The Orb - February 2023-24

BUY LESS, LOVE MORE

BY HANNAH VANLANDINGHAM, EMMA HAYES

GRADUATION RATES: ABOVE THE TREND

BY DUPREE HENRY, EMMA HAYES

PINNING DOWN SUCCESS

BY MYA PYLE

FROM DOLLARS TO DUMBBELLS

BY OMAR ELSAYED, DUPREE HENRY, LILI PEREZ, EMMA HAYES

table

of

CONTENTS

Opinion & Editorial

page 4 | The Anti-Hero of Football

page 5 | Buy Less, Love More

Arts & Entertainment

page 6 | Decline of Music Festivals

page 7 | Pieces of the Past

page 8 | Graduation Rates: Above the Trend

page 10 |

Learning Off Screen

staff editorial

New SAT, Same Is-

It’s here. Whether you’ve been preparing for it since sixth grade or while reading this article, you realize you haven’t yet cracked open that thick prep book; the Standard Aptitude Test is here. On March 7, all HSE juniors are taking the SAT, a graduation requirement that has sucked some of the joy out of junior year since the test’s creation in 1926, but will now be shortened and fully online this year.

The test was originally intended to provide a way to measure students by one standard to find “talented applicants in less academically strong high schools.” It was adopted nationally as an admissions requirement until just recently with more and more schools being test optional.

While having a standardized testing system is important current education systems and to the college admissions process, its still a flawed system that is not resistant to socioeconomic bias. A huge argument against the SAT is that students with more affluent backgrounds consistently score higher than student from lower-income, first-generation and underrepresented student groups

From Dollars to Dumbbells| page 12

Staffer of the issue

Cover News

Leg Up on the Game | page 17

Pretty with a Purpose | page 18

Features Sports

Changing Times | page 20

Pinning Down Success | page 23

for whom the SAT is often said to misrepresent college readiness.

With all of this being said, we do not think it an exaggeration to wonder if the new remodeling of the SAT is simply equivalent to a BANDAID being used to cover up the much larger issue of education disparity and how its affecting SAT scores. This reworking of the test is designed to “meet students where they are at” College Board but I truly don’t think its going to be enough to end the debate over the effectiveness of the SAT. The big question on our minds is ‘why are we trying to rework an old test to instead of finding a better solution?’

Though the SAT is designed to help those in ‘less academically strong’ schools, is it any less critical to HSE kids? NO. This test is just as important as any other. It’s a chance to prove ourselves on paper or digital format and can help open doors for post-secondary education. While most colleges are test-optional, studies still show that students who score above or at the middle 50% of a school’s scores will still benefit from submitting them. Also, students can still use the scores for scholarships or even on resumes. So try! Study! Roll up on March 7 and be part of the new wave of students ready to conquer fully digital SAT.

Omar has been on staff for 2 semesters. He specializes in sports writing and photography. He is very articulate, hard-working, responsible and respectful. The staff can always count on Omar to fill in on events where more coverage is needed and to give us consistent quality content.

Behind the cover

Going into this issue of Orb, our staff wanted to focus more than ever on the issues and “hot topics” within the halls of HSE that desire the thoughtful reporting we strive to deliver. One hot topic buzzing around was the weight room renovation and the inconsistencies surrounding its renovation and funding, so we set out to thoughtfully inform through our cover story ‘From Dollars to Dumbbells’ The cover photo was taken by Lauren Kopka, and features a 15 lb dumbbell hand-wrapped in faux 50 dollar bills. The photo was taken in the weight room Feb. 21 and was meant to emmulate the time and money spent on the refurbishment.

Retraction: In Volume 35 Issue 5 of the Orb we misquoted junior Junaid Hasan. The quote was meant to be attributed to freshman Madelyn Boyd.

meet the

STAFF

Lauren Kopka

Nicole Morris Paityn O’Neill

Ben Kruer

Avery Grunder

Lili Perez Aubrey Matasovsky

Caroline Hiott Kennedy Ulmer Mandy Abeyta

Omar Elsayed

Addison Ginther

Emma Hayes Dupree Henry

Abby Kepler Charlotte Miksha

Maddy Page Sydney Pinchouck

Mya Pyle

Claire Robertson

Macie Ruth Hannah VanLandingham

EDITOr-in-chief managing editor creative director copy editor sports editor features editor news editor A&E EDITOR OP/ED editor Staffer Staffer Staffer Staffer Staffer Staffer Staffer

Staffer Staffer Staffer Staffer Staffer Staffer

THE ANTI-HERO OF FOOTBALL

Taylor Swift’s Controversial Involvement with the NFL

Story by Charlotte Miksha | mikshcha000@hsestudents.org

Packed stadiums, elaborate costumes, screaming fans, singing, dancing, performances from stars some travel to see; yet, despite these similarities, the average football fan would be rather disappointed if they stumbled into a stop on Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour instead of a game featuring their favorite NFL team.

Football and Swift became an unlikely pair in the summer of 2023 when the tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, Travis Kelce, began dating the international superstar. Swift slipped into even greater fame last year while embarking on her incredibly successful world tour. Appearing at 13 Chiefs games throughout the 20232024 season, Swift became somewhat of a staple of the NFL despite her distance from the sport before her current romance.

Starting in September 2023, networks showing the football games began cutting to Swift playing the part of supportive girlfriend in the stands. While Swifties-Swift’s adoring fanswere ecstatic at catching a glimpse of their favorite singer, some football lovers were much less accepting. Regardless of her mere 0.46% of total screentime during games, they felt as if her presence was taking away from the real content they wanted to see: football. This distaste became a national discussion as Swift continued going to games and some networks opted to only briefly acknowledge her to avoid controversy.

Her appearance at games was not only a nuisance for football fans, but some began to speculate that she was a “curse” on the team when they would lose games. As the Chiefs continued to succeed in the playoffs, eventually being set to compete in the Super Bowl, the story flipped, some thinking she was somehow rigging the games for the Chiefs to win. For a minority, this developed into a plot involving the presidential election and cookies baked by Swift in 2020

that urged others to vote for her preferred candidate, though most felt this ridiculous.

Everyone, whether a fan of the NFL or Swift, seemed to have an opinion on this topic as it quickly entered mainstream pop culture. Some feel divided, like students Maggie Walters and Aleen Mann, who expressed favortism toward both football and Taylor Swift.

“I think [Taylor Swift’s presence] kind of takes away from the football game.” Mann said. “Just a little bit.”

Walters disagreed, saying, “I don’t think they should be showing her every second of every game but obviously she is an important part of what’s going on right now in the NFL.”

In regards to whether Swift’s attendance has had any impact on the outcome of the Chiefs’ games, Walters said, “I think it energizes the crowd and the players, they want to do better because they have more of an audience.”

The root of these issues, they

believe, lies in the power Swift holds and what some fans call ‘Tayvoodoo’.

“I think, even in her music, she sends out little hints and all these superstitious things, like her lucky number 13,” Mann said. “[Sites are reporting] that some of the scores are cooresponding with the number 13.”

Agreeing, Walters said, “I think the people don’t like the amount of power that she holds and so they don’t like that she’s gotten her way, in a sense, even if she doesn’t have control over it.”

This conversation was continued for a few more weeks following the Chiefs’ win at the Super Bowl, to which Swift was witness. It seems, in spite of football fans’ complaints, she isn’t going anywhere.

Valentine’s Day and Gen Z Dating Culture

Story by Hannah VanLandingham | vanlahan000@hsestudents.org and Macie Ruth | ruthmac000@hsestudents.org

The commercialization of Valentine’s Day allows corporations to take advantage of people’s emotions, claiming that you don’t love your partner if you don’t buy them expensive jewelry, candy, or stuffed animals.

