Roncalli Review 3/18/21

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March 18, 2021

Roncalli High School

Volume 20:2

Art out of the Stratton-sphere

Advanced studio artists illustrate their talents and the value of creativity in a Royal renaissance of art

BY SAM PEEPLES Staff Writer P Studio Art class has always been a home for talented students who create pieces that blow observers away, but this year’s class deserves special recognition according to long-time visual arts teacher, Mr. Mark Stratton, who has been an art teacher for 38 years and personally teaches all nine of the visual arts classes. This year’s class has been referred to

by Stratton as “cumulatively the most talented art class in Roncalli’s history.”

This year’s students have won countless national art competitions, and multiple seniors are considering going to The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), which is known as one of the best, if not the best, art school in the country. Although there are so many awards and even national level praise of the art students, some in the Roncalli

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community may not be aware of about the success in the art program.

Junior Amanda Wolf commented on the importance of the art program.

“Schools should be sure to show off their students’ work and encourage not copy-paste lessons and drab textbook questions, but creativity,” Wolf said.

The pandemic allowed more people to become more involved with arts. With everyone locked up in their homes, athletic competitions cancelled, and schools online, people turned to things like books, movies, and music, and in many cases, people turned to forms of traditional art. In addition to the surge in art appreaciation, many turned to artists; to creators.

Students in Stratton’s AP Studio Art class overflowed

with emotion in their responses. What was most clearly and consistently shown in the class was passion and true love for art. Students were eager to express their love for art class.

“I’m not exactly sure where to begin, all I can say is that AP Art has definitely been one of the most influential classes for me during my time at Roncalli,” said senior Logan Mercuri, one of the students considering SCAD. Most of the artists didn’t even refer to each other as peers, but rather as members of a family; Junior Emily Och explained, “I genuinely love art, not just the class itself as a part of my school day but the people; I consider the people in class to be a part of my family, and I genuinely love everyone in there,” Junior Emily Och said.

“Bored” by Fiona Lynch

“St Margaret and the Dragon” by Ella McCalip

“Discomfited” by Emily Och

“Breylne” by Abigail Wulf

“Shrooms” by Katie Comer

“Melt Into You” by Cat Sergi

“Prehistoric Reptiles” by Abigail Wulf

“Old Man” by Ella McCalip

“Legacy” by Logan Mercuri

“Ain’t Enough Room in This Heaven” by Amanda Wolf

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3.18.21

Indy set to host Big Dance March Madness is scheduled to take place in Indiana this year amidst the virus around the world

BY CONNOR MAHONEY Co-Editor

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or the past two seasons, NCAA basketball has been through multiple changes and challenges in completing and competing in the National Tournament. Last year, the tournament was cancelled as a whole, leaving fans outraged and disappointed.

However, the virus is still prevalent today, but the NCAA has announced that the entirety of the tournament will be played in the state of Indiana.

Unsurprisingly, most are unfamiliar with the reasons why the tournament is being played in Indiana. Many reasons come into play, according to ESPN staff writer Myron Medcalf. He describes how the tournament will house most of the teams in hotels that are connected to the Indianapolis Convention Center by walkways above the street. The Convention Center is going to home all of the practices for the 67 teams competing in the tournament. Therefore, most teams can stay indoors due to how most of Indy is connected in those areas.

Additionally, the NCAA headquarters is stationed in the state of Indiana. This is why Indiana has been given the opportunity to make history.

Games are to be played in multiple venues across the state of Indiana within a two hour radius. Game locations at the moment include Bankers LIfe Fieldhouse, Hinkle Fieldhouse, and Indiana Farmers Coliseum. Similarly,

arenas at Purdue and IU will be functioning as tournament sites. Bankers Life, Hinkle, and Indiana Farmers Coliseum are located in the Indianapolis area. However, other teams will take center stage at Assembly Hall in Bloomington and Mackey Arena in West Lafayette.

In recent news, the tournament is looking to allow fans based on what venue they will attend. Therefore, the opportunity with fans is going to happen. Tickets were limited, so only select fans will get to share in this experience.

Selection Sunday occured on March 14 where some teams on the edge found out if they are going to be competing in the big dance. The first four will play on March 18th, then the official round starts the day after. The first round of the tournament will commence on March 19th and 20th. Then, the NCAA will crown a champion in Lucas Oil Stadium on April 5th. The last tournament was played over two years ago-Virginia was made champions.

This will be a different tounament that most are used to, but the excitement is still present. Many fear that contact tracing and positives cases could ruin there teams hopes of lifiting the trophy. This could be a cause for concern as the games begin As of now, the 2021 NCAA Men's National Tournament is still set to be played. Even with restictions, the competitions is ready to make its mark on the country.

PHOTO BY WHITE RIVER STATE PARK

SETTING THE STAGE: In White River State park, the view shows the NCAA headquaters and JW Marriott in the background. Indianapolis will be hosting the 2021 March Madness tournament.

