ACUMEN Oct. 18, 2018: Out of My Element

Out of My Element Volume XV Issue I

Dearest reader, We are born knowing only the most basic skills we need to survive. Every talent, ability and accomplishment that ensues is the result of some sort of venture into the unknown—a period spent out of your element, if you will.

And yet, the phrase “out of my element” often takes on an inherently negative connotation; it is ever-so-often used to tell people that they are beyond their capabilities and should stick to what’s safe, behind the borders of their pre-existing abilities. And although we did briefly cover that aspect of this phrase, it is not the focus of this issue.

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Instead, we chose to look at all of the amazing, unexpected things that can evolve from that first step beyond the comfort zone. When a split-second decision to use a Groupon turns into a full-time hobby in aerial silks; when an impulse pursued on the first day of swim practice becomes a spot on the varsity diving team; when the adoption of a new language as a child eventually makes immigration and a lifetime of freedom possible. Eventually, what was once out of your element becomes your comfort zone, and what was once out of the realm of possibility becomes the next step.

And so—aerial silks, diving, immigration and all—this is our take on “out of my element.”

-Alanna Wu, editor-in-chief

GRAPHIC AND DESIGN BY ALANNA WU

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Editor-in-chief Editors

Alanna Wu

Graphic artists

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Amy Tian

Alina Yu

Photographers Reporters

Richa Louis

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Tara Kandallu

Kelly Truax

Karen Zhang

Al Iw

Josie Cruzan

Angela Li

Isabella White

Raphael Grace XuLi

Raiha Zainab

Jc Aq Rc Wz Vn Angela Qian

Riya Chinni

Wendy Zhu

Victoria Nopporn

Sl An Oc Bz Ak Hp Ss

Selena Liu

Anjali Natarajan

Olivia Childress

Bowen Zhou

Aditi Kumar

Heidi Peng

Sam Shi

Ab Sk Vt Rg Gm Ml Dh

Ayman Bolad

Sam Kim

Veronica Teeter

Robbie Ge

Gray Martens

Michelle Lu

Da-Hyun Hong

Sk Mk Mr Am Ad Cb Tc Sarah Kim

Maddie Kosc

Marissa Ryan

Apurva Manas

Anushka Dasgupta

Caitlyn Burns

Tessa Collinson

THE PERIODIC TABLE OF STAFF OUT OF MY ELEMENT | 03

N TH S SSUE Letter from the Principal 06 Fish out of Water

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The Classical Elements 10 Beyond the Riches

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Out of My Country 18 Us Against the Elements

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Working with the Elements

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How They Got Their Start

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Extreme Bucket List

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DESIGN BY ALANNA WU

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SAM KIM AND AYMAN BOLAD // PHOTO

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MARISSA RYAN // PHOTO

MADDIE KOSC // PHOTO

JIWON YU // SUBMITTED PHOTO

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OUT OF MY ELEMENT | 05

TONY OU // SUBMITTED PHOTO

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alking into CHS your freshman year saw numerous students with special needs on the is exciting, invigorating, daunting dance floor having the time of their lives. These and full of wonder and promise, students did not come to the dance alone; their no matter how well you have prepared. The student Best Buddies accompanied them. These same was true for me as I reflect back on my students have built true friendships that transcend first year as principal of CHS. Having already the spirit of being a Greyhound. Each has made a been in the district for the previous 14 years as friend for life, and the joy that I witnessed made principal of Creekside Middle School, I had a me proud to be part of the Greyhound family. firm grasp of our students’ and community’s Another amazing example of our students’ dedication to education. Knowing a third of selflessness is the dedication to raising funds the student population was also an advantage. for Riley Hospital for Children. As much as As I began the year, the difference the amount raised last year far surpassed my in this position compared to my other expectations, the fun our students had while experiences became clear in many ways. While raising the money was truly impressive.

I have taught at the high-school level and have High school is not always easy, both been an administrator in both high schools and academically and emotionally. From an middle schools, adjusting to the enormity that is emotional viewpoint, I was astonished with the CHS took time. My administrative team of 11, amount of caring I witnessed happening at CHS. including assistant principals The passion our teachers have and athletic directors, graciously for our students is unparalleled welcomed me. However, it was in any other school where I not long before I realized that have been a staff member. The From the outside, you I would soon transition from teachers at CHS, while having the traditional role of principal think you understand how high expectations, work with our and often, out of necessity, take students as individuals, doing special our students are, the role of CEO. In the role of their best to meet each student a CEO, the focus is more on where they are at a certain place but until you live it, you the vision and mission of the in time. When I listen to staff cannot truly understand school and less on the handsmembers describing interactions on work. At CHS, we employ with students it is often with how exceptional our over 700 staff members to concern, empathy and pride. student body is. create an excellent academic They take ownership of “their environment. It is important kids.” I have a belief that we do to me to stay involved in the not teach subjects to students, educational processes and to be i.e. world language, math or out in the midst of the activities of the school and, science; we teach students these subjects. While it most importantly, with our students. is a subtle change in wording, it changes the focus Because of the outstanding reputation CHS in the classroom and the culture of the school had throughout the community and state, I from subjects taught to a focus on our students. expected great teaching, prepared students and As we look forward to the future, our focus parental support, and that is what I found. While will always be on our students. Our school goals we often hear or read well-deserved accolades about are to create real-world experiences that will the wonderful accomplishments of our students prepare each individual for time after CHS and and staff, I discovered the brilliance and maturity to create a true culture of care for our students,

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10.18 level of our students. From the outside, you think you understand how special our students are, but until you live it, you cannot truly understand how exceptional our student body is. They embrace all the different opportunities afforded to them through academics, co-curriculars and extracurriculars to create an atmosphere of attaining what others might imagine is out of reach. While chaperoning my first CHS Homecoming dance, my heart warmed when I

staff and parents. While these goals are attainable, we understand that to move CHS forward we need to concentrate on building relationships with individuals and groups that will sustain the culture of excellence known as CHS, “The Home of the Greyhounds.”

