Issuu

Vol. 54, Issue 6 March 2022

HARBINGER Tats with Traditions (p. 12)

Zionsville Community High School 1000 Mulberry St. Zionsville, Indiana

Note from the editor

Elizabeth Rexing, Print Editor

It may not seem like The end of the year it but the end of the year also means the coming of is almost here. Quarter the big end-of-year events three ended yesterday like prom and back again meaning that we are offithis year, After Prom (p. cially in our fourth and 14). Additionally, the final quarter of the year! annual game of senior Spring break is in a mere assassins has been untwo weeks and after that, derway for almost three we’ll be on the downslope weeks (p. 11). into summer. While the end of the Most winter sports year is definitely on the wrapped up at the end horizon, there is still a of February with excitlot to be done: finals, AP ing finishes in the state exams, college decisions, tournaments. The boys ect. The workload will swim team placed second ramp up in preparation in state and the girls team for these end of the year placed fifth. The wrestling tasks and March can be team had three wrestlers, a long, grueling month. freshman Anthony RineBut, we are so close! hart, senior Brac Hooper, Stay in it and enjoy this and sophomore Chase penultimate Harbinger Wagner, who competed. magazine. Congratulations! Intramural basketball also wrapped up earlier this month with a special Elizabeth Rexing, Print appearance by your favorEditor ite Harbinger team, the Cheese Curdz (p. 8). Spring sports are now in full swing with baseball, softball, and track and field athletes competing (p. 7). Check out the back cover for more information about their upcoming games.

Staff Print Editor Elizabeth Rexing Digital Media Editor Logan Seiler Social Media Editor Riya Patel Photo Editor Sarah Maniscalo Podcast Director Josh Nieman

Feature Editor Staff Kailey Wallenius Josie Brackett Student Life Editor Daysun Brown Lucy Robinson Jack Farrar News & Sports Editor Arianna Gimona Mary Demarco Dax Lara Opinion Editor Adanna Mbanu Gretchen Drews Tate Quinn Art Director Jake Young Brooklyn Brown

Editorial Do Days Lately the news has been filled with violence, anger, and sadness. It’s been hard to see the good in the world. But, Mr. Rogers once said, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” In Zionsville, one need not look far; students, staff, and family participated in the fourth annual Zionsville Community Schools “Do Days” from March 10 through March 12. These three days were dedicated to community service projects and aimed to bring positive change to Zionsville and the rest of Boone County. Numerous ZCHS students and staff should be recognized for their efforts. The National Honor Society hosted a Note Writing Drive to get homemade cards to every middle school and elementary school teacher in the district. The Cadet teachers paired with ZCS kindergartners to write “good luck” cards to all the juniors who took the SAT. Teacher Julie Speer and her PE classes hosted a donation drive for the Humane Society; PLTW teacher Jason Donkersloot and students built picnic tables for the new Trailside Elementary School; and, led by the SPIRIT council, numerous teachers and classes cleaned up the courtyards. To all who participated in, planned, or organized this year’s “Do Days,” thank you for your dedication to the community. Your efforts did not go unnoticed. We appreciate you. While the official “Do Days” are over, remember that any day can be a “Do Day”; there are infinite ways to help someone else. No one is ever too small to make a difference and it’s never too late to start. The mission of the Harbinger is to provide both the student body of Zionsville Community High School and the local community with the unbiased truth. The staff strives to handle every topic they take on with respect and objectivity, while also providing a source of entertainment and intriguing content for the reader. The Harbinger aims to reflect the true atmosphere of ZCHS by including students of all walks of life in the publication.

Contents News

4 Bill to Ban Trans Athletes 6 Star Interns

Sports

7 Spo(r)t the Difference 8 Everyday Ballers

8 Student Life

Opinion

Feature

15 Rockin' Out 16 In Full Bloom 17 'laires: Return to the Spotlight 18 Girl Boss Cover photo by Sarah Maniscalo

10 The Evolution of TikTok 11 Game On 12 Tats with Traditions 14 Lights, Camera, Action 20 Every Drop Counts 21 TV Hot Takes 22 Unlock the Potential 23 Student Survey

24 Harb Highlights 3

Bill to Ban Trans Athletes Passes By Lucy Robinson, Student Life Editor

n Indiana bill to prohibit transgender girls from playing on female school sports teams in elementary through high school has passed in the House and Senate and is awaiting the signature of Gov. Eric Holcomb, as of March 7. Bill author Rep. Michelle Davis said the reasoning behind House Bill 1041 is that, “female athletes deserve fair competition and an even playing field. This bill ensures just that, a fair and equal opportunity to compete for Hoosiers now and in the future.” There has been pushback on the bill from many LGBTQ+ activists and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), saying that this bill seeks to discriminate against transgender youth. The ACLU also has concerns about the effect of this bill on the mental health of transgender youth. In regard to these mental health concerns Rep. Davis said, “Of course, mental health, I empathize with anyone who goes through mental health issues. I see it’s real for all students and all Hoosiers today, but this bill is about maintaining fair competition for female sports.” Nixe Negrin, junior, is a transgender student at ZCHS. Negrin, who was inter-

“I am not an athlete, but I know what it’s like to fight the system and it’s not easy.” - Nixe Negrin, junior

ACLU of Indiana protests House Bill 1041 at the State House on Feb. 16. photo provided by the ACLU

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“I bet if you asked a lot of the athletic directors in the area, they wouldn’t even know about this waiver process.” - Greg Schellhase, Atheltic Director viewed before the bill’s passage, said the law affects transgender students by sending “a message that the state doesn’t care about us.” “I am not an athlete, but I know what it’s like to fight the system and it’s not easy,” Negrin said. “If this gets passed, then it would be sure to damage any trans girl from participating in any sport; though, it is already affecting any trans kid in school because of the discussion even taking place. The suicide rate within trans youth is already alarmingly high, and this just further contributes to those statistics. You’d think that Indiana would be fixing these issues in today’s time, not causing them.” Because of strict existing requirements by the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA), the application to compete as a transgender athlete has only been filled out a few times in its over 10 years of existence. In an interview with the IndyStar, IHSAA commissioner Paul Niedig said, “To my knowledge, I’ve had two applications submitted. One was a biological female to male [transition] and that student was going to run cross-country at an Indiana [high] school and that information was submitted according to the policy and that student was granted the ability to run on the male cross-country team.” The other was a male to female application where the application process was stopped. ZCHS Athletic Director Greg Schellhase said, “no one through our offices has ever applied for the waiver.” “I bet if you asked a lot of the athletic directors in the area, they wouldn’t even know about this waiver process,” Schellhase added. When asked by State Rep. Ed DeLaney if Indiana has a large number of transgender girls playing on girls sports teams, Rep. Davis

