Harbinger March 2023

Note from The Editor

According to Mayo Clinic, a nationally recognized medical research center, seasonal depression is often influenced by limited exposure to sunlight in the fall and winter. Afterall, it’s hard to feel happy when your surroundings are consistently gray and cold.

So, now that spring is here you may find yourself hearing more about ways to improve your mental health(the seasons do truly affect how we view our lives!).

But what frustrates me is that most of the suggestions on ways to improve your mental health make it seem as if you need to change your entire life. The message seems to be "Now that spring is here, get out of bed and make your life perfect!"

This is projecting the idea that in order to be healthy and happy you need to have a perfect life, one where you get up at 5 a.m. to run or one where you eliminate junk food from your diet.

If running is your forte, go for it! But if your way to decompress is listening to music by yourself, don’t feel bad that you didn’t run a mile.

This issue, we have a variety of stories that encapsulate this message. On pg. 7 we cover a proposed mental health bill in Indiana. The bill, if passed, creates more ways to find support during a mental health crisis. We also spotlight two groups of students who we see working hard at something that makes them happy, basketball players (pg. 10) and Zionsville Show Choir members (pg. 12). On a lighter note, on pg. 14 fun ‘staycation’ spots are highlighted so that students don’t fall into a spring break slump if they aren't able to travel.

So again, don’t feel pressure to live a picturesque life, but do find something that makes you happy each day. With less pressure to be perfect weighing you down, at least in my opinion, life gets a little bit easier. And that’s the best way to improve your mental health.

Editorial

Safety First

This school year, we’ve seen many changes, one of which being the new, stricter door policies. In previous years, ZCHS staff were more lenient on who could and couldn’t enter through the different doors.

Now, door one is the only option if you’re trying to get into school past 8:30. In fact, detention can be given to those who ignore this new policy.

And yes, this can be oh-so-inconvenient for students. But these regulations weren’t put in place just to annoy us.

School safety is a serious issue nationwide. As of March 13, there have been more mass shootings in America (115 according to ABC news) than days in 2023 (72 days).

It makes sense why school officials have these precautions in place. ALICE drills only get us so far.

We are taught these drills to prepare us for the terrifying possibility that we could have an active shooter at ZCHS. But in order to prevent us from ever being in that situation, there are steps that school staff and even students can take.

That very first step is to know who exactly is entering the building, which is why the administration has been so strict on the doors this year. If the doors are unlocked, allowing any random person to walk in, our safety is at major risk already.

It may seem like no big deal to allow one random person into the building. But there’s always a chance that they could be dangerous. You never know what anyone's true intentions are.

Staff

Editor in Chief

Mary DeMarco

Assistant Editor

Madeline Wilson

Copy Editor

Adanna Mbanu

Art & Graphics Editor

Brooklyn Brown

Social Media Editor

Amelia Loewer

Design Editor

Josie Brackett

Staff:

Lauren Burch

Emma Hummer

Amelia Meyers

Georgianna Moreland

Matthew Orbaugh

Greta Reed

Lilly Steele

Ellie Vanderbur

Marissa Villarrubia

So notify any staff member if you see something suspicious. Think about what would happen if you didn’t notify anyone and that suspicious person ended up being a threat to the safety of your peers. Better safe than sorry.

The mission of the Harbinger is to provide timely, relevant, and interesting content, while handling topics with respect and objectively. Harbinger aims to reflect the diverse nature of the student body of ZCHS by including those of all walks of life in the publication. The Harbinger serves as a public forum and invites letters to the editor and communication from others. The Harbinger is student-run and opinions in the magazine do not necessarily represent those of ZCHS or Zionsville Community Schools.

Mary DeMarco, Editor in Chief

A Conference with Pence

Members of Young Republicans meet with former Vice President Mike Pence, asking about his policies, beliefs and future plans

By Mary Demarco, Editor in Chief

What started as an introduction at a book signing ended with 25 members of the Young Republicans club experiencing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, the chance to have an in-depth talk with former Vice President Mike Pence.

President of the Young Republicans, senior Paul Wheeler, met Pence last November while Pence was promoting his new book “So Help Me God” at the Indiana Historical Society.

“I told him about the club and he was very happy to hear about that,” Wheeler said. “I got his contact for his aide and then through that I was able to work through the schedule and everything else involving the visit in the last couple of months.”

Between last November through the day of the meeting, Paul recalled sending and receiving about “100 emails” collectively between himself, ZCHS administration, and Pence’s team.

Wheeler said Pence is a political figure he has “always looked up to.” Wheeler said it is important for people to meet representatives and politicians, who “are often seen as living off in the far-away land in D.C.”

“It’s important for us to meet the people that represent us and learn how the government functions,” Wheeler said. “Mr. Pence said, ‘There are always people eager to help

you, you just need to make the first move.’ My personal experience reaching out to Mr. Pence and getting him to come to our club encapsulates this quote perfectly.”

Senior Paul Wheeler introduces former Vice President Mike Pence at the beginning of the meeting on March 14. Pence spent the next hour discussing his views and policies with the members of the Young Republicans.

Photo by Maddie Patrick

Photo by Maddie Patrick

Principal Tim East said Wheeler “deserves all the credit” for organizing the meeting after “several months of persistence.” East was involved in the final stages of planning and said that the meeting was kept small, limited to Young Republican club members only, so Pence’s security team could stay informed on who would attend the meeting.

Leading up to Pence’s arrival at the March 14 meeting, 25 Young Republicans club members gathered in the ZCS board room after school. The club members, all male, were dressed in collared shirts, suits and ties and some bounced their legs in nervous anticipation.

Accompanied by East and Zionsville police, Pence entered, greeting each individual before opening with a short speech.

After Pence’s speech, he invited the students circle their chairs around him at the front of the room for a question-and-answer session.

Pence then looked to Wheeler -- calling him “Mr. President” -- to ask the first question of the meeting; whether or not Pence was concerned about the decline of the “fourth part in society,” family.

“Strong families make strong communi-

ties,” Pence replied. “Strong communities, make strong states, strong states, make strong nations. It really does come down to the family. I think we can do a better job [at] making it more possible for more people to come together as families,” Pence said.

Club members also questioned Pence about the national debt, global policy, Ukraine, the banking system, and more. Pence was also asked his advice for aspiring politicians.

“I think the American people long for leadership that shows more civility than we’ve seen in politics in recent years, on both sides,” Pence said. “I think there’s a hunger for strong, principled leadership that is respectful.”

Throughout the meeting, Pence emphasized his appreciation for younger generations in politics as well as his “Christian faith.”

