bigger, had more content, included so many students in production. I wasn’t at all surprised when I learned about the awards it had been winning. It was really an excellent newspaper.
AP HiLite history: Left, a copy of the yearbook from 1940 titled “Reminiscences”; above, an excerpt showing the HiLite was founded in 1935, not 1937.
Christopher Varnau
Longtime Carmel resident and graduate of Class of ‘82
old news: Left, layout of the second page of the 1937 issue; above, a monthly overview of the Freshman Class ($11.63 then is around $180 now); below, two ads from the back cover. make news, not war: Above, a 1944 aritcle giving pointers on repairing old blouses; upper right, an article on the Future Homemakers of America Club’s wartime fundraiser; lower right, a poem reflecting the feelings invoked by WWII.
1940
1945
1950
1955
Oct. 1, 1944
Nov.1, 1937
The HiLite was so readily available, and it covered a lot of different things that were of interest to us just because we’re all students. We know the people being covered, and we are very familiar with all of the sports. Those sort of things were all more personal than things you got from the national news now because there are fewer regional newspapers. Amy Flis
Editor in chief of the HiLite 2007 to 2009, junior at Duke University
Page 12 | cover story | HiLite | hilite.org | Aug. 9, 2011 history in the making: Clockwise from right, a review on a contemporary album; students giving their thoughts on “busing,� which was a policy of racial desegregation by redistricting students from segregated schools; an article outlining courses introduced in 1971.
break with tradition: From top down, a familiar headline running in 1977; a photo featuring the football team that won our first AAA State title; the Sophomore Class working on its Homecoming class float, an old tradition.
1960
1965
Visit our Issuu page to browse through entire issues of old HiLites featured in this article dating back to 1937. Every issue we distribute can be found online after its publication date.
1975
1980 1977 to 1978
issuu.com/hilite
Oct. 1, 1971
Online Issues
1970
Aug. 9, 2011 | hilite.org | hilite | cover story | Page 13
Newspaper Takes You Places
You may recognize these former staff members
• Tim Allen, Food Network star and host of Chopped • Steve Inskeep, host of NPR’s “Morning Edition” • Tim Padgett, Time Magazine bureau chief and reporter mark shoup / source
get the 411: Clockwise from top, three headlines on stories about underage marriage, equal rights and teen suicide, respectively; segment of a 1982 article on women in male-dominated classes; a photo of a WHJE student; a graphic for a story on literary censorship.
1990
1995
2000
I sat down my first staff and said, ‘Okay, we have to make this a real newspaper. We have to have a production schedule. We have to come out on a regular basis.’ I said that we had to do a real studentfocused publication. We had to write about the issues that are affecting kids at Carmel High School. Mark Shoup
HiLite adviser from 1979 to 1990
2005+ Modern
Feb. 12, 1982
1985
21st century news: Above left, a SpotLite insert, which contained the issue’s feature stories, from the April 30, 2009 issue of the HiLite; bottom right, the Aug. 11, 2009 issue, which is the first to use the current tabloid format.
submitsports@hilite.org | twitter.com/GMN_Sports
Spor GMN
sports Just doin’ it
ts
Page 14 | sports | HiLite | hilite.org | Aug. 9, 2011 Go online For instant sports updates, follow us on Twitter: @GMN_Sports and visit us on our website: greyhoundmedia.org/sports
Women’s cross-country looks to repeat State title, qualify for Nike Cross Nationals
By Charlie Browning cbrowning@hilite.org
S
enior Renee Wellman has accomplished a multitude of impressive feats throughout her career as a cross-country runner. She has run in the state championship in all of her first three years of high school, helping the team capture the state title in 2008 and 2010, and has also had the opportunity to participate with her team in the Nike Cross Nationals in Portland, Oregon against some of the best teams in the nation. Nothing about her past success is satisfying for her, though. She said she wants this upcoming season to be her best ever. “I expect the team to have another undefeated season,” Wellman said. “There is always more pressure on the defending state champions to repeat, but a lot of our top girls are seniors this year and we want to leave the school on a high note. I know we will all work harder than ever this season because our goals are so high.” As many past teams have found out the hard way, coming off an undefeated season and state championship is no easy ordeal, especially because of the target that is place on the team’s back. Head Coach Mark Ellington said he doesn’t expect
Nike treated us like professionals. We learned a lot as a team there last year, whether it was racing tactics or just preparation stuff, and getting back there this year gives us a little extra motivation. Lauren Kahre
Cross-country runner and senior
Mary Brooke Johnson / Photo
speeding by: Senior Renee Wellman runs an event during track season last spring. Wellman runs both track and cross-country, and said the cross-country team has high aspirations for the upcoming season.
