Chasing the dream Joey Brunk, SHS Class of 2016, reflects on the highs and lows of his journey
Official newsmagazine of Southport High School
Volume 98 Issue 6 February 28, 2020
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR This production cycle has been particularly unique. Although I’ve been a part of The Journal for nearly six semesters now and have seen many issues come and go, I’ll still remember this year’s Issue 6 as one with especially out-of-the-box coverage and unexpected moments in Room 400. In February, it’s typically easy to be overtaken by the gray weather and monotony of school, but this issue I felt “Some great spurts of enthusiasm in the publications story ideas are room regardless of all that. Our newest what really made this issue reporters were eager to learn more about enhancing their work, and I loved seeing unique.” their editors diligently guide them along. But, I would say some great story ideas are what really made this issue unique. Our centerfold, for instance, isn’t exactly precedented. A sports reporter, our Photos Editor, our adviser and our Print Managing Editor traveled to Indiana University together to have an in-depth conversation with SHS alum Joey Brunk about his life since SHS. The reporter agonized over telling his story exactly right up until the pages had to be sent, and I’m very proud of the end result. Check out the story on page 16, and remember to visit The Journal Rewired for more articles and galleries.
Haley Miller, Editor-in-Chief Rachel Bayler, Print Managing Editor Julia Brookshire, Online Managing Editor
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The Journal
971 E. Banta Road Indianapolis, Indiana 46227 Adviser Mike Klopfenstein Principal Brian Knight Business Manager Sherlyn Garcia (Cover) SHS alum Joey Brunk warms up before the game against Iowa on Feb. 13. Photo by Kelsey Jones
Editors Jordin Baker Shelby Denny Brianna Henry Emma Herwehe Phoebe Mawi Marissa Muñoz Russell Peterson-Womack Elizabeth Valadez Staff Cartoonist Trinity Trent Graphics Artist Kayla Brown
Reporters Nayeli Ahuatl Tilyan Aslam Thian Awi Eli Beck Kayla Brown Bridget Cagle Taylor Hill Kelsey Jones Tanny Khun Emma Main Emily Mertz Sophia McKinney La’Kenzie Parker Shelby Reeves Nathan Smith Jacob Wiese
Unless otherwise credited, all graphics art in The Journal is produced by Kayla Brown. The entertainment and editorial cartoon are created by Trinity Trent.
CONTENTS News
Entertainment A day in the life, 8 Under pressure, 10 Tiptop Trinity, 11
Foreign Language Hmailam hrang mannak, 12 Humanos de Southport, 14
Sports Looking back, moving forward, 16
Features
COVER
In need of support, 4 Pathways to success, 6
16
‘One team, one heart,’ 20 Becoming bilingual, 22
Opinion Music ‘n Musings, 25 Black is beautiful, 26 Defying the norm, 27 Journal Address, 28
8
Photos The play’s the thing, 30
ISSUE 5 CORRECTIONS
“Environmental” and “destigmatizing” were misspelled in headlines.
20
30
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The SHS Journal
News
Editor: Emma Herwehe
In need of support Membership in the Alumni Association has been falling, but there are hopes for more student involvement By Taylor Hill, Reporter
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roviding numerous scholarships, appearances at events such as games and shows and lots of involvement in the Southport community are just a few things that make up the Alumni Association. The Alumni Association has existed for almost 30 years. The last few years, however, the number of members has been declining, and at one point, the group only had four or five members. SHS has been making plans to get students more connected to the Alumni Association by creating nights where the members of the association can come meet the students. English teacher Brent Bockelman, a 2001 SHS alum, has joined the Alumni Association and taken over the position of Vice President. Bockelman was uncertain for
4 News
the last few years because of the lack of members. “Part of it was if we don't get younger people involved, it's going to dry up,” Bockelman said. “That was the reason I came in. (It) was to try and help them bring in the younger (graduates).” The President of the Alumni Association is Rich Elkins, and he has been in the position for almost three years. Elkins graduated from Southport in 1980 and has been part of the association for almost eight years. He too can see the lack of students’ involvement once they graduate SHS. “That's the thing I couldn't figure out as president, the apathy of the school,” Elkins said. “When you graduate you don't want to come back, so (I was) trying to figure out ways to bring kids back faster. I was the same way. I
Alumni Association President Rich Elkins talks to The Journal about his history as a member. He has been part of the association for almost eight years. Photo by Kelsey Jones
didn’t come back for almost 30 years, and I still look back and wonder why.” He is choosing to not to be up for reelection this coming June, which means the position will most likely pass down to Bockelman. “I did good,” Elkins said. “I increased the number of members and the amount of scholarships, so there's a lot of good things I did, but my To learn time’s up.” more The Alumni Association about the association's is a group in which any graduated student can enter. presence The group gets together once in the SHS every quarter and figures out community, ways to bring the community scan the closer together. Members also QR code donate thousands of dollars to below. the school’s seniors every year as part of a series of Alumni Association scholarships. The association is currently preparing to reach its $1 million
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Southport is unique, and we want students to engage in that. There is this rich Alumni Association out there that we want students to connect with. Principal Brian Knight
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total for scholarships which they have been working towards for the past 30 years. The association does not receive outside donations, and all of the money for the scholarships comes from the members of the association or reserve funds. Bockelman says this is unique. “There aren't really any other high schools around here that do that much," Bockelman said. "They might give a few hundred bucks here and there. (The funding is) not coming from businesses. It's coming from the alumni.” Students as well as members of the Alumni Association are gathering their ideas to get ways for the school to help increase the size of the association. Principal Brian Knight’s student leadership group meets once a month and talks about issues at the school. This group consists of the student council
members and other students who demonstrate leadership qualities, and they frequently discuss the status of the Alumni Association. One of the members of this group is senior Chris De La Cruz. He sees the association as a big help to students. “The Alumni Association brings a lot of benefits when it comes to its scholarships,” De La Cruz said. “Students who need an easy way to get scholarships for college, they can go to the Alumni Association for that.” Knight encourages the group to brainstorm ideas as to how to get students more involved with the association. “Southport is unique, and we want students to engage in that,” Knight said. “There is this rich Alumni Association out there that we want the students to connect with.”
Below are pieces of memoribilia in the Alumni Association room in the PTEC building. The room is filled with years worth of memories. Photo by Kelsey Jones
Aspects of the association
Scholarships Thousands of dollars in scholarships are provided for seniors every year. The funds come from alumni donations and reserve funds.
Community
Involvement in the community is one of the top priorities. The Alumni Association is present at games, parades and many other SHS events.
