(I,ITE . . . CARMEL HIGH SCHOOL
inside the issue
• Houndstock to benefit Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital, Page 2 • IB exams to occur, noticeable differences from AP tests, Page 3 • Single students face upcoming Prom in various ways, B1
women’s track This year’s team looks to defend last year’s titles, preparing for MIC and County. page 10
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timeline 6:15 to 7 a.m.: Volunteers and actors arrive to set up the sene. 7 to 7:45: Mock Car Crash scene events, which include the police and fire department, will go on as students walk up the trail. 8:30: Clean-up begins. jordan rolsky / source
Carmel, IN 46032
Volume 54, Issue 13
April 30, 2009
Mock car crash reminds students to be safe on prom by Kiernan mcgeehan kmcgeehan@hilite.org Like most members of Carmel LifeLines, an anti drug club here, Jordan Rolsky, vice president and senior, puts a lot of effort into ensuring her peers and classmates remain drug-free. “I just don’t get the point,” Rolsky said. “One bad move with drugs can end your life forever. Drugs can ruin your career, sports, school work or your relationships with good friends.” Rolsky is not alone. Carmel LifeLines consists of over 135 members who feel the same way about drugs and alcohol. The club
participates in many activities to promote being drug free, including its biggest event, the mock car crash before prom. Today, LifeLines hosted the mock car crash before school while students walked up the trail. “I was a sophomore during the last mock car crash,” senior Erin Meyer said. “It was pretty intense, and I’ve been excited to see what kind of stuff they’re planning on doing this year.” According to Rolsky, the car crash has always been planned to be along the trail in the morning so students walking up the trail can see the effects of drinking and driving. There were also actors and actresses who pretend
to be severely injured and get taken away by an ambulance. According to LifeLines sponsor Rebekah Overbey, the car crash usually has the most impact on students. “I think what we do before prom has a huge impact on students,” Overbey said. “It will make the kids stop and think about the decisions they have made, and the decisions they will make.” And the crash isn’t the only event LifeLines sponsors. Stephanie Wright, vice president and senior said, “We do events like D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) with elementary school students and pre-spring break activities and events.”
The message LifeLines greatly stresses is not to drink underage. According to Alcohol Alert, in 2007, there were approximately 15,829 alcohol-related fatalities. “The numbers are pretty shocking,” Overbey said. “But I know what we do is good because if we save one life, I know we’re doing our job.” Activities hosted by LifeLines show and tell students that no matter what kind of peer pressure students are under, they don’t have to drink, according to Wright. “The club helps students realize that there are many people who care about not drinking,” she said. “It especially shows the elementary
kids they don’t have to fall into peer pressure.” Overall, the club’s main focus is to ensure all students know how great of an impact drugs and alcohol can have on teenagers and adults. Also, the club tries to make sure that the message gets across to students by showing the dire consequences for the decisions that students make. Overbey said, “Students need to know what can happen to them if they do make the wrong choice. “Also, students need to know that they can get help with any problems they may have with drugs, alcohol or whatever, no matter what their situation may be.”
Here We Go Again
Latest contract conflicts affect availability of teachers as club sponsors, chaperones
michelle hu / photos
UNFORTUNATE CONSEQUENCES: Night of Rights is this school’s Amnesty International’s largest event during the school year. Although corporate sponsorships were more readily available, Amnesty faced roadblocks before securing a teacher chaperone for the event. who share opinions on the subject,” he said. Last weekend’s Night of Rights was another area of dispute for Amnesty. Although chaperones were necessary for the event, Southard said she had trouble asking teachers for their help. “I was real uncomfortable about asking colleagues to come out on a Saturday night and do something beyond the day. Some teachers won’t even meet me before and after school to discuss projects, so it’s just a real tough time, and I don’t think a lot of the community are aware of what’s going on because our teachers, our faculty, hasn’t let it impact their instruction,” she said. According to Southard, the contract dispute is doing more than hurting the wallets of teachers at this school; it is beginning to hurt students as well by lowering their extracurricular options. Southard said, “(Amnesty International is) a very diverse club. They do very good work, and they have very good leadership that has been very independent, and I know that they’ll continue to work, and I just wish that we could settle on a contract. So many teachers, because they care so much about the work they do and their students outside the class, are going to continue to do what do. “And it’s until the powers that be see a slip in academics that real action is going to be taken,” she added, “and I feel really bad because I feel like I’m deserting the students who want to do good things for the greater good. This isn’t affecting anyone else but me and them.”
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after it discontinued an iPhone application called Baby Shaker, which made a game of quieting crying babies by shaking them.
apple.com / source
ROCKING OUT (RIGHT): Sophomore David Chiang plays the cello as part of The Fuse at Night of Rights. FIXING WRONGS (BELOW): Rachel Johnson, Amnesty International member and senior, holds a presentation board about the detainment of illegal citizens, which is Amnesty’s newest cause.
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mnesty International, a chapter of which exists at this school, is, according to the Amnesty International Web site, a human rights group that is supported around the globe. “In our branch, we kind of pick a different topic every year to concentrate on, and we just kind of educate ourselves and people in the club and other people in the community about the topic,” Kevin Wang, Amnesty International treasurer and senior, said. However, due in part to current and past contract disputes between the school system and teachers, Amnesty has struggled to find a consistent sponsor in years past. And most recently, the group struggled to find chaperones for its annual Night of Rights. Patricia Southard, current Amnesty International sponsor and English teacher, said, “We’ve been working without a contract since June, and we’ve also had many, many, many cuts in the middle schools and high schools, which scares me because of my student load next year.” Southard began sponsoring Amnesty in 1996 and took a hiatus to finish postgraduate work. She, like many other teachers, said she is concerned about how to balance her job and extracurricular groups, like clubs. While Wang said he admits that this school’s chapter of Amnesty International is more or less selfsufficient without a sponsor, but in order for a club here to be official, it must have a teacher sponsor. “We really don’t have any teacher guidance at all,” Wang said. “It’s really more student-driven now than anything. The way it goes now, we just kind of use (the sponsor’s) room and there isn’t too much participation on their part, but I do like the student-driven part because we get to decide what we do.” The problems faced by this school’s Amnesty International chapter are only the tip of the iceberg as the contract dispute begins affecting even more areas of the school. Wang said, “I think clubs as a whole are probably going to be struggling, too, because there’s budget cuts going around and the teachers have to pick up extra classes and all that, so they don’t have time to devote to club activities,” Wang said. Southard said she’s been approached by other students to take on sponsorship of additional clubs for this year and next. It’s been difficult, she said, to say no. “I just don’t know what my status is going to be,” she said, “and with this whole contract thing, it hurts the students, but I don’t know how else to make a point.” Wang said Amnesty International specifically has had trouble with sponsorship in the past because of its general political affiliations. With the contract dispute, that affiliation makes finding a sponsor even tougher. “It’s a ver y liberal group, and we’re in Carmel, where the majority of people are rather conservative, so it’s kind of hard to find people
recent Headlines
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by lauren burdick lburdick@hilite.org
Page 2 • Thursday, April 30, 2009 • News
GREYHOUND NEWS BRIEFS Principal The annual Grad Fest is after graduation on May 31 this year and will be from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. in the Freshman Cafeteria. According to the school Web site, the PTO, which is organizing the event, continues to accept donations from parents and from the community for the event. After hearing about her friends’ experiences last year at the annual event, senior Amanda Salz said she plans to go this year. “I think it will be a good opportunity to see everyone before we leave for the summer,” Salz said. Salz also said her parents would probably donate. According to this school’s Web site, the event will include carnival games, free refreshments and prizes, including PDAs, TVs, iPods, refrigerators, microwaves and cameras. Principal John Williams said the event is a tradition with an important purpose. “The primary purpose of Grad Fest is to have a safe, drugfree, alcohol-free place to celebrate after graduation,” Williams said. Williams said he goes every year and enjoys the event because of the fun, relaxed atmosphere. “(Grad Fest) will just be a good time,” Salz said. “Everyone will be excited because of graduation.” By Amy Flis
Houndstock fundraiser to support Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital
Superintendent After the last mediation between the teacher’s association and school board several months ago to resolve the teacher contract, the teacher’s association requested the Indiana Education Employment Relations Board (IEERB) to go fact-finding, according to Superintendent Barbara Underwood. Underwood said, “This is a nonbinding process that the hearing officer will offer some suggestions to both sides and then it’s up to the two teams to come together and resolve it.” This fact-finding session occurred April 16. Now the Carmel Clay FactFinding PowerPoint Presentation and Video are available to the public on the district’s Web site. This presentation includes information about the proposals from both sides and the issues that are keeping a contract from being agreed upon. By Brittani Wheeler
Rotary Interact Rotary Interact Club’s members will sell baked goods at Houndstock to raise money for their new international project. Interact sponsor Brenda Lester announced at the most recent meeting that the international project would be to build wells in inner Mongolia. According to Sally Bae, member and junior, the reason the members chose to build wells in Mongolia is because of the arid region Mongolia is located in. “Mongolia is pretty much a frozen desert, and people don’t have easy access to water, so a well will be extremely useful,” she said. Bae said it costs around $20,000 to build a well. Because of this, the school’s Rotar y Interact has contacted both the Carmel Rotary and the Mongolia Rotary Club. “Since it’s such a big project, it’s also going to require help from other Rotary clubs nearby,” Bae said. “If they don’t or can’t help us, then we’ll just be raising money for other things in Mongolia.” By Susie Chen
CORRECTIONS and clarifications From the 4.2 issue There were several inaccuracies in the story “Fame in the Internet Age.” Senior Cadey Phipps has not used YouTube, and she may not make a MySpace page to post videos on it. In the news story “Mandatory AP meeting set for SRT on April 20,” counselor Mary Lou Curless said that students missing the meeting will cause a time drain, not problems because the counselors would have to pull students out of class to complete pre-test registrations.
pooja mathur / Photo
FINE TUNING: Senior Johnny Hourmozdi (center) rehearses with his band The Fuse in preparation for Houndstock, which will feature strings, percussion and arrangements of Coldplay and Margot and the Nuclear So-and-Sos. House is currently determining the selection after hosting try-outs this past week.
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By Afra Hussain ahussain@hilite.org
ands, music and food will once again come together at Houndstock on May 16. This year, the event takes place at the football stadium in the grassy area near the visitor stand from 4 to 10 p.m. “The reason we do it there is because there is a hill and it gives a sort of Verizon Wireless center feel,” House sponsor Sarah Wolff said. However, in order to attend the event, students must purchase tickets. Tickets are $5 at the door and there is no pre-sale. Also, this is the first year the event will raise money for the Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital. Guest speakers from the hospital will make an appearance at the event as well. “We just want to give,” Kevin Kidd, cabinet member and junior, said. In addition, Cabinet member and senior Ashley Elliott said, “It’s not about the numbers.” About 15 bands play and the faculty band will also play at the event. This year Kidd said more than 30 bands auditioned to play at Houndstock but about 15 are actually chosen. He said time constraints and maintaining diversity as the reasons behind not choosing as many bands to play at the event. According to Wolff, this process allows for the most diverse kind of music played at the event. She said, “This is a really great opportunity for people that have a talent that maybe isn’t showcased at
other opportunities. (Houndstock) is a good outlet for us to allow them to participate.” The bands were selected through an audition process and graded based on a rubric provided to volunteer judges, who were also selected by application and members of the Houndstock committee. The planning process for the event takes place months before the actual event and Wolff said it involves much of the student body because of how many people plan, participate and attend the event. Vendors and food are also part of the Houndstock experience. Clubs here can also apply for a booth to fundraise at the event. The form can be found at hilite.org. Another way for students to get involved with the event to is to purchase Houndstock T-shirts. The Shirley Chen / Photo shirts will be sold in Greyhound and Main cafeterias the week before the DETAILS, DETAILS: House sponsor Sarah Wolff (left) and senior Ashley Elliott actual event on May 4 through May work out plans for Houndstock. The event will feature student bands and 8. Proceeds from the shirts go to the House will send all proceeds to Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital. children’s hospital. Kidd said he encourages students to come to the said. Wolff said she also encourages students to attend. event and said they are not obliged to stay for the entire “Whether in a band or you like music,” she said, event. “It’s a lot of diverse music and a good event to “it’s a good event just to attend, and the weather is go to with friends and there are fireworks at the end,” he usually nice.”
Final orchestra concert to honor senior soloists By Beverly Jenkins bjenkins@hilite.org On May 14, the CHS orchestra program will host its final concert for the 2008-09 year. As is custom, the final performance also will feature three outstanding seniors. Violinist and senior Yifan “Peter” Hua said he is both excited and honor ed to be featured in the final performance of his high school career. “It’s been a full circle of my musical education,” Hua said. “You start as a 5- or 7- or 11-year-old with a $20 violin, but over time you get better and better and more mentally prepared until you are able to treat and inspire people after putting so much work into the program.” In addition to Hua, pianists and seniors Jane Han and Tianyi Zhang will represent the graduating seniors, each playing an individual concerto in front of a complete orchestra; but their selection wasn’t easy, according to orchestra director Soo Han. “We are so fortunate to have so many talented seniors,” Han said. “It was extremely tough for (assistant director Rachel Tookolo and I) to pick only a few. In that vein, we decided it was better for the students to compete.” Seniors hoping to be selected traveled to the Meridian Music recital hall where three judges with
no association to CHS or its students listened to each student play a piece of his or her choice. Originally, only two soloists were supposed to be selected to perform in the concert as in the past because of time constraints, according to Han. “The talent was so outstanding that our judges had to come to a stalemate,” he said. The directors ultimately added the top three seniors to the program. According to both Hua and Han, the final concert will consist of several performances from all four levels of orchestras. The night, according to Han, is tentatively set to conclude with each of the three featured seniors playing a large concerto. “A concerto is a piece of music that features one or two soloists,” Hua said. “They’re usually around eight minutes long, but all of (the seniors’) are longer than that.” Due to the longer concertos and the addition of a third soloist, the show is expected to be slightly longer than originally anticipated, according to Han, who said that the entire performance should be around 90 minutes in length with an intermission and take place in the auditorium beginning at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $3 for all students and $5 for adults, a bargain to see one of the best orchestras in the country, according to Han. “We have some of the finest talent not only in Carmel but in the state of Indiana,” Han said. “These students have won regional, state and national
pooja mathur / Photo
TRIPLE FEATURE: Senior Peter Hua rehearses his violin concerto for the May 14 orchestra concert. He and two other seniors will perform it with the Symphony Orchestra. competitions.” Han cited that over spring break the orchestra received the highest ranking, at a competition for the National Orchestra Cup. “We’re all fairly capable players,” Hua said. “It’s a nice reward and a way to honor the seniors who’ve played with this orchestra for four years. It’s going to be a great concert, and I recommend any and everyone to attend.”
