2.21 Issue

hilite

CARMEL HIGH SCHOOL NEWSMAGAZINE VOL. 84, NO. 7 FEB 21, 2020

Natural Hair Movement grows in popularity among African-American students PAGE 26

RIYA CHINNI, ANUSHKA DASGUPTA

table of contents

NEWS 6

6 NEWS BRIEFS 7 WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA 8 NO DEBATE CCS drops speech, debate requirements for graduation

10 BEYOND THE BOOK 11 RELATABLE CONTENT

FEATURE 12 12 CHALLENGING CONVERSATIONS

14 LIBRARY LOVERS 16 FLIP THE SWITCH 18 ANOTHER COURSE

Decline in Chinese restaurants showcases disparities between generations

STUDENT SECTION 22 22 MAKE YOUR OWN MADNESS 23 A LEAP OF TIME Sophomore Audrey Schuster’s fourth birthday is on a leap day

24 HUMANS OF CHS 25 FROM THE DUST

COVER 26

26 LOVE IS IN THE HAIR Natural Hair Movement grows in popularity among African-American students

ENTERTAINMENT 32 32 CONVERSATION FOR A CAUSE 33 BEHIND THE CURTAIN 34 MUCH ADO ABOUT SHAKESPEARE Students, director of Much Ado About Nothing embrace Shakespearian literature as the Ides of March approaches

36 FOR THE WIN!

Contact information: Mailing Address: 520 E. Main St. Carmel IN 46032 Phone: (317) 846 7721 Ext. 7143 Website: www.hilite.org Email: Staff members may be contacted by using their first initial and their last name appending @hilite.org The HiLite is a student publication distributed to students, faculty and staff of CHS with a press run of 4,500. Copies are distributed to every school in the Carmel Clay district as well as the Chamber of Commerce, City Hall and the Carmel Clay Public Library. The paper serves as a public forum and two-way communication for both the school and the community. Opinions expressed in the newspaper are not those of CHS nor Carmel Clay system faculty staff or administration.

Credentials: The HiLite belongs to the Indiana High School Press Association, Quill & Scroll and the National Scholastic Press Association.

Advertising: Businesses may advertise in the HiLite if their ads adhere to guidelines. The advertising policy is available in Room C147 or at www.hilite.org/ads-info.

Editor in Chief

Entertainment

Da-Hyun Hong

Tessa Collinson Natalie Khamis

Managing Editors Riya Chinni Aditi Kumar Angela Li Raphael Li Uday Lomada Hari Patel Karen Zhang

Front/TOC/JAM Robbie Ge Gray Martens

News

VERONICA TEETER PHOTO

38 IN A DAE’S WORK 39 ENTERTAINMENT BRIEFS

SPORTS 40 40 RUNNING THE POINT Shortest men’s basketball players make up for size with skill

42 LOVE OF THE GAME 44 A SUB-PAR STIGMA 46 TEAM BLONDING 47 SPORTS BRIEFS

PERSPECTIVES 48 48 BETTER DISTINGUISHED

36

49 ODE TO MUSIC EDUCATORS 50 ASSERTIVE, NOT AGGRESSIVE 51 BE THE BIGGER MAN 52 CORONOPHOBIA

@hilitenews

Recent viral breakout does not justify racism, xenophobia

53 INACCURATE REFLECTION

@hilitenews

15 MINUTES 54 54 TIKTOK TO THE TOP Junior Isabel Jensen has over 7.4 million likes on TikTok

@HiLiteOnline

Josie Cruzan Pranav Jothirajah

Feature

Lillian He Wendy Zhu

Ads Team

Brian Zhang

Student Section/15 Minutes

Sports

Sarah Kim Ashwin Prasad

Perspectives Marvin Fan Calina He

Litebox

Maddie Kosc Shruthi Ravichandran

Social Media

Kassandra Darnell Hannah Gretz Anna Klauz Lily McAndrews Marissa Ryan

Web

Livvie Hurley Avery Thorpe

Adviser

Jim Streisel

Kris Otten Angela Qian

Principal

Rhea Acharya

Michael Beresford

Cover

Thomas Harmas

Superintendent

Responding to the HiLite: Letters to the editor will be accepted for the Mar. 20 issue no later than March 13. Letters may be submitted to Room C147, placed in the mailbox of Jim Streisel, emailed to management1920@hilite.org or mailed to the school. All letters must be signed. Names will be published. (Letters sent via email will be taken to a student’s SRT for them to sign). Letters must not contain personal attacks against an individual and may be edited.

Corrections and clarifications: In regards to the Q&A with Michael Lee, IB Business and Management students only worked on taglines, not logos, for the CCS district.

The HiLite strives to correct its errors. If you notice any inaccuracies in this or past issues, please contact management1920@hilite.org.

DA-HYUN HONG FRONT COVER PHOTO

04

FEB 21, 2020

Gardening 101

Last Frost Date:

April 11-20

In spirit of spring, learn about growing plants and various plants you can grow at home

UDAY LOMADA, GRAY MARTENS, HARI PATEL GRAPHIC

WEATHER.GOV SOURCE

Plant warm-season plants after this date so they aren’t killed by frost

RAY MO PHOTO

seasonal schedule GARDEN.ORG SOURCE

Learn when to plant different types of plants in Indiana

SPRING

SUMMER

Keep up soil, remove coldseason annuals

Warm/Cold Annuals, fallflowering bulbs

FALL

Plant spring-flowering bulbs, perennials (start from seed)

planting process

Here’s a brief overview of a plant’s growing process SAFER BRAND SOURCE

Scan this to visit the USDA PLANTS Database, which provides standardized information about the plants of the U.S. and its territories.

SOIL PREPARATION: Certain plants have to be grown in a pot first or have the soil prepared a certain way, so make sure to look up the specifics of your species

MATURING: At this point, most fruits are nearly ripened and flowers fully bloomed.

Some plants might not produce any fruit until their second year

SEEDLING/ VEGETATIVE: FLOWERING: SPROUT: At this stage, the During the As a seed, all plant is creating flowering stage, the nutrients chlorophyll while plants invest all of come in the building the stalks their energy into package but and foliage, so reproducing. Cold as it sprouts supplying fertilizer temperatures can a plant will rich with nitrogen will accelerate the need a wellhelp with growth process balanced fertilizer

HILITE.ORG

05

garden variety

Learn about plants you can grow here in Carmel

URBAN FARMER, GARDENING KNOW HOW, GROWVEG SOURCES

TOMATILLOS

COLEUS FLOWERS

WHEN: Just after last frost

WHEN: Between March and May

HOW: Plant seeds 1/4 inches deep, 18-24 inches apart.

Fertilize prior to planting and just after first flowering.

HOW: Plant sprouts inches deep, 11 inches apart.

Fertilize with organic material normally and inorganic during the summer.

USAGE: Commonly used in salsa and sauces

USAGE: Easy to grow and very colorful in garden or around the house

FOXGLOVE

LEEKS

WHEN: Late summer or early fall

WHEN: 8-10seeds weeks1/4before last frost HOW: Plant inches deep, 1/2 inch apart indoors.

After last frost, plant HOW: Plant seeds 1/4 inches deep, 1/2 them 6 inches deepAfter andlast apart outdoors. inch apart indoors. frost, plant Fertilize the season before and weekly. them 6 inches deep and apart outdoors.

HOW: Plant seeds 1/4 inches deep, 18 inches apart.

No special fertilization required but do not over water them.

USAGE: To deter deer and look nice in gardens

Fertilize the season before and weekly.

USAGE: Similar to an onion but sweeter flavor, often added to salads and soups

botany basics UV LIGHTING

UV lighting provides an artificial light source and can discourage fungal growth

Look at what CHS Botany classes use to grow plants GARDEN.ORG SOURCE

LARGE PLANTS

Larger plants should have their own separate containers and should be given plenty of space to grow

UV LIGHTING

Fertilizer speeds up plant growth by providing them with a wide variety of nutrients that they need

GLOVES

Gloves are essential when gardening, as they prevent hands from getting harmful substances on them

SMALL PLANTS

Smaller plants can be grown together in trays which makes them easier take care of all at once

news

FEB 21, 2020

News Briefs VIYANG HAO BRIEFS

VERONICA TEETER PHOTO

HOLIDAYS

Tuesday Mardi Gras February 29 Leap Day March 17 St. Patrick’s Day March 20 Start of Spring

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March

winter games

EVENTS February 27-29 Carmel Winter Games March 3 Freshman and Sophomore Career Planning Night (6:30 to 8:50 p.m. in the Dale E. Graham Auditorium) March 14 SAT Testing March 20 CMYC’s 3v3 Basketball Tournament (at CHS’s fieldhouse from 6 to 9 p.m.)

Check out the schedule for the upcoming Winter Games Thursday, Feb. 27

Skating with Indy Fuel and Nitro Time: 6 - 8 p.m

Friday, Feb. 28

Hometown Hero Olympics: Competitive Games between Carmel Fire and Police Department

FOR THE KIDS: Student government members hold up signs with the total amount of money raised from Dance Marathon last year. Dance Marathon takes place on Feb. 29 this year.

Time: 6 - 8 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 29 Competitive Group Games: • Human Curling • Ice Trike Race • Human Hungry Hippo

Includes: Kids playground and live DJ Time: Noon-5 p.m.

PRANAV JOTHIRAJAH GRAPHIC CARMEL.IN.GOV SOURCE

Date: Feb. 29 Time: 4 to 10 p.m

Where: Scan to visit Freshman Cafeteria the Carmel Color teams posted: Dance Marathon website Monday

HILITE.ORG

07

Wingardium Leviosa

Qudditch Club to start meetings, matches

Q&A

CADENCE ARMSTRONG Q&A, PHOTO

kerith perry, quidditch club leader and senior

In your own words, what is Quidditch?

How do you play Quidditch?

(Quidditch) is a mixture between dodgeball, football, soccer, water polo and handball. It essentially mixes all the sports into one and is all about just having a good time

How does Quidditch in real life differ from the sport played in the Harry Potter books and films?

We don’t have flying brooms, sadly, and we don’t have magic spells.

Instead of a snitch, a small yellow ball, we have a snitch runner that dresses up in all yellow and has a tennis ball touchstone which a certain type of person, called a seeker, tries to grab. It’s kind of funny but also different.

Why did you start the club?

I looked at the rules of Quidditch and thought that it would be fun to do and something people would enjoy.

My SRT teacher (Suzanne) Brown said she would sponsor the club so I said, “Let’s just do it.”

There are three people called chasers, and they have a deflated volleyball that they’re trying to get through three hoops to score.

There’s a keeper, and their goal is to try to protect our goals; it’s pretty much like a soccer goalie. Also, there are these two people called beaters, and they have dodgeballs, and they try to throw it at people. If you get hit with a dodgeball, you have to drop either whatever the ball that you score with or you just have to go back to your own goal. Then, we have a snitch runner who runs around, and we have seekers who tried to tackle them down to get the tennis ball.

How do you win the game?

The game is about trying to get the most points. So, you can either get the most points by either scoring goals, scoring goals is 10 points. Catching the snitch ends the game automatically and your team gets 40 points.

How do you join Quidditch club?

Anyone can join. (Quidditch club) is honestly just a fun way to hang out. You don’t have to be athletic or have even read the Harry Potter books. You can just come out and have fun.

accio firebolt

Here’s an overview of how Quidditch is played in real life There are 5 “balls” in Quidditch: 3 hoops on each side for the Quaffle 3 Bludgers A dodgeball. Players hit by bludgers must return to their goalpost. Thrown or kicked by beaters.

1 Quaffle

A volleyball. Scores 10 points by throwing/kicking through a hoop. Chasers try to score, while keepers defend the hoops.

The Golden Snitch

A neutral player who runs around evading players. Scores 30 points and ends the game when captured. Seekers try to catch the snitch.

EDWARD DONG GRAPHIC

US QUIDDITCH SOURCE

08

FEB 21, 2020

No Debate

CHS removes communication course graduation requirement beginning 2020-2021 school year RHEA ACHARYA STORY

C

ANJALI NATARAJAN PHOTO

HS will drop the current speech and debate graduation requirement beginning next school year, according to Assistant Principal Valerie Piehl.

Piehl said this requirement has always been CHS specific, not mandated by the state of Indiana. She said Indiana requires school districts to provide a good combination of instruction in literature, non-fiction, reading and speaking throughout a student’s high school years; however, they don’t need to have focused classes in those areas.

Piehl added that a recent evaluation of the district’s literacy program prompted this change, as it showed parents and students were looking for more choices in English classes. The school then cut the communications requirement in an effort to encourage students to take other English electives they might be more interested in.

Senior Grace Reisinger, who took etymology as an elective class in her sophomore year and had planned to take biblical literature as an elective this semester before dropping it to free up her schedule, said she thinks the requirement removal will accomplish this goal.

Reisinger said not having this speech and debate requirement would have allowed her to take a different English elective, L202.

SOFT SPOKEN: Senior Grace Reisinger tutors during SRT on Feb. 12.Reisinger helped tutor by peer editing a research essay.

“If I didn’t have to take a speech credit, I probably would not have taken AP Capstone Research and would have taken other English classes like L202,” Reisinger said. “I took AP Capstone Research because it counts as my speech credit and L202 did not.” Piehl said the school has received positive feedback from English teachers regarding this decision.

She said, “(The teachers) really seemed to like the change, as now they can offer more choices to students and maybe try to also find classes that would be the best fit for students.”

English teacher Amanda Richmond said she thinks public speaking is a valuable skill for students to learn whether they do so in a speech class or through other means.

did you know?

Glossophobia, also known as the fear of public speaking, affects almost 75% of people and is thought to present itself around the age of 13.

REMEDY HEALTH MEDIA SOURCE

Richmond said, “Everyone needs to know how to be comfortable speaking even to small groups—maybe not huge public venues, but we have a society that’s so bent on technology that we don’t really speak to one another. We also have a society that’s really bent on not communicating and really just yelling our points. So, (in) P155, the goal is really that you listen and that you speak in order to appeal in some ways to hostile people who don’t want to listen.”

Reisinger agreed and added that students can learn this skill through any English class at CHS. She said, “We do presentations and public speaking in every English class in high school. Taking speech is really nice and can be really cool because you

Q&A How does speech team differ from a speech class?

You gain the same skills of being able to be confident and courageous in expressing yourself, but I would almost argue that being on something like a speech team is more appealing because we have so much fun doing speech events that it feels like a game. It is something we enjoy. We literally do your greatest fear for fun.

Why are speaking skills important?

Public speaking skills are crucial to have as you grow up and start becoming more involved in society because communication is a skill that is relevant to every field. Whether you’re going into dentistry or law, you are going to have to be able to communicate.

mackenzie misterka, speech team co-captain and junior

RHEA ACHARYA Q & A, PHOTO

HILITE.ORG

We have a society that’s so bent on technology that we don’t really speak to one another.

