The Orb- January 2021

HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN HIGH SCHOOL

IN THIS ISSUE...

NEWSROOM TALKS A MOMENT WITH HAZEN TONG

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STAFFER OPINIONS

5

FUTURE OF FINANCES

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SUGAR RUSH

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STAFF MEMBERS EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

STAFF MEMBERS

Vivianna Esqueda Tristan Fluhr Gabriella Haynes Autumn Johnson EDITORS Ellie Johnson Kathryn Collins Bailey Lincoln Emily Crousore Trinity Mackenzie Kennedy Fisher Heidi Schlabach Lainee Kirk Elizabeth Moodispaugh Kendall Unger Lucas Bisesi Peyton McVeigh

CONTENT LEADS

Lauren Riina Isabella Romaine

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THE ORB

ADVISERS

Jordan Klobusnik David Young

BROADCAST

Noah Ashcraft Eric Bedrosian Alexander Brammer William Cantwell Andrew Carlin Garrett Dodridge Xavier Dokes Mackenzie Dreher David Hosei Nolan Houseman Jonathan Ouellette Jackson Snyder Keegan Stein

A MOMENT WITH...

HAZEN TONG

STUDENT DISCUSSES HIS PROGRESSION THROUGH KARATE RANKS What’s the type of Karate that you take part in?

The style of karate I practice is Shorei-Goju-Ryu. It’s a mix between two different styles that have originated from Okinawa, Japan. When talking about the differences between styles, you’ll find a majority of those differences in their teachings and trainings.

What exactly are the different belts?

You’ll start as a white belt and as you progress, your belt will slowly get darker and darker until you get a black belt. As of right now, I have a second-degree black belt. Once you obtain your black belt you will begin to learn difficult and advanced training.

Between each black belt is first degree black, then second degree, and so on until you reach the highest rank of 10th degree black belt.

What are your major fears within Karate?

I mainly dislike doing grappling, arm bars, etc. simply due to the fact that some people that you work with don’t understand control. If you twist someone’s arm too quick you can really hurt them, which is why you must take things slow. So, naturally, I have my fear of someone who doesn’t take it slow and could very well break something if not careful. I fear sparring with people who are taller, stronger, or older than me, simply because I get the idea in my head that I won’t be quick enough and it is very intimidating.

What is your favorite story throughout the time you’ve been practicing Karate?

Through my journey to black belt, I always had a fear of sparring with bigger or older individuals who could overpower me. At the time I was paired up with an individual who didn’t have much self-control over how much power he used on little me at the time.

Sparring in karate is essentially a game of tag. It teaches you to be light on your feet, to strike with self-control, and to hit them before they hit you. After getting a solid blow to the stomach,

knocking the wind out of me, Hanshi Herb Johnson, the head teacher of the entire style and owner of the dojo, immediately stopped the sparring between me and the individual. Then the individual I was sparring with got frustrated as well seeing how this wasn’t the only time I’ve sparred with them. As the individual was bursting with anger and frustration, Hanshi, with great calmness, was able to ease the situation and tension. Never before have I seen someone been able to stay so calm as I did with Hanshi on that day.

What’s been keeping you motivated while you’ve been in the house?

The thing that is keeping me motivated through all this would definitely be the people I have around me. Also, looking forward to the day when quarantining ends and I can reach out and see the people I am dying to see. Photo and Q & A by Autumn Johnson

HSENEWS

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NEWSROOM STAFF MEMBER DISCUSSES THE IMPORTANCE OF BREAKS 180 days of school. In comparison to the entire 365 days of the year, it may not seem like it is really that much. Every year, it seems that we have the same arguments over and over again; should we change the school schedule? Should breaks be longer and summer shorter?

Do we need more breaks? Less breaks?

Teachers, parents, and students all have varying opinions on it. However debated this is, there is not necessarily a correct answer. What many people are not considering though, is that every weekend is a break, and that there should at least be somewhat of a “break” every day, which is what many students should be putting more emphasis on.

Student stress rates in 2020 are higher than ever before. An average amount of stress is normal and, in some cases, can be motivational, but when students, kids and young adults, never get a break from it for more than a day, it becomes unhealthy and overwhelming. An everyday routine of waking up, school, jobs or sports, homework, and then sleep without a break is too much for every day, and this years’ circumstances have only increased it.

