10.22 Issue

hilite CARMEL HIGH SCHOOL NEWSMAGAZINE VOL. 86, NO. 3 OCT. 22, 2021

D N I T HE H E B

MASK

Students, teachers discuss implications of “masking” neurodivergencies, effects on student well-being PAGE 28 | ARCHIT KALRA, CHRISTIAN LEDBETTER

table of contents just a minute

18 OUTRUNNING GHOSTS

36 FIRST RESPONSE

04 LOVE, PERSEVERING

19 FRESH FOOD

37 HUMANS OF CHS

Understand process of grieving, honoring World Mental Health day

perspectives 06 VIRTUAL BOARD

entertainment

feature

20 DROP DEAD GORGEOUS

38 LIGHT THE LAMPS

22 AN ANIMATED WORLD

As Diwali festivities begin on Nov. 4, students celebrate differently in Carmel than India

07 DAY OFF

Student animators discuss how student animation impacts, guides design

08 PERMANENT INK

40 OVERCOMING

24 WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS

42 RECUÉRDAME

09 GET A ROOM

25 UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT

44 PRICELESS EDUCATION

10 IT’S ABOUT TIME

26 THAT’S JUST SHOEBIZ

11 THE FUTURE IS NOW

27 ENTERTAINMENT BRIEFS

sports

With passing of “Back to the Future Day”, students must learn to innovate

12 SERVICE TO SERVERS 13 BEAUTIFUL BODIES

news 14 NEWS BRIEFS 15 EN GARDE 16 BUS DRIVER BOOST CCS bus driver shortage leads to district pay changes, students discuss implications

46 ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT 47 SPORTS BRIEFS cover REALITY OF RANKINGS 28 A DIFFERENT KIND OF MASK 48 Athletes, coach prioritize Students, teacher consider implications of “masking” neurodivergencies, effects on student well-being

student section 34 THE MELTING POT

Students, teachers both see challenges, rewards of immigration

performance over rankings by others

50 COMMITTED 52 SPORTS TALK

15 minutes 54 WHEN THE STARS ALIGN Q&A with Gurleen Kaur on her interest in astrology, zodiac signs

hitting back: Jonathan Yang, varsity tennis player and sophomore, returns a serve against West Lafayette on Monday, Sept. 13. The team is currently in tournament play and is going for their sixth consectutive state championship.

LUKE MILLER PHOTO

staff Editors in Chief Cady Armstrong Chloe Sun Managing Editors Aniket Biswal Sowmya Chundi Daniel Kim Emily Sandy Leah Tan Riley TerBush Front/TOC/JAM Nathan Huang Elise Varhan Perspectives Joshika Sathyamathan Daniel Tian News Zainab Idrees Raghav Sriram Entertainment Riley Laferriere Jillian Moore Cover Maddie Misterka Student Section Saumya Somasi Feature Archit Kalra Chenyao Liu Sports Austin Guo Darshini Shankar 15 Minutes Jasmine Zhang Web Eva Glazier Social Media Olivia McKee Photographers Marissa Finney Caroline Just Christian Ledbetter

Arthur Mansavage Luke Miller Kruti Subbannavar Zoe Tu Maryam Hafeez Writers Royce Brown Avery Carlisle Taylor Carroll Matthew Du Claire He Addison Joyce Saahas Kandru Dariush Khurram Sumedha Kota Kate Loper Rohan Mahesh Hibba Mahmood Maggie Meyer Pallevi Pillai Arya Pinnamaneni Eddie Sun Siri Surapaneni Michelle Wan Lauryn Weininger Ryan Zhang Graphic Artists Siri Byrisetty Grace Guo Lily Farrell Kent Fujita Mahmond Homsi Yichen Liu Ali Persinger Arjun Purohit Adviser Jim Streisel Principal Thomas Harmas Superintendent Michael Beresford

Contact information: Mailing Address: 520 E. Main St. Carmel IN 46032 Phone: (317) 846 7221 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 Carmel High School with a press run of 1,500. 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 necessarily 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.

Responding to the HiLite: Letters to the editor will be accepted for the Nov. 21 issue no later than Nov. 1. Letters may be submitted to Room C147 placed in the mailbox of Jim Streisel, emailed to management2122@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 SSRT for them to sign). Letters must not contain personal attacks against an individual and may be edited.

Corrections and clarifications: In the story “ISTEP(ing) Away” on page 18, Kindle Hohlt and Elliott Shi were misspelled.

In the story “Successful Mindset” on page 36, Sandy Gardner was misspelled.

The HiLite strives to correct its errors. If you notice any inaccuracies in this or past issues, please contact management2122@hilite.org.

NATHAN HUANG, RILEY TERBUSH FRONT COVER DESIGN

@hilitenews @hilitenews @hilitenews

just a minute

OCT 22, 2021

Love, Persevering Following World Mental Health day on Oct 10, understand process of grieving SAM HAWKINS, ELISE VARHAN GRAPHIC

grief

HEART, CDC, MEDICALXPRESS, MOVIEQUOTEDB, PREVENTION SOURCES

noun a response of deep sorrow to /grēf/ loss, especially that caused by someone’s death

GRIEF ALSO AFFECTS...

memory perception conceptualization

only human

increased self-isolation and withdrawal from usual activities increased engagement with technology

EMOTIONAL

loss of sleep/changes in sleep patterns loss of appetite

SOCIAL

PHYSICAL

YOU MAY EXPERIENCE...

MENTAL

See how grief affects mental, physical health, learn some methods for coping with grief

FIND YOUR FOOTING BY...

shock disbelief anxiety anger depression

experiencing grief can lock the brain on a permanent “stress mode” as stress hormones are constantly spread throughout the body.

personal identity

CONNECTING WITH PEOPLE: Sharing experiences can

heart regulation irregular heart behaviors, especially those that mimic heart attacks can appear

help cope with the loss. Reach out to loved ones, speak to a counselor, or find a support group

EMBRACING MEMORIES: Keep their memory alive by recounting memories or preparing their favorite meal

ACKNOWLEDGING YOUR FEELINGS: Grief,

immune function

sadness, anger, and anxiety are normal feelings. Give yourself the freedom to feel and time to heal

JOURNALING: Journaling can provide an emo-

digestive function

tional outlet for those who are less comfortable sharing with others

AVOIDING NEGATIVE THOUGHTS: Try not to

dwell on “if only I had done this” lines of thinking

ESTABLISHING ROUTINES: Try to create new routines to replace those that have been lost and fill your time

Grief can reinforce neural patterns that lock you in a permanent stress response.

This can be avoided with healthy coping mechanisms like journaling and creative outlets

HILITE.ORG

05

movie mourners

Check out quotes from movies, TV show that center around grief, mourning MIDSOMMAR

“I didn’t get a chance to feel lost. Because I had a family--here --where everyone embraced me...

I – have always felt... held. By a family. A real family. Which everyone deserves.

And you deserve”

TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE

“You’re afraid of the pain, you’re afraid of the grief. You’re afraid of the vulnerability that loving entails. But by throwing yourself into these emotions... you experience them fully and completely”

LOVELY BONES

“These were the lovely bones that had grown around my absence: the connections...that happened after I was gone. And I began to see things in a way that let me hold the world without me in it”

WANDAVISION

“I’ve never experienced loss because I have never had a loved one to lose. But what is grief, if not love persevering?”

Vision Pelle

Mitch

q&a

Susie

SAM HAWKINS Q&A

How has grief changed during the pandemic?

It’s just presented itself in a lot of different ways...whether it’s just simply adjusting to this new way of life, or not getting to celebrate certain milestones or traditions ...being separated from loved ones... we need these milestones in our lives to create closure and positive endings... and I don’t think we always realize how important those rituals are.

Freshman Social Worker Mary Reese

did you know?

Oct 3-9 is Mental Health Awareness Week, leading up to Mental Health Awareness Day on Oct 10. Mental health awareness is symbolized by a green ribbon.

How have things changed for high schoolers in particular?

This was a huge change going from middle school to the high school, but then when you couple it with the changes (of the pandemic)...I think we’ve all done the best that we can to adapt but there’s a loss there, because it’s not the freshman year you envisioned...maybe not the senior year you envisioned.

Where can a CHS student find help?

I would say go see your counselor, go see your school social worker, put in a counseling request...maybe it’s gotten to a place where you need to be connected to outside support, (and) we can help you coordinate that.

Is there anything else you would like readers to know?

If you find yourself struggling with (for example) frequent sadness or low motivation, think about the aspects of your life that you can control. And then the other thing that I try to think about too, is, “What can I take away from a really hard situation?”...I do think gratefulness and gratitude (are) really important for our own mental health, to get us through hard times.

by the numbers

57%

of Americans experienced the loss of a close one in the past three years

2.5

MILLION people die in annually, each leaving on average 5 close ones grieving

Scan this for crisis helplines and mental health resources

perspectives

OCT 22, 2021

Virtual Board CCS switches to fully-virtual board meetings, takes measures against disruptions HILITE STAFF EDITORIAL

O

n sept.

30,

carmel clay

Schools (CCS) announced that all school board meetings would be conducted virtually until further notice. According to a district-wide email, leaders made this choice in response to disruptions, harassment and intimidation directed toward teachers and board members that culminated during a board meeting on Sept. 27. The HiLite staff fully commends the district for its decision to host virtual board meetings.

Over the past year, CCS board meetings have experienced an increase in attendance as parents and community members have spoken out about topics like social-emotional learning and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Having this public forum to voice concerns and ask questions is a vital part of the democratic process of running a school district. However, those conversations should be conducted with decorum.

That’s where CCS board meetings have gotten out of hand.

During a school board meeting in July, for example, a handgun fell out of a man’s pocket, leading Carmel police officers to detain him. The man was charged with possession of a firearm on school property, a felony

speak-up!

in Indiana. In response to this, CCS implemented wand metal detectors to board meetings. District spokeswoman Emily Bauer said people attending board meetings should expect metal detectors from now on.

Then, before the August school board meeting, CCS announced in an email it would temporarily suspend the public comment portion as part of new measures in response to “disruptions, verbal attacks, intimidation (and) inappropriate behavior.” CCS further stated “the repeated use of board meetings to...promote division and create hostile environments” led to the change.

Unfortunately, the disruptions did not stop. During the September board meeting, the school board was set to vote on a bylaw regarding public comments and a policy outlining civility and decorum. The meeting recessed after audience members again interrupted the outlined agenda.

This trend of disruptions is not limited to Carmel. Since the return of in-person school board meetings, districts across the country have reported a major increase in verbal harassment and violent protests. The National School Boards Association (NSBA) sent a letter on Sept. 29 to President Joe Biden asking for help

by the numbers

407 public school districts exist in Indiana

16

THOUSAND school boards exist in the United States

92% of parents agreed or strongly agreed that they are involved in their children’s learning AMERICAN PROGRESS SOURCE

from federal law enforcement.

“As these acts of malice, violence and threats against public school officials have increased,” the NSBA wrote, “the classification of these heinous actions could be the equivalent to a form of domestic terrorism and hate crimes.”

The CCS district cited examples of harassment against teachers and CCS staff in a community message released on Sept. 30. According to CCS, “Board members have had their home addresses posted in acts of intimidation. Teachers have received letters with threats of violence and unwarranted references to family members.”

The HiLite staff, as members of the student body, condemns the intimidation directed toward our teachers and administrators and we commend the district’s decision to indefinitely switch to fully-virtual school board meetings.

Since children look up to their parents as models for good behavior, we hope there will be more civility in future CCS board meetings. h

our stance

We commend CCS’ decision to switch to virtual school board meetings.

What are your opinions on the switch to virtual school board meetings?

JOSHIKA SATHYAMATHAN SPEAK-UPS, PHOTOS

“Even though I’ve never been to any of the meetings, in person or virtual, I think switching to the virtual school board meeting option was a good idea, because the safety of people who want to participate, watch the school board meeting, and Senior who are actually speaking at the Sanjana Patharla meeting is important.’’

“I think that the virtual school board meeting(s) (are) necessary at this point because the meetings should be something civil, and I feel like (parents) are making Senior it into something that’s Brendan Dalton (only their own).“

HILITE.ORG

07

Day Off With start of fall, many people look forward to holidays EVA GLAZIER COLUMN

O

ver the past few months,

contemplate whether I could fast and focus on the homework I was the Jewish community missing from being out on that day. has been celebrating the Even having to rethink whether or Hi*Holidays and the holiest not I should follow through with days in the Jewish calendar with Rosh my religious practice for one moHashanah and Yom Kippur. Rosh ment because school work got in Hashanah is the Jewish New Year and the way made me realize how subYom Kippur is a day of reflection and stantial this issue was. thinking back on how one can When celebrating, we become better. Both days are reflecting on our conare extremely important nection and morals, and to most Jewish people shouldn’t have to think and are a time for food, about the AP Enviwelcoming the new ronmental Science year, and spending test or project we time with family. missed in the back How e v e r, of our minds. Furdue to the days ther, many argue falling on weekthat Jewish holidays days, I, as well are respected enough as others in the Jewish comRosh Hashanah > with Hanukkah usually falling close to munity, did not the traditional school have the luxury winter breaks. However, this year, of being able to observe them to Hanukkah is coming up soon at the the fullest extent as we would have end of Nov. 28 and ending on Dec. liked to this year. As a result, people 6, almost a month before the start of should respect Jewish holidays and winter break. As a result, people can no not schedule anything too important longer justify winter break as celebraton those days so Jewish people can ing and respecting Jewish holidays. celebrate their holidays without feelIn order to remedy these issues, ing like they are missing something.

I suggest making it mandatory for Many argue that there are not classes to not assign tests or quizzes enough Jewish people to justify modon Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, ifying schedules to accommodate as well as taking time out of class Jewish holidays. However, there to educate students on the basics are still 5.4 million Jewish people of these holidays. Ultimately, this in the United States who identify will foster a respect for those who as being Jewish. The United States celebrate and will help people like Constitution guarantees freedom me celebrate the holidays and enjoy of religion and in order to truly them to their full extent. practice this, both teachers and emh ployers should be required to not schedule super important events on these days. For example, on The views in this column Yom Kippur I participate in a 25do not necessarily reflect the views of hour fast and have been since my the HiLite staff. Reach Eva Glazier bat mitzvah. But this year, I had to at eglazier@hilite.org

menorah mania Take a look at upcoming Jewish holidays and what they commemorate

December 2021 28 6 14

Hanukkah Nov. 28-Dec. 6 / Kislev 25-Tevet 1

commemorates the victory of the Maccabees over Syria in 165 B.C. and rededication of the temple in Jerusalem— “Hanukkah” means “dedication” in Hebrew

Asarah B’Tevet Dec. 14 / Tevet 10

a fast from sunrise to sunset and day of mourning and repetance for the Bablylonian seige on Jerusalem in 425 B.C.

