Inklings March 2015

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Crown Point High School @InklingsCPHS March 27, 2015 Vol. 79 Issue 7

That’s a wrap Cast and crew conclude musical showings with high spirits

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Read about the cast’s rendition of “Once Upon a Mattress” on page 2

we got

SPIRIT?

Students embrace evolution of school spirit

BY ALAA ABDELDAIEM

editor-in-chief

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reshman principal Mark Gianfermi remembers the crowd----loud and in the hundreds---at his own high school homecoming game. His class had spent months preparing for the big event, organizing float parties after school, where their massive class floats were put on display. The atmosphere was intense, his school’s pride visible for all to see.

The times have changed since Gianfermi’s high school days, however. School spirit was once solely associated with athleteic events. Today, it’s more, and that’s a change Gianfermi believes isn’t necessarily for the worst.

“School spirit isn’t just about athletics anymore,” Gianfermi said. “When people think of school spirit today, it isn’t just about a big game. It involves clubs, co-curriculars and more aspects of the school and community, and it’s not limited to just the students.

School spirit involves the teachers, the stakeholders and the community members that feel like the school is a source of pride.”

Junior Jenna McCarroll attributes the evolution of school spirit to her generation’s ability to see past common stereotypes, realizing that student support isn’t exclusive to games, meets and matches.

“It’s so easy to support just the sports,” McCarroll said. “Now, I think, we’re starting to realize that two-hour musical rehearsals or two-hour band and orchestra rehearsals are like two hour practices, and so the support is there now on both sides.”

Like Gianfermi, junior Artie Equihua believes this new form of school spirit is for the good of the school.

See spirit on page 3

PHOTO BY CASSY KIM

Students participate in in-game rituals during this year’s football match up against Lowell. (In the circle from left to right) Band director Johann Sletto directs his band, senior Matt Grydzuk performs a flag routine teachers, students go head-to-head during the Student versus Teacher Olympics and Latin Students compete at the annual state convention.

Feature

News Finding our pulse Student-led organization welcomes participation

page 3

A&E

Spring slim down Discover easy exercises to get in shape this spring

page 9

Bagger’s best Crown Point welcomes opening of Bagger Dave’s page 15

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news march 27, 2015

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intheknow CPTV staff takes home three state titles CPTV competed at the Indiana Association of School Broadcasters conference March 9. In addition to attending multiple teching sessions, the staff won three titles including Best Sportscast, Best News Broadcast and Best Opening.

PHOTO PROVIDED

The staff of CPTV gathers for a picture with their three state title plaques. They attended the IASB conference at the University of Indianapolis.

Latin club wins state 44 members of the Indiana Junior Classical league travelled to the Grand Wayne Convention Center in Fort Wayne, IN to participate in the 62nd annual State Convention.

The students were honored in every category; the club brought home over 500 individual certificates and a total of nine Individual Achievement in the categories of creative arts, graphic arts and academic testing.

Junior August Dailey and sophomores Ben Depta and Claire Dosen were elected onto the IJCL board for the 20152016 term, and senior Anna Werkowski was elected onto the Indiana Senior Classical League board.

The club won the overall competition.

PHOTO BY JILL KIDDER

Junior Thomas Kvachkoff, who played Prince Dauntless, seranades senior Julia Thorn (Princess Winnifred) during the musical last week.

CPHS theatre cast performs fairytale

BY LAUREN MASSOW

Degenhart believes Crown Point High School has not done a show quite like this in the past 20 years. With the setting placed in a new time period, junior Emily Reed believes it has brought a new light to different types of productions done with the theatre program.

“We’ve never done this time period before, so that’s really fun to experiment with,” Reed said. “It’s really fun to try new things, so I think this is definitely a new range for the theatre department.”

With about 50 cast members and costumes acquired and made by the costume crew, senior Nathon Doctor believes putting on this musical with a great response

reporter

With the lights beaming, stage smoke flowing and microphones turned up, CPHS theatre was ready to put on a show. These past two weeks, the cast, crew and pit showed their rendition of “Once Upon a Mattress,” a comical retelling of “The Princess and the Pea.” “It (the musical) is just a funny retelling of that story of a bachelor prince whose overbearing mother doesn’t want him to get married. It’s just him getting married off in a comical way,” theatre director Kit Degenhart said.

from the crowds each night was a big accomplishment for all involved.

“Overall I think (the musical) went really well. I have heard a lot of good things about it from other people,” senior Nathan Doctor said. “With it being my last show, it’s kind of sad because I won’t be able to do this anymore.”

Each night that the musical was performed, the musical ended with standing ovations.

“We always have a great energy because of all the adrenaline from the cast,” Reed said. “The audience always responds really well, and we are really thankful for everybody who came.”

For more photos, visit www.crownpoint.highschoolmedia.org

Cum Laude seniors honored at annual Roots and Wings banquet

BY MARIA LEONTARAS

reporter

PHOTO BY MICAYLA WATROBA

Crown Point Community Schools Superintendent Teresa Eineman addresses scholars from the senior class during the annual Roots and Wings banquet last Tues.

Students were awarded stoles to wear on graduation day.

Since 2004, the top students of the graduating class at Crown Point High School have been honored in a Roots and Wings banquet, a celebration where students, teachers and parents can acknowledge and appreciate the accomplishments of their peers, students and children.

The criteria for qualifying for the honor, however, has changed since its origin.

Beginning with the class of 2013, Crown Point began using the Laude system and recognized all seniors with a 3.75 GPA and higher.

After speeches were given and hors

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d’oeuvres were served, attendees made their way to the auditorium for the presentation of the stoles. The color of the stole depends on a student’s GPA. “If a student has a GPA of 3.75 through 3.9999, they are considered Cum Laude and receive a white stole to wear over their graduation robe. If their GPA is 4.0 through 4.2499, they are considered Magna Cum Laude and will receive a silver stole to wear to graduation,” principal secretary Karen Rodd said. “If their GPA is 4.25 or higher, they are considered Summa Cum Laude and will receive a gold stole to wear to graduation.”

This portion of the ceremony tends to be a highlight for many adults attending

16

25

Dance Marathon

28 NHS Induction

Student Council will sponsor

Students from the incoming

Dance Marathon on April 10.

senior class that are invited to

The five hour event, beginning at

join National Honor Society

4 p..m. benefits Riley Children’s Hospital.

the celebration.

“Being a parent myself, my favorite part is watching the parents of the honor students beam with pride from the moment they enter the door until the ceremony is over,” Rodd said.

The honor of being involved in the ceremony is recognized by all attending.

Students are grateful that their dedication to academics can be acknowledged by their peers.

“It’s definitely something I’ve been working on for the past four years,” senior Lauryn Adams said. “It’s nice to see my hard work acknowledged. The best part about it is knowing I did my best and that’s all I can ask of myself.”

Student-Teacher Olympics

Prom

will be inducted at a ceremony

Students and teachers will leave it all

This year’s prom, “Hopelessly Devot-

on April 28.

on the court April 16 for the annual

ed,” will be held April 25 at Halls of St.

Student-Teacher Olympics.

George.

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news march 27, 2015

The heartbeat of the school

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Student-led Pulse aims to create change

BY NATALIE BRIGHAM

assistant editor

The Pulse, a new student led organization has emerged from a club formally known as Lead Council. Led by assistant principal Russ Marcinek, the group is tackling important student issues head on.

“The Pulse is an organization that seeks input from students regarding ways we can improve our school and how our students experience the school. Our goal is to improve the student experience within our school on issues important to our students,” Marcinek said.

The name was a suggestion by a student and stuck for its symbolic meaning.

“A heart is something alive, and that is representative of our school. It’s a beating heart; we’re people,” Marcinek said.

One such student voice being heard is sophomore Delaney Benich. She attends the weekly meetings and has come to enjoy her experience on the Pulse.

“The atmosphere of meetings is really relaxed. The whole idea is to get students involved in their learning.

Mr. Marcinek updates us on how our work is affecting the school, and then we break off into our smaller groups,” Benich said.

Both faculty and administration come into meetings with a fresh mindset and are open to hear opinions and suggestions made by students.

“A lot of decisions in large schools become adult driven without being able to hear what the students want to say,” Marcinek said. “We’re trying to create a means for students to share their thoughts, to be able to have a comfort level with the administration and feel valued.”

The Pulse is an organization with large dreams. Marcinek hopes that, over time, The Pulse will continue to expand and build upon student ideas.

PHOTO BY MICAYLA WATROBA

Members of the Pulse listen to Marcinek as he informs the students of current projects. The group meets Thursday mornings at 6:45 a.m. in LGI.

