TROJAN MATTERS March 28, 2019
More online at the-blueprint.org
Explore the positives and negatives of Greek life
BCHS takes on the 10-year challenge
Discover the weirdest sports around the globe
TROJAN MATTERS Volume 5, Issue 6
On the cover
The Mandela Effect re-imagines everyday thinking Page 12 & 13 The Mandela Effect first gained prominence in 2009 as theory that evaluates certain memories that do not correspond with documented history.
TROJANS
MATTER Prayers to. . .
• social studies teacher Mr. Steve Gretencord for a return to full health. • all students and staff at BCHS for a safe and restful spring break. • all students, that they will finish this semester and school year strong. • a rebirth of kindness and compassion in the coming spring months. • young people everywhere struggling with depression during this season.
News P. 2 -
The evolving culture of Greek life has raised controversy on college campuses.
Opinion P. 10 -
Some of the top music artists of the era do not uphold widespread values yet gain popularity.
P. 7 -
The attacks of 9/11 and other national security threats transformed airport security and TSA requirements.
P. 9 -
Features P. 11 -
Indianapolis is full of exciting activities for any staycation. Learn news ways to have fun in your hometown.
Sports P. 18 -
Major sports leagues consider adding expansion teams to their organizations. These sports leagues include the NHL, MBA, MLB and NFL.
Did you know. . . Today is National Something on a Stick Day. People worldwide celebrate with treats from popsicles and fruit kabobs to corn dogs and grilled veggies.
P. 14 -
Students travel from all over central Indiana to attend BCHS. Take a look at which students take the longest amount of time to commute everyday.
Popular music artist Chris Brown has been charged with assault multiple times.
Schools and other educational institutions ban certain books. Indianapolis is home to the BCHS community, and many students will stay in town over spring break.
On this date. . . P. 20 -
People around the world partake in unique sports including wife carrying and extreme ironing.
First world weightlifting championship won by Edward Lawrence in London, England. Lady Gaga was born in 1986. Today marks her 33rd birthday!
To Kill a Mockingbird has been banned in numerous schools.
Looking ahead April 8 • Students return from Spring Break
TROJAN MATTERS STAFF Editor-in-chief Blueprint editor News editor Opinions editor Features editor
Janie Gleaves Kacee Haslett Kacee Haslett, Claire Williams Belle deCastro Carmen Sullivan
Sports editor Reporting staff Photo editor Photographers
April 12 •St. Augustine Prom
Michael Mates Mary Borchers Patrick Felts Aidan Sullivan Jaeden Crawford Natalie Donaldson Ashley Freiburger Katie Grote Lily Hofmeister Brooklyn Reitz
Kaylee Rulong Lainey Scroggins Miranda Stickel Gloria Vasquez Anna Wuensch
April 26 • BCHS Walk-a-thon and Talent Show • Early dismissal at noon Trojan Matters Mission Statement: We promise to bring you, the students of BCHS, the most obtainable version of the truth through courage, integrity and freedom of speech. Unsigned staff editorials reflect the opinion of at least two-thirds of the staff. Columns with bylines reflect the opinions of the writer. The magazine will publish letters to the editor, but may be edited for the length and clarity. Trojan Matters is the monthly news magazine produced by the Advanced publications - Magazine class. Trojan Matters is considered a public forum and the voice of the student body. In addition, daily news updates can be found online at the-BluePrint.org. Letters/ Comments can be submitted through The Blueprint or dropped off in the Publications Room (210). Mrs. Tracy Luke, MJE, serves as publication adviser.
Cover
News
Trojan Notes Trojan Matters asks. . .
If you have a question, let TM look into it. Submit questions at the-blueprint.org/contact or to Room 210.
How did Canvas become so important to BCHS learning?
LMS. Vice Principal of Academics Mrs. Ann Taylor fully embraced the addition of Canvas as it seemed far ahead of the market in comparison to other LMSs. Students here use Canvas for all their classes. Each teacher creates a “C anv as Canvas course for their students to enroll in. Here they can find learning materials and classwork. has ushered in a shift in the way students are learning,” she said. Mrs. Taylor now have to become cultivators of believes Canvas has evolved the content,” Mrs. Taylor said. Teachcommunication between teachers ers collaborate their resources with and students and made learning a interactive textbooks to formulate more visible process for the whole lesson plans. Canvas and LMSs as a whole have school. Mrs. Taylor values the responsi- evolved immensely by adding tools bility that Canvas promotes. Teach- such as video embedding, quizers have to publish their lessons zes, tests, etc. Such innovation has plans, which increases accountabil- crafted them into an integral part ity of teachers and students alike. of modern learning. Mrs. Taylor Canvas calendars and homework does not foresee BCHS ever learnmodules minimize possible excus- ing without an LMS. “Canvas has es for incomplete work. Teachers provided a window into the classalso have to keep up with their room and learning environment. It assignment plans. “Instead of re- is essential,” Mrs. Taylor said. lying solely on textbooks, teachers •Claire Williams Photo By: Ashley Freiburger
W
ith the introduction of iPads in an everyday classroom setting, Learning Management Systems (LMS) have become an essential component to online education. An LMS is a software system used by administrations to centralize their online learning programs. Canvas has served as BCHS’ LMS for the past six years. Students at BCHS first starting using iPads in the 2012-2013 school year. During this initial year, Canvas had not been introduced, and teachers used various applications in conjunction with continuing traditional “whiteboard” lessons. Administrators originally planned on utilizing the iPad for accessing all textbooks online. However, few publishers at the time had made their content available and if they had, the expense was not feasible. At this point, the iPad had not changed the operation of the learning environment at BCHS. It was not until the introduction of Canvas as an LMS that technology truly evolved education at BCHS. The following school year, 20132014, BCHS became the fifth school in Indiana and first nonpublic school to adopt Canvas as their
compared to local high schools 99.05%
97.5%
97.87%
We Heard It
I kinda hope I pass out or something so that I can go home. Guys, yesterday I was driving to Chatard and I saw a guy vacuuming his sidewalk. If I could turn my tears into productivity, can you imagine how much I could get done? Skiing is kind of like flossing. I’m going so that I can touch the mummy. One time my ears were ringing and I thought I was going blind. My dad tried to do ASMR to my dog last night to make him go to sleep. The songs in Frozen are lowkey heat. My little cousin is just like Olaf.
