Inklings dec 2015 by CPHS Inklings

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Crown Point High School @InklingsCPHS Dec. 18. 2015 Vol. 80 Issue 4

S Read about Breakfast with Santa hosted by Key Club on page 2

ACT NOW

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sea level drought recyle

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our fight

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BY SAM BARLOGA online editor

ENERGY

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ACT NOW RECYCLEreduce

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DO WE CARE ENOUGH?

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with Pape’s stance, as he stated that the science is clear and alarming. “Climate change is happening; the science shows it,” Correa said. “So, deniers have nothing to stand on except for ‘Is it human caused?’ which is a garbage excuse (for inaction).” Others, including senior Eric Sirois believes that climate change is an issue we should try to tackle immediately, and he is taking steps to fight global warming here in Crown Point. “I think climate change is an important issue for many reasons, especially because we are using so many resources,” Sirois said. “Eventually, especially with things like oil, we could end up using all of it. When that happens we will be in trouble, so I think it relates back to the amount (of resources) we are using now. (I try to tackle climate change on a local level) by recycling.

reuse REDUCE ENERGY

futureWARS

via email. The effects of climate change can be hard to see on a hyper-localized level, but it’s clear to see things are changing on a worldwide level. 2014 was the hottest year in Earth’s history, and if current stats stay on pace, 2015 will be even warmer. Senior Grant Pape believes that the near-consensus of scientists who believe climate change is caused by humans are wrong, and that the Earth’s climate is changing, but there is nothing we can do about it. “It’s a stupid issue (climate change),” Pape said. “The Earth does its own thing, and we do not do anything. I believe climate change is effected by the universe; I believe that when the Earth moves stuff happens outside of the Earth, and that the people do not affect it. I mean pollution does, but pollution is only a small part of the air, and the other air is cleaning out the pollution.” Pape believes that there are other issues far more important than climate change. “(We should be focused on) world peace,” Pape said. “We should be focusing on real stuff like fighting ISIS and being worried about Iran and Afghanistan because of what they are doing, but instead we are focused on climate change.” Science teacher Joseph Correa does not agree

our future

There is a threat to the safety of major cities around the world, and no, it is not in the form of terror groups such as ISIS and al-Qaeda. The science is clear: the Earth is warming, and the climate is changing. Even a slight rise in global temperatures could decimate cities such as New York and London, along with misplacing billions of people by the end of the century. For this reason among others, NASA scientist Joel Tumbiolo believes now is the time to act on climate change. “Climate change is an issue that is important because, regardless of age, no one wants to contribute to the deterioration of the only planet we have, and everyone wants to ensure that this planet will be around for fuWATER ture generations,” Tumbiolo said

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Feature

News Dodging for a cause Pulse hosts second dodgeball tournament for charity page 3

A&E

Year in review Check out the best and worst moments of 2015

pages

8,9

A not so merry Christmas Krampus kills the holiday spirit in 1 hour and 38 minutes page

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news december 18 , 2015

intheknow Vex Robotics advance to state competition

PHOTOS PROVIDED PHOTO BY ALLY REKITZKE

Landon Conners poses for a photo upon Santa’s lap at Key Club’s annual Breakfast with Santa. The event is hosted for young children.

A Sunday with Santa Claus

Key Club hosts third breakfast for youngsters BY JEREMY DEBOLD reporter

Children are anxiously awaiting to see the infamous man with the big red coat and long, white beard--Santa. They held their parents’ hands, bouncing with excitement at the thought of telling the magical man their wishlist. The event, Breakfast with Santa, was hosted by Key Club and took place on Sunday Dec. 13. Committee chairman senior Alyssa Guritz said the event was hosted for young children and those in elementary school. “The goal of today’s event is so (children) can have a good time,” Guritz said.

The agenda for atendees included writing a letter for Santa, arts and crafts, pictures with Santa and breakfast. Breakfast items were provided by Key Club and donations from Dunkin’ Donuts, Starbucks and Great Harvest Bread Company. Key Club sponsor Heidi Polizotto gave most of the responsibilities of planning and hosting the event to Key Club members. Approximately 70 members attended the event. “On a school level, the goal is to provide more leadership opportunities to all of the Key Clubbers, so they can get involved and help organize things,” Polizotto said.

This is Key Club’s third year hosting Breakfast with Santa. Elementary school students have started looking forward to the event. Key Club members brought attention to the event by passing out fliers at the homecoming parade in October as well as sending fliers to elementary schools to give to their students. Psychology teacher Rebecca Magee attended the event with her daughter Fiona Magee. “(Fiona) would say the donuts were her favorite part,” Magee said. “I would say my favorite part was the activities, like building a snowman.” Building a snowman was

one of the several activities offered to the children along with making snowflakes, wrapping gifts, and making snow globe ornaments. “My favorite part was wrapping gifts with mama,” eightyear-old elementary student Sarah Barath said. Giggles and laughter could be heard intermittently throughout the event. Most of the young students attending were equipped with a smile while making various crafts. “Hopefully we’ll get the guts to go and see Santa,” Magee said. “He’s a little intimidating, but we’ll see.” They eventually did go and see Santa.

Both teams, (Team A above, Team D below) qualified for the state competition.

The well-awarded VEX robotics team at CPHS advanced to the state level this year, and are in preparation for the competition. This won’t be the first competition for the team. Last school year, CPHS’ Vex team secured a place at the World Competition in Louisville, KY.

Yearbook orders

Time is running out to order the 100th edition of the CPHS yearbook, designed exclusively by our very own Excalibur staff. For only $65, a chapter in our school’s history can be yours. After Jan. 16, prices will increase 15 dollars, so hurry and buy your yearbook before it’s too late.

Turnabout dance

The annual Turnabout dance sponsored by the dance team will be held on Jan. 23 at 6:30 pm at the Avalon Manor in Merrillville. Tickets can be purchased for $25 each during lunch periods or in Mrs. Hoffman’s room C235.

Second annual CPHS talent show attracts variety of acts BY LAUREN MASSOW copy editor

From musicians to comedians to peculiar acts, Crown Point High School’s talent show is back to showcase all of the talented students. Coordinator Mrs. Amy Sansone believes that this talent show will enlighten those who attend. “We are expecting everybody to have a good time,” Sansane said. “I’ll quote Mr. Gianfermi on this from last year. He said, ‘You know you kind of see kids

January

walking around the school and you just think we are thinking academics and stuff, but we really get to see what kids are passionate about when they are on stage.’” All varieties of talent are allowed in the show. Sansone has seen a wide diversity of acts submitted. “Any talent is allowed, and we encourage any type of talent because in the past, we had something that was kind of like a ‘stupid human trick,’ and maybe we could incorporate that into an MC act. We’ve got a lot of dif-

New Year’s Day

4 Welcome back! School resumes.

ferent ideas that we could pull together to bring them into the show. Maybe they’re not a (complete) act, but they could still be featured in the talent show,” Sansone said. “I know the guitar club is thinking about something they could do, maybe not as an act but just incorporated into the whole show itself.” Junior Max Jenks and his group members are submitting their English project video to be in the talent show. “What we are submitting, is ‘The Mask of the Red Death,’”

Half day End of semester

Jenks said. “It’s a video we had to do for an English project. It turned out really well, so we figured we’ll submit it to the talent show. We put a lot of time and effort into it.” The talent show is just recently making a reappearance due to the little interest to have an entire show in previous years. “There was not enough interest (in previous years) or enough submissions to have a hopeful show, which is kind of amazing with all of the talent that our student body has. I think that just

Turnabout dance at No school due the Avalon Manor to teacher work day.

shows that kids are really, really busy, and they just have a hard time,” Sansone said. “The audition is serious. You have to have whatever you’re going to do; you have to have it figured out and put on media and sent to us.” The talent show will be on Jan. 20 at 6 p.m. and will run about two hours long. Admission price is $5. “People should attend the talent show because it really shows everyone how talented people in our school really are,” Jenks said. “We all have a lot of individual talents that are expressed throughout the school.”

countdown until Spring Break

58 school days countdown until last day of school

98 school days

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news

december 18, 2015

Dodgeball’s true underdog story

Freshmen win dodgeball tournament, procedes donated to St. Jude House BY HANNAH BAUNER opinion editor

