Inklings Feb.2013

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Crown Point High School 1500 S. Main St.

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Feb. 28, 2013

Crown Point, IN 46307

Wolf Hunting Boys hoops face Michigan City in first round of sectionals tonight

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Vol. 78 Issue 6

Read about the team on page 15

inklings@cps.k12.in.us

-ing change

Students can now obtain letterman jacket by earning enough C-notes

BY DYLAN TAYLOR RAEANNA MORGAN

managing editor editor-at-large

Efforts to supplement the C-Note system with letterman jackets as an extra incentive are now in effect, making jackets and letters now available to earners of at least 21 CNotes.

These decisions, according to the CPHS Varsity Club initiative by which they were finalized, were made as part of a wider attempt by principal Chip Pettit and the administration to “include participation in clubs, co-curricular activities and the achievement of academic honors as ways to earn a CPHS letter and red letterman jacket.”

Pettit believes will also add transparency and reward to the

current C-Note system, in whichwhich Notes are rewarded in respect to involvement in sports, clubs, performing arts and academics to recognize exemplary academic work and encourage positive behavior.

“We are attempting to build upon programs that are already in place to increase transparency, give students a clear target and develop automated tools to support the process. Every school has positive behavior initiatives and recognizes the accomplishments of students,” Pettit said. “We asked ourselves, ‘Do we have students that have been left out because they haven’t fit the traditional roles in athletics and performing arts? Does everybody know the rules of the game that have been set-up for them?’ In answering some of these questions, we hope that we have developed further clarity for how and why a student can earn a C-Note.”

Pettit believes that letterman jackets are an important symbol of achievement at CPHS, and that offering jackets to top earners of

C-Notes will specifically provide a reward for students excelling in organizations outside that of sports or performing arts.

“The red jacket symbolizes school spirit and a sense of accomplishment amongst our students,” Pettit said. “Historically, this distinction was reserved for students earning a ‘major’ letter in athletics. With students earning letters in both athletics and performing arts, we wanted to bring consistency to what the jacket and letter looked like, but also examine the other areas of the school in which students were achieving at a high level and not receiving the recognition that we felt they deserved.”

Senior Amy Fotopoulos has received C-Notes for her grades, community service, attendance and involvement in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Spell Bowl and Pep Band. She is a soonto-be recipient of the new jacket, and is confident that the jacket will provide another positive inSee C-Notes on page 3

how to earn a c-note Courage: Complete an entire

Citizenship: Complete annual

sports season.

community service hours.

Culture: Participate in a CPHS

College: Be on the A/B honor roll

sponsored performing arts group.

for a 9-week grading period.

Creativity: Participate in and be a Career: Have perfect attendance for a 9-week grading period.

member of a club. photo illustration by amy schuch and abby elston

Feature

News Decathlon goes to state Academic team places fourth in state

page 3

A&E

Albrecht goes blue Crown Point graduate eyes Big10 championship

page 10

Caffeine competitors Area offers variety of coffee places

page 11

2 news

inklings 2/28/13

Drug survey results released 11.9%

Do you think there is a drug/alcohol problem at CPHS?

Do you think that CPHS staff should randomly test students for drugs and/or alcohol?

25.6%

13.3%

Strongly agree

28.6% 29.2% 17.3%

Neutral

Agree

22.5%

Neutral

16.4%

Disagree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

Strongly disagree

Student results from the drug survey administered to students, faculty and parents are being examined by administration to determine whether or not a drug policy should be put into place in the future.

Students, parents react to drug survey results

BY SAM BEISHUIZEN DYLAN TAYLOR

editor-in-chief managing editor

Drug testing surveys administered to teachers, students and faculty have been gathered and are currently being examined by focus groups and administration to determine what further steps should be taken in developing a drug testing policy.

Students were administered surveys upon returning back to second semester in their homerooms while parents and faculty were surveyed through SurveyMonkey, an online survey program.

Although they varied in length and topic, there were some questions that were present on all surveys. As a whole, all three groups showed signs of believing that there is a drug and alcohol problem at the high school. 83.4 percent of the faculty either agreed or strongly agreed that there was a drug and alcohol problem which was the strongest response while 46.4 percent of students agreed or strongly agreed there is a problem. In addition, 63 percent of students have personally witnessed drugs or alcohol being used on campus, compared to 81.6 percent of faculty.

Senior Michael Burke believes that these results justify a drug testing policy, something he sees as beneficial.

“Every once in a while, I hear someone exchanging pills or marijuana in my classes,” Burke said. “This is a problem. We have people wasting talent and intelligence on stupid things.

This drug testing policy will keep people honest and clean.”

In spite of the survey results, junior Susan Reed remains determined that students should not be tested by the administration.

“I don’t feel that the school should be able to drug test students whatever (the survey results) are, it’s a (ethical) breach of personal freedoms,” junior Susan Reed said. “Still, I have no

problem peeing in a cup if they need me to.”

Freshman Josie Roush, also after witnessing the survey results, believes that the solution to a drug problem may lie in testing, but not in a sweeping, all-inclusive policy.

“If people are looking suspicious or (acting like they are on drugs), they should be tested or even helped. But I don’t think it’s necessary to drug test everyone,” Roush said.

The responses have been and are currently still being studied by various parent and administration groups to determine the next step forward in the testing policy.

History teacher Brooke Yeager, after analyzing the survey data, is convinced that drug testing is a good idea.

“As a parent, I think that (a drug testing policy) will be very beneficial,” Yeager said. “It provides kids with a reason to say no to drugs, and it might inform parents about their kids’ drug use. Not all parents may have known that their children were (abusing drugs).”

Yeager added that she appreciated the administration’s decision to take a survey.

“I think it helps democratize the (drug testing policy) decision making process,” Yeager said.

Math teacher Ryan Collier believes that drug testing should be implemented.

“I don’t see why not; I like the idea of drug testing students,” Collier said. “It is within the laws to test them, and it is not an invasion of privacy.”

Collier also pointed out that be believes that the problem does not extend across the entire student body, but that it could help where problems do exist.

“I don’t think that every kid is doing it,” Collier said. “But drug testing would help solve the problems that exist.”

Further information regarding the drug testing policy including specific steps moving forward are currently being worked on by the administration.

National Pi Day is on March 14.

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The first transatlantic phone call was made on March 7, 1926 between New York and London.

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Hawaii became a state on March 12, 1959.

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March is American Dietetic Association National Nutrition Month.

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Read Across America Day is on March 1 this year.

Survey Highlights

83.4% of faculty responses agree or strongly agree that there is a drug / alcohol problem at CPHS.

74.1% of parent responses agree or strongly agree that CPHS should implement a random drug testing program.

42.8% of parent responses agree or strongly agree in supporting a nominal wellness fee to fund random drug testing.

51.8% of faculty responses said that they have personal knowledge of one or more CPHS students who are struggling with alcohol or drug addiction and/or abuse.

PHOTO PROVIDED

The Crown Point Latin Club Certamen team competed in the Indiana Certamen Invitational at Homestead High School in Fort Wayne and brought home two first place trophies in the competition.

The event was made up of 20 teams representing four schools from around the state. The Crown Point Latin program entered five teams in the competition, all of whom placed in the top three in their respective divisions.

The two wins came in the advanced and intermediate divisions. The other intermediate team took home second place overall, and the two novice teams placed second and third, respectively.

The first place, advanced team was made up of senior captain Kristina Mihajlovic and juniors Sarah DeMars, Thomas Cooper and Andie Wahlberg.

The winning intermediate team was made up of sophomores Brennen Chaussey, Ryan Sizemore and captain Anna Werkowski.

“We are extremely proud of all these students and are looking forward to our next competition,” Latin Club sponsor Jeremy Walker said.

The next competition for the Certamen teams will be the Indiana Junior Classical State Convention at Indiana State University in Terre Haute on March 15-16.

Theatre department presents “Guys and Dolls” After months of preparation, the theatre department is presenting its spring musical “Guys and Dolls.” Opening night is on March 15 at 7 p.m., and the other performances are on March 16, 21, 22 and 23 at 7 p.m. and on March 17 at 2:30 p.m.

In the story, gambler Nathan Detroit bets fellow gambler Sky Masterson that he cannot persuade any girl to go on a date with him. Sky tells Nathan that he can go out with any “doll” he could pick. Nathan picks Sergeant Sarah Brown, who runs a local mission. Sky pursues the bet, and a story of love, gambling and redemption ensues.

The role of Sky Masterson is played by senior Casey Kitchen and the role of Nathan Detroit is played by junior Ryan Kelleher.

marchcalendar

marchfacts •

Latin club teams place in Certamen Invitational, eye state convention titles

Strongly agree

14.8%

20.8%

Agree

intheknow

17

15-17, 21-23

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St. Patrick’s Day

Spring Musical 15-16, 21-23 at 7 p.m.

17 at 2:30 p.m.

Choir Concert 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium

20 Winter Sports Awards Program 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium

29 Spring Break begins

3 Academic Decathlon team places fourth in state news

inklings 2/28/13

BY ELLIE BURRELL reporter / artist

After months of studying from overflowing binders, the Academic Decathlon team placed fourth at the state competition at Purdue University on Feb. 8 and 9.

Nine students competed in the areas of art, music, language and literature, math, economics, history and science and participated in an essay, an interview and a speech contest.

“The topic this year was Russia,” said team coach John Lambersie. “We studied Russian history, art and music. In language and literature, we read the novel ‘Doctor Zhivago.’ We also studied the space race between America and Russia.”

Although the academic topics require studying, the essay, interview and speech contests allow students to express themselves outside a textbook.

“Students had three choices for the essay. One over the book, one over the space race and the other is the student’s choice,” Lambersie said. “The interview is the same every year. They go in and are interviewed by adults. They can practice their interviewing skills for a college or job interview.

“The speech is written on any topic the student wants.

If you’re a funny kid, you write a funny speech, if you’re a serious kid you’d write a serious speech,” Lambersie added.

Across all competing teams, medals were awarded celebrating the best scores in each category. Although all members must compete in every competition, returning senior Mariel Cuellar has an obvious favorite.

“Speech is my favorite category,” said Cuellar. “I think it’s because it’s the chance when you get to be the most creative and talk about whatever you like.”