January 2022

17

Tu Bishvat Jan. 17 / Shevat 15

celebrates the beginning of the new year for trees, the beginning of the season in which early-blooming trees in Israel begin a new cycle of fruit-bearing SAM HAWKINS GRAPHIC

08

OCT 22, 2021

Permanent Ink Students should embrace meaningful tattoos

I

LILY FARRELL COLUMN

fought a mental illness or sickness, beat cancer, has a mental health tattoos since I was little. I issue, or is a survivor. Even if they love the idea of being able to don’t have a true reason behind it display art, symbols or designs on and they just want to be able to exyourself that tell more about you. In press themselves as who they are. my household, it is a topic highly Tattoos are special to a lot of debated because my siblings and I people and condemning them eventually want tattoos and my dad because they are permanent hates them. He says tatseems unreasonable. toos will mark you forI also think that if all goes ever and you’re stuck wrong and you hate the with them so there is tattoos there are ways too big of a chance to get them removed, you’ll make a bad while tedious and decision and reexpensive, it is posgret it. sible. There are While I can also more friendly see his point of options for young view and underadults are still perstand the things manent but easier to that could go stick N’ poke cover or remove like wrong, there the stick and poke. are still so many While this is an idea frowned good reasons to get a tattoo. upon by many parents it’s a great For example, my grandma was way to test the waters and see if you born in Japan and didn’t move here truly want a tattoo before getting until my mom was 6 years old. She something you don’t like and havnow lives in Florida and I always love ing to pay a ton of money to get it visiting her and spending time with removed. It is a permanent tattoo her. It stinks that we don’t have forbut fades over time and is easier ever together and I want to get someto remove because in professional thing that will remind me of her so tattoos more ink is used and it is she can be a part of my life forever. placed deeper into the skin so it is My mom, aunt, and two of my harder to access/remove. cousins have now all gotten tattoos Tattoos are something that can in honor of her. She wrote “family”, be so special and mean so much to “love” and a few other words like that so many people and it doesn’t afon paper and they took it to the tatfect anyone but your own body so too parlor and chose one word writyou should be able to get what you ten in Japanese in her handwriting want and where you want it and no and got it tattooed somewhere on one should try to stop you or force them. I think this is such a great way h you to get it removed. to make her part of me, and I want to do the same when I am 18.

While remembering family is one great reason to get a tattoo The views in this column do not necthere are so many more reasons that essarily reflect the views of the HiLite may be important to people. Maybe staff. Reach Lily Farrell lfarrell@hisomeone lost a pet or close friend, lite.org have been interested in

tata-tattoo Yay today I will get a tattoo!

This fish is so cool. Hopefully I don’t regret it in a month!

I should’ve thought about this...

SIRI BYRISETTY GRAPHIC PERSPECTIVE

HILITE.ORG

09

Get a Room As cuffing season approaches, students should seek friendships, not relationships

E

SOWMYA CHUNDI COLUMN very now and then i’ll

be walking down the senior hallway minding my own business when I’m stopped by several couples before me. They’ll hold hands—often blocking off the entire hallway—or engage in very obvious and uncomfortable public displays of affection (PDA). Normally, I’ll laugh these situations off with my friends, and move on. But the last awkward PDA moment I experienced reminded me of what I was in store for over the next couple of months: cuffing season.

Cuffing season refers to a period of time from October to Valentine’s Day where single people begin looking for short-term partnerships to pass the colder months of the year.

It’s a strange social phenomenon that has taken over winter; nowadays, there are cuffing season horoscopes, checklists and reality TV shows.

And in some ways, I can empathize with it. The past year and a half has been difficult for all of us with limits on socialization affecting our relationships, love lives, and mental health.

The winter months often mimic what quarantine feels like; people socialize less, spend more time at home and shorter days can worsen feelings of loneliness or depression. Even holidays like Christmas, New Year’s and Valentine’s Day are better spent with someone else.

But as someone who prides themselves on being independent and happy alone, I think there are often much better solutions to these feelings. Last week, I stumbled across a Hulu Original show called “Dollface” that features Jules, the main character, who is dumped by her boyfriend after five years of being together.

The show follows Jules as she realizes that she lost herself in her own relationship and must rekindle the female friendships she left behind.

And while the show is primarily comedic, I think it speaks to the truth about how people operate in relationships in high school. Speaking from personal experience, I’ve had friends who only ever talk about wanting to

i’m happy

Scan this to read how high school relationships affect social development

be in a relationship, but neglect their own friendships at the same time. Often, people only see their worldview as who they want to date or who they’re crushing on, leaving other important priorities and goals behind.

Similarly, I’ve always found it a little odd when people say their best friend is their significant other. To me, your best friend is who you go to to complain about your significant other or spend time with outside of the sphere of your relationship.

Their love, while platonic, is just as important and valuable, and can cure the same loneliness that people feel during the winter.

That’s why this cuffing season, I don’t plan to get in a relationship only to break it off by the end of senior year. But I do plan to spend time with my closest friends over the holiday season and remind them h how much they mean to me.

The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff. Reach Sowmya Chundi at schundi@hilite.org

pda psa CHLOE SUN GRAPHIC PERSPECTIVE

*passes a couple all over each other*

*walking through the hallways*

There’s no way that’s COVID-safe...

10

OCT 22, 2021

It’s About Time Students should take time to reevaluate priorities, spend time on what they truly enjoy DANIEL TIAN COLUMN

L

ast year, i was a virtual

weren’t made by me to begin with. I It’s safe to say that the transition by the began to prioritize working out, talking was jarring. I would get home at 5 learning student. I would start p.m., and other activities filled my numbers with friends and getting enough sleep. my days at noon, sluggishly And what an enormous difference that schedule past 8 p.m. nearly every ignoring the sunlight that insisted into made. My energy, productivity, and day of the week, whether it was my room, even through the heavyoverall mental health skyrocketed. I orchestra rehearsal, SAT prep, duty window curtains. I would hours per night felt relieved, like a massive weight was or church. Essentially, I eat “breakfast” at 2 p.m, is the average taken off my shoulders. went from having nine usually a large bowl of homework Ultimately, losing seven hours of hours of free time to about Shin ramen with poached load for high my day taught me to value my time. three. Feeling stressed, eggs as runny as I could schoolers When you have 24 hours to yourself tired and burnt out, make them. I would for a full year, you don’t have to I felt my health have around nine think about priorities. You have deteriorating, and hours of my own time for everything. As we all settle I knew I needed a time, free to do of students into a new, full-time school schedule, change, fast. whatever I liked: say a major whether we’re coming from hybrid Following a long I practiced piano, source of or virtual learning, we’re all losing a conversation with played video games, stress is lot of time. In moments like these, it a friend, I decided biked with friends, procrastination priorities, people! to re-evaluate my becomes vital to establish priorities. worked on Science I encourage you all to really consider priorities. I asked Olympiad, etc. for yourself: What do I want to myself, what do I really enjoy doing? In Since all my classes were spend my time on? What do I need the long run, what would I regret about autonomous, my school day would of high school h to spend my time on? high school? With these questions start at around 11 p.m. Generally, I students get answered, I sorted a list of how I spent took about two hours to finish a less than 8 my day; it was eye-opening. I realized day’s schoolwork, with first priority The views in this column do not neceshours of sleep I had spent hours and hours on things to assignments due at midnight. sarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff.

I didn’t really care about, on goals that Sleep would come at around 2 a.m.

Reach Daniel Tian at dtian@hilite.org ACSD SOURCE on normal nights, even later if I had found an interesting book or manga to read before bed. Ironically enough, 2nd floor B rooms 3rd floor A rooms this backward routine worked. I could keep up with my classes, and I I wish I brought I wish I wore felt productive working on my own a jacket shorts passions and projects. I felt like I could do what I wanted, whenever I wanted.

I could live life at my own pace, taking any extra time that I needed.

When this school year started, I was thrust into junior year, believed to be the busiest year of high school.

The rigid, unchangeable 9:05 a.m. to 4:05 p.m. school day closed down on me, stealing away any free time I had before. I was ripped from the tranquil stream of virtual learning and forced to swim in a speeding SIRI BYRISETTY GRAPHIC PERSPECTIVE river of in-person school.

2.8

55%

85%

extreme temperatures

HILITE.ORG

11

The Future is Now With recent passing of “Back to the Future Day”, students must learn to innovate, prepare for the coming future

I

ARCHIT KALRA COLUMN

of jetpacks as So where do we come in? We as alternatives to buses and students definitely don’t have the bicycles. I dream of escaping luxuries of resource access and funds the Solar System. I dream of that superpowers like Tesla have, but flying without wings. I dream of we do have imaginations and brains. teleportation, time travel and Anything we can think of that breathing underwater. might help people live Realistically, all of better lives is fair game; these things (except all we have to do is think, maybe time travel) are write and share it. possible to an extent After working given our current on some of my technologies, and ideas and writing we have done a them out, I’ve great deal towards begun to explore creating them— and contemplate I’ve worked on some the world around possible models for me much more tick tock artificial gravity and often. Wherever I antimatter engines am, I look around myself. But what is our progress on and see what could be better, like actually making them tangible and the curvature of the road or the available to the general population? moisture of the soil. I firmly believe With “Back to the Future Day” that anything and everything around on Oct. 21, we’re getting a chance us can be improved, modified or to reflect on the advancements reinvented using modern technology. that have been made thus far as Although I don’t have a PhD well as clear gaps in what we need in quantum mechanics or another to improve on—climate change fancy field, I think many of the especially comes to mind. ideas I have can be applied to We have made significant tangible models and actually advancements on many ingenious construct something that could inventions in the lab setting, but change the world. All this has many times we fail to pursue the taught me a lesson that I consider next step: actually implementing to be paramount; anyone can exert them in modern society. change. You just need to be a big For example, some companies enough catalyst. like Aeromobil are putting Contrary to popular belief, the finishing touches on their flying idea that “everything that can be car prototypes but estimate invented has been invented” is their cost to be upwards of $1 a blatantly false statement. In million. Making many of these fact, Charles Duell, former advancements affordable and Commissioner of the US Patent accessible, not to mention approved Office, reportedly said the same by governmental authorities for thing back in 1899, before public use, will undoubtedly take televisions, transistors and rocket time and investments. engines. Look where we are now! dream

Scan this to see the Best Inventions of 2020

I urge you all to innovate. Think of anything and everything that could make today’s world a better place, and work as hard as you can to make it happen. We are the generation of change, and what we do now will impact society for years to come. h The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff.

Reach Archit Kalra at akalra@hilite.org

mommy roasted me wow!! i can’t wait to show everyone my outfit at school today, i look stunning!

what the heck are you wearing you actually look so stupid rn

my mom

SOWMYA CHUNDI GRAPHIC PERSPECTIVE

12

OCT 22, 2021

Service to Servers Amid widespread labor shortages, employers, consumers should remember to treat others with compassion SAM HAWKINS COLUMN

I

f you’ve been anywhere

or tried to buy anything within the past few months, you’ve probably heard the phrases, “supply chain issues,” “staffing issues” or “labor shortage”—and you’ll probably still be hearing them for months to come, too.

I work weekends as a barista at a Starbucks in Indianapolis, one which is now closing completely on Mondays for a few weeks because we simply lack the staff capacity to open, an issue likely affecting your local Starbucks hours as well. This is not an isolated issue, and the Washington Post reported there are about 10 million open jobs right now in the U.S. and 8.4 million people still unemployed and looking for work.

There are a lot of reasons for this.

For one, a lot of these job openings are in fields that don’t align with what the unemployed were doing before the pandemic struck. For another, those misaligned fields come with a variety of risks, increased exposure to COVID-19 being the biggest.

But it’s more than just that.

Americans are having a reckoning as

far as what kind of jobs they want to work, and if you’ve ever worked in food service or hospitality, this probably isn’t a huge surprise to you. Starbucks is a relatively good place to work, but the truth is it often feels as though I’m working within a system that fundamentally does not value me as a human being.

For example, I see a lot of people in a day, and masks are no longer required in my store and many others, which puts me at increased risk of contracting COVID-19, even though I’m vaccinated. Additionally, my coworkers and I frequently end up with burns because the coffee, hot water and ovens are kept at very high temperatures. The pay is low enough that many of my coworkers—including students and parents of two or three—often work one to two other jobs to stay afloat. On top of that, customers can be impatient, rude or even outright mean.

It’s simply not the kind of place people, especially those who have at-risk family at home, want to

got vaxxed?

by the numbers

16

MILLION workers lost their jobs during COVID

48% of those lost employersponsored insurance TCW SOURCE

double standards If you don’t like your job, go work somewhere else!

work. And, ultimately, it comes down to a lack of compassion and empathy for one another as human beings, on a corporate level all the way down to individual consumers—a problem that existed before and perpetuates the pandemic.

Employers can exercise compassion by raising wages, enforcing mask policies, making it easier for employees to take days off due to illness and reducing workplace stress and safety hazards.

But this is also up to consumers, too. Treat your baristas, waiters, hotel clerks, maintenance staff and other servers with decency and understanding. Wear your mask (over your nose) and get vaccinated.

It comes down to every individual to create a system that values human lives—one in which humans can h safely and comfortably work.

The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff. Reach Sam Hawkins at shawkins@hilite.org

MARISSA FINNEY GRAPHIC PERSPECTIVE

Why is everywhere understaffed?

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Beautiful Bodies Stores should carry plus-sized clothing, instead of isolating them from other sizes

W

CADY ARMSTRONG COLUMN

does, it either hides it behind the with my friends, I smaller sizes on the rack, isolates always have a prepared it in a separate area, or makes the speech in case I don’t buy anything: shopper ask the associate to see the I didn’t want to spend the “additional sizes available.” money, the clothes weren’t These scenarios are stylish, or some other very concerning, but are excuse. However, most of all easy things to fix. To the time the real reason start, instead of hiding is that the stores the plus-size clothing, we went to didn’t stores can alternate carry anything that the order they put would come close sizes on the rack. to fitting me.

This way, stores do Often, I walk not contribute to into a store feeling the mainstream idea excited about going of an “ideal body’’ beach bod shopping as well as and how it should trying new clothes. be small and thin.

However, the experience quickly goes Then, stores should simply incorporate downhill when I check the rack and the plus-sized clothing in the normal the store doesn’t carry any sizes past sections that already exist. large, leaving me feeling shameful The way it is organized now, having and embarrassed. In addition to an isolated area makes being plusmaking many, including me, feel sized a defining characteristic equal to horrible, this practice reinforces the gender or age, when it simply is not. If toxic idea that bodies are supposed to I’m shopping with my friends, I’d have be a certain size and that nothing else to leave them and do a walk of shame is acceptable, a thought not even close by myself to look at clothes that would to true. All body types—plus size, actually fit, isolating me and defeating “ideal,” and everything in between— the whole point of going shopping are drop-dead gorgeous. Stores should together at all. Putting all the sizes stop making the experience isolating together would eliminate all of this. and shameful for plus-sized people.

Overall, these practices lead From the very start of the to a shameful experience, and shopping experience, stores shame stores should make adjustments plus-sized people. First, most do so plus-sized people don’t dread not even carry plus-sized clothing, going shopping everytime. While making it a very quick trip. On stores carrying plus size clothing the off-chance that the store and not isolating those individuals won’t completely fix the fatphobia present in today’s society, it’s a did you know? h good place to start. hen i go shopping

Universal sizing standards in clothing didn’t develop until the 1940s TIME SOURCE

The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff. Reach Cady Armstrong at carmstrong@hilite.org

Scan this to read a story about how students are personalizing fashion

college clamor AUSTIN GUO GRAPHIC PERSPECTIVE I’m constantly being reminded of college apps... I just wish I could get away from it all

brochures college mail

Let’s check my computer...

Email

Search through a whole lot of college emails...

Compose Inbox Starred Spam Sent Drafts

2384 unread

A college ABC University

Hey you should come over to this college

College of WASD

You checked a box once and now we’re here

Another College

There is no escape. Here’s another email.

