Tiger Topics N the Red, Volume 14, Issue 5, 2/10/2020

Volume 14, Issue 5

Fishers High School

Feb. 10, 2020

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SAVING HUMANITIES The Montage, the school’s literary magazine, encourages the protection of arts / PAGES 10-11

Photo by Ellie Albin

www.fishersnthered.com

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CONTENTS FEATURES

CHECK OUT FISHERSNTHERED.COM

4-5 AUSTRALIAN WILDFIRES

6-7 ELEARNING VIDEO Exploring the hands-on experience of AP Environmental Science

PHOTO ESSAY Girls

basketball highlights from the regular season

SPORTS

8 MOURNING CELEBRITIES

18 SWIMMING 9 ALUMNI OF THE MONTH: DAVID COHEN

19 DIVING 20-21 HOCKEY

ARTS & CULTURE

22-23 APPRECIATING RICK WIMMER 24 BOYS BASKETBALL

10-11 LITERARY MAGAZINE

25 ALBIN’S ANGLE

12 “P.S. I STILL LOVE YOU” PREVIEW

13 MOST-READ BOOKS

14-15 SHOW CHOIR

16-17 CHEAP, EASY VALENTINE’S DAY DATES

OPINION 26 MUDSOCK GAME LOCATIONS 27 THE CONS OF PLASTIC 28

CIVIC PARTICIPATION

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SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS

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EDITORIAL

fishersnthered.com Front cover:The literary magazine has been a staple of FHS for many years, but has struggled with staff and submission numbers. Photo

by Ellie Albin.

Fishers High School 13000 Promise Rd., Fishers, IN 317-915-4290 fax: 317-915-4299

@fhs_NtheRed @fishershighnews

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Feb 10, 2020

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Fire engulfs a small shed in junior Tasmin Crosby’s family’s backyard.

Photo used with permission of Crosby’s family.

Australia continues to burn Fires ravage the continent for the sixth month Lily Thomas

thomalil000@hsestudents.org

Meg Gibson

gibsomeg000@hsestudents.org

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ith over 12.35 million acres burned, fires continue to bla e through ustralia, damaging more than 1, homes and forcing residents to evacuate their areas. ccording to the ssociated ress, about 2 fires have burned across ictoria, Tasmania, New South Wales, Western Australia and South Australia. ush fires are fre uent in ustralia, especially during the drier summer months of ecember, anuary and ebruary, when temperatures begin to rise. Geoscience Australia’s website mentions that bush fires can be particularly damaging to the outskirts of cities that reside near flammable vegetation such as red stringybark and messmate trees. actors such as oxygen and an ignition source, like fuel or lightning, determine whether a bush fire will happen. “ ou’re losing a lot of plants that are able to convert the 2 that we produce into oxygen,” environmental club sponsor and English teacher Marina ibson said. “ nytime that happens on a really grand scale, I think that’s bad for humans in the long run and for animals as well.”

Environmental impact Since 1 1 , ustralia’s temperature rose 1 degree elsius due to climate change, according to the limate ouncil’s website. In recent years, the mainland of southern Australia saw less rainfall during the cool season, which is linked to climate change as well. These factors create ideal weather for bush fires to occur in, and without action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions the weather is likely to persist with more severity. ibson also said that although direct help with

the fires might not be plausible, there are ways to reduce the effects of climate change individually such as carpooling, purchasing sustainable products when needed, recycling and contacting local representatives to ask for action that protects the environment.

“If people aren’t owning what their actions amount to on an individual level, and using their voices to unite with others on a communal level to create more lasting change, these kinds of natural disasters are going to continue happening based off of the faults of ourselves,” ibson said.

Local connections unior Tasmin rosby and her mother Tammy ells have many family members affected by the bush fires. rosby has uncles and cousins who are volunteer firefighters and grandparents who are living in the fire ones.

“They’re volunteer firefighters working around the clock, day after day, week after week, with no relief and it’s an unpaid position,” ells said. “They’re ust trying to save people, animals and homes. It’s sad.”

In addition to the widespread fires, loss of power, air uality, the downfall of tourism and drought are affecting everyone who lives on the continent. ccording to ells, these effects are extreme. “ eople are putting vents over the vents on their cars to stop the smoke from getting in, and all the air uality masks in Sydney were sold out,” ells said.

The fires themselves are creating many issues as well. ccording to S Today, 1.2 billion animals are estimated dead since the start of these

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Features fires back in September and over 1 threatened species have been pushed closer to extinction. The air uality in ustralia is the worst in the world right now, with an ir uality Index of , on ew ear’s ay, according to the anberra Times, compared to an I of 2 being “ha ardous.” “ ur ew ear was ust, Hey it’s 2 2 , is our family still alive,’” rosby said.

How to help Students can help relief crews by donating to grassroots organi ations. These organi ations are on the ground, working directly with the animals and people who are being driven out of their homes by these fires.

“The big organi ations are not giving their overflow donations to the grassroots organi ations. They’re hoarding it for themselves,” ells said. “They’re not spreading the love that needs to be spread.”

Most grassroots organi ations update their

websites every day with their current needs so donors know what to send if they prefer to contribute something tangible rather than monetary donations.

Since the fires broke out, volunteers have been working non-stop throughout the holiday season.

“I feel like ustralia steps up all the time, whether it’s supporting military or supporting disasters globally, they put money where it matters to support people,” ells said. “ e don’t bother anyone and we always help, and now it’s our turn to get help and we desperately need it. e don’t ever really need much or ask for much, but it’s our turn to.”

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Based off of a graphic by Time magazine, this map depicts where fires have occurred across Australia.

Infographic by Lily Thomas.

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Feb. 10, 2020

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Updating elearning standards New guidelines ease workload, encourage proactive studying Ben McHenry

mchenben000@hsestudents.org

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uilding a snowman, going sledding or sleeping in; these are what FHS students may associate with a snow day. But since 2018, students have been tasked with elearning assignments for a school cancellation which are intended to prevent the addition of days to the end of the semester.

However, after students and parents voiced their concerns over elearning expectations, changes have been made to create a more manageable workload for students.

“Once the district had a few elearning days, they examined the procedures to determine if they were best for students and staff,” assistant principal Chrissie Sturgill said. “A group of people agreed there were changes that needed to occur in order to improve HSE’s elearning.”

Prior to these changes, there was no limit on how many assignments could be given out for an elearning day, and there was no time limit for how long these assignments could take. This led to students spending numerous hours on assignments that they did not feel were beneficial to their learning.

“It seems to me that a lot of teachers just give us busy work because school got cancelled,” sophomore Basil Koch said. “I’m never learning anything new on an elearning day and trying to teach new material must be difficult for teachers since they don’t know in advance about a cancellation.”

Under the new elearning guidelines, which will take effect at the next school cancellation, assignments are supposed to take between 20 to 30 minutes to complete. Furthermore, assignments will be due the third day students are back in school, as opposed to a week after students return under the old guidelines.

“We are hoping the workload will be more appropriate, but we would also like for students to consider that they are typically in school for a lot more hours than the elearning took to complete,”

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Sturgill said. “Many students put the work off for a few days last year, making the load seem greater.”

The new guidelines also specify how to access elearning assignments. Under the previous guidelines, assignments had to be ready to “go live” on snow days, but did not specify when or where. Whereas under the new guidelines, assignments for fifth through twelfth grade must be published on Canvas by 9 a.m. Despite the changes, accommodating all students may be a challenge.

“The guidelines cannot be perfect because they are expectations for grades K-12,” Sturgill said. “There is a big difference between the expectations of independent work at the K level versus senior year. There is no perfect guideline for elearning but I believe this was a great compromise.”

While students may have a less stressful time completing elearning assignments, some students feel that elearning will be a burden regardless of the rules for completing them. Oftentimes when school is cancelled, students may not be in the mindset to do school work and will procrastinate on the assignments.

“Effective learning cannot really happen when we are all at home,” sophomore Kaelyn Tai said.

“It also makes everyone dread snow days because the assignments often don’t even go in as a grade.

I liked the premise of flex days instead.”

Adding school days to the end of the year, while eliminating elearning, provides an entirely new set of obstacles that are difficult to work around, such as finals week complications and students leaving the state.