As I continue through my second year, I take with me all of the amazing aspects of CHS I learned my first year and look forward A to our journey together.

DESIGN BY ALANNA WU

from your principal

In this letter, Dr. Tom Harmas shares insights from his first year at CHS WORDS | TOM HARMAS PHOTO | OLIVIA CHILDRESS

OUT OF MY ELEMENT | 07

WHEN HAVE YOU BEEN

OUT OF YOUR ELEMENT?

CHS students describe instances when they felt out of their element SPEAK UPS | ALINA YU PHOTOS | ADHI RAMKUMAR, MAECEY NIKSCH, SHREYA BOTHRA

SENIOR MAECEY NIKSCH “June of this past summer, I embarked on my first solo flight. As a gift for my 17th birthday, my family arranged for me to go on a trip to Boston to visit my aunt and uncle. And I was flying...alone. Although I am quite independent in nature, I was still rather apprehensive about soaring above the ground without anyone by my side. But if I hadn’t flown out of my element, I wouldn’t have flown at all. Once in the air, I was back in tune with myself, and it felt surreal.

I needed that lift to truly develop a sense of independence.”

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Junior Lydia Rusin “(At) any sporting event ever. I do not understand any, and I’ve played 14 sports! I’ve never been really athletic honestly. I played everything from tennis to basketball to ice skating (got kicked out of a few too). I rarely go to football games because I don’t understand any of the terminology used, and at this point it’s not really my thing. I’m into music and performing.”

Here, we explore the reactions our body most commonly experiences when embarrased or stressed Increase in heart rate

Headache

When your mind starts to consistently produce stress hormones, it can lead to overwork in the brain which in turn leads to headaches or migraines.

Contracted breathing or hyperventilation With stress and embarassment, hormones can cause the muscles in your lungs to tighten which can cause either a stop in breathing or hyperventilation.

Excessive sweating

Your body becomes nervous, that anxiety will make your body start rapidly producing sweat, commonly in the armpits or on the palms of the hand.

While your body starts to go into a frenzy, your heart tries to make up for it by pumping more blood around resulting in a higher beats per minute than normal.

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DESIGN BY ALANNA WU, HEIDI PENG, AMY TIAN

STRESSFUL SYMPTOMS

High blood pressure Stress hormones come into play here again as the hormones cause your blood vessels to constrict, which added alongside the heart rate increase, causes very high pressures.

Stomachache

Hormones produced from both events will also affect your stomach, as you start to lose your appetite, cramp and in general start feeling sharp pains in this section.

SOURCE//HEALTHLINE.COM GRAPHIC//BOWEN ZHOU

OUT OF MY ELEMENT | 09

FRESHMAN EMILY SANDY “When I don’t get enough sleep. Well, a lot of the time if I’m tired, I don’t perform as well at school, and I’m not as enthusiastic when talking with others.

A lot of the time I’m just in a daze and just trying to get by. I can remember a day where I spent all night studying, but none of that mattered, because I was too tired to take the test the next day.”

Sophomore Jenna Presley practices an aerial move at her gym. She said she enjoys the feeling of being free in the air and tangled up in the ropes.

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Q/A: AIR

WORDS | KELLY TRUAX PHOTOS | SAM KIM, AYMAN BOLAD

Sophomore Jenna Presley shares her thoughts on the hobby of aerial silks

When and why did you chose the hobby of aerial silks?

I think five years ago my mom had a groupon for (aerial silks). So, I went to try it and about three years ago I started doing it more seriously.

can see each other (grow) over the years.

Instagram has a lot of really cool people.

What is one challenge you face in aerial silks that outsiders might not recognize as a challenge?

10.18 How do you feel aerial silks fit the theme of being out of your element?

It’s not a usual thing for people to do tricks on two pieces of silk. So, I think (fits the theme) because of the (fact) that it’s fairly unknown to others.

What is your continual inspiration for participating in aerial silks?

The coaches especially are amazing and seeing other people (do aerial silks).

Since we’re all a really close community we

Probably the moves. Getting into new moves can be scary, so it’s a lot of mental things as well as physical. (However, the mental aspect), is the unknown side of the (aerial silks).

What is your favorite part of doing aerial silks?

It’s really fun and it’s a really free feeling when you’re up in the air. It’s so independent and you just get to have fun being tangled up.

WORDS | KAREN ZHANG PHOTOS | VERONICA TEETER

Q/A: WATER

Diver, senior Sarah Latona contemplates the sport of diving, the importance of water

Why did you decide to join the diving team?

I used to be a swimmer when I was little and I just really missed the water a lot and I really wanted to do a sport in high school...

When I was little, I used to watch all these TV shows about mermaids and I would be like ‘that’s me.’ When I was little, I was like a little fish because I just really loved swimming and I just think it’s so fun to float.

Sarah Latona prepares to complete a dive during practice.

Latona said she usually practices from right afterschool to 5;30 around 3 to 5 times a week.

What’s your favorite part about diving or being on the diving team?

I love the people and I just love the feeling of diving. It’s so fun, it gets really addicting. Like you wouldn’t think you’d love a sport that hurts you a lot but it’s really fun...You know how most people don’t like belly-flopping and how it kinda hurts? In diving you kind of keep going every time even though you smack a lot and you hurt yourself. But it’s so fun and feels so freeing to fly through the air that it’s so worth it and getting a good dive makes you so happy because you really earned it.

