Tiger Topics: N the Red Volume XI issue III

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VOLUME X1, ISSUE 3

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FISHERS HIGH SCHOOL, 13000 PROMISE RD, FISHERS, IN 46038

TIGER TOPICS

FRIDAY, OCT. 28, 2016 Photo by Hannah Nguyen.

www.fishersnthered.com

Marching band heads to state competition

Studies show effects of homework

Students offer tips on college campus tours

Football team scores place in sectionals

Photo by Kylie Haslem.

Photo by Lizzie Brown.

Photo by Hannah Nguyen.

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Safety of Indianapolis differs from Fishers Haley Thomas haleyt0723@gmail.com

I Puzzle club offers stress free space for students

Local coffee shop gives back to international communities

Tigers lose to Zionsville in last season game

ndianapolis is the 13th most dangerous city in America, according to the financial news site 24/7 Wall St. They used violent crime data from the FBI’s 2015 Uniform Crime Report to rank all cities with at least 100,000 people.

This is in sharp contrast to Fishers, which has been ranked as one of the safest cities by several publications, despite being less than 20 miles from Indianapolis.

“Maybe it is just because I do not watch the news enough, but hearing that we are the thirteenth most dangerous seems very high. I am not going downtown by myself now... I will just stay in Fishers,” junior Stephanie Tran said.

However, some people are not bothered by the statistics. Senior Will McLaren said that he was not scared because the parts of Indianapolis he goes to are usually safer. “[The ranking] doesn’t scare me because I know the parts of town that are bad and good,” McLaren said. “Like I’m not going to go to the west side because obviously it’s got a higher crime rate than other parts of the city, but I usually go for Colts games and stuff so they have security.”

When Neighborhood Scout ranked all cities in 2014, they found that Fishers was the 53rd safest. Fishers can also boast being America’s second-safest suburb, according to the real estate blog Movoto; the second safest city to raise a child, according to home security brand SafeWise; and the 11th safest place to retire, according to the credit reporting site BadCredit.

24/7 Wall St. also ranked the safest

An Indianapolis police officer talks with civilians in Monument Circle on August 3. Photo

by Alex Pope.

cities in America. While Fishers did not meet the 100,000 person population requirement to be included in the list, it had fewer violent crimes than the safest city on the list. This is partially because higher population correlates to higher crime.

“In Indianapolis there’s so many crimes because it’s so big,” McLaren said. “They can’t solve everything. If I had an individual emergency and I was in a not-so-good area of town, I don’t know how fast they would be able to get there to make sure that everything was okay. Fishers police does not have much to do, but they are definitely good at doing what they need to.”

Having a very safe city near a dangerous one is not uncommon, according to 24/7 Wall St. The ninth most dangerous city on their list, Oakland, CA, was just 40 miles away from the ninth safest, Sunnyvale, CA. “I do not want to say [the difference in rankings] is because Fishers has money but we do tend to spend a lot of money on equipment for the cops and stuff like that so that probably helps Fishers be safe,” Tran

said.

While the Indianapolis police department spends about 70 percent more per person than the Fishers police, according to their public budgets, this may not be enough to compensate for the preexisting difference in crime.

Another possible reason 24/7 Wall St. gives for these differences is employment opportunities. They noted that unemployment was below the national average in 20 of the 25 safest cities, and above the national average in 19 of the 25 most dangerous. However, it is unclear whether unemployment causes crime or crime causes unemployment.

To freshman Nick Milender, personal experience is a factor in how safe he feels.

“I don’t feel safe [in Indianapolis] because there’s a lot of shady people,” Milender said. “My mom works in Indianapolis in a psych hospital, so I see dangerous people there. I used to go to school in Indianapolis and Fishers has much nicer people.”

Connor Prairie offers volunteer opportunities

Information from FBI, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and Indianapolis and Fishers public budget plans.

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Marching Band makes state for first time in Blue Shades

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aking it to state for the first time the marching band has improved compared to years past.

The band brought new changes with their show “Bohemian Rhapsody in Blue Shades.”

“This year’s show is more produced. There are a lot more theatrical elements tied into it,” head marching band director Chad Kohler said. “The theme of melding ‘Bohemian Rhapsody,’ ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ and ‘Blue Shades’ is kind of a cosmic alliance.”

The band traveled to Dayton on Sept. 24, finished second in Class A during the prelims and placed fourth overall at the end of the night. On Aug. 31, the band received first place at the Ben Davis Invitational. Overall the band is averaging scores about 10 percent higher than in years past.

“The focus by far is a lot better, and staff know what they are doing and doing whatever it takes to make it to state,” drum major senior Austin Buckley said. “The show is a lot harder which makes us look better visually because we know our drill.”

Richard Saucedo wrote the winds music in previous marching years but this year’s show he wrote the band pieces in a way to take a traditional wind ensemble piece and combine it with a rock anthem piece.

During the third movement Buckley comes down to the field and performs beat poetry with a jazzy voice into a microphone like “2 a.m.. time seems to freeze,” and “I’m falling out of reality; ‘it’s so much realer than reality’; it’s BLUE.” The band is also using blue trombones in the final movement to add a more visual effect.

“The band and guard are definitely involved together this year, but there are still practices where we all split up,” sophomore guard member Karissa Stiner said.

Sectionals are held during some practices for each performer to learn their part individually so it can sound better as a whole later. The band also has body block where they will do a body warm up and practice moves they do during the show.

“Our guard is by far one of the best guards in all of class A,” Buckley said.

There are new guard techs Lexy Albaugh, Kylie Hubbard and Herbert Washington. With their instructions and choreography combined, the guard was able to beat the other guards at the Ben Davis Invitational “Visual technique is more aligned with that of a drum corp. It is way more defined than in years past and that is a result of our visual captain head,” Kohler said.

On Oct. 23, the band performed last at the Ben Davis High School Semi-State competition. Out of 20 bands only 10 would go on to state. FHS was one of those bands.

“We were united as one and made history,” Buckley said.

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1. Snare drum players focus as they watch their technical adviser show them stick heights. Photo by Alaina Gabbard. 2. Sophomore Parker Studer stands in set while waiting for instruction. Photo by Hannah Nguyen. 3. Drum Major junior Sam Estrada holds his hand up to signal the band to put their hands up. Photo

by Hannah Nguyen.

8235 E. 116th St., Ste. 201 Fishers, IN 46038 (317) 849-6637 7853 US 31 South, Ste. B Indianapolis, IN 46227 (317) 887-2222 910 W. 10th Street Indianapolis, IN 46202 (317) 822-6637

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Gubernatorial candidates battle to replace Pence Ethan O’Sullivan ethanext17@gmail.com

Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton greets millennials in Philadelphia on April 25. Photo

used with permission of Tribune News Service.

Voter participation among millenials reaches 20 year low

Alex Pope alexpope606@gmail.com

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n only 11 days, the 45th president of the United States will be elected. With only around forty percent of 18 to 24 yearolds voting in the 2012 presidential election, according to The United States Election Project, voter participation for millennials is believed to be a large factor in this election.

So far this year, voter participation for 18 to 24 year-olds stagnated at twenty-seven percent in the general election, reaching a 20-year low.

Organizations, like the nonprofit Rock the Vote, have attempted to get millennials out voting through a pop culture and media presence by using artists, musicians and cultural leaders to educate the youth about the importance of voting.

According to a recent poll done by Harvard University, 74 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds have a strongly unfavorable view of Republican candidate Donald Trump, whereas 56 percent have a strongly unfavorable view of Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

“I will be voting for Donald Trump because I agree with a majority of his policy and the things he stands for. I do not necessarily like either candidate but majority of what I do agree with is Trump,” senior Jacob Raifsnider said.

Currently Hillary Clinton leads Donald Trump, 61 percent to 25 percent among millennials; however, with voter participation expected to be so low, those numbers may not mean much.

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“I’m voting for Hillary because Trump is racist, misogynistic, and a bad reflection of the American people,” senior Collum Powers said.

According to the Census Bureau, 63.4 percent of Americans 35 and older vote each election on average and only 35 percent of 18-34 year olds vote each election on average. With millennials accounting for 74.9 million Americans, voter participation amongst their demographics is key to winning an election.

“I’m not voting because I think that all of the candidates are idiots and are not capable of running the nation,” senior Jakob Poore said.

Millennials could determine the next president of the United States if they went out and voted this year; however, statistics show the unlikeliness of that. According to CNN, of the 73 percent of millennials who say they will not be voting this year, 54 percent say that they will not vote for any candidate on the ballot, and 19 percent claim to be more undecided than they were before the first two debates.

“I’m undecided right now, but I hate one candidate more than the other,” senior Claire Vahary said.

