Star Wars by Carmel Acumen

VOL. XIX, ISSUE IV

05.04

EDITORS-INCHIEF Sam Hawkins Karolena Zhou

Dear Reader,

ASSOCIATE EDITORS Tsion Daniel Sarah Zheng COVER ART Chloe Sun PHOTOS Marissa Finney Kent Fujita Moody Homsi Sumedha Kota Hibba Mahmood

Sam Hawkins & Karolena Zhou, editors-in-Chief

Contents 4 6 8

GRAPHICS Aniket Biswal Siri Byrisetty Eva Glazier Austin Guo Grace Guo Sam Hawkins Claire He Alan Huang Caroline Just WORDS Cady Armstrong Avery Carlisle Lorna Ding Matthew Du Maryam Hafeez Claire He Addison Joyce Archit Kalra Saahas Kandru Daniel Kim Sumedha Kota Chenyao Liu SPEAKUPS Royce Brown

STAR WARS 05.04 03

A Galactic history Look at the major events of the “Star Wars” franchise

22-19 BBY

“Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” TV series (2008-2020) Dives into the details of the Clone Wars of the prequel trilogy.

GRAPHIC SAM HAWKINS, KAROLENA ZHOU SOURCES WOOKIEPEDIA, IMDB

THE BATTLE OF YAVIN The “Star Wars” universe measures time relative to the Battle of Yavin, wherein the Rebel Alliance destroyed the Death Star, marking the first major victory over the Galactic Empire. The battle took place at the end of Episode IV, “A New Hope.”

22 BBY

BBY = Before the Battle of Yavin ABY = After the Battle of Yavin 32 BBY

“Episode I: The Phantom Menace” (1999) Jedi master Qui-Gon Jinn and his Padawan, ObiWan Kenobi, meet a young Anakin Skywalker and think he could be the key to bringing balance back to the universe. Meanwhile, the dark Sith order reawakens.

“Episode II: Attack of the Clones” (2002) Anakin Skywalker is assigned to protect Galactic Republic Senator Padmé Amidala after an assassination attempt and develops a secret relationship with her. Obi-Wan discovers Jango Fett and a secret clone army.

19 BBY

“Episode III: Revenge of the Sith” (2005) Emperor Palpatine manipulates Anakin Skywalker to turning to the dark side, leading Anakin to become Darth Vader. Luke and Leia are born, and Padmé dies in childbirth.

13-10 BBY

“Solo: A Star Wars Story” (2018) Follows the early adventures of Han Solo and Chewbacca before meeting Luke and Obi-Wan.

3 ABY

5-1 BBY

“Star Wars: Rebels,” TV Series (2014-2018)

“Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back” (1980) Luke trains with Yoda to become a Jedi, while Han and Leia are hunted by Darth Vader and Boba Fett. Vader reveals he is Luke’s father.

0 BBY - 0 ABY

“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” (2016) A group of rebels band together to steal plans for the Death Star. “Episode IV: A New Hope” (1977) The first movie of the franchise. After the death of his aunt and uncle, Luke Skywalker sets off with Obi-Wan Kenobi, Han Solo and their crew to rescue Princess Leia and destroy the Death Star (the Battle of Yavin).

4 ABY

“Episode VI: Return of the Jedi,” (1983) Luke and darth Vader defeat Emperor Palpatine.

9 ABY

“The Mandalorian,” TV series (2019-) A lone Mandalorian bounty hunter is hired by remnant Imperial forces to retrieve the child Grogu, but instead goes on the run to protect him.

34 ABY

“Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015) After the defeat of the Galactic Empire, Han Solo and his young ally, Rey, face a new threat from Kylo Ren and the First Order.

34 ABY

“Episode VIII: The Last Jedi” (2017) After Han’s death, Rey seeks the aid of Luke Skywalker in hopes of turning the tide for the Resistance in the fight against Kylo Ren and the First Order. Rey begins her Jedi training.

35 ABY

“Episode IX: The Rise 34 ABY of Skywalker” (2019) “Star Wars: The Resistance takes Resistance,” its final stand against TV Series Kylo Ren, the First (2018-2020) Order, and the return of the deceased Emperor Palpatine

UPCOMING PROJECTS 9 BBY:

“Obi-Wan Kenobi,” TV series (May 27, 2022)

5 BBY:

“Andor,” TV Series (Summer 2022)

9 ABY:

“Ahsoka,” TV series (In PreProduction)

“The Book of Boba Fett,” TV series (2021-)

STAR WARS 05.04 05

iN A GALAxY FAR, FAR AWAY... See a map of the “Star Wars” galaxy, significant planets

GRAPHIC SIRI BYRISETTY, GRACE GUO, CLAIRE HE

SOURCES FANDOM, INSIDER, IMDB, STAR WARS

coruscant Urban planet of the Core Worlds

• A city-covered planet housing trillions of citizens • Imperial Center of the Galactic Empire

ahch-to

Water planet of the Unknown Regions

outer Rim

corE

Expansion Regions • Largely water-covered planet, containing many rocky islands • The Jedi order originated here, and it contains the first Jedi temple

bespin Gas giant located of the Outer Rim Territories • Includes resources of rare tibanna gas • Cloud City on Bespin features in “The Empire Strikes Back,” where the infamous “I am your Father” scene takes place

mandalore Territorial planet of the Outer Rim Territories • Once hospitable, history of war left the planet fairly desolate • Homeworld to mandalorians, a warrior people, many which died during their purge by The Empire

tatooine Desert planet of the Outer Rim Territories • Binary solar system, dry ecosystem with little surface water • Native homeworld of Anakin and Luke Skywalker

Colonies

inner Rim

Mid Rim

unknown Regions dagobah

Unexplored planet of the Outer Rim Territories

• A planet largely filled with swamps and forests • Yoda’s home for many years and the location

STAR WARS 05.04 07

Senior Evie Taller works on her TechHounds assignment during a TechHounds meeting.

ARTIFICIALLY INTELLIGENT

Students, teacher highlight rise of artificial intelligence

WORDS ADDISON JOYCE

PHOTO MARISSA FINNEY

ver the past decade, technology has improved As some people belive a school “run by robots” is a and the introduction of artificial intelligence new and somewhat dystopian idea, some students at this (AI) and automation has increasingly affected the school said they are skeptical of the implications of AI and lives of people around the world. Especially following what it might entail. the COVID-19 pandemic, students and staff at this Sophomore Adi Naren is among the students who school have been forced to adapt to changes and question the effectiveness of a fully automated school. incorporate the use of technology “(Artificial intelligence) really is an into their everyday lives. interesting thought, in terms of teaching I Artificial Intelligence (AI), In moderation, (AI) could think hiring actual people to teach would as defined by Britannica, is the be benificial. In the ways we be better because learning would be more ability of a computer to complete and specific to each student,” already use it, it’s good. It personalized tasks commonly associated with he said. could help test kids’ skillsets intelligent beings. Examples of AI Naren is not alone in his beliefs. John quicker to show teachers are self-driving cars, social media Dewey, one of many education reformers monitors, and smart assistants. with a doctorate from Johns Hopkins what needs to be taught. While AI is relatively new, one can University and participation in child SOPHOMORE ADI NAREN only imagine what effect it could psychology studies, wrote that students have on education. must be recognized as unique individuals with varying Jacob Mack, freshman and Carmel TechHounds member, interests. He said that those varying passions and said AI has many positives on any level of development. backgrounds should be considered more when designing “I think robots in the future will definitely become a curriculum, revealing a flaw in complete teaching with a normal part of our society, from phone operators to artificial intelligence. drive-thru workers, it seems interesting to (see) where While not in a current robotic dystopian state, it could all possibly go,” he said. AI is already used to some degree in schools with

