Issue 4 by CHS Clarion

Clarion The

“A Clear Call Summons All”

InsideNow Online

December 17, 2013

Opinion

Feature

Sports

- p2 Charitable giving

- p4 Resolutions

- p2 Popular gifts

-p3 Cutting weight

Connersville High School • 1100 Spartan Drive • Connersville, IN 47331 • www.chsclarion.com • Volume 100 • Issue 4

CHS earns an ‘A’ “

State finally releases 2012-2013 school grade

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is still pushing to keep it at, or above, 90%, Judd added. Not only did the students have to work hard to earn the grade, but the teachers did, too. “They have to look at data and be willing to [possibly] teach dual credit,” Judd said. Since the school grade was an A, a school-wide celebration is being planned for the students and staff sometime in January, according to Judd.

oto illustration

ue to a delay caused by testing malfunctions in elementary schools during ISTEP, the 2012-2013 Indiana school grades were only recently released. For the first time, CHS has received an A. This is the second year the state has been giving schools letter grades. In 2011-2012, the school earned a B. With the new grading formula, first used by the state last year, an A is classified as a 3.5 or above, and CHS earned a 3.59. If this scale were used previously, CHS’ 2009-2010 grade would have been an F, so students and staff have come a long way, according to Media Specialist Kim Giesting. “We’ve had a steady rise over the past four years,” she said, “due to a lot of dedication and hard work.” While the A-F grading scale is similar to what students obtain, the determination of the grade was dif-

We’ve had a steady rise [in performance] over the past four years due to a lot of dedication and hard work. Kim Giesting media specialist

Kelsey Rowley ph

Managing Editor

ferent. In order to decide a grade, the state had to look at the school’s data, including ECA scores, graduation rates and the number of dual credit classes offered. They also factor in bonus points. For example, if a group of students doesn’t pass the ECA their first time, the school has a chance to earn bonus points if enough pass their tests before graduation. In order to earn the A, the school had to work diligently on improving test scores and keeping students interested. “You have to target kids who haven’t passed their tests,” Principal Randy Judd said. “We really work hard to keep students from dropping out.” Although the school earned an A, the state still sets goals that the school has to work on. “We need to raise our English 10 ECA scores. The state wants 90% passing; we currently have 79.9%,” Judd said. Even though last year’s graduation rate exceeded the requirement, the school

Seth Winstead &

Seth Winstead

AdvancED accredits high school FactBox

In their evaluation, the AdvancED team shared multiple positive observations, or “powerful practices,” that they noticed while here, including the following points. Leaders and staff deliberately and consistently align their decisions and actions towards continuous improvement to achieve the school’s purpose. Connersville High School prepares their students with the skills needed to become life-long learners and contributing members in a global society. All educators participate in weekly Professional Learning Communities (PLCs).

Seth Winstead

Managing Editor

dvancED, the national accreditation program, visited and evaluated CHS Nov. 12 and 13. Their results concluded that the school is up to par and will continue to be accredited. CHS was commended with 22 positives including the staff to student ratio, ability to prepare students for after high school, the

sense of community evident throughout the school, the one-on-one structure provided by guidance and the maintenance of the school. Along with the positives, there were three “required actions” the school needs to accomplish over the next two years. These improvements consist of implementing more differentiation, which is how teachers incorporate different methods to fit various learning styles; im-

Families have multiple ways of staying informed of their children’s learning process. The school uses a variety of resources to convey pertinent information: text messages, e-mail, school website, broadcasting (CHS Today), newsletters and Harmony. A consistent sense of community was evident throughout all groups in the support of the school’s purpose and direction. All improvement goals have measurable performance targets. The professional support staff does a superb job of collecting data.