We also have a society that’s really bent on not communicating with one another and really just yelling our points.

ENGLISH TEACHER AMANDA RICHMOND

can learn all the actual techniques. But I think that if you just need to learn how to speak in front of a group of people, any English class here will do that for you because all the classes are so big that you get that experience talking in front of a group of people.”

Despite speech not being required, Richmond acknowledged that students might choose to take P155 for potential college credit and thinks many students will still to enroll in it.

“You can get credit through IU for taking P155,” Richmond said. “It’s an awesome way to get cheap credit from IU so why not? If you have any interest in going to an in-state college, then P155 is a good choice for you.”

Reisinger, Piehl and Richmond agreed that with this change, it’s easier for students to explore English electives more interesting to them than communications classes without having to “double up” on English classes.

“We require students to take eight credits in English,” Piehl said. “We keep some pretty strict limits on seven of those, so we want to open up a little more options for the eighth credit to our students, knowing that (all English classes offered) are all some pretty great classes.” h

09

choose your own adventure Learn more about the different classes that now fulfill graduation requirements for a student’s seventh and eighth English credits

PICK EITHER PATH KEY FOR CLASSES

= prerequisite needed = full-weight course, can earn college credit

FULL YEAR COURSES

The following courses fulfill both the composition and miscellaneous English requirement that students must complete in their senior year in order to graduate.

COMPOSITION SEMESTER Advanced Composition

AP English Language and Composition

Students analyze authors’ rhetorics and create their own arguments with a focus on timed writes

In preparation for college writing courses, students will write multiple text-based compositions in both informal and formal tones.

This is an Indiana Academic Standards-based course

AP Capstone Research

W131

PREREQUISITE: AP CAPSTONE SEMINAR Students plan, execute and present research project.

AP English Literature and Composition

Students read novels, discuss poetry and learn how to write about literature in timed writes

Following IU’s curriculum for this class, students will learn how to integrate summary, critique, analysis, synthesis, research and documentation into their writing. This course is focused on academic writings

IB English (Second Year)

If you follow the blue boxes, you must take at least one class from each box

PREREQUISITE: IB ENGLISH (FIRST YEAR) Students discuss and analyze literary works

MISCELLANEOUS SEMESTER

= satisfied the previous communication requirement

*indicates class can be taken in 11th grade to fulfill credit

P155

Debate*

Speech*

American Literature*

Students will learn and perform different Students do research and present speech styles, focusing on their rhetoric, their argument in Public Forum, Lincoln-Douglas, and Congressional purpose and audience debate styles Students will prepare for and deliver multiple types of speeches to different audiences for different purposes

Classical Literature*

Students discuss mythology and other key features while reading classical poetry and prose

English Literature*

Students read and determine historial significance of a variety of literary works from Britain

L202

Students read and analyze American writing from the pre-Revolutionary war time period to present

Biblical Literature*

Students in a non-religious setting dissect the Bible as a literary text, focusing on plot, themes, characters, etc

Etymology*

Students learn Greek and Latin roots as well as connotative and denotative defintions of words, building their vocabulary

PREREQUISITE: W131, AP English score of Literary Movements* 4 or 5, SAT Reading 670+ or ACT Reading Students study trends and major 32+. Students study English literature & developments in both European and non-fiction American literary worlds RHEA ACHARYA GRAPHIC

CHS PROGRAM OF STUDIES SOURCE

10

FEB 21, 2020

Beyond the Book

Library undergoes major rennovations in effort to modernize EDWARD DONG STORY

T

he Carmel Clay Public Library (CCPL) announced plans for a complete renovation of the main library building at Fourth Avenue and Main Street, continuing a trend of construction in Carmel’s rapidly growing community.

Library director Bob Swanay said the current building was simply not meeting the needs of the community’s current population.

Swanay said, “There’s just been a lot of change and a lot has to do with technology. Some of the elements of this facility are still geared towards a ‘90s sensibility. We conceptually emptied out the building (and asked,) ‘How would we refill this library in 2020?’”

Swanay also said space was a growing constraint for the current facility.

“We have one sole programming room, and it maxes out at 100 people, and that’s not much for a city that’s hitting 100,000,” he said. “(After renovations,) we’re going from one programming room to a

much larger program room that can hold up to 400 people.”

Uredoojo “Uredo” Agada, Teen Library Council member and junior, said that while library is valuable to students, it is often under-utilized.

“I do see (the CCPL is) always busy after school (with) students meeting friends, studying, meeting with a tutor and things like that,” she said. “(But) people don’t know all the library can offer, (like) various databases and online (media) checkout.”

New additions include outdoor space for concerts and movies, a multistory parking structure with a skybridge to the library building at the site of the current parking lot and a driveup book return. The Digital Media Lab, currently located on Main Street in the Arts and Design District, will relocate into the main building and expanded to include additional recording booths and a video recording room.

The renovations, however, may mean an interim end to CHS’s convenient “on-campus” access to the library

Scan this to read about the new library branch on the west side

15 Read a story on the different functions of libraries and how they are changing over time

while renovations occur, as the library plans its move to a temporary location.

Swanay said, “A temporary location would be my preferred approach.

We could get this project done much quicker, (and) making sure that (the library’s) a safe environment (during construction) for all of our patrons and staff is going to be tricky.”

Ryan Ringenberg, social studies teacher and tutor, also expressed concerns about the temporary location. “It’s not going to be as convenient for students and they’ll probably lose some traffic. They might have to slowly regain the numbers after the renovations,” Ringenberg said.

Overall, Swanay, Agada and Ringenberg said the improvements are worth the cost and will improve the library experience for CHS students and the Carmel community.

“I feel like it’s a pretty important place,” Agada said. “They’ve definitely done a lot of talks and surveys with the community, so I feel like the plan they have is going to be pretty good.” h

mind map Check out the possible changes coming to the library in late 2020

Original building Expansion*

Parking Garage

Moving the Carmel Media Lab into CCPL, which includes 3D printers and 5 iMacs, and adding additional recording rooms and a video editing room *Layout is not finalized

Building a 253-space parking garage, which will increase available library parking to 435 spots.

Enlarging program rooms RILEY TERBUSH GRAPHIC CARMEL CLAY PUBLIC LIBRARY SOURCE

by the numbers

2015 the mobile library, ccpl2go debuted

116

years since the library has been established CCPL SOURCE

HILITE.ORG

11

Relatable Content

Next year’s English curriculum to incoporate more freedom of choice in literature KASSANDRA DARNELL STORY

S

tarting in the 2020-21 school year, the school board plans to implement a more diverse English curriculum throughout the district. This curriculum will expand the type of literature students read in their English courses and allow students more freedom of choice over the texts they read in class. Assistant Superintendent Amy Dudley said the purpose of this redesigning is to encourage engagement from students by providing literature that reflects the lives of students while expanding worldviews.

The change will affect all English courses throughout the district, but will not change standardized curriculums, such as AP and IB courses.

did you know?

In 2018 there were more children’s books published with animal protagonists than protagonists of color.

STUDENT LIBRARY JOURNAL SOURCE

“Really what you think about with literacy and what grows really good readers is that engagement,” Dudley said. “But our teachers would also guide them towards books that are what we call ‘mirrors.’ You can see yourselves in the books, (like) windows, so you can have other experiences through the books, and sliding glass doors, where you can actually get into the action of the books.”

Kathleen Overbeck, IB Literature HL teacher, said the best ways to encourage engagement from students is for them to be able to read stories they can connect to their own lives.

Overbeck said, “By allowing for more diversity in our texts and being BETRAYAL: Mofetoluwa “Mofey” Koya, senior and IB diploma candidate, listens to a group discussion in her IB Literature class about “Betrayal” by Harold Pinter.

According to Jennifer Rhodes, IB Literature A1 teacher, students answer questions of varying difficulty in order to better understand the different viewpoints offered within the play “Betrayal”.

VIYANG HAO PHOTO

more purposeful of including diverse perspectives... we allow students the opportunity to connect to the text they’re reading.”

A large factor in this new curriculum is the idea that reading texts that mirror their lives will help to engage students. Mofetoluwa “Mofey” Koya, IB diploma candidate and senior, said she agrees with the idea of relatable reading material leading to more engagement in class.

“I think as a person of color, just being able to see literature that’s from other parts of the world, not just American classics, (is important),” Koya said. “Especially for people who come from those countries, they can relate or see their own history in what they’re learning in class.”

Overbeck said the acknowledgment from the school board on the diversity within Carmel is a step in the right direction, allowing students to step outside of their current worldview and learn about other cultures.

“We do live in a very small Carmel bubble,” Overbeck said. “We’re kind of making that conscious decision that the more texts, the more types of texts and people and cultures and beliefs that we expose students to, the better off they’ll be as citizens of the globe.”

Koya said the literature she’s been exposed to in her IB Literature class has opened her eyes to other cultures that she was never engaged with, encouraging her to learn more about other cultures.

“It’s just important, with a lot of the reading in high school, it’s mostly American literature so they only get the perspective of American writers, American experiences. I feel like that can kind of limit your worldview by not reading anything from other countries or cultures,” Koya said. “It motivates people to learn.” h

feature F E B 2 1 , 2 0 2 0

Challenging Conversations As scheduling continues, students, teachers promote classes that test world views, incorporate discussions KIERSTEN RIEDFORD STORY

I

RAY MO PHOTO

n her junior year, current senior Sandiya Sajan said she came to the realization that all she had ever thought was instilled by someone else’s opinions. It was during her IB History of the Americas class, she said, when the teacher posed the question of whether native people were considered to be savages or not; the students then had to argue their opinion.

“This was one of my first introductions to IB History of Americas. It’s one of the first classes that we had with (Will) Ellery and he started off with (giving) us this article (on whether) natives are savages. (Ellery) said, ‘Read through it, and then tell me your opinions on them.’ We read through the article, and our first reaction was (natives are) obviously not savages,” Sajan said. “Then he asked us to define what natives (were) and we

were like, ‘Okay, they’re people who don’t really have the association with the world; they’re off on their own doing their own thing,’ and (Ellery’s) like, ‘Well, isn’t that what savages are? Isn’t that technically the definition of a savage? Someone who is off on their own or doing their own things?’

“And I stopped, and at first I panicked,” Sajan said. “In this era, you need to be politically correct, so I’m like, ‘Oh my God, that’s totally not the same,’ but I thought about it. That (was) what I (was) saying essentially, (and) that was insanely scary. So I’m sinking into this thought once I realized that that’s what I was saying. I stopped (and thought), ‘This is horrible.’ I thought I was a horrible person because I was like, ‘Is this what I actually think?’ But it’s really not; it’s really what people told you to think.”

Scan this to read a story about how CHS classes are helping students prepare for their careers

But as difficult as that moment was, Sajan’s experience is not unusual.

Many classes discuss in-depth and controversial topics; social studies teacher James Ziegler said that he suggests students who want to take classes that involve more in-depth conversations should go into their scheduling meetings with their counselors and request specifically to take classes like U.S. History, U.S. Government or AP U.S. Government and Politics.

“What I really encourage students to take is sociology. Again, I’m more of a liberal arts and kind of social studies (thinker)—that’s my preference. I’m biased in that sense. But high school and college sociology courses were always some of the most interesting and most productive conversations,” Ziegler said. “I know our sociology teachers here are great and

HILITE.ORG

DEEP DISCUSSION: Social studies teacher James Ziegler instructs the class during a socratic seminar in IB History of the Americas 3-4.

Many IB courses, such as IB History of the Americas, are discussion-oriented.

really foster a lot of strong conversations related to current issues and social issues in this country.”

For his part, social studies teacher Will Ellery, Sajan’s teacher during her junior year, said he suggests students take Theory of Knowledge.

He said, “I don’t want to limit (the options) to just that (class) because what you’re asking is specific to my perspective and my perspective is that every class is able to engage in critical thinking, practices and exercises. A lot of times it is because, quite frankly, we want kids to be engaged in what’s happening in the world.”

Ultimately, regardless of the specific class, Ziegler said he agreed with Ellery that students should be able to discuss controversial topics.

“If we don’t have these conversations at all, you might not ever hear another perspective; then you’re kind of isolating yourself or sheltering yourself. One of the biggest things why we are in the position we’re in in this country and seeing such a repeated history—at least especially on racial issues or other social issues—is because we don’t want to have these tough conversations as a society,” Ziegler said. “It’s better for us just to sweep it under the rug and just sometimes pretend they’re not taking place. And if we keep doing that, things aren’t going to change or systems that discriminate are going to be redesigned without people knowing.”

Q&A

For Sajan, these kinds of uncomfortable conversations are important for learning.

Ellery added, “(By talking about controversial topics in class) we’re educating the whole student, not just students in specific and limited content areas. Trying to set the classroom up in a setting where the kids are comfortable, engaging in topics that can be difficult, breaks down barriers in society and allows people to solve difficult issues and to consider things they may not have considered in a safe environment.”

“I think it hurts our learning when we don’t talk about these issues. Because, you know, there’s this thing about the ‘Carmel bubble’ or whatever, where we all live (with) this idea that we don’t know anything. I think part of the issue comes from teachers not engaging with kids about reallife issues that are happening in and out of our community on a national level,” she said. “Once you introduce those topics, I think it really helps kids grasp the extent of some issues or realize how close to home some issues are. I think it really helps students move away from indifference and actually learn to be passionate about something in the world.”

Ziegler said discussing these topics outside of school can help further a student’s passion for a topic or issue.

“I would just emphasize encouraging students to have these conversations outside of the classroom on their own, especially when students do research (on) a current political issue. They can gain a lot of knowledge on that, and I would say they’re immediately probably more knowledgeable on that topic than at least half

robert elder, ap u.s. history teacher RAPHAEL LI Q & A, PHOTO

How do you mediate classroom discussions to let people express their opinion without insulting anyone?

First, you have to establish the classroom environment that promotes respect. Students have to understand that their their positions are going to be heard. Discussions should be focused on the questions themselves and the ideas being discussed, not on the people offering the opinions or conducting the discussion.

discussion starters

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Take a look at some of the classes at CHS with a discussion focus Open to grade 11 12

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AP US History This course is for students who have a strong interest in U.S. history and strong writing skills.

IB History of the Americas This course focuses on the history of America the first year and 20th century issues the second.

IB Language A: Literature This course focuses on connecting literature with the real world. Students will analyze a variety of works.

IB Theory of Knowledge This course encourages students to consider diverse ways of knowing the role knowledge plays in a global society.

AP US Government and Politics This course will give students an analytical perspective on government and politics in the United States.

LILLIAN HE, LESLIE HUANG GRAPHIC CHS PROGRAM OF STUDIES SOURCE

Scan this to see the full Q&A with Robert Elder

the U.S. population,” Ziegler said.

