HARBINGER zchsharbinger.com
May 2020
Zionsville Community High School
TABLE OF CONTENTS Student Life
News
14 Farm-Fresh
4-5 Changing it up
15 Building Bots
6 Adios, SAT?
16 A Guide to Inexpensive Travel
Feature
17 Hitting the Brake on Driving
7 Books and Joy
Opinion
8-9 Aiding the Athletic Office
18-19 What We’ve Lost/What We’ve Found
10 Skizzy 11 Which Netflix Crime Documentary Should You Watch? 12-13 The Cover-up
20 Online Summertime
Sports 21 Unified 18-19 Winter Sports Recap
STAFF Editor-in-Chief Ethan Moore Media Director Mikayla Owens Social Media Editor Riya Patel Announcements Editor Josie Hughes Project Manager Piper Geniec Print Editor Rachel Shultz
Student Life Editor Anna Murphy News & Sports Editor Ruth Cronin Opinion Editor Becka Bash Staff Members Sam Barrett Jillian Bond Brian Christman Mary Demarco Gretchen Drews
John Farrar Tyler Gutwein Henry Holloway Dax Lara Lauryn Moss Anna Nelson Joshua Nieman Max Palmer Lucy Robinson Logan Seiler Kailey Wallenius
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EDITOR’S NOTE O
ne global pandemic and countless Zoom calls later, but we’ve finally made it to the finish line–the end of the 2019-2020 school year is in sight. And it’s been a journey to say the least. We made it through two and a half months of online learning, managed to stay connected with one another and found new ways to support our peers during this time. It has been amazing to watch everyone come together right now and it’s been even more amazing to have been a part of it. As I’m sure is the case for every 2020 senior, this is such a bittersweet time for me. I never imagined that I’d want a do-over of my final year of high school and yet that’s exactly what’s going through my mind right now. I’m excited to move on to a new chapter of my life and start fresh but I can’t help but think of what I’m leaving behind: Mrs. Wilson and Ms. Shaner’s constant renditions of “Sweet Caroline” on Fridays, Mr. East’s adventures in the Ozzy the Eagle costume during the homecoming pep rally, the green snot that came with being in the middle of the powder throw on Neon Night, and every other piece of high school that I took for granted. The hardest part though is saying goodbye to The Harbinger and Aerie. These two publications have been my family for the past four
years and shaped my high school career and myself into the person I am today. I’m so proud of the Harb staff for all the incredible work they’ve produced this year, and especially during these past few months. The staff of the Harbinger put out two issues of the magazine, maintained our social media feeds, and created the most viewed Harbinger Headlines of all time from home. Ask anyone on staff and they will tell you that these accomplishments are challenging even when we’re in school, much less stuck at home with nothing but our phones and Google Docs. Being able to spend this year seeing everyone on staff grow and produce such high-quality work has meant the world to me. I’m excited and proud to share my last normal issue of the Harbinger with everyone. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed working on this staff for the past four years. Ethan Moore, Editor-in-Chief
EDITORIAL SMOOTH
transitions B
eing forced to navigate an online-based curriculum was obviously no one’s ideal way to end the school year. We’ve had since the middle of March to process and deal with this abrupt transition and the number of ranting finsta posts seems to be at an all-time high. Yes, it’s been beyond challenging to work through all of this but the staff of the Harbinger feels that it is about time that we turn our attention away from the negative and instead spend some time praising those that made this otherwise difficult period of online learning as smooth as possible. Even before the school closure messages were sent out, there were never any questions about what came next. Days beforehand, our teachers made sure that the students knew what was going to happen in the event of a closure. Lesson plans, Canvas modules and Zoom videos were already waiting for us that first Monday. Zionsville had
Ziosnville’s easy transition to online learning should not go unnoticed and neither should the effort put in by teachers on the daily the infrastructure already in place that allowed us to not skip a beat as we moved to the online model. Not every school district can say the same and it is safe to say that we took that transition for granted. The effort that our teachers, guidance counselors and administration continue to devote to ensure the best possible education for the Zionsville students should not go unappreciated. Our teachers value our wellbeing just as much as they value our education and we need to return the favor. With only a few days of the school year left, we hope that our fellow students let teachers know how much we appreciate them. Send your teachers an email and thank them for their support these past few months. Join the Zoom calls you’d usually sleep through and ask them how they’re doing. Do something because they deserve it.
The mission of the Harbinger is to provide both the student body of Zionsville Community High School and the local community with the unbiased truth. The staff strives to handle every topic they take on with respect and objectivity, while also providing a source of entertainment and intriguing content for the reader. The Harbinger aims to reflect the true atmosphere of ZCHS by including students of all walks of life in the publication.