Because of the help from government classes, which show students how to register to vote in under three minutes, eligible FHS students will be able to vote on election day. Local polling stations for early voting as well as voting on election day can be located on Indianavoters.com.

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ne of two new faces, Gregg or Holcomb, will take over from Governor Mike Pence in November.

Pence was announced as Donald Trump’s running mate in July, so the race for governor in this year’s election cycle is more likely to be contested, according to the Northwestern Indiana Times, because the Republican candidate is not an incumbent with a reputation in the position.

On July 15, shortly after Mike Pence withdrew from the ballot, newly appointed Lieutenant Governor Eric Holcomb was nominated to run by the Indiana Republican Central Committee. His delayed campaign was further hindered by a lack of funds; he was about $2 million shy of his $7 million goal. Holcomb runs on a conservative platform similar to Pence’s.

“Eric Holcomb was thrown into the race at the last second as a replacement for Pence, so I don’t know how ready he is for the job,” social studies teacher Matt Bockenfeld said.

Democratic candidate John Gregg has had eyes on the 2016 gubernatorial seat since April 2015. This has given him time to accumulate funds and spread his message.

Gregg is a former speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives and ran for governor in 2012, losing to Pence by only three percent.

“Gregg is going to have an uphill battle if he becomes governor,” social studies teacher Adam Nelson said. “I’m not seeing the Indiana Senate becoming democratic.

It’ll be difficult for him to get anything done.”

The new governor will also make it clear where Indiana stands in the wake of Pence’s legacy, particularly with the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and anti-refugee policies which elevated Indiana to national news under his leadership. Holcomb avoids a clear statement on his policy regarding LGBT rights. Gregg, on the other hand, is LGBT-friendly. Both Gregg and Holcomb advocate for more refugee -friendly policies than Pence did.

For teachers, one of the most important

(112 students in government classes surveyed, Oct. 14-17) 6.4% 20.5% 15.2%

58.9%

traits of the candidates is how they plan to deal with education. According to his website, Gregg promises to reform standardized testing, recruit teachers and close the gap between private and public schools.

On his website, Holcomb promises to maintain the difference between public and private schools while also strengthening public school for lower-class children.

Both candidates place emphasis on enhancing the STEM studies in schools.

“With teachers being blamed for problems within the institution, and teacher morale at an all-time low, it’s important to support a candidate who supports us,” English teacher Renee Vanlandingham said.

A poll of 112 seniors, however, showed that while 41 percent (46) were voting, 85 percent (90) knew a small amount or almost nothing about the candidates.

Nelson speculates that this relative uncertainty can be attributed to how unusual this year’s presidential election is.

“Presidential elections in general already take most of the headlines, but especially this year there’s much more coverage on those candidates,” Nelson said.

While the gubernatorial election will not hold as much sway over the country as the presidential election will, Bockenfeld insists that young people should be attentive to and informed about the next governor.

“Not only will they shape social issues, but if you’re planning to stay in Indiana for college, the governor definitely matters,” Bockenfeld said.

Gubernatorial Candidates

-Eric Holcomb: Republican.

Current Lieutenant Governor.

Born in Vincennes, IN -John Gregg: Democrat.

Former Speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives.

Born in Sandborn, IN.

(112 students in government classes surveyed, Oct. 14-17)

15.2%

64.3% 20.5%

Features 5 RED Students build framework for “White Christmas”

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Mo Wood woodbmo@gmail.com

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usicals are not just actors on the stage, there are many more people helping add to the production.

Crew The crew works with the actors, creating costumes, constructing props and making sure that the equipment is performance ready. Members of the crew are present at all rehearsals and start preparing months before the actors start rehearsing.

Crew members have diverse roles in the musical. Some make sure microphones and sound effects are in order, some follow the actors with spot lights on the tension grid and others bring props on and off stage.

“My first year I moved a wagon, so it’s a platform on wheels, and I moved it on and off stage. And that’s all I did,” stage manager and senior Lela Anthony said. “There were six people behind that one wagon and we all hung out behind it. I loved the family aspect of it, so the closeness of the people and how loving everyone was and accepting, it was just so much fun to me.”

Members also help put together props and costumes, altering old costumes and creating new props.

These people work under senior Chrissy Newman, the backstage manager, or as the rest of crew calls her the “Prop Mistress.”

Newman also makes sure props are in the right places and easily accessible for the actors.

“I’m in charge of unlocking the props and

Props and costume manager senior Chrissy Newman explains her job to English teacher Christina Ripley, senior Olivia Jacobs, junior Abigail Zagel and sophomore Devyn Diehl on Oct. 12. Photo by Mo Wood. costumes rooms and getting everything out before everybody comes, so if I wasn’t here nobody would have their props, they would all be using nothing,” Newman said.

Technical theater Backgrounds and scenery are products of the students in Technical Theater. Students follow performing arts teacher Andy Smith’s designs to build and paint stable sets.

Smith divides students into groups to build different parts of the set, like senior Olivia Jacobs’ piano project.

“I’m working on a piano for people to tap dance on in this musical, there’s also booths and other people are making flats,” Jacobs said.

In Technical Theater students work on building sets. In Technical Theater II

Photo by Mo Wood.

students learn about the lights and sound boards and have the option to join crew to help with the musicals.

Pit Orchestra Directed by performing arts teacher Charlie Kunz, the Pit Orchestra consists of musicians in band and orchestra.

“Pit is a lot different from regular orchestra or band. We play a huge quantity of music and we learn it all in a very short span of time,” senior cellist Mikayla Ortell said. “The music is more difficult too, as pit music is often in strange key signatures to match up with the singers.”

Pit Orchestra practices as a group twice a week and, around show time, begin to practice every day in the pit. Members are also encouraged to spend time on the music

Senior Olivia Jacobs explains how she is building a piano for her Technical Theater class on Oct. 12. Photo by Mo Wood. outside of group rehearsals.

“It feels like you work a lot harder for pit orchestra, but receive little to no recognition. But that’s the point of it, to not receive recognition,” Ortell said. “The goal for pit orchestra is for the audience to not even know we are there, just think it’s a recording.”

Pit Orchestra, Crew and Technical Theater students are not as visible in the musical as the actors, but they play an important role in helping the musical go smoothly.

“Crew as a whole is under appreciated a lot because a lot of the actors don’t understand what we do for them, and it’s not their fault they just were never informed, but this year the actors are all very familiar with the crew members and we’re all getting along well,” Newman said.

Winter fashion braces students for the cold Hallie Gallinat halliegallinat@gmail.com

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Infographic by Hallie Gallinat

Stage director Lela Anthony demonstrates the safety of the tension grid above the auditorium by jumping on it on Oct. 12.

inter’s cold winds and freezing snow can affect how people dress.

However, options like heavy coats and gloves might not look good or appeal to some students. There are many different ways students around the school stay warm and stylish.

“Colors people should wear in the winter are more neutral colors, like dark greens, browns or reds,” sophomore Charity Njeru said.

Colors such as burgundy and military green are often worn in colder months.

Darker colors absorb more sunlight and because of this, more heat. In contrast, according to Vogue, bubble gum pink and purple are also popular in the winter.

One style is fake fur coats, which, according to Elle, is a great way to stay warm in the winter. There are many different kinds of fur coats, ranging from mink fur to rabbit.

And with a wide selection of patterns and styles, students can be fashionable and warm all winter.

Infinity scarves are also trending, as stated by Elle Magazine. Scarves are often

seen around school, as they are an easy way to accessorize according to Styles weekly.

For shoes, Ugg boots are commonly seen around the winter. They have sheepskin inside, making them very warm in the winter. Combat boots are also tending, made from durable materials they last through snow and many winters, according to Chatelaine Joggers are popular for boys in the winter. According to Business Insider, joggers are popular because not only are they comfortable to wear, but also because joggers go with many types of shoes.

“Tilly’s is a great place to buy joggers, but Pacsun is a great place too,” junior Kevin Ruiz said.

Flannel, which can be worn by both girls and boys, is popular around the school. This style, according to CollegeFashion, is great to wear in the winter because they are warm and easy to wear.

Layering is an easy way of staying warm in the winter. For example, flannel or thin coats can be worn on top of a T-shirt.

“I try to double up, like having an undershirt and then flannel or a jacket on top,” senior Ben Rock said.

Every person has their own individual

style, an aesthetic they base their outfits on.

Students incorporate all elements of their style in every season.

“When I want to look for style, I look in 17 Magazine or Teen Vogue. I am also inspired by styles on TV shows, like The Fosters,” Njeru said.

Senior Ben Rock shows off his style for winter. Photo by Hallie Gallinat.

