The Orb- February 2019-20

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Hamilton Southeastern High School Volume 31 | Issue 6 | February 2020

IDOLS Looking up to celebrities

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CHARMIS PATEL: LETTING LOOSE..............................4

SPREADING SIGN.............................................................................5 MEDICAL MISINFORMATION...................................................................6 DISAPPEARANCE OF NATIVES........................................................................7 CELEBRITY IDOLIZATION......................................................................................8 EFFECTS OF AN IDOL..............................................................................................9 STAN CULTURE....................................................................................................10 IDOL DEATH....................................................................................................11 SCHOOL WATER: UNDER THE MICROSCOPE...........................12 UNDERSTANDING IND. HOUSE BILL 1265................13 ATHLETE OF THE ISSUE................................14 CHIEFS CONTROVERSY........15

STAFF MEMBERS PUBLICATIONS COORDINATOR Hayden Sisemore

EDITORS

Grace Barclay Lucas Bisesi Kennedy Fisher Peyton McVeigh Sophia Tomlin

PHOTOGRAPHY COORDINATORS Megan Tooman Sarah Woodward

MORALE COORDINATOR Elizabeth Moodispaugh

ADVISERS

Jordan Klobusnik David Young

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STAFF MEMBERS

Sierra Borkowski Kathryn Collins Emily Crousore Vivianna Esqueda Remington Fletcher Gabriella Haynes Kyra Jones Lainee Kirk Brooke Lederman Bailey Lincoln Keira Martin Katelynn Penrod Lauren Riina Isabella Romaine Heidi Schlabach Danielle Wetzel Jamie Whitesell

BUSINESS MANAGER Evan McDonald

STAFF SHOUT-OUT LAUREN RIINA Lauren is always overflowing with enthusiasm, which shows in both the quality and timeliness of her work.

Mission Statement: The Orb staff is dedicated to bringing interesting, relevant and important news to students and faculty at the school. The staff also focuses on upholding media ethics.

A MOMENT WITH...

DELLA JOHNSON

DELLA JOHNSON DISCUSSES EVOLUTION, NEEDS OF ROARY’S CLOSET What is Roary’s Closet?

[Roary’s Closet] is an outreach to those in need for food and clothing [in the building].

What inspired Roary’s Closet?

It came about three years ago when I had an epiphany sitting at my desk. A handful of students came to my desk hungry [and] I thought that I wish I could have a little room for food so if a child came by and they were hungry, I would be able to give them a Pop-Tart or applesauce.

How did Roary’s Closet come into full effect?

I went to my principal and said that I felt there was really a need in our building. There’s a myth in Fishers that everybody has it all together, but everybody doesn’t. I continued to ask him if it was okay if I had a little shelf of food for when kids came by and were hungry. About a month later someone asked me if we had any pants because something happened and a child’s pants ripped. I started to ask for donations from staff to bring in women’s and men’s clothes, socks, toiletries, school supplies and everything like that.

How have donations helped?

There’s actually a club in the building that has formed to help meet the needs of whatever goes on in the building. They have purchased racks, hangers and other things for the closet. I’ve [also] had so many staff members bring in leggings, underwear and toiletries. I’ve had moms out of the district find out about it and even sororities, so people are bringing things in.

How would you like Roary’s Closet to be improved?

It would be nice to have a big room that I can have everything in like flour, sugar and nonperishable foods always sitting out. All of the clothes would be on racks, hanging, and on shelves. Everything would be organized and together, which would be ideal.

How can Roary’s Closet evolve?

I am satisfied with the donations, but I am not satisfied with the word getting out so all students know that it’s in the building. The cafeteria has come to me and they want to do an after school meal sack so kids can take food home. There are so many things that are evolving out of this, like a company in Fishers contacted me because they heard about what I was doing and wanted to help me with a bookbag drive. If the student body doesn’t know this is happening, there’s no way to evolve.

Q&A and photo by Vivianna Esqueda.

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LETTING LOOSE

PATEL’S MODERN TAKE ON BOLLYWOOD When most people think of senior Charmis Patel, they think of the straight-A student at the top of the graduating class.

But many were surprised to see her let loose during Mr. Royal as she put a hiphop twist to traditional Indian dance moves.

Between juggling many AP courses, being an active member of National Honor Society, Math Team, World Connections Club and Key Club, as well as formerly partaking in an internship with Indiana Senator Braun, many assumed that Patel has little time for leisurely activities.

