AUG. 14, 2013 I VOL. 78 I ISSUE 1
CARMEL HIGH SCHOOL I 520 E. MAIN ST. I CARMEL, IN I WWW.HILITE.ORG
Read more about: Carmel Cupcake Bakeries Page 8
Page 10 In self-guided courses like independent study, students take on the roles of both teacher and pupil.
Join the conversation.
Follow HiLite online.
PAGE 2 | TABLE OF CONTENTS | HILITE | HILITE.ORG | AUG. 14, 2013
Inside this issue:
Cover story
10 One Man Show
Senate Bill 189 allows this school more educational freedom. How does independent study compare? Page 10
4
6
14
8
News The ArtsGarden is now available for teachers and students to utilize. Special features include a mural, people-sized totem poles and a large arbor. 4
Feature As a trend of late parenting grows, students discuss its advantages and disadvantages. 6
Sports Runners use dynamic stretches more than they use static stretches. 14
Entertainment Senior Taylor Acton reviews and rates her favorite cupcake bistros. 8
Flip for these stories:
15 MINUTES George Gemelas and Leo Biette are the new Student body president and Speaker of the House this year. 20
PERSPECTIVES Managing editor Hafsa Razi discusses the privacy risks of the digital age and arbitrary government surveillance. Managing editor Taylor Acton evalutates the negative impact of cell phone usage on teens. 16
AUG. 14, 2013 | HILITE.ORG | HILITE | JUST A MINUTE | PAGE 3
THE
WATER ISSUE
THE PERCENTAGES ALL WATER BREAKDOWN
Misc: Soil and atmospheric moisture, ground ice
FRESHWATER BREAKDOWN Fresh water: less than 1% Ice caps and glaciers
96%
of the water is found in oceans and seas
Groundwater
The current population is using 54% of the water supply. In 40 years, however, the usage of freshwater will quadruple.
THE USAGE 8%
1%
of the freshwater is used for domestic purposes
of the freshwater is easily accessible
22%
29%
is used for various industries
is underground
70%
70%
of the current available freshwater is being used for irrigation
is stored in ice and snow on mountains or in glaciers
20%
THE CONSUMPTION (By Country)
of agriculture uses irrigation
40%
of the world’s food is produced from this by 2020, rain dependant agriculture will decrease by
cubic meters consumed each year per person
50% 1000+ 500 - 1000 100 - 500 <100
THE IMPACT (By 2025)
2 to 6 Gallons of water are consumed to power a
100-watt light bulb for just 1 hour single
441 Gallons of water are used to raise, feed
1 pound of Boneless Beef and process
39,090 Gallons of water are used to construct
Magnitude of increase of stress for freshwater
a
New Car
2 - 3x
more stressed
3 - 8x
more stressed
1.85 Gallons of water are required to create the plastic for
1 bottle of water
> 8x
more stressed SEAMETRICS.COM / SOURCE DENNIS YANG / GRAPHIC
PAGE 4 | NEWS | HILITE | HILITE.ORG | AUG. 14, 2013
[news]
SUBMITNEWS@HILITE.ORG | HILITE.ORG/NEWS
Where is it?
Fun Fact
The ArtsGarden is located in one of CHS’s two courtyards. To enter, go through Room H115 in the freshman center.
Experts believe interacting with nature can lower blood pressure, boost immune function and lower stress. WEBMD/ SOURCE
News Briefs Aug. 29
The PTO will host the annual Open House, where parents can meet their students’ teachers and take a tour of the school. It is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. and last until 9 p.m.
Aug. 30
National Merit Semifinalist announcement.
Sept. 2
Labor Day. No school today.
Sept. 3
Photo Make Up Day. Students who missed the first picture dates and need to make up their school photo should take their photo today at 11:15 a.m.
Meeting With Counselors 10th Grade: Aug. 26 11th Grade: Sept. 4 12th Grade: Aug. 20
Visit hilite.org, where you’ll find even more updates on clubs, activities and events at this school.
Completed ArtsGarden opens to staff and students to use for learning, reflection and enjoyment BY JOSEPH LEE jlee@hilite.org Art teacher Jennifer Bubp’s dream is now a reality. CHS Art Club’s main goal for last year was to complete its yearlong project, the ArtsGarden. Bubp described the CHS ArtsGarden as a truly beautiful, serene outdoor space that could be used as a quiet space where students could reflect. Alex Mikev, Art Club president and senior, said, “The ArtsGarden started out as a really dark concrete space with a bunch of weeds in it. (Art Club) ripped all the weeds, re-mulched and planted flowers.” The main reason to plant the garden was to utilize wasted space. It was designed as an outdoor classroom setting, but students can utilize it as well. Teachers can sign up to use the garden just like they do for computer labs. While making the garden, contributors realized that this big of a task could not be handled alone. With the help of many students, teachers and departments, the ArtsGarden flourishes with artwork, sculptures and flowers. Bubp’s Drawing 2 class created a threepanel mural of the different buildings seen in downtown Carmel, and students of art teacher Jon Kane made Personages—people-sized totems that were inspired by Louise Bourgeois. Not only is the art department contributing to the ArtsGarden, but also other departments are giving a helping hand. Industrial Technology department head John Coghlan built concrete tabletops for the garden, as well as assisting junior Sanjeev Rao build a large arbor to lay artworks on. Mikev said, “Mr. Stacy, from the science department, graciously offered his services to completely renovate the whole place, and re-mulch whatever the Art Club missed. It was a couple of grand of his service for free which is nice, because that would have meant that (Art Club) would have had to fundraise $2000 or get a grant for $2000.”
HENRY JACKSON / PHOTOS
WEED WHACKERS: Alex Mikev, Art Club president and senior, pulls weeds alongside Jennifer Bubp, Art Club sponsor and Art department head (top). The ArtsGarden includes a mural, arbor and many plants (bottom). Not only the community within CHS is working on this project: Local artist Clyde Pennington decided to help the CHS ArtsGarden by welding a stainless steel butterfly that would encapsulate the beauty and serenity of its space. Teachers have already used this space as a learning center or a spot to hold activities in. Science teacher Kara House has already utilized the ArtsGarden by letting Painted Lady Butterfly roam freely in the garden. She said she decided to use this place because there was nowhere better to let the butterflies go and let her AP Environmental Science students observe them.
The ArtsGarden inarguably brings the whole Carmel community together to develop and enjoy the garden, according to Kane. Different departments that normally do not congregate work hand in hand to create a serene space in CHS. Kane said, “I think there is a possibility that the ArtsGarden is bringing the whole school together. There are opportunities for everyone to get involved. Whether they are creating components of the garden, or whether they are enjoying the garden. All classes have the opportunity to go to the garden. It is a contemplative garden. You can enjoy the peace and quiet, but also H enjoy the arts as well.”