“Early in my career I allowed my political ambition to get ahead of living out my Christian faith,” Pence said. “I got into hard-punching campaigns, personal attacks, and when it came back around ten years later, my wife and I prayed on it and decided, we’re just going to run campaigns that are about what we’re for. We’re going to fight for the is-

sues we care about, fight hard, but we’re going to leave all the personal attacks out.”

Junior Morgan Davis was one of the club members in attendance.

“It was a pretty cool experience to get a one-on-one opportunity with someone who is so important to the country and played such a vital role,” Davis said.

Although some in the ZCHS community may not agree with Pence’s political beliefs, East said the meeting was an “educational opportunity,” for those in the club.

“We’ve seen this hit the national press, more on college campuses. They’ve had a speaker that some students disagree with,” East said. “ There’s an obligation of every organization to say, [is] this person’s belief system so far from our core beliefs, that they would not further our mission.”

According to East, as long as a speaker’s message does not stray from Zionsville’s “core beliefs,” inclusion of every ethnicity, gender, and religion, the students will be supported to meet with speakers.

Pence speaks with members of the Young Republicans following his meeting with the club members. Photo by Maddie Patrick

School Securein the

School safety top of mind for school officials, police

By Brooklyn Brown, Arts and Graphics and Mary DeMarco, Editor in Chief

Picture this: it’s one of those days when getting out of bed feels impossible. You’re late to school and hope to quickly sneak in through the wedge doors. You waste time going from one locked door to another. Do you call a friend to let you in or admit defeat and make the walk of shame to door one and accept your tardy?

Although students may have been able to enter and exit through many different doors in previous years, this year, ZCHS administrators have enacted stricter door policies.

This change might be to the dismay of students running late or trying to sneak out for lunch, but the decision was made for the good and safety of everyone in the building, according to Jared Williams, assistant principal and state-certified school safety specialist.

“I know kids get irritated with me sometimes if I’m addressing [opened doors],” Williams said. “It really has nothing to do with me not wanting you to get DoorDash here or me not wanting you to have a shorter walk, it really does come down to the safety and security of the building.”

Ever since the shooting at Columbine almost 25 years ago, the safety of both students and staff has been on administrators’ minds. Students are familiar with the names of different schools affected by active shooter events; Sandy Hook, Parkland, Ulvade, and, most recently, Michigan State.

The reality is that the possibility of a school shooting is ever-present, and that’s why the administration is constantly working to improve safety protocols. Keeping doors locked is just one small part of this.

“We work in two different avenues: response and prevention,” Chad Smith, Zionsville’s district school safety specialist, said.

According to Principal Tim East prevention starts with “being attentive” to the student body and their mental and physical health needs. East said counselors and school social workers are hired to “provide immediate support” for students who “may be having some mental or emotional struggles.”

Alongside this, Smith said other preventative layers are put in place to protect the school, such as the tip line where anyone who sees or knows something can report it.

“The part they don’t know is that we take every one of those [reports] and we do something,” Smith said.

Administrators have planned out a course of action in case what East describes as the “unthinkable” occurs. Students are very familiar with the ALICE drills. According to alicetraining.com, the official ALICE drill information site, the acronym is best defined as: alert, lockdown, inform, counter, evacuate.

Zionsville students and students across the country have been practicing ALICE training since elementary school. What students don’t witness is the intensive behind-the-scenes training of school resource officers (SRO). Lieutenant Adrian Martin is currently the ZCHS SRO.

“[SROs] really are trained different as police responders and police officers than your average policemen,” Martin said. ”The men and women that do the job at the SRO

are actually trained at a higher level because they are at a community-based policing and that’s really complicated.”

Sometimes training goes as far as hiring actual actors to role-play an active-shooting scene and give officers real-time experience.

Smith said Indiana is an “exemplar” as far as school safety training. He said that now the schools that he oversees are prepared to respond immediately, in contrast to Columbine where there was not a quick response.

By continuing conversation about events like this, East said preventative measures can be “applied in a way to prevent it from happening on another campus.”

“As close to home as it ever got was Noblesville,” East said. “There are students who were in the school when that occurred in the middle school. They graduate this year,” East said.

Students can best help by checking in on their peers. East said students should reach out to trusted adults and counselors if anyone they know is struggling with thoughts that could mean harm to themselves or others. This line of communication “allows all of that training that’s happening behind the scenes to assess that threat and determine what supports are necessary,” East said.

Finally, Smith urges students to simply not let others into the building.

“I always look at the school as our home,” Smith said. “We want to know who is in our school, just like our home. We want our doors to be locked, just like it is in our home.”

Rallying for Mental New bill for behavioral health receives support from Hoosiers

By Marissa Villarrubia, Staff

The annual cost of untreated mental illness in Indiana is estimated to be $4.2 billion, according to the Indiana Behavioral Health Commission.

A new bill called “Behavioral Health Matters” has three main goals; give people someone to contact, someone to respond, and a safe place for help. The bill, SB 1, will be voted on by April 27, which is the end of the legislative session. This bill will reform Indiana’s behavioral health system and provide people with trained, licensed professionals in their time of need.

The first goal of the commission is to give people someone to contact, a new 988 number is part of this goal. The number is meant to provide people in crisis with trained professionals to talk to and help create a comprehensive crisis response system.

Jodie Moser was at a rally for the bill on Feb. 11 to talk about her brother Adam, who struggled with mental illness, and how to fund 988.

“There are multiple possible funding streams for this. One of them is to fund crisis response like we fund 911 with a $1 a month user fee on phones that is just three cents a day,” Moser said. “Three cents a day so that my brother could have gotten the help he needed”

The last goal of SB one is to give people in crisis a safe place for help such as a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC). These places will exist instead of using jail or prison as a way to detain people in need of mental health care.

“These programs have consistently been shown to not just save money, but dramatically improve outcomes.” Moser said.

SB 1 only will essentially rebuild the entire crisis response model, which isn’t something that can be done overnight nor is it cheap.

“The clinician estimates the total cost to sustain those three things is $130.6 million a year,” Moser said. “That’s a lot of money, it’s 130 million. But when you consider untreated mental illness costs Indiana 4.2 billion, 130 million isn’t so much.”

Many people have been affected by the lack of funding for people in a mental health crisis. One of those people is disabled veteran Rick Moscrip, a Purple Heart recipient, who was also at the Feb. 11 rally. Moscrip described having thoughts of suicide one night, calling Veteran Affairs for help who then dispatched police to Moscrip’s home.