What’s your least favorite part of diving?

Smacking. It hurts. I’ve smacked like everything, it’s very interesting. But you get used to it and you build up pain tolerance.

You have to listen to the coach on things you can do to improve but at the end of the day, it comes down to you. You just have to try, again and again.

What has diving taught you in your personal life?

(Diving) has taught me how to be resilient and how to have fun and focus at the same time. It’s also taught me how to be more confident...I have more confidence in the the things I do and I’m more willing to try new things. I’m more confident just because you kind of have to when you fling yourself off a board...I have more body awareness (too). I persevere a lot more and I go farther than I used to.

DESIGN BY TARA KANDALLU

OUT OF MY ELEMENT | 11

Q/A: EARTH

QUESTIONS | RICHA LOUIS PHOTO | ANJALI NATARAJAN

DESIGN BY TARA KANDALLU

A racer practices laps over the weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Edwards said her father, the COO of Andretti Autosports, mainly works on the Indy 500.

Sophomore Zoe Edwards shares her thoughts on the racing community, her racing legacy How did your family get into race cars?

My dad was born right outside of London and he was a bit of a farm boy.

He took a gap year to work on his family friend’s farm and then in that year, he made up his mind to go into engineering.

For his last year of school, everyone did a project where they teamed up with a firm to engineer something for them, and he designed a race car. The race car was chosen to be actually made in the United States, and he was asked to go over to help work on the car he designed.

What a memorable experience from a racing event?

A couple years ago, it was the 100th running of the Indy 500 and my dad’s team had just brought on this new rookie, American driver Alexander Rossi, and I kind of knew that he was a good driver and he seemed like he was a very likeable person. But it was also my first time going to the Indy 500, so I didn’t really know what to expect. No one knew if Alexander had to (go to the) pit yet. Then he just won. Everyone just started screaming and cheering and then we ran down so we could

10.18 What is something you enjoy about racing?

I really love that the racing community is kind of like a family. Everyone knows each other and even as my dad has moved from team to team, we have still met some really amazing people that we have still stayed friends with. There’s also, of course, that exhilaration of watching the cars go around the track and the feeling of winning a race.

My (dad’s cars have) won the Indy 500 two times in the past three years. It’s just been amazing, that feeling of ‘Wow! We won,’ and (then) you run down to Victory Circle.

be there and see him, the trophy and my dad.

It was just one of the best moments of my life.

What is something you wish more people knew about racing?

Racing kind of has this allure of being this very glamorous world, but you don’t always get to see the incredible amount of work that goes on behind the scenes.

It’s really important to remember all the engineers, public relations management and everyone in the team that works to put that car out on the track and make a win.

QUESTIONS | RAPHAEL LI PHOTO | MADDIE KOSC, SARAH KIM

Q/A: FIRE

Engineering teacher Zachary Jones retells personal, student welding experiences How did you get started in welding?

I took welding classes when I was in high school, as well as where I grew up, working on different automobiles and farm equipment. Welding was a skill that was passed down. I’ve done various types because there (are) many types of welding.

At what point did you realize welding was your passion?

Well it’s not what I do. I’m an educator.

I get to show people (welding); it’s definitely a great skill to have, and I feel like working on a car is as well. I’ve always been a mechanically-inclined person. My family was that way, but I knew that it (was) something that you’ve got to keep and keep reinforcing for people to do because it’s also just a great career path for people. I’ve had students take an independent study class which allows them to select what they want to do and they practice a lot of different types of welding here. I’ve had a student place in a national competition just two years ago for welding.

You can go off and be an underwater welder and make over six figures very quickly. (You can be) a 20-year-old person making a lot of money if you’re good enough for things like that. It’s just one of those practical skills that I think are really useful, especially with improvement in modern equipment.

Welders aren’t very expensive. You keep them in your house. Knowing how to operate them and knowing how to operate them safely is the bigger issue.

Jones works on a welding project during school. He said he started to explore welding in high school, after his father taught him the basics as a child.

OUT OF MY ELEMENT | 12 What was the largest fire you have seen in this room?

Last year I had this student that wasn’t welding yet; he was cutting out his floorboard to weld a new one, and he had a glove box out of his car so all the insulation on the inside was exposed. That all caught on fire and burned big enough that it was coming up out of the dash. It cracked the glass in his car. The students reacted well. They grabbed a fire extinguisher and got ready for it, and they sprayed it down with a fire extinguisher. But the flame was (big) enough that they had to get the windshield replaced as well as having to tear all that stuff out under the dashboard.

BEYOND THE RICHES WORDS | RAIHA ZAINAB PHOTOS | TARA KANDALLU, VICTORIA MOSS

Many students, families still work hard for financial opportunities despite perceptions of affluence in Carmel

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very day after school, instead of heading home to do homework or to soccer practice, senior Delaney Battle heads to Cracker Barrel. For over a year, Battle has worked as a host at the classic American restaurant.

Working anywhere from 25 to 35 hours a week, Cracker Barrel has become like a second home for Battle. The polished wooden walls and the distinct smell of pot pies and overall feeling of nostalgia have become an ever-so-familiar sensation for her, as Battle spends her days and nights welcoming customers and spending time with her newfound family of co-workers.

Many of her school friends tell her she works “too much;” however, what they

she said she is careful to think about what she really needs versus what she wants, a distinction that has allowed her to be careful with how she spends her money. As she plans to pay for college on her own, all of her current savings directly correlate with her future successes.