“I do not believe elearning can replace the work that is happening in the classroom,” Sturgill said.

“However, adding time to the end of the school year adds complications regarding graduation and other activities. Minimal elearning days seem to be the least disruptive in the age of technology.”

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new elearning guidelines

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and how it affects students

Old Guidelines

New Guidelines assignment length

No specified time limit on assignments, only "a reasonable amount of time."

Leading to students having an excessive

Elearning assignments should be between 20 to 30 minutes per class or content area for grades 5-12. This will make workloads more

amount of work to complete.

manageable for students.

due date Student work is due one week after returning to school, resulting in students having more time to procrastinate and

Assignments will be due by 4 p.m. on the third day students are back in school. Combined with shorter assignments, this should make

stack up large amounts of work.

elearning workloads much more manageable.

assignment availability Have elearning assignments prepared to go "live" on snow days but with no clear specification of when students may have struggled to find assignments.

All elearning work must be available on Canvas by 9 a.m. This makes it clear where to find work and limits students claiming they could not find it.

counting attendance Students who do not complete assignments 10 days after the school cancellation will be counted absent.

Attendance will be based off of whether a student logs into Canvas on the day school is cancelled. This may incentivize students to avoid putting off assignments.

Full elearning guidelines and be found on the inclement weather FAQ on the HSE Schools website.

Graphic by Ben McHenry

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Feb. 10, 2020

Celebration or condemnation rievi

c tr versia fi res reeds

Ben McHenry

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e r a t sh ts a p sh t a ai st the r a d a ic at the wa e ter i ra d rida arch Photo used with permission of Tribune News Service.

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a er sad ess

mchenben000@hsestudents.org

obe Bryant, former NBA all-star, passed away in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven other passengers on Jan. 25. Bryant’s untimely passing has rocked the NBA community and much of the world, as he was one of the premier players for those growing up in the 2000s and 2010s.

“As soon as I became an NBA fan, the first player I remember watching was Kobe,” senior Reece Boland said. “Him and basketball were so intertwined, and that’s why his passing hit me so hard, because he was a big part of my childhood and basketball as a whole.”

Bryant spent all 20 seasons of his career with the Los Angeles Lakers, amassing five championships, 1 all star selections, one regular season M.V.P. Award and two NBA Finals M.V.P. Awards.

Soon after the news broke of his passing, disbelief and support poured in across social media from fans and players alike. For many of the NBA’s younger players, Bryant was their idol. The day Bryant passed, Lakers guard Quinn Cook was mourning outside of the Staples Center, the Lakers’ stadium, with his Bryant jersey.

However, along with the outpouring of positive messages came many negative ones, revolving largely around Bryant’s 2003 sexual assault case. Bryant was accused of raping a 19-year-old female desk clerk at a hotel in Colorado, yet the case was dropped when the woman was unwilling to testify.

A lawsuit later brought against Bryant by the woman was settled out of court, and Bryant issued an apology saying that he understood the woman did not see it as a consensual encounter. omedian ri Shaffir tweeted that “Kobe Bryant died 23 years too late today,” on account of his sexual assault case, and was soon after dropped by his talent agency. After receiving

backlash online, he made an Instagram post stating that it was a joke, writing “as a response to all the outpouring of sympathy on social media, I post something vile. It’s just a joke.” He also stated that he was “quite sad” about his passing.

According to Pathways, many people use humor as a means of coping with loss, but this humor may offend others, as it can be difficult to understand who is joking as a coping mechanism and who is trolling through the internet.

“Personally, I think people joking should just be quiet, even if they are doing it to cope,” junior Ryan Moore said. “I understand that you might be using it to get over something, but with so many people affected and with his family being so affected, I think it’s ust disrespectful.”

The conflict between those grieving and joking has raised questions about how mourning is handled in the social media age, and whether those who have already grieved or who are not affected should interact with those who are.

“It is normal and expected that individuals with controversial pasts such as Bryant’s will still garner sadness and mourning,” school counselor Natalie Ridings said. “One thing that I feel strongly will not help individuals who may be mourning Kobe’s passing or those impacted by his controversial past is making jokes or light of the situation.”

Concerns were raised on Twitter as to how sexual assault victims may feel about Bryant being celebrated, as it could potentially be triggering. According to Metro UK, concerns of this nature are common whenever a controversial figure passes, but this does not mean one is not allowed to grieve.

The same Metro article mentioned that it is important to understand that the passing will trigger different feelings and reactions for everyone, and that arguing over these reactions does little to help anyone heal, and will likely exacerbate any negative feelings.

“With the internet, it is easy to voice your opinion quickly and without thinking,” Boland said. “You have to keep in mind that you are still dealing with other people, and you still need to be respectful of how others are feeling in a sad time.”

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Features

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David Cohen

2012 graduate tackles Indiana’s environmental concerns

Ben McHenry

mchenben000@hsestudents.org

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nvironmental conservation frequents the news almost daily, with wildfires in Australia to fracking water contamination in the United States. While Indiana may not be a hotbed for these extreme concerns, there are countless environmental dangers present in Indiana. 2012 alumni David Cohen is one of those working towards a cleaner Indiana, as he is a permit writer for the ffice of ir uality.

Cohen examines the processes and equipment of various businesses and determines the potential air pollution, as well as which state and federal laws apply to that business.

“I have permitted for sources ranging from landfills and engine manufacturing facilities to cabinet shops and Panko breadcrumb factories,” Cohen said. “The aspect of my job I enjoy most is knowing I make a difference. e prevent a lot of nasty pollutants from entering the air and work to hold those who violate the law accountable.”

Cohen has been passionate about the natural sciences since he was a child, as he would often play with bugs, tend to his garden or wake up early before school to watch Animal Planet. It was at FHS that Cohen realized this passion could be made into a career after taking AP Environmental Science. Cohen was also a very spirited student, owning the renowned Tiger Claus frequently seen at football games.

“FHS was fairly new, but there was already a deep sense of tradition when I started as a freshman in 2008 that inspired my school spirit, which led to me becoming a student spirit leader for the football team my senior year,” Cohen said. “It was also very rewarding to attend FHS in an era of firsts such as our football state championship win in 2010.”

While FHS sparked Cohen’s environmental

career interest, it was at Indiana University where this passion blossomed, as he earned a bachelor of science in public affairs with a concentration in environmental management through the School of ublic and Environmental ffairs. ohen also forged many relationships at IU that have made him who he is today.

“College allowed me to discover my ‘tribe’ of friends who I will carry with me for the rest of time, and for that I am truly thankful,” Cohen said. “There were also a lot of sleepless nights filled with too much caffeine, but those nights were always followed by accomplishment that was always worth the sleep deprivation. Bloomington will always have a special place in my heart.”

As Cohen has grown through both FHS and IU, he has taken many lessons with him from beyond a curriculum, first and foremost ensuring that you are passionate about whatever it is one chooses to pursue.

“It can be intimidating to try and lock down your path now, but you shouldn’t let it stress you out,” Cohen said. “You have an entire life ahead of you, and it isn’t supposed to be figured out in your twenties. If you do find a career path you love, pursue it and don’t look back. What matters is that you enjoy what you do.”

David Cohen smiles as he sits on a bench in downtown Indianapolis for a photoshoot. Photo used with permission of David Cohen.

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Graphic used with permission of Melanie Hamon.

Feb. 10, 2020

Arts & Culture

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Montage returns

Literary magazine seeks support in efforts to revive publication John Yun

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yunjoh000@hsestudents.org

ith limited submissions and help, the school’s literary magazine, the Montage, seeks students who are willing to submit their artwork and writings or help publish the magazine. The magazine can be an outlet to share their own thoughts or ideas.

“As an underclassman who often felt lost in this school, submitting my work to literary magazine and getting it published made me feel seen and heard,” leader of the Montage senior Melanie Hamon said. “It made me feel as if I was valid, even when there were no specific classes that validated the career choice that I wanted.”

In the past, the Montage has only published writings and art such as photography, drawings and paintings. However, this year, the magazine hopes to expand its range to art created by computer science programs, musical performances, speeches and dramas. They hope to add QR codes that students would be able to scan and watch these art forms.

