Inklings March 2013

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Crown Point High School March 28, 2013 Vol. 78 Issue 7 1500 S. Main St.

Crown Point, IN 46307

inklings@cps.k12.in.us

PHOTO PROVIDED

Teen driving accidents on the rise

Junior Vinnie Bonaventura totaled his car in an accident in which he sustained several broken bones. Indiana leads the nation in teen road deaths among 16- and 17-year-olds.

BY DYLAN TAYLOR

managing editor

A

s easy as it may be to brush off prom season Public Service Announcements about the dangers of irresponsible driving, statistics show that these dangers are nothing to ignore.

According to the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), teen driving fatalities, already the single leading cause of death for teens, are on the rise - increasing about 19 percent since 2012 across America for individuals ages 16 and 17. Indiana leads the trend, featuring the highest increase in road fatalities for these teen drivers in the nation.

Junior Vinnie Bonaventura, who experienced an accident on Feb. 6 that destroyed his car and left him severely injured, was nearly a part of this statistic.

“I was driving fast around 129th Ave. when I skid off the road, hit a boulder and flipped,” Bonaventura said. “I don’t remember anything that happened. My car was totaled, and I broke two bones in my arm as well as my pelvic bone and tailbone. I had a lung collapse, and there was nerve damage

in my foot. I was actually (unconscious) for two days.”

Bonaventura, temporarily confined to a wheelchair, believes that this accident could have been avoided if distractions were eliminated.

“What I think happened (before the crash) is that I was trying to change a song on my iPod and swerved off the road,” Bonaventura said. “Now, I’ll try to keep away from anything that’s distracting when I can drive again. This whole experience was a wakeup call.”

Senior Ashley Downing experienced a similar close-call, rear-ending a truck while eating and driving.

“I was driving down Broadway, eating my lunch, distracted obviously, and a truck was stopped pulling into Cold Stone (Creamery). I wasn’t paying attention, and by the time I saw him, I couldn’t stop,” Downing said.

Downing totaled her car and bruised her collarbone in the accident. Downing’s mother, Susan Downing, witnessed the accident’s aftermath.

“When (Ashley) had her accident, I went through a wide range of emotion. First I

Feature

News When in Rome Latin students plan a spring break trip to Rome

page 3

thought she was kidding, then as we were driving there and I saw the flashing lights, I got really mad and was furious when I saw the car because I knew she wasn’t paying attention to the road,” Susan said. “Then I saw the gurney and her red hair flowing over the edge, and I forgot everything, including that stupid car.”

Ashley, like Bonaventura, attributes her accident to distractions.

“Inattentiveness and distractions are the problem. (Teen drivers) should pay attention to the road because all an accident can take is two seconds of distraction. (The situation) was just me trying to eat a sandwich, and two seconds later it was me shoved into the rear end of a pickup truck,” Ashley said.

Distractions at the wheel are, according to resource officer Chuck Noonan, a large contributing factor in the overall increase in teen driving fatalities, but other factors are at fault as well.

“Distracted driving is a major issue, but this is a cultural problem,” Noonan said.

“Music and movies (that teens are witnessing) are promoting recklessness, driving under the influence and things like that. Peer pressure See Driving on page 2

Profile

Half days are back April Fools’! Read about other great tricks for April 1

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Taping prom attire Junior Grace Wiley is making a dress and tux out of duct tape page 16

2 news

inklings 3/28/13

Guarding the fine arts

intheknow Student Council offers reserved seating at prom Reserved seats at dinner are being sold for prom this year. Groups of 10 may purchase a reserved table for an additional $25. The reserved seat tickets will be on sale April 8-12 in Ginny Zega’s room, D138 before school.

Students who do not purchase a reserved table will not be assured seating with specific people. Non-reserved seating will still be available free of charge.

For more information contact Ginny Zega or a member of the junior class student council.

Prom will be held April 20 at The Halls of Saint George.

Colorguard shifts focus to championship competition scheduled for next week

BY VERDA MIRZA

reporter

As the marching season comes to a halt, winter guard emerges. The CP winter guard team is already three quarters of the way into their season with the championship competition coming on April 6.

Winter guard is often referred to as the sport of the fine arts. According to sophomore guard member Miranda Lyons, the word guard has a significant meaning in winter guard.

“The word guard itself means the sport of the fine arts,” Lyons said.

Winter guard involves the movement of flags, rifles, sabres and dance. It is an emotional sport where the performers are connected to their routine.

“You’re always emotionally attached to your music. If you don’t have emotional connection, you won’t go far,” senior Karissa Mills said.

CP winter guard has competed in several competitions and will be moving up another division next year because of the team’s skill level.

“This year we are in the Scholastic Regional A, but next year we will be moved up to Scholastic Regional AA because of our improvements,” Lyons said.

They have improved each competition by scoring higher and higher. In their first competition, they scored a total of 47.03, and in their most recent competition they scored a 77.45.

Junior Jessica Berwick is pleased with the team’s improvement.

“Our competitions have been going really well,” Berwick said. “Since our season started, we have gone up 30 points.”

Throughout the season, the team has been either second or third at its competitions. They have also scored higher than any Driving continued from p. 1 and distractions are a huge problem as well.”

Noonan’s viewpoint about peer pressure and distractions are echoed in a recent study from the American Automobile Association that found that the chances of a teen dying in a car crash increase with every additional teen passenger in the car.

“So many kids are trying to be cool around their friends and end up getting distracted,” Noonan said.

Susan Downing agrees.

“A bunch of happy, jubilant, crazy teens all having fun in a car is a recipe for trouble.

Not saying that it is done on purpose, but the driver of that car will have a difficult time paying attention to the road

instead of his or her friends,” Susan said.

Noonan attributes the avoidance of these risks to simple responsibility on the part of the teen.

“A lot of precautions and restrictions have been put out there to try and minimize bad driving, but it ultimately falls upon that teenager to be responsible,” Noonan said. “If they take their chances (with driving), they’re really rolling the dice. It comes down to the responsibility, experience and maturity of the teen.”

Still, Noonan is hesitant to believe that many teens are responsible enough to avoid the risks of driving. “(The government) has changed the driving age in the past few years and (students) are getting license later, but I think that a large majority of these kids are still not ma-

aprilfacts •

The first April Fools’ Day was in 1686.

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President Abraham Lincoln was shot and killed in a theater by John Wilkes Booth on April 14, 1865.

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The Titanic sank on April 15, 1912 after hitting an iceberg.

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April’s birthstone is the diamond.

PHOTO BY ANNIE SWANSON

Junior Caity Rogers performs part of the winter guard’s show routine, “Broken.”

of the previous CP winter guard teams in their last competition.

There are five categories that are judged in a competition: equipment, movement, ensemble and two general effects categories.

“Equipment is basically how we spin the flags, the sabres, the rifles and how the girls can handle them. Then there is movement, which is how graceful they are in their dance. They are also judged on ensemble, which is how they all work as a team. Lastly, there are two general effects judges and (this category) is judged upon how everything was put all together,” coach Kelly Carpenter said.

Carpenter has done nine winter guard shows. She has been coaching for about seven years, and this is her third year coaching for the CP winter guard.

Alongside Carpenter is the assistant coach Tyler Dillon. He is now spinning in the independent winter guard division.

There will be a call out meeting for next year’s winter guard team Thursday, April 25 and Tuesday, April 30 from 5-7 p.m. ture enough to handle such a responsibility,” Noonan said. “(Examples of irresponsibility) include not getting to school on time, not following the rules of the road, driving distracted, driving under the influence. (Irresponsible teen drivers) feel that if they hear about it in music or see it in a movie, it will be all right; ‘if they can do it I can do it.’ That’s where the problem starts.”

Susan Downing believes that a teen can be responsible on the road by utilizing common sense and courtesy.

“The best advice I could give is to use your common sense. If your common sense is saying don’t (drive) that way, don’t. If you know it’s not right, don’t. It’s quite simple,” Susan said. “One other little piece of advice: be kind. If you come to the stop

8 School resumes

10 Band Concert 7 p.m. in the auditorium

sign at the same time as someone else, motion them and let them go first. A little kindness goes a long way at keeping you safe.”

In the aftermath of his accident, Bonaventura said that he will try to avoid distractions and drive more responsibly.

“I would try to keep away from anything that’s distracting. I’ll try to stay safe and drive slow,” Bonaventura said.

To avoid her peers getting into an accident like hers or worse, Ashley Downing offers some advice for her driving peers.

“You are not invincible and you can die at a young age,” Ashley said. “Slow down, put the phone down and stop driving distracted; (it) only takes a couple minutes to change your life completely.”

Business Professionals of America places at state, eyes national competition

PHOTO PROVIDED

The Business Professionals of America chapter qualified to compete at this year’s national leadership conference to be held in Orlando, Florida May 8-12. Students qualified for the chance to compete at the national level after several placed at the top of the state in various events at the state competition earlier this month.

The club’s Global Marketing team, made up of seniors Nick Zaberdac and Alicia Perez and junior Shelby Kiger, took first place in the state to advance to national competition.

Perez also qualified for national competition in her individual event, Presentation Management Individual. The school’s Small Business Management Team, made up of senior Caroline Doolin and juniors Andre Hatami and George Mirabella also qualified to compete in national competition.

BPA advisor Mary Bachnak was pleased with her team’s performance and stressed the importance of the organization for aspiring business students.

“Winning national placement is a terrific honor for our students,” Bachnak said. “Participation in BPA is an experience all business students should participate in to learn about leadership, competition, skills and themselves.”

This year marks the third time that Crown Point’s BPA chapter has advanced to national competition. Teams advancing to state will be spending the next weeks preparing for their events.

aprilcalendar 20 Prom 6:30 p.m.

