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Columbus East High School Student Paper
September 13, 2013 | Welcome Back!
: e u s s i s In thi y Coaches’ Corner
Scale Ever s g n i d s a p r d G e 5 ap an Nee i dia Pagmp s e p r M y e l h O Teac -sex Engineering Ca New me
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Two Olympians filled their summer break with international trips and sightseeing. Learn more on pages 6-7.
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People
p.3 Apps
What’s Happening Now
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p.4 Coaches’ Corner p.5 Grading Scale p.6-7 International Trips p.8 Meet the New Staff p.9 East Media Page p.10 Thrifting p.10 Engineering camp p.11 Same-sex Marriage p.12 Music
Editors-in-chief Briana Hale Rebecca Smith
Rebecca Vicker’s
Recycling Fun Facts
East Pride Recycling Have you ever wondered where to recycle at East? Everyone can recycle paper, cardboard, cans, plastic, and glass. Blue bins are located in every classroom. Bottles containers be found in the cafeteria, gallery level, gym, resource floor, and the Commons. Let’s take care of the school by recycling. Save a tree, save energy, make the school better. Power to East! Every month, we throw out enough glass bottles and jars to fill up a giant skyscraper. One aluminum can will save enough energy to run a TV for three hours – or the equivalent of a half a gallon of gasoline. To produce each week’s Sunday newspapers, 500,000 trees must be cut down. Plastic bags and other plastic garbage thrown into the ocean kill as many as 1,000,000 sea creatures every year!
Staff Brandon Berry Jakob Branum Rebekah Brown Alyssa Burris Jonah Fields Mary Gilham Stephen Hawkins
Hayden Johnson Lexi Joyner Jordan McMillan Lane Napier Tyler Pennington Kiana Snyder Alex Staggs
Adviser: Megan Whitehead
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5 Apps Every Olympian Needs Apple and Android Operating Systems have so many options on which applications to download, it can be hard to choose which apps are worth the memory space. The Oracle provides a list of our top (FREE!) picks to help you with your schoolwork.
Compiled by Mary Gilham
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Flip Cards
Flip Cards allows you to quickly put in two sided responses for each card, electronically. Most student usually have their phone with them at all times, but don’t always remember to bring along the bulky flash cards. Good for vocabulary and terms, and easy to use.
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If you are an electronic person, then more than likely your school schedule exists on your phone. It has multiple tabs, including a full calendar, homework, classes, and announcements tab. This is a very cheap way to keep yourself organized.
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Graphing Calculator
Graphing Calculator allows you to have a more complex calculator, without spending any money. This app comes equipped with a full graphable grid. It has many settings including calculator, equations, graph, reference and much more.
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My Homework Student Planner
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Power School
Power School allows you to quickly connect to your grades directly from your device. Power School is linked directly to the BCSC server, so no further connection is necessary. All updates to grades can be checked quickly and on the school WIFI circuit.
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Google Translate
Ever been stuck on a word while completing Spanish homework? Taking a few moments to download Google Translate should quickly solve all confusion. This app allows you to choose from a range of languages and even has a pronunciation button which allows you to hear almost all words and phrases.
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Coaches’ Corner by Tyler Pennington
“Keep working hard and get professional instruction. “ -Mr. Buntin Girls Golf Coach
“You need to come in fit and know the level you’re ready to play at.” -Mr. Gonsier Assistant Soccer Coach
Counter clockwise from top: The student section at the East/ North football game cheers after a touchdown is made. The team meets during the game for a pep talk. Ashlyn Robbins spikes the ball during a recent volleyball game. Players hold hands on the sidelines before the game to listen to the National Anthem.
Two of East’s athletic leaders give advice to our upand-coming athletes. For incoming freshman, playing on a higher level team can be an extremely nerve wracking experience, especially that first match. All focus is on you this first game because people are looking to you to prove that you can play at this level. Mr. Buntin, head coach of Columbus East Girl’s Golf and Coach Gonsior, assistant soccer coach, both give advice to incoming freshman wanting to play varsity. Buntin and Gonsior both say that hard work and dedication is what really helps a freshman wanting to play varsity to excel. “The main thing is fitness.You need to come in fit and know the level you’re ready to play at,” Coach Gonsior says. It is the most trying time
coming in from being on top to being “freshmeat”. Coach Buntin has a similar opinion to Coach Gonsior. He says, “Keep working hard and get professional instruction. I mean, I can teach little stuff and fundamentals, but when it comes to full swing, you need someone that can relate on a different level. Play competitively, and just keep playing.” If you stop trying then you won’t succeed, so if you do attempt to play, what you put in is what you will get out. So never stop, keep your skills on point, and always work hard. Doing this will help you succeed on a team at a higher level such as varsity.