On Feb. 16, protesters joined ACLU in speaking out against HB 1041. photo provided by the ACLU

said, “We don’t as of yet, but wouldn’t it be a tragedy if your granddaughter didn’t get to play?” Not only have the effects and intention of the bill been questioned, the necessity of it has as well. The IHSAA already has a set of standards regarding transgender athletes. “The current IHSAA rules should provide enough for making competition fair,” Negrin said. “The representative is blinded by the genetic ‘advantage’ that trans girls have. The truth is that anyone, no matter sex, condition, race, etc., has to work to be good at a sport.” Currently, a waiver must be filled out for a transgender student to participate on the team which aligns with their identity. According to the IHSAA, the initial application requires the student’s school registration information, written statements from the student and their parents/guardians about the student’s gender identity and reason for submitting an application, statements of the actions, attitudes, dress manner, gender identification and gender expression of the student from parents, friends, etc., and written affirmation from a health-care professional. The application also requires that students must have, “completed a minimum of one year of hormone treatment related to gender transition or undergone a medically con-

firmed gender reassignment procedure.” For male to female transgender students, the student’s physical condition (bone structure, muscle mass, and/or testosterone hormonal levels) and “how they relate to the physical condition of a genetic female of the same age group,” are analyzed, according to the IHSAA. Obtaining hormones can often be difficult for teenagers due to expense or parent consent. “The current rules give a year for the hormones to make changes in the body,” Negrin said. “So muscle mass wouldn’t be a big problem after that year, thus giving more reason to discredit the argument that the bill is making.” Bills similar to House Bill 1041 have been proposed in many states. In many, the bills were vetoed by the governors and opposed by the ACLU. So far, legislation has been passed limiting the rights of transgender citizens in Texas, Florida, Illinois and Iowa. If you or someone you know are struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255). You are not alone.

News 5

ST R INTERNS

By Sarah Maniscalo, Photo Editor

he Zionsville Star Bank Branch has been on the ZCHS campus since August 2020. Its purpose: to facilitate a strong partnership between the bank and the community. “The main reason why we’re here is, yes, we’re a full-service bank for Boone County,” the branch’s manager Erin Schlick said. “But we also want to be a resource for teachers and students and Zionsville schools.” The branch already teaches financial literacy classes in partnership with the high school but wanted to take their offered education to the next level. This semester is the first for the bank to host student interns, who spend every seventh period at the bank doing work-based learning. “I want them to have a real work-life experience out of this, but also to be able to explore other lines of businesses or other careers in banking that they might not know about, or they might be interested in,” Schlick said. Juniors and seniors were given the opportunity to apply for a position last winter. The original plan was for the bank to have

Star bank interns from left to right: Claire Schellhase, Daysun Brown, Ella Carriere, and Jake Young. photo by Janet Mann

6 News

one intern, but so many people applied that four students were ultimately given an internship. “We have the capability to make a huge impact,” Schlick said. “If we have just one [intern], I’m going over the same stuff. Why can’t we have more than one?” The interns have relevant coursework to follow on Monday, Thursday, and Friday. Their curriculum covers topics like financial wellness and literacy as well as skill development in networking and building healthy communication. They also get to observe how a bank functions in day-to-day operations. After only two days of her internship, Claire Schellhase, senior, already had a valuable experience. “We learned a lot about their computer systems,” Schellhase said. “We’re learning about financial security and different positions in business and in the bank.” For block day on Tuesdays, the interns have group activities. They get an inside look into the lives of professionals in other lines of business by job-shadowing them in person or virtually. Although

Senior Ella Carriere works on a computer during her internship at Star Bank. photo by Janet Mann

they’ve only been in their internships for a few months, intern Ella Carriere, senior, has found herself inspired. Speaking about one of the speakers she was able to meet, she said, “Amanda is a very interesting person. She’s a huge leader in her field and in the community. It was super interesting to get to know her and hear great advice on how to succeed further. No matter how small your role might be, you can still be a leader.”

“No matter how small your role might be, you can still be a leader.” - Ella Carriere, senior

Spo(r)t the Difference By Arianna Gimona, Staff

Cross Country v. Track

hen junior Abigail Vestel is asked “Are you a runner?,” she replies, “Which kind of runner?” Vestel, who runs in both cross country and the 1600m for track, said many people assume track is just a short version of cross country, however, the two running-based sports differ in numerous ways. “In track and field there are more differences in the people that you work with,” Vestel said. “You can have throwers, sprinters, jumpers and track athletes. There is a lot of division among everybody, so you really don’t have closer team bonding.” In addition to the athletes on the team, the running terrain differs. Cross country races are run in different terrains compared to track and field, which takes place on the same type of track every time. Also, the

cross country season is during the fall and track and field takes place in the spring. “With cross country everybody’s running the same race, whereas in track you want to spread out the talent so you have the best possible outcome for all events based on who is the best,” senior cross country and track athlete Caleb Lindsey said. Cross country is a more collaborative sport and each person is on the same team with the same goal: winning the race. “For cross country your team points overall and you get to form very special bonds with your teammates,” Vestel said. “I love them; they’re awesome.” Many athletes, like Vestel, use cross country or track and field as a way to crosstrain during their off season. Vestel said she uses track to “condition for cross country.”

What makes these two sports similar? Beside the prodigious willpower to run every day, Vestal said, “the competitiveness by far. Everybody is trying to win a first place prize, but also you form very close bonds with people in your division or who you run with, which is awesome.” The next home track meet is on March 22 at 5:30 p.m..

photo by alumni Ruth Cronin

Baseball v. Softball

aseball and softball, two spring sports, are often compared for their skill sets, rules and similar objectives. At ZCHS the most apparent difference is that softball is typically played by girls and baseball by boys. For example, much of the difference is in the rules,

playing conditions, and size of the field. A baseball field is larger, with the bases being 90 feet apart, while on the softball fields the bases are 60 feet apart. “Our field is much smaller and the ball doesn’t run as far as a baseball, making your entire strategy change when focusing on moving runners into scoring positions,” senior softball player Molly Jefferson said. Baseball games are made of nine-innings and therefore are slower and more relaxed, while softball games are only seven-innings. “I honestly love softball,” sophomore baseball player Nash Wagner said. “I think it’s a really fun game to watch, with a super fast pace compared to baseball.” This fast pace means the rules about stealing bases are different. In baseball a

player standing on any of the bases can run before the upcoming ball leaves the pitcher’s hand, while in softball the player cannot leave until the pitch is thrown. In addition, pitching styles for each respective sport are different. In baseball the ball is thrown over hand from over 60 feet away. In softball, the ball is thrown underhand from 43 feet. The next home baseball game is April 6 at 6 p.m. against Fishers High School and the next home softball game is March 26 at 11 a.m. against Greenfield Central.

photo by alumni Kailee Rockers

Sports 7

Everyday Ballers D

uring a game in his last intramural (IM) basketball season in 2020 then sophomore Roméo Grégoire, dribbled up the court, faked a layup at the net and then passed the basketball behind his

back to his teammate, who then launched the ball towards the basket to make a three-pointer. The crowd of 40 went wild. While he lost “almost every game” that year, and after COVID-19 canceled the 2021 IM basketball

