Jan. 29 HiLite

Choosy students choose generic Saving money trumps name recognition Pages 12-13

Average Joes use gaming to become online jocks Page 24

Livin’ the fantasy (sports) life

carmel high school • 520 e. main st., carmel, in 46032

jan. 29, 2010 • vol. 55 • issue 6

VEIL OF

Discrimination Recent national surveys indicate Muslims face growing verbal, physical abuse since 9/11.

That trend has entered Carmel, where some Islamic students have seen intolerance firsthand Page 16

Check us out online @ www.hilite.org for the latest news, scores, video, polls and multimedia content

Carmel High School • 520 E. Main St., Carmel, IN 46032

Jan. 29, 2010 • Vol. 55 • Issue 6

Contact information

table of contents

cover story

Mailing Address: 520 E. Main St., Carmel, IN 46032 Phone: (317) 846-7721, Ext. 7143 Web site: www.hilite.org E-mail: Staff members of the HiLite may be contacted by using their first initial and their last name appending @hilite.org. For example, Michelle Hu will receive mail sent to mhu@hilite.org.

Responding to the HiLite

Letters to the editor will be accepted for the Feb. 25 issue no later than Feb. 17. Letters may be submitted in Room C147, placed in the mailbox of Jim Streisel, e-mailed to letters@hilite.org or mailed to school. All letters must be signed. Names will be published. (Letters sent via e-mail will be taken to a student’s SRT for him to sign.) Letters must not contain personal attacks against an individual and may be edited.

Questions over faith Even a decade after 9/11, Muslims still face prejudice and misunderstanding about their faith

Purpose The HiLite is a student publication distributed to students, faculty and staff of Carmel High School, with a press run of 4,500. Copies are distributed to every school in the Carmel Clay district as well as the Chamber of Commerce, city hall and the Carmel Clay Public Library.

The paper serves as a public forum and two-way communication for both the school and the community. Opinions expressed in the newspaper are not necessarily those of CHS nor the Carmel Clay system faculty, staff or administration.

Credentials The HiLite belongs to the Indiana High School Press Association, Quill & Scroll and the National Scholastic Press Association.

Advertising Businesses may advertise in the HiLite if their ads adhere to guidelines. The advertising policy is available in Room C147 or at www.hilite.org.

Reporters Sally Bae Audrey Bailey Meredith Boyd Hope Boyer Maggie Brandenburg Andrew Browning Patrick Bryant Monica Cheng Ryan Duffy Cassie Dugan Yameen Hameed Grayson Harbour Kendall Harshberger Ben Lu Alex Mackall Photographers Gabrielle Bowers Arjuna Capulong Shirley Chen Stephanie Coleman Shokhi Goel Lizzy Grubbs Kate Grumme Stuart Jackson Emily Puterbaugh Daniel Smith Jinny Zhang

04 06 feature 11 12 student section 14 entertainment 20 22

Staff cutbacks and SRT cancellation possible due to contract disputes

Sparknotes and other reading guides replace actual books for some

Staff Editor in Chief Michelle Hu Managing Editors Rosemary Boeglin

Sarah Sheafer Accountant Andrew Burke Acumen Arjuna Capulong

Jinny Zhang 15 Minutes of Fame Afra Hussain Artist Daniel Li

Rebecca Xu Beats/Calendar Emma Neukam

Amanda Nguyen

Laura Peng

Nina Underman Cover Story Sara Rogers Entertainment Maddi Bourgerie

Ellie Seta Feature Hera Ashraf

Rebecca Xu Front Page Tim Chai

Steven Chen Graphics Daniel Li News Susie Chen

Beverly Jenkins Perspectives Julie Kippenbrock

Jade Schwarting Photography Nick Johnson

Kaitlyn Lampe Special Projects Kelsey Binion

Amanda Nguyen

Min Qiao

Tracy Sun Sports Mackenzie Madison

David Zheng Student Section Lauren Burdick Web Mike Jiang

Nishanth Samala

news about Students in military families worry increased security threats

Faraz Majid Katie Norman Priya Patel Darlene Pham Thalib Razi Mitch Ringenberg Erum Rizvi Katie Walstrom Reuben Warshawsky Jackson Whiteker Celina Wu Michelle Yun Sarah Yun Caroline Zhang Web team Michael Luo Pedram Navid Matt Pickard Michael Price Video Marianna Cooper Parker Myers

Adviser Jim Streisel Principal John Williams Superintendent Jeff Swensson

Generic brands provide other options for students in poor economy

Freshman Sarah Wilber finds many “blow-off courses” are not easy A’s

HiLite s t a f f r e v i e w s t h e b e s t entertainment of the New Year HiLite staff reviews the best gyms and membership programs

Want More?

Go to www.hilite.org for stories, videos, slideshows and more

16

sports

24 26 perspectives

28 30 15 minutes of fame 32

Fantasy sports provide more options for athletic involvement Crowds are integral to athletic teams’ successes in competitions

Staff perspective: Dance Marathon donations can help elsewhere Cassie Dugan, Steven Chen, and Min Qiao write commentary about student life

Freshman Jala Washington is at the highest pre-Olympic gymnast level

Corrections and Clarifications from the 12.14 Issue In the news story “Fewer teachers paticipate in Skip-a-Final,” Amy Skeens-Benton was mistakenly attributed to bringing the Skip-a-Final program to Carmel High School. It was actually former Assistant Principal Tim Smith who introduced the program. He modeled it after a similar, successful program from North Central High School.

Cover>> steven Chen And Kaitlyn Lampe / Photo Illustration

<< just a minute 03

HiLite • January 29, 2010

As the world enters a new decade, take a look back at some major events that shaped our nation’s past and the unforgettable aspects of the last decade. Dave Bardos, social studies department chairperson, suggests these important dates to ponder...

The Declaration of Independence has to be a major issue in the ensuing American Revolution. The Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson, and American Revolution pursue the concept of revolutionary spirit and the idea of the social contract.

The spirit of revolution is evident in the numbers of revolutions that have been spawned over the last two centuries.

The development of the Ford Model T as a cheap vehicle ties the nation to the internal combustion engine and to gasoline as a fuel source.

1908

July 4, 1776 June 21, 1788 Ratified five years after gaining independence, the U.S. Constitution has become the paragon of democratic government. It is government of the people and by the people. It has become something that is viable, malleable, and a document that has stood the test of time. It created a republic that has outlived any other republic in history.

WWI saw the demise of the empire system. The world experienced the loss of the Russian, Ottoman, AustroHungarian and German empire. Unfortunately, WWI became the breeding ground for WWII as the seeds were planted with the Treaty of Versailles.

1914-1918

1939-1945

numbers

The United States participated on the Allied side in WWII against both the Japanese and the Germans. Stopping totalitarian aggression, the war also threw off the colonial yolk, crumbling the colonial system in the 18th century.

The dawn of the Atomic Age with two bombs that decimated Hiroshima and Nagasaki also emerged.

500,000 articles in Encyclopædia Britannica, founded in 1768

v.

3.1 million articles on Wikipedia.org, founded in 2001 Encyclopaedia Brittanica, Wikipedia / sources

1861-1865 “Jefferson wrote the Declaration, but Lincoln proved it had meaning,” Bardos said.

The end of the Civil War marked a dramatic shift in social distinctions. Historian Shelby Foote said, “If you want to understand America, you have to understand the American Civil War.” Over 600,000 people died, most of disease, in this five year war to save the Union.

The fall of the Berlin Wall symbolized the end of the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States. The emergence of the United States as the only superpower lets it girdle the continent and become an actor in world affairs.

Congress declares war on Iraq due to inside information on “weapons of mass destruction.”Troops are set to pull out in August of 2010.

Oct. 3, 1990

March 20, 2003

Sept. 11, 2001

Nov. 4, 2008

It’s one of those points in history where people say “where were you?”

Barack Obama is elected as the first African-American President.

Michelle Hu / Photo Steven Chen And Daniel Li / Graphics

More Fantasy Sports Online Go to www.hilite.org for Jacob Ruetz’s beat on Fantasy Sports Club

04 news >>

HiLite • January 29, 2010

Students with ties to armed forces deal with absences

I

by olivia walker owalker@hilite.org

land duty to sea duty.

f someone glanced at freshman Tori Potts’ schedule, certain activities stick out right away. Unlike Potts’ peers, whose weekend activities consist of movies, sleepovers, and the occasional last-minute cram session of homework, her schedule has a unique variation. When she can, Potts makes the trip up to a naval base in New Jersey to visit her father. Recently, she’s been going monthly.

Potts’ father joined the Navy when he was 24 and is still enrolled at age 46. During these 22 years, he has continually served America, including six-month deportations overseas as a result of the 9/11 attacks. Because of President Obama’s announcement on Dec. 1 that he plans to send 30,000 more troops over seas to Afghanistan to battle the Taliban, more high school students will be forced to say goodbye to relatives in the military. 9,000 of those troops will be Marines, like Potts’ father. Although her father’s absence was for a good Tori Potts cause, it is one of the many difficult things that come with having a family member in the armed forces.

According to Rachel Cole, a freshman counselor who also has a brother in the army, it’s a combination of little and big things which can be hard for students who have parents in the armed forces.

“Land duty is when they work in an office, for the navy, and he teaches some of the sailors what to do. Sea duty is where they actually work on the seas, and he has an actual job on the ship,” Potts said.

However, in both these jobs, communication is painfully limited. No phones whatsoever are allowed on the base property during land duty, and no service is accessible on the ship.

“E-mail is basically the only way, unless you wanna do snail mail, which is really ridiculously slow,” Potts said.

In addition to being hard to reach, Potts’ father can also be hard to find. His occupation keeps him constantly on the move, previously taking Potts’ and her mother with him.

Potts, who used to have to move every three years, lived in Virginia and Florida by a naval base, then on the naval base, and then to Indiana when her parents split up. Potts’ father’s list of living arrangements is almost three times as long and confusing. In addition to confusing, the list is also occasionally secretive.

“E-mail is basically the only way, unless you wanna do snail mail, which is really ridiculously slow.”

“They don’t get to see the student play his senior game of football, or be at parent night. It’s just little things, but you know your dad or mom is sacrificing for our country,” Cole said. “It’s admirable, but for the player or the student, they probably wish their parent could see things that they can’t see.”

Potts, who cannot remember a time when her father was not in the armed forces, said, “Since my parents are divorced, I’m not really with him when he’s gone, but I’m very close with my dad. Not being able to talk to him is the hardest part. I remember when I was little, we would do this thing around our kitchen where you would take off the rings of construction paper, a ring for everyday till he got home. So, I just remember really missing him when I was younger.”

Potts said her communication with her father has become more frequent ever since the Lieutenant was moved from

-tori potts

“Sometimes they can’t even let their children know where

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as part of the National Guard. A student at Ball State, Klink’s brother rarely has time to visit home due to an intensive training schedule in addition to his studies.

According to Klink, his brother’s schedule cuts into the time he gets to spend with him, something that will only increase after his training is completed. “He has to wakeup really early, about 5 a.m. and go to training, then class,” he said. “He also has to go to meetings every month to make sure he doesn’t leave the country.”

they are exactly,” Cole said.

According to Potts, the time spent between her and her dad is that much more valuable because of the time spent apart from each other.

For Klink, he said not knowing is one of the hardest parts.

“He’s doing a deal where you’re deployable for three or four years after you go to college, they pay for your college, and then they can send you anywhere. We don’t really know yet.”

“I don’t get as mad at my dad, since I don’t live with him, and I don’t know when something could happen to him.

So I’m just really close to him. I love spending time with my dad,” Potts said.

Although stressful for both students, they have learned to live and accept having family members in the armed forces. Cole has advice for students in similar situations.