Students can submit their work through a Dropbox on the FHS Library Canvas page.

They need to give the Montage permission to submit their works, which have to be original.

All submissions are due by Feb. 21 by 11:59 p.m. For writing, students should submit a Word document; for artwork, students should submit a E or file for music performance, they should submit a YouTube link. After receiving the submissions, the Montage will work to create the issue.

“We value the printed copies of the literary magazine because that is the way it has been done in the past, and we want to keep that tradition going,” English teacher Leann Dixon said. “We have copies at the Media Center where people can go and see past magazines, as well.”

Not only can students submit their artworks but they can also help publish the Montage. With only three staff members, the literary maga ine is looking for interested students. Students who excel in design and copy-editing may contact Dixon on how to get involved.

“Working on editing the Montage has made me a lot better at talking to other people,” Hamon said. “It has made me better at time management, at planning, problem-solving and all kinds of administrative stuff you use in the real world.”

Through their love for writing and different art forms, the staff members hope to be able to revive the literary magazine, an aspect of high school they believe is vital.

“Art is not something that can really be ranked but rather appreciated, for the most part,” leader of the Montage junior Drew Sperry said. “The literary magazine is not about who is the best, but about sharing the work of others.”

The Montage was created by former English teacher anet McKinney during the first years of FHS. Over the years, the literary magazine has been passed from teacher to teacher. Last year, an issue was never printed because of administrative issues and the lack of submissions, according to Hamon. This year, the literary magazine is asking for help from other clubs and students.

“Literary magazine is meant to give a voice to students and is an outlet for students to express themselves,” Sperry said. “I think it is really important in our community for people to express themselves freely in different styles and forms.”

The past issues of the Montage show its evolution over the years. Photo used with permission of Leann Dixon.

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Feb. 10, 2020

P.S. there is more et i

ri i a r

Kristen Rummel

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a ce

Graphic by Kristen Rummel.

vie se e re eases a e ti e s wee

rummekri000@hsestudents.org

ver since the announcement of a sequel to You” joined by Jordan Fisher, who plays John “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” was Ambrose McClaren. released fans have been on the edge of In the second movie, one of the love letter their seats waiting for trailers, leaks and behindrecipients, John Ambrose McClaren, responds and the-scenes information just to see Lara Jean and begins to take an interest in Lara Jean as she is still Peter together again. with Peter. This puts the three in a love triangle to The etflix original, “To ll the oys I’ve see who will win Lara Jean’s heart.

Loved Before” was released Aug. 17, 2018. The The trailer for “P.S. I Still Love You” can movie has since received two MTV awards and a be found on etflix’s official website, and the Guild of Music Supervisors award for Best Music movie is scheduled to be released on Feb. 12.

Supervision in a Television Limited The third installment of the series Series or Movie. It also received was confirmed on entineo’s 97% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Instagram on Aug. 15. “Always and “I watched the movie because it Forever Lara Jean” is already being was all over Instagram,” sophomore filmed. The release date is yet to be Cooper Cunningham said. “I think determined. any etflix original, including To “I’m excited to see where the All the Boys I’ve Loved Before,’ is a movie goes,” Soehngen said. “I hope bit overhyped in its own sense.” it’s as good as the last movie, if not The first movie tells the tale of better because the last one struck Lara Jean’s life as her secret love interest when I saw it.” letters written for her deepest The movies are based on a book crushes get sent out. Five love series written by Jenny Han. “To letters to five different guys leads All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” i the tri Lara Jean into a storm of emotions he sec d was released in 2014, “P.S. I Still a d the s rce ateria r the Love You” was released in 2015 and and strange situations. To avoid Photo “Always and Forever Lara Jean” was the recipients of the letters and to se e retai s r by Kristen Rummel. make eter’s ex-girlfriend ealous, released in 2017.

Lara Jean and Peter start dating, “Small things were different from but slowly start to develop real feelings for each the books to the movies like arguments and more other. in-depth details about the families,” sophomore “I personally really liked the first movie a lot,” Cassidy Miller said. “The movie did capture the senior Zoie Soehngen said. “I felt like it really told same essence as the books which was a pleasant a story about how many teenage girls feel. The surprise.” storyline was one that the viewers could relate to The book series, like the movies, has won many easily and on a more personal level.” awards like Young Adult 2015–2016 Asian/ The main characters are Lana Condor as Lara acific merican ward for iterature and 2 1 Jean Song Covey and Noah Centineo as Peter Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award. The Kavinsky, who play the main love interests in the book series is available at Hamilton East Public movie. Condor and Centineo are returning for Library for check out and is also available for the second installment of the film “ .S. I Still ove purchase on Amazon for around $10.

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Arts & Culture

Popular reads

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Books that address current issues circulate most around building Grace Mossing

mossigra000@hsestudents.org

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ith 3,500 students, some books shine brighter than others. Subjects like injustice, growing up and love can be found in the pages of these books, which are the most checked out amongst students according to librarian Renee Isom.

5. “The Female of the Species” This classic published in 1987 by Mandy McGinnis has remained relevant through time as it examines rape culture through alternating perspectives. It confronts the issues of both the morality and immorality of revenge as the main character Alex Craft goes on a killing spree to avenge the life of her murdered sister.

“It’s relevant because that sort of thing [rape and murder] does happen, but you can’t let yourself spiral like Alex,” sophomore Hailey Chapman said. “Her motivations were there, but her actions were not a moral response.”

4. “Saving Red” Written in verse, author Sonya Sones weaves a story of an unlikely friendship between two girls in desperate need of companionship. Each struggling with internal battles of their own, they give one another a new view on what family, forgiveness and friendship truly mean.

“It seems like it has to do with mental health and people trying to get involved in activism, so I think it would be interesting to read as it keeps up with current events,” junior Elizabeth Durbin said.

3. “Dear Martin” John Green says the book is “A powerful, wrenching and compulsively readable story that lays bare the history, and the present, of racism in America” on BookTable.

Written by Nic Stone, “Dear Martin” shows the issues and truth of racism in America in the past and today and dives into a raw view of American race relations. Looking for inspiration in the works and words of Martin Luther King

Jr., main character Justyce McAllister battles racist prejudices while being at the top of his class ready for the Ivy Leagues.

2. “The Crossover” The novel’s main character Josh Bell is a star basketball player at his school at age twelve and loves creating his own art through verse and songs. He and his twin Jordan go through the trepidations of life together on and off the court as they grow up.

In 2015, this children’s novel by Kwame Alexander won the John Newbery Medal.

Alexander wrote it entirely in verse.

“I would be interested in this book because reading in verse would be engaging,” Durbin said. “It would be different from the normal paragraphs, and it would certainly be a switch from the standard teaching we have from the English classes offered at this school.”

1. “The Hate U Give” Author Angie Thomas takes the current issue of racist police brutality head on through her book.

In one year, 1.5 million copies of the book were sold, according to Publishers Weekly.

“Even though it is a fiction book, it’s still really relevant, and it has a lot of great information that a lot of people don’t know about,” sophomore Ella Hart said.

Thomas was inspired by real life events to write her book. It portrays the life of Starr Carter who lives in two polar worlds of her poor neighborhood she grew up in and the lavish suburban prep school she attends. When one of her good friends is shot by a police officer, her life comes crashing down. The book shows the behind-the-scenes of what happens to the people who are victims of police brutality.

“My biggest takeaway was don’t take life for granted,” Hart said. “The boy who is killed [Manny] had plans for the next day, plans for the next week, and it was just all taken away in a single second.”

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These novels present themes of growing up, fi hti s cia i stices a d fi di their p ace in the world to student readers. Photos by Grace Mossing.

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Feb. 10, 2020

Choir saves the planet

Electrum makes an effort to spread awareness of conservation Hayley Brown brownhay000@hsestudents.org

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2 1. Sophomore Mason Funderburk and junior Saber Agnew lifts up junior Kayla Wilkerson in the auditorium on Jan. 30 at Silver Spotlight’s preview. 2. Junior Kierre Rodriquez strikes a pose of the opening song “Earthbeat.”

