Inklings april 2015 by CPHS Inklings

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Crown Point High School @InklingsCPHS April 24, 2015 Vol. 79 Issue 8

In full swing

Bulldogs baseball start hunt for state championship

Read about the baseball team’s win against Portage on page 13

Teens react to bill’s effect on Indiana’s image

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assistant editor

(Indiana’s bad reputation) comes down to a lot of bandwagon effect. The negativity has changed the image of Indiana. AP Government teacher Michael Bazin Principal Chip Pettit

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because they don’t agree with someone’s choice to live. We are a free country and taking away a person’s guaranteed rights because you don’t agree with a decision they make is just appalling to me,” Minnich said. Indiana is the twentieth state to have a piece of legislation like this in place; however, Indiana’s image, arguably, has suffered the most. “[Indiana’s bad reputation] comes down to a lot of bandwagon effect. The negativity has changed the image of Indiana. Recently we’ve seen a lot of business leaders, national and international, saying that they would avoid coming to Indiana,” Bazin said. Hashtags on social media such as #boycottIndiana trended. The Indianapolis Star printed a front page reading “Fix This Now” after businesses and organizations such as the Indianapolis-based NCAA questioned keeping their headquarters and events in the state, and ordinary citizens voiced concern regarding the impact on the state and its economy.

BY NATALIE BRIGHAM

I was beginning to think that a large majority of the population was heavily religious, and that my views might not fit into such a conservative place.

See Indiana on page 3

a i d

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Sticks and stones may break our bones, but bills will never hurt us. That is, until now. Our usual quiet state of Indiana has recently been in the national spotlight, attracting the attention of countless companies, celebrities and politicians. The reason – the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act, or RFRA, will be active July 1, 2015 and gives businesses the right to turn away customers on the basis of religious beliefs. With insults such as “INtolerable” being thrown at the state, many feel as if this bill has jaded Indiana’s reputation. A national religious freedom law was passed during the presidency of Bill Clinton after a Supreme Court ruling against a Native American man who had wanted unemployment benefits after losing his job after injesting peyote as part of a religious ceremony. When the Supreme Court said the federal law did not apply to states, several states passed their own versions with differences among them. AP Government teacher Michael Bazin finds Indiana’s bill relevant to his area of teaching. “I would describe this bill to a student as legal protection for employers or business owners if they were to ever be charged for discrimination,” Bazin said. Senior Simone Siew questions the intentions of the state with the passing of this bill. “The bill is archaic. What happened to separation of church and state? This bill is the complete opposite of where Indiana and the government should go on the basis of antidiscrimination,” Siew said. Students outside of Indiana view the state in a similar manner to Siew. A senior at Black River High School in Ohio, Niki Minnich disagrees with this new legislation. “I believe that this bill is just a step back in our efforts towards true equality. I don’t personally agree with the fact that a business owner can refuse service

Senior Liam Dixon of Northwood High School in Irvine, CA

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Feature

News Dancing for the kids Organization raises money for Riley’s children’s hospital

page 2

Guitar club Read about the new club’s swinging start

A&E Longest Ride New romance movie a ride worth taking page 9

page 15

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news april 24, 2015

DANCING FOR THOSE WHO CAN’T

$6,734.45

PHOTO BY MICAYLA WATROBA

For the fourth consecutive year, Student Council invited students at CPHS to participate in the five hour Dance Marathon fundraiser.

Dancing the night away

Student Council sponsors fourth annual Dance Marathon BY HANNAH BAUNER

reporter

Feet ache, dances are choreographed and photos are taken. At Dance Marathon, students were able to raise money for children in need while having fun. Student Council hosted its fourth annual Dance Marathon on April 10. The event raised $6,734.45 for Riley’s Children’s Hospital. “Dance Marathon this year was a huge success,” said student body president Nick Isaacs. “It was beyond fulfilling for the council and I to raise as much money as we did and to have supported such a great cause.” The event lasted from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. and included activities such as basketball, dodgeball and dancing. Participants were urged to not sit down during Dance Marathon, following the idea of the event, “stand for those who can’t.” “My feet hurt from standing and dancing for so long, but I knew it wasn’t nearly as bad as what the kids at Riley’s go through,” sophomore Jackie Ham said. With planning for Dance Marathon starting as early as

January, Student Council sponsor Colleen Fano wanted to make sure the event was the best it could be. “I booked the photo booth and DJ well ahead of time to make sure that they were available. I also started figuring out what committees we would need,” Fano said. Not only did Dance Marathon raise money for Riley’s Children’s Hospital but, it gave students a chance to feel just how much they helped as well. “It is a rewarding experience for anyone involved. I think it makes students think about how lucky they are to have the ability to dance and play sports all night,” Fano said. With Dance Marathon being a fairly new event, more and more students find out about it each year. “I didn’t go last year, but I really wish I did. I had a lot of fun,” Ham said. Student Council always tries to find new ways to improve the event. “Last year, I did not know exactly what to expect and thought that it was fun. This year, I ironed out any issues and knew what needed to be done to make it better,” Fano said. “I look forward to throwing another one next year.”

Food ordered

money raised for Riley Children’s Hospital

2 25 2

dozen Olive Garden breadsticks

boxes of pizza

large bags of gummy bears

People in attendance at dance

150+

hours required to stay standing and dancing

previous record of money raised

$4,100

Best Buddies to participate in fundraising walk to raise awarness for disabilities BY MAISA NOUR

assistant editor

Moving one step closer to get the message across that we are all the same, Best Buddies is participating in the annual Best Buddies walk to raise awareness for disabilities. They plan to walk a mile at Munster High School’s track on May 9, with registration at 9:30 a.m. and the walk at 10:30 a.m. All proceeds are sent to Best Buddies Indiana. The money is used to provide a program manager, food and drinks during the walk. To raise more money and to give the

chance for students unable to attend the walk to help out, Best Buddies will be having a fundraiser during lunch before the walk. “We will be selling foot prints at lunch a week before the walk, which will be put along the track at Munster. If you sponsor us with a dollar, your name will be put on a foot print that will be on the track,” Best Buddies sponsor Julie Whitney said. Junior and Best Buddies vice president Abby VanProoyen has been a part of the club since her freshmen year and believes it is a great club to join. “Everyone in Best Buddies has a posi-

may

Stray Dogs improv show The Stray Dogs improv show will be performed on May 8 at 7 p.m. The entrance fee is $5 or a donation of a can of dog or cat food.

Best Buddies walk

Scholarship Awards Night

Best Buddies will host their

Scholarships will be awarded to the

annual walk on the Munster

senior recipients who applied for

High School track. Registration

them earlier in the year. The event

will be at 9 a.m. and the walk

will be held in the auditorium at

begins at 10:30 a.m.

6:30 p.m.

joining my freshmen year because I have made so many friendships and have had so much fun,” Krucina said. Whitney hopes that Best Buddies helps to create future leaders to take over once she and other teachers leave. “Best Buddies helps a lot because, eventually, the teachers won’t be here for them, but we have all of these peer buddies in place that do not have disabilities who will step in and take our place,” Whitney said. Although the program has been implemented for only a short time, Whitney looks forward to make this walk a continuation of the awarness Best Buddies brings.

18 19 21 28

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tive outcome; everybody that has joined never regretted it and I think a lot of people are intimidated because they are handicapped kids and they worry that they won’t be able to be comfortable around them or connect with them, but anyone who has ever talked to them knows that they are just like anyone of us,” VanProoyen said. Senior Mallorie Krucina also believes that being a part of Best Buddies is something she will not forget. “Best Buddies is by far the most involved I’ve ever been in my high school career. It’s a thing I’ve stuck to and I haven’t regretted. The only thing I regret is not

Spring Concerts

The All-City band concert be on May 18, Spring Sing be on May 19 and 21, and All-City orchestra concert be on May 28.

