September 2022 Vol. 55, Issue 2 HARBINGER Meet the people who help run the school that ‘never sleeps’ Zionsville Community High School 1000 Mulberry St. Zionsville, Indiana p. 14-16
All around us good things are happening each day. I challenge you to look around as you’re walking from class to class. Look for the good in people. Look for friends who are supporting each other through both triumphant and tough times. Look for those that make a positive impact on others. It could be a friend, someone in the faculty, literally anyone. Hold onto at least one thing that made your day better if all else fails. And if you can’t find that one thing…. Well, tomorrow is a new day.
Mary DeMarco, Editor in Chief
It seems that people don’t sit back and smell the roses as much as they maybe should. Honestly, good is hap pening all around us. For example, just when school starts to feel long and mo notonous, the student council pumps up the spirit and creates something to look forward to like Homecoming. (p. 12) And if the fun of Homecoming is already fading fast, you don’t have to go far to find a friendly face in the faculty at ZCHS. (pgs. 15-17)
Cover (featured clockwise from top): Kevin Nibbs, Liz Overberg, Marlene Knisely, and Jenny Hoyer. Cover photos by Brooklyn Brown and Mary DeMarco
Editorial
Mary DeMarco, Editor in Chief
of you have noticed, there have been many cuts this year in sports teams. Some people may have started the year feeling really disappointed. They’re seeing teammates go out to practice while they stay behind. Let those friends know that just because something doesn’t work out, it doesn’t mean that they aren’t good enough. The most powerful thing we can do is to uplift ourselves and others through the ups and downs of life.
EditorfromNoteThe
A month into the school year, the workload is beginning to hit hard. It feels like one thing piles on another, and suddenly you’re overwhelmed by a seemingly insurmountable load of homework. It’s easy to feel burned out early on. While there’s no answer to magically fix this struggle, there are some things that can help you get through the year not totally frazzled and stressed out. More than ever we need to be cheering each other on and leaning on one Everyanother.student at ZCHS is struggling or stressed out about something. While it’s difficult to look outside of your own stresses, and the problems that consume your day, it’s important to remember to be the person for others that you’d want to have in your life.
in a pretty tense society, one that’s boiling, almost ready to implode at times with anger, whether due to national debates such as the overturn ing of Roe v. Wade (pgs. 4-5) or just the wear and tear of daily life.
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 opin ions in the magazine do not necessarily represent those of ZCHS or Zionsville Community Schools.
Amelia Loewer Josie
Editor in Chief Mary DeMarco Art & Graphics Editor Brooklyn Brown Social Media Editor
When you recognize a friend or a peer going above and beyond with an assignment or even just in life, give them that recognition. Tell them how good they’re doing or how much effort you’ve noticed they’ve put into a project or task.Asmany
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3 ContentsStudentLifeNews Opinions Divided Over Roe Decision 4 This wasn’t on My 2022 Bingo Card 6 4 10 ScenesBehindHomecoming:the1312 Broader Horizons Feature FeatureFaculty14 theLearnin’Ropes17 Opinion Student Survey22 Harb Highlights24 Here’s the Scoop 2019 Pump up the Spirit Sports “Fund”amentals 8 Cutversation 9 Getting Girls in the Game1711
“There were lots of young folks that came down at the Statehouse to express their disappointment,” Ford said. There were also some young folks down there that were expressing their support for Senate Bill
President of the Young Republicans Paul Wheeler, senior, said leaving abortion laws up to the states is “beneficial.”
Protesters gather and display signs at a pro-choice rally on June 25 at Monument Square. Photos
“I think it’s a good opportunity to have,” Wheeler said. “You can see it in states like Kansas where they put it on a voter referen dum, to allow the people to decide. I think it’s better, allowing it to have individual ruling in each state rather than one federal government ruling.”
By Adanna Mbanu, Staff
Opinion Divided Over Roe Decision, New Indiana Law
BillpassedSenateHousecantheotherKentuckyturnedRoeplacelawhaveIndianament.Whiledidn’tatriggerputintoafterwasoverlikeandstates,RepublicontrolledandquicklySenate1,makingfirst10
in the passage of SB1.
Students find ways to voice opposition, support for abortion
When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, senior Grace Noble was studying abroad in France, Upon hearing the news, Noble said her heart dropped.“Ididn’t
On June 24, Roe v. Wade was overturned, tightening abortion laws nationwide. The
weeks of pregnancy. The bill was scheduled to take effect on Sept. 15, if not blocked by legal
Ford said the ma jority of young people he talked to expressed their disappointment
State Representative Donna Schaibley, a Republican who represents Zionsville as part of District 24, points to the new law’s excep tions “to protect the life and the physical health of the mother, and in cases of rape and incest, and when a fetus is diagnosed with lethal fetal anomaly.”
find out about it right away when it happened because we didn’t have our phones and we only had access to the Internet for an hour a week,” Noble, the Students for Choice Club President, said. “So a group of my friends sat down to write to me about it. So I obviously spent all of my internet time looking at news from the U.S. It just felt absolutely unreal.”
When SB1 was passed, Senator J.D. Ford, a Democrat representing the 29th district which includes Zionsville, could hear protesters from inside the Sen ate chamber chanting and stomping
Because she was overseas at the time, No ble missed the chance to attend early protests and “mourn the loss and grieve and have solidarity.”“Icame back and actually had less rights than I did when I left,” Noble said.
- Students for Choice Club
“It’s really helpful to feel like you’re doing something productive with your anger and sadness and hopefully making a change or inspiring change,” Noble said. “It’s one thing to be angry, locked in your room, scrolling about what’s happening. It’s a totally differ ent feeling that releases a lot of emotion to be out on the street with other people who are having the same emotions as you.”
“We also ensured that mothers will not be criminalized in any way,” Schaibley said in a statement provided by her press secre tary. “Moving forward, I expect to continue conversations about how we can decrease the number of unintended pregnancies by increasing access to birth control, and empowering women through education and prevention programs.”
News 5
- Young Republicans Club
Page Program
- Young People in Current Events Club
In terms of the SB1 being passed, Ford said most legislators found the process stressful.“Itwas so problematic that nobody enjoyed this bill,” Ford said. The pro-choice folks didn’t like that bill, pro-life people didn’t like that bill. So we argued that if nobody likes it, then we should just stop and give it more time that it deserves next Janu ary. But, they wanted to ram it through and I don’t think we’re prepared for it.”
the future” and women who could potentially be pregnant that “just lost their choice.”
