In Harbinger, my goal as well as the goal of our entire staff is to try and get as many faces, groups, and individuals into the magazine as possible. Our school includes many people with different backgrounds and interests.
But for everyone, it’s sometimes hard to see beyond our own interests. When you’re stressed about your own life, it’s easy to miss what others are doing with their time. So, for this issue, we tried to look at current or upcoming events and find an angle within each of them to focus on.
One such story is “Traveling to a Team” (pg. 8) Most readers know what it’s like to be a part of a group club or sport in Zionsville. But when exchange students travel across the world and find themselves in the American version of a sport, what does that feel like? Is it an easy transition or do some aspects of the sport get lost in translation?
Another event soon to happen is the fall musical “Legally Blonde. “In previous issues, Harbinger has focused on the effort the actors have put into making a strong show. Often we don’t hear about the efforts the tech team and the pit also put into the show: without them, the fall musical wouldn’t be possible (featured on pg. 12).
With many other amazing articles this issue, I encourage you to look out for stories, people, and groups at ZCHS who aren’t getting the recognition they deserve.
We’ve grown up in an intense political climate. Often, the adults around us remark on how they can’t believe historical events like 9/11 and the 2008 recession feel like they happened “just yesterday”. As for us, it’s easy to feel immune to surprise when it comes to any life changing event.
But just because those events may not per sonally touch us here in Zionsville, it doesn’t mean that’s the same for everyone. We’re lucky to live in the Zionsville-Whitestown area where we more often than not have the privilege of turning the TV or phone off when we don’t want to hear bad news.
Worldwide, others can’t escape problems so easily. For women in Iran, their basic free doms revolve around the choices of the lead ers and politicians in their country. Choosing what to wear for them determines their safety. There’s no chance for freedom of expression or even a safe moment when women are being jailed--even murdered--for anything deemed ‘wrong.’
Ukrainian citizens are still fleeing the country or joining in the fight to defend their home. Closer to home, Floridians are recovering from Hurricane Ian, where many lost their homes and loved ones. We have the privilege of ignoring tragedy, but it doesn’t mean we should. Even though it may trouble us, many more people are actually living through it.
When you hear of an individual or a group of people in need of help, don’t tune it out. Help, even in the smallest ways, with others’ problems. If you have trouble hearing about these problems, help find a solution. While yes, it can take a village to solve a problem, your contribution, no matter what it might be, is vital.
Editor in Chief Mary DeMarco Art & Graphics Editor Brooklyn Brown Social Media Editor Amelia Loewer Editor StaffStaff: Josie Brackett Lauren Burch Amelia Meyers Georgianna Moreland Greta Reed George WallerThe 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 opin ions in the magazine do not necessarily represent those of ZCHS or Zionsville Community Schools.
editor-in-chief Rosemary Papa, 12, joined Aerie to preserve a part of students’ lives and leave her mark on the school. So when she saw a story in the news about a Florida school yearbook being censored, she immediately felt angry for the staff. And although Papa said she “can’t even imagine” this happening to the Aerie staff, censorship is a reality for many student journalists across the country.
According to the Student Press Law Center, or SPLC, censorship happens when “a person, a group of people, or an organi zation prevents someone from publishing content.”
Recently, national news has increasingly reported on censorship of student journal ism by school officials. Student publications in multiple states, including Indiana, have been censored in just the last five years.
Ryan Gunterman, the Executive Director of the Indiana High School Press Associa tion, said that censorship is gaining more national attention because of increasing
politicization.
“You’re seeing a lot more media atten tion to it now because not only is it a First Amendment issue, but now it’s also a politi cal rallying cry,” Gunterman said.
The Supreme Court decided in the Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier case of 1988 that schools can censor student publications for educational reasons, setting a legal precedent for student censorship over three decades ago.
However, the extent to which students can be silenced has changed because of so cial media, SPLC Advocacy and Organizing Director Hillary Davis said.
“Many student journalists are standing up and pushing back against this censor ship, and with the internet and social media they have far more opportunities to get their stories published,” Davis said. “We are in an age where student protest is paid atten tion to and given the respect it deserves.”
Student journalism affects communities in multiple ways. Gunterman said that
many student publications fill news deserts, areas that lack a local newspaper. And ac cording to Principal Tim East, student press is a great way to keep people informed.
“Having the filter of a student journalist to share information about our school or school community in a voice that your peers can hear is better than what I can say directly to the student body,” East said.
Student publications also impact schools simply by highlighting students and sharing upcoming events.
“It highlights the diversity of our school, the diversity of interest, and the success that can happen when groups come together,” East said. “When you look at the collective work of journalism over time, all those things add up to a very positive thing for our student body.”