What many students fail to see is Patel’s devoted time in Bollywood dance.

“People say ‘you never hang out with your friends over the weekend’,” Patel said. “Really I just don’t have the time to do so because when I do have time, I would rather spend it dancing.”

Getting her bearings in dance at a young age, most of Patel’s experience in Bollywood dancing came from performing at the wedding receptions of relatives. Her official training began in Indianapolis at the Ayra Academy, where she enrolled in Bollywood classes. From there, Patel became more involved in the dance style as she improved in the skill that came with Bollywood dancing.

“I have pursued it competitively a couple of times,” Patel said. “You can’t really find a lot of Bollywood classical dance competitions in the US as you could in India.”

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Prior to her Mr. Royal performance, Patel had only preformed publicly a couple of times, including a sixth-grade talent show and various World Connections Club International Nights, where a variety of performances are shown to represent different worldly customs, in this case Classical Indian dance.

“A lot of people come and support multiple cultures at International Night,” Patel said. “[At performances] it’s nice to have an audience that doesn’t quite understand the music, but gets the beat and claps along with it.”

Though Patel had only performed a limited amount of times, Bollywood dance is a part of Patel’s daily routine, as she aims to fit in at least an hour of aerobic dancing every day. The upbeat pace and intricate steps make Bollywood dance a suffice choice in how Patel spends her free time away from school.

“I started doing it on a daily basis freshman year because I realized fitness was really important along with your academics and mental health,” Patel said.

“I do it for fun mainly.”

Some saw Patel’s decision to perform at Mr. Royal to be an impromptu action, but Patel herself believed there was no better time to show her dancing than during her senior year. Though the majority of Patel’s Bollywood dancing came from more traditional and cultural techniques, the tone of Mr. Royal, as seems to most as a lighthearted event, led Patel to change her traditional routines into ones that included hip-hop dance and songs by Rihanna.

“Mr Royal is an event that is not necessarily traditional,” Patel said. “I took a little bit more of a modern version of Bollywood and did more of a BollyFusion form of dancing.”

Patel was amazed with the support of the Mr. Royal audience as they became ecstatic before she arrived on stage.

“I honestly didn’t expect the amount of support I got,” Patel said. “A lot of the people who go to Mr. Royal are there to see the [contestants] and to see the funny acts, not necessarily for the outside ones.”

However, Patel was proven wrong as her Bolly-Fusion dance performance received positive responses from the crowd.

“That performance went as best as it could have gone,” Patel said. “When I got on stage right before I started my performance and people were chanting my name, that was honestly the best audience I have ever had in my life.”

Many students were surprised to see Charmis Patel appear on the Mr. Royal stage Jan 22, but Patel showed HSE that she is more than her mind and kind heart.

Any HSE student can show their hidden talents and bring more to the diversity of HSE. Story by Lauren Riina.

SPREADING SIGN

ASL CAMPAIGNS FOR THIRD LEVEL In the United States, American Sign Language is the third most used language.

Yet, in schools around Fishers, ASL is only offered to students in their junior or senior year. ASL teachers and students are petitioning to teach a third level so that, in the future, they would be able to teach a fifth level, as other languages already are, which would alow for all grades to enroll in ASL. ASL is widely used amongst the deaf and hard of hearing, it is a visual language in which people communicate with their hand, body position and facial expressions. ASL is a way for members of the deaf community to communicate.

“ASL is unique, beautiful and widely used language,” ASL teacher Karen Colvin said. “It is unlike other languages because deaf people need this language to communicate.”

There is a wide range of reasons for students to take ASL; some take it to communicate with their deaf family members, other students take ASL for

future opportunities that may arise.

In the past, ASL was not able to open to freshmen and sophomores due to various obstacles. As more teachers begin to advocate for the idea of more levels for ASL, the possibility of this option increases.

“Previously, there was only one ASL teacher, so it was only for juniors and seniors,” Colvin said. “I have had meetings the past two years trying to open ASL to the lower grades and add a third level.”

It is common for deaf people to feel isolated from others, and this brings issues when it comes to the workplace and trying to communicate. Having people who know ASL can help the deaf and hard of hearing to interact.

“The more people who can sign and can sign well out in the community and their jobs can make the deaf feel more included,” Colvin said. “Knowing sign language greatly benefits the deaf people in the community because when they go out, there are more people who are able

to communicate with them.”

Along with teachers, students who take ASL feel passionate about the language and hope to advocate for offerig the class to all grades.

