THE
P I L O T
FLASHES
VOLUME 99, ISSUE 5
March 17, 2017
Sparkle Squad Spotlight Pg. 20, Jacob Ellis
Alexis Baker
News Briefs
Journalism Students
12 Booting Down 13Take a Page from Ethan Gerling
Our Book Molly Wolfe
16 Spring Sports Update
Dorian Ducre
Find us Online!
@fcpilotflashes
https://issuu.com/ thepilotflashes
Cover photos courtesy of Paige Clegg
Staff List
3 #BeHeard 7 Journalism Class
Lindsey Brashear
Business Manager
Sally Knoop
Editors
Sally Knoop Molly Wolfe
Reporters
Alexis Baker Alyssa Cooper Jarrett Dodson Dorian Ducre Jacob Ellis Ethan Gerling
Albert & Julie Brashear Laura Dodson Alphonse & Candace Ducre Jennifer Jackson-Harr The Hart Family Mandy Hazlett Brian & Beth Ann Heilers Alex Hutton Kellsey James Cynthia & Thomas James Holly Knoop Rebecca Knoop Lisa Laker Thomas Mathews Greg McDermott Kathleen Roberts Porsche Young Delores Whittler Dan & Michelle Wolfe
Pilot Patrons
March
Editor-In-Chief
Mission Statement
Our mission is to provide accurate and timely content that is relevant to the Franklin Central student body. We encourage you to respond to articles and submit suggestions through e-mail. Each reporter’s contact information will be listed at the beginning of his or her article Your feedback is appreciated and will help improve The Pilot Flashes.
Rundown on Riley Dance Marathon ALYSSA COOPER, REPORTER acooperpf@gmail.com
On March 10 Franklin Central High School students were given the opportunity to stand up for those who can’t. If you’ve walked around the halls, it’s likely you had seen the red buckets, posters and “For the Kids” mantra. Riley Dance Marathon is a huge fundraiser event at FCHS for Riley Children’s Hospital. Our school has year round fundraisers, but Riley Dance Marathon is the biggest event for the school. Our RDM started with Mr. George in 2007, and now Mrs. Kayla Kaps, who was also a past co-president, takes the reins this year. RDM committee puts on events year round such as Day of Miracles where they raised $2,200 over their goal of $4,000. Day of Miracles is slightly different in that it focused on raising donations online. Another success came from the Mr. & Mrs. Dance Marathon Pageant. This year the pageant alone raised $4,600, all within a week. Other events include Spirit Week, Spirit Night, and a blood drive. This year they’ve not only expanded more online, but pulled from the community as well with their Raking For Riley, an event in which committee members
help rake up around the township for donations. This years convocation was a bit different than in the past with changes including a new sponsor, more pageant contestants, and one more speaker than they had before. Just as every year they’ve tried to make it even better than the last, so even if you have gone once before the experience won’t be the same next year. Co-presidents Alexa Carr and Malia Mulligan, as well as the sponsor Kaps, give insight on the event. “You hear ‘Dance Marathon’ and think it’s going to be dancing,” Kaps said. The event actually included cornhole, card making, Riley families, music, a bounce house, student performances, and food. “You get to see where all your efforts and all of your money are going,” said Carr. Committee members will get to directly hand over the donations and get a tour of Riley. Even if you didn’t go to RDM, you can still donate because the committee will donate all funds raised to Riley this April.
Schedule Buzz
Franklin Central High School students are making plans for their next year; students may have noticed the new options such as Quantitative Reasoning, Pre-AP Chemistry and Digital Electronics which may be available next fall. Timothy Siegert, counselor, said the courses will be confirmed this spring. Although there are no prerequisites for these classes, at least two will be heavier in math and best for students that are interested in pursuing a similar field. “Sign up for a class based on your interest in the class, on the appropriateness of that class for your future plans and your ability, not on who you might think the teachers are going to be,” said Siegert. Sometimes though there isn’t a definite answer to
Alexa Carr and RDM Twitter
which class is the next best step. Students should keep in mind their ideal diploma, college, degree and career. Pre-AP Chemistry, for example, is going to be a better course for those who do well in their math and biology classes and want to take AP Chemistry later on. The new math course, Quantitative Reasoning, will likely offer a blend of probability and statistics, ratios and problem solving. You must have completed Algebra II and Geometry to take this class. Digital Electronics is a more hands on course. If confirmed, it will be offered as a dual credit course for Ivy Tech. Critical thinking and problem solving will be some of the main parts of the course.
Students should keep in mind their ideal diploma, college, degree, and career.
NEWS • PAGE 2
#BeHeard
Emily Abshire
On Feb. 16, a bill that provides freedom of speech and freedom of press protections for student journalists passed the Indiana House Committee on Education unanimously. House Bill 1130 (HB 1130) will now be heard in the Senate committee on education and career development. The bill protects student expression in school media and publications: newspapers, radio and yearbooks. The debate about whether or not schools should be able to censor student journalists is not a new conflict. In 1988, a landmark decision was made by the Supreme Court in Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier. In May 1983, the principal of Hazelwood East High School proofread the upcoming school newspaper. He deemed two of the articles inappropriate and ordered that they be withheld. Cathy Kuhlmeier and two former students brought the case to court. The court ruled that educators did not offend the First Amendment of freedom of speech by assuming editorial control over the content of student speech as long as their actions were “reasonably related to legitimate pedagogical concerns.” This allowed for administrators to enact prior review and prior restraint. Prior review is when someone that is not on the media staff requires that he or she be able to read or approve the content before it is distributed. Prior restraint is when someone that is not on the media staff requires changes to or removal of content before distribution. Diana Hadley was teaching journalism at Mooresville High School when she heard the Supreme Court decision in 1988.
State lacks added protection for student journalists
State has free expression law State has protection for student protecting student journalists. speech rights in education code
PAGE 3 • NEWS
IHSPA
ALEXIS BAKER, REPORTER Alexisbakerpf@gmail.com
Candy hearts that students brought to the Statehouse on Feb. 14 with “I (heart) HB 1130” engraved into them.