Student press often tackles more contro versial topics as well. For example, former members of the Harbinger staff have written articles about teen pregnancy and student use of illicit drugs. East said he thinks both
1988: Tammy Hawkins, editor of the Hazelwood East High School newspaper Spectrum, holds the issue containing articles about divorce and teen pregnancy. After her principal ordered the staff to withhold the articles from publication, Hawkins and two other students sued the school for infringing on their First Amendment rights. The Supreme Court determined that schools have the right to refuse to sponsor speech for educational reasons.
source: AP Photo/James A. Finley
were issues that needed to be talked about, because they have serious consequences for students.
“This is something that’s happening in our student body and someone’s health could be compromised,” East said. “It’s the real truth, so let’s talk about it.”
According to Davis, important stories can no longer be covered when student press is censored.
“Censorship—especially when the censorship is subjective and trivial—tells students to prioritize what is popular and non-controversial over what is well-re searched, ethical and true,” Davis said.
And as increasing politicization of student press leads to censorship of more publications, Gunterman said entire com munities feel the impacts.
2021: School officials at Bigelow High School removed two pages from the school yearbook before it was distributed. The pages featured a timeline of world events during the 2020-2021 school year, including COVID-19, the death of George Floyd, and the presidential election. According to the SPLC, school officials cited “community backlash” as their reason to rip out the pages.
photo courtesy of the SPLC
became aware of the seriousness of online harassment and bullying after a newspa per student took her own life and other students began to cover the issue.
“If we can, as student journalists, find these problems and address these problems in a rational, mature, and reasonable way, then that is literally life-saving,” Gunter man said.
Papa aims to use her position as edi tor-in-chief to thoroughly and accurately cover topics that are important to students.
“Journalism isn’t what people want to hear; it’s what is going on,” Papa said. “If you’re just focused on what people want to hear, then you’re not going to cover anything meaningful.”
2017: Students at Plainfield High School published an issue of The Shakedown about dating and rela tionships. The first issue included articles about long-distance relationships, cheesy pick-up lines, dating for LGBTQ+ students, and the definitions of friends with benefits and poly amory. The magazine was placed under prior review, which allows adminis trators to review content before publication.
photo by Madeline Wilson
2022: According to the SPLC, the Viking Saga, the student newspa per at Northwest High School, was shut down after it ran two stories about LGBTQ+ issues. Super intendent Jeff Edwards said the shut-down was “an administra tive decision.”
photo from North west Viking Saga
“Censorship— especially when the censorship is subjective and trivial— tells students to prioritize what is popular and non-controversial over what is wellresearched, ethical and true.”
- Hillary Davis
A R K A N S A S N E B R A S K A
I N D I A N A
Asachild, junior Climate Club member Marissa Roundtree visited parks, “excited” to see the butterflies. More recently, Roundtree has noticed the disappearance of these butter flies, creating a sense of anxiety within her.
“The element of fear is definitely there. I used to go to parks with my parents to see the butterflies,” Roundtree said. “But in the past years I went there again, and the butterflies weren’t there anymore. So that definitely felt unsettling.”
As climate change continues to change our world, a psychological impact known as “eco-anxiety” has struck the nerves of wor risome adolescents, leaving them pondering their future.
Senior Brady Cochran is one teenager that has concerns about the future of the environment, and as a result, humankind. “I think my eco-anxiety is worse now be cause we’re actually seeing the effects of cli mate change,” Cochran said. “We’re seeing how it’s hurting people and actually killing people at this point, only to think of what circumstances
Even while in the classroom, students are surrounded by troubling factors that increase unease about the environment.
“Seeing, for example, how paper is wast ed,” Roundtree said. “Climate Club did a project where we cleaned the courtyards and we helped plant native plants for climate change. In the courtyards, the trash cans are sometimes not emptied or some of the courtyard beds have plastic inside of them. Also in the lunchroom, [people are] just in general not using reusable trays that we could use to wash.”
Eco-anxiety often goes back to a person’s knowledge about climate change.
“We have lots of scientific evidence to show that human-based causes are expediting changes within the entire biosphere and atmosphere,” Alex Brownell, AP Environ mental Science teacher, said. “We’ve seen enough data and evi dence to suggest that it’s really the combustion of fossil fuels which is what we are doing due to the carbon dioxide
But even with this knowledge, some teenagers are still struggling to find ways to help the environment.
“It’s kind of hard as a teenager because I live with other people, so I can’t do what I want,” Cochran said.
Students are still finding ways to do their part in helping the environment.
