3.22 Issue

MARCH 22, 2012 I VOL. 76 I ISSUE 8

CARMEL HIGH SCHOOL I 520 E. MAIN ST. I CARMEL, IN I WWW.HILITE.ORG

*Carmel High School’s student newsmagazine

LIFE OUTSIDE THE BLOCKS In light of Jeremy Lin’s rise to fame, students of all ethnicities serve as a testament against racial stereotypes Longboarding: Skateboarding redefined?

- See Page 24

Join the conversation.

PAGE 2 | TABLE OF CONTENTS | HILITE | HILITE.ORG | MARCH 22, 2012

Offbeat

cover story

Can’t be fooled?

Delve into the jokes, the pranks and the history of April Fool’s Day.

Beating the Stereotypes

Unknown Origins One theory claims that the annual observance came to be when the French switched from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar.

Those who continued to April celebrate the new year on April 2 (as it was under the Julian calendar) were dubbed “April fools.”

By participating in uncharacteristic extracurricular activities, students here challenge social stigmas and common perceptions. Page 16

2

Don’t “Kick Me” In Scotland, April Fool’s Day revolves around pranks that involve one’s rear end. In fact, some have said the origins of the “Kick Me” sign can be traced Kick back Me! to this ancient Scottish tradition.

The Joke’s on You Sometimes, media outlets participate in the prank festivities.

In 1957, BBC News reported that spring would come earlier that year, prompting an “early spaghetti harvest in Switzerland.” More than 250 viewers were duped and phoned in for more details on how to grow these spaghetti plants.

MELINDA SONG / GRAPHIC TIMEANDDATE.COM / SOURCE

news

Working teens face effects of Indiana’s new “right-to-work” labor legislation 4

feature

Recent Twitter censorship raises controversy among staff and students 8

entertainment

Hunger Games fans prepare for the film adaptation of the popular book series 20

25

4

sports

Baseball team is determined to make up for last year’s Sectional loss 25

perspectives

Staff analyzes the new RISE merit-based pay system from a student perspective 28

15 minutes

Junior Trevor Mahoney is a competitive Rubik’s cube speed solver 32

20

32 CONNER GORDON / COVER PHOTO

MARCH 22, 2012 | HILITE.ORG | HILITE | JUST A MINUTE | PAGE 3

Too Much Fun in the Sun As spring break approaches, be wary of how ultraviolet radiation emitted from the sun can damage the skin. Graphic by Melinda Song

C B

A

UVA radiation makes up most of our sun exposure. Since UVA rays have the longest wavelengths, they pass easily through the ozone layer. The radiation then penetrates the epidermis to reach the dermis.

B

UVB radiation affects the epidermis and is the primary cause of sunburn. Melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, is thought to be associated with severe sunburns that occur before age 20. Both UVA and UVB rays can cause skin aging, wrinkling and skin cancer.

C

1

Ozone layer

Hair

A

2

UVC rays are the most damaging, but they are almost entirely absorbed by the ozone layer and can’t harm the skin.

Hair follicle

KIDSHEALTH.ORG / SOURCE

1 person

dies of melanoma every hour.

Collagen and elastin fibers

90 percent of pediatric melanoma cases occurs in females from ages

10 to 19.

SKINCANCER.ORG / SOURCE

Want More?

Turn to “Goodbye, sunscreen?” on Page 11 for more about teenagers and melanoma.

SUNSC

REEN

3 1

Epidermis

2 3

Dermis Subcutaneous tissue

Fat (adipose) tissue

PAGE 4 | NEWS | HILITE | HILITE.ORG | MARCH 22, 2012

NEWS

SUBMITNEWS@HILITE.ORG | TWITTER.COM/HILITE_NEWS

News Briefs Updates on clubs, activities and events at this school.

Key Club scheduled its officer elections to take place at its meetings today, which will continue at 3:15 p.m. in the freshman cafeteria.

According to lead sponsor Mike Meyer, the next GKOM Connection Session is scheduled for SRT today.

TechHOUNDS will travel to Milwaukee, WI, today until Saturday to compete in a FIRST Robotics Regional competition.

Kyle Peeler, club president and senior, said Best Buddies will be holding a movie night tomorrow. They will be showing the movie “Despicable Me.” Chess Club continues to prepare for the state tournament which will take place in Terre Haute on Saturday, according to club sponsor Margaret Winans.

Science Olympiad will attend its state competition at IU on Saturday, according to sponsor Fran Rushing.

LifeLines will begin its awareness campaign starting next Monday.

According to LifeLines sponsor Rebekah Overbey, the campaign will encourage students to make wise decisions over spring break.

According to sponsor Wendy Gerardot, the Academic Decathlon team plans to attend the national competition on April 4 and 27.

Right-to-work legislation eliminates fees for students New bill prevents unions from requiring dues

BY ROCHELLE BRUAL rbrual@hilite.org

A

lthough Kyle Tosh, Kroger bagger and junior, is a labor union member, he said he doesn’t remember the name of his own labor union, and he doesn’t pay much attention to it either. It sends him emails he never responds to, and it leeches $7.40 out of his paycheck a week. Other than that, Tosh said he receives minimal contact and unapparent benefits from his labor union, which makes him want to cease membership.

Tosh isn’t the only one. Some supermarket chains like Kroger and Meijer require all of their employees to join the labor union United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW)—or at least pay the fees to join. However, in January 2012, Gov. Mitch Daniels signed a bill that made Indiana the 23rd right-to-work state, which prohibits unions from forcing workers to pay mandatory representation fees. “(The union was) like, ‘We’re going to fight (the right-

to-work law). We’re going to help our Kroger employees.’

It was total bologna. I don’t really care because you’re not helping me at all. I could watch it sink, and I wouldn’t care,” Tosh said.

According to Karen Taff, union member and social studies teacher, the right-to-work legislation was labeled in a way that makes it sound benign. However, Taff said it actually prohibits workers from being able to exercise their legal rights. It will kill the part of the labor contract that requires employees to join unions, and it stifles bargaining with corporations.

Taff said via email, “Since the late 19th century, the labor movement has played a significant role in American history.

They were essential in helping to create the broad expansion of the economy and the middle class in the middle of the 20th century. In the last 25 years, much of the power of organized labor has been eroded by industrial and manufacturing jobs being moved overseas. In general, the same economic, CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE social and political factors that have

A History of Unions The National Labor Union, the first federation of American unions, formed and later requested an eight hour workday, but it ultimately failed.

The Knights of Labor forms and accepts all wage earners, boasting up to 750,000 workers in its prime.

X

100,000

Indiana becomes the 23rd state to pass the rightto-work law on Feb. 1.

The Wagner Act, considered the Magna Carta of labor to some, is passed, prohibiting employers from engaging in unfair labor practices.

1869

1866

Comedy Sportz will have its last home match on April 13 in the CHS Studio Theatre from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.

On April 19, Film Club will watch “Monster” in Room E150. The movie will run from 3:15 to 5:15 p.m. Students must have a permission slip because the movie is rated R.

Did you know The annual White House Easter Egg Roll began in 1878 and was started by President Rutherford B. Hayes.

TIME.COM / SOURCE

Dates to remember: Saturday: Indiana DECA competition camp March 30: Spring break begins April 12: Frosh Rock April 16: Scholastic Awards Banquet

1935

1955

2012

The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations forms, becoming the largest federation of unions today.

JIVA CAPULONG / GRAPHIC LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, USHISTORY.ORG, HISTORY.COM AND WSJ / SOURCES

MARCH 22, 2012 | HILITE.ORG | HILITE | NEWS | PAGE 5 diminished the well-being of the middle class in the last 20 years have also hurt the labor movement.”

Although Indiana’s teachers have been under their own right-to-work law since 1995, many teachers join labor unions to protect their rights. Taff said she has been a member of the Indiana State Teachers’ Association (ISTA) since 1981 and a member of the local Carmel Clay Education Association (CCEA) since 1984.

Tosh has been a member of the UFCW for half a year, which is also how long he has been working for Kroger.

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

I really think it’s crucial to our freedom as workers that we are able to choose whether we want to pay that much money for stuff we don’t get.

so. Indiana had already passed a right-to-work law in 1957, but it was repealed in 1965.

Although employees no longer are required to join unions under the right-to-work law, they still receive the benefits from collective bargaining and negotiations between employers and a group of employees about working conditions. Opponents to the right-to-work law call these people “free riders.”

John Elliott, Kroger public affairs manager, was contacted, but he declined to comment by the publication date because he said a legal counsel was reviewing his answers due to the sensitivity of the topic.

According to the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), those in unions have approximately 28 percent higher wages than those who are not. However, this does not apply to Tosh.

“I get paid minimum wage, $7.25. If (the UFCW) had actually increased the wage more and took money away, I would be okay with it,” Tosh said. “Since they’re taking away union dues, I’m not even making minimum wage, and it’s not okay.”

Unlike Tosh, Emily Atkinson, Kroger cashier and senior, said she plans to continue being a member of the UFCW because being part of a union allows her to transfer more easily. When she goes to college, Atkinson said she plans to transfer to another Kroger for a part-time job.

In an attempt to interview Dee Scott, Kroger employee at customer care, was made, but she declined to comment after her manager said answering questions was against union rules. “(Working at Kroger is) a stable job,” Tosh said, “and it’s not a bad job. I only wish I could get paid more.”

Kyle Tosh

Kroger employee and junior

The UFCW was created in 1979, and it claims to have the largest percentage of members under 35, which makes it the youngest labor union in the United States.

According to the UFCW, the benefits of being in a union are negotiated wages, health care and retirement plans, defined work schedules, grievance procedures, reasonable workload requirements, protection from unfair treatment and favoritism by the boss, job security, seniority rights and a voice on the job to bargain for other benefits. “(The union gives), you know, minor healthcare. Not very much, like dental and stuff like that. It’s just that for a minor like me, I have parents that can take care of my medical bills,” Tosh said. “So I really think it’s crucial to our freedom as workers that we are able to choose whether we want to pay that much money for stuff that we don’t get.”

Indiana has become the newest right-to-work state in the last 10 years. It is also the only state in the Rust Belt, the midwestern and northeastern region of the United States associated with declining industries and population, to do

KATHLEEN BERTSCH / PHOTO

HARD AT WORK: Junior Kyle Tosh works at the Kroger on 146th street. Although the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150 filed a suit to block the right-to-work law, it was later withdrawn.

Eastern time? Not so fast. Coalition seeks to move to Central zone.

BY ARUNI RANAWEERA aranaweera@hilite.org Just two weeks ago, Indiana made the change to Daylight Saving Time, but another time issue is now being discussed in our state: the time zone.

Although Indiana currently operates in Eastern time, some are discussing the permanent switch to Central time. According to its website, the Central Time Coalition is an organization that works to return Indiana to “its geographically correct Central time zone.”

After a proposed resolution to switch time zones failed in the Statehouse, the coalition now leads a petition to raise awareness of the switch.

Sue Dillon, president of the coalition, explains her stance:

What’s the biggest reason for this resolution?

I think it’s the safety for school students. That’s the most dominant and the most obvious reason. We are out of our correct time zone so we have excessively dark mornings, and it’s unsafe.

We are tracking a lot of information. One of the things that we are tracking is incidents that occur to students before sunrise. To date, there have been seven students, so far, who have been hit by cars. None of them were killed this year, but last year there was one who was killed and another one with a broken a neck.

Two boys walking along the road to school, it was “walk to school” day, and they were hit by a teacher who couldn’t see the kids, it was right next to the road. That’s such a tragedy.

Why is Indiana on the Eastern time zone in the first place?

It goes back to 1961, and there were requests from two entities for Indiana to be moved from the Central time zone to the Eastern time zone. The request came from the national television network; television was new. Almost all of television was being broadcast live from their studios in New York.

The other request was from the Indiana Chamber of Commerce because at that time…

Want more?

To finish the rest of this interview with Sue Dillon, scan this QR Code to visit Hilite Online.

PAGE 6 | NEWS | HILITE | HILITE.ORG | MARCH 22, 2012

STATE NEWS

Recent tornadoes redefine safe areas here Severe weather, destruction of school in southern Indiana give school officials cause to reexamine procedures at this school

BY DAVID CHOE dchoe@hilite.org

O

n March 2, a deadly tornado outbreak, occurring over parts of the southern United States into the Ohio River Valley region, claimed the lives of more than 30 people.

Indiana was not free from this destruction, especially in towns such as Henryville. The tornado caused much destruction in the town, some of which included severe damage to Henryville Jr. – Sr. High School as well as the devastation of multiple homes.

Students and staff at CHS, however, were safe from any harm done by the tornadoes. Near the end of the school day on March 2, following current tornado warning procedures, the student body and staff members were evacuated from their classrooms to designated safe areas, or interior classrooms, where they were told to stay until the tornado warning was finally lifted.

Principal John Williams said he was pleased with the cooperation of the students regarding the safety procedures, but the tornado warning has given cause for CHS to reexamine its own plans for future events.

A Fuss on the Bus What bus drivers should do when away from a safe building • Take passenger attendance • Direct students to a safe area • Don’t allow students to leave until directed by administration or police • Attend to any injuries until other help arrives RON FARRAND / SOURCE

Where to Go What constitutes a safe area?

Places that...