The greater reality of Valentine’s Day is the product emphasis, rather than love. The value of money plays a part in deteriorating relationships. In the current economy, the price of a red rose bouquet ranges from $80 to $105 according to Rio Roses, a luxury rose brand. Chocolate prices have risen by 14% since 2020, according to CNBC. As a partner, it can be challenging to not only please your significant other but find affordable gifts that still seem thoughtful.

Three in 10 Americans go into credit debt after spending for their partner, also according to CNBC. Society has lost sight of the root of the holiday, seeking a good relationship through gift-giving rather than something as simple as quality time. The portrayal of the holiday through media can be seen as happy couples, filled with love, innocently wanting to show their appreciation. Beyond marketing, customers are chased down by guilt of disappointing their partner and recover through a larger deduction in their bank account.

If your partner does not make a significant number of purchases, it can be seen as though the gift-giver is uncommitted or does not care. Trust is found in the materialized side of relationships. More than 8,000 posts a year on apps such as Instagram are captioned with #valentinesday and show a happy couple exemplifying a gift. Excess marketing from not only brands, but the everyday consumer on social media impact the standards of a relationship. Couples easily lose sight of their relationship due to the heavy consumerism of products

made specifically for the holiday. However, the younger generations have begun to lessen the focus on Valentine’s Day, as the traditional image of a “relationship” has begun to shift.

Valentine’s Day has become less popular in recent years, simply because of how relationships have changed. Dating culture, primarily for Gen Z, has turned its back on traditional relationships and labels, instead getting involved in “situationships”.

Situationships are like open relationships: not requiring full commitment. People can talk and enjoy the parts of a relationship they want without having to deal with the more unsavory parts: fighting and break-ups. Many people believe that this new relationship style is a positive shift in dating life because you only get the good aspects and you never have to struggle. With few risks involved, it seems easier, but it actually takes away the value of the relationship.

Getting into a relationship requires putting your feelings on the line, and it brings about the possibility of rejection and disappointment. The fear of rejection has pushed us to situationships, where it doesn’t take anything to start it, it just starts. Both people are aware of the other’s feelings, but neither person is willing to admit them, so they sit in a limbo between dating and friends. The need to protect their feelings is the primary reason for never putting them out there, preferring to exist in that limbo with no risk.

The ideas of love and true relationships have drowned in the heavy ideas of both consumerism and fear of commitment. Both ideas distract from what the purpose of Valentine’s Day is supposed to be: love.

Chocolate Choices

Story by Sydney Pinchouck | pinchsyd000@hsestudents.org

With many holidays around, this is the perfect season to buy chocolate for yourself or someone you know. Only one question: which brand to buy? We tried four different brands of standard milk chocolate to decide which is the best. Ratings are out of 5 chocolate bars.

Lindt Chocolate is very thick. The flavor is not overwhelmingly bitter, almost on the side of being too sweet.

Dove’s Chocolate bar has the perfect melty texture. While the flavor leans on the sweet side, it melts in a perfect way to compensate, making it an ideal chocolate bar.

While Hershey’s chocolate bar has the melt-in-your-mouth texture that you would expect from chocolate, the flavor is overly rich. You cannot eat too much of it before it leaves a bitter taste.

The thickness of Cadbury’s chocolate combined with how quickly it melts makes it slightly sticky. At first it is not as sweet as a typical milk chocolate bar, but it does not leave a bitter aftertaste.

DECLINE OF MUSIC FESTIVALS

What is Next for Live Music

Story by Caroline Hiott | hiottcar000@hsestudents.org and Claire Robertson | Robercla001@hsestudents.org

Music festivals have been declining for years and many didn’t know it until now. The age range these days for a typical festival attendee is anywhere from 18-35 years old. In the past couple of years, high school and college students have been increasingly attending these festivals. But how? The price for a general admission ticket at Coachella for 2023 was $415. That is not including food, housing or travel fees. So, the question is, how are high school and college aged students making enough money to go to all these extravagant music festivals?

In 2023, senior Vaughn Ehrgott attended Lollapalooza for artist Lana Del Rey. While waiting for Del Rey to perform, they had to deal with being crushed by fans of artists that were playing before her. During the Lil Yachty set, Ehrgott and others were being crushed by Yachty fans who were moshing and pushing the crowd around, causing chaos.

“While they were moshing, my friend fell,” Ehrgott said. “It started a chain reaction which cause an entire area to topple on top of her.”

People in the crowd waited around 12 hours or more to see the main headliner of the festival. Because of

the tight crowd and summer heat, the entire area was humid and hot because everyone was shoulder to shoulder. Later in the afternoon, Ehrgott stated that they constantly saw people being carried out of the crowd due to passing out.Chaos continued after Lil Yachty’s set.

People started leaving the crowd or pushing towards the front to get closer to the stage.

“There were a few times that people had to get on the speakers and tell the crowd to take three steps back because people were suffocating,” Ehrgott said. “We did that about five or six times.”

Eventually the crowd calmed down and did not experience any more crowd crushing.

Music festivals for decades have been targeted to broke 20 year-olds who save up for months to make sure they can go. With the raised prices of festivals, hotels and transportation, some people spend thousands to experience artists live.

With the disappointment of artists dropping out last minute, fans have begun not going to festivals because of the fear of artists not showing up.

The decline of fans going to music festivals could cause festivals to get canceled and could end music festivals for good.

Lollapalooza 2023 Main Stage. Photo Contributed By Vaughn Ehrgott.

Photo of Artist Lana Del Rey. Photo Contributed by Vaughn Ehrgott.

Fan holds up message that reads, “I survived Yachty for Lana.” Photo Contributed by Vaughn Ehrgott.

PIECES OF THE PAST

Artist Blends the Past with the Present

Story by Abby Kepler | KEPLEABI000@HSESTUDENTS.ORG

Beige, a tint of yellow, and white intricate designs weave their way behind a young, aspiring lawyer, who was carefully crafted by the hand of an artist. What does this seemingly abstract image represent? This is a physical piece and cherished memory from a young artist’s past.

Senior Evie Bissonette is an Advanced Placement (AP) art student. With a passion for art and an eye for inspiration, her work is filled with memories from her life or those of the people closest to her, “A lot of my pieces have aspects from memories of my childhood,” Bissonette said. “Or maybe even my parents’ childhood that they’ve told me about. “I think it gives me a sense of accomplishment.”

Bissonette wrote when asked about seeing elements of the past in her work, “Because I want the people who have impacted me to be aware of that, no matter how big or small the impact may be.”

In two of her works she has used pieces of wallpaper from her grandparent’s old house, as shown in the photos.

“I want to bring my past memories into the present pieces,” Bissonette said.

The piece was inspired by her grandfather’s work as a lawyer, and

how he has made her want to go into law as well. She used physical pieces of wallpaper from her and her grandfather’s past, while also envisioning her own future in the field of law.

Art can change the way the world is viewed and show the beauty in people that may not have been clear before. Bissionette’s work in art has changed her views on the actions of others, simple or big.

“I think [being an artist] makes life a little bit more enjoyable,” Bissonette said, “[…]You’re not so quick to judge things, because everything that everyone does is a form of selfexpression. Just because it’s not physical, like artwork, doesn’t mean it doesn’t have its own importance.”

In her newest portfolio, Bissonette is not only inspired by looking back into her past, but also contemplating how her work may be viewed in the future.

“I’m trying to communicate how ideas and inspirations evolve with time,” Bissonette said. “And how one person can leave and impact on the next.”

The past is a memory that Bissonette keeps close to her and bringing it into the present through her artwork will help to keep these memories alive for years to come.

THUMBS UP OR DOWN?

Have you been to a concert recently?

51% 49%

89 total votes

How do you feel about concert etiquette post-pandemic?

63% 37% 71 total votes

Do you plan on attending a music festival in the future?