For freshman Jason Klink, time with his brother, a trainee for the National Guard, is hard to come by. Deployable once he finishes his training, Klink’s brother plans to serve America

“They are fighting for our country,” she said. “They are out there and they chose that, and should be held in high self-esteem because of it.”

news 05

HiLite • January 29, 2010

Eight years after war began, CHS students still look for ways to support, help troops in community, abroad by grayson harbour gharbour@hilite.org Recently, Key Club sent care packages to soldiers stationed on a military base in Afghanistan. More than 400 members worked to collect goods to send, products ranging from deodorant and other toiletries. They also sent books, DVDs and toys, such as Beanie Babies and stuffed animals, to distribute to local children.

Radhika Agarwal, Key Club vice president and junior, said, “I think it was a really meaningful experience for members because we were packaging things like soap and socks that most people just take for granted, and we could actually see the name of the soldier we were sending the box to.”

As the war in Iraq enters its eighth year, students here have continued to demonstrate care and concern for the troops overseas. The Key Club is not alone in its efforts. Another organization that helps to support the troops is the marching band. At every home football game last season, the marching band played the National Anthem, a performance the band dedicated to the troops.

Glen Dash, marching band member and sophomore said, “I feel that dedicating the National Anthem to the soldiers fighting overseas is something special that the marching band does.

I personally feel it is important because they are fighting and dying for us, and we need to give something back to them.”

Decipher the meaning

A red carnation stands for...

LOVE A yellow carnation stands for...

GRATITUDE A pink carnation stands for...

SECRET ADMIRER A white carnation stands for...

FRIENDSHIP

daniel li / graphic

Alex Carpenter, marching band member and sophomore, said, “The arrangement we play of the National Anthem is meant to be a very heartfelt and reverent piece. It means a lot to me, and I think it means a lot to the crowd as well.”

The moment of silence is another way this school supports the troops. According to Principal John Williams, the moment of silence has been in place since 2004, when the state legislature mandated all schools say the Pledge of Allegiance and observe a moment of silence daily in school. A number of students, including sophomore Ryan Vonderohe, said they take this time to contemplate what U.S. soldiers do for them every day.

Vonderohe said, “I think about all the brave men and women that serve for us everyday.”

Agarwal said she feels helping the troops is very important, and she said she speaks from personal experience. “My dad is a doctor at the Veteran’s Administration hospital downtown. I’ve visited a couple times, and it’s really then that you realize how much these men and women sacrifice to keep our country safe and free,” she said.

“Some of them don’t have limbs and some of them have posttraumatic stress disorder. I can’t imagine how scary it would be to be in the throes of war, but I do know that these men and women have been there, and they have come back with lifelong scars,” Agarwal said. “I think that my generation should thank them for sacrificing a chunk of their lives to America.”

jinny zhang / photo

Lend a hand: Junior Mona Shen gathers toiletries to include in her care package during a Key Club meeting.

This club is just one of the many organizations at the school that help soldiers abroad.

NHS to host annual Valentines carnation sale from Feb. 2 to 9

by monica cheng mcheng@hilite.org

With February just around the corner and Valentine’s Day soon to follow, junior Chad Irvine said he plans to buy carnations for his friends for the second year in a row.

According to Ansel Nalin, National Honor Society (NHS) president and senior, the NHS sells carnations every year to help foster Valentine spirit around the school.

From Feb. 2 to 9, NHS members will sell carnations during all lunch periods in

the main cafeteria, as well as Greyhound Station. Carnation prices range from $1.50 each to $15 per dozen.

“The money raised in carnation sales goes to NHS, and it’s used to fund other events throughout the year,” Nalin said. “It’s not only a fundraiser we do for NHS, but also it’s something we do around Valentines Day that’s fun for the students.”

Ir vine said he and his girlfriend exchanged carnations last year; however, Ir vine has contrasting opinions about the carnation sales.

“I kind of think it’s pointless because the flowers are going to die, so it’s a waste of money. But I would probably buy some (carnations) anyway because girls like flowers,” Irvine said.

Nalin, on the other hand, expresses opinions which are more positive than Irvine’s. “The carnation sale is a pretty popular event here,” he said, “We’ve been doing it for several years.

I know that it’s been going on ever since my freshman year, and I like it because it’s different and unique from (other events).”

06 news >>

HiLite • January 29, 2010

At I s s u e : S c h o o l f u n d i n g

Budget cut proposal could cause additional changes to sixth period More teachers to gain a sixth period, resulting in fewer to oversee students in SRT by maxime berclaz mberclaz@hilite.org

budget has to be balanced, and if projections indicate that it won’t be, then cuts must be made.

uring SRT, aside from a few scattered students here and there, French teacher Leslie McCarty’s room is empty. This is because McCarty does not have an SRT.

Taff said, “They’re cutting teachers because the current budget manager and outgoing superintendent said they need to.”

D

Instead of watching over students and providing help, McCarty answers e-mails, calls parents, grades papers and plans classes. Of course, students do come in for help or to make up tests and quizzes, but the number of students coming in is low due to the fact that McCarty does not have an actual SRT. She teaches six class periods, three every day, and since teachers are contractually obligated to have one 90-minute prep period each day, she must use her SRT as her prep period. So her students get less help than they would otherwise and McCarty gets less work done than she would otherwise.

“I don’t get as much done as I do on Blue Days because I have students here for help, making up quizzes, etc.,” McCarty said.

Through all this, one the most pressing questions for students here is what will happen to SRT, should the cuts continue, and the block schedule as a whole. Taff said, “The high school is being backed into a corner to such an extent that the ability to sustain the block schedule is being called into question.”

size, in both SRTs and regular classes.

Williams said, “Not only has (teachers taking on six periods) increased the size of SRTs, it’s also eliminated some of our special SRTs. It’s caused us to have to look at some of our labs that we offer during SRT, so yeah, it has an impact.”

The cuts have affected other areas as well. According to statistics provided by Library Media Director Bonnie Grimble, in 2001-2002, there were four librarians for 3,367 students.

This year there are two librarians for 4,345 students.

Likewise Maggie Cassidy, teacher for the advanced theater arts special SRT, has an SRT of 37 students; last year she had only 20. Her other classes have increased too. “(Increased class sizes) definitely hurts,” she said. “Think about English teachers that have to grade tons and tons of essays for over 150 kids. When do you do any other work beside grade essays?”

As for the usefulness of SRT, Cassidy said, “Obviously the kids do use it as a study hall, but it’s very helpful in helping to get things prepared and ready to go for class work or field trips.”

McCarty is not alone, due to the several teaching positions cut during this school Williams said he would prefer to keep Arjuna capulong / photo SRT because it works well for the year. With more planned for 2010-11, according to the proposal in October class dismissed: French teacher Leslie McCarty grades papers in her fourth period prep; her other students, and it fits into the system the from former Superintendent Barbara prep period replaces what was once her SRT. McCarty teaches six periods instead of the traditional school has. As for the block schedule, he Underwood, many teachers here must five, a trend that may occur more often in the following years due to a recent budget cut proposal. added, “For us I think it works very well.” teach six periods, effectively causing Williams said the administration is doing them to lose their SRT and with that, the ability to give extra its best to keep schedules the way they are, though whether On a possible end to SRT, McCarty said, “It’s a definite possibility, attention to those students who need it. they can continue to do so is unknown. in order to accommodate the budget cuts; we will have less teachers next year and more teachers teaching six periods. I Karen Taff, who recently resigned her position as co-chairperson Williams said, “This year we were able to work some things think as we see more teachers pick up six periods we could of the Carmel Clay Education Association’s negotiations team, around where as far as I think most students would not be able see SRT going away.” said, “(These changes are) putting an incredible squeeze on to tell you that they notice a big difference at all in SRT, and we the students. It’s a manpower allocation situation.” had a huge cut, so if we have a huge cut again this year, we’ll But Williams said he believes that an outright end to SRT seems try to make it as non-noticeable as we can again.” unlikely. “I don’t know that we’ll see an end to it because it’s According to Principal John Williams, the cuts are being made built into our structure, we’d have to drastically change what Regardless of what will happen, Taff warned against sacrificing for financial reasons. He said, “We as a district have a budget we’re doing,” he said. quality of education for money. She said, “There is something that’s not balanced right now, and that’s why some budget of value here beyond dollars and cents.” cuts have had to be made to balance the budget.” By law the One noticeable result of the current cuts is the increase in class

<< news 07

HiLite • January 29, 2010

At I s s u e : S c h o o l f u n d i n g

$3 million in budget cuts jump to $11.6 million loss by sarah sheafer ssheafer@hilite.org In the fall of last year, former Superintendent Barbara Underwood proposed a budget cut of $3 million. Just last month, Gov. Mitch Daniels announced a K-12 school funding cut of about $300 million statewide. Starting this month, schools will lose about 3.5 percent of current state funding. This means that the Carmel Clay School System is looking at an additional $3.8 million cut from the state, forcing the school board to find jeff an alternative source swensson of revenue.

In addition to these cuts, Carmel’s money from a current referendum of $2 million will run out in 2012, and another cut to protect class size will result in extra $2.8 million to the debt.

According to Hackett, a referendum would address the following issues: $3 million reduction proposal to meet anticipated expenses, $3.8 million annual reduction from recent state mid-cycle cuts, present $2 million referendum which ends 2012, funding for initiatives necessary for building on a high caliber education. A referendum is the only way to locally raise funds to support our own school system.

According to Swensson, the reason why many of the financial issues for the district are occurring now is because the state shifted funding for public schools from property to sales tax about two years ago. Property taxes had kept the source of revenue stable.

Because of the recent recession and the switch to sales tax, however, funding is now unstable.

“Due to the recession and the unequal nature of the present funding formula, the Carmel Clay School District has a revolving revenue problem.”

What was once a $3 million budget cut has now turned into a $11.6 million loss.

According to newly-appointed Superintendent Jeff Swensson, the additional cut in state funding was a shock. He said, “(At the end of December) we were told that starting in January 2010 we would be receiving $300,000 a month less than what we were told before. We were also told that this would be permanent, so we’ll never see that amount of money again.

And it’s not just us; the governor announced across the state that there would be cuts in funding.”

The school board is considering a referendum to recover some of the money loss and is gathering information to make the decision. According to Swensson, a vote on a referendum, should it occur, would take place in May of this year and would allow Carmel residents to vote on whether or not to raise taxes to help school funding.

Swensson said, “A referendum would allow our community to decide or choose on our revenue. The state isn’t providing us with the revenue we need, so a referendum is the only way we have to stabilize revenue.”

Tricia Hackett, vice president of the school board, said via e-mail that a public referendum would address a series of issues. “Due to the recession and the unequal nature of the present funding formula, the Carmel Clay School District has a revolving revenue problem,” she said.

If Carmel residents voted “yes” to a tax in May, the money received from the referendum would not be received by the school system until 2011.

Tricia Hackett However, Swensson said, “We think we can deal with (the wait) and stabilize the revenue until then.”

Karen Taff, social studies teacher and former representative from the Carmel Clay Education Association (CCEA), said the association has been saying for years that the district’s general funds are under-funded compared to neighboring district.

projected deficit: how much money could we could lose?

$3 million $3.8 million

previous projected deficit 2010 state shortfall

$2 million

current referendum (expires 2012)

$2.8 million

to protect class size and programs

$11.6 million deficit school board / source Underwood’s proposed budget cut involved roughly 35 job losses. But with the additional $3.8 million taken away by the state, even more jobs could be lost.

“We don’t have any way to raise funds unless through a referendum to stop these losses. We want to serve our community by serving our students, so we need to stop job losses because our goal, what we want to do, is protect class size,” Swensson said. “(A referendum) is about protecting class sizes, programs and property values.” Additional reporting by Rosemary Boeglin.

She said, “In the mid 1980s, citizens (in Carmel) voted to raise property taxes in support of education. You’re here MONEY MATTERS: Superintendent Jeff Swensson and I’m here because of a greets community members at the Jan. 25 school board referendum 20 years ago. meeting. One of the topics covered was the budget People knew class size and deficit, which has now increased to $11.6 million. salaries for teachers that were at least equivalent to neighboring districts were important, but especially class size.”