“A lot of my friends have come into the life that they live by their parents handing them money and (their parents) telling them that they can spend whatever (they) want. They spend money like water, while I have to be very gentle with my money because my parents don’t just give me money for nothing,” Battle said. “It makes me sad, and sometimes, I’m like, I wish I could do that, but then I realize that I’ll be

10.18 don’t realize is that her job, more than simply another extracurricular activity for her college applications, is a lifestyle.

The money Battle makes from her weekly paycheck goes toward her college savings to fund her future ambitions and education, an endeavor for which Battle said she plans to pay by herself.

Since a young age, Battle has been learning the importance of working for her own money, a lesson that she said some students in Carmel often may not learn until later on in their lives. Every time she goes shopping or goes out with friends,

fine in the world because I’ll know how to manage my money.”

According to Battle, one of the main qualities people associate with Carmel is affluence. The spotless suburban streets, are lined with beautiful mansions and carefully-constructed roundabouts; the schools are filled with hundreds of resources and many of the nation’s best programs; the city is known for its upper-middle class community. This perception of wealth isn’t entirely untrue either; according to the 2016 Census Report, the median family income in Carmel is $106,546,

Victoria “Tori” Moss (center front), QuestBridge scholarship recipient and senior, salutes with Caroline Heyl, Zach Beeler, Izzy Topp and Will Culpepper (left to right) at an awards ceremony for a marching band competition. Moss is a drum major for the marching band and gets her fee waived by the Band Booster program.

DESIGN BY TARA KANDALLU

as compared to Indiana’s overall median family income at $52,314. Similarly, its poverty level is at a low 3.6 percent, which is 10 percent below Indiana’s overall poverty level.

However, while Carmel does have a relatively wealthy population compared to the general U.S. population, there still exists an often-unseen population of families who do not fit in with this traditionally-held perception of the

Carmel, she said, offers many resources such as a clothing closet, which offers a variety of styles and sizes of clothing for students who may need it, and scholarships for students to participate in extracurricular activities.

Senior Victoria “Tori” Moss is an example of someone that has been helped by both a CHS program and a national program.

On the national level, she has qualified for QuestBridge, a program that, according to its website, connects “the nations most OUT OF MY ELEMENT | 15

community. For example, at CHS, about 10.1 percent of students qualify for the Free and Reduced Lunch Program, a federal program that is available for families who are eligible according to the federal income guidelines.

While many people may not notice some of these underlying issues, Carmel’s counseling department has been working to ensure all students in Carmel have an equal access to opportunities.

According to social worker Sara Knoop, CHS offers a wide range of supports for students who may be struggling financially.

exceptional low-income youth with leading colleges and opportunities.” Similarly, Moss said she has found the resources provided to her in Carmel have helped her receive the same opportunities as the rest of her peers.

In addition to QuestBridge, for example, she said she also earned a need-based scholarship to be part of marching band at CHS. She said at Carmel, due to resources such as the counseling department and college prep programs, her family’s income level does not prevent her from succeeding in school.

Along with cases like Moss’s, Knoop said also works with students on a case-by-case

One of the resources the counseling department offers is a program called the CHS Backpack Program, which is available for any families that qualify for the Free and Reduced Lunch Program. Every Friday, a group of PTO members and student volunteers put together backpacks full of food. These backpacks are then given to students who are part of the Backpack Program so their families have sufficient food over the weekend.

According to Cindy Johnson, PTO member and CHS Backpack Program coordinator, the Backpack Program

you have friends who have all the nice cars and the technology and that kind of stuff.

That’s not really something that people talk about; it makes them a little more uncomfortable,” Moss said. “There are definitely students that are low-income; it’s just not really visible, and I think maybe that’s a good thing that people can’t tell what kids’ income is or what their parents’ income is. But I do think there is this unnoticed ongoing struggle of feeling surrounded by people who have access to nicer clothes or who have a car or their own laptop or the newest phone, and

DESIGN BY TARA KANDALLU

basis to connect them with resources and ensure that they can participate in any clubs or opportunities available to them at CHS. “Finances shouldn’t be a reason that somebody can’t do something, and you won’t be excluded here at a Carmel for those reasons. We’ll work and we’ll find a way to make it possible,” Knoop said.

has almost doubled in size this year as compared to the previous year. Johnson said she attributes this growth to the increasing awareness of the program, organizations or through the counselors and social workers spreading the word.

In the community, she said many people are unaware that food insecurity exists in Carmel, and in her role, she hopes to continue informing people about the issue.

“A lot of people are surprised about the backpack program and food insecurity. I think will be one of our biggest measures of success in the future: educating people and engaging additional individuals, school groups, and community organizations in our effort,” she said.

Due to the perception of Carmel being a wealthy community, Johnson said, people may not fully realize this problem still exists here just as it does in other communities.

She said, “I really have a passion for (helping) people that are experiencing food insecurity and that number is continuing to rise even in Hamilton County. I think there’s a perception that there’s not a need here, but there are Carmel families that can use nutritional support. Our need might not be as extreme as, for example, inner city Indianapolis, but there are still families that need assistance. I want to serve these families and make a difference in their lives, by contributing to students’ overall well being.”

However, being surrounded by people who are largely of an upper-middle class background, Moss said it can still be harder for lower-income students to fit in.

“You notice the difference but you’re not saddened by it; it’s something that you don’t really talk about, especially if

Numerous organizations support the Backpack Program by participating in food drives. Last November, CHS choir members donated a total of 2,578 food items to the program.

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trying to fit in with them. All of that can still be really challenging.”

Battle said she’s noticed this disparity as well. She’s often surrounded by peers who have access to fancy cars, nice clothing and the newest iPhones, items they likely did not have to work for. Yet, inside the wooden walls of Cracker Barrel, she’s discovered people who are more like her, people who are all working hard towards the same goal of making money.