“

standardized tests and diagnostic assessments. They are designed with algorithms, and AI algorithms are different from typical computer algorithms because they program the computer to learn and adapt independently of human coding. As these algorithms become more advanced, AI becomes more popular, according to Mack. “AI is becoming more prevalent now because of the huge increase in data volumes, advanced algorithms, and increased computing abilities to help benefit certain companies and corporations.” While this is just a start to the full integration of AI into future schools, it is an example of improvements that come with technology. Additionally, following the year 2020 with the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, remote learning has become a major idea across schools, even on the state level. Katie Jenner, Indiana Secretary of Education, agreed that a new system of technology had to arise in order for schools to navigate remote learning during the pandemic. “[The Department of Education School Tech Plan] was updated for 2022 following a thorough review of the K-12 digital learning and the responsiveness of schools through the COVID-19 pandemic,” Jenner said. At a state level, the new revised Tech Plan is representative of the change as society shifts toward a more digital, remote, world; whether that be positive or negative. Mack says the integration of AI and automation into schools can, in some cases, have detrimental effects. “AI could also take away the spots of tutors and change the amount of tutors that can actually get paid,” he said. Tutors are not the only ones who would face challenges. According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), 30% of all tasks in the workforce are automated at this point, and that number will just continue to grow. Mack said while there are clear benefits in efficiency that come with automation and AI, he

is also skeptical of it, and that the negatives can be scary. Naren said while he agrees that the integration By the of new technologies can be scary, it can also be very Numbers optimistic. “In moderation (AI) could be beneficial. In the ways we already use it, it’s good. It could help test kids’ skillsets quicker to show teachers what needs percent to be taught,” said Naren. Assessments are not the only way schools can of Americans and could use technology. Researchers at Carnegie believe Mellon University’s Human Computer Interaction widespread Institute are developing a completely automated automation is tutoring system where humans input a few problems realistic and solutions and the computer builds the rules on its own for lessons and techniques. This could make work much less taxing on teachers and still provide students with a one-on-one learning experience as if from a real-life tutor. percent Other ways schools use AI is through grading and feel worried scoring systems. For example, testing companies like about Education Testing Service and Pearson, have automated widespread systems of grading essays. This drives down the costs of automation grading and unifies grading knowledge to one system. However, this still evokes some concern. Cyber security is an issue familiar to many, and with the increase in technology use, comes an increased need for better cyber security. percent According to Jenner and the Indiana Department of Education, about 30% of school districts said they have believe this enough funding budgeted toward cyber security. will lead Naren and Mack both said technology is just to greater going to become more and more prevalent, but they economic disagreed on the forms it will take. inequality “I’m not sure that AI will be able to replicate that human empathy that is crucial in schools,” Naren said. SOURCE PEW RESEARCH “I mean, standardizing everything and forcing learning into a cookie-cutter mold is always a risk. There could CENTER A be room for mistakes.”

robo-timeline Check out this timeline to learn about history of robotics, artificial intelligence developments Elektro, the first humanoid robot, debuts at the New York World’s Fair.

1921

GRAPHIC ALAN HUANG

SOURCES TAMPA BAY TIMES, NASA

IBM’s chess computer Deep Blue defeats world chess champion Garry Kasparov.

Google’s AlphaGo beats Ke Jie, the world champion of the board game Go.

1939 The word “robot” is first coined by Karel Čapek, a Czech author.

2011

1955

2017

1997 Computer scientist John McCarthy coins the term “artificial intelligence.”

Apple releases its virtual assistant Siri to millions of iPhones.

STAR WARS 05.04 09

FANGIRLING out of this world (In Aurebesh: “Fangirling Out of this World') People should embrace fandom, connect over interests

WORDS CADY ARMSTRONG

n my free time, you can catch me reading a lot regardless of their gender, to tap into their of fantasy books or watching science fiction inner fangirl. When you express what you’re (sci-fi) movies. These activities are some interested in with like-minded individuals, of my favorite things and something I like you feel a form of acceptance that is to share with people in my life. wonderful. You get to connect with However, every so often when I tell someone in a way you maybe wouldn’t people this they tell me I’m a “nerd” or otherwise. Human connection is “fangirl.” Over time, I realized this was something that separates humans from a common occurrence within my daily other animals and bonding over shared life. Almost every time I’ve expressed that interests creates this. Heaven knows we I like something––whether that be “Star could all use some human contact after two Wars” or even just women’s basketball––the years isolating ourselves. person I’m telling passes judgment for how Beyond that, there’s a lot we can learn from much I enjoy it. expressing our shared interests. Cady Armstrong For a long time, this really bothered me. I In the end, we’re all fangirls for felt like people were looking down on me for something. The world would be so much HiLite Editor-in-Chief what I was interested in and tried to talk less better if everyone could share what they’re about my hobbies. I shrunk myself so I was interested in and bond over that. In the more palatable to those around me. meantime, you can catch me putting in Leia-style After a while, I also realized there was a doublespace buns and telling everyone about the inner A standard involved with fandoms and interests. I workings of every fandom I love. started to see that when my male classmates talked about sports or video games or really just what they were interested in, no one commented on what they did. Take a look at fandoms that When this happened, it shaped geek culture as we know it dawned on me that I shouldn’t Sherlock Holmes have to tone down my love for my hobbies and interests just because “Holmesians” or “Sherlockof a societal double standard. ians” were an early form of Once I acknowledged today’s fandom. In 1893, this, I truly came to fans of Arthur Conan understand the joy Doyle’s stories wore black of “geeking out” armbands in protest about things I liked. of Holmes’ death and Whether this is from talking about wrote the first fanfiction common interests around 1997. to doing deep dives Countless iterations of the about my Star Wars Holmes stories exist today. theories, it’s truly so BBC’S “Sherlock” gained enjoyable. an infamous fanbase online To this end, I GRAPHIC SAM HAWKINS encourage everyone, around 2012. SOURCES GRINELL COLLEGE, AO3, TUMBLR

Fan-demonium

SCI-FI GUY (In Mando’a: “Sci-fi Guy”) Science fiction often contains insights about society WORDS ARCHIT KALRA

ne of my first experiences with science fiction was with famed author Ray Bradbury’s short story Frost and Fire. The story centers around a civilization of humans on a planet where high levels of radiation have shortened the average lifespan to just eight days and how one person finds a rocket they can use to protect themselves and live longer. After poring over this story for days, rereading and trying to comprehend it, I realized there were a number of similarities to life on Earth, here and now. Life-threatening radiation? Impending dangers to humanity? An unlikely hero who can save the day? Intrigued, I catapulted into the works of Isaac Asimov, Karel Čapek, H.G. Wells and other authors’ works, each time looking at how the overarching sci-fi could be a critique of the human

Star Trek The “Star Trek” fandom is often considered to be the origin of modern media fandom, which involves connection to other fans through creative responses to the show and conventions, and is primarily female.

Archit Kalra Feature Editor

“Slash” fiction originated with Captain Kirk and Spock.