the team to experience any sort of letdown because of the senior leadership that the team has. “We have girls that have run a lot of cross country races and know what it is like to be targeted as the favorites,” Ellington said. “I don’t think we will have to deal with any sort of letdown because all of our girls are determined to do as well as they can this year. They are doing everything they can to get better and I think that will pay off for us throughout the season.” Wellman said she agrees that the team will not have to worry about a letdown of any sort because the team is still very motivated and focused on their goals this season. Although the failure was redeemed in 2010 when the team won the state title, the disappointment of failing to defend their title in 2009 is still something that Wellman thinks about, and she is determined not to let the same thing happen this year. “I don’t think there will be a letdown because this team is the most motivated team I have ever seen,” Wellman said. “Many of us remember the disappointment of 2009 when we failed to defend our 2008 title, and we are determined not to let that happen again.” A state championship is not the only thing that is motivating the team, as they are also looking forward to potentially qualifying to run in the Nike Cross Nationals in Portland for the second year in a row. Senior Lauren Kahre, who ran in the national race last year for the Greyhounds along with Wellman, said getting
back to that race adds some extra motivation for this year. “(The race) was an unbelievable experience and I feel blessed to have been a part of it last year,” Kahre said. “Starting from the beginning of the trip and all the way throughout it, Nike treated us like professionals. We learned a lot as a team there last year, whether it was racing tactics or just preparation stuff, and getting back there this year gives us a little extra motivation.” Wellman and Kahre both said the team has aspirations to finish in the top three at the national race this year, after placing seventh in the race last year, but winning a state championship comes first. “We are not only trying to repeat from last year, but we also want to leave behind a legacy for future Greyhounds to talk about,” Kahre said. Ellington said he believes that if the team continues to work hard on a daily basis and each individual strives to reach her potential, then the team will meet all of its goals. “To be successful in any sport, the athlete must find and meet his or her potential,” Ellington said. “Our girls have to meet their individual potentials in order for us to be a great team. The team that is able to maximize their talent the most and run the smartest races will be the most successful. Hopefully that is our team this year. Although the team has had its fair share of success over the past few years, Wellman and Ellington both said that they team is focused on this year only.
Aug. 9, 2011 | hilite.org | hilite | sports | Page 15
CHS introduces freshmen to weight program In his second year with the Carmel program, APC teacher Kevin Wright now allows freshmen to participate in weight lifting by James benedict jbenedict@hilite.org Freshman Nick Maier enters high school already an active member of the CHS community. As an up and coming baseball player, as well as a strong academic student, he is constantly busy. Maier said he hopes to remove his after-school athletic training, and get some free time, by participating in Advance Physical Conditioning (APC). “I thought it would be an excellent class to take for an athlete,” Maier said. “APC will help me get stronger and faster for my high school sports.”
New bill allows participation
Maier is just one of many freshmen who will be part of the first group of freshmen allowed into APC without completing P.E. 1 and 2. The Indiana Board of Education passed a bill that allows students to receive a waiver for physical education if they participate in a school-sanctioned sport. This allows many students to skip the prerequisite for APC and start their freshman year. “The natural step is if they worked out some as an eighth grader, and some as a freshman, prior to entering high school, the natural progression is to go ahead and integrate them into the more advanced class,” said Kevin Wright, head of CHS’ weight lifting program and head football coach.
Wright said this year APC has increased to over 400 student athletes, which is a 160-student increase from last year. The influx of freshmen plays a large role in the increased number of students enrolled in APC.
Program to build with athletes
Wright said he plans to combat the inexperience of freshmen by giving them steps toward lifting instead of starting them off equal to every other student. “We have a progression where you can’t go up anymore than five or 10 pounds per week, and you must demonstrate perfect form on any exercise before you can even do that,” Wright said. “We’re never worried about weight, just technique. As long as you’re smart you don’t put people in (over training) positions.” Aaron Bosket, strength and conditioning, coach said he helps freshmen by creating specialized workouts for them. “I may go in and say, here’s how I want you to progress with your lifts. I’m not going to let him put on a lot of weight and lose all their technique... I provide guidelines on how I want (freshmen) to lift.” Bosket said he agrees with Wright’s philosophy on freshmen in the program. “From the beginning I thought what (Wright) was doing could be a real positive thing,” Bosket Said. “Freshman year is an excellent time to get them introduced to the training process in general.”