Senior Soloists JANE HAN: Grieg Concerto in A Minor for piano PETER HUA: Wieniawski Concerto #2 for violin TIANYI ZHANG: Chopin Concerto #1 for piano Soo Han / Source
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Page 4 • Thursday, April 30, 2009 • News
IB students prepare for college-style exams The IB program, in its second year, teaches students to think in broad terms with research papers and hopes to attract more prospective students through pre-IB SRTs
Kate Grumme / photo
CRITICAL THINKING: Senior Kirby Pruis works through a calculus problem in preparation for her upcoming IB mathematics exam. She said that the program is different from AP in that students must think more critically and in broader terms. By Susie Chen susiechen@hilite.org
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ay, for hundreds of students here, is the month of AP exams. But for senior Kirby Pruis, May is the month of her IB finals, the month where she will churn out paper after paper to show her knowledge on a specific subject. “The chemistr y test I took last year had three papers: one multiple choice over theory, one free-response over analytical problems and one over special subject options, such as human biochemistry and further organic chemistry,” she said via e-mail. Currently, the IB students are preparing for the exams, which will take place around the same time of AP exams. “It is a lot like AP classes in that we finish most of the material by spring break and then begin review after break,” Pruis said. This is, however, where the similarities between IB finals
and AP exams end. According to David Bardos, IB Coordinator and social studies department chairperson, IB students must test in at least five of the six groups known as the hexagon of IB. The groups consist of English, a second language, social studies, experimental sciences, such as biology and chemistry, math and the arts. Pruis said, “I think the IB exams are good at testing the students’ knowledge of the subject and their ability to apply concepts in critical thinking problems. I thought my chemistry exam was harder than the AP test, simply because it included the special optional topics, human biochemistry and further organic chemistry.” For each test, the student can choose to either take the higher level test or the standard level test. “The distinction between the higher level and standard level test is really the difficulty of study,” Bardos said. “For higher level, you may have to study for more hours, and the rigor is more difficult than standard. But they are all high-stake exams. It
is all writing, and it is all done in one day.” Students are not only required to take the finals, but it is also mandatory for them to take the class Theory of Knowledge. “This is the glue that holds together the program,” Bardos said. For this class, the students must write an extended essay of around 4,000 words, and the essay can be on any topic related to IB. According to Pruis, Theory of Knowledge is her favorite IB class because it is unlike any other class at this school. “Theory of Knowledge helps us IB students to connect all of our subjects together and to think about ‘how we know what we know.’ Not many teachers at CHS ask you to think about why you are learning stuff or how we know it is true. Theory of Knowledge makes me think more critically about everything I do in school,” Pruis said. For students who wish to pursue IB, Bardos said their first priority should be to investigate the program. “Is this something they would truly be interested in? As one of the other IB teachers says,
Grammy-winning artist David Phelps to perform with Ambassadors
Davidphelps.com / photo
DAVID PHELPS: The Ambassadors will accompany the Grammy-winning artist on May 11. Proceeds will go toward Project Uganda. By Sara Rogers srogers@hilite.org On May 11, the Ambassadors will have the opportunity to sing alongside a professional recording artist. Contemporary Christian artist David Phelps will perform with the Ambassadors in hopes of raising money for Project Uganda. Ambassador and senior Jonathan “Johnny” Hourmozdi said, “It’s a gr eat oppor tunity. It’s also intimidating, but in a good way. It’s different than anything anyone has
ever seen at Carmel High School.” “We’re tr ying to contact the public,” Kuskye said. “We’re getting out to churches and radio stations. We really want to fill the auditorium for this awesome experience.” Phelps is cur r ently touring nationally and, in 2008, released his fifth and latest solo studio album titled, “The Voice.” Throughout his career, Phelps won multiple Grammy and Dove awards for his music and has performed for President Bush. Anita Rogers, Ambassador and senior, originally contacted Phelps through his Web site. “They sent an e-mail back to (Rogers) and contacted her about doing a concert,” Kuskye said. “I called them back the next day. It all happened so fast.” Hourmozdi said the opportunity is surreal. “All of the pieces just kind of fell into place. At first we didn’t believe it, like, ‘no he isn’t coming,’ but now it’s happening,” he said. Kuskye first listened to Phelps after one of his students took him to one of Phelps’ concerts. He said, “He’s an incredible artist, one of the best vocalists I’ve ever heard.” Kuskye then had the Ambassadors perform several of Phelps’ songs including “Virtuoso” and “Love Goes On” during choir competitions this year. Kuskye said he plans to have the Ambassadors sing those two songs as well as others with Phelps. Hourmozdi, who sings a solo during choir competitions to one of
Phelps’ songs, said he is excited to see his solo performed by Phelps. “I’d never heard him before this year,” Hourmozdi said. “Being a vocalist and a tenor, his range is incredible. He hits notes that some girls can’t even hit. It’s exciting to hear that live.” According to Kuskye, the Ambassadors will perform six songs alongside Phelps. “It’s just going to be this incredible experience,” he said. “We’re like his backup singers. It’s very cool.” Phelps and his band are set to arrive early on May 11 in order to set up practice with the Ambassadors beforehand. Aside from providing entertainment, the Ambassadors hope to raise money for Project Uganda. The per for ming ar ts department partnered with Building Tomorrow, an organization that works to construct primary schools in Uganda. The organization plans to construct a per forming ar ts academy for children in Uganda. “It’s a huge project and we’re tr ying to incorporate the whole district, trying to make sure that the whole community is involved,” Hourmozdi said. “Hopefully, this concert will help.” All proceeds will go toward the project. Hourmozdi said the Ambassadors hope to raise money based on ticket sales. “Since (Phelps) charges an appearance fee, our hope is to sell more money than the fee, which we very well could,” Hourmozdi said.
“The ideal thing is to have a really cool concert while raising money.” According to Kuskye, “anything that’s raised is a bonus because the concert is for the experience for the Ambassadors and the audience.” Kuskye said he hopes more students come out to the performance. “If we had a thousand students come, it would be so cool,” Kuskye said. “It really is like going to a rock concert at school.” Hourmozdi said he agrees. “It’s an exciting opportunity to see a real recording artist. Even if you haven’t heard his recordings, he’ll blow you away,” he said. Hourmozdi said he encourages students to attend the concert. “It’s a lot of work for Mr. Kuskye and the Ambassadors,” Hourmozdi said. “It’s worth going out to. It’ll be a really sweet experience.” Kuskye said, “This concert is a chance for CHS to come together and be inspired while helping raise money for kids across the earth.”
AP will give you college credit, but IB will prepare you for college,” Bardos said. “IB gives you a sense of what college will be like. This is an exceptional liberal arts program.” “The IB program gives students a cadre of kids with the same mindset. They have the diligence and willingness to pursue an IB diploma, and this program gives them a like-mindedness,” he said. As IB coordinator, Bardos is in charge of promoting the IB program to the incoming freshman and sophomores, although the program itself does not start until junior year, is responsible for making sure these freshmen and sophomores’ schedules are on the right track for IB and counsels students for the best avenue in IB. Pruis said that pre-IB students should definitely stay organized and, if they are serious about pursing the IB program, make sure they know which scores on the exams will get them credit in college. “Also, make sure you are prepared to be responsible for independent work,” she said. “Projects like the extended essay require a lot of personal responsibility.” This personal responsibility, however, is something Pruis said she considers an enormous positive of the IB program. “IB students must plan ahead because IB classes have a lot of long-term projects, which make it easy to procrastinate. I think this prepares students for college well, since most college assignments are long-term and require students to take responsibility,” she said. One of the many students expressing an interest in IB is freshman Gabrielle “Brii” Robbins, who was placed in a pre-IB SRT, a specific SRT for students who wanted to participate in the IB program. “A big reason for why I expressed interest in IB was because of my parents, since they’re both in academia,” Robins said. “But I also liked it because it’s good for if you want to study abroad, which is something I plan to do.” Robins said she wishes to study abroad in Scandinavia and, if this is not possible, at least minor in Scandinavian studies. She also said she liked the IB program for its intensiveness, although that also caused her to have some reservations about the program. “The only thing I’m not too sure about is how the people I know in it right now say it is crazy difficult,” Robins said. However difficult IB may appear to some students, Pruis said that it is a really valuable program and thinks it caters to students who value education more than grades. “I hope the program continues to grow,” she said. “I think IB has the potential to be a really interesting and fun program for future classes.”
IB Exam Testing Schedule May 5: English, Psychology May 6: Psychology, History of the Americas May 7: History of the Americas, Math SL May 8: Math SL, Chemistry May 9: Chemistry May 12: English May 13: Spanish May 14: Biology May 15: Biology May 16: French, German carmelhighschool.net / source
‘Singing in the Rain’ premieres May 7 By Hope Boyer hboyer@hilite.org This year the spring musical, “Singing in the Rain”, will take place May 7 to 9 at 7:30 p.m. and on May 10 and 11 at 2 p.m. in the auditorium. Tickets range between $8 to $15. According to Lamonte Kuskye, director and producer of “Singing in the Rain” and choral director, tickets are available in the bookstore right now and will be available at the door each night. Senior Philip Kirk is one of the leads in the musical. “I enjoy the acting way more than I thought I would,” Kirk, who plays Cosmo Brown, said. There are several leads in the show, but there is also a large chorus, that performs with the main characters in the majority of the scenes. The show will feature a large number and variety of songs. “My favorite song right now is the ‘Broadway Melody’ because I love Broadway,” Kuskye said. “It’s a really great song that involves the entire cast.” Until May 7 however, “there is still so much to do for it,” Kuskye said. “We have around 50 or so students and young actors working non-stop on this show.”
Concert Details Cost: $20 - $25 (available at iTickets.com) Location: Dale E. Graham Auditorium Time: May 11, 7 p.m. (doors open at 6 p.m. Lamonte Kuskye / Source
Kate Grumme / photo
5, 6, 7, 8: Choir director Lamonte Kuskye rehearses “Singing in the Rain” with the cast. It will premiere May 7 and tickets cost $8 to $15.
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ASL Club to participate in upcoming PTCO fair, two performances By yameen hameed yhameed@hilite.org
This Issue @ HiLite Online Recent Updates
The ASL Club has many upcoming events. These include two ASL-interpreted performances and a fair. Also, some weekly events are continuing. There are two upcoming ASL-interpreted performances, both on this Sunday. Allison “Ali” Dunn, club member and sophomore, said the performances are very visual. All talking is replaced with ASL, and although sound exists, it isn’t usually out of the ordinary. “Deaf performances are a really good way to go out and meet new people in the deaf community,” she said. One performance is “Rabbit Hole,” which will be at the Indiana Repertory Theater at 2 p.m. on the main stage, 140 W. Washington St. For ticket information, call (317) 635-5252. The show is about a well-off family trying to deal with the death of their 4-year old boy. It is to be interpreted by Randy Nicolai and Cathy Coveyln. The other performance is “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” part of the Broadway Series at Clowes Hall, W. 46th St. and Sunset. It will be at 6:30 p.m. with interpreters Joyce Ellinger and Carrie Westhoelter. The play is about
an inventor who turns an ordinary car into a magical one and the adventures his family has with it. Ticket information will be available at (317) 632-5182. The Parent Teacher Counselor Organization (PTCO) is having an ASL fair on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1200 E. 42nd St. in Indianapolis. “This is a big deaf fair right next to the State Fairgrounds. It’s open and anyone can go and have fun. Bring your brothers and sisters,” Joseph Wheeler, ASL Club sponsor and teacher, said via translator. Since ASL students will need to attend a deaf culture event before May 8, this would be a good one for them. The fair will have many booths selling tools for deaf people. Things include video phones and doorbells with flashing lights. Many common objects have sound replaced with lights that flash or items that vibrate. Out of the weekly events, deaf churches still continue. Club members can visit the church, Creekside, on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. However, deaf bowling has ended. “I’m gonna go [to the PTCO fair] and bring some friends,” Dunn said. “It’s gonna be really fun.”
CHTV CHTV will sell three DVDs: “Greyhound Memories,” the senior DVD and a graduation DVD, for $25 each, $45 for two and $65 for all three. CHTV teacher Hal Espey said forms to order the DVDs are available in the activities office. “The Graduation DVD is about two hours long and it includes speeches and a nice close-up of people receiving their diploma,” Espey said. Kyle Borcherding, CHTV crew member and senior, said the DVDs provide a lasting memory for students. “We have really good clips from the school year from basketball games, football games and many other events, so it’s a really good way to remember the school year,” he said. According to Espey, the videos are between 90 minutes and two hours long. Espey said, “You’re only a senior once in high school. It’s a really important point in one’s life. Students are always future-oriented, so they’re not really interested in looking back, but the DVDs will let students look back on some of the best years of their lives.” By Tommy Sneider
Carmel Dads club
Find out about what’s happening around the school and in the community by checking out the ‘Recent Updates’ column at hilite.org.
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Fair Preparation: Joseph Wheeler, ASL Club sponsor and teacher, instructs his class in sign language. The ASL Club will attend the PTCO fair in Indianapolis and two theater performances to learn more about sign language. Wheeler said he encourages club members to bring their family members, too.
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According to Stacy Hicks, business manager and concessions coordinator for Carmel Dads Club (CDC), fall sports registration for CDC begins on Friday. Fall sports include baseball, softball, soccer and volleyball. Students who want to register for a fall sport can do so online at carmeldadsclub.org. They can also register by fax, mail, or walking-in to the CDC offices on 131st Street. CDC spring sports at the high school level include co-ed soccer, baseball, softball, and volleyball. Senior Steven Smith, who plays CDC basketball, soccer and high school men’s volleyball, said that he likes playing CDC sports because they are fun and allow him to compete without having too much pressure to win. “I’m really into sports, so CDC is perfect,” he said. “I get to play every sport I want, and it isn’t too stressful.” By Lexi Muir
PAGE 6 • THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2009 • BEATS / ADS
Daily Photos JUNIOR CLASS: PROM
ELIZABETH TRANCIK / PHOTO
PREPPING FOR PROM: Junior Marcus Short buys prom tickets for himself and his date.
STUDENT ELECTIONS
Clubs, Activities at a Glance
For more information, go online to hilite.org and click on ‘Beats’ COMEDYSPORTZ
SPANISH CLUB
FRENCH CLUB
GLOBAL GIVING
The ComedySportz team wraps up its season with three away matches. It will compete against Bishop Chatard on May 5, Guerin on May 8 and Cathedral on May 9. According to sponsor Jim Peterson, the away matches are run in the same format as home matches. He also said this year was the most popular season so far. Mike Gospel, team captain and senior, said, “Wrapping up the season, I’d say it has been the most popular season that I have been involved in. Also, the six of us have incredible chemistry together and it has been a great team.” Gospel said he is really excited for these last few matches although he is sure that it will be bittersweet because they will be the last matches of his ComedySportz high school league career. By Amanda Nguyen
On May 3, the Spanish Club will attend a Latin jazz concert at the Hilbert Circle Theatre to watch a performance presented by the Indianapolis S y m p h o n y Orchestra. Members will listen to songs composed by El Ritmo de la Vida, a band featuring KAY VAZQUEZ tr umpeter Doc Severinsen. “Music is a great way to experience other cultures. It will give members the opportunity to watch Latin performances at the professional level,” said Kay Vazquez, sponsor of the Spanish Club. According to Vazquez, the performance will begin at 7 p.m. Details regarding ticket costs and transportation are not finalized. Members should attend meetings and visit the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra website to get additional information about the trip. “I have been to this performance several times and found it ver y enjoyable,” said Sydney Miller, Spanish Club president and senior. “The music is somewhat retro, so I think people will find it very unique. Seeing per formances live is dif ferent because people are used to listening to music on CDs and iPods. It’s a very unique experience.” By Laura Peng
Today after school, the French Club will join the Spanish Club and the German Club in a picnic at Cool Creek Park. A bus will be provided as transportation and is leaving after school. The bus will be coming back to the school between 6 and 7 p.m. Samantha Parkinson, French Club president and senior, said that there will be games and food at the picnic. “Basically everyone is bringing a dish or a drink that represents their country. There will be frisbee, soccer and maybe volleyball,” Parkinson said. Each club is bringing food that is considered native to France, Germany or Spain, respectively. “(The French Club) is bringing baguettes, cheeses, croissants and some fruits like bananas and grapes,” Parkinson said. “The German Club is bringing open-faced sandwiches. As far as the Spanish Club, I have no idea what they are supposed to be bringing but it should be good.” Accor ding to club sponsor Andrea Yocum, if members do not bring a dish, they will need $5 to participate. Parkinson said that she thinks it will be a successful event since three clubs are involved. By Cassie Dugan
Global Giving, the club dedicated to raising money with the Renewal Foundation for rebuilding schools in China, according to Annie Tang, club president and junior, has nearly achieved its total fundraising target. “The members are just going to continue to raise money,” said club sponsor Ryan Ringenberg. The members are continuing to receive online donations and plan to set a booth at Houndstock. “We’ll sell baked goods and maybe have some type of game to raise money,” said Tang. In addition to online donations and a booth, the members plan to hold a bake sale at the local Chinese school along with a presentation to raise awareness. Also, they are planning to perform a dragon dance for the ICCI and are trying to get volunteers. According to Ringenberg, the group will take a trip to Chinatown in Chicago on May 16 to celebrate their success. “We have the date set. We just need to know the number of people that will be able to go and getting a bus,” said Tang. For the next school year, Global Giving will continue its mission to fundraise money for some type of educational development, according to Ringenberg. “We might continue with the Chinese schools or look at other areas depending on how well we do. We’ll probably decide that later on,” said Tang. Not only is the group planning its goals for next year, but it has already begun to reach out in an attempt to attract more members by having booths at events like Frosh Rock. By Darlene Pham
ORCHESTRA
ARJUNA CAPULONG / PHOTO
CAMPAIGN AWAY: Juniors Sunny Huang and Steven Brisley campaign during election week. For more Photos of the Day, go online to www.hilite.org. Leave comments on photos you like online.
All orchestras will perform May 14 in the Spring Concert. The event will take place in the Dale E. Graham Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. The concert will feature senior concer to competition winners. Senior Jane Han will perform “Piano Concerto” composed by Edvard Grieg on piano. Senior Peter Hua will perform “Violin Concerto No. 2” composed by Henryk Wieniawaski on violin. Senior Tianyi Zhang will perform “Piano Concerto No. 1” composed by Frédéric Chopin on piano. Faye “Faridah” Dipatuan, orchestra member and sophomore, said she looks for ward to the concert. By Sarah Sheafer
For more info, go online to www.indianapolissymphony.org
ARJUNA CAPULONG / PHOTO
HELP OUT: French teacher Andrea Yocum helps her students in class.
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Page 8 • Thursday, April 30, 2009 • Sports
JV, Freshman Athletic News JV Sport in the Spotlight: Women’s Track by david zheng dzheng@hilite.org
Surging toward State Tournament
Women’s track team to prepare for MIC, County meets nick johnson / photo
FINAL PUSH: Freshman Ashley Mealey competes in a hurdle race against Warren Central. The Hounds will have to hurdle multiple obstacles on their way to a State championship this season, and their postseason meets will begin on Saturday with the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference meet. BY DAVID ZHENG dzheng@hilite.org
T
he women’s track team’s season is nearing its end, as the team is practicing hard to prepare for the tournament competition that’s right around the corner. According to Head Coach Tim Mylin, the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference (MIC) is Saturday, and the County meet is May 8. Mylin said he viewed the MIC and County meets as stepping stones for the team to get to the State meet, as they will serve as a gauge for how the team will fare against some of the better teams in the state. “Obviously in our own Hamilton County we’ve got some fabulous teams, and as far as I’m concerned, the MIC is the
strongest conference in the state,” Mylin said. “It’s like a little State meet for us because we’re competing against some of the powerhouses in the state, like North Central, Warren Central and Ben Davis.” Taylor Lampe, varsity jumper and sophomore, also agreed with Mylin in that the MIC and County meets are important meets for the team. “Both of those meets have very strong local teams competing,” Lampe said. “They will be good practice for the State meet as well as give us an idea of where we need to improve as a team.” As for the season so far, Mylin said the team has just been taking it one step at a time. “We think we’re going to be very competitive, and we certainly think that we’re a Top 10 team,” Mylin said. “If things
go well for us and we continue to improve and we don’t have any injuries, I think we’re going to have a shot possibly at the overall title.” According to Mylin, the team has been successful so far, as it finished second at the indoor State meet at Purdue University and won the indoor MIC. The team has also won outdoor meets against Hamilton Southeastern, Ben Davis and Pike. “We don’t want to jinx anything too early, but our chances are better than they have been in a while,” Lampe said. “We have a really strong mix of girls, so we just need to improve as the season progresses.” Mylin said that out of the 16 events at the State meet, the team hopes to qualify people through to the State meet in six or eight of them. “Obviously we’d like to
qualify someone every event, but realistically that’s probably not going to happen,” Mylin said. “If we look at the talent we have right now compared to the rest of the state, I think we have a good shot at qualifying in a lot of the events though. We can only enter two (per event) in the tournament so we’re just hoping a lot of our kids make it to the State meet.” Mylin said the team has a good chance at doing that, as it has a lot of depth and great senior leadership, and has been improving each week. Lampe also added that fan support would be much appreciated. “We only have a few home meets this year, so fan support would be great,” Lampe said. “Our whole team is really excited about the rest of the season and we’re going to keep working hard and aim for State!”