“When I heard the Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier decision I knew it would not affect the school where I was teaching. The administration supported responsible student journalism and made a point to say that nothing would change. I worried that some schools would suffer, and they have,” said Diana Hadley, the director of the Indiana High School Press Association (IHSPA). Hadley has supported journalism throughout Indiana by helping launch a campaign last summer called New Voices of Indiana. This is part of the national movement called New Voices USA which is a national initiative to pass legislation that improves protection for student journalists. Hadley said that many states have already passed New Voice bills or are working on them. Hadley continues to support journalism by helping coordinate the IHSPA effort with the bill’s sponsors, the Indiana Collegiate Press Association and other stakeholders. She believes that good journalists are able to “make a school better by celebrating successes and covering issues that are important to the student body and school community as a whole.” A similar bill in the 1990s passed in the House. However, it stalled in the Senate after opposition from some Indiana school boards, superintendents and principals. “I think the timing wasn’t right in 1991. We worked hard on the bill, but we needed to understand the process better,” said Hadley. Another individual that has had a profound effect on the passing of HB 1130 in the Education Committee has been Selena Qian, who is the editor-in-chief of the quarterly publication at Carmel High School. She was chosen to be a part of the student advocacy team along with four other high school students and five college students. “We worked on the actual drafting of the bill back in December, and we met with stakeholders as well as the chair of the Education Committee, Chairman Behning. We’ve also been working on spreading the word and generating support for the bill,” said Qian. On Feb. 14, both Hadley and Qian testified at the
Katie Stancombe, TheStatehouseFile.com
IHSPA
Statehouse in favor of the bill. Indiana students gathered at the Statehouse before 8:30 a.m. to testify for their press freedoms. Many students wore blue shirts that had star-andstripe speech bubbles with #BeHeard on the front. They also brought pins and candy hearts that had “I (heart) HB 1130” engraved into them. Hadley testified that the case gave school administrators a tool used for controlling student voices which they were uncomfortable with. She claimed that this has prevented schools from experiencing valuable teaching moments. Qian has been lucky enough to have a school administration, led by Principal John Williams, that is supportive of her newspaper’s work and has a strong collaborative relationship with. However, she fears that other schools and the future of her school, Carmel, may not be so lucky. “Frankly, freedom of press shouldn’t be a matter of luck,” Qian testified. Dr. Duane Nickell, a physics teacher at FC, recently brought this bill to the attention of his colleagues after hearing about it in NUVO newspaper and The Indianapolis Star because he believes that responsible journalism is essential to a functioning democracy. “I think journalists keep the government honest about things. They do investigative reports and report on any kind of corruption. So I think that it is absolutely essential that we have good reporting people making sure everything is done right,” said Nickell. Nickell encouraged his colleagues to contact their legislators to express their opinions on the bill. “Some people don’t think you have any effect when you do that, but you do. When people contact their legislators, they do hear you.” Nickell’s e-mail drew the attention of Kayla Kaps, the school’s mass media teacher and WRFT advisor. She believes that Franklin Central is very fortunate because we have an administration that supports student expression. Kaps is a graduate of FC and has seen how the changed community has affected censorship in terms of radio broadcasts. “The population has changed. It’s definitely become a little bit more conservative. So in that regard, what people are going to complain about and what’s going to bother
Student advocacy team attend hearing on Feb. 14.
people has changed. That affects what we do here,” said Kaps. The Franklin Township community shapes what journalists report on and whether or not they choose to utilize their freedom of speech without school protections. Former FC student journalist, Audrey Osborne, has experienced first-hand how conservative the township has become. She wrote a story her sophomore year in which no one involved in the school wanted to give a comment or get interviewed on the sensitive topic. “Fear of retaliation is an effective and indirect form of censorship, whether it is intended or not,” Osborne said. In conclusion, student journalists and professional journalists have very similar roles. They just operate on different levels. So why do students lack the legitimacy and credibility that professional journalists have? Many of them already vote on the controversial topics being censored. Qian said that HB 1130 can allow for these student journalists to become responsible and accountable for what they are printing. This is especially important right now because of the the political climate that we are in which the media is accused of bias and falsehoods. Do you think it is time for student journalists to be heard? “A student journalist may exercise freedom of speech and freedom of the press in school sponsored media... a student journalist is responsible for determining the news, opinions, features, and advertising content in school sponsored media.” A student journalist may not be supressed unless their work is libelous, slanderous, violates federal state law, incites students to create a clear and present danger or violates a public school or school corporation policy or is “gratuitously” profane. A school corporation may not discipline a student for practicing their freedoms protected under the First Amendment or retaliate against the advisor. The speech of the student should not be considered to be the opinion of the school. Prior restraint and prior review is not authorized.
Hoosier journalism students attended the first hearing for HB 1130.
NEWS • PAGE 4
FUN AND GAMES
Word Bank CENSORSHIP
PERCUSSION
SCHEDULES
COFFEE HOUSE
PETER
SPARKLE
COLLEGE
PULITZER
SPORTS
DOVES
RILEY DANCE MARATHON
THEATER
LEGENDS
ROBOTICS
TOLKIEN
St. Ptraick’s Day Quiz answers
1. A 2.B 3. A 4.C 5. B 6. A 7.D 8.D 9.D 10.C
PAGE 5 • FEATURE
S
St. Patrick’s Day Quiz 1.St. Patrick’s Day Commemorates which of the following? A. The day St. Patrick died B. The day St. Patrick was born C. The day St. Patrick banished snakes from Ireland D. St. Patrick’s birthday 2.What does the Shamrock signify? A. Luck of the Irish B. The number 3, used to explain the holy trinity by St. Patrick C. Snakes, used by St. Patrick to scare snakes out of Ireland D. Ireland, it is their national plant 3. What was St. Patrick’s birth name? A. Maeywyn Succat B. St. Patrick C. Jamie O’Malley D. Patrick O’Reilly 4.What is St. Patrick famous for? A. He killed King Arthur B. He discovered large amounts of gold in Ireland C. He banished snakes from Ireland D. He invented the Reuben sandwich 5. Was St. Patrick Irish? A. Yes B. No, he was British C. No, he was Swedish D. No, he was Russian
6. Which American city has the largest St. Patrick’s Day Parade? A. New York B. Indianapolis C. San Francisco D. Cleveland 7. What do the Irish believe about St. Patrick? A. He watches over Ireland B. He decides if you will go to heaven after death C. He is very lucky D. A and B 8. How did St. Patrick end up in Ireland? A. He was kidnapped by pirates, and kept as a slave for several years B. He was born there, and dedicated his life’s work to his home country C. He was a missionary there, and is credited with being the founder of Christianity in Ireland D. A and C 9. What does Leprechaun mean? A. A goblin B. A hobbit C. A troublemaker D. A fairy 10. St. Patrick’s name in Latin, Patricius, most closely means… A. Snake hunter B. Lucky C. Noble D. Holy
Heard In the Halls “Divorce means double the fun!”
