The Harbinger March 2024

HARBINGER

the

Zionsville Community High School

March 2024 Vol. 57, Issue 5

Trying on Rugby pg. 11

Also Inside

Know Before You Vote pg. 8 One Man Band pg. 14

Subbing in pg. 16

Note from the Editor

T Editors-in-Chief Adanna Mbanu & Madeline Wilson Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram! @zchsharb

Staff Editors-in-Chief Adanna Mbanu Madeline Wilson Design Editor Josie Brackett Photo Editor Matthew Orbaugh Social Media Editor Emma Hummer Arts & Graphics Editors Kate Bowen Jonah Hunter

News Editor Brody Brown Sports Editor Lilly Steele Feature Editor Emmy Lucas Student Life Editor Ellie Vanderbur Opinion Editor Marissa Villarrubia

Staff Grace Adlong Summer Barker Lucy Bean Staff Manager Anna Helmer Srinithya Basireddy Morgan Hollis Samantha Kulwicki

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his Friday, March 15, marks the end of the third quarter, leaving only 47 days until the end of the school year. For some, that may feel like no time at all. For others, that may feel like 47 days too long.

No matter the case for you, make the most of your last quarter.

I only have two more issues of the Harbinger remaining—the April and Senior issues—and only two and a half months with this staff. I only have a few stories left to write, a few people left to interview. I only have two more storyboards to lead (our process for brainstorming and choosing stories for each issue), two more magazines to unbox.

And while I will be the first to admit I cannot wait to graduate and go to college, there is still much I can do for my magazine and staff. There are important stories to cover and awards for both the magazine and individuals to be won. I can still help prepare next year’s editors for their new responsibilities and set up the staff for another successful year.

My hope for each of you is that you avoid getting caught up in the rush or slog to the end of the year, and instead make the most of the time remaining. Train towards beating your Track & Field PR, study to bring up your grade in your most challenging class, organize new activities for your clubs, spend time with your friends.

You still have so much to offer to the people around you and you can accomplish so much in these last weeks.

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.

Staff Editorial

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bill requiring schools to “adopt and implement a wireless communication device policy that governs student use of a wireless communication device” was passed by the Indiana Senate and House and, as of March 4, awaits the governor’s signature to become law.

Senate Bill 185 will require all Indiana schools, including Zionsville, to create a cell phone policy that “prohibits a student from using a wireless communication device during instructional time” while also authorizing teachers to allow students to use devices for educational purposes and permitting students to use them in an emergency or to manage a health condition.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 77% of U.S. schools had instituted a cell phone ban by 2020.

Bloomington High School North and South have already created policies that limit cell phone usage to during lunch, passing period, or whenever an individual teacher approves it for educational purposes.

Restricting phone use during the school day is detrimental to developing student independence and a safety concern.

As Zionsville administrators consider how to implement this new policy, students should at minimum have the ability to keep their cell phones during class and be allowed to use them during free time like study hall and lunch. It is also important that the policy separates younger students from high school-age students. We are young adults who should have the opportunity to be responsible for our personal belongings.

The fate of our phones is unfortunately in the hands of lawmakers and school officials. Zionsville administrators should prioritize consulting and listening to student voices regarding the subject matter. As a student body, we must be able to contribute to decisions that directly affect us.

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Table of Contents 4

Making Her-Story

11 Trying on Rugby

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Meet McDaniel

12 Hitting the Mark

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The Solar Spectacle

14 One Man Band

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Know Before You Vote D1 Dreams

Cover: Senior Morgan MacFarlane and junior Sofia Baloski run a tackling drill during rugby practice at SportZone Indy on Feb. 10.

Photo by Adanna Mbanu

15 A New Space to Make 16 Subbing In 18 Art for All Ages

19 Attention Epidemic 20 High Cost Habits 21 Disney’s Downfall 22 Eating Ethically 23 Student Survey 24 Harb Highlights 3

Making Her-Story

Women’s History Month is celebrated internationally beginning March 1

By Summer Barker, Staff

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arch is Women’s History Month, and the colors purple, green, and white are on display to honor those who have paved the way for the more equal treatment of women in society.

For many years women have been discriminated against in all aspects of life. Commonly, we live in a world dominated by male-favoring workplace culture including, but not limited to, pay decreases for women.

According to the Pew Research Center, updated in 2023, American women typically earn 82 cents for each dollar made by a man.

In 1978 at Santa Rosa California, the Education Task Force of Sonoma County noticed that women’s history was virtually an unknown topic to students in public school.

At this time, many women had made huge contributions such as Katherine Johnson, who in 1953 worked with NASA calculating trajectories that lead to the success of the Apollo 11 mission, and Princess Diana of Whales, who despite being a woman, contributed tirelessly to charity all around the world while championing values such as compassion and equality.

To change this, Molly Murphy McGregor, a local teacher in Santa Rosa, introduced a celebration during the week of March 8 to correspond with International Women’s

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Day that highlighted women’s contributions to American history, culture and society through presentations that would be shown at dozens of schools throughout the county.

These efforts became noticed by President Jimmy Carter as he issued the first presidential proclamation February 1980, declaring the week of March 2-8 as National Women’s History week.

“Too often the women were unsung, and sometimes their contributions went unnoticed,” Carter said. “But the leadership, courage, strength, and love of the women who built America was as vital as that of the men whose names we know so well.”

A few years later, the National Women’s History Project (NWHA), a group dedicated to preserving women’s history, took the idea

“I am inspired by all women, by woman’s nature itself.”

- Natasha Hovyadinova, business owner

of a full month of dedication to Congress.

It passed 100 to 9, declaring the month of March as Women’s History Month.

Taundra Miles-Cranor, the sponsor of Women In Business and Technology, is paving the way for young Black women in the computer science industry. She has a passion for business and computer science and wants to show young girls that you can pursue a job in a male-dominated field no matter what gender or color you are.

Miles-Cranor said her college sorority, Delta Sigma Theda, empowered her. She grew really close with the girls in the sorority but her professor Dr. Dawson was the woman who inspired her to get into the business world and to stand up against discrimination in the workplace.

“Dr. Dawson was a strong woman. She knew what she stood for,” Miles-Cranor said.

Women have not only influenced the lives of other women, but also those of men.

Kent London, Business teacher, said he was inspired by his great grandmother, who played a crucial role in shaping him into the person he is today. “She was one of those people who was very accepting of other people,” London said. “They called her Mama Campbell.”

Madam C.J. Walker was an entrepreneur,

philanthropist, and activist that rose from poverty in the South to become one of the wealthiest African American women of her time.

On December 23, 1867, Walker was born into slavery and grew up picking cotton until she was old enough to escape captivity. With only $1.25, she launched her own line of hair products named “Madam Walker’s Wonderful Hair Grower” in Denver Colorado.

Her business grew rapidly, and by the end of her life, her total worth reached 1 million dollars, including multiple properties around America.

Walker went on to contribute to the YMCA and helped pay for six African American students at the Tuskegee Institute, and also donated thousands of dollars to various individual schools and charities.

As such a successful African-American business woman, she is a huge inspiration to women around the world.

Natasha Hovyadinova owns Truffles & Creams, a gourmet handcrafted chocolate shop that sells an assortment chocolates.

She said she has been inspired by many different women over the course of her life.

“I don’t think I have one particular role model. From most women I meet, I take something for myself,” Hovyandinova said.

“I’m grateful to my mom and my closest friends for pushing me to be the woman I am today.”

Actress Emma Watson, known for her role as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter series, has been a strong advocate of equality and women representation.

Watson launched the campaign HeForShe

in September 24, 2014 to unite both men and women under the goal to promote equality, knock down stereotypes, build businesses, and create a better world for people of all genders.