“One of the ways I personally help the environment is this past year I started planting native plants,” Roundtree said. “We started a native plant courtyard so that we can help restore populations native to In diana like the Rusty Patched Bumblebee; its population is less than 1% now. At home, I also plant milkweed for butterflies. I try to reduce my paper usage as well; for example, I use an iPad at home instead of paper.”
Awareness and action around climate change have seen “huge improvements,” Brownell said. “We’re seeing a cultural and societal shift in this work, and I think we need to celebrate that.”
“We have generations of kids at this point who are really becoming activists in this work where they’re finding passion and purpose in the work that they do and they are trying to make small changes where they can,” Brownell said. “It’s about giving kids that information to then ultimately let them make decisions for themselves.”
With this shift being seen, teenagers are finding and using their resources to improve the environment on their own terms. “I stopped buying new clothes,” Cochran said. “I started my own garden so I can eat my own food and not have to depend on a grocery store for produce. Also, when my mom buys meat, we buy it from local farms so it’s grass-fed and grass finished, so it’s quality and also sustainable. When we get eggs, they’re free range with no antibiotics, so it’s better for the animals as well.”
Despite the fear that many people have about climate change, shifts towards a healthier environment are being made, creating hope for many.
“Keep hope,” Brownell said. “We’re doing good work. I think one of the key things is people have to be willing to listen to one another or else change isn’t going to be made. So keep an open dialogue. We can and we will get better.”
“Seeing how [the climate] has changed during my short lifespan, how much worse can it get in the future if nothing is done?”
- Marissa Roundtree, 11GraphicbyBrooklynBrown
For some seniors, the Nov. 8 midterm elections mark the first opportunity to cast a vote.
Every two years, election signs pop up like weeds at the start of summer. Over the course of a few months, voters have the opportunity to get to know the candidates; forming their own opinions and debat ing with their peers.
Vice President of Young Republicans junior Charlie Sondik said many don’t realize that the presidential election isn’t the only important elec tion. Elections determining the legislative branches are the ones which decide what laws will be put in place .
The two senatorial candi dates for one of Zionsville’s districts – District 29 – are the incumbent candidate, J.D. Ford, a Democrat, and his challenger, Dr. Alex Choi, a Republican.
“[Legislative bills] make a difference, even if it’s to a small group of people,” Choi said. “And that’s what we are there for, is to really help the people who are constituents. . . acting as the person to fight for the interests of your commu nity.”
District 25 is also includ ed in the Zionsville area, where Republican candidate Becky Cash and Democratic candidate Jen Bass-Patino are running.
Both Choi and Ford simi larly stated that their goal is to be servants to the public.
“The bills that I’m associ ated [with] and attached my name to are issues that I believe that our district cares about,” Ford said.
Voting may still seem far out of reach of high school stu dents who are underage, some missing the cut off by weeks or even days.
Leaders in Young Republi cans and Young Progressives believe having knowledge of elections is essential right now, even if you can’t yet cast a ballot.
“Voting is the fundamental thing in our government,” Sondik said. “If no one votes, then there’s no point in our system.”
Senior Lilly Nault, the President of Young Progressives is not eligible to vote until January when she turns 18.
“The biggest thing that I tell everybody is: just vote. Vote, no matter where you are in the political spectrum,” Nault said. “For Zionsville students, I recommend looking at the top things that affect you and how your candidate is going to respond to them.”
If a quick Google search doesn’t answer your question, e-mailing or talking to the Senator in question is possible as well.
“Anytime a student reaches out who wants to get involved, I always do my best to make that happen,” Ford said. “At the end of the day, the real life experience that you all are getting, just as high school
students is going to open doors for you.”
Getting involved within the school is another way to stay informed and involved. An op portunity to do so is through the political clubs offered at school.
“[You] can discuss events and meet with other people, make connections,” Nault said in regards to the Young Progressives Club. “I think that’s good for anyone who’s interested in politics.”
The main goal of Young Republicans Club is to “discuss political issues,” according to Sondik.
“No one person has the same exact set of opinions,” Sondik said. “I’m not going to speak for everyone in the club. I’ll just say that we all are focused on sharing and cooper ating to learn and discuss.”
Aside from taking part in discussions with peers, lobby ing, protesting, and voting are all active ways to get involved in politics.
If you are unsatisfied with the direction of local, state wide, or national politics, elections take place every two years. So even freshman and sophomores don’t have long to wait to be a part of the elector al process.
“One of the powerful com ponents of democracy is that we all have a say in our repre sentatives,” Choi said. “Every aspect of voting at every level is important in some way.”
Senator J.D. Ford said he has been at the state capitol building fighting for issues such as, “wom en’s reproductive justice issues, sensible gun reform measures, and taking care of our teachers and our public schools.”