All of the wacky, out-of-context bits of conversation we hear in FC’s halls.
“I’m celebrating 18 years of miserable existence today.” “You don’t believe in anything after 1990, do you?”
“What do you mean she doesn’t love cocoa butter?!”
“I sneezed in the hallway this morning and no one blessed me. What a great way to start the day!”
ENTERTAINMENT • PAGE 6
Student Council for the Win
The END the R WORD CAMPAIGN Begins
LINDSEY BRASHEAR, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF lbrashearpf@gmail.com
Lisa Laker
Franklin Central was honored at the Indiana Association of Student Councils’ Representative Assembly at the Indiana Convention Center on March 6. Junior Carson Whitesell, current IASC Vice President, was awarded the Dale Hawley Leadership Award. Mrs. Leslie Appleby, sophomore English teacher, was named the 2017 Central West District Student Council Adviser of the Year. Finally, Principal Kevin Koers was named the 2017 Central West District Administrator of the Year.
Lisa Laker
LINDSEY BRASHEAR, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF lbrashearpf@gmail.com
You may have noticed the posters around school for the “Spread the Word to End the Word” campaign. This campaign was started by the Unified Track and Field Team and Student Council. The word retard(ed) hurts millions of people with intellectual disabilities, their families and friends. Take the pledge and help promote the new R-word: RESPECT.
Dove House Opening
JULIAN MATHEY
Dove Recovery House, an organization that has an income. So, it’s critical for been helping women get sober for over 15 years, is them to have a place like Dove opening a new home for women in need in Downtown, House to come to.” Indianapolis. A year ago, staff and board members started applying This house used to hold 20-23 “They’re not working so they for grants. Donations started coming woman a night, they will now be in. Eventually, they were able to don’t have an income. So, it’s secure part of a medical building on able to accommodate 38 women each night. critical for them to have a place the near north side to create a new, The kinds of services offered larger Dove Recovery House. like the Dove House to come at Dove Recovery House are The new location increases the a central part of a new plan number of beds by 65 percent and to.” - Wendy Noe, Executive announced by Indianapolis will even include a library. With this director Mayor Joe Hogsett this week to new opening, many more women reform the criminal justice system in Marion County. are able to stay from 6 weeks to a year to get the help and “A lot of them are homeless,” executive director support they need. Wendy Noe said, “They’re not working so they don’t have
PAGE 7• FEATURE
Indoor Percussion Takes The Floor
LUCILLE NORTHCUTT
“Being a part of this team is a ton of hard work, and very time consuming, but in the end it’s worth it.” -Chris Hodgson, Director
Lucille Northcutt
The Franklin Central Indoor Percussion Team started their season on February 18 at Franklin Central, which was the first of 7 competitions. Last year, the team placed 3rd in the state, and 8th in the country. Indoor Percussion is different from the drumline you see in the marching band. There are no wind instruments, and no flags spinning to the music. Instead there is a visual line, snare line, bass line, tenor line, and the stationary instruments up front, known as the pit. The team is competing with thier 2017 program, “Iron Clad.” The program focuses mainly on the steel worker. Visual Line member Madi Kryger said, “It emphasizes the blue-collared worker, the jobs people don’t want to do, or dirty jobs.” The show is centered around the TED talk given by Mike Rowe, the lead on Discovery Channel’s “Dirty Jobs” titled “Learning from Dirty Jobs” in 2008. In this talk Rowe says “We’ve declared war on work, as a society, all of us. It’s a civil war. It’s a cold war, really. We didn’t set out to do it and we didn’t twist our mustache in some Machiavellian way, but we’ve done it. And we’ve waged this war on at least four fronts, certainly in Hollywood. The way we portray working people on TV — it’s laughable... This war on work, that I suppose exists, has casualties like any other war.” Most of this you can hear Rowe say at the beginning of the show. The show received national attention from Rowe and his 4.4 million followers after the program coordinator Garrett Scharton contacted him about copyright issues, which could have been a problem for the team and the school as well. Chris Hodgson, who has been the director of the team for several years feels optimistic about this season. “Already we have face up’s and down’s to the extreme, even more so than last year. We have had people leave, or something in the show not turning out the way we want it to, but overall, I feel very positive about the season,” said Hodgson. At their first competition, the team suffered a devastating 10-point penalty due to the safety of the props, which put them 13 points behind the only competitor in their class, Avon High School. The problem: There was not enough railings. The band boosters and percussion parents quickly worked to fix that before it caused another problem. On April 20-22 they will travel to Dayton, Ohio for the World Class Finals, where they will have the opportunity to exceed. Hopefully, they can do just as well as last year, maybe even better.
