Issue 5 2022-23

THEFUTURE IS

MEET THE NEXT GENERATION OF INNOVATORS AND LEADERS

PAGE 10

OUR STAFF

writers landon durm, anna egleson, lance engelman, becca garber, kenzie glass, olivia gonzalez, max habel, andie harmon, savanna hill, danielle hook, aubrey paul, anthony pratt, tori rowe, savannah shotwell, madeline smith, carter swart, jillian thomas, santi leon torres, thomas whalen adviser joe akers

WHEN I GROW UP

What do you want to be when you grow up?” In the past, the same set of answers to this question would echo among young girls: princess, actress, teacher, mommy, or nurse. Though all respectable aspirations, these were some of only a few, limited options presented to girls when determining what their future held. Roles rooted in vanity, motherhood, and care loomed over the futures of bright young women. Luckily, because of efforts made in public schools, organizations supporting girls, societal changes, and the deconstruction of gender norms, girls are no longer bound to only a few careers. When we ask girls today the same question, we’ll still hear the same answers we’ve heard for ages. But on top of that, we might hear: astronaut, doctor, scientist, architect. The seeds for the innovators of our future have already been planted; however, we must continue to work to watch those seeds blossom.

Women made up just 8% of science, technology, engineering, math (STEM) careers in 1970. However, according to the United States Census Bureau, though women

make up half of the U.S. workforce, only 27% of STEM jobs are held by women. Though progress has been made, the current disparity is significant. As the young, progressive generation that we are, it is up to us to forge ahead and make the STEM field as equitable as possible.

How, you ask? It sounds simple on paper, but the reality is so much harder. We must keep doing. Those with the power to make women’s lives more equitable to men’s? They must keep doing. The female graduate students that couldn’t get their name on the academic paper that they spent years on? They must keep doing. Those girls in high school STEM classes, surrounded by their male counterparts, yearning for the respect that they deserve but just can’t seem to get? They must keep doing. Those little girls with a dream, to reach for the stars, to cure the common cold, to go to infinity? They must keep doing.

If we want to see the young female innovators of today become the adult female innovators of tomorrow, we must keep doing, and encourage those young girls to keep doing. Our future depends on it.

THE ARTIFICIAL WORLD

ARTiFiCiAL iNTELLiGENCE HAS BECOME iNCREASiNGLY SiGNiFiCANT... MAYBE MORE THAN YOU REALiZE

Landon Durm//landon.durm2007@gmail.com

Artificial intelligence is all around us — it’s in our phones, cars, and even our homes. As our world continues to evolve, so does technology. Contrary to what movies like “Terminator” depict — most modern technology is positive and helps improve our daily lives. It’s a field of science that has advanced tremendously in the past few years featuring breakthroughs like verbal recognition, self-awareness, biometrics, and even decision management. While artificial intelligence -or as it’s commonly referred to, AI- may have its critics, the benefits to this technology far outweigh its disadvantages. No technology today contributes to the medical and engineering field as much as artificial intelligence does. It’s openening up ideas and concepts that will lead us down different paths on our way to advance technology itself.

In the past year, researchers and teams of engineers have designed artificial intelligence that not only aids humanity with everyday tasks, it’s also saving lives. For instance, consumers now commonly wear devices that are able to track our health, monitor our vitals - they can do more now than just make phone calls. And it’s not just smart watches changing the game either: you’ve probably seen a device developed by Amazon that helps to implement artificial intelligence in our daily lives by setting alarms and reminders, buying groceries, placing orders for online purchases, or even playing games. Maybe you’ve met Alexa before? If not, there’s probably one lying around your friend’s house.

When some worried detractors think about artificial intelligence, the first thought they often have is “The Singularity” or robots taking over the world. This way of thinking does not reflect what artificial in-

telligence truly is. Artificial intelligence is essentially a computer that, like a human, can sense verbal and visual perception along with making concise, thoughtout decisions. Although you may consider killer robots as artificial intelligence, you’d be surprised that even your laptop and phones are artificial intelligence. While some people don’t trust AI most do heavily rely on the technology around them. You’ve probably at one point woken up and went straight to your device or phone to check your messages. And the technology that allows you to do that is called simple artificial intelligence.

Another type of artificial intelligence is self-aware AI, technology that can make logical decisions based on the information around it. Just last November, OpenAI - one of the biggest artificial intelligence companies - launched ChatGPT, a chat box that will essentially do anything you request. This is especially significant because it means a huge step toward advancements in new technologies, and even newer resources, to help with health and medicines. AI will help to provide or suggest steps for consumers to maintain having better health, along with providing advice on how to live safely. AI has always been around, but it was not until recently that teams of engineers figured out how to apply these ideas in the world around us.

It’s important that as a society, where we have so much within our reach, that we truly understand what technology does for us. It’s why we need AI to survive and thrive in this evolving world. PhotoprovidedbyFineArtAmerica

B[LACK] HI[STORY]

SCHOOLS CAN iMPROVE THEiR TAKE ON BLACK HiSTORY MONTH

Brenzlee

THE PROBLEM:

Since 1976, Black History Month (BHM) has been recognized every February throughout America. By highlighting influential Black figures in America and around the world, the celebration not only honors the legacy of these individuals, but helps teach younger Black generations their ancestral history. So what do we, as students, do when this standard isn’t being met? Through the years, the prominence of Black history has either declined or is simply not recognized in schools. Icons of Black history like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Fredrick Douglass are reduced to only the second month of the year, and schools and textbooks tend to minimize their role in American history. Instead of teaching these figures as part of history, many of their stories are diminished or ignored entirely.

Some schools around the country aren’t only avoiding BHM, but Black history as well. And with the help of some state governors, this issue is becoming more and more common. In today’s headlines, “critical race theory,” an academic concept that race is a social construct and that racism is not merely the product of individual bias or prejudice, but also something embedded in legal systems and policies, has been a trending debate topic among lawmakers of both political parties. There’s a common misconception that it’s actually a divisive discourse that pits people of color against white people, which surprisingly, many observers believe. For example, in Texas, Governor Greg Abbott signed a bill in 2020 that restricts how America’s long history of racism is taught in Texas schools. Even last year, the HB 1134 bill that was approved by the Indiana House attempted to ban “CRT’’ and topics about race from many K-12 classrooms.

Although this bill ultimately died in the Indiana Senate, the legislation was backed by a majority of Republican representatives, with 60 house members voting for it. But even without laws like this, the textbooks that we as students are learning from and that our teachers base lessons on are unreliable. One of the most popular history books that Noblesville uses, from McGraw-Hill, faced widespread criticism in 2015 for misinforming students about the Transatlantic slave trade, seeming to ultimately erase the truth of slavery all together.

HOW TO FIX IT:

Instead of relying on various student union groups to celebrate their designated months, educating the entire student body of the historical elements they’re missing is needed to improve the community Noblesville is seeking to cultivate. Teachers and members of many Noblesville Schools departments have to begin integrating Black history into the basic K-12 history curriculum. Students need to be exposed to the Black diaspora when African slaves were removed from their homeland and brought to America. Historic events such as slavery, the civil rights movement, and the introduction of HB 1134 need to be remembered outside of the month of February.

