Inklings sept 2016

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Crown Point High School @InklingsCPHS September 30. 2016 Vol. 81 Issue 1

Read about the National Honor Society’s annual Color Run on page 2

Sporting Sisters: Three Chacons take volleyball by storm

Remapping essentials

New locations, uses provide updated resources to accommodate changing needs

Learning Commons Media Center

FreshmanSophomore Office

Junior-Senior Office

Attendance Office

Guidance Office

BY MARIA LEONTARAS co-editor-in-chief

A sea of red.

A classical rendition of “It’s Time For Me To Fly.” A speech

by Superintendent Dr. Teresa Eineman.

A theater full of proud family members.

These are all key components of what 12 years of schooling have prepared students for: walking across the stage to receive a diploma. But this year’s commencement will not completely be like those in the past.

The Radisson, the go-to venue for the annual commencement ceremony, is being torn down in April. Because of this, Principal Chip Pettit along with his colleagues are searching for new locations for the ceremony.

“We’re exploring a number of different options for our graduation ceremony. (As of Sept. 1), we’re still gathering information,” Pettit said. “We hope to start meeting with students, parents and teachers soon as we talk about the different options.”

For Dean of Freshman and Sophomore Students Sabrina Ramirez, space is not the only factor for consideration when choosing a new graduation location.

“We want to make sure that the ceremony maintains its integrity and the spirit that we have established continues for all of our students,” Ramirez said.

The feeling of tradition that accompanies the Radisson is apparent to senior Cece Maginot. Being the last of six children and an employee of the Star Plaza, Maginot feels the loss of the traditional venue in more ways than one.

“It’s kind of sad because all my brothers graduated at the Star Plaza,” Maginot said. “It’ll be sad because I’ve worked there through much of my high school career, too, so I wouldn’t be able to come back and see (the location of) my high school job.”

The relocation of the graduation ceremony is only one of the various changes posed for students and faculty alike, the most visible being the creation of the Freshman-Sophomore and the Junior-Senior offices. Each have taken residence in what were previously the Attendance and Guidance offices, respectively.

The offices are home to secretaries, guidance counselors and administrators who are designated to the grades their of-

fice represents. According to Pettit, the spaces were created to accommodate the needs of each grade level while maintaining a personalized experience for each student.

This is seen through easier access to staff members who are specific to the needs of a student’s grade. “(Freshman and sophomore) students need different kinds of support than (junior and senior) grade students. We felt that organizing around those two groupings made the most sense for us at this time,” Pettit said. “More than anything, we want to personalize a student’s experience and make them feel as if they are more than just a number.”

Do you like the new offices?

Do you want agenda books back?

Do you like the Learning Commons?

Graduation?

dislike

no

dislike

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see school changes on page 3

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like

185 students voted

78%

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yes

202 students voted

82%

like

177 students voted

page 11

Honoring the fallen

BY JACKIE HAM KIRA SCHUELKA co-editor-in-chief reporter

It has been 15 years since it happened. The screams of terror, clouds of soot and fear of the unknown are still being remembered a decade and a half later. 9/11 has become a day to honor those who lost their lives in the attacks while defending others September 11, 2001, is usually taught as a history lesson to current students, but many lived through the day themselves. United States History teacher Jim Inglehart will never forget where he was when he first heard about the attacks in New York City.

“It was the third hour of the day in the old high school, and it was my fellow teacher, Mr. Pettit, knocked on the door and said a plane has crashed into the World Trade Center,” Inglehart said. “(It) had not been an uncommon occurrence in the past. Usually they were little single engine pipers on a foggy day, and they had not seen whatever was going on.

Then he came back in, and it wasn’t that much longer after when a second one hit.

He said a second one has now hit, and at that point, you knew some kind of coincidence wasn’t going on.”

The fear was not centered around New York City because no one was sure where the attacks were targeted. Big cities were on high alert, and art teacher Lindsey Cox, who was attending college in Chicago, was in the midst of the hysteria.

“I was on Michigan Ave., so they literally just pushed us onto the South Shore getting everyone out of the city,” Cox said. “At the time I was living in Chicago, so I called my mom. My mom came to pick me up, and I was bawling.

I was really upset. I actually thought that there was going to be war on U.S. soil.”

For CPHS alumni Steve Wise, it was a normal day in New York City boarding the train for work. His building was put under lockdown, and his only source of outside information was through news broadcasts. When they were allowed to be released from their building, Wise saw the destruction that the city endured.

“It was surreal in that all cars were stopped in the street, subways were closed, everyone was walking on sidewalks and the street in total quiet. All 1 you could see was smoke in the air to 2 the south, and we all were just dazed thinking about what we had just seen.

However, I was totally aware of what was around me and found myself watching every person I passed or those I was walking with,” Wise said. see 9/11 on page 3

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Colorful dash for cash

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NHS holds annual Color Run to raise money for St. Jude House

BY JEREMY DEBOLD reporter

Runners dash through dust with scarves and goggles protecting their face, racing to warm food and fresh cold water. It is the National Honor Society’s annual color run.

