The Oracle 2016-17: Issue 3

an investigation

of technology’s influence on the current generation’s

everyday lives

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olympian news Cast of ‘Anything Goes’ Ready to Set Sail

nov. 11-12 @ 7 P.M., NOv. 13 @ 2:30 P.M.

Olympians Blocked from State Championship The Olympians lost their final game to Class 4A Avon, ranked third in the state, in the semi-finals of Volleyball SemiState. East lost to the Orioles in four hard-fought sets. The team trailed the first two sets, but managed to rally together to win set three. However, the Olympians were not strong enough to win the whole game, losing set four 25-20.

Next season, the Olympians are losing seven talented

seniors: Brooke Banister, McKenna Chandler, Seena Greiwe, Adycin Rager, AJ Pollert, Cortney VanLiew and Bailey Western.

This group of seniors won its fourth consecutive sectional title and its second regional title this year.

Overall, the Olympians had a successful year with a final record of 26-12, giving the seniors hope their legacy will continue on for years to come.

triangle that includes a pair of forbidden lovers, a nightclub performer and their journey on a cruiseship. The ship has also become home to a group of stowaway gangsters who stir up mischief constantly through false identities, outrageous schemes and much more.

This musical, taking place in the ‘30s, connects with popular themes in the modern world and provides a humorous take on the classic love triangle at sea with lighthearted connections to society today.

STAFF LIST

Managing Editor, Content | Natalie Ryan

Editor in Chief | Kennedi Satterfield

Copy Editors | Cam Key, Nicole Knechtel, Abigale Smith

Arts and Entertainment Editor | Corbin Parmer

Managing Editor, Design | Reilly Jones

Contributing Writers | Alex Hahn, Katherine Richardson, Alex Schumacher

Features Editor | Natalie Glaid Contributing Writers | Jenny Bastian, Erin Louden, Courtney Schnur

Cover Story Editor | Karli Reynolds Contributing Writer | Yetla Reyna

Opinion Editor | Lauren Schumacher Contributing Writers | Shelby Gordon, Thomas Voils

Sports Editor | Natalie Ryan Contributing Writers | Caleb Davidson, Soren Fox

Students Editor | Abigail Larken Contributing Writers | Karlee Dowd, Delaney Jackson, Alayna Leonard Managing Editor, Web | Maggie Lewis cehsnews.com

Contributing Designers | Emily Hales, Graham Johnson

Reagan Perkins, Aliza Presto Leo Saldivar, Audrey Tian

Photography Director | Brooke Williams Contributing Photographers | Kenzie Hempstead, Julia Claire Randle Zoe Rangel, Dustin Rodgers Kim Schneckenberger

Organization & Management | Julie Connor General Organization | Amanda Heideman Adviser | Scott Duncan

front cover by Aliza Presto • volleyball photo by Karlee Dowd • musical photos by Kenzie Hempstead • back cover by Kennedi Satterfield

Everyone has their own taste in entertainment realms and themes. Some prefer dystopian novels with twisted love triangles such as “Twilight”, while others prefer violent, thought-provoking movies about con-artists and mistaken identities similar to “Pulp Fiction.”

Columbus East Drama Department has fused this variety of tastes, combined with music and showtunes, into the fall musical, “Anything Goes.”

The story is based on a love

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ELECTION DEBATE

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The Truth is out there

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OPINION

The truth is out there

How Valid are Conspiracy Theories?

by Lauren Schumacher

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had suddenly lost a president that had been a symbol of youth and progress.

The moon landing: people simply could not comprehend that a human had literally set foot on the moon.

In all of these situations, there had been some loss of control and a lack of public information. When information is lacking, theories flourish. And when people are desperately trying to explain a situation, they will often find facts to suit theories instead of the opposite. This is often due to the amount of information organizations or the government wants to or is allowed to disclose.

Combine this with the public’s general suspicion of the government, attach a group responsible and boom: you got a bonafide conspiracy theory.

Regardless of the subject of the conspiracy, one has to commend theorists for their attention to detail. By stretching obvious facts with the smallest scraps of information, theorists are often able to construct a relatively convincing claim.

Consider the Illuminati Confirmed meme. Beginning with an outrageous claim such as KFC, Ebola or Pokemon Go is “Illuminati”, the creators make a trail of increasingly ridiculous connections, eventually leading to the confirmation that Kentucky Fried Chicken is, in fact, part of the Illuminati.

While these videos are meant to make fun of Illuminati conspiracy theorists, their depiction is not far off from the reality of

many conspiracy theories. They accurately depict the failed logic in finding facts to suit a theory, which is the way most conspiracies grow.

However, many conspiracies have proven to be more than theories. In the 1950s, for example, the heightened political relationships between Russia and the US lead to mass paranoia and claims of government mind control began to spill out. As it turns out, the CIA had been working on Project MKUltra, an illegal program that developed drugs, most notably LSD, and conducted human experiments to create new interrogation techniques.

From hard drugs to hypnosis, these techniques centered around weakening a suspect and forcing confessions through mind control.

Additionally, the CIA recruited Nazi scientists to assist in this project. Nazi scientist recruitment

was another popular conspiracy theory at the time that proved to be true. Recently, the concept of “Big Brother is watching you” was proven to be partially correct when Edward Snowden leaked NSA surveillance information.

Humans are curious creatures who have a need for the truth.

When agencies decide the truth is too much for the public, it will not stop people from investigating.

It is reasonable, healthy even, to question. If no one hesitated to believe, many corrupt programs and organizations would have never been uncovered. But with that being said, keep some common sense. Not everything the government does is sinister and not every classified piece of information is a sign of a cover up.

So, stay curious. The truth is out there. It just may be less threatening than you think.

The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of The Oracle, Columbus East High School, and Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation.

November 10, 2016

graphic by Brooke Williams • photo by Julia Claire Randle

e all know that the moon landing never happened. 9/11 was undeniably an inside job. Regarding current political climate? We are being ruled by space lizards that have disguised themselves as humans in order to control Earth.

Obviously. Or at least according to 4 percent of registered voters surveyed in 2013 by the Public Policy Polling.

While this survey was conducted on a relatively small group of people, it is true that conspiracy theories have been an essential part of pop culture. From national disasters to unexplained happenings, people like to be spooked by the possibilities of the unknown.

A majority of Americans, not just cracked hermits wearing tin foil hats, believe in some form of conspiracy.

While shape shifting reptilian overlords may be outlandish, it is certainly reasonable to be suspicious of questionable events.

You can have a healthy amount of curiosity. However, you should also take theories with a critical grain of salt.

A conspiracy theory is a strange phenomena in itself.

An event takes place, details are blurred or non-existent and within a matter of days, theories of what “really” happened thrive.

For a theory to become popular, feelings of distrust or of being out of control have to be prominent in society.

Think about it. 9/11 conspiracies: the nation had just suffered the worst terror attack in history.

JFK assassination: the US

OPINION

Artificial Conservation

by Shelby Gordon

graphic by Brooke WIlliams • photo by Julia Claire Randle

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Why Zoos do more harm than good

nimal containment is a topic one would not necessarily think about while wandering through a zoo. The well being and living conditions some of these animals endure during their time confined in a zoo and after their departure are not acceptable.