• Are indoors • Have no glass present • Are on a lower story • Have no wind tunnels present • Are centered in the building • Have weight-bearing walls • Have concrete walls JOHN WILLIAMS / SOURCE

“Everyone did exactly what they were asked to do,” Williams said.

“And that’s the most important thing. You can plan and plan and plan, but if a tornado hits this building, we don’t know where the damage is going to be. We have to do the best we can prepare, knowing that when disaster strikes, you don’t get to pick, but you hope and have a plan that protects the most people.”

Recently, however, new advancements in technology and improvements in the accuracy and speed of severe weather warnings affected administrators in their changes to safety plans and procedures, according to Williams.

“Now, in the last five to six years, the technology for monitoring weather is so advanced they can KATHLEEN BERTSCH / PHOTO actually tell you in 13 minutes TAKE COVER: Students take precautions during the tornado on March 2. if Carmel is going to get hit,” Williams said administration has determined the first floor as the safest floor.

Williams said. “We now get so much prior warning that we know (about a tornado) half an hour, 15 than anything else, is to keep students and staff safe. minutes at least, before (it arrives), And so as we move forward with whatever plan we so we feel confident that we can move people.” have, we feel that it is the best plan that there is. And Williams said the changes made to the safety as new information comes to us or new thoughts, we procedures will involve moving people from the certainly make those adjustments.” upper stories to the first floor of the building. Students and staff located in second and third floors would be instructed to evacuate to the first floor in the case of severe weather.

“We always evaluate and think: ‘Okay, this is how it worked. Is there a safer way to do it? Where’s the best place for kids and staff to be?’” Williams said. “And now we’re confident with our, or someone’s, ability to predict and inform us that we believe safety would be better served by moving kids more. So we’ll bring all our kids down the first floor.”

In accordance with the new policy, the tornado drill on March 15 required students from the second floor move down to the ground floor.

As for the safety procedure that occurred on March 2, sophomore Andrew Kluttz said via email he felt quite comfortable during the procedures.

“I felt safe and calm and everything. I thought our safety procedures were as good as they could be, given that there really isn’t a whole that you can do other than what we did with a tornado warning,” Kluttz said.

Despite the fact that the evacuation procedures on March 2 were successful and no individual at this school was hurt, Williams said the administration will OMEED MALEKMARZBAN / PHOTO continue to make adjustments and improvements to A MINUTE TO WIN IT: Junior Noah Levitin collects money the procedures. for the Miracle Minute on March 8. This event raised money “We always feel that we’re doing the best we can,” Williams said. “And our main responsibility, more for the victims of the tornado that hit Henryville, IN.

MARCH 22, 2012 | HILITE.ORG | HILITE | NEWS | PAGE 7

WORLD NEWS

Travel to Mexico over spring break still comes with risk

BY TIM KLEIN tklein@hilite.org

at was very clear with the warnings about straying far from the resort.

“We had this one issue when we were going to go jet skiing, and the person driving us out didn’t have With spring break fast approaching in a few weeks, a permit to drive people outside of the resort, so the students will disperse to destinations across the country, police stopped him at the gate, and our group decided or even out of it. However, one popular destination, to head back to the resort after that,” said Xu. Mexico, has attracted additional dangers. Places like According to Xu, the hotel also told him it strongly Cancun have drawn many visitors over spring break; recommended staying with its programs if he or his however, in the past year, drug-related violence has friends wanted to go outside of the resort. erupted. New studies released show that it is unsafe and “If you don’t feel 100 percent secure with heading unwise to venture one mile from hotels or resorts that out, you probably shouldn’t go out (of the resort) and are typically used during spring break. head out at your own risk. Make sure you have the right Sophomore Lexi Wheeler is planning to go to people driving you to where you’re going,” said Xu. Mexico over spring break, and she said she is not too Over the past few years, trouble has arisen in worried about the current conflicts affecting the area in Mexico due to the rise of drug cartels. The Mexican which she is staying in Rivera Maya. government, led by President Felipe Calderon, has “I’m not especially worried about it,” said Wheeler. supported security forces that have attempted to “I know that there have been problems there (in bring peace in Mexico. One such city, Ciudad Juarez, Mexico), but I don’t think they’ll be a problem where is widely considered one of the most dangerous cities I’m going.” in North America because of the extreme violence that According to Wheeler, she is going to Mexico with has occurred there as a result of the drug cartels. In her friend and their family, who have been to the same 2010, 3,111 people were killed in Ciudad Juarez, and place in the past.

5,000 were projected to be killed in the past year.

“They haven’t had any kind of problem there in the Sophomore Josue Martinez, who was born in past,” said Wheeler.

Mexico City, said his parents worry about the current Senior Daniel Xu visited Cancun during last year’s situation there. winter break. Xu stayed at a resort in Cancun with a “My parents do talk about Mexico being unsafe. few of his friends and said there were few problems on They say it has been overrun by the drug cartels,” the resort. However, Xu said the resort that he stayed Martinez said. “There are some places that are unsafe.

Some places I would warn people about, but the resorts and hotels are almost always safe as long as you stay near them.”

Hotels and resorts often offer attractions that take guests off of the immediate location itself. According to Xu, there were ATV trips, water parks, sports and Mayan temples that took guests anywhere from 30 minutes to three hours away from the resort itself.

While Xu did not go as far as three hours away, he said he believes the programs should be safe as long as the guests stay with the resort’s guides the whole time. Xu said his parents gave him general warnings about straying too far from the resort. Similarly, Wheeler also said that her father reminds her of the dangers of visiting Mexico, and not to go far from where she is staying.

However, vacationing students should make sure that they know about the dangers of going too far away from their residence areas. Students are recommended to listen to staff at the GRAYSON HARBOUR / PHOTO hotels or resorts that they are staying at, and they should be sure that they READY TO GO: Sophomore Lexi Wheeler prepares for pay attention to any warnings that are her trip to Mexico by packing her clothes. According to given to them regarding their safety or Wheeler, the increasing danger of visiting Mexico won’t travelling. prevent her from vacationing there.

NATIONAL NEWS

Fisher v. University of Texas may end affirmative action Background Abigail Fisher, a white student, accused the University of Texas of denying her admission based on her race. The Supreme Court has decided to review the case.

Precedent The decision may discard Grutter v. Bollinger, a case from 2003 that allowed for the consideration of race.

Affirmative action began during World War II with Executive Order 8802, but was poorly enforced.

Significance The case has the potential of eliminating diversity as a reason for the consideration of race in the admissions process.

Implications Affirmative action will no longer play a vague and unquantified factor in admissions. Instead, it might be disregarded altogether.

With Affirmative Action At Stanford University in 2011, the student body consisted of: 34.3 percent Caucasian, 6.5 African American, 0.9 Native American, 17.1 Hispanic, 20.1 Asian, 0.4 unspecified and 8.3 aliens.

Without Affirmative Action At the University of Michigan in 2009, the student body consisted of: 74 percent Caucasian, 5.0 African American, 0.4 Native American, 3.8 Hispanic, 14.2 Asian, 2.6 unspecified and 3.8 aliens.

CONNIE CHU / GRAPHICS NYTIMES, U OF M FACTBOOK, STANFORD COMMUNICATIONS / SOURCES

PAGE 8 | FEATURE | HILITE | HILITE.ORG | MARCH 22, 2012

FEATURE

Did you know?

Approximately 25.3 percent of the world is affected by online censorship.

ONLINEMARKETING-TRENDS.COM / SOURCE

SUBMITFEATURE@HILITE.ORG | TWITTER.COM/HILITE_NEWS

What do you think?

If you want to share your views on censorship, scan this QR code and comment on this story online. We’d like to hear your thoughts!

Jailbird

Censorship laws in other countries may limit students’ sharing capabilities

BY JOHN DU jdu@hilite.org

“Either the glass is half empty, or the glass is half full, or someone can’t afford a standard sized beverage.”

CONNIE CHU / GRAPHIC

The above quote is an example of a recent tweet from senior Blake Penner, a popular tweeter from CHS who has provided humor like this on a daily basis from his Twitter account to over 800 followers since 2008. Penner said his prolific tweeting did not begin until last year with some inspiration from Ali Semssar, senior and tweeter with 498 followers as of March 9.

“I just tweet for fun, you know,” Penner said. “A lot of people say exactly what they’re doing at the moment, like, ‘I’m at the mall’ or whatever, but I just say random, funny stuff. It’s mostly funny stuff that I’ll think of during the day.”

However, according to Penner, sometimes someone may find some of his tweets tasteless. And while his tweets rarely touch or go near being illegal, he may be

affected as part of Twitter’s announcement on Jan. 26 to block illegal tweets in certain countries.

The announcement on Twitter’s blog stated that the company has recently implemented the ability for it to block tweets within a certain country as opposed to before, when illegal tweets would be deleted from the system altogether. This means that while a tweet may be considered legal in one country, it could be deemed illegal in others and censored from view.

Currently, Twitter users send approximately a billion tweets every four days according to the Twitter’s blog. The new filtering feature will only block certain tweets in response to a valid and legal request. The Twitter team CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE will then take into consideration the

Tweet #withheld

2006 Conflict/Security

China

Internet tools

Conflict and security

21%

Internet tools

Political content

Social content Cuba Political content

United States

29%

Social content

Senior

Internet censorship in three countries

Most commonly censored content

18%

Blake Penner

Censorship in recent years:

Topics Censored:

32%

I think that people should be able to express themselves the way they want as long as they’re not hurting anybody or getting anybody bullied or something like that... People should be able to say what they want to say.

The Great Firewall of China goes into service and blocks sites the government has deemed illegal.

Cuba is listed as an “Internet Enemy”

by Reporters Without Borders

2010

2008

During the Olympic games, China unblocks websites such as Wikipedia and YouTube

OFAC publishes a list of sites that U.S. companies cannot do business with

2011

Google threatens to pull out of China if it is not allowed to operate without censorship Alan Gross of the U.S. AID is convicted for distributing laptops SOPA and are introduced as bills in Congress

SHEEN ZHENG AND CONNIE CHU / GRAPHICS NEWS.BBC.CO / SOURCES

MARCH 22, 2012 | HILITE.ORG | HILITE | FEATURE | PAGE 9 request and determine whether the tweet should be blocked or not.

While Twitter is attempting to be transparent in the blocking of messages by providing the person who tweeted something illegal a notice and reason as to why a tweet was blocked, some have found the move to be a threat to free speech on the Internet.

“I think it’s becoming a slippery slope just because of the precedent that it potentially sets,” government teacher James Ziegler said. “Ultimately, what is going to be considered illegal?”

Many claim Twitter is justified, if only a little, in its move, as long as it blocks only illegal messages.

Computer applications teacher Kathy Mehlhop said she thinks Twitter may be censoring tweets so they do not lose the site completely. But for actual tweet censorship, Mehlhop said it depends on the situation.

“If it deals with something like the privacy of a child, it should be censored,” she said.

Many also point out that Twitter is a privately held company, which should mean it has the right to do what it wants with its service.

“As a private entity that’s kind of taking it up, they’re not held to the same standards as a government organization coming in and mandating it,” Ziegler said. “So it’s a little bit different, so ultimately they have control over how they want the website to be used. So I think they have a right to do that, whether or not I may necessarily agree with it.”

However, Semssar said he does not feel like Twitter is justified if it blocks tweets on its own accord.

“If it’s Twitter itself doing it, I don’t think it’s justified,” Semssar said. “But if it’s the government saying that their countries can’t use Twitter, then I think that it’s the (government’s) problem, then I think (the blockage) would be somewhat justified.”

Still, there is some controversy over Twitter’s announcement, with some saying that this will mark the beginning of self-censorship throughout websites that rely on user-generated content—just as the shutdown of Megaupload, a file-sharing site, has led to other similar sites either shutting down or limiting file sharing between users.

Regardless, Penner said he thinks Twitter has made a bad move.

“I think that people should be able to express themselves the way they want as long as they’re not hurting anybody or getting anybody bullied or something like that,” he said. “I feel like if they would block illegal messages, it’s more of a block on people’s right to express themselves the way they want. People can protest at funerals and stuff. People can make hateful messages, but you know it might be distasteful, but it’s still legal. People should be able to say what they want to say.”

Semssar said he does not support censorship at all, especially online.

“I’m big on free speech,” he said.

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Want more?

The HiLite tweets too.

Scan this to follow @HiLite_News and to receive all of your CHS-related news.

Censoring the #Internet Globally Censored:

The extent of Internet censorship across the world

pervasive

surveillance

some

pervasive surveillance some none

The Origin of Censorship:

Organizations that prove to be censored most frequently

1.72

36%

Individual

billion people are affected

by Internet censorship

26%

Government

17%

Non-government organizations

The Blocked Sites:

Number of websites blocked for controversial content in countries

18,000

China

7% Labor groups 6% Private business 5% Forums 3% Other

15,000

Iran

2,000 Saudi Arabia

JIVA CAPULONG, LIANE YUE, SHEEN ZHENG, CONNIE CHU AND TONY TAN / GRAPHICS GLOBALTECHFIRM.COM, HOWSTUFFWORKS.COM AND ONLINEMARKETING-TRENDS.COM / SOURCES

none

MARCH 22, 2012 | HILITE.ORG | HILITE | FEATURE | PAGE 11 IN THE SUN: The men’s track and field team trains after school.

According to Samantha Dauby, track and field member and sophomore, most members do not wear sunscreen while they practice.