“If students were able to take ASL earlier, there would be more time to progress and become more fluent in the language,” junior Antonelle Johnson said. “Whenever I see other students learning ASL, I think it is a really great thing because they are helping the deaf community.”

Learning ASL gives students a chance to be part of something bigger than themselves., thus teachers and students will continue to push for more levels to expand the impact students have on the community. Story by Kyra Jones and Lainee Kirk.

OF THE ISSUE MELAINA UPDIKE

After taking Visual Communications I and II, junior Melaina Updike is furthering her artistic career by doing an independent study of visual communications and graphic design. Updike is currently working as a graphic designer at Sharp Printing, a graphic design and printing production company, and plans to study informatics in college.

“MU Designs is my own thing. With it, I’ll do projects for people around the school such as the Code for Change logo or the Unified Sports shirts. Sometimes I profit off of it, sometimes I don’t. But it’s fun and what I love to do, so the experience is enough of a reward.”

Melaina Updike, 11

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MEDICAL MISINFORMAT IO

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28,000+ infected 13 Cases in U.S.

1,000+ Killed

4 Different Types

4,000+ Recovered

Information from CBS, New York Times and ABC News.

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Wuhan Coronavirus sparks fear, social media shows xenophobic views Over the years, numerous diseases and sicknesses have risen in a multitude of countries. When the Ebola virus first came under the public eye, fears concerning catching the virus were prevalent in many peoples minds. Recently, the Wuhan Coronavirus has picked up quite a bit of media traction, which has led to misconceptions regarding its effects and victims of the disease. On social media platforms such as “Tiktok”, for instance, numerous memes have created an outbreak of fear and concern among many. These comedic videos have illustrated the virus turning victims blood purple, which is inaccurate. In reality, the virus is as “deadly” as the common cold or the flu and only those with weak immune systems are at a major risk of being effected.

“Social media has been using the Cornonavirus situation as a way to get more views on their news outlet sites,” Sophomore Sydnie Hastings said.

“The news outlets use it to make more money and have blown it out of proportion in order to stir fear, which they are continuing to profit from.”

In some colleges across the United States, there has been an increasing number of students who are under the impression that Asian Americans are the sole victims of this virus. With the added misinformation from social media platforms and the origin of the Coronavirus being in the city of Wuhan in Hubei, China, an increasing number of people with xenophobic tendencies have come forward. At UC Berkley, for example, a post on Twitter was made, claiming that these feelings were acceptable, which can be very misleading to the public.

“Even without the introduction of the Coronavirus, there has been racial discrimination against Asians, as seen in the Chinese Excusion Act,” Sophomore Madeline Chu said. “But with this addition, Asian Americans have become isolated from opprotunities and walls are put up against them. We are all the same when it comes down to it, therefore there should be no differences.”

As media coverage moves away from the Coronavirus and onto a different subject, those effected continue to face the issues faced during this time. Story by Sophia Tomlin and Bailey Lincoln.

DISAPPEARANCE OF NATIVE AMERICANS DISCOVERY OF SELENA NOT AFRAID SPARKS NATIONWIDE CONVERSATION

“WE’RE NOT GOING TO BE JUST A FILE IN THE CABINET. WE’RE GOING TO FIND OUR GIRL AND AFTER SELENA IS FOUND, THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF MORE GIRLS BEHIND HER WAITING TO BE FOUND.”

2%

OF MISSING INDIGENOUS WOMEN CASES WERE LOGGED TO THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE DATABASE IN 2016

OTHER WOMEN 18%

They Were Here’.

“I can’t think of a single person that I know... who doesn’t have some sort of experience [with female friends or family who’s disappeared or been murdered],” MacDonald said in his documentary.

“These women aren’t just statistics. These are grandma’s, these are mom’s. This is an aunt, this is a daughter. This is someone who was loved... and didn’t get the justice that they so desperately needed.”

Due to the lack of consistent data over these cases, officers and citizens are left with no explanation on what is causing this increasing violence.

“We just get so used to seeing it, you just become numb and it becomes normal,” Blackfoot woman and activist for Native women’s safety Diana Burd told Billings Gazette. “But when you step back and look at how bad it is, I feel like that isn’t normal.”

Dangers for indigenous women go beyond disappearances and missing persons reports.

On some Native A m e r i c a n reservations, the murder rate of women is ten times the national average according to the Central for Public Integrity.