Dr. Alex Choi and his daughter fresh man Sadie Choi canvassing on Oct.1. Photo submitted by Choi
“My goal has been to help move the legislature along a path where we increase public health funding, and really start paying attention to resources and things like mental health, drug abuse, [and] suicide prevention,” Choi said.
*Note: Republican candidate Becky Cash and Democratic candidate Jen Bas-Patino, running for state senator in District 25 were not featured. However, District 25 also covers areas in the Zionsville-Whitestown area. To find your district, go to www.indy. gov/workflow/find-your-voting-districts. Stay informed, make an educated vote (if eligible), and utilize your First Amendment rights.
Americans
seem to never agree on sports. Heated arguments arise at the dinner table over which team is better. Hosts on ESPN debate which players are projected to play the best. However, a passion for sports is something that coun tries all around the world share. Sports are about more than athleticism; they are an opportunity to form bonds over common interests.
Two exchange students are using sports to help integrate into their new lives in Zionsville; Laurits Skrov Thrane plays for the JV soccer team this year and Noemi Alcevich runs cross country.
Joining the soccer team was a quicker way for Thrane to make friends.
“I played [soccer] all of my life in Den mark…11 years before I came here,” Thrane said, “I think most of my friends here are playing soccer.”
Uniquely American, school sports are uncommon in other countries.
“In Denmark we don’t have school sports,” Thane said, “So it’s in clubs,” Alcevich comes from a large city in Italy where there are a lot of sports clubs to choose from, but that meant that the only time she saw her friends was during
practice.
“Nobody on my volleyball team were at my school,” Alcevich said. “Having a sport here that has the same people that you can know at school is really good for making friends.”
Although she played volleyball in Italy, Alcevich chose to join the ZCHS cross country team. This switch hasn’t come without its challenges.
“We don’t have cross country in Italy; we do have track,” Alcevich said. “I think the maximum that you can run in track is maybe 1k or something like that, and in cross country we are doing 5k.”
Having played volleyball for 9 years of her life in her home country, she finds herself longing for some of the sport’s dynamics.
“The only thing that I miss is working together with my team,” Alcevich said. “For cross country or track you’re running by yourself.”
Despite having spent years on the soccer field back in Denmark, Thrane faces obsta cles playing a new position for the Zions ville team as a midfielder.
“Defenders they defend, attackers they attack, I do both,” Thane said. “You have to run more in the middle field.”
Despite the difficulties the students’ have had to overcome, they appreciate many of the differences they’ve seen.
Alcevich, who was used to being cheered on by just a few close friends or family mem bers while living in Italy, appre ciates Zionsville school spirit.
“I think [the school has] more cheering spirit…we don’t have this kind of stuff that you have, like football games or like volleyball games,” Alcevich said. “You have your teammates that are always cheering for you; that’s really an amazing thing.”
Alcevich said she enjoys the cross coun try team’s traditions as well, even if they challenge her Italian instincts at times.
“On Friday we have pasta dinner, which is hard for me because I’m Italian,” Alcev ich joked.“Yesterday we had senior night so we were roasting the seniors and that was a very American thing…it was super cute.”
Despite being far from home, the two exchange students have found a new home with their teammates.
Alcevich anticipates a successful season of track in spring as she switches from long distance to short distance running alongside many of her cross country teammates.
“My host mom told me to do cross country because a lot of people in cross country will do track in the spring, so I will already know people,” Alcevich said. “The cross country team was a good team; they’re super nice and welcoming…that’s a good way to make friends.”
Alcevich and Thrane formed lasting friendships that have helped them become better acclimated to a environment.
“[Soccer] is very important…I think when you’re all in the school together and play together it’s a better dynamic,” Thrane said. “If I didn’t play soccer, I don’t think I would have so many friends as I have now.”
TheNFL season started almost two months ago and fans are knee deep into the season, meaning not only lots of TV entertainment but also a new Fantasy Football season. For fantasy team owners, drafting a team and winning games takes the NFL season to the next level.
Kyle Wooden, senior, has a perfect record in fantasy football. He has been in a league of 11 other high schoolers for two years and was the champion both times. Hence his team’s name this year, “2x Champ.” Wooden’s strategy starts on draft night.
“You can hype up a player even if you don’t think they will be good, just to trick others into getting them,” Wooden said. “You need to get in people’s heads.”
Along with the mind games Wooden plays, he needs to draft the team that’s best for him.
“My strategy is to pick running backs first and get the quarterback at the end,” Wooden said. “I like having faith in my lineup every week to be able to blow up and have big games.”