Halls of Saint George

24 NHS Induction 7 p.m. in the auditorium

28 Roots and Wings banquet

news

inklings 3/28/13

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March events key for Key Club

BY ABBY ELSTON editor-in-chief

PHOTO BY AMY SCHUCH

Science teacher Bryan Trippeer shaves his head for the St. Baldrick’s foundation. He raised the most money during the “penny wars” and had to shave his head.

Giving back and being involved in community service activities is the mission of Key Club, and that mission is especially being fulfilled in March.

This month, Key Club was involved with the Volunteer Fair, “penny wars” and the St. Baldrick’s event in Schererville. Key Club assisted the LEAD council for the Volunteer Fair.

“The Crown Point Community Foundation is the group that has hosted (the Volunteer Fair) the past four years. Their only agenda is to get more people, young and old, involved with giving back to the community,” Key Club sponsor Andrew Shih said.

According to Shih, the Volunteer Fair provided an opportunity for students to learn about different organizations and how to get involved with them. It can help students who need community service hours.

“Regardless of the turnout, if one person ends up volunteering because of this, I feel like it was a success,” Shih said.

Science teacher Bryan Trippeer also achieved success when he volunteered to help St. Baldrick’s. During the week of

March 18-21, students donated money to teachers who volunteered to shave their heads for St. Baldrick’s, whose funds go to cancer research. The teacher who raised the most money had to shave his head, and this teacher was Trippeer.

“There were immediately quite a lot of people who said they would donate a lot of money, so I thought I had a pretty good chance of winning, but as it got closer to the date, I was getting a little more scared,” Trippeer said. “I found out (March 22) I won. It was actually kind of an honor to win. So I look at it that way.”

This is the first time that Trippeer has shaved his head for St. Baldrick’s, but Key Club has been helping out this organization annually. To help raise even more money for St. Baldrick’s, the Key Club also helped out at the Northwest Indiana Cancer Kids (NICK) Foundation’s event in Schererville on March 24.

“The adults shaved their heads while we had games for the kids to play,” Key Club president junior Emily Southworth said.

There were many other activities happening that people participated in during the event itself.

“There was a fun fair for the

kids hosted by Key Club. There were raffles for gift baskets and silent auctions. There were also vendors selling items. There were several people and teams shaving their heads. There were food vendors as well,” Shih said.

The event was successful; the goal of $20,000 was surpassed.

About $26,000 was raised at the event, and Key Club raised around $1500 of it according to Shih.

Key Club also collected $150 from the “penny wars” held last week. These involved students and teachers donating money to one of the teachers who volunteered to shave his head for St. Baldrick’s. The members of Key Club sold bracelets and lucky charms to help raise money for St. Baldrick’s. The people who participated in these events seemed to be happy about their involvement.

“I’ve known a lot of people who’ve died of cancer in the last couple years, so when I first heard about (the penny wars), one of my students asked me if I’d throw my hat into the ring to volunteer, and I said absolutely,” Trippeer said. “To me, watching people suffer from that disease, if I could do anything to help them out, this is the least I could do. It’s a pretty easy decision.”

Latin students to leave for Rome trip tomorrow

BY SAM BEISHUIZEN editor-in-chief

There is only so much that students can learn in the classroom. Reading and being taught lessons on any subject can only go so far in helping students learn. In response to that, the Crown Point Latin program is hosting the opportunity for 14 Latin students to travel to Italy over spring break for nine days to study ancient Rome and the surrounding areas of Italy first-hand.

This year will be the first time that the school’s program will be traveling without the help of the state during spring break. In previous years, the trips have been planned and taken in collaboration with the state Latin program and held during the summer.

The switch to the spring trip comes

views on news

Area CPTV participates in Shop Local program In a joint effort with the Crown Point Redevelopment Commission, Crown Point High School and the business community, CPTV will be filming free promotional videos for participating local businesses.

The infomercials will be hosted on U-Verse Channel 99 and Comcast Channel 26.

‘‘

Justin Waran sophomore

Families of students (support) local businesses, so it only makes sense students promote them.

from a combination of timing and cutting cost. This year’s trip will be nearly $1000 cheaper for students than the previous summer trips.

“The trip was a lot cheaper than it would have been otherwise,” junior Renee Brigham said. “(Latin club advisor Jeremy Walker) has really helped to lower the cost and is doubling as a tour guide.”

Walker has planned as much as he could into the nine day trip so that the students get the most of their experience.

From the very beginning he believes the trip will be exciting for his students.

“Our first thing will be the archeological museum in Naples,” Walker said. “The museum will be some of the highlights of the trip. They will see the paintings from Pompeii, the frescoes, the different mosaics and they will see them and be like, ‘wow

this is amazing.’”

Among the various stops will include is a visit to the house of Lucius Caecilius Iucundus, a banker who lived in Pompeii between 20-62 AD, whose house remains partially destroyed after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. Caecilius and his family are among some of the characters that the students learn about during their first and second years of taking Latin.

“They read about this stuff,” Walker said. “They will be walking through Pompeii, and they will realize this is where the stuff actually is. I can already imagine the reactions (of the students).”

Another attraction in store for the students is a trip to visit Vatican City which will be busy after the recent selection of the new Pope Francis.

“Going to Italy over Eastertime with

the new Pope is exciting,” Brigham said.

“It is really interesting, and I know that he is out and doing stuff now so that will be exciting if we get to see (Pope Francis) out there.”

Although a lot of work has been put into organizing, filling up the schedule and finding ways to find funding, Walker believes all of the work will be worth it in the end.

“We packed everything into these nine days,” Walker said. “By the end of the trip they will be glad to be away from me, but years later they will look back and be like ‘I’m so glad we did that. It was so much, and it was so good.’”

The club will be flying out for their trip to Italy tomorrow and will return home back to the United States the following Saturday.

Student reaction to events in our world State Man fatally shoots Fort Wayne woman on bus

Nation Sequester deadline reached, cuts in effect

World

A man pulled a woman from her bus seat, fatally shot her and took her 3-yearold son hostage in Fort Wayne on March 20.

The police carried the child from the house later that evening, and the suspect, 45-yearold Kenneth Knight, was announced dead.

Police stated that the shooting did not appear random.

The stipulations of the Budget Control Act of 2011 were taken into effect March 1 after they were averted at the beginning of 2013 during “fiscal cliff ” negotiations.

Congress was unable to compromise by deadline, and automatic cuts to defense, Medicare and other programs came into play.

Cardinal Jorge Mario Beraglio of Argentina was elected by the conclave after the resignation of now Pope Emeritus Benedict. Beraglio, now Pope Francis, is the first non-European pontiff in recorded history. During his installation, Francis pledged to serve “the poorest, the weakest, the least important.”

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Kendall Mores senior

Shootings are detrimental to society.

They are happening all over the US and need to be dealt with.

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Charles Liodos freshman

(These budget cuts) are really going to hurt the economy and people financially.

Francis elected as first non-European Pope

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Ben Miller junior

It’s a welcome change that the Pope is from somewhere other than Europe.

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inklings 3/28/13

speakup

Refusing to say pledge does not insult patriotism

Who is your favorite person to prank on April Fools’ Day?

BY DYLAN TAYLOR

managing editor

Almost every first hour class has them - the smug-faced rebels that, for whatever reason, refuse to say the pledge. Some stay seated, some simply zip their lips, but nearly all are faced with an occasional dirty look from their ‘patriotic’ classmates. Contrary to any knee-jerk reactions of calling these students un-American or bad citizens, there is nothing heretical about refusing to say the pledge; the fact that the pledge can even be refused is of more importance to the American ethic than the pledge itself.

All of these students have individual reasons for not saying it. Some atheists may be turned off by the “under God”, other students may be discouraged by fact that the pledge was proposed during the McCarthyists’ anti-Communist crucible and still others may abstain out of sleepy disregard. Historically, students have refused the pledge to protest war or as a general act of rebellion. As the First Amendment of the Constitution states that free speech and the ability to peaceably protest and petition the government are rights inherent to all Americans, pledge abstention is simply an act of exercising civil rights. Acknowledging the freedoms granted by the U.S. Constitution, our country’s supreme law—how un-American is that?

Beyond this, the semantics of the pledge imply an allegiance to “the flag of the United States,” “one nation under God” and the notion that the American republic exists for the purpose of “liberty and justice for all.”

While, to many, these ideas are absolutely worth acknowledging every morning of the week, it is integral that pledge-sayers understand that others could find plenty to disagree with or otherwise find irrelevant. After all, in America, people simply do not have to agree with each other all the time. The principles of freedom rest on the back of tolerance and acceptance; and denying an individual their uniquely American Constitutional rights is inarguably less ‘patriotic’ than refusing the pledge altogether.

Refusing to say the pledge does not necessarily make one a Constitution-trampling, babyeating Communist hell-bent on stuffing anarchist slogans, granola and pot smoke down the throats of honest, obedient citizens. It simply means that such students are mindful enough of their American freedoms to understand that they do not have to say it.

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Cartoon By ELLIE BURRELL

“I like to prank my brother on April Fools’ because he is easy to prank and he falls for everything.”

iew:

Students must be wary of dangers faced while driving

Prom is once again on the horizon. Students will be getting tans, buying tickets and figuring out their after-the-dance plans. But just as all the festivities make their annual return, so does the preaching from the administration and other adult figures about the dangers of driving recklessly, especially under the influence of alcohol.

Students can brush off the advice of administrative figures and other adults as much as they want, but the fact of the matter is that dangers for teen drivers continue to exist. The proof is in the numbers: according to a Governors Highway Safety Association, Indiana ranks as the single most dangerous state for drivers ages 16 and 17. CPHS students are not immune to this.

Therefore, it is important that students take note of driving horror stories from around the country and the grave annual drunk driving videos shown weeks prior to prom at CPHS. Apathy is problematic, but choosing to act irresponsibly by disregarding these very real dangers is simply ignorant.

