11.18 Issue

NOV. 18, 2011 I VOL. 76 I ISSUE 4 CARMEL HIGH SCHOOL I 520 E. MAIN STREET I CARMEL, IN 46032 I WWW.HILITE.ORG

Also in this issue...

Classroom tools get a modern makeover

*Carmel High School’s student newsmagazine

See page 4

THE UNHEARD VOICES

Forty years after 18-year-olds gained the right to vote, students still struggle to become politically active.

Join the conversation.

Follow HiLite online.

PAGE 2 | TABLE OF CONTENTS | HILITE | HILITE.ORG | NOV. 18, 2011

Offbeat

This month has been colloquially referred to as “No-Shave November.” But what exactly is this annual observance?

The term “Movember” is a combination of “moustache” and “November.”

Inside This Issue news

7

Men who participate are called “Mo Bros” while women who participate are called “Mo Sistas.”

The driving force behind the campaign is raising money and awareness for issues in men’s health, in particular prostate cancer.

The movement, which began in Melbourne, Australia, reported a collective 1.1 million registrants by 2010.

So far the movement has raised $174 million by “changing the face of men’s health.”

MOVEMBER.COM / SOURCE MELINDA SONG / GRAPHIC CONNER GORDON / COVER PHOTO

Students protest in local “Occupy Indy” movement outside the Statehouse.

sports

26

cover story

16 8

feature University of California Berkeley study shows naps improve student learning capacity.

Two CHS juniors cycle in order to raise money for local veterans.

Many eligible voters are increasingly unaware of today’s politics despite the 40th anniversary of the 26th amendment.

Also In This Issue Sports editor James Benedict asks Americans to stop working against one another and start working together.

perspectives

28

Acumen editor Dhruti Patel and feature editor Ryan Zukerman debate the future of the American way of life.

Staff asserts classrooms should slowly incorporate technology.

Acumen editor Rachel Boyd encourages the entertainment business to stop recycling ideas and show some creativity.

entertainment

20

Marching band prepares to play in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Corrections and Clarifications In the Oct. 19 news article, “New grading system: no missed assignments,” the quote attributed to Tracy Hadden should have read, “...their grades on quizzes and tests go up, and we have fewer failures than we did before.”

The HiLite strives to correct its errors. If you notice any inaccuracies in this issue or past issues, please do not hesitate to contact management@hilite.org.

15 minutes

32

Senior Nimisha Kumar participates in weaving competitions.

NOV. 18, 2011 | HILITE.ORG | HILITE | JUST A MINUTE | PAGE 3

This Date in Disney History

Inside the Wonderful World of

Tomorrow, House will play “Tangled” at its annual movie night. But here’s everything else you didn’t know about Walt Disney.

Highest Grossing Animated Disney Films Over Time

“Up” $293 million “The Lion King” $422 million

“Toy Story 2” $246 million “Aladdin” $217 million

“WALL-E” $224 million

“The Incredibles” $261 million

“Toy Story 3” $415 million

Today, Mickey Mouse’s official birthday, marks a notable date in the history of the Disney corporation.

1928

“Steamboat Willie,” the first commercially successful animated cartoon to use synchronized sound, debuts in New York City. While the short was being shown, Walt Disney, who supplied all the voices for the characters himself, sat at the rear of the theater to gauge the audience’s reaction. Much to his delight, the cartoon was received with laughter and shown every night for two weeks.

1932

Walt Disney receives an Honorary Award, only the second one awarded in Oscar history at that time, and gold statuette “for the creation of Mickey Mouse” from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.

Mickey Mouse makes his first screen appearance in color in the animated short, “Disney’s Parade of Academy Award Nominees.”

1955

The Mickey Mouse Club airs on ABC-TV.

1978 O

EY M

MICK

USE

In honor of his 50th anniversary, Mickey Mouse becomes the first cartoon character to have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in California.

1988

5,500 impoverished children from across the United States, Canada, Mexico and Japan are treated to a three-day vacation to Disneyland.

1996

Radio Disney is launched at 5:58 a.m. EST with the song “Get Ready for This.”

2003

In Florida, the Magic Kingdom unveils 75 six-foot tall statues of Mickey Mouse in honor of his 75th birthday, while the Disney Channel launches in Japan.

2006

At Epcot’s Innoventions, the five-thousand square foot interactive exhibit, “Too Small to See,” debuts with support from Cornell University and the National Science Foundation. The exhibit highlights objects at the atomic scale and important nanotechnology concepts and is currently on a national tour through U.S. science museums.

THISDAYINDISNEYHISTORY.HOMESTEAD.COM / SOURCE

Up for a Challenge?

“Finding Nemo” $340 million

“Monsters, Inc.” $256 million

*Values have not been adjusted for inflation.

“Cars” $244 million

BOX OFFICE MOJO / SOURCE

On Oct. 2, Rapunzel of “Tangled” was formally recognized as the tenth official Disney princess.

To test your knowledge of Disney-related facts and trivia (such as this one), take an online interactive quiz by scanning this QR code or visiting hilite.org/disneyquiz.

MELINDA SONG / GRAPHIC

PAGE 4 | NEWS | HILITE | HILITE.ORG | NOV. 18, 2011

NEWS

SUBMITNEWS@HILITE.ORG | TWITTER.COM/HILITE_NEWS

Dates to Remember Nov. 22: Fall Recognition Convocation Nov. 24: Thanksgiving Day Dec. 2: GKOM Connections Dec. 5: Pre-break Awareness Week

Did you know?

The breast of a turkey with skin has 194 calories per every 100 grams.

USDA NUTRIENT DATE LABORATORY / SOURCE

Updates on clubs, activities and events in the school.

Teachers adopt new technologies

According to Ling Ding, UNICEF Club vice president and senior, the club plans to go to the International Fair at the Indiana State Fairgrounds from Nov. 17 to 20.

As schools nationwide move to textbook-free curriculum, Carmel tries to keep pace, provide “interactive” learning

The Share the Music Club will have a second performance at the Summer Trace Nursing Home on Nov. 19 at 6:30 p.m.

BY CAITLIN MULLER cmuller@hilite.org

News Briefs

The Aquatic Center will host a Family Fun Night on Nov. 19 from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

The next two House events are Movie Night on Nov. 19 and the Dance Marathon Garage Sale on Nov. 19 and 20. According to speaker of the House Mohammad Issa, proceeds from both events will go to Riley Hospital for Children.

I

magine walking into class each day and instead of your teacher saying, “Get out your textbooks,” he or she says, “Get out your laptops.” This has become reality for the students in grades 5 through 12 in the Munster school district. All math and science classes have replaced their textbooks with computers. The district made an agreement to purchase 2,940 laptops from Dell, an estimated $2.5 million purchase, according to an article

published in the New York Times.

Munster, along with many other school districts in the United States, is making the transition to a textbook-free curriculum. With new technological advances already adopted, and propositions for the near future, Carmel is not far behind these schools.

Science teacher Virginia Kundrat said she has implemented new technologies in her classroom. She said these new additions have helped the students become more “interactive.”

“I have a new quiz system in which CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE my students will see a question on

Sponsor Jana Cosler said Best Buddies plans to host a bowling night at Woodland Bowl on Nov. 19.

DECA members are currently preparing for Santa’s Secret Shop, which will take place from Nov. 28 to Dec. 7. According to DECA sponsor Janice Brown, both DECA members and all marketing class students are preparing for this event.

DIY Holiday Gifts, an event that lets teens make their own gifts for family and friends using origami, calligraphy and more, will be on Nov. 30 from anytime after school to 5 p.m. in the program room of the Carmel Clay Public Library.

Ambassadors and Accents are continuing to prepare for “Holiday Spectacular”, the biggest show for the choral department. It begins on Nov. 30 in the Dale E. Graham Auditorium.

The holiday party for Spanish Club is scheduled to take place on Dec. 6, according to sponsor Kay Vazquez.

Members will enjoy Hispanic foods while watching “Elf” with Spanish subtitles.

The orchestra is currently preparing for its winter concert and for a recording According to associate orchestra director James Woomert, the winter concert will be held Dec. 8.

OMEED MALEKMARZBAN / PHOTO

CLICK IT: Sophomore Eli Carlson takes an electronic quiz with the rest of his honors chemistry class; pointing his remote to a sensor at the front of the room. Some of the science department classes at Carmel High School have recently started integrating electronic tests and quizzes into the classroom.

NOV. 18, 2011 | HILITE.ORG | HILITE | NEWS | PAGE 5 the board, and they each have a remote. They answer the questions using the remotes, and once my students have given the answer, it will show if the response is right or not,” Kundrat said.

According to Kundrat, there has been a positive reaction from the students to the new technology. Sophomore Delaney Brinson, a student of Kundrat, said, “I actually prefer the remote system to regular quizzes. I think this system has in fact helped my overall grade because it’s a lot easier to use. With the remotes, everyone has to become more involved and pay attention.”

Along with the “remote quizzes,” Kundrat said she assigns her classes online homework and quizzes. She said these changes have not had as positive of feedback.

Brinson said, “I’m on the fence about the online quizzes.

They are usually easier because you are limited with the types of questions you can have, but some of the questions are timed so if you don’t know the answer right away you have a limited time to figure it out.”

Kundrat is not the only teacher who has added technology to her lessons. This year, the math department adopted the new ‘TI-Nspire CX’ graphing calculators. Like her students, math teacher Angela Bailey was introduced to the calculators this year. “The decision was made to get the new calculators because they help with the discovery process. It’s an easy way to guess and check. We’ve also been moving more towards technologies, so it was a way to embed technology into the classroom and make it a little bit more interactive,” Bailey said.

The new technologies have brought a lot of new learning CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

OMEED MALEKMARZBAN / PHOTO

REMOTE CONTROL: Students take a quiz in Virginia Kundrat’s honors chemistry class. The new quiz system displays a question on a screen for the students to answer using a remote.

skills into the classrooms; however, there are still some areas that could be improved. According to Kundrat, there are still glitches with the online homework and quizzes.

“Students cannot go back and check their answers, which is a problem,” Kundrat said. “You can’t go back and change your answer like in a typical test.”

The calculators have also been somewhat problematic for a few students.

“A lot of kids are overwhelmed because there are lots of buttons on them, and we are not used to graphing calculators,” Bailey said. Nevertheless, according to Bailey, once students get used to the calculators, they can be a lot of fun.

“We can use them for a lot of cool new things,” Bailey said.

Similar to Kundrat and Bailey, Brinson said she has a positive outlook on the school’s steps to improve technology usage.

“I think the school should continue to incorporate technology into the classrooms because it gives us a lot of different and unique ways to do otherwise boring school work. A lot of students tend to have more fun in classes when electronics are involved in some way,” Brinson said.

However, as far as switching out textbooks for laptops, Bailey said, “I think with our classes, how we have them right now, that would be too much change. If we are going to incorporate laptops into the curriculum, it needs to be transitioned slowly. Or else, it would completely overwhelm you guys. But it is definitely a direction we could be heading in the future.”

To read the staff editorial on new technology in schools, go to page 28.

New policy changes lockdown procedures

BY ROCHELLE BRUAL AND ERIC HE rbrual@hilite.org and ehe@hilite.org For senior Jack Andrews, the old security policy of this school was ineffective. That old plan mandated a lockdown procedure that required teachers to simply close and lock their doors, in the event of an emergency. With the school’s administration implementing a new security policy regarding the violent-intruder protocol response this year, Andrew’s opinion may change.

“I do agree that (the) lock down procedure wasn’t very effective. It didn’t seem very effective. We never had to really use it,” Andrews said.

According to Sergeant Phillip Hobson, the school resource officer here, the changes to the policy allow students and teachers to make decisions based on what situation they are in. “(The policy) changes what staff and students are allowed to do before the police get there. Specifically speaking if there’s a person in an area committing acts of violence, we want everyone to know that they are empowered with choices.

They are allowed to make choices based on what is happening to them as opposed to me saying ‘lockdown, stay where you are’,” Hobson said.

According to Assistant Principal Amy Skeens-Benton, the school’s new security policy is all about survivability. Through the PA system, administrators will ensure that students and teachers know why the lockdown is occurring, who it affects and any other information. Once they had this information,

students and teachers can make decisions. If a violent intruder compliance with state and federal security guidelines. storms into a classroom, students now have permission to Skeens-Benton said she believes that the changes to the defend themselves or flee rather than ducking in the corner. security policies will be a good way to boost safety for students.