According to Swensson, 93 percent of the school system’s budget goes to paying salaries and benefits.

This means that the budget cut would affect class sizes because the school board would have to make the decision to cut teachers.

MICHELLE HU / PHOTO

08 news >>

HiLite • January 29, 2010

Time conflicts during Dance Marathon not problematic Students can still participate, raise money, even if they can’t make entire event, sponsor says by celina wu cwu@hilite.org

On Feb. 20, sophomore Gabrielle Rothchild will perform in an Elvisthemed show “All Shook Up,” where she will be singing and dancing to the tunes of the King of Rock’n’Roll. Although she’ll be a part of this performance, Rothchild said she also plans on participating in Dance Marathon that same night.

(students who are involved in other activities) to still register and come for any amount of time that they can commit to the event during the six hours.”

Rothchild said it’s important to her to attend Dance Marathon as much as possible because she didn’t want to completely miss out since she loved it so much last year. Moreover, she has a personal connection to the cause.

“I’ve already committed myself to being in the show on the night of Dance Marathon, but I still really want to be involved,” she said, “so I’ll be there until 6 p.m. or 6:30 p.m.; then I’m leaving since my show starts at 8 p.m..

“I feel passionate about Dance Marathon because my sister was friends with Sarah Cohen, who passed away.

She would be very happy knowing that money is being raised for other sick kids,” Rothchild said.

Rothchild is among many students here who want to contribute as much as possible to Dance Marathon, even though they have prior commitments or are busy with outside activities.

S a r a h Wo l f f, D a n c e M a r a t h o n sponsor and art teacher, said she still encourages them to do as much as their schedules allow.

Although Rothcild said she must leave a few hours into Dance Marathon, she said she is still planning to do more on her own for the cause while at her performance. She said she hopes to make an announcement at the beginning of the show explaining Dance Marathon and its cause and then walk around with buckets to collect some money at the end of the performance.

Wolff said, “I would absolutely encourage

According to Kaylyn Weller, Cabinet m e m b e r a n d j u n i o r, t h e re a re additional ways to be involved. “I’d really encourage people who can’t go to Dance Marathon to show their support by going to fundraising nights at local restaurants,” she said. “By participating in fundraisers, those who can’t go are still contributing to the cause, which is also just as important as participating the day of the marathon.”

Rothchild said, “Even if you can’t go to Dance Marathon, there’s no reason not to still help raise money. Even if you have a conflict, people are willing to work with you because it is for such a good cause.”

Wolff said, “Our goal is for students who want to participate and who can, the entire or part of the time, to do so no matter how long. Obviously we want them to be there the entire time to experience the entire event, especially because it really culminates at the end.

However, I think the bigger lesson that we are trying to teach at Dance Marathon is not about standing for six hours, it is about the power of giving to others. That cannot be measured by time.”

sara rogers / photo

for the kids: Cabinet members raise money and awareness for Dance Marathon by selling shirts and food at a fundraiser at the school. Dance Marathon, on Feb. 20, is an annual event at this school that benefits Riley Hospital.

Outside of build season, TechHOUNDS find time for community by michelle hu mhu@hilite.org Sophomore Dustin “DJ” Fullerton was destined to go into industrial technology. His grandfather was on the team to repair the Hubble telescope, and it was through him that Fullerton said he is now a participant of TechHOUNDS, this school’s robotics team.

As a member of the 70-person organization, Fullerton and several other students work on a construction team for the robot. However, he’s also involved in a tradition of service to the community with the team during non-competition seasons and over the summer.

Michelle Hu / Photo

HE L P I N G H A N D : S o p h o m o r e Dustin “DJ” Fullerton works for the TechHOUNDS constructon team. In their downtime, the members work on various projects to help out the community in whatever way they can.

Right now, the TechHOUNDS’ focus is on the build season (see sidebar), but members like Fullerton said the team enjoyed the experience the outside work on the community projects gave them.

Most recently, the construction team built 55 pickleball paddles for the physical education department along with several ladder golf sets. In the past, they have constructed winners’ ramps for local Special Olympics

events and sturdy boxes to contain drugs for training drug-sniffing dogs, according to TechHOUNDS sponsor George Giltner.

Fullerton said TechHOUNDS was an opportunity for him to see a project through from beginning to end. Designs and execution were entirely done by students, with sponsor approval.

Upcoming events Feb. 23 Robot ship date March 3 Kansas City Regional TechHOUNDS Calendar / source

“Everything at TechHOUNDS is run like a business,” junior Andrew Johnston said, “and it seems like a really long time to get something approved.”

Fullerton said, “We had to get it done on time,” which forced the members to work more diligently and on a deadline.

Giltner said, “It was rewarding for them to see what they’ve done and that the time they’ve put it is going to really help a large organization.”

ads 09

HiLite • January 29, 2010

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10 feature >>

HiLite • January 29, 2010

iPod? iThink Not Despite the overwhelming popularity of the iPod,

some students opt for a non-Apple mp3 player for the price and uniqueness nstead of the common iPod, junior Michelle Steele owns a YP-Z5 Flash Player, an mp3 player made by Samsung. “It was a gift from my parents. I’d never had anything like it; I thought it was better than an iPod from the start,” Steele said.

In these times of financial distress, luxuries like mp3 players are out of reach from some students. But for some, like Steele, if they’re willing to look beyond the status appeal of the iPod, they find suitable alternatives in other products, minus the big iPod price tag.

Most mp3 players are equipped with the same functions as an iPod. Steele’s mp3 player can hold as many songs as the iPod Nano, which is 4 GB. The YP-Z5 is slightly larger than the iPod Nano, and it has a much larger screen.

Steele said one of the reasons she liked the YP-Z5 better than the iPod is because it is unique. In a school full of iPod owners, having a YP-ZB is different.

with iTunes for downloading media whereas most other mp3 players have a standard format and can receive their media anywhere. If a person downloaded music from a source other than iTunes they would have to then convert the file to play it on their iPod. Kunjan Padalia, Best Buy electronic sales associate and iPod Touch owner, said the iPod has an advantage over other mp3 players because, “something like the iPod Touch is going to have more features on it.” If someone is just looking for a basic music player though, he suggests the Sansa Fuze as a second to the iPod. Padalia said he thinks the main reason people buy other mp3 players instead of the iPod is price. The new 8 GB iPod Touch is $185 at Walmart while Steele’s YP-Z5 and Padalia’s recommended 8 GB Sanza Fuze each only cost about $80. For Steele, that price difference was the difference for her.

Steele said, “Mp3’s are just as versatile and high-tech, and they’re far less expensive.”

Portable media Market Apple

74% SanDisk mp3 PLAYER

i

By Katie Walstrom and Meredith boyd kwalstrom@hilite.org, mboyd@hilite.org

7%

Microsoft

1%

Other

18%

macworld.com / source

PERCENTAGE OF MARKET

“I thought it looked cooler, actually,” Steele said. “I was one of the few people who had an mp3 and I thought that was cool. Unique is kind of my style, I guess.”

However, junior Jacob Smith said he still believes the iPod is the better choice.

“They make it a media center rather than a music player. It’s always relevant in whatever you’re doing,” Smith said.

According to storeapple.com, the iPod’s official Web site, the iPod Touch functions not only as a music player but a portable game player and pocket sized computer. And, according to researchcast.com, a business research Web site, Apple boasts three thousand applications, “apps” for the iPod Touch and iPhone, anything from a global positioning application to Tetris.

Another advantage the iPod has over other mp3 players, like Samsung’s YP-Z5, is a store specifically designed to help with customers’ iPod problems and to sell accessories. The Apple Store enables customers an easy way to fix or understand their iPod or other Apple products. Steele said she believes Best Buy is the only store where someone who owns an mp3 other than an iPod can go for help or accessories.

A limitation of the iPod though is that it is only compatible

Shokhi Goel / Photo

MP3 MADNESS: Junior Michelle Steele works on her homework in the hallway while listening to her non-iPod mp3 player. Steele said she doesn’t have an iPod, but that her mp3 player is just as good in terms of function and costs less than an iPod.

<< feature 11

HiLite • January 29, 2010

Reading Between the Lines

Many students choose to read pre-written notes instead of actual books, which teachers discourage By emma Neukam eneukam@hilite.org

to use SparkNotes if they are confused about something in the book.

Ever since he was a sophomore, senior Jae Han, like most students, has been assigned countless reading assignments for his classes. Yet he hasn’t actually read most of them.

“My English teacher advised us to use SparkNotes because if we don’t understand something, it’s a good idea to use a different source,” Lipp said.

Instead, Han said he chooses to read SparkNotes rather than the actual books he’s assigned to read.

“It shortens the chapter and it makes (books) a lot easier to understand,” Han said.

Han is just one of a large majority. An article published in the San Francisco Chronicle in 2007 indicated there has been a continual decrease in teens reading, and according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project that same year, SparkNotes was the fifth most visited educational and reference Web site. These statistics point to the fact that students are substituting pre-written notes, such as the ones found on SparkNotes, for books.

Students such as junior Theresa Lipp, however, said they choose not to use SparkNotes or CliffsNotes; instead Lipp said she actually reads the books she’s assigned, even if they’re difficult to understand.

“Some people use it as a supplement, but if I can’t figure it out, then I don’t think SparkNotes will help that much,” Lipp said.

However, Southard said that even though some tests like the AP exams may provide excerpts from books, it is still necessary for students to read, but not only for better understanding.

“With a novel, (students) get the full flavor of the whole piece,” Southard said.

“(SparkNotes) don’t help with critical thinking skills that readers use to analyze literature.

They’re not even accurate.”

English teacher Pat Southard said she thinks many students like Han go to SparkNotes when they are confused about literature or when they don’t have time to read.

“They’re either lazy or they’re overwhelmed with what they have to do and they go to SparkNotes,” Southard said. “That’s the last thing (students) want to do when (they) have to read a big, fat old book and (they’re) overwhelmed.”

Lipp, who is taking AP English Literature & Composition, said she thinks her classmates feel it’s acceptable to read SparkNotes in place of the books because the assessments given in class already contain excerpts from the books.

In fact, Lipp said her English teacher even encourages her class

Pat Southard

Besides getting “the full flavor of a novel,” Southard said she doesn’t trust SparkNotes on its own, because in some cases she said she’s found mistakes on the site. “ They just give basic p l o t a n d c h a r a c te r information. They don’t help with critical think ing sk ills that readers use to analyze literature. They’re not even accurate,” she said.

The assessments Southard said she gives to her classes are very specific, and reading the books (and not simply their SparkNotes’ versions) is necessary to complete her assignments.

stephanie coleman / photo

Note-worthy: Senior Jae Han reads the SparkNotes version of Crime and Punishment during SRT. Han said that he prefers reading Spark Notes instead of the actual book because it’s easier to understand.

“I don’t discourage SparkNotes as a supplement, but they’re never a substitute. There’s no substitute for the original literature,” Southard said.

Han said he regrets reading the SparkNotes versions of reading assignments, because he said he thinks he would receive a better understanding of literature if he actually would’ve read the books. He said he doesn’t necessarily recommend that other students follow his example.

“I would say that when you can’t read (books), to use SparkNotes.

But when you can read, then it helps more. Something might be in the book but not on SparkNotes,” Han said.

Even though it is easier for some students to read SparkNotes over the actual book, Lipp said it’s different for everyone.

Lipp said, “For some people, SparkNotes is helpful to use in addition to reading. You just have to see what works best for you.”

12 feature >>

HiLite • January 29, 2010

Big name?

Big Deal Students discover generic food products have more to offer than discounted price tags

By Laura Peng

G

atorade. Häagen-Dazs. Honey Nut Cheerios.

