Inklings nov 2015

ink L

I

N

G

S

180 Crown Point High School @InklingsCPHS Nov. 30, 2015 Vol. 80 Issue 3

SCHEDULING CPHS

LCHS

Start Aug. 20

Two day Fall Break

Start July 29

Two day Fall Break

Finals after Winter Break

Two week Fall Break

Finals before Winter Break

Finals before Winter Break

Two week Spring Break

One week Spring Break

One week Spring Break

End May 20

End June 1

End May 27

SCHOOL DAYS 213 students voted for which school’s schedule they would prefer

10%

68%

22%

PREFER

PREFER

PREFER

summer

summer

summer

LAKE CENTRAL

FLOYD CENTRAL

End of school year

Time spent on break

Time spent in school

Start of school year

CROWN POINT

CPHS annual fall play “Fools” takes center stage on page 3

Many factors considered in selecting school calendar

FCHS

Start Aug. 12

PHOTO BY OLIVIA TODD

BY MARIA LEONTARAS & MAISA NOUR arts-&-entertainment editor editor-at-large

Finding the perfect calendar to accommodate student and teacher needs can cause controversy. While there may be better methods to arranging the school calendar, the benefits they bring can be a little hazy with no research to back it up.

With the rising changes at Crown Point High School, a change that could be considered is the balanced schedule.

Students would undergo year round schooling with two-week breaks strategically placed at the end of every nine weeks.

The Crown Point district has yet to formally consider adopting an entirely new schedule. Director of Curriculum and Instruction Jim Hardman believes that without solid evidence to support the change, it would not benefit those apart of the school system.

“Whether you have a balanced schedule or not, we still need to be working within 180 days. From what research says, there is no substantial difference in education when comparing the traditional calendar to the balanced calendar because the real impact is what happens in the classroom in those 180 days,” Hardman said. “We have not formally considered it. We have looked at it from a research standpoint because we wanted to see if there really are benefits to having a balanced calendar for students and learning.”

Though there is no solid evidence to prove whether or not the balanced schedule would work, department chair and math teacher Ryan Collier believes that adopting such a calendar would not have a great effect on student learning but would increase the amount of forgetfulness in students.

“Students go away on summer break, and all their skills decay and they forget everything. They come back, and my gut tells me that we’d still experience that if we were to adopt the balanced schedule,” Collier said. “If you leave for fall break for two weeks or three weeks, you’d hear the same complaints that we hear around the final exams being the two weeks right after winter break. You would just experience that two or three more times over

Feature

News Less stress Jamie Monday launches relief groups for students page 2

the course of the year.”

For junior Rachyl Adams, taking on the balanced calendar would be straining and take away from the summer which is helpful to all students after the strenuous year.

“No, because summer is such a tradition. It would be weird not having the three-month break to look forward to,” Adams said. “Going to school for nine months straight with short breaks is exhausting and mentally draining, but when summer comes around, I feel refreshed.”

For Floyd Central English and journalism teacher Jim Lang, being a part of a truly balanced schedule with year round schooling and two-week breaks throughout the year, he believes that keeping summer vacation longer would be more beneficial for students and teachers.

“Obviously, I enjoy the longer breaks at the time. However, honestly, I prefer the more traditional schedule we were on previously,” Lang said.

While Adams and Lang believe that the schedule change would be something that will alter tradition, Spanish teacher Jennifer Magallanes believes that taking on a balanced schedule would actually help student learning.

“It might be a disadvantage to schedules for the teachers and schedules for parents, but for the student, I think it’s a huge benefit. Think about summer time- very long. You’re expecting students to remember things from the previous year when they’ve had a very long summer break in between,” Magallanes said.

“Whereas if you shorten that and you have longer breaks in between, there’s a steady practice of the things learned, and I think that they would retain a lot more with that type of schedule than the other.

I think it definitely will be of a greater benefit academically for students than the normal traditional calendar schedule.”

The unsupported benefits are challenged when the schedule is put in place and experienced by a community on a daily basis such as Floyd Central.

See Scheduling on page 3

A&E

Tweet Master Students compete to master the art of Twitter

page

7

Mockingjay - Part 2 Mockingjay expectations crash and burn page

14

2

ink

news november 30, 2015

L

I

N

G

S

intheknow

Inklings staff earns national Pacemaker; publications students place in Write-Offs

PHOTO BY JILL KIDDER

Junior Shelby Byrne watches as her blood pressure is taken as she prepares to donate her pint of blood. The drive took place on Nov. 20 in the fieldhouse and was hosted by student council and the American Red Cross.

Student council sponsors annual blood drive

BY NATALIE BRIGHAM editor-in-chief

St­ udent council members partnered with the American Red Cross to take on the task of saving lives in the school’s annual blood drive The drive is a major event for student council, which took place on Nov. 20. Representatives from the organization worked on planning and setting up the drive in the weeks and months leading up to the event, which took place in the fieldhouse.

“We have a representative from Red Cross who contacts us and sets up a date, and then once we pick the date, we have sign ups four weeks in advance. Once we get the sign ups, we write out passes,” student council sponsor Colleen Fano said.

The Red Cross raised 87 pints of blood during the drive. In order to donate, students must meet certain criteria, including having to be in general good health.

Other stipulations included the fact that those donating must not have traveled outside the United States or Canada in the last twelve months and that anyone who had received a blood transfusion in the United Kingdom could not donate.

“The FDA sets regulations (for who can donate). Basically (if you’re 16 years) you can donate with a parental consent. If you’re 17 or older, it is up to you to donate.

We have the guidelines to follow for blood pressure, pulse rate, hemoglobin which is also your iron and red cells, and we have to make sure of course you have good veins

for us to stick for you in order to give a unit of blood,” American Red Cross representative Valerie Valckvik said.

For senior Mike Krapf, this was his third time donating at the blood drive.

“It’s for a good cause; for just a few minutes of your time, you could be making a positive difference in someone’s life,” Krapf said.

Krapf plans to continue donating blood after high school.

“You can give a pint of blood every four to six weeks, so I usually donate every chance I can,” Krapf said.

Valckvik wants those who donate to remember the blood drive’s main purpose.

“Without the blood on the shelves, we cannot help save lives. The blood has to be there,” said Valckvik.

Inklings earned the top national award, the Pacemaker, from the National Scholastic Press Association. Inklings joins 28 other print publications in achieving this honor, which was awarded at the national convention in Orlando this month.

Editors of the 2014-2015 newspaper were then-seniors Alaa Abdeldaiem and Tina Winfrey.

Inklings also took third place in the Best of Show competition.

Four newspaper and three yearbook students took individual honors in WriteOff competion among more than 2000 participants. They are Sam Barloga, superior in newswriting; Hannah Bauner, excellent in feature writing; Jaycee Hopper, excellent first year photo; Dylan Wallace, honorable mention sportswriting; Maria Leontaras, honorable mention review writing; Felicia Wacasey, honorable mention photo story; and Brandon Dwyer, honorable mention photo portrait.

Spanish club seeks to aid Pulsera project

Spanish club will be sponsoring a fundraiser for The Pulsera Project, a non-profit charity that promotes artists in Nicaragua while also supplying them with full-time jobs.

Handwoven bracelets, called “pulseras,” and sown by the artists will be sold from Dec. 7 to Dec. 18 during all lunch periods

by Spanish club officers.

The profits from the sale will go the Pulsera Project as well as partner organizations in Nicaragua and Guatemala that aim to improve education and employment opportunites in the countries.

Students will also have the opportunity to purchase a “pulseragram” that will be delivered to recipients the week of Dec. 14.

Bracelets will be sold for $5.

Support groups to take place bimonthly during resource period

BY SAM BARLOGA online editor

As the winter weather creeps in, new support groups will be at Crown Point High School led in part by counselor Jamie Monday.

The groups will be held on Wednesday during resource period, and include a girls’ support group and an anxiety group that will help students through the stress of school. “(The goal of the groups are) to give the students a place to work through some of the problems that they have in high

December

9 Holiday Band Concert Come show support for the CPHS band during this holiday season.

school. I would say high school can be pretty stressful, as we kind of go through a lot with friends and family and academics,” Monday said.

Senior Emily Duncan believes that the groups will be a beneficial addition to the programs the school already offers.

“It gives a lot of people who don’t normally have people to talk to a place to open up and explain what happened or what needs to happen more,” Duncan said.

Senior Yazan Musleh concurs with Duncan’s opinion.

“It gives people the opportunity to talk to people that they aren’t related to, and it

13 Holiday Orchestra Concert

gives that no judging sort of vibe,” Musleh said.

Monday sent out an email to all students earlier this month to gauge interest in how the student body would respond to the groups. Monday said that those still interested in joining the groups can still fill out the form attached to the email, or stop by her office.

“If students are still interested in joining one of the groups they can fill out the google form that was emailed to them or they can contact me via email or stop by my office at room C224,” Monday said.

Monday believes the groups can be

16 Holiday Choir Concert Get in the mood for the holidays by attending the holiday choir concert

20

4

Winter break begins No school

beneficial to any type of student.

“I’m an advocate for counseling and support, and I think any student can benefit from it (these groups),” Monday said. “I feel like we all go through phases of our life where we need a little bit of support, and that doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with somebody, it just means, ‘I need a little help’, and it’s really cool to have a group because you can help each other. It also helps you see ‘I’m not alone’, and that there are some other kids in the school who are struggling with some of the same stuff, so I think it really works well.”

countdown until Winter Break

15 school days countdown until last day of school

101 school days

ink L

I

N

G

news

S

november 30, 2015

3

Media center reimagined to be learning environment

Our generation revolves around having internet accessibility within the palm of a hand or the opening of a backpack. The short distance between a student and a reliable internet source makes it easier to get class work done with only a few clicks of a button.

In 2003, students of Crown Point High School were not as privileged as students today. Students 12 years ago would venture to the media center to obtain information for their school work because the internet was not available. This change in dynamic was a jumpstart to the renovation of current use of the media center.

