Volume 16, Issue 1

TIGER TIMES HOLDING ON TO TRADITION

Table of Contents

Page 2

05 06 08 10 11

Features Volunteering Opportunities Job Shortages Hands-on Learning Freshmen’s Return to School New School Motto

12 13 14 16

Arts & Culture Ignite Studio Mamma Mia Musical Organization Tips Student Photographers

18 19 20 21 22

Sports Boys Tennis Girls Golf Girls Soccer Boys Soccer School Sports Traditions

24 25 26 27 29 30

Opinion Superteams Rejection Therapy Videogames and Education Mask Mandates School Spirit Editorial Tiger Times

Online

Check out fisherstigertimes.com for our latest stories!

Passion for racing fuels siblings’ bond by Online Editor Andrew Haughey

Marvel’s Shang-Chi review

by Photo Editor Emma Tomlinson September 2021

Sta

21

Tiger Times Staff Editorial Board

Nate Albin Editor-in-Chief

Andrew Haughey Online Editor

Lily Thomas Features Editor

Emma Tomlinson Arts & Culture Editor

Fletcher Haltom Malak Samara Opinion/Copy Editor Social Media Director

Nicholas Rasmusson Sports Editor

Kristen Rummel Design Editor

Reporters

Emerson Elledge

Ben Grantonic

Laura Masoni

Abby Miller

Katrell Readus

Ben Rosen

Sydney Territo

Veda Thangudu

Freelancers Emi Citoler Staff Profile

Ava Hunt Tiger Times

Page 3

FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT FOR HEALTHY LIVING FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

INTERESTED IN WORKING WITH KIDS?

JOIN OUR TEAM!

NOW HIRING FOR YMCA BEFORE & AFTER SCHOOL CARE Programs located in all Hamilton Southeastern intermediate & elementary schools

APPLY TODAY! INDYMCA.ORG/JOBS

Page 4

Tiger Times

Ad

Opportunities to aid Students volunteer at a variety of organizations to attain school, personal goals Andrew Haughey

V

haughand000@hsestudents.org

olunteering in the community can help students achieve a multitude of goals, whether it be for a cord at graduation, a requirement set by the National Honor Society (NHS) or just the desire to be involved. In order to help students achieve these goals, several businesses and nonprofit organizations have extended opportunities for individuals wishing to participate in community service.

The Hamilton County Humane Society is one of these organizations. The Humane Society takes great pride in being the only no-kill animal shelter in Indiana and relies heavily on volunteering from the community. Senior Kathryn Rockwood is one of the many volunteers that keep the shelter up and running and cites her immense love for animals as her reason for volunteering.

“I had a lack of animals when I was young because my dad was allergic to any animal with fur,” Rockwood said. “Not being able to have them made me want to over-accumulate them, and the best way to do that is to actually volunteer at an organization with animals. They’re everywhere, and they all want attention and love that I am willing to give.”

Volunteering once or twice a month is often all that may be expected if a student has work and other activities to attend to. Additionally, volunteers do not have to work directly with animals and can instead opt for alternative service.

“They always need food dishes to be cleaned, food to be sorted and cages to be cleaned,” Rockwood said.

Features

Students interested in volunteering at the Humane Society can get into contact with the Animal Adoption Awareness Rescue Club or the Hamilton County Humane Society themselves via email.

Another organization that offers volunteering opportunities to individuals is The Apple Store through Conner Prairie. Bridget Hand, Conner Prairie Apple Corps Coordinator and member of the Conner Prairie Alliance, gave the basics for volunteering at the store.

“We ask for two, threehour shifts as a minimum commitment, with shifts running from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.,” Hand said. “There are some additional shifts that are not store shifts but are instead shifts where students can come in and help with the apple dipping, which is a big part of The Apple Store. They can also help with some of the candy and specialties we sell in the store.”

When students volunteer at The Apple Store, they work with The Alliance of Conner Prairie.

This decades-old, all-female organization helps raise money for Conner Prairie through various fundraisers. Kate Baker, senior manager of advancement and board relations, believes volunteering for The Alliance can benefit students in several ways.

“I think what students can really learn from The Alliance is the great spirit of philanthropy,” Baker said. “This is a group of women who’ve been around for decades now that are helping to support Conner Prairie as a whole, and they do it through acts of service in a very short amount of time, but they make a

big impact.”

Students interested in volunteering at The Apple Store can contact Hand via email at CPAppleCorps@ gmail.com for more information.

While students may find it enriching to volunteer throughout the community, some may prefer to help their school and peers. NHS offers several volunteer Senior Olivia Young volunteers at a opportunities each stand during the 2021 Juneteenth semester, with their Jubilee at Nickel Plate on Sept. 19. primary focus being Photo by Kathleen Tran on school events.

“The FAST swim team is always looking for volunteers to work their meets, which both kids who are interested in joining NHS and members of NHS can earn service hours at,” NHS coordinator and Spanish teacher Elizabeth Schulhof said. “Other service hours can be obtained through volunteering for open houses, like helping parents find their way around the school and eighth grade parent night. As far as in the community, there are all sorts of things students can do. They can work at Third Phase [a homeless shelter in Hamilton County], they can work at the Come to Me Food Pantry or the different events we have throughout the summer such as Spark!Fishers.”

Students interested in joining NHS can fill out an application in the spring to be considered for membership.

For more information on volunteering opportunities in Fishers, scan the QR code above.

Tiger Times

Page 5

Short-staffed Cafeteria, busing departments search for employees

D

Students wait for sixth period to start during Targeted Instruction time in the CCA on Thurs. Sept.

9. Photo by Sydney Territo.

Page 6

Tiger Times

uring the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a severe drought when it came to job offers due to the economic strain placed on businesses. Despite looser regulations, these effects are still felt today. According to Reuters, an international news organization, regardless of the increase in hiring opportunities, there has not been a proper recovery of employment rates due to restrictions and fears of COVID-19. In turn, this has caused a cascade effect on understaffing all across the United States and is seen in Fishers with a prominent staffing shortage in both the transportation and food service departments in the school district.

As a result, the department heads have had to find ways to adapt. Transportation director Zach McKinney worked around the shortage of bus drivers by implementing a three-tiered busing system, which staggered start and end times for the different grade levels so more routes could be achieved with

Sydney Territo

terrisyd000@hsestudents.org

fewer bus drivers.

“You know, I would say that on average, in my experience, we had about 10 drivers retire,” McKinney said. “The average age of my staff is 55, so for a lot of the people who work in my department, this is their plan for retirement. They’re trying to stay occupied after retirement, but those in their later stages of life are ready to enjoy their retirement and will retire from being a bus driver. Because of COVID the previous year, going into the 2021 school year I saw an uptick, so instead of an average of about 10, we had 32 drivers either resign or retire.”

According to McKinney, before the staggered start and end times, the bell times were so closely coordinated that many students would have to wait for bus drivers to finish other routes before being picked up. This caused them to have to stand through cold weather and storms, which was something he wanted to avoid.

“For us, we’ve been very fortunate,” McKinney said. “We are short-staffed, but with a threetiered system we’ve been able to

accommodate our routes and generally, even with our driver shortage, we’ve been running on time.”

While the busing situation could be solved by reordering the schedules, the food service department had not found a simple solution. Instead, they had to make more sacrifices due to a reduced staff count, which meant cutting some programs like the CCA café.

During its time being open, the CCA café would open in the mornings before school, stay open throughout the day, including lunch, and would offer hot sandwiches and pizzas after school. They offered hot and cold drinks such as lemonade, iced coffee and tea. The CCA café was popular, as students would line up before school to get their breakfast, snacks and hot food after school. Senior Basil Koch experienced the café during their time as a freshman and sophomore and knows what it was like when it was open.

Students like Koch feel as though it brought a special quality to the school, and that without it,

September 2021

Fe

21

the atmosphere is just a little bit bleaker than it was.

“You would go and just get anything you needed, including breakfast or a snack. It was a positive experience, especially in the mornings when people used to get in line to get coffee and stuff,” Koch said. “It used to be something you could do that was fun, and you could get a parfait and stuff, but now everyone just stands around in the mornings. I feel like the CCA should come back because it added a little spice to everybody’s life.”

Through the strain that the department heads have experienced, they have persevered and are working towards bringing their staffing back up to where they were before COVID-19 hit.