“So don’t let your knowledge just die with you. If it’s an issue after you do research that you feel passionate about, bring those conversations up with your friends at the lunch table, or when you’re walking down the trail after school or when you’re chilling out somewhere because these issues impact all of us. I just don’t want to see those conversations isolated and stuck in classroom walls.” h

How do promote discussion and conversation, like socratic seminars, in your AP U.S. History classes?

It just depends on the question (being asked). Some questions students are relatively familiar with. For example, one example of a question which might be very good for socratic discussion would be: was the United States justified in dropping two atomic bombs on Japan following World War Two? That type of question is something that most people have considered at some point. Other ideas are better suited to in-class discussion because students are (still) developing their knowledge as they go.

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FEB 21, 2020

Library Lovers CCPL renovation reflects libraries’ attempt to meet changing needs of students LEAH TAN STORY

D

espite the common misconception that libraries are silent spaces for those who wish to solely read books, today’s libraries have transformed significantly to provide a wide array of services and resources for people of all ages. For students like Nicole Segaran, Teen Library Council (TLC) and senior, the Carmel Clay Public Library (CCPL) has been a vital part of her life, so the announcement of its renovation, which is currently underway, has had a significant impact on her.

“Libraries have worked hard to cultivate an atmosphere that can be versatile,” Segaran said. “It can either be a quiet place for studying and academics or be a fun community hangout place.”

The versatility Segaran mentioned is evident at the CCPL. In fact, according to a 2019 report released by the CCPL, the facility offered 1,869 academic and non-academic programs, ranging in target audience from children to senior citizens.

But regardless of the wide range of demographics, Jamie Beckman, young adult department manager, said the primary focus of the library is to target student needs specifically.

The library has a lot more to offer than just books, we have audio books, movies, access to databases and other research tools.

JAMIE BECKMAN, YOUNG ADULT DEPARTMENT MANAGER

In fact, the CCPL announced its renovation and expansion in 2019 to better serve Carmel’s growing needs by focusing on five key areas, one of which is the expansion of the teen space. Beckman said she attributes this to the lack of focus on the teenage demographic in the past, which has prompted an opposite reaction.

“When I was a kid, libraries failed to have teen departments,” Beckman said. “However, now, we are able to gear towards teens and assist them in their schooling career.”

A 2016 Pew Research Center survey found that while the percentages of people who use libraries for traditional activities like checking out books has dropped—from 73% in 2012 to 64% in 2016— other areas have expanded.

For example, according to the Pew Research Center, 27% of library users have attended classes or lectures at libraries in 2016,­an increase from the 17% who did so in 2015.

Even at CHS, the media center has transformed to cater to the needs of its students through the offering of new programs or simply serving as a social space. For media specialist John Love, catering to students has always been the top priority.

“We pride ourselves in wanting to be a center of activity and to have students be excited to come to the library, whether for curricular or non-curricular reasons,” Love said. “Sometimes, we can have over 200 students during SRT, so I think it’s important to realize that the media center is trying to adapt to the needs of its students.”

Segaran said she especially encourages other students to utilize the library’s free academic services that are specifically geared toward students.

“I found a lot of resources that the library is unique to have, all at

10 Read a story on the specifics of the new renovations and other changes coming to the Carmel Clay Public Library

a free expense,” Segaran said. “You have free SAT practice tests you can take, and a bunch of other non-traditional things like tutoring that are of extreme help to students.”

Despite this shift toward other non-traditional services, both institutions emphasized they still try to maintain traditional services.

“There’s still that curricular need for your traditional library, and I’m proud to say that we have a very healthy collection of these academic resources.” Love said.

website resources Take a look at some of the resources shown on the CCPL website Teens

Research

Digital Lab

ccpl2go

Attend

Attend

Teens • ACT/SAT Exam Prep • Scholarships • Scrabble Championship • Adult Winter Reading Challenge Research • Tax preparation and filing • Genealogy Lab • Shred Day

ccpl2go • mobile library with 2,800 items • visit ccpl2go.info or social media for stop schedule

The Digital Lab • five 27’’ iMac computers • WhisperRoom sound isolation booth • Equipment for podcasting • Software to edit graphics, video and music • Three 3D printers • Gallery space featuring art by local artists

GRAY MARTENS, SARAH ZHENG GRAPHIC

CCPL SOURCE

HILITE.ORG

But perhaps most significant is the CCPL’s opportunities for student volunteering and other community events.

For Ella Joliet, TLC member and sophomore, the library has provided a wide array of opportunities to get involved in the community via the student organization Teen Library Council.

“TLC is an organization made up of Carmel teenagers from eighth grade to seniors and we plan as well as attend events or programs at the library,” Joliet said. “In a sense, we just try to get everyone involved in the community because the library offers so much more than just books or things like that. But in more traditional ways, we recommend books and spread awareness among students.”

According to Beckman, the focus on teen leadership provides benefits for not only the students themselves, but also the library, showcasing a symbiotic relationship.

“For students, it helps them hone skills for college and life, and for libraries we can get better feedback and better serve their needs

based on the leadership’s suggestions.” Beckman said.

Overall, Beckman, Segaran and Joliet all said libraries are being underutilized by the target demographic despite the many different services and programs offered for those targets.

“The library has a lot more to offer than just books; we have audio books, movies, access to databases and other research tools,” Beckman said.

Joliet said, “Libraries have a purpose more than a space just for people who wish to study. It offers so many other things that are inclusive and benefit everyone like volunteering.”

The sense of community and opportunities gained from simply using the resources offered at the CCPL led Segaran to reflect on its importance in her life as her high school career comes to an end.

“The place I will miss most is the library; the people I’ve met and worked with have become some of my closest friends,” Segaran said. “It’s a great place with so many different opportunities for different focuses, so take advantage of that.” h

15

LIBRARY QUEST: (LEFT) Ella Joliet, Teen Library Council member and sophomore, volunteers in the QUEST Lab at the CCPL. The library offers a variety of volunteering opportunities for teenagers.

(RIGHT) Joliet sorts a play kit used for making circuits. This is one of the many fun games available in the QUEST lab and is another thing the library offers other than books.

SOWMYA CHUNDI PHOTOS

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FEB 21, 2020

Flip the Switch New research reveals blue light may not be as harmful as previously portrayed UMA KANDALLU STORY

ANGELA CHEN PHOTO

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hen sophomore Sophie Zhou arrives home from school each day, she takes a nap for a couple of hours before starting on her homework and then finally goes to bed around 1 a.m.

Depending on how much homework she has, she may stay up even later.

This routine means she has to look at blue light-emitting technology before she finally goes to sleep for the night.

She said, “(Since) I have more online homework, I tend to spend more timelens on is theclouded, computer tissue and Retine shrinks, do homework later at night, so I growth near would cornea get less sleep that way.”

waking light

NATHAN HUANG, WENDY ZHU GRAPHIC

Zhou said she does not think exposure to blue light before sleeping impacts the quality of her sleep and said she hasn’t noticed much difference between using blue light sources right before she goes to sleep and not using them.

This anecdotal evidence supports a recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Manchester which found that in fact, yellow light negatively affects sleep more than blue light. This confirmed the researchers’ hypothesis that darker light, like blue light, would mimic the darkness of

Scan this to read about the effects of smartphone use on eyes

twilight, and warmed-toned light, like yellow light, would mimic the brightness of daytime, ultimately causing yellow light to disturb one’s sleep more than blue light.

Despite these findings, blue light is often treated as more of a concern to our health than other colors because it contains more energy per photon of light. This means blue light is more likely to damage our bodies when absorbed by cells in higher doses.

Unlike Zhou, freshman Taehee Kim said he started actively trying to avoid contact with blue light before sleeping about two months ago.

Take a look at modern sources of blue light and its effects on the human body

SLEEPFOUNDATION.ORG, UV MEDICINE.ORG SOURCES

BLUE LIGHT AND SMARTPHONES

BLUE LIGHT AND THE BRAIN

relative emission intensity

These are the different night shift settings on an iPhone and the intensity of different colors of light for each setting 1.5

Night Shift Max

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Night Shift Medium

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Blue light suppresses the release of melatonin in the brain Our brains are naturally programmed to respond to blue light from the sun, which signals us to feel awake

Night Shift Off

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BLUE LIGHT AND THE EYES

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wavelength (nanometer) 23

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EXTREMETECH SOURCE

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Light causes tissue growth on the cornea Light is absorbed, creating cloudiness Light penetrates pigment, permanently harming the rentina.

HILITE.ORG

20/20 vision Learn about what blue light glasses are and how they work Prices can range anywhere from less than $20 to over $100

Special lenses may have a pale yellow tint and block or absorb blue light to reduce eye strain Kim said, “I read some articles and studies that show that blue light causes disturbances in my sleep, and I wanted to try it out to see if it really will help me get better sleep.”

Kim said he found he has been able to fall asleep much quicker and get a better night’s rest overall since trying to avoid blue light.

Derek Moser, health and wellness education teacher, said for him, being on his phone before trying to sleep is a major factor in the quality and amount of sleep he gets each night; however, he said that may be more due to it being a distraction than the type of light it emits.

“I try not to spend too much time on my phone before when I’m in

Trying to avoid blue light is not really something that I think about.

It’s more that I end up doing (online) homework at night, so I end up using sources of blue light (late at night).

FRESHMAN TAEHEE KIM

Meant to be worn during both day and night when using any device with blue light WENDY ZHU GRAPHIC ALLABOUTVISION, WEBMD SOURCES

bed. I think for me it’s more because I can spend an hour on my phone when I should be sleeping,” he said.

“So it’s kind of just getting rid of it and putting it down and away from me so I can’t grab it.”

Like Zhou, Kim said having more online homework leads him to stay up later at night in order to complete that homework.

“I believe that the more homework I have online—since I do homework later in the night—affects me since I try to stay away from it, but I can’t since most of my homework is online, so I have to reluctantly look at the blue light,” Kim said.

Additionally, Zhou said she believes reducing the amount of online homework could potentially help students’ sleep schedules.

“I get mostly online homework, and that’s changed a lot from last year, but I think that online homework is beneficial in some ways. You’re less likely to forget something at home, so you’re more accountable for having (the homework) done,” Zhou said.

Moser said that regardless of whether or not students view blue light before going to sleep, the overall impact that lack of sleep can have on a teenager’s developing body is immense. “(Sleep deprivation) causes more stress, physical ailments, illnesses and has a huge effect cognitively,”

Moser said. “It’s just not healthy; you really need sleep.”

Personally, Kim said even if the new study debunks blue light’s effect on sleep, he will still continue to avoid it, as he said it works for him and his sleep schedule.

“In the end, it’s just how my brain perceives it,” Kim said. “If it really doesn’t affect me that much, but I believe it does, I trick my brain and get a good night’s rest.”

Zhou said she normally ends up using blue light sources later at night due to procrastination and has not found any significant effects of blue light on the quality or amount of sleep she gets.

“Trying to avoid blue light is not really something that I think about,” Zhou said. “It’s more that I end up doing (online) homework at night, so I end up using sources of blue light (late at night).” h

17

LAPTOP LIGHT: Sophomore Sophie Zhou uses her laptop in the dark. She said she often gets online homework, which forces her to look at blue light at night.

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FEB 21, 2020

Another Course Recent studies show decline of Chinese-owned restaurants, bring light to cultural changes between generations of immigrants SOPHIA HAWKINS STORY

MARVIN FAN, RAY MO PHOTOS

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or almost 14 years, junior Emily Chan’s parents owned and operated a Chinese restaurant in Carmel. The restaurant was always like a second home to Emily; when she was in elementary school, she spent almost every day after school there, playing or finishing homework, and as she got older, she sometimes worked there on weekends.

Recently, however, Chan’s parents made the decision to sell the restaurant due to the physical and mental strain it put on the family.

“The restaurant in general is too much of a physical workload. Many of our dishes (were) handmade and made fresh, from the appetizers to the main courses,” Chan said.

“Any argu31 ment that happens there...will come back home, and that alone creates a lot of stress. On top of all of that, finding 421

by the numbers

36% of American adults eat Chinese cuisine at least once a month

54% of American chefs consider regional ethnic cuisine a hot trend STATISTA SOURCE

ethnic eateries 465

See the geographic distribution of Carmel’s local ethnic restaurants

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421

CHS

465

Chinese

Mexican

Thai

Italian

Indian

Greek

Vietnamese

French

Japanese

Spanish CHLOE SUN GRAPHIC GOOGLE MAPS SOURCE

employees also became difficult. Many don’t want to work in such a stressful and physical intensive environment.”

But in addition to the stress, Chan said she had no intention of taking over the restaurant in the future. And that, according to new research, is not unusual. Most locally-owned Chinese restaurants don’t get passed down from parent to child, and Chan said she thinks the reasons why her parents sold theirs may be the same reasons why the businesses aren’t staying in the families.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the most common field of work for first-generation Chinese immigrants like Chan’s parents is in the restaurant industry.

“It’s called the ‘cultural enclave,’” social studies teacher Michael O’Toole said. “So you’re looking for people, even though you’re looking in a new country, but if you don’t speak the language, or you have common religion, common interest (with others), it’s much easier...and (Chinese immigrants) had certain skills. They know that Chinese food is extremely popular in American culture, so they can open (a restaurant) up, (and) that way they can serve their community with actual traditional Chinese cuisine.”

Chan said when her mother first moved to New Jersey, she missed her home in China.

“When she was in a restaurant, like a Chinese restaurant, she (remembered) the food from back home,” Chan said.

“It almost felt like home in a way.”

The Census Bureau also found that the most common self-employment for the children of immigrants is in computer services, followed by dentistry and the arts. In fact, restaurant work doesn’t even make the top five.

Furthermore, data from Yelp shows that the overall number of Chinese res-

taurants in the United States has consistently declined in the past five years.

O’Toole said, “A couple things are happening there, either (the owners) are retiring, and their children have new educational opportunities and other ideas. (Or) because there were so many Chinese restaurants as well, it’s almost like a flooded market, so some of them will stay open, but some of them...should be shut down.”

Chan said she has seen this decline in Chinese restaurants firsthand.

“Many don’t want to work in such environments,” she said.

“Along with that, many Chinese restaurants are family-based and have been passed down from generation to generation. But nowadays, the Chinese children that grew up in restaurants, at least the ones that I know of, pursued different careers.”

HELPING HAND: 1. Junior Ben Lin helps his mom wrap a Flaming Shrimp dish. He said his family has owned the Wild Ginger on 116th restaurant since 2015.

2. Lin lights the Flaming Shrimp dish.

4. The Volcano Roll is a dish with avocado and crab meat served at Wild Ginger.

1

Junior Ben Lin’s parents have owned the Japanese restaurant Wild Ginger on 116th since they moved to Carmel in 2015. Lin may exemplify what Chan said she feels is the reason for the decline of Chinese-owned restaurants. He said he doesn’t spend much time at the restaurant and does not plan to take it over when they retire: his interests lie in computer sciences, and he knows that running a restaurant can be physically demanding and time consuming. Sometimes, he said, his mom comes home around 11 p.m.

