Issue 6

Clarion The

“A Clear Call Summons All”

InsideNow Online

March 21, 2014

Opinion

Feature

Sports

- p4 Spring play

- p2 Dress code - p7 Motocross

- p4 Showing pigs - p5 Spring break

Connersville High School • 1100 Spartan Drive • Connersville, IN 47331 • www.chsclarion.com • Volume 100 • Issue 6

CHS Today receives new set Fox News donates used set for student media use

Gill McDonald

F

Staff Writer

or the past 25 to 30 years, CHS Today has been using the same set for their broadcasts. However, thanks to a donation from WXIX Fox News 19 in Cincinnati, CHS Today debuted a new set March 4.

Fox 19 was replacing all of their news sets, and sports anchor Betsy Ross emailed CHS Today producer Joe Glowacki to ask if he wanted the old weather set.

When he received the email, he immediately responded. “I couldn’t type fast enough,” Glowacki said. “I said, ‘We’ll take anything. If it is attached, we’ll take it apart.’”

Ross is a 1968 CHS graduate and she knew Glowacki because “she did her student teaching here when she got out of Ball State. This is where she got her interest in television, and she felt we needed [the set],” Glowacki said.

“She was right.” If the station hadn’t donated the set, a new set could have cost between $150,000 and $200,000.

The donated set was five years old and was Steve Horstmeyer’s weather set.

Fox 19 gave other sets to Xavier University and to a

Rehearsing on the new set, seniors Jake Hackleman, Caleb Day and Avery Seibert prepare for the CHS Today show. The new set was donated by WXIX Fox News 19 in Cincinnati. Joe Glowacki photo high school in Ohio.

“Of the sets they were donating, this one was the one we really wanted because it has a side that looks like a sitting area for interviews,” Glowacki said.

Glowacki, City TV3 Director John Pause and CHS Today alumni Ben Huston, Justin Roberts and Devin Hamilton traveled to Cincinnati to pick

up the set Feb. 28. The set came in about 50 pieces, and Glowacki, Pause, David Pflum, Principal Randy Judd and Chris Glowacki spent 12 hours putting it together March 1.

The cameras had to be set up slightly differently, according to Glowacki, but not much else had to change.

“We changed the way we did our graphics. In-

Cutting the weight Proposal will lower grade weighting

Seth Winstead

R

Co-Editor in Chief

ecently, proposals have been made that aim to reduce the number of credits required to graduate, allow early graduates who meet all the requirements to be honor grads and to lower the weighted grading system.

Currently, students need 46 credits to graduate from CHS. Under the new proposal, students will need only 40 credits to graduate with a CORE 40 as defined by the state. They will still need 47 credits for technical or academic honors.

According to Principal Randy Judd, this will match the state’s requirements and may help seniors stay on track to grad-

uate on time.

Current policy does not allow students who graduate early to be honors grads.

With the proposal, students who meet all the requirements will be allowed to do so with the principal’s approval.

Updating the grading system has been under discussion since September. The Weighted Grades/ Credits for Graduation Committee recommends the change in order to eliminate grade inflation, make the weighted scale fairer and to comply with the requirements of college admission offices. “[Colleges] were seeing a discrepancy between GPAs and SAT scores. [The GPAs] seemed inflated,” Guidance Director Jaime Hamm said.

The Early College High School Committee rec-

ommended that all of the school’s dual credit classes be weighted. “It’s something a lot of other ECHS schools are doing to promote the program. It gives incentives to students to take the classes by weighting them [along] with the college credit,” Hamm said.

If this proposal is approved on April 8 by the School Board, the only classes that will be weighted are dual credit and AP classes. At most, they will be weighted by 0.3 of a point. These weighted classes will help determine class rank.

“We wanted to give a clearer picture of student achievement to their college admission offices,” committee member Ben Felver said.

“The students who take more rigorous classes will have a higher class rank.

stead of using pictures for the background, we’re going to use titles,” he said.

With the new set, Glowacki thinks that there will be a different attitude towards CHS Today. “Even [the debut] show looked a lot more professional,” he said. “You know, we don’t have a high school junkylooking set anymore. It’s something to be proud of.”

Glowacki thinks the set will give the students more pride in the class. “We have a professional set now, so now we need to act a little more professionally instead of high school-ish,” Glowacki said.

Ross and Horstmeyer were on hand for the dedication ceremony, March 17.

CHS Today continued on page 3

Pending Proposals 40 credit diploma The number of credits required to graduate will drop from 46 to the 40 credits required by the state.

Early honor grads Students who graduate early could still be honor grads, if they meet all the requirements and receive principal’s approval.

Weighted grades & GPAs Only dual credit and AP classes will be weighted and only by 0.3 of a point.

At the same time, it will give colleges a picture of what students are actually achieving in their courses,” Felver added.

While Enriched Sequence, or ES classes, will not be weighted with the proposal, it’s still recommended that students take them. “Those classes will help prepare students for classes later on. You’re still going to need them for prerequisites,” Hamm said.

While there were concerns coming from colleges, there were also problems with currently weighted classes. “We have some classes that are weighted that shouldn’t be, and some that are not that should be,” Judd said These proposals will be discussed and voted on at the April 8 board meeting.

If approved, these proposals will go into effect for the 2014-15 school year.

At the March

11 School Board meeting, Principal Randy Judd presents proposals concerning the high school.

The main proposals concerned lowering the number of credits needed to graduate, allowing early grads to receive honors and changing the school’s weighted grade policy. Katie Bailey photo

Opinion

page 2 ‹ Clarion

March 21, 2014

Just give vandalism a break Staff Editorial

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magine going into your house and seeing a principal jumping on your couch and knocking everything over. Think about how mad you would be when you had to clean up the mess and spend time picking everything up when you definitely havebetter things to do.

This is what school vandalism is like for the custodial staff. When a student vandalizes something, a custodian has to take the time to clean up whatever the student did, and administrators have to take the time to check the cameras to see who did it so a punishment can be given.

The biggest vandalism problems have involved the vending machines, walls, desks and mirrors.

There have also been issues with the trash in the cafete-

ria and courtyard.