And while she has had to struggle more

GIVING GLOBALLY

to afford some of the same things that her peers have, she’s found that through her job, she’s learned how to work hard and how to support herself in the world.

“It’s very empowering to have a job,” she said. “The concept of working for your own money gives that money more meaning, because you can look at your dollar and think, ‘I worked five minutes for that dollar’ or ‘I bussed tables and cleaned bathrooms for that paycheck.’”

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GRAPHIC // ADITI KUMAR SOURCES // FEEDINGAMERICA.ORG. CCS.K12.IN.US

Just as CHS has its own Backpack Program, Feeding America runs a global one. Learn about the process the organization undergoes to obtain food and how it is similar to our own program

45,000

Feeding America provides around children a week with backpacks to ensure they have food to last them through the weekend. Here are statistics and an explanation of their approach to provide that food Start Here

Foods that Nourish

Food Rescue

Food Safety

They make PSAs and use technology like Map the Meal Gap Tracker to raise awareness

Feeding America uses strict guidelines and a training program to ensure this

69 percent of food they provide align with USDA nutritional guidelines

Last year, Feed America and its partners saved $3 billion worth of food

Food Security

3 METHODS OF GIVING HEALTHY FOOD

Stop

Consumer Industries

Manufacturers

50B worth of food

Feeding America collects crops that may not have met cosmetic standards after harvesting time

2B worth of food

20B worth of food

Farmers

3 SOURCES OF WASTED FOOD

Example: Once General Mills snack bars had peanuts in them but were not correctly labeled.

Feeding America helped repackage and label them

The meals are then transferred into local food banks to be packaged into backpacks

OUT OF MY ELEMENT | 17 Mobile Pantries: provide food for underserved/hard to reach areas

Feeding America picks up all unsold food at the end of the day at consumer industries

Meal Connect: allows food businesses to make donations directly

Produce Matchmaker: connects growers and food banks faster, keeping produce fresher

In CHS’s program, donations are made and volunteers package the food for students

O U T

O F

M Y

C O U N T R Y

WORDS | VICTORIA NOPPORN PHOTO | APURVA MANAS

CHS student Linh Nguyen, mother June Cole compare perspectives as Vietnamese-Americans

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magine hundreds of Vietnamese children scraping away bamboo sticks with makeshift knives and their bare hands.

The sweltering heat and long hours smear their faces as they work for small bowls of rice and miniscule amounts of money for their entire family. This was what June Cole, Vietnamese immigrant and mother of junior Linh Nguyen, saw at the age of nine as the Vietnam War was taking over her country.

“I observed all of the bad experiences that happened back in Vietnam. Especially what happened to most of my friends’ families.

If they didn’t obey the dictatorship of the communists at that time, they could have been in big trouble,” Cole said. Fortunately, she was sheltered from full exposure to the war at her Catholic school, which, coincidentally, was where her journey of languages would begin.

“As soon as I learned about the paperwork that had to be done in order to go to the United States, I learned English,” Cole said. To do so, she joined an English-speaking club, where she would translate text from English to French

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and French to Vietnamese. As her English vocabulary grew, she would help around 300 Vietnamese immigrants come to America.

This was the start of Cole’s own process of moving to America. According to Cole, it took eight years for her to legalize all of her

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IGN BY ALANNA WU

SOURCE // KQED.ORG GRAPHIC // HEIDI PENG

FRESH START

Here’s a timeline of past immigration policies in the United States

1948 WWII refugees allowed entry to the United States under the Displaced Persons Act

1965

documents and immigrate to the United States.

Due to her trilingual education, she said, adapting to American culture was the main obstacle.

“Eight years is long enough for people, including myself, to prepare to immigrate. We learned the language and learned the culture.

Everything about America we would learn in Vietnam. So when I came here, I didn’t experience too many problems, ” Cole said.

In America, Cole started her new life as an American. Here, she gave birth to her children, including Nguyen, and raised them under Vietnamese principles.

“Linh and I disagree only once in a while, but at home I make the rules. They are American, but Vietnamese by blood. They have to speak the language at home, at least with their parents and grandparents,” Cole said.

Cole said, for the new generation of immigrants coming to America, she hopes for more gratitude in their attitudes.

“In some countries, people are not allowed to speak their mind or even practice their own religion. When (immigrants) come here, (they)

Immigration and Nationality Act repealed existing immigration quotas and established the modern immigration system

1982 In Plyer v. Doe, the Supreme Court ruled that undocumented immigrants have a right to public education

1990 The Diversity Immigrant Visa program or “Green Card Lottery” was introduced

1996 Punishment for illegal immigration was made more severe under Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act

2002 In response to 9/11, Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement were established

OUT OF MY ELEMENT | 19

2008-2012

will discover how powerful it is for a citizen of this country to be able to speak up without worrying that they will be sent to boot camps or prison,” Cole said. “So, (immigrants) have to have gratitude when they come to this country and not take advantage of things.”

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Deportations reached record level during President Barack Obama’s first term, with roughly 1.5 million people deported

2016-2018 President Donald Trump rose to power with his anti-illegal-immigrant “America First” platform

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Junior Linh Nguyen wears her mother’s traditional Vietnamese dress. Nguyen said being connected with Vietnamese culture is crucial to her.

On the other hand, as a first-generation child of immigrant parents, Nguyen said she believes understanding both values and languages opens up several opportunities.

“I think being a child of immigrants is very rewarding and unique, and anyone with two cultures has a different experience. I grew up in a Vietnamese-American household, so I had some Vietnamese culture as well as American culture from going to school,” Nguyen said. However, she said the dual experience comes many stereotypes and misunderstandings.

