The Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, ending the federal protection for abortion rights and sparking nationwide protests and debates about reproductive justice.
Aug. 16, 2021
CCS enforces mask requirement for all students and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic.
June 18, 2023
The OceanGate Titan Submersible disappeared during a dive to the Titanic wreck.
Sept. 8, 2022
Queen Elizabeth II passes away at 96 years old.
July
21, 2023
“Barbenheimer” took over pop culture as “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” premiered on the same day.
July 26 - Aug. 11, 2024
Team USA earned 126 medals in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
May 22, 2025
The 2024-2025 school year comes to a close, ending with graduation on the last day of school.
Oct.
16, 2024
Liam Payne, former One Direction member, passed away at 31 years old.
Jan. 19, 2025
TikTok was banned in the U.S. for less than 24 hours before the decision was quickly reversed.
ANEESHA AND AAYUSH SINGH
Dear Aayush,
If we were to travel back in time to our past selves and show them what the future entailed, I doubt they would be surprised. Even when we were little, I had always known you were destined for success. From memorizing trees for Science Olympiad to reading Wikipedia summaries of classic literature for Quiz Bowl stock, you have been training for trivia events since the fifth grade Battle of the Books.
When we move to college, I’ll miss our drives home after school together the most. Our daily debriefs down Main Street are my favorite part of our drives home. Thank you for always driving when we need to go on the highway (I promise I will practice my merging).
A Pinterest post once said, “In this life we will never truly be apart, for we grew to the same beat of our mother’s heart.” Although we won’t see each other nearly as much as we do now, I know we will stay close. Thank you for being the Mary-Kate to my Ashley. I can’t wait to keep watching you grow at UPenn and beyond.
Verbosely, Aneesha
Dear Aneesha,
For the past 18 and a half years, I think that the longest amount of time we’ve spent apart was 17 days last summer. We slept in neighboring cribs, we took our first-day-of -school photos next to each other, and now we’ll be sitting next to each other at graduation. Throughout it all, thank you for not only being my sister, but one of my best friends. Whether it’s your “artistic” collages, the many trips to Stacco House for hot chocolate or the car rides where I called your music taste terrible (it honestly wasn’t bad), I’ll cherish the memories that we’ve made in high school forever. Whenever people asked what it was like having a twin, I always gave the answer that “it’s not that different from just a normal sister.” However, lately I’ve thought about it more, and it’s definitely different. Being your twin has shown me how caring and intelligent you are. Whenever I hear you talk about syringe service programs or public health reform, I’m blown away by how deep and all-encompassing your understanding of these concepts are. I know that you’ll continue to apply this understanding to your life in the future, and I’m excited to continue to watch you thrive as we go to college.
Eruditely, Aayush
Ayaan will attend Indiana University
Dear Eesha,
RAJEEV AND EESHA SINGH
Since we were babies, we have been inseparable. Whether it was eating every meal together since we were in diapers or learning how to play tennis by hitting with each other every day in the summer, we never left each other’s side. Even when I was a little kid, I always looked up to you. I have always envied your work ethic, achievements, and likeability. You were always the brave one and had far more courage than I did. Whenever we tried something new, you always had to do it before I did—even if it was just asking for ketchup at a restaurant. Now that we are older, you help me in different ways. Although you’re a terrible driver, I can always depend on you to give me a ride. When it’s the night before a math test, you always put your work aside to teach me the whole unit. You always put me before yourself.
Now that you are leaving me at home, I’ve had some time to reflect on the past 15 years together. I never realized how different we are. We dress differently, we have different mindsets and our personalities are distinct. Yet, we always complemented each other perfectly. We are the quintessential siblings. Even though we will never live together again, I know that we will never be truly separated. At heart, you will always be my brave big sister who endured everything for me. Although it hurts to see you leave, I know that you will achieve your goals and exceed any false limitations. But I will catch up with you eventually.
Until then, Rajeev
Dear Rajeev,
One of my earliest (and possibly imagined) memories of you is of your tiny T2-sized body lying on your back while I hovered over you, coaxing you to speak. In many ways, not much has changed. I’ve always been there—watching, guiding, witnessing every phase you’ve grown through. From learning Tabla, to learning saxophone and then entering high school and finding your niche in tennis and DECA, I’ve been right there, just above, just behind.
Leaving home for university is unfathomable, and at first thought, leaving home doesn’t feel particularly depressing. We have plenty of silent car rides after disagreements, and your terrible music taste is unforgivable when you have the aux (which, somehow, is always). And there was the time you cranked the AC so high in the car that it broke down in the Dunkin’ Donuts parking lot—yet you still insist you’re the better driver.
But I know that these are the things I’ll miss the most— the midnight visits to my room, the unsolicited driving advice (despite you not even finishing Driver’s Ed), and carrying you to ICDC in DECA.
When I leave, I know it won’t just be me. Many of your friends will be off to new places too, and that will be hard. But even when I’m not physically there, I’m still watching over you, still guiding you to whichever path you decide to pursue next.