“My little ones, James was 13 years old, Joe was 10 and Alyssa was 4, watched as their daddy was walked out in handcuffs and taken from them,” Moscrip said. “ Just another crazy combat veteran, feeling stereotyped and ashamed along with the confusion of fear that my children experience added another layer of trauma to an already traumatized person.”

Bianaca Harris, licensed mental health therapist, highlights what kind of people are affected by SB 1.

“This is not a race issue. This is not a gender issue. This is not a faith issue. This is a mental health issue. If you are human, this is an issue for you,” Harris said.

The bill was initially authored at the beginning of 2023 but the issue it’s supporting has been around for years.

“Far too many Hoosiers find their destination to be a prison cell or pine box,” Moscrip said.

Despite this not being an easy process many people are committed to the cause

and even plan on going to the legislative session which lasts from Jan. 9 until April 27 to advocate for Hoosiers across Indiana to get the help they deserve.

“We didn’t do this by ourselves,” Harris said. “This is a whole conglomeration of work, time, and investment across the state of Indiana.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, call or text the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.

UP Step to the Plate

By Lilly Steele, Staff

Excitement is in the air as softball games are officially starting. New jerseys are being worn in, and the field is raked and ready for use.

With the season just starting, coaches and players are setting their goals for the season.

Sophomore Emma Vargo has played softball for 10 years, starting from Zionsville recreational leagues and advancing from there.

“I think my team’s main goal is probably to construct a tighter offense at the plate,” Vargo said.

Senior Ella Hardin started playing softball in Zionsville’s Little League 10 years ago as well. She now plays as a pitcher and first baseman for the varsity team.

Hardin said she’s ready for the team to go out and win the sectional title this season.

Softball coach Mike Garrett has coached for 15 years, five at ZCHS. Garret said his goals for the season are to continue to develop coaches and players, as well as bring out the best in each person and develop them

in their roles to help build on the team’s abilities and connections.

“[Last season] we had some nice wins over Carmel, Franklin Central and others and had several games we just didn’t finish. We intend on doing a better job closing out games,” Garrett said.

Starting off the season, players are thinking about their performance and team dynamics on the field.

“Every single girl offers something super unique and special design to softball, and my teammates are such hard workers,” Vargo said.

Garrett said he is excited to see the seniors that have been committed to each other and the program showcase their skills and personalities.

“This is a player-led team that will win a lot of games this spring, not panic when things get tight because this group has been there before,” Garrett said.

Zionsville has a tough conference full of competitive and strong teams, last year the varsity team was 11-13 and 1-6 in the conference. This year, players are ready to fight for titles and wins.

“We have a really competitive season. We get to play a lot of really great teams,” Hardin said. “A lot of our games are going to be home this season, which I’m really excited for.”

The softball team’s previous season had many close games.

“In the news reports after games, a lot of times they told us Zionsville was just on the wrong side of a really hard game, and that was tough for us to hear,” Hardin said.

Conference games are a chance for Zionsville to show off their hard work.

“In our conference this season, I think we’re for sure going to dominate just because [of]

this preseason especially; it’s preparing us so great by breaking down all these fundamentals,” Vargo said. “[We] dominated a lot in our conference, and so I think this year [we are] just leaving off where we were last year and advancing from where we were.”

Vargo said she is excited to finish out her softball career with the other seniors and to make more memories with people she’s played with for years.

“This year it feels a little bit more special because I’ve grown up playing with the girls who are now seniors this year,” Vargo said.

Senior players are getting ready to leave their high school sports career as they start their last season.

“Softball’s been a really big part of my life for a really long time,” Hardin said. “I’ve met so many amazing people through it that I’m so thankful for. I’m just lucky for the fact that I know those people will be with me when I hang this part of my life up, and I’m excited to do that with them.”

Overall, the team is ready to play and win this season.

“We are building confident young women that will take on any challenge and be ultra-competitive but displaying sportsmanship along the way,” Garret said. “We will let others do the talking, we will show up and play ball.”

During tryouts on March 8, seniors Ella Hardin, right, and Sophie Huber, left, greet on the field with a handshake. Photo by Lilly Steele

Bridget Beyer, senior, takes her turn batting during tryouts on March 8 after school on the softball fields. Photo by Lilly Steele

Extra Mile Going the

Porras’ positive coaching style earns him Indiana Cross-Country Coach of the Year

By Elie Smith, Guest Reporter

Gabe Porras won the Indiana Cross-Country Coach of the Year Award and was nominated for U.S. Cross-Country Coach of the Year for an outstanding performance this past year.

Porras was one of five nominated by the Indiana Association of Track and Cross-Country Coaches and voted for by coaches across the state.

“It was a cool accomplishment,” Porras said, “representative of all the hard work, not just for me, but the assistant coach and the athletes and everyone part of the community.”

The transition from small town coach to state representative is a major feat, yet his contributions to cross-country and the culture of sports seemed to already extend beyond Zionsville.

“He’s great at connecting with his athletes, peer coaches, and other schools,” athletic director Greg Schellhase said. “He runs a very highly respected program.”

Alongside a career as a high school Spanish teacher, Porras has been coaching for nearly 22 years. His distinct style has encouraged students and athletes alike to put forth their best efforts.

“He creates a culture that’s positive for all of our students, that they want to be a part of,” Schellhase said. “Those relationships are at the core of why he’s been so successful.”

Porras’ coaching philosophy follows his own realization that cross-country is an activity that students are choosing to commit to; therefore, Porras said, it is essential to make it enjoyable and acknowledge that the athletes always want to do their best in competitions.

“My role as a coach is to make them as

confident and calm as possible before the race,” Porras said. “I try to be a calming presence on meet day to make sure that they’re set up to be as successful as they can be.”

This last cross-country season, Porras’ varsity boys team placed second in state––knocking out Zionsville Community High School’s previous best placement of sixth––and peaked at twelfth best team in the nation during the season.

“You want to do your best because he’s giving you all he can,” senior cross-country runner Ryan Luke said. “He puts in so many hours behind-the-scenes.”

Luke suffered three ankle injuries during his junior season. Luke said Porras helped Luke to continue to be a part of the team despite his injuries and eventually return after recovery.

“It really made me feel wanted and want to come back the next year, even though I was considering quitting,” Luke said.

Porras’ consistent and unconditional support for his athletes and his entertain-

ing, yet determined methods of coaching will officially be recognized as the national Coach of the Year Award selection draws nearer. Nonetheless, Porras is extremely proud of this season and looks forward to even greater achievements to come, noting the team was 2.8 seconds away from placing first at state last season.

“There’s always motivation to try to do better,” Porras said. “One of the good things about the sport is the clock will always motivate you to do a little bit better.”