“There was one time when I was younger, when I told kids that I was Vietnamese. They started to learn about the war and how they would drop Napalm on the villages, and they would make jokes about that,” Nguyen said. “It was really rough because it really shocked me. It’s hard to look back, but in a way it made me stronger. I thought to myself that I’m Vietnamese and I should be proud of that, but it did hurt because (the kids) thought in a rude and disheartening way.”

Yet discrimination was not the only hurdle in Nguyen’s life. In her youth, Nguyen said she would speak more Vietnamese because she was around her parents frequently. As she started attending American schools, she became more influenced by the culture and English slowly became her go-to language.

“Now I speak more English than I do Vietnamese at home. I do feel bad about that because, as a first generation, I feel like it’s my duty to carry on the tradition. I really want to keep the language and culture alive because

10.18

the other first generation children and I are the last generation to have that traditional culture of Vietnam,” Nguyen said. However, she said she still stays true to her Vietnamese side through traditions she celebrates with her family. This includes the Mid-Autumn Festival, or “Tet Trung Thu” in Vietnamese, as

DESIGN BY ALANNA WU

FRESH OFF THE BOAT:

LEARNING ENGLISH

GRAPHIC // SAM SHI SOURCE // THE FOREIGN SERVICE INSTITUTE

Take a look at the average time it takes for non-English speakers to become fluent in English

Category 0: 0 weeks English

Category 1: 23-24 weeks (575-600 hours) Dutch, French, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish, Swedish

Category 2: 30 weeks (750 hours) German

Category 3: 36 weeks (900 hours) Indonesian, Malaysian, Swahili

Category 4: 44 weeks (1500 hours) Greek, Czech, Finnish, Russian, Polish, Hindi, Pashto, Persian, Thai, Khmer, Vietnamese, Hebrew

Category 5: 88 weeks (2200 hours) Arabic, Chinese, Korean *Japanese

well as the respect for the elderly emphasized in the Vietnamese culture.

“When my grandparents were still alive, we would go see them every weekend. In our culture, we respect the elderly a lot and we try to make time to go see and talk to them as

*Japanese speakers have a greater difficulty in learning English than other languages in category 5, but not enough to warrant a separate category

for you. I think (the first generation) should at least put in some effort into learning the language and showing respect to your relatives and parents because it’s important to carry on the traditions,” Nguyen said.

Overall, she said she will carry on the OUT OF MY ELEMENT | 21

much as possible,” Nguyen said.

She also said she hopes for a more culturallyintegrated first generation in the future. Her message to them is to understand what their parents went through for a better life.

“It is a privilege to be here and to have parents who will always support you and do anything

Vietnamese culture throughout her own life and to her children and grandchildren in the future. She said she values the culture she grew up with as well as the American culture that she knows.

Nguyen said, “I’ve just integrated a balance of both cultures into my life now which is what makes being a first generation so unique.”

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uS AGAINST THE ELEMeNTS Students, teachers consider impact of Hurricane Lane, recovery process WORDS | JOSIE CRUZAN GRAPHICS AND DESIGN | ROBBIE GE, GRAY MARTENS AND AMY TIAN Hurricane Florence recently hit the east coast of the United States, making landfall on Sept.

14 at 7:15 a.m. Hurricane Florence was a Cape Verde hurricane, meaning it was low latitude and passed over the Cape Verde islands in the deep tropics.

Meteorology teacher Mitch Kane said, “Hawaii is not actually that big, so it’s going to be picking up energy the whole time and dropping more moisture.” Florence dropped 35.93 inches of rain on the Carolinas and was the first major hurricane of the 2018 hurricane season. Thirty people died, and thousands are still displaced from their homes. Damages from Florence are estimated to be over $38 billion.

Relief efforts are still going on. Following the hurricane, Governor Eric Holcomb deployed the Indiana National Guard to aid with relief efforts

in North Carolina, as was done after both Hurricanes Irma and Harvey. Aside from Search and Rescue efforts, the National Guard is also providing a domestic response, working with live imagery and geospatial analysis to provide data to relief efforts.

In addition, the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund is a government-run fund currently accepting contributions.

Students and teachers can also contribute to relief efforts in many ways. Aside from donating to wellknown organizations like the Red Cross and the Salvation Army, students and teachers can donate to more local organizations like GlobalGiving and Cleaning for the World, which provide medical tools and equipment to areas affected by the Hurricane, providing both short and long-term relief efforts.

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SPIRAL RAINBANDS

Spiral rainbands are bands of thunderstorms within the hurricane that rotate counterclockwise and are used to predict hurricane movement

SIZE The average size of a hurricane is approximately 300 miles across

10.18

SAFETY CHECK

Learn the general rules of staying safe during all types of storms Keep a first-aid kit stocked with supplies such as a flashlight and canned food nearby for medical emergencies SOURCES//NOAA.GOV, WEATHER.GOV, UNITDATA.UCAR.EDU, ALLTHATSINTERESTING. COM, NHMU.UTAH.EDU GRAPHIC//MICHELLE LU

In general, secure doors and window and stay away from glass During and after a storm, avoid drinking tap water to steer away from harmful contaminants.

Concentrated Water-borne illness sewage and minerals through bacteria

6.2

EYEWALL

the average number of hurricanes per season

The eyewall is a band of storms surrounding the eye, and has the most intense winds

EYE

The eye is the calm spot in the center of the hurricane, and is typically 40-50 miles across

June 1 Nov. 30 typical hurricane season

BATTLE FOR ATHENS

In Greek mythology, both Poseidon and Athena gave gifts to the city of Athens to try to become its patron god. Athens chose Athena’s gift of an olive tree over Poseidon’s gift of a salt spring, and the angry Poseidon took revenge on Athens with a hurricane.

