The TRIANGLE VOLUME 97 ISSUE 4 DEC. 20, 2017
INDEPTH As an increasing number of women speak out against their abusers in the news, the accounts of sexual assault in high schools becomes more prevalent. COLUMBUS NORTH HIGH SCHOOL 1400 25th St., Columbus, Indiana 47201
CONTENTS
OUR POLICY
T
Senior Olivia Norris plays the harp as the Northstars show choir performs at the Winter Choir Concert on Wed Dec. 6.
photo by anna hatton
WHAT’S INSIDE? NEWS
OPINION
The imminent A staff repeal of net member talks neutrality pushed about Secret a student to Santa gift protest exchanges pg. 7 pg. 15
SPORTS
Athletes discuss how injuries affect their team sports pg. 16
STUDENT LIFE Students discuss their experiences in “As You Like It” pg. 23
OUR STAFF EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Tessa McKenney Ruthie Yezerets
EXECUTIVE EDITORIAL BOARD Hannah Abts Marissa Caudill Rylie Day Caitlin Davey Hannah Long Akshaya Sabapathy
IN-DEPTH TEAM Madi Beck Emma Cooper Kate Thomas Suzanne Ward
ADVISERS
Roth Lovins Rachel McCarver
2 // ISSUE 1
Hailey Andis Jasmine Austin Dean Bennett Abigail Bodart Lauren Burns Katie Casteneda Salome Cloteaux Maggie Davis Nicole Duncan Kaylee Eckelman Dayana Franco-Ruiz Jaqueline Fry
Cailyn Goebel Zoey Horn Christian Lopez Katie McAnich Cheyenne Peters Coral Roberts Alyona Rosenthal Erica Song Kat Steilberg Yahilin Vera Grace Wang
he Triangle is the designated forum for student expression at Columbus North High School. The student staff chooses all content. Signed columns published in The Triangle express the writer’s personal opinion and not the views of The Triangle, student body, BCSC, administration, board of trustees or faculty of Columbus North. The Triangle practices ethical journalism by providing balanced and fair coverage as determined by community standards. The Triangle strives to achieve 100 percent accuracy by checking sources, spelling and quotes and attaining multiple sources. The Triangle encourages letters to the editor, but reserves the right to reject them for reasons including but not limited to lack of space, multiple letters of the same topic and personal attacks contained in the letter. The Triangle will not edit for content, but reserves the right to edit for grammar and length. Letters should be submitted to edit for grammar and length. Letters should be submitted to room 1507 or sent via e-mail to administrator@ cnhsmedia.com. All letters must be signed by all persons involved in writing the letter, which the staff will check for validation. A letter sent via e-mail must be validated with a signature from the writer before the Triangle will publish it. If responding to a publication, letters must be turned in within one week of that publication’s distribution. In the event of death, The Triangle will run a standard obituary. Pertaining to work submitted via social media sites (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), The Triangle will only accept written submissions from the original poster and owner and will only publish entries with the permission of the original poster and owner. The Triangle will not edit submissions for content and reserves the right not to publish them for reasons including but not limited to lack of space, multiple submissions of the same topic, vulgar or incendiary content. The Triangle will not publish photographs from Facebook. Posts on The Triangle’s social media pages by readers are owned by the readers and do not necessarily express the views or opinions of the staff. The Triangle is not responsible for their content and reserves the right to delete and report any inappropriate and unnecessary posts. By posting on The Triangle’s social media pages, the poster grants The Triangle permission to publish the contents of that post. In cases when a source’s information may bring ridicule or incrimination upon himself or herself, the editorial board reserves the right to cite the source as anonymous. The Triangle will never use composite sources and pass them off as anonymous sources.
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NEWS
RUNDOWN //
Take a look at some of the most important events of the year.
by zoey horn // designed by jacqueline fry
C
yntoia Brown has been in jail for more than ten years over the murder of a Nashville man in 2004. Brown’s story has recently been brought back into the public eye by celebrities spreading the hashtag, #FreeCyntoiaBrown. After a childhood of drugs and abuse, Brown was forced into prostitution and repeatedly raped by different men. According to the New York Times, “When she was 16, she lived in a motel with a pimp known as “Kut Throat” who raped and abused her while forcing her to become a prostitute.” Brown told Nashville police officers that 43-year-old Johnny Allen picked her up at a Sonic DriveIn and took her home, where they got in bed. Allen reached suddenly under his bed and Brown thought he was grabbing for a weapon. She pulled a handgun from her purse on the nightstand beside her and shot him. Brown said she killed Allen out of self-defense, however, she was still charged with first-degree murder. Tennessee’s self-defense laws are particularly complicated, which left a giant hole in the system for Brown to fall through. According to The Marshall Project, “A judge sentenced her to 51 years to life in prison, making her eligible for parole when she’s 69 years old.” Brown’s prosecution, conviction, and sentence all fit within the law, but what happened to her greatly upsets a lot of people’s sense of justice. Marsha Levick, the deputy director and chief counsel of the nonprofit Juvenile Law Center told ABC News, “My hope for cases like Cyntoia’s is to just literally try to change the paradigm,” Levick said. “When someone is a child, when someone has had the experiences Cyntoia had, our system needs to be able to reflect that and to recognize that. Otherwise, I think we lose our sense of humanity.”
Kim Kardashian West The system has failed. It’s heart breaking to see a young girl sex trafficked then when she has the courage to fight back is jailed for life! We have to do better & do what’s right. I’ve called my attorneys yesterday to see what can be done to fix this. #FreeCyntoiaBrown “I did my project over human trafficking, and I worked with an organization that helps victims recover from being trafficked. I have seen Cyntoia’s story all over social media. I believe she did what she had to, to get away. It wasn’t the lawful answer, but she got out away from her abuser/trafficker. I’m not sure if I could agree with her killing her abuser, but I do know that she had been put through so so much and did what she thought she needed to at that moment. This trauma can cause a person to act before thinking. I do not believe she deserves life in prison, but there probably should be some consequence.” Senior Haley Schmeski
4 // ISSUE 4
Key Facts about Keystone Pipline
- Spewed over 200,000 gallons of oil into fields near Amherst, South Dakota - Spill was likely caused because of mechanical damage from when this portion of the pipeline was built - One of three substantial leaks in the Keystone pipeline - Resulted in significantly more spillage than the company estimated was likely - Nebraska regulators voted to approve a new Keystone XL pipeline - The Keystone XL will stretch across 1,200 miles and carry over 800,000 barrels of oil each day https://www.accuweather.com/en/weathernews/environmental-concerns-mount-askeystone-pipeline-leaks-more-oil-thanpredicted/70003402
ACCESS DENIED // by kaylee eckelman // design by alyona rosenthal
With the FCC set to repeal net neutrality, free use of the internet is in jeopardy.