The issue of avoiding Black History Month is a deeper issue entirely. However, acknowledging the fact that the Black history learned during February is history that is equally American - the same type of history as what we’ve typically been taught - shifts us one step closer to learning true history. And by teaching this history correctly, not just during BHM, young Black and African-American students all throughout the world will benefit.

On the door of an NHS classroom, a mural of Black historical

THE ROAD TO GREATNESS

Gabriel Fryling//gabegoblue@icloud.com

Olivia Gonzalez//vialiin06@gmail.com

In his four years in the NHS music department, Alden Ruth has seen it all. Crowds of unfamiliar faces scattered around large auditoriums. A momentous freeze that often falls over the glittering dancers when the musicians end their final notes. The lights that shine brightly onto the stage, although the performance the audience sees burns brighter than any bulb.

Ruth has been a key member in the many programs the Noblesville music department has to offer, like jazz band, concert band, marching band, and show choir band. Ever since his middle school years, band has played a prominent role in Ruth’s education, where he learned to play multiple instruments in a variety of performance areas.

“I started playing the trombone in eighth grade for a jazz band,” Ruth said. “I played in the lower jazz band at East [Middle School], but before in sixth grade, I played the baritone all the way up to eighth grade.”

But Ruth’s experiences in jazz band didn’t end in middle school. He carried on his musical skills into high school and worked his way up the ranks of NHS bands in just over a year.

“I’ve been in jazz band all throughout high school. My freshman year, I started out in Jazz Five, which was the lowest jazz band at the time, and then my sophomore year, I jumped up to the highest band [Jazz One] and I’ve been a part of that for the last three years,” Ruth said.

Moving into Jazz One is a challenge for any NHS student, as the band has enjoyed tremendous success in the past few years. They’ve been ranked nationally and were even invited to the Ellington Jazz Band Competition in 2021 and 2022, a competition spotlighting 15 of

the best high school jazz bands across the country. These award-winning groups traveled to New York City for the competition, performing in the renowned Lincoln Center surrounded by some of the country’s best high school jazz musicians.

“[Ellington] was really cool. My sophomore year it was all online, which wasn’t as fun, but [it] was still a good experience as we got to watch some great musicians,” Ruth said. “My junior year, we went to New York which was awesome. We got to hangout with these professional musicians at the Lincoln Center, and it was just a great time.”

Ruth’s jazz band success has not gone unnoticed. Jazz director Bethany Robinson, who has helped guide Ruth’s musical journey throughout high school, has taken notice of Ruth’s talent.

“Alden has always been a very dedicated student, and he’s gotten better each and every year through lessons, learning how to play in combos and how to blend in a big band, and also is more proficient at reading [music],” Robinson said, “so the show choir shows and jazz band music is learned more quickly each and every year”

Like his instructors, Ruth’s peers like junior Daniel Carrington, also realize Ruth’s hardworking personality brings him to another level of musicianship.

“Alden is good as a trombone player because he practices a lot, he has a good musician’s mindset,” Carrington said. “Alden can definitely be [viewed] as a talented musician. I can see him being on a professional level in the future.”

The professional stage is where Ruth hopes to find himself in the future, as he plans to continue playing the

THE PATH ONE STUDENT HAS TRAVELED THROUGH THE MUSiC WORLD

trombone after he graduates high school and college.

“In college, I’m looking to go into Jazz Studies,” Ruth said. “I plan to keep playing through college and hopefully make it my career. I [want to] get a double major in Jazz studies and massage therapy, so I can still play the trombone and do gigs as I choose to.”

Yet Ruth finds his time spent playing music in a band most enjoyable because of the people in his ensembles, not just the music he plays. Ruth believes the companionship is his favorite reward for being in band.

“Throughout band, the best part is that you get to do it with your best friends,” Ruth said. “The days can be long and tiring, but being able to do it with some of your best friends and getting to play music with them is just really awesome.”

THE MAiN EVENT

Meet the NHS Show Choir Band

Eventhough Alden Ruth’s journey on the trombone began with playing jazz, his instrument has become of more use than with just jazz styles. Ruth is a participant in several ensembles in the school’s music department, and one of those is show choir band. Playing in a choir backup band requires a different skill set than a concert band, something senior trumpet player Anthony Beeman noticed immediately.

“Show choir music is not a classic piece like a concert band, and we’re not the focus when we play. The people come to see the show choir and not us, so we have to be careful to not overpower them,” Beeman said. “The competitions are super-fun. It’s early mornings and late nights, but you get to hang out with everybody during it, so that makes it more enjoyable.”

Along with performing, many members of the show choir band get to fully experience the competitive atmosphere, including the lengthy schedule required of the participants. The competitions can be time consuming, but according to junior Daniel Carrington, the long days are not a negative.

“We wake up sometimes as early as 3 a.m. and usually don’t get back home until around 1 a.m., so they’re usually around 22-hour-long days for us,” Carrington said, “which is honestly really cool, because I get to spend it with some of my closest friends.”

These musicians’ hard work has regularly been recognized. The show choir band, better known as the Main Event, has picked up “Best Band” awards at many of the competitions they have performed at over the past few years.

“Winning ‘Best Band’ is definitely a cool feeling. Our music department has two varsity show choirs, and they’re both very prestigious, award-winning programs that have great mentors behind them who help lead us,” Carrington said.

But these musicians try not to stay complacent, as they know they can always get better. They’ve picked up awards and trophies, but they know they won’t always win and will still need to continue to improve.

“It makes the times we don’t win more awakening, letting us know that we’re not [going to] win every time, and we actually have to try and get better,” Beeman said. “At one of our most recent competitions we didn’t get ‘Best Band’ and some of the bands we saw were very good, and that was an eye-opener for us.”

(Left) Ruth and the Jazz One musicians rehearse their competition annual Swing Night. (Below) Ruth practices whereever and whenever he can, including in the storage room before class.

PhotosbyG.FrylingandO.Gonzalez

PhotoProvidedbynhsmainevent

The Main Event poses with the “Best Band” trophy they won at their Beech Grove competition. The group is led by Bethany Robinson and John Neubauer.

A BELOVED EDUCATOR iS LEAViNG NHS, BUT SHE’S NOT DONE TEACHiNG

Caitlin Hall//hallc7544@gmail.com

Lance Engelman//lanceengelman@gmail.com

With her retirement quickly approaching as the school year draws to a close, Michelle Tharp-Taylor may be saying “goodbye” to NHS this year., But the long-time French instructor, known as “Madame Tharp-Taylor” to her students, is not finished teaching.

After working at NHS for more than two decades, TharpTayor’s students will be sad to see her go, although the teacher has big plans for the future. A few years ago, Tharp-Taylor developed an interest in weight lifting and personal training, a hobby that originated with her grandchildren.

“Before I started strength training, I picked up a sandbox for my granddaughter, and it hurt my shoulder. I couldn’t do it, and it was so heavy. I needed to get stronger, so I started doing weights and lifting,” Tharp-Taylor said.

After six months, Tharp-Taylor found encouragement in the progress she had made.

“After six months my granddaughter asked me, ‘Grandma, can you bring the sandbox out?’” Tharp-Taylor said. “I brought it out, set it up, and the sandbox wasn’t nearly as heavy as it used to be.”

