Inklings Feb. 2019

IN K [ [ ] L I N G S

Crown Point High School Crown Point, IN @InklingsCPHS February 28, 2019 Vol. 83 Issue 6

Read about saving marine life in “Save the ” page 8

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How to plan an eventful spring break last minute page 9

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Read about basketball players in their final season page 11

National Youth Leadership Month Integrity. Responsibility. Passion. Creativity. Commitment. Strength. Confidence. Motivation. Empathy. Knowledge. Experience. Honesty.

Integrity. Responsibility. Passion. Creativity. Commitment. Strength. Confidence. Motivation. Empathy. Knowledge. Experience. Honesty.

Integrity. Responsibility. Passion. Creativity. Commitment. Strength. Confidence. Motivation. Empathy. Knowledge. Experience. Honesty.

Integrity. Responsibility. Passion. Creativity. Commitment. Strength. Confidence. Motivation. Empathy. Knowledge. Experience. Honesty.

Integrity. Responsibility. Passion. Creativity. Commitment. Strength. Confidence. Motivation. Empathy. Knowledge. Experience. Honesty.

Integrity. Responsibility. Passion. Creativity. Commitment. Strength. Confidence. Motivation. Empathy. Knowledge. Experience. Honesty.

Integrity. Responsibility. Passion. Creativity. Commitment. Strength. Confidence. Motivation. Empathy. Knowledge. Experience. Honesty.

Integrity. Responsibility. Passion. Creativity. Commitment. Strength. Confidence. Motivation. Empathy. Knowledge. Experience. Honesty.

Integrity. Responsibility. Passion. Creativity. Commitment. Strength. Confidence. Motivation. Empathy. Knowledge. Experience. Honesty.

Integrity. Responsibility. Passion. Creativity. Commitment. Strength. Confidence. Motivation. Empathy. Knowledge. Experience. Honesty.

Integrity. Responsibility. Passion. Creativity. Commitment. Strength. Confidence. Motivation. Empathy. Knowledge. Experience. Honesty.

Integrity. Responsibility. Passion. Creativity. Commitment. Strength. Confidence. Motivation. Empathy. Knowledge. Experience. Honesty.

Integrity. Responsibility. Passion. Creativity. Commitment. Strength. Confidence. Motivation. Empathy. Knowledge. Experience. Honesty.

Integrity. Responsibility. Passion. Creativity. Commitment. Strength. Confidence. Motivation. Empathy. Knowledge. Experience. Honesty.

Integrity. Responsibility. Passion. Creativity. Commitment. Strength. Confidence. Motivation. Empathy. Knowledge. Experience. Honesty.

Integrity. Responsibility. Passion. Creativity. Commitment. Strength. Confidence. Motivation. Empathy. Knowledge. Experience. Honesty.

Matthew Gerona - Sophomore Class President

Allison Herkey - NHS President

Arianna Smith - Student Body President

Students in leadership positions can grow into responsibilities, influence others, create more prepared future for themselves

BY OLIVIA BUDZEVSKI ASMAA ABDELDAIEM assistant editor reporter

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outh can seem like a limiting factor for some, but student leaders use it to their advantage. Holding a position at the high school level can provide individuals with various opportunities. Each student leader has a motivating factor behind running for their position.

National Honor Society president senior Allison Herkey saw the chance for a change and took it. She hoped to make a positive influence on the group as a whole. Becoming the president would allow her to do so.

“I decided to run for the position because I have always wanted to make a change in our community and school and I knew this was the perfect opportunity,” Herkey said. “I love to encourage others to participate as well.”

Herkey believes leadership involves several different characteristics. She emphasizes the importance of certainty and perseverance

that taking on such a position requires.

“You have to be determined and open minded,” Herkey said. “You can never give up and have to stay confident in the decisions you make. Follow your heart. If you want something, go and get it. If you want to make a change, make it happen.”

NHS has hosted many events for the benefit of others. Upon reflection, Herkey could see the impact that her position has had on the community.

“My actions have made a difference in many different ways; from raising money for different organizations and charities, to donating to those in need,” Herkey said.

Taking on leadership roles within the community enables one to strengthen skills that can be of use in the future. Herkey explains how it has prepared her for potential forthcoming career paths.

“Being the president of NHS has improved my communication skills incredibly,” Herkey said. “It has given me many opportunities to help my community and the environment, which is a part of my future career.”

NHS Advisor Erin Rawls also believes that the benefits of holding a leadership position in high school can carry over into university and the workforce.

“They’ll get experience on a smaller scale of being a leader so that when they go to college and hopefully in their workforce they can have good experience and be a leader there too,” Rawls said.

The process of becoming a leader differs from person to person. Key Club president junior Morganne Mannino was offered a leadership position at the end of the previous school year and felt that she was equipped for all of the responsibilities it entailed.

“I was already involved in Key Club and Mrs. Keaveney had said that it would be really good for me to move up into a leadership position,” Mannino said. “It sounded good to me too because I like the club so much.”

Although leadership roles can help improve specific skills, current student leaders recommend to have some proficiency going into it. Mannino believes that time management is a key aspect to thriving in a leader-

ship position.

“It takes responsibility and you should be organized and on time,” Mannino said.

“You also have to be able to get along with others and not be afraid to speak in front of large groups of people.”

Each individual holding a title maintains efficiency through strategies. For students like Mannino, it is helpful to keep track of all the work that needs to be accomplished.

“First we have to go through all of our events for the entire year and figure out what we need to do for them,” Mannino said. “I write down what we need, how many people we’re going to need, what kind of resources we’re going to do, and if we need to contact the outside community. You have to have really good communication.”

Along with staying in touch with others, a student leader acts as a source to the members of their organization. Student Council president sophomore Matthew Gerona advocates the participation of those in charge.

“A key strategy and key idea would be that being a leader isn’t about just telling people what to do,” Gerona see student leaders on page 3

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NEWS INKLINGS February 28, 2019

Spring musical ‘A Drowsy Chaperone’ opens next week

BY MORGAN TAYLOR HOLLY WAGNER co-editor-in-chief reporter

“The Drowsy Chaperone” is this year’s spring musical from the CPHS theatre department. This production, which was originally a book turned into a musical, follows the story of a man sitting in a chair, listening to a record. The recording comes to life, starting with the mix of two lovers on the eve of their wedding.

Junior Jon Anderson tells that his character, Robert, is the stumbling best man in the wedding, which Jon admits is the character he was hoping to play. Jon feels that learning all of one’s lines is the most difficult part of putting on the production.

“With lines it depends on how many you have and how long it takes for you to learn the lines,” Jon said.

“It can be hard, but it gets easier as you learn them.”

Senior Jared Wood agrees that learning lines is crucial to a good performance, yet learning lines has come easy to Wood.

“I think it is fun to learn and go over lines. It might be a lot of work but when the play comes together then it gives a feeling of accomplishment,” Wood said.

Wood plays the man whose record is coming to life. While his character is one of the lead roles and is the first character seen on stage, Wood explains that every role is as important as the next.

“I think that everyone’s role is important,” Wood said. “I just happen to start off the play.”

Another vital part to the show is the various crews needed to put on the production. Freshman Gage Anderson is a part of the light and sound crew. This crew is in charge of controlling the lights, microphones and sound board throughout the show. Gage thinks that although his crew may not be seen on stage, their role is just as important as the actors.

“I think it’s fun being up in the box,” Gage said. “This is a big part of the play even though we aren’t in front of everyone.”

“The Drowsy Chaperone” will be performed on Mar. 8, 9, 15 and 16 at 7 p.m. and on Mar. 10 and 17 at 2:30 p.m. at CPHS. Tickets are on sale through the school website and are available for purchase up until the night of the show. Although, these shows have been known to sell out so getting tickets early is advised.

Dual credit requirement sends teachers back to school

BY LINDSEY BAEZA co-editor-in-chief

With new laws requiring specific credentials to teach dual credit classes, teachers are being forced to return to school in hopes of being able to continue teaching what they desire. Principal Chip Pettit explains what these requirements entail.

“As dual credit has become bigger and bigger in Indiana over the past 10 years, we had been hearing rumblings from our university partners and the Higher Learning Commission that a credentialing requirement may be put in place that would require teachers to have a master’s degree in their content area or a master’s degree in another subject area, plus 18 hours in their content area to be able to teach a dual credit course. The guidelines were put in place in the fall of ‘17,” Pettit said.

The Higher Learning Commission developed a timeline that requires teachers be fully credentialed by the end of 2021. However, Purdue Northwest (PNW) has made it so that teachers need to be credentialed earlier.

PHOTO BY LINDSEY BAEZA Science teacher Brian Elston, who has been teaching DC Anatomy for five years, must get his master’s degree to continue teaching the course.

THINK AHEAD March

Red Cross Month American Red Cross uses this month to honor and celebrate the everyday heroes who help them fulfill their mission through the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors.

“All of the colleges and universities in Indiana accepted the recommendation from the Higher Learning Commission except for Purdue Northwest. We had been partnering with them for the last eight to 10 years and many of our dual credit courses were offered through PNW. As a result, we had to take a number of those courses to IU-Bloomington as part of their dual credit program,” Pettit said. “Just recently, we’ve been working with Purdue Northwest to re-establish a partnership.”

Additional schooling usually comes with a price tag. To avoid teachers deciding not to pursue their master’s based on their financial means, the school district will cover up to the average cost of in-state tuition. “ O u r school district h a s put some incentives into the teachers’ contract that encourage teachers to g e t their HLC certification. In short, the district will pay for teachers to take courses to become HLC certified,” P e t tit said. “ W e also have a stipend that teachers are awarded once they secure their HLC certification and another stipend if they are HLC certified and actively teaching a dual credit course.”

Mar. 5

Mar. 17

Mardi Gras

St. Patrick’s Day

Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, refers to the Carnival celebration beginning on or after the Christian feasts of the Epiphany.

St. Patrick’s Day, or the Feast of St. Patrick, is a cultural and religious celebration that commemorates the arrival of Christianity in Ireland.

Mar. 8-17

“The Drowsy Chaperone” The school musical will be at 7 p.m. on Mar. 8, 9, 15 and 16 as well as at 2:30 p.m. on Mar. 10 and 17.

The integration of dual credit courses overall has proved to be worthy of keeping to administration, causing the push for teachers to pursue their master’s.

“I think it’s been a positive in a number of ways-- time and money for students, the ability to earn a college credit, but also I believe the high expectations set for students in those courses have helped to prepare a better student. As a result, we’re doing a better job preparing students with the skills needed for their post-secondary pursuits,” Pettit said.

Juggling classes and their own education may pose problems for educators. Science teacher Elizabeth Laba has her master’s degree in education, but is working on obtaining 18 credit hours of graduate level chemistry classes at Indiana University Bloomington which creates a time commitment issue.

“For each of the classes except for one I had to write a 15-page paper. So that just takes some time to research and put together. The class I’m taking now I have to take tests online so it’s just the time commitment involved that stresses other parts of your life,” Laba said. “I missed my kids wrestling meet because I had to take a test. And I don’t have as much time to grade and plan as quick.”

Science teacher Brian Elston is also getting his education at Indiana University Bloomington and faces the same difficulties Laba does.

“Last weekend I was supposed to be grading essays and I couldn’t because I had to write a paper and read a book. We’re reading about one book every one to two weeks so that’s always a time commitment,” Elston said. “I’ve only done this for about five or six weeks now, and I already feel the stress loads.

And we’re all professionals so we want to do well in the courses that we’re in. You put all your heart, time and commitment into it, and then you’ve got to take it away from something else.”

Also being a tennis coach, Elston previously never pursued his master’s due to the clash of coaching and his education.

“I’ve always wanted to, but if you’re going to coach, it’s hard. You can’t take a master’s program because in a master’s program you’ve got to be on campus. We get out of coaching probably about six o’clock,

Mar. 20

St. Baldrick’s Shave Day

In Crown Point, this is the day that those who fundraised for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation will come to the high school and shave their heads.

sometimes you have matches at night and you can’t take courses at the same time,” Elston said.