Photos by Hayley Brown.

lobal conservation protests are blowing up over social media, most including icons such as Greta Thunberg, a well-known activist and Time’s Person of the Year in 2019. There has been recognition of these environmental efforts, inspiring Electrum to spread awareness of climate change.

This year, Electrum’s show choir competition set “Earthbeat” reflects on the future of our planet and conservation of Earth. The set is 1 minutes long and consists of multiple songs, such as “ adioactive.” The story line of the set showcases the planet’s potential future and possible ending.

“This show is supposed to inspire other people to pay attention to what is happening in terms of global warming and ecological issues that are happening on our planet right now,” choir director reg ohnson said.

Costumes and makeup are used to enhance the thematic aspect that ohnson is trying to incorporate. They help enhance the character that each performer is trying to develop.

“It’s much more complex because we have sun goddesses, sun gods, rain goddesses, rain gods, trees, skies and all these different flower goddesses, so there are all these different miniature characters to block,” ohnson said. ohnson has influenced many students in class to apply the message from Electrum’s set to their everyday life. or example, many show choir students are carrying reusable water bottles. ohnson designed a reusable water bottle with the HS choir logo and is selling the water bottles for 1 . Eight dollars of those proceeds will be donated to ocean, a nonprofit company. or every water bottle sold, six to eight pounds of trash will be cleaned from the ocean. “ s part of Electrum’s group, I have worked to spread the facts about climate change and spread the stories of those who have lost lives, lost memories and lost what they own,” unior Sadie ordan said. ordan uses her knowledge on climate change to her advantage for class pro ects and when conversing with her peers. She has a passion for conservation and ecological issues, so she has changed her routine in everyday life.

“I have also worked to reduce my carbon footprint by buying primarily secondhand clothes, monitoring my trash and working to support brands using recycled or reusable packaging,” ordan said.

Students in Electrum had to cover climate change for a class pro ect.

Many of the students learned the numbers and statistics revolving around ecological issues. Soon, they reali ed the planet’s condition.

“There is a constant underlying pragmatism regarding how we treat our planet and the conse uences of not recogni ing our role in its destruction,” unior en Holland said. ne of Electrum’s goals is to win titles at the six competitions, including enter rove’s invitational on eb. 1 . t the same time, the performers and ohnson want the audience to experience the realism of the environmental issues the world is facing. “ e want to send an artistic message to not only the ishers community, but to the 1 , people who watch the set throughout the season,” ohnson said.

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1. One section of Electrum poses as a tree to represent one of the characteristics of nature. 2. Junior Savanna Jensen, junior Mac Owen and sophomore Gracie Philpot perform on Jan. 30 in the auditorium to preview Electrum’s set before Silver Spotlight. 3. While the rest of Electrum sings “Shadowland” and “Morning Glow”, junior Kayla Wilkerson sings her solo. 4. In Electrum’s opener, junior Natalie Kosegi, senior Eliana Clark and junior Nathan Austin dance. 5. Sophomore Kalista Foster, senior Emma Mitchell and sophomore Sam Holdeman hold a dance move. 6. Junior Kayla Wilkerson prepares herself to be lifted by junior Saber Agnew and sophomore Mason Funderburk in the opening of Electrum’s set. Photos by Hayley Brown.

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A couple of outings Activities to do on Valentine’s Day Rebekah Shultz

shultreb000@hsestudents.org

anting to do something fun, but not being able to find anything to do in ishers is a feeling unior laire ation experiences often. iving more opportunity to couples this year, Valentine’s Day falls on a Friday. The Indianapolis Zoo is a date recommended to go on the weekend because the zoo closes at 4 p.m. All the activities are under $35.

Ice cream & chill “My favorite date so far has been going to get ice cream and coming home to watch a movie with snacks and face masks,” unior Kaylin Hoover said.

Hoover has been dating unior Matt epert for 1 months.

They went to Handel’s, which varies in price with a single dish of any flavor of ice cream is . 1. opsicles are 2. .

“This date lets you get out for a little bit, but also chill at home in sweatpants,” Hoover said. “It’s also low-cost.”

In sweatpants, Hoover has opportunities to watch popular romantic comedies like “Tall irl” and “The Kissing ooth” on etflix.

Hoover and Lepert can also use the many other media services at home without going out like Disney+, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video. a take oover ce Cream H n i l I y nd Ka ndel’s pert a ural at Ha Hoover. e L t t aylin rs Ma the m Junio in front of ourtesy of K c e pictur 27. Photo . n a J on

Pacers game lthough she had never gone to a acers game before, unior Sienna Menossi got to watch her first with her boyfriend unior Evan Bernard.

“I would recommend this date if you are a sports fan because it is downtown and it’s somewhere where we never go so it’s a different atmosphere,” ernard said. “ nd it is ust something to do that you don’t do often.”

The Pacers have upcoming games on Feb. 10 at 7 p.m. at Bankers ife ieldhouse against the rooklyn ets, as well as eb. 12 at p.m. against the Milwaukee Bucks.

The tickets for the game against the rooklyn ets begin at per ticket, while the game against the Milwaukee Bucks start at $19 per ticket on the ’s website. arking for this event would be most convenient at the irginia venue arking arage. The rate is 1 for a covered spot, and $6 for a rooftop spot. ernard said he would also have en oyed going out to eat in downtown Indianapolis and ride the scooters that are all over the city with charging stations everywhere.

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Juniors Sienna M picture at the b ennosi and Eva alcony a n Berna March 2 t Ba rd . Photo courtesy nkers Life Field take a of Evan h Bernard ouse on .

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Bowling Royal Pin Woodland E 96th St. in Indianapolis, has over 70 lanes for bowling, an arcade laser tag, and miniature golf. Juniors Reagan Wolfgang and Bryce Hagerty went there for a fun date.

“I would recommend this date to other people because it is different from ust sitting at the house watching movies,” Hagerty said. “Just sitting together and playing games and going bowling is fun for us.”

For the bowling aspect at Woodland, it is $4.75 a game for ages 12 and up. Rental shoes there are $3.60. On Valentine’s Day, Royal Pin will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. If interested in going for the other amenities, check out the Royal Pin’s website.

For a closer bowling alley, Pinheads is located on Britton Park Rd in Fishers. On Valentine’s Day Pinheads will be open from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., each lane costs $20 per hour while each lane costs $35 per hour from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Both bowling arenas can be reserved or customers can ust walk in and get a lane, depending on how busy the place is.

or seni g d n orin on a Nati re expl e r i o la r bef ion. or C juni togethe aire Nat , s t l h of C ture y lig inkl ke a pic ourtesy w t the son ta hoto c t to Nex Hutchin c. 26. P e Rich oo on D z the 4.

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At Oliv e junior Garden be fore th s Bryc e e pictur e in fr Hagerty an y went bow ont of d Rae ling o Hager ga n the do ty. ors. Ph n Wolfgan Aug. 5, g take oto co a urtesy of Bry ce

Indianapolis Zoo Experience the desert, Flight of Fancy, and the forest all at the Indianapolis Zoo. Senior Rich Hutchinson and unior laire ation went during hristmas time, but some of the exhibits were closed.

The hours of the zoo are open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

All the exhibits will be open Valentine’s Day. “We would recommend this date because there was a lot to do and it was super fun, especially in the winter,” ation said.

For adults (13 and older) the price is $8.70, with parking for $8. Admission includes the aquarium, the animal chats and presentations. Additional costs include the carousel, feeding the birds, etc. All the exhibits that are showing right now are on the Indianapolis Zoo website.

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Sophomore Megan Mybeck swims freestyle at the Mudsock Dual meet at HSE on Jan. 9. Tigers won 105-81. Photo by Mya Ball.

Making a splash

Key swimmers work toward common goal

Riley Gearhart gearhril000@hsestudents.org

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hile 5:30 a.m. practices do not appeal to the majority, these early hours allow swimmers to get in extra practice time.

These extra hours of practice build endurance and muscular strength. or some, the work has begun to pay off.