Don’t cry when I leave,
TAKE A LOOK AT SOME SENIORS’ FRIENDSHIPS THEN V. NOW
ISABELLA CHAN & AMY AHRBECKER
MASON BUYSSE & MYAH YOST SAESHA SAHA & RESHMA MAGESH
READ ABOUT SOME SENIORS’ FAVORITE BOOKS TO READ
“I would say The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is my favorite book because of its powerful and heartfelt themes and the beautiful writing that comes with it.”
“My favorite book is Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid because I really like how it’s not structured like a typical book. It includes interviews and articles, which made it fun to read. I also like that it’s set in the 70s which is probably my favorite decade.”
“Fireborne by Rosaria Munda is my favorite book because it blends intense political themes with personal growth and moral complexity in a way that’s both gripping and thought-provoking.”
Jossi Sorg
Lauren Garber
STUDENTS, STAFF REFLECT ON HOW COMPETITION SHAPES SCHOOL CULTURE AND PERSONAL GROWTH
Senior Henry Joliet said he’s always been driven. In large part, he credits his competitive personality to his childhood, as he grew up the youngest of four.
“I would say that I am a competitive person. That aspect was forged through years of board games and athletic contests with my older siblings and my father,” Joliet said. “In that sense, I am an extremely competitive player, but also very accustomed to losing or being at a disadvantage, so I tend to be more restrained in comparison to other competitive people that I know.”
Nevertheless, Joliet said he undoubtedly puts his full effort into winning, even if the reward is only bragging rights. And for that, he’s not alone; senior Williams Rodríguez Medrano also said he goes all-out to earn bragging rights, so he can joke about it later.
According to Medrano, he has a competitive dynamic with his brother and close friend, yet one of the three strive to keep light-hearted. He said it’s fun to see who takes the crown each time and that aspect of the group’s relationship motivates them to keep improving.
While Joliet said he doesn’t have a specific friend he engages in friendly competition against, he emphasized the effect of a team culture.
Joliet said, “Inside the
FOCUSED AND DRIVEN
Senior Henry Joliet writes on the whiteboard while reviewing notes for an upcoming macroeconomics test. Joliet said his competitive nature continues to motivate him both in and out of the classroom.
BUILDING CONNECTIONS
Senior Henry Joliet chats with classmates during SSRT. Joliet said he values the collaborative environment at this school that encourages personal growth alongside academic excellence.
(Submitted photo: Kevin Zhang)
collective unit of a team, we all push each other to grow and develop our skills. I think that the team environment is extremely valuable to positive growth, and that competition within the team can be a positive factor.”
The situations Joliet and Medrano describe are examples of what this school’s staff attempt to cultivate, as Principal Tim Phares discussed in a common phrase here: a standard of excellence.
“It defines us. It’s a culture of what we expect, and some of that is created student-to-student,” Phares said. “For example, ‘Oh, this student did really well, and I want to meet that same standard.’ I think that really is what drives Carmel Clay Schools and Carmel High School to be very, very successful. We have a standard of excellence in whatever we do.”
Joliet said his penchant for competition somewhat lessened throughout his high school career.
He said, “I think that the competitive culture at CHS has nudged me to be slightly less competitive, but I fall back on my upbringing, so my competitive
level has not really changed throughout high school. There are some over-competitive people that I think would have limited my competitive spirit if it had not been so ingrained in my mind.”
In a different vein, Medrano said he believes he transformed into a more driven person as he found more motivation through the atmosphere at this school.
“Yes, the competitive culture here at (this school) has definitely made me push myself harder,” he said. “But I try not to compare myself too much to others; it’s more about growing personally than competing with others.”
“My general stance is that competition is good. It helps you become stronger in whatever you do and will teach you valuable life lessons,” Joliet said. “However, becoming too concerned about competitions can be a negative or toxic trait. If you can remain poised and grounded enough to use your competitive spirit to become a better person, competition is the best possible thing that you can do.”
What field do you want to pursue in the future?
District 2
“I decided to pursue Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) because my family has taught me to have great pride for our country, stemming from an extensive military history. It will be an honor for me to serve our nation.”
District 3
“A big reason I’m pursuing electrical engineering is because both of my parents have been electrical engineers for forever. I already know a lot about the subject, plus I thought electricity and magnetism in physics was pretty interesting so I wanted to keep pursuing that.”
Check out where each Hunger Games district would be in the United States today
• 7 is the present-day Northwest region
• 12 is the present-day Appalachia region
• 10 is present-day Texas
• 4 is present-day California
• C (the Capital) is present-day Colorado
District 12
“I am pursuing data science because it allows me to understand more about the world through numbers. It is versatile and can be applied in multiple different fields such as sports and medicine.” 1 4 7 5 C 2 10 11 8 9 3 12 6 13
Colin Cabellon
Grace Zheng Kellen Gong
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Christopher
FUTURE PLANS |
Indiana University Indianapolis
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“YOU MUST ALWAYS HAVE FAITH IN PEOPLE. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, YOU MUST ALWAYS HAVE FAITH IN YOURSELF.” -ELLE WOODS, LEGALLY BLONDE Submitted by Sofia Molavi