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changing Updates are already underway at the beginning of a multi-year major building renovation
By Henry Holloway, Staff his past November, the town of Zionsville passed a referendum to permit major changes for Zionsville Community Schools. In addition to funding to construct a new elementary school, these changes are particularly drastic for ZCHS. Some major changes are headed our way much sooner than many realize. One of the most significant changes will be the addition of another hallway between the main and freshman campuses. “So right now, you “I would say know how the main hall pretty crowded. This in two years, gets will add another hallway the landscap- over here that parallels that, so students will be ing of the able to move [from one school will end of the school to anchange signifi- other],” ZCHS Principal Tim East said. cantly.” The school will also - Principal be expanded out into what is currently the Tim East parking lot in front, as classrooms will be constructed there. What is now the main cafeteria will also be transformed into new classrooms as well, in addition to the front offices. New offices will be constructed as additions to the current building, and will be located in the area that is currently the green space between the fieldhouse and the Freshman center. A new cafeteria will be constructed over what is currently the traffic circle by Door 8. More minor changes include new flooring
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with new carpeting, as well as an updated HVAC system. While Phase 1 is expected to be completed by the end of next school year, some changes will already be implemented by the time students return for the fall semester. “We just obtained board approval for some of the work this summer,” ZCS Assistant Superintendent Rebecca Coffman, said. As the work this summer is the start of Phase 1, it will be the beginning of a major renovation that will update the building. What we’ll see in this first phase is that part of our campus that was built in 19681969, here on the west end of the campus, you’ll see the HVAC updated over the summer and the fall of next year. You’ll see some new flooring, new carpeting in the classrooms, that component of getting those spaces ready to connect to the new building.” As the first phase of the renovations will be underway this upcoming school year, classes will be forced to move into unused spaces to accommodate the process. “We’re going to be renovating five classrooms for one week at a time to go into those spaces while their rooms are worked on,” East said. Then they’ll return to their classrooms and five more classrooms will go into those five renovated spaces while we’re working on them.” While the total renovations will take approximately four years to complete, they are currently separated into three phases. Phase 1 is expected to be completed by the end of next school year, which will be the updating of the HVAC system, as well as the implementation of the new flooring. It will
also include the construction of the new the east west corridor, and the implementation of offices by the wedge, in the space in between the fieldhouse and the freshman center. Phase 2 will also include the construction of the new central cafeteria. Phase 3 will be the transformation of offices at the front of the school and the main cafeteria into classrooms. “Each phase will probably take six months to a year depending on the processes that we’re doing,” East said. “The process of the design is about nine months to a year total. That’s the physical design. The approval by town, because you have to get building permits for everything that you build and make sure that we’re all in compliance with all of the requirements for the fire department and all those things and then you can start building. The building process itself will probably take another year beyond that. So, all total from June of this coming year, probably two years until we can move into that space.” The 2023-2024 school year will open the new classrooms and the 2024-2025 school year will be the new renovation of the cafeteria, that last phase. The new corridor will be open for the 2022-2023 school year, at the completion of the second phase. As these changes require the expansion of the building in various parts, the landscaping of the school will be significantly affected as well. “I would say in two years, the landscaping of the school will change significantly,” East said.
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adios, SAT? By Kailey Wallenius, Staff ne in four colleges are no longer looking at high schoolers SAT scores when deciding on college admission, according to Hechinger Report. This recent change has many students wondering if it’s worth the cost and stress to take the test. Indiana “I would never say colleges are facing same debate, the SATs and ACTs the and the IU Board have no predictive of Trustees has value for anybody; already decided they have predictive to make the SAT an optional part value for some peo- of the application ple. We just don’t on some of their find them reliable campuses. Making the cross populations.” test optional is - former Dean of supposed to help students chances Admissions for being accepted Bates College Wil- of into college. liam Hiss “The human mind is simply so complex and so multifaceted and fluid, that trying to find a single measurement tool that will be reliable across the enormous populations of American students is simply a trip up a blind alley,” former Dean of Admissions for Bates College William Hiss said. “I would never say the SATs and ACTs have no predictive value for anybody; they have predictive value for some people. We just don’t find them reliable cross populations.” Even though SAT scores are important, they are not always accurate, and do not always show the intelligence and accomplishments of the student taking it. “Because the SAT was devised as a tool to identify talented students from underprivileged backgrounds, it was thought of as a test that would measure an innate ability referred to as “aptitude,” rather than abilities that these students might have developed through school.” Not only are the SAT’s not the main part of the decision but can be inaccurate and
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make the student be rejected by the college, if not for their other documents submitted. “[A study by the Georgetown Center] found that, if SAT and ACT results were the sole basis for admission, 53 percent of students who were accepted wouldn’t have gotten in,” the Hechinger Report said. IU is not requiring them, but it is still an option. If a student does not send in their scores, then the college will find other information to look at, including GPA, and extracurricular activities. “Research indicates that for most students, high school GPA paired with test scores provides the best prediction of academic success at Indiana University,” indiana.edu said. Although the SAT’s do have their faults, they are still helpful for admissions officers to examine the student’s grades. Social Studies teacher Justin Coffey used to work as a college admissions officer at Franklin College, and knows what the officers are looking for in a students application. “The SAT scores can help counselors understand how ready the student is for college, and compare them to their GPA, to see if they add up,” Coffey said. When a student chooses to take the test is important, because it has curriculum that may have not been introduced to that student yet. “I recommend students take SAT and ACT at least once toward the end of com-
pleting Algebra II. If a student wants to take the exam a second time, I recommend taking whichever test (SAT or ACT) they felt most comfortable taking the first time,” College and Career Counselor Cathy Patane said. The SAT’s also provides students more scholarship opportunities. “If a student receives a higher scores, then they might be able to get a scholarship. Basically, the higher the scores the more money in scholarships,” Coffey said. Preparing for the SATs can be difficult for students who have never taken it before. “I would highly recommend students sign up for their free Khan Academy preparation course,” Patane said. “Khan has an agreement with College Board and gives practice tests, and individual lessons for FREE. It’s a great way to improve your scores or exposure to question types without a huge cost.” Purdue University is still requiring SAT scores, as well as thousands of other colleges across the United States, according to Prep Scholar. “The College Board, the $1 billion-a-year nonprofit organization that administers the SAT, is fighting back, including by introducing a dashboard it says will help admission offices compensate for socioeconomic and racial disparities,” PBS writer Alina Tugend said.