FAST FACTS There have been
5.09 million
comments to the FCC regarding the repeal of net neutrality
A
s the biting wind whistled through the city, a crowd gathered, undeterred in its protests against the loss of a highly valued right that is under attack. Until Dec. 15, net neutrality guaranteed that internet users, once a main plan was purchased, could access any domain or website available. Once repealed, large carriers will have the opportunity to charge individuals for specific sites. With this measure threatened citizens across the United States rallied Dec. 7 to protest the changes. Measures to protect net neutrality were passed in 2015 under the Obama Administration when the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ruled to make the internet a modern gateway to communication and information. With the recent appointment of Ajit Pai by President Trump to the position of Chairman of the FCC, net neutrality was one of the first aspects to be scrutinized and voted upon for elimination. Senior Jenna Hashagen attended a protest against the repeal of net neutrality in Bloomington. “Eliminating net neutrality is an offense against free speech. A free and open internet enables access to information and knowledge that’s essential to every human,” Hashagen said. “Companies like Comcast or AT&T could block something like Google Maps and make you use their own version of the same service. Anything that doesn’t make them money they could restrict your access to.” Repealing net neutrality will affect all internet users, including prospective entrepreneurs who cannot afford to establish their innovations in an expensive way. “Once the laws go through and net neutrality goes away, it’s going to be incredibly difficult to reverse. The increased costs that come with it will only benefit higherups and people who profit off of providing the internet to us normal citizens,” sophomore WIll Brunner said. “Letting this go though means we’re just letting powerful people become even more powerful and influential. Nothing good for us will come out of this. It may not affect us now, but when we start paying for our own stuff, the internet is going to be even more expensive.”
Some of the biggest
opponents of Net
Neutrality are Verizon, AT&T, and Comcast. Out of 1000 Americans
67%
surveyed of the said that ISPS shouldn’t be allowed to choose which websites apps or streaming services their consumers can access. The biggest
supporters of
net neutrality are Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and Netflix.
TRIANGLE // 5
NEWS
GLOW UP //
C4 classes united to create a festive and colorful display for the community
by coral roberts // design by yahilin vera
“I think it turned out very nice. I think that we were well overdue to upgrade the display.”
Architecture and Construction teacher Darin Johnson
“I am in electronics and we provided the hooks and screws for the lights and we wrapped the lights all around all the fixtures.” Senior Zachary Smith “Since there was a lot of stuff going on with the Columbus architecture, I had an idea of instead of doing a house to light up, doing different parts of the Columbus architecture.”
Senior Zachary Smith
6 // ISSUE 4
The C4 light display was put together by the engineering, architecture, and electronics classes. The lights display reveals the amazing talent from the three C4 classes.
“I am in the construction third period class and we built all the plywood that is in the display and then the electronic classes put up all the lights.”
Junior Zachariah Wart
photo by coral roberts
“I am in the intermediate and advanced architecture class, so I helped design the lights display.”
Senior Olivia Norris
photos by yahilin vera
TRIANGLE // 7
NEWS
GIVING BACK // by kaylee eckelman // design by nicole duncan
A
s the weather worsens and the holiday season approaches, many find December the perfect time to help their communities and volunteer. There are opportunities everywhere that people can take to help out around the community especially around the holidays. Sophomore Justine Hess recently volunteered as a bell ringer for the Salvation Army. “I volunteered because I wanted to help raise money for the Salvation Army because it’s a great cause and helps out a lot of people in need.” The Salvation Army uses donations collected by bell ringers to help feed families throughout the holiday season. In addition to providing assistance, the total donations from each year help The Salvation Army give approximately 55 million meals and provide funding for substance abuse recovery, after-school programs, and emergency shelter for children and families in need year-round. “It’s important that people are involved in their community so that they can help make it a better place to live as well as get to know the people that live in it,” Hess said. Volunteering can also become service learning hours in order to reach graduation standards. Columbus North requires a minimum of 10 hours of service learning. BCSC requires service learning in order to teach students and set them into a lifetime of helping. Service learning is meant to provide life changing or eye opening experiences before graduation.
Salvation Army Bell Ringing
Who? The Salvation Army What? Collect donations for the Salvation Army by
ringing a bell When? November Through Christmas Eve Where? Select locations such as Hobby Lobby, Walmart, Why? To donate money to families in need this Christmas season.
http://salvationarmynorth.org/volunteer/bell-ringing/
Who? Samaritan’s Purse International Relief Operation Christmas Child- What? Packing a virtual shoebox full of gifts for children in need. packing shoeboxes When? From now until Christmas Eve
Where? On Samaritanspurse.org Why? The box you virtually pack will go to a child in need this Christmas season.
https://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmaschild/buildonline/
Columbus Salvation Army
Who? Columbus Salvation Army What? Working with youth, specifically teaching musical instruments and singing. When? Wednesday Evenings from 5-7pm Where? The United Way Building Why? By volunteering you will be bettering a child’s life by being a role model. http://www.uwbarthco.org/volunteer-opportunitiesimmediate
8 // ISSUE 4
When and where you can volunteer this season.
photo by kaylee eckleman
“My favorite part of volunteering is the satisfaction I get from knowing I’m making a difference in someone’s life.”
WHY SHOULD YOU VOLUNTEER? • In 2016 there were 40.6 million people in poverty In 2016 there were 40.6 million people in poverty. • When it comes to child poverty, the United States ranks 36th out of the 41 “wealthy nations” that UNICEF looked at. • 49 million Americans are dealing with food insecurity. • Nearly 130000 children will wake up homeless this Christmas • 14.3% of Americans are living in poverty. Sources https://www.census.gov/topics/incomepoverty/poverty.html https://poverty.ucdavis.edu/faq/what-currentpoverty-rate-united-states
“
“I think that it is great that he was nominated as Vice President. He has great character and has served the office faithfully. I feel that his actions are in the country’s best interest, and he has been very vocal and transparent about his views and actions. Not many students can say they go to the high school where the Vice President went. I think it is important that we recognize and celebrate the fact that we have an alumni who is the Vice President!” Senior Isaac Jackson said. Mike Pence graduated from North in 1977. On November 8th, 2016, he was elected as the 48th Vice President.
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Columbus Movie
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“I found the movie to be a little disappointing actually because while Columbus did make for a good setting, the actual plot was really slow and a little boring. I like the way they used different places in town that I wouldn’t necessarily have expected, but it was a little weird to see the places I have been used to sing my whole life portrayed on screen as so unique,” Senior Julia Vanderkolk said. The drama film directed by Kogonada was released on August 4 and showed many of Columbus’ architectural buildings.
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2017 marked Mill Race Marathon’s fifth year since its opening in 2013. It including a 5K run and walk, a half marathon and a full marathon.