Her new workout routine been beneficial for her when it comes to doing what she enjoys with her grandkids, she says. But she also appreciates what it’s done for her overall health.

“Working out just makes you feel so good,” Tharp-Taylor said.

Weight training not only pushed Tharp-Taylor physically, it led her to a new role as a personal trainer. Since starting, Tharp-Taylor has worked hard and continued to learn more so she could pursue a new goal.

“I just wanted to see if I could pass the test [to be a certified personal trainer]. It would be good for my brain, plus I could learn more information,” Tharp-Taylor said.

Tharp-Taylor says she utilizes the teaching and social skills she learned as a high school educator to help her also be the best personal trainer she can be.

“I could take what I love with teaching and getting to interact with people and transfer that into the health industry,” Tharp-Taylor said.

Tharp-Taylor has been a French teacher at Noblesville for the past 22 years. Sophomore Olivia Willard is in her second year of studying with Tharp-Taylor and can still recall a lesson on what might have been a boring topic in someone else’s classroom.

“I vividly remember the day that we began learning about what words meant ‘behind,’ ‘forward,’ ‘next to,’ and she pulled out this duck that looked like the Mona Lisa and moved it all over the classroom, asking if Mona was on top of or behind something,” Willard said.

According to Tharp-Taylor, her love for teaching has been a part of her life since she was very young. Educating others is

her passion, and she has never given up on it since for as long as she can remember.

“I always wanted to be a teacher. When I was young, I would line my dolls up and pretend to be their teacher,” TharpTaylor said.

Tharp-Taylor believes that her previous experiences as a preschool teacher has helped her keep her high school classes engaging and exciting. For some teachers, ensuring every student is engaged during class can be challenging to ensure that every student is engaged during class. However, her students believe that Tharp-Taylor’s teaching style successfully captures the attention of students and even inspires some to further pursue learning French.

“She gives us activities and challenges that motivate us to know the most French,” sophomore Abigail Wigger said. “I’ve spent time at home just messing around and having fun on Duolingo because she’s given me such a love for the language.”

Tharp-Taylor’s new interest in physical training even shows up in her classroom. Her students say she utilizes more interactive lessons within her class instead of a typical lecture style.

“Every class she is always moving around and getting the entire class to interact,” Wigger said. “She gives us activities and challenges that motivate us.”

Tharp-Taylor’s excitement as a teacher shows in her classes everyday. She expresses how much joy she found while teaching, an energy that stems from when she took French in high school.

“I’ve always liked education and learning, I’ve always wanted to teach. There is nothing else I’d rather do,” Tharp-Taylor said.

Wigger describes Tharp-Taylor as a teacher who tries everyday to make sure her students are in a safe and welcoming classroom. Walking into her classroom, students might hear the teacher talking about how age is just a number or that everyone is equal.

“Madame is very sensitive and always respectful of everyone, no matter who they are. She doesn’t pick favorites and treats everyone the same. She has made French class a safe place to learn, laugh, and grow,” Wigger said. “She creates a fun environment that students want to be in.”

Tharp-Taylor now wants to take what she has learned, as a teacher and as a personal trainer, which she believes she should use in helping others who want a similar experience. She wants to encourage people from all backgrounds, no matter their size or their age.

“I’m envisioning older ladies, maybe older couples, [involved with] strength training and keeping others strong for as long as possible,” Tharp-Taylor said.

With her new understanding of physical conditioning, TharpTaylor now wants to help others more than ever. After she retires, Tharp-Taylor wishes to assist others that are in need of feeling more confident, so they can get in shape and feel better than before.

“I also want to start volunteering in a women’s shelter,” TharpTaylor said, “and teach a strength training class.”

Memories of Tharp-Taylor’s unique teaching style will remain with her students. As the teacher heads into a new chapter of her life, her students hope she has a great retirement.

“I’m so upset she is retiring because she is such a great teacher and has made the class so fun,” sophomore Abigail Wigger said.

With her love of teaching, Tharp-Taylor aims to help others realize that there is not one shape that represents what a healthy body should look like.

“I want to break the stereotype that a personal trainer has to have a perfect body or be super young,” Tharp-Taylor said. “Because I believe in health at any size, any age.”

THE FUTURE IS FEMALE

The next generation of innovators is here

Sydney Elliott has taken advanced courses in the STEM field throughout high school, specialising in science. The junior has noticed that her classes at NHS usually comprise a significant number of females.

“At Noblesville, there is a lot of female participation in STEM courses. I know this is absolutely not the case at other schools, but it is encouraging to see it here,” Elliott said.

Although Noblesville’s STEM program is inclusive for girls, according to Elliott, outside of the school building is where opportunities for women becomes tricky. But rather than seeing this inequality as a downside, she uses it as inspiration.

“Outside of NHS, personally, I see the male domination of this field as a challenge,” Elliott said.

According to Elliott, female presence in STEM fields is a step on the way to the equality women

have long been trying to achieve.. Seeing females fearlessly take control of fields not inclusive of women has made an impact on her.

“I am inspired by women who defy stereotypes placed on them by their male counterparts,” Elliot said. “I think it’s really great that more women are going into STEM programs and taking classes such as AP chem. I think it’s really exciting, I’m glad to be a part of it.”

Elliott believes the importance of recognizing the ability women possess in these fields stretches beyond high school. It is something that can impact women in college, in their careers, and after.

“Science and medicine is a field I am thoroughly interested in,” Elliott said, “and I am not going to let a current lack of female participation drive me away from my goals.”

The course that Alexia Espinoza enrolled in is titled AP Computer Science Principles (APCSP). While the NHS junior says she loves the subject, she also says she’s had some isolating experiences in the class, similar to other women in STEM.

“I think there’s about six girls and the rest are guys. And you [have] to keep in mind, it’s like, five full rows of all guys,” Espinoza said.

Espinoza’s classes have an approximate 1:5 ratio of females to males.. According to Espinoza, while most male peers are kind and willing to help, some can be difficult to be around, even discouraging her from asking for help from fellow classmates.

“I had a problem at the beginning of the year [that] was because of this one guy. He’s really smart.

Anna Egleson// anna.egleson@gmail.com

Becca Garber// beccag9757@gmail.com

Kenzie Glass// gracie.glass12@gmail.com

Jillian Thomas//thomasjillian246@gmail.com

And he likes to show it. So I asked for help, and he made me feel so stupid.”

Because of how this incident affected her, Espinoza has formed her own philosophy towards the classroom. She thinks her experience can be a common one, so it’s an important belief of hers.

“If [someone is] asking you for help, you shouldn’t make [them] feel stupid about asking for help,” Espinoza said.

Despite Espinoza’s occasional negative experiences, she’s still adamant that everyone deserves the opportunity to learn, and experiment with the classes that interest them.

“You’re very capable of learning a lot of things, and doing a lot of things,” Espinoza said, “so don’t be afraid to.”

Traditionally, science has been viewed as a man’s world. But that view is changing. Despite the many obstacles this outdated approach to women in science has placed before them, trailblazing women at NHS are opening new pathways in the world of STEM, for future students, as well as continuing the work of the women who came before them.

ngineering classes have been part of senior Daniella Tuesca’s four years of high school through Project Lead The Way (PLTW). According to Tuesca, as the classes get more and more rigorous, girls begin dropping the courses.