Men’s track looks to MIC meet IN SYNC (top): Senior Dean Weaver hands off to teammate and sophomore Justin Batten in the 400meter relay. The 400-meter relay team works extensively on handoffs during practice in order to run the fastest time possible during meets.
by macKENZIE madison mmadison@hilite.org Tomorrow, the men’s track team will compete in the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference (MIC) tournament at Ben Davis. William Eller y, men’s track head coach, said, “(The) MIC really kicks off our tournament season; we have MIC, then County the next week, then Sectionals a week and a half later, followed by Regionals then State. We are trying to defend our County Championships.” Ellery said he thinks of the MIC tournament like a State preview to help the coaches place the right runners in the right events so they will be most prepared for State. He said, “We treat the MIC like a practice run for the State meet in a sense that we run against the kids we’ll see at the State meet. So we put our kids in the events they are likely to run in the State meet.” He also said he thinks it will help the team prepare to run against Ben Davis and Warren Central. These top two teams in the State will be attending, as well as Center Grove and North Central. Carmel, Ben Davis, Warren Central, Center Grove and North Central are the top five teams in the state. Dan Porter, track runner and junior, said he feels a new confidence in the team’s chances at winning State after its recent win over Warren Central. Porter said, “I think the whole team is pumped, especially after beating Warren, that was a big win. Everyone just wants to run some (personal records).”
SURE LEAP (bottom): Senior Dean Weaver leaps over a hurdle during the varsity heat of the 300-meter hurdles. Weaver has run a number of events for the Hounds, including the 400-meter relay, 1,600-meter relay, the 110-meter high hurdles and the 300-meter intermediate hurdles.
upcoming meets Saturday: MIC Championship May 8: Hamilton County Meet May 12: Noblesville Relays May 21: Sectional May 28: Regional June 5: State Nick johnson / photos
CCS.K12.IN.US / SOURCE
Although this school’s varsity women’s track team’s season continues well into May, with the MIC, county and State competitions, the junior varsity team wraps up its season with the JV Invitational on May 7, which is held at Hamilton Southeastern. “The kids are continuing to work hard and they’re improving, and that’s what it’s all about,” Head Coach Tim Mylin said. “There are a lot of kids out there that are working hard, but they’re only going to participate in JV meets.” Runner and freshman Bella Shu said she agreed with Mylin in that the JV team has been improving in practice and performing well in their meets. “We’ve done really well in our meets. We beat both Ben Davis and Pike (in a dual-meet), and we’ve been training hard in practices as well,” Shu said. “If anything, we’ve been more motivated after (spring) break because we missed out on a whole week of hardcore workouts.” Nevertheless, Mylin said he has high hopes for both teams for the rest of the season. “By and large the (JV team has) done a good job of sticking to their workout schedules as indicated by our performances so far,” Mylin said. “The JV team has set goals just like the rest of the kids and we’re working for all the kids on the team to reach their goals. Right now they’re doing a great job.”
nick johnson / photo
SOARING TO NEW HEIGHTS: Megan Peterson, junior and high jumper, completes a jump at a home meet against Warren Central. The Hounds’ JV team has their last meet at the JV Invitational on May 7 at Hamilton Southeastern.
Baseball The junior varsity baseball team, due to the onslaught of rainouts last week and the week before, is now scheduled to play its postponed games, starting tomorrow with a game at 5 p.m. at Noblesville. Despite these rainouts that prevented the team from establishing a more representative record, the JV team has maintained a neutral, yet solid record since the start of the season. Catcher and junior Richard Velde said, “We’ve had (a number) richard of our games velde c a n c e l l e d . I Rescheduled JV k n o w t h a t Baseball games they’re planning to have us play Westfield and Hamilton Southeastern.” Friday: at Head JV Coach Toby Steele Noblesville said, “We will play most of the postponed games, but there are Wednesday: v. several games we are searching Westfield for a slot for.” Junior and pitcher Br yan Larson said the team has been May 12: at Ben striving to impr ove despite Davis dealing with all the subpar weather. However, he said the ccs.k12.in.us / team has been anxious to get source back outside. “Our goal is to get better every day during practice and throughout the season,” Larson said. “It has been showing game after game. But we get sick and tired of staying inside; we’d like to get some fresh air and live pitching. You’ve just got to hope for the best.” By Faith Mwalwa
Poker? A game of chess? Sure, those are considered sports midwest sports talk by daniyal habib Quick, name all the sports you can think of. I’ll guess your list may have fallen in this order: football, baseball and basketball, or some combination of the three. If I was right, why didn’t competition chess or spelling come to mind? How about an ESPN favorite: poker? While ESPN may send camera crews and announcers to events such as the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee each year, can these really be considered sports? I think so, but that means we need to expand our
definition of sports. Sure, poker may not require the mind-numbing athleticism found in basketball or the brute strength of football, but doesn’t mind power count for anything? Let’s establish some criteria. First, there has to be a level of competition. Certainly, poker, spelling bees and chess pass this test with nationwide tournaments, a few of which make it onto television in the championship stages. Second, to be a sport, it must require a substantial level of skill to be successful. Sure, anyone can sit down in a park and throw around some kings and rooks in a game of chess. But if a player of the game can go toeto-toe with a super computer and defeat it, well, that’s skill. Poker requires some luck, but also a great sense of playing the odds and other mental attributes. So they both pass test two. As for spelling, when words like “succedaneum” and “appoggiatura” become commonplace, I’ll consider it a skill. Right now, in my book, I’ll call it a lucky ability. So
spelling, for now, is out of the race, though I will admit that instant messaging is ruining our ability to spell, to the point that it is almost a skill to get it right. Last, you have to be able to practice your event for it to be considered sport. Obviously, the enormous amount of scenarios in chess require practice, to keep your mind sharp and see things on the board your opponent does not. When your opponent pulls the Sicilian Defense opening move on you, you have to know how to respond. Poker requires a steady hand, face and voice, which require practice, along with a good pair of shades. So, I can officially call poker and chess sports in my book. As much as I may cringe while watching either of these on TV, I will say that they are deserving of ESPN coverage, being the “Worldwide Leader in Sports.” This being said, I would still rather see a Lebron James dunk than a royal flush or a checkmate on the Sportscenter Top 10 plays.
go online For more sports and statistics, along with Tatum Outlaw’s tennis beat, log onto:
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PAGE 10 • THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2009 • SPORTS
Pitching, defense propel Hounds
Got Green?
BY FAITH MWALWA fmwalwa@hilite.org
After realizing sports do impact environment, student takes action to spread the word BY MAGGIE BRANDENBURG mbrandenburg@hilite.org
F
or many CHS students, green is the new black. A new eco-friendly trend has taken over many facets of ever yday life from fashion to cleaning supplies. And as the news about the global environment becomes more and more dire, a renewed interest in going green has even spread to sports with many fans and even athletes, like senior Frances Williams, who is involved in FRAN The Healthy RUSHING Environment Club (T.H.E) and plays on the women’s rugby team, looking to reduce their impact on the environment. “(As a part of T.H.E Club) all year we’ve pretty much just been talking about issues (facing the environment). We’ll clip articles from not only national magazines and newspapers, but local stuff to make sure we’re staying updated on what’s going on ecologically in our society,” Williams said. The going-green trend has also hit the athletics program here, and according to Athletics Director Jim Inskeep, the school district as a whole has reduced the watering of athletic fields and cut back on the application of fertilizers to the fields and even surrounding common areas to help prevent what is known as runoff, when water contaminated by fertilizers makes its way back into surrounding waterways. Accor ding to Fran Rushing, AP Environtmental Science teacher, could
be an issue for any forms of life that live around and utilize the water. Rushing said, “If the (fields) get rainfall, two different things can happen, either (the chemicals) seep down into the ground and become par t of the
SPORTS’ ENVIRONMENTAL COSTS 47.6 metric tons of Carbon is put into the atmosphere for just one professional football game A stadium of about 78,000 fans will use 65,000 kilowatt hours of electricity for one game The same number of fans will also consume about 35,000 cubic feet of natural gas (Lucas Oil Stadium holds 63,000 fans) 232.84 metric tons of carbon dioxide: the number put out by those same 78,000 fans traveling 29 miles by car to get to their stadium SLATE.COM / SOURCE ground water or they run off, which is literally what it means, the water runs off the surface and could eventually find its way to a water source that way. The ground water then seeps through the underground area and can also find its way to a waterway. So several different things could happen, the groundwater can be contaminated with the chemicals and if that groundwater is pumped up and used as a drinking source, there could be a potential problem there.” As this school has grown over the past several years, its athletics program has also experienced more and more students
participating in school sports resulting in a need for more space for teams, which is becoming increasingly hard to find in Carmel. And even though the school follows strict EPA guidelines trhoughout the whole process of developing land into athletic facilities according the Inskeep, the biggest factor in development is just finding the space needed. “Carmel is a really unique area in the sense that there was once a time when there was so much green space, but that’s really been gobbled up by subdivisions and businesses and everything else. So the available land within the school district has really narrowed over the years,” Inskeep said. And while the state of the environment and development of land may be a bigger-scale issue, Williams said she tries to help out locally by recycling her water bottles and by picking up trash at her playing field. However, according to Rushing, cutting back on actually using the water bottles in the first place could be a better solution. “The recycling (of water bottles) is good, but it’s not the best thing you can do, Rushing said, “The best thing (athletes) can do is reduce the number that they use in the first place or to buy the refillable water bottles that a lot of kids are starting to use, because then you are reducing the amount of bottles that have to made in the fi rst place. So you take it all the way back to the initial processes of extracting those materials and refining those materials, all of that. And if we could just stop using them, you go all the way back to the beginning.” Williams said, “I think, definitely, kids our age are getting the drift and you know, boys and girls who play rugby or do any sort of sport, hopefully they’re involved in something that they can not only be playing the sport but helping the environment while they’re doing it. It is pretty easy to do both once you just put your mind to it.”
The varsity baseball team, after a series of game cancellations several weeks ago, picked up the pace and continued to solidify its season record with last week’s slew of games against the likes of Ben Davis, North Central and Zionsville. The team, according to pitcher and senior Kyle Lloyd, relies heavily on its pitching, and without a strong pitching rotation, the team could not thrive even in regular season. The pitching rotation includes five seniors including Lloyd and Brooks Fiala, third-baseman and pitcher, three juniors, and one sophomore, pitcher Beau Bowen. RESCHEDULED “We have a number of left-handed GAMES pitchers as well,” head baseball coach Eric Lentz said. Today: at Pike, “(Pitchers have to be there) to 5 p.m. execute plays,” Lloyd said. Lloyd Tomorrow: v. will become an NCAA Division I Westfield at pitcher, according to Michael Conner, teammate, catcher and sophomore, Hartman Field, and has played since the age of about 5 p.m. five. In addition to a notable pitcher, Lloyd is a varsity team captain, a role he shares with Samuel Yeary, outfielder and senior, and Christopher “Koko” Mangano, first baseman and senior. “(The role of) the pitcher is the most important position, besides (that of) the catcher,” Mangano said. Alex Gordon, pitcher, third-baseman and senior, said the pitching rotation plays a pivotal role in the team’s success. However, Gordon said the role of the catcher is another essential role on the team, a position played by Conner and leftfielder and junior Nicholas Logan. “(Conner) is one of the younger teammates and (we rely heavily) on him. He’s an excellent catcher, though,” Gordon said. Conner began playing baseball at about the age of five and was the captain of the freshman team last year. The catcher and pitcher must have a series of complex signals used for communication; if one misses the signal, or if one misreads a signal, this mistake could cost the team, and even be a danger to the catcher. In addition, the two must have perfect timing and aim together to successfully strike out the opposing teams’ hitters. The pitcher must be able to read the catcher’s every movement, and the catcher must be able to read the pitcher’s every movement; without any of this, the team can go nowhere. With this lineup of players, Gordon said he believes the senior-dominated team has more potential this year to win the Sectional championship, a goal that the Greyhounds have not achieved since 2000, and the team hopes to go all the way to State, a game the team has not participated in since 1997. “We hope (for) progress beyond the Sectional championship,” Lentz said.
NICK JOHNSON, KAITLYN LAMPE / PHOTO
KAITLYN LAMPE / PHOTO
KATE GRUMME / PHOTOS
DEAD CENTER: Junior Grant Meade practices stroking a putt during practice. Meade has been one of the top juniors leading the varsity team this season and hopes to help the team under Head Coach Chad Carr perform well heading into the State meet.
HIGH HEAT: Junior Bryan Larson practices pitching in the fieldhouse. Larson is one of the team’s few left-handed pitchers, and has already made several appearances for the junior varsity team.
ONLINE EXCLUSIVE
Men’s golf team heads to State meet BY RYAN DUFFY rduffy@hilite.org The men’s varsity golf team continues its season on Saturday at the Chatard Invitational. The match will take place at Heartland Crossing golf club and will start at 2 p.m. Head Varsity Coach Chad Carr said he has gotten more excited as this season progresses. “I’m looking forward to the rest of the season,” he said. “I am curious to see how far this team can go. We have a lot of potent ial and a lot of good kids to be around.” Kevin Brown, the third-ranked player on the team and junior said he feels good about the team to this point in the season as well. “I do feel there are areas we need to improve upon,” Brown said.
“But, we are improving every day with hard work at practices.” Carr said that even though they are having success, the team still has a few areas it needs to improve on. Each player is different in strengths and weaknesses,” he said. “Obviously nobody is perfect, but we as a team will focus on the short game for the most part of the season.” Brown said that the Coach’s plans at practices will help the team out tremendously. “Coach Carr stresses hard work at practices and that will further the team’s success throughout the season,” Brown said. “If everyone could limit mistakes it would benefit the entire team's score tremendously.” The team’s success so far has been due in part to the play of a few varsity players. Brown, along with junior Connor O’Neal and junior Grant Meade are leading the team to success this
season. Junior Nathan Mueting and junior Tyler Zipes have been leading the team as well to this point in the season. Carr said that the main focus for the Chatard Invitational will be mental. “The expectation is that we show up and play the best golf we can play,” Carr said. “In order to win, we’ll have to be focused, be smart with our course management, and make our putts.” Brown said he agr eed with Car r, and added, “We need to play smart throughout the entire round, take it each shot at a time, and further improve toward the goal of a State title.” “I am looking forward to the rest of the season," Carr said. " I am curious to see how far this team can go. We have a lot of potential and a lot of good kids to be around."
SHIRLEY CHEN / PHOTO
SMOOTH STROKE: Junior Annika Carlson prepares to hit a forehand shot during practice. For more sports scores and statistics, and more of Shirley Chen’s women’s tennis pictures, visit:
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CARMEL HIGH SCHOOL
3POT,ITE
in the limo Student discusses her plans for prom and what she will bring to the dance See Page B8
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520 E. Main Street • Carmel, IN 46032 • Volume 54, Issue 13 • April 30, 2009
Dateless Dancing
Despite recent changes in ticket sales, some students still opt not to attend prom due to being dateless, others choose to go with friends by maddi bourgerie mbourgerie@hilite.org
couple packages,” Borto said. One main reason for this change, Borto said, was so students didn’t feel obligated to attend as ith prom this weekend, some are a couple. She said it also may encourage more frantically getting together the last- people to attend in groups. minute details before the big night Still, despite these measures, Hillis said she on Saturday. However, there are also still feels pressure by the social norm to find a many like junior Bailey Hillis, who date and to not go stag. have opted out of attending prom this year. Hillis’s “I am really passionate about having to reason? She doesn’t have a date, and for her, that’s a find a date to attend prom,” she said. “For Homecoming, people go in a group, but key component of the prom experience. “I don’t plan on attending prom unless I get prom is different. It’s much more of a date thing. If I was going to go alone, asked,” Hillis said. “Prom is very over-rated,” she added. “It makes everyone would be paired up and there people feel, who don’t have a date, really bad about would be no one to dance with. I would themselves because it’s such a big deal when you’re asked. feel very awkward.” Senior Fred Boyd is in a similar When you don’t get asked it really lowers self-esteem.” Prom sponsor Maureen Borto said the concept of situation to Hillis; he too doesn’t have a having to go to the event as a couple is old fashioned, date to prom, but unlike Hillis, this was and that’s one reason why this year the ticket sales by choice. Boyd decided to attend prom with a group of friends. have altered from last year. “We changed the selling of tickets this year. They “I chose to go stag,” he said, “I have are $35 and all individual tickets, and no discount been worrying about my studies and have been too busy to find a date, but I don’t mind.” Boyd said he is comfor table going by himself. “No one should be insecur e about not having a date. The whole thing is just for fun,” he said. According to Borto, about 1,300 people attended prom last year, and, in fact, many came in large groups. “I couldn’t even identify which were coupled up or not. The ones who are not attending prom are missing out. Not having a date is not an excuse. Prom is for the memories, getting dressed up, taking pictures, dancing and having a great time. It’s not about pooja mathur / photo who you go with,” Borto said. Boyd said he agreed. He said, Pressured by social norm: Juniors Bailey Hillis and Madison Gee hang “No need for a date. Going stag out by the main cafeteria. Hillis said she will not attend prom unless she is just as fun. Having a date is not finds a date because she said she feels pressured by the tradition of going as taboo as it used to be. Going in to prom as a couple. This year, to encourage students who do not have a a group will be a good time, if not more.”