”
Mill Race Marathon
photo for triangle I ran the 5K with my family because we decided to do it together. I really like that the Mill Race Marathon is a local race and many people from the Columbus area participate in the race. I believe that the Mill Race Marathon is such a popular event in Columbus because many people in Columbus are active in their lifestyles —Junior Sam Russel
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photo by salomé cloteaux
Mike Pence
by salomé cloteaux // design by erica song
//
We used to have to pass over the train tracks on the way to school but now we take Lowell road to school so a train won’t affect us. I think the increase of trains has caused a lot more traffic on Lowell road especially. —Sophomore Helen Rumsey Due to an increase in customers, the Louisville and Indiana Railroad has increased train traffic, with a predicted 22 trains passing through Columbus per day in 2018, according to http://columbusrailroadproject.org
Trains
A YEAR IN REVIEW
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“
photos by jacqueline fry
I went to see the exhibits because everyone was talking about how amazing the sculptures and the art was. I knew I had to see it especially because Columbus is such an architecture-crazy city. I liked that the art was interactive. You could walk on some, touch them, and take some really cute pictures with them. —Sophomore Kaylyn Bates said. People from all over Indiana came to see the 18 art installations part of Exhibit Columbus from August to November 26. Exhibit Columbus alternates between and exhibit and a symposium every year.
”
Exhibit Columbus
COLUMBUS:
Students share their opinions about major events of 2017 in Columbus
TRIANGLE // 9
STAFF EDITORIAL
ALABAMA STUNNER //
Doug Jones overtakes Roy Moore in race for senator position in wake of sexual assault allegations
A
crowded room filled with concerned voters waits with bated push to propel a candidate to a contested finish line, this is the breath for the final votes to be recorded and released to the second time Trump has given his full support to an Alabama runnerpublic. As the news of Doug Jones’ election as the newest up. Luther Strange, one of those appointed to take Jeff Sessions’ Alabama senator breaks, the room in Madison, Alabama, one of vacated Senate seat, received Trump’s approval but did not advance twelve swing counties, erupts in cheers past the initial stages of elections. Before Tuesday, Dec. 12, the result of the extensively publicized As more instances of this rejection of Trump’s public opinion and politically significant race for Alabama’s senator position surface, the public’s thoughts seem to be progressively less was unclear. Roy Moore, though initially disregarded. Especially in the case of Moore’s the favorite to win the seat, led a campaign campaign, voters choose to adhere to their To preserve our rights, mired by scandal as accusations of child beliefs and educate themselves more than ever. molestation and sexual assault surfaced in In the current political climate, it is more protecting anything from the wake of the Harvey Weinstein-induced important than ever to be an informed citizen. net neutrality to freedom To preserve our rights, protecting anything from #metoo movement that swept social media in October and November. The severity of the net neutrality to freedom of speech, we must of speech, we must be allegation brought against Moore stimulated be willing to take a stand. We must fact-check willing to take a stand. what became an almost complete about-face what we learn and contact our senators and for some prominent Republicans like majority representatives to voice our opinions. It is no leader Sen. Mitch McConnell, who withdrew his longer enough to simply sit back and expect support from the campaign soon after the accusations came to light. the government to take care of our safety. To achieve the results we However, despite the recent purging of public offices and positions want, even if they, like the Alabama senate election, are not expected, based on allegations of sexual assault, President Trump turned his we must act. back of many of his contemporaries when he declared his full support Doug Jones is the first Democratic senator from Alabama in 25 for Moore and the latter’s campaign for Alabama’s Senate seat. years, giving Republicans just a 51-49 majority in the Senate. Though in the past a presidential endorsement has been the final
Of college graduate voters, 54% voted for Jones
51% 51% of voters that indentified as independent or other voted for Jones.
By roughly 20-point margin, more female Alabama voters said allegations of sexual misconduct against Roy Moore are true than said they are false.
8% of voters that identified as Republican voted for Jones
8% 83% of those that identified as conservative voted for Moore.
19% of voters said one of the reasons for their vote was to express opposition to Donald Trump.
The allegations of sexual misconduct against Roy Moore were considered: One of many important voting factors for 34% of voters Not a voting factor at all for 35% of voters washingtonpost.com
10 // ISSUE 4
CHANGE THE WAY YOU GIVE L
aughter resounds through a living room filled with holiday music and delicious smells as party guests unwrap gifts and try to determine the identity of the giver. A holiday tradition for many, Secret Santa gift exchanges and similar activities abound during the colder months. The prospect of receiving a specially-tailored gift from a mysterious giver has appeal for many. Opening a surprise gift from someone should feel great. However, as the holidays come around every year, it becomes more of a hassle than a fun party activity. You always inevitably end up picking out the person you know the least, and if you are already terrible at buying gifts for people you like, buying a gift for someone you hardly know that is both cheap and creative seems impossible. Because of this, the gifts tend to be extremely impersonal and predictable. This leads to the person receiving the gift having to make the dreaded “unwanted gift face� in front of everyone.
//
Junior Kate Thomas shares her opinions alternatives to gift-giving this holiday season.
Furthermore, it NEVER stays a secret. As soon as people pick a name, they turn around and tell all their friends who they got. The whole thing feels like forced niceness that is incredibly transparent, and a last ditch effort for teachers to have something to do on the last day of school before break. Instead of buying some cheap trinket, people instead should take the $5 to $10 dollars they were going to spend on a secret santa gift and donate it to a local charity. If the class still wants to participate in the season of giving together, they can organize an effort to sponsor a family and wrap the gifts together. Activities like this help foster the true meaning of the holiday season. It’s more important and more rewarding to give to someone, especially if they are less fortunate than you, than to receive.
TRIANGLE // 11
INDEPTH
12 // ISSUE 4
S
exual assault accusations are flooding the news stations, and immediately the accused are analyzed and discussed. But how do victims’ lives proceed? TRIANGLE // 13
INDEPTH
NONNEGOTIABLE
Information and experiences give insight into the problem of sexual harassment and assault.