University of Spam College College

I think you’d do great here please apply

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

news

OCT 22, 2021

News Briefs RAGHAV SRIRAM BRIEFS, GRAPHIC

Oct. 23

Ghost and Goblins Race

Oct. 26

CHS PSAT Testing

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Oct. 29

OCTOBER 2021

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Planetarium Show

Oct. 30

Daylight Savings Ends

Nov. 11

Veterans Day

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Club Photos Session One

Nov. 13

BOA Grand Nationals

Nov. 13

Carmel Science Olympiad Scrimmage

Nov. 16 to 18

Club Photos Session Two

Halloween 2021

Trick or Treat for Riley Sun

Nov. 8 to 10

NOVEMBER 2021

Nov. 21

Late Start

Oct. 31

Oct. 30

ISSMA Marching Band Semi State

Nov. 7

Key

Scan here to learn more about Carmel Science Olympiad

Nov. 25

Garage Sale for Riley

Thanksgiving Day 2021

trivia night

Submit your answers to this school history quiz for a chance to be featured in the next issue of the HiLite

When was the first Ghost and Goblins run?

How much money is the Ghost and Goblins projected to raise?

A) 2005 B) 2012 C) 2002

A) 85k

B) 50k

C) 75k

D) 2008 E) 2015 F) 2011

D) 25k

E) 45k

F) 65k

Scan here and fill out your answers on the google form

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En Garde SIRI SURAPANENI Q&AS, PHOTOS

q&a Joseph Broman, Fencing club sponsor Why should someone join fencing club?

It doesn’t hurt to try. We have all the appropriate safety equipment and we might even let you hit me.

I’ve done it a bit before, I’ve put on the masks before— they’re steel and coated in bullet resistant material.

(During club meetings), I’ve often put on a helmet and let them hit me and it just feels really good to just hit somebody. Even the jackets have a lot of layers and it doesn’t hurt as much as you think, just try it. You can find out if you like it really quickly.

What are your plans for fencing club this year?

I think if I was gonna set some goals, not that I have yet, but I’d love to do a fundraiser. I think it would be great for the club to buy its own equipment, or for individual people to raise money through fundraising. So that we’re not so beholden to Indianapolis Fencing Club where we borrow the equipment from. I think it’d be a really good start.

Why do you think it is important to learn fencing?

It’s different. You can’t say there are a lot of other activities like this, so I think it’s important for people to try different things. (Fencing) focuses on different kinds of hand-eye coordination, foot coordination, dexterity and balance so it’s just something great to learn.

q&a Olivia Stock, Fencing club president and junior What is the general layout of the club?

First, we do about 5-10 minutes of just warm up footwork. We might go over some new concepts but mostly just warm up. And then the next 20 to 30 minutes is blade work where I go over a new pairing or we talk about counter attacks.

And then the last 15 minutes is free fencing.

What is something that fencing has taught you?

swords up: Olivia Stock, junior and fencing club president, teaches a fencing club member new moves and correct form. Stock said she encourages students to give fencing a try and come to weekly fencing club meetings on Wednesday in the Main Cafeteria.

If you’re doing fencing more competitively, so not necessarily in the scope of this club, there are a lot of failures. Especially when you first start. Very rarely have I met anybody who gets a single touch in their first tournament, so I think something important I learned is just how to take that failure and do something productive with it.

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OCT 22, 2021

Bus Driver Boost CCS bus driver shortage leads to district pay changes, students discuss implications KATE LOPER STORY

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o combat the bus driver

shortage on Sept. 13 the school board agreed to increase the bus driver salary. The increase will be 7% in 2021-2022 with an additional 2% increase in 20222023. Associate Superintendent Roger McMichael said leaders in the district hope to create a competitive salary compared to other schools to make CCS more appealing for new drivers. He said there has not yet been an obvious result in new applicants, but the salary is allowing for a better and more competitive wage than other districts.

helping hand

ARTHUR MANSAVAGE PHOTOS

The bus driver shortage has continued to impact several school wide schedules. The shortage, which started five years ago, has resulted in changing start and end times to allow drivers to take multiple routes. This shortage, and the subsequent problem, McMichael said, is due to CCS not having a competitive wage compared to neighboring districts.

“I am very pleased CCS was able to provide a significant salary increase for our bus drivers. They are very dedicated and have really stepped up to do everything

Hourly Rate Daily Rate*

2020-2021 Pay Rate

2021-2022 Pay Rate

Take a look at CSS district-wide bus driver pay rates for the 2021-2022 school year

7% increase

$14

$15

$91

$97

INDEED, CARMEL CLAY SCHOOLS SOURCES

Yearly Rate

$30k

$32.1k

*daily rates were calculated on a 6.5 hour work day

MAHMOUD HOMSI GRAPHIC

Scan to read about the impacts bus driver shortages have had on students’ views on Carmel High School Transport

by the numbers

22%

of high school students nationally travel by bus to school

188

number of school buses CCS owns and operates CCS SOURCE

possible to get students to school,” McMichael said.

This year, bus drivers had to pick up extra routes to keep up with the number of students needing to be picked up. In past years, drivers were given one or two routes, usually with about an hour in between them. The shortage has caused multiple drivers to be assigned three routes, causing many to have to push time allotted between routes to efficiently pick up all students.

Bus driver Dondi Bacon-Wruble said, “We really started to feel the shortage effect of drivers last year when the school system changed hours with elementary and secondary, causing drivers to work longer hours with same base pay.”

To become a bus driver, applicants must complete four weeks of training and pass the Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) test. Training with an experienced driver and learning the operational aspects of the bus is also required.

However, McMichael said that the main requirement CCS looks for in candidates is the ability to interact and engage with students on a day-to-day basis.

The five-year shortage has caused numerous impacts in the CCS district. Not only has the shortage impacted the drivers themselves, it has also impacted students and schools alike.

Freshman Bella Byars, who

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bus business: CCS bus driver Dondi Bacon-Wruble greets students over the loudspeaker as they get on the bus after school. Bacon-Wruble is the driver of school bus number 50 that is pictured lined up outside of the Freshman Center. Bacon-Wruble said that the bus driver pay raise was necessary and praised the district-wide pay changes implemented for this year and next year.

rides the bus, said, “It’s frustrating for me especially as I’m stuck with waking up at 5 a.m. while other kids can wake up at 7 to 8 a.m.”

Many other students said they are caught in the same scenario with having to be dropped off at school earlier than they want, and having to be picked up later than they want due to the increase of routes per bus driver.

McMichael said that he believes that it is too early to tell if this change has helped the shortage,

speak-up!

did you know?

National bus driver salary is not standardized and is decided by individual school districts SALARY.COM SOURCE

but applauds bus drivers’ positive attitudes during this stressful time.

“There has not been a major change in terms of driver applicants, but the driver shortage is gradually improving,” McMichael said. “I hope that this pay raise does continue to increase the number of drivers applying to be a bus driver for Carmel Clay Schools, and allows those who have been working for CCS to continue to stay.”

Additionally, according to Bacon-Wruble, the CCS district may

need to implement even more incentives to attract more drivers.

He said, “For long-term effect, I would have had a more robust pay package that included healthcare options.”

McMichael said that he understands bus drivers’ concerns and believes that the pay raise is a start in the right direction.

McMichael said, “(The pay raise) will not solve the problem, but it will tremendously contribute h to it not getting worse.”

Why are you thankful for CCS bus drivers?

RAGHAV SRIRAM SPEAK-UPS, PHOTOS

“There have been several times where my parents are not able to take me to school since there are times when my parents have been too busy to take me anywhere, so I’m definitely very thankful for bus drivers taking the time out of their day to pick us up and drop us off at home because in many areas transportation Junior Nicolas Jagelka limits educational opportunities.”

“I am (part of) the color guard and we usually practice down at the stadium and it’s a long walk down the trail so it’s always nice to have a bus driver there ready to take us, that way we don’t have to spend that entire time walking in the morning Freshman and be late to class.”

Charlotte Horrocks

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OCT 22, 2021

Outrunning Ghosts Carmel Education Foundation to host in person run after virtual event last year ZAINAB IDREES STORY

A

ccording

to

jennifer

Penix, executive director of Carmel Education Foundation (CEF), the Ghosts and Goblins race will happen tomorrow at this school. The 2k race will begin near door 7 at 8:30 a.m. The 5k race will begin near door 9 at 8:40 a.m.

Penix said both courses go through neighborhoods by the high school.

This is the 13th year of Ghost and Goblins. It is an annual event hosted by the CEF, a foundation that serves Carmel Clay Schools by giving teacher grants and scholarships to high school seniors.

Stacey Hetrick, program coordinator of CEF said if students are interested in joining the race, they can register through the Ghost and Goblins website.

She said, “All CCS students get a discounted entry fee. Registration prices do increase on Oct.18 and 21, so earlier is better.”

There also is a virtual option offered this year for the run, though there will no prizes awarded and race times will not be collected for those with virtual entries.

Prizes are awarded to the top three finishers in different age categories. This will include being in a press release and being featured on the Gh-

RILEY TERBUSH, ARJUN PUROHIT GRAPHIC

ost and Goblins website.

Penix said, in contrast to the previous year, this annual race will provide entertainment for both adults and children.

“This year we will have an open air photo booth for people to take pictures with their friends or family.

Also, Java House will be selling coffee and the CHS Culinary Department will be selling breakfast items.

Plus, Bach to Rock will be providing entertainment along the course and in the staging area for kids.”

Freshman Fallyn Ranek ran the Ghost and Goblins race in 2019.

did you know?

She said, “It was motivational seeing everyone around me that I knew participating and dressing up. It is something that has been a part of my October celebration throughout late childhood. (It’s) a great opportunity for people who want to get involved in the community or just do some local running.”

Hetrick said, “I think people have a lot of fun as it is pretty laid back. We appreciate how involved CHS students are with helping us promote the race, volunteer, and, most of all, participate. We couldn’t do it without you and we are so grateful.” h

In 2019, about 2300 people participated in Ghost and Goblins. It is estimated that 2500 people will participate this year.

CEF SOURCE

5k course check

speak-up!

Keystone Parkway

CHS FINISH

E. Main Street

START

S. Rangeline Road

N. Rangeline Road

CEF SOURCE

What are your thoughts on Ghosts and Goblins?

EVA GLAZIER SPEAK-UPS, PHOTOS

“I think Ghost and Goblins is a fun way to be active with your friends. It is easy to sign up and then you show up dressed up with your friends and go for a run. The atmosphere is so fun and you get to create a lot of lasting memories. Definitely a can’t Senior miss event for all ages.”

Gregory Gottlieb

Junior Lauryn Collins

‘‘I believe Ghosts and Goblins is an excellent way to challenge yourself physically, celebrate the holiday, and have fun with your friends/ family. I like how it allows you to either walk or run. You can either take it very seriously or relax, but either way you will have fun.”

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Fresh Food Carmel Farmers Market opens, offer variety of products RYAN ZHANG STORY

T

he carmel winter farmers

Market, which opened Oct. 16, will run every Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon, until March 26 with the exception of Dec. 25 and Jan. 1. The winter market is indoors at the Wire Factory located on 510 3rd Ave. SW and features locally produced products among other items.

According to Ron Carter, Carmel Farmers Market master, the winter market attracts around 40 vendors who bring a variety of products made in Indiana. He said the market has pastries, baked goods, vegetables, meats, drinks and plants, among other items.

He said, “The mission for the Carmel Farmers Market is the same for both (the) winter and summer (market) and that’s to bring the verbest and safe healthy nutritious food to the citizens of Carmel and the Northside communities.”

The Carmel Farmers Market has two seasonal markets. The winter market is indoors while the summer market is outside of the Palladium.

Carter said the main difference between the two markets is the design and the items available.

“There are lots more vegetables and other produce at the summer market compared to the winter market. The winter market has

“The mission... (is)to bring the very best and safe, healthy, nutritious food to the citizens of Carmel and the Northside communities.”

MASTER RON CARTER

get in line: Customers of the Carmel Farmers Market stand in line to buy items.

The market is open most Saturdays with the exception of Dec. 25 and Jan. 1 from 9 a.m to noon.

CHRISTIAN LEDBETTER PHOTO

more of a preponderance of prepared foods,” he said.

“Plus the summer market is more colorful, because of the tents (and) the canopies that our vendors have.”

Senior MacKenna Mitchell said she works at the summer market, going there most Saturdays. She said she goes to the market to work for her family’s friend’s Walking Waffle Company stand, but also to see other people.

“I enjoy seeing our regulars when they come and seeing people I know. I love seeing the community come together especially after everyone has been so separated these past couple of years,” she said.

In addition, Mitchell said people looking forward to going to the market can find a variety of items.

“There are many food places for breakfast and coffee/other drinks

by the numbers

26 guaranteed vendors selling items will be at the Farmers Market

85

THOUSAND guests went to the farmers market in 2018 CARMEL FARMERS MARKETS SOURCE

and smoothies. There are also fresh fruits and veggies to take home.

There are frozen meals (and) lots of other small businesses with food items to take home as well as eat there,” she said.

Senior Lila Simmons said the Carmel Farmers Market is somewhere she has always gone to.

“I like the Walking Waffle (and) My Dad’s Sweet Corn. We usually get that in the summer,” she said.

She said she has been to both markets and doesn’t prefer one over the other.

“There’s the ice skating rink in the middle (of the market) which is fun and there’s hot chocolate and a lot more winter things,” she said.

Carter said, “People who haven’t been to the winter market could look forward to the same things they look forward to at the summer market, just in an indoor setting,” he said. h

entertainment

OCT 22, 2021

Drop Dead Gorgeous With Halloween approaching, film students reexamine gender roles in horror, psychological thriller movies JILLIAN MOORE, ARYA PINNAMANENI STORY

I

n the 1996 horror movie “Scream,” director Wes Craven references the common horror film tradition of killing off the majority of characters when he scripts Tatum, played by Rose McGowan, as saying, “No, please don’t kill me, Mr. Ghostface, I wanna be in the sequel!”

The archetype of the helpless female character, although not as prevalent today, is still extremely noticeable in the horror genre and in the cult classics many of us will watch this Halloween, according to Hannah Goeman, IB film student and senior. Goeman said she hopes to one day become a director and reexamine the male gaze and the clearly defined gender roles in the horror films.

They said, “I think we see this stereotype of the dumb blonde, especially in horror movies, and

by the numbers

20.5% of movie directors were female in 2020

655 horror movies released in North America since 1995, making horror the sixth most produced genre STATISTA SOURCE

we assume that since she’s blonde and since she’s a woman, she’s going to die first, and that you’re going to have a big strong man come save the day.”

However, according to senior Gracie Kubek, female characters are gaining more independence and complexity as the genre evolves and the archetype of the helpless woman in horror movies is dying off.

“Since (movies’) inception there has been more of a push towards male characters having more agency and I think that’s especially true in horror films, where female characters as a whole tend to lack that agency. They’re either the last character standing who gets rescued or they’re the helpless one who gets killed off,” she said.

IB film teacher Jim Peterson said via email that women often

skeletons in the closet See some common archetypes of female characters in the horror genre EMILY SANDY GRAPHIC

THE ARTIFICE SOURCE

The Possessed -No longer the original character -Evil in spirit

The Ghost -Recurring bad omen -Undead or a hallucination

The Cheerleader -Typically not very bright -Popular or has many friends

The female gaze is super valuable in storytelling. I think it’s really important that women are in this industry telling stories... with respect and opportunity SENIOR HANNAH GOEMAN default to the protagonists in horror movies. However, he said the damsel in distress trope is still present in horror and many other film genres.