News 5
Pathways to success This year's freshman class is the first to be affected by Indiana's new graduation requirements By Shelby Reeves, Reporter
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lasses before the Class of 2023 had to pass the state standardized test and get good enough grades to pass in a four year time. There were three different types of diploma, with increasing difficulty. The Core 40, Core 40 with Technical Honors and Academic Honors diploma. The freshman class of 2023 has a new addition to their graduation plan called Graduation Pathways, which provides a new way for students to graduate without having to do some other elements found in the old graduation plan. This year's freshman class is the first to be affected by the recently introduced Graduation Pathways. There are varying opinions about how students' high-school careers will be impacted. “This will benefit our kids by giving them the opportunity to take a class that they may be interested in,” counseling director Julie Fierce said. The Graduation Pathway requires students to not only have a diploma but also to be a part of a club or C-9 and get a certain score on the ACT and 6 News
Counseling director Julie Fierce meets with a student on Feb. 20. Counselors in the Guidance Office meet with students to help them pick the pathway best tailored for their goals. Photo by Kelsey Jones
Did you know? The national high school graduation rate is 84.6%. The national high school graduation rate continues to rise each year. Indiana's average graduation rate is 89%. Source: U.S. News
SAT. But if students aren't the best test-takers, they can take a Career and Technical Education, or CTE, Concentrator in place of the SAT and ACT. This is a program in which students would need to take two to three classes in a certain category. Examples of such categories are Education and Training, STEM/Information Technology and Business and Marketing. There is controversy surrounding this new CTE Concentrator mainly because there aren’t enough categories that can help with the diverse selection of jobs, according to Fierce. If a student doesn’t like the category they are trying to complete, it is hard to switch out and change categories, so the student has to stick with it. “The state said ‘You could only follow these pathways, that’s it,’” Fierce said. “Which if you want to be a lawyer, there’s nothing on here you could take to be a lawyer. If you want to be a veterinarian, there’s nothing on here to be a veterinarian.” Freshman Sarah Paris believes that this aspect of Graduation Pathways isn’t fair because if a student isn’t a great
test taker, the student’s entire schedule is changed because of these new CTE classes. “It’s kind of stressful because high school is all about finding certain classes that you really like or that would best fit into your future college plan or career,” Paris said. “So I think it should be more open and lenient so that way people don’t have to join clubs or sports that they might not be interested in.” Freshman Anna Black, on the other hand, thinks that it is fair but agrees with Paris about not being happy with forcing students to join a club or sport. “I think it’s pretty fair,” Black said.“The athletics and clubs part, I don’t think that is necessary. But everything else is pretty much fair.” Students like Paris may find this stressful and complicated. Guidance counselors, though, don’t think they need to worry too much about Graduation Pathways. “It sounds complicated,” Fierce said. “Honestly, it’s a lot more tracking for us. But it’s not something we want the schools or the kids to really worry about.”
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The SHSAABC awards two scholarships annually:
- One $1,000 scholarship to a male athlete, team trainer or team manager - One $1,000 scholarship to a female athlete, team trainer or team manager
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Essay must be turned into the Guidance Office or Athletic Office on or before March 20, 2020.
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Entertainment Editor: Brianna Henry
A day in the life
Follow Ladies First for the Ben Davis choir competition By Brianna Henry
Junior Jennifer Sahagun does junior Grace Blume's hair. For a performance the girls have to have matching hair and stage makeup. Photo by Rachel Bayler
Contest Day Schedule
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s they walked onto the stage, the Ladies First show choir members took their opening positions while the crowd fell silent. The music began for their first song, “I Will Survive/Survivor,” and the girls’ voices filled the Ben Davis auditorium. Ladies First competed at the Ben Davis Giant Spectacular show choir competition held on Feb. 15. The day was filled with excitement and team bonding as well as some disappointment after placing fourth in the unisex division. Twelve members of the choir performed a total of three songs: “I Will Survive/Survivor,” “The Voice Within” and “Wings.” This is junior Angel Rice’s first year with Ladies First, and she was optimistic for the team and how they would perform. “There’s always that chance of not doing good, but you can’t 8 Entertainment
be afraid of that,” Rice said. The day began at 10 a.m. when the girls arrived at SHS to begin their long process of getting ready for the competition together. Starting the day off with hair and makeup, the room started to bustle with anticipation as the girls crowded around the choir room mirrors with curling irons and makeup brushes. As they prepared, they filled the room with breakfast foods and lots of upbeat music. According to junior Destanie Hargraves, show choir has been a good opportunity for the girls because it gives them a chance to become friends with people they normally wouldn’t have. “My favorite part has been bonding with everybody,” Hargraves said. “When I first started the school year, I had two friends, and now I have a whole classroom.” The energy in Room 408
was optimistic as the team was finishing makeup and hair. Since they had already had some experience that year competing after participating in the Twin Lakes Show Choir Invitational at Twin Lakes High School, the girls were confident in their abilities. Sophomore Princess Kioni was hopeful for her and her team. “I think we’ll do pretty well today considering we’ve worked hard, and our energy has been up since our last competition,” Kioni said. Once they were ready, the members did a walk-through rehearsal to brush up on some aspects of their routine. After that, it was time to take the bus to Ben Davis. The team arrived at Ben Davis around 12 p.m. and headed to their home room, where they continued to finish getting everything in order. As it grew
Arrive at SHS to get ready Do a run through of show Arrive at Ben Davis Perform show Wait for awards Arrive back at SHS
Junior Baylee Watson helps with junior Allie Arnold's makeup. To get ready, the girls do each other's makeup before each competition. Photo by Rachel Bayler
Junior Angel Rice dances the choreography to "I Will Survive/Survivor" during warmups. This is Rice's first year performing with Ladies First. Photo by Rachel Bayler
Members of Ladies First kneel during the performance of the ballad "The Voice Within." The ballad is the second song in the show. Photo by Rachel Bayler
Choir director Jaclyn Richardson reacts to the group's performance video. Ladies First likes to watch their performance right after their show. Photo by Brianna Henry
As it grew closer to their performance time, the energy in the room shifted to reflect their nerves. Although they were nervous, senior dance captain Katie Berry was confident in the choir’s ability to perform. “I think we will do well with a lot of the obstacles we’ve had to endure this year,” Berry said. After transitioning to their warm-up room around 1 p.m., the girls started fine tuning their voices using vocal techniques, and then they began running through their show. The next 30 minutes consisted of polishing up their choreography, rehearsing voice parts and giving each other pep talks in the minutes before stepping on stage. At 1:40 p.m., the group lined up two by two as they prepared to move to the performance space. At 1:45 p.m., Ladies First
stepped out into the bright lights of the Ben Davis auditorium stage, and as the music began, began to perform their fastpaced opening number, “I Will Survive/Survivor,” a mixture of Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” and “Survivor” by Destiny’s Child. This was followed up by their ballad “The Voice Within” by Christina Aguilera and their closing song “Wings” by Little Mix. A few bows later, the girls rushed off stage and back to their homeroom to watch the video of their performance. According to junior Baylee Watson, a three-year member of the show choir, it was more difficult to push through the performance due to some members not being able to attend, but she says she tried her hardest. “I had to give it my all,” Watson said.