FEATURE • PAGE 8
The FC League of Legends team this season
JARRET HASTINGS
The School’s League of Legends Team FC Blue will for the entirety of the year learning how to play with be competing in a tournaments at Warren on April 15. each other perfectly through practice games against “This year is arguably the best “This year is arguably the best other school teams and drills to year for Franklin Central’s know exactly what to do in each year for Franklin Central’s league situation. This final product will be League team we have players team we have players who are really put to the test at the this Warren who are really committed to what we do and I think we committed to what we do and i think Invitational April to win in game are all trying our best in each we are all trying our best in each prizes unattainable until next years League match and can’t wait to league match and can’t wait to go to tournament. go to the Warren Invitational The team is optimistic and plan the Warren Invitational on April 15,” to enjoy the game no matter on April 15,”Connor -Conner Mcdougal Mcdougal the flex player of 2 the outcome “The FC League of years who fills in positions that Legends club is a great way to would be best suited against enemy team compositions become friends with a lot of people who all enjoy having for the team said. fun with friends and love a great game,” the support The League of Legends team has been tirelessly player for the team for 3 years Andrew Benslay said. practicing multiple hours every Tuesday and Thursday
Coffee House QUENTIN STEPHENS
FC Yearbook
Mark your calendars for Franklin Central’s annual Coffee House on April 7. Doors open at 6:30 and the show starts at 7 in the auditorium. Admission is $5. Students will be entertained by acts ranging from musical renditions to stand-up comedy all while enjoying free coffee.
Coffee house hosts Steven Allen and Kyle Jeanor
PAGE 9 • FEATURE
This year’s hosts will be junior Kyle Jeanor and senior Steven Allen. It is a great fundraiser, as all proceeds go towards the school. Everyone seems to be excited for this event including staff and students. “Coffee House is a fun show to be a part of. I’m interested to see what other talents FC has to offer. It’s going to be a great show!” said senior Alex Miller, who will be performing this year. Some of last years performances included lipsyncingand musical performances. “It’s the best! There are a lot of cool performances you wouldn’t get to see under any other circumstances.” said theatre advocate Mr. Brian Skillman. Last year’s Coffee House was a huge success and brought in a lot of money for the school. FC encourages you to come out and support your fellow Flashes.
Theatre on the Square “Rocking”the House MACKENZIE HIRONS
Theatre on the Square is putting up their production of Rock of Ages, from March 10 through April 1 in downtown Indianapolis. The Tony award winning musical portrays the life of the big rock and roll bands from the 80’s. With big hair and bigger dreams, they sing and through the whirlwind that was life in 1980. Students at Franklin Central are extremely excited for the musical’s debut in our city. “I love everything that Theatre on the Square does and I’m really excited to go see this show. Broadway is my life and this musical is gonna be great,” said junior Jill Wooster. Even the teachers are ready for a flash back to their childhood with the nostalgic 1980’s backdrop, and the rock music that defined an era. With a big influence in the theatre and show choir happenings at Franklin Central one teacher is very very excited for this musical to hit Indianapolis. “As a child of the 80’s I am very interested in seeing
how the musical theatre scene will interpret the music from my youth,” said English teacher Brian Skillman. While those at Franklin Central are fairly excited, stage manager of the show, Nikki Sayer, couldn’t be more giddy. “It is such a huge in your face show that will entertain every second. This is such a talented cast and director. They could sing the phonebook and make it compelling. I can’t wait to see the audiences see it!” says Nikki. Students can purchase tickets now online at www.tots.org or at the box office for only $20. It’s recommended doing it sooner rather than later. “ Between the subject matter and this amazing cast, I anticipate many sellouts,” said Nikki Sayer.
“This is such a talented cast and director.”- Nikki Sayer, stage manager
Pan Catches the Stage
SYDNI BAUGHMAN
The newest play to grace the Franklin Central stage this May is Peter and the Starcatcher. It is a comical story of how a lonely, orphaned, no-named boy becomes Peter Pan. Director Michael Howard says this is a twist on the original Peter Pan story. “The story begins before he gets the name Peter Pan so we discover how he gets that,” he says. The production keeps the original story’s pirates, mermaids, and lost boys (i.e. Peter Pan). While also adding new characters like Molly and Captain Black Stache. This is also the first time Mr. Howard will be doing what is called Three Quarter Thrust staging. Three Quarter Thrust is a staging set up where the audience is on all three sides of the stage. The actors are constantly surrounded at a 45 degree angle.
The cast hopes the audience will love the magic and mystery of the show. Howard is especially looking forward to the audiences reaction to the new staging technique, “I’m excited for the audience to experience the Three Quarter Thrust staging and see how they respond to that.” Seniors in the cast are especially excited for the show with it being the last one of their high school years. This includes Alex Bowman, Harrison Suesz, Allie Stiffler, Josh Rooks, and Brandon Carson. They hope to put on their best performance and end their senior year with a great production. The show will hit the stage on May, come out and support the Theatre Department and see Peter and the Starcatcher.
FEATURE • PAGE 10
Adrian Matejka Visits Franklin Central High School SHAWN YOUNG
Franklin Central had the honor of inviting Adrian Matejka, a Pulitzer Prize finalist on February 21, 2017. He read poetry from his books and engaged students in a discussion of poetry. Besides meeting the author everyone could also communicate with the mayor of Indianapolis, Joe Hogsett. As FC students came to the event, they were served goodies with punch. In attendance was Mr. Ian Heraty, Intro to Computer Science teacher. “I was very satisfied with meeting Mr.Matejka. I will probably read his new book coming out,that seems interesting. I would love to write the way he does,” Mr.Heraty said.
Mrs. Lisa Laker, English teacher, who helped put this event together said,”I have read his book [Mixology] which features poems about growing up with parents, one is white and one is African American and how he grew up with that. I am also reading another book that I am also using to teach with. [The Big Smoke] features poetry inverse from the perspective of heavyweight champion boxer, Jack Johnson. I would also find his best interesting method on how he writes poems. I would also talk with him about what inspired him to write the way he does.”
Lisa Laker
PAGE 11 • FEATURE
B
Booting Down ETHAN GERLING, REPORTER egerlingpf@gmail.com
With another competitive season under their tool belts, Franklin Central’s robotics team, The Auto Flashes, finally gets a break. After nearly 30 competitions and a hard fought battle at state, the team has completed their work for this year and will soon begin work preparing for the next season. When the Auto Flashes begins each fall, the team goes through the familiar process once again. After being shown that years style of competition, the team will split up into sub-teams and begin their research. Once the teams have then drawn out their designs, construction can begin, improvements can be made, the bots can be coded and finally tested. The Auto Flashes began only a few years ago with only eight members. However, in its short time the team has already grown to almost 60 members strong. By the end of its first year, the team had already won the Think Award for having the best programming. Since then, the team has also won the Spirit Award three times for good sportsmanship, the Excellence Award, and even traveled to California for the World’s Competition three years ago. This year, at State the Auto Flashes team 7282A made it to quarter finals before unfortunately being knocked out of the competition. Rick French is the head coach and faculty advisor for the Auto Flashes, and has been for the last five years. Reflecting on this year’s season, French stated: “This year has been an off year for us; it’s taken a lot longer to get ready.” Most among the program appear to agree with French, however they all remain optimistic, especially freshman and programmer Adib Chowdhury. “You have to expect a lot of failures, and don’t be disappointed if you don’t make it, it’s going to happen,” sayas Chowdhury. Chowdhury and his team are already preparing for next year’s season by giving themselves challenges and extra tasks to complete.