M
usic blares and voices chatter as a dark room fills with teens ready for a night of partying. Though this may feel, for many, like a safe environment in which to be vulnerable, for some it is not. Anonymous Junior girl encountered many eye-opening experiences in her childhood. Being exposed to the prevalence of sexual harassment and assault as well as many other destructive vices allowed her to learn more about the world than others her age. But, although she was exposed, she was shocked when she experienced it for herself. “I had recently been dumped by a boy and decided to go to a party with some friends to let off some steam. When we were there, I had a tad too much to drink and I started to feel very ill, so I decided to lay down,” she said. “I woke up the next morning without pants on and I didn’t know exactly what, but I had a gut feeling that something did happen.” Following that night, she didn’t want to admit that it had actually happened. According to the South Eastern Center against Sexual Assault feelings of denial are common and sometimes it can take months or even years to recognize the truth. Denial can also change the facts of the event or mask the severity. People may try to lessen the impact by saying that since there wasn’t this action or
25% of students at North have been touched inappropriately
14 // ISSUE 4
that action, then it wasn’t sexual assault or that the event isn’t as bad as people are making it out to be. “My immediate reaction was just to deny it, and I didn’t really accept it for a long time. I would just shut it down and say that it didn’t even happen,” she said. “I think the hardest part of the experience was coming to terms with it and going through the process of accepting the truth about the incident.” In the following months, she describes herself feeling like she had been balled up and thrown in the garbage. SECASA accounts that these feelings are common among survivors of sexual assault. Survivors may also feel depression and guilt, which can manifest themselves into low self-esteem, paranoia, and isolation. “For a while, when I thought about it, it would make me shut down and close in on myself because I had felt so violated,” she said. “Walking through the halls at school, I thought people knew that this horrible thing had happened when they looked at me and that they were judging me because of it.” Speaking out against an attacker can be really difficult according to Sunny Currier, a teacher at Our Whole Lives, which is an organization that provides comprehensive, holistic, lifelong sexuality education. Currier said that ideally, you should tell someone who can help you comes to terms with the event and realize that
1/4
of girls will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime
sexual assault is never the victim’s fault. But, even with support, it can be hard to tell people details of a sexual encounter. Because of this people don’t often report sexual harassment or sexual assault. “One of the reasons I am not more open about it is because I don’t know how people will respond. I don’t want to say something and then have people looked at me like a kicked dog. It took me until July to even tell my parents,” she said. “It’s just hard because if I were to tell my friends and the people I associate with, they definitely wouldn’t be my friend anymore because then I would have the perception of damaged goods.” Battling with these thoughts on your own can take a toll. She said that when she told her siblings, their immediate and continual support helped her immensely. They helped her realize it wasn’t the end of the world for her. More importantly, support or any kind can make a huge difference and this support helped her recognize her inner strength. “It’s very frustrating in the news when people that have had this happen to them are depicted as crying or weak. It’s hard to see that people think that I am wilting, when I’m not, I’m blooming,” she said. “Coming out of this, I’ve realized that I am stronger than I could’ve imagined and I’m continuing to push myself to get stronger, physically and mentally.” Currier said she believed that sexual harassment happens every day, possibly in every classroom. And according to the New York Times, that statistic isn’t far off. They’ve
reported that more than 35% students may be victims of sexual harassment. But, Currier said, you can stand up for someone and by doing that, make it clear that behavior like that is not allowed, especially in a school environment. “In my opinion, teen dating over the years has become very manipulative, abusive, and wrong. There’s so much pressure sexually because everyone just assumes that everyone else is sexually active,” Junior girl said. “It’s hard because no one wants to be seen as uncool. It’s so frustrating to be in this type of society where you can’t be open about not wanting to do things.” Feeling pressured to do certain things or behave a certain way can be the result of an imbalance. If the power balance is unequal in a romantic relationship then that is not a healthy relationship, Currier said. These imbalances can have many factors, like age, physicality, sexual experience and social status. Currier also emphasized the importance of consent. She said that consent is “an enthusiastic yes,” there should be no coercion and it must be in the present. That means that if someone is okay with one action, they may not consent to another action. And when there is an imbalance in the relationship, it can make it more difficult to say no when things start going a little farther than anticipated. “That’s probably one of the most important lessons I’ve learned, is to be confident enough to put my foot down. If I’m not okay and I’m not comfortable then it’s not going to happen,” she said. “To anyone else who is going through this, don’t rush yourself, make sure you’re ready to share your story. But, don’t be afraid of your family, they are there to support you.”
“ I got so used to being uncomfortable in my relationships, but feeling like I couldn’t say anything because then I’m the bad guy. ”
40%
60%
80%
52% 35% in person
36% 24%
0%
20%
male
female
male
female
100%
% of Students Sexually Harassed in Person vs Over the Internet
over the Internet
91% of sexual assaults go unreported
written by madi beck //design by suzanne ward, kate thomas, and emma cooper TRIANGLE // 15
SPORTS
SINK OR SWIM //
Lady Bull frogs discuss this season’s team and Center Grove meet
by yahilin vera // design by nicole duncan
A
s senior Lauren Mackey gets into position on the starting block, questions run inside her mind. She thinks ‘Will I execute the stroke perfectly? Will I swim faster than the others? And most importantly, will I get a win for my team?’ This was a shared mentality for some CNHS bullfrogs at the recent swim meet against Center Grove High School on Saturday, Dec. 2. Senior Lauren Mackey says that there is always a drive to push yourself to win at meets. “There’s definitely, with every meet, tons of rivalry,” Mackey said. “It’ll be fun to go up against the other team and be able to push them and have them push us at the same time.” The Bull frogs have repeatedly gone up against Center Grove High School Trojans. Because of the history of the rivalry, Mackey was confident in her team’s sportsmanship. “I know that the juniors and seniors have swam against Center Grove for many years now and we know a lot of the swimmers on the team,” Mackey said. “We have the utmost respect for each other. I think that the girls will definitely be able to unite as a team and cheer each other on and be able to bring that kind of power in terms of sportsmanship.” Mackey said. After the meet against Center Grove, CNHS bullfrogs left with a 108-78 win for boys and a 71-115 loss for girls. Despite the loss, sophomore Betsy King set two team bests in the 200 meter freestyle and 100 meter butterfly, and Senior Kaitlyn Niebrugge set another team best in the 100 meter backstroke. Even with these achievements, Mackey explains that the overall loss could be due to the addition of many new swimmers on the team. “It’s been kind of a rocky start, a lot of [the girls] are very new. A lot of them are freshmen so they aren’t quite adjusted to the high school season and many of them haven’t swam before,” Mackey said. However, the lady Bull frogs left the Center Grove meet with the motivation to do well for the rest of the season. Mackey remains optimistic for upcoming meets. “We’ve come a long way from the beginning. I’m very proud of how we’ve done so far.” Mackey said.
Senior Lauren Mackey
photo by yahilin vera
Sophomore Karlie Brown finishes with a splash.
photos by hannah long Junior Jared Carroll cheers on his teammates.
Sophomore Kate Faulkner prepares for a dive.
Current Results of 2017 Swimming and Diving Season Check out the scores of the latest Bull frog meets.
BOYS
Dec. 5 North vs. Columbus East 147-36 Win Dec 2. North vs. Center Grove 143-42 Win Nov. 30 North vs. Seymour 143-42 Win
16 // ISSUE 1
GIRLS
Dec 5. North vs. Columbus East 121-65 Win Dec 2. North Vs. Center Grove 71-115 Loss Nov. 30 North vs. Seymour 130-55 Win
WIN NUMBER FOUR //
Photo recap of Lady Bulldog win against Terre Haute South
by hannah long
4. photos by hannah long
The CNHS girls basketball team took on Terre Haute South Vigo High School on December 2, 2017. The girls won with a score of 53 to 45.