AUG. 14, 2013 | HILITE.ORG | HILITE | NEWS | PAGE 5
It’s
itness Time
New fitness center provides new technology and opportunities for physical education
BY MIRIAM HU mhu@hilite.org “With the iPads on the walls, things will move a lot faster,” John Lampe, football player and senior, said of the high-end technology in CHS’s newly constructed fitness center. While there will not be Apple iPads built into the walls, more computers and possibly tablets will be features of the new fitness center, according to Kevin Wright, head football coach and advanced physical conditioning (APC) teacher. Wright said the new devices will help physical education teachers speed up the process of collecting data for their classes. According to Lampe, other useful features include a floor dedicated to weight and cardio training and a basketball court on the second floor with a suspended track. Wright said plans for construction began in 2005, but according to Assistant Principal Doug Bird, construction couldn’t be completed until recently because of the funds that a “top-of-the-line” center required. According to Wright, the center is long overdue and will help overcome the limitations of the older technology CHS used to have. “Our health classrooms are in the academic wing, so unless you go to the academic wing, there’s not much technology to be used in health. We use watches and heart rate monitors to get a lot of our fitness data, so we don’t have much,” he said. “With the APC classes, there’re (more than) 80 students, and we have two computers. When every kid gets to sit down and put their information in, if they each take a minute and a half, that takes us two days. It’s very time-consuming and cumbersome. However, Wright said physical education teachers could use the new equipment to develop lesson plans and workout plans as well as find target areas, strengths and weaknesses much more quickly than they could before. “Taking a class of forty students into the cardio room, putting them onto a piece of equipment, having them work out for 20 minutes and having that information sent back to
SCOTT LIU / PHOTOS
WORK HARD: Construction workers work on the new fitness center (left). The fitness center will include a floor dedicated to weight and cardio training and on the second floor, a basketball court with a track (right). you—(the new technology) has the capability to graph the whole class and find out where each person falls in regards to how far they went or their average heart rate,” he said. “It creates data that is really difficult to obtain just using watches and heart rate monitors.” Wright also said he hoped the interactivity of the new equipment would excite students and interest them in physical fitness, especially since the cardio equipment now includes screens with scenery that moves as users move and the capability to have users design workouts and track progress. “It’s not always fun to just get on a treadmill or run around a track,” he said, “but for students to go on a piece of cardio equipment, to design their own workouts and be able to run up a hill or through a city so they can visually see where they’re going—it’s just really exciting for us in physical education.” According to Bird, other than a short transition period for students and teachers to learn to use the new equipment and navigate the building, the lack of parking space was the
only foreseen problem with the new fitness center. Bird said administrators were already discussing options to remedy the issue but did not have a specific alternative in mind. As for Wright, he said benefits of the center outweigh any potential problems. “This is a really exciting opportunity for any student at CHS who’s involved in a physical education class, which everyone’s required to take—the center is one of those areas where everyone will have an opportunity to utilize it in some shape or form,” he said. “It’ll be an area that I think will be used more than any other area in the school. I think there’s a misconception that it’s an athletic complex when the reality is that it’s a physical education complex. “When you talk about the different classes, from sports medicine to health to basic physical education to APC, every single class is going to be affected in a positive way. That’s something that we’ve needed, and it’s been an eight-year process, although it’s been very exciting. (The new center) really finishes off the campus,” Wright said. “I don’t know why parents would want their kids to go anywhere else.” H
Fitness Center Map The new fitness center is open for use for the first time this year
Fitness Room
Basketball Court Natatorium
Weight and Cardio Room
SCOTT LIU / GRAPHIC
PAGE 6 | FEATURE | HILITE.ORG | AUG. 14, 2013
[feature]
Did you know?
SUBMITFEATURE@HILITE.ORG | HILITE.ORG/FEATURE
At a record low, barely half of all adults in the U.S. are currently married.
The median age for first marriage is at its highest for both men and women. The average bride is now 26.5 and the average groom is 28.7 on their wedding date.
New Trend | Old Parents As more and more parents decide to marry later, students find advantages and disadvantages to having older parents
“The fact is that Megan will be 18 when I turn 70, and then she’ll be a freshman in college.” Mr. Mahoney is an extreme case in the rapidly growing trend of later marriage and subsequent later parenting. Peter “Duffy” Mahoney met his wife in Seattle during the According to the Center for Disease Control, the average 1990 Goodwill Games. He worked as the U.S. team leader, age of first-time parents has risen four years from that of and she served as a certified athletic trainer working with 1970, to the late 20s. This tendency toward later parenting one of the teams. They met again two years later at the is closely connected with the growing inclination toward later marriage; Pew Research reported in a 2011 study that the median age for first marriage has risen about six years. Advantages/Disadvantages Older parenting, according to counselor Stephanie Payne, can have The dynamics of family life may change due to the later parenting trend. Here are some possible benefits and both advantages and disadvantages. drawbacks for families with older parents. “There are definitely a lot of trickledown effects that I don’t think A new parent who is between 35 and 40 people think about when they make years of age has about 15 to 20 years of that decision to wait and have kids adult life expeirience and so has more inner later,” Payne said. “I think we’re in a resources to draw on in times of stress than society right now where it’s all about does a younger parent. me. And I’m going to go out and have fun and establish my career, and then some time later I’ll settle down and Older parents may have lower energy have kids.” levels. They may wonder if they will have However, Payne said the case of the energy to be as active as their child parents waiting until after launching needs them to be. their careers to have kids holds benefits for the children. Middle-aged parents are usually at “They’ve had a chance to become the height of their earning power, more established in their careers, and thus have more financial stability maybe they’ve saved some money, to support a child. they’ve established themselves in a good school system,” she said. “And that, I think, can definitely be an They wonder if they will live to see their advantage for kids.” child become an adult. Will they ever With advanced age comes other see their grandchildren? Will they very benefits. Not only is the financial quickly become a burden to a child just situation more stable, but also the as he is trying to get on his feet as a parents may have more time to spend young adult? with their children. “If I had children when I was young and career-building and on the road Having a first child in midlife provides a and working quite a bit, then I would real sense of renewal. not have nearly as much as I do now for my kids,” Mr. Mahoney said. “I’m a better father because I spend much more time at my children’s events, and When the age difference is 40 or more years, I have the time to do so now that I’ve quite a schism is created; parents worry whether got a fully established career. Whereas their values will be at all relevant to their child. when I was young and in my 30s, I The age difference may be particularly apparent was a college coach and on the road when a child becomes a teenager -- a difficult most weekends, recruiting, I wouldn’t HOWSTUFFWORKS / SOURCE period for even young parents to deal with. have had nearly as much time, and I DENNIS YANG / GRAPHIC don’t think I would have been as good a
LAUREN LU llu@hilite.org
Barcelona Olympic training camp and married the following year. Mr. Mahoney was 48. Four years later, when he was 52, he had junior Meghan Mahoney; four years after that, at the age of 56, Ryan Mahoney was born. “We planned on having kids after a year or so of marriage, but it took a couple years,” Mr. Mahoney said.
AUG. 14, 2013 | HILITE.ORG | HILITE | FEATURE | PAGE 7
Put A Ring On It The older parenting trend has continued its upward growth since 1970, partially due to the decisions of many parents to marry at a later age. Average marriage age 30
25
Age
20
15
10
5
PARENTING DONE RIGHT: The Mahoney family spends time with their pet dog. According to Meghan, her family has not experienced many issues even though she has older parents. NIVEDHA MEYYAPPAN / PHOTOS
father for my children.” he does not plan to retire for some time. Meghan said she spent some time with her parents as “Whether it’s (because of) the economics of our society, a child at their respective workplaces. or that people are just healthier and live longer, I have “My mom is an athletic trainer, so both of my parents no plan of retiring,” he said. “Right now, I don’t see me work full-time,” she said. “But my stopping working, because I am quite mom took me to the high school she healthy and I love my work.” works at, and I basically grew up in the Mr. Mahoney said his advanced training room with all the high school career provides security and benefits kids, watching my mom work.” for his children and household. He However, such advancement in also said his age allows for emotional career is not all beneficial. Payne said stability that younger parents may retirement might be an issue for older not have. parents with students who are just “I have a very balanced approach (to heading to college. parenting),” he said. “I have the patience For the older parent, particularly of an older person. The advantage to those around advanced childbearing having been to 40 countries around the age who have their children after the world is that I have a very different age of 40, Payne said that overlapping Peter “Duffy” Mahoney worldview. I’m very understanding college tuition, social security and Father and accommodating of what my retirement can be a problem. children might do, and I think that’s “I think that would probably have a factor of older age.” an effect on whether they made their decision to retire According to Payne, one downside of older age parenting then, knowing that they’ve got a huge tuition bill to cover is that children often do not have the opportunity to for four more years, or even two more years,” Payne said. meet their grandparents. “I can see that it would hold off retirement at least until “It definitely affects whether you know your grandparents the kid is out of college.” or not, because if your parents are old, your grandparents Mr. Mahoney, now 67 and collecting social security, said may not still be living,” she said.