W
date to go to prom, there will not be any discounted tickets for couples.
sarah sheafer and evelyn Forbes / graphic
Tanning beds more dangerous than sun by celina wu cwu@hilite.org Junior Olivia Roy is someone that is aware of the potential harms of tanning and uses this knowledge in decisions regarding the activity. “I would definitely not tan regularly throughout the year,” she said. “We all know tanning isn’t great for your skin, and I really don’t see the need to be tan in December.” Among the ideals of beauty, a perfectly bronzed appearance is what countless people strive for in today’s society. In order to obtain this look, a common method is to visit a tanning salon and lay in a tanning bed that emits intense ultraviolet rays. It is common knowledge that heavy or intense exposure to these ultraviolet rays, either from natural or artificial sources, can be harmful to ones health. However, despite the known risks and possible outcomes of tanning, many continue to tan on a frequent basis and choose to go the route of tanning beds, even with various other less harmful options available. Also, this habit of visiting tanning salons and obtaining the perfect glow that enhances the appearance may not be worth the risks involved. According to dermatologist Sally Booth, “There are no real benefits of tanning the skin unless the patient has been diagnosed with certain skin diseases that are responsive to ultraviolet light. The short-term risk of tanning is sunburn, and the longterm risks are skin cancer, pigmented changes and the aging and wrinkling of the skin.” But what exactly is tanning and
how does it occur? Booth said that the skin, tanning beds use high tanning beds. “Spray tanning is tanning of the skin happens when doses of UVA rays, which increase fast and effective,” she said. “It UVA rays are exposed to the skin’s the chances of getting melanoma may take a little practice to get it melanocytes, which then produce and other types of skin cancer,” on right, but it is much safer than melanin, which is the source of the she said. “Also, the rays destroy tanning beds.” collagen, which causes wrinkles and Roy also said she has tried skin’s pigment or color. different methods to appear tanner. Although Roy is conscious of the premature aging.” dangers of tanning, she said she had Besides for the purpose of She said, “I’ve tried some lotions her first experience of tanning this obtaining a base tan, Roy said before. I think Jergens Natural year before spring break. “I chose she might consider going to the Glow is the best by far.” to go tanning before spring break tanning salon just to get a little B o o t h s a i d s h e c a u t i o n s this year because I wanted to get a color before prom this year or against tanning, but of fers tips for those who tan on a regular base tan to prep my skin for being winter formal next year. in the sun since I burn really easily,” When limited to only special basis. “Use a good sunscreen and she said. “I tan at Seabreeze, and events, Booth said the occasional get gradual color to your skin,” I started tanning at seven minutes. tan is better than routinely doing she said. “Monitor your skin for Now I can go for the full 20 minutes so, but can still be damaging to any changes or new moles and be in a regular level one bed or the full the skin. She suggested spray-on sure to get regular check-ups by a tanning as a good alternative to dermatologist.” 15 minutes in a bronzer bed.” Booth said getting a base tan may not necessarily p r e v e n t people from getting sun burnt. “If you get a base tan from a tanning bed, you are only exposing yourself to U VA r a y s . When you go into the sun, you can still burn from UVB rays,” she said. Also, Booth said using tanning beds stephanie coleman / photo are worse than tanning in the Tanning beds: Junior Olivia Roy buys a tanning bed session at Seabreeze. Roy began using sun. “To tan tanning beds this year before spring break and said she did it to obtain a base tan.
Basic Dress Code Rules As the weather gets warmer and administrators crack down on the rules, students may question what is appropriate to wear for school
Shirts must be long enough to be tucked in No short skirts and shorts Undergarments should not show Low cut shirts should be avoided Tank tops are not allowed
wear this
not this
chs Pathways / source ellie seta / photos
Page B2 • Thursday, April 30, 2009 • Feature
Selecting from the Selective While it may seem like a good problem to have, choosing among top schools is still a difficult decision
A
by meher ahmad mahmad@hilite.org
s May 1, the decision date for many colleges approaches, students are forced to finalize their decisions in regards to where they’ll be spending the next four years. For those who have been admitted into several upper-echelon universities and colleges, the process of narrowing down schools can be tricky. Senior James Sun was accepted into 7 of the 9 schools he applied to, including University of Chicago, Cornell University, N o r t h w e s t e r n U n i v e r s i t y, D u k e University and Michigan State University. Sun said he’s decided to attend Duke, but after considering all of the universities and what they offer. “I thought about it a lot in between the time I was accepted (early decision) at U. A Tough Call: (From left) Seniors Matthew Yung, David Yang and James Sun Chicago,” Sun said, “Then I started watching March Madness top schools. basketball.” Sun said he prioritized certain aspects of the schools M.I.T. and Purdue,” Yang said, “I eliminated Purdue to make his final decision. “The most important aspect when I got into M.I.T.” is the atmosphere. At Duke, everyone was happy. The Sun similarly eliminated IU from his schools when happiness thing was a turn on. Chicago didn’t have he was accepted at U. Chicago. As he learned of the atmosphere Duke had, even though it had a lot of his acceptances into other schools, he made a list to prioritize his choice. programs,” Sun said. Senior Dewey “David” Yang said he compared the “I made a list but it was really one-sided,” Sun said, programs offered between the two schools he was “It only made it more obvious I should go to Duke.” accepted to. “Harvard has a better pre-med. It’s more The current economic crisis has put more pressure well-rounded and better in pure sciences, compared to on students in terms of deciding by financial need as well. “Aid is definitely a big part. It’s not the biggest, M.I.T.,” Yang said. Yang said he is still undecided about which school but it’s one of the biggest,” Yang said. he will attend. He was accepted to three of the six In his final decision, Sun said he went on his gut schools he applied to. “I was accepted at Harvard, feeling. “Everyone talks about ‘the feeling’. I never once
by jade schwarting jschwarting@hilite.org
arjuna capulong / photo illustration
weigh their options among some of this country’s got that instinctual feeling at Chicago. At Duke, I had this feeling in my gut that I knew I had to go there,” Sun said, “Duke also has a really good public policy school and really good volunteer opportunities, but the gut feeling came before that.” Sun recommends that upcoming juniors not stress out too much about the coming wave of college material. “Don’t stress out. College isn’t the determinate factor of success,” Sun said. Yang agrees: “Don’t stress out too much, but don’t procrastinate on choosing which colleges you want to apply to.”
Students question whether time in juvenile detention prevents crime or is waste of time by amy flis aflis@hilite.org
experience left an impression. “You definitely don’t want to go back,” Bryant said. “(Being there) makes you more aware and think The small grey room had just a bench and a toilet. That reasonably about your actions.” was all sophomore Kevin Bryant had to look at while he There are 22 secure juvenile detention centers in was held for six hours behind the bars of a holding cell Indiana according to the National Center for Juvenile at the Marion County Juvenile Detention Center. Justice Center Web site, and although a juvenile “(The probationary officers) treat you differently. detention center serves as a place for punishment, it can You’re detained almost like an animal,” Bryant said. provide more than that for people affected by the center “They’re kind of disrespectful. The slightest thing makes depending on their attitude. them upset. They’re so hostile.” According to Amy Turean, probation officer for Br yant said he has never been in the juvenile Carmel Clay Schools, Mosaics and Options, one of detention center for more than a few hours, but the the main purposes of the center is the many programs it offers, including anger control, Thinking for a Change, the Parent Project and intensive outpatient drug and alcohol treatment (run by an outside counseling firm). Turean said she believes much good comes from the center because of these and other programs. “The juvenile center and the employees of the juvenile center—we strive everyday to help the families, better our communities and ensure safety to everyone,” Turean said. Sergeant Andrew Rush is the second shift supervisor and officer in charge of physical tactics (self-defense) training at the Hamilton County Juvenile Services Center. According to him, a juvenile’s experience there is “really what they make of it.” He said the center provides a disciplined, structured program to keep the inmates on track, but he also pointed out that the reason they are at the center is for the safety of the community, not just for the juvenile’s self-improvement. “(The detention center) protects the community from juveniles that are found by the (legal) course (of actions) to be a risk to the community or to themselves,” Rush said. “It provides structure that they don’t get at home. We teach (the inmates) skills—life skills. They get drug/alcohol counseling, and they hopefully receive skills that will help them when they get out.” Many people, like Bryant, spend only a short time at the facility. Bryant said michelle hu / photo he has been to the Marion County Juvenile Detention Center twice and Under lock and key: Inmates at the Hamilton County Juvenile does not expect to be back. He was Detention Center learn in classrooms such as this. Royce Hooks, former brought in once for a couple of hours student here, spent four months at the center, and while there earned for being out past curfew, and the one his GED. Despite being able to earn this degree, he said that the time other time occurred when he was 14. Because his mother had just gotten
he spent there was wasted.
Study indicates tunes can improve brain power
out of surgery, Bryant had to drive to pick up his younger brother. Someone reported him for driving underage, and the police later picked him up from school and held him at the center after he hadn’t appeared in court for the offense. In contrast, Royce Hooks, former student at this school, spent four months in Secure Detention at the Hamilton County Juvenile Services Center. He would have graduated with the Class of ’08 but was expelled after the police arrested him for marijuana possession and drinking at a football game in October of 2007. “(My experience at the detention center) was bad because it was boring,” Hooks said. According to Hooks, his time there was a waste of four months; however, he also said, “It needed to happen to make me grow up and become a more mature person.” Hooks said this experience made him rethink what he should be doing. “I still party. It didn’t stop me, but I was doing it too early,” Hooks said. Hooks said he should have waited until college. Despite his sentiments, Hooks managed to take advantage of some of the programs the detention center offered. He got his GED while at the center and now attends Ivy Tech Community College in Bloomington, and he said he plans to transfer into IU next spring. Now 19 years old, Hooks said those four months following his arrest at age 17 were his first and last time in a detention center. Turean said not all inmates come out of the center with Hook’s mentality. She has seen many juveniles go through the center and said she has seen both sides. “It’s really case by case,” Turean said. “I have seen the people who go into secure detention and after they’re released made up their minds to follow the laws and get back to their lives, but I’ve also seen the repeat offenders.” According to Bryant’s mother Diane Bryant, her son is not one who will repeat his mistakes. “Did he learn from it? I’m sure he did,” Mrs. Bryant said. She said the lessons he learned were simply to be aware of following the laws. “It probably made him realize to be more cautious about staying out past curfew,” she said. Although Bryant never spent much time in the center, he said in certain cases a juvenile offender could benefit from being there but not always. “It’s just everything around you that gives you that mentality,” Bryant said. He said that parents, school, the environment a child grows up in and many other factors influence behavior. It is difficult to identify and combat all of those factors. “They lock kids up and just expect them to do right,” Bryant said. “But kids need guidance and motivation to succeed.” Additional reporting by Shireen Korkzan.
According to a 2005 study done by the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, it was reported that “on a sample size of 13, 327 high school sophomores, those who participated in music reported higher grades in English, math, history and science, than those who did not participate in music.” However, according to psychology teacher Pete O’Hara, the study in its entirety may not be completely true. O’Hara said, “You have the innate ability to learn. Playing or listening to music might help you achieve your ability; however, it’s not going to increase your ability to learn anything. For example, in doing a complex math problem, a certain piece of music could help with aspects of that problem. But if you’ll never be able to do it, it’s not going to make a difference.” While O’Hara does not completely agree that music directly af fects academic success, he said music does involve many mentally challenging aspects. O’Hara said, “There’s math involved with music. There’s 4/4 time, 3/4 time, just the beat in general. All of those things can help with math. Learning a new piece of music, even if it’s one you’ve heard before, can be challenging. Through the aspects of math, logic and reasoning, there’s a lot to be learned.” Sophomore Alex Roth agrees with O’Hara. Roth has been a pete o’hara member of the percussion section of the band since his freshman year and maintains a high GPA. However, although he combines music and academics into his daily routine, he said that his music hasn’t increased his academic ability. Roth said, “It is commonly thought that there is a cause-and-effect relationship between music and academic ability. But in truth, there is the confounding variable that those who go into music are smarter in the first place.” Although O’Hara and Roth agree music doesn’t directly lead to academic success, O’Hara said music does still create brain stimulation. O’Hara said, “It’s like reading a book. There are certain parts of your brain activated. When you’re reading (music or a book), a mental image is created and sent to the front of the brain. When listening to music, new parts of the brain are expanded as information is stored. Reading or listening to music could trigger an emotional response as well.” Roth said, “Some music is calm and other music gets you fired up. But during the marching band season, the constant focus of working toward the final goal is what keeps me working hard. I think this focus helped me in school since I had some of my highest grades during the marching band season.” While music has the af fect to heighten enthusiasm as well as provide a calmness, O’Hara said certain types of music can even stimulate learning. O’Hara said, “There are studies that say that certain types of music, especially softer music, will help stimulate learning. However, most studies would also say that something fast and loud can be more of a distraction. Listening to music separate from (schoolwork) stimulates the brain for enjoyment and pleasure, its more passive. But when you’re playing and reading music, it’s like studying for a test. Your brain is more active.” Although Roth said his schoolwork and music are separate and don’t affect each other, he said, “I don’t think music has increased my academic ability. But music instills in you the increased ability to be dedicated, as well as teamwork.”
Stimulate your brain Try these easy suggestions to work out your noggin
1. Stimulate your ears differently 2. Stimulate your eyes in new ways 3. Learn about different people and lifestyles 4. While waiting ponder things, calculate, memorize Source/ wikihow.com
Ads • Thursday, April 30, 2009 • Page B3
Page B4 • Thursday, April 30, 2009 • Entertainment
Prom Special Coverage
Saving the Last Dance
Two HiLite reporters embark on a quest to make this year’s prom memorable
michelle Hu / photos
By bennett fuson and lexi muir bfuson@hilite.org, lmuir@hilite.org Prom is always a memorable event. Just watch any teen comedy made between 1984 and now. It’s the pinnacle dance of high school. Yet here, and everywhere across the country, it’s almost impossible to call prom a “dance,” since there’s very little real dancing involved. So this year, for our senior prom, we set out to buck the trend of the social norm and did what we thought would make this year more memorable than the rest: we took up ballroom dancing. It’s a bit of a stretch, to be sure. But dancing has always been one of the most important and most beloved social events throughout history. Back in its day, proper dancing was a sign of social status. Yet like everything else, proper dancing has gone by the wayside. We, however, decided to bring it back. We chose to embark upon ballroom dancing after attending a presentation by Arthur Murray Dance Studio purely by accident. There was something regal and captivating about the gracefulness of the dancers, something that is wholly uncommon in our own dances. Plus, the studio offered two lessons for $15. It’s hard to find a meal for that cheap, let alone something that might last. To be honest, we didn’t know what to suspect when we arrived for our first lesson. When most people
think of ballroom dancing, they think of only one thing: “Dancing with the Stars,” which is a fine show, to be sure, except that neither of us have nearly the time, money nor star power to garner fancy moves (or sequined outfits). But our instructor, Danielle, walked us through the basics of a few simple dance styles. First and foremost, Danielle began, dancing is essentially stylish, patterned walking. So that’s precisely what we did. We walked. After mastering the technique of putting one foot in front of the other, sometimes backwards, and shuffling side to side, it was go time. The first dance we learned was the foxtrot; in essence, the wedding dance. Next up was the tango, brought to the limelight by Latin lovers and Antonio Banderas movies. Then we danced the waltz, another slow dance that evokes 18th century social outings. Perhaps the most useful of all, though, were the rumba, an easy side-step dance that works well with Lady GaGa, and the cha-cha, another Latin-rooted dance that corresponds well to “Single Ladies.” While these lessons were merely intended to introduce us to the particular dances (a clever marketing ploy), the fact that we know enough to cut up the dance floor is certainly an appealing use of $15 dollars. So while other people shuffle awkwardly to rap music, we will be flying by, perhaps waltzing, perhaps tangoing. All that we know is that we’ll be adding a touch of class to this school’s most hallowed night.
A NIGHT TO REMEMBER: At Arthur Murray Dance School, reporters Muir and Fuson practice the rumba (top right, top left) and a spin (bottom right) as instructor Danielle looks on. The reporters set out to learn ballroom dancing for this year’s Prom.
