ZCHS Harbinger September 2023

Strength from the Stands

pg. 8

ALSO INSIDE

Pedaling to the Podium pg. 10

What was I Made For? pg. 11

Buying into Brands pg. 18

September 2023 vol. 57, issue 1

Editors-in-Chief

Note from the Editor

Thebeginning of any school year comes with changes for everyone. Maybe you joined a new club or team, decided to take on challenging classes, or found a job. Here at the Harbinger, we have new editors, new staff members, and a new look to the magazine. But at its core, it’s still the same magazine, dedicated to sharing relevant and interesting stories with our community. Whether the changes in your life this year are big or small, significant or inconsequential, I encourage you to embrace them, and see where they take you.

Taking on the role of Editor in Chief was a big change for me, and I am so grateful for the help of my co editor-in-chief, Adanna, and the rest of the staff as we put together this first issue. This magazine isn’t the product of a single person’s hard work; it wouldn’t have been possible without the contributions of our entire team. “Buying into Brands,” (pg. 18) for example, resulted from the combined effort of a staff member, Arts & Graphics Editor, Design Editor, and the Editors-in-Chief. I am incredibly thankful to have had everyone’s creativity and dedication throughout the process, and I’m excited to see what else this year brings for our staff and for our school as a whole.

Staff Editorial

One of the best ways the student body is able to be together all in one place, all for the same reason, is by taking part in the student section at sporting events. As silly as it may sound, the excitement and adrenaline that these displays of physical activity give us is something that cannot be replaced.

The joyful screaming when our team scores, or the melancholic feeling that we get when our team loses, are all part of the memories that we as a student body are responsible for creating and enjoying, something we believe is essential to the high school experience.

It’s crucial to recognize the importance of community building that we as a student population gain from spending time with one another in the stands. The Harbinger staff strives to cover important schoolwide sporting events such as basketball, volleyball, football and many others, to not only tell the story of the team, but to show the strength that the student body has when united in purpose.

Staff

Editors-in-Chief

Adanna Mbanu &

Madeline Wilson

Assistant Editor

Lilly Steele

Design Editor

Josie Brackett

Photo Editor

Matthew Orbaugh

Social Media Editor

Emma Hummer

Arts & Graphics Editors

Kate Bowen

Jonah Hunter

Marissa Villarrubia

Staff

Srinithya Basireddy

Brody Brown

Georgianna Moreland

Emmy Lucas

Ellie Vanderbur

And of course, the Harbinger wouldn’t be much without our fellow students. It’s important to me that we share as many student voices and stories as possible, and I hope to hear from many of you this year. Never hesitate to reach out if you want to share anything from your achievements and challenges to your interests and passions. You can reach us at zchsharbinger@gmail.com or @zchsharb on Instagram.

When going to a sporting event, the main objective is to obviously watch players play, and root for your team. But the waves of adrenaline and cheers coming from the crowd means something more to the athletes. The support from those in the stands is a significant factor in the energy of those playing; athletes and coaches have told us this makes a difference in the game.

We applaud members of the student section for taking time out of their day to root for Zionsville athletes, and we hope to see more students come out and cheer on every team while their seasons are happening.

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

Adanna Mbanu & Madeline Wilson

Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram!

@zchsharb

Re: Name Changes

New state law requires administration to notify parents when students request name changes

By Emmy Lucas, Staff Graphic by Kate Bowen

Senior Charlie Raches was sitting in seventh period the first week of school when her mom sent a screenshot of an email she had received. The email from the school informed her parents of a name change. Raches was confused. She has been going by “Charlie” all four years of high school.

Raches’ parents weren’t the only ones to receive this type of email.

Indiana House Bill 1608, which was passed in May, requires schools to notify a parent, in writing, if their student requests to go by a different name than what is in the school’s system.

To adhere to the new law, a system was put into place at the school for teachers, coaches or club sponsors to report student requests for name changes, according to Assistant Superintendent Kris Devereaux. These changes are then pulled out of the system and emails are sent home to parents by Devereaux.

Many students were confused by the emails and some were even bothered to see this change implemented.

Raches said it was “interesting” to see that her request to go by her nickname called for an email home. Her mom was also annoyed to see this email, and Raches said they both agreed it was “dumb.”

While this rule is just irritating to some students, it’s seen as an invasion of privacy to others.

When senior Sol Chen’s mom received an email from the school, he was able to explain the email to her, and says he was lucky to have parents who don’t care how he

identifies at school.

Chen explains that not everyone has supportive parents that are okay with their child’s name or identity change.

“If someone is unable to come out at home they shouldn’t have to,” Chen said. “It should be up to the kid to come out to their parents themselves.”

Principal Tim East acknowledged the concern that students may not be comfortable coming out to their parents at home. East said that when a student gets an email sent home they’re always given the chance to meet with a counselor about it.

“I think it’s always important to talk to students and give them good counseling about owning their identity and owning it in all settings,” East said.

