Tiger Topics N the Red: Volume XIII, Issue 4

Volume XIII, Issue 4

Fishers High School

Dec. 17, 2018

Tiger Topics:

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Photo by Ethan O’Sullivan.

DANGEROUS HABITS www.fishersnthered.com

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TABLE OF CONTENTS SCHOOL PARKING LOT

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DRIVING SAFETY STUDY

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EFFECTS OF LONELINESS

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TIGER AMBASSADORS & CUB CLUB

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STAN LEEʼS LEGACY

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MOCK AP EXAMS

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TEACHER ABSENCES

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FISHERS HOLIDAY DECOR

12 - 13

FOOD REVIEW: LEGIT PHO

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ASPIRING ARTIST: ZACH CLAR

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FOREIGN LANGUAGE CLUB FESTIVITIES

16 - 17

PEP BAND

18 - 19

ADVERTISEMENT

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NEW GOVERNMENT HEALTH GUIDELINES

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BOYS & GIRLS SWIMMING

22 - 23

BOYS & GIRLS DIVING

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APC COACH JONES

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ADDING INCLUSIVITY TO VARSITY LETTERS

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WIFI FIREWALL

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H2H: COMPETITION IN EDUCATION

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EDITORIAL: WRECKLESS DRIVING

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BEHIND THE COVER Sunlight melts the ice covering seniorsʼ cars in the CCA lots on Dec. 6. Photo

by Sam Bauer.

Road to College: A look into admissions process

fhsnthered.com:

Spotlight: Skylar Fulton takes it to court (Video)

fhsnthered.com:

Top five recent holiday songs

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Cars wait in the senior lot while snow falls on Dec. 6. Photo by Sammuel Bauer.

The top three issues that I have seen are speeding, reckless driving and the inability to park -Instructional assistant Lloyd Byrd

Students wheel into wrong spots during morning Lance Marshall marshlan000@hsestudents.org

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tudents and staff may look and act differently, but one thing they do have in common is where they all park. Parking spots can be found all around the school ranging from the soccer fields all the way to Billericay Park. All spots are available on a first come, firstserved basis except designated senior parking located in the CCA lot and staff parking located all around the building.

“I like the parking lot, except for when juniors park in senior parking,” senior Stormie Rice said.

“Then there is no room making me park all the way out in the middle of nowhere.”

Students that want to park in the school’s parking spots must obtain a parking pass that they must place on the car’s windshield or rear window.

For seniors, their stickers are different from the lower classmen which helps the deans pick out non-seniors who parked in the designated lot.

According to dean Greg Miller the punishment for parking in staff and for non-seniors parking in senior parking would result in a detention.

“Students are expected to honor these areas by complying with these established areas for their grade,” instructional assistant Lloyd Byrd said.

Staff parking is located mainly by the front office and the CCA office near the senior parking.

Students are prohibited from parking in these designated spots even during the school day when everyone is already in the building.

“I have been tempted to park in staff every day,” Rice said. “But I would never do that.”

For a fundraiser, some high schools have sold assigned parking spots to seniors only. After a

senior purchases a spot, he or she has the approval to get creative and decorate it.

“It is a neat idea and I am not against it totally,” Miller said. “Although first come, first-served seems to work and right now from management standpoint this is a lot better for us to manage.”

While the parking lot does hold a lot of cars, a downside can be seen as the rush at 2:55 when the bell rings releasing students to go home. Rice has said that the longest she has waited was about 30 minutes.

“The top three issues that I have seen are speeding, reckless driving and the inability to park correctly,” Byrd said.

Byrd has come up with his own solution to the parking chaos: (1) limiting all school parking to the seniors, (2) installing traffic lights by all school exits, (3) teaching people to be cooperative when driving, (4) making Promise road and 131st a four lane road with a medium.

“Out of these I would say that the first idea would be the most feasible,” Byrd said. “As the others would involve an incredible amount of money and approval from the city of Fishers,” The school tries to emphasize safety when it comes to the parking lot by having multiple police officers stationed at all exits of the school to direct flow of traffic. Students may not realize the dangers like icy road mishaps, cars being broken into during school hours or texting while driving.

“I would say that safety in the parking lots is extremely important,” Byrd said. “I could never imagine any parent receiving a phone call with the bad news of their child being hurt or worse.”

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New study gives FHS an F grade for low street safety Hallie Gallinat gallihal000@hsestudents.org

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ut of the 50 states, Indiana placed 42 in terms of street safety around schools, according to a study from Zendrive.

FHS placed 91 out of the 95 schools in Hamilton County, resulting in an F grade.

“I feel stressed about this,” sophomore Gracey Scholl said. “I’m not really surprised but as long as I’m being as cautious as I can, there’s not much I can do to control it.”

Zendrive, an app that detects unsafe driving through sensors in the phone, used their app to collect data. They calculated their scores by analyzing how many events happened per trip in one school area. Zendrive used public and private schools’ datasets provided by the National Center for Education Statistics and mapped out boundaries to define school areas. The school’s safety was then calculated based on the number of events.

However, Zendrive claims that they did not include factors like highways, number of vehicles or lanes.

Phone usage, speeding, rapid acceleration and hard braking lowered the score. Out of these four, FHS received an F in phone usage and speeding.

However, the school received a B+ for both rapid acceleration and hard braking.

“It’s harder to get here with all the traffic,” junior Jasin Martinez said. “Students don’t want to be late so they speed. Also, near the athletic entrance, there is a police officer that guides cars, but not a lot of students pay attention to him. They don’t always want to wait for the buses so they try to hurry up and get out.”

The most dangerous times are from 7 to 8 a.m. as well as 3 to 6 p.m., when student pick-up and drop-off occur.

“The morning is the most accident-prone,” school resource officer Matthew Ruhnow said.

“You have so many drivers and parents taking their kids to school. But in the afternoon, everyone is leaving at the same time.”

The safety score, however, can change in the future. Zendrive conducts this study every year and is always being updated. Traffic officer Steve Pickett raises the point that the score might not always be accurate.

“I don’t believe it’s entirely truthful about what they claim about FHS,” Pickett said. “I will say there is a pervasive speeding problem in Fishers and there is a rampant problem with cell phone usage everywhere.”

Zendrive gathered its data from schools across the country during April 2018. Assistant principal Chrissie Sturgill said that this can influence the data collected.

“In April, it is warming up around here,” Sturgill said. “People are excited, they have their windows down and they may be driving a little bit more hectically. We have more new drivers because a lot of students don’t start driving in the winter.

So, April driving might be different than another month.”

Next year, FHS can score higher, lower or may not change at all. A small step in increasing the score includes coming in earlier, Sturgill says.

“Our biggest issue right now is the number of students who drive to school or their parents drop them off,” Sturgill said. “People who are coming between 7:10 and 7:30... you’re having to deal with all the cars coming in and a ton of people. It’s just a less safe time to come to school. People can get here earlier and also be aware of the weather so they can have a little extra time. It’s really important to know what the road conditions are going to be every day.”

Graphic by Hallie Gallinat

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Senior JC Camacho demonstrates loneliness near the lockers in the H hallway. Photo by Marie Gabbard.

Loneliness causes suffering Marie Gabbard gabbamar000@hsestudents.org

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Infographic by Marie Gabbard.

oud chattering, boisterous laughter and friends interacting make up a very common sight within a school. Yet despite being surrounded by friends, feelings of isolation and loneliness are common for many students according to a report from Action for Children, a UK charity to help neglected children.

Loneliness is defined as “perceived social isolation” by John Cacioppo, a neuroscientist at the University of Chicago. In an interview with the National Science Foundation, he explained that people may have many friends but still feel isolated.

Action for Children also found in the report that four out of five adolescents report feelings of loneliness at some time, and almost a third describe these feelings as persistent and painful.

Senior Jason Nguyen discussed how at some points in high school he has experienced feeling loneliness in school.

“There are definitely times when I just felt like an outsider,” Nguyen said. “It just felt really bad like I couldn’t really connect with anyone,” Another major issue for people who are chronically lonely is that they do not have anyone to talk to about the normal stresses and pressures of the day.