1. 5. 1. Senior Kenzie Patberg wrestles a
2. 3.
3.
Terre Haute player for posession of the ball. 2. Sophomore Annie Anderson defends a Terre Haute player down the court. 3. Head Coach Pat McKee yells to his players during a play. 4. Junior Nadia Lomax prepares to step into play after a free throw is made by North. 5. Sophomore Tessa Lomax goes up for a shot while defended by multiple Terre Haute defenders.
TRIANGLE // 17
STUDENT LIFE
STRETCHING BETWEEN Gymnast Ashley Niebrugge compares her experiences in school and club gymnastics. by abby bodart // design by zoey horn
A
s sophomore gymnast Ashley Niebrugge salutes to begin her floor routine, the rest of the Bull Dog team cheers her on. But Niebrugge was not always solely committed to North gymnastics. Many of the North gymnasts have experience at a club gym before joining high school gymnastics. It is typical for gynamasts to have experience from multiple places, much like Niebrugge. “I have practiced at many gyms, including Jody’s Gymnastics Zone, Wright’s Gymnastics Academy, and Madison Gymnastics World.” Niebrugge said. In her nine years of gymnastics, sophomore Ashley Niebrugge has found that there are many differences between club and high school gymnastics, with benefits and drawbacks to both. “Club practices are longer than high school practices, as well as they are less laid back. Club has more advanced gymnasts, that get scholarships for college. You do a lot more routines than in high school gymnastics.” Niebrugge said. “High school is different in the warm up of meets as well as the way teams compete. The requirements for routines are different, therefore, high school is more specialized for the events I like to do.” Niebrugge said.
Despite the differences, Niebrugge says she still enjoys the atmosphere of both club and school gymnastics. For now, Niebrugge has chosen to only be a gymnast at North. “I left club gymnastics because the high school route seemed to fit my body more. As I started to get hurt more often, I could not keep up with the demand of club,” Niebrugge said. “I have broken my left foot, torn my left hamstring, and I have also had an injury to my groin in my left leg. For my body, high school is more relaxed and easier on my ligaments and bones. In addition to being a better fit for her body, high school gymnastics is a better fit for Niebrugge’s lifestyle. “High school is more relaxed, and there is more time outside of practice to spend on homework and friends.” Columbus North’s gymnastics program is recognized as one of the best in the state always making final four or winning for past years. Whether practicing at club or high school gymnastics, Niebrugge always works hard to do her best.
Jody’s Gymnastics Zone flooded in
2008. Jody’s Gymnastics Zone closed in
20122013.
Victory Gymnastics opened in
2013-2014.
North High School Gymnastics’ first win at state was in Sophomore Adrienne Salemme performs a beam routine for Victory Gymnastics.
18 // ISSUE 4
Sophomore Ashley Niebrugge performs a bar routine for North Gymnastics.
1973.
PUSHING THROUGH // by salomé cloteaux // design by grace wang
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ith a boot on her leg, crutches underneath her arms, a history of shin splints, an overactive thyroid, a low bone density, and plantar fasciitis, sophomore Lauren Opalka heads to the gym for volleyball practice. Despite being injured, Opalka is on the volleyball and swim team, and she runs and bikes outside of school. Unknowing of the physical consequences it could have on their bodies, many student athletes continue to pursue their athletic activities when injured. Opalka’s shin splints started in seventh grade and still affect her today because of the continuous running and swimming. “I was always in and out during the volleyball season, so some days I had to sit out during games, which I wasn’t very happy about. I’m also always in a boot. Sometimes I can only practice for thirty minutes and then I would have to stop and ice,” Opalka said. Similar to Opalka, sophomore Olivia Morlok also made the decision to run on an injured leg. Morlok participated in a cross country tournament her freshman year with a stress fracture in her right leg. Morlok found out about the fracture before the meet but decided to run anyway, furthering her injury and lengthening the recovery time. “Running too many miles and the repeated stress on my legs just caused my bone to crack. It started hurting right as tournament started. I ran all the way through it my freshman year. Then, right after the state meet, I couldn’t walk,” Morlok said. Still recovering from her first stress fracture caused by continued physical activity, Morlok got another injury this year. “It was mostly my personal decision. I wanted to keep running, and I got worse because of it. It cracked more and became more painful every day that I kept running on it. I didn’t want to let my team down, because I had trained with them all throughout the season,” Morlok said Despite knowing the consequences of running on a hurt leg, Morlok would make the same decision again to keep running even if it meant more pain. The love of the sport and the refusal to give up on the team encouraged Morlok and Opalka to push through the pain during the season. “In my head, I think that I should continue to play volleyball and run and swim, because I’m not one to quit. I will never quit. It’s just my personality. It is a passion of mine that I refuse to give up,” Opalka said.
Coaches are also affected by athletes’ injuries during the season. Preventing further damage is essential to keep a team healthy and able to perform. “My coaches always tell me that they are proud of me for coming in and working hard when I can. They have been 110% supportive of me,” Opalka said. Even with coaches’ support and understanding, many athletes are still unwilling to give up their athletic activities. Sophomore Nicholas Green recently had surgery in March of last year for his osteochondritis dissecans, a condition in which a joint dies due to lack of blood flow. The goal of the surgery was to get it to grow back, using bone from his hip. The recent surgery in his knee hasn’t stopped him from going to swim practice and meets. “I have out so many years into it, and with scholarship money involved, there is no point in quitting now. I have been swimming competitively since I was six so that would have been a lot of time wasted,” Green said. Athletes are often unaware of the long term consequences of their injuries often until the season is over and practices stop. “High school sports have gotten so serious that it takes a lot of time and hard work, so your body ends up breaking from all the work. I think that a lot of athletes are so serious about their sports that when something starts to hurt, they keep going and keep playing, and it ends up getting worse than it was in the beginning,” Morlok said. Not knowing how to be careful with their bodies and when to stop can also affect a student’s chance of getting hurt. “A lot of people don’t say anything about their injuries so over time, they keep getting worse and worse. They also don’t take the time to stretch and ice and use proper treatment for their injuries.That was kind of how I was too. I just kept trying to blow it off like it was nothing but that came back and backfired a little bit,” Opalka said. Afraid of feeling like they are giving up and getting behind, a lot of athletes are reluctant to miss practices or meets because of an injury. “We’re still growing. Sometimes we don’t know how to properly take care of ourselves. We feel like sometimes we don’t have time to stop and rest, even when we are injured,” Senior Roxana said.