Accomplishing such a broad goal is a difficult task, and members of the Pulse know this. In order to cover the most issues possible, the Pulse is divided into multiple groups. Such groups include a social, emotional group for stressed students, school spirit group, resource period idea and planning group, community service group, diversity group and mentoring group. Marcinek is unopposed to branching out into more groups if another important issue is brought up.

Junior Paul Dawley has been attending meetings since the start of the group.

“I think the Pulse is the best way to transform the ideas and opinions of the student body into concrete actions within the school,” Dawley said.

Meetings for the Pulse are at 6:45 a.m. on Thursday mornings. Anyone is welcome to come.

“I would recommend any student that is very passionate or has a big idea to make a change within the school or community to definitely come to meetings,” Dawley said.

“If you’re willing to work hard and really have a desire to get something done, the Pulse is the right place to do it.”

For the full story, visit www.crownpoint.highschoolmedia.org

Spirit continued from p.1 “School spirit is a huge part of all activities. The big crowd, that atmosphere, makes events more enjoyable,” Equihua said. “Playing or performing in front of a big crowd makes the experience so much better. That’s definitely something we need in all areas.”

In a time when competition can lead to heated debate and trash-talking, Gianfermi is pleased to see that students can display a strong sense of pride while maintaining a high level of respect, including the support they show towards fellow classmates and peers.

“You don’t necessarily have to tear down the other side,” Gianfermi said. “I like to see kids get excited, and I love when I see students get excited for other students and their accomplishments and just show

VIEWS on

NEWS

For the second time in three seasons, the Valparaiso Crusaders are going dancing.

The Crusaders rallied from ten down in the first half to beat the Green Bay Phoenix in the Horizon League Championship Game on Mar. 10, 54-44. The Crusaders lost to Maryland, 65-62 in the second round.

John Gleason senior

of the social aspect of the event. McCarroll hopes this can change as well.

“There are students who may feel like they wouldn’t be welcome or accepted if they go to a certain game, but reality is, if we do it right, we should be all together, supporting one another,” McCarroll said.

“No one should feel left out in something that’s supposed to bring us together.”

Still, not everyone can make it to school functions. With the push to excel academically and participate in a variety of after-school activities, students have found themselves too busy to make it out to a game or event.

Gianfermi believes that, while this may hinder students from adding to an event’s attendance, students can still have pride from the comfort of their own homes.

“There’s only so much time in a day, so students have to make a decision how to manage their time,” Gianfermi said. “That does come into play number-wise, but I don’t think it has to shoot down the pride you can have, even from home.”

Whether students decide to put it on display at a game, the musical or within various clubs and organizations, Gianfermi believes school spirit will remain an important part of the high school experience, outweighing the misfortunes around the country today.

“Negativity gets easily amplified in today’s day and age,” Gianfermi said. “It’s a great thing to know that, even when times are hard, we can come together as one and bring out the positive things happening at our school.”

Student reaction to events in our world

Area Valparaiso plays in NCAA Tournament vs. Maryland

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each other the support they deserve.”

While today’s display of spirit may be highlighted with positive characteristics, Equihua believes there’s still room to improve.

Communication is key in planning an organized student section, and it’s an effort Equihua hopes will improve as time progresses.

“We could be more efficient in terms of organizing our events as students,” Equihua said. “We need to communicate better as a student body, get the news out in different ways and raise even more awareness.”

McCarroll, too, feels improvement is necessary. While support within the student body continues to grow, McCarroll knows many who still shy away from attending school functions, weary of being left out

It will bring more people to Valpo.

It’s always good to see a small school in the big leagues.

State Multiple crashes kill two people on I-65 Two people are dead after several crashes on I-65 in White County. The crashes occurred on the night of March 10, as very dense fog reduced visibility for drivers in the area. The Indianapolis Star has reported that many people were taken away with serious injuries, but a young child involved in the crash was uninjured.

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Peyton Belcher freshman

Roads are closed when it’s snowing with no visibility. It should be the same for fog. It would have saved lives.

Nation USA to end use of chemical weapons

World Greece puts anti-poverty law into place

The United States military announced that it will not continue to use chemical weapons after a treaty that banned their use went into effect in 2012. The gasses used in chemical weapons became popular during World War I, where each side used thousands of tons of gas to try and get an edge in the war.

In the midst of what many, including QZ, call Greece’s worst economic recession, the south European nation put in to place an anti-poverty law that provides housing and emergency food for those hit hardest by the crisis. The bill was signed into law by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras last week after being passed by Parliament.

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Max Hart junior

The US government shouldn’t build any more chemical weapons, but we should keep what we have.

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Kirsten Nielsen sophomore

I think it is right for them to pass the law, but Greece should also be looking to get out of debt.

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opinion march 27, 2015

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speakup

Israel’s Netanyahu should not have been re-elected

How do you showcase your school spirit?

BY ALAA ABDELDAIEM

editor-in-chief

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shouldn’t have won last week’s election.

Besides, people were fed up with his ways. A strong economic case was made against him, and about 200 former Israeli military leaders publicly opposed his aggressive, war-hungry foreign policy.

Apparently, none of that seemed to matter. In a last-effort attempt to win more voters’ ballots, Netanyahu swore that there wouldn’t be a two-state solution to the conflict with Palestinians under his watch. All of a sudden, votes in favor of Netanyahu spiked, and the Prime Minister was elected to his fourth term, not because he was a good leader with good judgements.

He won because he’s an outright bigot.

What else could possibly be made of his public warning that “Arabs are voting in droves?” The Palestinian people were collectively punished for democratically electing a government that “wasn’t interested in peace,” yet figures like Senator John McCain have voiced their support and congratulated Israelis for reelected a man who energized his people by making openly racist remarks, including a declaration of not being interested in peace.

Obama has every right not to be “over it.” The President’s issues with Netanyahu go beyond what McCain believes to be “personal problems.” Netanyahu’s campaign makes it clear that his policies will not reflect peace, that he does not seek justice, two things today’s society is in desperate need of.

McCain believes Obama is “delusional” for being concerned over Netanyahu’s re-election, that “his priorities are so screwed up, it’s unbelievable.”

And while McCain and other politicians congratulate and praise Netanyahu, Israel will continue to oppress and ethnically cleanse Palestinians. It will continue to undermine the very ideals America claims it stands for.

Netanyahu, who is an embodiment of bigotry and violence, was awarded his fourth term. Israel, Palestine and the rest of the world will suffer as a result.

And if that isn’t “delusional,” I don’t know what is.

CARTOON BY COLLIN RAISER

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Jared Pytel freshman “I am on the school’s track and field team and wear the gear that they give me around school.”

iew: Have pride in what the school provides

After taking a quick glance at twitter or listening through the halls, one can tell that a lot of CPHS students are not exactly happy with the rigor and requirements of the school. It is no secret that the school is a multi-award winner and that this must be true for a reason. Crown Point High School truly does prepare us for college and life beyond, and it is time that students started appreciating this.

Take a look throughout the state of Indiana and one can see a wide variety of public-schooling systems. Out of 19,400 public high schools in the United States as well as 570 in the state alone, it is outstanding that CPHS could be named one of America’s Top High Schools by U.S. News & World Report. As students, we are very fortunate to go to such a great high school, and this should not be taken for granted.

We are lucky enough to have compassionate staff members, classes with the rigor of a college course and enhanced facilities.

Classes can be hard and the requirements of earning a high GPA or honors diploma can sometimes be overwhelming, but we are being given a skill set necessary for the real world, a skill set that many lower level schools are not privileged to.

Instead of moping around, we should show pride in our school. If everyone lifted their head a little higher, the possibilities would be endless. Whether it’s wearing a school t-shirt, encouraging a fellow classmate on or trying your hardest at your schoolwork, all these things could make a difference.

It is time to take a stance and improve the school to the best of our abilities. We are virtually what runs the school and keeps it at the top of the rankings. In an essence, we are the spirit of the school.

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Crown Point High School, IN

Inklings is a student publication created by the newspaper and advanced journalism students and distributed monthly to students, faculty and staff of Crown Point High School. Opinions do not necessarily reflect those of CPHS faculty, staff or administration.

Letters-to-the-editor are welcomed provided they are signed and submitted one week prior to publication and do not contain personal attacks. Inklings reserves the right to edit for space, clarity and legal and ethical concerns.

Advertising is subject to applicable rates available by contacting Inklings.

Inklings has been recognized as an Indiana High School Press Association Hoosier Star, National Scholastic Press Association Pacemaker, Columbia Scholastic Press Association Silver Crown, and Quill and Scroll George H. Gallup publication.

“I go to some of the school’s sporting events, and I also support the school’s Latin club.”

Krysti Perry junior “I attend a lot of school sporting events and sport the school’s red and white colors.”