“I am from Britain and think it is right that as a woman I am paid the same as my male counterparts,” Watson said at a special event for the HeForShe campaign at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on September 20, 2014. “I think it is right that I should be able to make decisions about my own body. I think it is right that women be involved on my behalf in the policies and decision-making of my country. I think that socially I am afforded the same respect as men.”

America Ferrera is another example of a woman who has made breakthroughs, not only for other women but also for the Latina community.

Ferrera has been noticed from her roles in films such as Ugly Betty, Superstor, and Barbie, and in 2007, Ferrera was the first Latina to win an Emmy.

Ferrera has not only made breakthroughs in the film industry, she has been involved in politics since the 2008 presidential primaries, when she, alongside Chelsea Clinton and Amber Tamblyn, supported Hilary Clinton’s political campaign.

She was also seen on various news programs in 2020 due to her involvement with Voto Latino, an organization that encourages young Hispanic and Latino voters to become more involved in American politics.

The full month of March is dedicated to honor and look back on the women who have

set not only our country, but the entire world, up for success and equality.

Women are strong, powerful, and driven, and the month of March is set aside to recognize their achievements.

“I am inspired by all women, by woman’s nature itself,” Hovyadinova said.

March 8 is International Women’s Day, which celebrates the achievements of women around the world and promotes action toward women’s equality. The day often features women’s rallies or marches. The first International Women’s Day was held in 1911.

This year’s campaign theme is “Inspire Inclusion.”

Photos from Wikipedia Creative Commons Graphic by Madeline Wilson

News 5

Meet McDaniel

Karen McDaniel chosen to replace Tim East as ZCHS principal

By Adanna Mbanu, Editor in Chief

C

hanges are in store as the Eagle legacy passes to Karen McDaniel, devoted educator, administrator, and thrift store lover.

When McDaniel was in college, she never expected to be involved in education at all, let alone become the principal of a school. She was originally on a pre-veterinary track but when her friends would ask for help on their assignments, McDaniel realized that she loved teaching the subject more than she liked learning about it.

“I just knew that was going to be it,” McDaniel said.

McDaniel then dove into the education field, becoming a long-term substitute high school teacher while taking courses to become an educator. After she was certified to become a full-time educator, she taught Biology and Anatomy at Avon before taking a job at Carmel in 2008 where she helped oversee student services, special services and, over the last four years served as the associate principal.

The application for becoming principal at Zionsville caught McDaniel’s eye in December and she decided to apply.

All candidates went through a month of interviews, workshops, and training pro-

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grams, according to Superintendent Becky Coffman.

“We were very invested and had an interest in making sure we identified strong candidates,” Coffman said.

Coffman was on the board of those picking out and interviewing candidates.

Ten candidates were chosen out of a pool and went through two lengthy interviews as well as training. Coffman was able to talk to each candidate individually and gauge a sense of their character and what they would bring to the community.

“We have had a lot of dialogue with peer districts to make sure we were being comprehensive in our search as well as making sure we could identify a skill set that would be great for the Zionsville community,” Coffman said.

Ultimately, McDaniel was chosen to take over as principal starting in June.

“There’s nothing better than feeling seen,” McDaniel said. “I have been completely embraced. Even during the interview process, I really felt like it was a conversation of the things that were important to the leaders here and the things that are important to me. It felt like we clicked every step of the way. So to say I have felt welcome

is such an understatement.”

Coffman, along with everyone on the school board, who voted unanimously to approve her as principal, believe that McDaniel is well qualified to take over as principal.

“As a candidate she has a wide range of experiences and she is also someone who cares deeply about kids and wants to make sure that at the end of the day all of the adults in the community, teachers, parents, other school staff, are all aligned and making great things happen for our students,” Coffman said.

McDaniel will continue to bring her dedication to education to her new role.

“I love everything [about school],” McDaniel said. “I love seeing students. I just love the excitement of the building. I’m the most nervous when I’m not in school. I haven’t slept on Sunday night for 25 years.

25 years in education, and I don’t sleep on Sunday nights because I’m just thinking about everything and I get really excited.

But when I get to school I just feel like this is where I’m supposed to be. It just feels very natural.”

Photo by Adanna Mbanu

The Solar Spectacle Indiana to experience total solar eclipse for first time in 800 years

By Samantha Kulwicki, Staff

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t 3:01 p.m. on April 8 Indiana will plunge into darkness, only a sliver of light haloing the moon. Crowds from across the country will stare up at the starry afternoon sky, solar glasses shielding their eyes.

A solar eclipse will be passing over Indiana in less than a month. Indiana is right in the path of totality, meaning parts of the state will be in complete darkness for two to four minutes, depending on location.

A solar eclipse is when the moon is in alignment between the sun and the Earth and for a small amount of time a shadow is cast down upon the Earth. Because Indiana will be in the path of totality, the sun will be completely covered for a short amount of time.

Many students will remember the 2017 solar eclipse. That eclipse was only a partial eclipse, so the moon never fully covered the sun like it will in April.

“We estimate that the average time between two total solar eclipses at any location on Earth is 375 years, on average.

Indianapolis hasn’t experienced a total solar eclipse for around 800 years,” according to astronomers at Holcomb observatory.

During some total solar eclipses, nocturnal animals have been known to wake up with the sudden change in sunlight known as the twilight zone. The twilight zone is a time like a sunset or sunrise where the light is going down but not completely dark yet.

“During the ‘twilight zone,’ temperatures, light and wind will fluctuate, and these environmental shifts can initiate reactions from animals,” Liz Aguilar, PhD student at Indiana University, said. “The biggest response we’ll see is the onset of

evening patterns.”

Since Indiana is in the path of totality, which only covers 0.52% of the earth, according to Holcomb observatory at Butler University, people from out of state will be flocking to Indiana to see this spectacular astrological event.

“We will be expecting at least a thousand people at Butler University if the weather is clear,” Dr. Aarran Shaw, assistant professor of physics and astronomy at Butler University, said.

Butler will be hosting an event like many other event spaces in the Indianapolis area, but their event is special according to Shaw.

They will have telescopes fitted with light filters scattered all around the observatory. The light filters are very important for viewing the eclipse, along with many other safety measures viewers should take.

“Never look at the sun without eclipse glasses,” Shaw said. “The damage the sun can do to your eyes can be permanent and you may not notice it until days later.”

Solar eclipse glasses have specific lenses that are different from regular sunglasses.

“The only safe way to look directly at the sun is through special-purpose solar filters,” according to the American Academy for Ophthalmology.

There are many places to buy the special glasses, including Walmart, Amazon, or Rainbow Symphony for specially themed glasses.

Some events might already have solar eclipse glasses or telescopes with special solar filters, such as the event at Holcomb observatory.

In Zionsville, a viewing party will take place at Mulberry Fields with STEM activities, music, food trucks and other family friendly activities.

“I think this eclipse is just the perfect way to end my senior year,” Astronomy Club member Audrey Schmal said.

Where To Go Holcomb Observatory at Butler University - 12-4:30 p.m.

- Free entry Mulberry Fields - 1-5 p.m.

- Free entry Indiana State Fairgrounds - 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

- Cost varies

Graphics by Jonah Hunter

News 7

Know Before You Vote Eight candidates will run in the May 7 primary election for Indiana’s new governor

By Madeline Wilson, Editor-In-Chief

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ndiana’s primary election for governor is on May 7 this year. Current governor Eric Holcomb, who has already served two terms, is not eligible to run again. Eight candidates are campaigning to take his place: six Republicans, one Democrat, and one Libertarian.

Historically, Indiana has had low voter turnout. In the 2020 governor primary, only 24% of registered voters participated in the election. And the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement at Tufts University estimated that the percentage of citizens aged 18 to 29 who voted in the

2022 midterm elections was only 14.6%.