Six seniors on one side. Six freshmen on the other. The championship match in the second dodgeball tournament came down to the seniors, who named themselves The Santas, and the freshmen, who named themselves The Jingleballers. Both teams had to win their individual pools to advance to the double-elimination bracket. They then had to make their way to the championship match to compete for the title. All of the money collected from the tournament went to a charity chosen by the winning team. The two teams met earlier in the tournament, resulting in The Jingleballers being knocked into the losers half of the bracket. However, after the first round of the championship match, The Jingleballers were on top. Up 1-0 on The Santas, the PHOTO BY ALLY REKITZKE freshmen were confident. “We knew we were going to Senior Ryan Kepshire stares down his target before he throws the win from the start,” freshman ball. 19 teams registered for the event. The winning team was com- Marek Bauner said. “It felt pretty posed entirely of freshmen boys. As the champions, they chose to cool knowing we’re freshmen, and donate the tournament’s procedes to St. Jude house. they’re seniors.” The Santas came back with

something to prove. They were not going down without a fight. “After the second game, I felt like we were going to win it all,” senior Jacob Sobek said. “We had a lot of momentum from the win, and the other team was down after they lost.” The third round was a constant back-and-forth game. With the game nearing its end, there was one player left on each team. Freshman Ryan Fender threw the ball at senior Mark Mazure and won the game for The Jingleballers. “I was back there, and I had all the balls. I just figured, ‘Hey, I’ve got to get him now,’” Fender said. The Jingleballers played for St. Jude house, an organization that serves as a safehouse and support group for victims of domestic abuse. “The winning team was playing for St. Jude house, so we have close to $1,000 going to St. Jude which is really cool,” economics teacher and tournament sponsor Vince Lewis said. The Jingleballers were coached by freshman Bryant Callander. Although Callander did not play in matches themselves, the Jingleballers credit him with their motivation to

win. “Our biggest challenge was that they are more mature than us. But we had the experience from the first time and the will to win,” Callander said. “This is for the freshmen.” Sobek believes the tournaments are a great way to interact with classmates in a competitive event. “Everyone should come to the dodgeball tournament, whether they are actually playing in it or are just a spectator,” Sobek said. “It is a great event and the winner gets to donate the money to a charity of their choice. There is nothing better than giving back to people during the holiday season.” This tournament is not the last for CPHS. Lewis is ready to for more and already has a spring tournament in the works. “As long as people keep showing an interest, we’ll keep doing it. I think it’s good for not only people around here to have something to look forward to but also something bigger than themselves that they can contribute and work toward. It’s a great way to promote community service,” Lewis said. “As long as people keep having fun with it, we’ll definitely keep doing them.”

climate continued from p.1

Crown Point grants $18,400 for renovation of the long vacant nurses home on Main Street. The Indiana Ballet Theatre took on the task of renovating the home into a fine arts center. The building is planned to open in 2017.

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I think it’s great that Crown Point is giving money in order to help the elderely in that Kelly Mangen nursing home. junior

to poultry meats such as chicken and fish. “If they want to do something (about climate change), then a lot of it is watching what they eat. For one, it could be reducing meat consumption, as agriculture produces almost 15 percent of greenhouse gases, which is more than all the planes, trains and automobiles produce,” Correa said. “Just how much meat we eat here is a huge factor. Individuals do not have to go vegetarian because that is not the point. Even if students reduced red meat (consumption) and said, ‘I’m only to eat pork and chicken,’ that is a huge factor right there. It is a change anybody can make and still continue their meat-eating lifestyle.” Several studies back up Correa’s claim about emissions from cattle. A 2009 study by World Watch stated: “... we believe that the life cycle and supply chain of domesticated animals raised for food have been vastly underestimated as a source of greenhouse gases (GHGs), and in fact account for

Student reaction to events in our world

Governor Mike Pence has refused offers to meet with Syrian refugees on Dec. 11. This event was prospective event was organized by Syrian American Council.

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at least half of all human-caused GHGs.” As places in Africa and Asia become more developed in the future, their people will demand a similar lifestyle to those in the West. The demand for meat will rise dramatically over the next 50 years, according to a report by National Geographic. Even with climate change being listed near the bottom of important issues by several pollsters for the upcoming 2016 presidential election, Tumbiolo holds out hope on the future of the issue. “I do (believe there are reasons for hope on climate change), the more information that becomes available the more the public will become educated and aware of the potential impacts of climate change,” Tumbiolo said. “Climate change must be combated individually and globally and the more people are educated the more they will fight it. Climate change is a global issue so the fight must be globally for it to become effective.”

I think that Governor Mike Pence made the right decision. His decision will ultimately lead to protection of Lance Noerenberg senior Indiana citizens.

Citadel College, a public military school, is investigating photos posted on social media that shows students wearing pillow cases over their head. The costumes resemble thos of the Klu Klux Klan.

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This is just wrong because they are a U.S. military personnel and they are referencing to a hate group Steven Mcdaniel sophomore which is wrong.

5000 cuban trying to make it to the U.S. are stuck at the Costa Rican, Nicaraguan border. Nicaragua and Guatemala refuse to provide them free transit across the countries.

World

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to lower emissions. In the end, they agreed to report their emissions even though they believed the use of a monitoring organization would infringe on their national sovereignty, according to a report put together by the Council on Foreign Relations. Although world powers agreed to cut large-scale carbon emissions, Tumbiolo points out that students who want to fight climate change at home have several options at their disposal. “There are many everyday practices that students can do,” Tumbiolo said. “Carpooling to school with friends, riding the bus or walking if you live close to school are great ways. I think the biggest impact students can have is through education of others on climate change and what can be done to fight it.” Correa added that raising cattle creates large amounts of carbon. Students who want to make an impact can cut down on their consumption of red meat and switch

Nation

A steady rise in carbon emissions since the start of the Industrial Revolution is one of the underlying causes of why the Earth is warming. The United Nations recently hosted government officials from every member-state at the 2015 UN Climate Change Conference in Paris, France, to discuss ways to work together to bring down global carbon emissions. The deal they signed will force UN member-nations get to zero net carbon emissions by 2050. The United States and China are the world’s largest emitters of carbon and took center stage at the climate talks. The United States wanted China and other nations to report their emissions statistics to a legally-binding, non-governmental organization that would monitor nations to make sure they stick to their targets, and punish nations who do not. Despite China’s disagreement with the proposal, Beijing stated that they would work

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I think that the countries of the world should let people into their country if they are looking for safety. Madi Hargreaves freshman

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opinion december 18, 2015

speakup

Say what you mean, not what is wanted

How are you ecofriendly in every day life? TRASH

BY CHRIS REKITZKE editor-at-large

The great George Carlin once had a bit going into great detail on American euphemisms, in which he ranted on everything from the progression of “shell shock” to the now well known term “post-traumatic stress disorder” to old people being called “senior citizens” along with some other choice topics. Carlin at times got extreme and to the public, more than a little offensive. Even from the grave Carlin has a point. We should say what we mean, not some variation of the truth that makes it easier to swallow. It is a problem that transcends politics, scandals, sports-the list goes on and on. We, not only as a country, but as a species need to stop this nonsense. Too often do we find ourselves sugar-coating in place of the hard, simple truth. Not just in terms of labels that portray a certain connotation like Carlin suggests but in general. We dread the truth and moreover shun honesty. So I ask, whatever happened to the childhood idiom “honesty is the best policy?” Ironically, driven into a child’s mind by someone who puts on a decade long charade to convince a child a fatman garbed in red, in a flying sleigh delivers presents around the world in a single night. The fabled idiom is one of the most simplistic and easily recognizable mantras across households worldwide and has been for centuries; it has since faded. It seems the older we get the more acceptable it becomes to lie or beat around the bush. We put “little white lies” in place of the truth instead of dealing with the reality of things. We do this because we fear negative reaction. So this holiday season I would encourage everyone to be as blunt as possible. If grandma’s ham is a little dry, let her know she needs to butter that puppy before she throws it in the oven. If Santa could have followed the submitted wishlist a little better, be sure to relay that to your parents that always seem to know his whereabouts. The truth will set you free, even if the truth hurts.