85% 15% 85 total votes

Electric Shock. Artwork By Evie Bissonette. Photo Contributed.

My Renaissance Man. Artwork By Evie Bissonette. Photo Contributed.

SIT DOWN WITH SIMMONS

Story By Aubrey Matasovsky | matasaub000@hsestudents.org

For the first issue after break, we sat down with Principal Simmons and discussed new and already existing programs to help students succeed. One of the programs that currently exists within HSE Schools is the HSE Academy. “The HSE Academy is a program designed to support students who are experiencing some challenges either personally or within the school,” Simmons said. “Most students that are enrolled in the Academy need a different environment to focus on their academics.” The goal is to create an environment that helps students succeed and find a meaningful pathway or career after graduation. However, this is not the only program expanding opportunities for students in HSE. A new program involved at HSE Schools is a partnership with Ford: Next Generation Learning. The partnership’s main goal is to “expand learning opportunities and experiences for students within and outside of the school,” Simmons said. “We are currently working on finalizing our Portrait of a Graduate in HSE Schools.” In addition to the portrait of the graduate, the partnership between Ford NGL and HSE, as well as surrounding school districts works to ensure workforce employment, military enlistment, or university enrollment as well as other higher education programs immediately following graduation. To learn more about Ford NGL partnership, scan this QR code:

GRADUATION RATES: ABOVE THE TREND

Extra time provided to students not meeting requirements

Story By Dupree Henry | henrydup000@hsestudents.org and Emma Hayes | hayesemm000@hsestudents.org

This May, hundreds of HSE students will stand in a crowded hall, eagerly anticipating their high school graduation ceremony. Four years of high school have led to this moment. But how many students get here?

Indiana’s statewide high school graduation rate falls slightly above the US average in 2023, achieving an 88.98% graduation rate, leaving 1 in 10 students who don’t graduate. Going even more central to HSE, the rate goes up again. The class of 2023 had a 98.8% graduation rate, moving to only 1 out of 100 students who do not graduate.

How does HSE compare to other schools in the area? Fishers has a rate of 97.9% and Carmel scores slightly below HSE too, with a 98.6% rate. But those rates may not be reflective of students who need extra time to fulfill graduation requirements.

At the end of senior year, a certain number of students who are not eligible to graduate in the spring can be granted a waiver, allowing them to reach those requirements. Many schools who rely on these waivers see a noticeable dip when you remove the waiver students from those rates.

While a school like Noblesville might seem ahead of the curve with a 97.6% graduation rate, when you take the waivers out, they drop to an 83.9% rate, falling below the national and

state average. Fishers falls 6% when waivers are taken out of the equation.

“Other school districts that have to incorporate more of those waivers negatively impact things with their stance with DOE standards,” Counselor and Guidance Department Chair Greg Davidson said.

However, HSE seems to maintain a high standard when it comes to graduation.

“The state allows a small percentage of waivers to each high school and HSE is well below the percentage allowed for waivers,” Mr. Simmons said.

The rates reflect this as it only falls 1.2% when you take waivers out, a smaller drop than even Carmel High School. This means that HSE does not need as many waivers as neighboring schools, as most students do not have trouble meeting graduation requirements.

“HSE has very minimal waivers each year, as our students tend to make all the standards required of them to graduate without the waiver,” Davidson said.

This shows the quality of students who attend HSE and it serves as a testament to the school’s drive to push its students to excellency and aim to stay above the standard.

1 in 10 high school students in Indiana do not graduate according to the Indian Department of Education website. This is up to par with the national average, which is a rate of about 13%.

HSE SCHOOLS APPROVES RAISES

Behind employee raises throughout the district, approval by district leadership

Story By Avery Grunder | grundave000@hsestudents.org

Day in and day out, Hamilton Southeastern Schools employs over 2,500 employees, serving more than 21,000 students.

Last November, a referendum intended to provide more support, building and payroll funds for these employees and their district was promoted throughout the public. HSE School District residents voted to pass this referendum, ensuring many employees can get pay raises and additional benefits they may not have otherwise seen. The referendum, along with other district

funds, allowed the district to allocate a roughly 3.75 percent increase in pay to building specific and district administrational employees.

Raises and benefits for nurses, secretaries, janitorial staff, and more were among allocations as well. An exception to these raises are the nurses employed by Community Health Network. These nurses do not recieve the district raises because their contracts are through Community Health Network. Specific among the employees to receive raises and benefits options were instructional

assistants, whom according to School Board Secretary Suzanne Thomas, are “important to so many”.

The official approval for these raises was executed by the HSE Board of Trustees (School Board) on Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024.

SUPERINTENDENT CONTRACT

School board releases proposed three year contract for new superintendent

Story By Mandy Abeyta | abeytman000@hsestudents.org

After Yvonne Stokes’ resignation back in Sept. 2023, the school board conducted an extensive search for a replacement hire, one that recently concluded. The new superintendent’s contract will not be voted on until 6:00pm on February 28th, 2024, with a meet and greet with the community scheduled for early March. The meet and greet should act as an opportunity for parents to ask questions and get ot know the experience of the new hire. The school board has already released the details of the contract for public comment, displayed to the left.

In the meantime, Dr. Matt Kegley is serving as interim superintendent. When the Orb last discussed Kegley’s role throughout the interim period, Kegley was still undecided as to whether he was going to apply to the role after the interim period.

CONTRACT APPROVED

February 28th, 2024

BASE SALARY

$215,270

RETIREMET BENEFITS $2,500

LEARNING OFF-SCREEN

CELL PHONE BANS ACROSS AMERICA

STORY BY MANDY ABEYTA | ABEYTMAN000@HSESTUDENTS.ORG AND HANNAH VANLANDINGHAM | VANLAHAN000@HSESTUDENTS.ORG

Bills at various stages of advancement have come up in many states throughout America, Indiana included. Their goal: remove cell phones from classrooms. If approved by the House of Representatives, it would affect students across Indiana during the 2024-25 school year.

Florida implemented a similar bill back in July 2023, also prohibiting phones during class. Students can still bring their phones to school, but teachers are required to have a designated area for the devices during instructional time. One district, Orange County Public Schools, took it a step further and made the ban daylong. Phone use is restricted during instructional time as well as passing period and lunchtime.

The Indiana bill, however, requires schools to adopt a policy that prohibits students from using phones only during instructional time. While teachers could allow students to use their phone for educational purposes or emergency situations, the forecast is clear: no more phones in the classroom.

Many teachers feel that phones are necessary for emergencies, but should not be allowed during instructional time.

“When I watch the news and I see

“[Phones] should remain in the bag, but I definitely think they should be allowed to come to school.”

-Kimberly Bakle, English Teacher

school shootings and I see some really horrible things going down in schools, I understand as a parent and as an educator why parents and students would want to have those phones with them so they can give their parents information and their parents can make contact,” AP Language and Composition and ACP Speech teacher Kimberly Bakle, said. “I see that, but I don’t like them in my classroom. Simply because then kids are playing games, they’re doing things they shouldn’t be doing, they’re not giving respect to their classmates and their teacher, oftentimes. [Personally] I think that unless it’s individual work time, they should remain in the bag, but I definitely think they should be allowed to come to school.”

Research provides compelling evidence for the ban. The Harvard Graduate School of Education released an article stating that, “The existing studies provide evidence that allowing phones in the classroom negatively impacts test scores and long-term learning retention”.

The same article also acknowledges that the bans are highly unpopular with students, saying that the bans had major impacts on students’ views on their school. Students tend to believe that a ban is unnecessary, citing the benefits of having your phone during the day.