will will the will

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news april 24, 2015

Student-Teacher Olympics end with teams tied BY BECCA BURKE

assistant editor

Common thoughts racing through the minds of today’s youth involve far off places, dream jobs and the desire to be a part of something bigger. While the former two may have to wait several years, the urge to get involved and aid in a good cause was able to be quenched for the students of CPHS on April 16 with the return of the Student-Teacher Olympics, hosted by the Interact club. Chemistry teacher and Student-Teacher Olympics sponsor Chloe Hoffman, a seasoned participant in this event, looks forward to the Student-Teacher Olympics each year. “It’s a lot of fun to just do something and interact with students in a different way than you normally get to in the classroom and to have the money be going toward something good like cancer research,” Hoffman said. Students such as junior Michelangelo Sanjuan share this opinion, especially given that they have the opportunity to compete with their teachers while supporting a good cause. “Minute to win it was awesome,” said Sanjuan. “We had rulers in our mouths and there were tic-tac boxes taped to either side of the other end. We had to shake our heads to empty them. It was rough, but it was so fun. We crushed the teachers.” Other participants such as Interact member and junior Susie Szymanski took a great deal of joy from certain events such as volleyball or hula hooping. “The hula hoop contest is my jam,” Szymanski said. “You just hula hoop it out until, one by one, everybody starts dropping out, and when they get down to the final couple, they make us start doing crazy tricks like kneeling down and standing back up, walking, doing it on one leg, tapping our heads and dancing.” Both students and teachers, however, agree that one of the best parts of participating in the Student-Teacher Olympics was the good feelings that it gave in addition to

PHOTO BY ALEXIS RIVERA

World history teacher Kevin Thomas goes up for the lay-up in last week’s Student-Teacher Olypmics, hosted by Interact.

the money donated to the Northwest Indiana Cancer Kids (NICK) Foundation. “Sometimes you do charitable events, and it’s a task of some kind where you’re simply raising money. To be able to do so and play a sport or a game where you’re interacting with the kids is pretty awesome,” world history teacher Kevin Thomas said. Szymanski, too, values the both the fun and charitable aspect of the event. “When you’re present and you’re participating, your adrenaline is flowing. You’re running, you’re cheering, you’re having fun, but then you sit back and realize that the proceeds are all going to the NICK foundation. That organization means so much to so many families with chil-

dren who have cancer, so it really is special to all the participants and all the teachers and it makes me feel like this competition is the best way to help out the people that are struggling,” Szymanski said. Either way, the Student-Teacher Olympics is viewed as a positive force by attendees such as senior Alyson Kenzie, who, although she didn’t directly participate in events, helped organize and coordinate the event. “This is probably my favorite event that we do because we can get the entire school involved and watch how the students interact with the teachers. You usually see them in a teaching atmosphere, but it’s really cool to see them have fun and let loose,” Kinzie said.

Indiana continued from p.1 Ultimately, Governor Mike Pence signed into law revisions to remove fears that the RFRA law would allow businesses to discriminate against LGBT individuals. Sophomore Jeremy DeBold said he knew there was a bill being considered but didn’t pay much attention until it made national news and late night talk shows. Then he noticed views reflecting upon the state and its residents. “My cousin from Idaho felt people in Indiana were stupid,” DeBold said. “This judgment was unfair because it lumped all Hoosiers into a stereotype.” Such generalizations concerned others as well. “This bill may affect my future because, although I may not personally find

VIEWS on

NEWS

myself not being served at restaurants, the entire idea that a person can discriminate creates a mindset of a more close minded society,” Siew said. Teens outside of the state paid attention to the messaging, too. Senior Liam Dixon of Northwood High School in Irvine, CA said he initially felt unwelcomed because of the new bill. “Being openly gay, I felt as though the bill directly discriminated against me, validating the actions of those who utilize the RFRA to refuse service. Since I committed to Indiana University about a week after the bill passed, I was worried that I would be limited as to where I would be able to be served,” Dixon said. Putting aside his personal opinion, Ba-

zin sees how the bill has caused controversy. “I understand political leaders taking a stance on things, but I also understand being servants of the people. From a government standpoint, I think the sheer reaction of the public has negatively affected the Indiana government,” Bazin said. State leaders hired a public relations firm to help create a more positive image for Indiana as both Hoosiers and government officials hope to restore the reputation of their state. “I was beginning to think that my views might not fit into such a conservative place. However, after visiting recently, I realized that the majority of the state was not like this and that many restaurants, stores, and churches had signs, flags or stickers

expressing their acceptance,” Dixon said. “This made me see that the whole state was not defined by the RFRA bill, which was the only news regarding Indiana that has been heard here (in California) in a while.” Despite the uproar this bill has caused, optimism about the future remains. “Out of the bad, you see a lot of good coming out of it. People are standing up against what they see as a negative thing and see a movement taking off,” Bazin said. “You see businesses with signs saying, ‘We serve all.’ I think that’s the cool thing about our government. When certain controversies happen, they blow up, but there can also be remedies in the future if the bill is as terrible as it has been made out to be.”

Student reaction to events in our world

Area Uran runs unopposed in Democratic primary

State Indiana hopes to restore image in wake of RFRA

Nation Hillary Clinton joins 2016 presidential field

World #FightFor15 organizes largest rally yet

Crown Point mayor David Uran has kicked off his campaign for a third term as the mayor of Crown Point. Uran will start his run by being unopposed in May’s democratic primary. Republicans have yet to say who will counter Uran in November’s general election.

The state of Indiana has decided to hire a PR firm to fix its image after the controversial Religious Freedom Restoration Act was passed back in late March. Supporters say it gives Hoosiers stronger religious freedoms, while opponents say the new law opens discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Hillary Clinton has made her long awaited announcement of her intentions to run for the office of the President of the United States. Clinton is the first democrat to announce her candidacy, as republicans Ted Cruz, Rand Paul and Marco Rubio have already made plans to compete for the nation’s highest position.

Protesters in hundreds of cities across the globe came together on April 15 to fight for higher wages for people making minimum wage. The United States’ current minimum wage sits at $7.25, and those in protest believe it should be $15. U.S. President Barack Obama has proposed a $10.10 minimum wage in the past.

I think it’s a waste of money to hire the PR firm. The law should not have been passed in the first place.

I’m not fond of her being president. She disrespected our military, and I don’t believe that’s okay for our leader to do.

I think we should have a higher minimum wage of at least a dollar more but not $15.

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Hannah Van Gundy sophomore

He seems to be a really good mayor, and even if he had competition he would probably come out on top.

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Steve McDaniel freshman

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Chris Grienke junior

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Sabrina Chavez senior

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opinion april 24, 2015

speakup

Remainder of the year should be used to touch lives

What organizations do you help out and why?

BY ALAA ABDELDAIEM

editor-in-chief

We’re so close. It’s been about eight months since we first stepped foot into school, and now we’re just one short month away from the end of the year. One more month of AP testing and finals. One more month of afterschool practice. And while we’re all counting down the days till the summer of 2015 begins--as we wish the rest of this time away--I ask you all to do one thing: Don’t. I know. As a second semester senior, it’s a shocking request for me to make. But there are about 2,500 lives that we can still change, 2,500 people we can still touch, and just this month left to do it. Life is about more than filling out a scantron. It’s about more than getting a three or a four or a five on an AP exam, earning a 36 or 2400 on the ACT and SAT, graduating with a perfect 4.0 GPA. Life is about people. It’s about the people in your class who may never have had a true, caring friend. It’s about the people on your track team, your tennis team, your baseball and softball team who have become your second family. It’s about the people who you’ve spent the last 150 days supporting in their biggest moments and comforting when they’re at their lowest and about those who still need and deserve that comfort and support. So as sick as we are of going through the same tedious routine day after day after day, I ask you to join me in using this last month to invest in those we see in the hallways, friend and enemy alike. People’s lives can change drastically at the end of high school simply because you decided to offer them a smile or a word of encouragement, showing them that you care about them more than you do your own comfort. Whether you’re a freshman, sophomore, junior or senior, you’re taking one more step forward once the school year has come to an end, and what lies ahead is still unknown. Those with us today may not be tomorrow. We have the ability to leave a lasting impact on others’ lives while they’re still amongst us. We should make it our responsibility to be there for one another, to show each other just how valued and loved we are. Now is our chance to do just that.

CARTOON BY COLLIN RAISER

Stacey Williams freshman “I help with the Wheeler Middle School track team and am a part of Best Buddies. It feels good to help out.”

iew: Changing Indiana’s reputation falls on us

HIV outbreak, drug abuse, ludacris education laws and, most recently, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA)—all factors that have contributed to Indiana’s less-than-desirable reputation. Political cartoons, celebrity disapprovals and public outrage in response to such events have all posed a serious question to present and incoming Hoosiers alike: why would anyone want to live in Indiana? The answer is simple: to change it. Many of Indiana’s woes start up front. Representatives, senators and governors alike have the power to shape and brand a state with their actions, good or bad. Laws are drafted and put into effect by those who represent the state, people we as citizens elected into office. We’re upset with the image these lawmakers have given our home now, but where were we when it came time to put them in power? This is a Revolutionary War that is fought with ballots rather than bullets. As of late, Indiana has shown up to battle with little to no ammunition, recording the lowest voting turnout in the entire country for the 2014 midterm elections. As few as 29 percent of the eligible voting population casted ballots last fall, a record low. So while we rightfully rally and protest over Indiana’s recent decent into turmoil, we, too, should hold our heads in shame, as we have failed to meet the very civic duty that would have avoided having a bad reputation. Leaving Indiana won’t change what the state is known for. Our contributions, however, will, and it’s our responsibility to re-shape Indiana’s reputation to what we want it to be.