Students need to understand the dangers involved in driving and work to prevent any deaths or injuries that could result because of poor decisions. This understanding should not solely be present on prom weekend but all the time. Students drinking at any time, prom or otherwise, should never drive or be driven by someone under the influence of alcohol or any other harmful substance under any circumstance. When did it ever become “cool” to drive without a seat belt? Whatever discomfort that may result from safety precautions is well worth the insurance that any deaths or injuries may be avoided during accidents.

The great philosopher Drake of Young Money said it best: “You only live once.” To avoid exemplifying these words, safe driving, attentiveness and responsibility at the wheel are absolutely necessary.

Not doing so may very well lead to deadly results.

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Jordan Embry sophomore “I would prank my sister because she can get really irritable from pranks.”

Dominic Peretin junior “My favorite person to prank is my best friend Carson because he overreacts to everything.”

Amber Haworth senior “I love to prank my mom because she believes in anything, especially pranks.”

editorial

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Joey Krampen freshman

Vol. 77 Issue 7 March 28, 2013 1500 S. Main St. Crown Point, IN 46307 219-663-4885 ex. 11349 fax 219-662-5663 inklings@cps.k12.in.us

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.

Sam Beishuizen Abby Elston editors-in-chief RaeAnna Morgan editor-at-large Dylan Taylor managing editor Maggie Gelon Katie Sherman copy editors Molly Grace feature editor Shannon Rostin asst. feature editor

Alex McLean sports editors Kara Biernat sports asst.

Yazzmyne Lopez advertising editor Hannah Colby advertising asst.

Brittany Pedersen Amy Schuch Annie Swanson photographers

Ellie Burrell artist Alaa Abdeldaiem Maddie Adducci Alexis Berdine Emily Best Paige Buelow Olivia Elston David Kepshire Verda Mirza Tina Winfrey staff Julie Elston adviser

opinion 5

inklings 3/28/13

issue:

Social equality should not continue being optional

Is reality TV exploitative?

BY RAEANNA MORGAN

editor-at-large

Cartoon By ELLIE BURRELL

Pro:

Reality television is exploitative at worst, tasteless at best

Con:

Reality TV champions and connects humanity, does not exploit

BY DYLAN TAYLOR

BY MAGGIE GELON

managing editor

copy editor

Before the age of duck faces, MTV and racial slur-appropriating white rappers, old TV shows and cartoons like “Charlie Brown” or “Scooby Doo” often provided young viewers with more than a simple break from the daily grind - a healthful dose of simple, grain-of-salt moralism.

These days, however, many television viewers prefer to spend their precious time (and brain-cells) on a different kind of programming: a genre of television that has sacrificed the furthest extent of its meaningfulness in favor of perpetuating everything from stereotypes about pregnant young women (“Teen Mom”) and African-Americans (“All My Babies’ Mamas”) to exploiting unassuming children (“Honey Boo Boo”). Folks, welcome to the dark world of reality television.

These shows revel in all flavors of dishonesty and degradation, broadcasting the dumbest and most shocking examples of our culture to the controversy-hungry American populace. Reality television plainly exploits the viewer; it portrays something as “reality” that is usually heavily scripted. Programs also only display the most “profitable” behavior that their stars can muster - behavior that is often coerced and unrealistic. The idea that the stereotypeheavy chaos of a show like “The Real World” is an honest reflection of anyone’s “real” life is ridiculous.

With this “real” TV spilling exaggerated cultural ideas into the minds of all that watch it, non-viewers are left only to cringe when a 13-year-old, hair dyed to mimic the last Bachelorette, repeats a cruel joke about teen pregnancy, obesity or minorities that they saw on MTV. As long as viewers maintain a brain-dead acceptance of the reality madness, shows like “Honey Boo Boo” will continue to exist.

Meanwhile, those of us that don’t wish to hemorrhage our brain cells for Kim Kardashian can turn off the ridiculous shows. And maybe read a book. And hope for the future of humanity.

Tears. Controversy. Drama. Viewers crave it. Reality TV is the epitome of all of the above and has generated ratings like never before, but it’s not on account of the spray tans. The human elements and lessons presented intrigue, challenge and most importantly keep the audiences tuning in.

No one who signs a contract is being exploited. Participants are making the personal decision to televise themselves, and no one is flogging them until they smile.

Those that denounce reality TV argue that the morals reality shows promote are less than desirable for the youth of America to be soaking in. Yet scripted shows like “Glee” and “Secret Life of the American Teenager” tackle controversial topics as well. So what makes a sensationalized script more appropriate for youth than reality? Nothing. If anything, happy ending scripts are distorting teens’ views on controversial topics. “Teen Mom” may not be a fairytale, but at least it’s honest.

That goes for all reality TV; it is the human element that no script can accomplish that attracts the viewers. The ability to relate to a contestant chasing his dreams on “American Idol” or the vulnerability felt by the survivor on a deserted island is what makes reality TV golden. It’s fair to say not all reality TV is highbrow, but neither is life. Snooki is by no means being exploited; for better or worse she’s being herself, and if that doesn’t appeal to viewers then turn it off.

In the mean time, those who tune in are exposed to lifestyles, cultures and experiences via reality TV in a way no stuffy historian or scripted adventurer could ever accomplish. What other genre of television could build homes for those in need (“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”) or help people regain their healthy lifestyles (“Biggest Loser”) like reality? Viewers tune in to watch and feel a part of humanity triumphing. Contestants benefit from the experience, and networks earn solid ratings. It’s a win-win-win.

10 Inklings staffers agree

15 Inklings staffers agree

Nicole Shelpman

English teacher

Katie Dillion

“I think the main problem is the use of the term reality because it is clearly not an accurate representation of reality.”

Garrett Thompson

junior

“No, (participants) have seen reality TV, they know what happens, and they sign up for it.”

senior

“They’re (the makers of the show) filming whatever appeals to viewers.

There is no real art in today’s TV. It’s just garbage.”

Chelsea Stinnett

sophomore

“I think that reality TV stars sign up for everything, including pay, and if they end up exploited, than it’s their own fault.”

We live in a world where equality is supposed to be a right.

Every member of the human race should be treated fairly and justly without discrimination. St. Patrick’s Day brought to light that the issues of equality are much closer to home than the fight for women’s rights in the Middle East.

In Cincinnati, Ohio, a parade was held to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, a Catholic holiday.

Three days prior to the event, The Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network got a call that they were not allowed to participate in the parade as planned, on the grounds that they are supporters of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and that this was a Catholic holiday and against their beliefs as sponsors of the parade.

The fact that certain people are not allowed to participate in something as simple as a parade because of their sexual orientation is ridiculous. Sure, the respect for another’s religious belief is also important and a part of our constitution, but discriminating against an entire group of people yet again is only pushing society back further into the past. Was Hitler exterminating the entirety of European Jews okay? Or, more recently, how about the extreme discrimination against African Americans in the South by white supremacists in the 1960s--was that acceptable?

The answer is no. Society eventually realized its wrongdoings and made up for it the best it could. But with past examples this shouldn’t still be happening.

By hiding behind one’s religious beliefs, we allow these terrible discriminations to be accepted. Being a Catholic myself, I find it difficult to see where the clear cut line can be drawn between being accepting of the LGBT community and calling it a sin. The Bible does say that a man lying next to another man is a sin, but it also says that God is loving and accepting of all his creatures. That being said, not even the Bible can make up its mind about the subject.

Is it so impossible that for once a group of people that stray from the norm can be left in peace? What good does it do to exclude an entire community from a holiday parade? All it does is reinforce the idea that not everyone is equal, which in this day and age should be a very false statement.

6 feature

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i on life

PHOTO BY TINA WINFREY

The cast of “Guys and Dolls” take a bow at their final curtain call during their last performance of their show. The cast and crew prepared the musical for two months before performing for audiences in the school’s auditorium over the last two weeks.

A page dedicated to celebrating student life.

bythe

numbers

19%

of

Indiana’s population is composed of children with disabilities.

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50 PHOTO BY ANNIE SWANSON

Helping her with her drawing, senior Desi Blastic works with senior Katie Chimitris during special needs teacher Branden Lorek’s peer tutoring class. Blastic is one of 34 students working as a peer tutor in Lorek’s class.

A special type of friendship Peer tutors, special needs students bond over learning

BY KATIE SHERMAN ALAA ABDELDAIEM

copy editor reporter

March is Developmental Disability Awareness Month, a time dedicated to students with learning disabilities. Peer tutors, however, do not just recognize special needs students one month of the year. Those with disabilities are their focus every day of the school year, seven hours each day.

Special needs teacher Branden Lorek and his peer tutors spend their time working with students with learning disabilities. Lorek believes the time spent working with them does not only benefit the students themselves, but also him as a teacher.

“There are 14 students in the class with different ability levels,” Lorek said. “Some kids are visual, some kids are hands-on. That helps give me more perspective on working with students who are all at a different pace.”

Lorek also views this class as an opportunity to provide peer tutors with experiences they do not encounter every day.

“I believe the class allows the peer tutors to see a side of life that they do not normally see,” Lorek said.

“They see that these special needs kids are just like anyone else. They like to joke around, play video games, go on Facebook—all things other people do.”

Though many want the position, not anyone can be a peer tutor. Students must have certain qualities to work well with students who have disabilities.

“You have to have an open mind,” senior Desi Blastic said. “You can’t have any temper problems, no anger.

You have to be able to handle a lot.”

These qualities help build strong relationships, such as the ones Blastic has formed with many of the special

needs students. “(Working with the special needs students) makes my heart feel good and complete,” Blastic said. “I love working with them. I’ve grown so close to all of them.”

Senior Katie Chimitris values the help Blastic has provided throughout the year. Chimitris does not view Blastic simply as a peer tutor but as a person she can go to for anything. “(Desi) is my friend,” senior Katie Chimitris said.