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Gorillas, clowns and red sweaters: internet twists truth on trending topics Taylor Wagner taylornoellex@gmail.com

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housands of people use Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat everyday. The ability to twist a true story is at the tips of anyone’s fingers.

Harambe On May 28, a young boy climbed into a gorilla enclosure at the Cincinnati Zoo and was dragged by Harambe, a 17-yearold gorilla. Afraid for the boy’s life, a zoo worker shot and killed Harambe.

The incident was captured on video by a bystander and gained international coverage.

A number of primatologists and biologists wrote that the zoo had no other choice under the circumstances, and that it highlighted the danger of animals in close proximity to humans.

One of the most widespread memes was Washington Post and New York magazine who observed the spectacle of over-the-top and fake tributes to Harambe.

According to the Washington

Post, “The idea is that, the more intense and more sincere-seeming the expression of mourning is, the funnier the joke.”

The incident sparked debate among many on whether gorillas and other animals should be held in captivity at all.

“The whole Harambe trend is pretty funny and because of Twitter, but it is starting to get annoying now because it’s being over done,” sophomore Mario Capo said.

Clowns In 1972 John Wayne Gacy was a serial killer who dressed as a clown, killing 30 people and burying them under his house.

Killer clowns have been around for a while, but have recently been gaining attention.

In 2014, a Fishers clown harassed neighborhoods and frightened many. In 2016, clown sightings are a common post that can pop up on social media.

Videos of people finding clowns get thousands of retweets even making it to national news channels. Clowns have been spotted carrying butcher knifes

and guns in videos. As the trend of clown sightings has become popular, some are starting to stage videos.

“I thought the whole clown thing was pretty funny at first but now it’s just getting annoying because half of the videos aren’t even real, and clowns are starting to carry knives and weapons which doesn’t make it funny anymore,” junior Sandra Rodriguez said.

Memes are starting to show up on social media making fun of the clowns and threatening to attack any clowns that may be seen in real life. Clown-themed Twitter accounts that post videos with these sightings gain followers everyday. One, @ClownSightings, has 337,000 followers. The hashtag #ifclownswerereal constantly trends on Twitter.

Ken Bone Ken Bone is a 34-year old, undecided voter and coal plant operator from Illinois. He is known on social media as the cuddly, red sweater-wearing man concerned about the environment.

His appearance struck America as humble and welcoming, with

his question about environmental Tips for finding the facts safety and progress at the town hall between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton on Oct. 9.

Soon after, Bone conducted a Reddit Ask Me Anything session where he answered questions sent to him. His responses were considered controversial, commenting on racy photos of celebrities and Trayvon Martin’s death saying it was “justified.”

News outlets such as FOX began reporting on this, saying that America’s “sweetheart” is not “so sweet anymore.”

Bone started to gain popularity through social media. ‘Ken Bone’ trended the night after the meeting as people commented on his question and appearance.

He appeared on Jimmy Kimmel on Oct. 10. where he addressed his fashion and his thoughts on the election. The hashtag “BoneHeads” trended on Twitter during the show. Bone now has his own merchandise line for his fans.

“I feel the Internet takes anything and just runs with it,” junior Alaina Clark said. “Ken Graphic by Taylor Wagner. didn’t ask to be a meme.”

Self-defense apps help improve safety for many in danger Carolina Puga Mendoza carox29@gmail.com

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urder rates are higher in the United States than in Europe, Japan or Canada the FBI reports. Every day, 48 children and teens are shot in murders, assaults, unintentional shootings and police intervention according to the Brady Campaign stated. As technology goes, objects for self-protection have improved.

As apps develop, people have access to devices that are strong enough to be used in case of an emergency.

Approximately 24 states allow people to use self-defense objects, such as pepper spray, tasers, pointed hand weapons and guns; Indiana’s law allows for the use of force to protect you or another person from serious bodily injury or death.

Apps There are various iPhone apps that can be used for self-defense.

One of the most popular apps is SafeTrek. This app allows the individual to hold the safe button if he/she feels unsafe. If the finger is released from the button, the app will send an SOS along with

the location to the cops in ten seconds. The alert can be disabled by entering a pin.

Send Help app is one large button that sends emergency texts and emails to the phone’s contacts.

It also publishes the user’s location details on Facebook and Twitter statuses so people and friends are aware.

“I don’t know much about these new apps that help with protection.

It’s not a thing that gets brought

When the user feels in danger the finger is pressing down the button, if released app automatically calls the police. Photo by Carolina Puga

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up a lot here,” sophomore Delanie McCullough said.

Pepper Spray Pepper spray is commonly used by people of all ages because of its usefulness as well size. This object stops the attacker by just shooting it at the eyes, and it gives the victim enough time to run. Now some pepper sprays are integrated with a camera that allows the user to take a picture

Once the user is safe there is a time of 10 seconds where a pin is written so the alarm can be cancel. Photo by Carolina Puga

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of the attacker. Right after taking the picture, the files are sent to the local authorities. Once activated the spray does not only take down the attacker, but the button also functions as a way to activate the sirens and alert people who are close by.

“I think they are more helpful when you use them in the right situation. Like you can’t suddenly whip it out and hurt somebody,” senior Naomi Jackson said. “Whenever you feel like, threatened, then it’s okay in that situation as long as you are protecting yourself.”

Phone Cases Phone cases are mostly used for the sake of protecting the phone.

However, this phone case allows the user to protect him or herself.

Pepper spray is attached to the back for a quick use. Also, the size of the pepper spray is small enough to fit on any case.

The taser case comes equipped with an electrode cover. This way the user does not accidentally tase his or herself. There is an activation button as well a safety switch, which can turn off the

case’s tasing abilities.

“If I feel uncomfortable to the max, where I was pushed too far I would use it, but not unless it was absolutely necessary,” McCullough said.

Ring There is a ring that comes with a pepper spray, and it is made of real gold. The refill for the pepper is of eight dollars per refill.

“I would [choose] the pepper spray ring, because I could help myself and I wouldn’t have to wait for others to respond,” junior Chris Lawless said.

Rings are available that can double up as a panic button. It connects to an app in the phone and alerts the phone contacts when pressed for three seconds.

It tracks location using a GPS and records audio to collect evidence.

It can also alert the police by using automated bots that calls emergency centers.

Tech can be used in multiple ways, but the improvements have potential to allow students to feel safe with what is going on around them in dangerous situations.

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Studies show that homework boosts success Seana Jordan seanajordan30@gmail.com

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igh school students spend an average of 17 1/2 hours on homework every week, according to USNews.

Through the homework studies that were conducted and analyzed between 1987 and 2003, Center for Public Education found that homework provides non-academic advantages as well as academic. Doing homework was found to provide students with benefits such as learning time management, responsibility and preparing students for college.

French teacher Jessica Geisinger normally assigns homework to study vocabulary for her students.

“In AP/IB French we are preparing for rigorous national and international tests which will earn college credit for students,” Geisinger said. “There are some reputable studies that show that frequency of vocabulary study is more important than a large amount of time spent on studying,” A study lead by Adam Maltese tested the

effects on grades and test scores. It examined the surveys and transcript data of more than 18,000 tenth grade students, from two nationwide samples collected in 1990 and 2002 by The National Center for Education Statistics, to uncover explanations for academic performance.

They found that when given homework prior to a test, students that did the homework scored higher on the test than the students that did not do the homework. However, the results of the effect on grades was inconclusive. There was no relationship between time spent on homework and the overall course grade.

“I believe that the homework assignments I am given are a great tool to help me get ready for college. I know that when I go, they will be expecting a lot from me and I will be able to thank my teachers for preparing me,” senior Antonio Jenkins said.

Research done by Harris Cooper, a professor in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at Duke University, says that homework has a substantial effect on high school students.

Sophomore Kaila Claxton takes AP U.S.

History and believes that homework is needed not only for advanced classes but regular level ones as well.

“I think the homework and assignments we are given definitely help prepare us for the fact that not everything in life is handed to you,” sophomore Kaila Claxton said.

Cooper concluded that homework is able to help kids understand, develop better study habits, create a better mind-set to independently solve problems, and help the retention of factual information.

Homework also cuts into important personal and family time. He saw that when students are given too much homework, it can lead to extreme tiredness, an unhealthy amount of stress and a loss of interest in everything academic.

The National Parent Teacher Association recommends setting homework limits. They start with ten to twenty minutes for first grade and increase the time by ten minutes by the next grade level.

Cooper believes that high school students should be assigned no more than two hours of homework a night.

"With all my other activities like band and

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color guard it is difficult to keep up with the homework. It can be overwhelming especially with tests based off of the assignments, but I know in the long run it will be very beneficial,” Claxton said.