In order to not be outed to their families

for identifying differently at school, some students who have become aware of this rule have simply stopped correcting their teachers in class.

“I know a lot of people that are going by their dead name now at the high school because they’re scared to be outed to their families,” Raches said. “It’s enough to make kids feel uncomfortable or unwelcome in school.”

Chen agreed with this statement, adding that being referred to by your dead name can cause discomfort and dysphoria.

Devereaux said she hopes this rule does not create any negative relationships between the students and the school.

“I hope our students know that we care about them and that this is a safe and supportive environment,” Devereaux said. “Everyone belongs here.”

Devereaux said conversation between students, parents and the school is “positive.”

“When the school can partner up with parents it’s always in the best interest of the kid,” Devereaux added.

East said he’s thankful these conversations get to take place now.

“Students have to have those meaningful discussions with all the loving people in their lives. It needs to occur at some point,” East said.

For anyone that may be concerned or bothered about the new law, East hopes they speak to a trusted adult or counselor.

“The sooner the discussion starts, the sooner everyone in their life can start to understand who they are and accept them for who they are,” East said.

“I hope our students know that we care about them and that this is a safe and supportive environment. Everyone belongs here.”

- Kris Devereaux, ZCS Assistant Superintendent

AP Psych, What Happens Next?

By Srinithya Basireddy, Staff

In a controversial move, the state of Florida recently removed AP Psychology from its high school curriculum and then reversed the decision after receiving backlash. The controversy has incited a widespread debate among educators, students, parents, and politicians.

Immediately after Florida’s initial decision to restrict AP Psychology, the College Board, the organization that oversees Advanced Placement courses, said in a statement, “The Florida Department of Education has effectively banned AP Psychology in the state by instructing Florida superintendents that teaching foundational content on sexual orientation and gender identity is illegal under state law.”

The College Board refused to change the course syllabus to align with Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act, which prohibits the instruction of sexual orientation and gender identity in classrooms, claiming that they would not modify their courses to accommodate restrictions on teaching college-level topics.

The Florida Department of Education later said schools could teach the course as-is, although a few Florida schools opted not to offer the course anymore.

“Removing a portion of the curriculum creates a void of information that the Florida psychology students would get compared to the rest of the nation,” Bryan Hall, AP Psychology teacher, said.

“You can’t take a college class and decide ‘I don’t want to take this section’ and still get college credit.”

AP Psychology is known to be a course that provides students with an understanding of human behavior and mental processes. It is a popular class at the school for its “easy and interesting topics,” according to junior Sofia Baloski, a current AP Psychology student.

“It’s a great class for people who want to further their knowledge about the brain and want to learn about disorders,” Baloski said.

According to Hall, AP Psychology is a class where students often feel more comfortable, there is more student involvement and the class becomes more student-driven rather than just giving out material.

The unit in the course that’s creating controversy is so small, Hall said there isn’t a reason to get rid of the whole course.

“College Board was not going to support the removal of, essentially, what boils down to seven pages of a textbook that’s 850 pages long,” Hall said.

However, the removal of AP Psychology in schools could have also caused social problems, distancing students that associate with the content in question.

“They are creating a sense of disconnect for students that walk around not knowing or feeling like they belong in their community,” Hall said.

In January 2022, Florida passed the

Parental Rights in Education Bill, which was designed to grant Florida parents more involvement in their child’s education, according to Florida’s House. This piqued the interest of many officials in Republican-dominated states, including Indiana. Indiana’s Department of Education soon came up with a “copycat” bill but never passed it.

The larger debate here is whether schools should be teaching topics with polarizing arguments, including religion, gender, and sexual orientation.

“As long as it’s not presented in a way that it’s persuading you to think a certain way, I don’t think there’s much harm in letting people make their own decisions,” Baloski said.“I think knowing more is never a bad thing. If everyone has all the facts in front of them, they can create their own opinions.”

Hall added that ignoring things you disfavor doesn’t change the science.

The AP Psychology course description says students will, “Explore the ideas, theories, and methods of the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. You’ll examine the concepts of psychology through reading and discussion and you’ll analyze data from psychological research studies.”

“Ultimately, all positive things come up by expanding your world and knowledge of understanding other people and just being compassionate to other people,” Hall said.

Florida reversed the removal of AP Psych, leaving the nation wondering what’s to come

Graphic by Kate Bowen

Photo by Matthew Orbaugh

A Suburban Sprawl

The causes and effects of Zionsville’s everlasting growth

By Brody Brown, Staff

The construction that ruled the school this past summer is now complete, but Zionsville’s growth hasn’t slowed due to the fact that the town of Zionsville is regarded as an ideal place to raise a family.

According to U.S. News and World Report, Zionsville is in the top 1.5% of schools nationally and has maintained the #267 spot ranked nationally. With a graduation rate of 97% and a student body of over 2,300 people, the school’s image has been earned through years of proven excellence.