It takes the custodians extra time to clean up these unnecessary messes and takes time from their normal duties, which puts them behind in their work.

The vending machines are really important to the people who use them.

When a student breaks one of them, snack time before or after lunch is ruined.

Within 24-hours after the newest vending machine was installed, a student shattered the glass.

The glass front was then replaced with plexiglass so no one could be hurt, but now vandals have worked to damage the plexiglass, too. Since then, the machine has been broken two more times. This is why we can’t have nice things.

Once the machine has been broken, the custodians have to empty the machine.

They also have to clean up any mess, order new plexi-

Question&Answer “They should be suspended, or if it is really bad, expelled.“ Jill Batton, 12

glass and put it in. It usually takes a few days to a week to fix the machine, which means that there are no snacks available during that time.

Besides breaking vending machines, some students write on the walls and on desks. Custodians usually wipe up or paint over these messages before anyone sees them, so it isn’t like the student has accomplished anything.

However, again, this is a waste of the custodians’ time. Not only do students write on the walls and desks, they also write on the bathroom mirrors.

Additionally, they carve in words to leave a permanent message.

Etchings on the bathroom mirrors can’t be fixed with a special cleaner. The school has to buy new mirrors and take the time to install them. Girls need to be able to see themselves in

Sarah Repp illustration

the mirror to fix their hair and makeup. It isn’t cool to go into the bathroom and see a reflection blocked by initials or huge scratches carved into the mirrors.

Even littering can be considered vandalism if the littering is bad enough.

Students should have the courtesy to pick up their own trash, especially in the cafeteria and courtyard.

During the cell phone trial, a pile of trash was left behind in the cafeteria after last lunch. At a time

when students were asked to be responsible with their phone use, they showed their irresponsibility by not taking the time to throw away their own trash.

The custodians work hard to keep this school clean and neat. Students should appreciate their campus and try to not mess anything up and create extra work for the custodians.

Students should take pride in having a clean school environment and helping keep it nice for others.

What do you believe the punishment should be for those who vandalize the school?

“Students who vandalize should get three-day suspensions. “ Alex Cirino, 10

“Those who vandalize the school should get detentions.“ Garrett Beaty, 11

“The punishment for those who vandalize the school should be suspension. “ Katelyn Garrison, 09

Students: dress for success not a mess Staff Editorial

W

ith the weather warming up, it is time for students to remove the vast layers of warmth that they

Lauren Friend illustration

Dress code violations rise with spring weather

Clarion The

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

donned this winter. With the removing of layers, there are some who remove too much. Just because it is warm outside does not mean that it is okay to wear one’s swim-suit or bare all

in a school setting.

Clothes can be a way to express one’s self, but school isn’t an environment in which a students can dress in their birthday-suit.

According to the CHS student handbook, students can’t wear clothes that bare midriffs, or shirts and tops that are revealing.

This means, girls, no matter how cute your belly button piercing is or how adorable your bra is, no one needs to see it.

As the temperatures rise, students should remember the handbook says that all shorts and skirts need to be at least mid-thigh.

Also, students can’t wear skin-tight clothes, tank

“A Clear Call Summons All” 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.

tops, halter tops or shirts that bare the shoulder. That means say goodbye to yoga pants, camis, tank tops and “wife-beater” shirts.

Boys have rules, as well.

Boys cannot wear tank tops or T-shirts with the entire sides cut out. Also, they can’t wear pants that sag below the waist, meaning that no one needs to see your boxers, boys.

Rules are rules, whether students agree with them or not. Yet it can be a problem when enforcement of the rules varies depending on which staff member one encounters.

This inconsistency with the follow-through can leave students confused.

Editors in Chief

Katie Bailey

Seth Winstead

Principal

Randal Judd

Adviser

Lisa Morris

Staff

Kara Dye Dakota Firsich Cara French Jordan Harris Ali Hostetler Gill McDonald

Some students get away with wearing shorts that are too short and tight yoga pants even though technically they are against the rules, and sometimes boys still sag their pants and there are no repercussions.

Students can help end the confusion by having a sense of decency in their choice of clothing. No other student really needs to see someone else’s underwear or excessive cleavage.

Students shouldn’t be exposing themselves so much, whether it is one’s pants sagging or one’s shirt cut far too low. We need to cover up, CHS, and not “flaunt what your momma gave you.”

Michael McMillan Megan McNally Katie Moffitt Lilli Stinger Erica Valentine

News

March 21, 2014

Clarion › page 3

SADD club reintroduced New club promotes good decisions

Katie Moffitt

Staff Writer

A

dministrators and teachers have always encouraged students to make responsible decisions at school, while driving and in the community. That is the goal of the new SADD club, too.

SADD, a national group, stands for Students Against Destructive Decisions. According to the SADD.org website, SADD provides “peer-to-peer education, prevention and activism” to prevent destructive decisions, “particularly, underage drinking, other drug use, risky and impaired driving, teen violence and teen suicide.”

Though the club was just recently introduced, school counselor and sponsor Ann Shannon has many things planned for the club.

One of her primary goals is for the club to have an activity every month. They will have meetings weekly or biweekly and will deliver their message through posters, statistics and CHS Today announcements.

Last week, Shannon asked Team Lead members to wear neon SADD shirts to promote the club. The shirts reminded students that texting and driving claims 11 teen lives daily.

“

I’m just going to be a sponsor. I’m going to be there to rally them together. Ann Shannon, sponsor

”

The club must be student-led, and Shannon hopes many students will be interested in joining. “I’m just going to be a sponsor. I’m going to be there to rally them together,” Shannon said. She believes the students should take charge of this project since they are the ones this is about.

CHS had a SADD club about 10 years ago. The idea to re-introduce this club at CHS came from the Communities That Care organization.

Communities That Care gathers anonymous survey data from Indiana teens on topics including driving and collisions, teen substance abuse and violence.

The school is developing a partnership with the organization through SADD. When Shannon saw some statistics about teen driving and collisions, she said she was shocked by the number of them that were

ISTAR awards presented Michael McMillan Staff Writer

T

hree seniors and three teachers were recognized March 6 at the annual Indiana Student Teacher Academic Recognition ceremony held at Lincoln High School.