Online competitions on the rise School's newest club dips into the pool of competitive Esports, competing through online tournaments

BY JACK STONECIPHER Staff Writer

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ver since the COVID-19 pandemic came to Indiana and the entire US, everyone was forced to quarantine and had to adapt to a new way of life. Being home for the entire day can make people find new activities to entertain themselves while they are inside. This is where video games have begun to take center stage.

In this time, video games grew in popularity not only for recreation, but for entertainment purposes in the form of streaming. People could watch their favorite creators play games, talk with the people in their stream via a chat box, or even watch competitions for their favorite games.

With more people at home and with more time on their hands, the average amount of time that people spend on the internet or on a device increased tremendously. In this time, specifically in the area of video games, the average person that plays video games has gotten better at whatever they play, whether that be Super Smash Bros Ultimate, Mortal Kombat, or even Fortnite.

With the improved skill level, more and more players are considering trying their game from a competitive standpoint. This is when the world of Esports steps in. Esports, short for electronic sports, is a way for talented players to show off their skills in multiplayer video games for a chance to win prizes, which can vary from money to fame or even better equipment.

Given this recent explosion of Esports, Roncalli has decided to dip its foot into the scene, joining the HSEL (High School Esports League) for Super Smash Brothers, Rocket League, 10 minute Chess, and NBA2K, with Mr. Phil Anderson and Mr. Kevin Banich acting as supervisors.

“The initial idea of an esports team came from Bryce and TJ Lamarca about two years ago,” Banich said. “They had played ‘League of Legends’ and ‘Rocket League’ and wondered if Roncalli would be able to put on a team for esports.”

At the time, Banich had looked further into a chance at

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PHOTO BY BRAEDEN COOPER

THIS IS ROCKET LEAGUE!: Junior Braeden Cooper plays Rocket League with freshman Kiefer Lawry and freshman Edher Tapia against Carnage:A, another team competing in the Winter Circuit. They play from home on their own devices and have advanced to rank 34 in the nation for trios in Rocket League play.

making a team, but initially, schools in Indiana didn’t have any opportunities for competition.

Only recently, the High School Esports League announced a “Winter Major” in which a few games will be featured for students to compete for scholarship money. In this league, schools or individual students can join from anywhere across the nation. Since the league only recently

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has become established among schools, and Roncalli is just now arriving to the scene, the school decided to start with a smaller roster of games and potentially build up from there.

“We are learning from this experience at the same time as the students are, so the Winter Circuit was a perfect start for us,” Banich said.

Many students who are wanting to join the esports club are also a part of the Video Game Club. This can give them an opportunity to both have time to enjoy games with their friends and then go to compete with them.

“With esports... you are free to practice or play whenever and wherever you want, so it is more flexible to play and coordinate," Anderson said.

Many students have signed up for the team and are excited for what is to come. One of those students is senior Colin Prior, who has had some experience with esports in the past.

“Last summer, Valorant came out, and I played for multiple tier 3 teams and [organizations] that competed in many big tournaments like NSG and Sunday Night Valorant,” Prior said in an online interview.

He usually plays first person shooter (FPS) games. However, Roncalli isn’t looking to compete in the genre.

“I’ve been looking for something else to play besides CS:GO (Counter Strike: Global Offensive) or Valorant,” Prior said.

He eventually settled on Smash Bros Ultimate, a game he often plays casually with friends.

With the future of esports looking bright, Roncalli has decided to begin with its journey ahead of the curve.

“This new group can provide students with a way to show off their skills and make new friends with people with similar likings,” Banich said.

With this new team, Banich and Anderson hope to bring students a chance to do what they love, make friends along the way, and earn scholarship money in the process.

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3.18.21

Highest hopes for Harvard Roncalli senior sets out to pursue bright future at Harvard University

BY JEAN-LUC EUZEN Staff Writer

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nyone can dream of being a doctor, or a lawyer, or an engineer, etc., but few people actually have the grit it takes to achieve their goals. Roncalli senior Coby García is one of those people.

Since before his transfer to Roncalli his junior year, García has been ambitious, striving to challenge himself whenever possible.

“Coby is unique in his desire to want to learn more at every moment,” calculus teacher Mrs. Laura Armbruster said. “I’m quite certain that he never stops moving — whether that’s his physical body or his mind.”

García’s desire to seek knowledge has led him to pursue rigorous courses both in and out of Roncalli.

For example, García enrolled in classes through IUPUI to study topics ranging from Chinese to anthropology. Every chance he gets, García works towards expanding his knowledge.

Within the walls of Roncalli, García challenges himself by striving to learn more about science, taking both AP Chemistry and Anatomy at the same time. García also pursues a thorough education in language, taking AP French. He had planned to participate in IUHPFL, a high school

study abroad program, but unfortunately the program was canceled due to COVID-19.

García is also very involved in the Indianapolis community, helping to tutor children at Hope for Tomorrow.

On most weeknights, one can find García in the thick of teaching, helping to captivate and expand the knowledge of grade schoolers and enabling them to grow to reach their potential.

Not only does he push himself both academically and within the community, but he also works tirelessly to reach his potential as a varsity diver for Roncalli’s swim team, recently breaking into the top 10 for Roncalli’s all time best divers.