OMEED MALEKMARZBAN / PHOTOS

Goodbye, sunscreen?

Studies show decline in sunscreen use in teenagers, rise in rates of melanoma

BY CLAUDIA HUANG chuang@hilite.org

Mirowski said that the results of these two studies are linked to each other.

“The rise in melanoma, a potentially fatal form of skin cancer, is directly related to UV exposure and is highly impacted by this behavior,” Mirowski said.

Last year, the U.S. Food and Drug Mirowski said she thinks adolescents stop sunscreen usage Administration (FDA) announced a as they get older in an attempt to test limits of their newly major upheaval in sunscreen labelling gained freedom. During the years of adolescence, parents to reduce consumer confusion. Here yield less control over their children’s decisions, especially in are the biggest changes that are being terms of sun protection.

Mirowski said, “I think this is due to the students starting instated this summer. to pull away from their parents and trying to assert their independence. It is not due to their critically evaluating the “Broad Spectrum” facts and making an educated decision.”

Previously, sunscreen was labeled as According to Dauby, another reason why she thinks protecting against UVA and/or UVB students don’t wear sunscreen, especially during sports rays. Because companies frequently practices, is because of the limited amount of time they have ignored UVA radiation, they are now to get ready. For instance, student athletes who practice on being combined into a new term the school’s campus have to force their way through called “broad spectrum.” the crowds after school, walk down the trail, and change into athletic attire in a matter of twenty SPF minutes. This is true in Dauby’s case.

SPF higher than 50 will Dauby said, “I think it just takes too much be labeled as SPF 50+, time to put on, and people don’t really think because there is no about it, especially at track practice. We don’t proof that sunscreens really have enough time to put on sunscreen with SPF greater than before practice.”

50 offer more protection In addition, Dauby said the coaches have not against the sun. yet mentioned anything about sun protection or recommended students apply sunscreen.

Water Resistance Mirowski said parents and authoritative Sunscreen packaging figures at school can prevent this from happening by taking certain precautions and must now explicitly state Broad Spectrum informing students, and educating students the amount of time a SPF 50+ about the issue can reverse the problem. sunscreen is waterproof.

Water Resistant “(Adults can) provide sun protection and (40 Minutes) WWW.FDA.GOV / SOURCE sun breaks, avoid outdoor practices in the CONNIE CHU / GRAPHICS middle of the day and encourage athletes to wear sun protection,” Mirowski said.

Dauby said she believes the main reason for the decrease in sunscreen use is the attitudes of students. She believes that Want more? if students’ opinions about sun protection don’t change, then Turn to “Too Much Fun these statistics will not change. in the Sun” on Page 3 for Dauby said, “I don’t think people think the sun is as strong more about the harmful effects as it is in Florida as it is here. They don’t wear sunscreen of UV radiation on the skin. because they just don’t take it very seriously.”

The FDA’s New Rules

D

espite the risks that the sun’s harmful rays pose, Samantha Dauby, track and field member and sophomore, said she never wears sunscreen at practices, or ever at all. She is one of many high school students who, according to recent studies, opt out of using sun protection and are contributing to the decline in sunscreen usage in adolescents.

“I don’t wear sunscreen because I usually don’t get burnt very easily. My skin is not very sensitive,” Dauby said. “Not very many people on track wear sunscreen either.”

According to CNN, in a study published in Pediatrics, a group of 360 students were surveyed on their sunscreen usage. In fifth grade, 50 percent of students used sunscreen on a regular basis, but in eighth grade, only 25 percent of them continued the same amount of usage. Furthermore, students were more likely to report being sunburnt in the past year, especially fair-skinned individuals.

Ginat Mirowski, an Indianapolis-based dermatologist in private practice, said she has recently seen a shift in her patients’ skin protection against the sun, as shown by these studies.

“I have seen a few melanomas in young individuals who all tanned and show signs of aging, such as freckles and fine wrinkles in others,” Mirowski said.

Also, according to the American Academy of Dermatology, rates of melanoma, the deadliest type of skin cancer, have been steadily increasing for the past 30 years. Melanoma has become the second most frequent form of cancer occurring in young adults ranging from 15-29 years old.

I have seen a few melanomas in young individuals who all tanned and show signs of aging, such as freckles and fine wrinkles in others.

Ginat Mirowski Dermatologist

SUNSCREEN

PAGE 12 | FEATURE | HILITE | HILITE.ORG | MARCH 22, 2012

What’s in a Name?

Studies show names can have profound implications on how people see themselves, how others treat them

BY CLAUDIA HUANG chuang@hilite.org

T

hink of the name Brett. Now, quickly, does your mind conjure up an image of a boy or girl? While most think of boys with that name, junior Brett Gerstein, who is female, said throughout her life she has encountered confusion with people about her atypical name.

“Brett is my full name, and it’s typically a boy’s name. So throughout my life, it has had a lot of impact on me because all throughout elementary school, I had classes with a boy named Brett too, so there was always a feud about ‘oh, is it a boy’s name or a girl’s name?’” she said. “Often times, my teachers assume I am a boy before they meet me.”

Current studies about names have been garnering more attention, due to a greater awareness on the impact a name can have on oneself. According a 2011 New York Times article, parents have recently become more cautious when naming their children and use the Internet as a reference to evaluate names. Research has found that names can have long-term implications on people’s lives, especially regarding how people see themselves and how others treat them.

Melvin Manus, co-author of an influential study about names and psychology professor at the University of Michigan, said, “An unusual first name, like, say, Dracula, would lead others to think a person with a strange name... that might be a bit peculiar, and they might be reluctant to associate with such an individual. He might find it hard to make friends as a consequence. The resulting social isolation, in turn, might lead to low self-esteem, personal maladjustment and poor school performance.”

Gerstein said she occasionally experiences this in her own life.

“Sometimes it makes me a little insecure because some people don’t actually believe that (Brett) is my name. I have to repeat myself a lot and say, ‘Yeah, that is my name, and it is my full name,’ and people don’t believe it all the time,” she said.

Despite this, Gerstein said that once in a while, her unusual

It is common for people to draw inferences about others based on the ways in which they dress, speak, et cetera. It seems reasonable that people might unconsciously draw inferences about others based on their names.

David Figlio

Economics and Education professor at Northwestern University

name beneficially influences her.

“But at other times, people are like, ‘Oh, that’s a really cool and unique name,’ and it makes me feel I’m not like everyone else,” Gerstein said.

Gerstein said she thinks her name has substantial consequences on her life because it is a significant factor used to characterize her.

She said,“Your name defines who you are. Names have meanings, so a lot of the times people try to embody the meaning of their name. If you go on any baby name site, you see names that mean ‘grace of god’ or ‘flowing river’ and really pretty names like that. Sometimes people’s personalities embody their names.”

Junior Matthew Terrell Anderson was originally born as Terrell Nathaniel Anderson.

When he was just a baby, his name was changed because his mother, who is very religious, wanted him to have a name that appeared in the Bible.

Anderson said he thinks if Terrell were still his name today, people would treat him the same as they do with the name Matthew.

Anderson said, “Terrell is probably more of a stereotypical black name, but I don’t think teachers would have treated me any differently depending on my name.”

However, a study published in the Education Finance and Policy in 2005 contrasts with Anderson’s opinion.

According to this study, people with “linguistically lowstatus” names are more likely to be treated differently by teachers. Also, according to the study, teachers are less inclined to acknowledge them as gifted students and more likely to recommend them to be screened for disabilities.

David Figlio, the researcher behind these findings and economics and education professor at Northwestern University, explained why this occurrence happens.

He said, “Names are often the first thing that a person knows about another individual. It is common for people to draw inferences about others based on the ways in which they dress, speak, et cetera. It seems reasonable that people might unconsciously draw inferences about others based on their names.”

Explaining this name bias in detail, Margo Monteith, psychology professor at Purdue University, said, “Along with a name goes certain stereotypes. People may not consciously endorse these stereotypes, but they may be knowledgeable of the stereotypes. Knowledge is stored in memory, and it can be activated and influence people’s responses automatically, regardless of people’s conscious beliefs about the truth value of the knowledge. So people may not be aware that they are even prone to something like the name bias.”

Despite his previous viewpoint, Anderson said he admits meeting people for the first time would change if he had the name Terrell instead of Matthew.

Anderson said,“People’s first impression of me would be a lot different with the name Terrell versus Matthew.

With the name Terrell, around here, people (might) think I’m a gangster.”

Top 5 Boy, Girl Names of 2011 A look at 2011’s most popular baby names and where they come from

On the Origin of Names Girls 1. A medieval European royal favorite, means “wisdom” in Greek.

2. From the Germanic word meaning “whole” or “universal.”

3. From the name “Elizabeth,” a Greek form of a Biblical name.

4. Created by Shakespeare for a character in his play “Twelfth Night.”

5. One of many forms of the name of the Biblical figure Eve.

Boys 1. From the Irish name Aodhán, found several times in Irish mythology.

2. An old English surname meaning literally the “son of Jack.”

3. An old English last name, designates a “stoneworker.”

4. A shortened form of the Germanic name “William.”

5. A Biblical name, mostly seen as Jewish before the Protestant Reformation.

JIVA CAPULONG / GRAPHIC BABYCENTER.COM, BEHINDTHENAME.COM / SOURCE

PAGE 14 | STUDENT SECTION | HILITE | HILITE.ORG | MARCH 22, 2012

STUDENT SECTION Rockin’ and Rollin’

Want more?

Follow this QR code to the HiLite Twitter page for quick news all the time.

STUDENTSECTION@HILITE.ORG | TWITTER.COM/HILITE_NEWS

Junior Kaijah Monson is a blocker in roller derby, a sport that is gaining popularity in the United States

Tell Us Your Story: For every issue, the HiLite will ask questions on our Facebook page. Tell us your story, and we will feature you on the next Student Section.

For this issue, the HiLite is featuring junior Kaijah Monson.

We asked: HiLite Online With the weather becoming warmer, what new activities do you plan on participating in? Answer and you may be featured in the next issue of the HiLite.

Feb. 27 at 5:05 p.m.

You answered:

HAILEY MEYER / PHOTO

GIRLS ON WHEELS: Junior Kaijah Monson (center) competes in an Indianapolis Junior Roller Derby game.

Monson said next year she wants to join the Naptown Roller Girls, an adult roller derby league.

BY ROCHELLE BRUAL rbrual@hilite.org Before she started playing roller derby, junior Kaijah Monson said she preferred sketching over sports. However, three years ago, she joined the Indianapolis Junior Roller Derby (IJRD), a non-profit roller derby league for girls from ages 7 to 17.

(Monson)’s athletic ability has just grown exponentially. She’s super smart on track, and she (has) emerged as a leader.

Melissa Brooks

president and director of training at IJRD

Now Monson is a blocker in roller derby. She goes to practice twice a week, goes to an additional speed-skating practice and stretches at home.

Although roller derby was more popular in the 1970s, it experienced a recent boost in popularity in 2004, according to Monson. Furthermore, Monson said that it even draws more people to the Pepsi Coliseum than the Indiana Ice, the Indianapolis ice hockey team. Although mostly females play roller derby, there has been an increase in male leagues.

The creation of junior leagues, which Monson joined, is also a new phenomenon.

“My cousin was on the Naptown Roller Girls. I watched them a good year before I started talking to Melissa Brooks, and she started the league in the fall of 2009,” Monson said.

Brooks, president and director of training for IJRD, said Monson was never a sports kid, but when she started playing roller derby, she found her body was capable of more than she knew. Monson said it took her three months how to learn how to skate. Although she said she’s still not stable, she is happy that she can skate

Kaijah Monson I’ll be playing in the Indianapolis Junior Roller Derby’s 3rd season bouts (games)@ First game is this Saturday. So excited!

Feb. 29 at 8:39 p.m.

backwards now.

Monson not only skates for the IJRD, but also draws for the team.

Brooks said, “One of (Kaijah’s) cousins was on the team, and I had run into (Kaijah) while she was doodling on her art pad. I realized how good of an artist she was and asked her to create a logo.”

Monson’s anime-inspired art has appeared on IJRD T-shirts, the IJRD website and the IJRD Facebook. If she had to choose between art and roller derby, Monson said she would still pick art because she could get paid for it; however, roller derby is still a strong hobby.

Monson said next year she plans on joining the Naptown Roller Girls, which is the adult roller derby league. According to Monson, the availability of a roller derby league will somewhat affect her decision of which college to attend. “(Kaijah) came in not very athletic, and she’s one of my older girls, so she’s completely done a 180,” Brooks said. “Her athletic ability has just grown exponentially. She’s super smart on track, and she (has) emerged as a leader.”

MARCH 22, 2012 | HILITE.ORG | HILITE | STUDENT SECTION | PAGE 15

The Face Behind the Tweets Each issue, we’ll highlight a particularly newsworthy Tweeter from Carmel High School.

This Issue’s Twitter account: @CHSGiftofWater

Who runs it: Haley Weiss, media chairperson and junior

Followers: 62

What it is: Official Twitter account for the CHS Gift of Water Club. Get updates and information about the club in 140 characters or less.

Describe yourself in 140 characters or fewer: I’m a junior at Carmel High School, I am just trying to change the world one bucket of water at a time.

Junior Haley Weiss promotes the Gift of Water

@CHSGiftofWater is the place to go for updates and information from the club

BY ERIC HE ehe@hilite.org

Basically right now we want to educate people about how little clean water the people in Haiti have. So by doing this, we just hope to get more people involved.