“I was so stressed in school and had no one to ask for help,” Nguyen said. “I know many people want to help me, but it’s really hard for me to actually step and ask.”

A recent report from the Society for Neuroscience found that people who are

chronically lonely are more likely to die early and to have adverse health effects, like heart disease and higher rates of diabetes.

With some students, the holidays can cause an increase in feelings of loneliness. For senior Shravan Suravarjjala, not having family around has changed his perspectives on important relationships.

“Recently my grandma passed away and I think that caused a lot of loneliness,” Suravarjjala said.

“It was kind of more of a teaching experience that this is the real world and you have to be independent, you have to take care of yourself.”

While some people feel lonely in school, other people miss their family members who do not live at home anymore. Freshman Rachel Fulton found herself missing her brother when he went off to basic training for the military.

“You know how older brothers are mean and annoying, but I just started to miss him,” Fulton said. “When I went to visit him I just hugged him so tight” According to the National Health Society, to help someone who is lonely, people can do something as simple as have a short conversation with them.

Another way to help lonely people is to invite them to events, so they feel included.

The Mayo Clinic has found that one way to avoid the detrimental impact of loneliness is having a strong network of support of friends and family.

So for students that are struggling with feelings of loneliness, reaching out to friends and family is essential.

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Tiger Ambassadors, CUB Club bring students together

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Ben McHenry mchenben000@hsestudents.org

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he rift that exists between high school students and cliques is a common trope in movies, “The Breakfast Club” and “Mean Girls” being prime examples. Whether or not this stereotype is true, Tiger Ambassadors and the CUB (Creating United Bonds) Club look to bridge this gap between students, and create a more cohesive, kind student body.

Tiger Ambassadors focuses on welcoming new students who move here from a different school district. The program gives the new student an upperclassmen ambassador, a mentor for the student.

“The goal of Tiger Ambassadors is helping kids that have just moved here from different school districts get familiarized with the school so that they don’t feel too overwhelmed, whether that be finding classes, joining clubs or making friends,” junior Tiger Ambassador Christian McDaniel said.

Apart from basic issues related to the school itself, students frequently have issues beyond just getting around. Often, having a Tiger Ambassador helps students acclimate to the social atmosphere, and find groups of people who share common interests.

“Having Christian [McDaniel] as my ambassador helped me find my way around and get used to the school, but more than anything it helped me make friends,” junior Christian White said. “I moved here from Washington and didn’t know anyone, and now I’ve got a whole group of friends through Christian.”

In addition, there are hundreds of new students trying to get acclimated to the school every year.

The first day of school is filled with freshman wandering the halls, with a look of confusion

and fear on their face, wondering how to get to their next class, but too afraid to ask anyone who looks like they know where they are going. CUB Club hopes to alleviate this confusion and fear, by pairing an upperclassmen mentor with an incoming freshman.

“CUB Club is a freshman mentoring program that we started at the school last year, and it gives incoming freshmen people that they can ask questions about the school, or anything like clubs, activities, academics,” senior CUB Club member Jillian Meyer said. “We pair them up around April or May, so the summer before they start high school they can meet their mentor, and we try to pair them up based on hobbies and club interests so that throughout high school they have people to turn to.”

While the focus of the program is helping freshman, the upperclassmen club members often benefit from being a part of the CUB Club as well.

“CUB Club has taught me a lot about leadership and what it takes to leave a legacy at the school by starting something new, which isn’t an easy thing to do when you’re recruiting kids who don’t yet go to the school,” Meyer said. “So you have to be very organized and focused on what the overall goal is. I’ve also learned about relationships, and how to foster those between people who probably wouldn’t know each other otherwise.”

According to College Express, freshman and seniors often have very different levels of maturity, and very different goals for their school career at their respective ages. This may attribute to why there is little interaction between them, as there is not much they have in common. But a key focus of the CUB Club is finding these commonalities, and tearing down this divide.

Tiger ambassador Christian McDaniel and his mentee Christian White have a conversation at lunch on Dec. 7. Photo by John Yun.

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Graphic by Drake Stallworth

Dec. 17, 2018

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Marvel creator passes away, leaving decisions to be made John Yun yunjoh000@hsestudents.org

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entral player in the creation of the Marvel characters, Stan Lee passed away at age 95 on Nov 12. According to Jonathan Kandell and Andy Webster at the New York Times, many believed that his leadership and his colorful voice are the factors that led to exploding sales, complex characters and stories. The death of Stan Lee impacted many of the students that have watched and enjoyed the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

When exposed at a young age to the universe that Stan Lee created, senior Dane Smith immediately became a Marvel fan. Stan Lee created movies like “Spiderman,” “The Avengers,” “Iron Man,” “Captain America,” “Thor” and “Black Panther.”

“When I was little, I always used to watch the original Spiderman movies,” Smith said. “I found a love for the universe. When Stan Lee popped up [in cameos], I realized I really like him.”

Marvel movies became more than just fiction stories for some viewers like senior Molli Morosi; they became a way to enjoy time with friends and family.

“I thought the X-Men movies were extremely enjoyable to watch,” Morosi said. “I used to watch them with all my friends, and I had a great time.”

With the death of Stan Lee, people are wondering how the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe will play out, and what will happen to Stan Lee cameos that have dotted the movies.

It has been confirmed by producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller that there will be a cameo in the upcoming “Spider-Man: Into the SpiderVerse” this month, and the last set of cameos reported went all the way up to “Avenger: End Game,” the second Infinity War movie, according to Screen Rant. So, audiences can expect to also see cameos in “Captain Marvel.” However, after that, it is uncertain whether there will be any more.

“I think that Stan Lee cameos are hilarious,” senior Kaleb Gucinski said. “His cameos are one of the things that I would look forward to when I watch Marvel movies.”

The Avengers, Marvel’s most profitable franchise, will end this summer and leave a big decision to be made about the Marvel’s next stage.

The Avengers films have brought in over $4.9 billion for Disney and Marvel, according to CNBC. After the release of “Black Panther,” which was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby during the Civil Rights Movement, some are wondering whether Marvel will make bigger moves to incorporate new characters, races, and sexual

orientations after Stan Lee’s death.

However, Marvel has had a difficult time in establishing new characters and turning them into successful franchises, according to CNBC. For example, when Falcon became Captain America in the comics, sales plummeted. Also, in “Thor: Ragnarok,” a scene that confirmed Valkyrie’s bisexuality was cut, showing the careful nature of incorporating more diverse representation.

Yet despite the challenges of creating new characters, Stan Lee has affected students through his existing characters like Iron Man and All of Stan Lee's Live Captain America and Action Movie Cameos the message that his movies and comics 1. "X-Men" (2000) portray.

2. "Spider-Man" (2002) “Stan Lee’s movies 3. "Hulk" (2003) have taught me about 4. "Spider-Man 2" (2004) self-empowerment,” 5. "Fantastic Four" (2005) freshman Kylie Jones 6. "X-Men: The Last Stand" (2006) said. “The movies 7. "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer" (2007) 8. "Spider-Man 3" (2007) taught me about the my 9. "Iron Man" (2008) worth as a person, and 10. "The Incredible Hulk" (2008) how I can fight back 11. "Iron Man 2" (2010) against the evil in the 12. "Thor" (2011) world.”

13. "Captain America: The First Avenger" (2011) Each character 14. "Avengers" (2012) 15. "The Amazing Spider-Man" (2012) created by Stan Lee 16. "Iron Man 3" (2013) is innately similar to 17. "Thor: The Dark World" (2013) regular humans, which 18. "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" (2014) helps viewers relate to 19. "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" (2014) what the superheroes 20. "Guardians of the Galaxy" (2014) are going through and 21. "Avengers: Age of Ultron" (2015) feeling in their comic 22. "Ant-Man" (2015) 23. "Deadpool" (2016) stories.

24. "Captain America: Civil War" (2016) “Spiderman is very 25. "X- Men: Apocalypse" (2016) intelligent and can 26. "Doctor Strange" (2016) balance his normal 27. "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" (2017) life and his superhero 28. "Spider-Man: Homecoming" (2017) life at the same time,” 29. "Thor: Ragnorak" (2017) 30. "Black Panther" (2018) Gellenbeck said.