Observing the third period journalism class, Lead Evaluator for the AdvancED external review team Angela Ruiz takes notes as a part of the school’s evaluation. Kathleen Marschand photo

proving student classroom engagement and re-evaluating how the school uses and applies gathered data. AdvancED is a nationwide voluntary accreditation program that looks at the progressions and statistics of schools and decides if the schools are where they need to be at as educational institutions. The program rates the school on a numeric system ranging from zero to four in categories including the school’s purpose and direction, governance and leadership, teaching, resources and how the school can use statistical results for improvement. An accreditation group, composed of teachers and administrators from around the state, visits schools every five years. They observe classes, browse data and conduct interviews with students and staff for two days. Although their time here was short, the preparation for their arrival was a much longer process. “We started

[surveying and dividing the standards] during second semester last year,” Co-Chair of the School Improvement Committee Vicki Long said. “Every teacher was on a standard committee, and they had to evaluate a standard and collect data to document it.” While here, the team looked at how teachers performed, how engaged students were in the classroom, how staff and students used resources and how well the teachers, administration and students used and applied collected data. Although the program is not mandatory, it is still helpful and an achievement to be accredited. “When students graduate and apply for college, they see [the student] graduated from an accredited school,” Principal Randy Judd said. The accreditation is not only beneficial to students, but it’s also helpful to teachers. “Every five years it provides us the chance to look at what we’re doing and self-evaluate,” Long said.

Feature

page 2 ‹ Clarion

December 17, 2013

Hot gifts for the holidays Keely Gill

Staff Writer

iPhone 5c

This colorful iPhone has a plastic back instead of metal like the generations before it. It comes with thumbprint recognition and

the option to update to iOS 7.4. The 16GB model is $99 and the 32GB is $199.

iPhone 5s

If it’s time to upgrade, the iPhone 5s base price is $199 for the 16GB model and $299 for 32GB. If one is looking for the maximum

amount of storage, the 64GB 5s is $399. The iPhone 5s is LTE wireless and has the fastest A7 chip, touch ID and an iSight camera.

Galaxy S4

This updated Galaxy device is equipped with a 13 megapixel camera, non-touch interaction, group play to make playing multi-player games easier with up to eight players and a 5-inch full HD display screen. Prices may vary, but on a two year contract with Verizon the phone will cost $249.

Xbox One

The Xbox One came out Nov. 22 and is the most updated game system at this time. The price is around $499 in local stores. It is equipped with an updated version of Kinect, voice control, the ability to multi-task much like Windows 8 and an 8 GB hard drive

Question&Answer “I want an upgrade for my computer, new shoes and rugged-wear gloves.” -Nathaniel Jauregui, 10 “For Christmas I would like some video games to play.” -Brice Knighton, 09 “I want everything from One Direction and Little Mix because they are both my favorite bands.” -Kailey Briar, 09 “I would be absolutely grateful for a new car.” -Kassye Hurley, 12

along with 4K resolution. The system can be used for several purposes such as watching TV, making Skype video calls, browsing the web, watching and streaming videos, opening files and photos, keeping fit and it’s original purpose of playing games.

PS4

Cheaper than the Xbox One, at $399 the PlayStation 4 is another highly popular game system this season.

Clothing Popular name brands this season are American Eagle, Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister, Miss Me, Victoria’s Secret and North Face. They’re all brands that are loved and wanted by people of all ages. Gift Cards According to CNBC, more than 80% of holiday shoppers plan to buy at least one gift card this season. American Express, Visa, Gap, Bass Pro Shops are hot cards this season, as are iTunes gift cards and cards from major department stores. Kindle Fire HDX

At $230, this Kindle doesn’t offer as many options and features as other comparable tablets, but consumers who purchase this item will get web access and

What do you want for Christmas?