Wright said, “I think what’s happening is a natural progression in what’s been going on the last few years at the middle school level. You’ve got more and more athletes doing athletic enhancement,” said Wright. “With kids that are incoming freshmen in a variety of sports, their own individual coach’s have had them involved in weight training the entire summer before entering APC.”
Long-term plans
Wright said his goal in APC is to increase the overall fitness of all the student athletes and not just big weight gains on lifts. He also said that weight training is beneficial to all sports, not just traditional “strength sports.” Wright said he thinks the addition of freshmen in the weight room will significantly improve Carmel’s athletes, if the training is done correctly. “If you go back 10 years ago, the amount of taxation a 14 year-old kid, an eighth grader getting to go into high school, was being asked to do is not the same as it is right now. You have to prepare your body,” Wright said. “I think it has the ability to impact us as a whole, both in male and female sports and hopefully take what has been traditionally very good and enhance it.”
To read the rest of James’ story go online to greyhoundmedia.org/sports
Football
Numbers never lie Carmel’s winning isn’t just lucky, the team beats its opponents in almost every yardage statistic.
Total yards
Pass yards
Tackles
1,455 1,627 1,120 1,111 1,275
133
Punts/ Yards
2,575 2,907
Total Points Score
Rush yards
4,534
384
Statistically, Carmel has dominated the teams it has played over the years. Playing in arguably the hardest conference in Indiana, and playing out-of-conference teams such as Cathedral last season, the Greyhounds face fierce competition. Last year, CHS lost only to Warren Central and Fishers (in the playoffs). With a strong rushing game the team ran more yards than its entire defense gave up. Under second-year Head Coach Kevin Wright, Carmel is looking to build on these numbers and make another trip to the State Final.
Carmel
24/944
64/2,224 Opponents
Brian Spilbeler / source
Melinda song / graphic
Page 16 | perspectives | HiLite | hilite.org | Aug. 9, 2011
perspectives SUBMITperspectives@hilite.org | twitter.com/Hilite_news
Staff Perspective
Speak Up
School Gate Guardian may cause hassle, but can protect students gation, others realize it is ultimately for their When visitors arrive at Carmel High School own safety. And because other schools in this year, they will provide their driver’s the district already have employed this syslicenses to begin a background check for tem, it is not unreasonable for Carmel High criminal histor y. They will then be given a School to use it as well. In fact, all three sticker name badge with the visitor’s name, middle schools as well as the 11 elementar y picture and destination printed, which they schools in Carmel are already using School are to wear while in the building. The new electronic system this year, called Gate Guardian. According to Assistant Principal Doug Bird, School Gate Guardian, prohibits visitors and the system is especially necessar y for Carstudents from entering through entrances mel, which housed over 4,500 students last other than Doors 1, 4 and 13 and ensures year. In order to maintain a safe environment their identity is not dangerous to the school. at this school, it is necesMany wonder why sar y to take extra safety this arrangement sudprecautions. Regulating denly was put in place which doors in the buildbecause nothing alarming can be accessed from ing occurred recently to Natatorium 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. can help worr y the administrators. eliminate the anxiety of Although some contempotential scenarios. plate that it was because Also, the background of the lockdown incident check initiated for evlast spring, they feel the Freshman er y visitor will severely decision to initiate the Center reduce the potential of system is still sudden danger while increasing and unexplained. the level of awareness. School Gate GuardFor example, one of the ian may prove to be a Main Lobby first things the backhassle, especially for ground check will uncover students who arrive at is whether the visitor is on school later in the day the sex offender list, and and are forced to show if he is, an administrator their ID cards to the main will immediately be notioffice. If a student acciAdele zhou/graphic fied. dentally leaves it at home, To reduce the hassle of a parent is asked to dethe process, the School liver the ID. However, for ENTERING THE SCHOOL THROUGH DOORS those whose parents both OTHER THAN 1, 4 AND 13 IS NOW PROHIBITED Gate Guardian only requires a visitor to scan his work during the day, this DURING SCHOOL HOURS. driver’s license ever y six can prove to be an issue. months. This can substanAlthough the new tially speed up the process system may create awarefor visitor. However, if a visitor was convicted ness for dangerous visitors at Carmel, it still of a felony between the six-month checkups, does not emphasize protection from violent he could pose a threat to the school without students already in the building. According to any knowledge on the part of the administrathe U.S. Department of Education, in 2009, tors. 69 percent of the violent deaths at school Overall, security for students so that they were caused by students, not adults. Therecan learn in a safe environment supercedes fore, much of the potential threats cannot be the hassle of having an ID card available stopped with School Gate Guardian because students are not associated with the system. when arriving at school late. While many can’t be certain what the outcome will be, While some may argue that School Gate School Gate Guardian may a big step in the Guardian system is a hassle, especially beright direction. cause no specific instance triggered its insti-
13
4
1
compiled by Shayan Ahmad
Thoughts about the School Gate Guardian system? “I guess it’s beneficial for security reasons, but it seems pretty unnecessary.”