Lin said the fundamental Chinese values of his parents were taught to him during his childhood.

“What they were taught culturally, when they were younger, they passed down to me and my sister,” Lin said.

However, the opportunities available to Lin and the interests he has de-

2

veloped are different from his parents’, and he will walk a different career path.

Chan said operating restaurants was one of the few opportunities available to Chinese immigrants coming to the United States, but that may not be the case for their children. “(More) often than not, many (Chinese immigrants) didn’t speak much English and missed home, so the ‘perfect’ place would be a Chinese restaurant,” Chan said, “but now, to many Chinese immigrants or Chinese-Americans, opportunities are endless and so are careers; you just have to work hard for them.” h SETTING UP SHOP: 3. Junior Ben Lin helps set the table at his family restaurant, Wild Ginger on 116th. He said he sometimes works with his mom at the restaurant on the weekends for a couple hours.

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23

A Leap of Time Sophomore Audrey Schuster celebrates “turning four” with a Leap Year birthday HANNAH GRETZ Q&A

VICTORIA NOPPORN PHOTO

Q&A sophomore audrey schuster

How does having a leap year birthday affect you?

How old are you turning and how will you celebrate?

I am going to be 16 (years old), or four in leap years. I don’t know of anything special I am doing this year.

I don’t really notice anything. When I was a little kid, I was embarrassed by it. Now, I think it’s kinda cool. When I am 80 (years old) I get to say I am 20, which is cool.

Since your birthday officially falls every four years, how do you celebrate?

Have you ever felt different because your birthday is not every year?

Normally I celebrate on both Feb. 28 and March 1, which is nice because I get two days to celebrate my birthday.

Not really. I remember when I was little, I was first starting to understand what a leap year birthday is, and my older cousins would make fun of me for only being one and I didn’t understand why because I thought I was four.

What is your favorite birthday memory?

Normally when I have a leap year birthday, my grandparents come over so that is something fun.

look before you leap In light of 2020 being a leap year, learn why leap years exist What is a leap year?

A year that occurs once every four years, that has 366 days including February 29 as an intercalary day Every leap year is divisible by 4 because of each 1/4 that the cycle is catching up with

Each regular cycle is 365.2422 days long, which rounds to 365.25

Julius Caesar Known as the “Father of Leap Year” He originally set the leap day on Feb. 25 The same year he began his reign, he changed the whole calendar

Feb. 29 is the day that is added into every leap year EMILY SANDY GRAPHIC NBC, HISTORY SOURCES

4 million people in the world are leap year babies Even with the leap year, every 4 years the cycle is behind by 11 minutes

He consulted with astronomers and reconstructed the calendar

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FEB 21, 2020

Humans of CHS

Students reminisce about favorite parts of year, memorable moments MARISSA RYAN, ANNA KLAUZ SPEAK-UPS, PHOTOS

SENIOR NICK KATSIS

SOPHOMORE LAUREN HUITSING AND FRESHMAN EVELYN GORDON

Senior schedule has definitely been one of the highlights of my senior year. I recommend everyone who is in a lower grade (to) try your best to get into the TCP Program. Having four classes a semester has let me be more flexible with my time and pursue other activities in and outside of school. DECA has been a big part of my high school experience and it allows me to spend more time on my projects.

We really enjoy going to the same church together every Wednesday and Sunday. This time of year, coming back to school from break can be hard, so we like to pray for each other and talk as much as possible. This makes Wednesday night church even more meaningful. At the youth group, we eat pizza or Chick-fil-A, then play games and listen to a sermon before splitting into smallgroup discussions. These small groups are the same throughout high school so we are very close. It’s really fun to get to hang out there and escape homework for a little bit.

JUNIOR BRETT BARNHART I think that junior year so far has been the hardest for me. I challenged myself with harder classes, but I think that I do a pretty good job balancing that and hockey. I play for the Carmel team. It’s a large time commitment for me, but I enjoy the sport so it makes it worth it.

SOPHOMORE DYLAN BOYER I was driving in Ohio, and it was going fine until I went to the first intersection and I really struggled with turning the car. A car going 60 mph was coming towards me and almost ran into me, I had to swerve into the neighbor’s yard to avoid getting hit

HILITE.ORG

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From the Dust Why is Ash Wednesday important to you?

EMILY SANDY SPEAK-UPS, PHOTOS

“When I was little, Ash Wednesday was really confusing (to me). But now I understand that we are dust and to dust we shall return. That’s what they say when ash is put on our foreheads. Having that explained to me was really impactful because we have a soul on this earth, and our soul is really what is going to last­—not our body.”

“It’s become one of my favorite times of year because last year I did a Lent challenge with my friends and now I always look forward to that. It gets me excited for the start of spring.”

Freshman Allison “Allie” Wolf

Sophomore Anne Conway “I always spend Lent trying to make big changes in my life whether that’s in personal goals or faith filled goals, and so it helps me to kick start that process.”

“It’s the start of the time where you can pick something to take a break from, and you can just focus more on God and not on the thing that was in your life, like taking a break off of soda, for example. I’ve grown up with it my whole life and it’s really done a lot for me.”

Senior Ellie Austin

Freshman Theo Curtis

ash bash Learn the many unique ways people celebrate Ash Wednesday worldwide UNITED KINGDOM Hundreds battle in a traditional “no rules” game called Shrovetide with the goal of getting a ball into one of two goals three miles apart in Ashnourne

UNITED STATES Fish frys are hosted for parishes to come together SPAIN “Cristo Alzado” procession takes place the day after traditional carnival celebrations, and people commonly wear red robes and cloths over their heads

CROATIA A Fašnik (large wooden doll) symbolizing all immoral conduct of the past year, is burned

GERMANY Carnival enthusiasts wash the wallets they’ve emptied during the days leading up to Ash Wednesday CHLOE SUN GRAPHIC BOSTON, CBC, EMERGING EUROPE, HUFFPOST, INDYSTAR SOURCES

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FEB 21, 2020

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r i ha s i i n th e v o l e

African-American students sport natural hair, celebrate Natural Hair Movement this Black History Month RIYA CHINNI, ANUSHKA DASGUPTA STORY

RHEA ACHARYA PHOTO

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FEB 21, 2020

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hen people ask senior Kiara Garcia if they can touch her hair, she’s never offended. Instead, she said she uses these situations as an opportunity to educate others about her natural hair texture. As a TrinidadianAmerican, Garcia’s hair differs from the straighter or smoother texture of the majority of CHS students. Instead, her natural hair is kinky, similar to the texture of many AfricanAmerican women’s hair.

“A lot of people will ask (me) if they can touch (my) hair. I totally understand where they’re coming from, because a lot of people who are not African-American have straighter hair textures, so my hair texture is an anomaly and they are interested in it,” Garcia said. “I personally feel like if I shut them down, that’s just going to

JOJOBA OIL INFUSED CONDITIONER The oil is used to moisturize the hair and scalp, strengthen the hair, provide certain vitamins and possibly fight dandruff

FLAXSEED ELONGATED CURLING GEL Ideally applied on clean wet hair, it is used to stimulate hair growth, prevent hair thinning and keep the scalp healthy

back to the roots Take a look at different hair types hair root

follicle shape

GROUP 1: STRAIGHT PRO: - ”Frizz Resistant” - Sleek and Shiny CON: - prone to oiliness

GROUP 2: WAVY PRO: - more volume CON: - prone to frizz - easily flattened

GROUP 3: CURLY PRO: - lots of volume, bounce CON: - prone to frizz - can look dull without using conditioner GROUP 4: COILED PRO: - enjoys movement - grows away from scalp CON: - prone to frizz, tangles - fragile KIERSTEN RIEDFORD, RHEA ACHARYA GRAPHIC SALON SECRET, THE TECH INTERACTIVE SOURCES

RHEA ACHARYA PHOTO ILLUSTRATION KIARA GARCIA, HEALTH LINE, AUSSIE HAIR SOURCES

add to the ignorance because if they don’t get to learn about my hair, how can I expect them to know about my hair and approach the topic in a more educated manner?”

Garcia’s acceptance of her natural hair reflects a greater national trend of African-American men and women who have stopped using hair relaxers or other products to alter the appearance of their natural hair; this phenomenon is more commonly known as the Natural Hair Movement. Candis Smith, lecturer in the Department of African American and African Diaspora Studies at Indiana University Bloomington, said the Natural Hair Movement’s origins arose with the Black Power Movement of the 1960s.

Smith said the movement came back in the early 2000s, and now, for a combination of reasons, it is stronger and more impactful than ever.

“It was like a perfect storm to many black women who had been relaxing their hair. They were just tired—tired of their hair falling out, tired of spending the money to do this thing that was hurting them,” Smith said. “I think they got tired of doing something that was hurting their scalp, hurting their health, hurting their pocketbook. Politics (is often involved with a movement). Black people really were fed up with being left out of political processes and wanted to just assert their original personhood.”

ROSEHIP OIL When massaged directly into the scalp, it prevents inflamation, dryness and dandruff

According to the most recent American Community Survey, about 2.68% of Carmel residents are African-American. Thus, many here may be unaware of the importance of hairstyles in African-American culture and history. Smith said hairstyles were the source of pride for many Africans: hairstyles represented class, marital status and the type of work one was engaged in. When Africans were enslaved and forced to come to the New World, the lack of time, unsanitary conditions and belief that hairstyles would “beautify” a slave (which was unacceptable in society, at the time) meant slaves were not able to continue maintaining their hair. This suppressed the individuality and pride associated with African hair in the United States.

Not only did America suppress this expression of African culture, but it also created a general sentiment that African hair was not beautiful or normal.

Senior Babacar Diatta, who moved to the United States from Senegal when he was six months old said he’s even seen this attitude

HILITE.ORG

HAIR CARE: (LEFT) Senior Kiara Garcia’s main hair products sit on her bathroom counter while she does her hair routine.

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(RIGHT) Garcia looks at herself in her bathroom mirror as she goes through her hair routine.

SHRUTHI RAVICHANDRAN PHOTOS

within Carmel. Like Garcia, he has also had multiple experiences where people ask to touch his hair or even touch his hair without asking.

He said, “I’ll get a haircut and just go really short because that’s a really common hairstyle where I’m from, and a lot of people will be like, ‘Oh, dude, you just went bald. What happened?’

So I think, personally, there’s definitely still a lot of ignorance with AfricanAmerican natural hairstyles. But it definitely is getting better year by year.”

did you know?

On average, AfricanAmerican women spend $1114 on their hair every year.

INSTYLE SOURCE

Diatta also added he feels African-American men have an easier time gaining acceptance for their hairstyles than women.

“What’s happening on the male side is that the natural hairstyles that African-Americans are having are being seen as super, super cool and actually being adopted by Caucasians,” Diatta said. “At the same time, everyone needs to make sure that they’re just being completely conscious, that they’re not being

offensive and they’re not just taking the culture just because they like it—they have a true appreciation for the culture.”

While Smith said she agreed this trend may be true for younger people, it isn’t necessarily true for working professionals.

“If you’re in corporate America and you’re an African-American male and you are going to be sporting (dreadlocks), I think (acceptance) depends on the company,” she

chillin’ out

Learn how hair relaxers work, changes they make to hair CROSS SECTION OF CORTEX

BEFORE HAIR RELAXER cortex

cortex is the inner layer of the hair responsible for its strength

fibrils oil cuticles

cuticles

RHEA ACHARYA GRAPHIC

CREAM CRACK SOURCE

AFTER HAIR RELAXER fibrils

fibrils expand because of increased porosity

cuticle lifts due to pressure from expanded fibrils

cuticle is stripped of oil so weaker

30 F E B 2 1 , 2 0 2 0 said. “If you’re younger and in school, (people may) readily accept it. But once you get out and you are working professional, there are only certain sectors of the workforce that are going to accept that.”

Still, both Diatta and Smith said they agreed the movement has had a greater impact on African-American women than men.

Smith said, “(The movement has) had more impact on females because female appearance is much more scrutinized than male appearance. However, I will say that I think the Natural Hair Movement has led many men to be more accepting of black women and their natural hair and it has also inspired some black men to experiment with different hairstyles.”

As president of the Carmel African Culture and History Club, Garcia said the Natural Hair Movement not only encourages African-Americans to love themselves for who they are, but also demonstrates how something as simple as a hairstyle can be integral to an African-American’s individuality.

She said, “(The Natural Hair Movement) is such a beautiful thing to see. I’m so proud that people are willing to embrace that part of themselves. I’ve experienced it myself for a long time, having hair like this is considered chaotic or messy or not the norm, so it’s really nice for people to finally just have their hair in its natural state. Everyone should have the right to feel comfortable sporting

Black hair care became a billion dollar industry.

March 10, 2006

split ends See the sales of different specifically African-American hair products in recent years = amount sold in 2008 = amount sold in 2013 HAIR RELAXER SALES $206 million $152 million SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER $211 million $257 million STYLING PRODUCTS $220 million $268 million HAIR COLORING PRODUCTS $32 million $36 million RHEA ACHARYA GRAPHIC MINTEL SOURCE

did you know?

At their peak, hair relaxers formed a $750 million industry.

CURLCENTRIC SOURCE

what they were born with because that’s all they have.”

Freshman Kiah Jackson said she agreed with Garcia that the Natural Hair Movement has been beneficial for the African-American community.

“People were judged before about wearing their natural hair out, even though people of other races could do it without anyone saying anything,” Jackson said. “So

Sesame Street featured a skit featuring the song “I Love My Hair” with an African-American puppet with natural hair.

Oct. 19, 2010

hair growth Take a look at significant events related to natural hair

it’s like, ‘Why should I have to add something to my hair to make it acceptable to the community?’”

Additionally, Smith said the movement’s impact is not only seen in America, but also in Africa.

“This Natural Hair Movement in the United States has, oddly enough, influenced continental African women (to) be proud of their natural hair. You might assume they would automatically be proud, but unfortunately, many have not been. In fact, that is what is going on now in Botswana and other African countries that were formerly colonized

by Europeans. The Natural Hair Movement has inspired many parts of the Motherland,” she said. “It is inspiring for women in Africa to re-embrace and love their natural locks.”

Though the Natural Hair Movement has allowed for greater acceptance of African-American hairstyles, Diatta said he still feels there is a long way to go before his traditional hairstyle is as appreciated and recognized as traditionally Caucasian hairstyles.

The Natural Hair Braiding Protection Act passed by the Governor of Arkansas.