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Crown Point High School, IN

Inklings is a student publication created by the newspaper and advanced journalism students and distributed monthly to students, faculty and staff of Crown Point High School. Opinions do not necessarily reflect those of CPHS faculty, staff or administration. Letters-to-the-editor are welcomed provided they are signed and submitted one week prior to publication and do not contain personal attacks. Inklings reserves the right to edit for space, clarity and legal and ethical concerns. Advertising is subject to applicable rates available by contacting Inklings. Inklings has been recognized as an Indiana High School Press Association Hoosier Star, National Scholastic Press Association Pacemaker, Columbia Scholastic Press Association Silver Crown, and Quill and Scroll George H. Gallup publication.

“I help at art classes for little kids at an art center. It’s fun and helpful at the same time.”

Zack Berry junior “I help at the Boys and Girls Club. I just like to help anyone that needs it around town.”

Lily Kapitan senior “In my free time, I volunteer at Quarter Mile Farms. I love being able to give children with disabilities a chance to ride horses.”

editorial Vol. 79 Issue 8 April 24, 2015 1500 S. Main St. Crown Point, IN 46307 219-663-4885 ex. 11349 fax 219-662-5663 inklings@cps.k12.in.us online: crownpoint.highschoolmedia.org

Ariona Messler sophomore

editors-in-chief Alaa Abdeldaiem Tina Winfrey editors-at-large Olivia Elston Verda Mirza associate editor Nadia Giedemann assistant editors Natalie Brigham Becca Burke Maisa Nour graphics editor Collin Raiser

online editor Sam Barloga sports editors Jackie Van Der Wey Dylan Wallace advertising editors Hannah Bauner chief photographer Jack Snedden photographers Jill Kidder Micayla Watroba

staff Casey Akers Tiffany Curtis Tommy Frame Maria Leontaras Lauren Massow Hannah Morgan Katie Pawlowski Arriana Rainwater Chris Rekitzke Dominic Tomich Eli Udchitz adviser Julie Elston

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opinion april 24, 2015

Appreciate what life has given

Do schools need libraries?

BY VERDA MIRZA

editor-at-large

CARTOON BY ARRIANA RAINWATER

Pro:

Con:

Libraries provide reliable and accessible information to students

Libraries are an outdated concept and are losing pertinence in a school setting

BY TIFFANY CURTIS

BY CHRIS REKITZKE

It might seem to some outsiders that they cannot walk five feet without seeing some form of technology in the halls of CPHS. From Chromebooks to iPads to cell phones, the whole school is enraptured by technology. We can get our textbooks and complete our homework assignments all on our different devices. With all this technology, it’s easy to forget how necessary libraries are for schools. Libraries house not only books for enjoyment but important reference books as well. Not all books are digital, and some are necessary for students to complete their work. Many students who have taken AP Literature, for example, have had to complete a research essay on poetry critiques, and those reference books were ready to use in the library. They did not have to make the long trip to another library and only had to pay 10 cents to print a page. Having a library gives students a chance to work with real text books that won’t disappear if you’re device happens to crash or die of low battery. If someone were to go to a place without service, they cannot access the specific thing they were reading. Using a real, tangible book allows the reading material to be there 24/7 for the reader to enjoy without worrying about parameters inhibiting their reading experience. Having a library can also lower the costs for school since paying for the internet can be quite costly. Without the internet, the school would only have to pay for the price of the books and maintain their condition. Not all books are online, and those that are may require a fee to access. Digital cannot replace the experience of reading a book. Lastly, libraries are some of the most historic and beautiful buildings in the world. The Library of Congress is the largest library in the world and also considered one of the most beautiful pieces of architecture in the country. It is a source of knowledge and history with over 160 million pieces collected throughout American history. Without that library, all those pieces and all that information collected over 200 years would be lost.

As we as a society continue to move forward and make advancements technologically, the question is posed: what use does a library have in a world that is in the midst of a technological revolution fueled by the computers and the immersive internet that provides users with knowledge at their fingertips? And, with that, what use does a school have for one? Perhaps nothing anymore. Print is dying. Hundreds of newspapers worldwide have moved to digital mediums, spreading news throughout the world. We used to have to wait for a book to be returned to have access to it. Now, millions of novels and other various books can be found and purchased on digital providers such as Amazon, iBooks and Scribd for use on computers, smartphones, tablets and other devices, giving users the ability to access them 24/7. As troubling as it is to find a checked-out book, digging through old, musty outdated reference books at the library can be even more of a struggle. Everything ranging from thesauruses, dictionaries and encyclopedias can be found on the internet. With the click of a button, users are at will to knowledge of several volumes and compendiums, eliminating the trek to the library and the hours of scrounging. Unlike the library, the internet can be easily updated and more cost-effective as well. Books are written, edited, printed and then distributed. Once the books are shelved in a library, what they have within them is permanent. Unless scribbling out words is suddenly professional, it can’t be altered efficiently. On the internet, however, a mistake can be fixed in minutes without recalling an entire line of books and then republishing altered versions. However, even with setbacks that point in the favor of the libraries’ obsolete methods and being, libraries are historically places of social interaction and places to spread knowledge. There is no need for the abolishment of such places; instead, libraries should take further steps to convert to a more technologically efficient place. Libraries need to move further technologically, print to digital.

24 Inklings staffers agree

3 Inklings staffers agree

reporter

Caroline Lodovisi

senior

Jackie Jatis

“Some people still prefer hardcopies. I personally have to have it in my hand otherwise I can’t read. By removing libraries you put kids who are like me at a disadvantage.”

Tom Reed

reporter

freshman

“With the technology we have it allows us to read books you would find in the library anywhere. It makes things easier on us.”

orchestra director

“I think it’s important that we still have the books. I want to be able to pick up a book. I want to be able to pick up a newspaper and have everything in my hands.”

Brandon Gargano

sophomore

“I don’t feel like people actually even read the books that are in the libraries anymore. They just go there and they talk more than anything.”

They raise you, feed you, love you, get rid of your pain, keep you safe and put you first. They are your parents. Teens these days never seem to appreciate how much their parents actually do for them, which is a sad reality we live in. Parents are the best teachers that life can give you, and as inexperienced young adults, we can learn a lot from them and should take advantage of it. They teach you how to walk, talk, stand when we are children. As adolescents, they teach us etiquette and the proper way to behave in society. However, as generations come, children are becoming ruder and disrespectful toward their parents, losing the true meaning of what family is. I look at twitter and there are some kids who say such horrid remarks about their parents just because their parents didn’t allow them to go to a party or didn’t buy something for them. There are so many children out there who would love to have parents that would give them unconditional love, and those who have parents seem to take it for granted. I understand that at times parents can become frustrating with their badgering. I am a teenager as well. But their nagging is for a good reason: to protect you. Have you ever wondered what life would be like without your parents? Of course you have; you have imagined a life without the constant nagging of your parents and their hovering. However, those are just the shortterm effects. It is the long-term that we should think about. Who would be there to help you when it seems like the world is against you? Who would love you no matter what decision you make? In the beginning, it all may seem amusing and free, but, eventually, when that fun washes away, the loss and melancholy comes. Parents are a gift we must cherish for as long as we live. They only live for so long. Don’t post comments about how much you hate them or find them annoying. Eventually, they will leave and we must keep them close to us for as long as we can. Love them, care for them when they need you and always respect them no matter what. Soon we will be parents, too, and will want the same love and respect our parents wanted us.

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feature april 24, 2015

i on life L

How green are we?

40 tea bottles

water app bottles jui le ce bott les

BY TINA WINFREY

editor-in-chief

e ad tor Ga ttles bo

Recyclables sold within CPHS cafeteria

150

The cafeteria does not currently recycle paper or plastic goods from the lunch room. However, in the kitchen, boxes are recycled. These percentages are based on daily estimates.

milk cartons

1,400

o f h o w m u c h trash (people) throw away , how much they consume and just the resources that they use,” Correa said. Both Maginot and Siew also believe each individual can help in this fight to better the Earth. Some ways the girls suggest helping the Earth is by using reusable water bottles, buying items with less packaging and watching the news to stay updated on current environmental problems. “It seems like a problem too big to capture, but if every single person does something little then we can tackle something big,” Maginot said.