Student athletes are worsening their injuries
Over 60% of injuries from organized sports occur during practice
25,000-30,000 ACL injuries are suffered yearly by athletes
The most common student athlete injuries are: Muscle strain Concussion Contusion Bone break 0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30 %
30 5%
Students ages 1517 have the highest number of emergency room visits due to sports injury
sourcehere.org
TRIANGLE // 19
STUDENT LIFE
BEGINNER TO PRO // Senior Vamshi Balanaga tells about his experiences rock climbing. by abby bodart // design by katie mcaninch
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“BRINGING INDOOR ROCK CLIMBING TO COLUMBUS INDIANA” HOW MUCH DOES CLIMBING COST? Regular $12 — Day Pass Discounted $10 — Day Pass 7 visit punch card $70 — Rock Block
WHEN TO ROCK CLIMB? Weekdays 5pm – 10pm Weekends 10am – 8pm
MEMBERSHIPS FOR UNLIMITED CLIMBS 12 months $39 per month 3 months $44 per month 1 month $49 per month
20 // ISSUE 4
ost students experience stress throughout the year for varying reasons, from finals, school sports, homework, projects, and much more. Because of this, coping methods are required to help students de-stress. Senior Vamshi Balanaga releases his stress through rock climbing at the new Columbus Rock Gym. “Exercise in general keeps me in a better mood, and rock climbing is one of the forms of exercise I enjoy doing. I think it affects my mood positively a little bit better than other forms of exercise.” Balanaga said. Balanaga enjoys rock climbing as both a casual activity in his free time and as a physical challenge. “It’s a form of exercise that’s fun because I don’t take too it competitively. So, I don’t spend 2 hours at the gym everyday, but it’s one of those things that keeps me motivated to keep doing it and keeps me fit while I do it. I try to go at least once a week, on the weekends, but now that I have started swimming I haven’t always been able to go.” Balanaga said. Balanaga’s interest began in elementary school, and piqued with the opening of the Columbus Rock Gym in early Oct. “I was first introduced in the sixth or seventh grade because my old school had a rock climbing wall. They hired a former Mt. Everest climber, who topped Everest, to teach us rock climbing and I kind of got hooked after that,” Balanaga said. “When ever I had the opportunity I would go rock climbing.” The Columbus Rock Gym has many different sections in the rock gym for kids, teenagers, or adults to accomodate different skill levels in rock climbing. “It is [easily accessed] at the beginner level, but it requires a lot more technique than people realize,” Balanaga said. “People think it’s just strength, but even if you’re really strong, it’s a lot more technique than it is strength. After the beginning sessions it requires some training.” Balanaga said.
ALL ABOUT IMPACT //
Freshman Douglas Turner is a black belt in Taekwondo.
by hailey andis // design by coral roberts
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unching, kicking, and sparring, all of these things are involved in Taekwondo. Freshman Douglas Turner has been in Taekwondo since early 2009. “I had joined Taekwondo because of a demonstration of Taekwondo at my old elementary school,” Turner said Smith Elementary hosted a Taekwondo demonstration, from Ko’s Martial Arts Academy, for students and the community to attend. “When I was younger I used to be a very hyper kid that never listened to anyone, even my parents,” Turner said “I joined Taekwondo and it changed me.” Not only is Taekwondo a physical sport but it is a mental one as well. “I didn’t notice the effect right away, but now that I look back I have noticed that I had really listened, increased my grades, and respected others more,” Turner said. There are different levels in Taekwondo. The different levels are classified by belt colors including white, yellow, green, blue, red, and black. Each belt level has its separate classes. You train with your level. Once graduated to the next belt your class and class time changes. “We have a thing called a promotion test. Each belt has different requirements to achieve when testing. Testing happens every two months, then four months, and then six months,” Turner said. Each level classifies you into a new division. When a competition comes you are against someone from your division. This is the same as during your class because you train with your own division. I have probably competed in 15 different tournaments. My most recent tournament was Midwest Open. That tournament had a lot of people that had competed, and I just competed in sparring, and had received a gold medal for winning in my division,” Turner said. “Succeeding is something I have been near and far from in the sport: no matter what I enjoy it, and learn from my mistakes,” Turner said.
Behind the Belts There are many different colored belts you can earn in Taekwondo. Each color has meaning and tells the skill and status of the wearer.
The student has no knowledge of Taekwondo and begins with a clean (pure) slate. The student begins to understand the basics of Taekwondo. The student’s technique is developing power. The components of the basic techniques are beginning to work in unison. Having passed the mid-way point, the student focuses his or her energy upward toward black belt. The student has mastered the nine grades of Taekwondo. He or she has absorbed all the knowledge of the color ranks and overcome that level of training.
means Taekwondo
in Korean.
The physical skill has been developed but lacks control; therefore, physical and mental discipline must now be achieved source: ataonline.com
TRIANGLE // 21
STUDENT LIFE
FALL FINALE // by Cheyenne peters // design by grace wang
North Drama’s fall production of William Shakespeare’s As You Like It
Senior Graham Thomason goes in for a chokehold on junior Josh Johnson.
photos by hannah long Senior Lauren Frederick takes her final bow as Rosalind at the end of their performance.
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he lights go up on a woodland scene on the stage in Erne Auditorium, and music from the orchestra plays. Senior Nathan Patton makes his entrance, and the scene from As You Like It begins. When people see plays, they only think about the performance in front of them. What they see is the end product, when the actors have memorized their lines and everything looks perfect. But the audience typically doesn’t think about all the work that actors do beforehand to put the play together. Senior Nathan Patton shares about the process of acting in North Drama’s fall production, As You Like It. “I play Duke Senior, an older man who ran away from society in order to live in the woods to reject society’s demands for endless perfection.” Patton said. “I’m a thespian, meaning I’m a committed theatre student. Therefore I have to audition in order to help the overall production.” Each year, North Drama puts on a fall play and a spring musical. As a tradition, every third year a Shakespeare play is chosen to be performed. The language in the show provides a new challenge to actors in the play. “This play has been different than regular plays because the English is written very differently than usual. The content within the play is also very curious compared to most plays. Our characters even have some abnormal qualities as well.” Patton said. Combined with the difficult lines in the show, Patton dealt with other roadblocks in the process of putting together the play. “It was a bit stressful for me,” Patton said. “I was late in memorizing my lines because I had other commitments. But I pulled through okay.” Although it may be stressful, an unforgettable moment for actors is the feeling they get when they first step on stage. “I was nervous, but I just tried to focus on my lines, and the message of the scene. I just try to focus on my character when first entering the stage.” Patton said. From the practice and work of Patton and many others, William Shakespeare’s As You Like It was performed the nights of Dec. 1, 2 and 3.
As You Like It By the Numbers 22 // ISSUE 4
Senior Steven Walters kisses the hand of Junior Lily Johnson.
Sophomore Molly Nelson onstage as her character, Madam. “It was hard to become my character because I had to learn to be old. But being there with other [cast members] made everything better,” Nelson said.