Cross-country coach Gabe Porras runs out to cheers from the crowd during the state competition walk-out on Oct. 29 before the team boarded the bus. The team placed second at state. Photo by Ryan Luke

March Madness

Zionsville seniors commit to play NCAA basketball

COLLEGE COMMITS: Where March Madness Begins

By Adanna Mbanu, Copy Editor and Lauren Burch, Staff

Nick Richart (right) playing against Lebanon high school on Feb.10 Photo by Maddie Patrick

Nick Richart, senior, has committed to playing at University of North Carolina Charlotte this upcoming school year after experiencing a minor setback during recruitment.

“It’s kind of a huge weight lifted off my shoulders, finally having a decision of where I want to go is really nice,” Richart said. “The recruitment process for me was a little frustrating since I got hurt during my sophomore summer, which is where a lot of recruiting happens. But after that, I picked up and did much better my junior summer and ended up where I wanted to be.”

Throughout his high school career, Richart says that his biggest accomplishment was becoming the All-Time Block Leader.

“It was just really cool to have that record at Zionsville that kind of leaves a legacy,” Richart said.

For students who are envisioning playing on a college team when they’re of age, Richart has a piece of advice.

“For starters, you should always be patient because you’ll never know when it will happen to you, but if you spend the time putting in the work, your time will come,” Richart said. “And then I would say try to be the best teammate and best player in your role specifically.”

Alumni Playing NCAA Basketball

- Erica Bostwick, St. Ambrose

- Nathan Childress, Indiana University

- Isaiah Davis, Huntington University

- Rachel McLimore, Butler University

- Maddie Nolan, University of Michigan

- Hogan Orbaugh, Indiana University

- Delaney Richason, University of Vermont

- Katey Richason, Miami of Ohio

- Dylan Ritter, College of Charleston

- Isaiah Thompson, Florida Gulf Coast

Nick Richart

“People have a lot of pride in Zionsville, and when they move on to play collegiate league, whether basketball or another sport, they still feel connected back to Zionsville.

I think that’s very special.”

- Greg Schellhase, Athletic Director

Senior Logan Imes is committed to playing college basketball at Penn State in the upcoming school year, achieving a dream that he has had ever since he was young.

“You see them [basketball players] playing on TV and you want to do the same thing,” Imes said. “So I just worked at it and got to high school, and the next step is go to college. It’s just been a progressive goal of mine since I was a little kid.”

Throughout his high school seasons, Imes is grateful to have been given the opportunity to play basketball, while building bonds with his teammates and coaches.

“My high school experience playing basketball has been great,” Imes said. “I’ve made so many relationships with coaches and friends, and there’s people I’ll never forget that I’ve played with the last four years that have changed my life in numerous different ways.”

For any athlete that has hopes of playing in the NCAA, Imes leaves them with a piece of advice.

Come in and work hard,” Imes said. “You want to win games, and eventually win the state championship or sectional, whatever that goal is. But don’t take the moments with your teammates for granted.”

Laila Hull

Laila Hull, senior Miss Indiana Basketball and Zionsville’s all-time leading scorer, has been playing basketball since kindergarten. She recently committed to playing basketball at the University of North Carolina.

“UNC has been my dream school for a while. It’s what I grew up on,” Hull said. “I grew up watching them play, so it’s always been my goal. It’s just a really good feeling to be able to go there.”

Hull credits all of her success to the support system she’s had throughout her high school seasons.

“The support system is crazy here,” Hull said. “I have a lot of support with a lot of people by my side that always believed in me. The people that you meet here are just great, I met a lot of good and lifelong friends.”

Among the numerous people supporting her, Hull says that her biggest supporter has always been her father, a college football coach.

“He’s always been in the college athletics field, so he’s been super helpful with everything that I have going on, he knows what to do with everything,” Hull said. “He’s also played basketball for a while, so he’s been like my biggest supporter throughout all of this.”

After all of her experiences, she suggests this piece of advice for any high school athlete with dreams of playing in college.

“I would just say stick to it,” Hull said. “I mean everything in high school is very unpredictable, so you don’t really know what could happen. As long as you work hard and keep practicing and doing everything you’re supposed to, you will feel like you can do anything you want.”

Logan Imes

Logan Imes plays against Lebanon High School on Feb. 10. Photo by Maddie Patrick

Laila Hull plays against North Central High School on Jan. 10.

Photo by Sadie Meenan

Hitting the Notes at Nationals

Zionsville show choirs win big in first trip back to nationals competition

By Madeline Wilson, Assistant Editor

After over a decade of watching from the audience, sophomore Anne Nooning said it is a “joy” and “privilege” to compete alongside the Zionsville show choirs. And on March 18, Nooning and other members of the Choralaires and Royalaires became Heart of America National Champions when they traveled to Orlando to compete at the national level for the first time since 2020.

“It’s just something that I’m so unbelievably excited for,” Nooning said before the trip. “It really feels like a privilege to be able to go and to experience that.”

According to Deana Broge, co-director of show choirs, the Royalaires and Choralaires have not been to a national competition in the last two years because of COVID-19. In fact, it was an entirely new experience for all members of the choirs, crew, and combo.

Senior Grace Barnes, one of the co-presidents of Royalaires, said she was disappointed when last year’s trip to Nationals was delayed.

“It was disappointing, considering the seniors in the group last year connected to a lot of people in the group,” Barnes said.

Barnes said she looked forward to seeing

the performances of groups outside of Indiana at Nationals.

“It’s a completely new experience,” Barnes said. “You get to watch people who you’ve never seen perform before, and also you get to meet new people.”

However, Barnes said there was also additional stress because the Royalaires and Choralaires then competed against those same groups.

“Since we’re making such a big trip out of it, we want to feel good and feel prepared to perform well,” Barnes said.

Nooning said she was somewhat nervous for the performance and about being away from her family.

“It’s definitely easing my anxieties a little bit knowing that I’m not going alone and I’m going with this big group of people that support and love everyone else,” Nooning said. “Overall, I’m just really excited to spend time with everyone, and just to spend that time getting really close and experiencing everything together.”

According to Broge, the show choir experience is about more than just singing and dancing; it’s about creating a community.

“I don’t think the experience is just

about music all of the time,” Broge said. “I think it’s about camaraderie and teamwork and a sense of belonging and a community here within the high school.”

The group chartered a plane and spent time in the Disney parks while on the trip.

Barnes attributes the closeness of the choirs to the amount of time they spend together at practices and competitions.

Local competitions also helped the Royalaires and Choralaires prepare for Nationals at the end of the season, according to Barnes.