Fan response to the final season

Supernatural crashed Tumblr servers in 2020 “Supernatural” fans have posted nearly 250,000 written works to fanfiction archive Archive of Our Own and originated several common fanfiction tropes.

condition and a gateway to imagine what the future could be like if we weren’t careful. Take Čapek, for example––he himself coined the word “robot” in his play “R.U.R.,” which was published back in 1920. In the play, robots end up taking over human society, decades before the first artificial intelligence programs and the Internet sparked concerns of future “robot apocalypses.” Admittedly, being interested in science fiction has often led me to be called a “nerd,” but I’ve usually brushed off this term–– reading sci-fi opened up my mind quite a bit because it forced me to enter a mental time machine and think about what things could look like hundreds of thousands of years from now (I’m looking at you, Morlocks) and forced me to think about how some of our societal problems could be addressed along the way. And it’s not just books––sci-fi movies can tell many of these stories too (think “Star Wars” or “I, Robot” or “Ex Machina” or any other film out of myriad that show what could happen when we use science for different purposes like making intelligent robots). In all honesty, reading about all these different scenarios with supercomputers, mutated genomes and cyberviruses has been a rather insightful experience. Hey, maybe I’ll know how to stop a zombie apocalypse in 20 years because of one of these sci-fi books. If going through such an informative experience like this means you have to be known as a “nerd,” then I think we should all “nerd out” and get in touch with a bit of sci-fi. We can learn a lot about insight and the human condition through sci-fi literature, and it would do everyone good to read just a little sci-fi or watch a sci-fi movie to get a glimpse of some of the thoughts, hopes, dreams and fears that exist for the future. My thoughts? Channel the “nerd.” There’s a little bit of realism in almost every aspect of science fiction, and if you read even one short story that can show you A what it looks like, it could change your life.

STAR WARS 05.04 11

THE CODE

Religion influences ‘Star Wars’, students’ lives in various ways WORDS MARYAM HAFEEZ

PHOTO SAM HAWKINS

ne of the core themes of the Star Wars universe is that of religion. Similar to the real world, numerous religions with a wide variety of beliefs and practices exist in Star Wars. One of the most famous examples of this is the Jedi Code that the Jedi must follow. According to Screen Rant, this includes limiting personal attachments. The strict nature of the code famously led to the eventual fall of the Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker. However, it is through the same code that his son Luke Skywalker is later able to become powerful in his own right and help his father earn redemption. Although not as dramatic, many real-life religions also carry spiritual messages and have rules their adherents must follow. Several of these religions influenced George Lucas, creator of Star Wars, and served as the inspiration for many of the elements present throughout Star Wars. According to Lancaster Online, Lucas combined aspects of East Asian religions with the beliefs and practices of his Protestant background. According to CNN, “the saga blends aspects of religious traditions.” One of the largest religions today is Christianity. CHS has a chapter of the organization Fellowship of Chrsitian Athletes (FCA). FCA sponsor Connor Bradley, said FCA is an organization that gives students—(not just athletes)— the chance to gather with others who share in their same beliefs in order to learn and discuss their faith and how to live out their faith in a way that serves and loves others well.

SUBMITTED PHOTO IMAAN HASSAN

Senior Imaan Hassan poses for a photo in Charleston, S.C. Hassan said she feels her Muslim faith has helped her become a better person.

“FCA meets every Friday morning and it’s a consistent chance for the students to meet with one another and just share and grow together,” he said. I think many students come to FCA because they want to grow in their faith and live a life that reflects Jesus – one that serves others and shows others the love of Jesus. FCA provides a space for that within the school. For example, this semester the students have been studying the Fruits of the Spirit – things like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and more. It gives them the opportunity to discuss, share and encourage one another to live out their faith in a way that reflects those things to others.” Bradley also talked about how Christianity enriches and improves the lives of the FCA members. “When it comes to Christianity, we are striving every day to grow in our relationship with Jesus and be more like him,” he said. “FCA is a tool to help the students do just that. And it’s not a straight, upward-trajectory growth path where everything always goes right or where someone is perfect. There are ups and downs in life – but it’s what you turn to in the ups and downs. When the students keep their faith in mind as the big picture, live out their lives in love and service toward others, and allow things like joy, peace, patience, and kindness to be in the forefronts of their minds, it not only helps them but all those with whom they come in contact.” “I think there are different levels in terms of how far along different students are in their journey of faith, but everyone is on a different journey at different speeds,” Bradley

added. “The beautiful thing about it is that these different experiences come out as the students share with each other about their faith and how they’ve seen it play out or applied in their daily lives.” Junior Mackenzie Edwards is a regular attendee of FCA meetings who identifies as a nondenominational Christian. She said her religion forms an important part of her identity and has had a positive effect on her life. “I’m pretty religious because I want to be faithful to my God and trust his word and be obedient,” she said. “I try to have my life centered around it as much as possible. I fail often, but I want God to be at the forefront of my mind all day and have everything I do be through him and honor his plan. I have less anxiety now than when I wasn’t religious, and I’m nicer to those around me and I’m able to find more joy in my life.” Edwards said her favorite part of her religion are its central ideas. “My favorite thing is that Jesus died in order to save me, and I didn’t even have to do anything. I just have to accept him as a part of my life, and I get to spend an eternity in joy with him,” she said. Senior Imaan Hassan identifies as Muslim. She said her religion is moderately important to her. “I would say that I am at an average level of religiousness,” Hassan said. “I grew up attending Sunday School and my mom is pretty religious as well so those two things helped shape my beliefs

and made it so that my faith was a constant in my life. Religion does affect my decision making and some of my life choices but I wouldn’t say that it’s something I am constantly thinking about or cultivating like many other people. [It] does mean a lot to me as it’s influenced my belief system and a lot of my morals but I wouldn’t say it’s

Members of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes meet before school and discuss weekly highs and lows. Junior Mackenzie Edwards said her faith is an important part of her identity with a positive effect on her life.

Symbol Synchrony Take a look at important symbols from popular religions

GRAPHIC EVA GLAZIER SOURCE RELIGIOUSSYMBOLS

Christianity: The cross represents the crucifixion of Jesus Buddhism: The eight-spoked Dharmacakra represents the Noble Eightfold Path Judaism: The Star of David is a symbol for heroism Hinduism: The Om represents the Ultimate reality Islam: The Crescent and Star represent progress and knowledge

STAR WARS 05.04 13

Mandalorians are known as fierce warriors valuing loyalty and solidarity. Djarin is a Child of the Watch, a splinter group of religious zealots who escaped the planet of Mandalore before it was destroyed. They cannot remove their helmets in front of other living beings, but Djarin breaks the Creed to save Grogu (“baby Yoda”), who he has come to see as his son.

The Way Learn about the religion of the Mandalorians, the Way of the Mandalore GRAPHIC SAM HAWKINS SOURCE STAR WARS, WOOKIEPEDIA

Din Djarin, main character of spinoff TV series “The Mandalorian,” was adopted into the Mandalorian religion

on my life decisions and purpose. There’s obviously been times where I’ve questioned my religious beliefs and where I’ve found it hard to follow Islam’s practices, but at the end of the day, it has helped me grow into a better individual,” she said.

“

The core thing to pass on, in talking about religion, is all religions say one thing— basically—which is love is the secret to the universe, which is compassion, which is love others, take care of others, help each other. “STAR WARS” CREATOR GEORGE LUCAS

“

at the core of my being like it is to some people. I think I’m still trying to figure out my faith’s place within my life like so many other young people, so it’s meaning to me will definitely change as I grow up and gain different life experiences.” Hassan said her favorite part about her religion is Eid, a holiday that marks the end of Ramadan. “At the end of Ramadan, which is our month of fasting, we have a holiday called Eid. It’s the day after our last day of fasting and it’s always such a fun and joyous day because you’re surrounded by family and friends. We usually go to the mosque in the morning for Eid prayer and then throughout the day people are having lunch and dinner parties so it’s always a day to remember. It’s nice to end off a challenging but great month in that way and it’s something I always look forward to.” she said. Overall, Hassan said her religion has had a positive effect on her life. “Religion has a pretty positive effect on my life because it challenges me to be a better person at my core and to reflect

Hassan said she believes that the structured and spiritual parts of religion complement each other. “For me, I believe in both the spiritual and strict sides of it. I think religion can be interpreted and viewed in so many different ways it just depends on the person,” she said. “Following the more strict rules of religion gives me insight into the spiritual side of my faith because it gives me time to think about why something is a rule and what I’m gaining from following that rule or practice. So I think that when I implement those more strict religious practices into my life it lends itself to spiritual discovery.” Her sentiments are similar to Lucas’s own sentiments about religion and spirituality. Lucas himself said “The core thing to pass on, in talking about religion, is all religions say one thing—basically—which is love is the secret to the universe, which is compassion, which is love others, take care of others, help each other.” He said part of the reason for the making of Star Wars was for a religious awakening in the masses. “I put the Force into the movie in order to try to awaken a certain kind of spirituality in young people,” he said, “more a belief in God than a belief in any A particular religious system.”