58-member cast 198-page script 5 acts 2 months of rehearsal 20 scenes
LIGHT UP COLUMBUS //
FFA member and Sound of North member detail their experience in the Festival of Lights parade
by hannah abts // design by maggie davis Music plays, lights glow in the distance and students bundle up to brace the cold December night. Within the crowd was Senior Josh Miller and his family. “The Festival of Lights parade is a fun tradition that my family and I enjoy every year,” Miller said. The Columbus North Marching Band has been participating in the parade for twenty years. Junior Elise Beverly has been in band for three years and has marched in the parade for two. “My favorite thing about the parade is seeing all the kids faces light up when we walk by. Because we are so close to the crowd we can hear what they are saying and it’s cool to hear how they react to us,” Beverly said. This year the 27th annual parade attracted over 7,000 people The parade consists of 100 floats that are decorated entirely with lights. The Future Farmers of America club had its first debut in the parade this year. “We had about 15 people from our chapter help set up and actually participate in the parade.” Miller said.“Our FFA chapter thought, based on the recognition, some of these organizations are getting to do this. We should do it too,” Miller said. After the FFA’s first walk in the parade, the chapter is now considering participating for many more years to come. “We are strongly thinking of making this an annual event for FFA because of how much we liked it,” Miller said.
photos by ruthie yezerets
3.
1. 2.
4.
5.
1. The Sound of North marching band performs Feliz Navidad. 2. Summers Heating and Air light up Washington Street with decorated vehicles. 3. A local election float decked out for the parade. 4. Santa waves to parade goers from his sleigh. 5. The Sound of North marching band marches down Washington Street in holiday hats. TRIANGLE // 23
STUDENT LIFE
AN EARLY GOODBYE
Seniors talk about their reasoning for graduating early and their plans for the future. by rylie day // designed by jacqueline fry
JAELAH WEAVER
HANNAH SMILEY “I decided to graduate early the beginning of this year because I realized I wanted to begin college sooner than planned”, Smiley said. Smiley will be attending Aveda Fredric’s Institute in Fishers, Indiana to study esthetics. “I decided to go there because I have a passion for skin care and I’m excited to pursue my career in something I love”, Smiley said. “The extra steps I had to take included taking two online classes and not having a resource.”
“I wanted to graduate early because I already had more than enough credits and I wanted to be able to work more”, Weaver said. Weaver currently has a job working for iCare at Taylorsville Elementary. “After graduation I plan to work and save up the money I make for college”, Weaver said. Extra steps Weaver took to graduate early included acquiring enough credits by completing an online English class over the summer of 2017 and completing her senior project first semester. “I’ll just miss the people that I’ve been through school with from elementary school and up until now, even if we don’t talk anymore. I won’t miss waking up at 5a.m. every week day.”
ISMENEY DURON “I wanted to graduate as a junior but I couldn’t do that without dropping a ton of classes I wanted to take, and that was the only year I could take them so I just had to do second semester”, Duron said. Duron is already enrolled in college courses at Ivy Tech, and utilizing half days in order to do so. “I am going for a finance major so I’ve already started on that”, Duron said. “I just want to be able to finish that off because I want to be a lawyer and you have to have an undergraduate degree.” In order to start half days, Duron had to coordinate an Ivy Tech schedule along with a Columbus North schedule. “There is a bunch of paperwork I had to get filled out”, Duron said. “Since I do half days I had to get my schedule from Ivy Tech. I’m go to Ivy Tech first because I’m trying to get my associates a little cheaper than at IUPUC, so I had to go get my schedule from them, and then bring it here and listed into the school.” Although Duron is ready to graduate, there are certain aspects of high school she will miss. “I will miss my friends that are still here, that is a sad thing”, Duron said. “I’ll miss some of the teachers. I consistently still come into Mrs. P’s classroom and get peppermints and her advice on things.” In her closing words, Duron recommends graduating early to other students. “Anyone who wants to to do it, it’s so helpful. I’ve been able to catch up on so much sleep.”
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JADON JONES Jones is first studying at IUPUC second semester of the current school year, then later transferring to IUPUI in the fall of 2018. Reflecting on high school, Jones decides what he will and will not miss after graduating. “I’ll miss the small amount of work I have to do, how easy it is”, Jones said. “I won’t miss the amount of time I’m in school though, since college will only be 15 hours a week instead of 35.” In order to graduate, Jones first had to take an English course over the summer and finish his senior project first semester of senior year. “I decided to graduate early because I really don’t like high school honestly, and I also felt like if I could get a head start then why not? It’s better than wasting time”, Jones said. “I decided second semester of junior year.”
SECTION DIEGO RINCON “I decided to graduate early for a few reasons”, Rincon said. “The first of which is the fact that my family needs me to take responsibility as an adult and start making my own money. I only live with my single mother and I don’t want to put such a heavy burden on her.” Rincon also completed the AC (Academic Challenge) Program while in middle school, which he grants helping him get ahead of the academic curve in high school. Rincon plans to move to California after high school to study music production and audio engineering at the Musicians Institute of Los Angeles. “The cost of living there is much higher than it is here”, Rincon said. “Therefore, I must save up money to move and stay afloat financially for a little while until I figure out my living and working situation.” Although Rincon will be studying on the west coast, he still will not miss certain aspects of high school. “I won’t miss the imprisonment of creativity that kids experience in high school”, Rincon said. “Socially, kids are shunned if they’re a little different, and with spending so much time in school, there is little time to pursue other passions, especially if that person has a job. It’s necessary for people to go to school, but some people mature faster than others, and other people think differently but the school systems treat us all the same. That is something I won’t miss.” However, Rincon will miss having the constant company that comes along with high school at Columbus North. “I’ll miss being around so many people all the time”, Rincon said. “After this, I’m on my own.”
EMMA WOLFORD SAMI PROHASKA “We put our house up for sale and we didn’t know where we were going to go if the house sold, so I thought it would be easier, if we ended up moving out of Columbus, then I would be graduated and not have to worry about going to a new high school”, Prohaska said about her early graduation decision. Prohaska plans to study business administration at IUPUC in the spring, then transfer to Indiana State University in the fall. “I didn’t know I qualified for early grad until the end of my junior year when Ms. Tucker told me”, Prohaska said. “(I will miss) seeing my friends.”
“I decided to graduate early because I had enough credits and I thought that having a longer break between the two semesters, my beginning semester of college and my final semester of high school, would really give me a chance to get acclimated to college and living on my own for the first time”, Wolford said. Wolford plans to study film production at Full Sail University in July of 2018. “Before that, in May I plan to go to Rome with my mom”, Wolford said. “It was a senior graduation gift from my mom. I’m really excited about it.” With college in sight, Wolford said she will miss the consistency of a high school schedule. “Full Sail runs on a 24hr schedule, so I could have a lecture going until one in the morning and that’s normal”, Wolford said. “So I’m going to really miss just having that standard consistent schedule, but at the same time I’m also really going to miss the atmosphere and comradery here as Bull Dogs.” Wolford discovered Full Sail University through family friends. “I knew I wanted to do something creative as far as film making went, but I knew the traditional school approach might not be my best fit”, Wolford said.