The food services department has already started to see a bounce back in workers, and they are planning on reopening some serving lines and the café that were closed due to shortages.

“Thankfully the understaffing

problem is improving,” Food Services Director Andria Ray said.

“Specifically at FHS, we are down to 2 open positions, when we started the year with 6 openings.

We have hired new staff that should be able to help us open during the day and once we hire the last 2 positions, we should be able to open after school.”

Now that the understaffing in the cafeteria has started to resolve itself, the hope is that the transportation department will be able to do the same.

“I hope to see it bounce back, but as you know, everyone’s hurting for staffing. There’s not a huge drive right now to get people back into the workforce like we need to,” McKinney said. “I think there’s potential for finding the right people, and we’re going to do a hiring fair here in the next coming weeks to try and get interest, because I would like to see 10-15 more staff members added to our employee roster.”

The CCA café has been closed for most of the school year, but will likely reopen in the next month. Photo by Sydney Territo.

Features

Tiger Times

Page 7

Classroom collaboration Teachers use active learning activites to engage students Lily Thomas

D

uring a recent economics class, senior Dane Cochran envisioned a pizza place in different types of economies. He had fun during the activity, as he found it both interesting and engaging.

Activities like this can be classified as active learning.

According to the University of Minnesota’s Center for Educational Innovation, active learning is an instructional approach that works to engage students in the learning process.

Some examples of active learning activities include group work, case studies and debates.

“I have found that hands-on and interactions with fellow students seems to really stick with students more,” world geography and sociology teacher Haley Beauchamp stated. “Having that conversation about a topic versus reading about it or having me talk at you, it may stick longer. It goes from the short-term memory and hits the long-term memory because there’s an experience with it.”

Active learning is based on constructivism, a theory of learning that stresses the idea of constructing an understanding of a concept and continuing to build upon it. According to a research paper by the Cambridge Assessment International Education, as knowledge moves from short-term to long-term memory, it becomes associated with mental models called schemas. The goal of active learning involves engaging such schemas and continuing to use them during the learning process.

There are several benefits of incorporating active learning.

For example, as stated on Cornell University’s website, active

Page 8

Tiger Times

learning builds self-esteem, gets students thinking about the material and creates a sense of community in the classroom.

Studies by Northeastern University show that active learning activities are twice as effective at ingraining a conceptual understanding as opposed to more traditional methods such as lectures and taking notes. Furthermore, Scott Freeman and his colleagues at the University of Washington found in a study that students in traditional lecture classes were one and a half times more likely to fail their class than those in classes with active learning activities.

“Right now my focus, just coming into this year and not being able to do things for a year and a half, is to get active,” Beauchamp said. “Engagement, students talking to each other, partners, groups, I definitely want to go for that as much as I can for as long as I can. At the same time, I’m tweaking what I normally do

thomalil000@hsestudents.org

and always refreshing what I do in my classroom.”

Some teachers have taken advantage of the benefits of active learning. In sociology, students played musical chairs in a way that demonstrated a sociological theory. In Spanish classes, sometimes the class gets in groups and holds competitions.

In senior Ella Belsley’s zoology class, students filled out a dichotomous key by going around and examining different species in jars. Belsley found that physically seeing the animals rather than looking at a flat picture made it easier to understand the different specifications.

“We all had to work together and problem-solve, then say what kind of different variations the animals had and look at them to find the variations,” Belsley said.

While active learning works well for some, especially visual learners, there are also students who prefer traditional class activities such

“Right now my focus, just coming into this year and not being able to do things for a year and a half, is to get active,” Beauchamp said.

While taking a non-traditional partner test on Sept. 8, seniors Bryce Williams and Casey McLeod get clarification on a question from Haley Beauchump. Photo by Lily Thomas.

September 2021

Fe

n

21

During a class activity to learn about socialization theories and how others percieve you, senior Jenna Piccininno takes a picture of herself during a sociology class on Sept. 14. Photo by Lily Thomas.

as taking notes. Teachers like Beauchamp recognize this and try to incorporate both styles of teaching to cater to the multiple types of students in her class.

“Everyone’s got their own different learning style, some people are more hands-on than visual or vocal,” Cochran stated.

“As long as the class is engaging, I think that will help people learn better and possibly raise their grades.”

Cochran wishes that more active learning activities were a part of U.S. history and math classes.

Going forward, Beauchamp plans on incorporating activities such as a simulation in her world geography class and a “day in the life” activity for her sociology class.

“For students, the experience in the classroom goes a lot further if you could help with the engagement,” Beauchamp said. “It opens up a conversation that lets a teacher really dive into more aspects of the content that they’re trying to give. As teachers, we are working incredibly hard to give you that experience in the classroom, we just definitely need it from the other side.”

Features

Tiger Times

Page 9

From Zoom to the classroom Fishers newcomers navigate brand-new surroundings Laura Masoni

Students gather for a Club Med call-out meeting on Aug 25. Club Med provides opportunities for students interested in medicine. Photo by Kyle Goodwin. he freshman class of 2025 “I think I knew that I would are beginning their high have more work, but especially school career like no other being online last year, I wasn’t class before them. As they take used to things being this intense,” one of the biggest leaps in their freshman Lola Kivett said. schooling career, their partially Although the workload might be virtual junior high experience has more intense than expected, the proved to be a weak foundation realities of high school have lived for some. up to some people’s ideas.

“Switching from virtual to “My expectations of high in-class was a very tough time,” school were pretty similar to freshman Ucheoma Acholuna what it is actually like,” freshman said. “On top of that, I had to Aiden Weiss said. For Weiss, his deal with transitioning to being interpretation of the size of the a freshman. I see multiple people building remains unchanged even in the halls that I used to know though he often only resides in that are just so different from the same parts. when I last saw them, and paying With Fishers’ new motto attention in class was no easy feat of Rebuild, ReConnect, and either.”

ReEngage, there are vast A 2004 study done by The opportunities for freshmen to National Research Council found get involved. Clubs are offered that the transition into high in almost every interest level, as school “is marked by increased well as opportunities for students disengagement and declining to create their own if they so motivation.” In addition to that, desire. Check out the Clubs & some students are struggling to Extracurricular Activities page on regain their stride after coming the Fishers website to learn more. from environments such as Zoom Having a sense of belonging calls and eLearning. and finding a group in a school

T

Page 10

Tiger Times

masonlau000@hsestudents.org

of around 3,800 may prove challenging, but it is possible even when brand new to the building.

“I have met so many new people, and I even reconnected with a lot of my old friends,” Acholuna said.

In a 2018-19 National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) survey, it found that the number of students who felt a sense of belonging in middle school was 49 to 67%. However, that number fell to 40-56% in the high school levels. As freshmen make that move to high school, getting connected may help in times of confusion. A place to start could be wearing red on Fridays.

“I see a lack of student involvement in wearing red on Fridays,” Weiss said. “There is maybe a quarter of people in my classes not wearing red on Fridays.”

A small task could make all of the difference in a place of so many individuals. When working together to wear red, ReConnection may be more attainable than ever before.

Infographics created

by Laura Masoni.

Information from the Clubs and Extracurricular Activities page on the Fishers website.

September 2021

ReMake with a motto Admin hopes to freshen up this school year with new precept Katrell Readus

R

readukat000@hsestudents.org

eBuild, ReConnect, and ReEngage”, the motto created by a select group of students during a summer leadership summit, encourages the entire student body to get involved in clubs, activities and social groups.

Assistant Principal Kyle Goodwin believes that with this motto, hard work and participation from the student body, students will be able to forge connections and build relationships in a way they were unable to in the last two years.

“One of the challenges coming off of a year and a half of very weird education was we really lost some of the things we hold near and dear to our hearts here at Fishers,” Goodwin said. “That’s studentteacher connections and students feeling like they’ve got something to be excited about coming to school. In the last 18 months, we have been robbed of those things that we value here.”

This new motto has a purpose, in the process of its formulation, the student-led team in charge was tasked with encompassing their goals for this school year in a short percept. The hope is that this directive will give students the encouragement needed to commit to a group or club, get to know their peers, and engage in their classes and with those around them. Goodwin the students hit the nail on the head.