“She helps me (in gym class). We hang out. She is easy to talk to and is always there for me.”

Blastic and the other peer tutors notice the impact they have on Chimitris and other special needs students from the moment they walk in the room. The students greet them with appreciation, looking forward to the hour ahead with their peer tutors. “(The special needs students’) faces automatically light up and they put on this big smile,” Blastic said.

“It’s really warming.”

When Blastic is absent from class, Chimitris looks forward to her return, wanting to share more experiences with her friend.

“I always think about when (Blastic) is coming back when she is not there,” Chimitris said. “I miss her when she is gone.”

Regardless of their disabilities, Blastic holds a strong belief that special needs students should be regarded just like everyone else, that their disabilities make them no different than the average student.

“They’re just like us,” Blastic said. “They may have a disability, but it doesn’t matter. Nobody is perfect.”

children have an autism spectrum disorder.

13%

of people ages 13-17 have a developmental disability.

34

students work as peer tutors in Lorek’s special needs class.

75%

of

special education students have difficulties in language and reading.

facts compiled by the Inklings staff

feature 7

inklings 3/28/13

I’m gonna pop some

TAGS Students take to thrift shopping to find deals and make affordable, unique purchases PHOTO BY AMY SCHUCH

Freshman Jenna Zajac looks through clothing at a local Goodwill. Teens browse thrift shops to fill vintage wardrobes.

BY SHANNON ROSTIN

asst. feature editor

In the song “Thrift Shop,” Macklemore sings about his appreciation of thrift shopping. While the tune is becoming widely popular, the actual trend of “thrift shopping” is gaining popularity among high school students looking for deals on rare finds and vintage styles. The trend of going shopping for used clothes is ideal for reasons ranging from the next-to-nothing price to the outdated or vintage looks that can be found on a shopping adventure to a local thrift store.

“I thrift shop because it’s fun and you can find cute stuff. There’s kind of a taboo on it, but if you go and actually look, you find cool stuff,” senior Hope Hobgood said.

Hobgood views thrift shopping as a challenge to find various used items to purchase and make her own.

“Thrift shopping is a scavenger hunt for something you don’t know you want. You’re find-

ing yourself in the clothes of others,” Hobgood said.

Junior April Sirbas also appreciates thrift shopping. Sirbas views it as a way to purchase oneof-a-kind clothing for less money.

“Thrift shopping is a cheap way to find cute and quirky clothes,” Sirbas said.

Sirbas also donates her used clothes when she is finished with them.

“It provides the opportunity to be able to recycle clothes instead of throwing them away. It gives them a chance to be reused by other people who could use them,” junior Nathan Fletcher said.

There are many local options for thrift shoppers, including Goodwill and the Salvation Army.

“I usually go to Goodwill or the Salvation Army, but my favorite place to go is The Village.

It’s thrift shop heaven,” Hobgood said.

Hobgood, as well as many other shoppers, appreciates the variety of items offered by thrift stores. “(The Village) has an entire aisle of ugly sweat-

ers. Nothing is better than an entire aisle of ugly, used sweaters,” Hobgood said.

There are many other aspects that shoppers find ideal about shopping for used clothing. The price is convenient and ideal for shoppers looking to save money on the price of their clothing, as opposed to spending large amounts of money on similar styles.

“Thrift shopping offers people on a budget the opportunity to buy anything from children’s toys to clothing at a very reduced price. While not all the products are in great conditions, it is a great alternative for those looking to save some money,” junior Stephen Jeffirs said.

The styles of clothes found in thrift stores are another reason for the growth of interest in this trend. It is common to find vintage or outdated clothing to fit the idea of the popular trend.

“It’s convenient because it’s affordable and because more people are going for the older or vintage kind of look, so it fits the culture,” junior Camille Laxamana said.

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8 feature

inklings 3/28/13

Extracurricular interests take the cake Teacher hobbies include: Creating galas, deejaying and drumming outside of the classroom

BY OLIVIA ELSTON TINA WINFREY

reporters

Many students think of their teachers solely as teachers and are shocked when they see them at local grocery stores. Some students may be shocked to know they lead double lives.

Math teacher Adam Piaskowy is a teacher by day and a disc jockey by night.

“Back when I was in high school, a guy in my youth group was a DJ, and he needed somebody to do some roadie stuff, like carrying speakers and helping set up,” Piaskowy said. “I helped him out, and I started thinking how cool it was to get paid to play music and entertain at parties.”

Piaskowy found his passion for deejaying by starting small. From there, Piaskowy got started on his solo DJ career during his college years.

“In college, I started doing my own thing, and even after college, I kept going by doing weddings in the summer, school dances and other private parties,” Piaskowy said.

While now is a down time for business because of lack of events, Piaskowy does not mind because it gives him time to focus on school. Piaskowy looks to deejay more school dances, like prom. He has deejayed the past two homecoming dances at CPHS. “I have a lot of fun doing school dances,” Piaskowy said. “I can get a little bit more creative with the set list and play the top 40, like B96 or KISS-FM with a little more mixing.”

Piaskowy is not the only teacher who has another interest. German teacher Heidi Polizotto enjoys creating galas when not teaching.

“It started because I do a lot of fun

fundraisers, and I started thinking bigger to see what I could do to help out more,” Polizotto said.

Polizotto used her kid’s activities as inspiration for her next big project.

“My kids were really involved with the arts outside of school, so I created a gala called Leap into the Arts,” Polizotto said.

Leap into the Arts is a fundraiser that features fine art performances by kids around the area. There are many raffles, a wine pool and silent auctions. Past performances have included: jazz bands, ballet dances, orchestras and choirs.

“This was our fifth year of doing this fundraiser,” Polizotto said. “Between my committee and me, we were able to raise about $120,000.”

This money was divided between the groups that participated in the events.

Along with the Leap into the Arts event, Polizotto has helped out other causes.

“At my old school, I was the class sponsor, and every summer I had secured them a spot at Pierogi Fest (in Whiting),” Polizotto said. “And when I left there, I was able to leave them with $28,000 to use for prom and their senior trips.”

With the money Polizotto raised from the gala for the senior class they were able to go to Florida for their senior trip.

While Polizotto creates galas, anatomy teacher Kelly Loving creates baked goods.

“I’ve baked forever, sort of as a defense mechanism because my mother is not a very good cook,” Loving said. “Later on, I went to a class on cake decorating, and I kept doing that for a few years.”

For the past couple years Loving has been at the Chesterton European Market selling a variety of baked creations. Many of these treats are well known, but Loving also cooks up some unusual sweets.

PHOTO BY TINA WINFREY

Anatomy teacher Kelly Loving also has a passion for baking. He has baked cakes for special occassions as well as unique cupcakes.

“I’ve made an avocado cupcake before and also some with bacon on top,” Loving said. “They were actually pretty popular.”

While the school year is from Sept. June, the European Market is open from May - Oct. Loving likes that his two interests do not interfere. On the other hand, guidance counselor Peg Shaffer uses drumsticks for her hobby.

“My dad was in a big band back in the day, so the drum set was always around,” Shaffer said. “When I was a wee girl, he would show me the basics, and I just absolutely fell in love with it.”

Shaffer played through high school, and received a scholarship to Indiana State for teaching. Even though she recieved a

degree for teaching, Shaffer did not stop her love for music.

“I decided to incorporate my love for music by teaching music (band) at Crown Point,” Shaffer said.

Even though her full time job is a guidance counselor, Shaffer plays the drums to this day.

“I’m part of a band with some retirees,” Shaffer said. “We play a wide variety of music from Steely Dan to Quincy Jones and Stevie Wonder.”

The band plays a maximum of three times a month on the weekends, so it does not interfere with her school life.

“My favorite part of music is that when you’re playing you don’t think about all Loving bakes an assortment of cakes for various events ranging from weddings to birthdays.

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feature 9

inklings 3/28/13

Just Foolin’ Around

Taco Bell In 1996 Taco Bell took out ads in several big newspapers announcing that they had bought the Liberty Bell in order to help reduce the national debt and had renamed it the “Taco Liberty Bell.”

April Fools’ is just around the corner and the pressure is on for pranksters of all kinds

BY MOLLY GRACE

feaute editor

A good prank can be complicated or simple.

All that matters is that it is pulled off well and leaves the prankster laughing and victorious (and the victim with a good story that, hopefully, can be laughed at one day).

“When I was younger, probably about 12, I took Saran wrap and I put it over my sister’s doorway. I put it really tight so there were no wrinkles and it was completely see-through. I did it in the middle of the night, and then she woke up all disoriented and she ran right through it and freaked out,” senior Emily Papamihalakis said.

Siblings are common targets for April Fools’ trickery, but pranks are not limited to family.

“Last April Fools’, I had a group of friends over the night before. I took a shower and I did not hear the door open, and all of a sudden this white stuff was everywhere—they had taken flour and poured it inside the shower and it got all over me. And that was not even the best part. I got out of the shower after I washed it all off and I wiped off the mirror and I looked in the mirror and there was a face right next to me, so I screamed and fell down. On the towel hook they had hung a mask. It scared me so bad. Then they made me breakfast to make up for it, but instead of putting sugar in the pancakes, they put vinegar and salt, so I ate vinegar and salt pancakes. It was the worst day of my life,” said junior Tatyanne Rodriguez.

A simple prank to pull on a friend that is likely to give them a little scare and give the prankster a good laugh is to put a note on the friend’s car saying “sorry about the dent.” Leave a phone number and a fake name on the note, and make

April Fools’ pranks done right

Google

PHOTO BY BRITTANY PEDERSEN

Junior Marissa Schoedel is shocked to see her car has been dented, but laughs upon realizing only a prank has been pulled.

sure to be somewhere nearby to be able to watch the friend search frantically for a dent.