31. "Avengers: Infinity War" (2018) “Captain America is 32. "Deadpool 2" (2018) not huge and doesn’t 33. "Ant-Man and the Wasp" (2018) have super powers, 34. "Venom" (2018) but through only his strength he is able to Graphic by John Yun help save the world, which is cool.”

Although Stan Lee has passed away, the Marvel universe will expand on the current cinematic universe.

“I guess one person can make a difference,” Stan Lee said in his “Spiderman” cameo starring Tobey Maguire as Spiderman.

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Students use the AP literature, history and psychology books to help prepare for the mock exam in their classes, and the real AP test in May. Photo and graphic by Andrew Bauer.

AP mock exams give insight on how students can prepare Andrew Bauer bauerand000@hsestudents.org

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rantic minds busily worked to finish before the clock ticks down to a close. Students quickly wrote in a swirl of motion to complete the exam in the allotted time.

Mock exams for the Advanced Placement Literature class were taken at the beginning of December where students sit for a half day in-school field trip to complete all sections. This includes working through a 60-minute passage analysis section and a 120-minute writing section.

“Those tests are grueling and long,” former AP literature teacher and assistant principal Kyle Goodwin said. “There isn’t anything you can do in a 50-minute class period to simulate that, so we try to create these in-house field trips so that students could sit for three-four hours and go through an actual previous year’s test.”

Senior Simon Main took AP literature as a junior last year. He has experienced both the mock exam as well as the real AP exam.

“In my experience with the mock exam, it was very tiring and mentally taxing but a good way to prepare for the AP exam,” Maine said. “I do think it helped prepare me for the AP exam because it was, as the name suggests, a complete copy of what the exam is like.”

Teachers can choose from a variety of different tests that are made public by the College Board.

This is also true for other AP mock exams such as psychology, US history and world history. Each mock exam is made exactly like the real AP exam.

“It’s down to the little things like the test copies we make,” AP literature teacher Lauren Glasco said. “They look exactly like the AP test.

That experience helps to make students feel less

stressed, because they know what they are walking into.”

Both students and teachers can use the results to help guide the learning process leading up to May in order to help improve the scores. By looking at the tests, students can fix their mistakes.

“Students were able to learn what they didn’t understand between the mock exam and the exam in May,” Goodwin said. “This also gives the teachers feedback to see where their students are with respect to their preparation.”

Students are not required to take a mock exam; however, it can be seen as a benefit to take time out of the school day to complete all necessary parts in one sitting.

“We set it up this way in hopes that students will take advantage of the opportunities that it gives them to be more successful later, and most students do,” Glasco said. “We do count it as their final exam for AP Lit classes, but if they choose not to partake in the mock exam set up, then students will have to make up all parts of it outside of class.”

Over the years, students have given very positive feedback of the mock exam and how it prepared them later for the real AP exam. Last year around 290 of 300 students took the AP literature exam, and similar numbers were true with the other AP exams.

“I took five AP tests when I was in school,” Glasco said. “The only teacher who had told us what it was going to feel like, was also my only five. The other four I walked in without knowing what to expect at all, and I could sense a major difference.”

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Professional development ranks in causes of teacher absences Ethan O’Sullivan osuleth000@hsestudents.org

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ime spent away from the job - anything from personal days or professional development - can increase an employee’s energy and efficiency, according to a recent CareerBuilder study. Yet in the context of school, it also means less time spent with students and more classes for the district’s substitution system to cover.

English teacher Ross Springman, for example, has been in the building doing professional development for the majority of his days out of the classroom this semester, but that adds up to nearly a week total. For him, coursework based on independent study makes up for that loss.

“I usually give my students work that needs to be completed by the end of the period,” Springman said. “It’s a matter of accountability: to make sure they’re working while I’m gone.”

Professional development time lets teachers of the same class revise coursework and share strategies. Full days are reserved for it throughout the year, which contribute to the demand for substitute teachers across the district. Professional development days are the second-most common reason that a teacher misses class, behind sick days.

“As with most school districts, we have [substitute] shortages almost every day, though we usually have most of the full-day teacher absences covered,” district substitute coordinator Beverly Kane said. “The unfilled teacher absences at secondary schools are usually covered by teachers who will sub during their prep periods, so it is

mainly elementary and intermediate schools that have to cover by combining classes if needed.”

That strategy does not always balance the numbers out, however. Vacancies arise when the school does not have enough teachers on their prep period to cover all the classes for a given day.

That may lead to situations where uncovered classes gather in the CCA or Media Center throughout the day, which happened to senior Malia Ulmer’s class in October.

“That was a pretty unique experience,” Ulmer said. “I’d also say that we didn’t know we were supposed to go to the CCA, so I wish that was communicated better to us. We just walked in and didn’t see a teacher or adult.”

Emma Fittes of the Indy Star said late last year that part of the district’s shortages may have to do with the opening of IKEA, TopGolf and Portillo’s.

They create a more competitive market for lowexperience jobs which gives the district’s current subs work alternatives that pay either the same amount or more. HSE permanent subs make $90 a day, or around $16,200 each school year.

Meanwhile, they could be making about $20,000 as an IKEA warehouse worker, or start at about $15,000 as a TopGolf or Portillo’s employee.

Despite where the shortages and absences exist, the school day carries on for Ulmer.

“When you’re a senior in high school, you don’t really need a sub. You’re pretty self-sufficient,” Ulmer said. “Sometimes I need to work alone and do my own thing.”

What keeps teachers out of class at FHS? Information provided by administrative report.

Information provided by administrative report.

Photo and graphics

by Ethan O’Sulivan.

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Holiday cheer brightened by city light displays Nate Albin abinnat000@hsestudents.org

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olossal Santas and nutcrackers stand alongside trees of red and blue around the Fishers City Hall. Originally set for Dec. 1, but postponed by rain, the lights first turned on Dec. 2. They have come to be an annual tradition in the city signaling the start of the holiday season.

“There was a small display of lights being set up in the late 90s, nothing as big as we now have at the City Hall Complex,” Parks Superintendent Mike Weir said. “They have evolved through the years into the massive display and tree lighting ceremony we have today.”

The process begins months ahead of the holidays. Before any lights can be displayed, city officials must plan out where they will go.

Obstacles light construction will face such as upcoming city projects must be taken into account when figuring out the placement of that year’s light display.

“The planning process starts back in the early summer going over what went well and what didn’t the previous year,” Weir said. “We figure out what we want to see this upcoming year and how to make it better than last year.”

Once the details are finalized, the construction of the light displays behind city hall begin in midNovember.

“A contractor is hired to install metal frames that have lights on them,” Weir said. “Set up for the event takes many people, and we start the week before Thanksgiving for a Dec. 1 official lighting.”

The lights display updates slightly each year to ensure activities are appealing to people of all ages

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and abilities.

“They are pretty cool,” freshman Mollie Borth said. “People really do like to see them, and the lights remind people it is the holiday season.”

Borth sees the lights quite a bit since she lives very close to the display. She considers this to be an advantage.

“It’s fun living near them,” Borth said. “I can easily walk to them and meet up with my friends.”

The lights can be a joyous experience for friends, but also the lights have become an activity for families to visit. The display is built into the cityscape so visitors can walk around the city sidewalks and get up-close to all the lights. A good amount of lights are also visible from the road.

“I like to drive by at night when you can really see the lights,” senior Ben Redar said. “It is a nice

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Arts & Culture

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3 family thing to do and experience.”

The lights at City Hall are easily visible to pedestrians along 116th. But for some in the city, the lights hold a deeper meaning.

“The lights are important to create a sense of community, a place the public can come, gather and enjoy the Christmas season,” Weir said. “The

city’s vision is to create a downtown environment like we have now. The light display is just a part of the bigger picture.”

1. A poinsettia display is set in front of City Hall 2. First-nighters pack in to watch the lighting of the city tree. 3. City Hall is lit up ith a merry greeting to all viewers. 4. Santa waves to the masses behind town hall. 5. A massive toy soldier stands tall above the visitors. Photos taken by Nate Albin.