Chowdhury also explained why exactly he joined the robotics program, saying, “I was always into science and technology and engineering, and pretty much anything in that field, that’s why I joined.” Chowdhury also noted that he finds the program quite chaotic but fun, and overall a worthwhile experience. “It’s very messy, some people have ideas way over here, and others have ideas in the completely opposite direction, but somehow we put them together,” Chowdhury adds. Jake Epps, a senior and captain of team 7282B, also known as “The B-Team,” has been a part of the Auto Flashes for two years. “I figured learning the basics of robotics would be interesting, fun, and would help with college,” says sEpps. Epps will be going into the mechanical engineering field, so the experience with the robotics program will be very helpful. “I’d say making it to finals was our biggest accomplishment this year,” Epps says. For three years now Wesley Ford has acted as the assistant coach and also a “mentor and guide” for the students involved in the Auto Flashes, while simultaneously acting as head of engineering and technology department at FC. “[It’s important to note] anyone can join, even if you have no experience. It looks great on resumes, looks good for colleges, and it’s just a fun little social atmosphere,” Ford shared. French took the team’s pride to another level, saying, “Other teams definitely see when we are [at competition].” French also makes it a point that he feels many students don’t recognize the feats the robotics team has made. “People see this functioning robot, but they don’t see that this was built from scratch.” Preparations for next season will begin in April, however the team will be open for newcomers next fall.
FEATURE • PAGE 12
Take a Page from Our Book The best and most anticipated books of 2017
MOLLY WOLFE, REPORTER mwolfepf@gmail.com
FC alumna Francesca Zappia’s second novel, “Eliza and Her Monsters,” follows the life of Eliza Mirk, an average teenage girl. Eliza, who is normally the quiet kid in school, has an alternate online identity, LadyConstellation. As LadyConstellation, Eliza devotes all of her time to creating the beloved webcomic, “the Monstrous Sea.” However, her world is soon turned upside down upon meeting Wallace Warland, a popular fanfiction writer for “the Monstrous Sea.” Follow Eliza’s adventures through her twisting and turning life as she faces the world off of her computer screen. “Eliza and Her Monsters” will be released on May 30, 2017, complete with illustrations from Eliza’s webcomic. Until May, check out Zappia’s first novel, “Made You Up.”
“The introduction alone has me on my toes! I can’t wait to get my hands on this!” - Emma Inocencio,8th-grade student, FTMS-West
PAGE 13 • FEATURE
Looking for even more to read? Check out our honorable mentions!
“Her last book was phenomenal! I can only imagine what barriers she’ll push and break in this awesome upcoming book !” - Tony Lawson, ELA Teacher, FTMS-West
Author Laura VanArendonk Baugh’s latest novel, “The Songweaver’s Vow,” is a combination of Greek and Norse mythology. Baugh promises her readers, “Even if you’re not familiar with Norse mythology, you’re in for an exciting ride.” The novel follows a young girl named Euthalia, who is traded to Vikings and sacrificed as a bride to an Asgardian god. Never allowed to view her other worldly husband, Euthalia must unravel the mysteries of her new life. Soon, Euthalia becomes a renowned storyteller, entertaining Asgard’s gods and creatures alike. Her life seems to be going well, that is until one of Euthalia’s stories leads to the murder of a god. Now, in order to stop the end of the world, Euthalia finds herself allied with a goddess and face to face with her own husband.
“In a world where violence is constant, we need all the awareness that we can get. ‘The Hate U Give’ is a captivating and motivating novel that brings light to a very real issue. Well-written and incredibly moving, it truly is a must read.” -Audrianna DeWitt, Junior
“Having read Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings saga in second grade, I have been a fan of Tolkien’s works for years. I am curious to see how the upcoming addition to the saga will compare to the previous books, and I am excited for another chance to step into the world of Middle Earth.” - David Gowan, Junior
Angie Thomas’s debut novel, “The Hate U Give,” was inspired by The Black Lives Matter movement. The novel is told from the perspective of Starr Carter, a young black girl. Starr’s life is completely shaken when her childhood friend is shot and killed by a police officer, even though he is unarmed. As protestors take to the streets, Starr is thrown in the turbulence of the aftermath of his death. From grieving for her friend to being intimidated by law enforcement and drug lords alike, only Starr can say what really happened that night, and it could endanger her life. “The Hate U Give” was released on Feb. 27, in a heated political climate, and is bound to make a splash for it’s readers. It’s emotionally and politically charged message is powerful and promises to make you cry. Be sure to read this quick, because movie rights have already been sold to FOX; Amandla Stenberg from “The Hunger Games” is set to star as Starr Carter.
The story of Beren and Lùthien is originally found in J.R.R Tolkien’s manuscripts, the beloved author of “The Hobbit” and “The Lord Of The Rings” trilogy. Revised by his son Christopher Tolkien, “Beren and Lùthien” will be released for the first time as a continuous and stand-alone story this May. The story is roughly based on J.R.R Tolkien and his wife, Edith’s own experiences. The novel follows the forbidden love between Beren, a mortal man, and Lùthien, an immortal elf. In order to marry Lùthien, Beren is given an impossible task by Lùthien’s father, a great elf lord , to rob the black enemy, Morgoth. The couple soon embarks on the dangerous quest to fight for thier forbidden love. This story is a legend in the realm of Middle Earth, and will unite old fans of the author with new ones.