RESPECT YOUR ELDERS Students stay in touch with older relatives, show respect

he COVID-19 pandemic brought an increased awareness of the susceptibility of older people to disease. Fortunately, new technology has made it easier for people like sophomore Keshav Singh to keep in touch with their relatives. Singh said he regularly talks with his aunt and grandparents over the phone, as well as through other methods. With the cutting edge of technology that has come about in the last decade or so, talking with older relatives has gotten more sustainable. “In some ways, the world’s increased integration of technology and modernization has increased interaction with our elders because we can now chat and interact with them even if they are far away; however, it has also created a roadblock because some younger generations prefer only interacting digitally, which may present a learning curve for older people,” Peterson said.

IB FILM TEACHER JIM PETERSON

“

Since people don’t get to talk to their older relatives as much, they’ll appreciate hearing your voice.

Despite this apparent gap, Singh said there are many things people can do to show respect and appreciation for their elders and mentors. Doing just the little things can show admiration and spark a happy mood into elders, he said. “Often, talking to elders in a formal and respectful manner is a form of showing respect. Additionally, helping them with tasks they may find physically challenging can be a big part in showing them respect,” Singh said. Along with Singh, junior Ryan Jones said he thinks respecting elders can have a very different meaning in different cultures and parts of the world. “In some cultures, elders are given a lot more respect, as children will often take care of their elders until their death, while in more western cultures, elders are often sent to retirement homes, which in my opinion shows less respect,” Jones said. That respect for elders shows up in the Star Wars franchise.

By the Numbers

79.7

YEARS is the average life expectancy in the United States as of 2017, up from 69.7 in 1960

61% of Americans over 65 reported owning a smartphone in 2021

20%

of Americans over 65 reported having a virtual social gathering with friends or family due to COVID-19 SOURCE PEW RESEARCH

WORDS SAAHAS KANDRU

Covid and Age Older Americans feel more at risk, less distressed due to COVID-19 than others Americans who see COVID-19 as a major threat to their personal health 38%

All Adults

49%

Adults 65+

Americans who reported high to medium levels of distress 51%

All Adults

38%

Adults 65+ GRAPHIC SAM HAWKINS SOURCE PEW RESEARCH

Jim Peterson, IB film and theater arts teacher, said “Star Wars” has a theme of mentorship and respecting elders. The main example of this is with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker, Peterson said, mentorship is the catalyst that leads the burgeoning hero to his destiny with the rebellion, and eventually, the ways of a Jedi. Peterson also said the main way for younger people to show gratitude toward older people is to simply call to talk about the day. “Since people don’t get to talk to their older relatives as much, they’ll appreciate hearing your voice and catching up,” he said. “It can be tough to visit your elders if you don’t live near them, so take some time to reach out and call them. Make sure you don’t call too early or late so you don’t wake them up while they’re resting. Just say hello and ask them how their day is going before telling them how you are. Even just a few minutes every day or A week shows that you really care.”

STAR WARS 05.04 15

Battle of

Students, teachers discuss differences between new, old generation Star Wars fans SOPHOMORE KESHAV SINGH

“I’ve been a fan since 1st grade. My friend was pretty interested in Star Wars, and he got me into it. The first show I watched was ‘The Clone Wars’ animated series. I would say I’m a new generation fan, but I prefer some of the older movies over the sequel movies. For me, some of the aging of the CGI has definitely taken away some parts of the movies. I know a lot of the old fans hate the remastered versions, but improving the CGI actually helped me watch the movies without cringing. My favorite Star Wars show is ‘The Mandalorian.’ It tells a different story while still taking place in the Star Wars universe, which I think is pretty cool. I think older fans who reject the newer movies are missing out on the evolution of the franchise. Especially if they’re not open to even viewing the newer material, they are missing out on where the series is eventually going to go and where it’s currently going.”

JUNIOR TRINITY BITTERMANN

“I’ve been a Star Wars fan since I was little. It was the only brand of toy I would play with, and I wore a lot of Star Wars gear. My preschool backpack was clone wars (themed, which matched) to my bed. It was influenced by my dad who had a lot of old toys from when he was a kid. I would say my dad introduced me to Star Wars. He showed me the movies and let me explore it on my own. Eventually this led me to find the books and clone wars series. During lockdown, I turned my room into a Star Wars room, repainted the walls to a Star Wars color scheme and made a huge side of old toys along with funko pops and lego sets. I have a wall with lightsabers on it from Disneyworld and a fair amount of baby yoda gear. I consider myself an old generation fan because I enjoy the older movies way more than the new ones. The old ones are more original and creative and impressive for some random idea in the 70s.”

SOPHOMORE CALEB KIM

“My first memories of Star Wars was when I was little and watching the movies with my dad. I remember my favorite movie being ‘The Empire Strikes Back.’ I’ve liked Star Wars up until recently. I consider myself an old fan because I like all their old stuff. It makes you feel nostalgic. But I disagree with what Disney has been doing recently. The storyline has gone downhill, and the newer movies don’t have the same energy as the old movies. I think they use the ‘Star Wars’ franchise name to produce worse movies and to make money off of it. Some people may say that the CGI has improved, but it’s not about that. The two most important parts of Star Wars is the cool sci-fi aspect and the story. And the old CGI doesn’t take away from that. I feel like the newer movies emphasize CGI more than storylines, which has made Star Wars go downhill.”

Generations SPEAKUPS, PHOTOS ROYCE BROWN

MEDIA SPECIALIST JOHN LOVE

“I’m definitely an old school fan. I like ‘The Mandalorian’ and the Han Solo movie. I still watch those. I tend to be more of a traditionalist. I don’t read the books outside of the films. I’ve watched a couple episodes of The Clone Wars cartoons, and it’s just too much. I liked the old films; I liked the prequels, and then of course, I liked the sequels. I think part of it is that I don’t like cartoons, and I like going to the theater to watch a movie. I love the improvements in technology that lets the films do more with the CGI. I would say the prequels are better, and a lot of people would disagree. I liked them because they have a very different feel than the original films that were made in the 70s and 80s. I don’t think the CGI changes the experience. I think you look at the film for what it was at that time. You look at it now, and it may be a bit dorky and the technology may look lame, but for the time, it wasn’t. It’s just what you knew and what you expected.”

SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER JENNIFER ELLERY

“I think I saw the first Star Wars movies in middle school or early high school. I remember there were talks about episodes one, two and three. I didn’t know what Star Wars was, so I started watching four, five and six so that I would be able to go to the movie theater and watch the new ones when they were released. I really liked the story lines. At the time, the special effects were super cool, even though now they look old-fashioned. I’ve also always liked history, so I especially liked how you can see in episodes four, five and six the correlation between a lot of themes from World War II and the interwar years in the concepts of the Republic and the Empire. I guess I’m an old generation fan because I hate Jar Jar Binks, and most of the old fans really hate him. I think newer generation fans have a lot more Star Wars available. It’s almost overwhelming because at home, my kids now know more Star Wars than I do, even though I followed it for years.” MATH TEACHER PETER BECK

“I’ve been a fan for about 28 years. The part I like about Star Wars is the deep philosophy built into it: the idea of good versus evil, dark versus light. Just like epic stories, there are themes of Man vs. Man, Man vs. machine and Man vs. nature embedded into Star Wars. I haven’t watched as much of the newer stuff that has come out. Some of the newer stuff like ‘The Mandalorian’ I feel like is more in tune with the classic Star Wars. Episodes seven, eight and nine, when Disney took over, they kind of strayed from what the fanbase was. Those movies were a disaster on a certain front. Nine was at least a decent recovery. Seven was ‘eh’ in my opinion. Eight was horrible. In fact, it became the worst out of all episodes in my opinion. There’s no central story. There’s so many things that contradict the timelines. I was honestly willing to write off Star Wars as dead after episode eight. But they made a recovery when they listened and brought back the old-school feel. With ‘The Mandalorian,’ you can see new ideas and old ideas. You can see little details, like the ones that were embedded in the books. They were brought out because the producers knew the old Star Wars.”

STAR WARS 05.04 17

STAR WARS Imperial Star Destroyer These spacecraft were introduced after the Clone Wars and possessed by the Empire. They had a length of 5,200 feet and nearly 37,000 crew on board.

Death Star The Death Star was the Empire’s ultimate weapon, a moon-sized space station that could destroy entire planets. It was destroyed by Luke Skywalker and Han Solo in “A New Hope.”

Lightsaber

Lightsabers are mainly used by force-wielding characters, commonly known as Jedi or Sith. This specific lightsaber was used by both Anakin and Luke Skywalker.

X-Wing Starfighter

The X-Wing is a Rebel Alliance starfighter that has both speed and firepower. It is equipped with four laser cannons and two proton torpedo launchers. It can fit one to two pilots and a droid

The original “Star Wars” trilogy, “A New Hope” (1977), “The Empire Strikes Back” (1980), and “Return of the Jedi” (1983), follow Luke Skywalker as he learns the ways of the Jedi and works with the rebellion and his two friends, Leia and Han, to bring down the evil Galactic Empire

s . STAR TREK GRAPHIC CAROLINE JUST, SAM HAWKINS

SOURCES STAR WARS, MEMORYALPHA, STAR TREK, IMDB

The original “Star Trek” series, which ran from 1966 through 1969, follows Captain Kirk and his crew aboard the USS Enterprise in the 23rd century as they explore the galaxy on a mission from Earth’s Starfleet

Doomsday Machine This machine had several different names, one being the “planet killer”. It was built as a bluff, never to be used, but powerful enough to destroy anything that came near it.

USS Voyager While it may not be Captain Kirk’s ship (The USS Enterprise), this ship was still a main figurehead in “Star Trek.” Captain Kathryn Janeway commands this 1,130-foot-long ship.

Transporter A Transporter has many names including “matter-stream converter” and “energy-matter scrambler.” It was used to teleport crew and supplies from one place to another.

Phaser Romulan Drone Ship The vessel is remotely controlled from Romulus (the Romulan’s planet) by a pilot using telepathy. It has a bulky interior so there is little room for a crew.

Phasers are the standard weapon of the Starfleet Arsenal. They have multiple uses including as a cutting tool, explosive, or energy source.

STAR WARS 05.04 19

STEM-TASTIC

Engineering students, teacher express importance of science fiction in the STEM field WORDS DANIEL KIM

Senior Maximus Shurr uses a wire to connect the pieces of his rocket in order to test the currents and lights. He said in order for him to test launch the rocket outdoors, he needs to test the currents and lights beforehand, in order to check safety and all of the rocket’s functions.

PHOTOS KENT FUJITA

or Maximus “Mechanical Max” Shurr, YouTube engineer and senior, science fiction not only serves as entertainment but also a source of inspiration and creativity. “The great thing about that genre is that there are so many movies out there, like ‘Interstellar’ or ‘Tomorrowland,’ or any movie that has technology in it,” Shurr said. “It’s very inspiring to see just how artistic it can be and how useful that technology can become.” Shurr said those science fiction shows have also helped teach him to think in a more unorthodox way. “It really shows how creative engineering can be and that it really requires you to think outside of the box,” Shurr said. “I really like seeing something in a science fiction movie and it actually becoming a reality, kinda like hoverboards from ‘Back to the Future.’” Similarly, Laura Erli, engineering teacher and TechHounds sponsor, said she was also inspired to get involved in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) by her favorite sci-fi shows. “I feel like (Star Trek’s) communicators and their touch screen computers have inspired the technology that we use today,” Erli said. “I also really love ‘Doctor Who.’ A sonic screwdriver would be really nice if we had one tool to fix everything. So those are my major inspirations. I (also) really like the technologies in a specific show called ‘Eureka’ where there’s a whole town of scientists building things to solve problems and creating new materials to make things last longer.” Additionally, Erli said those shows introduced her to a new way to approach problems, especially in STEM. “I’ve always been extremely cautious. I grew up in a family where we were the first one’s in town to have a computer. And my dad was always obsessed with the latest and greatest whereas I watched these shows where everything can cause a problem and fail, so I proceed with caution,” Erli said. “I like to see technology that’s built to last rather than ‘when’s the next upgrade.’” Yi Lin Yang, TechHounds member and junior, said she agrees with Erli about how we should focus on improving the technology we already have.

Scan this to check out Maximus Shurr’s Youtube channel: “Mechanical Max” “For science fiction movies, I think that a lot of (science fiction) elements aren’t automatically applicable for real life, although they are really cool, so we have to see what is already there and try to improve on what we already know that works,” Yang said. However, Shurr said some of his favorite science fiction movies, such as “The Circle,” have introduced reasonably feasible inventions that could have untold benefits if constructed in our world. “There was a movie called ‘The Circle’ where it showed a giant tech conglomerate, and they were able to use a lot of data collection to create really powerful technology, like nanobots in your bloodstream that can monitor anything about your health or cameras that are virtually undetectable so that you can monitor anywhere on the planet,” Shurr said. However, Erli emphasized how important it is to focus on the process of creating something new in STEM. Erli said the show “Eureka” helped to show that important aspect, which is something that not all sci-fi shows do. “While things go really awry, they show the negative that could happen with the positive. I think that’s a better, healthier way to challenge us to come up with new technologies,” Erli said. Yang also said science fiction shows have influenced the way she thinks, even if she’s not aware of it. “Watching science fiction movies does expand your way of thinking and your creativity,” Yang said. “And although I may not be super aware of it right now, it’s definitely there in my subconscious.” Regardless of how impractical some technologies may seem, Yang said movies should continue to have no limits in their science fiction inventions. “I like the idea of having no limits because it allows you to push the boundaries of your thinking and having science fiction movies that are grounded won’t be cool because without those out-of-the-world inventions those science fiction movies wouldn’t be cool and wouldn’t get an audience,” Yang said. “I think that science fiction movies should definitely stay the way they are and expand their own inventions or technology because it serves as inspiration for people.”