Updated SAT Information As of now, all spring SAT tests are cancelled College Board plans on scheduling new tests starting in August and continuing every weekend through the fall If schools do no reopen in the fall, then online SAT's will be administered According to College Board
Books and Joy
How Emma Meyers began collecting books for children By Mary Demarco, organization would Staff be. t just the age “When Emma of nine years wanted to do someold, freshman thing more, she was Emma Meyers began tired of being treated to spread joy and do amidst this pain, and good. She decided to this okay, it’s going create her life-changto be a marathon. ing organization, I think that it was Emma’s Bundle of part of the healing,” Books and Joy. said Emma’s mother, “I’ll have people Theresa Meyers. donate books,” said The motivation Emma. “I’ll then she felt for this cause take them, collect led her to something them, clean them, she couldn’t imagine. and organize them if Emma was able to I need to and then I apply for The Power will distribute them to of Children Award Emma Meyers, freshman collects books and sorts through books to donate to schools and hospitals. She talks to a hospitals. Sometimes group of students at Union Elementary School about her organization and the books she collects. photos submitted through the Children’s I distribute them to Museum. by Emma Meyers schools as well.” “The Power of “So, I started a small parent teacher library So far, Emma has been able to donate Children Award is a national award that in a downtown Indianapolis school. Kids over 1,500 books and toys such as puzzles takes kid doing something in their commuwould come in and parents would take and board games. Simply donating the nity that’s doing a service. You apply for it books and then take them back.” books takes a lot of thought and care just and then there’s people that will witness it,” This is when she realized that she wanted to get them to the hospitals. The process of Emma said. to donate books to hospitals for the patients sorting the books into the correct categoAlthough Emma “I really felt to have a little more joy in their lives. ries takes about three to four hours. This didn’t win the award, like it was One of the main reasons why Emma doesn’t include the time it takes to transthe first time, she started this organization was because she port them there. won when she entered important too, had to experience long hours waiting in Donating books has allowed Emma to a second time. This a hospital. Emma discovered that she had for me to do do other great things such as give speeches award is nationally a rare blood cell disease and had to endure to elementary school classes and continue to long, and boring hours stuck in the hospital recognized, and five this.” visit hospitals. other people from with nothing to do. -Emma “I really felt like it was important for me grades 6-11 were She had gone through the pain and to do this and it was also for me, something struggles of going through treatment after chosen to receive this Meyers, 9 very easy for me to do and was something award. treatment. She knew that she had to do everyone could contribute to. It’s something something to make other patients’ lives a Because of this award, Emma was able really cool,” said Emma. to receive a $2,000 grant to help fund her little bit better. Volunteering to such a big task like this organization and a four-year college plan. “At that time people weren’t allowed to is impressive as freshman, yet even more Emma is most happy and surprised of the have technology with them so books were impressive to know that she started this impact that this organization has had for something people could read. I started there organization in third grade. others. and since then, people kept donating,” “I started this when I was in third grade. “Just seeing how it has helped supplying Emma said. It started as an idea for what I wanted to do classrooms for hospitals for kids and being This was the beginning of Emma’s for my birthday party. I saw other people able to see and hear how much of an impact organization, Emma’s Bundle of Books and doing things such as free libraries and I this had for so many people is just crazy for Joy. Little did she know how successful her thought it be really cool to do,” said Emma. me to think about,” Emma said.
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Aiding the
Athletic Office By Anna Murphy, Student Life Editor s students walk through the commons, they may frequently hear laughing, yelling, or even the sound of flipping cards. Home to all of this is the Zionsville Community High School athletic office, a place with a fun-loving atmosphere that welcomes anybody who walks in the door. “I like [aiding] because you have the opportunity to aid with your friends and hang out in [the athletic office]. We play a lot of cards, have a lot of food, and it’s just a good brain break during the day,” senior Eli Everson said. Everson aids in the athletic office with three other male athletes. Athletic director Greg Schellhase also spends plenty of time in the office. “We are very fortunate to have a wonderful team in the athletic office and everyone works together to make sure all of these daily duties are completed in a first-class manner,” Schellhase said. “April Haffner
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“There’s a good mix of people who are having fun and people who are getting their work done,” -Caleb Everson, 10 8 feature
[athletic administrative assistant] and Jared Williams [assistant athletic director] both work extremely hard in supporting the overall mission of the athletic program and they provide outstanding guidance for our coaches and student-athletes.” Along with administrative duties, Haffner also supervises the students who aid. “I have a sports-marketing background, so I’ve always been involved in sports. I worked at home for like 15 years before this. When this job came open, I knew this was my kind of job,” Haffner said. “I love getting to know the teenagers and getting to know them before they graduate.” The office is home to four student aids each period per semester who have the important job of helping Haffner make sure that the athletics at ZCHS run smoothly and efficiently. “April has us do various tasks to help out the athletic department around the school. It could be helping take supplies to the concession stands or setting up for events in general,” E. Everson said. Schellhase also recognizes the importance of having students in the office with administration, as they help make the office what it is. “We have a tremendous atmosphere in the athletic department. The student aides are very helpful and are a big part of our overall athletic department team,” Schellhase said.
Although, those working in the athletic office don’t just assign working tasks. It’s important that they provide students with the opportunity to relax and have a little fun. “[The athletic office is] somewhat controlled chaos,” Haffner said. “It seems like there’s always kids in here.” Everson agrees that the environment is a little chaotic, but overall beneficial and relaxed. The group in the athletic office even has a running joke about how they would describe the office. “It’s a mix of a frat house combined with a great learning environment. In a frat house there is always people coming in and out,” E. Everson said. “People might be hanging out and playing games, or some people are also working hard on their studies.” Schellhase sees the aides as a part
“They enjoy study time as well as playing highly competitive games of euchre and uno.” -Greg Schellhase, athletic director
of the athletic office that provides a fun atmosphere for everyone involved. “They enjoy study time as well as playing highly competitive games of euchre and Uno. It is a laid back, fun, and dynamic atmosphere for them and we really enjoy having them around,” Schellhase said. Another aid, Caleb Everson, sophomore, also sees the athletic office as a great place for having fun, but also having the opportunity to finish assignments if needed. “There’s a good mix of people who are having fun and people who are getting their work done,” C. Everson said. Along with just completing everyday tasks in the office, Schellhase hopes that the student aids have taken something important away from their experience there.
“We’re supportive of the kids, we listen to the kids. We interact with the kids and we care about them,” -April Haffner, athletic administrative assistant
“I truly view our athletic spaces as extensions of the classroom in which our student-athletes are able to learn many life skills that they will be able to take with them long after their playing days are over,” Schellhase said. “Life skills such as teamwork, character, discipline, work ethic, leadership, overcoming adversity, attitude, and sportsmanship are all cornerstones of our program and it is very rewarding to witness the amazing learning opportunities that are presented to our student-athletes on a daily basis.” One of the most important aspects of the athletic office is the culture that surrounds those inside. Haffner believes that this is mainly what attracts students to the office. “I hope it’s the culture that we have in here. We’re supportive of the kids, we listen to the kids. We interact with the kids and we care about them,” Haffner said.
According to the aides, this is true. E. Everson describes Haffner as a main piece of the puzzle that is the athletic office. “April [Haffner] feels like a second mom to me. If I ever need a napkin or some silverware, she always has something handy to pull out of the drawer,” E. Everson said. And when asked why he decided to aid for the athletic office, C. Everson simply answered, “Because of April.”