MEASURING HURRICANES Meteorologists can measure the intensity of hurricanes using the Saffir-Simpson scale

1 2 3 4 5

Wind Speed: 74-96 mph Storm Surge: 4-5 ft Wind Speed: 96-110 mph Storm Surge: 6-8 ft Wind Speed: 111-130 mph Storm Surge: 9-12 ft Wind Speed: 131-155 mph Storm Surge: 13-18 ft Wind Speed: 155+ mph Storm Surge: 18+ ft

OUT OF MY ELEMENT | 23

WORKING ELEMENTS THE

WITH

Students, teacher say freshman year significant in developing interest in chemistry

W

>

hen she first arrived at the U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad study camp in June, Iris Yan said she was intimidated. Yan, president of Chemistry Club and junior, was one of 20 students across the nation invited to attend the study camp. However, despite qualifying for this prestigious camp, Yan said she hasn’t been seriously studying chemistry for very long. She said her freshman year was a turning point in her interest in chemistry.

“I started doing (chemistry) the spring of my freshman year, so I had to make a conscious decision to put in a lot of work to make camp,” Yan said.

Her experience lines up with a study published by the Journal of Science Education and Technology. The study showed a trend of declining interest in science and technology beginning in middle school; however, it indicates that this trend can be turned around in 9th grade, which was the case for Yan. This could be due to the convenience of access to scientific resources in high school.

Nicole Segaran, Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF) participant and junior, said she has always had a passion for science, but ninth grade was still significant in shaping her interest.

Yannik Singh, Science Olympiad officer and junior, burns a fiber over an open flame. Singh said he enjoys learning chemistry and researching to further his understanding.

10.18 She said, “I started really getting involved in ninth grade, mainly because Carmel High School (CHS) has so many great opportunities that have to do with science.”

Segaran said she takes lots of AP science classes like AP Chemistry because she finds them enjoyable and interesting.

Virginia Kundrat, AP and honors Chemistry teacher and Chemistry Club co-sponsor, said she often gets to see the process of students becoming more interested in the subject. When she was in high school, however, Kundrat said she put off taking chemistry because her friends told her it would be difficult.

“It’s not always good just to listen to your friends. I got in chemistry and really loved it,” Kundrat said. “With AP Chemistry, a lot of students are wondering, (since) it’s a little bit harder than they first envision, (they think), ‘Maybe I shouldn’t be here,’ and I think a lot of them don’t realize they have the resources to succeed.”

Segaran was one of these students.

She said she does research at Purdue University’s biological department.

However, according to Segaran, when doing research, all of the sciences are interrelated; therefore, although she

>>

WORDS | ANGELA QIAN PHOTO | ANUSHKA DASGUPTA

>>

primarily does biology-related research, there is a lot of chemistry necessary for it to make sense.

Segaran said, “I do very well in understanding biology concepts, whereas chemistry is a completely different element for me. There are often times where I will have to understand concepts that are foreign to me, but that’s part of the great thing about science because (you get to learn) about something that you don’t know about.”

Yan and Segaran said attending events marked another pivotal moment in their interests in science. The study camp Yan went to was two weeks long with some of the top chemistry students in the nation. She was selected from thousands of students through two exams in March and April. Once she overcame the initial stress and began getting to know the other students, she said the camp and its selection process motivated her to achieve even more this year.

Segaran said her involvement in Intel ISEF evoked a similar response.

She said, “Seeing all of the cool

DESIGN BY AMY TIAN

JOBS OF NATURE

Take a look at examples of careers involving the four elements of nature

MARINE BIOLOGIST studies all types of sea creatures and can specialize in large ocean animals, all the way down to microscopic organisms

GEOLOGIST

interprets active geological processes of the past several million years of earth’s history

FIRE INVESTIGATOR assesses fire hazards and looks for issues that pose a risk to the public OUT OF MY ELEMENT | 25

things kids were doing with science, like kids were actually creating and researching on their own, that was really inspiring, and (I got to see) how kids my age were coming up with ideas that could change the world.”

According to Kundrat, it’s a good idea to study subjects like chemistry in order to develop a better understanding and appreciation for the world around us.

Kundrat said, “To me, some of the things of chemistry, because we don’t see the smaller molecular level, (are) like magic.”

A

AVIONICS TECHNICIAN installs and troubleshoots avionics equipment on fixed wing aircraft and is responsible for all the electronics aboard aircrafts

SOURCE // SOKANU.COM GRAPHIC // DA-HYUN HONG

THE DESIGN BY ALANNA WU

The Acumen featured CHS students of various talents in our “Specialty Switch� video. We then interviewed a few of the participants about how they first began; their responses are as follows.

Check out the video at: chsacumen.com/origin-stories/ 10.18

QUESTIONS | ISABELLA WHITE SUBMITTED PHOTO | JIWON YU What originally inspired your interest in art?

What inspired me to do art was, first, my mom. She worked in the textiles industry when she was young, so she already had a lot of artistic background and as I was growing up, she influenced me a lot. Also, my older sister was really into art and she would spend time teaching me how to draw, so it was also from her that I learned basic skills and really started to love the creative freedoms it gave me.

In what ways did you try to cultivate your artistic abilities toward the beginning of your career?

I attended an art club in elementary school, which was one of the first times I was able to be in an environment with kids my age who all loved the same thing that I did. On top of that, I also would sell my drawings to my friends around the time I was in middle school.

What was your favorite thing about art?