“Throughout the season, our show is constantly being critiqued,” Barnes said. “If we continue to revise our show, I think it has really good potential for Nationals.”

Sophomore Carly Benner, a member of the Choralaires, said she just hoped to finish the year strong with the performance at Nationals. And her hopes were fulfilled when both choirs took first place and became national champions.

“We were all so happy to win,” Benner said. “It tied up our season so perfectly and was a cherry on top of the most fun trip ever!”

Anne Nooning, sophomore, sings her solo in “Just Like Flying” during a Royalaires practice on March 9. Photo by Georgi Moreland

Sophomore Carly Benner performs with the Choralaires on March

7. Photo by Matthew Orbaugh

By Georgianna Moreland, Staff

You often see Peer students walking around the school and it is common to hear about Best Buddies. However, do you really know how strong the relationships are or what they mean?

Adi Coleman, junior, started with the Peer class this year, but has been a member of Best Buddies since her freshman year.

“Peer has taught me new ways to help communicate with people who have cognitive disabilities.”

Coleman was introduced to Peer through her aunt and her cousin. Her cousin has diagnosed down syndrome and inspired Coleman to join Peer.

“I’ve worked with Megan. She is so funny, so sassy,” Coleman said. “Our personalities are so similar and it’s awesome, just talking with her, and it’s just really cool to see her grow and develop as well. And as we work more and more together, we become closer.”

There are many ways that students can be involved with Peer-related activities. Unified flag football, unified track, Best Buddies or being part of the Peer classes are all ways to be involved.

“I thought, ‘I can’t wait to learn more from others.’ And I’m so glad I did it,” Coleman said. “I like to do unified track

Finding Their Buddy System

Adi Coleman learns, helps, and grows through Peer

and I do unified football and Best Buddies and I get to meet so many more people. Get to meet more buddies, and meet more of the partner athletes.”

Coleman says that the teachers are “great and are always very helpful” to both her and the students.

“To create those friendships and work with them is so great because they are awesome people,” she added.

Coleman says that she has created a “special connection” with several of the students, including freshman Atlas Kaufmann.

Coleman says that Atlas helped her grow and learn how to be a better Peer.

“And I got to really see him grow,” she said.

Coleman mainly spent time with Atlas who “loves music” in the starting bass/tenor choir, Sound Check.

“He wouldn’t really sing without a prompt in choir, but he loves music. And so, when he started singing and being more enthusiastic about getting into his music and then shining super bright on the stage when we had Sound Check, that was

really cool,” she said.

Coleman says she has learned to work with people in many different ways and that Peer has taught her that there are so many different types of people.

“I would explain Peer as a great opportunity to get to know some awesome students,” Coleman said. “As you help them learn, you learn so many amazing things as well from them. The students have demonstrated their strength and perseverance through the various activities I aid them with. I love getting to grow with the students as they grow, too. Getting to see them learn a new skill, conquer a task, or come out of their shell over time is such a cool thing to be a part of. It is such a rewarding class and [joining Peer] is one of the best decisions I have ever made.”

Atlas Kaufmann (left), posing with Adi Coleman (right) Photo by Mathew Orbaugh

Adi Coleman, senior, work with students during her Peer class. Photo by Mathew Orbaugh

“The students have demonstrated their strength and perseverance through the various activities I aid them with. I love getting to grow with the students as they grow, too.”

-Adi Coleman, 11

Stay-cation

What to do on a

Staying home for break?

Here are some places around the Zionsville area to visit.

By Josie Brackett, Design Editor

Traders Point Creamery

Traders Point Creamery is a beautiful property located on Moore Road, which is near the line where Zionsville meets Indianapolis. No matter the season or temperature, it is a wonderful place to visit. There is a tour that can be taken around the property in which you can see the garden and the livestock. The restaurant, The Loft, is another stop to make on the property. While having a large menu, it is seasonal, so the menu options are periodically changing. There is also the Dairy Bar, which serves a variety of products from ice cream (also seasonally changing) to plain milk.

Coxhall Gardens

Located in Carmel, Coxhall Gardens is a large park perfect for picnicking that has many different attractions there, one being the big bell tower that chimes at the start of the hour. There are lots of different places to take photos, the big gray steps in a circle being one of the most popular. Another popular focal point is the walkway leading out to those circular steps. In the circular steps, there is a beautiful statue that is also good to take pictures in front of.

Calf at Traders Point Creamery. All photos by Josie Brackett.

The Loft at Traders Point Creamery.

Cows eating outside of the barn.

Statue of Beluah C. and Jesse H. Cox, reads “To create an oasis in the midst of a sea of homes.”

Landscape of Coxhall Gardens.

Zionsville Main Street Downtown Carmel

Downtown Carmel is just a short drive from Zionsville. With interesting architecture and statues, it is a change of pace from Zionsville. Some fun activities here include walking around, shopping, and dining. You could also sit down for a meal or treat yourself to a slice of one of the numerous flavors of cake at The Cake Bake Shop by Gwendolyn Rogers.

Main Street is one of the most popular places in Zionsville. On the brick-paved road there are many options to eat and shop. It can also be fun to take pictures on.

Starkey Park

Located in Sugarbush, Starkey Park is the perfect place to spend a sunny day. There are many different trails and you can go for a hike with friends and family or go for a run on the trails.

Pathway at Coxhall Gardens.

Trail and bridge at Starkey Park.

Sign at Starkey Park

The Cake Bake Shop by Gwendolyn Rogers.

Architecture in Downtown Carmel.

Zionsville Main Street, in front of Zionsville Pizzeria

SAT Scare

SAT stress creeps up this time of year, though it doesn’t have to be as daunting as it seems

By Greta Reed, Staff

Offered only seven times a year, there is intense stress surrounding the SAT. Just one SAT is offered to juniors for free in Indiana. This SAT is offered in early March and is usually the first one juniors have taken.

College bound students will likely have to submit their SAT scores to a university of their choice. This adds immense pressure to the college admissions process and can also limit a student’s options.

For the past two years many students had the option to not submit their SAT scores because of the pandemic making it difficult to hold tests. Now that some col leges are beginning to require submissions as they once did, students are starting to feel the pressure to perform again.

“It [colleges requiring SAT scores] really shows nothing more than how a student can perform on standardized testing which doesn’t necessarily translate to the college experience. The college experience is more catered towards your final degree,” Melissa Wilzbacher, AP Language and Composition teacher, said.

Students can agree that taking any sort of standardized test is a stressful task, especially when it could impact your future.

“I am nervous for the SAT because I don’t know a lot about it and there is so much pressure to get a high score,” sophomore Izzy Tunstall said.