Sydney Crider senior “During the fall season, I go to football games and wear school colors.”

editorial Vol. 79 Issue 7 March 27, 2015 1500 S. Main St. Crown Point, IN 46307 219-663-4885 ex. 11349 fax 219-662-5663 inklings@cps.k12.in.us online: crownpoint.highschoolmedia.org

Nikola Kajmakoski sophomore

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

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

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

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opinion march 27, 2015

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Should vaccinations be mandatory?

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AP tests are beginning to cause stress

BY NADIA GIEDEMANN

associate editor

CARTOON BY ARRIANA RAINWATER

Pro:

Con:

Vaccination helps individuals, student body stay healthy

Immunization requirements are pointless and unnecessary

BY HANNAH BAUNER

BY BECCA BURKE

reporter

assistant editor

Vaccines have been in use since 1796 with the invention of the smallpox vaccine. They have been a widely accepted and practiced form of disease prevention for over 200 years. Yet, despite their common use, many are still hesitant to accept their importance, insisting that there is no need to make them a school requirement.

Vaccines are mandatory to enroll in public school throughout the country. The school can deny entry to the students if the vaccine requirements are not met.

This requirement is beneficial for students, however. If you are vaccinated, you won’t miss school and have to go through the stress of days of make-up work that you would have to if you did contract that particular disease. Vaccines mimic disease agents so your body can build defenses against them. This way, when the disease tries to attack your immune system, there are already defense systems to prevent you from getting sick.

Not only do vaccinations protect the person vaccinated, they also help protect people unable to be vaccinated for medical reasons. If most people in a school are vaccinated against a disease, it would be harder for a disease to infect students and faculty. Therefore, people who are unable to get vaccinated, such as people with chronic illnesses, will be more protected and less likely to contract the disease.

Some people believe vaccinations cause autism in their children.

However, there have been multiple studies showing that the vaccines are not linked to autism. The CDC, among other agencies, have reported this fact. Time and time again, research shows no link between vaccines and autism.

Vaccines have saved lives and successfully prevented disease for hundreds of years. Without vaccines, our world would be much different today. Children would still be getting polio and becoming paralyzed, and common vaccinations like the flu shot wouldn’t help reduce sicknesses every year. For the sake of the general public, vaccinations should continue to be mandatory, especially in school settings.

Picture it: you’re sitting in a class, in the middle of a test, and the room is silent. Suddenly, your teacher’s phone rings. Moments later, her focus shifts to you as she assures whoever is on the other end that she’ll promptly send you down to the main office. Ten minutes later, you’re left sitting in the main office on the edge of your seat because your parent forgot to make sure you were vaccinated for diphtheri, therefore making you a danger to the rest of the school.

Because of this, not only are you missing class, but you’ve been called out for something that, in addition to not being your fault, is unjustly enforced.

This story, although not common, is that of a student who has dealt with the results of government interference in a medical situation that, unless one student not being vaccinated is the cause of other students contracting communicable diseases, should remain completely untouched by anyone other than the parents.

Yes, vaccinations prevent diseases. Yes, they are wise ways of staying healthy. However, schools shouldn’t be dictating how parents care for their children, nor require that certain vaccinations be mandatory.

Apart from denying parents the right to decide what’s best for their children, enforcing vaccinations is unnecessary if the public is well informed.

While they may be effective in preventing diseases, the side effects linked to vaccinations can be unpleasant and even deadly. These effects can range from mild headaches to seizures, comas and even brain damage. Furthermore, denying children the right to go to school if these vaccination requirements are not met is unjust. Sure, they may get sick otherwise, but then that would be the fault of their legal guardians and would have no impact whatsoever on other students.

As a solution to this, it would be wise for vaccinations to be promoted and offered routinely at schools and town centers. However, it’s time to realize that, just as people can choose to exercise on their own, they can make the choice to be vaccinated on their own without the pressure of the government.

22 Inklings staffers agree

5 Inklings staffers agree

Jacqueline Maleckar

freshman

Janet Bordui

“Vaccinations should be mandatory because I recently just got sick with the flu, and I’ve never had a vaccination; I can now spread it to other people in the school.”

Kevin Thomas

Paraprofessional

“Vaccinations shouldn’t be required because I know people where it goes completely against their beliefs for religious and other purposes, and I don’t think they should be forced to get them.”

social studies teacher

“As long as there is no evidence that there are detrimental side effects, then vaccinations should definitely be required because it’s helping everyone. People help the people.”

Ben Hynek

sophomore

“Getting immunized shouldn’t be mandatory because they don’t always work. I got the flu shot one time, and I still got the flu.”

Six weeks.

Six more weeks until students at Crown Point High School take the advanced placement tests for their designated courses.

Six more weeks of preparation to cram as much information as we can into our already stressed brains. I am not one to disagree that AP tests and courses are beneficial to students. However, they do make the second semester a little stressful.

AP courses create a challenging schedule for students. Some students take multiple AP courses each semester. These classes can make any grade point average rise high or plummet below average.

Because of this, students have to make sure that they do their very best in order to maintain their satisfactory GPA. Colleges expect us to take several AP courses and earn exemplary grades. On top of this, we have to be involved in activities in school and in the community.

We end up having only a few hours to review any AP notes that we may have.

The whole point of taking AP tests is to possibly test out of that specific course in college.

Some colleges will only accept a course credit if a student earns at least a 3 or 4 on the test.

We have two semesters to learn as much information on the subject as we can. For some classes, only one semester is given to learn about this subject. Any information learned during a first semester class is quickly forgotten causing students to have to relearn a lot of information before taking the exams.

Teachers want us to do the best we possibly can on these tests, so they try to teach us as much as possible in the short amount of time we have.

Around this time of year, some teachers are beginning to review the material we have learned.

Others however, are still continuing to shove as much information down our throats since some courses go so in depth.

After school reviews, online videos and study guides are all made available to us, but we are expected to learn so much in a short amount of time and study for all of the other AP tests we are planning on taking.

These next few weeks are going to be stressful, but we just need to remember breathe. Set time aside each night to skim through any AP notes. The year is almost over. We can do this, and we will pass those AP tests.

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feature march 27, 2015

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experiencing a different perspective

Seeing Seeing Double Double

PHOTO BY NADIA GIEDEMANN

“Amy (left) means the world to me, and we are so close. I can’t imagine life without her,” senior Alyson Kinzie (right) said. “I wouldn’t be Alyson if there wasn’t Amy.”

Identical twins set apart by individual differences

BY NADIA GIEDEMANN

The Kinzies and Fredas agree that having a twin is like having a best friend with you all of the time.

“You constantly have someone to talk to and Having a sibling is one aspect of life that some help you. Basically, you’re never lonely,” Mercedes students are able to experience, but having a sib- said. ling that shares identical genes and characteristics is Looking alike and being the same age allowed something that only few may be able to understand. the Kinzies and Fredas to become close with each Seniors Amy and Alyson Kinzie are identical other while growing up. twins and were able to experience what it was like “We could be in different places, and we would growing up looking exactly like someone else. Ac- know if something was wrong,” Alyson said. “We can cording to the Kinzies, people would get them mixed feel what the other is feeling.” up as children.

Being constantly compared to the other, there “We always dressed the same,” Amy said. “I al- is definitely competition between each girl when it ways had to have black dots on every article of cloth- comes to school work. ing. My dad would dip the ends of my glasses in nail It becomes a challenge to see who can be better polish to tell the difference.” in school, get the better test score or even get into the Even though the most colleges.

Kinzies look so much “My goal once alike and are frequently I walk through those mistaken for one anothdoors is to beat Amy er, they never participatin every class and do She’s my support system. I don’t the best I can. It makes ed in switching places with the other twin to know where I would be without her my stress levels higher try to trick teachers and because I am trying to constant love and support. fellow peers. However, be better than her,” juniors Mary and MerAlyson said. “My siscedes Freda took advanter is the first person Mary Freda tage that they looked I ask about test scores identical and swapped junior or class grades.” roles for a day.

Having a twin has “People in our class couldn’t tell that we its ups and downs. Mary believes that at times, an switched,” Mary said. “It was harmless then, but as individual identity is not always there. we got older, teachers started to care because it wasn’t “There are some days where it is aggravating to fair.” not just be Amy. When we were younger we would Rather than playing tricks on other students, the struggle with wanting to be our individual selves and Kinzies would spend time with each other and make not the twins,” Amy said. “There are also days when up different games.

I like having a twin. I don’t know what high school “We played dress up and lots of princess games,” would be like not having a twin.”

Alyson said. “We would laugh so much and have Mercedes agrees that life would be different endless amounts of fun. I didn’t want to stop.” without having her sister Mary as a twin.