Grégoire defends the basket in his IM game on Feb. 15. photo by Sarah Maniscalo

8 Sports

Hundreds of students took to the courts for the popular return of Intramural volleyball and basketball By Elizabeth Rexing, Print Editor

season, Grégoire came back, ready to win in 2022. IM sponsor Kristin Lancaster remembers making the decision to cancel the 2021 IM basketball and volleyball season as necessary but “a really tough decision.” Grégoire was “deeply saddened” about the cancellation of last year’s IM season because he had planned on playing again. But, much to the excitement of the student body, IM sports came back full force this year. Grégoire and his “good friends” made up the team, the Head Bangin’ Billy Goats. As of March 1, with two games left before the tournament, the Head Bangin’ Billy Goats were 0-5. The IM basketball season started Feb. 1 and continued through the second week of March. The first five weeks of the season was the “regular season,” where each team played twice a week; the fifth, and final, week was playoffs, consisting of a single-elimination style tournament on March 10. Similarly, the IM volleyball season, which started at the end of October and wrapped up in November, scheduled two games per week, leading up to a one-day tournament to declare a champion. Unlike IM volleyball, which only had one league, IM basketball had two leagues, A and B, that helped separate and distinguish between the skills of players. Lancaster said that IM basketball saw a large sign-up from kids who’ve “played basketball for forever” or are “6’ 5” football players.” Lancaster said in the one-league volleyball there weren’t “enough people

that were so much more talented that others felt uncomfortable playing with them.” According to Grégoire, the Head Bangin Billy Goats decided to play in league A because they are so “dominant” in basketball. On the other hand, freshman Claire O’Neil and her team, the English Shrubbery, played in league B since most of the teammates had never played basketball. At the start of the season O’Neil said, “I don’t think our team will do that great but we’ll have fun anyways.” O’Neil and her team also played in the IM volleyball season and had a 4-1 record. O’Neil had never played volleyball but that didn’t stop her from enjoying the season. “I really liked how organized it was and how it wasn’t super competitive,” O’Neil said. “I also really liked how anyone could play even if they never played volleyball before.” The IM basketball season fell in the middle of the high school season. But, while high school athletes can’t join in the fun, the sport’s season caused “more interest because everyone was excited,” Lancaster said. While always popular, with around 20 teams playing in IM basketball in past seasons, this year, the numbers were significantly higher. League A had 16 teams and league B had 17 teams, 33 in total. Lancaster also noted that there were larger teams during this year’s basketball season, with some teams having eight players when only five play at

one time. There were around 220 players. Grégoire believes that “people were more excited than ever because [IM sports] were gone the year before.” Lancaster agreed that there were “definitely more people involved this year.” However, she notes that IM sports have been popular for a while because of the “relaxed environment.” “It’s almost like a The English Shrubbery poses after an IM volleyball game. photo submitted college idea,” Lancaster by Claire O’Neil said. “You don’t have to practice, you don’t random people” to come together and play. have to do anything but show up.” O’Neil and her team bonded outside of As a coach for the high school soccer the gym and developed a post-game ritual team, Lancaster said she recognizes how during volleyball season. different IM sports are than the normal high “My favorite memory was afterwards, the school athletics. whole team would go to McDonald’s and “It’s a completely different experience hang out there and talk about the game,” than playing travel soccer or playing high O’Neil said. “I loved playing volleyball with school volleyball,” Lancaster said. “It’s probathem and it was always really fun to hang out bly the first time they’re getting to go out and with the team.” just play a sport for fun without having to O’Neil and the English Shrubbery still worry about their score or their record.” celebrate after games but at Rush on Main More than just the sport, Grégoire said instead. As of March 1, they were 1-3. that intramurals are a way for a “bunch of

NACHO

Commentary by Daysun Brown, Staff eb. 1 was an ordinary Tuesday night for many, but not for the members of the new IM basketball team the Cheese Curdz, dressed in yellow and orange, to look like cheese. Our team, composed primarily of Harbinger magazine staff, took to the court, ready to dominate. During the pre-game huddle, our photo editor, senior Sarah Maniscalo, looked around and asked, “Does anyone know how to play basketball?” The opposing team, The Ball Handlers, got possession of the ball first and promptly made a full court shot to set the tone for how our first game would go. We quickly realized we were in way over our heads and the collective total of one year of basketball experience between our eight members wasn’t going to cut it.

Average Team

The final score was 3-65. Despite a score some would consider “an embarrassing annihilation,” our team was nothing but ecstatic at the effort we had made. When we scored our one basket, our entire team and those on the sidelines erupted. Even the opposing team couldn’t help but crack a smile at our embarrassingly over-the-top celebration. Practices started shortly after, consisting of lots of positive energy and the High School Musical masterpiece of “Get Your Head in the Game.’’ Practice paid off. By March 1, we finally won our first game and scored 23 more baskets. Our baller skills and celebrations improved immensely and I learned that not being the best at something shouldn’t get in the way of you enjoying it.

Senior Daysun Brown holds up a sign while junior Brooklyn Brown cheers mid air during the IM game on Feb. 10. photo by Sarah Maniscalo

Sports 9

The Evolution of TikTok TikTok two years ago in March 2020 was vastly different than the TikTok students see today By Josie Brackett and Adanna Mbanu, Staff

s sophomore Emily Todd scrolls through her constantly changing “For You” page, she finds herself reminiscing about what TikTok used to be. Before the influencer drama of 2021 and the overplayed, yet fun trends, the app was a more relaxed space where teens could share their perspectives without being chronically ridiculed online. The platform allowed people to, communicate and connect with each other while still obeying COVID-19 protocols. “I’ve met so many people through TikTok that share the same interests as me,” Todd said. Over the evolution of TikTok, there have been a variety of favorite trends. “The most memorable trend was in the summer of 2019 when VSCO girls were a thing,” Todd said. “Looking back, it’s embarrassing, but I had so much fun in the summer of 2019. It was also the last normal summer before COVID.” Fatigued with boredom during the initial quarantine of 2020, users tried new trends. “I did make the whipped coffee,” Eskonen said. “I don’t even like coffee. It was so bad, I didn’t like it. I was doing all the trends. I have a video that I recently posted and found it in my drafts and it was quarantine outfits. I definitely did all the dances. I could still even remember some of them if I were to pull them out. I could probably just do it from muscle memory.” TikTok dances are unforgettable. Users “think that they’re so fun even if they can never do them,” Eskonen said. “I think the most memorable trend will always be the Renegade dance,” senior Char-