March 15, 2015

CALINA HE, RHEA ACHARYA GRAPHIC NEW YORK TIMES, USA TODAY, TIME TOAST, ACADEMY OF MOTION PICTURE ARTS AND SCIENCES SOURCES

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Read a column on recent events that led to another group of people being discriminated against

He said, “I’d just like to see a little bit more recognition for African-American hairstyles here. I think there definitely is some, but I think definitely Carmel could do a little bit better of a job of really promoting and saying African hairstyles are beautiful, too.”

Smith echoed this idea, and said, “If you’ve got hair on your head, then good—there’s no such thing as good hair… I think that people need to realize that (the idea that) European standards of beauty—straight, long hair that is usually of a lighter shade or blonde—(are beautiful) and (hair) that is wavy or coarse or kinky is bad or unkempt; that’s just an incorrect assumption. People outside the black community and even inside the black community, need to have a broader idea of what is (considered) beautiful.”

Jackson said she agreed that even within the African-American community, there is a lot of diversity in hair textures and that the movement

DAILY BRUSH: Freshman Kiah Jackson applies hair gel using a brush to lay her edges. Jackson said there is a lot of diversity even within the African-American community, so it can be hard to find products for specific hair types.

She said, “I personally have a kinkier hair texture, and right now the movement, it’s not that it’s all based on looser hair, but it’s harder to find things with kinkier hair, so that would be great.”

can continue to expand to be more representative of all hair types.

She said, “I personally have a kinkier hair texture, and right now the movement, it’s not that it’s all based on looser hair, but it’s harder to find things with kinkier hair, so that would be great.”

For Garcia, who said she used to wear her hair in braids or straightened, her own journey with accepting her natural hair has been challenging, but she said she’s come to love her current hair.

Though Garcia received several negative comments from others who called her hair “chaotic” or “messy,” she said she knows this criticism is due to ignorance because the comments came from people who compared Garcia’s hair to straighter hair.

Regardless of this judgement, Garcia said she chose to continue sporting her natural hair.

“I had that moment (earlier) in life when I didn’t want to try and be anything that I’m not, and I knew that my hair naturally wasn’t straight,” she said.

“You should

wear your hair how you want to wear it. I personally wear my hair natural because that’s who I am and I want to work on embracing myself, but more power to you if you want your hair straightened or relaxed; there’s nothing wrong with that. But make sure that you’re (choosing a hairstyle) for you and only you.” h

not-so-short hair routine Scan this to watch the short film on YouTube Academy Award for Best Short Film 2020 Title: Hair Love Written by: Matthew A. Cherry Synopsis: An animated short film about an African-American who learns how to do his daughter’s hair

CALINA HE PHOTO

High school wrestler Andrew Johnson forced by his referee to cut his dreadlocks.

Dec. 21, 2018

Miss Universe winner Zozibini Tunzi mentioned her hair in her final statement. She said, “I grew up in a world where a women who looks like me, with my kind of skin and my kind of hair, was never considered beautiful.”

Dec. 8, 2019

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The short film “Hair Love” won an Oscar for animated short to recognize black hair.

Feb. 9, 2020

entertainment

FEB 21, 2020

Conversation for a Cause WHJE to host first ever Riley-a-Thon,marathon broadcast to raise money for Riley Children’s Hospital CHRISTIAN LEDBETTER STORY

KIMMI VASIL PHOTO

MICHELLE LU GRAPHIC

D

uring the week of Dance Marathon, this Sunday to next Saturday, viewers can tune in to WHJE for the first ever Riley-a-Thon. During Riley-a-Thon, WHJE will help raise funds for Dance Marathon and Riley Children’s Hospital through special broadcasts where it will invite kids from Riley to tell their story on air.

Jesse Cooper, WHJE staff member and junior, will organize and oversee the event with the help of other students.

Cooper said her inspiration for organizing this event was to give back to Riley, where she had received treatment for Hodgkin’s lymphoma last year.

“I spent six months at Riley constantly; I was always there and everything they did for me changed my life,” Cooper said.

“I wouldn’t be here today without them. I really just wanted to dedicate my 2020 to raise awareness, raise money and just do things for the kids that are still there.”

Cooper said she had been thinking about the idea since coming back from summer break when she helped raise money for WHJE’s music festival, “Last Rock of Summer.”

She said, “Instead of raising money for WHJE, I thought, ‘why don’t we use our platform for a good cause

for the kids Here’s a checklist of the things you can do to support the cause Make a donation via WHJE’s website (www. whje.com) through Feb. 29 Listen to WHJE from Feb. 23-28 to hear stories of Riley kids, staff and families On Feb. 29, listen all day to the broadcast and celebrate the kids At 4:00 p.m. on Feb. 29, attend Dance Marathon or listen to the live broadcast on 91.3 WHJE WHJE SOURCE

and support such a great place that (CHS is) supporting?’” She said that experience helped her to do what she does now with Riley-a-Thon.

Cooper said her original goal was to raise $1,000, but that number has expanded. She said, “I’m hoping to exceed my expectations; I think we can get somewhere around $5,000.”

According to Chris Elmore, WHJE staff member and junior, Cooper raised $400 through presentations in the WHJE classroom alone through sharing stories.

Elmore said he has known Cooper since seventh grade and said her diagnosis last year was hard news for everyone who knew her. Without Riley, he said he wasn’t sure if she’d still be here.

“I don’t know what shape she’d be in and so I’m eternally grateful to Riley that they’ve helped her on the path that she’s on and she’s doing so well,” he said. Elmore said he will also help spread awareness for the Riley-a-Thon with the show he hosts, “Elmore’s World.”

Cooper said she plans to host another Riley-a-Thon next year as a senior, but she said she is not sure about the future of Riley-a-Thon after that.

WHJE adviser Dominic James said he is sure it will continue during the 2020-2021 school year and possibly after that.

“We’re delighted that Jesse is well and is well enough to do these things,” he said. “But there are other students in the radio station who have also been to Riley and (it means a great deal to them, so I think (the show) h will stick to them as well.”

GOING LIVE: Jesse Cooper, WHJE staff member and junior, practices broadcasting for the Riley-a-Thon on WHJE radio.

Cooper said she hopes the Riley-a-Thon will continue as an annual event even after her graduation.

Scan this to read a story on WHJE’s Last Rock of Summer

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Behind the Curtain

Youth America Grand Prix allows for opportunities despite monetary commitment, demonstrates underrated work ethic demanded in dance CHLOE SUN COLUMN, SUBMITTED PHOTO

I

t’s early in the year, and for many or dresses for contemporary solos dancers, the Youth American are also around $100.

Grand Prix (YAGP) looms on However, it would be ignorant the horizon. As the world’s largest innot to acknowledge the incredible ternational student ballet competition opportunities YAGP yields. Even for and scholarship program, YAGP althose like me who don’t plan to make Scan this lows for great growth and experience, a career out of dance, the experience to read the but it comes at a price that the public of training alongside others, performdoes not often appreciate. ing on stage, getting direct feedback full column YAGP reaches over 12,000 dance from professionals, meeting other students (ages 9 to 19) annually dancers and attending master classes through semifinal competitions in makes YAGP priceless. For those 25 U.S. cities and eight international who do consider dance a career oplocations. At these regional competion, if they place in the semifinals titions, dancers perform in solos, and finals, they can be noticed partners and/or ensembles. Alby large dance companies that though these performances offer scholarships and invitaonly last for about three to five tions to participate in their minutes, preparing them often summer intensives and even takes a year or more. to join their companies.

From what I have observed As a student, juggling the as a six-year participant from effort put into training and Indiana Ballet Conservafor this major comTUTU UNDERRATED preparing tory (IBC), after selecting a petition while also keeping piece to perform, under the supervision of a coach, dancers must learn or choreograph the routine and perfect each movement to the best of their ability and technique. These private rehearsals are scheduled at least twice a week, and combined with taking normal classes to stay in shape, many of the dancers of IBC spend around 10 hours a week or more working toward YAGP, building up enough stamina to endure the strain on their muscles as they perform jumps, turns and feats of the human body, all while still maintaining their character, technique and smile.

With lessons, rehearsals and costumes, YAGP inevitably impacts the wallet. Entrance fees for semifinals are $95, with $110 for each solo and from $45 to $110 per person in group dances. Costumes are expensive as well—tutus range from $100 to $500, and simple leotards

up with the general school workload and clubs is incredibly demanding; however, the experience YAGP provides is well worth it. Furthermore, the amount of discipline, perseverance, time-management and confidence preparing for YAGP takes should be as appreciated as any other athletic activity. Dance is arguably a sport in its own given the physical and emotional strength as well as the training it demands, all hidden under costumes and smiles, and it deserves so much more acknowledgement and respect. h The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff.

Reach Chloe Sun at csun@hilite.org.

UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT: Dancer and sophomore Chloe Sun performs her contemporary solo “Autumn Leaves” at the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) Regional Semifinals in Indianapolis. Sun has participated in YAGP for six years.

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FEB 21, 2020

Much Ado About Shakespeare As the Ides of March draws nearer, students, director of Much Ado About Nothing challenge stigmas of Shakespearian literature EMILY CARLISLE STORY

VERONICA TEETER PHOTOS

“A

ll the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” The actors at Civic Theatre are living by this quote from William Shakespeare’s “As You Like It” as they prepare to perform one of the most beloved Shakespearean works, “Much Ado About Nothing”, which plays February 7 through tomorrow.

“Much Ado About Nothing” is a classic love story, set after a war in Sicily.

However, according to the director of the show, Emily Rogge Tzucker, one of the fun yet challenging parts of producing one of the Bard’s plays is deciding where to set it.

“You often have to figure out a setting for the play. You don’t always have to put it in Renaissance costumes and someplace in Italy,” Tzucker said.

“You’ve got to think about a place and a time that highlights the story and makes sense, so the setting doesn’t distract from the actual work.”

Julia Ammons, actress in the production and senior, said Tzucker placed the show in the furthest place from Sicily in the 16th century.

“Picture what you normally think would be in a Shakespeare production; like monologues and HAPPY TO HELP: Stephanie Johnson (LEFT) and senior Julia Ammons (RIGHT), actresses in the Civic Theatre’s “Much Ado About Nothing,” stand at the ready in their maid costumes during the opening scene. Ammons said she believes it is important to keep Shakespeare alive even if it takes effort to read his works.

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grandeur and traditions, except we’ve set it in 1940s Los Angeles,” Ammons said. “So (Tzucker) made one of the main characters, Leonardo, a big movie producer. It is set at his big mansion in L.A. And as soldiers are coming home from war, World War II, in this case, they return to a city as opposed to an island in Italy.”

Tzucker said she knew exactly what she wanted when it came to the show’s setting.

“I knew that I wanted it to have an American setting to make it more accessible to our audience.

And the play happens right at the end of the war, so I had to figure out a time in American history that was at the end of a war,” Tzucker said. “The play is a romantic comedy and romantic comedies are always fun and everybody’s a little glamorous; it’s not very rough and edgy. Plus romantic comedies in America really became a big thing in the 1940s right when World War II ended. So for me that seems like the perfect time period.

“There’s also dancing in most Shakespeare comedies,” Tzucker added, “I wanted a time period that had great styles of dance, it just really just fit exactly what I had in mind.”

But it is not just the location that can challenge audiences. Chloe Wareham, co-president of the CHS Shakespeare club and junior, said that she

MAY I HAVE THIS DANCE: Julia Ammons (CENTER), actress in the Civic Theatre’s “Much Ado About Nothing” and senior, dances with actor Jonathan Doram during a dress rehearsal on Feb. 6. The dance takes place in celebration of the wedding between Claudio and Hero during the ending of the play.

has seen a disconnect between students and the Bard because of language, too.

“Some people treat (Shakespearean dialect) like it’s a whole different language. But the stories and the language are interesting, even if it is hard to understand,” Wareham said. “It definitely takes a little bit of practice, but it’s not really too labor-intensive. A lot of times I’ll read through a passage and then if I’m feeling a little bit lost, then ‘No Fear Shakespeare’ (a website geared to help translate classical literature to modern English) is always my friend.”

Ammons said she also noticed a stigma surrounding Shakespeare.

“I think there’s a big stigma around Shakespeare being bor-

five by five Take a look at how to read iambic pentameter Iambic Pentameter: a basic rhythm that closely resembles everyday speech or a heartbeat. It allows playwrights to imitate regular speech in their verses

Shall I

compare

Unstressed (short) syllable followed by a stressed (long) syllable

thee to

a sum

mer’s day?

Total of five sets of stressed and unstressed syllables, for a total of 10 syllables TESSA COLLINSON, GRAY MARTENS GRAPHIC NO SWEAT SHAKESPEARE SOURCE

35

ing. People don’t understand the literature and the phrasing in the dialect, but I think it is important to keep that literature alive even if it requires a little more work on the reader’s part,” she said. “We have so many shows nowadays that are very progressive. ‘Dear Evan Hansen’, for example, has screens onstage to add to the digital feel of the set.

But Shakespeare is just as interesting and it is so important to keep what theater was founded in alive.”

Tzucker also said she believed keeping this pillar of Western literature alive was important.

“I am a college professor, I’m an actor and a director, but I imagine many high school teachers struggle with making students understand the importance of these texts,” she said. “Everyone is so engaged in their screens that this type of story can just take you away from all of that. I also think that Shakespeare’s plays or any play for that matter were ultimately written to be performed. When they were written, they weren’t written in book form.

Each actor just had their lines with the cue from the previous person, which to me especially says they were meant to be performed. So seeing them either in movie form or live on stage is a great way to make the content more accessible.” h

For the Win!

KASSANDRA DARNELL STORY

Y

Show choir competitions are beneficial for choir students

EMILY SANDY, VERONICA TEETER PHOTOS OLIVIA CHILDRESS GRAPHIC

umi Colombo, Accents member and junior, spends her SRT in room P118 working with her choir director to perfect the dances the Accents are learning for their competition set. When Colombo isn’t in SRT for choir, she also attends required evening rehearsals, where she gets to sing and dance with her closest friends. All of this effort is put forth to ensure she’s doing her part to help the Accents be the best they can be on competition days—like the competition in Chicago on March 5.

Colombo said while preparations for the four competitions the Accents participate in can be stressful, the choir’s hard work is worth it because these competitions allow choir members to work toward a bigger purpose, which alternatively helps them to bond and become closer as a group.

“I think competition is a great way to bond because when you are on your way to a competition, when you are on buses, when you’re preparing and having those sets, you have the mindset of

CHOREOGRAPHY CRAZE: Yumi Colombo, Accents member and junior (left) along with other members of Accents practice the set choreography during a Wednesday night rehearsal.

Colombo said practicing long hours has motivated the choir to work towards improvement as well as create a close bond among the girls.

having one common goal and we’re one team that needs to get to that goal, you definitely bond more because you are all trying to get to the same thing, which is just winning or trying your best or having fun,” Colombo said.