Despite some being able to understand the reason for the new law, Laba doesn’t believe there’s a real need for the change.

“I get it from the colleges’ perspective because if we are teaching college classes, we should be endorsed like college professors,” Laba said. “But at the same time, I have been teaching the same class before this law went into effect, and I don’t think I’m unqualified to teach it now suddenly. I guess I can see the reason for it, but I don’t know that it’s necessary.”

Like Laba, Elston feels he is more than qualified to teach the dual credit course that he has been instructing for five years.

“I don’t know if I agree with all of it because some of the classes I’ve been already teaching just as much or possibly more (information) than some of the lower level freshman courses at colleges. A lot of us have had experience in it and know how to teach it. I don’t know if it’s going to help us become better teachers in the course that we’re teaching,” Elston said. “There’s pluses and minuses with it. I enjoy taking the classes because I miss going in the classroom, but I’m also 52-years-old and I don’t have time.”

With that being said, Pettit agrees and suggests that the new law may be a influenced by higher education’s fear of high school teachers invading their territory.

“I believe that student outcomes should be the biggest determining factor in evaluating a program, and our student outcomes have been every bit as good as what university professors were seeing on the college campus,” Pettit said. “I think in many ways it’s a roundabout way for higher education to protect their turf and doesn’t have the best interest of students in mind.”

With no sign of the law changing, having dual credit credentials may become the deciding factor in who is hired.

Administration plans on taking into account this quality in the future.

“As we hire new teachers, we are looking to hire teachers that already have those credentials.

Increasing the number of faculty members that are credentialed to teach dual credit is important and a priority for us,” Pettit said.

Mar. 20

Spring (Vernal) Equinox

The March equinox marks the moment the Sun crosses the celestial equator, the imaginary line in the sky above the Earth’s equator.

Mar. 24-30 Spring Break

School will not be in session during these days. Students usually use this time to relax, often by taking a vacation.

NEWS INKLINGS February 28, 2019

CPHS musicians compete at ISSMA District and State competitions

BY ASHLEY REKITZKE editor-at-large

Hours upon hours of practice that all lead up to one performance. Soloists and ensembles work on one piece for months to try to give one amazing performance that will impress the judges. The Indiana State School Music Association (ISSMA) provides students and teachers with an educational evaluation. For orchestra director Tom Reed, ISSMA Solo and Ensemble has been a frequent event for Crown Point musicians for years.

The students from the Crown Point orchestra program have been attending ISSMA Solo and Ensemble since these programs began in the mid-1970’s. Any person involved in their orchestra between 6th and 12th grade are eligible to compete.

“So you might say we have been going for about 45 years,” Reed said.

Prior to ISSMA Solo and Ensemble, students must receive a gold rating from their individual judge at ISSMA Regional District

competition. Band director Johann Sletto explains that Group I is the highest and toughest level of music to perform at ISSMA. “Students have to perform a Group I solo or ensemble and receive a gold rating from the judge at District,” Sletto said. “Group I is the most difficult level of music and ISSMA has created a “required list” for Group I. It is essentially college-level music.”

According to Sletto, the ultimate goal was for everyone to receive a gold rating. There are four ratings performers can receive: participation, bronze, silver and gold. Overall, Sletto is extremely proud of all of his students’ performances at ISSMA District which was held on Jan. 26 at Wilbur Wright Middle School.

“Honestly, my big goal for all of them is to get a gold rating at ISSMA District. We take all the students in our top band and divide the entire band up into small ensembles,” Sletto said. “All of these ensembles performed to my expectation at ISSMA District. I am really proud of all the

Student Leaders

work all the soloists and ensembles have done.”

Reed explains that in order to receive any of the four ratings, judges will consider nine of the following: intonation, tone quality and blend, articulation and bowing techniques, note accuracy, rhythmic accuracy, interpretation and musicianship, dynamics, balance and blend, and other factors.

“Judges use a rubric to evaluate student performances. Students earn a score in each of these nine categories. Scores range between one (outstanding work in that area) to a four (unacceptable). Total scores of 13.5 or less earn a gold rating; 14-18 a silver rating, and so on,” Reed said. “Students usually earn a gold or silver rating. Judges usually also provide written comments and suggestions for improvement.”

Senior Carter Holcomb believes it is more about giving the judges a performance one can be proud of rather than receiving a specific score.

“My personal goal is not to achieve a specific rating or score. It is more

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PHOTO BY ASHLEY REKITZKE Members of the chamber orchestra perform at ISSMA District competition. The piece was a concerto grosso and featured two violin soloists as well as a cello soloist. They received a gold at both District and State.

about giving a good performance to the judges who would like to come listen to the ensemble perform,” Holcomb said.

Senior Amanda Hanzel believes that ISSMA gives students an experience that will be worth the time spent preparing.

“ISSMA State Solo and Ensemble is a great, positive

experience. It made me feel a lot better about my playing abilities. I practiced a lot and it was all beneficial,” Hanzel said.

Reed is satisfied with all of the success that his students accomplished at ISSMA Solo and Ensemble at both the state and regional level and hopes for other students to become

immersed in the next upcoming years.

“I am really proud of our students. They have worked hard and have really grown musically. Everybody did well at state contest this past weekend,” Reed said.

“I am hoping to get more students involved in the future.”

continued from page 1

said. “You have to, as a leader, do those things with them and be active with the members and be more active than them. As a leader, you also have to stay informed and prepared.”

Student body president senior Arianna Smith found that acquiring a position has transformed her as a person.

It gave her the chance to grow and expand her social abilities.

“I have learned how to be a more outgoing person,” Smith said. “My freshman year I was so reserved and I did not think that I’d be here today. It’s definitely made me more outspoken and confident in who I am. I know that trait will carry through for me all throughout my life.”

In addition to venturing out of one’s comfort zone, being a student leader poses the task of holding oneself accountable. According to Smith, an officer must be a friendly and knowledgeable person.

“I think a really good quality that a leader should have is to be approachable and to hold yourself with a certain amount of respect. You’re talking to a lot of people who are the same age as you,” Smith said. “You want them to take what you’re saying seriously and to respect you for what you’re doing. Approachability is really important because you want people to be able to come to you and talk to you about what is good for the club or ideas they might have.”

As a senior in an officer position, Smith feels it is her

duty to serve as an example for students aspiring to fill her shoes. A current leader sets up the outline for the next year.

“As a club we do a lot, like Dance Marathon and fundraisers,” Smith said. “Personally, I feel like I have to be a role model for the underclassmen. I want them to look up to me and see what they wanna do when they’re my age and it’s time to be president, like I am, their senior year.”

There are other ways to take on leadership positions beyond school grounds. Junior Sana Alfarhan has had the opportunity to experience similar roles outside of extracurricular activities.

“For the past few summers, I have been traveling abroad to Turkey where nearly three million Syrian refugees now reside. Due to the harsh conditions they faced in their homeland, they fled to Turkey in an attempt to seek a better life, or even life itself,” Alfarhan said. “I volunteer with a bigger organization to distribute care packages, set up a summer camp, provide the orphans with money that’s donated and anything else we can do to help them in their dire situation.”

Regardless of the circumstances, communication is a major factor of everyday life. Mannino recognizes how human interaction is prevalent in any profession. This is why she thinks it helps to have experience with speaking at a young age.

“Whenever you have to speak in front of people, you want to be able to make eye contact with them, get them

under control and have them respect you as you respect them,” Mannino said. “I’m not sure what I want to go into, but every job involves people so you have to be good at speaking. Just like any other adult, you have to be on top of things. You can’t get behind or else you aren’t going to get anywhere in life.”

While having a title can come with useful features, Mannino believes it’s imperative to have pure intentions.

A leadership position comes with requirements that should be upheld. Youth leaders are given the possibility to affect their sphere of interest.

“People shouldn’t just be given titles and not do anything,” Mannino said. “They should contribute and have really good attendance for meetings. You should not take advantage of your title, but make things better.”

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I believe the six C’s play a role in leadership because they are all factors that a good leader should consider and execute when trying to make a positive influence and impact.

- Arianna Smith

Avery Olenik freshman

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The business did have the right to refuse service, and I don’t think it was necessary for such a big deal to be made about it.

Chris DeVries senior

“Empire” actor Jussie Smollett allegedly paid two men to help him stage a fake assault a week after sending himself a threatening letter. He later turned himself into the police to face a felony charge of filing a false police report.

World

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It could make the situation more dangerous if a teacher does not know how to properly respond, and they could potentially harm a student.

A gay couple went to have their taxes done at Carter Tax Service in Russiaville, Indiana, but were turned away due to the owner’s religious beliefs. The owner says her views are protected under the Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which former Governor Mike Pence signed in March 2015.

Nation

This Monday at the Lake Central school board meeting, the school board voted against arming teachers in the classroom.

“It’s really difficult for someone to be in the classroom teaching students one moment and then have to switch gears and grab a gun and have to go out and face an armed person,” Superintendent Larry Verraco told the NWI Times.

State

Area

VIEWS on NEWS [Students’ reactions to events in our world

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It’s sad how far people can go to try and seem like a victim.

Jussie seems really insecure about the position he was in, and he went about solving it the wrong way.

A Wallace’s Giant Bee was seen in the wild in Indonesia last week for the first time since 1981. The bee is the world’s largest, as it is at least an inch and a half long with an inch long tongue. For years, scientists were unsure if the bee was extinct or not, but this recent discovery has confirmed that it is not extinct.

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Ben Zirkle junior

I think that’s pretty dope and that they should try and find more of these bees in the wild so we can learn more Emily Karamacoski about them. sophomore

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OPINION INKLINGS February 28, 2019

COLUMN

COLUMN

Culture of rudeness has been created by major figures’ behavior

Justice system is biased against lower class individuals

BY LINDSEY BAEZA co-editor-in-chief

BY MORGAN TAYLOR co-editor-in-chief

As a society we seemed to have cultivated a culture of rudeness. Every day we see celebrities beefing on Twitter, like Tomi Lahren starting fights with Cardi B (and everyone else all the time), and constantly calling her opposers “libtards” and “snowflakes.” Or every time the president logs on I’m pretty sure he finds at least one offensive thing to say in every tweet. And the sad thing is that we all just accept this behavior.

All the time we see societal figures fighting with each other, name-calling and screaming at each other until they’re red in the face. This is especially seen with politicians. Think back to the Kavanaugh hearing. Do you remember the screaming faces of Kavanaugh and his political supporters? Do you remember Lindsey Graham’s outburst filled with harsh words and fingerpointing? Because I sure do. I remember watching that hearing on TV and thinking to myself ‘is this really what our government leaders are like? Do we really accept this kind of behavior from our leaders?’

I, for one, cannot believe the culture of this government. I cannot believe that our president can say it’s okay to “grab women by the p****” and not face any consequences. I cannot believe he can make fun of the disabled or call other leaders childish names. Ever since I was young my parents have instilled to me the phrase “if you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” Yet I could comprehend these concepts as a five-year-old and our adult leaders cannot.

Walking through the hallways, even just catching pieces of conversations, I always hear at least one person trashtalking someone else. Seeing these major figures act this was has created a culture where it is okay to be rude to each other. A culture where it is okay to make fun of those different than you.

We all need to take a step back and realize that this behavior should not be accepted. I do not want my future children growing up in a world where all of this childish conduct is accepted in our government, our schools and our culture. I will no longer put up with it. This behavior needs to stop.

CARTOON BY MADELYN WHITAKER

Leadership positions are everywhere; there is a spot for everyone to show off their passions EDITORIAL

In a school this big, there are more than enough opportunities for anyone, who is willing, to be in a leadership position. Nearly every extracurricular has a president, captain or an editor. If one puts in the effort to search for their club, they will find it. Being a leader for something that you are passionate about and want to continue in the future with can be beneficial. Learning leadership skills in high school will not only help when it comes to college, or any post secondary plans, but it will help in everyday communication and problem solving skills.

CPHS offers so many different clubs for a variety of interests.

For someone who wants to go into the business career field, joining and eventually having a leadership position in a club like Business Professionals of America (BPA) may help to further develop their skills.