Junior Keziah Dobbins has a different mindset surrounding the SAT.

“Personally I think it’s all about balance,” Dobbins said. “If you do well in school and do extracurricular activities like sports, clubs, or even have an internship, colleges have more to look at than a test.”

College advisers and counselors have mentioned that after not requiring scores for almost three years, colleges have had to look deeper into essays and other factors that set students apart from one another, such as GPA, extracurriculars, volunteer hours,

how high we can score on a long test taken in four hours,” Dobbins said.

Though not every student can excel on standardized tests, colleges are starting to require scores for certain specialized programs.

For example the SAT requirement for the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University is at minimum a “1370 (Evidence-Based Reading & Writing and Math)”.

Purdue’s engineering program is similarly rigorous with an “average SAT Composite of 1444” making it a very high average considering the Composite is out of 1600.

According to College Board, the average SAT score for the graduating class of 2021 was 1088, a 541 In Reading & Writing and a 538 on math.

“Some people are naturally good test takers, while others are not,” Dobbins said. “We can influence circumstances, in this

Study opportunities such as test prep programs, official SAT study guides, and practice material can be helpful in gaining confidence while testing.

Taking the SAT multiple times can also give students an advantage in knowing the organization of the test and how the questions are formatted.

College Finance states that “test publishers show that the average SAT improvement is around 60 to 70 points, on average, with a little bit of additional studying”.

Getting your goal score can be more attainable with the right study plan. While it’s important to take the SAT and try your best you shouldn’t worry too much about your score because “there are plenty of other ways to heighten your chances of being accepted into your dream school, one test will not threaten your future,” Dobbins said.

Photo by Amelia Loewer

By Ellie Vanderbur, Staff

In movies artificial intelligence is often depicted as a threat to humankind and society. But now that this technology is a reality, people are finding ways to use it to learn and discover.

According to OpenAI, the creators of ChatGPT, the software is designed to interact in a conversational way.

This new software’s goal is to be able to answer questions in a more attentive way than current search engines, such as Google.

“The dialogue format makes it possible for ChatGPT to answer follow up questions, admits its mistakes, challenge incorrect premises, and reject inappropriate requests,” OpenAI said on their website.

Once ChatGPT launched, many educators did their own research to see what this meant for their teaching.

“I got on [ChatGPT], and I typed in some very specific questions about literature, the kinds of questions that I would offer my students to measure their thinking, and it spit out to me answers that, to me, resembled true human thought,” English department chair Doug Showley said.

Because this form of AI seems to be able to answer so many questions in a very specific way, Showley was automatically interested in what it would mean for teaching.

“There was an element of synthesis that went into [ChatGPT’s] answer. There was an element of judgment that seemed to go into the answer,” Showley said.

Educators quickly realized that they may need to make changes in the school environ-

Chat GPT: Cheating or Change?

ment to make sure that the software was not used dishonestly.

“It requires all of us to ask those questions and probably make some substantive changes to the overarching goals and methods of our instruction,” Stanford Assistant Professor of Education Sarah Levine said.

Some of the things that educators are revisiting are the essays that students have to write, especially ones that require them to come to their own conclusions about what they read.

“I hope that I am fashioning assessments in such a way that an answer can’t just be copied and pasted and submitted,” Showley said.

But no matter how many things are changed to work around this new obstacle, students are likely to find a way to use it. As a result, teachers need to be able to detect it being used.

“There is a particular voice that ChatGPT takes that is becoming all the more recognizable to me, but I hope I don’t get myself into a position where I have to make that judgment,” Showley said.

While this is a big task to undertake, the teachers of our time have been through many situations like this in recent years.

“It’s no different from the adjustments I had to make when the internet and Google became very prominent or the adjustment me and my colleges had to make with the pandemic when everyone was learning at home,” Showley said.

Just as when the internet was created and

when students were learning from home due to the pandemic, positive learning experiences can come from this situation as well.

“I need to learn how to teach my students to use ChatGTP in order to provoke their thought, to stimulate their thinking, not to replace their thinking,” Showley said.

This new technology can be used in all areas of the learning process, from learning to reviewing for a test.

“If one is confused about a subject, they can ask the AI to explain it to the,” senior and Coding Club student leader Caden Grey said. “It can also be used to generate example problems and prepare for tests.”

This opportunity ultimately makes ChatGPT something students can use to learn, amplify thoughts and draw new conclusions about how we learn.

“We must use AI for humans rather than in place of humans,” Victor Lee, Stanford leader of the Accelerator Initiative on generative AI in Education, said.

After this advanced software was released, many large tech companies created their own version, inciting a new tech race in the AI field and giving the public a glimpse into all the possibilities AI can bring us in the very near future.

“ChatGPT was the spark that started the AI wildfire spreading its way through our world,” Grey said. “Developments are occurring rapidly, and it is impossible to predict what is going to happen next.”

Can You Trust the Process?

Students, specialists share experiences with the different processes of food creation between the European Union and U.S.

By Adanna Mbanu, Copy Editor

If there’s one thing students rely on to sustain their hunger, it’s the vending machine. This easily-accessible snack dispensary is a popular commodity during the seven-hour school day.

But what most students don’t realize is that the convenience of these snacks do more harm than is realized, and it’s not their fault.

Some of the most common foods found in these vending machines contain chemicals and that have been linked to illness. A survey conducted by the Center for Science in the Public Interest showed that in “vending machines in middle schools and high schools 75% of the drinks and 85% of the snacks sold are of poor nutritional value.”

Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) is a chemical frequently found in foods that typical American vending machines carry, such as M&Ms, Skittles, and Starburst, according to the Environmental Working Group. Although this chemical is a common ingredient in numerous American snacks, according to the

International Agency for Research on Cancer, “titanium Dioxide has recently [in 2019] been classified as a Group 2B carcinogen [an agent that’s possibly cancerous to humans].”

Acrylamide (C3H5NO) is another carcinogen found in typical vending machine snacks like potato chips and cookies. This chemical was classified as a Group 2A carcinogen, an agent probably cancerous to humans, by the International Agency for Research and the World Health Organization.

The Food and Drug Administration monitors levels of acrylamide in certain foods because of its potential health effects on humans and advises “both consumers and industry about how to reduce acrylamide formation in foods.”

Both Titanium Dioxide and Acrylamide are restricted in the European Union. Zionsville nutritionist Gretchen Heidenreich, worries about the negative effects these chemicals are causing to people living in America.

“Europe tends to be stricter on certain chemicals and supplements than America,” Heidenreich said.