Junior Alex Eaton has seen the commercials that encourage viewers to purchase these brandname products. But at the checkout line, he rings up generic sport drinks, ice creams and cereals instead.

“My family prefers generic products because they’re less expensive,” Eaton said. “But at the same time, we don’t think there’s much of a taste difference.”

According to Becky Graves, co-manager of a Kroger store in Carmel, there has been a significant increase in the sales of generic products since shoppers began steering away from more expensive name brands during the economic recession.

But Graves said private labels have more to offer than a heavier wallet and hopes shoppers will expel the misconception that brand-name products are of greater value.

“Compared to name brands, our private-label products are inexpensive, and that encourages consumers to purchase our products,” Graves said. “But purchasing generic products in order to save money does not necessarily sacrifice value.

When shoppers see a price difference, it may mislead them into believing that there’s a difference in taste and quality when sometimes there really isn’t.”

As the economic recession—recently dubbed “The Great Recession” by several prominent news outlets— extends into the new decade, Eaton is one of many who have recently discovered that generic products are not necessarily less expensive due to a lack of quality.

Story continued on next page Hera ashraf / photo illustrations

>>

<< feature 13

HiLite • January 29, 2010

flavors for brand name products like Gatorade, but buying the generic brand can save you a lot of money once all the savings add up.”

On the other hand, freshman Chloe Combs said she continues to purchase brand-name products including Breyers, Pop Tarts and Tylenol. Combs said she has tried a variety of generic products but rarely finds one she is willing to continue buying.

“Sometimes brand-name products are more expensive, but we trust them more because we don’t want to buy (a generic product) we’re going to throw away and waste money on,” Combs said.

But despite her preference for brand name products, Combs said she plans to buy more generic products when she goes to college in an effort to save money.

“It’s a good idea to buy generic products when you’re trying to save money,” Combs said. “But sometimes it’s worth buying a brand-name product if you can’t find a generic product you like. If you end up throwing it away, you don’t really save any money.” emily puterbaugh / photo

CHIPS AHOY: Junior Alex Eaton compares prices between Meijer-brand chips and Lay’s-brand chips. Eaton said that he and his family prefer to buy generic brand food products over popular brand food products, especially because of generic brands’ lower prices.

<< Story continued from previous page

According to Graves, marketing accounts for most of the price difference. Brand-name companies spend large amounts of money on advertising that factor into the cost consumers pay. And with the increase in sales of generic products, these companies are feeling the pinch and responding accordingly.

According to the New York Times, Kraft Foods recently launched its “Why Snackrifice?” campaign that discourages shoppers from sacrificing nutrition and quality when purchasing less expensive products, and Del Monte similarly began an ad campaign in response to an increase in private-label sales.

But Graves said private labels similar to Kroger continue to encourage shoppers to buy generic goods by lowering the prices of their products.

Graves said, “We increase allocations on our private label and try to condense what we can on the brand-name products.

We sell a ton of chips and Big K because we were able to negotiate better prices so we can offer our customers better deals like the 10 for $10.”

Eaton said the price tag on a product typically determines what his family will purchase. “If I buy a 32-ounce Meijerbrand sport drink, it will be up to 50 cents cheaper than a Gatorade,” he said. “There is usually more of a range of

As the economy continues to recover, both private labels and name brands are taking steps to increase the sales of their products. While brand-name companies invest in new advertising campaigns, private labels continue to promote generic brands with slogans including “Save Money, Live Better”

by Walmart and “Higher Standards, Lower Prices” by Meijer.

Graves said, “You can see from our commercials that Kroger focuses on creating ‘More Value For the Way You Live.’ We want consumers to know we’re not lowering quality by lowering prices.”

Eaton said he plans to continue purchasing generic products after the recession and recommends others to buy the less expensive goods over brand-name products as well.

“You can like what you want,” he said. “But if you try them both, they’re really the same.”

Generic v. brand names A comparison of popular name brand prices and the Meijer brand prices of the same products

v.

v. v.

1.75 qt. Meijer Vanilla Ice Cream:

$2.99

1.5 qt. Edy’s Grand Vanilla:

$3.04

32 oz. Meijer MVP Fruit Punch:

$0.75

32 oz. Gatorade Fruit Punch:

$0.99

14 oz. Meijer Toasted Oats Cereal:

$1.79

14 oz. General Mills Cheerios:

$2.50

14 student section >>

HiLite • January 29, 2010

#4,257 of 4,644 learns the value of . . .

A (Not So) Easy ‘A’ Freshman Sarah Wilber got more than she bargained for when she undertook a difficult elective

S

by rachel boyd rboyd@hilite.org

arah Wilber’s eyes scanned the freshly printed report card feverishly as she assessed her success.

Satisfaction swept over her as she took note of her hard earned grades, but her stomach hit the floor with disappointment when she noticed her slightly lower grade in her Nutrition and Wellness class.

“I chose to take the class because my friends were taking it, and I just wanted to bake during school and eat. I thought it would be easy, like an easy A, and maybe it would help my GPA,” Wilber said. “I didn’t realize how hard it would be.”

Wilber is far from alone. Many students slip a few seemingly easy classes into their schedule to improve their overall GPA and give them a break from the rigor of their other courses.

“Blow off ” electives such as theater, art, computer and family consumer sciences classes fill up quickly because students expect to have fun in the class and automatically receive an A, but those enrolled are often unpleasantly

surprised by the amount of work and dedication involved in the class.

Ann Beelke, teacher of various art classes, said students often choose her classes and end up being upset about their grades and the level of difficulty associated with the work.

“All the memorization is really hard. You have to learn all the vitamins and different types of foods and that kind of stuff, and it’s just really difficult,” Wilber explained.

Brenda Lester, a Family Consumer Science teacher, said that this type of situation happens frequently with students in the classes she teaches. “Students perceive Foods (Nutrition and Wellness: Orientation to Foods and Nutrition) as an easy class because we have daily exposure to the content. The class applies many of the other content areas, so “ That’s the bad thing art teacher Ann Beelke in reality you are taking a class that is actually about certain electives. science, English, math, human relations as People just assume that it will be easy and it won’t take a lot well as others. Some students find it fun to see it all pulled of time to do, but it does if you want good results,” she said. together into a neat package, others might struggle,” Lester said via e-mail.

As a typical high school freshman, Wilber was required to take classes such as biology, English, pre-algebra and geography, Although this is her first year of high school, Wilber said this but she was free to choose whichever electives interested her. situation has helped her to learn a valuable lesson. “I won’t Unfortunately, she got more than she bargained for when she take classes just because I think they’ll be easy or to be with chose to take Nutrition and Wellness: Orientation to Foods my friends,” she said. “I would rather take classes I’m actually and Nutrition. interested in that will help me on in life.”

“People just assume that it will be easy and it won’t take a lot of time to do, but it does if you want good results.”

Shokhi goel / photos

A CUT ABOVE: Freshman Sarah Wilber works with supplies in one of the Nutrition and Wellness classrooms. According to Wilber, while she took the class to get an “easy A,” she ended up learning an important life lesson about challenging herself, and when scheduling for future classes, she will look to courses that interest her personally.

<< student section 15

HiLite â&#x20AC;˘January 29, 2010

Guest Column: More Than Recognition Senior Ansel Nalin states the importance of NHS to the community schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chapter of the National Honor Society. While many believe that such recognition is best utilized as an enhancement of oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s college application, membership in the National Honor Society is an esteemed privilege.

ansel nalin The National Honor Society of Secondary Schools (NHS) was established in 1921 by the National Association of Secondary School Principals. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The purpose of this organization shall be to create enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimulate a desire to render service, to promote leadership and to develop character in the students of secondary schoolsâ&#x20AC;? (NHS Constitution: Article I, Section 2). The NHS mission preaches the four pillars of scholarship, service, leadership, and character, inspiring all members to live according to these values.

Every spring a select group of juniors are inducted into this

Not every student can apply for membership, and only those who demonstrate a commitment to scholarship, service, leadership and character will be inducted. For nearly 90 years, thousands of students have upheld the NHS mission: students from all over the country who have gone on to become politicians, writers, musicians and professional athletes.

One of our upcoming events is Carnation Sales. Because most of the NHS events are service projects, this is one of our only fundraising events. We will be selling carnations Feb. 2 through Feb. 9 during all lunch periods in both Main Cafeteria and Greyhound Station. At $1.50 apiece or $15.00 per dozen, carnations make thoughtful gifts. Choose from four colors: red

Now Available!

AA Indiana Driving School

*/ #64*/&44 4*/$&

$MBTTSPPN t *O $BS *OTUSVDUJPO t 3PBE 5FTU 61$0.*/( $-"44&4 February 15 - March 5 4-6pm or 6-8pm March 8 - March 26 4-6pm or 6-8pm April 12 - April 30 4-6pm or 6-8pm Weekend Session April 17 - May 16 1-4pm (both Sat. and Sun.)

XXX JOEJBOBESJWJOH DPN -0$"5*0/4

All NHS members are recognized as student leaders and role models. Yet, those selected to represent this school, a school already synonymous with success, are certainly the best and the brightest. Carmel High School provides so many opportunities for its students. We are fortunate to attend a school with the best teachers, classes, and resources. This school has prepared us for our futures, whether in higher education, the armed forces, or the workforce. Considering all that we have been given, this is the time, as leaders of the school, for a chance to give back.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Before we embark on our separate journeys, let us strive to make a positive impact on Carmel High School.â&#x20AC;?

Online Classes

8JMTPO 0GmDF 1MB[B ,FZTUPOF 8BZ $BSNFM */

(love), white (friendship), yellow (thank you), and pink (secret admirer). Carnations will be delivered to SRTs Friday, Feb. 12.

/PCMFTWJMMF 4RVBSF 8FTUmFME 3PBE /PCMFTWJMMF */

As we become â&#x20AC;&#x153;second semester seniors,â&#x20AC;? let us reflect on and be thankful for our opportunities at this school. Although many of us are ready to move on, we can still maximize our final months here. Before we embark on our separate journeys, let us strive to make a positive impact on Carmel High School.

16 cover story >>

HiLite â&#x20AC;˘ January 29, 2010

Living

<< cover story 17

HiLite • January 29, 2010

g with a The American Muslim community still faces discrimination, continuing almost a decade after the 9/11 terrorist attacks

By Victor Xu

A

fter freshman Samreen Uzzama began wearing her hijab in seventh grade to further her Islamic faith, she said discrimination toward her suddenly intensified. “Terrorist,” students called. “Do you have a bomb?” others asked.

Even outside school she said she was the subject of harsh language from older people.

In late seventh grade, Uzzama reached her breaking point. During passing period a boy sneaked up from behind and seized her hijab, a traditional garb of Muslim women. Unable to cope with her frustration any longer, Uzzama elbowed the boy in the stomach before he could yank, an action she now regrets. She later told a teacher. “I was angry and kind of sad that someone could treat another person like that,” Uzzama, now a freshman, said.

The situation Uzzama faced is not an isolated one, and research shows that it may even be an escalating one. A survey, taken between Oct. 31 and Nov. 13 by Gallup Daily News, reveals that 63 percent of Americans have either “very little knowledge” of the Islamic faith or “none at all.” Additionally, 53 percent of those surveyed say their opinion of Islam is either “not too favorable” or “not favorable at all.”

JUST BLENDING IN: Freshman Samreen Uzzama goes throughout her day wearing her hijab, a head covering typically worn by Muslim women. Uzzama says she faces some religious discrimination, but ridicule has lessened since she enrolled at CHS. arjuna capulong / photo

A 2007 poll by the Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan organization that collects information on current issues, showed that 25 percent of American Muslims were victims of discrimination. Another poll taken this past September showed that now almost 60 percent of Americans say that Muslims are subject to a lot of discrimination. Nearly a decade after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Muslims are the second most discriminated social group, just 6 percent behind homosexuals.