Many animals are bred in zoos and spend their entire lives confined in an enclosure with a few others of the same species.

However, many animals are also jerked away from their natural habitats to be put into restrictive enclosures for public gratification.

Not only are the size of enclosures a problem, but so is the way trainers treat the animals in front of the public or behind closed doors. Although these issues are rarely confronted, they are both equally detrimental and recurring problems in the life of any species in a zoo.

Zoos claim to provide conservation, education and entertainment. However, Last Chance for Animals (LCA), an organization dedicated to eliminating animal exploitation, claims that many zoos’ primary goals are to sustain public support in order to increase their profits, rather than caring for the animals and their wellbeing.

Although zoos also claim that they are essential to preserving certain species before they become extinct or endangered, lives in captivity are artificial, repetitive and harmful.

The life of any animal species in a zoo is dangerous. They face many preventable illnesses such as “zoochosis,” which is a behav-

ioral illness caused by boredom, frustration, a lack of mental and physical enrichment and the removal from their natural habitat.

Statistics show that 52 percent of animals in captivity suffer with this illness.

Not only is this a prominent occurrence in animals in captivity, but it is a problem for zoo officials themselves. For instance, the LCA has reports of zoos not providing correct care treatment for these animals due to costs of medical expenses and time constraits.

The LCA statistics also show that when animals show signs of mental illness, zoo trainers or keepers are more likely to abuse that animal for these troubling behaviors.

Zoos are not properly caring for these animals in captivity. They are placed in restrictive enclosures that barely resemble their natural habitats and are forced to follow routines that do not compare to their normal lives in the wild.

While there are certainly problems with zoos, containment conditions outside of legitimate zoos are often worse.

According to the LCA, zoo animals who are neglected due to mental or physical illness or breed frequently are sold to game farms and ranches where hunters pay to kill them.

Animals are also sold to roadside zoos which are poorly run and unsafe or are sold to animal dealers and laboratories for experimental

purposes.

Even older members of a species are sold off to consumers or organizations so zoos can bring in newer or younger animals which attract more attention and rake in more money, regardless of whether it is harmful to the animal or not.

The abuse and neglect these animals suffer through is more common than one would think.

The need for change should be brought to more zoos’ attention.

Instead of zoos’ profits going towards irrelevant matters such as bringing in more animals, profits should go towards current animals’ wellbeing and health. Profits could also go towards preserving their natural habitats, which are being eroded by humans who pollute their the environments through harmful processes.

Whether the animal was bred into captivity or taken away from

their natural habitat, their lifestyle is unacceptable. Although many organizations like the LCA strive to stop the unfair treatment of animals in containment, a greater push to end animal exploitation needs to be made for substantial change to occur.

Instead of educating people on why zoos are so great, they should be taught about the animals’ needs and what can make zoos morally great.

The next time you go to a zoo, I would encourage you to take a step back and think of some of the harmful ways these animals may be treated. Instead of going to zoos, support non exploitive, nonprofit organizations who care more about the animals.

These animals are suffering in silence and a change should be made in zoos across America for the betterment of these animals.

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The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of The Oracle, Columbus East High School, and Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation.

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OPINION

Debating the Reason

by Thomas Voils

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“go to hillaryclinton.com!”

On one hand, Donald Trump never actually talked for an extended amount of time about the problems facing America, and he kept turning every question into an attack on Hillary. When asked about his personal scandals, he immediately asked why Hillary’s problems were not being discussed, and then attacked her personally, focusing on her demons.

He would also interrupt anything she tried to say, keeping her off topic.

Still, Hillary Clinton did not give solid plans and repeatedly rebuttaled questions with weak responses followed by little to no actual plan for achieving goals, such as the issue of racism in America. There was never a clear answer given to prohibit people from being violent towards other races; she simply said she would fix it.

Both candidates repeatedly

of all the things said and done.

Trump and Hillary were both impolite during the entire debating process, and even though some times were fun and interesting, as it got repetitive it became boring.

These debates were turned into a joke, which the Saturday Night Live skits parodying the nights made abundantly clear.

Nobody took the debates seriously, and quite honestly, all the arguing was hard to listen to.

Not only was it hard to watch, it also was not worth it. Through all the fighting, it was hard to discern what the policies were for the candidates, and most people did not know who to vote for. The state of Ohio almost always predicts the president, the candidate the state chooses usually wins the election, but this year they were undecided up until the very end. I think that was an accurate reflection on the rest of the country’s voting knowledge up until the time to vote.

If this country is to move forward into a new era of growth and prosperity, we need presidents that can be cool, calm and collected always, and especially when under fire. This year’s candidates both struggled with that aspect of the debates, and they turned their frustration with the questions into ways to blame the other person and talk about their shortcomings.

No matter the outcome of future debates, candidates need to improve from an argument to a discussion. Voters in America need to realize how important these debates are, and what they signify for our nation.

The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of The Oracle, Columbus East High School, and Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation.

November 10, 2016

graphic by Brooke Williams • photo by Julia Claire Randle

his year’s presidential debates were more entertaining than informative, and unfortunately for us, that means we were forced to focus on the candidates personalities rather than policies.

When voting for president, the policies that candidates plan to set in place are the most important facet that people should focus on, because it is a sneak peek at the way they will be running our country for the next four years.

This year, however, it was hard to focus on real politics through all the fighting during the debates.

In the debates, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton fought constantly and it made it hard for viewers to cancel out all the noise and find out what the two really wanted to accomplish in our country. It is hard to watch two people stand up on a stage and argue with each other, talk over one another and constantly say things like, “untrue,” “false,” “wrong” and

attacked each other and failed to focus on the conversation, which did not communicate many facts and left voters in a mad scramble to do their own research and find information out on their own.

Granted, both candidates had their share of good points and weren’t always at each other’s throats, but the point of a debate is to talk about policies for the entire time; it is not a time to be rude towards the other candidate.

I think these debates have shown us what we are coming to as a country; we would rather be entertained than informed. I think most people would agree that neither candidate was anybody’s first choice. This presidential race quickly became a popularity contest, leaving policies and ethics behind and forcing voters to choose the lesser of two evils.

The personality of the president and their plans go hand-inhand, and they are equally important in running a country. Even if somebody is a nice guy, you would not want to vote for them if they had terrible policies. The same is true in reverse; you would not want to vote for somebody if they have good policies, but have a terrible personality. In any situation, it gives our nation a bad reputation.If the president says something another country does not like, foreign policy becomes more of a hassle.

The one thing that Hillary and Trump undoubtedly did for our country was make the debates interesting for all of us watching from home. These debates were at times fun to watch because

STUDENTS

Learning on the go T

by Karlee Dowd

photos by Dustin Rodgers and Kimberly Schneckenberger

here is a huge variety of jobs that students can pursue in the future, and at times, it can seem very overwhelming to decide which job seems like the best fit. However, East supplies its students with multiple opportunities to gain work experience and test out the job market during their high school career.

East has several options for students to leave campus throughout the day in order to acquire real work hours or take classes that help students develop their skills in a field they want to pursue.