Classes Offered Smooth Dances: Waltz Tango Foxtrot Viennese Waltz
Rhythm Dances: Swing Hustle Cha-cha Samba Rumba Bolero Mambo
Other Dances Available: West Coast Swing Kick Swing Merengue Jive For More information Call (317) 843-1110 or visit www.indyarthurmurray.com
Petite Chou offers upscale cuisine for Clay Terrace shoppers by lexi muir lmuir@hilite.org
bennett fuson / photos
petite chou Atmosphere: A Food Quality: A Price: $10-25 Overall: A Bon Appetit: Clockwise from top: Harrison’s Crepe, a mixture of fresh berries and chocolate ganache; the grilled salmon crepe, with mixed greens; the Croissant French Toast Chou, with fresh fruit and the modern and classy interior of Petite Chou, Clay Terrace’s newest restaurant.
About three years ago in California, I dined at a small French restaurant where I had the best crepes of my life. Since then, I have made it my ultimate dining goal to find a crepe place half as good as the one in California. To my dismay, finding an affordable restaurant with delicious crepes hasn’t been easy, until now. I found the crepes I’ve been seeking for so long at the recently opened Petite Chou, a new French bistro located in Clay Terrace. The atmosphere at Petite Chou is comparable to that of a high-class chic restaurant one might find in New York City. The bistro looks as if it had jumped right out of an episode of “Sex and the City.” The simple and classy interior of the restaurant is composed of stylish blacks, whites and silvers. The fancy chic vibes of the restaurant are unlike anything I’ve experienced at a restaurant in Carmel before, and I mean that in a good way. The menu, which is composed of French delicacies, offers a wide variety of beverages, omelets, salads, sandwiches, soups, crepes, entrées and desserts. I was slightly overwhelmed with deciding what to order because everything looked so delicious and unique, until I saw the crepes at least. The food, which appeared with a beautiful presentation, was even better than imagined. The salmon crepes, accompanied by a bed of greens tossed in a light dressing, were delicate and just as I remembered from California. I couldn’t eat them fast enough. The French toast, which I also sampled, was delectable and unique as well. What made it unique was the croissant, which is different from the usual bread. It gave the French toast a unique texture and was complemented perfectly with a cinnamon-maple combination. Paired with a fruit cup, the French toast turned out to be the perfect breakfast or lunch. Petite Chou offers both breakfast and lunch, but the best part about the menu is that breakfast is served all day long. This, while making the menu that much more intriguing, is the reason I was able to have both a crepe and French toast for lunch. Perhaps next time, I’ll have an omelet. My personal favorite part of the meal, the dessert, was melt-in-your-mouth good. There are six or seven different options of dessert crepes, and, believe me, by next week I will have tried all of them. The crepe
I ordered was perfectly fluffy and revealed a bed of strawberries with a sweet chocolate sauce both inside the crepe and drizzled on top. It was the perfect ending to my already perfect meal. The only slight drawback to Petite Chou would be the price of the food. For the amount and quality of the food, the price is absolutely worth it, but if you’re looking for a cheap date, this would not be the place to go. I, however, felt justified and had no problem paying the amount that I did for my crepes, nor was I turned away by the prices. I finally put an end to my crepe search and discovered a new lunch place to take my friends. An overall great dining experience, Petite Chou is sure to satisfy Carmel residents with its unique French cuisine. With its refreshing atmosphere and dining experience, I see it pleasing those in Carmel for many years to come.
Ads • Thursday, April 30, 2009 • Page B5
Page B6 • Thursday, April 30, 2009 • Entertainment
Reviews
Books. Movies. Food. Music. Shopping. Previews.
Observing and reporting original, stylistic comedy By Sam Watermeier swatermeier@hilite.org
Crank2.com / photo
‘Crank: High Voltage’ fails to ignite sparks By mitch ringenberg mringenberg@hilite.org Every once in a while, an action movie comes out that features bad acting, laughable dialogue and almost no visible plot, but regardless, you can’t help but enjoy yourself. “Crank: High Voltage” certainly contains all of the above, however, there is little enjoyment to be had here. The movie is a sequel to 2006’s so-so “Crank.” That movie began with hit man Chev Chelios (Jason Statham, “The Transporter” series) who is injected with a slow-acting poison that will stop his heart unless he has a constant flow of adrenaline. The rest of the film follows Chelios as he searches for the man who poisoned him while keeping up his adrenaline through various absurd methods. Sure, the film’s plot was based entirely on a gimmick, but parts of it worked, and it certainly entertained. “Crank: High Voltage” picks up just moments after the first one left off. The plot isn’t really important, but it begins with Chelios having his heart surgically removed (against his will) and replaced with a mechanical one. Something, of course, goes wrong and now Chelios must constantly pump electricity into himself in order for his new heart to keep on beating. One of the movie’s biggest mistakes is having to rely on yet another gimmick, not to mention one that’s almost identical to the original. In the first film, the idea was somewhat intriguing and new, but this time it just feels like a tired retread. However, a mistake like that can be forgiven; after all, moviegoers don’t go to this kind of film for the story. It’s the film’s overly-frantic visuals and annoying characters that make “Crank: High Voltage” almost unbearable. The original “Crank” had a somewhat interesting visual style. It was fast-paced and played out almost like a video game. This sequel tries to outdo the original in almost every category and fails, and the visuals are no exception. The film’s images come at a dizzying speed that’s headache-inducing. The visual style, rather than enhancing the film’s action, comes off as distracting and obnoxious. The film often tries for originality by cutting away from scenes and adding in peculiar sequences. For example, a flashback to Chelios’ childhood is told in the form of a surreal game show and a climactic fight sequence is shown as a strange puppet homage to early Godzilla films. This is a style that was popularized by Oliver Stone’s “Natural Born Killers.” In that film, the visual style was unique and added a layer of depth and creepiness to the story. However, here it just seems random and only detracts from the movie. Very rarely, if ever, have I been as annoyed by characters in a movie as I was “Crank: High Voltage.” Many of the supporting characters here serve no discernable purpose, except to scream endlessly and annoy the viewer at every opportunity. The main characters aren’t much better. Statham, usually a fun and likable leading man, is completely soulless here. Even his action sequences are lame. The film’s worst element comes in its desperate need to shock its audience with outrageous violence. Now don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of movies that I love that are much more violent than this, but here it’s used simply to hide the fact that this film has nothing else going for it. The way the camera lingers and zooms in on an amputated stub, flesh wound, etc., comes off as pathetic and an obvious attempt to shock the audience. Shock value can sometimes be used to a film’s advantage and often provides a worthwhile thrill or laugh, but “Crank: High Voltage” simply does not know the definition of subtlety. The best word to describe the experience of viewing this film would be unpleasant. Everything about “Crank: High Voltage” grates on the nerves. From its irritating soundtrack to its one-dimensional characters, this film is almost a chore to sit through. Perhaps the film’s final shot can sum it up best: moments before the credits roll, Statham moves his hand up to the camera and extends his middle finger. I’m sure most of the audience felt the same way after spending their money on this movie.
‘Crank: High Voltage
Directed By: Starring: jason Statham, Mark Neveldine, Brian Taylor Amy Smart Rated: Runtime: R 96 Minutes Overall: D
The days of light, naturalistic comedies are over. Enter “Observe and Report:” a strange and exciting amalgam of brutal, no holds barred action and screwball humor. With a distinct sense of style, it separates itself from other comedies of late in creating its own unique world. The performances aren’t as interesting, but this film is one of the most original comedies in recent years nonetheless. Seth Rogen, the king of comedy for the moment, takes a complete 180-degree in the role of mall cop Ronnie Bernhardt. Far from his shaggy, funloving characters in “Knocked Up” and “Pineapple Express,” Ronnie is a violent, deeply delusional human being. He takes his job to the extreme, threatening to kill any employees or customers that disrespect his authority (a promise he shockingly keeps on more than one occasion). The biggest challenge of his “career” arrives when a flasher terrorizes the mall and exposes himself to Brandi, (Anna Faris) Ronnie’s one and only love that clearly does not love him back. Ronnie spends the rest of the film trying to catch the flasher, impress Brandi, and fulfill his dreams of becoming a real police officer (dreams that are constantly crushed by an actual detective, played by the criminally underrated Ray Liotta). Unfortunately, these performances are not as richly layered as the world in which the film takes place. Rogen’s performance is especially easy to see through. He does not truly lose himself in the character and sell it with conviction. Watching his performance is like watching one of his fun, lighthearted characters trying to do an impression of a corrupt, hateful cop. He seems uncomfortable during the violent scenes. Thankfully, he is still charismatic enough to persuade the audience to care for his character. The other actors aren’t quite
as charming, though. Faris portrays Brandi with the same level of ditziness she brings to all her roles and ends up being more annoying than funny. It’s nice to see Liotta back in action. However, his straight man performance is a little too straight and he often comes across as boring. After all of this negativity, you might be asking yourselves, “Why is ‘Observe and Report’ so great? What makes it the ‘unique’ comedy you spoke of earlier?” Well, it’s all in the style. “Observe and Report” stands out stylistically in that it is a comedy set in a gritty crime drama world. It’s as visually slick as crime thrillers like “GoodFellas” and “Heat.” While comedic directors like Judd Apatow have no sense of the camera or setting (his movies could really take place anywhere), “Report” director Jody Hill transports the audience to a specific time and place with a distinct mood. Like “GoodFellas,” there is a palpable threat of violence hanging over every scene and Hill moves the camera feverishly around dark corners and grungy settings. This visual contrast to the film’s screwball dialogue adds humor. Part of the film’s twisted sense of humor also involves subverting safe, conventional moments with crazy acts of violence. For example, there is one scene in which Ronnie runs into a group of thugs and instead of giving in to the gangsters or begging for his life, (which most comedies would have him do) Ronnie brutally beats the men, reducing them to a bloody pulp. “Observe and Report” creates moments of pure movie bliss by flying in the face of what people expect from comedies. Instead of following friendly guys like those in “I Love You, Man,” “Observe and Report” chronicles morally ambiguous characters in a pathological world. With its hard-edged sensibility, it is perhaps the perfect comedy for our time: a time of social and economic unrest, anger and insecurity. Director Hill shows that comedies don’t always have to be safe. They also have the power to provoke. “Observe and Report” will leave you thinking long after you leave the theater. Oh yeah, and it will leave you laughing too.
‘Observe and Report’ Directed By: Jody Hill Starring: Seth Rogan, Anna Faris, Ray Liotta Rated: R In Theaters: April 10, 2009 Running Time: 86 minutes Overall: B+
observe-and-report.warnerbros.com / photo
‘17 Again:’ half-hearted fantasy, family-friendly comedy by erum Rizvi erizvi@hilite.org “17 Again” is a great comedy to watch and will have viewers laughing at the awkward, yet hilarious turn the plot takes. Zac Efron, who plays the main character, is known for his squeaky clean role in the hit Disney movie “High School Musical.” As such, moviegoers may expect a preteen-aimed story. To my surprise, this movie did not target the expected younger age group. In the film, Efron plays Mike, a high school basketball player who has everything going for him until he blows his big game because of his girlfriend’s unplanned pregnancy. Twenty bittersweet years later, Mike has turned into a pessimistic 37-year-old played by Matthew Perry. Since high school, he has gotten married to his girlfriend Scarlet played by Leslie Mann and has become estranged from her as well as his children. Then the world intervenes, in the form of Brian Doyle-Murray as a magical janitor who turns Mike into a teenager again. Mike (now played as Efron again) is a dork on the inside as he has learned from his past mistakes and chooses to live his life differently. Now, Mike has the chance to infiltrate his kids’ classes as a teen himself. He gets to know his socially awkward son Alex (Sterling Knight) and sullen daughter Maggie (Michelle Trachtenberg). At one point, the near-middleaged man in the body of a 17-year-old finds himself in an awkward situation with his daughter, Maggie, who grows an attraction toward her now younger father, which had everyone in the theater squirming like crazy.
This film had a slightly predictable plot at some points, yet kept my interest for the most part. The movie seems to focus on dealing with teen social pressures, but at the same time has an amusing scheme to make it lighthearted. The standard cliques are in place throughout the film with jocks and preps. At some time, it risks not just reusing and commenting on these high school positions of popularity, but emphasizing them. The movie’s sympathy is with Mike and his kids, but “17 Again” works only to make the Efron-Perry character worth a story. I enjoyed Mann’s role as Mike’s wife who is baffled about why she has attracted her son’s charismatic friend (Efron) who continuously comes to her son’s home to help with chores. Little does she know, it is a younger version of her husband who is keeping an eye on his wife in her current older age. This part of the movie relates to the “Back to the Future” mother-son attraction which leaves the audience just as uncomfortable as in the father-daughter attraction. In what passes for the most interesting and supporting character, Thomas Lenon plays Ned, a video game geek and billionaire who has been friends with Mike since they were in high school. Ned agrees to pose as “young” Mike’s dad and adds comedic relief at points of slight seriousness. The movie highlights how high school geeks inherit the earth with Ned’s character. The director of “17 Again,” Burr Steers, is also known for his work as a writer in the 2003 hit “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.” Although that film differs in genre from “17 Again,” both movies were great, successful works by Steers. “17 Again” certainly reminds us that even if we
could go back and try to fix past mistakes, we would likely only make things worse. Considering its focus on spending time with your kids and saving your marriage, the movie does serve as one with morals yet also is sure to pull laughs out of the audience.
17Againmovie.com / Photo
‘17 Again’ Starring: Zac Efron, Thomas Lenon
Rated: PG-13
Directed By: Burr Steers
Overall: A-
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Page B8• Thursday, April 30, 2009 • Student Section
Whirlwind love for college not always reciprocated Guest Columnist Annie Wu
arjuna capulong, Min Qiao / photo illustration
Students recognize importance of traditional writing despite its decreasing emphasis in society
F
by ellie Seta eseta@hilite.org
or typical high school students the extent of their creative writing never reaches beyond a text message, but for freshman Rachael Henry writing stories is one of her favorite past times. While she has yet to finish a complete story she said she hopes to one day write a full book. Henry said she first began writing stories in third grade and this year has continued to write even more. “I usually get ideas from books I have read,” Henry said. “I also like to blend two movies together.” In a culture consumed with technological methods of writing, traditional forms of writing seem to be falling by the wayside. According to a study by the Pew Research Center, 83 percent of parents who were surveyed said there is a greater need to write well in today’s society than there was 20 years ago. The same study also showed that girls and African-American teens are more likely to write for enjoyment than teens of other races and ethnicities. But one aspect that can’t be disputed, based on the study, is
the importance of writing not only for school purposes but outside the classroom as well. Henr y said she has always enjoyed writing but admits she does not enjoy English class. However, most of her inspiration has come from books she has read, and Nina Kennedy, a librarian at the Carmel Clay Public Library, said one of the best ways to become a better writer is by reading. “A lot of writers read widely,” Kennedy said. “Writers always have other writers that have inspired them. (Writers) have even written whole books about the sources of their inspiration.” Henry said one of her favorite stories was inspired by the book Timeline by Michael Crichton. The characters in her stor y travel to different worlds in order to find their missing friend. She said it is probably one of her most adventurous stories. Another one of her favorite stories was inspired by the book Code Orange by Caroline B. Cooney. This story is about a deadly disease that is spreading rapidly throughout the main character’s hometown. While Henry said she is often inspired by books and movies, she is also inspired by events and people
around her. Henr y said she the characters in her stories are often inspired by her friends. “In one of my stories I tried to put one of my friend’s personalities into each character,” Henry said. “Then I gave it to one of my friends to try and guess who the characters were supposed to be.” Henry said she was once even inspired by a topic she was learning about in school. “In seventh grade we wer e talking about (an archaeological) dig sites and we tried to imagine what people in the future would find,” Henry said. “This gave me an idea for a story I wrote last year.” Kennedy said the best way to write a successful story is to make the characters relatable to the reader. In addition to this, Kennedy also recommends having a well developed plot line. In correlation to the Pew Research Center study, in a University of North Carolina study researchers found that graduates who could write well had a better chance of securing a respectable job after graduating from college. In addition to this, they also found that they were more highly coveted in the workplace due to their writing skill.
Although Henry said she would like to one day write a full book, she is not dreaming a making it on the best-seller list. “I don’t want to be a famous author,” Henry said. “The attention would not be very fun.” For now, Henry said she plans to just keep writing for her own enjoyment.