“We are very fortunate to have a wonderful team in the athletic office” -Greg Schellhase, athletic director
Athletic office aides Eli Everson, senior, and Caleb Everson, junior, smile together while wearing their Zionsville baseball shirts. photo submitted by Eli Everson
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Skizzy How senior Collin Chase created his own clothing line
By Sam Barrett, Staff ntrepreneurs have come and gone here at ZCHS. There are numerous students that have started up their own mini-business to gain some money on the side. Selling old clothes, pop-sockets, custom phone cases, art, and more. However, there is one student who has gained a particular passion for business and entrepreneurship. Collin Chase, senior, started his clothing line, Skizzy, towards the beginning of his high school career. From there, the clothing line has expanded in items and customers. Chase was inspired by a previous Zionsville High School student, Cam Cunningham, who made a clothing line of his own. “I was like ‘That’s kind of awesome,’ so I got on it and started messing with stuff and it kind of came about,” Chase said. Chase has not only been inspired by fellow students and friends, but also by his family. “It’s actually kind of funny. My grandma said [Skizzy] to me like freshman year I think. I just dressed up one day and she was like ‘Oh you look Skizzy today’ and I was like ‘Woah what does that mean,’” Chase said. Although Chase has many peers that love his brand at Zionsville, he has still struggled to turn a large profit. “I made like four types freshman to sophomore year, and I didn’t really sell much, but that was on a website where I
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“I really hope that it will keep everyone in Zionsville connected.” -Collin Chase, 12
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“I think it can definitely hold a future.”
didn’t really have to pay for anything. So I and maybe a few was making profit off that, but until now employees, if it gets I’m still kind of breaking even,” Chase said. that big, but I think it “I’ll get a loan from my dad and I’ll have to can definitely hold a pay it off eventually once I sell them.” future,” Chase said. Although it may be a struggle to make a Chase doesn’t plan major profit, Chase has many friends and on putting a hold customers that have supported him since on his creative outlet the beginning of Skizzy. One of those being anytime soon and close friend and senior Duncan McCourt hopes that it will help who has been wearing and advertising for in keeping his friends the brand since Chase first started playing from his hometown connected. with designs on his computer. “I think it will be a huge hit when I go “He’s my best friend so it’s always good to college, but I really hope that it will keep repping him, and plus the sweatshirts are everyone in Zionsville connected,” Chase really comfortable,” McCourt said. said. McCourt has been with Chase since the whole idea began to sprout. “Nights that we’re just hanging out, I’ll just see him on his computer getting his website ready, getting pictures ready. Yeah, he loves it,” McCourt said. Chase has been dedicated to his brand for years and although he doesn’t have major aspirations for Skizzy he enjoys creating the clothing and hopes to expand to a certain extent. “I don’t really want to get too big, I kind of want to Collin Chase, senior, models clothing from his brand, Skizzy. photos submitted by Collin Chase keep it to myself
Which Netflix Are you a frequent true crime documentary viewer? Yes No
should you watch? Are you into serial killers? Yes No
Do you like mysteries? Yes No Are you looking to question the morals of our legal system? Yes No
How creepy do you want to get? A Lot A Little
Do you enjoy watching sports? Yes No
Who Took Johnny The Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez
How to Fix a Drug Scandal
Confessions with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes
The Trials of Gabriel Hernandez feature 11
the COVER-UP By Brooklyn Brown, Guest Reporter
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arah Antony mixed the powdery mask with bitter smelling apple cider vinegar and put the smelly substance onto her acne-prone skin. Her face was sure to be glowing in time for school tomorrow, and hopefully for the rest of seventh grade. When she removed the facemask, a panicked Sarah realized that her skin looked exactly the same as it did before. She frantically put the face mask on again. More is better, right? After her second round of the intense acne mask, she went to sleep, hoping her painful redness was normal. The next morning, Sarah was excited to see her clear skin. When she looked in the mirror all good feelings vanished. Washing her face, she was able to feel just how bad the texture had gotten overnight. Forced to go to school with even more painful spots than before, she planned her next attack on acne.
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Acne is the most common skin condition in America according to Johns Hopkins Medicine, affecting 85% of adolescents and young adults. A common struggle for teenagers especially is finding a healthy way to treat their breakouts. Rather than consulting with those around them, many prefer to search unreliable websites on their own, just to avoid the embarrassing topic of pimples. Everyone’s skin is different, and professional advice is needed to choose the right treatment. Lack of understanding how their own skin works can lead teens to make poor skin choices. “I was using so many things at once, but I didn’t realize that, because I thought they were helping me,” Antony said. “It’s like they’re afraid to ask for help,” Allison Behrens, a licensed esthetician and skin therapist said. Teens are highly influenced by the opinions of their peers and the way they look can feel like life or death when in high school. “I’d feel like they thought that I was dirty or gross,” Antony said, “It just makes me feel small.” Acne is a misunderstood skin condition, and teenagers often base their idea of beauty on popular culture’s persuasive ideals. “I don’t know how it happened,” Behrens said, “they made it seem like acne is only for the geeky kids who aren’t cool.” These stereotypes are often fed to teens through TV or social media. A common misconception about acne is that people who are affected with it have bad hygiene. Most actually follow a strict skin care routine. “You can actually get acne because you’re
“I’d feel like [my peers] thought that I was dirty or gross. It just makes me feel small.” - Sarah Antony, 9