Decades before Zionsville was filled with subdivisions, it was a notoriously small town compared to surrounding areas like Carmel, Fishers or Westfield.

“We were probably the last area that hadn’t seen that kind of development,” director of public works Lance Lantz said.

Recently, Zionsville found a spot on the map of places to move to in the northern suburbs of Indianapolis. The town has grown by 8.49% in size since the 2020 census was taken.

“Every person who moves to Zionsville wants to be the last person that moves here,” Mayor Emily Styron said.

Junior Kenzie Alderson moved from California to Zionsville four years ago.

“It feels super cozy, but it’s gotten a lot bigger in the past couple years,” Alderson said. “I don’t think the novelty has worn from people moving in though.”

In 2010, Zionsville’s population was at just over 14,000 residents. However, over the next decade growth skyrocketed, increasing by 116%. By 2020, Zionsville was sitting at over 33,000 people, calling for some changes to be made in the schools.

According to assistant principal Matt Walter, there are 2,315 students enrolled this year and recent projections foresee that number reaching 2,814 in 2032.

“We knew we would not have room for them here by the time they were seniors,” Superintendent Dr. Becky Coffman said regarding the current senior class at the time of their fourth-grade year. “We engaged in a yearlong

study and looked at the capacity of the high school and knew we needed to have prudent planning.”

2005 was the last year the school had a large construction project until 2019 when a vote was taken, and plans were put in place to expand the school’s size and renovate sections of the building that were outdated.

“Our goals were to increase the capacity of the high school and reorient the campus,” Coffman said.

Things like new classrooms and refurbished amenities were among the top priorities for the new building project. Today, the school has finished all current building projects and is the most up to date it’s ever been.

The new 100,000 square foot addition means the school is now able to hold approximately 3,000 students.

“We did a huge chunk with this addition, but there are still more things that need to be addressed,” Coffman said.

For example, she criticized the old locker room building for stunting the flow of traffic and generally making it hard for the school to expand.

Despite there still being issues untouched

by construction, a new grail of the school has been found with the main cafeteria.

“We have found that having one centralized dining space has a lot of advantages,” Walter said. “We will have to be creative to keep that in place as the enrollment increases.”

Considering the rate at which the town and school are currently growing, will these accommodations be enough within the coming years to fit the student body?

According to the World Population Review, Zionsville is expanding annually by 2.75%. Projected data shows the population reaching just under 40,000 by 2029.

“A reasonable guess is that some sort of expansion would be taking place in the early 2030s to stay ahead of the growth,” Walter said.

Graphic by Kate Bowen

Left to right: sophomores Libby Stokely, Violet Billig and Alex Ahern eat lunch in the newly constructed cafeteria.

Photo by Matthew Orbaugh

STRENGTH from the Stands

By Lilly Steele, Assistant Editor

Junior Alexa Green and senior Emma Haan cheer on the football team on Sept. 1.

Photo by Matthew Orbaugh

Something was different at the girls volleyball game on Aug. 24. Players from the football team, in an effort to show support the volleyball team, filled in the normally small student section. The volleyball players took notice of the cheers and chants coming from the stands, and took home a win.

Senior Luke Reasoner is a leader of the football student section and plays basketball for the school. He said one of the biggest parts of going to games is showing support and cheering on the team while being “engaged,” instead of going to games just because other people are.

“A big part of supporting the team is actually being there for the team,” Reasoner said.

The energy in the stands on Friday game nights creates an exciting atmosphere of support for the football players.

“I don’t think there’s a lot of places in the state of Indiana that can really match what we do,” Jaylen Cushenberry, defensive line coach for the varsity football team, said. “With third down music, the third down chants, the overall energy for our program, Friday nights at our place are unmatched.”

Cushenberry said the atmosphere is his favorite part of game day, and he noted that it has improved in the last few years.

“We thrive off of energy. The more energetic they are about us and about the program and football and different sports, the better we play,” Cushenberry said. “There’s nothing like having the town of Zionsville come out and support us on Friday night.”

Reasoner has seen a loud and engaged

student section make a difference in games.

“If you’re there and loud then it motivates your own team and throws off the other team,” Reasoner said.

Cushenberry said seniors often set the tone for school spirit at sporting events.

“[Seniors have] done a great job of being really heavily involved in the school spirit,” Cushenberry said. “Success within all of our sports was definitely a key factor to our atmosphere being better. When you’re successful, more people come out, and more people are excited about coming to watch you play.”

However, not all teams have always been shown the same level of support as the football team. For example, the soccer and lacrosses teams didn’t have a dedicated space for a student section until recently. The newly opened 875 Stadium, where those teams play, now have stands for fans.

“Not having a designated student section kept students farther apart whereas now they are all together,” junior Jackson Theobald, varsity soccer player, said.

The creation of this new designated student section has increased attendance at soccer games and has impacted the team.

“With [the student section] being together, they are louder and more into the game than before,” Theobald said. “They give us an advantage by cheering us on and motivating us to keep pushing.”

