The Triangle: Issue 5 by cnhsmedia

THE

TRI NGLE Jan. 30, 2015 Issue 5

lift

Volume 94

FAST MOVING AIR=LESS PRESSURE SLOW MOVING AIR = MORE PRESSURE

wing L I F T

NEWTONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S 1st LAW OF MOTION

THRUST

Every object in a state of uniform motion tends to remain in that state unless an external force is applied to it

DRAG force=mass x acceleration f=ma

PG. 10-13

TROUBLED

TAKE OFF

W E I G H T

This holiday season was particularly strenuous for airports and travelers, following multiple high-profile airplane crashes and disappearances. See how stress, gas prices and recent terror attacks have affected the air travel industry

PG. 16-17

FORMAL RECAP PG. 18

Inside Your Backpack

FREE FALL

Acceleration = GRAVITY f _ _ A= m =w m A=9.8 m/s/s = GRAVITY

SIZE EFFECT ON DRAG.

Drag is directly related to reference area. 2x THE AREA = 2x THE DRAG

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Jan. 30, 2015 • Issue 5

CONTENTS

STUDENT LIFE

NEWS

14 Quick Decisions During the winter months, weather can delay or close school unexpectedly. See how BCSC Superintendent Dr. John Quick evaluates the weather BY LILLYANNE PHAM AND CHRIS CASE

16-17 Formal Recap Student Assembly made the annual Winter Formal dance a reality, and senior Morgan Thomas made it more accessible for all BY KAROL ESPINOZA, HANNAH FREY, KARLI REYNOLDS AND SHEANA WASILEWSKI

SPORTS

IN DEPTH

10-13 Up In The Air 6 Fast Friends

2014 saw numerous major plane crashes, causing widespread fear of flying, despite reassuring statistics BY BENTE BOUTHIER, LEAH HASHAGEN AND EVA YEZERETS

For more, go to

cnhsmedia.com

Hours of training together in the water have translated into a strong bond for the Bull Frogs swimming and diving team BY TAYLOR CALLAWAY AND SARAH TRAN

OUR STAFF STAFF

Elizabeth Andrews Chris Case Allison Coffey Timothy Duckworth Taylor Callaway Caylin Eaglen Karol Espinoza Rachel Evener Hannah Frey Sheana Wasilewski

EDITO R IA L B OA R D Maya Baker Bente Bouthier Leah Hashagen Lauren Jines Lillyanne Pham Sarah Tran Eva Yezerets

ADVISER

Kim Green, MJE

WEB TEAM Eden Greer Lexi Dykes Katie Prall

ADVISER

Rachel McCarver, MJE

Correction: In Issue 3, freshman Alexa Eaton’s name was misspelled.

THE TRIANGLE is a public forum of the students at Columbus North High School. To see the entire Triangle policy, log onto www.cnhsmedia. com

Columbus North’s The Triangle

OPINION • MAIN HEADLINE

Laugh Out Loud? “Yes, Please” Amy Poehler delivers a laugh out loud reading experience in this must-read memoir.

s a lover of nonfiction and comedy, I read a lot of memoirs. Amy Poehler’s “Yes, Please” is definitely among my favorites. The former SNL star and all-around funny woman delivers anecdotes and advice while keeping the mood light. The book is told from a friendly perspective that makes reading feel more like sitting down with an old friend. This book is perfect for those who have little time to spare, which is unsurprising given how busy Poehler was when writing this. The chapters are all able to stand alone as individual stories, but they all come together to create a coherent finished piece. Poehler dishes out life advice without being “preachy.” Her chapters on love, divorce and self esteem offer encouragement, without down-playing the universal struggles of these tough situations. Her take on the challenging, angst-filled world of teenage girls is not entirely new, but still offers a fresh take with personal insight. Poehler compares

PHOTO FAIR USE

poor self-esteem to a little devil on your shoulder, getting closer and closer to your mind as you get older. The book definitely has R-rated language and themes that may be a little explicit for some readers. However,The language does not distract from the overall purpose of the story. Comedy lovers will enjoy the behind-thescenes look at SNL, the Upright Citizens Brigade (a theatre started by Poehler and fellow comedian Matt Besser which has expanded to multiple locations, classes and an instructional book) and the legendary Second City Theatre. The audiobook also offers cameos from celebrities like Carol Burnett, Seth Meyers and Patrick Stewart as well as Poehler’s parents. All of this is, and so much more, why this book is among the top five memoirs I have read. The book is exactly what you would expect from Poehler: funny, charming, heartfelt and loud.

LEAH HASHAGEN

A JOKE IS A VERY SERIOUS THING

atire has been the choice weapon of social critics for centuries, from Alexander Pope’s mockery of the British nobility to Mark Twain’s commentary on slavery and to modern television like ‘The Colbert Report’ or ‘The Daily Show.’ Satirical newspapers have been a staple of news stands for years, calling out political leaders and current events in a humorous way. Satirical writers and artists are unforgiving in their mockery, and often target the very core of our society. Their humor is so poignant because it hits so close to home. Often, these jokes find an enemy in those they make fun of. Charlie Hebdo is a French satirical magazine whose Paris headquarters were attacked Jan. 7 by two Muslim extremists for the publication of satirical cartoons featuring the Prophet Muhammad, the founder of the Islam. The gunmen killed eight members of the Charlie Hebdo staff as well as four others in the office building. A policewoman was killed in the two gunmen’s attempted escape as their accomplice killed four hostages at a kosher supermarket. In total, the attacks caused 17 people to lose their lives and caused international terror. The attacks spurred global uproar. Many in France and in the western world called those who died at Charlie Hebdo heroes, martyrs for freedom of speech. The tag #JeSuisCharlie (I am Charlie) in support of the victims skyrocketed on social media. However, many criticized the publication for their ridicule