Everybody Has a story According to the HiLite student name list, there were 4,199 students registered at CHS as of the first day of school. We plan to cover some of them randomly. This week, we feature number
1,532 For more information on our selection process, visit www.hilite.org
I don’t think I’ve ever been in love, but I’m sure I know what it feels like – a strong connection, a deep sense of understanding and acceptance, and, of course, the undeniable spark of chemistry. Interestingly enough, I think a lot of college-bound seniors felt similarly as they deliberated between universities. Over the last year, I watched many seniors experience a “college romance,” so to speak. The college process has been compared to a lot of things, such as an adventure or a roller coaster, but for me, I found it pretty comparable to dating. Let me explain. Like all romances, mine started out with a crush. Besides its academics, my first choice university’s campus was gorgeous, the people friendly and the opportunities at the institution virtually endless. This “romance” started to blossom as I started reading more about their programs and talking to students who were already on campus who eagerly encouraged me to apply. In early November, I decided I was serious about and made a commitment early. After the release of early decisions, however, I found out that he wasn’t as into me as I was into him. I was a little hurt, but I told myself, it’s not a big deal. I’ll find someone better. So I took the plunge a second time during the regular application process. I explored colleges I knew I was interested in, and discovered colleges I’d never heard of but found to be completely compatible with me. I even ‘fell in love’ a second time... hard. I was in such disbelief that I had overlooked such a great school that I worked especially diligently on my application, even paying for plane tickets to visit the campus. Sure, I was interested other schools, but this was the one I wanted to be with for the next four years of my life. When I toured the campus and talked with the students, I could easily see myself fitting into the environment perfectly; I was completely head-over-heels. But of course, relationships don’t always work out the way we plan them to. A lot of time, love is unrequited or sometimes even flat-out rejected. Decision week brought a lot of disappointment to plenty of seniors, especially when they were denied by colleges that they had their heart completely set on… which was what happened to me. It was absolutely devastating to excitedly tear open the envelope only to read the letter informing me I wouldn’t be admitted into my dream school’s class of 2013. As I closed the letter and tucked it away, I could only sigh, realizing my enthusiasm toward their institution was not reciprocated. Not to worry, ambitious underclassmen! There is a happy ending. One of the lessons the college process has taught me is that there probably is very little credibility to the theory that everyone has exactly one soul mate in the world. On the contrary, even if you got rejected by the college of your dreams, who’s to say you’re not compatible with some other college who loves you back? In fact, amid my depression after being rejected, I realized I had let this one letter overshadow the other acceptances I had received, which was just ridiculous. I thought of it this way: colleges and applicants are pretty similar; they both want the perfect fit for themselves, similar to how one would prefer a relationship with someone who is most compatible with him- or herself, be it in hobbies, interests or personality. If after this entire process it turns out some schools want you just as much, or even more, than you want them, there’s no need to dwell on the ones who turned you down. When a college you applied to wants you to attend, that’s when you know the interest is mutual. Perhaps this indicates you two have the start of a beautiful relationship. To all of the seniors who have yet to make their decision or already know where they’re going, congratulations. For those of you who have to deal with the college process next year, I wish you all the best of luck. I hope you find a school you fall in love with, but realize that even if you find your love unrequited, it’s not the end of the world. Just like in relationships, you’ll eventually find “the one.”
In the Limo: Prom edition Senior Amy Baques discusses plans for her last dance at the school. Complied by Amanda Nguyen Who: I’m going in a group of about six people, three couples and I’m going in a limo. I’m really excited because I’ve never been in a limo before.
fancy places for dinner? Hair: I plan on getting my hair done around four at a salon called RoseDore Salon. I am going to have an up-do for my hair.
Dinner: We haven’t decided on a place yet, but I plan on eating a lot so it better be somewhere good. Wherever we decide to go, it will be a dressy place because when else do high school students get to go to
Makeup: After I get my hair done, I’ll come home and do my make up and get ready with my sister. I’m going to do my make up myself, so it will probably be similar to what I usually have on, but maybe a little
more on my eyelids. Pictures: My mom will probably come with me to my date’s house where our group will take pictures Jewelry: I will not be wearing a necklace, only a bracelet that is also black and white. Shoes: My shoes will be flats because my date isn’t very tall and they are black. I’m keeping it pretty
simple. Corsage/Boutonniere: I’ll be getting my date a boutonniere and he’ll get me a corsage. They’ll both be white so they can match. We might
add a splash of color somewhere.
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PAGE B10 • THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2009 • PERSPECTIVES
SPEAK UP Safety must be most important prom plan STAFF PERSPECTIVE
Compiled by Steven Chen and Maria LaMagna
S
tudents who drove to school today probably noticed the driving way over the speed limit, of course, is out of the question. mock car crash that is sponsored annually by Lifelines. It Furthermore, according to the same Web site, alcohol is the serves as a yearly reminder right before prom that decisions biggest youth drug problem, as stated by the Center for Substance made on one night may affect the rest of a Abuse Prevention (CSAP). Its consumption kills young person’s life. Though undoubtedly students six times more people under 21 than the effects OUR STAND have heard Lifelines’ message before, they must of all other illicit drugs combined. remember it when enjoying prom and other Although this message has been stated Students should make activities this weekend. in the past, students simply cannot ignore safety a priority when its importance before this weekend. With the Several statistics make the message behind the mock car crash even more poignant. making plans for prom. devastating losses of students due to car According to parentingteens.com, 70 percent accidents in the past several years, we must of teens who are killed on their prom weekends remember that tragedies can and do happen, have not worn seatbelts. Wearing a seatbelt is a simple way to even to us. Don’t let one of the most exciting nights of high protect oneself while driving, especially late at night when visibility school be your last. There are plenty of more memories to be and alcohol consumption of other drivers increase. Make sure made in the future, and taking a few extra minutes to make there is a seat and a seatbelt for every person in the car. And prom safer will affect the rest of your life. GRAPHIC PERSPECTIVE
WHAT DO STUDENTS SPEND THE MOST MONEY ON FOR PROM? I think people definitely spend the most money on the clothes.
” “ ” “ ” “ SENIOR DOOGIE DRAGON
RENNY LOGAN / ART
Carmel mentality killed IU excitement JUST FLOATING ALONG
CLASS OF ‘08 BY THE NUMBERS
82%
of last year’s graduates are attending a fouryear college.
11% of last year’s graduates are attending a two-year college or a trade school.
75% of last year’s
graduates are enrolled in an instate college.
18%
of last year’s graduates are enrolled in an outof-state college.
46%
of last year’s graduates earned the Indiana Academic Honors Diploma. CARMEL HIGH SCHOOL PROFILE 2008-2009 / SOURCE
BY BRITTANI WHEELER A whirlwind of college applications forced seniors to hit the ground running at the beginning of this school year. These applications allowed the seniors a glimpse at the future and helped heighten the boiling anticipation of the final days of high school with graduation only mere days away and college little more than months. The buzzword on the tip of every senior tongue was “college.” Like my peers, I succumbed to the obsession and bunkered down at the kitchen table for hours with the computer. I forced my wandering mind to focus on applications and ended up applying to a whopping three colleges: IU, Purdue and Southern Methodist University. Then came the waiting game. Fast-forwarding through the school year, I received all three anticipated acceptances. When I mentioned these letters to my friends, I received nods and slightly happy shrugs, as my two state schools and one private school did not compare to their revered Ivy League aspirations. Yet I was still proud of myself and began my uphill battle for financial aid and scholarships. As the looming May 1 enrollment deadline clouded this high school’s senior hall skies, students began finding letters in the mail accepting and declining them from various schools. When they made these grand announcements to their peers of the Ivy League big name schools in the morning or at lunch, they were greeted by heartfelt cries of condolence or the better clapping and hoots of joy. I was proud too, I really was, but at the same time, I was
being eaten up. No one had given me a big hug when I was accepted; no one cared when IU offered me the Prestige Scholarship. Each time, though, I would think I was being selfish, so I would continue to offer my own slightly morose halfhearted congratulations. Then the time of decisions quickly encroached. My final decision came two weekends ago with enrollment deposits deadlines tomorrow. I decided that due to economic times and financial commitments that IU would be the logical decision. This school was also a benefit as it is a large school that is strong in a broad range of academic areas and social opportunities. I proudly announced to my friends that next year I would join the ranks of cream and crimson and was greeted not with immediate grins and pats on the back but questions of “why?” For me this Carmel mentality on college killed the IU excitement. According to the 2008-2009 profile for this school of the Class of ’08, 75 percent of the college-bound students here went to an in-state college with only 18 percent of the college-bound students enrolling in out-ofstate schools. With this high of a percentage of students going in-state or pursuing other careers and opportunities after high school, it is imperative to remember that each person has pursued the same tough K - 12 journey and each individual who crosses the stage on May 31 this year deserves a genuine “Congratulations!” It is not important where a student goes after leaving this school, but it is what that student does with his or her situation when they leave. Utilize the opportunities offered next year and have fun. No matter where each student of our class is headed from Ivy League to in-state to immediately diving into a career, each one is brave enough to face this gigantic world to pursue a dream. Congratulations Carmel High School Class of ’09! Good luck next year. Brittani Wheeler is a managing editor for the HiLite. Contact her at bwheeler@hilite.org.
Obama must act wisely in Pakistani relations GET HAPPY BY MEHER AHMAD When I was in the second grade, I remember watching a small news special on Pakistan, specifically about the division of India and Pakistan. As a recent immigrant, even as a 7 year old, I remember being excited to see Pakistan in the news. At the time, it was a rarity to hear the country’s name on television regularly. In the post 9/11 world, the situation has changed substantially. With the American public war y of the Iraq war, having long forgotten Afghanistan, it seems the new target is shifting towards Pakistan. As Afghanistan’s neighbor, Pakistan has long served as a safe harbor for Afghanis escaping the chaotic state there. In recent years, that influx of Afghanis has slowed a
small amount, thanks to some st ab ili za tio n i n Af gha ni sta n. Instead of Afghani r efugees, however, it seems that Taliban and Al-Qaeda militia have made Pakistan their new home base. What’s dif ficult for those outside of Pakistan to understand is that not all of Pakistan is the barren desert land filled with long bearded terrorists. Just like any other country, Pakistan has varying groups of people and regions. The major cities of Lahore and Karachi are modern, maybe not completely in the American sense modern, but comparable to Mumbai of 5 years ago. However, what’s changed in five years is that even the major cities are now being affected by what was previously isolated tribal warfare in the northeastern region of Pakistan. The recent attack on the police station in Lahore was shocking, not only because of the grim outcome of 11 dead, but because Lahore is typically free of such attacks. The bold attack, which Taliban claims responsibility
f o r, w a s a c l e a r m e s s a g e t o the Pakistani government: the government has lost authority, and terrorists groups are capable of inflicting more harm. The Obama administration has taken substantial steps towards addressing the influx of Taliban and Al-Qaeda in the r egion, including the missile attacks on the border region of Waziristan. Four days into Obama’s presidency, suspected U.S. drones dropped five missiles on several villages, with a clear intent to take out militia men (New York Times). Obama has stated that if Pakistani authorities don’t take control, the United States won’t hesitate to use force without their approval (New York Times). As a Pakistani, albeit one that hasn’t visited Pakistan in four years, I have expected criticisms of Obama’s plan. The sudden growth of AlQaeda and Taliban militia men in Pakistan can be attributed to a number of factors, including a wave of extremist Islam that is
subtly changing the way many Pakistanis feel about Taliban ideals. However, by bombing away the problem and using force to root out terrorists, Obama will only add fl ame to the fi re. As proven by Afghanistan, militar y can’t shift public opinion and general feelings of animosity towards the west. If anything, a large American military presence only increases resentment in locals. The true solution to reducing Al-Qaeda and Taliban presence in the region is much more complicated than a militar y incursion, and Obama has made that clear as well. He has repeatedly stated that the war on terrorism is a complex mixture of culture and religion that must be comprehended from all angles. In his intentions, I can’t agree with him more. But in order to destabilize these militia men and reduce the shift towards extremism, the Obama administration must act accordingly. Meher Ahmad is a reporter for the HiLite. Contact her at mahmad@hilite.org.
I would say students probably spend the most on the tux or the dress depending on their gender.
SENIOR COLIN BYARD
I would say students spend the most money on clothes or maybe their dinner.
SENIOR MATT BOSLER
I spend the most on the dress. I have to buy my dress for this year still, but my mom usually pays for it.
SENIOR MEGAN LINDSAY
Perspectives • Thursday, April 30, 2009 • Page B11
Beauty should be undefined venti cassuccino Fifty years ago, “beautiful” had an entirely different meaning than it does today...the media has done its job of depleting women’s self-confidence and instilling expectations that, in all honesty, are complete bull.
By Cassie dugan On May 15, 2008, I cried. It took 10 seasons, but it finally happened. Whitney Thompson, considered “fullfigured,” won the 10th cycle of “America’s Next Top Model.” Nothing better could have served as a welldeserved slap in the media’s face. What a perfect way to defy every persuasive beauty ad, every critical male and every idea that beauty is limited to a 36-24-36 body. Once Thompson had won, judge Paulina Porizkova said, “This should not be called plus-sized or full-figured. This should just be called beautiful.” Unfortunately enough, that word, “beautiful,” is an ever-changing thing. Fifty years ago, “beautiful” had an entirely different meaning than it does today. The beautiful icon Marylin Monroe sported a body that was considered to-die-for during her time. But now, any curves such as her that dare enter our current beauty world are immediately eliminated. This altered perception is engraved in our minds, and what for? The media, in its crulest form, is all around us. An average American is exposed to 3,000
Advice from a Beta-male
advertisements per day. With a vast majority of those being trashy beauty ads, it’s no wonder the media has done its job of depleting women’s self confidence and instilling expectations that, in all honesty, are complete bull. A Barbie doll, if made human, would not have the ability to survive. Her back would be too weak to support the weight of her upper body and chest. Her torso would be too narrow to contain more than half of a liver and only centimeters of a bowel. Human Barbie would also suffer from chronic diarrhea and eventually die from malnutrition. Oh, the small price of beauty. And according to the president of Mattel, the manufacturer of Barbie dolls, about 99 percent of girls ages 3 to 10 own at least one Barbie. Even mannequins are deceiving us. A store mannequin stands six feet tall at about a size six. The average woman is a size 12 and closer to 5 feet 7 inches. The push to meet these expectations can become overbearing, leading to disorders such as anorexia and bulimia. But the issue that gets overlooked is body image. Sure, it doesn’t have a medical-gibberish theory behind it, but it can be detrimental. According to The DOVE Campaign for Real Beauty, only 2 percent of women consider themselves beautiful. Maybe to you that statistic isn’t as moving as people dying in Africa, but we all have something we’re passionate about. The fact that a microscopic number of women actually think they’re attractive is mine. Cassie Dugan is a reporter for the HiLite. Contact her at cdugan@hilite.org.
Challenged reality show contestants inspire viewers to persevere
oh yes he did!
An Earfull
By Bennett fuson It’s been fun the past few weeks to watch as all those around me struggle to find prom dates. Surely it was not fun for them, but as a man who hasn’t worried about the perils of wooing for the past two years, it’s akin to Gossip Girl, from a heterosexual perspective. I mention this because as the hell that is high school makes its final curtain call for me, I can’t help but look back and realize how blessed I have been. For the past two years, I have been dating my beautiful girlfriend Lexi, and loved every minute of this. Don’t worry: this is not a love column. Simply think of it as musings from a former serial bachelor and successful Beta-male. Deep down, everyone wants to be loved. It’s human nature, and it’s unavoidable. Yet there’s a fine line between wanting to be loved and wanting attention, and I’m afraid that the line too often gets blurred within these halls. Of course, I’m not opposed, because watching guys try to attract dates is like watching a hybrid of The Bachelorette and any gorilla documentary on National Geographic. (After this column, I plan on proposing that show to any network that would take it. It’ll be a hit.) But, from a male’s perspective, I think it’s necessary that before one graduates from this school, he learns these valuable tips: 1. In all honesty, no one cares how much you bench press. If you can lift more than your girlfriend, she already feels confident in your ability to protect her. Plus, wearing awkward muscle shirts and strutting around with your arms puffed out reaffirms the National Geographic
note (see above). 2. If you act like you don’t care, she thinks you don’t care. Even if you would rather gouge your eyes out with a spork rather than hear about Twilight, listening to what she has to say will at least convince her you value her opinions, and that is a rather attractive quality. 3. Witty conversation does not include any of the following: sports stats, phallic references, car engines or your consumption limits. It’s evident when you’re overcompensating. 4. Wearing sports jerseys when you do not actually play for that team does not assert your athletic abilities or, in fact, impress anyone. 5. On a similar note to subject number two, if all you talk about is you, no one else will listen or car e. The bank buster of relationships is communication, and good communication is elementar y to any relationship, romantic or otherwise. I know this may come as a bit of a culture shock for the self-professed “Alpha Males,” but trust me, it works. I’ve been fortunate enough to have someone who cares enough about me to point out these pitfalls, and, speaking from the other side, it’s obvious when you employ them as mating ritual. Believe me when I say you look dumb. I fully realize writing this could
put me at odds with a lot of people, particularly of the X/Y chromosome club. But after a happy two years with the love of my life (and many more to come), I ask this: Am I really so wrong? Bennett Fuson is an entertainment editor for the HiLite. Contact him at bfuson@hilite.org.
By Mackenzie Madison Ok, I must admit, I am a reality show addict. Not “reality shows” like “Laguna Beach,” but reality shows like “Survivor,” “American Idol,” “The Amazing Race” and “The Biggest Loser.” I don’t think I look at these shows the same way most people do. But I think this season has been the best, especially “The Amazing Race” and “American Idol.” On both “The Amazing Race” and “American Idol” this season, there have been competitors with disabilities. On “American Idol,” there was a blind man named Scott. Although he was not always the favorite of the week, his performance always stood out. Not only did he have amazing vocals, but he also played the piano. Since he couldn’t see to move around the stage, when the cast would do a group vocal performance, he would always be playing the piano. But as the season progressed, he gained the confidence to dance around the stage with the other competitors. Unfortunately, he was voted off a few weeks ago. While on “The Amazing Race,” there is a deaf man named Luke who competes with his mother, Margie. “The Amazing Race” is hard enough to start off with because of language barriers due to the competitiors constant traveling, but to add in the extra factor that Luke is deaf makes the competition especially hard. But since the race began, Margie and Luke have been front runners the whole time. These people have made me think. People who are free from disabilities
are so lucky. We don’t have to go through the everyday challenges that they do. I’ve never heard a disabled person complain, but I feel like we complain all the time. In fact, according to the Web site “a complain free world,” the average person complains 1530 times a day. Honestly, what do we have to complain about? Americans are the most blessed people in the world. And I’m not pointing fingers; I do my fair share of complaining too, but it’s over things that in an hour, I won’t even remember being dissatisfied with. These people have to deal with their disabilities everyday, and they don’t complain about it. Instead, they persevere. Luke is a deaf man who communicates with people who don’t even speak English, and don’t know how to sign, and Scott is a blind man who can play the piano. I must admit, I tried playing with my eyes closed, and its not as easy as it looks, and I’ve played for a while. I think that people with disablilites are more likely to overcome problems. They want to prove that they’re just as good as everyone else, but I think they’ve proved they’re even better. They don’t take things for granted like most people do. They go above and beyond to prove that they can do it, and I think we all need to learn from them. Mackenzie Madison is a reporter for the HiLite. Contact her at mmadison@hilite.org.