10 Student Life

lie Steiner said. The TikTok environment has changed almost completely over the course of two years. Back in 2020, many people, especially teens, didn’t feel as comfortable opening up about their feelings or themselves in general. Now in 2022, talking about Senior Audrey Es mental health and more personal issues has a TikTok she konen poses in a picture shown in recently posted. ph oto from Eskonen’ become normalized throughout the TikTok TikTok page s community. Eskonen believes that this shift in aware- helpful with ness for these specific issues is for the better. helping me pick out books to read “I feel like a lot of people perceive next.” TikTok to be super negative now, but I The change in environment has also think it’s way more relatable when people affected life outside the app. Steiner said it talk about mental health, sexual assault, has given him “confidence to dress and be and abusive relationships,” Eskonen said. “I what I want at school.” think that it is so incredibly powerful.” “I have changed a lot since 2020,” Todd When comparing 2020 with 2022, there’s said. “TikTok has influenced me a lot, also been a shift in the overall comfort from my clothing style to views on current level. The previous stereotypes that had political events. It has been beneficial for been associated with the app in 2020 have me because I’m very confident with who I mellowed out, allowing for newer and more am. I have also met so many people through open trends to be created. TikTok that share the same interests as me.” “A couple years ago [the] following TikTok continues to be a way for teens mattered a lot for me,” Todd said. “Now I to connect with one another and share don’t care about following. I didn’t like the interests. following I had because I didn’t like think“I’m a big fan of TikTok because, no ing about thousands of people watching me. matter what, my ‘For You’ page is always I just wanted to please everyone, which I carried into something that I’m going to enknow now is a toxic environment for me to joy, which is why it’s so addicting,” Eskonen be in, so I stopped using my account. I then said. “I really love TikTok and how relatable made a new account that only my friends it is. I have a lot of good memories from it.” could follow.” Especially now, trends have given teens a broader sense of what spectrum their interests tend to lean towards. “I really like ‘booktok’, because I read a lot,” Eskonen said. “So that’s really been

Game O On

Zionsville seniors play the epic game of Assassins

By Kailey Wallenius, Feature Editor

enior Kennedy Merrel walked outside to the bus, ready to head to the elementary school for Peer. After talking to her classmate, she was hit with a stream of water: She was out. Starting on Feb 28th, Senior Assassins, has taken over seniors lives. Senior assassins, a game not affiliated with ZCHS, has been played for over 5 years by Zionsville seniors. A game of stealth and paranoia, where the goal is to eliminate a weekly target. “We really want to make sure this is like our big thing, to get some normalcy back into our high school experience,” senior and co-director of Senior Assassins Allison Soards said. The game began with everyone choosing their partner, a very important part of the game. “Typically people choose people who they are close friends with, but then some people choose someone you would never expect who are in completely different circles so you don’t have any crossover,” Soards said. The game was moved up a month this year, due to it running long last year. “Last year, it was three and a half months,” Soards said. “[The game] took longer than I

thought it was going to.” If there’s ever an argument on whether or not someone is shot, the directors have a simple solution. “Last year they put the two teams that were trying to figure out the problem into a group chat and they said figure it out in 10 minutes,” Soards said. “As of right now we are planning on doing the same.” Attempting to appeal multiple times, as she was shot during Peer, Merrel was unsuccessful in getting back into the game. “I’m really mad about getting out this early,” Merrel said. “Normally I wouldn’t care, but the way it happened is why I’m mad.” Paranoia is going to be needed for the rest of the game, especially around people you thought you could trust. “Watch your back, just because some people are out doesn’t mean they can’t still help or turn against you,” Merrel said. “In this game you have to build bridges, not break them.” Seniors Allison Soards and Abe Kauffman, co-directors of Senior Assassins. photo by Sarah Maniscalo

To Move on Every Week • • •

You or your partner must shoot at least one member of the team you are after You can eliminate more than one team per week, but it will not buy you extra time You are out if you fail to shoot one person on your targeted team within the deadline

If You Are Shot • •

Places You Are Safe • • • • • • • • •

On school grounds School parking lots if you aren’t talking Practices, home games, away games On the clock on work grounds Church grounds, or any church sponsored events During prom weekend, graduation weekend, or any Sundays Moving or running car Cadet teaching and Peer facilitator school grounds In someone’s home if you are invited in

If you/your partner is shot, they are out until the next week as long as the other partner isn’t shot If an opponent that is after you tries to shoot you or your partner, and you or your partner shoots them first, neither that person or their partner can shoot you or your partner for the next 24 hours

Basic Rules •

• • •

How to Eliminate a Team • • •

Partners must shoot at least one member of the team between Monday morning and midnight on Saturday If both of your targets are shot, you can go after the team they were after Report someone shot IMMEDIATELY by texting one of the leaders

• •

Each week, every pair is assigned a pair, their target, and must shoot at least one person to stay in the game Don’t bring water guns into schools, and don’t shoot people in school Poor sportsmanship will not be tolerated Be honest in being shot/ shooting someone Senior Assassins is not affiliated with school Every Monday morning the game begins with new targets, sent out Sunday nights by the leaders

Student Life 11

with

Tats Traditions By Brooklyn Brown, Art Editor

Jada Rumbaoa, 11 Junior Jada Rumbaoa’s snake tattoo is not meant to look as threatening as the actual reptile. For Rumbaoa, it holds a cultural importance to their grandparent’s Filipino culture. “In Indiana you can’t exactly connect with Filipino culture, so I thought it’d be a nice way for me to connect with a part of my heritage,” Rumbaoa said, “[The tattoo] is done in tribal [style], specifically Filipino tribal.” The Filipino national

flower, the Sampaguita, completes the snake tattoo. Rumbaoa designed the tattoo, solidifying its importance. “It makes me really happy that something I designed, something that’s so personal to me, is well-liked by other people,” Rumbaoa said. Rumbaoa’s second tattoo equally celebrates family, by commemorating their mother’s favorite insect, a dragonfly. “We got it together,” Rumbaoa said. “It was like a birthday gift.” To match, their mother got a ladybug tattooed in the same place in honor of Rumbaoa’s childhood nickname, ‘Jada Bug’.

Gavin Raff, 12 “Usually when you say you got a tattoo in Vegas, it’s bad, but the second tattoo I ever got was in Vegas,” senior Gavin Raff said. Although it was driven by spontaneity, it actually turned out to be one of his favorite tattoos. That wasn’t his only tattoo that required a bit of traveling, Raff has been tattooed in multiple states. “Most of [my tattoos] I get when I go somewhere. I’ve gotten one in Nevada, a couple in Utah, one in Colorado,” Raff said. “So it’s kind of like a memory for that place, too.” Raff has a total of 13 tattoos, most of them being on his legs.

12 Student Life

“Most of the [tattoos] on my legs are just from personal experiences or like struggles I’ve been through and are a reminder,” Raff said. He also honors his sister with a tattoo of her birth date on his chest and brings awareness to the issue of suicide with another tattoo on his wrist. “I have a semi-colon on my wrist,” Raff said “I’ve had family members commit suicide so it’s very personal there.” Rather than worrying about the permanency of the decision to get tattooed, Raff appreciates it. “It is just important to me because it’s permanent and it holds meaning,” Raff said.

Jordan Potter, 12 “For my first tattoo the build up to actually getting it was pretty nerve-racking,” senior Jordan Potter said. She didn’t let her nerves stop her though, and has gotten four more tattoos since. All of her tattoos hold serious meanings, two of them being dedicated to her sisters. Her tattoos truly tell a story. “My first tattoo is a lion with flowers surrounding half the face on the inside of my forearm,” Potter said. “A few months later I then decided to continue that tattoo’s story on the other side of

my forearm.” The concluding side of the story includes a sun and moon design, her younger sister’s birth date, and a Leo constellation. Another of her tattoos was even given to her by a friend, reading “it’s okay” with the letter “o” being made to look like a flower. “I think getting a tattoo is a very personal and vulnerable experience and no one, besides you, should be able to have an opinion of what gets done or put on your body,” Potter said.