“Unfortunately, most people focus in on only (the attacking “Our number one job is to keep all of you safe,” Skeensintruders) portion,” Skeens-Benton said. “The theme, or the Benton said. “Hopefully this mind-set change will make a big mind-set, is that you have options.” difference. Just like a plane is not going to be taken over with a Skeens-Benton said sitting in a locked classroom box cutter anymore, a school is not going to be taken over by when a violent intruder is on the loose is the worst a lone violent person.” possible decision, but this was the accepted and appropriate response for American schools after the Columbine massacre, a 1999 incident in which two young men killed 13 people at Columbine High Old policy School. Skeens-Benton said times New policy have changed, and police will no Administrator School employees longer wait around the perimeter. announces that the now provide any “Maybe its two minutes or school is now in pertinent info maybe its five minutes, in that time lockdown surrounding period a lot of things can happen in that time to keep you safe, Hobson lockdown said. “What we’re addressing is Teachers turn what you do before (police) get off lights in the Teachers and there to help yourself.” classroom, lock the students work Hobson and Skeens-Benton doors and duck in the together to attended the 2011 National corner with students decide on the Association of School Resource course of action Officers Conference, which gave PHILLIP HOBSON AND AMY SKEENS-BENTON / SOURCE them the idea to switch the school’s ANDY YANG AND TONY TAN / GRAPHIC security policy to be more in

Comparing the policies

PAGE 6 | NEWS | HILITE | HILITE.ORG | NOV. 18, 2011

Cheating on SAT raises issues CHS plans changes in general cheating policy for next year in response

Cheaters, on average, have a 3.41 GPA. Non-cheaters average at 2.85.

BY ARUNI RANAWEERA aranaweera@hilite.org

L

ate last September, news broke of a major SAT cheating incident in Long Island, to percent NY. The incident involved a college of college students Those who cheat student taking the SAT for several high admit to having school students in exchange for fees varying in school are cheated while in from one to two thousand dollars. The scandal high school. times more likely attracted major media attention nationwide and to cheat in their resulted in the arrests of several of the students. relationships than Over For CHS students taking the SAT, cheating those who do not. percent of high is a factor that the school has little control over schoolers have in terms of discipline. However, the College shared answers Board, the company which administers the with others on standardized test, still has the authority to assignments. discipline cheating test takers.

Assistant Principal John Newton said, “If (students) got caught cheating on the SAT, More than they’d get kicked out and lose their money. It percent of teens wouldn’t affect (CHS policy) unless there were have cheated some other things that went on.”

The College Board has very specific and using their cell strict rules on cheating that are repeated by phones. the proctor several times to students before the test is administered. Some of these policies include the ban of mobile phones and certain percent have calculators. Due to the recent incident in Long cheated in some Island, however, the College Board indicated form involving the its rules may become even stricter. internet. percent of According to The New York Times, the College Board has hired a former FBI agent cheating high school to revamp its security and cheating policies. students said they Future changes to the test may include have not been caught.

Cheating occurs requiring students to take a digital photograph most often in at the testing center to confirm identities. percent do not Junior Chandler Waugh said that while she science and math believe that cheating disapproves of cheating, she believes the SAT’s courses. is wrong. potential new policies are excessive.

“Most kids who take the SAT don’t cheat and don’t hire people to take it for them,” Waugh said.

COMMON SENSE MEDIA, ONLINE EDUCATION DATABASE, JOSEPHSON INSTITUTE, “Having to (have high security) with everyone is EDUCATIONAL TESTING SERVICE, CAVEON.ORG / SOURCE just unnecessary. It’s such a rare occasion that it LIANE YUE / GRAPHIC doesn’t warrant the extra effort.”

According to Newton, an arrest, as in the Long Island incident, is not something a student would typically face for cheating on the SAT. In the Long Island incident, the said. “Most teachers would give them a zero, and that’s where college student had used false IDs to impersonate the high year. Waugh said she did not allow the classmate to do so and they would be.” school students. The students, therefore, were arrested on feels very strongly about cheating.

The policy for cheating next year, however, will involve the charges of fraud, not cheating.

“Cheating gives other people an unfair advantage over suspension of students who cheat while allowing them to reNewton said that using a false ID on the SAT at CHS would other people,” Waugh said. “You haven’t done the work, so take the tests they cheated on with no grade penalty. result in a punishment, but something less severe. (cheating) doesn’t give an honest measure of how much you “You’re going to get a discipline for cheating, but then you “If you made a fake ID, that’s giving false information,” know, which is not fair.” get a chance to take the test,” Newton said. “We still want to Newton said. “If you were cheating and you made a false ID, According to Newton, the current cheating discipline know what you know, and we don’t want to impact your grade. now we can give you (a punishment) for the false ID…and policy will most likely change for next year to further You might be suspended, but you still get to take the test.” that would be some form of a suspension.” prevent cheating.

Waugh said she thinks the tentative policy concerning While cheating on the SAT is something the school Currently, the school-wide discipline for cheating on cheating for next year will be much has very little control over, cheating on other school tests is tests varies, but it usually results in a grade of zero percent stricter. something that the school can discipline students for. on that test.

“With a zero (as a penalty) you have Waugh said she had an experience with cheating when a “If (students) were cheating on the test, as it stands now, the CONTINUED more of a chance of making (your grade) classmate tried to cheat off of her test in chemistry class last department would determine what would happen,” Newton ON NEXT PAGE

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2.5

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35

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NOV. 18, 2011 | HILITE.ORG | HILITE | NEWS | PAGE 7

We still want to know what you know and we don’t want to impact your grade. You might get suspended, but you still get to take the test.

John Newton

Assistant Principal

up, versus a suspension which goes on your permanent record, and when you apply for colleges, all colleges see it,” Waugh said.

Although some people might consider the new policy strict, Newton said the high temptations students face to excel require the aforementioned cheating policy to remain strong.

“It’s tougher to get into schools now, and students want the highest grades and test scores that they can possibly get, and I CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

think that there’s a big push,” Newton said.

Despite the temptation to cheat, Newton said students should maintain their morals when it comes to cheating on tests, especially on a major test like the SAT which can be a large factor in acceptance to colleges.

“I think cheating is stealing. It’s getting into schools when (students) didn’t earn the right to. It’s just kind of a morality thing, it’s just something you shouldn’t do,” Newton said.

“If you’re going to go to school, go on your own merit. Not because you cheated to get in.”

CHS students participate in ‘Occupy Indy’ movement

BY TIM KLEIN AND GRAYSON HARBOUR tklein@hilite.org and gharbour@hilite.org As the economy remains stagnant, more and more people in America have become frustrated with the government’s response to the problem. Recently, this frustration manifested itself by the Occupy Wall Street protests in New York City, which then incited similar protests in cities across the nation. These protests have grown in publicity and support over the past couple of months, and some students at this school joined the local protest, Occupy Indianapolis.

The Occupy Indianapolis movement primarily organizes rallies and marches, but there is a small contingent that has stayed in front of the statehouse 24 hours a day. One of these protesters, James Kerner, said he has decided that enough is enough.

Kerner said, “We are the 99 percent. There are four banks running the show, and all of the courts have failed us.”

The group outside the statehouse is allowed to protest as long as they abide by certain rules. They cannot stake anything into the ground and cannot have any permanent shelter on the statehouse grounds or sleep on the lawn. “(This cause) is important,” Kerner said. “We are fighting for the younger generation. If my generation doesn’t do it, who will?”

Despite the initial momentum of the Occupy protests and the passion of people like Kerner, U.S. history teacher William Ellery said the protests would not last very long.

“They’ll run their course because they have no platform,” he said. “This isn’t ‘pass this law,’ or ‘pass this specific issue.’”

The protest itself is modeled after the Arab Spring movement in Egypt, but protesters like Kerner gave vague answers as to their purpose.

Kerner said, “The money is moving one way. If you look around downtown, you will notice that the Chase Tower is the tallest building. They look down on us. The banks control everything.”

Perhaps as a result of that lack of clarity, after the initial protest on Oct. 8, the size of the Occupy Indianapolis movement dwindled. The small contingent of protestors that remain outside the state house number fewer than 10.

On Oct. 8, senior Denise Funk participated in the initial Occupy Indianapolis rally. Hundreds of people marched across downtown, ending in front of the Statehouse where they chanted, urging lawmakers to enact change. Before the march, Funk painted signs in her garage.

“We want to be heard. We no longer want the government to be controlled by banks and corporations,” Funk said.

Occupy Indianapolis protestors, like Kerner said that CHS

students should be informed of their movement and its goals.

“Those are some smart kids up at Carmel. They need to know we are here. They could help,” Kerner said.

Ellery said he agrees that students should be informed about the protests. According to Ellery, the students have a voice and they need to realize that some of these issues apply to them. There are general assemblies every night at 7 in front of the Statehouse, in which protestors can make a proposal as to what they want accomplished.

According to Ellery, there have been protests that are similar to the Occupy movement in the past. He said that the environmentalist protests in the ‘60s and ‘70s are similar to what is taking place now.

Ellery stated that the difference between the Occupy protests and those was a stated and publicized platform.

Ellery said, “It is hard to tell how long these (Occupy) protests will continue without a platform.”

We are opening a dialogue for the education and empowerment of the populace about the socioeconomic injustices which permeate our society...We are here in solidarity with the Global Occupy Movement. We are here to reclaim our Voice...We are Occupy Indianapolis.

Occupy Indy’s statement occupyindy.blogspot.com

GRAYSON HARBOUR / PHOTO

WE ARE THE 99 PERCENT: Protestors for the Occupy Indianapolis movement gather near downtown Indianapolis. Inspired by the Occupy Wall Street movement, the first Occupy Indianapolis rally took place on Oct. 8.

PAGE 8 | FEATURE | HILITE | HILITE.ORG | NOV. 18, 2011

FEATURE Pedicure before Preschool Did you know?

A quarter of a million teenagers in the United States underwent cosmetic surgery in 2010.

SUBMITFEATURE@HILITE.ORG | TWITTER.COM/HILITE_NEWS

PSYCHOLOGY TODAY / SOURCE

Go Online To read more about teen beauty trends, visit us online at hilite.org.

The media is the main culprit behind the purchase of cosmetics by younger consumers in the National American Miss Teen 2011 competition over Thanksgiving Break, said can take hours for pageant girls to prepare for.

“Hair and makeup takes one hour if you’re fast,” ook this way, Camera 3 is this way,” Megan Knauer, Knauer said. “They clear off your face completely with no National American Miss Indiana Teen 2011 makeup, and then they airbrush everything on.” and senior, says as she narrates a beauty pageant This beauty procedure reflects a typical method that catwalk. “Turn around this way, don’t fall. Suck in.” cosmetics companies might use on their models to advertise She takes a deep breath, imitating what contestants might their products. However, this depiction of a “perfect face” do if they want to appear thinner. might be having quite an impact on America’s youth, Although the Teen USA beauty pageant grades on specifically the younger teenage girls. personality and poise, a large part of the critique is also According to the NPD Group, a market-research based upon appearance, which Knauer, who will compete company, in 2005 girls began using beauty products at the age of 17. A similar survey conducted in 2009 showed that the average age had decreased to 13. Today, 43 percent of 6- to 9-year-olds already use lip gloss, while 38 percent use hairstyling products, according to the market-research firm Experian.

Kelly Lohrman, an esthetician who does waxes, facials and makeup at Carmel’s Salon01, said she has seen an increase in the number of girls “as young as eighth grade and up” who come in to get various cosmetic procedures done.

“I am starting to see more younger girls trying to be preventative of their skin care, so rather than having a lot of breakouts, they are coming in and having facials done,” she said, adding that those procedures have a substantial price. “It’s $45 for the teen facial,” she said. Lohrman said she believes it is the social setting that influences these girls to try methods that may have seemed unorthodox in past decades.

“When I grew up, none of my friends got waxed until we were all probably in college,” Lohrman said.

“We never had our brows waxed, we never had our legs waxed, and I’m starting to see that more with younger girls. I think the big thing is having the social network so available, like Facebook, like Myspace, because pictures are everywhere now. Your faces can be plastered all over the place now, and that’s probably one of the biggest things, because girls always want to look their best because society is MEGAN KNAUER / SUBMITTED PHOTO telling them that they have to, and CROWNED QUEEN: Senior Megan Knauer is crowned Miss Indiana. Knauer that’s not necessarily true.” said she believes that media advertisements tempt teens to purchase cosmetic Knauer also said she believes

BY ADELE ZHOU azhou@hilite.org

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products at an earlier age.

technology plays a large role in influencing younger girls “especially in middle school” to try more and more cosmetics.

“I feel like, especially with technology and imaging and stuff, the more technology we keep getting, the more we’re trying to be perfect,” Knauer said. “Because we have this technology to make us look perfect, the more it’s affecting how early these kids are like ‘Oh my gosh, makeup’ at like 4 years old.”

Adolescents are especially vulnerable to this strong media impact of what is attractive and what is not because

I feel like, especially with technology and imaging and stuff, the more technology we keep getting, the more we’re trying to be perfect. Because we have this technology to make us look perfect, the more it’s affecting how early these kids are like ‘Oh my gosh, makeup’ at like four years old.