For example, junior Shana Skinner leaves East after lunch and heads to McDowell Education Center to study cosmetology every day. Skinner’s class is only offered to juniors and seniors and requires them to be gone from 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. One interesting thing

about the cosmetology class at McDowell is that all students who pass will obtain their cosmetology license immediately.

“Going to class and pursuing one of the careers I might be doing in my future is great,” Skinner said, “I enjoy that I get to learn and do hands on activities along with getting to work with really cool people.”

Another situation where students leave East is when they take classes at Columbus North. Senior Chase Boggs takes Engineering Design and Development through the C4 program at North because the specific class is unavailable at East.

“My favorite part is how refreshing it is to be able to leave school for a mod. Also, the C4 classes are very exciting. The classes are very hands on, where we build projects every two weeks

Shana Skinner curling a mannequin’s hair Thursday afternoon at McDowell.

or so,” Boggs said.

Instead of simply traveling across town, students sometimes travel to different cities. Senior Mattias Memering takes part in the school-to-work program East offers and goes to Seymour everyday to work at Cummins Engine Plant.

Memering has taken Electronic and Computer Technology I and II to help prepare him for his work experience at Cummins. He also helps with design software programs that test Cummins’ engines for his new job.

“I feel that the school-to-work program gives students a good idea of what having a career is like. The experience of being in the workplace would definitely be helpful to those who are unsure what they want to do after high school,” Memering said.

Junior Ellen Owens is a year

two member of the Veterinary career classes offered here at East.

Owens goes to the Hope East Veterinary Clinic in the mornings on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

“I learned about the vet careers class from my older sister’s best friend. It sounded really interesting because I have always had a soft spot in my heart to help animals feel better,” Owens said.

Despite all of these students having different plans for their futures, they all have similar goals.

All these students are pushing themselves outside of the school walls to experience their field choice and to further their education. Whether it be cosmetology, engineering, nursing or traveling to Seymour for work, there are ample classes and work programs that help students develop their passions.

Ellen Owens hold down dog, at Hope Veterinary Clinic, while vet professional puts medicine in the animal’s mouth.

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STUDENTS

pressure in paradise

by Delaney Jackson

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develop, friends were ready and willing to give their opinions.

When sophomore Matthew Frost sat by Newell in chemistry during their freshmen year, a romance began to build and was fueled, in part, by friends.

“Before we were dating, a friend I was out to lunch with explained that he was good kid and told me that I ‘should’ date him,” Newell said.

After describing this, Newell explained that she decides whether or not to consider the advice of peers depending on their knowledge of the situation.

As a relationship develops more deeply, friends and family are quick to form an opinion on the health, stability and acceptability of the couple.

Katy Thompson, a senior at East, shared her personal account of seeing a friend in a bad situation with a boyfriend.

She explained that she felt her opinions could protect her friend from further damage.

“He was awful to her,” Thompson said.

She explained that after being informed of several signals seen

as red-flags of abuse, she had to speak up because of the stress level and mental health risks forced upon her friend.

Through this experience, Thompson phrased a piece of advice to those looking to give their opinions to friends in relationships.

“Every situation is different,” Thompson said.

When looking to give input to a friend regarding their relationship, it is of utmost importance to evaluate motives. Even the most harmless advice can become a disaster with misguided motives.

A friend also needs to make sure that the advice is wanted by the person in a relationship. Often, advice is not asked for and is, therefore, resented when given.

Finally, relationships should be guided specifically based on the people and situation. No two relationships are the same, even though they may share many qualities, they should not be treated as such.

Opinions are unavoidable and plentiful, especially in the high school years. But where is the balance between taking advice and ignoring the biases?

That question lies in the hands of an individual and is extremely situational. However, there is always an importance in considering wisdom, intention and closeness before jumping to a decision from the advice of others.

“I trust my family over my friends; they are older and wiser,” Newell said.

Though friends typically have good intentions, certain family members have more experience allowing them to provide sound advice.

High school is full of fast moving dramas in regard to love lives and this issue is not looking to decrease any time soon, if ever.

Relationships are born and die in the span of minutes it seems, and peer pressure has forever made an impact on this cycle as couples race to please a crowd.

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check out her new column on cehsnews.com!

November 10, 2016

graphics by Emily Hales • photo by Kenzie Hempstead

tudents are, without a doubt, constantly consumed in the ever-changing love life dramas scattered throughout the hallways of any given high school.

There is a nearly inevitable conflict in the mind of teenagers regarding who to date, when to break up and who to listen to in regard to such subjects. The default is often to listen to friends and peers who may (or may not) have a biased or selfish perspective, which leaves teenagers with more confusion than they had to begin with.

For most teenagers, good intention is found behind every piece of bad advice and the mistake stems from a simple lack of wisdom, experience or knowledge. However, there are cases discovered where bad advice is sparked by jealousy littered with selfish ambition, which only leads to unnecessary drama.

To begin with, there is a glaring relevance of the influence of peers on couple creation. Sophomore Taylor Newell explained that as her relationship (which has now lasted for over a year) began to

The effects of peer pressure on high school dating

STUDENTS

The Dedication of Dance

by Alayna Leonard

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cleaner and more complex steps that require a higher level of skill,” Abraham said.

Before coming to East, Abraham attended eight years of classes at Dancer’s Studio and is currently on her ninth. She was exposed to different dancing styles throughout the years, including modern and advanced levels of ballet.

On average, Abraham spends ten hours at the studio a week.

With the homework load that she receives from her numerous AP and Honors classes, time management was a skill she attuned to quickly.

Time management and discipline are a paramount part of dance and have helped shape Abraham’s character throughout the years. Abraham understands she has to practice dance daily and apply her teachers’ critiques in order to showcase quality work.

“I love being able to express a deeper idea, emotion or story to an audience. They can interpret it any way they want, and so can I,” Abraham said. “I love the openness. I can make someone laugh or cry or leave them at a loss for

words.”

Being a dancer has put her responsibilities to the dance studio, family and her peers at school into perspective. She also knows she has to make time to contribute her best effort to group projects as to not let down her peers.

“I understand that the only way I will improve is if I take initiative to push myself beyond the level I am at currently,” Abraham said.

graphics by Emily Hales • photo by Julia Claire Randle

ophomore Jenna Abraham has been involved in dance through East’s morning dance classes since she was a freshman and the local Dancer’s Studio ever since she was seven years old.

Currently, Abraham is participating in the school musical, Anything Goes, as a dancer and is feeling the pressure. Martha Richards, Columbus East’s dance teacher, is the choreographer of the musical. Abraham took the dance class as a freshman and is familiar with Richard’s teaching styles. She is held to a higher standard than the rest of the dancers, given her history with Richards.

“She knows what we’re capable of and expects faster,

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COVER

all cover story graphics by Aliza Presto • all cover story photos by Kimberly Schneckenberger

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here is confusion on the generational name given to modern teenagers. Some believe the teenagers are Millennials and others believe they are part of a new generation, Generation Z. In all reality, Generation Z is more of a specific name for younger Millennials.