TRIANGLE // 25
STUDENT LIFE
A TRIP FROM TAIWAN //
Alice Ho reflects on being part of the foreign exchange program. by erica song // design by maggie davis
photos for triangle Alice Ho eats with her host family, the Giesiges.
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n an island in East Asia, high school students stay in a single classroom while their teachers rotate. These students typically end their school days at 5:10, and after school they continue to study their weaker subjects at cram schools. This is a typical school day for students like junior Alice Ho, a foreign exchange student from Taiwan who will be staying in America until the end of the school year. “It’s kind of [a] second school, so you will go there and learn the subject you are not good at again….If I’m not good at physics, I will probably take the physics class in cram school, and... they will have their own textbook and own teacher,” Ho said. “A lot of students in high school go back home around 9 or 10 [in Taiwan] ... It’s very normal for everyone to get home very late, so when I came [to America] ... I will go home about almost 4, so before I go to bed, it’s like 6 hours, and I don’t know what to do because I have too [much] time.” Ho has been in America since July, and her time here has taught her more than the differences between school schedules in America and Taiwan; she has also picked up new knowledge and skills from her classes. “Because I have Sports Nutrition and Culinary Arts...I have learned a lot of new English about the cooking skills and the Sports Nutrition knowledge. I have weight training, so I learn how to power clean and squat,” Ho said. Ho’s educational experiences extend beyond
Ho’s class in Taiwan poses for the camera. the school grounds as well, and she described the foreign exchange program as a reminder to students to be grateful for the people around them. “You get to learn how to open your mind, and how to do things by yourself, and you will know how many things people around you have done for you before you came here,” Ho said. “When you’re living with someone who’s not your real family, you have to probably wash your clothes by yourself, and ...you will ...notice probably your parents have done a lot of things for you, but you never were thankful.” As an exchange student, not only has Ho learned to look back at her life with a more appreciative attitude towards those closest to her, but she has also met many new people, such as junior Anas Khadiri. “Of course, you will make a lot more new friends,” Ho said. “You will meet a lot of other exchange students, so you really [find] out that there’s really a lot of people good at something. One of my exchange student friends--he’s from Germany-and he can speak 7 languages. He not only knows how to say the vocab; he really can use the language to talk with people.” Ho commented that, as a result of her interactions with different people from foreign countries, she has been able to broaden her perspective of the world. “If you never go out, you will never know there’s, in this world, in this place, there’s so many people who are very talented,” Ho said.
“If you never go out, you will never know there’s, in this world, in this place, there’s so many people who are very talented.”
26 // ISSUE 4
photo by erica song
Fun Facts There is no snow in Taiwan. Ho is the manager of Columbus North’s basketball team. According to Ho, Taiwanese culture incorporates food from many different countries, so she did not have to adjust to new foods when she came to America. Originally, Ho did not plan to become a foreign exchange student. She only knew she would be coming about 3 or 4 months in advance. Taiwanese students stay with the same classmates for all of their classes. Instead of being arranged in a daily schedule, classes in Taiwan are put in a weekly schedule, so students’ classes differ from day to day, but stay the same for each week.
AWAITING THE LAST JEDI With the debut of The Last Jedi, fans talk about their love for the series. by cheyenne peters // design by alyona rosenthal
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ay the force be with you as you go to the new Star Wars movie. The next installment in the Star Wars series, The Last Jedi, was released on Friday, Dec. 15th. Directed by Rian Johnson, the movie is said to be plotted around the return of the famed character Luke Skywalker, picking up where the movie left off at the end of the seventh movie, The Force Awakens. Excitement has been brewing for The Last Jedi amongst Star Wars fans. Spanish Teacher Ms. Hearne shares her long held love for the series. ”I grew up when the original three episodes came out,” Hearne said. “They were like nothing we had seen before. It was such an epic good vs. evil story that it took three amazing movies to tell the story.” To some, the Star Wars series has been a large part of their life and it is exciting to see new stories, like those in The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, being added to the original series. “This story spans generations and to know that the newest episodes, which were outlined by George Lucas in the 70’s, are being created to mirror the original trilogy in visual style makes me as a fan extremely happy,” Hearne said. “It was heartbreaking for me to watch Han Solo die in Episode 7 and I’m sure there are more of my favorite characters that will meet their doom, but I am excited to see how the story progresses.” Hearne said. The trailer for The Last Jedi was released on Oct. 9 of this year, bolstering excitement and plot scheming amongst fans. People have made many predictions for the movie based from the trailer, and it may be causing some concerns amongst fans. ”There are a few things that concern me from the trailer. Usually with trilogies, the first episode states the problem and introduces us to the main characters. The second episode is where it feels as if the bad guys have the upper hand and it typically ends with one heck of a cliffhanger. The third episode brings everything together in quite a dramatic way.,” Hearne said. “With this in mind, I feel that with this next episode will see the rebellion take some hard hits. I have a bad feeling (although not a surprise) that Princess Leia will be killed by her son. I am also concerned about Luke’s hesitation to get back into the fight. It worries me that he seems so afraid of Rey instead of confident in his ability to train her.” Hearne said. Regardless of plot speculations, Star Wars Fans are eager to take a seat in theaters to see what The Last Jedi has in store. ”I am beyond excited,” Hearne said.
photo by cheyenne peters
Sophomore Tate McKenney poses in a Star Wars tshirt. McKenney states his favorite character is Finn from The Force Awakens. “He is a storm turned rebel and that’s a perspective that we have not seen before in Star Wars. He has to deal with consequences on betraying his own allegiant’s to fight for what he thinks is right.” McKenney said.
Spanish Teacher Ms. Hearne poses in a festive Star Wars sweater. ”My favorite Star Wars Movie is Episode 6 Return of the Jedi,” Hurn said. “ It was the first movie that I ever saw in a theater and hearing the opening theme music to Star Wars with theater surround sound was amazing. Amazing isn’t the right word but there really aren’t words to describe the feeling. Episode 6 tied the whole story together. It was the ultimate good vs. evil saga.” Hearne said.
The set release date for the ninth Star Wars movie is Dec. 20, 2019.
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The first Star Wars movie, Attack of the Clones, was filmed in Italy, Tunsia, Spain, and New South Wales.
Star Wars: Attack of The Clones cost $11 million to produce.
$ TRIANGLE // 27
12
HOLIDAY MOVIES
TO WATCH THIS BREAK