I’m very understanding and accommodating of what my children might do, and I think that’s a factor of older age.
2010
2000
1990
1980
1970
0
Year INFOPLEASE / SOURCE RUSHI PATEL / GRAPHIC
“(Meghan) knows her maternal grandparents, because they’re still alive, but my mom and dad passed away back in 1991 and 1992, so Meghan didn’t ever know my parents,” Mr. Mahoney said. Meghan said she regrets not being able to get to know her paternal grandparents. “They sounded like nice people,” she said. At the same time, she said she doesn’t spend very much time with her maternal grandparents. Payne said students with older parents may have to support them while first establishing themselves. “Having an older parent could affect (the kid’s) freedom, to some degree, in their 20s,” she said. “If you’ve got older parents that have some health issues, then that could really have an effect on your ability to enjoy your twenties in ways that other people are enjoying it.” Meghan said she isn’t worried about it. “Since my mom is so much younger than my dad, she’ll be able to help, too,” she said. “I never really think about that, because even though my dad is so old, he just seems really young to me. But I have had those thoughts before.” Mr. Mahoney, too, said he is not anxious about the future. “I don’t have any expectations,” Mr. Mahoney said. “I just want her to be happy, I want Ryan to be happy, pick good schools, have a good education and just be good people.” H
PAGE 8 | ENTERTAINMENT | HILITE.ORG | AUG. 14, 2013
[entertainment]
Did you know I’m made of lies? Red velvet cake is actually just chocolate cake dyed red.
SUBMITENTERTAINMENT@HILITE.ORG | HILITE.ORG/ENTERTAINMENT
Let Them Eat Cake
Managing editor Taylor Acton reviews cupcake bakeries in downtown Carmel “Red Velvet Elvis” The Flying Cupcake 831 S. Rangeline Road, Carmel IN 46032 Overall rating: 13/15 Atmosphere:
This seemingly random shop on Rangeline—a quaint, old-school building filled with the aroma of fresh baked cupcakes—is like a throwback to the 1970s. Not only does the wallpaper with “flying cupcakes” draw your attention to the counter, but the gift shop located on the side of the store also creates a fun environment. The shop is filled with pastel colors and “cutesy” decor. If you’re looking for a “boho chic” cafe to spend hours in, this is not the place you are looking for. It’s meant to attract simple traditionalists, ideally with children, who are looking for a cupcake. When you think of what a cupcake shop should look like, The Flying Cupcake is a perfect example. Score:
Service:
The store can be busy sometimes, and with only a few employees, the line can be long. The cupcakes are either boxed to go or served on a plate. Overall, the service is adequate but could be better. Score:
Pass the Cocoa
These “flying cupcakes” are definitely large enough to be worth $3.50.
Food:
Can’t get enough?
The Flying Cupcake is definitely the best place to get cupcakes in Carmel. The “Red Velvet Elvis” is my favorite of every cupcake I tried. It has nice frosting consistency, as well as tasty red velvet cake. An additional touch to this recipe is the large chocolate chips in the middle that melt in your mouth. The “Happy Birthday to Me” cupcake is a delicious chocolate cupcake. The frosting tastes like a Hershey’s chocolate bar, and the cake is moist and delectable. This cupcakes are massive in size and have a great cupcake-to-frosting ratio. They are very filling and satisfying. With a variety of options (even glutenfree and vegan choices), you can never go wrong with The Flying Cupcake.
Check out this food blog by HiLite alums Monica Cheng ’11 and Caroline Zhang ’11 for cupcake recipes and much, much more.
Score:
COMPILED BY TAYLOR ACTON tacton@hilite.org
“Happy Birthday to Me”
TAYLOR ACTON / PHOTOS
AUG. 14, 2013 | HILITE.ORG | ENTERTAINMENT | PAGE 9
“Red Velvet with Cream Cheese Frosting”
Auntie Em’s 111 W. Main St., Carmel IN 46032 Overall rating: 11/15
“Chocolate with Chocolate Frosting on the Inside”
Atmosphere:
Conveniently located on Main Street in downtown Carmel, Auntie Em’s is a wonderful place to eat. Designed after an old diner in the ’50s, Auntie Em’s makes you feel like you should strap on a pair of rollerblades and ride around with the workers. The black-and-white checkered tile floor is a nice touch. Score:
Service:
The owners and employees here make you feel at home. They truly would do anything to win over the customers and make them content with their purchases. The paper plates the cupcakes are served on seem a little less formal, which may be a downfall. Score:
Food:
With a variety of options other than cupcakes, Auntie Em’s has delicious food. The store’s classic red velvet cupcake is not one of my personal favorites. Although the cake tastes good, the frosting tastes artificial. The chocolate cupcake, however, is amazing. The chocolate frosting is light and fluffy, and the cake tastes great. If you are looking for a variety of options, you can’t go wrong with Auntie Em’s.
These cupcakes are very rich, decently sized, and not as expensive as their competitors at just $3.
Score:
Holy Cow Cupcakes! 61 City Center Drive, Carmel IN 46032 Overall rating: 9/15 Atmosphere:
“Red Velvet”
For $3.50, these cupcakes from Holy Cow Cupcakes! were small and overpriced.
The inside of this building is designed in a modern style. The bright blue walls get your attention, and as you walk around the corner, there are couches and swivel chairs to sit in. Along the wall there are photographs taken by the locals of Carmel. Holy Cow Cupcakes! is a great place to sit back and enjoy a cupcake or some ice cream.
Score:
Service:
The employees are positive and upbeat. However, the cupcakes are served on napkins, and a cup of water is usually just in a clear plastic cup. After paying $3.50 for a cupcake, that feels like a little bit of a ripoff. Score:
Food:
Definitely my least favorite of the three cupcake shops I went to. The red velvet cupcake tasted dry and appeared brown, not red. The frosting was good, but frosting can only be so good when the cake itself doesn’t taste great. The chocolate cupcake is decent because the cake is delicious, but the frosting tastes artificial. The cupcake-to-frosting ratio is not good, seeing as how a mountain of (mediocre) frosting is piled on top of each cupcake. The cupcakes are approximately half the size and half as good as the cupcakes from Flying Cupcake but are sold for the same price.
“Chocolate with Chocolate Frosting”
Score:
cover story
PAGE 10 | COVER STORY | HILITE | HILITE.ORG | AUG. 14, 2013
ONE MAN
AUG. 14, 2013 | HILITE.ORG | HILITE | COVER STORY | PAGE 11
After the recent passage of Senate Bill 189, students and teachers have more freedom to explore nontraditional education methods such as independent study courses.