Coincidentally, García received the news that he was going to Harvard at a diving practice.

“I was at practice with another diver, and I opened the email and saw confetti and congrats and started freaking out,” García said. “After I got the email, I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to disturb the practice going on.”

García’s acceptance into Harvard marks the opening up of a wide variety of possibilities.

“Coby will have a lot of unique

opportunities to expand his knowledge at Harvard,” Mrs. Jessica Gattuso, García’s guidance counselor, said.

“With his grit and passion for learning, Coby will definitely take advantage of those opportunities.”

Those opportunities will help García along the way to reach his goal of becoming a medical professional in the public health care setting.

“After college I would like to volunteer with the WHO and then eventually come back to join the political sector,” García said. “There’s a cultural aspect to the healthcare world, and I think that’s a thing that many doctors don’t realize. I hope to eventually implement health practices that will switch the individualistic view of public health in America to one that promotes the protection of the community.”

In a world with the recent COVID-19 pandemic and the tumultuous political landscape of America, the future can seem unsure; however, one thing is for certain: with his enthusiasm and perseverance, Coby García will accomplish great things.

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MATRICULATION EXULTATION: Senior Coby García shines a radiant grin for his senior photo. García plans to go on to study bioethics and public policy at Harvard.

Developing the new standard More colleges begin to go test optional as COVID-19 pandemic impedes on in-person testing

BY GRACE VAVRA Co-Editor

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n January 19th of 2021, the College Board announced that it is eliminating the optional essay section, along with the SAT subject tests. This decision came about due to the COVID-19 pandemic making it extremely difficult for high school students to take standardized tests.

Hundreds of colleges throughout the country became test-optional for the 2020-2021 application pool as a result of the pandemic, but many hope that colleges continue to stay test optional due to the limits it puts on students.

Colleges are making an effort to attract more diverse applicants, and they don't want potential students to be held back by circumstances beyond their control, whether that's test centers being shut down because of the coronavirus or students not being able to afford standardized tests, even in non-pandemic times.

Kelly Kuntz, the college career counselor at Roncalli, explained her thoughts on what colleges will do in relation to requiring standardized tests.

“In general college applications are down and there is a crisis in our country with the cost of college. I imagine the schools who are struggling to get students to apply will remain test optional while the bigger, more popular schools in the country may go back to requiring test scores. I fully expect the more competitive schools and the Ivy League schools to go back to requiring test scores,” Kutz said.

Every SAT administration includes an additional section at the end for students, which is randomly selected from a pool of subject tests. In an effort to increase the fairness of the test, College Board is removing this section of the SAT. “The expanded reach of AP and its widespread availability for low-income students and students of color means the Subject Tests are no longer necessary for students to show what they know,” the College Board included in an online release.

PHOTO BY GRACE VAVRA

TESTING THE WATERS: Junior Sam Peeples prepares to take the SAT scheduled for May of 2021. Students can find more information on registration dates on the College Board website.

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The optional essay section is also being discontinued this year.

“This decision recognizes that there are other ways for students to demonstrate their mastery of essay writing. At the same time, writing remains essential to college readiness, and the SAT will continue to measure writing and editing skills. The tasks on the SAT Reading and Writing and Language tests are among the most effective and predictive parts of the SAT,” College Board wrote.

To better react to the evolution of education, they are also investing in an online version of the test, one that is streamlined and far more accessible.

“The pandemic has highlighted the importance of being innovative and adaptive to what lies ahead. We are committed to making the SAT a more flexible tool, and we are making substantial investments to do so," the College Board said.

While the average highschooler might be quick to explain why they do not like the SAT, other alternatives have yet to be thought of.

“When considered in context and in conjunction with other academic factors, testing such as the SAT can be very helpful in assessing a student’s preparation for college level curriculum,” Kuntz said. “I believe the standardized tests are currently the only way for schools to compare students' knowledge in the most fair way possible. The quality of education, academic preparation, rigor, grade assessment, and grading scales vary from school to school even within districts let alone cities and states.”

As of now, it seems as if the SAT is here to stay, even if it is no longer being required when applying to most colleges.

There is a possibility that there will be better alternatives to the infamous standardized test in the future, or it will be discontinued if colleges find that its flaws outweigh its positive factors.

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3.18.21

Tremendous TV

“Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace” brings a new and unique television experience

Fantasy Basketball Fantasy Basketball

BY RONAN EUZEN Staff Writer

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BY NATHANIEL HARBERS Staff Writer

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ver the many months of quarantine, television media is being consumed more than ever before. People are burning through shows so fast that it can be difficult to find what to watch next. However, one show is out there that is guaranteed to quench anybody’s thirst for a new and unique television show: “Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace”.

For those who don’t know about this show, “Darkplace” is a parody show of the 80’s horror genre. The show originally aired in 2004, but it was only on television in England and never aired in America. “Darkplace” is led by a cast of four people: Matthew Holness, Richard Ayoade, Matt Berry, and Alice Lowe. Although most of these actors are relatively unknown, they uphold the show and are the main attraction.