Freshman JoJo Ramey holds the third fastest time for the 100 backstroke in Indiana for the season and senior Abby Jahns holds the third fastest time for the 500 freestyle in Indiana for the season as of Jan. 28, according to MaxPreps. Sophomore Kyle Ponsler has won several events such as the 100 backstroke throughout the season to help contribute to the boys 5-2 record.

Head coach Joe Keller says that the success of all three swimmers have helped with the team scores and the encouragement for other swimmers.

“It’s leadership that is direct, but it also indirectly impacts people across the board,” Keller said. “All three of them have had that type of impact.”

Jahns said that the key to her success has been her mentality. After struggling with it last year, Jahns’ positive attitude has helped her have a better season.

“The moment you become negative during a long swim, it’s hard to keep going at the rate that you’re going,” Jahns said.

While these swimmers are among the best at school, they always look for room for improvement. ast ecember, amey ualified

to swim at the Olympic Trials for the 100 backstroke, but she does not plan on stopping there.

“I feel like once you hit big success, you can’t just stop and not work hard anymore,” Ramey said. “You have to keep on going to get to the next thing.”

According to the Indiana High School Swim Coaches Association, the girls team is ranked fourth and the boys team is ranked seventh as of Jan. 26. The boys and girls team are both predicted to score 11 points higher at state than last year.

“I think that everyone else has helped with my success because everyone’s pushing each other hard in practice every day,” Ponsler said. “If we all can keep doing that, we’ll all see the results that we want to in the end.”

According to both Ramey and Keller, the culture of the team has allowed both the boys and girls team to succeed more than they have in the past. Both teams are working towards a common goal of improving their overall score at state finals.

“They want to come here, have fun and enjoy what they’re doing,” Keller said. “When you have the type of environment where people are positive, then things can really happen.”

The girls team competes in the IHSAA State Finals at the IUPUI Natatorium on Feb. 14-15 beginning at 6 p.m., and the boys team competes next in the IHSAA Sectionals tournament at home on Feb. 20 at 5:30 p.m.

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Friendly competition Athletes dive against club teammates

Emma Tomlinson tomliemm000@hsestudents.org

D

ivers from FHS often cheer on divers from HSE and Carmel. This is because some divers from different high schools dive for the same club, the Fishers Dive Team. lubs exist for athletes who want to dive year round, instead of ust during high school season. It allows them more opportunities to compete and work on their skills. “ hen we go and compete against club teammates , we treat them like they are part of our team,” freshman retchen smun said. “ e cheer for them and support them ust like we would for any other diver on our team.”

Instead of sitting exclusively with their teammates, the competing teams mingle during the meet. efore the teams begin diving, some HS athletes invite the opposing teams to pray with them.

“I like how the team isn’t cra y competitive because I feel like it becomes more fun in a sense that you’re not only thinking about winning the whole time,” sophomore aul Kelly said. iving club is a gateway to diving in high school. smun began diving for the club in the summer of 2 1 after watching the lympics. reviously, she did gymnastics for 12 years, until she lost the love of the sport. fter watching the games, smun reali ed she wanted to try something new.

Many divers begin with backgrounds in gymnastics and tumbling. This season is Kelly’s first year diving, but he has a background in tumbling and parkour.

“My flipping background has helped me dive tremendously because I don’t have that fear of doing the flip or dive for the first time,” Kelly said. “The thing I struggle with the most is the diving form, since I learned how to do flips in a very different style.” racticing safely is a key factor in decreasing in uries. Stretching is essential to both diving and gymnastics, especially for progressing from position to position. ccording to the Seattle ive lub, having a flexible back is considered an asset in gymnastics but unsafe in diving, as it can lead to serious back and spinal in uries.

“In gymnastics, the landing is always something you have to be careful about because landing wrong has a risk for broken bones,” smun said. “I think people assume that in diving we don’t have to worry about that because we aren’t landing on a hard surface, but smacking the water hurts and could make your skin bruise for weeks or bleed.” unior Morgan asey believes that this year’s workouts have built up their strength and flexibility so that dives are more clean and consistent. “ ur team looks stronger and more technical and cleaner than in years past,” asey said. “ lus, we have more people so that adds way more points in the ending score.” ccording to Kelly, at least one or two divers consistently place in the top three at meets. “ robably out of all three years I’ve been on the high school team, this year we’ve developed and improved the most with our skills,” unior atalie ryan said.

The next girls meet is IHS regionals at ort ayne South Side High School on Feb. 11, and the boys sectionals is Feb. 22 at FHS.

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Junior Ethan Weiss does a back one and a half tuck into the water at a home meet against Carroll High School and Homestead High School on Jan. 24. The boys team beat Carroll 129-106 and Homestead 132-104. Photos

by Emma Tomlinson.

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Shooting for more fans

Players discuss popularity of sport, experience of joint team with HSE Ellie Albin

albinele000@hsestudents.org

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ockey pucks move at 105 mph. On top of that, players are covered in head-totoe gear, skate at 2 mph and can suffer from violent injuries. Playing this game may seem daunting, but sophomore Frank Thomas and the HSE hockey team, which is a joint team with both FHS and HSE players, are willing to take that risk.

Popularity and publicity For players in the school, many of them started playing hockey at a very young age.

“I started my hockey career when I was four years old, and I’ve loved every second of it,” Thomas said. “I went to an Indianapolis Ice game with my father, and according to him, I said, ‘I want to do that.’ And that’s how I ended up where I am now.”

According to ESPN, the most played sport by kids is basketball; hockey does not place in the top ten on the list in terms of kids who play the sport but numbers are on the rise.

In 2010, the number of registered hockey players in the U.S. was 500,579, according to Statista. Since then, hockey registration has seen an increase, with 567,908 people as of 2019 registered to play. Thomas believes the hockey community can be doing more to attract new players.

“A way I think hockey can increase its popularity is maybe having players in the NHL do visits at schools to try and get the kids interested in it at a young age,” Thomas said. “That way the kids can get the pros’ point of view and thoughts on the sport.”

Sophomore Matthew Fischer agrees. He also believes that more support for the school team would result in good publicity.

“I do wish the school would support the hockey team more,” Fischer said. “We wear the same logo as the rest of the school, so I don’t see why it shouldn’t be as supported as any other sport. Almost nobody even knows we have a hockey team.”

Injuries Even with more publicity, some kids may still be scared away from hockey for various

reasons. One of those reasons includes injuries.

For instance, Fischer cut his ankle and had to get stitches. Thomas has suffered from a concussion, but some of the worst he has seen includes a dislocated shoulder, broken fingers and broken collarbones.

According to Stanford Children’s Health, more than 20,000 kids per year between the ages of five and 1 are treated in emergency rooms for their hockey injuries. Even with these statistics, Thomas says that injuries are often still mundane, and the injuries are still few and far between if you play safe and are fully padded.

“I assure you, the amount of gear you’re equipped with protects you plenty,” Thomas said.

“And, if you learn to take a hit right, you won’t have to worry about that either. The physicality doesn’t start until you’re about 1 or 1 , so the younger ones don’t have to worry about it as much.”

High school hockey In Fishers, there is only one high school team for players: the HSE Hockey Club. It consists of two teams, HSE A and HSE B, and they play at the Fuel Tank. For senior Colin Stewart, playing with HSE students is not a problem.

“I do like being a joint team with HSE,” Stewart said. “It gives me a chance to play with a lot of the kids I grew up playing with.”

For many of the players, they started at a young age. Fischer started playing when he was five because he wanted to be like his dad, who played in high school. Thomas hopes everyone finds their own reason to play, but restates that more support from the high schools would be beneficial.

“I believe that having the school promote the hockey program would be amazing. It’s always good to get involved in something, and hockey is really great. You get to train your body, have fun, and, most of all, build great relationships with new people,” Thomas said. “Hockey has an astonishingly good sense of comradeship. The trust you have to have in your teammates certainly boosts the bonds that you build with them.”

The team’s next game is eb. 1 in olumbus, Ind.

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Longtime coach Rick Wimmer holds his play call sheet during the closing minutes of a 35-14 home loss to Avon on Sept. 27. Photo by Elissa Mitchell.