“The students [in the leadership summit] captured it so well by putting that prefix ‘re’ in front of those words meaning that we have to be conscious,” Goodwin said. “We have to make conscious efforts to rebuild the traditions we lost and some of those connections that we had taken for granted, we have to reconnect and make those connections happen again and reengage in what the school process looks like, unlike other years where we took coming back to school for granted.”

COVID-19 dismantled the education system, forcing students to shift the format in which they attended school,

Features

but also allowed time for them to reevaluate the way they thought and felt about it.

This time could be important, particularly for juniors and seniors, who may still be concerned about making connections and building traditions.

Junior Ivy Tran thinks that COVID affected her in that after returning from the untraditional learning process of the last school year, she finds herself now

struggling to hit the ground running this year.

“My freshman year, I didn’t do any clubs, but I felt closer to the school. As a freshman you have this sense of wanting to know and see everything, but as time went on and quarantine happened and you’re stuck in your own home, you couldn’t get involved in anything, so when you go back to school it’s harder to start again when you’re already over halfway through high school,” Tran said.

Tran touches on the fact that when coming into freshman year it is possible to have a media-informed outlook on the high school experience.

“Freshman year, I thought high school was going to be like a movie,” Tran said.

“I thought I would have the boyfriend and all the friends, but I didn’t. After spending more time in high school and time in quarantine, you lose that outlook and those connections.”

Now returning as an upperclassman, Tran is determined to get involved in what the school has to offer, by auditioning for team captain for choir, and looking into clubs.

“When I think about that summer leadership group, made up of mostly juniors and seniors, we spent time talking about, ‘What are some things you miss about school?’,” Goodwin said. “Things that kept coming up were some of those traditions and the experiences that made students feel like they were a part of something bigger than yourself.”

Club participation is highest among upperclassmen and lowest amongst freshmen, according to Goodwin. This shows him that once students reach their final years, they heightened sense of wanting to be involved as graduation looms closer .

“That data shows that, the more people are here and see that it’s okay to connect with people outside of the classroom, that it’s okay to participate in things, the more people are inclined to do so,” Goodwin said.

After looking at this data, Goodwin hopes that upperclassmen are willing to set an example for incoming students.

“I’m hoping that these constant messages of ‘ReBuild, ReConnect, and ReEngage’ as they see their friends take risks and joining more groups or going to more events and seeing that model laid out before them by upperclassmen, they will be more inclined to join.”

Senior class president Claire Padron is 100% sure that her peers are still interested and excited about getting involved and in turn, model different levels of engagement to younger students.

“Every student I’ve talked to in my senior class has been so excited to get back to old traditions and even make new ones,” Padron said. “...Students, especially seniors, are ready to get back to normal and ready to make the most of this school year to make up for lost time.”

Tiger Times

Page 11

Spark creativity at Ignite Hamilton East Public Library facilitates public art space Veda Thangudu

I

gnite, the art studio at the Fishers Public Library, offers a lot of supplies, and it is for the art person in everyone to try a collection of new things.

It is open during regular library hours. Prior knowledge is not needed to try most of what they have available.

“I feel Ignite is a great space to try out different forms of art,” sophomore Shriya Gawade said.

“There are a lot of opportunities there that you can explore. I’m really happy that it’s available to our community, Fishers.”

The studio has many amenities such as two pottery wheels to create pots, Cricut machines for projects like t-shirt printing and more.

“We are all about accessibility and providing things that people want to use,” Assistant Manager of Ignite Studio Jackie Humphrey said. “In our fabrication lab, we have a laser engraver, two 3D Printers and a large vinyl cutter.”

The only requirement is a library card to check out kits and work on equipment. Applying for the library card is a quick process, the only requirements are an email and proof of address.

“Most people use our kits,” Humphrey said. “A few are screen printing, paper making, paint kits like watercolors and acrylics, jewelry making kits, origami kits, chalk and oil pastel kits.”

There are newly added STEMrelated kits for kids like Lego and Ozobots, which are much safer in terms of equipment and tools provided.

“They have a room for younger kids with boxes that have all the supplies you would need to learn a hobby, including instruction

Page 12

Tiger Times

thangved000@hsestudents.org

Assistant manager of Ignite Studio Jackie Humphrey gives Vanessa a tutorial on how to use a sewing machine at Ignite on Friday, Aug.27. manuals, articles and links to YouTube tutorial videos,” sophomore Talia Mahmoud said.

Being that it is inside, the studio has a higher chance of virus transmission. As a result, the staff is making the studio a safer place.

“We listen to CDC guidelines, we have cleaning protocols to go through for all of our supplies, we regularly disinfect the area.

As the CDC recommendations loosen, we will be following that,” Humphrey said.

The studio also has a Maker In Residence (MIR) program, where artists from different backgrounds are available at the studio for six to 12 weeks. They take sessions over their residence, and an open studio where they are open for any questions.

“I feel like there is a lot of guidance; with the Makers in Residence that come in, they help me learn new skills and make my

projects better,” Gawade said. “It’s not one-on-one, there are more people in the room with you, but it’s still a fair amount, so you’ve got some attention.”

The last MIR ended in August with Boxx The Artist.

Eric Salazar, who has a musical background, is the current Maker from September to December 2021. Salazar is teaching classes about audio recording, audio engineering and getting into the music business. He is also creating a community album and utilizing the AV Studio at Ignite.

“I believe it is a great outlet for crafty and creative people,” Mahmoud said. “I would tell everyone to visit the center at least once. Whether they are interested in painting, sewing, embroidery, film, photography, recording podcasts or are not even sure of their hobbies, I assure them that they would have a great time regardless.”

Fishers Library hours: Monday Thursday: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Friday Saturday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Sunday: 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Scan this QR code to visit Ignite Studio’s website.

September 2021

Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! a musical Students to perform ABBA-filled “Mamma Mia” show Emerson Elledge

T

elledeme000@hsestudents.org

he Fishers Theatre Department’s goal with their musical “Mamma Mia,” as well as with this entire school year, is to focus on the theme of self-discovery for their actors and productions.

Last year’s play, the “Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon,” was unexpectedly forced to record their only performance with a week’s notice. “Addams Family” was shut down early into production during the 2019-20 school year due to COVID-19.

This year, the theatre department aims to reinstate their previous legacy by doing “Mamma Mia.” “I chose it because I think it’s a show that everybody likes,” theatre teacher Anna Nickell said. “The music’s really fun and upbeat, and I think that, for the times we’re in, doing a show that is easily recognizable and that is as fun as ‘Mamma Mia’ is a really important part of why I chose it.”

Nickell’s goal for this year is to make sure everyone has lots of fun. Junior Jamie Droz, the assistant student director, shares that goal.

“We get a lot of choir kids coming in and they tend to, at least in early rehearsals, sound like they’re not having any fun at all,” Droz said. “Especially with a show like ‘Mamma Mia,’ I just want to be having fun and for everyone to look like they’re

Arts & Culture

having fun. And that’s the biggest thing, I want [the show] to just be enjoyable to come see.”

The cast also aims for an exhilarating experience. Junior Trey Weger is going to play Harry in the show. According to Weger, the show is a great fit for the department because of the size of the show and the production quality it will have.

“This show will stand out from years past because of how iconic ‘Mamma Mia’ is,” Weger said. “I haven’t seen any really popular productions come out of Theatre Fishers in the past, so this is definitely going to be different and an eye-catcher.”

Weger added that the cast is already close and inspires each other. Weger views junior Patrick Britting and sophomore Micah Derrer, two of his castmates, as two of his biggest acting role models, along with the rest of the cast.

“In our program, Kylee Booher is a huge inspiration to me. I understudy for her, and she has already taught me so much about theatre,” sophomore Morgan Puccinelli said.

Senior Kylee Booher is the drama club president and plays Tanya in Mamma Mia. In previous years, a few of her roles were the understudy of Skyler in “Bring It On” in 2018, Miss Gibbs in “Our Town” in 2019, and the understudy of Morticia in

“Addams Family” in 2020.

“During auditions, I realized that Tanya is a character that is super poised and humorous,” Booher said. “Whenever I said her lines, they came naturally, and I’m so thankful I get to bring her to life.”

Although the musical is still in the early stages of rehearsal, expectations are already high.

“I’m very excited to do Mamma Mia as our musical,” Puccinelli said. “It gives ourselves a high standard, with it being a favorite of many, but that just makes us more motivated to give an amazing performance.”