“Titanium Dioxide is banned in the EU because of its potential connections to cancer, but the FDA has not taken any action on it. EU research determined that the cancer link could not be ruled out with daily use of the product.

Titanium Dioxide is found in coffee creamer, salad

dressings and some white sauces. This may all sound alarming, which is why I always stress fresh foods or homemade when possible and variety with moderation when it comes to eating.”

Other experts studying food with an emphasis on nutrition have noticed other differences between nutritional values in between the typical American and Europe an diet. When Toby Moreno, head chef of Auberge, spent 12 days in France studying its cuisine, he began to notice the contrast in the usage of processed foods and GMOs [genetically modified organisms] between Europe and America.

“One thing in Europe, especially France, is that they don’t have genetically modified foods over there,” Moreno said. “[In restaurants] they’re definitely using ingredients that are locally sourced. Another thing is the food in France is seasonal, so some things might be out of season, like a tomato, but here Americans want whatever they want any time of the year.”

While living in France over the summer, junior Mara Lusk began to taste a significant difference between the food she was used to and the food she’d been introduced to in Europe.

“The food there was really different from here,” Lusk said. “They [the French] eat a lot more fresh fruits and just fresh things in general; fresh cheese, fresh meats. There’s markets all the time where people can buy fresh ingredients. And then there’s also a lot of restaurants and little patisseries to buy pastries. I just think the ingredients are really pure.”

Junior foreign exchange student Henry Teuteberg noticed the difference in nutritional value between America and Europe when moving to Zionsville from Germany.

“We don’t really go out to eat. Usually we

Produce at Meijer with their “Product of” statement label Photos by Adanna Mbanu

There are also a lot of butchers in Germany for meat, which I think tastes better. It’s better than if it were at a supermarket or something like that.”

With these differences, specifically in nutritional values, Heidenreich emphasizes how the typical American diet can affect humans and how to incorporate healthier aspects.

“Eating is the only way our body can get the specific nutrients it needs from the outside world into our body,” Heidenreich said. “If we don’t have those nutrients, our body isn’t going to be able to create what it needs to make us function and feel our best. This eventually can lead to some pretty scary things like cancer, dementia, heart disease, or osteoporosis. Even if we are missing just a little of what we need to get in our diets, it can accelerate aging, hair loss, poor skin integrity,

Common snacks containing Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) and Acrylamide (C3H5NO)

Graphics by Adanna Mbanu

chemicals and GMOs compared to Europe is because of the lack of thought the food industry puts into sustainability. He believes that when looking at sustainability, economic, social, and environmental aspects should be taken into account.

“So [for economic], I’ll be providing for the local economy by [buying food] from a radius of 350 to 400 miles from where I am,”

Moreno said. “Then there’s the social aspect where we’re coming together to eat this food, and there’s a lack of food culture. And then there’s environmental, so food has a cost to be flown or driven from Canada or Mexico. There’s just more emissions being put out into the atmosphere doing that.”

Before Teutenberg moved to the United States, he had already heard about the differ-

“I really enjoyed the food with my family, they always cook very fresh, which is awesome. But compared to normal American food, it’s a very different diet,” Teuteberg said. “Most people tell me that they become unhealthier and gain some weight when they come to the US.”

It can be difficult for teenagers to keep track of what to eat and what not to eat. “As a teenager it’s hard to think about your 30s, 40s, and beyond, but what’s interesting is that your intake right now impacts your future self,” Heidenreich said. “There are some interesting studies that found poor nutrition was linked to individuals not reaching their full height potential. I always stress to my clients there are no bad foods, every food can fit into a healthy a healthy diet, the key is balance. Each person has such a unique lifestyle, taste preference, and genetic blueprint that nutrition really needs to be suited to their unique needs.”

Heidenreich said he has “hope for the better.”

“I’ve found more younger clients pushing back against diet culture and putting self care first, which is wonderful,” he said. “I think the younger generations are going to make the biggest change.”

Even if we are missing just a little of what we need to get in our diets, it can accelerate again, hair loss, poor skin integrity, poor wound healing, increased fatigue and depression.”

- Gretchen Heidenreich, nutritionist

Social Safety

When finding the best way to stay safe on social media, sharing less is caring more

By Amelia Meyers, Staff

There is a hacker attack on social media every 39 seconds, according to Web Tribunal.

Connecting with friends and family, sharing videos and photos, promoting businesses, and stalking the most attractive celebrities, is what makes social media, like Instagram, the cultural powerhouse of the world today.

Around 1.35 billion people worldwide have an active Instagram account as of January 2023 according to Statista, making the photo-sharing site one of the most popular online platforms. However, the network has also become a victim of various cybercrimes such as identity thievery, hacking, and even trafficking.

Senior Zenaida Garcia recently experienced a case of identity theft.

“I’m not even on Instagram that much, daily I’d say I spend two hours at most on the app,” Garcia said. “It’s weird because these things have happened to my family members before, but I never knew it could happen to me.”

Garcia learned of her identity being stolen while sitting with a friend. Most of the pictures on her Instagram were posted onto other fake accounts; even cropping her friends out of pictures to only include Garcia.

“The only reason I never knew about it was that I had been blocked by the impostor

account. I only found out about it once my friends started receiving the requests,” Garcia said.

Not only did the user steal Garcia’s photos and name but had linked the photos to an Only Fans site.

“I had my friends texting me and freaking out because someone had linked an Only Fans to the account bio, basically suggesting that it was an account that I made and that if you clicked on it you would subscribe to the real me,” Garcia said. “I was 16 turning 17 at the time with my pictures being linked to explicit sites. Honestly it was traumatizing.”

Cybercrimes and security breaches don’t just spawn on Instagram. Due to the variety of social media used daily. There are a wide number of entry points for these attackers.

Such was the case for various Facebook users when in 2019, a group of cybercriminals took “over 530 million of Facebook users personal data; locations, phone numbers, and full names; and making it publicly available to the entirety of Facebook,” according to NPR News.

Since these attacks mostly happen online and are sometimes caused by bots, there isn’t much that can be done to put a complete stop to these actions. However, many social media platforms have begun to take safety precautions and establish online help centers; allowing people to report such incidents and change their accounts to private in order to protect their personal informa-

ways prioritizing the safety and security of social media for students.

“Social media is one of those pieces, it’s about how you choose to use it,” Havlik said. “Anytime you’re using any online tool, any technology or even if you’re in-person, it’s important to think about the safety side.”

There are many ways to stay safe on social media, but becoming more aware of how to correctly protect one’s account is an important first step.

“Using a strong password, one that you’re not sharing, is a great way to protect yourself on social media,” Havlik said. “It’s also good to go through your privacy settings and see who has access to your information.”