According to the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, or CIRCLE, low youth turnout is due to structural barriers.

“Many youth experience uneven and unequal civic education that doesn’t teach them to vote or why their vote matters,” said CIRCLE. “Then there’s the logistical barriers: lack of transportation, long lines, no time off from work, convoluted absentee ballot requirements that trip up out-of-state college students, efforts at voter suppression, and a lack of clear, accessible information.”

But the youth vote does matter, sometimes enough to decide elections. Hopefully, this information on Indiana’s election for governor can help you decide whether to vote and who you want to vote for on May 7.

And even if you won’t be eligible to vote in this election, staying informed is always important, according to Government teacher Michael Kelly.

“When you turn 18 and you can vote, your vote matters,” Kelly said. “So be informed ahead of time so that when you have that opportunity to play in the adult role of voting, you’re informed.”

“Should I Vote?”

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specially if this election is the first time you will be eligible to vote, it may be daunting trying to decide whether to participate. Kelly said that he believes that it is always important to exercise the right to vote, no matter what your age is.

“Youth are important because youth are the future of our country, so being able to express their concerns through the vote is very important,” Kelly said. “Here is a chance for you to take on an active role in society.”

A lot of Americans, especially younger voters, have the perception that their vote alone does not truly make a difference. Kelly, however, pointed out that if a person doesn’t vote, they won’t have any say in the government.

“Your vote is going to have an impact at the local, state, and national level,” Kelly said.

“It’s your voice.”

If you do decide to participate in the primary, it is important to be informed on

the candidates and the issues being discussed before you go to the polls.

“You always want to look at the candidates and what they stand for,” Kelly said. “They are going to represent you, especially at the local level and state level.”

Ultimately, however, the decision of whether to vote in May’s primary election is up to you.

Graphic by Jonah Hunter

How To Register

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nyone who will be 18 on or before May 7 and has a valid Indiana driver’s license or Indiana-state issued identification card can register to vote online at http://www.indianavoters.com/. Once registered, the site also provides information on polling locations, voting hours, candidates, and election results.

Another option is to register by mail or in person by filling out the Indiana Voter Registration Application and returning it to the Boone County registration office or the Indiana Election Division on or before April 8.

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No matter which registration method you choose, you should receive a voter registration card within 30 days, at which point you are officially registered.

Students attending college next year may need to absentee vote if they want to participate in the November general election. To vote absentee by mail, voters must be registered to vote and also must complete an application at least 12 days before each election.

You will be asked to provide identification information as part of the application. Once the application is approved, you will be sent the ballot to complete and return.

Registered voters can also absentee vote in person in the days preceding the election.

More information on absentee voting can be found at https://www.in.gov/sos/ elections/voter-information/ways-to-vote/ absentee-voting/.

Candidates

Republican

Libertarian

Mike Braun

Democrat

Brad Chambers

Campaign: education and election reform, economic growth, healthcare affordability, clean energy, abortion restriction, tax cuts, ban on transgender athletes and gender-affirming care for minors Photo courtesy of Josh Waddell

Campaign: support for law enforcement, education reform, minors’ safety online Photo courtesy of Chambers for Indiana

Suzanne Crouch

Eric Doden

Campaign: investment in mental health, early childhood education, elimination of the state income tax, support for law enforcement Photo courtesy of Robert Vane

Campaign: revival of small town economies, support for law enforcement, zero-cost adoption program, defense of the 2nd Amendment, abortion restriction Photo courtesy of Liam Putz

Curtis Hill

Jamie Reitenour

Campaign: reduction of government spending, support for law enforcement, education reform, ban of transgender athletes, deregulation of business, defense of the 2nd Amendment, abortion restrictions Photo courtesy of Curtis Hill Press

Campaign: total abortion ban, cuts on taxes and government spending, ban of transgender athletes, education reform Photo courtesy of Cilene Macedo Photography

Jennifer McCormick

Donald Rainwater

Campaign: quality public education, support for rural communities, bipartisanship, reproductive freedom Photo courtesy of Jennifer McCormick for Governor

Campaign: smaller government, tax cuts, legalization of marijuana, education reform, abortion restrictions Photo courtesy of Rainwater for Indiana

For more information on the candidates, scan the QR code to find links to each of their websites.

News 9

D1 Dreams NCAA Division 1 baseball commits share their pathway to success

By Blake Cope, Guest Reporter

M

ateo Wells, a senior who committed to High Point University at the start of his junior year, understands the reality of the Division One baseball journey. He wakes up at 5 a.m. every morning to work out. After school, he can be found working on throwing, explosiveness, and other skills in Westfield, Indiana. Wells ends the night at home at 10:30 p.m. to do homework after a hard day’s work.

Wells and sophomore Jackson Gilley, who is committed to Texas Christian University, are two of the five D1 pitchers at ZCHS. Hard work, determination, and hustle make them stand out from the crowd.

According to ncsasports.org, less than 2% of high school baseball players go on to compete at the NCAA D1 level.

“You got to live up to the name of a Division I power school,” Gilley said.

With a determined attitude and a strong mindset, Wells knows his future as a D1 pitcher requires dedication, perseverance, skill, focus, and discipline.

“You got to want it as bad as anyone else. And you got to just keep going no matter what happens,” Wells said.

Wells knows he won’t achieve his goals if he doesn’t put in the necessary work, while also understanding there are no shortcuts or easy paths to success.

“Just know, no one really cares about you. All the excuses you make, you just gotta keep working harder,” Wells said.

Gilley knows that you have to put extra work to succeed in the sport.

“You’re going to have team practices and

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stuff, but you got to work outside the practices and always show you have effort,” Gilley said.

Gilley is on a weightlifting program to get stronger and a throwing program to throw harder. He works on pitching skills for around 12 hours per week.

Their head coach, Jered Moore, said he finds out his player’s needs and helps them, which is what it takes to produce outstanding athletes.

“I don’t know if I coach them any differently,” Moore said. “Sometimes I expect more out of them. I think each pitcher has different goals.”

Gilley and Wells demonstrate how perseverance and sacrifice are the keys to success; it’s not something that is handed to you.

Sacrifices like waking up early and exchanging more sleep for hard work are crucial for success.

“You got to know you have to make sacrifices,” Wells said.

Their late nights and early mornings not only help them build strength and skill, but they also help them learn the determination needed to push through their problems.

They know it’s not about where you start, it’s about the effort and determination you put in along the way. Their story is motiva-

tion for everyone with ambitions and goals, not only for their Zionsville High School teammates but other athletes as well.

Their disciplined routines, from workouts in the morning to late-night homework sessions, show a commitment and love for the sport that goes beyond talent.

Moore sets the line of success with Wells, Gilley, and the other D1 pitchers.

They create an environment of better play.

“The better talent you have around you, the better you’re going to play,” Moore said.

Moore expands on the talent level for the D1 pitchers and what good players they are.

“Just the talent level as well as, I mean I think it’s a fun group. You know you look and it’s actually going to be a fun team,” Moore said. “I think they’re really good team players.”

In the upcoming baseball season, we can expect Wells and Gilley to bring not only their skills and abilities but also to bond with the team with the other five D1 pitchers. It is likely that their skills and work ethic will positively impact the team and bring the team to victory.

Gilley and Wells are examples of how anybody can overcome challenges with hard work if they have the correct attitude and a solid work ethic.

“Talent will get you so far,” Wells said, “The people that work really hard will surpass you.”

Senior Mateo Wells (top) and sophomore Jackson Gilley practice pitching on Feb. 15.