Mohsin Hamid is a renowned British-Pakistani author, well known for his second novel “The Reluctant Fundamentalist.” Using his native country, Pakistan, as an inspiration for the setting, “Exit West” is Hamid’s fifth novel; it follows the story of a young couple, Saeed and Nadia, in an unnamed Muslim city as a civil war breaks out. The pair soon falls head first into love as the war intensifies around them and their city. As hope fades and the city they once called home becomes more and more dangerous, the couple learns of magical doors in the city that have the ability to transport them to other, and more importantly safer, parts of the world. However, once the couple makes it out of the war zone and to the western world they begin to face another kind of peril. Now, as immigrants, they must deal with a different kind of uncertain future. When “Exit West” was released on Feb. 27, it came at a time when the topic of immigration is huge in our political culture. The story shows aspects of love, hope and uncertainty that immigrants feel daily, giving a lasting impression and understanding for it’s readers, regardless of their own political values.
“‘Exit West’ sounds like a doorway to magic and romance. I would be incredibly interested to read a different perspective on the injustice and difficulties of being an immigrant.”-Kaitlin Godwin, Senior
FEATURE • PAGE 14
FC Athletes Pick Colleges
JARRETT DODSON, REPORTER jdodsonpf@gmail.com
Eight Franklin Central seniors signed letters of intent to colleges for various sports on Feb. 1. Five boys signed for football, two signed for golf and one signed for soccer. These eight seniors were surrounded by their teammates, friends and family as they signed. Coaches and school faculty, including Principal Kevin Koers, congratulated the student-athletes on their athletic and academic achievements. Each athlete also gave a short speech, thanking everyone who supported them and announced their future plans. Several students signed to the same school for the same sport. Alex Martinez and Brice Clesi both signed to Wabash College for football, and Ricky Mynatt and Cole Moeller signed to Indiana University Kokomo for golf. Wilson Huber signed to the University of Cincinnati for football. He is a very promising athlete who has achieved 996 total yards in his varsity career, which has spanned from his sophomore to his senior year. In the 2016 season, he garnered 357 rushing yards. In his junior year, he scored eight touchdowns, making him a major player that season. He has played as offensive linebacker and wide receiver. His father attended Cincinnati and Huber will continue this tradition. The only soccer player to sign was senior Brendan Stangel, but he brings a lot to the table and the field.
Stangel is an avid soccer player who enjoys spending time with his friends, team and family, but he is also an honor roll student. His soccer career began when he was young and he played for teams in his youth and in high school. Stangel will now advance to the next level of athletics: collegiate. He has made great strides, which is evident in his interest in college sports and colleges’ interest in him. He plans on attending Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne. Stangel has been called a kind and helpful person by his peers, and will make a great addition to IPFW’s golf roster. “I am excited to see where I go from here,” says Stangel. Although soccer and football are well known, there are some teams that don’t get noticed as much. The golf team is one of those teams, but despite this they have established themselves as a formidable force. Last year they placed high in most competitions, yet did not place first. This is mostly due to the fact that the team is small, with less than 10 players, while most other high school golf teams, like Carmel’s, dwarf FC’s. Nevertheless, FC has excellent golfers, and two of them are going to play in college. Those two athletes are Mynatt and Moeller. As the school year draws to a close, these athletes’ futures are just beginning, and the Franklin Township community is proud to have these student athletes representing themselves in collegiate athletics.
FOOTBALL: Kendal Kendrick – Ball State Alex Martinez – Wabash College Brice Clesi – Wabash College Chris Ford – Uindy Wilson Huber – Cincinnati SOCCER: Brendan Stangel – IPFW (Fort Wayne) GOLF: Ricky Mynatt – IU Kokomo Cole Moeller – IU Kokomo (Left to right, as pictured)
PAGE 15 • FEATURE
Franklin Central Winter and Spring Sports Update
FCFlashes.com
DORIAN DUCRE, REPORTER dorian.ducre@gmail.com
SPORTS • PAGE 16
Gymnastics
postseason thus far. The team placed fifth at Sectionals scoring 103 points and fifth at Regionals scoring 10 points. Dykes placed second in beam, fourth in floor, sixth in vault, and third in all around. At Regionals, Dykes placed fifth on vault, floor, and all around. She has advanced to the State meet at Ball State where she will compete in her final gymnastics meet for the Flashes. Ward says that the team chemistry along with their performances has helped them become a very successful team as the season has progressed. “At every single meet this year not only has our performance helped us be successful, but our team chemistry has created a great support system for the girls,” says Ward. “We are always the loudest to cheer on our teammates, that’s primarily because we truly believe in and count on each other.”