Goeman used 2019 horror movie “Midsommar” as an example of a film which has a leading female character who fits the archetype of the final girl. However, she said “Midsommar” breaks the archetype of an innocent and demure character by showing a resilient and complex “final girl.”

On the other hand, Kubek said in many examples of horror movies women die first, no matter the intelligence of the characters’ choices.

However, she said the increase in female protagonists reaching the end of the film in more recent horror films is an indication of changing gender roles.

Kubek said, “The film ‘Psycho,’ which honestly is problematic on a number of levels, features a female character who is killed off very quickly and her agency

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(not) scream queens See how the characteristics of lead women in movies have changed over time MARISSA FINNEY GRAPHIC STAND SOURCE

Alien Sci-fi horror film from 1979

Midsommar Folk horror film from 2019

Ellen Ripley Played by Sigourney Weaver

Dani Ardor Played by Florence Pugh

Originally written to be a male action hero, Ripley follows the final girl trope. Ripley is capable and resourceful, and the only one to escape and kill the alien

is almost punished. Whereas in modern horror films… There’s one that came out with Janelle Monet in it, ‘Antebellum,’ where the main character is a woman. I think the media is always going to reflect the attitudes of the society that it’s catering to.”

Goeman said the most obvious change in gender roles in the past few decades is the decline of the male gaze as the main perspective in horror movies. The male gaze is defined by Oxford Dictionary as the perspective of the typical heterosexual man in media, characterized by a tendency to objectify or sexualize women.

“Having more female directors in the industry definitely helps with a greater presence of the female gaze in movies, which led to this evolution,” Goeman said.

A morally gray character, Ardor suffers from panic attacks and personal trauma on an “idyllic” retreat.

The film’s subversive ending, involving her self-centered boyfriend burning to death, can be interpreted as critical of the patriarchy

Silence of the Lambs Psychological film from 1991 Clarice Starling Played by Sigourney Weaver Clever and talented with an extremely dark past, Starling must interview an imprisoned cannibal to solve a series of murders and apprehend the killer Kubek said when the horror genre repeatedly portrayed women as expendable characters, and men as traditionally masculine heroes, it showcased society’s values at the time.

“When you have media that is so widely consumed as movies were and still are, you’re going to have the public who consumes this media reflecting the same values subconsciously. That (media) reinforces the societal ideas of weakness in women or of toxic masculinity in men. When these are being so commonly presented in a certain genre, they’re going to start to not only reflect public opinion, but to shape it.”

Peterson said he agreed and said due to the advancement of women’s rights and other factors, gender roles in horror

did you know?

Horror is a genre with a strong tradition of passing the Bechdel Test, in which two or more named female characters must talk with each other about something other than men IMDB SOURCE

movies are changing to reflect the increasingly common public perception of women as strong, capable and resourceful.

Peterson said, “The film industry follows the needs of the populace. If audiences grow in their expectations, the films will grow as well.”

In regard to these changing gender roles, Goeman said an increase of female directors, writers and producers in the film industry would lead to more dynamic horror movies that would appeal to a wider audience.

They said, “The female gaze is super valuable in storytelling. I think that it’s really important that women are in this industry telling stories, and they should be able to tell those with respect and equal opportunity.” h

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OCT 22, 2021

An Animated World Student animators discuss how popular animation impacts, guides design ARCHIT KALRA STORY

T

he hit disney xd show

“Gravity Falls” played a major role in sophomore Ren Olson’s future career choice.

Olson said the show and its artwork drew him toward animation when he was in middle school, and he’s kept at it since.

“I’m a fan of Alex Hirsch (creator of ‘Gravity Falls’), I love his work–– it’s so awesome. I watched it when it first came out, and I’ve seen all the episodes at least 10 times. I was just obsessed with it. I was like, ‘This guy

CHRISTIAN LEDBETTER PHOTOS

is really cool, and I want to do what he does,’” he said.

“I’d already been drawing at that point for three or four years, and I googled (Hirsch) and watched YouTube videos about him, and I was like ‘Animation––this is so cool.’ I really liked it, and I really got into it, and I watched a lot of animated music videos on YouTube made by other kids or young adults, and I got into looking at college thesis films,” he said. “That was when I was around 12, and ever since then that’s what I’ve wanted to do.”

screen time: Sophomore Ren Olson works on creating a frame for his short film. He said he is in the digital storyboarding phase of the project and that he gained inspiration for his design from Disney XD’s popular show Gravity Falls.

Olson is one of many students, both here and elsewhere, who hopes to work as an animator after college. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Special Effects and Animation Artists industry is expected to grow by 16% this decade. Many of these aspiring animators, like Olson, drew influences from famous animators and animation studios such as Disney and Cartoon Network.

Digital Design teacher Michael Lee, who teaches many fundamen-

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tals of animation in his class, said he agreed famous animators have an impact on student art.

“I would imagine that any art I come across will influence my art in some way. I create art by drawing from life experiences and observations,” Lee said via email. “These studio companies are very impressive in what they produce.”

Since studios such as Disney have an extremely wide audience, with the subscription service Disney+ having over 116 million subscribers as of August, the animation content they produce can impact animation projects and designs for years to come.

“Disney totally has a monopoly on the animation field right now,” Olson said. “I’m not going to deny it. Like Cartoon Network and Sony Animation, they’re the only two that have a chance at this point, but I think Disney has really stepped up their game in the past few years.”

For sophomore Sarah Xie, Disney has provided them with two of their favorite animated shows thus far: “Amphibia” and “The Owl House.”

“I do watch a lot of animated shows, especially TV shows. I find them really relaxing and it reminds me of my childhood,” Xie said. “I do think that Disney influenced a lot of animation along with a lot of other companies.”

23

sketchin’ it out: Sophomore Ren Olson works on character designs for a project in his sketchbook.

He said he hopes to send it in as part of a portfolio for admission in pre-college programs, and said he is considering a career for animation.

“I think animation itself, it’s getting a lot better,” they added, “and as time goes on, the animation will look a lot more realistic and maybe become even more popular than reality TV shows.”

Olson said he agreed. “There’s so many things you can do with animation that you can’t do in real life, and of course animation is sparked off of real life, but there are some things that are truly incredible in animation that can’t be done in real life,” he said.

For budding student animators, Olson recommended experimenting with different tools and apps such as Flipaclip, which you can use to make frame-by-frame animation videos, and encouraged them to pursue their dreams and be confident in themselves.

by the numbers

$1.63 BILLION is the profit of the highestgrossing animated film

1908 was the year the first animated film, “Fantasmagorie”, was released THEWRAP, THEATLANTIC SOURCE

He said, “The first step is trying it, really. You don’t have to be great to make an animation because there’s so many different styles of it, and you can have it really simplified.

For (example), you could just have a circle, and that’s your character.

And you can make a whole story out of that. So never let your technical skill define you, and never let not knowing stuff define you.

“I’ve had a ton of adults come up to me and be like, ‘Being an animator, that’s not something that’s really attainable, you can’t really do that,’” he added, “and I was like, ‘Yes I can,’ and I started doing it. Every animator starts with an idea. And as long as you have that idea and you’re driven enough to do it, there’s noh body that can stop you.”

animate it See some steps typical in the animation process Step 1: Inspiration The stage of finding ideas and gathering information Step 2: Concept and Script The backbone of the process (including length and format) Step 3: Voiceover Finding voice actors requires consideration pacing and tone

Step 4: Storyboarding Collecting the narratives to the visuals and outline directs design

Step 5: Visual Style Detailed elements and backgrounds are incorporated

GRACE GUO GRAPHIC REN OLSON, STUDIOTALE SOURCES

Step 6: Animation Techniques such as the key frame method are utilized, clean lines and colors are finalized Step 7: Music Choosing or creating the right soundtrack sets the mood

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OCT. 22, 2021

What the Future Holds With upcoming “Dune” release, see how science fiction (sci-fi) captures CHS students’ imaginations JILLIAN MOORE, KENT FUJITA, EMILY SANDY GRAPHIC

choose your character

space travel: In “Star Wars,” the Millenium Falcon was able to fly through the galaxies. A common theme of sci-fi is advances in technology, which allow characters to travel through time and space. The Millenium Falcon, for example, was able to jump through “hyperspace” extremely quickly.

See casting of “Dune” main characters

Chani Played by Zendaya Coleman, Chani is a confident and dangerous warrior

Paul Atreides Played by Timothée Chalamet, Paul Atreides has vivid visions of the future

sci-fi stats Take a look at different sci-fi movies’ gross profits THE NUMBERS SOURCE

Total Gross (In Millions of Dollars)

900 Star Wars: The Force Awakens 700

Jurassic World Men in Black

500

Hunger Games: Catching Fire Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

300

The Matrix Reloaded 100

speak-up!

Avatar

Scan this to view more information and the trailer for “Dune”

What do you think is the biggest reason sci-fi is so popular?

SAHAAS KANDRU SPEAK-UPS

“I love sci-fi because it mixes fantastical elements with some real grounded parts to make an interesting story. Sci-fi includes a wide variety of futuristic concepts, it makes people imagine what the future could look like.”

Sophomore Keshav Singh

“I love sci-fi because it’s a way to imagine the future and see what crazy new inventions we could come up with. It can let people escape from reality and see what they are capable of in a different kind of world.”

Sophomore Ojus Giri

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Under the Spotlight Recent media capitalizes on Princess Diana Spencer’s death by exposing her personal struggles, not giving justice to her character PALLEVI PILLAI COLUMN

A

institution of the royal family lthough it has been burdened her with a mountain 24 years since her tragic load of trauma- her husband’s death, it seems as if Prininfidelity, severe mental health cess Diana Spencer has gained struggles, and an eating disorder, more attraction and adoration than to name a few. The show did when she was alive, if that is a great job of capturing even possible. The former Diana’s desperate pleas Princess of Wales is unifor help from the royals versally beloved for a that went unanswered, reason. With her whimfurther isolating her sical, lighthearted nainto seclusion. The ture and simultanefast paced intensity ous elegance and of the dramasincerity, Princess filled season was Diana shattered a striking contrast the typical mold to “The Crown’s” of the stale, out of typical slow, drawn touch royal; she out nature. Season was a princess of justice 4 diana four ended up the people. Dibecoming “The ana recently made Crown’s” most commercially headlines with the release of season successful season yet. four of “The Crown.”

Since “The Crown’s” success, The popular Netflix drama Hollywood has been on a roll follows the history of the royal family releasing Princess Diana content. and politics beginning with Queen “Diana: The Musical” released on Elizabeth II’s reign. Fans have been Netflix on October 1st, and received eagerly waiting for a Princess Dianamurky reviews right out of the gate. centric season. They were finally Many Princess Diana superfans took satisfied in November 2020 when offense to the caricature depiction season four centered around Diana’s of her character. Indie films are also transition into the royal family. The jumping on the Diana train with the majority of Princess Diana’s plot drama “Spencer” starring Kristen line focused on how the strained

by the numbers

did you know?

Princess Diana Spencer, along with her partner Dodi Al-Fayed and driver Henri Paul, died from injuries sustained in a car crash on Aug. 31, 1997.

It is commonly believed the crash occurred due to the car speeding to avoid paparazzi.

90%

Rotten Tomatoes review of psychological drama film “Spencer.”

29 MILLION people tuned in to Netflix to watch season four of “The Crown,” which focuses on Princess Diana

1

STAR The Guardian’s review of the Netflix recording of Diana: The Musical THE GUARDIAN, IMDB SOURCES

HISTORY.COM SOURCE

Stewart as Diana set to release in early November. The film’s focus will be on Princess Diana’s “hidden life” behind closed doors and the internal struggles she endured during her time in the royal family.

It is blatantly clear that these creators are borrowing from “The Crown’s” Diana storyline in order to use her trauma as a selling point; it is inevitable for Princess Diana lovers to flock to the next big TV show or films surrounding her.

It is hypocritical for filmmakers and screenwriters to have this perception that they are doing a service by exposing Princess Diana’s personal struggles, as it was the same violating front-page frenzied media that is said to have h led to her death.

the crown jewel See how media has portrayed Princess Diana Spencer and her life story on the big screen JILLIAN MOORE GRAPHIC

IMDB SOURCE

NOV. 15, 2020

OCT. 1, 2021

Netflix releases season four of “The Crown”

Netflix releases “Diana: The Musical”

NOV. 5, 2021

“Spencer” is set to be released to the public after film festival appearances

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OCT 22, 2021

entertainment spotlight

That’s Just ShoeBiz Q&A with senior Nash Cheslock on shoe painting hobby AVERY CARLISLE Q&A, PHOTOS

artful strokes: Senior Nash Cheslock adds details to a pair of white Nike Air Force 1 shoes. Cheslock said he mostly uses acrylic paints for these projects.

When did you start painting shoes and how did you discover this hobby?

Where do you draw inspiration from for the shoe designs?

I saw one guy on YouTube do it and it looked really cool, so I figured I would make my own pair. I also paint AirPods and do regular paintings for my AP portfolio on reclaimed objects. I like functional art and sustainability. I tend to use oil and acrylic paints.

(My inspiration is) mostly climate change.

That’s what my AP portfolio is about. (My) polar bear (piece) about ice caps melting and (another design) is to spread awareness about the bee population declining.

What steps are involved in the process?

Where can other people view your work?

First, I get an idea and sketch it out, and then I clean the shoe with acetone to get all the chemicals off the shoe. Then I sketch (the design) on the shoe (and) I do different layers of painting and finishing details. I finish the painting and if I want anything else, like embroidery, I do that last.

I was recently featured in the Carmel International Arts Festival and I also have an instagram to showcase my work. (My instagram) is @nashcheslockart.

shoe designing: Senior Nash Cheslock holds up two of his favorite shoes he has designed.

The pair on the left is based on the save the bees movement and the pair on the right is based on climate change.

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Entertainment Briefs HIBBA MAHMOOD PHOTOS

RILEY LAFERRIERE BRIEFS

community events Winter Farmers Market nov.

6

Winters farmers market opens for the 2021-22 season season

Play at Studio Theater nov. “Lombardi a New America oct.

Play” will be performed at The Center for the Performing Arts

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striking a chord: CHS band students practice in class for upcoming performances. The students practiced “Over The Hills and Far Away.”

chs events Ghosts and Goblins Run oct.

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8:30 A.M. The 13th annual Ghosts and Goblins Run will take place

12 Check out more information about the run on page 12

Trick or Treat for Riley oct.

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The House of Representatives will host their annual Trick or Treat for Riley event

ISSMA State Championships nov. playing the part: Theatre students attended Rising Stars meeting on Oct. 7. The students dressed up for the different skits they performed in.

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The Carmel marching band students will participate in the ISSMA competition

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OCT 22, 2021

A DIFFERENT KIND OF Students with neurodivergencies often hide disabilities due to stereotypes, misinformation ARCHIT KALRA, CHRISTIAN LEDBETTER STORY

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OCT 22, 2021

ike many students at

this school, sophomore Joseph Sandy said he enjoys drawing in class as a means of personal relaxation.

“I like to draw in class because it is a good relaxer and it basically gives my body ‘alright that feels good, release of dopamine, good chemicals.’