For someone that wants to go into sports, they can learn how to run a team and see what it will be like to be an important team member.

As well as clubs, we are offered the chance to join things like Inklings or Excalibur where we are given the opportunity to spread news to our community. There is something for everyone to join to show off and be involved in what makes them happy and what they are passionate about.

If one has yet to find their place and they feel like they’ve tried them all, our school also gives the opportunity for students to create their own club with the help of a teacher sponsor. If there is something that someone wants to be involved with at CPHS, as long as there is a sponsor willing to take up the club, it can be requested to be implemented.

Putting oneself into a leadership position can help to educate them by giving first hand experience in a field and becoming familiar with people who have similar interests. We feel that being on staff has truly shown us what a job in the journalism field would be like. It has taught us hard journalism skills and how to lead a large group of people.

There are many different positions to help prepare yourself for the future, many of which are available in high school. It is important to gain these skills when you are allowed to make mistakes and learn new skills instead of when you are in charge in your future career and do not know what it going on or how to approach various situations.

SPEAKUP

Emily Clark freshman

“You are able to do what you want and make the decisions.”

What do you think is beneficial about being a student leader?

Lucas Cordes sophomore

“You can put your own original ideas into action rather than following others.”

Arin Valles junior

“You are able to show younger people how things work so later when the leader leaves they will know what to do.”

Marko Prentoski senior

“It is very rewarding to guide others in the right direction.”

We would all like to think that our justice system is fair to every person of the United States, but I think it is clear that that is not true. So let’s stop denying it. One’s financial situation has continuously proven to be a major factor in whether or not a victim receives justice.

In 2009, Robert H. Richards IV, the wealthy heir to the du Pont family fortune, was convicted of raping his 3-yearold daughter. And it was she who did not get a say when Richards was spared of prison because he would “not fare well.”

Instead of receiving his eight year sentence, he received eight years of probation along with courtordered treatment. You’re telling me if he had been from a low class family he would have still been let off so easily?

Celebrities we know and maybe even loved are also guilty of using their finances to avoid prison. Robert “R.” Kelly, the R&B singer of the hit song “Ignition,” has faced allegations of sexually abusing minors for more than two decades. Those as young as 14 have come forward to testify against Kelly, yet each time he has been let off on bail.

If he had been in prison, maybe someone would have been saved from the hands of Kelly. If these allegations would have been treated more seriously, maybe they would have been publicized earlier, allowing women to know to be cautious of Kelly.

The bail system is a great example of how justice is influenced by money. People who are able to pay bail can await their trial while going about their lives. Those who can’t must be detained while waiting for their trial which can take months to years, leaving people serving time for a crime they may have not even committed. Some even feel forced to plead guilty because it would shorten their time tremendously in prison or jail.

They say that only people who are not a ‘danger’ are given bail, but the reality is that most who are detained are there not because they’re dangerous but because they can not pay. Kelly was and is dangerous. Kelly is a serial rapist and a pedophile.

Kelly has been let off on bail numerous times despite him being accused of the same darn crimes over and over again.

Where is our common sense?

OPINION INKLINGS February 28, 2019

INTHEIR

V I EW

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Should E-Learning days be incorporated at Crown Point High School?

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Crown Point High School, IN

Vol. 83 Issue 6 - February 28, 2019 1500 S. Main St. Crown Point, IN 46307 219-663-4885 ex. 11349 fax 219-662-5663 inklings@cps.k12.in.us online: www2.cps.k12.in.us/inklings

Michael Gonzales teacher

PRO: “As long as it

is limited to one or two days not four consecutive days, because then students would start losing instruction time and that might not be beneficial.”

CARTOON BY DOMINIC THEPHASDIN

Julia Crouse freshman

CON: “I do not want

to have ELearning days because I learn better in a classroom and I don’t think I would learn anything if we had it online.”

Matt McElroy junior

PRO: “I think it

would be helpful because school wouldn’t get pushed back as much.”

Chris Gloff teacher “Although CON: there are some instances of good instructions online, I don’t think anything substitutes an excellent facilitator of learning in the classroom,so to think that you’re going to get the same education at home as you would in the classroom is foolish.”

WHATWE

THINK PRO: 19 Inklings Staffers CON: 7 Inklings Staffers

PRO:

Gaps in learning from days off are preventable with e-learning days

BY ALEXANDRA SULEWSKI assistant editor

The addition of computers to the school system has made it easier than ever for students and teachers to stay connected, even outside of school hours. The use of Buzz and email especially has made it easier for students to check on what assignments they need to complete over a period of time, as well as receive information quickly from teachers. Because of this, the need to make up snow days could be removed with the introduction of e-learning days.

Creating e-learning days would prevent too many snow days from being added on at the end of the year. Some students have vacations or other activities that are planned as soon as school gets out, making it much more difficult to change plans once days are missed. It would also mean that students would be able to keep holidays such as Martin Luther King Jr. Day, instead of having to go to school. Plans during these weekends and holidays often cannot be worked around the change of schedule, making attendance an issue on these days.

Another problem with the lack of e-learning days

CON:

is the gap in learning that students experience when school is called off for multiple days in a row. By the time that they get back, it can be hard to remember everything that was learned before the days off. By giving students work to do over these days, it helps them keep up to date and refresh the information that they might otherwise forget. This way, when students get back from an extended period of absences, they will have a smoother transition into what was being learned earlier. This also prevents teachers from having to make drastic changes in their plans to accommodate for the missed school.

Although it can be relaxing for both teachers and students to have days off without having to worry as much about school work, the addition of e-learning days would still reduce more stress by preventing unnecessary days from being added to the end of the school year. Most teachers still assign work over snow days anyway, even if they are not being counted as part of the school year. By taking care of this problem early, students would have extra days of summer, and not have to worry about adjusting plans that they may have had once the school year ends.

E-Learning causes students to cheat, be distracted and results in unproductivity

BY MORGAN TAYLOR co-editor-in-chief

With the extreme weather wave hitting the region, forcing schools to close for numerous days at a time, the question of e-learning days as an alternative to make-up days is on everyone’s minds. Other schools in northwest Indiana utilize these online days in times of bad weather, yet Crown Point should not because students will either not pay attention, will cheat on their work or just not do it at all.

First of all, what student wants to spend their day off sitting in front of their computer all day working on assignments that could have been done in the classroom? Many kids already struggle to keep their head up and pay attention in classes, so trying to make them do it when they are at home with access to things like TV, video games and other distractions seems absurd. At school, there are far less things that will take the student’s attention away from the teacher.

Secondly, having to resort to things like making every student download programs like GoGuardian

to make sure they cannot cheat already shows that not all students can be trusted. If kids are spending their day at home, some will be likely to cheat their way through the assignments in order to finish as fast as possible to return to their off-day activities. While it is true that some students will still find a way to cheat on various things in the classroom, it is far more likely for cheating to occur when they are not being monitored. This would defeat the purpose of e-learning because those students who cheat will have not learned or retained any of the information given.

Blended learning in schools has been proven to work best in teaching students. That being said, this is all monitored in a classroom setting. A completely online program shows declines in the amount of knowledge students are actually learning. Keeping kids in school, even if that means extending the school year, is the better option because students will be more apt to paying attention in class, have less chance of cheating on assignments or tests and will make students more likely to finish all assigned work.

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.

co-editors-in-chief Lindsey Baeza Morgan Taylor editors-at-large Tabitha Beishuizen Ashley Rekitzke associate editor Jessi Alcorta-Robles assistant editors Olivia Budzevski Emma Frank Erin Muller Ariana Setlak Alexandra Sulewski sports editors Timmy Abbott Henry Withrow assistant sports editor Gwyn Isaacs online editors Dominic Thephasdin Madelyn Whitaker social media director Cat Padilla advertising editor Elizabeth Gonzalez staff Asmaa Abdeldaiem Nolan Chase Emily Helmuth Jackson Hillman John Jorden Andrew Poeschl Noah Thomas Haley Thornberry Holly Wagner adviser Julie Elston

6

FEATURE INKLINGS February 28, 2019

experiencing life beyond the building

HEALTH

iL ION FE

Keeping up with health during National Heart Month

BY ERIN MULLER assistant editor

February is National Heart Month, however, Science teacher, Mike Depta feels that this month should not be the only time to be more aware of heart health. He believes students should become more aware of the dangers that heart problems bring and how to avoid getting these problems.

“I think that we offer a wide variety of classes and clubs that focus on these issues. In addition, if a student watches the news or keeps up with current events, topics like heart health are presented fairly often. Unfortunately, some students might be made aware of such issues if someone in their family is affected,” Depta said.

Cardiovascular disease, more commonly known as heart disease, is a condition of the heart that involves narrowed or blocked blood vessels that can lead to a heart attack, chest pain or stroke.

Heart disease is hereditary and is most commonly shown in people who have a family history of the disease. This is the case for senior Morgan Cooper, whose family has a large history with the disease.

“Heart disease has been the cause of death for six of my grandfather’s brothers, all coming into effect before the age of 60,” Cooper said. “The reality that all six of my grandfather’s brothers have died from heart disease became a substantial part of the way I chose to live my life.”

Similar to Cooper, Depta also faces a history with heart problems running in the family.

“My dad had heart problems throughout his later life and ended up having to have a quadruple bypass surgery done after two procedures of angioplasty. It is now on my mind a lot,” Depta said.

“Also, my brother-in-law ended up having a heart transplant. He had heart failure and ended up having to have a valve replace-

‘‘

lot more aware of what to look for and how to properly take care of themselves.”

Due to family history, Depta practices healthful behaviors in order to live a healthier lifestyle and avoid further complications with his heart.

“I don’t smoke. I also follow a healthy diet and lifestyle and get

You can appear pretty healthy, and have an underlying heart issue. Everyone should see a heart doctor when they are older even if they don’t think they have a problem because it is always better to catch things early rather than late.

senior Morgan Cooper ment surgery years ago and suffered from heart failure and last June was the one year anniversary of his heart transplant.”

There are a few main factors that play a very important role in the formation of heart problems.

Smoking is a huge factor that plays a part in the disease. It has been shown that nonsmokers are less likely to get the disease than those who do smoke. “(Depta’s father) followed a terrible diet. All he ate was fried food, he was an on again off again smoker, smoking cigars, pipes and cigarettes while he was younger. From a health standpoint, he really did not take care of himself at all,” Depta said.”

“Nowadays, people should be a

regular exercise,” Depta said.

High blood pressure is also critical in the formation that adds an unnecessary workload to the heart. Having high blood pressure can also lead to a heart attack and a stroke. Stress can be strenuous on the heart and can cause further problems. For Depta, he faces the conditions of PVC which are extra, abnormal heartbeats that begin in the ventricles and disrupts the regular heart rhythm. PVC is, in most cases, brought upon by medications, stress, caffeine, exercise and low blood oxygen “PVCs are premature ventricular contractions. They can be brought on by stress, lack of sleep, or excessive caffeine con-

735,000

BY

THE

#

Americans have a heart attack every year

1 in 4

deaths are due to heart disease

sumption. I suffered through a bout of PVCs last fall,” Depta said. “It made me much more aware of the fact I need to take better care of myself.”

Not being physically active, as well as eating unhealthy also increases the risk of heart diseases. Cooper explains how she stays healthy in order to avoid her family’s high risk for the disease.

“I am vegan for a lot of reasons, but a big one is it helps me to stay conscious of what I am eating and how it affects my body.

My mom and I also try to stay really food conscious and exercise regularly to keep our heart in shape,” Cooper said. “My whole family tries to stay in shape and see the doctor regularly to make sure we aren’t adding any unnecessary risk of heart disease on top of the genetic one.”

According to Cooper, it is important to make sure that even if one’s family doesn’t have a history, one should be checking in with a doctor regularly.