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Dec. 17, 2018

Legit Pho offers ethnic cuisine

Janie Van Overwalle vanojan000@hsestudents.org

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ffering residence to a new ethnic cuisine, Legit Pho, a Vietnamese restaurant opened in Fishers. It is the first local Vietnamese restaurant in the area.

Located off of E. 116th St. and Allisonville Road, their primary dish is pho, a bowl composed of broth, rice noodles, herbs and meat. Other Vietnamese dishes on the menu include fried tofu and Vietnamese style chicken wings.

My eyes went directly to the large, labeled items written in Vietnamese, directly underneath were English translations. The restaurant divides the menu into five sections: appetizers, phos, rice 2 noodle dishes, rice dishes and Vietnamese style sandwiches.

As an appetizer, my friends and I ordered the Gỏi cuỏn, or spring rolls. They included shrimp, but the restaurant also had a vegetarian options made from tofu as a substitute. Two spring rolls are included in a serving, a great starter and looked very appetizing as well.

Stumped on what to get, I asked the waiter what he recommended. He told me 3 the phờ tái or pho with beef slices was the most popular.

He also said the Cánh gà chiên nước mám, or the wings, were a favorite, but warned they were spicy. We asked for the wings with very little spicy dressing.

My friend ordered the Cơm chiên gà, or the chicken fried rice, and I ended up ordering the phờ tái, the most popular dish.

The pho with beef was a large bowl with

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scallions, cilantro and onion slices that was well balanced with the beef and noodles.

The chicken fried rice was a fairly large portion. My only complaint about the appearance of this dish was the minimal use of chicken and vegetables, as there seemed to be an overwhelming amount of rice itself. The wings were our favorite, and I instantly knew why they are the most popular. One serving included ten wings, which was enough to share between the three people. They were cooked to a perfect tenderness and were smothered in a thin layer of a garlic sauce. There was just enough spice to satisfy us.

The average cost for each dish was around $9.50. The wings and the pho were definitely worth this price to me; however, I thought $9.50 was a bit expensive for a plate of chicken fried rice that lacked chicken. The spring rolls were $4.25 which was fairly priced for their size.

Overall, Legit Pho surprised me with its vibrant tastes. Although the restaurant decorations were minimalist, the food presentation and taste was not. For the work put into each dish, I would rate Legit Pho a 4 out of 5. The restaurant is a great place for people to broaden their palette in Fishers.

4 1. A large bowl of pho with beef is presented with onion slices, cilontro, scallions, beef and rice noodles. 2. A serving of two spring rolls containing tofu, iceburg lettuce and rice is wrapped in rice paper. 3. A serving of ten wings was marinated in garlic sauce topped with greens. 4. A large plate of chiken friend rice contains chicken, egg, leaks, onions and brown rice. Photos by Janie Van Overwalle.

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Zach Clar breaks down hip-hop dance moves

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Carson Lilley lillecar000@hsestudents.org

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urtains close in front of an applauding audience as sophomore Zach Clar takes his final bow. Before the noise can die out, Clar immediately leaves the theater in order to make it to dance class on time.

Clar began performing in 2013 when he joined Wishes Dance Studio after noticing one of his friends do the robot at school. Later, he joined a studio called 61Syx in Grand Rapids, Mich., where he traveled every Saturday for a two-hour class.

“My favorite style is hip-hop,” Clar said. “I try to live my life in hip-hop culture. I know that sounds pretentious, but I like being surrounded by hip hop music and dance.”

Last year, the owner of 61Syx opened a studio in Indianapolis called 31Svn Street Dance Academy, where Clar dances now. He typically practices two to three times a week and attends open sessions. There, dancers perform a cipher, which is when they circle around one person and try to incorporate those dance moves into their own.

“I think of dancing as a way to react to what I like to hear,” Clar said. “My biggest strength is musicality, so I’m good at hitting certain parts of the beat. It’s fun to experiment with what I hear and react to it.”

Clar often competes in battles around the Midwest where dancers are placed into brackets and compete to move onto the next spot. He improvises in front of a panel of three judges and has 45 seconds each round.

“Battles have been great because they give me the opportunity to travel the Midwest,” Clar said.

“I’ve gone to some really cool places, but I’m partial to Michigan because I know a lot of the kids that go to 61Syx. I’m really close with them.”

As well as dancing, Clar has been acting since 2014. After doing a theater camp at Civic, one of the directors suggested he audition for “Mame” and he got the part of Patrick Dennis.

“I never took any classes,” Clar said. “I sort of jumped right in and learned based on watching other people and the adults around me because I was always the kid of the show so I was always having to look up to other people in the cast.”

Clar has acted in “Footlight,” “Mame,” “The Who’s Tommy,” “Babes in Toyland,” Gypsy,” “Music Man” and “Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat.” He has also performed in school musicals.

In 2014, Clar was nominated for an Encore award for “Mame” and for “The Who’s Tommy” for best actor under eighteen. Though he currently

is not acting in any shows, he still considers it an important part of his life.

“I don’t think I’d do a show just because people ask me to, because I don’t really have as much fun with it when that happens and I sort of dread it,” Clar said. “One of my favorite shows of all time is ‘Cabaret’ so I would definitely do that. It depends on the show.”

Recently, Clar began producing his own music. After becoming inspired by Shiver and the Shakes freshman year, Clar turned his GarageBand (a digital audio workshop) knowledge into a way to make his own beats.

“Sort of how I like reacting to music in dancing, I treat music as how I want people to react to it,” Clar said. “I go in with a specific idea that I want a song to be a mosh pit or something someone can cry alone in their room to.”

Clar and senior Ross Delong produced a song together and have sung cover songs together at shows. The two collaborate at Delong’s house where they record instrumentals and write lyrics.

Clar’s EP called “Thanks For Nothing” can be found on all streaming platforms under his stage name “Zero.”

“Zach’s a rapper that doesn’t like typical, mainstream stuff,” Delong said. “He’s got a really creative mind and we both have talents so putting them together is cool.”

Clar always finds time to incorporate dancing, acting and composing into his life. While he has thought about what he hopes to pursue in the future, his focus for now is to continue being creative.

“I think no matter what I end up doing I’m just a creative person,” Clar said.

“Performing arts is in my future somewhere I just don’t know what specifically yet.

I’ve thought about becoming a teacher but I’m not sure just yet.”

Sophomore Zach Clar dances at 31Svn Street Dance Academy on Nov. 29. Photo used with permission of Zach Clar.

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Arts & Culture

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Foreign languages incorporate culture into holiday celebrations Katie Wiseman wisemkat000@hsestudents.org

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ounds of translated holiday carols, elated laughter and students speaking new words in foreign languages fill the rooms of holiday parties hosted by foreign language clubs.

Students in foreign language clubs have the opportunity to utilize what they learn about languages outside of class in a safe environment, while also getting to learn more about the culture with the language clubs.

“It really gives you an understanding of the world around you,” German club member junior Sydney Myers said. “It opens a new perspective and can make you more open-minded.”

Spanish Club Spanish Club held their event on Dec. 5.

The club participated in a white elephant gift exchange, holiday trivia and singing Christmas carols in Spanish.

“I love singing Christmas carols which are called villancicos,” Spanish Club sponsor Michelle Helmkamp said. “So we have a Christmas carol sing-along with songs that they probably already know and one that they probably don’t know called ‘Peces en el Rio.’” The song translates to “Fish in the River” and is a Christmas carol that is popular in Spain and other Latin American Graphic bycountries.

Grace Mossing As part of the trivia game, students were asked to guess certain traditions that are known to bring good luck in the New Year.

“In Colombia it’s good luck to run around your house with an empty suitcase to ensure many travels in the year to come,” Helmkamp said. “In some countries, you throw a bucket of water out the window to throw away your sorrows.”

German Club On Dec. 7, German Club celebrated the holidays with a white elephant gift exchange, while also enjoying traditional German cookies and singing holiday carols including some originally in German and some originally in English that have been translated to German.

Students sang “Silent Night,” which translates

to “Stille Nacht,” and “O Tannenbaum,” known in English as “O Christmas Tree.” Afterward they enjoyed gingerbread cookies, almond cookies, pretzels and Chex mix before starting the white elephant gift exchange.