In between their performance and the awards ceremony, the members of Ladies First spent their time eating together in the cafeteria or walking around the main hallway visiting booths selling commemorative t-shirts. At 3:45 p.m., the girls headed to the auditorium to hear the results of the competition. Ladies First placed fourth in their division, meaning they were unable to move forward into the final round of the competition known as the “night show.” Despite their results, many girls were proud of their performance and felt they did their best. Junior Jennifer Sahagun felt as if she had done the most she could considering the position and situations they had to go through that day. “I did the most that I could, an 11 out of 10,” Sahagun said.
Junior Destanie Hargraves performs the song "I Will Survive/ Survivor." The group performed a total of three songs. Photo by Rachel Bayler
To view a gallery of Ladies First's show, scan the QR code.
Entertainment 9
Under pressure Yearbook team finalizes deadlines for this year's edition of the Anchor
By Tilyan Aslam, Reporter
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ith the school year ending in a few months, deadlines are fast approaching for the Anchor publications team as they work tirelessly to finalize the stories and memories captured over the 2019-2020 school year. Their work began before the school year even started with summer planning so they were ready to cover stories, and now that work is close to finished. “We have five deadlines, and we are on our fifth deadline right now,” senior Jessica Johnston, Co-Editor-in-Chief, said. “We’re close to the end, but we still have pages that have to be sent from the fourth deadline.” On March 2, the 20192020 yearbook is due to be sent. Members of the Anchor are extremely excited as well as anxious about getting the deadlines met. According to yearbook adviser Sam Hanley, emotions are running high. “(They feel) anxiety, stress,” Hanley said. “They don’t think that it’s gonna happen on time. But it is my 17th yearbook, and the staff is doing fine.” He also mentions that he is proud of the team because of the effort they have put in with the coverage this year. “This one will be a different yearbook than others,” Hanley said. For this year’s book, the staff has implemented some changes, including new formatting and the addition of an entertainment section. Senior Co-Editor-in-Chief Keirstin Piatt 10 Entertainment
says this year her experience has differed greatly from previous years because of her new role. ”It is my first year as Editorin-Chief,” Piatt said. “This year has been pretty chaotic for me. Getting the task done and meeting deadlines was our main focus.” According to Johnston, meeting the deadlines has been very stressful because for as long as it takes to get coverage from different events, it takes the same amount of time to edit them and ensure everything is uniform. “Sometimes it is hard trying to make sure those things match because when we send in the pages, we can’t really get them back or it is a long process to try to,” Johnston said. “This year, I think I’m more proud of the staff and the creativity of their ideas that they came up with to cover.” Section editor and junior Jessica Lemons is happy about this year’s diversity of coverage. According to Lemons, last year they had trouble finding events to report on, but this year they’ve been able to cover a number of pep rallies, school dances, fall musicals and sports games. She also is proud of their coverage of more in-depth areas, like vaping. Like Piatt, she says her experience as a member from last year to this
(Top) Seniors Olivia Scaggs and Keirstin Piatt work on pages. The title for this year's edition is "Don't Blink." Photo by Jordin Baker
year has changed. “When I first started, I thought ‘I’m going to be the one excluded because I don’t talk much,’ but it has really brought me out of my comfort zone,” Lemons said. Senior Olivia Scaggs, one of the Anchor’s section editors, says each year they face difficulties at the beginning, but they get better as time passes. “...After we work out the bumps and get the communication down, the year usually goes super smooth,” Scaggs said. According to the Anchor team, they are looking forward to this yearbook because they’ve tried their best to improve their work and their design. “I’m excited to see what the book looks like,” Johnston said. “I hope the students like it. It is really different from the previous years.”
(Bottom) Junior Jessica Lemons flips through last year's spring magazine. Each year the yearbook produces a spring magazine to produce the most coverage possible after finishing the book. Photo by Jordin Baker
To buy this year's Anchor online, scan the QR code.
Tip Top Trinity
By Trinity Trent, Staff Cartoonist
Sopo sudoku
Entertainment 11
Foreign Language
Chin National Day hlasaktu in a mah ih ttong in hla a sak. Himi hi puai ongnak lam dingih a sak mi asi. Zuk zuk tu Marissa Muñoz
Editor: Marissa Muñoz
Hmailam hrang mannak Laimi pawl in kum za le tampi asimi an nunphung an mannak ding ah an puai Ngan tu Thian Awi, Reporter
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eb. 15, nirukni ah Chin Evangelical Baptist Church cu minung khat in a um. Lai thawmhnaw, Lai rawl le Lai hla thawn a khat thluh. February tinten leilungtlun ih a ummi Laimi pawl Chin National Day an lawm. Southport ih ummi Laimi pawl in kum tinten an nunphung ih a lamdang daan le a sunloi ziah hmuhding ah an puai ringring. Himi ni hi ramdang ih ummi Laimi pawl in tla an sunloih. “CND cu Laimi pawl ih kan nunphung le kan dan kan lawmnak a si,” phun hleikhat kaimi Solomon Lung in a ti. Tuikum cu himi ni hi CEBC ah an lawm. Puainak ah Laimi pawl ih lam, rawl, 12 Foreign Language
fashion show le Kawlram ihsin mikhual an kawhmi pawl in thutawi an sim ih cule thil dangdang nawmnak in an sunloih. CND a thoknak cu Feb. 20, 1948 ihsin Lairam democracy ih a cannak hminsinnak ding ah a si. Himi ni hi Kawlram in Britain hnen ihsin luatnak an ngah ni hnu ah an tuah mi si. General Assembly of Chinland timi in Falam ah an tuah ih cumi ah himi thu an bawtcat. Lung cu tuikum tla CND a feh ngah ih Laimi pawl ih nunphung a hmuh ngah. Asinain, Lung hrangah CND cu nuamnak men ih tuahnak dingah a ruat lo, Laimi pawl ih nunphung nauhak deuh pawl hrang ah kilkhawinak ding caan ah tla a ruat. “CND hi a thupi
ziangahtile US ih tthanglian Laimi nauhak pawl Lairam ih an nundaan le an nunphung thu an thei tampi lo, curuangah an hrangah himi puai in kan nunphung an thei deuh ding,” Lung in a ti. Phun hleikhat mi Bawi Zi Par in CND hi a sunloih zet ziangahtile CND a feh asile a nunphung thu a zir thei. Himi puainak feh pawl in Lairam ih an nun daan an hmuh thei. “CND ih nuamnak an tuahmi pawl thawn kan nunphung tampi ka hmuhsuak ih ka zir,” Par in a ti. Par in CND ah a hmuh caak bikmi thil pawl cu Laimi pawl ih an hrukmi dangdang le rawl phunphun an tuahmi pawl ei a caak bik tiah a ti. Van Tuah Piang, himi pawlkomnak tawlreltu
Thu theih ding Himi alan hi Lairam ih alan asi. Lairam a langtertu pakhat asi. Source: ozoutback. com
To read an English version of this story, scan the QR code.