Cuellar received a score of 950.0 out of 1000 points on her speech this year, earning her a silver medal in the event and a spot in the speech showcase.

Competing alongside the senior girls was a team of talented underclassmen.

“This year we had a mix of old kids and new kids,” said Lambersie. “The returning senior girls did an excel-

C-Notes continued from p. 1 centive to excel in extracurricular activities.

“I think that (the C-Note jackets) are a good incentive for kids to become involved (in school activities),” Fotopoulos said. “Not everyone is in sports, not everyone plays an instrument and not everyone is in the theatre department. (If they still want) a jacket, this is another opportunity they should pursue.”

Theater department chair Kit Degenhart also believes the jacket will serve as an incentive for those not involved in either athletics or performing arts.

“I think it’s a good idea because even if a student wasn’t in athletics or the performing arts they could still be devoting their life to something for four years and, in the end, might not really have anything tangible to show for it,” Degenhart said.

Although many believe that the jacket offers a positive reward for those participating in clubs and other various school-related activities, some individuals still disagree, saying that it may tarnish the honor of receiving a red letter-

views on news

Area Jury to decide fate of local teen found guilty of murder Dustin McCowan of Wheeler, Ind., was convicted for murdering his former girlfriend Amanda Bach. McCowan, 20, never took the stand during the trial.

Outside the courtroom, friends of Bach shouted “Remember Amanda.” Further sentencing is scheduled to take place on March 28.

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Jesse Fawley sophomore

I think the guy should be behind bars; killing other teenagers isn’t right.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Coach Lambersie and the Decathlon team pose with their awards. Members of the team include Kelsey Hopkins, Rayne Kim, Julietta Wright, Mariel Cuellar, Bonnie Lin, Reagan Airey, Kayleigh Margis, Alexandra Lilovich and Elena Hutchison.

lent job leading the way. We had some newer people that stepped in who we definitely needed on the team, and they did a good job as well.”

These underclassmen took home multiple medals and contributed to the team’s high score. Hours of studying prepared these students-turned-scholars for the competition.

“Competing with the team was really fun,” said junior Kayleigh Margis. “This was my first year on the team.

When we got the binder at the beginning of the season, I was freaked out at the size, but as we read more into it, it turned out to be a lot of fun.”

Margis enjoyed placing at state, but also enjoyed being with the team and talking to other teams at the state

competition.

“I got three silver medals in language and literature, art and music and a bronze medal in statistics,” said Margis.

“That was cool, but being around everyone at state was awesome because they got my sense of humor. We could make jokes about all of the material we had been learning and people actually understood us.”

Students interested in joining Academic Decathlon must be willing to work hard and constantly challenge themselves to learn the information.

“Like any competition or sport, what you put into it is what you’ll get out of it,” said Lambersie. “If you enjoy competition, or if you enjoy learning new things, then this may be the competition for you.”

man jacket. Member of the varsity track team senior Bailey Beckham disagrees with the idea of the C-Note jacket.

“I definitely think that it takes away the honor of having a letterman jacket just because a letterman jacket distinguishes all the athletes among the thousands of kids at our

that the path to receiving a jacket for C-Notes is just as rigorous as that of receiving one for athletics or preforming arts.

“We didn’t want to make (the opportunity of getting a C-Note jacket) like youth sports where everybody gets a trophy. Students are going to have to work to earn 21 CNotes throughout their high school career. We felt it was important to set a mark that students would have to work toward to attain without lowering the standards that have served us well in athletics and performing arts,” Pettit said. “(The number 21) was selected because it will take students into the spring of their sophomore year to earn 21 notes.

This fell in line with the policies that athletics and performing arts already had in place.”

Degenhart, agreeing that the jacket is of benefit, feels that, although any arguments against the jacket are understandable, the benefits of a C-Note jacket existing altogether need to be kept in account.

“What people need to realize is that no one is getting a C-Note easily. One would have to be involved in a lot of little things in order to (receive a C-Note jacket). Getting the jacket would take a lot of hard work,” Degenhart said.

‘‘

What people need to realize is that no one is getting a C-Note easily. One would have to be involved in a lot of little things in order to (receive a C-Note jacket).

Kit Degenhart

Theater arts teacher

school. I do not think it’s fair that people who get perfect attendance or participate in a club get something that hardworking athletes get.”

Regardless of any contrary opinions, Pettit believes

Student reaction to events in our world State Ind. House recommends drug screening for welfare

Pope Benedict resigns Nation Drew Peterson convicted World for the murder of third wife

The Indiana House passed a bill that suggests all welfare applicants must complete and pass drug tests in order to keep receiving government assistance. Six states have already adopted this policy. The bill will now move to the Indiana Senate for further consideration.

Peterson was sentenced to 38 years in prison for the murder of his third wife Kathleen Savio. His involvement in the Stacey Peterson case is being further investigated. After being sentenced, Peterson had an outburst in court and screamed, “I did not kill Kathleen.”

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Andrew Kvachkoff junior

(Welfare recipients) should have to take a drug test. If they can afford drugs, they can pay their bills and be able to not be on welfare.

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Desi Blastic senior

(Peterson) deserves it. He should have life (in prison). (The trial was fair) to an extent; he should have to serve more time.

Pope Benedict XVI has resigned from his position as leader of the Roman Catholic church. He is the first pope to do so in approximately 600 years. Today will be his last public appearance as pope. He will be referred to as “His Holiness” after stepping down. Catholic cardinals will soon gather to choose a successor.

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Ali Boss freshman

(Benedict) is the pope and he has people relying on him. He needs to take his responsibility seriously.

4 opinion

inklings 2/28/13

speakup

Lance Armstrong apology too late, legacy ruined

Should “CNotes” earn letterman jackets?

BY SAM BEISHUIZEN

editor-in-chief

Someone needs to tell Lance Armstrong that it isn’t 2009, and that we all already knew.

The cycling world’s worst kept secret has been exposed; Lance Armstrong used performance enhancing drugs. After years of denial and effort put forth to cover up years of cheating, Armstrong has finally given up and admitted his wrongdoing.

People tend to be forgiving, right? Look at other similar cases.

David Ortiz admitted to juicing.

So did Alex Rodriguez. Both of them are seen in relatively positive light while those who deny, like Barry Bonds, seem to continue to receive hate.

It is almost as if the sports fans and media just want these athletes who seemed to be on another level, almost inhuman, to fall so that they receive some sort of satisfaction. Armstrong has finally fallen victim to this by admitting to try to regain the image that Ortiz and Rodriguez have seemingly kept, but admitting is too little too late.

After all of the years of denial, fans have simply gotten sick of Armstrong. Unlike the response to Ortiz, do not expect the sports world to simply welcome Armstrong back with open arms. The way he handled the situation was ridiculous. Armstrong was caught. He knew it was only a matter of time before someone would rat out his doping. That is why he admitted: not because he felt obligated to make up for his lies, but because he wanted to protect his image.

I’m still in favor of separating Armstrong the cheating athlete and Armstrong the cancer survivor. Where he did not let millions down is in the medical field. He has worked to save countless lives with the Livestrong foundation. What he did for cancer patients should not be overlooked, and that work should be celebrated for eternity. But what Armstrong did in the sports world was awful, he cheated. Millions looked up to him and he let millions down.

Armstrong should just lie down. He shouldn’t fight the US Anti-Doping Agency. He should try to recover as much money as he can and apologize publicly to the families and fans he hurt and ride off into the sunset.

I understand trying to be the bigger man by admitting his mistakes, but his announcement came about four years too late.

His legacy will forever be overshadowed by a syringe and an asterisk on his yellow jersey.

Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.

Nice try, Lance.

V

iew:

Drug testing students is a step in the right direction, but plan needs refinement

The concern over drug and alcohol usage and abuse at the high school is warranted. Schools are designed to be safe learning environments for students to participate in without having to worry about the sort of pressures that drugs and alcohol can put on a student.

Having drug testing available to rid those pressures from the students is a good idea in theory; however, it might not be the best solution to a problem that most people see as evident.

From the surveys that students, parents and faculty took, it is hard to argue that all parties involved seem to agree that there is a problem.

The majority of each survey group agreed that there is a definite drug issue in the school. Each side also agrees that implementing a drug testing policy would give them more reason to say “no” in situations where peer pressure exists. The numbers alone show consensus that something needs to be done to decrease the amount of drugs being used and exchanged at school.

However, drug testing every student legally possible is not the most efficient way of solving the problem and does not account for a number of major holes in the solution. The testing itself would be expensive; there has been no proposed means of paying for it. Also, the policy would be testing an unnecessarily problematic group of students. The general population should not be grouped together with those abusing drugs and alcohol. A student should not need to pay to be drug tested because he wants to be in an academic club.

Along with those problems, one of the biggest problems cited was stopping binge drinking amongst students. Currently, there are no ways for testing for binge drinking other than breathalyzers. Students do not typically show up to school drunk at 7 a.m.

Wanting to give students a way to avoid the peer pressure of drugs and alcohol is something that seems to be universally accepted. Finding a solution to this and allowing for students to learn and interact in a safe environment is something that should be done, but having every student club member and driver partake in an expensive drug testing program is not the best solution to the problem at hand.

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“Yes, because if they are good in the academic field and are not athletic, they should get a jacket.”

Anna Werkowski sophomore “Yes, because not everybody is in sports and lots of people work hard in academics and they should be awarded for it.”

Griffin Rushton junior “No, because letterman jackets are what make sports special.”

Megan Henry senior “No, because I feel you have to work really hard in one aspect in school to get one, not an all around thing.”

editorial

ink

Josh Kelly freshman

Cartoon By ELLIE BURRELL

Vol. 77 Issue 6 Feb 28, 2013 1500 S. Main St. Crown Point, IN 46307 219-663-4885 ex. 11349 fax 219-662-5663 inklings@cps.k12.in.us

Inklings is a student publication created by the newspaper and advanced journalism students and distributed monthly to students, faculty and staff of Crown Point High School. Opinions do not necessarily reflect those of CPHS faculty, staff or administration.

Letters-to-the-editor are welcomed provided they are signed and submitted one week prior to publication and do not contain personal attacks. Inklings reserves the right to edit for space, clarity and legal and ethical concerns.