The media center previously was a place to accommodate students that did not have internet availability. Since the change to CP 2.0, students now have computers with them at home and at school which lessens the need for computer use in the media center. This has made the media center underutilized by students. This space is now evolving into less of a technology based room and more of a learning center.

With improvements, the media center will now serve as a classroom for the Credit Recovery and RTI class. The space will also be divided to provide a place for students to make up a test that might have been missed. The media center shifted its design to set boundaries between classroom and testing areas to provide a successful education and testing center. “(The additional support offered) could be anything from an adult advisor or teacher checking in with them daily to make sure that they’re getting their homework done and they’re up on their due dates,” Principal Chip Pettit said. “It could be anything from specific skill development that students need to credit recovery or online courses and independent studies that students are engaged in.”

The media center still provides resources available in past years including printing, CP 2.0 technical difficulties

and book rentals, but the space will also house an educational learning center.

Before the changes, the computer bank was surrounded by free couches and areas for students to socialize. This soon turned into a disruption to the students that needed to test. The media center still has an area for students to be able to sit and relax, but this area is now further separated from the students that need to test.

“The media center is separated nicely now,” sophomore Abby Pitts said. “Everyone has their own space without interrupting other people. They’re in their own little section, with room for their activities.”

The alterations are being made with student needs in mind. The media center is being reimagined to be a center for student work.

“In a perfect world, in my opinion, our media center is filled every hour of every day with students working on tasks that align with their needs at that point in time,” Pettit said.

With a growing student body, more changes will be needed to utilize space in the school. Not only will there be changes to the media center, but there will also be changes to computer labs.

“Once every student is carrying a device, I don’t know that we’re going to need the computer lab space that we’ve always needed,” Pettit said. “You’re going to see our labs decrease and turn into traditional classrooms as we accommodate student growth.”

While these changes may go unnoticed by most, some believe they are beneficial to students’ academic growth.

With new knowledge regarding the changes in the media center, junior Tommy Pawlowski saw this as a phenomenal opportunity to utilize this space for a better education system.

“I think it’s a good idea because the media center was not anything special,” Pawlowski said. “With the new space, the use will benefit students more as a study space.”

Though the new calendar has its benefits, the school board must keep in mind the effects a change will have on the community.

“For our community, we also have to take into consideration the activities that go on during our summer months. We do have the Lake County Fair and the traffic that comes with it, then you have to think of what impact that would have on us if we were to make that change to the schedule,” Hardman said.

The Crown Point Community School Corporation encompasses kindergarten through twelfth grade. The switch in the calendar would affect not only the high school, but also the elementary and middle schools in the corporation.

“Breaking up the school schedules means having to bring in transportation. Then you’re running busses on more days for middle and elementary while the high school is already out. There is a budgetary issue that would complicate it if we were to put the high school on one schedule and everyone else on another.”

The advantages it would have on the high school are seen as prevalent but unnecessary to the other schools in the system.

“Adopting the same calendar as LC works for the high school, but it’s not really necessary for the elementary or middle schools,” Hardman said. “As a former high school principal, I could see the benefits of having tests before winter break and then coming back and starting the second semester.”

Though the balanced schedule can be argued to be beneficial, those a part of it believe that it brings less opportunities to benefit students and teachers.

“To me, it seems like we are now constantly starting and stopping, and in particular, I think the two-week breaks throughout the school year are too long. I think a longer summer provides a better break and more opportunities for students and teachers,” Lang said.

While the advantages and disadvantages are evident, student learning is the priority to those a part of the decision making process.

“First, you think about student learning. Then, you think of the implications it will have on your community,” Hardman said.

BY HANNAH BAUNER & JACKIE HAM opinion editor reporter

Scheduling continued from p.1 Lang believes that being a part of a balanced schedule does not provide the benefits it alludes to.

“I find myself doing a lot of reteaching to compensate for lack of student retention. As a teacher, I do not think the balanced calendar delivers the promised benefits,” Lang said.

While the balanced schedule is up for debate among the school board, a different calendar has been intact at Lake Central. To avoid having finals fall after winter break, Lake Central’s school year starts and ends earlier compared to Crown Point’s school year.

Lake Central senior Dina Hussein, having experienced both the Crown Point and Lake Central schedule, has come to find that starting the year earlier to have the first semester end before winter break is a huge advantage.

“I personally love having my finals before winter break because I feel like all of the stuff I am about to get tested on is still fresh in my mind compared to taking a twoweek break and possibly forgetting some of the material,” Hussein said.

news

Crown Point has started an honor fund to benefit first responders and their families in times of need. John and JoAnn Birdzell established the fund with the city. The Birzells started the fund with a $10,000 donation and a $5,000 grant from the Crown Point Community Foundation.

‘‘

It’s good because they are not doing it for themselves, they are doing it for a charity to Selena Vasquez benefit others. junior

State

Area

views on

Student reaction to events in our world

State police are participating in a national campaign to battle drunk driving. The Operation Pull Over campaign urges state and local law enforcement agencies to crack down on vehicle violations for the holiday season.

The campaign will go on through Dec. 6.

‘‘

I think that they should keep battling because there are too many drunk driving and Faithlynn Shaver seatbelt violations. freshman

Several U.S. states, including Indiana and Illinois, have made statements suspending the acceptance of Syrian refugees after the Nov. 13 attacks on Paris.

President Obama has urged the U.S. to “step up and do its part” to help those trying to escape the Syrian Civil War.

‘‘

World

Senior Thomas Kvachkoff, who portrayed school teacher Leon Steponovich Tolchinsky, performs during the showing of the annual fall play on Nov. 20. The show was largely about a town which is cursed with stupidity. The only way for the curse to be broken was for a marriage to occur.

Nation

Theatre performs Neil Simon’s “Fools”

We should allow refugees into both; just because they are Syrian, doesn’t mean they are ter- Mitchell Holderby sophomore rorists.

The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), claimed responsibility for the terror attacks throughout the city of Paris on Nov. 13, saying, “This attack is the first of the storm.” Over 120 people were killed in the attacks and over 300 injured. One American was killed.

‘‘

I think we should take a couple extra steps to prepare for this. ISIS has proved they are an actual threat.

Paul Crook sophomore

4

ink

opinion november 30, 2015

L

U.S. should allow Syrian refugees

BY NATALIE BRIGHAM editor-in-chief

On the statue of liberty, there is a poem that reads, “…Give me your tired, your poor,/ your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,/ the wretched refuse of your teeming shore./ Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,/ I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

I’m shocked that the most controversial debate currently is whether the United States should allow Syrian refugees to find shelter within the country. Immigrants are at the roots of this country. The majority of American families began on foreign soil. Our ancestors fled their homelands in hopes of finding a better life for themselves and their families.

Our nation was founded on the idea that people facing hardship could call this “land of new opportunity” home. The entirety of Syria is at war; however, this does not mean that those fleeing should be treated like they themselves are at fault.

America should not shut its doors to those in need. We are fortunate enough to be able to provide the refugees with something alien to them—a safe place.

They don’t get the luxury of choosing their fate. We do.

When we toss around the idea of allowing Syrians to immigrate, we are determining their safety, their lives. We should not concern ourselves with things like money or housing. Yes, those are real issues, but more importantly, refugees are human beings. These people have families; they are someone’s mother, father, sister or brother.

They deserve more respect. Their safety should not be seen as a price tag.

For countries everywhere, the United States serves as a beacon of hope. We are blessed to live in a country with a stable government. We have the privilege of often taking our own safety for granted.

This is not the first time immigration has been opposed in America’s history, but we can’t change the past. We only have the power to make the current situation right.

The Syrians are fighting for their safety—they aren’t asking us to fight for them, but they are asking us for our protection.

We need to remember our own beginnings, and like many of our ancestors, allow refugees to find security in the United States.

G

S

Do you think the school should be open later?

CARTOON BY DESTINY KOGLER

Jake Monachino

freshman “Yes, because people need to do their work because they don’t have time during the day. There is also peace and quiet.”

iew: Extending media

center hours would benefit students

Within the last decade, there has been a dramatic push for tech-based learning; now traditional resources and teaching methods have been left behind.

The library is a well balanced combination of both the old and new; it is stocked with functioning computers and books helpful for research.

Unfortunately, like the rest of the school, library finds itself closed at 3:30 p.m.

Students are to vacate the premise by 3:30 p.m. entirely which excludes them from valuable resources. The only exception to this policy is that students have permission to be in the building only if they are supervised by a faculty member; however, the library still shuts down at 3:30 p.m. regardless of supervision.

For some, school is more than a place of academic growth. It is a sanctuary, a place to meet and converse with friends. Most importantly, though, it is an outlet for information. The media center is perhaps the focal point of that.

Keeping the media center open past 3:30 p.m. would aid the student body in a variety of ways. For those who lack computers and internet access at home, it enables them to both. Considering CPHS greatly utilizes online resources due to the CP 2.0 initiative, this would be a logical step.

Longer hours would also promote reading as books are becoming increasingly more difficult to come by, and specific resources tied to class projects are already in our media center. Although our city’s public library stays open until 8 p.m. most nights, the school’s media center adds the convenience factor as students are already here.

Granted, extending the hours presents some challenges, primarily the supervision of students. Paying adults to oversee the media center and a resource officer to patrol the school would be required. However, if the extra time isn’t extensive, perhaps a grant could cover the additional costs.

Extending the media center’s hours, perhaps even until 5 p.m. one or two days a week, could assist students in planning and completing their assignments and group projects in a familiar and convenient environment.

editorial

ink

N

speakup

This project is 50% of our grade, and we have no where to work

V

I

Vol. 80 Issue 3 November 30, 2015 1500 S. Main St. Crown Point, IN 46307 219-663-4885 ex. 11349 fax 219-662-5663 inklings@cps.k12.in.us online: crownpoint.highschoolmedia.org

editor-in-chief Natalie Brigham editors-at-large Maisa Nour L I N G S Katie Pawlowski Crown Point High School, IN Chris Rekitzke Inklings is a student publication created by the newspaper and advanced copy editor journalism students and distributed monthly to students, faculty and staff of Lauren Massow Crown Point High School. Opinions do not necessarily reflect those of CPHS faculty, staff or administration. opinion editor Letters-to-the-editor are welcomed provided they are signed and submitted Hannah Bauner one week prior to publication and do not contain personal attacks. Inklings feature editor reserves the right to edit for space, clarity and legal and ethical concerns.