You could watch a movie in braille. I threw up on the bride’s wedding dress when I was a baby.
North Central
Heritage Christian
90.08%
Fishers
Covenant Christian
94.5%
Cathedral
Carmel
Brebeuf Jesuit
Bishop Chatard
96.87%
Sports
The guy looks like Big Bird from VeggieTales.
Based on Class of 2018 according to the Indiana Department of Education 98.65%
You Said It
Features
"Wait, they have dog school at Park Tudor?" "No, it’s called Bark Tutor."
BCHS GRADUATION RATE 100%
Opinions
•Claire Williams
Did you hear something funny? Submit You Said It, We Heard It quotes at the-blueprint.org/ contact or to Room 210.
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GREEK
ΧΑ ΠΒΦ ΚΚΓ Π ΠΚΑ ΠΛΦ Χ ΦΣΦ ΣΑΕ Μ ΚΒΓ ΖΤΑ ΚΤ ΔΔΔ ΧΩ ΔΑ ΔΣΦ ΔΨ Θ ΔΩΕ ΦΣΚ ΛΦ ΣΑΜ ΣΚ ΤΔ ΓΦΒ ΣΝ TROJAN MATTERS
March 28, 2019
LIFE analyzing the pros & cons of balancing pan hellenic partic ipation and higher ed ucation
FF
or many college students, joining a fraternity or sorority is one option of getting involved in their new college environments. It is an easy way to get acquainted with a new school and a new way of life. While there are benefits of pledging to a house, universities across the country are discovering negative aspects of their Greek life programs. According to CNN, 800,000 undergraduates are members of sororities or fraternities, and the number is growing every year. Since 1776, fraternities have been present on college campuses. The first college in the United States, College of William and Mary, had the first fraternity, Phi Beta Kappa. Sororities came later when Kappa Alpha Theta was founded at DePauw University in 1870. Now, colleges around the country are finding it harder every year to maintain the balance between the tradition that surrounds Greek life and the safety of their students. Many times after large investigations of fraternities or sororities, colleges must suspend the chapters from campus. All of the freedom that these fraternities and sororities give their members can result in unfavorable outcomes. According to Business Insider, there has been a hazing-related death every year for the last 46 years. These are almost always male deaths as the hazing in male fraternities is comparably worse. This can occur because of dangerous challenges and alcohol-related rituals that get out of hand. Sexual assault is another problem many associate with Greek life on college campuses. Fraternity men are three times more likely to commit rape than other men on campus, according to CNN. Alcohol abuse is also a documented issue of concern. According to Elite Daily, 50 percent of fraternity or sorority members report doing poorly on a test or project due to alcohol abuse compared to the average student at 25 percent. For sororities in general, 62.4 percent of women admit to abusing alcohol compared to 40.9 percent for those not in a sorority. This is a major problem because the fraternities get alcohol for free, and sororities are invited to these parties. The dangers of substance abuse throughout all fraternities and sororities is a problem; however, according to Business Insider, it is safer to drink at fraternities or sororities because they are so highly regulated. When sororities and fraternities are picking freshmen to join their house, all new members must go through a process they call rush. During rush, members go to dif-
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Photo courtesy of Lydia Dessauer
Lydia Dessauer is a freshman at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. Dessauer was the member of the class of 2018 at BCHS and was initiated into the Pi Beta Phi sorority this winter.
ferent events at the Greek houses around campus and ultimately can be chosen by the sorority or fraternity if they believe them to be a good fit. This can cause major anxiety for those who are not chosen by the house of their choice. According to
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BERS M E M EK TO L GRE MPARED L A F O O ATE, C GE 50% U D A GR VERA aily THE A ing to Elite D accord
Elite Daily, 21 percent of sorority parents believe their student suffers from bad body image. The pressure to be “perfect” can be too much, and this can begin during rush. Joey Schaffer, BCHS Class of 2018 and current freshman at IU, is in the Phi Gamma Delta house. He said, “I think the rush process is tough. Often times good kids get cut from certain houses and I think if it was over a longer period of time, it could be easier and more beneficial for houses and rushees.” Freshman at DePauw University and member of the BCHS Class of 2018 Lydia Dessauer, who is in the Pi Beta Phi sorority, said, “I wouldn’t change a lot about the rush process. I’m really glad we rushed
in the winter b e cause that gave us the whole fall semester to get to know each house without the pressures of rush, and we got to meet a lot of new girls casually.” Even with sororities and fraternities making the college feel smaller, there is still a large number of women and men pledging in every class. Freshman at University of Kentucky Katie Meek, who also graduated in the Class of 2018 from BCHS is a member of the Delta Gamma sorority. Meek explained how, because there are 70-90 people in each pledge class, it is still difficult to meet everyone. Meek said, “Last week, I was at the dining hall for breakfast and ended up eating with a girl that was Delta Gamma that I had not met before.” Even though the sorority still makes the college feel smaller, there are still many untapped opportunities to form new friendships. While the negatives associated with Greek life can seem overwhelming, there are many positives people associate with the organizations. Often times, it is just what a student needs to get involved and meet new people. Schaffer said, “I enjoy Greek life at IU because of the brotherhood I’ve gained from my fraternity. I don’t think I would have felt at home at school unless I had joined a fraternity. When you’re not playing sports in college, the house feels like your team.” “Greek life here gives people the opportunity to network, grow in leadership skills, and make lifelong friendships. It helps students at DePauw find a place surrounded by people with similar values. But
Indiana University freshman Joey Schaffer pledged Phi Gamma Delta this year. Schaffer was in the class of 2018 at BCHS. Photo courtesy of Joey Schaffer
being a small school, we don’t let what fraternity or sorority we are in define who our friends are or who we hang out with,” Dessauer said. The strong social network formed while in a fraternity or sorority cannot be replicated. With stronger social connections, people can create lasting relationships that result in career success. According to CNN, half of the United States presidents were members of a fraternity. According to Frat Advisor, 43 out of 50 of the nation’s largest companies are lead by fraternity men. Academics are also emphasized heavily in Greek life. According to CNN, the average college male’s GPA is a 2.892; however, the average fraternity male’s GPA is a 2.912. According to Elite Daily, 71 percent of all Greek members graduate compared to the average 50 percent. Schaffer said, “My house is very school-oriented and this past semester we averaged a GPA higher than the IU all-men’s average. The older guys who have experience are always down to help out the younger guys and push us to succeed in school.” Service and philanthropy are big components of Greek life that the houses require. According to CNN, all of the chapters combined work 3.8 million hours and raise over 20 million dollars every year. Dessaur said her sorority is constantly raising money for various philanthropies by hosting events. . Meek agrees. “I love that philanthropy is a big aspect of my chapter,” said Meek, “Delta Gamma works toward Service for Sight.