Senior sarah bennett
“I think it’s a little excessive. We aren’t that bad of a school.”
junior Chaney walters
“I could see why they want to be proactive, but I don’t want it to get as drastic as the Soviet Union.” Senior Frank MOlina
Aug. 9, 2011 | hilite.org | hilite | perspectives | Page 17
GMN provides depth and efficiency by laura peng
History on the run I always love a healthy dose of competition. However, my competitive personality often leads to an unhealthy situation when it creates unnecessary stress. In a school of over 4,500 students who compete for the attention of a limited number of coaches and sponsors, we often lose sight of the advantages that cooperation can provide. Case in point: The four organizations within the CHS communications department-CHTV, HiLite, Pinnacle and WHJE-have always competed for your attention. Throughout the past couple years, however, we have shared a few staff
With growing technology, remember old values by patrick bryant
Weather or not I think it’s pretty safe to say that we all have some older relatives who aren’t quite as “tech literate” as us. They’re the ones who prefer communication by sending a letter or by
members with one another and realized the potential that cooperation holds in store. Imagine this: After the first football game of the season against Lawrence Central on Friday, you want to listen to a broadcast of the game online and show a clip of the gamewinning touchdown to your friends. Afterwards you want to view photos of the starting lineup and read a story about the expectations for the upcoming game against Columbus North. Simple. Just pull up four different websites that will each provide one of these features and click around until you finally find everything you need. For a generation that expects information to appear within seconds, doesn’t that sound just a bit too time-consuming? Therefore, I’m excited to introduce to you the Greyhound Media Network (GMN). The four separate organizations within the CHS communications department (CHTV, HiLite, Pinnacle and WHJE) have united to form a network that will serve as your one-stop source for news. This combination of separate news sources to form one cohesive entity is called media convergence. In 1996, The Indianapolis Star and WTHR (Channel 13) partnered together to share news with their readers and viewers and promote each other. At this time, the American Press Institute counted only 51 convergence partnerships in the United States. By 2005, half of television news stations across the country had partnered up with newspapers. At the beginning, WTHR started a feature called “Tomorrow’s Headline Tonight” on its 11 p.m. newscast and previewed the upcoming issue of The Indianapolis Star that released the following morning. As time progressed, the two organizations focused primarily on news gathering rather than promotion. From here on out, the HiLite will embrace this trend and assume a more cooperative relationship with the rest
of the communications department through the GMN. We recognize that our stories and photos may not always provide the most effective form of the news you seek. Other times, we do. So what does this mean for you? It means you can access both comprehensive coverage and different mediums of news all in one convenient location. By combining our strengths to create a single news source for our viewers, readers and listeners, the GMN ensures that your news will increase in both depth and efficiency. Sports news will appear exclusively on the GMN Sports website to which HiLite reporters and photographers will contribute. A single Twitter account will represent GMN Sports and feature content from all four organizations. We will also team up to cover significant events such as Homecoming. Forgot to pick up a Guest Form for the dance? Print one off the GMN website. Want to watch the Homecoming Court step out of the convertibles? We got it. Want to listen to opinions about the spirit days? Check. But rest assured, the HiLite will still maintain its distinct identity. We will continue to distribute print issues each month and update our independent website on a daily basis. Only our reporters will write for the HiLite publication and website. But by contributing to the GMN, we can provide more comprehensive news at your fingertips in the most effective form possible. So keep in mind throughout high school that competition is not the only motivation for progress. Sometimes cooperation and initiative will do the trick.