“Personally I don’t think there should be a ban for phones in school. There may be a few problems, [but I] think it’s okay for us to have them,” sophomore Aurora Bowden said. “Most students like to listen to music during class, it can help them focus or just have some down time. If a friend or someone in your family is going through a lot, you want to be there for them, right? If phones were banned in school, we wouldn’t get them [for a long] time... Overall, I believe we should be able to keep our phones at school.”

Indiana

SB 185

Cell phones banned only during instructional time

Kentucky

HB 383

Bans cell phones during class time, at a minimum

Florida

HB 379

Students must put phones in designated areas during class time

INTEREST, INVOLVEMENT IN FOREIGN CONFLICTS DWINDLING

Story by Aubrey Matasovsky | matasaub000@hsestudents.org

As the invasion of Ukraine passes the two-year mark and the conflict in Gaza continues, many Americans choose to focus their attention elsewhere. Google Trends, which tracks the popularity of various search terms, shows that neither the Russo-Ukraine war nor the war in Gaza have breached the top nine search terms for the entire month of February. This trend cotinuing throughout recent events in the conflict.

In terms of the war in Gaza, this includes rising death tolls and a report by the World Health Organization that 1 in 6 children in Gaza under the age of two are malnourished. The same report found that 90% of children under the age of five are affected by an infectious disease, largely due to unsafe drinking water or a lack of access to water used for hygienic purposes.

For Ukraine, death tolls continue to rise. The United Nations reporting on February 6 that over 10,000 civilians have been killed in the conflict, as well as an additional toll of over 19,000 civilians being injured since the conflict began two years ago.

Despite declining interest, seen in the graph below, the opinions of Americans in regard to providing aid are still diverse. A poll conducted by the Pew Research Center stated

that about 31 percent of Americans believe that America has been providing too much support to Ukraine in their conflict, with 18 % believing that America is not providing enough support. The divide splits further when broken up by political party affiliations. Forty-eight % of Republicans or Republicanleaning persons believe that America is providing too much support, compared to 16% of Democrats or Democrat-leaning persons.

This contributes to the long running debate of American involvement in foreign conflicts. While many believe that Americans should focus on problems domestically, such as remedying the current homeless crisis, others believe that domestic issues should not prevent the ability of America to aid other countries going through a crisis.

While Americans may continue to lose interest in any foreign conflict, the decisions of politicians will play an essential role in the way the rest of the world percieves the U.S. The past mistakes of appeasement and turning a blind eye to genocide echo strongly, as do the victims of unnnecesary wars incited in a period of nationalistic pride. The decisions made throughout the duration of these conflicts must be carefully considered to prevent further wrongdoing on the global scale.

The graph above, made with Google Trends, demonstrates the number of times the terms “Ukraine” and “Gaza” have been searched per day from January 1st, 2024 to February 21st, 2024. Searches for “Ukraine” are represented in blue, while searches for “Gaza” are represented in red.

FROM DOLLARS TO DUMBBELLS

Weight Room Improvements Assist Student Athletes, Bring Budget Into Question

Story by Dupree Henry

| henrydup000@hsestudents.org Lili Perez | perezlil000@hsestudents.org, Omar Elsayed | elsayoma000@hsestudents.org, Emma Hayes | hayesemm000@hsestudents.org

The weight room sees consistent and diverse usage throughout the day, accommodating every sport HSE

“Someone [is] in the weight room every period of the day, every week,” Kelly said, “It’s constantly used by the track team, tennis teams, softball teams, and even our junior high [...]

prompted by numerous safety and cleanliness concerns, affecting the efficiency of students’ workouts.

“The middle of our floor on the backside was peeling up, creating a trip hazard,” Kelly said.

to the high humidity in the room, rust and mechanical decay affects the life and quality of equipment.

weights class.”

The recent renewal of the weight room floors was

workouts. With room, will as well. out of

Elliptical and treadmills have been recently replaced or upgraded due to the long-term plan.

The School Board recently received an offer of increased funding from private donors which will enable them to purchase new equipment to improve our student’s workout experience. Students and faculty at HSE High School have welcomed the recent renovations to the school’s weight room, enhancing its appeal and functionality for student athletes and teams alike.

Football Coach and advanced physical conditioning teacher Michael Kelly provided insights into the significance of the weight room for student-athletes and emphasized the advantages of having in-school workouts.

“Our APC [Advanced Physical Conditioning] class provides our athletes the opportunity to get inschool workouts,” Kelly said, “Much like they would do at a personal trainer or another facility.”

The new seal surface flooring not only mitigates these risks but also provides cleaner ample space for movement, providing a safer and more conducive environment for a new weight it begs the question of whether the physical education curriculum be renovated High schools the district offer several courses that HSE does not. Noblesville High School students can take an aerobics and yoga class and a lifetime fitness class where students learn how to stay fit throughout their lives. Carmel offers an aquatics class and an outdoor exploration class which includes lessons about kayaking, paddle boarding, fishing

HSE Noblesville aerobics and other outdoor activities.

However, the new weight room doesn’t seem to come with a new

selection of courses yet. to said. many competing schools.

“To the best of my knowledge, there will not be any new PE courses added to the HSE curriculum in the foreseeable future with regard to the newly renovated weight room,” School Board Member Dawn Lang

Even with the money spent on facilities like the weight room, the athletic department still falls below

“Quite honestly if you looked at our weight room and our facilities

Cover |

as compared to other schools we compete against, we’re still behind.” Athletic Director Jim Self said. “In terms of size, equipment and the amount of money spent.”

While the renovated weight room boasts significant improvements, Kelly acknowledged areas for potential enhancement compared to neighboring schools. He specifically noted the absence of a dedicated turf space as a notable area for improvement, stating, “Having an area like a turf space would accommodate a wider range of training activities.”

Much of the Athletic Department at HSE is self-funded through ticket sales of donations. Outside of salaries, transportation and facility upgrades, the money made on events is used to impact much of the athletes’ day to day lives.

Even if the Athletic Department, despite a costly recent renovation, isn’t getting the bulk of the school districts money, where is it going? Recently, without much fanfare, a $257,948.88 contract was drawn up with Waste Management for a 28-month partnership and $78,356.63 was spent on BrainPOP subscriptions across the district. With costs like these going primarily unnoticed by the HSE community, it begs the question of if the weight room is the real drag on the HSE budget.

Even with the pervasive stereotype of the high school Ahletics Department draining the school’s money, it seems the Athletic Department is not actually what is really impacting our larger school budget. Plus, there may not be very much room to cut from the athletics budget anyway.

“I think it’s important to understand how much it costs to support athletic programs at HSE High School and our district - this includes Fishers High School as well,” Lang said, “When you take into consideration the facility costs alone for all sports - both indoor and outdoor - plus transportation costs to bus players to games and events, pay coaches, pay bus drivers, maintain all facilities including lighting, fields, gymnasiums, etc. there is a significant cost to the district.”

Much of the athletic program is self-sufficient as well. Even the new vending machine contributes to the maintenance of the weight room.

“The money we get goes to buying things like bands, medicine balls, any type of consumables for the weight room that we need.” Strength Coach Steve Krzyminski said.

While it might be easy to point the finger at something like a brand-new weight room floor as the scapegoat for the lack of funds for smaller clubs, many other, less notable, expenses go through with little to no pushback.

While it might not be as flashy as

cost $107,960.69, yet has received much less scrutiny.

Nevertheless, Athletics is a significant part of school, and although many may not agree with the possible imbalance of funding, it is important to many student athletes and those who are active in their own fitness journeys. However, it is important to recognize other extracurricular programs that require significant funding as well, as they are critical to the development of students.