“You can appear pretty healthy and have an underlying heart issue. Everyone should see a heart doctor when they are older even if they don’t think they have a problem because it is always better to catch things early rather than late. Things that people might brush off as nothing can sometimes be a sign of a larger issue,” Cooper said. “One sign we saw in all of them that we would never have thought of as a sign of a heart problem is snoring. I know it sounds weird that snoring is a sign of heart disease, but it’s something my family learned later on when it was too late.”

percent 47 of cardiac deaths occur outside a hospital

27 percent of people were aware of symptoms and knew to call 911

30 percent of adult Americans have elevated or stage one high blood pressure

49 percent of adult Americans

have high blood pressure, high cholesterol and smoking are key risk factors for heart disease.

30 percent of adult Americans do not engage in a leisure time physical activity.

https://theheartfoundation.org/heart-disease-facts-2/

47 percent had at least one of these risk factors: high blood pressure, high cholesterol and smoking https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm

FEATURE INKLINGS February 28, 2019

7

Minimalism proves useful for productivity, self-growth

BY ARIANA SETLAK MADELYN WHITAKER assistant editor co-online editor

Many feel that it is hard to focus if their life is cluttered and in disarray.

They desire to maximize their time and minimize their stresses, and some find that a way they can alleviate this added stress is to adopt a minimalist attitude towards their belongings and workspace.

Sparking the worldwide desire to declutter and live a cleansed life of minimalism, Marie Kondo, in her Netflix series “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo,” has inspired many to get rid of items that they may not need due to the perceived mental health benefits of the minimalist lifestyle. Sophomore Myah Garza realizes the benefits that she has noticed after cleansing her personal space.

“I think when you get rid of things that you don’t necessarily need in your life it takes away stress and there’s more room for growth,” Garza said.

Junior Jacob Johansson advises that those who want to become more minimalist occupy their time in a way that is not driven by consumerism and technology.

“Try to start reading or drawing or doing stuff like that to preoccupy your time because there’s nothing wrong with watching TV and movies every now and then but at the same time when people come home and all they do is be glued to the TV you’re just sitting there consuming and you’re not really doing anything to expand your consciousness,” Johansson said.

Psychology Today, a psychologybased news outlet, cites that if a work environment is cluttered, then the mind is cluttered. Complementing minimalism, organization is a method that many students use to maintain their work environment and be productive. Junior Katy Smith finds that to stay organized, it is best for her to utilize various technologies and strategies.

“I usually write out all of my homework in the notes app on my phone and I write my upcoming tests and quizzes on a sticky so that I am constantly reminded to study,” Smith said.

Garza notes that she maintains her minimalist attitude towards life by ensuring that the items she possesses hold importance and recommends this same outlook for others.

“Just keep things that you need. You don’t need millions of clothes, I mean it’s nice but you don’t necessarily need them. More materialistic items don’t really do anything but make you happy for a minute so once you get rid of that you’re good,” Garza said.

Smith not only comments on how being organized has enabled her to com-

‘‘

Let go of things that you don’t need.

Focus on more things within you instead of things that you can be holding or wearing.

sophomore Myah Garza

plete more schoolwork, but also suggests cleaning and organizing as a way to relieve stress.

“When you are organized, you are more likely to actually do your homework when it’s not a struggle to find it,” Smith said. “Also I know for me I am way more productive when I’m doing homework or studying when I’m in a clean and organized environment.

When your surroundings are organized, your brain is also more focused and clear.

Cleaning space around you can help clear your mind and lower stress levels.”

Johansson recommends finding entertainment in the arts, rather than technology, so that one’s present lifestyle better reflects their future. Additionally, he comments on the personal appeal of having minimal belongings.

“I would say that I’m anti-consum-

erist. I’ve always preached keeping things and holding onto them and buying older things. I’m really into art, drawing and playing guitar so the thought of not having a TV is not scary. When I’m growing old, coming home and listening to music and drawing and doing stuff like that sounds better to me,” Johansson said.

“Not having a lot of possessions has been really interesting to me.”

Similar to Garza, Johansson realizes the inessential nature of constantly buying items he may not need. He also notices how minimalism is a good way for him to budget and save money for necessities.

“Saving on money is important too,” Johansson said. “I play video games too and I’m really into it but if I was to buy every video game that came out and do stuff like that I would completely waste my money. It’s a way to preoccupy your time in a healthy way that’s also more gratifying than playing a video game or watching TV.” Garza acknowledges how maintaining a minimalist environment has benefitted her ability to get schoolwork and other tasks done. She also advises having a routine approach to tasks so that they can be done more efficiently.

“I definitely think that if you have a ton of things building up in your backpack or your desk or your binder it’s almost more stressful and it makes you not want to get as much work done,” Garza said. “When you have a set way of how you do things and you’re organized, it makes the process easier.”

Garza recognizes the potential for self-growth and a clear mindset that accompanies a minimalist lifestyle.

“I don’t have a lot of little things like electronic stuff or things like that because I feel like not being on a phone all of the time helps you clear out your mind,” Garza. “Just focusing more on myself and not thinking that certain things or items or possessions will make me happier and focusing on self-growth and selfcare is good.”

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8

bees turtles

FEATURE INKLINGS February 28, 2019

“Save the ___”

With environmental risks, faculty members urge students to take action on saving oceans

BY MORGAN TAYLOR EMILY HELMUTH co-editor-in-chief reporter

In the last few decades, the world has gradually become more environmentally aware, especially with animal conservation and protection. More recently, marine life has been one of the main focuses of this environmental movement.

Science teacher Ashley Cosme, who attended the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Teacher at Sea Program last year, believes the movement has grown.

“People actually seeing that effect has really started the movement,” Cosme said. “Scientists have been studying this for years, but now I think the public is getting involved because we are actually seeing animals that are suffering from human impact.”

One of the consequences of human impact on sea life is the presence of plastic in the waters.

According to Cosme, almost every animal in the ocean has plastic in them currently.

“It is now estimated that nearly 100 percent of all organisms living in the ocean have some sort of plastic inside their body,” Cosme said.

One of the animals that are highly affected by the plastic pollution are sea turtles. Several places in Florida, such as Sanibel and Captiva Island, have taken extra steps to protect the sea turtles.

The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) examines the beaches every morning during nesting season to search for sea turtle eggs, and when nests are found they are marked off so tourists know to be careful. The SCCF puts wire mesh over the nests to prevent other wildlife from interfering with the eggs, but are careful to leave enough room so the sea turtles can return to the ocean once they are hatched. According to sophomore Mia Stewart, who visited southern Florida last summer with the marine biology club, several places in Florida have taken steps to reduce their carbon footprint and protect the sea turtles.

“A lot of businesses stopped selling plastic straws with their drinks, since plastic is non-biodegradable,” Stewart said. “When it ends up in the ocean animals, like sea turtles, consume it and choke on it or get cancer from the plastic.”

To substitute for the plastic straws, many businesses offer paper straws, due to paper being

more eco-friendly than plastic.

Marine Biology club sponsor Melissa Beach who visited Marine Lab in southern Florida last summer, along with Stewart, says most animals do not even realize they are eating harmful plastic.

“We did a lab on micro-plastics, and we found various sizes of micro-plastics just in our little study,” Beach said. “Animals that eat plankton, they just open their mouth and swim, and whatever they get is what they’re eating. If your stomach is full of plastic, then you’re not getting the nutrients from the plankton and the other stuff that you should be eating.”

Plastic takes over 400 years to biodegrade, and it often times ends up in the ocean. According to Beach, plastic can stay in the ocean for longer than most people realize.

“If the pilgrims had plastic when they came over, it would still be floating around in our ocean today,” Beach said.

Plastic has countless negative effects on the environment, as the combination of plastic and global warming is also killing the world’s irreplaceable coral reefs, according to environmental science teacher Bryan Trippeer.

“Coral reefs are homes to many species of fish, sea turtles and other forms of aquatic life. Due to climate change, many coral reefs around the world are diminishing at an alarming rate. Some of these corals are thousands of years old and won’t grow back very quickly if at all. Many of the organisms that live amongst the coral will be affected as well,” Trippeer said.

“Sea turtles, for example, who depend on coral reefs for a variety of purposes, would suffer due to habitat loss much the same way animals that live on land would suffer due to deforestation or loss of their natural homes.”

Outside of the ocean, another marine animal that is suffering due to human impact is the captive orcas. The 2013 CNN documentary “Blackfish” made the world aware of the inhumane conditions that performing captive orcas live in. Cosme comments on these conditions.

“They swim thousands of miles a year, and when they are in a little tank, they don’t get that freedom,” said Cosme.

“Blackfish” followed the life of the orca, Tilikum, who was taken from the wild as a young orca.

Out of the four deaths caused by captive orcas, Tilikum is linked to three of them, two of them taking place at SeaWorld Orlando. The

fill in the blank

PHOTO PROVIDED BY MELISSA BEACH A sea turtle swims in the coral reef near Key Largo, Florida. The Marine Biology club visited Marine Lab in Florida last summer.

10 Things YOU can do to Save the Oceans 1. Mind Your Carbon Footprint and Reduce Energy Consumption 2. Make Safe, Sustainable Seafood Choices 3. Use Fewer Plastic Products 4. Help Take Care of the Beach 5. Don’t Purchase Items That Exploit Marine Life 6. Be an Ocean-Friendly Pet Owner 7. Support Organizations Working to Protect the Ocean 8. Influence Change in Your Community 9. Travel the Ocean Responsibly 10. Educate Yourself About Oceans and Marine Life

film discussed how these numerous years of captivity have caused Tilikum to lash out and cause these deaths and introduced audiences to the conditions these orcas live in. Stewart feels that captivity is a main factor in causing these issues.

“These orcas in captivity live in extremely small tanks,” Stewart said. “The tanks have nothing in them to keep the orcas mentally stimulated, so when they aren’t working with the trainers or feeding, they are often bored.”

In 2016, SeaWorld announced that this generation of performing orcas would be the last at SeaWorld, and that they would cease breeding of orcas. This was seen as a success to the environmental world, but Stewart believes they could still do more.

“Around the world, there are numerous ocean sanctuaries where former captive orcas can live in large areas of the ocean while still being able to have human care and eventually be released if possible,” Stewart said. “More and more of these sanctuaries are popping up all over the world, and I think SeaWorld should partner up with one of the organizations building these sanctuaries so they can send their captive orcas there so they can have that ocean experience.”

Even from Northwest Indiana, Beach believes we all still can help save marine life. She says that changing to a more eco-friendly diet will help drastically.

“The biggest way to reduce your carbon footprint is to go vegetarian or vegan. If you think about the animals and how much CO2 they produce and how many animals you consume over your

lifetime, that’s a big carbon footprint,” Beach said. “If you don’t want to go extreme, maybe do one vegetarian or vegan meal a week.

Just something as simple as not taking a plastic bag when you go to the store that can make a big impact.”

Beach wants anyone who wants to become more involved in saving the ocean, or just the environment in general, to join the Marine Biology club or the Green Machine club and states that everyone is invited. The Marine Biology club will visit Marine Lab in Key Largo again in 2020. Sophomore Kendyl Hill, who went on the trip last summer, believes the trip has something for everyone.

“Going to Key Largo and becoming scuba certified was a life changing experience,” Hill said. “I learned so much about the ocean and marine life in general because of this club. Learning about it in the classroom is one thing, but actually seeing it in real life is another. It really puts things into perspective seeing marine life in their natural habitat.”

If Stewart can, she hopes to return to Marine Lab on the trip in 2020. After high school, Stewart plans on attending college and earning a degree in marine biology.

“We still don’t know a lot about the ocean, and the ocean has always been an interesting topic to me,” Stewart said. “I really want to learn more about the ocean and its animals, and I also want to help protect it. Saving the ocean will not be easy, but I truly believe we as a society can come together and save it.”

FEATURE INKLINGS February 28, 2019

9

Countdown to Spring Break begins; three weeks remain Planning an ideal spring break full of activities

ROAD TO SPRING BREAK

BY TABITHA BEISHUIZEN NOLAN CHASE editor-at-large reporter

With spring break being only three weeks away, time is getting low for planning the perfect break.

While some students are experiencing their first high school spring break and others experiencing their “senior” break, there is still time to accommodate plans on both ends.