cleaning your skin too much, so it has nothing to do with being dirty.” Behrens said. However, when some kids get acne at a young age they may not entirely understand how to manage their skin, and the fear of asking for help plays a role in that. Christy Nebesio, a practicing dermatologist said that sometimes younger teens are “not always in the best habits as far as washing their skin regularly.” Although active teenagers may sweat during sports and clog their pores or younger teens may not stick to a healthy routine, acne is much more than just dirty skin. “There are bacteria that are involved, there’s hormonal factors, the idea that your cells are not turning over as normally as they could,” Nebesio said. Hormones remain the most common cause of acne in teens specifically. They produce excess oils, then work with bacteria to inflame skin, creating a pimply look. Many scientific factors work together to cause breakouts, meaning face washing is not the only solution. The ups and downs of acne treatment can damage teens’ mental health. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, acne can cause depression, anxiety, and a feeling of being alone. Antony recalls having “clear skin” one day, and the next being “completely covered in cysts and whiteheads.” She came into school and shamefully hid her face in her hair. Stressing about their skin can lead to even more acne, negative feelings, and lower self-esteem. “Stress makes everything worse,” Nebesio said, “you are going to experience more redness and more inflammation.” Problems caused by stress, like eating unhealthy food and lack of sleep all worsen acne. It’s an endless cycle unless the stress associated with acne is removed. “A lot of it is social media just because everybody looks so perfect, so you assume that’s how people look.” Behrens said. Perfect skin is being portrayed as normal and teens without it frantically worry about repairing that flaw. “I guess I don’t know a single TV show
“I don’t know a single TV show where I’ve seen somebody with acne.” - Daysun Brown, 10
where I’ve seen somebody with acne,” Daysun Brown, sophomore, said. Actors on TV aren’t seen doing acne treatment, or going to the dermatologist, they just seem to already have perfect skin. Lack of conversation and representation makes teenagers feel alone in their struggles with acne. However, given that acne is a painful skin condition that can leave permanent scars, seeking proper treatment is important. “I would also fear in part that if it was considered too normal that it would make people less inclined to seek treatment for it,” Nebesio said. Normalizing acne should be about more than just accepting acne’s permanent residency on your skin. Creating a comfortable environment to talk about acne is what could benefit teens the most. “You don’t have anybody to go to,” Brown said. “All my friends, none of them had acne, I was the only one.” Teens should not have to feel alone when battling something they share with the majority of America’s youth. “It’s not weird, you shouldn’t be embarrassed about it.” Behrens said. Some students have already been able to realize the importance of being comfortable in their own skin, like Antony. “The less I thought about it the less it affected me.” Antony said. While continuing to treat her acne and stick to a healthy skincare routine, she’s stopped letting pimples dictate her life. “I think people should talk about it,” Antony said, “people shouldn’t feel like they are less than what they are.”
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Farm-Fresh
Emily Frey offers up Gluten-Free Goodies at her own farmers market stand By Rachel Shultz, Print Editor mily Frey, sophomore, gathers her ingredients and gets to work whipping up a new batch of cookies. She bakes all kinds of new creations in preparation for the upcoming Saturday. This is Frey´s routine every week from May through the end of September, as she runs a stand at the Zionsville Farmers Market. The farmers market is open on Saturdays from 8am to 11am. The Zionsville Farmers Market has been a town tradition for the past 23 years. Over the summer, families from around the town gather to buy and sell fresh produce, food, and goods. Frey’s stand, “Emily’s Gluten-Free Goodies” began last summer. “I got started selling at the farmers market last season after my dad and I were interested in learning more about it and what it would take to be involved,” Frey said. Not just anyone can set up a stand, as there is a limited
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amount of space in the parking lot where the market is held. “We reached out to the head of the market who originally said we could be a substitute when the other main vendors weren’t available, but about a month before the market officially opened, they said there was a full time spot available if we wanted it, which is how we officially got involved full time,” Frey said. Frey’s stand was inspired by one of her favorite pastimes. “It originally started because I’ve always loved baking and it’s been a fun passion of mine,” Frey said. The stand is unique because all of the treats sold are made without gluten. “A few years ago, my dad, sister and I decided to go gluten-free as an attempt to deal with long-time food sensitivities.” Frey said. “After this dietary switch in most of our family, I decided to start updating and experimenting with my recipes with the hopes
of adapting them to be gluten free. After months of experimenting, I successfully recreated many of my favorite recipes, which is when my dad suggested sharing them with others in our community.” The farmers market offers the community a time to come together and share creations and ideas. It allows for new social connections to be made between the people of the community. “My favorite part about the market is the social aspect. I love getting the opportunity to meet so many new people. It’s always fun getting to talk with people that I would otherwise never meet,” Frey said. With the current quarantine situation, Frey is still hopeful that the farmers market will remain open later on in the summer. “As of right now, I’m pretty sure it’s still happening, but with everything going on in the news, I don’t know if it’s guaranteed,” Frey said. Photo provided by Emily Frey
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uilding ots
How the Robotics team managed a winning season
By Lucy Robinson, Staff uilding bots to do challenges and win competitions is what the Zionsville robotics teams have spent their whole year doing, and their work has paid off for many teams as they had five teams going to the worlds competition. “The robotics club sent 8 teams to the state finals on March 7, more than any other school in Indiana. 7 of our teams made the elimination round, and 5 teams advanced to the world championships,” Matt Walter, club sponsor, said. “Unfortunately, the world championships were canceled, but our students have shown that ZCHS is the premier robotics program in the state!” Despite the cancellation the Zionsville teams have still done very well and are highly regarded in the community. “We had 2 of the best teams in the USA (7701T and 7701X) who are very well known and highly respected in the Vex Robotics community. They “The robotics were in club sent 8 teams position to among to the state finals be the top on March 7, more teams at the world than any other championschool in Indiships. I am ana,” -Matt Wal- so proud our ter, club sponsor of students!” Walter said. “Right behind those 2 teams is 7701H, also one of the best in the state. Then, somewhat shockingly, we had 2 first-year teams of Freshmen (7701V) and sophomores (7701A) make to worlds as well.”
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Jacob Walter, sophomore, works with this robot during a competition.