CARTOON BY ABBY SOBEK

freshman

“I’m green because I recycle and reuse materials.”

iew: Schools should

make an effort to be more ecofriendly

Our environment is on the verge of being destroyed. Even more horrifying than this, we, every individual, are contributing to our own downfall. Every day, the global temperature rises as a result of an increase of carbon dioxide and methane. To the average high schooler, this sounds harmless, but at the current rate, experts estimate that as many as 2,000 species may have become extinct due to climate change and habitat destruction--this year alone. Among this tragic news, there is hope. We can choose to save the species left, choose to save the world. At Crown Point High School, we can make a difference. As a school, there are small, easy ways that can contribute to healing the Earth. For instance, schoolwide LED lights could be implemented into classrooms. LED light bulbs use 85 percent less energy than typical halogen bulbs. The cafeteria is a breeding ground for pollution, particularly that of waste. Aside from the Krampen compost, there is no sorting process to remove recyclables from food waste in the cafeteria. This means all the plastic students and faculty use goes straight to landfills when they have the potential to be repurposed. Students themselves can also take charge by using reusable containers, which eliminate excessive plastic use, to transport their lunches. These wasted plastics can take hundreds of years to naturally break down; more importantly, though, plastics are created with the use of fossil fuels. We are in an energy crisis already, and by not recycling plastics, we are only worsening the problem. Even within the classroom, teachers can help the cause. Doing things as simple as making classroom-set copies of tests and handouts can cut down on the use of paper. This in itself is a victory for all--the school saves money on resources and a forest is able to be spared from logging and other human related activity that damages the ecosystem. Teachers have done their part by educating students about the severity of this issue; now it’s our turn to do our part to help find a solution.

editorial

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Cameron Pimental

Vol. 80 Issue 4 December 18, 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

editor-in-chief Natalie Brigham editors-at-large Maisa Nour L I N G S Katie Pawlowski Crown Point High School, IN Chris Rekitzke Inklings is a student publication created by the newspaper and advanced online editor journalism students and distributed monthly to students, faculty and staff of Sam Barloga Crown Point High School. Opinions do not necessarily reflect those of CPHS faculty, staff or administration. copy editor Letters-to-the-editor are welcomed provided they are signed and submitted Lauren Massow one week prior to publication and do not contain personal attacks. Inklings opinion editor reserves the right to edit for space, clarity and legal and ethical concerns. Hannah Bauner Advertising is subject to applicable rates available by contacting Inklings. arts & Inklings has been recognized as an Indiana High School Press Associaentertainment tion Hoosier Star, National Scholastic Press Association Pacemaker, Columbia Scholastic Press Association Silver Crown, and Quill and Scroll George H. Gallup editor publication. Maria Leontaras

Georgia Kurtz

sophomore “I’m green because I recycle and I limit my showers to under five minutes to save water.”

Luke Adams junior

“I go green by carpooling with people.”

Savannah Shuljak senior

“I have an eco-friendly toilet that has two buttons to save water. I recycle everything and turn the lights off when I’m not in a room.”

sports editor Dylan Wallace assistant sports editors Tommy Frame Dominic Tomich feature editor Jackie Ham design editor Grace Cleland chief photographers Jill Kidder Ally Rekitzke

advertising editors Becca Burke Audrey Gacsy art director Abby Sobek artist Destiny Kogler staff Yousef Abdeldaiem Jeremy DeBold Lexi Linback Matt McConnell Alexia Wojciechowski adviser Julie Elston

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opinion december 18, 2015

Should online learning replace lost days?

Take realistic approach to achieve goals

BY NATALIE BRIGHAM editor-in-chief

CARTOON BY DESTINY KOGLER

Pro:

Con:

Work online prevents students from having to make up days at school

Working from home can make students less motivated

graphic editor

reporter

BY ABBY SOBEK

Most students can relate to being excited for summer, enjoying bright and sunny days, where the days are long and the nights are short, but instead are stuck inside the school an extra day on a beautiful summer day. Crown Point tends to have a lot of snow days because the weather is so unpredictable . These snow days cause students to have to give up some of their summer vacation to make up school hours. An alternative solution to this issue would be having students utilize the time off. Online learning has provided a new platform for students to work on school assignments. Although the school may be closed, school could be held online. This would eliminate the need to have additional days during added on at the end of the year. If students had days where they stayed home and worked online, they would not have to make up days. Not only that, but having work online gives students opportunities to work and practice on classes that they are struggling with. Some people might argue that having work online will not have the same effect as being in a classroom and that students might not do the work because no one is there to supervise them. It also allows students to work at their own pace and not have to worry about having to do everything all at once. Other schools around the area are taking part of this online work day, and the work online tends to average around a full school day. Having work online during snow days would benefit the teachers as well. Teachers would not have to reschedule their lesson plans around days that school was not in session. Teachers can pick up where students left off and continue their lesson at school. With this system, online work will save teachers time and stay on track. If students are spending the same amount of time working on homework at home as at school, then it should not matter whether or not we go to school. Students should be rewarded for still putting in the same amount of effort by not having an additional day at the end of the year.

9 Inklings staffers agree Madison Poya

sophomore

There is no greater joy than getting that fateful call on a snowy morning when the administration announces that there is a snow day. Normally when kids hear that school is cancelled, they have an immediate reaction of joy and excitement. They rush to get outside and spend the day in the vibrant white snow. Now schools are beginning to grow more conscientious of the missed learning opportunities because of poor weather. Online learning means that students can participate in schoolwork from their computers when the treacherous weather conditions prevent them from going to school. Most students now grew up with snow days that were free of school work, but, with this new system, students now have to work on these days. A lot of students will have less motivation because of it. If the students are assigned to teach themselves a lesson, they might neglect to learn it and ultimately compromise their grade. In addition, some students might also not be able to understand the material on their own, and they would have no one to ask for help. Also all students have different learning styles. Some learn better with a teacher, so online-learning days would be considerably difficult. Some students, without a teacher to encourage and help them, will lack that motivation to work. Furthermore, if weather is already an issue, it wouldn’t be unrealistic for a power outage to occur. If there was a one, students would not be able to complete their work. If there was a glitch in the programming it would compromise the students’ ability to participate online. For example, teachers might post themselves teaching the lesson online, but a problem could occur, making the video unviewable. Or a student’s laptop may break, and they will not be able to work. Online learning days aren’t the best option. They are inconvenient for some students with broken devices or a lack of motivation. They might not understand the material as well. Overall, online learning might be inconvenient for some students, and it would have a negative impact for students and teachers.

14 Inklings staffers agree Brent Bostick

“I think we should do that because we would not have to come to school and make up days.”

Josh Graegin

BY DESTINY KOGLER

senior

“I’d say no just because kids don’t usually do school assignments over breaks, and I use snow days to relax so I don’t think people would do what they were suppose to.”

history teacher

“I think with the technology we have now, we could take advantage of it. I heard that other schools around the area are doing it, so we should do it.”

Courtney Bishop

junior

“We shouldn’t do that because you won’t have the teacher there to help you.”

“New year, new me.” Watch out because before we know it, December 31 is going to be here. That means we’re about to be bombarded with friends and family saying things like, “I’m going to exercise every day,” “I’m going to be a better person” or “I’m going to try something new every day.” Every year it’s the same. Every. Year. Have any of us actually “achieved” a New Year’s resolution? I know I haven’t. Why? Because we give up too soon. Granted, the intent behind resolutions is good. We are trying to better ourselves, and there’s no harm in that. Truthfully, self improvement is a very admirable thing. The harm, though, lies in our thought process. We expect instant gratification for our actions. If we don’t succeed in seeing results right away, we assume that we have failed and that we won’t achieve anything, and then we give up. Having overly high expectations for speedy results are the leading cause of resolution death. We put forth too much energy towards our goals too quickly, and then within the first few days, we burn out. So please tell that one family member that no one is going to lose 20 pounds in two weeks. Instead, we should take small, practical steps. Change is not immediate; it happens over time. In many cases, it can take multiple years to accomplish a New Year’s goal. The expression “slow and steady wins the race” holds true when it comes to resolutions. Mental stamina is vital, and implementing manageable changes make it easier to maintain energy towards whatever the goal may be. So if the goal is to lead a healthier lifestyle, the answer shouldn’t be exercising for hours on end and depriving yourself of cookies for the rest of your life; alternatively, try to exercise for thirty minutes and limit your cookie intake. This year, instead of making and breaking promises to ourselves, we should strive to try and take realistic steps to achieve realistic goals. That way when December 31, 2016 rolls around, we can look back on the year and be proud of making headway and accomplishing some of our New Year’s resolutions.

feature december 18, 2015

i on life experiencing a different perspective

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By #

The

80%

of people who join a gym quit within five months

https://www.creditdonkey.com/gym-membership-statistics.html

14 years ago Zumba was founded http://www.thefactsite.com/2013/06/ zumba-fitness-facts.html,

PHOTO BY ALLY REKITZKE Math teacher and certified Zumba instructor Michelle McDonough teaches a Tabata class at the YMCA. She has taught excersie classes since she was in college.