“I want clothes, make-up and money.” -Marlene Stikeleather, 11

“I want an Xbox One for Dead Rising 3.” -Braydon Hudson, 10

“I want three new bikes and a factory video.” -Jaryn Williams, 09

“What I want for Christmas is a little money because I’m not really sure what I want.” -Chase Campbell, 11

“I don’t want much, but I want an artist manual with drawing, painting and sculpting techniques so I can work on art when I’m not in school.” -Katrina Austin, 11 “For Christmas I want video games because I just got a new game system.” -Tristan Pursifull, 12

“I want shirts from the online store that my favorite YouTubers have, and I’d like a new phone. ” -Lilli Stinger, 10 “I would like a husky puppy because I have always wanted one.” -Samantha Kampf, 12

Staff Writer

his holiday season, students have been contributing to bettering the community in many positive ways, some making donations of money and some donating their time. St. Gabriel’s church is hosting a giving tree. Tags on the giving tree list local childrens’ ages, sizes and needs. Participants choose a tag then buy and donate the gifts. “I really like the giving tree because it makes me feel like we are making

Collecting

donations for cancer victim Sydney Bowling’s family, Student Council member Shayley Bloom receives a donation during SRT from industrial technology teacher David Hobson. Stephanie Lane photo

a difference in the community,” sophomore Sierra Briner said. Times are tough for some parents; the gifts from this tree can potentially help brighten a child’s Christmas morning. “A lot of families benefit from the tree and wouldn’t have a Christmas without it,” Briner said. Baptist Temple did a scavenger hunt throughout Fayette County to give meals to the less fortunate. They took four meals and hid them in people’s houses, and members of the youth group had to find

them. “In order to get the thing we want, being the food, you have to complete a certain challenge. When you complete the challenge, you get the food,” sophomore Kenny Cox said. After that, the members met back up at the church and then delivered the four meals to the families. “It went really well, and we had a lot of fun with it,” freshman Mikayla Taylor said. Three freshmen in the mentoring program, Taylor Jones, Justice Brown and Alexa Todd planned to sing Christmas carols and read stories and poems at a nursing home in December. Even though they aren’t giving money, that’s not what it’s all about. “This is just something we’re doing to boost the residents’ spirits over the holidays,” teacher Nancy Jurmanovich said. Student Council sponsored a fund-raiser to assist Sydney Bowling’s family with funeral expenses. Bowling was nine years

iPad Air

The latest iPad, the iPad Air, is lighter and faster than previous versions. It has a 9.7inch Retina display, uses the fastest A7 chip and offers 10 hours of battery life. The base model with 16GB is $499.

iPad 2

The older iPad 2 is still available and comes in either black or white with a 9.7-inch LED backlit display screen. It is available in 16, 32 and 64 GB. It has front and back cameras and an accessory pack. This device can be bought on the Walmart website for $389.

iPad Mini

This smaller version of the popular iPad has a 7.9-inch Retina display and uses the new A7 chip. The 16GB model is $399. Older versions of the mini are still available at discounted prices. The older 16GB model is available for $299.

Toshiba

Satellite 2-in-1 At $529, this laptop is touch-screen and has a display screen which detaches and can be used as a tablet.

ChristmasWish List Other

11.3%

DVDs/CDs Bath & Beauty Sporting Goods

4.5 % 2.8%

24.3%

Electronics

Other DVDs/CDs Bath/ Beauty

11.3%

10.1% Games

35.8%

Sporting

Goods

Clothes Games Electronics

Clothes

246 SRT students surveyed

‘Tis the season for giving Stephanie Lane

the unique tech-support button.

Clubs, groups promote charitable projects for holidays

old when she lost her life to brain cancer. “[Student Council] wants to show them that the community supports them and we support them through everything,” senior Kenzie Carr said. They took donations on Tuesdays and Thursdays during SRT. “The first day we made $101, and that’s just from kids pulling money out of their pockets,” Senior Council member Halle Farris said. So far, they have raised over $250. People aren’t the only ones who need a little help this time of the year -- animals do, too. HELP the Animals Club held a pet food drive to benefit the no-kill shelter in Richmond. Sponsor Joy Davis delivered the donations. “We do a shelter donation each year. It is important because students need to not only give back to the community but to nature,” Davis said. “There are a lot of irresponsible pet owners out there, and we have an obligation to take care of

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It makes me feel like I’m doing good; I would want people to give money to me if I needed it. Madi Miller, 09

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the animals that aren’t being taken care of.” The club has one ongoing donation project, and next semester all students are invited to turn in clean, empty cans for recycling. All recycling proceeds help the shelters. Not all donations occur at school. “To give back during the holiday season, I give money to the people who ring the bells [outside supermarkets],” junior Jordan McGraw said. Charitable giving makes students feel like they’re doing the right thing. “It makes me feel like I’m doing good; I would want people to give money to me if I needed it,” freshman Madi Miller said.