The premise of “Darkplace” is somewhat unique because it follows a “show-within-a-show” model. The four main characters, Rick Dagless, Thornton Reed, Lucien Sanchez, and Liz Asher, must fight off supernatural threats in a haunted hospital. The show is also interspersed with fake behind the scenes interviews from the fake actors that played the characters in the show. The main fake actor in the show is Garth Marenghi, who is played by Matthew Holness in real life. However, within the show’s universe, Garth Marenghi plays Dr. Rick Dagless. The “show-within-a-show” format may seem confusing at first, but it makes sense when watching the series.

The main appeal of “Darkplace” is that it spoofs 80’s horror, and the show includes the typical parody aspects of clichés and stereotypes. However, “Darkplace” truly excels with minor details, such as bad editing, terrible writing, awful acting, and weird set design. Also, the creators of the show put in so many small details that can be easily missed that the show almost demands multiple rewatches.

Luckily, for those wondering where the show can be viewed, “Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace” is accessible to everyone for free on YouTube. Unfortunately, the show is not really available anywhere else, as it is very obscure and generally unknown, so it isn’t available on Netflix or Hulu or any of the other streaming platforms. Consequently, those wishing

to watch “Darkplace” will be forced to watch periodic ads during the show, but that is a small sacrifice to make considering the joy and laughter that “Darkplace” can instill within those who choose to view the show.

PHOTO BY RONAN EUZEN

HEADSTRONG “HORROR”: Pictured above is self-proclaimed “author, dreamweaver, visionary, plus actor” Garth Marenghi, who portrays Dr. Rick Dagless, M.D. in the fictional television show “Darkplace.”

"GARTH MARENGHI'S DARKPLACE" BY IS LICENSED UNDER CC BY-ND 2.0

TOP-NOTCH TERROR: Pictured above are the four main characters of “Garth Marenghi's Darkplace.” From left to right, they are Lucien Sanchez, Thornton Reed, Rick Dagless, and Liz Asher.

In the mood for food

Royals choose the fast food place they think has the tastiest culinary creations

rom the moment fantasy basketball first sprung into existence with the rise of the Internet, it’s never caught on in the way that similar hobbies have. This pastime is closely related to fantasy football, but far less known. Fantasy football is fairly hassle-free and only needs to be checked weekly, but in contrast, fantasy basketball requires much more time and effort from participants for consistent success.

Unlike the NFL, the average NBA player has about three to four games a week, while an NFL player only has games once a week, which makes managing fantasy basketball teams far more intense. Due to the NBA’s high frequency of games, fantasy owners need to check their rosters at least daily to put in players that have a game that day and take out the players who played the previous nights.

Roncalli senior Tobey Stong is a fantasy basketball commissioner in his league this season, his second time running a league.

“Overall I am enjoying it mainly because of the friendly competition it brings every day,'' Stong said.

“The competitiveness brings out the best in their friends but can cause some saltiness when losing.”

The frequent rotation of players seems to be the main struggle with many league members.

“I would change the lineups to automatically put in each player that plays that day so I don't have to edit my lineup every day during the week,” Stong said. “You are forced to check your lineup everyday for injuries and who is and isn't playing.”

Because of the constant need to check one’s lineup some members just give up on the league, by not rotating at all or just giving their players away.

To keep the competitive environment up throughout the 19 week season, Stong’s league has cash considerations for the victor.

Despite being dragged down by much higher barriers to entry when compared to similar activities, fantasy basketball leagues help keep dedicated fans up to date with NBA news and connected with friends. For the super-fan, these leagues add an indepth and involved element to the NBA, and despite lacking accessible quality of life features, fantasy basketball is on the rise.

BY BEN BAILEY Staff Writer

GRAPHIC BY BEN BAILEY

PIOUS PIE CHART: Pictured above are the results to the “What is Your Favorite Fast Food?” survey that was distributed to the student body. The number one student pick was Chick-Fil-A by a landslide. Taco Bell came in second place, with McDonald's following up in a close third. Popeye's and Five Guys: Burgers and Fries tied for fifth place with the same percentage of the popular vote.

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PHOTO BY NATHANIEL HARBERS

BASKETBALL PLAYER: Senior Tobey Stong sits fiercely on the Fine Arts staircase, hoping to strike fear into his upcoming opponents. Stong is currently sitting in third place in his league, expecting to make a deep playoff run.

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3.18.21

Rigs kicks the competition An entrepreneurial student with big dreams starts his own business in the sneaker culture

BY NOLAN WHITE Staff Writer

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n recent years, sneaker culture has risen to become an important part of wider American culture. It involves buying, selling, trading, and collecting all kinds of shoes; whether from Nike, Air Jordan, Adidas, Puma, etc. More people than ever have developed a strong passion for shoes, and this population of “sneaker heads” is especially prevalent in high schools across the nation, including Roncalli.

One student, senior Jake Hinson, is one such person in the Roncalli community. Jake runs his own Instagram account, @rigs.kicks, where he sells and trades shoes with friends and followers in the area. So, how does he do it?