Pulling pranks is not just for young people.

Parents have been known to pull some pretty funny shenanigans from time-to-time.

“When I was nine, we went to Aruba for spring break, and it was April Fools’ Day. We were all lying on the couch, and my dad came running out of the bathroom screaming that there was an iguana in the shower, and we all screamed and ran out of the hotel room. Then he got us locked out because we freaked out that there was an iguana in our room when there wasn’t,” sophomore Nadia Giedemann said.

A fun way to retaliate when a mischievous parent pulls a prank is this: Go to the sink and wrap a rubber band around the handle of the spray nozzle so that it is pressed down and wait for somebody to turn on the sink. When they do,

instead of water coming out of the faucet it will come out of the nozzle and spray them. Be sure to only pull this prank on parents who have a sense of humor and an appreciation for pranks.

Senior Quentin Klingberg had an experience where his whole family banded together to trick him, managing to keep up with the joke long enough to get him to leave for school during the nighttime.

“I went to bed about 6 p.m. because I was wiped, and my family changed all the clocks around the house to make it look like it was 7 a.m. They freaked out and said that I was late for school. I did not realize it was 9 p.m. until I was already in the car and out of the subdivision,” Klingberg said.

Celebrate this April Fools’ Day the way it was meant to be celebrated: With a good prank and a good laugh (and watch out for payback).

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In 2007 Google promised a new service that would allow users to add emails to a “Paper Archive” that Google would print out and ship to the user at no cost.

Burger King In 1998 Burger King released an ad stating that they would be selling a “Left-Handed Whopper,” with all the same condiments as the original except that they were rotated 180 degrees.

Information by about.com

10 feature

inklings 3/28/13

PHOTOS PROVIDED

Drama students, recommended by theater department chair Kit Degenhart, participate as extras for the independent film “Johnny.” Students were requested by production company owner Beth Reiners. Students shown above are seniors Casey Kitchen, Katie Fenn, Molly Grace, Angel Barraza and Nina Rettig and juniors Maddie McGuckin and Ryan Kelleher.

Students, faculty aid film productions

Theatre members, teachers participate in independent film-making

BY RAEANNA MORGAN

editor-at-large

Glamour surrounds the movie-making business. The fame and fortune seen from afar is something a select few in our society are able to truly experience. Through their past and present involvement with the theatre department, participants in CPHS theatre program were able to get a small taste of what the film business is really like.

The independent film “Johnny” was in need of skilled extras. Junior Sophie Reiners’s mother owns a production company, and when asked to supply extras, she asked fine arts department chair Kit Degenhart to direct her to students heavily involved with the program.

Reiner’s mother, Beth, took the students interested in helping out on set to Chicago for a day of filming. Participating as extras, they all had different background roles.

“They asked my mom if she knew any theatre people who wanted to come down and get their feet wet for acting in movies.

So we went down there, and we filmed a couple scenes and some played people who played musical instruments in the back-

C rown C ollege

of

ground. I sat in the background at a table in a diner. We were in a couple scenes in two different locations. One was downtown Chicago in the industrial part of town and the other was in a set made to look like a diner,” Reiners said.

The behind the scenes aspect of movie producing made several surprising differences stick out to Reiners.

“I definitely didn’t know how many extras went into a movie and how much work it took. It took probably four hours to film a three minute shot,” Reiners said.

“There’s also a lot of work that goes into location, hair, makeup, cameramen, there are so many people that are required to be there for a three minute scene to happen. It really opened up my eyes and gave me more respect for the theatre arts.”

Senior participant Angel Barraza agreed, commenting on the aspect of length time when referring to the experience.

“It just took a lot longer than I originally thought. I thought movies were sort of like you just kind of go with it, but we did the same scene like ten different times from all different angles.”

Being involved in and experiencing two different sides of the acting spectrum, Barraza tended to lean toward his on stage

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“I’m more inclined to theatre on the stage versus the movies just because I think being on stage is more organic. You really have to rely on your improvisation skills,

‘‘

I definitely didn’t know how many extras went into a movie and how much work it took. It took probably four hours to film a three minute shot.

Sophie Reiners

junior

your memorization skills and your acting skills. In the movies, you can retake a shot as many times as you need, but on stage you have only one shot to get it right.”

Reiners felt similarly on the subject and recognized the differences between the two types of performances.

“You have a lot more time to rehearse your lines. It’s not like you go out on stage and you do it right then. If you mess up while filming, you can go back and do it. It

isn’t as much improvisation, and you have a lot more time to memorize your lines, so it differs in that aspect.”

The involvement with independent films does not stop at the theatre department. Social studies teacher Paula Barancyk’s home had a minor role in the independent film “You Don’t Say” this past summer.

“The filmmaker is a friend of my brother-in-law, and he liked the house on a previous visit,” Barancyk said of her home being chosen for the set of the movie.

Barancyk’s husband, a film teacher at Hobart High School, found the experience interesting and informative, while Barancyk was not the biggest fan.

“It was very crowded, and while my husband stayed to watch, I tried my best to stay out of it. I felt much attached to my furniture and things, and watching them move everything around got annoying after a while.”

The movie’s official premiere is set for mid-April in Chicago, but Barancyk was given a screening beforehand to see her home on the big screen.

“It was very cool to see my home on film and watch the filmmaking process,” Barancyk said.

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inreview

New restaurant

“Mala” by Devendra Banhart

spices up Winfield

On his latest album, Venezuelan freak-folk guru Devendra Banhart sheds all patchouli hippyisms for an endearingly wacky, highly listenable style featuring retro electronics, hilarious lyrics and breezy rhythms.

BY PAIGE BUELOW

reporter

“Catch My Breath” Kelly Clarkson Kelly Clarkson has come out with yet another single.

“Catch My Breath” is a refreshing new sound from Clarkson and is very upbeat and has catchy lyrics. “Catch My Breath” definitely is one of her better songs.

CPHS presents: Guys & Dolls The CPHS theatre department wrapped their rendition of “Guys & Dolls” this past Saturday.

All six performances were filled with the casts’ impecable vocals and choreography. Not to be ignored was the amazing set built by the crew and the live music from the pit members.

Hats off, cast and crew.

You’ve done it again.

Silver Linings Playbook The Oscars were well deserved in this film.

Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence gave the performance of a lifetime and the plot was flawless, filled with just the right amount of humor, drama and tear jerking elements. So far this is the must see movie of the year.

2013 NCAA March Madness Tournament It dominates every TV set in the country.

It lingers in the minds of basketball fanatics everywhere. March Madness season is back.

The tournament has already had its share of shocking of upsets. Keep watching for more nailbiting games that are sure to be ahead.

PHOTO BY PAIGE BUELOW

Three Cheese Enchiladas with rice, beans and chips is a filling El Jimador classic.

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Authentic Options

Lengua (tongue)

Tripa Tacos

Chilaquiles Desayuno

Gorditas

Menudo

Milanesa

Hidden away, off of 109th Avenue in a small building complex, lies a restaurant gem waiting to be discovered. El Jimador Mexican Cuisine recently opened its doors and began to quietly cultivate a fan following. El Jimador is worthy to be any foodies’ favorite spot for a good-eat.

Though small in size, the range of seating, from a breakfast bar to booths allows for easy conversation and a friendly atmosphere.

Similar to most spots that serve Mexican cuisine, loud music also plays a part in the experience of El Jimador. Two large murals decorate the walls while the remaining area is occupied by a large open kitchen where the chefs put on a show while preparing the many dishes.

After sitting down, the wait staff promptly brings over fresh chips and homemade salsa to work on before the official dish decision is made. Offering over 75 options, for breakfast, lunch

and dinner, there are enough options to satisfy even the pickiest of eaters. The menu allows flexibility throughout many different meal customizations. With each dinner selection, the customer can pick his or her own meat and side, although the standard rice and chips hold their own against the other options.

El Jimador’s also satisfies even the hungriest of customers. The large portion sizes leave plenty to fill a doggy-bag to enjoy later. If there is not enough time to sit down for a meal, El Jimador’s offers all of their meals and homemade salsa for carryout orders that can be picked up in the store.

Overall, as a new business, El Jimador hits the spot with great customer service and even better food, both of which make up for the small space. From the personable chef who not only makes the food but also checks on the quality of the food to the fun atmosphere, El Jimador is a Mexican destination that is definitely worth the drive.

“The Last Exorcism Part II” musters disappointing returns

BY EMILY BEST

reporter

In August of 2010, “The Last Exorcism” came out in theatres and was not liked among most viewers. The plotline was plain dumb, and the acting was terrible. “The Last Exorcism Part II,” which came out March 1, is definitely better than its prequel, but the movie had a stupid ending and the scare factor was pathetic and disappointing.

The movie follows the main character, Nell Sweetzer, (Ashley Bell) who has been sent to a home for girls after the events in the previous movie. She believes she was possessed but convinces herself it was all fake.

After arriving at the home, Nell improves tremendously, claiming all nightmares of hers have stopped and she feels like her normal self again.

But soon after, her nightmares begin again, and she believes she is being stalked by the demon that once possessed her, “Abalam,” (King of Hell.) The man who runs the home Nell is living in, Frank Merle, tells Nell if she doesn’t stop acting crazy he will have to send her to a psychiatric hospital. (At this point in the movie, no one believes Nell is actually possessed.) Nell only gets worse, and one

social

life A section devoted to social media

night comes across a woman named Cecile, who claims she has been Nell’s “watcher” and wants to help her. (This part gets kind of weird; how would a random woman know what Nell is experiencing?) While at Cecile’s house, Cecile summons “Abalam” and Nell

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claims that he is present. Cecile comes to the conclusion that the demon loves Nell and will do whatever it takes to have her. Cecile calls over two men from “The Order of the Right Hand” and they try to drive the demon out of Nell through an exorcism.