S
itting in a sparsely populated, teacher-less practice room for an hour and a half, senior Sasha Scott practices both her viola and how to be her own teacher. Scott, who has been in orchestra throughout all four years of high school and the performing arts independent study course for two years, said she finds the independent class helpful in furthering her musical skills. “It’s a practice room, so you just sit there by yourself,” Scott said. “Basically you’re the teacher of your own class, and you get checked on every once in a while, but not that often.” CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
SHOW
by Naomi Reibold
LAUREN LU / GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION
PAGE 12 | COVER STORY | HILITE | HILITE.ORG | AUG. 14, 2013 at a point where they are ready for that However, with the new Scott and other students like her independent study and that’s why I think it’s so opportunities offered to CHS Prerequisites: Art who take one of the three independent rare because I think there are a great through Senate Bill 189, this Drawing 4 or study classes outwardly number of students who might case could become less rare. four semesters offered at CHS – get into that situation and “I think (the bill) could of crafts performing arts, art and photography – learn think ‘free time’ instead of allow independent study for Teacher in a very different environment from the pounding the books and some core classes especially approval traditionally structured classes of a teacher really learning,” Cool said. if students are interested in Grades: 12 teaching and students listening. According Along with being motivated pursuing that major. Like a Credit: 2 RW Photography to a TIME magazine article titled, “A to work, maturity plays a factor biology independent study for High School Where the Students Are the in whether or not students will someone who wants to be a bio Teachers,” written in March of 2013, studies be successful in independent study, major,” Scott said. Prerequisites: have shown independent study classes are according to Lambert. While Scott said she finds the Photography I and II the way students learn best in any subject. “Students that are more mature performing arts independent study class helpful, she said she Teacher approval Additionally, with the new opportunities are probably going to do better with would not like to take other classes with this structure. Grades: 11 and 12 this school has been granted through Senate independent study,” Lambert said. Credit: 1 RW “I think for at least me and for how I learn, I think it’s at least better Bill 189 that allow it more freedom from state Scott said this factor applies to her (Regular Weight) if a teacher teaches me. I mean if I tried to do everything on my own, standards and regulations, independent study as well. I would get nothing done,” Scott said. courses could become a more common feature at CHS. “I know that if I took independent study However, Scott However, some at this school don’t believe freshman year, I would have just sat around,” Scott said because she takes independent study courses are the best said. “So having three years of orchestra under my belt has both orchestra and for every student. helped me focus and know that I need to work and know that I an independent study “The best kind of students have things to get done.” course for viola, it helps for independent study are While independent study is not for everyone, CHS does her to learn how to play Independent students that have an interest allow students to take an independent study course on any instrument better. Study Courses in (a specific subject),” subject, according to Cool. However, the course cannot be her“I’m Photojournalism more school psychologist Valerie Prerequisites: one already offered at this school and the student must find a successful because at Carmel Lambert said, “because if Advanced Digital teacher to mentor them. I have both time to they’re not interested in it, it’s Photojournalism “There are times when a student may have more knowledge learn it and teach it going to be hard for them to stay Application about a subject than even a teacher does,” Cool said. to myself, but I think motivated to do it.” Teacher approval According to Cool, it is very rare that a student may choose teaching it to myself Grades: 10 to 12 Scott said she agrees with this assessment. to do this because this school already has a multitude of courses only would not work,” Credit: 1 RW “I think it’s for people who actually have to be to offer. she said. driven because if you’re like, ‘I’m going to take “In an area like math, we offer so much math, According to independent study to do homework,’ then you’re there isn’t really a need for (independent lame,” Scott said. study courses), because there are probably According to Lambert, students who take only about 30 kids a year that Performing independent study courses also need good get to our highest math Arts independent study skills. course,” she said. Prerequisites: “They have to know how to break Musical Experience things down on their own and monitor Application their own learning and monitor their own Teacher approval work and for some students those kinds of Grades: 9 to 12 things are very difficult,” she said. Credit: 2 RW School counselor Bettina Cool said it is very unlikely for students to be fit for independent study in the core subjects of education such as math, science and English. “I’m not sure that a lot of students are really CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
IN FOCUS: Senior Sasha Scott concentrates on practicing her viola. Scott said she has been a part of the orchestra program for three years.
AUG. 14, 2013 | HILITE.ORG | HILITE | COVER STORY | PAGE 13 Lambert, despite a majority of classes at CHS not being independent study courses, teachers use methods with similar concepts, such as the gradual release of responsibility method, to help students learn more effectively. “Kind of a simple way to describe what (the gradual release of responsibility method) looks like is: first I do it, then we do it together, then you do it,” Lambert said. “It’s more the student taking Computer Science responsibility for the Prerequisites: learning and the teacher kind AP Computer Science of just coaching them along, Teacher approval maybe, and the students really Grades: 11 and 12 doing more of the learning Credit: 2 RW themselves.” Scott said she sees this method most in her orchestra class, but also in her past core classes. “We do that a lot in orchestra class and rehearsal, also in anatomy with dissections and AP Lit with timed writes, probably math, too, with
homework and such,” Scott said. According to Scott, this method can act as a gateway to Science Research independent study courses. Prerequisites: “In independent study you Application are expected to have skills to be Teacher approval able to teach yourself through Grades: 9 to 12 independent practice. So I think Credit: 2 RW you have to have been taught the gradual release of responsibility (method) to be able to benefit from independent study,” she said. For those who are fit for and take independent study, they can be better prepared for life after high school, according to Lambert. “It sets a student up for
success after high school,” Lambert said. “For college you have to take a lot more ownership of your learning and then just in life, being a lifelong learner and wanting to benefit yourself to learn things for the sake of learning things.” Lambert, Cool and Scott agreed that independent study can be a positive learning method for those best suited for it. HIC Scott said, “It could be beneficial. I RAP G / LU think it just depends on your REN LAU learning style.” H For a complete list, look in the Program of Studies or ask a counselor.
(Independent study) sets a student up for success after high school. For college you have to take a lot more ownership of your learning and then just in life, being a lifelong learner and wanting to benefit yourself to learn things for the sake of learning things. Valerie Lambert School psychologist
OTOS
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Breaking Dow
ls that ws for schoo lo al h ic h w , 9 18 ements. d Senate Bill are the requir cently passe e re er e h T at . en g S lin a The Indian their schedu autonomy in qualify some
Freedom... -to choose, develop and implement a curriculum -to conduct teacher evaluations -to organize classroom time based on instructional minutes rather than the 180-day requirement -to create individual plans for career training -from state regulation dealing with high ability students
Performance Level -90 percent district-wide graduation rate -composite SAT scores of district graduates must be higher than state average -at least 25 percent of students must earn a 3, 4 or 5 on an AP Exam or graduate with technical honors
Benchmarks -High school: at least 85 percent must pass Algebra I or English 10, or both -Middle school: at least 85 percent of students in grades 6, 7 and 8 must pass ISTEP English or Math, or both -Elementary school: at least 85 percent of students in grades 3, 4 and 5 must pass ISTEP English or Math, or both CONNIE CHU / GRAPHIC
PAGE 14 | SPORTS | HILITE.ORG | AUG. 14, 2013
[sports]
DID YOU KNOW? More than 50 percent of Injuries are preventable.