Megan Knauer

Miss Indiana Teen 2011 and senior

of their age, an age in which many people struggle to define themselves, according to Maggie Rossman, a graduate student who teaches a class on advertising and consumer culture at Indiana University.

However, although it may seem like the age for cosmetic popularity may be getting lower and lower, Rossman said young people may be more critical than they seem.

“In some of my research, I have noticed that many tweens and teens are more aware of the negative impact of some of these images,” Rossman said. “That is, they both participate in the culture, but are also able to critique it. With the proper awareness and discourse, these ads can lose some of their effect. The key is teaching young women that you don’t have to be like an ideal.”

“I know (people have) edited (the CONTINUED photographs),” Knauer said about ON NEXT PAGE

NOV. 18, 2011 | HILITE.ORG | HILITE | FEATURE | PAGE 9 pictures of previous pageant winners. “In the morning (at beauty pageants), we have roommates and we see each other without makeup, and then they put on their makeup. You don’t even recognize them.”

Knauer said even though she is well aware of the grueling makeup procedure that models endure to be presentable in an advertisement, she still occasionally finds herself tempted to be like them.

“Sometimes it’s hard (when you look in a magazine),” Knauer said. “You have to fight that urge to always be perfect. To see that girl’s hair and be like, ‘I want my hair like that.’ But you have to know that the reality of that is, they’re just models, and people are doing their hair and makeup. They’re not doing it themselves. It’s not realistic.”

Are we becoming a ‘Diva Generation?’

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

“This or that”

TASK

THIS

THAT

Hair Removal

99 cent razor

Laser hair removal

Haircuts

Mom trimming your bangs

$50 haircuts

Hair Treatments

Sun exposure Winter cooldown

$150 highlights Lowlights

Nails

Self-manicure

Salon manicure

Face

Store-bought facial cleansers

Compare the potential prices of cosmetic procedures that the media is ushering into the new generation of adolescent females.

NEWSWEEK / SOURCE CONNIE CHU / GRAPHIC

Salon facials

A report by Newsweek tracked the money spent by the average American female in a lifetime on cosmetics. Here are the results: Hair: $1,260

Hair: $15,761

Face: $3,900

Face: $32,684

Body: $0

Tweens $5,160 Hair: $21,840

Hair: $23,640

Teens/20s $59,031

Face: $108,660

Body: $10,586

30s/40s $150,120

Body: $17,820

Total lifetime costs: Face: $169,274

50s Plus $207,480

Body: $16,366

According to a study by Experian, 43 percent of 6- to 9-year-olds are already using lipstick or lip gloss.

$449,127 which is enough to purchase...

• • •

more than 22,000 iPod Touches almost 200,000 normal school lunches about 15 new cars (on average) NEWSWEEK, THE NEW YORK TIMES AND APPLE / SOURCE CONNIE CHU AND TONY TAN / GRAPHIC

38 percent of the same age group use hairstyling products.

12 percent of the same age group use other cosmetics.

PAGE 10 | FEATURE | HILITE | HILITE.ORG | NOV. 18, 2011

Though study shows naps boost learning capacity, doctors disagree night time sleep. However, a nap should not take the place of otherwise good sleep habits.”

Patterson, nevertheless, said that she has experienced the beneficial effects of her afternoon naps first-hand.

SHEEN ZHENG / PHOTO

BY CLAUDIA HUANG chuang@hilite.org

A

s a busy high school student juggling academics and extracurricular activities, sophomore Esme Patterson said she has difficulty finding time to get a sufficient amount of sleep at night.

As a result of her hectic lifestyle, she said she has acquired a habit of taking naps after school.

“I take naps after school because on a typical daily basis, I’m never in bed by midnight,” she said. “Usually I’m in my bed, going to sleep at one (a.m.). But often, it’s much later.”

While some may look down upon Patterson’s habits, researchers at University of California, Berkeley discovered in 2010 that naps may, in fact, increase the brain’s learning capacity and ability to memorize facts.

Deborah Givan, professor of clinical pediatrics at Indiana University School of Medicine who specializes in pediatric sleep disorders, said via email that she is sure that the study is accurate. But, despite these results, she still does not recommend that students take afternoon naps.

“I don’t think that the question is really whether anyone (high school students especially) should take naps, but whether they should make more of an effort to obtain an adequate amount of sleep. The average person gets only seven hours of sleep a night whereas, before electricity

use became common, the average person received eight to nine hours of sleep per night,” she said. “The difference is not because we have evolved to need more sleep. The answer is that we are all sleep-deprived, except for the preschool and elementary school child who are the best sleepers. If you have to wake up with an alarm, you are not getting enough sleep.”

Shalini Manchanda, associate professor of clinical medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine who specializes in sleep medicine, said via email that she shares the same opinion as Givan. She also emphasized the idea of getting enough sleep at night, even if naps enhance memory.

She said, “Based on the current evidence, it is likely that a nap will consolidate memory in the face of adequate

If you have to wake up with an alarm, you are not getting enough sleep.

Deborah Givan

Professor of clinical pediatrics at Indiana University School of Medicine

“Sometimes if I’ve been up until 3 a.m. the night before, by the time I get home and I’m trying to read my textbook, I can’t focus on it, and I can’t make sense of the words,” she said. “I will read it over and over again, and it won’t make any sense. So I’ll take a nap, maybe for only 20 minutes, but when I wake up, my focus is back up to where I can read again.”

However, Patterson said these naps are only a temporary solution, and they have actually intensified her sleep problems over time.

“I can’t focus on my homework unless I take a nap. But because I take a nap, I have to stay up later to finish my homework. It’s kind of like a vicious cycle,” she said.

Givan said students like Patterson could possibly have “developed delayed sleep phase syndrome.” “(Delayed sleep phase syndrome) causes a shift in the circadian pattern of wakefulness/sleep so that your body clock gradually moves to California time, and you don’t,” she said. “Taking a nap during the afternoon would decrease the sleep debt, but would actually shift the bedtime to even later, further aggravating this problem.”

Patterson said her naps sometimes have unintended consequences. If she is careless, she ends up sleeping too long.

“I set an alarm on my phone, and I tell my mom or someone that I am texting, ‘Just make sure I get up. Text me, call me, whatever it takes,’” she said. “But, sometimes on Friday nights, I’ll come home, meaning to take an hour or two hour nap, and I’ll wake up and it’s, like, four in the morning.”

Sophomore David Zakrajsek said he takes a different approach to sleeping than Patterson. Unfortunately for his teachers and academic success, Zakrajsek said he frequently takes naps during class to catch up on his sleep. But like Patterson, Zakrajsek said he is unable to sleep for a satisfactory amount of time at night.

“I sleep in class because of late nights. My bedtime varies from 11 (p.m.) to 1 (a.m.), so I kind of get tired.

Early mornings are a factor as well. School just starts too early for me.”

Givan said she agrees with Zakrajsek’s suggestion that school’s beginning time has exacerbated his sleep problems.

“Early school start times aggravate the problem,” Givan said. “There is a discrepancy between the body clock and your social clock.”

Like Patterson, Zakrajsek said he has found both positive and negative impacts from taking naps in school.

“I feel like a benefit of taking naps is that I can remember things more after I take the nap and my brain gets time to rest,” Zakrajsek said. “But I probably do worse in school because I miss notes during class and I get behind in class work.”

Regardless of the doctors’ advice, both Zakrajsek and Patterson said they would advocate other students to take afternoon naps to help them study in the short term.

“I recommend others who stay up late to nap because otherwise, when you’re tired, your quality of work is diminished,” Patterson said. “So by taking a little bit of a nap, it’s just a little bit of a boost that can help you.”

PAGE 12 | FEATURE | HILITE | HILITE.ORG | NOV. 18, 2011

Returning college students change family dynamic during holidays

BY ERIC HE ehe@hilite.org

W

hen sophomore Ben Gormley’s sister Emma returns home this year from the University of Chicago, she will find that her family’s holiday traditions will be just as she left them.

“I’ve had more time to myself, but since she comes home during the major holidays, our holidays and traditions do not change very much; however, ever since my sister went to college, I haven’t been able to see her as much, and we are not as close as we used to be,” Gormley said.

Gormley and his family are not alone. During holidays in which they are given breaks, many college students have the choice of returning home to spend time with their families or celebrating by themselves. Their choice directly affects the family dynamic at home and whether or not family traditions are altered.

According to DeAnn Shrewsbury, family consumer science teacher, college students who do not return home during the holidays do not have a major effect on a family’s traditions and can actually have a positive effect. “(Family members at home) just have to make adjustments based on what they used to do. There’s an empty place, whether it’s at the dinner table or around the tree,” Shrewsbury said. “There will be an emptiness there that can actually pull the parents and siblings who are left at home closer together.”

For Gormley and his family, however, this is not a problem. Gormley said his sister, who will be coming home this Thanksgiving, frequently returns home, allowing for the family to bond as a whole and keep traditions the same.

“I don’t think our holiday traditions have changed much. I think some of the traditions are things that (Emma) looks forward to when she comes home. Her school schedule is on a quarter system, so most times

I’ve had more time to myself, but since (my sister) comes home during the major holidays, our holidays and traditions do not change very much; however, ever since my sister went to college, I haven’t been able to see her as much, and we are not as close as we used to be.

Ben Gormley Sophomore

she gets home early during breaks like the holidays,” Gormley’s mother Sara said.

Many times when siblings return home after long absences, they find that the family dynamic has changed in their absence. Parents and siblings can see changes in the college students as well as treat them differently.

Shrewsbury said, “(College students) become more independent and feel like they need their parents less than before. Parents have a hard time adjusting to that.

They don’t have to ask for permission to do things and it’s very hard to come back into the family situation, where parents still think of them as somebody who has to ask for permission.”

Sara said that she understands her daughter’s change in terms of independence but still realizes that her daughter misses the routine and comfort of their home.

However, even without the college sibling at home, the dynamic between the family members left at home is altered, allowing sometimes for closer bonding between those still at home.

Gormley said, “After she moved out, it was basically just me and my mom then. We were able to get closer because of that.”

Shrewsbury said that the family dynamic can be negatively affected.

“A lot of the time the parents get closer together when the child leaves because they miss the child.

Other times they get pulled apart because the mother finds activities to occupy her time while the father is gets more focused on his job.”

Gormley said his sister’s absence can be both a positive and negative experience.

“I like when she comes home because I get to see her again after her being away for a long time, but when she’s gone. I feel like I have more freedom, time and space to myself,” he said.

Shrewsbury said that cases such as Gormley’s are very common. “(The feelings) depend on the relationship they had beforehand. If they were closer to that brother or sister, they can feel a void and emptiness and miss them. A lot of times my own kids talk about how important their older brothers and sisters are in helping them with problems because they talk to them rather than their parents,” she said. “Some of the younger siblings left behind like it, particularly if they are a middle child. They then become ‘older’ and a leader of the other siblings.”

Overall, Gormley and his mother said they agree that his sister coming home is a special occasion.

“We’re all much nicer to each other when she comes home because of the fact that we haven’t seen each other for a long time,” he said.

“The (child) who goes away to college, once he or she gets used to the college routine, usually finds that they like being out on their own,” Shrewsbury said. “But (families should) just remember that it’s going to take adjustment on everyone’s part, probably mostly from the family at home.”

Your personal guide to holiday travel Nights Away from Home 8+ Nights

4-7 Nights

1-3 Nights

No Nights

By the Numbers

Half of all travelers around Thanksgiving are traveling to visit family and relatives

One in five people traveling for Christmas and New Years is under the age of 25.

One in three people traveling for Thanksgiving is under the age of 25.

BUREAU OF TRANSPORTATION / SOURCE RYAN ZUKERMAN / GRAPHICS

NOV. 18, 2011 | HILITE.ORG | HILITE | STUDENT SECTION | PAGE 15

STUDENT SECTION Unlock Key Club’s Twitter

What is the ‘Student Section?’

It is a section that finds stories from the student body. For more information, scan this QR code.

STUDENTSECTION@HILITE.ORG | TWITTER.COM/HILITE_NEWS

Key Club president and senior Kern Vohra updates Key Club members through Twitter The Face Behind the Tweets Each issue, we’ll highlight a particularly newsworthy Tweeter from Carmel High School.

This Issue’s Twitter account: @CarmelKeyClub

Who runs it: Kern Vohra, Key Club president and senior.

Followers: 144

What it is: All the Key Club updates, reminders and volunteer opportunity information. Follow the Twitter page and receive 30 group minutes.

Describe yourself in 140 characters: Foodie. Social network connoisseur. I am not a hipster. Chipotle is better than Qdoba. Similar to @bigshotbruns. Distinguishing myself daily.