“I began selling shoes when I was lucky enough to receive a grant from the government,” Hinson said. “I took some of that cash, bought some shoes, and began on my journey. At the moment, it is only a side thing. It kind of came out of nowhere, I had always loved shoes, just never thought about anything more than that. I received this cash during a time where I was working on myself, so I decided ‘hey, why not.’”

With money traditionally serving as a massive entry barrier to the business, the grant was really able to jump-start Jake’s operations. Still, it’s not easy.

“Some challenges I have come across is overpaying for shoes sometimes, or customers being angry or upset with me over prices I sell/prices I offer,” Hinson said. “The hate fuels me though; all negative energy makes me wanna get better. I, a lot of times, will have to take a financial loss, to then take a gain, which can take some time.”

Hinson takes that negativity and uses it as fuel to keep moving forward and become better at his side hustle, potentially even transforming it into a main hustle.

“My future all time goal is my own store: Rigs,” Hinson said. “I would love to think that this is possible, but who knows?”

Jake sets some high goals for himself. Although being a side occupation right now, Jake for sure uses that motivation, desire, and inspiration to really make something out of this and to make it a professional career for himself.

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BUSINESS IS BOOMING: Senior Jake Hinson (right) and his business partner senior Graeham Watt (left) are looking to make profit after a huge buyout. Now they will be on the lookout for some new customers.

Dressing for Royal spirit Students and teachers go all-out in their themed outfits from this year's Winter Spirit Week

PHOTO BY CONNOR MAHONEY

LETS GO WILDCATS?: Senior Conner Wray gets reminiscent of Disney Channel days with a homemade Troy Bolton outfit, from the movie High School Musical. He's currently searching for his Gabriella; any takers?

PHOTO BY CONNOR MAHONEY

VACATION IN THE NORTH POLE: Juniors Ashley Flick (far left), Tabitha Meinerding (right), and Sam Sering (far right) took a trip to 'The North Mole' in search for Santa Claus, but unfortunately only found Mr. Ben North with chemistry homework instead of toys.

PHOTO BY CONNOR MAHONEY

ROCKIN' OUT: Top floor teachers such as Ms. Lacey Hersman (left), Mrs. Angie Toner (middle), and Mrs. Katie Hibner show off 'classic rock' looks to their Gen-Z students for Music Tuesday.

PHOTO BY CONNOR MAHONEY

SURFING THE HALLWAY: Junior Aidan Leffler and sophomore Trevor Lauck cruise the halls and sport fashionable tees for Music Tuesday.

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PHOTO BY EMMA MORGAN

TROPICAL TRIO: Sophomore Amelia Warner (left), Mary Luebkemen (middle), and Mia Samuelson (right) show off their hopeful spring break plans to Hawaii.

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opinion

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Roncalli Media Staff Connor Mahoney Grace Vavra Josh Wormann Liam Moore Julie Albertson

Co-Editor Co-Editor Co-Editor Alternative Media Adviser

Staff Writers Sophie Albertson Ben Bailey Cole Cothron Jean-Luc Euzen Ronan Euzen Nathaniel Harbers

Sam Peeples Kylie Perkins Jack Stonecipher Nolan White Reese Wiley

3.18.21

Guest Editorial

The Roncalli Review invited senior Grace Suiaung to address the February 1st military coup in Myanmar and how that devastaing event is affecting students and families When the military coup occurred in Myanmar last month, I remember the pure despair that I saw in my parents.

Myanmar had been under a military dictatorship since the late 40’s; this is the same military that performed genocide against the Rohingya Muslims and other crimes against ethnic minorities in Myanmar, including the Chin people. After the National League of Democracy (NLD) was elected into power in 2011, military rule had ended, and the NLD had won the November 2020 re-election by a landslide. However, the military claimed election fraud and staged a coup on February 1, 2021, seizing State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and other NLD officials and wreaking havoc on the streets of Myanmar. Since the initial February 1 coup, more than 60 protestors nationwide have been slaughtered by the military, internet censorship has taken place, and citizens are being kidnapped and arrested during the night.

MILLIONS in Myanmar have participated in high-risk protests, with the military guarding the streets, ready to shoot. In my opinion, the most remarkable among these protestors are the youth. These are teenagers our age that are risking their lives for the same cause their parents protested decades ago. I recently saw a video of a young Burmese boy getting ready to protest, as his mother tells him that she is proud of him whether he comes home dead or alive.

I cannot even explain how much admiration I have for these young people and their courage and conviction to fight for the future of their country. Among the young martyrs killed by the cruelty of the military include Ma “Angel” Kyal Sin (19 y/o), Nay Myo Aung (16 y/o), and Mya Thwe Thwe Khine (20 y/o). Parents are burying their children over the same issues they were facing decades ago, and children are seeing their parents brutalized in front of their own eyes.