1

2 1. Junior Patrick Britting gestures while performing a readthrough of Scene 1.3 onstage for his fellow castmates and his directors in a characterization-focused rehearsal for the show in late August. Photo by Emerson Elledge. 2. Senior Kylie Booher and juniors Teeny King and Grace Mandel rehearse changes to their performances, lines and characterizations while receiving feedback, tips and constructive criticism from the directors onstage. Photo by Emerson Elledge. 3. Graphics courtesy of Canva.

Tiger Times

Page 13

Highlighting Ways to Get Organized Tips to structure assignments, files to be prepared for the new school year Malak Samara

samarmal000@hsestudents.org

A

fter last year, students are slowly adjusting to fully being back in school by rebuilding key skills like organization. In order to maintain their files, assignments and school life, polishing their time and structure management could be the element to get them back on track to normal school tendencies.

“Organizing school files and assignments lays the foundation for a more coordinated and tidy school year,” sophomore Jerry Yang said.

“You won’t have to bother shuffling through all of your papers. Moreover, staying organized is a fantastic way to help promote and improve your management skills.”

Having distinct sections in folders, binders or notebooks for each class can help smooth over the process of trying to find assignments, homework or notes for a certain course.

“I have kids that share a folder for everything and that just doesn’t work,” biology and AP Environmental Science teacher Heather Ferguson said. “I don’t care if it’s a folder, I just want a separate ‘something’ for my class. I think that’s going to be the easiest thing.”

Since teachers are using Canvas frequently this year, due to the system built last year, making sure digital assignments and copies are organized is important.

“Usually, I create a OneDrive folder for each of my classes,” Yang said. “Whenever I complete an online assignment for a certain class, I can just save the file into the corresponding class folder. Also, I like to label all my documents with the class name first and then the assignment name.”

Labelling is a useful skill when

Page 14

Tiger Times

trying to organize and separate school assignments by class or even date.

It can make all the difference when trying to find the corresponding piece of work to the class or lesson.

“I think a really important thing is to have everything in folders,” Ferguson said. “There’s those color code things on MacBooks that you can put little dots by it [the digital folders]. Name it something that makes sense. Then, don’t just keep saving new copies of something, just delete the old ones if you’ve improved it the first time because then you’re gonna be confused with which one you’re using.”

Utilizing resources such as folders, notebooks, planners and a multi-pocket backpack can assist in organization and time management.

Checking the Canvas calendar can help a student stay up to date with their assignment “Check your Canvas calendar,” senior Brie Foster said. “Maybe get a planner so you can actually write down what needs to get done, so you can check it off.”

Establishing an organization method can have countless different benefits other than helping with finding certain files. It can help students develop time management skills and better work ethic.

“Organization has helped me save a bunch of time when it comes to searching for files,” Yang said.

“Furthermore, an organized archive looks visually more appealing.”

According to kidshealth.org, the development of organization skills can prepare students for life outside of school. It is a skill that people need in their everyday life, no matter where they may be working, what they may

be doing or how they may be doing it. “[Organization] is one thing I am very meticulous on,” Ferguson said.

“If you do it right the first time, it saves a lot of work for you later.”

However, one struggle when it comes to organization is maintaining the certain system or structure the student built to try and stay organized. If the arrangement of files, assignments and work isn’t kept up with, the setup starts to deteriorate. Foster suggests starting off small when beginning to organize and get used to the habit of writing homework assignments down, separating files and documents by class and staying organized.

“As you get more used to it, it’ll be easier to do every day,” Foster said.

Staying organized can have multiple benefits, whether that be the development of certain life skills or making school life easier to manage and maintain.

“There’s just so much going on in everyone’s life,” Ferguson said.

“Besides work, I have family, and [the students] have school and jobs.

[Organizing is] just one step that makes your life a little bit faster and a little bit easier.”

1. on Ph on

September 2021

Ar

d

21

2

1

Items for Organization:

1. Planner: Using a planner can help a student determine when certain assignments are due or when they need to study for tests.

2. Checklist: Once students get their projects or homework done, they can check them off their list to keep track of what they have to do and what they have done.

3. Dividers: Utilizing dividers can differentiate where certain copies go and which class they belong in.

1. There are different colored folders to differentiate each class, a laptop for online files and assignments and highlighters to organize notes and due dates.

Photo by Malak Samara. 2. Graphic by Malak Samara. 3. Example of a To Do list on the Reminders app. Graphic by Malak Samara.

Arts & Culture

3

Tiger Times

Page 15

Capturing memories Student photographers share work on social media Emma Tomlinson

A

t sporting events, there has been an uptick of photographers. These photographers are not adults, but they are students with a passion for photography.

“I first got into photography from seeing other photographers at sporting events,” sophomore McKinley Boland said. “I always saw other photographers at these events and became instantly intrigued with it and decided it was something I wanted to pursue.”

Students capture images of athletes as well as the Tiger Cage student section at different events.

“I didn’t enjoy sports photography at first,” senior Bella Soto said. “I normally just shot portraits of people, but I think sporting events show a range of different emotions from people.

I don’t have to ask people to act happy or act angry—they already look like that. I also think it’s really cool to capture all of those

emotions.”

Photos captured at sporting events, especially football, have circulated around social media.

Student photographers are posting their work on Instagram pages, which makes the photos more accessible to other students.

“I think it’s playing a huge role,” Soto said. “I think it helps me share my images, but also helps promote me as a photographer.”

Soto believes more people know about her photography due to Instagram and Twitter. The head coach of the varsity boys basketball team reached out to Soto about her photography after seeing her work on social media.

She believes that, without social media, that would not have been possible.

“One thing that makes my work unique is that I don’t do much retouch, if any at all,” Soto said. “I love how film looks and if the turnaround on getting film developed was quicker, I’d probably use film

tomliemm000@hsestudents.org

constantly.”

Traditional film cameras can take days or weeks to get developed. The turnaround time is too slow for Soto, so she tries to replicate the film look through editing. She creates her own presets using grain to achieve the desired vintage effect.

“I have a set of my own presets that I usually use and then adapt them to the specific pictures,” Boland said.

A Lightroom preset is a configuration of settings designed to achieve a certain look or style of photo. They allow photographers to spend less time editing each individual photo and give their work a more cohesive look. There are some presets that are available for purchase, but many photographers like to create their own for a unique style.

“I’m all self-taught,” senior Luke Watson said. “I learned editing from YouTube and other

Scan this QR code for links to the photography portfolios and social media of Bella Soto, Luke Watson and McKinley Boland.

1 p b a d s p B

2

1 Page 16

Tiger Times

1. Senior Zach Cox wears a banana costume to lead the banana cheer during a home football game against North Central on Friday, Aug. 20. 2. Senior Luke Watson captures a photo of his dog stopping for a break during a hike in the woods. Photo used with permission of Luke Watson.

September 2021

Ar

s

1. Sophomore Caulin Brown prepares to run to second base. 2. Sophomores Adysen and Lexis McDaniel pose during a portrait photo session. Photos used with permisson of McKinley Boland.

2

people that do photography.”

Watson’s passion for photography began when he was young. He attributes his love for photography to his cousin.

“We would always go and take hikes in the woods and take pictures of all the animals there,” Watson said. “He was really good at it, and his photography always pushed me to do better.”

Soto does not just see photography as a hobby, rather a tool because she wishes to pursue film production and direction.

“I think taking pictures 1 helps me familiarize myself with the camera, lens and all the different aspects of editing,” Soto said. “I think it’s a helpful supplement to film, and it’s also something that I enjoy.”

Photography can be an expensive hobby, but sometimes photographers have opportunities to make money. Soto paid $600 for her camera, plus additional expenses such as lenses and other

gear. She says that she has yet to break even.

“Most of the time [I do not charge], at least lately,” Soto said.

“If someone personally asks me to do a shoot for them, then I usually make money but other than that, no.”

Each photographer has an individual style that makes their work unique. It allows students a creative outlet and for some, a possible future career.

“My photos are a captured point in time from my perspective in the world, which makes photography unique,” Watson said.

Below: Students hold up four fingers to symbolize an HSE fourth down at the Mudsock football game on Friday, Sept.