The film was rated a C+ on Cinemascore and received a 14 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, which is pretty accurate. The film had potential, but the ending ruined any chance this movie had of being good. With any good horror movie, the ending leaves the viewer in shock. The ending of this movie did anything but that. Up until the ending, the movie was okay. It still wouldn’t be considered great, but it had brief moments of the qualities a great movie holds. Then the ending happened, and the movie was ruined.

The acting was average. It wasn’t bad but it wasn’t spectacular. Ashley Bell did an overall good job of portraying Nell as “possessed,” but the other actors lacked emotion and were dull. This movie had an overall eerie effect, but the movie wasn’t that scary. Many horror movie fanatics thrive off the fear a scary movie brings, and this movie was very lacking in that area. “The Last Exorcism Part II” is an overall bad movie and definitely not worth the $10 to see.

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12 a&e

inklings 3/28/13

Bewitched by the amazing “Oz”

BY VERDA MIRZA

reporter

Before any excellent story, there is always a past: a past that tells how something came to be. “Oz the Great and Powerful” focuses on the famous wizard, Oz, and how he became the powerful wizard of Oz. Three years after recreating the classical movie “Alice in Wonderland,” Disney comes back stronger with its remarkable movie “Oz the Great and Powerful” directed by Sam Raimi.

“Oz the Great and Powerful” is the prequel to the popular 1939 classical movie “The Wizard of Oz.” Both these outstanding movies were based on the Oz series by L. Frank Baum.

The film stars James Franco as Oscar Diggs, commonly known as Oz. Everyone knows Oz to be a father figure in the Land of Oz. However, that was not always the case.

Oscar Diggs is a well-known liar and womanizer. He was a smalltown Kansas manipulative magician whose life turns upside down one day after a storm hits the town. He later wakes up in the vibrant Land of Oz. There he encounters three witches Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams).

Here he discovers that an evil witch is destroying the Land of Oz, and it is up to him to stop her. This begins his journey to discover himself to be a great wizard and a great man.

Franco did an outstanding job of playing this quirky and wonderful character. Not only that, he was a good looking wizard. Sorry Mr. Potter, but Oz takes this point from Gryffindor for most handsome wizard.

To any good movie there must always be a twist that should have the audience sitting at the edge of their seats, and “Oz the Great and Powerful” certainly has it.

What is a movie without romance in it? Even with Oz’s mischievous ways he still finds true love. However, with the numerous amount of women in this movie one does not know who he will fall for until the end.

BY MADDIE ADDUCCI

reporter

It has all the elements that a good movie has. It is comical and adventurous.

“Oz the Great and Powerful” is an amazing movie that will bring a smile to anyone’s face.

Justin Timberlake’s “20/20 Experience” a perfect 10/10

BY SAM BEISHUIZEN

editor-in-chief

Justin Timberlake is back.

Two months ago he told us he was ready, and after taking an almost seven year-long hiatus from music, the man who brought sexy back himself has finally released his highly anticipated third album, the Timbaland-produced “The 20/20 Experience.” Fans will be happy to know those seven years off have failed to create any sort of slump.

This album nearly mirrors Timberlake’s “FutureSex/LovesSounds,” but don’t expect fans to mind that. It plays like an extended play list of “FutureSex/ LoveSounds” that just happened to come seven years late. Despite the lack of drastic creative

1

changes to his music, it is hard to find anything wrong with the album.

The album consists of 10 songs that average nearly seven minutes in length. With any other artist, radio stations would be complaining that the length is a problem, but for whatever reason, it works when Justin Timberlake does it. In typical JT fashion, just when the listener thinks a song

our FAVES 2

3

“Olympus Has Fallen” brings down the (White) House

is winding down around the four minute mark, an entirely new combination of sounds and tones come laced together to create Timberlake’s R&B ballads that become nearly twice as long as typical pop tracks.

The stand-out song off the album comes right from the beginning with “Pusher Love Girl.”

The song opens like the start of a New York symphony but morphs into a soulful ballad that manages to relate love with a drug addiction while keeping a smooth, R&B feel. JT has certainly come a long way since his days with ‘N Sync.

If the seven year break was too long for fans to handle, relief may come in knowing that, following his upcoming world tour with “Suit and Tie” featured artist Jay-Z, Timberlake is expected

1

Top Tracks “PUSHER LOVE GIRL” Track #1

“MIRRORS” Track #9

“BLUE OCEAN FLOOR” Track #10

to drop a follow-up album this fall.

Don’t expect any radical changes in that album either; as Timberlake preaches “baby please don’t change nothing because your flavor is so original” to his lover in “Strawberry Bubblegum,” “The 20/20 Experience” makes it clear that the best things should just be left alone.

tri kappa chocolate easter eggs

These chocolate eggs are back just in time for the spring season. The local Tri Kappa chapter has made their annual supply of chocolate Easter eggs. The eggs come with a variety of fillings including: peanut butter, coconut, raspberry cream, chocolate cream, maple nut crunch and caramel. The proceeds from these eggs priced at just $4 each will go to local organizations or towards scholarships for Crown Point students.

2

rain boots

Puddles and mud caused by those pesky spring showers will no longer be a problem with a pair of rain boots. These boots can come in a variety of colors. Two popular fashion rain boot brands are the Rockfish London and Hunter boots. The Hunter brand averages around $135 and the Rockfish brand averages around $60.

3

clear phone cases

Clear phone cases allow for inevitable creativity. Any photo or picture can be printed the size of the back of one’s phone and placed under the clear case so that the photo of choice becomes the user’s new phone case. Plus, photos can be switched any time.

A good movie draws emotion from its audience while engulfing them in the plot. The characters do not merely come across as actors and actresses, but real people learning an important life lesson.

“Olympus Has Fallen” does all of this and more.

Actor Aaron Eckhart plays President Benjamin Asher as the White House is taken over by a radical militant group from North Korea. His former Secret Service Guard and close friend, Mike Banning, is played beautifully by Gerard Butler.

After playing the villain in “Law Abiding Citizen,” Butler proves his abilities to play the role of an American hero in this film.

Morgan Freeman and Angela Bassett seal the deal as their characters, Speaker Trumbull and Secret Service Director Lynn Jacobs, work together to save the president and protect the nation.

They struggle to make a decision when the leader of the enemy wants all U.S. forces to withdrawal from the demilitarized zone located between North and South Korea.

The film is full of action, yet the plot is well thought through and brilliantly executed. The graphic violence earns its R rating; however, the picture looked great and at no point did the killing occur just for the sake of blood. There was a purpose to every scene which held the audience’s attention. Plus the subtle humor in the script and love among the families provided the touch needed to balance an intense action film.

Watching an enemy force capture the White House and kill hundreds of Americans was an emotional experience.

However, “Olympus Has Fallen” left a thick air of patriotism in the theatre after the U.S. came back from a near unredeemable situation. This movie is a realistic portrait of the bravery and courage found in America’s finest.

we’re SO over

the weather’s mood swings Hey Mother Nature, you need to get with the season. Spring just started and we do not like this cold weather.

You had your chance to bring us the snow over winter break, but now it is over. Spring break starts tomorrow, and you better not let us down with more cold weather.

sports13

inklings 3/28/13

Swinging for the stars State ranked ‘Dogs set sights on state championship run

‘‘

BY ALEX McLEAN KARA BIERNAT sports editor asst. sports editor

As the baseball season gets under way, the Bulldog varsity squad is gearing up for another deep postseason run. The Bulldogs once again find themselves on top of the preseason state rankings sitting at number ten, according to the Indiana Coaches Poll. The team is prepping to maintain their ranking and come out on top at the end of the season.

“We always like to have a 20 win season, and with this team this year we might be aiming for 25,” head coach Steve Strayer said. “We’ll be trying to come out as conference champions and then sectional champions and take each step from there.”

Last season, the ‘Dogs ended their season going 27-5 after losing to Valparaiso in the sectional semi-finals. The boys are taking last year as motivation to pursue their main goal this year; winning the state championship.

“We trained so hard and it just didn’t work out in the end.

The loss definitely left a bad taste in our mouth, but we’re putting it toward motivation for this year’s season,” senior Bobby Morgan said.

Not only did the boys lose the sectional game, but the team also lost six seniors. Losing leadership can affect a team immensely. However, after rebuilding in the offseason, the ‘Dogs have ten seniors this year to lead them to victory.

“We have a very experienced team this year. We want to come out stronger than any other team and minimize our mistakes. It’s going to be up to our seniors to share their experiences with the younger kids to help them from making the mistakes they made in years past,” Strayer said.

We know we need to work hard to reach our goals, and we’re prepared to do that senior Zach Plesac Looking to step up among the seniors and lead the team to success is senior Zach Plesac. As a starting pitcher, Plesac is looking to improve from last season’s 8-2 record where he held 92 strikeouts, 29 walks, a WHIP of .98 and an ERA of 1.08.

“Plesac can be one of the best pitchers in the state if he can locate all his pitches. If he can keep his composure throughout the season, he’s going to have a great year,” Strayer says.

Morgan is also looking to step up and lead the team after hitting .431 with 20 RBIs and two home runs. While many would consider these numbers impressive, Morgan is working to keep improving. Morgan has been putting in time working with Detroit Tigers hitting coach Lloyd McClenden to fine tune his game.

“Last year was a good year for me, but I want to do better this year. I’ve been putting in a lot of time with my hitting coach. Getting help from a professional coach has definitely put my game over the top.”

Plesac and Morgan have stepped up this year and are striving to lead the team to a successful season. Leadership is a key element between the lines and contributes to the team’s overall success.