Photos by Josie Brackett

TRY

ing on

RUGBY

By Srinithya Basireddy, Staff Manager eads of sweat drip off sophomore Addison Preishoff’s temple as she charges across the field, her heart pounding. After two hours of pushups and tackling drills, she is starving. A sharp whistle blows and practice ends. She and her teammates gulp down water and head out for team breakfast, a ritual after their Saturday morning practice.

Preishoff is one of 18 girls who joined the newly formed Zionsville girls rugby team this spring.

Rugby, traditionally known to be a male-dominated sport, has grown in popularity among both girls and boys. According to the Indiana High School Rugby Association, participation in the sport at a high school level has increased 25% over the past five years.

“I feel like there’s a stigma around rugby being a sport only for guys,” Preishoff said.

“The school likely didn’t have enough interest in the sport for girls until now.”

Rugby can be a very confusing sport and most people don’t have background knowledge about rugby, according to the girls head coach Shayala Meinder. Wanting a change of pace with something just as aggressive as soccer, Meinder turned to “I’m most rugby in college. excited to “It was cutthroat see the and competitive in players grow soccer, but in rugby, and learn the I didn’t feel that game, and way,” Meinder said.

I’m hoping “We were all brothers the underand sisters.” classmen Like many new can play all activities, students throughout were hesitant to join high school,” at first, showing up - Morgan for practice before MacFarlane, quitting. senior “The girls that stuck around and gave a hundred percent are what’s going to make the team so awesome,” Morgan MacFarlane, senior, said.

MacFarlane, along with senior Sarah Ngo, played for Carmel’s team before becoming the captains of the Zionsville team.

“I’m most excited to see the players grow

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New girls rugby team is ready to take on their first season as they learn the game and gain friendships

and learn the game, and I’m hoping the underclassmen can play all throughout high school,” MacFarlane said.

Even if they’re MacFarlane, senior Jayla Delk, and junior Bre Chau practice at Sportzone Indy on Feb. a little 10. They run drills, condition, and work on skills to prepare for the season. Photo by scared Adanna Mbanu at first, MacFarly at the high school level,” Meinder said. lane recommends that people should try The players often hold each other rugby out. accountable, helping each other grow and “Everyone’s really welcoming,” MacFarlearn the game. It’s important to support lane said. “New players come almost every each other even if they are competing day, so it’s great to see and just show up and against each other, according to Meinder. get out there.”

“I haven’t seen any conflict where there’s The sportsmanship also carries over a sort of competitiveness,” Meinder said. “I to the male team. The brotherhood is what think it is great because we are one family kept Luke Steele, sophomore, playing rugby and so you spend a lot of time with your for two seasons. The team supports each family.” other no matter their athleticism or skills, Though both teams work great together, according to Steele. the question of why Zionsville didn’t have The Zionsville boys and the girls teams a girls team before stands as the elephant in also formed a partnership where they the room. trained together and no one team had a “The reason why there wasn’t a girls single coach. rugby team until now was that it wasn’t big “It hopefully makes everyone feel inenough,” Steele said. “Last year the guys cluded, especially when they go to that next team blew up and we gained a lot of numlevel,” Meinder said. bers so I think that showed that enough The boys’ team has been supportive and people want to play rugby for a girls team.” encouraging, though the physicality and the The girls team will take interested playconditioning are very tough, according to ers up until the season starts and even after MacFarlane. that, though they must have two to three “I don’t think they look at us any difweeks of experience before they can play in ferently,” MacFarlane said. “I do think that games, according to Meinder. sometimes at practice, it’s expected for us to The team’s relationship is really special keep up with the guys when genetically it’s and not everyone has the opportunity to challenging at times.” play such an unique sport, according to Though both teams work out together MacFarlane. with healthy competition, they might train “I couldn’t ask for a better team who supdifferently at times. ports one another,” MacFarlane said.

“The real difference is that men and women learn a little bit differently, especial-

Sports 11

Hitting the Mark

Interest has grown boys volleyball at ZCHS and across the nation

By Lilly Steele, Sports Editor nce again the gym is filled with the sounds of shoes squeaking, balls and bodies alike hitting the floor, and cheering. The team has grown since last season, and the court is bustling with activity.

People hustle around and sweat fills the gym along with sounds of heavy breathing. Fast paced drills keep people moving and balls fly around the facility.

The boys volleyball team has been hard at work over the past few months to prepare for the upcoming season. More players are at open gyms than ever as the popularity of the sport has grown. The boys are back and ready to play.

The sport, as well as the school team, has seen a huge increase in interest.

Head coach Sara Eisinger will be coaching the boys team for her second season.

“We have 40 some players interested in playing this year, which is about 15 more than I had last year, which is awesome,” Eisinger said. “The IHSAA has [the] hundred teams that they need for us to move to an

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official high school sport next year, which is awesome. And hopefully we’re going to see the fan base increase with that as well.”

Coach Eisinger says she can feel the impact of this growth as more people come to open gyms and the level of play increases.

“It was something that made me feel good to be a part of,” senior player Anthony Reck said. He has played school volleyball for four years and club for three. Reck said he feels like the competition between players pushes the whole team to get better.

“Part of the reason I like sports is because there is that competition and someone pushing me to be better,” Reck said. “It is a little nerve wracking, though.”

Boys high school volleyball grew by “10,800 participants in 2022-23,” according to the American Volleyball Coaches Association. “This is the largest jump in boys volleyball participation numbers on a year-over-year comparison since the [National Federation of State High School Associations] began publishing participation numbers.”

This growth has helped the school increase its number of teams from two to three as well as helped with the performance of the team. However, this growth may lead to cuts, a new thing for the boys team.

Playing since his freshman year, senior Rylan Ostrognai joined the boys volleyball team to meet new people and have fun.

The boys team has two captains, one selected by players and one selected by the coaches. Ostrognai was the player-elected captain for the 2024 season. These players are picked based on personality as well as skills.

The team picked him because they agreed he was well rounded and brought lots of energy.

“We were in a nice spot where we could fill three teams and we didn’t have to make any cuts last year. I hope we’re still filling three teams if we have to make some cuts,” Ostrognai said.

Ostrognai has many fond memories with the team. He said he recalls good games with fun wins and fun coaches he’s had throughout the years.

Part of the fun atmosphere comes from the crowd during their games. The gym gets filled with volleyball chants and cheers. Each team cheers on each other, with JV teams cheering during varsity games and vice versa.

“It was really fun especially having someone support us and then being able to do that back for them,” Reck said.

Having strong player leadership and positive energy is a big part of volleyball.

“It’s all about energy. You can beat teams who are better than you,” Ostrognai said. “If you are a leader, you have to recognize when someone is in a slump and starting to mess up. Instead of getting mad at them, you just say ‘calm down, you got the next one.’ That not only benefits them, but it benefits the whole team to recognize that and fix it.”

After games, the energy on the bus has been palpable.

Reck said the team would play music and sing along. “You could feel [us] almost shaking the bus,” he said.

Players with energy aren’t the only important thing for a team. Strong leaders are just as important, especially with the growth of the sport in recent years. Ostrognai believes that it is important for a captain to have a good attitude, even if they aren’t the best at the game.

Eisinger has played volleyball since she was seven years old and coached for several years in Michigan before moving to Zionsville. She started out as an assistant coach then transitioned to lead the program in December of 2022.

“Getting to experience different kids is always fun, but then just being introduced to the community in a very different way, it just has made me feel more at home with Zionsville,” Eisinger said.

The boys volleyball team practices at an open gym on Feb. 20 ahead of tryouts. Photos by Matthew Orbaugh Becoming a coach was an easy decision for Eisinger.

“I’ve grown up with the game of volleyball. So it’s just always been something I’ve loved to do,” Eisinger said. “And the fact that I’ve been able to kind of grow as a player into the coaching position has been really fun to do as the game has changed and kind of as I’ve changed as a player, too.”