Winter Workout

Alternative approaches mix up fitness routine BY JACKIE HAM feature editor

Wretched cold winds and frigid temperatures are approaching rapidly. The simple outside running or walking routine seems impossible to partake in when the weather conditions are hazardous. Images of a gym with treadmills, ellipticals and barbells galore might be a dreadful thought which sends more shivers down a spine than a slight breeze from the outside air. Does winter mean no exercise at all? No. Classes offering alternative ways to keep the winter weight off are available and open for new attendees. The local YMCA accommodates for those who like the traditional atmosphere of a gym, but it also holds an area for one who may stray away from that normality. In recent years, a spark of popularity in a program called Zumba has expanded the definition of working out. Zumba is an instructed program consisting of exercising steps excluding mats or free weights. “Every other month I get a new set of routines and based on the music I choose which routines I want to include or update,” Crown Point High School math teacher and certified Zumba instructor Michelle McDonough said. “The routines are all choreographed, so the members do not know what to expect.” Gyms are not the only place to go to break a sweat. Origins Dance Studio allows attendees with little to no dance experience to participate in classes ranging from hip-

Break a sweat in 30 minutes

hop to ballet. Dance simultaneously works various muscles in the body while also helping with coordination or rhythm difficulties. Sophomore Cassidy Stanage has been dancing since she was young, and she has a first-hand experience at how dance is an enjoyable method to stay in shape. “Dance is a great form of exercise because it is basically a whole bunch of different workouts combined,” Stanage said. “When you dance, you build up your cardio, leg muscles, arm muscles and endurance all in one time.” People may stay away from classes that are dance based because they have never done it before. Others may fear they do not have the coordination to do a workout that is all about rhythm, but that is nothing to be hesitant about. “You don’t always have to be the most coordinated person to be able to dance,” Stanage said. “You can still take classes to get a good workout.” Dance might not be the workout for everyone, but there are still other classes that can give an effective workout without running on a treadmill. The YMCA holds other classes including Tabata and Ripped. Tabata is a class revolving around high intensity training in which your heart rate fluctuates based on the activities instructed. It consists of eight groupings of activities performed for 20 seconds with ten minute breaks in between groups. Free weights are also involved for muscle strengthening. Ripped is a new class coming to the

Dance

Dance moves help with balance and coordination

YMCA. It is another choreographed class that allows the body to work on one muscle group for five minutes before moving onto another muscle group. “It is strength training and very effective,” McDonough said. “They will be starting that in January in the evenings.” Alternative workout opportunities are also present at CPHS. Yoga Club meets Thursday mornings in the SGI. Yoga unites the body both mentally and physically to create a calming workout that also stretches and tones muscles. Former Yoga Club member Junior Jessica Yukich is not a participant in the club anymore due to certain time restrictions that Thursday morning brings, but she misses what the club had to offer. “I miss being in it because it was fun to wake up in the morning and be with friends,” Yukich said. “I really liked going because it woke me up.” Even with freezing temperatures creeping in, the weather does not call for a halt in exercise or hibernation from the cold. Working out assists in blood circulation to the brain which decreases the risk of headaches. Exercising might seem strenuous on the body, but it actually boosts energy and increases muscle strength. “Exercise helps you not only physically but also with your mood,” McDonough said. “Health-wise it is just best if you follow the requirements of 20 to 30 minutes of physical activity a day. It makes a world of a difference.”

Yoga

Yoga is a great alternative for normal stretching

500-800 calories are burned during an hour class of Zumba http://www.indiatimes.com/health/ tips-tricks/weight-loss-workout9-things-you-didnt-know-about-zumba-236264.html,

Less than

of adults participate in 30 minutes of physical activity each day www.fitness.gov/resource-center/factsand-statistics/

an average gym membership costs about

$41

https://www.creditdonkey.com/gym-membership-statistics.html

only about

1/2

of gym members utilize their gym membership on a regular basis https://www.creditdonkey.com/gym-membership-statistics.html

Tabata

Tabata strengthens muscles throughout the body

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feature december 18, 2015

Away for the ‘Days

Families cope with the absence of loved ones in armed forces BY ALLY REKITZKE reporter

Holidays are usually reserved for family gatherings. Everyone is crowded around a table, passing plates to one another. There are jokes and stories being told with laughter echoing throughout the room. Now, imagine missing someone that is usually there. The only thing available is a phone call, text or a Skype call if time permits. This is what families with loved ones stationed abroad. Senior Noah Scibbe and his family have to go through a similar situation because his brother, Joe Scibbe, is in the Army. Scibbe said that not having his brother there is very odd, but with Skype, it is like he is there in spirit. “It’s odd because we do have family members come down and visit us so it’s just very weird when everyone is there except for Joe. We’re still able to Skype and do stuff so he’s sort of there but not physically,” Noah said. Junior Madison Marsh experiences this with her family too. In her situation, it’s not a family member. It is her childhood best friend Anthony Bass who joined the Marines. Their families usually spend the holidays together, so his absence during the holidays has an effect on her. “It’s really hard when he’s gone. For the longest time, we had zero contact, and I missed him so much. I would write a lot of letters, but it’d be weeks before I got anything back,” Marsh said. “He’s usually gone for a couple months

PHOTO BY ALLY REKITZKE

Senior Noah Scibbe’s brother is stationed in Germany and is not able to come home for the holidays. There are over 100,000 active U.S. military personnel serving abroad as of October 2015.

at a time, so we are luckier than most. It’s still hard to be away from him.” Senior Kenneth Schoiber has been in the United States Army for a year and has completed training. When he leaves, there is a chance that he will not be home for the holidays. “Knowing I can end up missing the holidays is really tough because I’m so used to being around my friends and family every year. It’s a huge change,” Schoiber said. Holiday spirit can be affected with the loved one’s absence. Their spirits can be heightened because the thought of having them back, makes them appreciate the holiday more. “My family’s holiday spirit will likely grow because it will mean more than it used to before with me being gone,” Schoiber said. “Mine will become a lot stronger because I’ll be exposed to new cultures as well as mine.” For Schoiber, his experience in the military has shown him that family is more than just blood relation so the effect of him being away from family isn’t as strong. “When I was shipped out to my training, I realized family isn’t always blood. I met so many great people that I now consider my brothers,” Schoiber said. “Family are the people who you know won’t leave your side no matter the situation. In my point of view, my family is everyone who stands by me.”

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STATIONED ABROAD Where are U.S. Military stationed around the globe?* JAPAN- 48, 828 GERMANY- 37, 704 SOUTH KOREA- 27, 558 ITALY- 11, 697 AFGHANISTAN- 9,800 GUAM- 5,647 TURKEY- 1,590 BELGIUM- 1,196 OTHER MIDDLE EASTERN NATIONS44, 800 TOTAL U.S. TROOPS ABROAD150,560 *As of October 2015, from Time Magazine

feature december 18, 2014

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feature december 18, 2014

Best & L

WORLD

WORST

Jan

2015

Charlie Hebdo attack at Paris.

Feb March Indiana Governor Mike Pence signs the state’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act into law.

BY NATALIE BRIGHAM MAISA NOUR editor-in-chief editor-at-large

To say the least, 2015 has been a year to remember. 2015, or better known to some as #2k15, was unpredictable. We joked about our fire mixtapes dropping and sat grief stricken as countless shootings and acts of violence took place. At CPHS, we saw everything from having a movie filmed in our town square to student council officers rapping. As the year comes to a close, we are reminded of our accomplishments, but we also keep in mind our failures. Because starting January 1, we have 365 days, 8,760 hours or 525,600 seconds to start anew again.

May PHOTO BY RAYNE CHARTERS

Seniors Paul Dawley and Sami Kennedy perform “Single Ladies” by Beyonce during Student Council’s Pep Rally Lip-Sync Battle. The pair secured their winning title in the final round after dancing to “Watch me” by Silento. Right 2015 graduate Julia Thorn performs in the spring musical Once Upon a Mattress. Below senior Brianna Rhodes paints a child’s face at National Honor Society’s annual Mardi Gras event for elementary students.

Photo by Keith Allison and retrieved on December 16, 2015. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/ File:Stephen_Curry_shooting.jpg Photo illustration background cutout by Natalie Brigham

U.S. beats Japan to win soccer’s 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

PHOTO BY JILL KIDDER PHOTO BY JILL KIDDER

INKLINGS

HITS from 2015

Zayn Malik leaves band One Direction

wins Pacemaker award

Harper Lee releases “Go Set a Watchman” a sequel to her 1960 novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” Katy Perry’s super bowl performance creates the social mediaphenomenon known as “The left shark” Photo by Hunter Paton and retrieved on Dec.8 2015. License at https:// commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Katy_Perry_-_Super_Bowl_XLIX_ Halftime_02.jpg Photo illustration background cut-out by Maisa Nour

1. Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars

2. Cheerleader (Felix Jaehn remix) by OMI 3. Take me to church by Hozier 4. Love me like you do by Ellie Goulding 5. See you again by Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth

6. Lean on by Major Lazer ft. Mo and DJ Snake

7. Hold back the river by James Bay 8. King by Years & Years 9. Sugar by Maroon 5

VOLLEY BALL

11. Hold my hand by Jess Glynne

12. Fourfive seconds by Rihanna/ Kanye West/ Paul Mccartney

makes it to semi-state

13. Want to want me by Jason Derulo

14. Are you with me by Lost Frequencies

10. Thinking out loud by Ed Sheeran

PULSE adds the victory bell

Sept Pope Francis visits the United States for the first time.