Trinity Dodd, 12 Senior Trinity Dodd has four tattoos, and plans to get many more. “I love getting tattoos,” Dodd said. “I got my first when I was 16 and got the rest over the past year. The experience was amazing; my tattoo artist is super chill and fun to talk to.” Making the experience all the more special, every time Dodd receives a tattoo, so does her mother. “It’s also just good quality time for us,” Dodd said. Dodd’s first tattoo was particularly special, being in honor of her late friend Harrison Hunn. “The ocean was always something that reminded me of him as he loved to travel and his eyes were bright blue,” Dodd said.

For Dodd, the placement of tattoos can mean just as much as the artwork itself. “The butterflies behind my ear symbolize growth,” Dodd said, “They’re hidden because although growth may not always be seen, it’s still there.” Dodd’s tattoos all have deep meaning to her, and she hates the stigma that implies she might regret them as she ages. “First, this implies that I’m not mature enough to make rash decisions about my body,” Dodd said. “Also, if all I have to regret when I’m older is tattoos, I lived a really good life.”

photos by Harbinger staff members or submitted by featured students

Student Life 13

Light s, Camera, Act ion By Elizabeth Rexing, Print Editor rom, taking place on April 23 from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., will feature the theme “Golden Age of Hollywood,” junior and Prom Committee member Grace Shortridge said. After the Prom Committee viewed the venue, Bullseye Event Center in downtown Indianapolis, Shortridge said that the theme “made a lot of sense with the space we were given and also felt like a nod to the prom that never happened, which was 20s themed.” Prom Committee sponsor Ann Bender, who always books the venue three years in advance to accommodate the large student body, noted that being in Indianapolis, “stu-

dents can make fun dinner reservations have a nice night time view of the skyline.” While vendor and decoration specifics are a surprise, Shortridge said, “all the associations you make to old Hollywood will pretty much be making an appearance at prom.” According to Bender, food and decorations will fit the theme and the venue is divided into two large rooms. “One part of the venue will play music related to our theme,” Bender said. “But the dance area will have contemporary dance music that the student body has requested.” The 2020 prom was canceled and the 2021 prom was significantly different, with masks, an outdoor venue, and limited capacity. This year, according to Shortridge, students will be allowed to bring guests from other schools and the event will take place indoors again. “It’s been difficult to plan prom during the pandemic because the situation is ever changing making it hard to make decisions on certain aspects of the event,” Shortridge said. “In general, we have tried to plan prom as normal as possible and let the important people make decisions A map of the Bullseye Event Center in comparison to Lucas in regards to COVID-19 safety.” Oil Stadium. map provided by Bullseye Event Center website

Aft er Prom

fter Prom, at ZCHS from midnight on April 23 to 3 a.m., is a free event for all juniors and seniors. Underclassman guests and guests from other schools can attend but they must buy a ticket and fill out a guest form. More information about bringing a guest can be found by scanning the QR code on the After Prom posters around the high school. This year’s theme, Z’Flix, was decided for the 2019 After Prom that was ultimately canceled. President of Zionsville After Prom (ZAP) Laura Gunderman said decorations had already been started before the event was called off. “The ZAP committee decided to not waste resources by picking up where the work stopped in 2020,” Gunderman said.

14 Student Life

With grants and donations from parents and local businesses, the ZAP executive board and parent volunteers are creating decorations “based off movies and shows known and loved,” Gunderman said. “The school hallways are transformed by decorations into an extravaganza of photo ops themed on movies,” Gunderman said. The specific films are kept a secret but Gunderman hints that they will contribute to a “magical, marvelous, out-of-this-world” atmosphere. According to Gunderman, students have a lot to look forward to. “We have planned entertainment spaces that have activities such as inflatables, karaoke, casino, silent DJ, temporary tattoo artists, a coffeehouse, gaming areas for bingo, euchre, and board games as well as cornhole,” Gunderman said.

As of March 1, the plan for an indoor, mask-optional event stood. In the works since September, Shortridge says this prom will be “a celebration of all the students who have gone through challenges these past few years and felt like they haven’t been able to live the life of normal teenagers.” “It’s basically going to be a huge party with all the people we have spent four or more years surrounded by,” Shortridge said. Prom tickets will go on sale for $50 on the PAC website on March 21 and increase to $60 on April 1. The last day to buy tickets is at 11:59 PM on April 11. Bender also noted that students driving to prom will need to buy a parking pass ahead of time. Starting March 21, passes will be for sale in room 312 for $10 and will be sold until the end of the school day on April 22. Only students with prepaid passes will be able to park at the venue the night of prom. Shortridge is excited to share this year’s prom with the student body. “I feel like it’s been a really long time since we have had the opportunity to get such a large group together and have an event like this one,” Shortridge said.

When students check in, they will receive casino chips that can be used in the casino or in bingo games to try and earn more chips. Each student can use their chips to buy one prize at the end of the night. Food like pizza, popcorn, and “sweet treats” will be available, said Gunderman. Student band, The Papercuts, will also perform. Additionally, seniors who are present at the end of the event, have the opportunity to win $500 scholarships in a drawing. Gunderman said it’s important to note that students only need to bring their student ID (or an ID with a picture). She also said that once a student leaves, they cannot return. Before arriving, Gunderman suggests students change into comfy clothes so they can “jump around on the inflatables, dance, relax on the coffeehouse pillows, and chill at the casino.”

Jacob Gritton plays the guitar and Ross Stockwell plays the drums in a rehearsal. photos by Josh Nieman

Rockin’ Øut

tudent bands have been a staple of the stereotypical high school experience in pop culture from The Pinheads in Back to the Future to Lemonade Mouth in the movie of the same name. Zionsville itself has been no stranger to the idea. Multiple student-led groups have gone on to perform live and create original works to fill out their own discographies. KØST is one of these groups, however they are very early in their musical career. Currently, the band is a duo, consisting of seniors Jacob Gritton who plays guitar, bass, and lead vocals and Ross Stockwell on drums and backup vocals. Together they form a sound that they hope sets them apart from their contemporaries. “I don’t know if it’s an actual genre; we like to call it groove metal,” Stockwell said. “There’s like thrash metal and all that stuff and we’re not even close to that,” Gritton said. “Groove metal and heavy metal is probably more what we create, more on the lines of Metallica or Pantera.” The Bible, and other Christian themes, permeate throughout everything about them; from their lyrics to their band name. “The name is in the Bible, it’s in the book of Jeremiah. It’s basically the cost of being a disciple. We changed that to a K and

then put a slash through the O,” Gritton said. “There’s a lot of religious influences in our lyrics, but we don’t call ourselves a Christian band.” This is reinforced by the fact that, as of now, KØST has covered just as many classic rock songs as they’ve made original ones, framing themselves as all around fans of the genre. “We’re very new,” Gritton said. “So every song, producing wise, we’re getting better.” Though they’ve made a couple of original songs, they plan on revisiting some of their early ones to clean up production. “If we do ever put out a full album, we’re going to have to master those ones first,” Stockwell said. That production process takes place across two locations and a whole lot of emails. Stockwell and Gritton record their sections from their own respective homes and send them back and forth to make progress. “I’ve got a program called EZdrummer 2 and it’s extremely helpful. I’ve got the program on the computer that I connect the drums to, and then I put my headphones on, and all the input that the drums are taking goes through my computer and plays those sounds of really high quality drums,” Stockwell said. “And then he sends that to me,” Gritton said. “I use Logic Pro, and that’s where I’d add reverb to his drums, mess with the EQ to lower the bass so it sounds better in your car or sounds better with AirPods.” Between the two of them, and lots of