What to know more about how state government works? Want to see legislators in session working on bills like SB1? The Page Pro gram is available in both the Indi ana House & Senate. Students in terested in becoming a page should contact Democratic or Republican state organizations. Information can also be found online.
Noble said the state’s new law is “insult ing.”Every single child should be chosen,” Noble said. “It’s ridiculous to me that we act like we’re doing these favors by forcing these babies to be born into the world. I mean our infrastructure is not equipped for that.”
Other Ways to Get Involved
“We live in a man’s world, we always have, and probably always will,” Tussinger said. Disappointment and rage has been chan neled through protests nationwide, which Noble calls “empowering.”
- Phone Banking
Looking for information about the bill, or about abortion laws in general, can be challenging, especially finding a source that’s trustworthy.“Iwould encourage folks to go to the General Assembly website at iga.in.gov. And specifically look for SB1 and to read it and to understand it and to see what it does and does not do,” Ford said. “It’s a very monu mental piece of legislation.”
- Canvassing
- Young Democrats Club
Arianna Tussinger, junior, is “scared for
Graphic by Brooklyn Brown
“I personally feel that Amber Heard was look ing for Johnny to be publicly exploited as a bad person to put her in a better light. However, this was a major fail and I’m very happy that she looks stupid now and Johnny is a goat” Ella Heiner, junior,
6 News
Thissaid.two month trial quickly went viral and had everyone picking sides. With most being “Team Johnny,” his win in the courtroom was exciting to see.
THIS Wasn’t on My The past few years blur together when we try to recount all of the crazy events that have taken place. If you’re behind, don’t worry! We’re here to get you up-to-speed on everything you should know about celebrities, athletes, and more from the summer. 2022 Bingo Card...
Kicking off summer, on June 1 was the Amber Heard v Johnny Depp trial, which cast doubts over his future acting career. Depp’s win in the courtroom awarded him over $10 million in compensation. Many people became obsessed with this case and watched the entirety of it online.
By Greta Reed, Staff
On July 1, the award winning show “Stranger Things” hit screens again for its fourth season. After waiting almost three years for this season, fans were on the edge of their seats to find out what would happen next in this sci-fi, 80s refer ence filled show.
Aug. 8 brought the unexpect ed death of Olivia Newton-John. This world renowned star was known among many generations for her portrayal of Sandy in “Grease.”“Shewas one of the most iconic figures in the entertain ment world and it was a shock to hear about her passing,” Khayley Tharp, junior, said.
“I think half the people watch it for Steve Harrington.” Ava Fleming, junior,Whilesaid.it wasn’t what all fans were expecting, most are looking forward to the future of what this show will bring and what will hap pen next with the cast.
Many people looked to the Queen as a constant in their lives no matter where they were in the world.. She had been in power since 1952 which is for most of us, our entire lives. The day of, King Charles III became King of England and his wife Camilla Parker Bowles as Queen Consort.
“I found out about ‘The Summer I Turned Pret ty’ on TikTok and immediately put it in the Barnes and Nobles cart,” Maddie Kaltenmark, junior, said. “It’s a great series, one I read in English last year and probably freaked out my classmates with how I reacted to the plot-twists because it was so good. Though the TV show is top tier with outstanding casting, costumes, music, and everything else.”
News 7
On June 2-3, the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II was celebrated. This was the celebration of her 70th year as queen making her the second longest reigning monarch in British history.
On July 17 Jenny Han stole our hearts with the new hit TV show based off the book series “The Summer I Turned Pretty.” This Amazon Prime show captivated its viewers, making them beg for another season.
The show inspired many to read the series to figure out what happens next in the engaging series and the audience eagerly awaits the next seasons of this show.
Just four months later, the world would stop; hearing the news of the Queen’s death on Sept. 8 at 96 years old. While those in the United Kingdom might be more affected by this news, for Americans it’s still shocking.
“I mean she could probably pay her way out of prison. She has like $300 million dollars,” Sapna Srinivasan, sophomore, said.
August 11, the Cubs made history yet again while winning the 2022 Field of Dreams game against the Cincinnati Reds.“The Field of Dreams game is a spectacle to see every year. Hopefully the MLB continues to have it,” Mateo Wells, junior said.
“I do think that it is a big milestone for the Queen.” Ozzy Inman, junior, said.
The Field of Dreams game is a fan favorite, though the MLB will not be hosting this game in 2023 making this year’s a special one to see, especially for Cubs fans.
The accusation could heavily influ ence the rest of the pop star’s life.
The news of Shakira being accused of tax fraud hit on July 27. Shakira al legedly missed a total of six payments to the Spanish government and could face up to eight years in prison.
The Cheer team works at an elementary cheer clinic over the summer. Photo submitted by Alex Bennet
“Some of our fundraisers are to raise money to buy new tents for the meets and competitions as well as pay for extra team uniforms and gear for some of the runners so that the money doesn’t come from the coaches. We also volunteer at events such as the Zionsville Half-Mar athon. We mostly help to maintain the water stations and pack up tents. The entry fees go to the cross country teams.”
How does it feel to be behind-thescenes at these events?
Ryan Luke, 12, Cross Country
“I loved it. Last year I oversaw showing everyone the course. and getting to talk to the elementary kids. They get so excited about it. They’re always enthusiastic. They never quite know what’s going on, but they really don’t care. They’re just excited. It was awesome to be able to go out there and cheer them on and really show them some support.”
By Amelia Meyers, Staff
What types of fundraisers do you do?
What is the purpose behind team fundraisers?
How do you promote fundraising events?
“We help with a lot of all the newcomers at meets in the summer. During the elementary school mile we try to get as many people as possible hanging signs and spreading the word and such just for the community to help show some support.”
8 Sports
“Every year we hold an elementary school mile where we try to get all the elementary school kids out of the classroom for a bit. We like to show them the course and talk to them about how to run a mile and get them involved.”
These teams find unique ways to raise money
SportsFallamentals FUND-
“Most of the promoting stuff is done through social media, the ath letic and football pages, and wearing team gear on social media or to school, but the student section also gives us a big hand to promote the team. Unfortunately, we don’t get to come up with the themes, but we do participate on the sidelines and dress up in support.”