COMMON ISSUES IN GREEK LIFE: DRUG ABUSE HAZING ALCOHOL ABUSE according to CNN
This means that we do various a c t i v i t i e s that aid people with vision impairments.” With all the differing colleges and chapters, the Greek life world looks completely different depending on where you are. Schaffer said, “Only 18 percent of students are in Greek life at IU and I think that’s based purely off size of the school. With 28,000 undergrads, only around 5,000 participate in Greek life.” On the other hand, Dessaur said, “DePauw is about 75 percent Greek. We have more traditional houses and then we also have academic houses and multicultural houses. I think Greek life is so big at DePauw because it is a small school, but people think very highly of it and we do have two alpha chapters (the first-ever formed) on campus.” No matter how the Greek system is set up at any school, many who are involved have so many positive things to say about their program. “It is a big part of the university and probably the best way to get involved in more activities and workshops while meeting lifelong friends,” said Schaffer. Meek said, “I think people join because they want to belong to something bigger than themselves. It encourages people to meet more people and push themselves to grow as individuals.”
•Mary Borchers
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TROJAN MATTERS March 28, 2019
THE
OF THE
HISTORY IMMIGRATIONPOLICY: United States’ policy changes overtime
1800s
1900s-1950s 1960s
1980s
D
T
he United States had a relatively open immigration policy. Without advanced technology and communication systems, the United States encouraged immigration. This led to states having varying immigration policies. After the Civil War, the Supreme Court declared immigration policies to be a federal responsibility. As a result, legislation produced in 1891 and 1895 created the Bureau of Immigration.
4
uring what is known as the “Great Wave” from 1900 to 1920, around 24 million immigrants settled in the United States. Briefly slowing down during World War I, mass immigration resumed after the war was over. With this heavy flow of immigrants, Congress began to pass more regulations concerning immigration policies. A national-origins quota system was passed in 1921 and then later revised in 1924. This system limited immigration numbers based on their designated nationality quota. The determined quota for different nationalities was based off of the amount of U.S. representation from past censuses. For example, the Immigration Act of 1924 limited the amount of visas provided to only 2 percent of the total number of people of each nationality to the U.S.
D
uring the 1960s, Congress replaced the national origins system with a new preference system which was meant to draw more skilled immigrants to the U.S. and to keep immigrant families together. This new system attracted more applicants for immigration visas from Latin America and Asia rather than Europe. As time went on, the number of immigrants coming to the U.S. would triple by the start of the 21st century.
T
hroughout the 1980s, the amount of immigration visas available depended on the number of refugees. While the amount of visas were limited, the Refugee Act of 1980 helped define a more structured policy regarding a response to refugees. In addition, the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA) addressed enforcement of policies and amnesty. Enforcement was involved to add measures taken against illegal immigration and the harboring of illegal aliens. Amnesty was provided to immigrants who had completed 90 days of agricultural work between May 1985 and May 1986 or who had been settled in the U.S. since January 1982.
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Throughout the past few centuries, the United States’ immigration policy has adapted and adjusted to the changing times. Having one of the most open policies in the world, the United States’ policy has played a major role in shaping the country into what it is today. •Belle deCastro information courtesy of https://cis.org/Historical-Overview-Immigration-Policy
1990s
T
he immigration policy was reformed again in the Immigration Act of 1990. This act built off the policy of the 1960s, which caused the total level of immigrants yearly to increase to 700,000. Consequently, the amount of visas available increased 40 percent compared to previous years. In addition to accommodating the increasing number of immigrants, this act reinforced uniting families through doubling employment-related immigration. They created the Jordan Commission which studied immigration and created a lottery system, helping to diversify the immigrants coming to the U.S. Later on, the Illegal Immigrant Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRIRA) increased enforcement measures on border control including more border patrol and a planned border fence for San Diego.
2000s
I
n the Legal Immigration Family Equity Act of 2000 (LIFE), amnesty was provided to illegal aliens who are in the process of becoming green card holders. A green card holder is a lawful resident who has the right to reside permanently in the U.S. However, after the Sept.11, 2001 terrorist attack, there was another call to immigration reform because the terrorists had used tourist and student visas to enter the country. Revealing holes in the immigration policy, more regulations and restrictions on immigration were enacted post-terrorist attack. In Dec. 2005, Congress passed the Anti-terrorism, Border Protection, and Illegal Immigration Control Act. This act dealt with concerns with lax enforcement on the border and interior ports of entry.
2010-2018
U
nder the Obama administration, an executive order labeled Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) was announced in August 2012. DACA called for renewable 2-year grants of protection from deportation for children who were born in the U.S. to immigrant parents. It provided for the legalization of almost 700,000 previously illegal immigrants. One year later, President Barack Obama issued another executive order that called for protection from deportation for illegal immigrants who were the parents of American citizens or lawful permanent residents. This order was called the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA) and announced in November 2014.
Shortly after its announcement, many lawsuits from states were filed against the federal government. A temporary injunction in February 2015 prevented DAPA from going into effect due to the lawsuits pending. Fast forward to the 2016 Trump administration, President Donald Trump has been an advocate for building a wall along the Mexico border, defunding sanctuary cities, deporting illegal immigrants, tripling border patrol and limiting legal immigration. Amongst these campaign promises, Trump made plans to slowly expire DACA; however, Congress attempted to prevent this eventual expiration with various amnesty legislations in 2018 to preserve DACA.
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TROJAN MATTERS
March 28, 2019
Photos courtesy of Savi.org
Grocery store access affects Indianapolis residents
A new $20 million Kroger Marketplace is scheduled to open Aug. 19 in Columbus, Indiana. Earlier this year, many Marsh grocery stores closed in the Indianapolis area.