What do you usually tweet about?

What do you hope to accomplish with the Gift of Water Twitter page?

Why did you choose to use Twitter rather than other social networking sites, like Facebook and Tumblr?

How often do you tweet, and how long have you had this Twitter page?

Why was the Twitter page started?

Mostly I tweet about meeting times, but sometimes I tweet inspirational things and little facts about how deficient the water is in Haiti and how clean water is a necessity in life. I want to show the devastation that the Haitian people go through every day.

What is the Gift of Water organization and what is the goal of this CHS club?

Gift of Water is an organization that benefits people in Haiti who do not have access to clean water, and we create these water filtration systems which cost about 20 to 30 dollars per system.

I just want to get the club more known since it was just recently started this year. It’s a really good cause that I think a lot of people can relate to, and the Twitter account will help get the word out.

I have only been using Twitter for a couple months because the club itself is pretty new, so I’ve used the account for a couple months almost. And I tweet whenever it’s necessary or when

I find some fun little facts. Sometimes it is when there is a meeting coming up or an event that will happen.

I use Twitter because it’s really fast, and you can see everything that is going on in less than 140 characters. It’s super easy to use, and you can basically find everything on it. If you want to know what the weather is outside, you can check Twitter.

It was at one of our meetings that someone suggested that we start a new Twitter account for the club. I made the account and have been managing it, but the club president also has access to the page.

CHS Gift of Water @CHSGiftofWater GIFT OF WATER MEETING TOMORROW IN THE FRESHMAN CENTER ROOM H120 BE THERE! #GoW 19 March

CHS Gift of Water @CHSGiftofWater 2.6 billion people worldwide do not have access to adequate sanitation. #makeadifference #GoW 12 March

CHS Gift of Water @CHSGiftofWater 1 week until the next GOW meeting! Get excited for walk for water! #GOW 13 March

CHS Gift of Water @CHSGiftofWater Please return the forms tomorrow to @grant koch @tsettle44 @STruax1 or Mr. Fellows in room H120!! #GoW #walkforwater 12 March

CHS Gift of Water @CHSGiftofWater #chemistryjokes #h2o2kills you #koW 13 March

CHS Gift of Water @CHSGiftofWater Walk for water registration forms due tomorrow!!!! #getthemin #GOW 12 March

CHS Gift of Water @CHSGiftofWater Let’s make sure this doesn’t happen. Give water. #walkforwater #GOW 13 March

CHS Gift of Water @CHSGiftofWater GOW exec meeting! Walk of water is going to be awesome!!

8 March CHS Gift of Water @CHSGiftofWater Clear those calendars for the Walk of Water on March 22! Grab a friend and fill out the registration form by March 13 5 March

CHS Gift of Water @CHSGiftofWater The tshirt form deadline snuck up on everybody, so if you would still like a shirt, tweet us back and bring $10 tomorrow!

13 March

CHS Gift of Water @CHSGiftofWater Get excited! Next Meeting: Tuesday March 20th! Walk for Water Thursday March 22nd!

More information to come! #GOW 4 March

OMEED MALEKMARZBAN / PHOTO

CHS Gift of Water @CHSGiftofWater Two scientists walk into a bad. The 1st one says “I’ll have some h20.” the 2nd one says “I’ll have some h20 too” then he dies.

13 March

PAGE 16 | COVER STORY | HILITE | HILITE.ORG | MARCH 22, 2012

MARY BR

OOKE JO

HNSON /

PHOTO

MARCH 22, 2012 | HILITE.ORG | HILITE | COVER STORY | PAGE 17

Standing Out from the Crowd Despite progress, society’s racial insensitivity is evident through tactless jabs at Jeremy Lin’s ethnicity during his rise to basketball stardom. By participating in uncharacteristic activities, students here challenge entrenched stereotypes.

By Julie Xu When his orchestra conductor said last year to not be afraid of all the black on the sheet music, almost the entire orchestra turned toward junior Alex McManus, one of the only African-American members of the Philharmonic Orchestra.

While the comment wasn’t directed at him, and McManus took the response good-naturedly, the heads turning toward him made it clear he was different.

“Not a lot of black people do orchestra at Carmel,” McManus said. “I’m kind of a minority here. Orchestra tends to have a lot of Asians, and if people see me in orchestra, they tend to be really surprised, especially if they see I’m first chair viola.”

However, McManus said he has not only felt the pressure of racial stereotypes in orchestra but also from schoolwork to baseball. Some people foster stereotypes, he said, that African-Americans don’t participate in orchestra, are not well-educated and are extremely adept in sports.

McManus said,“They are still racial stereotypes.

I feel like for many black people, people may think

that they’re not smart or something else, but there are many that are talented in many different ways.”

Despite progress, society’s continuous evolution regarding racial insensitivity is still evident in American society as demonstrated through recent controversy over Jeremy Lin’s recent rise to NBA stardom. Lin, by many accounts, was underestimated in his ability to play basketball due to the common racial stereotype that Asian-Americans concentrate on their studies rather than participate in sports.

These notions were verified by a study conducted by the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago. The study was administered to 1,200 participants through a questionnaire, which asked the participants to evaluate the characteristics of a variety of minority groups. The results show that

many Americans continue to harbor beliefs about racial and ethnic minorities based on racial stereotypes.

According to Steven Stroessner, a psychology professor at Barnard College and Columbia University who specializes in stereotyping, public expression of racial stereotypes has decreased over time. Yet, more subtle forms of ethnic bias are still common. These include telling racial jokes or judging certain social groups differently from how one would judge his own social group, a common phenomena in everyday occurrences like job hiring.

Stroessner said, “Stereotypes are a part of the culture in society. The problem is that sometimes when people use stereotypes, they may come off as CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE racially insensitive.”

PAGE 18 | COVER STORY | HILITE | HILITE.ORG | MARCH 22, 2012

MARY BROOKE JOHNSON AND HENRY ZHU / PHOTOS

EXTRAORDINARY: Left, junior Alex McManus leads the viola section of the Philharmonic Orchestra during a rehearsal. Right, sophomore Patrick John plays basketball at a local neighborhood court. Both McManus and John participate in non-stereotypical activities, and they said they have integrated well into uncharacteristic roles.

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

On the Origin of Stereotypes

According to Stroessner, racial stereotypes reflect cultural norms, which in turn reflect historical factors of the social status of ethnic groups in society. Stereotypes may result from an ethnic group’s role in history and society. Once those roles become established, the group’s particular part of society becomes reflected in the media, occasionally in educational practices and in everyday discourse between people who may end up commenting on or making jokes about the group members of a particular ethnic group.

Stroessner said, “Public expression and racial stereotypes have decreased over time, but more subtle forms of ethnic bias like an ethnic joke or judgments of traits are seen built in into the system in modern society, but stereotypes are still there.”

According to Stroessner, people do not view the world as individuals. Ultimately, stereotype use is related to simplifying one’s world.

“If you think about recalling every person you met

The Threat Studies have defined a phenomenon called “stereotype threat,” which negatively impacts performance when a person feels as if he is being judged as part of a stereotype.

in life, you just may form an impression on somebody who’s an actor or politician,” he said. “It’s difficult to remember to think of people completely as individuals.

Society tends to group people into social categories that could be based off their gender or some physical feature or trait, and as a result, stereotypes form.

“Stereotypes, in large part, are used because they give us short cuts, so we don’t have to think as complexly and deeply about people, and we can just assign people to a social category. However, stereotyping can be a tremendous concern when they are inaccurate and can lead people to make stereotypical judgments and act in a prejudiced fashion.”

Defying Stigmas

Because he plays the viola, takes several weighted classes and earns good grades, McManus said he classifies himself as an individual who defies common stereotypes placed upon African-Americans. He said such stereotypes that some people may have include African-Americans not playing an orchestral instrument and not being educated.

He said people are surprised that an AfricanAmerican plays an instrument, speaks properly and excels in academics.

“They don’t think black people are as educated as other people, and we wouldn’t really do orchestra because sports are our thing,” McManus said.

Some of these stereotypes are localized. For example, although it isn’t peculiar for African Americans to play varsity baseball, McManus said many AfricanAmericans still don’t try out for baseball at Carmel.

He said, “It’s rare to see a black kid on the Carmel baseball varsity team. Most black kids just do basketball or football. They just don’t do baseball.”

McManus said while at baseball, he feels the need to keep up with the stereotype that AfricanAmericans are more athletic than other races.

“People expect me to be faster. I wouldn’t say it weighs me down or makes me feel as pressured as school and orchestra do, but I do feel some pressure,” McManus said.

“Sometimes, I feel like I have to live up to that reputation because sometimes people expect me to

SAT

Athletics

In a College Board study, 45 percent of research participants reported believing that men are “better at math” than women, while less than 1 percent reported that women are better.

In a study, white teenagers were tested on jumping ability. When a black peer entered the room during the test, activating the self-conception that whites are athletically inferior, the white participant was found to jump 15 to 20 percent lower than before.

MARCH 22, 2012 | HILITE.ORG | HILITE | COVER STORY | PAGE 19 be faster than everybody else, and if you are not, they are surprised.”

Sophomore Patrick John, the only IndianAmerican team member of last year’s men’s freshman basketball team, said he also defies racial stereotypes by playing basketball. According to John, people generally associate Indian students as people who just study all the time rather than athletes.

John said, “I’m really not that kind of typical Indian, I guess, because playing basketball is kind of what I do everyday. I think it’s kind of foolish for people think that other people don’t have the kind of ability that they have.”

Stroessner said a lot of effects of stereotypes are seen built into the system in modern society.

Stereotypes affect how people make judgments and affect how people behave in situations, he said. Racial stereotyping affects how people judge and can lead to verbal, but also nonverbal, insensitivity.

John said he experienced the impact of racial insensitivity in seventh grade when he tried out for the basketball team.

“At tryouts, people were looking at me and looking down on me and saying, ‘Why is he here?’ Yeah, people didn’t expect I would be very good,” John said.

“I remember the other ethnicities, like black people and white people, didn’t think I could play well. I could tell they didn’t really treat me seriously by just seeing it in their eyes that they were looking down upon me at the tryouts.”

The Pressure Builds

According to Stroessner, racial stereotyping has led to “stereotype threat,” a phenomenon in which people believe they are viewed thorough a stereotypical lens that can lead people to feel self-conscious and can prevent a person from reaching their full potential in an activity.

Focusing on a stereotype, which can come from a number of sources, such as peers or being asked about what social categories one belongs to before a test, can actually affect how people perform, he said. As a consequence, people end up focusing on the stereotype, which can create anxiety and can

harm someone’s performance.

John said he is prone to stereotype threat.

“Stereotypes draw me back, so I try not to think about it when I’m playing basketball,” he said.

“Stereotypes definitely prevent me from reaching my full potential.”

John said that stereotypes have also led him to not pursue basketball this year at Carmel, due to his enrollment in more honors classes.

“Last year I remember people kept saying the only reason you are getting good grades is because you are in (regular classes). So this year, I took a bunch of honors and AP classes. I didn’t do basketball because I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to handle them both. I took these honors classes because I felt like I had to keep up with the smart Indian standard,” he said. “I used to be the only Indian in regular classes, and I felt kind of left out; plus, a bunch of my Indian friends would be talking about this honors test they had during freshman year. I took regular, so I had nobody to turn to.”

Although, in many cases, people tend to submit to stereotype threat, there are always reactants, people who are immune to stereotype threat, according to Stroessner. These “reactants” realize that they are about to be viewed through a lens of stereotyping and increase their effort to disprove the stereotype.

McManus said he considers himself a reactant since stereotypes don’t harm but rather help him achieve more. McManus said this hold true in his studies.

McManus said he enrolled in honors and full-weighted classes and earns good grades.

“Many have the notion that most black people don’t get that good grades, so they might not think that I’ll be as good as others. It’s kind of cool to prove them wrong. I try to go against the stereotype,” McManus said. “Sometimes I feel a little out of place, but it feels good to go against the stereotype and blow some people’s minds some time.”

When Will It End?

Joseph Schaller, assistant principal of the Freshman Center and sponsor of the Diversity Focus Group (DFG), said Carmel tries to spread awareness to prevent

racial stereotyping. Carmel offers Interpersonal Relationships class, which discusses how to treat other people with respect, and conducts bullying convocations where racial insensitivity is addressed in how the speaker advocates against harassing someone or mistreating someone. In addition, a variety of differing groups around the school exist that try to increase awareness on racial groups like Jewish Student Union, Muslim Student Association and DFG, which covers a wider range of ethnicities. Schaller said DFG, in particular, advocates the acceptance of everybody and aims to eliminate racial stereotypes.

Schaller said, “Not many cases of racial insensitivity from stereotyping get reported. Overall, I think Carmel’s a great school, and we have got great kids, so it hasn’t been a big problem that I am aware of.”

John said he agrees that racial stereotyping is not a huge area of contention at Carmel.

He said, “I mainly only felt judged in seventh grade at tryouts. After I made the team, everybody started to respect me and accepted my talent. Occasionally, some of my white friends sometimes make Indian jokes, but I don’t get offended. The jokes are just about curry and stuff like that.”

McManus said he agrees and said, “I don’t think (racial insensitivity) is a big issue at Carmel that people are going to start complaining. Racial stereotypes are just known, but not really talked about much.”