It makes me feel nice, and I want that to continue,” he said.

Although Sandy said he loves to draw, he also said his long hours spent doing it are a hyperfixation, a consequence of Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), where he can become extremely focused on doing something for an extended period of time. Sometimes, Sandy said, this can lead to unhealthy habits.

“I’m an artist so if I start a project on a drawing tablet, I really don’t stop until I finish it,” he said.

“I can spend five hours on a tablet, not eating, not drinking, not taking a break, and that can be a problem because I’m human. I need to do that stuff.”

Sandy isn’t alone. A 2016 study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that an estimated 3.3 million children between the ages of 12 and 17 were diagnosed with ADHD. Many of these children, like Sandy, acquire hyperfixations over time.

Hyperfixations, however, are not unique to children with ADHD and are also associated with other neurodivergencies.

Sandy, who is also on the autism spectrum, said he has seen hyperfixations in other people as well.

“One thing I have experienced firsthand with autism is that anyone with autism has this one specific thing that they really, really like,

Scan this to read about how Healthline defines masking with autism and its effects on neurodivergent people

(and) that they know everything about. I know someone from middle school who really, really, liked trucks and he knew so many things about trucks,” he said.

In many cases, however, students suppress or “mask” some of these deep interests for fear of the community at large ostracizing them, including friend circles at school.

According to senior Matthea Sparks, who has Asperger’s Syndrome, a condition on the autism spectrum, masking is not an unfamiliar subject to her. “(Masking is) really tiring and there are some cases where it can be emotionally draining for people and they come home tired because they used all their energy to hide something because they’re afraid to be made fun of,” she said.

According to Healthline, masking is a process neurodivergent mindful mentors: Clizia Martini, Active Minds club member and senior, gestures towards the screen while speaking in front of the club at a meeting. The Active Minds club works to promote awareness about mental health.

Masking, a term used to describe changing one’s actions in order to appear neurotypical, also applies to mental disorders such as depression and anxiety. Active Minds strives to make masking no longer necessary with lessening the stigmas around mental health.

MARISSA FINNEY PHOTO

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No one would guess that I have autism because people only see the physical stuff... but there are some (neurodivergent) people who dont have (those physical tells).

SOPHOMORE JOSEPH

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man’s best friend: Sophomore Joseph Sandy poses with his dog. Sandy said his experiences with masking primarily occur at school, when he feels neurodivergencies unwelcome and home is a place he feels he can unwind and be himself.

EMILY SANDY PHOTO

SANDY people undertake for the purpose of appearing neurotypical in order to avoid stigma. As a whole, masking can include actions such as scripting conversations, forcing eye contact, mimicking gestures of surrounding people and more.

One key element of masking is suppressing stimming, or repeated movements or gestures. However, this does not come without its costs. “(I come home tired) every day, not just because of walking around, but because you have to suppress certain things,” Sparks said. “I need to suppress my need to stim and I

need to suppress my certain need to do things, because it’s hard, especially since there are some kids out there who don’t understand.”

Similarly to Sparks, Sandy said, he has also had multiple experiences with masking.

“Whenever I’m in a conversation I’m afraid to speak because if I speak and I say something wrong, my brain is like, ‘they think that you’re stupid,’ or ‘they think that you don’t know basic rules of a conversation.’ Like making stuff awkward, I’m a master of doing that.

Usually I just apologize profusely

40 Read a story about students with stutters, speech impediments and how speech related disorders affect students and staff at CHS.

brain scan Take a look at the different ways neurodivergent disorders affect the brain Autistic Brain People with autism typically have a larger brain mass and have more neuron connections between different parts of the brain. This makes it difficult to filter out unimportant information, like background noise.

ADHD Brain People with ADHD typically have a smaller brain mass with less neuron connections between the frontal and posterior regions of the brain which affects self-regulation and executive functioning.

CHENYAO LIU GRAPHIC AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION SOURCE

and then shut up for the rest of the conversation, because I don’t want to say anything else that disrupts the conversation,” he said.

According to a study by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from 2019, people who masked often reported having higher levels of stress and anxiety than individuals who masked less often. Another study from 2018 interviewed 111 adults on the autism spectrum and found that those who reported masking had symptoms of depression and felt unaccepted in their respective circles.

Best Buddies sponsor Tony Dunham said masking is also not unique to people on the spectrum or with neurodivergencies.

“Adults, as well, tend to present themselves in a certain way, and it’s hard to be vulnerable and let people see the real you, so if there are things perceived as deficiencies either by society or by high school culture, I think it’s only natural that high school students tend to mask those things,” he said.

According to Healthline, the environment someone is in is a significant factor to masking, because it often takes place in environments where one perceives a neurodivergency is unwelcome.

Sparks said the school administration could improve

>>

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OCT 22, 2021

by the numbers

>> should be more open about it, education regarding autism and

saying that it’s important because of the ableism she has seen at CHS. “I was in the bathroom because I do theater and I was changing into my costume and I overheard a conversation where a girl was making fun of a kid who was highly on the spectrum. Don’t do that please.

Not to sound mean but (they’re) the reason why it’s been hard to be more accepting about it and there should be more of an open thing about it,” she said.

Sandy said he struggles with picking up on social cues and noticing sarcasm, and said he thinks people being more patient and accepting would be beneficial.

“If you say something sarcastic and they look confused or something, say ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it, that was sarcastic.’ Even if they

9.4% of children have ADHD. Diagnoses are more common in boys, with 12.4% of boys being diagnosed and 5.6% of girls

1 in 7 people can be classified on the neurodivergency spectrum CDC SOURCE

differing perspectives Take a look at the work of Mary Colley, who described the advantages of certain types of neurodivergency Dyscalculia

y

Dyslexia

vit ati Cre

Verbal skills Empathy Intuition

Innovative thinking Verbal skills al rb Ve ills sk

DCD/ Dyspraxia

Visual thinking Creativity 3D Mechanical Skills

Verbal skills

Authenticity

Autism

ADHD

Concentration Detail processing Memory

Creativity Hyper-focus Energy + Passion

Sensory s awarenes

Hyper-focus

Tourette’s Syndrome sil ie Re

Observational skills Cognitive control Creativity

ive at ov ing Inn ink th

Depth of thinking Expression

nc e

Mental Health

Acquired Neurodiversity Adaptability Empathy

SOURCE DANIEL TIAN GRAPHIC DEVELOPMENTAL ADULT NEURODIVERSITY ASSOCIATION

say, ‘I know, don’t worry,’ it’s better than taking that chance to see if maybe they have autism and they are thinking about that for the rest of the day now. Because that has happened to me before where someone has made fun of me or made fun of something that I did, and looking back I realize that they were just poking fun, but at that point I’m like, ‘Oh god I really screwed up there didn’t I?’” Dunham said Best Buddies helps solve some of the issues Sandy identified so that both buddies and peers in the club grow and develop interpersonally.

“I think one of the most beautiful parts of a club like Best Buddies is that general ed students can see just how free and loving a lot of special needs friends can be, which alleviates the pressure to mask and act a certain way when they’re with their buddies and at club events or hanging out,” he said.

Sparks said while she feels society treats autism differently now than in years prior, it can still be misunderstood, due in part to public misinformation.

“It’s important to educate about autism, especially since you have some things like Autism Speaks, (which) gives out misinformation.

It gives out misinformation about people and stuff like that, it’s saying it can be cured. Autism is not curable. It’s a thing a person needs to learn to live with and it can actually benefit some people,” Sparks said.

Autism Speaks, founded by former NBC CEO Bob Wright and his late wife following their grandson’s autism diagnosis, is known as the largest autism related organization in the United States.

Although the organization does raise money through events such as the Autism Speaks Walk, the world’s largest autism fundraiser, advocacy groups have criticized the organization for contributing to misinformation regarding a proclaimed search for a cure and for a 2009 video titled “I am Autism,” in

mirror mirror: Sophomore Joseph Sandy looks at his reflection in the mirror. Sandy said he uses costumes and art as methods to cope with his neurodivergencies and express himself in a way he otherwise does not always feel comfortable.

Sandy said being patient and open-minded with otherpeople is helpful and to better his experience with neurodivergency while at school.

EMILY SANDY PHOTO MADDIE MISTERKA PHOTO ILLUSTRATION

which the video presents autism as a threat. While Autism Speaks has reportedly “refocused” their mission and removed “cure” from its mission statement following backlash in 2016, but the organization is the subject of controversy.

Sparks said it is important to support students in order to create an environment where masking isn’t perceived as necessary.

“And if they have a meltdown, don’t film it. There are multiple cases on YouTube where a parent would film their child’s autistic meltdown.

Don’t do that. If a kid is having a meltdown in the middle of the hallway, support him,” she said.

In addition, Sparks said many of these instances can lead students to further mask themselves to avoid stigma.

She said,“(Masking) can add way more stress and it can add a lot of mental health issues too, especially when it comes to self con-

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fidence and ‘I’m worth something,’ you know? Or ‘I’m good.’ It’s really hard, especially if you’re masking because it makes it feel like you’re wrong for being the way you are, but if you have autism there is nothing wrong with it.”

In addition to causing stress, masking can also often lead to an array of misconceptions regarding people with autism and other neurodivergencies as a whole.

Sandy said, “No one would guess that I have autism, because people only see the physical stuff.

People only see the people in wheelchairs and the people with student resource teachers, but there are some (neurodivergent) people that don’t have that and there are some people that go on their daily lives without an (instruction assistant) and all that type of stuff and you may never know it, so be kind and be patient with them.”

Much of this ties in with renewed calls for using the term “neurodiversity,” which aims to reduce stigma around neurodivergencies and consequently masking in people who may be at higher risk of doing so. Per the Stanford project of the same name, neurodiversity “regards individuals with differences in brain function and behavioral traits as part of normal variation in the human population.”

As a movement, neurodiversity has continuously gained traction within recent years and has helped to normalize and educate people about diverse traits.

Sparks said, “That’s why I feel like autism should be (taught about more frequently). It should be more open to talk about, because of course there are always (going to) be kids that make fun of it.

“But if there’s more of a path, more of an opening so it can be

Scan this to learn about the CHS Social Emotional Learning (SEL) program and how CHS is welcoming conversations to create change

29

highly explained, I feel like that would be wonderful and more open for kids,” Sparks said.

Dunham said he agreed with Sparks that education should be made more available.

“Honesty and vulnerability is a good stepping stone in general for adults and high school students of saying ‘this is me, all my flaws and the good, the bad’ and being accepting of people that are different,” he said. “I think that goes a long way with helping alleviate some of the pressure to conform.”

Sandy also said he thought being open to learn about the spectrum is beneficial to all people.

“One main thing is just be more patient, be more accepting of other people,” Sandy said. “Because if you’re not nice to each other, nothing is (going to) change and nothing is going to happen. It’s going to h be the same old thing.”

student section

OCT 22, 2021

The Melting Pot Students, teachers both see challenges, rewards of immigration MATTHEW DU STORY

N

CAROLINE JUST PHOTOS

did you know?

ational immigration day,

celebrated on Oct. 28, is a day geared to reflect on the numerous cultures that make up the melting pot of cultures that makes up the United States culture.

According to senior Sneha Srivasta, who lived in India until sixth grade, immigration is not impossible to deal with, but definitely poses some challenges. Even seemingly trivial topics become a difficult part of transitioning into living in Carmel.

She said, “It’s not really difficult, like a challenge, but I think (those little issues are) something that’s important to a lot of immigrants. It’s the fact that people can’t pronounce your name correctly. It’s obviously not a huge challenge…But I think that in school it’s really important for people to be able to pronounce your name correctly, or at least make an effort to pronounce it correctly. Your name is a large part of your identity, so knowing that people acknowledge that, the effort for people who want to be inclusive is really important.”

Srivasta is not alone. Junior Jeana Yeo, who immigrated from South Korea, describes the hardships she had while coming to the United States.

She said, “Definitely I experienced a lot of racism because I wasn’t able to speak English. I got bullied a lot in elementary school, and it was a hard time communicating with people, and I felt really stupid because I couldn’t speak English.”

Yeo said she finally started fitting in during middle school as she was able to speak English by that time and found it easier to make more friends because of the language.

“Overall, I feel like I was much more used to the culture,” she said.

Yeo also said Carmel has changed her in many ways.

There are 41 million foreignborn individuals living in the United States. Together, this group makes up 12.9% of the overall population of foreign-born individuals in the United States. The majority of the foreign-born are from Latin America and Asia, with a small number arriving from Europe and Africa. As of 2013, roughly 52% of U.S. immigrants were born in Latin America, close to 30% in Asia, 11.6% in Europe and 4.4% in Africa.

AMERICAN PROGRESS SOURCE

perspective: ENL teacher Elizabeth Kahl asks students to name their favorite pizza topping in English to help them learn how to speak English properly while also highlighting differences in opinion between students of different cultural backgrounds.

“I feel like it has pros and cons, but I think Carmel has more opportunities,” she said, “I feel like by being here, I got to explore more hobbies than I could (before). I feel like in Korea, I would have definitely been more into studies, (but) here I listen to music, (look at) art, et cetera.”

On the other hand, Srivasta said, “It’s not just Carmel, or more specifically, the school, I think this changed me a lot because the diversity in this school is really high compared to the rest of Indiana in general. I’ve met a lot of people like myself. You find

people with your interests, whether it be your culture or not. It’s easier to find your group of people when there’s so many people in such a diverse group of people.”

Srivasta offered a solution to any foreign students who may be having trouble fitting in.

“I feel like having at least one close friend is really helpful,” she said.

“When I first moved I had a lot of people who were forced to be friends because I was a new student and I couldn’t speak English. I feel like having a friend who is willing to be patient with you or has had similar experiences is definitely helpful, and to reach out for help.”

According to English as a New Language (ENL) teacher Elizabeth Kahl, who teaches foreign students English and improves their language skills, said the hardest challenge she saw her students go through was feeling comfortable to practice English.

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“We know with language acquisition, the best way to perfect your English speaking and writing skills is to practice; however, they sometimes feel uncomfortable to either say the wrong thing or the wrong word or mispronounce things, so the de facto thing for them to do is to be silent, so I think our class (is) a safe space to practice as much English as possible without the fear of someone thinking differently of you,” she said.

Kahl said she teaches a multitude of students with different cultural and societal upbringing.

“A lot of our students, we have a significant population from Venezuela, as well as Egypt and the Middle East, we have students from Israel,

good food: Senior Sneha Srivasta poses with traditional Indian food from her culture.

She says that although she has adapted to the differences in culture in the United States, her family still eats traditional food like dosa which is an Indian bread that has been incorporated as the United States diversifies its culture.

from Japan, from China, so those are some of the cultures we’ve been able to experience so far,” she said.

Overall, Kahl says that immigration is a general positive, and it shows the strength of foreign CHS students.

“Imagine coming to a new country in your adolescent, kind of formative years, and not only having a culture shock but there’s always a lot of different factors (like) leaving your family behind, leaving your language behind, seeing your parents struggle, maybe yourself struggle,” she said.

Kahl said, “It’s not easy, so I think, at times, it makes them a lot stronger than they give themselves credit for.”

“At the end of all of this, most of our students here, even through

35

their growing pains, are happy to live in the United States, and for most of them, there’s no place they’d rather be,” she added.

Even though moving away is a difficult task for most students, Srivasta said she still finds ways to carry over her original Indian culture, such as her love for Bollywood.