Mi pakhat in CND lawmnak a zoh. Lai nunphung langter dingin thil tampi an tuah. Zuk zuk tu Marissa Muñoz
pakhat, in himi ni hi Lai nunphung kilkhawinak ding caan ttha ah a hmu. Midang pawl Lai nunphung an sunloih an hmu asile le nauhak pawl in an cong ve maithei tiah a ti. “Santhar deuh pawl hrangah cun himi ni ah kan nunphung a lian daan kan lamnak le kan thil hrukmi in an hmuh thei ding,” Piang in a ti. Par in tla CND hi Lai nunphung huhamnak ding hrangah a ttha ve tiah a zum. “A thupituk ziangahtile upa pawl in kan nunphung an thei ih cumi an theihnak kha kanmah nauhak deuh pawl in zirh ding,” Par in a ti. Himi ni hrang tawlreltu pakhat le thapetu asi vekin Piang in CND hmailam caan
Nunau pawl CND ah Lai thilri an hruh. CND ah Lai thilri piah dingin fahsion show a um. Zuk zuk tu Marissa Muñoz
ih a um daan ding a ruat rero zo. Zohman in hmalam thu cu an theilo nan Piang in himi ni hi hmalam caan ah tla Laimi pawl in an tuah ringring tiah a zum. “CND hrang ah hmalaam tthazet ka hmuh,” Piang in a ti. “Kan nunphung hmalaam caan ih kan himnak ding ah in bawm tak ding ka zum.” Lung in tla a tlawgkai pi pawl le santhar nauhak pawl in an nunphung a thupit ziah le an nunphung theih ding a thupit daan an theihsuak ding ah a duh. “Lai nunphung hnglih lo ding in tha ka pe duh,” Lung in a ti. “Lai nu le pa pawl in an sungkua US ih rawn dingah an zuamzet ih, kan nunphung hngil ding cu a ttha lo.”
Awnmawi tumtu pawl in thil tampi an tum. Lai nunphung ih awnmawinak tum in an nunphung an mang. Zuk zuk tu Marissa Muñoz
Chin National Day ah ziangsaw na duhbikmi?
“
Santhar deuh pawl hrangah cun himi ni ah kan nunphung a lian daan kan lamnak le kan thil hrukmi in an hmuh thei ding. Chin National Day remtu Van Tuah Piang
”
Bawmtu pawl in lutnak hmaiah bennak Lairam alan a cuang mi zuk an zem. CEBC ah an tuah. Zuk zuk tu Marissa Muñoz
"CND ka feh ih ka duhbikmi cu ka nunphung theitu midang pawl ka ton mi asi." Phun hleikua kaitu Rose Thluai
“CND a nuam ka tibik mi nak cu himi ihsin kan nunphung sung ihsin kan dang awk daan ka hmuh thei.”
Phun hleikhat kaitu Bawi Lian
Phun hleikhat kaitu Ngun Mawi
“Nunphung laam le fashion show zoh nuam bik ka ti ziangahtile an pi le pu pawl ihsin an ngahmi nunphung an hmuh ruangah.”
Foreign Language 13
To read an English version of Humans of Southport, scan the QR code.
Foto por Nayeli Ahuatl
Humanos de Southport
Entrevisada por Julia Brookshire, Editora de Gestión en Línea
“
Me siento que (drumline) no solo me enseña habilidades para la vida pero como ser una persona mejora, como comunicar y (como) ayudar a otros porque tenemos muchos estudiantes del primer año y principiantes, entonces es chevere verlos crecer… Conoces a mucha gente rara pero puedes manejar y les quiero. Conoces a amigos para toda la vida. Conoces a personas increibles. Este es como una segunda familia para mi… Puedo hablar con ellos sobre cualquier cosa. Soy una persona muy tímida y esto me ayuda salir de mi caparazón en el pasado porque me apoyaba en mis estudiantes del último año y estar en las sombras pero ahora ya que soy (más vieja) no puedo hacerlo. Tengo que estar allí para ayudarlos, entonces es divertido. Sophomore Jasmine Tello
14 Foreign Language
”
Boys Varsity Basketball Games
FOR MORE INFO CONTACT THE INDY SOUTH CAREER CENTER (317) 888-3410 Or Text “NM71” to 462769 (GOARMY)
Sectionals - Tuesday, March 3 - Southport vs Ben Davis at 7:30 p.m. - Winner Plays Decatur Central
Sports
Editor: Russell Peterson-Womack
Looking back, moving forward
SHS alum reflects on the path that led him to Assembly Hall
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By Eli Beck, Reporter
oey Brunk still remembers the very spot in the historic SHS Fieldhouse where his journey began. He and his dad, Joe, would sit two rows from the top, right in front of the concession stand closest to the pool as they watched basketball games throughout Brunk’s childhood. It was on the court of the Fieldhouse and the halls of SHS where Brunk’s journey began to take shape. After transferring from Park Tudor High School, he arrived in 2013 as a lanky 6-foot-8 sophomore. “Southport was big in my development,” Brunk said. “I was surrounded by a lot of really good people that didn’t just mold me as a basketball player, but as a person.” His journey took off after he graduated in 2016. It carried him to Butler University, where he stayed for three years. Now, his journey has landed him at Indiana University, but it took some unexpected turns along the way that transformed Brunk into the person he is today.
Once a Card
Joey Brunk looks for an opening in the defense during a game against Iowa on Feb. 13. Photo by Kelsey Jones 16 Sports
For Brunk, the fact that he played on the court where his dad played his high school
(Left) Brunk goes up for a layup against Evansville Reitz on Feb. 28, 2015. Reitz was ranked first in the state and SHS third. The Cards won 86-80. Photo by Caleb Carrasquillo (Right) Photo contributed by Brunk
ball makes his memories of the Fieldhouse resonate even more. “I think it’s the best gym in Indiana as far as high school basketball goes,” Brunk said. “I don’t think there’s really even a comparison.” After moving from a spectator in the stands to playing on the court, Brunk experienced many moments that defined his time at SHS. One such moment was a home game against Evansville Reitz during his junior year, when both teams were ranked among the top three in the state. SHS won the game, 8880, and Brunk ended the game with 24 points and 15 rebounds in front of a packed Fieldhouse. “That was a pretty incredible deal,” Brunk said. Winning the regional tournament on his home court in his senior year was another moment Brunk felt shaped his career. However, one memory stands out to Brunk more than the others, occurring just minutes after winning the sectional tournament his senior year. “The three minutes after (winning), we all were in line to cut the net,” Brunk said. “I had a second with my dad that
was really special because of all the early mornings he had been a part of.” Kyle Simpson, the former SHS head basketball coach, says Brunk found his way into a leadership role by his senior year in high school. “(Brunk) worked really hard and set a good example for the younger players,” Simpson said. Simpson had high expectations for Brunk from the moment he met him. “I always felt when he left Southport, he was going to leave his mark, an unbelievable legacy,” Simpson said. The numbers show Brunk was on his way to do exactly that. During his senior year, Brunk was the secondranked recruit in his class in Indiana, according to ESPN, and he averaged over 18 points a game. But as strong as he was on the court, he was also a leader in the classroom, says social studies teacher Dan Jones, who says he often led class discussions and always completed his work. Jones’s relationship with Brunk was driven by the time they spent in the classroom together and
not Brunk’s ability on the court. “Joey became kind of a big deal, but that never infiltrated our world academically, and he was humble,” Jones said. In Jones’s eyes, Brunk rose to many difficult challenges that most people never have to face, and he did it with a tough attitude and great courage. “I was teaching a kid who in some ways was more mature than I am,” Jones said.