Contact information Mailing Address: 520 E. Main St., Carmel, IN 46032 Phone: (317) 846-7721, Ext. 7143 Web site: www.hilite.org E-mail: Staff members of the HiLite may be contacted by using their first initial and their last name appending @hilite.org. For example, Amy Flis will receive mail sent to aflis@hilite.org.
Responding to the HiLite
Letters to the editor will be accepted for the May 21 issue no later than May 13. Letters may be submitted in Room C147, placed in the mailbox of Jim Streisel, e-mailed to letters@hilite.org or mailed to school. All letters must be signed. Names will be published. (Letters sent via e-mail will be taken to a student’s SRT for him to sign.) Letters must not contain personal attacks against an individual and may be edited.
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.
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Editor in Chief Managing Editors Accountant Acumen 15 Minutes of Fame Ads Manager Artist Beats/Calendar Entertainment Feature Front Page Graphics News Perspectives Photography Sports Student Section Videographer Web Writing Coaches Adviser Principal Superintendent
Reporters Meher Ahmad Aili Arnell Kelsey Binion Maddi Bourgerie Hope Boyer
Law loophole allows officials to cheat system chompin’ at the bit By Lily zhao In this time of economic crisis, jobs are lost and savings are taking a hit. However, government officials in Florida are not complaining. Recently, the issue of retired elected officials double-dipping into company funds has bubbled up again. Half a year ago, these double-dippers took advantage of a loophole in Florida’s state law that allowed them to retire and then return to their old jobs with a new salar y and pension. So while these officials are taking more money, millions who are left without jobs are wondering if this ridiculous situation is fair. Back in 1998, the state created the Deferred Retirement Option Program (DROP) to encourage highly paid employees to retire and make way for others who make
less. Under DROP, employees who are 62 or have at least 30 years of service retire, but continue working up to five years while their retirement benefits are put into a special account. In 2001, many elected officials tried to amend DROP so that they would not have to be a part of the five year retirement p o l i c y, t h u s creating the loophole. And according to the St. Petersburg Times, at least 220 elected officials
and almost 10,000 members have been collecting paychecks and pensions at the same time. Here’s one way to spin it: DROP costs the state money because of how people play the system. If an employee wants to keep working into normal retirement age, fine. But that employee can actually get a lump-sum payment that is intended for people who really retire. By double-dipping, that employee is collecting m o r e i n retirement benefits than if they took the pension only after really retiring. Fur ther mor e, double-dipping keeps younger, lower-paid workers off the state payroll. I n o t h e r words, the program can have the opposite effect. And it also sends a greedy message to taxpayers who
While these officials are taking more money, millions who are left without jobs are wondering if this ridiculous situation is fair.
are the ones financing the state’s retirement program. The answer, however, may be eliminating state pensions and shifting to a defined compensation program similar to the way private businesses operate. And the solution is near. A bill that would stop officials from double-dipping was approved in early April by members of the Senate Community Affairs Committee. Filed by Florida senators, the bill would force anyone who retires after Jan. 1, 2010, to temporarily relinquish a pension if they return to work and begin collecting a salary. The provision would apply to all state employees, elected officials and 900 local governmental companies. Elected officials would no longer be able to win reelection and retire, before returning to the same job and a new term in office. Now that is a solution worth fighting for. It could potentially help the working class and economy all at the same time. Lily Zhao is a sports editor for the HiLite. Contact her at lzhao@ hilite.org.
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Page B12 • Thursday, April 30, 2009 • 15 Minutes of Fame
Thrift stores provide inexpensive prom choices By Ellie Seta eseta@hilite.org When junior Emily Patterson first tried on her “purpley blue” fulllength prom dress, she knew it was the one. While some high school girls opt for buying expensive prom dresses from depar tment stores and specialty boutiques, Patterson took a ver y dif ferent route. After scouring Indianapolis and Carmel stores for several weeks in order to find the perfect prom dress, Patterson decided, after a suggestion from her mom, to try a local consignment store, InVogue located on Rangeline Road and 116th Street. Patterson ended up
finding her dream dress for $30. Patterson said the price of her dress was also a definite perk. According to an ar ticle by G o G r e e n Tr a v e l G r e e n , a n organization devoted to green living for the eco-conscious traveler, thrift store shopping is often very misunderstood. Besides the low prices, Go Green Travel Green points out that the items found at thrift and consignment stores are one-of-a-kind and most likely cannot be found anywhere else. In addition to this, they said that products bought at thrift stores are also eco-friendly. The Web site points out that the most common misconception about thrift stores
is that items bought at thrift stores are of poor quality. “Dresses and prom itself is so expensive, and you can get something just as good at a consignment store for half the price,” said Vanessa Kobek a n e m p l o y e e a t t h e I n Vo g u e consignment store. She said shopping at thrift stores also gives you the oppor tunities to hone shopping skills. She said at InVogue, formal prom dresses cost anywhere between $10 and $100. While Patterson said InVogue did not have a huge selection of dresses, she was very pleased with the dress she found. She said her friends all liked the idea, despite not buying
their dresses at a thrift store. She said she has shopped at thrift stores before, but is not always successful. “It just depends on what I find,” Patterson said. Kobek said a particularly unique feature available at InVogue is that buyers are given the opportunity to sell their purchases back to the store. She said that customers even have the opportunity to make a profit by selling gently used clothing and accessories to the store. Kobek said what sets InVogue apart from similar consignment and thrift stores is that InVogue specializes in designer products for prices much cheaper than the original. In addition to this, Kobek
said they also have their share of unique vintage items that cannot be found at a normal store. She also said it is reassuring to know that no one else will have the same dress. However, Go Green Travel Green warns that in order to have a successful shopping trip at a thrift or consignment store, a shopper must be patient and not be afraid to barter. They said the best times to shop are at the end of a season or during a stocking day. Patterson said she is happy with the dress she ended up finding even though it took a while to find, but she said the price was the best bonus. She said, “I am always looking for good deals.”
VOGUE CHS
PROJECT PROM DRESS Junior Sara Fam won a custom prom dress made by Senior Jenny Seo of the Sew Unique club By Cassie Dugan
To submit nominations for 15 Minutes of Fame, email Stephanie Hodgin at shodgin@hilite.org
Prom dress for less Find the perfect prom dress without breaking the bank
>>ABOVE
JUNIOR SARA FAM And her feelings of winning the prom dress of her dreams
SENIOR JENNY SEO And how she came about making this unique prom dress >>BELOW LEFT
BELOW right<< BELOW RIGHT<<
kaitlyn lampe, brittani wheeler / photo illustration
What got you interested in fashion in the first place?
What made you decide to enter your name in the contest?
How did the idea of the prom dress contest come about?
How do you want your dress custom-made?
Oh wow. Well I’ve always been interested in fashion since I was really little. I just love clothes and love styling myself every morning. It’s just come sort of naturally, I guess. Well, with Sew Unique, it is a club where all the members meet to sew. But I really wanted to do something that would allow us to all unify so we could do something together as a project. So I went into a deep thinking process and thought of the prom dress contest since everyone is so into prom, and it’s like the big thing in high school. I thought this contest would be really cool to create.
How was the winner of the contest chosen?
We folded all the entries and then each member (of Sew Unique) would draw one. From there, after we had each drawn one, we picked a number one through 10 and whoever guessed the closest number got to open their piece of paper. We tried to do it equally so it wasn’t like just one person was picking a random one out of the bunch.
How did you and (junior) Sara Fam, meet and decide how she wants her dress made?
We all met at Hancock’s fabric store. We went through all the pattern books and suggested certain patterns and what we thought would look flattering on her. We wanted it to be a dress that she would fall in love with and that she would love to wear to prom. So she got to pick out her own fabrics and what colors she wanted.
Who is helping out in making the dress?
Myself and the members of Sew Unique. We used to have meetings like every other week, but since prom is coming soon, we’ve been having meetings like every week now.
Do you have anything to add?
The good thing about the contest is that it makes a custom made dress, and we actually took a lot of time to resize the patterns for her. She got to pick out what kind of design and the fabric material she wanted. Another benefit to it is that it is going to be one of the openings for the fashion show this year. So that is really exciting for the winner as well. The show is May 22 during SRT in the auditorium.
I’d heard that my friend did it, and she had told me about it. I thought it was pretty interesting and cool, so I entered. I want it to be a lavender/purple color. It’s going to be kind of tight at the top and then flow out at the bottom. The top is going to be a tube top.
What did you think the odds were that your name would be drawn?
I didn’t even think about it because I was like, “No, there is no way I’m going to win.” So I didn’t even have it put in my mind. I just entered and forgot about it. I knew there was going to be like a 99 percent chance that I was not going to win, but I did so it’s all good.
How long did it take to find out you had won the dress? I’d say about two weeks, maybe.
Do you know anyone else who entered her name in the contest?
My friend (junior) Kati Feller entered. She heard about it from a friend and entered and then she told me about it. (Aside from Kati), no.
When and where did you turn in your form?
(I entered) like the day before the last day. I filled (the form) out and actually I’m in fashion. I was going to go to the room to turn in it but it was locked, so I gave it to my (fashion) teacher to give to the other teacher.
How did you find out that you had won?
One day when I was in class my fashion teacher was like, “Let’s congratulate Sara because she won the (contest).” So my fashion teacher told me.
What were your emotions once you found out that you had won?
I was really excited and really looking forward to picking out the patterns and the colors and all of that. I was really anticipating all of that stuff.
Carmel High Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s News Magazine
Band Exposure... Page 2 I Summer Concerts... Page 3 I Student Bands... Pages 4 & 5 I Indie Hits... Page 6 I Movie Soundtracks... Page 7 I Hip Hop Dance... Page 8 Carmel High School . Volume 5 . Issue 6 . April 30, 2009
Page C2 • Thursday, April 30, 2009
Purpose Acumen is an occasional publication serving to supplement the HiLite. Acumen is distributed to the students, faculty and staff of Carmel High School. This publication operates as a public forum for the school and community. Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily representative of those held by CHS, the Carmel Clay system faculty, staff or administration.
Responding to Acumen Letters in response to this issue of Acumen will be considered for publication in the HiLite. All letters must be submitted to Room C147, placed in the mailbox of Jim Streisel, e-mailed to letters@hilite.org or mailed to the school. Letters must be signed; names will be published. (Letters submitted through e-mail will be taken to a student’s SRT for him to sign.) Letters must not include personal attacks against an individual and may be subject to editing.
Staff Editor Associate Editor Writers / Photographers
Ariel Aisen Jinny Zhang Kelsey Binion Arjuna Capulong Susie Chen Stephanie Coleman Evelyn Forbes Bennett Fuson Michelle Hu Shireen Korkzan Renny Logan Amanda Nguyen Sam Watermeier HiLite Editor in chief Amy Flis HiLite Managing editors Cathy Chen Brittani Wheeler Adviser Jim Streisel Principal John Williams Superintendent Barbara Underwood
In This Issue Dear readers, Different kinds of music are all too familiar to these halls. Hundreds of band, orchestra and choir students bring this school national recognition for its music programs. However, there is more to local music than co-curricular groups. Students musicians, performers and bands often perform at local venues and receive little recognition. These students showcase the epitome of what can come out of simple drive and determination. In these pages you will find a quick glance at the surprising independent local talents that add a youthful, uninhibited flavor to the culture of music in Carmel.
Ariel Aisen Acumen Editor
Cover Design: Photo illustration by Ariel Aisen, Evelyn Forbes and Stephanie Coleman.
ACUMEN
Spotlight on Songsters Student bands have difficulty marketing themselves; mediums such as WHJE provide some exposure
I
By Kelsey Binion kbinion@hilite.org
t takes a tremendous amount of organization and talent to form a band. One has to find time and space to practice, as well as discover musical talent among students and procure instruments. On top of that members must organize and audition for concerts and gigs. That doesn’t leave much time to let the general public know about the band and get them to attend its shows. That’s a challenge for bands that are more serious about creating music into a career and are looking for the best ways to promote themselves among the sea of local artists. According to senior Michael Gospel, his band, Jammin’ Bread, and its members get together when their schedules are open. For Gospel, promoting the band isn’t a top priority, but it’s still a challenge. Luckily for them, there are several media outlets to help promote local groups. Events like Houndstock, coming up on May 16, gives student bands a rare opportunity to play in front of their peers. But for some of the bands that are chosen, Houndstock is only a starting point if they want exposure. Jammin’ Bread has had the opportunity in the past to play at Houndstock and just recently at this year’s Dance Marathon. “We had a captive audience at Dance Marathon because it was at the part in the marathon when students had time to listen to music and dance, plus they didn’t have anywhere to go. They seemed to really enjoy it and cheer us on,” Gospel said. Another way that bands promote themselves is by giving CDs or information about themselves after their performance. However, that is not an option Gospel said his band pursues. Gospel said, “We didn’t hand out anything out at Houndstock like other bands did. Instead, our band posts videos of our music on YouTube. Also, we post information about concerts on Facebook.”
In addition to these measures, many bands have taken advantage of the radio and television department here. WHJE station manager Brian Spilbeler said, “The biggest thing now is the Internet. Many bands have Facebook pages and MySpace pages, and there is also iTunes. Pertaining to the radio, they (the bands) can e-mail MP3s, mail CDs and call in for airtime.” Furthermore, Spilbeler said WHJE is currently developing a local band library, so listeners can hear more local than recorded artists. The station also plans to open the radio for local bands to play on the air, interviewing them in person and doing live broadcasts of their performances. According to Spilbeler, while the radio station is willing to help local artists, it is not trying to market them or provide commercial service for them. This is consistent with CHTV’s policy. CHTV station manager Hal Espey said, “There are few opportunities for new artists to get significant exposure on television. One problem they all face is just the huge number of available groups trying to gain attention. Most of the time television only offers a few guest spots on different types of variety and talk shows, or on cable outlets like VH1 and MTV. These types of appearances often are of artists that have already had some success.” Espey said it seemed to him that college radio and especially the Internet are where the greatest chances of exposure come from. Low-cost video and audio gear also allow many groups to make their own demo CDs and music videos. The CDs are also given free to local media in hopes of airplay. According to Gospel, with the many bands in high school, it can be hard to let students know about each band and what kind of music each performs, but the prevalence of other media outlets can help in the process, especially if those bands know where to look. Gospel said, “Even though we don’t have a lot of publicity for the band, students can find or listen to some of our music on YouTube. We kind of just get involved as we go.”
BIG SHOW: (From left to right), seniors Kevin Wang, Jonathan “Jon” Schumm, Jonathan “Johnny” Hourmozdi and Michael “Mike” Gospel and junior Katherine “Kate” Haldrup perform at a tailgate before a football game on Aug. 23. Hourmozdi, Gospel and Haldrup compose part of the band Jammin’ Bread, formerly known as Upper House. Steven Brisley / submitted photo
ACUMEN
Thursday, April 30, 2009 • Page C3
Summer Concerts
By Bennett Fuson O.A.R. with the Wailers Coldplay feat. Snow Patrol June 5, 2009 Verizon Wireless Music Center
June 17 The Lawn at White River State Park
It would be utterly useless to give a brief bio of Coldplay. After all, the Grammy awardwinning band that might be more popular than U2 has conquered the radio waves and iTunes commercials. So I’ll just get down to the meat of it: the British are coming. (Get it? Coldplay and Snow Patrol both come from the UK. Punny!) Coldplay sold out two shows last year in Chicago, a surefire sign of musical success. And co-headliner Snow Patrol, with music better than their hit single, “Chasing Cars,” essentially guarantees a great night of music from across the pond.
O.A.R. (abbreviated for Of A Revolution) debuted their wholly new sound with last year’s All Sides. Still a grassroots jam band at the core, O.A.R. has a new, shiny sound that, as heard on their single “Shattered,” evokes more of a Maroon 5 sound than traditional O.A.R. Still, the band can’t avoid the songs that shot them into the spotlight, and they will no doubt play “Hey Girl,” “Love and Memories,” and others from their extensive catalogue. An added bonus this year is the Wailers, Bob Marley’s backup band before his untimely death.
The Decemberists
August 8 Egyptian Room at the Murat Centre This is a dark horse pick, but I’m going to stick by my guns on this one. Out of 100 people, only about 3.5 have heard of the Decemberists, which is a true shame. The Portlandbased band, fronted by Colin Meloy, is one of the few bands that can truly be appreciated for their tone. The lush, melodic harmonies of the Decemberists compile albums that consist of stories rather than singles. The Decemberists head out this summer to promote their new album, The Hazards of Love.