Monthly water gallon use for Crown Point High School

* estimates provided by cafeteria management

Andrew Panozza freshman

Building Total Use

500000.00 Month

January February March April

Graci Nonos sophomore

“For tests, we should do more scantrons with only one set of actual test packets.”

May 300000.00

July August September October November December

100000.00

0.00 2014

* graph provided by buildings and grounds department

“If we had a separate recycling bin, people could throw milk cartons and bottles in there instead to help out.”

more than

1 billion

the first year people celebrate Earth Day that Earth less energy is Day was used to recycle celebrated an aluminum can by recycling opposed to producing aluminum can, a new one enough energy of newspapers is saved to watch in the U.S. are recylced. If three hours of TV

90%

27%

they were all recycled, it the average person uses would save

12 thousand gallons

June

200000.00

The 1970

“We could open up the courtyard in the middle and grow things in it.”

600000.00

400000.00

How do you think the school could be greener?

Use

Year

naked juice bottles

Students, staff recongnize problems in enviornment, speak about change The world’s resources are running out. According to APES student Cece Maginot, if everyone in the world lived like Americans do, we would need five Earths to sustain everyone’s life. Maginot, along with fellow student Sabrina Siew, find the way that people of today treat the Earth to be appalling. Both recall oil fracking being a large area of discussion in their class. “They’re sending massive amounts of water down to break open these rocks. Along with that, they are sending contaminants down that effect our ground water,” Maginot said. “People around these areas are getting sick, and it’s the water. “ The biggest problem the girls see with stories like these is the lack of awareness or care in the subject. This is where Earth Day comes into play. “We need to become aware of what problems exist in our society, so (Earth Day) is designated as one day to actually understand what is happening in our environment and how it is significant,” Siew said. APES teacher Jimmy Correa agrees that Earth Day is significant in raising awareness about the depletion of our resources. “I think our biggest environmental problem today is just wasting our natural resources with our over-consumption of products,” Correa said. Correa believes that a small effort from everyone could better the Earth. “I think it’s just being aware

experiencing a different perspective

84 82

of water each year

1/4 billion trees every year

every day, the average person throws out about

40 pounds of garbage

Noah Scibbe junior

* facts collected from softschools.com

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feature april 24, 2015

2,4,6,8 Who do we appreciate?

As Teacher Appreciation Week approaches, students share their gratitude for all that teachers do for them both inside and outside of the classroom BY HANNAH MORGAN

reporter

“I appreciate how they take the time to help me individually, especially when they tell me what I’m doing wrong and help me fix it.”

Rylee Beason freshman

“I really appreciate when they take the time out to help me with what I need, especially when it comes to helping me with my school work.”

Chris Kuiper senior

“I really appreciate when they try and make learning fun with things like interactive labs and things that aren’t just powerpoints.”

Brianna Droste junior

www.teamhondaon30.com “I really appreciate their dedication and their persistence when it comes to homework and giving assignments.”

Melvin Craig sophomore

“Teachers devote their lives to helping students grow academically but, also, as people. They teach us things about life, not just math or English.”

Maddie Adducci senior

“I appreciate how teachers put so much time and effort into my education and how they care about my future.”

Hailey Smith

“I like how they genuinely enjoy helping us be our best. I’ve yet to see a teacher that didn’t take time out of their personal lives to assist a student.”

sophomore

Allen Edwards

“I appreciate how certain teachers make an effort to have a connection with their students and get to know you and your individual study habits.”

“I appreciate that they work so hard and deal with all these kids, yet they still manage to have a smile on their face each and every day.”

Lily Marigliano sophomore

junior

Paul Olivares freshman

Michael Bauner mbauner@hondaon30.com 4613 East U.S. 30 Merrillville, IN 46410 www.teamhondaon30.com

219-947-3900 800-653-0065 Fax 219-947-0912

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feature april 24, 2015

Surviving the

split PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY HANNAH MORGAN

Students open up about impact parents’ divorce has made on their lives BY TIFFANY CURTIS

reporter

Puberty, high school, prom, graduation. All are huge milestones in a teenager’s life, and all are events that change people’s lives. However, some students have to deal with another life-changing event: divorce. The CDC states the rate of divorces is 3.4 of every 1,000 people compared to the rate of marriages, 6.8 out of every 1,000 people. That totals out to an even 50 percent. With the divorce rate that high, it’s not uncommon for students to have several friends with divorced parents or even have divorced parents themselves. “Not every case of divorce is the same, so not every child is affected the same,” psychologist Kathryn Huls said. “Generally, if the student has a good relationship or communicates well with his or her parent, it may not be as big of a shock to the student, which lessens the blow of the news of a divorce.” Sophomore Jane Smith’s* parents just recently got a divorce, and she found it to be a positive thing for both her and her parents. “When my parents told me they were going to divorce each other, I wasn’t com-

pletely surprised because I had seen it coming for a while. My parents fought a lot during my childhood, and even now, they just can’t seem to agree on a lot. I was happy that the fighting would stop,” Smith said. Smith tried to “compartmentalize” when she got to school, and separate her home life and her schoolwork. “The divorce itself hasn’t affected my schoolwork. It’s more the fact that my entire life is changing,” Smith said. Smith’s parents’ divorce ranks high on the Holmes and Rahe stress scale. Developed in 1967, the scale lists 43 life changing events that add to a person’s stress. The scale is measured in life-changing units. According to the scale, the divorce of parents ranks at 90 life change units, just ten under the death of a parent. Even though Smith said her parents’ divorce is actually a positive thing, the stress of school and her extra-curricular activities made it tough to handle all the stress. “I found myself just observing everyone else during the divorce. I would be very conscious of the fact that a lot of people are going through things that I don’t know of. That would distract me a lot in class,” Smith said. Although Smith’s situation makes her feel like this is the best outcome for every-

one in her family, other students are not so lucky. Julie Doe* still to this day finds her parents’ divorce an unhappy situation. “I was about five when my parents got divorced, and I don’t think I really understood what was happening back then. I only knew that my parents fought a lot and that I would split the time I spent with either

‘‘

It’s just mentally and emotionally draining having to be in the middle, and when you combine that with the stress of school and work, it can be lot to handle. my mother or my father,” Doe said. Doe remembers the divorce being messy, and she always felt like she was put in the middle of her parents’ fights. Huls validated Doe’s situation as being very common. “The students that are the most affected are typically the ones where the parents have unhealthy coping styles with stress, so they’ll take it out on their child or put that child in the middle,” Huls said.

Doe agrees, as she recounts how unhappy she felt having to be in the middle of her parents’ disagreements while also taking care of her younger sister. “It’s just mentally and emotionally draining having to be in the middle, and when you combine that with the stress of school and work, it can be a lot to handle. Even with graduation, it’s supposed to be a happy time, but now it’s stressful and sad because they won’t even have the same party for me since they can’t be in the same room together,” Doe said. Doe’s stress levels can reach high levels at times having to handle both her parents and her schoolwork. “I’ve always gotten good grades in school, and this just pushed me to work that much harder. It just forced me to focus more,” Doe said. Divorce has the ability to change lives forever, and Smith offers advice on how to make such an event tolerable for students. “To anyone whose parents are going through a divorce, I would advise them to just stay positive and try to stay close with both your parents,” Smith said. *Names of two students have been changed for this story.

