Inklings may 2013

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Crown Point High School 1500 S. Main St.

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May 31, 2013

Crown Point, IN 46307

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Vol. 77 Issue 9

inklings@cps.k12.in.us

Indy 500 Indianapolis 500 filled with passes, closest competition sport has seen in years More about the race on page 10

photo by amy schuch

Pencil-and-paper tests, like the one above, may be scarce in the near future. The ACT organization will be replacing its Plan and Explore tests with one test, the ACT Aspire, which will be exclusively online. In addition, the ACT exam itself will feature an online option starting in 2015; this may be the first of many standardized tests to go online.

STANDARDIZED TESTs to TAKE DIGITAL TURN

c.

1) Alabama was the

With the ACT Aspire bweing exclusively online as of the spring of 2014, standardized tests may be offered online

a.

BY DYLAN TAYLOR

managing editor

May, more than any other month, is cramped with high-stakes assessments—ECAs, APs, ACTs, SATs—all names that strike fear into the hearts of many students. Despite petitions, protests or general disdain across the nation, state and university trends have placed increasing weight and academic importance on these tests, and for most college-bound students, the margin scratch work, fillable circles and pencil-cramped hands of the testing season have become an accepted reality.

This reality, however, may become a thing of the past. Many assessments across the nation, such as the ISTEP+ in Indiana, have moved from paper to the computer. Principal Chip Pettit sees this as a trend that is here to stay.

“Students will definitely become accustomed to taking exams online,” Pettit said.

In fact, the digital testing trend is not far from affecting high school students. In the spring of 2014, the ACT organization will be replacing the Explore and the Plan, pre-ACT

tests for eighth graders and 10th graders respectively, with a single test—the ACT Aspire— a test that, in its current form, will only be available online.

“The Explore and Plan series is going away in the spring of 2014, and ACT is replacing it with a new product called Aspire, a K-12 longitudinal testing program,” principal Chip Pettit said. “It will all be computerized.”

The ACT Aspire will also offer standardized testing starting at grade three. Assistant principal Robert McDermott attributes this to the statistical possibility of gauging college readiness as early as elementary school.

“Aspire is going to be replacing (the Explore and the Plan) as well as adding to them; it is .going to be a 3rd grade through 10th grade test,” McDermott said. “(The ACT’s) research says that, believe it or not, we can begin tracking college readiness by the 3rd grade level. If you know what skills a 10th grader needs to be college ready, I suppose you could use the same criteria 10th and 9th grade down and start using that data to begin justifying changes in curriculum all around.”

In addition to these changes, the organi-

zation’s flagship test, the ACT, will feature an online option as of 2015. The ACT Aspire, however, will exclusively be available online.

“It has to be done on the computer. We asked the specific technical requirements, but they (ACT) have not released those yet. I’m glad that it’s online because otherwise it’s an awful lot of paper to deal with, but being online poses its own issues as well,” McDermott said.

McDermott’s concerns may not be unfounded. Online testing has failed or malfunctioned in numerous high-stakes situations, notably apparent in the computer glitches and connection failures that plagued students taking the ISTEP+ test online this month. McDermott emphasizes administrative caution in implementing new online testing systems, citing logistic difficulties and issues for test takers themselves.

“I think we would really have to look closely at the technological requirements and

B.

See Testing on page 3

Feature

News Pop, lock and stock it Student bands perform at Foodstock for charity

page 2

testing quick hits

first state to institute the ACT Aspire test as an official assessment, ACT confirmed.

2)

After a server crash, computerized ISTEP+ results were delayed until July, Indiana Public Media reported.

3)

The US spent $1.7 billion on standardized tests last year, the Huffington Post reported.

4)

According to ACT, 1.7 million students took the ACT test last year.

5)

“Anecdotal evidence is that students prefer (computerized tests),” ACT president Jon Erickson told the New York Times.

A&E

Are we there yet?

Follow these tips to avoid boredom on roadtrips

page 9

Jazz age or Jay-Z age?

Read on to see if modern touches in “Gatsby” work

page 12

2 news

inklings 5/31/13

intheknow

Diplomas available after Graduation Seniors may pick up their diplomas on Wednesday, June 12 from 12 to 2 p.m. in the cafeteria.

Graduation gowns should also be returned at this time.

A photo ID is required when picking up the diploma.

Final exams begin June 3, May 31 PHOTO BY OLIVIA ELSTON

Social Studies teacher Paula Barancyk and assistant principal Deb Cuffia are retiring this year. They had a combined 75 years at CPHS.

Longtime staffers retire from teaching

BY KATIE SHERMAN copy editor

With the year coming to an end, CPHS will be saying goodbye to retiring social studies teacher Paula Barancyk and assistant principal Deb Cuffia.

“I have been teaching for about 35 years, and I just think it is time for me to retire,” Barancyk said.

Before coming to Crown Point, Barancyk taught English at Gary Dioceses schools for four years. There, she realized that teaching English was not for her.

“I did not like teaching English, so I quit my teaching job and was going to get out of teaching,” Barancyk said. “I was just looking for sub work. They (Taft) did a reduction in staff and realized they needed another middle school teacher. I was hired at Taft parttime in 1982.”

Even though Barnacyk will be retiring, she will continue teaching at Indiana University Northwest.

“I was offered the opportunity to pick up some day classes that had opened up. I started researching the new class that appealed to me,” Barancyk said. “I will be teaching Human Geography and Topics in Geography-- Sub Saharan Africa on Tuesday and on Thursday.”

Leaving CPHS does have a downside for Barancyk. Over the course of 35 years, Barancyk has treasured her time with the staff and students.

“I will miss the interaction with the students and coworkers.

I have really enjoyed the people I have worked with, and I have had a lot of fun with them,” Barancyk said.

Though Barancyk will miss teaching, she will enjoy being able to have free time. “(After retirement) I plan to garden, but most importantly I want to see my mom and dad more often because they live in Florida. I want more flexibility to see them,” Barancyk said.

Testing continued from p. 1 deeply consider whether we have the lab space and environment available within the structure that they give us,” McDermott said. “(Taking a high-stakes test) on the computer is in a different format. If, in a math test, you have to write something to the second power, you might have to use a carrot and all different things that a student isn’t used to; do you really want a student to think about those processes when they’re taking a high-stakes test? With that in mind, we understand that, with the way trends in technology are moving, we’re going to have to do that, so it’s all a matter of how to transition.”

Freshman Courtney Bruder also acknowledges issues with the test’s new digital direction.

“It’s easier to keep your mind organized and avoid

junefacts •

June is National Candy Month.

•

The rose and the honeysuckle are the flowers for the month of June.

•

Actor Morgan Freeman was born on June 1, 1937.

•

Whether the year is 365 days long or a leap year, no other month starts on the same day of the week as June.

Barancyk will not be the only staff member retiring after this school year. Cuffia, who has taught and administered for about 40 years, will not be returning to CPHS for the 2013-2014 school year.

“I am going to miss working with the academics and the curriculum here and also to see things that change at the high school academically because that has been my niche during my career,” Cuffia said.

Earlier in Cuffia’s career, she was an English teacher and the English Department chair. Cuffia was also the girls’ varsity tennis coach for some time.

“When I taught, I liked working with students,” Cuffia said. “I loved the content that I taught, especially the literature and working with students’ writing.”

While her experience teaching has helped her, Cuffia found that being an administrator has a stronger impact. “(Being an administrator)

can affect more things globally,” Cuffia said. “You go outside your content area niche and are able to do different disciplines while impacting the school improvement goals.”

Though she still enjoys being an administrator, Cuffia is looking forward to having some time for herself.

“I decided to retire because I really wanted an opportunity to do other things that I did not have time to do when I was doing this job,” Cuffia said. “I have a lot of friends I would like to catch up with. I like to read a lot, work out and I want to be able to travel.”

Retiring will not take away from the experience Cuffia has had at CPHS. Though she will no longer work at the high school, Cuffia will not lose appreciation for education and the opportunities CPHS offers.

“Education is important,” Cuffia said. “Crown Point High School is such a great place to learn.”

mistakes when you can write your notes directly next to the problem,” Bruder said. “Testing has to be done, but I honestly don’t think that going online is the right option.”

McDermott also anticipates that other schools with fewer technological resources may have issues with implementing online tests.

“There will be a lot of challenges with it, and that’s probably the predominant reason why the big tests—the ACT and the SAT—haven’t transitioned yet to being totally online. It’s just the ability to have access. There are schools that don’t have computer labs, don’t have (wifi) and it’s not going to be tricky for us in that regard, but it may very well be tricky for some other schools,” McDermott said.

“Many schools will likely be negatively affected by their move to computer-based testing.”

Nonetheless, McDermott is confident that CPHS will have little difficulty coping with the switch to digital as-

1 SAT Testing 7 a.m.

Underclassmen final exams will take place June 3-5. First and sixth period tests will take place on June 3, followed by second, third and seventh periods on June 4. Fourth and fifth period final exams will be held on June 5.

For seniors, fourth and fifth period exams will be on May 31.

Exams for first and sixth periods will take place on June 3, and second, third and seventh period exams will take place on June 4.

Collier named to Dream Team Math teacher Ryan Collier has been selected onto the 2013 LearnZillion Dream Team. Two hundred of the 3,000 applicants were selected as part of the program.

As part of being selected, Collier earned an expense-free trip to San Francisco, California to attend TeachFest. The event was designed for the teachers to talk and better learn how students learn and the best ways to teach.

Correction: The left and top photos credited to Evi Lovin and the cut-out photo credited to Tina Winfrey on page six of April’s edition of the Inklings were actually taken by photographer Amy Schuch.

sessments.

“As we implement CP 2.0 next year, every freshman will have a computer with them, so that lightens a lot of our issues right there; we don’t have to worry about lab space because students will have computers at their desks,” McDermott said.