Advertising is subject to applicable rates available by contacting Inklings.

Inklings has been recognized as an Indiana High School Press Association Hoosier Star, National Scholastic Press Association Pacemaker, Columbia Scholastic Press Association Silver Crown, and Quill and Scroll George H. Gallup publication.

Sam Beishuizen Abby Elston editors-in-chief RaeAnna Morgan editor-at-large Dylan Taylor managing editor Maggie Gelon Katie Sherman copy editors Molly Grace feature editor Shannon Rostin asst. feature editor

Alex McLean Alexa Grady sports editors Kara Biernat sports asst.

Yazzmyne Lopez advertising editor Hannah Colby advertising asst.

Brittany Pedersen Amy Schuch Annie Swanson photographers

Ellie Burrell artist Alaa Abdeldaiem Maddie Adducci Alexis Berdine Emily Best Paige Buelow Olivia Elston David Kepshire Verda Mirza Tina Winfrey staff Julie Elston adviser

opinion 5

inklings 2/28/13

issue:

Should we keep the Top 10 system?

Social media: use sparingly with caution

BY ABBY ELSTON

editor-in-chief

Cartoon By ELLIE BURRELL

Pro:

Con:

Rather than changing the game learn how to play it

Set high achievement bar and honor all who reach it

BY RAEANNA MORGAN

BY ABBY ELSTON

editor-at-large

editor-in-chief

A line has to be drawn somewhere. So why not do it at ten? Sure 11 and 12 might have worked just as hard as number one but, as the saying goes, such is life. High school is a learning process, an introduction to the real world. Adults are constantly ranked against their peers in the workplace. If high school is supposed to prepare us for adult life, shouldn’t it be teaching us now that there will always be winners and losers and that life isn’t always fair?

Many have suggested alternatives to the top ten ranking system, which is great. More students achieving academic success will be recognized, especially if something similar to the Latin honors system is implemented or the top ten percent is recognized. Both are all good and fine, but what about that eleven percent? They worked hard too. Shouldn’t they be recognized for their success? There will always be those who are just out of reach of the top. It doesn’t seem fair at times, but it’s the breaks of the game.

Speaking of games, many believe that the top ten is unfair because students play the system and find ways to boost their GPA. Taking extra study halls in place of co-curricular classes is a common strategy many students in the past have used to keep their GPA up. What is baffling is the fact that this is seen as being unfair to other students.

These strategies are widely known, among students, parents and the administration. If that is the case then it would be fair to say that everyone has an equal chance at playing the system that is the path to higher ranking.

There will always be an issue with the way a top ten pans out.

The only way to fix it, or any other type of ranking system that is, and make it “fair” for all is to get rid of weighted grades all together.

With unweighted grades all classes will be counted the same, leading to very little tangible incentive to take higher level courses.

Rankings will be constant throughout one’s adult life. So why push off the inevitable and get used to the game and the players now?

Number 20. Number 67. Number 515—that is what a student is defined by using a class ranking system. We need a new system.

Academic honors should not be based on jockeying for position of a predetermined 10 spots, but should reward all who achieve to a certain level. Therefore, we should implement the Latin honors system.

With this system, a percentage of the highest-achieving students (probably small) would graduate summa cum laude. The next tier (also probably small) would graduate magna cum laude and the third highest-achieving tier would graduate cum laude. This way, whoever has earned the required GPA to become summa cum laude, can be summa sum laude; it is defined by a boundary based on an achieved GPA rather than a ranking. Since some of the GPAs after the tenth person may differ by only thousandths of a point, this system would reward all who are deserving rather than cutting it off at 10 just to cut it off at 10. If we are trying to prepare ourselves for college, we need to use the system that colleges use instead of worrying about playing games in order to be academically recognized.

Latin honors demolish the need for students to try to “leapfrog” one another to get in, or get a higher spot in, the ranks. For example, “number 5” would not have to take extreme measures to be “number 2” because both would earn summa cum laude status. A student is only competing with himself. He would not need to take x number of AP classes to be “number 2” instead of “number 5” and cut out other unweighted classes because he/she would get the highest recognition regardless. This would also make a fairer comparison between students of all high schools when it comes to colleges—individual GPAs represent similar achievement whereas a ranking means something different in a small school than in a large school.

All in all, if a student earns a distinguished GPA, he should be recognized whether he is “8” or he is “12.” We should not have a cutoff at 10 merely for the sake of having a cutoff at 10.

11 Inklings staffers agree

14 Inklings staffers agree

Scott Rettig

Lindsey Cox

industrial tech teacher

“Top 10 because it pushes kids to go the extra mile; to put in the extra effort.”

Kenzi Collins

art teacher

“It would be nice to have everyone recognized, but there may be fewer kids. If we could be positive more kids could be recognized that should be the way to go.”

freshman

“I think it’s a good competition that’s outside of athletics. It gives kids another reason to strive to be the best.”

Cheyanne Kessler

sophomore

“The Latin Honors system would be a better option for our school because more kids would be rewarded for their hard work”

Twitter is a constant in a teenager’s life. It is our source for news (be it social or otherwise) and it is the way we communicate with our peers. Another constant that is becoming less and less apparent but is still there nonetheless is Facebook. It is the way we set up events and talk as large groups via Facebook messaging. I’m giving them both up until early April for Lent.

At first it was a little weird to go about my daily life without social media, but it really is a refreshing break. I am not constantly waiting on the next tweet or status to load to waste my time. I am able to either get something accomplished or just relax and take a breather.

Social media has become such a strong part of our lives that we have lost that ability to just sit down and reflect upon life as a society. In simpler terms, have you ever noticed that any time you go out to eat, everyone is on their phone? They’re texting, tweeting, calling, Facebooking, Snapchatting or refreshing something.

Refreshing-- what is the point of refreshing if we can never digest anything? We get all this information, but no one is ever satisfied. Even if it is meaningless, like someone getting a new haircut, it is viewed and then the feed gets refreshed. I’m not saying that we need to reflect upon a haircut (because we don’t), but we do need to focus on real life a little bit and remember some of Ferris Bueller’s advice: life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.

So much of our lives revolve around social media that it is hard to even notice it unless you are an outsider looking in. Since I’ve given up social media, I’ve missed an entire group message, around 5 new Twitter accounts being created and numerous conversations that were solely derived from tweets.

What does that mean for me?

Nothing really. None of that was essential information, and the things that were necessary for me to know were shared with me in person anyway.

My point is that Twitter and Facebook don’t have to be sacrificed altogether (because I don’t think that would be realistic). However, I think that they should be used sparingly so that we could communicate like humans instead of robots.

6 feature

inklings 2/28/13

PHOTO BY AMY SCHUCH

The girl’s track and field team dances to the song “Harlem Shake” by Baauer. The Harlem Shake videos begin with one person dancing, but eventually everyone spontaneously joins in. The video can be viewed on YouTube at “Harlem Shake - CP Girls Track.”

i on life A page dedicated to celebrating student life.

Crown Point hero returns from Afghanistan

BY MADDIE ADDUCCI

reporter

Jeremy Houser walked the halls of CPHS as a senior three years ago, eager and excited to graduate. Like the thousands of students before him, Jeremy had goals.

However, unlike the others, his led him to Afghanistan.

Jeremy is a Private First Class in the United States Army and has been serving since his enlistment date in 2011. His unit, Bravo Company 216 Rangers, returned on Feb. 14 from a nine month long deployment to Afghanistan. Jeremy’s sister, freshman Shannon Houser, is very grateful to see his safe return.

“I’m so glad he’s finally home. I waited 270 days to hug him,” Shannon said.

Throughout her brother’s deployment, Shannon had to find ways to cope with missing him.

“I stayed busy with softball while he was gone,” Shannon said. “I’d pray every night for his safety.”

Despite her busy schedule and faith, not being able to communicate with her brother was difficult. Shannon found reassurances in the simple things when having a rough time dealing with her brother’s absence.

“When I’d see that he had been on Facebook I knew he was okay, and it became a good day. I had tears of joy, I would get that excited,” Shannon said.

Jeremy’s job as an infantryman coupled with the

time difference between the United States and Afghanistan left little time for the pair to have a lengthy conversation. At times it comforted Shannon to reflect on memories she shared with Jeremy.

“My favorite memory with him was when we’d go to the movies and play Xbox games together,” Shannon said. “It’s simple, but very special.”

The nerves and excitement of welcoming someone home after nine months consumed the Houser family. As soldiers from Jeremy’s unit flowed through the room, they eagerly searched the crowd of other soldiers’ family members and friends for a familiar face.

“I felt nervous because before we saw Jeremy I was told that the man who left wouldn’t be the same man returning,” Jeremy and Shannon’s mom Debbie Houser said. “I’m really happy he’s home.

I’m looking forward to spending time with him again.”

The families reunited at Fort Riley in Kansas. Jeremy and his fellow soldiers are going through a few weeks of debriefing before being allowed to return home. He has high hopes of being back in

bythe

numbers facts compiled by Inklings staff

1,800

Crown Point on March 9.

To welcome Jeremy home, his family has planned a parade that will start at 1 p.m. on March 10. It will begin at Flying Jays in Lowell where Patriot Guard Riders, Lowell policemen and firemen will escort him to Crown Point. From this point on Crown Point police and firemen will finish up Jeremy’s journey by bringing him back home.

Even though these soldiers are back in the States, their loved ones know the importance of being supportive and encouraging during this time of adjustment.

“Supporting our troops when they come home is where the support starts, not ends. All red, white and blue- blooded Americans will be there for them when they return,” Debbie said.

As the date of his return gets closer and closer, Debbie recognizes the hard work Jeremy and his unit have put into their time serving their country.

“My son has fulfilled his duty to the United States. He is an American hero, and he has made many very proud,” Debbie said. “Thank you, son; job well done.”

Approximately the number of high school seniors that will enlist in the Army annually which is approximately 0.0039 percent of high school graduates per year.

60

The number of families that could be fed instead of stationing one soldier in Iraq.

PHOTOS PROVIDED Above: Jeremy Houser, in uniform, returns home from Afghanistan. His welcome home parade will be on March 10 at 1 p.m. The Patriot Guard Riders will escort him to his home in Crown Point.