Plagued by an endless loop of injustices, Native women are left seemingly forgotten, and pushed aside as if their lives are less important, until November 26th 2019, when President Donald Trump established the Operation Lady Justice executive order, dedicated to finding and avenging missing and murdered Native American women.

“We remain committed to preserving and protecting Native American cultures, languages, and history, while ensuring prosperity and opportunity for all Native Americans.” Trump said in his address.

Selena Shelley Faye Not Afraid was many things, a daughter, a sister, a friend, and a spark. Her disappearance brought the ill treatment of Native Americans to the forefront of issues in the United States.

Story by Kathryn Collins.

INDIGENOUS WOMEN 34%

Less than one mile southwest of Interstate 90 laid Montana 16-year-old Selena Shelley Faye Not Afraid’s body.

After disappearing on New Year’s Day thirteen days prior, Not Afraid’s aunt Cheryl Horn led friends, family and strangers together on a three-week search for the teenage girl.

“We’re not going to be just a file in the cabinet,” Horn told Dateline. “We’re going to find our girl. And when Selena is found, there are hundreds of more girls behind her waiting to be found.”

The tragic fate of Selena Not Afraid is not the first of its kind. Two years prior, Not Afraid led a charge of her own, advocating on social media about the large amount of missing and murdered indigenous women after the murder of her own sister.

According to a report from the Associated Press, “nearly three hundred cases of missing Native American women and girls have been reported to the authorities in Montana in [2019] alone.”

Despite Native Americans making up less than 7 percent of Montana’s population, they make up a majority of missing person and murder reports, being 4 times more likely to be murdered than the nonNative population.

In the FBI’s National Crime Information Center database, Native Americans and Alaskan Natives made up 1.8 percent of the ongoing missing cases in 2017, despite only representing 0.8 percent of the U.S. population, and many experts believe that is a low estimate due to many tribes lacking access to the database as well as the unknown number of unreported cases that never get discovered.

Incidents of missing and murdered women deeply and personally affect indigenous people across the country and across different tribes.

Blackfoot Nation member and film maker Ivan MacDonald documented the devastating impact on families cause

by Native womens’ disappearances and murders in a 2015 documentary ‘When

LIFETIME RATE OF RAPE / ATTEMPTED RAPE FOR WOMEN

70% OTHER WOMEN 30% NATIVE AMERICAN GIRLS RACE OF ALL REPORTED MISSING FEMALES IN JULY 2017 IN MONTANA HSENEWS

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“There is natural curiosity about other people’s lives, especially about people who are rich, powerful or famous. Subconsciously, we want to be like them.”

-SuccessConsciousness.com

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Growing up, most everyone remembers the first time laying their eyes on a piece of media that changed their entire world view. The classic story of a hero saving the day or someone striving toward their goals has been able to have an impact on the minds of viewers, especially ones who are in the developmental stages of life. With that, a developing child soon sees the epitome of everything they aspire to be through media, watching their idols do it instead. Through the eyes of a child, they see not a vision of another person, but a vision of an alternate version of themselves residing in the qualities of another.

Whether it was Ariana Grande, Chris Pratt, Cardi B or anyone in between, modern civilians have been able to see a part of themselves in the lives of pop culture figures, whether it be musicians, movie stars or fictional characters. “[As a kid], I looked up to Will Smith because he is an amazing actor and always seems happy,” junior Gracia Bujambi said. “I try to be as happy as he is and persevere through everything in

life like him.”

Through the use of inspiration, idols have the potential to create a genuine connection with the fan that looks up to them.

When it comes to reaching the status of an idol, one of the key qualities involved is the relatability of the person. For each idol and fan, the appeal is completely different. Whether a fan admires the person’s confidence, fame or creativity, those idealized qualities are formed by the desires that reside in the reflection of a fan’s own hopes and dreams. Idols serve as a beam of light, providing hope for those in need of a push towards their ambitions. Along with occasional guidance, some idols can provide the role of a teacher, sharing life lessons and advice for those who admire them.

“As a child, I always looked up to Jackie Robinson,” junior Raeghan Jefferson said. “He always taught me to keep going no matter what and strive in the face of opposition.”

Although an idol formed through the media can have the potential to bring

a positive viewpoint in to the life of fans who look up to them, the potential for unhealthy idealism presents itself for some. With the focus of looking up to someone who has already firmly established themselves in life, those who strive to be like them sometimes face a complex of comparing themselves to the celebrity.