While 17 1/2 hours of homework per week may seem like a lot, according to The Classroom, in college most students will receive around five hours of homework per night. This site gives ways to help students prepare for college.

Senior Emily Thompson works on her homework in the CCA on Aug. 29. Photo by Brooke Keel.

College visits give students glimpse of future Lizzie Brown

lizziebrown617@gmail.com

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hoosing one college out of more than 1,800 in the nation can be a daunting task for students, especially since they will call it home for four years of their life. In order to make an educated decision, visiting college campuses and knowing what to look for is a big part of the selection process.

There are several factors a student should take into account when they visit a college or university. The College Board suggests learning about application requirements and the curriculum, exploring campus to get a feel for student life, and checking out campus media.

“I think it’s important if you have a lot of things that you want in a college, just to see the difference. You can kind of tell if you want to go to the college or not based on how you fit into the atmosphere,” junior Anika Rozeboom said.

The biggest part of going to college is the classes, so prospective students will want to find out about the curriculum, course offerings and majors offered. Much of this information will be covered at an information session or on a tour. Meeting with a professor can help a student to get a feel for a particular department or sitting in on a class to see if the subjects are interesting.

Student life and the campus are also factors to take note of while on a college visit. Campus tours can give students a glimpse of what student life will be like. A

Walking along the paths of the University of Chicago can give prospective students a feel for the general atmosphere. Photo by Lizzie Brown.

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1. Visiting campus libraries, such as Yale's Sterling Memorial library, can show how students will study. 2. By visiting campus, students can learn about a college's history, such as the architect of William and Mary's most famous hall. 3. Looking through dorms, like Harvard's Lowell House, will show students what living on campus is like. Photos by Lizzie Brown. prospective student can check out the dorms to see what the freshman living situation is like, eat in the dining hall to taste the food, and walk through the library to see where you will be studying.

If a student plans to be an athlete, they should visit the fields and facilities and maybe even talk to a coach. The tour guide can also be a resource because they themselves are a student at that college or university.

“I was looking for a really friendly

atmosphere and I wanted a big college feel that you normally would think of and that was really important to me,” senior Stephanie Curry said.

While there are several important factors to look for on a college visit, the Huffington Post offers tips on what not to do. Do not go on a visit without researching the college; doing this beforehand allows a prospective student to develop questions.

Asking how much the college costs is not a good idea either. This information can be

found online and it lets the college know that a person’s financial situation is a potential problem. Financial aid is usually discussed at information sessions anyway, and forms can be picked up at the admissions office.

Students should also not let their parents take over the tour - they are not the ones that will be living there for four years.

“I went with my parents and it was nice, but if I was talking one-on-one with a student, then it was kind of awkward to have your parents standing there,” senior Ashley Justice said.

No matter what a student is looking for, the ultimate goal of a college visit is to get a feeling for how they might fit in there.

“I think that it’s important to see where you might live for four years. If you get accepted and go there and it’s your first time on campus, you might not like it and that’s a big commitment you just made,” Justice said.

8 In-Depth

Which Linda Chang

Reily Sanderson lindachangkong@gmail.com reilysanderson@gmail.com they are verified,” government teacher Kelsey Ondish said.

D

emocratic, Republican, Libertarian and Green— these political parties often come into question at the time of an election, and students may not always be positive about what party aligns with their political beliefs.

Political parties help to organize and persuade voters to elect their candidates to office.

Since the majority of high school students are not old enough to vote yet, they may lack the understanding or may not even be aware of the other political parties outside Democrats and Republicans.

“I think that [researching political parties] is important.

They know to challenge their own beliefs and make sure that

Despite disagreements and generation gaps, students tend to grow up and vote in alignment with their family and relatives according to BBC News. When looking at George W. Bush’s family, besides specific issues like welfare programs and school prayer, they all have generally similar political views.

According to Ali Venosa at the Medical Daily news source, an independent study found that if politics were more discussed in a home, the likelihood that a child would correctly identify with their parents’ party affiliations would increase.

A study, led by researcher Elias Dinas, also showed that political changes are more likely to happen during the college

On the Issues:

Key: D- Democratic R- Republican G- Green L- Libertarian

Economy:

Gay Marriage:

D- Build a working economy.

D- Supports marriage equality and

Committed to helping all Americans meet the challenges of the 21st century and making sure corporations, the wealthy, and Wall Street pay their fair share.

R- Favors a limited role of government in terms of regulating the economy.

Inflation is a hidden tax on the American people.

the movement to secure equal treatment under law for every same-sex couple and the benefits that come with it.

R- Support for a Constitutional

amendment defining legal marriage as the union between one man and one woman.

G- Support for the enactment of a policy

that the U.S. Government recognize Support the middle and working class all international marriages and legal because they believe they are bearing a equivalents. disproportionate amount of the federal Supports that the government debt burden. does not have the authority to define, license or restrict personal relationships.

Need reductions in both taxes and Consenting adults should be free to government spending. Support the elimination of all government restriction to choose their own sexual practices and personal relationships. enable free trade.

G-

L-

L-

years. Oftentimes, conservative parents have warned their children for years about how universities and the media influence a liberal agenda.

“I do think that a lot of the times that students just will go along with what their parents say instead of actually thinking for themselves and doing research to determine which political party they more typically align with,” Ondish said.

Instead of simply taking on their parent’s beliefs, students are encouraged to learn more about different political parties to shape their own individual morals and viewpoints.

Knowing what party students align with can benefit a student and make looking for a candidate they agree with easier.

Health Care:

Immigration:

D- Believe in accessible, affordable,

D- Embrace all who come to the country D- Believe that marijuana should be

and high quality health care and that Americans should have the security that comes with good health care, and that no one should go broke because they get sick.

R- Repeal Obamacare, says it is not

really about healthcare and more about government control.

G- Supports single-payer universal

health care and preventive care for all.

They believe that healthcare is a right, not a privilege.

Marijuana:

with dignity and respect. Support fixing the broken immigration system and in the process strengthen the overall country.

removed from the Controlled Substance Act on all federal and state levels, shaping the pathway for marijuana legalization.

R- Protect American working families

R- Against legalization of marijuana,

and their wages, for citizens and legal immigrants alike, in a way that will improve the economy.

G- Believe undocumented immigrants

who are already residing and working in the country should be granted a legal status which includes the chance to become U.S. citizens.

L- Recognize the freedom of individuals L- Welcome refugees, and work against

to determine the level of health insurance discriminatory policies. Believes a free they want (if any), the level of health care market requires the free movement of both they want. capital and labor across borders.

because it will negatively affect the youth of today.

G- Legalize marijuana. Regulate and

control marijuana like cigarettes and alcohol. Until this happens we advocate that medical marijuana be made a prescription drug that doctors may prescribe to their patients.

L- End the war on drugs. Drug

prohibition separates families, fosters violence, and destroys American communities.

Information from the On the Issues Organization.

Students discuss political views “[I identify with] Republican, I agree with their views on abortion, immigration, and child safety. My whole family, both mom and dad’s side are both big time liberals, like they donate a lot of money to the Democratic Party,” junior Louis Johns said.

“[I identify with] the Libertarian Party because I support limited government, I think that the two political parties we have right now are sort of corrupted, and I feel like people feel like they have to chose either one because there’s a sort of mind-set that it’s just those two parties, and you can’t vote third party because ‘oh he’s never going to win because not a lot of people support him,’” senior Aaron Cook said.

“I side more with Democratic because I believe in a large central government with a lot of control to protect our people. [I disagree with] the Republicans use of religion and how that’s one of the basic staples of how they make most of their core beliefs,” junior Caroline Turner said.

“Personally, I fall mainly in the Green Party and more centralist party, meaning I think that a president shouldn’t have to be necessarily defined as a Democrat or a Republican and they should do what’s best for the situation for our country instead of maintaining one party’s values,” junior Christina Tully said.

Photos by Reily Sanderson.

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RED 9

party do you identify with?