Pettit sees these technological trends in education as being ultimately beneficial to schools at large. “(Online testing) will definitely be of benefit in reporting scores, whether it be to high schools, students or postsecondary schools,” Pettit said.

McDermott also acknowledges these benefits.

“The push from the state to have ISTEP+ and ECA testing on the computer is for obvious reasons; cost savings, it’s a quicker turnaround time for scores, and so forth,” McDermott said.

CPHS will offer the online Aspire test next spring.

junecalendar 5 Last underclassmen day of school/ Senior Brunch at 8 a.m. in the cafeteria

8 ACT Testing 7 a.m.

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Last senior day of school

Graduation 7 p.m. at the Radisson Star Plaza

news 3 Lupus Foundation comes to Fairgrounds for walk inklings 5/31/13

BY MADDIE ADDUCCI reporter

Over 800 people walked together on May 18 to raise funds for the Lupus Foundation.

According to Lupus.org, Lupus is a chronic disease where the body’s immune system is not able to operate effectively.

A healthy person’s immune system has antibodies which fight off harmful germs; however, lupus causes autoantibodies.

At this point, the body cannot differentiate healthy tissues from harmful invaders. This can cause pain, inflammation and damage and make patients more susceptible to other sicknesses.

“I’ve had lupus for several years now. Raising money for the foundation has been a passion of mine because I want to help find a cure,” senior Zoie Matthews said.

Lupus has affected people of all ages and drawn in the effort of hundreds of people.

“My wife and I have been on the Lupus Board for the Northwest Indiana Chapter for the past two years,” Lupus Walk volunteer David Rodriguez said. “We’re team leaders of a group of a dozen people, and we raised $1,000 for the walk in Crown Point.”

PHOTO BY TINA WINFREY

Lupus walk participants trek through the Lake County Fairgrounds to raise money for Lupus cure research.

The causes behind Lupus are unknown, but doctors say that genes may be a factor. The symptoms flare and recess randomly, so a patient may feel Lupus-free for a period of time without being cured.

“With good medical care, most people with lupus can lead a full life,” Lupus Foundation Administrator Alyse McGlaughlin said. “However, patients may look healthy to everyone else, but may be very sick. It’s an unpredictable, nasty disease.”

These proceeds, while providing funds for research, have also

brought people together.

“By doing this (Lupus Walk), my wife and I have gotten to know a lot more people. We’ve seen kids as young as five years old at these walks,” Rodriguez said. “We have seen how Lupus affects people, which is why we want to continue to help.”

Rodriguez and his wife are among many others who strive to raise awareness for the disease.

“I was diagnosed with Lupus in 2008, eight years after being very ill and not being able to find what was causing my illnesses and pain.

I work hard for the walks because,

at the age of 22, I know how hard and difficult it is living a normal everyday life,” McGlaughlin said.

“I’m heavily involved with the foundation, so I can only imagine how hard it is for someone who is less involved and who knows less about the disease.”

Being uninformed leaves lupus patients scared and uncertain of their future. The Lupus Foundation works through the community walks to educate people on the disease.

“At the walks, people are able to help one another,” Matthews said. “Those that are recently di-

agnosed with lupus are able to talk to those more experienced which builds their confidence and hope.”

The foundation has raised a total of $70,000 and plans to continue fundraising. As people learn more about Lupus, more corporations and volunteer groups have offered their time and money.

“Key Club members have gone to the past two walks and helped in any way the foundation needed,” Key Club Advisor Andrew Shih said. “Everyone that we met or worked with was very pleasant and (is) passionate about what they are fighting for.”

The Lupus Foundation will continue to aid those affected by the disease and raise awareness with walks every May, which is Lupus Awareness Month.

“With more awareness, we can raise more money and save more lives by finding a cure or treatment to better help those affected by the disease,” McGlaughlin said. “Even though most days it is easier to skip class, to lay in bed and not work an average: everyday college student-type job, I would rather fight my hardest to prevent other people to have to go through what I have in the past 13 years.”

Groups showcase musical skills at Foodstock

BY SHANNON ROSTIN asst. feature editor

PHOTO BY AMY SCHUCH

Junior Ben Miller plays for the crowd at Foodstock on May 17. Students supported the Food Banks of Northwest Indiawna by donating money and cans of food to see the concert.

views on news

Student bands, including Anything Auburn, Michael Take the Sky, Pizza Planet, Generation Free, Indy Kids and The Saluting Pirates performed at Foodstock on May 17 and all proceeds were donated to the Food Banks of Northwest Indiana.

This year, the event was organized by Crown City Records, led by Technical Communications teacher Chris Gloff. Students were involved in nearly every aspect of organizing, performing and attending the show.

“I did (Foodstock) through that class (Technical Communications) and Crown City Records, and it was a much more efficiently run event, and I think they did a really nice job with it this year,” Gloff said.

The crowd was large in attendance, and those attending were there for a variety of reasons.

“I go to Foodstock every year. It’s for a good cause, and all of my friends played,” junior Amanda Klemczak said.

Other students, such as junior Tyler Fuller, enjoyed the event as well for the social and musical aspects.

“With Foodstock, every year it’s always different, and it’s always fun. It’s sincerely the only time of year I can go all out and have complete fun,” Fuller said.

Student reaction to events in our world

Area Valparaiso man receives experimental nerve therapy

State Man beats dog for killing chicken, charged for abuse

Valparaiso resident John Camacho, a victim of a car crash nearly 13 years ago that left him brain damaged and prone to seizures, was given a electrical wire implant as part of an experimental epilepsy treatment called Vagus nerve stimulation. The implant has left him able to function without the fear of an impending seizure.

Police are pursuing charges against a Westville, IN man for abusing and neglecting his dog. The man allegedly beat the dog because it killed one of the chickens he also kept. The dog was thin and thirsty, with cuts on its legs and nose and a swollen left eye.

Police said that there was at least one other dog in the man’s home.

‘‘

Courtney Farrell senior

It’s really cool that (the professionals) could help him. It’s a great advancement in technology.

Like Fuller, performers were also able to enjoy themselves.

“I thought it was a lot of fun playing for all the people and getting the crowd cheering for you and watching you play. It was a lot of fun and a lot of adrenaline,” junior Ben Fabrici said. Fabrici performed in the groups Pizza Planet and Michael Take the Sky. The bands were arranged differently this year to give all performers the same amount of performance time. This also helped to move the show along.

“I think every band had more than enough time to play as much music as they wanted to, and it did a nice job of representing who they were,” Gloff said.

Performers took the opportunity to play for the crowd and display what they had been working on.

“We (Generation Free) have been having regular practices for a while, but we never got to showcase it anywhere, and this was the first opportunity that came up,” junior Kim Kovacik said. “It’s a good opportunity to help a good cause and showcase our music.”

Students that attended Foodstock as fans felt similarly about the event’s success and organization.

“The whole thing was a lot of fun,” senior Adam Mihal said. “It was really enjoyable and it’s for a good cause. I always like to help out for something great.”

‘‘

Nation President Obama visits site of OK tornado President Obama surveyed the damage caused by a catastrophic tornado on May 26, calling the situation “hard to comprehend” and vowing to provide long-term federal aid to the affected areas. The tornado ripped 17 miles of destruction through Oklahoma City suburbs and killed 25 people, including 7 children.

‘‘

I can’t believe that a man would do this to a dog over a chicken.

Johnny Benefield sophomore

Lindsey Gang freshman

I think it should be made a law that the people of Oklahoma should all have basements, even with clay soil.

World

Ahmadinejad’s successor likely to support regime

Iran’s upcoming elections are expected to produce a president loyal to current Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, making nuclear disarmament unlikely or diffusing support of Syrian President Bashar Assad unlikely. The nearly 700 presidential hopefuls were narrowed to eight “extreme loyalists” to Khamenei.

‘‘

Kyle Kaylor junior

As a believer in American democracy, it is frustrating to see things like this in other countries.

4 opinion

inklings 5/31/13

speakup

Making the most out of high school years

What was your most memorable in class moment of the year?

BY RAEANNA MORGAN

editor-at-large

High school is over for me.

Let’s face it, there are two more days and (although I do not condone this nor think it wise) I will not be studying for whatever final lies ahead. There are much more important things to be done. I wish I could sit here and tell you that spending high school studying really paid off, but in all honesty, every valuable thing I learned in high school happened sans textbook.

Embrace every individual for who they are. Acceptance is huge in the real world. In high school confrontation and back stabbing unfortunately is the norm, but such is not the case later down the line. My advice is to learn this lesson now while you have the time to make mistakes.

Accept people for all of their flaws. It is after all what makes them who they are. Give people a chance because underneath all of those flaws there could be someone who turns out to be not so bad after all.

It’s true what they say; ‘No one remembers the nights they got plenty of sleep.’ If I could do high school over again (and make no mistake, I would never nor do I think any sane person would choose to), I would get less sleep.

Sure it’s nice to wake up and feel refreshed, but what’s exciting about that? Go out with friends and do something spectacular.

We might live in good ol’ Crown Point, Indiana, but why waste time complaining about it? We, as the youth of this city, make it what it is, so if it’s too boring for you, do something about it.

Don’t let your memories from high school be confined to the four walls of your bedroom.

Mark my words, you will regret it.

Arguably the most important thing I have learned is to cherish those around you. I have met people who will make a lasting impression on my life these past four years, and I will never forget them. Now that I have to go my separate way from them for the first time in three years, I realize how much they mean to me. So never make that mistake. Spend time with your friends. Trade that “Glee” rerun special in for a sleepless night making memories with the people in your life who matter, who care about you and want the best for you. They are the ones who accept you for all that you are. So make the most of them. Make the most of high school. It’s quite a ride, but never let it define you; only allow it to shape you.