End of an Era

Wimmer ends tenure as football head coach Benjamin Grantonic

L

grantben000@hsestudents.org

ongtime head football coach Rick Wimmer is stepping down. He announced this decision on Dec. 3. Wimmer coached a total of 42 years, with 37 of those being as a head coach. He worked at reenwood, ionsville and Merrillville, and finishes with a 2 -1 record.

“I feel good about the decision I made,” Wimmer said. “You know it’s not an easy decision, I’ve been doing this my whole life….my entire professional career has been about this, so it’s kind of difficult to step out and make that decision.”

He oined HS in anuary 2 and brought the program from 1-1 his first year to winning the state championship in 2 1 . immer was also nominated for on Shula High School oach of the ear in 2 1 and won the Indianapolis Star’s Metro Coach of the Year seven times, in 1 ,1 ,2 ,2 ,2 ,2 , and in 2 1 . urthermore, he won the National Federation of High School Coaches Association Football Coach of the ear in 2 11. “ oach immer affected my life positively, mostly on the football field,” sophomore Jaxon Hyatt said. “He always pushed all of his players, including me, to improve. He wasn’t soft at all in the way he talked, but I don’t think he could be and still get to the team the way he did. Of course, he was only my head coach for a year, but he was a good man on the side and a mentally strong man, and I think he made me a better man in general through the way he coached.” s head coach, he showed his strength in developing players by the 1 students who went on to play college football. He also impacted many with his teaching of physical education.

“I would say that oach immer was a positive influence on me because he was my APC coach as well as coach,” sophomore Jake Gates said. “You could see that he tried to make all the people in his class faster and stronger rather than just care about football.”

For Wimmer, FHS has been a special place. Looking back, he remembers everyone he got the chance to work with.

“I am thankful for everybody that made football a part of their educations,” Wimmer said. “I think football is part of an education. You know, there’s a lot of things you can do to get an education besides go to class.

I appreciate all of their efforts it’s not easy to play football.”

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HisTime at FHS A TIMELINE

Wimmer is recruited to be the head coach for FHS's football program.

2006 2006

Wimmer strategizes with players at the Mudsock in 2006. HSE won 24-6. Photo Courtesy of Tiger Tracks yearbook.

Wimmer won a variety of awards including the Indiana Football Coaches Association’s Dave Land Coach of the Year Award.

He also brought the Tigers to victory in the 2010 Indiana state championship.

Wimmer starts his first year with no seniors on the team and a record of 1-10.

2009

FHS wins against HSE in the Mudsock for the first time 10-6.

Wimmer talks to a commentator at the Indiana State Finals against Lawrence Central at Lucas Oil Stadium on Nov. 27 2010. FHS won 38-19. Photo Courtesy of Tiger Tracks yearbook.

2010

2011

Wimmer announces he is stepping down .

2019

Wimmer named the Indiana Football Coach of the Year by the National Federation of High School Coaches Association.

Wimmer talks to senior quarterback Marcus Roux during a 27-6 win over HSE on Sept.

13. Photo by Mya Ball.

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Senior Justin Long shoots a free throw as the rest of the Tigers box-out defenders from Pike to grab the rebound. The Tigers lost 63-54 at home on Jan. 10. Photo by Kathleen Tran.

Hanging on

Boys basketball team clings to hope amid several straight losses Andrew Haughey

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“Games lost” refers to games lost between Jan. 7 and Jan. 24. Sophomore Jeffrey Simmons takes a free throw against Pike in a 63-54 loss on Jan. 10. Graphic by Andrew Haughey.

haughand000@hsestudents.org

ith a team shooting percentage of 54% according to MaxPreps, the boys basketball team leads class 4A. They are on track to have their best record since the school’s opening, which was 17-8. Their record has been steadily improving since the 2016-17 season under the coaching of Matthew Moore.

The team has showed few signs of slowing down until several recent losses, putting their record at 13-4 as of Feb. 3.

The first loss came against afayette efferson with a score of 68-65, which went to overtime on an. . This loss was immediately followed by another loss to Pike with a score of 63-54, which was succeeded by a win against Arsenal Tech.

However, the Tigers also lost the next two games.

Senior guard Alex Szilagyi said one of the main reasons for this has been the sloppy play of the team. He said the team needed to limit their turnovers and slow down play.

“We’ve had 96 turnovers in the last six games, so we need to control that, but other than that the team’s focus has not shifted,” Szilagyi said.

Moore believes another reason for these losses is a tough schedule. Three of the four teams the Tigers have lost to have had a win percentage of or higher, with afayette efferson having lost only two of 18 total games. These are two uncontrollable factors, and the team’s mindset has not been altered because of them.

“Nothing has changed,” Moore said of the team’s strategy. “We did some good things in those games but we have to clean up the mental mistakes we made moving forward.”

Szilagyi believes another one of the problems

lately for the team has been related to leadership.

He believes the team needs more leadership now than at the beginning of the season. He said this could be a result of a lack of confidence caused by the first loss of the season. “ e need to find how we can have better leadership for our younger players,” Szilagyi said.

“Seniors need to step up and teach them through their experience.”

Sophomore forward effrey Simmons said the team’s mindset has not changed due to the losses and that the team is continuing to look forward.

The team has also been riddled with injuries this year which has allowed players other than starters to step into roles they would not have otherwise been able to fill.

“I don’t feel like our goals have shifted at all,” Simmons said. “We’re still trying to be the best team we can be. We want to win a conference championship, win sectionals, win state, all that type of stuff.”

By looking at the statistics of games alone, most of the team’s points are scored by Szilagyi and Simmons. Each player averages about 20 points per game out of the team’s average 58.5 points per game. This accounts for 68% of points but Moore says this does not show the whole story.

“Our squad is unique this year in many ways,” Moore said. “We have had many players step into big situations throughout the season to allow us to have success.”

The Tigers will continue their season with a home game at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 25 against the estfield Shamrocks before heading to the postseason.

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Fanbase inequality

High schools see attendance disparity between girls, boys sporting events Nate Albin

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albinnat000@hsestudents.org

very team wants a full fanbase behind them at every game. A loud crowd can erupt and demoralize the opponent or fuel a big comeback. There is a reason why Vegas values home field as a three-point advantage in football. It matters.

For this advantage to occur, there must be fans in the seats at the games. Overall, high schools have problems with this. USA Today chronicled this issue in March 2019 in an article about how New Jersey high schools fail to get big crowds.

The article shows that, other than football, student sections nationwide struggle to fill up.

The worst part is that at girls’ sporting events, the students are basically non-existent.

No game sums this up better than the girls basketball team’s Jan.11 loss to North Central.

The Tigers were undefeated going into the game against the highly-ranked opponent. s orth entral started to take and extend their lead, it was actually the visiting crowd that was audible.

Parents of North Central players and JV players were the loudest following every steal, rebound and made shot. By the end of the third quarter, FHS was going to need a miracle to even have a chance of winning. The Tigers were playing a road game at home.

Just the night before, the student section was filled by students sporting various erseys for that night’s theme as the boys’ team took on Pike. In the game, Pike played better in every phase of the game. They were more aggressive, they played cleaner and they practiced the fundamentals of good basketball.

But the student section was loud. Every good play made by the Tigers was met with huge applause and yells. espite the - loss, HS was pushing to win with the filled student section behind them whole-heartedly.

The boys game saw tickets sold while the girls game only managed to sell 2 tickets, ust over half as many.

Sadly, this was illustrated again on Jan. 17 when there was a full student section for the boys’ game tipoff at , but barely a uarter full for the girls’ tip at . oth games were at home on a Friday night.

Other high schools around the nation have also noticed this problem. Student ournalists at Edina High School in Minnesota and Lake Zurich High School in Illinois have written about the huge difference in attendance.

1 Edina’s story reported that the 1. girls hockey state tournament drew about 1 as many fans as the boys tournament. Lake Zurich’s story noted that boys games drew full student sections while girls games were mainly ust parents.

This is inexcusable. If we want all of our teams to get that home-field advantage, we need to love our teams equally.

As an athlete, I can say that it is nice to have someone rooting for you. Somebody telling you to dig deeper can give you that 2 extra boost needed to achieve success.

Sometimes, it feels impossible to cause change in the world, especially in something as hotly debated as equality. But this one is easy, and we can all work to fix it. o to a girls game. It has been a great year for our teams.