Tiffany Curtis Advertising is subject to applicable rates available by contacting Inklings. arts & Inklings has been recognized as an Indiana High School Press Associaentertainment tion Hoosier Star, National Scholastic Press Association Pacemaker, Columbia Scholastic Press Association Silver Crown, and Quill and Scroll George H. Gallup editor publication.

Maria Leontaras

Lily Colvin

sophomore “Yes, because sometimes people stay after school for clubs and other activities, and they need access to the media center.”

Nolan Furgye

junior “No, because I feel like nobody goes to the media center. I feel like people go to the actual library instead of the media center.”

Zoe Olenik

senior “Yes, because this provides a quiet place for students to do their work and study whereas they might not have that at home.”

online editor Sam Barloga sports editor Dylan Wallace assistant sports editors Tommy Frame Dominic Tomich advertising editors Becca Burke Audrey Gacsy chief photographer Jill Kidder staff Yousef Abdeldaiem Grace Cleland

Jeremy DeBold Jackie Ham Destiny Kogler Lexi Linback Matt McConnell Ally Rekitzke Abby Sobek Alexia Wojciechowski adviser Julie Elston

ink L

I

N

G

opinion november 30, 2015

S

Should homework be counted for a grade?

5

No religion supports terrorism

A D? Well, at least I have my homework grades.

BY SAM BARLOGA online editor

CARTOON BY ABBY SOBEK

Pro:

Con:

Graded homework saves struggling students

Getting rid of graded homework allows students to shine

reporter

editor-at-large

Imagine that the dreadful 50 problem homework assignment that would take two hours to do would not help a student’s grade at all.

If one does not do it, failure on the test is imminent. There is no immediate incentive, but there are long-term consequences. This is what a student’s life would be if homework was not taken for a grade.

Although homework is a nagging, anxiety-inducing responsibility, it helps students have a cushion and boosts their final grade in any given class.

Some teachers take homework for a completion grade, which offers points for a completed assignment. Students receive points for putting in the effort and doing the assignment. This provides a subtle grade boost that helps support their final grade in a class. If a student does poorly on a test or quiz, the homework points can preserve a grade, so the assessment grade does not destroy the score that has been worked all semester for.

For the teachers who grade homework for accuracy, the points still help raise a student’s overall grade. Homework reinforces what a teacher taught, so doing the homework and doing it correctly reinforces the content and skills of any lesson. This allows students to gain the points from the homework and equips them with further practice on a subject. Consequently, scores are higher on assessments.

With the combined points of homework and assessments, a student’s grade can be exceptionally high.

If homework is not taken for points, a student’s grade relies solely on assessments. This is unfair to those who are bad test-takers or get test anxiety. A test does not accurately demonstrate what a student has or has not learned, a specific example being the ACT. Doing poorly on a test does not gauge the knowledge of a student. A failed test does not prove that a student has or has not learned, only that they took that test inadequately.

Homework should be taken for a grade because it allows room for a student to make mistakes on an assessment without harming their final grade in a class.

The education world is gradually shifting the learning process.

Recently, there have been talks of updating the current homework policy. Rumors regarding the matter are starting to circulate as teachers whisper about eliminating homework as a grade in years to come.

Making homework a gradeless chore does one of two things. It either creates a practice material with no grade bearing, or it eliminates homework entirely. It does not physically eliminates it, but by removing the incentive behind homework. The incentive currently being fear of a due date for a grade that will consequently affect one’s grade. For some, it alleviates stress for the already “stressed American teenager.” Removing letter grade consequences makes a student’s life easier with less work to worry about and less responsibility, which contributes to the growing laziness in the education world. What it really does is allow for the cream of the crop to rise in the classroom.

Eliminating graded homework creates a limiting factor. Students who care about their grades and are committed to do the work when offered. By doing the work, students memorize the material and subsequently set themselves up to succeed.

The other option is quite simple. Those who don’t care about their grade will not do their homework, and in turn, that will reflect on their overall grade. Without putting in the time and effort, students fail, but it is entirely their own doing. There will no longer be the kids that can ride a curve or pass by the hairs of their chins with measly completion grades. The education field would become a darwinist one: a land that promotes success while promoting the survival of the fittest.

The promoted environment causes class-takers to actually learn material and self-motivation.

Homework is nothing but a cushion for lazy students to fall back on in the long run. However, by eliminating the graded aspect of homework, it allows for the more successful and true students to rise based on their success without the homework scores.

22 Inklings staffers agree

3 Inklings staffers agree

BY LEXI LINBACK

Heidi Polizotto

German teacher

Jake Mangus

“Yes, because we are in high school.

College students are responsible enough to know that if you don’t do your homework, you’re not going to know the material you will be quizzed on.”

Mike Depta

BY CHRIS REKITZKE

junior

“No, because I feel like it’s not a good judge of intelligence that a student can provide.”

science teacher

“Yes, because a grade is an overall look at a student’s body of work, and it’s the practice that leads up to the assessment, so why not give students credit for doing that work and preparing for the assessment.”

Brooklyn Turley

senior

“No, because I don’t really think it’s fair to students that don’t understand the material. If they don’t understand it and choose not to do the work, then it can hurt their grade a lot.”

Dear governor Mike Pence, You know you are dead wrong.

You know that refugees will strengthen our economy, grow Hoosiers’ job potential and loosen the strain on our safety nets.

But you have decided to allow one event to obscure your view of this humanitarian crisis.

What happened in Paris on Nov. 13 was awful, but what one small group of terrorists did shows that all who need asylum are radicals.

To the media, you’re next.

The people who committed the attacks in Paris, Ankara, Turkey and Beirut, Lebanon are not Muslims.

They may claim to be Muslims, but they are not. We are setting a double standard. When Dylann Storm Roof stormed into a church in Charleston, South Carolina, he went in as a fighter for white supremacy and with his perverted view of the Bible.

He was not called a Christian by the media. He was only called a terrorist.

We must do the same when we refer to those who claim to be Muslims and commit terror attacks. Calling these terrorists “Radical Islamists” only adds on to our nation’s problems. They do not deserve the title. Just as Roof was not a Christian, these people are not Muslims. They do not represent the views of the 1.6 billion Muslims worldwide. They do not deserve the title.

Let me remind you all of something: The KKK may claim to be Christians, but they are not. ISIS may claim to be Muslims, but they are not and al-Qaeda may claim to follow Muhammad, but they do not.

Millions are at risk of dying every day in the Middle East as we live in the comfort of the West. We have a moral responsibility. As a nation, we must allow the millions who live in war-torn Syria, Iraq and the Middle East to have the same opportunities that we benefit from every day.

An unhealthy fear is growing over those in our nation. We are fearful of those from other lands for our selfish reasons. These refugees are on the verge of death and we have a chance to help.

Where is our welcoming spirit that our nation was founded on? There is no time for labels to take over the debate, because the bottom line remains that we are all people that share on Earth.

Hoosier hospitality will win out. We must leave xenophobia and fear behind.

6

feature november 30, 2015

i on life

ink L

I

N

G

S

experiencing a different perspective

Perpetually

plugged

in

PHOTO BY JILL KIDDER

The rise in the use of technology has led students to change from traditional methods of learning to reliance on computers and other devices in education.

School-based technology creates dependency in and out of the classroom

BY KATIE PAWLOWSKI editor-at-large

Technology is all around us. We have cell phones, computers, tablets etc. constantly at our fingertips, but as this generation has been known to be called the “Internet generation,” there is a growing concern of whether the amount of time students spend on devices is truly beneficial, especially in the classroom setting.

88 percent of teenagers, ages 13 to 17, have access to a cell phone. This is only one device that students have access to before, during and after school. Now with the blended learning program, students also have technological devices for the sevenhour school day. This amount of technology can be harmful to a student’s studies.

“In a recent study, I found teenagers who spend an extra hour a day surfing the internet, watching TV or playing computer games risk performing two grades worse in exams than their peers who don’t according to research by British scientists,” psychologist Kathryn Huls said.

No matter if technology has changed

By

The

#

Statistics provided by http://www.pewinternet.org/ http://mashable.com/

the way students function outside of school, it has greatly impacted the way students go through a typical school day. Across the country, schools have been gradually incorporating computers, tablets and other devices into the school day curriculum.

“Technology has absolutely changed the way students learn and function in school,” Huls said. “There is an instant access to topics of interest, more ability to expand beyond what is in the textbook, ability to explore deeper into the topic and greater access to videos, which enhances some student’s learning (particularly poor readers). On the down side, there is more ability to copy, paste and cheat, and perhaps less likely to have conversations and reason through situations than look up an answer.”

The constant use of technology in home and school settings has created an addiction to constantly being on devices in some way. Whether for social media or for school, students are constantly checking their devices.

“For some students, particularly those who may struggle socially face-to-face, tech-

1-in-4

Teens are “cell-mostly” internet users — far more than the 15% of adults who are cell-mostly. Among teen smartphone owners, half are cell-mostly.

nology is more addicting because it allows them to feel more competent in the social realm or offers an escape from other aspects of life they find difficult,” Huls said.

Some students realize their addiction to technology inside and outside the classroom. Students have become so attached to technology that the phantom phone vibration syndrome, or the phenomenon that your phone is vibrating when it is not, has developed.

“I get so distracted by my phone. If I didn’t have my phone, I’d probably be a direct admit into Harvard Law school,” junior Jessica Barclay said. “It’s really hard for me to have my phone sitting on my desk and not touching it. That distracts me more than actually having it in my hand.”

The average student spends 77 hours on social media per week. Both at school and at home, students are constantly on some device.

“I’m on my phone almost every three minutes. I’m the definition of a phone-obsessed teenager,” Barclay said.