Story continued on next page

>>

18 cover story >>

5

HiLite • January 29, 2010

<< Story continued from previous page “Before 9/11 most people didn’t know about Islam,” Arishaa Khan, a youth representative at the Islamic Society for Greater Indianapolis, said. “When 9/11 occurred the side they got to know by the media was the ‘bad side.’ The public made judgments based on those views and thought all Muslims are extremists,”

easy ways to stop intolerance

According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the best way to prevent conflicts between religions is to practice religious tolerance

1 Know the numbers

According to the FBI, a total of 5,511 racial or religiously motivated hate crimes were reported in 2008 - the most recent year data was collected. Of these reported crimes, 713 took place at schools and colleges.

2

Know Your Rights Amendment I to the U.S. Constitution states "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

Article 2 of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, put in place by the United Nations in 1948, entitles equal rights to all persons regardless of race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Article 18 also grants freedom of religion.

For links to read either document, visit www.hilite.org.

3

4

“When I go to the airport, I know I need to go an hour before any white person because I know they’ll check me thoroughly and take me to a separate line,” Lyla Nassimi, follower of the Islamic faith and junior, said. “I don’t know if I would call that discrimination, though, as it’s more of a safety precaution, which I think is a good idea. It can get annoying when you are in the position, though.”

With more and more Muslim-piloted attacks on the Western world like the Nov. 7 Fort Hood shootings, Khan said she thinks intolerance against Muslims is becoming more difficult to handle.

“Every incident like Fort Hood increases discrimination for Muslims across the country and world. In the Fort Hood incident, there is an argument that he didn’t want to go to the war, and the fact that he was psychologically disturbed caused those actions, (not his Islamic faith). Every time Islam comes closer to a respectable image, incidents like Fort Hood make us start over,” Khan said. “Ever since 9/11, Muslims have been striving to show to the U.S. and world that Islam is a religion of peace.”

Khan said the mainstream Islamic faith promoted peace and other moral values just as Christianity and Judaism do.

Get to know other religions

“There will always be people who will have something against me... I just hope they realize that just because a few corrupt people did something wrong and put the Islamic banner on it doesn’t mean that all Muslims are bad.”

“Aside from the five pillars of Islam, being close to God and family is very important,” Khan said. “We have the same God (as Christians and Jews), same prophets, and the values taught in (the) Samreen uzzama religions are similar. Modesty, being truthful, family, helping your neighbors, feeding the hungry (and) helping the homeless and orphans are promoted.”

Education is the key to tolerance. Cultural perceptions of religious views are not always accurate and may overshadow the actual beliefs of the religion. Visit www.religiousfacts.org for a comprehensive, non biased overview of the world's major and minor religions. keep an open mind Understand that differences of opinion are natural. Accept that disagreement over beliefs and morals is unavoidable. Do not try to force beliefs on others.

5

According to the survey distributed by the Pew Research Center in 2007, 53 percent of American Muslims also said life was more difficult after 9/11.

be active rather than passive

Identify religious intolerance - whether verbal or physical - and speak out to prevent it. Encourage others to educate themselves. There is strength in numbers.

Fbi.com / source ACLU.Com / Source

Uzzama shares Khan’s views. She said mainstream Islam’s supporters and core values vastly differ from those of the radical Islam the public has come to know through the media. In fact, a 2007 survey from the Pew Research Center showed that only 5 percent of Muslim Americans support al-Qaeda in any way, and only 8 percent might condone suicide bombing.

“I hear a lot that the Muslim community is all terrorists and that we’re all violent.

That’s a common (misconception),” Uzzama said. “For example, in the Crusades you had the Christians fighting in Jerusalem, but you can’t say all Christians are bad.

You can’t say one side is bad; only certain people in the community are bad.”

Uzzama said while Muslims in the general public face increasing intolerance, she

<< cover story 19

HiLite • January 29, 2010 faces less and less of it at this school as opposed to her middle school.

“In the beginning discrimination was a lot worse, but in high school there’s so many other people that wear scarves and the punishment for prejudice is a lot more harsh than in middle school,” Uzzama said. “From (after the boy tried to pull off my hijab) on, I just learned to ignore it, since that’s how people feel and I can’t change how people feel.”

Nassimi shares Uzzama’s views. She said she initially felt hurt and out of place after facing discrimination but learned not to let it bother her.

“There will always be people who will have something against me, and I mean they were hurt by some of the attacks led by Muslims. It’s understandable, and I would be hurt too. I just hope they realize that just because a few corrupt people did something wrong and put the Islamic banner on it doesn’t mean that all Muslims are bad.”

Khan emphasized that while people have taken strides to lessen discrimination, more efforts need to be taken.

“Have interfaith discussions. Get to know a Muslim as a person and not by the image that’s portrayed by the media,” Khan said. “It is hard to fight the media that is around you but everyone should take a step to move in a forward direction.

There have been many advances to decrease the discrimination, but we still have a long way to go.”

anti-islamic hate crime trends Since the United States passed the Hate Crime Statistics Act in 1990, the FBI has gathered annual information on every hate crime reported. Religious motivated hate crimes against Muslims spiked in 2001 and have since subsided.

2000

2001

481

28

Anti-Islamic

Anti-Islamic

1,472

1,828

Anti-religious

Anti-religious

2008

Students speak up Two students discuss and clarify stereotypes associated with their beliefs. Compiled by Sara Rogers and Nina Underman SEnior Evelyn Forbes Q: Do you practice a religion?

A: Officially, I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It’s a lot easier to say we’re Latter-day Saint, LDS or Mormon for short, though.

Q: Do you think there are any stereotypes associated with your religion?

A: The foremost (stereotype) is probably that I have more than one mom.

In fact, I don’t, and polygamy was banned by the church well over 100 years ago. Some people also think we’re not allowed to dance or celebrate holidays, which also isn’t true; we actually host church dances from time to time. A lot of people also seem to be under the impression that we’re “not allowed to have fun,” but I promise you that we do have fun. It’s just that we have fun without drugs or sex or alcohol, which is a lot easier to do than many tend to think.

Q: Have you ever been ridiculed based on your religion?

A: Sometimes my friends might take some playful jabs at me about polygamy or being a prude or something like that. It’s generally all in good fun, though.

Q: Have there been any recent events coloring opinions of your religion?

A: The most recent event that has colored people’s view of the LDS Church probably is the whole thing about the Fundamentalist Latter-day Saints (FLDS) polygamist compound in Texas. Mormons don’t actually practice polygamy. In fact, the FLDS Church is in no way affiliated with the church, and if you’re Mormon and practice polygamy, it is grounds for excommunication.

Sophomore Ariane Robbins Q: Do you practice a religion?

A: I practice atheism, if that could indeed be “practiced.”

Q: Have you ever felt picked on or teased because of your beliefs?

A: I have felt picked on, but never a minority. People may not understand my belief (or lack thereof), but I am not alienated socially because of it.

Q: What is a common misconception about atheism?

A. That it is satanism. People who do not believe in God are not devil worshippers. If you don’t believe in God, then you can’t really believe in his opposite now can you?

191

Anti-Islamic

Q: How would you define atheism?

A: I would define it as a lack of belief in God. A lack of faith. But it is also just the unwillingness to accept something that cannot readily be shown or experienced.

1,519

Anti-religious Fbi.com / source

20 entertainment >>

HiLite • January 29, 2010

What’s old is new again

2010 will be a year of remakes and sequels, but nonetheless are sure to not disappoint Compiled By Audrey Bailey eclipse Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) and Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) will be appearing yet again in the new 2010 year. Eclipse, part of the famous Twilight series, is expected to have just as much success in the box office as the previous two releases. Starting where “New Moon” left off, Bella is forced to choose between the love she instills for Edward or the friendship she has made with Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner). Along with this conflict, the fight between vampires and werewolves still lives.

Bella and Edward are forced to worry about Victoria, the vampire seeking revenge for her beloved James.

Release Date: June 30 Directed by: David Slade Starring: Kristen Stewart (Bella), Robert Pattinson (Edward) and Taylor Lautner (Jacob)

Alice in Wonderland Release date: Mar. 5 Directed by: Tim Burton Starring: Mia Wasikowska (Alice), Johnny Depp (Mad Hatter) and Anne Hathaway (White Queen) Based on the well-known children’s story, “Alice in Wonderland,” directed by the famous Tim Burton, features a select and experienced cast. Johnny Depp plays the Mad Hatter while actor Mia Wasikowska has the leading role as Alice. “Alice in Wonderland” is a story about nineteen-year old girl, Alice, who happens to return to the magical world from her childhood.

Along the way she meets old friends and discovers her true fate, ending the reign of the Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter).

Harry potter and the deathly hallows: part 1 Release date: Nov. 19 Directed by: David Yates Starring: Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Emma Watson (Hermione), Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange) and Ralph Fiennes (Lord Voldemort) Being the last of the novels, these two movies will end the box office craze involving Harr y Potter. Even though the novel is being separated into two movies, the first part is expected to be released in 2010. The movie takes off after Dumbledore’s death. Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) now has power over the entire Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts.

This leaves it up to Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) to finish Dumbledore’s work and find the last of the Horcruxes to defeat the Dark Lord.

Want More? Watch...

Iron Man 2 Release date: May 7 Directed by: Jon Favreau Starring: Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man) and Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow) A nightmare on elm street Release date: April 30 Directed by: Samuel Bayer Starring: Jackie Earle Haley (Freddie Krueger) and Rooney Mara (Nancy Thompson) imdb.com / photos

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HiLite • January 29, 2010

entertainment 21

Re-shuffle your iPod

The best new music of 2010 includes everything from alternative rock to rap collaborations Compiled By Mitch Ringenberg Hot Chip Album: “One Life Stand” Release date: Feb. 9 If you like... LCD Soundsystem Electronic outfit Hot Chip has been making great indie pop music since their debut “Coming On Strong” was released in 2005. Fans of LCD Soundsystem will find something to enjoy here, however, Hot Chip’s influences are across the board. Mixing electronica, rap, rock and soul the group has a sound that is almost distinctly theirs. Their previous record, 2008’s “Made in the Dark” had a much heavier and sleeker sound than previous affairs, but that album, while good nonetheless, was their weakest effort yet. Judging by “One Life Stand’s” first single, “Take It In,” the group is taking a step back in the right direction.

Nas and Damian Marley Album: “Distant Relatives” Release date: Mar. 16 If you like... Jay-Z As far as rap collaboration albums go, they’re pretty hit or miss. Well, mostly miss. On the other hand, Nas is one of the most talented rappers of all time, and his past two albums have been among his best work since his early 90s debut, “Illmatic.” Damian Marley dropped a great reggae/ rap album in 2005 with “Welcome to Jamrock.” Nas and Damian Marley also collaborated on the excellent “Jamrock” track “Road to Zion.” As far as the quality of this album, chances are it will either be excellent or it will be completely it will be disappointing.

However, I’m leaning more towards excellent considering these two artists are both great talents who rarely falter in their music-making.

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists Album: “The Brutalist Bricks” Release date: Mar. 9 If you like... The Strokes Ted Leo and his band, the Pharmacists, made some of the best post-punk/ power-pop tunes of the last decade when they released 2004’s “Shake the Sheets.”The band balances their catchy guitar riffs and pop hooks with intricate instrumentals and intelligent lyrics. Always underrated in the indie rock scene, the Pharmacists have always delivered solid records, while the punk-influenced political sense displayed in their lyrics have only grown more relevant. Ted Leo has a voice that is very much his own, however, fans of alternative rock looking for a bit more intelligence in their music will be grateful to look into this band.

The game

Album: “The R.E.D. Album” Release date: Feb. 16 If you like... Tupac While I’m not a fan of the majority of current rap music, Compton rapper the Game is one of the best MC’s putting out music today. His latest release, titled “The R.E.D. Album,” is becoming one of the most buzzed about rap albums in recent years. The Game’s songs don’t usually stray from typical rap subject matter, but his lyrical skills are undeniably powerful and help elevate rather standard and brutal subject matter to something oddly poetic. Fans of Jay-Z and early Dr. Dre will no doubt enjoy the album, which the rapper himself has stated as his best work yet.

djsemtex.com / Photos

Want more? Listen to...