But for Wooden, fantasy football isn’t all about just winning. He also likes the added fun it brings to the table by getting to watch more football. This is because now fantasy footballers don’t only root for their favorite team, but follow their fantasy players and watch their games, too. Luke Schein, sopho more, has a similar opinion on fantasy.
“Fantasy has made me enjoy my Sun day’s now because I get to watch football with my dad and talk to my friends on Monday about the games,” Schein said.
This increase in viewing is what Schein builds his drafting strategy around.
“I try to draft guys I can watch and know the most about,” Schein said.
Another reason to play fantasy is to connect more with friends and family. Tom Deuschle, the father of senior Grayson Deuschle, is a fantasy expert who has been in leagues for over 30 years.
“I have a league with some of my college buddies and that has allowed us to stay con nected,” Deuschle said. “It gives us a reason to see each other and some guys drive all the way from Nashville just to draft every year.”
After draft day, fantasy football is all about winning. Deuschle said “the competi tion is fun as is making fun of your weekly opponent.”
“My most memorable moment was win ning the championship after going through the playoffs and beating everybody,” Wood en said. “Seeing my trophies in the online trophy case is something very special.”
The process of starting and running a league used to be much more difficult. When Deuschle started 30 years ago, the person running the league had to put in tedious hours of work every week.
“You would have to go to the newspaper sports section on Monday morning and manually put [points and scores] into an Excel sheet,” Deuschle said.
Playing fantasy football is now easier than ever.
“First you have to recruit teams to participate,” Deuschle said. “Then set it up on an app.”
There are many apps and mediums to run a league. The league commissioner, the person who runs the league, has to weigh the positives and choose what would be the best for the league. Deuschle uses Yahoo “because it’s free.”
Next, the commissioner sets up the rules of the league and process for drafting.
“Create the scoring measures and decide
how to draft in your league,” Deuschle said.“It’s much easier now and is pretty much set up for you already.”
Players finally need to agree on how much money you want everyone to put into the prize pool, if any, and then you are ready to draft!
“After all of that stuff, all the hard work is done for the commissioner and it’s all on the teams to set their line ups and win their games,” Deuschle said.
It’s obvious Wooden has been following his rules and strategies because right now he is winning his league targeting his third consecutive win.
“I feel like I am in a good situation and position to win this year,” Wooden said.
“I love my truck because it can carry big loads but can gap any car off the line. It’s also the best looking vehicle in the lot and rolls on 33’s. It’s a great first vehicle because it eats gas like no one’s business, and most importantly has a kangaroo catcher on the front.”
“I love my car because it reminds me of the old Barbie car I had growing up and it makes me very happy knowing I am basically a Malibu Barbie. I also love it because it’s super fun to drive and is literally me in car form. I got my car because I had to share a car with my sister and did not want to. She was too stubborn to buy a car so I took one for the team and bought my own car. I wanted a convertible because I thought they looked fun and fast. I found it on a random website and it was in Pennsylvania and I some how convinced my parents to drive with me one weekend to get it.”
First cars are always memorable, but here are a few that are extra unique to their owners
“I love everything about my car! It drives like a go-kart. It looks small from the outside but it’s actually pretty spacious on the inside. It also looks sporty which I like. My sister got me little plants to hang from my rear-view mirror which I love. I also love how unique the exterior is. My dad loves to decorate cars and make them one of a kind so he was in
“My car is named Ramona after my favor ite movie of all time, Scott Pilgrim vs The World.” The main love interest of the story is named Ramona and she dyes her hair a bunch of different colors, but the first color is red (the color of my car). And I have 7 little white x’s on my car based on a note Ramona leaves the main character. It is such a great first car because it has an amazing sound system and I love music.”
charge of that. I knew I wanted a Union Jack theme so we got Union Jack mirror caps. I thought it needed something else to make it stand out so my dad came up with the idea of getting a Union Jack-themed roof. I thought that was too much, so I thought of just getting the spoiler. We added Union Jack tail lights to finish it all off.”
“I bought it on an online auction site unseen for $1,000. All I knew was it doesn’t run. I got it on 9/11/2020 and let it sit for a few years because I didn’t have my license yet. Once I got my license I spent about $3k for all the parts to get it running and driving. Now it’s my daily driver. I also have another 944 that is silver and a 1983 that I steal parts from to keep the red one on the road. Eventu ally I’m going to make it a race car.”