The games for competitions change each year, and this year it was a stacking game. “There’s two teams and they both compete in stacking these cubes in their goal zones. And then the thing that’s special about this game is there’s towers in the field, and if you score cubes in those towers it will multiply the score of your cubes that you stack,” Kevin Chen, senior, said. “Previous games weren’t really strategic as this one. So even though this year it’s not as maybe exciting as previous games, like with ball shooting last year, there’s more thought into it.” There are several tournaments throughout the year, and if they win awards at those competitions or get a high enough skill score, they can progress to the state competition. Lilia Arrizabalaga, junior, team won the Excellence Award for having a good robot and notebook along with a design award and judges award. “So, we made it to state with that, which is a good accomplishment in my opinion there are 50 high school teams at state,” Arrizabalaga said. Once a team gets to state there are multiple ways for them to get to worlds. “At state there is a specific number of teams that can go to worlds, and if you place high enough or win, or if you’re a finalist or semifinalist, you get that spot,” Chen said. “After that it goes down the skills ladder, and skills is basically the individual portion of the competition where you’re not competing with other teams.” The preparation for these competitions starts in the club where they have to build their robot to be able to accomplish the goal. It also involves a lot of practice to be
ready for the competitions. “Within the club we have two meetings every week. Those are the two main meetings. and we have a meeting on Wednesday mornings that’s optional,” Chen said. “During those meetings, we basically have times to build a robot. And then program those are the two main things. There’s also strategy discussions that we have sometimes.” There are multiple draws to robotics. For Arrizabalaga it is the problem-solving aspects. “You have to be like, ‘All right, how do we design a robot that’s going to meet these challenges while remaining within the size limits and only having eight motors?’ And then sometimes, you know, it breaks, which happens probably more than it should,” Arrizabalaga said. “Then we have to be like, ‘Okay, so this isn’t working properly. What can we do to fix it?’ So, I just enjoy, you know, problem solving” For Chen it is the community, both national and international. “The community is really into like the sport itself, if you want to call it a sport, and they are really driven, and they really support each other. It’s really cool how Vex has become such a large organization,” Chen said. The Vex organization has grown very large in the past few years, and they are expanding up to 30,000 teams in the world. “There’s a lot of people you can talk to like internationally with our school, we have some teams in an alliance,” Chen said. “We like to call it an alliance it’s like a group that’s been formed up, several international teams and we have meetings online we can discuss with them.”
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A Guide to Inexpensive Travel photo
ghes ie Hu s o J by
By Jillian Bond, Staff or many people, the thought of exploring new places, meeting new people and trying new things is a dream. With the whole world on lockdown due to the Coronavirus, traveling is an obvious struggle. To help look forward to future vacations and traveling, here are some tips on ways to help you and your family save money on those adventures. Although parents are usually in charge of vacation planning, there are some ways teenagers can help save on the cost of traveling. With the right planning and saving, traveling can be made easy and cheap.
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Camping
Whether you’re going on a family vacation or going to a concert with friends, camping is a much cheaper way to travel. Not only will it immerse you in nature, but the saved money from not staying in hotels, opens up more spending money for other activities. Hotels can cost a few hundred dollars a night, when camping is just a small campground fee. “I enjoy camping with my family because it creates new memories and brings us closer,” Taylor Sorg, junior, said. “We go camping in Ohio every year, but we also take any opportunity when on vacation to use our camper.”
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Cheap Activities
Rather than spending money on grand adventures, find activities that are cheap and inexpensive, yet still bring together the family and make great memories. Activities such as hiking, museums and visiting local shops and restaurants can be cheaper than spending tons of money on special activities such as jet skis, snowboarding or parasailing. The best way to find inexpensive things to do is befriend a local and ask what their favorite things to do are. They may give advice about the best beaches, hikes or food to eat. Even though your adventures may not be bungee jumping or skydiving, finding local things to do heightens the experience and creates new friendships with people. “One of my favorite activities is hiking, my family and I enjoy finding new hikes wherever we go. Whether it’s Arizona, Colorado or here at home, it’s a cheap and fun way to get exercise and have fun,” Olivia Taylor, junior, said.
Public Transit
Although it may not be the most glamorous way to travel, public transit is cheaper than driving in the car or flying. Gas adds up over time and plane tickets are always expensive, but when traveling by bus or train it’s a smaller fee to travel all over the country. Also, traveling these ways is better for the environment and safer for travelers. Riding the bus can save thousands of dollars when traveling, compared to a $400 plane ticket or multiple refills of gas.
hitting the
BRAKE
on DRIVING By Elizabeth Rexing, Guest Reporter The difficulties of driver’s ed and the ease of ride share, food delivery, and online shopping are making driver’s licenses less popular with teens. While 80% of teens aged 17-19 had their driver’s licenses in 1982, only 60% of teens this age had their driver’s licenses in 2012, according to a study conducted at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI). Francine Romine, a director at UMTRI, said that the decline has been, “largely in states that have GDL laws.” Graduating Driver Licensing (GDL) give learning drivers the opportunity to practice the skills over time and in stages. These stages include the thorough steps that all Indiana drivers must complete to obtain their licenses. In the past couple of years, the process has become more difficult, requiring more practice to be completed by learning drivers before they can get their license. “We see the decline in licenses influenced by the actual licensing process Romine said. “Technology itself,” Emma Tournier, has definite- a senior without ly impacted her driver’s license, [the decline thinks part of the hesitations of in drivers], getting a license is the price. especially “You had to pay with every$300 just to do the thing being instructor stuff,” online.” Tournier said. “Once you get to - Lee-Ann a certain age, you Kao, 10 really don’t have to pay for that stuff… and so I was like, ‘well
it saves money at this point.’” Luke Grieser, sophomore, got his license almost as soon as he could, only weeks after the earliest possible date. He has become well aware of the costs associated with driving that come after receiving a driver’s license. “Not everyone has a job and so if your parents aren’t willing to pay for gas money or insurance, or to get you a car, it’s a lot of work,” Grieser said. “Not everyone is willing to go work to get that money to pay for those things.” For others, the many modern options of transportation make a license unneeded. Lee-Ann Kao, sophomore, doesn’t have a license and doesn’t see a big need to get a license, especially in high school. “With the new age of Ubering, it’s really easy to just get a ride anywhere,” Kao said. “[Having a license is] better if you want to be independent, I guess, because you can go places on your own. But if you’re living in the city, you can still be independent.” Romine shares similar ideas as Kao and notes the various ways to get around in a modern city. “Uber, Lyft, public transportation, even scooters for the younger crowd, are all good options for getting people where they need to be in the safest, most efficient way possible,” Romine said. Koa also attributes the increase in teens without their licenses to the delivery options available today. “Ordering everything; you don’t have to go anywhere to get stuff,” Kao said. “You can easily just order it and have it delivered to your house.” Out of 90 students surveyed at ZCHS, only 66% said that having a driver’s license
in high school was very important, while the other 34% said that having a license was only kind of important (30%) or not very important (4%). However, despite their varying opinions in the importance of a driver’s license, 89% of the students asked still said that they either have their license or plan on getting their license as soon as they are old enough. “Being able Many to drive yourtimes, the obstacles and self anywhere difficulties you want is a of getting a lot more fun license are outweighed than only going by the where your parpersonal ents take you. I need for one. definitely say it’s The main reason that worth it.” Grieser got - Luke Grieser, 10 his license was to drive himself to and from school and practice. On the other hand, since Tournier doesn’t have her license, she has to rely on others for transportation. “I have to ask my parents for a ride,” Tournier said. “I feel really bad for asking them… it’s just kind of a time-consuming thing for me and parents or friends. In some moments, I’m like, ‘it would be so much easier if I had my license right now.’” Tournier recognizes the freedom a license brings, and so she recommends that teens get their licenses as soon as they can. “If you want a more eventful high school, you should definitely get a license because you can actually go out and do stuff,” Tournier said.