As we all know, 2020 has impacted everyone’s lives differently, and virtual school has been very difficult for many students. Many teachers, also unaccustomed to the new block scheduling, have taken to giving heavier loads of homework under the impression

Should there be more breaks added to the school year?

I don’t care No

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Yes THE ORB

that students now have more time to complete it. This, along with an increased difficulty on the subjects of trying to learn from home, have led to many of us being overwhelmed.

I know from personal experience that often times I have had to sacrifice sleep, free time, and my social life for work.

When asked, many of my friends have agreed to this statement. And while school comes before pleasantries, it should not be all-consuming. There needs to be a time period each day where students can put away the screens and move from their desks, and this time should be prioritized by students.

Taking a physical and mental break from school once a day and on the weekends is extremely important to someone’s health, both their physical and mental. Physical and mental health play off of each other and influence the other, and if one is suffering, the other will begin to feel it as well. Staring at a computer for 6.5 hours a day, only to return to it to complete multiple hours of homework isn’t good for the brain or the body.

A break from the screens and stress does not always have to be an event either. It could be as simple as taking a few minutes to listen to music you enjoy and take a shower. Or maybe taking the time to make yourself a nice dinner. If you’re really feeling crazy, you could go and take a walk outside. We all just need

to take a moment and relax and allow ourselves a moment to breathe outside of all of our worries.

Luckily, we have our spring break coming up that will allow us many of these blissful moments. But as we return to school for this next semester, whatever it may bring us, we should all remember to take a break sometimes.

Because in the end, we are all still kids with our whole life ahead of us, and we need to take the time to find joy in that and not allow the stress to consume us.

Opinion Piece by Heidi Schlabach

We asked our newsroom staffers to answer these survey questions...

28% 32% 40%

TALKS :OPINION COLUMN STAFF MEMBER DISCUSSES THE IMPORTANCE OF BREAKS We have been conditioned since a young age to share things with others almost immediately after seeing them. What is the first thought that comes to your mind while witnessing the perfect sunset, or the cutest puppy? What is your automatic response to seeing an artist live in concert, or taking a trip to a beautiful place? Most likely, you pull out your phone. You snap a quick picture, take a video, or FaceTime one of your closest friends. The first thing our minds tell us to do after witnessing something beautiful, amazing, or unique is to share, post, or send. Who can blame us? For the most part, these actions do not come from selfish, or ill intentions at all.

We simply wish to share these moments with others so that they have a part in what we are feeling. At the root of it, we wish for someone to relate to us, and the experiences we are having.

Although this engrained instinct does not come from bad intentions, it can still negatively affect how we live our lives and the relationships we have with others. Of course, it makes sense for one to always keep their phone on them for safety purposes and contact, but when one’s device begins to interfere with everyday interactions and activities, damage can be done. One of the most detrimental situations, I feel, is when one is dining out or in one’s home with friends or family, and they are using their device. Not only is this completely disrespectful to the people present at the dinner, but there is also truly no point in gatherings such as these if one is not able to be present. If you are showing no interest in the event you are attending by being on your phone and not paying attention, then there is truly no point in you being there in the first place.

If unwilling to provide your full attention

and be present in the moment, then it is a waste of time for all parties involved.

Not only is being on your phone constantly a huge waste of time, as well as disrespectful, but you also miss out on many things. I feel that being on our phones constantly has lessened our appreciation for the little things in life, and simply life in general. Have you ever been doing something or have recently been with friends and you can barely even recall what happened because you were so consumed with your phone? It is scary to think that time can pass by so quickly when you are staring at a screen, and even large details of events can be sometimes difficult to recall.

At the time, it may not feel like such a large deal to miss out on this time. Five minutes on one’s phone here and there may not seem as if it could cause damage, but those five minutes add up. These minutes could lead up to multiple hours every single day of your life on your phone. Those hours every day add up to hundreds of hours a month. Before you know it, life is passing you by, and the memories that you have are only the ones that you have saved to your camera roll. This all can be prevented however, by simply making the bold choice to set one’s phone down, even for short periods at a time. The importance of disconnecting is not one widely discussed, but it is extremely important for all to consider. Opinion piece by Ellie Johnson

Should people learn to put their phones away and enjoy the moment?

84.6% said Yes 10.4 % said If you don’t take pictures it didn’t happen

5% said No HSENEWS

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THE FUTURE OF FINANCES ORIGIN STORY, NEXT STEPS OF CRYPTOCURRENCY With the world on a mission to become safe and efficient, many look to technology. With the introduction of electronic cars, genetically modified crops and self-reliant vacuums, one other item that could be on the agenda is electronic exchange of money. In recent years, cryptocurrency has become increasingly popular through the mainstream use of Venmo and PayPal, software that use digital money to constitute transactions from person to person.