Generation Z does not have a set in stone birth year, making them be mixed with Millennials and are now practically indistinguishable to many, including themselves.

Either name, everyone can agree that the teenaged generation represents an advance in technology and a differentiation between others before them through their undeniable open-mindedness.

This generation has possibly the most creative views and goals for life compared to the earlier generation of Baby Boomers.

Baby Boomers were given their name because of the high birthrate in the years following World War II in which they were born, 1946 to 1964. At the time, Baby Boomers had the highest birthrate ever, but are now beat by Millennials.

Millennials are the most technological generation yet and they have high hopes for their futures and the technology that will define their careers.

Traveling and creating is a more common trend amongst younger people in this generation.

Teens are creative with careers and life goals in that one can choose a job anywhere between making music to being a selftaught engineer.

Being self-taught is what many of the tech-savvy teens have in common today. When they do not know something, they simply Google the information needed.

Google allows people to connect with one another in their social media platforms like Google+ or Google Hangout, but many other platforms are used and are more

popular amongst teens. These networks help in connecting people in other states and countries.

Furthermore, learning and early development is being affected too, and with programs like ABCmouse.com, even toddlers have a way to build up their learning skills. Being self-taught shows the passion in this generation and how dedicated they are to their subjects.

Senior Reed Nowling is a self-taught engineer. He has built designs from scratch with items he buys online or has from old equipment.

“I learn by just googling a whole bunch of different things,” Nowling said.

Building his own computers from parts he obtains, Nowling is very much looking into having a career in technology. He has built three computers himself, searching for information when he draws a blank. He does research for his robotics team and keeps updated on new ways to build his robots.

Nowling does his research and modeling on a computer he built himself.

“I built one for my workstation at home. I needed a strong tech computer because I do 3D modeling for my robotics team,” Nowling said.

Nowling uses the technology around him to create his robots and computers, giving him an advantage over older adults and elders who did not have the opportunity to build such things as Nowling does.

Their views on teens include the idea that the technology around them is a distraction instead of an opportunity to build a career or a hobby like in reality.

Those part of previous groups also say teenagers are “lazy,” which will always be an opinion from older generation to younger generation. Nowling uses his interest in computers to be productive, unlike how

teenagers are sometimes viewed by adults and generations before.

Judging previous generations is a cycle that will doubtlessly continue in the future. Generations tend to judge the ones coming after them because they have new advances and easier access to certain privileges; there is arguably a sense of jealousy present.

Generation after generation always brings up a way to shame the kids and teens who will likely grow up to be in the same shoes as those criticizing them. One example of a factor promoting a sense of jealous is that Millennials and Generation Z will be the first to view many laws changing the world that some have waiting their lives to experience.

The same sex marriage law was passed, letting the freedom of many people become greater in America, much like other laws Millennials have been able to enjoy from the beginning. The new laws that have passed for immigrants will allow many Millennials from different countries living in the U.S.A. to have the same opportunities as born citizens, and to become citizens themselves.

Millennials have also been witness to the No Child Left Behind Act, a law that requires state standards to be tested, having

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an education reform and possibly changing standardized tests for the future.

Famous celebrities apart of this generation openly express their opinions on these issues, as well as influence those who look up to them. These celebrities have reached their fame by becoming actors, musicians and even becoming famous for simply existing on the internet.

Teens make their own dreams come true themselves, like composing music from anything but an instrument. Senior Chris Jackson makes his own music on his laptop from various programs that he combines in his unique way. Jackson feels like his music making will help him with his future because he wants to major in media and audio.

“It’s sort of a hobby, but one that I want to build on that helps me have some sort of aspect in my career,” Jackson said.

He is certain that he will use new computer programs as the years go by, knowing that there are going to be new ways to make his music making process more efficient.

“Undoubtedly, there’s going to be technological advances, programs, things that can do things faster and better,” Jackson said.

Making and listening to music occupies a considerable part of this generation’s time.

Similarly to Jackson, Senior Jose Diaz enjoys making music for fun. Both Diaz and Jackson got into the making of music through friends and enjoy different aspects of music.

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COVER

The first radio broadcast per mod, and Shea thinks it would be nice to have more people for the checking in process so she can get straight to the technology problem. Regardless of her troubles with staffing, Shea states that there are a few modifications she would like to see happen, but she is generally supportive of the one to one student to laptop change in the past few years.

“I think that it is helping engage a lot of students that otherwise may have not been, and it’s also able to introduce the students to a lot of content that they might not have had access to otherwise,” Shea said.

Student help in the technology office is important to Shea and her colleagues because they do not have the sufficient amount of help needed. Students learn to change hardware in computers and help their peers out along the way.

Sophomore Mark Nusterer, because of his interest computers, has started to help in the technology office with Shea. He went to a coding camp over the summer to learn more about programming, a commodity to computers in general.

“I was pretty tech-savvy before, but since then, I started building my computer, volunteering and Stereo sound is coding,” Nusterer said. patented by Alan Nusterer started building his Blumlein. computer towards the end of September and the beginning of October. He enjoys the programming for the computers, especially now that he has taken part in a coding camp.

“Programming is basically The first commercial writing instructions for computers radio station KDKA to take. So it’s really simple in that made its debut. you just give it a bunch of words, and it takes those words and understands what to do,” Nusterer said.

Nusterer explains how even the simplicity of someone’s phone has a multitude of proThe first commercial gramming put into the device for phonograph, The Victrola, is commercialized. it to prosper.

“So if I program your phone, I would tell it when you hit the home button, to open up your phone,” Nusterer said.

Nusterer also believes that teens will need to know simple tasks in modern day technology The first jukebox is installed in San and how to use them in order to Francisco. move into whatever career they want, because technology will always

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Diaz has been making music on his laptop for about four years and is interested in creating music that he personally enjoys instead of pleasing others.

“What’s popular right now is like house and trap, and I don’t like music like that, so I’m probably just going to stick to dubstep,” Diaz said.

The music world changes daily, developing from old to new and can change at any moment and teens know that they cannot predict what will be popular next.

This phenomenon can range from music and hobbies all the way to technology in general. In BCSC alone, students went from having to share computers in computer labs to obtaining a laptop for each individual student in the course of their high school experience. This can be quite difficult for any school system and can be hard for the technology department to keep up with at East.

Kate Shea is one of the two full time technology department workers that work at East. A few others help Shea in the technology office, including students and the C4 tech employee. They help students and teachers when they have technical difficulties. Some student volunteers are even needed for less tech-oriented objectives and more for their administrative skills.

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The first commercial CD player is released.

1982

Apple releases the iPod.

1982

30% of music listeners are primarily streaming music.

be changing rapidly.

Science teacher Kevin Darr has been recognized by a few students as adapting well to technology, even if he does not always understand new products.

He claims to know a few simple necessities like texting, internet and the equipment he is given at school. His colleagues, though, have said maybe he sells himself short.

“I’m not afraid to tell people I don’t know something, and to have them help me out.” Darr said.

Darr says he has changed some ways he has taught because of the younger teachers at East who have helped him look at new programs to teach with. Even students have suggested things to him and the other science department teachers to help their learning intake.