Whether it is a swim meet or basketball game or later this year a tennis or softball match, go see girls teams play, too. They are your classmates, your friends and athletes representing your school.

If you cheer for the boys teams, why would you not cheer for the girls teams?

1. On Jan. 21, senior Tamia Perryman goes for a layup in a 65-44 win over Carmel. 2.

Sophomore Bryce Williams leaps for the ball during a 61-45 loss on Jan. 17 in front of a packed stand. This section of stands displays the contrast between girls and boys attendance. Photos by Nate Albin.

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Photo by Nya Thorton.

Moving Mudsock Attendance too much for gyms to handle Ben Rosen

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Promotional poster from the 2016 Mudsock basketball games played at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum. Photo used with permission of FHS Athletic Department.

rosenben000@hsestudents.org

ith approximately 3,000 seats in both the FHS and HSE gymnasiums, no additional room is available to adjust seating position. The demand for the Mudsock basketball games is larger than the capacities of the two gymnasiums. The location of the games need to be moved.

According to Athletic Director Rob Seymour, attendance has consistently sold out since the beginning of the rivalry games when FHS opened in 2006.

Enrollment at both schools continues to increase. According to the IHSAA, FHS has 3,509 students compared to HSE at 3,273 students.

On Dec. 18, 2016, both the boys and girls Mudsock basketball games were played at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum at the state fairgrounds, the home of the Indy Fuel and IUPUI basketball.

According to Seymour, both FHS and HSE were contacted by a third party event organizer and a deal was reached between the parties to play the 2016 edition of the games at the coliseum.

Something similar should happen going forward. Seymour said that the athletic departments believe their facilities can handle the demand for tickets. The high school gyms have roughly 3,000 seats. With the increasing enrollments in both high schools the gyms are not capable of handling the student bodies of both schools.

The Indiana Farmers Coliseum could host the games again. According to Stadium Journey, it has a capacity of 6,300 seats. Hinkle Fieldhouse, which is the home of Butler basketball, would be another potential venue.

According to Butler Sports, Hinkle has a capacity of 9,100 seats.

The Indiana Farmers Coliseum would be the more realistic of the two venues, especially knowing that the two schools have played there before.

It would also be easier to fill with a lower capacity than Hinkle ieldhouse.

The coliseum seats are organized in a way that the game would not have a problem selling out there. Hinkle Fieldhouse probably would not sell out but it could likely be over half full, meaning at least , seats would be filled, the high school gyms have roughly 3,000 seats.

Hinkle is the spiritual home of Indiana basketball. It even appears in the movie “Hoosiers.” The Mudsock rivalry is the city’s version of IUPurdue. Putting Mudsock basketball at Hinkle would display the magic of the sport in Indiana. Mudsock and Hinkle is the perfect pairing, the perfect connection.

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Plastic planet

Tupperware containers choking us, environment Sydney Territo

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terrisyd000@hsestudents.org

henever I bring my lunch to school, it almost always ends up coming in plastic containers or bags. While this is fairly common among students, it should not be. lastic not only has a bad effect on students’ health, but when it ends up in the garbage can, it affects the land that it ends up in.

Plastic containers are usually made of a mix of different types of polymers made with long carbon chains, according to Ecolife, a website used as a resource for green living. The most common polymer used in Tupperware-esque containers and plastic beverage bottles is polyethylene, which makes a more flexible plastic using a compound called Bisphenol A, or BPA. A lot of plastics have been criticized since they leach BPA, which mimics the hormone estrogen and has been directly linked

by CertiChem and PlastiPure researchers to reproductive cancers and developmental problems with sex organs, such as reduced sperm count, early puberty in women and birth defects in fetuses.

While many companies have now started selling BPA free products, it may not be as safe as one would think. In a study done by geneticist atricia Hunt about the reproductive effects of BPA on mice, she discovered that BPA-containing plastics and BPA-free plastics were not so different. ompanies started using isphenol S in place of BPA, which acts almost exactly like BPA, causing the same genetic defects.

In an experiment by CertiChem about estrogenic plastics, their lab techs took various plastic products and tested to see what chemicals were leached out after a series of longevity tests.

Estrogenic chemicals were leached out of 70% of the products in the preliminary alcohol/ saltwater soak, and 95% leached chemicals after

going through the stress of being exposed to microwaves, dishwashers and sunlight.

Plastic is not only dangerous when it comes to people using it day to day. In a study done by the S Environmental rotection gency E summari ing the effects of plastic on a uatic life and the organisms that depend on it, they found flame retardants in plastics such as E, which is a chemical used to slow ignition rate of flammable products, to be possible neurotoxins, carcinogens and endocrine disruptors. In waterways like Geist Reservoir, the idea of it being full of chemicals that could cause cancer is pretty terrifying, especially since a lot of people live on the water and swim in it.

Thankfully, there are ways to reduce the amount of plastic being used. In an article by the ational esources efense Council about using less plastic products, they recommend avoiding one-use plastics, stop buying bottled water and recycling. In an article

by North Carolina State niversity, they recommend using glass containers, canning jars, silicone containers, cloth sacks for dry food like sandwiches and stainless steel bowls for storage.

My family started to buy and use Pyrex glass containers for food storage, which works just as well as plastic and keeps BPA out of our foods.

These containers also make for fantastic soup storage, since they all come with lids that seal them. My family has a fairly large collection of them now, and I would fully recommend them as plastic container substitutes.

Plastic harms our waterways, bodies and future children, so I suggest that anyone wanting to save the Earth switch to less harmful products. Consider changing from plastic to readily available, easy to use containers like glass containers or cloth sacks, which will work just as well, and be better for overall health and the planet.

The tupperware spreads out, covering the Earth, representing a world covered in plastic.

Avoiding plastics like these can reduce the amount found in our oceans and on our land. Photo by Sydney Territo.

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Protestors gather at the statehouse on Nov. 19, 2019 in support of RedforEd, an organization to improve teacher’s pay.

Photo by Ben Grantonic.

Fixing a flaw Civic inactivity inhibits personal and communal gains Carter Hanefeld

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hanefcar000@hsestudents.org

ow voter turnout is symptomatic of the nited States’ flawed democracy.

According to the Democracy Index, that means that while our government guarantees basic civil liberties and rights, we also have some issues, such as low voter turnout. finds that only of eligible voters actually voted, a 20-year low for presidential elections. However, the 2 1 midterms did have a -year high for midterm elections at .

This pales in comparison to other countries, but there appears to be a major disconnect between researchers and citizens about what causes low turnout.

A Center for American Progress study claims a deficit in civic education causes political inactivity, the evidence for this being that only 2 of eighth graders performed at or above the level of proficiency on the ational ssessment of Educational rogress civics exam. hile looking on the national scale corroborates this conclusion, looking into the local perspective seems to yield different results.

“I’m not interested in government because it doesn’t really affect me right now,” senior ryce obertson said. hile certainly not universal, this opinion holds far more sway over the student body than one might think. ccording to the ondon School of Economics and Political Science, the most common reason for civic inaction was disillusionment, closely followed by apathy and lack of personal impact. Here is why that thinking should change.

First, disillusionment is extremely prevalent in both teenagers and adults. ccording to ew esearch, of mericans who did not vote in the 2 1 election felt that their vote “didn’t matter,” or that they did not like any of the

candidates, and it is easy to understand why. ur electoral process is rife with corporate money and two candidates in recent memory have won the election but lost the popular vote. Those two alone could lead any person to question the system.

There is one problem with this thinking those who do not voice their opinion in the political process only perpetuate the status uo. The only thing that makes somebody’s vote not count is by not voting, but when voters actually make an effort to utili e their voice, the status uo changes.

Last year, three Democrats claimed upset victories in staunchly epublican Hamilton ounty. espite the immense odds, emocrats broke that mindset, voted and made the change they wanted to see. o matter what party you side with, that shows the power your vote has. However, by looking at the local level, the problem of civic disinterest is solved in both apathy and personal impact.

“There’s no Democrat or Republican way to pave a road,” Mayor Scott adness said at a meeting with the e the eople Team. hile this line may seem cheesy, it is true.