Despite the positive qualities that already reside in a person, the action of comparing oneself to a more established and famous person clouds the selfimage of many aspiring fans. For a fan who aspires to possess the same characteristics of someone they admire, the attempt to live like someone else has the ability to distract the fan from what is actually important, the unique qualities that are specific to their personality.

The effects that an idol can have on a person’s life can vary from constructive to the application of unrealistic goals, but the impacts they have hold great importance for those subject to their influence.

Story continues on page 10...

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STAN CULTURE “We all want to live a different and better life, and reading about c e l e b r i t i e s , w at c h i n g them on TV, or following them on Instagram and other social networks, makes us feel that we are participating and taking part in their glory.”

-Remez Sasson, SuccessConsciousness.com

“Ellen Degenerous is my celebrity idol.

Ellen inspires society through her acts of kindness and humanitarian acts.”

Annabella Batuyong, 10

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Although some might lose touch with those in which they once idolized as they move through different stages in life, some allow their idols to remain constant influences. Included in that group, is a subgroup commonly referred to as ‘stans’.

With the nickname stemming from the early 2000’s song ‘Stan’ by Eminem, one that tells the story of an imaginary fan who obsesses over the rapper’s life and attention, a stan is a type of fan who strives to uncover each detail involving the celebrity’s life.

The modern stan is not quite as extreme as the song, but most still follow the philosophies of a diehard fan, one that devotes attention to all aspects of an idol’s being. Some of the most devoted fans present their dedication for a celebrity through multiple forms of expression, which can come in different forms.

A typical stan could be seen proving their dedication through purchasing merchandise and creating social media fan accounts involving the celebrity.

One example is senior Sarah Ballard, a self-described stan of pop singer Adam Levine.

“I own a cardboard cutout of Adam Levine and own many concert T-shirts, along with a [Maroon 5 themed] pillowcase and blanket,” Ballard said. “I follow every band member on every platform of social

“Ethan Klein is my celebrity idol because he started from a humble background and makes everyone smile through his podcast.”

Cole Comer, 10

“[My celebrity idol is] Blake Lively because she donates towards different youth organizations.”

Darby Haase, 11

media, and I am constantly liking and retweeting them.”

Another case is senior Kathryn Solomon, who fulfilled all requirements of a stan at a younger age.

“As a kid, I became a stan of OneDirection after watching the movie about them,” Solomon said. “I was always updated on the drama involving each member and was constantly liking and re-tweeting all of their posts on Twitter and Instagram.”

One of the most defining qualities of a stan is their continuous support of a celebrity, no matter the circumstances.

“My favorite musical artist is Iann Dior,” junior Zhane Smith said. “I always support his music whenever it’s released and if he came to Indiana on tour I’d instantly buy tickets to see him.”

Through dedication, fascination and occasional obsession, stan culture has been able to grow rapidly due to the ease of access that is available now. With the use of different online platforms, tools like video livestreams and discussion threads have not only made the action of stanning more popular, but has allowed for fans from all over the world to experience the content put out by their favorite creators.

“My celebrity idol is Elon Musk. I think he is the most genuine billionaire and has his hands on a lot of different things” Joseph Malone, 11

“My celebrity idol is Tom Hanks because he recognizable for his good character and how genuine acts towards others.”

Colin Brier, 9

AND IDOL DEATH When tragedy strikes in the lives of those who are admired, resulting in death, a form of grief presents itself for the fans that looked up to them. Although the fan could’ve never even met their idol in person, or had the chance to see them live, the passing of an idol can have prevalent effects on those who found themselves connected to the person in some way, ones that saw a part of themselves in the one that they called their idol. “When Cameron Boyce [an actor who passed away in July 2019] died it really impacted me,” freshman Erik Parsons said. “He was the reason I got in to acting, and when I found out that he had passed it really upset me.”

Nowadays, with the levels of connection fans are able to gain with the use of social media platforms, constantly interacting with a celebrity’s online content has the ability to provide some of the same qualities of a real interpersonal relationship. Fans are able to gain a similar feeling to true interaction, all through the process of viewing online posts, engaging in comment threads, providing the ability for a fan to glimpse into the life of the idol at ease. With that, devoted fans can feel as if they lost a loved one when one of their idols passes away.

“JuiceWrld [a hip-hop artist who passed away in December 2019] was one of the better types of people.” senior Griffin Lyons said. “I was able to connect with him through the motivation in his lyrics and the caring personality he had, which made it very difficult for me when he passed.”