However, it’s not just about hanging out with friends or winning a trophy for members of Carmel Choirs.

Kyle Barker, associate director of choirs, said he uses competition as a tool to help choir students achieve a greater goal of excellence. Preparing to compete helps members of Carmel Choirs pay more attention to detail, helping them to become better performers overall.

“We have a lot of ways to try and motivate people and get them to be the best versions of themselves, and competition is a great way to do that,” Barker said. “When you’ve got the extra goal of knowing you’re going to be judged by people that are highly qualified in the field, you’re going to be seen by schools across the country and you’re going to be going up against them too,

it makes your work process—just like a sport—it’s going to make that process that much more intense. You’re going to be more detail oriented. You’re going to rehearse more frequently.”

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For Emme Walschlager, Allegro member and senior, rehearsing for competition has changed her outlook on choir. Prior to this school year, Allegro only competed as a concert choir.

This year, however, they will be participating in one show choir competition.

But this is Walschlager’s first year competing in a choir.

“I feel like I have a bigger purpose.

I feel like it’s more fun prepping for things outside of regular concerts,” Walschlager said. “It’s fun to have our own individual things and to have our own individual set that’s catered towards us.”

Walschlager said she feels that working toward a competition has caused her choir to become closer as a family and also helped members of Allegro to work harder because they’re working towards a higher goal.

“I feel as if we’re working harder because we’re working towards something bigger than just ISSMA or just a song we’re performing at one of our concerts. It’s something that we’re all excited about,” Walschlager said.

“I think that having a competition, even if it’s just one for Allegro, is important because it bonds us together and kind of helps make a community amongst us because we’re working together more than we would’ve been in the past.”

This year is Colombo’s second year competing at show choir competitions and said that while she does enjoy competing and loves how much closer she feels with her fellow members of Accents because of it, she feels the competition mindset can get out of hand and become toxic.

“Competition is easily toxic if you are the one to increase that toxicity or you’re the one to help it grow,” Colombo said. “But if you’re the one who focuses on the positivity and the greatness of competition, it can improve the whole environment and make everyone else feel more positive. It’s all about mentality. If you have the right mentality, usually competition is fun and nice.”

When it comes to how competitive competitions can be, Barker said WORK HARD, SING HARD: Emme Walschlager, Allegro member and senior, sings during her choir class. Walschlager said competing allowed the choir to work harder towards a higher goal.

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ready, set, go!

Take a look at the sets of the CHS competition choirs

Ambassadors Theme Moulin Rouge Songs La Vie en Rose (Edith Piaf) Lady Marmalade (Moulin Rouge)

Accents Theme Mothers and Daughters Songs Mom (Meghan Trainor) Don’t Tell Mama (Cabaret)

Allegro Theme Make It Shine Songs Make itShine (Victorious) Original (SMASH) Zazz (The Prom)

New Edition Theme California Dreamin’ Songs California Gurls (Katy Perry) LA Devotee (Panic! at the Disco)

Competitions Chesterton, IN Indianapolis, IN Chicago, IL Brownsburg, IN KATHERINE KOUNS SOURCE

he believes that while it can be difficult to try not to focus too much on winning, competition at its core is about helping choirs achieve a higher bar of excellence that wouldn’t be possible without competing.

“There’s a lot of speculation amongst music teachers about whether competitive music is something that should be fostered because the whole idea of the love of music and the expression it creates is something that sometimes differs in areas of competition, but I feel like you’re able to (love and express music) better when you’re a better ensemble and if this helps us get there, then great,” Barker said. “I think it can be dangerous if the only goal is the trophy, but I feel really strongly that it’s a really good tool to use. h

Scan this to learn more about the Carmel Choirs program

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FEB 21, 2020

Entertainment Spotlight

In a Dae’s Work

Junior Ellie Barnett sings for YouTube group Dae3 CHRISTIAN LEDBETTER Q & A VERONICA TEETER PHOTO

When do you find time to record with your group?

(My group mates) live in Nashville (Tenn.) I live here now, so it’s whenever I come. Every three months we film five videos.

How do you choose video ideas or songs to cover?

We usually film three videos whenever we’re together and we all choose what we want to do. We usually try to stick to what’s popular at the time.

Scan this to see Dae3’s Youtube channel

Were there YouTubers who inspired you to create Dae3?

There is this girl group called Cimorelli. They reached out to us after our third video and they invited us to their Halloween party. So we went over there; it was really cool and we got to meet all of them and then we hung out with those girls a lot.

YOUTUBE SENSATION: Junior Ellie Barnett records a video of her singing a cover. Barnett, along with two others from Nashville (Tenn.) formed the group Dae3 where they post videos on YouTube.

HILITE.ORG

Entertainment Briefs

39

NATALIE KHAMIS BRIEFS

ComedySportz ComedySportz Match Today: 7 to 9 p.m.

Studio Theater

MAKE ME LAUGH: Babacar Diatta (middle), ComedySportz member and senior, performs during a ComedySportz match in the Studio Theater.

ComedySportz will host a home match today starting at 7 p.m.

VERONICA TEETER PHOTO

Upcoming Concerts United Sound Performance at Music For All March 14: 7 p.m.

Clowes Hall

UNITED WE PLAY: Sarah Carrillo, new musician and senior, plays the violin during a United Sound rehearsal after school. United Sound will perform with band and orchestra students at the Music For All concert on March 14.

KIMMI VASIL PHOTO

Choral Showcase March 4: 7 to 9 p.m.

Scan this to buy tickets to all upcoming performing arts events

CHS Auditorium

Jazz Expressions March 13: 7 to 9 p.m.

CHS Auditorium

sports

FEB 21, 2020

Running the Point

As men’s basketball team enters playoffs, shortest players share how they control game despite basketball being “tall man’s sport” ASHWIN PRASAD STORY, GRAPHIC MAN-TOMAN: Jackson Jannsen, shooting guard and senior (2), tracks down Lawrence North guard DJ Hughes as Connor Gioia (3), point guard and junior, and Peter Suder, guard and sophomore (10) look on. Jannsen recorded two steals in that game, and said he has worked on improving his defensive effort to compensate for his lack of vertical height.

O

NICK BECKMAN PHOTOS

ne of the marvels of basketball is the height of the athletes. At 6 feet, 10 inches, John-Michael Mulloy ‘19 was the centerpiece of previous Carmel basketball teams, and the players on the varsity men’s basketball team this year are all over six feet tall.

All, that is, except for one: Connor Gioia, point guard and junior.

Gioia is 5 feet, 9 inches tall, but Gioia said he makes up for his lack of height in other ways.

Gioia said, “Obviously there are a lot of bigger guys, but I would say, in terms of compensating for (my height), I’m quick. I would say that I’m one of the faster guys, so that helps when I’m not as tall. (It’s also) just being smart when you’re on the court, kind of knowing when to drive and stuff like that because I’m

drawing it up See through the eyes of guard Connor Gioia as he dribbles through a pick-and-roll A teammate blocks Gioia’s defender, opening up space.

Gioia can pass or take it all the way to the basket.

Pass

Gioia’s Movement

CHS

Opponent

not going to go in and shoot with big trees in the lane, so (you have) to understand what you can and can’t do. (As a result), high basketball IQ and speed are my two biggest strengths on the court.”

Assistant coach Richard Conley praised Gioia’s versatility and his strong command of the game.

“Connor does everything for us,” Conley said. “He takes care of the ball, which is really important in a high school basketball game, and gets us started on offense. Defensively, we can put him on one of the better guards on the other team, and he loves to go out there and shut that guy down.

“He can hit shots at times, but he takes his role as a distributor first and foremost. I think percentagewise, he might even be our leading 3-point shooter,” Conley added.

Jackson Jannsen, combo guard and senior who stands at 6 feet 1

COACHESCLIPBOARD SOURCE

inch, said he makes up for his lack of height with his accuracy and volume from the 3-point line, and builds his entire game off his shooting.

He said, “I have always been a guard since I’ve always been a great shooter, so the shooting guard is the most natural position for me. I can handle the ball (from) time to time; working on that has really developed my skills on the court and complemented my shooting.”

Jannsen said conditioning and experience have helped him adjust to the physicality of high school basketball, especially among bigger players. “I’m used to the height difference now. Freshman year I was (a) really small (and) skinny person.

Through the years, with APC (advanced physical conditioning) and the coaches helping me lift, I’ve gotten used to the big guys’ manhandling down in the paint. It’s a lot easier now for me being small

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back in the day, now I can handle the pressure,” he said.

Gioia said he has consistently been among the shortest players on his team, and played point guard for his entire basketball career. He added that the demands of his position have come naturally to him. “(Throughout), I would say (my job was) just making sure that all the other guys are doing what they need to do,” he said. “(I had to understand) that it’s my role that if guys don’t understand something, I need to get them in a position where they can succeed on the court.

“This is the first year that I have to do it all on a bigger stage,” Gioia added.

Gioia shed more light on the decisions and thought processes of the point guard position, giving an example of a typical possession.

“First thing you’ve got to really do is assess the defense and see what they’re doing, (whether they’re playing) zone or man,” he said. “It depends on whether we’re in a play or we’re not, but I just have to kind of start the offense, and then from there you do your best whether you’re passing, screening or even scoring to get a bucket.”

Jannsen’s role is slightly different. He said his main job is to stretch defenses with the threat of his shooting by standing beyond the 3-point line, opening up the middle for the scorers.

“Spacing is the number one thing (I do) for the team; others will do the creating. I try to get (guard and sophomore) Pete Suder the ball for his drives; he’s a really good player and he can do whatever he wants.

By spacing the floor for everyone, I can get a kick-out to the corner and shoot a three,” he said.

Conley acknowledged Jannsen’s shooting prowess, but he also high-

Scan this to read about guard and sophomore Peter Suder

lighted his continued efforts to diversify his game and further compensate for his height and frame. “(Jannsen’s) always been able to shoot the ball, but this year, his defense has really come on. We’ve been able to put him on people and tell him ‘don’t let that guy score, don’t let that guy shoot,’ and he’s done a great job,” Conley said.

Height issues notwithstanding, the guards also have to balance their on-court skills with the mental side of the game. Due to the Hounds’ inexperience this year, Conley said the leadership burden will continue to be on Jannsen, the only senior on the team.

“Jackson brings senior leadership, and he’s the only one who’s

TAKING FLIGHT: Connor Gioia, point guard and junior, attempts a layup against Lawrence North.

Gioia said, “My favorite player is Steve Nash (NBA Hall of Fame guard), just cause he’s the true point guard. He could do it all, he was a tough guy, and he did it for a long time too, so he’s (an)example for me.” See how he got to this shot in the graphic on the left.

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been in our program for four years.

That’s a big deal because he’s been through it all,” Conley said.

Gioia, however, said he does not shy away from the leadership responsibility of his position either.

“It starts off the court. All of the little things like eat right, sleep right, get in the weight room, get stronger. On the court, it’s just communication, you have to know the guys, you have to talk to them and be a team, and that helps everybody become their best player.

“The point guard is known as a leader,” he added. “This year it’s going to be important for me to step up and be more vocal because we have such young guys; I need to take on that role more.” h

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FEB 21, 2020

Love of the Game Rigorous practice schedules cause fatigue, athletes compare journeys in sports ANGELA QIAN STORY

RAY MO PHOTOS

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ith two hours of lacrosse practice after school and up to three games throughout the week combined with a rigorous academic course load, Caroline Ramsey, lacrosse player and senior, said she feels overworked 100% of the time. “(You know you’ve reached your limit when) your body starts to break down. You start getting injured; little things will just make you exhausted,” she said. “I probably get to that point too often. I tend to work myself right up to that edge all the time, and it’s not exactly healthy.”

Even off-season, Ramsey said she trains around two and one-half hours a day, working on speed, agility, conditioning and weight training.

According to new research, this could affect her off the field. In a recent study of triathletes published in the Current Biology journal, researchers evaluated overtraining syndrome, a form of burnout defined as an unexplained performance drop associated with intense fatigue.

In the study, athletes increased their weekly training by 40%. After three weeks, they were more likely than the control group to choose immediate gratification over long-term rewards. Brain scans of these athletes also revealed decreased activity in the prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain responsible for decision-making.

“You get to a point where you’re having to do so many things that you get so exhausted that making decisions is hard,” Ramsey said. “You will take the easiest way out just to get it over with, just because you’re too tired to think about the consequences, too tired to

MAKING MOVES: Lacrosse Head Coach Brandon Burke gives orders to senior Caroline Ramsey as she navigates her way through her teammate during practice on Saturday morning. “You get to a point where you’re having to do so many things that you get so exhausted that making decisions is hard,” Ramsey said.

S P EA K U P !

Despite all of the hard practices and the long hours, what keeps you playing your sport?

“My love for the game keeps me playing. I’ve always grown up with sports, it’s always been in my house. That love has been instilled in me from a young age and that’s what keeps me going.”

Senior Christian Williams “I think definitely my teammates and coaches keep me going because we’re like a giant family and it’s good to have that support system behind me.”

Junior Riley Pennington ASHWIN PRASAD, JACKIE HUR SPEAK-UPS, PHOTOS

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think about how you’re going to struggle to the long term.”

Swimmer and sophomore Lizzie Maurer said she has had a similar experience. Her practice schedule consists of eight practices each week—a combination of before and after school—for a total of about 16 hours.

“When I have a lot of tests the next day, I don’t really like going to practice because I have no motivation to study at home after I’m super tired,” Maurer said. “I normally stay up until 1:30 a.m. every day and then wake up at 4:30 a.m.”

However, Maurer said her coaches do modify practice to give athletes a break after a rough week of practice, although she said, “not often.”

did you know?

Besides fitness benefits, participation in high school sports is shown to lead to higher grades, better attendance, and a higher likelihood of college admission.

ATYOUROWNRISK SOURCE

According to head swimming coach Chris Plumb, swimmers are allowed three unexcused absences throughout the year along with any excused absences for commitments such as college visits and doctors appointments.

“We are a varsity sport at Carmel High School, so I feel, to be on the team, it requires (the) level of commitment in a varsity sport,” Plumb said. “(We) try to make sure that there’s a balance between commitment to the program and being on a team, and that means showing up and making sure you have a balanced lifestyle, doing your schoolwork and those things.”

But Ramsey said this balance can be hard to achieve. A quick Google search of “academics, athletics and social life” garners hundreds of thousands of hits, but none of them are able to provide a direct solution.

Still, Maurer and Ramsey said their coaches are aware of their physical limitations and may provide recovery days.

“Rest and relaxation time gets pushed to the wayside until the end of season, (but) coaches do realize that you’re human and that you have your limits,” Ramsey said. “Some-

by the numbers

8% fewer high school seniors compete in sports than freshmen

35% of athletes reported feelings of burnout

2.6

MILLION visits to emergency hospitals per year for athletes OHIO UNIVERSITY SOURCE

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times they also get blinded by the winning aspect of it, and they don’t always see it, but in general, they’re very receptive of seeing when we’re struggling and having a bad day.”