This year’s ISTAR recipients were Madison Fain, who chose retired science teacher Kathie Hilbert as her ISTAR teacher, Rachel Johnson, who honored science teacher Maurice Green, and Emma Ross who recognized math teacher Kim Duncan.

The students each received a plaque then presented a plaque to their chosen teacher. The students spoke about why they selected their teachers.

The students and teachers said this was the highlight of the program because both students and teachers received positive feedback.

All seniors in the top 10% of their class received a letter inviting them to ap-

caused by bad decisions.

SADD hopes to influence students enough to make these percentages go down. Shannon hopes students in SADD will be strong promoters of positive decisions.

“I joined SADD because I see problems at our school and want to help people so

they don’t choose to make the wrong decision,” senior Kathleen Marschand said.

If they believe in its purpose, any student can join SADD. A call-out meeting was held March 13, but if students missed it, they can attend the next meeting April 29, in the Lecture Hall during SRT.

responsible decisions, Kathleen Marschand, Maggie Carpenter, Mikayla Gaines, Autumn Day and Courtney Phillips take part in the first SADD meeting. Eleven students wore the shirts each day to represent the 11 teens killed daily by texting while driving. Katie Bailey photo

Listening to club information from

sponsor Ann Shannon, sophomores Zachery Grothe and Breydon Thompson attend SADD’s call-out meeting March 13 in the Lecture Hall.

The next meeting will be April 29 in the Lecture Hall during SRT. Katie Bailey photo

CHS Today

Continued from page 1

“

It was a great honor and it meant a lot to know my caring about students was appreciated. Maurice Green, science teacher After the ISTAR ceremony March 6 at Lincoln High School, Connersville’s recipients display their

”

plaques. ISTAR award winners were seniors Emma Ross, Rachel Johnson and Madison Fain. They recognized teachers Kim Duncan, Maurice Green and Kathie Hilbert. photo courtesy of Randy Judd

ply for the ISTAR honor.

Students filled out applications listing their school activities, leadership positions, community involvement, work experience and recognitions and awards.

At the same time, they each nominated one teacher or administrator from grades K-12 who had an impact on their lives. A committee then selected three students and their chosen teachers to be honored.

The teachers chosen appreciated the award. “I feel honored that a student thought I had an impact because as a teacher that is what you are hoping for,” Duncan said.

In “I AM DEAD” shirts to promote

“It was a great honor, and it meant a lot to know my caring about students was appreciated,” Green said.

Green said he admires Johnson for being a great student. “She is a great young lady with great character and a great work ethic. I’m proud of her for giving back to the community,” Green said.

Duncan thinks Ross is an all-around great student. “She is a really hard worker and exemplifies the R.I.C.H.E.R. principles,” Duncan said.

Fain explained why she chose Hilbert. “I picked Mrs. Hilbert because she

is one of the most caring and compassionate teachers I’ve had. She made sure that each student had the tools to succeed,” Fain said.

“If I had any part in directing Madison into science, then I am really proud. Because of the caliber of all the teachers she has had, I’m honored that she chose me. I was especially honored because she thought of me after I retired,” Hilbert said.

Eight area high schools participate in the ISTAR program: Lincoln, Tri, Rushville, Centerville, Franklin County, Union County, Hagerstown and Connersville.

The students are excited to have the new set. “It makes us want to actually do the news rather than [when we had the] old one because the old one wasn’t as professional,” senior Clara Clark said.

“The old one had no walls, no depth, no background, no scenery, and the new set seems kind of like a news set,” senior Michael Klein said.

“People are actually going to watch now because it looks professional, and the other one was kind of just a piece of wood,” senior David Plont said.

The set is deep enough to do interviews on the set now. Glowacki said the beginning classes used the set with their interviews, and it looked more like a professional interview show.

“We can use the little area with the Spartan head as a limbo, a piece of the set which is used away from the rest of it.

There’s a little area in the back with two desks, if we want to do something [with that]. There are about five or six sets, so that’ll look totally different,” he said.

According to Glowacki, the only challenge with this new set is keeping students from mistreating it. He wants them to respect it so it will look good for years to come. “Students aren’t to be on the set it except when we’re doing the [show],” Glowacki said.

“I was glad to be able to help this donation occur,” Ross said. She told students to “use the set well, because now you have a set that is better than most college broadcast sets.”

Feature

page 4 ‹ Clarion

March 21, 2014

This little piggy Greiner shows champion pig at national show Megan McNally

W

Staff Writer

hile some students spend their spring break on the beach, sophomore Kalin Greiner will spend her time preparing for the upcoming livestock show season.

Competitors spend hours preparing in order to show their animal to the best of their ability. This month, Greiner will go to sales in order to buy a new pig to show.

Then, later in April she will begin the show I can’t imagine season.

Greiner startdoing anything else ed showing pigs with my life [other] than at the Fayette County Free showing pigs.

Fair when she was eight and Kalin Greiner, 10 has been participating in shows ever since.

“I started showing because I grew up around agriculture and my dad showed pigs. Ever since I stepped into the ring I was hooked,” Greiner said. “It’s the drive and competition. Once you develop a passion for it, you can’t stop.”

Showing usually requires the help of others; therefore, it can be a unique bonding experience to share with friends and family. Greiner shares her love of showing with her dad, who also showed pigs with his dad as he was growing up.

Showing animals takes hard work and dedication to become the best. “I’ve learned that hard work pays off. It may take time, but it does pay off. It’s time-consuming and you have to be willing to work at it,” Greiner said.

Preparing the animal at the time of the show is key; putting in time and hard work before the show is also necessary.

“I go out to the barn every night and work with the pigs. At home I have to clean pens and feed, water and walk the pigs. To get them ready to show you usually clip

Question&Answer Why do you enjoy showing pigs?

“It shows you not everything is about winning; it’s about having fun.“ Layne Baldwin, 09

“

“I enjoy it because it has always been in my family. It’s something that we have always done together. “ Katlyn Bottomley, 12

”

“I enjoy [showing] because I get to spend the summer with the pigs and my family.“ Megan Snyder, 10

them, wash them and use products to make them shine. I walk them at home and work with them on turning and keeping their heads up with the whip,” Greiner said.