A
food desert refers to an area where access to affordable food that is fresh and healthy is limited due to a lack of grocery stores in the area. Indianapolis ranks worst in the nation for food deserts. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), “To qualify as a ‘low-access community,’ at least 500 people and/or at least 33 percent of the census tract’s population must reside more than one mile from a supermarket or large grocery store.” According to data from the Marion County Health Department for 2018, more than 200,000 Indianapolis residents live in a food desert, and 71 percent of Marion county is a food desert. In high income areas, residents have the resources to drive the extra distance to the store or move to an area in closer proximity to grocery stores altogether. While she has access to grocery stores, Junior Rachel Burns lives in a part of Marion County where there is low access for those who cannot drive. “I wish I lived close to a grocery store like some of my
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friends do,” said Burns. “It would be nice to be able to walk there and get food whenever I want.” In early 2017, Marsh supermarkets closed in the Indianapolis area, which forced many residents to travel further to another grocery store.
An estimated 200,000 Indianapolis residents live in a low access or low income area. Over 71% of Marion County is a food desert.
Stores located in low access communities often manufacture their products to be a cheap and fulfilling counterpart to expensive and healthy food from grocery stores in high access communities. For example, spray cheese (or Easy Cheese) was invented to make
Fo o d d e s e r t : “An urban area in which it is difficult to buy affordable or good-quality fresh food.” Grocery store access is most critical in low income areas, where residents are more likely to live in poverty and not own a car. In these communities, many people walk or take public transportation to the grocery store. But when there is no grocery store close to their residence, they must settle for lower quality food.
the person feel like they were full, when in reality their stomachs are full of processed artificial cheese spread with no nutritional value. Food deserts are also commonly regarded as a cause of obesity in America. When highly processed and unhealthy food is the only available means of putting dinner on the table, people have no choice
but to accept how it is and eat it. For example, people may be able to stop at a food mart in a gas station for food, but there is likely very little nutritious value or fresh fruits and vegetables. Currently, the only solutions to this problem are establishing urban gardens, organizing food delivery trucks, or a grocery cooperative (co-op). According to the Neighboring Food Co-op Association (NFCA) a grocery co-op is, “an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically controlled enterprise.” Basically, you can shop at these stores like a normal grocery store, or buy stock in the company to become a member-owner and earn discounts or voting rights on operations. These grocery co-ops allow individuals in low-access areas to have access to fresh foods previously unavailable in the area.
•Aidan Sullivan
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Transportation and Security Changes In America TSA officers discovered an average of
9 firearms a day
in carry-on bags in 2016.
Currently, TSA employs approximately 42,000 federal government employees compared to the 20,000 working right after the time of the 9/11 attacks.
Following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, one out of six Americans reduced air travel the following year, according to PBS. While healing began, President George W. Bush and other government officials desired to gain back the confidence of the American people. The reconstruction of American courage started with one obvious point: improving airport security. Thus, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was formed. TSA is a division working under the Department of Homeland Security. Although they did not have a fully functioning budget of $4 billion dollars until 2003, TSA was committed to protect the nation’s airports and planes from the start. Before the 9/11 attacks, private companies were in charge of screening at airports. Normally, these workers were paid minimum
wage and were underqualified. Most notably, Argenbright Security was a large private company that handled airport security at major airports including Dulles Airport, from which the hijackers departed Sept. 11,
Federal Air Marshals fly on an undisclosed number of flights to detect, deter and defeat criminal and terrorist activities in the air.
TSA is now operating under a $7.7 billion budget. Also, TSA began the initiative of searching bags before they went on to planes. Both carry on and checked bags go through extensive screening. The checked bags go through an “underground” security clearance and then are placed onto the rightful owners plane. Once in-
91 firearms in ,3 3 d e r e v o c is ts in 2016. TSA agents d in o p k c e h c t r s at airpo carry-on bag side, 2001. In other cases, workers were sometimes hired by airlines who did not bother to train employees extensively. To become a TSA agent now, workers must have a GED or high school diploma as well as a year of experience as a security officer or x-ray technician. Currently, TSA employs approximately 42,000 federal government employees compared to the 20,000 working at the time of the attacks.
all passengers must go through the security lines prior to entering their terminal. Junior Connor Brandon said, “Obviously, one weakness of TSA is the speed it takes to go through the lines. It is a very annoying, but necessary and beneficial service.” TSA has made an effort to reduce these wait times by introducing TSA pre-check, an applica-
tion that passengers can apply for through the TSA website. Senior Mea Weybright, who flies roughly eight times a year, said, “I would encourage others to take the time to get TSA pre-check because I feel like most people don’t think about going through that process before taking a trip.” The application takes less than five minutes and can be completed by a 10-minute in person interview and background check. The precheck lines are advertised as less than five minute waits, benefiting passengers. Weybright said, “I do wonder if someone were to be cleared by TSA pre-check, then make a poor decision (once on a plane).” TSA works to protect the safety of American people and minimize the potential for future terrorist attacks. Weybright said, “I think some people could have the potential of bringing illegal or dangerous things on board, but luckily TSA screens them and protects us.”
•Michael Mates
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TROJAN MATTERS
March 28, 2019
white privilege: one must understand what it isn’t. To define white privilege,
It is NOT:
assuming white people automatically lead better lives than others.
diminishing the accomplishments of an entire race simply because of the color of their skin.
In her piece, national consultant specializing in race and diversity, Dr. Francis E. Kendall describes white privilege as a set of benefits, such as having access to resources and powers that others may not have. Dr. Kendall reminds readers that they did not actively do anything to receive such benefits, similar to how students could be accepted to a college because of familial legacy. Additionally, activist Dr. Peggy McIntosh’s defines this privilege as an “invisible package of unearned assets.” The “package” is considered invisible since in Western society; people often grow up without realizing they ever received one. “I don’t fully know what white privilege is,” said sophomore Liam Murphy. “But I assume I have experienced it at some time or another.” “It’s something a white person is born with whether they know it or not,” said senior Jai Jai Jackson. “It is not something they can control; it just happens. It’s not their fault.” Dr. McIntosh, a white woman, created a list of scenarios she experienced in her life that she attributes to white privilege, such as seeing people of her own race represented in the media, going to
a public place and not being mis- and quicker to achieve the same treated because of the color of her thing my white counterpart might skin, and even something as simple have,” said Jackson, “and that’s okay as buying Band-aids that blend in because I didn’t ask to be born the to her “flesh” tones, because to the color of my skin, but it’s wrong that makers of bandages, “flesh tone” is I have to work that hard. Someconsidered Caucasian. times you just want to give up.” While benefits like these are Specifically, Jackson said people harder to see for white people, have assumed she was accepted minorities in Western civilization into college not because of her hard recognize the work, but bedifferences of her It’s something a white person is born cause early on. Scirace. While ence teacher with whether they know it or not. It is she already Mrs. Amanda not something they can control; it just must work Horan had hard to get happens. It’s not their fault. -Jai Jai Jackson two interrainto college, cial adoptions she has to adwith her children, Sybil Horan, 3, ditionally work against accusations and Colin Horan, 2 months. Sybil and prejudice — something her attends Trojan Tots and is often the white counterparts do not face. only black tot in the room. “You’re Nick Ford, senior, makes note of always in a space where you’re the the same phenomenon. “Some of only one,” Mrs. Horan said. Be- my peers face expectations because fore the birth of her brother, Sybil they come from a more fortunate would often point to pictures of family, and sometimes they take it other black children and express for granted,” Ford said. “You have how much she wanted a sibling that to work harder than the person “looked brown like her,” according next to you. That’s something I to Mrs. Horan. have to internalize all the time.” The experience without these It’s okay to not notice. “There is privileges for minorities seems to nothing wrong with having white continue throughout their lives. privilege because they didn’t ask for “I have to work two times as hard it,” Jackson said.