Quasi

Album: “American Gong” Release date: Feb. 23 If you like... Pavement

22 entertainment >>

Stepping it Up

HiLite • January 29, 2010

Resolutions to get fit in 2010 can now be revived. Reviews of local gyms will hopefully help jumpstart your motivation to finding the best gym for the new you in the new year Compiled By Min Qiao Monon Center

Lifetime Fitness

Carmel Total Fitness

This newly constructed facility is the center for almost any kind of activity. From its standard gym with some of the newest and technologically advanced equipment to the indoor track, the Monon Center has the resources for any activity. Entering through the Monon Center West entrance, the first thing one sees it its indoor water park. The emphasis here is on the “park.” Crossing over the lobby to go upstairs, one can then see a standard gym complete with elliptical machines and weight lifting equipment.

Much like the Monon Center, Lifestyle Family Fitness puts an emphasis on family and it even has a kid’s club. However, the focus here is much more honed towards fitness and workouts. While the facility here is certainly smaller than Monon Center, that does not deter from the quality of resources. Everything from the equipment to the general condition of the place shows that it is well-maintained and everything is kept in mint conditions.

With a basketball court, racquetball court and decent sized gym, the Carmel Total Fitness center is pretty much a standard workout center. Despite the slightly older building where it is housed, the actual equipment at the facility is relatively new and up-to-date. Its brochure boasts a tanning booth and a sauna as well. For an additional price, there is also a nursery for those who needs child care services while at the gym.

In addition to their main gym with the standard treadmills, bikes and weight machines, this place also features indoor basketball courts and a pool. Even though the pool might not be as big as one at an actual aquatics center, the four 25-yard lanes here are enough for a good swim. All of the classes here are fitness-oriented, including anything from Pilates to senior fit.

The classes offered here are pretty standard with some like Pilates, Tae Kwon Do and cycling free with the membership while other classes like Power Pump charge additional fees.

Compared to the some of the other gyms, however, the resources at this facility are relatively scarce. The variety of activities available is limited but it does have the essential equipment for anyone to get a good workout.

What stands out especially about Lifestyle Family Fitness is the service provided here. Upon joining the gym, members will get three free personal training sessions that can help guide them through the equipment. In addition, the club takes great measures to make sure that their members achieve whatever fitness goals they have. Members may opt for an initial test to measure things like body fat percentage and fitness level. From there, they will help find the perfect workout to cater to members’ goals.

The one thing that does stand out about this gym is its quiet environment. Since the gym is not as crowded, one can truly workout in a comfortable and serene environment. Carmel Total Fitness also offers the most flexible range of prices. If you are not willing to dish the bucks to be a member, there are Daily Fitness passes and Group Fitness classes that allows people the same access as members.

Beyond the gym, there is a brand-spanking-new indoor track with an equally impressive basketball court right below.

Even more, the Monon Community Center is also filled with various workout studios perfect for the large variety of fitness classes taught here. The Monon Community Center brochures lists over 100 classes available for people of all ages, including special events and non-athletic activities.

Due to the large variety of activity that goes on around the facility, it seems be more of an activity center than a gym.

The classes here range from standard aerobics workouts to painting and French. It is the one-stop center for any and everything which makes it especially suitable for familyoriented activities and workouts.

Certainly the huge breadth of activities available at the Monon Community Center can be a plus, but it can also sometimes be a negative. Instead of in-depth fitness classes to actually train participants in that particular area, the classes at the Monon Community Center tends to be geared toward beginners to learn that activity. For only $35 a month, this is a perfect way to stretch that last dollar and still get the benefits of a large gym to explore all of its programs, although additional classes here can cost up anywhere from $60 to $100.

Grading the prospective facilities Carmel Total

Monon Center Atmosphere: B+ Facility: A Classes: APrice: B Overall: B+

Lifetime Fitness Atmosphere: AFacility: A Classes: APrice: AOverall: A-

Fitness Atmosphere: B+ Facility: B+ Classes: B+ Price: A Overall: B+

All of these resources rack up a pretty high price tag for this gym. However, given the quality of service and workout equipment available, it is definitely worth the buck.

For the best workout results...

Especially after a tough workout we all know to eat healthy, but what exactly?

To eat: Fruits or Fruit Juice Protein Bars or Shakes Baked Potato Peanut butter and Jelly

Not to eat: Pasta, Oatmeal, Sugars (candy), Soda and or Energy Drinks, Vegetables Dietsinreview.com / source

Innovating the workout

New applications on the iPhone make getting new workout tips easy

New iPhone applications make it easier to put in a worthwhile work out. Men’s and Women’s Health Magazine presents an app that allows one to browse through individual exercises and track workout programs with a virtual trainer. There is also a log to keep up on healthy eating habits.

Women’shealthMag.com / source

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Arms and Core

ABDOMINALS

Push-up with hip twist

Kneeling Crunch

HiLite • January 29, 2010

1. Get into a push-up position on hands and either toes or knees. Contract abs and lift right leg, knee bent and foot flexed so bottom of foot faced up, and cross it over left leg, rotating hips and looking to the right.

1. Kneel on hands and knees and reach left arm forward as you extend right leg behind you, both parallel to the ground.

Pull in abs to maintain balance. Draw right knee and left elbow together.

entertainment 23

2. Slowly extend arm and leg again and repeat. Do 8 to 15 reps, then switch sides to complete rep.

About the trainer Alexandra “Ali” Bourgerie, aspiring athletic trainer and junior, has put together this at-home workout that she has learned in her APC class with Coach Emily Good.

Basement Bootcamp If hitting the gym isn’t your style, try at-home, easy, no equipment workouts for a healthy life style.

Back and Biceps

lower body

Prone Row

Heel Bridge

2. Return to start, do a push-up and repeat with left leg. Do five or six reps on each side.

1. Hold a 5- to 10-pound dumbbell in each hand and get in push-up position on weights and toes. Align wrists under shoulders and keep feet wide. Draw left hand toward hip.

Min Qiao / photos

1. Lie on your back on a mat or carpet with your heels on the edge of a sturdy chair. Bend knees at 90 degrees.

2. Place arms at your sides, palms down. Dig your heels into the chair as you contract, lift your rear to form a diagonal line from knees to shoulders. Lift left leg, hold for five seconds and lower. Repeat on right.

At-home equipment for less

2. Lower to starting position and repeat with right hand to complete one rep. Do 8-15 reps.

Fitness Ball Target: $9.99 Tips for using: Sit ups, by placing lower back on ball and crunching upward as if on floor.

Jump rope Sears: $8.99 Tips for using: For easy cardio do variations of jump rope for 10 min. It’s just as effective as any machine.

Lightweight dumbbells Walmart: $5.99 to $9.99 Tips for using: Dumbbells are an essential piece of equipment. They are exampled in the Prone Row above. proform.com / source

24 sports >>

HiLite • January 29, 2010

What’s your fantasy (sport)?

Students find playing sports in online leagues an entertaining and unorthodox way to be involved in athletics

By Andrew Browning

arjuna capulong and daniel li / Photo illustration

FANTASY FUN: Seniors Jacob Hall and Nicky Ramakrishnan are co-presidents of Fantasy Sports Club. The club has online leagues for its members in football, basketball and baseball.

A

t 5 feet, 6 inches and 130 pounds, there’s little question that senior Nicky Ramakrishnan is too small to play football and isn’t tall enough to make the basketball team. But he has been very much involved in those two sports every year of high school. Ramakrishnan has been a member of the Fantasy Sports Club ever since his freshman year, and this year he became co-president.

Ramakrishnan said the club has seen a drop in participation due to the change from football to basketball season, but he doesn’t expect it to last long. “We only have one basketball league with 10 people in that, but once March madness comes we should get a lot more players,” he said.

Although the stereotype of a fantasy manager is often someone with no athletic ability who never leaves his computer screen, Ramakrishnan said he still enjoys playing sports with his friends. In fact, he said he even prefers the actual sports to their fantasy counterparts.

“I played intramural basketball, and with friends I play football and baseball and stuff like that,” he said. “I like both (fantasy and playing sports), but I’d probably lean a little towards actually playing it. I like to be outside and do stuff.”

In addition, Mike Meyer, club sponsor and special services teacher, started the group in 2004 and said he always has kids from a number of different backgrounds and social

groups join the organization.

“I find that almost invariably there’s all types of kids. I’ll have competitive athletes, I’ll have kids that are very studious, I’ll have kids that are just sports fans,” Meyer said. “And this year at our callout we’ve had the most females actually joining. Last year was my first female and this year I believe we are up to four females, which is shattering the record right now.”

Ramakrishnan said it’s hard to know how many individuals are in the club at one time, but more kids usually show up during football drafts.

“We had a call-out meeting in early September and we had 25 kids there, but we have some people that didn’t show up to the call-out meeting show up to the live drafts,” he said.

“To give you a little perspective, we had two live football drafts and we had about 20 people doing the live drafts and then another 10 to 12 doing an online draft.”

or 50 kids there’s varied interest so we’ll have the big three (football, basketball and baseball), but we don’t have sports like NASCAR or golf. If you have a larger group maybe you can get these more obscure fantasy sports.”

Meyer said he will get in on the action if a league needs an additional member, but over the years he said he’s found that the club members are trustworthy enough to maintain responsible leagues without his supervision.

“I find that almost invariably there’s all types of kids. I’ll have competitive athletes, I’ll have kids that are very studious, I’ll have kids that are just sports fans.”

Meyer said membership increases during the year, which gives the club an opportunity to participate in a wider variety of fantasy games. “Obviously the more numbers the more leagues we can have,” Meyer said. “Right now with about 40

Mike meyer

“I do at times (play in the leagues) if they need me,” Meyer said. “When I first started it I used to just to kind of monitor it, but I find that most Carmel kids are genuinely good kids and I don’t have to worry about trash talking or gambling or anything that’s inappropriate for high school behavior. And the more and more I watch these kids, the more and more I realize they don’t need me to be involved, unless just for a numbers standpoint if you need even teams I’ll jump in.”

Whether battling it out in a league with his club sponsor or the general public, Ramakrishnan said that for him the most enjoyable part of fantasy sports is the new aspects of the games that he can absorb.“It’s just another way to learn more about the game and learn about the stats,” Ramakrishnan said. “It’s another way to look at the sport.”

<< sports 25

HiLite • January 29, 2010

Coaches adapt systems to strengths of players Men’s and women’s basketball teams take “team approach” to achieve athletic success

By Parker Myers pmyers@hilite.org The relationship between coach and athlete is a controversial aspect of sports today. In Washington, Jim Zorn recently lost his play-calling duties and then his job as the Washington Redskins’ head coach when his West Coast offense ruined quarterback Jason Campbell, a Vince Young type scrambler.

Mike Dunleavy Sr., the head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers, has continued year after year to waste lottery picks in his flawed system of offense.

But as a senior and starting guard for the Hounds’ varsity basketball team, Robert Kitzinger said he has found quite the opposite during his time at this school. According to Kitzinger, Mark Galloway, Carmel’s varsity basketball head coach for the past eight years, emphasizes matching the system to the players.

“Being in the program for four years with Coach Galloway, I have a pretty good relationship with him,” Kitzinger said. “Some days you love him, some days you don’t, but it is key to have a trusting bond between him and I. He needs to have a coach on the floor, and I try to bring that to the table as (the) leader.”

For Scott Bowen, the women’s varsity basketball coach, the principles are the same. “We really preach the defensive end,” Bowen said. “Shooting and making shots can come and go, but we feel like we can always defend.”

On the other side of the ball, however, the system has been radically adapted for this year’s team.