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what we’ve
LOST It’s no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused plans to change, routines to be adjusted and things to be lost. Those things may be concrete or abstract, but either way they’re just as important. Here are some things that the Harbinger staff have lost these past few months.
Usually around this time, when it is spring and nice outside, my friends and I walk to the library after school. This is something I looked forward to after a full day of doing schoolwork. Now I have nothing to look forward to and it feels like the school day never really ends. I miss having the distinction between school and my own time and I miss making memories with my friends. - Lucy Robinson
I have lost a sense of myself. The inability to be see my friends and classmates has caused me to feel like I’m living the same day over and over. I feel the pandemic has taken away what makes me happy, which is being social. Although these times have been tough, FaceTime with friends and spending time with my family has helped. - Jillian Bond
Not one time before this pandemic started did I think I’d lose my chance to play my senior rugby season. Now, our team won’t be able to redeem itself after our shortcomings in last year’s playoffs. I’ve also lost a chance to live on my own and play rugby in New Zealand to be better prepared for college. - Tyler Gutwein
I have lost my ability to travel and see much of my family who live in Wisconsin. My grandma and brother couldn’t make it for the holidays last year, and now we don’t know when we’ll be able to see them again. Thankfully, I can still FaceTime and text, but it’s not the same as spending time with them in person. - Gretchen Drews
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I’ve lost the opportunity to have conversations with other students in the lunchroom. I now appreciate what that opportunity to socialize meant. I especially miss seeing other students laugh. - Henry Holloway
I lost the Comic Creation Club meetings that took place every other Thursday. I didn’t realize how much of the group’s sense of community stemmed from those meetings. - Josh Nieman
I’ve lost my opportunity to play on the tennis team as a freshman. If there wasn’t a global pandemic occurring, I would most likely be heading out to the courts with my tennis racket and water bottle in hand. Since the day I began playing tennis in middle school I’ve looked forward to wearing the ZCHS tennis jersey. Hopefully, my sophomore year will allow me to do that. - Mary Demarco
I feel that my senior year was robbed from me and my fellow classmates by fate. I was looking forward to my senior prom and the commencement ceremony more than anything, as I’m sure many others were, too. - Sam Barrett
I missed out on my chance to go on the French exchange trip to France, Switzerland and Germany. I was looking forward to seeing my exchange student, again and going to an amusement park that is only in Europe. - Kailey Wallenius
I found the enjoyment of reading. Sitting outside with a good book is something I look forward to doing after my schoolwork or when I need a break. I have found reading is a great way for me to get outside in the fresh air and have an escape from everything happening. I finally am getting around to reading the books that have been sitting on my shelf which I never had the time to read before. - Lucy Robinson
I found that when something shakes up my world, a sense of community is all I need. People have been showing their support for front line workers by taping hand-drawn hearts onto windows. My family and I cut hearts out and colored special designs on them to show our support for everyone during these times. Seeing people work together to keep the community going has really warmed my heart. - Jillian Bond
I value nature more. I’ve explored Zionsville as I’ve ridden my bike under blue skies. - Henry Holloway
I have been able to spend more time with the people that are most important to me and I have found appreciation in the small things. I have been having a lot more picnics in my backyard and going on more solo bike rides. - Sam Barrett
what we’ve
FOUND With all this extra time to waste at home, many people are discovering new things, both about themselves and about the world around them. Whether they be hobbies, feelings, or realizations, COVID-19 has allowed people to find new things. Here are some things that Harbinger staff members have found.
I found a new love for baking. I have done some baking in the past, but I have never found the time before to try out and experiment with new recipes. I have made bread, cakes, churros, cookies, muffins, cream puffs, and scones. - Kailey Wallenius
The Comic Creation Club had an Instagram group chat that was primarily used for updates. We use it now for sharing our work with each other and participating in weekly drawing challenges - Josh Nieman
I’ve learned that sports aren’t the only thing I’m passionate about, as I follow politics a lot more now. As this will be my first election to vote in, I think this is an excellent thing to find at this time. - Tyler Gutwein
I have found and regained my love for playing and making music. Due to the cancellation of my piano lessons, I have been watching more online tutorials for songs, like “Imagine” by John Lennon, which is a song I’ve always wanted to play. I feel I am better able to explore music independently. This has led me to begin songwriting again which is another passion of mine. - Gretchen Drews
I’m thankful for the hobbies I’ve been able to pick up. Whenever I was stuck doing a long assignment for school, I always had the same thought; if I had all the time in the world, I could be doing something so much more new, exciting, and fun. This is the time for me to act on that thought. I stole my brother’s ukulele and learned how to play. I also am slowly learning how to skateboard. - Mary Demarco
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Online
Is online school worth it?
Summertime
By Gretchen Drews , Staff ven before the life-altering Coronavirus pandemic, there were many reasons for students to take online classes. Counselor, Ellen Shertzer says some students take online classes because they don’t have enough time in their schedule, they want to get ahead on their credits, or they really just don’t want to take that class, but they have to do it because it’s a requirement. For whatever reason students might be thinking about taking an online course through the high school, here is everything students need to know about summer online classes. The most popular course for students to take online is P.E. The top reasons why students decide to do it online is because it is free, many students say the course is easy, or they would prefer not to do it in a school setting in front of their peers. “The number one reason is kids don’t want to take P.E. in the classroom and they feel more comfortable doing it online” Counselor Ellen Shertzer said. One reason some students decide to take summer online courses is if they don’t want to deal with the social aspect of the classroom. If the student works better by themselves, it can help them focus more and ultimately cause them to do better in the course. “They don’t have the social pressures of a classroom and some students work better independently than in groups and that helps them,” Shertzer said.