Jan. 30, 2015 • Issue 5

The attacks at the offices of satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo have spurred discussion on what constitutes freedom of speech and freedom of religion

of a religion. Pope Francis expressed his sympathy for the victims and their families, but denounced any mockery of religion. Predominantly Muslim nations around the world, from Niger to Pakistan, have seen anti-French demonstrations in response to the imagines published by Charlie Hebdo. Others on social media have denounced Charlie Hebdo, saying that they insinuated the attacks and that their publication was a defamation of the freedom of religion. I do not believe that the people at Charlie Hebdo deserved to die. I also believe that Charlie Hebdo had every right to publish those cartoons. I might not agree with the content of the cartoons, but I believe that people have the right to publish their opinions. The Charlie Hebdo cartoons were not meant to criticize all of Islam, but to ridicule those who use it as an excuse to harm others. Charlie Hebdo wanted to point out how we use religious idols as rational for inhumane and downright idiotic behavior. The images were meant to be stirring and offensive. That is the point of satire. Satire is here to uproot the ideas that social conformity has beat into us. It is here to make us reevaluate our beliefs. It dares us to see the faults in our own logic, so that we can either take a new stance, or come back with an even stronger rebuttal. This idea isn’t limited to just satire. Dissent it the foundation of belief. Strong opinions are formulated by constant discussion. By someone poking holes in

your logic, you can see the faults in your opinion and create a new one. Or maybe you can overcome the jeers and come out with an even stronger stance on what you believe and why. That is why freedom of speech covers all types of speech- even the kind we might find in violation of common courtesy or against our own morality. Charlie Hebdo is a satirical magazine. Their catch line is ‘journal irresponsible.’ Literally, “irresponsible newspaper.” Their purpose is to call out what they consider ridiculous behavior by society. The people who died in the Parisians attacks died because they exercised their right to speech, something we do everyday. Speech, dissent, belief- it is all part of the flow of ideas, the process of us figuring out who we are and why we are the way we are. The staffers of Charlie Hebdo should be remembered for their contribution to the ongoing discussion of the human condition, not as agitators. I strongly believe in respecting someone’s religion, but the staff at Charlie Hebdo obviously believed that the message behind their cartoon surpassed what is considered socially acceptable. Whether or not you agree with it is up to you, but it still their right to say it. No one should have to deal with the threat of death because they hold an unpopular opinion. We should focus on discussion, not on hurting one another. We need to focus on learning and expanding our ideas, rather than dissolving into violence. Je suis Charlie.

• THE TRIANGLE EDITORIAL •

LOW PRICES, HIGH COSTS With gas prices at unanticipated lows and Spring Break on the horizon, students must consider the consequences of their travel decisions

lmost overnight, it seems gas prices have been slashed in half. At their peak, they hovered around $4, but right now, it is hard to find a station that charges much more than $2.50. It feels great to go the station and spend $10 to $20 less than what it would have cost a month ago. But at what cost? The plummet in gas prices is due to President Obama’s call for an increase in fracking, a controversial method of drilling for natural gas, and an increase in domestic production of oil. But this is anything but a feasible solution to any of our economic or environmental troubles. The price drop in gas means less profit will be made by fracking. Furthermore, fracking is more expensive than conventional drilling and more harmful to the environment. Presently, our oil production rate is comparable to that of Saudi Arabia, but our reserves are a fraction of what they have available. (National Geographic) We cannot afford to keep on pretending to compete. This November, applications to drill for oil and gas in the U.S. decreased by 40 percent. In addition, we need to examine the impact of where that gasoline goes. According to an annual study published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2014 was the warmest year on record and the

38th consecutive year that global temperatures have been above average. (ncdc.noaa.gov) The link between industry, as well as consumer use of fossil fuels, and the rapid rate of global temperature increases and weather changes is undeniable. The question of climate change should no longer be whether it exists, but what we can do about it. The first step is to acknowledge our responsibility to examine the global impacts of our actions, and to act locally. While gasoline prices may be at multi-year lows, consider the long-term effects of driving around just for fun. Natural gas is composed primarily of methane, which is 70 times more potent a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide over a 20year period. In addition, the rapid use of natural gas increases reliance. Burning one gallon of gasoline creates 20 pounds of carbon dioxide (Car Talk), so plan ahead to make just one trip, or carpool with a friend. Secondly, vote for politicians who support the environment. The current chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., claimed that his religious beliefs take precedence over scientific findings, according to Chemical & Engineering News. “God’s still up there. The arrogance of people to think that we, human beings, would be able to

change what He is doing in the climate is to me outrageous,” Sen. Inhofe said. Even if we do not know the extent of our impact on the environment, we need to preserve all that we can, and not reject science as a result of our religious convictions. If you are old enough to vote, make sure to register and make it to the polls, because your choices impact the future of our country and our continued existence on this planet. Vote for those who invest in research and push for reforms that enable sustainable energy sources and business practices to flourish. When a community decides that the environment is a priority, earth-friendly choices do not have to be a sacrifice. Columbus is finally moving in the right direction with the curbside recycling program. Every other week recyclable goods will be collected from Columbus residents for no additional charge. The program is supposed to start in early 2015 and all residents are encouraged to sign up as soon as possible in order to help the city plan routes. No matter how simple the positive change or great the short-sighted temptation, we must strive to be proactive in saving the environment, whether we are planning a Spring Break vacation or a leisurely drive down the street.