Both players have their futures in baseball lined up, with Plesac attending Ball State in the fall and Morgan moving on to John A. Logan University junior

BobbyMorgan Age: 17 Height: 6’2’’ Grade: Senior 2012 AVG: .431 2012 RBIs: 20 2012 Homeruns: 2 2012 OBP: .513 Season Goals: Win State

college to continue to improve his game.

“Baseball’s been such a huge part of my life since I was little.

I’ve grown such a love for it. I’m just happy I can continue to play at the next level. I’m hoping to work hard enough to one day get drafted,” Morgan said.

Plesac, however, has not put more thought into his future in baseball beyond this season.

“I haven’t put too much thought into college yet, we still have to get through this year. Once high school basbeball gets taken care of, then I’ll start worrying about college,” Plesac said.

For this year, the ‘Dogs have one goal in mind: the state championship.

“We’re going to try to stay at the top of the state all year and work up to the big prize, the state championship,” Plesac said.

The Bulldogs had to delay the start of their season this week due to weather. Games against Elkhart Central and Warsaw were cancelled and are currently pending reschedule.

From here, the boys have Elkhart Memorial to look forward to this Saturday and Bishop Noll this upcoming Tuesday.

The team will be looking to get as many wins under their belt before heading into conference play.

“We’re just looking over the different situations we could be in. We’ll be approaching this season with a competitive mindset. We know we need to work hard to reach our goals, and we’re prepared to do that,” Plesac said.

PHOTO BY AMY SCHUCH

2013Schedule Sat. March 30 Tues. April 2 Thurs. April 4 Sat. April 6 Tues. April 9 Thurs. April 11

@ Elkhart Memorial @ Bishop Knoll @ Munster @ Mount Carmel vs Lake Central @ Merrillville

Mon. April 15 Fri. April 19 Sat. April 20 Thurs. April 25

vs Michigan City @ Chesterton @ Bishop Noll vs Portage

ZachPlesac Age: 18 Height: 6’2’’ Grade: Senior 2012 Record: 8-2 2012 ERA: 1.08 2012 Strikeouts: 92 2012 WHIP: .98 Season Goals: Win State

14 sports

inklings 3/28/13

Hockey team falls in state finals

Dogs go on end of season run to finish with 13-17-6 record; lose to South Bend Adams at state

BY ALEX McLEAN sports editor

Throughout the course of a season, teams of every sport go on hot or cold streaks. The Crown Point Hockey squad’s season was filled with streaks on both sides of the win-loss spectrum, but the Bulldogs managed to put together a hot streak when it mattered most to make a run at the state title earlier in the month.

The Bulldogs got the season started with a bang, going 6-1-1 in their first eight games. The season took a downhill turn from there, as the ‘Dogs went 1-11-4 in the next 16 games.

They scrapped together a 6-5-1 run to end the season with a final record of 13-176.

“Other teams didn’t really expect us to do all that great,” senior Mitch Witham said. “We came out really strong in the beginning of the season and it caught a lot of teams off guard.

When we started playing teams for a second or third time, they were ready for us and we struggled a bit. But we still managed to put it together at the end of the year.”

Last year’s season’s end

saw the departure of five key senior leaders. This resulted in a wave of new faces for the team, with less experienced players getting more ice time than in seasons past and new players having to rise to the occasion to be team leaders.

“I was surprised by how many new kids turned out,” senior Timmy Yokovich said. “A lot of them weren’t used to the fast paced varsity games and it definitely gave us some chemistry issues at the beginning of the season. But the more we played the more we gelled as a team and I think that had a lot to do with how well we finished the season.”

The Bulldogs looked to start off the postseason with a Roper Cup Championship title-an honor they earned each of the past two seasons. Their road to a third straight victory was cut short, however, in a 2-1 overtime loss to rival Munster.

“We had our minds too much on state. Munster is a good team and they just outplayed us,” senior Rob Mazzaro said.

With the regular season and Roper Cup completely behind them, the Bulldogs looked ahead to the state

tournament. The team found themselves in the 2A Division and opened with a game against Carmel Blue.

Carmel drew first blood, but the ‘Dogs clawed back into the game to beat the Icehounds, 3-2.

“Carmel’s given us trouble before, but we really just went back to the basics. We had good passing and tight defense and that’s what really helped us win,” Mazzaro said.

Next up the team faced Bishop Dwenger. Despite goals from Witham and senior Jessie Slawinokoski, the Bulldogs were unable to stop the Saints attack and fell 4-2.

“Our offense just wasn’t clicking. We couldn’t really get many good shots,” Yokovich said.

Heading into the final game of the Round Robin tournament, the Bulldogs needed only a tie to advance to the state finals. The Bulldogs matched every South Bend Adams goal, however, and Witham found the back of the net with seven minutes left to play to solidify the 4-4 tie and advance the team to the state finals.

“It was a really intense game. We battled hard and focused on keeping our

PHOTO PROVIDED

Senior Mitch Witham fights for faceoff against Carmel Blue in the second game of the 2A State Championship tournament. The Bulldogs went on to win the game 3-2.

defense strong once we established the tie,” Yokovich said.

The championship game put the team against South Bend Adams once more, but this time the Eagles would not be denied. A late goal from junior Spencer Pilarski was the only scoring the ‘Dogs could

achieve, falling 3-1.

“It was a tough loss,” Yokovich said. “We weren’t really clicking like we had in previous games. We let them get too much of a lead and couldn’t get back into it.”

This was the third time the senior class found themselves in the state finals and

left for home without a trophy. Despite this, Yokovich is still pleased with how the season went.

“It’s always hard to lose in the championship game. It definitely stings a bit,” Yokovich said. “But I’m still proud of my team.

We really did have a great season.”

Bulldog track squads prepare for outdoor season

BY DAVID KEPSHIRE reporter

As the outdoor season approaches, the Crown Point boys and girls track teams get ready for the long outdoor season ahead. Both teams have just finished their indoor season, one meet being the Duneland Athletic Conference meet and the other being the state meet. Both the girls and boys team were able to come out strong in these meets.

The boys track team comes into the year having many seniors remaining on the team from last year. Many of these seniors are main contributors to the team. These seniors bring a sense of leadership that can really help the younger kids during the season.

“We have lots of talent that we have been trying to develop since the start of the season,” head coach Keith Iddings said. “The seniors have been a big help since they have been through this before and can bring that leadership we need.”

One of the senior leaders on the team is Travis Kucic.

He, along with teammates senior Daniel Walters, junior Zach Seamon and sophomore Luke Voss, placed eighth in the state meet and came in first in the DAC meet with a time of 8:23.61 for the 3200 relay.

“Our goal is to get in the top three for state,” Kucic said. “We’ve been training hard and have been taking no days off in order to get better.”

Another bright spot on the ‘Dogs team is senior Zach Sneiderwine. Sniderwine was forced to miss all of last season because of a knee injury. This season, he has been sick for most of the early season practices with mononucleosis and has been training hard to get back into top shape.

“Dealing with mono messed up my whole training schedule,” Sneiderwine said. “I’ve had to train harder to get back into shape and hopefully the hard work will pay

PHOTO BY AMY SCHUCH

Senior Bailey Beckham prepares for the outdoor season in a recent practice. Beckham will run the 400 and be a part of the 1600 relay.

off in the end.”

Sneiderwine along with junior Nick Faso, Seamon and Kucic placed second in DAC for the 1600 relay with a time of 3:33.75. Sneiderwine also was the 200 meter run DAC

champion with a time of 23.39.

“A sectional title is a very big possibility for us,” Sneiderwine said. “I’m trying to push people as hard as I can in order to make them better runners.”

On the girls side, the team is being led by senior Bailey Beckham who is going to be running track for Butler University next year. Beckham, along with senior Allison Wortel, junior Kayla McGurk and senior Mikayla Marcinkowski, finished ninth in state for the Distance Medley Relay. They were seeded twentieth in state, won their heat and ended up finishing ninth.

“The indoor season really helps us with our conditioning,” coach Adam Piaskowy said. “It allows us to focus on getting everybody in shape so we can attack during the outdoor season.”

In the indoor DAC meet, the 1600 relay team took first place and set a Crown Point record with the time of 4:25.5. This team consisted of Marcinkowski, McGurk, sophomore Abby Baker and Beckham who took the place of sophomore Katelyn Mellady who was sick on race day.

“I just try to lead by example and make sure people are always doing the right thing,” Beckham said. “I hope to help people push themselves in practice and visualize for success.”

Beckham, whose main race is the 400, is hoping to break the Crown Point record in her senior season.

“The record is 58.03,” Beckham said. “Right now, I run a 58.82 and my goal is to drop a whole second and take that record.

Both the boys and girls teams are hoping for a successful season. The way the indoor season ended, there are many reasons for optimism going into the outdoor season.

“My goal is to have our runners improve from where they are today,” Iddings said. “We have no control over other teams so if we keep doing better the wins will come.”

sports15

inklings 3/28/13

Girls softball looks toward new beginning

a second with

ALEX

Lady ‘Dogs look to build on last season’s success team as well.

“We’ve got a lot of returning players and a couple of new girls coming in,” Britton said. “The girls are ready to pick up where we left off and hit the ground running.”

One of the new members includes freshman Miranda Elish, a stand-out pitcher who has already committed to play for Oregon.

Britton believes Elish will play a big role this season. “(Elish) is going to make an immediate impact in the rotation for pitchers,” Britton said. “She adds a lot of depth to our group, and that will be a benefit going forward.”

Despite it being her first year on the team, Elish believes her preparation will help her achieve the high expectations and overcome the pressure.

“My expectations are high, so that puts a lot of pressure on me,” Elish said. “I know I can do it, though. As long as I continue to do my best at practice, I’m confident I can take on that pressure.”

Elish is not facing the pressure alone. After finishing 25-8 last season, the team as a whole enters the season with high expectations.