Although McManus said racial stereotypes may not be highly problematic at Carmel, he said they should still be addressed and eliminated.

Stroessner said education can certainly play a role in helping a person realize that stereotypes are less true than they think or aren’t true at all. However, that’s only part of the story; internal processes, like a person’s willingness to disregard stereotypes and instead develop his own more accurate beliefs about groups are the ultimate way to eliminate stereotypes, he said.

Stroessner said, “We are all exposed to the media and culture, but ultimately if we want to think differently about groups, to some degree, we have to be motivated to think in a more complex fashion about people.”

Understand the Jargon Chess In a study, 42 male-female pairs, matched by ability, played two chess games online. When players were unaware of the sex of opponent, females played as well as males. When women were aware that they were playing against a male opponent, they performed far worse.

Arithmetic In an experiment at North Carolina State University, researchers asked seniors to perform simple arithmetic and recall tests. The participants who were asked to write down their ages before the test became conscious of a stereotype and performed significantly worse than the participants who were not.

TIME.COM, COLLEGEBOARD.ORG / SOURCES LIANE YUE / GRAPHIC

Stereotype threat The perceived risk of confirming a negative stereotype assigned to one’s social group The Consequences • Decreased performance • Internal attributions for failure • Distancing self from social group • Self-handicapping • Shifting aspirations and identity Prevention • Reframe the task • Deemphasize social identities • High self-assurance • Provide role models • See ability as malleable REDUCINGSTEREOTYPETHREAT.ORG / SOURCE

PAGE 20 | ENTERTAINMENT | HILITE | HILITE.ORG | MARCH 22, 2012

ENTERTAINMENT SUBMITENTERTAINMENT@HILITE.ORG | TWITTER.COM/HILITE_NEWS

Upcoming movie premieres: “Titanic 3D (1997)”- April 4 “American Reunion” - April 6 “The Three Stooges” - April 13 MOVIEFONE.COM / SOURCE

hungry for a movie?

Avid readers of the book series await the premiere of the first movie, which opens in movie theaters tonight

T

he highly-anticipated movie adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ book The Hunger Games hits the big screen tonight. Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth, fans expect the movie to be a blockbuster hit. According to The New York Times, 23.5 million books from the young adult trilogy have been sold so far. Following the popularity of the novels, fans wonder: Will the movie live up to expectations? Will viewers leave theaters with nothing but empty wallets and disappointment?

To get ready for tonight’s midnight premiere, the HiLite has you covered on all things Hunger Games.

By Katie Utken kutken@hilite.org Want more?

To view the trailer for “The Hunger Games” on the official movie site, scan this QR code.

LIANE YUE / GRAPHIC

Regal theater plans for crowds To prepare for the midnight premiere madness, Mike Sandy, manager at Regal Village Park Stadium 17, said his theater currently plans to show the movie on seven digital projections and will add more screens as demand warrants.

“There’s been a high demand so far. We’ve had a large number of calls regarding tickets for “The Hunger Games” movie release,” he said. “The day tickets went on sale on Fandango.com, “The Hunger Games” tickets accounted for 85 percent of that day’s total sales.”

Sandy also said he suggests students purchase tickets

beforehand to make it easier on his staff and to reduce the long lines expected at the ticket booth.

Hunger Games fan and senior Raven Peterson plans to see the movie this weekend, if not tonight.

She said she has high hopes for the movie and expects it to become a blockbuster franchise.

“I definitely think that once the movie comes out and people go see it regardless of whether they’ve read the books, it’ll definitely increase book sales and movie sales,” Peterson said. “I just hope the filmmakers don’t mess it up.”

You don’t really know what’s going to happen. It just keeps changing until the end. Once you get into it, it’s nearly impossible to put down.

Raven Peterson

Fan of the series and senior

MARCH 22, 2012 | HILITE.ORG | HILITE | ENTERTAINMENT | PAGE 21

Media center builds hype for premiere Since Feb. 23, the media center has been transformed into a Hunger Games haven in celebration of the movie release. From March 12 to 21, there was a scavenger hunt contest where students could fill out a booklet and turn it in for prizes like posters and movie theater gift cards.

Francie Sands and Carol Schatz, media managers and planners of the event, said they hoped the media center’s Hunger Games activities would be a fun way for students to learn more about the library while getting excited for the film.

“We’ve always had some kind of a contest a couple times during the year in the library, and they always go over quite well,” Sands said. “We try to keep the library going with some kind of theme all the time so the kids can come in.”

Sands said The Hunger Games has been so popular that the media center struggles to keep it on the shelf. Last month, she had to buy five additional copies to keep up with the high demand.

“It’s been popular all along, even last year when it first came out with a Rosie award,” Sands said. “We couldn’t keep it on our shelves, and then of course with the movie coming out it seems like popularity has increased.”

Schatz said although the series seems to be most popular among teenage girls, she recommends it to everyone.

“I love that the books have a strong female heroine,” Schatz said. “It seems to be an original story. It’s different than a lot of the things that are out there right now.”

The Carmel Clay Public Library jumped in

on the action as well and will host a Hunger Games program after school today from 4 to 5 p.m. in the Young Adult Lounge. No registration is necessary.

According to Young Adult librarian Jamie Beckman, students can win prizes at the event by shooting arrows like protagonist Katniss Everdeen or decorating cookies like Peeta Mellark.

“It’s just a party to celebrate the movie release,” Beckman said. “It’s a Young Adult novel that’s been very popular, and this event will get students in the spirit for the movie release. We hope to get fans of the book to come into the library and participate in this program.”

With all the hype surrounding “The Hunger Games,” a variety of merchandise has been designed for the movie’s release. The items are flying off the shelves and selling out online quickly, so head into stores or hop on the Internet soon to get your favorite items. Here are our top picks from the highly-anticipated collection.

“The Hunger Games” T-shirts $22.50 to $26.50, amazon. com, hottopic.com

HAILEY MEYER / PHOTO

FAVORABLE ODDS: Raven Peterson, avid reader of the book series and senior, reads a novel in the media center. Peterson said after watching the film’s trailer, she read the entire book series.

Haven’t read the books? No worries. Here’s what you need to know.

The Hunger Games takes place centuries in the future in Panem, a country risen out of the ashes of what was once North America. The Capitol and President Snow rule the country with an iron fist and force residents to participate in the annual tradition, the Games, as punishment for an uprising from decades ago. Each of the 12 districts must send one 12 to 18-year old boy and girl to the Capitol, where they will be placed in a man-made arena and fight to the death. The last one standing wins fame, fortune and food for himself and his district.

It sounds brutal, but Collins skillfully intertwines action, mystery and romance so the reader never gets bored.

Senior Raven Peterson was a reader who couldn’t put the novel down. After watching the trailer for the film, Peterson read the entire series immediately and said she would’ve gone crazy if she hadn’t.

“The characters are pretty relatable, and the whole plot is nothing like I’ve ever read before. I think it’s such an interesting idea and a different take on a dystopian society,” Peterson said. “You don’t really know what’s going to happen. It just keeps changing until the end. Once you get into it, it’s nearly impossible to put down.”

Want to get a piece of Hunger Games paraphernalia? Then check out these hot commodities.

For those who want to show off their pride:

Hunger Games 101 The plot

Hunger Games Merchandise

The characters

Katniss Everdeen The main character and protagonist. She lives in the Seam, a poor area of District 12. Katniss volunteers to be a tribute, or contestant, to represent her district in the annual Hunger Games after her younger sister Prim is selected at the reaping ceremony. Her fondness for hunting and her archery skills give her an advantage in the arena.

Peeta Mellark He is the male tribute from District 12. As the son of the town baker, he has always been well fed, unlike Katniss. Peeta and Katniss have connections from their past, which makes Katniss wary of his intentions in the arena.

Peterson said she couldn’t stand Peeta when she was reading the series.

Haymitch Abernathy A middle-aged, cranky man. As the only living victor from District 12, he is Katniss and Peeta’s mentor for the Games. He is habitually inebriated and serves as the district laughingstock, but he cares about his tributes’ chances of winning.

There are a wide variety of graphic T-shirts to satisfy any fan of the series. T-shirt designs range from dramatic headshots of the main characters to the signature Mockingjay logo.

For the ultimate fanatics: “The Hunger Games” Peeta Pillowcase $14.50, amazon.com, hottopic.com Feel the need to see the face of Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) every single time you go to bed? No worries, this pillowcase fulfills any enthusiast’s wish.

For the uber aficionado: “The Hunger Games” Katniss Hunting Bow $80, hottopic.com The collector’s edition bow is a authentic replica of the bow Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) used on set for the filming of the movie. The bow is handmade and made out of wood. It measures to be 64 inches tall and 9 inches wide.

For feminine fans looking for something more subtle: China Glaze Capitol Colors Collection Nail Polish $6-7, Sally Beauty, ULTA, and various beauty supply stores China Glaze has partnered with Lionsgate to release a special edition line of nail polish. The collection consists of 12 richly pigmented colors, each inspired by one of the 12 districts.

CLAUDIA HUANG / GRAPHICS

PAGE 22 | ENTERTAINMENT | HILITE | HILITE.ORG | MARCH 22, 2012

BOOM goes BoomBozz

Boombozz, a new pizzeria, offers superior service and a fresh new twist on affordable, high-quality pizza

BY SHAYAN AHMAD sahmad@hilite.org While Carmel may not be known as a city of pizza parlors, restaurants such as Bazbeaux, Pizzalogy, Mellow Mushroom and Some Guys Pizza are scattered across the town. Now one more diner has been added to the pizza mix: the newly formed Boombozz Pizza.

The latest addition has set up shop in the empty space left by BD’s Mongolian Barbecue, which sets the restaurant at a disadvantage due to the inopportune location. The pizza place resides on a strip of non-

Report Card HiLite staff reporter Shayan Ahmad grades the new restaurant Food The food scores a largely because of the specialty Buffalo Chicken Pizza

B+

Service The service impressed and deserves an

A

Price The cost of food is definitely affordable, especially with large groups, to earn an

A

restaurant establishments in an area generally not associated with eateries.

Despite this, Boombozz’s quality of food and price merit a level of popularity its location doesn’t automatically allow.

In our trip, HiLite staff photographer Kathleen Bertsch and I began with the waitress-recommended appetizer of the Goat Cheese Marinara, a relatively inexpensive dish which is well worth its cost. The plate comes with a set of toasted bread with the marinara artistically decorated with the contrasting white goat cheese.

The food itself lives up to its appearance, with a delicious taste that’s only downside is the temptation to eat too much prior to the main course.

To follow this, we ordered a side of cheese sticks, which at Boombozz is a relatively unorthodox dish in relation to the usual perception of the plate. For most, cheese sticks bring to mind an image of breadsticks filled with cheese, but at Boombozz the appetizer is more of an extremely thin flatbread with cheese baked on the top.

Unfortunately, this innovative style does not result in a better taste. The dish is not bad tasting per se, but can only be described as boring. The only salvation of the sticks was the marinara sauce, which has enough taste to carry the blandness of the appetizers.

For the main course, we ordered the specialty Buffalo Chicken Pizza. This plate was nothing short of great, with a wholly original taste which was a delight to eat. The placement of celery on the pizza was at first an odd addition, but was a perfect complement to the buffalo chicken.

The placement of celery on the pizza was at first an odd addition, but was a perfect complement to the buffalo chicken.

The most appealing part of the pizza, though, was actually its price. For CHS students, price will always be a factor in dining out. For an individual pizza, the price is a manageable $7.99. This means that for one person to eat a pizza and a drink, the total would come out to just over 10 dollars. The medium pizza, which can feed three to four, is still an easily doable $14.99.

For a group of students, these prices are inexpensive and well worth the cost.

The atmosphere of the restaurant is also a plus, with enough TV’s to satiate the most extreme sports addict.

This isn’t to say that it is an imitation of Buffalo Wild Wings, however, because sports are far from the main attraction of the establishment. It maintains a family feel, and can serve the purpose of anything from a date to a large group birthday dinner.

And so Boombozz stacks up well in comparison to the fellow pizza parlors of Carmel. While its location does set it behind its competitors, its food, price and atmosphere make it equal to if not better than the restaurant’s rivals.

KATHLEEN BERTSCH / PHOTOS

PIZZA PARADISE: Pictured from left to right, Goat Cheese Marina and Buffalo Chicken Pizza. According to the BoomBozz website, its specialty pizzas, such as the Fire Roasted Fajita Pizza, have won many awards.

MARCH 22, 2012 | HILITE.ORG | HILITE | ENTERTAINMENT | PAGE 23

Sun, Surf and Strings

Orchestra will travel to southern California during spring break to work with music professors, view attractions

BY CHRIS LI cli@hilite.org

O

n March 31, the CHS Orchestras will travel to southern California for approximately a week; they make a similar trip somewhere like this every three years. Besides visiting attractions and immersing themselves in the Californian culture, orchestra members will also have the rare opportunity to learn from and work with famous music professors.

According to Heather Dickerson, Orchestra Parents’ Club President and organizer of the event, the club finalized the trip in the spring of 2011 and students will finance it completely.

Arthur Shou, Orchestra Council President and senior, said he believes that the trip will be a fantastic experience.

“There is no doubt that the California trip will be a blast. The Orchestra Parents’ Club has worked very hard in working out all the details,” Shou said.