While boys and girls volleyball differ in technique, both are mentally challenging.

Both teams are just as emotional and are very invested in the game, staying competitive and motivated, in Eisinger’s opinion. She said she can tell the team cares about each other and works well together.

“I think that was kind of surprising to me, how cohesive the team was last year,” Eisinger said. “Whether or not they were friends off the court, they really came together as a team.”

Eisinger also coaches girls volleyball, but planning for boys’ practices is very different.

Boys prefer faster drill with less transition time, and they also prefer to be more offensive with fast plays.

“It’s also harder to do a single drill for longer amounts of time and keep up competitiveness. You get to focus on more skills with this but there isn’t as much of a focus on single skills,” Eisinger said. “They’re competitive, but they also really like to win.”

Ostrognai predicts that the team will do better this season than last, with many players participating in the club season and improving.

“These boys really care about what they’re doing out there; they’re good kids,” Eisinger said. “I think we have a really special shot at [State]. The team is going to be really talented this year.”

Home Schedule

3/26 7:30 p.m. against HSE

5/3

7:30 p.m. against Franklin Central

3/20

7:30 p.m. against Bishop Chatard

3/27 7:30 p.m. against Carmel

5/4

9 a.m. Zionsville Invite

3/21

7:30 p.m. against North Central

4/25

7:30 p.m. against Lutheran

5/7

7:30 p.m. against Guerin

Sports 13

ONE MAN BAND Junior Theo Salewicz turns living room jam sessions into future career

By Grace Adlong, Staff

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rowing up with a dad who was in a punk band, a grandpa who plays guitar, and an uncle who plays just about every instrument, junior Theo Salewicz couldn’t stay away from music.

Salewicz grew up in a family who loved music and used that as an inspiration for his work as a musician. He started playing instruments when he was nine and has been working with beats on GarageBand, a software for iOS that is used to create podcasts and music. However, he only started recording music in 2021.

“I started recording because my family loves music,” Salewicz said. “So it came naturally.”

Salewicz started his career in a band called Sucker Punch. They performed covers

on Main Street and around Zionsville.

However, he wanted to focus more on his own original music, so he ended up leaving the band. Salewicz spent multiple hours a day perfecting his craft for his music production.

“I learned through YouTube tutorials,” Salewicz said. “And if I ever had a question, I asked my grandpa.”

Salewicz describes his music style as “slacker rock and shoegaze,” which uses a lot of reverb and different sounds using guitar effect pedals. He started promoting his music on Snapchat, Instagram, and talking to his friends. Junior Henry Beckman explained that he started listening to Salewicz’s music because he knew him well.

“He posted something on Snapchat, and I started listening to a lot of his Salewicz practices guitar in his home stumusic,” Macey dio on Feb. 15. Photo by Adanna Mbanu Franciskovich, senior and friend of Salewicz, said.

Music has affected Salewicz’s life only positively. He said it gives him an outlet to be creative, as well as to enjoy what everyone else is doing around him. He explained that he listens to music “pretty much 24/7.”

“My music has introduced me to a lot of amazing people I would’ve never been able to talk to, let alone collaborate with, without doing music,” Salewicz said.

Salewicz has

14 Feature

gained a following on Spotify, with over 5,000 monthly listeners, as well as 26,168 listens on his song, “Gazed.” His listeners enjoy his music for multiple reasons.

“I think his rhythms are really interesting,” Franciskovich said. “The layering is very interesting to me.”

Franciskovich explained Salewicz’s music to be very unique, but also fun. The reverb and layers that Salewicz adds to his songs make his songs their version of pop music.

“I would describe it as bedroom pop,” Franciskovich said When Salewicz explained his writing process, he said he picks up one of his instruments, whether it’s a bass, guitar, or drums, and improvise something. He’ll then record that in his voice memos and save it for later. After a while, he’ll return to his voice memos, figure out what he thinks is cool, and pull pieces together.

“I record into my computer and then mix, produce it, and then send it to a couple of friends to make sure it sounds good,” Salewicz said.

After taking Electronic Music and Modern Band at the high school, he felt more prepared to make and produce his music.

Salewicz explained that Electronic Music helped him work within DAWs. DAWs are digital audio workshops that are used to create beats, melodies, and produce sounds that artists want. It uses virtual instruments to create something for an artist.

Salewicz said that he liked being in Modern Band because it was fun to play music with other people. He also thought the teacher, Aaron Coates, was inspirational.

“Mr. Coates was probably the big reason why I’m trying to be more prolific,” Salewicz said.

Salewicz plans to take his career further into the future by pursuing music in college.

“I want to do something like sound production,” Salewicz said. “I want to work in either a studio or even be a full-time musician.”

A New Space to Make New Makerspace Club purchases CNC Machine for student -led creation

Makerspace Club founder Sebastian Gray, sophomore, displays the Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Machine and the projects it has created so far. Photos by Adanna Mbanu

By Eve Hodges, Guest Reporter

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spiring engineers founded the new student-led Makerspace Club with a grant from the Zionsville Education Foundation (ZEF) which allowed them to purchase new technology to create and explore. The club meets on Wednesday mornings at 8 a.m. in Room E130.

Sophomore Sebastian Gray has been working on the development of the Makerspace Club since December.

“Admin and especially ZEF were very kind and helpful throughout the whole process,” Gray said.

The club received $1000 in initial funding from assistant principal Matt Walter and was awarded a ZEF grant for $6500 to purchase a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Machine. The CNC Machine uses engineering software to cut out detailed

pieces from metal, plastic or wood. Gray said the machine is for student use, including other clubs, like “art program or clubs out there.”

“The Robotics Club could definitely use this machine to create custom parts for their robots,” Gray added.

After applying for the grant, Gray approached fellow engineering students about forming a team of student leaders to head the club, including sophomore Truett Weber who said, “Makerspace has helped us grow quite a bit closer.”

The group is working on learning the technology so that they can begin teaching new members how to operate the CNC machine at club meetings. The group also has a 3D printer for members to use.

“They take under an hour to teach somebody how to use, especially if they already know how to use CAD software,” Weber said. “Getting closer to an hour if they don’t know CNC well.”

The makerspace is open to all students, even those who have no experience with engineering software and machines.

“Once we train students how to use the machine properly, they will be able to use it whenever they want,”

Gray said. “As long as we’re open during that time with supervision.”

Safety is a priority for the Makerspace Club and there will always be an adult staff member present when the space is open for use, though the machines are not inherently dangerous.

“There are several safety features in the machine,” Gray said. “We have already tested those, and they do work.”

Students are already planning different projects to make with the CNC machine, from robotics to personal design.

“I just got a couple of texts from some random number that asked me if they could build a battle bot with it,” Gray said.

Club leaders are still trying to figure out what being a Makerspace member will entail. There are many questions as to how materials will be provided and if the members will do collaborative projects during the year.

“Probably what we’re going to do is we’re going to have a basic fee to use the resources and then use that to pay for materials,” Gray said.

When the space opens, the leaders hope to purchase more engineering machines to create more detailed projects. The makerspace will be open to all students on Wednesday mornings at 8 a.m. in Room E130.

“We anticipate a lot of people from robotics joining the makerspace,” Weber said.

Feature 15

SUBBING IN

Who are the familiar faces that step in when a teacher is away?

By Ellie Vanderbur, Student Life Editor

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hil Meyers is one of the most recognizable substitute teachers at ZCHS. After being with the Department of Education for 25 years and gaining so much experience teaching students and fellow educators, he felt becoming a sub was an obvious choice.