“However, I will also tell you that non-athletes believe their clubs, teams, and programs are just as important and require funding,” Lang said. “As you can imagine, the cost of extracurricular programs is significant, yet fundamental to developing well-rounded students who can pursue their talents and

Senior Kameron Anthony executes apower clean during his weights class. Photo by Lili Perez

Where Money Is Going Within HSE Schools

Story By Claire Robertson | Robercla001@Hsestudents.org

HSE offers a wide variety of sports, clubs and extracurricular activities for students. The mystery of where money is going is a question that is regularly talked about amongst students and staff While there are new changes such as an updated weight room on the way, there are also realities of old computers and performing arts costumes that are being left behind.

So how what is all the money being spent on and how much is the district and individual schools spending?

“For me, a good guiding principle is if it’s something that’s sitting around students and maybe even more particular, something that’s more innovative.” Principal Reggie Simmons said. “That’s kind of how I make school decisions.”

Since the HSE budget is made up of many different categories, it makes the job of deciding who gets the money even more difficult. For example, much of the money goes towards new supplies for teachers and students while other needs such as minor maintenances are saved for a later date.

It is clear according to both the School Board and Mr. Simmons that the school’s top priority is spending money on the students and their safety while making sure needs are met.

“Our first job is to give students a condusive atmosphere for learning so it all kind of works together.”

Hamilton Southeastern School Board Vice President Ben Orr said. “The teacher’s working conditions are the student’s learning conditions.”

The school district and each of its schools are constantly working together to decide what is needed in each and every school. However, it is up to the principals to decide what needs should be kept within the individual school budget and

a district budget. For example, the school hallways A, B and C will be renovated as soon as 2026 so it was important for the school to budget their money correctly. This will be an individual school budget item.

“The lecture hall-for example-the desks in there were pretty unsafe and so I worked with the district on getting those desks out of there and creating another space so that it can still be used,” Simmons said.

The question of where all the money is going can be answered very simply: the money is going straight to the students and to causes that benefit the future of HSE students. While the money may not always be used towards things that people want right then, it is definitely going towards something that will make the schools in the Hamilton Southeastern high school and district better overall.

Dr. Juanita Albright. Photo by Lili Perez

Celebrating Black History Month’s personal perspectives, the historical impact on teachers, staff

As part of the recognition and celebration of Black History Month, the Orb staff interviewed numerous HSE High School faculty and staff to better understand their perspectives on what Black History Month means to them and the historical impacts the celebration has had on their lives.

For all of the faculty and staff Black History Month features, scan the QR code below.

SINGING FOR A CAUSE

How One Concert Can Change a Life

Story by Charlotte Miksha | mikshcha000@hsestudents.org

Bsparkling spring only number one hits, lies a more contemplative, emotionally moving show entitled the Jesse Eastwood Concert. Named in memory of a prior choir student who was killed during his time at Hamilton Southeastern, donations, in place of priced tickets, are collected during the concert. The money amassed goes toward a scholarship fund for a chosen student pursuing music in college that is awarded in the final concert of the year. The lucky winner is chosen through an application process, the most fitting candidate given a generous boost toward their college education and melodic future.

Thursday, February 8th, included pieces from all five choirs as well as solos and ensembles. The Royal Vocals (the freshman girls’ choir), Royal Singers (the intermediate mixed choir), Royal Accents (the intermediate girls’ choir), Royal Sensation (the top girls’ choir), and Royal Edition (the top mixed choir), all performed a few pieces separately. At the end of the concert, after showcasing an all-choirs song, the spring show was announced to the surprise of audience and choir member in traditional fashion.

The Jesse Eastwood concert serves as a stripped-down, vocal-focused alternative of the choir shows put on during the rest of the year. These aesthetics remind the audience the importance of the cause; to honor a memory and support a cause.

All choirs perform their final song of the evening. Photo By Charlotte Miksha

Students celebrate as their next concert theme is announced.

Photo By Charlotte Miksha

LEG UP ON THE GAME

Varisty Mock Trial Teams Qualify for State Tournament

Story by Sydney Pinchouck | pinchsyd000@hsestudents.org

HSE’s Mock Trial teams are on the journey to the state tournament. They have been practicing all year and participating in many competitions to get there. They finally have regionals in the rearview and state just around the corner.

Two of HSE’s three Mock Trial teams, code named Drug Busted and Restless RX for competitions, will be competing in the state championship. The third team, Pills and Ills, competes at the JV level and participated in the county tournament.

Alex Yu, senior and member of Drug Busted, joined Mock Trial to have an academic extracurricular activity, but has enjoyed learning about law and getting close with the team. He hopes that his team can place high enough at state to make nationals. Junior and Restless RX member Japnam Kular thinks that the team is working hard to make improvements and can acheive this.

“So far we have done well, especially at regionals,” Kular said. “We hope to continue that energy on to state!”

The regional Mock Trial tournament occurred the weekend of February 17th in court rooms at the Marion County Community Justice Center. Each team participated in three trials in one day. Of the 24 teams that competed,

Restless RX placed sixth and Drug Busted placed ninth. The top nine teams qualify for state, sending both varsity teams to the state tournament. The county tournament then occured on February 20th and 21st, with the top four teams competing in the finals on the 24th.

With the recent addition of the third team, members are very hopeful that they will do well at state. Sophomore Natalie Donnelly, member of Drug Busted, has faith that the team can place top at state.

“I think we have made tons of progress while learning about the case,” Donnelly said. “We have improved greatly on our court presence.”

Freshman Henry Molin is a member of Restless RX and has become very close with his team. He loves bonding with his friends through Mock Trial and is proud of the effort his team is putting in to do well at state.

The state championship will be March 16th and 17th. At the end of the tournament, the top 2 teams out of the 24 in the bracket will compete for the state title.

“We’re learning from our mistakes and coming back even stronger,” Molin said. “If we continue to do so, we will become an even more formidable foe than we already are!”

Left, junior Natalie Truong stands to make statement as opening attorney for the Plantiff. Photo contributed by Natalie Arnold.

PRETTY WITH A PURPOSE

Small Business Spotlight on Hope Anchor and Crew story by

Lindsay Schloss, a social worker and mother, combined her passions of charity and crafting when she founded Hope Anchor and Crew in 2019.

Located in Hamilton Town Center, this philanthropic jewelry studio strives to support local and global charities. Schloss founded her nonprofit company on the belief that “hope anchors the soul and community.” Her goal, stemming from her family’s love of jewelry-making and her background in social justice, was to support vulnerable women and children through donating proceeds from her business to charities. Since establishing Hope Anchor and Crew in 2019, Schloss’s business has grown into a self-sufficient non-profit that creates high-quality bracelets that are as unique as the women wearing them. From beaded to bangles, Hope Anchor and Crew offers hundreds of bracelet options. Meredith Simonetti, a junior at HSE and Hope and Anchor employee, shared her favorite bracelet during an interview.

“I have a bracelet named after me,” said Simonetti. “So, I like ‘The Meredith’ the most.”

The multicolored crystal bracelet is a very popular choice amongst customers and staff. Simonetti’s favorite part about working for Hope Anchor and Crew is getting to spread the company’s mission to the public.

“I love helping people in the

community through donating to charities,” Simonetti shared. “Right now, [Hope Anchor and Crew] is partnering with Dove House for Women in Recovery, among other charity organizations.”

In addition to working at Hope Anchor and Crew, teenagers also have the opportunity to volunteer their time in the jewelry studio. Shayla Himmelberger and Kate Jansen, two juniors at HSE, found out about the Hope Anchor and Crew volunteer program from student council.

“I’ve only been volunteering here for about a week,” Jansen said. “But I really enjoy it. I especially love sorting the beads—I find it very relaxing.”

Another great perk of volunteering at Hope Anchor and Crew is that the spacious studio can accommodate volunteer groups of eight or more during each two-hour session.

“I love volunteering with my friends,” shared Himmelberger. “I also love meeting new people during the volunteer sessions.”

A new opportunity being offered at Hope Anchor and Crew is the summer internship program.