TO P

PRIORITY DUE TO SANCTIONS PLACED ON RUSSIA AFTER CONFLICTS WITH UKRAINE, THE PRICE OF GOODS SUCH AS BREAD HAVE SKYROCKETED, WHILE THE PRICE OF VODKA HAS DROPPED

BY SHREYA HURLI

Columbus North’s The Triangle

SPORTS • TEAM BONDING

FA ST

FRIENDS T

he women’s swimming team gather at a fellow teammate’s house to show their spirit for the upcoming sectional meet. The colors of green and blue fill the bowls as the women’s swimming team dye their tips of the hair to represent the Columbus North Bull Frogs. Senior Marah Beiger believes that team bonding is an important factor in swimming to help make them become better swimmers. “It’s a great way to get the team chemistry going. When you have team chemistry then you’re going to work better together. Especially on relays, if you know how to encourage people it really helps. Team bonding is a very good thing.” The men’s swimming team members also dye their hair. “You get to choose your own color, but it is preferred to use blue because of Columbus North or green because of the Bull Frogs,” sophomore Harrison Griffin said. Team bonding is not only important to team sports, but also to individual sports such as diving and swimming. Coach Jim Sheridan believes that even if it is an individual team sport that the swimmers should try to get along with the fellow teammates. “In an individual team sport such as I have, kids have to get along because we are side by side,

The swimming and diving team share what team bonding means as they progress through the long practices and meets

everyday, for four to five hours in one water [...]When you have 60 kids in the water at the same time, it’s not utopia, but they do a great job of sharing the lanes and working together to get better,” Coach Sheridan said. Swimmers not only spend time together in the swimming area, but they also congregate outside of school settings. “We will have team gettogethers at someone’s house or we have team breakfasts. Sometimes we will have sleepovers or go out to dinner together,” Beiger said. The swimming team does more than dying their hair and dining together, they also do matching dress-up days before meets. Beiger spoke of her most embarrassing moments when dressing up for the team to show they have an upcoming meet. “Freshman year, I had to dress up like a gangster. It was a little embarrassing. I wore big basketball shorts and bagged them down and one of my dad’s T-shirts and high socks.” Griffin also shares an outfit that he had to wear to the men’s swim team: “Me in a dress suit and a polo tie.” Team bonding not only helps the team get along, but it also helps the team be better competitively. BY SARAH TRAN AND TAYLOR CALLAWAY

TOP: The women’s team poses for a picture in their superhero themed outfits. BOTTOM: To celebrate swimmers’ senior night, juniors Grace Haskett and Cori Taylor dress up as and pretend to be babies. DESIGNED BY ALLISON COFFEY

Jan. 30, 2015 • Issue 5

SN P! Perfectly pointing her toes while

simultaneously balancing carefully, senior Kaitlyn Barnes completes her floor routine in her final dual meet against East Jan. 12. Barnes has been practicing gymnastics for approximately 15

years. Even with years of training, Barnes still struggles in certain events. “For me it’s probably the bars because I don’t have the endurance and strength,” Barnes said. In the Jan. 12 meet Barnes admits that her performance on bars was not as good as she would have liked, but she continued through her routine with minor mistakes.

“I kind of crashed a bit on bars, but I stayed on,” Barnes said. Although the bars are not her strongest, Barnes believes her best event is the beam. “Beam - I like that it’s unique and challenging to stay on,” Barnes said. As a team Barnes agrees that it was not an easy meet: North was victorious with the close score of 106.45 to 106.4. “It was definitely a challenging

meet. We had our ups and downs, but I think we will definitely improve from it,” Barnes said. Barnes has a simple plan to keep improving her skills. “I’m going to keep practicing.” BY HANNAH FREY

Columbus North’s The Triangle

SPORTS • RECAP

SPORTS ROUND- UP Check out some pictures and the upcoming schedule for the basketball game, wrestling and gymnastics teams. Come and support the upcoming men’s volleyball match this March

PHOTO BY HANNAH FREY

PHOTO BY AMELIA HERRICK

PHOTO BY ANNA HORAK

PHOTO BY HANNAH FREY

1. Preparing to nail her floor routine, sophomore Nellie Niese successfully aided the Columbus North gymnastics team in the win against Columbus East Jan 12. 2. Dribbling for a fast break, senior Ali Patberg draws a foul for the winning two free throw shots against nationally ranked Heritage Christian Jan 20. 3. Putting a East wrestler in a half nelson with a leg in, sophomore Dakota Kerns defeats his opponent Jan 14. 4. Jumping to set a ball, senior Michael Behling volleys the ball back to his partner during the men’s volleyball club practice Jan. 26 at Southside Elementary School gym.

WHAT’S NEXT? MEN’S VOLLEYBALL April 6 at Southport April 7 at Center Grove April 10 at Roncalli GYMNASTICS Feb 5 vs Martinsville Feb 14 at Connersville Feb 14 at Roncalli

Spring sports are getting into full swing. Check out the upcoming sporting events for a chance to cheer on the teams

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Jan. 31 vs South port Feb. 5 at Jennings county Feb. 10 Sectional WRESTLING Jan 31 at Jennings County Feb 7 at Jeffersonville Feb 14 at Evansville - Ford Center COMPILED BY SARAH TRAN

Jan. 30, 2015 • Issue 5

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Columbus North’s The Triangle

Jan. 30, 2015 • Issue 5

Recent declines in gas prices have caused a decrease in the cost of air travel as students begin to plan for Spring Break. However, safety concerns in the wake of recent crashes and acts of terrorism in France have created a climate of anxiety