One of the biggest and most important ideas for Darr is from the students. He likes to make sure the students learn, whether through power points or notes, but does not like overdoing his presentations. Darr likes hearing feedback from his students, and

has been told that sometimes other teachers make their presentations too busy.

“My powerpoints are not that busy, where they can grasp the major concept,” Darr said.

He is not afraid of new things though; he is open to new ideas and programs that other teachers have found.

“Our department team teaches, we have some people that are really tech-savvy, and if I see something that works well with the students, I’ll jump on it,” Darr said.

He hopes that he will stick with the advances just as technology and the children he has in school are changing year by year.

Darr said he would not like to have some programs disappear, and many teachers have reminded him to not save everything onto itsLearning, seeing as it could be gone in a few years.

People should be very aware of this, elder to young, because the life of a person living in this world is surrounded by technology. As technology advances from iPods to tablets, equipment begins to disappear.

e t a K ea Sh

Mark

COVER As mentioned by Darr, the people of this generation are changing. The older generations could see this as an issue, but at this generation’s fingertips, one can find anything they need to. As much as technology is changing, and all the programs going with it, so are the standards for a good student and a good life.

As tech savvy as some students are at East, one does not need to be an expert to get by in their respective careers.

Some careers have minimal use in technology, but who knows how this could change as Millennials and Generation Z take charge..

Taking the hardest classes offered by schools yet and stretching themselves to new heights, students born in this new generation have the opportunity to have a much more different life and reach those constantly changing standards, setting themselves apart from previous generations. Even if they can’t determine a name.

Kev Dar in r

Nusterer

your technology habits

COVER

46 Six+

Five

11

How many hours would you say you are on your phone each day?

19

36 Four Three

Two 16 14 One or less

How many of your teachers let you use your phone in class?

11 42 32 10 47 All

Most

Some

Little

None

How often does your school laptop run efficiently?

40 12 18 10 62 SomeRarely Never Mostly Always times ever How many social media sites do you go on each day?

22 19 44 45 Four+

Three

Two

One

12

None

What are your main forms of communication?

19 73 35 29 89 SnapDown in Email Call Text chat the DM

*surveyed out of 142 East students

14

November 10, 2016

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November 10, 2016

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17

FEATURE

A Digital Dilemma Rules, Regulations and Rights of High School

by Courtney Schnur

T

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things at home, so they should be allowed at school as well,” freshman Carmyn Elkins said.

The point students are making by surpassing these restrictions may be valid - are high school students mature enough to resist the temptation of being able to utilize their devices at the proper time?

In addition, some content that is arguably beneficial to students is blocked and eliminates helpful resources from students. An example of one of these blocked websites is scrible, a site used to create virtual online notes on articles or webpages.

However, opposition to the point being made by students is that in a public high school with varying ages and levels of mental and emotional maturity, a policy that restricts time or content usage for student without fully-developed self control is necessary.

Furthermore, the concerns of parents about letting students use their cellphones or laptops with no limits or parameters must be considered in the school’s decision to place stipulations upon the usage of these devices.

Yet what overrides the concerns of the school, parents and students alike is the enforcement

of laws that demonstrate what is constitutional. The First Amendment of the United States constitution deems that an individual has the right to the freedom of speech which is why CIPA, the Children’s Internet Protection Act, received a great deal of backlash following the time when it was passed in 2000 for being unconstitutional.

According to CIPA all public schools and libraries are required to filter online content that would be considered harmful. The challenge presented to the Supreme Court, due to the enactment of this law, proved to be an effective argument as the law was repealed three years later.

As a consequence of this case, the issue of whether or not to censor content within schools and libraries is currently a state mandated decision instead of a federal one. In Indiana, only libraries are legally bound to monitor online content meaning that schools do not legally have to restrict usage, making policies different in most school districts.

While this raises the question as to what right a school may have in regard to censorship, a massive factor is that the year of 2016 is representative of a new

digital age. Over the past decade, the efficiency and quantity of technology produced is drastically different in comparison to the technology existent in years prior.

Modifications to the law, including the variety within the social media platform and diverse array of websites, are simply not currently defined.

Due to this lack of definition, the default standard is to ban what is not completely understood.

Yet, suppressing the actions of students that are a part of their home life causes rebellion. Some technologically savvy students have learned how to block the established firewalls that block certain websites or apps on a cellphone.

The discussion as to what students are mature enough to handle and how their educational experience is effected or not by certain facets of technology is an open one due to the newness of incorporating technology into the lives of students while they are on school grounds. The uprising of students breaking the rules may be making an important statement now that will affect the future.

November 10, 2016

photo by Dustin Rodgers

he incorporation of technology within the school curriculum has led to a great increase in the amount of screen time that students have during the school day. Following suit of this increase in the amount of time that students spend on their school issued laptops or cellphones, is the determination of how a student will be able to utilize their ability to have these electronic devices on campus.

As a result of the one-to-one technology initiative, one of the most prominent influences that the school currently has upon students, is their capability to monitor and restrict the content they consume. Websites or apps that are deemed inappropriate or distracting to a student’s education are not accessible to students through the school server.

While the provisions of the school to combat inappropriate content are fairly effective, some tech savvy students have found ways to override the firewalls set in place so that they can unblock social media apps and websites.

“When we have free time we deserve to get on the things we want to get on and that are daily

FEATURE

rated-R Restrictions? lack of policy creates teacher choice

by Jenny Bastian

T

o watch restricted movies in a theater one must be over the age of 17, but according to Columbus East Principal Mark Newell, there is no overriding school-wide policy for showing restricted movies in class.

However, restricted movies are required to relate to the curriculum and pertain to the lessons that are being taught during class at that time. No restricted movies can be played in class just for fun.

The overall goal of teachers at East is to give their students as much knowledge as possible before the end of the school year. Restricted movies are used occasionally to help achieve that goal. Some people may argue that restricted movies should not be shown in school because of their content, however there are some that have educational value and are frequently used by teachers in the school.

Cassie Gonsior, a History of

the World, U.S. History and Economics teacher at Columbus East, explains how she uses restricted movies in her classroom.

“Generally, the rule I follow is if it offers some type of educational value I feel comfortable showing it because I realize that teenagers are used to language.If I think that it is a scene that doesn’t have any value then I skip over it,” Gonsior said.

Teachers realize that it is important to show real-life hardships of people around the world and occasionally these hardships are best communicated through short videos with graphic content. If this is what is needed to teach students valuable life lessons, teachers are willing to do it.

There are various ways that teachers at East go about playing a restricted movie or clip for one of their classes. For example, some teachers will send home permission slips for their students’ parents to sign in order to allow

have you ever seen any part of a rated-r movie in class?

students.

“I would say at the very least teachers have to preface. There is going to be either this language or these scenes that are inappropriate or whatever, and we may skip over some of the scenes depending on how bad they are,” Gonsior said.

By warning students about potentially controversial material and giving them the opportunity to assess their own comfort level, students and parents are faced with a choice. However, they are often limited to a yes or no answer, while teachers confronted with the question of whether or not to show an r-rated movie in the first place have a multitude of options thanks to East’s lack of policy on the issue.