ASL Club ASL Club held their holiday event on Dec. 11.

The club had a gift exchange to celebrate creating an ASL Club at Sand Creek Intermediate School.

According to ASL Club sponsor Heather Berry, this was their first year having this program at Sand Creek, so their holiday event is a celebration for spreading the reach of their club.

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French Club

French Club will hold their annual Bûche de Noel party on Dec. 17. French students sign up to make their own Yule log cakes while other students buy tickets to enjoy the cakes and get hot chocolate. They also have a competition for the top three best looking cakes and the best tasting cakes.

Bûche is the French word for yule log, which is a traditional chocolate cake with cream in the middle and it is shaped to look like a Yule log.

French Club also had a gift exchange during the week of Dec. 10. The party offers students the opportunity to try an authentic French dish, while the gift exchange allows students to build relationships with other students who from arePaul alsoCasey learning the language.

Recipe “It was a way for me to find friends, to participate in French activities and learn more about French culture outside of class,” senior Connor Crimm said.

By celebrating the holidays in foreign language clubs, students are given the opportunity to dive deeper into the culture, to experience it and to learn more about it.

“Oftentimes with our curriculum, we can’t spend as much time on experiencing the true holiday in the classroom, so we have to do to it outside the class,” German Club sponsor Robin Geisinger said. “It’s one avenue to explore more in-depth about some of the traditions we might talk about, read about, or even celebrate a little in the classroom.”

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5 1. Freshman Matthew Mozingo and Michael Van Ausdall grab snacks at the German Club party.

2. Senior Caroline Bernhardt 5. laughs as senior Caroline Lancaster opens a white elephant gift at the Spanish Club party.

3. German Club members celebrate with large pretzels.

4. Senior Will Leonard laughs as senior Alex Lam opens a photo of Spanish teacher Señora Gutting.

5. On Dec. 7, German teachers Corbin Mathias and Robin Geisinger chat with students as they eat at the German Club party 6. Seniors Mackenzie Miller, Stepanie Wright and Mia Carter talk before the gift exchange begins at the Spanish Club party on Dec. 5. Photos by Katie Wiseman

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Dec. 17, 2018

Pep-band brings music, encouragement to games Samuel Bauer bauersam000@hsestudent.org

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Band director Chad Kohler leads the pep band during a timeout at FHS versus Muncie on Nov. 27. The Tigers won 84-61 Photo by Grace Vang.

ights shine off brass instruments and the “Fishers Tigers Fight Song” fill the air as the pep band plays for spectators. With over 150 students, the Tiger pep band plays at most home basketball games for both the boys and girls varsity teams.

Songs from famous artists like Bruno Mars help to make a likeable atmosphere for the students and players. However, pop is not the only genre, as the line up provided by the band includes R&B and rock with songs like “Uptown Funk”, and the “Party Rock Anthem.”

“I think the crowd benefits from our music because we play pretty familiar tunes and hearing cool songs usually lifts the mood,” senior trumpet player Payton Harder said. “Playing with the pep band also allows me to cheer on and support our teams.”

The social atmosphere is largely different from that of marching band. For example, the marching band’s primary goal is not to support the football team. However, during the winter season, the pep band’s goal is to support the basketball teams rather than compete against other bands.

“The environment is different from performing in marching band because as [marching band] is a competitive performance, everyone is always working in a constant effort to improve our show,” junior clarinet player Abbie Quesenberry said.

Additionally, while maintaining a lenient environment for the students’ roles, the instructors say that the students also are not

Junior Connor Stockton plays the mellophone during a home basketball game versus Muncie on Nov. 27. The Tigers won 84-61. Photo by Grace Vang.

required to attend practices and they do not have to attend every game. However, the instructors do recommend that students try to show up to as many games and practices as possible.

“At pep band, it’s more relaxed and we get to play entertaining music while hanging out and having a good time with friends,” Quasenberry said.

For FHS there has always been a pep band. It is likely that the origins of a pep band came from the performances of marching bands during sporting events, and this has created an entire new area of performance that gets the crowds involved. Band director Todd McCready said that they try to attend as many games as possible for both the boys and girls varsity teams.

“From my experience as a student in the Purdue Men’s Basketball Band, I’ve been able to take what I learned with them and use that here,” McCready said. “Sometimes even simple things like the idea of having a set playlist ready for each night is something that we’ve been able to adopt into our own program and change the way we perform, which overall just helps us grow.”

Art & Culture

“This is my first year doing pep band. I came to a few games years past but this is the first year I’ve officially joined,” senior trumpet player Kaila Claxton said. “To me pep band gives me more time to be with my friends before I graduate.”

“I think the music we play is a booster for the crowd’s mood, and we play familiar tunes that students can sing and have fun too,” senior trumpet player Payton Harder said.

“A big benefit of playing with the band is to make friendships that will last for years, you never know who you will meet when you join band,” junior clarinet player Abbie Quesenberry said.

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“The crowd grows more excited about the game and definitely has more spirit toward our Tigers when the band is there,” senior trumpet player Zack Schulz said.

“The goal of pep band is to provide entertainment to the audience during the games,” senior trombone player Darren Lu said. “We try to provide energy through music like how the cheerleaders use their chants.”

“We want to help make the basketball games more exciting by playing high energy tunes, which makes it fun for the crowds and for the kids who play in the band,” band director Todd McCready said.

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Dec. 17, 2018

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High school is all about choices.

Your 2019 yearbook is, too.

Sports

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New fitness guidelines change federal and school standards

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Grace Mossing mossigra000@hsestudents.org

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ewer than one-third of the U.S., including only one in five teens, meet the new federal fitness guidelines. Half of American adults have one or more preventable chronic diseases, and the U.S.’s lack of physical activity adds up to about $117 billion in health care costs, according to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.

On Nov. 12, the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee published the new edition of “Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.”

Researchers in physical activity, health and medicine make up the federal advisory committee. They give guidance on the amount and types of physical activity needed to improve and maintain general health, helping reduce the risk and prevent chronic diseases with recommendations on health, sedentary behavior and physical activity.

New changes include more research on immediate health benefits of physical activity, the importance of even small bursts of physical activity, and the harm of a sedentary lifestyle. Athletic director Rob Seymour is ready for the changes the new fitness guidelines have started, especially the new focus on muscle-toning.

“I think it’s good that they added [muscle-toning] especially through developmental years when kids or others are still in the bone developing age,” Seymour said. “Therefore, they build more bone density and as they get older they keep some of that bone density and that can happen with weight-bearing exercises.”

Similar to Seymour, health and physical education teacher Joseph Leonard hopes the new guidelines will be implemented into schools.

“With obesity quickly on the rise to overtake smoking as one of the most preventable deaths, we have to do something, and education is always a good place to start with access to kids,” Leonard said.

He plans to talk about the guidelines in health and implement them during gym classes. Easy implementations for students can be anything from lunges to sit-ups to push-ups.

“You want the guidelines and recommendations to be easy in the fact that they can be put into someone’s life, not necessarily easy as in effort level,” Seymour said.

With the exercises that Leonard suggests, a gym membership or equipment are not needed, making it easier for an everyday person to achieve their goals.

“You get your mandatory exercise by playing on a sports team,” Leonard said. “And you don’t really know you’re doing it because in most cases, if you’re on a sports team you enjoy what you’re doing.”

In February 2018, President Donald Trump issued an executive order to start promoting and developing a national strategy to create more opportunities for kids to be involved in youth sports, leading to better and more consistent physical activity. The Department of Health and Human Services plans to fund these programs in communities, which will help children achieve national fitness guidelines.

Sophomore athlete Emma Giger participates in the school’s cross country and track teams, while also running in her free time, providing her exercise.

The guidelines, she believes, can be achieved by anyone.

“People can start by walking at places they work or taking the long way to class,” Giger said.

These new guidelines also give mental benefits. According to the federal advisory committee, physical activity can reduce anxiety, which continues to be a rising issue in society. It decreases blood pressure, lessens the chances of Alzheimer’s and improves brain activity as well as the capability to learn.