Below: Freshman Shannon Houser reunites with her brother, Jeremy, at Fort Riley in Kansas. She had not seen her brother in nine months. They kept in touch through letters and e-mails.

28

percent of Less than Americans between the ages of 17-23 are qualified for military service, that’s only about 1-in-4.

feature 7

inklings 2/28/13

Do It Yourself

BY TINA WINFREY reporter

Remedies for Winter Woes Hair

Another problem the winter can cause is dry, brittle hair. A variety of things including egg whites, mayonnaise and coconut milk can help hair become shiny and full of moisture.

“In cosmetology school, we learned that egg whites are a really great way to soften and apply moisture to the hair,” beautician Kim Barnes said.

Another treatment is applying mayo to wet hair and leaving it in for about an hour. Barnes said that by doing this, the benefits of the hair are equal to being treated with an actual cholesterol treatment at a salon.

If none of these sound appealing, try picking up a can of coconut milk at the grocery store. Rub the milk onto the scalp where the hair follicles touch the skin. Work the milk down to the ends of the hair, and after about an hour, wash out the milk with shampoo.

According to Barnes, these products can be used as substitutes for things used by beauticians or bought in salons.

The winter months are known by many to have a large impact on the skin, hair and lips by drying them out and making them brittle. A simple do it yourself healthcare regime can help keep one moisturized and ready for the approaching spring season.

Skin

Try using a body scrub to get rid of all the dead skin. Two cups of brown sugar, a half cup of olive oil and a fourth cup of honey can be mixed to make a sweet smelling scrub.

Just mix the ingredients together and apply to the skin. By rubbing it around the dry spots the sugar crystals will rub off the dead skin, leaving a smooth layer of new skin. Once this is finished, rinse off with warm water.

One can also use egg whites as a moisturizer and cleanser.

“About every other day I apply egg whites to my face,” sophomore Cassidy Wichowsky said. “It helps cleanse my skin of all the dirt and oils added throughout the day.”

First Wichowsky said to separate the egg whites and whip them until they’re smooth. Yogurt can be added to soften the mixture and act as an added moisturizer.

Then Wichowsky said to apply the mixture to the face, stick one ply, or half, of a Kleenex over the mask and let it dry on the skin. After the mask is dry it should be peeled off and the face should be washed with warm water.

It’s no big secret that the sun doesn’t come out much during the winter, causing the summer-skin glow to fade into a pasty complexion.

Skip the tanning bed by making a self-tanner from black tea.

To try this recipe, the only things needed are four bags of black tea, two cups of water and either a sponge or spray bottle to apply the tanning solution with.

Bring the water to a boil and drop in the tea bags for about 15 minutes. Soak a sponge into the

Lips

tea and rub onto the body, or use a spray bottle to spray on the tea.

For a darker tan, try using a mixture of cocoa powder and unscented body lotion to apply to the skin. The more cocoa powder that is added the darker the tan will be.

This tan should last three to four days before it will begin to naturally fade out. This can be used as a pre-tan before going on a sunny vacation for spring break.

The winter wind can cause chapped lips that burn at the touch. A quick solution can be a can of homemade chapstick.

Pick up some peppermint oil, beeswax, almond oil, lipstick shavings in a favorite color and a glass jar from the store. A small container to put the chapstick in is also needed.

Add the almond oil and beeswax in the jar and heat the hot water until the beeswax melts.

Add eight drops of peppermint oil, add the lipstick shavings and stir the mixture. Pour into a container and let cool.

“For a quick fix to a chapped lip problem, try applying some Vaseline to the area,” Barnes said.

“It can help moisturize the lips and make them shiny.”

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8 feature

inklings 2/28/13

What’s Cooking?

ProStart prepares for competition

Tasty treat for St. Patty’s Day celebration

BY PAIGE BUELOW

reporter

With St. Patrick’s Day around the corner, restaurants and cities alike are preparing for the onslaught of green. Here’s a favorite recipe to try yourself.

BY ALAA ABDELDAIEM OLIVIA ELSTON

reporters

Getting ready for a big test in class or a crucial sports competition requires preparation.

Likewise, members of ProStart also train for their competition, but rather than studying notes or lifting weights, their preparation consists of creating recipes, adding flavor and cooking full meals.

ProStart stands for “where the professionals start” and is a culinary art class offered.

The course was written by the National Restaurant Association to encourage more students to go into culinary businesses. To put techniques into practice, ProStart provides students with the opportunity to submit their meals annually for competition, an occasion ProStart teacher and sponsor Jan Rattazzi values.

“We went to the first competition about 12 years ago and they placed fourth then,” Rattazzi said. “Last year we came in third place and then they were asked to do their foods at the national restaurant food show in Chicago.”

This year’s competition will be held next Thursday in Indianapolis. To prepare for the event, students have been collecting recipes and practicing their cooking techniques during class. Senior Samantha Orndorff and her teammates have been working on a Japanese themed three-course meal that includes spring roll for an appetizer, a shrimp toast entree and strawberry

Chocolate-Mint Leprechaun Cupcakes 1 cup sugar 1 cup brown sugar, not packed 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour 3/4 cup cocoa powder 1 1/2 tsp baking soda 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 2 eggs 1 cup milk 1/2 cup vegetable oil 2 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup boiling water

PHOTO BY EVI LOVIN

Preparing for his upcoming competition, junior Dakota Hamilton fixes up his dish during his ProStart class.

He and eight other classmates will be competing in Indianapolis for their annual culinary competition.

muchi for dessert. She and the rest of the team members have been getting assistance from a professional chef mentor to better their dishes.

“We’ve collected recipes and the ways to cook them,” Orndorff said. “We’ve been practicing our chef cuts, a cutting technique, and for the past two to three weeks, we’ve been cooking our whole meals in class.”

The Japanese-themed team is not the only one preparing for next Thursday’s competition. A classic French-themed team is also getting recipes and dishes ready.

“Basically, it’s all preparation,” junior Dakota Hamilton said.

“We’re trying to prepare ourselves for everything. We have all the paperwork and we have to figure out what we want to make, how we want to make it and how much time we have to make it.”

ProStart participants will not have the typical kitchen supplies at the competition, however.

Students will be required to cook the meals in different conditions.

‘‘

I think the competition will be another good experience. I’m looking forward to it and hopefully it turns out great.

Dakota Hamilton

junior

“The students have to prepare a three course meal within an hour with no electricity and no running water,” Rattazzi said.

“Then judges critique it on how well it was done and the team’s

skill level. They even get scored on how they brought their food into the competition. It has to be the right temperature and packaged correctly too. There’s a lot of detail to the judging.”

Such an experience comes with an advantage to students taking the class, preparing them for life after their high school career. Hamilton believes ProStart gives him the chance to witness what it would be like to work in the culinary business, which he hopes to pursue after graduation.

“ProStart has allowed me to meet chefs and talk to them about their experiences,” Hamilton said. “They have given me advice and helped out a lot. I think the competition will be another good experience. I’m looking forward to it and hopefully it turns out great.”

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 cupcake pans with 24 liners. Sift together dry ingredients into a large stand mixer bowl. Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla extract. Beat for two minutes, scraping the sides as needed.

Add the boiling water and beat just until blended. The batter will be watery.

Pour the batter into a large measuring cup or bowl with a spout. Evenly pour the batter into the cupcake liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the center of the cupcakes spring back when touched. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Icing 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 1 Tbsp milk 1/4 – 1/2 tsp peppermint extract 2 cups powdered sugar 4-6 drops green food coloring (optional) For the icing, blend the butter on a medium speed until fluffy. Slowly add in the powdered sugar, milk and peppermint extract. Finally, drop in the food coloring and mix by hand until the desired color is reached.

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feature 9

inklings 2/28/13

Get Schooled: best apps for students Dictionary

Sleep Cycle

BY MOLLY GRACE EMILY BEST

The popular website dictionary.com has released a free app for Apple products called “Dictionary.” Once the app is downloaded from the app store, all the perks this app has to offer can be enjoyed. One convenient feature is no required Internet connection, which makes using this app in school a breeze. Probably the niftiest thing about “Dictionary” is that it can “hear” the user. When there is a word one does not know how to spell, say the word and the app finds it and gives the correct spelling.

Whether it is a word in English class or a term in science, “Dictionary” is there to help.

feature editor reporter

S

martphones have become almost essential in today’s society. Some people can manage without them, but most people, especially teenagers, have come to rely on their cellphones. The smartphone is very handy when it comes to stuff like schoolwork. The app store on the phone features many great educational apps that could help someone with basically any subject.

A considerable portion of how tired one feels during the day is not determined by how much sleep they get, but by when the body wakes up. This alarm clock works to wake up the body when it feels the least tired. Place the phone on the bed at night and come morning the app will use the phone’s accelerometer to gauge when the user is in the lightest phase of sleep, gently waking them up within a thirty minute period of when the alarm is set to go off.

Cost: $1.99

Free Graphing Calculator

Cost: Free

The “Free Graphing Calculator” app is a great alternative from buying the $100 plus graphing calculator in stores. This app features a calculator with “func,” “cnst,” “trig” and “unit” options. It also has an “equations” tab which has many different equations to choose from. Since this is a graphing calculator app, the option to graph equations is offered. Possibly the best thing about this app is that it has a “reference” list of many topics to choose from. When a topic is picked, it gives examples of problems and explains how to do them.

Grades 2

Enter assignments for a class and this app will tell the user what grade is needed to pass the class. A target grade can be set and as assignments are added the app will adjust and tell what grades are needed to reach the target grade. It also has a feature that allows the user to plug in dates of upcoming tests to remind the student of what they have coming up. With a simple, easy-to-navigate design and the ability to create and save classes, “Grades 2” is great for students who love to keep a close watch on their GPA.

Cost: Free

The Chemical Touch Lite

Cost: Free

WolframAlpha

“Quick Elements” is an app great for any science student. The app has every element from the periodic table in order of atomic number. Once an element is selected, useful information is given to most students for a science class. This information includes molar mass, ionic charge, electron configuration, Lewis dot structure, atomic mass, atomic radius, electro negativity and much more. “Quick Elements” is an app that would be useful when studying and doing homework.