National politics is important, but local politics decide how schools are funded, what roads are paved and how to improve day to day life on a micro scale. or those who are disillusioned, look to the HSE School oard meeting last year, where hundreds of student advocates showed up, voiced their opinion and were able to bring about change. or others who do not feel that civic engagement has any personal impact, and are unconvinced by the previous example, the HSE school board is still debating on whether or not to change start times. If you have a strong opinion about it, tell the school board, and you have taken your first steps into a larger world.

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Career as social media star may seem intriguing, but improbable Fletcher Haltom

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haltofle000@hsestudents.org

nline influencers such as Selena ome , ameron allas and Kylie enner have become prominent figures in society, both online and in the real world. They even occasionally make careers out of their online fame, utili ing social media, advertisements and business partnerships to earn revenue. However, a career as an influencer is not nearly as viable an option as it may seem.

Simply having a career as an online influencer is not a bad thing. If someone can support themselves financially by using their online fame, they absolutely should. The problem arises when influencer careers are advertised as completely practical, get-rich- uick career options for any ordinary person. In reality, becoming an online influencer is, in many cases, not at all an achievable career option. Therefore, it should stop being marketed as such. ne of the main issues with becoming an influencer is that the chances of successfully becoming a full-time online influencer, a user who can fully support themselves financially by using their online presence, are exceedingly low. ouTube reports over hours of content uploads to the site every minute. This makes it very difficult for aspiring influencers to succeed, due to the high levels of competition. rofessional athletic careers rarely get treated as legitimately viable career options for children, so influencer careers should not be treated differently. hildren can dream of being an online influencer, and it can actually be beneficial for children to experiment with trying to become one. onetheless, it must be recogni ed that their dream has a low probability of working out.

Every month, over a billion people use the Instagram app. lick reports that only , Instagram users have over 1 , followers, the mark that traditionally defines a user as a micro-influencer. This means that only . of Instagram users ualify as micro-influencers.

These users typically earn between 2 and per Instagram post, according to Mediakix. hile this is no small sum, a living cannot be

made off of it. onsidering that influencers do not always post fre uently, and their posts are not always sponsored, it would be very difficult to live off of. Mega-influencers, users with over a million followers, make around 1 , to 1 , per sponsored post, which one can make a living off of, but very few people have even close to enough followers to make that much money. dditionally, many online influencers use their social media platforms as extensions of their career, and not ust as their sole career. or example, riana rande, one of the most followed Instagram users, does not ust influence online. She originally rose to fame as a singer and actress, and she gained enough popularity to also become a social media star. She did not ust pursue that career, she pursued another career and became an influencer because of it.

However, many aspiring influencers choose to take a different path. They only try to become a popular influencer, which they are unlikely to succeed in doing. It is possible to rise to online fame without previously being a celebrity, as social media star ach King has shown, but King is an exception to the overall trend.

Influencers’ careers mainly rely on sponsored advertisements, where businesses pay them to advertise their product or service. espite this, many businesses are beginning to use their own accounts to advertise themselves on social media. rands such as etflix, endy’s and Target all have millions of followers on social media, meaning they have a large audience that they can advertise to, and may not need to invest as much in influencer advertising. This trend could cause influencers to make less money off of sponsored posts and cause their career to become even less profitable.

Similar to how we do not treat professional athletic careers as realistic career options for children, we should do the same with influencer careers. eing a social media star is unrealistic, unsustainable, and not all that profitable.

Therefore, the influencer career should stop being marketed and promoted as a completely viable career option for an ordinary person.

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Need for creativity Arts allow for students to express themselves, build imagination

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STAFF Editor-in-Chief: Ellie Albin Web/News Editor: John Yun Features Editor: Ben McHenry Arts & Culture Editor: Kristen Rummel Sports Editor: Nate Albin Assistant Web/News Editor: Ben Grantonic Social Media Editor/Unity Director: Rebekah Shultz Reporters Hayley Brown, Riley Gearhart, Meg Gibson, Fletcher Haltom, Carter Hanefeld, Andrew Haughey, Ben Rosen, Sydney Territo, Lily Thomas, Emma Tomlinson Photographers Mya Ball, Elissa Mitchell, Nya Thornton, Kathleen Tran Principal Jason Urban Advisers Kristine Brown Jordan MacMillan Associations IHSPA CSPA NSPA Quill and Scroll Printer: AIM Media

rtistic expression, in all of its forms, is an important part of education.

With the No Left Child Left Behind Act making the arts a primary subject back in 2001, its importance has only increased. Yet the availability of extracurricular activities that supply individualistic expression are few and far between, with the only ones coming to mind being the art club and one other, “The Montage.”

The school literary magazine, “The Montage,” is dedicated to sharing students’ creative work, from short stories to photography, until last year, when “The Montage” was not able to put out an issue. This was due to an administration problem and a lack of submissions. It was one of the few places where students could share their writing with the rest of the student body, and its absence left a bit of void in our academic ecosystem. The importance of literary magazines in schools is too great to be ignored.

The literary magazine has been part of the American academic tradition since the nation started. In “Charles Brackden Brown and the Literary Magazine: Cultural Journalism in the Early Republic” by Michael Cody, a professor who specializes in early American literature at East Tennessee State University, he talks about how the literary magazine (also called a literary journal) has been a part of American culture since the late 1 s, influencing the politics and fashions of the early .S. Artistic expression, beyond its historic importance, has been shown to help student performance. Arts education has been shown to improve SAT scores.

According to “SAT Scores of Students Who Study the Arts: What We Can and Cannot Conclude about the Association,” students who took four years of arts education scored 35 points high on verbal portions and 24 points on math portions over students with just two years of arts education.

The world is fueled upon the uniqueness of individuals, which the arts empower.

Arts create conversation about issues as well as new ideas and movements, creating progress in all aspects of humanity. The arts move people to imagine and go through with new possibilities without the fear of failing because unlike core subjects such as math and sciences there is no right answer. A literary magazine gives students a safe space to share their ideas and emotions without expectations and this work can inspire viewers to start their own movements and art. Not only does the lit mag have the potential to represent the school as a whole, but it can help the school grow in more ways than restrictive subjects ever could.

Do not be mistaken; STEM and the qualitative world are incredibly important.

But we need balance. The world cannot have qualitative without quantitative and vice versa. With every invention , there is the qualitative side that dreams up the idea and then there is the quantitative side that makes it happen.

The arts expand upon the education students get in class. They allow for students to express what they think and feel in a different way. In math, there is an answer. If the answer is 32, the answer is 32. In an art class, there is the opportunity for students to explore different avenues that are not otherwise available. In orchestra or band, there is the note that the player plays. But with that note, an artist can convey all sorts of emotions and feelings. n flat can show sadness or hope. In a painting or drawing, the color red can convey anger or excitement. The arts allow creativity, and the world needs that.

Ultimately, lit mag needs help. It supplied the student body with an nondiscriminate place to serve as a creative outlet, and its absence from the school cannot continue. So please submit a photo, a short story, or a poem or two at the Dropbox on the FHS Library Canvas page.

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EDITORIAL QUESTION Do you believe the school values arts equally to STEM?

Markers, crayons, scissors and more are all mediums in which artists can express themselves. Photo and graphic by Nate Albin.

EDITORIAL POLICY 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.

MISSION STATEMENT Tiger Topics N the RED is the official monthly newsmagazine of Fishers High School. It is distributed free to 3,600 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. 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.

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ISSUE REVIEW TWEET US YOUR ANSWERS FOR A CHANCE AT A PRIZE

1. What day of February is the next girls diving meet?

2. How many points is a home team traditionally favored by?

3. How many points does Jeffrey Simmons score per game?

4. What is Americans’ favorite league?

5. How did the Democracy Index describe U.S. democracy?

6. What is an alternative to plastic?

7. How many dollars do the choir water bottles sell for?

8. What day of February is “P.S. I Still Love You” coming out?

9. What is the most circulated book at FHS? 10. What FHS icon was alumnus David Cohen the owner of?

11. At what dollar amount do the Pacers vs. Brooklyn Nets tickets start at?

12. What year did Wimmer join FHS?