While he felt that “there was no question about [his] ability” due to his history with teaching, the application process was incredibly tedious and frustrating. It took him around two months to complete due to the amount of material and paperwork. “[Applying] is much more difficult than it should be,” Meyers said. “In fact, I almost gave up because it was so difficult to get everything done.”

Meyers said the complications with the training process contribute to the shortage

16 Feature

of substitute teachers in the district.

“They have trouble getting subs and I think the process needs to be simplified to make it easier for people to qualify,” Meyers said.

Once registered, he found that the scheduling procedure was very user friendly, unlike what he had experienced previously.

“It’s a great operation because you can pick and choose when you want to work and when you don’t want to work,” Meyers said.

All of the scheduling is done online and is very flexible because the substitutes can pick what days, times, and schools they want to work at. They can also plan their days far in advance as Meyers often does.

Unfortunately, planning ahead doesn’t eliminate last-minute requests.

“If I’m not scheduled to work, I can be sure that at six o’clock I’m going to get a phone call that somebody needs someone to sub,” Meyers said.

Once he’s in the classroom, taking control and getting the students on task is easy for him.

“I was surprised my old tricks still worked,” Meyers said.

Overall, Meyers has found a great way to extend his education career and stay connected to the younger generation.

“I find that’s the key thing for me, to keep up with what [students are] doing,” Meyers said.

Substitute Phil Meyers takes attendance in Danielle Wilson’s APUSH class on Feb. 14.

Photos by Ellie Vanderbur

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hat started as a favor for a friend 15 years ago became a post-retirement gig for substitute teacher Debbie Beigh.

“A friend who taught here at the time called me right after I retired and said, ‘I have to have surgery, will you cover my AP European History classes for two weeks because I don’t want them to fall behind?’” Beigh said.

“And my response was, ‘Are you nuts?’”

Before this important moment, Beigh had been in the education field for 35 years–17 of those as a teacher and the other 18 as a principal. This extensive experience gives her a hands-on style that other subs don’t usually have.

“If I’m subbing for an English or Social Studies teacher, then a lot of the time they will leave me the work and I will actually teach,” Beigh said.

All of her past experience makes her truly care about the kids and their high school experience.

“My favorite part of being a sub is the interactions with students,” Beigh said.

Her focus on these relationships is what drives her to continue being a sub. This is especially true when she is helping a teacher out by being their long-term sub.

“I like doing long-term because it lets me actually be a teacher for a consistent period of time,” Beigh said. “I get to know the kids as I would’ve if I were their actual teacher.”

Beigh is well known by teachers for her success at keeping students on task. Teachers often specially request to have her cover their

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fter being a full-time science teacher in Virginia, Lindsay Rooks shifted paths and started her role as a substitute teacher.

She recently finished her first full-time subbing job for Forensics and Chemistry teacher Kristin Lancaster while she was on maternity leave. While being a part-time sub for five years prior to this experience, she found that the flexibility of scheduling was a huge perk.

“It was a nice break from having to work every day and I could pick and choose my days to come in,” Rooks said.

Unfortunately, not everything had been so easy. Becoming a sub had some setbacks as she had trouble with getting certified. Because her teaching license was from Virginia, it was difficult to get approval in Indiana.

“It’s difficult for people to become substitute teachers because of the application process,” Rooks said. “I can see why people

classes.

“I can keep [the kids] in line,” Beigh said.

The little things she does is another reason why she is so respected and valued. One notable case of this is when she brought in snacks for students to help them get through a long day.

“My least favorite part [of subbing] is having C lunch on block days,” Beigh said. “You can’t learn if you’re hungry and you can’t teach well either.”

This job gives her flexibility and lets her do what she’d like with her free time, like going to lunch with old teacher friends and going on vacation during the winter.

But her love for teaching keeps her coming back after all these years.

“I was a teacher; I enjoy being a teacher,” Beigh said.

Substitute Debbie Beigh introduces herself before starting class on Feb. 16.

get discouraged about wanting to substitute.”

Finding her place in the class as a long-term sub brought its own hurdles as well.

“You have to establish some kind of consistency or foundation for long term subbing,” Rooks said.

After taking up Lancaster’s classes last November, she was responsible for ending the fall semester and transitioning into the new year and gaining new students. Luckily she didn’t have to go through these difficult transitions alone. She had frequent help from fellow science teacher Dawn Makley for when she needed teaching advice or help with the material. “[Lancaster and I] don’t do things the same, but I’ve tried to keep up and maintain consistency,” Rooks said.

Substitute Lindsay Rooks helps students with a homework problem in her Chemistry class on Feb. 15.

Feature 17

Art for All Ages

Zionsville celebrates Youth Art Month with showcases of student art, community art lessons

By Sofia Suarez, Guest Reporter

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tudent artwork will be on display in local businesses during March for Youth Art Month and art lessons will be taught by National Art Honor Society at Hussey-Mayfield Library.

Youth Art Month, a statewide initiative that occurs in the month of March, allows student artists to showcase what they are doing in class and what they have accomplished throughout the year. Art teachers and students throughout Zionsville Community Schools participate in the monthlong celebration.

Elementary school artwork is displayed in local businesses, and middle school and high school artwork is displayed at Sullivan-

Community members view student artwork displayed at the SullivanMunce Cultural Center on March 1. Photos

by Josie Brackett

18 Student Life

Munce Cultural Center and the Hussey-Mayfield Library.

“It’s important because it lets the community see what we’re doing in the arts, in the schools, as well as highlighting different mediums and student interest in artwork,” art teacher Jessica Sterling said.

Youth Art Month is also an opportunity to build confidence in children that participate in the art lessons at Hussey-Mayfield Library on Saturdays in March, according to National Art Honor Society treasurer Lauren Carr. The two remaining lessons are on March 16 and 23.

Carr also taught art lessons last year.

The lessons are centered around well-known artists and create an opportunity for children to express themselves and be involved in the community.

“It’s really cute because some of them will walk in super shy and not want to participate,” Carr said. “And then at the end, they’re showing everybody their art and they don’t want to leave.”

A variety of student art from first semester is chosen for display by teachers.

“We choose anything that we feel is top notch, like A+’s,” Sterling said.

“But also, we try to show work that is in progress, like progressing artists, more than just the top-tier artwork.”

Art teachers throughout the school system contributed time and effort to plan Youth Art Month.

“Since we don’t see each other, it’s

a lot of e-mail tag or miscommunication because maybe some people got the e-mail, some didn’t,” Sterling said.

In addition to coordinating with teachers throughout the school system, the actual artwork was prepped by art teachers and readied to display at the kick-off reception on March 1. Chosen artwork is matted, labeled, and distributed.

“We work really hard the couple weeks before to get everything sorted and ready,” Sterling said.

Through her six years of teaching, Sterling has seen Youth Art Month impact current artists and the future generations of artists. Hussey-Mayfield Library buys an artwork from a student every year and this past year that artwork became the cover of the library card.

“Last year I had a lot of students pursuing the arts in college and I’ve seen an uptick in that ever since I’ve started working here,” Sterling said. “We have quite a few students that are going into the arts and pursuing that as career.”

There are multiple ways to get involved with Youth Art Month. Going to see student displays in the community is one way and another way is joining National Art Honor Society (NAHS). They organize the art lessons at the library in March, paint murals around ZCHS, and organize fundraisers such as selling stickers at the senior night basketball game.

“We try to give people an outlet to express art,” Carr said.

Because Youth Art Month is a statewide initiative, other school systems do something similar to ZCS. Sterling thinks that ZCS makes it special because more emphasis and attention is put on Youth Art Month through banners hanging in downtown Zionsville and also through social media.

“When you support student artwork, you’re supporting the next generation of artists,” Sterling said.