V

Cartoon By ELLIE BURRELL

“Our teacher, Mr. Twardy, let us play basketball in class if we answered questions right.”

iew:

Testing online is convenient if the system is bug-free

It is obvious that CPHS is taking the “CP 2.0” plan and running with it. The 2013-14 school year will begin a new chapter in how students learn by putting some classes partly online for students to access with computers instead of the conventional textbook. Following a similar path, standardized testing is making a transition into becoming technology dependent, which may not be the soundest move in light of the recent turmoil at the elementary and middle school levels where ISTEP testing was pushed back a week because of a computer malfunction.

The theory behind putting standardized testing online is warranted. Having tests online would result in a much more efficient system for grading. In theory, having tests online would allow for students to receive their results almost instantly aside from any written portions. This would add convenience to seniors taking AP tests that could result in college credit who, under the current system, need to wait until the middle of July to receive their scores which, in some cases, is past the date when students had orientation to schedule for classes.

Cutting costs for the school corporations would also be a welcome addition to standardized testing which is eating up a large chunk of money that the school corporations are responsible for. That money could be invested elsewhere to help students get the most out of the taxpayer dollars funding the schools.

The problem lies with the reliability. These standardized tests such as the ACT, SAT and the ISTEP carry with them an enormous weight. The results of the tests are highly scrutinized and used to determine not only future courses but also college readiness. If students taking an ISTEP test in grade school have their tests invalidated because of a computer crash, that only harms all the students taking it, and it is not because they do not know the material but because of a software error. Having a computer crash be a deciding factor in whether or not a student could get into the school of his choice is not a road that the corporation should go down.

Technology is a welcome friend to public schools, but until all of the bugs in the computer systems are worked out, the school corporation should not commit to putting all their stock into technology as a medium for test taking because, as numerous examples throughout the school corporation have shown throughout the year, computers sometimes suck.

editorial

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Joseph Wilson freshman

Kelsea Costello sophomore “My most memorable moment was going outside for photo journalism.”

Andie Wahlberg junior “(My most memorable moment is) probably when the AP US test almost got voided.”

Brian Comer senior “(My most memorable moment is) when my physics teacher, Mr. Flewelling, was explaining distance vs. displacement and started running around the room waking everyone up.”

Vol. 77 Issue 9 May 31, 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 editor 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 5/31/13

issue:

Should our GPA scale be reweighted?

Exercise a perfect cure for school bred stress

BY DYLAN TAYLOR

managing editor

Cartoon By ELLIE BURRELL

Pro:

Con:

The harder one works, the greater the reward should be

Leaving less room for error leaves students stressed, not rewarded

BY TINA WINFREY

BY MOLLY GRACE

staff reporter

feature editor

The harder you work the greater the reward. This type of policy should be implemented in Crown Point High School. A student’s grade point average should not only be determined by the weight of the letters themselves but the pluses and minuses awarded with those grades.

Our current system awards four points for every A, three points for every B and so on. These points are also weighted according to the level of the class. Honors classes have a half grade, or point, bump and advanced placement classes are awarded a full letter, or point, bump. If students are rewarded for taking harder classes, then why can’t they be rewarded for the pluses in their letter grades?

This would be a motivation for students to work harder and get better grades. If a student is stuck at a B- toward the end of the semester, there may be no way for them to bring it to an A. Instead of giving up because they can’t earn the grade to get more points to go toward their GPA, this new system would motivate them to get their grade up to a B and earn an extra half point or so.

High school is supposed to prepare students for college, and this GPA system is used in most colleges. The pluses and minuses count in most colleges, so they should count in high school. Going to college can be a big change, but if schools used this grading system, freshman college students would have a smoother transition to the ways of college grading. They would already know the amount of work it takes them to earn the grades they want, due to their high school experiences. Even further than college, a “the harder you work, the greater the reward” policy can be used in many workplaces. The harder someone works at a business, the higher they climb up the executive ladder.

Students should be rewarded for their grades on a more individual level as opposed to grouping all the same letter grades together for an equal amount of points. If these pluses and minuses are not going to mean anything to our system of awarding grade points, then we should not even use them in our grading scale.

We may be moving to a different grading scale next year and do away with the current system we have in place, in which A=4.0, B=3.0, C=2.0 and D=1.0. With this potential new system, the grades would be weighted so that pluses and minuses would count toward GPA. The sentiment behind the desire to alter the way we weight our grades is valid; reward kids who put in the extra effort and catch kids who benefit from putting in minimal effort. However, when we take away the current system we have in place, we leave less room for error. Students need the wiggle room that is allowed by a broader definition of what constitutes an A, B, C and so forth.

Sure, there are the kids who bust their butts to get grades in the high 90 percents while there are also those who barely squeak by with a 90, and those students are all getting the same A. But there are also hardworking students who would be hurt by this new system. It is not uncommon for even the best students to have difficulty with certain lessons in class. A tough section in Pre-Cal could end up spelling trouble for a student if small differences in percentage affect GPA. In addition, it adds even more grade stress. Before, one had a wide range to shoot for when working for an A, with the pluses and minuses to help gauge where on the scale one was. Now, with them counting towards GPA, those little signs would be yet another source of worry. Students would be forced to stress over the specifics of where they are exactly on the scale when they could be putting that precious energy into schoolwork. So while the new system would help to make sure credit is being given where it is due, it would create more stress for students than it would be worth.

When I say we need more “wiggle room,” I am not asking for more room for laziness. Students simply should not be forced to obsess over small differences in percentages. It further enforces the idea that a student’s grades define his worth. There is no need to reward students for being a couple percentage points more hardworking than others.

9 Inklings staffers agree

16 Inklings staffers agree

Heidi Polizotto

German teacher

Nick Ormes

“Yes, because it will benefit kids much more, and they will work harder to get an A+.”

Caroline Lodovisi

junior

“No, I wouldn’t like it. A is the 4.0 scale and B’s should be counted the same way they are now.”

sophomore

“I like it. It’s more fair for the kids who get a B+ instead of a B.”

Brian Trippeer

science teacher

“I’ve been teaching for 16 years, and I’ve never heard anyone complain about the GPA system how it is now. If it’s not broken, don’t try to fix it.”

Be it “I’m too busy” during the school year or “it’s too hot” during the summer, high school students have an undeniable knack for coming up with excuses for not exercising. Even in the most ideal, breezy, 78 degree June/July weather, the most active adolescent can be coaxed into the TV and cheeto oblivion.

While uninterrupted summertime leisure might sound like paradise to an overwhelmed high schooler, frequent exercise can actually help alleviate stress and supplement health altogether.

By the time summer arrives, the post-finals burnout has already settled upon many students. While many students may become the predictable couch potato, medical research displays that the best way to cool down after the testing rush isn’t necessarily sitting around. In fact, scientists have discovered connections between regular exercise and the body’s ability to cope with stress—even if you’re not Usain Bolt. According to the American Psychological Association, exercise stimulates the neurotransmitters associated with the human stress response and increases the brain’s levels of norephephrine, a chemical thought to regulate mood and stress coping. In short, the body and brain become more adept at handling stress, depression and other issues a frustrated high school student may deal with. A Duke University study even showed that 30 minutes of daily exercise is more effective at regulating mood than mainstream antidepressant medications like Xoloft. That is something that even cheetos can’t boast.

Exercise also helps ramp up motivation. As easy as it may be to fall off of the aspiration train once the temperature begins to rise, an exercise routine could help keep the mind astute and aware throughout the summer months. Frequent exercisers, having honed their mental endurance, will potentially find more ease in transitioning back to the hyper-focus of school than their groggy, sedentary counterparts.

If one can run a few miles every day, math facts and essays would be a breeze. Elevated mood, less stress, a healthier body, increased motivation—what is to lose?

Whether stressed about school, sad about an impending breakup or desiring that summer beach body, one cannot go wrong with regular exercise.

6 feature

inklings 5/31/13

PHOTO BY AMY SCHUCH

Seniors who were invited to attend the annual Crown Point High School Scholarship Awards Program wait on the auditorium stage for recipients to be announced. Over 70 scholarships, ranging from $500 to a full ride, were awarded that evening by the Crown Point Community Foundation and other local and regional donors. Kaylee Clark and Nick Langbehn received the Dean and Barbara White scholarships for a full-ride.

The complete list of recipients is available in the Guidance section of the CPHS website.

i on life A page dedicated to celebrating student life.

‘I pledge my hands to greater service’ - 4H Pledge

PHOTO PROVIDED

Showing her animals at a local 4-H showcase, junior Susan Reed participates in the event. Through 4-H, Reed has been given the opportunity to channel her passion for animals.

Members of local 4-H groups reflect on experiences, service projects bythe numbers there are about

60

million actively participating members

6.5 million children and teens are part of the 4-H community from regions all over the world

4-H is established in countries

70

The club became official in

1912

according to www.4-h.org

by PAIGE BUELOW

reporter

Four-H Club is commonly thought of as that exhibit in that building at the fair that rolls around once a year. However, for others, 4-H means something beyond those limitations. For those people, it is a place to become a part of something bigger than themselves.

When a procedure that is usually an overnight stay at the hospital turned into a few weeks, a moment of inspiration hit. It was then that, freshman Emily Reed began a process that led to her service project that hit close to home.

“While I was in the hospital, there was nothing remotely warm or fuzzy, but then one day while I was there, someone brought me a blanket they made,” Emily said. “That made all the difference. I decided that I wanted to do for someone else what that person had done for me.”

With the help of 4-H, Emily began an organization called Wrapped in Love. The goal is to make blankets for children in the pediatric care unit of the hospital. This is done in hopes that they will feel comfort and love.

Four-H provides an outlet for the members to channel their passions, whether they be for the service of others or showing animals.