“We’re making some changes offensively and defensively to fit our kids. You don’t have the luxury that college coaches have in recruiting the types of kids we want,” Bowen said. “Right now, we’re not a very big or physical team. If you come to a game, you’re going to see us shoot a lot of perimeter shots.

Having the system fit them is something we have to do.”

This year, the women’s team returns only one senior from last year’s team, Annie Rubendunst. However, junior Torrie Thornton also returned this year after leading the team in scoring last year.

One tendency is to build an offense around the team’s leading scorer. Bowen said he is cautious, though, to not

lose a team approach to the game.

“You can kind of get trapped if you start running a lot of plays for people because people scout. And all of the sudden they come up with a game plan to take that kid out of the game. You have to make sure you’re developing the whole team,” Bowen said.

Galloway said he preaches the same concepts for the men’s team. “I don’t think you can replace a guy like Morgan (Newton ’09) with just one guy; it’s got to be a collective effort,” Galloway said. “Leadership is plural. When you think of leadership, you think of one guy, but it has to be more than just one guy.”

It’s a new start every year for the basketball teams. But because of Galloway’s emphasis on a tried-and-true defensive focus combined with a flexible offense, players like Kitzinger said they are able to work off a system that they know will be the best for the team each year. “(Galloway) adjusts well to the team we have,” Kitzinger said. “Sometimes we have a superstar like (Newton), and sometimes the superstar is the team, all five guys.”

This relationship results from the coaching system that Galloway said he employs year after year. Each year, the team is founded on certain defensive principles, but the offense is adjusted to fit the players on the court.

“The team is always defensive-oriented,” Galloway said. “We are a team that wants to defend, likes to defend. Teams that have been able to cut down the net, they’ve had to be able to hang their hat on defense. On the offensive side, you do have to look at your team and cater to what your strengths are.”

Kitzinger said he regards himself as an ideal player for this type of system. While Kitzinger certainly emphasizes defense, his size (six feet, six inches) allows him to fit into a lot of different systems.

“I’m a big guard, kind of a team player. We work off each other in a way offensively, we don’t run a set offense; we use our own abilities to create and get good shots for other guys.

So it’s kind of spontaneous,” Kitzinger said. “As a returning senior, (the coaches) have talked to me about being the leader of the team, which is needed to be successful.”

Such a system, based on the players on the team, can work only with a versatile coach. And while Galloway said he is defense oriented (“Our goal is to hold teams to 55 points a game”), he said he understands the offense needs to adapt every year.

EMILY PUTERBAUGH / Photo

FIRED UP: Head Coach Mark Galloway reviews the game plan with the varsity men’s basketball team. Although Galloway is in charge, varsity guard and senior Robert Kitzinger has developed into what Galloway calls the “coach on the floor.”

26 sports >>

HiLite • January 29, 2010

Student fans act as teams’ sixth man Crowds play vital role in success of athletic teams at this school by cheering them on to victory

F

By RYAN DUFFY rduffy@hilite.org

or years, and with more than 100 State Championships under its belt, this school has prided itself on its performance in athletics. The football team has made it to State the last four seasons, winning once, and the men’s basketball team has accumulated a record of 33-2 over the last three seasons. The women’s swim team has won 23 State titles in a row, a national record.

But while these teams have gained success through hard work and dedication, another factor that is sometimes overlooked, according to senior Ben “Dobo” Dobrovodsky, is the student fans. Through groups such as Hound Pound, Big Game and Wild Bunch, students are at virtually every game cheering the Hounds on to victory.

Dobrovodsky, a Big Game member, said the fan section has an important job for each game. “The main job of a crowd during a game is to get everybody, including the team, pumped up,” Dobrovodsky said. “The crowd tries to be loud as possible and make the other team choke, so we do weird chants and cheer hard because everyone likes to win, and no one likes to lose.”

That effort isn’t in vain, according to Oscar Falodun, varsity basketball forward and senior. He said the fans are an important factor in every game.

“The role of a crowd for high school sporting events is huge, because they could either bring positive or negative energy,” Falodun said. “Big Game and Wild Bunch bring a lot of positive energy that fires us up before the game even starts. As a player you love to see the gym packed full of people supporting Carmel.”

Mark Galloway, men’s varsity basketball head coach, said the crowd has a major influence on coaches and players during the course of the game, as well.

“I think a crowd can sometimes give a team extra energy during a game,” he said. “At our home games our student body and fans are the best.”

In sports, pundits and critics often talk about home field advantage. In a sense, the home team is comfortable with the playing conditions and the visiting team is playing in a hostile environment. Dobrovodsky said he thinks home

ARJUNA CAPULONG / Photo

STATE SUPPORT: Fans cheer on the football team at Lucas Oil Stadium during the State Championship game. Despite the support, the Hounds lost to Warren Central 42-36. court advantage is embodied by the student fans here.

“Of course the fans give the home court advantage,” he said.

“We are loud and crazy when something good happens and we’re loud and angry when something bad happens, or we get a bad call, which we all know something about.”

“The fans are one of the reasons why a team does so well and is ready to destroy the opponent,” he added. “From personal experience, playing in front of a huge crowd on your side is better than playing in front of nobody at all.”

Galloway said the fans have even helped change the outcome of games in his time coaching. “I believe ultimately the players decide the outcome of the game,” he said, “but I do think our student body here has a lot to do with the success we have in games. When our gym is packed and our students are into the game it has an effect on our team and the opposing team.”

Falodun said he is a major advocate of the fan groups at the school. “Fan groups are really important and they contribute a big part to our success as athletes by doing little things,” he said. “Even just yelling and making noise while the other team is shooting a big free throw adds pressure that can change the outcome of our games.”

NICK JOHNSON / Photo

SENIOR SPIRIT: Members of Big Game support the varsity men’s basketball team with a club cheer. Big Game is a school spirit club exclusive to only seniors, and its members attend sporting events to cheer on the Hounds.

Dobrovodsky said he thinks this school’s size gives Carmel an advantage. “We have around 4,300 kids at our school, if even one fourth of those students showed up to a game that is still more people than in most school’s whole student body,” he said. “I truly believe that when players see that section of blue and gold cheering them on, it makes our teams that much harder to beat.”

<< sports 27

HiLite • January 29, 2010

Twenty-three titles and counting Women’s swimming team aims to extend record with a 24th consecutive State title this season

By MACKENZIE MADISON mmadison@hilite.org For the past 23 years, the Carmel women’s swim team has consecutively claimed the title of State champion.

This year, for the prospective 24th win, the team seeks to compete, rather than compare. Katherine “Katie” Vogel, varsity swimmer and junior, said, “Although we have the record for most consecutive state titles in a row, we are extremely pumped, and hoping we can get number 24.”

Head Coach Chris Plumb said, “Our main focus this year is to be a ‘triple impact competitor,’ and what I mean by that is we want to make ourselves better, our teammates better and the sport better.” He added, “I think this bigger thinking is going to help us be the best that we can with the current people we have on the team. I do not think we should look at being better than last year’s team, but rather only focusing on being the best that we can be.”

“Our main focus this year is to be a ‘triple impact competitor,’ and what I mean by that is we want to make ourselves better, our teammates better and the sport better.”

Additionally, the team has slightly altered its offseason training to keep the swimmers motivated.

Devon Mason, varsity swimmer and junior, said, “This year we made some big changes to our dryland workouts. We had a fitness trainer come in and show us some different exercises. Also, our seniors have planned some gettogethers to help us come together more as a team.”

Plumb said he thinks the team’s success stems from elements beyond practice.

CHRIS PLUMB He said, “I think the factors that contribute to the success of the team are a caring, knowledgeable, experienced staff, a group of highly motivated athletes and a team culture that breeds success.”

Mason said she believes success is a result of attitude and individual motivation. “I think our attitude is a big factor in our success. There’s going to be a day when you do not want to get up at 5 (a.m.) and race your hardest, but your teammates are there to get you through tough times,”

Nick Johnson / Photo

GOING FOR 24: Junior Katherine “Katie” Vogel comes up for a breath during practice. There have been changes made to practices, such as improvements to dryland workouts, to improve the team’s chances of obtaining a 24th title.

Mason said. “Also, our experience with the sport is helpful.

Some of us have been swimming together since we were 10, and we know how to handle the stress at big meets.”

Vogel said there is no question that the motivation is still there. Plumb said he agrees. He said, “The girls we have on the team haven’t won 23 championships, so each of them have a strong motivation to swim their best a the end of the year.”

Although Vogel said the motivation is still there, she also said that there are some important things the team needs to keep in mind to continue to its 24th title. “In times like these, its really easy to get ahead of ourselves,” Vogel said.

“The big prize (of winning State) is always on our minds, but we have to remember that we have a whole season ahead of ourselves and that there are a lot of things we need to work on before getting (to State). We don’t just show up , jump in the pool and win automatically. It takes a lot of hard work and practice. We just need to focus on improving to make winning our 24th title easier.”

Plumb said he cannot predict the outcome of this season or how long the team’s success will continue because it is premature. Plumb said, “I can only speak about this year, and so far we are off to a great start.”

Back for more Women’s swimmers looking to defend team title

Seniors Lauren Stauder (first place 200 medley relay, second place 100 breaststroke at State meet) Trish Regan (first place 200 individual medley, third place 100 freestyle, first place 200 freestyle relay, first place 400 freestyle relay) Megan Jex (seventh place 200 individual medley, seventh place 100 backstroke) Juniors Devon Mason (first place 200 medley relay, fifth place 100 butterfly) Rhiannon Sheets (second place 200 freestyle, third place 100 butterfly, first place 400 freestyle relay) Carly Marshall (seventh place 200 freestyle, ninth place 500 freestyle, first place 400 freestyle relay) Lauren Jordan (first place 500 freestyle, eighth place 100 backstroke) Sophomores Margaret Ramsey (fifth place 500 freestyle IHSAA.com / Source

28 perspectives >>

HiLite • January 29, 2010 staff perspective

Senate should consider alternate charities for Dance Marathon proceeds Last year, this school, with around 900 dancers, raised nearly $160,000 for Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis during Carmel Dance Marathon (CDM), a staggering number that, according to the Riley Web site, represents the largest high school dance marathon in the country with numbers expected to rise again with this year’s event on Feb. 20.

With over one quarter of the student body here participating in CDM in some way, the term “For the Kids” has gained a new meaning for this group of teenagers and the donors that support them.

In these trying economic times, however, people are more conscious than ever as to where their money ends up once the dancing has ceased and the Freshman Cafeteria floor has been mopped free of scratches and spills from the celebratory evening of giving.

With many charities experiencing a drastic decline in donations due to the recession, it is clear that finding an organization in need requires little work. Upon digging deeper, however, the “need” of Riley Children’s Hospital may be less than that of other potential beneficiaries.

This is not to disparage the good work at Riley. Established in 1924, Riley Children’s Hospital is synonymous with

speak up!

Compiled by Caroline Zhang

“Red Cross, since they do a little bit of everything.

They have a wide variety of support.”

Sophomore Wayne Robertson

Our stand With only 0.006 percent of CDM funds composing Riley’s budget, it is important to look past the status quo and examine other deserving charitable organizations. excellent childcare and the greatest physicians and surgeons in the nation. However, Riley Children’s Hospital benefits from the assistance of other schools. In 2009, Indiana University raised $1,520,418.21 with the banner of the money being “For the Kids.” While Riley Children’s Hospital is undoubtedly an extremely worthy cause, the $160,000 raised by CDM seems like a drop in the bucket compared to IU’s total.

Money raised from both Purdue University Dance Marathon and Ball State Dance Marathon also benefits Riley. Therefore, the money raised from CDM would have a greater impact on a less-assisted local charity that lacks the public recognition and funding of Riley.

Additionally, Riley Hospital benefits from a large operating budget. According to a Riley representative, the annual operating budget for Riley is $2.9 billion. The $160,000 raised at CDM last year represents only 0.006 percent of Riley’s total annual operating budget.