Once at the show, competitors are stressed while trying to take care of last minute details before entering the ring.

“At the shows a lot of time is also put in.

We have to check in and do everything else in a short matter of time,” Greiner said.

Greiner is starting to prepare for the upcoming show season, where she will show almost every weekend till the end of June.

She participates in shows around the state and has travelled to a few national shows.

“I show at the National Junior Summer Spectacular in Louisville, the first week of July every year,” Greiner said. She plans to travel to Des Moines, Iowa, in June for the World Pork Expo Junior Nationals.

At the Indiana State Fair, sophomore Ka-

lin Greiner shows her Reserve Champion Chester Gilt named Chestnut during the drive. photo courtesy of Kalin Greiner

Hog Heaven Champion Landrace Market Hog NAILE 2013 7th Overall Intermediate Showman NAILE 2013 Champion Landrace Hogtoberfest 2013 Reserve Champion Chester Gilt Indiana State Fair 2013 Champion Chester Showman Indiana State Fair 2013 Reserve Grand Gilt Fayette County Fair 2013 Champion Senior Showman Fayette County Fair 2013 5th Overall Intermediate Showman NJSS 2013 Multiple class winners/breed champions/ reserve breed champions IJSC 2013

Japanese classes attend J.O.I. event

Play title revealed

Staff report

Kara Dye

Staff Writer

W

ith the cast of 13 already chosen, the spring play is The Butler Did It. The play is a comedy murder mystery about a murder at an English dinner party.

This particular play was chosen because the selection committee thought it would be fun for the students. It also has a smaller set, which is easier for production, according to drama director Suzi Brown.

After try-outs, the lead roles in the play went to seniors Brandon O’Brien, Michael Klein and Suzanne Seibert, juniors Autumn Megendoht, Sarah Repp and Charles Precht and sophomore Ashleigh Poe.

Greiner has received awards such as Grand Champion Gilt at the Fayette County Fair, Reserve Champion Chester Gilt at the State Fair, as well as Champion Landrace Barrow at the North American International Livestock Expo in Louisville.

Showing has an impact on one’s life. Agriculture teacher Michelle Rexing says raising animals is a life-long passion. “Growing up on a farm where I worked with livestock taught me to respect life, work hard and be responsible,” Rexing said. “[Showing has] made me the person I am today and helped me gain a lot of lifelong friendships. I couldn’t imagine my life without [it],” Greiner said.

Greiner plans to continue to showing in the future. “I plan on raising show pigs and eventually I want my own kids to show as well.”

One of a cast of 13, sophomore Ashleigh

Poe rehearses her part in The Butler Did it on stage in the Robert E. Wise Center. The play will be held on April 25 and 26 at 7 p.m. in the Wise Center.

The play will show a third time on April 27 at 2:30 p.m. Kara Dye photo

The cast will practice for the next five weeks on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays for two hours.

Performances will be held April 25 and 26 at 7 p.m. in the Wise Center. A third show will be April 27 at 2:30 p.m. Tickets may be purchased in advance at the bookstore or at the door. Tickets will be $8 for adults and $5 for students.

Seventeen students from all four levels of Japanese went to the Japanese Olympiad of Indiana at Indiana University, Feb. 22 to test their knowledge and experience Japanese culture.

J.O.I. is an annual one-day competition where students who study Japanese answer questions from categories including Japanese grammar, culture, history, Kanji (Chinese characters), Katakana (foreign words), proverbs and onomatopoeia.

Although students from all four years of Japanese went, first year students weren’t allowed to compete. Nine students competed, while the other eight went to observe.

Students spent two months preparing for the competition. They met

Japanese language students attended that Japanese Olympiad of Indiana Feb. 22 Front row: Sakiko Herai, Trea-

sure Isaacs, Sarah Burk, Anna Klitch-Harrelson, Dakota Firsich, Sachiko Kawakubo Row 2: Rustina Raines, Alexis Barker, Kat Gillis, Autumn Mengedoht, Kelsey Lemen, Katlyn Combs, Devon Zane. Row 3: Kayleen Bell, Reili Godar, Amelia Amrhein, Devon Speers, Devin Bailey, Jacob Guttman. photo courtesy of Sachiko Kawakubo

once a week after school and studied the material with help from Japanese teacher Sachiko Kawakubo.

They studied on their own outside of school, as well.

When not competing, the students could participate in traditional and modern Japanese cultural activities like watching a

Japanese movie, drawing and playing traditional Japanese games. “[The students] gained knowledge beyond classwork. They have to go far beyond what they learn in class,” Kawakubo said.

Ten schools from around the state attended, and 113 students competed.

Feature

March 21, 2014

Clarion › page 5

School breaks for spring Countdown in its final hours; anticipation of free time and freedom high Lilli Stinger Staff Writer

A

ll winter, students have been counting down the days until spring break.

Now, they will count the minutes till the 2:55 p.m. bell. Whether they leave the state or have a staycation at home, students look forward to finally having free time after the first four weeks of the extended schedule.

Some students, though, aren’t just going to be sleeping in late or seeing the ocean. In the case of a few, they’ll be saying goodbye to the United States all together. Senior Rainie Grant Rainie Grant, 12 will be traveling to France with eight other students from her French class. “[We will be gone] nine days; two of them for travel,” Grant said. She and her companions will be visiting Paris and Village Troglodyte. “[I hope to] hit all the tourist spots of Paris and go French shopping,” Grant said.

Senior Morgan King is also leaving the U.S. She’ll be traveling to a private island in the Bahamas with five other students, including senior Ellie Branson. “This is my first year [going to the Bahamas],” King said. “We’ll be gone for five to seven days on the cruise.”

Question&Answer

Not everyone will be saying goodbye to America over spring break, though. Plenty of students are just leaving the state in favor of warmer weather. Freshman Chase Keller will be going to South Carolina over break.

“I’ll only be gone for three days, [but] I’ll be racing gokarts,” Keller said. “I love racing, and I’ll be going with my pit crew and my dad. I hope to see Myrtle Beach [while I’m in South Carolina].”