This sounds like something out of the Purge, but it’s not. It’s the reality of my family in Myanmar, of our students’ families in Myanmar, and our neighbors’ families in Myanmar. The lack of media coverage on this issue is alarming, and the UN’s incompetence in taking action has been disheartening for many Burmese people worldwide. This is why we are depending on YOU, our classmates, teachers, neighbors, and friends to help save our home. You can either look away and pretend this isn’t happening or you can take action; both options are incredibly easy. If you have social media, sharing a post on Myanmar is simple. You can donate to several Civil Disobedience Movement fundraisers (many can be found on Instagram pages like @chinyouthtalk) or write a letter to our Senators and other government officials urging them to take action to condemn the coup. I urge the Roncalli community to pay attention to our people and our country and stand in solidarity with us against injustice in Myanmar.

2020-21 Editorial Policy We accept submissions from all faculty, staff and students, which can be emailed to jalbertson@ roncalli.org or delivered to Room 109. Please keep these letters short, roughly 200-300 words.

They will be accepted under the circumstances that they are signed and noted to which article it is in response. Letters that contain misinformation or are meant to libel another will not be published.

The decision to publish any content will be decided by the editorial board. We also accept photographs and articles written by students, teachers and staff members.

PHOTO BY THURA KYAW SWAR

DEMOCRACY FOR MYANMAR: Protestors congregate at the Myanynigone Bridge in Yangon, Myanmar's largest city. Young people are leading the protests, putting their lives in jeopardy each day all across the nation since the February 1st military coup.

Canceling with compassion Holding influencers accountable for insensitive conduct is most effective when the end goal is growth

BY KYLIE PERKINS Staff Writer

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ancel culture is a current internet phenomenon that involves the attempt to take away the career of someone accused of questionable actions. Despite its intent to bring attention to wrongdoing by celebrities and other influencers, the complexity of such a practice has not only taken away its original purpose, but has brought to light deeper issues concerning social media.

Famous creators on platforms such as Youtube will often be targets of said “cancelling.” If these influencers are to make any mistake, presently or in previous years, mobs of people will take to the internet to critique them. Regardless of whether these creators gave context or apologized for their actions, they are subject to great amounts of hate and even death threats.

To make matters worse, not all of these accusations are true. Most people will not look into a situation to learn the facts; it’s easier to jump on the bandwagon and avoid getting attacks directed toward oneself.

For the most part, cancel culture is successful in getting people’s attention and reminding us of what will not be tolerated.

However, it can wrongfully label people as 'bad,' even if there isn’t much to back this up.

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The greatest setback to cancel culture is lack of empathy. In a Youtube video by Jubilee, those who argued for cancel culture emphasized 'compassion.' Ben, a junior in Providence, R.I. included in a New York Times article that cancel culture “takes away the option for [influencers] to learn from their mistakes” when burdened with the labels and permanent hatred from the public.

So where did all of this cancelling come from? A great rise in popularity for cancelling celebrities sprung from the 2019 James Charles scandal which caused many creators to give their opinions on the situation. This controversy sparked a revolutionary means of holding celebrities accountable and has attempted to combat immoral ideologies of all kinds.

While cancel culture is in some cases a long overdue measure of giving celebrities the consequences they deserve, the response by the internet has not always been the greatest one. 'Accountability culture,' however, accounts for the complexity of the human person and their ability to grow from the situation. If done correctly and compassionately, accountability culture can do a better job of trying to keep public figures in check.

ILLUSTRATION BY KYLIE PERKINS

SAYONARA SISTER: This drawing depicts James Charles, a famous internet personality who was "cancelled" in May of 2019, setting into motion a new social trend. "Cancel culture" now floods the media as the internet starts holding celebrities accountable.

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3.18.21

Recording teachers' tunes

features

Taking a look at the Roncalli faculty and staff 's favorite music to turn up to

BY JOSH WORMANN Co-Editor

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tudents constantly talk about music. Between recent drops and personal classics, music remains one of the universal languages in entertainment that we all can relate to, enjoy, and critique, but everyone has different tastes that divide public opinion.

While students usually have diverse tastes in music, they generally have a decent idea of what many of their friends and acquaintances at school listen to, especially because of sharing music on social media. But what about teachers and authority?

Since some students may want to learn a little more about what music teachers listen to most, the newspaper staff decided to send out a survey to learn new details on teachers’ favorite genres, artists, albums, and songs.

It’s interesting to see the surprising variety of musical taste from Roncalli’s teachers.

Most students have a bland view of teachers in general because teachers rarely get to share their interests outside of the classroom.

For example, a teacher such as Mr. Pat Crosley might occasion-

PHOTO BY LIAM MOORE

CAPTURING A CLASSIC: Mr. Crosley holds a vinyl copy of U2's “The Joshua Tree,” one of his favorite albums. Mr. Crosley has made many memories listening to this album since its 1987 release.

ally play a song at the beginning of class. But he can rarely add much in-depth detail about this music and other music he enjoys and listens to regularly. Thankfully this survey gave Crosley a chance to elaborate on his love for U2’s “The Joshua Tree.”

“It came out my senior year and I literally wore out the tape in my car cassette player,” said Crosley. “Every song is different and tells a story.”