1. Do you support the affirmative action programs? a. No b. Yes c. No, and minority groups should not receive any favorable treatment d. Regardless, we should create more social programs to address poverty 2. Should there be restrictions on the current process of purchasing guns? a. No b. Yes c. No, and the government should pass a national “stand your ground� law d. Yes, require strict background checks, psychological testing, and training 3. Are you in favor of decriminalizing drug use? a. No b. Yes, most but not all drugs c. Yes, and retroactively reduce sentences for those already serving time d. Yes 4. Do you support increasing taxes for the rich in order to reduce interest rates for student loans? a. No b. Yes c. No, and transition all current government student loans into privately managed accounts d. Yes, and forgive past student loans

9. Should illegal immigrants be offered in-state tuition rates at public colleges within their residing state? a. No b. Yes c. Yes, as long as they pay taxes d. Yes, and they should also be eligible for financial assistance and scholarships

6. Should the government give tax credits and subsidies to the wind power industry? a. No b. Yes c. No, the government should never support unproven technologies d. Yes, wind power is the best alternative to coal and natural gas

10. Should the government make cuts to public spending in order to reduce the national debt? a. Yes b. No, cuts to public spending will negatively affect the economy c. Yes, and eliminate federal agencies that are unconstitutional d. No, reduce military spending instead

7. Should a photo ID be required to vote? a. Yes, this will prevent voter fraud b. No, this will disadvantage those who do not have the resources to obtain one c. No d. No, and automatically register every citizen to vote when they turn 18 8. Do you support the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)? a. No b. Yes c. No, open the markets so insurers can compete across state lines and reduce costs d. Yes, but a mandatory single payer system would be better

Percentage of the Student Body in Each Political Party

11. Should illegal immigrants have access to government-subsidized healthcare? a. No b. Yes c. No, and the government should never subsidize healthcare d. Yes, and grant them citizenship 12. Should the government raise the federal minimum wage? a. No b. Yes c. No, and eliminate all federal wage standards d. Yes, and make it a living wage

Quiz Results:

Results located on the bottom of the page.

5. Should the U.S. accept refugees from Syria? a. No b. Yes c. Yes, but only after extensive background checks and continuous monitoring to ensure they have no terrorist connections d. Yes, but we should accept much more than the proposed 10,000 refugees

If you answered with majority A: Your beliefs mostly align with the Republican party. To learn more about this party, go to https://www.gop.com/platform/.

If you answered with majority B: Your beliefs mostly align with the Democratic party. To learn more about this party, go to https://www.democrats.org/party-platform.

If you answered with majority C: Your beliefs mostly align with the Libertarian party. To learn more about this party, go to https://www.lp.org/platform.

If you answered with majority D: Your beliefs mostly align with the Green party. To learn more about this party, go to http://www.gp.org/platform.

Political Party Quiz:

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10 Entertainment

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Types of horror movies enhance Halloween Lia Benvenutti lianbenvenutti@gmail.com

10/28/16

There are many different sub genres of horror movies, some of these being slasher, paranormal, umanity constantly looks cult, monster and psychological. to experience things new Slasher films are normally and exciting, and for many, characterized by a serial killer and horror movies provide that.

“Horror movies are great because involve blood and gore. The focus is they provide life-endangering thrill to make people afraid of something more realistic. without really putting any lives in In contrast, paranormal horror danger,” junior Ethan Odom said.

H

PARANORMAL

“Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension”

Rating:

MONSTER “Gremlins” Rating:

SLASHER “Halloween” Rating:

CULT

“The Blair Witch Project” Rating:

released: 2015 rating: R director: Gregory Plotkin starring: Chris J. Murray, Brit Shaw, Ivy Shaw

released: 1984 rating: PG director: Joe Dante starring: Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Hoyt Axton released: 1978 rating: R director: John Carpenter starring: Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tony Moran released: 1999 rating: R director: Daniel Myrick, Eduardo Sanchez starring: Heather Donahue, Michael C. Williams, Joshua Leonard

movies are based mainly on imaginary spirits/ghosts. They also often contain religious elements. “[I like] the new ‘Poltergeist’ because when the guy was getting thrown around with the tree it was really funny to watch,” freshman Haley Jordan said.

Cult movies are classified because they have developed a strong

following by a fan base.

Monster movies have existed for a very long time. They aim to play on the primal fear humans have of other dangerous creatures.

Finally, psychological horror delves into the repressed or hidden parts of the human mind.

The films below are examples of these specific genres, as horror

PSYCHOLOGICAL

“The Babadook”

Rating:

released: 2014 rating: not rated director: Jennifer Kent starring: Essie Davis, Noah Wiseman, Daniel Henshall

movies remain one of many possible activities to pass the time this Halloween, although seeing them in theaters can cause problems.

“People [when viewing horror movies in a theater] typically act more wild and like to talk more than some more serious genres,” senior Christian Kjar said.

FEATURE: TIM BURTON

“A Nightmare Before Christmas” is widely known as one of the most popular creations of the infamous film director, Tim Burton. Burton possesses the unique talent of creating visually-focused films, especially films with a horrific twist. Born on August 25, 1958, Burton spent his childhood fascinated by the work of director Roger Corman and this led to him majoring in animation at the California Institute of the Arts. His first job at Disney soon ended up with him starting work on his own, which led to many famous major motion pictures like “Frankenweenie,” “Batman” and “Edward Scissorhands”.

Photos used with permission of Tribune News Service.

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Opinion 11

10/28/16

Mo Wood woodbmo@gmail.com

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onder filled the small child’s eyes as she avidly flipped the pages, disregarding her friends on the playground. She had more important business to attend to: Harry and Ron were in the middle of an epic battle with a troll.

Nothing but the word “wonder” truly encapsulates the Harry Potter series. I clearly remember seeing many kids with thick volumes out, flipping through pages, their eyes so hungry to consume more of the story.

Before Harry Potter, 51 percent of kids did not read for fun. Seventy-five percent of those kids said that the Harry Potter series prompted them to read more books according to the Market Research Fund.

Harry Potter was also found to reduce prejudice against gay people, refugees and immigrants amongst its readers, according to Loris Vezzali, a professor at the University of Modena. The research proves Harry Potter’s continued significance among its growing readers, as they continue to draw back to its influences.

The study’s results are eye opening. It is easy to see now, looking at those who read Harry Potter. Their opinions are clear on

how all people deserve respect.

That is the magic of Harry Potter. The magic of giving open mindedness towards all ideas and people to kids.

J.K. Rowling transferred Harry from the muggle world, to the wizard world, and they were pretty similar. Strict social hierarchy, concepts of purity and impurity are all common among Muggle and Wizard societies.

The purity is very clear, with pure bloods, half bloods and mud bloods, which parallels muggle society, where throughout history there is a clear idea that white people are better than those of other races.

Harry shows the other students at Hogwarts the source of their magic does not matter, but what they choose to use their magic for does.

In the first novel, Draco Malfoy ridicules Hermione for being a “mud blood” or having muggles for parents. This solidifies the rivalry between Harry and Malfoy, as Harry is friends with Hermione and does not care about her blood status.

Bigotry is also present with magical creatures. The House Elves of the wizarding world were slaves that were only freed when given real clothing. Elves like Dobby and Kreacher spent their lives wearing rags, they were so below human they could not even wear clothes. Hermione tries to combat this by creating the “Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare” and knitting hats for the elves so they could be free.

Harry Potter has become an undeniable classic, it is one of the highest selling series in history, selling 450 million copies in 68 languages. Rowling’s books do not just take the reader through the turmoils of a growing boy or a hero, they show the struggles of humanity and the hardships people are put through.

Harry Potter fans visit “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” for a red carpet event. Photo used

with permission of Tribune News Service.

Lummi Chief Bill James wears a traditional Lummi red cedar hat with his face painted in red ochre, which he wore in North Dakota to offer “protection from any harm coming to our people.” Photo used with permission of Tribune News Service.

Cultures are not meant to be Halloween costumes Emma Russell emm3r99@gmail.com

C

ulture versus stereotypical jokes and ideas seem to be a constant battle in today’s society. Individuals refuse to acknowledge or respect preexisting cultures, leaving members of those groups in a bubble of preconceived thoughts. According to Indian Nations, an informative website on Native American culture, we have more than 562 organizations recognized as Indian tribes, bands, nations, pueblos, rancherias, communities and Native villages in the United States. These tribes are all diverse.

Halloween is one of my favorites holidays because it gives people the opportunity to dress up and receive free candy. It is approaching quickly, so many stores have already began selling costumes. Common costumes are witches and vampires, but recently some costumes are getting out of hand by appropriating cultural heritages.

Many of these costumes seem to be making fun or mocking cultural groups.

Stores such as Spirit Halloween, which has over 50 outfits and accessories specifically for “Native American” costumes, have rows of costumes that are disrespectful.

People also sometimes change their skin color to “fit the character.” When wearing a Halloween costume, people should not incorporate someone else’s skin tone just to make the costume more accurate. People must keep in mind that culture is not a costume, and it is important to be respectful.

Imagine walking into the store and suddenly finding a costume representing a stereotypical white person. These racist displays are probably not meant to harm any cultural traditions, but are inherently harmful and misleading.

Rocking a feathered headdress to complement a “Native” costume is one of the most common transgressions.

Traditional headdresses are reserved for the most influential and powerful member

of one’s tribe. They were also made over long periods of time and additions were made over the course of the wearer’s life according to the Kansas City Star.