By Joshua Nieman, Podcast Editor

communication, they get it done. However, it might not always be just the two of them. “We talk about this all the time,” Stockwell said. “Because we dream about having a bassist or a rhythm guitarist so it could just be a full band and we could all jam out. We love thinking about that stuff. We’re constantly looking.” Gritton said that it is a “challenge” to make “every part of a song unique and really well thought out.” Even with the extra challenges, the duo has begun to see their work pay off, garnering attention across TikTok, Instagram (kost_music), and YouTube (linked on Instagram page). “Some of our stuff is starting to get a lot of views, which is really cool,” Gritton said. On March 1, KØST released their first song, “Charred Velvet Skies”, on Spotify. The duo’s not stopping there. “We’re going to continue putting stuff out until we have an album,” Gritton said.

Feature 15

n a pl e s i rad

s tera a n o m nt

pothos plant

In Full

BLOOM

By Adanna Mbanu, Staff

fter feeling the fresh humid air of early spring, senior Max Robinson decided it’s time for a garden-fresh start. Repotting and purchasing additional plants are all on his agenda for the spring season. Many students believe that spring is the quintessential time to have a fresh start by incorporating plants into their life because “it’s right after winter so the sun starts coming out more,” Robinson said. Robinson’s favorite plant is the Paradise Plant. “It’s super pretty and I love its big leaves,” Robinson said. “It’s a nice big plant and it adds nice greenery to my room.” Sophomore and member of Zionsville Nature Club Ava Jalaie also incorporates plants into her living space, especially her bedroom. She said the area feels “bare” without the greenery. “I think that they make my room seem more lively and colorful,” Jalaie said. “They are also great decorations because I love the color green.” Plants and greenery in general have been proven to have a positive impact on mental health and productivity within the final stretch of the school year. “I can’t emphasize how important nature in general is to mental health,” junior Amelia Loewer, founder of Zionsville Nature Club, said. “One of the reasons I started the Nature Club in the first place was to promote just going outside. Some of

16 Feature

graphics by Brooklyn Brown

my best memories have been outdoors and I’m always at my happiest.” This trend of incorporating plants into their lifestyle started way before this year. Many students have collected greenery since they were young and Robinson has accumulated “15 to 20.” “When I was younger I got fixated on cacti for some reason and then just started getting plants to take care of,” Robinson said. Others started accumulating flora more recently. “I’ve always been a nature lover ever since I was little,” Loewer said. “I was definitely a ‘dirt kid’ in the sense that I was always playing in the mud and picking up worms and bugs to play with.” However Loewer noted that she “really started appreciating nature” after the COVID-19 quarantines in spring 2020. Being “extremely extroverted” Loewer said that being stuck indoors was very difficult. When summer arrived, she tried to spend time outside everyday. “It made me so happy and I’ve had a special place [in my heart] for the outdoors ever since,” Loewer said. But taking care of a large variety of plants can be time consuming depending on how invested someone is. “I mainly learned how to take care of plants from researching online but I do think that in Nature Club, knowing other

people that have plants helps,” Jalaie said. According to Loewer, adding greenery into personal spaces helps improve mood and positively affects behavior. “I did have a succulent over quarantine and it was so helpful to keeping a positive atmosphere while being stuck inside,” Loewer said. Reminding her of being outside in the summertime, Jalaie said that having plants nearby “definitely” boosts her mood. “I think that having most of my plants by my desk also helps me focus and be in more of a productive mood because I am in a space that reflects me more,” Jalaie said.

Plant Newbie? Here are Smart Garden’s list of hardest plants to kill: -

Pothos Plant Chinese Evergreen Snake Plant Flaming Katy Spider Plant Aloe Vera

‘laires: Return to the

SPOTLIGHT

By Sarah Maniscalo, Photo Editor

he Zionsville Show Choirs, currently under the direction of Deana Broge and Samuel Chenoweth, have been singing for ZCHS since the late 1900s. The Royalaires, the mixed choir, were founded 50 years ago and the Choralaires were founded almost 30 years ago. The program has a strong foundation of support from the school district, community, and parents. Their season was cut short in 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and severely limited in 2021. Now, the ‘laires are competing once again. Nina Abel, sophomore, is a rookie member of the Choralaires this year. “I remember being so excited over the summer hearing that we would be competing. After working so hard for so long, I can safely say we are all so ready for this,” Abel said. “We are ready for our come-back!” This year the Royalaires and Choralaires performed at four competitions. The first took place on Feb. 12. The Royalaires walked away as the Grand Champions and the Choralaires won First Runner Up. On Feb. 19, both groups placed second and on March 5, the Choralaires placed first and the Royalaires second. Their last competition took place on March 12. Both show choirs have practiced during school in their respective class periods and two days a week in the evenings to prepare for the competition season. “We started learning songs in the late fall,” Abel said. “Every competition is a learning experience for us and an opportunity to grow as a group, so we’ve changed choreography in the past two weeks and will probably continue to.” This program requires a lot of commitment: in addition to practice, ensemble members relinquish their Saturdays in the height of competition season. Ensemble members can expect to be waking up as early as 4 a.m. to curl their hair and set their makeup. Call time is at 6 a.m. with students on the buses and ready

Junior Molly Zucker dances with the Choralaires at group’s home performance on Feb. 10. photo by Sarah Maniscalo

to depart for the hosting high school’s campus, where they will spend their whole day. This facilitates a lot of down time to bond with each other; both the Choralaires and Royalaires only have one preliminary performance in the afternoon with some time allotted to review feedback from the judges and work on each show. “Competition season really brings the choirs together to be supportive and gives us time to really get to know each other and share something we’ve worked incredibly hard to create together,” Haleigh Tussinger, senior, said. If the choir makes it to the finals, they perform their entire show again at night. Final results for the competition are called at about midnight, after which students can finally head back towards Zionsville on the

buses. Most of the ensemble will be back in their beds to sleep by 2 a.m. on Sunday morning. “It gets a little exhausting and it’s kind of a long day, but it’s always fun performing,” sophomore Combo member Addie Coons said. This is her first year performing with the Choralaires, but she has been playing trumpet in Combo since her freshman year. Coons said, “I’ve gotten to meet so many great people and it’s definitely my favorite experience all year.” The tone has a stark difference from that of last year when everyone was limited by block days and broad COVID-19 restrictions. “The biggest difference [last year] was that we only saw students in person one day a week during class time. And when we did see them, it was only half of the ensemble,” Broge said. “So, throughout the week, when we’re used to seeing students and ensembles in full four or five times… it was really hard to make progress.” The 2021 competition season was completely virtual with a lot of practice completed over Zoom. “It was really noticeable that we weren’t able to be together and the kids missed out on hearing what [the show] should sound like,” Broge said. “They missed out on the camaraderie of things too, because they weren’t able to get to know each other as well.” Tussinger is thankful to be back to a normal routine and thankful for another amazing season. “[Last year,] I missed the passion and connections we make during this time of the year,” Tussinger said. “Something unexplainable clicks during the week before we start competing where we all sense a greater purpose and genuinely want to do our best for each other.”