#eastpride
New Year, New Scale
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by Briana Hale
across the building. There were a lot of parental concerns and student concerns about why the grading scale was different. So to make things more equal, we decided to go with the same grading scale as everyone else.” Junior Kelly Langevin is pleased about the change. “The old one tended to mess my grades up. I would get a different letter grade than expected, but the same percentage. So I’m glad it changed.” What has been a concern for some students is their grades from past years. However, Kannianen assures that past grades will not be affected by the change. “It will, however, affect the senior project boards. We’re working right now to figure out what that’s going to look like.”
A: 90-10 0% B: 80-89 % C: 70-79 % D: 60-69 % F: 0-59%
pressure on me to worry about my grades.” -Braidon Martoccia, 12
I really don’t care.” -Casey Johnson, 11
The First Change... A: 93-100% B: 83-92% C: 72-82% D: 65-71% F: 0-64%
3.). “Personally, I think 60% is too low for
passing. I don’t want someone working on my car or doing my taxes or teaching my child who only learned 60% of the skills and knowledge needed for that job or career. I suppose I am a minority.” -Mrs. Wilder-Newland, English teacher
Not A FAN!
Now...
1.) “I like it because it puts less
2.) “I don’t care.
Back in the Day... A: 95-100% B: 88-94% C: 79-87% D: 70-78% F: 0-69%
Love IT!
If you are not aware by now, the English grading scale has been switched up. The same scale for each department is now being used throughout the school. “Originally, the grading scale was decided upon by each department. All departments had their own system of individual learning, so each grading system reflected the philosophy of that department,” English teacher Mrs. WilderNewland revealed. “Class mods were originally much shorter on some days and longer on others, so to make up for the unassigned time during the day, departments were required to implement independent learning projects.” So why did East decide to make this change? English Department Head Chasidy Kannianen said, “We wanted to be more consistent
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Mission Accomplished:
Belize
by Rebecca Smith
San Lazaro
While many students take family vacations over summer break, not many trips are destined for other countries. However, junior Anna Guse had the opportunity to travel to Central America and help those in need. Guse first heard about the mission trip headed to Belize through the church she attends- Sandy Hook United Methodist. While Guse has donated time previously to take part in mission trips, this one was a little different. “This was the first time I went on a mission trip that was not lead by my youth group,” she comments. 30 members of the community traveled to Belize with Guse. “We stayed in a place called Orange Walk,” Guse says. “We also ministered in a place named San Lazaro. While we were there, we helped run a VBS (Vacation Bible School). It had over 100 kids!” Along with the VBS, Guse participated in other ministries as well. “We did a youth sports ministry, which was really cool. We really got to know the people in the village and form relationships with them. We also did market ministries. We would go out in groups and minister to people. It was intimidating, but I got to do it with my brother and his wife. I talked to a couple of guys who were going through some really hard stuff, and I prayed for them. It was awesome.” Guse also handed out food donations, including dietary staples such as rice, beans, sugar, and flour. Because of her extensive knowledge of the Spanish language, which Guse has gained in Spanish classes 1-3, Guse was able to smoothly communicate with the people of the village of San Lazaro. “[Belize]’s official language is English, but the people there speak English, Spanish, and Creole. My knowledge of the Spanish language has helped out so much. All the children learn Spanish in the home, and English at school. In a VBS, where some of the kids are too young to have gone to school, if I didn’t start speaking Spanish to them, they would be like, ‘why is this crazy American girl talking to me?’” Mrs. Sullivan, Guse’s Spanish 4 teacher, is very impressed with Anna’s willingness to practice her Spanish and her enjoyment of learning the Spanish language. “Anna has always worked very hard in Spanish class. She is very eager to learn. I always hear her and other students speaking Spanish even when I have not asked them to do that. She’s a great student.” During Guse’s six-day-long trip to Belize, she was fortunate enough to visit an orphanage and interact with the children living there. Her group spent 4 days in the village doing various acts. Guse also partook in everyday tourist activities: island visitations, snorkeling sessions, and scenic hikes to the Mayan Ruins. Guse also formed sturdy relationships with inhabitants of the village where she volunteered. “I made a really good friend, and on the last day, my friend and I got to sing a duet together in Spanish during a church service. It was unbelievable,” Guse says. Guse’s trip to Belize changed her perspective on everyday things in American culture. “The people in Belize are so humble. They don’t even have that much, but they are generous. I miss that attitude. I hope that I bring that back to America with me and spread it around.”
Top: Guse, second from the left, enjoys a day in the village. Bottom: Guse, left, poses when she arrives in Belize.