While many people want to get out and away from the region, there are still plenty of activities that can be done without heading out of town. Between the downtown square, mini golfing and restaurants, a fun-filled break can be done right here in Crown Point. Local businesses thrive on business from their local supporters so any money that can be given back to them goes back into Crown Point.

For those who seek to get away this break, there is still time to book planes and head out of Indiana.

While many popular destinations, such as Florida and California, are

going to be busy and more expensive due to the weather, they are still practical if the money can be put forward. Going to less “spring break location” deemed states can also be fun, such as Colorado or Tennessee.

Leaving the region without travelling too far is also a possibility. A day in Chicago can feature the zoo, shopping and walking around the city all within an hours drive. Indianapolis also gives similar activities that can be done with only travelling a few hours. Even though Chicago is a place many students go often, there are many touristy activities many people haven’t done, such as going to The Bean or the Willis Tower Skydeck.

To those who want a more spontaneous spring break, a road trip can be the perfect last minute trip. Gather up a group of friends, decide which direction to head and start the journey. Road trips are easy to plan last minute and can take up as few or as many days as wanted. However, when trying to book hotels or Airbnbs beware that someone 18 years or older needs to

be checking in, possibly even older depending on the hotel.

Another plan that can easily be made is just going and hanging with friends. There are endless possibilities on what can be done, such as going to the movies, swimming, or even just as simple as going over to someone’s house and having a game night. Depending on the weather, going on an adventure of hiking or camping can even be done.

Staying inside can also be fun, even if it does just consist of Netflix and YouTube binge watching. All those food and craft videos that seem anywhere from important to super cool can be challenging and put to the test. These can be done alone or with a group of friends.

No matter if someone’s spring break plans are to stay at home all day every day or be on the beach snorkelling and surfing, in the end, it is a break from school that should be enjoyed. With this being the last big break of the year, having fun and enjoying the days off is all that really needs to be done to have a good spring break.

Chicago Day DIYs and Recipes With more and more viral cooking and craft videos reaching everyone’s feed, now is the time to do them, not just watch. From Buzzfeed’s Tasty to LaurDIY, there is a wide variety of videos to watch and recreate.

Price for food or materials: $10-30 Distance: 0 miles

Local Exploring Want to get out of the house but not go too far? Downtown Crown Point has everything needed to have a full day of activities. Between the antique shops, restaurants and even mini golfing available, it is the perfect place to be if having a variety of things to do it preferred.

Price for shopping and food: $10-30 Distance: 2 miles

Spring Break Essential Activities

Get a group of friends or family together and drive to Chicago. Go shopping, dining or watch a movie. Chicago has a lot of recreational activities and a day in the city could be an enjoyable way to spend part of the break.

Price for activities and food: $40-60 Distance: 50 miles

Staycation Spa Day Stay relaxed and enjoy the break with an at-home spa day. Do manicures, pedicures, hair, face masks, makeup and much more. Everything needed for a spa day is likely at home in the cabinets or can easily be obtained with a run to Target.

Price for supplies: $10-30 Distance: 0 miles

Beach Day When the warm weather finally hits and the cold subsides, the beach is the place to go. With activities ranging from swimming, hiking, camping, having a bonfire and much more, there is something to do for a variety of people. Even just basking in the sun and listening to the waves crash could be a perfect spring day.

Price for gas and food: $20-30 Distance: 40 miles

Road Trip Want to head out of town without all the extra planning? Get a group of friends together, pack a bag, open up a GPS and get on the road.

Head south and see what other places Indiana has to offer, or head east or west to see what is in our neighbor states.

Price for gas and hotels: $300-500 Distance: 100 miles or more

Go swimming

Go Shopping

Pull an all-nighter

Try a new restaurant

Hang out with friends

Watch YouTube videos

@Indiana Dunes or a pool

@Southlake Mall

@home.or.aor friend’s house

@the.square downtown

@the movie theatre

@home

10

FEATURE

INKLINGS February 28, 2019

Teachers talk about experiences that changed their career pathways

Checks payable to CPHS Excalibur can be brought to the main office or journalism lab in E109.

Test Your Success 1. How many majors did Ms. Castro have? a.) 3 b.) 6 c.) 1 d.) 2

2. What did Mrs. Wietbrock originally want to do? a.) Teacher b.) Marine Biologist c.) Artist d.) Archeologist

3. Where did Mrs. Laba go to college? a.) Valparaiso University b.) Indiana University c.) Purdue University d.) Ball State University

4. Why did Mrs. Laba stay in college an extra year to get her teaching degree? a.) Never wanted to leave college b.) Not enough credits c.) Injured while running d.) Took time off to travel

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choice was motivated by her experience while student teaching.

Latin teacher Sara Wietbrock also had a career change in college, she was planning to study archaeology and obtain an Ph.D. in this field, but it turned out to not be the right career path for her. After taking an extra year of college, Wietbrock had come to realize that she had an interest in teaching.

“My senior year of college, I decided not to get my Ph.D., so instead I took a fifth year at college to figure out what I wanted to do, and while I did that I taught a class and I realized I liked teaching so I decided to get my masters in teaching,’’ Wietbrock said.

Once she decided that teaching was a potential career path, Wietbrock took a Latin class and struggled to comprehend the language, but was determined to fully understand it.

“I got a C- in my first semester of Latin in college,” Wietbrock said. “I was so mad that I didn’t understand something in school because I always did really well, that I was determined to understand it. So it took me probably three years to actually understand Latin, and I put so much work into it that by the time I did, I really liked it. I can honestly say that I’ve never regretted becoming a teacher.”

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PHOTO PROVIDED BY RENEE CASTRO Castro poses by a statue while on a trip to Mexico with her church. This trip inspired her passion for the culture.

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Deciding on a career path can seem like a daunting task, especially to those in high school or college. There are many possible jobs to pursue after college, which can create a sense of confusion for people with multiple interests. Spanish teacher Renee Castro felt this when she was a sophomore in college. Before deciding to be a teacher, Castro originally wanted to become a sound engineer.

“I majored in sound engineering. So I was a music major, and the end goal was to be a performance major for two years before you could specialize into something like that,” Castro said. “I quickly found that it was not for me.”

Even after changing her major out of sound engineering, Castro still did not know what she wanted to do. Castro did not predict that she would change her mind once she got in college.

“I had six majors total. (I was a) music major, I switched to business, I switched to restaurant and hotel institutional management because I was working in a restaurant at the time and I thought that would be a good thing to do. Then I switched to psychology, English education and Spanish education.” Castro said. "I was one of the people who went away to college thinking I would never change."

Castro discovered her passion for the spanish language and culture after taking a trip with her church to Mexico. It also helped her discover the age range that she preferred to teach.

“I took a trip with my church to Mexico (when) I was a sophomore in college.

I led a group of teenagers,” Castro said.

“While I was in Mexico, they had me interpret because I was the only one who had any background in Spanish, and something shifted at that moment. I fell in love with the culture, fell in love with the language, came home, changed my major and that

was it. The fact that I went with teenagers, I found the age group that I really liked dealing with and what ended up being my career.”

For Castro, it was a process of trial and error before she ended up finding a major that she enjoyed. By going through other options, she was able to find her passion.

“It truly was a process of elimination.

I think I tried enough things that by the time I got all the way to Spanish, I had pretty much eliminated all possibilities," Castro said. “I think through experience you find some of the things that you really do like and that you really don’t like.”

Science teacher Elizabeth Laba had a different plan before deciding to become a teacher. Her original plan was to become a mechanical engineer, which was influenced by the area that she grew up in.

“I was planning on becoming a mechanical engineer. I got a minor in chemistry when I was in college, and I worked in orthopedic research labs,” Laba said. “I grew up near Detroit, and there was a big push for women in engineering. They used to take us to all the car companies in Detroit because they all have their headquarters there. I guess I kind of felt like that’s what I was supposed to do, because that’s what everyone told me I should do.”

Laba first took an interest in teaching after an injury left her unable to run for track and cross country. While she finished her athletic career, she had time to get her teaching degree.

“When I was in college, I ran cross country and track. So I finished my degree, but then I got injured and I had an extra year of running eligibility because I had been injured for a year,” Laba said. “I was just kind of looking to see what I could do because I went to kind of a small school, I went to Valparaiso University, and I was like well I could get my teaching degree, that would be a good backup plan.”

After earning her teaching degree, Laba had to make the choice between pursuing mechanical engineering or teaching. Her

1. b 2. d 3. a 4. c

BY ALEXANDRA SULEWSKI CAT PADILLA assistant editor social media director

EXTRA POINTS

SPORTS INKLINGS February 28, 2019

11

ONE LAST RIDE

‘‘ I feel like we played pretty well this season.

We learned from some mistakes we made and we feel good during the postseason.

Elias Gerodemos

senior POLL

Should college athletes be paid?

PHOTO BY JESSI ALCORTA-ROBLES

117 yes 120 no OUT OF 237 STUDENTS POLLED

HOT TAKES

“Indiana Hoosiers basketball will make March Madness this season and they will be a top six seed next year with an influx of incoming freshman talent and returning players.”

-Henry Withrow, co-sports editor

Crown Point’s seniors Elias Gerodemos, Sam Snodgrass, Matt Hanlon, Chris Karakozis, Sam Decker, Sam Krutz, and Tyler Jeeninga posing before facing against Hammond Morton.

Senior basketball players head into final tourney after years playing together

BY ELIZABETH GONZALEZ advertising editor Being a part of athletics is said to provide kids with great qualities that they can carry throughout their lives. From resilience, to determination and to friendship, sports have the ability to teach a person a multitude of things. For the members of the boys basketball team, these lessons have been learned many times over. The seven seniors had a long journey to get to the spot they’re in today, but every step of the way they have stuck together. Senior Sam Krutz believes their years together have helped them grow as basketball players and teammates.

“I feel like the relationship that the seniors have formed is strong.

Playing on the same AAU team and then on the same high school team for four years is something that we shouldn’t take for granted, and has helped our chemistry,” Krutz said.

The boys were first acquainted in elementary school where they played on many of the same teams, and since then, their team bond has continued to flourish. Being able to have that head start with a team is

something that they have not taken for granted. Senior Tyler Jeeninga believes that their years together before high school allowed them to become a family before even making the high school team.

“We have grown so much more comfortable with each other, and we can always help each other out.

It is a really amazing connection we have built from hanging out with each other for years,” Jeeninga said.

As a group, they met in fifth grade (except senior Sam Snodgrass, who moved here freshman year) but some of the Dogs had the chance to meet each other way before then.

Krutz and seniors Elias Gerodemos and Chris Karakozis first met through church.

“We have grown up together through family and church for as long as I can remember. We started playing basketball together through church back in probably first grade, so we have become pretty accustomed to each other’s styles of play,” Karakozis said.

The camaraderie within the Dogs can not only be found on the court, but off the court as well.

Whether it is homework help or

just hanging out and making music, they seek to build each other up and always help their teammates.

They are together 200 out of the 360 days in a year; for most that can be tiresome, but senior Matt Hanlon and his teammates appreciate it.

“Being able to see the same group of guys for such a significant part of your year and work with them tirelessly creates a bond unlike any other. Yes, sometimes we can get burnt out, but we have an amazing coaching staff that knows how to balance our relationship as a team, and our success,” Hanlon said.

It is common knowledge within the senior group that their losses have been what they have learned the most from, while the tough wins have brought them together the closest. Learning how to pick up not only themselves, but the whole team, is what they attribute to how they are able to achieve the cohesiveness they have now.

“Being able to win in tough environments and being able to just stay together whenever there are rough times throughout the season

has made us so much more mature,” Gerodemos said.

According to Jeeninga and Hanlon, the true binding factor for the seniors is their head coach: Clint Swan.

“He’s been great these four years, teaching us life lessons and helping all of us with schooling. He encourages us to have homework working sessions sometimes where we all can help each other out, and it really is great for everyone on the team,” Jeeninga said.

Swan truly has enjoyed coaching these boys, and knows they will be missed. However, he acknowledges that the legacy that they have left behind will set a great example for years to come.