No matter if you agree with the educational value of restricted movies or not, it is undoubtable that the controversy and different ways teachers handle the issue is an interesting dilemma in itself.

how often do you watch movies/videos in class?

graphic by Reilly Jones

do you agree with the playing of a rated-r movie in class if it applies to the curriculum?

them to watch the movie.

However, this also means that if a parent does not approve of their student watching the movie, that student will be removed from class for the day. This will most likely mean they will be given a worksheet or other material to complete during the movie, and may unfortunately result in the student missing a crucial part of the class curriculum.

Psychology and Economics teacher Jeff Thomas believes the best method is to just let the students know that they have an option to watch the movie or not.

“Just let [the students] know if it makes them uncomfortable they are allowed to leave,” Thomas said.

Some teachers also attempt to downplay the playing of a restricted movie, as to not make students wary of what they will be seeing.

Thomas has been told that if he makes a big deal about the rating of the movies, so will the

19

FEATURE

Simple school hacks

by Erin Louden

At some point throughout the school year, all students wish they could get through the day easier or with more energy. From better study habits to great stress relievers, here are some life hacks that will improve students’ overall feelings about school.

SLEEP Try natural ways to help you fall asleep.

According to Everyday Health, students should not use sleeping medications, for this will affect your focus, alertness and motivation to complete activities the next day. Continuously taking sleep aids will build up an unhealthy tolerance for the drug, meaning your body can grow accustomed to it and demand higher doses to give you the same effect of a normal dosage, according to Everyday Health.

Eliminate all distractions that would normally keep someone awake.

Turn off all noise-making devices.

Turn the ringer off on your phone.

Find a good sleeping pattern that works for you and stick with it.

STRESS To begin, determine why you are stressed. Stress does not only impact education, but all aspects of life as well. You are unable to fix the problem without knowing the cause.

Reduce responsibilities you do not think you can handle.

Giving yourself large responsibilities that are too much to handle will undoubtedly put additional stress on your shoulders. By delegating these responsibilities to another time or eliminating them altogether, it will free both time and stress.

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Similar to the sleeping hack, eliminate all distraction that will interrupt you from studying or doing homework.

Silence your phone and turn off the television. This will lower your temptations to pay attention to these objects.

Also, write notes for yourself and put due dates in your phone.

By setting various reminders in your phone, it can serve as an alarm for homework. Make sticky notes and place them on your laptop, desk or even favorite book. This organizes your extracurricular activities as well. Check off assignments as they are finished.

Afterwards, you will still have time to enjoy your favorite hobbies.

STUDY HABITS Listen to Mozart and Beethoven when studying.

According to a Russian study published in Human Psychology, classical music increases relaxation even when you are not paying direct attention to the music. Being relaxed when completing assignments allows you to finish all of your work in a more timely manner.

Studying while listening to classical music puts students in a heightened emotional state, making them more receptive to information.

Study where you feel comfortable.

Where students study is important.

The local library, a quiet coffee house or your bedroom are all great places to study. As long as you are comfortable and able to get work done, studying will be a piece of cake.

November 10, 2016

graphics by Emily Hales and Audrey Tian

Get sleep. This connects to the sleep hack- sleep deprivation is a major cause of stress. If you are not giving your body sleep, it will not perform the way it should throughout the day at school.

PROCRASTINATION

SPORTS

Player Personas How Athletes Overcome Common Stereotypes

by Soren Fox

graphic by Reilly Jones • photos by Kenzie Hempstead

N

o matter who you are or where you go, there will always be stereotypes present, even if you personally do not experience them. Like many high schoolers who participate in a well-known activity, athletes are very susceptible to being stereotyped.

The media does not always depict athletes in the most positive light; almost every movie about an athlete contains a few stereotypical depictions.

Anyone who has seen the “Bring it On” series knows that the cheerleading teams portrayed in the movies are perfect examples of this. “Bring it On” follows a cheer team through a series of competitions in which they face self-obsessed cheerleaders with high hair, turned-up noses and catty attitudes to accompany the real talent they have for cheerleading.

Anyone who knows a Columbus East cheerleader, however, knows that these stereotypes end on the silver screen.

For example, Columbus East sophomore cheerleader Alexis Clidinst is the farthest thing from being self obsessed.

“I always try to give back to the community whenever I can. I often go with my church on various trips to help the people of Columbus who are less fortunate than I,” Clidinst said.

Clidinst tries to keep her work local when it comes to helping others, and believes a little help always goes a long way.

“I try to tackle smaller problems within our community versus the larger ones, such as depression and bullying. I try to be a friend to everyone and make sure everyone

feels like they can come to me for anything,” Clidinst said. “Campus Life has also pushed me out of my comfort zone and has allowed me to reach out and help more people.”

Campus Life is a church organization under Youth for Christ, with a goal to help high schoolers reach out to their classmates and bring them closer to the church.

Even though Clidinst helps out in many ways in the community, she is still aware of stereotypes against cheerleaders. ”I’ve often found that people are surprised when they find out I cheer because they assumed I would be mean and stuck-up,” Clidinst said.

Clidinst still participates in cheerleading and does not let these stereotypes and accusations bring her down.

“I’ve cheered for six years and all this time I’ve met some of the nicest, most selfless girls on the cheer squads,” Clidinst said.

Athletes should not be judged on what sport they play; that is not what sports are about.

Sports are about coming together as a team to accomplish a common goal.

However, it is not only cheerleaders that have these negative stereotypes facing them, football players do too.

They are known in the media as dumb jocks or as overly aggressive.

This is not true about East football players, notably seniors Ben Elsbury and Ben Jenkins. Both of them have gone with church groups to help fix up houses for people in need.

Elsbury has traveled to

North Carolina with his youth group while Jenkins has stayed local and helped in the same manner. Elsbury and Jenkins volunteered to do jobs such as power wash, clean decks and paint.

Nonetheless, it just proves that they can be selfless no matter the stereotype against them.

These stereotypes even spread to the weight room and pertain to girls’ sports. Female athletes are sometimes seen as lesser than male athletes, and many people think they do not work as hard.

“Sometimes in the weight room, the guy athletes tell the girls to get off the racks because we don’t work as hard or we don’t win as many things as they do.

Girls’ volleyball just won regionals, so obviously we’re pretty good,” said junior volleyball player Esta Morrison.

Morrison knows the women play and work just as hard as the men do. She does not let others’ attitudes stop her; she always tries

her best.

Junior Jalen Allen has experienced this stereotype too, but due to his chosen sport rather than gender.

“Some people say that swimming isn’t a real sport, that it’s just a hobby. But I’ve known some football players and top track and cross-country runners who started swimming, and they had a hard time. Swimmers use muscles that you don’t use in other sports and you have to be very dedicated to swimming,” Allen said.

Allen has been swimming for years and wants people to know that it is not easy and people should not say that it is if they have not tried it.

Athletes face these challenges and struggles everyday and the media does not help when they are shown in a negative light. It is evident, however, that these stereotypes do not stop our athletes here at East. They all try their hardest to succeed and always do their best when they play.