Meeting this Thursday in freshman cafeteria!!!

06 Nov.

BY LINSU HAN lhan@hilite.org Facebook or Twitter? Why?

(Twitter), definitely, for updating statuses. But as a whole, I’d say I use Facebook more just because a lot more people are on it. And it’s a lot more mainstream and useful for contacting people.

check your emails for Falcon Fest assignments!!!

03 Nov.

Why did you start the Key Club Twitter ?

This is something we instituted this year to send quick updates to people, and it’s been relatively useful, but a lot of our stuff still has to go through email and Facebook because it won’t fit into 140 characters.

What do you like about Twitter? new twitter picture #CKC 03 Nov.

...if you put your name down outside the space, you are “on deck” for that event.

03 Nov.

if you signed up for an event, but not in the little boxes: you are backup for the event! the spaces are for the volunteers...

03 Nov. Just sent out a mass email. If you didn’t receive it, you’re not in the email group!!!

Please email us if u did not receive the update!

02 Nov. Just got the deets for the 5K so PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAILS! 27 Oct. SARAH YUN / PHOTO ILLUSTRATION

Definitely the fact that it’s really quick to update something. It’s immediately there just because a lot of people send their tweets to their phone.

What do you dislike about Twitter?

The big disadvantage I feel is that, since you only have around 140 characters, you can’t say what you want to say all the time, because it really restricts you there.

This is something we instituted this year to send quick updates to people, and it’s been relatively useful, but a lot of our stuff still has to go through email and Facebook because it won’t fit into 140 characters.

Do you use Twitter more often on a mobile device or on a computer?

Kern Vohra

Key Club president and senior

I use a little of both. It kind of depends on what I’m doing. If I’m at home at my desk, I’ll probably be using my computer just because it’ll be easier to access. If I’m on the go, I’ll think of something I want to say and just text it in.

Why did you decide to join Twitter?

At first I just wanted to see what all the hype was about because I heard so many good things, but I also heard a lot of people kind of denouncing it as something stupid and unnecessary.

When did you first start tweeting?

I first made a Twitter beginning of junior year-ish, but I didn’t really use it until around second semester junior year.

PAGE 16 | COVER STORY | HILITE | HILITE.ORG | NOV. 18, 2011

CONNER G

GORDON / PHOTO

NOV. 18, 2011 | HILITE.ORG | HILITE | COVER STORY | PAGE 17

A Vote for

Political Awareness

Although this year marks the 40th anniversary of the 26th Amendment, which enfranchises 18-year-old citizens, many new voters are still not in tune with politics and choose not to vote

BY DAVID CHOE dchoe@hilite.org

S

enior Nicholas Muller is 18. With those two digits, the doors to a whole new world of privileges open up to him—including the right to vote. But just 40 years ago, 18-year-olds like Muller did not have that opportunity. It was not until July 1, 1971, when President Richard Nixon signed a single but significant document, that suffrage was granted 18-year-old citizens in the United States. It was the 26th Amendment, the next to last amendment added to the Constitution. Now, 40 years later, in a world of Facebook and iPhones, Muller said he plans to take advantage of this right by voting in the upcoming 2012 election.

“I feel that it’s part of one’s civic duty to vote,” Muller said.

“It’s important to stay active in politics. Basically, (voting’s) an important part of participating in a democracy because if no one did it, there wouldn’t be a democracy. And it’s fun. It’s interesting.”

Although Muller said he plans to use his 40-yearold right to vote, his age demographic group of 18- to 29-year-olds has the lowest voting turnout rate out of all other eligible age groups. According to a turnout estimate of the midterm elections in 2010 by the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE), an organization that collects data on the political involvement of young Americans, only 24 percent of all eligible young people from ages 18 to 29 voted—the lowest turnout percentage.

According to AP Government teacher James Ziegler, one of the main reasons for this inadequate interest by young people is the lack of knowledge about the issues at hand.

“Naturally, the more knowledgeable you are on a topic, the more likely you are to participate or partake in it,” Ziegler said. “The same thing is true with voting as well, I think. If you (have) more issues that you understand, the more likely you are to vote. Because why don’t people vote? A lot of people don’t vote because they don’t know the difference between the candidates or between the issues.”

Ziegler, however, said he believes more students at this school will vote than 18-year-olds in other areas, mainly due to factors such as socioeconomic status and education.

“A correlation in voting trends is that a lot of times the more educated you are, the more likely it is that that individual’s going to vote,” Ziegler said. “And so socioeconomic status, which combines education along with occupation and wealth and things like that, is also an indicator of likelihood of somebody to vote. Since Carmel is a little bit of a wealthy area, and it is also a very good school academically, I think 18-year-olds from Carmel High School are probably a little more likely to vote than maybe 18-year-olds from an inner city school that’s struggling to get by that doesn’t have necessarily a strong vote CONTINUED program in place.”

ON NEXT PAGE

PAGE 18 | COVER STORY | HILITE | HILITE.ORG | NOV. 18, 2011

CONNER GORDON / PHOTOS

VOICE THROUGH VOTING: Senior Nicholas Muller (above) peruses a book about political science. Senior Daniel Eads (right) reads an article on politics in a magazine. Muller and Eads, who stay in touch with recent news and politics, say they plan on using their votes in the 2012 presidential and Congressional elections.

According to Muller, whether 18-year-old students will vote or have interest in politics varies depending on the student. Muller, who takes AP Government, also said Carmel High School’s social studies programs guided him, in part, to begin an interest in politics.

“I feel like a lot of people who are taking social studies classes are more active and interested (in politics) than others,” Muller said. “I feel like a lot of the social studies teachers in Carmel are really good at keeping students interested in politics.”

According to Muller, historical and political discussions in his AP U.S. History class last year and AP Government class this year have influenced his political interest. Muller also said he cites the significance of the 26th Amendment and the lowering of the age limit as factors in voting.

“With the knowledge that I will be able to vote just in the next year’s election, it gives more incentive to actually stay interested and informed,” Muller said, “because if I could only vote if I was 21 like it was before (the 26th Amendment), I probably wouldn’t be looking into this stuff in high school. I would rather wait until probably college. (Considering) that the age is earlier, you have more incentive to learn about it now.”

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

You need to go out and vote and show these politicians that (you) are a voting bloc that does matter and that can influence elections.

James Ziegler

AP Government teacher

On the other hand, Kathy Richardson, Hamilton County Election Administrator, said via email that she believes the political activeness of students’ families also plays a significant role in their decision to vote.

“I believe some (18-year-olds vote) if it is something that their family has participated in,” Richardson said. “Also, (more young people tend to vote) because it is the first time (that they are voting), and especially if your first time is during a presidential year when there is so much media attention.”

Likewise, Ziegler said he believes family influences the student’s political activity or stance in politics. According to Ziegler, who said he was politically active as an 18-year-old, peers determine one’s political activeness and interest as well.

“I had a lot of older siblings who were also very involved in politics. I mean, it’s something we’re passionate about. A lot of them were history majors or political science majors,” Ziegler said. “From a political socialization standpoint, family plays a big role in determining whether or not you will become kind of actively involved in politics, which is natural, family and your different pair groups. So when I was in high school, I definitely ended up being pretty active.

Even at the lunch table a lot of times, (my friends and I) would have political discussions.”

Although some of his peers show interest in politics, Muller said most of them do not, in accordance with recent statistics.

“There’s quite a few friends that I’ll discuss political things with at lunch or outside of school, although some of them don’t care,” Muller said.

For senior Daniel Eads, who also said he will vote in the 2012 general election, the distance 18-year-olds, specifically in Carmel, feel from the political world is the main reason as to why young people choose not to vote.

“I think on a larger scale, (18-year-olds) feel a disconnect with Washington,” Eads said. “I think some kids find that or believe in that their voice isn’t really being heard by the politicians in Washington.”

Eads said he believes that many 18-year-olds hold doubts about their vote’s effect on the decisions made in politics.

Eads said, “I think they see Washington as listening to primarily the adult population and really shunning away the young voters.”

Correspondingly, AP U.S. History teacher William Ellery said he includes the lack of direct connection between the issues and young people today as one of the main reasons for indifference in 18-year-olds, as compared to 1971, when the 26th Amendment was passed and many young people voted.

According to Ellery, the 26th Amendment had resulted from a number of issues. Most of them included the antiwar protests against the Vietnam War and the military conscription of 18-year-olds, who could not vote because the age limit was 21. Much of the issues, Ellery said, represented a struggle of states’ rights versus the government’s powers.

With the lack of consistency among the states, the federal government felt the need to step in and establish a common principle among all the states.

“Because, really, the idea then (in 1971) was, if you’re 18 years old and you’re old enough for your country to demand that you be available to take a bullet for us, then you should also be able to have a say in that,” Ellery said. “And that’s why that change was necessitated. There are a lot of issues now, but (the issues back then) were specific to young people, and it was affecting their lives with both respect to the draft and with respect to them having a vote on that draft.”

Ellery said the political issues in America today also differ from those of 1971 in regards to the general appeal and message of the issues.

“The issues we’re facing now—for example, this Occupy Wall Street one—have a very unclear agenda other than forgiveness of student debt. It still tends to pull in a younger crowd, but without a clear agenda, it’s not going to have mass appeal,” Ellery said.

Despite the government’s lack of appeal or connection to the young generation, Muller said he believes 18-year-olds should attempt to increase their participation in politics.

CONTINUED “More people should be involved,” ON NEXT PAGE

NOV. 18, 2011 | HILITE.ORG | HILITE | COVER STORY | PAGE 19 Muller said. “Obviously there’s not really a connection now. Young people today don’t have much of an event like (the war in) Vietnam. I think in the past it was probably more important for people to get suffrage at 18, so it seems less important now, I guess, but it’s still important.”

To Eads, voting as an 18-year-old not only impacts the United States and the world but also represents part of fulfilling one’s citizenship and adulthood.

“I think it really is a rite of passage,” Eads said. “It’s an age where you have the ability to join the military, to join the workforce and (earn) full-time employment. (Once) you leave high school, you’re really a full citizen, so you should therefore be allowed the right to vote and have an influence on your own future in that regard.”

While most of the students who participate in government vote solely in the presidential election, eligible voters should also participate in local elections, according to Richardson.

“Many times at the local elections, the turnout is much less, and these are the people who affect your daily life, such as a mayor or city council or the school board,” Richardson said.

“Many have lost their lives for us to have this freedom to vote, and it is the absolute least we can do to thank them and be involved in our community, state and country.”

In the same manner, Ziegler said he urges his students in class to vote for similar reasons.

“I encourage students to vote because if you don’t vote, then you don’t have a voice,” Ziegler said. “You know, a lot of policies in our country are geared towards the older population. Why? Well, because those are the people that are voting. Politicians and members of the Congress aren’t going to pay attention to people that are 18 years old because they’re not the people that they’re counting on for the votes.”

Ziegler said he believes that with more participation in government, 18-year-olds and the young age group will see more favorable policies directed towards them.

“If more and more youths were able to get out and vote, we would have probably more policies that are more responsive to what the younger generations want,” Ziegler said, “which we, in some instances, I don’t think we’ve really seen what our younger generations truly wanted enacted, just based on conversations I hear in class. And so if you want your voice to be heard, then you need to go out and vote and show these politicians that (you) are a voting bloc that does matter and that can influence elections. If you don’t vote, you can’t really complain about it.”

For the students who are currently ineligible to vote, Ziegler said he encourages them to educate and inform themselves on political issues, situations and current events.

“You can get access to the New York Times with a click of a button now. You can get access to the Wall Street Journal with a click of a button now. So there’s no reason now not to vote or not familiarize yourself with the issues. It’s just a matter of getting access to it and actually learning it,” Ziegler said.

Muller also said he believes increasing political awareness and knowledge is important.

“I remember in the 2008 election, I was an Obama supporter but I was just kind of like that in name,” he said. “I didn’t really look too much into the details of it. I was just like, ‘Yeah, Obama. Go, Obama.’ But now I feel like I know more of the issues, and I also understand how the process works, like the primaries and the general election.”

From Eads’ perspective, the impact of 18-year-olds’ participation in government is crucial to not only his future but also to the future of other Americans.

“I believe myself and my friends believe that we do really have an impact,” Eads said. “You know, a single vote may not have a huge significance, but when you bring multiple people together with similar core values and beliefs and put them in America’s political system, great things can happen.”

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

“Old enough to fight, old enough to vote”

The 26th Amendment, which turns 40 years old this year, has an illustrious history dating back to 1940

1940 1941 During World War II, Franklin D. Roosevelt lowers the minimum age for the military draft to 18, when the minimum voting age had historically been 21. “Old enough to fight, old enough to vote” becomes a common slogan.