IN DEPTH • UP IN THE AIR

UP IN THE AIR

hen junior Dakota Stainbrook, who has feared flying from a young age, heard about the AirAsia flight that crashed Dec. 28, she became even more nervous. “I’m afraid of crashing or getting lost. That’s been happening a lot lately,” she said. Stainbrook does want to try flying sometime, but flying alone is daunting. “If I had my family with me, I’d be OK with it,” she said, “but if it’s just me, no, it’s a no-go.” Her fears are not entirely unwarranted. Last year witnessed 111 plane crashes, as well as scares about intercontinental transmission of Ebola. These events caused a temporary decline in airline share prices and travel, although Brian Payne, director of the Columbus Municipal Airport, countered that there was not a significant impact on domestic or private air travel. The statistics tell a mixed story. The number of total crashes in 2014 was actually the least since 1927, although there were the most fatalities since 2005 (cnn.com). According to a 2013 study published in “Research in Transportation Economics,” the probability of dying is approximately 104 times greater per billion passenger miles in a car or light truck compared to commercial aviation. (journalistsresource.org) Mr. Payne agreed. “2014 was still one of the safest years in aviation,” he said. “It’s safer than driving your car to the grocery store.” Car crashes seldom dominate the news; on the other hand, air travel disasters, while infrequent, appear more catastrophic, leading to weeks of broadcast news coverage. Stainbrook, seeing the specific plane crashes on the news, did not feel mollified by the statistics in support of air travel “because there have been a lot of plane disappearances,” she said. David Jeffries, a captain for a local airline, explained his perspective on nervous passengers. “We get comments about, ‘I sure hope you can land this thing!’ Well, I do, too,” he said, laughing. His response to the passengers’ irrational fears: “I accuse them of being control freaks.” Psychology teacher Laurie Pfaffenberger explained the discrepancy between the probability of crashing and public perception of air travel. “I think people always reach for statistics. You can stetch statistics different ways,” she said. “For example, when there’s a plane crash, it’s usually going to be all falality. But in a car crash that’s not the case. But there are any more car crashes than plane crashes.”

WRITTEN BY BENTE BOUTHIER AND EVA YEZERETS PHOTO BY EVA YEZERETS DESIGNED BY MAYA BAKER

Columbus North’s The Triangle

TAKING WING Columbus Municipal Airport director Brian Payne and commercial airline pilot David Jeffries describe local options for learning to fly

GRADES 2-12 Mr. Payne: “CAP (Civil Air Patrol), certainly, that’s really a good start. Getting involved with the Young Eagles program, the EAA chapter that we have. So the Young Eagles program provides children ages 8 to 17 with a free airplane ride, and it’s really just to open your eyes to aviation. Those are the two best methods. There is something that we’re working on right now where you can learn how to become a mechanic on an airplane, so there’s a group down in North Vernon called the Eagle’s Nest project, so we’re making an attempt to try something like that. Essentially, the students would put together the airplane, they would build their own airplane, and they would be able to fly that airplane essentially for free after they’ve built it.” AGE 16 At age 16, a student may begin solo flights. COLLEGE Mr. Jeffries: “The best option for someone who wants to just fly, and doesn’t want to go to the military route is to basically just start flying … Ivy Tech is starting an aviation program, where financial aid is available and things of that nature, and it will probably be the fastest way to get from zero flight time to being able to sit in an airline … By the time Ivy Tech is finished building their program, [you will] have the same amount of flight time in 2 to 2.5 years that [you] would have at Purdue in 4 to 4.5 years, and [you would] have the same amount of flight time that [you] would have in the military in 10 years.”

Jan. 30 2015 • Issue 5

In fact, terrorism, not accidents or pilot errors, remains the greatest and least predictable risk to air travel. That is where the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) steps in. This agency is responsible for screening passengers and luggage before flights. After the Sept. 11 attacks, security was dramatically increased, but recent years have seen an evolution in the TSA’s approach, according to a TSA spokesperson. “Over the last couple of years, we have moved from a one-size-fits-all approach to a risk-based model,” he said. “99 percent of people traveling are not going to do anything bad on an airplane.” “TSA is constantly changing security measures,” explained commercial airline pilot Roger Jett, who has been flying for the last 25 years and currently flies with American Airlines. “It took them a while to realize that (piolots and flight attendants) will rarely be the problem. They spend a lot less time screening piolots and more on passengers.” The spokesperson explained that, instead of comprehensive, and what may be seen as invasive, screenings, the methods are now more “intelligence-based.” This has enabled low-risk travelers to go through TSA Pre, which requires an application and a background check and allows the travelers to keep their shoes, belts and jackets on and thus alleviates some of the inconveniences of security checks. Less conspicuous methods of screening also expedite the process. “We’ve started using more canines - explosiveor bomb-smelling dogs. In Indianapolis, they quickly sniff you, (and if) they don’t smell anything on you, (they) move you to another line,” he said. These measures are not changed or taken away during high-risk periods, which are determined by the Department of Homeland Security, such as the aftermath of the Charlie Hebdo and related attacks in Paris in early January. However, there was an increase in random security measures at some undisclosed airports in the U.S., with additional screenings and identification checks at the gate. While the TSA’s measures can be seen on a spectrum from minor inconvenience to major stress factor and invasion of privacy, this agency, which serves approximately 450 airports around the country, plays an active role in keeping travelers safe, according to the spokesperson. “It may take longer for everyone to go through

“IT’S SAFER THAN DRIVING YOUR CAR TO THE GROCERY STORE.”