“I think it’s just how the STEM classes [seem] so unapproachable. There are just no girls. And it only decreases as classes get more advanced.” Tuesca said. “It’s not that girls all of a sudden aren’t interested in engineering, but they kind of get shot down by other students.”

Women still want to explore STEM as a field, but they fewer chances to do that compared to their male counterparts. Several factors contribute

to this, but Tuesca sees some common occurances that might push girls away from these courses.

The first, she says, is that students sometimes don’t always know exactly what they’re getting into. Even in introductory classes, it can be difficult for students to adjust to the curriculum.

“So if you take the Intro to Engineering class, and you don’t know what you’re doing, you don’t know what the focus is, you’re not gonna like it,” Tuesca said.

Another factor she’s noticed is the social environment of the class. Despite the fact that the female to male student ratio is often close to equal, Tuesca believes that women’s opin-

ions and ideas often get put on the backburner, even in classes where there are just as many women as men.

“I remember it was me, and then like, two guys,” Tuesca said. “I felt like [I was] kinda on the back end. It was only [the boys] talking. And I was left out, put to the side.”

Although Tuesca’s path has been difficult and full of challenges, she’s now well on her way to her dream of becoming a mechanical engineer.

“Trust your gut,” Tuesca said. “If you think that you want to go into engineering, if you think that you like computer principles, don’t let anyone tell you that you should go somewhere else.”

Many sophomores would be intimdated by the workload required by multiple math classes in the same year. But not Kymaia Edge, a sophomore who claims she’s not one to take the easy way out. Balancing two STEM classes can be hard, especially when battling the many other obstacles of high school. Between Edge’s involvement in Precalculus and AP Statistics, the work can pile up quickly, and things can get complicated, she says. The real challenge for Edge lies with being a woman in an underrepresented field. While the ratio of men to women is not significantly different from most of her other courses, the attitude in her STEM classes is where Edge says the difference stands out.

“They’re more outspoken in their classes,” Edge said. “I feel like they tend to believe that they know the answers or that they have a better understanding of the concepts.”

Edge believes that while men have a confidence advantage in higher-level science and technology courses, they often don’t know what their female peers are capable of.

“It’s not that they underestimate women, it’s just that they have no idea what kind of skill set women have,” Edge said.

While being a female in an advanced math course is hard enough, Edge also was challenged with being one of the youngest women there. However, she found that the social equation in front of her was not a hard one to solve.

“I found that they were really friendly,” Edge said, “I was quick to make friends in that class. A lot of my classmates were super nice.”

Along with her academic drive to keep her atop, Edge credits her teachers for a significant part of her success.

“I feel at Noblesville you can rely on your teachers a lot,” Edge said. “They’re always available for [assistance] as well, and they work really hard to make sure there are people who can help.”

A Light At The End Of The Tunnel?

The future for women in science might be changing

Even as STEM fields open up further opportunities for female students, some specific courses, like engineering and computer science, remain male-dominated in many places. Females in these courses say issues with outright sexism in STEM classes are significantly less prevalent at NHS than they used to be, but many still feel a lingering sourness, whether the other students know it is there or not.

Lisa Heid has been teaching computer science-related courses at NHS her entire career. Beginning with her own experiences in college, she has observed the heavily male dominated state of STEM fields in her own life, and now in the lives of her students. This gap in the STEM field has yet to improve, and Heid recognized it from an early point.

“I’ve been teaching technology for 25 years, and it’s just been either all men, or extremely male-dominated. I’m starting to get a few more girls, but the ratio has to be 90% boys,” Heid said.

While these numbers present issues to be addressed, teachers have taken notice. Andy Wilkins, chair of the Applied STEM department, believes that staff involvement in making the field as equal as possible is key to the success of the program.

“What we started this year is making sure that in our intro class for engineering, we try to make classes have a 50/50 ratio, or more girls than boys,” Wilkins said.

Along with Wilkins, STEM teacher Elizabeth Muller sees a positive difference between her time in college and now. Since 2018, she has been a role model for young women in science and technology classes at NHS. According to Muller, in college she felt as if she did not have a voice and overshadowed by her male peers.

“It has definitely changed a lot. My classroom has about 70% women and 30% male students. Historically, the classes have been like 90% male students, 10% female students. It’s a completely different environment [now],” Muller said.

Jason Francis, a professor and web programmer at Indiana University, has a similar take on the issue. He says he attempts to make decisions in his courses that will benefit women and men. This can mean promising things for the future of women in STEM.

“[Out of] the students who enroll in my class, the men are more likely to be pursuing STEM majors than the women,” Francis said. “[However,] whether or not a student scores well in my class seems to be independent of major or gender.”

This issue is also relevant in high school. The urge to pursue STEM classes often starts at an early age, and encouraging this interest is vital for future generations of women innovators.

“There are a lot of great elementary school science introductory courses,” Heid said. “Starting it early and keeping it going through middle school would be a great idea.”

Muller agrees. She has some valuable advice for women who are thinking of entering the STEM field.

“Even if it seems that you don’t have what it takes, trust yourself,” Muller said. “You are smart. You are strong. You have a great voice – speak it. The best thing you can do is to just go for it because you’ll thank yourself later.”

Many sophomores would be intimdated by the workload required by multiple math classes in the same year. But not Kymaia Edge, a sophomore who claims she’s not one to take the easy way out. Balancing two STEM classes can be hard, especially when battling the many other obstacles of high school. Between Edge’s involvement in Precalculus and AP Statistics, the work can pile up quickly, and things can get complicated, she says. The real challenge for Edge lies with being a woman in an underrepresented field. While the ratio of men to women is not significantly different from most of her other courses, the attitude in her STEM classes is where Edge says the difference stands out.

“They’re more outspoken in their classes,” Edge said. “I feel like they tend to believe that they know the answers or that they have a better understanding of the concepts.”

Edge believes that while men have a confidence advantage in higher-level science and technology courses, they often don’t know what their female peers are capable of.

“It’s not that they underestimate women, it’s just that they have no idea what kind of skill set women have,” Edge said.

While being a female in an advanced math course is hard enough, Edge also was challenged with being one of the youngest women there. However, she found that the social equation in front of her was not a hard one to solve.

“I found that they were really friendly,” Edge said, “I was quick to make friends in that class. A lot of my classmates were super nice.”

Along with her academic drive to keep her atop, Edge credits her teachers for a significant part of her success.

“I feel at Noblesville you can rely on your teachers a lot,” Edge said. “They’re always available for [assistance] as well, and they work really hard to make sure there are people who can help.”

A Light At The End Of The Tunnel?

The future for women in science might be changing

Even as STEM fields open up further opportunities for female students, some specific courses, like engineering and computer science, remain male-dominated in many places. Females in these courses say issues with outright sexism in STEM classes are significantly less prevalent at NHS than they used to be, but many still feel a lingering sourness, whether the other students know it is there or not.

Lisa Heid has been teaching computer science-related courses at NHS her entire career. Beginning with her own experiences in college, she has observed the heavily male dominated state of STEM fields in her own life, and now in the lives of her students. This gap in the STEM field has yet to improve, and Heid recognized it from an early point.