“Coaching these guys has been very rewarding. When you get a group of guys that are good people, good players and they play as a team, you get to see the growth because of it. From a coaching standpoint it makes my job a lot easier,” Swan said. “I can count on those guys to make the plays that need to be made, but most importantly provide the leadership for the younger guys as well.”

Gymnastics ready for regionals after sixth place finish at DAC

BY GWYN ISAACS assistant sports editor

My moment of the month ... “...winning the state title. It’s a big accomplishment but I still need to work harder to reach my long term goals.

Freshman Jesse Mendez Wrestling

Beaming with confidence, the Lady Bulldog gymnastics team is flipping toward the end of the season. The girls have been stepping up all season, which has led to many goals being reached. One of sophomore Leah Dexter’s favorite moments came from the team’s hard work paying off.

“My favorite moment from this season would have to be from our last home meet. At the end of the meet, the whole team gathered together to see our team score added up. We got our highest score of 110.05. It was so exciting,” Dexter said. “Some girls were crying and we were all jumping with excitement. Everyone was so proud and it was very rewarding.”

The girls have been able to envision success

in their future due to every girl putting forth a great deal of effort. Coach Amy Pysh believes that the group’s team effort has been exceptionally strong this year.

“I have 16 gymnasts this year, all of whom have a positive role. We have a lot of depth at the varsity level as well, meaning that I have been able to really give many of the gymnasts an opportunity to compete at that level throughout the season,” Pysh said. “I have struggled a bit to choose only four gymnasts per event in invitationals and tournament series, because so many of the gymnasts could contribute.”

Although this season has consisted of many challenges, the team believes they have prepared enough to dominate their competition. Intensive practices and countless workouts have put

them in a good position for their meets.

“The DAC is especially difficult to compete in every year because of recurrent state champs like Valpo and Chesterton. This year though, Lake Central and Portage both received two Level 9’s onto their teams, so it was tough to go against them as well,” Pysh said. “We scored a 108.45 at the DAC meet for sixth, but the next closest team to us was Michigan City with a 91.5 Our 108.45 will likely be the sixth, seventh or eighth place score at state this year, so it is really competitive in NWI for the sport of gymnastics. We held our state-ranking of between fourth through eighth all season though, so we are very proud.”

The gymnastics team will head to regionals on Mar. 2 in Valparaiso.

12

SPORTS INKLINGS February 28, 2019

Veteran talent leads boys basketball team to successful season

BY NOAH THOMAS

COLUMN

reporter

With a lineup mainly comprised of seniors, the Bulldogs basketball team headed into the postseason finishing the year off over .500 at 13-8.

Head coach Clint Swan and his team have kept almost all of their games within reach, finishing 5-5 in games that ended in a five point score differential.

“It’s tough because in a lot of those close games, we’ve had to come back at the end, or I feel like in a lot of the close games, whoever had the ball in the end was probably going to win the game,” Swan said. “I think Valparaiso is a good example of that. You know we just keep preparing. We just keep trying to put our guys in positions in those end of game situations to try to be successful. It’s the most close games I’ve had in a season in any one season in my career. We’ve won some close ones and dropped some close ones.”

Senior Sam Snodgrass sees his last season as successful, and one in which he became more of a leader. He feels that they’re an underrated team, but he likes the underdog mentality.

“I think we’ve had some tough games where we could’ve won but didn’t close out, but other than that we’ve had a great season playing together as a team.

We have a team full of leaders and we all do it in our own way. At the end of the day though, we all want to be on the same page and play as one,” Snodgrass said. “I’m going to miss my guys on the team and our ups and downs when we pulled things together. Especially when anyone talks about top teams in the area and we’re never really up there, we like being the underdogs every game,” Snodgrass said.

Senior Matt Hanlon sees lots of positives in his final season. He feels that the close wins out match the close loses.

“It’s pretty crazy to think this is my last year. In a way, I feel like I’m only just starting. This is the year everyone feels we can do well, so we have a lot of expectations for my final year of basketball. Honestly, although we’ve lost close games, we’ve also won a lot

The AAF starts off strong with high goals for future

BY NOAH THOMAS reporter

PHOTO BY JESSI ALCORTA-ROBLES Sophomore Ty Smith dribbling past an East Chicago defender to set up a basket for the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs won 54-47.

of close games so the losses aren’t all that deflating,” Hanlon said. “I think the biggest key is for everyone to stay confident in late game situations and for all of us to trust each other, but our high points were probably beating Munster and Merrillville.”

Senior Elias Gerodemos led the way for the Bulldogs in scoring, averaging 17 points a game along with five rebounds. Gerodemos and the rest of the team have focused on ball movement, something Swan has been preaching all season. He believes his roster is filled with unselfish players, which he thinks is crucial to success.

“I thought the best moment this year has been seeing how the players and team have come together this year. We had some tough loses early; we lost to Penn on the road by 20 points, we had a tournament in Noblesville where we played three games and lost all three games by two points. I think that would have derailed a lot of seasons and undercut a lot of teams, but it didn’t with our guys. Our guys did a amazing job of riding the ship and staying together and not turning selfish, not turning on one another, but they galvanized themselves,” Swan said.

Snodgrass has many memories from his high school career,

and he and the rest of the seniors have countless more that none of them will forget.

“My best moment of my career had to be in my junior season, when we played Lake Central at home. I had my best game of the season and we ended up winning, and now whenever we play LC they boo me whenever I touch the ball. When I’m at the free throw line they call me overrated.

I love it,” Snodgrass said.

The Bulldogs will be looking to recoup after this season after losing many seniors.

The sectional game last night against Hammond Morton finished after press time.

Girls basketball finishes historic season with semi-state loss

BY HENRY WITHROW co-sports editor

Finishing undefeated during the regular season, winning sectionals, regionals, and making it to the semi-state game, the Crown Point girls basketball squad made history this season. The girls were the first team to make it to semistate since Crown Point’s 1997 team.

Senior Caitlyn Phillips believes a large amount of the team’s success stemmed from pacing.

“Our game this year was focused on playing at our pace and making each team play to our level if they wanted to compete.

Coach Seibert recognized that this year and put us in a position to be

on top throughout the year,” Phillips said. “We focus a lot on goals for the end of the season and winning championships is what practices and games are predicated upon. Not only Coach Seibert, but our other coaches too, forced us to work hard everyday to win the winter tournament, DAC, sectionals, and regionals.”

Being the first Crown Point team to make it to semi-state in over twenty years, the team feels accomplished. Although the team will be graduating four seniors, head coach Chris Seibert believes the team has potential to be successful for years to come.

“Our four seniors will be greatly missed; they’ve done a tremendous amount for us, not only

on the basketball court but leadership wise as well. Team building wise and locker room wise, they were great. Finding people to step up and fill those roles will be critical,” Seibert said. “As far as on the court, we will return five players that played significant minutes for us and we will have some others who didn’t get a huge chance this year. We are definitely very excited for the next few years because our JV team went 21-1 and our freshman team went 16-2, so there is definitely young talent in the pipeline who will be competing for spots going forward.”

With multiple underclassmen returning and more talent coming into the program, Phillips believes they have potential to continue

their path of success.

“I think this year has shaped Crown Point girls basketball into its own culture. That will continue through the next few years having several now experienced girls.

Every girl on that team works hard every day and competes; I think they can only keep getting better,” Phillips said. “This year, I think we played great. We haven’t been this dominant in the region for over 20 years which is crazy to think about. Being undefeated for an entire season is incredibly difficult and to accomplish that is something we will never forget.”

The Bulldogs now move on to the offseason, with ample time to celebrate their success before returning to the floor next year.

Spring football is back.

The Alliance of American Football is a new football league that has kicked off this year and plans to stay for years to come. Unlike the XFL, this isn’t a league that wants to compete with the NFL. It actually wants to pair up with the NFL over time.

They have TV partnerships with CBS, Bleacher Report, TNT, and NFL Network. It’s a new beginning for ex-college players and NFL busts. With names like Trent Richardson, Christian Hackenberg, Garrett Gilbert, David Cobb, Bishop Sankey, and more, the AAF plans to make moves in the football world.

The AAF has a 10 week, 40 game regular season. The league consists of eight teams: the Orlando Apollos, Birmingham Iron, Memphis Express, San Antonio Commanders, San Diego Fleet, Arizona Hotshots, Salt Lake Stallions, and the Atlanta Legends. The top two teams from the East and West Divisions will face each other in a playoff game, then the team from the East and West will play in a championship game.

Rules differ from the NFL with no kickoffs; after a touchdown, they have to attempt a two-point conversion and they can’t blitz five or more guys.

The AAF’s first game had ratings higher than the NBA game on ABC at the same time. The most viral thing on the internet that night was the AAF. Mike Bercovici lost his helmet on an insane sack by Shaan Washington, giving the AAF more popularity.

That moment was when football fans rejoiced after the Super Bowl and said football is back.

This league is extraordinary, with little commercials and a short halftime. The game is a little above two hours compared to the NFL’s average of three hours and 12 minutes.

The AAF also has everyone mic’d up, including coaches, players, refs and the people involved in the booth review.

Overall, the AAF will last for years. There are concerns with player safety, and with the games not being played on CBS but on CBSSN. Regardless, attendance and ratings have been high and everyone has raved about this league.

The championship will be televised on CBS on Apr. 27 in Las Vegas, Nevada. I see the Birmingham Iron taking the league championship.

SPORTS INKLINGS February 28, 2019

13

Girls swimming competes at state championship; offseason begins

BY TIMMY ABBOTT co-sports editor

One last time for this season, the girls swim team entered the pool to compete in the IHSAA State Championship. Representing the Bulldogs were members of 200 freestyle relay and also junior Jordan Artim, who was able to score Crown Point’s only point by finishing 16th in the 50 freestyle. She also competed in the 100 breaststroke.

The Bulldogs ended up finishing 46th in the meet as a whole, a ranking that members of the team believe they can improve upon next season. However, senior Bekah Letcher is proud of how the team performed this season and sees their performance as a fitting end to her high school career.

“I am extremely proud of my team and our performances this season. I felt that this season we were much closer as a team than we have been in past seasons, which was evident when we were at meets,” Letcher said. “I am especially proud of our swims at sectionals and for qualifying for state. For me, ending my season at state was the perfect end to high school swimming.”

As this year’s seniors move on past high school, there will be some holes for the remaining swimmers to fill next season and beyond. Artim believes that her and the rest of the incoming seniors are much prepared to take on the leadership roles going forward.

“Our group of incoming seniors have been on the team for all four years, so the other girls on the team will know all of us already and be comfortable with us too,” Artim said. “I believe the group of seniors we will have next year will influence the underclassmen in a really good way. Kaitlin (Gardner) and I have been captains already, so I think it will be a pretty easy transition into being the leaders on the team for us and the other seniors too.”

Of all the swimmers who made it down to state, only one of them was a senior (Letcher). This means that the rest of that group will have another shot to get there and attempt to improve on this year’s finish. Letcher thinks that the Bulldogs are in good hands as far as next season goes.

“I believe that next year’s seniors will be good leaders for the team. They are a very hardworking and determined class, and that will show when they are the leaders and the girls being looked up to on the team,” Letcher said.

In order to maximize their potential going forward, Artim believes that they’ll need to focus on “having a better mentality” and “encouraging each other better.” There will be plenty of time to work on that as the offseason rolls on.

PHOTO BY RAYNE SCHILLING Junior Riley Bettich faces off against his opponent with determination in attempt to pin him and score points in order to help the wrestling team win their meet.

Wrestling finishes 11th at state, Mendez wins state title

BY JACKSON HILLMAN reporter

Traveling down to Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Saturday, Feb. 16, the boys wrestling team competed in the IHSAA State Finals and matched up against some of the state’s best wrestlers.

Crown Point sent out six wrestlers and finished 11th in the state. Three wrestlers placed: sophomore Stephen Roberson (seventh place, 106 pounds), junior Riley Bettich (fifth place, 120 pounds), and freshman Jesse Mendez (first place, 126 pounds). Other boys who helped the team compete for 11th place included senior Jacob Burford (145 pounds), junior Noah Hollendonner (152 pounds), and senior Ethan Potosky (195 pounds).