Fan support recently made national news as well when the Nebraska volleyball team set a world record for biggest attendance at a women’s sporting event.

Some believe this game highlighted how

the gap between attendance at men and women’s sporting events is closing.

“It’s time to retire the ‘old tropes’ about women’s sports,” Forbes reporter Karen Weaver said. “Fans are watching and buying tickets.”

Efforts are being made to encourage students to attend men’s and women’s sporting events with all-sport student section themes and social media accounts like The Eagle Nation highlighting home games for all sports each week.

Apart from going to games, there are other ways students can help the Eagles and show support, such as using social media.

“Thomas Herlt and Nolan Adams have been making those super cool edits and videos,” Reasoner said. “Reposting those and then reposting Eagle Nation stuff so that people know when the games are.”

With so many sports Instagram accounts, it can be hard to know which ones to follow. Reasoner said @zcseagles1 and @the_eagle_ nation are the best accounts to follow.

For now, Friday night football games still remain, by far, the most popular and well attended by students. The Eagle’s Nest is packed every home game with students dressed and painted to match the theme.

One of the student section’s biggest goals this year is winning the “Banner,” a contest for the “most hyped football or basketball student section,” hosted by WISH-TV.

“At the end of the year, ultimately we want to win the banner,” Reasoner said.

Seniors Cannon Kelley, Lincoln Belser, Nathan Turner, Cole Briney, and junior Joey Peevler watch the boys soccer game on Sept.

5. Photo by Josie Brackett

Pedaling to the Podium

Ava Shipman dedicates free time to cyclocross competitions

By Madeline Wilson, Editor-in-Chief

Two years ago, freshman Ava Shipman placed fifth at the Cyclocross National Championships. This fall, she’s once again one of the oldest competitors in her age group and starting her cyclocross season with high hopes.

“I would love to do that again, if not [place] even higher on the podium,” Shipman said.

Shipman first started racing when she was in second grade, after her dad began cycling with a local bike shop.

“We would go to his races and the environment was just so cool,” Shipman said.

Shipman then joined Midwest Devo Cycling, a development team centered around Indianapolis with kids ranging from age 6 to 18, and she plans to continue cycling into college.

“I haven’t thought about it too hard, but there are a few colleges up in Colorado that would be awesome to go to,” Shipman said.

Shipman competes in many different cycling disciplines but focuses on mountain biking

and cyclocross, which she describes as “cross country but on a bike.”

While mountain biking events usually take place in the spring, the cyclocross season is now underway.

“I’m excited because the season just started so everything is getting back into full swing,” Shipman said. “My favorite part of racing is competing.”

Despite her love for competing and her experience in the sport, Shipman said she still gets nervous before every race.

“When I’m on the start line, I look up to the first corner and focus on my race and what I need to do to be as close to the front as I can in the beginning,” Shipman said. “I am usually nervous until they blow the whistle and the race begins.”

Shipman said the technical courses of cyclocross are her “strong suit.”

“During the race, all I am thinking about is the next obstacle in front of me, whether I can rest, increase power, or if I need to focus on line choice in a technical section,” Shipman said. “My favorite part about the challenge is pushing myself to my limits for just one last lap and seeing how many people I can pass or if I can hold my spot.”

Cycling challenges Shipman off the race course as well; her weekly training plan can be difficult to balance with school and other activities.

“I have to come from school, and I either have to do my school work and then go to practice or just take a break and then go ride,” Shipman said. “It’s always late at night if I’m doing homework after that.”

Cycling events have taken Shipman all over the country, including Arkansas, Connecticut, Washington and across the Midwest.

“I think it’s a lot of fun because I get to experience other places and figure out how they’re different,” Shipman said.

The friendships that Shipman has built contribute to the positive atmosphere at races.

“You have racers hanging out before or after their races and spectators watching races, cheering for everyone,” Shipman said.

Even though Shipman and her friends always catch up before their races, they are still competitors during the races.

“When it’s getting close to my race time, I have to flip my switch from being social to getting focused for the race that is about to happen,” Shipman said. “Although we are rooting for each other, we are also up head-to-head. Once we finish the race, it’s back to hanging out with friends.”

Shipman races at the Indy Cycloplex in Aug. 2022. Photo submitted by Shipman

Shipman competes in a cyclocross race in Waterloo, Wisconsin in Oct. 2022. Photo submitted by Shipman

What Was I Made For? What Was I Made For?

Controversy sparks over ‘Barbie’ movie; students share their opinions

By Marissa Villarrubia, Arts & Graphics Editor

The iconic movie “Barbie” has been sweeping the nation with the highest-grossing global release in Warner Brothers history. The popular kids doll has been rebranded for people of all ages after addressing some serious topics that not everyone agrees with.

When “Barbie” premiered, many people were excited to see what the movie was going to be about. However a lot were surprised when the movie wasn’t like the animated Barbie movies from their childhood.