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Summer online courses can also be extremely beneficial to students if they would like to free up some of their schedule to take other classes. “That opened up my schedule so I could take Genetics and other courses I’m more interested in” junior Amelia Winkelman said. ZCHS offers summer online classes for a wide variety of subjects through Indiana Online Academy (IOA). If students were to take any of the courses, they would be able to use more notes for help on tests, quizzes, and even the final exam which they would take at the end of the summer. According to Winkelman, this help made it a lot easier on her as she took World History over the summer. “World History was easier than it would be taking it as a class in school,” Winkelman said. Winkelman also describes how over the summer, she had taken an online summer course for World History. During this time, she was involved in a band camp. She talks about how it was a lot of responsibility on her end, but she believes if you are able to manage your time well, there should be no issue in being able to complete all of the course work. “If you don’t have the busiest summers or you’re good at time management then it’s a great opportunity if you have other classes you want to take or if you want to make room for a study hall,” Winkelman said. At the same time, there are many other benefits for students who struggle with math. ZCHS allows students to be able to take a math class free of charge over the summer. For example, a student going into Algebra I next year would have the option to take the course over the summer before to prepare for the information that will be taught in the course. Even besides math, if a student were to fail any course during the year, they
Information provided by ZCHS website
would also be able to retake the course over the following summer. “Some people take our math classes that we offer for free online as a refresher,” Shertzer said. Overall, the course work for Indiana Online Academy is presented in a simple format, all of the teachers are easily accessible, and there are many benefits for students with all different kinds of schedules to take advantage of these offers. If you think you may want to do a summer online class, go for it! Among students, they are typically easier to complete, it doesn’t drain your summer, and you will still have all the time in the world to spend with family and friends. Personally, I have done P.E. I and II online and Health online and both of the courses were easy to follow and complete quickly. These classes are also a great way to free up space in your schedule so you can take the classes you want to. If you feel like you have a busier schedule, it’s always safe to schedule a meeting with your counselor and talk about any concerns you may have, but hurry as all registration is due by May 29. ZCHS offers so many great subjects through Indiana Online Academy that it would be a shame not to take advantage of them.
UNIFIED A look at Unified Track and what it means to ZCHS students
By Becka Bash, Opinion Editor nified Track combines students with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team for sports training and competition. “Unified Track quickly becomes a tight knit community with athletes and partner athletes,” senior and unified track officer Irene Tragesser said. “It’s such an amazing group to be a part of because everyone is so encouraging and positive and it really lifts my spirits.” There are two Unified sports teams that compete at different points in the school year, Unified Flag Football in the fall and Unified Track and Field in the spring. However, the Unified Track season was canceled this year along with all other spring sports. “It really breaks my heart that the season isn’t happening,” Tragesser said. “I was so excited to be an officer and lead my group and have fun with everyone. But the safety of the athletes always comes first and a lot of the athlete are at higher risk of getting sick so the end of the season was necessary, but still very difficult.” During a typical season, partner athletes
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Unified track athlete Vishrut Konnor, 11, running at a 2019 meet. photo by Lauren Hartman.
Unified track athletes Max Richey, 12, and Lindsay Johnson, 11, planking at an after school practice during the 2019 season. photo by Lauren Hartman
and the athletes work together at practices and develop a close relationship throughout the season. “I am really going to miss all the athletes and partner athletes I became close with and who I was growing close to, Tragesser said. “They were my motivation to participate and not being able to compete with them hurts a lot.” At meets, both partner athletes and athletes compete, though they do participate in separate scoring heats. In 2019, the Unified Track team won conference and received a police escort as they drove back to the school. The underclassmen team members now look towards 2021 to begin training and competition again. During practice, the athletes typically different drills and activities that their group leader has prepared for them. These can include things like warmup exercises, or even games that would benefit their performance on the track team, such as sharks and minnows. Sophomore Sydney True is a part of the shotput group, but there are also long-dis-
tance runners, sprinters, and long jumpers on the team. “Track is really fun,” True said. “You get to hang out with your partner and do some fun activities with your whole entire group.” While Unified Flag Football and Unified Track are different sports in the sense of the way the competition works, both teams share the fact that athletes and partner athletes work closely together. “The best part by far is getting to see everyone interacting in such a positive way,” assistant unified track coach Natalie Huffine said. “Everyone is included and supported on the team and there is so much joy. It is by far the happiest part of the week.” The Unified teams help create a culture of understanding that is beneficial to all students who participate, according to Huffine. “I love how inclusive everyone on the team is and the positivity that just reigns throughout,” Huffine said. “We are so lucky to have so many incredible students that are a part of Unified Track and I love that it is a space for everyone.” “It was such an uplifting and fun experience,” Tragesser added.
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winter sports
RECAP
Although spring sports are canceled, let’s look back on the good moments we got to have in the winter season.
Boys Swim Team placed 1st at Sectionals on Feb. 22 and the Girls placed 1st at Sectionals on Feb. 8. photo by Kailee Rockers. Logan Wagner, 11, placed 3rd at Wrestling State on Feb. 22. photo by Ethan Moore.
Boys Basketball Team won their first round of Sectionals against Fishers on March 3. photo by Ethan Moore.
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Hockey team made it to Semi-State, losing in their 4th game. photo by Grace Howe.
Devon Kitchell, 10, wins the 200 IM and the 100 butterfly at girls sectionals on Feb. 8 and placed 1st in both events at state on Feb. 15. photo by Gillian Louiso.
Boys Basketball record was 16-10. photo by Ethan Moore.
Coleman Modglin, 12, and Caleb Berrong, 12, place 1st and 2nd in the 100 breaststroke at swimming Sectionals on Feb. 22. photo by Gillian Louiso
Wrestling team wins sectionals on Feb. 17.
photo submitted by Shane Bates.
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