Dr. Kendall emphasizes that the package is “invisible,” so acknowledgment is key to understanding white privilege. Mrs. Horan said she first had to come to terms with the privileges she had before adopting Sybil to ensure that she and her husband could raise their child the best they could. To Jackson, it is important for others to recognize their privilege because denial and not understanding why a situation may profit them can be harmful to others. “Not acknowledging it leads to issues when they are faced with a situation where they might try to use their white privilege unbeknownst to them, and them not seeing why they got something easily causes a problem where they are in denial,” she said. Junior Grace Timpe agreed. “White privilege is very important for us to acknowledge in order to be able to talk about issues concerning race,” she said. “It isn’t something that Black Twitter made up in response to injustices,” said Jackson. “This is something that is seen throughout history, consistently.”
2.
4.
Peggy McIntosh, activist and speaker, published an analysis titled “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack.” McIntosh listed situations where she acknowledged her own white privilege in society. Here are some of them:
1. 8
I can choose blemish cover or bandages in “flesh” color that more or less match my skin.
I can swear, or dress in second-hand clothes, or not answer letters without having people attribute these choices to the bad morals, the poverty, or the illiteracy of my race.
assuming white people have never experienced trouble or struggle in their lives.
3.
If a traffic cop pulls me over, or if the IRS audits my tax return, I can be sure I haven’t been singled out because of my race.
automatically being racist.
•Kacee Haslett
I can criticize our government and talk about how much I fear its policies and behavior without being seen as a cultural outsider. I can be pretty sure that if I ask to talk to “the person in charge,” I will be facing a person of my race.
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describes policy B A N N I N G
BOOKS
L
iterature is a means by which heavy, controversial topics can be discussed. However, in a school setting where parents or educators may seek to shield students from difficult themes, banning books is one solution. According to the Office of Intellectual Freedom, the top three reasons for censoring books include the sexual themes, use of offensive language, and overall unsuitable material for readers of certain ages. Often schools like BCHS must consider additional aspects when determining what literature to teach. “We are mindful that we are a Catholic institution first,” vice principal of academics Mrs. Ann Taylor said. However, Mrs. Taylor admitted BCHS never truly “bans” any specific books or even uses
censorship language when deciding what teachers can and cannot use in the classroom. “Anytime that we choose a new book or tweak the curriculum, we are very diligent about making sure everything is in line with the Cath-
banned books include Of Mice and Men, To Kill a Mockingbird, Brave New World, and The Catcher in the Rye. English teacher Miss Mallory Curtin teaches Of Mice and Men to her freshmen each year. The book is considered controversial because
“Anytime that we choose a new book or tweak the curriculum, we are very diligent about making sure everything is in line with the Catholic Church.” Mrs. Jackie Bach olic Church,” said English department chairperson Mrs. Jackie Bach. Books may be discouraged in classroom use if they encourage ideals that conflict with Catholicism. Across the country, popular
of the use of racial slurs as well as the mistreatment of mentally ill characters and characters of minority races. "I always prep students by talking about how [racial slurs] were used
in this time period; obviously we know now that it is not appropriate,” said Miss Curtin. “Yes, we are reading a book that is about controversial things, but the message of the book is about not treating people that way and not having power over someone." Learning from sensitive topics is a philosophy many BCHS English teachers stick to. “I think we also use these books as teachable moments, explaining ‘here’s how we can approach this’, ‘here’s why the language is being used’, and looking at it from a social historical context,” said Mrs. Bach. “Not just ‘This is why it shouldn't be taught, but let's learn from the situation as well.’” Mrs. Bach sees value in embracing controversial topics as an opportunity to grow in awareness of the world beyond the classroom.
•Kacee Haslett
MOST COMMONLY
BANNED BOOKS:
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TROJAN MATTERS
March 28, 2019
Music fans weigh the importance of an artist’s morality
-Nicholas Machala
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In the last few years, popular musicians have often come under fire for controversial and morally reprehensible accusations. Recently, there has been an outcry against the actions and accusations against popular artists including Chris Brown or R. Kelly. However, the issue of separating the suspect artist from their work is challenging for many of their fans. This raises the question: is it okay to enjoy a person’s music while denouncing their actions? Much of the general public has not been phased by the harmful actions of popular artists. In 2009, Chris Brown plead guilty to felony assault of popular singer and his then-girlfriend, Rihanna, and was arrested again in 2013 with the same charges. However, Brown has remained as popular as ever among music listeners. With his music garnering nearly 23 million monthly listeners on Spotify, Brown is the 72nd most popular artist on the platform. Tekashi 6ix9ine, a New York rapper, pleaded guilty to the use of a child in a sexual performance in 2015 and was also arrested and jailed in 2018 for racketeering charges. Despite the charges, he is still the 67th most popular artist on Spotify. R&B singer R. Kelly has been recently accused of sexual abuse and misconduct by four women, three of whom were minors at the time of the alleged abuse. Last month, Kelly was charged with 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, including four counts against minors. Kelly was charged with 21 counts of making child pornography, involving lewd acts in 2002. Many people are not deterred from a person’s music, regardless of their actions. Junior Martin Duffy said that when he listens to music, he thinks “about the song; not the person,” and
even if he completely hates what they did, he said “at the end of the day, it’s the music that counts.” The BCHS student body is fairly divided on the issue. Sixty-six percent of surveyed students say that they care about what an artist does, but not to a point to stop them from listening. Another 25 percent say that they do not care about anything besides the music, and 9 percent said that deplorable behavior will stop them from listening to an artist’s music. Sophomore Nicholas Machala is a part of that nine percent. Machala, a former fan of R. Kelly, said that he “can’t listen to Kelly’s music anymore without thinking about the horrible things he did.” He said, “Musicians establish a relationship with their audience and fanbase through their music, and when they do something terrible like R. Kelly did, it tarnishes that relationship. I don’t want to spend my time or money on a person who did such awful things.” Political differences can also be hard for fans to deal with. Rapper Kanye West has been a notoriously vocal supporter of President Trump, as well as previously being an extremely outspoken critic of President George W. Bush. Junior Henry Shelley, a long time fan of West, said, “I genuinely love all of his music, but I also love his impact on fashion and pop culture in general. But recently with his Twitter rants and public outbursts, Kanye honestly has completely rubbed me the wrong way.” An artist can still be ignored musically by a person, but they can still receive lots of attention. Junior Grayson Cates said, “People can listen to music by whoever they want, but the musicians doing good things deserve much more attention than the ones doing bad things.”