1942 Jennings Randolph introduces federal legislation to lower the voting age; it was the first of 11 times that he, who was later elected to the Senate, would introduce such a bill in Congress.

The next year, Georgia becomes the first state to lower its voting age in state and local elections from 21 to 18.

1950 1954 In his State of the Union address, Dwight Eisenhower declares, “For years our citizens between the ages of 18 and 21 have, in time of peril, been summoned to fight for America. They should participate in the political process that produces this fateful summons.”

Late 1960s The United States is embroiled in a long, costly war in Vietnam.

Youth voting rights activists hold marches and demonstrations to draw lawmakers’ attention to the hypocrisy of drafting young men and women who lacked the right to vote.

1960

1970 Congress passes a bill extending the Voting Rights Act of 1965. It lowers the voting age to 18 in all elections, but Richard Nixon questions its constitutionality.

In the case Oregon v. Mitchell, the U.S. Supreme Court rules that Congress had the right to regulate the minimum age for voting in federal elections, but not in state or local elections.

1970 1971 Dissatisfaction with the 1970 ruling builds support among many states for a Constitutional amendment that would set a uniform national voting age of 18 in all elections. In March, the Senate and House vote almost unanimously in favor. In just over two months (the shortest ratification time ever), the necessary three-fourths of state legislatures ratify, and Nixon signs the 26th Amendment into law on July 1, 1971.

1980

1990

1992 The youngest voting group makes a slight rebound in the election of Bill Clinton but remains far behind other age groups in participation.

2008 A notable exception to this decline is the 2008 general election of Barack Obama in which 49 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds voted.

1988 After a 55 percent turnout in 1972—Nixon overwhelmingly won—youth turnout steadily declines, dropping to just 36 percent in 1988.

HISTORY.COM / SOURCE VICTOR XU / GRAPHICS

PAGE 20 | ENTERTAINMENT | HILITE | HILITE.ORG | NOV. 18, 2011

ENTERTAINMENT Empire State of Mind

Monday CD releases: • Rihanna- “Talk That Talk” • Daughtry- “Break The Spell” • Nickelback- “Here & Now”

SUBMITENTERTAINMENT@HILITE.ORG | TWITTER.COM/HILITE_NEWS

The CHS marching band will travel across the country to perform in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. How did the band members get to this point?

BY OLIVIA WEPRICH oweprich@hilite.org

N AMIRA MALCOM/ PHOTO

BIRD’S EYE VIEW: Kathryn Dawson, drum major and senior, looks down from the platform as she conducts members of the marching band as they practice to perform in the Macy’s Day Parade. Band members bought spirit wear and sold gift cards to raise money.

THE WEEKS IN ADVANCE

To raise money, band members bought spirit wear.

Additionally, they sold store and restaurant gift cards through the Scrip company to pay for trip expenses.

NOVEMBER 21st

ext week as Carmel families gather around to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, they’ll see our own marching band marching alongside the giant balloons and other bands from all over the country. Instead of ignoring the random high school bands in the show, CHS students will see familiar faces on the screen, and both band members and directors expect an unforgettable experience from their upcoming trip.

Kathryn Dawson, drum major and senior, said, “I never really dreamed of being in the parade. I thought it would be cool to march (in the parade), but I never thought it would actually happen. But now, here we are. Going this year. It’s awesome.”

Dawson shares her excitement for the trip with the other band and color guard members going. According to Andy Cook, associate director of bands, all except for a few of the members will board charter buses on Monday after school on their way to New York City. This adds up to over 400 people, including directors and chaperones.

Sarah Yoakum, color guard member and sophomore, said she looks forward to seeing “Wicked” and touring the city.

Paige Roberts, color guard member and junior, said she can’t wait to actually be at Macy’s. They both said it will be fun to spend time with their friends and not have to worry about anything else.

“I think (the students) are pumped CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE about everything. A lot of the kids

After school, the marching band will load the coach bus and depart for New York City.

380

people

are going, including members from the marching band and color guard, parents, and administrators.

NOVEMBER 22-23rd LIANE YUE / GRAPHICS

NOV. 18, 2011 | HILITE.ORG | HILITE | ENTERTAINMENT | PAGE 21 haven’t been (to New York City), so it’s going to be pretty exciting,” Cook said, “They say there’s probably three million people that are just along the parade route, you know up in the skyscrapers and along the route, and then you have 15 to 20 million more watching it on T.V. Just walking down New York and playing. Just all the excitement, and all the balloons.

I think it’s going to be great for all of us, the kids especially.”

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

I never really dreamed of being in the parade. I thought it would be cool to march (in the parade), but I never thought it would actually happen. . .

Kathryn Dawson

Drum major and senior

But despite the excitement, the journey to the parade has been hard work. According to Dawson, the biggest challenge was to learn their parade routine in addition to their competition show. The band had new music to memorize and new routines to learn.

Cook said the band has handled the extra responsibility really well. “I think they’re doing great. The fall competition show’s been great, you know, we’ve been first or second in every show, and it’s a little more pressure on (the students) to get everything memorized, but other than that, they’ve been doing great.”

Cook said the band has learned two sets of music because for the parade they want to play more upbeat, well-known songs such as “Stars and Stripes Forever” and “Any Way You Want It” by Journey. He said for the televised portion of the show, the band will play a version

The marching band members will get two free days to sightsee, shop, and watch shows.

of “Back Home Again in Indiana” because the organizers of the parade recommend that bands play something about where they’re from.

In addition to learning new songs, the band members have been fundraising at all times this past year to pay for the upcoming trip.

“It’s right around $1,500 (per student),” Cook said, “If they went without a penny on them, they would have all their meals paid for and everything. The only thing they wouldn’t get are souvenirs.”

It may seem like a challenge to raise enough money, but Dawson and the guard members said that fundraising has been very effective this year.

“I don’t know why (fundraising) was more successful this year, probably our parents are just freaking awesome.

But the kids are working hard; they know what needs to get done,” Dawson said.

According to Cook, the band has had more time to raise money because he and the other directors originally applied for last year’s parade. They decided to apply two years ago and began submitting DVDs and letters of recommendation from other band directors. He said although they had to wait a year, it was good to have more time to plan and fundraise for this year.

The band also has the responsibility of representing the school while in New York, but Dawson said she’s not worried about the band’s behavior. She said that although there are high expectations, if they carry themselves the way they usually do then everything should be fine.

Roberts said, “We got a letter from the school telling us to make good choices and stuff. Even though they have to send it, I thought it was kind of funny because we know what to do and what not to do.”

According to Yoakum, she’s more concerned about early morning practice than her conduct. “We have to get up really early at like 2 a.m. on the day of the parade to practice right before. We need to have time to practice and time to line up for the show before it actually starts,” Yoakum said. She said despite the early day, the experience will be worth it.

Because of the overall eagerness for the trip, Cook said that the band might return to the parade in a few years.

He said, “I would definitely think we would (return). It’s very positive; I went to a meeting a few weeks ago in New York, and they treat the kids really well. The bands are a pretty important part of the parade, so it’s a pretty positive experience.”

AMIRA MALCOM/ PHOTO

FLAG TWIRLER: Paige Roberts, color guard member and junior, practices routines after school.

Roberts said she cannot wait to be at Macy’s.

According to Cook, none of the high school bands in march every year. He said that although some return, it’s not usually successive years. If the Carmel band returns, it will have to wait a few years.

Dawson said she’s glad to have this experience, even if it is one time. As a final request to her fellow students, she said, “Watch it. Watch Macy’s. That’s it. If (students) watch, they’ll see why we practice so much. They’ll see how much fun it is to watch their peers work hard and represent our school.”

NOVEMBER 26th

NOVEMBER 24th The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!

After the parade, students will take a three hour dinner cruise around Manhattan.

NOVEMBER 25th

Students return home after an amazing trip!

The students will further explore New York and experience Broadway.

CARMELBANDS.ORG / SOURCE

PAGE 22 | ENTERTAINMENT | HILITE | HILITE.ORG | NOV. 18, 2011

Coming soon: ‘Holiday Spec’ Choir students eagerly await the performances of a show that has spread the positive emotions and spirits of the winter season since 1991

BY LINDSEY WALKER lwalker@hilite.org

T

he leaves have changed colors, the smell of apple cider is in the air, and yes, fall is here.

But inside a choir room deep within this school, it feels a whole lot more like Christmas.

Festive costumes are pinned and measured, choir members practice their routines and songs of the holidays can be heard echoing through the halls of the choir department. It may only be November but these telltale signs can only mean one thing: Holiday Spectacular, the performing arts department’s kick-off to the holiday season and the choir department’s biggest performance of the year, will arrive shortly.

Every year since 1991 the Holiday Spectacular allchoir extravaganza carries on a tradition of excellence for this school, and this year promises to be no exception. In fact, this year, according to Ambassador and senior Sarah Stoesz, Holiday Spectacular will take on a new twist for its 20th anniversary this year.

“It’s usually dance numbers in the first act, and then the second act would be stand and sing numbers. It’s been like that for the past three years but this year, they’re (the directors) going to change it. They’re making a storyline with it which I don’t think we’ve ever had before. In the first act we’re going to be in like a winter wonderland and then the second act is the North Pole,” Stoesz said.

Integrating a story line and dance numbers into the second act are just a few of the surprises in store for a predictably massive audience this year. However, according to Stoesz, one tradition is sure to remain the same.

“Every year every choir sings ‘Silent Night’ so that’s really cool. We will definitely still be doing that this year, despite some of the changes that are being made,” Stoesz said.

After being a heavily involved choir member for four years, Stoesz said that she expects her last Holiday Spectacular performance this year to be a little sad. On the contrary, Katie Doman, Counterpoints member and freshman, said she is thrilled to see what her first Holiday Spectacular performance will entail.

“As an eighth grader last year I went to Holiday Spec for the first time and it was amazing. I am so excited to get to be involved with everything this year,” Doman said.

Doman anticipates a lot of craziness as Holiday Spectacular approaches closer based on what she has heard from the upperclassmen who have gone through it before.

“There is so much hard work that goes into it and I know that they spend a ton of money for the costumes and stuff, though, so it is a pretty big deal,” Doman said.

According to Lamonte Kuskye, choir director and Holiday Spectacular producer, Holiday Spectacular is always the most attended show of the year at CHS. “It’s completely crazy. This year the first day the public ticket sale went on, three of the five shows sold out completely on the main floor,” Kuskye said. In fact, it has become an annual tradition that parents and CHS choir fans line the hallway to the bookstore, sitting in lawn chairs or on the floor as they wait to buy their tickets.

OMEED MALEKMARZBAN / PHOTO

SING-A-LONG: Members of Blue and Gold Company, a men’s and women’s choir, practice their songs during class on Nov. 10. Like the other choirs, Blue and Gold Company worked hard in past years to perform sold out shows for “Holiday Spectacular.”

Stoesz said she understands the pressure that some might face with the often sold-out shows, but she tries not to let it get to her, even as opening night gets closer.

“I really don’t feel pressure, but we do work really hard in our classes, and you want it to be really good, so sometimes, I mean, if some of the numbers aren’t polished before, it does get a little stressful,” Stoesz said.

Beyond the changes in the actual show, Holiday Spectacular will have a different feel this year for another reason: choir director Ann Conrad, who has been involved with the Holiday Spectacular production for all 20 years and has been a choir teacher at Carmel for 35 years, will be out this year as she fights breast cancer.

“It’s been so nice to support Mrs. Conrad with all she’s been going through, and you know, it’s too bad she can’t be here, but she’s working with the costumes so she’s still kind of involved,” Doman said. Conrad was supposed to be Doman’s choir teacher this year before she was diagnosed with cancer.

“Without (Conrad) being here this year, I’ve taken on a lot of the behind-the-scenes work that she would be doing,” Kuskye said.

As the rehearsals for Holiday Spectacular culminate and eventually reach opening night, all 12 choirs will face an increasingly intense workload as after school

practices begin, but according to Stoesz, the effort is completely worth it.

“My favorite part about choir is just seeing the finished product and working really hard for that. All of the people also are just so amazing. It’s such a big show and a big opportunity. I think this year could possibly be the best year ever,” Stoesz said.

The first Holiday Spectacular show is scheduled to open on Nov. 30 at 7:30 p.m in the Dale E. Graham auditorium.

There will also be shows on Dec. 1 at 7:30 p.m., Dec. 3 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and on Dec. 4 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $8 to $15, depending on the location of the seat, and are available at the bookstore.

“I think it’s going to be a very moving and touching show this year. There’s some really wonderful moments, and I’m just anxious to try out this new format this year. I always like doing something different,” Kuskye said.

Want more?

Scan this QR code for information on performance dates and times.