Sports

December 17, 2013

Cutting

Clarion › page 3

WEIGHT

Weight loss measures prove hazardous; athletes take precautions to stay healthy

their concerns and can talk to them Staff Writer about how to gain hile some people will be or lose weight in looking forward to the a healthy way,” holidays and the food that Duncan said. follows, wrestlers will be A major motrying to watch their figures. tivation for some wrestlers to lose Anyone who has been around wres- weight is the hope to have a greater tling has probably heard success wrestling a lower about wrestlers trying weight class. Stacy Gato cut weight fast by Pediatricians are ronzik, a private clinical running in sweats and nutritionist and owner of trash bags, spitting to more likely to encounter First Class Fitness, says eliminate water, and try- patients experiencing that while dehydration is ing other ways to shed an issue, cutting weight pounds quickly, but weight loss problems in can also lead to poor conthese methods can lead centration in school, kidwrestling than in most to problems. ney failure, cardiac arrest “Pediatricians are other sports. and chronic tendinitis. more likely to encoun “The combination of Dr. Vito Perrielo, Jr., food restriction and fluid ter patients experiencing University of Virginia deprivation creates an weight loss problems in wrestling than in most School of Medicine adverse physiological efother sports,” according fect on the body, leaving to Dr. Vito Perrielo, Jr., an the wrestler ill-prepared assistant professor of pediatrics at the to compete,” according to the AmeriUniversity of Virginia School of Medi- can College of Sports Medicine. “Pricine. mary methods for weight loss (e.g., “The IHSAA is concerned with stu- exercise, food restriction, fasting and dent athlete health state-wide, and various dehydration methods) affect they have measures in place to be sure the body ‘s water and energy stores wrestlers are healthy if they are losing and lean tissue. These weight loss techor gaining weight,” Athletics Director niques are used by one-quarter to twoBrett Duncan said. thirds of wrestlers.” Heather Fry, a trainer from Fayette “The minimal calorie intake for Regional Health Systems, comes in to wrestlers of high school and college talk at the parent meetings for athletes. age range from 1,700 to 2,500 kcal/ day. She talks to them about hydration and Rigorous training may increase the reabout good nutrition. “She is available quirement by an additional 1,000 caloto talk to the wrestlers about any of ries per day,” according to the ACSM. Jordan Harris

“

”

Spartan Classic

Jordan Harris photo illu

stration

“You’ve got to eat five times a day--small meals. Eat lots of fruit and vegetables. Cut out all fast food and junk food. Drink lots of water. You can never stop eating because then your metabolism stops.“ Cody Steele, 12

“Basically, to lose the weight, eat more fruit. Eat less often and drink more water.“ Caleb Day, 12

“However, studies show that on the off-season, high school wrestlers have 8-11% body fat, well below their high school peers who average 15%. In season, wrestlers typically have 6-7% body fat.” The IHSAA makes sure wrestlers are at healthy. At the beginning of the season, wrestlers are tested and get a printout that gives their weight, their body mass index and their percentage of body fat. “According to the ISHAA, wrestlers are never allowed to drop below 7% body fat. The print-out tells a wrestlers their results and tells them the maximum amount of weight they can cut. There are 14 weight classes in wrestling and this printout tells them the minimum weight they can wrestle at,” Duncan said. The printout from the beginning

of the season also gives a date for any weight loss to ensure that weight loss is slow and healthy. “We want our athletes to be healthy. The date on the print-out ensures that no one tries to lose 10 pounds between meets,” Duncan said. “The best thing wrestlers can do is get to a competition weight and maintain it through the season,” said Mike Moyer, executive director of the National Wrestling Coaches Association, “Research tells us that the yo-yo effect of going up and down is a concern from a performance standpoint.”. “Weight training is a balance between nutrition and exercise, but the parents also have to be involved... They have to understand that being healthy and performing at a high level takes all year, not just [during the] season,” Garonzik said.