“The biggest (carryover) I (felt) is still the same, my love for Bollywood music, movies, all the cultures the movies encompass really.”

She said, “It was one of the biggest cultural aspects that I bonded with—other Indian immigrants in this school—because that’s something that is common for us no matter where we are from.” h

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OCT 22, 2021

First Response First responder, daughter describe impact of COVID-19 on job MICHELLE WAN Q&A

q&a

GRACE HAMMETT SUBMITTED PHOTO

Sophomore, daughter of first responder Brian Hammett Grace Hammett

behind the scenes take a look at what happens when you call 911 A signal is sent to the phone company’s database as soon as you call 911

How has your fathers’ job changed your family and your family dynamic?

Any advice for readers that you want others to know about first-responders?

The phone uses GPS to find out your approximate location, this is normally pretty accurate

It can be scary when things go wrong in his job. It can also be hard when he misses many of my events because of work. He usually works weekends and holidays so it’s very common for us to celebrate holidays a day early when we are all at home.

You should remember that first responders have families and lives. You would never know how your comment or social media post can affect them and their families. It is totally fine to express your opinion but do it kindly and politely.

A short interview conducted by the telecommunicator finds out more information about the situation

q&a

BRIAN HAMMETT SUBMITTED PHOTO

Captain on a ladder truck for the Indianapolis Fire Department

The appropriate emergency agency is contacted and sent to the scene to provide assistance LILY FARRELL GRAPHIC FIREFIGHTER ASSOCIATION SOURCES

Brian Hammett

How do you think you and your department make an impact on others for the community and students?

What have you learned from your experiences as a first responder helping students?

How has COVID-19 changed your job and how have these changes affected your family?

We go to schools and do fire safety talks. We don’t only do runs, but we do welfare checks often. We make sure children have food, smoke detectors and the basic necessities to live. We make sure the public has safe buildings to go into.

There are times when people call you and don’t need you, and other times people call you and really do need you; that can be frustrating, but it’s still part of the job and (my department and I) work to help others so it is worth it.

It has not been difficult, but it is different. We have to wear masks and specialized gear on EMS runs. With the kids being home a lot, it was different. We couldn’t do all the things we usually do as a family during the lockdown.

by the number

2

MILLION first responders are on duty in the United States BUSH WHITE HOUSE ARCHIVES SOURCE

humans of CHS

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Happy Halloween!

Students share favorite Halloween traditions EDDIE SUN Q&AS, PHOTOS

Junior Allison Wolf “The best Halloween story comes from when I was 8 or 9. It was absolutely downpouring that year and I think there was maybe some snow mixed in. My friend and I were trick or treating in the neighborhood and my shoes were soaked so her mom gave me some rain boots from their garage which was great except they had a huge hole in the bottom so every time I took a step, tons of water seeped into the shoe and soaked my foot. Despite the bad weather it was a really fun night and we got tons of candy because not many kids were out.”

Senior Jackson Hu “I was out trick or treating with friends around the evening time and we all dressed up in suits. We also carried a casket to make it look like a funeral. We got many weird looks but overall it was really fun.”

Freshman Krishna Kukadia “My favorite Halloween tradition is always going to this haunted house with my friends that someone makes every year in my neighborhood.

Someone would always scream.”

Sophomore Gigi Welp “My best Halloween tradition is trading candy with my friends after trick or treating. I’ve been doing this since I was about 7 years old and my friends and I have never missed a year.”

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feature

OCT 22, 2021

Light the Lamps As Diwali festivities begin on Nov. 4, students share differences of celebrating traditions here at CHS compared to India

A

ROYCE BROWN STORY s diwali approaches on

Nov. 4, many Indians prepare for the holiday. On this day, which originated in the Indian subcontinent, Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and Newar Buddhists celebrate the victory of good over evil. Since Diwali is the festival of light, fireworks glow and glimmer in the new moon sky, and clay oil lamps illuminate cities across India. But while this religious holiday is celebrated on a grand scale in India, Indian-Americans celebrate Diwali differently due to cultural limitations.

Sophomore Roohi Sanka explained how celebrating Diwali in the United States has a different atmosphere than celebrating it in India.

ZOE TU PHOTOS

“Here I feel like everything is toned down,” she said. “It isn’t much of a community thing as much as it is a family thing here. But we still do kind of hold celebrations that are hosted by organizations and things like that. So that’s always something to look forward to.”

Sanka is not alone. Other students of Indian descent also said they experience smaller traditions and less of a community feeling compared to Diwali in India. Sophomore Keshav Singh, another student who celebrates Diwali, said he agreed with Sanka about Diwali being toned down.

“Here, there’s not as much sense of holiday spirit,” he said. “Around here

indian mythology: Sophomore Roohi Sanka sprinkles akshinthalu, a mix of tumeric and rice, onto figures of gods. “There was a Hindu god in human form who came back to his town after years of penance and another god defeated a demonlike figure who was terrorizing the area. Those (stories) are told on Diwali,” she said.

during Christmas time, there’s a huge holiday spirit. And it’s the same sort of atmosphere in India. While I get that (holiday spirit) a little bit, especially when I come home from school and we’re about to start celebrations, it’s definitely less here.”

Pallavi Belamkar, the executive cultural chair of the Hindu Temple of Central Indiana, elaborated on Singh’s observation about the lack of holiday spirit for Diwali here in the United States.

“In India, it’s more like families and friends coming together. Usually at that time, schools and colleges are closed. Businesses close down early so people can be together with their fami-

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lies. In this country, that doesn’t happen,” she said. “It’s like a get-together with friends. There’s not much gift-exchanging and things like that. None of the fireworks either. In India, over the course of the whole period (of Diwali) there are a lot of fireworks happening.”

However, even with the cultural differences of celebrating Diwali in the United States in contrast to India, families here still find ways to practice and maintain traditions. Sanka shared some of the traditions of Diwali she and her family celebrate.

“Diwali is the festival of light. It mainly represents the victory of good over evil, light over darkness. So we light clay lamps—they’re called ‘deepams’—to kind of chase away that darkness,” Sanka said. “We decorate them all around the inside and outside of the house. We also do Rangolis. Basically, there is colored powder outside of your house. You make color designs out of it and it welcomes people to your house if you’re having people over.”

Singh said he maintains the religious traditions of Diwali through his father, who can read Sanskrit, an ancient Indian language. Much of ancient Hindu literature is written in Sanskrit.

lighting the way: Sophomore Keshav Singh poses with a diya, or clay lamp. Singh said, “During Diwali, we light diyas around the house to symbolize the victory of good over evil.”

food fest

“My father studied Sanskrit in school, so he is able to read most traditional and unaltered prayers,” he said. “We use those for when we do the prayers. I think that’s a big part of keeping the original tradition alive.”

Singh said along with religious activities, he celebrates Diwali by eating his favorite traditional Indian snacks.

“My favorite food is actually a sweet dish that my mom makes,” he said. “It’s called ‘gulab jamun.’ The easiest way for me to explain it is that it’s a ball similar in consistency to a pancake. It’s basically just always sitting in sweet syrup. That’s my favorite food every Diwali.”

Even in a foreign country, Indian people often celebrate Diwali because it represents their heritage. And if Sanka, Singh and Belamkar all had something in common, it would be their emphasis on maintaining their roots.

Belamkar said Diwali is a key component of an Indian person’s heritage.

“Diwali is one of the most important festivals for the Hindus,” she said. “So pretty much every Hindu in this country celebrates Diwali.

Those are our roots and I think nobody can go away from their roots.

Our kids who are born and brought up in this country will follow the same cultures and traditions.”

Sanka said, “I feel like (Diwali) is not only something fun but it helps me connect back to my roots.

It’s something that helps me keep with my culture.”

Being part of the new generation of Indian Americans, Singh said passing on the traditions of Diwali is important to maintaining his culture.

“I think the importance is remembering where you came from, and remembering your culture,” he said.

“Obviously if we don’t remember it, it’ll die out. So it’s something very important we need to pass on to our children.

Diwali is a time to remember your roots, but also to enjoy yourself with h family, friends and good food.”

Pumpkin Halwa is one of the most well-known sweets eaten on Diwali.

People often give sweets such as halwa as gifts as well

39

Take a look at classic Indian delicacies eaten on Diwali

Murukku Laddoos are sweet balls of gram flour commonly eaten during Indian festivals. There are several varieties of laddoos, each made from different forms of gram flour

Puri

Pumpkin Halwa Murukku is a very popular South Indian snack made out of rice flour.

They are given out when guests come over, especially for Diwali

Besan Laddoos

Puri is a fried piece of flatbread made with wheat flour. These are very common at Diwali and served with a curry or gravy SIRI BYRISETTY GRAPHIC

TIMES OF INDIA, TASTE OF INDIA SOURCES

words, words, words: Sophomore Cecilia Pike poses with Scrabble tiles.

She said she wished people would be more empathetic around people who stutter.

O 1 V4 E 1 R 1 C 3 O 1 M3 I 1 N1 G2 Groups work to overcome stuttering in light of International Stuttering Awareness Day on Oct. 22 ARCHIT KALRA, SUMEDHA KOTA STORY

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OR CECILIA PIKE, A SOPHOMORE

who faced numerous issues with stuttering in the past, speech therapy allowed for an outlet to improve her communication and speaking ability.

“If I was doing a presentation or something like that in school (before I started speech therapy), I would have a hard time getting the words out,” Pike said. “Speech therapy basically just taught me tactics to stop stuttering or help me communicate better.”

Pike is not alone in her struggles with stuttering. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), up to 10% of all children stutter at some point in their lives and 25% of them end up having a lifelong stutter.

For Caden Short, New York University student and Teen Program co-Coordinator at the National Stuttering Association (NSA), overcoming stuttering was a collective experience.

ROYCE BROWN PHOTOS

“(The NSA) had a chapter in my hometown of Phoenix and I went to a ‘Family Day,’ which was at a park with a bunch of kids who stuttered––that was the first time I met somebody else who stuttered. Before then, I felt like I was alone, that I just went through my own struggle by myself,” he said.

Short, who is currently studying economics and politics at New York University, said groups like the NSA helped him maintain contact with people who also stuttered and help each other.

“As a student, going through high school and coming into college, there were a lot of big transition periods where I had to meet new people (and) advertise about stuttering for the first time again.

The NSA really aims to support people who stutter, and they really emphasize the good environment. I met a bunch of kids and teens, and as I’ve gotten older, I’ve been able to make connections with people from all walks of life who stutter.

by the numbers

3

MILLION Americans have a stutter

10% of children go through a period of stuttering that lasts at least six months

75% of children who stutter will stop stuttering within one to two years NIDCD SOURCE

It’s been a really great experience.

Just being able to support and relate to people that also stutter is a really big deal for me.”

Both Pike and Short said support therapies and groups have aided them in their speech journey, which is very similar to the goals of Nancy Robertson and Emily Nadeau, speech pathologists at CHS who provide support to students.

“Our goal is always to support the best communicator that the student can be,” Nadeau said.

According to Robertson, speech impediments often pose challenges to students at school, especially since students can be insecure about stuttering while asking a question during class or participating in other activities.

“What’s your hardest class?”

Robertson asked. “Take linear algebra and imagine that the book is turned upside down. And you have to learn linear algebra but everybody’s book is faced upright and your book is upside

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down. Or your computer monitor, or your Zoom call has a lag, but nobody else has that. Imagine if you’re like, ‘I need to know this, I have no idea what to do next, but when I raise my hand, I might be disfluent, I might stutter, because that’s a challenge that I have.’

So then you (multiply that by a factor of) nine infinity, and it’s hard to ask a question, and you have to really think about it like ‘Oh gosh, I don’t want to be embarrassed, or of all the times I don’t want to stutter, this would be it.’

Just think about that.”

However, Robertson said being optimistic is crucial to help overcome stuttering.

“You know that saying, ‘You fall down seven times and you get back up eight?’ It’s so applicable,” she said. “When we have students who have another challenge (stuttering) on top of just how challenging high school is, and then you see them persevere and go on to college, and you see them do the next step— find a job, go to college, make new friendships—that is awe-inspiring.”

Pike said she agreed, and said after speech therapy she was able to express herself much better and learn methods of communication which helped alleviate her embarrassment, even after a few stumbles.

“I communicate better now, and I speak out more about my opinions,

I speak out more about my opinions, thoughts and feelings. It’s easier to talk now without worrying as much about how I sound while stuttering.

SOPHOMORE CECILIA PIKE thoughts and feelings,” she said. “It’s easier to talk now without worrying as much about how I sound while stuttering, even though the stutter still comes in sometimes.”

In terms of improvements, Pike said she wishes there was more empathy on an interpersonal level among non-stuttering students.

She said empathy can have a large impact on how students who stutter are able to express themselves.

“I think that for everyone it’s different, but if you can’t communicate well and people may make fun of you for it, and when you actually communicate, people shut you down, it just takes away that motivation to say something,” she said.

According to Short, who organizes workshops at the NSA’s annual conferences, the NSA Teens Facebook group, helps emphasize the importance learning linguistics: Sophomore Cecilia Pike practices speech exercises in the library. She said speech therapy helped her communicate. “I started speech therapy in 7th grade, before then I was having trouble communicating,” said Pike. “Some people would tease me for it...but speech therapy basically just taught me tactics to stop stuttering or help me communicate better.”

41

remember their voice Check out some famous people who had a speech impediment Winston Churchill Churchill suffered from a speech impediment his entire life. One journalist said “Mr. Churchill is more often fighting himself than his enemies.”

James Earl Jones Jones is most known for his role as the voice of Darth Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy.

Despite his famous voice, he was mute for most of his childhood because of his severe stutter.

Marilyn Monroe Monroe had a traumatic childhood, and developed a stutter when she was young.

In an interview, she mentioned she would still stutter when she was nervous.

CHENYAO LIU GRAPHIC SPEECH BUDDIES SOURCE

of building relations and empathy. Such groups, Short said, are instrumental in helping to build an environment that can overcome stuttering. “(The Facebook group) is...only teens; there are no adults, and it’s a close group. It’s an opportunity to just read about people who stutter, read the questions they have asked and about the people who have responded,” he said.

Short said his advice for students who stutter varies.

“My (advice) is always different and that’s kind of the point, stuttering is always different. Some days you’re going to have a great day; some days it might not be as good. The important thing is to realize that no matter how many bad days you have, you’re going to have good ones as well, and don’t let the highs get too high, don’t let the lows get too low. I think it’s important to realize that you h actually aren’t alone.”

did you know?

Modern speech pathology was developed in response to World War II. As soldiers returned with brain damage, researchers realized speech disorders were related to the brain and developed more methods of therapy.

THE STUTTERING FOUNDATION SOURCE

42

OCT 22, 2021

Recuérdame Mexican students, Spanish teacher share stories, traditions, feelings towards Día de los Muertos KRUTI SUBBANNAVAR STORY, PHOTOS

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reshman

regina

hyde

carefully traces the shape of a skull onto blue colored paper. She goes in with different color markers, highlighting details and adding decorations. She said the skull was to be a decoration for the upcoming festival Día de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead.

“It’s a day where we don’t celebrate death, we celebrate life,” Hyde said.

According to Gabriela Mendoza, Spanish teacher and former resident of Mexico, this is a festival to celebrate loved ones who have since passed away. Usually celebrated on Nov. 1 and Nov. 2, this holiday is a chance to remember loved ones, and hoping they come back to visit, as many believe, Mendoza said.