This app is like a super-search engine. It knows everything, from how many people were born in Chile last year to the weather and lunar phase on the day you were born.

It is an extremely useful tool for students, whether they are doing chemistry homework or writing an English paper. It will even solve complicated math problems (such as derivatives and limits).

Cost: $3.99

Cost: Free

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10 feature

inklings 2/28/13

seeing

BLUE Crown Point graduate Spike Albrecht chases Big10 tournament championship for the University of Michigan

BY SAM BEISHUIZEN

editor-in-chief

Four years ago, Crown Point graduate Spike Albrecht was battling Lake Central graduate Glenn Robinson and former Chesterton student Mitch McGary for a DAC championship title. Now, Albrecht is teamed up with his former conference rivals for the University of Michigan men’s basketball team in a fight for a national championship.

After graduating in 2011, Albrecht was looking for a school to play at in college.

Not liking any of the division

Albrecht Q&A

Favorite road stadium?

“IU was pretty crazy. Just from being Indiana and hearing about assembly hall. It was the loudest gym I’ve ever been in.”

Best part about Michigan?

“Being with my teammates and representing my school and the people back home.”

Playing with Trey Burke?

“I’ve gotten better just watching him. I’m playing with the best point guard in the country. It only helps me improve.”

National Champion?

“We feel that if we can win the Big10 championship we can win a national championship.”

one offers he was getting from smaller schools, Albrecht held out looking for a larger school to be attracted to him. Albrecht’s former coach and current boys basketball head coach Clint Swan was helping Albrecht throughout his recruiting process.

“He was getting a lot of attention from small division one schools: Northern Illinois, Loyola,” Swan said. “But he knew in his heart of hearts that he was better than that.”

After failing to capture any interest from some of the nation’s major programs, Albrecht signed to play for Northfield Mount Hermon prep school in hopes of improving his resume.

“I didn’t want to go to prep school at all; I didn’t know what it was, but it was my only chance to go to D1,” Albrecht said. “I thought I was a lot better than the looks I was getting, and it worked.”

At the Northfield Mount Hermon prep school, Albrecht had a record setting season. He set a school record with 241 assists in one season while averaging 9.3 points per game. In the 2012 New England Preparatory School Athletic Council tournament Albrecht gained the attention he wanted from division one programs.

He was named the tournament most valuable player, and was a major factor in knocking out McGary’s previously unbeaten Brewster academy in the semifinals where he went 5-for-6 from the foul line in overtime.

“The guys I was playing against and the talent level was unbelievable,” Albrecht said. “It was hard to question me when I was playing with all those solid guys. It gave me a chance to prove myself.”

“Ironically, it was about this time last year that things started blowing up for him,” Swan said. “(Northfield Mount Hermon) was full of high level kids and high level players. It was a perfect setting for him to go in there and do what he did.”

While at Northfield Mount Hermon, Albrecht was doing something he had not done throughout his entire high school career: playing AAU. He had chosen not to play AAU during his career in high school to focus on his game, a decision that Swan thought highly of. “(Not playing AAU) showed

how intelligent Spike was.

He needed that,” Swan said.

Instead of traveling the country playing upwards of 80 games during the summer after his junior year, Albrecht worked on his body, trying to get physically prepared for the next level.

“He wanted to take that summer to reshape his body. He added a lot of physicality to his game,” Swan said. “That had a lot to do with the season he had his senior year and making him the player he is now.”

Shortly after the NEPSAC tournament, Albrecht committed to play for Michigan who was looking for a replacement for NBA prospect Trey Burke. Burke would later choose to return, making Albrecht his backup. Albrecht, averaging just over 7.2 minutes per game, leads the offense when he is on the court.

“I try to manage the offense and be aggressive when I can.

I go out there and I try not to make mistakes and be a leader out there,” Albrecht said. “I use my IQ to my advantage and take care of the ball. My job is to distribute it to playmakers.” “(Michigan) does not need to bring in another Trey Burke off the bench,” Swan said. “Spike can make the reads and make calls without coaches telling him to do it. He has a special feel for the game and knows what needs to be done.”

On the year, Albrecht is averaging 1.5 points, 0.7 assists and 0.8 rebounds per game while averaging just over seven minutes per game.

During warm-ups in one of Michigan’s biggest rivalry games of the year at Ohio State, Albrecht was reminded of how far he had come.

“In warm ups you look across the court and see (Ohio State guard) Aaron Craft warming up and think ‘just a year ago I was watching him and now I’m playing him,’” Albrecht said. “It was our first big welcome to the Big10.”

Crown Point graduate Spike Albrecht playing in a game against Bradley.

Albrecht had two assists in six minutes.

With Burke struggling, Albrecht ate up 11 minutes and was a perfect 4-of-4 from the charity stripe en route to seven points, a team high in the game.

“They saw me as the distributor, the pass first player that I am,” Albrecht said of Ohio State.

“You forget I can score.”

Swan was impressed with Albrecht’s play.

“Spike needed to score, and he knew that,” Swan said. “He got Michigan back into the ball game,

‘‘

In warm ups you look across the court and see (Ohio State guard) Aaron Craft warming up and think ‘just a year ago I was watching him and now I’m playing him.’

Spike Albrecht

guard

and that’s why I think he is just the right fit for them.”

One of the biggest obstacles Albrecht and his Wolverine team have faced this year is the challenge of playing in the Big10 conference.

“Playing in the Big10 is a bitch,” Albrecht said with a chuckle. “The environments are hostile.

Teams struggle to go on the road and win. There are no nights off.”

Michigan’s four losses on the year have all come against Big10 schools. Three of those losses came by a combined five possessions. Even throughout a season full of close losses, Albrecht still remains grateful for his fans for

PHOTO PROVIDED

supporting him and is looking forward to the postseason.

“I am super thankful and super blessed to be in this position.

I’m not even playing that much, but to have the support (from home) is unbelievable,” Albrecht said.

Albrecht’s impact extends farther than just adding another guard to Michigan. Swan believes Albrecht changed him as a coach.

“Spike taught me that when you have a special player sometimes less is more,” Swan said.

“There would be times where Spike would get stuck in a corner and with 90 percent of the players I would be standing, screaming for a time out. With Spike, I would just say ‘let’s see what happens’ and he would look away, snap the ball to a teammate underneath the basket for a layup. Those special players just need to do what they have got to do.”

Right now, Albrecht is focused on the madness that is the March tournaments.

“Our goal is to win the Big10 championship. Right now, we could get it done,” Albrecht said.

“We feel that if we can win the Big10 Championship we can win a national championship.”

That national championship would be a dream come true for Albrecht.

“It is something everyone on our team dreamed about since playing at the park or in your driveway as little kids,” Albrecht said. “In the back of our minds, we truly believe we can get it done.”

a&e 11

inklings 2/28/13

inreview “One Way or Another” One Direction One Direction is out with another hit, a cover of “One Way or Another”

by Blondie.

The group recorded this charity single to raise money for Comic Relief.

The song brings a new twist to the old version making it a great remake.

The Walking Dead The midseason 3 premiere of “The Walking Dead” was more than expected. With the fight between the prison and the Governor, the suspense is gut wrenching.

Either keep or start watching this thriller to find out what happens next.

Take a Sip of CP

Starbucks

BY SHANNON ROSTIN

asst. feature editor

Coffee lovers often struggle to go a day without their caffeine fill. Local stores and locations offer a variety of ways for them to meet their coffee fix.

Speedway

The Sip

Speedway coffee is ideal for the student that is running late or on the go. However, coffee on the go doesn’t have to lack in taste.

There is a conveniently located, new Speedway on Broadway. The coffee flavor selections were original and far beyond what one would expect from a gas station. A highlight was the Chocolate Cupcake coffee, which tastes similar to the popular dessert. It was a delicious blend that will blow minds due to tasting like a cupcake, icing and coffee all within the same sip. A row of delectable treat-inspired flavors included Cinnamon Roll, English Toffee and Hazelnut Mocha.

Coffee on the go has stepped it up.

This cozy coffee house on the square has an atmosphere with much charm and character.

The decor adds a cozy element to the coffee house. The most impressive part of The Sip is all the organic specialties. This makes coffee enjoyable and accessible for those with diet restrictions or who simply prefer the taste of smooth, organic coffee. For non-coffee drinkers there are smoothies and a variety of delectable teas. This is the go-to coffee house for an organic treat that will satisfy one’s craving for coffee.

Dunkin’ Donuts Dunkin’ Donuts boasts a strongly brewed, bold coffee. The 99 cent small lattes are a staple. Great latte flavors include caramel and peppermint mocha. Another high point is the fact that customers can purchase a donut or breakfast item at the same stop. To add to an order of coffee one can purchase a bagel, donut, breakfast sandwich or other breakfast options. Dunkin’ Donuts is a popular place to stop for coffee and a quick

Warm Bodies Don’t underestimate this movie. It may sound a little too weird or corny, but it definitely has its high points. A bit of a new spin on “Romeo and Juliet,” this movie will pleasantly surprise audience members.

“Stay” by Rihanna (feat. Mikky Ekko) While this slow song is a nice change from Rihanna’s usual dance sound, the song drags on.

The beat stays consistent throughout, and the lyrics are repetitive. The constant repeat of the same lyrics takes away from the meaning of the song much like many of Rihanna’s other songs.

Girl Scouts’ Samoas All hail the cookie to end all cookies. Girl Scout Cookie season is back and so are happy tastebuds.

The carmel coated, coconut sprinkled, chocolate drizzled delight begs the question: is the term cookie worthy of this sensation?

Starbucks is the first place to come to mind when the words “coffee” or “morning pick-me-up” are thrown out. It’s the epitome of delicious coffee that comes in a variety to please any taste. The highlights of the corporation are the seasonal drinks they offer such as the Salted Carmel Mocha. It is also nice that they offer drinks for non-coffee drinkers and coffee addicts alike. There is no lacking of drink choices or personalized options. The one pitfall of the establishment is that the specialty drinks have been claimed overpriced by some. However, for the quality the customer is getting, it is well worth spending approximately $5 for that rush of caffeine that will keep one satisfied and ready to face their day. Starbucks gives its customers a chill atmosphere to enjoy whatever they may order. For coffee lovers, Starbucks is more of a delicious daily staple than a mediocre coffee shop.