UPGRADE

from Brainhoney to Buzz

Photo by Creative Commons and retrieved on December 16, 2015. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Malik_performing_in_February_2015.png Photo illustration background cutout by Natalie Brigham

Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi sentenced to death.

July

Apple introduces the Iphone 6S and Iphone 6S Plus

Reigning MVP Stephen Curry leads the Golden State Warriors to their first NBA championship in 40 years

Star Wars releases first movie since prequel trilogy’s final addition in 2005

NEWS AROUND THE

THE

15. Where are U now by Skrillex & Diplo and Justin Bieber

GEORGE the bulldog got a facelift

Top5 CPHS Moments

Nov Terrorist attacks on Paris kill hundreds.

Patriots win their fourth Super Bowl in the BelichickBrady Era.

April Baltimore riots break out after death of Freddie Gray by police officer.

June

Gay marriage is legalizied in the United States of America.

Aug Republicans hold first 2016 presidential debate.

Oct Canada elected new prime minster, Justin Trudeau.

Dec

The head of Chicago’s Police Department was fired by Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

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feature december 18, 2015

Collecting CASH Clubs, individuals explore fundraising opportunities BY GRACE CLELAND design editor

Although fundraising can tug on the emotions of the participants, knowing that it is for a worthy cause is more gratifying than just sending in a check. Those at CPHS work together to help those in need around them. Poinsettia sales are conducted by the foreign language clubs to defer the costs of future Europe trips or AP exams. These trips and exams are too expensive to just write a check for and call it a deal. Preparation is taken to benefit the students. “All of the languages take trips across Europe, so we are trying to help to defer the cost for the kids because it's really expensive, so we like to make sure that we can help them out when we can,” said German teacher Heidi Polizotto. “We also encourage the kids to take the AP exam and that's expensive, so like last year we covered 100% of everybody taking the AP exam.” Students may not always see their hard work pay off quickly, but it will in the long run. While

fundraising, students keep in mind the difference they are making in the long run to benefit themselves and others. Sophomore Cora Knight said, “I think that fundraising does make a difference. In most cases, however, the money raised goes towards something more meaningful than a personal fund.” Not only does CPHS fundraisers benefit its student body, but they help raise money for many well known organizations such as Riley’s Children Hospital. Student Council throws the well-known Dance Marathon every year in the springtime. Students can begin to help participate in the Dance Marathon in March during their lunch periods. All donations benefit Riley’s Children Hospital. While the Dance Marathon is a few months away, Valentine’s Day will roll up faster than what is imaginable. Students can also participate in a fundraiser during that time. English teacher and student council sponsor Colleen Fano said, “Our fundraising days are limited

PHOTO BY LEXI LINBACK

Freshman Chloe Heiny picks up her pointsettias.

now that we cannot sell candy nor pop. We are going to sell valentines throughout January that will be delivered the Friday before Valentine’s Day. The money will go towards the photo booth and food at Dance Marathon.” Fundraising takes motivation and inspiration of all kinds. Sometimes it is harder for one student to raise money than the other, but with the right inspiration there is no stopping a determined student. “I’m inspired to raise money for

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Riley’s because a family friend has a child that has been treated there. I know the money goes towards a great cause and it helps me feel like I’m having a positive impact on the children’s lives and helping the, as best I can,” said junior Lauren Feder. Feder feels it is easier to find adults that are willing to donate more so than teenagers. With teens not always having a job or no steady income, it is challenging for them to donate. Fundraisers that benefit the student body or an outside recipient teach the students there are challengings things in life that they must work for. In the end, the students can feel encouraged and motivated when they feel they have made a difference in raising money for individual causes. “I want them to see how difficult it can be because you have to be some type of a salesman to fundraise because if you're not excited about the product you're fundraising, then why should the customer be excited about it? So they are probably going to encounter it

being a little bit difficult,” French teacher Amy Berchem said. Fundraising is not all fun and games. There is plenty of work involved in achieving the set goal. Many groups tend to set goals higher than what they raised the previous year. It can also be challenging for students to get their fundraising done in the allotted time frame. “I understand that time limits work because for those people who are procrastinators and the deadline is short, if they’re going to benefit from it then they get moving and they realize they have to do it now,” Berchem said. The needs of each student and each organization differs from one to one, but while raising money and combining a good time with it, students are more willing to participate. “Dance Marathon is my favorite event that Student Council hosts. I’ve helped set up and I’ve gone the past 2 years and it has always been so much fun, especially if you get your friends to go with you,” Feder said.

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sports december 18, 2015

After losing our first game, we bounced back against Penn, and it was a great team win. We balled out.

in the

huddle

- junior Ken Decker

‘‘

We can be each other’s biggest critic, but also each other’s biggest fan. When one of us is wrestling I can guarantee you we are there focused on the match. Jonathan Moran junior

Junior Jonathan Moran Keeps the pressure on his opponent to later on win the match and aid the Dogs to a 66-3 victory over the Slicers.

MORANS on the MAT Brothers combine for 18 early season wins BY DOM TOMICH

assistant sports editor

It’s not too often that teammates are able to share a bond that almost seems inseparable, but for junior Jonathan Moran and freshman Jacob Moran they’re more than just teammates; they’re brothers. The two brothers are not only varsity wrestlers, but happen to be very successful at what they do and have big plans for what lies ahead. “I started wrestling at the age of 4 and Jacob started as soon as he could walk. Wrestling young allowed the sport to build on us, at first it was just for fun and then I gained some skill and experience and realized I wanted to put the time in to be great,” Jonathan said. About three weeks into the wrestling season the brothers have combined for a total of 18 wins, only consisting of one loss in the meantime. Jonathan is undefeated at 10-0 and hopes to keep winning a constant for the remainder of the season. “The goal is the same as it’s always been: Being on the top of the podium at the state meet,” Jonathan said. Despite not having a perfect season to start off his four years of wrestling at the varsity level, Jacob also has high expectations for this season and hopes to end on the podium in Indianapolis along with Jonathan. “This year I expect to be on the top of the podium at state.

I know that if everyday I get better and do what I need to do, everything will fall into place,” Jacob said. Both brothers know that wrestling is about more than just winning, it’s about improvement and doing it together. “The way we push each other is by making it a competition, who can perform better? It just gives us another reason to succeed,” Jonathan said. “We can be each other’s biggest critic, but also each other’s biggest fan. When one of us is wrestling I can guarantee you we are there focused on the match.” Wrestling may be considered a winter sport, but for them to achieve their season expectations they know it’ll need more than just morning sprints and after school practices. “In the summer we both work with our club coaches in Illinois focusing on technique,” Jacob said. “We also lift here at the high school throughout the summer working to get stronger.” “Last year I lost the match that would get me to state. I used that as my motivation over the summer and put more time in than I have ever before. I was constantly in the weight room a wrestling room somewhere improving. I spent a lot of time in Harvey, IL with my club coaches working on my technique and athleticism,” Jonathan said. “During the season I focus a lot on eating right and running hard so my cardio is at its peak.” The brothers’ high expectations for this and upcoming seasons are almost sure to leave the Moran name one to know around CPHS.

Moran

Brothers

• 2015: total combined 18 wins

• Cadet Nationals Duals team members • Jacob: 4x national champion • Jonathan: currently ranked 9 in the state in 120 weight class

Wrestling preps for Lake Central, seeks revenge against Portage BY YOUSEF ABDELDAIEM reporter

Eight wins. Two losses. While junior Justin Akers record proves he’s been performing at a high level, Akers isn’t satisfied. There’s always room for more. This is the mentality Akers, who pinned his Portage opponent in the first minute last Saturday, and the rest of his Bulldogs teammates are adopting this season. While the team stands at a comfortable 5-1 record, head coach Scott Vlink believes there’s a lot the team has yet to achieve. “Our mistakes are technical,” Vlink said. “Their technique isn’t as good as it could be. It’s an easy fix; we get them in a room and fix it.”