“I love the photography sections; I have always done really well in them,” junior Susan Reed said. “I also submit animals.”

Throughout the experience, 4-H has helped Susan balance her schedule and develop better time management skills. Members choose their projects that they would like to work on; then they showcase them for judging.

“The hardest part has to be getting projects in on time. You choose different projects, work on them, and then get them judged,” Su-

san said.

One of the many goals of 4-H is to involve people from all over the region.

Whether they are old or young, participants can find a home in 4-H. “Most people assume that it is all hicks and farm people, but there are so many other types of people,” Susan said. “You make a lot of friends, and they’re not the ‘nice to meet you, now I’ll never see you again’ kind of friends; they’re lifelong friends.”

Four-H also provides opportunities for leadership as well as a place to explore new hobbies.

“For me, from a parent’s perspective, 4-H gave (David’s son Josh) another outlet for his interests.

There was a setting that allowed for collaborate working with others as well as a leadership opportunity,” math teacher and 4-H father Michael David said.

While school clubs are limited to the school’s calendar year, 4-H runs year

PHOTO BY AMY SCHUCH

Freshman Emily Reed works on a blanket from her service project, Wrapped in Love, which serves hospitalized kids.

round through organized meetings. By allowing students to choose their own projects, 4-H creates a customizable program, which can be suited to the needs

of any member.

“It’s a really fun organization, and it is not just for farm people, there is something there for everyone,” Susan said.

inklings 5/31/13

Cheering up

feature 7

Crown Point students perform at national cheer championship

BY AMY SCHUCH

photographer

Senior Mikayla Marcinkowski cheers for the Cheer Command Generals.

Marcinkowski trained almost daily in preparation for the competition.

While the average high school cheerleader can be seen at the local football games, some can also be seen on ESPN competing at the World Championships.

Four students traveled to Orlando, Florida to compete with their All Star teams against competitors from all around the globe.

Countries including China, Canada and Norway were participants that traveled to America for the event.

“There were teams from everywhere,” junior Trinity Klein said. “Puerto Rico was warming up by us.”

Competing in Florida was a different experience entirely for Klein. During a practice for the Lady Lightning Ice cheer team in Aurora, IL, one cheerleader was injured. Klein was recruited two weeks before the competition to fill the spot.

“It was really scary, and I was really nervous because I didn’t want to let anyone down, but it was very motivating at the same time,” Klein said.

Junior Kara Borella and senior Sam Borella both cheer for the Ice Thunder.

This was also their first time competing at the Cheerleading Worlds.

“At first I wasn’t really prepared for it, but I got the hang of it,” Kara said. “It’s really hardcore conditioning that we do.”

Like Kara, senior Mikayla Marcinkowski and her team trained for months before the event. Marcinkowski has been to Worlds four times with her current team, the Cheer Command Generals.

“We were relieved. We worked a lot harder so we could get a paid bid. After that, we started everyday practices,” Marcinkowski said.

Bids act like invitations to Worlds. A regular bid gets a team to the first day of the competition. The top 10 from the first day get to move on to the second day. After that, only the top 10 from the second day get placed.

After they got the paid bid, which paid for most of the entry fee, practice was not easy for those on the team. Balance between cheer and school became a struggle once practices became almost every day.

“I had to be really careful with time management,” Marcinkowski said. “I would have maybe an hour to do homework, and then I would go to cheer. I didn’t get a lot of sleep at all because I was always up late doing homework.”

Marcinkowski’s team made it to the second day right away, they did not place.

The Borella sisters’ team finished in 12th.

Klein’s team was awarded third place among the 60 teams in its division. “I was definitely nervous, but getting out on the floor; I was more ready to just kill it. I was excited,” Klein said.

The excitement was shared with Klein, the Borella sisters, and Marcinkowski. They have all been cheering since a young age.

However, most of the time, previous competitions were held near home.

“It’s different because around here not a lot of people come to competitions, and the people that do aren’t people that love cheerleading,” Marcinkowski said.

Marcincowski genuinely enjoyed the atmosphere at Worlds. Being her senior year, she felt it was a good way to end her All Star cheerleading career. However, Borella and Klein have one more year to compete with their teams.

“My goal for before high school ends was to go to Worlds,” Klein said. “It was very sudden and out-of-the-blue, but it was something I’ve always wanted.”

Senior Sam Borella and juniors Trinity Klein, and Kara Borella participated in the 2013 cheerleading World Championships.

Klein displays her third place trophy from the competition that was held in Florida.

Lady Lightning Ice performs a routine on the competition field.

Photos Provided

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8 feature

inklings 5/31/13

all in the

family

‘‘

A lot of people say, ‘so you see dead bodies, that creeps me out. I grew up with it, so I’m used to it.

Anthony Geisen

senior

PHOTO BY ANNIE SWANSON

Senior Anthony Geisen and his father stand by photos of the past owners of the family funeral home.

PHOTO BY ANNIE SWANSON

Senior Anthony Geisen works at his family owned funeral home by doing jobs like cleaning the cars and mowing the lawn. Geisen describes himself as the “do-everything” kid, helping out wherever needed.

Students lend a hand to relatives by working at their family’s business

BY TINA WINFREY

reporter

Searching for jobs can be stressful, but some students are lucky enough to have jobs open for them at their family business.

Junior Aleks Kajmakoski’s family owns the Golden Apple restaurant. He works there most Sundays and helps his dad with jobs around the restaurant.

“I used to work there (the restaurant) a lot,” Kajmakosi said.

“My dad gives me a more lenient schedule, so now it’s more like whenever he needs me, I go in and work.”

Kajamakosi believes there are many advantages of having parents that own a restaurant.

“It helps me by getting the

work experience,” Kajmakoski said. “I’m able to go in and see how people run things.”

Although his parents own the restaurant, Kajmakoski still gets treated the same as all the other workers.

“There’s no really special treatment toward me just because I’m the owners’ son,” Kajmakoski said. “If I’m doing something wrong, I’ll definitely be told I’m doing it wrong.”

Senior Anthony Geisen feels much the same way when it comes to getting along with his coworkers. Geisen works at his family’s funeral home.

“A lot of people say, ‘so you see dead bodies, that creeps me out,’” Geisen said. “I grew up with it, so I’m used to it.”

The funeral home business has been in Geisen’s family for quite some time now.

“I will be the sixth generation (to potentially own the funeral home),” Geisen said. “My family started a furniture shop and people asked them to build caskets, so they kind of turned it into the business.”

From here the business was passed down from generation to generation and eventually will pass to Anthony if he decides it is something he wants to go into.

“My dad gave me a job there when I told him that I wanted to see if I wanted to go into the business,” Geisen said. “He was pretty happy to hear I was interested in it.”

Since he has only been work-

ing there for about a year, Geisen is still unsure whether he wants to go into the business or not. He wants to keep his mind open to other things when he goes to college.

Throughout the summer, Geisen will continue to work at the funeral home. When he works there, he does an assortment of jobs.

“I’m the do-everything kid,” Geisen said. “I wash cars, do the lawn, go to the funerals with them, do visitations; anything they need, I do it.”

Geisen believes there are some definite perks to being the owner’s son. He likes the fact that he can choose when he wants to work and can ask to leave early. When he wants to work more, he can go

in and work.

Sophomore Clarissa Szafarczyk also works for her family’s business. Her family owns a catering business called Sweet and Savory Delights that sets up food vending stands at many festivals around the area.

“We started the business about six or seven years ago.,” Szafarczyk said. “We do at least 10 fests during the summer.”

A benefit of this business is that Szafarczyk can have her friends work with her while she serves and cashiers. It makes the long hours of standing in the heat a little bit more fun.

“Festivals are really long and tiring,” Szafarczyk said. “It’s worth it though because I get to help out my family.”

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feature 9

inklings 5/31/13

on the

T

he car is uncomfortably warm, but just an hour ago everyone’s lips were blue. The sun is mercilessly beating in the driver’s eyes, bladders are feeling the pressure and—did you hear that—a tire just popped. Does this situation sound familiar? Read on to pick up some tips on how to cope with road trip troubles.

Hit the road this summer prepared to detour boredom

BY MAGGIE GELON

copy editor

While some may fantasize about the quintessential summer road trip, it seems as though in reality most end up like the scene above. When staring into the eyes of boredom know that others have survived a similar fate and suggest a little awareness and creativity can make the trip bearable if not enjoyable. “(On road trips) you get to spend time with your family, talk, enjoy the scenery,” junior Jason Clemens said. “Sometimes you don’t get to even eat dinner with your family at home, but you are forced to stick with your family during a car trip.”

While Clemens likes that he has the opportunity to bond with his family during trips he does admit the worst part about road trips is falling victim to “sheer boredom.” Junior Rachael Bokota agrees boredom can get the best of passengers.

“The worst part (about road trips) is how your legs just slowly start to feel like they are going to fall off, and you reach a point where all the trees look the same; they’re all green and brown,” Bokota said.

Bokota is not unfamiliar with lengthy road trips. She has grown up taking annual summer road trips to Massachusetts. Amidst 14 hour road trip experiences, she has developed some boredom busting tips.

“My brother and I like to try to build card houses while we drive; it’s like a sport with us. We also look in the cars of other people around us and make up stories about the people’s lives,” Bokota said. “We try to (find) all 50 license plates from all 50 states. I like just seeing different places, talking with my mom, and having fun.”

While Bokota is often fortunate enough to enjoy the ride with her sibling,

others believe siblings are not always the ideal travel buddies.

“Nobody can agree on anything. We always get in fights; it’s ridiculous. I have six people that ride in the car at the same time, most of which are boys,” freshman Becca Burke said. “Either we get the ‘if you don’t stop we’ll turn this car around’ speech or usually (fights) get solved by food.”