“Surprisingly we’re not really a big fundraising team, we kind of just have our big card sale at the beginning of the year and most of our fundraising goes through fees to help pay for team dinner costs and after-game snacks or Gatorade.”
“Our coaches help us prepare stuff for the Youth Cheer Clinics which are held every year around September and part of what we do is make these t-shirts for little girls who want to take part in our clinics. We also help make some posters and send them to all the parents just to promote the cheer clinic. We also try to figure out a schedule or skills for the events. Mostly, we just teach them the jumps, drills, combina tions.”
“It’s a great way to promote the cheer team, even if it’s hard to pro mote the events themselves because no one’s really interested in the cheer team. Mostly everyone’s interested in the football teams and that stretches from just the students here. However, it’s a fun way to really put the team out there because we all show up altogether as a team. When people see us inviting these little kids out to learn cheer leading or showing up and working as a team at the restaurant fundraisers, it’s a great image for the cheer leading teams. I love getting to connect with these kids who have a passion for cheer or just working with my teammates during these events.”
Kailyn Feeser, 12, Football Management
Would you like to do fundraisers for the football team in the future?
What do these fundraisers mean to you?
What is the best part about these fundraisers?
Do you do anything to help promote the football teams?
“For our Rush-On Main fundraiser, the cheer moms helped us set it up. They reach out to the staff and establish a date and time for us to help work there and we get paid half of what the staff gets for that day. The fees help pay for uniforms since we’ve had the same uniforms for a while and we’re in need of new ones. We might use whatever money is left over to pay for anything else we need or want like game day materials; glitter, new bows, poms, tattoos, things like that, or even attire for themes.”
“They’re really cool because you see these little kids and they’re so excited to see us and to learn how to cheer. It’s just so cute because they want to learn. We’re role models or inspirations for them because they want to cheer when they get older.”
“I’d love to do something like a flag football clinic for elementary school students, open to anyone who wants to try it out and have different activities and stations. It’d be a really cool way to further promote the teams and raise money. I would love to help organize it all especially being interested in sports management and getting to see kids being excited to play and learn football skills.”
Alex Bennet, 12, Cheer
How do fundraisers help the cheer team?
Does the football team host any sort of fundraiser?
Sports 9
As cheer captain, what is your role in preparing fundraisers?
The Carmel girls rugby team huddles at their first practice on Aug. 22. The team includes players from Zionsville, Carmel, Brownsburg and more.
10 Sports
Photo by Mary Demarco
By the end of the practice, girls were cheer ing each other on in foot races, practicing kicks, knocking into each other, and throw ing arms around their teammates.
In rugby, nothing in the rules or play changes between the girls’ and boys’ teams. “Everything’s the same,” Ngo said. “That’s
“People at Carmel really don’t care. It’s people here [at ZCHS] that get mad at me,” Ngo said. “They’re like, ‘you play for Carmel!’ But there’s not a team here, so it’s not like I have a choice.”
Yup! We don’t have really enough people to be picky,” Ngo said.
“You don’t have to know anything about it beforehand,” Ngo said. “Not that many people know rugby but it’s just a really good opportunity if you want to do a sport. A lot of people just try out rugby because their friends tell them to and then they end up quitting their main sport instead.”
“We’re constantly trying to fight and fight and get the equality that the boys get,” Roma no said. “We don’t play for ourselves we play for each other.”
Sports 11
The girls rugby players run drills during their first practice on Aug. 22. Photo by Mary Demarco
“I was coaching the youth teams,” Roma no said. “And I was blessed with being asked to coach the first all-girls team for seventh and eighth grade. They gave them the boys’ hand-me-downs and I was appalled because girls don’t just get boys’ hand-me-downs. That’sRomanorude.”said her first practices as coach she didn’t have control of the team, as the practices were run with the boys’ team.
At the first practice of the season, some girls walked in with confidence while others were content to stay quiet and follow the crowd. Romano called for a huddle and asked, ‘Who here has ever played rugby or knows what it’s about?’ About half the hud dle raised their hands.
By Mary DeMarco, Editor in Chief
what a lot of people like about it because we don’t change anything. Same pitch, same ball, sameTherules.”only differences, according to Roma no, are the treatment each team receives.
These athletes aren’t the disheveled rugby boys in Zi onsville jerseys, though. For starters, they’re girls. And erase that Eagle-green jersey from your mind. These girls are clad in Carmel Greyhound navy blue and yellow, even the ones from Zionsville like junior Sarah “Everybody’sNgo.in.
The sweet smell of white clovers is all around, having just narrowly escaped the clipping of a riding mower. A bag as big as a middle schooler filled with rugby balls is dropped unceremo niously next to what most would consider to be the end zone, but for this pur pose, it’s the trizone. Soon, the athletes arrive, throwing water bottles on the old, crumbling parking lot near the field and shouting greet ings to their teammates.
An all-girls rugby team is uncommon, but, that doesn’t mean girls don’t want to play the sport.“Sadly, a lot of people just think that when you have a little girl she’s going to dance and when you have a little boy they’re going to be in sports,” coach Kelly Romano said. “I’ve never met somebody who’s been set on those paths who’s been completely happy with that.”
Ngo plays for the area’s only all-girl rugby team, with players hailing from Carmel, Zionsville, Sheridan, Brebeuf, and Lebanon.
Olympics. I’m preparing them to be good leaders out in the world and good humans. Rugby is just the cherry on top.”
“I was like, this isn’t working, I’m not doing this. Then we split half the pitch with them. We couldn’t even get full pitch,” Romano said.Romano has worked to create a safe envi ronment for girls to get out of their comfort zone, playing a sport almost completely new to “Imost.want all these humans to get better,” Romano said. “This is a platform for you to do you. And that’s important. This is high school. I’m not preparing anybody for the
Getting GIRLS in the GettingGameGIRLSintheGame
“I don’t think any coach is going to keep any player that has diffi culty getting along with Steveteammatestheirandfollowingtherules.”-GolfCoachSimmons
Leading up to the cut, Weesies had a gut feeling she wasn’t going to make the team and “prepared myself for the bad news,” she said.Still,
through junior year I played quarterback because that’s what I wanted to play. But I’ve been behind Christan [Abney] and he’s a D1 commit so it’s hard to break that,” Cawi
“You can be a manager,” Cooley said.