My favorite thing was the ability it gave me to create something so visually pleasing. Art was a place for me to kind of express myself. Even though that phrase

is a little overused, it’s still true. I found a lot of freedom and a lot of joy in art, and I think that is part of the reason I found it so attractive.

When you first started, what was your favorite art medium and has it changed since?

When I started, my favorite was watercolor because you can’t always be so precise about it and it also would take a long time to cover a large space. That time investment really made the end product so much more satisfying. Now, pastel and charcoal are my favorite art mediums because they are much more efficient.

They make it easier to cover up a large space in a short amount of time. Plus, they are much easier to use to add detail.

Can you describe the first time time you received recognition for your art?

I think that was around the time I first moved here. I did a Carmel district art competition where I submitted a drawing of my dog and I ended up winning. That was a special time for me because I had just moved really far from what I was used to, so this competition showed me that not everything had changed.

JIWON YU: ART CHAMPION OUT OF MY ELEMENT | 27

TONY OU: PHYSICS OLYMPIAD CHAMPION QUESTIONS | GRACE XU SUBMITTED PHOTO | TONY OU What’s the format of the physics competition you participated in?

When (the competition is) stationed in the United States, the contest I participated in is called the U.S. Physics Olympiad or the U.S. Physics Team. They hold a series of tests to select 20 of the best physics students, and they’re invited to this training camp. At the training camp, they engage in a series of

experiments, you can’t prepare for it unless you’re just doing the experiment. The first time I went to a training camp, I had no idea how to do any of it—like I’ve done ‘experiments’ before but it’s never at the level they do it. I would literally just sit there like, ‘What do I do? How do I do this?’

Is there anything outside of physics or

10.18 experimental exams and theoretical exams to select five individuals to represent the United States at the International Physics Olympiad, which I was a part of.

Have you ever felt out of your element during your physics journey?

There’s plenty of times. Even at the training camp, when you first go there, you’re surrounded by a bunch of people who are better than you, so it’s really intimidating. Especially when you’re doing

academics that you really enjoy or would like to try?

I think I’m taking a bit of a small break from (competition) physics, because after I’ve gone to International I can’t go again.

So I’m learning a bit of higher-level physics that I didn’t have time to go into before.

That’s one thing I’m doing now. Another thing that I’m interested in and that I’ve been looking into—I’ve started playing chess recently, but I’m really bad at chess, so it’s not going well. Athletics-wise, eh.

DESIGN BY ALANNA WU

DESIGN BY ALANNA WU

ZACH BEELER: DRUM MAJOR QUESTIONS | RIYA CHINNI SUBMITTED PHOTO | ZACH BEELER Can you describe what your position is?

As a drum major, I’m in charge of starting rehearsal every day and (making) sure we’re stretched out, ready to have a great practice, and also (conducting) the band when we run drill sets. So we all have podiums that we sit on in front of the band and do our thing, and also we just strive to be leadership models for the rest of the band because of our roles, so everyone else knows it’s time to be serious and get stuff done.

What was it like on your first day?

Pretty chaotic. There were two new drum majors and normally we have five and so we were basically down three. Me and these other new drum majors, we were trying to figure things out, but it was pretty difficult. Then we kind of picked it up further from there, just (with) more experience, but in the beginning it was pretty rough.

What was new about the transition into being a drum major?

So it’s really interesting because with marching band, it’s pretty much like you’re marching, and when you become drum major, it’s none of that.

It basically went from me doing all the physical work to actually teaching people how to be able to do it. So I didn’t really play as much or march at all very much, but I did kind of step up into (a) leadership role and (show) people how they can learn to march and play and improve on their skills and help the band.

Have you ever felt out of your comfort zone?

Yeah, I mean it’s kind of odd that I’m in charge of teaching my peers and people who sometimes are even older than me. Being in this position (where) people look up (to) you, especially when you’re a junior (or senior) in high school, it’s really weird.

OUT OF MY ELEMENT | 29

Bucket B u c ke t Here’s a list of the most extreme bucket list activities, according to students 1. Rock Climbing “We went to Sylvan Lakes, and we were climbing around on those rocks. I think the highest one we scaled was 150 feet, but it was natural climbing because you just put your feet and hands wherever there was a place. I was comfortable climbing up, but when we had to jump off, that I was when I kind of lost it. I burst into tears and was like ‘I can’t do this!’, but it’s something that now that I’ve done it I would definitely do it again because it was the biggest adrenaline rush I’ve ever had.”

- Joanna Thornburg, Sohphomore 10.18

2. Cliff Diving “We went to Ocho Rios, and there’s this place called Blue Hole. There’s different heights that you can do it at, so there’s 15 ft, 20 ft, 25 ft and 30 ft.

I was really scared at first, sick to my stomach, but it was so fun.”

- Emily Deldar, Junior

Scan to sign up for each activity

List Li st WORDS | ANGELA LI GRAPHICS AND DESIGN | TESSA COLLINSON AND AMY TIAN

3. Hang-gliding The sport of flying in a lightweight and unpowered aircraft that is carried by the pilot. Takeoff is usually done by launching the hang-glide and the rider into the air from a cliff or hill.

4. Skydiving Parachuting from an airplane for fun, and includes free falling, through the air prior to opening a parachute.

Skydives are typically carried out from 4,000 feet and offer 40 to 50 seconds of freefall time.

OUT OF MY ELEMENT | 31

5. Snowboarding “I snowboard and I go to Perfect North Slopes on the regular during the winter season. I enjoy snowboarding because it’s a great form of exercise and during the winter months, there’s not much you can do.”

- Joshua Kim, Senior

SOURCES//BRITANNICA.COM

“Being a fish out of water is tough, but that’s how we evolve.”

Kumail Nanjiana