From personal experience, Garcia also explains that making your account private can further prevent such attacks and better secure your information.

“When you have a public account people have access to your name, your school, and where you live. Some people even put their numbers on their accounts and they have access to that as well. You might as well be saying ‘hack me’,” Garcia said.

As more people create accounts on multiple platforms, only time will tell if social media awareness will increase .

“It’s a ‘we’ll have to see how things evolve and change situation’. But hopefully I will be able to make sure everybody knows how to stays safe online.” Havlik said.

“When you have a public account, people have access to your name, your school, and where you live. Some people even put their numbers on their accounts. You might as well be saying ‘hack me.” -Zenaida Garcia, 12

Graphics by Brooklyn Brown

Cultural Appropriation Appreciation

By Amelia Loewer, Social Media Editor

As a Latina woman, I have felt alienated because I did not fit the norms within the “Zionsville bubble”. Growing up, my parents strive to help me understand and appreciate the world and the cultures that thrive outside of our small town.

I have had the unique opportunity to travel to 22 different countries and be exposed to countless cultures and the people who hold significance to them. Being immersed in many cultural traditions during my time abroad, I have become more aware of the importance of cultural celebrations.

According to the U.S. Census, 91% of the Zionsville population identifies as Caucasian, making cultural diversity something that we lack. But this doesn’t mean that our community fails to provide opportunities that expand our viewpoint on the world outside of the bubble; we just need to learn the respectful way to celebrate other cultures without cultural appropriation.

According to the Cambridge dictionary, cultural appropriation is: “the act of taking or using things from a culture that is not your own, especially without showing that you understand or respect this culture”.

While this textbook definition is a good start, the personal experiences that students have had with appropriation must be heard.

Charlie Krone, junior, and a member of Chinese Club said that cultural appropriation occurs “when it starts becoming offensive to the culture.”

Others agree with this idea and have even witnessed some examples on campus.

Alexa Green, sophomore, and a member of the Black Student Union has her own experiences with cultural appropriation

when it comes to the use of Black protective hairstyles by her Caucasian peers.

“So as a Black person [I have witnessed]… someone trying to repeat a hairstyle. It’s not for their hair. It’s a protective hairstyle for my type of hair,” Green said.

Hair is only one of the many ways that people might unknowingly appropriate ethnic expression. Cultural attire is also a piece of tradition that is often exploited, especially during the holidays

“For example, Halloween costumes, like dressing up as a Black person [when] you’re not. That can be too far,” Green said.

I have personally witnessed people at Halloween parties dressing up as “Mexicans” and mocking traditional Hispanic attire. People do this assuming that dressing up in a costume is not offensive because it’s “just for fun”, but they don’t realize how harmful it can be to others.

I remember feeling like an outsider when everyone laughed at the costume; it felt like one giant joke about me that I wasn’t a part of.

Although Krone acknowledges that he doesn’t speak for all Chinese people, he thinks that “for Chinese [culture] specifically, there are different cultural things you can do like wearing traditional clothing. And you could consider that cultural appropriation if you’re using it to make fun of Chinese culture.”

As an Irish dancer, I have often considered the impact of the clothing I wear. For 12 years I have been required to perform in traditional Irish clothing. But in my case, I consider it a form of cultural appreciation because of my love of the culture that comes with it. This unfortunately isn’t the

mindset of many who use cultural products without any understanding of their importance.

We as a society have normalized the exploitation of ethnic food, clothing, and hairstyles without comprehending why it is harmful. However, education is the simple solution to ignorance.

Victor Ogundele, sophomore and another member of the Black Student Union, said “if [you] see someone doing something like that, [you] can try to educate them about the context of what they’re wearing or doing with their hair.”

By being respectful and willing to be educated, you can create a positive environment for yourself and those around you.

When visiting Nepal to climb the Everest Base Camp, I was able to participate in rituals, traditions, and hiking prayers from the Nepalese culture. Because of my willingness to learn and the permission from the Nepali people, I was able to appreciate the culture and grow my understanding of their way of life.

The same can be said about my experience with Irish dancing and the pride in my Mexican heritage.

The celebration of other cultures is a necessity because it allows us to celebrate each other. I have come to the understanding that even though we lack cultural diversity in Zionsville, we have our own things to celebrate: our love for brick street, our community events, and our beloved school traditions are all things that make Zionsville home. Realizing this has helped me appreciate all of the traditions within “the bubble” while respecting other cultures that live outside of it. w

When it comes to others cultures, there is a fine line that should not be crossed

Crazy for Caffeine Crazy for Caffeine

How excessive amounts of caffeine affects the body

By Emma Hummer, Staff

Junior Brooklyn Stockwell said she finds herself struggling to breathe when she drinks Celsius during Choralaires practice. After consuming the drink, which is popular among

One cup of coffee has 95mg. One can of Celsius, a popular drink among teenagers, has 200mg of caffeine, which is double the recommended amount for teens.

Excessive caffeine consumption is associated with chronic dehydration. This adds extra stress on your heart, can make you jittery, and may cause headaches, according to Amen.

Caffeine can cause restlessness and sleep problems because it blocks the adenosine receptor, keeping your body from sleeping.

ZCHS nurse Jenny Hoyer, advises alternative drinks that contain less caffeine, like tea or coffee.

“Caffeine is a stimulant, what it will do is it will increase your heart rate, increase your blood pressure, and that has an effect on your organs,” Hoyer said. “When it influences your heart rate and your blood pressure, it makes you feel more awake and more energetic, which is sometimes a nice feeling.”

According to Mayo Clinic ,a nonprofit

However, some people are affected differently.

“I drink one to two cups of coffee a day, and that’s usually about all the caffeine that I have,” Hoyer said. “If I have more than that, I tend to have trouble going to sleep.”

In itself, drinking caffeine isn’t a bad thing. However, if you over-consume any substance, it can have a negative effects on your body.

According to myheath.alberta, some long term issues with caffeine addictions can be chronic insomnia, stomach problems, depression, and constant anxiety.

If you drink caffeine responsibly, then it can have a positive effect on your body.

Graphic by Brooklyn Brown

Bottom Right: Senior Lucy Gregory performs with the varsity dance team during halftime at the boys varsity basketball game on Feb. 10. Photo by Matthew Orbaugh

Top Left: Brayden Baxter, senior, serves during the boys varsity volleyball game against Avon on March 14. The Eagles won, 3-2. Photo by Madeline Wilson

Bottom Right: Tyler Sepanski, junior, guards senior Ryan Luke during Intramural Basketball on March 2. Photo by Lauren Burch