New home court
In the summer before his senior year, Brunk committed to continue his basketball career at Butler University, largely due to the fact that it was close to home. Brunk played just seven games before he was faced with a significant challenge. His father was diagnosed with glioblastoma, a type of brain cancer, in November of Brunk’s freshman year. To Brunk, family means everything. So as his father battled glioblastoma for six months, Brunk commuted from Butler back to his home every day in order to be with his family. For Brunk, a typical day during this time began with his getting up early, going through his classes, working
Brunk’s stats at Butler University: 7.6 points per game 3.6 rebounds per game 61.7 field goal percentage
Brunk’s stats at Indiana University: 7.1 points per game 5.3 rebounds per game 52.5 field goal percentage Source: ESPN
Sports 17
Brunk’s key moments: 02/28/2015: SHS wins the sectional championship against the Ben Davis Giants.
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I’ve had a pretty good draw playing at SOUTHPORT
06/14/2015: Brunk signs with Butler University to play basketball.
Fieldhouse and then HINKLE Fieldhouse and out here at
ASSEMBLY HALL ... It’s pretty neat that my journey’s intertwined with all three of them.
“
Joey Brunk, SHS Class of 2016
Photo by Jordin Baker
out with the Butler team and returning home to spend time with dad. His father later passed away in April 2017. Because of his father’s death, Brunk ended up being a redshirt freshman his first year, meaning he didn’t play many games, so he was able to regain a year of eligibility. Brunk would have been able to spend more time with his family without the extra load of basketball. “Trying to play college basketball three months after your dad died is a challenge,” Brunk said. “There is no guidebook written for how you do that.” Despite the challenge of losing his father, Brunk has been able to find a bright side to it all within the years after his passing. “It makes you reevaluate what’s important,” Brunk said. “I tell the people I love that I 18 Sports
love them a little more than I used to.” To Brunk, one of the biggest challenges he faced was trying to find motivation to get back on the court. But, even with this difficulty, Brunk was able to play his first full season at Butler in 2018. Brunk says that a defining moment from Butler was playing in his first game. “It’s like the realization of a dream… I still get that feeling every time I run out for a jump ball,” Brunk said. In Brunk’s first full season at Butler he averaged only 2 points and 1 rebound in the 20 games he played. Last year, in what proved to be his last season at Butler, Brunk averaged 8 points a game and 4 rebounds, with his improvement earning him 13 starts in 33 games played. Brunk graduated from Butler in three years, but still
had two years of eligibility. He chose to transfer to Indiana University to continue his career, a decision based off of what he felt would be best for himself and his future. “Indiana (University) speaks for itself, this is an incredible place…” Brunk said. “It was just kind of perfect the way it all played out.”
Fulfilling the dream
Clif Marshall, IU’s Director of Athletic Performance for Men’s Basketball, believes Brunk has gone above and beyond his expectations for his first year. Marshall has seen Brunk become a leader when it comes to a positive attitude and working hard every day. “He’s very consistent,” Marshall said. “I think our other players have noticed that and fed off that.” Brunk is 27 games into his first season at IU, and he has helped lead the team to a 18-9
03/19/2016: Brunk plays his last game with SHS as the Cards lose to New Albany in the Class 4A semistate game. 11/12/2016: Brunk plays in his first game as a Butler Bulldog. 04/15/2017: Brunk’s father, Joe, passes away after his battle with glioblastoma. 04/16/2019: Brunk announces his transfer to IU via Twitter. 11/05/2019: Brunk plays in his first game as an Indiana Hoosier and finishes with 11 points and seven rebounds. 01/15/2020: Brunk records his first doubledouble with IU against Rutgers University.
Attempting a three-point shot, Brunk warms up before the game against Iowa. Photo by Kelsey Jones
record, averaging just over 7 points and 5 rebounds a game. A defining moment of his career at IU is yet to come, Brunk says, but he still has his junior year to finish out and another season after that. He is ultimately looking to compete in the NCAA tournament in March. With his transfer to IU, Brunk has now played at three historic basketball arenas in Indiana. “I’ve had a pretty good draw playing at Southport Fieldhouse, Hinkle Fieldhouse and now here at Assembly Hall,” Brunk said. ”I don’t think you could pick three better. I get a different feeling every time I walk into each one respectively… It’s pretty neat that my journey’s intertwined with all three of them.”
Always a Card
Despite the fact that Brunk is a starter for a Big Ten basketball team, people believe he is the same person he’s always been. Johnny Brunk, a junior at SHS and Brunk’s younger brother, believes Brunk’s personality hasn’t changed. “Joey has always been the person he is now, but his personality is shining through
to everyone else,” Johnny said. Brunk’s connection to the SHS community extends past his brother and continues onto teachers, coaches and even friends he met at SHS. He and his best friend, SHS alum Nick Holland, have remained close over the last seven years and even live together at IU. According to Holland, all the division one basketball offers Brunk received didn’t affect his personality. “I don’t think he’s changed at all…” Holland said. “Even when he got to Butler (University), he was the same person.” To Brunk, Holland means as much as family. They have been good friends ever since they sat next to each other in Precalculus Brunk’s sophomore year. “He couldn’t be a better friend, and I think that’s an important part of my Southport deal,” Brunk said. Brunk and Simpson, his former SHS coach, have still managed to stay in contact over the years. Simpson says he and Brunk call, text and even find time to meet up for dinner in Bloomington. Brunk says he will always appreciate those
To learn more about Brunk’s little brother, Johnny, and his journey through sports, scan the QR code below.
from SHS who never used his basketball abilities as the only way to define him. “Jones and (English teacher Sam) Hanley, it seems when they talk to me, we never talk about basketball,” Brunk said. “For me, that means a lot.” There is still some uncertainty in what Brunk’s future holds. But Brunk has many different paths he believes he could follow. Brunk has considered going to law school after he receives his master’s degree in recreation administration at IU, but his ultimate goal is to continue his career playing professionally wherever in the world that may be. “I want to continue to live that dream I have had my whole life,” Brunk said.