In the end, Ramsey and Maurer said their love for their sports helps them overcome the time commitment and fatigue. This aligns with research surrounding student-athlete happiness. In a study of student-athletes in Division 1 schools, researchers found that although athletes regret that their participation in sports led them to miss out on some aspects of college, it instilled unique values and enhanced their overall college experience.

“For a long time, sports was just something that I did because my parents forced me to,” Ramsey said. “I finally settled on lacrosse because of the atmosphere of camaraderie and teamwork that it fosters because it is a sport that you can’t win by yourself.

Having those good relationships with teammates (and) feeling supported by them is really important. Also, I love a good competition. (Lacrosse) gave me a great outlet that I hadn’t found anywhere else in my life.” h

SISTERHOOD: Caroline Ramsey, varsity lacrosse player and senior, walks off the field with her teammates. Ramsey, as well as swimming Head Coach Chris Plumb, said positive and uplifting team atmosphere motivates athletes to keep playing their sport.

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FEB 21, 2020

A Sub-Par Stigma CHS golfers challenge perception that golf is easy through workouts in pre-season ALIVIA ROMANIUK STORY

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NICK BECKMAN PHOTOS

ot everyone considers golf to be a physically demanding sport. However, athletes have proven that golf requires a substantial amount of strength, stamina and flexibility. As the mens’ golf season approaches, members will have winter conditioning to prepare and get stronger in hopes for a successful season.

Clay Stirsman, member of the mens’ golf team and senior, said he agreed that golf is not only mentally but also physically demanding.

“Golf has changed a lot from what it used to be, and with the game now being more distance-driven, power and athleticism is required to achieve most skills,” he said. “In the offseason, we work two times a week in the weight room on core strength, leg strength and overall conditioning.”

In 2004, ESPN conducted a study to find the 60 most physically demanding sports, of which golf was

ranked 51st. This aroused opposition from many golfers, including former Green Bay Packers player Sterling Sharp, who believed it should have been in the top four.

According to the article, Gigi Fernandez, former tennis player and ametur golfer, said golf is a brutal sport because it takes a lifetime to master all the shots and situations. Additionally, there’s almost no margin for error.

“Sure, anybody can go out there and play, but to do it at the highest level, it’s the hardest thing I know,’’ Fernandez said.

According to Joshua Shelton, head coach of the mens’ golf team, golf requires a large amount of focus and tolerance, as it is a very technical sport.

“A lot of our practices are very flexible, because we look at the areas that each individual golfer needs to improve, and then we work out a per-

HEAVY LIFTING: Clay Stirsman, member of the men’s golf team and senior, lifts weights during preseason practice.

Stirsman said golf has evolved from being distance-driven to having more emphasis on power and athletics to be more successful at certain skills.

sonalized practice plan for each of our golfers,” Shelton said.

Team members explained the growing competitiveness of golf has also contributed to making the sport more difficult.

“These days you have to hit (the golf ball) a long way to be competitive in golf. Getting in the gym and getting stronger and more flexible will give you so much more distance, as will working on a swing that makes you as efficient as you can be,” Gabe Perrin, member of the mens’ golf team and sophomore, said.

According to Shelton, the most important thing a golfer can do to improve their results is to work on the speed of their swing.

“Nowadays the best golf players in the world swing the golf club over 120 miles per hour. If you want to play competitively at a high level, whether it’s high school or at the college level,

you have to swing the golf club at 110 miles per hour or more,” he said.

Luke Prall, member of the mens’ varsity golf team and senior, said he practices golf almost every day, whether it is working out or practicing shots.

“The CHS golf team started afterschool workouts before winter break and will continue those workouts until our season starts,” he said.

In 2015, GolfMonthly published an article titled “7 reasons why golfers are athletes” arguing that golf required

The type of workouts and conditioning that our golfers complete is very similar to what you’re going to see in your main sport athletes.

JOSHUA SHELTON, HEAD COACH OF THE MEN’S GOLF TEAM

HILITE.ORG

power, strength, speed, flexibility and stamina. According to the article, due to tough shots, long games and tense situations, golf is a very challenging, physically-demanding sport.

Shelton said he agreed.“The type of workouts and conditioning that our golfers complete is very similar to what you’re going to see in your main sport athletes, particularly any athlete that needs speed for their sport,” Shelton said, “Anyone that has to incorporate speed, that’s the kind of exercise that we’re doing.”

Shelton said the golf team works on endurance to handle the matches.

“We do a lot of endurance running because the average length of a golf course that we have to walk is about five miles,” he said.

Overall, the golf team hopes for a successsful season this spring.

“My goal is to have my game as sharp as it can be so that I can be in a position to help the team as much as possible. Lots of practice, lots of reps, and lots of hours in the gym. It’s important we stay humble and take nothh ing for granted,” he said.

whole body workout Learn more about some unique workouts for every body part to add to your routine Importance of Muscle symmetry

Distributing muscle mass evenly reduces the risk of injury

Arm workouts Helps combat inflexibility caused by sedentary life.

Lateral raise Deltoids

Leg workouts

Training legs helps with running and reducing back pain.

Front squat Quads, glutes

Core workouts A strong core is needed to maximize strength, balance, and stability in the arms and legs.

Cable fly Pectoral, deltoids

Dumbbell stepup Hamstrings

Diamond pushups Triceps

Hammer curl Biceps, brachialis

Calf raise Soleus, gastrocnemius

Superman pull Lower back

V-sit Abdominal

EDWARD DONG GRAPHIC MENS JOURNAL, MEN’S HEALTH, BODYBUILDING, ADIDAS SOURCES

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WEIGHTED WORK: Luke Prall, varsity men’s golfer and senior, works on his core and arm strength at weight training for pre-season golf practices.

Prall said the team started after school workouts in the pre-season in order to help them be more successful at certain techniques.

He added that these workouts use similar muscles to those that are seen in the actual sport.

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FEB 21, 2020

Team Blonding

Men’s swimmers reflect on tradition of shaving, bleaching hair, values seen in team bonding ANDREW CAITO, DANIEL KIM Q&A, PHOTOS

Q&A

Why are you not cutting your hair?

varsity swimmer and junior griffin hadley

I have eczema and can’t bleach and shave my hair.

Would you recommend other swimmers to not cut their hair?

What do you think people think about you opposing the norm?

People have taken my stance in different ways. When I was an underclassman some of the upperclassmen were not happy with me for going against the trend, but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve been a voice for the boys who don’t want to participate.

I really think it’s a personal preference. If you are excited about it and want to shave your head, go for it. However, if you are hesitant I try to make sure there is no pressure to do it. There is no element of the tradition that takes away from your role of the team. It can be a great way to get the guys excited for the championship season, but it is not necessarily for everyone.

Q&A What motivates you to cut your hair?

swimmer and sophomore dhiillon parikshak

I just do it because it’s a fun way to bond with the (swim team) and we all show up to school looking ridiculous, but it’s a fun way to get closer with the team and it’s just a good time.

Why do you choose to cut your hair?

Do you wish the entire team did it?

I cut my hair last year because it’s a tradition that the swim team does every year before sectionals and it’s really fun, it’s kind of like bonding and it keeps the guys close and although it may look dumb it’s a fun experience

I wish that the entire team did it because there’s always a few kids that choose not to for some reasons, which is completely fine but it’s just more fun if a lot of people did it.

What is the meaning behind it?

What are common reactions to your cut hair?

It doesn’t really have a meaning, it’s just a tradition that we’ve had for many years that we keep throughout swimming (and diving).

My friends probably think it’s stupid and other people in the hallway (stare at you) but it’s really funny because you’re doing it with other people that are friends with you, so it’s a good time.

STEP BY STEP

Take a look at the hair-cutting process of the men’s swim and dive team

STEP 1

The swimmers bleach their hair approximately a week before the sectional meet

STEP 2

Their hair is cut in different styles before the start of the sectional meet

OLIVIA MCKEE, SARAH KIM GRAPHIC

STEP 3

All of the remaining hair is shaved off before finals of the sectional meet

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SPORTS BRIEFS

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SARAH KIM BRIEFS NICK BECKMAN PHOTOS

TODAY MEN’S BASKETBALL What: Varsity vs. Warren Central When: 7:30 p.m.

Where: Warren Central HS

WRESTLING What: Varsity at State When: 6:00 p.m.

Where: Banker’s Life

MEN’S BASKETBALL What: Junior Varsity vs. Warren Central When: 6:00 p.m.

Where: Warren Central HS

TOMORROW MEN’S BASKETBALL What: Varsity vs. Warsaw When: 7:30 p.m.

Where: Warsaw HS

WRESTLING What: Varsity at State When: 9:30 a.m.

Where: Banker’s Life

MEN’S SWIMMING What: Varsity at Sectional When: 1:00 p.m.

Where: Carmel HS LAY UP: (BOTTOM RIGHT) Bridget Dunn, varsity basketball player and junior, dives for the ball at the game against Ben Davis.

The basketball team will now be moving towards the tournament season.

(BOTTOM LEFT) Riley Pennington, varsity basketball player and junior, shoots at the game against Ben Davis. The team won its last game.

(TOP LEFT) Kiara Gill, varsity basketball player and senior gets ready to shoot at the Ben Davis game. The team is getting ready for the Sectional game.

perspectives

FEB 21, 2020

Better Distinguished CHS should broaden standards of Distinguished Grad to better represent everyone HILITE STAFF EDITORIAL

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nlike most high schools, CHS uses the Distinguished Grad program to recognize its top seniors each year. The system, which started more than ten years ago, allows students to accumulate points and recognizes multiple, well-rounded seniors, instead of appointing the singular title of valedictorian. In addition to GPA, the program also includes points for a variety of involvement activities from performing arts to athletics to certain co-curricular groups. The Distinguished Grad—the student with the most points—has the opportunity to speak at graduation, while a number of additional students also earn recognition.

While we applaud the school’s choice to look past GPA as the sole factor for recognition, there are some flaws that need to be addressed.

First, there exists an element of bias in the point values for certain activities.

According to Melinda Stephan, College Career Programming and Resources Coordinator, rather than ranking students, the Distinguished Grad attempts to identify and commend seniors who are involved in multiple aspects of being an above-average American high school student. However, the categories themselves center on what the school’s administration

our stance CHS should change Distinguished Grad point distribution

has deemed as characteristics of a wellrounded student. Rather than applying multiple perspectives to what a student worthy of the Distinguished Grad title would look like, the list focuses heavily on athletics and performing arts.

Club involvements receive credit if they have community-based or competition opportunities for hours, yet many clubs don’t count even though their members put the same amount of time and effort into creating a lasting impact in the community.

Second, the Distinguished Grad program emphasizes breadth of involvement rather than depth.

According to Assistant Principal Amy Skeens-Benton, the Distinguished Grad program’s purpose is to celebrate the student who does many activities. She said a committee of students, parents and faculty members created the list and administrators amend and update the list each year as needed. To get more points, a student must participate in many undertakings; participation in only one or two activities over many years does not garner the same point value.

Despite these concerns, the Distinguished Grad program is not broken, and the school can make some fairly easy changes to recognize a wider variety of students. In order to focus on the time and effort of the students rather than the number of activities they participate in to meet the requirement, submitting hours per activity would provide a more narrow sense of how dedicated a student is in different components of the program’s requirements. This way, students could better focus on what they want to do and still get points rather than what they have to do to be considered a distinguished student. h

S P EA K U P !

What are your opinions on the Distinguished Grad point distribution?

“I do feel that it is definitely more weighted towards performing arts, especially choir. There aren’t as many opportunities for people to get points who are really involved in clubs or completely outside extracurricular activities.”

Senior Lexi Gies “I think distinguished graduate isn’t as fair as it could be because not as much focus is placed on academics and getting points such as becoming officers of certain clubs such as NHS and student government is mostly a popularity contest with votes.”

Senior Carter Novak

“I think the point distribution for Distinguished Graduate is fair because it balances out people who are involved in different things, so athletes and people involved with performing arts can all get the same amount of points through their own interests.”

Senior Logan Sandlin EDWARD DONG SPEAK-UPS, PHOTOS

Scan this to read an online column about class rankings written

by Edward Dong

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Ode to Music Educators With March recognized as Music in Our Schools Month, students should appreciate music educators’ efforts of maintaining developed performing arts programs NATALIE KHAMIS COLUMN

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ithin the realm of mustarted talking about our high sic education, March school orchestra experiences and is known as Music in I told him all about our performOur Schools Month. According ing arts program at CHS—speto the National Association for cifically how we have seven Music Education (NAfME), different classes of orchesthis month-long initiative tra, band and choir that is dedicated to raise awarestudents can audition to ness for the importance of be a part of. performing arts education The guy looked at me in schools across the country. with such disbelief. He told As a member of the orme his school only had one chestra program in this FREE PALESTINE orchestra class because his school for the past four years, school did not have enough I never truly realized how funding to expand the proprivileged I was until I was faced gram. He said he had to rely on with reality last month. youth orchestras outside of his Over the Martin Luther King Jr. school like All-State Orchestra in three-day weekend in January, I had order to experience what it is like the opportunity to play alongside to play in an advanced ensemble. some of the best student musicians Scan this From time to time, we are rethroughout the state of Indiana in minded that we are fortunate to read a a two-day orchestra initiative called story about enough to participate in one of the High School All-State Orchestra. most developed performing arts pep band In between eight-hour rehearsprograms in the entire nation. It is opporals, I met a fellow violist in my seceasy for Carmel student musicians tion from northern Indiana. We tunities to nod our heads to that statement

and not think much of it. The norm for us is to win the Bands of America Grand National Championship three years in a row or to be able to play “Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9” at a high performance level from start to finish in only four months. But the fact is while we continue our yearly routines, other schools struggle to keep their music program alive due to lack of support or lack of funding.