Despite their desire to grow, Vlink also believes young talent has been the backbone of the team’s recent success. “We have some young kids who are really good,” Vlink said. “The kids work really hard. They understand what it takes to be a tough wrestler, and they are willing to do it.” Sophomore Oszkar Kasch has stood out from the rest of the underclassmen by earning a flawless record, a perfect 10-0. “My next step is to keep the undefeated record alive,” Kasch said. “I have to keep improving and bettering my technique.” Another growing wrestler is freshman Marek Bauner. Bauner started off the season with a 4-2 record until Saturday at the Traicoff Invitational, when he was unable

to defeat three wrestlers who were ranked in the state’s top ten in his weight class. Despite the freshman’s struggles, Bauner believes more practice is key to improvement. “I had a rough day,” Bauner said. “It’s tough wrestling varsity as a freshman, but I just have to keep working harder.” Like Bauner, Akers believes the team has seen much success thus far, but he sees that there may be challenges as the season progresses. “There is a good chance that the 195 pounder (from Lake Central), who is ranked fourth in the state, is going to get bumped up to wrestle in my weight class,” Akers said. “That could be a tough challenge for me.”

With only one loss this season coming at the hands of Portage, Vlink looks to better prepare his team for their next meet with the Indians. “We didn’t have enough to get past Portage,” Vlink said. “We have to practice hard, try to close the gap and later on in the season if we get an opportunity to wrestle them again, do better.” The Dogs’ next meet will be against Lake Central on Thurs., Dec. 17 where they look to improve to 6-1. “It’s a big school and they have a new head coach, so there will be a lot of enthusiasm,” Vlink said. “We know they have athletes; they’ll put good wrestlers out on the mat. They’ll be fired up to wrestle us, so we just have to come ready.”

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sports december 18, 2015

Driving for success PHOTO BY ALLY REKITZKE

Freshman Eddie Makuta prepares for the 50 m freestyle.

Boys swimming turns it around after slow start BY KATIE PAWLOWSKI editor-at-large

PHOTO BY JILL KIDDER

Junior Sasha Stefanovic splits between defenders driving to the hoop in the Dogs non conference win over Penn 85-57.

Boys basketball focused on recovering BY DYLAN WALLACE sports editor

The Warren Central Vikings were in town this past weekend to challenge our boys’ basketball team in a nonconference highly ranked match up. It was a back and forth game and the Dogs had the lead going into the fourth quarter, it was then where turnovers occurred, shots were missed and mistakes were made. “Warren Central did a lot of good things,” head coach Clint Swan said. “They got out and pressured us and forced us into some bad turnovers. I think we missed some shots that we normally make.” This bumps the Dog’s record to 1-2 on the season, but according to senior Blake Bonin, despite treating it as a wakeup call, isn’t worried about their losing record. “After the 1-2 start, it gives our team a wakeup call to start the season,” Bonin said. “Our confidence isn’t shaken though, we just have to buckle down and keep

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working hard every day as a team to improve.” Swan believes a big key in having success is to be focused on yourselves. “You got to make sure your team is prepared and we have done that with all three of our games this season,” Swan said. “The focus is on ourselves and we got off to a good start against Warren Central and just because we lost we aren’t going to stop what we’re doing. We’ll continue in that same vein of preparation this week as well.” This week’s game will be unavailable at press time as the Dogs take on the Mustangs of Munster. The Mustangs mirror Penn, who the Dogs beat earlier this season. “Munster is a lot like Penn in terms of how they play. They try to pound the basketball inside, and they like to attack off the dribble,” Swan said. “We’re really working on our interior defense and making sure we’re attacking the lane on the other side of the floor as well, hopefully if we are able to do that we’ll give ourselves a chance to win.”

After beginning the season in deep waters, the boys’ swim team managed to swim their way up to a .500 record at 2-2. With Chesterton’s depth and Valparaiso’s ability to out swim opponents the Dogs suffered two quick losses to start the season. This however, didn’t discourage the Dogs as they came back to defeat Highland and Merrillville to even up their record. “Chesterton is one of the best teams in the state. They have more people than us so we just did our best and stayed positive and had fun,” senior Austin Sepke said. “The Valparaiso meet should’ve been a win for us, but it ended being a one race meet.” As the season continues the Dogs have a strong motivation to beat rival, Munster, in sectionals. This end of the season goal is what is pushing the Dogs to do better during practice and meets. “Munster has won the past 29 sectionals and this year could be number 30. The whole team plans on stopping them from getting to their goal of 30,” Sepke said. “When we are down at practice, I’ll bring up Munster so we don’t lose sight of the goal. We use them as our motivation.” Senior Joey Karczewski believes that to continue the recent success in past years, they’re going to need to have the entire depth of their team working hard and swimming well in these next meets. “I think that the biggest change that is being made is the effort being put forth from our lower tiered swimmers.,” Karczewski said. “We want to see a couple of our freshman make it to state as well as some scoring state swims, and to do that we are training hard and developing better techniques.”

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sports december 18, 2015

On the ball

with D-wall

BY DYLAN WALLACE sports editor

Final Score: Dogs 53 Vikings 40

Professionals play for the money Every kid growing up has the dream at some point to become a professional athlete no matter the sport. With that, every kid will claim that all they want to do is win, therefore not caring about how much they get paid as long as they make it big. But as time passes, the drive seems to almost always change. Professional athletes are some of the most greediest people this world has to offer. They play for the money, that’s the bottom line. Left and right we see these athletes get fined anywhere from not wearing the right color and brand, or fighting and flopping yet they continue to do such acts. Why? Because no matter what thousand dollar fine they receive, to them, it’s equivalent to me being fined ten cents. Despite some of these acts being for sentimental reasons, they wouldn’t be committing them if they weren’t getting paid at a high price. Kam Chancellor, one of the main contributors to the Seattle Seahwaks defense, held out on the team until he got the contract he wanted. Russell Wilson wanted to be the highest paid quarterback in the league, Richard Sherman and Marshawn Lynch threatened to leave if they didn’t get their max contracts. Consider this, players have passed on an oppurtunity to play for a winning team just to make more money. Two years ago Carmelo Anthony had the oppurtunity to join the Chicago Bulls, a championship contender, but rather chose to stay with the New York Knicks to recieve a max contract and win just 17 games. Right now is the MLB offseason and David Price just signed a seven year, 217 million dollar deal with the Boston Red Sox. Think about that, he is making just about 31 million dollars each year, this is one of the most lucrative deals in sports history. In no way are they bad people, they are just driven by money, Professional athletes are greedy. Aspire to become one, but not to turn into one.

extra

points

PHOTO BY JILL KIDDER

Senior Hannah Albrecht sees an open hole to attack in Crown Point’s cancer night game against the Valparaiso Vikings where they won by 13.

Girls hoops start with perfect record in DAC BY TOMMY FRAME

assistant sports editor

One at a time. That is the mindset of the Lady Dogs this year as they are surrounded by change and adversity stemming from a new coach and injuries. “At this point in the season we are just taking it one game at a time, each is a new challenge for us, and the kids have done a tremendous job,” head coach Chris Seibert said. For each new challenge, there are new obstacles. When senior starters Megan Morgan and Katie Pawlowski went down with injuries, the team had to adjust and look for other contributions. “One of our strengths this year has been our depth,” Seibert said. “We will miss Katie for a while here with her injury, but we got some great contributions from kids who have been waiting for their chance to shine.” Senior Hannah Albrecht was pleased with how they handled the loss of these two big keys to their offense.

“It was definitely tough having two starters out, but it’s nice having Sydney (Taylor) and Mya (Scheidt) because they can handle the ball well, so we handled everything really well,” Albrecht said. “We try to continue to do the same things we have been doing,” Seibert said. “The biggest was when we had Megan and Katie gone, who are two of our better three point shooters, to get the ball inside to get some high percentage shots.” Tuesday night the Dogs bested Highland by a score of 56-48. “Luckily we were able to get everyone else back (Tuesday) for our game, so we had the other nine dressed and ready to play,” Seibert said. Still in his first year at Crown Point, Seibert thinks the new coach effect has worn off by now. “The girls have done a great job buying into everything we have tried to instill in them, and some of the different things we have asked them to do,” Seibert said.