“I’ve been teaching technology for 25 years, and it’s just been either all men, or extremely male-dominated. I’m starting to get a few more girls, but the ratio has to be 90% boys,” Heid said.

While these numbers present issues to be addressed, teachers have taken notice. Andy Wilkins, chair of the Applied STEM department, believes that staff involvement in making the field as equal as possible is key to the success of the program.

“What we started this year is making sure that in our intro class for engineering, we try to make classes have a 50/50 ratio, or more girls than boys,” Wilkins said.

Along with Wilkins, STEM teacher Elizabeth Muller sees a positive difference between her time in college and now. Since 2018, she has been a role model for young women in science and technology classes at NHS. According to Muller, in college she felt as if she did not have a voice and overshadowed by her male peers.

“It has definitely changed a lot. My classroom has about 70% women and 30% male students. Historically, the classes have been like 90% male students, 10% female students. It’s a completely different environment [now],” Muller said.

Jason Francis, a professor and web programmer at Indiana University, has a similar take on the issue. He says he attempts to make decisions in his courses that will benefit women and men. This can mean promising things for the future of women in STEM.

“[Out of] the students who enroll in my class, the men are more likely to be pursuing STEM majors than the women,” Francis said. “[However,] whether or not a student scores well in my class seems to be independent of major or gender.”

This issue is also relevant in high school. The urge to pursue STEM classes often starts at an early age, and encouraging this interest is vital for future generations of women innovators.

“There are a lot of great elementary school science introductory courses,” Heid said. “Starting it early and keeping it going through middle school would be a great idea.”

Muller agrees. She has some valuable advice for women who are thinking of entering the STEM field.

“Even if it seems that you don’t have what it takes, trust yourself,” Muller said. “You are smart. You are strong. You have a great voice – speak it. The best thing you can do is to just go for it because you’ll thank yourself later.”

HIDDEN BEHIND THE BEANS

A NEW BUSiNESS OPPORTUNiTY iS MAKiNG AN iMPACT AT NHS

Anthony Pratt//anthony.p6758@gmail.com Max Habel//maxwellwhabel@icloud.com

In September 2022, the German Club had been hit with an unprecedented time of financial crisis. The members gathered together with urgency, attempting to find a way to fund the club they all so dearly cared about. At that moment, they received an email. The Coffee Mill has requested that the group come and work with them.

In a time when many clubs have been struggling, the NHS Coffee Mill has become a beacon of hope for many. The new venture, started by Media Specialist Lucy Misetic, is open to students every Thursday and Friday morning before class offering an assortment of goods, including a variety of coffees. The Coffee Mill officially opened in September and since then has provided a much-needed source of income for clubs and groups around the school. In addition, clubs have found the opportunity for not only fundraising but also for bonding and exposure.

“[The Coffee Mill] helps to promote student groups and lets students see the diverse offerings the school has,” Misetic said. “It gives the clubs another way to show their own culture or show what they’re about.”

The German Club was the first groups to work with the Coffee Mill and since then, they’ve also been the library’s most consistent partner. Many members of the German club, including sophomore German Club member Samantha Hohmann, believe that their time working with the Coffee Mill has been a positive experience.

“The German Club had an amazing time working at the Coffee Mill,” Hohmann said. “I think it’s one of the best community-building and club-exploring things to do at the school.”

According to the German club, their work with the Coffee Mill has provided several advantages. They say their time in the Coffee Mill has brought the members of the club together, forming stronger connections and relationships between them. It has also helped bring exposure to the club.

“Working with the Coffee Mill has made our club members bond more, and it helps make people more aware of the different types of clubs in the school,” Hohmann said.

According to sophomore Alex Whitted, the most obvious benefit the club has received for their work is financial growth.

“When your club works at the Coffee Mill, some amount of the funds you make go back to your club, and it helps get your club’s name out there. It helps people know we’re still here,” Whitted said.

The German club was not the only group that has benefited from their association with the Coffee Mill. The Latino Student Union (L.S.U.) has consistently worked with the Coffee Mill, forming a successful partnership. In addition, the L.S.U. has been able to share their culture

through the fundraiser, selling conchas and churros, popular Mexican pastries. Junior L.S.U. member Katy Luna helped sell various items for the fundraiser, and she feels happy for the opportunity to share the group’s culture to the wider NHS community.

“It was a lot of work, but it was fun to work together as a club and see our culture being embraced through our food,” Luna said. “It was wonderful seeing people being curious about our pastries and wanting to try something new.”

The L.S.U. was able to attract a wide variety of customers while working with the Coffee Mill. According to junior L.S.U. member Nisy Diaz, the club was thrilled by this surge of exposure.

“The Coffee Mill has impacted the L.S.U. because we have been planning to buy stuff we can use for our club meetings,” Diaz said. “It definitely helped us have more freedom to club ideas”

“Some people don’t understand what L.S.U. stands for. Some even confused us with other clubs, so it helped students realize what this club represented,” Luna said. “I am glad it could make them more curious to try new things, like our Hispanic/Latino pastries, and learn more about different cultures.”

(Above

al Samaraee, Kate Goins, and Julie Nguyen.

For all of Emily Dukes’ 17 years of life, her parents have never heard her voice. Music recitals, acceptance speeches, or even childhood laughter, are all things her parents haven’t heard their daughter participate in. But not because they are absent in her life. Senior Emily Dukes is a KODA—a kid of deaf adults.

Dukes is the only member of her family with the ability to hear. Her mother, father, sister, and brother were born deaf. So she had to learn to communicate with them in other ways. But how can the millions of words that make up the English language be encapsulated into 10,000 different hand signals? Although her situation may sound isolating, Dukes isn’t ashamed of her family’s culture.

“I’ve always had a lot of pride in having a deaf family,” Dukes said.

Dukes’ says she maintains positive outlook. But she recognizes that not every KODA feels the same way.

“I know some of my KODA friends have had moments in their lives where they felt a certain way about having a deaf family,” Dukes said. “But I’ve never been like that. I’m always bragging to people about it.”

Although Dukes is proud of her family and their situation, it doesn’t shield her family from the watchful eyes and the judgemental whispers encountered in public settings.

“I think we all pick up on [the harassment],” Dukes said. “I think the sad truth is that my family is just used to it, and I’m used to it. It’s just more so disappointing that that’s something we have to just deal with.”

Occasionally, those watchful eyes and judgemental whispers can turn into violent confrontations for Dukes’

A

Santi Leon Torres// santilt23@gmail.com

and her family.

“My brother and I went to our playground in the neighborhood, and he’s a kid. Dukes said. “He doesn’t know better when it comes to certain things yet, and these kids saw that he’s deaf, and they started screaming in his ear. My brother was laughing because they were laughing.”

For Dukes’, the experience at the park led her to contemplate the disconnect between people of hearing and people of limited hearing. She wishes people would treat her family like any other group in public.

“Don’t stare,” Dukes said. “Yeah, they speak with their hands. It’s rude to stare. Don’t be pitiful because most, if not all, deaf people are very proud of being deaf. That’s all they’ve ever known.”

Dukes is an artist, not only to honor her father, who studied graphic design and painted all throughout her childhood, but to express her feelings about her family’s situation. She paints, sculpts, and draws. One of her paintings in particular sends a specific message.