10. Photo used with permission of Bella Soto.

a

d

21

Arts & Culture

Tiger Times

Page 17

Serving up confidence A team led by seniors, a chance for freshmen to learn Abby Miller

milleabi002@hsestudents.org

Boy tennis is currently 11-1 throughout team competition

Seniors Logan Kay and Nathan Simkins charge the net during a point against Jeffersonville at the North Central There are three Invatational on Aug. 29. Photo by Abby Miller. singles matches had to shift the lineup,” Kay oys tennis is in full swing, and two doubles Simkins believes that enjoying said. It’s just been hard because and they have had a the sport is the key to success. matches per team I normally play doubles, so now successful start to the For him, playing a match with his competition.

B

The second doubles team is undefeatd this season.

Page 18

season. They were ranked eighth in the state at the beginning of the season and have won their first six matches. With a team led by seniors, confidence has played a role in their success.

“I feel way more confident because now I know all the people [from other teams] that I have been playing [against] for four years,” senior Nathan Simkins said. “I really go in with a lot of confidence.”

Senior Logan Kay said that putting in work over the past four years has also made him feel a lot more confident. Nevertheless, there were still some challenges in the beginning of the season.

“The first couple of weeks, a couple of our players have been injured or sick and so we have

Tiger Times

I have to adjust and I’ve been playing a little bit of singles.”

With five of the seven varsity players being seniors, the team has a lot of collective experience.

However, for the younger athletes like freshman Aidan Foley, playing varsity is an opportunity to gain experience.

“I was a little nervous, but it was fun,” Foley said. “I get a lot more experience and then when I’m older, I will get less nervous.”

For Foley, being on a team with so many seniors has helped him.

Especially senior Drew Barker.

“At the beginning of the season, he was really supportive of me,” Foley said. “We were originally going to be doubles partners, but we weren’t. He’s usually super supportive.”

teammates is what makes it fun.

Sometimes, as an underclassman, there may be a little bit more stress,” Simkins said. “I would just say relax.”

On Aug. 28, seniors Andrew Leonard and Drew Barker placed first in the second doubles division at the North Central Invitational. Some advice that Leonard would give the underclassmen is to stop comparing themselves to others.

“It’s very inaccurate because they might not enjoy it quite as much and they won’t work as hard.” Leonard said. “Where you are now doesn’t define where you could finish.”

The team will be back on the court to play Cathedral at Fishers on Sept. 21, at 5 p.m.

September 2021

Water hazard Girls golf team overcomes match cancellations due to rain Ben Rosen

T

rosenben000@hsestudents.org

he girls golf team has dealt with obstacles this season that are more present than in years past. The team has had multiple matches postponed or canceled due to rain this season and their team is younger than in years past. Only one senior is playing on the team this season: senior Lily McVay, who has played on the team since being a freshman. “[It’s] Interesting, because everything is very solo, as you would expect, but it seems more solo than I expected,” McVay said.

“But also, being the only senior means a lot of pressure to be a great leader and pressure to make something of my season.”

Head coach Daniel Smith stated that only having one senior on the team is a new experience he is facing as a head coach.

“It’s different, last year we didn’t have any seniors, but this year we’ve got one senior who’s being a leader,” Smith said. “It’s definitely different, it’s exciting she’s been leading the team, and the rest of the girls are doing a really good job of learning from her.”

Smith gave an assessment of how the season has been going and how the team is using multiple weather related

cancelations to grow as a group.

“Well, it’s very quick, and mother nature has not been kind,” Smith said. “But the matches and the tournaments that we have played in I feel that we’ve done a really good job improving on last year going into this year, and it’s been a very positive and exciting season so far,” Smith said. “The main adjustment is just being able to get out and get on the course and get the practice in.”

Junior Kristi Lielk offered some suggestions of what the team needs to do to be successful and improvements that could be made. “[We] just need to focus so we can work on the things we need to, and then we also just need to relax. If we have a bad hole, we just need to shake it off,” Lielk said. “I know if I don’t do well on a hole. I’m going to beat myself down and then it carries out through the rest of the holes, so we just always need to have a positive attitude.”

The team has their next match, the IHSAA sectional, on Sep. 20 at Harbour Trees Golf & Beach Club in Noblesville. The IHSAA regionals are scheduled for Sep. 25 at Edgewood Golf Course in Anderson.

Girls Golf Hoosier Crossroads Conference Scores

vs HSE Aug. 17

vs Noblesville Sept. 7

vs Westfield Sept. 9

0

50 100 150 200

Information from Fishers Athletics website. Graphic

by Ben Rosen.

Sophomores Marissa Moore and Hayleigh Hemminger observe the course during a match against Noblesville on Sept. 7. FHS lost the match 190165. Photo by Emma Nguyen.

Sports

Tiger Times

Page 19

Kickin’ it new school Harold Spooner starts first campaign as FHS girls soccer head coach Nate Albin

F

albinnat000@hsestudents.org

or the first time in school history, the FHS girls soccer team has a new coach.

Harold Spooner comes in as the varsity head coach following the run of Ben Beasley, which yielded a state title in 2014.

Spooner has a wealth of soccer experience. Since his childhood, soccer has been a big part of his life.

“I played it growing up; ended up playing at Butler University,” Spooner said. “The last 14 years, I’ve been coaching in high school.

I started at Cathedral, and then was head coach at Lawrence Central. I joined Beasley’s staff here with the girls last year. I have a lot of experience playing, coaching and watching all the time, so I’ve been around the game a lot.”

The players have already begun to reap the benefits of Spooner’s wealth of knowledge. In addition to his soccer savvy, he has the ability to give players a new perspective on the game.

“We’ve had a new approach to how we see things,” senior varsity goalkeeper Maria Okuski said.

“Since he’s a psychology teacher, he has been involving more of that aspect into training and keeping our heads up, which definitely helps.”

Okuski is one of seven seniors seeing significant playing time.

Fellow senior, forward Taylor Hamilton, also noted some changes, but from an offensive player’s perspective.

“The game plan has changed,” Hamilton said. “Beasley was a little more defensively-minded, Spooner is more offensivelyminded, but that’s because he was an offensive player in college. He is more focused on improvement

Page 20

Tiger Times

than winning.”

A new coach traditionally means a team will need an adjustment period. The team feels they are getting through that period well.

“We are continuing to work with the new changes that have come with a new coach,” Okuski said. “It hasn’t given us a setback because I feel we are all pretty good at adapting to this new change.”

MaxPreps currently ranks five teams from the state of Indiana in the top 10 nationally. Even despite the coaching adjustment and the highly-competitive competition, the team believes they can compete with the best in the state with the changes they have made.

“Instead of just doing practices every day, on Fridays and days where it’s raining, we do film sessions,” Hamilton said.

“We relive the games and talk about what we could do better offensively and defensively and

see what can be improved. I’m really excited. The season is halfway in, but I’m excited to see what is going to go on with the season and see how far we can make it in the tournament.”

Regardless of this season’s result, Spooner has found a new connection at FHS. Unlike at Lawrence Central, he is the head coach of the school that he teaches at.

“There were a couple of years there where I was teaching at Fishers, but coaching at Lawrence Central,” Spooner said.

“I loved the guys over there, I loved coaching them, but there was obviously a little bit of a disconnect, which made it a little bit harder. But this year, being in the building, being able to see my players in the halls and talk to them during prep periods and be able to be a part of their overall lives is what the coaching is all about. I’m definitely happy to be in that role.”

Girls soccer head coach Harold Spooner confers with assistant Samantha James at halftime of the 2-1 loss to HSE on Sept. 8. Photo by Nate Albin.

September 2021

Saving the best for now Boys soccer looks to recreate deep tournament run from last season Nicholas Rasmusson

A

rasmunic000@hsestudents.org

fter a season that ended with a Cinderella run to semi-state in last year’s state tournament, the boys soccer team finds themselves in a new position: third in the preseason rankings and a favorite to capture the state title. Members of the team recognize their status and they believe that a state championship is very attainable.

“The bar was raised with our run last year, and we know that we are fully capable of being there this year,” senior Evan Myers said.

Third is the highest ranking that Fishers had in any preseason poll. Despite their high preseason ranking, senior Sam Hevesy believes that the team’s mentality remains unchanged regardless of where they are ranked.

“The mentality stays the same as it was last year,” Hevesy said.