Phish
June 19 Verizon Wireless Music Center Prophets have predicted the second coming of Phish since they dissolved in 2005. That time has come, my friends. Phish is not only the father of jam band music, they are also the greatest example. And I promise it will be a night to remember. Trey Anastasio’s guitar are equal to none, and the melodic soundscapes he and the rest of the band create impart on the listener an almost euphoric high. Tickets are sold out at the moment, but it would be well worth your time to scalp, because who knows when they’ll be back again?
Dave Matthews Band Verizon Wireless Music Center July 31, August 1
Seeing the Dave Matthews Band every summer has become a summer tradition for Hoosiers. This year, however, the band returns with a heavy heart after the loss of saxophonist and charter member LeRoy Moore. While most bands would struggle to overcome such loss, DMB has pushed through, and will promote their new album, Big Whiskey and the Groo Grux King, on this summer’s tour. The newly released single, “Funny the Way It Is,” shows immense promise as one of the band’s instant summer classics. Even if that’s not the case, fans can always look forward to concert mainstays like “Ants Marching,” “Crash Into Me,” “What Would You Say” and countless others.
Metallica
September 17 Conseco Fieldhouse True Indianapolis music fans cannot complete a well-rounded summer concert series without homage to the Kings of Metal. Metallica, former radio stars and current video game stars, return to Indianapolis to promote Death Magnetic, the latest album in a career of face-melting ferocity. Of course, no concert is complete without a little bit of “Enter Sandman,” “One,” Sad, But True…” the list goes on and on. This is the perfect show to end a fantastic concert season in Naptown.
Schools lack performing arts funding Band Girl By Shireen Korkzan With all its updated technology and outstanding education and athletics facilities, students are fortunate to attend a public school such as Carmel High School. But drive fewer than 30 miles south and you can definitely see the differences between Carmel and IPS. Athletes at most high schools are required to maintain a minimum GPA to remain on the team. Because they want to dedicate themselves to their sports, athletes tend to work hard academically. This applies to many other school activities, and performing arts in one such example. Also, students don’t just want to learn in school; they also want to participate in various activities offered. If this school couldn’t afford to keep a performing arts program going, over 300 students here wouldn’t be able to show that pride. And since this school’s program is already going strong and is highly rigorous, students have to learn to balance time between homework and free time. This may explain, at least in part, why students here are successful with getting their work done accurately while remaining active outside of academics. Both of the Distinguished Graduate students this school has had so far were heavily involved with the choir program, and most of our valedictorians in the past few years were involved in band and orchestra. Even today, the success continues for those who participated in performing arts in high school. Fortunately, Carmel High School’s performing arts program is not struggling significantly. This school can afford to buy expensive instruments for students to loan, which is especially good for students who play large instruments like tubas and bassoons that cost well over $10,000. There is no such thing as a cheap instrument that will last over a year. If the performing arts department cannot afford a particular instrument or not enough of a particular type, students here can afford to buy their own without much financial burden. Schools like IPS, however, do not have as much luck, and it is unfair especially for the students who have a genuine interest in studying music in high school. On top of that, the music directors cannot afford to buy new music, so students do not have the opportunity of studying new literature. That’s where funding comes from outside of state government. Students can’t learn how to play a musical instrument if they do not have an instrument to play. Last March, the VH1 Save the Music Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to restoring instrumental music education in public school, joined with the Bright House Network to donate $240,000 worth of new musical instruments to eight elementary schools in the IPS system. This is a great start for keeping performing arts alive in IPS, but it’s not enough. The only way to alleviate the burden of possibly depleting performing arts in public schools is for the state government to keep funding the programs. Of course, funding for academics must be priority, every other program is only supplementary, but none of that money should be taken from the one program the best students come from. Shireen Korkzan is a writing coach for the HiLite. Email her at skorkzan@hilite.org.
PAGE C4 • THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2009
ACUMEN
THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2009 • PAGE C5
Indie Area venues host performances by variety of independent local musical talents
BY AMANDA NGUYEN anguyen@hilite.org
W
ant to know about new Indie music performances? Where the latest local venues are? Where all the cool kids hang out? It’s all right here in Indy. Student bands such as Vladimir and the Cosmonauts, The Fuse and Upper House play a variety of music at several local venues. Christopher “Chris” Caress, lead singer, rhythm guitarist and junior, said Vladimir and the Cosmonauts fits under many genres of music including melodic hard core, post gangster, punk, metal, eastern European, rock, opera, polka and techno. Vladimir and the Cosmonauts’ traditional lineup consists of juniors Caress, Patrick “Pat” Hannon on bass, Kyle Morrow on drums and sophomore Ben Mueller on lead guitar. According to Sarah Wolff, assistant student government sponsor, there is a variety of music played by student bands that ranges from acoustic to alternative hard rock to instrumental. Junior Cassandra “Cassie” Wild said there are a lot of different types of music played at the performances she has attended ranging from rock to alternative to acoustic. She usually gets invited to the performances or listens to the announcements about Houndstock or upcoming benefit concerts. She has been to performances at the school and one at the Smokey Row Swim Club. Caress said (Vladimir and the Cosmonauts) has performed at the Smokey Row Swim Club and Sanctuary in Fishers, Ben and Ari’s and Hot Topic. Although Vladimir and the Cosmonauts played at several venues, Caress said, “Our favorite location to
Indy
play at was The Sanctuary because it had ridiculous volume. The pool house was fun, too, because we knew most of the people there and they were interactive and responsive.” Like Vladimir and the Cosmonauts, student bands The Fuse and Upper House have also played at numerous local venues. Senior Jonathan “Johnny” Hourmozdi, lead singer and guitarist of The Fuse, is also a member of Upper House, which also includes seniors Michael “Mike” Gospel on lead vocals, Philip Kirk on piano and vocals and junior Katherine “Kate” Haldrup on drums. Hourmozdi said Upper House plays rock music while The Fuse plays indie music and is more orchestral. Its band members include seniors Kevin Carlson on French horn, Thomas “Tom” Chen on viola, Matthew “Matt” Dickey on violin, Steven Lakin on electric bass, Park Tudor senior Scott Marquart on electric guitar/vocals, Cadey Phipps on piano/ vocals, juniors Reid Bonner on violin, Haldrup on drums, Mark Hodges on percussion and sophomore David Chiang on cello. “We’ve played at warehouses, old gyms, tailgates, churches, clubhouses, graduation open houses, Houndstock, Dance Marathon, different CHS events, Rock the District. We will play at the JCC and The Underground,” Hourmozdi said. Because Hourmozdi has played at so many locations, he said, “It’s tough to say what my favorite location to play is, but I liked Houndstock because it’s bigger and run by professionals that adjust the sound on the spot. Dance Marathon was also fun because everyone was really into it.” Because Hourmozdi’s bands are more popular, he said people usually ask them to play at certain events. “In the beginning, we had to set up our own concerts, but eventually we got in the circuit. It was difficult because we had to find our own places and run sound checks, which can be frustrating,” he said. Hourmozdi said, “Shows are fun when people come out. The biggest challenge is getting people to come. Without an audience, it’s hard (for the band) to feed off of, so it’s more fun with people.”
BIGGEST FAN (ABOVE): Junior Hayden Urbanus (left) plays electric guitar for the student band The Gnashers. Junior Emerson Sigman watches the performance, which took place at the Smokey Row Swim Club. DRUM STICKS (BELOW): Junior Patrick “Pat” Hannon plays drums for Vladimir and the Cosmonauts. The band has performed at a variety of venues and events around Carmel.
BASS FACE (ABOVE): Senior Colin Ray plays bass for Vladimir and the Cosmonauts at a February performance.
MUSIC MEN (LEFT): Junior Christopher “Chris” Caress (left) sings with his band Vladimir and the Cosmonauts. Sophomore Ben Mueller plays the guitar for the band, which was formed this school year. ARJUNA CAPULONG / PHOTOS
UPCOMING PERFORMANCES May 9: The Fuse, Upper House and the Shenanigans will perform at the Jewish Community Center (JCC) May 22: The Fuse will also perform at The Underground in downtown Indianapolis
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Innovative musicians set stage with bizarre imagery Eye of the Beholder
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By Renny Logan
ith “fun to funky” costumes, outrageous stage shows, interesting new cross-genres and continual reinvention, these music artists gave the conventional mainstream acts a run for their money. When bands choose to add unconventional imagery as an accent, equilibrium must be maintained to prevent image from overriding or substituting talent. Unlike the glam bands of the 1980s that substituted pyrotechnics for prowess, Genesis used imagery as a tool to enhance its performance and to set itself apart from other bands. Back when Peter Gabriel fronted the band, use of bizarre costumes supplemented witty lyrics and skilled musicianship. At times its audience regarded Genesis as simply too “out there,” but this opinion proved inconsequential considering the band’s success and survival through changing leadership and over 30 years of music production. Looking ahead to the modern scene, two fledgling
musical acts stand out to me. As a rule, bands and music artists rarely shock me; in particular, bands that show up on mainstream radio or music TV channels like Fuse really don’t. Hollywood Undead did. With an interesting cross-genre style and a mask-wearing band image, the band afforded me a much-needed breath of fresh air from a reeking bog of conventional music. Hollywood Undead emerged on the mainstream music scene with its single “No. 5,” demonstrating fluidity in transition between genres such as hip-hop and rock. On debut album “Swan Songs,” the band continues to delve into other genres, with vocals ranging from rapping to screaming to singing among the band’s six vocalists. Wearing Misfits and LA T-shirts and sagging ripped jeans, its members’ clothing style corresponds with the diversity found in its musical style. Their utilization of stage names and masks, whether for the sake of creating an air of mystery or maintaining privacy, may not be original but integrates itself flawlessly into their contrived image. Regardless of interpretations, this technique severs connection between band members and the music produced. The music, without relation to a visible human form, must therefore stand on its own, a risky move for bands with limited ability but a bold one for such an unapologetically confident band. Speaking of confidence, this next contemporary music artist flaunts her use of imagery to audaciously reshape the package of pop music. With her debut album “The Fame,” Lady GaGa gave an otherwise conventional genre a whole new spin into terra incognito. While some might place Lady GaGa on an even keel with vocalists like Christina Aguilera
and Britney Spears, GaGa’s fluid transitional ability and brash live performances distinguish her as much more progressed. Having broken into a genre with strict ideals of imagery and guidelines for musical styles, GaGa’s self-invented wardrobe and differentiated style set her apart from cliché performers. Her ability to be both mainstream and alternative simultaneously reflects qualities also found in one of her self-proclaimed influences: David Bowie. Now we can really get started, since I’ve finally stopped beating around the bush. The sole source of motivation for constructing a column about musical inventiveness rests with the innovator of the highest caliber, David Bowie. Creating gender bender outfits, changing styles and dishing out over-the-top performances, Bowie made every costume and musical decision with a tailor’s eye, conscious of each choice’s affect on his audience. Bowie reinvented himself with the release of each album, rearing his alter egos with a mother’s nurture. His most famous personality, Ziggy Stardust, of “Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars,” remains widely known some 36 years since its birth. Most remarkable of Bowie’s abilities, he managed to tie his created personalities all together. Bowie constantly pulls his past lyrics into new songs, leaving no album or song to fall on its own but to remain a small piece of a larger picture that is Bowie. Whether Hollywood Undead and Lady GaGa will fade back ephemerally into anonymity or flourish into legends like Genesis and Bowie remains to be seen. However, what each of these four musical acts has in common, innovativeness, gives them great advantage in a competitive market facing a bored audience. Renny Logan is a writing coach for the HiLite. Contact her at rlogan@hilite.org.
STARPULSE.com / photos
DIG THOSE RHYTHM AND BLUES: Unusual musical talents that diverge from traditional pop and rock are becoming more mainstream. Some of the more popular musicians with unconventional imagery, past and present, include Hollywood Undead (left), Lady GaGa (center) and David Bowie (right).
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Thursday, April 30, 2009 • Page C7
5 Greatest Movie Soundtracks
hen the opening credits of 1955’s “Blackboard Jungle” ran, the rock and roll revolution exploded. The song “Rock Around the Clock” by Bill Haley and the Comets blasted on the film’s soundtrack and pop music instantly became ingrained in our culture. The use of this song in the film not only sparked a musical revolution, but a cinematic revolution as well. Since “Blackboard Jungle,” it has become commonplace for films to prominently feature pop music on their soundtracks. This feature has not only helped carry the emotion of films, but created magic and transported audiences to other places and times.
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‘forrest gump’ (1994) Like the film itself, this soundtrack is a powerful, kaleidoscopic journey through the American landscape that digs deep into the American heart. From innocent, rollicking tunes like “Rebel Rouser” to incendiary Vietnam protest songs, this soundtrack perfectly captures the feelings of an era and a country. It also captures the feelings of its main character, idiot savant Forrest Gump. As he becomes less innocent to the world’s problems, the music grows darker and we are reminded of just how provocative it can be.
‘goodfellas’ (1990) The film is a deep, dark descent into the mob world, an electrifying amalgam of excitement and dread. The soundtrack could not be more different. It is a collection of light, bubbly tunes from the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s. This playful music provides an interesting contrast to the film’s brutal violence. The use of it during scenes of graphic violence almost desensitizes the audience in the same way the characters themselves are desensitized.
By Sam Watermeier
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‘American graffiti’ (1973)
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‘Into the wild’ (2007)
This film is revolutionary. Like “Easy Rider” before it, it takes on a radically nonlinear, free-flowing, episodic feel. It’s just about teenagers in the ’60s driving around, listening to great music and having a good time. The soundtrack itself is just as liberating and refreshing. It takes you back to a simpler, more innocent time and gives you a feeling of comfort.
This fascinating true story of a man who abandoned all sense of normalcy to live in the Alaskan wilderness is punctuated by an equally compelling soundtrack. The songs by Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder sound as though they are flowing directly from the main character’s subconscious. This shows one more power of soundtracks: the ability to speak for the characters.
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‘pulp fiction’ (1994) Few soundtracks boast a cooler vibe than this one. It is an eclectic collection of music that spans several decades. Like the film itself (a crazy mix of old-fashioned gangster cinema and contemporary crime drama), it blends different styles and tones, resulting in a wild, dizzying experience. amazon.com / photos
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Hip-hop dance offers unique experience By Susie Chen susiechen@hilite.org
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he appearance of a Jabbawockeez trike team during the Homecoming We e k c e l e b r a t i o n exemplified the growing popularity of hip-hop at this school, in both dance and music. Senior Derek Jamerson, one of the Jabbawockeez members, said that although the whole Jabbawockeez ordeal definitely created some laughs, he is normally only seen dancing at school dances. He describes himself as a hip-hop dancer and said he has been dancing for as long as he can remember. “I have just always loved to dance when I heard music,” he said. Although Jamerson has never taken a class or had professional training, he said it does not interfere with his abilities as a dancer, a direction of thought Lorenda Carr said she agrees with Jamerson. “Hip-hop dance has no specific format,” Carr, hip-hop teacher, choreographer and co-coordinator of competition teams at Performers Edge, said via e-mail. No one needs
training in a classroom in order to do hip-hop. There are many names for steps and dances out there, but for the most part, every person has their own style and flair when it comes to this form of dance. When doing hip-hop, teens or anyone, for that matter, can move in a way that makes them feel good.” According to Carr, hip-hop dance has been prevalent in the United States since the mid’70s. “Hip-hop has its r oots and influences from Africa, but originated right here in the U.S., on the streets, in places like Los Angeles and New York. It was often used as a form of self-expression in very poor areas of cities,” she said. The many forms of selfexpression found through hip-hop are apparent through the numerous styles that this genre is comprised of; breaking, popping and locking are only a few of the forms of hiphop that have evolved as a part of hip-hop culture. Jamerson said that although he is a hip-hop dancer, he would specifically define himself as a pop-n-lock and liquid dancer. He said he gets inspiration for his moves by watching others on
YouTube or on TV. “People like Chris Br own, Omarion, Michael Jackson or even just randomly posted videos (inspire me). I see something I like, and I learn it,” he said. Carr said there also might be certain styles that could evoke cer tain emotions; krumping, a more aggressive form of hip-hop, she said, could express anger in an effective way. “The best thing about hip-hop is that there is never any right or wrong; it is all about expression, feeling and personal style,” she said. Music can additionally affect the style of dancing. According to Carr, hip-hop music and hip-hop dance really do go hand and hand. Jamerson also said that his dancing is definitely affected by the type of music he listens to. “I like rock, pop, whatever, but nothing beats a song with a great dance beat,” he said. For anyone interested in hiphop, especially dance, Jamerson said to not be afraid to try. “The dif ference between someone Evelyn forbes / photo who can’t dance and someone who can is that one of them has JUST DANCE: Senior Derek Jamerson shows off one of his dance moves. He tried to,” he said. “When there’s said he finds inspiration for his dancing from the Internet, television and various popular musicians. music, just move.”
They are up to ‘Shenanigans’ Student band uses talent to raise money
Michelle Hu / photos
ENSEMBLE HITS: Shenanigans performs at the Chinese Community Church of Indianapolis for the “30-Hour Famine” fundraiser. (Far left) Freshman Avi Goot plays the drums; (center) seniors Kyle Borcherding and Samuel Eagleson play trumpets; (far right) senior Steven Lakin plays electric bass, senior David Smyth sings and Eagleson and senior Kevin Wang sit in front.