The next time you enter an orchestra, band or choir room, I encourage you to appreciate that you are about to experience one of the best 90 minutes of instructed music education in the entire nation. We should never lose sight of the time and effort our music educators spend daily to make sure we gain the most out of our high school music experience. h The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff. Reach Natalie Khamis at nkhamis@hilite.org

eh, i’ve got time This weekend I’m going to get all my work done, be productive and hang out with friends

Saturday

Sunday

GRAY MARTENS GRAPHIC PERSPECTIVE

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FEB 21, 2020

Assertive, Not Aggressive Conflict, confrontation are healthy, allow people to stand up for themselves SOWMYA CHUNDI COLUMN

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be willing to understand where esty and maturity. When you confront rowing up, I always thought they’re wrong before starting an ara friend, you choose to speak with the right thing to do in any gument over petty things. them directly instead of gossiping to argument was to be diploBut one thing I’ve learned is that five other people before them about it. matic and maintain the peace. I was without being assertive, the anger When you stand up for someone being shy and quiet and avoided any sort of can build up, even for smaller, trivial bullied, you put fear behind you and argument like the plague. Honestly, I things. If you don’t bring issues out courage in front of you. remember feeling neglected and iginto the open, feelings like anger At the end of the day, becoming nored by people, but rather than voicand frustration can get bottled up more outspoken and assertive is one ing my concerns, I kept letting it slide. over time until they explode. You of the best decisions and changes I’ve But today, I value being far more vocan build a subconscious resentmade towards my character. When cal and assertive, even if it means losment towards someone, which you look at it holistically, it makes ing a few friends along the way. inevitably causes strain in a rea lot of sense. Got a problem with I think the word “confronlationship. At the end of the someone? Instead of overanalyzing tational” holds a lot of stigma day, if you do value being the problem or hiding your feelings, and misconception; people respected over being liked, just let them know. often associate the word h then it’s important you fight The views in this column do not necwith a full-blown argument. back when it comes to nonessarily reflect the views of the HiLite Truthfully, being confrontanegotiable issues. staff. Reach Sowmya Chundi at schuntional or taking command is I really value confrontation di@hilite.org really just a part of standing up because it’s a sign of honfor yourself, and making sure LEAH IS WRONG that you’re voicing your concerns. It never has to be take a harsh tone if your intentions are in did you the right place. Being assertive might mean asking for a promotion when know? you’ve worked hard for it, or telling a friend not to trash talk you behind February is your back because you deserve better. relationship Confrontation isn’t just about wellness winning an argument or proving month. It that you’re always right. It’s about encourages bringing important issues to the people table, and recognizing that your to focus opinion matters. on being On the other hand, being asserproactive in tive shouldn’t be used just for argumentation. It’s always important to relationships assess what you’re getting yourself important into at the end of the day. Confronto you. tation and argumentation can end in ugly, messy fights if you’re not CASCADE URCE TION SO careful. Someone should always CENTERS FOUNDA E N O T S THE pick and choose their battles and SOURCE APHIC

ions t a t n o r f n lthy co a e h r o f s Tip

statement e iv it s o p a h -Start wit you feel w o h e t a t S s compromise h it w e l ib x -be fle ice words -choose n as possible ic if c e p s s a -be problem e h t in e l o dge your r -acknowle FAN GR MARVIN

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Be the Bigger Man Confrontation is oftentimes unnecessary, people should reassess conflict before being upfront LEAH TAN, CALINA HE SPEAK-UPS, PHOTOS

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There’ve been many times when I hen in an argument realized I was getting frustrated over a with a friend, I always petty argument. For example, as much make a conscious decias I think night showers are the way to sion to take a step back and reassess go, wasting both time and energy to arthe situation. In doing so, I often find gue only proves how problematic conmany of the issues I was concerned frontation can be. Is it really necessary over were small and petty, making me to voice your thoughts on everything ask myself the following question: how all the time? Even if it isn’t over somemuch messier would the situation be if thing controversial, it can leave a sour I confronted the person immediately? taste in everyone’s mouths.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not The old saying “You catch saying you should completely more flies with honey than conceal your feelings and opinwith vinegar” holds a lot of ions; you have every right to truth; approaching each be entitled to them. Howsituation with the intent ever, I’m saying that voicing to listen more than talk is every minor concern you a much more collaborative have with the purpose of and peaceful approach that trying to convince the other benefits all parties of the arguparty otherwise is a rash acin the end. It’s easy to tion and can complicate the SOWMYA IS WRONGER ment think otherwise especially in situation even more.

S P EA K U P !

How do you confront your friends?

“My friends and I don’t usually have any problems. It never really comes down to having to confront them. It’s like “I don’t really wanna do this” and then we all just agree on it and it’s always a good compromise.”

Senior Anna Berger Romeu “I tend to avoid confrontation. For the most part, I like to diffuse the situation by taking a step back and letting people have their own space as it’s the best way to avoid more tension and drama.”

Sophomore Caleb Suhy

did you know?

Many people avoid confrontation because of the way it makes them feel, appear in the eyes of others or because of some bad experiences they’ve had.

ELITE DAILY SOURCE

LEAH TAN COLUMN

the heat of the moment, but that’s exactly why it’s best to not take action immediately. Just think about it: which is more important? Trying to prove you’re right or resolving the situation? If your only goal is to try to prove you’re right, you won’t gain any benefits except for a shallow sense of satisfaction. Instead, you are left with even more tension among others which can significantly damage relationships. However, if you were to approach the situation calmly and rationally, you are bound to resolve the situation, benefitting everyone in the end.

In today’s social climate, most people believe approaching every situation with confrontation sends the message that you demand respect, but they fail to realize that remaining silent does the same. Be the bigger man; if you talk less and smile more, you let others know you are mature enough to move on from a situation and don’t need to make additional remarks that would escalate it further. It doesn’t necessarily mean you passively agree or concede that you’re wrong.

In the end, it’s important to understand that time and reflection can avoid conflict. If you take the time to calm down and reassess the situation yet still believe that it’s an issue to be talked about, then it’s justified to be more assertive. But regardless, when confronting, just listen to others’ concerns while also carefully voicing yours.

Don’t approach with the intention to try to shove your ideas down their throat—it won’t be pretty. h The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff.

Reach Leah Tan at ltan@hilite.org

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FEB 21, 2020

Coronophobia Spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) does not excuse increased racist behaviors, anti-Chinese sentiment KAREN ZHANG COLUMN

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s an introvert, I have always However, restaurants in South been aware of the times Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and many when I have cleared my other nations have already closed their throat in a silent room or coughed doors to Chinese customers. French more than two times in a single class and Italian newspapers ran stories period. But now, as a person of Chiwith racist headlines such as “Yellow nese descent, I have been even Alert” and “Yellow Peril.” Demore aware of every sneeze, spite little scientific evidence cleared throat or cough in that restricting travel stops a public setting. the spread of a novel virus, While here at this President Donald Trump school, jokes aimed has banned foriegn at Chinese students nationals who have about COVID-19 traveled to China have seemed to in the last 14 days be mainly harmfrom reentering less, outside of the United States, these halls, it is not directly opposing only the virus that the World Health is spreading: along Organization with the virus, xe(WHO), which dis#GOAVSGO nophobic and anticourages travel and Chinese sentiment has trade bans, claiming quickly spread throughout the world. they make it harder to help affected The escalating global health crisis nations respond to such outbreaks. has claimed more than 1,370 lives and The actions of politicians, the infected close to 52,000 people worldcomments on social media that say wide*. As authorities seek to contain “keep the #Chinese in a zoo” and the virus, they are trying to balance the the news and media outlets that need for warnings against the risk of misrepresent the virus as a whole— creating global panic. these are all just reminders to me

time flies when you’re having fun

zzz

WENDY ZHU GRAPHIC PERSPECTIVE

by the numbers*

4.9% is the fatality rate of COVID-19 in Wuhan

250

THOUSAND kits were shipped by the WHO to 159 laboratories to speed up diagnoses

1,370 people have been reported dead from the coronavirus

NY TIMES, WORLDOMETERS SOURCE

7:45?? I’M GOING TO BE LATE FOR SCHOOL!!

that I am still a foreigner in the continent in which I was born and raised.

Now, people are weaponizing the virus and using it as an excuse to be openly racist, enforcing ageold xenophobic attitudes and stereotypes. In 2009, when the H1N1, or swine flu, broke out from the United States, no one declared a type of travel ban against American citizens or called the virus the “white virus.” No one attacked Caucasian influencers on social media or scrambled away from every single white person they saw.

At the end of the day, treating someone differently by their race or acting as if all Asians have the coronavirus is the same thing: racist. It is understandable to be alarmed by the novel coronavirus because of all the uncertainty that surrounds it, but no amount of fear can justify prejudice and discrimination against people of Asian descent. h *These numbers were found on press deadline, Feb. 13, 2020 The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff. Reach Karen Zhang at kzhang@hilite.org.

oh wait...

HILITE.ORG

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Inaccurate Reflection Continued presence of skinny mirrors in clothing stores is inconsistent with body positivity movement

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s a teenage girl, I’ve experienced varying levels of comfort in my own skin.

But for the most part, through the positive rhetoric circulating beauty standards in today’s world, I’ve grown to love how I look and be happy with who I am.

Recently I was shopping for clothes at Clay Terrace, and I noticed I looked weird in the dressing room mirror after trying on a sweater. Upon closer inspection, I realized the mirror was distorted, making me look much skinnier than I actually am.

These so-called “skinny mirrors” became well-known in 2015 after Belinda JasmineBertzfield proposed a similar idea on Shark Tank.

Since then, I’ve heard various stories about how stores use tactics like these mirrors to increase sales, but never having experienced them firsthand, I cast these stories off as rumors.

Seeing these appear in a mall I have visited countless times, I was appalled. Why would a store want to use such underhand tactics to get more sales and leave customers less satisfied with their products than they had initially been?

What is most interesting to me about these mirrors, though, is how absurd they seem when I put them into the context of modern life. In the past decade, Miss Teen USA removed its classic swimsuit contest, Sports Illustrated featured a plus-sized model

RHEA ACHARYA COLUMN

on its cover, and I’ve noticed more body-type representation in ads in general. These are some of the many efforts media outlets have made to be more inclusive and celebrate the beauty in all body types. The average weight of models is still 23% less than the average woman, but these efforts are a start for reversing this image.

But after experiencing these mirrors, I am not sure what to believe.

Skinny mirrors go against this bodypositive ideology; at their root, they assume people will buy more when clothes make them look skinny, reinforcing the idea that you should like yourself better when you are skinnier than how you are now.

I hope in the future, stores will refrain from using skinny mirrors as a sales tactic. Although The Skinny Mirror company does claim using these mirrors can boost sales by up to 18%, using these mirrors could attract negative publicity, which could hurt a store in the long run by dissuading new customers from shopping there. Plus, with a growing modern culture that strives to celebrate all body types, customers might question the company’s values and become less loyal to the company because of the correlation these mirrors imply between being skinny and looking good.

More importantly, I hope students are aware of these mirrors and are wary of the message they send.

To me, this surprising experience

Scan this to view an Acumen issue that has a theme of mirrors

CALINA HE GRAPHIC

was an important lesson that, when buying clothes in store, I should focus on how comfortable they are and how good they make me feel instead of focusing too much on how they make my body look.

And I hope you remember these same ideas the next time you go shopping because reflections don’t always accurately portray what’s on h the other side of the mirror.

The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff. Reach Rhea Acharya at racharya@hilite.org.

behind the mirror

Take a look at the science behind mirrors Reflected Light Incident Light Reflection is returned in one angle on a smooth surface Reflected Light Angle of Incidence Angle of Reflection Diffuse Reflection Reflection is scattered in many angles on a rough surface Incident Light

Reflected Light

Specular Reflection Reflection is going in one direction on a polished surface Reflected Light Incident Light HOW STUFF WORKS SOURCE

15 minutes of fame

FEB 21, 2020

TikTok to the Top Follow

Scan this to visit Jensen’s profile

@...sprinkles47

EMILY SANDY Q&A, PHOTOS ANGELA QIAN PHOTO ILLUSTRATION

Instagram tiktokgrandpa.47

Junior Isabel Jensen’s TikTok was featured in TikTok ad

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Following

396.9k

Followers

7.4M

Likes

*numbers based on data from Feb. 13, 2020

TIKTOK SOURCE

35 million

4.9 million

GRANDPA SAYING THANKS

5.4 million

606.9k

GRANDPA TRYING TINY KIWI

3.9 million

612.3k

GRANDPA TRYING BOBA

. ORRGG HHIILLI ITTEE. O

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FAMILY FUN TIME: Junior Isabel Jensen and her grandfather watch a music video together for a TikTok. Jensen said she thinks her videos went viral because they involve interacting with other people, which is a heartwarming experience.

6 comments What are your goals with TikTok?

What makes a successful TikTok?

The goal is to make other people happy, but the main priority is just because I like to do it.

So I just make the videos that I like to make. It makes me happy. And if what makes me happy just coincidentally makes other people happy, then that’s a plus. But (I’ve) got to make videos that I want to make that I like and what I think is funny. And so if someone else doesn’t think that it’s funny, then maybe we don’t share the same sense of humor or whatever, but I’m not going to try to make videos for other people.

Something that people can kind of relate to but is also funny. It’s something that makes people smile. I feel like a lot of people relate to my grandpa because—we scroll through the comments—and a lot of them are like, “My grandparents have passed away” or, “I wish that I could spend more time with my grandparents like that,” and so it is something that we do together now. We make videos together, and it’s a fun time and we connect over it. I think that that’s something that people can relate to. It’s like spending time with their family.

How has being TikTok famous impacted you?

How will TikTok fame affect you in the long run?

My friends make fun of me. (The ad was) broadcast across the United States, so it’s been really weird because random family members call me up now saying that they saw my grandpa. Whenever I mention it to people, even if I say something about it in class, a lot of people have seen the ad. In my theater class, they were talking about it. People were like, “That video? I’ve seen that video. That’s yours?

That’s crazy!” And now two guys in my theater class call me TikTok like it’s my name.

I feel like it’ll be a really good tool for college because all of my videos are clean and appropriate. There is not a single cuss word in any of my videos. My parents have always said, “Don’t put anything that you don’t want everyone seeing,” and both my parents have TikTok to watch all the videos. My family has TikTok and (they) watch all the videos I make. I want them to see it. I think that it will be a good thing that college can see that even though I have followers that I can still keep a good image.

Why do you think they chose your video to feature in the ad?

Did you post videos with the intent of getting views?

People really like the video of my grandpa because it’s not like a bunch of the other videos that are on the app currently. Because it’s just people being nice. And that’s uncommon. He was eating a tiny kiwi because he had never tried it before, so he didn’t really know what it was. He was like, “Oh what is that?” and I was like, “It’s a tiny kiwi, wanna try it?”

No, I thought that it would be really fun because I’ve always liked speaking in front of people, but I don’t like people that much. I like people, but online, it’s different. Instagram is really cut-and-dry. It has to be a perfect picture of a really good moment to post on Instagram. And I was like, “Oh, I (can) make stupid videos of myself on TikTok.”

by the numbers

1.5 BILLION number of downloads on the App Store and Google Play

500 MILLION number of active users worldwide

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average number of times users open the app per day OBERLO SOURCE

litebox

FEB 21, 2020

The Last Laugh Maddie Blank, Jack Ducat, Austin Audia and Ian Wang (left to right), Comedy Sportz members and juniors, compete in their first SRT match on Feb. 11. The red team was victorious in this match and will compete again today during SRT in the studio theater.

VERONICA TEETER PHOTO