The girls have had success in their play as they are currently tied for first place in the conference with an unblemished 3-0 record thus far in the DAC. Having knocked off Valparaiso, LaPorte and Portage, they have fellow first-place conference opponent Lake Central coming up this Friday, Dec. 18. “Friday is a huge DAC game, and we are very confident going into it,” sophomore Mya Scheidt said. The girls will try to keep their conference record perfect Friday, and to add some W’s to their 8-3 record for the year. However, they are still very happy with the position they are in. “Starting 3-0 in the conference along with LC, who is the only other undefeated team in the DAC, makes Friday such a huge game for us. Going into their place in a big conference matchup is another challenge,” Seibert said. “Overall, to put ourselves in the position we are and be tied for first place going into these last four games of the conference, we are very pleased with where we’re at.”

Girls swimming makes waves against Duneland foes BY MATT MCCONNELL reporter

With depth and talent on their side, the lady Dogs look forward to their upcoming season for swimming. The Dogs lost some seniors this year, but a wave of newcomers hope to impress. “We lost some key players to the team after they graduated. However, we have a really great freshman class, and everyone is working really hard to fill those spots,” senior Abbey Wellman said. The younger swimmers play a major role in the team, stepping up to leave a mark in the water. “I think they are willing to step up to the new challenges high school brings. Therefore, I am excited to see how they will benefit the

Which NBA matchup on Christmas are you looking most forward to?

out of 106 students polled

team,” junior Hannah Kukurugya said. However, the returning swimmers have individual and team goals locked in their minds as they await to compete. “I want to qualify for the state meet in the 100 back and 50 free. Either would be fantastic, but it’s all about the experience of going down there that I like and in hand strengthens the team as a whole,” Wellman said. The team aspect is critical for success. As team leaders strive for their best, they still have the team in the back of their mind. “Personally, this season I want to improve myself as an athlete as well as a teammate. I want to post up best times, but I also want to help lead the team to victory,” Kukurugya said. Accomplishing these goals will ultimately lead up to the W on the score sheet, yet swim-

Rockets

Clippers

Spurs 7

Cavaliers

Lakers 11 Bulls

Warriors 58

Thunder 30

ming is no simple task. Various approaches towards the race in the water are exercised in practiced. “As the goal is to always work on swimming fast, we have also been focused on a lot of technique. Fast and efficient swimming,” Wellman said. These techniques will be needed to be put to the test in the upcoming meets. “We have wins against Michigan City, Valpo, Merrillville, and in the Laporte Relays. The Highland Invite will be the true test to see where we are at sectionals because there will be Highland, Munster, and us,” head coach Bryon Angerman said. “As we go, we want to win as many dual meets as possible. We should be in the top two in conference and hopefully give munster and lake central a good run for the sectional title.”

My moment of the month ... “... was beating Penn 85-57 to win my first senior home game.” Senior Blake Bonin

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arts & entertainment december 18, 2015

inreview

‘‘

“Heart Blanche” By CeeLo Green

The promising and well-written album initially sounds like a common CeeLo tune until the true messages behind the lyrics are decoded. It then morphs into a sad reality of a failing music career and the troubles commonly faced in our society. The dark messages and tones don’t fit the bill for what the fans were craving.

QUOTE OF THE MONTH It’s Christmas. Nothing bad is going to happen on Christmas! - Linda “Krampus”

“Krampus”

‘‘

Kills the Christmas Spirit

“The Muppets” At first, the refreshing plot of the classic characters pleased, but the storyline quickly dulled to predictable turns. Shining a new light on such classic characters appears to have been too much to handle, resulting in boring episodes. What the writers intended to be surprises were all too predictable.

“Go Set a Watchman” by Harper Lee For many, this book will loop the remaining questions left from Lee’s other iconic novel, “To Kill A Mockingbird.” 55 years after the first book, this sequel is sure to once again draw in the readers and will become a piece on many bookshelves. The critically acclaimed author has once again touched the readers.

“Blue Neighborhood” By Troye Sivan

Those fans of South African born, Australian Youtube star Troye Sivan are in for a treat. “Blue Neighborhood” consists of 10 tracks that leave the listener excited and thrilled over Sivan’s lyric use. The album provides a balance of sad and exciting tracks that give an excellent balance to the album. Sivan’s first album sets a high bar for the rest of his career.

BY MAISA NOUR editor-at-large

three day visit and it starts off with jokes and sarcasm. Once Krampus arrives the cringe worthy jokes come to a halt and the movie goes full on monster mode. With no smooth transition between humor and horror, this was a wrong move on Dougherty. His strategy of having a monster pop up and everyone scream and run away is a complete cliche. Scott and Collette do most of the screaming most likely because they realize that their acting potential is being put to waste. While the message of remembering the true meaning of Christmas is relatively strong, the execution was that of an amateur. In attempt to divert attention from the poorly directed film, well-known actors were added to give the movie credibility. The costumes were a whole other genre of horrible. While being more ugly than

scary, Krampus created the feeling of an upset stomach as if you drank a spoiled cup of milk rather than the feeling of true fear. Then add an uncreatively written script as a cherry on top of this melted sundae. Having nothing more than screams and cries throughout, the dialect between the characters seemed almost non-existent. This all around horrible movie is perfect for any holiday Grinch. If you are looking for an hour and 30 minutes of torture then “Krampus” is the movie for you. Being too scary for kids and too boring for adults, “Krampus” is not worth the ten dollars and wasting of an hour and half of your life to go see a movie that will ruin your holiday. If “Krampus” teaches anything it is that one should appreciate the little things this holiday season and give and spread joy. Or else “Krampus” may be the jolly man crawling down the chimney.

“Star Wars: Battlefront” is a beautiful blunder BY CHRIS REKITZKE editor-at-large

Pew pew. The nearly decade long anticipation is finally over. Star Wars fans are finally given a worthy Star Wars game. Sort of. “Star Wars: Battlefront” is an immersive experience but nothing more than that. Players are placed into an environment almost too good to be true. The settings and maps are taken directly from the films with stunning visual details that warrant a close look at even the smallest indiscriminate details such as: the huge sandy plains of Tatooine filled with equally vast sand crawlers and the tree

“The Good Dinosaur” Although tears were prompted from the classic tale of finding the way home, the plot line seemed a little too cliche for a Disney Pixar picture. The characters appeared to be pulled from the files of other films, and put together with a slightly different plot. Characters reuniting with their families appears in many of the films by the well-known animation studio, and this movie pushed the limit too far.

Krampus is coming to town...

Forget everything you know about Christmas movies. All the joy, happiness and love that fills the holiday season is stripped away in “Krampus.” Director Michael Dougherty conveys the perfect anti-Santa named “Krampus.” Based off of the ancient European folklore, “Krampus” is a murderous creature complete with horns, fangs, claws and a list of whos been naughty or nice, though he is only interested in those who have been naughty. Max, played by Emjay Anthony, loses his holiday spirit and releases the wrath of “Krampus.” Throughout the movie his family bands together to avoid their horrible fate of adding Krampus to their holiday gathering. But Max was not the only one to be punished by Krampus. Max’s parents, an unhappily married couple played by Adam Scott and Toni Collette, get an unwelcomed visit from Krampus for forgetting the true meaning of Christmas. They invite their extended family for a

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Highkey thinking about coming to school dressed as a Christmas tree on the last day before break. sophomore Milton Roberts

moss on the forest moon of Endor. Whisked into these environments players find themselves in the shoes of Rebel and Imperial troops firing weapons straight from the movies. Blaster fire whizzes past as one rushes into combat to fight for their faction. Players also find themselves in the cockpit of several iconic starfighters soaring above desert plains while a battle ensues. But that’s where the fun ends. The surreal nature of the game lasts for a good hour. Albeit it’s a good and exhilarating hour, but it is cut short by the lack of content and the ultimately tedious gameplay. As

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far as content goes, the game is bleak. There are only five map currently with the free December addition of Jakku which is essentially a Tatooine covered in destroyed starships, a mere total of eleven blasters and a handful of game modes. Expansion is probable as downloadable content has been promised and one of which has already been released (Battle of Jakku), which adds another game mode and map, but still only totaling up to a fraction of the potential Battlefront has. The truth of the matter is this: “Star Wars: Battlefront” could have been so much more.

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arts & entertainment december 18, 2015

kie c r u m b l Holiday delicacies are put to test by reporter

That’s how the c

BY LEXI LINBACK

#1 Lemon

reporter

BY KATIE PAWLOWSKI editor-at-large

When the first bite is taken of a fudge brownie cookie, a soft chocolate flavor melts into the mouth. The cookie is chewy, light and flaky, and the rich fudge flavor and soft texture are consistent throughout the entire cookie. There are no other flavor surprises that ruin the experience of eating this cookie.

Don’t take things for granted

Lemon cookies are the most underappreciated holiday cookie simply because they are not considered a “traditional” holiday cookie like snickerdoodles or sugar cookies. It is a soft yellow in color, round and slightly puffy. The first bite reveals a soft texture that dissolves on the tongue. The lemon taste is not too strong while not being too subtle. Don’t let the word “lemon” be intimidating.