“I have very two separate sides of my life. I have this side where I’m involved with music, hearing people, and talking, and jokes,” Dukes said. “Then I have this other side of me, which is this deaf culture side, facial expressions are really important. I actively speak in a different language, and I’m involved in the deaf community.”

Kristen Levy, an art teacher at Noblesville, notices that the effort and the detail that Dukes’ puts into her art, a talent that goes beyond surface level.

“I think telling a story with your art is a special skill,” Levy said. “It already takes patience and finesse to create beautiful work, but to add a story and ensure your viewer

understands what you are trying to say is another skill in itself.”

Those two sides of Dukes’ life are depicted in her untitled KODA art piece. Even with a generally positive outlook, Dukes can’t help but let her mind wander to the things her family won’t be able to experience.

“[Mom] doesn’t know how I laugh. I think about that sometimes. I think about it because every parent knows their child’s voice by heart, but [my parents] have no idea what I sound like,” Dukes said. “No idea.”

This passion for art pushed Dukes into a leadership position with the NHS Art Club. Levy appreciates the executive role Dukes has taken.

“Emily is an excellent role model to her peers,” Levy said. “She is always showing different techniques and ideas, ending with an incredible work of art that is completely her own.”

Similarly, Art Club officer Gabby Jellison has observed the energy Dukes provides to the organization.

“She brings a positive attitude towards the club,” Jellison said.

Tori Eshbaugh, a friend of Dukes’ since elementary school, also admires Dukes’ talent.

“She has always loved art ever since I met her, and it honestly amazes me what she can do,” Eshbaugh said. “It’s been pretty inspiring to watch her grow as an artist and person over the years and to see how her passion for [art] never fades.”

As a person of hearing, Eshbaugh noticed a barrier between her and Dukes’ family.

“When I first met them, I struggled to learn a good way to communicate, since I don’t really know ASL,” Eshbaugh said. “But over the years we have found our

ways to communicate.”

Although Dukes’ family conversations may go beyond the traditional form of communication, the way the members connect doesn’t stop from Dukes’ family personality shining through.

“I always loved being around Emily and her family.” Eshbaugh said. “They are really cool people, and I always have a great time when I’m at their house.”

Dukes’ situation can appear lonely to outsiders, but her family’s love inspires her. Dukes’ grandmother passed away when Dukes was five years old and more recently, the mother who raised her passed away. A past conversation between them led to a connection involving Dukes’ family history.

“We were just talking about her family, which led us to going through her biological mom’s old stuff. My mom found an old record that belonged to her biological mom in the ‘70’s. We decided to play it on the record player, and mom was sitting on the bed, and we [were] playing the song, and I interpreted the whole song for her,” Dukes said. “I’m actively listening to the song her [biological] mom listened to, and I’m interpreting it to my mom. My mom [was experiencing] what her mom would listen to and [she] starts tearing up. I start tearing up because my mom is tearing up. It was kind of a sentimental moment for us.”

Exploring her passion for art has allowed Dukes to tell a story of her own and also to inspire others to explore their own creative passions. In her real life and in her art, Dukes believes the voice she has found is uniquely hers.

“I never felt the need to control my volume.” Dukes said. “I could just be free with my voice as I wanted to be.”

Photos provided by Emily Dukes

Graphics by S.L. Torres

Left: One of the images from Dukes’ senior photo shoot. She planned and designed the photoshoot herself. Above: A graphic collage of some of Dukes’ notable works. These art pieces are overlayed with a photographed self-portrait.

Senior Krista Horbett can spin a seriously good yarn

Maggie Hoppel//maggiehoppel@me.com

Savanna Hill// savanna.hill09@icloud.com

Krista Horbett’s writing means mornings spent tinkering with first drafts at Noble Coffee and Tea. It means free verse poems in spiral shapes and Google Docs drafts of short stories old and new. It means a fantasy world where magic is real, happy endings are possible, and most importantly, she sets the rules. And, this spring, it means recognition in the prestigious Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.

The Scholastic Awards recognizes the best student writers and artists in the nation, with prizes for categories such as short stories and poetry. At the state level, writers can receive Honorable Mention, Silver Key, and Gold Key awards. Gold Key winners then advance to national judging competing with winners from across the country. Horbett’s results for this year’s regional awards arrived in January.

“This year I got an Honorable Mention on one of my pieces, an Honorable Mention on a portfolio, which was a collection of 6 works that I’d done, and then a Gold on a flash fiction piece that I did,” the senior writing student said.

That Gold Key puts her in the running for a national award for the first time in her writing career. Horbett

believes that her story’s pull-no-punches take on mental health led to her national recognition for her work.

“Scholastic is looking specifically for teenage voices and what teenagers are struggling with, and a big part of that is mental health or anxiety,” Horbett said.

While proud of her awards at the state level, Horbett is anticipating the national awards announcement this March. Her flash fiction piece “Counting Down” is a strong contender for national recognition.

“It would be a huge honor and also more of a confirmation that I’m actually good at writing,” Horbett said. “I don’t always think highly of myself.”

Every story begins with one person and one mind. The knowledge and inspiration Horbett gained from interests like films, prompts, and books is the starting point for her own writing.

“Books and movies can help expand your vocabulary and definitely influence how you see the world and how you form original pieces,” Horbett said, “Most of the time it starts out with a movie or a writing prompt I’ll see. Once it gains traction or I stick with it long enough, then I will add some extra things to make it more substantial.”

This method has led Horbett to delve into fanfiction in

Horbett revises her writing at Noble senior often starts her day with her shop.

PhotobyM.Hoppel

addition to her original pieces. She’s especially drawn to Star Wars and Marvel stories. Horbett says fanfiction was an essential piece of her creative development back in middle school.

“Having the setting established and the character dynamics and personalities all set out made it easier to focus on how I wanted the story to play out and work on developing my writing style,” Horbett said.

These fanfiction pieces weren’t always written alone. Horbett sometimes collaborated with current Fishers High School senior Teeny King, exchanging ideas and helping each other improve.

“Krista and I really started writing together around seventh or eighth grade on a little story in the Star Wars universe. We’re both massive geeks, and what better way to be creative than through something you both enjoy?” King said.

King says she admires how far Horbett has come since then. She’s seen how Horbett has matured in both her writing skill and as a person.

“I am just so in awe of her courage and confidence to publish her works or submit them to Scholastic. I often just write for myself as a little, personal outlet, but Krista

truly breathes life into her works,” King said.

Bill Kenley is Horbett’s teacher for creative writing and first introduced her to the contest. He also helped edit her work in preparation for the submission deadline.

“Krista has always had a great imagination. I remember an early story of hers about a kid with an invisible friend that was very vivid and detailed,” Kenley said. “She’s a psychologically deep writer of fiction.”

Horbett’s creativity has led her to many publication opportunities. In her writing, she finds her voice, sharing her perspective on obstacles others might face as well.

“I started writing in fifth grade because I had a lot of anxiety, and the best way to get it out was to channel it to something productive, and writing was that productive thing. It got the crazy ideas out of my head and gave me something to do,” Horbett said.

Self-confidence can come and goes, but Horbett believes in celebrating her unique qualities, both as an individual and a writer. In this way, she gives herself grace and finds joy in her work.