McDonald’s From the cooperation that brought you a smiling clown comes a surprisingly well brewed coffee. McDonald’s coffee is dark and strong.

The best part is the price; at an inexpensive price, this strong coffee fits perfectly into a high school student’s budget. McDonald’s even offers free coffee Monday, which means every Monday a small coffee can be purchased free of charge. However, this coffee lacks in originality and offers little in terms of personalizing one’s order aside from how many packets of cream and sugar to be added. This is a go-to for the casual coffee drinker who isn’t too particular and appreciates a strong brew.

Sparks brings signature romance to multiple mediums reporter

The usual Nicholas Sparks novels are the typical love story. Two people are destined to be together and somehow find a way to be with each other. “Safe Haven” has a love story as the main plot line, but it is much more than just that. The novel captivates the readers, making it an incredible read.

“Safe Haven” has relatable main characters like Alex Wheatley and Katie Tierney and suspenseful plot turns that make it hard to put the book down. Katie’s abusive husband, Kevin Tierney, whom she runs away from, tries to track her down relentlessly. The determination Sparks infuses in Kevin’s character creates huge suspense throughout the novel. Sparks’ style of writing allows for the reader to get inside of Kevin’s twisted mind. Apart from the characters, the plot carefully places each event in a specific order, but does not give anything away until the very end like a complex puzzle. The reader will not expect what is coming next.

“Safe Haven” soars above the rest of the novels Sparks has written in the past. This one is definitely one of the Sparks’ novels to read.

social

life A section devoted to social media

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Read

BY OLIVIA ELSTON

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best tweets @JimCarrey

“And here comes Hitler for a nice surprise on Christmas morning…”- Mr. Lewis Junior April Mae Sirbas

@aprilmae1995

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The sad realization of my life: I’m excited about soccer being cancelled because now I have more time to work on my essay.

Junior Katie Dillon

@k_dillon321

“Alright guys let’s be honest...If the school was up in flames they’d still find a way for us to go. We’ll never have a delay. #cpprobs” Sophomore Kendal Eaton

reporter

“Dear John” director, Lasse Hallstrom, has done it again with the adaptation of “Safe Haven,” another romantic story written by Nicholas Sparks. Playing the lead roles, Alex and Katie, is Josh Duhamel and Julianne Hough.

“Safe Haven,” released Feb. 14, is a great Valentine’s movie for that special someone, or perhaps for some, their box of tissues, for this movie can truly pull on one’s heart strings.

“Safe Haven” is a romantic thriller that focuses on a woman, Katie, with a mysterious past whose appearance in a small town in South Carolina sparks curiosity. As her past continues to haunt her, she hopelessly falls in love with a father of two, Alex.

These dynamic characters show that love is a powerful emotion that can conquer all, even one’s dark past. The affection that can be seen between Alex and Katie shows the audience that anyone can find love. The struggle of love is flawlessly portrayed.

This suspense-filled movie has just the right amount of chick flick with action-- a perfect combination for both genders to see together.

best apps

I don’t know about you but I may go off the rails if they don’t find a new Pope soon! #lifeispopeless Jim Carrey

BY VERDA MIRZA

@kennykinz407

Urban Outfitters

Vine is an app that is like Instagram, except for users share short videos instead of photos. Users can interact with other users and explore trending hastags and posts.

The Urban Outfitters app allows users to view various pieces of clothing that are available that can be added to the user’s cart. Sizes, descriptions and color availability can be viewed.

best follows @foxygrandpa62 Fred MyLeg tweets the best quotes from “Spongebob,” even the ones from the classic episodes.

@DalaiLama The Dalai Lama is full of wise everyday life advice.

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inklings 2/28/13

My Bloody Valentine returns

BY DYLAN TAYLOR

managing editor

PHOTO BY OLIVIA ELSTON

The new attraction in Schereville on US 41 brings in kids of all ages, ranging from grade school to high school teens with a variety of activities.

Jak’s Warehouse fun, but beware of hype

BY MAGGIE GELON

copy editor

Remember the good old days when every other birthday party was held at Chuck E. Cheese? Remember how exciting it was to have a handful of tokens bestowed upon you? Remember navigating through a jungle of tunnels, nets and slides? These days, teenagers aren’t really welcome at Chuck E. Cheese without a child escort, because some consider our lone presence in an environment such as that, well, creepy.

That’s where Jak’s Warehouse comes in. Located on Highway 41 in Schererville, Jak’s is a modern take on the nostalgic elements of arcades and fun centers.

The purchase of a $20 “play band” (wrist band) admits patrons to the “Jak-ed” up version of childhood arcades, where teenagers, and people of all ages for that matter, are welcome. Still, though the jungle gym might be bigger and a game of whack-a-mole is rather reminiscent, Jak’s fails to deliver the same overwhelming rush of excitement one can recall from childhood.

A mediocre experience at Jak’s is not a reflection of a poor facility, but rather the result of a mountain of hype that even Disney Land couldn’t live up to. The building provides a spacious, warehouse atmosphere. The attractions incorporate innovative twists to freshen up old classics and the arcade is a blast. In short, there is nothing wrong with Jak’s; it just does not quite suit a high school demographic and is better equipped to deal with the attention span of, say, a third grader.

The arcade is the central attraction, boasting a variety of over 40 games ranging from the classics like SkeeBall,

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to contemporary games like Wheel of Fortune. Though tokens were once a novelty, Jak’s has updated the tokenticket system with a point card. Much like a credit card, gamers swipe the card at each game they wish to play and any points earned are automatically transferred onto the card. Instead of hassling with unorganized strands of tickets, one can better focus on the true meaning of arcades – beating high scores.

High scores exist beyond the arcade though. Laser Tag is a prime attraction offered at Jak’s. Players are divided into blue and red teams, supplied with a battle vest, a laser gun and a 20 minute time frame to dominate in laser warfare. Hiding behind obstacles, players battle for high scores and ultimately for the defeat of the opposing team. Along the same lines of Laser Tag, Jak’s also challenges visitors to an obstacle-like Laser Maze.

Above all the bustle is the Sky Trail. One is strapped into a safety harness and scales four stories above to a high-rise rope route with multiple levels for various skill levels and daring personalities.

Jak’s also offers attractions like Urban Golf (glow in the dark mini golf), Go-Karts, Bumper Cars and Ballocity, which is a massive jungle gym with foam balls throughout to launch and dump on others.

While Jak’s offers something for every age, it caters itself better to a younger audience. Though teenagers may very well enjoy a nostalgic trip back to childhood memories, others may find the experience to be a major juvenile letdown. If you have nothing better to do and happen to have some extra money lying around to spend give Jak’s a whirl.

Jak’s Attractions Laser Tag Bumper Cars Sky Trail Laser Maze Urban Golf Go-Karts Arcade Games

Hours 3 pm-10 pm Mon.-Thurs.

3 pm-11 pm Fridays

11 am-11 pm Saturdays

11 am- 8 pm Sundays

1 Harlem Shake Videos

The latest sensation on YouTube has been Harlem Shake videos, made to the song “Harlem Shake” by Baauer. These videos usually feature crazy dance moves and silly costumes. Many different groups have done these videos ranging from the University of Austin, Texas, Kendall and Kylie Jenner and the staff of the San Antonio SeaWorld.

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Albanese Gummy Bears

Gummy bears can be bought at almost any candy shop, but why buy them packaged in a bag when they can be bought fresh at Albanese Candy Factory. These gummy bears are super soft and come in a variety of traditional flavors such as cherry, blue raspberry and green apple.

3 Victoria’s Secret Phone Cases

Victoria’s Secret PINK has begun carrying tech accessories.

The previous list of phone cases they manufacture has been updated. A new variety of hard iPhone case designs have come out.

Some of these including: metallic ombre cases, floral and palm tree designs and cases titling “I could talk all day.” The silicon cases also got some new designs, including a new line of glow in the dark cases. These cases range from $14.50 to $25.50.

Irish alternative rock band My Bloody Valentine announced on their Facebook page that they would be releasing a new album – their first in over 20 years, and the follow-up to their beloved alt-rock classic “Loveless.” The web traffic that ensued from the announcement promptly crashed the band’s site, and upon rebooting, fans were graced with “mbv,” an album that valiantly defies any suspicions of a lame comeback.

With the anticipation of this release being akin to that of the second coming of the Messiah for many alternative rock fans, expectations for an album parallel to the impact of “Loveless” ran high. “Loveless” was an exercise in maximalism and disorientation; guitarist and principal member Kevin Shields’ layers of tremolo bar-heavy guitar, pummeling drum machines and bassist Belinda Butcher’s ethereal voice were packaged together with painstaking attention to detail, giving the entire album a feeling as sensual and dreamlike as its blurred, pink album cover. “mbv” picks up almost exactly where Shields and company left off. The result is not, however, a “Loveless 2.0.” Where “Loveless” felt expansive and carnal, “mbv” feels thoroughly dark and even apocalyptic. Opening track “She Found Now” harkens a more unhinged, slightly long-winded MBV, complete with indecipherable vocalizations and wobbling, but the album’s growing pace picks up halfway through with songs like the catchy “New You” cranking up drummer Colm Ó Cíosóig’s snare-heavy drumming and Shields’ squalling, straining production. The album concludes with the all-out riot “Wonder 2,” where Butcher’s angelic vocals and an exuberant storm of guitar effects rage above a driving electronic dance beat.

While “mbv” may be too raw and experimental to be the masterpiece that “Loveless” was, it will undeniably whet the appetite of any fan of independent music.

we’re SO over Twitter Gossip Pages Lately, there has been a lot of hiding behind computers to spread school gossip. Whether the talk is true or not, CPHS gossip pages are causing a lot of unnecessary drama. Spreading things over the internet can ruin a person’s reputation; it is best to not start these pages at all.

inklings 2/28/13

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Kicking the competition

Crown Point

Dancing together for years contributes to team’s success

Dance Team

BY Kara biernat

assistant sports editor

PHOTO BY AMY SCHUCH

Senior Hannah Montemayor has been dancing on varsity for four years and is one of the four captains.