MERRILLVILLE Michael Bauner 4450 E. US 30 Merrillville, IN 46410

General Manager

219-947-3325 Fax 219-942-2530

www.toyotaofmerrillville.com email: mbauner@toyotaon30.com

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g n i m m u r t S g n Alo I

feature april 24, 2015

‘‘

It’s a lot of kids working together and learning from each other and jamming Kevin Paetsch science teacher Sophomore Nick Yzaguirre strums a tune on his guitar. Yzaguirre is a member of the Guitar Club.The club meets every Tues. from 2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. after school. PHOTO BY MICAYLA WATROBA

Students share their love for music in new guitar club BY MARIA LEONTARAS

reporter

Calloused fingers are not the only thing that accompanies consistent jamming on a guitar. Players are able to connect with others who also play the said instrument and are able to create a safe atmosphere for others to learn. This environment is now available in Crown Point High School at weekly Guitar Club meetings. Guitar Club was founded based off of three students’, sophomores Joe Rettig’s and Nick Yzaguirre’s and junior Danny Mcgrath’s, mutual interest in playing science teacher Kevin Paetsch’s guitar when finished with their work. “We were thinking about all the people that played guitar in the school and that it would be cool for them to play around other people and be comfortable,” co-founder Yzaguirre said. The easy-going atmosphere of the club emanates from the process in which the club was founded. Guitar Club was created by students for students. “Joe, Nick and Danny are the ones who did all of the leg work—getting it started, making the flyers, getting to the office and getting it approved—and I said, ‘Okay, yeah, I’ll be the sponsor.’ It was their thing,” Paetsch said. The club is as laid back as one would hope with virtually no requirements to join. “The club’s requirements are to have an interest in playing guitar,” Paetsch said. “We have a couple guitars here, so if you didn’t even have a guitar but you wanted to come see what it was like, you can.” Guitar club isn’t only for those who want to have a good time with fellow knowledgeable guitar players. Those who wish to learn the craft can attend and be taught. “Kids come and get in groups, and they teach each other,” Paetsch said. “Some kids are just learning chords for the first time. Some kids are a little more advanced, so they’re starting to learn some scales. It’s a lot of kids working together and learning from each other and jamming.” The relaxed attitude that typically accompanies the thought of jamming with some friends was desired and achieved by students involved in the extracurricular. “I joined because I thought it would be a really fun experience to jam out and have a fun time,” freshman Carlton Rager said. “I like being able to hang out with my friends and being able to play guitar with everyone.” The club is enjoyable for a variety of musicians, from the rookie to the veteran. “I’ve been playing guitar since I was ten years old. I like that we started this club in high school because a lot of kids that are interested in guitar can come and learn how to play,” sophomore Teodora Dejanoska said. “It doesn’t matter if they are beginners or intermediate players. Everyone is welcome to play with different people and share their experiences.”

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feature april 24, 2015

Kicking it into style

Hacky sacking makes a comeback into Crown Point BY LAUREN MASSOW

reporter

A fad that was popular back in the 1970s, thanks to the creators John Stalberger and Mike Marshall, is now coming back into style. Hacky sacking is becoming favored by more and more students at Crown Point High School. “Kids, nowadays, are starting to pick up trends from the past like hacky sacking, and I’m glad it is coming back into style because it is really enjoyable,” junior Eric Stephenson said. Hacky sack is a sport in which players have a yarn or string ball filled with different materials and kick it around, either in a group or by themselves. “A hacky sack is a small ball filled with different materials, and you have a group of about four to five people in a circle kicking it around without touching it with their hands,” sophomore Hunter Briggs said. “I like that it’s very simple, but you can keep playing it like that for hours upon hours.” Hacky sacks come in many different types, varying in both the inside and the outside of the ball. What is inside can affect the style in which the game is played. “The material on the outside often times varies. Inside of the balls is a mixture of sand and dirt, but you can have either a sand sack, a dirt sack, a bead sack or a mix, which is a hybrid sack,” junior Caleb Edwards said. “With sand, the ball is going to sit on your foot better. It’ll take a lot more effort to get it in the air, but it is also helpful to stall in on your shoe. Beads are really springy and bounce off easily.” Although the rules of the game seem simple, Edwards believes hacky sacking is not an easy thing to pick up. “Hacky sacking is really hard to do,” Edwards said. “It takes most people a lot of time and practice to get good at it. Eventually, though, you catch on.” Although the sport does not have its own official club, students like Stephenson, Briggs and Edwards play it often. Edwards is happy the game has become a means for them to bond over a common liking. “My favorite part about hacky sack is being with friends and having fun with it,” Edwards said. “It is something my friends and I all share in common.” PHOTOS BY TINA WINFREY

Sophomore Hunter Briggs and junior Eric Stephenson have picked up hacky sacking in their spare time. The old-fashioned sport has made its way back into style for students at Crown Point High School.

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in the

huddle

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sports april 24, 2015

We have the talent and pieces to be a championship team. If we learn to play a complete game, we’ll be dangerous.

- senior Jon Dietrich

‘‘

leading the

CHARGE

‘‘

As an attack, my main role is to help facilitate the offense, whether that be by scoring or assisting goals in the best way I can. Ben Hynek sophomore

PHOTO BY JACK SNEDDEN

Leading the team in scoring this season, sophomore Ben Hynek has led his team through a slow start to the season. Hynek looks forward to bouncing back before the postseason.

Hynek aims to help team bounce back from early losses BY TOMMY FRAME

reporter

They say hard work pays off. Fortunately for the lacrosse team, that saying holds true to sophomore Ben Hynek. “I started playing Lacrosse my eighth grade year and was not very good, but in the offseasons, I’ve just worked really hard and played a lot to get to where I’m at now,” Hynek said. As a freshman, Hynek played varsity alongside seven four-year starting seniors. “I did not play much as a freshman, being that three of the seniors played my position,” Hynek said. Being a varsity starter at attack this season, his role has certainly changed. “I have more of a leadership role this year. Even though I’m a sophomore, we have a lot of guys that are new to varsity, so since I have a little bit more experience I help them out and teach them what to do or where to be to help us win,” Hynek said. Hynek leads the team in scoring this season, making

him the main offensive threat on the field. “Playing behind those seniors last year really taught me how to move with the ball and put myself in positions to score,” Hynek said. “As an attack, my main role is to help facilitate the offense, whether that be by scoring or assisting goals in the best way I can.” Hynek used the offseason to play on club teams and go to clinics to improve his skills. “The team New Wave really helped me out with my skillset and getting better; we traveled a lot and played really good teams,” Hynek said. “Playing against people who are better then you only helps make you better and that’s what happened in my case.” The team has started off the season slowly as they sit at 2-5, their only two wins being against Northridge and North Central High Schools “I like to call us a medium team. We play well against worse teams but then have no confidence when it comes to the tougher games,” Hynek said. “We just need to take things more seriously at times and believe that we can win as opposed to walking on the field thinking we have al-

ready lost.” The Dogs are coming off of three straight losses to St. Joseph’s, Culver and Fishers. “Against St. Joe’s and other games, we just got behind early or allowed multiple unanswered goals,” Hynek said. With the short season rapidly racing by, the boys are trying to string together a few necessary wins. They will start Wednesday when they face the 17th-ranked Penn Kingsman. “Penn is a good team, but we are confident going in. We need a win to boost us up in the state standings,” Hynek said. The postseason 16-team state tournament is quickly approaching, and teams will fight for the next month for a spot in the top 16. “We’re a good team. We may be young and inexperienced, but if we play to our ability, we can get some key wins that will improve our state rank to hopefully make the state tournament,” Hynek said. At press time the results of Wednesday night’s game against Penn were unavailable.

Clubs or sports, extracurriculars are key

my view BY JACKIE VAN DER WEY

sports editor

With nearly 2,700 students roaming the halls of Crown Point High School and a number of different interests for each one, having a variety of extracurriculars is a necessity. Some teams such as football can occupy over 100 players, but other teams such as basketball can only house 13 varsity players. Adding more sports would be impossible, as CPHS already

has all IHSAA sanctioned sports. So what is there to do when more activities are needed? Clubs. Currently, our school is home to 65 academic clubs and co-curriculars, but what this number doesn’t include is the growing number of athletic clubs. Four years ago, CPHS introduced boys lacrosse, and in the following two years, girls lacrosse. Lacrosse was immediately

a huge hit, with a current number of 53 players on the boy’s roster and 23 on the girl’s. Hockey and weightlifting, also fairly new clubs, have been a success in recent years. It seems like CPHS may have been in need of some new extracurriculars and, as long as the area and the school continue to grow, the school will need to keep adding. Fortunately for CPHS, there are plenty

of choices. Some clubs introduced at other schools include discgolf, jiu jitsu, rugby and Quidditch; the list, however, goes on much further. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, children ages six to 17 who participate in extracurricular activities have a 15 percent higher attendance rate than those who are not active in any.

A higher attendance rate is also proven to positively affect a student’s grades and, therefore, improves upon one’s college opportunities, not to mention it’s a great way to make friends with similar interests and values. So if you’re not involved, get involved. CPHS provides an array of oppurtunites already and will absolutely administer more in years to come.