Harbinger staff’s very own cool car. “I like my car because it’s recognizable and everyone loves it since it’s unique. But some things I don’t like are I’ll just have random people wave at me because my brothers used to drive the car and they think that they are driving it, so then they wave at me and it’s weird. Also, learning how to drive it was a challenge since it’s stick shift. Now I’m happy to know how to drive stick; it’s a cool skill to have. I always say my car is the perfect high school car because it’s recognizable and not too nice where I have to drive it carefully. It’s kind of a junky car. It’s also really fun to have a convertible. It’s been scary sometimes though because it starts raining during school and the top is down and I have to sprint and put it back up. Overall, I love my car and it has been an instrument for many fun experiences and conversations.”
While the cast of the fall produc tion of “Legally Blonde” is busy rehearsing their lines before the Nov. 17 opening night, the crew is working just as hard behind the scenes.
Tech Director Isaac Spillman he oversees the crew and creates blocking for the cast.
“I’m working on the mic plot, which is what actors get which mics and I am making a plan for how we’re going twwo get those mics put on each actor.” Spillman said. “I am planning out a list of who’s on which input for the sound.”
Senior Natalie Scholer plays the tracks and makes sure that they are all playing correctly.
Towards the beginning of production, there isn’t much stress circulating among
crew members, but they know that stress will begin to increase the closer they get to show time.
“Right now it’s in the more calm stages,” Scholer said, “but I’m sure it will be more stressful when it gets closer to the actual day of the opening night and I will have more responsibilities.”
The obligations of each individual feed into how the crew works so well together.
As the Stage Manager for the show, senior Molly Zucker carries several very important key responsibilities.
“I give everyone else their jobs and over see everyone and what they do. When they have a question about what they’re supposed to be doing, they ask me,” Zucker said. “When we are getting ready for the show, we all work together. We build the set, get all the props organized, and get everything set up. That way, when the cast comes in, we’re able to help them put on a good show.”
Zucker has been on crew ever since her freshman year and has lots of experience with helping to make the musicals such big hits.
Zucker said she wants other students to see her efforts and think positively of them.
“As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become a lot more confident than I was. Obviously, start ing off as a freshman, it was my first time doing anything crew related,” Zucker said, “Now I feel like I can help be a positive role model and also help other people that are interested in crew do it too.”
While the roles of all of the students
and supervisors in the crew are important, sometimes their efforts are overlooked by the majority.
“The cast is undeniably really appre ciative of us. I’d say that the crew doesn’t get enough recognition from the general audience,” Scholer said. “Some people in the crew like it better that way. And that is kind of how I am, I like directing and managing or being in charge of things rather than being in the show.”
Zucker said when the crew goes unno ticed throughout the show, it shows how well they are doing their job.
“While the external focus from a general student body member or an audience mem ber would probably be on the cast, because they’re actually more visible in the show, internally, our crew and cast support each other really well,” Spillman said.
Createdas a resource to decrease stress in students, the Counseling Depart ment has added a mindfulness room to their office, funded by a private donor.
The room features a nature-inspired, biophilic design proven by research to help regulate emotions, according to Counsel ing Department chairperson Cathy Patane.
Social Worker Molly Pennell said she was “pleasant ly surprised” by the mindfulness room designed by Patane’s daugh ter, an interior designer.
This design is meant to pro vide a tranquil environment for students who feel overwhelmed, especially during school hours, Patane said.
“The more connectivity you have with nature, that will help you with becoming more mindful and
present in the moment,” Patane said.
Despite the room having no windows, Patane said, the biophilic design was created through pictures, “lightning, color schemes, and textures.”
Along with the design, this space offers objects and activities that benefit students, including doing various breathing exercises, coloring in the provided coloring books, playing with fidgets, or asking to speak with one of the counselors, according to Pennell.
“We could just have an unpacking of the situation you are dealing with,” Pennell said. “You go in there and write down some thoughts, say this is what I’m thinking, you crumple it up, you shred it up, and you throw it away.”
On the wall of the mindfulness room are three words, “action, reflection, and dis traction.” These words are included to help students use the room to regulate themselves and find what works for them.
“We want to know that our students are safe,” Pennell said. “We want it to be a calm, nurturing space where a student just needs to check in for a short amount of time.”
Counselors may suggest the mindful ness room to students who they feel could benefit from it. While this space provides calming activities, it does have its limits, Patane said.
Before you enter the room, the coun selors will ask to keep your phone. This eliminates distractions and allows a student
to better regulate themselves, according to Patane.
The counselors have also set a 15-minute time limit to manage the amount of time a student may spend in the room, which helps them know if the students are safe and un derstand their needs, according to Pennell.
“We want to make sure, if they’re using it a lot, maybe there’s something deeper going on and we need to find resources for them,” Pennell said.
A $25,000 private donation was given to Zionsville Community Schools specifi cally for mindfulness spaces and resources throughout Zionsville schools, according to Principal Tim East. The development of the room in the Counseling office was delayed due to Covid-19 and construction.