making a phone call, rather than sending a text. Where they find themselves in this changing world of communication might not be the best real estate. Being stuck in that influx has, in my opinion, has created a divide between generations that is growing. As CHS leads the way with the Greyhound Media Network, different media outlets are coming together in a way to make better efficiency and accessibility out of the way events at CHS are covered. This is a growing trend among other news -gathering organizations. By simply visiting the website for The Indianapolis Star, the presence of video and the option to discuss news stories on topics via Twitter and Facebook is a phenomenon that would have been unheard of a decade ago. For members of our generation, we roll with the tide, adjusting to changes in how we communicate. I don’t know about you, but as a third grader, I’d call friends to make plans on our land-line, where I now text them today. With that being said, are our parents and grandparents following suit, or is there reluctance in changing? Although the advent of new technology and new ways to share news, we as students still must realize that the most important principle in journalism, that it is open to everyone. If we are to respect our elders, we must make sure that we aren’t shunning them, in a way, by unintentionally using technology to “block them out” of the conversation. According to a study conducted in 2010 by the Pew Research Center, fewer than half of people 75 and older didn’t own a cell phone. What are the odds that those 50 plus percent of older Americans that do have phones are going to use
Twitter to check their trusted news organizations? Although I have nothing but excitement and great expectations for the GMN, I hope with it we will remember that we can’t abandon the traditional forms of communication that are priceless in creating relationships with people. As journalists, we shouldn’t be creating media that excludes some of the people who were instrumental in the very institutions that we are covering today. Similar to the generation gap present in the media world, it’s also present elsewhere. In an editorial in the online companion (go figure) of the Arizona Business Magazine, light was shed on the “generational gap” between people in the workforce. By allowing technology to dominate how we communicate, younger people will continue to force older Americans out of work, something prevalent in our society today. If we stay vigilant of including everyone, we can be sure that we won’t be excluding those in our society with the most wisdom to offer. Looking at this year, I take a lot of pride in the fact that I’m a part of the staff that is bringing you the Greyhound Media Network. I expect CHS to be a pioneer in excellence - business as usual yet at the same time we need to follow Atticus Finch’s advice, and look at the evolving form of media in the “shoes” of the older generations. If we do that, we can assure what they have to teach us will not be forgotten.
Laura Peng is the editor-in-chief for the HiLite. Contact her at lpeng@hilite.org.
Patrick Bryant is a managing editor for the HiLite. Contact him at pbryant@hilite.org.
Page 18 | perspectives | HiLite | hilite.org | Aug. 9, 2011
Borders vs. Growing Technology BY MONICA CHENG
Live life on the edge Once upon a time, there lived two precocious Borders brothers, Tom and Louis, who started a used bookstore in Ann Arbor, MI mainly for the use of university students. The business an unexpected success, becoming a retailing pioneer in the new era of big bookstore chains that flourished through the 1980s and ‘90s. When The Wall Street Journal reported on Feb. 16, 2011 that Borders filed for bankruptcy protection that morning, that day marked not only the closing of the
Digital piracy policies lack sympathy BY YAMEEN HAMEED
Too school for cool As we continue to progress through the information age, problems arise regarding the worth of art. Because so much has become conveniently accessible, we feel the same should hold true with various forms of art, such as movies, TV shows and music. Simply, too many factors can be seen as inconveniences to an average person. Advertisements are an inconvenience. Leaving the house to pay is an inconvenience. Paying at all is an inconvenience. The internet is a gateway drug of sorts, opening people’s eyes to bands they would never otherwise know of and
big-chain bookstore era but also the growing influence of technology in today’s society. Borders plans to eventually close at least 200 stores—about 30 percent of the company’s total—in locations scattered across the nation from Alaska to Florida to Borders’ home state of Michigan. The city of Carmel is no exception to this alarming trend. Following the announcement, I received several emails from not one or two but three Borders locations reminding customers of store closing sales. When I visited a closing Borders store on the corner of 116th and Keystone in hopes of finding my friend a birthday present, it was saddening to see the meager supply of books and items left on the shelves of the store. As a child, I remember the frequent trips to Borders, where my whole family spent the next half hour picking out books, CDs and movies. While my parents meandered to the adult section, I wandered off to the kids section to find some books that interested me. I have always been a big fan of the library, but the bookstore offers something different. It’s partly the atmosphere. But it’s also the new books whose crisp new pages have never been turned or dog-eared. It was one of my earlier memories, and so the experience became a part of my childhood. In recent years, however, Borders has been feeling the strains of a society that is growing increasingly tuned to technological avenues of thought. The introduction of eBooks (Kindles) and virtual bookstores (Amazon) challenged the traditional method of finding books. Companies must keep up with the modernizing trend in order to continue thriving in the increasingly competitive