Mendez transferred to Crown Point during seventh grade, and this is his first year competing for CPHS. It was a family decision to move to Crown Point, but with the highly ranked wrestling squad, he seems to fit in.

He has beaten everyone who has stepped on the mat with him this season, and he looks to do the same next season. He is now recognized for his accomplishments as number one

in the state at 126 pounds.

“My team and I worked hard all season. It felt great to make it down to state with some of my teammates and get the job done. Now it’s time to work hard in the offseason to pre-

‘‘

My team and I worked hard all season.

It felt great to make it down to state with some of my teammates and get the job done. freshman Jesse Mendez

pare for next year,” Mendez said.

Another wrestler who placed at state was Bettich. Like Mendez, he also moved to Crown Point prior to this year’s season. His appearance on the mats was also much anticipated by teammates and he finished his season with a 40-2 record. He is very happy with his new

team and is looking forward to next season.

“My first experience in Indiana at the state tournament was great. It was a great atmosphere and I’m really glad I got to experience it with some of our seniors. Although I didn’t place where I wanted to, I’m definitely going to work a lot harder and get it next year,” Bettich said.

Head coach Branden Lorek is very proud of how these boys and the other competitors battled at state and how the team competed this season.

Lorek is looking forward to how veteran players can help teach incoming freshman for next season.

“The team went into the state finals and competed hard every match. This was all of the six wrestlers’ first trip to the state finals, so being there was a great team experience,” Lorek said. “Four of our six state finalists are returning to the team next season, which will provide great experience and leadership for our team next season.”

Overall, the team is very happy with how they competed this season and are looking to compete at the same level next season.

Boys swim sends senior Christian Mikrut, relay team to state meet

BY HENRY WITHROW co-sports editor

Competing in a statewide meet or game is a dream come true for many student athletes.

The stakes are high, and the field of competitors tends to be dominated by seniors -- meaning that most athletes only get one shot at making their mark there.

However, the CPHS swim team has had enough success to send many swimmers there most seasons. This year, they sent senior Christian Mikrut and also a relay team to represent the Bulldogs.

Mikrut finished in 10th place at IUPUI for the state 100 meter fly, while breaking Crown Point’s

record for it. Being a senior, he believes that the swim team will be able to overcome the upcoming loss of this year’s group.

“The next years I think are going to be harder for the team.

We were pretty heavy on the junior and senior side and a lot of the new guys have a ton of slack to pick up if they want to see similar results next year and after,” Mikrut said.

Finishing with an 8-2 overall record, the team ended up exceeding their personal expectations.

Junior Alex McCormick and the rest of the team were very happy with where they ended the season, and he credits much of their success to the efforts they made to become closer as friends outside

of the pool.

“I think we performed great.

A lot of people improved individually, and we totally exceeded expectations. We worked especially hard on team bonding. We had a ton of events like movie nights that really helped us bond,” McCormick said.

With swimming comes tough preparation and sometimes multiple practices per day. This is to help condition the swimmers for the packed DAC and grueling races.

“The coaches made us do sets where you all-out sprint for 200 meters over and over again.

This prepared us for the pain we would experience in the middle of a race,” McCormick said. “The

seniors gave the team a fun aspect.

They made the swimming back and forth in a pool for 2 hours very enjoyable and kept moral high throughout the swimmers.”

Although the Bulldogs plan on implementing new strategies and appointing new captains next season, they believe they can adjust with ease and keep performing at a high level.

“It will be really tough to become better in the next few seasons, because we will be losing many talented seniors. But, younger guys have been improving immensely in order to take over these spots,” McCormick said. “Because of this, I think we are going to continue to get better as years progress.”

14

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT INKLINGS February 28, 2019

INREVIEW

Local cafes provide customers with quality beverages

Pura Vida Bracelets

These bars are extremely delicious and make any day a great day. They are very nutritious and healthy for you. They come in a variety of flavors ranging from peanut butter to chocolate chip. Sunbelt Bakery Granola Bars are the perfect addition to any lunch.

“Shallow” by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper “Shallow” is by far one of the best songs to come from a movie recently. It fits perfectly into the movie it is from, “A Star is Born,” and its lyrics are extremely catchy. The song itself is sad but is extremely soothing to listen to. The only complaint about this song is that it is extremely overplayed.

Fritos Twists Honey BBQ This twisted and flavored take on the original Frito is a go-to snack for anyone that is craving something BBQ. It is the perfect food to snack on in class due to it not leaving that dirty and greasy residue that commonly comes from other chips and BBQ snacks.

Shamrock Shake No St. Patrick’s Day is complete without a Shamrock Shake from McDonald’s. Every year, people all over look forward to the limited time that McDonald’s serves these delicious minty shakes, and they are definitely worth the purchase.

Variety

Quality

Sip has a very large menu, including food and beverages.

They have monthly specials and a list of constant coffees for their customers to order from.

Sip also has a wall full of tea blends, which the customers can choose from and order, bubble teas, a juice bar and smoothies.

A majority of their drinks can be ordered both hot or iced also.

Quality over quantity. When it comes to searching for the perfect coffee fix, Cafe Fresco is the place to be. They have a variety of hot and cold drinks, all of which are made fresh. The quality of their coffee meets the quality of their baristas.

Whenever someone walks in, they’re greeted with a smile and a friendly hello.

Convenience

Sometimes a coffee craving can hit you hard, and coffee from Dunkin’ or Starbucks won’t do it justice. Uptown Cafe has a drive-thru, making it more convenient than the usual cafe.

Whether you’re inside or going through the drive-thru, wait time will be short as the baristas are quick and get your drink done within a few minutes.

Convenience: Dunkin’ Donuts

Variety: Starbucks

Starbucks has a large variety of beverages to choose from, ranging from hot to iced and refresher teas to coffee.

Quality: Starbucks

When it comes to choosing the right cafe, it’s based off of personal preferences and what is most important to the person that is choosing. We rated the local cafes by four categories: quality, environment, convenience and variety based on their drinks. These titles were split amongst the cafes, which include Cafe Fresco, Sip, Uptown Cafe and Steam Whistle, and on-the-go coffee, which include Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks.

Dunkin’s drive-thru lines always tend to be shorter, move quicker and drinks cost less.

Environment: Starbucks

Starbucks’ coffee is higher end and has a more traditional taste than Dunkin’s coffee.

Starbucks’ environment is very calming and quiet. This makes it the perfect place to get a coffee and get work done.

MY PICKS

Sunbelt Bakery Granola Bars

Constantly being on the go can take a toll on people, and they often need a pick-me-up. Whether they feel like sitting in a cafe, going through a drive-thru, or ordering a drink beforehand and picking it up, Crown Point has many places that can help one find what they’re looking for.

ON THE GO RANKS

Pura Vida Bracelets are made by artisans in the small Third World country of Costa Rica.

These bracelets come in a variety of designs, and although slightly pricey, they support a good cause, as part of the money you pay for them goes to Costa Rican artisans and gives them an income. The website also offers rings and necklaces that you can buy.

BY JESSI ALCORTA-ROBLES associate editor

Environment

Small cafes can tend to get crowded but size isn’t a problem when it comes to Steamwhistle.

Their menu is on the wall, making it easy for customers to read. They have a space for their customers to wait on their drinks, as well as many seating choices for those who choose to dine in. The overall setup makes the cafe feel very inviting.

Sip & Dunkin’ If I were to have to choose my favorite spots for a pick me up, it would be either the Sip or Dunkin’ Donuts. The Sip always has intriguing specials and an inviting, open environment.

If I don’t have the time to sit in a cafe, my go to is Dunkin’. I have never been fond of bitter coffee and Dunkin’ makes it just right.

“Lego Movie 2” underwhelming compared to predecessor

BY JOHN JORDEN reporter

The original “The Lego Movie”, directed by Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and Chris McKay, was a critically acclaimed animated movie in 2014 for good reason. Its humor was clever, it had a great moral, and it had a wonderful cast of memorable characters. Five years later, a sequel to the movie has been released titled: “The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part,” directed

by Mike Mitchell. However, the sequel feels like a less enjoyable version of the first movie.

The movie’s story is a continuation of the first film. Five years after an attack from aliens that came from the planet Duplo, the city has turned into a postapocalyptic world similar to that of “Mad Max”. After a bright and colorful house that Emmet built attracts the aliens to the city to attack them again. One of the aliens, General Mayhem, kidnaps five of Emmet’s friends: Lucy, Batman, Unikitty, MetalBeard and Benny. Upon trying to rescue his friends, Emmet meets an adventurer by the name of Rex Dangervest, who has a spaceship and a crew of velociraptors.

This plot isn’t necessarily bad, but there are also a few reused elements from the first movie that got added into it, such as a

prophecy foreshadowing future events in the movie.

One of the biggest issues with The “Lego Movie 2” is the comedy. While a lot of the jokes aren’t bad, they certainly don’t deliver as well as the first movie’s comedy did. While these jokes may have worked if more punchlines were added as the joke went on, that doesn’t happen in this movie. The punchlines are overused, making them become dull and irritating. Even the jokes that don’t suffer from this issue are just rehashes of jokes from the first movie.

Another major issue with the movie is the musical numbers.

Most of them feel very repetitive and tedious, making these numbers feel less like songs that were meant to be a part of the movie’s soundtrack and more like an excuse to pad out the movie so it’s 90 minutes long.

This would not be such a problem if it were not for how many numbers there are, which leads to the third major problem with the movie: it doesn’t know whether or not it wants to be a musical. Specifically, the musical numbers feel rather forced in.

The pacing between the numbers feels rather inconsistent. There are some occurrences where new songs come a little while after a song is over, but there are a

few times where the next song is long after the previous one. With occurrences like these, it feels like they would forget that they were trying to be a musical until random instances of the movie where they decided to throw in a musical number randomly. Even the first song feels sudden and forced, since it doesn’t even happen until much later in the film.

It’s also disappointing to see most of the first movie’s main cast barely present in the film.

The only main characters besides Emmet who really play much of a role in the film are Lucy and Batman. If you took out MetalBeard, and even Unikitty, the movie would barely change at all. Aside from that, Badcop only makes a single cameo at the beginning of the movie and President Business, who was the main antagonist of the first movie, leaves the city behind while it’s still under attack from planet Duplo. The new characters that replace them just aren’t as entertaining as previously loved characters However, the movie does have a few aspects that prevent it from being a bad movie. Of all the new characters, Rex is at least interesting and the references to other movies that Chris Pratt has been in such as his crew of velociraptors, which refer-

ences “Jurassic World”; and him being an adventurer who travels through space, which is based off of Starlord from “Guardians of the Galaxy” are a nice touch. The movie also went for a different message than the original movie did, so this movie isn’t entirely a copy of the first movie. The film also had some interesting concepts, such as Bricksburg turning into a post-apocalyptic setting. However, these things weren’t enough to make up for how underwhelming everything else feels.

Overall, while “The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part” isn’t necessarily a bad movie, it does fail to deliver several aspects that made the first film so entertaining in the first place. Despite having some interesting concepts, a nice message and an interesting new character, all but three characters among the memorable cast of the first movie have little to no significance. They each got replaced by newer, but less memorable characters. The movie is bloated with filler that consists of repetitive music and jokes that either rehashed or stretched out until lacking any more substance, and a lack of consistency with its musical numbers. At best, it’s an extremely average movie that audiences may find to be disappointing.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT INKLINGS February 28, 2019

What makes a Netflix Original? See our picks.

BY DOMINIC THEPHASDIN ANDREW POESCHL co-online editor reporter

Netflix is not merely a collection of shows and movies. Netflix is not a traditional streaming service. Netflix is an experience.

That experience is what makes these Originals so special. Most people can identify the brand’s font at a glance, and the company has managed to alter its public image for the better at each. At the start of an episode or film, the iconic red “N” that appears alongside a reverberating woodwind has become synonymous with quality.