Junior Lilly Hudson will also be heading to a warm Lilly Hudson, 11 climate for break. She will travel to Hawaii for vacation. “I’ll be gone the whole spring break,” Hudson said. “I’m going with my family. I look forward to seeing how beautiful and clear the water is.”

Having a fulfilling spring break doesn’t necessarily mean packing up and going on a vacation. Sophomore Jacob Crain plans on spending his spring break happily without ever leaving the state. “[I’m going to] help my grandma, play video games and help the homeless by donating old clothing in my closet,” Crain said. “[I most look forward to] not going to school.”

Spring break doesn’t have to entail spending the entire week doing one thing, either. Some students, like junior Keely Gill, will be having most of their fun over the course of one evening.

Gill says the highlight of break will be attending a Demi Lovato concert in Indianapolis.

“Demi Lovato is my role-model, and it’s my dream to meet her,” Gill said. “I plan to be gone

only one night and the day after. I look forward to enjoying time out of school with my family and friends.”

It hasn’t been only students who have been counting down the days until break, though.

Faculty and staff are ready for a break, too.

“I’m going to look at my new house in northern Indiana,” social studies teacher Shawn Curtis said.

APC teacher Lori Burge will also say goodbye to ConMark Beard nersville. “I’m going to Marco Island, Florida,” Burge said. “I have friends down there, [and] it’s 82 degrees.”

Social studies teacher Mark Beard will be going to Las Vegas. “[I’m going for] March Madness--the big basketball game,” Beard said. “[I go] with a group every year. They’re all graduates of this school.”

Beard won’t be the only one seeing Vegas.

Seniors Alex Fitzgerald, Logan Neukam and Alex Newhouse will also visit.

“My dad said he would take me and some of my friends to Vegas for my eighteenth birthday,” Fitzgerald said. “While I’m there, I want to see all the lights and the big hotels that you see on TV.” Whether one plans to Alex Fitzgerald, 12 leave Indiana or just relax with friends or family here, enjoy the time off because when students and staff return they will have 42 school days left to go.

What are you doing for spring break?

“I am going to Myrtle Beach.

I am looking forward to getting out of this cold weather and being with my family. “ Christian Hudnall, 09

“I am going to Phoenix, Arizona, to an Indian reserve for a mission trip. I am looking forward to working with the kids; it is one of the projects I was assigned on the trip. “ Annie Taylor, 10

“I am going to the Henry Ford Museum in Michigan. I am excited to see the Mustang Number 1. I am going with my family.“ Dalton Rose, 11

“I am going to Columbus, Indiana, to stay in a hotel to be together with my family for a couple days. “ Trent Repp, 12

Staycation alternatives abound Cheap options offered for spring break Lilli Stinger & Sierra Briner

F

Staff Writers

or those who don’t want to spend money on a pricey vacation, there are plenty of places to go that won’t break one’s wallet for spring break.

Mary Gray Bird Sanctuary

The Mary Gray Bird Sanctuary is open from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. and can be a calming way to spend a day hiking or just admiring the beauty of nature with friends and family.

The sanctuary is open to everyone and doesn’t require a membership to hike the trails. If one is looking for a way to relax and get moving, Mary Gray is a great place for them.

Whitewater State Park

Whitewater State Park in Liberty will rent cabins and campsites, giving one the feeling of being near nature without driving to the Smokies in Tennessee.

Though it may still be too cold for tents and “roughing it,” cabins offer the same natural experience. While the park won’t rent cabins to those underage, camping can be a fun activity for the whole family.

Showtime Cinemas 8 While streaming a movie from Hulu or Netflix is an option, sometime seeing a movie on the big screen is worth the price. However, the only two new movies coming over break will be Divergent and Noah.

Newport Aquarium

Just across the river from Cincinnati, The Newport Aquarium has exhibits including the Amazon, Coral

Reef, Frog Bog, Gator Alley, Jellyfish Gallery, Penguin Palooza and World Rivers.

Their new Turtle Canyon opens March 22.

General admission for the aquarium is $23 for teenagers and adults.

Children’s Museum

With something for everyone, the Indianapolis Children’s Museum is for kids of all ages. See the new mummified dinosaur, catch a planetarium show or ride the vintage carousel.

“I think the Children’s Museum is a fun experience because you can see things you normally wouldn’t be able to see,” freshman Madi Miller said.

Tickets will run $14.50 for people under 18, and adult tickets are $19.50.

Indianapolis Museum of Art

Tour the museum and step through the ages. Exhibits range from ancient

Asian, Greek and Roman to the contemporary.

This experience doesn’t cost a dime, which makes it a good value.

Pack a lunch and picnic on the grounds, in the outdoor Hundred Acres exhibit or by the White River for a fun spring adventure. “[A trip to the Indianapolis Museum of Art is] a really fun experience because it has modern art along with art from the 15th cen-

tury and earlier,” senior Riley Masters said.

Victory Field

Looking ahead to Opening Day April 10, a trip to Victory Field in Indianapolis can be a nice way to spend a spring day.

Tickets for Indianapolis Indians games run from $10 to $16 for box seats.

“I went to Victory Field two years ago and it was a blast,”sophomore Kenny Cox said.

One

doesn’t have to travel far or spend much to have a memorable spring break. A trip to the Indianapolis Museum of Art can provide hours of entertainment, and the admission is free. photo courtesy of Indianapolis Museum of Art

Sports

page 6 ‹ Clarion

Winter season round-up Wrestling by Megan McNally

March 21, 2014

Basketball: Dezmen Rent. Kennedy Ferguson-

photo Wrestling: Wyatt Ford. Meranda Moore photo Girls swimming: Riece Drew. Kathleen Marschand photo Spartanettes: Brittany Novack, Caitlyn Logan, Savannah Weber. Morgan Koons photo

With injuries, difficulties making weight, and a lack of wrestlers in the 195-pound weight class, the varsity wrestling team was satisfied to finish the season with a 16-5 record. They advanced seven to Regional, four to Semi-State, and junior Colton Gonzalez went to State.

Coach Mike Bottomley was impressed with the number of victories seniors Caleb Day and Cody Steele and juniors Gonzalez and Dylan Shirkey had throughout the season.