While many students have not yet heard about the mindfulness room, East said that creating such spaces around the school can help students regulate their emotions in a safe manner.
“Meeting the needs of our students and helping them reduce anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and help students become academically successful are very important” to our school’s community, East said.
“There are times we just need to be right now in our moment,” East said. “This is the time I have. This is the time of my day, my life, my moment that I have control over everything. I can’t change the past. I can’t change the future. I can control right now.”
Famousfor ghosts, monsters, zombies, witches and so much more, Halloween is one of the most celebrated holidays. But what if some of these stories are true? Accord ing to indianahauntedhouses.com, there are supposedly haunted places in Indiana, some even right here in Zionsville; bridges, man sions, and more. Let’s dive into the history of some of them!
The James Allison Mansion, located at Marion University was built between 1911 and 1914 after James Allison bought the land after achieving financial success. He ended up divorcing his wife and moved on to marrying a former employee. James Allison died of pneumonia when he was 56.
After Allison’s death, The Sisters of St. Francis of Oldenbug, who were a group of religious women who were committed to the Gospel, purchased the land to create a college with a library, classrooms, and dorms for their use. According to hauntedhouses.org, people who visit the location claim to see an apparition of a little girl, hearing voices in the attic, and the movement of objects. The ghost of James Allison himself is also said to haunt this location.
The Avon Bridge which is in Hendricks county is another spooky spot. According to roadsideamerica.com, the legend states that a mother was walking with her baby on the train tracks and she slipped and fell to her death, along with the baby. The story says the mother was screaming as she fell. If you drive under the bridge, you have to honk to muffle her screams.
Another tale is of a construction worker. This particular worker was working on the repairs of the bridge when he slipped and fell
into a large vat of concrete. His fellow workers tried to pull him out of the concrete, but failed. The worker sank and was encased in the concrete, causing his death.
The Harbinger staff had the privilege to visit this location! The Holiday Drive Bridge, or O’Neal Bridge is located in Zionsville where the access drop is in Turkey Foot Park. Today it’s known as just being the pretty red bridge in the golf course on Holiday Drive. But, according to indianahauntedhouses.com, some stories say this was the place of KKK actions, including several lynchings.
Our experience started out fine. Along with Mary Demarco, we all began to walk to the bridge on the trail. The bridge was about ¾ a mile from where we parked. Our walk was normal up until we got to the bridge. Knowing that this place was haunted was very strange and the term “heebie-jeebies” was repeated many times.
We got our photos, walked around a little bit, with no strange occurrences. Until, Demarco had a sudden heart pain while at the same time, Burch got a mosquito bite that wasn’t even there. We all decided then and there to start to head back to the car to listen to the audio recordings we took. Strange things, such as rocks rolling with no push and strange noises happened on the way back.
One particular audio recording caught us off guard. While Moreland was recording, the microphone was closest to the other two girls, but all you can here is a steady beat. The voices of Burch and Demarco were muffled, the rhythm overpowering their voices.
So what about you? Do you believe in haunted places? Do you have the guts to visit these places?
By Josie Brackett, Staff
By Georgianna Moreland, Staff
nights sleep is important for a student’s health and their func tion and performance in school, according to a study by Cornell University. Without a good night’s sleep, students have an inability to concentrate. Homework helps students prioritize good grades, but often, students stay up later to complete assignments and projects, but this can be dangerous for all people, not just students.
“Sleep improves and consolidates mem ories (like the memories of things that you learn in school), it repairs and restores cells, prevents diseases, removes toxins from your brain, promotes physical growth, relieves fatigue, moodiness and anxiety, and helps to promote positive wellbeing.” Amanda Harmon, AP Psychology teacher said.
“If you have issues with not remember ing what you studied, feeling run down or anxious, or feeling exhausted, sleep can help with all of that,” Harmon said. “If you’re not getting the recommended amount of sleep, you need to consider the priority of your behavior.”
A large number of students at ZCHS are sleep deprived, myself included. For every class that I went to, I asked the students how many of them were sleep deprived. A
survey I conducted shows that 21/28 who were asked if they suffered from sleep depri vation stated they were.
A lack of sleep can cause negative emotions, erratic behavior, and irritability to occur.
Several of my study hall teachers have not allowed students to nap and sleep in study halls. I think that be allowed and that there should even be a designated nap time during the school day, like during lunch. This would be beneficial because this offers a chance for students to refresh their minds and bodies for the rest of the day.
Students should be more focused on getting more sleep than making sure a project is turned in on time. If you focus on a specific school assignment rather than sleep, then that will affect all of your classes because you won’t have enough energy to pay attention in any class. If you focus on the opposite, then it will affect that one class rather than your entire education.