NOV. 18, 2011 | HILITE.ORG | HILITE | ENTERTAINMENT | PAGE 23

Early to shop, the prices drop

In order to get the best deals on desired items, many Americans will set their alarms early on Nov.25 and hit the malls for Black Friday sales

BY SHEEN ZHENG szheng@hilite.org Her alarm clock will ring at 3 a.m. on the day after Thanksgiving.

Sophomore Gina Genco will dress quickly, selecting the best walking shoes she owns. She and her mother will then crawl into the car and drive straight to Castleton Square Mall in the hopes of finding the lowest prices of the year.

“All the sales and bargains,” Genco said. “That’s always something to look forward to. It’s nice to have one day of the year dedicated to roaming stores and finding low prices.”

Genco will join 150 million other shoppers across America on the day many refer to as Black Friday. According to ShopperTrak, a research firm that calculates shopping trends, the famous day after Thanksgiving accounted for approximately 6 percent of the overall holiday revenue last year, making it the biggest shopping day of the year in both sales and customer traffic.

Ashley Powell, an assistant manager at the American Eagle store in the Castleton Square Mall, said details of their plans for Black Friday are still completely unknown, both to her and to the public.

“Corporate is keeping it in tight wraps right now,” Powell said. “We actually don’t know what is being planned. And that’s the case for most retailers. They don’t reveal their new products until the week or two before.”

According to Powell, American Eagle often finds inspiration each year in other stores.

“We wait to see what other retailers are doing as well, and we base our store around some of those ideas, like unique products or store design,” Powell said.

Genco said her only complaints about last year’s shopping day were the chaos inside the stores and the hectic sensation she felt as she walked through the shopping mall.

“People were stampeded and there was so much havoc and chaos,” she said. “I hope there’s more space and organization this year, because the chaos makes the shopping feel like a requirement rather than an option.”

Despite the economic recession America has been consumed in, Genco said, “I think that this year, more people will be out shopping since the recession has died down a bit.”

And sure enough, the experts think so too.

According to an article from the Washington Post, the retail industry last year recorded an increase of approximately 134 million in shoppers. ShopperTrak predicts a 3 percent increase this year.

To prepare for the bargain hunters, Powell said American Eagle in particular plans to provide quality values as well as coupons.

“Offering manageable prices is always the big issue with us,” Powell said. “The way we put our items on promotion sort of goes along with the economy. A lot of the time, our customers step into the store and expect to find good deals.

With the war going on overseas and the recession, all of our customers are so tight with their money now, and it’s all about coupons. If they don’t have a coupon, they’ll most likely not enter the store.”

According to Powell, many of the stores at Castleton will adjust their Black Friday plans by taking in suggestions from their customers.

“We try to focus on customer service. We’re not so concerned with making the store pretty,” Powell said. “What we worry about is when the customers come in, are they going to get what they’re looking for?”

Genco said she agrees that stores should consider the consumers because they are ultimately the ones who feed a business.

“If we’re the ones buying their products, I think they should take our suggestions and comments,” Genco said.

In order to hear the opinions of the customers, Powell said American Eagle constantly asks customers for their opinion.

Powell said, “A lot of the time, after the transaction, we ask them if they found everything okay and if they were happy with everything. We also recently included a survey that is printed on every receipt. So customers can go online and fill out the responses then let us know if we’re doing our job to the best of our ability.”

As a customer, Genco said she values two things.

“Safety,” Genco said, “and of course, running as fast as you can to get that bargain.”

True or false?

Can you tell the difference between the facts and fictions of holiday shopping?

SUPER SHOPPER: Gina Genco, Black Friday shopper and sophomore, looks to buy some jewelry during a shopping trip. Genco said her biggest complaint about the Black Friday events in 2010 was the chaos inside the shopping malls.

Answers: all false

HAILEY MEYER / PHOTO

1. Black Friday has more shoppers than any other day of the year.

2. If you regret your purchase, you can return it based on the store’s regular return policy.

3. It’s the best day to buy a new TV or other electronics.

4. You have to wake up early and go to the stores to get the best deals.

5. The sales begin on Black Friday.

6. Doorbusters don’t cost shoppers any money.

7. Prices on Nov. 25 cannot be matched after this event.

8. Prices are always marked down.

9. It’s always a good idea to sign up for a store credit card, which usually give you even greater discounts.

10. Stores like Apple never have online sales.

DEAL NEWS.COM / SOURCE

PAGE 24 | SPORTS | HILITE | HILITE.ORG | NOV. 18, 2011

SPORTS It’s Winter Time SUBMITSPORTS@HILITE.ORG | TWITTER.COM/GMN_SPORTS

The football team plays in the Semistate tonight at 7 p.m. at home against Center Grove. If you can’t make it to the game, we have you covered! Follow @GMN_Sports on Twitter for constant updates throughout the game.

As the weather gets colder, things begin to heat up on the court, in the pool and on the mat. Here is all you need to know about each team and their upcoming season.

BASKETBALL

Men’s basketball reloads with new talent, leadership

BY JACOB BOTKIN jbotkin@hilite.org

T

he men’s basketball team looks to improve upon its 10-13 overall record from last year. The varsity team was 2-5 in MIC play. The team is recovering from the loss of five seniors, two of whom are playing at the collegiate level, but graduation did not leave the well completely dry. Returning is some experience and a core of talented players who will be leaned on a little heavier this season, according to second-year Head Coach Scott Heady.

Heady said he thinks the Greyhounds will be competitive. “We have some talented players. We don’t have a bunch of Division 1 coaches knocking on the door or calling every day, but we have good players that collectively as a team have a chance to be very good,” he said via email.

With returning varsity players and seniors Samuel “Sam” Curts, Benjamin “Ben” Gardner, Shawn Heffern and Karl Schneider and junior Michael Volovic, Heady looks to take advantage of their quickness.

“How we play from a tempo standpoint will depend on who we have on the floor. Motion offense and pressure man defense will continue to be our foundation. With this team, our guard play should be our strength, so we will try to spread the floor and take advantage of our quickness, ball handling and shooting,” Heady said.

With so many vacancies created by the loss of five seniors, Heady said he is giving the green light to several junior varsity players to move up to play varsity. Sophomore Zach McRoberts, brother of former Greyhound standout and current Indiana Pacer Josh McRoberts, can contribute right away along with junior James Volovic.

“This team has worked hard and has a great attitude,” Heady said. Those thoughts are echoed by McRoberts, who said, “We are going to work and play hard and stay focused.”

The Greyhounds open their 2011-12 season against Brownsburg on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at Brownsburg. They will play their home debut on Friday, December 2 at 7:30 p.m. versus the Noblesville Millers.

MARY BROOKE JOHNSON / PHOTO

LOOK UP: Senior Ben Gardner dribbles past a teammate during a pre-season scrimmage. The team looks to avenge some tough post-season losses over the past couple of years.

Women’s basketball expects strong season

BY MATT BARNTHOUSE mbarnthouse@hilite.org The women’s basketball team hopes to build off of last year’s season, when they lost in Semistate. This years team, led by seniors Abigail “Abby” Dean and Blaire Langlois, hopes to avenge last year’s team by finishing the season on a high note.

Despite losing a few key players from the previous season, the Greyhounds will be one of the perennial favorites when the state tournament rolls around this spring.

Although the team faces high expectations for yet another season, Dean does not believe the upcoming

season will be a failure if they do not win state.

“No, we’re just focusing on what we are working on as a team,” Dean said. “It’s going to be a different team this year so we are working on (figuring out) our strengths and weaknesses. We are really focusing on, you know, the good things that we have and forget about what happened (last) year.”

Head Coach Scott Bowen believes that his team has the work ethic to win it all.

Bowen said, “The nice thing about being at Carmel is that our kids always are striving to be State Champions in every sport.”

NOV. 18, 2011 | HILITE.ORG | HILITE | SPORTS | PAGE 25

SWIMMING

Women’s swimming enters season with momentum

BY SEAN TRUAX struax@hilite.org The women’s swimming team begins its season with an away meet on Nov. 29 at Center Grove. This meet comes eight months after the women defended their 25th consecutive state title.

Although the women are eager to win another state title for the program, Head Coach Christopher Plumb

believes they should take it one meet at a time.

“We are preparing each and every day for a terrific final meet of the season and each meet is just a step towards the end of the season,” Plumb said.

Plumb also stated that he and the rest of the team are excited to face other schools.

“We do look forward to competing against other teams and welcome the competition,” Plumb said.

Kathryn Riedel, sophomore and swimming team member, agrees with Plumb to take their season one step at

a time, and to prepare for the first meet like any other meet.

“We will be really excited and supportive of other swimmers during the first meet but prepare the same way,” Riedel said.

The team cannot help but think about winning their 26th straight State championship, as they are nearing many national records.

“I think we have a real shot at winning state again this year. Our team just works so hard and puts in a lot of effort every practice,” Riedel said.

Men’s team looks to repeat as State Champions

BY ANDREW WANG awang@hilite.org The expectations and hopes are high for the men’s swimming team following their previous state championships, and the team will try to add on a third consecutive championship this year, according to senior Roman “Roma” Sarapin.

“The girls may have a long streak of state titles, but the guys have started their own,” Sarapin said. “We won the last two state championships, and we’re not planning on backing down.”

According to Sarapin, some big meets that people should look forward to are MIC, Sectional and State.

“Come to some of our meets,” he said.

“The atmosphere is crazy and exciting.

You really get into the racing and the cheering.”

Head Coach Chris Plumb said, “We have new challenges put out before us, and I think this team can rise up and meet them. Success will depend on our senior leaders and their willingness to hold their teammates accountable.”

With the success that the team has faced the past few years, Sarapin feels more pressure to win. “Being a senior, I feel as if it’s my duty to lead the team to victory,” Sarapin said.

Plumb said that the team works extremely hard and puts in long hours to achieve success. Sarapin said he agrees.

“We haven’t done anything special to prepare for the year, but Carmel works hard,” Sarapin said. “The thing that makes us a great team is that we work our butts off every single day, every single practice, every single meet.”

HENRY JACKSON / PHOTO

DIVE IN: Men’s and women’s swimming practice after school. Both teams are coming off State Championship winning seasons.

WRESTLING

Team optimistic about upcoming season

BY JACOB VAHLE jvahle@hilite.org After a strong offseason-conditioning program, the wrestling team looks to have a dominating season this winter. Official practice began on Monday Oct. 31, with cuts made on Nov. 7. The team will compete in its first official meet tomorrow at Brownsburg. Head Coach John Kopnisky said he has high expectations for this team in his fifth year coaching.

“The biggest expectation is dedication to the program and commitment towards success,” Kopnisky said. “Our goals for the season include winning the MIC, Sectional and County Championships.”

The team returns seven varsity wrestlers and expects to

have many other athletes step up and help the team out.

Returning varsity wrestlers include senior Austin Bauer; juniors Jason Klink and Jake Leech; and sophomores Colin Riddle, Garrett Samuelson, Logan Sawyers and Karl Wilhelm. Riddle said he has lofty goals for the team this year.

“We want to replicate what last year’s strong senior class was able to do in the season and hope to go further in the State Tournament,” Riddle said.

The team hasn’t made it to the State Championship as a team since 1997, but Riddle said that the goal is to break that streak.

“Our team goal for the year is a berth in the State Tournament, because we haven’t done that in awhile.”

Individually, Riddle said he would love to help the team out with high finishes throughout the season. “I would love to qualify for Semi-State,” Riddle said.

Fall Sports Scoreboard In progress:

Football: Semistate home tonight against Center Grove Season completed:

Men’s tennis: Won State Volleyball: Lost in Sectional Men’s cross-country: 3rd in State Women’s cross-country: Won State Men’s soccer: Lost in Regional Women’s soccer: Won State

PAGE 26 | SPORTS | HILITE | HILITE.ORG | NOV. 18, 2011

Pedaling for a Purpose Juniors Jackson Duncan and Cody Guzman bike for something they believe is greater than themselves.

Both ride to raise money for veterans who return with injuries from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

CONNER GORDON / PHOTO CONNOR GORDON / PHOTO

BY MATT WEHNER mwehner@hilite.org

O

n most days, Junior Jackson Duncan spends his afternoons cycling. Duncan starts at his house and ends up somewhere in the countryside. On these rides, he may bike anywhere from 30 to 100 miles. One of his best friends, junior Cody Guzman, joins him on his after-school trips, and Duncan said he likes the adventure of the ride.

Duncan said, “Cycling gives you an opportunity to not only bond with friends but clear your mind.”

But Duncan does not only cycle for fun; he said he also cycles to help others.

Duncan is a part of a road bike racing team associated with the organization Ride 2 Recovery. Ride 2 Recovery is a non-profit organization that strictly uses cycling programs to help rehabilitate soldiers through biking and allow racing activists, like Duncan, to help raise money for a variety of fees including soldiers’ rides and equipment.