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Trekking
across
Europe by Rebecca Smith
Top: Fisher taking a photo of sights in Monaco. Bottom: The People to People trip visited the Monastery in Assisi, Italy.
Anna was not the only Olympian to travel internationally this summer. People to People, a student ambassador group, was the reason Fisher was fortunate enough to go on this trip. People to People works to establish federal relations between cultures. This group usually plans many large trips for all ages each summer for interested students to travel to sites filled with historical and cultural knowledge. Fisher found out about this trip through his family. “I got the idea to go on this trip because my brother and sister had previously gone on People to People trips,” he comments. This specific trip was destined to last three weeks, and included stops in multiple countries. “We flew into Rome, Italy, and drove up the west coast of Italy, through southern France, and into Spain, around the Barcelona area,” Fisher says. Fisher also shares his reasons for picking this trip out of many trips traveling around the globe. “This specific trip gave me the opportunity to travel through Europe, to Italy, France and Spain,” he notes. “My favorite thing to do while I was in Europe was to sit outside, reading my book, on the balcony overlooking the mountains in Santa Barbara, Italy.” He also states that he enjoyed visiting “normal tourist things,” such as Pisa, the Duomo, the Baptistery, and the Leaning Tower; however, his favorite tourist stop was at the Pantheon in Rome, Italy. Fisher, along with several other students in Columbus, joined in on this trip, but he did not plan ahead to travel with a friend. “We met up with different groups in Rome. It was originally just students from southern Indiana, but we met a group from Missouri, a group from northern Indiana, and a group from Indianapolis,” he says. “I made many new friends.” Fisher does encourage students who have not had the opportunity to travel worldwide to investigate upcoming People to People trips. For more information about People to People, visit their website at peopletopeople. com.
New Teachers.
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With so many new faces around East, it may be hard to remember who’s who. The Oracle provides a quick guide so you can say hello to a newbie staff member. Compiled by Lexi Joyner, Jordan McMillan, and Hayden Johnson
Also say hello to these new staff members: Mr. Barnhart, Mrs.Schuetz, Mrs. Donathen-Smith, Mr. Bowers, Mrs. Carrol, Mrs. Fisher, Mrs. Godwin, Mrs. Korb, Mrs. Notz, Mr. Pedro, Mr. Quigley, and Mrs. Tedder.
1: Mrs. Phillips
3: Mr. Hartley
Where were you before you came to East?
Where were you before you came to East?
“[I was at] Northside for 8 years.”
“[This is my] first teaching job.”
What are you looking forward to? “Being able to work with students in all grades. I’m not just a person who checks out books for you, but also a resource to you, for your help.”
What are you looking forward to? “Working with the students, and also with the faculty.”
What is an interesting fact about yourself? “I have a degree in restaurant/hotel and travel management. I love football. I also have a son that goes to East as a freshman.”
2: Señora Robinette
Where were you before you came to East?
“I am originally from Houston, Texas. I got married last year and moved to Columbus for my husband’s job. I taught in Houston for 4 years.”
What are you looking forward to?
“I am looking forward to building relationships with students, families, staff, and sporting events.”
What is an interesting fact about yourself?
“I grew up Merida,Yucatan, Mexico. My parents are missionaries there. I lived in Merida from the 4th grade through my senior year. I was the only American at my high school, I loved it! I still go back and visit family and friends at least once a year!”
What is an interesting fact about yourself?
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“I play three instruments: piano, bass, and guitar.”
4: Mrs. Nance
Where were you before you came to East? “Last year, I student taught for an entire year at Ben Davis High School and Fall Creek Valley Middle School in Indianapolis. Before, that I worked in human resources at Community Hospital South in Greenwood. “
What are you looking forward to?
“I’m looking forward to getting to know all the awesome students and teachers here at East. I’m also looking forward to watching East dominate at sports this year!”
What is an interesting fact about yourself?
“I’m very accident prone. In college, I had multiple concussions from sports related injuries and accidents. “
Stay
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connected
by Jonah Fields
This year, talented students in the Radio and Television department have put together a web page for students to stay updated on school events. Here’s how to check it out for yourself!
Senior Tyler Cooper practices with the new technology used by the Olympian Flame.Videos produced by the crew are uploaded to the media page to be viewed at any time.
Check it out! WWW.eastmedia.us is full of announcements, videos, and photos of students around school. Also, take a look at past articles from your favorite school newspaper: the Oracle!
Olympian Flame and Publications student Travis Perkins rehearses his anchor role for the morning edition of the Olympian Flame.