•Patrick Felts
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Make the most of an
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Indy Staycation
While many Trojans will pack their bags and take flight for the week of spring break, there are many others who will stay home. Luckily, Indianapolis is full of entertaining opportunities especially during the springtime. Check out the following tips if you are planning a staycation or looking for ideas to add to your spring bucket list! •Claire Williams All photos courtesy of internet
Act like a tourist in your own city and visit the Indianapolis Zoo, Children’s Museum or Art Museum.
INDIANAPOLIS ZOO: 9am-4pm Monday-Thursday 9am-5pm Friday-Sunday CHILDREN’S MUSEUM: 9am-4pm Monday-Thursday 9am-5pm Friday-Sunday ART MUSEUM: 9am-4pm Monday-Thursday 9am-5pm Friday-Sunday
Try something you’ve always wanted to do but never have. Enroll in a cooking or
art class at the Indianapolis Arts Center. Look for a new workout class or visit a local park you’ve never been to. Break out of routine and try brand new restaurants or cook a new meal for yourself.
Make your home a vacation destination by mirroring your vacation lifestyle. Go for an early morning walk and disconnect from your daily world by minimizing social media Whether it be usage. Take the time the food you buy to relax like you at the grocery store, the are on vacaclothes you wear, the time you tion. wake up, do as many things as possible to mimic your typical vacation life.
Take a walk through Butler University to see Hinkle Fieldhouse. This famous site is where the movie Hoosiers was filmed in 1986.
Explore historic Indy! Indianapolis is full of signif- Visit the Indianapolis Motor icant places to visit that Speedway and take will teach you all a tour of the track. This excursion includes a guided The NCAA Hall of about the city bus ride around the 2.5 mile Champions is located track and a trip to the Hall and what in downtown Indy which is of Fame Museum. home to the NCAA headquarmakes it ters. This museum features 23 different sports that appeal special. to fans of all kinds. Cost of admission for adults is only $5.
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TROJAN MATTERS
March 28, 2019
Remember the Berenstein Bears? Or was it the Berenstain Bears? What about the Monopoly man? Does he have a monocle? Is it Fruit Loops? Or Froot Loops? Can you be certain? The human memory is often thought of as a filing system where memories are stored and recalled. In reality, though, it is far more fluid than that. Memories can be altered slightly or even changed completely due to our own experiences or stories told by others. However, there have been instances, like those aforementioned, in which a large group seem to have the same, incorrect memory. This phenomenon is widely referred to as the Mandela Effect. The Mandela Effect was named for Nelson Mandela, anti-apartheid revolutionary, who served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. When Mandela died in 2013 of a respiratory tract infection, many swore that they had heard of his death while he was imprisoned decades earlier in 1980. The Mandela Effect is the theory that widespread mistaken memories are due to shared experiences in alternate realities. “I do not believe in the whole alternate realities part, but I feel like false memory is definitely valid,” said senior Steven Good, who took AP Psychology last year. To those whom parallel universes seem unlikely, false memory is a more plausible explanation. False memory is the psychological principle that memory is malleable, especially in childhood.
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This explains why many examples of the Mandela effect are memories that would have been created in childhood — the names of children’s books, games and foods. “I remember vividly from my childhood that the monopoly man had a monocle,” said junior Gabi Kramer. The monopoly man does not in fact have a monocle. One hypothesis as to why many people believe him to be bespectacled is because of an-
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other childhood character: Mr. Peanut. Like the monopoly man, Mr. Peanut carries a cane, wears a top hat and was likely seen throughout childhood in commercials and on the Planters Peanut can. Explanations stand for the Berenstain Bears and Froot Loops as well: -stein is a far more common word ending than -stain, and fruit is the correct spelling of “froot.” Adolescent brains may alter these spellings to fit what they know and have been taught. As for Mandela himself, he was isolated from the public eye during and following his imprisonment which may explain why many thought he was dead. The effects of false memory can run far deep-
er than just a mistaken childhood memory. In traumatic situations, intentional memory (firsthand accounts and personal experience) and unintentional memory (secondhand accounts and intrusive mental imagery) can be muddled. People often remember themselves closer to the action or more involved than they actually were. This can be dangerous in cases of reporting or legal action. In Malcolm Gladwell’s podcast Revisionist History, Gladwell tells his own account of 9/11, then he calls a friend whom he spent most of 9/11 with. His friend clearly recalled that Gladwell was supposed to be on a flight the next day. Gladwell went back into his calendar for 2001 and found that he had a trip the next week, not the next day. His friend did what is very common after intense events: placed herself closer to the event than she actually was by thinking that Gladwell was supposed to be on a flight. These traumatic or momentous events are referred to as “flashbulb events.” Scientists have people record their memory immediately following events like the death of Princess Diana, the Challenger explosion and 9/11. They revisit their memory years down the road to see how it has changed. The verdict? Memory is pliable, not static. Whether it is something as small as a logo or as monumental as a terrorist attack, people can never be too sure when it comes to what and how events are remembered. •Janie Gleaves
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Choose which logo/spelling you think is right. Then, flip the page to check your answers.