In order to help people try to tell them apart, the “It would be weird if people weren’t mistaking Kinzies altered their physical appearances. me for someone else. I need Mary in order to func“I convinced Amy to cut her hair shorter, and tion,” Mercedes said.

I kept mine longer. This way, I am Alyson with the According to Amy, the girls have tried overnight long hair and name, and she is Amy with the short stays at colleges apart from each other. Because of hair and name,” Alyson said. this, college is not going to stop the Kinzies from Although the Kinzies are identical, their indi- being as close as they are. vidual personalities help differentiate them.

“We don’t need to room together or go to the “I will go in public and talk to anyone; I will same college because both of our colleges are known tell everyone my life story,” Amy said. “As for Aly- for what we want to go into,” Amy said. “We are son, she is more reserved. She waits to get to know close enough that distance isn’t going to affect us. someone before opening up. I will admit that she is She will be there when I come back, so I am not smarter than I am.” worried.” associate editor

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Multiple births in the US in 2011 Multiples born in US Singletons born in US

3.5%

96.5%

By

The

#

1/3

twins in the US are identical twins

76%

in the last three decades

chance of fraternal twins having twins of their own

number of twin births in the U.S. in 2013

22%

twin birth rate rose

1 in 17

132,324 of twins are left handed

facts found at nomotc.org

125

million living multiples

5 lbs. average twin 5 oz. birth weight

50% are born about three weeks premature

once one has a set of fraternal twins they are

3 to 4

times more likely to have another set

facts found at twinstwice.com. cdc.org, modernmom.com, and twinsuk.co.uk

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feature march 27, 2015

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Keeping it Clean

Reporter shocked by mess while shadowing custodian

BY VERDA MIRZA

editor-at-large

R

Janitor Kelly Kersten expresses a look of concernement as she opens the bathroom stall door. On average she cleans all bathrooms three times a day.

Apple slice packages filled with urine, toilet paper plastered to the walls, garbage everywhere.

These are just a few sights that custodians witness.

Custodian Kelly Kersten, who has worked at the high school for a year and a half, shared tasks of her job as I shadowed her during an Inklings class period.

Her typical day consists of keeping the bathrooms clean.

“The average amount of times I clean the bathrooms is at least three times. The first time is after first hour, then after lunch and then after school,” Kersten said.

Kersten’s sense of smell constantly changes as she visits each bathroom, inhaling scents from floral perfume to urine. One bathroom that smelled astoundingly horrible was the boy’s bathroom near the cafeteria.

“The worst bathroom is usually this one (boys bathroom near the cafeteria),” Kersten said. “The boys bathrooms are the worst to clean and sometimes the smell of urine doesn’t go away when cleaning because it will go into the grout in the floor.”

Upon stepping into that bathroom, it smelled of urine mixed with Axe spray. It felt as if this bathroom should be featured on an episode of “Dirty Jobs.”

Also, when cleaning the boys bathroom by the cafeteria, Kersten discovered a bag that usually contains apples filled with urine.

This was absolutely revolting.

However, Kersten has experienced worse than this.

“There are pretty nasty things (in bathrooms), like when they write their names in waste and put objects in the toilet and waste

on them instead of using the bathroom regularly in the toilet,” Kersten said. “My kindergarteners are better than high schoolers.”

However, not all bathrooms are an atrocity of human waste.

The bathrooms in the performing arts wing are amazingly clean.

Kersten says she owes that to band teacher Johann Sletto.

“If these get bad, Mr. Sletto will not put up with it. He will have the bathroom locked if there is any mess, which is nice. He doesn’t want people to come into this school to see a mess,” Kersten said. “I wish all teachers were like that.”

Furthermore, the graffiti in the bathroom is problematic to Kersten and other janitors, considering some of them are carved into the stalls.

Kersten at times feels unappreciated by the student body.

“We have it both ways here.

There are kids that are really nice and then there are some kids that are quite rude. They don’t mind bumping into you in the hallways. (They) figure, since I’m a janitor, it doesn’t matter that they are rude to me,” Kersten said.

After seeing all the work she and others put into maintaining a clean school environment for the students and faculty, it was easy to appreciate them for their hard work.

Kersten has shown that every job has its ups and downs, but it is those individuals that one meets that make a job worth coming to.

“The most memorable thing (about this job) is meeting some of the kids that are good kids,” Kersten said. “There are some really good ones that have touched my life, and I loved seeing them grow.”

PHOTO BY JILL KIDDER

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

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General Manager

219-947-3325 Fax 219-942-2530

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

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feature march 27, 2015

TAX TIPS

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Business teacher advises students through process of filing taxes

BY HANNAH BAUNER

reporter

It’s that time of the year again. The 2015 tax season has officially begun, and for first-time employed students, the filing process can be intimidating.

Yet, despite some confusing language and the math involved, business technology teacher Mary Bachnak believes that the process can be quite simple.

Taxes, Backnak said, are a way for the state and national government to provide for various public services that otherwise would not exist.

Traditionally, students will file a 1040EZ, the shortest and simplest tax return form. Students do not need much to fill one out.

“The only thing that the students need in order to file their taxes is their W2. It is something that is given to you by your employer that provides you with all of your earnings and all of the taxes that have been withheld from your paycheck throughout the entire year. The different taxes that would be withheld from a student’s paycheck would be the federal withholding,

Cosmetology

PHOTO BY HANNAH MORGAN

‘‘

With the deadline to file taxes approaching, working students must learn to file taxes on their own, including the process of filling out the commonly-completed 1040EZ form.

state withholding and FICA, which is social security and medicare,” Bachnak said.

Once the W2 form is attained, Bachnak said students should fill out the 1040EZ accordingly, matching the empty boxes to the information on the W2 form.

Students can file taxes online, as well.

Through the various websites avaliable, filing taxes can be as easy as a few clicks.

“You can file taxes right online, as well,” Bachnak said. “There are all kinds of free links online where you can have your taxes filed without having to pay. It’s very easy, taking you through it step-by-step.”

Junior Annekin Pilarski filed her own taxes for the first time this year. Rather than use the pencil and paper format, Pilarski filed her taxes electronically.

“It’s really easy,” Pilarski said. “I went

Barber

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If your parents are going to file your tax return, I would say sit down right next to them and see exactly what they’re doing because you’re going to be doing it alone soon yourself.

Mary Bachnak

Business technology teacher on TurboTax, and it tells you step-by-step what to do. It’ll tell you to look at a specific box with certain information in it and you

plug it in.”

Whether you are experienced with taxes or have never done them before, Pilarski believes it is important for students to know how to file their own taxes.

“You’re going to have to file your own taxes later on in life,” Pilarski said. “It gives you a sense of independence because your parents aren’t helping you through it.”

While being able to file taxes is an important skill needed for adulthood, it is not necessary to begin filing them alone right away.

“If your parents are going to file your tax return, I would say sit down right next to them and see exactly what they’re doing because you’re going to be doing it alone soon,” Bachnak said. “It’s really valuable to know how to do it yourself.”

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feature march 27, 2015

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Slimming for

Students demonstrate variety of workout moves as spring arrives

BY TINA WINFREY

SPRING

editor-in-chief

As the snow melts and winter jackets get packed away, some believe spring weather is a great opportunity to start workouts. Whether it is a quick tone up for spring break or a workout regime to last for years, senior Claire Syfarczyk believes that getting involved with exercise can cause one to be happier as well as healthier. Students like Syfarczyk exercise everyday and look to share a few of their favorite exercise moves.

2.

Lay flat on back with one leg

3. Repeat alternating arms and

Touch the elbow of opposite arm to knee.

raised at a 90 degree angle but

legs at a quick pace.

bent at the knee.

www.teamhondaon30.com

1. Get into the “push-up” position

2.

Quickly bring one knee up to

with hands shoulder width

your chest staying in the push

apart and flat on ground.

up position.

Junior Nathan Carey currently runs for the high school track and cross country teams.

“I feel like if I don’t work out all the time it’s not good for me at all,” Carey said. “I couldn’t not work out.”

Carey, also, believes that the warm up of spring is a great time to exercise.

“Anytime is (good to work out), but spring is good because you can get outside,” Carey said.

3. Jump back to the traditional

Senior Claire Syfarczyk started working out in the spring of her freshman year and admits she has not stopped since.

“What really got me going was track because we did different work outs,” Syfarczyk said. “I found my own path of working out after.”

Syfarcyk enjoys working out for the feeling of being fit.

“I feel good about myself because (exercising) releases endorphins after and makes you feel happy,” Syfarczyk said.

4. Bring the opposite knee up to your chest. Continue to do this

push up position.

for 45 reps.

junior Nathan Carey

toe touch abs

mountain climbers

sophomore Bridgette Bazin

knee to elbow ab workout

senior Claire Syfarczyk

1.