Simmons said he tries “to give an honest assessment to the player face-to-face.”
“I still get to practice and I think being a manager gives me an advantage for next year,” Weesies said.
Weesies is still undecided about whether she will try out again next year, but thinks being the manager helps her odds.“If I don’t decide to play, I would still want to be the social media yearofsenior,playeradaptable.toplayersdefinitelyWeesiesmanager,”said.“It'sfun.”AnotherroutecantakeisbeflexibleandFootballLauerCawi,hasseenalotchangesinthelastwithhissport.“Freshmanyear
“I told the coach that I just wanted to play and I would play wherever I could just to play,” Cawi said. “I've ended up playing five different positions this year alone, I've played quarterback, tight end, outside linebacker, and both safety positions that we have on our defense.”
Claire Weesies, 11, took on the role of volleyball team social media manager, a role she was offered after not making the team.
best way to deliver it,” Cooley said. “Other schools send emails or just go down a list and read off names.”
Cut versation
There are times when cuts are needed, often due to limited spots and play time.
Boys varsity golf coach Steve Sim mons called cuts “the worst part of the job.” Coach Kristen Cooley, a girls soccer assistant coach, agreed “cutting is the worst“Wepart.”don’t take it lightly,” Cooley said. According to Simmons, there are some qualities that coaches look for in players, like if they are a team player, have personality, and will put in the work needed. Coaches also search for negative qualities. Cheating or anger issues, for instance, may set off alarms in coaches'
By George Waller, Staff
Photo by George Waller
As the student body grows in number, the size of many sports teams is staying the same. With more students trying out for teams, students may have noticed an increase in athletes being cut.
Cawi’s openmindedness made it so he can continue to do what he loves. He still sees football in his future and he thinks he made the right decision.
“I was upset,” Weesies said.
Your heart starts to sink as you search frantically for your name on the just-posted team roster. It’s not there. The questions creep in. “Why didn’t I make it?” “What can I do now?”
Simmons and Cooley both said they sit down with players one on one and talk with them about how to improve.
“I love playing football so in general the position switch was a good idea,” Cawi said.
“Someheads.kids have more determination than others,” Simmons said. “I don’t think any coach is going to keep any player that has difficulty getting along with their team mates and following the rules.”
“What do they bring to the team?” CooleyCoachessaid.must also consider how to deliver the news and how to make it so the player can improve and gain the most from the “Weexperience.haven’t figured out what is the
hearing the news wasn’t easy.
Weesies sees being a manager as an opportunity for growth.
An athlete who gets cut from a team may want to step back and ask if it’s because of skill or the ability to be a good teammate.
Coaches may suggest alternative routes the player can go to extend their relation ship with the team.
Getting cut can feel like the coach is slamming the door in your face. However, willing athletes often find new doors open ing instead.
12 Sports
Anticipatingsaid. that he was most likely not going to get the spot he wanted, Cawi decided to do something about it.
Getting cut from a team can be an opportunity for growth, after the disappointment
However, Zucker said she is thankful for these challenges because they shaped her experience and led to personal growth. She said her time abroad helped her gain leadership skills, such as responsibility and organization, and helped her become more outgoing and adventurous.
Noble loved spending more time outside during the school day and how the windows in her classrooms were almost always open.
“My French was very bad before the program,” Noble said. And now? “French is superZuckereasy.”said she improved because she lived with her host family, allowing her to be completely immersed.
Alessandrini, Raches, Zucker, and Noble all recommend that students participate in study abroad programs.
By Madeline Wilson,
also struggled with homesickness.
The immersion process took longer for Grace Noble, 12, who studied in Saumur, France. Noble said she felt really comfort able with her host family, especially her host mom, by the last few weeks of her trip.
experience life abroad through IUHPFL
don’t interact as much as the kids there do,” Raches said. “We have little cliques here; they’re all one big group.”
broader horizons
The trip also gave Zucker a new idea of what she wants to do in the future. She was already interested in business, but now she may study international business in French.
Student Life 13
“Because of this program, I want to continue to experience new things and new cultures, and understand people,” Zucker said.According to Alessandrini, students who participate in a study abroad program gain confidence, self-reliance, and responsibility.
“If you have the resources and oppor tunity to study abroad, I totally, 100% recommend it,” Noble said. “But even if you don’t, I still think you can find a lot of value in just putting yourself in a new, vulnerable, uncomfortable situation.”
“I really understood the natural way that French people talk or act,” Zucker said.
Of course, studying abroad for six weeks is not free of challenges. Raches and Zucker both said the language barrier made com munication difficult, and Zucker said she
“I knew I liked French, but I didn’t real ize that it was something that I could keep doing for the rest of my life,” Zucker said.
Junior Charlotte Raches and Friend Gail Miller Granada, Spain
Senior Grace Noble and Junior Mara Lusk Paris, France
The only catch? No English and no phone.Over the summer, several ZCHS students immersed themselves in a new culture while studying abroad in either Spain or France with the IU Honors Program in Foreign Language.Charlotte
When not with their host families or traveling, IU Honors Program students attended school in their exchange countries, noting major differences from American schools.“We
“I felt like I really was in Spain, like it was real,” Raches said.
because I was with all of my friends from the program and we had the opportunity to go to new places,” Zucker said.
“You really got to talk to everyone because you don’t have your phone,” Raches said. “I made so many close friends that I’m still in touch with.”
“Six weeks is a long time to be away from family, friends, and just commonalities you are used to,” Zucker said.
Raches’ favorite parts of the trip were the bus rides to other cities because she got to know and connect with the other students.
Raches, 11, spent six weeks in Ciudad Real, Spain. She said she felt im mersed in the Spanish culture by the third day because her host family had already helped her improve her Spanish skills.
“It’s very obvious that they’ve grown a lot as people when they’ve been gone,” Alessandrini said.
“I felt like my personality was able to come through a little bit,” Noble said. “I was able to make jokes a little bit more, and just connect more.”