Many students find it difficult to keep up with school information when absent or in resource during the announcements. “I know a lot of people who don’t like the fact that they can’t watch the Olympian Flame in resource,” Flame student Casey Johnson says. Others feel that it’s inconvenient for the Oracle to be limited to paper. Fortunately for you, the Oracle is expanding, Senior Travis Perkins stated.“You will be able to visit either East’s Oracle webpage or the East Media website to read articles and catch up on school news.” With the news media industry expanding into the digital world, East dove into online news. Last year, the Olympian Flame and Oracle came together in an effort to put all of East High School’s news and announcements in one convenient location; however, the website has remained unpublished until now. This year, EastMedia.us has been released to the Olympian community. Previously, the Oracle could be accessed through the East homepage, but it became difficult to maintain and update on
a regular basis. This new website will enable Olympians to watch the morning show live from home or resource, stay up to date on announcements, and keep up with news on campus. Unlike the old webpage, this site will put the newspaper, morning show, and more all in one convenient location. Both the Oracle and the Olympian Flame are now on Facebook and Twitter. These social media pages will be a place where the East community can share ideas for both news sources and see behind-the-scenes pictures and updates. With the vast majority of teenagers using these networking sites, it will be a great way for students to interact with the newspaper and morning show. Suggestions, comments, and feedback will allow East’s media to be tailored to what the students want to read and see in their news.
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“$20 in my pocket”
Columbus’s Cupcake Boutique offers shoppers a chance to find high end items at discounted prices. by Kiana Snyder “Places to shop in Columbus are very limited and have prices that exceed the teenage budget,” according to junior Laura Deane. Cupcake Boutique is an upscale resale store located at 2428 Beam Road, behind Walgreens. It’s owned by Kelly Brown and Joyce Konradi. Shopping hours are 10-6 on Monday through Thursday, 10-7 on Friday, and 12-6 on Saturday. The boutique sells lots of miscellaneous items at discounted prices. Laura describes it as “a very high-end thrift store. They don’t accept just any clothes or items. They are either purchased brand new, or of good quality sought-after.” When asked about the best item that she has purchased at Cupcake Boutique, she responded with “either a baby gate because it was only eight dollars, or maybe a really cute, white Aeropostale jacket.” The Cupcake Boutique sells items for all ages, genders, and sizes. They are locally owned and operated, and they were formed in order to help out kids and parents alike to get the popular name brand clothes at discounted prices. However, clothes are not all they sell. Other items available include movies, kids toys, snacks, jewelry, and much more. The Cupcake Boutique is great for the teenage budget and easy on the eyes as well.
Cupcake Boutique 2429 Beam Road
Monday-Thursday 10-6 Friday 10-7 Saturday 12-6
Laura’s Find: “This tunic would be really cute paired with leggings and some gladiator sandals.” -Laura Deane
t l u p a t a C n o i t a r e p O by Stephen Hakwins
Columbus East junior Chris Hahn spent his summer in college. Operation Catapult is a prestigious engineering camp located in Terre Haute, Indiana at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. This camp spans over about three weeks and takes place directly on campus “This camp is definitely not a camp where you can lose interest in engineering,” said Chris Hahn. This camp likes to keep campers busy by unusual lectures and field trips. Through frustration and solution, the camp teaches kids the value of education and research. Kids are divided into teams of 4 or 5 at the beginning of the week and are giving a project to build using certain fields of programming and mechanical Chris, second from the left, stands with his teamengineering. “It’s just the type of freedom mates during the Rose-Hulman conference. we had during the week was amazing,” Hahn said. “It really gave me time to think and make friends.“ 'The project is a magneto hydrodynamic generator, we got a While the tuition of such a prestigious charged fluid to move through a pair of magnets and electrodes producing a current,” said Hahn, explaining the project event is high, Duke Energy specifically selects a variety of students that apply and assists in their he made during his stay at Rose-Hulman. costs.