“It’s normal to doubt your skills,” Horbett said. “But remember that your story and your voice are unique.”

A WORD FROM THE AUTHOR

Check out excerpts from Horbett’s award winning short stories and poems. More of her work will be showcased in the NHS literary magazine, “Friday the 13th and Other Superstitions,” when it’s released this spring.

“This time, instead of shoving down the hopeless romantic clawing for a chance at life, it’s my anxiety taking its turn sitting in the darkest corner ofmyheart.BecausethistimeI shouldletmyselffeel.”

—“Just Friends”

“When I step outside, a breeze flits through my hair, the sun kissing my face as I glance up and smile. I absorb this feeling. Freedom. Little by little, I reach it: the point of no return.”

Theysharetheirstories and she shares hers / And before long, they rise and walk away / A smile on their face / And a fire over their head”

—“Fire Over Their Head”

Above: Horbett celebrates her awards with a prom dress and matching lightsaber. She has always been an avid Star Wars fan.

Photoprovidedby Krista Horbett

FATHERS OF THE FIELD

GiRLS ON THE LACROSSE TEAM SHOW UP WiTH THEiR GEAR AND THEiR FATHERS’ SUPPORT

Madeline Smith//madelinerosalie921@gmail.com

Carter Swart//carterbracken30@gmail.com

Lauren Fischer is flying. Her feet, dressed in ruffled socks, kick high into the clear blue sky. Her eyes widen in wonder as she is pushed closer and closer to the clouds above her. Giggling on the playground swing, she turns her head to look at her dad and the beaming smile he wears across his face. As a little girl, Fischer’s father was her hero. As a high schooler, he still is. But, the hands that used to push her on the swing now throw lacrosse balls at the sophomore goalie to catch before hitting the back of the net. That same beaming smile appears on her dad’s face as he proudly supports Fischer, not only in the game of lacrosse, but also in her journey of life.

Junior Chloe Barnett and Fischer are teammates on the NHS varsity lacrosse team. Barnett, who plays both attack and middie, has been playing the sport for several years, while this is Fischer’s first season. Despite their differences in lacrosse experience, Barnett and Fischer have a main advantage in common: the steadfast support that they each receive from their close relationships with their fathers.

Fischer began a search for an activity to engage in during her sophomore year, when she stopped competing in volleyball. A soon-to-be teammate reached out to Fischer with a new opportunity.

“I started playing lacrosse because my friend, Molly

Adams, convinced me to,” Fischer said, “and I wanted to try another sport other than volleyball.”

Fischer had no experience with lacrosse, so she turned to her best friend for knowledge.

“My father is my best friend,” Fischer said, “and he always motivates me to give my 100% effort.”

Fischer says her dad, Matt Fischer, supported her through the confusion of an unfamiliar sport with his own lack of knowledge. Neither of them knew how to play, but he embraced her curiosity and learned the game alongside his daughter.

“My dad has supported me through lacrosse by play-

Miller goalie Lauren Fischer takes a breather. The sophomore earned a

Jason Barnett, NHS Lacrosse coach, advises player, Emma Hammond, during practice. Players say their practices are becoming

ing with me in the backyard,” Fischer said, “and learning with me along the way.”

Not only does Fischer’s dad support her through athletics, he also encourages her with life advice. Fischer values the advice her father offers her and incorporates his lessons throughout her day.

“My dad has supported me throughout life by always telling me to do the right thing, to stand up for myself, and strive to be the greatest in each sport I play,” Fischer said.

Fischer also incorporates her father’s advice into every practice and game as she bravely awaits the highspeed shots that fly off the turf.

“My dad has always told me to be confident throughout my life,” Fischer said, “and confidence is a really important part of being a goalie.”

Although this is only her first season playing lacrosse, Fischer began training as goalie and fell in love with the position immediately. She preferrs playing defensive roles in sports. So although the goalie position can be difficult, it is also very exciting for Fischer.

“It also is a very mentally challenging position to be in, but being the main-spot of defense is awesome,” Fischer said.

As Fischer continues to learn the ropes of her position, her friends and teammates are noticing her improvement. Her friends and teammates are also aware that Fischer’s skill advancement is built on the foundation that her dad’s encouragement set.

“Lauren and her dad have been practicing together a lot outside of school practice,” Adams said, “and she’s gotten to be such a good goalie thanks to him.”

Fischer earned a spot as the NHS varsity goalie. Being on varsity so early in her career brings high-expectations. However Fischer feels confident in her abilities through the encouragement of her friends.

“I love lacrosse because the girls and the community are very welcoming,” she said. “So I’ve made a lot of new friends I can count on, in and out of the field.”

Apart from her classmates, teammates, and friends, her ultimate source of support still comes from her father. Fischer draws on the memories with her father that have made her the person and lacrosse player she is today.

“I am thankful for my dad because he has always had my back growing up,” Fischer said, “and showing up to every one of my games.”

on the attack

Barnett on the other hand, is a dual-threat athlete, playing both attack and middie. However, Barnett is in a unique situation. Her father, Jason Barnett, is the head coach of the lacrosse team which creates an interesting dynamic for herself and her teammates.

“I started to play lacrosse because I met a friend at basketball practice and her sister played and she wanted to try it out and wondered if I would [play lacrosse] with her,” Barnett said. “I continued to play lacrosse because I love hanging out with my friends everyday, and I like being active.”

Barnett takes pride in her relationship with her father. She remembers an event from her freshman year, where her father awarded her “Rookie of the Year” during the end of the season banquet.

“My father supports me in all things I do. We have such a close relationship that he has always been there for me,” Barnett said.

While Barnett currently plays attack and middie, these aren’t the only two positions she’s has experience with. In middle school, she dabbled in Fischer’s position, goaltending. Her time in goal allowed her to help Fischer learn the ropes of the position, and also introduced a new challenge for Barnett.

“I had to play goalie for a whole season in middle school because our goalie was never there, and since my dad was the coach, he sat me down and told me I had to step up and play the position since no one else wanted to,” Barnett said. “So I took the challenge and practiced goalie throughout that whole season.”

Barnett feels that there is a stigma attached to the goalie position. According to Barnett, being a goalie isn’t easy and it quickly became an undesirable position for girls at NHS.

“I think there is a general opinion that no one wants to play goalie because they might get hurt or not like it. Eventually, everyone gets hurt at one point or another and you just have to power through it,” said Barnett.

On and off the field, Barnett enjoys having her dad as a coach because she claims he is always there for her. She says having her coach live under the same roof is an advantage.

“My father has supported me through everything I have done with lacrosse throughout the years,” she said. “He took me to most practices, because he got into coaching right after I started and hasn’t stopped being involved yet.”

Lauren has an amazing relationship with her dad, and they are both hilarious. They are such genuine people.

-sophomore Molly Adams

Chloe Barnett leads her team in a huddle. The varsity junior is known

Photos by C. Swart

RIVALRIES ON ICE

DiFFERENT SCHOOLS, ONE GOAL, ONE TEAM

They may be rivals outside the rink, but on the ice? They’re teammates. The Central Indiana Knights hockey roster boasts a combination of players from many different schools. This club team is unusual, as teams from these different districts usually compete against each other, not play together.