Photos by: Emily ___, Jay Hargrove, and Yara Hage
“It was so nice to be in nature so much more,” Noble said. “It felt less claustropho bic, and everything felt just brighter and nicer, and it was just a much better environ ment for Lindsaylearning.”Alessandrini, the World Lan guages department chair and a Spanish teacher, said immersion is the best way to build skills in a foreign language.
StudentsStaff
Molly Zucker, 12, also spent her summer in Saumur and said her favorite memories were also the excursions. She traveled to Par is, Normandy, and several castles through out“IFrance.think those were the best times, just
New friends, great food, no parents— sounds like the perfect summer, right?
Junior Molly ZuckerSaumur, France
But Noble wasn’t even sure she would get into the program. Much of French I and II were online for her because of COVID-19, which hindered her learning.
“We made our own ranch dressing, we deep fried French fries, we deep fried shrimp poppers, we made our own cookies from scratch, we made our own cinnamon rolls from scratch,” Knisley said. “We do not do thatTheanymore.”shiftaway from fresh made food was brought on by a multitude of factors; healthy choice regulations took away French fries, and too many students with too little staff means practical and quick options have become necessary. Above all, finding the food
itself has become a problem since the pandemic, and menu changes have been made to compensate.
During her time managing the lunch staff she has seen more than just building advance ments, but also shifts in procedure overall. Everything in the school’s kitchen used to be made from scratch, and Knisley was a part of the entire process.
The changes will only continue to come with the current construction on the build ing, and plans to open yet another cafeteria this school year.
“It’s supposed to open this spring,” Knis ley said, “which is exciting for you guys.”
Although Knisley never attended college, she feels that after 33 years of working at ZCHS she has “learned a lot,”
Get to know some of the faculty members who make ZCHS what it is!
Faculty theFeaturing
After
33 years of serving high schoolers their lunches, cafeteria manager Mar lene Knisley has been witness to over three decades of advancements.
“Of the job that is the hardest thing, just trying to keep up with the supply of getting our food in,” Knisley said. “Oh my goodness, my day to day life is busy.”
Along with managing other cafeteria staff, Knisley handles the supply orders, and is still very hands on in the kitchen.
To many students’ the busy life of Knisely might sound overwhelming, but working in the kitchen is a way of pursuing her dreams.“Inschool I loved cooking…I love to cook, I still cook at home, I entertain lots and lots,” Knisley said. “So that’s where I feel I want to be. That’s what I like to do, so that’s what I do.”
By Brooklyn Brown, Art Direct or
Marlene Knisely prepare food for for C lunch on Thursday, Sept. 1.
Knisley’s Kitchen
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“I love my coworkers; they’re the best,” Knisley said. “We’ve been together for a long time.”
“Oh my gosh, you can’t even imagine how much it’s changed from when I started,” Knisley said.
Photo by Brooklyn Brown
“Enjoy your job if you’re going to have to go there every day,” Knisley said. “Just follow your dream.”
“I serve breakfast every morn ing,” Knisley said. “I help on the floor; I help to do the cooking.”
Her appreciation for her longtime career goes further than just a passion for cooking.
people check out books here?” is just one of the many questions that high school librarian and media specialist, Liz Overberg, answers on a daily basis. The media center, or library, is a place to read, get questions answered, visit the pet turtle (suitably named Hardcover), use the 3D printer, and Overberg is in the center of it all.“A lot of our frequent fliers here in the li brary don’t necessarily like to read,” Overberg said, “On any given day there’s just a lot of different things happening.”
Managing ‘Las Vegas’
canvas page, students can find online newspapers, audio books, e books, reading recommendations, help with research projects, copyright informa tion and more. She often works with English classes and helps with their projects. Although her responsibili ties are endless, Overberg enjoys her line of work.
thethroughnavigateasstudentsoutlooksaged.”encourpeopletosortsaid,Nibbslife,”throughgrowingandlearningyou’reyears,“Theseall“IoftrykeepNibbsfortheycomplicated
“Sometimes you see some of that going on in the hallway, so you just speak to make them smile,” Nibbs said.
Oh,
The Center of it All
“To me I just feel like it’s part of the job and I like doing it,” Overberg saidShe enjoys working alongside the growing students and creating a healthy environment for them in the library.“Public libraries are sort of known as the one free place people can still go to and you’re not expected to...
The unusual needs of our high school are endless. Nibbs is responsible for hiring the other day lead custodians, and directing how they operate all the daily tasks; turning on safety signs, opening gates in the parking lot, unlocking doors for subs, general setups, tear downs, and clean ups. Nibbs’ job however goes even further.
Nibbs’ goal is to build a healthy relation ship between staff and students.
years of adolescence.
Media specialist Liz Overberg jokes with a student in the library. Photo by Brooklyn Brown
He has worked at almost every school in the district and considers himself “one of the dinosaurs” due to holding his job title for around 13 years. Contributing to students’ growth has become an active part of Nibbs’ career.
“We’re [students’] friends, we’re not au thority. Some people rebel against authority,”
Nibbs’ team of friendly helpers has suc cessfully contributed to years of prestigious school“I’mrankings.proudevery time they say we’ve become a five star school,” Nibbs said, “ I feel like we played some part in that… I say kudos to everyone because it took a team.”
Nibbs said “We’re part of that team to help.”
“We have a Canvas course that every stu dent is enrolled in where there are links to all of our research databases,” Overberg said. Thanks to Overberg, on the media center’s
Nibbs manages “Little Las Vegas”, but his job has nothing to do with the vibrant city in Nevada. Instead, what he calls “Las Vegas” or often “The Beast” refers to the bustling hallways of ZCHS.“There is always something going on,” Nibbs said, “We have so many functions that happen here at the high school; this is not normal.”Nibbs is the event manager for the district and a day lead custodian for the high school.
Kevein Nibbs does more than just maintain a healthy and safe school environment. He also plans out all the events for grades K-12. Photo by Brooklyn Brown
“I’m responsible for the building and all the problems that come along with it,” Nibbs said, “and we have to manage the other events at the elementeries and the middle schools.”
Feature 15 “
The media center’s resources also have an online extension which she also runs.
Continued on page 16
Kevin
“I’ve been a nurse for 20 years,” Hoyer said. “I feel really good about coming to Zionsville. It feels like the community is a really good community to be in.”