Mendoza said people in Mexico often visit cemeteries and decorate

their loved ones’ graves, lighting a path to their home so the spirits can find their way.

Senior Yahaira Cano said her family typically begins preparing for Día de los Muertos at least a week before the actual celebration. Cano said her family carefully builds an altar, called an ofrenda in Spanish, to put up photos of loved ones and other decorations.

“It's just so (that) everything turns out perfect,” Cano said. “(It’s to make sure) nothing’s missing (and) nobody’s missing, because if their picture is not on there, they cannot visit.”

These decorations could also include favorite items of passed family members, such as their favorite food, clothes and toys, Hyde said.

Decorations representing each of the four classical elements—wa-

Scan this to read a story on Wiccans who practice their religion with Halloween around the corner

ter, fire, wind and earth— are used as well, Hyde said.

Orange flowers, such as marigolds, are of great importance for decoration as well, Cano said.

“We put the flowers there to guide the spirits to the altar,” she said.

Mendoza also said types of decorations may differ between families and across cities in Mexico.

“Some cities have Día de los Muertos parades, like Oaxaca.

(Oaxaca) is probably known for their Day of the Dead celebrations, and people travel to see it and be a part of it,” she said.

Cano said, “For my family, on the Day of the Dead, we all talk to our family members and we go visit their cemeteries—the ones that are closest to us—and we eat pan dulce, which is a sweet bread.” She also said some

thinly veiled See how different holidays celebrate the time when the barrier between the spiritual, physical world is broken down

Día de los Muertos Nov. 1, Nov. 2 Catholic Joyous holiday to show love, respect for dead family members Skull face paint represents yourself or deceased loved one

Samhain

Oct. 31, Nov. 1 Celtic Holiday to welcome harvest, dark half of the year Bonfires welcome spirits that could travel to Earth

All Saints’ Day Nov. 1

Christian

Somber event to celebrate all saints who have gone to heaven The dove is an emblem of truth and innocence referenced in the Bible JILLIAN MOORE GRAPHIC NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, BRITANNICA SOURCES

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43

It means a lot to give late family members offerings and to make sure that they’re okay. It’s nice to know that they’re there, at least for that day.

SENIOR YAHAIRA CANO family members stay up and talk the night away, and have a good time.

For Hyde, the celebration features a lot of decorated sugar skulls made by her mother, decorating the house and putting both sugar skulls and decorations up together. She said although they don’t make a whole altar, they will put up photos and favorite items of their loved ones.

Mendoza said pan de muertos is also a famous marker of the celebration. She said it is a bread made of cinnamon and anise and one of the items she first thinks of in relation to Día de los Muertos.

Cano and Hyde said the celebration in itself held a lot of special meanings for them.

Hyde said it was a special day as she would feel more connected to her loved ones and remember and celebrate their lives.

“To me, it honestly means that I get to be able to connect with my family members (who) have passed and kind of be with them again,” Cano said. “(It means a lot to) give them offerings (and to) make sure that they’re okay. It’s nice to know that they’re there, at least for that day,” she said.

Cano said Día de los Muertos especially holds a lot of meaning for her as it is a way for her to connect with her baby sister, Yelena who passed away at the age of five months.

“My favorite memory (of celebrating Día de los Muertos) was actually last year. We made this huge altar, and I drew a picture of her for art class a couple years ago, so I put that up as her picture,” Cano

papel picado: Freshman Regina Hyde draws a paper skull decoration for Día de los Muertos.

Hyde said one of her favorite parts of the celebration was getting to eat decorated sugar skulls and other sugary desserts.

Hyde said Día de los Muertos is a holiday that can help reduce the fear of death.

said. “It was a very special moment since I'm the only girl in my family, having that moment with my baby sister was really, really nice.”

As Día de los Muertos is important to Hyde, she said while she was happy about it’s growing popularity in the States, she didn’t like the commercialization of it.

“I feel like it's good but bad at the same time,” she said. “Sometimes, people can think that it's like Halloween and take it more of (as) dressing up like scary people, and romanticizing death, but it's not so bad now that people are learning about it,” Hyde said.

Mendoza also said remembering loved ones was something anyone could do and was not tied into any culture, and if people who are not Hispanic wanted to honor their loved ones, they should.

Hyde said, “If you wanna try (Día de los Muertos) out, you definitely should. It's a really good holiday that people should learn more about.

“I feel like it's really important because it makes you feel not so scared of (death),” she added. “People get really scared of dying or being forgotten, when really you actually have a lot of h people that care about you.

the grind never stops: Junior Ishaan Singh studies for his AP US History class in the media center. Singh said he believes AP exams are too expensive and wished the state of Indiana would subsidize all AP exams.

Priceless Education Students, teachers consider changes to SAT, AP exams CLAIRE HE STORY

O

THE SUMMER, JUNIOR Ishaan Singh prepared for the newest version of the SAT, one of the cornerstone high school exams, by using Khan Academy as a tool for grammar and reading practice as well as taking practice tests from his Princeton Review book.

In the past few years, the College Board has implemented major changes in both the SAT and AP examinations. Some of these changes include the removal of the SAT subject tests and SAT essay section, in addition to the revamping of the AP World History course to focus on modern history and the virtual adjustments in spring 2020 during the initial COVID-19 spread.

With the SAT as an option to replace the ISTEP as a required examination in the spring going forward, Singh, who has taken a VER

ARYA PINNAMANENI PHOTO

multitude of AP courses as well as the SAT, said, “I think (taking the SAT instead of the ISTEP) is a much better option.

“The SAT is a genuinely important test for college, so having that extra retake with the school I think is really good. Especially if you did okay on your SAT, and so you’re satisfied with your score, but you still kind of want to do better but you don’t have to pay—the one with the school’s free,” he said.”

Stephanie Payne, a counselor in charge of handling the weekend SATs for CHS—which Singh participated in—said SAT registration rates are going down due to more colleges becoming testoptional. However, with the school providing the SAT sponsored by the state in the spring, she said it was good for each student to be able

to take it and have it count as long as they meet a certain benchmark.

She also said, “The College Board has made some changes a lot within the last year; they’re no longer offering the subject tests. Colleges, I think in general, were not using those often anymore, so whatever their reason was they eliminated those.”

Payne said she agreed with the changes. “I definitely think the changes to eliminate the subject tests and essay are good changes,” she said, “and it certainly simplifies the registration process.”

Singh said he agreed that discontinuing the subject tests and essays was a good change.

According to Singh, although he approves of the enduring changes the College Board has made in other courses and tests, over the course of high school he has lost faith in the

did you know?

The original SAT was invented by Carl Brigham, an avowed eugenicist. He created the test to uphold a racial caste system and theorized that standardized testing was a means of upholding racial purity.

THE ATLANTIC SOURCE

HILITE.ORG

College Board has kind of deteriorated throughout high school.”

Conversely, Rohan Bhosale, a freshman currently taking AP Physics and AP Computer Science, said he had a similar view on the College Board in the few months that he has interacted with it.

“At the beginning of the year, I had some questions (about the SAT) and I contacted the College Board, and they—at least their customer service—was really good. It really helps,” he said.

In regards to the College Board’s effectiveness in communicating its changes, as well as about the changes themselves, Ryan Ringenberg, AP World History teacher, said the move to AP Modern World History was significant and initially controversial, but that the College Board was compliant with the feedback it received.

“The College Board listened to teachers’ complaints and made an effort to emphasize that it was not changing the course to a Eurocentric focus in history,” Ringernberg said via email. “They also gave teachers ample time to adjust their curriculum and beefed up their online resources for teachers. I don’t mind the change because it gives us a bit more time to teach more modern history.”

The costs of the examinations are a point of contention regarding both

I had no idea that every single exam you take is so expensive... and there’s just so many different problems with the College Board.

JUNIOR ISHAAN SINGH institution itself partially because of his own experience with the COVID-19 policies for his freshman AP World History exam, which was condensed to only a single virtual document-based question on short notice rather than the promised exam that he and other students had paid for.

“Although it worked out for me just because I got lucky with my prompt,” he said, “I really didn’t think it was a good measure of my knowledge. We got a 45-minute modified DBQ as our entire AP World exam; it’s really not worth what I paid for it.”

Additionally, Singh said, “(My perception of the College Board) has changed a lot, more because of circumstance, and how they didn’t handle the COVID situation very well. Although I can’t come up with a better solution to what they did, I really don’t think what they did was adequate, so my opinion of the

by the numbers

1.53 BILLION

the amount in dollars the College Board holds in cash and investments

14% of College Board’s annual revenue is profit

$100 the cost to take an AP exam

1.21 MILLION

students worldwide took AP exams in 2020 TOTAL REGISTRATION SOURCE

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the SAT and AP exams, which are administered by the College Board, a not-for-profit organization. While many funds, such as the SAT in the spring and AP exams in math, science and English, are subsidized by the school and state, others are not.

Singh said he disliked paying $100 to take exams that did not fit into those categories.

“I feel it would be good for the state to pay for all those AP exams, or maybe have more financial aid for those who need it,” he said, “because a hundred dollars per exam is just ridiculous.”

Ringenberg said, concerning the costs of the exams, “(They) have gone up by about 20% since I started teaching the course 10 years ago, which seems a bit steep, but it doesn’t surprise me. As long as state money can be used to provide equitable access for those in need, I’m okay with it.”

Singh said he believed the College Board had several issues to work on, a main one which was the cost of its exams.

“In middle school, I knew about the College Board,” he said, “(but) I just assumed it was this program that you take tests with to get into college.

I had no idea that every single exam you take is so expensive and so lengthy and there’s just so many different problems with the College Board.” h

not-for-profit Revenue Expenses

Notable expenses in 2019 included assessment administration and development (44% of total expenses) and salaries and wages (20%)

Revenue, Expenses in millions ($)

The IRS Form 990 provides the public with financial information about tax-exempt organizations annually.

Profit

1200

150

1000

120

800

90

600

60

400

2007

2010

*2014: change in accounting year

2013

Years

2016

2019

Profit in millions ($)

Take a look at the trends in College Board’s profits, revenue, expenses over the past few years

30

YICHEN LIU GRAPHIC PROPUBLICA, IRS SOURCES

sports

OCT 22, 2021

athlete spotlight

Kole Mathison Kole Mathison, junior and varsity crosscountry runner, breaks school 5K record MAGGIE MEYER Q&A

Did you go into the race knowing you wanted to break the CHS record?

I did not think I was going to run a fast time at all.

I did not think I was going to (get a) personal record, because it was a very hot and humid morning and it is a tough course as well. I really was not expecting it but I think the competition was there and so (my performance) formed into the school record.

Have you done any special training to make it to where you are now?

I have followed the training of whatever coaches I have gone through. Through middle school and through high school, I have followed whatever training they want to give me. I have also picked up on training as well as at places like St. Vincent’s Sports Performance and I have also worked with the strength and conditioning coach at Butler University.

Does breaking the record change your outlook on running?

Yes, I think breaking the record definitely gives me a boost of confidence. I can run those faster times and so I think I will definitely try to push myself to lower the record that much more in the coming races. I still have another year of high school so we will see what happens.

What long term goals do you foresee?

I definitely think I want to pursue running at a D1 college and I have talked to a couple colleges so far. (After) college, I think I definitely want to pursue running professionally if I am able. Also, a goal of mine is to qualify for the 2024 Olympic trials.

What challenges have you faced in your running career and how did you overcome them? breaking records: Kole Mathison, junior and varsity cross-country runner, runs in the Eagle Classic on Sept. 11. Mathison broke the school 5K record at the FlashRock Invite on Sept. 18 with a time of 14:52.1.

OLIVIA MCKEE PHOTO

In middle school I did not have a lot of people around me to run with and I really love the social aspect of running and so not having that in middle school did not put me in the greatest of mindsets. I think having those people around you that you can socialize with is huge and really helps you to perform to the best of your abilities. Getting through that was good, and high school is a totally different experience than middle school. It has been really fun to have other people around me that have the same passion.

HILITE.ORG

47

Sports Briefs DARSHINI SHANKAR BRIEFS

cross-country

football

Semistate

Sectional

10:30 AM Blue River Park Shelbyville, IN

oct.

23

oct.

29

State

7 PM Avon High School Avon, IN

Sectional

oct.

30

1:30 PM Lavern Gibson Terre Haute, IN

nov.

6

7 PM Away TBA

men’s tennis State Singles and Doubles 3:00 PM Fri. oct.

9:30 AM Sat. Park Tudor

22-23

competitive cheer Varsity State Prelims oct.

23

10:00 AM North Cental High School

JV and Freshmen State oct.

30

4:15 PM North Central High School

serving aces: Senior Srisanth “Sri” Malpeddi serves the ball in the Sectional match on Sept.

29. The Hounds will compete at the State singles and doubles tournament on Oct. 22 and 23.

DARSHINI SHANKAR PHOTO making the pass: Varsity quarterback and senior Zachary “Zach” Osborne (center) makes a pass to his teammates in the homecoming football game against North Central on Sept, 24. The Greyhounds will be playing in the sectional tournament starting Oct. 29 as they try to advance to the State final.

LUKE MILLER PHOTO

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OCT 22, 2021

Wrecking Rankings Soccer coaches, players evaluate accuracy of rankings, their impact on overall mindset

O

n sept.

11, 2021, 18-year-old Emma Raducanu and 19-year old Leylah Fernandez played each other in the final of the U.S. Open. Ranked 150th and 73rd respectively by the Women’s Tennis Association, Raducanu and Fernandez were barely known when they entered the competition, and they weren’t expected to make it very far. By the end of the competition however, they found themselves in the first all-teenage final in a major competition since 1999.

To make it to the final, Fernandez defeated three women ranked in the top 10, including Naomi Osaka, the defending U.S. Open champion.

With that said, two low-ranked players facing each other in a major final raises questions about the significance of rankings.

For his part, Shane Schmidt, head coach of the men’s soccer team, said he does not pay attention to rankings.

“It’s nice, I guess, to have a little bit of a measuring stick to see what other coaches think of where your team might be, but I don’t put a whole lot of backing in behind it and we don’t ever really talk about the rankings,” he said. “I mean everybody usually knows where we rank, but it’s not anything that we use for motivation or anything like that.”

did you know?

Mark Edmondson, who won the 1976 Australian Open while ranked 212th in the world, is the lowest-ranked winner of a Grand Slam tournament.

The unseeded Edmondson defeated John Newcombe, the second seed, in the finals.

BLEACHER REPORT SOURCE

ALIVIA ROMANIUK STORY

According to Schmidt, soccer teams are ranked in two ways.

“There’s the MaxPreps rankings that use algorithms that figure out things like strength of schedule, opponents, wins, losses, all these different mathematical equations that factor in,” he said. “There’s also the Indiana Soccer Coaches Association Poll (ISCA). The way it works is that every Saturday afternoon Rob Jordan who’s the soccer coach at Zionsville sends out all the

upfield: Luci Bair, varsity women’s soccer player and senior, dribbles the ball in a Sectional game against Guerin.

Bair said facing higher ranked teams drives the team to play harder.

ARTHUR MANSAVAGE PHOTO

results. There’s like four or five different coaches in each of the four districts that all vote and it gets compiled and then the teams get put into place.”

Schmidt added that the ISCA rankings were more commonly used in the media, and that he is one of the voters.