1.

9

Bring the opposite knee up to

2.

Left legs up into the air

3.

your chest. Continue to do this

at a little more than a 45

for 45 reps.

degree angle.

Reach up and touch toes.

Repeat at a quick pace.

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

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

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NO PROM, NO PROBLEM

Students plan to skip prom night for alternative activities

BY MAISA NOUR

assistant editor

Making memories has always been a part of the high school experience. Whether it’s making them with friends or with teachers, a student’s high school memories last a lifetime. A lot of those memories come from school events such as prom.

Students like senior Amy Schuch prove that prom is not the only way to gain unforgettable moments. This year, she decided to take a different route than prom. While it may be an enjoyable experience for some, Schuch trusts that doing something else would create the real memories for her to look back at later on in her life.

“I feel like I can look back and remember something better than a night at prom like going to do something I knew I would love and enjoy instead of forcing myself to do something I know I wouldn’t enjoy,” Schuch said.

To create the perfect memory of her senior year, Schuch and a few of her friends are considering trying something new that would last longer than a night.

“My group and I haven’t fully decided whether we are going to go on a road trip or to a concert,” Schuch said. “We figured that we might as well take the money that we would have spent on prom and use it towards an experience we’ll remember instead of wasting it on one night.”

Junior Andrew Gianfermi also feels that his money could be better spent on an experience lasting more than just a few hours.

“Other than the fact that it’s grossly expensive, I have no interest in going because it feels like it’s a little more trouble than its worth. It’s a lot of money for such a short time of enjoyment,” Gianfermi said. “I feel as we evolve as a society, things that were important yesterday won’t be as important tomorrow.”

Attempting to try something new, Gianfermi is attending a comic con for the first time to feed his interest of comics.

“I am going to C2E2, and pretty much it’s a large gathering of primarily comic book retailers and producers and sometimes people who showcase their new stuff and it’s also just a place full of comic lovers, writers and artists,” Gianfermi said.

For junior Allen Edwards, not going to prom has nothing to do with not being interested but rather waiting to create the perfect night.

“I’m not going because I feel like my senior prom is the big night. I want to save that moment because I feel like it will count more next year,” Edwards said.

Edwards believes that saving his prom night for senior year will pay off later on, and that school dances are something every student should try to go to.

“I think prom is important, especially your senior year, because it’s your last chance to create your final high school memories,” Edwards said. “Whenever you don’t do something you are given the option to do, you end up regretting it.”

To save his perfect prom night, Edwards is skipping out on his junior prom and instead spending time with some friends.

“My friends and I are planning on just going bowling instead of going to prom, just something to do instead of dancing,” Edwards said.

While opinions vary when it comes to school dances, Schuch believes that a student should make sure of their choices and not let others impact it.

“It’s not for everyone, and I don’t think it’s something anyone should feel pressured to be a part of especially if there’s something they want to do instead,” Schuch said.

Not going to prom? try this...

PHOTO BY JACK SNEDDEN

Juniors Jacob Becerra (left), Colin Caudillo (middle) and sophomore Jacob Southworth (right) hold up junior Andrew Gianfermi in a traditional prom pose. They plan to skip out on prom for other activities.

take a trip to the zoo enjoy a cup of frozen yogurt

go to the movie theater

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in the

huddle

sports march 27, 2015

I have high expectations for our outdoor season; we have a lot of experience and everyone knows their job.

- Junior Quinton Jones

‘‘

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Striking Gold Notre Dame commit Holloway looks to lead Bulldogs to DAC championship season

‘‘

PHOTO BY JACK SNEDDEN

Sophomore Alexis Holloway is commited to play softball at Notre Dame with a full riide scholarship. “Being commited to Notre Dame is just amazing,” Holloway said.

Most of the time I play second base, and when I’m out I try to make the least mistakes I can. When I’m called up to the mound, I just give it my all and hope for the best result.

Alexis Holloway sophomore

PHOTO BY JACK SNEDDEN

The softball team practices indoor in preparation for the season opener Mar. 30.

BY DYLAN WALLACE

sports editor

Not often do you find a student already committed to a college with a full ride scholarship during their sophomore year, but for standout Alexis Holloway, Notre Dame has given her that opportunity to play softball for them upon graduation.

“Being committed to Notre Dame is just amazing,” Holloway said. “I have wanted to go there since I was young, and I grew up absolutely loving the university.”

Although she is excited that she is going to Notre Dame, she is still only a sophomore and is more focused on her next two years of school and softball.

“I’m still two years away from going to Notre Dame, so it is cool to be committed and have that out of the way, but right now, I’m not thinking about it too much,” Holloway said. “As of now, I’m just staying focused in school, keeping my grades up and preparing for this upcoming season.”

This upcoming season is a big one for the Lady Dogs coming off of a successful campaign last year; they’re nationally ranked seventh without having played a game yet.

The six teams that are in front of them have played at least four games already.

“We had a great season in 2014, so our biggest goal as a team this year is to improve on what we were able to do last postseason,” Holloway said. “To get there, we really

have been working on our small ball game and generating runs any way we can.”

Individually, Holloway was put into the “Maxpreps 2015 Indiana preseason softball fab five,” presented by the Army National Guard. To Holloway, this is just an award, which doesn’t mean much to the team as the preseason isn’t important; the only thing that matters is how they finish at the end.

“It’s great and all but preseason rankings don’t mean much to this team,” Holloway said. “Our big goal is to be number one at the end of the year no matter where we start off in the beginning.”

Holloway’s stats truly back up all the recognition she has been receiving as well. Last season, she was nationally ranked 46th and first in the state. While naturally playing second base, with an impressive fielding percentage of .923, she occasionally pitches and has a 0.44 ERA and 99 total strikeouts with opposing batters only hitting at a .101 average.

“Most of the time I play second base, and when I’m out, I try to make the least mistakes I can,” Holloway said.

“When I’m called up to the mound, I just give it my all and hope for the best result.”

Holloway and the Dogs kick off their high expectation season at home against non-conference foe, the Hobart Brickies, on March 30.

Admission price $6.

Early college recruitment not for everyone

my view

BY JACKIE VAN DER WEY

sports editor

As senior year approaches for athletes and intellectuals alike, so does the constant battering of the question: “Where are you going to school?”

For many students, this decision is a hard one: will you stay near home, go far away, go to a small or larger school? Is it good in your major? Is the campus pretty? How about the food

and living space? Is tuition outrageous?

For others like Alexis Holloway, the decision seemed to be simpler.

She grew up loving Notre Dame, got a full ride and as a freshman in high school, was committed.

Her love and passion towards the school and her certainty in her decision to attend is a special case,

however. It’s normal for the fourth quarter of senior year to come around and for seniors to still be deciding.

Because of such uncertain circumstances, colleges should be weary of recruiting early, and students should be absolutely confident in their decisions before responding to a school’s offer.

Without a concrete life plan, making a decision so early on could result in a student making one they regret. From my freshman to senior year, I have completely transformed as a person, and I know that holds true for many seniors as well.

If the schools are truly that interested and the athlete is concrete in their de-

cision of attendance, why not just wait a few years to ensure it’s the right decision for everyone in the equation?

Contact with a college coach should not begin until junior year. This will result in further time for the growth of athletes, physically and mentally, so that when they do commit, it’s for the right reasons.

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Baseball begins season with competitive attitude

BY SAM BARLOGA

online editor

PHOTO BY JILL KIDDER

Boys track team prepares for upcoming meet, juniors Garret Shoemaker and Mark Muniz lead the pack.

Track shifts to outdoor season

BY DOM TOMICH

reporter

The boys and girls track and field teams are crossing the indoor finish lines and instantly taking the starting blocks for the beginning of the outdoor season. Both teams competed at the Hoosier state relay finals meet at Purdue over the weekend.

Following the indoor state meet, the ladies are confident with the results and are eager heading into the outdoor season.

“We are really happy with the results of indoor state because they showed us we are ready to compete in the outdoor season,” sophomore Kristen LaCosse said.

The team is focused on continuing to improve in hopes of succeeding this postseason.

“If the different units throughout our program continue to progress, we should be in great shape,” girls head coach Adam Piaskowy said.

The ladies are currently concentrated on conditioning. They hope that the conditioning results in personal bests all throughout the season.

“We are working on getting in better shape and

Girls

getting our personal bests as the seasons goes on,” LaCosse said.

As for the boys, the team is already hopeful for what awaits. Following up the sectional championship last season, the team is eager to avenge their regional loss last year.

“The team’s goals for the outdoor season are to win a regional championship,” senior Mitchell Kessler said.