Each time the wearer would commit a brave act, a feather would be added to the headdress. In certain tribes, brave acts were not enough and the leader would need to commit themselves to meditation and fasting as well to prove oneself amongst the tribe, making the garment extremely important. We do not have the right to wear such an honored piece of culture. An actual Native American may have risked his or her life to get a feather while we just do it because it “looks cool.”

A headdress is just one example. There are many other costumes that negatively project or offend cultures around the world. Stores and websites contribute to these poor stereotypes. Wearing a sombrero, faking an accent and mocking a group of people based on stereotypes should be considered morally wrong.

When searching for keywords on websites such as Halloweencostumes.com and Amazon, they usually produce negative connections between words like “terrorist” and traditional garments like Sheik costumes. This is racist and must stop.

We have to keep in mind that this is someone’s real culture, and we cannot just use someone’s heritage for our own amusement.

Kadyen Howe and Tyler Small dance in front of Portage Path CLC after finishing a symbolic walk along South Portage Path in Akron, Ohio on October 10, 2016. Photo

used with permission of Tribune News Service.

RED Head 2 Head: Shakespeare’s works puzzle students N

12 Opinion

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Haley Thomas haleyt0723@gmail.com

Emma Russell emm3r99@gmail.com

hakespeare is undoubtedly a talented and influential writer. However, the way his works are taught in schools only bores and confuses students while skewing the original art of his plays.

Before even entering high school, I had read two of Shakespeare’s plays- “Romeo and Juliet” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”- without truly understanding a word. Middle school-me was beat over the head with puzzling language and themes that I could not hope to understand. My classmates and I were left bored, confused and none the wiser from the experience.

However, even adults find Shakespeare difficult or dull to read. Part of this stems from the fact that Shakespeare’s plays were never intended to be read. In fact, the vast majority of his audiences were illiterate, according to an article published by Guardian, a British newspaper, on March 17, 2014. They were meant to be performed, and forcing students to read them causes major problems.

First, reading Shakespeare makes it harder to understand.

Even Shakespeare’s original audience did not understand every word he was saying, but could glean the general meaning through the acting. However, without visuals, the plays become difficult to understand for anyone who does not have a dictionary and index of historical context readily at hand.

Most importantly, reading Shakespeare takes away from the magic of its original form. Plays bring his work to life in a way that reading it simply cannot.

Proponents of teaching Shakespeare argue that his universal themes are enough to justify skewing the original form, if it means more children are exposed to him. However, the extent to which Shakespeare is taught is completely unnecessary.

As a junior, I have read Shakespeare in school four timestwice in middle school and twice in high school. He is the only author I can remember having read more than once. His work is great, sure, but there are plenty of great authors in the world.

By reading the same author four times, I have missed the chance to explore other authors from other perspectives.

As educator Valerie Strauss suggested in a Washington Post article published June 13, 2015, we should replace these repeat teachings with works of other cultural perspectives.

Instead of focusing on the ideas of one man from one time and one culture, why not introduce students to stories from Latin America, East Asia, or Africa?

Of course, students who enjoy Shakespeare could continue reading him independently, or take one of many college courses on his works, which are offered at most universities. However, to beat students over the head with his work is doing an injustice to other works that are just as valuable.

o be or not to be,” a phrase made famous by Shakespeare, a phrase that if not taught to students may be forgotten. William Shakespeare was, and still is, known as one of the world’s greatest authors. Many of the ideas used throughout his works are still incorporated into everyday language and pop culture. If you have every “been in a pickle,” you have Shakespeare to thank for that.

Without knowledge of Shakespeare’s works taught in schools, future generations will be missing out on a key part of written culture. References to his work is constantly popping up in film and television productions; with movies like “10 Things I Hate About You” which adapts the Early Modern English language but keeps the plot line of “The Taming of the Shrew.”

Shakespeare’s works have become so ingrained in today’s culture that even Disney incorporates sayings from his playwrights into their cinema, exposing younger audiences to his original works. Disney’s “The Lion King” was based off of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.”

Although it is important to today’s culture that students learn about his works, reading his style of writing and Early Modern English has many benefits. Shakespeare uses a writing technique known as functional shift, when a word takes on new syntactic function, which makes the brain understand the words before it understands the function of them. Researchers at the University of Liverpool found that this process causes a sudden peak in brain activity and forces the brain to work backwards in order to fully understand what Shakespeare is trying to say.

By incorporating Shakespearean literature into education plans, teachers are exposing students to functional shift and better reading comprehension skills.

Reading his works are complicated, to say the least, but when reading any unfamiliar language like Early Modern English it is definitely complicated at first. By learning how to decipher and understand his plays and other works, students get a better understanding of an older language of uncommon usage which can aid them when reading other works from various other writers.

Ultimately, Shakespeare should be taught because students need to understand that, without his works, we would not have the same modern literature and drama as we do today. His plays are the foundation for every work of drama created after him. He invented star-crossed lovers when he wrote “Romeo and Juliet,” he delved deeper into the human mind than anyone had ever before in “Hamlet,” and reveals the reality of love in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Shakespeare opened doors for every author that followed, and revolutionized what was possible with the English language.

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Should Shakespeare be taught in school?

Photos by Haley Thomas and Reily Sanderson.

“His works are pretty good.

They teach a lot about the English language. It gives those who read it a deeper understanding of the English language itself,” junior Conor Nowlem said.

“Yes, because it is an excellent example of what entertainment and popular culture was years ago. It is also very widely referenced across modern platforms of media,” junior Riley Crump said.

“No, I think it is boring and I do not think it has much to do with what we learn in life, so it doesn’t make sense,” freshman Mia Contino said.

“We should switch to more modern books because it shows what authors today are thinking and writing about and it applies to us,” senior Justin Segars said.

“Shakespeare is [awesome] because he produces quality literature which is informative to the general public and truly matures the student’s view of society and the universe,” junior Isaac Meng said.

“We have to learn too many different types of English. We have to take grammar classes and learn Shakespeare and speak slang outside. It is not like the English we use,” senior Ramzi Maarouf said.

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Editorial 13

10/28/16

Homework has benefits in small amounts

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itting at a desk for hours filling out worksheets and completing projects is a common occurrence for many students. They are often given several hours of homework, and they are expected to complete it all in one night. However, many people question whether or not all of that homework really benefits students.

According to the National Education Association (NEA), while some homework can benefit students, having several hours of it a night only serves to exhaust them.

Plus, it gives them less time to pursue other endeavours such as hobbies and spending time with family and friends, which are necessary to develop critical life skills.

Up to two hours of homework benefits high school students, but any more than that may be counterproductive. The NEA states that students stop absorbing useful information from what they are learning, but have to force themselves to complete the homework, lest their grades suffer.

In order to finish their homework that is due for a grade, students may choose to give up precious hours of sleep that their brains need for development. They feel that they must get an A+ on an assignment rather than take care of their biological and social needs. According to Harris Cooper, a social psychologist at Duke University, too much homework can decrease students’ interest in learning and hurt their test scores.

It is no secret that students stress about their homework, but a 2014 study done by researchers at Stanford University reports that 56 percent of students considered homework a primary stressor in their lives. Homework is meant to be something that helps students prosper and refreshes information in their minds, not something

that causes headaches and sleep deprivation.

Often it is difficult for students to complete all of their homework in a timely manner because they have extracurricular activities. At least two nights a week I head to work after school. I do not get home until at least nine o’clock, and after that I usually stay up until one or two in the morning to study. If students are routinely staying up until the early hours of the morning purely because of homework, not procrastination, there is a problem.

Some teachers do not want to assign hours of homework each night, but feel that it is necessary in order to ensure that

students grasp the full breadth of the course, especially if it is honors, AP or IB. For the most part students are told when they sign up for the course that they will have to put in a lot of work, but it stacks up quickly.

Many students do not feel that they are really learning from what they are assigned after they have been working on it for several hours. The idea of homework is not bad, but it is executed poorly for students in higher grade levels who have become disillusioned with the entire process.

After so many years of seemingly endless assignments, students do not see the point in yet another worksheet.

We should reform the system of homework and give students simpler review assignments totaling to no more than two hours per night so that they do not overwork themselves. Teachers should only assign 20 to 30 minutes of homework per class, and students should be given plenty of time for projects and papers. Homework should not be abolished completely, but having so much of it is detrimental to students and the educational institution as a whole.