Burke’s experience has left her with road trip advice for others that may seem simple, but can save one from umpteen hours of madness.

“If you don’t like somebody, you really don’t want to sit next to them because you’ll be stuck with them the whole time,” Burke said.

Junior Anthony Casillas agrees that while family can be fun to bond with on road trips, sometimes detours are a chance to capitalize on more than using the restroom. “(Stops are great for) using the bathroom to avoid another stop, or if you need a break from your family,” Casillas said.

Casillas has taken a road trip from Indiana to California. On a road trip of such length, Casillas recommends the classic anti-boredom strategies like listening to music or doing Sudoku puzzles. Beyond keeping busy though, Casillas suggests simply taking one’s mind off the distance of a road trip.

“Think of it (in the) short-term—when’s the next city, (or) state?”

Along with these strategies, junior Griffin Rushton offers advice for passengers of all ages.

“Avoid bringing one thing to do. You’ll get tired of it and have nothing left to do,” Rushton said.

While driving to one’s destination being prepared and aware can ultimately enable one to stay in route but detour from boredom.

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10 feature

into national spotlight

inklings 5/31/13

IndyCar reemerges into national spotlight

PHOTO BY SAM BEISHUIZEN

A Target Chip Ganassi Racing crew member pushes out Dario Franchitti’s Honda DW-12 Dalara IndyCar out of Gasoline Alley during practice in preparation for the Indianapolis 500.

Improved competition draws fans back After spending time at Indianapolis Motor Speedway watching the race, talking to drivers and walking through Gasoline Alley behind the scenes, a shift can be felt through the garage area with the resurging popularity of the once thriving sport of IndyCar.

PHOTO BY SAM BEISHUIZEN

A Ryan Hunter-Reay crew member overlooks as IndyCars line up to fuel their cars in Gasoline Alley while preparing their cars for the race.

BY SAM BEISHUIZEN editor-in-chief

The Indianapolis 500 has been at the cornerstone of Indiana tradition since 1911. The 500 mile race dubbed “the greatest spectacle in racing” has drawn massive crowds, often pushing 300,000 people at the track alone, but following the IRL-Cart split in 1995, the race and what is now the Izod IndyCar series has lost some of their flair.

In the past handful of years, IndyCar has seen changes in management and advertising, combined with an influx of talent and money have started resurgence in the sport. Although IndyCar is improving in the eyes of the common sports fan, drivers still agree that there is a long way to go.

“The series needs to be more active in trying to be as popular as it was in the 1970’s and 80’s,” Penske Racing driver Helio Castroneves said.

Although NASCAR stock car racing has proven to be the most popular form of auto racing in North America over the past decade, fans have been returning to IndyCar as shown in the near capacity crowd at this year’s Indianapolis 500.

“Coming back to open wheel makes me feel like I was driving a freaking unicycle. These cars aren’t easy,” Penske Racing driver A.J. Allmendinger said.

Allmendinger spent a majority of the past six years racing in NASCAR before returning to open wheel racing this year for a partial schedule.

“You have to hit everything

so perfect. It has been so tough for me to get back into it. IndyCar has the perfect mix for racing fans right now,” Allmendinger said. “It needs more attention from the media and the television exposure to compete against NASCAR.” IndyCar can credit the combination of a new car and a variety of popular, personable drivers with bringing the series back into the spotlight. One of the key ingredients that the sport has been missing in attempts to grab the attention of an American audience has been American drivers.

With American Ryan HunterReay as the returning series champion and the success of American member of Andretti Autosport, Marco Andretti, son of hall of fame driver Michael Andretti and grandson of world renowned Mario Andretti, it has been an easier transition for the more relaxed race fan to become invested with a driver.

“We’ve got a good group of drivers in the sport right now.

The entire field is deep. Teams are tight across the board,” Andretti said. “Everyone is improving their game; teams are all getting stronger.”

Andretti credits the intrigue of IndyCar to the diverse skillset required to be successful in the sport.

“The beauty of the IndyCar series is the diversity. You crown a champion who has mastered every aspect of the sport; the road course, street course, oval,” Andretti said. “That part of it is cool.

It’s what makes IndyCar the sport that it is.”

Sunday’s Indianapolis 500 might have been just what Indy-

Car needed. The event featured a record 68 lead changes and ended with crowd favorite KV Racing Technology driver Tony Kanaan capturing the elusive Borg-Warner trophy that had previously slipped out of his grasp in 11 previous tries.

“I wanted (to win) all of my life, but over the years I was kind of okay with the fact that I may never have the chance to win,” Kanaan said.

Kanaan won the race under caution after Target Chip Ganassi Racing driver Dario Franchitti crashed in turn one. The yellow flag allowed Kanaan to coast to victory.

“How funny is life? The yellow was my best friend,” Kanaan said.

With the quality of competition growing and the wide variety of personalities and tracks filling up the headlines, IndyCar might just be poised to become the sport it once was in the eyes of the common race fan.

Castroneves points out that the on-track product is key to the success of the sport.

“The quality of racing is as high right now as it has ever been since I’ve been racing in IndyCar,” Castroneves said. “We have the product. Now it’s just recapturing the audience that we lost.”

The only question remaining is whether or not IndyCar can ride the wave from the Indianapolis 500 into this weekend in Detroit where it will host a pair of races on the streets of Detroit at Belle Isle. If the racing is anything like it was this past Sunday, it would be hard to imagine why it would not.

a&e 11

inklings 5/31/13

inreview

Summer jam tracks

Maxi Dresses

“Cruise” “Cruise”

by Florida Georgia Line started as a catchy and fun country song, perfect to get into the mood of summer. It should have stayed that way. R&B artist, Nelly, tried to add to the song with some rap and a pop beat but just ruined it. The song sounds almost forced into the pop genre. Overall, the remix is astonishingly terrible.

MTV’s “Girl Code” Season 1 MTV’s “Guy Code” was a success, and so is their new show “Girl Code.” The show offers funny commentary on certain rules that girls should know and follow.

It covers topics that are actually relatable to a girl’s everyday life. Even with the focus on girls, this show is still humorous to both sexes. Watch “Girl Code” Tuesdays on MTV at 9.

The Impossible Based on real life events, “The Impossible” tells the story of a family who survived the 2004 tsunami in Thailand. The film recreates the moving experience flawlessly. The raw emotion is incredible and will bring a tear to any eye.

“Prisoner of Conscious” The New York influenced Talib Kweli returns with his fifth album of socially aware hip-hop.

The album is made up of thought provoking, culture challenging ideas throughout in plea for a more positive future. The album stands out with songs like “Hamster Wheel” and “High Life.”

BY OLIVIA ELSTON

Turn on these tunes for all things summer

With the end of school so close, people are pulling out their summer clothes.

One of the most stylish, comfortable outfits for the season is a maxi dress and sandals. There is nothing better than slipping on a light dress when it is hot outside and being ready to go in just a few minutes. Maxi dresses are easy to move in, provide protection from the sun and available in many patterns and colors.

1

reporter

“Vacation”

by The Go-Go’s

An oldie but still a goodie-- taking us back to the 80s, the Go-Go’s “Vacation” is a go-to summer song because it is all about getting away from everything and just going on a needed vacation. By the end of the school year, a vacation is exactly what every student wants because like the song says, they just ‘‘have to get away.”

2

“American Girl”

3

“I Love It”

by Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers

6

“Can’t Hold Us”

by The Beach Boys

What is summer without some Beach Boys? The Beach Boys have many hits to call their own, but “Fun, Fun, Fun” is their best summer song. This song really does not need much explanation to why it embodies the summer season. The whole moral of the song is to have as much fun as possible. Simple.

by Macklemore featuring Ryan Lewis

The latest single by Macklemore is “Can’t Hold Us” and can be considered a good summer anthem. Saying the message that nothing can hold someone back, Macklemore does a great job in creating an infectious beat along with lyrics that fit the mood of summer. For example, the song expresses that you should not waste away time by doing useless activities.

Tom Petty takes us back to the 70s with “American Girl,” giving the classic sound of an old school band.

“American Girl” gives listeners the feel of summer back in the day. Petty’s unique voice compliments the smooth guitar chords which is what makes this song memorable-- the carefree sound of summer.

7

by Icona Pop featuring Charli XCX

“Good Time”

by Owl City featuring Carly Rae Jepsen

“Good Time” captures the essence of letting loose during the long hot months of summer. It basically says that no matter what, it will always be a good time. Even if you ‘drop your phone in the pool’ as Carly Rae Jepsen sings, it doesn’t matter.

Just remember to have a ‘good time.’

While this song does not have deep meaning to it, it still has a great sound which qualifies it for the playlist. “I Love It” has a strong techno beat and easy lyrics to learn that make listeners want to belt out the words when it comes on the radio.

4

5

“Fun, Fun, Fun”

“In the Summertime”

by Mungo Jerry

Jerry summarizes what summer basically is in “In the Summertime.” This song has smooth lyrics with a bubbly sound that makes this a must on anyones summer playlist because it is what every summer should be: care free and fun.

8

“No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems”

by Kenny Chesney

Every summer playlist has to have a little country flare, and Kenny Chesney fits it effortlessly. The summer season for students is all about having no problems to worry about. “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems” tells people to enjoy the little things in life. With a relaxing sound and relaxing lyrics, this is a perfect summer song.

Downey Jr. hits box office with iron fist

BY VERDA MIRZA

reporter

“Iron Man 3” comes out with a boom, setting the box office franchise record and being ranked thirteenth in the top midnight boxoffice openers.

Director Shane Black continues creating one of the most admired superheroes, Iron Man. Of course, Robert Downey Jr. is the real superhero here with his comical disposition and attractive facade.