Feature 17

Girl Boss By Gretchen Drews, Opinion Editor

Sophomore Meg Dimmet plays the violin. photo by Sarah Maniscalo

These two female student leaders have made differences in their community

Meg Dimmet

undreds of kids cheering, teachers crying tears of joy, students smiling wide as they are handed something they haven’t seen in ages—brand new instruments. These are just some of the things sophomore Meg Dimmet has been able to achieve through the nonprofit that she co-founded with her older sister. Notable Measures is a nonprofit that Dimmet and her older sister, Kate, began about five years ago. The Dimmets raise money for youth music education, but also raise awareness about the importance of music education, and provide opportunities for kids to perform and share their talents. “We raise money for youth music education across the state of Indiana and over the past five years, we’ve been able to raise over $50,000 for music education,” Dimmet

18 Feature

said. “We’ve been able to donate that to 43 schools across the state.” One way Notable Measures has been able to achieve their success is through youth participation in local events. “We’ve played at places like The Scoop and the farmer’s market, and we’ll put out a little sign and it’ll say that all funds go directly to the youth organization,” Dimmet said. “People will stop and listen and then they’ll throw in like $5 or whatever they can.” Another way they’ve received donations is through an annual letter writing campaign that happens around the holiday season. “We will write letters to family members, friends and community members and let them know what we’re doing, and we’ll

ask for donations or support in any way,” Dimmet said. With this money, the organization has not only been able to give back to the community by visiting students, but also by surprising schools and giving the joy of music to those who do not have the same opportunities as they do or are simply unable to afford the costs. “We went into one school, and we told the teacher ‘We have a donation for you’, and he started crying. He was brought to tears,” Dimmet said, “And in front of his whole class he ended up telling us he’d been paying out of pocket for a lot of things. I thought that was something really powerful because we impacted so many people.”

Marissa Roundtree

fter a year in the Women in Business and Tech club, sophomore Marrissa Roundtree decided it was time for her to become President. Since then, she’s been helping women explore their interests. Roundtree joined the Women in Business and Tech Club her freshman year. Although business and technology are typically male-dominated fields, she, like many other women in the club, hoped to explore her interests. “I hoped joining this club would help me learn more about these fields and see myself in an uplifting community,” Roundtree said. “Also, I liked how this club encourages women of power to pursue careers and to combat gender stereotypes about women in business and technology.” Since becoming club president, she’s taken on a variety of responsibilities like providing ideas for club activities and advising other young club members on their journey to becoming successful women. “One of my responsibilities is contributing back to this club similar to how it has helped me,” Roundtree said. “For example,

helping provide opportunities to members of this club that want to gain more experience in business and technology, but need guidance and want to learn more about opportunities they can explore outside of school.” Roundtree focuses on team-building and hour of code and case study sessions, which allow members to experiment with coding and topics of business no matter their level of experience. “We had a team-building workshop where we got to learn more about each other and how our MBTI personalities influence the way we work and interact with others in collaborative settings,” Roundtree said. “In addition, we are planning to have a workshop on mental health and stress management.” Another way she has allowed club members to get real-world experience is by attending events such as panels where the other club members can ask questions and discuss with other women in the Indianapolis area about their experiences in these careers. “Earlier this year, we had a panel in the

fall,” Roundtree said. “We learned about women’s experiences as being one of the only females in a male-dominated workplace and how they navigated through challenges and obstacles they faced.” While she acknowledges there are plenty of examples of gender disparities within the workplace, specifically in business and technology, Roundtree and the club strive to expose themselves to real experiences that will prepare them for their future. “Our club hopes to help our members combat [inequality], and serve as a support group and resource to uplift them as they pursue their journey in a male-dominated field,” Roundtree said. “Because of this club, I feel like I’ve been given valuable guidance from the other members and mentors from our community that has allowed me to become more open to exploring different opportunities in business and technology with confidence.”

Sophomore Marissa Roundtree uses the website Code.org. photo by Sarah Maniscalo

Feature 19

Every Drop

Counts

graphic by Brooklyn Brown

By Mary Demarco, News and Sports Editor

ccording to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), each week the average American family wastes about 180 gallons of water, yet according to the United Nations’ Water for Life Program, by 2025 1.8 billion people, which is about half of the population, will be living in regions of high water stress. With World Water Day, a United Nations observance day on March 22, approaching, it’s a good time to reflect on how we use water. Especially due to the fact that the U.S. has the second largest water consumption out of any other country. Although being conscious of water usage year round is important, World Water Day is an opportunity to take a deeper look into what you can do to help the cause. The daunting water crisis is something that no one donation or intention can change. But, when each person plays a part in helping to conserve and keep water clean, it can lead to a big impact. One way in which you could help this cause is to inform others who are less aware. Don’t use this time to shame or scold them, instead use this time as an opportunity to teach. Regions that deal with water crises aren’t just African countries. Water crises and droughts happen all over the world. For example, here in the United States, the Colorado River is beginning to dry up. The drought which this has caused is now being called a mega-drought, meaning that this has been occurring for 20 plus years. There hasn’t been a drought this bad in 1,200 years.

20 Opinion

Another extreme water crisis was in Flint, Michigan. The pipes and plumbing system contaminated with lead poisoning due to not properly treating the Flint River before using it as a reliable water source. People were left depending on water bottles and traveling to different counties just to do everyday things like brushing teeth and taking showers. Many other regions struggle with water contamination. Whether that be from heavy metals from factories finding their way into bodies of water, debris like plastic water bottles and soda cans, or chemicals like pesticides and nitrates, water pollution is a constant. The easiest way to help on a personal level is to watch your water consumption. Often we turn on the faucet and don’t think about how much water is going down the drain without being used. Yes, according to West Texas A&M University professor Dr. Christopher S. Baird, “water on the earth is part of an ongoing global water cycle,” this source also states that by wasting water we are, “diverting water from the human-usable part of the water cycle to the non-human-usable part of the water cycle.” Thus, denying others that once drinkable water. But, the ‘non-human-usable water,’ that people are left with can become drinkable through water purification systems. Donating to charities that provide these purification systems is yet another small way in which you could help. “It’s just amazing how far that $40 goes,” Dr. Howenstien, Senior Associate

Dean for Graduate Medical Education and Continuing Medical Education, along with head of the IU Medical Health Department, said. “I think it probably keeps a unit going for a year. Think about how you could easily spend $40 if your family went out to Panera tonight.” There are so many ways to help whether that be from donations, teaching others, or making small changes in your lifestyle. So while this crisis is ongoing, the United Nations World Water Day celebration is a perfect upcoming opportunity to take a look at how you conserve water and what you can do to change your own habits.