Another potential cause of poor sleep is social media and technology. This includes educational apps, and social media, along with reading, watching tv, and sports and work schedules.
Students should also be more focused
on sleep because this can affect how you interact with others.
In my experience lacking enough sleep, I have noticed that I am not as engaged in classes. Without sleep or exercise, I am more harsh and have a short temper with my family and friends.
According to Nationwidechildren, the average amount of sleep that a high school student gets is about 7 ½ hours. The amount needed on average to function fully, is 9 ½. Students need this amount of sleep because their bodies and minds are still growing and developing.
“Are you on a scholarship track for your sport or do you plan to be a profes sional athlete? If not, and if your sport is taking away time that you could spend getting a healthy amount of sleep, could you get your physical fitness and group fun through another less-time consuming activity? How much leisure time are you spending on your phones during the day or at home instead of getting your homework done? Could you manage your time better to prioritize sleep? If you can you should,” Harmon said.
So
Seniors Ava Staffacher, Del aney Greeson, Elli Hoang, and Elizabeth Bradley grab McDonalds on a Friday.
Photos by Amelia Meyers
Specialparking spots for each student, leaving classes early to get to the next one on time, and longer lunch periods outside school zones. This is what first comes to mind when I think of senior privileges. However, as I and my fellow seniors have come to learn, the reality is far from the expectation.
After three long years of grueling, hard work, in addition to the stress of applying to colleges, many high schools reward seniors by giving them special privileges. However, in recent years, it has come to my attention that many of these privileges have been restricted or revoked and much of the senior class are, like me, dissatisfied with the lack of perks, like senior parking and extra time during lunch breaks.
Kayden Barnhart, senior, said that the reality about senior privileged lunches fell short of fulfilling his expectations.
“I was mostly looking forward to leaving school to go to lunch with friends,” Barnhart said. “But we’re given so little time to get food, eat it, and drive back to school.”
Along with Barnhart, I feel sort of lim ited with senior privileges this year rather than feeling more relaxed and enjoying the extras. It’s a sense of pride for seniors to show their independence but how can that feeling of freedom be achieved with the current set of restrictions around privileg es?
“Sometimes I want to leave my seventh period study hall early, and I can’t. Just like how I can’t get an extra few minute for lunch. They expect us to act like adults, but they treat us like children thinking we
won’t be responsible to make it if we’re given extra time,” Barnhart said.
While many seniors agree that some restrictions must be put in place due to safety precautions, that doesn’t excuse the need for extra time during the open lunch period on Fridays. The lack of time makes Friday lunches more bitter than sweet.
“I understand that restrictions are need ed for a few reasons, to keep the students safe and make sure we’re not ditching, but sometimes they feel a little too restrictive.” Barnhart said. “It makes it hard to really embrace that senior experience.”
Although there is some tension con sidering how the limitations impact that senior experience, not all seniors feel as agi tated by the limitations of senior privileges. Ava Delvecchio, a senior, feels that while this year’s senior privileges are restricted, it does not take away from the senior experi ence these privileges grant.
“We would all love more privileges,” Delvecchio explains. “But with everyone wanting extensions to privileges and some to be added entirely it is just not possible to put that into the reality.”
With a less than a 30 minute time limit during lunch, Delvecchio often tries to make the most of the short window she has even with the restrictions.
“We must remember that we still get the experience of leaving campus for lunch with our friends instead of eating in the cafeteria,” Delvecchio said. “It gives you something to look forward to even within the set restrictions.”
While the senior students stand divided as to whether lunch privileges are too
restrictive, another privilege isn’t even on the table- senior parking.
“On social media, I’ve seen schools that allow for special parking spots and areas for seniors, and they can design it however they want. I think that’d be really fun for everyone.” Delvecchio said.
The early bird gets the worm as the say ing goes, especially in the mornings before school as students arrive early in order to get that perfect spot.
“I’ve been going to this school for three years and driving for about a year, so it’d be nice if I come to school not having ro get up extra early to have a parking spot waiting for me,” Barnhart said.
Although I stand by senior privileges being too restrictive; there isn’t much we can change about them. It’s important to embrace our bestowed advantages even if they are sometimes tough to enjoy.
“We’re only seniors for a short while, the best thing to do is make the most of what we do have,” Delvecchio said.
-Early dismissal after 7th period or during study hall hoursSeniors Kaylynn Simpson and Hannah Patrick at Star bucks for lunch.
Top: The
on
Bottom Right: Senior Davis Wagner participates in a
created by the student section club on Sept.
Bottom Left: Student teacher Laurel
conducts
at the