“We are currently accepting applications,” Schloss said. “We are looking for people who value giving back to the community and interested in empowering local women and teens.”

Hope Anchor and Crew is a small business like no other. The

philanthropic jewelry studio strives to make customers look and feel their best, knowing that a portion of the profits of each handcrafted bracelet will be donated to a charity organization. Hope Anchor and Crew is rapidly gaining popularity in the Fishers area, and founder Lindsay Schloss is looking forward to her future goals.

“I would love to sell our bracelets in boutiques across the nation,” Schloss said. “And expand our fellowships to serve more charities.”

Bracelets on display at Hope Anchor and Crew. Bracelets range in prices from $15-$60.

Photo by Kennedy Ulmer

HSE students Kate Jansen (L) and Shayla Himmelberger (R) make bracelets as part of Hope Anchor and Crew’s volunteer program.

Photo by Kennedy Ulmer

PRACTICE MAKES PERFORMANCE

Pit Orchestras Preperation for the “Guys and Dolls” Musical.

Story and photos By Addison Ginther | ginthadd000@hsestudents.org

The 2024 “Guys and Dolls” musical put on by the Hamilton Southeastern Drama Club, is much more complicated than it seems. There are many different elements that go into the making of it, such as music, props, costume changes, lighting and more. One of the most important aspects of the musical is the music. Along with the singing performed by the actors on stage, there is a ton of background music to support them.

One of the big aspects that go into the background music is the pit orchestra. The pit orchestra is a combination of some of the best orchestra and band members here at HSE. They get together and practice multiple days after school to prepare for the concert. They rehearse numerous different numbers and different acts with the choirs and on their own.

“The practices are definitely interesting. There’s a lot of power through,” sophomore Ethan Poehlein said. “[It’s a lot] of, if you get it, great, if you don’t, do better next time, were moving on. Its very head forward, pushing through all the pieces so its more difficult because you don’t get the time to work on what your having trouble with so its kind of up to you to keep with it.”

While the practices are similar each time, they get more intense and real each day as the performance dates get closer. During an average practice day, everyone meets, tunes their instruments and then runs through all the different pieces together. The pieces are different than what the musicians are normally used to. Some of the songs require them to play very few notes or one really long note while others require them to play much more. Sometimes, some of the choir singers will even come into the room to practice with the orchestra. This helps both the singers and the musicians get a full idea of what they are going to be hearing on stage.

“It is challenging because there’s different music then you would normally see in band, but I enjoy it and I think its very fun and a different experience,” junior Ava Ioannacci said. “It is cool playing while there’s singing, I think that

makes it more fun.”

With all the different aspects of music taking place during the practices, it gets hard to pay attention to your own group. It is important when playing an instrument to make sure that you are able to hear and stay on beat with everyone else in your section. You must figure out how to block certain sounds out and only listen to your section.

“It is definitely hard to stay with my group and on beat because this is a very different style of playing than I’m used to,” Poehlein said. “I’m used to more classical pieces which is what we do play in all of our other orchestras here at HSE, where as this is more of a band-musical style which is fast with different signatures which makes it difficult to read and play, you got to keep up either way.”

Playing an instrument at such a high level can be a very challenging task. There is a lot of pressure and stress to be perfect and never mess up. Even the simplest mess-ups like missing a beat, playing the wrong note, or starting too early has the potential to throw everyone off. Members must practice multiple days after school to perfect their parts and understand what they are playing. All of the orchestras hard work is soon to pay off on March 14th, 15th and 16th when the “Guys and Dolls” musical takes place.

Band players practicing a part in one of their songs for the musical. Photos by Addison Ginther

Full look at the musicians being directed by Mr. Charles Kunz. Photos by Addisn Ginther

MUDSOCK VARSITY WINTER SPORTS RESULTS

Story by: Maddy Page | pagemad000@hsestudents.org

Whenever the two rival schools in Hamilton County—Fishers and Hamilton Southeastern (HSE)— go against one another in athletic competitions, it is known as a “Mudsock” event. Each year, both rival schools have the chance to win a Mudsock trophy in certain varsity sporting events, which is awarded to the school who wins the competition. The results from the 2023-2024 winter seasons are as listed below:

Girls Basketball: Win 70-67

Boys Basketball: Loss 64-57

Girls Swim/Dive: Loss 108-78

Boys Swim/Dive: Loss 119.5-66.5

Boys Wrestling: Win 28-25

Overall, HSE is leading in the 2023-2024 Mudsock standings by 1 point. HSE has a total of 7 wins this year, and Fishers has 6. With the scores being so close to one another, it is now up to the spring varsity sports to determine whether or not HSE will once again hold the title of Mudsock Champion in 2024.

CHANGING TIMES

The Fall of Sports Illustrated, Print Media

Story by Ben Kruer | kruerben000@hsestudents.org

Featuring only two players and an umpire, the first Sports Illustrated magazine was published on June 9, 1954 and could be described as remarkably basic. The cover, a simple photo of Milwaukee Brewer Eddie Matthews and New York Giants catcher Wes Westrum, was a far cry from the posing athletes and maximalist style of recent years. Since 1954, Sports Illustrated has grown to become one of the name brands in sports media. For so long, Sports Illustrated sat on a marble pedestal, but now the future of the magazine beloved to many is in question.

The advent of the internet was a clear blow to Sports Illustrated as the magazine’s subscribers began to slump and it moved from publishing weekly, to biweekly in 2018. In 2020, Sports Illustrated altered course again, moving to a monthly release. Also in 2018, Sports Illustrated’s parent company, Time Inc., was purchased by Meredith Corporation, who then handed Sports Illustrated off to Authentic Brands Group. Authentic Brands licensed the rights to publish Sports Illustrated to the Mavin Inc., now known as the Arena Group.

70 years.”

This article went on to point out “even if Sports Illustrated survives in some form, it will be severely diminished.” Like with most print media giants, Sports Illustrated might be on the way out.

The changing ways in which people get and more importantly want news is already affecting Sports Illustrated Sports Illustrated’s subscriber count is now similar to where it was when the magazine launched. Magazines such as Sports Illustrated now must compete with online publications and have made moves to produce online content as well. The space is saturated with many different forms of sports content making it difficult for Sports Illustrated to retain a foothold in the industry.

This does not even consider video content, especially on social media platforms, that is easy to make and disseminate. There are no writers, editors, designers or fees to pay if someone simply posts a video on a platform like TikTok. This problem is only compounded by the fact that Sports Illustrated releases monthly, meaning that much of what they publish has the possibility of being less prescient or out of date compared to other forms of media constantly being churned out by independent creators on social media platforms.

As it stands right now, Sports Illustrated will still exist. Both Authentic Brands and Arena have stated that they wish the magazine to continue but, for now, there seems to be no concrete plan in place for how this will happen or look. At the time of this writing, the Sports Illustrated website is up and running. Sports Illustrated should serve as a warning for other media stalwarts. In a market that is constantly changing, it is adapt or die, and Sports Illustrated might be as dead as a doornail.

These corporate dealings all lead to now, where on Jan. 5, 2024, Arena Group did not pay Authentic Brands Group the agreed upon amount, which in turn led to Authentic Brands Group terminating the licensing deal. Arena Group then announced that it would be laying off its entire Sports Illustrated staff. However, according to a New York Times article from Kevin Draper and Benjamin Mullin, “Arena Group’s executives told Sports Illustrated staff members they planned on continuing to publish the magazine and website, despite having their license to operate the publication revoked.” Authentic Brands Group also echoed this sentiment stating that, “Authentic is here to ensure that the brand of Sports Illustrated, which includes its editorial arm, continues to thrive as it has for the past nearly

Photos by Josh Coulon, Omar Elsayed and Maddy Page.