Erli said she agreed with Yang, mentioning how Senior impossible inventions in those movies may become Maximus more feasible with time. Shurr uses a “I think there should be no limits (to science fiction) 3D modeling because touch screen computers were ‘impossible’ in software in the 70s, but they did it. The communicators, portable order to computers, we have in our pockets which were 3D print thought to be impossible, but it happened,” Erli said. different “So it’s not ‘we can’t ever do it’ it’s more like ‘we can’t sections of do it yet’. I say dream big and figure it out.” his rocket. Furthermore, Yang said science fiction can These 3D kickstart an interest in STEM and give children an sections are early start to a passion they may want to pursue for glued together the rest of their lives. This is something Yang can in order to attest to from firsthand experience. build a stable “I think it definitely plays a huge part (in children),” and strong Yang said. “I know my brother is really into Star Wars, rocket. He and he started at a really young age building Lego said he was Sets, so that has helped him get interested in STEM. inspired by He wants to join TechHounds next year, so science technology fiction movies definitely play a role.” and science Shurr also said it helps express creativity within fiction movies STEM among any age group. such as “I think it’s very important just to show that “Interstellar” engineering can be a really creative way to express and “Tomoryourself with science and mathematics in a way that rowland.” can actually make a difference in people’s lives.” A

STAR WARS 05.04 21

Girl Power

Star Wars’ female characterization improved, still lacks diversity

WORDS SUMEDHA KOTA

tar Wars has a huge popular culture Despite these flaws, it is important to relevance, and it has evolved over address the ultimately dual nature of female the years to make room for new characterization in the Star Wars’ movies, generations and new fans. This can also be specifically ones. Although Princess reflected in the female characters. Nearly Leia is not explored much initially, she everybody can recognize Princess Leia, eventually becomes a defining character often based on her earlier depiction in scant of the series, even in the original movies. clothing, as a damsel in distress. Other Princess Leia takes control of her narrative female characters face similar treatment, and does not simply remain a damsel in even if they are not remembered quite as distress, but rather a forefront fighter of the well. Female characters are given unnecessarily opposition forces. Moreover, Rey Skywalker, tight clothing which does not necessarily aid one of the few female characters in the sequel them in the sequences that they perform, but movies, does not apply to beauty stereotypes is evidently catered to the male gaze. Sumedha Kota and comes across as a powerful character, Another fixation is the low number of dispelling certain myths about the traditional HiLite Reporter actual female characters portrayed in the films. roles of women. This does not diminish the Even if the female characters are visible in the necessity for better characterization in all background they are not given the amount of screen time aspects, especially in regard to varied female characters, that male characters are allotted. There are many male who are ridden with the male gaze. However, it does characters, all with varying shades and characterization, raise the bar, which is already so far below, slightly higher, while the same diversity is not visible especially for the time of these older movies. in the female characters. Even most Moreover, Rey eventually becomes the protagonist of the non-human characters are of the sequel Star Wars trilogy, finally allowing a males. The female characters are female character a platform. The newer Star Wars series often either side characters or showcase a variety of women in forefront roles, with extras that say a few lines for the Princess Leia as a veteran leading the charge. Yet, women sake of the screenplay, without of color still do not get many lines. There are still so actual development. Even many changes that need to be made. Even now, there Princess Leia, who gets are fans that make misogynistic comments regarding more screen time, is not the representation of women in what they consider to be explored as a complex their series, but if there is a lack in nuanced perspectives character, especially in the with diverse casting of women, then Star Wars will lose original Star Wars movie, it’s narrative growth and relevance to a wider world, as “A New Hope.” A reflected in this galactic universe.

JANGO AND BOBA FETT

White Washed

New Zealand actor Temuera Morrison, who is of Māori descent, made his first Star Wars appearance as the Mandalorian Jango Fett in “Attack of the Clones.” Clone troopers are Jango’s direct genetic clones, as is his son, Boba. Most animated clones share his likeness. Morrison stars as Boba in the live-action spinoff “The Book of Boba Fett,” into which he has incorporated his Māori heritage.

Look at history of whitewashing in Star Wars

Animated spinoff “The Bad Batch” centers clones with enhanced abilities. Despite having the genetic material of Jango Fett (Temuera Morrison), several, including Tech (right), have lighter skin and hair and European features. CLONES All animated clones are voiced by white Indiana actor Dee Bradley Baker, who uses a Māori accent for these characters.

Respect the Cultures

Lucasfilm should take responsibility for whitewashing, respect actors’ culture

WORDS CHENYAO LIU

n May 4, 2021, “Star Wars: The Bad the debut episode with remarkably pale skin, a Batch” released on Disney+. “The major difference from Jarrus’ warm and dark Bad Batch” acts like the eighth complexion in the “Rebels” show. season of the Clone Wars. It follows Clone Fans of Star Wars issued a petition, Force 99, affectionately known as the Bad calling for Lucasfilm to “Unwhitewash Batch, and their adventures while fleeing the Bad Batch.” Sources revealed that the newly established Empire. The Bad in the last week before the premiere, Batch consists of clones with “desirable lighting adjustments were made to “The mutations,” setting them apart from the Bad Batch.” Still, no actual response was traditional clone model. issued to the claim that Lucasfilm lightened In Star Wars’ prequel trilogy, the clones the characters’ skin color. and their genetic template, Jango Fett, were Still, in the live action show “The played by Temuera Morrison, who is Māori, Mandalorian,” Lucasfilm proved it could Chenyao Liu of Te Arawa and Tainui descent. When the respectfully work with an actor and their Star Wars animated series came out, the clone cultural background. The second season of Feature Editor models mostly looked like animated versions of “The Mandalorian” took a completely new Morrison. Throughout the multiple stylistic and look at the feared bounty hunter, Boba Fett. graphic changes in the seven seasons of “The Clone Wars,” Boba Fett is another clone of Jango Fett and also played by the one unchanged factor has been the clone troopers’ darker Morrison. In “The Mandalorian,” Morrison intentionally complexion, based on Morrison’s Polynesian background. talked with Lucasfilm to add aspects of his own cultural From their first appearance in “The Clone Wars,” the background into the character. Bad Batch has defied this trend. The character design Morrison said in an interview that he drew on the art for the Bad Batch clones have differed in height, facial of “haka” (war dance, directly translated to “fire breath”) structure and skin tone from the other clones in the GAR. in his fighting scenes as Boba Fett. The staff that Boba Hunter and Wrecker have darker skin tones; Wrecker Fett uses in the fight scene against stormtroopers was is notably larger than other clones. Crosshair and Tech, on also a part of Māori culture. Morrison said he trained the other hand, have lightened hair colors and skin tones, with a “taiaha” (long fighting staff) as a child and wanted with sharper facial features differing from Morrison’s. to bring that into production. Echo, the only standard clone, maintains similar facial It’s obvious that Morrison worked hard to characteristics but been entirely drained of his skin color, incorporate his Māori background into his character, not just appearing as Caucasian but literally white. and it’s evidence that actors’ cultural identities can add The issue isn’t restricted to the main characters. Omega, even more richness and complexity to their characters. a “defective” female clone, has blonde hair and light skin. As the Star Wars universe continues to grow, Lucasfilm Caleb Dume, who grows up to become Kanan Jarrus, should continue to work with actors to incorporate their A the main character in “Star Wars: Rebels,” appears in cultural backgrounds into their characters. GRAPHIC SAM HAWKINS

MANDALORE After Jango Fett’s appearance, Mandalorian culture was fleshed out in the comics, heavily inspired by elements of Māori and Hawaiian culture. In “The Clone Wars,” Mandalore was revealed to be inhabited mostly by blond, blueeyed people. BO-KATAN KRYZE

SOURCES GIZMODO, WOOKIEPEDIA, IMDB, UNWHITEWASH THE BAD BATCH

Jedi Kanan Jarrus of “Star Wars: Rebels” makes an appearance (under the name Caleb Dume) in “The Clone Wars” with significantly lightened hair and skin and altered features. CALEB DUME

KANAN JARRUS

STAR WARS 05.04 23

o.g.