Dickerson said what makes the experience amazing is a combination of what the location has to offer and the wide variety of planned activities.

“The orchestra will listen to the Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra and record a selected soundtrack from a Disney movie, among other fun activities in Los

Angeles and Disneyland,” Dickerson said.

Shou, on the other hand, said he thinks the greatest moments are not necessarily planned.

“To be honest, the biggest highlights of any of these trips are very spontaneous, and those are the memories that we take home,” Shou said.

According to Dickerson, the point of going to such a far-off location, however, is mainly to give the orchestra something that local events cannot offer.

“We’ll be meeting up with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, participating in a high school exchange program with Santa Monica High School and also be working with the renowned Larry Livingston, opportunities that aren’t available from in-state events,” Dickerson said.

Preparation for such trips involves extensive effort.

According to Shou, the orchestra will have to prepare its music very well.

“Naturally, we emerge from the entire process, in rehearsing and performing, a stronger orchestra. However, to me, the greatest benefit is spending a solid week as a community. That isn’t something you can get from an afternoon in state. We come closer together and share sweet experiences and memories that last far longer than the trip itself,” Shou said.

The orchestra is not the only CHS organization to take advantage of such opportunities offered by out-of-state

events. Last fall, the CHS marching band participated in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade as one of 11 bands chosen to play in the event.

According to Melissa Freeman, trumpet player and senior, the marching band was selected through a series of audition tapes and references and underwent a rigorous regimen for preparation.

“Preparing for the parade made us work as a team, and it also demanded a lot of sacrifice. We had to wake up at 3 a.m., and there was also a 19 hour bus ride there and back,” Freeman said.

Freeman said all the hard work definitely paid off.

“I feel like the more you give, the more you get. The experience of going to New York and playing in one of the biggest parades also made us work as a team and brought all of us closer together,” Freeman said.

According to James Woomert, assistant director of the Carmel orchestras, CHS participated in the Midwest Clinic in 2009, an international competition for orchestras and bands alike. The orchestra, through a rigorous audition process, was able to meet other famous ensembles and schools.

Woomert said, “The big benefit in participating in these events is getting to see other school programs and learning from different situations. It also helps us develop different perspectives and lets us experience other parts of the country.”

Musical Journeys Cross country travels are a benefit of participating in the performing arts What’s on the agenda?

The orchestra plans to travel to major locations throughout southern California. It will visit the Glass Cathedral, Disney Hall, Los Angeles, Universal Studios, Disneyland and University of CaliforniaSouthern California.

Marching band travels, too: Last Thanksgiving, the marching band played in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York. After the orchestra travels to California during spring break, the performing arts groups will have visited both coasts. They have traveled as far as Russia in past years.

Music making: The orchestra will record a selected soundtrack from a Disney movie and work with Larry Livingston.

ARTHUR SHOU / SOURCE HEATHER DICKERSON / SOURCE

OMEED MALEKMARZBAN / PHOTO

CALIFORNIA BOUND: Orchestra members rehearse after school. On March 31, members of the orchestra will travel to southern California to listen to the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, among other activities.

PAGE 24 | SPORTS | HILITE | HILITE.ORG | MARCH 22, 2012

SPORTS Get on Board SUBMITSPORTS@HILITE.ORG | TWITTER.COM/HILITE_NEWS

Tournament Run The men’s basketball team is headed to the State Championship game on Saturday for the first time since 1993. For coverage and pictures following the game, scan the QR Code to the right.

Longboarding, a surfing variation of skateboarding, has become popular throughout the country, and many CHS students have adopted the hobby

BY SEAN TRUAX struax@hilite.org Two years ago, junior Michael Pennycook began riding longboards through the streets of Carmel. The hobby started as a fun way for Pennycook to cruise around town while hanging out with his friends.

“I thought it was a cool hobby to pick up since you can hang out with your friends and go places while performing a physical activity,” Pennycook said.

Little did he know that he was at the beginning of a trend about to take off in Carmel.

Although it technically started in Hawaii in the 1950s, longboarding, a surfing variation of skateboarding where riders can cruise, race down hills or perform tricks, became popular in California back in the 1970s. Surfers wanted an activity they could participate in when surfing conditions weren’t ideal.

What they came up with was a board with a longer and wider base than a skateboard, allowing for a more comfortable and relaxing feel like surfing. Although the hobby originated on the West Coast, many riders do not find it hard to believe longboarding reached eager participants in the Midwest.

Nate Hodorek, twelve-year longboarder and owner of Life Longboards in Warsaw, Indiana, said he always thought the hobby would reach the Midwest.

“It was catching on everywhere in the country from Maine to Montana,” Hodorek said. “Naturally since it is so fun, it would catch on here too.”

Part of the reason cities outside of the West Coast began hearing about the new hobby was how fast longboarding went viral on YouTube. In the last decade, thousands of videos were posted showing off the newest longboards, craziest tricks and fastest races. The YouTube videos inspired many potential longboarders into committing to the hobby.

Senior Trey Wetzel said he thought the YouTube videos were intriguing.

“The YouTube videos drew a large audience to the sport,” Wetzel said. “Some riders wanted to try what they were seeing on these videos.”

The videos on YouTube not only attracted an audience, but they also created a medium through which riders could compete with each other.

“Riders could submit their videos into contests or giveaways,” Wetzel said. “This created fun competition and also promoted the activity at the same time.”

With the hobby growing so quickly, the question remains if the sport can continue the same upward trend this spring. Hodorek said he thinks longboarding will continue to grow, but not at the same exponential rate.

“I think longboarding will grow, but not at the level it has in years past which is a good thing since everything

can’t boom at the same time,” Hodorek said. “You don’t want to kill your favorite band by listening to them too much, so the same thing applies to longboarding.”

Pennycook agreed with Hodorek that the sport can continue its upward trend in the next few months.

“A lot of kids think longboarding is cool and, as popularity grows, so will participation,” Pennycook said.

Even if the upward trend does not continue, all three of these riders believe everyone should give the sport a chance. With similarities to snowboarding and surfing, longboarding has benefits that exceed relaxing while performing a physical activity.

“Even though the main reason I longboard is for fun, there are other benefits that come out of the activity,” Pennycook said. “It helps relieve stress and increase your balance which can help with every sport.”

Hodorek recognizes the benefits that come from longboarding, but he said, in his opinion, that the pure enjoyment of it should be enough for someone to give it a try.

“They are so easy to keep, maintain and carry around from place to place,” Hodorek said. “Simply put, longboarding is so fun, and there is nothing not to love about it.”

CONNER GORDON / PHOTOS

RIDE ON: Junior Michael Pennycook shows off his longboarding skills while riding around his neighborhood. Pennycook said he picked up the sport because it was a fun way to hang out with friends and go places while performing a physical activity.

MARCH 22, 2012 | HILITE.ORG | HILITE | SPORTS | PAGE 25

Behind new head coach, baseball team enters season confident, excited about future

BY JACOB BOTKIN jbotkin@hilite.org

T

his season, the Carmel Greyhound baseball team will feature a new coach, Jay Lehr. But, as a former player on Carmel’s team that lost in the Semi-state to Marion, he is someone with a deep knowledge of the program. The first-year head coach said he has a few subtle changes he would like to make to the Greyhounds’ preparation.

As a player, Lehr, who took over this season for former Head Coach Eric Lentz, was part of one of only five seasons in which the Greyhounds have made it out of the regional.

“As a staff we will try some different approaches to practices and game preparation, but there are also many things that former Head Coach (Eric) Lentz has taught me that will help with developing players,” Lehr said via e-mail.

Catcher and senior Clay Morrisson said he expects Lehr will change the team’s approach toward the season in a positive way. Morrisson said he expects Lehr to use his experience from playing well in the postseason as a player to lead the Greyhounds deep into the tournament this year.

“Coach Lehr has already begun changing the atmosphere of Carmel baseball in a good way,” Morrisson said via e-mail. “He has really helped not only the team as a whole but also has worked with each player individually, helping us achieve our team’s goals. As far as changes, we are playing during spring break down in Louisville, which we are all excited for, and we think is going to make a huge difference not being off of baseball for a full week in mid-season.”

The Greyhounds are looking forward to this upcoming season, and, according to shortstop and senior Cameron Cruz, they are looking forward to having Lehr as a coach.

“I really do like Coach Jay,” Cruz said. “He is a great guy that is very good with the players by carrying on conversations or just being a friend to them. He is also very good with helping out kids that desire to take their skills to the next level at college. But at the same time he likes to have fun but knows when to get serious and get work done.

I really like Coach Jay as a person but as well as a coach.”

(Coach Jay) is a great guy that is very good with the players by carrying on conversations or just being a friend to them...But at the same time he likes to have fun but know when to get serious and get work done. I really like Coach Jay as a person but as well as a coach.

Cameron Cruz

Shortstop and senior

MARY BROOKE JOHNSON / PHOTO

DOUBLE PLAY: Senior Cameron Cruz flips a ball to his teammate during a preseason practice. Cruz said the team is excited about its chances to succeed this year under a new head coach.

Lehr said he encourages the team to meet four expectations throughout the season in order to have a successful year.

“We expect our players to work as hard on the field as they do in class and in life, to do what is right on and off the field, to treat others the way they want to be treated, and to be prepared for anything and never assume anything,” Lehr said. “If we can achieve the above items, then winning will take care of itself.”

Last year the Greyhounds’ overall record was 9-21, but with the changes made in the offseason this year, they said they are aiming for a better record.

“There is no doubt that our team has a completely different approach going into the season with having a new coach,” Cruz said. “Our whole preseason approach has completely changed. In previous years we hadn’t put as much time into focusing on conditioning and preseason workouts as we have already this year. Coach Jay has voiced this will be a completely new program that will demand everyone’s excellence. I can feel the excitement when coach starts to talk about how we will win no matter what it takes.

He will not stand losing. This philosophy gives the team a feeling of excitement for the season to start knowing we will be led by a coach that desires to win.”

According to Lehr, there is one must-have skill for all of his baseball players.

“The number-one skill is heart and desire to win. Each student athlete must understand his role on the team and be the best that he can be with that role,” Lehr said.

The Greyhounds will kick off their season on Monday at home against Hamilton Heights at 5 p.m.

Spring Sports Calendar Here’s a look at the upcoming games and matches for the spring sports Baseball March 26 v. Hamilton Heights (5 p.m.)

Softball Today at Fishers (5 p.m.)

Men’s Golf March 27 v. Hamilton Southeastern and Westfield (4 p.m.)

Women’s Tennis April 10 v. Heritage Christian (5 p.m.)

Men’s Track & Field Today v. Warren Central (5:30 p.m.)

Women’s Track & Field March 28 v. Hamilton Southeastern (5 p.m.)

CARMELGREYHOUNDS.COM / SOURCE

PAGE 26 | SPORTS | HILITE | HILITE.ORG | MARCH 22, 2012

Racing for Recruits Carmel is filled with elite athletes, but only a few continue at the collegiate level Compiled by Bobby Browning and James Benedict

W

ith the number of talented athletes at this school, Athletics Director Jim Inskeep has seen many of them go through the recruiting process. While it may be the dream many high school athletes to be recruited, Inskeep said there are two different types of athletes that tend to be recruited.

“There are those rare exceptions where you have a studentathlete where a college is looking for them because they are at a certain level in their sport,” he said. “And then you have the flip side of that, where there’s a student athlete that wants to play at the next level, and they’re looking at opportunities. They are not necessarily being sought out by colleges, but they have something to offer a program. If you think of it as a two-way street, that’s the other side of the spectrum.”

Inskeep said most of the recruiting process goes through the athlete and his or her family and their school or private team coach. He added that there are different periods of time, depending on the sport, in which college coaches can have direct contact with the student-athlete. “(The recruiting rules) are there not only to protect the studentathletes and their families but also to protect institutional integrity, whether you are in contention for a national championship every year or you are at the bottom of your conference every year in a sport. They are trying to level the playing field by doing those things,” Inskeep said.

According to Inskeep, the school holds a workshop once a year to educate student-athletes about recruiting, but the most important part is the academic requirements.

“A student-athlete that is in their freshman or sophomore year that has any inclination (of playing in college) really needs to take a look at what the academic requirements are,” he said. “Once you start falling off that path at the end of sophomore year, it’s really difficult to become eligible for that first year of college.”

Signed Seniors

As an elite athlete, Sarah Bennett has quickly come to know the recruiting business. She has been a runner-up in the IHSAA State Final in cross-country, has finished third in the IHSAA State Final cross-country meet, ran for two State championshipwinning cross-country teams and has run on the 4x800 meter relay teams for three State championships.

Because of her success in both cross-country and track and field, Bennett was recruited by multiple schools for her talents.

After much deliberation, Bennett chose to attend Dartmouth College to run cross-country.

“There was not just a single main factor that caused me to choose Dartmouth,” Bennett said. “It was the fact that everything about the school was right. The team atmosphere between the runners and the coach was amazing and they were the people I could see myself being on a team with for the next four years. Also, I was getting the opportunity to get an amazing education while still participating in the cool traditions and celebrations that they do at Dartmouth.”

However, for Bennett, the recruiting process was not all fun and games.

“At first, I was a bit intimidated by (the recruiting process).