The Franklin Central gymnastics team has competed at an exceptional level this season with several successful performances. The girls have gone through dramatic changes this season with the lost of graduates Olivia Kepler and Kathryn Ayler. As a result, the team has grown stronger and improved in every meet this year, as the freshman start to develop and gain experience in competing in their first high school season. The team put forth great performances in the regular season and are gearing up for the postseason which will be held at Columbus East for sectionals and regionals. They had six first place finishes this season followed by a pair of second, third, and fourth place finishes. The ladies placed first in their second meet of the season that featured three other squads on Jan.12, against Shelbyville on Feb. 2, and against Roncalli on Feb. 21 which was senior Franklin Central’s boys’ track night. team will be without ten varsity The Flashes defeated level graduate athletes from last Scecina by one point 99- 98, year’s team and will strive to fill led by senior Khloe Dykes in their shoes this year with a who placed first in the bars successful 2016-2017 campaign. scoring 8.60 points as well Last season’s squad featured as placing first in the beam some great athletes with record with 9.225 points. The team breaking performances. had a dominant win versus The boys track team Shelbyville ending the meet will have seven home meets with a score of 100 to 79 led including freshman county. Four by junior Raigan Ward of the their first five meets will be and senior Amani Khoury varsity only meets including the who both placed first in the HSR finals at Indiana University. vault with scores of 8.60. Two other significant meets that Dykes also had great showing the team will be looking forward placing first in the bars, beam, to are the Flashes Showcase floor, and all around. and the Lightning Bolt Relays. On senior night, the Lady Larson says he needs to improve Kelsie Clayton Flashes caped off the night with a narrow 101 to 94 victory on his mental toughness in races and how me must have a over Roncalli. Dykes carried the Flashes with a clean fearless attitude to become a better runner. sweep taking home first place in every event she competed This year’s team will heavily depend on the growth in on the night. Other standout performances were senior and success from the 54 underclassmen competing this Abbey Dudley placing second in the vault and junior, year to only 39 upperclassmen on the team. Freshman Annabelle Crossen placing second in the bars. Cody Larson believes the track team has the capability Ward says that the girls have really grown through the of doing very well this season based off of what he has seen season. in practice. “This season I think we have definitely surpassed our “One of the biggest things I can improve on to be a expectations because we have scored at least 100 points in better runner is to have more confidence in races,” says several of our competitions against some pretty talented Larson. “Sometimes in races I’m afraid of going out fast teams,” says Ward, “Personally I have exceeded my own in the beginning, which then hurts me in the end, so I just expectations, just recently I scored my highest score on have to trust in my training and go out strong.” vault that being an 8.7, which I was very proud of.” “In the postseason I think the team could be pretty With the conclusion of the regular season, the Lady good, I have seen guys really going at it in time trials and Flashes have carried that momentum into a rewarding have a consistent work ethic day in and day out at every
Boys Track and Field
PAGE 17 • SPORTS
The Franklin Central girls’ track team are coming off a great 2015-2016 season and will aim to compete at an even higher level in the upcoming 2016-2017 season. As a team, the girls finished as sectional and regional runner-ups last season and had eight individuals qualify for the IHSAA State Championships at Indiana University. FC enters the 2016-2017 season with great confidence and motivation to advance deep into the postseason once again and place higher this time around. Janea Bell talked about the high expectations the team has this season and the mindset that the girls will have this year. “Overall as a team we believe we can be regional champions this year after being the runner-ups last year to Warren Central. This will require every girl on the team to put forth their best effort every single second in every meet we compete in this season,” said Bell. The team has already began the season with fireworks with great showings in their first two meets of the season . The girls placed first as a team in the Bloomington South Invite at Indiana University. Bell broke the school record in the high jump, clearing 5 feet 6 inches which places her second in the state. The team finished seventh as a team in the Whiteland Hsr Qualifier at the University of Indianapolis. The team was led by runner up performances from freshman Alexus Mobley and Khloe Ferrell. Mobley finished second in the 60 meter dash putting her 12th in the state currently. Ferrell finished second in long jump with a leap of 16 feet 3 inches placing her 10th in the state. Bell talked about her individual goals this season and will strive to have her best season in her final year competing for FC with her being a senior, she wants to have her best track season since being at FC. “With this being my senior year and final track season, I want to advance to the state meet once again and finish as a state champion in high jump or at least place in the top nine to be All-State,” says Bell, “I think we all as a team, myself included, can work harder every single day and if treat every practice as if it’s a real meet, I believe will have a very successful and strong track season.”
After having a great season last year, Franklin Central’s softball team will look to perform at a high level again this season and try to play even better than last year’s squad. Last season, the softball team finished the year with a 23-6 record and went undefeated in conference play. The team went on a 15 game winning streak starting off with a 10 to 1 victory over Roncalli. Their streak ended in the semi-state finals against Avon in a 4-0 loss. Coach Cathy Stricker’s team this season will have ten seniors returning from last year’s team and they will work hard on duplicating what they did last year, a team that was sixth in the state in 2016. Senior Emily Falks says that the team will work very hard this season on improving their weaknesses and what it will take to get to state. “Our team goals for the 2016-2017 season would for all of us to work extremely hard as a team and make it to state,” says Falks, “My team and I in order to have a successful season must improve on working together and our communication.” FC will start the season off with a Western scrimmage before heading into the regular season will begin with a home game versus Brownsburg. The team has 11 total home games this year, with five of their first seven games of the season being within the comforts of Franklin Central. In April the team will compete in the FC Invite and senior night will be against Pike. FC will start the season off with a Western scrimmage before heading into the regular season will begin with a home game versus Brownsburg. The team has 11 total home games this year, with five of their first seven games of the season being within the comforts of Franklin Central. In April the team will compete in the FC Invite and senior night will be against Pike. FC will start the season off with a Western scrimmage before heading into the regular season will begin with a home game versus Brownsburg. The team has 11 total home games this year, with five of their first seven games of the season being within the comforts of Franklin Central. In April the team will compete in the FC Invite and senior night will be against Pike.
FCFlashes.com
Girls Track and Field
Softball
usatodayhss.com
practice,” says Larson.“My individual goals this year would be for me to run faster than 5:30 in the mile and in the two mile run 11:45 or faster.
SPORTS • PAGE 18
County will begin in May and will come to a conclusion with County Championship. That game will be followed by a conference game. The postseason will begin with sectionals followed by regionals, semi-state and the season will conclude with state the competition. Falks says that she wants to end her softball career with a great season knowing she along with the team left it all out on the field County will begin in May and will come to a conclusion with County Championship. That game will be followed by a conference game. The postseason will begin with sectionals followed by regionals, semi-state and the season will conclude with state the competition. Falks says that she wants to end her softball career with a great season knowing she along with the team left it all out on the field and played every game to the best of their ability. “My goal is to leave my senior year with a good season knowing we worked and played as hard as we could,” says Falks.