“We know that we’re the best, and we’re going to prove it every night.”

Hevesy emphasized that a major reason the team sees success is because they have shown persistence throughout every performance.

“Whether it’s injuries or going down early, we’re able to push through in times of adversity,” Hevesy stated.

Outside of their scheduled games, the team practices together every day. Senior Tyler March emphasized that the team’s goal of winning state starts by putting in work during practices.

“We just have to bring it, bring the intensity,” March said.

“We’ve got to hold each other accountable, and we’ve got to set goals for ourselves.”

While winning the state championship match is their goal, the match is played in late October. March emphasized that

Sports

The team huddles up before a match against McCutcheon on Aug. 28. Fishers won 4-0. Photo courtesy of Emma Tomlinson. the team needs to avoid looking ahead to that match and take each team and match before then seriously.

“We have to live in the moment, we can’t strive for a goal that’s several months out,” March stated. “We just have to focus on what we’re doing right now and get better.”

The team started the season 7-0-1 with their only draw occurring against the preseason number one team, Noblesville.

March attributes the team’s success to their desire to win every game.

“Every single game that we’ve played this year, we’ve wanted it more than the other team, and that’s why we’re winning,” March said. “That’s why we’re on a hot streak right now.”

According to Myers, chemistry

is a key factor in the team’s success. Players on the team come from club teams scattered across the state, which could cause difficulties playing together, but Myers ensures that the team is tight-knit.

“This team is so well connected,” Myers stated. “We’re like a brotherhood. We support each other through ups and downs. That’s what makes us a great team.”

Regardless of who the team plays, Myers highlights that the team is ready for the challenge ahead. They are fearless toward any opponent.

“We’re hungry and ready to get after it,” Myers emphasized.

The team continues its pursuit of a state championship with their next game on Sept. 21 at Avon at 7:30 p.m.

“We know we’re the best, and we’re going to prove it every night.”

Tiger Times

Page 21

Santa steals the show

Long-standing tradition explained: the gift that keeps on giving Ava Hunt

F

ishers High School, at least the building that currently stands, is a relatively new addition to the city of Fishers.

Until its reconstruction in 2006, blue was the color that represented all the students attending school in the area. After a secondary high school in town was built, the first student body of FHS bore the responsibility of capturing the essence of what it meant to be a Tiger and how that would be carried on throughout traditions. Luckily, the pioneering class of Fishers High School produced a tradition that is still practiced today: shepherding a four-foot plastic Santa that attends many FHS sporting events.

Now, how did this come to be, and who decided that a Santa figurine was an accurate representation of tiger pride? Dad to five FHS alum and caretaker of the tiger tunnel, Tim Rogers, has been around since the beginning and recalls the year that Santa made his first appearance.

“Santa started in the second year of Fishers High School,” Rogers said. “We had lost our first two [football] games, and it came to the third game of the season, and we were playing a really good Westfield team. Someone had joked around and thought maybe Santa was needed to give us a victory. So, a student had brought a holiday plastic Santa from their house to that game.”

Rogers remembers that game like it was Christmas morning, and he said it was truly magical.

Everything that could have gone wrong for Westfield did and that energy didn’t discontinue after that game.

“That night, Westfield

Page 22

Tiger Times

huntava000@hsestudents.org

1 1. Fishers student section chants “We got spirit” at the Mudsock football game on Friday, Sept. 10.

Photo used with permission of Luke Watson. fumbled the ball, they threw interceptions,” Rogers said. “They even had a blocked punt, and we returned it for a touchdown. The [Fishers] team ended up having a winning record in their second year, which vaulted the team to the success it had over the years.”

Success isn’t only experienced by the football team: it is also seen through the climate of the student body. Rogers understands the importance of building a sense of school spirit among a relatively new school and how important traditions are to having a welcoming environment.

“The Santa tradition, along with wearing red on Fridays and the tiger tunnel, draws a direct connection between different social groups within high school,” Rogers said. “It’s why we have students enter the tiger tunnel at the entrance of the school every year because we didn’t want just football players to walk through it, we wanted everyone to. The Santa embodies success, winning

and having fun while enjoying your fellow students outside of school.”

The Santa tradition has continued over the years and the original Santa is currently in Fishers’ possession, but now it looks a little different.

Hamilton Southeastern High School decided to steal it during a game, and while in their control, painted a thick coat of blue paint over it. FHS alum and former spirit leader Jake Whalen remembers hearing about the heist during his time at Fishers.

“It didn’t happen during my senior year, but one of the years I was at Fishers, we lost Santa,” Whalen said. “Someone broke into a garage in order to steal it.

I remember the environment at school was very depressing that week after and plans on how to get it back were a common topic of conversation.”

Since the first kidnapping of the Santa, the idea of swiping the Santa from the rival school

2

3

September 2021

2 P p S

Sp

w

has become commonplace. As senior spirit leader Joey Wilmoth knows all too well, whoever is in possession of Santa cannot let their guard down or else the opposing school will capitalize on the opportunity to steal it.

“All of the spirit leaders were getting ready and packing up for the North Central game at my house,” Wilmoth said. “Next thing you know, an HSE kid runs out of nowhere trying to steal the Santa while we were transporting it. As Joey [Brenczewski] is running away into my house with one Santa, out comes at least 10 other HSE kids from the trees trying to attack Cole [Moritz] who was carrying the other Santa.

It all happened so fast and luckily, we were able to get into the house safely with both Santas.”

That was the first occurrence this year when HSE attempted to steal it. The second took place at the Noblesville game where two HSE girls, dressed in farmer attire, got a hold of the Santa and a tug-of-war broke out. Wilmoth states how thankful he is for our student body’s ability to defend

and uphold the Santa tradition.

“I honestly could not be prouder of our student body for how we’ve handled it,” Wilmoth said. “It’s crazy to me how much all the other students care about the Santas as much as the spirit leaders do. When they tried to take the Santas, it wasn’t just spirit leaders jumping in to save the Santas, it was everyone in our student section. I could not be prouder to be a Tiger, especially since the Santas are still ours.”

Both Wilmoth and Whalen agree that the Santa tradition has increased the level of Tiger pride shown by students. They believe that the protection towards Santa employed by the student body acts as a unifying and rallying factor, resulting in higher turnouts at sporting events.

“This lure around Santa started and every year since then, Santa comes out and brings great high school hygiene,” Rogers said.

“It’s just been fun-natured and is almost collegial. The Santa has become an emblematic symbol of what Fishers is all about and that’s togetherness.”

4

5

2

21

6 2. A body shot of the untarnished Santa. Photo used with permission by Bella Soto. 3. A body shot of the original Santa, now painted blue.

Photo used with permission by Claire Padron. 4. Senior Tyler March guards the Santa at the Noblesville football game. Photo used with permission by Bella Soto. 5. Senior Clay Martin eyes down the potential Santa theives. Photo used with permission by Luke Watson. 6.

Seniors Matt Brewer and Jack Backofen show their spirit at the Mudsock football game. Photo used with permission by Luke Watson.

Sports

Tiger Times

Page 23

Stacking the odds

Superteams bring into question integrity of professional sports Nicholas Rasmusson

S

rasmunic000@hsestudents.org

ince the recent transfer windows, free agencies and trade deadlines, new superteams were formed and current superteams grew stronger. Throughout the sports world, the term “superteam” is something that most sports fans recognize. A superteam is a title given to a team that contains players that cause said team to be significantly better than their competition. Despite being prevalent in sports leagues around the globe, the bigger question is: Is it good for sports?

The short answer: no. The main goal for any sports franchise is to bring home a championship and superteams take away from that achievement. Superteams tend to ruin the suspense and competition provided in regular sporting events, as the superteam should, in theory, almost always win.

“Superteam” is used the most in the NBA. It seems that every other season, a new team emerges and builds a team full of current and former all-stars. Back in 2011, the Miami Heat built a team that contained the likes of LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, among other former all-stars. James, who was in his prime, was arguably the best player in the NBA at the time, and Wade and Bosh were perennial all-stars. It is important to note that this team also contained multiple former all-stars like Rashard Lewis and Ray Allen. In the four years that these players played together, they achieved four NBA Finals appearances and two NBA championships.