“I was expecting it to be more like the “Barbie Life in the Dreamhouse” series,” senior Avery Keller said. “It’s just different than I expected.”

Keller is on the homecoming committee and helped to decide on the Barbie theme this year. Despite the overwhelming positive responses for the movie, this year’s theme wasn’t a unanimous decision.

“A lot of the boys didn’t really want to do it but it’s not like they weren’t going to show up because the theme was Barbie,” Keller said.

Some students were moved by certain scenes in the movie, including senior Mara Lusk. Lusk really enjoys Greta Gerwig’s, the director of the

movie, and Margot Robbie’s, the actress who played Barbie, work in other movies so she went to see it the day it premiered and again later on.

“The most impactful part was America Ferrera’s little spiel about what it is to be a woman,” Lusk said. “That really resonated with me.”

America Ferrera has a brief mono logue about the expectations women face through their lives and how impossible and unreasonable she thinks they are.

The night the movie premiered to the public, Lusk went with her friend Margaret Williamson, senior, to go see what was soon to be a box office hit in the packed theater.

“We went together and wore all pink, totally decked out,” Lusk said. “It was cool seeing it that night because the theater was packed with people and everybody was wearing pink.”

Williamson went with Lusk that afternoon and watched the movie in a theater full of enthusiastic supporters.

“Normally some theaters, when they get really excited, they get really quiet or really loud or disruptive,” Williamson said.

“There was a lot of laughter, I feel like we were all in it together.”

Michele Ramsey, a professor of women’s, gender, and sexuality studies at Pennsylvania State University, had a lot to say about the deeper meaning of the movie in an interview with Berks Community Television.

“Gerwig effectively used perspective by incongruity to get people to see the world in a way that invited them

Graphics by Marissa Villarrubia

to think about the problems of deep structures like patriarchy and white supremacy,” Ramsey said. “And in the end, offered audiences different possibilities for seeing the world and existing in it.”

When Barbie visits the “real” world she discovers that people struggle on a daily basis. The real world is significantly different from Barbieland and it opens Barbie’s eyes to these struggles. Ramsey brings a lot of important insight when talking about the deeper meaning of Barbie and the impact it’s had on everyone since its much anticipated release.

“It has started important conversations and has invited audiences to think about issues like patriarchy, body and self-esteem concerns, and feminism,” Ramsey said.

Williamson noticed this use of perspective and conflicting imagery Gerwig showed the audience.

“[In the movie] everyone was looking at Barbie like she was some kind of object,” Williamson said. “Then Ken was being treated with respect immediately.”

Barbie was able to show its audience a different perspective on multiple topics including feminism.

“Feminism isn’t about women having all the power,” Williamson said. “It’s just about being treated equally.”

It’s Fall, Y’all

September marks the start of fall; students share their favorite parts of the season

By Kate Bowen, Arts & Graphics Editor

Favorite Fall Things

Pumpkin Spice

Graphics by Kate Bowen

Fall Scents

Shorter Days

Comfy Sweaters

Cooler Weather Crunchy Leaves

Pretty Trees

Why do ZCHS students love fall?

“Fall is the time of year when you have just finished summer and are ready to jump back into school, sports and other activities with friends.”

- Andrew Schonlau, sophomore

“The temperature is perfect, you can spend more time outside, and there are many fun activities to participate in.”

- Clara Keiper, sophomore

“I love the weather, the food, the holidays, and the way it looks outside with the colorful leaves.”

Margaret Williamson, senior

Favorite Activities

“I like to go trick-or-treating and dressing up for Halloween. I love going to marching band competitions and football games. I also like to curl up on my porch and read.”

- Clara Keiper, sophomore

“Watching scary movies, and going to fall-themed places like pumpkin patches or the orchard.”

- Josslyn Massey, junior

“Apple picking, watching the sunset and sunrise, going to the pumpkin patch, and getting apple cider donuts.”

- Cailyn Murphy, sophomore

“Watch Gilmore Girls, go to Halloween parties, and drink fun Starbucks drinks.”

- Olivia Sailer, sophomore

“Go to plays (they usually come out at this time) and drink warm drinks.”

- Navya Ayitha, senior

“Watching football, hikes, and running in the fall.”

- Ryan Lange, sophomore

“Binge watch horror movies.”

- Ella Ball, senior

Producing Her Dream

Senior Addie Coons has been writing her own music for years but only recently started producing and releasing songs, starting with “Nearly Always You” in 2022. Even after releasing two new singles this summer, “Hold My Tongue” and “Blue,” she is working on more “all the time.”

By Madeline Wilson, Editor-in-Chief

Addie Coons plays piano in her studio. Photo submitted by Coons

What inspired you to start writing your own music?

“Music has always been my emotional vent, or my way to get away from stuff that’s stressing me out or upsetting me, a way to express my emotions that means I don’t have to directly say it to somebody. I guess it just developed into me just messing around on the piano. It kind of came naturally, I guess. But there was a lot of trial and error when I first started. I have all these voice memos in my phone from when I used to just mess around and write stupid stuff. I’m really glad that I started there, but I’m really glad that I’ve progressed from there.”