Friday Oct. 28, 2016

Editor-in-chief: Madi Calvert Copy Editors: Lizzie Brown, Emma Russell Web Editor: Mo Wood News Editor: Haley Thomas Features Editor: Reily Sanderson In-Depth and Entertainment Editor: Lia Benvenutti Sports Editor: Claire Rosenthall Graphic Designer: Miranda Lewellen Writers: Linda Chang, Alaina Gabbard, Hallie Gallinat, Seana Jordan, Sawyer Osmun, Ethan O’Sullivan, Alex Pope, Carolina Puga Mendoza, Helen Rummel, Taylor Wagner Photographers: Kylie Haslem, Brooke Keel, Hannah Nguyen Editorial Statement Tiger Topics N the RED is the official triweekly newsmagazine of Fishers High School. It is distributed free to 3300 students and school personnel. It is designed, written, typeset and edited by students.

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

Letters to the editor may be submitted to A218 and must be signed and include the writer’s phone number for verification.

Letters to the editor will not be published anonymously. The ad policy is that ads may be sold to be in the paper, prices depending on size. If there is any incorrect info, corrections will be made in the next issue.

Mission Statement It is the mission of Tiger Topics NtheRed newsmagazine to provide students, faculty and the school community with an informative and entertaining publication both in print and online formats. Our goal is for the print and online publications to work together to encourage our readers to interact with our publication through a public forum in which readers can share their ideas and opinions with the publication staff.

3300 students & 220 faculty members

Principal Jason Urban Adviser Kristine Brown Fishers High School 13000 Promise Road Fishers, IN 46038 317-915-4290 ext. 21218 fishersnthered.com

Photo illustration by Mandy Lewellen. mir.larkin17@gmail.com

Printer Greenfield Daily Reporter 2600 copies Associations IHSPA CSPA NSPA Quill and Scroll

14 Sports

RED Boys switch up the all-girls cheer squad Sawyer Osmun sawyerosmun@gmail.com

From skirts to shorts, basketball cheerleading is expanding its horizons. The all-girls cheer team is no longer a tradition as the school’s first male cheerleaders have joined the squad. The three newest members include junior Blake Pereira, sophomore William McCord and senior Daniel Rodriguez.

Female cheerleaders on the same cruise as Pereira last spring break convinced him to join cheer. McCord told Pereira he was joining, which pushed Pereira to his decision of trying out.

McCord, being a gymnast, wanted to try a new sport. He started gymnastics six months ago and became a certified coach for Dana Mannix Gymnastics

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Center. Gymnastics has given him tumbling experience, helping with cheer.

Rodriguez was persuaded by cheer coach and English teacher Hedy McGrath to join. Joining was an inside joke between the two, but Rodriguez took it into consideration and tried out.

“It’s really exciting to have guys on the squad. The only difference in coaching is that the boys will only be stunting and tumbling,” McGrath said. “The girls love having the boys on the team, so they get a lot of attention.”

Pereira and Rodriguez are bases, which means they support the flyers’ feet. McCord is a back spotter. He directs the bases and gives count when to fly the girls, and keeps the flyers steady by supporting their legs.

The first game is the varsity

“I don’t think I was prepared enough to know what I was getting into, but now [cheer] is pretty fun,” junior Blake Pereira said.

home game Dec. 10 against Carmel. The practices are scheduled every Tuesday and Thursday from 3:15 to 4:30 p.m.

McCord is the only boy that tumbles because of his gymnastics experience. “[Practice] is really fun. I can tell the girls are adjusting to having guys there, but it’s a really good atmosphere,” Rodriguez said. “[The girls] integrate us into things, which is nice.”

The boys will not initially be cheering at any away games with the girls. They will only be cheering at the home games.

“It’s kind of easier to [cheer] at the home games because I am already involved in a lot of stuff,” Rodriguez said. “Hopefully [McGrath] will let us go to one of the last away games.”

Besides being involved in cheer,

Pereira is also on the rugby and boys cross country teams. Since his cross country season has ended and his rugby season has not started yet, cheer will not interfere with his schedule. With that, cheer is his relaxing time.

Rodriguez has a busy schedule, being involved in show choir. He used to participate in football and rugby.

McCord was a former football player. He does not participate anymore due to knee problems and multiple concussions. Cheer is his only sport.

The participation of male cheerleaders in college is higher than male cheerleaders in high school. According to Purdue University’s Facebook, there are 13 male cheerleaders on the coed team this year, along with 13 female cheerleaders. According

“[Cheer] is a lot more fun than I thought it would be and it is definitely harder than most people think,” senior Daniel Rodriguez said.

to Inside Magazine, Indiana University had 11 males and eight females on the co-ed cheer team in 2015.

“It’s easy to be biased towards guys’ in sports because boys can perform at a higher level than girls, physically. Mentally, girls compete equally or higher than men,” Pereira said. “It’s fun to do a co-ed sport because I’ve never done it before and it’s taking me time to adjust.”

The male cheerleaders hope that joining cheer will set an example for other boys.

“I’m super proud of our guys because there are lots of misunderstandings regarding male cheerleaders. They have to be strong to do the lifts expected of them. I hope once people get to see what they do, there will be less stereotypes,” McGrath said.

“[Cheer] is not a girls sport, I mean guys are just as involved too,” sophomore William McCord said.

Photos by Sawyer Osmun.

Girls volleyball suffers loss in sectionals Claire Rosenthall clairerosenthall@gmail.com

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s the game went into the fourth set, the team still had hope as they had not let the Millers take them down completely. When the score got to 25 the team knew that everything they had worked for had came to an end.

On Oct. 18 the season for the girls volleyball team finished as they lost to the Noblesville Millers in the first round of sectionals.

The match went up to the fourth set as the Tigers were down 2-0. They were able to came back in the third set and did not allow the Millers to go undefeated in the series.

Although it was a close game the Tigers were not able to go into the fifth set and lost in the fourth with a score of 25-22.

Last year the team lost the very first game to Hamilton Southeastern, who went on to semi-state as runner ups. This year, the Tigers were much more confident, as they ended the season with a 24-8 record, having a 4-2 record within conference.

“We’ve bought more into the idea that we can win more than we did last year. A lot of our underclassmen are now upperclassmen and they have been able to step more and overall we’ve been more successful as a team

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1

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1. Girls volleyball team huddles together before game on Sept. 20 against Pike. Tigers win 3-1.

2. Junior Ayslinn Roberts get ready for serve on Sept. 20. 3. Senior Maggie Markwood serves the ball against Pike. Photos by Kylie Haslem. than just individuals,” varsity volleyball player junior Julia Drozd said.

This year the team has had to adjust to a switch in coaches. Steven Peek is a first time head coach for the volleyball team.

“They’ve taught me a lot about balancing fun and hard work. It’s not easy for any coach or player to be successful, but I think everyone is seeing the gains outweigh the

sacrifices,” Peek said.

The roster this year has two seniors, six juniors and two sophomores. This means that next year the team will retain players with experience.

Ellie Adams and Maggie Markwood are the two seniors of the team and were hoping the team could go as far as possible with this year being their last year as part of the team.

“We focused more on small goals and all that was were sectionals, we just wanted to take it one game at a time but we were wanting to go as far as we could but obviously could not accomplish that,” Adams said.

The team ended up tying for second in conference after only losing two games.

Those games were against Hamilton Southeastern in the Mudsock and the Avon Orioles, who were ranked third in the state at the time.

“It really is just a confidence booster for us, last year we weren’t that good in conference and I think that kind of stopped us from winning sectionals,” Drozd said.

The team is hoping that next year they will be able to have as good a season as they did this year. They want to come back even stronger where they will be able to continue further when it comes to volleyball.

“Our future as a program is certainly bright, but this year’s team is unique and will never be replicated. It’s never promised that next year’s will be better simply because we only lose two players and have others ready to step up. That being said, I know our program is on the rise, and the seniors have really helped set up for future success,” Peek said.

Sports 15 Tigers aim to tackle sectionals against Millers

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Taylor Wagner taylornoellex@gmail.com

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aving lost to Noblesville before, the Tigers face them once again on Oct. 28 at home with a new outlook on the game. Being ranked 12 in the state, Tigers hope to redeem themselves against the Millers who are now ranked 31 in the

Tigers face off against Brownsburg on Sept.

16. Tigers lost 14-10. Photo by Taylor Wagner.

state.

“Before, we really focused on the running backs and wide receivers.

Now we know we need to focus on the quarterback and not give him so much open field,” senior punter Taylor Soper said.

The previous game played against the Millers on Sept. 2 was a back and forth game and ended with the Millers prevailing with the win of 28-21.

Noblesville quarterback Ryan Barnes pushed throughout the entire game, making a 41-yard rush to score the winning touchdown with 25 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.