SUBMITSPORTS@HILITE.ORG | HILITE.ORG/SPORTS
STREETDIRECTORY.COM / SOURCE
A Dynamic Change in Thinking Studies show dynamic stretching provides better results than static stretching BY MADISON ADZEMA madzema@hilite.org
A
n April article from The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research concluded that static stretching can slow runners’ speeds and may not even prevent injuries as previously assumed. Edhard “Doc” Bell, head coach of the men’s cross-country team, said he has developed a stretching routine that embodies these ideals and was developed specifically to benefit crosscountry runners. “The most recent research is proving that chronic static passive stretch does very little to prevent injuries and it may actually decrease your level of performance,” Bell said. Specifically, the study determined that static stretching reduces strength in stretched muscles. Bell said the crosscountry teams have been aware of these findings, which have led to coaches to develop dynamic stretching routines specifically meant to warm up muscles before a run. Bell said he implemented these techniques when he became coach for the team. He said, “It has been shown that if you only use static stretching then that makes you less flexible and less warmed up for your activity and can hurt performance and dynamic
is meant to warm up the body and get the joints moving and that is designed to improve performance.” Ben Anderson, varsity cross-country runner and senior, said the team usually runs a mile warm-up, then stretches for 10 to 15 minutes, fluctuating between dynamic and static stretches. However, Anderson said when he runs on his own, he normally does not stretch. “I know whenever I stretch my legs feel better, so I go faster, but if nothing hurts I just don’t (stretch) because it gets boring and repetitive so I’ll just do what works best for me,” Anderson said. Although Bell said he does advocate dynamic stretching more than static, he said he does believe it is an important method for runners. As a doctor, he said he witnesses injuries that could have been prevented with the use of static stretching. “(Static stretching) is one of the best ways to increase range of motion and maintain flexibility,” Bell said. Jessica Lecher, cross-country runner and senior, said the women’s team follows a similar stretching routine during cross-country season. She said she believes it is even more important for the girls to stretch because they face more injuries due to lack of stretching than the men’s team. She said she feels that both dynamic and static stretches help her warm
up before a practice. “I can’t really tell a difference. As long as I stretch in some form, my legs don’t feel heavy after I run and that’s all that matters,” Lecher said. Neither Anderson nor Lecher said they would choose to stretch before a run if they had the choice. They both said that it can be tedious and they do not always see the benefits. Bell said he tries to emphasize the importance of stretching to his runners. “The muscles are not made to go right out of the box; you have to warm the body up to minimize your chance of injury, which is why we have to stretch,” he said. Bell said he hoped with the implementation of dynamic stretches, his runners would be encouraged to stretch outside of practice, thus reducing the amount of injuries. “Along with being the more effective form of stretching, I think it’s also more fun for the kids and I think it makes the kids find (stretching) more bearable,” Bell said. Overall, Bell said the benefits of dynamic stretching outweigh those of static. Anderson and Lecher both said the cross-country teams benefit from the coaches’ knowledge of sports medicine. Bell said, “Articles like this improve the science of sports medicine and if you can follow the science it’ll make us better H coaches and better athletes that can be the best.”
Dynamic Stretches
STRETCHING TIME: Ben Anderson, varsity cross-country runner and senior, performs a variety of dynamic stretches before a run. Clockwise from left: Anderson performs the “Military Walk”, which also stretches the hamstring. Anderson executes the Carioca stretch, which stretches his torso. Anderson does the lunge stretch. Anderson stretches his hamstring when doing a toe touches stretch.
ARSALAN SIDDIQUI / PHOTOS
AUG. 14, 2013 | HILITE.ORG | SPORTS | PAGE 15
Athletes, coaches learn to cope with summer heat during training BY ARSALAN SIDDIQUI asiddiqui@hilite.org Last fall was one to remember. Not only it was scorching hot, but also it rarely rained. While many sports teams practice during the fall, they also have to adjust to practicing in hot weather. As athletes such as Michael George, cross-country runner and senior, keep last fall fresh in their minds, they use it to prepare for practicing for this upcoming fall season. George constantly battles heat while running during the cross-country season. According to George, the cross-country season ranges from the summer to the end of fall. George said that it is exceptionally warm during most of the season and, as a result, affects him while he runs. George said that he has not really thought of heat as a big issue at first but eventually learned that it can be a danger when dealing with it while running. “I learned a lot about running in heat,” George said. “Heat can really cause harm.” In addition, George said he takes many preventative measures while running in excessive heat. Some measures that George takes are running in the shade as much as possible and drinking around 16 ounces of water per 90 minutes. He said he prefers to run in the morning since it is cooler and with a partner to make sure someone is there in case of emergencies. “I still want to get a solid workout without sacrificing myself (against heat),” George said. George is not alone. According to an August 2012 article on NPR.com, the University of Conneticut’s Korey Stringer Institute, named after the late NFL offensive lineman died from a heat stroke in 2001 during practice, says that many athletes have to go through practices in hot weather. The institute also tests athletes for heatrelated illnesses. The article said that getting proper hydration and rest are important while practicing in hot weather. By doing so, it will reduce the risk of getting a heat stroke or other heat-related illnesses. The article states that drinking too much water can be a hazard
Beware of the Heat Here are some warning signs for heat related illlnesses •Muscle cramps •Nausea •Vomiting •Fatigue •Headache •Dizziness If any of these conditions persist: •Immediately stop exercise •Drink a moderate amount of water. •Rest •Stand close to a fan or pour water on your body MAYOCLINIC.COM / SOURCE
Staying Safe Athletes can follow these tips in order to stay safe while practicing in hot weather
Proper hydration is crucial when exercising in hot weather. Drink around 20 ounces of water two hours before exercise and eight ounces right before exercise.
Avoid exercising between 10 a.m and 4 p.m since those are the hottest hours of the day. Instead, practice either early morning or the evening.
Run in the shade as much as possible when practicing outside. The shade will help protect athletes from the heat.
Make sure to eat a proper diet. Along with drinking water, eat plenty of fruits. Avoid caffeine since it accelerates the effects of dehydration.
Wear light, breathable clothing when exercising. Lighter clothing reflects the sun and that will help relieve heat.
Be careful when taking medications because some can intensify the effects of heat-related illnesses. Ask a doctor if you are unsure. WEBMD.COM / SOURCE DENNIS YANG / GRAPHIC
easier the runners are close to the locker room in case since it can lead to water poisoning. of emergencies. Like George, Nathaniel “Nate” Thompson, football Like George and Thompson, Ellington emphasizes on player and junior, also has to practice during the hot hydration. Ellington said that safety is his main priority season of fall. Thompson emphasizes on the importance and he wants to keep all members of his of hydration while at team safe. practice. He also uses his “As I complete nearly all workouts with two-minute break to rest our athletes, I consider what I may be and hydrate in order to get experiencing and am sure to communicate prepared for drills. with athletes as we are working out.” “(Heat) makes you realize Ellington said. “I also work to remind that you need to hydrate on athletes and their parents about how to your own,” Thompson said. best prepare for the heat and how to deal Along with athletes, with it once we are completing workouts coaches also have to take Nathaniel “Nate” Thompson in it.” precautions when preparing Football center and junior While athletes like George and practices with blistering Thompson strive to get better in the fall, heat. Mark Ellington, head they also have to prepare against practicing coach of the women’s crossin the heat. George said that he wants to get better but country team, is one of the many coaches that have to he does not wants to push himself too hard. prepare for hot weather practices. Ellington said he You need to be safe when doing an activity in the heat. advises his runners to run in the shade more often to Just make sure you listen to your body,” George said. H protect themselves against the heat. Ellington said that he reduces distances for practice on really hot days so it’s
(Heat) makes you realize that you need to hydrate on your own.