Despite the grieving period that soon accompanies the death of a pop culture figure, some of the most devoted fans have found ways to preserve the spirit of those who passed away. In the case of Mac Miller, a widely beloved musician who passed away in the fall of 2018, fans made every effort possible to pay their respects, deciding to construct a memorial in Miller’s hometown of Pittsburgh consisting of a wall filled with murals and

messages dedicated to him. Or in the case of Carrie Fisher, an actor best known for her roles in the Star Wars franchise who passed away in December 2016, fans gathered on the streets of downtown Los Angeles after her death for a celebrationof-life parade. Participants brought plastic lightsabers, a fictional lasersword frequently sported by characters in the Star Wars movies, and marched the streets of Hollywood Boulevard while appreciating Fisher’s life through chants and songs.

When it comes to remembering an idol that passed away, an important part is continuing the legacy left behind, one that can be carried on by future generations.

The January death of Kobe Bryant, a legendary professional basketball player who inspired others worldwide, caused fans to pay tribute to his philosophies in order to pay respect to his legacy. A common mantra repeated by fans after his passing was Bryant’s catch phrase: “Mamba Mentality”, a saying that consists of pushing one’s own limits and striving to improve in all aspects of life.

Along with crowd gatherings, murals and online tributes from various supporters, basketball players around the world attempted to preserve Bryant’s ideas through their own lives.

“Every time I’m on the court, I try my best to play my hardest to keep his legacy alive,” sophomore basketball player Joshua Jones said. “I try to play with his mindset of working hard and persevering through rough times.”

With the continued support of an idol who has passed away, fans are able to utilize the negative parts that accompany the death of an idol and convert them into a positive outlook on the life left behind by them, appreciating the mark they left on the world and securing that the one they idolize is never forgotten. Story by Lucas Bisesi and Sierra Borkowski.

Actor and dancer Cameron Boyce died July 2019 from an epileptic seizure at 20. He was widely known Disney channel’s Jessie, and went on to play in many other movies and TV shows. Photo by Wikimedia.

Forty-one year old NBA player Kobe Bryant died Jan 2020 in a helicopter crash in California.

Bryant accomplished a lot including playing 20 seasons with the LA Lakers, winning the NBA championships five times. Photo by flickr.com.

In December 2020, Rapper Juice WRLD died at 21 from a seizure as a result of an accidental drug overdose. In the last two years of his life he climbed the billboard charts 25 times and released six platinum songs. Photo by Wikimedia.

Sixty year old actress and writer Carrie Fisher, died Dec. 2016 from a combination of drugs and a heart attack. She made her film debut in the movie Star Wars: A New Hope, and went on to play in many others.

Photo by Wikimedia.

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SCHOOL W TER:

UNDER THE MICROSCOPE A LOOK INTO WATER CONTAMINATION, SAFETY On Dec. 19, 2019, the Indy Star released a story that addressed the White River’s 2018 drinking water report, revealing that the 300 mile river that provides most of central Indiana with tap water contains two potentially harmful chemicals— atrazine and nitrate. Although both substances are under federal mandate and carefully monitored by water cleaning facilities, the findings raised concerns.

Atrazine, the most common corn herbicide in the U.S., is an endocrine disrupter and has been banned in the European Union since 2003 due to connections with increased infant mortality rate and conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Nitrate, originating from fertilizer, manure, or leaking septic systems, can cause Blue Baby Syndrome in young children by replacing oxygen in the bloodstream with nitrogen, asphyxiating their body and brain. In order to eliminate that risk, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) limited nitrate levels in drinking water to 10 part per million (ppm) in 1962. The White River’s current nitrate levels are only 4.8 ppm, well under the EPA’s maximum, but recent research reveals that even small amounts of nitrate exposure could lead to cancer or birth defects. The EPA began a reassessment of nitrate’s health effects in 2015, but suspended the review in April 2019 after declaring the substance was not of priority for the year.

For now, the quality of the White River’s water is satisfactory, THE ORB and with the technology and diligence that goes

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into most water treatment facilities, dangerous contamination is not an issue.

However, two boil water advisories were announced for parts of both Noblesville and Fishers within the past month, adding another wrinkle in the issue of Indiana’s water quality.