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Same-sex
Marriage Controversy
by Rebekah Brown Opinions on a subject that separates many, while exploring a club the brings people together with the promise of safety. Same-sex marriage is a much disputed topic in the United States. It causes heated arguments on both sides of the table. Those suporting gay rights see it as the next step in American civil rights. Those against it see it as a dishonor to marriage, for personal or religious reasons. Today, more and more states are allowing same-sex marriage, such as Minnesota, Rhode Island and Delaware. Indiana, however, is still opposed to allowing same-sex marriage. Governor Mike Pence says, “Given that opportunity, I am confident that Hoosiers will reaffirm our commitment to traditional marriage and will consider this important question with civility and respect for the values and dignity of all the people of our state.” With Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who just recently officiated the Supreme Court’s first same-sex marriage between Micheal M. Kaiser and John Roberts, it seemed appropriate to see where Coulumbus East High School stands on the topic. Although there are a lot of opinions on same-sex marriage, some have stronger veiws than others, Junior Darion Denniston says, “I am a Christian. I do not believe in it.” Other people, such as junior Jennifer Jackson, states, “I am okay with it; I don’t find anything wrong with it.” There are so many students and staff at Columbus East High School with very different opinions, Mrs. Dewhirst, faculty supervisor of East High School’s Gay Straight Alliance reveals, “If you had asked me ten years ago, I would not have been for it at all, but that was before I made a conscious decision to understand the social and emotional challenges that LGBT people face when they love someone. People don’t choose to be LGBT, so why should they be denied the same rights and privileges as me? The meaning of the m-word is what is causing the real debate here.” Mr. Duncan, also an English teacher, agrees. “I just think it’s our socitiety’s duty to allow a person to marry whom they would like to marry. I don’t think they should put a restriction on it at all. It is absurd that there are still places where it is not allowed.” “Well, I didn’t start the GSA, though I always felt East High School should have a GSA. I felt that these kids needed a place
“People don’t choose to be LGBT, so why should they be denied the same rights and privileges as me?” -Mrs. Dewhirst GSA Sponosor
to go each day where they could feel safe to figure things out. However, Jared Meyer’s senior project in 2011 focused on issues concerning marginalized youth in schools, and then Lexi JackmanWheitner approached Mrs. Anderson and I during her freshman year and wanted to know why we didn’t have a GSA. These two students were very proactive in moving East in the direction toward true diversity,” Mrs. Dewhirst explains, voicing her approval.“By law, the CEHS Gay-Straight Alliance is completely student run,” she adds. Junior Darion Denniston says, “I like that there is a safe place where people can’t get bullied, but I don’t think it is right. I think we should agree to disagree.” Mr. Duncan said, “I think overall it was really important to have GSA available, for having those connections to be made, for dialogue to be open, and for people to understand that school is a safe place for all people, for every single person who comes through our doors. It is not a place where barriers are up.” A big topic in same-sex marriage is if religion should play a part in its legalization. Some people view that religion should not be an argument in whether or not same-sex marriage is allowed, while others believe it is the foundation of America and is a proper argument to defend traditional marriage. “ Well, regardless of what I think, religion does and will play a part in it. Any dialogue about any major American issue has always included the religious views of people of faith,” Mrs. Dewhirst said. Junior Jennifer Jackson says, “No, it shouldn’t [play a role].” Mr. Duncan adds, “I think it is an individual decision. Certainly depends on the person’s religious belief. There are people who have same sex marriage where religious aspect is a part of the marriage, and then there are those who use religion to defend on why same sex marriage shouldn’t be allowed. In my opinion, those two pieces are separate. To use religion as a vehicle for stopping same sex marriage is not valid.”
“To use religion as a vehicle for stopping same sex-marriage is not valid.” -Mr. Duncan English Teacher
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More
than just
music
by Alyssa Burris
M
usic is the fourth great material want of human nature. First comes food and water, then clothing, then shelter, and then finally, music. Music is so much more than just a good beat with a few catchy words behind it. It has the ability to build and shape one’s character and personality. However, some people don’t see the true beauty and power that music holds. People’s lives can be completely centered around the kind of music they listen to, and it can even affect the way they dress and behave. It can affect so much more than just your ears for a few moments in time. With one press of a play button, music can, and does, do so much more for people than just giving them a beat to dance to. It can change a person for the rest of their life.
During We Came As Romans, a man carries his child on his shoulders. The young rocker holds up the hand sign for rock and roll during Warped Tour in Indianapolis on July 3rd, 2013. Warped Tour was an event where East students took in the beauty of music.
“Music to me is more than just something to pass the time with. It can influence your entire being, examples would be; your clothing style, hair style, personality, and even decisions you make. It can also help you with self identity, inspiration and motivation. Looking past the beat, and actually decoding the lyrics is the best part about music. Everyone has a personal interpretation of a song and I love it!” -Wyatt Miller, 11 “Start learning to play an instrument. It can give you something positive to work towards. Explore more than just one genre of music. Check out local concerts/bands near you. It’s good to show support for those working on their dreams.You decide what [music] means to you. The beauty is really in the eye of the beholder. “ -Brittany Dauksza, 12
“I’ve been through some really hard times in my life, but the one thing I could control, no matter what, was the music that I listened to. When nobody was there for me, music was. I don’t know who I’d be without [musicians] doing what they love most, and it makes me want to do the same with my life someday.” -Oli Gifford, 11