Brunk holds a ball as he talks with The Journal during an interview in Assembly Hall. Photo by Jordin Baker
Sports 19
Features
Editor: Elizabeth Valadez
‘One team, one heart’ The dance team travels a long road to nationals By Emily Mertz, Reporter
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erfecting their routines and stunts, the dance team prepares for nationals. With a music mashup playing over the speakers, the girls have a look of determination on their faces. They are focused on making sure all of the moves are precise and perfect. “They start looking better and cleaner as we go,” dance team coach Jessi Walpole said. This year has been filled with growth for the team, both interpersonally and with their ultimate achievement of qualifying for nationals. At the beginning of the season, the girls say, they were not functioning as a complete team. Instead, they had different friend groups split up. However, the girls agree that as the season continued to progress, they became more like a team. According to Walpole, the team spends so much time together now that they have become like a family. She says they do argue like any family would, but they always end up
20 Features
making up and being there for each other. “It’s really like once you’re in your family... you can’t get out,” Walpole said. This family dynamic hasn’t diminished, especially since the girls found out they made it to nationals. “I think at the beginning of the season we were having more fun and not taking everything seriously,” senior Kaylie Fallowfield said. “But now that we actually have the chance to go to nationals this year, which we’ve never been able to do, I feel like we are very motivated to actually do good.” Walpole also said that the team has benefitted from becoming closer. They are able to work better as a team and be more in sync, which is an important part of the sport. Their bond as a team has been strengthened by all of the time they spend with each other. “They’ve gotten to this level of being like ‘It’s not just about me, it’s about us,’” Walpole said. Not only have they grown
Freshman La’Quera Williams, junior Madison Baker and freshman Joshlynn Tanner dance during practice on Feb. 20. The dance team has practiced almost every day after school to prepare for nationals. Photo by Kelsey Jones
as a team, they also feel they have become better dancers. Fallowfield has been on the team since freshman year and believes that they have gotten better throughout the years. “I feel like when I was a freshman things weren’t as strict, but also our team was very small and we didn’t have a lot of people,” Fallowfield said. “Through the years we’ve gotten bigger and grown as a team.” The team has had success, but they have a new challenge to face: nationals. The team has to depend on fundraisers, sponsors and donations in order to go. Nationals takes place in Louisville, Kentucky on April 3 and 4. By that time, the team will need to have a total of approximately $2,000. The team has already started to do fundraisers, like babysitting other teachers’ kids, in hopes to reach their goal. Principal Brian Kight said that the dance team is not an IHSAA sport, meaning that they do not get any funding from the Athletic Department.
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I feel like when I was a freshman things weren’t as strict, but also our team was very small and we didn’t have a lot of people. Through the years, we’ve gotten bigger and grown as a team. Senior Kaylie Fallowfield
”
To visit the dance team’s Instagram page, scan the QR code below.
In addition, the money that the school receives from the state has to be used for educational purposes, which excludes the dance team. All of this means that the dance team is responsible for their own funding. “Athletics is completely self-sustaining,” Knight said. “The money that we get from the state, like per student, that all has to be spent on school day curricular type things. Everything else is really, in all honesty, funded by itself.” However, the girls said that this predicament has not discouraged them. If anything, they have been motivated to work harder and start focusing better. “I never want money to be a reason we can’t do something,” Walpole said. At the start of the year, the girls were not taking practices very seriously, said freshman La’Quera Williams. They were not focused during practices and just did not pay attention very well. But now, Williams says that the girls are motivated to always do their best and focus on what needs to get done. They all want to do well at Nationals, and that’s what has motivated this large push to show up and give practice their all. Although the whole team gets to travel to nationals, every girl may not be chosen to actually perform. As the date of the competition gets c l o s e r and closer, Wa l p o l e and assistant coach Krista Perry are looking for the best girls to put on stage to compete. “Now people are getting cut... Everyone wants to dance, so you better work your butt off or you’re getting cut,”
Williams said. Walpole says the hard work that is being put in almost every day after school is paying off. The girls have shown better technique, become all-around better dancers and have grown into a family. “I think our motto has slowly become ‘one team, one heart,’” Walpole said.
Expenses the dance team has to cover for nationals:
The team went to East Central High School’s Invitational competition on Feb. 2. This competition qualified them for nationals. Photo contributed by the dance team Sophomores Molly Maynard and Princess Kioni catch Baker during their stunt. The team is going to nationals in Louisville, Kentucky on April 3 and 4. Photo by Kelsey Jones
Costumes:
The team members need three different outfits each for nationals. Each outfit consists of multiple pieces of clothing.
Hotel rooms: The girls will be staying at a hotel in Louisville for the duration of the competition.
Transportation: Since Louisville is about two hours from SHS, the team will have to cover gas prices for the bus that they take. Features 21
Becoming
bilingual
22 Features 4 Features
Photo by Kelsey Jones
Learning English remains the main takeaway from junior’s foreign-exchange experience By Sophia McKinney, Reporter
A
bout a month ago, junior Rodrigo Romero woke up from a dream like no other. In his dream, he heard people speaking English to each other. Spanish is Romero’s first language, and that dream let him know that he was beginning to grasp a second language. At the beginning of the school year, Romero came to the U.S. from Spain as a foreign exchange student. He knew only basic English and made it his goal to become fluent in the language. Romero’s passion to learn English has grown, and he plans to include it in all aspects of his future. “I want to live out the American experience and explore more about the culture here,” Romero said. “I feel like my English has improved since the last five months.” According to Romero, the first two months in the U.S. were the hardest. He found it especially difficult to communicate with students and teachers at school. Math teacher Mary Wheeler says she could tell he was struggling and did her best to communicate with him as a teacher and a friend. “Rodrigo was pretty quiet when I first met him, and I think he was just getting used to the routines here,” Wheeler said. “I tried to help him by
engaging in conversations with him both academically and socially.” Making friends was also an obstacle Romero says he had to overcome, partially due to the language barrier. At times, Romero says he felt extremely frustrated because his peers had trouble understanding what he was trying to say. But several students eventually reached out and introduced themselves to him, including junior Jackson Meier. When he first met Rodrigo, one of the first things that stuck out to Meier was his humor. Since then, they’ve hung out almost every week. Meier tries his best to guide Romero towards proper english by correcting him when necessary. “I feel like I’ve been able to help him by teaching him some new words in English and introducing him to the humor here,” Meier said. Junior Abby Samm met Rodrigo in Precalculus at the beginning of the year. Although his English wasn’t the smoothest, Samm says she still noticed that he made an effort to talk to people in their class and was very friendly. They’ve become close friends, and she always looks forward to their daily conversations. “At first, I didn’t really know how to communicate with him because his English
wasn’t the best,” Samm said. “Since then, his English has improved so much.” With the help of students and teachers at SHS, Romero became much more confident in his English-speaking abilities and began to come out of his shell, according to Wheeler. Orchestra teacher Thomas Wright, Romero’s host parent, says he has seen this side of him since he arrived at his home. Thanks to Wright’s foreignexchange hosting experience, Romero says that Wright was the biggest help of all when it came to learning English. In addition, Wright has been learning Spanish since he was in sixth grade, so he was able to translate and correct Romero when he needed it. “We’ve worked with a lot of exhange students, so we tend to talk at a slower pace and we choose vocabulary that is simpler,” Wright said. “When he would say something slightly incorrect, we would say ‘A better way to say that would be...’” Romero says that learning and making mistakes were all part of his journey. He came to the U.S. wanting to learn english and live the “high school experience.” Now that he’s mostly fluent in English, Romero wants his future to lie in the U.S. “My goal is to go to college here and continue with my American life,” Romero said.