Baseball
FCFlashes.com
This year Franklin Central’s baseball team will be going through a dramatic transition after losing eight seniors from last year’s team. Last year’s team went 9-13 overall with an 8-3 record at home, 1-7 record on the road and 0-3 record in neutral games. Coach John Rockey’s squad this year will look to perform better than last year’s team with five seniors returning from last season with Bryce Healey, Chris Ford, Jon Arnold, Josh Hammond, and Matthew Southwood. Last year the team went 2-3 in conference play defeating teams such as Southport and Perry Meridian. The teams that they fell to were Columbus North, twice, and Terre Haute North. This year’s team will definitely try to improve in their Conference play as well as have a better overall record heading into the postseason.
potential to have a successful 2016-2017 campaign. “Goal number one is to get better every day...our expectation every year is for our seniors to lead by example….we also strive to win conference, county, and sectionals”. Healey talked about the team needing to be more consistent and what their postseason goals are this season. “This season our team goals include being more consistent with our play and playing well during Sectionals, Regionals, and hopefully in state if we come to practice with a focused attitude,” says Healey. The team will have 12 home games which includes the FC Invite, county, and conference. They will begin the season with a home game versus Lake Zurich followed by another home game versus Lawrence North. After those two games, the team will have five consecutive away games which includes the Crawfordsville tournament on April 15. The team will also compete in the Victory Field Classic on April 28. Coach Rockey talked about the excitement of playing at Victory Field and how he wants his team to play in the Crawfordsville tournament. “This year we are excited to play at Victory Field at the end of April and also we will hope for a championship in our 4-team invitational tournament and a championship in our Crawfordsville tournament.” The postseason schedule begins with sectionals starting May 24 and concluding on May 29. Regionals are from June 1 to June 3 and semi-state is June 8 followed by state which is on June 14. “The team must improve on hitting with runners in scoring position--our leading RBI hitter last year only had 8 RBI’s, we also want top have a deeper pitching staff,” says Rockey.
Coach Rockey enters his fourth season as the head coach for the baseball team after taking over for Chase Huotari in 2014. Rockey has a winning percentage of 51.3 percent with an overall record of 37-35 since taking the reigns. Rockey wants to coach the team to the best of his ability this year and believes this year’s squad has great
PAGE 19 • SPORTS
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THE
P I L O T
FLASHES
Have a message for a senior?
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Pictures should be from the 2016-2017 school year.
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Pictures from: Sporting events, Clubs, Homecoming, Senior Olympics, Prom, or any other activities!
Bring your pictures on a CD or Flash drive to room 440 or e-mail them to lbrashearpf@gmail.com
JACOB ELLIS, REPORTER jacobellispf@gmail.com
I
Sparkle Squ a
f you’ve never heard of the Sparkle Squad, now is your chance to It is a cheerleading team for the special education students at Franklin Central. The squad is really important to the people who are a part of it. Especially the students. It gives them a community and access to new opportunities. Sparkle was put together in 2014 by Kaylea Albertson and Abi Jones, who were seniors at the time. The special education students, or Sparklers, work with the student peers. The peers help them practice and perform their cheers and are a great help to the Sparklers. To many of the supporters and parents of the Sparklers, the team is about forming friendships and teaching acceptance to those who don’t appreciate people with disabilities. The parents of the Sparklers enjoy Sparkle as much as the students. “I love Sparkle. The kids get so much out of it,” says Lisa Rudisill, parent of Sparkler Cody Rudisill. Sparkle not only benefits the team members, but it also benefits the community around us. Everyone who is exposed to Sparkle Squad is shown that students with disabilities are just as brilliant and talented as students without disabilities. The entire school rallies to support Sparkle. Each performance is received with huge applause and cheers. “It’s really cool because the whole school stands behind and supports them. All the kids feel like they’re normal,” Donna Hemmelgarn, parent of Sparkler Stephanie Hemmelgarn, adds. The Sparklers work really hard to perfect their routines; they practice cheering after school on Mondays and Thursdays. “Each practice begins with myself and one or two of the Sparklers leading the team in stretches. I love practices because I can watch the team grow and learn new skills that help each student gain confidence in their abilities.” explains Paige Clegg, senior captain of the Sparkle Squad.
PAGE 21 • FEATURE
After stretches the students learn chants, cheers, jumps, stunts and dances. Practice usually ends with a game or on other occasions they will go around in a circle and share about their day or their plans for the weekend. Sparkle isn’t an after school team that practices for nothing. You can find them at Franklin Central football and basketball games usually during halftime. They have even performed with the cheerleaders at Pacers and Colts games. The students practice and work hard for these performances. The outcome and support they get from these events is well worth all of their hard work. They love being encouraged to cheer. The Sparkle program has taught these students a lot, not only about how to cheer, but other skills as well. They have learned how to work together as a team and how to be more social with each other. They don’t feel left out from everyone else, they are a team. A family. Sparkle has brought these students together in a unique way. They are a fun and positive group to be around. The students of Sparkle bring a new light into the world and what it means to have fun. Clegg also states, “The purpose of Sparkle is to spread the message that character is not determined by a disability. We are like a big family and have created friendships that will last forever.” There is an underlying lesson that comes with the Sparkle Squad: the lesson is that a person is much more than their disability, a person is who they are in their heart. Anyone can achieve great things in this world. The Sparklers are a part of this world too, and Sparkle strives to create a greater acceptance and love for themselves and all other people as well. You can support Sparkle too. All you have to do is show up at some games and watch them perform, cheer with them from the stands, or maybe even say hi. It’s greatly appreciated. Sparkle is done performing for this school year, but they’ll be back next year!
u ad Spotlight Sparklers: Katie Glowner Cameron Dennis Madison Earl Cody Rudisill Joseph Copass Ashley Okeefe Faith Ballinger Rikki Ellis Kaitlyn Killion Cole Jarrett Shailyn Killion Logan Munn Stephanie Hemmelgarn Hanna Steele Riley Gaskill
“I love doing Sparkle because it’s like a sport. I love doing stunts. My teammates are amazing to me.”
“I like Sparkle because we’re a team. My favorite thing is cheering at the basketball games. Sparkle is fun.”
-Ashley Okeefe, Sparkler
-Logan Munn, Sparkler
“I love Sparkle because it’s fun to do cheerleading. I like my teammates because we help each other with cheers and stunts. My favorite part about Sparkle is talking and playing games after practice.”
“Seeing a person as more than their disability is the goal that I hope the world can achieve. I think Sparkle is a foot in the right direction in getting that done. I truly believe that each Sparkle member has a unique gift and talent to offer the world.”
-Paige Clegg, Senior Captain
“Sparkle makes me happy and it’s fun. My favorite thing is when we do cheers. My teammates are good people and I like spending time with them.”
-Hanna Steele, Sparkler
-Rikki Ellis, Sparkler
FEATURE• PAGE 22
“Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson
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