Crosley isn’t the only U2 fan in his family-he’s shared many U2 memories with his wife since meeting in college at IU. “We were talking about favorite music and she said The Joshua Tree was her favorite album and that U2 was her favorite band, and I knew she was the one for me,” said Crosley. “We have seen U2 in concert together five times and saw the Joshua Tree concert twice.

There are so many memories of that album.”

Though Mrs. Tristan Litz may have mentioned Jay-Z once or twice in her class, not many students know that “The Black Album” is one of her favorite albums of all time. Mrs. Litz cites the skill displayed as well as her college memories of listening to the record as reasoning for this high praise.

“The complexity and wisdom of the lyrics, the beats, the structure and flow of the order of the tracks, the fact that Jay-Z's mom is on the album- so many

PHOTO BY LIAM MOORE

FITTING RIGHT IN: Mr. Costello poses next to “The Blue Album” poster. Weezer is one of the many bands Mr. Costello honors on his classroom walls.

things to love,” said Litz. “I have lots of memories listening to this from 2003 [to] today. In college, it was my workout music, so I have lots of memories of hearing those songs in the weight room at UIndy.”

Even though most students that have him could probably tell that Mr. Ryan Costello likes Weezer after spotting “The Blue Album” cover in his room, not many know that Weezer’s “Only In Dreams” is his favorite song, especially since no one else at Roncalli has heard it before.

“It's the last song on their Blue

Album. It's 8+ minutes long and is one of those epic songs that has slow, dramatic sections, wild rock sections, and everything in between,” said Costello.

Although students may not always like the same music that teachers like, it’s nice to hear other opinions and discover other musical tastes, especially from adult figures in the Roncalli community.

Many teachers shared interesting responses that unfortunately could not fit in this space. To read these responses, visit roncallimedia.org.

Amateur audiovisual analysis A quick glance at Roncalli students' most revered records and treasured album artwork

BY COLE COTHRON Staff Writer

T

he newspaper staff sent out a survey asking people about their favorite albums and album covers. 66 people responded about their favorite albums and 55 people gave their favortie album covers.

Almost every response was unique and it was hard to find any similar responses.

However, the newspaper room was able to group the responses based on genre. This is what the final results were.

The album that was most prevelant was “Thriller” by Michael Jackson. The genre that had the most responses was rock, as 30 % of the responses were rock. Rap and HipHop was second with 26% of the responses.

Pop and Indie were tied at 16%. The rest of the responses included R&B with 7%, Country with 3%, and Reggaton with less than 1%.

We also sent out a survey asking about people favorite album covers. We also had some varying responses for this as well.

Some of the responses included “Dark Side of the Moon” by Pink Floyd, “Death Race for Love” by Juice Wrld, and “Fine Line”

by Harry Styles. These albums on the right were some of the other albums mentioned.

SUCH A LOVELY PLACE: Since its release in the mid-70s, “Hotel California” has been a source of tracks that all age-groups can enjoy. The title track itself is still pretty popular among today's youth and has amassed over 776 million streams.

A ROYAL MASTERPIECE: Prince released his sixth studio album “Purple Rain” as a soundtrack to complement the 1984 film of the same name. The record remains Prince's highest selling and is often considered one of the greatest pop albums ever.

ALL ABOUT SOUL: “River of Dreams,” Billy Joel's lone studio album of the 1990's, sees Joel embrace a more serious tone, dealing with issues of love and trust. The lead single “The River of Dreams” charted at number 3 and earned a Grammy nomination.

FREAKING OUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD: Released in October of 2012, Mac DeMarco's “2” has become a staple of the indie genere. The album was also DeMarco's first full-length LP.

GO YOUR OWN WAY: Fleetwood Mac aimed to make a pop album with their 1977 release “Rumours” and topped the US Billboard 200. The record also garnered widespread critical acclaim.

ABBEY ROAD: The last album to be recorded by the Beatles, “Abbey Road” was released in 1969. The album contains some of the Beatles' greatest hits including “Here Comes the Sun.” PHOTOS BY COLE COTHRON

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sports

www.roncallimedia.com

Wrestlers pin down state

3.18.21

The Royals send Sam Peeples and Bryce Lowery to Bankers Life to wrestle for a chance at a state title

BY SOPHIE ALBERTSON Staff Writer

Q

ualifying for the state tournament is the goal for every wrestler. This season, even with all the challenges a pandemic has posed, the team sent two athletes to the State Finals at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Junior Sam Peeples and sophomore Bryce Lowery represented the Royals at an event that saw many changes due to Covid-19.

“The atmosphere at Bankers Life was definitely much different and not the type of environment I usually thrive in," said Lowery. "There were a lot of unexpected protocols we had to follow but I knew it was the only way we get to wrestle so I was complacent.”

These changes to the normal state tournament affected every aspect of the sport. From drastically fewer fans to less warm up time, everyone involved knew there would be a different feeling surrounding the weekend.

“The state finals is a special event that kids dream of participating in their entire youth lives," said Head Coach Wade McClurg. "It felt very different this year with only about 15 percent of the fans that would normally be there in attendance, no parade of champions, no warm up area, no locker rooms, athletes and coaches were housed in the upper balcony and had to take a freight elevator down to the floor when it was your turn to wrestle.”