PAGE 16 | PERSPECTIVES | HILITE.ORG | AUG 14, 2013
[perspectives] SUBMITPERSPECTIVES@HILITE.ORG | HILITE.ORG/PERSPECTIVES
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CHS should take advantage of Senate Bill 189 to encourage innovative thinking, appreciation of learning
St a
This year could be the start of something new. According to Senate Bill 189, which was passed this spring and took effect on July 1, schools that have earned the status of “high-performing” are granted greater flexibility from state standards in their curriculum, teacher evaluations, calendar and other areas. This new status is designed to grant schools like ours the opportunity to reach more and greater achievements. It also gives us the chance to explore new avenues of education and foster students’ creativity in ways that unfortunately, the current American education system often stifles. It is time for us to sort out our priorities. America’s politicians for years have been hankering for higher test scores, higher college admissions rates and more STEM degrees. On the surface, these are admirable goals, but the side effect is an education system that values numbers and grades over the students’ ability to innovate. Due to state requirements, this school has seen movement in the wrong direction in recent years. With the implementation of programs like RISE, teachers are encouraged to put too much emphasis on data to determine students’ progress. This school should take this chance to step back from the standardized test-based evaluations currently required by the state. While it is important to have a way to measure achievement, test scores are an attempt to objectively measure the subjective process of learning. The emphasis on a product-reward mentality has a vastly underestimated impact on students’ attitudes
Speak Up!
toward school and learning. Students have only been taught to succeed in the game of school, in the predictable structure of a classroom setting, and it should surprise no one that they react accordingly. Cheating, cramming, memorizing meaningless facts, developing formulaic responses - every student at some point has faked his way through the system. And who wouldn’t, when it is only the end result that matters, rather than the longterm development of their minds? With less focus on data and testing, teachers should focus more on how students learn in the classroom. In a 2010 TEDtalk, Sir Ken Robinson likened the current education system to an industrial model, based on conformity, batches of products and one linear path to success. This is an antiquated idea. Half of learning is not what we learn, but how we learn to learn, because students’ ability to think creatively and analytically will serve them far more and far longer in the unpredictable future than the actual content of a lesson. Teachers should be encouraged to maximize learning in the classroom, rather than testing for posterity. It’s bad enough that students have been indoctrinated to chase test scores and the A grade—the last thing we need is for teachers to do so as well. Evaluation methods like RISE do more to antagonize teachers than to encourage them, rewarding teachers for teaching the material that will
be on their own tests rather than teaching students to think like a mathematician, writer, historian, scientific researcher or professional artist. A little creativity, such as in the proposed alternative senior schedule, could go a long way in motivating students and showing them the real consequences of their academics by allowing seniors to explore post-high school options, Students need more freedom to converse with their teachers. Every student has had the experience of entering an engaging, fascinating discussion with a teacher, only to have the teacher shut down because it’s not in the curriculum and there’s a test next week. These are the moments in which educators can teach their students to love learning and think outside the box of what they need to know for the final exam. And these are the moments we cut short. We applaud teachers, students, and administrators here for making this an exceptional, “high-performing school” and for taking initiative with Senate Bill 189. Now we must move on to the next step for our school and for American education at large—creating an environment that fosters the creativity and aptitude in every student, rather than stifling them. Senate Bill 189 has given this school a tremendous amount of potential, H and we cannot afford to waste it.
This school should take this chance to step back from the standardized test-based evaluations currently required by the state
COMPILED BY NIVEDHA MEYYAPPAN, ASTER SAMUEL
Do you think there should be more creativity in the classroom? How?
Sophomore Stanley Liu
Junior Cassandra Rennard
Yes, teachers could integrate more interactive activities into their lectures, such as using clickers to input answers.
Yes, maybe just incorporate more art and craft activities in the classroom. It might seem kind of juvenile, but I think it would actually get kids involved.
Junior Michael Leonard
Yes, just by not completely structuring the way teachers teach and just by letting them do their own thing.
Senior Taylor Antonacci
Senior Caleb Gray
History teacher Matt Dillon
No, I think that there’s an abundant amount of creativity in the classroom as is, at least in the courses I’ve taken. But they might want to skip back on essays.
Yes, they could come up with more interactive class activities that don’t detract from the learning of the class as a whole.
No, I think there’s a lot of creativity in the classroom. But since there are a lot of standards, in certain cases there isn’t a lot of wiggle room for teachers.
AUG 14, 2013 | HILITE.ORG | HILITE | PERSPECTIVES | PAGE 17
OPINION
Managing Editor Hafsa Razi
Graphic Perspective
Insecure. Americans must recognize privacy risks and protest arbitrary government surveillance.
Just so no one thinks I’m hysterical—this isn’t 1984. This Yes, there is legitimate need for surveillance of potential is 2013. This is the information era, in which our lives are threats. Yes, much of our personal information is already in increasingly recorded, traceable, digitized. And in this era, the hands of others, either because we publicize ourselves no one should be surprised by the dilemma America faces in online or because we grant it to a company in exchange for a light of recent revelations. service, like insurance (or, indeed, phone service) or because Leaked documents published in June in The Guardian it is necessary for a government process, like taxes. and The Washington Post reveal an ongoing National Security But this systematically unsystematic gathering of Agency (NSA) program titled Prism, under which the NSA information makes my skin crawl It exceeds rational has access to the servers of major Internet limitations and abuses the availability of corporations like Google, Microsoft and information to justify taking possession Apple, as well as users’ search histories, of it. To be clear, I’m not afraid of my emails, chats and file attachments. The government. I don’t believe that this NSA was also revealed to be collecting the sweeping surveillance will have much phone records of every Verizon customer. direct impact, positive or negative, on In the aftermath, White House most Americans’ lives. But we should not officials ran damage control, citing the forfeit our right to private information Time for some surveillance as constitutional under the without just cause. I’m not astounded thrilling heroics Patriot Act, as vital to national security that with such unprecedented amounts and infuriatingly, as completely normal of information at their fingertips, in the post-9/11 world. intelligence officials want all they can Americans should be far more get. But we have to draw a line and limit disturbed than they are now. The surveillance to what is necessary and NSA is not specifically or even effective. categorically targeting threats - it This isn’t the time to cry wolf on takes blanket access to every Internet America turning into a dystopian user, every Verizon customer’s police state. This is the time to urge a personal information. There is no reevaluation of surveillance methods method. There are unprecedentedly in the information age. It is the time few constraints. It is true that much of this collated be the “check” in checks and balances and exert our right of information goes unused - but that does not justify the petition. Send a letter to our Congressional representative, or policy of surveilling everyone and hoping to catch a break. more conveniently, sign the StopWatchingUs protest online White House claims of the programs’ indispensability are and a sample letter will automatically be sent to Congress, ill-substantiated and seem to rely on American apathy demanding greater transparency, intelligence policy reform rather than evidence. And they are succeeding. and investigation into the unnerving, unjustified and unH It is ironic to me that we, the nation paranoid of American actions of the NSA. government overreach, are so silent now. Yes, Americans can be hypersensitive when it comes to government interference in The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views private lives (I’m looking at you, healthcare and gun control). of the HiLite staff. Reach Hafsa Razi at hrazi@hilite.org.
This is the time to urge a reevaluation of surveillance methods
OPINION
Managing Editor Andrew Wang
Just do it. Take risks, find your passion, and pursue it. Here we are again: the beginning of a new school year. Each new year brings a fresh start, new people and new opportunities. Yet every year, it upsets me to see so many people continuing to float through life with apathetic, passive attitudes. I understand if you’re like me and still haven’t found something you are passionate about, but everyone can at least attempt to find something that they care about. Last year, I joined clubs, talked to a lot of new people and went out of my comfort zone. From only one year of exploring new things, I learned so much more about myself and my interests, and I look forward to expanding my horizons even more this year. It’s easy to take some time to do new things that you find interesting, and there are so many opportunities to take
advantage of at a school as diverse and as large as this one. And when you actually do find the passion in your life, pursue it. Take risks. Have fun. Don’t be afraid of failure; see it as another opportunity to improve yourself. Sometimes when you’re exploring what you like, you might end up doing things that you regret, but that happens to everyone. If you never go out of your comfort zone, you can’t expect to find much enjoyment out of life. While some new things might seem scary and daunting, you should still try to experience them and find out if they’re things you like. I’m little So take advantage of this new beginning, find something you enjoy and H take risks.