When did you first get started?

“I started writing my own stuff when I was in seventh or eighth grade. Our family friend introduced us to this recording company in Broad Ripple called Round Table Recording Company, and I went with some ideas and had a consultation. It was my goal to have music out on platforms for people to listen to. That was in 2021, when I did my first song.”

Do you write all of the instrumentals in your songs?

“Not all of them. Let’s say I wrote something on the piano. I’ll have my piano, and I’ll have my vocals. When I take it into the studio and I play it for them, there’s a bunch of other layers, like bass guitar, guitar, piano, keys, synth, all these other things that you can add on. And I have help from two of my producers.”

What is your favorite part of the process?

“Every day I go home to my piano and no matter what, I’ll sit down and play some songs or I’ll just mess around. And most of the time a chord progression will just happen, and I think that’s really cool. I’ll just be sitting there mindlessly and then I’ll play something and I’ll keep adding to it, and then it forms a whole little song.”

What is the hardest part of the process is for you?

“For me, it’s lyrics. I can never settle on a line that I want to use, and I’ll go through

so many of them and I won’t be able to pick. Finding a line that captures what I want the song to feel like, or what I want the listeners to feel, is the most difficult part for me.”

Is it ever hard to balance writing with school, extracurriculars, and family?

“Definitely when school is in full swing, it’s hard to sit down and dedicate time to writing something that’s heartfelt and putting a lot of emotion into it because I’m just so drained at the end of the day. But I like to keep a little journal of lyrics. If I think of something, I’ll type it down in my Notes app. And then if I’m thinking of trying to put something together, I’ll go and I’ll piece them together or I’ll just pick out a line and try to go from there. Summer was definitely my time to get all my writing in.”

You got two new songs out over the summer; what was that like?

“That was really exciting. I was lucky enough to be able to go and do two. I did a more pop-rock version of a song and then I did another Adele-type ballad, which is so funny because they were so different. I got to do a wide spectrum of instrumental layering to make them so unique, so that was exciting.”

What do you hope to do in the future?

“With college coming up, I was trying to decide between doing music or doing something like nursing or med-related. When I was going to visit colleges, I had a general idea of what I wanted to do if I were to pursue music. It would have been music business or music technology. But I found out that it was very difficult to break into that kind of program; they expect you to have a lot of prior experience with your own technology. So ultimately I decided that I’m going to pursue a degree in nursing, but I’m going to take classes on the side so I can get myself certified and do my own production, recording, sound engineering.”

What advice do you have for others who want to produce their own music?

“I think it’s important to be really open-minded and understand that failure is going to happen. You’re not going to get a perfect song on your first try. Patience is good. Persevering even if you feel like what you’re writing is stupid, because it’ll get better over time. Just trusting the process, having an open mind, being creative. Don’t throw any ideas out before you give them a chance.”

What would you say to those who want to start making their own music?

“Do it. Don’t wait, just start. My favorite way of coming up with a concept for a song is just to brain dump on a piece of paper. Write down everything that you’re thinking, and then go back and circle ideas that are similar and then you have your concept and you just run with that. It’s a great way to vent, where you don’t have to sit down and tell your emotions to somebody in an awkward way. You can just write it however you want, and it comes out however you want. There’s a lot of freedom. You can make it whatever you want it to be. If anyone’s interested in that, they should definitely start.”

Addie Coons’ album cover of her single “Hold My Tongue.”

Photo submitted by Coons

CommitedCaptains

Dance team captains Everly McKenzie and Arianna Tussinger share their team experiences

Senior Arianna Tussinger has been on the dance team since freshman year and is a dance co-captain and leadership member of the 2023-2024 team.

“At first, I wanted to join because of my sister Haleigh, because she did it and it looked like a lot of fun. I would go to games and watch her,” Tussinger said.

Senior dance co-captain Everly McKenzie is also in her fourth year on the team and has been influenced and mentored by many of the past members of the team.

“I always looked up to the people on the team,” McKenzie said.

The dance team practices twice a week, Monday afternoons and Friday mornings,

along with a lot of individual practice. The team also performs at all home games.

“It’s been a lot of fun. Now that I’m in my senior year, I can see that there’s not too many problems, but I see how the coaches would be so stressed out about certain things that happen. You wouldn’t understand it until you’re old enough to be in a leadership position,” Tussinger said.

Tussinger, alongside McKenzie, make some of the decisions for the team and make sure everyone is performing well.

“My goal for this year is to make everyone feel comfortable but accomplished through the year. Knowing that they did their best and we did our best,” Tussinger

said. “Also, trying to help everyone do their thing, and have a good year.”

As a leader on the team, McKenzie has goals for herself as well as the team.

“My goal is just to be a good captain this year and give people as much advice as they may need,” McKenzie said.