Wrestlers prepare for largest home meet of the season Megan McNally

Staff Writer

hile some indulge in sweets and relax this Christmas break, the wrestling team will be putting in extra time and effort to prepare for the Spartan Classic starting at 9 a.m. on both Dec. 27 and 28. The Spartan Classic began as an eightteam dual and has grown into an individual bracket tournament, usually having around 30 teams in attendance. The tournament is one of the largest and bestrun tournaments in the state, according to Head Coach Mike Bottomley. The tournament brings good competition while also bringing

“

The Spartan Classic is a good fundraising opportunity because the wrestling team doesn’t have very many fundraisers. Brady Parker, sophomore

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in money for the wrestling team. “The Spartan Classic is a good fundraising opportunity because the team doesn’t have very many fundraisers,” sophomore Brady Parker said. The tournament also gives the athletes the chance to meet new people. “You get to meet a lot of new people. There are teams we don’t see very much during the

year. It’s a good experience, and you get to meet new people,” Parker said. The team will have to stay sharp and maintain their weight throughout the holiday. “It’s a tough time of the year with the holidays. Really it’s a week of self-discipline to maintain your weight,” Bottomley said. In order to prepare for the tournament the team works hard throughout the season. “I prepare for it by going to practice and wrestling hard every day and by wrestling with kids who are good,” junior Dylan Shirkey said. He also says he tries to stay in good condition in order to do well in the third period where matches are won.

Pinning senior Caleb Day, junior Colton Gonzalez practices his skills after school. Megan McNally photo Hosting the tournament has a few advantages for the team. “The kids get a little more rest than the other teams, due to no travel time. Also, being at home may

give them a little determination to do well in front of their home crowd,” Bottomley said. It also gives the team a chance to scope out their opponents.

Although there is expected to be strong competition among the 30 teams, the wrestlers hope to have finishers at the top and to finish in the top 10 as a team.

Opinion

page 4 ‹ Clarion

December 17, 2013

Resolutions for school Staff Editorial

s the end of the year approaches it is time to not only look back, but to look forward. Every year is a new chapter in the book of life, a clean page. It is a time to set goals and reflect on what has worked and what has not worked in the past. As a school CHS also gets a new beginning, a chance to change things for the better. However, as 2014 arrives, students are still affected by bullying, students who blatantly ignore the R.I.C.H.E.R. principles and the lack of student involvement. Despite attempts by administrators to curb the bullying, some students still feel threatened, and some students still are verbally abused by other students. It is hard for students to blossom and learn in an environment where they do not feel safe. Every day some students refuse to do simple things that could make CHS a better place. Ignoring the R.I.C.H.E.R. principles, they have a complete and utter disregard for those around them. If a student were to fall in the hallway, one would be

50 40 30 20 10

Take a chance, join a club Variety of activities allows all to become involved

Nikk Lainhart Copy Editor

here’s certainly no shortage of clubs here at CHS. The number of students participating in these clubs, however, is falling at a dramatic pace. The clubs at CHS continue to be more and more diverse. If students are interested in a cultural experience, they may want to check out the three foreign language clubs: Spanish, French and Japanese. More academic students should seek out the Writer’s Club or the five academic teams: fine arts, math, social studies, science and English. The more musical students should look into the

Clarion The

Connersville High School 1100 Spartan Drive Connersville, IN 47331 www.chsclarion.com

Guitar Club, which just got a new sponsor, counselor Jaime Hamm. Animal lovers can join the H.E.L.P. the Animals Club, while the more athletic students can find a challenge in the Archery Club, as well as discussing their faith in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. These clubs and many more are open to interested students who come to their announced meetings. Only a few clubs such as National Honor Society and Student Athletic Council are by invitation only. To put it bluntly, clubs give some students a reason to come to school. Diehard members or players eat, sleep and breathe their activity of choice. Clubs have a culture of their own

The Clarion is a student publication serving as open forum for student expression at Connersville High School, where it is distributed to all students, faculty and staff. While the staff aims to provide a balanced account of news, opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of faculty, staff, administration or school board. The editor is solely responsible for the content.

by Alexis Jennings

“I’ve always written dark poems. I tried to write about a happy bunny, but it died.”