“We do test all of buildings, the last test was done this last spring in April 2019. We tested six different locations of HSEHS.” On Jan. 13, 2020, Indiana American Water advised all of it’s customers to boil their water before consumption for the next 24 hours. At White River North treatment facility, a water tank’s pressure dropped below 20 psi due to a malfunction, risking exposure to potentially harmful bacteria through ground leakage. Noblesville Schools were closed the next day in order to keep their students safe.

“I hadn’t heard of anything like that happening before,” Katelyn Decker, a junior at Noblesville High School said.

“Even after it was all over, I was still a little hesitant to drink the water.”

Another advisory was sent out by

Indiana American Water on Jan. 19, but schools were not affected, and it was lifted the next day. At the White River North water treatment facility in Noblesville, all malfunctions have been fixed and the water is completely safe to consume without any precautionary measures.

With all this discussion of Indiana’s water quality being compromised from source to distribution, it is only reasonable to question how Hamilton Southeastern fares in the face of this issue. Matthew Rapp, district Maintenance Manager, confirms that the HSE Schools tests multiple water sources every year for harmful chemicals by recommendation requirements of the Indiana Department of Education.

“We do test all of our buildings,” Rapp said. “The last test was done this last spring in April 2019. We tested six different locations of HSE High School”.

The testing was conducted by the Hoosier Microbiological Laboratory and overseen by Dr. Donald Hendrickson. The reports revealed that all six water sources tested under the EPA’s federal mandate for lead, making HSE’s water safe to use and consume.

However, other Indiana schools cannot say the same. In a report published by the Marion County Health Department in January 2019, 159 school facilities out of the 259 tested had higher than allowable levels of lead.

According to the Mayo Clinic, even small amounts of lead can cause health problems, but as lead builds up in the body over time one can develop lead poisoning. In children, this can cause

LEAD AMOUNTS FOUND IN WATER (PARTS PER BILLION) 2.9

HSE HS (Water testing 2019)

developmental delays, learning difficulties, irritability, loss of appetite, weight loss, fatigue and seizures.

Despite the threat of lead poisoning and other health problems that can arise from drinking water that is not entirely clean, there is no federal or state law mandating regular lead testing of school drinking water in Indiana. Additionally, the Trump Administration announced a proposal called the Dirty Water Rule in early December that would undo a major Obama-era environmental regulation called the Clean Water Rule, which was placed to clarify which wetlands fall under federal clean water protections.

As stated by Earth Justice, more than 117 million Americans’ drinking water sources were protected under the Clean Water Rule—over a third of the nation. If the Trump administration goes through with the Dirty Water Rule, these water sources will no longer be protected from industrial pollution, including the White River.

Clean, fresh water is vital to life. With the mounting issues of the river’s water quality due to contamination of the source, malfunction in the distribution and neglect from the government, citizens should stay informed and take action to keep water sources clean.

Otherwise, Ind.’s main source of water will be endangered. Story by Isabella Romaine and Grace Barclay.

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EPA guidelines Action is required at or above this standard.

287.3 Indianapolis Public Schools (Water testing 2018)

UNDERSTANDING INDIANA HOUSE BILL 1265

Glass Half Empty: If passed, the law would only require lead testing. Other contaminants in the water could go unfound.

Glass Half Full: If passed, it would require all public schools in Indiana to test all water fixtures for lead contamination before 2023. Through testing, schools would be able to pinpoint specific fixtures contaminated by lead.

Current Standing: The bill passed the Indiana House of Representatives by a 89-2 vote.

Next, it will be reviewed by the State Senate. Graphics by Hayden Sisemore. All information from the Indy Star and school administration.

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ATHLETE OF THE ISSUE EVAN SELLERS Trait: LEADERSHIP Senior Evan Sellers has been a swimmer on the boys swim and dive team for all four years of his high school career. “Senior, Evan Sellers best exemplifies leadership. He shows up to every single practice ready to go with an amazing attitude. He has a very enthusiastic approach to everything he does. We have a lot of great leaders in the senior class, but he has distinguished himself with a relentless positivity. On the toughest days, he is there and ready to go.

On the easy days, his demeanor does not change.�

Andy Pedersen, head swim coach

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THE ORB

CHIEFS CONTROVERSY STUDENTS DISCUSS ISSUES WITH SPORTS TEAMS’ NAMES With the Kansas City Chiefs winning the 54th Super Bowl, the controversial question has arisen again: is it acceptable for the Chiefs to keep their Native American title? While the Chiefs have changed the mascot as of 1989 to K. C. Wolf, this still does not erase the past use and current use of Native Americans in team names.