security because they’re screened more heavily,” Mr. Jett said. “It can be frusterating if you let it bother you. But it’s far safer now.” “Last year, and it’s been a problem for many years, there were more than 2,200 people who tried to bring a firearm in a carry-on,” he noted, adding that the statistic is on the rise from the 1,813 firearms found in 2013. “About 80 percent of those were loaded. Not to scare anyone, but it’s a potential risk.” At the Indianapolis International Airport, 20 firearms were found last year; usually, the individuals claimed to have forgotten that they had put their guns in their bags. However, much of the TSA’s work relies on trusting the travelers to report suspicious activity, which the public has taken on well in the post-9/11 travel climate, Mr. Jeffries noted. “I think the most effective (change), as far as the security is concerned, probably the perception of what the security is doing. The public likes to see that there’s security, there’s somebody watching that. They got everybody involved, including passengers. Every person working in an airport empowers the passengers to speak up if they see something strange, I think that’s been the most popular change,” Mr. Jeffries said. “We all know we’re responsible for our own seurity when we’re in the air,” Mr. Jett said. “When in the air, passengers and flight attendants need to react to and subdude people who try to interfere with the flight. Everybody is involved.” Furthermore, the TSA spokesperson recommended that, to minimize any potential stress for the travelers who must interact with the TSA, people should be simply be aware of their own belongings. “Really pay attention to the things you have in your bag,” he said. BY BENTE BOUTHIER AND EVA YEZERETS PHOTOS BY LEAH HASHAGEN

FIGHT OR FLIGHT

JAN.

We surveyed 100 students on where they travel, how they get there and how they feel about getting on an airplane, amid recent concerns and crashes

1 FEB.

W H E R E D O YO U T R AV E L OV E R B R E A K S ? Midwest

21 21

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ON A PLANE?

In-state Cross-country

International Nowhere

NO 40

SOMEWHAT 40

NERVOUS? TERRORISM

DO YOU GET NERVOUS ABOUT F LYI N G ON AN AIRPLANE?

Feb. 11: Algerian military plane, Hercules C-130 The Algerian military plane carrying 78 people crashes in the north-eastern mountains of Algeria. There was one survivor. March 8: Malaysia Airlines MH370 from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing The jet carrying 239 people disappeared in the South Indian Ocean, sparking the largest and most expensive search for a missing plane. However, no debris has been found relating to the plane’s disappearance.

July 17: Malaysia Airlines MH17 from Malaysia to the Netherlands The plane carrying 298 people was shot down on the Ukrainian border with Russia. Pro-Russian rebels are cited with using a missile to shoot down the plane, though Russia denies the accusation.

July 23: TransAsia Airway GE222 from Magong, Taiwan to Penghu Island The plane carrying 54 passengers and four crew members crashed over the sea during bad weather, killing 48 people.

NOTABLE PLANE CRASHES OF 2014

JUNE

CLAUSTROPHOBIA

HEIGHTS/ CRASHING

APRIL

MAY

WHAT PART OF FLYING MAKES YOU THE MOST

MARCH

YES 64

68 STUDENTS SHARED THEIR FEARS OF FLIGHT YES

NO 36

I DON’T GET NERVOUS

JULY

3 4 5

AUG.

July 24: AirAlgeria AH5017 from Burkina Faso to Algeria The plane carrying 116 passengers and crew disappeared over Mali after the pilot addressed poor weather conditions.

SEPT.

Dec. 28: AirAsia QZ8501 from Indonesia to Singapore The jet carrying 162 passengers and crew went missing over the Java sea after the pilot radioed about circumnavigating bad weather.

OCT.

source: BBC COMPILED BY LEAH HASHAGEN DESIGNED BY MAYA BAKER

NOV.

DEC. Columbus North’s The Triangle

NEWS • WINTER WEATHER

QUICK DECISIONS

As the weather turns hazardous, BCSC superintendent Dr. John Quick has to call delays or cancellations. See how he makes these tough decisions in the winter months

because families don’t always have good plans and their kid comes home and is locked out or you have buses running out in the worst kind of weather so it would be better to have the normal dismissal time and let people treat the roads.” Q: DO YOU CONSULT WITH OTHER PEOPLE? A: I use things like N.O.A.A, I use their charts, I use Weather Underground, I like their graphs the best, I use Accuweather for the long range forecast, I use weather. com, so I use multiple websites.”

Q: WHAT ARE THE WEATHER REQUIREMENTS TO CLOSE SCHOOL? A: There is no official cutoff because people listen to the Indy stations when they’re in Columbus, and I work with Seymour and people in Seymour listen to the Louisville stations so sometimes there’s a 15 degree difference or 20 or between those two and it all depends on when. What if I said the cutoff was 10 below, well if it’s 10 below at midnight but by 6 a.m. it’s 10 above, someone would say, “I heard on TV that it said 10 below, they’re going to cancel.” Q: HAVE YOU EVER HAD TO CLOSE SCHOOL IN THE MIDDLE OF A SCHOOL DAY? IF SO, FOR WHAT REASON? A: It takes an hour to mobilize our buses because we have about 100 buses and there is a point of no return. After 12:30 (p.m.) or 1 (p.m.), I’m not making a decision sending students home early. I, very rarely, have an early dismissal because it’s dangerous in my opinion

Explaining details about his profession, Ollis discusses the science behind Mother Nature. This Science Rocks presentation was hosted in the Bartholomew County Public Library Jan. 22.