Old “Star Wars” movies have greater quality

s someone who was not influenced by the nostalgia of Star Wars while growing up and who has only recently delved into the world of Star Wars through watching the dozen major films in the same time frame, it is evident that the older films are superior in many ways. The most obvious aspects in which the original trilogy of films are of greater quality than, for example, the most recent trilogy, are in the story and the characters. The “Sequel Trilogy,” referring to the three films “The Force Awakens,” “The Last Jedi” and “The Rise of Skywalker,” have an obvious lack of cohesion and development, both in the plot and the newly-introduced characters. The differences in direction between each of the films is shown as previous films disregard built-up storylines in favor of establishing new ones, as shown in Rey’s heritage, the lack of explanation for Palpatine’s return at the end of the last movie and the near-discarding of the character arcs of those like Finn. In contrast, the “Original Trilogy” has far more developed elements of cohesion. While there are certainly facets in which the story arcs were not entirely planned out, such as in the case of Luke and Leia being twins, there is still consistency in characterization, and every major protagonist gets to shine in the story. Luke undergoes his journey to develop from a farm boy to a Jedi as he grapples with the revelation of his father’s identity. Leia develops from a princess to a key part of the Rebellion, and Han gradually becomes less selfish to the point of caring for the aforementioned two characters. These characters and their relationships to each other are complex and multifaceted, while often in the sequel trilogy, characters like Finn and Poe do not stand on their own, and are mere shadows to Rey. Additionally, the sequel trilogy’s protagonists themselves are less rounded and dynamic; Rey, while still undergoing growth throughout the three movies and containing multitudes of strengths

WORDS CLAIRE HE

Claire He HiLite Reporter

Scan this QR code to get a quick recap of the original “Star Wars” movies

and weaknesses, achieves many of those strengths in a relatively unrealistic time frame within the story, and thus her growth does not feel natural. While the sequel trilogy’s cinematography, CGI and other technical effects are undoubtedly superior to the older films’ due to increased funding and technological improvement over the course of more than thirty years, the flashiness and aesthetics do not outweigh the critical flaws in the fundamentals of what makes a movie good. The antagonists, as well, are less wellexecuted in the later films compared to the originals. The original trilogy is the birthplace of many of the most iconic cinematic villains: the distinctive suited Darth Vader, the manipulative and powerful Emperor Palpatine, the despicable Jabba the Hutt, and the bounty hunter Boba Fett. The only truly developed antagonist in the sequel trilogy is Kylo Ren, because Snoke is revealed to be only a puppet and Palpatine’s return creates a rather onedimensional perception of the character. Another aspect in which the sequel trilogy falls short in comparison to the original trilogy is in the plot and originality. The plot twists have significantly less weight in the former, because many of them have already been done. For example, the reveal of Rey being related to Palpatine has little shock value because the twist of the protagonist being related to the villain has already been executed first with Luke and Darth Vader. Starkiller Base, although its magnitude is far greater than that of the original Death Star, does not convey the same sense of horror because the idea of that destruction of planets has already been done and so the effect wears off when repeated. In the most important parts of storytelling— characters and plot—the newer movies fall short in comparison to the older movies, therefore making the older movies superior as a whole.

NEXT GEN New “Star Wars” movies use better technology

aving watched both the original films and the new series from Star Wars, the new Star Wars movies, simply put, are better than the old movies. Not in terms of plot, or the story itself, but in terms of what makes a movie immersive. The cinematography, VFX and actors were all better. The scenery, especially the action sequences of the new sequel, are more refined and show the improvements in editing technology after the original movies. The camera work and editing on the new movies are obviously better too, and those factors play a large role in the way audiences view the movies. First off, the immersiveness and realism of the new movies are massively improved compared to the originals, which is important when audiences try to suspend their reality. Although the new series doesn’t have as many planets or diversity as the original films, the new planets Disney has created are higher quality and have an overall better look and feel compared to the original settings. By no means does this mean the original series was bad, nor does it mean they were supremely inferior to the new movies, but it does mean that the technological advances in the Disney era made it just that much more interesting to an extent that the new movies became better. While it is true that the new movies absolutely needed the old movies to exist in the first place, the expansion of the old plot, massively improved computer aided visual effects, and the better acting make the new movies a large generational improvement over the old. The improved visuals, which make up a large part in the Star Wars movies and shows, have drastically improved. Obviously, the movies have looked better with time, however, evident improvements do not detract from the movie itself. Second, the execution of the ideas of the sequels both look better and were played better, and even though the plot of the main movies overall were less developed, the improvements justify a lower quality

WORDS MATTHEW DU plot. While it is true that the new movies rely on the old trilogy, as long as the movies are improved, the legacy made from the movies do not matter. Not only this, the new shows that Disney produced such as “The Mandalorian” and “The Book of Boba Fett” greatly expand on the old plots and general “Star Wars” lore, and those shows make up for the lack of plot development the sequels had. Even though other Disney shows like “Rebels” were not as good, they still developed massive plot lines and helped evolve the already deep backstory that the originals had. Third, the development of the characters in the new trilogy, while not as fleshed-out as the originals, are still more than enough, HiLite Reporter and while some aspects of the new trilogy may not meet the same standard that the originals did, they are still acceptable. To be fair, the performances from Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher were great, but the acting from Adam Driver and Daisy Ridley is simply brilliant. Although the characters created in the original movies were far more interesting than the new, the way the new actors portray the story make them arguably just as good as the old. Numerous people complain that because some of the ideas in the new movies do not meet Scan this certain standards that were seen in the originals, it QR code to automatically makes the new movies worse, although true to the extent that they may not create the get a quick same legacies as the old, does not mean that they are objectively worse. Even with some films falling recap of short, others such as “Rogue One,” and “Solo,” both bring complex characters, more developed plots, and the new improvements in which Disney did not originally “Star Wars” incorporate into the new movies. Despite the lesser aspects of the new plots and movies characters, the positives justify the negatives to make the new movies enough of an improvement to be seen as an improvement to the originals.

Matthew Du

STAR WARS 05.04 25

DIFFERENT BUT TOGETHER Students, teacher discuss different backgrounds in Unified Track members WORDS LORNA DING

PHOTOS SUMEDHA KOTA, GRACE GUO

very Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, sophomore Tylar Simpkiss meets other Unified Track members in the main cafeteria to prepare for practice. Unified Track is a sport in which athletes, students with cognitive disabilities and their partners, students without disabilities, train and compete for events in track and field. “It’s like regular track except there are athletes and partners. We also have track and field events and it’s like a normal practice,” Simpkiss said. “It’s a great way to get to know other people.” Since its first year in 2013, the number of schools competing in Sectionals for Unified Track in Indiana has increased from 13 to 90 teams, according to the IHSAA. Likewise, Unified Track coach Jamie Stephen said the number of Unified Track members here has increased from around 30

Senior Daniyal Sher tells students more about Unified Track while at the Culture Fair.