Changing into her uniform only increases Lexi Clidinst’s cheerful attitude and enthusiam for cheerleading.

21

SPORTS

athletes to watch: winter edition

by Caleb Davidson

A

s the seasons begin to change, so do the sports that are being played around Columbus East.

This winter will consist of boys’ and girls’ swimming and diving, boys’ and girls’ basketball, gymnastics and wrestling.

The first winter sporting event started on November 1 with a girls’ basketball varsity scrimmage against HHC opponent Jennings County. This is then followed by swimming and diving on November 12, and boys’ basketball and wrestling will both begin on

November 19. Finally, gymnastics have their first meet on December 31 against Seymour.

To wrap up the winter season, the first sectional match up for the year will be wrestling, beginning on January 28. This is followed by swimming and diving, beginning

on February 2, followed closely by girls’ basketball on the February 3 and gymnastics on February 24. Boys’ basketball wraps up the season with sectionals beginning on March 3.

Max Nolting is a junior at Columbus East and a member of the boys’ basketball team. He first got interested in playing basketball by watching his brother compete. Then, Nolting himself began to pick up basketball at a young age. He started playing competitively in the first grade and has competed ever since then. This year will be his first year starting varsity at East which means a much larger role.

22

“I feel as if my role on the team this year is to be a leader. Being the point guard, I need to keep my teammates in check and give them the ball so they can make plays and be successful for our team.”

“My goal for Abby Lewis is a sophomore the team is member of the gymnastics for us all team at East. Lewis began to come competing at the age of six, but then stopped in sixth together and play grade with the intention of competing again in high like a team because if school. She followed through we are on that plan, competing for going to be East last year as a freshman any and then again this year as a sophomore. Lewis was better than last year, a member of the team that we have to went to state last year and work ended up placing sixth as a team. together.”

“My favorite event to compete in is beam because I love the feeling you get right before you compete. It’s really exhilarating and exciting.”

November 10, 2016

photos by Kimberly Schneckenberger and Brooke Williams

Korin Humes is a senior member of the East girls’ basketball team.

Humes began playing basketball competitively in the seventh grade and has played every year since, including all four of her years at East. Humes was introduced to the game by her grandfather, but has come a long way since first learning about the game. As for her senior season at East, Humes is all about the team and specifically how the group as a whole can improve.

SPORTS

“I really like all the people on the team; they’re so much fun to hang out with and we’re always joking around.

I also like the meets a lot because it’s fun to compete and cheer people on.”

photos by Zoe Rangel and Dustin Rodgers

Derek Alexander is a senior at East and member of the Olympian boys’ swim team.

Alexander started to swim competitively as a freshman at East in the 2012-2013 season.

He has been swimming every year at East every year since then. When Alexander was a freshman, then-senior Seth Frownfelter was the person that got Alexander interested in becoming a swimmer. Alexander’s best result is finishing 10th in the 500m freestyle at sectionals and his relay team placing third in the 400m freestyle.

“The most enjoyable part about wrestling is just the amount of fun the team has and because it’s a good workout so I can stay in shape.”

Morgan Meier is junior swimmer for the Columbus East girls’ swim team. Meier started swimming at Donner as a child but then decided to stop. However, she returned to the pool as a sophomore. Last year, Meier was able to win her heat in the first round of sectionals and her time was fast enough to be an alternate for the second round.

This year, Meier will be looking for more results and more fun with her teammates, which according to her, is her favorite part of being on the team.

“The best part about swimming at East is that the coaches are really cool, and at meets if you’re not swimming you can always cheer on your fellow swimmers.”

Junior Corban Pollitt is a varsity wrestler for the Columbus East wrestling team.

Pollitt has wrestled competitively since he was five years old and has continued to do so his freshman and sophomore years at East. Last year, Pollitt even made it to semi-state before falling in the final round.

Wrestling has always been a big part of Pollitt’s life, far more than any other sport.

His father started him at a young age and since he has developed his own passion.

23

A&E

J.K. Rowling Tackles a New Tale

by Corbin Parmer

F

ans of the astronomically popular Harry Potter series are receiving yet another on-screen adventure later this month with a whole new story and cast. The newest film is based off of the 2001 novel of the same name, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” written by the same author as the Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling.

The original 2001 book was created as a real-life, physical copy of a fictional book that appeared in the first Harry Potter story, and had no real plot or dialogue. “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” was just a book a few characters came across in the first book and film, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.” However, the new movie

will have a new, independent story, just under the same name of the manual.

This new tale will be set in New York City, 70 years before Harry’s story took place. The story is based on a character named Newt Scamander and his adventures as a “magizoologist” (combination of “magic” and “zoologist”) in the magical world. The cast will

feature a refreshing mix of actors, ranging from experienced acting veterans to brand new faces, such as Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Colin Farrell and Ezra Miller.

There will be a worldwide premier, with the release date for the United States on November 18.

HARRY POtter fun facts The original textbook features roughly 80 creatures, and the film will include at least 10 creatures.

The film will take place in the United States, so the story will bring in real American history, such as the Salem Witch Trials, to explain more of the magical world.

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The main character, Newt Scamander, attended Hogwarts in the early 1900s.

November 10, 2016

graphic by Reilly Jones, Reagan Perkins and Leo Saldivar

Steve Kloves wrote the screenplay for all the Harry Potter films, not J.K. Rowling. This will be Rowling’s debut for screenwriting.

After graduating from Hogwarts, Scamander got a position at the Ministry of Magic in the Beast Division.

Scamander was appointed to write the textbook, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”, so he traveled across several continents to gather research. This led him to New York, where the film takes place.

A&E

Community Event Celebrates

graphic by Reagan Perkins

T

he Columbus, Indiana Yes Cinema film festival has emphasised the importance and influence of independent films since its creation over five years ago. Columbus has been hailed as one of the most artistic and culturally driven cities in Indiana, and community events such as the film festival take pride in the art and talent that independent films possess.

Many of the films showcased at the festival were followed by a Q&A session where the audience was given the opportunity to speak directly with the directors and some of the actors featured.

With a direct interaction between the creator and their audience, it was easy to see the passion these people have for the art of filmmaking. Their passion leads them to making quality content, but films, even short ones, do not come without their own difficulties.

For award winning director Dustin Lowman, he lost his original location for his emotional three minute short film titled “Chained”.

Along with the loss of his original location, he had a total budget of 35 dollars to complete the movie, half of which went to buying music to go along with the footage. This short makes the more impressive knowing the struggle that it took to produce.

The general consensus from the directors was that short films are a great practice for full length movies because they are far less expensive and time consuming.

Telling a story through shorts

the Art of Film also helps filter the director’s ideas that they can later build upon for longer movies.

Short films are not all fictitious, however. While fictitious story telling is a very important part of film, documentaries and nonfiction pieces are just as important. The second series of shorts presented were three documentary pieces titled “Tales of Tenacity”.

When asked about the importance that documentaries have on film, Diane Mason, artistic director for the film festival, said, “It’s where we really look at what is going on in life. It gives us a glimpse into our human nature.”

Sometimes the real world that we live in can provide us with stories that are just as interesting as the ones that are fabricated.