“I think it plays more of a role in the ‘trading game’ than as an actual currency for the average person,” economics teacher Brenda Barret said. “It has provided something new to trade, like stocks, and commodities, but it is not like I am going to go shopping at Kroger and buy with Bitcoin.”

Despite cryptocurrency’s popularity, many people still do not understand how it works and why it is used. To put it simply, cryptocurrency is digital money that people can use to make transactions without the use of a third party like a bank.

According to Bitcoin, cryptocurrency is when one party wants to send a set amount to another, the authorizing company uses a miner to verify the legitimacy of the transaction. Once the transaction is ensured, the deal is sent to a public leger to be held in a blockchain. after the blockchain seals the transaction, currency is moved from party A to party B. “It is hard to explain cryptocurrency in simple terms, because there is nothing

MONERO

LITECOIN

simple about it,” Barrett said. “It is very complex, and I don't even understand all its components. It is a virtual currency that was created, as I understand it, for the dark web originally.”

Just one decade ago, cryptocurrency was known to very few people. It was not until the emergence of Bitcoin in 2009 that cryptocurrency began its mainstream descent. From the emergence of Bitcoin, another thousand types have cryptocurrencies have surfaced, some of the most successful being Ethereum and Ripple.

“Much of bitcoin’s recent run up is due to its ‘perceived’ hedge against inflation,” economics teacher Kimberly Shetter said. “As economies around the globe infuse money into their systems, the fear is about future inflation.”

Despite the topic of cryptocurrency becoming popular, investments in cryptocurrency companies have done the latter. Only eight percent of Americans have invested in cryptocurrencies, five percent of which belong to Bitcoin.

Many people are doubtful of the security within these holdings.

“Ultimately, Bitcoin is still a risky, speculative and expensive asset,” Shetter said. “It is a risky move because it has yet to be proven that Bitcoin is inflation resistant just because their supply is ‘fixed’.”

As of now, over 100 million wallets are open in Bitcoin, but if the world stays on track with its digital journey, that number may get up to the billions. As cryptocurrency becomes more universal, the next steps become more uncertain.

RIPPLE

“I really have no guess as to where cryptocurrency is going,” Barrett said. “I think going totally virtual with currency is a little too dystopian for my tastes.

Nothing compares to the feel of good old green hard cash in your hands.”

Already, aspects of the cryptocurrency system are dispersing into other parts of the nation. Blockchains are predicted to expand from digital currencies, as well as digital tokens having a more government regulation. The future of cryptocurrency is anticipated to become more popular.

The prices of cryptocurrencies have experienced many fluctuations, and it is yet to be determined if the economy will see a gain in cryptocurrency over the next year. However, cryptocurrency seems to stay around as more and more people take steps to a digital wallet and a digital world. Story by Lauren Riina.

Information from bitcoinmarketjournal. com and standford.edu.

“It is hard to explain cryptotcurrency in simple terms, because there is nothing simple about it”

BITCOIN

NAMECOIN

SUGAR RUSH

CONSUMPTION OF SUGAR HIGHER THAN EVER A look through a modern grocery store or food market may seem harmless, filled with appetizing food and goods, but the overall health of the average person may be suffering due to the climate of our food sources. The way the common American eats may be a pathway to a more obese and unhealthy nation, continuing the trend throughout the last few decades.

A stroll down a grocery store today tells the story of an unhealthy eating culture, with aisles packed full of frozen and processed foods. These foods are frequent culprits for having high-sugar and high-fat contents, which present the person eating it with an unhealthy meal lacking in nutritional value. The high quantity of these types of foods in the typical American household has contributed to the growing obesity epidemic which, according to The Trust for America’s Health, left over 40 percent of American adults obese in 2020.

“I think that have too much sugar in our diets today,” Health teacher Luke Stone said. “There is a limited amount of sugar in food naturally, so we are wired to want it. Food manufactures play off of this desire by adding sugar into processed food, making it difficult for people to refuse.”