The Berenstain Bears
The Berenstein Bears
Froot Loops Fruit Loops
Monocle
No Monocle
Oscar Meyer
Oscar Mayer
Berenstain Bears; Froot Loops; No monocle; Oscar Mayer
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TROJAN MATTERS March 28, 2019
Tr a ve l t i m e s to BCHS vary
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Bella Duray Resides in:
We s t f i e l d
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“It takes me about 25 minutes to get to school, which varies depending on traffic. I have to get up a lot earlier because of the distance, but I don’t mind” Stevenson said.
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Whitestown
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14 miles
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Grade:
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Ashley Freiburger ve d
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Grade: Grade:
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Benjamin Wininger Resides in:
Greenwood
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Student:
Maria Croddy
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New Palestine
“I wake up way too late for how far away from school I live,” Croddy said. “If I lived closer, I would have more time to sleep in before school starts.” design by A. Sullivan | 15
TROJAN MATTERS March 28, 2019
BCHS evolves over the years has to offer. This is not difficult for him considering how great he believes the school is and how much it helps the students. “I now have a personal understanding of how unique the school experience here is for students,” said Mr. Mayer. Regardless, there are some things that will hopefully never change about BCHS. “School spirit was big then and still is today,” said Miss Curtin. But more importantly Chatard is focused on “who we are on the inside,” said Mr. Mayer. A couple years ago, BCHS sent out a survey to a wide range of people in the community and asked them to describe the school in one word. The four most popular used words were, “genuine, hardworking, humble and innovative.” These are the qualities that Mr. Mayer and many others in the Chatard community value and hope will never leave the heart of the school. Mr. Mayer said, “Things have never been what they used to be, but we have always focused on what is important in life as a community.”
Courtesy of Archives
years ago, remembered first coming here and having a light audit, which is an inspection of the quality of the lighting in the building. “Chatard had dungeon-quality lighting,” explained Mr. Mayer, “physically we have had a huge face lift over the last ten years.” However, there have been further changes in the BCHS community that go beyond physicality. “The thing that sticks out of my mind the most about the last 10 years is the evolution of the student body and what’s important to them and how they treat each other,” said Mr. Mayer. The community of BCHS has always been strong according to Mr. Mayer, but today students are less cliquey and more open to everyone. Mr. Mayer said, “No one today really cares who does what or who is really good as an athlete and it just comes down to your personality.” Mr. Mayer remembers hearing how great BCHS is as an outsider, and his job now is to show others the many great qualities this school
Courtesy of Archives
•Carmen Sullivan
One major improvement in the past decade at BCHS is the instillation of turf baseball and football fields. The turf has allowed the community to enjoy home football games, host CYO events, and improve the quality of the athletic programs. The turf allows athletes to practice in virtually any weather which helps with scheduling purposes.
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BCHS has gone through a major makeover since 2009 which is evident in the addition of parking along the baseball field. The gravel lot has alloted many more parking spots and has helped BCHS host various events.
Courtesy of Archives
I
n just one decade, people and communities can change remarkably or have the possibility to have detrimental changes. Here, the community has grown significantly since 2009. Physically, the grounds of BCHS have had quite the remodeling over the past ten years. The current football and baseball fields were a swampy forest area about a decade ago, all desks were wooden and the lockers were even a different color. “The lockers were navy blue and green and everything was so dark and is now so much lighter and updated,” said English teacher Miss Mallory Curtin who graduated from BCHS in 2009. There was no tech counter, and students were more often seen with a textbook than an iPad. “We used to have the ‘COWS’, the Computers On Wheels, for English classes and various assignments,” said Miss Curtin. Mr. Tyler Mayer, vice president of institutional advancement who served as a teacher at Chatard 10
Mr. Tyler Mayer Vice President of Institutional Advancement has served in various roles in his tenure at BCHS. Mr. Mayer has played roles such as campus minister and theology teacher.
Chatard had dungeon-quality lighting, physically we have had a huge face lift over the last ten years.
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”
~Mr. Mayer
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Courtesy of Mia Tender
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Comics
Many BCHS students have artistic talents. Trojan Matters allowed students to submit their own originally created comics to be published. Here are some submissions:
Courtesy of Grace Frederick
Trojans Create
design by M. Mates | 17
TROJAN MATTERS March 28, 2019
Professional leagues consider 18
expansion
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Seattle, Washington
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Nashville, Tennessee
Montreal, Quebec
uis Lo y uck ent e, K
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ports experts and team owners have debated for many years whether or not leagues including the National Hockey League (NHL), National Basketball Association (NBA), and Major League Baseball (MLB) should add expansion teams to extend the reach of each league. An expansion team is an organization that is added to a current league to further the growth of that league. Recently, the NHL has been expanding their league and opened the conversation for other leagues to expand as well. The National Football League (NFL) is the only one of the four major sports leagues (MLB, NHL and NBA) to have an evenly divisible number of teams at 32. With the even number, the league is able to have four divisions of four teams in two separate conferences. Junior Leo Dilts said, “I think that expanding and adding teams to leagues would not benefit fans because each league has at least 30 teams. This would create an excess of teams in the league’s population.” The recently expanded NHL now has 31 teams with the Las Vegas Golden Knights being the first expansion team in the NHL since 2000. The Golden Knights added a sense of excitement and flair to the league as well as having unthinkable success in their first season. They made it to the Stanley Cup Finals before losing to the Washington Capitals in five games. The NHL is planning to expand more as Seattle has gained a bid for a team that will start playing in the 2021-2022 season. With the addition of the Seattle team, the NHL will have 32 total teams (16 in the Eastern Conference and 16 in the Western Conference). The franchise is likely to fill the gap of the former Seattle SuperSonics, an NBA franchise that relocated to Oklahoma City, and changed
names to the Thunder. Senior Evan Gonzalez said, “I think leagues should expand to add competition to the leagues, and bring more attention to cities that don’t have a team. I would like to see an NBA team in Nashville.” The NBA and MLB will be the only major sports leagues that will not have 32 teams by the year 2021. Some have said the NBA may look to move back to Seattle or move a team to Austin while others disagree with that the NBA has plans to expand at all. Dilts said, “The long and weird process of adding a new team to the NBA would not make it a better league.” In the MLB, the rumor is the league may take a franchise back to Montreal, since the Expos left in 2004. Adding a team in the Midwest or Great Lakes region has also been discussed. Many speculate Omaha or Louisville as the next target for the MLB to expand their reach if they do decide to add a team. Gonzalez disagrees with Dilts’ point. He said, “I think the leagues should take a vote on if a expanded team should be brought into the league. If it’s agreed on, I believe the league should settle on three top destinations for the team they are bringing in. Between those three destinations, the cities have an auction for the team.”