By the Numbers

14%

of American students are classified as disabled SOURCE PEW RESEARCH

to 100 members, although over 200 applications were received this school year. “The school system has changed a lot. Kids are a lot more accepting, and there are a lot of programs in place to include individuals with disabilities, and it’s just a much more inclusive environment,” Stephen said. However, prejudice and stereotypes still exist. Ceci Campbell, Unified Track athlete and junior, said she thinks fewer people approach her because she is an athlete. “Not everyone relates to me (and) less people talk to me. (I think more) people should just meet me and become friends with me,” Campbell said. Ellie Stock, Unified Track partner and freshman, said while she cannot always relate to an athlete in Unified Track, she tries to find other ways to connect instead. She said, “I can still try to be understanding and try to put myself in their shoes even if I can’t fully relate

to their situation. Like, even if they think differently or have different opinions, just always being understanding and remembering that everyone is human.” Along those lines, Simpkiss said the best way to connect with someone different is to ask questions. “Honestly, just say, ‘Hi,’ ‘How are you?’ and ‘How’s your day going?’ and don’t be afraid to ask questions when you go up to them,” Simpkiss said. “Even if you don’t have anything in common, you’re still seeing how they see things and I think that’s really amazing.” Stephen said she agreed with Simpkiss and said Unified Track lets people of different backgrounds and abilities to compete as a team. “In our most challenging event, it is four individuals— two with disabilities and two without—who compete as one team to make it around the track with the baton,” Stephen said. “One year, one of our typical athletes who did (the event) was not there and we had another athlete jump in who had never done it before, and the partners were able to explain it enough to help that athlete and they still won the race.” Campbell said she encourages other people—athletes and partners—to join Unified Track. “I think (Unified Track) is a great way to spend time with other people, and I think my friends that are not in Unified Track should do it,” Campbell said. “It’s also a sport that students with (disabilities) can participate in because in regular track and field you have to do it for a long time, and in Unified Track, you don’t have to do it for a long time.” For Stock, she said being in Unified Track allows her to see the capabilities of other athletes. “One thing that always impresses me is how incredibly fast some of the athletes are, and I don’t mean that in a rude way, but it’s just a reminder that even when you look at people and you don’t expect a lot from them, everyone is capable of incredible things,” Stock said. Ultimately, Stephen said Unified Track is a real team sport that requires athletes and partners to work hard together. “We have the same criteria as other sports,” she said. “Some people come in thinking they can slack off, but especially for the athletes and also the other partners, you have to be willing to give A 110% for the team.”

Junior Palevi Vijaykumar speaks with a student about her shared identity with Unified Track and her Indian culture.

Embracing Unity Take a look at some facts about Unified Sports Unified Sports started with the Special Unified Champion Schools, a program of the Special Olympics, in 2008. More than 4500 elementary, middle and high schools now have Unified Sports teams. Special Olympics United with Refugees, created in 2016, has partnered with the Lions Club International Foundation to provide emergency relief to Ukrainian refugees and integrate children into existing sports clubs GRAPHIC SAM HAWKINS

SOURCE SPECIAL OLYMPICS

STAR WARS 05.04 27

Explore the Galaxy Check out the history of space exploration

GRAPHICS ANIKET BISWAL, AUSTIN GUO

SOURCES NASA, TUTORIALS POINT, NATIONAL ARCHIVES

957 OCT. 4, 1

MARCH 26, 1926

ched R laun rst S S U The ik 1, the fi ut Sputn l satellite p ia artific of Earth it b r o in

Robert H. Goddard launched the first liquid-fueled rocket

1977 R E B EM SEPT , T S AUGU e

0 24, 199 APRIL

, 2019 APRIL 10

e of a pictur taken t s r fi as The hole w on black Event Horiz e by th pe o Telesc

ac e Sp ubbl was H e Th cope Teles hed c laun

2 and rs 1 ed to e g h a Voy launc other e r p e w togra h pho ets plan

DEC. 21, 1968 APRIL 12, 1961

Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space

JULY 24, 1969

Apollo 8 became the first piloted orbital mission of the moon

The Apollo 11 space lander landed on the moon; Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were the astronauts who walked on the surface while Michael Collins stayed in the lander

STAR WARS 05.04 29

A New Hope

Students, teachers imagine a post-pandemic world WORDS AVERY CARLISLE

t’s been two years since freshman Izzy Rentschler got to see her grandparents, but as the pandemic concern fades, Rentschler might finally see her family. “I miss seeing my grandma who lives in Mexico,” she said. “I haven’t been able to see her since COVID started because she is older, high risk and it’s very hard to get her here due to the (COVID travel) mandates. I’m hoping that COVID starts to get better, especially over the summer, so that I get to see her again.” Like Rentschler, chemistry teacher Elizabeth Catt said she, too, hasn’t seen extended family for some time. Catt said she has two children under the age of five and one who is too young to wear a mask, so traveling and visiting loved ones has been difficult for her family. “I am looking forward to when my kids will be able to be vaccinated, especially as my oldest will be going to preschool in the fall,” Catt said. “This will be a big sigh of relief for my family and will let us more safely visit with older family members who are at higher risk for infection.” Rentschler and Catt aren’t alone. Since March 2020, many people have lost hope for little things in their lives like travel and seeing loved ones. However, now that the mask mandates are starting to abate and communities are coming together in person again, people are finally gaining back the trust and confidence within themselves and one another needed for the future. Biology teacher Kira Hansen said she has high hopes for the future of her students within her classroom and she said that she hopes that students become more comfortable engaging with one another as the pandemic settles down. “I think that students need to connect with others,” she said. “So much was lost last year including social connections with other students and between students and teachers. I hope that all students will understand the process of protecting ourselves from

By the Numbers

million current COVID-19 cases exist in the United States as of April 21

million people in the United States have recovered from COVID-19

1.70 million COVID-19 cases exist in Indiana SOURCE CDC

a virus and learn from our shared experience. I feel that students have lost the ability to talk to anyone and be able to work in groups collaboratively. It seems as though people are having trouble with face-to-face interactions. I am not sure if that can be blamed all on COVID, but I am definitely seeing the effects on this year’s students,” she said. As this school went mask-optional in late February, Catt said there has been an added hope throughout the school about the future. Catt said, “I think that the mask-optional policy has, thankfully, been working out at CHS by giving individuals the choice to do what they most feel comfortable in terms of masking while not seeing an increase in infection.” Senior Julia Fernandes said she agrees and said as a senior, she is hanging on to this bit of hope that the success of the new policy has shown. “I just hope that everyone can stay healthy and COVID becomes more manageable and preventable with time. I look forward to having a graduation and prom to close out my high school career,” she said. But even with the positive hope for the future, for some, these changes to the new normal still bring people a little bit of fear. Rentschler said even though they are ready for a bit of a change, the past two years and the way things were handled makes them worried for the future. “I think that people are desperate to go back to normal when life will never really go fully back to normal and most of us will be impacted by the pandemic permanently in some way,” they said. “It is a little bit disappointing how America has handled or even is (currently) handling COVID compared to other countries and that we are so far behind most of them. It really impacts my hopes for the future and how we will handle future struggles, whether they are similar to a pandemic or not.” Hansen said she agrees that mistakes were made during the pandemic.

“As with any major experience in one’s life, we all need to learn from mistakes,” she said. I hope that people continue to listen to scientists and the facts rather than misinformation, especially when life of death is on the line.” Fernandes said she hopes this is a learning experience for all and that people continue to think about others and not just themselves. She said, “I believe we will slowly progress into a new normal where it is a social norm to wear masks when you’re sick out of respect for other people and we will be more gentle because of all the collective trauma this pandemic has caused us. We are slowly

Back to Normal?

Did You Know? A Florida federal judge struck down mask mandates for travelers on April 17 SOURCE CNN

working towards a better, more thoughtful and caring world. I believe things happen for a reason so maybe we needed to go through this pandemic to evolve as people and improve our interpersonal understanding of the world.” Catt said she hopes this virus isn’t here for the long run and that the chaos could hopefully turn into something people are a little more used to. “I don’t think it will ever go away completely,” Catt said. “My hope is that it will eventually turn out to be like the flu, something that we have to deal with and can be vaccinated for but not something as A major as it has been up to this point.”

GRAPHIC MOODY HOMSI

SOURCES BALLOTPEDIA, VEMAPS

As the COVID-19 pandemic begins to decline, people across the globe wonder when we will finally go back to “normal.” Take a look at this map of the states and their mandates for face coverings. KEY

Masks required

Past mask requirement lifted

No past or current mask mandate

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