Attention Epidemic Short form social media has decreased attention spans, affecting academic performance

By Morgan Hollis, Staff ight seconds. That’s how often teenagers today switch what they’re focusing on, according to Microsoft. However, it hasn’t always been like this. Barely two decades ago, the average time teens switched their attention span was 12 seconds.

It seems there has been a shocking increase in how fast teens switch their focus, leading to more and more teens having a short attention span. According to Healthline, it affects many aspects of life, such as the ability to perform well in school and complete tasks. This makes many students appear incapable of doing well in school, when in reality they are understimulated due to a short attention span.

Sophomore Lillian Heibult has noticed this, as she feels her attention span has gradually decreased as she’s transitioned from middle school to high school.

“It’s the same thing among my peers too, just a lot of decline,” Heibult said.

The popularity of technology and social media is a major contributor to the problem. According to the Pew Research Center, 95% of teens today own a mobile device, and 90% use social media.

Even bigger contributors to this problem are short videos on apps like TikTok and Instagram. These apps give teens access to an endless amount of videos usually only eight or 15 seconds long.

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The more time students spend watching these brief videos, the more their attention span decreases. According to TikTok, half of its users said that watching videos over a minute long was “stress-inducing.”

Brandy Hunt, the school psychologist, can see these effects in real time at school.

“We get into this pattern of behavior where our cell phone becomes a priority and we’re changing our attention span in a very short amount of time,” Hunt said.

Although some like to blame teens for choosing to be sucked into their phones, social media companies are the true masterminds. The seconds-long videos are bait to get teens to use their app more and more, which in turn increases their platform usage and makes them more money.

“The algorithms want us to switch every few seconds and we’re also being reinforced for that,” Hunt said.

With short attention spans and unhealthy attachments to phones, teens are starting to have problems focusing on school. Heibult said she notices that students are always on their phones during lectures, even after being told to put them away and during tests.

“When [phones] vibrate, the kids have their attention pulled from their work,” Hunt said. “When they have to check that text, when they have to look at that social

media page one more time. Every time we do that, that takes our focus away.”

Teens also struggle with being attentive outside of school, tending to feel an urge to check their phones and distract themselves.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, 50% of teens say they often check their phone while doing homework.

However, there are ways to shed the harmful effects of short videos on social media. Heibult found that limiting the amount of time she spends on her phone and trying not to distract herself while doing her schoolwork was helpful.

“If you need help focusing on something ask your teacher, ask someone for help,” Heibult said. “Having people in your life who will keep you on track and keep you in check has helped me.”

According to Post University, other helpful methods are prioritizing sleep, practicing attentive listening, meditating, and using music to enhance focus.

By using these practices, teens can work towards an increased attention span. Benefits of this are better work performance, motivation for hobbies, inclination to interact with people face to face, and much more.

“It can be hard sometimes but just try your absolute best to lock in with school,” Heibult said.

Graphic

by Kate Bowen

Student Life 19

High Cost Habits

By Anna Helmer, Staff alking in the halls and seeing students with their nails done and holding a Starbucks drink or a Monster Energy every day makes me wonder: how can they afford that? I’m only able to afford a gas station Dr. Pepper most days, which i $1.60. Why don’t I make enough money to buy what I want when I work hard?

Some parents give their teens spending money and pay for extras like acrylic nails and coffee, but not all. When parents don’t fund extras, teens are left to pay for the things they enjoy by themselves. Earning extra money as a teen can be difficult, with school and extracurricular activities.

Between necessary spending, such as car expenses and food, and unnecessary but enjoyable spending like Starbucks coffee and video games, teens can blow through their paychecks quickly.

“Buying clothes here is a nightmare and food prices are outrageous,” senior Luther Bass said.

We can all agree that Main Street Zionsville prices are excessive, although it is easier for some teens to save money if they live closer to Whitestown.

“I don’t live near all of those fancy boutiques; I live near all of the discount stores and fast food places,” Joanna Hernandez, senior, said.

Some teens only have time to work on the weekends because of

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Living in a nice area can make small luxuries unaffordable for some teens

school and after-school activities. I quit my last job because my boss only let me work on weekends and I had no time for activities that I enjoy.

Being a teen and trying to get a job is hard. I was recently offered a job after four straight months of putting in applications.

Over the course of those four months, I applied to over 20 places. I think that businesses either assume that teenagers won’t work hard or they just want people who have more experience. But how can we gain experience if we can’t work?

A year ago, I lived down in Putnam County. Monster Energy was $2 and here it’s $3.50. The extra dollar or two spent on small things adds up very quickly and affects the amount of money teens have. I quickly noticed the shocking price difference after moving here.

As a 16-year-old, I have no money put away. When I was working back in September, I would get $120 paychecks. I would want to get my acrylics filled or I would run out of makeup products, on top of my monthly phone bill expense, and the money would disappear in a day or two.

While most people think having all of the expensive trending items is the only way you can be happy, I disagree. I love the way that I dress. My style is very important to me and it’s what makes me feel myself. In middle school, I didn’t dress the way that I do now and I wasn’t nearly as confident.

That being said, most of my favorite clothing pieces are from thrift stores. Most of my favorite thrifted items only cost me a few

Home-done nails: $2

GetGo Soda: $1.60 Salon-done nails: $55 Photo by Matthew Orbaugh

20 Opinion

bucks, some of them being from the local Goodwill. I’m sure some teens will agree with the fact that you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on clothes to be happy.

Still, teens should be given opportunities to make more money. At most jobs, manager positions are only given to people 18 years or older. As long as a person thrives in their job and works hard, they can have higher positions, no matter their age.

Indiana has a minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, but the price of living is different depending on where you live in the state. I was working four days a week, closing every night, and I was told that my $10 hourly wage was “too much,” which led to me only being able to work two days a week, even when I repeatedly asked for more hours.

The cost of living is high in Zionsville because it is a nice and safe place to live.

That being said, most young adults who move out after they graduate will be forced to move out of this town because they won’t be able to afford living here.

Living in Zionsville in 2024 is hard.

Think twice before poking fun at teens who don’t have all of the trending items. Not all teens are lucky enough to have parents who pay for extras and not all teens make enough money to buy these things for themselves. If you’re a teen struggling with low income, you are not alone.

Venti Strawberry Acai: $6.16

Recent productions make people question whether Disney still retains its magic

By Emmy Lucas, Feature Editor any students, including myself, look back on their childhood and see memories of watching Disney movies and TV shows. We dressed up as Disney princesses and Marvel superheroes for Halloween, brought our Olaf stuffies to see Frozen in theaters, and took trips to Disney World with our families. But Disney’s newer movies just haven’t been up to snuff.

Junior Stella McDaniel says her favorite shows to watch when she was younger were Disney shows “Jessie,” “Hannah Montana,” and “Good Luck Charlie.”

“When I hear the word ‘Disney’, I just think of my childhood,” McDaniel said.

But Disney, once synonymous with magic and enchantment, has experienced a notable downfall. Though the magic of their timeless classics remains, the company’s recent approach has faced some serious challenges.

“The new Disney movies just aren’t the same,” McDaniel said. She added that when she watched the 2021 Disney movie “Encanto,” it didn’t “hit the same” as the old animated Disney movies.

One key aspect of this “downfall” is the shift in storytelling dynamics. While we were once given new and original Disney movies every year, it seems like now we’re being flooded with remakes and sequels, leaving audiences craving originality. We’ll be seeing an abundance of sequels coming this year such as Moana 2, Deadpool 3, Inside Out 2, and so many more.

Originality is one of the most “When I hear important aspects the word of storytelling, as ‘Disney’, I just it sets a narrative think of my apart and captichildhood. The vates audiences with fresh ideas new Disney and perspectives. movies just ar- Without originality, stories risk been’t the same.