BROWNIE

Fu d g e

the Crownie

The “crownie” is a somewhat new holiday cookie. The crownie is a combination of chocolate chip cookie and fudge brownies. Although the cookie’s texture is inconsistent, it succeeds in delivering a soft cookie and a moist brownie. It is a bit crumbly, though, making it difficult to eat with one hand. It is definitely worth trying.

#4 Peppermint shortbread

Decorated with chocolate and broken candy cane pieces, shortbread cookies fit in with the holiday spirit. However, with the first bite, the cookie is crisp, and when one gets to the chocloate covered portion, the taste buds are assaulted with the strong mint of the candy cane. To top it off, the candy cane makes the cookie sticky and more difficult to bite off cleanly. This cookie crumbles.

#5 Marshmallow wreaths

Marshmallow wreath cookies, though aesthetically pleasing and very appropriate for the holiday season, are not worth consuming. Made to look like wreaths, they consist of corn flakes, melted marshmallow and small cinnamon candies. The first bite is unpleasant because the cookie itself is so sticky that makes it difficult to pick up. Also, the marshmallow makes the cookie too chewy. While the cinnamon candies add an element of surprise, they unfortunately overpower the sweetness of the marshmallow.

Coldplay surprises but does not impress BY NATALIE BRIGHAM editor-in-chief

The days of “Viva la Vida” and “Clocks” are gone. Coldplay has revamped their sound; with the release of their new album, “A Head Full of Dreams,” lead singer and pianist Chris Martin ditches his traditional complex, eloquent lyrics and emotional piano for a pop album consisting of foot-tapping beats and quirky synthesized instruments with features from Tove Lo,

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Beyonce, Gwyneth Paltrow and Barack Obama. “A Head Full of Dreams” is foreign territory for the previously alternative band, but overall they deliver a mildly impressive pop album. The third track, “Hymn for the Weekend,” featuring Beyonce displays the largest transformation. The obvious references to drugs and alcohol may turn away longtime fans and those looking for a deeper connection to the music. Despite this, the song has

a danceable beat and a sound that is fitting for a party setting. A lingering hint of the band’s old sound can be found in the fourth track, “Everglow,” as well as the eighth track, “Army of One.” “Everglow” is a slower song that highlights Martin’s range and piano skills while debuting a more sincere tone than those of the upbeat tracks. “Army of One” stands as the lone love ballad. The heartfelt lyrics allow listeners to sympathize with

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Martin as the faint presence of techno instruments create add an unexpected twist. While it is not the Coldplay of old, the album is decent. Majority of the tracks lack depth, but the quirky instruments and beat will leave listeners humming long after the album is finished. In all, the different style and sounds of “A Head Full of Dreams” make the album worth a listen.

Fruit Roll-Ups These fruit snacks on steroids are a wonderful alternative to typical snacks. supermarkets $2-5

Littering in the cafeteria In no place in the world, let alone the cafeteria, is it acceptable to leave garbage laying around. Newsflashwe all have places to be, but that’s not a valid reason to leave trash wherever one goes. Have enough respect to pick up after oneself. In elementary school everyone was taught to “Clean up, clean up. Everybody clean up.” Seriously, there’s a trash can within a forty yard radius. Just do it.

It’s finally here. That wonderful two week break from school where we get to relax and enjoy the holidays. But before you go and plan trips to Chicago, to go ice skating, to bundle up and watch holiday movies or whatever you chose to do take a moment. Take a moment and realize yeah, the school gives us this two week break technically because it’s legally required, but in reality this break is a time to appreciate all the things that maybe you take for granted everyday. Little things like the food on your table, your health or even your friends and family surrounding you are so precious and in other places around the world, hard to come by. Don’t take something for granted simply because you experience it everyday or it has been in your life ever since you could remember. We never know how good we have something until it’s gone, and not appreciating all the good things around us is just selfish. People in France, Beirut and other countries have suffered terrible attacks that have left them without these little things that we take advantage of having constantly. Things could be a lot worse people, and if you’re complaining about how you can’t go out with your friends because your great grandmother that you haven’t seen since last December is coming over, then you can’t see the big picture. Don’t complain if Santa didn’t bring the gift you wanted or if your aunt hosting dinner isn’t the best cook; cherish the time and memories you’re making with your family because being happy for all that you have is a much better feeling than bitter and depressed about what you don’t have. You want to look back on these memories and be glad that you made the most out of them. There are lots of problems in this world from the environment to terrorism, and in the midst of all the hecticness we need to take a step back and thank our lucky stars for the good things in our life. We can never know when something so important will be taken from us; so be thankful everyday that we are able to enjoy the little things. Thanksgiving isn’t the only time we can be grateful for what we have.

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people december 18, 2015

TAKE

Simply sweet

sophomore

Zach Triumph Honesty is the best (foreign) policy I would be president because I feel like I would be a more honest president than any of the candidates . Unwelcomed guests “The Visit” was so bad because it was unclear if it was supposed to be a horror or a comedy, and it didn’t suceed at either of them.

PHOTO BY LEXI LINBACK

Senior Toni Gaeta places holiday shaped fondant decorations on red velvet cupcakes at her house for her online business, Simply Sweet by Toni.

Gaeta creates business selling desserts BY MARIA LEONTARAS arts & entertainment editor

Inspiration can be drawn from anything. For some, it is friends. For others, it is family. For senior Toni Gaeta, it was “Cupcake Wars.” Having seen almost every episode of the show, Gaeta believed she was able to do what the competitors on “Cupcake Wars” could. She was inspired to pursue the craft of baking. “I was just watching baking shows on TV, and then I was like ‘Hey, you know what, I can do that.’ Then I took some classes, and I really liked it,” Gaeta said. The classes were just the beginning of Gaeta’s desire to grow as a baker. She soon began seek other sources of inspiration. “I would look up things on YouTube and look up recipes. It got to the point where I was baking every other day,” Gaeta said. Gaeta’s love for baking grew so large she needed another outlet for her goods besides her family.

“My family kind of got tired of eating it all the time, so I was like, ‘Why not sell it to people?’ It turned into my own little business that I now have,” Gaeta said. Gaeta created a Facebook business page and a website where customers are able to order the treats. Gaeta fulfills these orders during the weekends. “On my website, I have a menu and pictures, too, so you can see what you’re getting. And I have business cards. I was really excited when I got the business cards,” Gaeta said. Gaeta’s family has been supporting her up-in-coming business since the beginning. In fact, it was her mother who urged Gaeta to promote herself. “They were (supportive), and they’re still super supportive. My mom is the one who pushed me to make a website and get business cards,” Gaeta said. “Everytime I post something on my page she shares it with all of her friends. She’s really excited about it.”

Fearful future

Baking is not always as sweet as it may seem. Transporting creations proves difficult in Gaeta’s past experience. “I made my first big cake, and it took me all day, morning until night. The next day, I took it to my grandma’s house in Chicago. My dad was driving. He hit a block of snow, and we swerved. The cake fell on the floor of the car, and it got ruined before anyone even got to see it,” Gaeta said. ”I remember I cried. I was so mad because it was my first (cake). I was so proud of it, and it got destroyed.” Even though the craft can be demanding, Gaeta still sees the fulfilling qualities of baking. “It gets a little overwhelming because it’s just me, I only have one oven,” Gaeta said. “It gets kind of hard and stressful sometimes, but it’s worth it.” Visit Gaeta’s website at https://simplysweetbytoni.weebly.com to view photos of her past creations and order her sweet treats.

My biggest fear would probably be World War III. A dystopian future wouldn’t be fun. False sympathy For my birthday once my friend gave me a sympathy card. That was a really bad present. Heavenly hills I’ve been to Ireland and the people and especially the landscape was insane because it was hilly and had mountains and there were sheep.

What is one of your holiday traditions?

“My family and I buy Hallmark ornaments that represent our personalities.”

“Every Christmas my family and I go to Florida and spend Christmas on the beach.”

Nadia Dobrzeniecki

Emma Baker

Freshman

Sophomore

“Every Christmas, my family and I get a real Christmas tree and cut it down ourselves.”

Joey Kuhn

Sophomore

“My sister and I wake up at 6 a.m. for Santa even though I am 18-years-old.”

“We watch ‘Elf’ every Christmas morning.”

Chase Ferree

Carly Parker

Senior

Junior

“My family and I track Santa Claus on the news and leave food on the roof for the reindeer.”

Salih Muhammad Senior