Winning in the first session on Friday, Lowery prepared to wrestle the following day to finish at least top 8 in the state. Peeples ended up losing Friday night to the state runner-up. On Saturday, Lowery lost a tough match and later wrestled in the consolation round. Losing there as well, he then went on to win his fourth match and took seventh place.

Throughout the entire season, which was heavily influenced and affected by Covid, some members of the wrestling team had to be contact traced and quarantined, which had a notable effect on the team.

“Wrestling requires so much physical conditioning and timing through drilling, and you can't mimic that training when you are in a 14-day quarantine due to contact tracing,” said Coach McClurg.

The positive cases in the school was also a challenge for the team, presenting new and difficult challenges for the coaches.

“As a coaching staff, we had to practice patience while also constantly making tweaks to our training and competition schedule to do what we felt was best for our wrestlers in order to make sure our kids could wrestle at their best in the state series,” noted McClurg.

Through these challenges, the team still persevered and had many notable accomplishments during the season.

In the first meet of the year, the team went undefeated in the Harrison, Ohio Duals (40) and further into the season collected dual meet wins against Cardinal Ritter, Seymour, Scecina, Greenwood, Lawrence North, Noblesville, Brebeuf Jesuit, Bishop Chatard, Guerin Catholic, Hobart, and Greenfield Central. Roncalli finished 6th at the IHSWCA 3A Team State Duals. Bryce Lowery won his second Marion County title; the team finished in 4th place with ten individual placewinners. During the regular season, individual wrestlers tacked on to their winning records at the Holiday Classic hosted by Evansville Mater Dei,

PHOTO BY JOHN SMITH

PIN EM' TO WIN: Bryce Lowery defeats Henry Cotter of Brebuef by fall in 1:02, giving the team another six points to go on and win the duel.

where the Royals finished with a champion in Bryce Lowery and a runner-up in Junior Zach Wilson, as well as 7 total placewinners to finish 5th as a team. Following the wins of Evansville, Roncalli hosted the Circle City Conference meet. The Royals came out on top of the team race and had ten individual conference champions.

These victories carried the team into the postseason which began at Southport High School. Sectionals was a big meet for the team and all twelve wrestlers ended up advancing to regionals, Lowery and Wilson earned Sectional Championships, and the team finished in second place. At the Regional, Lowery won another individual title and the team sent eight wrestlers to the notoriously tough Semi-State tournament at New Castle. Lowery and Peeples advanced out of the Semi-State to compete at the IHSAA State Finals.

Still having two more seasons of his high school career ahead of him, Lowery knows he has to work and make changes to better himself during the off-season.

“I obviously want to come back next year on top of the podium and will go back to the drawing board to make sure I fix the wrestling aspect of the sport,” said Lowery.

While both wrestlers made huge strides by making it to state, working to get better in the off-season will be important for the whole team.

“As a coaching staff we will evaluate the season and the returning team, and then get right back to work to get better for next season. Through the USA Wrestling club circuit our athletes should have a lot of opportunities to train and compete, we hope our guys will want to get better and choose to put in the work this off-season,” said Coach McClurg.

Royals dominate on the court The Lady Royals Girls' Basketball Team tops off their season by cutting the net at sectional finals

BY REESE WILEY Staff Writer

W

PHOTO BY JOHN SMITH

SECTIONAL CHAMPS: The Lady Royals pose for a photo with their Sectional Championship trophy. They defeated Perry Meridian 44-27 at Ben Davis high school.

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ith a new head coach, a new roster, a new name, and the safety requirements that come with playing high school basketball in a pandemic, the Lady Royals have never had a season with so many new additions to the game they love.

One of the most important changes to the Lady Royals program this year was the new coaching staff, which included new head coach Tim Gray.

While a new role sometimes comes with some adjusting, Coach Gray believes that everyone involved in the program was gracious during the transition.

“I was blessed with 32 girls who bought into what we were trying to do from day one, parents that were beyond supportive

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even though many weren't able to officially meet with me because of protocols, and a coaching staff that is second to none.” Coach Gray said.

With the previous head coach leaving to take the head coach position at Ben Davis, the Lady Royals found that playing their team during the season was far from easy.

“It was kind of emotional for us seniors since our previous coach of three years moved there and we lost to them last year in sectionals by two on a buzzer beater, said senior Sofie Carr. “Everyone's emotions were high and we really wanted to beat them on their home court.”

While the Lady Rebels didn’t win this game against Ben Davis, facing the team yet again during one of the rounds for sec-

tionals was more exciting than any other game this season.

“Even though it was the second game of sectionals, it might as well have been the championship” senior Abbie Carr said.

While winning a sectional championship as his first year as head coach would be impressive enough, Coach Tim Gray says that this win wasn’t the most memorable part of this past season.

“The most important and special thing about this season was the people involved,” Coach Gray said.

“It was special because I was surrounded by special people!”

The Lady Royals sadly ended their season with a loss to Mt. Vernon at Regionals, but were able to accomplish so much on their journey.