In contrast, if the funds raised from CDM were to go to a lesser-known charity or organization while remaining local, the money would have the most immediate impact.

In the current recession, many local charities have greater need than ever before, and by utilizing these charities, the money raised here can stay within the limits of Carmel or Indianapolis and support local Hoosiers.

Each year at Dance Marathon, exhausted dancers listen to the story of Ashley Crouse ‘02 and how much good she believed this school could accomplish. With the amount raised during CDM growing every year, Ashley would surely be proud of her former high school.

As this revenue continues to grow, however, it is important that the leaders of this school and CDM examine where the money is most needed and where it will be most appreciated. “For the Kids” is the ubiquitous mantra of many students during this time of year, and re-examining where the money raised will be most beneficial will surely keep students in the giving mood.

What charity do you think is most important for students to support?

“Locally, I think students should support Gleaners Food Bank, which gives food out to people who need it in the Indianapolis area.”

Junior Alex Lande

“I think it’s important for people to be giving money to charities that support Haiti right now.”

Senior Olivia Burkholder

HiLite • January 29, 2010

Schools should offer bilingual courses

<< perspectives 29 graphic perspective

Swallowing the bitter pill

michelle hu Last semester I wrote a paper analyzing a societal trend for my senior AP English class, and the research I did for it has convinced me that in order to be truly competitive on a global level, students need to not only be adept at solving equations and memorizing history, but also speaking another language.

I had the opportunity of interviewing a mother in Indianapolis who held this exact opinion. Her three young children all attend the International School, and by the end of graduation, all of them will speak three languages fluently, including Spanish, French and Mandarin Chinese. She pays upwards of $13,000 annually for each of them (that’s almost a Lexus each year) so that her children can experience a learning environment she never had.

The reason the International School works for these kids and all of its students is that starting from Kindergarten, students take math, science, reading (in short, ALL their classes) in a primary foreign language. The youngest child I interviewed was enrolled in Chinese as his language, which his mother chose for him because “The Asian market is where we need to focus,” she said. Granted, his mother said he and his siblings will struggle with English reading and writing for a few years, but around 5th grade, they’re caught up with their counterparts in public schools.

Slowly, they begin to take more classes in English and in middle school, they’ll start taking some in a secondary foreign language. That’s how the school’s graduates turn out trilingual, and how the system works.

Michelle Hu is editor-in-chief for the HiLite. Contact her at mhu@ hilite.org.

wait…There’s More.

To read the rest of Michelle’s column, go online to www.hilite.org

Rebecca Xu / Art

30 perspectives >>

HiLite • January 29, 2010

Lessons learned from ‘Criminal Minds’ relate to real life just sat through a large handful of distorted, gruesome murders and as bad as it sounds, it really didn’t faze me. The gore, the guts, the blood – it didn’t really bother me as it used to. I know I’m not alone here. “CSI,”“Criminal Minds” and shows of that sort are extremely popular today. Setting aside the entertainment and good acting, isn’t it kind of disturbing that we are addicted to shows that revolve around the death of our fellow species?

cassie dugan New Year’s Day you would have found me curled up on the couch, eyes pried open, watching “Criminal Minds” for 13 consecutive hours. Creepy? Maybe. But by the end of my marathon, I found that I wasn’t necessarily scared or freaked out…but more that I had come to a realization.

After having witnessed crime after crime, I realized that I had

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I have always been into these kinds of shows. My original obsession was “Law & Order.” However, when I discovered how much more intense and in-depth “CSI” was, the “Law & Order” crimes just didn’t cut it for me anymore. And then, on that New Year’s Day, I found my new fix. “Criminal Minds” proved to me that it had some of the craziest, most terrifying and flat out weirdest plots I have ever seen, making “CSI” simply pale in comparison. It was like I was an addict, just looking for a higher high each time. That’s when it dawned on me that I

have become almost completely desensitized to the concept of murder in general. And my guess is that my loyal crime-show watchers out there have as well. That’s scary. Way scary.

The repercussions of this, I fear, are that if a psychotic murderer appears in our society and starts committing heinous crimes, to many viewers of these shows, it’s just going to be like “Oh, I’ve already seen this episode.” We’ll sit there and analyze all the little details of the crime, attempting to guess the identity of the felon and hopefully beat Horatio Cane and Gil Grissom to the solution. Our minds won’t be focused on the tragedy the family must be experiencing, where they truly should be. My fear, is that our criminally exposed minds won’t understand what the big deal is because we’ve already gotten a higher high. To us, it’s just a rerun.

Cassie Dugan is a reporter for the HiLite. Contact her at cdugan@hilite.org.

graphic perspective

rosemary boeglin FASHION BLOG “Since the fashion industry is perhaps one of the most extravagant and arguably most frivolous in the world, it’s always refreshing to see designers giving back.”

tim chai

Meredith Boyd / Art

<< perspectives 31

HiLite • January 29, 2010

Outlook on new decade must be one imbued with optimism peaking gas prices, public shootings, national disasters, two wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and a flu epidemic.

So where does that leave us, the generation that has defined and been defined by the past decade?

steven chen We have just left a decade without a definite name to refer back to. In 1963, a New Yorker writer with sure prescience suggested “Twenty oh-oh,”“a nervous name for what is sure to be a nervous year.” One appropriate name for the 2010s was the product of the Australian Web site News.com.au. The winner suggested “One-ders” and received $2,010. Judges said that the moniker’s “bright-eyed optimism” was a welcome change.

The past decade was certainly a tumultuous one. TIME Magazine defined it as the “The Decade from Hell,” facing a Y2K hysteria of the world ending and the 9/11 terrorist attacks within the first two years.

As the world entered the new millennium, people did not know what they would expect, and as the world left the 2000s, people could not have expected all the calamities that the media has reported. Examples include the still lingering “Great Recession,”

The past cannot be changed and the future cannot be predicted. We, however, can manipulate the present as we want. But we must change our mindsets and start with a tabula rasa, or “clean slate” as philosopher John Locke said. The mindset must be filled with optimism and a cautiousness for the present becomes the past and the future becomes the present.

We do not want to make the same mistake we did 10 years ago.

We must learn from them and use them to our advantage.

“As the world entered the new millennium, people did not know what they would expect, and as the world leaves the 2000s, people could not expect all the calamities that the media has exposed.”

The first month has been filled with events that marked the major events of the last decade. They have been strikingly similar yet different in the aspect that we have adapted to cope with them.

A failed Christmas day bomb attempt on a flight to Detroit proved to be a close call and evoked the not-so-distant memory of 9/11.

The earthquake in Haiti serves as a reminder for the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina. However, we can see differences in people’s reactions to them. The American people have taken a faster call to action to aid others in times of need.

Clearly, the negatives of the past decade permeated our lives, and while the positives may be easy to forget, we, as a collective whole, must embrace the future with optimism as our guiding light. The positives yet to come should be wholeheartedly received and the negatives brushed aside.

The decade of 2010 is and will be our generation’s decade – the decade when we go to college, graduate and enter the work force. It will be up to us, then, to define how this decade should be defined or be defined by it as the 2000s have done.

The world did not end on Jan. 1, 2000, and we should certainly not plan for it to end on Dec. 21, 2012, as the Mayans predicted.

Steven Chen is front page editor for the HiLite. Contact him at stevenchen@hilite.org.

Cost of keeping up with Starbucks trend breaks the bank decreasing balance of my bank account that I began to think about the costs of keeping with this trend. All those years of ignoring the price tag had finally caught up to me.

min qiao When I was first introduced to coffee, I was overwhelmed by its rich, smooth aroma, and since then, I have always been coffee’s biggest fan. As a child, I drank it for its crisp and delicate taste and its aromatic scent that could wake me up even before the first sip.

As a teenager, I discovered something even better—Starbucks.

I found myself opting more and more for this new trendy drink as I began to see more and more of that signature green symbol everywhere. Ignoring the price tags, my simple cups of homebrewed coffee were soon replaced by a daily Non-Fat-ExtraFoam-Triple-Shot-Venti-Caramel-Macchiato and routine runs to the nearby Starbucks. It was not until I noticed the exponentially

Supporting my “Starbucks” habit cost about $5 per drink, and given that I average about four cups per week, I racked up over $20 each week. Finally, the straw that broke the camel’s back came when I heard of the news of Starbucks upping their orders for their more complicated drinks. There was just no way I could continue paying higher and higher prices for these fancy drinks, and getting a simple coffee there just didn’t seem worth the trouble.

wallet was looking a lot fatter and I had more money to spend on other things.

Stripped of my reliance on Starbucks, I rekindled my relationship with my coffee-maker. Had I continued to ride the Starbucks wave, I would have never known of the endless possibilities of Columbian, Jamaica, and Brazilian roasts. I wondered how much of my love for Starbucks was for its genuine taste. Unlike the countless other trends that I had tried to keep up with, the Starbucks one was particularly costly as it temporarily robbed me of my love for coffee. While I still give in and splurge on the occasional cappuccinos now and then, this is one trend that I cannot afford to keep up with.

“Ignoring the price tags, my cups of home-brewed coffee were soon replaced by a daily Non-Fat-ExtraFoam-Triple-Shot-VentiCaramel-Macchiato and routine runs to the nearby Starbucks.”

Reluctantly, I broke out the old coffee machine over the break and brewed my first cup of coffee in over a year. I was relieved to find that months of the fancy coffee hadn’t refined my tastes too much. In fact, it was not bad at all. More importantly, my

Min Qiao is special projects editor for the HiLite. Contact him at mqiao@hilite.org.

32 15 minutes of fame >>

HiLite • January 29, 2010

A Perfect 10

Freshman Jala Washington participates in the highest level of competitive gymnastics traditional women’s Gymnastics events The balance beam The beam is a piece of wood 5 meters long and only 10 centimeters wide. Gymnasts move up and down the beam, performing complex flips, jumps and other maneuvers.

The uneven bars The high bar is about 2.5 meters off the ground, and the low bar is about 1.5 meters off the ground. Gymnasts flip, jump, and swing between the two bars, gripping and releasing as they fly through the air.

Floor exercises In floor exercises, a large padded mat is placed on the floor as the only apparatus. Gymnasts perform a choreographed routine of tumbles, jumps and other maneuvers.

The vault Gymnasts start at a run, vault off a springboard and perform maneuvers while leaping over a large padded box (called the vault) that’s 1.2 meters high. Men compete with the vault arranged the long way, while women vault over the shorter side.

by michelle yun myun@hilite.org when did you first start gymnastics?

I’ve been doing gymnastics since I was three years old.

Why gymnastics?

My mom signed me up to maintain my energy level. I was really hyper.

Currently, what levels have you accomplished as a gymnast?

As of right now, I am a level 10 gymnast at Sharp Gymnastics Academy.

List some of your accomplishments.

I’ve won many competitions, and have won many state competitions including state champion, state plaques for state champion and vault regional.

Do you have any upcoming competitions?

My next big competition is in three weeks, in Phoenix, Arizona, and I am looking forward to that a lot.

What do you plan on doing with gymnastics in the future?

pbskids.org / source

I want to get a college scholarship to UCLA for gymnastics by the end of high school. I’m probably not going to do it (gymnastics) forever, but until I am like 25.

How many hours a day do you practice?

I practice 6 days a week for 4 hours everyday.

Are there any particular gymnasts whom you admire?

My biggest inspiration is my teammate and 2008 Olympian Bridget Sloan. I love her ‘cause she’s really down to earth and helps me a lot in the gym.

What advice would you give to any aspiring gymnast?

Some advice that I would give to any aspiring gymnasts would be to just keep at it and give 110% in practice everyday.

To submit nominations for 15 Minutes of Fame, e-mail Afra Hussain at ahussain@hilite.org Kaitlyn Lampe / photo illustrations