In addition to sugar being added into previously unhealthy foods, like frozen meals, sugar is being added to typically healthy items as well. For instance, the average protein bar contains around 23 grams of sugar, which is nearly the daily limit. Additionally, a small cup of Yoplait yogurt has around 20 grams, which is

just a small sample of the large array of previously healthy foods being mixed with dangerous amounts of sugar. According to the American Heart Association, the average American consumes around 71 grams of sugar a day, which is nearly triple the 25 grams recommended daily.

This addition of artificial sugars is a decision made by large-scale food manufacturers. By a series of trial and error throughout their existence, food companies recognized a pattern of Americans being more compelled to eat and purchase foods that contained artificial sugars. These decisions were made out of neglect for the overall health of the consumers, as the overall sugar intake of the average American increased drastically while the trend of added sugars continued. As a result, sugar was slowly integrated into nearly every type of food imaginable. Now, the average American consumes much more sugar than necessary.

In combination with the emergence of sugary foods, the advertising behind these unhealthy foods is a contributing factor for the control they have over the food industry. For instance, the commercials for sugary breakfast cereals such as Lucky Charms are directed at children, whose appetite then becomes geared towards sugarfilled foods. These advertising techniques have paid off, with Lucky Charms selling more than 83 million boxes of cereal during its existence.

Advertising is influencing an already unhealthy eating culture, seen through the spike of health problems. Inside the

American eating culture, which revolves around quick-fix meals and highsugar contents, health problems start to present themselves. With the rising frequency of obesity for people with these eating habits, associated health risks may arise for an obese person, such as heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. In fact, according to the World Health Organization, heart disease is the most common reason for death in developed countries across the world.

Despite the prevalence of sugar and unhealthy food in a convenient place, the choice to retain a healthy diet is still possible. One option is to eat only organic foods, which are unprocessed and generally free of added sugars. Another, more achievable, option would be to find a middle ground between processed and organic food. Instead of only eating processed food, a hybrid-diet would allow a body to obtain the necessary nutrients and help to limit the amount of sugar intake.

“Some things that people can do to help fight obesity would include more exercise, which doesn’t always have to be rigorous and time consuming,” Stone said. “Going for 20–30-minute walks, riding your bike and doing a yoga session can all be beneficial. People can also make dietary changes like simply drinking more water and eliminating sugar drinks from their diet.

This, in combination with a steady amount of exercise, is the first step towards a healthier nation. Story by Lucas Bisesi

SUGAR SHOCKERS

Low-Fat Yogurt 45 grams per container

Fruit Juice

23 grams per cup

Cereal

19.8 grams per average serving

WALK IT OFF

ATHLETES COMMENT ON PLAYING THROUGH THE PAIN The Indianapolis community knows the negative effects of playing through injury all too well. Days before the 2019 NFL season, Indianapolis Colts quarterback and face of the franchise, Andrew Luck retired from professional football at the age of 29. A large reason for his retirement was the numerous injuries that plagued Luck throughout his career. Throughout his playing time in Indianapolis, Luck consistently played through injuries, ultimately ending in a career of “what ifs.” But just 21 miles from the city, athletes at HSE are showing both physical and mental toughness by playing when they aren’t physically at peak performance.

“Yeah [there’s a lot of pressure to play through injury], but I knew my coaches and teammates backed me one hundred percent,” junior Noah Wolf said. “I wanted to be out there and that’s what happened.”

Wolf, a starting defensive back on the football team, broke his thumb early in the season. He played with a cast on his hand for a few weeks before eventually just taping his thumb to his index finger.

Much of the reason why athletes play

through injury is for the benefit of the team. Any time someone is taken out of the lineup due to injury, performance and team dynamic can shift dramatically.

Athletes also have to weigh the pros and cons of playing if their injury allows them to still compete.

“When I realized [I was able to maintain a high level of performance] the mental obstacle was a bigger challenge for me,” senior Abby Jenkins said. “I had to make sure that I wasn’t hurting my team more than I was helping them by trying to fight through the adversity.”

Jenkins was the goalkeeper of the girls soccer team where she led the lineup to success as the team’s captain. She tore her meniscus in her left knee and after the season, Jenkins had surgery to repair it. One thing that injuries offer is a remarkable dose of perspective.

Much like Abby Jenkins, sophomore Cole Earlewine discovered this notion on the football field. Earlewine dislocated his shoulder against Westfield on Sept. 18 but returned to the gridiron the very next week.

“I think [the injury] made me realize that anything can happen at any time,”

Earlewine said. “This was my first real injury, so I had a lot of emotions behind it all. It taught me that you can’t get in your own way mentally because if you do, you won’t perform as well.”