Jan. 30, 2015 • Issue 5

Q: DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE REPUBLIC MAKING A MISTAKE ABOUT THERE BEING A TWO-HOUR DELAY BUT THERE REALLY WASN’T? A: When The Republic mistakenly put out that we had a two-hour delay, that got out pretty quickly but in their defense they probably didn’t know that other school districts go by BCSC, but things happen.” Q: HOW DO YOU HANDLE REACTIONS? DO STUDENTS SEND YOU EMAILS? A: That has changed in the last couple of years, before the last couple of years I would never get an email from a student but every once in a while I’ll get an email from students and when I do, I copy their principal with my response. A student is a stakeholder, too, but you would hope that they would work closer to their school instead of complaining to the superintendent. Q: LAST YEAR, WASN’T THERE A SNOW DAY CALLED AT NIGHT BUT THE NEXT DAY THERE WAS NO SNOW, HOW DID YOU HANDLE THAT? A: I made a decision, in the early morning, to close

“Weather conditions can be different in each county. I would listen to the one making the call. They checked the weather updates through reliable outlets. It’s a difficult call. For example, weather conditions can be worse in the country. I wouldn’t make that decision. Whoever is making the call usually knows what they’re doing.” METEOROLOGIST RANDY OLLIS

JANUARY

school because of ice but nothing happened because that morning I was in Indianapolis and there was an ice warning and I talked to Brown County and Monroe County and they said they got a couple of inches of ice, but then the temperature went from 31 degrees to 33 degrees in between 5 (a.m.) and 8 (a.m.) and it rained instead of iced. Q: ABOUT THE WAIVERS THAT WERE OFFERED, WHY DID YOU NOT ACCEPT IT? A: We’ve never waived a day in my tenure, and I don’t know that BCSC has ever waived a day partly because it’s a huge investment and every day of school is important and I know that some people did take advantage of the waiver but we have a 105 milliondollar budget and the reason we have a 105 milliondollar budget is so that we can go to school for six hours, 180 times, so do the math. That’s hundreds of thousands of dollars that this community is investing in you, as the student, for each day of school. I also have 1,800 employees, about 700 of them are teachers, and over 100 bus drivers and so on, and it’s a day’s work for them, too. So if I would waive a day, it impacts those people as well and those families, and so there’s a day they aren’t going to get paid. Q: WITH THE BUSES, ABOUT THE ANTIFREEZE... UPDATE? A: The antifreeze isn’t an issue; it’s good up to 20 below. What might be an issue would be the diesel fuel gelling up. If it gets 10 to 15 degrees below zero then we have trouble with fuel. COMPILED BY LILLYANNE PHAM AND CHRIS CASE DESIGNED BY KAROL ESPINOZA

SNOWED IN

This school year’s small number of two-hour delays and snow days is in sharp contrast to last year’s amount

DECEMBER

MARCH

JANUARY

FEBRUARY

2013-2014 school year SNOW DAYS 2 HOUR DELAY

knowledge

UNITED

TRI

EMPTY BOWLS The community will be participating in an annual event known as the Empty Bowls fundraiser Saturday at Central Middle School

or years, charities like Love Chapel have helped the community through donations, but these charities cannot always make it on their own. This is where members of the community step in. For the 17th year, Empty Bowls is raising money to benefit local places including Love Chapel, Hope Community Center and Turning Point. “We have five partners who sponsor us and help organize the event: C4 Culinary Arts, Columbus Food Co-op, United Way, Pride Alliance Columbus, and Q-Mix,” SaraBeth Drybread, co-chair of the event, which features food, entertainment and pottery by local artists, said. “We usually bring in about $12,000. Since it first started, we have contributed at least $160,000 to organizations in the community,” Drybread said. “We are hoping for around $14,000 this year.” Sarah Gray, the volunteer coordinator for the event, was more hesitant in her prognosis. “That’s a little optimistic, but there’s nothing wrong with that,” Ms. Gray said. Since the event relies on so much volunteer work, Ms. Gray feels that the organization of the event can be stressful.

“It’s an agony. You never know for sure if people are going to come through with the stuff they say they will,” Gray said. Although the work is difficult, Drybread noted how rewarding it feels to help out. “The greatest thing is seeing members from all four corners of the community come together for a common need. These food pantries can always use assistance. It is rewarding to see that the community wants to support them, and to see everyone having a great time too,” Drybread said. Drybread and Gray encouraged students to get involved. “We have lots of volunteer opportunities, from working in the kitchen to bussing tables. If you want to get involved, talk to Chef Carrie,” Drybread said. C4 Culinary Arts Chef Carrie Douglas, who teaches in room 1518, is a member of the event committee and can help students to volunteer. “It’s tough if we have people show up at the last moment wanting to volunteer. If people want to help, they can come talk to me. I’m here all except for period 5A.”

BY TIM DUCKWORTH

THROUGH

SPORT There is an new option for those interested in participating in a sport while giving back

orth will have a Unified Track team this year. Special education teacher, Corey Londeree, is one of the leaders of the team. “Unified Teams/Track is a partnership between IHSAA and Special Olympics,” Mr. Londeree said. “(Athletic director) Mr. Hester has been a key role and has worked with the ISHAA in order to have Columbus North become a Unified Sports Team.” The program began its first official affiliation with a state athletic association in Connecticut in 1992. Since then Arizona, Maryland, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Indiana have followed their lead. The program works to partner special needs student athletes with unified student partner athletes. “The goal is to have 10 Unified Student Athletes and 10 Unified Student Partners,” Mr. Londeree said. The program will start in February. Events include 100 meter Dash, 400 meter Dash, 4x100 meter Relay, Shot Put and Long Jump. “First practice will be on Feb. 10 from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. A meet schedule is currently being created and we will have more information on meets once completed,” Mr. Londeree said. “Any student interested in Unified Track can come talk to me in Room 1609.” BY LAUREN JINES

FRESHMAN SCHEDULING

When do students start preparing for their schedule next year?