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sports april 24, 2015

Boys beat Trojans, fall to Vikings

Softball faces first defeat of season

BY DOMINIC TOMICH

reporter

BY DYLAN WALLACE

sports editor

The weather was cold and the wind was strong this past Monday when the Time’s top ranked Bulldogs took on the second ranked Indians in a battle for the top spot. Unfortunately for the Lady Dogs, missed opportunities ailed them in the game, allowing Portage to leave with a 1-0 victory. “As a team we could have been smarter on the base path and executed our hitting more,” senior Brittany Hulen said. “It was a tough loss, but hitting that game was our downfall.” The Lady Dogs only had two hits the entire game while Portage only had one, but that one hit was a homer that came in the fourth inning. Positive takeaways from the game included some solid pitching and defense, along with only one error taking place through the whole game. “We played a good game defensively, it was just that we needed to hit the ball a little bit more,” senior Rachael Honaker said. Although the Lady Dogs lacked to score against Portage, they have been putting runs on the board in massive amounts throughout the season. Through 11 games, the team has scored a total of 69 runs while just allowing a total of nine runs, resulting in a 10-1 record overall and 4-1 in the conference. “The girls have been impressive so far this season,” head coach Ginger Britton said. “We have had no trouble putting runs on the board except in the game against Portage and have done a good job of not giving up a ton of runs, either. I think as the season progresses, we just need to keep doing what we’ve been doing and make sure we capitalize on oppor-

PHOTO BY BROOKLYN TURLEY

Sophomore Alexis Holloway winds up during the pitch. The Lady Dogs fell to Portage for their first loss.

tunities when games such as the one against Portage rolls around.” The Lady Dogs have plenty of games remaining on the schedule and don’t have any big plans regarding the postseason just yet; their goal as of now is to just take things one step at a time. “We just want to go game by game and just keep improving,” Honaker said. At press time, the Lady Dogs will be taking on Merrillville at home on April 24.

Upcoming schedule Merillville @Chesterton @LaPorte

Apr. 24 Apr. 28 Apr. 30

Despite the intense winds, the boys track team came out with the same plan as any other night: to compete. The boys were able to beat Chesterton 70-62 but fell short of beating the Vikings, losing 90-42. “Weather can alter anyone’s performance into a good or bad meet,” senior Mitchell Kessler said. “Valpo is a very good team, and we need to continue improving until we are able to beat them.” Success for the boys is normally found from distance runners. Junior Ryan Kepshire continues to earn points in the mile and two mile, finishing second in both events. “With some sprinters hurt, the distance guys and I are trying to put up as many points as possible to help win meets,” Kepshire said. Along with Kepshire in the mile, junior Alec Gerlach and Dylan Wallace placed fourth and fifth. Junior Matt Mosak also contributed with a second-place finish in the 800 and a first-place finish with the 4x800 relay team. “In order to compete against teams in our conference, which are traditionally very strong, we need to have everyone prepared in all of our events,” head coach Keith Iddings said. The team has faced some tough competition so far this season and now sports a modest record of 2-2. The team hopes the experience gained in the early meets translates into more wins in future meets. “The hard work we put in during our practices and long runs should only benefit us and make us get better scores in upcoming meets,” Kepshire said.

Girls tennis begins season with a fresh outlook BY KATIE PAWLOWSKI

reporter

When the girls tennis team lost at semi-state last season, their intentions for the upcoming year were made clear: win. After losing seniors such as Abby Kvachkoff and Madie Cleland and junior foreign exchange student Qing Wen, the Lady Dogs knew such a goal would take some work. No.1 singles player and senior Jordan Embry knows she has to set an example for the team. “I have always tried to be a leader in work ethic and character and this year is no different. Being No.1 singles is a big pressure, but I consider being a good example for my teammates as my main responsibility. If I work my

hardest and my teammates follow that lead, we are bound to be successful,” Embry said. In the second match of the season, the girls were faced with their Munster rival. Both No.1 and No. 2 doubles won while all three single spots lost as the team fell to the Mustangs in the close 3-2 match. “I feel like the team was a little nervous about the match against Munster; they are our biggest rival, so emotions were high going in,” Embry said. “We are going to work our hardest to make sure we are prepared in all five spots, so the next time we play them there will certainly be a different result.”

The team responded well to the Munster loss, defeating Highland 5-0, making them 2-1 on the season at press time. “We just have to be determined to work hard and try to win as many matches as we can. I believe we have a great team and we have the talent to beat the teams in our area,” freshman Ana Maksimovich said. As defending conference champions, the girls started conference play yesterday. Though scores were not available at press time, head coach Brian Elston was confident his team would perform well. “We have a team that is pretty solid at one singles, two singles,

three singles, one doubles and two doubles. We are working on just winning three points anywhere. The doubles have been working really hard on communication and singles have been working really hard on changing their style of play, so hopefully we can do well in our first conference match.” Looking towards the rest of the season, Embry knows that, if they want to win their 22nd consecutive sectional title and continue to go far in the postseason, they have to start by pushing themselves at practice. “Elston is preparing us for the rest of the season by creating a practice environment where improvement is the main focus.

He constantly tells us that we need to not just do enough to win, but more importantly, that we need to push ourselves to get better than the day before,” Embry said.

‘‘

We just have to be determined to work hard and try to win as many matches as we can. I believe we have a great team.

Ana Maksimovich freshman

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sports april 24, 2015

taking a stand

WITH SAM

Scoreboard W vs M. City 15-2 W vs Portage 8-7 W vs Penn 7-6 W vs Bishop Noll 6-1 L @ Valparaiso 5-4 W @ Munster 8-7 W vs L. Central 2-0 L @ St. Rita 9-7 W @ Warsaw 7-0

BY SAM BARLOGA

reporter

The MAC stood up when others wouldn’t Late last month, the Indiana General Assembly passed the notorious Religious Freedom Restoration Act, or RFRA. The responses from the media and business worlds were swift. Apple led the way, with founder and CEO Tim Cook proclaiming his distaste for the new law. Even the public sector got involved. The cities of San Francisco and Portland, along with many others, will no longer allow city employees to attend conferences or meeting in Indiana on taxpayers’ dime. But the response was much different from the sports world. The NCAA, NFL, NBA, Big Ten and NASCAR all slung words about their frustration, but none of them took real action. The NCAA’s Men’s Final Four stayed in Indianapolis, the Big Ten didn’t move away their football championship game and the NFL didn’t scrap any plans for future Indy Super Bowls. The Mid-American Conference, on the other hand, stood up and threw more than just meaningless words at Indiana lawmakers. MAC commissioner and Valparaiso University graduate Jon Steinbrecher recently announced that the conference will host no more conference championships or meetings until the law is fully repealed. This means that the MAC is the only entity in the world of sports that took the action the cities of San Francisco or Portland did. This could now cost the state thousands of tourists or millions of dollars if the MAC were to ever hold their football or basketball championships anywhere in the Hoosier State. The bold action the MAC took shows that others can follow suit and punish the state of Indiana in what really matters to those in the statehouse: dollars and cents. In the end, the hope is that this can serve as a trailblazing act for larger leagues and conferences to put their money where their mouth is and #BoycottIndiana.

PHOTO BY JILL KIDDER

Senior Mitchell Kooi slides safely into home plate in the Bulldogs’ 2-0 win over Lake Central on Tues. April 14.

Baseball bests Portage 8-7 in extras BY SAM BARLOGA

online editor

It was an ending usually saved for the story books. Down 7-5 to Portage in the bottom of the final inning, with one last chance, senior outfielder Thayne Bukowski slammed a threerun dinger that brought home catcher Andrew Atchison and sent the game into extra innings. “I just knew with the wind that there would be a pretty good chance of it going out (of the park),” Bukowski said. “I think that ranks pretty high. I don’t know how many homers I’ve hit like that.” Crown Point would survive the bases loaded in the top half of the next inning, with sophomore pitcher Brandon Haczynski getting Portage junior catcher Devin Fravel to ground out to Crown Point’s shortstop to end the chance that the Indians would take back the lead. In the bottom of the eighth, junior Joey O’Keefe began the inning with a double, putting a Crown Point player in scoring posi-

points

“We have to take care of whoever is next up on schedule,” Strayer said. “That’s our mentality. If we think about the LaPorte game next week, it’ll probably cause us more problems because we haven’t yet played seven (full) innings of baseball. So to think about LaPorte is probably not a good idea.” Ruiz shares Strayer’s outlook, but also stresses that the team can’t overlook a single opponent in order to finish the regular season strong. “Even though we are focused on our next game, the Merrillville, Chesterton and LaPorte games are very important to us,” Ruiz said. “We need to win those games to place well for sectionals, so we will be just as hungry for those wins as we were for Portage.” Even with the three losses this month that once had the Bulldogs at 3-3, Ruiz says the goal to claim the state’s highest prize will never change. “Our expectations for the postseason will never change,” Ruiz said. “We want to win state.”