We can become more emotionally connected with the people that documentaries follow because of the realness of the situation that the film creates.

Filmmaking, whether fictitious, nonfiction, long or short is all is tied together by a few simple elements. All films have a mind behind them that contain an image; a blueprint of an idea that they feel needs to be shared with the world. All films contain a story that people relate to, and this defines individual tastes. These elements in combination with each other are the important part of film;

by Alex Schumacher

“It's where we really look at what is going on in life.” -Diane Mason, artistic director of the Yes! Film Fest “I will never stop filming. It’s like I’m addicted.”

-Kristen Peterson, Director of “Dog*Walk”

“Filming has always been something that I can really focus on” -Dustin Lowman, Director of “Chained”

“[Short films are] a good way to practice without shelling out millions of dollars.”

- Kristen Peterson, Director of “Dog*walk”

“Films just add some depth to everyday life” - Autumn Bell, Actor

by providing people with a platform to express themselves and their ideas, and by providing people with something that they can enjoy, film shapes our culture in a way that no other media ever could.

Film certainly makes a lasting imprint on the minds of viewers.

Giving content creators a larger platform to make their movies available to the public, such as the festival does, facilitates the idea that film is an important aspect of our culture.

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A&E

Supergirl The Thundermans Dr. Phil The Newylwed Show The Kardashians The Cleveland Show Dance Moms

I SWEAR I DON’T WATCH THAT

The Vampire Diaries Bob’s Burgers Dora the explorer Toddlers in tiaras Teen Wolf How I met your Mother Spongebob Bachelor/Bachelorette Octonauts American Horror Story Orange Is The New Black Family Guy

by Alex Hahn

E

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show? Unfortunately the answer to that question is not simple.

Taste and opinion differ, and do awards really prove anything?

After all, there is a well-documented difference between what entertainment is considered good and what entertainment is popular.

The easiest way to quantify this difference is by looking at film.

The statistics on critical and audience reactions to film are well documented, while with television it is much harder to get quantifiable reactions of the audience and critics. Just this year, huge rifts in critical and audience opinion were exposed, notably by DC and Warner Brothers’ attempt to jump start their cinematic universe.

Looking at Rotten Tomatoes, an imperfect metric, but the best one available, the critical consensus sees these films as terrible, giving “Suicide Squad” only a 26

percent. However, the audience disagreed passionately, rating the film as almost twice as high as the critics did.

“Batman v Superman” had a parallel gap with critics lamenting the lack of powerful story and overuse of action and effects.

Audiences, meanwhile, were apparently much more open to the superhero action, giving the film a much higher score.

This hints at the heart of the conflict between audience love and critical acclaim. The two camps look for different things in entertainment. While critics typically hone in on character development, plot, theme, artistic merit and profound quotes, audiences prefer to be entertained and appreciate humor, conflict and memorable quips.

The blade also cuts in reverse with critics praising movies that

fans disliked. “School of Rock” is an example of this, with critics finding it appealing and front man Jack Black’s performance the right level of zany. Audiences disagreed, calling the film either “overhyped” or “boring”.

Similarly “War of the Worlds”, based on the HG Wells novel and sensational radio drama, received decent reviews by critics who gave the film benefit of the doubt due to the star power of Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg. However, it was shredded by fans who flatly ignored the names and history attached to the film.

But regardless, the words of critics still carry weight, especially when they align in popular opinion.

That alliance of critical and popular opinion can often be crushing, and gives rise to the idea of guilty pleasure entertainment.

Yet surprisingly, when asked November 10, 2016

graphic by Leo Saldivar

veryone has done things they are a little ashamed of. Stolen a pen, told a white lie, enjoyed watching something awful. It happens commonly: you walk into a room, put your headphones in, flip open your laptop, head to a shady website and watch television, terrible television, your guilty pleasure TV show.

While the term “guilty pleasure” is fairly common, not everyone uses it in same way. The most common definition is that guilty pleasures are something a person enjoys despite knowing that their pleasure is not held in high regard.

In layman’s terms, for a show to be guilty pleasure there needs to be two oblivious elements: The guilt and the pleasure.

With TV, the guilt often comes from the show being unpopular or seen as bad. Yet, what is a good

A&E about their guilty pleasures, most students stated that the reason they do not talk about their guilty pleasure was simply that they do not have anyone to talk to about their chosen show. However, when looking at the overlap of shows students called their guilty pleasure it appeared there were more fans of the named shows than common opinion would indicate.

Inspiringly, few students were truly fearful of social judgment as a consequence of loving their show.

However, if these shows were generally seen as bad why do so many students spend hours watching them?

The answer boils down to the individual. Obviously, students get some enjoyment out of their guilty pleasures, otherwise why watch them?

Often times students explain

that they enjoy the show ironically.

A somewhat recent phenomenon, watching things ironically first emerged with adults who enjoyed animated television. It was an excuse to watch things that were perceived as bad, essentiality saying the shows were being watched for the purpose of mocking the show or making fun of it. It slowly evolved away from a justification for watching shows people secretly enjoy into a legitimate phenomenon.

Though the trend of watching shows ironically has proved common, more students stated that their reason for watching a show was stress relief. Anecdotally, that makes sense. The idea of turning one’s brain off and just consuming mindless entertainment is something most people have done a time or two before.

Interestingly, when the Oracle asked students for the reasons

that they watched their guilty pleasure, the overwhelming response was not a justification for the reasoning behind watching their shows as expected, but a defense of the show itself. Many claimed they watch their show because they think the show is actually really good, but no one acknowledges it.

This again harkens back to the difference in tastes. There is no universal definition of good and bad that allows each individual to make an equally valid claim about their show being nice enough to warrant respect.

Then why not have conversations about a show if no one can prove that the show is good or bad? The simple answer is mob rule. Objectively, no one can establish the quality of a show, however, democratically, a conclusion can be reached, and psychologically no one wants to

find themselves in the determined minority.

However, since the conclusion about what is good is based on popular opinion, what the majority thinks can shift. That gives the answer of, “The show is actually really good, but no one acknowledges it” a much more optimistic ring.

If students can successfully argue that their guilty pleasure is a valid source of stress release, cringe humor or even legitimate entertainment, they have the opportunity to come out of the shadows with their guilty pleasure.

But that vindication requires conversation, so perhaps students need to stop being ashamed of what they watch and start trying to win converts.

we polled 71 students about embarrassing shows that they watch. here are the results for each individual’s specific show:

WHY DO YOU NOT TALK ABOUT Your SHOW?

it’s underrated and rare provides stress relief so bad that it’s funny specific actor/character other

no one to talk to about the show fear of judgement dislike other fans of the show fear of being labeled as a fan of the show other

graphic by Reilly Jones

why do you love Your show?

27

Holding on for another week

During last Friday’s sectional championship game, East junior Tyler Thomas (48) blocks Whiteland senior Gared Kleyn (21) during an offensive play. The Olympians defeated Whiteland 56-31 for the sectional title. Although the Olympians led by only four points at halftime, they outscored the Warriors by 21 points in the second half to capture the championship.

The Olympians will play at Zionsville on Friday at 7:30 p.m. for a regional title.