Mason Cramer, a senior at NHS, is in his second year with the Knights, a defenseman who has played with kids from several different schools. In the past, the team has featured players from dozens of schools throughout central Indiana. This year’s lineup comprises players from five area schools: Noblesville, Cathedral, Guerin Catholic, Park Tutor, and Bishop Chatard.

Players on this year’s team note that hockey requires high levels of teamwork and communication. As a result, it’s important that teammates get along. Despite a roster of players from rvial schools, the Knights work extrememly well together, according to Cramer.

“People show their passion, people have their different opinions, and sometimes it shows on the ice, but there are rarely any issues.” Cramer said.

gether during the off-season to continue to grow as a team.

“We go out of our way to hang out together outside of practices and games,” Johns said. “We’ll do team dinners and banquets, just getting [together] with all of the team and reflecting on the season ahead.”

It is rare for conflict to arise on the ice between teammates, according to Cramer, as many of them have developed friendships over the years, and the players know how to work together.

“Lucky for our team, many of us have played together for a very long time. Only a few of us have never played against each other,” Cramer said.

J.T. Funk has been the Knights’ head coach for 10 years. He says in the beginning, the team wasn’t perfect. The players needed to adapt to one another, finding their roots and bonding with the other members of the squad.

With members of the Knights coming to the arena from rival schools, the players and coaches worried they would encounter controversies between the teammates. However, this year’s team has learned how to put any possible disputes aside.

“Our captains do a good job of settling any disputes that might come along the team,” Johns said.

With the help of the team’s captains and coaches, players have bought into the fact that the team is what matters and there is no problem that time on the ice can’t fix.

Max Johns has been playing for the Knights for three years, and he appreciates the relationships developed with his teammates. And the NHS junior doesn’t believe any inter-school rivalries show up on the ice.

“I can’t think of two players who dislike each other. We value a good team-dynamic,” Johns said.

The Knights squad focuses on building a bond as a group. To build those relationships, players spend time to-

The Knights wrapped up the 2023 season by accomplishing great things, starting with finishing first in their conference and winning the Hoosier League tournament. They managed a fourth seed overall in the state tournament of more than forty teams, an achievement that made Funk proud.

“It’s been good to see the boys struggle at the beginning,” Funk said, “and then they started to find their group. [They] started to get to know each other better... on and off the ice.”

Left: Among the honors won by the Central Indiana Knights was a 2023 Hoosier League championship. The team came into the year as the defending state tournament winners.

REDUCE, REUSE...

THE PATH OF RECYCLED MATERiAL AS iT LEAVES NHS

Aubrey Paul//brepaul101@gmail.com Thomas Whalen//tw1271941@gmail.com

From wall decorations to lighting to classroom pets, no room at Noblesville looks the same as another. However, there is one thing that can be found in every corner of NHS’s classrooms: recycling bins, usually full of paper, empty water bottles, and more. But why? Where does this material thrown in bins actually go, and how does it eventually benefit you and the rest of the world?

Once the trash enters the facility, Republic’s staff work with complex equipment to sort the waste. Craig Lutz manages Republic’s plant in Indianapolis, and witnesses the process on a daily basis.

Environmental Science teacher Eric Gurule recently led his AP classes on a field trip to discover where NHS’s discarded material ends up.

“All of the trash [at Noblesville High School] goes to Republic’s transfer station in Indianapolis,” Gurule said. As soon as the waste arrives, recycling operations — which can be long, complicated, and costly — begin.

“Trucks dump the commingled material on the floor, and a loader takes the recyclable material to a drum feeder,” Lutz said. “The drum feeder then feeds the recyclable material up a conveyor in a uniform manner.”

Although plastic bottles, paper scraps, and aluminum cans initially get thrown into the same bin, not all recyclable material can be processed the same way. For this reason, Republic takes extra steps to make sure each type of waste is sorted and treated correctly. Plastic material is also recycled separately.

While Republic plays a major role in the recycling, the company does not produce the goods that are eventually created from recycled materials. Businesses around the world are able to buy the waste from Republic or other similar plants to create new products. However, this can only happen when no errors in the recycling process arise. If an item finds its way into the wrong bunker, contamination occurs.

“Workers and inspectors are stationed throughout the plant to ensure the right material is making it into the proper bunker,” Lutz said. “[Contamination] has put the recycling industry in a difficult situation due to the overall costs [this brings] to the managers of these programs.”

“The material passes through large rotating discs that separate out the cardboard,” Lutz said. “A second and sometimes third set of rotating discs [that] are smaller and closer together separate out the remaining paper and newspaper from the stream.”

Once the sorting and purchasing process ends, the material is made into large cubes of compact material called bales. From there, companies can use these materials to create a variety of items, including some regularly seen on store shelves, such as shampoo, dog collars, and shoes.

“These bales are shipped out to various mills and markets,” Lutz said, “to be made into recyclable goods and products,”

Photos by T. Rowe

Illustrations by A. Paul and T. Whalen

SPRING CLEANING FOR THE SOUL

THIS ANNUAL RITUAL iMPROVES MENTAL HEALTH iN UNEXPECTED WAYS

Danielle Hook//danielleehook13@gmail.com

Morgan Trowbridge//morganrocks270@gmail.com

Spring has sprung, and now you have the urge to sweep up every dust bunny and sort the clutter piled in your room. This feeling is not new to modern society. In the 19th century, families spent the cold months inside, inhaling piles of soot, dirt, and dust from the winter, giving them an excuse to clean during the spring.

If you’re having trouble staying productive and need to regain the motivation you once had before the winter season, tidying your home is a routine that can help. Giving away items that no longer hold value in your life can open up your mind and let you appreciate other areas you may have been ignoring.

Researchers at Philadelphia’s Chester County Hospital, have learned that some of the 77% of Americans who suffer from symptoms of stress could find some relief from decluttering. Researchers from Acenda Health have also found that people living in tidier homes tend to be in better health than those who live in messier environments.

Although winter snow melts away, dust doesn’t, and spring, and the pollen that comes with it, is approaching. In a messy home, your physical and mental health can suffer because of these lingering particles. Cleaning is not just a chore to complete before guests come over — it’s self-care.

Are you ready to start your own spring cleaning?

Here’s a step-by-step guide. Have a vision for what you want to complete, turn on some music and get ready to begin.

1. Clear everything out — and we mean everything — off of shelves, desks, and all other surfaces than place them on the floor. Spray down the surfaces with vinegar then use a cloth or duster to wipe away any stains and dust.

2. Begin sorting everything you just removed from the shelves. Label a box for donations and another for trash. Items that do not go into those boxes get organized into piles, such as stationery or trinkets. Now put everything away where it belongs.

3. Check your goals and see if you’ve accomplished everything that you wanted. Is there a pet cage you still have to wipe down? Maybe your plants need to be watered. Whatever remaining work might be, complete it now.

4. Vacuum or broom the floors. Clean up all the dust and debris you just cleared off those shelves. If you’re cleaning on hard floors, consider mopping them down too.

5. Repeat the process if you have other rooms to clean. Be sure to rest before you tackle another room; cleaning can be draining, and it can be beneficial to take breaks.

has underwent a thorough cleaning. Wilson believes that a decluttered room leads to a decluttered mindset. PhotobyD.Hook