Feb. 17, counselors will be meeting with current freshmen to begin the scheduling process. Scheduling will also begin for incoming freshmen. “February 16, 18, and 20 [counselors will] go to Northside, Central and the parochial schools to do our visitation and answer questions from the eighth graders.” GUIDANCE COUNSELOR PATRICK PEMBERTON BY CAYLIN EAGLEN

Columbus North’s The Triangle

STUDENT LIFE • FORMAL Taping spray-painted paper onto the wall, senior Jason Fier helps Student Assembly prepare for the Winter Formal dance at Southside Elementary School Jan. 25. PHOTO BY HANNAH FREY

PULLING IT TOGETHER Student Assembly puts together the Winter Formal dance every year, from creation of the concept to set-up and tear-down

STEP 1:

BRAINSTORMING Before any planning starts, student assembly members have to pick a theme for formal. “We started brainstorming for songs before winter break, and the week before, we decided,” senior Libby Cutler said. All members separate themselves in different classes and share ideas with each other. After, they all gather around in a large group and throw out ideas they want until they all decide on a song. If a song is not decided during that time, it is decided at a council meeting. “There were lots of other ideas, there was stuff like western, underwater and stuff like that,” junior Delaney Coles said. “It was all over the place.”

Jan. 30, 2015 • Issue 5

STEP 2:

SET UP After carefully selecting a theme, the next step in the formal process is the actual making and setting up the decorations. “Now we are just physically doing everything,” Cutler said. For this year’s Blame It On The Night theme, the Assembly plans to make graffiti style art that could be seen in the streets of a big city. “We’re doing graffiti like you see in New York City. We are going to spray paint paper and put it on the walls to make it look like graffiti on the walls,” Coles said. The morning of formal they begin the set up process. “We go to Southside at like 9:30 in the morning, and so we just have a bunch of kids taping things everywhere and blowing up balloons,” Cutler said.

STEP 3:

TEARING DOWN Before every student assembly member that attended the dance leaves, it is mandatory for them to stay afterwards and help tear everything down. If any member leaves without helping, the members in charge will find out and bring them back to help. “We’ve never really had an issue with people leaving,” Coles said. “People are usually really good about staying after since it doesn’t take very long.” Tearing down and cleaning up takes about half an hour, and after everything is done, Student Assembly members get to leave. BY KAROL ESPINOZA, HANNAH FREY, KARLI REYNOLDS AND SHEANA WASILEWSKI

BLAME

LET YOUR HAIR DOWN For her senior project, senior Morgan Thomas cut and styled hair for Formal for free

Why did you decide to do this as your senior project? It’s my second time in cosmetology so it’s something I am really good at. It will give people a really good experience. It’s like $60 on the cheap end to get it at a salon, and I’m doing it for free.

IT O N THE NIGHT

This year’s theme for Winter Formal focused on a city scape, featuring a large wall of graffiti, confetti and balloons PHOTO BY KAROL ESPINOZA

How are you advertising? Facebook, Instagram, and I have fliers and sign up sheets up around the school. If someone does not want to put their information on the sign up sheets, my number is also on those fliers by the resource center. Helping people prepare for Formal, Senior Morgan Thomas curls hair at Mcdowell. PHOTO BY HANNAH FREY

BY THE NUMBERS We asked 100 students their plans for Formal 2015 Are you going to Formal?

47%

53%

YES NO 53%

A date

Friends

3 4 %

13% Alone How much money do you spend on Formal?

Do you have your beauticians license? I don’t have my cosmo license yet, but my mentor does.

How is this helping your community? They’re getting an opportunity they might have and it’s not just hair styles, it’s haircuts too, and it’s free.

THE

Who are you going to Formal with?

What motivated you to take the class? I always loved doing hair and makeup. I wanted a job that I knew I would enjoy.

How do you think this skill will help you in your future? When I get older, I can do free hair cuts for family and stuff. Socially it’s a good thing, because you have to be good at that to get clients.

$0-50 $50-100 $150-200 $200+

74%

13% 7% 6%

HOW WERE YOU ASKED TO FORMAL?

“...with flowers.” sophomore Kennedy Staggs

PHOTO BY PAIGE GRIDER

“...with a fortune cookie and flowers on my birthday.” sophomore Grace Haskett

“A shoe box that said ‘I’m happy you walked into my life, Formal?’” sophomore Katlin Meek

PHOTO BY KAROL ESPINOZA

“My boyfriend surprised me at my horse barn with a sign and flowers and a picture he drew me.” freshman Zoe Chasse “He asked me at my cheer competition.” freshman Kayla Asher

PHOTO BY HANNAH FREY

PHOTO BY KAROL ESPINOZA

Clockwise from top: 1. Student Assembly members drop confetti onto the dance floor during the Winter Formal dance Jan. 24 at Southside Elementary School. 2. Her dress twirling around her, sophomore Andrea Monsiavais is spun by junior Arturo Garcia. 3. Holding hands, freshman Claire Malone, Kirsten Ballard and Ana Singhal dance in a circle. 4. Before the dance, freshman Pavithra Venkataraman blows up balloons with Student Assembly in preparation. 5. Swaying to the music, seniors Mykala Matheny and Devin Abendroth slow dance. 6. Balloons fall on the crowd during the later part of the Winter Formal dance Jan. 24.

“A box of German chocolates (from a German).” freshman Jaelah Weaver “I asked with a box of chocolates.” freshman Jannis Anderson

Columbus North’s The Triangle

STUDENT LIFE • A THING OR TWO

1 2

WHAT’S IN YOUR

BACKPACK?

“Amazing Grace” is the fiction book I am reading for fun currently and it’s pretty good so far.”

“‘Hot Words for the SAT’ is for English class and is really helpful.”

“I always have tons of books to read and some of them are for school and ‘Aeneid of Virgil’ is for English Academic Team.”

“I always carry my own pencil sharpener because I mostly use wooden #2 pencils, and I like my pencils to be super sharp.”

“I love my calculator because it is very important for both (of) my math classes and it’s like a mini computer.”

“I always have snacks in my backpack just in case I get really hungry.”