To discover your water consumption visit:

Hot

TVTakes Title: Ginny and Georgia

graphics from Piktochart

Rating: 9/10

Review: As someone who has previously seen “Gilmore photo from Girls”, it really is a good show. The show is about a Warner Bros mother-daughter duo who navigate life as best friends. TV The first episode gives you a clear idea of how the show is with a good sense on how each character behaves. Lorelai Gilmore is the mother and she has a humorous and spunky personality. The daughter, Rory Gilmore, on the other hand is a smart and motivated person who tends to be a drama queen. The show is definitely worth watching just based off of the Pilot episode.

Manifest: 9/10

Review: I highly recommend “Manifest.” I feel like it is a show that anyone could enjoy. The plot is interesting and original; A plane takes off on April 7, 2013 and lands on November 4, 2018 and nobody knows why. For sure one to watch, I really liked it.

Title: New Girl

Rating: 7.5/10

Review: I enjoyed this episode. I thought that it was a good laugh when Jess was stood up by her date and then the boys (Nick, Schmidt, and Coach) all came and acted crazy to cheer her up, even acting as her dates. “New Girl” episodes are 21-24 minutes long, which is nice for a quick watch. There was some adult humor that I am sure some people wouldn’t appreciate but if you look past that, it is an enjoyable show. I certainly recommend New Girl.

Rating: 4/10

Review: If this show is one that is meant to be relatable, they totally missed that mark. This show is nothing like real life is and the situations are unrealistic. I constantly found myself bored watching this one and I thought that the acting was subpar. Personally I do not recommend this show; watching it would be a waste of time.

Title: All American

Title: Gilmore Girls

By Josie Brackett, Staff

Rating: 6/10

Review: Although this show wasn’t exactly my cup of tea, I do see the appeal and why it is so popular. I did enjoy the storyline of it; a high school football student from the non-wealthy side of town is invited to play at the nicest school in the city. For the most part, it appeals to people who are interested in football and those who like drama. I recommend this show to those that have those interests, because if not, you may find yourself bored.

Title: Outer Banks

Rating: 9.5/10

Review: This show was one that constantly kept me on the edge of my seat. With everything that happened just in the first episode that I watched, there was not a dull moment. I especially liked the part where characters John B and JJ Maybank were searching the motel and are almost caught by the police. This is the show that I recommend the most.

Title: Vampire Diaries

Rating: 8/10

Review: Although “Vampire Diaries” is a rather dramatic show that would not be enjoyable for people who aren’t into drama and fiction, I was interested all throughout the first episode. In the show, teen Elena Gilbert’s parents have recently passed away and she gets used to a new normal. It is a little cheesy at times but if you are someone who enjoys that, then I recommend it.

photo from Alloy Entertainment

Opinion 21

Unlock the

POTENTIAL

By Daysun Brown, Staff

ollectively, the ZCHS student body decided that lockers are out and back pain is in. We all simultaneously decided to not use our lockers the first day of freshman year and I can’t help but wonder why. Why did we all decide that lockers were a thing of the past? What happened to the dedication we used to put into decorating our lockers and showing them off in middle school? If your locker wasn’t decorated for your birthday, were you even cool? Upperclassmen are given the option to give up their locker for freshmen. How many people did this without a second thought? I personally like to keep my options open, so I opted to keep mine. I’ll admit that, like most of you, I had never used my locker before, but this year it all changed. It is my senior year so I decided it was time to see what I had been missing. I opened mine and discovered a half-inch thick layer of dust. I cleaned it out and quickly discovered this dark green locker with minimal rust spots and a funky dent had plenty of room for growth. I’ve decided that I like lockers. They are super impractical especially on seven period days, but on block days they have potential. Imagine opening your locker after a long 90 minutes sitting in math just to remember you put a candy bar in there. Or if you find yourself shivering in the auditorium study hall, you could have an extra jacket ready to go. As a peer facilitator, I go to recess three days a week and need a coat. It’s a pain to carry my winter coat around all day so I have started leaving it in my locker during the day. I also have an internship and sometimes I have to change my shoes; luckily, there is no better place than my locker to keep them. The limitations of things you can put

22 Opinion

on school bulletin boards don’t apply to your locker. Let’s say you start a club, not sponsored by the school, (Food Truck Fridays) and need a place to hang some promotional material for it. There are no limitations for how long you can leave posters up on your locker. If you’re in a sport or a club you can also keep your stuff in your own locker instead of in a teacher’s room or your car. Depending on where your locker is, it might even be closer and more efficient. I remember one day during my freshman year, I walked down the 200 hall and noticed a crowd of 15 people surrounding a locker. I moved to get a better look and I could not believe my eyes. The locker was bursting at the seams with snacks and candy of all kinds. There were LED lights and I’m pretty sure “Hallelujah Chorus” was playing. The whole crowd was smiling and laughing with one another. For a few moments, the 200 hall was transformed from its normal bleak state. Was that possibly a locker that led to a different realm? The door to Narnia, perhaps? Was Willy Wonka a student at our school? I don’t have the answer to these questions but maybe you can help me figure it out. I encourage you to open your locker this year. What potential does it have in your life? Give it a week and really give it a chance.

Senior Daysun Brown poses next to her decked-out locker. photo by Sarah Maniscalo

If you do open your locker I encourage you to decorate it and give it a chance. The Harbinger is having a contest. Make sure to send @zchsharb a picture to be entered into a competition to win a special prize!

In a Google survey of 48 ZCHS students. graphic by Brooklyn Brown

Opinion 23

Harb Highlights Sophomore Jaina Bencze portrays an author in her One Acts performance on Feb. 8. The act was called “Writer’s Block” and featured an author trying to finish her novel before the due date while the characters act out the book and critique the author. Bencze said that One Acts was a “fun opportunity” and that she plans on auditioning again next year. photo by Sarah Maniscalo

Left: Senior Tyler Barnett beats his drums during Indoor Percussion practice on Feb. 15. The group will perform at the Indiana Percussion Association State prelims on March 19. photo by Sarah Maniscalo Bottom: Members of Best Buddies pose together in the PAC. The club participated in a movie night and watched Luca on Feb. 16. photo by Sarah Maniscalo

sponsored by Key Club When: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Where: East Gym

Softball Game

Boone County meet for boys and girls When: 5:30 p.m. Where: ZCHS Track at home v. Mount Vernon When: 6 p.m. Where: Zionsville Sports Complex

April

Track and Field

April

Blood Drive

at home v. Brownsburg When: 6 p.m. Where: Zionsville Sports Complex

March

Baseball Game

March

What’s What’s next? next?

Check the schedule below to find dates, times, and locations for upcoming ZCHS events Subject to change

Spring Play

Girls Lacrosse

Additional shows on April 15 and April 16 When: 7 p.m. Where: PAC

game v. Fishers When: 6 p.m. Where: ZCHS Stadium