Before moving to ZCHS this year, Hoyer worked for Carmel High School. Work ing with teens for so long has helped her become more than a caretaker, but also an educator.“They can kind of tell me what’s going on,” Hoyer said, “But I also have the oppor tunity to do a lot of teaching.”
Her simple message to students is to “take care of yourself.” She hopes students understand that self-care can be as easy as eating breakfast, drinking enough water, and washing your hands. Along with that, she urges students to “keep things in perspec tive.”“This is a pivotal point in your lives, but it’s not the only one,” Hoyer said.
Overberg checks in returned books on Thursday, Sept. 1.
Nurse Jenny Hoyer enters the day’s logs after lunch on Thursday, Sept. 1. Photo by Brooklyn Brown
For the first four years in her field she worked with middle schoolers, now she has spent the past eight with high school students, a change she was unsure of at first.
Part of her daily duties include instilling healthy practices, aiding in lifestyle man agement, and even educating some students more about their own health issues.
“I get to work with everyone, most teach ers only have 100 to 150 students,” Over berg said. “I really get to see all different people from all different walks of life.”
Continued from pg. 15
“I really, really like this age group,” Overberg said. “I love the part as it gets lat er and later in high school where everyone is figuring out where they want to go. It’s really cool to see everyone off to their post secondary plans.”
“Theneeds.struggles here are a lot of mental health issues and pressure as it relates to kids’ lives,” Hoyer said, “We’re able to kind
She feels that she learns “a lot from high schoolers and it’s a really cool perspective,” to see how teenagers think about the world and current events.
“I Overberg-ofentallpleentallgetreallytoseediffer-peo-fromdiffer-walkslife.”Liz
Photo by Mary Demarco
said.Hoyerthem,”toI’mwhenhopefulmakesbutstruggling,studentsseesadamakeattack.anxiety“ItcanmelittlethatItheseitmeablehelp
of provide a safe space for students who are maybe having a bad day, either at school, or at home, or just otherwise feeling a lot of pressure.”Through a collaborative relationship with the high school counselors, Hoyer and the other nurses help students through physiological matters. That often means providing a dark, quiet room or even some times an ice pack to help cool off someone having an
Although she is new to Zionsville, Jenny Hoyer is no stranger to the busy life of a high school clinic.
“I feel like there’s really no typical day,” Hoyer said. “It’s just whatever blows in from the Hoyerhallway.”said that the clinic isn’t just for “Band-Aids, boo boos, and ice packs,” but also a department to meet students’ mental health
16 Feature
A Safe Place at School
... the school library kind of tries to be an extension of that.”
photo booth, DJ, decorations, theme- all a big part of what made the Homecoming dance amazing. But, how much preparation actually went into Homecoming? And who does all that work?The average turnout for the Homecom ing dance is about 1000 students, accord ing to sponsor Amanda Harmon. While planning an event for maybe 100 students is a lot, imagine planning something where at least half the school is attending?
The planning for the dance, football game, and spirit week began in May, when the dance’s theme of “Beach” was decided, according to Lexi Caniff, senior Homecom ing committee member, said.
“The DJs are students from within the Student Council. They make the playlists based off of recommendations from the Student Council Instagram account,” Caniff said.
The Homecoming Court is another big part of Homecoming week.
“The seniors nominate members of their class. Each senior gets to nominate one person. The five girls with the most nom inations become the Homecoming Court. Then those five names go back out to the seniors and they vote for which one will be the queen,” Harmon said.
The
and share my ideas. I also enjoy being able to contribute to things and also help to make sure that Homecoming is a fun expe rience for everyone.” Caniff said.
By Georgianna Moreland, Staff Homecoming:
But all of this wouldn’t be possible with out the Student Council. So many assume that it’s faculty that plan out most of the dance, but the Homecoming planners might actually have been the people you were dancing next to!
The Homecoming Committee has several meeting throughout the months of August and September leading up to the dance.“We constantly communicate through a group chat to keep ideas flowing,” Caniff said.The committee met at members homes and at school to plan the activities, spirit days, and prepare decorations. The final meeting was the day of the dance to deco rate the field house.
“I wanted to join the Home coming Committee again this year because I like getting to help plan things
“The biggest things we talk about are decorating for both inside and outside the field house, assigning different jobs to everyone to keep everything organized and running smoothly, and just about what we can do to make it an enjoyable night for everyone.” Caniff said.
SeniormemberscommitteeMiaWilhite,WillowBrown,LexiCaniff,ColleenSquier,andSofiaGruionu
Behind the Scenes
The Georgiannaactivities.theCommitteeHomecomingplansdecorationsandPhotosbyMoreland
more and water bottles were offered instead. Besides this, the committee had to plan out that beach-themed photo booth. But what students really came for was the dancing!
The Homecoming committee was made up of about 15 members of the Student Council. Harmon has led the Student Council and Homecoming committee for 15 years.“Itwas something that the school need ed and I had the time to help out,” Harmon said.Caniff has been a member of the com mittee for two years.
In the past, the concession stands were open and the committee bought cupcakes and candy and sodas, but due to COVID-19 restrictions, that can’tpenhapany
Learnin’theRopes
Emilia Lane breaks away to place second in the short go of the INHSRA State finals in June. Photo submitted by Lane
By Emerson Lucas, Staff
When the Lane siblings came to this one-horse town, they brought a passion for rodeo with them
town Zionsville, where football and basketball are all the fuss, Emilia and Craig Lane bring their rodeo roots. Following in the footsteps of their father, they’ve been on a saddle since before they could crawl. Moving here from Colorado, which has one of the largest high school rodeo associations in the country, didn’t stop the Lane siblings from pursuing their passion for the sport.
“You’remodeling.the face of your organization and you’re an ambassador of your sport,” Emilia said. “You really just want to go out and show off the best parts of this really cool sport that isn’t as popular as it should be.”
Want to know more about rodeo? Check out the Indiana High School Rodeo Association at inhsrodeo.com Want to watch rodeo? Oct. Indiana/Kentucky8-9 High School Invitational Rodeo Salem, Indiana
They practice whenever they get free time, usually a few times a week, Craig said. They go to different arenas around Indiana to
Being from a place so unfamiliar with the sport, Craig says when he tells people he does rodeo, reactions can differ.
“My biggest competition is my best friend in the entire world. And I want her to do her best, so that I can do my best.”