In the MLB, there are a few teams that tend to dominate when postseason play rolls around. The New York Yankees

Page 24

Tiger Times

are the original superteam in baseball. They have numerous all-stars, Cy Young winners, MVPs, and hall of famers scattered throughout their rich history, and this is still the case.

The Yankees are known to cash out during free agency and the trade deadline, acquiring players like Gerrit Cole, Giancarlo Stanton, and Aroldis Chapman among others. Like the Yankees, the Los Angeles Dodgers make splashes every year during the trade deadline and free agency to bolster their sluggers and bullpen.

As the MLB trade deadline approached, the Dodgers traded with the Washington Nationals to acquire pitcher Max Scherzer and infielder Trea Turner, both of whom were all-stars this season. In addition to Scherzer and Turner, last season the Dodgers engaged in a blockbuster trade that added former Cy Young winner David Price and former MVP Mookie Betts to their already World Series-caliber roster. While the Dodgers’ superteam may have only captured one World Series, they have appeared in three World Series in four years and are typically one of the betting favorites to win the World Series each season.

Recently, French soccer club Paris Saint Germain (PSG) signed one of the best soccer players in the world, Lionel Messi. After this addition, PSG gained access to three of the best attackers in the world with Messi, Brazil’s Neymar Jr. and France’s Kylian Mbappe.

PSG is already a major superteam in their respective league, Ligue 1, as in the past 10 seasons, they have won seven league titles.

Not only does the addition of Messi make PSG an even heavier favorite to win Ligue 1, but

Dwyane Wade and LeBron James built a superteam in Miami, where they won two NBA Championships. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. it also catapults them to be a betting favorite to win the UEFA Champions League, a tournament played by the top European soccer clubs.

All of these superteams contain one common trait: location. Los Angeles, Miami, New York and Paris are considered “big market” locations. This provides these teams with larger sums of money to purchase players. This provides a major disadvantage for teams that aren’t based in large markets, such as Indiana or Wisconsin.

The difference in available money makes it nearly impossible for a superteam to be based in a smaller market, which is why most superteams are found on the west coast, Miami, or New York.

Despite them being very prevalent throughout professional sports, superteams are a major negative. While superteams may provide higher scoring or slightly more exciting games, they ruin the best part of sports: the drama and suspense provided throughout the season. Although it’s basically impossible to achieve, a league in which all teams have a chance at winning a championship would provide for the best entertainment.

September 2021

Schools present many opportunities for rejection, including graded papers and college letters. Photo by Fletcher Haltom.

Accepting rejection Exposure therapy offers a potential remedy for rejection anxieties Fletcher Haltom

I

haltofle000@hsestudents.org

t happens all too often: reluctantly, a student removes their dream school from their application list, fearful of not being accepted. An employee hesitates to ask for that promotion that they know they deserve. A customer refuses to send their incorrect order back to the kitchen, not wanting to hassle anyone.

Fear of rejection is a powerful deterrent, one that can be beneficial in moderate doses but detrimental in large ones. Mark Leary, a professor of psychology at Duke University, contends that, to a great extent, our concern with social acceptance “spreads its fingers into almost everything we do.” Although avoidance of rejection is beneficial in some cases, it is too often seen in nearly everything we think, say and do, which leads to a world of other issues. Fear of being denied can build to larger, more intrusive issues, including potentially serious ones related to both anxiety and stress.

There are a myriad of consequences of social rejection that may be the underlying worry in one’s fear of rejection.

According to Dr. Tchiki Davis, an expert in psychology and well-being, there are two general

Opinion

types of rejection: active and passive. Active rejection includes actions such as exclusion and ostracization, while passive rejection includes bullying, stigmatization and betrayal.

While some steps have been taken to combat fears related to active rejection, not enough has been done to address fears of passive rejection. However, a new brand of exposure therapy, known informally as “rejection therapy,” offers a promising potential solution to combat fears of rejection, particularly passive ones. In schools especially, practicing rejecction therapy would lessen anxieties and encourage leaving comfort zones.

Rejection therapy is the popular name for a form of exposure therapy whereby patients are gradually exposed to rejectionprone situations in order to lessen the fear of rejection. Though it is not among the most popular treatments for rejection anxiety, therapists may simply not have the education to practice it.

According to a study by Adam Reid and Andrew Guzick, professors of psychology at Baylor University and the University of Florida, 92% of private practice therapists reported that they would benefit from more training

in exposure therapy, and, by extension, rejection therapy. It has shown promise in limited trials, although the research about exposure therapy has been more expansively conducted.

Specifically, exposure therapy has shown the ability to effectively combat anxiety disorders, which are intrinsic to most fears of rejection.

Particularly within the walls of school buildings, rejection therapy has a great degree of merit. Although the possible anxiety-inducing situations that students find themselves in during school (asking a question to a teacher, talking to a new group of students, facing peer pressure) are not necessarily related to anxiety disorders, there are legitimate benefits that can be derived through exposure therapy as it pertains to anxiety for students.

Practicing exposure therapy for rejection, or even for anxiety, at least in some form, would be a beneficial practice for students who may suffer from these fears. Doing so would increase confidence, lessen fears of denial and provide a multitude of other benefits to students that would aid them in making school a more comfortable environment.

Tiger Times

Page 25

Games as a tool for education Video games can be used to teach geography, history, math, and many other subjects Benjamin Grantonic

grantben000@hsestudents.org

Recently, I have found myself addicted to a video game; that video game being “Europa Universalis IV” (EU4). While playing I noticed as I kept playing that I began to actually learn about economics and history. For context, Europa Universalis IV is a Grand Strategy game where the player takes control of a state from the years 1444 - 1821 A.D and attempts to guide that country through war, diplomacy, trade, colonialism and administration; as I continued to play, I found myself learning about the various reasons countries took the actions they did, whether economic, religious or political.

According to Bret Devereaux, an assistant professor at the department of history at North Carolina State University, EU4 is an excellent simulation and tool for teaching about the international relations model of Realist Interstate Anarchy. The model of Realist Interstate Anarchy posites that in international relations the main players are states, a government with a monopoly on force, and that the main motivation for states is survival. It should be noted that, despite EU4 being good for teaching interstate anarchy, it struggles with confronting other topics that come with making a game about states in the early modern period.

Dr. Devereaux’s discussion on these topics brings to light some interesting questions on the use of video games as educational tools.

In a class by A. Martin Wainwright, a professor of history at the University of Akron, taught historical theory through Map is to reflect the game map of EU4. the use of historical video games. The class Photo used with permission of Wikimedia concluded that historical video games are an Commons effective tool for teaching complex Page 26

Tiger Times

September 2021

Op

n

21

historical concepts and advanced theoretical arguments to both history undergraduates and non-history majors in the course. With written evaluations from students that they had “generally positive” results from the combination of game analysis and historical scholarship.

Games can also be an effective educational tool for younger students and for topics other than history. A study out of National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan by FuYuan Chiu and Mei-Ling Hsieh aimed to assess the useability of role-playing games (RPGs). The study attempted to teach 50 second-graders math skills using a custom made RPG software, with 50 other students taught traditionally as a control group.

It found that the RPG method of teaching made students more engaged and interested with the material, with “low achievement” students being especially more engaged and interested.

Outside of the classroom, games have been increasingly popular for educational apps in a process known as “gamification.” Gamification is the use of interactive design that appeals to users’ competitive instinctions through leaderboards, achievements, a “level up ‘’ system and virtual rewards. Examples of this are apps like Duolingo, which teaches languages using a gamification model: like using

“experience points,” leaderboards and achievements. Gamification has also become popular outside of education, with other apps like Habitca which helps with task management and productivity through an RPG format. It has also been integrated into the workplace, with one infamous example being Disneyland Resort Hotels. At Disneyland Resort Hotels, a traffic light system; red for not meeting goals, yellow for working slowly, and green for meeting goals. It was a disaster that caused employees to skip bathroom breaks to keep up and the staff to become more stressed than before the implementation.

Gamification can be a powerful tool to keep students engaged with material, especially for students who normally struggle with engagement. It can also help people get organized, both in and out of educational environments. Though, as shown, it can backfire, gamification needs to have rewards and not just competition, or else it may cause burnout. Games, more generally, can be an excellent way to have students grapple with more complicated topics and complex ideas. As technology progresses, video games and gamified software will become invaluable tools in the teachers educational toolbox. Thus allowing for more engaging classrooms and courses.