Alexis Jennings, 09

It was a lonesome day, A day as if the sun forgot to shine, Here I am, once again, To wait for the day to become mine.

O Death, for how shallow they claim, But you love us more than God, You give the redemption, None other could dare to trod.

I could walk as far as I saw, The road will end so soon, A long, painful silence, Accompanied by the dying moon. This was the moment I forgot, Childhood innocence faded away, I stood before the time gone dead, With closed eyes and a wish to stay.

I sat down to watch the sky fade, My dark angel by my side, And with unspoken words, She took me in her stride.

Her soft, bright eyes cried for me, Her arms out for her child to come, Yet, I was not ready, But my actions could not be undone.

The loneliest of all the world, With the task before in sight, I mourned in Death’s Black, Yet, Death herself wore Pure White.

She could not speak to me, Nor could I dare to try, Her voice would crack and break, If she told me I had to die.

To submit to Writer’s Corner students should attend Writer’s Club meetings in W165. To read additional student work visit chsclarion. com or scan this QR code.

Seth Winstead

Online Editor

Katie Bailey

Design Editor

Purest Color of All is Death

Managing Editor

Each month Writer’s Club members vote on a poem to publish in the Clarion. This was their selection for December. It is a character study it does not reflect the actual views or opinions of the author.

Editor in Chief Becca Seeley

244 SRT students surveyed

Writer’sCorner

and meetings break up the school day. It would be silly for a student not to seize the opportunity. It’s pretty much documented that colleges will look at just about everything students do throughout their high school careers. It always looks good if a student has a record of club participation. This shows the colleges that the student has a good record of commitment, a sense of community involvement and the drive to go the extra mile for their school. Most clubs ask for nothing more than your time, and they’re still accepting new members. Stay tuned to CHS Today: there are announcements every week or so regarding meetings.

“A Clear Call Summons All”

0 on

“As a resolution, I’m going to do what it takes to graduate and go to college.“ Alexis Wylie, 12

& w Fitn eig ess ht Bre a h akin ab g it F a rel mi ate ly d Ac ad em ic

“My goal for the upcoming year is to work out more to train for the National Guard. “ Wyatt Keegan, 10

Students should improve behavior as a resolution

Pe rs

“My New Year’s resolution is to get a career instead of just a job.“ Lucinda Isaacs, 12

What are your resolutions for 2014?

Sp go orts als

Question&Answer

hard pressed to find someone who would help them instead of just laughing at them. Students disrespect teachers and utter profanities when they don’t get their way. Some have a sense of entitlement: it is easy to see it on their faces, when they give dirty looks to each other in the halls as they pass one another. Some claim they never do anything wrong, even when they do. Lack of student spirit and involvement also impact the school’s atmosphere. Students still are not as involved in clubs and events as they could be. Clubs can be an outlet for those who feel as if they have no where to turn. Clubs and organizations can be a place where students who face bullying can grow and blossom. There are three things students can do to change this. As a 2014 resolution, students can curtail bullying and work harder to follow the R.I.C.H.E.R. principles of respect, integrity, caring, harmony, excellence and responsibility. They should try to remember that the staff is doing their best to help every student succeed. Additionally, they should get involved in clubs and events to promote spirit.

Riley Masters

Staff

Sierra Briner Keely Gill Jordan Harris Ali Hostetler Stephanie Lane Megan McNally Emmett Sandoval

Copy Editors

John Isaacs Nikk Lainhart

Principal

Randal Judd

Adviser

Lisa Morris