Iron Man has always been the most clever of the Marvel superheroes with his creation of a multi-million dollar industry, creating gadgets and electronics not many can think of off the top of their head. Downey plays the character with such charismatic attitude that anyone who sees “Iron Man 3,” whether they hate it or love it, is captured by the Downey charm.

Downey steps into the role of billionaire Tony Stark (Iron Man), who after his heroism in the Avengers, has become a recluse, not quite knowing where he stands in the world.

In any superhero movie there has to be a villain, and in “Iron Man 3” it is the Mandarin.

Iron Man has a true challenge when his home is trashed and his suits are destroyed when the formidable terrorist, the Mandarin, strips

social

life A section devoted to social media

Iron Man of his powers and attacks his home, his suits and his lover, Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow).

A superhero cannot be a superhero without his power, and the source of Iron Man’s power is his suits. This is where Tony Stark (Iron Man) trots around a small town seeking his identity without his suit and plots revenge against the Mandarin.

Aside from the danger looming on Iron Man, “Iron Man 3” is a comedic superhero of a movie which is due in large part to Downey.

He embodies the character with great acting abilities.

Although the movie has its comedic moments, it is also action-packed. There is not a minute to stop and take a breath of relief.

An action scene in a movie always has music to set that suspense filled and adrenaline rushing mood. “Iron Man 3” is quite instrumental, changing from soft and calm to hard metal keeping pace with the change in atmosphere of the movie. The sound effects and music correspond perfectly with the constant alteration of the moods in the scenes.

Iron Man is one of the greatest superheroes to be born from ink. The hysterical and sarcastic personality is one of many charac-

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@TheEllenShow For the love of everything Ellen DeGeneres, follow this page and see all the crazy shenanigans Ellen gets herself into!

12 a&e

inklings 5/31/13

a shore way to get artsy South Shore Arts offer artistic outlet for summer

BY ELLIE BURRELL

want your Snapc you ve more piza hats to f zz I ha

u are text message-savv o y y If or just like to write

reporter / artist

take...

Photoshop I This class, offered in the Hammond location, teaches the fundamentals of Photoshop, the leading program in photo editing. The class explains how to create an Instagram-worthy picture out of photos by applying filters, layers and recoloring.

e ou scribbl and sketch If y margins of your no in tes the

take...

Zentangles This up-and-coming art form is created by taking a doodle and expanding it into an artwork.

Students can create their masterpieces with just notebook paper and a black pen without the bother of other materials.

Students with a passion for creation may choose to take classes at South Shore Arts to unleash their artistic potential. With a location just off the square in Crown Point (with others in Munster and Hammond), South Shore Arts employs real world artists to teach over 300 unique art classes each year.

One such teacher, freelance artist Fawn Szymoniak, has a passion for art that led her to her current position teaching classes such as Intro to Manga and Fantasy Drawing.

“I’ve been doing tutoring for years, even when I was a student teacher in college, so teaching was something I wanted to try and continue,” Szymoniak said.

Although Szymoniak had little experience with children when she first began teaching, she has adapted a unique style of teaching that focuses on keeping her students engaged.

“Classes need to teach things,

but they also need to be fun,” Syzmoniak said. “That’s why my classes are planned to be very interactive.

When we have lectures, there are discussions. I want them to develop their own artistic style, not just mimic what I teach.”

Szymoniak and other South Shore Arts teachers offer their classes starting on June 10. To register for a class, an interested student must register online at www.southshoreartsonline.org one week before classes start. A fee is required for each class, varying from $25 to over $100 depending on the materials needed for each ten-week course.

Although a student may not be an “artist” coming in, all are welcome at South Shore Arts.

“When it comes down to it, we are all the same, just artists wanting to learn more about what we love,” Szymoniak said.

GRAPHIC BY ELLIE BURRELL

take...

Book Arts This class shows students how to bind a book several unique ways, such as scrolls, pamphlets and pocket books. In conjunction with making the book, students act as both author and illustrator, filling the books with writing, collages, ink, printing and stamping.

think culture is more If you than a language class

take...

Intro to Manga Along with learning how to create beautiful art such as sumi-e brush paintings and folded origami creations, students learn the history behind these mediums and share their interests with like-minded peers.

“Great Gatsby” entertaining though not quite true to 1920s

BY ABBY ELSTON

editor-in-chief

Take a timeless classic and throw in some trapeze artists, elaborate hotel-mansions, substitute modern music and dancing for music that actually existed in the 1920s and overemphasize almost every important aspect of the classic and you end up with “The Great Gatsby,” Baz Luhrmann style.

Baz Luhrmann is also the director of “Romeo + Juliet” (1996) and “Moulin Rouge!” (2001), and “The Great Gatsby” retains that same over-the-top sense. Though unlike those other two films, Luhrmann should be applauded for being able to rein in his creative eye enough to still distinguish the classic underneath the “fluff” that he added and mostly stay true to the novel generally throughout the film.

Though it was a little much when he changed the retrospective angle of Nick Carraway in the beginning, his creative eye was the reason why the costumes were so dazzling, stunning and time-appropriate and the Valley of Ashes was quite accurate.

The casting, for the most part, was spot on as well; Leonardo DiCaprio captured the essence of Gatsby perfectly, as did Carey Mulligan for Daisy Buchanan. Joel Edgerton embodied Tom Buchanan as well, and Tobey Maguire’s interpretation of Nick Carraway was quite impressive too.

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our FAVES 2

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They all looked the part and interpreted the characters how I imagined the characters were while reading the novel.

However, Baz Luhrmann’s “The Great Gatsby” was not the same as F. Scott Fitzgerald’s. Unlike “Romeo + Juliet,” where Luhrmann went with a completely modern adaptation of the Shakespearian classic, his version of “The Great Gatsby” was still set in the 1920s, but the music and dancing was modern. The Charleston made its appearance only about two times and it was danced much slower than it was in the 1920s. The same goes for the music—when music from the time period played, it was brief and underscored by the new, modern music. Either keep the movie completely in the 1920s or don’t and do a modern take, but do not try to cross the two. Then it seems like they are historical inaccuracies.

Although it seemed as if the whole film was a modern hyperbolic version of “The Great Gatsby,” Luhrmann redeemed himself in the end by remaining completely true to the novel without any interruptions. Toward the end his dramatic liberties became less of dramatic liberties as they did dramatic aids; his niche for embellishing was honed in and perfected the ending. Though the film in its entirety was not a hit by any means, it was at least entertaining and satisfying by the time the ending came. Luhrmann, you did all right, old sport.

1C

assette

Adaptor

No more musical mellows will have to be hashed with the purchase of a cassette adaptor. Sold at stores like RadioShack and Best Buy, it can be inserted into a car’s cassette player, and act as a substitute for a USB jack should a car not have one. Gaps in generational technology won’t keep a car from jamming for long.

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High Waisted Shorts

With summer right around the corner, it is time to pack away the jeans and break out the shorts. High waisted shorts can be used to spice up a summer wardrobe. Shirts and tank tops can easily be tucked into these shorts, and they come up past the hips for a comfortable fit. This latest trend is sold at places like PacSun and Forever 21.

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ed

Robin’s Salted Caramel Milkshake

Red Robin’s newest milkshake, salted caramel, is the perfect balance between sweet and salty. This unique treat can satisfy any sweet tooth, while complementing the savory meals Red Robin is known for.

we’re SO over Fake

Diplomas It’s a let down to make graduating seniors wait an extra day to get their actual diplomas. Yes, it would be a logistical nightmare to see that all diplomas were correctly placed for distribution on grad night, but we’re ready to celebrate on stage only to get a cover with nothing inside.

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inklings 5/31/13

PHOTO BY AMY SCHUCH

The boys 3200 meter relay of (left to right) seniors Tom Cierniak, Travis Kucic, Daniel Walters and junior Zack Seamon are preparing for a top three finish at today’s state meet.

on their marks

Boys 3200 meter relay aims for strong state finish

BY KARA BIERNAT ALAA ABDELDAIEM

asst. sports editor reporter

As the gun shot went off last year at the 109th Annual IHSAA state meet, the 3200 meter relay team of now seniors Daniel Walters, Tom Cierniak, Travis Kucic and junior Zack Seamon set their sights on breaking the school record. The first leg of the relays sprung out of the blocks, and as the competition drew to a close, the relay stared at the scoreboard.

When the results were shown, the boys placed eighth with a time of 7:53.31, a school record. Their goal had been achieved.

“Although we walked away with an eighth place title and a new school record, we knew this was just the beginning and couldn’t wait to see where next year would take us,” Cierniak said.

Cierniak was not the only one ready to see what their future had in store. Track coach Adam Piaskowy believed, while the relay was already the best to come through Crown Point, they could only improve moving forward.

“I knew they were all going to come back, so I purposely was trying to look towards a long term perspective,” Piaskowy said.

“Last year, between cross country and track, they approached me and said they wanted to take it to the next level. That ultimately upped their level of competitiveness across the conference, region and state.”

Throughout their cold, winter runs this offseason, the 3200 meter relay developed a determined mindset to keep them motivated through their training. The group created the OTSS (Only the Strong Survive), uniting them towards a common goal at the start of the season.

“We wanted to keep a strong mentality

DanielWalters

PHOTO BY AMY SCHUCH

Senior Daniel Walters and junior Zack Seamon get ready to compete at the state meet during practice. The 3200 meter relay will run at the championship today in Bloomington.

as the season started,” Walters said. “We have our sights set on a top three finish at state. Through the OTSS, we are able to work with each other and benefit each other to get to that goal.”

As the season progressed, the 3200 meter relay has gotten closer to their goal with every meet. The group went undefeated in the regular season, prepping them for the transition into the postseason.

Their undefeated streak was broken against Chesterton at the DAC meet earlier this month. Despite coming in second, the boys once again broke the school record, finishing at a time of 7:49.43. Piaskowy believes that such an accomplishment puts

them on a whole different level.