Frank Dixon, head coach of the women’s soccer team, said via email that the ISCA rankings tend to be fairly accurate but have some flaws.

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smashing statistics How 18-year-old Emma Raducanu beat all odds to win the 2021 U.S Open Aug. 25, 2021

Enters the U.S. Open ranked 150th in the world Sept. 8, 2021

Beats Belinda Bencic of Switzerland, ranked 12th, in the quarterfinals Sept. 11, 2021

Raducanu wins a historic U.S. Open final against fellow teenager Leylah Fernandez, ranked 73rd.

ALI PERSINGER GRAPHIC

US OPEN, WTA TENNIS SOURCES

“Rankings can be skewed by the voters in the poll group. Many coaches don’t even see all the top teams in their area of the state, so they have to trust the other pollster’s recommendations,” Dixon said. “This can lead to some overranking at times.”

Lucia “Luci” Bair, member of the varsity women’s soccer team and senior, said she agreed.

It’s nice to have a little bit of a measuring stick to see what other coaches think of where your team might be but I don’t put a whole lot of backing in behind it and we don’t ever really talk about the rankings.

MEN’S SOCCER COACH SHANE SCHMIDT

by the numbers

5th

Ranking of Carmel’s varsity men’s soccer team in Class 3A as of Oct. 18

4th Ranking of Carmel’s varsity women’s soccer team in Class 3A as of Oct. 18 MAXPREPS SOURCE

“For us I think there’s some teams that are ranked higher than us and I don’t think it has any correlation with the fact that they’re better than us exactly,” she said. “When we play teams that are (ranked) higher than us there’s more motivation to bring our A-game.”

Dixon said, “I have never heard one of my girls mention the team’s ranking but I’m sure many of them

track it. My guess would be that it increases the pressure on players to prove they belong in the Top 20.

This is why we seldom mention it, as a coaching staff, to our players.”

While Schmidt and Dixon don’t put much emphasis on rankings, both said they do use game analytics to enhance their training and strategy.

Schmidt said, “We have (our game analytics) broken down through a program called Huddle, and then they give us all the analytics to the games and we use that in our training.”

Dixon said the team trains using statistics from game tapes.

“This includes almost everything you can think of in a soccer game: goals, assists, positive and negative passes, shots on goal and many others. We don’t train based on ranking position but I’m sure other teams use rankings to get their players to try to upset a ranked team,” he said.

Overall, Schmidt and Dixon agreed that rankings are more for entertainment purposes and should not be taken too seriously.

Dixon said, “We coaches look at rankings as a fun method of bringing attention to our sport. We hope they are fair and as accurate as possible, but more importantly we want communities to talk about the success of h their high school teams.”

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the lineup: Members of the men’s varsity soccer team line up during a game against Columbus North on Sept. 10. Head Coach Shane Schmidt said the team generally does not pay attention to how they are ranked.

OLIVIA MCKEE PHOTO

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OCT 22, 2021

In It to Commit Athletes, coaches ponder benefits of verbally committing to colleges before officially signing

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ROHAN MAHESH STORY lla ohrvall, varsity soft-

ball player and senior, started her softball career when she was just 6 years old. Last year, when she was a junior, she verbally committed to play at DePauw University. She said she plans to sign her official National Letter of Intent (NLI) next month. Ohrvall said the process to verbally commit was pretty straightforward.

“You start talking to the coaches via email or text,” she said. “Eventually you will most likely set up a phone call with them where you can ask questions and talk about their program. Then from there you might go on a visit and see the coach in person. If it’s the right fit and the coach gives you an offer then you will be able to commit there.”

Verbal commitments like Ohrvall’s are becoming more common. According to the NLI website, verbal commitment officially is defined as “stating publicly one’s intentions to attend a certain institution.” Athletes often like to verbally commit because they can stop worrying about what university to attend. Universities like them because coaches can theoretically fill roster slots well ahead of time.

However, the verbal commitment is also a non-binding, oral agreement

between the athlete and the institution. “The only binding nature of the commitment is (the athlete’s) word and the institution’s promise,” the NLI states. That means athletes often break their verbal commitments to attend other schools.

Recent NCAA changes indicate the majority of coaches can’t have a “recruiting interaction” until June 15 of an athlete’s sophomore year.

In softball, the date is Sept. 1 of the junior year, while the date for Division I football is April 15 of the athlete’s junior year.

recruiting routine

Take a look at key dates in the recruiting process for junior Meghan Christman, who committed to Notre Dame for Division I swimming AUSTIN GUO GRAPHIC NCSA, MEGHAN CHRISTMAN SOURCE

JUNE 15, 2021

AUG. 1, 2021

Junior Meghan Christman, who has verbally committed to the University of Notre Dame for swimming, said the university had to follow those commitment regulations before being allowed to contact her.

“Recruitment for swimming is allowed to start on June 15 of the summer before your junior year. I started talking to coaches on June 15 of this year and continued talking with them and going on visits until I reached my decision,” Christman said.

Ohrvall said she does plan to attend DePauw, the school to which

i’m in: Ella Ohrvall, softball player and senior, holds a bat while wearing a shirt from DePauw University.

Ohrvall said COVID-19 forced her to communicate with coaches entirely virtually.

MADDIE MISTERKA PHOTO

Recruits can begin to take official visits to schools at this date before junior year

College coaches can begin to contact athletes at this date after sophomore year

NOV. 10, 2022

AUG. 1, 2023

Final date to sign a NLI after senior year

Initial date to sign a National Letter of Intent (NLI) in senior year

she verbally committed, but she said she faced some challenges in the recruitment process, most of them related to the pandemic.

“One struggle I had was when COVID-19 started, we couldn’t go to tournaments and a lot of college coaches lost their funding,” she said. “So recruitment for my junior year got very messed up because coaches couldn’t talk to us like they should be able to. We had to find new ways to communicate with coaches and show them how we were playing all virtually.”

Christman said she also had some commitment difficulties.

“I overcame lots of challenges throughout my swimming career,” she said. “Some of them are moving teams, dealing with burnout and struggles in my personal life. I definitely have faced adversity in my swimming career. However, everything that I have gone through has made me stronger and more resilient.”

The burnout Christman referenced can sometimes lead athletes to decommit from schools to which they originally verbally committed.

An athlete’s physical or emotional exhaustion or devaluation toward the sport can make many of them

Do what is best for you and listen to your intuition.

This is your decision to make, not your friends or teammates.

MEGHAN CHRISTMAN, SWIMMER AND JUNIOR

end up playing for a different college than intended or not playing at all.

Despite the challenges she has faced, Christman said she still intends to swim for Notre Dame. She said, “My goal for the next four years is to score at NCAAs and continue to improve both as a person and as a swimmer.”

As for her advice regarding commitment, Christman said, “Do what is best for you and listen to your intuition. This is your decision to make, not your friends or teammates.”

The football team here has several accomplishments including nine State championships and has produced a multitude of players who have verbally committed to colleges.

at bat: Ella Ohrvall, softball player and senior, prepares to swing while at bat during a game. Ohrvall, who verbally committed to DePauw University, said she plans on signing a National Letter of Intent in November to officially commit to DePauw.

ELLA OHRVALL SUBMITTED PHOTO

Football assistant coach Rodney Deckard said he has seen many of his players commit to colleges over his assistant coaching career.

“I’m thrilled and excited to see this year’s seniors committing one by one to colleges,” he said. “Our quarterback just committed to Division I Colgate University and I don’t expect anything less from any of our other players.”

Outside of the athletic opportunity, Ohrvall said she hopes to use her verbal commitment to DePauw University for another value.

“My goal for the next four years is to graduate college with an economics and management degree,” she said.

“And to play softball while earning a starting spot on the school team.” h

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OCT 22, 2021

Sports Talk Female WHJE, CHTV members face challenges, lack of respect being minority in sports media ADDISON JOYCE STORY

S

tanzy Williams, CHTV sports director and junior, is one of six sports reporters at this school.

She’s the only female in the group.

“I know it’s not that popular (for females to join the sports team) and I know that there’s a lot of girls that are scared to get more into sports because of fear of judgement from men,” she said.

This is not a situation unique to CHS. The issue of gender stereotypes in sports media is not just prevalent in high schoolers. ESPN released a study last month that broke down the gender demograph-

Scan this to read an ESPN article on minorities in sports media. on air: Sophomore Maiza Munn covers playby-play sports commentary for WHJE. Munn is the only female student in the sports radio department and said she faces challenges with being respected in a predominantly male department.

GABBY SABER PHOTO

ALI PERSINGER GRAPHIC

ics of different communications occupations in the NBA. It found that 14.4% of sports reporters in the Associated Press were women, a number that has risen just 2.9% over the past three years.

The findings of the ESPN study are also representative in auditory sports reporting. WHJE advisor Dominic James, said of the 11 students in his sports radio department, only one of them is a female, and she only covers sports part of the time.

Maiza Munn, WHJE member and sophomore, is working to change that number. She said she

by the numbers

16.7% of sports editors are women

24.2% of assistant sports editors are women ESPN SOURCE

aspires to continue sports radio all through high school and into her adult life. While not officially part of the sports team, Munn covers play-by-play sports commentary for WHJE and said working in a predominantly male group can be intimidating at times.

“As a girl, it’s like if you don’t know one player on the Green Bay Packers that benches half the season, you’re completely invalid,” she said.

Munn said her dream occupation for the future is to be an MLB sports commentator. However, she said there are still improvements that need to be made on the respect that female commentators receive.

“You would not believe the comments sections of all these social media posts [about females commentating on professional baseball games],” Munn said. “They’re like, ‘I didn’t want to hear a woman talk’ and ‘I will never watch baseball now’ and ‘I cant believe that feminists are taking over like this.’”

According to Williams, she is also looking to the future for a professional career in sports reporting.

She said she has goals to become a sideline sports reporter. “(Those reporters) go down on the field and make remarks about the game like how it went and then do an interview with the players

I know that there’s a lot of girls that are scared to get more into sports because of fear of judgement from men.

JUNIOR STANZY WILLIAMS

HILITE.ORG

right after they get off the field, do a little halftime report, stuff like that,” Williams said.

By the time she’s an adult of working age, Williams said she wants more girls to get involved in maledominated sports media coverage.

“I really hope that guys start recognizing women more in sports in general and not overlooking their interests in that stuff,” she said.

James also said he thinks the ratio of boys to girls in sports reporting could use improvement, not just in the NBA but in sports in general.

“I think there’s a massive mismatch between the two obviously, and I think it has become more of an issue that people are aware of, but I’m not sure enough is being done to actually make things better,” he said.

However, starting steps are being made toward solving this problem.

For example, MLB had its first allfemale broadcasting team report on an Orioles-Rays game this past July.

Change is starting to happen for Williams as well. She said the disregard for females in sports media

mainly stems from outside opinions, and that is not the case within the CHTV staff.

“The guys that I manage, they’re almost all my really close friends,” Williams said, “and it took awhile, but they now recognize me as someone who’s super into sports and [they] respect that.”

Contrarily, Munn said she isn’t quite to that point yet and she is still

sports meeting: Junior Stanzy Williams (right) participates in a sports section meeting. Williams is the only female sports reporter at CHTV. CHLOE SUN PHOTO

43

beginning to get content with her role as a female in sports commentary.

“I just hope I can get to a point where I’m decently respected and where I can do games comfortably, because I think I’m at a point where I’m really nervous because I don’t want to be judged,” she said. “I don’t want to be seen as weaker because I’m a girl, which sounds cliche but I don’t want h to not get recognized.”

barrier-breaking broadcasters See women who have broken the stereotype of sports reporting being a field dominated by men Lesley Visser: voted the best female sports broadcaster of all time

Jayne Kennedy: first African American female to host a sports television broadcast

NBC SPORTS BLEACHER REPORT SOURCE

Gayle Sierens: first woman to do a play by play for an NFL game in 1987

15 minutes of fame

OCT 22, 2021

When the Stars Align Q&A with senior Gurleen Kaur on her avid interest in astrology and zodiac charts MARYAM HAFEEZ Q&A

LEAH TAN PHOTO

JASMINE ZHANG PHOTO ILLUSTRATION

How long have you been interested in astrology and what sparked your interest?

What are some typical astrological activities that you do?

I’ve been interested in astrology for as long as I can remember. It was always in the background of my life because even though my parents didn’t believe in it, my culture tends to. I think that I really got into it when I was around six or seven years old because I learned that Beyoncé was the same sun sign as me. That might sound kind of silly, but at the time I thought it was such a big honor because I was, and still am, such a big fan of hers. From there, I slowly started studying astrology on a deeper level.

I’ve taught myself how to read western astrology birth charts so I will read them for people if they want me to. I actually really enjoy doing that because people are so shocked by how accurate they are. On days of an astrological full moon, I usually try to organize things like my room or homework because many astrologers say that (doing) that will help you set better goals for the next moon. I don’t know if that’s entirely true, but I do it anyway.

HILITE.ORG

traits of the zodiacs FIRE SIGNS - Dramatic, Enthusiastic, Outgoing

ARIES

LEO

SAGITTARIUS

EARTH SIGNS - Grounded, Loyal, Sensual

TAURUS

VIRGO

CAPRICORN

WATER SIGNS - Artistic, Emotional, Intuitive

SCORPIO

CANCER

PISCES

AIR SIGNS - Curious, Intellectual, Analytical

GEMINI

LIBRA

AQUARIUS

RILEY TERBUSH, JASMINE ZHANG GRAPHIC ALLURE SOURCE

Can you tell us what astrology is?

It basically uses the time, day or year to determine what potential you hold in this life. It’ll give you a blueprint of your personality and how the energies in the universe at the time of your birth will impact different aspects of your life.

Why do you think other people like astrology and the zodiac signs?

Many people are getting into it now because it was popularized by social media, which is pretty cool. I think people are attracted to it just because it uses a unique perspective to tell them more about themselves. It teaches them self-reflection.

What is an interesting fact about astrology that most people don’t know?

I think most people underestimate how old and detailed real astrology is. In recent years, learning about your big three has become really popular so many people think that it’s just a new trend, but it’s actually been around for thousands of years.

What does astrology mean to you?

To me it’s just a fun hobby. I respect it a lot because of its history but I don’t take it too seriously; for example, I don’t let it dictate my everyday life or schedule. I just use it as a tool to see what each person’s strengths and weaknesses are and to see what potential certain areas of life hold for them.

Could you see yourself becoming an astrologist/astrologer one day?

No, I might do some chart readings on the side for some extra money, but to earn the title of an “astrologist/astrologer” would require me to study the art in very close detail and take it much more seriously. I think it would defeat the purpose for me because I like it as just a fun hobby. I have many other interests that I want to pursue so I don’t think that I would have time to do that, but astrology will definitely be a life-long interest of mine.

What is your favorite thing about astrology?

What is one thing that you think everyone should know about astrology?

I just love how fun it is. Whenever I read people’s charts, it’s so entertaining because they are so amazed. People also say that they have a better understanding of themselves after we get done with the readings.

I just want people to know that even though they might not believe in astrology, they should respect it because many people around the world still give it a sacred seat in their culture. For many people, astrology is more than their “big three.”

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expanding horizons Sophomore Lorelai Sokol performs during halftime of the Carmel football game against Warren Central on Oct. 8. Sokol is a member of the Carmel Color Guard and is beginning the Winter Guard season in November. The color guard performs alongside the marching band at football games and competitions.

CHENYAO LIU PHOTO