Though the amount of time spent on technological devices is high, there are a lot

92%

of teens report going online daily — including 24% who say they go online “almost constantly”

of advantages to the new technology students face everyday. Students are connected to an endless amount of information from all over the world.

“I primarily see technology as a good thing. I personally love being able to have every question that pops into my mind answered almost instantly; one can see how that enhances learning. Like any aspect of life, though, there needs to be balance,” Huls said.

Students like sophomore Ana Maksimovich enjoy the implementation of technology into the school curriculum. Students today have grown up with technology all around them and are more comfortable working with computers and other devices.

“People our age pay more attention to technology, so maybe people will pay more attention to computers in the classroom more. Having work online is great because it is all organized for us and we have more resources,” Maksimovich said.

74% of teachers say “educational technology is a studentmotivator”

90% of available technologies in the classroom are personal computers or PC’s

ink L

I

N

G

feature november 30, 2015

S

7

Tweeting for the throne Guidance department sponsors competitive twitter competition

BY HANNAH BAUNER JACKIE HAM reporter opinion editor

Composing a memorable tweet is no easy task, a twitter user has a 140 character limit to get their point across. Mastering the word count and creating a unique yet relatable tweet could be difficult, but Crown Point High School has taken this task and made it into a weekly event.

Tweetmaster is a guidance department sponsored competition where students invent a tweet that must include the weekly hashtag given by the guidance department.

The person chosen as the winner receives a t-shirt and gift certificate for Buffalo Wild Wings.

“We were trying to find a way to increase the number of followers that we had on our twitter account,” College and Career Advisor Johanna Hess said. “We were finding that most of the people that were following us were other guidance offices and some parents, so we wanted to get the students involved. We created Tweetmaster to gear up some interest.”

For senior Paul Dawley, this event brought out his competitive side. He was not only striving for a t-shirt but for bragging rights as well.

“I did want to brag about it to my friends to be completely honest,” Dawley said. “I just wanted to be called CPHS’s first Tweetmaster.”

A winner is chosen each week by the members of the guidance department. To ensure fairness, Twitter names and profile pictures are blocked out and the vote is

Reigning Tweetmasters

anonymous.

“I just send the tweets to the guidance staff and they vote on their favorite.

Then, the winner is the Tweetmaster for the week,” Hess said.

As Tweetmaster gained more popularity and participants, it became harder for

students to win. Senior Gino Ferrari was taken back by the fact his tweet was chosen out of all entries submitted.

“I had no confidence that I was going to win because the week I tweeted out was the first week it was really big,” Ferrari said.

“I thought for sure someone was going to

beat me, especially since some of the tweets had 40 favorites or something like that. I thought I was going to get knocked down for sure.”

Senior Abbey Wellman felt a lot of support from winners before her. The encouragement gave Wellman confidence in her tweet.

“I had a lot of confidence behind me.

Paul Dawley was definitely in my favor, so I feel like that influenced me,” Wellman said.

Even though this is a school sponsored activity, Dawley saw this as more than just a competition, but a chance to showcase his creative personality to his followers.

“I had a lot of fun,” Dawley said. “Personally, I don’t tweet very often, so when I tweet, I make sure I make them quality and make them funny. I take a lot of pride in my tweets.”

With Tweetmaster now in action, the guidance department is working on ways to get students involved with other social media sites.

“We are thinking of ways to increase our Instagram [followers],” Hess said. “[The guidance department Instagram account] was new last year, so we don’t have nearly as many followers there. We are going to think of some ideas.”

Technology is all around us. Tweetmaster is a way to incorporate both students and faculty into one school wide event.

“It’s something new and definitely in touch with our generation,” Wellman said.

“I think that makes everyone want to be involved.”

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR

ADVERTISERS

8 1

ink

feature november 30, 2015

Cranberry Juice

Cranberries are considered a superfood as they are loaded with antioxidants and fight bacteria. When incorporating them into a holiday meal, raw cranberries are better than juices which have additional sugars.

HolidayHeadquarters

L

I

N

G

S

4 Pumpkin Pie

High in vitamin A and beta-carotene, pumpkin has a lot of superfood qualities as well. If choosing between holiday pie options, pumpkin has a leg up over pecan, though both still are high in sugar and fat.

5 Beets 2

3

Loaded with vitamin C, fiber and potassium, beets help to detoxify the body.

Ham & Turkey

Both of these mighty meats are a great source of protein. If choosing between the two, turkey is the option with less fat and significantly less sodium, if you skip the skin as well.

6 Mashed Potatoes While this holiday staple is considered a classic comfort food, the carbohydrates in white potatoes are quickly converted to simple sugars by the body. Opt for sweet potatoes for more nutritional value.

Green beans

If given the option between the fresh variety and a casserole, opt for fresh green beans. Extra calories hide in the additonal butter and cream within casseroles.

7

*nutritional facts from usda.gov

table

TALK Small talk can be difficult.

Many a time the holidays bring us together with family members we have not seen since, well, last year’s holidays.

Considering a year has passed, one would think there would be a lot to say, but somehow when Uncle Bill asks what has been happening “Nothing much” is often all we can muster. This year, come to the table ready to chat about some of the topics that are bound to be brought up.

Q: How’s school?

A:

Ditch the basic “good,” “boring” and conversation killing “fine.” Or at the very least, spice up the basics with a reason.

“Good, because I have a bunch of great teachers this semester.” Offering up examples and stories will make the conversation a lot smoother.

Q: What’s new?

A:

Think about it. Before “nothing” comes rolling out, think. Even if it is something as insignificant as a recent purchase, talk about it.

Offering even a nugget of conversation is helpful in continuing the chat. If you draw a blank and the conversation hits a dead end, do not be hesitant to turn the spotlight and ask “What’s new?” with them.

PHOTO BY JILL KIDDER

Discover the tricks to eating healthy around the holiday season without leaving your favorite foods behind

BY ABBY SOBEK reporter

It starts with the first bite.

The overload starts slowly. One piece of turkey, you tell yourself. One spoonful of mashed potatoes.

Before the night is over, however, one bite has turned into a hundred, and all plans of a healthy Thanksgiving weekend have gone down the drain.

Forsaking health concerns is not an uncommon occurrence around the holiday season. Students like sophomore Jurnee Baublitz tend to abandon healthy eating habits during the four-day weekend.

“I know I don’t eat healthily during Thanksgiving,” Baublitz said. “I usually eat really healthily and watch what I eat and diet, but on Thanksgiving, I don’t at all.”

While gorging down foods like ham and stuffing may be second nature, nutrition teacher Julia Collins believes it’s important to be consciously aware of when one is overeating.

“Thanksgiving is this American holiday tradition where you feel full and watch football, and that’s okay,” Collins said. “Just make sure you don’t do it every day and are aware of it when you are.”

The problem, as Collins explains it, arises when one doesn’t recognize they’ve overeaten, leading many to believe they still have room for more.

“People don’t really start recognizing that they are full until about 20 minutes after they are,” Collins said. “A good trick to implement and avoid that is to start off by drinking a full glass of plain water.

That will help you feel fuller as you eat.”

Using the proper dishes and utensils can also assist in creating a healthier holiday routine.

“At my house, I only eat on small plates,” Collins said. “When you put food on a big plate, it doesn’t look full, so you want to put more. On a smaller plate, it looks like you have a lot of food. It’s a mind trick that really does work.”

Eating healthily throughout the day can limit a

large food intake at the dinner table as well.

Although not eating early during holidays may seem like a logical approach, dietitian and nutritionist, Nicci Brown stresses that healthy breakfasts and lunches are in fact key to a successful Thanksgiving meal plan.

“Skipping meals is bad for your metabolism and can cause it to slow down and result in your body conserving calories when you do eat,” Brown said. “If you do skip breakfast and lunch, chances are you’ll be starving by dinnertime and will most definitely overeat.”

Unhealthy habits can be combatted at the dinner table, too. According to Brown, the traditional stuffing is a classic side dish that contains around 130 calories, about two grams of fat and 520 milligrams. However, this tends to go up due to multiple servings.

Brown believes alternative recipes to main dishes and desserts can help provide eaters with a more balanced meal.

“Lightening up traditional dishes can be easy and fun,” Brown said. “Try swapping white mashed potatoes for mashed sweet potatoes. If you’re hosting a party that’s mostly appetizers and desserts, try making a fruit-based tart or a veggie tray that’s styled to look like a Christmas tree.”

Healthy eating shouldn’t take away from the traditional fun associated with such holidays, however.

While maintaining a healthy diet should remain a focus throughout the season, Brown believes it’s still possible to enjoy it and not overindulge.

“Eating your favorite foods during the holidays is not something to feel guilty about,” Brown said.

“The holidays are a time of family traditions, and food is tied closely to tradition in all cultures around the world. Maintaining a balanced approach by watching portion sizes, keeping your regular exercise routine and complementing rich foods with healthy staples like fruits and veggies throughout the month is the best way to enjoy your favorite foods without the worry.”

Tips to avoid a food coma

Use a smaller plate

Drink a glass of water before eating

Eat throughout the day

Rolls

Wheat trumps white in the battle of breads.

White bread contains a lot of “empty carbs” without much nutritional value.

DO’S& DON’TS

of minding manners

DO Be on time Offer to bring a dish Clear your plate Offer to help clean Wear something appropriate Thank the host

DON’T Chew with an open mouth Criticize the food Interrupt others Hog the conversation Text at the table or spend the whole time on your phone

I

N

G

S

P

feature november 30, 2015

Rescribed

JProblems

A hard pill to swallow

Misuse of medicine presents dangers

BY LAUREN MASSOW copy editor

Searching for the next high, itching for that fix. Teens turn to abusing prescription medications. These drugs are not found in the midst of a dark alley. No, they are often found in one’s medicine cabinet.

Marilyn Doe* was prescribed Tylenol #3 with Codeine for an ear infection. She took the medication to help with the pain, but once the infection disappeared, an addiction took its place.

“It was just to help with the pain.