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I want to live out the American experience and explore more about the culture here. I feel like my English has improved since the last five months.
Junior Rodrigo Romero
”
Junior Rodrigo Romero wants to stay at SHS for his senior year of high school. To donate to his GoFundMe, scan the QR code below.
Features 23
Media feature
Freshman Sarah Bennett opens up about her positive and negative social media experiences By Shelby Denny, Social Media Editor
Q&A
Bennett is most active on Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok
How do you overcome the hate you receive on social media?
“I get hate from a lot of people. I overcome it because I tell myself that I am still that girl no matter what and not everyone is going to like you and your content, and so you just have to overcome the hate because there are going to be plenty of people who like you for who you are.”
What is your advice for people who want to start social media? “Be yourself, do something that you like and don’t change yourself to make other people like you.”
What has your experience been like on social media?
“I like social media. I’m on it every day. I kind of have an addiction to my phone, even playing games on my phone. It’s been amazing. I’ve met new people, (and) I’ve met people from my culture and people from school.”
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Opinion
Editor: Phoebe Mawi
It is better to accept progress rather than fight it
Rachel’s top five Bob Dylan songs: 1. “All Along the Watchtower” 2. “Farewell, Angelina” 3. “The Times They Are a-Changin’” 4. “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” 5. “The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll”
Scan here to listen to Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are aChangin’.”
Column by Rachel Bayler, Print Managing Editor There aren’t many and socially. The cultural songwriters that come close revolution of the ‘60s and the to the absolute genius of Bob political activism of the era Dylan. His raw, honest voice seems to be amplified today, paired with acoustic guitar and with students participating the occasional harmonica bring in marches and protests and such depth to each of his songs, making their voices heard matched only by the weight through social media. “The Music ‘n Musings of his brilliant lyrics. He has times, they are a-changin’” cry to embrace the changing an amazing power to create all around us, and I think the tone of society set to the tune songs that are simultaneously sooner that that is accepted, of a traditional English ballad, thoughtful and powerful, the sooner we will be able and I think it is probably the songs so full of emotion that to move towards a more best song to represent both they seem to bring everything peaceful existence. the shifting mood of the ‘60s to a halt. My time spent listening and the shift we are currently I didn’t really get into to Dylan has taught me experiencing in the country. Dylan’s music until I went there is no fighting progress. Written in 1963, at the through a music phase when Whether we like it or not, height of the Civil Rights I listened to a lot of songs change comes eventually. Movement and on the brink from the ‘60s countercultural It’s better to acknowledge of the Vietnam War, this song movement. Many of these that “the order now is calls people to stop fighting songs were rock, blues, rapidly fadin’,” instead progress and to pay attention country or folk, Dylan’s of struggling to stop the to the voices of the younger specialties, and it wasn’t till I inevitable. The “present generation. Dylan addresses found myself drawn to artists now will later be past,” congressmen, writers, parents, the younger generation like Simon & Garfunkel and Joan Baez that I discovered his everybody he can, urging eventually takes over and them to recognize that the songs. Of course, I recognized the cycle continues. “old road is rapidly agin’” and his name from hearing it With all its faults, the to get out of the way if they referenced over the years, but ‘60s were a time of immense won’t take part in changing it wasn’t until I actually sat transition within American down and listened to his work the world around them. society. Young people today This song has a universal that I began to appreciate its need to embrace the power element about it that really beauty and impact on my they hold and speak up. As makes it extremely poignant view of the world. Dylan says, “If your time today. I think that it is clear that to you is worth savin’, you One of my favorite songs there is starting to be a shift of his is “The Times They Are better start swimmin’ or in the U.S. today, politically a-Changin’.” It’s a rallying you’ll sink like a stone.”
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“Almost, Maine” Opinion 25
Black is beautiful Every shade within the African-American community should be appreciated By La’Kenzie Parker, Reporter
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As a society, we need to be completely open to diversity within races. We need to combat colorism by speaking up and saying something when we see it happen in front of us.
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I, as a light-skinned AfricanAmerican, am recognizing the fact colorism is a real thing,and firmly believe that all shades of black are beautiful. Whether someone is light-skinned, brown-skinned or darkskinned, society needs to have the same respect for every shade of black. It’s time that we appreciate black people of every shade the same and not hold one shade to a higher standard than another. As I look back on my elementary and middle school experience, I have come to the realization that some of my classmates were colorists,
How do you feel about your skin tone?
“I believe that my shade of color brings out my personality...It allows me to express myself in ways others may not be able to, but also sadly puts a reference point because of my color.” Junior Timothy Davis
“I love it. I think that it should get way more hype because melanin is so beautiful. I just think that people of color are beautiful.” Sophomore Princess Kioni Opinion 26
some without even realizing that they are. Commonly mistaken with racists, colorists are people that discriminate against certain shades or tones of a race. Colorists tend to treat lighter-skinned people better or hold them to higher value than darker-skinned people. Growing up, there were many classes in which I was the only student with AfricanAmerican roots. In classes where I was the only person of color and the teacher turned the lights off, a student always,without fail felt the need to say “Where’d they go?” in reference to the fact that I was too dark to be seen. If there were students darker than me in the classroom, the derogatory phrase would be said to them instead of me. After a while, I realized that when the comment was made, it was always to the person with the darkest shade of black skin. I didn’t realize until I reached high school and reflected upon that experience that my black peers were victims of verbal colorist insults. Other than being “comedian of the year,” these students were discriminating
against individuals of darker shades of black, which has been controversial within the black community for centuries. This controversy stems from times of slavery, when the lighter-skinned and darkerskinned slaves were segregated according to what shade of black they were and labeled with the terms “house negroes” and “field negroes.” The lighterskinned slaves, also referred to as “mulattos” at that time, were given the jobs inside the house such as cleaning, cooking, caring for children and other tasks, while the darker skinned slaves who worked in the field had to operate in harsh working conditions. In a time when the black community needed to stick together, colorism segregated and created resentment within it because of the white people holding the lighter-skinned people up as more superior than the darkerskinned people. The idea that the lighter skinned black people were better than the darker skinned black people was instilled early in society. In today’s society, the standard is still prevalent with the unfair treatment towards darker-skinned black people. According to The Root magazine, lighter skinned black women were given 12% less time on their sentences compared to darker skinned black women. As a society, we need to be completely open to diversity within races. We need to combat colorism by speaking up and saying something when we see it happen in front of us. I think it’s important to be a voice for the voiceless and stand by the people who’ve found their voices and are fighting for a cause. Altering set views and accepting more people leads to greater equality everywhere.