shows they haven’t seen in years. As more and more is discovered, it simply becomes too much for the wallets of some individuals to handle, causing them to pirate and effectively indulge in all the media they desire. Anti-piracy measures have become a bit of a joke. The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA)’s “You Wouldn’t Steal a Car” ad campaign likens pirating movies to stealing DVDs, handbags, televisions and cars. The numerous parodies I’ve seen of it show it doesn’t make pirates feel guilty, but rather causes them to see piracy as a crime exaggerated by propaganda and in reality not a big deal. Of course, the campaign itself is incredibly fallacious. While it’s true that pirating leads to less revenue for the company, it remains distinct from stealing due to the fact that it is simply making a copy and leaving the original unharmed. For this reason, it’s more difficult for many to view as a crime. To put it in terms the MPAA would be familiar with, “What if your car was stolen but still there in the morning?” The fact that the MPAA has admitted to lying about statistics doesn’t help their case either. In 2008, the MPAA revealed that college students downloading movies illegally cause them to lose 15 percent of their revenue, a stark contrast from their remark in 2005 that it was 44 percent. This, among other factors, causes people to view them as well as the Recording Industry of America (RIAA) as evil corporations dedicated to halting the spread of media. Personally, I feel more companies and individuals should learn from my example. In second grade, I drew “Super Yameen” comics. They were incoherent, poorly drawn and highly derivative of the various games and shows I was interested in, as is to be expected from a 7-year-old. But of course, they were popular on the playground. A friend of mine suggested I start selling them
market. Technology is not always a bad thing, yet for many of us (I hope) there still remains that indelible feeling that comes along with reading a book from our very own hands. It is a tangible experience that cannot be replaced by the silver screen. On July 18, Borders Group submitted to the Court for approval the proposal from Hilco and Gordon Brothers to purchase the store assets of the business and administer the liquidation process, which was expected to commence as soon as July 22 and conclude by the end of September. This process entails closing 399 stores and laying off approximately 10,700 employees. The proposal was accepted. Needless to say, Borders has played a large role in its consumers’ lives for decades. The bookstores offer places where people can seek knowledge, entertainment, enlightenment and connection with others who share their passion. It is tremendously sad to see all these venues—bricks-and-mortar bookstores—vanish in the technological wind. Kindles are not real books, and Amazon is not a real bookstore, just as Facebook friends are not always your real friends. Every fairy tale has a happy ending, but Borders does not have a happily-everafter. In this story, the winds of change were too powerful, and Borders is just one of many traditional venues that failed to survive the technological windstorm. The end. Or to be continued? Monica Cheng is a managing editor for the HiLite. Contact her at mcheng@hilite.org.
for 25 cents, but I declined, not caring about the money made and simply wanting people to read my comics. I then implemented a system in which buyers chose how much they were willing to pay for each issue. Six years later, Radiohead stole my idea for their distribution of In Rainbows. The point is, industries can’t continue their current methods and honestly expect to eradicate piracy. If they could achieve total control, they would have done so already, but methods such as peer-to-peer filesharing are nearly impossible to stop. The better option would to be more sympathetic to the buyers. Businesses must understand what causes people to pirate their materials. Besides the obvious factor of price, other elements play a role. When you download a movie, you simply press play and it goes. When you buy a DVD, you have to leave your house (gasp) and watch numerous unskippable commercials, DVD menu animations and introductory logos. While it’s true that many of these issues have gotten better with time, the point remains that there is currently nothing particularly redeeming about buying something legally aside from the feeling that what you’re doing conforms to the law and is not ethically questionable. Of course, this can be changed. Aside from working to make products more accessible, businesses may wish to add certain free items with physical copies of their works as an added incentive for buying. As restrictions will simply cause new bypassing methods to arise, companies wishing to eliminate the issue of piracy must welcome customers with open arms, understanding the ease at which people want their media.
Yameen Hameed is a managing editor for the HiLite. Contact him at yhameed@hilite.org.