The team has been facing injuries throughout the offseason and even in this indoor season. Among the injured are top performers junior Devion Kyles and seniors Troy Grady and Wes Honaker.

“We need to focus on getting healthy and staying healthy to better our team’s success,” Kessler said.

The team and coaching staff believe the season is a process and are taking things one at a time.

“Our goal is just to get better and to continue improving. At this point in the season, we still have a lot of guys learning their events and increasing their conditioning,” boys head coach Keith Iddings said. “We just need to continue improving throughout the season and do our best when we get to the postseason.”

HSR Results

• 4x8 Relay: 8th place • 4x2 Relay: 17th place • 60 Meter Hurdles: LaCosse 2nd place

Boys • 4x2 Relay: 4th place • Shot put: Kessler 4th place • DMR Relay: Broke school record (10:50.32)

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After a sectional loss to Portage to end last season, the baseball team is set and ready for a fresh start and a new chance to turn heads. If any proof is needed, just ask senior starting pitcher Noah Burkholder.

“Our goal is to win state,” Burkholder said. “I also want to lead the state in Earned Run Average (ERA).”

When it comes to meeting the goals the team has set out for itself, junior Alex Ruiz says success will only be achieved if they can play as a team throughout the season.

“The biggest factors to being successful are staying mentally tough, playing hard and not being a hero or a superstar,” Ruiz said. “There is so much failure in baseball that you have to be able to accept it, learn from it and move on. Being able to put our bodies on the line by getting by a pitch or diving for balls can take us so much farther and make winning much easier.”

Despite the strong wording by his players, head coach Steve Strayer said the team should be much more realistic about how things play out in 2015.

“We have the ability if we stay healthy and we continue to grow and get better to have a chance to make a run,” Strayer said. “I think we’ve had a team capable of making a run in the state tournament. We’re always in a very tough sectional. (Teams in) our sectional, our regional and also our semi-state have always won the state title, so it’s really hard to get down there (the state championship game).”

At press time, the Dogs opened their season with a scrimmage at Griffith. The regular season starts on Tuesday, when Crown Point takes on Warsaw Community.

Junior Alex Ruiz realizes just how tough the early season will be, which features matchups versus some of the state’s power teams.

“Our early season games are going to be very tough. We are going against some of the best high school teams,” Ruiz said. “Penn, St. Rita and Mount Carmel (to name a few). Also, Warsaw is much improved.”

If there’s one game to watch, Ruiz says it’ll be their meetings with Lake Central, who have turned into a bitter DAC rival over the last few years.

“Our second goal is to Destroy Lake Central,” Ruiz said. “I don’t need to explain that one. All hate aside, Lake Central is always bringing their ‘A’ game at us.”

Senior pitcher Noah Burkholder might be headed to the University of Louisville to play baseball next year, but that doesn’t mean he won’t have a battle on his hand to become the squad’s lead pitcher.

“I would say if Noah (Burkholder) stays healthy, he’ll probably be our ace,” Strayer said. “But John (Dietrich) will be up there and Mark (Mazur) will too.”

In the end, Ruiz is focused on effort every single day, and believes if the team can do that, there will be no reason to be upset at whatever the result is.

“If we do lose but we know we played hard, then how can we be upset?” Ruiz said.

Slow start for Lacrosse season

BY TOMMY FRAME

reporter

The boys lacrosse team opened its season with a loss Tues.

March 17 to Lincoln-Way High School. The 11-5 loss was followed by a win against North Ridge and another loss to Hamilton Southeastern last Sunday.

“They (Hamilton Southeastern) pushed us around quite a bit,” head coach Joe Laird said.

“We missed a lot of opportunities on dropped passes, and missed a lot of ground balls.”

Senior captain Bill Bernhardt is not concerned about the Dogs’ early struggles.

“This was an important weekend for us to see how we match up against a top 10 team,” Bernhardt said. “Both myself and the team need a lot of work, but I think we will be able to overcome our flaws and fix them for these upcoming important games.”

The team will play a strong North Central team Sat. April 11 in hopes of gaining some much needed momentum.

“We will take a look at some film and see where we can make

improvements as far as our game plan. We need to start playing whole games, and not just a quarter or a half,” Laird said.

The team lost seven senior starters from last year, leaving several important roles to be filled.

“We had to replace a four year starter at goalie, two of our anchors on defense, and our top five leading scorers. You name any possible void from a senior class, we had to fill it,” Laird said.

Junior Jacob Sobek along with other underclassmen are expected to pick up the slack and fulfill those roles.

“We lost a lot of leadership and skill with the seniors leaving,” Sobek said. “My role is to try to help the team stay focused during practice.”

Despite adding several new faces to the varsity squad this year, team chemistry is not an issue.

“Our chemistry is there, which is a good thing considering how early in the season it is. Our ball movement and defensive slides are lacking, which just comes with experience, so if we can clean those things up our game will improve. heavily,” Bernhardt said.

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Despite loss, Dogs face varied success

4th & 6

WITH CHRIS

Dogs end historic playoff run with close regional loss

BY KATIE PAWLOWSKI

reporter

BY CHRIS REKITZKE

reporter

Sports analysts are nonessential March Madness is finally upon us. 68 teams and over 67 games will be ticking down until finally, only one is left to stand: the champions.

They may be champions, but we are victims, sports fans, condemned to sit and listen to over 50 play-by-play announcers and analyst for hours on end, with only commercials to postpone the suffering.

This is not only a problem in March when the madness strikes us, but year round as we as sports fans are subjected to hours of useless jargon by analysts and announcers like Phil Simms, Bill Raftery, and god help us all, Jon Gruden.

I can understand the purpose of play-by-play announcers, they have some practical purpose. It is necessary to know what is going on on the court or on the two yard line when Russell Wilson throws the ball instead of handing it off to Marshawn Lynch, costing the Seahawks a Super Bowl title.

But sports analysts are the metaphorical lunar eclipse of sports, the downfall of professional sports. Their constant banter overshadows the actual sport; spitting out random, repetitive and irrelevant facts pertaining to nothing going on, drowning out the perfect pass or the fantastic field goal.

And not only that, but they completely blacken the team aspect of the sport and instead make it more about a player, suddenly the game you’re watching turns into an A&E biography.

But on-field guys aren’t the only problem, there is everybody on ESPN too; Steven A. Smith, Skip Bayless, and Chris Berman-my most favorite people in the entire world. Saying the same thing over and over again.

The question is, what’s more mind boggling? How these people hold their jobs or how they got them in the first place.

Down with sports analysts.

As former broadcaster and Ball State alumni Brian Collins would say, “boom goes the dynamite!”

extra

points

The clock ticked down. The fans became restless in the stands, and before anyone knew it they were storming the court, cheering their sectional champions. The Dogs avenged their regular season loss against Chesterton by winning their first sectional championship since 2008 with the score of 63-42.

This dominating victory gave the Dogs confidence as they came into the first regional matchup against Munster. With three players finishing in double figures, the Dogs were able to overcome the Mustangs 58-50.

“We really came together as a team. We always stayed positive and focused in on our one goal to win,” senior Thayne Bukowski said.

Along with the task of preparing for the next opponent, the Dogs also had to overcome the sickness that infected most of the players.

Sophomore Sasha Stefanovic knew that at this point in the season some of the guys would just need to tough it out.

“Even though I was sick, I was just too excited to play in the big game. I knew I had to step it up and not worry about my sickness.”

With the physical win against Munster, the Dogs earned the right to go play for the regional title, something they haven’t done since 1998.

Despite Crown Point’s success, shooting 58 percent from the field and adding 39 points from behind the arc made the South Bend Riley team very hard to guard.

“South Bend Riley was hitting tough shots,” Jeffirs said. “They were shooting a lot better than they normally did, and we only lost by 3 points. We gave it our all but just came up a little short the second game.”

Even with the heartbreaking 77-74 loss, the Dogs still had a very successful year. The team finished 19-9 overall and 4-3 in the DAC.

PHOTO BY HANNAH BAUNER

Coach Clint Swan raises a piece of net in triump after the victory over Chesterton (63-42).

“This season definitely gets the program back to where it should be after a few tough years. Aside from a winning standpoint, this past year set the tone for the way the attitude and work ethic should be from everyone in the program,” Jeffirs said.

Head coach Clint Swan hopes that the younger classmen will look up to this year’s seniors and carry the principles that the team was based on.

“I think experience helps everybody. It’s all levels of the program, from the freshman to the JV players, I think everyone learned from the older guys on how to carry themselves on this team,” Swan said.

Aside the titles and the records, the real prize was the experienced the Dogs gained from this season.

“This postseason definitely helped a lot in learning to play in big games without a lot of time for preparation,” Jeffirs said.