“The greatest gain you get from being physically active is mental, emotional and social,” said Seymour. “I think that those components of physical activity are higher than the actual physical.”

Key Fitness Guidelines 1

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Preschool-Aged Kids (3-5) -should remain physically active throughout the day to enhance development and growth -adult guardians and caregivers should encourage these children to participate in a variety of activities

Children and Adolescents (6-17) Aerobic: majority of 60 minutes or more should be moderate to vigorous aerobic physical activity and vigorous intensity activity 3 days a week Muscle-Strengthening: 3 days a week Bone-Strengthening: 3 days a week

Adults Aerobic: 150 to 300 minutes a week of moderateintensity or 75 to 150 minutes a week of vigorous intensity aerobic physical activity or mix of both Muscle-Strengthening: 2 or more days a week -move more and sit less

Older Adults -same guidelines as adults -add balance training into aerobic and musclestrengthening activity -be as physically active as their bodies allow

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Adults with Chronic Health and Adults with Disabilities

-same guidelines as adults -regular physical activity depending on their abilities -consult with a health care professional for more information on their own personal abilities Source: the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Graphic by Grace Mossing

Dec. 17, 2018

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Swimming shows unique side of sports’ daily routine

Rebekah Shultz shultreb000@hsestudents.org

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edicating 15 to 26 hours a week during the season to practice is normal for the swim team. Those hours, split between before school and after school, caused students to put aside other aspects of their lives to compete on the swim team.

“I have to give up my social life, I have to give up sleeping, and I have to give up studying sometimes, a lot of times actually,” senior Miya Wai said.

Coach Joe Keller believes that the long hours spent practicing for the athletes are beneficial to the swimmers.

“Typically speaking, an athlete that is achieving at a high level is apt to want to train more due to levels of motivation and success,” Keller said.

“Being a great athlete requires a high level of focus and self-discipline. For those who choose to do so, the skills and lessons learned afford personal growth for a lifetime.”

The number of hours put in shows throughout the meets. With the swimming season just starting, they have won all their meets, dominating Brownsburg 127-59, Westfield 142-44, and Zionsville 107-78.

At the 2018 Tiger Claw Invitational, freshman Sebastian Otero won second place overall for boys with a 409.10, and senior Morgan Casey got first at the invitational with a 440.35. Last year at state, the boys placed eighth out of 45 teams, scoring 113 points. While the girls at state placed fifth out of 40 teams, scoring 155 points.

The team is staying on track to do just as well at state as they did last year, with their three recent victories.

The time consuming schedule affects their daily lives, having to prioritize swimming over getting a full nine and a half hours of sleep recommended

Freshman Kyle Ponsler swimming freestyle at practice on Nov 28.

Photo by Quinn Lowry.

for teenagers by the Nationwide Children’s Organization.

Sleep deprivation can negatively affect the mind with mood swings as well anxiety. The body also risks getting high blood pressure and heart disease according to the US Dapartment of Health and Human Services.

“With days that I do have morning practice, I’m just really tired throughout the whole day and I’m just really sluggish, but it’s gotten better,” sophomore Kylie Terpening said. “Freshman year it was really hard to adjust to, but sophomore year it’s gotten a lot better.”

With the intense training, having a healthy diet, eating enough calories and remaining hydrated are also very important for swimmers. Swimmers are recommended a diet leaning toward carbohydrates, as well as protein-rich foods states the Speedo company.

“We do discuss proper nutrition, give them guidelines regarding sports nutrition and recovery, and recommend that they understand the importance of living a lifestyle of an athlete 24/7 and that includes the nutritional component,” Keller said.

The swimmers, being in the water for so long, can suffer from chlorine burns. These can be helped by running the wound with cold water according to the Mayo Clinic. “[Swimming] damages my skin and hair so much that I start to peel and my hair starts to fall out,” Wai said.

Although swimming can get difficult physically and mentally, junior Sheldon Brady stays positive.

“I enjoy the sport; it’s a fun challenge,” said Brady.

The team races next on Dec. 28 at North Central, against North Central.

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2 1. Swimers socialize before getting on the blocks during practice on Nov 28. Photo by Quinn Lowry. 2. Swimmer Lindsay Reichert swim freestyle during practice on Dec 10. Photo by Ellie Albin.

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Sophomore Natalie Bryan takes her place on the board as she prepares for her next dive on Nov. 24 at a home meet against Westfield and Brownsburg. FHS won 140-46 against Westfield and 143-43 against Brownsburg.

Photo by Ella Haan.

Dec. 17, 2018

New diving coach makes a splash Curren Gauss gausscur000@hsestudents.org

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opping hair drips water onto the tile floor, pooling at sophomore Natalie Bryan’s feet as she waits for her turn on the board during an after school practice.

Bryan, one of six divers on the varsity team, attends practice after school every day, with meets scattered throughout different weeks. Their training reflects the team’s biggest goal: getting all their divers to state and beating their record of one boy and two girls moving forward.

“I want to get better by working my hardest,” Bryan said. “The other two varsity girls are really good so it’s mostly improving my scores to try and get to state.”

Bryan has been diving for five years with club (Fishers Diving Team) and two years on varsity.

However, she has never advanced to state. Other divers, like senior Garrett Fox, have similar hopes for the season.

“I want to make it further into the season, maybe regionals,” Fox said. “My plan is to practice harder every day.”

The varsity team has been without a coach since September, but just in time for season, November brought news: coach Jimmy Russ.

“I knew Jimmy from club and I know his

workouts are really good,” Bryan said. “He’ll definitely be better than a few of our past coaches.”

Russ has been coaching for 10 years. He started off in Grand Rapids, Mich. and moved to Indiana three years ago to be an assistant coach with the Fishers Diving Team.

“I want to contribute a very open and honest structure, a fun atmosphere with the expectation of hard work and dedication,” Russ said.

Russ is starting to set team goals along with how to properly reach them, mirroring the athlete’s ambitions.

“I want every kid by the end of the season to feel like they accomplished something, and I hope they are happy with their season,” Russ said. “I’d love to get a few state finalists as well. I’m planning to hold every athlete accountable, and push them to be their absolute best.”

The divers agree that the new coach will bring new excitement to practices and meets. From dryland to dives, Russ’ changes will be seen at the diver’s next meet on Dec. 28 at North Central High School.

“I think [Russ] will bring more knowledge than we’ve had in the past,” Bryan said. “And he’ll definitely be a lot of fun.”

Sports

Jones rolls into position as new APC coach Tony Martinez martiant000@hsestudents.org

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weat covers student athlete’s backs in the weight room where new Advanced Physical Conditioning coach Josh Jones is training athletes. APC, a class taken by athletes at FHS take in order to stay in top physical condition for their sports. With it being his first year here at the school, Jones brings changes to the weights program.

“The overall organization and how we work through our stations are a bit different than in the past,” Jones said. “The biggest things that we

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emphasize are safety, injury reduction, strength, power and overall speed.”

Depending on the class, the exercises vary from either new lifts, whole different exercises and speed drills.

“Coach Jones does a better job of incorporating workouts that are actually good for your sport,” senior Kiel Brenczewski said. “We still do main lifts, but we also do a lot of variations of those lifts that help with strength and mobility.”

Coach Rick Wimmer and coach Lauren Vail also teach APC six out of the seven periods of the day.

“Coach Wimmer, coach Vail and I sat down when I was first hired and talked about the things we wanted to improve on,” Jones said. “The clean, squat and bench are our major strength focuses that we look to progress each semester.”

Speed and agility are also key training methods Jones likes to focus on when the APC classes have running days taking place on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Jones found inspiration to be a weights coach when he was in high school training at St. Vincent Sports Performance.

“There is more intensity on running days where we don’t lift. We will do a lot of agility drills, core, form for sprinting and plyometrics,” senior Nina Dillard said. “We are always constantly moving though. We run, do box jumps, work on our vertical and do core exercises.”

Coach Jones continues to push the athletes to improve with his detailed workouts. He looks forward to coming in each day and working with kids in the weight room.

“I got close to my strength coaches that worked with me and I was very interested in why we did what we did and was always asking questions,” Jones said. “After working with them for two years I knew that this was what I wanted to do.”