After that prescription ran out, I kept taking it because of the codeine,” Doe said. “I would do it because I hated where my life was at in that moment.”

Even though Doe was worried that taking this medication improperly would become a problem, she continued abusing it and faced the consequences once the prescription ran out.

“I was worried that it was going to become a problem because codeine can be very addictive. But then my prescription ran out and it sucked for a really long time because my body was going through withdrawls,” Doe said. “I go see a therapist, a psychiatrist and another mental health professional now.”

Walgreens Pharmacy manager Taso Sakaleros believes there are multiple reasons as to why teenagers abuse medication, whether it be to get a high or relieve stress. “(Teens abuse prescriptions) for the same reason they drink alcohol or do drugs. I think it’s peer pressure, possibly for a euphoric high, a temporary high,” Sakaleros said. “I think they get into their parent’s medicine cabinet, and all you need is one kid who gets high off of something, and anyone will try anything.”

There are different classifications of medications ranging from regular prescriptions to controlled substances.

“Medicines are classified. You have your regular prescription drugs, then there are controlled substances.

Those are the ones that are abused and that’s why they control them,” Sakaleros said. “They have the class three (III) through fives (V) which are your codeine products, xanax and tranquilizers.”

The most commonly abused medications among adults and minors are the Schedule II drugs.

“There are the Schedule IIs, such as Oxycontin and Adderall, which are what most kids or adults abuse,” Sakaleros said. “Vicodin is probably the most written prescription and the most highly abused. If you take too much, it can lead to cardiac arrest.”

Misuse of prescription medication isn’t just about taking too much of it at a time. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, abuse is taking prescription medication that is not your own, in a way that is not prescribed and/or to get high.

“I’ve heard of parties that people have where they fill bowls with all kinds of pills where they just take handfuls,” Sakaleros said. “It could kill them, not knowing what it is that they are taking.”

If any medication is taken with alcohol, it makes the effects of that substance stronger.

“A lot of times people don’t take just the pills; they take it with alcohol. That’s when you are looking at tenfold. Whatever the drug does, that multiplies them by 10,” Sakaleros said.

“Your body isn’t getting rid of it as fast, giving you that ultimate high, which is what these kids are looking for.”

Prescription drug abuse can happen in any community, including Crown Point. No town is immune to this problem.

“When you go into the pharmacy business, you see all of this being prevalent. These kids do anything they can to get high. It might stem from a parental thing where your parents are on you, or if you have a broken home,” Sakaleros said. “I have seen kids with lots of money with two parents and are abusing the higher end drugs. The more affluent the schools, the more you’re leading towards the higher end drugs like Oxycontin.”

People who have an addiction then go to multiple doctors and pharmacies to get their medication fix. A lot of times they are not doing this to take the medication, but to sell it.

“It’s like a daily basis where you are kind of playing police a lot. What these people do is, they go to different pharmacies and different doctors. Say they go to Doctor X and Pharmacy Y, and then go to Doctor W and Pharmacy Z,” Sakaleros said. “One doesn’t know about the other, so they are filling duplicates of stuff. Those people

are either taking it or selling it because it’s worth a lot of money.”

The problem is not only with the person abusing the medication. Sometimes it stems from the doctors prescribing the drugs themselves.

“I think that they need to make these prescriptions harder to get. Some doctors write prescriptions pretty freely to make a patient happy. We see it all the time,’ Sakaleros said. “Every day is different, and it opens your eyes when you see all the different things that people are abusing. We have to monitor everything that we can.”

If a person is coming from different towns to a local pharmacy, it gives the pharmacists clues that there might be a problem at hand.

“There are certain clues that tip you off. Like, if someone came from Portage and went to a Gary doctor and then to a Crown Point pharmacy, there are certain red flags. When you see the out-of-state prescriptions, you start to see that something isn’t right,” Sakaleros said.

Pharmacists can monitor prescriptions if they have any suspicions about a customer who visits their pharmacy.

“If I was to suspect anything, there is an Indiana government website called Inspect, and what it does is it monitors any controlled substances under that name in the past two years,” Sakaleros said. “I can see that they went to Osco and a different doctor, and I can then refuse (to fill the prescription,) or I can call the doctor and say ‘Hey, they are going to this doctor getting this.’”

Abusing a prescription can have consequences as serious as death. If you or a friend struggles with an addiction, it is best to find a different outlet. One can receive help from a mental health professional, a trusted adult or a school counselor to deal with this problem. The state of Indiana created a website to bring awareness to this issue. Visit BitterPill.In.Gov to find out how you can pledge against prescription drug abuse.

“Find a different outlet. Say I can live 60 minutes, an hour. If I can go 60 seconds without doing anything, I can make it another minute. Even if you have to live by the minute, just keep going because things change for the better,” Doe said. “If you can make it through however many million minutes, things will get better.”

*Name of student has been changed for this story.

{

1 in 5

Indiana teens have admitted to abusing prescription drugs

3

most commonly abused prescriptions

1

Opiods

2

Depressants

3

Stimulants

{

Health Effects Short-term

Increased alertness, attention, energy, blood pressure, body temperature Slower breathing, irregular heartbeat

Long-term Heart problems, paranoia, anger, addiction, death

Withdrawl

Depression, tiredness & sleep problems

statistics from drugabuse.gov

By #

The

statistics from drugabuse.gov

3.1%

of drugs are obtained from having more than one doctor.

52 million people in the United States over the age of 12 have used prescription drugs non-medically in their lifetime.

9

{

L

5.33-6.37%

of prescription medication used by people in Indiana are for non-medical reasons.

{

ink

62%

of medications are easy to get from a parent’s medicine cabinet.

10

ink

feature november 30, 2015

L

I

N

G

S

CONNECTING CULTURES

Bilingual students share benefits of knowing two languages

BY ALLY REKITZKE

By #

reporter

¡Hola! Puedo hablar dos idiomas. Can you? There are students that do speak multiple languages and have been able to since they were children.

Bilingual students learned their second language due to having people around them speak it at home or in a classroom. They also have to speak it in order to communicate with relatives.

Senior Ulyssa Hernandez learned Spanish at a young age and had relatives around her speaking it.

“I learned Spanish when I was really young, about six years old. My mom and dad are fluent in English and Spanish, and my aunts and uncles all speak it as well so I’m surrounded by it,” Hernandez said.

Junior Maria Agoris went to Greek school to learn how to read and write in Greek along with her parents speaking it.

“I went to Greek school for about seven years at my church where I was taught how to read and write, which made speaking a lot easier,” Agoris said.

Being bilingual has helped students have a better understanding of a specific culture and language. These people use this skill to help native speaking people who have come to the United States with different tasks. Junior Jonathan Moran uses his second language to help others who only speak Spanish.

“Speaking Spanish allows

The

Students who know two languages score an average of

23 points higher on math and language arts standardized tests.

People who know more than one language are able to pay attention

20% longer.

PHOTO BY ALLY REKITZKE

Junior Maria Agoris reads a Greek book. Agoris learned Greek as a child in Sunday school at her church.

me to converse with people that I would never have the opportunity to speak with if I only spoke English,” Moran said. “I often find myself helping a Spanish-only speaker complete a task such as asking for assistance at a retail or convenient store. It is important to me to take opportunity I get to converse with anybody I can.”

In the United States, school systems usually start teaching students a foreign language in high school. In different countries, students start learning different languages in their elementary school years because it is difficult to learn a new language at an older age

once our native sounds have been established. French teacher Amy Berchem believes that schools should start teaching foreign languages at a younger age.

“I believe that learning another language at younger age is more beneficial. By the time we reach around eleven or twelve years of age, it’s more difficult to sound out certain sounds that don’t exist in our native tongue,” Berchem said. “For example, I can’t do the Spanish or the Italian ‘r’ sound and some people can’t do the guttural ‘r’ sound in French. The French can’t say the ‘th’ sound because they don’t have that in their

Ca

663-6551 211 South East St. Crown Point

DINE IN

carriagecourtpizza.com CARRY-OUT

DELIVERY

!

S NG¢ I W

50 n on d -i an ne bo days s s ! es Tue onel days b urs Th on

Visit our website for coupons and a menu!

1/

2P r P Fri IZZ ice da ys A! A 9!

f te

r

When you see the Pizza Slice, Have your picture taken with him!

Dine in Specials Every Day!

Dine In! Carry-Out! Delivery! Dine In! Carry-Out! Delivery! Dine In!

Carry-Out! Delivery! Dine In! Carry-Out! Delivery! Dine In! Carry-Out! Delivery

o C urt P e g a i iz rr

za

Carry-Out! Delivery! Dine In! Carry-Out! Delivery! Dine in! Carry-Out! Delivery!

Dine In! Carry-Out! Delivery! Dine In! Carry-Out! Delivery! Dine In!

native tongue.”

Moran also believes that schools should adopt this system because our society is constantly changing.

“Not only do I think schools should begin teaching foreign languages at young ages, but I believe they should be more stressed at the high school level,” Moran said. “Almost every other person you meet these days will know another language. Thus, students who are not being taught a second language are falling behind in a society that it constantly adapting and improving.”

Bilingual workers earn

5% to 20% more than those who only speak one language.

On the SAT, students who studied world languages for

four or more years scored higher on average than their peers. statistics provided by Middlebury Interactive

‘‘

ink L

I

N

G

S

in the

huddle

sports november 30, 2015

Our goal for this season is to win sectionals because it’s very important to us and to the program.

-sophomore Mya Scheidt

‘‘

11

Diving into the ool PHOTO BY JILL KIDDER

Senior Mackenzie Artim gets set to jump off the starting blocks at practice. Artim will be attending Purdue University next fall to continue her swimming career at the collegiate level.

Senior Mackenzie Artim ready to swim at the next level

BY KATIE PAWLOWSKI MATT MCCONNELL editor-at-large reporter

The National Letter of Intent signing period opened across the country Wednesday, Nov. 11. Athletes made their official commitments to play in college. For senior Mackenzie Artim, signing to swim at Purdue University has been a dream she has been working for since she was five years old.