REASONABLE DOUBT

Discussing Sports Most Prominent Conspiracy Theories

Story by Mya Pyle | pylemya000@hsestudents.org and Ben Kruer | kruerben000@hsestudents.org

On Jan. 28, the Baltimore Ravens lost to the Kansas City Chiefs, disproving the Super Bowl color theory. The theory, which spread rapidly on social media platforms, led many to suspect that the Super Bowl participants were predetermined based upon the colors of the Super Bowl Logo. For example, Super Bowl LVII had a logo with green and red. That game saw the Philadelphia Eagles and the Chiefs. This year’s Super Bowl logo was red and purple which led many fans to believe that it would be the San Francisco 49ers and the Ravens. While this Super Bowl theory was disproven, the buzz surrounding the conspiracy leads many to wonder about other well-known sports conspiracy theories. While exploring these other conspiracies, each theory will be given a number from 1-10 based on the plausibility of the theory, along with a brief explanation.

The True Cause of Jordan’s First Retirement

Michael Jordan’s first retirement was said to be caused by the passing of his father, James R. Jordan Sr. However, some believe his early retirement at 30-years-old was an undisclosed suspension related to his gambling problem. Jordan claimed that the decision to walk away from basketball came from lack of desire to continue playing basketball, instead trying to move to baseball for a year. This decision surprised many given that Jordan had won three straight Finals and secured MVP in two of the last three seasons. Many speculated that NBA commissioner, David Stern, who was obsessed with protecting the NBA’s image and would go as far as suspending Jordan to prove a point. Jordan was a notorious gambler and reportedly lost millions at a time. However, whether Stern forced Jordan to take time off from basketball is still up to debate.

Verdict: 3

While Stern was notoriously singleminded in his approach to preserving the NBA’s status and image, no one would be stupid enough to suspend Jordan at this time. He was not only the face of the NBA, but of American sports. That being said, if someone were to be headstrong enough to suspend Jordan, it would be Stern.

Shoeless Joe Jackson’s Innocence

There is no doubt that the 1919 World Series was tainted by gambling. Eight Chicago White Sox players were banned from baseball due to the scandal. However, one player, Joseph “Shoeless Joe” Jackson continued to claim his innocence, despite the charges against him. It was never proven that Jackson was involved and has said that his teammates gave the gamblers his name. Furthermore, it is known that Jackson was not at the meeting. The only incriminating evidence against Jackson is that, in a confession, he said that he took $5,000 from those who were trying to fix the game. However, Jackson was uneducated and illiterate, which has made some believe that Jackson was duped into the confession. Finally, Jackson’s superb play in the World Series has also cast doubt on his involvement. Jackson tallied 12 hits (a World Series record that stood until 1964) and committed no errors. If Jackson was trying to throw the World Series, he certainly did a poor job. Because of Jackson’s supposed involvement in the scandal, he was banned from baseball for life in 1921.

Verdict: 9

Almost all signs point to Jackson’s innocence but what stands out the most is his stellar play during the World Series.

1985 NBA Lottery Rigged

Perhaps the most famous sports conspiracy of all time, the 1985 NBA Lottery has been frequently put under an intense microscope. The number one overall pick was clear, Georgetown center Patrick Ewing was a can’t-miss prospect with All-NBA and MVP potential. In the inaugural year of the new lottery system, the New York Knicks won and were thus rewarded the first pick. However, doubt has been cast about the legitimacy of the lottery. The Knicks were one of the league’s biggest brands and had been good, but not great in the years prior. NBA commissioner David Stern, keen to bring high-level basketball back to his biggest market, may have seen the potential to rig the draft. If Stern’s intent was to give life to a franchise in hospice, it worked. The Knicks under Ewing may have never won a title, but he was able to restore basketball to the city. The Knicks routinely made the playoffs and appeared in two separate NBA Finals with Ewing. The theory states that the Knick’s envelope was altered, whether that means that the corner was folded or that the envelope was frozen, Stern was able to tell which envelope was which.

Verdict: 7

On the surface, this theory makes complete sense. Making the best player in the draft go to the biggest market perfectly aligns with what Stern would do. He was a savvy businessman who is often credited with saving the NBA following the drug-rampant late-70s and early80s. However, chance alone can’t be ruled out completely.

THE BULLETIN

Jones’ Blunder

Story by Ben Kruer |

A longer version of this column can be found on hsenews.com or by scanning the QR code at the bottom of the page.

The Cowboys are wasting time and in a league whose acronym can stand for “Not For Long”. Any team, let alone the Dallas Cowboys, cannot afford to let the years tick by under a mediocre coach.

A new hire can bring life into a dormant organization and revitalize players. And With the Super Bowl over, a new NFL season can finally begin. More than a week before the Super Bowl itself, the coaching carousel finally stopped spinning. However, as we will likely see with the Cowboys, what is less documented is when a coach is kept for a year too long.

The Los Angeles Chargers are a perfect case study. Brandon Staley was a widely criticized coach and in the 2023 playoffs he presided over a team that blew a 27-point lead. He should have been fired following this game, however, that is not what the Chargers did. They kept Staley and by all accounts were a disappointment this season, in large part because of Staley.

If I were Jerry Jones, I would have filed this away but clearly, he did not. While over the last three seasons Mike McCarthy has gone 12-5 in each, the playoffs are where his teams fall short. In that same stretch McCarthy has only notched one playoff win. This past year, the Cowboys were thrashed 48-32 by a Packers team whose quarterback had zero playoff experience.

The Cowboys haven’t reached the NFC title game, let alone Super Bowl, since 1985. The Cowboys needed to do something but chose to do nothing, and that will likely result in another ill-fated Cowboys season; one that ends too early in the playoffs.

LOOKING AHEAD TO SPRING SPORTS

Overview of Upcoming Seasons

Story by Omar Elsayed | elsayoma000@hsestudents.org

Boys’ Golf

The boys’ golf team had an outstanding season last year, clinching third place at the State Finals for the second consecutive year, along with victories at sectionals and regionals. Coach David Young is optimistic about the team’s potential due to returning players like senior Nate Benson, junior Kai Warner and sophomore Mattingly Upchurch. The varsity team’s schedule officially starts with Westfield in April.

Softball

The softball team is gearing up for an exciting season after going 20-8 last year. With many returning players, including standout talents like sophomore pitcher Grace Swedarsky and senior Laney Wyrick, coach Emily Pusti is anticipating another great season. Matchups to watch include the Mudsock hosted at HSE.

Baseball

The baseball team enters the season with high expectations after a successful 2023 run. Key strengths lie in their team defense and pitching depth, with standout players like senior pitcher Ethan Lund and returning varsity seniors Alex Billman and Colin Goley. Exciting matchups include their spring break trip to Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Girls’ and Boys’ Lacrosse

The boys’ lacrosse team, coming off a 14-9 record, is set for success under the leadership of Coach Scott Beesley. The team looks forward to standout performances from players junior Dillon O’Rourke and senior Mason Wright. Exciting matchups against Carmel and Cathedral promise thrilling Friday night lights action for fans. On the girls’ side, coach Rex

Holliday also anticipates a successful season after a strong performance last year. Standout players like junior Sarah Gastineau and senior Jessie Lyons will take charge, with exciting matchups against top schools like Guerin Catholic highlighting the schedule.

Girls’ and Boys’ Track

The boys’ track team is gearing up for a competitive season. The lineup includes freshman Mason Schmitz and senior Michael Griffith. An exciting yet challenging matchup against rival Fishers highlights the schedule. On the girls’ side, coach Julie Alano is optimistic about the team’s prospects, following a sectional win and a 15th place finish at State last season. Standout athletes include sophomores Chloe Senefeld and pole vaulter Riley Williams, along with junior hurdler Elia Blackmore.