1. A weights coach of seven and a half years, new APC teacher Josh Jones joined the Tigers in early August. Photo by Tony Martinez. 2. Junior Jackson Dunn prepares to practice the 40 yard dash on a running day in APC. Photo by Tony Martinez.

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All students deserve shot at varsity letter

Ellie Albin albinele000@hsestudents.org

On Oct. 5, the grandeur of football is shown with fog machines, an inflatable tiger head, and an American flag.

Along with all the attention they receive at games and meets, sports are able to earn the exclusive varsity letter. Photo by Malak Kakour.

Similar skill sets are built in sports as in academic teams and clubs. The only difference is physicality. Communication, teamwork, focus and more skills are built, simply different methods of going about doing that are implemented through sports and other extracurricular activities. Since they share similar characteristics, athletics and academia should receive the same recognition.

Varsity letters could be used as a way to aide unity in schools as well.

Rather than placing athletes and a select few performing arts on a pedestal, giving academic teams and clubs a chance to shine could create a more inclusive environment.

The students who raise money for Riley Dance Marathon work just as hard as any football player.

The students who study for hours a week for academic teams work just as hard as any basketball player.

The students who put up endless volunteer hours for National Honors Society and Key Club work just as hard as any soccer player.

So, where are their varsity letters?

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ids possess a lot of talent. Because of this, they stretch themselves so thin - dabbling in performing arts, visual arts, academic teams, a multitude of clubs and, of course, sports.

According to WebMD, kids’ schedules have never been more packed.

Instead of relieving stress, sports and clubs often add additional stress to kids’ lives, and they may not even love what they are playing.

A study by Michigan State University shows that one of the main reasons kids participate in sports and extracurriculars is because they are good at it.

And, when you are good at a sport, you often get rewarded with a very coveted item: the varsity letter.

Varsity letters are something to flaunt. Along with the letter itself, you can put it on a jacket, where the world can see just how cool you are.

The problem is, though, not everyone is given this opportunity. While almost every sport at FHS can earn a varsity letter, and letters can also be received for marching band and a couple of performing arts, there are still members of the high school community not being recognized for their accomplishments.

If kids were given the opportunity to receive their letter in every activity, they may not be stretched so thin - because the varsity letter provides validation that how they spend their time is just as worthy as any sport.

This is not just a FHS problem, though. This is a timeless struggle - “jocks” have always been kings and queens of high schools across America, leaving students who simply do not participate in sports nothing to show for it on a daily basis. Athletes are placed on a pedestal that, even if not intentional, casts a shadow over the accomplishments of nonstudents.

Athletes get to show-off their supposed greatness, even if they are not bound for a professional career. According to the NCAA, only 480,000 students go on to compete in college, and only a small percentage of that go on to pro leagues.

This means that sports, while they should be valued, are often not as critical to future careers as other clubs are, yet they still get more recognition.

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Opinion

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The disctrict’s internet filters block websites such as Pinterest, Huffpost, Twitter, Spotify and Quora. Infographic by Ashley Steele.

Internet filters block many educational opportunities Ashley Steele steelash000@hsestudents.org

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hile researching information for this story, I found a link to an article on a news website. However, I could not read it, because the school’s internet filters block the Huffington Post. The restrictiveness of internet filters within HSE schools causes unnecessary hurdles and aggravation.

Similar instances affect teachers and students alike, not only in HSE schools but all over the country. This arises from the fact that most schools, if not all, need federal funding to stay open. To receive this, schools must implement internet filters at their school in accordance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act. As stated on the Federal Communications Commission website, CIPA imposes requirements for schools and public libraries to follow in order to “receive discounts for Internet access or internal connections through the E-rate program.”

To be eligible for this program, schools must implement policies that address the five pieces of criteria listed in the CIPA: restriction of any access to inappropriate matter on the internet, insurance of safety and security when minors use forms of direct electronic communications, prevention of any unauthorized access or other unlawful activities, prevention of the spread of personal information of minors, and restriction of minors’ access to materials harmful to them.

In order to be in compliance with the CIPA, HSE follows a broad set of rules to determine what websites people may not access while on school Wi-Fi. The student handbook outlines the district’s own set of rules which includes anything that violates school rules, has a potential to cause a disruption or is a “true threat.” It also blocks any sites that create an educational concern, are unlawful or are “lewd, vulgar, indecent or plainly

offensive.”

The HSE school district uses software company Lightspeed’s service for creating and maintaining the internet filters they use at their schools.

According to the company’s website, they classify websites into numerous categories including violence, education, mature and forums.

According to HSE Director of Infrastructure Technologies Tom Kouns, a group of teachers determined which of the filters are made available to students. However, several websites that do not fall into the unallowed categories have ended up being blocked.

This has caused a variety of problems around the school. Since numerous teachers create their lesson plans outside of school, they often do not account for whether or not the websites they want to use will be blocked. Due to this, they have to suddenly change their lesson plans at the beginning of the day.

When this occurs, it causes more stress on teachers and wastes some of the few minutes our schedules dedicate to that class. Another problem the internet filters create includes using up valuable time teachers give students in class to work on projects and homework that require research.

For instance, ACP Composition, speech and foreign language classes ask students to find sources on their own for projects. However, it is difficult to do so because the internet filters often block websites with useful information that would help them find statistics and reports about their topics.

While all of the rules under the CIPA may have been necessary when they were last updated, some need to be redefined in order to live up to the technology and platforms available today.

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Dec. 17, 2018

Contests natural part of life HEAD Sydney Greenwood greensyd002@hsestudents.org

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Photo by Carson Lilley. Graphics by Helen Rummel.

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erhaps Béla Károlyi, the famed gymnastics coach who was right alongside Nadia Comăneci, Kerri Strug and the rest of the Magnificent Seven, said it best: no competition, no progress.

It is a basic fact of life that we will not reap the benefits of every situation.

There will be times when the Colts do not make it to the playoffs, when HSE wins the Mudsock football game or when we do not get that valued job promotion at The Well. It is competition in an already competitive society, where children learn to be competitive by age eight, according to a study by Pennsylvania State University. C’est la vie.

If life is riddled with competition, then it is strange that some parents insist on hiding it from their children and removing it from schools. They use excuses of too much stress and unnecessary pressure, as well as disappointment when they inevitably lose. However, competition will help children develop skills such as tenacity, self esteem, empathy and taking turns, according to Huffington Post contributor Tim Elmore, author and founder and president of Growing Leaders.

It will also teach children to value hard work and how to take risks.

“Competition helps kids learn that it is not always the best or the brightest who are successful, but rather those that work hard and stick with it,” Timothy Gunn said, a pediatric neuropsychologist and the owner of Gunn Psychological Services. “They earn critical social skills through interacting with other children, while also learning the value of hard work and developing selfesteem and self-efficacy.”

When there is more competition, there is also more motivation. This is especially relevant considering that some teachers struggle to get students to show interest in their classes, according to Elmore. Contests are an example of interactive learning among students.

Competition also helps set students apart, especially since there are so many types of it, from academic to athletic to fine arts. These competitions give students experience and help them bulk up their resumes for college, and might provide scholarship opportunities.

It is important to note that competition in schools is not limited to a football game, but also to a handful of students jostling for the valedictorian position. Joyette Fabien, a former high school English teacher and author, writes that students will recognize others with similar capabilities and will figure out the amount of work it would take to remain at the top. This discourages extreme self-satisfaction and laziness, two traits that will be frowned upon in the business realm.

Competition is not an evil creature that people should shy away from. Instead, people need to realize that competition is not tied to self-worth and has stronger ties to building personalities, connections and experiences.

“You can push yourself higher from seeing other people. In my opinion, competition is a way to show your potential.”

- Susanth Bethr, 9

“I feel like comparing grades to others stresses students out and can make them feel unworthy.”

- Samantha Geske, 11

“I believe competition is very beneficial for students because when they get older and have a job they will realize how prominent it is.”