“Paxton Caldwell was a big surprise for us this year,” Bottomley said. Caldwell, a sophomore, finished the season with a 15-7 record. “He did a great job for us. Without him, we wouldn’t have won 16 matches,” Bottomley said.

Winning the Rushville Super 5 Tournament and the Knightstown Invitational were highlights of the season, according to Bottomley.

Shirkey and Gonzalez were Conference Champions.

Junior Brooke Bunch, sophomore Evan Cannon, Day, Gonzalez, senior Will O’Farrow, Shirkey and Steele were Regional qualifiers. Day, Gonzalez, Steele and O’Farrow were SemiState qualifiers, and Gonzalez placed seventh at State.

Overcoming the obstacles was difficult, but “the kids we brought into Sectional were hardworking and dedicated,” Bottomley said. “These young guys will make us better for next year.”

Girls basketball by Ali Hostetler

The girls varsity basketball team finished their season with a record of 11 wins and 11 losses.

The team had some great players this year who stepped up, according to Head Coach Michael Thompson. “As far as playing-wise, I think Taylor Stephen really improved from last year to this year,” Thompson said.

“It was also nice to have Courtney Phillips back after her being out last year due to her injury. I thought Morgan McCreery really stepped up this year, being a good leader, especially at the beginning of the year and just in her play on the floor, as well,” he said.

The JV team finished their season with a record of five wins and 13 losses. Their season was not unsuccessful, however, according to Coach Julie Bell. The girls learned to be a team and to be leaders.

“Almost all of our girls stepped up at some point throughout the season, whether it was in practice helping to organize drills, communicating on the floor or encouraging teammates,” Bell said.

Gymnastics: Presley Fohl. Kennedy Ferguson photo Boys

swimming: Brayton Johns. Kennedy Ferguson photo Girls basketball: Courtney Phillips. Kennedy Ferguson photo Cheerleading: Maddey Rose, Meghan Harris, Morgan Charles. Kennedy Ferguson photo

Boys basketball by Megan McNally

The varsity boys basketball team ended their season with a 13-9 record and a 3-4 Conference record. The team started with a five-game winning streak in January, where they defeated teams such as Jay County, New Castle and Mount Vernon.

According to Coach Kerry Brown, Andrew Stine, Ty Miller, Tyler Billups, Dezmen Rent and T.J. Billups led the team.

“Dezmen Rent did a lot of things for us. He had to shoot and rebound. He’s on track to have the most assists for the school in 10 years,” Brown said.

“Probably our hardest worker and best leader was T.J. Billups,” Coach Chris Bottomley said. “He brought it every night and every practice and set a good example for the other players.”

Brown was impressed with the team’s improvement.

“We enjoyed the team’s success this year because of the development of so many kids on the team and in the basketball program. It enabled us to have a successful regular season,” Brown said.

The JV finished the season with an 11-11 record, with key wins against Rushville, New Castle and East Central.

According to Bottomley, the team was led by Chandler Graves, Dylan Graham, Hunter Shelton, Grant Smith, Dalton Huffman and Andy Stamm. Graves was the leading scorer, and Graham was second in scoring.

“Hunter Shelton was our power forward who would guard the other team’s best player every game. He was a force when he was in the game,” Bottomley said.

“Andy Stamm would always contribute for us on offense and defense,” Bottomley said. “Ian Hunter and Jakob Miers [also] had important roles for us this season.” The JV had to adapt to losing players who were moved up to varsity.

Wrestling

Varsity MVP: Colton Gonzalez Varsity BMA: Caleb Day JV MVP: Jacob Doherty JV BMA: Garrett Goodroe

The freshman boys finished the season with a 9-8 record. The entire team contributed to the success this year and improved greatly, according to Coach Tim Howard.

“A big win this year for us came when we played Mt. Vernon. [We] overcame a deficit and made key plays down the stretch to secure the win,” Howard said.

“This group had a tough time scoring in the first half of the season and really came on strong during the second half to post good numbers, regardless of the outcome,” Howard said.

Girls swim & dive by Jordan Harris

After an undefeated dual meet season and winning their Conference, the girls swim team record was 15-0. The team fell short of first place at Sectional but came in third with some individuals and relay teams advancing to State.

Senior Paxtyn Drew advanced to State in the 100-back, 100-free, 200-medley relay and the 400-free relay. Sophomore Riece Drew advanced in the 500-free, 200-free, 200-free relay and the 400-free relay. Senior Bailie Weiler advanced in the 50-free, 200-medley relay and the 400-free relay.

Junior Tayte Adams advanced in the 200-medley relay and the 200-free relay; junior Morgan Geise in the 200-free relay and the 400-free relay; and senior Kerrigan Baker in the 200-medley relay and 200-free relay.

The team went into the Sectional ready to give it their all. “I feel that we did really well with our seatings. Everyone pretty much moved up and did what they needed to do.

Then we went on to State and most of us dropped time and had our best swims,” Paxtyn Drew said.

“At Sectional we did the best that we could with how

Girls basketball

Varsity MVP: Taylor Stephen Varsity BMA: Amanda Cobb JV MVP: Bailey Flanigan JV BMA: Kirstin King

Boys basketball

Varsity MVP: Dezmen Rent Varsity BMA: T.J. Billups JV MVP: Chandler Graves JV BMA: Dalton Huffman 9th MVP: Christian McHenry 9th BMA: Gavin Wickes

many girls competed. Of course, we wish that we would have won, but when you have 14 girls and the other team has 40, it’s hard to compete, but we won eight out of 11 events at Sectionals, sending six girls to State with two alternates with the winning team sending none,” Weiler said.

The team feels they did their best with what they had.

“I just think that we all did really well at Sectional for such a small team,” Paxtyn Drew said.

Boys swim & dive by Jordan Harris

The boys swim team came in third at the Sectional, sending senior Andrew Bernzott to State and senior Cory Rufin to Regional in diving. The team won their conference and finished the season 14-1.

At State, Bernzott placed 25th in the 50-free. Rufin placed fourth at the Sectional and advanced to Regional, where he received 19th place in diving.

The boys went into the Sectional ready to fight for first.

“I think that they tried really hard and actually gave it their all,” Rufin said.