•Michael Mates
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TROJAN MATTERS
March 28, 2019
TAKE A LOOK AT
UN UNUSUAL SPORTS
There is a competitive nature inside of all of us. Simple tasks are driven into competitions by who can do what faster or who can do this better. This nature has caused people to turn fairly odd actions into competitions that have become surprisingly popular and nationally recognized. •Carmen Sullivan
Worm charming
The sport of competitive worm charming is popular in Great Britain and brings in crowds of people to the world championship in Willaston, England. The competition consists of people creating vibrations in the ground that scare earthworms to bring them to the surface. Many methods are used to invoke these vibrations, but the most popular is shoving a pitchfork into the ground repeatedly to make the shock waves. Once the worms reveal themselves above the ground, the competitors must
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pick up the worms carefully and place them in a cup. This is more difficult than it might seem because if the charmer pulls to hard on the worm it may split in half, and the judges will not count either worm half towards the competitor’s final score. The three players on each team — charmerer, pickerer and counter — are given three square meters to use to find worms. Rules to the sport include no digging, no forking and all worms must be returned unharmed to their natural habitat at the end of the competition.
Pumpkin
r
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Extreme ironing
The mundane action of pressing clothes is spiced up as ironing is completed in various unusual locations, adding difficulty to the task. The idea of adjoining thrill to the simple task was started in 1997 in the United Kingdom and was fully recognized as a sport in 1999 by Extreme Ironing International. Participants must press clothes using an iron and an ironing board while also being in outside locations. Some of the most extreme competitors have been ironing in the ocean, when skydiving, on the back of cars, while mountain climbing and during water sports such as water skiing.
in kayaking Normal kayaks can weigh any range from about 20-80 pounds, but imagine having a kayak that weighs 1000 pounds. Pumpkin regattas allow this opportunity. The half-mile kayak race requires contestants to find, carve, scoop out, decorate and race giant pumpkins. It's a popular event in Nova Scotia, Canada that brings in crowds of more than 10,000 but other states, such as Maine, Oregon, and Wisconsin, have other, smaller competitions in the fall season.
Quidditch
The fictional sport from the Harry Potter se- drop everything, including the ball and broom, and run to ries has become a reality your with numerous competitive leagues of Quidditch emerging. Although the real-life version does not have flying and magical powers, which makes the game technically known as “muggle quidditch,” many of the same elements are incorporated. Each team has chasers, keepers, beaters and seekers whose objective is to get the ball through one of the varying size and height rings on the opposing end of the field. The beaters use dodgeballs to defend their goal by throwing them at the opposing team. If you get hit by a dodgeball, you must
team's goal post. Then, you may return to the game. The competition is played on a hockey-rink sized pitch with seven players on each team. Players are required to keep a broom in between their legs at all times while playing, just as if they were playing in the movie. The game ends when the “snitch,” or in muggle quidditch, a tennis ball in a long sock hanging from the shorts of an official dressed up in all yellow or gold, is caught by one of the seekers on a team. The popularity of quidditch has only been growing since 2005 and is expanding as the International Quidditch Association grows the league.
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CATCH UP ON OUR NEW
SPRING SPORTS EDITION
RISING STARS BASEBALL DANIEL KONVOLINKA
BOYS GOLF JOHN SCHAFFER
BOYS TRACK SIMON GRAMLING
Courtesy of Mrs. Tracy Luke
Courtesy of Mr. Joe Ford
Photo: Miranda Stickel
As spring sports seasons begin, many freshmen athletes will have the chance to showcase their talents on the baseball and softball fields, tennis court, golf course and track. Here is a guide of freshmen to watch this season. While lacrosse, rugby and boys volleyball are also widely enjoyed spring sports at BCHS, due to limited space only IHSAA sports are showcased. •Janie Gleaves
Freshman Hailee Howe is one of three freshman on the varsity softball roster this year. Graduating three varsity players last year, the program is eager to bring in so much young talent. Howe pitches and plays shortstop. “I am going to work this season on getting my pitching speed up and my rise ball down,” said Howe. She is most looking forward to having an awesome season and helping the team to hopefully win a second consecutive sectional title.
design by M. Borchers
GIRLS TENNIS MELANIE JANSEN
“This season I want to make varsity, and qualify for sectionals,” said freshman Simon Gramling. He has only been running track since seventh grade, but loves running. The track team has been conditioning since November, and Gramling was eager to get started after completing football season in the fall. Gramling’s impression of the team thus far is “nice and very fast.”
GIRLS TRACK MAYAN STICKEL Photo: Jaeden Crawford
Photo: Jaeden Crawford
SOFTBALL HAILEE HOWE
“What I like about golf is on the course, you can’t really focus on anything else but hitting your next shot wherever you want it to go. Then the next one, and the one after that,” said freshman John Schaffer. Schaffer will be a strong addition to the boys golf team, who graduated five seniors last year. The positive chemistry and talent on the team will make for an exciting season.
Courtesy of Mrs. Tracy Luke
Coming off football in the fall and basketball this winter, it is now time for freshman Daniel Konvolinka to take the field for baseball. Konvolinka has been playing baseball since he was 4 years old and plays on a travel team during the summer. “So far, the team is pretty well-rounded and talented. We have been (practicing) together since the beginning of August, so we have good team chemistry,” said Konvolinka.
Freshman Melanie Jansen is one of 18 freshman girls who tried out for girls tennis this spring. “So far the talent that our tennis team has is exceptional,” said Jansen. Her favorite thing about tennis is that there are only two people on the court: her opponent and herself. This will be Jansen's fifth year playing tennis. Also on the watch list are freshmen Peyton Bean and ZiZi Wuensch who made the JV tennis team.
The girls track team is coming off of a city championship in the 2018 season. This year they will add talented high jumper, freshman Mayan Stickel. Stickel hopes to clear her personal record of 5 foot, 2 inches in high jump this season. “What I love more than anything is taking a jump with perfect form. It happens pretty rarely for me, but I know right away. It is a very graceful and fluid feeling,” said Stickel.