Take advantage of this new beginning
The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff. Reach Andrew Wang at awang@hilite.org.
Explore new places. Go to concerts. Go paintballing. Tip a cow. Rope swing into water. Climb a massive tree. Have a tomato fight. Witness a lunar eclipse. Watch a meteor shower. Bike on the beach. Learn how to use a DSLR. Make homemade ice cream. Catch fireflies. Have a water balloon fight. Play messy twister. Learn how to play poker. Go to a drive-in movie. Throw a surprise party. Go camping and star-gazing. Watch the sunrise. Catch up on sleep.
CONNIE CHU / GRAPHIC
PAGE 18 | PERSPECTIVES | HILITE | HILITE.ORG | AUG. 14, 2013
OPINION
Managing editor Taylor Acton
iLife. Teens often overlook the negative impacts their smartphones have on their lifestyles. “No phones at the table,” “put away the cell phone prove to be both beneficial and convenient. However, like during class” and “don’t text and drive” are phrases that most things, when handled without moderation, it can prove seem to be thrown around by parents to their children on to be harmful. a regular basis. Although it may seem to create a sense Teens have become so accustomed to of community and togetherness, the result having their phones with them all day often has the opposite effect. that they forget to turn them off while Students often tend to overlook the Hakuna learning, driving or even eating dinner opportunities right in front of them Stop matata and with their family. because they are distracted by what is smell the The inattentiveness and lack of happening in their own world of texts, pine trees regard for others resulting from phone tweets and Instagram posts. Smartphonefixation negatively impact teens’ using teens care more about capturing everyday lives as well as the people an event through the lens of their around them. iPhone than capturing it in their mind. Over the past year, smartphone Smartphone usage has generated adoption among American teenagers a culture burdened by the obsessive has been on the rise, increasing and prodding “need” to update social exponentially; consequentially, social media accounts upon experiencing media access on cell phones has something interesting as opposed to increasingly become commonplace. enjoying the moment. According to a recent poll by the Phones have not only been robbing Pew Research Center, 78 percent of teens of time, interaction and life teens now own a cell phone and 47 experiences in the daytime, but also percent of these smart phones. have continued their thievery in the The increased accessibility of night. Adolescents so addicted to Internet and social media outlets spending time on their phones that coming from the popularization of they rarely turn them off when they are smartphones has made it difficult for ready to go to bed. high school students, including Carmel’s Researchers from the University of own, to evade their negative effects. Toyko have discovered mental health problems linked to With the click of a few keys, students are able to be in teens’ late night cell phone use and sleep deprivation from immediate contact with one another, which, at times can midnight phone calls and texts.
Previous generations have never experienced this kind of immediate answers and constant communication.
OPINION
Also, according to the Washington Post, only eight percent of teenagers are getting the nine hours of sleep their bodies need. When teenagers stay up to use their phones, they ultimately sacrifice the valuable time they could be using to sleep. In addition to the mental effects cell usage has inflicted upon teens, the very nature of cell phone use has changed over the course of the 21st century. Interactions have gone from face-to-face conversations in a stationary manner to an everlasting, constant communication that moves with teens throughout their daily lives. This never-ending communication comes at a high and dangerous cost but fortunately has an easy solution. If teenagers cut down on their cell phone and smartphone use by even an hour a day (especially later at night) they may be able to “live in the moment” and not rely on the small electronic device in their pocket to get through the day. Teens would, in turn, get more sleep and have more time staying awake during school, thus improving their focus and concentration, leading to better academic performance in school. Similarly, teens may also lower their risk of getting into a motor accident due to the decrease in the practice of texting during driving or even gain more quality time with those they love by being present in real life rather than being distracted by social media, text messages and, H overall, our personal smartphones. The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff. Reach Taylor Acton at tacton@hilite.org.
Managing editor Eric He
Learning outside the classroom. Students should strive to implement, enhance knowledge through internships Visualize this: spending a few hours a day every weekday and supplement my experience in a science-related job. of your summer sitting at a desk transferring colorless liquid The internship differed from past classroom experiences from container to container, slowly following the instructions in that it was one-on-one with a professor who worked in a written out that ask you to add a nanoliter (yes, that’s about lab on a daily basis. He was able to give me insight into the one millionth of a liter) of water or additional colorless liquids requirements, benefits and detriments involved with working during each transfer. in such a setting. I spent my summer performing what Students who do not get the some may call tedious work such as the opportunity to intern do not get to attain scenario described above rather than crucial skills outside of academia that spending every moment out in the sun, be applicable in a future job; for Veni, vidi, vici would and, to be frank, I enjoyed every moment example, I was able to observe my mentor Stop and of it. deal with all aspects of his job such as lab smell the What many students do not realize work, department meetings and meetings pine trees nowadays is the importance of not with peers to discuss work. only excelling in academics but also in In a classroom setting, students are enjoying and developing a passion for lectured by the teacher for up to 90 learning opportunities through learning minutes. They then digest the information, outside of the classroom. This summer I complete homework assignments to sought to fortify my passion for science fortify their understanding and finally through an internship at IUPUI, working complete a test to prove their proficiency in a lab every day to find an application for the skills learned with the subject. in both chemistry and biology classes. In an internship setting, students gain more hands on Along with applying my past knowledge, I gained experience with applying such proficiency in the real world. additional knowledge that helped to cement my interest My mentor explained the science behind the experiment we
would conduct, and then he would explain how to conduct the experiment and show me. I would finally then apply what I had learned and repeat the experiment on my own. This process allowed me to learn from my own mistakes just as I would be required to in a realistic job setting while also learning about the advanced processes needed to conduct such experiments. Instead of just having a teacher grade a paper and say my answers were incorrect, I was able to apply my knowledge and learn from any “incorrect” and “faulty” actions I would take. Overall, my internship experience culminated in a more improved aptitude in the sciences and a greater appreciation for learning both inside and outside of the classroom this summer break. So throughout this year or even next summer, students should proactively search for opportunities to learn outside the classroom. In the end it will serve to supplement their current knowledge and their future prospects. Overall a combination of both learning within and outside the classroom will lead H to success. The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff. Reach Eric He at ehe@hilite.org.
AUG. 14, 2013 | HILITE.ORG | HILITE | PERSPECTIVE | PAGE 19
OPINION
Editor in chief Claudia Huang
Awareness. Students must be aware of government decisions regarding STEM education. This summer, I had the privilege of attending the Research Science Institute (RSI) hosted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with 80 other high school students aspiring to be scientists. This six-week summer program is an introduction to scientific research, where privileged students are paired up with mentors in leading Boston-area laboratories to conduct scientific research. This was, hands down, the most transformative experience of my entire life, as I was given the fantastic opportunity to conduct microbiology research at Professor Anthony Sinskey’s lab at MIT. Also, I had the distinct honor of attending lectures given by Nobel Laureates Phillip Sharp, Dudley Herschbach and Wolfgang Ketterle. Herschbach even gave me a hug after his presentation. I was able to attend RSI free of cost due to the generous donations of sponsors, including U.S. governmental agencies such as the Department of Defense. Going to RSI made me realize even more the importance of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education in the United States. However, this is not a shared sentiment in the Obama administration. According to The Scientific American, while the budget for the 2014 fiscal year does have a 6 percent increase in funding, the planned restructuring of the programs into three agencies—the Department of Education, the National Science Foundation and the Smithsonian Institution—is seen as being detrimental to the growth of STEM education. The Science Educational Partnership Program (SEPA) that funds 60 different informational programs is being cancelled to this restructuring and will cause the National Institute of Health (NIH) to face a loss of $26 million. These budget changes are especially concerning, when one considers the current state of STEM education in the United States. The United States is falling behind other developed nations regarding testing in STEM, as shown by the results of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).