“We did pretty well. We had a lot of improved times. We didn’t place like we wanted to do, but we weren’t the only ones with improved times,” senior Sam Gragg said.

“Mount Vernon and Greenfield-Central both improved their times a whole lot, too, so it’s kind of tough to deal with that,” Gragg said.

“I’m proud of what a lot of people did. I wish I had done better, but it happens,” senior Daniel Beckner said “The season highlight was probably the Sectional. You get pumped for that weekend and for that meet. It doesn’t really matter what happens. It’s always fun,” Gragg said.

Girls swim & dive

Varsity MVP: Paxtyn Drew Varsity BMA: Bailie Weiler

Boys swim & dive

Varsity MVP: Andrew Bernzott Varsity BMA: Sam Gragg

Gymnastics by Erica Valentine

After going undefeated 10-0, the gymnasts entered their March 8 Sectional as the defending champions. They came out on top again this year, defeating 12 other teams with a score of 105.425. The entire team advanced to the Regional, March 14, where they placed third and advanced to State.This was the first time they qualified for State as a team since 1989.

“It is wonderful to take a team to the State meet. These kids deserve it, each and every one of these kids has worked very hard for this,” Coach Joann Borders said.

Sophomore Kylee Elleman earned a 9.175 on the beam, which was her personal best this season. Senior Presley Fohl had a 9.175 on vault, putting her in a tie for sixth.

Senior Sarah Schutt will make her third appearance at State, while Fohl and Elleman will compete a second time.

This will be junior Emily Stine’s first time at State. The State tournament will be Saturday at Ball State’s Worthen Arena.

According to Borders, their toughest rival this season was Columbus East. They hadn’t won against Columbus East in 20 years, but this year they won by .2 points.

“They had a lot of good girls. We had pretty much the same tricks so it was a test of who could do them better,” Fohl said.

“Our highlights were beating Columbus East, scoring season highs at our invitational, and going undefeated,” Borders said. According to Borders, Schutt, junior Sydney Huber and Elleman were all team leaders.

“Our team has such a strong bond because we have one same dream. We all work really well together,” Huber said.

Gymnastics

Varsity MVP: Sarah Schutt Varsity BMA: Emily Stine JV MVP: Lauren Smith JV BMA: Alexis Johnson

Spartanettes

MVP: Samantha Girot BMA: Samantha Girot

Cheerleading

Varsity MVP: Maddey Rose Varsity BMA: Casey Fohl JV MVP: Abby Dunaway JV BMA: Reygan Over Leadership Award: Morgan West

Sports

March 21, 2014

Clarion › page 7

Motocross madness Despite injuries, racers Smith and Williams love their dirt bikes

are broken collarbones, broken wrists, AC joint sprains, ACL ruptures and broken ankles.

The risk of injury is high due to the amount of stress Jordan Harris one’s body is under while Staff Writer riding. According to Physior some, racing is in their blood. oRoom.com, research has Some dirt bike racers start at a young age. shown that 95% of moAs the years have progressed, the racers have tocross riders have susgotten better, won prizes and, in some cases, tained some form of injusustained injuries. ry while riding. Injuries Sophomore Seth Smith can someand freshman Jaryn Williams times be both started racing and ridvery seriI love to race. I don’t ous due to ing bikes at age five.

Smith started racing be- have to rely on someone the speed cause his dad raced and he of the bike; with wanted to try it, too, while else. I know that if I don’t standard gearing, some bikes Williams started for the love win, it’s my fault. reach 65 to 69 miles per hour. of the sport.

Smith has sustained some in “I love to race, and I don’t juries, but the ones he remembers Jaryn Williams, 09 have to rely on someone else. the most are when he broke his I know that if I don’t win, it’s leg and jammed his back. my fault. In team sports you usually know “I jammed my back in the fourth grade on who blew it for you, while in racing it’s all up my 2005 Suzuki 65cc bike. I went to hit a jump to you,” Williams said. when the throttle got stuck and I fell off the Smith and Williams say they love to race back and hit my tailbone on the landing ramp,” because it’s fun and it relieves stress.

Smith said. His leg was broken when the bike “I enjoy riding because it’s a huge stress re- started to kick “from, side to side as [he] hit the liever for me, and I get the best natural high in jump and then it started to slide when [he] landthe world when I’m riding. It’s fun because I ed and the bike grabbed hold of the ground as can throw whips and scrubs, and I know that [he] went tumbling down the hill.” at the end of the day I got better as a rider,” Williams has had many light injuries that Williams said. he said could have been worse. However, he This sport comes with a high risk of inju- tore his ACL and miniscus. ries. The disadvantages of riding is that “there Despite the injuries, both boys say the are so many injuries and deaths every year,” sport is worth the effort. “I learned [from moSmith said. According to Sanders Clinic for tocross] that anything can happen at any time, Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine, the and that you can come back stronger if you top five most common injuries in motocross have the mindset,” Smith said.

f

“

”

In the Know: Motocross Terms Attack Position: Rider’s body position. Arm Pump: A symptom from a rider gripping too hard causing the forearms muscles to get hard, restricting blood flow. Holeshot: The rider that makes it around the first turn of the

race before anyone else. Roost: Mud or dirt flung in the air when spinning the rear wheel. Race Sag: The amount a bike seat drops when a rider sits on the bike. Whip: A technique where a rider maneuvers the bike flat horizontally in the air and then brings it back up for the landing. http://www. mxsa.co.za/terminology.html

Catching air, sophomore Seth Smith tries to land a jump at freshman Jaryn Williams’ house

in 2005. Both Smith and Williams began riding dirt bikes when they were five years old. photo courtesy of Seth Smith

Topping a jump, freshman Jaryn Williams gets some air. The hardest part about landing a jump is being able to keep the bike upright. photo courtesy of Jaryn Williams

Spanish classes connect with Pacers Seth Winstead

S

Co-Editor in Chief

tudents from second and third year Spanish classes went to Indianapolis to watch an Indiana Pacers game and then meet with Spanishspeaking 6’9” Argentinian forward Luis Scola on Feb. 20.