Looking back on the season, Stefanovic appreciates the opportunities he was able to experience with his team and how he can learn from them to improve on next season.

“This season taught us how to play better as a collective unit. I’m really proud of what we accomplished, and even though I wish we could have gone farther, I’m glad to be a part of history,” Stefanovic said.

Girls tennis prepares for upcoming season

BY ELI UDCHITZ

reporter

PHOTO BY JILL KIDDER

Junior Hellen Keilman warms up during pre-season practice. The girls’ tennis season begins April 13.

What team do you think will win the 2015 NCAA Tournament? out of 100 students polled

A last minute change created a home court advantage for the girls’ team this past year at semi-state against Culver Academies. The team made semi-state in all five of the possible varsity positions to be played. A tough 3-2 loss to Culver ended a rewarding season to where the team looks to use the semi-state appearance to help them boost their play going into this season.

After graduating a few key players, the team is striving to work their way back to where they once were last year.

“We lost three of our top players, but we had a lot of kids come in and work in the off season,” head coach Brian Elston said. “I’m pretty excited to get outside so that we can start our season and see what happens.”

The first scheduled match for the girls is not until mid-April so the team has had some down time to work on their skills and practice

Kentucky Wisconsin 60 17 students

students

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for the season ahead.

“We as a team have worked really hard over the last few years to build a great program,” senior Ivana Mileusnic said. “I think that if we keep up our level of play, we can go further than semi-state.”

A strong run through the tournament has created a confidence for the Dogs that they hope will carry over into this season.

“It’s one of those things that once you have been there, you want to be there again,” Elston said. “I am optimistic about this year because we have put in a lot of work, but at the same time, I am cautious because we have a lot of inexperience.”

Only a few more weeks until the girls can finally get out and begin their run to potentially another semi-state appearance. They will travel to Hobart on April 13 to take on the Brickies in their season opener.

“Our goal for this year is just to keep pushing ourselves and to make our team as strong as we can and to be the best we can while we are still here.” Mileusnic said.

My moment of the month.... “... was breaking the DMR record by five seconds with the help of my teammates.”

-Junior Matt Mosak

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arts & entertainment march 27, 2015

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inreview “To Pimp a Butterfly” By Kendrick Lamar

The highly anticipated Kendrick Lamar album is finally here.

Lamar’s third studio album, “To Pimp A Butterfly,” is astonishing, detailing the struggles and complexity of Lamar’s life of stardom. The album rivals Lamar’s previous works indefinitely.

“Where Are Ü Now”

By Skrillex & Diplo ft. Justin Bieber

Insurgent surprises but also lacks

BY MARIA LEONTARAS

reporter

The song is everything that is wrong with the world in four minutes. Its starts off with the classic Skrillex sound and then is ambushed by a slow beat and Justin Bieber’s voice. The songs changing beats contradict each other and make the song unbearable.

“My Heart and Other Black Holes”

By Jasmine Warga A new contemporary novel by Jasmine Wangathat follows teenager Aysel who is obsessed with plotting her own death. She bonds with suicidal Roman through the internet., and together, they battle with their suicidal urges and their hope for a better life. It is a truly moving novel that forces readers to question their own potential.

“Budapest”

by George Ezra With influences like Sam Smith and John Newman, George Erza’s new song Budapest is a charttopping triumph. This song has a classy folk-blues sound to it. Overall, this song doesn’t have any annoying repetitive lyrics or cheesy antics.

“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” In this new comedy written by Tina Fey and Robert Carlock, Kimmy is a girl that has lived in a cult for the past 15 years but travels to New York City to experience life for the first time after she is rescued.

With influences from Fey’s other sitcom, “30 Rock,” this comedy keeps viewers grinning due to Kemper’s wide-eyed, innocent potrayal of Kimmy’s adventures.

Post-apocalyptic thrillers are inevitable in this day and age. Although every new release seems to be a knock off of “The Hunger Games,” hope is still held that each film meets the standards outlined by Suzanne Collins’ magnificent creation. However, hopes were crushed with the beginning of “The Divergent Series” last year, but “Insurgent” diminishes all doubts of the success for the franchise.

Picking up right where “Divergent” left off, “Insurgent” begins with Tris (Shailene Woodley), the heroine, Four (Theo James), the guide and lover, Caleb (Ansel Elgort), the incompetent brother, and Peter (Miles Teller), the sarcastic nuisance, escaping the grasps of the Erudite leaders after a mass killing of all Abnegation members of society. With this being said, if one has not seen the first film or read Veronica Roth’s novels, absolutely noth-

ing will make sense.

The story is otherwise very straightforward. Tris is being hunted down by the Erudite leader, Jeanine (Kate Winslet), due to her inability to conform to one faction of society, in other words, for being divergent. Jeanine is in need of one individual capable of fitting into every faction to open a mystical box containing a message from the past inhabitants of the world.

All the while, Tris is trying to forgive herself for past misfortunes and is being tortured by nightmares. Sometimes a hero’s dream can be cheesy with a death-just-kidding-it-wasa-dream dream, but Tris’ nightmares were dressed like a daydream. They were beautifully crafted and properly placed throughout the film for the viewer to gain insight to Tris’ thoughts and feelings. This was detrimental to the film’s outcome due to the stiffness of Woodley’s character, not only due to her upbringings but also because of her refusal to

appear weak to her enemies.

Though interesting and different from the average teen post-apocalyptic film, “Insurgent” still has its faults. Tris lacks a certain spunk to make the movie truly enjoyable. Without the emotional attachment brought to the heroine through the nightmares, Tris has nothing going for her besides Woodley’s looks, an attractive boyfriend and a dumb brother. One will find themselves wishing for a witty one liner delivered by Tris in response to her immense teasing. “Insurgent” lacks a comical flare that is necessary to relieve some of the intensity of the deteriorating government. Young adult films need comic relief to retain the attention of the masses whether the professionals like it or not.

“Insurgent” contains a semi-original plot with mostly developed characters, but it is not worth paying $15 to see in theaters. Stick it out, wait for the Red Box and enjoy a movie night with some friends.

Bagger Dave’s brings best burgers to Crown Point

BY CASEY AKERS

reporter

The best burger tavern has come to town.

Bagger Dave’s was introduced to Crown Point earlier this month, featuring both table service and an outdoor patio. Despite the new-restaurant jitters, Bagger Dave’s serves burgers to die for.

The sister company to Buffalo Wild Wings is unique, serving a variety of different drinks made in Indiana as well as an abundance of different flavored burgers.

Bagger Dave’s is reliable. With delicious dipping sauces, good topping choices and tasty fries and chips, customers are sure to find something that suits their appetite. If not, the make-your-own burger option is readily available to utilize, making sure that every customer fulfills their desires.

The restaurant’s flexible menu outweighs its slow service and tight accommodating area, which are sure to improve with time.

Overall, Bagger Dave’s is definitely a great addition to the burger restaurants in Crown Point and is sure to leave customers full and happy.

life social

A section devoted to social media

best tweets

best apps

Relationships seem harder than math

This challenging puzzle game where the goal is drop blocks to create and destroy full lines on the screen both vertically and horizontally will keep you busy. However, you have to keep the blocks from filling

Junior Haley Grubbs

@haleyes7

*favorites someone’s subtweet about me just to add fire to their flame* Sophomore Erin Demo

@Erin_Demo

1010!

Sometimes I think I want to become an extreme couponer but then I remember I don’t need 87 boxes of bow-tie pasta Sophomore Grace Moles

@gmoles10

I hear the song “I Hate Myself For Loving You” and instantly think of Sunday night football Senior Eric Burrell

@EricBurrell5

Bitmoji

Sick of the typical emoji’s?

Download Bitmoji to make your own emoji keyboard. The best part? You can even make yourself into an emoji and send them to everyone.

best follows @EverythingGoats Goats. Goats in sweaters. Goats being goats. Just basically everything goats which is sure to brighten

@Medieval_React Classic medieval paintings contrast with modern day situations. Hey, it is art history, right?

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New “Cinderella” remake flawless

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Dateless prom better option than skipping

BY OLIVIA ELSTON

editor-at-large

Remaking a classic Disney movie could go horribly wrong. Audience members have high expectations for the characters, plot and setting; no one ever wants to see a classic done wrong. Remarkably, Kenneth Branagh did not disappoint, staying true to the original story of a classic fairtytale in his remake of “Cinderella.”