“We’re expected to play well,

BY ALAA ABDELDAIEM

reporter

BY Alex McLean

sports editor

Sifting through the madness Brackets have been busted.

Ink has been wasted and paper shredded. It is said every year, but this past weekend lived up to the name March Madness.

We learned a lot about a lot of teams, so let’s take a second to recap.

We learned that Gonzaga isn’t quite the team many expected them to be going into the tournament. We learned that Louisville is the team that many expected it to be going into the tournament.

We learned that you can never really count Tom Izzo and the Spartans out in March, but we should’ve already known that. We learned that the Big Ten really is the dominant league in this tournament. We learned that Victor Oladipo and Aaron Craft can hit a clutch three-pointer to win big games.

We learned that Michigan can be one of the best teams in the country if they are on their game, and hey, did anybody else recognize that little white guy doing work for the Wolverines?

A week ago we learned that Florida Gulf Coast is in fact a team, and this weekend we learned that not only that, they are a real good team.

So what can we expect out of the tournament from here?

Will Jordan Hulls step up to be the leader the Hoosiers are used to? Or will his shoulder injury lead to him being a non-factor like in the Temple game?

Two of the best coaches cross paths in the Duke-Michigan State game. Will Coach K. or Tom Izzo come out on top?

Can Sherwood Brown keep the Eagles rolling against a tough Florida team? And will the Shockers continue to live up to their name, or will LaSalle be the first 13 seed to make the Elite Eight?

No analyzation will answer these questions. The only way we’ll find out is by buckling in and watching the games.

With the start of every season, teams often stress the importance of putting the past behind them.

The events of last season were last season. This is the message firstyear head coach Ginger Britton is sending her softball team.

After Brett Crutchfield resigned as head coach last May, Britton took over, looking to continue the team’s recent success.

The girls could not close out the season the way they had hoped, however, losing in the sectional final and falling short of their goal.

As a new season unfolds, the team has put their past behind them and directed their attention to the games ahead.

“Losing in sectionals was a heartbreaker last year,” senior Siena Gyure said. “We’re really hoping we can finish off strong and get that title this year. That’s what we’re focused on.”

The team’s road to sectionals will be approached with many familiar members. The girls lost only two seniors and have many of last year’s members returning.

Despite having most of their players back, the girls have also welcomed some new additions to the

Golf squad looks to improve upon last year’s sectional title The Bulldogs golf squad kicks off its season with the Hall of Fame tournament at Rock Hollow golf course in Peru, Indiana next Friday. The boys have been training hard to prepare for this tournament.

“Our tournament preparation is simple. We just work hard, practice our swings and just try our best to get better as a team,” sophomore Mike Lee said.

Last year, the Dogs’ finished the season by earning themselves a sectional championship. This year, they are raising their goals even higher with the hopes of winning state.

“We have a whole season ahead of us, and as a team we are

BY ALEXIS BERDINE reporter

At the beginning of every sports team’s season, there are always new challenges to be faced.

New members are introduced and senior members leave, so rebuilding team dynamic is always emphasized early on in a team’s season. The boys golf team just recently started its season and is currently focusing on reshaping itself and preparing for the upcoming year.

“Things are looking really great so far for the new season. We have a lot of really good young talent,” sophomore Matt Kish said.

48

Florida Gulf Coast 10

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aiming to ultimately win state this year,” Lee said.

This is the boys’ first time playing in the Hall Of Fame tournament. This course will provide a lot more difficulty than what the ‘Dogs are typically used to.

“This tournament will be more challenging because the course is a lot closer to collegiate level distance in comparison to the courses we normally are golfing on,” head coach Jonathan Haas said.

Haas is taking over the head coaching position after Del Kutemeier stepped down from the position last year. With help from assistant coach Brian Trapp, Haas is now the head of both boys and girls golf teams.

“I think that all this change will end up being for the better.

Haas is going to help us improve as a team this year and in years to come,” senior Pat Mudd said.

inside The NCAA

LaSalle

0

and that definitely puts pressure on us, but we’re taking it positively,” Gyure said. “We’re physically

and mentally preparing ourselves and looking to do our best, and I think that will take us far.”

Boys golf prepares to tee off regular season

Which low seed has the best chance to advance to the Elite Eight?

Oregon

PHOTO BY TINA WINFREY

Preparing for their first game, sophomore Haley Sanders slides to the base as junior Allison Rock tags her out at practice.

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out of 102 students polled

40

50

Upsets are part of what make sports surreal. The opening round of the NCAA Tournament proved just that. With the Sweet Sixteen round starting tonight, three teams below the 12 seed will be looking to advance. We asked students who they think is most likely to continue their success.

Oregon raised some eyebrows when they were given a 12 seed to begin the tournament. They played with a chip on their shoulder and it paid off. With big wins over Oklahoma State and Saint Loius, the Ducks could

prove to be a challenge for top seeded Louisville.

LaSalle had to struggle to cling to their lead against Kansas State before beating Ole Miss with a buzzer beater. The Explorers have to get past another surprise team in Wichita State to advance to the Elite Eight.

Florida Gulf Coast University was the biggest surprise of the year. After neutralizing future lottery pick Otto Porter, the Eagles blew through San Diego State and now face Billy Donovan’s Florida Gators.

The transition process to a new coaching staff has been slowed due to winter conditions lingering longer than exprected.

The harsh weather has provided some early obstacles for the boys to overcome. The boys home course, Youche Country Club, has been unable to open, forcing the boys to play at Oak Knoll.

“The weather has created a huge disadvantage for our practices. It’s difficult to practice a spring sport in winter weather conditions,” Haas said.

Despite early struggles, the Bulldogs are looking forward to the upcoming season and are anxious to travel to their upcoming tournament.

“We should be pretty good this year. Everyone is really excited, and a lot of good golfers are back this season. All of the boys are antsy and ready to get out and play,” Haas said.

Alex says “LaSalle might have the easiest match up, but how can you root against FGCU? Watch the Eagles take dunk city all the way past the Gators. I like Florida Gulf Coast to advance.”

Kara says “Even with FGCU’s recent hot streak, the Eagles have a tough route to advance. With Lasalle having played in opening round play, Marshall Henderson will lead the Explorers to the Elite Eight.”

16 people

inklings 3/28/13

Sticking out of the crowd

BY MAGGIE GELON

copy editor

‘Twas the night before prom and it need not be said that visions of taffeta danced in girls’ heads. Junior Grace Wiley’s vision was much - stickier. Forget chiffon and satin; Wylie will be donning a duct tape gown to prom this year.

Duck brand duct tape holds a scholarship contest called Stuck at Prom each year.

Contestants

take

Junior designs dress made of duct tape for national contest

must create an outfit for prom out of duct tape and are judged equally on the workmanship, originality, accessories, use of color and use of duct tape.

“It’s a great scholarship opportunity,” Wylie said of the $5,000 scholarship grand prize that she and her date could win.

Though the contest offers monetary opportunities, the creation of the dress itself has provided Wylie with a creative outlet.

“I’ve been doing stuff with duct tape since third grade when someone taught me how to make a duct tape wallet. I started making

PHOTO BY AMY SCHUCH

Adding detail to the bodice, junior Grace Wiley constructs the duct tape prom dress she will be wearing to the Grand March. “It’s what I want to do with my life,” Wylie said. “It’s my passion.”

(duct tape) flowers when I was in middle school,” Wylie said.

Wylie ultimately settled on creating a shorter base of a dress with an ornate train attached to the back where she incorporated the duct tape flowers and manipulated the colors to create an ombre effect. “(The dress) is peacock colors, and the front has a scale look to it. On the back there are flowers that look like roses and lilies, and they transition from dark green to light green to a bluish color,” Wylie said.

While Wylie has worked with duct tape since childhood, her skills in fashion technique and construction were imperative. She is no stranger to the fashion world and often makes her own clothes and dresses for dances.

“I’ve been sewing since I was 10,” Wylie said. “(For this dress) I’m making a corset back, and I put cuts in the skirt (to make it move).”

Though constructing her own prom dress, the price tag has not disappeared. While the base of the dress only consists of about twoand-a-half rolls, the details quickly add up.

“I will probably use at least 100 rolls (of duct tape). It is expensive, but I’ve been using coupons at JoAnn’s Fabric and Craft stores to buy them half off,” Wylie said.

Wylie has spent about two hours each day working on her dress for the past few months and hopes to have the dress done in her independent art class before spring break so that she can begin the suit for her date, junior Michael Keller.

“I think it’s going to look amazing,” Keller said. “I think this will show (Wylie’s) talent, and it’s very hard to make, so it will be pretty awesome.”

Wylie plans on making the two outfits cohesive by incorporating complimentary green stitching into the suit and adding a signature flower to his pocket.

“It’s challenging to make pants and sleeves. The problem with duct tape is that you need to be able to bend,” Wylie said.

Because duct tape is a heavier and less breathable textile, the couple will only wear their outfits to the Grand March where they will take the pictures that Wylie will enter in the scholarship contest.

This experience offers an opportunity for Wylie to develop her fashion repertoire and prepare her for her future in design.

Sophomore Chance Shea Veggie Boy My favorite food is a cucumber. I can eat a cucumber like an apple, except I don’t eat the skin.

Art in the Dark My favorite project we have done in art class was prehistoric art. We crumpled paper and drew with chalk in the dark like cavemen.

All in the Family I’m part of a family of six kids. It has its ups and downs. I’m never lonely or bored, but sometimes space can be an issue.

Weird Words If there are two words that bother me they are “swell” and “moist.”

Hair that Cares My mom and I call my bangs “protection bangs.”

They make me feel secure.

As spring break begins, I need a break from...

Nathan Hanlon freshman

Maddison Lawson junior

...the same daily routine. ...football workouts.

...people in general.

Samantha Gawlinkski sophomore

5

...tons of tests.

Emily Dykstra senior