“I don’t think anyone could have predicted that race to produce the times that it did,” Piaskowy said. “With a 7:49 at DAC, it’s hard to state the level they’re at right now.”

Along with their individual success, the relay also contributed to the team as the Bulldogs went undefeated as a whole in the regular season. They fell short of capturing the regional title, however, coming in second behind Chesteron by a single point.

Though such a loss is tough for the team, head coach Keith Iddings sees a positive side to coming close.

“It is encouraging to see the kids

responding so well to their training,” Iddings said. “They get to see that their success is directly related to their work they invested.”

The relay team had a similar fate, coming in second to Chesterton with a time of 7:51.50. In addition to the Trojans, the Bulldogs’ relay team will be facing three other regional opponents of Valparaiso, Portage and Hobart at the state meet today. Walters believes this adds to the race’s competitiveness, and after losing to Chesterton by less than a second twice, the boys’ motivation is high.

“Having so many teams from the region at state makes the meet more competitive,” Walters said. “We’ve raced against all of these opponents before, and we expect to come out on top. Falling short of beating Chesterton again adds fuel to our fire.”

As the season comes to a close, the 3200 meter relay looks to end their run together strong. Though victories deserve recognition, Walters will miss more than just the wins once it is all said and done.

“The experience we’ve had together is something that will be cherished,” Walters said. “The talks we’ve had, the motivation we’ve given each other, and just the experience as a whole is something I value greatly.”

Though the competition is getting heated, the relay is looking nowhere but towards a top three finish at this year’s state meet, and, with all they have been through, it is a goal Piaskowy believes is in sight.

“It’s been an exciting season,” Piaskowy said. “It’s getting tough as we close up the year, but as long as they can stay healthy and continue to run at their potential, I don’t see why at this point, especially with the bond they have, that our goal can’t be achieved.”

TommyCierniak

TravisKucic

ZackSeamon

Age: 18

Age: 18

Age: 18

Age: 17

Grade: Senior

Grade: Senior

Grade: Senior

Grade: Junior

Personal Record: 1:57.9

Personal Record: 1:55.9

Personal Record: 1:56.6

Personal Record: 1:57.0

Future Plans: Running at

Future Plans: Running at

Future Plans: Attending

Future Plans: Running cross

Valparaiso University

Indiana State University

Purdue University

country and track at CPHS

14 sports

inklings 5/31/13

‘Dogs softball knocked out

by Indians

BY KARA BIERNAT asst. sports editor

PHOTO BY EVI LOVIN

After a run down, junior Jake Jatis tags a Valparaiso runner at home. The Bulldogs defeated the Vikings 9-6 before falling in sectionals.

THEY’RE OUT

Portage silences Bulldog bats in sectional championship

BY ALAA ABDELDAIEM reporter

Just as soon as the Bulldogs’ postseason run had started, it reached its end as the team lost to Portage in Wednesday night’s sectional championship.

The Bulldogs gained momentum early in the postseason with a 6-0 shutout against LaPorte. Senior pitcher Ronnie Plesac allowed only one hit throughout six innings despite struggling to locate the ball early. After one inning, however, Plesac found his pitch.

“I stayed calm and focused on using my legs as the game went on,” Plesac said. “I just concentrated on producing outs after that.”

Plesac is one of many strong pitchers in the Bulldogs’ rotation. As the team prepared to face Hobart in the sectional semifinal, head coach Steve Strayer knew their pitching ros-

ter would be an advantage.

“We knew we had strong pitching going in,” Strayer said.

“They really carried us this year.

Our hitting has been up and down at times, so it was huge for the pitching to provide a sense of consistency. That gave them confidence and eases the pressure on the team, knowing they did not have get a ton of hits to win the game.”

Hitting was something there was not much of in the sectional semifinal against Hobart. Senior Zach Plesac made the Bulldogs’ lone run on a first inning balk call. Strayer believes that, while the team showed positives in their win, there were still things that needed to be improved upon.

“Our pitching was great as usual,” Strayer said. “I felt like our defense had stepped up as well. Our hitting needed improvement though.”

The lack of productivity at bat became the flaw that lead to

the Bulldogs’ defeat against the Portage Indians in the championship game. The team had the opportunity to score four times as the sixth inning came to a close but failed to take advantage.

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They made more plays than we did, and we just could not come through when we needed to.”

Kevin Edgington

senior

“It was neck and neck the whole game until Portage put up some runs late in the game,” senior Kevin Edgington said.

“We played against two great pitchers in a row in Brandon Murray (Hobart) and Kevin Jones (Portage). They made more plays than we did, and we just could not come through

when we needed to.”

As this baseball season comes to a close, Strayer has already turned his focus towards the next.

“We always have to look ahead to next year,” Strayer said.

“We have players participating in summer baseball, so we have to stay focused. We are thinking about who we are looking at, where we think people are going to fall next year and how the depth chart will shape up.”

Despite falling short of their goal of winning a state championship, Edgington believes this season has not ended without any positive outcomes.

“There is always something great to pull out of a season,” Edgington said. “We played against some prestigious baseball teams and that will help us moving forward. We all got better as a team. I’m really looking forward to seeing how the juniors moving up handle the varsity stage next year.”

The Lady Bulldogs finished the regular season with a winning record of 25-4. Approaching postseason from their regular season success, they were confident that this was the year they were going to go all the way.

With their determination to coast through the postseason, the girls were ready to face the Trojans.

“As one of our biggest rivals, we were extremely pumped and ready to play,” senior Mandey Shrader said.

The ‘Dogs scored one run in the first inning off two Trojan errors. Later in the bottom of the fifth, junior Ally Rock doubled to left-center to ensure the ‘Dogs the game with an insurance run to put the final score at 2-0, Bulldog victory.

The next step towards the title would be battled out at the semi-finals against the Portage Indians. However, freshman Miranda Elish’s undefeated season came to an end, along with the Lady ‘Dog’s season. They could not keep up with the Indian’s bats, as they were defeated 3-1.

“I’m going to try and take on a leadership role as a team motivator in hopes of getting revenge on the Indian’s next year,” Elish said.

“The girls are disappointed by the loss, but I’m proud of their accomplishments during the regular season,” head coach Ginger Britton said.

Although the team will be losing five seniors, they are hoping the underclassmen will step up for the chance to have a more successful season next year.

“The girls did a really nice job and everyone contributed. The girls returning are willing to work hard in the offseason in hopes of advancing farther in the tournament next year,” Britton said.

Tennis sweeps Kankakee Valley for nineteenth straight sectional

BY ALEX MCLEAN sports editor

PHOTO BY AMY SCHUCH

Facing her sectional opponents, junior Madie Cleland volleys against Lake Central. The Bulldogs claimed their nineteenth straight sectional title May 16 with a 3-2 victory over the Indians.

One sign of a truly great team is consistency. The Crown Point girls tennis team has demonstrated a high level of consistency over the years. The Lady ‘Dogs finished up the season winning their nineteenth straight sectional title before falling in regionals.

With such great prestige on the line, the pressure was on the girls to come out on top going into sectional play.

“Nobody wants to be the first team to lose. Every year more pressure gets added because we are the team to beat,” junior Madie Cleland said.

The girls rose to the occasion in their first match against Lake Central. The Bulldogs swept the singles matches and only lost one game. The Indians came out on top in each of the doubles matches, but still fell in the end 3-2.

“We had three good singles matches. Everybody looked great in that match up. It gave us a great confidence boost heading forward,” head coach Brian Elston said.

Next up the girls faced Kankakee Valley. The Kougars were coming in off a big win over Lowell, but found no success against the Lady ‘Dogs. The team came out on top in every match up to win 5-0 and take the sectional crown.

“That was a great win for us all around. It really

boosted our confidence and got a lot of teams talking about us,” sophomore Jordan Embry said. “Other coaches were putting us as the standard in this area.

It felt good to have our talent recognized like that by other teams.”

The girls then faced the challenge of Munster. The Mustangs are widely renown to be a local powerhouse.

The team was confident no less.

“We had a positive attitude heading in,” Cleland said. “Almost all of the pressure was on them, since they were such a heavy favorite. We went in there with nothing to lose, but we also knew we stood a good chance to pull it off.”

A proper mindset proved not to be enough, however. Junior Abby Kvachkoff was the only Bulldog to earn a point for the team as the girls fell 4-1. Elston was pleased with the team’s performance in spite of the loss.

“I still think we played well,” Elston said. “The girls played at the highest level they could, and that’s all I can ask out of them. Munster just has some really great players.”

Looking ahead to next year, the team is only losing two seniors to graduation. The returning players from this year will be bringing a great level of added experience that Elston thinks will help to strengthen the team.

“We’re returning a lot of talent next year, and I’m expecting them to continue to improve and succeed,” Elston said.

sports15

inklings 5/31/13

‘Dogs golf defends sectional crown at Palmira today

a second with

ALEX

BY DAVID KEPSHIRE reporter

BY ALEX MCLEAN

sports editor

The end of an era A lot can happen over the course of four years. On every level of sports, from high school to the pros, this year’s graduating class has seen incredible things happen in the world of athletics.

Many of the more interesting stories came off the field.

Joe Paterno, Lance Armstrong and Jerry Sandusky all fell from grace in wake of scandals that will permanently tarnish their reputations. Tiger Woods and Michael Vick have proved that is possible to return from off the field scandals to find success in their sport.

We learned how powerful sports can be in the healing of communities. The Saints cemented the healing of New Orleans with their win in Super Bowl XLIV. The teams of Boston helped heal a broken city after the tragedy at the marathon.

Teams came together to mourn losses of players such as Junior Seau, Jerry Brown and the murder-suicide of Jovan Belcher.