I was nervous when speaking to coaches from schools I really

liked and anxious turning down schools that weren’t right for me,” she said. “The most challenging part was learning how to turn down schools that had been recruiting me. I felt like I was being harsh or something, but if you let them know you are thankful for their interest and that it is about finding the right fit for you, the coaches are all gracious and understanding about the decisions you make,” Senior Katie Bosler, who committed to play softball at Indiana University, agreed with Bennett, and said she tried to keep a positive attitude about everything.

“The most challenging part was the fact that you had to prepare yourself to be let down, and to not get your hopes up too much because not everything will go your way,” Bosler said. “I learned that there are many ups and downs of recruiting, and coaches may change their minds in an instant and there is nothing you can do about it. You just have to move on.”

Bennett and Bosler both said one of the most exciting parts of the recruiting process was taking the official visits to campuses. Bennet said she learned how to create relationships with coaches throughout her recruitment.

Bosler said the recruiting process helped her to finally reap the benefits of her hard work over the years “Being recruited was a very exciting process for me,” she said. “I felt like all of my hard work throughout my whole life was finally paying off and it was an amazing feeling.”

Being recruited was a very exciting process for me. I felt like all of my hard work throughout my whole life was finally paying off and it was an amazing feeling Katie Bosler

Recruited athlete

While it was both “intimidating and exciting,” Bennett made it through the process with advice to give to anyone who will go through the recruiting process. Bosler also said she has advice to give to athletes who will be recruited.

“You need to act fast,” Bosler said. “If a coach shows interest in you, you need to decide immediately if it is something you want to consider or not.”

Bennett offered a similar piece of advice.

“The best advice I got was to just speak your mind,” Bennett said. “Be yourself, and remember that recruiting is not some sort of test. If the team wasn’t interested in you, they wouldn’t be calling.”

By the numbers High school students play football.

Will be successfully recruited by the NCAA. Only Percent of high school athletes will become professional.

EDITIO

1,108,441

67,887 0.08

Total High School Athletes High School Senior Athletes Total NCAA Athletes NCAA Senior Athletes Professional Athletes

NCAA.ORG / SOURCE

N

MARCH 22, 2012 | HILITE.ORG | HILITE | SPORTS | PAGE 27

Despite not signing until senior year, juniors are still contacted by recruiters ANDREW WANG awang@hilite.org

S

wimmer and junior Lacey Locke has been recruited by many Division I colleges. According to Locke, there are different rules for recruiting for her as a junior compared to a senior, and the rules also differ by sport.

Colleges have more limited contact with students during their junior year compared to their senior year, and Locke said colleges have not approached her personally yet. She said she has received some letters, but colleges are unable to strongly attempt to recruit her until her senior year.

According to NCAA.org, for Division I sports besides men’s and women’s basketball, men’s football, women’s ice hockey and gymnastics, colleges can only have off-campus contact with juniors after July 1 following their junior year.

Locke said so far she has received letters from many colleges, she still has not decided which college she wants to attend.

Although Locke has not yet decided where she wants to attend, she said as a junior she is able to verbally commit to colleges, which still doesn’t restrict her to only attending that

school. She said next year when she is a senior, she could sign a National Letter of Intent (NLI), which is a binding agreement to go to the college. According to NCAA.org, once a student signs an NLI, other institutions must cease recruiting him or her.

The National Letter of Intent home page says the NLI is an agreement between a student-athlete and an institution that binds the student to attend the institution for a full academic year, and the institution must provide athletic financial aid for the year.

Students can feel extra pressure from scouts to perform better, and although she has been scouted and recruited by colleges already this year, Locke said she has stayed focused on swimming.

“I love swimming,” Locke said. “And I think that if you have fun doing something, you shouldn’t have to worry about people watching you.”

According to Locke, the whole experience is pretty new to her, but she is looking forward to it.

“I don’t really know where I want to go,” Locke said. “I’m going into it blind, but my older friends have said that it should be fun, and I’m excited.”

Rules of Engagement NCAA Division I coaches must follow certain guidelines when recruiting athletes:

Official visit: Any visit to a college campus by an athlete paid for by the college is considered to be an official visit. Athletes are allowed five official visits during their senior year.

Contact Period: Time period where college coaches may have face-to-face contact with collegebound student-athletes, watch them compete, visit their high schools, and write or call student-athletes or their parents Dead Period: Time period where coaches may only write and call student athletes or their parents.

NCAA.ORG/SOURCE

Oh the places you’ll go Carmel has many student athletes this year that have signed with Division I Colleges. On February second, otherwise know as ‘signing day’, these athletes signed an National Letter of Intent.

Northwestern University Allison Jacobsen - cross-country Renee Wellman - cross-country Mihir Kumar - Tennis

Grand Valley State Ian Sampson - football

University of Toledo Sam Tiongson - soccer

Dartmouth College Sarah Bennett - cross-country

Purdue Jimmy Herman - football

College of the Holy Cross

Western Illinois University Jalen Duncan - football

Justin Todd - football

Indiana University Shawn Heffern - football

University of Indianapolis Lauren Swenson - softball

University of Kentucky Langston Newton - football

Belmont University Nicole Thinnes - cross country Western Kentucky University Alanna Clancey - soccer

Want more?

Scan the code to the right to be taken directly to GMN sports and watch a video of Carmel’s signing day.

CARMEL HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS / SOURCE JAMES BENEDICT / GRAPHIC

PAGE 28 | PERSPECTIVES | HILITE | HILITE.ORG | MARCH 22, 2012

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Just Desserts Scan this QR code to see Monica Cheng and Caroline Zhang’s dessert blog on hilite.org.

STAFF PERSPECTIVE

Students must recognize their influence on teachers’ pay

T

he day many students enter high school is the day that one element of secondary schooling becomes apparent to them: independence. From driving to school to choosing their own classes, high school pushed many students into a new, unexplored realm of freedom and self-responsibility. It became apparent that grades were no longer something that teachers frivolously gave out but rather true reflections of a student’s work, ability and effort. However, with this new system of accountability, students were also able to take certain calculated risks. Second semester seniors, who had either already been accepted into college or had already applied, no longer needed to maintain high grades, and students who earned high percentages in certain classes were no longer required to attain high scores on finals since it would not drop

The RISE Model CHS’s new RISE program intends to evaluate school faculty members based on certain standards set out by the program.

Here’s how it all breaks down:

+ + = Who decides?

PRIMARY EVALUATOR • Chiefly responsible for summative evaluation.

• Each teacher has one.

SECONDARY EVALUATOR • May support information that was provided from primary evaluator.

• Each teacher may have more than one.

CONNIE CHU / GRAPHIC

their grade below what they wanted it to be. This newly gained independence allowed many students to not only secure control over a large portion of their school life but also weigh benefits and risks to certain decisions, causing them to apply life skills.

However, these so-called “calculated risks” are no longer something students can take lightly, as it not only impacts them individually, but their teachers as well. After Carmel Clay Schools adopts the new RISE evaluation system that will determine pay for teachers, students will have a direct contribution towards the pay and job security of their teachers. Under RISE, teachers receive a summative rating. This rating combines their score on a Teacher Effectiveness Rubric, which will be determined by an administrator, with how well students are learning, which is judged by schoolwide earning measures and a student objective assessment.

What CHS students need to be aware of the most is the student objective assessment, with which their scores will hold a weight of 20 percent in the overall evaluation of each teacher.

This new merit-based pay system should cause students to reevaluate their academic decisions since the consequences of these choices will impact others as well as themselves. Amid the constant pressure of college and the future, it is easy to understand why students decide not to study for certain finals or why seniors are ready to take a break after three and a half years of rigorous course work.

However, following such a path is no longer an option when student performance directly reflects teacher effectiveness. As relaxing as it would be to not have to put in as much effort, students need to understand the reach of this assumed risk and not carelessly jeopardize a teacher’s career or pay solely because of their laziness.

Furthermore, although students have teachers who they aren’t compatible with due to differing personalities, many students also have teachers who have influenced their lives and provided them with an unforgettable educational experience.

Despite negative experiences with some teachers, students should view their new role as a way of showing appreciation towards teachers who have shaped their lives. Although it involves more effort and stringency on the student’s part, the rewards that can be gained through this new system are worth a bit more work.

Students need to understand the reach of their assumed risk and not carelessly jeopardize a teacher’s career or pay.

Speak Up!

COMPILED BY KENDALL HARSHBERGER AND ADELE ZHOU

How will the RISE program affect what students see in the classroom?

Hopefully students will not see remarkable change in what I’m doing; hopefully I’m already up to RISE’s standards.

JIM PETERSON, PERFORMING ARTS

Students will see changes from year to year with this program.

It’s evolving; we will look at the results and change it again.

KARIN UHLENHOP, ENGLISH

I’d imagine we’d see a continuation of things done this year, using our gradual release of responsibility model.

BROOKE WEEKES, ADMINISTRATION

MARCH 22, 2012 | HILITE.ORG | HILITE | PERSPECTIVES | PAGE 29

LAURA

We’re the highlight of your day It started off with anticipation and a touch of skepticism as Invisible Children co-founder Jason Russell began his narration. Then followed entertainment as Gavin jumped on a trampoline, sorrow as Jacob talked about his brother and finally empowerment as “I Can’t Stop” resounded in the background.

With Flux Pavillion stuck in my head, I posted the video as my status on Facebook and encouraged everyone to “Watch this! It’s worth every single second!”

At the time, I didn’t even think to question the cause. After all, who could possibly resist a video that stars an innocent 5-year-old, a modern Cinderella story and an upbeat song?

Anyone who can must not oppose the capture of a warlord who abducts children to build his army.

For those who don’t already know, Invisible Children is on a mission to end violence by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and arrest its leader, Joseph Kony. Its website lays out three essential steps to achieve this goal: raise awareness of LRA with films and tours, channel energy from viewers into large-scale advocacy campaigns and finally provide protection, rehabilitation and development assistance to LRA-affected regions.

PENG

lpeng@hilite.org / editor in chief

Do your research. Make an informed decision before you jump on the bandwagon.

Within the next day, Facebook invitations to “KONY 2012: Cover the Night” popped up under my notifications, and I clicked “Join” without a second thought.

But as millions of Facebook users made a digital commitment to the cause, a remarkable wave of backlash developed as well, and the grounds for skepticism vary.

Some criticize the cause itself and object to the reduction of a complicated situation to the story of a single villain whose arrest will magically restore peace in a conflicted region. Invisible Children, however, contends that it also funds more concrete programs that help renovate LRA-affected communities.

Blogger Grant Oyston (of visiblechildren.tumblr.com) condemns the strategy. He claims that Invisible Children favors direct military intervention and supports military forces accused of rape and sexual assault. Invisible Children countered this accusation with a claim that Kony has refused offers of negotiation to end the violence peacefully and that it does not defend any of the human rights abuses committed by the Ugandan government.

Others question its financial capability. In 2011, less than one-third of the money funded direct services while the rest paid for incomes, travel and film production. In response,

Invisible Children reiterated its commitment to focus on awareness.

But amid the constant back and forth between Invisible Children and its various skeptics, a new message emerges: do your research.

Although I personally support Invisible Children and its campaign, I can understand why many don’t. For those who favor aid through education, oppose military intervention or prefer to fund only direct services, Invisible Children is not the most appropriate organization to support. The problems in central Africa are multifaceted, and not a single organization has the resources to address every one.

With the ubiquity of information in a media-dominated society, it’s important to question a trend before you jump on the bandwagon. Read through rebuttals by critics before you click the “Share” button and analyze financial reports before you order an Action Kit. In short, one video by one organization is not enough to make an informed decision about where to divert your time and money. Take the time to ask questions about and challenge a video that even 75 million viewers watched.

After all, what’s another half hour?

GRAPHIC PERSPECTIVE

LIANE YUE / GRAPHIC

PAGE 30 | PERSPECTIVES | HILITE | HILITE.ORG | MARCH 22, 2012

Letter to the Editor

We meet again.

CAITLIN

MULLER

reporter / cmuller@hilite.org

Stranger danger. Be careful with your privacy on social networking sites.

With spring break quickly approaching, I decided to tweet about how excited I was to be going to Cancun, Mexico.

Within an hour, I gained about seven followers from different countries, as well as three mentions from people I do not know saying how excited they were to go to Mexico and asking me when I would be leaving. At first I did not think anything of the comments, but then I started to become wary of the amount of people I do not know who can access and read my tweets. I do not want these people to know where I live, what I am doing and where I am going.

This prompted me to “protect my tweets,” a setting that allows only my followers to view what I am sharing.

According to a 2012 study conducted by the Pew Research Center, while 59 percent of young adults keep their social networking profiles private, 17 percent keep it partially private, and 22 percent have it public. In addition, a shocking survey conducted by Legal & General found that 13 percent of Facebook users and 92 percent of Twitter users accept friend requests or follows from people they do not know. While Twitter privacy settings only come with two different options, Facebook has many different settings that can become confusing; therefore, many people have public profiles and may not even realize it.

Another issue with online privacy is the fact that some people post updates saying they are out of the house. No matter if it is a shopping trip or a vacation, people can read these statuses, tweets or blogs and assume you are not at home, which makes vandalism and burglary cases easier to happen. Magazines such as Cosmopolitan have published stories about people making status updates about leaving for vacation and then coming home and finding that their homes had been burglarized. For example, in a story from cnet.com, a man named Israel posted a tweet saying that he had “safely arrived in Kansas City” to his 2,000 plus followers. Upon returning home, thousands of dollars worth of video equipment were stolen from his home. Making the decision to protect his tweets, or even not send the tweet at all, could have saved him time and money.