Girls track takes second despite weather conditions BY ELI UDCHITZ

reporter

The girls track season is in full swing. As the end of April approaches, the girls are ranked third in the area. The Lady Dogs pulled out a big win at the annual Hobart Little Five Invitational last Sat., winning with a 26.5-point margin in front of second-place Kankakee Valley. Senior runner Katie Mellady has had a strong individual start to the season, helping her team collect wins such as the Hobart

Invite. “Getting the sweep at Hobart was a huge confidence booster for our team,” Mellady said. “The early win definitely proved that we will have a good chance of being a real threat in the postseason.” Mellady finished first in the 400 meter dash, and her team took first in the 4x400 meter relay. Tues. night the girls hosted visiting Valparaiso and Chesterton, finishing second overall. “Regardless of the final scores, this was important for us to get out there and see where we are at,” head coach Adam Piaskowy

Blackhawks

extra

tion before Portage recorded a single out. A few pitches later, O’Keefe caught the Portage catcher off guard and advanced to third base. Even though junior Alex Ruiz would hit a pop up to first base to give Portage an out, the next batter, senior Geoffrey Kozlowski, hit a ground ball that Portage first baseman Jesse Bustos couldn’t handle to bring home O’Keefe and begin the celebration in the Dogs’ dugout. Crown Point also pulled off a 7-6 comeback win over Penn on Saturday, and Bukowski commented on his team’s resiliency to pull out wins even when the odds aren’t on Crown Point’s side. “We just have a tough team. We come out at the end of games and just fight until we get the win,” Bukowski said. “It gives us lots of confidence going into every other game.” It’s been an up-and-down month for the Dogs, but they’ll head into their stretch run on a four-game winning streak, with their last loss coming to Valparaiso on Apr. 16. Even though a matchup with 12-1 LaPorte is on the horizon, head coach Steve Strayer believes his team must take it one game at a time.

Who will win the 2015 Stanely Cup Playoffs?

out of 92 students polled

said. “We know we will go back and forth and back and forth with these teams like we always do, but this was a good starting point for us.” Freshman Paytn Grady put in a great performance, helping her team to beat Valpo and nearly top the Trojans. “Being a freshman on varsity is incredibly hard,” Grady said. “We have great leaders on the team that help me and many others out with confidence and work ethic. We always give it our all, and that is why we have had so much early success.”

Mother Nature was not on anyone’s side Tues. as 20 mile per hour winds and overcast weather conditions made running conditions unfavorable. “The weather, especially the wind, is a huge factor when it comes to running your fastest. It forces you to be more mentally tough,” Mellady said. “Our coach always tells us that everyone is running in the same conditions as you are. You have to know you’re stronger than the girl next to you.” The girls next meet will be Tues. April 28 at Portage High School.

Ducks

Rangers

Other

My moment of the month.... “...Was winning the Hobart little five invitational.” Senior Katie Mellady

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arts & entertainment april 24, 2015

inreview “Want To Want Me” By Jason Derulo Jason Derulo is out with his newest single, “Want To Want Me,” and it does not disappoint. While it does sound similar to other songs of his, it still has a great beat that no one can resist. Derulo knows how to keep people moving with a great song.

“Uptown Funk” (Radio remix) The radio has found its latest victim. “Uptown Funk” is the perfect song to get, well, funky to. Then the radio steps in and layers dubstep over the song with no modifications to make it flow and brings tears to the eyes of Bruno Mars fans all over the nation. If you value your hearing, stay away from this remix.

From laughing so hard your stomach hurts to bursting out in a puddle of tears, emotions during high school run high. Treat your many moods with these tracks that are sure to meet your needs. BY OLIVIA ELSTON

editor-at-large

Jumping with joy

Just wanna dance

Calm and collected

Honey, I’m Good by Andy Grammer

Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars

Gravity by John Mayer

It is impossible to hear the first few measures of “Uptown Funk” and not get the urge to start dancing directly where one happens to be, whether in the car or in a store.

John Mayer is the king of relaxing music. His voice and guitar in this track help Mayer keep the mixing of sounds to a minimum, making the track the ultimate calm arrangement.

Not only do these funny, blunt lyrics leave one in a good mood, but its syncopated beat with distinct drums and clapping immediately places the listener in a happy atmosphere.

Down in the dumps

Fuming with rage

Numb with Nostalgia

Stop and Stare by OneRepublic

Bang Your Head by Quiet Riot

Time of My Life by David Cook

This is the perfect song to contemplate life to. OneRepublic has the perfect combination of solid lyrics and soothing instruments that will fit anyone’s sad mood.

Sometimes when mad, it’s best to listen to some metal that’s not too deep lyrically so the focus is on the heavy beat. Get all the emotions out with this hardcore song.

The moving instrumental, the smooth quality of Archuleta’s voice and the heart-felt lyrics make this song a perfect hit for when one wants to replay his or her lasting memories.

“Lip Sync Battle” On Spike Its the show we all have been waiting for.: all of our favorite actors under one roof making fools out of themselves by lip syncing. The show is the definition of entertainment.

“Cherry Bomb” by Tyler the Creator When you’re listening to a song, one usually enjoys hearing the actual lyrics. In the few painful songs heard on the album “Cherry Bomb,”the quality of the music sounds recorded with a motorola phone. The album is titled “explicit,” when in reality you could bearly hear the explicit lanuage; it might as well have been titled clean.

“See You Again” By Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth The song was the wrap up to the movie “Fast and Furious 7” in honor of Paul Walker. “See You Again” captures the listener with its meaningful lyrics and enticing music. Wiz Khalifa kept the song much cleaner than his previous songs, and the lyrics describe the relationship between Vin Diesel and Paul Walker, which only brings listeners close to tears.

“Unfriended” terrifyingly awful, fails to strike fear BY NADIA GIEDEMANN

associate editor

Have no fear. After months of buildup, “Unfriended” falls short of scary expectations. Levan Gabriadze attempted to make a movie that was actually terrifying. Although “Unfriended” was meant to be a horror movie, the lack of scare factors and actual settings made it look cheap and humorous. In “Unfriended,” a group of close friends join an online

life social

A section devoted to social media

group chat where an unknown user harasses them. The user isn’t a typical computer hacker and is determined after the darkest secrets of each person were exposed. The user is the spirit of Laura Barns (Heather Sossaman) who had committed suicide after a video of her was posted to the internet. There was not a big need for intricate settings since the movie took place entirely on a computer screen. Audience members had the point of view of Blaire Lily (Shelley Hennig) while she

browsed the internet and talked to her friends. The computer screen aspect was boring. There would be periods of time where the cursor is the only thing moving on the screen. Static was added to the group chat to make it seem as though Laura was affecting the computer. This could have been done well, but the amount of static was unrealistic and made “Unfriended” cheesy. There were attempted scare factors, which failed. After moments of silence, computer tones

went off which were supposed to cause people in the audience to jump but in reality caused confusion and mockery. The only true horror movie aspects of “Unfriended” were the deaths. However, these deaths were more gruesome than horrifying. With the use of profane language, witty comebacks and typical teenage drama, “Unfriended” became more of a horror movie spoof. It is recommended not to spend the ridiculous amount of money on an awful movie that crushed all expectations.

best tweets

best apps

The guys next to me at the movies farted then just looked at me and smiled

For students with family overseas, getting in touch can be difficult. With “LINE” you can chat, call, and video call for free with all your family overseas.

Sophomore Matthew Metlov

@m_Metlov21

My busy schedule can be summed up by the Alfredo lean cuisine my mom made me as I ran out the door bc her homemade Alfredo wasn’t done

Junior Karson Trisick

@karsontriscik

LINE

Whatever happened to free homework passes like we had in middle school.....because I could really use some right now. Sophomore Hannah Kukurugya

@Hann_kuk

Getting out of a CP parking lot almost takes as long as a block day class Junior Abbey Wellman

@abbeywellman98

Wattpad

Waiting on the bus or bored during study hall? Download this Wattpad and read stories self-published by authors of every genre and age.

best follows @FacesPics Find hilarious pictures in everyday things such as chairs, food, and bulidings.

@PDLComics Artist Reza Farazmand shares his hilarious comics with the world through his twitter.