Aug. 9, 2011 | hilite.org | hilite | perspectives | Page 19
Dickens shows less isn’t always more BY CAROLINE ZHANG
How queer everything is today Midway through second semester, all the Honors English 9 teachers unleashed the monster that would cause the Freshman Class to lose a great deal of sleep. It came in the form of a 400-plus page book called Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, and it was excruciating to read. But the English teachers mercilessly plowed on. Many of us gave up this long uphill battle and sought refuge in Sparknotes. And some probably never cracked it open. It was certainly hard to resist temptation to take shortcuts. Much of Great Expectations was merely Charles Dickens rambling on, indulging in his own dry jokes, jokes that were hardly relevant to the plot. He spent at least half a page describing how the frost on the window reminded him of a spider’s web. The plot of the book hardly warranted all the paper needed to print the thing. The whole novel of Great Expectations could be condensed into 100 words or fewer. After all, the plot isn’t complicated, and Dickens’ habit of going off on a tangent was not only annoying, but distracting from the main story. It really just boils down to a chronicle of a poor boy who comes into a lot of money and tries to make his way into high society and get
the girl he likes (see, that was fewer than 100 words). The plot could be condensed, Dickens’ rambles could be deleted, and the whole novel would be shorter, easier to understand, and more efficient. It was this same type of efficiency of language that George Orwell imagined in 1984. What, he reasoned, was the point of all those extravagant, superfluous and hard-to-understand words? Take “good” for example. Wonderful, superior, excellent, superb and fine also mean good. And to make matters even more complicated, there are all those antonyms for good: bad, awful, dreadful, horrifying, appalling--the list goes on. It was redundant to have so many words that meant the same thing, and it got in the way of communication. The solution, Orwell said, was to get rid of the other words and just use good. Everyone understood what good meant. It was short, easy to use, easy to write and efficient. For emphasis, use “ultra-good”. For the antonym, use “un-good”. Do this for every word we use and the English language is so much more efficient. But say those words out loud, and you’ll sound terse and unnatural, like a machine. If all of Great Expectations was written like this, it would definitely be shorter and it would be easier to read. However, the book would also seem empty and bare. It would seem devoid of meaning, even though the plot would be condensed. The book would no longer be Dickens’ novel; it would be a timeline of events. The stuffy diction Dickens uses, the (extremely lengthy) way he writes descriptions, the excruciating details of Pip eating bread and butter and the dry comments are just as important to the book as the plot, because the point of language isn’t only utility, and because less isn’t always more. Language is what makes Dickens and his writing unique, just like his billy-goat beard, tufty hair and triangle-shaped head; it’s what makes all of us unique. So for once, skip the Sparknotes and view a work of literature— no matter how much it rambles, or how many times it uses “thou” and “wherefore”—for what it is: a way for a writer to communicate his or her message to the public, using whatever literary style he or she feels is most effective. Caroline Zhang is a managing editor for the HiLite. Contact her at czhang@hilite.org.
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Hail to the chief
Student body president Terrance Lewis discusses his goals and plans for this year COMPILED by claudia huang chuang@hilite.org What can you bring to the table as our new SBP?
I think I can bring excitement to the student body and make people excited to raise money for Riley (Hospital for Children) or participate in Care to Share as an SRT.
What do you plan to do differently than the previous SBPs?
I’ll try to make all the Senators more respectful to the school and more disciplined. And get work not just done, but done to perfection.
What are your biggest challenges for this year?
One of the biggest challenges for next year would have to be beating the Dance Marathon (fundraising) goal because (last) year, they really made quite an increase from past years. Another big challenge would be just getting our school to be more spirited as a whole.
What do you want CHS students to know about you?
I’m not very serious in every situation, but I can be serious and get things done whenever needed.
The speaker speaks up Speaker of the House Mohammad Issa makes increased student participation top priority What are your goals for this year as SOH?
I just want to have more successful events next year for House and try to get more of the student body involved with all those events. And just have more morale—have the school feeling good about everything.
How will you increase student involvement in school events?
Just get more promotion out and try to get House to tell everyone about it. All that kind of stuff: get on the announcements, try to be there, talk to people personally and everything like that.
What is the first thing you’re going to do to set the tone for this year?
There is the all school convo at the beginning of the year, so I just want to get everyone hyped during that. That will set the tone, hopefully.
What do you want CHS students to know about you? I’m a friendly guy, and they can come talk to me whenever they want.
Can’t get enough? HENRY ZHU / PHOTOs
Visit www.hilite.org to read the rest of Terrance and Mohammad’s interviews.