Bulldog athletes also stepped up. Spike single handedly turned an entire city into Michigan fans and Tsirtsis established himself as one of the greatest wrestlers in state history.

The baseball team and both soccer teams battled through state competition, with boys soccer claiming the title last season.

We also saw many legends leave the field. Brian Urlacher recently announced his departure from football. Pat Summit, Tony Dungy, Yao Ming and Brett Farve (finally) all also walked away from the field, along with many other greats.

In a way, I feel like one of these players. In my time writing for this staff, I have had many parallels to athletics. I’ve had my mentors and my underlings, great editions and publications I would like to take back. But there is nowhere to go but forward. From here I’ll be taking my talents to Bloomington, but I’ll always be cheering on from the Bulldog sideline.

PHOTO BY BRITTANY PEDERSEN

Senior Luke Lambert winds his shot up in a recent dual meet against Hanover Central at South Shore Country Club.

Girls track team keeps postseason alive with state qualifiers; pole vault, 800 meter run, and 1600 meter relay advance Beckham joins senior Mikayla Marcinowski and juniors Jorie Horn and Kayla McGurk on the relay team. Their times have been getting progressively quicker as the season has gone on. Beckham is looking for that trend to continue.

“I am hoping to beat my own time in the 1600 meter relay. I am confident that my teammates will do the best they can,” Beckham said.

McGurk will also be running in the 800 meter as an individual.

Freshman Amanda Komasinski will join the relay team at state competing in the pole vault.

Komasinski is coming off a meet where she tied the school record jump at 10-06.00.

Although those individuals will be competing tomorrow, the

BY ALEXIS BERDINE reporter

Although the Lady ‘Dogs track and field team failed to make it past regional competition, the team will be represented in three different events at tomorrow’s IHSAA state meet at Indiana University, Bloomington.

The three events that will be competing in tomorrow’s action are the 800 meter run, the 1600 meter relay, and the pole vault.

Senior Bailey Beckham, who runs the first leg of the 1600 meter relay team, is looking forward to competing tomorrow.

“I am looking forward to state,” Beckham said. “We have been preparing for state for a long time. Now we have to show what we got.”

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rest of the team did not fare nearly as well in postseason competition.

The girls lack of depth was exposed as early as when they hosted the Duneland Athletic Conference meet and finished sixth out of the eight team field. Lake Central ran away with the meet for the sixth consecutive year.

Although the team as a whole did not place well, sophomore runner Abby Baker was pleased

with some of the individual performances.

“I feel like we had a good performance. It was not the ideal ranking, but everyone did their best,” Baker said. “A lot of girls set personal records and I set my personal best in the 400 meter open.”

The girls managed to place third in sectionals behind Lake Central once again, qualifying for regionals. Despite the leading performances from the girls who advanced to state, the girls finished ninth.

Coach Adam Piaskowy was pleased with the team’s performance.

“Regionals went well,” Piaskowy said. “The girls ran as well as they could have based on their competition’s performance.”

the playoffs as one of the most highly praised and hated teams in all of sports. LeBron James has led the reigning champions with an average 25.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.

The Pacers have held even with Miami, with the series being tied 2-2 at press time. The Heat seem to have no answer for Roy Hibbert, who averages 22.3 points per game this series.

Anything can happen in the playoffs. We polled students to find out who they think has the best shot at winning it all.

Alex says “The Spurs have looked great this postseason, but the Heat are looking unstoppable. Seventy points in one half is just ridiculous, its going ot be hard to stop that offense.

The King will lead the Heat to their second straight title.”

David says “The Pacers will give the Heat a great run, but LeBron and company are just too good. Expect James to win his second title and grab the finals MVP.”

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We have been preparing for state a long time. Now we have to show what we got.

Bailey Beckham

senior

inside The NBA

Who will win the NBA championship?

Pacers

With sectionals scheduled for today, the Crown Point Golf team looks to build on the momentum that has been built up over these past few weeks.

It all started with a big win over the top ranked team in the area, Valparaiso. Senior Matt Mudd led the ‘Dogs with a score of 34 and sophomore Mike Lee added a score of 37.

“We all played together as a team,” Lee said. “We made a lot of clutch shots when we needed to. Our short game as a team was on.”

Lee had two birdies on the meet. Mudd also had two chip-ins for birdie, but topped his teammate by adding an eagle from 130 yards out.

After defeating this tough opponent, the ‘Dogs went into the Duneland Athletic Conference meet looking to pull off another Valparaiso upset. However, the Bulldogs fell short as they finished fifth with a score of 315.

Valparaiso took first overall a the meet with a 297. Senior Pat Mudd shot a 76 and Lee also added a score of 76.

Despite the low finish, the ‘Dogs were still only four shots behind second place.

“We didn’t play our most oustanding game. It’s a little dis-

appointing because we definitely could have turned it around,” Pat said.

The Bulldogs were shooting well until a 35 minute rain delay temporarily stopped play. After coming out of delay they weren’t the same.

“After the delay we lost focus,” Lee said. “I came out of the delay with a bogey right away and on the next hole I had a double bogey.”

This past weekend the Bulldogs traveled to play an invitational at Lafayette and came out on top posting a score of 299. Lee shot a 73, Matt shot a 73, and Pat added a 76.

“This win was a real confidence booster for us,” Pat said.

“This was a regional course and we performed very well. With the score that we had, we feel we can compete with any team.”

The Bulldogs will travel to Palmira Golf Course today to compete in the sectional. Last year the ‘Dogs were able to come away with the sectional title and look to repeat.

“We just need to minimize our mistakes and make sure to play our best game,” Pat said.

“Munster and Lake Central will definitely be our toughest competition, but if we play to our capabilities I am confident we will win it.”

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out of 89 students polled

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The 2012-2013 NBA playoffs have come to their finish. The San Anotnio Spurs will be facing off against the winner of the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers series for the NBA Championship title.

The Spurs come in off a dominating 4-0 sweep of the Memphis Grizzlies. Led in large part by Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, the Spurs shut down the Grizzlies offense, holding them to 38 percent shooting for the series.

The Miami Heat came into

16 people

inklings 5/31/13

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FIVE KERNEL critic

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Junior Sasha Lilovich East Asian Speaker I am actually half Chinese, but I want to learn all Eastern Asian languages, and that is why I took Japanese.

PHOTO BY AMY SCHUCH

Pointing out scenes from a movie, sophomore Nick Sansone reviews a film for CPTV. Sansone is the host of the film review segment, “Nick’s Flix,” which airs every other week, during which Sansone gives his opinions on the latest movies to hit theaters.

Sansone continues developing love of film

BY RAEANNA MORGAN EMILY BEST

editor-at-large reporter

CPHS knows sophomore Nick Sansone by how many popcorn kernels he allots to each film he reviews for CPTV. What many do not know is this is not his first experience doing so.

“When he was eight years old, he joined Facets Future Filmmakers, which is an association for budding filmmakers in Chicago,” mother Amy Sansone said.

Nick’s early start in the program allowed him access to many other opportunities.

“At the Facets Future Filmmakers, they showed us clips of films, and how to write a review.

Through that I was able to be a juror at a children’s international film festival,” Nick said.

Through this involvement, Sansone was given the opportu-

nity to travel to Italy last July for the largest children’s film festival in the world where he reviewed several movies and listened to actors and directors speak. Nick had to go through a lengthy process before attending the festival.

“It was an awesome experience. Nick had to get letters of recommendation and do group and individual interviews because they only selected five representatives from the United States. Nicholas Cage spoke, Diana Agron of Glee was there and other well-known actors and directors,” Amy said.

Nick credits his father as the person who originally inspired his love of film. They bonded over the hobby that developed into a deep passion for film.

“It’s hard to pinpoint the movie that got me interested. But one that really made me want to find a way to get into film was ‘The Sixth Sense.’ It was the mov-

ie where I was like, ‘I want to do something with this,’” Nick said.

Before Nick’s love of film became well known, he began by watching movies with his family, and making his own short films.

“It was kind of just what we talked about all the time. We would always go to movies and talk honestly about how we felt about them afterwards,” Amy said.

All of this led up to the CPTV segment called “Nick’s Flix.” The segment was a collaborative effort created by Nick and Technical Communications teacher Chris Gloff. Noticing Nick’s interest in film during his film camp two years ago, Gloff capitalized on his interest and ran with the idea of a movie critic segment on CPTV. “You’ve got to use his talent in a way that will be entertaining to people, but he’s also a role model for people who are passionate about things. He’s basically

saying they can do what they want with that passion,” Gloff said.

Nick’s Flix not only benefited the weekly announcements but also Nick as a critic.

“Mr. Gloff and Mr. Barber taught me how to express my opinion under the 45-seconds-toa-minute time restraint. (CPTV) also taught me what my audience wants. It helps me narrow my audience,” Nick said.

Throughout the course of the CPTV special Nick has not only grown as a critic but also the popularity of the show has steadily grown among students as well.

“I feel proud that what I love to do and my honest opinions are making kids talk. And it inspires me to keep doing what I love, especially because I’m only a sophomore,” Nick said. “I know I want to continue in my junior and senior years, and I think a lot of other people would like that too.”

Candy Catcher My secret talent is catching Skittles in my mouth, even though I really do not like them all that much.

Academic Decatha-lete I am in Academic Decathalon, and it is mostly because Mr. Lambersie is my favorite teacher.

Farm Girl I live on a legit farm, and I think the best part is there are no neighbors to deal with.

Gamer In my free time I like to play Dungeons and Dragons and World of Warcraft.

My favorite memory from this school year is...

Alex Cieszynski freshman

...all th en experie ew nces of high school .

Brooke Hoefling sophomore

...being in study hall with Mrs. Trapp.

Ben Miller junior

...the crazy way I met my new friends.

...seeing the crazy lead up before prom.

Alex Redenbaugh senior