- Stella ing titled as cliche or predictable, like McDaniel, a lot of the recent junior Disney movies

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have been. The emphasis on quantity over quality and innovation has raised concerns about creative exhaustion.

2023 was a rough year for Disney at the box office, as a majority of their movies released fell short of expectations, or “flopped.” “The Little Mermaid” and “The Marvels” are just two examples. People were disappointed with the underwhelming results of the so heavily promoted movies. A lot of the criticism on “The Little Mermaid” focused on its creepy computer generated graphics as opposed to the cute hand-drawn characters we once received.

In 2023, Disney released the new movie “Wish” to celebrate 100 years of Disney. The movie has been compared to “Frozen,” as it features a strong female protagonist on a journey to save her kingdom. It was heavily promoted by Disney and got many Disney fans excited.

But I scrolled through Letterboxd after watching the movie and saw nothing but two star reviews and negative comments.

A couple of the top comments were, “We waited a hundred years for this?” and “I will forget everything about this movie by tomorrow.” Letterboxd isn’t the only movie review platform that was unsatisfied with the movie. “Wish” received a 48% Rotten Tomatoes rating while Frozen has a 90% rating.

I was utterly disappointed after I watched it and was surprised it was being compared to “Frozen.” When scrolling through the Letterboxd reviews under “Frozen,” you see countless five star reviews and a plethora of positive comments describing it as “the best movie ever done” and “the most comforting piece of media to exist.”

I have to agree that ten years later I can rewatch it for the hundredth time, and still feel that magical spark I felt when I was

Graphics by Marissa Villarrubia

six. There was no spark when I watched “Wish;” instead I felt as though it lacked inspiration and creativity. It was overall just a hard watch. Not to mention the fact that it grossed $239.8 million, while Frozen grossed $1.2 billion.

In 2019, Disney began their attempt to transition with their streaming service, Disney+. And while this transition was commendable for the most part, the multitude of streaming options available diluted its exclusivity. In 2023, Disney+ lost about 14 million subscribers.

Disney competes in a fiercely competitive market, and especially having been around for 100 years, some people think it’s obvious that Disney is going to start running out of ideas. But Junior Carter McMahon thinks that as the entertainment industry progresses, Disney needs to step it up in order to keep up.

“The new generation of younger kids have TikTok and YouTube now,” McMahon said. “They don’t want to watch Disney.”

McDaniel says that she hopes she sees some new ideas from Disney in the future.

“I want shows that remind me of the OG Disney shows,” McDaniel said. She also said she wants to see new animated movies that have the same magic the old ones had. “No more live action remakes.”

Opinion 21

Eating Ethically

There’s more to vegetarianism than meats the eye

By Brody Brown, News Editor egetarianism and other alternative ways of eating and dieting have been on the rise for a while now. According to a survey by the Vegetarian Resource Group, the number of people in the United States who identify with not eating meat has gone up from four percent to six percent in the last ten years. Decades of growing concerns about animal rights, environmentalism, and physical health have brought the lifestyle into the consciousness of the mainstream.

People can and have decided to eat less meat for any number of reasons. I rarely eat meat, which makes me a “flexitarian.”

Going meatless, for me, was sparked by learning about the meat industry and engaging with animal rights media.

According to the Humane Society of the United States, cows living on factory farms are subjected to restrictive confinement and poor nutrition and can feel every bit of pain they are treated to.

And because of the sheer number of them around the world, slaughterhouses are a common cause of water pollution and deforestation.

According to Environment America, 28 million pounds of nitrogen and phosphorus were dumped into America’s waterways by slaughterhouses in 2019.

There is a plethora of misinformation when it comes to understanding what it means to eat a non-meat-based diet, and people who live off these diets are misunderstood in many ways. Stereotypes about veganism and jokes about organizations like PETA don’t help.

Senior Olivia Shively has been a pescatarian for almost five years, but started off with trying to be vegan.

“None of my family eats vegan or vegetarian so it was just hard,” Shively said.

“You get a lot of backlash. A lot of people were assuming I was going to be crazy about it.”

The viral internet personality “That Vegan Teacher” that was blowing up around 2019 definitely perpetuated the dislike of a large population of vegans and those alike.

On her TikTok account, short clips of her abrasive activism stirred controversy for its clickbaity content. She would often

while easing on the cravings.

Products like Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods are easily accessible alternatives to meat that taste nearly like real meat.

According to Amudhan, school is the only place there can be a struggle sometimes with coordinating lunches.

Avoiding meat shouldn’t be something that is looked at with disdain or met with eye-rolls.

Graphic by Kate Bowen Not eating meat all the time can benefit someone’s life in so many ways, no matter the reason someone decides to make the switch.

Society used to make people think it’s impossible to go meatless. Because of that, in some ways it has gotten more difficult, dealing with things like stigma. But in today’s world with different lifestyles becoming more prominent and more vegetarian options at restaurants, it is doable and easy to thrive on.

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22 Opinion

state radical viewpoints and degrade those who didn’t agree with her. She amassed 1.6 million followers before being banned on the platform.

Vegetarian diets are deeply rooted in many cultures, though, and aren’t just a product of environmentalism and health concerns.

Akshara Amudhan, sophomore, has been a vegetarian her whole life for cultural purposes.

“I feel like it’s more accepted now; when I was younger it was definitely more of a conversation topic,” Amudhan said.

In general, the benefits to going meatless outweigh the bad if you’re willing to try it.

According to the National Library of Medicine, red meats like pork, beef, lamb and goat are linked to multiple kinds of cancer and type 2 diabetes, despite the benefit of them being a sufficient avenue for protein and iron.

I personally abstain from eating meat as much as I can because I don’t want to participate in the meat industry. I can get my needed nutrition and whatever taste I want without supporting an industry that harms the environment.

Environmentally-friendly eating can be as enjoyable and easy as the consumer makes it.

If someone wants to help the environment, they can still eat meat by choosing not to purchase meat from factory farms and searching for pasture raised meats instead.

If a person is thinking about committing to the change fully, though, there are some things to be cautious of.

“Don’t jump into veganism,” Shively said. “Start with pescetarianism. I’ve seen where people include chicken in that too, just cutting out red meats first.”

Jumping into veganism could be asking for a bad experience, since it eliminates dairy, meat, and any other animal products from your diet.

“I first started eating vegan in seventh grade because of dietary problems,” Shively said. “But it was for like a week; I was basically just eating almonds.”

Even just reducing meat consumption can make positive changes to one’s health

Opinion 23

Harb Highlights Top left: Senior Luke Reasoner shoots a free throw during warm ups for the boys basketball game on Feb. 20. Photo by Matthew Orbaugh Bottom Left: Art teacher Jessica Sterling inducts senior Kyrie Akins into National Art Honor Society on Feb. 29. Photo by Ellie Vanderbur Bottom Right: Sophomore William Weber finishes a run with a short sprint at track and field practice on Feb. 29. Photo by Madeline Wilson

Against Mt. Vernon High School When: 6 p.m.

Where: ZCHS

21

Girls Lacrosse

27

Girls Tennis

JV & V games against Heritage Christian When: 6 p.m.

Where: ZCHS

JV & V against Jasper When: 5 p.m.

Where: 875 Sports Complex

Mar.

locations are subject to change.

Mar.

26

Girls Softball

Boone County Invitational When: 5:30 p.m.

Where: ZCHS

Mar.

19

Track & Field

Mar.

Mar.

Mar.

What’s What’s next? next?

Check the schedule below to find dates, times, and locations for upcoming ZCHS events. Dates, times, and

25

Boys Varsity Golf

29

Spring Break

When: 4 p.m.

Where: Prairise View Golf Course

No School