Artim started swimming club when she was about eight years old, and has had the same coach, John Krick, ever since. Although Krick swam at Indiana University in college, he was nonetheless overjoyed when Artim told him her decision to swim at Purdue.

“He was ecstatic. He loved how I wasn’t settling for being a big fish in a little pond but jumping to a bigger pond where I would be pushed to new heights,” Artim said. “He’s like my second dad and such a good coach. He knows how to really push me which is awesome.”

To much surprise, Purdue wasn’t one of Artim’s first choices when looking into colleges. Purdue University is ranked 21st in NCAA division I women’s swimming & diving, but despite thisl, Artim was looking for what came first to her: her education.

“For the longest time, I didn’t want to go there. I thought the Big Ten was going to overshadow the actual reason I was going to school: getting a degree. I practically thought it was home, so heck, I wanted to go somewhere new for college,” Artim said.

What changed Artim’s mind was her official recruiting trip there. Artim loved

the energy from the team and coach immediately.

“Then I went on a recruiting trip, and it was perfect,” Artim said. “The team made me feel like I was already a part of the team, and the coach made me feel like a person, not a number.”

‘‘

I’m excited to go somewhere that reminds me of home and to start the first steps of the rest of my life.

Mackenzie Artim senior Artim had been to the campus several times since her dad is a Purdue graduate and a season ticket holder to multiple sporting events for their family. The campus already felt like home to her.

“I loved the look on my dad’s face when I told him I was following in his footsteps. It was a memory I will never forget,” Artim said.

Though excited for what college will bring, as the high school swim season begins Artim is very excited for how well her team can perform. The Bulldogs lost some seniors to graduation but still have a strong team that has enough depth to battle in sectionals and state.

“Our team didn’t lose as much depth last year as we have in past years. We mainly lost two contributors to the team, but we gained a ton of freshmen who will help our depth for the team,” Artim said. “Other teams are having a rough go of things with the amount of seniors they have lost, even though the season will be rough, the road looks bright for us.”

According to Artim the key to victory is in the team itself.

“I believe in team bonding, and with that, I think that it helps a team both socially and mentally. The stronger we are mentally, the better we will perform as one.

I think once we all have the right mindset, we will kill it at sectionals and state,” Artim said.

As the girls move toward the start of the season, their ambitions are arising.

“We want to win as many dual meets as possible. We should be in the top two in conference and hopefully give Munster and Lake Central a good run for the sectional title. We also want to finish in the top ten at the state meet,” coach Bryon Angerman said.

Now officially committed to the sport, she is going to swim for another four years at a place that feels like home; Artim couldn’t be happier with what she decided on.

“I love swimming. I mean, I’ve been swimming since such a young age, I am trying to keep a calm face so that I can be a leader, but on the inside, I’m totally jumping up and down constantly,” Artim said.

“I’m excited to go somewhere that reminds me of home and to start the first steps of the rest of my life.”

Artim’s accolades

Four time AllAmerican 2014 100 free race sectional champion 2014 runner-up in the 100 free race at state Part of three second place relay teams in 2014 at state meet

12

ink

sports november 30, 2015

L

I

N

G

S

Boys swimming starts season with Chesterton

BY SAM BARLOGA online editor

PHOTO BY JILL KIDDER

Junior Sasha Stefanovic guards freshman Camron Pimentel at practice in preparation for their first game against Lafayette Jefferson.

Boys basketball looks to use momentum from last year

BY DYLAN WALLACE sports editor

There were three seconds left and Crown Point was set to inbound the ball trailing 77-74 to South Bend Riley. The ball was inbounded to junior Sasha Stefanovic who put up a three to tie the game, unfortunately, the shot came up short leaving the boys a few inches away from becoming regional champions.

Now entering their 2015-16 campaign, the Dogs have high hopes based on what they were able to accomplish last season but don’t have any intentions to look that far down the road considering they have yet to play their first game.

“We have some pretty high expectations for ourselves considering how last season finished up,” senior Blake Bonin said. “We just want to keep getting better

“IF

every day in practice and look to continue to improve as a team. The sectional, regional and beyond is too far down to be thinking about yet. It’s a long season, and we just have to take it day by day.”

The Dogs have lost some key seniors who contributed to their success, one being Nick Jeffirs who started at center. With Jeffirs gone, the Dogs seem to lack a low post threat offensively and defensively.

“You’re not going to replace Nick Jeffirs,” head coach Clint Swan said. “We are going to have to do it by committee; we have about four guys who are going to have to work as a group to make up for what Nick did.”

Entering his senior season as the starting point guard, Bonin takes responsibility for being the floor general and making sure everyone is focused.

TO DANCE IS TO DREAM,

THEN WE MAKE DREAMS COME TRUE!”

On-Going Registration through January

“I need to be the best leader I can be,” Bonin said. “I have to bring energy and focus to practice every day to make sure we are working hard to improve as a team.”

The seniors have been playing with one another for nine years and wouldn’t want to begin this season with anyone else.

“I have played with my teammates since third grade, and this is the last season I get with them on the court,” Bonin said. “I owe it all to them to be the best player and leader I can be.”

With the season only a few days from getting underway, the boys are eager to get on the court.

“We’re all just real anxious and ready to play someone other than ourselves,” Stefanovic said.

At press time, the Dogs kick off the season against Lafayette Jefferson Nov. 25.

Senior Joey Karczewski has unfinished business to take care of.

“Last year I got 17th at state, and I really want to get to the top 8 or I would be content with one top eight event and one top 16 event (at state),” Karczewski said.

The boys swimming season is fast approaching as the team looks to get off to a great start when the season begins tomorrow with a road meet versus Chesterton.

“The Chesterton meet is going to be a pretty good tale-teller as far where we stand with a team that is perennially state champions or top 5 in the state,” coach Bryon Angerman said.

The team has shuffled through three different coaches in the last four years, and Angerman pointed out that coaching changes may have had a positive impact on the team as a whole.

“I think the positive part about that (the coaching changes) is experience from different points of view,” Angerman said. “(There is) diversity in the coaching, and I think everyone has picked up on that. With that being said, being my second year here just for the boys side of it, I think they have finally come to a point where they know what is expected of them and know what is expected out of each workout.”

Angerman also focused in on the team’s youth to show why it could be a successful season.

“We have a lot of freshman who came in and are getting some experience. Our ultimate goal is to finish top 20 at the state meet,” Angerman said.

Along with the state goals Angerman believes they could place high at conference and sectionals as well.

“I think that we could make a good run to top two or three at conference,” Angerman said. “Also I think we will be right in the mix with Munster and Lake Central for sectionals.”

For 46 years we have been providing technical training through dance

2334 S. Cline Ave. Schererville, Indiana

(South of VonTobel Lumber)

(219) 865-9850

www.donnabrumdancers.com

ink L

I

N

G

sports november 30, 2015

S

The rebuilding road

Talks with Tomich

13

Girls basketball begins season 3-2 under new head coach

BY TOMMY FRAME

assistant sports editor

The balls are bouncing a different way this winter for the Lady Dogs as former head coach Annie Equihua resigned after last season, being replaced by former Portage head coach Chris Seibert.

Seibert brings in a different style of play, as all coaches differ in that aspect, but the transition has so far been a smooth one as the team is off to a 3-2 start.

“As a coach, it’s my job to figure out what works best for our personal,” Seibert said.

“They have played a certain style and a certain way the past few years, and we’re incorporating some of the things they have done in the past into some things that I have been successful with, trying to mesh the styles together.”

The Dogs are wellequipped this year returning three starters in Hannah Albrecht, Sydney Taylor and Katie Pawlowski.

Among the team are also six seniors who have played a large leadership role in this transition to a new program.

“We have a great group of seniors. All six of them bring a different style of leadership but bring something to the table as well,” Seibert said. “They have done a tremendous job buying into what we are trying to get all the girls to understand. Not only leading by example but leading vocally for our younger players.”

Senior Hannah Albrecht

BY DOM TOMICH

assistant sports editor

No pay, no play over holiday breaks Athletes of all ages are forced to make tough decisions on and off the field, and this holds particularly true around the holidays. Athletes play for their love of the game, but around the holidays, it becomes difficult to balance the love of the game with spending time with loved ones.

It’s no doubt that sports tend to be a big hit on holidays; for some, basketball on Christmas and football on Thanksgiving is a tradition. It brings a great atmosphere to whatever family gathering it is, although it raises the question: should teams have to play and practice on holidays?

The disparities between different level of athletes are steadily growing smaller. Today’s high school athletes are being recruited at very young ages. High school basketball and football are regularly featured on ESPN. With all of these changes affecting athletes at younger ages, one thing that should vary between pros and amateurs is that amateurs should not be forced to play or practice on holidays.

I tend to believe that professionals can and should play on holidays. The professional athlete is being paid large sums of money and is expected to play at anytime regardless if it happens to be a holiday. The professional athlete is an adult and may miss being home, but their job is ultimately his or her first priority, and his or her holiday should be scheduled around it.

On the other hand, high school athletes are too young to be forced into missing holidays for sports. The high school athlete is more a son or daughter than a point guard or power forward. Family obligations must come first while still under the roof of your parents. Although holiday practices are normally avoided, they are becoming more and more common. Practicing on holidays should be made illegal for high school athletes.

Ultimately, professionals are adults and are able to make their own decisions, not to mention they’re making millions of dollars while doing so.

extra

points

Among the seniors is four- year starter Hannah Albrecht, who has assumed a large leadership role in helping this transition of systems.

“The adjustments haven’t been very easy because (Seibert) is still trying to figure out how each of us play,” Albrecht said. “The biggest difference is having to learn to play a different way than we’ve been for the past three years, but I’m confident it will all pay off come tournament time.”

Starting the season 3-2 has furthered the players’ confidence in their new coach’s system.

“We have been trying some different defenses, specifically pressuring more,” sophomore guard Mya Scheidt said. “It helps us create turnovers into fast breaks.”