According to the National Congress of American Indians, rather than honoring Native people, these stereotypes within the sports teams are harmful of America’s first people and contribute to the dehumanization of the Native population.

Junior Cayelle Fitzgerald finds the sports teams and mascots to be offensive and unnecessary.

“Sports teams using Native American mascots is stereotypical and incredibly offensive.” Fitzgerald said. “There is nothing prideful with mocking a whole race. It just makes said sports team look ignorant.”

The Kansas City Chiefs are not the

only team with a questionable mascot or title. According to adl.org, there are currently fewer than 1000 college, high school and professional teams that use Native Americans to represent their team, including the Washington Redskins and the Cleveland Indians. While that is a much smaller number from the more than 3000 teams, it is still having an impact on

Cleveland Indians Washington Redskins Kansas City Chiefs Atlanta Braves Chicago Blackhawks the Native American community.

Additionally, according to a study done

by UC Berkeley, 57 percent of those who identify with being Native American and

67 percent of those who engage in tribal cultural practices were discovered to be offended by uses of Native American mascots.

In 2017, solutions to these controversial issues arose when California became the first state to ban the use of the word “Redskins” in any public school team name or mascot. After this, other states followed with similar laws, such as Maine in 2019. Some argue that this change is not necessary including sophomore Drew Berry.

“I do not think it is offensive, I think it is more a compliment,” Berry said. “Native Americans should not be ashamed of this because being a chief is being a leader.”

While some sports teams’ names have not been revised, changes are still happening around the country. More information on this topic can be found on ncai.org. Story by Elizabeth Moodispaugh and Katelynn Penrod.

RECOGNITION, CELEBRATIONS SET TONE FOR BOYS BASKETBALL CARMEL WIN

Alum Josh Fugate was celebrated before the boys basketball game against Carmel on Feb. 14, and served as an honorary coach. Fugate, a former HSE athlete, was injured during his senior year and is now paralyzed after an unrelated accident following graduation.

Senior girls basketball player Sydney Parrish recieved her jersey at halftime for being selected as a McDonald’s All-American Athlete for 201920. Parrish became the all-time leading scorer in HSE basketball history after scoring 1,925 career points, which also broke the Hamilton County girls record.

Athletic department secretary Nancy Clingman was given a varsity letter for her many years of service as she is retiring at the end of the school year. The game, named “Nancy Clingman Night,” honored Clingman for her dedication to HSE Athletics.

Photos by Nicholas Heltzel.

HSENEWS

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JUDGED BY THE GRADE We have all been absent from school when we aren’t truly sick, just to get out of something we don’t want to do.

For me, most of the time, it’s because of tests I don’t want to take, tests are supposed to measure what we have learned, but if we haven’t fully learned it then we get punished. We get punished by a bad grade that follows us around for the rest of the year. They don’t look at the homework grades where you get an 100% every time, just the tests with the one question per unit.

How I perform in a class partially depends on the teacher. When a teacher is teaching with genuine excitement, I am more likely to do well. When teachers have to teach to a test, I feel that it takes away from the enthusiasm in the method of instruction The way schools are set up, you spend all year taking tests to see if they transition on to the next grade.

Once you reach the end you take a really big exams and try to get the highest score to determine where the next place is that you can go to take more exams to start the rest of your life. To be fair, some colleges have started to become test optional, because they have realized that students have more to offer than a GPA. Sitting through the ACT and SAT is hard. We are expected to sit and focus for three or more hours. Our brains are mush, we are tired because they start so early in the morning, we would rather be anywhere else on a Saturday or Sunday morning.

Overall, tests stress us out and, for those who study, take up most of our free time we have outside of school.

I feel that there are different ways to gauge how students are doing in a class that do not effect the rest of their career. Opinion Column by Kennedy Fisher.

CONCERTS IN THE AREA Justin Moore Feb. 28 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse The Beach Boys on Feb. 29 at the Ford Center Soulja Boy March 1 Bankers Life Fieldhouse MercyMe March 19 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse Soulja Boy March 20 Bankers Life Fieldhouse Acapella Live March 21 Clowes Memorial Hall Lil Mosey March 23 at Old National Centre Billie Eilish March 25 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse Elton John March 26 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse

Rom-ComsVS HORROR THE PUBLICATIONS STAFF VOTE

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HORROR

OPINION:

UPCOMING CONCERTS

ROM-COMS

IN MY

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