Boys’ Volleyball

The boys’ volleyball team is looking to build on their success from last season. With a mix of returning talent and more promising freshmen than ever, including standout players like senior Gage Haase and junior Sean Smart, the team is ready for an exciting season. They will participate in the two-day Midwest Battle tournament organized by Fishers.

Girls’ Tennis

The girls’ tennis team is looking to bounce back after their 0-5 sectionals loss against Fishers last year. Led by coach Doug Gernert, this team has plenty of senior leadership, including Taylor Wolf. One specific goal for the team is to secure a win at the Delta Invitational this season.

ATHLETE OF THE ISSUE

Freshman Mason Schmitz ‘Working Hard Will Take You Way Further’

Story by Lauren Kopka | kopkalau000@hsestudents.org

Middle school is the time for change and getting ready to acclimate to high school, but while the majority of Mason Schmitz’s eighth grade class was preparing for their final semester of their middle school careers he ran and won the biggest race at that point in his life. Eighth grade Schmitz won the Boys 400m Middle School, but possibly more impressively just less than a year later Schmitz set a national class record for freshman boys in the 800m with a time of 1:54.10. To put this in perspective, the average time to run 800m is 3:05.

Schmitz has been running since he was in first grade when he was signed up for a YMCA camp where each week the kids would work on a different sport, and after the ‘track’ week, young Schmitz was asked by the coaches to run for YMCA track, where he stayed until sixth grade when he transitioned

to club track.

Since that mellow start, Schmitz has dedicated himself to track, even to the point of giving up basketball to see a greater return on his track career. When he broke his leg in seventh grade, Schmitz made the hard decision to walk away from basketball.

“A lot of athletes can be really talented but do not work hard, but I have talent and I work really hard,” Schmitz said. “[Track] is a sport where talent goes a good way but working hard will take you way further.”

“It definitely sucks, I want to play basketball even for intermural and things like that, but you have to make sacrifices for stuff you really want,” Schmitz said. “I do really love track so I think it was a good sacrifice.”

Since that fateful decision, Schmitz has made a name for himself nationwide winning the 400m at Nike Indoor Nationals in New York City and being invited back this March. Though Schmitz has natural talent to boot, it’s his work ethic that truly sets him apart.

100 Wins, A Deep Dive With Zach Lang

story

Tby mya pyle | pylemya000@hsestudents.org

he tension in the gym was palpable on Dec. 29, 2023, as spectators held their breath. With speed and precision, Zach Lang executed a takedown, pinning his opponent to the mat. The two grappled, their muscles strained as sweat fell down their faces. Lang managed to gain the upper hand, locking his opponent in a tight hold. The referee slapped the mat, signaling Lang’s 100th victory – a milestone for many wrestlers.

At only five years old, Lang stepped onto the mat for the first time, quickly falling in love. Lang was following in his father’s footsteps, a Semi-State qualifier while at Hobart High School. Today, Lang is ranked 13th

PINNING DOWN SUCCESS

in the 157-weight class in Indiana and eclipsed 100 wins last calendar year.

“Winning that match felt good, but I knew it was a stepping block for bigger things,” Lang said. “There is more to come, and I’m not done after high school.”

While Lang’s future revolves around wrestling, he does not want to limit himself to the mat. “I would like to go Division I level at wrestling,” Lang said. “[and] I’m going to school to be a teacher and hope I end up coaching.”

His coach for the past four years, Nicholas Brobst, holds a high regard for Lang. “Zach is

Schmitz plans to continue running for the cross country and track team, with goals to pursue track professionally out of high school and eventually compete in the Olympics.

on

At this pace, he’s on track to meet his goals and the sky is truly the limit for this hard-working freshman.

phenomenal mentally. He pushes himself hard, does not quit when things get tough,” Brobst said. “He goes out of his way to make freshman and girls that are on team feel like they are a part of the team.”

One hundred wins is no easy task. When asked how he prepares himself for wrestling, Lang noted that he eats healthy to keep his weight where it needs to be, and he lifts weights 2-3 times a week. During the offseason, Lang lifts every day and uses a private trainer to stay in shape and improve.

Lang helps himself by using a reward system, where he will go out with his family after meets and eat something unhealthy to celebrate his hard work and keep him on track. “Wrestling is an intense sport, if you don’t reward yourself after a good day it starts to weigh on you” Lang said.

Lang leaves us with this: “at the end of the day” Lang said it is character that defines you.

Photo by Paityn O’Neill.

Photo contributed by Mason Schmitz.

FAFSA UNCERTAINTIES LEAVE STUDENTS QUESTIONING FUTURE DECISIONS

What Disruptions in the FAFSA Process Mean for Users

Story by Lauren Kopka I kopkalau000@hsestudents.org and Paityn O’Neill | oneipai000@hsestudents.org

For students looking to pursue a degree or certificate out of high school, few will rarely be able to afford it straight from their own pockets. In fact, 54% of college students will end college with student loan debt according to BankRate.

There are college funds, grants, scholarships, private loans and more utilized by students to help pay off debt, but in order to receive federal or state aid, students must fill out the Federal Application for Federal Student Aid, the FAFSA.

Through FAFSA, 85% of applicants receive some sort of financial aid according to BankRate and is required by universities to have an accurate understanding of a student’s financial needs when applying to scholarships. Based on last year’s taxes, FAFSA will give students what they think students cannot pay.

In 2017, the FAFSA opening date moved from Jan. 1 to Oct. 1 allowing students to complete their information for the earlier year a whole four months in advance in hopes to release the financial information earlier. This year, it was announced that the FAFSA opening date would be pushed back to December to fix kinks in the system. When the soft launch arrived in December, the system was seemingly unable to handle the influx and shut down again for maintenance. These

issues hit close to home for Director of College and Career Counseling Karen Bush.

“I had Jaren and J do it at the same time and Jaren’s is done, but J’s who did his a week later, got the same letter, I cant find J’s,” Bush said. “I had him go back, do it again, still can’t find it. These are the types of problems people have been having.”

Colleges will also not start receiving FAFSA information until early March, months later than anticipated and pressing closely to the nationwide May 1st college decision deadline. In response to this, the National Association of College Admissions Counselors and colleges are trying to work with the national government to move that date back to as late as June 1 to give students more time to make an informed decision.

“When kids would usually be deciding which college they wanted to go to, they can’t make a decision,” Bush said. “I don’t know how much money you’re giving me, how much money is attached to it, I have no idea. So kids and colleges are in a fuss.”

About this time in the year, February to early March, Bush sees many students start to commit to universities by paying deposits and housing fees. However, this year, the process is stalled in response to the uncertainty around the FAFSA. One possible retort to the stalemate

GET IN TOUCH

College and Career Office, F104 across from the Guidance Office

Karen Bush, Director of College & Career Counseling kbush@hse.k12.in.us

Jen Holle, Office Manager of College & Career jholle@hse.k12.in.us

is personally dialing up the student’s top two schools of where they think they might have earned a scholarship.

“If you think you got a scholarship we are advising parents and students to call the [financial office of the top two] schools you think you want to go to and say ‘here are my taxes’, Bush said. “If you got the letter saying what your Student Index Number is, give them that and maybe they can figure out a way to give you something.”

Though calling schools is one formidable approach to understand financial standings at universities, money cannot be guaranteed by one phone call and it’s comparable to being given an estimate in a loan by a bank. Helpful, but no money is decidedly given.

Many questions are going unanswered by students, parents, and faculty alike about the state of FAFSA applications or what the end result will be.

“I empathize and sympathize because I have kids, I’m going through this myself,” Bush said. “It is making it difficult for me because I do not have an answer.”

Students having difficulties filling out the FAFSA can call INvestEd, a free resource for Indiana students looking for help with choosing colleges, payment options, FAFSA help and more at (317) 715-9007.

schedule a meeting with Mrs. Bush.