As is often the case when an athlete is able to perform at a high level through injury, the athletic training staff are a main reason behind the success. This is no different at HSE as the athletic training staff help every injured athlete through their recovery process. They were instrumental in Earlewine’s prompt return to the secondary.

“The training staff does a great job with your therapy so really it’s just about your own self confidence,” Earlewine said.

“They are the best and I wouldn’t have gotten through it without them.”

The sign of a truly great player is one that can perform at a high level, even when they aren’t at one hundred percent performance. A great team and great staffs grow great players who are physically and mentally tough and can dig deep to make their team the best they can. Story By Tristan Fluhr

WHERE TO FIND EVEN MORE NEWS...

HSE BROADCAST The Broadcast class offers a platform that allows students to produce creative videos and share school news. The almost-daily newscasts and special segments are uploaded online to inform the HSE community. Along with this, the HSETV On the Road series provides reviews on your local restaurants and fast food places. For more information go to hsenews.com, @hsenews on Instagram , and @hsetv on Twitter.

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THE ORB

SPIRALING SPORTS

PARTICIPATION IN SPORTS IS DECLINING

Generational differences such as technology use, beliefs, and morals, are what make each age group unique in their own way. One major distinction between Gen Z and the newer generations, is the decline of participation in sports of any kind.

According to a study done by the Wall Street Journal, participation in youth sports has decreased by 5% from 2007 to 2013.

The sports with the biggest participation losses are baseball, basketball and football.

Many analysts are baffled by this decline, especially with the increase of different types of sports represented in schools.

Through multiple studies and athlete testimony, light is shed on the reasons behind this drop in numbers.

One of the clearest reasons as to why youth are no longer participating in sports is the cost. With the cost of the jersey, bus fees and other equipment, the cost can rack up to over a thousand dollars which most American households are unable to afford.

Another issue effecting participation rate is the time needed to put into the sport. According to universe.byu.edu, sports seasons go on for multiple months and most coaches run teams similar to professional teams with practices happening over the summer and giving players constant workout schedules. Time also has to put in to traveling when games

happen in different areas. Because of this time-consuming schedule, balancing after-school activities with academics can be incredibly difficult. Junior Ryan Haag knows this time struggle all too well.

“I was in color guard but because of how time consuming it was it was really difficult for me to keep up with my grades,” Haag said. “I miss doing color guard especially because of how many years I put into it, but it was effecting my grades a lot. Finding a balance between the two is almost impossible with how demanding each thing is.”

Doctors are also seeing increases in injuries which also effects the participation rates of youth sports. Family Doctor Thomas Carn has been treating injuries that are unusual for youth sports such as torn ACLS. Carn believes the reasons these injuries are occurring more commonly is because of the intensity levels students play at now.

“They go hard and fast against really skilled players, and they’re playing all the time,” Carn said. “Kids these days have probably played twice or three times as many games entering high school as they did when I was young. That causes wear and tear on their bodies and causes them to sustain injuries that are normally sustained by adult athletes.”

Despite these issues, there are solutions in reach according to thecomeback.com. Solutions to these issues include educating parents and children, lessen the time burden and make it more affordable.

Educating parents about sports, especially those who did not participate in sports in their youth could then encourage their children to play. Educating them could include sharing

brochures or sending out newsletters explaining the importance of sports and exercise.

Reducing the time burden and making it more affordable may be easier said than done, but in order to fix this issue, sacrifices must be made. A way to reduce the time needed could be by making a clear, simple yearly schedule with only practicing max 2-3 times a week.

Making it more affordable could be done through fundraisers which can also help with team bonding.

Though these solutions seem too hard to grasp, it is worth saving the positive influence sports participation has on kids.

Story by Elizabeth Moodispaugh. Information from USA Today and universe.byu.edu.com.

“The sports with the biggest participation losses are baseball, basketball and football. Many analysts are baffled by this decline, especially with the increase of different types of sports represented in schools.”

HSE PODCASTS HSE News has started to launch a series of school- and non-schoolrelated material in a series of podcasts. The podcasts were created with the purpose of reaching a broader amount of students. Southeastern Insider is an informative and entertainment-based platform which covers school and local events, along with episodes related to student activities and pop culture.

Episodes are made and produced by students in Mass Media and the Student Media staffs.

In addition, there is also a podcast for Southeastern Sports Network, named the Southeastern Sports Insider.

HSENEWS

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