Defying the norm
Women’s success should not be defined as having a family By Taylor Hill, Reporter There are many things that make women feel successful and happy, and one of them may be creating a family. But I don’t think women’s success should be measured by having a family alone. Women’s achievements should be defined as what they contribute to our modern society, to what they can provide for the future. Many women are taking jobs as doctors, engineers, and astronauts, and they are taking over the world. Society should be encouraging this measurement of success and worth for today’s women. Back in the 1950s, women were expected to be happy being a mother and wife. Women were deemed successful by having a few kids and a husband. But as a young woman in the 21st century, I don’t want to stick to the past. I want to make my own path. In my opinion, many girls as they grow up dream of meeting their true love, getting married and having a few kids of their own, and that gives the feeling of living a full life.
There is nothing wrong with a woman wanting to have a husband and kids. But I know this feeling doesn’t come to all women, and they shouldn’t have to live out the “perfect” family to feel valued. Personally, I want to go to college and have a long career. It’s not that I don’t enjoy children or don’t want to have any. I think that there are many aspects that contribute to a woman living a full life, not just having children. There are strong women in the public eye that don’t view kids as a necessity. Actress Renée Zellweger, for example, said according to Kiwireport, an entertainment news website, “Motherhood has never been an ambition. I don’t think like that. I never have expectations like ‘When I’m 19 I’m going to do this, and by the time I’ve hit 25 I’m going to do that.’ I just take things as they come, each day at a time.”
She is only o n e example. There are m a n y other women who don’t have kids by choice, like Oprah Winfrey, Ellen Degeneres, Betty White and Dolly Parton. These amazing women and so many more are still happy and flourishing even without having children of their own. If a woman defines her happiness as having a family, why should we stop her? Everyone has a right to decide how to fulfill their lives. There are so many other ways women’s success and happiness can be measured. Women should be able to set their own standards for what makes them happy.
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Women’s achievements should be defined as what they contribute to our modern society, to what they can provide for the future.
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78% of female entrepreneurs believe they’ve reached worklife balance.
Of all privately owned firms, female-owned firms account for 40%. The amount of female-owned businesses increased by 114% between 1997 and 2017. Source: Westchester Magazine and The Ladders
Opinion 27
Cartoon by Trinity Trent
Journal Address
JOURNAL ADDRESS
This is the opinion of the editorial board of The Journal
Dual credit classes have more lasting value than AP classes
Did you know? SHS offers 23 A.P. classes such as Biology, Environmental Science and Human Geography. SHS offers 12 dual credit classes such as Chemistry, English Composition and Finite Mathematics.
Scan here to look at the full list of course offerings at SHS.
Opinion 28
Here and at many schools across the nation, it’s easy to see that A.P. is recognized as a step above dual enrollment classes. The enormous banner hanging from the building that declares SHS as an “A.P. Distinguished School” is enough to determine the prominence of the College Board’s program. But greater attention isn’t synonymous with greater value. We, The Journal, believe dual credit classes should be emphasized equally if not more than A.P. classes at SHS. Dual credit classes are invaluable in terms of college credit later down the line. According to a survey done by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers in 2016, 92% of public schools and 80% of private schools have policies to accept college credits earned in high school. A.P. scores don’t translate directly to credits, but dual enrollment courses are real college classes following actual college syllabi, and therefore they’re more likely to meet a particular university’s standards for credit. Many students who take dual credit classes will attend Indiana schools and be certain that the credits will
count, and then they will save money. Rather than advocating for the A.P. program, which can’t guarantee the credits awarded based on each college, teachers and administrators should be encouraging the more widely accepted dual enrollment courses for students who are concerned about cost. Enrolling students in A.P. classes doesn’t set them up for academic success in college, even though it is advertised as the higher-level option. A.P. prepares students for a single test in May, and unless teachers make a mission of instructing beyond the approved curriculum, it’s a race against the clock as material is crammed in before the big exam. Highschool students pour time and energy into this method of learning even though they have a vastly different experience awaiting them in college. With a cumulative grade, university courses usually take into account many different factors, from homework to online assignments to unit tests, when measuring a student’s success. Dual credit classes at SHS are structured similarly. They are based on progressive grades throughout the semester
and typically a final, all combining to create the end grade. If students want to be prepared for college classes and the study habits that go along with them, dual credit is the way to go. That isn’t to say A.P. courses aren’t challenging. A.P. teachers and students work hard to master the difficult material, and a standardized method of instruction across the country has benefits, according to Principal Brian Knight. Colleges looking at which credits to accept know for sure that A.P. students have been taught -- or at least been tested -- over the same knowledge. Additionally, sometimes the A.P. track is the only advanced option for a specific subject -- foreign language, for example. Knight says administrators are considering adding a dual credit option for foreign language classes to amend this problem, but for now, A.P. remains the only path for the fourth-year language level. Clearly, the A.P. program has its merit. But with the benefits offered by dual enrollment, A.P. just doesn’t deserve all of the spotlight at SHS.
Check out recent stories on our website, The “Education in “Road to state finals” Journal Rewired! multiculturalism”
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2020 SHS Boys Volleyball Home Games
FREE admission
for students with SHS or SMS ID!
March 19 vs Roncalli April 7 vs Columbus North April 8 vs Noblesville April 22 vs Columbus East April 23 vs Franklin Community April 29 vs Cathedral May 4 vs Indiana Christian Academy
Photos
Editor: Jordin Baker
1
The play’s the thing The Theater Department rehearsed the spring play “Almost, Maine” on Feb. 20 and 21. Centered around the northern lights, “Almost, Maine” is about the special interactions between people. It is broken up into vignettes, each with a unique title and characters.
What: The spring production of “Almost, Maine”
Who: The Theater Department When: 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.
tonight and on March 5 and 6
2 30 Photos
Where: Blackbox theater Price: $5
6
3
7 1. Seniors Jacob Warfel and Katie Berry rehearse their performance of “Her Heart.”Photo by Kelsey Jones 2. Senior Sam Hansell rehearses “Where It Went,” performed with senior Marsela Riddle. Photo by Jordin Baker
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3. Acting downcast, senior Gavin Hensley performs “Story of Hope” with senior Lydia Springer. Photo by Jordin Baker 4. Junior Jackson Doane kisses senior Caitlin Lindbeck during their performance of “Getting It Back.” Photo by Kelsey Jones 5. Senior Madeline Holloway helps support junior Julia Dye as she stands up in “They Fell.” Photo by Jordin Baker 6. Seniors David Masengale and Lilly Leslie discuss a painting in “Seeing The Thing.” Photo by Jordin Baker
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7. Looking into each others eyes, junior Jayden Spencer and freshman Katie Osborne practice “Prologue.” Photo by Kelsey Jones Photos 31
Head on over to The Journal Rewired! Accounting for
nxiety
The stress of testing can harm student performance By Sophia McKinney, Reporter “The pencil in her hand started to slip away while sweat beads formed on the palms of her hands. Her whole body nervously trembled as a cloud of doubt hovered over her head. These are just some of the symptoms sophomore Natalia Delgado experiences while taking tests at school...” Scan the QR code to continue this in-depth story about test anxiety.
Visit The Journal’s YouTube to watch this issue’s in-depth video and many others. The Journal conducted an experiment to see how people responded to taking a fake test both physically and mentally.