Putting what seems like never ending work into something takes ambition. The strenuous work put into the practices leading up to an event often decides the outcome of what a team has been working for all year.

For the varsity dance team, the all day practices and workouts are all in preparation to succeed at competitions.

Qualifying to compete at such a talented level of competition is brought with many years of dancing. Many girls competing at the varsity level have danced since they were able to walk.

Seniors Alayna Lilovich and Hannah Montemayor have been dancing together since they were eight years old.

Having attended Crown Point Dance Academy (CPDA) since age eight, the girls have built the chemistry and experience needed for the success of the school team.

“Dancing together at such a young age helped to establish a great bond between us,” Montemayor said. “We have similar dancing styles and that has contributed to us all being together on the same team now.”

In addition to Lilovich and Montemayor, the younger talent of the team has been brought up through company dancing as well. Juniors Malayne Rybolt and Beth Muller have built up talent by attending CPDA and Origins since they were ten years old, along with freshmen Haley Darnell and Jordan Vinovich.

“Starting out by dancing for companies gave me the early experience of dancing and taught me all the basics,” Rybolt said.

Having the extra experience from dancing with out of school companies has benefited the team in many ways. Not only does it give the girls the experience of competing at a young age, but it puts them at an advanced level of dance early on.

“It makes a big difference to have danced with my teammates since we were all so young. We’re like a big family now and it helps our dancing when it comes to the big competitions,” Montemayor said.

The years and dedication paid off when the girls recently competed at the UDA Nationals competition. The girls traveled down to Disney World in Orlando, Florida.

Focusing beyond the sunshine and amusement parks, the team practiced all day for two days before the performances.

The girls put everything they had towards their final performance in front of the judges.

“We went on stage ready to use everything we had been working on for the past year,” junior Tobey Schmidt said. “We did everything we had been practicing.”

The girls competed in two categories: kick and pom. After a long day of performing and waiting for results, the girls were awarded seventh place in kick and sixteenth in pom.

“For our first time in large pom it was a great accomplishment and a huge step up from last year. We were also happy to reach our goal in kick by placing in the top ten,” Schmidt said.

Happy with improvement from last year’s nationals results, the team of eighteen came back to Crown Point with the motivation of beating rival Munster High School in the postseason.

The team headed into this year’s regionals last weekends with the hopes of taking down Munster.

The crowded Crown Point fan base and the support they brought along watched as the girls took first in kick, but fell to Munster in pom “Even though we came up short to Munster at regionals in pom, we are working hard and looking forward to competing with them for the state title,” Schmidt said.

The team competes at the state meet on March 15 at Chrysler High School in New Castle, Indiana.

VARSITY 20122013 Accomplishments Universal Dance Association Qualifying Competitions

Rossville

1st in kick 2nd in pom Chicagoland

4th in kick 2nd in pom UDA Nationals Orlando, FL

7th in kick 16th in pom Indiana High School Dance Team Association Competitions

Regionals

1st in kick 2nd in pom Lake Central Invitational

1st in kick 1st in pom Munster Invitational

1st in kick PHOTO PROVIDED

The varsity dance team poses with their trophy at the national competition in Orlando, Florida. Top row from left to right: Anna Surufka, Beth Muller, Ashley Kohler, Jamie Cocking, Malayne Rybolt, Tobey Schmidt, Brianna Walters and Nadia Giedemann. Middle row: Kathy Cacovski, Hannah Vanprooyen, Haley Darnell, Jordan Vinovich, Alex Swallers and Valerie Jones. Bottom row: Alayna Lilovich, Hannah Montemayor, Natalie Metlov and Blake Kooi.

1st in pom

14 sports

Statement

inklings 2/28/13

Making a

PHOTO BY EVI LOVIN

Junior Andrew Kvachkoff swims in the sectional prelims at Crown Point. Kvachkoff grabbed second in the 100 Breastsroke and was one of four Bulldogs who competed at state.

Boys relays leads to sectional success

BY ALEX McLEAN sports editor

The main drive that keeps athletes going through the regular season is the aspiration of postseason. The boys swim team recently saw their hard work pay off, having competed in sectional play and most recently the state competition.

The Bulldogs sent four swimmers down to state, seniors Johnny Lynk, Joel Glitzner, Nick Hulls and junior Andrew Kvachkoff. This was Lynk’s fourth time competing, but he had yet to earn individual recognition.

“I wanted place in the top sixteen, especially because it’s my senior year,” Lynk said. “It’s what I’ve been working towards these last four years.”

Lynk competed in the 100 free, finishing with a time of 47.79 seconds. This time, however, was .04 seconds behind what Lynk needed to advance to the finals, as he finished seventeenth. Both the 200 medley and 200 free relays finished eighteenth.

“Competing in state is always tough.

We weren’t expecting to place at state at the beginning of the year, but it was still hard on the guys to finish like that,” head coach Doug Norris said. “But the way they swam at sectionals was incredible.”

The sectional meet was hosted at

Crown Point, and Munster came in as the heavy favorite. The ‘Dogs, however, took the lead and held on for most of the meet.

Lynk, Glitzner, Hulls and Kvachkoff led the 200 free and 200 medley relays to first place, despite being seeded third in both.

“Our relays did great in sectionals. We get double points for relays, so two first place finishes in relays gives us a huge edge on the competition,” Norris said Lynk grabbed second in the 50 yard free and 100 yard free, while Glitzner finished second in the 100 fly and third in the 200 free. Despite the strong performance, the Mustangs pulled ahead with two events left to win the meet, beating the Bulldogs, 431-412.

“We had a great meet. The drive to beat Munster fueled team. They just got a few more guys in the top eight than us; that was the difference.” Lynk said.

With the conclusion of the season comes the departure of the team’s three seniors, each of whom was on the relay teams that helped the ‘Dogs compete with Munster and eventually made state.

“Each of them are so different in their own way as leaders, but it still came together well as a team. Nobody has given Munster that much of a run for sectionals in a long time,” Norris said. “The amount of improvement we made from our starting point is incredible. It was a great season.”

Girls swim squad among best in state

BY ALEXIS BERDINE reporter

State competition is something all athletes dream about from their time as a freshman all the way through their senior year. The girls swimming squad lived this dream this past weekend. The Lady Bulldogs finished sixth at the IHSAA Girls State Swimming finals down in Indianapolis.

Junior Racheal Bukowski placed seventh in the 50 free with a time of 24.08, Junior Holly Schuster placed thirteenth in the 200 IM, with a time of 2:08.24 and sophomore Aly Tetzloff placed third in the 100 fly with a time of 54.71.

“It was pretty great placing so high with only six girls,” Bukowski said. “We definitely still could have done better. We were all hoping for a top five finish and we’ll be trying to place higher next year.”

This was Teztloff’s second time down at state as a underclassman. As a freshman, Tetzloff finished sixth in the state meet in the 100 free, with a time of 56.57.

However, Tetzloff still feels she can place even higher next year.

“There’s definitely still room for improvement. My coaches have helped and pushed me so much this year,” Tetzloff said. “I think if I push myself, I can win a state championship.”

Although the girls failed to place in the top five, they improved from last year’s tenth place at state.

This performance came shortly after the sectional meet at Munster. Despite a first place relay finish from Tetzloff, Bukowski, Schuster, and sophomore Alex St. Amour, the Lady ‘Dogs finished third behind Munster and Lake Central.

Seniors Charlie Wayne and Ashley Holland took first and second in diving.

“We swam well, but we didn’t have quite the depth we needed to compete with Munster and Lake Central,” Tetzloff said.

While preparing for state, the main priority was ensuring that the team remained mentally prepared and in good health.

“Keeping kids focused and healthy is always a challenge. However, I think the girls really came together at the right time,” said assistant coach Bryan Tripper.

Tetzloff, Bukowski, Schuster, St. Amour and freshman Makenzie Artim were the only girls representing the team at state, making them one of the smallest schools in the top ten.

“Only having five girls made our placement all the more exciting,” St. Amour said. “It has been a great season and it’s something that we’re truly proud of.”

Wrestling returns to state, brings home one medal

BY DAVID KEPSHIRE reporter

After winning their sixth straight regional, the Bulldog wrestling squad sent four of their team’s member to Banker’s Life Fieldhouse for the individual wrestling state championships.

Seniors Trevor Burlison, Dustin Schurg, Matt Langbhen, and junior Josh Fuqua each earned a trip to wrestle under the lights in Indianapolis. Only one of the Bulldogs, Fuqua, was an all-state wrestler, finishing sixth in the state. The other three Bulldogs lost in the qualifying rounds in tough matches on Friday night.

“I peaked during the semi-state matches and felt better than ever,” Burlison said.

“The goal for me was to go into the state tournament and win it, but I just got caught off-guard.”

Burlison went 32-6 on the season and was one of two semi-state champions on the team. He started his match leading 3-0 and took that lead into the second period.

He was commanding most of the second period until he slipped up and got caught and pinned.

“Even though I got pinned, I don’t regret any of the hard work I put in,” Burlison said. “I tried my best and I just wish the outcome was different.”

Fuqua, the other semi-state champion, fell into the same fate as his senior leader. The junior went 32-3 on the season and made it past the Friday night opening round, but got pinned in his next match.

The coaches held him out of the consolation match which led him to a sixth place finish in the state.

“My goal coming into the postseason

was going all the way and winning the state tournament,” Fuqua said. “I just kind of froze up at the wrong time and lost when it mattered most.”

The team was led by Burlison along with fellow senior Schurg. Both of them had to step up with the departure of one of the most decorated wrestlers in Crown Point history, Jason Tsirtsis, and Tyler Kral. Burlison, along with Fuqua, trained with Tsirtsis in the offseason in order to get ready to lead the ‘Dogs. “(Schurg) and (Burlison) did a great job in leading our team this year,” coach Scott Vlink said. “They had some big shoes to fill and they definitely came ready to compete.”

The Bulldogs coaching staff was still proud of their wrestlers even though they did not wrestle to the best of their abilities.

“Our goal is to get our kids as prepared as they could be for the opportunities that present themselves,” Vlink said. “We never question the effort that any of our kids give us.”

Despite the way the season ended, the Bulldogs wrestling team found success this season. They won their seventh straight conference title and sixth regional in a row.