Everyone knows the basis of the classic tale to Cinder­ ella. A young, beautiful girl loses her parents and is forced to live with her evil step-mother and step-sisters. She meets her fairy godmother who readies her for Prince Charming’s ball. Cinderella transforms into the image we all know her as, and the prince falls in love with her. Then, the clock strikes midnight, and the prince needs to track down his mystery woman. Evil is shut down. The good live hap­ pily ever after. The end, as told by the Grimm Brothers and Walt Disney and by Bragnah as well. Every detail was almost exactly true to the classic tale we all grew up with.

Not only was the plot spot on, but the actors were almost perfect. Lily James (Cinderella) encompasses the kind, gentle and humbly beautiful young girl she is and re­ minds one instantly of the Disney version. Cate Blanchett (Lady Tremaine) creates the malicious atmosphere that will give anyone the shivers. Helena Bonham Carter (Fairy Godmother) portrays the same boggle-minded godmother spectacularly. Even Richard Madden resembles the original charming self of Prince Charming.

Yes, some scenes definitely were overdone, but isn’t that the point? Adding a little “magic” for some extra flare makes the film dream-like. The audience will love being a kid for a couple hours again and reminiscing in the stories they were told years ago. “Cinderella” reminds us why we believed in happily ever afters in the first place.

BY TINA WINFREY

editor-in-chief

Modest Mouse makes return with sixth album

BY HANNAH MORGAN

reporter

After an eight year break, Modest Mouse is back at it. “Strangers to Ourselves,” their long­ awaited sixth album, was released on March 17.

Formed in 1993, the indie rock band’s biggest period of success was in the early 2000s. The band, whose name was derived from a Virginia Woolf story, went on a temporary hiatus after the release of their fifth album, “We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank.”

“Lampshades on Fire” was the first of 15 tracks to be released and arguably the best song on the album. From the first line, one knows it’s Modest Mouse, mostly because of lead singer Isaac Brock’s message that “the party only starts when the fire does.” He seems to have an obsession with dark, yet his lyrics are incredibly clever. One can occasion­

Khakis

ally hear the fact that they lightly over-produced.

However, the harder one listens, the realization comes that nothing has really changed. The new al­ bum sounds just like the old Modest Mouse. After many years that featured many comeback rumors, band members quitting and failed tours, this is what their patient fans receive: the same mediocre, slightly folk inspired, indie rock that had fans excited in their glory years.

The band attempts to go for a different sound with the seventh track “Coyotes,” but it ended up being like a former cheerleader showing up at her 30-year high school reunion in her old, ill­-fitting uniform, pitiful and cringe­worthy.

The album is really exceptional for new Mod­ est Mouse fans. The songs can introduce a whole new indie feel to a playlist. However, the similarity between this album and the old ones is excruciat­ ingly repetitive.

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“Lampshades on Fire” Track #1

“Ansel” Track #7

we’re so over

Mac and Cheese It’s taste of childhood in every bite. No one can resist the delicious taste of macaroni.

Look classy while being comfortable. Embrace the simplicity.

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Love to share a laugh with your friends? Pick a date and grab some cards! It’s gauranteed to be a riot. various retailers $15-$40

teachers giving tests during midterm week Midterms are like earthquakes; their initial shock hits and drops your grade anywhere from one to ten percent, and it’s reverbera­ tions are felt the entire second half of the semester. Midterm weeks are a stressful time for all students to say the least, and nowhere in there do students de­ serve to be hit with an additional test while they are already study­ ing for others. Midterms are draining enough with prolonged hours of tedious studying. Let’s not kick a man while he is down.

Don’t assign tests during mid­ term week.

If you haven’t already noticed from the endless social media timelines full of extrava­ gant promposals and dress sneak peeks, it’s prom season.

Aside from girls and guys freaking out about groups, after parties, dresses and tie coordina­ tions, there’s still the few of us waiting on the edge of our seats to see if we will even get asked.

The social norms of today offer a “find a date” or “don’t go” ultimatum.

But here’s a shocker, you can go to prom without a date.

Now I know the girl I recently saw tearing up after explaining that she “can’t go to prom alone!” would not agree with me, but let’s take a look into why it’s not only acceptable but a great decision.

1. Let’s be honest, dates = drama, so no date = no drama 2. You get an excuse to hit the dance floor with your friends. Who doesn’t want extra friend time?

3. Since you’re with your friends, you avoid the whole dance with a date you barely know factor.

4. You, also, can eat all the food you want because there’s no pressure of looking like a pig when you shovel mashed pota­ toes in your mouth.

5. If you’re a tall girl, you can wear your highest heels. If you’re short, you’re a lucky duck.

If anything, a dateless prom seems like an even better time.

It’s time for everyone to stand up and be independent.

Now, I may admit that going completely stag could bring some memories of Cady Heron’s lunch in the bathroom, but if you grab a group of friends, the fun will be truly be endless.

You really only get the chance for prom two or three times in your high school career.

Especially for us seniors, this is our last dance. You shouldn’t sacrifice the experience because you’re afraid of looking like a loner.

Many people go to home­ coming by themselves, so why not prom?

Whether you find a date or not, shouldn’t define the rest of your year, and if you decide not to go to prom for this reason, you’ll likely regret it.

Traditional ideas are now in the past. It’s a new time period.

Go to prom with a date or with­ out because prom will always be a night to remember.

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people march 27, 2015

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A real connection

TAKE

Students build lasting relationships through volunteering

BY ALAA ABDELDAIEM

editor-in-chief

For a long time, junior Connor Keaveney thought it was a good idea. Residents in nursing homes often times feel lonely, and Keaveney was attracted to the possibility of filling their days with the presence of others, hoping to one day organize a visit to a nursing home.

He wasn’t sure, however, if the idea was possible. Students were too busy studying for exams, doing homework or training at practice, he thought. It wasn’t until Key Club was contacted by the Colonial Nursing Home that he realized his idea wasn’t far out of reach.With the help of various members, Keaveney was able to turn his ambition into an act of good, gathering students to visit local nursing homes every first Thursday of the month.

“We were at a Key Club meeting, and our president had been notified of an opportunity to work at a nursing home, so (sophomore) Nicole

Doty and I took it on and pursued it because we thought it could be something great,” Keaveney said. “I just went to the nursing home right after the meeting, introduced myself to the director, came up with a time and just advertised it.”

The response was overhwelming. By their second visit, Keaveny and Doty had gathered about 12 others to make the trip, ready to play cards and bake cookies with the nursing home’s residents.

To Doty, the group’s involvement is more than a means to earn community service hours. Students have the opportunity to get to know the residents on a personal level, a chance Doty doesn’t take for granted.

“You really get to know these people on a personal level,” Doty said. “I got to meet a woman who was related to one of Johnny Cash’s wives, a woman who was a concert pianist growing up and a veteran who learned how to ski. People have pre-set images of what nursing homes are about, but in reality it’s a really fun environment to be in, and it’s great to know more people, to take a look into their past and learn more from them.”

Keaveney echos Doty’s message.

While nursing homes are often times viewed as a place to visit when in need of service hours, Keaveney doesn’t see them as so, finding joy in his ability to see good in the work he does.

“The best part about it is that you know that just simply being there makes the members feel like superstars,” Keaveney said. “It’s just a euphoric feeling in which you know what you are doing is right, and everything feels right.”

Keaveney, Doty and their group will continue their visits with a trip to the Colonial Nursing Home next month. Keaveney hopes the group only grows, encouraging others to seize the opportunity in front of them.

“I hope people can just know that they’re making a difference, even in something as small as that,” Keaveney said. “I know that there are bad things going on, but through this, they’re sharing positivity. Our visits make their day, and that’s something that everyone should seize.”

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junior Luke Perrin Speed Racer “If I could have a superpower, I would want super speed. I’d be able to get places so much faster.”

Thrill Seeker “I’m interesting because I know that if there is an adventure, I’ll go there.”

Rock Star

PHOTO BY JACK SNEDDEN

“One of my favorite things to do is rock climbing. I’ve been a few times in California.”

Junior Blake Kanoy plays cards with one of the Colonial Nursing Home residents during one of the visits.

Classy Classicist “When I’m older, I want to study the classics, so I’ll be studying the ancient civilizations of Greece and Rome.”

Eight-Legged Foe “I’m so scared of spiders.

They’re just creepy. They show up in unexpected places at unexpected times.”

Q

What is your most memorable meal?

“I had Thanksgiving in a casino once.”

Laura Mott Sophomore

“My mom’s spaghetti, because it is literally my favorite meal.”

Megen Berger Junior

“The first time I “Homemade “Cici’s mac “I had baked chicken and and cheese had creme brulee alaska at a noodles; it’s dance banquet in Canada pizza. It blew always on my in Disney my mind!” and the table mind.”

World’s Epcot.” caught on fire.”

Sydney Noah Scibbe Josh Mazur Becca Olesek Junior

Senior

Senior

Manahatteon Freshman