Opinion

Tiger Times

Page 27

136 Case Avg.

Masks versus comfort

Recorded over a seven day period between Sept. 5-Sept.12 in Hamilton county by The New York Times.

Since March 2021, the delta variant has split into many subvariants like ‘Delta-Plus’.

About 50% of the population in Hamilton county is fully vaccinated according to the CDC.

Page 28

Tiger Times

Misinformation about COVID-19 leads to misunderstandings

M

ask mandates and vaccines, at their core, are meant to protect the U.S. and stop the further spread of COVID-19. The debate over mandates and COVID-19 policies has led to divisive debate, but it does not need to be. The debate on masks is more of a moral question than a political one: Are you willing to wear the mask for others or not?

Many misleading articles and research papers have been published since the start of the pandemic, and the concerns surrounding health risks, masks, and vaccines have only further polarized the U.S. Misinformation and inaccurate reporting can cause many people to become misinformed about a topic, and this was seen more frequently with the mass coverage of COVID-19.

Articles like “Masks cause brain damage” from The Light sparked controversy over the safety of masks. The Light is a right leaning U.K. source covering COVID-19 and its effects.

An infographic from the article, seen by over 4 million people spread throughout Facebook in November of 2020, sparked outrage against the mask mandate.

The only source The Light referenced, Dr. Margarite Griesz-Brisson, is a consultant neurologist and a neurophysiologist with a Ph.D. in pharmacology. While the article is listed as news, her opinion

Kristen Rummel

rummekri000@hsestudents.org

litters the article. Griesz-Brisson claims that masks can cause a lack of airflow to the brain and therefore can cause brain damage.

She backs this statement up by stating “this is simple physiology and a clinical study is not necessary.”

Since the article was published, many sources, including USA Today and HealthDesk, have come forward fact-checking the article. Facebook put a warning on sources reporting the article, claiming the article contains ‘false information’ according to their fact-checking policy.

As Healthdesk put it, “Feeling of inconvenience or minor discomfort [of a mask] does not equate to health risks such as a lack of oxygen.”

The Light article is one of the many false and inaccurate articles that have been circulating through social media. Many other articles like this have been directing the public to have a sense of distrust against the COVID-19 prevention protocols such as masks and social distancing. This becomes more and more of a problem as the next wave of the virus is approaching.

According to the CDC, the next wave of COVID-19, referred to as the Delta variant, is about two times as contagious as the first strain. The delta variant is expected to be so intrusive that the CDC recommends getting a booster vaccine, especially for those who had the singular

Johnson and Johnson dose.

The booster is expected to be out in November and will be given out to first responders and then the public. The vaccine is still effective for the first strain of the virus but the delta variant is slightly different to the point the antibodies may not be as effective.

The CDC still recommends masks to be worn when indoors and in closed areas.

Even with the vaccine being available for months, only about 50% of Americans are vaccinated.

As COVID-19 cases rise, it is likely that the U.S. will be sent into another lockdown. Sending the U.S. into another lockdown is what we should be avoided at all costs, so that means getting vaccinated, wearing your masks and social distancing when possible.

Advice on masks should always be given on a situation-tosituation basis, and information should be interpreted with caution. Considering how contagious the delta variant is, masks are the easiest way to protect each other from the virus.

To put it in the bigger picture, by wearing the mask, you are protecting those who cannot get the vaccine or have weakened immune systems. Slowing the further spread of the virus, and slowing case numbers. With fewer cases, the death rate is lower. With a lower death and case rate, the U.S. can continue healing from the first lockdown to make a full recovery.

September 2021

School spirit returns to FHS After a year long hiatus, Tiger pride should fill halls once again

Emilia Citoler

T

citolemi000@hsestudents.org

he first Friday of my freshman year, the halls were a sea of red.

Teachers and students alike were dressed in all sorts of red garments. Football games were packed to the brim and everyone shared a sense of Tiger pride. As a senior, I’ve watched the fluctuation of school spirit in Fishers for the last four years. Of course, the pandemic changed a lot about what high school looked like during the 2020-2021 school year, having school spirit was almost impossible when classes were held on Zoom.

The return to in-person school in 2021 posed a question: What would school spirit look like after a year and a half of nothing?

In combination with the excitement of “normal” school and the administration’s push of school spirit, the first Friday of my senior year closely resembled that of my freshmen year: the hallways were once again packed with red. The student section, even at away games, has been packed with screaming supporters of the football team. Even throughout the week, a large amount of school apparel can be seen throughout the halls.

School spirit is best described as a sense of pride in one’s school. Different facets of school spirit include participation in school events, the overall engagement of the student body in extracurriculars and supporting one’s school no matter what. School spirit is considered essential to the

Opinion

overall success of a school, according to the National Federation of State High Schools, or NFHS. School spirit is not just having pride for your school; school spirit can drastically change one’s experience during their time at their high school. According to NFHS, school spirit has been linked to a higher level of academic performance as well as generally happier students. The more school spirit there is, the more students are enticed to participate in extracurriculars, school events and sports.

This creates the “high school experience” that many students are looking forward to when

entering high school.

A survey conducted by Varsity Brands determined that students who have a high level of school spirit not only perform better academically but are more civically engaged.

A higher feeling of confidence and the development of good leadership skills are also closely connected to the level of school spirit. According to the survey, 92% of principals say that school spirit is tied to “high student achievement.”

One of the tangible effects of the return of school spirit is the participation of students at football games. At almost every single home game, the student section is filled to the

brim with students decked out in themed attire. Not only do students show up, they actively participate in the chants led by the spirit leaders, show unconditional support for the team and make games an incredibly welcoming and positive environment.

The pandemic changed a lot about how life looked, especially for students. The return to in-person school created a good amount of anxiety on whether or not we could regain, as a school, the school spirit we once had.

The 2021-2022 school year presents an opportunity for us to recreate the community and embrace Tiger pride.

A collage of pictures from the first “red-out Friday” shows the revival of school spirit at FHS.

Tiger Times

Page 29

Finding normalcy

W

School must do best with current situation

e have been back at school for a month and already experienced a year’s worth of twists. It seems like so long ago that we were allowed to walk around without masks, but that was barely a month back. Now COVID-19 cases are on the rise nationwide again, especially among the unvaccinated.

And we are in the middle of this. Outside of getting vaccinated, there is not much that any student, teacher or even administrator can do to stop the effects of a pandemic.

So what can be done to make school “normal”?

Despite visuals like masks and distancing QR codes giving the vibe of weird, the school has done a lot to make this year feel like it is

business as usual. Football games are once again full with fans hollering for the banner. Almost nonexistent last year, clubs returned and have been as popular as ever. Most importantly, Zoom has been used sparingly as students have returned.

Currently, we are at a crossroads: Stuck in between full normalcy and running the risk of return, our best bet is to enjoy where we are and look out for each other.

The second half of that sentence is easy. Washing hands, wearing a mask properly over noses and mouths and staying home when sick are easy ways to help each other and keep the overall FHS population healthy. The other part depends on our mindsets.

Administration gave FHS its goal for the year: ReBuild, ReConnect, ReEngage. So far, they have stuck to it. Preaching red on Fridays, attending school events and connecting with others at school, the staff is all-in on making the school as normal as can be.

Now it is up to us students. None of this is hard. Throwing on a red shirt on Fridays is simple.

Showing up to a sporting event or a club meeting is something we can all strive to do from time to time. And the last one requires participation.

Talking to teachers, making new friends and being welcoming of new changes and opportunities show that we are ready to be back in school.

FHS fans once again flood the stands of Reynolds Tigers Stadium and cheer on the football team in the Aug. 13 scrimmage. Photo by Kailey Santiago.

Page 30

Tiger Times

September 2021

Ed

y

k

21

Editorial Policy Tiger Topics Tiger Times is the official monthly newsmagazine of Fishers High School. It is distributed free to approximately 3700 students and over 300 student 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 adviser may be submitted to A218, and 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.

Editorial

Mission Statement As the student-run newsmagazine of FHS, Tiger Times is dedicated to providing the staff, students and community of FHS with a timely, entertaining and factual publication once a month by the 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 allow the students of FHS to have a better insight to the world around them Tiger Times

Page 31

Page 32

Tiger Times