Next year the team returns nine wrestlers and is prepped to come back and have an even stronger season.

“I’m ready to become the leader for next year’s team,” Fuqua said. “I’ve learned from the best wrestlers the past few years, and I know I can lead our team.”

“Our kids have the opportunities to improve next year,” Vlink said. “They just have to perfom to the best of their abilities.”

sports15

inklings 2/28/13

Coming in clutch when it counts

a second with

ALEX

Boys basketball squad looks to turn momentum around despite 5-15 record

BY ALEX McLEAN sports editor

BY Alex McLean

sports editor

After a long regular season filled with injuries and shortcomings, the boys basketball squad is gearing up for the first round of sectionals against Michigan City tonight.

The game was delayed until tonight as a result of the severe weather, but senior Alex Nickla was optimistic heading into the game.

“It’s going to come down to our effort. We’re going to be loading up all our guns and putting our best foot forward,” Nickla said.

The Bulldogs are currently riding a five-game losing streak and are going to be looking to turn their momentum around.

“Depth is going to be key,” senior Braxton Rice said. “We have our guys healthy and rested, which hasn’t been true all year.

We need to slow the game down and take time with our possessions. We can’t be putting up to many quick shots.”

Last Friday, the Bulldogs hosted Chesterton in the team’s senior night. The ‘Dogs kept it close, trailing 42-40 at halftime, but the Trojans ran away with the game in the second half, taking the victory by a score of 85-73. Senior Tom Bardeson led the scoring with 21 points.

NBA, fans mourn the loss of one of the greatest Legends come and go on the court. We’ve seen Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Shaquille O’Neal and countless others build their legacies as players.

It can often times be easy to forget all the people who put a team together behind the scenes. However, every now and again fans are lucky enough to see a man like Jerry Buss build an incredible dynasty from the front office.

Buss, who passed away on Feb. 18 due to kidney failure after a long battle with cancer, built the Los Angeles Lakers from an average team to one of the main faces of the NBA. Their flashy play in the early 1980’s brought on the Showtime Era, marked by high paced fast break offenses and the hottest halftime attraction in the Laker Girls. Russ made sure the high profile glamour of Hollywood thrived in the Staples Center.

In his 33 years in Los Angeles, Buss’s Lakers put up 16 banners. Do some math; that’s one every other year. That kind of consistency is nothing other than legendary. Regardless of whether it was Magic, Kareem Abdul-Jabaar, Shaq or Kobe leading team, Buss was undeniably the creator of one of the greatest legacies in NBA history-rivaled only by the Boston Celtics and their 17 titles.

In their first game since Buss’s death, the Lakers pounded the Celtics in one of their best performances of this season. The Lakers have been less than stellar this season, despite having four all stars on their starting line-up. They currently sit 3.5 games out from a playoff spot, however, Bryant recently guarenteed a playoff spot. No less, doubts remain.

Regardless of this season’s conclusion, Jerry Buss will forever be immortalitized in Los Angeles and NBA history.

BY ALAA ABDELDAIEM reporter

Throughout the course of a season, maintaining focus can be hard to accomplish. Teams can dwell on their previous game or direct their attention too far into the future. This year’s gymnastics team, however, knows exactly where their focus should be, keeping their sights on the present and taking it one meet at a time.

Such focus helped the team pull off a narrow win against the Merrillville Pirates before the DAC championship, a key victory for the Bulldogs going into the postseason.

“We definitely wanted to win that meet,” head coach Ami Pysh said. “It was important to put

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at 5-15. However, the team is looking to prove that they can win as underdogs.

“A lot of people have counted us out because of our record,”

Nickla said. “But its puts us in a great position to prove everyone wrong. If there’s a 5-15 team out there than can put it together and win sectionals, it’s this team.”

ourselves in position to place well at DAC, and beating Merrillville the week prior did just that.”

Freshman Hannah Best led the team with a strong performance, placing first on bars and vault and taking the all-around title. Despite being one of the team’s youngest members, Best was shown support from her teammates as she took control during the meet.

“My teammates have been extremely supportive,” Best said.

“Merrillville is always tough to beat. Having a good performance against them with my teammates by my side felt good.”

The team was also aided by the return of junior Natalie Groff.

Despite still feeling the effects from injury, Groff believes her contributions outweigh the pain.

“Coming back from injury has been a little rough,” Groff said. “Since it’s near the end of the season, though, I’m looking to push through the pain and be there for my team.”

Putting the victory in the past, the girls turned their attention to last Saturday’s DAC championship, hoping to place third at the meet. Despite scoring a total of 105.225, however, the team could not hang on to accomplish their goal, finishing fourth behind Chesterton.

“We had some uncharacteristic falls and that counted against us negatively,” Pysh said. “We needed to have no falls to hang in that number three spot in such a strong conference.”

Just as they had moved on after

victory before, the girls put the loss behind them as they prepare for sectionals this Saturday.

“Next weekend, we start on beam,” Pysh said. “We need to stay on and also be powerhouses on vault. It’s important for us to have an absolutely flawless meet and hope our best is better than everyone else’s.”

As she approaches the end of her Crown Point gymnastics career, senior Megan Supan is prepared to give her team her best this Saturday, making the last few meets of the season memorable.

“I’m starting to realize that my time here is almost over,” Supan said. “These last few meets are important to me, and I’m going to try to finish it out as strong as I possibly can.”

former teammate Scottie Pippen, believe James is the better player.

James is 33 pounds heavier and two inches taller than Jordan. He also surpasses Jordan in average rebounds and assists per game, making him the better, more complete athlete in others’ minds.

Students were polled by being presented the athletes’ statistics without the players’ names to eliminate any bias associated with the question. Jordan was represented as Player A and James was represented as Player B.

Alex says “Jordan may have the rings, but James is still the King. James is a better twoway player and brings more to a team all around. He’s only going to get better from here. There’s no doubt he’s the better player.”

Alaa says “Looking past the emotion that comes with the question, James is the better athelete of the two. He is a faster, stronger, and a better ball handler than Jordan was, making him the better well-rounded player.”

inside The NBA

James (Player B)

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“We fell apart in the third quarter,” Rice said. “We couldn’t stop their offense or put together an offensive run of our own.”

The loss put the ‘Dogs record

Gymnastics finish DAC in fourth, set sights on sectionals

Who is better: James or Jordan?

0

PHOTO BY AMY SCHUCH

Senior Tom Bardeson and junior Nick Jeffirs go after a rebound in a home game against Chesterton.

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out of 130 students polled

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Michael Jordan and LeBron James--two of the league’s most dominate players to ever play the game. With dominance, however, comes comparison, and as Jordan turned 50 this month, the debate on who is the better player was renewed.

Jordan averaged 37 points in 1986-87, ten points more than James’ scoring average so far this season. Jordan’s six championships and five MVP awards also have many picking him over James.

Others, including Jordan’s

16 people

Art

Students hone

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skills

take

5

Senior Sarah Debs Irish Dish My dad always makes sour kraut and corned beef around St.Patrick’s Day.

City Girl PHOTO BY AMY SCHUCH Illustrating their artistic skills, AP studio art students Lauren Nagy, Zach Dwyer, Marissa Hinojosa, Luis Gomez and Savhannah Kotul work on pieces for their AP exam portfolio.

BY KATIE SHERMAN

copy editor

M

ost AP courses involve learning and testing on factbased information. AP studio art, however, is an exception. Despite the significant amount of work, AP studio art students are not limited to one right or wrong answer.

The AP studio art class makes it possible for high school students to do collegelevel work. Each student submits a portfolio for evaluation at the end of the school year, taking place of the AP exam.

The portfolio contains three required sections: quality, concentration and breadth.

The breadth section includes different works of art to show how versatile the students are.

The concentration section has the 12 pieces of art that are

focused on a central idea. “(AP studio art students) have to submit a portfolio under the category of 2-D design, 3-D design or drawing,” AP Studio art teacher and art department chair Karen Cox said. “Requirements are 12 projects in their concentration and 12 projects in their breadth. There is also a commentary section which includes the elements of design and the principles.”

While such requirements may seem overwhelming, AP studio art students appreciate the knowledge gained from being in the course. This helps make the class a getaway rather than a burden.

“I have always been interested in art. It has always been an escape for me and is relaxing,” senior Savhannah Kotul said.

From the information attained by attending this class,

students can pursue several different career paths. Junior Marissa Hinojosa plans to use what she gained from the class for her future.

“I am fascinated with arts, and I plan on going to school for liberal arts,” Hinojosa said. “Art can be anything, and I love it.”

Kotul also plans on using art for her future. While she is still majoring in art, Kotul’s interest is more uncommon.

“I am going into art therapy, and I plan on attending the University of Indianapolis,” Kotul said. “Art is one of the best ways to improve your understanding of your own mind, and I want to help people utilize that.”

Cox believes art is not just work on a piece of paper but a way to express one’s individuality. This message is often expressed during her class.

“Everyone can copy artwork, but to make it your own is really hard,” Cox said. “The only way to make it their own is doing what they feel comfortable doing. We want them to have a voice.”

Such expression is valuable to Hinojosa. Through art, Hinojosa can find her freedom of individuality, conveying things she cannot otherwise express.

“I find art ‘free,’” Hinojosa said. “You are doing what you physically cannot do while trying to express things that you normally wouldn’t.”

It is not only AP art students that can achieve this escape. Senior Luis Gomez advises those interested in art to follow their passion.

“If anyone out there really wants to draw something, learn to draw what you see other than what you know and that will take you far.”

My lucky charm would be...

Sarah Maxham freshman

...eating Lucky Charms for breakfast.

It’s fun to work at the ...

I work at the Y as a lifeguard. The kids are funny, and I get to work with my friends.

Live Tunes Coldplay and The Fray are my favorite bands.

They just play good music and perform great live.

Mrs. Styles I love Harry Styles. The curly hair, the green eyes, the adorable dimples I’m obsessed.

Matt Sapita senior

Darden Schurg sophomore

...my iPod. It has a lot of music on it and helps me through troubles.

I went to New York City on vacation, and I really loved it. I want to live in New York because the atmosphere was unreal and always moving.

...never wearing matching socks.

Chelsea Snedden junior

...my favorite necklace.