After the game against the Milwaukee Bucks, which the Pacers won 10196, students had the chance to go onto the floor and participate in a meet-andgreet with Scola. Questions were both asked and answered in Spanish.

In the Q&A session, “He talked about the routine he has for every day, his training and what he does to get ready for matches,” Spanish teacher Carmen del Cerro-Butron said.

The opportunity was sponsored by the Pacers and allowed students along with others with knowledge of the Spanish language to utilize their skills.

“This allowed them to connect Spanish to something they like and enjoy,” Butron said. From the student standpoint, each one enjoyed something different about the trip.

“I’ve been to a lot of Pacers games, but it was cool to meet with a player

from a different country, after the game,” junior Micah Kelley said.

While it wasn’t a required trip, one student saw it as an opportunity. “I wanted to meet someone who had to change his life coming from a different country,” junior Courtney Phillips said. “We got to interact with someone who was fluent.”

“

It was important to support my favorite team and do something with a new teacher. Micah Kelley, 11

”

At the game, students had realizations about the Spanish culture. “It opened my eyes to see how many people were there and that were associated with speaking Spanish,” Kelley said.

Besides meeting Scola, students were able to interact during the game, too. “I tweeted #Pacersgamenight and they put it up on the screen; that was sick,” Kelley said.

For Kelley, it was helpful as well. “It

Students from second and third year Spanish classes attended a Pacers game Feb. 20. Front row: Spanish teacher Carmen del Cerro-Butron and chaperone Enrique RoyoSuarez. Row 2: Cassie Moore, Bradie Rose, Jacob Moore, Charles Precht, Jordan McGraw, Hunter Hobbs, Meghan Harris, Micah Kelley, Courtney Phillips, Quentin Sullivan, Justus Ware, Drew Barricklow, Dylan Huffman. photo courtesy of Carmen del Cerro-Butron

was important to support my favorite team and do something with a new teacher who got to experience American culture,” he said.

Sixteen students went on the trip: sophomores Cassie Moore and Tyler Smith and juniors Drew Barricklow, Kelley, Meghan Harris, Hunter Hobbs,

Dylan Huffman, Jordan McGraw, Jacob Moore, Phillips, Charles Precht, Zach Ross, Bradie Rose, Destiny Ruch, Quentin Sullivan and Justus Ware.

The Final Word

page 8 ‹ Clarion

Photo finishes

Photo & journalism classes take advantage of spring weather for action photos

March 21, 2014

Rocks&Roses Rocks & Roses is a way to recognize the good at CHS and a way to address areas that could be improved. If you have suggestions for Rocks & Roses, please submit them in room J113 or online at chsclarion.com.

Roses to Spring break! Early release Fridays. French teacher Judith Echano-Medina and Japanese teacher Sachiko Kawakubo for spending their spring break in France with students. Substitute teachers who, with the extended days, are teaching for an extra hour with no additional pay. Spring weather -- finally! Speech team members who advanced to State. FFA members Monica Wehr, Isabelle Weiler and Calla Henry for receiving first places at the Shenendoah District Competition. Abby Gettinger, Victoria Keasling and Hunter Hobbs earned third place honors. Brayton Taylor, Charles Precht and Jordan Hazelrigg who competed at the ISSMA State band contest on March 1 and earned two golds and one silver. Freshman Kirstin King, who earned a presidential letter for volunteering at the animal shelter. Art teacher Lawrie Small for the graffiti board. Senior Seth Winstead for taking first place in the First Amendment essay contest, sponsored by the Society of Professional Journalists. Athletes who practice both before and after school to prepare for their spring season sports. Wayzata, Hardee’s and Label Shopper for bringing new jobs to Connersville.

Abrina Littrell, 12

Joe Steinard, 10

Tearra Upchurch, 09

Rocks to

Justice Mitchell, 10

Tamron Dowd, 10

Cole Barricklow, 10

Alyssa Manley, 11; Alisha Lucas, 12

Kassie Shafer, 10

Brett Drew, 12

Students who wear see-through leggings and don’t cover up their rear ends. The students who have broken the vending machine -yet again. Classrooms that are too hot or too cold; there are no moderate temperatures in between the extremes. Students who copy other’s homework to get the credit. Students who push others in the hallways. Group projects where only one person actually does the project, but the other students still get full credit. Students talking during class, then asking a neighbor what they’re supposed to be doing and how to do it because they weren’t listening. Students who use their cell phones when they are not supposed to use them.

Writers’Corner Eyes Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.

And what I behold is beauty.

The beauty that I behold is a pair of eyes.

Soft, Dark brown, The kind that you Can’t help but love.

They seem to draw something out from inside me.

I feel like I can open up to these eyes.

Every time I peer into them, even in a picture, it’s like I am peering into a motionless pond that reflects my very soul.

Never have I seen eyes like them, And likely will never see anything else like them.

The eyes set off

by Justin Newhall the face.

They accent the button nose and small mouth that I hold so dear to me.

They bring me comfort in times of need.

They let my sadness flow away, but they do not realize it.

They allow my imagination to run wild, but when I am too far away, they bring me back down to Earth.

The eyes not only light her way, But they light my way, as well.

So beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, And what I behold are dark, brown eyes.

Faith, Trust, Goodbye

by Lilli Stinger

We had to keep it a secret.

No one could know how we felt; we wouldn’t be looked at the same Heads would shake, people would talk “These children have no shame.”

We pretended we were simply friends, our story we perfected and sold A forbidden love, two fragile souls, just like Shakespeare told.

Little did I know, I was a victim of the game I gave you my heart; I trusted you’d stay, that everything would be the same.

The public was tricked, but so was I; my emotions were destroyed That day you said goodbye and strayed for good, I knew that I’d been toyed.

How often did you hold me and talk about forever?

But forever came to a screeching halt when our bond was severed.

Like the sleepy red sun, hung low in the sky, all good things must end Once distance was between us, our ties we could not mend.

You fooled us all, you cunning fox, no one would have guessed We laughed together, we loved together...

Until the day you left. To submit to Writer’s Corner, students should attend Writers’ Club meetings in Paula Shouse’s room in W165. To read additional student work, visit chsclarion.com or scan this QR code with a QR reader app, like ScanLife, for your smart phone or tablet.