Jan. 30, 2015 • Issue 5

Sharnikha Saravanan

Junior Sharnikha Saravanan shares what she lugs around in her backpack everyday

GR Y M TTER. BY LILLYANNE PHAM

Each new year is celebrated for being a blank canvas, a chance to reinvent oneself. In order to achieve one’s goals, one must build on a solid foundation. 71 students were surveyed Jan. 22 about their priorities

Meet the most mysterious, fascinating and complex organ in our bodies. From falling in love to computing complex equations, it is the root of all human behavior. Gray matter is the brain’s and spinal cord’s main component, accounting for 40 percent of brain mass and 94 percent of oxygen consumption. Continue to understand psychologist Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs theory about reaching high while staying grounded.

PARTICIPANTS AGE MAJORITY

16-17

GENDER

FELT MOTIVATED TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL

92% 62% 38%

* Students rated one or more priorities on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. SELFACTUALIZATION NEEDS Ex. self-fulfillment, seeking personal growth, peak experiences

“

Some people believe only people like Lincoln and Washington have only reached self-actualization. I don’t subscribe to that. I believe that it breaks into knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge is like two plus two equals four. Wisdom is applying. We all have the capability to reach selfactualization with time and development.” social studies teacher Steve Perry

15% 55% HIGHEST

ESTEEM NEEDS Ex. Achievement, dominance, respect, status

LOWEST

LOVE AND BELONGINGNESS NEEDS Ex. Family, significant other, intimacy, affection

20%

11%

54% LOWEST

HIGHEST

SAFETY NEEDS Ex. Law, security, stability, protection

HIGHEST

42% 24% HIGHEST

48%

LOWEST

BIOLOGICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS Ex. Food, water, sleep, air, shelter

LOWEST

PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS

HIGHEST

60% LOWEST

A balanced lifestyle helps our brain rest on lighter shoulders.

FOUR MAJOR CHEMICALS IN THE BRAIN THAT INFLUENCE OUR HAPPINESS: DOPAMINE

SEROTONIN

OXYTOCIN

ENDORPHINS

“PARADISE.” SENIOR DEREK SEXTON

SOURCE: MYERS’ PSYCHOLOGY FOR AP

Columbus North’s The Triangle

GREAT MAGIC

Senior Rachel Evener weaves a story of a young boy trying to find his talent

nce upon a time, there was a boy. His name was Andrew. And Andrew, you see, wasn’t great at anything. He was good at many things, but not great at anything. Andrew was constantly searching for the one thing he was great at. He tried to paint and made a mess. He tried to sing and heard dogs howling. He tried to join every club at school and simply failed at finding what his passion was. He decided that he could not solve this problem on his own. He went to a friend, Eric, who Andrew knew was great at archery, and asked if he could teach Andrew how to use a bow. One day after school, Andrew and Eric set up some targets. Eric showed him the basics and told him to try it out. Andrew pulled his arm back and released just as he was shown. It stuck into the target, far away from center. Eric encouraged Andrew to keep trying, so he did. He tried over and over and just couldn’t get his aim right. “You’re just not going to be great at this, Andrew,” Eric said, “But you could be really good, if you practiced.” Andrew hung his head and dragged the bow back home. The next day he asked his teacher if she could help him learn how to write a good story. The teacher enthusiastically agreed and taught him grammar and the important points of writing an entertaining story. Needless to say, two notebooks

and five stories later, the Andrew had grown frustrated. “Andrew, you have good potential, but I don’t know if this is something you would want to do as a career,” the teacher said to him. Andrew threw his pencil and ran out of the classroom. Why couldn’t he find what he was great at? At home, he told his parents of his awful situation. “I know someone who will help you! I mean really help you,” Andrew’s mom said. “Really?” Andrew asked. “Yes! There is a man who lives two miles outside the edge of the city, and he helps people. They say he’s a wizard,” Andrew’s mom said. “I thought wizards didn’t live near big cities,” Andrew said. “This one realized that there are people that need help in cities, too,” Andrew’s mom said. So, Andrew started on his journey. He kept his head down and made sure no one saw him; he didn’t need any more ridicule. He crossed the city line and lifted his head, feeling more confident now that no one was looking at him. He came across a house that had round doors and a pointed roof. He decided he would knock. His knock was answered immediately by a exceedingly tall man. He had dark hair and his eyes looked like they could swallow someone

whole. Andrew became overwhelmed with fear and turned around. A large hand reached from the giant’s body and placed itself on Andrew’s shoulder. He shrank at the touch. The giant turned the boy around. “You need help?” “Y-Yes sir,” Andrew said. The tall man remained silent and waited for the boy to speak more. “Well, you see, I’m not good at anything. I tried archery and story writing and everyone said I would never be able to do it. Can you tell me why I’m not great?” the boy blurted. “Listen to me,” the wizard sighed, “do what you like to do. Do what makes you happy. Do it for you. And really don’t give a hoot what others think. Do what makes you proud. It doesn’t come naturally, I assure you. Just do what you want to do and if people don’t seem to like it, it’s their loss, but the greatness is inside of you, Andrew. ” The boy wasn’t expecting this answer, but he smiled nonetheless. He felt like he had someone in his corner to fight for him. He hugged the wizard and whispered a thank you. The man smiled down at him and wished him the best. The boy walked with his head held high all the way home. Then, at home, the thought occurred to him: how did the wizard know his name?

HOW TO MESS W I T H YOUR TEACHERS

IF SENATE BILL 266 IS APPROVED, THIS IS A FULL PROOF WAY TO MESS WITH YOUR TEACHERS BY RACHEL EVENER AND SHEANA WASILEWSKI

Columbus North’s The Triangle