Out of 27 developed countries, the United States ranks 25th in math and 17th in science. It is imperative and crucial for us to spread awareness about the irrationality of the government decisions on STEM education and to also promote STEM education in the United States in a more prolific and widespread manner. As high school students, we can try to take more challenging science courses to expose ourselves to the subject in question. The more exposure students get to STEM, the more likely they will be inclined to study the subject in the near future. Also, it is important for us keep open minds about pursuing STEM careers in the future. Additionally, science teachers should take a more active role in influencing students to major in STEM fields in college. Moreover, encouraging students to pursue STEM careers can have a positive effect on the economy. A report released by the Brookings Institute in June 2013 reported that 20 percent of all careers had the requirement of a high level of knowledge in one STEM field. It demonstrated fully that STEM-oriented cities tended to have more positive performance regarding economic indicators like employment. Fortunately, according to The Scientific American, the Senate Appropriations Committee showed its disapproval of the restructuring, finding that it would diminish and undermine the quality of the current STEM programs. But there have surfaced concerns that the slow pace of the budget changes will not be able to reverse of the effects of the restructuring program quickly enough and inhibit the growth of STEM education. However, hopefully, through greater awareness about STEM education, these problems that are created by the budget cuts will be able to remediate and students will be exposed to science in a positive, influential and effective manner through enriching and helpful programs like the RSI H and SEPA.
This was, hands down, the most transformative experience of my entire life.
The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff. Reach Claudia Huang at chuang@hilite.org.
Contact information
Mailing Address: 520 E. Main St., Carmel, IN 46032 Phone: (317) 846-7721, Ext. 7143 Website: www.hilite.org E-mail: Staff members of the HiLite may be contacted by using their first initial and their last name appending @hilite.org. For example, Claudia Huang will receive mail sent to chuang@hilite.org.
Responding to the HiLite
Letters to the editor will be accepted for the Sept.12 issue no later than Aug. 30. Letters may be submitted in Room C147, placed in the mailbox of Jim Streisel, emailed to letters@hilite.org or mailed to school. All letters must be signed. Names will be published. (Letters sent via email will be taken to a student’s SRT for him to sign.) Letters must not contain personal attacks against an individual and may be edited.
Purpose
The HiLite is a student publication distributed to students, faculty and staff of Carmel High School, with a press run of 4,500. Copies are distributed to every school in the Carmel Clay district as well as the Chamber of Commerce, city hall and the Carmel Clay Public Library. The paper serves as a public forum and two-way communication for both the school and the community. Opinions expressed in the newspaper are not necessarily those of CHS nor the Carmel Clay system faculty, staff or administration.
Credentials
The HiLite belongs to the Indiana High School Press Association, Quill & Scroll and the National Scholastic Press Association.
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EDITOR IN CHIEF Claudia Huang MANAGING EDITORS Taylor Acton Eric He Hafsa Razi Andrew Wang ACCOUNTANT Mitch Lindgren ACUMEN Julie Xu Jason Klein ADS TEAM Case Pasanen 15 MINUTES Naomi Reibold
Graphic Perspective
BEATS/ CALENDAR Maham Nadeem COVER STORY Lauren Lu ENTERTAINMENT Miriam Hu Joseph Lee FEATURE Crystal Chen Rushi Patel DENNIS YANG / GRAPHIC CHRISHAN FERNANDO / GRAPHIC
FRONT PAGE Connie Chu Dennis Yang
GRAPHICS Jiva Capulong Rachel Chen Anthony Ko Omeed Malek GMN LIAISON Isaac Warshawsky NEWS Chrishan Fernando Helena Ma PERSPECTIVES David Choe Aster Samuel PHOTO Mikaela George Nivedha Meyyappan SPORTS Matthew Del Busto Arsalan Siddiqui SOCIAL MEDIA Elyse Goldberg Caitlin Muller STUDENT SECTION Madison Adzema WEB Aaron Kearney Patrick Tan Adit Chandra Kevin Fei Willie Zhu
WRITING COACH Kyle Walker Cynthia Wu REPORTERS Tyler Baumann Jacob Botkin Haley Bracken Bobby Browning John Chen Michael Cheng Lucus Cheng Natalie Ciresi Michelle Dai Christine Fernando Danny Goldberg Nida Khan Jasmine Lam Joyce Lam Michael Li Sarah Liu Emma Love Jill Massengill Laxmi Palde Pablo Paliza-Carre Akshar Patel Ellen Peng Sreeti Ravi Sriya Ravi Sarah Seo Aaron Shi Grantland Smith Molly Surette Jessica Tao Deepthi Thadasina Kari Truax Sreya Vemuri Ai-ning Wang Annika Wolff
Ryan Woock Jacob Worrell Angela Wu Christine Yang Alex Yu Lianne Yu Cynthia Yue Anni Zhang Stephanie Zhang Michael Zhao Shakeel Zia PHOTOGRAPHERS Sophia Brewer Natalia Chaudhry Kyle Crawford Miles Dai Scott Liu Swetha Nakshatri Ally Russell Jaymee Stout Karen Swedo Karthik Thadasina Alex Yom Alice Zhu ADVISER Jim Streisel PRINCIPAL John Williams SUPERINTENDENT R. Stephen Tegarden
Page 20 | 15 Minutes of Fame | HiLite | hilite.org | August 14, 2013
[15 minutes of fame]
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Student body president George Gemelas and speaker of the House Leo Biette talk about their new leadership roles BY Naomi Reibold nreibold@hilite.org
Why did you run for SBP/SOH? George: I ran for SBP because ever since I was a freshman, I had looked up to Jeremy Weprich as my role model, and he was SBP when I was a freshman. I just thought it was an amazing way to give back to the school that has given so much to us. Leo: I ran for SOH because since freshman year, I’ve seen just how much this school can do and I’ve seen what an amazing place it is and I wanted to do all I could in return for how amazing this school and everyone has been to me. So I hope through SOH I can return the favor to everyone who has done stuff for me.
Why did you think you were the only one who ran for SOH? L: I think it is a high stress job that is kind of a specialized job. It’s not necessarily doing the most, but it’s being in front the most and just being in front a lot. It’s kind of just in that position, talking and running meetings and everything. I think that for me, that is my strong suit and not everyone else has it. But I am very lucky and happy to do that. What are you looking forward to most next year? G: I think what I’m looking most forward to is being able to empower people to the best of their ability because everyone has their own special little talents and everyone has their own special input. I think being SBP would allow me to enable people and really bring them to enlighten their abilities. L: I’m so looking forward to just seeing what this school can accomplish and what everyone can accomplish coming together because since freshman year I’ve been talking to everyone just about how excited I am for senior year. How do you plan to get the student body more involved next year? G: I think the key to getting the student body more involved is to get everybody more motivated... making sure everyone has that school spirit. So that really comes from and stems from Senate. I think since the SBP leads Senate, they are the head figure, and I think it’s important to grab everyone and make sure that they are doing their jobs and really making sure all our events are going smoothly and make sure everyone knows about them in the school. What is one thing you want the student body to know about you? G: I would want them to know that they can come talk to me and if they ever have a concern or an idea for the school, I just want to let them know that I’m very open and willing to listen to them and just have a heart-to-heart with them. L: Anyone can come to me for anything they need related to Cabinet or House or Dance Marathon. Or anything for just school and what it’s like to be a member of Carmel High School. My priority is just being there for people and trying to do everything I can in the next year that I have here. This is kind of our chance to show what we’re made of kind of and try to leave our mark on the school and on the community.
Lauren Lu / PHOTO