With the cost of horses, horse trailers, gear, and traveling, rodeo can be one of the most expensive sports, too.
practice, typically a far drive. They compete around Indiana and occasionally out of state. Craig and Emilia hope to take their rodeo career all the way to college, and maybe even further. Colleges such as the University of Wyoming and Montana State have rodeo teams and offer scholarships. Rodeo is con sidered a Division One sport.
Craig and Emilia have been riding horses from a very young age. Their grandpa does rodeo, as well as their aunt, and their dad.
“It’s pretty cool to just be going down like 35 miles an hour and hang ing off the side of your horse,” Craig said. Like any other sport, rodeo comes with the risk of “You’reinjury.going
In June, Emilia, a senior, was named Miss Indiana High School Rodeo after competing for her third time. To win this title, Emilia competed against other queens in multiple categories, including horsemanship, speech, and
Emilia competes in barrels, team roping, breakaway roping, goat tying, and pole bending. Craig competes in team roping, calf roping, and steer wrestling, his favorite and best event.
“People usually think it’s cool but then there’s also people that’d say it’s not really a sport,” Craig said.
have moved around a lot for their dad’s job and through all the places they have lived, Emilia’s closest friends have always been her rodeo friends.
“I’veagrees.been on a horse since I was pretty much two weeks old, and my dad put me into junior rodeos in our hometown” Emilia said.
- Emilia Lane, 12
Feature19
Emilia says she’d like to go to college to rodeo if she had the chance.
Craig Lane competes in steer wrestling in the short go of the INHRSA State finals to place second and help him place fourth for the whole year. Photo submitted by Lane
“You really just want to go out and show off the best parts of this really cool sport that isn’t as popular as it should be.”
There’s more to rodeo than riding horses and bulls. Craig, a sophomore, and Emilia each compete in several events.
“If I don’t get to continue rodeo to the pro level, I hope to carry it through my future family and keep the sport alive,” Emilia said.
really fast so there’s a lot of ways you can fall and hit your head,” Craig said. “And it’s pretty easy to get a steer horn to the stom ach, or lose a thumb trying to wrap the rope around the horn.”
Craig said that growing up around his dad and his dad’s rodeo friends, he knew that that’s what he was going to do as well. Emilia
“So, I’ve just loved it my whole life.”
Rodeo requires as much athleticism as any other sport.
“If you’re out of shape or not prepared to do your best, you’re letting your horse down,” Emilia said. “It’s 100% a real sport.”
The Lane siblings are the only two people found at ZCHS that rodeo. However, this doesn’t stop them from doing it. From the competition to the lifelong friends they’ve made along the way, Craig and Emilia say there’s nothing else they’d rather spend their time doing.
Insmall
Craig says that when he was in first grade, he fell off his horse and hit his head on a rock, knocking him out for a few hours and caus ing a major concussion. However, he didn’t let this stop him from doing what he loves.
“One of my favorite things about rodeo is that we all push each other” Emilia said.
“I don’t ever really get scared by the risks because I think the better I get at rodeo the smaller they become,” Craig said. Emilia said one of the best things about ro deo is the people you meet that become clos est to you. Some of Emilia’s closest friends live in Kentucky and Ohio. Emilia and Craig
“We think people are going to think it’s not cool to participate in spirit week,” Wleklinski said. “So, we’re really trying to change that.”
Students also all have their own theme ideas in mind. Providing surveys to see what the general consensus is about what themes students do and don’t want to see would be immensely beneficial to school spirit.
Spirit week is a crucial component to the environment, community, and overall vibe of the school. Having so many people not participate is hindering the fun and excite ment that is intended for the week leading up to Homecoming. It’s important for the heads of the student section, teachers, ad ministrators, and students as a whole to do everything they can to encourage the much needed spirit of teenagers.
Sept. 30: Black Out Oct. 7: Jersey Night
For many, spirit week is overlooked. It’s just another week, so why bother dressing up like your going to Hawaii, or even show up to school in your pajamas?
So what can be done to pump up the schoolFirst,spirit?the heads of the student section should change the themes more regularly; it’s important to continue making spirit week more fun for students by having the new heads of the student section create new, relevant themes each year. Adam Sandler Day produced more buzz than the tried and true Jersey Day, for instance.
“I feel like this year we picked out some good themes and we hope to see more par ticipation.” Wleklinski said. “I think in the future, if we start strong this year it’ll roll over into the oncoming years.”
In theory, spirit week is meant to be a fun tradi tion before Homecoming to bolster school spirit; and to many students, school spirit represents support and gratitude for the town they’ve spent most, if not all, of their lives in.
However, myself and many more students, including one of the heads of the student section Matthew Wleklinski, senior, find that spirit week and its themes don’t resonate with the students for a mul titude of reasons.
“I feel like they can obviously make new themes for spirit week, and have competi tions of who did it the best,” Chloe Kelley, junior, said. In the past I’ve had teachers do that and it really motivates you to actually dress up for spirit week.”
Oct. 14: Pink out
Zionsvilleinhisentirelife,andfindsspiritweektobeanimportantpartofthehighschoolexperience.“It’sareallystrongconnectionwiththeschoolandthe
tradition, five days lead ing up to the Homecoming football game and dance when all students are encouraged to dress according to daily themes decided by the heads of the student section. Though spirit week is over, it's time to reflect on our participation points.
What's stopping us from celebrating spirit days? the Spirit
Finally, another major contributor to spirit week, which typically has more student participation is the spirit themes for the football games. Teachers and administra tors should help to translate that same spirit into spirit week by having a competition, in which students vote for who dressed the best for each theme.
AZionsville
Jonah We ber, junior, is very dedicated to spirit week and is known for his creativity for each of the themes. He has lived
But school spirit is important for the school environment, connection with other students, and a sense of community. And that’s exactly the point of spirit week, to boost school “Communityspirit.is important for spirit week because it ties everybody together and lets people be themselves.” Weber said. “It’s how I met a lot of people actually because I would dress up in something crazy and a lot of people would want to hang out with me.”
By Lauren Burch, Staff
Spirit Week may be over but you can still participate in the football game Sept.themes:23: Toga
20 Opinion
Pump
people who dress up,” Weber said.