- Lauren Reedy, 12

N the Red

Opinion

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Competition in schools harms students Carson Lilley lillecar000@hsestudents.org

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Photo by Sydney Greenwood.

ith a frustrated groan, I rest my chin on my elbows, my eyes focused down on the seemingly unsolvable math problem sitting in front of me. After spending countless hours trying to understand the homework, I sigh in relief when my partner sits down next to me. In an effort to understand the concept, I ask her for help. What I am not expecting is for her to shield her homework away from my eyes and lean her body away from me, ignoring my plea entirely.

My math experience perfectly demonstrates the issues that arise due to the competitive nature of high school. Rather than viewing our peers as a support system, we view them as our adversaries, creating an environment in which we do anything to get ahead - even if that means purposely preventing each other from understanding lessons.

This ideology undercuts the idea of collaboration, which, according to Forbes, is the reason many promising businesses thrive. Today, companies such as Google, which enforce a collaborative atmosphere, maintain a positive work environment as well as producing out-of-the-box ideas that surpass those of competitive businesses.

Competition in businesses creates a hostile environment for employees.

Similarly, competition in high schools can lead to negative health consequences for students. The pressure to outshine other students has lead to a drastic increase in depression and anxiety among high schoolers over the last 30 years, according to ABC News.

The desire to succeed often results in issues surrounding self-esteem. Education expert Alfie Kohn states that students’ self-worth is dependent upon the outcomes of competition, meaning those who lose succumb to the idea they are worth less than their peers who win.

Ironically, the stress that comes from the desire to succeed results in lower student engagement, or the passion and interest students show in school. This means that although students may be earning good grades, they are not truly understanding the lesson. Because schools use grade-point averages as a way to measure success, students are simply chasing the grade and losing the information.

The most prominent way schools promote a competitive environment is by enforcing class ranks in which students compete for the highest position. Their entire purpose is to compare a student’s academic achievement to that of their class.

However, many high schools, such as Noblesville, have eliminated the traditional ranking system that rewards the valedictorian after noticing many of their students load their schedules with AP and honors classes to boost their GPA, even though they have no interest in the subjects. Instead, students are placed in levels of distinction similar to how colleges recognize grades, taking the competition away from them trying to out-rank each other.

I came into high school thinking I would be surrounded by enthusiastic students who were as eager to learn as I was. However, school’s competitive nature instead resulted in my classmates refusing to even help me understand a math problem. With this competitive nature at play, students are at risk of forgoing a true education.

“Having competition between our fellow classmates is really stressful. Instead of comparing ourselves to each other we should put more emphasis on simply doing our best.”

- Maliyah Scisney, 11

“Academic competition, while sometimes beneficial, diverts the focus of school from learning to grades. We should be collaborating with and learning from our peers, not competing with them” - Woojin Chung, 12

“While I think that pushing yourself is a good thing, and you should always try to preform to the best of your ability, not everyone can meet the same standards. Everyone has different goals and outlooks on life, so itʼs unfair to hold everyone to the same standard. ” - Sydney Spradling, 12

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Dec. 17, 2018

N the Red

Editorial Opinions: Do you feel safe driving around FHS?

Nationwide study pushes for higher safety standards

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3: Yes 5: No

STAFF Editor-in-Chief: Helen Rummel Copy Editor: Ashley Steele Web/News Editor: Ethan OʼSullivan Features Editor: John Yun Arts & Culture Editor: Carson Lilley Sports Editor: Ellie Albin Social Media Editor: Lance Marshall Unity Director: Hallie Gallinat Cartoonist Olivia Buchtenkirch Videographer Laney Kyle Reporters Nate Albin, Andrew Bauer, Sam Bauer, Marie Gabbard, Ben McHenry, Curren Gauss, Sydney Greenwood, Tony Martinez, Grace Mossing, Rebekah Shultz, Janie Van Overwalle, Katie Wiseman Photographers Malak Kakour, Quinn Lowry, Grace Vang Principal Jason Urban Adviser Kristine Brown Associations IHSPA CSPA NSPA Quill and Scroll Printer: AIM Media

ishers High School failed this year. The Zendrive School Safety Report issued a failing grade for road safety around the FHS area due to alarmingly high accounts of phone use and speeding, making us the fifth most dangerous school in Hamilton County in terms of transportation.

Most troubling, this is not the first year for this to happen. We received the same failing grade last year. No one seemed to notice and nothing has changed.

Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for those between the ages of 5 and 18, according to the Center for Disease Control. It ends the lives of six teenagers every single day. Yet, thousands of students commute here on the bus, in their car or on their bike, likely blissfully unaware of the danger around them.

It is not enough to settle for unsafe driving conditions simply because we attend a high school. Carmel High School, a mere 11 miles away with over 1,000 more students, received an A+ from the same, nationwide report.

Additionally, a change would not be hard to make. According to Zendrive’s study, out of the top 10 most dangerous schools in the country last year, nine of them improved. Perfection would not be our goal, but at the very least progress needs to be made so we are not, well, the worst.

Officers are always around during the busiest parts of the day: arrival and dismissal. Officer Matthew Ruhnow deals with a heavy majority of the traffic during the school day.

“I feel that our streets along FHS, like 131st and Promise, if it was up to me, I would widen them to make them four lanes,” Resource Officer said. “There’s just so much traffic and people can get impatient.”

Interestingly, CHS has a four-lane road located directly beside the building, which would account for the decrease in congestion. Their student parking lot is also located a fair distance away from the entrance students use.

Changing the configuration of the streets still does not change the prevalent phone usage discovered by the study. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, children’s attitude toward safety develops far before they even begin to learn to drive. In order to instill caution when it comes to texting and driving, schools should consider mandatory lessons on driving before they get to high school. These lessons would include the emotional persuasion, which The National Library of Medicine described as, “most effective where young drivers are concerned.”

The campaigns included in Indiana Online Driver’s Education are too late.

They reach an audience who has likely already decided what is safe and what is not. If implemented earlier, perhaps we could combat the prevalence of casual texting and driving.

Our community will only continue to grow from here. Eventually, we will need to make changes to the setup of our streets, and the present is a great time to start the conversation. As of now, the only immediate change we can make is for ourselves. By simply watching our speed and putting cell phones away, we instantly make our school safer.

This report acts as a warning, a warning before something devastating happens. It is vital for us to address and solve these issues before that time, not after. But to do so relies on every single person at the school. Everyone, not just the students, not just the administration, not just the teachers, not just the parents, but every single person traveling to this building, needs to take the steps toward making our roads safer.

Opinion

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Graphic by Olivia Buchtenkirch.

Editorial Policy Tiger Topics N the RED is the official monthly newsmagazine of Fishers High School. It is distributed free to 3,500 students and over 300 school personnel. It is designed, written and edited by students.

Opinions expressed in the newsmagazine do not necessarily represent those of the adviser, administration or staff.

Letters to the editor may be submitted to A218, or to fhsnthered@gmail.com. Letters must contain the writer’s phone number for verification. Letters to the editor will not be published anonymously.

If there is any incorrect information, corrections will be made in the next issue.

Mission Statement As the student-run newsmagazine of FHS, Tiger Topics N the Red is dedicated to providing the staff, students and community of FHS with a timely, entertaining and factual publication once a month by means of public forum. In publishing articles that students enjoy reading, we are furthering both the educational experience and the expansion of FHS culture.

The staff works to create a sense of unity and awareness and to allow the students of FHS to have a better insight to the world around them.

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N the Red

ISSUE REVIEW

Dec. 17, 2018

TWEET US YOUR ANSWERS FOR A CHANCE AT A PRIZE

@fhs_NtheRed

Across

1. Students enrolled in AP lit may use their mock exam to count for which grade?

4. What is the new diving coach’s name?

5. How do you spell “Silent Night” in German?

7. What appetizer did Janie order at Legit Pho? 9. How many days was the opening of the city lights display delayed?

11. For what activity did FHS receive a failing grade in the Zendrive Report?

12. What is the style of dancing involves forming a circle around one person and using their moves in a dance?

Down

2. Which aspect of the new Key Fitness Guidelines does Rob Seymour find most exciting?

3. What category constitutes the lowest number of teacher absences at FHS? 6. What is a stereotypical name for athletes?

8. What did senior Jillian Meyer say that CUB club taught her?

10. What is the name of the new Advanced Physical Conditioning teacher?