As the year goes on, the girls on the team slowly develop bonds that are equivalent to a family.

“I love all the girls and each year’s experience has just been better and better,” McKenzie said.

By Georgianna Moreland, Staff

Everly Mckenzie (left) and Arianna Tussinger (right) pose at the football game on Aug. 18.

Photo by Matthew Orbaugh

Not Everyone Needs a Podcast...

By Adanna Mbanu, Editor-in-Chief

Podcasts are one of those forms of media that are extremely appealing because they’re so easy to indulge in. Listeners are literally spoon-fed content that they would otherwise have to read or physically watch, something that I’m personally a huge fan of. Within the past couple of years, podcasts have been on the riwse and many content creators have found a way to manipulate listeners into agreeing with what they have to say, while simultaneously hurting certain groups in the process.

I’m a girl that doesn’t necessarily like to listen to podcasts that contain any sort of substance, merely just listening for a little sweet treat at the end of the day, like “Emergency Intercom” or “Based News Network”. Other people prefer to do the opposite, though, listening to actual credible news sources like NPR or The Daily. But in the trenches of avid podcast listeners, it seems as though there’s been a popup of a subgroup that likes to manipulate their listeners by discussing disrespectful and irrelevant topics while convincing their listeners that they should agree with their subpar opinions. The way in which these creators are exploiting not only their guests on their episodes but their underdeveloped viewers as well brings me to question, does everyone really deserve a podcast?

One podcast that comes to mind when thinking of the indoctrination of the prepubescent mind is the podcast known as “GoodBroBadBro”. Before having premiered his last episode of the podcast on Aug. 4, 2022, host of the show Jack Denmo created frequent content about, according to the podcast’s YouTube bio, “dating and self-improvement for men.” When first looking at the account, the bio caught my eye, due to the fact that the overarching goal for listeners to take away from the podcast is

“building status and creating social circles. Getting higher quality girls. Getting multiple girls. Becoming high value. Starting a business. [And] working on yourself instead of hating women.”

My initial thought when reading this was the question of why anyone would want to make a podcast with a theme of dissecting and analyzing women. Even more so that it’s a man doing it, trying to demonstrate a sort of “big brother camaraderie” to make other men that are either way too young to be dating anyone, or those of age that haven’t had much luck in the dating world, to feel “seen.” It just seems so taboo.

One of the more popular videos that Denmo produced, before it got taken down, includes a specific clip of him and a guest asking “how many girls do you know that actually have hobbies.” This clip circulated a lot of hate, with many users on all social media platforms questioning why anybody would ask such a mundane and useless question. They then go on to continuously dehumanize women in general, by Denmo saying “that is the least feminine thing you can do, not cooking, are you even a woman?”

A podcast that markets itself on helping men achieve a better lifestyle, but then using the concept to say harmful things about women, is extremely infuriating and simply a waste of time. The target audience is very clear and niche for this specific podcast, but in my opinion, these thoughts that Denmo publishes for the world to see should have stayed in his brain for nobody to hear.

Although this podcast comes across my mind frequently, making me question why it even existed in the first place, this isn’t an article being written strictly to bash specifically one gender about habits of creating unnecessary content for individuals whose brains aren’t fully developed. I can be nit

picky on all sides of the court.

Pearl Davis is the creator of the podcast “JustPearlyThings”, a podcast that discusses the concepts of “relationships, intersectional dynamics, red pill, and feminism.” Davis is another podcast producer that has been under fire recently due to her “controversial” opinions on subjects that are, in my opinion, useless to talk about.

One of the more arguable topics that Davis has discussed on hers and multiple other podcasts is her belief on why women shouldn’t be allowed to vote.

When talking with Ethan Klein on his own podcast, Davis stated that she believes this because, “Men are signed up for selective service and if feminists want the right to vote, then it should come with the draft. Where are the feminists fighting for equality in this situation?”

What’s interesting about this argument is that number one, she brings up an argument that was ratified over a century ago, and two, the draft is a concept that many people that are outwardly feminist want to get rid of. It’s quite fascinating to see someone believe that they’ve encountered a whole new perspective on an important topic, but then completely abolish their credibility by releasing these thoughts on a semi-popular podcast with absolutely no evidence to back up their claims.

It’s vital to recognize the importance of podcasts. They’re an easily accessible source of news and current events, which shape the world into what it is today, for society to educate themselves with. But, if you’re thinking that you and your best friend need to make a podcast because you had a cohesive thought, it’s probably best to keep that to yourself; not everyone needs a podcast.

Graphic by Kate Bowen

Buying into Brands

Why is everyone obsessed with popular brands?

By Ellie Vanderbur, Staff

All of the Lululemon, Apple and Nike you see in the hallways is no coincidence. The popularity of these brands is thanks to smart marketing tactics and a huge social media presence.

Large companies work very hard to gain brand loyalty. There are many reasons that clothing trends come about. There is also a lot that goes into what a group of people’s choice tech or clothing brand is.