Duncan said, “Soldiers come back from the war in Iran with physical injuries like loss of legs and arms, or mental disorders like post-traumatic stress disorder. To adhere to the needs of soldiers, Ride 2 Recovery sets up cycling events around the country which allow soldiers to enjoy the company of other cyclists while rehabilitating their bodies.”

One event that Duncan participated in this year was the 911 challenge, a seven-day, 600 mile ride to raise money for soldiers. He had a minimum of $3,000 to raise that funds the soldiers’ ride and rehabilitation.

Duncan’s participation in the 911 challenge motivated him to start his own event this summer.

“When I got back from the ride, I found out what an impact it was having on the soldiers’ lives,” Duncan said, “I wanted to get a group of high school students to ride across the country in order to raise money. That’s when I asked Cody to be a part of it.”

The summer ride will start in Washington and end in Maine, totaling somewhere around 3,000 miles. The ride will start in early June and end in late July. In addition to Duncan and Guzman, a handful of students from Westfield will join.

While Guzman did not participate in the 911 challenge with Duncan, he said he looks ahead to the event this summer.

Guzman said, “I thought it was ridiculous to ride across the country, but hearing that people have done it before, putting in the effort for people who served us was worth it.”

Keegan Greene, bike mechanic and cyclist, said that high school-aged students like Duncan and Guzman are common participants in event rides but not common participants in competition road cycling.

Greene said, “It isn’t as common. (There are) no more than a dozen competitive in Carmel, maybe 50 in Indiana.”

Greene also found that most high school-aged students are not as motivated as Duncan and Guzman.

CONTINUED “Not too many kids seem interested ON NEXT PAGE

RACING TO RECOVERY: Junior Jackson Duncan (right) and Cody Guzman (left) train on the Monon trail. Duncan said he participates in multiple events throughout the year, including Ride 2 Recovery, in order to raise money for veterans. Both say they motivate each other to continue biking.

NOV. 18, 2011 | HILITE.ORG | HILITE | SPORTS | PAGE 27 like Jackson,” Greene said.

All the riding that Duncan and Guzman participated in has not been without incident.

In October, Duncan and Guzman were hit by a car on a roundabout while biking. Duncan suffered a concussion, and Guzman tore his PCL and had a boot on his leg for several weeks. After the accident, the driver was nowhere to be found.

Guzman said, “I was pissed.”

Duncan also said, “I rode 600 miles through the mountains without crashing and get hit by a car a week later. But it’s like with anything, there is always risks. Even though you have to face the consequences sometimes, it’s worth it for something you love to do.”

Although Duncan and Guzman experienced first hand the dangers of biking, it has not affected their decision to continue biking. They had to get past the fact that there are dangers of biking to reach their goal for this summer.

The goal for this summer’s ride is to raise $100,000.

Guzman has already started thinking about ideas of how to raise this large sum of money.

According to Guzman, he will go to businesses to fundraise for the cause.

Duncan added that he is looking for money from friends at school. He will be sending letters to family and friends and telling people to go online to Ride2recovery.com to support a rider.

Duncan said, “It’s such a good opportunity to combine my passion for cycling with my passion for helping others.”

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

It’s not over ‘til it’s over

Veterans by the numbers Unemployment and mental disabilities are disproportionately high among veterans.

Charities such as Ride 2 Recovery and the 9/11 challenge, which Duncan and Guzman participate in, can help rehabilitate soldiers. To help out veterans in your community scan the QR code at left to visit the Department of Veteran Affairs donation page. The DVA helps coordinate veteran charities such as Ride 2 Recovery.

20

21 to 30 percent of veterans will develop some sort of mental health disability.

1.5 8 to 14

percent of the homeless population in the United States are veterans.

percent of returning soldiers from Iraq will develop severe mental health disabilities.

135,000

million veterans are at risk for becoming homeless due to disabilities and lack of support.

United States veterans are currently homeless on any given night.

DEPARTMENT OF VETERAN AFFAIRS / SOURCE

CHARLIE

BROWNING

sports editor / cbrowning@hilite.org

#greyhoundnation. Two weeks ago, one game and one community reminded us all why sports play such an important role in our lives.

All it took was one play. One play that, in an instant, sent the crowd into absolute pandemonium. And I can assure you of one thing: Any college student section in the country would have been proud of the eruption that ensued after the football team scored the winning touchdown against Warren Central on Nov. 4. It was the roar of a crowd that far surpassed any roar I have ever heard. And then there was the entire student body rushing the field to congratulate its team—a moment that all of the players and students involved will remember and cherish for a long, long time.

Moments like these remind us all why our culture finds sports so incredibly captivating. Only a game like this one has the capability of bringing a school together the way it came together that night. People at this school get excited about many different subjects and events, but rarely do we have the opportunity to all be excited about the same thing.

That’s what sports do. Sports bring us together when nothing else can. Sports allow a school and a community to rally around a single team. Sports let us forget, for a few hours at a time, about everything else in our lives and focus on only one thing - the game.

That memorable Friday night, “Greyhound Nation” gave us a good look at what coming together as one

really looks like. Dressed in all blue and without a seat to be found in the entire place, the community lived and died with every snap of the ball. For 48 minutes of riveting football, everyone in the stands and on the field held their collective breaths with anxiety and anticipation. This game was about the players on the field, but it was also about more than that.

It was one community versus another. That is what sports do. They allow communities to rally together around one team. Never was this more evident than 45 minutes before kickoff when I looked around the stadium and was hardpressed to locate an empty seat. Or when I logged on to my Twitter account the night before the game and saw that #greyhoundnation was trending in the Indianapolis area. That is called support. That is why this school knows nothing other than excellence in every area possible.

The reason we love sports so much can be summed up completely in what occurred after the game was over.

On the field, it went from one team’s celebration to one school’s celebration. Hundreds of students swarmed a team full of players who could not have possibly supplied them with a more exhilarating few hours of entertainment. And there was one thing that was very noticeable about everyone on the field: There was not a single person on the field who was not smiling from ear to ear. Only a few people standing on the field at that time had actually played in the game that night, but it didn’t matter.

It didn’t matter because, although the players won the game, the community could call that victory its own.

“Greyhound Nation” could sleep soundly that night.

Not only did they win on the field, but they won as a community. For one night, everyone in the stands was part of one big, happy family.

That memorable Friday night, “Greyhound Nation” gave us a good look at what coming together as one really looks like.

PAGE 28 | PERSPECTIVES | HILITE | HILITE.ORG | NOV. 18, 2011

PERSPECTIVES SUBMITPERSPECTIVES@HILITE.ORG | TWITTER.COM/HILITE_NEWS

MUSIC MANIA: Scan this QR code to read Ben Anderson’s music blog.

Speak Up!

STAFF PERSPECTIVE

Carmel should look to implement more technology in classrooms

With increased talk of new technology in schools, Carmel Clay Schools should consider bringing in more of these advancements into its own classrooms. TI-Nspires, Smartboards and clickers are already being used in some classes, but Carmel Clay Schools, which is supposedly a leader of education in the nation, should incorporate other technologies as well, such as replacing textbooks with e-readers, tablets or laptops. According to a 2011 New York Times article, some schools across the nation have already made the switched a while ago, including schools in Munster, IN. Using electronics rather than textbooks offers several benefits. Although switching from paper to electronics may sound expensive, the fee for buying computers is comparable to the old fees of textbooks. While an iPad 2 costs $500, a new textbook costs about $100 per book. With almost every course requiring a textbook and the fact that books must constantly be updated and replaced, a technological approach seems economical in comparison.

Currently, when there are errors found in a textbook or when discoveries have been made, they must be added into upcoming editions while books that schools possess stay flawed and outdated. By going digital, updates with new information and corrections can be instant and simple.

Also, students wouldn’t have to carry backpacks filled with textbooks, making everyday life easier. In fact, carrying heavy backpacks frequently causes back pain and posture problems, which is especially important during adolescence when children are still growing. By storing the information in bytes and files rather than pages and pages, going digital can prove to be lightweight as well as ecofriendly. Learning materials can also be more engaging as students can highlight and mark pages, watch videos and listen to explanations. With interactive lessons, students become interested and learn more as a result.

When it comes to electronics, students (and, quite honestly, everyone) tend to get distracted. Most people see a Mac or a PC as a means of surfing the web and escaping from reality, not a means of working or doing business. However, this problem will resolve itself in time once students adjust

GRAPHIC PERSPECTIVE

The Evolution of Education ADELE ZHOU / GRAPHIC

to the mindset of using technology for schoolwork. In the meantime, schools can easily restrict Internet access to only allow certain websites, and computer functions can easily be programmed and geared toward school.

Perhaps if technology became widely used for education, companies like Microsoft and Apple could make schoolbased electronics.

We acknowledge that when it comes to schools and laptops, the issue of privacy arises. The Lower Merion School District in Pennsylvania made headlines last year for using school-issued laptops’ webcams to spy on students. However, taking the necessary legal precautions can easily prevent any mishaps like these. In addition, prolonged exposure to computer screens have been shown to decreases vision and cause lethargy. Having the technology at hand in the classroom allows teachers to instruct students on how to better use that technology and, therefore, better prevent these potential problems.

Overall, we believe that our school district should embrace this trend of implementing more technology as a way of improving the students’ education. However, our schools shouldn’t rush this development; rather, the switch should be gradual. As with any large-scale change, the transition period in between may be rough. Teachers must be trained to operate new technology, and students may find it difficult to concentrate while studying with electronics. Parents will initially have mixed feelings about all of these changes.

But in time, once classrooms adapt to the new method of schooling, students may find that many improvements have been made as a result of the switch. Students will have less to carry every day. Millions of pages won’t need to be printed for textbooks. Rather than purchasing a new set of textbooks, old versions can simply be updated. Students can learn more from interesting videos and interactive lessons. Implementing technology in schools may open up a lot of doors for CHS to bigger and better ideas and may just be the first step toward a more efficient future.

COMPILED BY SHEEN ZHENG

What is your opinion on technology in schools?

I think the development of educational software for use on Apple devices would be beneficial.

FRESHMAN ZACHARY HOROWITZ

Technology allows students to be more interactive in classes. It makes it easier to participate.

SOPHOMORE LAURA ROKOP

Check out the corresponding article on page 4.

Kindles in the classroom would be a great resource.

JUNIOR MAXWELL MCKAY

NOV. 18, 2011 | HILITE.ORG | HILITE | PERSPECTIVES | PAGE 29

GRAPHIC PERSPECTIVE

Machine washable RACHEL

BOYD

acumen editor / rboyd@hilite.org

Entertainment double take. In troubling economic times, the entertainment industry plays it safe, skips the creativity.

Have you seen this column before? If this piece were to follow the recent trends of our entertainment industry, chances are you would have. Who else rolled their eyes the first time they saw the preview for “Puss in Boots,” a spin-off of the popular “Shrek” series, or when the commercial for the Sherlock Holmes sequel, “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows,” initially aired? With the heavy rain cloud of recession hanging over the heads of Americans, carefree diversions are a necessity, so what gives with the “improved but not new” tendency of the entertainment industry, and where has the creativity gone?

Take Star Wars for example.

According to Forbes.com, the Star Wars franchise has earned over $22 billion since the first movie, “Episode IV: A New Hope,” was released in 1977. It sparked a scifi revolution and in many ways defined the generation. Not bad, eh? So in a time of economic uncertainty when a flop at the box office can be catastrophic, it pays to stick with an almost guaranteed success rather than take risky chances. This explains the re-release of each Star Wars film in 3D starting with “Episode I -The Phantom Menace,” which is scheduled to appear in theaters on Feb. 10, 2012, according to Aceshowbiz.com.

Of course, Star Wars is not the only example of this déjà-vu entertainment phenomenon. In addition to the remake of the 1984 classic “Footloose” released in October, there is another sequel to “Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle,” titled “A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas,” that was released early November, not to mention a remake of the already once remade Spiderman series starting with “The Amazing Spiderman” scheduled to be released July 2012 according to IMDB.com. Naturally Disney cannot sit on the sidelines while other studios rake in revenue from recycled ideas. Following the success of the October re-release of “The Lion King” in 3D, Disney has decided to launch 3D versions of “Beauty and the Beast,” “Finding Nemo,” “Monsters Inc.” and “The Little Mermaid” into theaters scheduled throughout 2012 and 2013 according to The Huffington Post.