“We were missing several starters in our first game versus Noblesville and now we have some of those guys back in the lineup so I think that helps. We have been very up-and-down defensively. We must play much better on that side of the ball while also preparing for two quarterbacks that Noblesville has used effectively,”

2007 Fishers- 17 Lawrence Central- 28 2013 2012 Fishers- 17 Fishers- 27 Noblesville- 13 Anderson- 14

Tigers past sectional game 2006 Fishers- 33 history: Kokomo- 7 2010 Fishers- 38 Westfield- 7

2011 Fishers- 29 Lafayette McCutcheon- 23

varsity football coach Rick Wimmer said.

After the Noblesville game, the Tigers lost to their next three opponents, but won against Cathedral, who was ranked third in the state at the time of the game, 27-17.

“Winning against Cathedral was a big deal,” sophomore quarterback Jon Vore said. “They were a good team to play and it was definitely a confidence booster for the team coming off of a rough few games.”

In 2013, the Tigers played the Millers in sectionals. The game resulted in a win for the Tigers, 17-13.

The past seven years, Tigers have won first round sectionals. Last year, the Tigers faced off against this years potential second round opponent, the Carmel Greyhounds, where FHS lost 28-7.

The Tigers finished off their season with a 3-6 record winning their first two games and then having a win during the middle of the season to Cathedral. All of the other games the team fell short of a victory.

Vore replaced original senior quarterback

Joel Smyth halfway through the Avon game, and has been the starter ever since then.

Due to a concussion in the second to last game of the regular season, Vore will be unable to play in his first sectionals game against the Millers .

Junior backup quarterback Matt Wolff will play against the Millers. Wolff previously injured his hip flexor but will be healthy for the sectionals game. He and early starter senior Joel Smyth were sharing time at quarterback until Wolff’s injured himself.

“When Vore got his opportunity, he clearly became the starter and Matt and Joel have been splitting time as the backups. Matt has embraced his opportunity and is practicing well and looking forward to his chance to play,” Wimmer said.

The Tigers will kick off against the Millers at home on Oct. 28 at 7 p.m.

The theme for the sectionals game is to wear your Halloween costume and the gates will open at 6:30.

2009 2008 Fishers- 37 Fishers- 31 Lafayette McCutcheon- 7 Lawrence North- 20 2015 2014 Fishers- 7 Fishers- 21 Carmel- 28 Hamilton Southeastern- 0

Studies prove FitBits are not that effective Helen Rummel hrum2526@gmail.com

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earable fitness gear is being incorporated in our daily lives after it was added to the health industry several years prior. Students and faculty adopted this new device as far back as 2013.

These wristbands count calories and steps, also an assortment of FitBit models track how many hours the wearer sleeps.

Studies have been released sharing data that contradicts how well FitBits have been presumed to help when it comes to weight loss and whether or not that impacts these tech users in general.

FitBits have a reputation of assisting the wearer to become more goal-driven, and many times to lose weight. However, a recent study done by the Journal of the American Health Association found that this is not the case. Early on in the study of approximately 500 people, the group not using wearables lost 13 pounds on average, while the group using wearables lost 7.7 pounds on average.

The data suggests that using technology to help count your calories or steps is actually less effective than doing so using the traditional method.

“I think the number of steps can be misleading. There’s more than just steps. You have to pay attention to what you’re actually

doing in terms of your physical activity and diet. Those things also contribute and the FitBit doesn’t measure those,” math teacher Matt Poisel, who bought the FitBit mostly out of curiosity and to keep track of the number of steps he takes per day, said.

Sophomore Max Keithley understands how many could get discouraged by the knowledge of exactly how much work they have left to do.

“It’s just a lot more convenient to keep up on your health with a FitBit. Maybe it’s a matter of knowing that you have to do a lot more work,” sophomore Max Keithley said.

He has been using a FitBit for the past year to help keep track of his workout intensities as well as step count.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, only about 15 percent of teens get the amount of sleep that they need, which would be nine to nine-and-a-half hours per night. This does not include moments of restlessness.

According to The National Health Association loss of sleep can be detrimental to a teenager’s performance in even the simplest of tasks throughout the day due to fatigue, short temper and lack of focus. This especially impairs motor skills.

Through using her FitBit, junior Brooke Bilbrey has found that how much she sleeps

affects her day greatly.

“It tells me how long I slept and for how long I was restless,” Bilbrey said. “If the next day I feel really tired I can look back and check that.”

When it comes to how much trust people put in their FitBits, the results show people are hesitant to utilize their wearable device’s data.

According to Forbes magazine only 15 percent of a sample of 353 doctors have received requests from their patients to add the data collected from their digital health trackers to their medical records.

The FitBit line of wearable gear ranges from $60 to $250. Customers are willing to pay more to know their heart rate, floors climbed and smart features such as call, text and calender notifications or even music controls.

“I see how much I walk in a certain day,” said Poisel. “When I’m coaching baseball it’s interesting to see how much I’m walking around the field. I use it to track how far I’ve run.”

FitBits were never advertised as tools intended to help people lose weight. They solely claimed to track exercise and later improved their platform to track sleep.

Now the gadgets have the ability to control the overall workout experience. Only select devices from the line give reminders to FitBit App tracks steps, floors, miles, calories exercise. and more. Photo by Claire Rosenthall.

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Corner: Coaching athletes to be state champs

Andrew Warnecke Boys cross country coach

Beth Jahns Girls cross country coach

What are your thoughts on how the team has performed this season?

“The girls have had a very successful season thus far. We have been progressing along how we hoped, and in some respects, that have even exceeded my expectations.”

How have you done in comparison to last year?

“We are a much stronger team Coach Beth Jahns stands along team at up front this year from last year.

Delta Invitational on Sept. 24. Tigers placed There are three juniors and three first. Photo used with permission of sophomores who returned from our Fishers Athletic website. sectional roster which helps a lot.”

What are your expectations for the state championship?

“We are hoping to make the podium this year for state which is among the top five teams at state, last year we wanted to qualify and we did.”

How would you describe your team from this year?

“We have had a tremendously successful season thus far. The girls work very well together and are a dedicated and talented team.”

Claire Rosenthall clairerosenthall@gmail.com

Coach Nathan Warnecke talks to his team before at HCC Championship on Oct.1. Tigers placed second. Photo used with permission of Fishers Athletic website.

What are your thoughts on how the team has performed this season?

“They have performed very well.

This year’s team has been extremely coachable. Now the varsity squad needs to put it all together for state.”

How have you done in comparison to last year?

“We have had a pretty comparable year to ‘15, but we will not be able to fully answer that question until the season and the IHSAA tournament has concluded and we have our final results of how we competed.”

What are your expectations for the state championship?

“To run our best up to our potential, assuming we have the good fortune to qualify as a team.”

How would you describe your team from this year?

“I would describe them as well balanced. We have a good mix of experience and new, raw talent.”

Athletes’ Angle: Cross Country runners discuss how they prepare for state Peter Werling Senior cross country runner

Liz Rogers Junior cross country runner

How do you prepare for sectionals, regionals, etc.?

“When sectionals begin we start only training the top twelve runners and after regionals we start tapering which means bringing our mileage down in hopes of faster times.”

What have you learned from previous years that will help you out this year?

“From previous years I know that I can’t over-think a race and that Junior cross country runner Liz Rogers ultimately I just need to have trust runs during the HCC Championship on in myself and not get in my head too Oct. 1. Tigers placed fourth. Photo used with permission of Fishers Athletic much because that always seems to website. be my problem.”

Has the season gone as you planned? Why or why not?

“The season has not gone as planned. A hip injury that I had from track ended up coming back, but I am back to racing and looking forward to what these next meets will bring.”

What are you wanting out of the state championship?

“I am hoping that our team can place really well and that we can just improve a lot from the last year.”

What kind of impact does your coach have on you?

“My coaches have been super supportive and encouraging throughout the whole season even when I think I had a bad race they let me know that I did exactly what they needed me to do.”

Senior cross country runner Peter Werling finishes his race off at HCC Championship on Oct. 1. Tigers placed second. Photo used with permission of Fishers Athletic website.

How do you prepare for sectionals, regionals, etc.?

“Everything we do all season long really prepares us for the tournament, including all of our training over the summer and the previous track season.”

What have you learned from previous years that will help you out this year?

“After qualifying for the state track meet last spring I really learned how important to remember that it’s a long season and you can’t let what has happened in past races affect your future races ”

Has the season gone as you planned? Why or why not?

“The weather has been really unpredictable this season but that’s something we can’t really prepare for. But our team has been extremely competitive within our team and against others which helps.”

What are you wanting out of state?

“Coming off of second place finish last year we knew there would be high expectations, but we are really wanting to just win it all this year.”

What kind of impact does your coach have on you?

“Coach Warnecke has had a huge impact on me and the entire team, both on and off the cross country course. He doesn’t just act like our coach, but he really cares about our running and our lives.”