“Part of brand loyalty is to provide that same quality experience every single time,” business teacher Melissa Huhn said.

A company must have a desirable and well-made product in order for it to become popular and keep customers coming back.

According to Iowa State University, “Consumers initially will make a trial purchase of the brand and, after satisfaction, tend to form habits and continue purchasing the same brand because the product is safe and familiar.”

Even if some people aren’t a fan of a product, there is always a reason that something is trending. This could be because of the recognizable brand or the product itself. This occurrence is regularly shown in technology, fashion and school supplies.

I notice that often brands are trending because people try multiple things from that company to see if it is just as good as their previous purchases.

“Marketing is [a brand’s] loyal customer base,” sophomore and trend follower Catherine Yang said.

With teenagers’ access to the internet and ability to share what they are doing at all times, we are never unsure of what is popular or trending. This makes it easier for advertising teams to target highschool-

ers and online media to make their product more mainstream.

“Social media plays a huge role in [mar keting] now,” Huhn said.

Over time, as certain products become more popular in schools, even people who don’t use social media regularly are aware of what’s trending. They then become influenced indirectly through their friends.

“Branding becomes a status symbol,” Huhn said.

While I don’t completely agree with this, sometimes it feels like there is a requirement to spend lots of money to be trendy. I feel that it’s more important to take inspiration from trending items and find something from another brand that you like even more than being confined to a specific company. I have done this personally by purchasing a cheaper option of shorts from Aerie rather than the ones I was first interested in from Free People.

Understanding some fashion terminology to find items with characteristics that fit your personality is a great way to find your own sense of style.

“I think that the brand and luxury of it is definitely part of it,” Yang said. “But some people really believe that the brand is just better.”

This shows that brands have to make a quality product in order for it to become a popular item; it doesn’t just happen because it’s expensive or exclusive.

“Brand loyalty can be associated with so much more than the price of products,” according to Amazon Advertising. “It’s also developed by how customers see, feel, and value your brand.”

Mission statements for brands are also

necessary in finding their audience. If a brand has a motto that aligns with a large group of people’s beliefs they have a higher likelihood of being successful. This branding tactic is a great way for a company to have an identity that will motivate people with similar beliefs to purchase from them.

“Once you find a brand that meets all of your needs… I don’t see a point in going to another brand,” junior Sneakerhead Club president and die-hard Nike fan Mallory Henton said.

Overall, it is unavoidable to take part in trends and everyone can be influenced by their friends or people they look up to online. This is especially true in today’s oversaturated media when it comes to clothing trends. Brands are always trying to take advantage of the newest craze but are even more successful when they are able to adapt to fads over many years.

With trends and aesthetics being all around it is more important to find your own sense of self in what you own and use on the everyday. Rather than exclusively following trends, take inspiration from popular brands and find other items that you will enjoy even more.

“[Branding] is providing a quality product for sure,” Huhn said. “But it’s also having to get [their product] out there for people to see it over and over and over again.”

Graphic by Kate Bowen

Top ZCHS Fandoms

By Marissa Villarrubia, Arts & Graphics Editor

1. Taylor Swift (Swifties)

"I love Taylor Swift’s dedication to her fans and her work!" -Madison Benedict

2. Anime

"It brings me inspiration for my art and animation series." -Kara Macler

4. Marvel

"The people [in the fandom] tend to be accepting and kind." -Ellen VanHyfte

"I love lots of fandoms because they are things that I can sit down and watch in any mood and rewatch many times"

-Braden Maple

3. Disney

5. BTS Army

"We talk about loving yourself and mental health care! And we have a lot of fun singing their songs!!! And learning differnt culture (Korean)!! I just love them," -Garisha Kumari

What’s next?

What’s next?

21 Sept. Boys Tennis JV & Varsity games vs. McCutcheon

When: 5:30 pm.

Where: Home complex

22 Sept. Varsity Football Homecoming game

When: 7 p.m.

Where: Stadium

23 Sept. Girls Soccer

JV & Varsity games vs. Carmel

When: 11:30 a.m.

Where: Stadium

25 Sept. Girls Volleyball Program games vs. Ben Davis

When: 6:30 p.m.

Where: Varsity Gym

23 Sept. Mens Soccer

Zionsville Classic

When: 10 a.m.

Where: ZYSA Fields

3 Oct. Choir Concert Fall concert by ZCHS choirs

When: 7 p.m.

Where: PAC

Top Right: Students look around the club fair on Aug. 25 in the Fieldhouse to look for clubs to join.

Photo by Matthew Orbaugh

Bottom Right: Dance team members Everly McKenzie (left) and Phoebe Sidebottom (right) perform on Sept. 1 at the stadium to support the Eagles as they took on Westfield.

Photo by Matthew Orbaugh

Top left: At the Franklin Central match, sophomore Alex Esteves serves to start a rally on Sept. 5.

Photo by Josie Brackett