Just one example of spirit wear from Jonah Weber, junior, who goes above and beyond for every spirit week. Photo by Lauren Burch
UP
The Scoop
Fundae’s:
4/5 stars overall
Cost (3/5 stars): While the ice cream was the best by far, the prices were steep. Why buy a single scoop of ice cream for $5, when a pint can be bought for the same price at Kroger?
Specialty (3.5/5 stars):As far as the special ty goes, we went with an Oreo Blizzard because it seemed to be one of the most popular ones. The ratio of Oreos to ice cream was slightly off and the Oreos were not mixed in well.
Cost (4/5 stars): For a high school student, cost is a huge factor. For the price of $3, a plain cup of soft serve really is not that bad. As for the blizzard, the cost of $3 was reasonable. The prices are affordable for high school students and fit the quality of the ice cream.
Bub’s: 2/5 stars overall Plain Vanilla (2/5 stars): The plain vanilla was creamy, though the ice cream tasted like it had been sitting around for too long. After one bite I did not want to go back in for more because of the heaviness and off-put ting Specialtyflavor.(1/5 stars): For the specialty flavor we got Yellow Cake Batter and it was disappointing to say the least. While there were other flavors offered, this one looked like the most appetizing. The taste was grainy and full of little pieces of ice that must have come from freezer burn. The presentation was well done and they gave us a fair amount of ice cream for the price. For a $3 kids scoop one would expect to get something a little above average; however, this flavor fell short of average Atmosphere (3/5 stars): Most of Zionsville can agree that Bub’s has a great family-friendly atmosphere, but the ice cream area was dimly lit and had a gloomy feel. We did not feel happy or joyful while getting ice cream here. We sat outside because there wasn’t a sep arate seating area for the ice cream customers. Cost (3/5 stars): The price was pretty average for a $3 kids scoop.
Here’s The Scoop
Photos by Josie Brackett
Atmosphere (4/5 stars): The atmosphere has a small town feel. We really liked the chalkboards with the names of the ice cream written on them, it made it feel more personal and welcoming.
Dairy Queen:
Opinion 21
Plain Vanilla (4/5 stars): The plain vanilla ice cream (soft serve) was as good as you can get it to be, it had a slightly artificial taste but a smooth texture.
Plain Vanilla (5/5 stars): It had all of the qualities of a good vanilla ice cream, like a smooth texture with a natural vanilla flavor. Expectations were exceeded when we tasted this ice Specialtycream.(5/5 stars): For the specialty we decided to go with Fat Elvis. It’s a banana flavored ice cream with peanut butter and chocolate. It was love at first bite with Fat Elvis. There was so much to like; the subtle banana flavor melted into the background while the peanut butter and chocolate swirls were equal in ratio.
3/5 stars overall
By Josie Brackett and Greta Reed, Staff
Atmosphere (4/5 stars): The atmosphere was very inviting and we liked how the walls were bright, beachy colors. There is nothing better than enjoying a scoop of ice cream in the warm evening breeze and the option for outdoor seating is something that makes it just that much more enjoyable.
Specialty (4.5/5 stars): The Cookie Monster ice cream was so good. This was a sympho ny of flavors and there were many Oreos dispersed throughout. The white chocolate pieces paired with the Oreo flavor and the fudge swirls exceptionally well, which added to the amazing taste.
Homemade
Atmosphere (2/5 stars): The atmosphere isn’t super welcoming, when one walks in the building it feels a little dated and the seating area was sticky.
4.5/5 stars overall
Plain Vanilla (4/5 stars): The ice cream has a tasty, fresh vanilla flavor.
Atmosphere (4/5 stars): The atmosphere was very inviting; everything was picked up and clean. They even had a nice outdoor area with a fireplace and lots of seating with a pond to the right of the building. The employees were very kind and helpful.
Plain Vanilla (3/5 stars): The vanilla had a good consistency and was light and creamy. It was enjoyable to eat and very refreshing. Specialty (1/5 stars): While the vanilla was good, the specialty flavor we tried was the complete opposite. We decided on the Cinnamon ice cream which looked like it would have been the best flavor there, but looks can be deceiving. The ice cream tasted like spoiled milk with cinnamon and sugar mixed in. The consistency was also off put ting; it was lumpy and extremely thick, so much so that it was hard to swallow.
Cost (3/5 stars): Again with the $5 for a sin gle scoop of ice cream, especially with this ice cream in particular, it is not something that most people would be willing to pay on a regular basis.
The summer heat may be gone, but ice cream is a yummy treat no matter the season, reason
3.75/5 stars overall
Cost (3/5 stars): While the ice cream was top tier, the price of $5 dollars for a small scoop of ice cream, again, is not ideal.
22 Opinion
Opinion 23
Harb Highlights What’s next? Check the schedule below to find dates, times, and locations for upcoming ZCHS events. Dates, times, and locations are subject to change. Girls Varsity Soccer Home game against Brownsburg When: 5:30 p.m. Where: ZYSA Stadium 30Sept. 24Sept. Boys Varsity Tennis Home match against Guerin When: 5:30 p.m. Where: 875 Sports Complex Harb Highlights What’s next?
Top left Photo: ( Left to right ) 1st Row: Taylor Sullivan, Eliz abeth Dattilo, Emily Chlystun, Braylynn Brown, and Heidi Schroeder 2nd Row: Ben Laad
Senior Steven Narva cheers with his teammates as the boys tennis team celebrates their win against Hamilton Southeastern High School on Aug. 23. “The night was electric,” Narva said. “It was a big win for the team.”
Photo by Maddie Patrick
Varsity Football Home football game against Brownsburg When: 7:00 p.m. Where: Stadium Picture Retakes A chance for a second try at your school When:photo! 7:45-11:45 a.m. Where: Varsity Gym BreakFall (Oct. 10-14) Sept. 21 Sept. 29 28Sept. Oct. 10 Boys Varsity Soccer Zionsville Classic When: 10:00 a.m. Where: ZYSA Stadium Best Buddies VIP Night Sept. 9
Chess Club begins on Aug. 25 Photo by Charlee Norton
Bottom Right Photo: ( Left to right ) Alex Kroon, Evan Reyn olds, Quinn Gerde, Jonathan Liang, Steven Narva, Owen Shipchandler, Jose de Andrade)