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arts & entertainment april 24, 2015

“The Longest Ride” worth the watch BY VERDA MIRZA

Resolve drama before end of school year

editor-at-large

Luke Collins, played by Scott Eastwood, loves bull riding. It’s the only thing that he has ever loved. He knows the dangers of bull riding, how much those eight seconds can cost him considering he was in a coma. Yet he can’t seem to leave behind his true love until he meets Sophia Danko, played by Britt Robertson. Luke wants to make a comeback in the bull riding world. However, his plans become unclear as his love for Sophia builds. That’s not the only love seen here as Ira Levinson (Alan Alda old Ira and Jack Hutson young Ira) and Ruth (Oona Chaplin) intertwine with Sophia’s and Luke’s story. “The Longest Ride” is similar to most of Nicholas Sparks’ book-made-movies: the love, the pain, the secrets, the attractive men, the couple so different they can’t possibly have a happy ending. However, compared to the old-fashioned noir of “Safe Haven” and the awkward melodrama of “The Best of Me,” this movie was surprisingly a nice chick flick to watch. The storyline, though kind of predictable, was very heart-warming and romantic. Like good old Sparks, there’s always a lesson to be learned from his stories. Here, is the story of Ira and Ruth from the past merges with Luke and Sophia’s present romance, the audience understands that, with love and happiness, there is always sacrifice. That’s the one thing about Sparks that’s admiring; he emphasizes that not all love stories have a happy ending and not all love stories are fairy tales. There is always sacrifice that has to be made that might make or break the couple. That is Luke’s and Sophia’s biggest challenge. Luke must choose between his bull riding career or Sophia as they both learn about Ira’s love story and his and Ruth’s sacrifices. All and all, this movie was great for watching with that special someone.

BY TINA WINFREY

editor-in-chief

Flo Rida hits rock bottom with recent release BY CASEY AKERS

reporter

“My House,” Flo Rida’s newest EP leading up to the soon be released full length album,“The Perfect 10,” has failed to impress. Flo Rida has made the same exact sound for the past decade, not even evolving or changing his sound in the slightest. “My House” is no different. Flo Rida hits the ground with a giant thud, not leaving any room for interpretations of any of the songs on this EP, simply because there is nothing to interpret. The simple dance beats and unmeaningful lyrics will surely allow for some enjoyment for the first few listens. However, the replay value of this EP is definitely no more than three play-throughs.

Lanyards

These teaser songs, with the best being “That’s What I Like” featuring Fitz, do not leave much hope for the full length album, whose release date has not yet been set. All that can be said about “My House” is that, to stay alive in the music industry today, Flo Rida needs to make new material that has way more depth. Without at least a reboot of his style, Flo Rida will end up like “My House,” forgotten and deleted off of phones. The EP is shockingly not the best music available right now and should not be expected to hit any of the charts any time soon. If there is anything that is good about this EP, it is seldom found or heard while listening.

Wobble

favorite things

we’re so over

Stickers Add pizzaz to anything and everything! Simply stick fun shapes and pictures on to anything. various retailers $0.50 and up

Stanley Cup Playoffs Having a lanyard is a right of passage for becoming a true high school student. various retailers $5 - $15

Worst Track:

Watch bearded men agressively fly at each other as fans pound and slam the glass. It’s fun for all.

Over posting on social media Expressing feelings on social media is one thing, but blowing up everyone else’s feed is not cool. Nobody is dying to know every second of the day in detail. There is an unspoken rule to not post more than once within 24 hours; don’t be that person. Food is to be eaten, not photographed. Some conversations should stay off Twitter and Snapchat stories should be kept under 100 seconds. So please, think before posting.

Drama. We’ve all experienced it in some form or another. The group switching, hang out ditching and mistake snitching are quick ways to ruin once a great friendship. While the initial impact of the deception may develop a long series of rants and vows to never speak to each other again, a single event shouldn’t determine the outcome of a friendship. For instance, friendships may be shattered and enemies may be made in the wake of prom season, but with less than two months of the school year left, we should be working on mending friendships and coming to agreements with enemies. Before you know it, the list of people who you have beef with becomes longer and longer, and when you find yourself in need of a friend to catch a movie with or even a ride to school the pickings may be spare. With recent events leaving the school and community with heavy hearts, it is important now more than ever to get past differences and learn to work together. People are in need for a helping hand, and do you really want vague memories of Patty stealing your boyfriend in 5th grade to stop you from reaching out to help her? The “I’ll wait for them to apologize first” statement is often tossed around, but little do people know it is likely that the “them” is thinking the exact same thing. Coming so close to the end of this school year, it is just a week’s worth of time before students are walking out the doors and not turning back until next school year. For seniors, we will never all be here at the same time again. Waiting it out can be a dangerous option because before you know it, the bell will ring on the last day, and you still won’t be talking to your once bestfriend. Don’t wait. Just talk it out now. Resolving the issue doesn’t mean both sides have to function as best friends again, but it leaves an assurance that someone will be there when you need help. Drama is bound to happen, but it’s how you deal with it that matters. Don’t let it ruin friendships because you’ll likely need and want these people around later in life. These last weeks of school should be used to remember great times with friends and fellow classmates, not be angry at them.

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people april 24, 2015

TAKE

sophomore Bridgette Bazin Bone Blunder

“The worst injury I’ve ever had was when I fell down the stairs in fifth grade and bruised my tailbone.”

Crown Point’s

Eyes Wide Open

TOP DOG

PHOTO BY JILL KIDDER

Mike Adams spends his April afternoons serving hot dogs on the square. This will be Adams’ seventh season as “The Hot Dog Guy.”

Adams makes his mark as community’s “Hot Dog Guy” BY JACKIE TALBOT

reporter

It was supposed to be a light-hearted joke. When Mike Adams’ sister picked up a hot dog hat from the Vidler’s dime store near Buffalo, New York, she intended for the gift to be thrown to the side, never to be worn or touched again. She was wrong. Not only did Adams wear the hat, but it became his signature mark, landing him the title of “The Hot Dog Guy.” Adams now owns two hot dog carts, one on the Super Bowl parking lot and the other on the southeast corner of the Crown Point Square. He opens the carts in April and closes them in October and is currently selling hot dogs for his seventh season. Adams has become a prominent figure in the community, a fact that he finds humbling and is appreciative of.

What’s the weirdest dream you’ve had?

“I love Crown Point, and I love what I do,” Adams said. “Selling hot dogs here has been a humbling experience, and I love that what I do is able to put smiles on people’s faces.” As of April 19, Adams has more than 1,404 likes on his posts and pictures, 95 reviews and 71 recorded visits on his Facebook page. Adam’s interactions with customers have been some of his fondest moments on the job. The relationships and responses he has gotten have made the experience even more enjoyable. “Seeing my customers is like a class reunion,” Adams said. “I see people I haven’t in a long time. The overflowing support that I have gotten has made my encounters amazing as well.” In addition to serving his customers, Adams also has helped a missionary group fund their trip to San Antonio. When the group’s

“I had a dream “I was jumping that Jackie Chan off platforms was cutting up in the sky then apples for me.” I fell off.” Tara Lugo Sophomore

Thomas Kvachkoff Junior

materials were stolen on the trip, Adams raised $1,200 from his own tip money to help aid the volunteers. Bus driver Walter Garrett, who has visited Adams’ hot dog stand frequently, appreciates the qualities Adams displays through such actions. “(Adams) goes above and beyond what a vendor would do,” Garrett said. “He goes out of his way to help people by giving them advice and being there for them. He’s a man of integrity, a man filled with kindness.” While Adams has developed lasting memories on the job, he admits that it was no easy task to begin his business, using his experience to leave a message for students still in high school. “Running your own business is a lot of work,” Adams said. “I have learned that, and I would advise students to do whatever they want to do. Even if it’s hard, don’t let anyone tell you you can’t do something.”

“The longest I’ve ever gone without sleep was 24 hours. I didn’t meanto stay up that long; it just kind of happened.”

Season Slipup “I get confused when people ask me what my favorite season is. I always think they are talking about T.V.”

Prominent Work “When I grow up, I want to be a famous photographer. I would take pictures all over the world.”

Another Era “If I could travel back in history, I would go to the 40s-50s because I love the clothes from that time period.”

“I rode a video “Childish “I killed Big “I was in Africa Gambino was game dinosaur in Bird. I was and I was able to my brother.” a rainbow world. eight years old jump really high.” as well.” I thought differently of myself.” Carlton Billy Pejoski Sam Ruder Rager Junior Dakota Mable Senior Freshman Senior