With a rigorous conference schedule coming up, the girls are doing all they can to prepare for their upcoming game against East Chicago Central.

“We brought in a group of guys to try to simulate (East Chicago’s) speed and size, so hopefully, it will not be as much of a shock when we get into the game,” Seibert said.

“We’re trying to take advantage of our speed by getting up and down the floor and getting out in transition to make up for our lack of size.”

Friday Nov. 27 will be the first conference game against LaPorte.

“Getting conference wins is really important, so come Friday, we have to be ready to go,” Albrecht said.

“Our biggest thing is to stay positive as the girls have done a great job with,” Seibert said.

“They understand this is a process, so we will keep working hard, getting better and playing better.”

At press time, the results of the East Chicago Central and LaPorte games were unavailable.

Season statistics

Junior Sydney Taylor

first four games

65.8 37.5 14.8 ppg

rpg

apg

39%

field goal percentage

32%

3-pt percentage

Wrestling looks to younger generation

BY YOUSEF ABDELDAIEM reporter

After winning sectionals and regionals, and second in semi-state, the wrestling team looks to top last year’s decorated season.

Although the team lost a few vital seniors to graduation, head coach Scott Vlink still believes in their young wrestlers.

“We lost Riley Akers and Morgan Kral, both very accomplished wrestlers,” Vlink said.

“We’ve developed our younger kids so that they could step into these roles and continue the tradition that we have established and keep moving forward.”

One of these younger athletes is Akers’ younger brother, junior Justin Akers. Justin, a two-year varsity wrestler, is excited to see the

Will the Golden State Warriors beat the 1996-97’ Bulls 72-10 record this year? out of 95 students polled

Yes

21

results of his offseason work.

“I’ve put in more work this summer than any other summer before,” Akers said. “What I’m most optimistic about is just seeing how that hard work pays off.”

With only two seniors in the varsity lineup, the team depends heavily on their underclassmen performance. Junior Jonathan Moran feels more prepared than ever to take on the leadership role for this team.

“I know I have to work harder and constantly push myself,” Moran said. “Now, being a junior, I have to lead the team after losing seven seniors last year. I have to take the next step and guide those guys in the right direction.”

The Dogs come into the season with many freshmen and sophomores who may not have

No

74

the experience that the seniors last season had, but they certainly have the tools to compete at a high level.

“Because they are young, some of them are unproven,” Vlink said. “They’ve got good track records, they bring good resumes to the table and they’ve done all the necessary things to become successful.”

The Bulldogs compete in their season opener on Wednesday , Dec. 2 in a conference matchup against LaPorte.

“LaPorte is a DAC school, so there’s always the challenge of getting off to a 1-0 start in the conference,” Vlink said.

While the season’s lineup has drastically changes, the goal remains the same.

“The goal is the same as it’s always been: to win titles,” Akers said.

My moment of the month ... “... was signing with Indiana University. I’m excited to be a part of hoosier nation. Now I can just focus on our season.”

Senior Grant Gelon

14

ink

arts & entertainment november 30, 2015

inreview “Sorry”

By Justin Bieber

This new single released off of Justin Bieber’s new album, “Purpose,” is nothing less than spectacular. Bieber combines his excellent vocal skills with an addictive pop beat to create a masterpiece that one cannot help jamming out to. Bieber released the rest of his ablum on Nov. 13.

‘‘

L

QUOTE OF THE MONTH Ladies and gentleman, welcome to the 76th Hunger Games.

- Finnick Odair “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part 2”

I

N

G

S

‘‘

“TRAPSOUL”

by Bryson Tiller On Oct. 2, an up and coming artist named Bryson Tiller released his debut album “TRAPSOUL.” After the first single off the album “Don’t” received much acclaim along with radio play, the album became highly anticipated by R&B fans. The album shows creativity that I enjoyed along with promise for a young, new artist.

“The Incredible True Story”

By Logic To call Logic’s sophomore album “fire” would be a poor use of the English language.

Logic’s album is so much more than fire. To put it simply, it is phenomenal.

“The Incredible True Story” capitalizes on Logic’s ability as a producer featuring his best beats to date while also highlighting Logic’s ability as a lyricist.

“Mess Around”

By Cage the Elephant After a two-year break, Cage the Elephant’s newly released song is setting them on the fast-track back into the music scene. The lyrics may come across as meaningless with blatant rhymes, but they have deeper coverage than what is initially heard. The song holds the band’s classic indie vibe with some alternative influences.

“Here”

By Alessia Cara “Here” set the tone for the new Pop/R&B artist Alessia Cara. This smash hit has the perfect catchy beat for anyone to enjoy. Cara does not fail to get listeners up out of their seats and dancing. It is definitely one for the billboards.

“Mockingjay - Part 2” deprives core fans

BY GRACE CLELAND reporter

The long awaited film of the year is here.

“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2” did not meet the highly ranked expectations of viewers. The fundamentals and the effects of the movie were off. It started slow and never really picked up until the middle of the film. Overall, the film had room for improvement.

While Katniss, played by Jennifer Lawrence, was supposed to play a major role in the movie, her amount of screen time was cut short. Her acting was dull, and her lines were concise. Lawrence lacked emotion and power within her action scenes which was present in the previous movies. The producers did not give Katniss much of a role except to make announcements to the whole of Panem.

Other than that, she was not portrayed as the main character she was supposed to be. It felt as though Katniss was used as a side character who was not involved in the plot.

Though Katniss was not up to par, Finnick (Sam Claflin) did not disappoint. His motivation to take on the role was powerful, and it shined in the scenes he starred in. Finnick’s lines were delivered with so much power and

emotion, Claflin rescued the viewers from falling asleep.

Gale, played by Liam Hemsworth, was careless with his acting. His relationship with Katniss did not show any sort of emotion throughout the movie. Hemsworth did not seem to increase the amount of effort he was putting forth in playing Gale. In contrast, Josh Hutcherson put forth vast amounts of emotion/effort in his crucial role of Peeta.

Peeta had an ongoing question of “real or not real” with Katniss, which elevated the already emotional relationship between the two. The emotions between the two characters rises to its climax at the end of the movie.

Elizabeth Banks, who plays Effie Trinket, continued her fantastic portrayal of the extravagant character. Banks met the high expectations by keeping the energetic spirit of Effie alive. Haymitch Abernathy, played

by Woody Harrelson, worked along with Finnick to keep the audience awake. His sly comments towards Katniss get the audience to laugh after a series of intense action and emotion. One of the major highlights of the movie was when fans’ dreams came true when

Haymitch’s and Effie’s love for each other lit up, and they kissed.

Characters with minor roles seemed to have more of an effect on the movie than Katniss ever had on this lone film.

“Mockingjay - Part 2” was one too many.

The creators should have stopped and only made one “Mockingjay” movie. This movie deprived fans of compassion and strength.

Movies that have been made for years, such as “Star Wars,” have better special effects compared to “Mockingjay.” The movie has moments where the viewer can clearly pick out what was shot in front of a green screen.

Even movies that weren’t made in this decade have blown “Mockingjay” out of the waters with their special effects. If the creators really wanted to make a mark with their last movie, they could have taken more time perfecting the effects rather than doing sloppy edits and sending it to the theatres.

Though expectations were set high, “Mockingjay” fell short of the ranks. The movie lacked emotion and strength from the characters leading to a dragged out film.

Sadly said, Mockingjay was a waste of two and a half hours with a $10.99 price tag.

Adele’s highly anticipated albums falls flat despite talent

BY ALEXIA WOJCIECHOWSKI reporter

After Adele announced she would be releasing a new album in October, fans went somewhat mad. Since it had been five years since Adele had released an album, “25” had a lot to live up to. Unfortunately, it seems to be a broken record.

Before the actual release of the entire album, the single “Hello” was released. Within 24 hours, it broke the record for most views on a YouTube video in a single day with 27.7 million views. It provided a new topic for social media and a song for radio

life social

A section devoted to social media

stations to play on repeat.

Although the album is overall repetitive, songs like “Hello” and “Remedy” still showcase Adele’s true vocal range. This shows most of Adele’s success comes from her ability to sing with such depth; lyrics are somewhat forgotten because of the way she can sing them.

It seems not only Adele’s heart is stuck in the past but also her lyrics. Most of Adele’s previous works involve the emotions of going through a breakup. “25” provides listeners with the same kind of music. Most of the songs seem like they could fit in cliche

romance movie because they are all over being in some sort of heartache.

If Adele would have released this album a year after “21,” it would most likely not be as successful because people would be able to catch onto the fact that her songs are pretty similar. With five years, she let people forget and want more which adds to “25’s” success.

Although most of the album contains songs similar to those on “19” and “21,” tracks like “Sweetest Devotion,” “Send my Love” and “Water Under the Bridge” give an upbeat feel to

best tweets

I was just singing JB in the car & I looked over at the car next to me & they were singing the same song it was basically a mini jam sesh sophomore Kari Bauner

@mkobrien49

The spanish word for smile is “sonrisa” which looks a lot like sunrise and that’s the only thing keeping me going right now senior Devin DeBoth

best follow

@kari_bauner

I’m considering starting a Kickstarter for a 2-way petting zoo. junior Mike O’Brien

best app

the emotions associated with letting go. If more tracks like these made it onto the album, it would give it more diversity from her other albums.

Even though “25” has seemed to be just like Adele’s other albums, it will still sell over a million copies because of the power of Adele’s voice.

If the songs in the album were more diverse, “25” would have more success. Even saying this, it shows an artist has talent if they can take a five year break and still be so warmly welcomed back into the music scene. In the end, if you have always been in love

@DevinDeBest

Pop the lock There is a new app going around and this one is almost guaranteed to cause frustration.

“Pop the lock” is the perfect addiction for anyone to test their hand-eye coordination.