I strongly encourage you to double check the privacy settings you currently have on your social networking account. If you leave your profile open to the public, anyone can access information about yourself that you may not want to share. Make sure your realize who is reading what you are saying and the negative impact they could potentially have.

While being excited for your spring break destination is good, risking your safety is not.

Connie Chu's graphic on things more important than censoring the internet, while well intentioned, reveals a lack of thought and research. She asserts that global warming, debt and "the economy" are all more important than the mere worldwide flow of ideas and information. Freedom of speech is vital to maintaining an informed and involved country. How can people raise awareness about a corporation say, dumping fertilizer into the ocean if the corporation can take down their websites and give them fines? Debt is an important problem, but what is one country compared to the world's flow of information? Last, the economy has been steadily improving, instead of the hastily drawn downward spiral drawn by Chu.

Censorship is the worst enemy of American ideals, and the Hilite would be devastated if the commitment to free speech was abandoned in lieu of debt or global warming.

Freshman Henry Smith

Have you got something to say?

We’d love to hear it.

Letters to the editor for the April 27 issue will be accepted no later than April 13. Letters may be submitted in Room C147, placed in the mailbox of Jim Streisel or mailed to school. All letters must be signed. Names will be published.

TAYLOR

Hakuna matata.

ACTON

reporter / tacton@hilite.org

Move over, celebrities. Students should spend more time helping those who truly need it.

Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Dan Wheldon, Amy Winehouse. What do those four people have in common? In the past two years, these four celebrities have died, yet made a major difference in the culture of American history. Whether there death was a drug overdose or just doing what they loved, they all died with a life many people dream of. Lesser known however, in the past two years, over 30 million children have starved to death worldwide; most could not tell you a single one of those names.

There is a tremendous difference between four major pop culture stars and 30 million kids who will never have the opportunity to make a difference in the world. Michael Jackson, also known as “the King of Pop,” had over $1 billion the day he died and a legacy that will last for decades to come. On the opposite side of the spectrum, currently 3 billion people around the world struggle to survive on $2 a day. According to starvation. net, someone dies of hunger every 2.43 seconds.

So why do Americans care so much when someone with billions of dollars dies instead of kids living in poverty and desperation? People don’t want to think of a horrible and sad situation they think they can’t do anything about. What they don’t realize is every person can make a difference, but that change has to start somewhere.

At my church, Carmel United Methodist, we sponsor two children named Guidel and Jacquelin. This past summer I had the chance to go on a mission trip with 19 other kids to El Salvador and even meet one of our sponsor children. Jacquelin lives in a house made out of scrap metal and trash built with a dirt floor. She belongs to a program called Compassion

International and for just $35 a month, we help her feed her family, get an education and cover other small basic necessities like clean water and shoes. Some, however, are not as fortunate as Jacquelin. I met so many wonderful children that seemed to be struggling to survive. Seeing kids play soccer without proper shoes and a deflated ball was surreal. Witnessing this firsthand gave me a perspective on poverty I never was able to see before.

Many organizations such as World Vision and Compassion International help children around the world obtain the resources they need to sustain a healthy life. Even on a smaller scale, there are food pantries everywhere across the United States. Just around the Indianapolis area alone, there are over 20 food pantries. These places always welcome volunteers to meet the high demand of food for the people they serve. Even if Indianapolis seems too far away, CHS has clubs like Invisible Children and Key Club that offer community service projects on a weekly basis.

I never realized that I didn’t have to go across the ocean to see starving children. There are kids and adults all over Indiana who suffer from hunger and lack the money to support themselves or their families. Instead of listening to The Jackson 5 or watching repeats of the Indy 500, I challenge all CHS students to take a few hours out of the week to go to an organization like a food pantry or a homeless shelter and make a difference in someone’s life.

Helping even one person makes one less overlooked individual.

With our school, we could make that one into thousands.

Celebrities get so much attention, but the people no one sees are the ones who need to be seen the most.

MARCH 22, 2012 | HILITE.ORG | HILITE | PERSPECTIVES | PAGE 31

NATALIE

entertainment editor

MAIER

Contact information

JAMES

Agree to disagree,

BENEDICT sports editor

disagree to agree.

Aces in attendance. The controversial ACES program (Attending Class Equals Success) strives to boost school attendance. Is the program a good or bad idea?

A

lthough ACES can be criticized, it is actually a benefit to Hamilton County students who fall behind in school. It places a measurable limit on how many days a child can miss school. Now when a student’s absences exceed the limit set by the school, the parents of the child will receive a letter from the prosecutor. The letter is only sent as a last resort after both the student and his parents have been warned by the school system multiple times.

The program encourages the moral behavior of students throughout the county as it sets reasonable consequences for poor attendance. In the ACES program, if a student fails to show up to school too many times, he will be faced with more serious actions than a stern lecture from the principal. In fact, the consequences can be much more intimidating than a few detentions. Often times, the most severe punishment that students can receive from too many absences is a suspension from school. This is not necessarily a well-planned punishment, seeing that those who miss excess days don’t look forward to receiving an education.

To them the suspension rewards their actions by punishing them with the exact same action that led them into trouble in the first place.

Despite the criticisms, ACES needs to happen. According to an article from WTHR, criminal charges resulted in only one case. If parents are allowing their children to miss every other day of school because they have too many tests, a negative impression is left on a developing mind: it’s okay to quit trying when school gets too difficult.

What would happen when the absentee student attained his first job? If he thought a project was too boring, would he just stop working and negatively impact everyone else in the company? The answer is yes, but those are reversible with programs like ACES. There are obvious benefits to the majority of students as well. With programs like ACES, the small percentage of kids that regularly miss school will hopefully attend more. More students in class leads to more active classroom discussions, which can only aid the educational process.

In the end, there are other options if families view the use of this program as too extreme. Homeschooling or nontraditional schools, such as Options Charter School, are possibilities.

More importantly, ACES could force families to examine the real reasons behind the excessive absenteeism.

ACES is an overwhelmingly positive attribute to the school system in Hamilton County. In a way, it forces students who slack on their attendance to come to school and join their peers. It looks out for students and creates a threatening consequence for their actions, which an individual school may not be capable of doing alone.

T

his is an obvious but often forgotten fact: school is for learning. School should be a place where students are encouraged to come and learn. Whether it is how to fix a car or how to calculate an integral, school should focus on knowledge, not punishment. This is why ACES is, to be frank, a god-awful idea.

The bill was purposed in all good intentions. Absence is a problem, but threatening students with criminal charges is not the answer. If anything, it will further draw students away from school, which in turn will increase the problem.

Instead we need to ask why students are missing so much school. Sure, a percentage skip and miss because they’re lazy, but students also miss because of sickness, stress and feeling as if school is a waste of their time. If we address these issues, not only will truancy decline, but also student involvement will increase.

Threats only further divide the school district from the students. Policies must be set in place to work with the student towards their end goal: their education. If a chronically ill student misses too much school, teachers and administrators should work out a time-table and strategy to get the student back on level with his or her peers, not threaten criminal suit.

The same logic can be applied to any cause of absences, even when students simply skip to skip.

Yes, students skipping class for no legitimate reason is a problem. It is stupid and irresponsible. However at the end of the day, if you press criminal charges, all you are doing is worsening a bad situation. The goal of school should be to give every student an opportunity to improve their life, not mark them with a criminal record.

On top of the moral reasons to stop ACES, the school just shouldn’t have the right to threaten prosecution. If a student breaks a law, they should be punished, but they should be punished by the police, not the school. The reason we have separate sections of government is because each section serves a specific role. Just as schools aren’t responsible if a student’s house catches fire, schools aren’t responsible for a student’s criminal actions.

Not only is ACES a breach of separation of powers, it is unnecessary and detrimental. The ultimate goal of schools should remain in educating and improving students. Work with students towards that goal, whether it is creating specialized programs for over-stressed students or showing often-truant students the negative consequences of their actions. The school district should reach out and connect with their students, not arrest them. At the end of the day, we can’t forget the role of school: education. This bill is a reaction to a very real and very serious problem.

Open student’s minds; don’t lock them behind bars.

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.

Responding to the HiLite Letters to the editor will be accepted for the April 27 issue no later than April 13. 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.

Purpose

The HiLite is a student publication distributed to students, faculty and staff of Carmel High School, with a press run of 4,500. Copies are distributed to every school in the Carmel Clay district as well as the Chamber of Commerce, city hall and the Carmel Clay Public Library. The paper serves as a public forum and two-way communication for both the school and the community. Opinions expressed in the newspaper are not necessarily those of CHS nor the Carmel Clay system faculty, staff or administration.

Credentials

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

Advertising

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

Editor in Chief Laura Peng Managing Editors Patrick Bryant

Monica Cheng

Yameen Hameed

Caroline Zhang Accountant Meghan Lindgren Acumen Rachel Boyd

Dhruti Patel Ads Team Ken Li

Matt Wehner 15 Minutes of Fame Henry Zhu Beats/Calendar Rochelle Brual

Claudia Huang

Aruni Ranaweera

Hafsa Razi

Katie Utken Business Manager Patrick Bryant Cover Story Victor Xu Entertainment Natalie Maier

Amira Malcom Feature Tony Tan

Ryan Zukerman Front Page Conner Gordon

Melinda Song Graphics Jiva Capulong

Connie Chu

Melinda Song

Liane Yue Media Liaison Stuart Jackson News Chris Li

Andy Yang Perspectives Kendall Harshberger

Adele Zhou Photography Connor Gordon

Mary Brooke Johnson

Special Projects Sports

Student Section Web Staff

Reporters Taylor Acton Shayan Ahmad Ben Anderson Nick Andrews Jacob Botkin Rochelle Brual Bobby Browning David Choe John Du Linsu Han Eric He Claudia Huang Tim Klein

Caitlin Muller Kim Qian Hafsa Razi Aruni Ranaweera Sean Truax Katie Utken Jacob Vahle Lindsey Walker Andrew Wang Matt Wehner Olivia Weprich Julie Xu Sheen Zheng

Photographers Kathleen Bertsch Gavin Colavito Makenzie Curtis Mikaela George Henry Jackson

Stuart Jackson Amira Malcom Omeed Malekmarzban Hailey Meyer Henry Zhu

Grayson Harbour James Benedict Charlie Browning Matt Barnthouse Sarah Yun Omeed Malekmarzban Nick McLaughlin Ray Qian Patrick Tan

Adviser Jim Streisel Principal John Williams Superintendent Jeff Swensson

PAGE 32 | 15 MINUTES OF FAME | HILITE | HILITE.ORG | MARCH 22, 2012

15 MINUTES OF FAME Totally Cubular 15MINUTES@HILITE.ORG | TWITTER.COM/HILITE_NEWS

Figure It Out

According to junior Trevor Mahoney, it takes him about 55 turns to solve a 3 by 3 Rubik’s Cube. Here, Mahoney offers some of his tips and strategies.

Junior Trevor Mahoney participates in Rubik’s Cube competitions

1. Start by scrambling the cube as much as possible.

2. Arrange the cube so that there is a cross pattern of the same color on one side.

3. Get a pair of the same color, then get the pair on a side with a corresponding center of the same color.

4. Keep turning the Rubik’s Cube until one of the sides is completely one color.

5. Use one of 21 different algorithms to solve the rest of the cube.

Want More?

CONNER GORDON / PHOTO

BY ARUNI RANAWEERA aranaweera@hilite.org How did you begin competing?

I was bored one day, and I found my Rubik’s cube. I was just messing with it and got frustrated (with trying to figure it out), so I just looked up how to solve it. One day, I was just searching around on YouTube, and I found this one guy who was doing solves at a competition. Then I researched it, and I found that there was a competition in Fishers.

What are your greatest successes?

My best in competition solve is 14 seconds, but my best noncompetition solve is 8 seconds. The way you determine how you beat someone is everyone does an average of five solves in a competition, and whoever has the lowest averages wins.

What’s the hardest part of solving a cube?

I personally don’t get stuck anymore, but for beginners, the hardest part is the intuition part because they always want the set way to do it.

What is the best way to improve speed?

Basically knowing exactly what your algorithms do, and working on turning (the cube) as fast as you can. And, also, pretty much like everything, practice makes perfect.

What kinds of Rubik’s Cubes do you have?

I have at least 70. I have a two by two all the way up to an eight by eight. I also have 12-sided cubes, and four-sided ones. Any shape you can think of, there’s a cube for it. There’s different ways of turning the different shapes of the cubes. I’ve been cubing for about three years now, so I just order them occasionally from online stores.

Scan this QR code to read more about Rubik’s Cubes and watch Mahoney solve one in 15 seconds.

What kind of tricks can you do and how do you learn to do them?

I can do one hand solves and I have actually had one blindfold success, which is actually on YouTube. The way you do a blindfold is, you only need two algorithms to actually do it, but you basically assign letters to every sticker on the cube.

Then you memorize in sequence where they are on the cube, and you pretty much make like a story out of that. Then when you put the blindfold on, you just repeat that story in your head so you know where to put all the pieces.

What are some common misconceptions people have about Rubik’s cubes?

I think that more people should be willing to try it. Honestly, when people see it they just think its impossible, but they really need to get the notion into their head that its not really that hard. It just takes a little bit of practice.