After the logo disappears, you can expect

“One Day at a Time”

One day at a time is a Sitcom about a single veteran trying to keep her family together while dealing with modern problems such as sexism and immigration among other things. It tends to fall into the situation that most sitcoms do, which is that they tend to not be relatable for most viewers. Some of the situations do feel forced and the show does seem to put too much emphasis on politics making it come off as “preachy.”

“Umbrella Academy”

The Umbrella Academy is a superhero series that serves as a successful precursor to future genre outings. While some relationships may seem forced, the majority of the show’s writing is of high quality. However, no element of the show trumps its VFX work, which is fantastic and certainly challenges even film industry standards. It takes the best elements of other successful genre films and shows and combines it with Netflix’s budget and viral power.

everything in the movie to be executed professionally, as Netflix spares no expense in production and screenwriting. Netflix can afford a large budget allowing them to hire only the best performers. Along with excellent castings, their work visual effects has made exponential strides in recent years, nearing studio film quality work.

Above all, Netflix Originals’ can be defined by their refusal to cut corners and reduce quality.

Top Pick

Every single episode or film is a polished product, made to be exactly what the viewer is looking for. The way in which viewers are catered to is another element of Netflix’s success. Their algorithm is often successful in suggesting unique and interesting content.

As more films are produced to meet the ever-increasing demand on the entertainment industry, Netflix has shown that it’s still possible to captivate audiences with quality over quantity. These Originals take risks, while maintaining consistent quality in production and performance. If Netflix’s track record persists, viewers can expect future outings to improve even more upon the formula.

“IO”

After pollution destroys the Earth people take to space for survival in a space station called IO. The main character, Sam Walden, is one of the few people left on Earth and struggles with the decision to leave Earth. The story does keep the viewer interested, but the ending does leave something to be desired. The movie does suffer from its short run time of one and a half hours. If it had more time it could have spent more time developing the world and characters.

“BANDERSNATCH”

“FYRE”

Bandersnatch is a choose-your-ownadventure film with over three hours of content. It’s the first of its kind, a unique foray into this type of storytelling. The film explores the feeling of lack of control, and stress that arises from it. The film puts its own spin on the theme, however, by involving the viewer in the decisions that the protagonist makes. As Bandersnatch has been a very successful film, it’s likely that Netflix will create more films with the same concept in the future.

The infamous failed FYRE music festival of Spring 2017 was immortalized in this Netflix documentary. The service continues its track record of high-quality documentaries, but this time taking on an unorthodox style. Any fan of this genre of film will enjoy the deep dive into the mistakes made by the festival’s organizer and the excitement leading up to the disaster. All of these elements combine to create a captivating result that delivers its story well.

Spin classes are a enjoyable, judgement-free way to work out

BY GWYN ISAACS HALEY THORNBERRY assistant sports editor reporter

Anyone looking for a high intensity workout should consider going to a spin class. It is a good opportunity to burn calories while simultaneously having fun. It’s open to a variety of age groups and can be taken at your own unique pace.

With many regional locations to take classes, the Southlake YMCA proves to be the most convenient. It’s free to YMCA members, and is in close proximity to the high school; there is even a class available before school that

begins at 5:15 a.m.

Although some may be turned off by exercising in the early hours, classes are held in the afternoon and nighttime. Before walking into the spin room, you must first go to the front desk and grab a tag that ensures a spot in the room. It is recommended that anyone who goes to spin should get there at least 10-15 minutes early to grab a tag, and adjust the bike to your height and desired comfort.

For those who are intimidated by the class, instructors make sure it’s a comfortable environment by informing everyone the proper way to use the bikes, and will inform the beginners exactly

P L AYI N G FAVORITES Jibbitz

These cute accessories are easy to come by and are a fun way to customize your crocs. They are sold by multiple vendors, and come in all different shapes and styles, from superheroes to letters to cartoon characters.

Target $7.99

Canvas Paintings

Decorating rooms can be a challenge, but canvas paintings are the perfect way to personalize your room. You can buy one at the store or from a friend, or if you are really feeling creative you can go out and buy paints and canvases to paint one yourself.

Walmart $2.98

WE’RE SO

OVER

Chipotle Ranch Being Taken Away This month, several students noticed a signature cafeteria condiment was taken off the lunch menu.

The popular chipotle ranch was removed, and several students are confused and upset, as the ranch was commonly put on pizza and salad by many students. Some students have even began a petition to get back the sauce.

what to expect in the class.

For anyone who is either new to spin or is looking to get into shape, the instructor turns off the lights shortly after the class begins, which is perfect for those who don’t enjoy the thought of people watching you workout.

Along with the darkness, there is also loud music blaring. Instructors make movements that match along with the beat of the music.

Another important factor is the attire. Any active wear ranging from shorts to leggings is suitable for the class, but many wear neon since there are blacklights that make clothing glow. Layered tops are the most preferable since the temperature increases as the

workout progresses. Due to the high temperature of the room and the intensity of the class, water is recommended to stay hydrated.

It’s also important to listen to the instructor throughout the longevity of the class to make sure you are keeping up with the surrounding cyclists. However, the instructor advocates to go at whatever pace best suits each individual.

The class times range from thirty minutes, forty-five minutes and an hour, so there is a class that can fit into everyone’s daily schedule.

Overall, spin class is a way to have fun while working out at the same time.

COLUMN

Just because cheating is common does not make it acceptable

BY ASHLEY REKITZKE editor-at-large

We live in a world where cheating is very common among many couples. 55 percent of males cheat on their spouse with five or more people and 50 percent of women admitted to cheating on their spouse with one person. Among many celebrities cheating is done frequently.

For Khloe Kardashian, during her first pregnancy with baby True. During these allegations Khloe and Tristan Thompson stayed together due to the child being on the way and maybe I hope for Tristan to change his ways. Tristan was confirmed cheating on Khloe Kardashian with Jordyn Woods, otherwise known as Kylie Jenner’s best friend. Hopefully, this will be eye opening enough for Khloe to leave this unhealthy relationship.

As well as Cardi B, her husband Offset cheated on her during her pregnancy with baby Kulture. Cardi and Offset have been on and off since 2017. Cardi addresses these allegations like any hurt person would by lashing out. She calls him vulgar names on social media out of spite from his past actions but at the end of the day chooses to go back to him.

Let me start off with that I am not an expert in relationships but I do know right and wrong when I see it. Cheating is one of those wrongs. These habits of cheating all lead to unhealthy relationships. Generally, once a cheater always a cheater. If they cheat once, what’s going to stop them for cheating again? Realize your worth. Do you really want to make it work with a cheater?

Healthy relationships are built off of trust and honesty. Once you meet the right person, cheating isn’t even an option nor should it be on your mind.

#TRENDING

BEST APP

A section devoted to social media

MagicPuzzles This app gives users a fun way to unplug from the stresses of day to day life by giving users accesses to numerous puzzles online. The puzzles range from 24 to 630 pieces, and there is also an option to rotate the pieces if users want to.

BEST TWEETS “weird flex but ok < bizarre muscle contraction but it gives me satisfaction”

freshman Lilly Stoelb @lilly_stoelb

BEST FOLLOW

15

@ midwestern_ope Every day this hilarious account tweets relatable struggles of living in the Midwest, with everything from “ope” to corn to the extreme weather. Any Midwesterner will be able to relate to some of this account’s tweets in one way or another.

“We had a half inch of snow and suddenly no one knows how to park”

senior Hayley Hein @hayley_hein

“East Chicago has asked Crown Point’s students to be moved from behind their bench… they were denied.”

junior Gene Kolarik @GeneKolarikCPTV “Pros of crocs: -comfy -comes in lots of colors -has an adventure strap -JIBBITZ

-very universal Cons of crocs: -when snow gets in the little holes in the front”

sophomore Mia Stewart

@miaasteww

16

PEOPLE INKLINGS February 28, 2019

Lights, Camera, Beckham

Local opportunities launch, inspire student’s career in the modeling industry

BY EMMA FRANK assistant editor

Growing up seeing models often come from big cities, one would not expect for a small town kid to make it big.

Senior Reagan Beckham now has the chance since entering the National Model Competition. Seniors Ignite is a group of nationally recognized photography studios, specializing in high school seniors. Seniors Ignite sponsors a model competition within those studios. Pat + Cassie is the only studio in Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland who is a part of Seniors Ignite and the model competition. Pat + Cassie’s ambassadors get an opportunity to participate, which led Beckham to her success.

Each year, hundreds of high school seniors enter from across the United States. This year they had over 800 entries, which was narrowed down to around 75 semi-finalists. Out of those, they chose the final 13 that would go on to the Undiscovered trip to Texas.

“I found out I was one of the 13 national winners online the day it was announced. I was honestly so in shock when I first saw my name, but once the initial shock wore off I felt so excited and grateful to Pat + Cassie for offering the opportunity to me,” Beckham said.

Beckham did not envision becoming a model or pursuing a career in the arts until she started finding local opportunities. These opportunities, brought by Pat + Cassie, influenced Beckham to use her newfound talent in a way

PHOTO PROVIDED BY REAGAN BECKHAM Beckham poses in a shoot with Pat + Cassie, which helped her to win the contest.

that would impact her life.

“I only just started modeling at the beginning of this year when I became a senior ambassador for Pat + Cassie. Before the Undiscovered trip to Texas, I had only done a couple boutique shoots as well as my senior session,” Beckham said.

Although this is a modeling competition, looks are not the only thing judges are looking for.

According to Cassie McBride, coowner of Pat + Cassie, the judges are looking for genuine young adults to work with.

“The model competition is focused on the story of the participant more than anything else.

They are looking for raw, unique, true to themselves individuals and influencers to represent the studio, organization and brands they will be working with,” McBride said. “The winners are chosen from a panel of judges in the photography industry, fashion industry and a few other creatives.”

Working in collaboration with Pat + Cassie for her senior photos, Beckham’s personality and style shined through. Other times Beckham is a canvas for the photographer’s vision.

“Every shoot is different. For my senior session I chose the locations, styled my outfits and did

my own hair and makeup. For most other shoots though, they usually already have a location and ‘look’ in mind,” Beckham said.

Some of the photoshoots Beckham has done have wanted a more raw look, so she has the freedom to incorporate her poses.

In other cases, places may want to avoid an awkward photo, so they would instruct Beckham on her poses.

“When it comes to actually modeling and posing, Pat encourages me to do what feels natural, which helps to create really organic-looking shots,” Beckham said.

Taking the knowledge she has gained from modeling, Beckham aims to apply that to her love for the beauty industry to help push another career interest in that direction.

“I would love to take modeling opportunities in the future if they come, but it’s not my main career goal. Instead, I’d love to have a marketing career in the cosmetics industry or even launch my own makeup line one day,” Beckham said.

Being a creative individual, Beckham finds herself influenced by her surroundings and those around her. She draws in the energy from her environment at that time to help portray the right aura stylistically for that particular photoshoot.

“I am a very visual person so I am always looking for inspiration in what is around me,” Beckham said. “I would say I get the most inspired when I see people being authentic to themselves and doing what they love.”

Making a

Model How to get started

Make a presence on

social media

Take advantage of

local opportunities

Have photoshoots with friends in

well known places

Collaborate with other

upcoming influencers

Participate in

popular trends Be genuine with your

followers

Student Spotlight What Do You

sophomore Anthony Saberniak All the trumpets and I like to talk and hang out and we all spend time together often. It’s really just a great experience.

Cross country is a way for me to relax after a long day. I don’t have to worry about any homework, any tests and I can just go out and run and enjoy myself. The team aspect is really nice and we all like to bond together, as it improves our team.

I’m planning on going to Butler for medical school and becoming a doctor. I really enjoy science, and I love the aspect of improving lives everyday.

THINK?

What are you doing for Spring Break?

[

“I’m probably going to go to my friend’s house and just sit around.”

[

freshman Chris Netherton

]

]

“I’m going scuba diving in the Caribbean with my Culver friends.”

[

junior Ted Mureiko

“We are going to Arizona and going to go to a Cub’s spring training game.” freshman Caitlyn Derwinski

]