Movies are not the only component of the entertainment industry, and television follows the trend of reusing its successful ideas to the point of insanity as well. Because if you liked “Real Housewives of New Jersey” then you will love the housewives of Beverly Hills, Atlanta, New York City and Dallas as well. On the other end of the television-viewing spectrum,

there are various Law & Order, CSI and NCIS shows set in different cities with new actors than the successful originals in order to give the shows a “fresh” feel. Even programs on children’s networks are to blame. It does not take an adult to see that “Dora the Explorer,” “Go, Diego, Go!” and “Ni Hao, Kai-Lan” are all shows featured on Nickelodeon based on the same idea of a bilingual child going on adventures while teaching viewers problem solving, language skills and the backpack song.

The music area of the entertainment industry is not without guilt either. Music featured in episodes of the popular “Glee” has produced a major profit, and while new people perform the songs, almost none of the pieces are original, remaking music from artists such as Journey, Lady Gaga, Fleetwood Mac and various musicals. And while popular artists draw inspiration from other musicians of the past, some must consider themselves pretty inspirational seeing as they are remixing their own music. An example of this is Kanye West’s remix of “Love Lockdown,” which he originally released in 2008.

Because if it was popular the first time around, let’s see how many more times a profit can be made off of it, right?

So what does all this mean? As high school students we are too young to have been around during the original releases of favorites like “Footloose,” Star Wars and “Don’t Stop Believin’,” but that does not mean that we are unaware of them. The idea of remakes, re-releases, sequels and spin-offs is economically smart for the entertainment industry due to a sense of security based on the original’s success, but high risks can also equal high rewards when the call for ingenuity is greater than that of playing it safe. Just look at the originals. What movies, television and music do we have to define our generation when we look back on it in the future?

As Americans, we have always taken pride in being innovation leaders and having revolutionary ideas, but what do we have to brag out these days? We have the remixed, 3D, “improved” entertainment, but 30 years from now what ideas will the next generation be able to steal from us in its time of possible economic crisis? “It’s all just a little bit of history repeating,” Shirley Bassey sang in the song “History Repeating” in 1997, and of course this song has been remade as well.

The idea of remakes, rereleases, sequels and spin-offs is economically smart for the entertainment industry due to a sense of security based on the original’s success.

JIVA CAPULONG / GRAPHIC

PAGE 30 | PERSPECTIVES | HILITE | HILITE.ORG | NOV. 18, 2011

JAMES

You’re not going to publish this, are you?

If you flip to any news channel, there’s a good chance you’ll see the political flavor of the week blabbering about taking the country back. But back from whom? The representatives this nation peacefully and democratically elected? This insane war against ourselves is only leading to the continuation of our problems. There is no doubt that these are the times that define a nation; the last decade has been one of war, economic downturn and general distraught. This rise of events understandably led to fear, and all fear leads to anger. However, we must never forget that when we come together as a nation, we stand the strongest against these horrendous forces.

Politics are a dirty game. The bashing of other opponents is expected with the upcoming elections, but it’s not just the candidates doing it: we all are part of the problem. Students, including myself from time to time, talk about the other political party as if they were foreign invaders forcing their fascist will onto the people. Republican, Democrat, it doesn’t matter; we are all Americans.

The Occupy Wall Street protest have been pushing the idea that it is the 99 percent against the 1 percent. But they must realize that dividing this country into two separate groups

BENEDICT

sports editor / jbenedict@hilite.org

Come together right now (over me). Rise above the politics and focus on the big picture. only causes further political gridlock and problems.

Every side of our political spectrum is to blame for the current situation we are in right now. Yes, Obama could have done a lot of things differently to further improve our economy, but calling him a Kenyan Socialist Muslim won’t solve anything. Save the energy that goes into bombarding the other side with useless attacks, and spend it on something productive. Raise real issues in political debates such as the degree at which the government should play a role in the economy, don’t just say Obama is the next Marx for promoting health care reform. By using over-dramatic truths, you just put the other side on the defensive turning political debates turn into a dog chasing his tail. Both always seem busy moving forward, but neither accomplish anything. Demonizing the other side only divides us further. However, if each side spoke their point and compromised on a more moderate choice, we would actually get something done.

In a democracy sometimes you have to go along with choices that you think stink. I was completely against the Iraq and Libyan war, but I understand that I am not the only voice in this republic. You shouldn’t demonize the government just because you don’t agree with every

detail of their plan. Sometimes you have to go along with decisions you find unfit. If you want a change bad enough, voice your opinion and offer a legitimate, flexible option, don’t just bash and run.

Now while it is true that the degree to which we are arguing is absurd, we shouldn’t all come together and sing Kumbaya. You can still have a difference of opinion while acting in the best interest of the nation. We need both sides on this nation to maintain the success we have had. We must reach the moderate middle if we wish to move past our problems and into a brighter future.

We can’t sit on our hands any longer. These times are calling for action. By continuing these pointless arguments we are just distracting ourselves from the problem.

The solution will be found in a moderate answer. In a democracy, one side can not fathom that only things they approve of will be law. While this doesn’t require the removal of opinion from argumentation, it does require the use of compromise. America faces real issues right now and needs real answers. All people need to rise above the petty bickering of politics and focus on a way to get us out of the hole we’re in.

MONICA

CHENG Live life on the edge.

Look around and you’ll find that there are opportunities everywhere to donate to good causes. October was National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and, lo and behold, this month is National Lung Cancer Awareness Month (December is National Safe Toys and Gifts Month). With the variety of charities available within school and without, it doesn’t come as a surprise that the accumulation of charity projects makes global aid worth about $120 billion a year, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

While this is a large number worth noting, rarely do people delve beyond the surface of facts and figures to really think about how much that $120 billion has truly accomplished. A little research can go a long way when it comes to the impact of donations, and while the idea of unhelpful charities seems counterintuitive, we should be aware that there do indeed exist charitable organizations which do less good than we think, whether it is intentional or not.

In theory, the goal of every start-up aid agency should be to finish its job and close shop, like Livestrong did. While smaller charities adhere to this rule of thumb, larger organizations are not always as vigilant as Livestrong and instead put the focus on expansion. For these latter agencies, every new catastrophe

managing editor / mcheng@hilite.org

Let’s throw money at it. Some charities are less beneficial than others, leaving problems unsolved. in the world presents another opportunity to reap the profits.

What was originally established as small-scale, temporary assistance becomes a sprawling network of aid which at worst replace governments, forcing them to be forever dependent on handouts. The problem becomes very real when aid agencies such as the United Nations are more concerned with justifying their own existence through charts and data than with producing actual results.

Another problem with some charities relates to the method through which facts and figures are gathered. According to UNICEF, 2.4 million Afghani girls are receiving an education at a school facility. This number alone seems to speak volumes of an aid program’s typical success story, but when we take a closer look at how they arrived at this number, we come across troubling realizations. In dangerous areas like Afghanistan, rather than personally executing the use of donation funds to promote education, UNICEF allows local third parties to allocate the funds as they see fit. The problem with this situation is immediately obvious: It is almost impossible to track the progress and use of funds by these third parties. As a result, the quantitative reports are highly unreliable and most likely defective.

Nevertheless, all aid programs start with good intentions. In 2007, the aid world unveiled an ambitious goal: eradicating malaria.

Case in point—Apac. People living in this African town face a constant battle with malaria, a disease which results annually in a total economic loss to Africa in the tens of billions of dollars. Global aid organizations with good intentions exist but are often led astray. Two of the foreign aid programs in Apac—a European-funded child-protection group and National Wetlands Program (NWP)—do not even address the malaria issue. In fact, the NWP prevents the draining of surrounding swamps that serve as breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Insecticide spray effectively cut malaria infections in half, but in 2008 the spray was discontinued by proponents of organic farming.

By being more cognizant of the credibility of the charity organizations, we can avoid falling into the trap of throwing money at a problem in false hopes of solving it. Organizations like the Better Business Bureau are only a click away and can help confirm the legitimacy of aid programs. Equipped with knowledge, we can make bigger differences in our community and the world.

NOV. 18, 2011 | HILITE.ORG | HILITE | PERSPECTIVES | PAGE 31

RYAN

ZUKERMAN PATEL

rzukerman@hilite.org

Hello, Newman.

Shut up, Ryan.

DHRUTI

dpatel@hilite.org

Contact information Mailing Address: 520 E. Main St., Carmel, IN 46032 Phone: (317) 846-7721, Ext. 7143 Website: 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, Laura Peng will receive mail sent to lpeng@hilite.org.

What is American culture?

As the United States experiences an increase in diversity, editors Ryan Zukerman and Dhruti Patel discuss the true definition of “the American way of life.”

Responding to the HiLite

It is social mobility.

Purpose

It’s all the rage in the news today, the Occupy Wall Street Movement, recognized world wide as a symbol against corporate greed. I spent a portion of my fall break with the protestors in Zuccotti Park in New York City observing and evaluating their movement.

As I watched them protest in their calm, reserved manner, a question dawned on me.

Is this what America has become?

What used to be the land of opportunity has been reduced to this?

What happened to the American Dream and the American way of life?

Go listen to “Pink Houses” by John Mellencamp. Listen to the way it describes America, the American way of life and the American Dream.

Then think about it.

Mellencamp embodies America.

He is the epitome of the American dream, the person who went from small town Indiana to the big time.

If this isn’t the American Dream, then I don’t know what is.

As a result of this American Dream, our country has experienced a boom, socially, economically and intellectually. We have taken the lead in globalization, and as a result, more people are immigrating to the United States than anywhere else in the world. But, as we add more people and cultures to both the world and our country, are we starting to reject this way of life-the American way of life?

Watching the protestors in the park, I came to a simple conclusion: Though we may be rejecting it now, we simply need to stop.

Even today, the American way of life provides the ordinary citizen the best opportunity to succeed. Nowhere else in the world is social mobility more accessible than in America.

It may seem cliché, but the American Dream is solely American. We are one of the only nations in the world that people come to with nothing but the clothes on their backs, and that is what makes our country so great.

So here is what I ask: be proud to be an American. No matter someone’s religion, ethnicity or culture, remember that we all have something stronger in common: We are all American.

It is a mix of other cultures.

As much as many people aren’t what you’d call history buffs, everyone knows the basics of U.S. history. “In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue,” is a common rhyme that explains the beginning of the history of the United States, and chances are, it’s not just elementary school kids who are singing this one to themselves during history class. From then on, a flood of immigrants from Europe, and later on Africa and Asia, came to the United States hoping for a better life and new prosperity. With this flood of foreigners came completely new traditions and cultures too, slowly establishing themselves in this country and spreading these unique customs until they became an innate part of what defined America, and an American.

This chaotic mix of cultures from around the world is where American culture found its roots and where the “American way of life” was born. The question has to be asked, therefore, whether there actually is such thing as a purely “American” way of life or whether our culture is defined by picking and choosing different customs from everywhere else, a virtual salad bowl of ideas from around the world. Even prominent symbols of American traditions, such as the Christmas tree which many Christians as well as non-Christians use and going to Kindergarten before grade school, have all been adopted from various European cultures. The record American people have for being extremely hard working and busy can be derived from the original “Protestant work ethic,” brought here by the many British Protestants who founded our country.

This mash up of various worldwide traditions in what is associated with Americanization, but the conclusions that our culture might not be truly ours is one we may not want to hear.

However, we can do right for us and globally by being aware of where the culture we have adapted came from and what the consequences of it are on the rest of the world. It is important for everyone to remember that while we all might be American at heart, we are only as good as the parts that make us up.

Even today, the American way of life provides the ordinary citizen the best opportunity to succeed.

While we all might be American at heart, we are only as good as the parts that make us up.

Letters to the editor will be accepted for the December 12 issue no later than Nov. 29. Letters may be submitted in Room C147, placed in the mailbox of Jim Streisel, emailed to letters@hilite.org or mailed to school. All letters must be signed. Names will be published. (Letters sent via email 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.

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.

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Lady of the Loom

Senior Nimisha Kumar is a competitive weaver

BY HAFSA RAZI hrazi@hilite.org

How did you get started weaving?

I volunteered at Conner Prairie when I was 11. Conner Prairie’s about life in the 1800s and the textile industry was a big part of that life there. So we have a youth spinning team at Conner Prairie where we have six youth who get together and compete at the state fair.

What do you do to practice before a competition?

We run at least one or two practice scarves before the competition, and we make sure our team is ready. Basically as captain, (I) have to make sure everyone knows what’s going to happen.

What do you do to make a scarf?

You start off with the wool of a sheep and then you have to wash it and then you have to card it, which is essentially

CONNER GORDON/ PHOTO

brushing through it so the fibers go one way. It makes it easier to spin, which is the next step. You spin the wool into thread and then you ply it, and then you take that thread and you weave it.

Do you have a favorite scarf that you’ve made in the past?

My favorite scarf would have to be the one I made (this year).

I just think it was really pretty; there were sunset colors, there were varying degrees of purple and pink, and I just think the design was really pretty.

Want More?

Scan this QR code to see a YouTube video of Kumar weaving a scarf.