@TheWorldStories For the souls who wish to wander, the travel bucket list Twitter account keeps you in the loop with exciting new places to add to your bucket list.

ink L

I

N

G

arts & entertainment november 30, 2015

S

One Direction takes the right direction

BY JACKIE HAM reporter

50 million records sold within 5 years is a colossal achievement which the British boy band One Direction has attained. With their fifth studio album now on the market, the sale number is destined to rise. One Direction consisted of five members: Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Zayn Malik. Since March of this year, Malik announced his departure from the band. One Direction continued without him. “Made in the A.M.” is their debut album as a quartet which has left their fans eagerly awaiting its arrival into the music scene.

Anticipations were high for the One Direction boys to release a new song without the power falsettos from Malik. They certainly did not disappoint with their first single from “Made in the A.M.,” “Drag Me Down.” It is different from the wishy-washy pop songs that One Direction has made in the past. “Drag Me Down” consists of powerful electronic dance beats that infatuate listeners. Even though this song has only one main verse, the powerful vocals Styles brings to the end make up for the lack of lyrical variety. Soon after, One Direction released the next single on the album, “Perfect.”

This track may have the ideal

title for a song about a loveydovey relationship, but it is the exact opposite. “Perfect” is about a rebellious love that is only there when a defiant weekend is needed. It starts off slow with alternative transitions but keeps the pop ambiance that these boys are known for.

The album takes a transition into a downtempo sound with songs like “Infinity.” The song expresses a lost love, and the only thing remaining is a broken heart. Listeners can feel the passion the boys had while recording this song when they belt out

the chorus. Their voices contain so much emotion that imagining the feelings from a real heartbreak is inevitable. “Made in the A.M.” is full of slow-moving tracks, such as a powerful ballad called “If I Could Fly.” This track contains romanticized lyrics expressing true love that can only be shown to the person being loved. An angelic piano stays steady throughout the song which enhances the perfectly advanced voices of the boys. These British heartthrobs know how to produce a gooey love song exceedingly well.

Even though “Made in the A.M.” consists of multiple slow songs, One Direction did not forget about the fast beat, hip shaking songs. “Temporary Fix” lifts the album up from its previous saddened, romantic mood giving the album an uplifting vibe. The storyline is more mature than previous songs, but the energetic beat captivates listeners. Even if one may hate these boys, feet will tap and bodies will sway when this track hits the speakers. After all is said and done, the boys end with a song stemming from the album title. “A.M.” is the perfect concluding song to this album.

The acoustic guitar creates a soothing atmosphere revolving around the nostalgic story line.

The voices of these boys are emphasized allowing listeners to hear their perfectly fluid tones.

“Made in the A.M.” is an album that will go down in history with this band. Every one of their albums has been a hit, and this one follows the trend.

Knowledge of One Direction’s previous work makes the mature sound of “Made in the A.M.” stand out in their discography.

Generalizing these boys with their older work will only give false emotions towards this album. Keeping an open mind will allow this perfectly structured album to be heard for what it is and will lead to an open wallet.

Jennifer Niven’s novel hits all the right places

BY DESTINY KOGLER reporter

Heated Blankets

“All the Bright Places” is a lovely novel and definitely a must-read for everybody. It is a twisted love story about two teenagers, Theodore Finch and Violet Markey. They meet on top of the school bell tower and later become partners for a school project called “Wander Indiana.”

The project requires them to visit many interesting Indiana artifacts. They have to spend a lot of time together and eventually become very close friends.

One of the best things about this book is that the places featured actually exist. For example, they visit the World’s Largest Ball of Paint which resides in Alexandria, Indiana and John

Iver’s Backyard Roller Coaster in Bruceville, Indiana.

This story is narrated alternatively between Finch and Violet which brings the reader to see the internal struggles each character faces. Violet, for example, is stuck with the guilt of surviving a car crash that took her sister’s life.

She misses her sister, and in the sadness, loses everything that made her herself. Finch, on the other hand, lives in the present and searches for adventure daily.

While this book has a wellthought out plot, it does feature dark topics and issues. The characters struggle with suicidal thoughts and saddening storylines. Even though the characters

favorite things

we’re so over Snackeez

Easily carry your snacks as well as your drink on the go. drug stores $10

Staying warm has never been as soft and cuddly as it is with these toasty blankets. department stores $30

are fictional, the raw emotion and conflict is completely legitimate. This book is definitely great food for thought.

This book has a vehement plot that has a plethora of topics to think about. It is incredibly easy to become emotionally attached to these characters. The first person point of view gives depth to the story which makes the plot more relatable and touching. Overall, this book has an exceptional plot with a great love story and touching conflicts.

It is extremely difficult to put down the book until the very last page, and it is easy to fall in love with it.

Webkinz Puchase a cute stuffed animal and play premium games on webkinz.com. drug stores $15

“Liking” instead of “favoriting” on Twitter Who does the Twitter CEO think he is? Twitter is not Instagram. Instagram is not Twitter. These two apps are on completely opposite sides of the social media hemisphere. Twitter is for spur-of-the-moment thoughts while Instagram is for good pictures and good times. Liking makes something more concrete where favoriting is a simple props to someone’s thoughts.

15

Do not judge without knowing truth

BY MAISA NOUR editor-at-large

I have come to notice a lot of people concerned about what others around them are doing.

Whether it’s deciding on a college or deciding to get engaged right out of high school, people always have to put their two cents in. Here’s a fun fact for you: You actually don’t need to worry about anyone else and can just focus on your own life and leave everyone do whatever they want.

The saying “Don’t judge a book by its cover” comes perfectly into play here. No one truly knows what going on in someone else’s life. You don’t know that the girl that choose to go to a local community college has to stay close to home because of her ill mother she wants to take care of. You don’t know that the couple that got engaged freshmen year of college because one of them is in the army and they don’t know if they will ever see each other again.

But the most important part of this all is why do should you care? You shouldn’t, that’s the answer. If it doesn’t harm or affect you in any way, why judge and bring down others for their decisions? You were given your own life to live, so live it.

Don’t go around living someone else’s life by judging and being that one person who always has to put their two cents.

Think of yourself. When you decide to go to a college or whatever you want to do, couldn’t someone judge you for leaving your family behind? You will always be judged for whatever you do.

The only way to stop this is by not joining in. Once we all learn to mind our own business, life will become truly our own.

Not something we have to form to fit people’s opinion of what is “normal”.

Don’t be apart of the constant contradiction of be yourself but be strong enough to handle the hate.

Everything that happens in the world is a chain reaction.

So stop worrying about what everyone else is doing and focus on yourself.

Remember that life is only so long. So don’t waste it worrying about someone else’s life when you’ve got your own to live.

So save your money and keeping your 2 cents to yourself.

16

people november 30, 2015

L

TAKE

13:25:18

Crown Point’s Ironman

Czarnecki competes and finishes in annual race in under 17 hours

BY DYLAN WALLACE sports editor

Senior Ryan Czarnecki puts it best, “An ironman is a triathlon on steroids.”

Competing in an Ironman consists of having to swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles and then run a marathon which is 26.2 miles all under a 17 hour time limit. Czarnecki completed it in 13:15:07.

Czarnecki got his inspiration from his mom whom he watched complete an Ironman in Louisville and something about the atmosphere got to him.

“About two years ago, I went to watch my mom race Ironman Louisville and while we waited at the finish line for her to come through, I watched all these athletes cross the finish line,” Czarnecki said. “Seeing all those athletes and then my mom finish after hours on the course backed with months of training made me want to be a part of it. That finish line is one of the most inspirational things I have ever seen.”

Already being a swimmer, Czarnecki believed that the hardest part of his training had to be the biking.

Q

What are you most thankful for?

ink I

N

G

5

S

sophomore Lucas Hogan

Serving the masses I want to become a bartender because it seems fun, and you get to meet a ton of new people.

Band buddies I love being in band and hanging out with my band nerds because we can relate, but we all also live our own lives, so we have different things to talk about.

“Every weekend I had to ride anywhere between 80 and 100 miles which got really boring,” Czarnecki said. “Some rides would be super windy with a head wind and others would be cold and rainy. Conditions were always different though because I started in the summer and went through the fall.”

Training for a marathon consists of running several miles daily. Now imagine training for swimming and biking on top of that. It was a challenge for Czarnecki to get used to the training but in the end paid off.

“The physical aspect of training for an Ironman was definitely a challenge to overcome, but the months I spent of hard training got me through the race in the end,” Czarnecki said.

Along with the physical challenge came the mental challenge which took an effect on Czarnecki during the race.

“The mental part is something a lot of people overlook,” Czarnecki said. “On the course I couldn’t use headphones, cell phones or anything else that could be considered outside help. It was just me and the

course.”

Despite being exhausted, Czarnecki reminded himself of everything he had done to get there to help him finish the race.

“Towards the end of the race, all my exhaustion began to feel overwhelming. I just reminded myself of all the hard work I did and just how far I made it already,” Czarnecki said. “I made it a goal to reach the next mile, then the next, all the way until I saw the finish.”

Sure enough, Czarnecki saw the finish line. After crossing it, he had the greatest feeling ever.

“The finish line was amazing; people line the sides screaming your name and holding out their hands for high fives,” Czarnecki said. “I heard the announcer call me an Ironman, and I knew that all my hard work had paid off. It was the greatest feeling ever. I felt like I could do anything.”

“Family, friends and health. Family and friends always have your back.”

“Obviously my family. I’m definitely thankful for fuzzy blankets and socks and popcorn too.”

“Being in a great country, being educated and being healthy.”

“Being able to go to school and get an education”

“Music because it is there when no one else is.”

“Being alive because I was born three months early.”

Brandon Verde

Mary Freda

Tyler Gomez

Emily Russell

Senior

Sophomore

Freshman

Mickey Gardner

Halelgh Scheller

Junior

The feeling was so good that Czarnecki isn’t done; he hopes to compete in another Ironman either in Maryland or Louisville

Sleepless nights I once was up for three days straight because I got sick while camping and couldn’t sleep. It was pretty bad.

Paying it forward My favorite thing to spend money on is other people.

I have my own job now, so I have the money to spend on my friends if they want something.

Spicy treat I like flaming hot cheetos because they are really good, and I get them for free from my mom’s work.

next year.

Junior

Sophomore