The NHS chapter holds the event every fall at the school soccer fields in order to raise funds for St. Jude House, and this was the largest one yet.

Participants raise money for the cause by getting friends and family to sponsor their run before the race. In total, the event raised enough to give $5,500 to St. Jude House. Each runner was given a color run t-shirt and a bag of chalk to throw on others.

“I think it went really well.

This was our fourth year doing it, and it was definitely our biggest success. We had over 220 participants,” NHS co-sponsor Amanda Campos said. “We raised, overall, almost $7,000.

We’re going to be able to donate over $5,500 to St. Jude House.”

NHS has been fundraising for St. Jude House for five years now.

“Every year all the proceeds that we raise go to them, we started with one event that raised $250,” Campos said.

Smoothie King also attended the event in order to sell smoothies. “(Smoothie King) came in and sold their smoothies, and they will give us a portion of

PHOTO BY JILL KIDDER Junior Hannah Carter gets color thrown at her while nearing the end of the NHS color run. NHS raised over $5,500 to donate to St. Jude House.

the profits,” Campos said.

The Splat club made a large contribution to the event donating over 200 t-shirts to the event.

“They donated their time and materials, and they really

saved us $1,600. So they really gave us $1,600,” Campos said.

Students from all district schools were invited to run this year. Everyone from elementary school students to high school.

“My running partner was Amylia Campos, she is currently 3 years old. I babysit for her, so we are like best friends,” senior Anna Mccormick said.

“She was having a great time with throwing the color, so she decided to come along with me on the run.”

Many participants thought it was an interesting event to raise money compared to traditional ways of raising money.

“I liked people throwing color at everyone. It was cool, and it was raising money for the St. Jude House,” senior Nolan Furgye said.

Freshman Morgan Cooper raised the most with almost $700.

“I don’t actually know anyone from St. Jude’s, but my mom and I are always donating to them. We just think it is a really good cause,” Cooper said.

If you did not want to run, there was still a chance for everyone to participate. For $5, spectators could buy color to throw on runners as they ran by.

“I hate running, but it is totally fun to throw color and participate,” said junior Noah Giedemann.

At the end of the run, runners were awarded pizza and treats for their participation and fundraising.

“Others should participate in this event because it is good to be active and it is a lot of fun,” Giedemann said.

PHOTO BY JON WOLARK

Pulse receives reward for being ranked #1 in the state at the homecoming football game.

Crown Point High School was ranked #1 in State Crown Point High School has been ranked first in the state based on factors like college readiness, ACT scores and graduation rates. Other factors such as the number of students that are enrolled in AP/IB/AICE courses along with the average score on the AP/IB/AICE tests that are taken in the courses, play a role in how the schools are ranked. Carmel High School, Zionsville High School, and Homestead High School also take second, third and fourth place in the top ranking.

Royal Regiment Marching Band wins gold Johann Sletto and his band of students marched out on Sept. 24 to compete in the Hobart Marching Invitational. They were rated on the categories of Music, Visual and Auxiliary (color guard). If a performance is particularly high in any of these three categories, their group can earn a “Distinction” award. Out of all eight bands, the band was only one of three bands to earn all three Distinction awards.

Homecoming festivities encompasses school spirit

BY JILL KIDDER editor-at-large

PHOTO BY JILL KIDDER

Seniors Brad Kurtz and Cailey Sabotnik dance at Homecoming. Sabotnik was elected queen at the football game.

Whether it be students dressed as dads or a flashback to the 50s, Homecoming has it all.

The week leading up to the Homecoming dance consisted of numerous events for the student body to engage in. It started off with spirit week. For the underclassmen, the themes for the week included college wear, twin, dad, extreme weather, and ended with bulldog pride day. The senior’s spirit week was separate from the underclassmen which included hippie, frat, grey, throwback to middle school and ended with greaser day.

Freshman Allie Smith found bulldog pride day was her favorite.

“Everyone participated in that, and I thought that was cool that everyone was wearing Crown Point stuff,” Smith said.

Traditionally, the Homecoming ing has been announced at the dance, but it was a surprise announcement during the pep rally. Out of the five candidates, Sasha Stefanovic was declared Homecoming king.

The school spirit shifted to the Homecoming game as the football team faced one of its rivals, Portage High School. Although Portage was victorious, with the score of 7-3, the loss did not take away from the excitement of the announcement of Homecoming queen.

When the queen was announced, the winner, senior Cailey Sabotnik, was

shocked.

“When they said my name, (I thought), ‘Crap. Are they going to say Sabotnik?’

Then they said Sabotnik. I didn’t know how to react,” Sabotnik said. “They said my name, what do I do now… Obviously we all should’ve gotten the crown, but there had to be one person. I should have taken it and split it.”

The Homecoming dance was held in the fieldhouse on Saturday, Sept. 7. Some believed the dance would not hold up to expectations set by the upperclassmen.

“It was a lot better than what I thought it was going to be,” Smith said. “Going into the night I didn’t think anyone was going to dance, everyone surprised me.”

Thinking Ahead for October holidays

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National Name Your Cat Day

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National Frappe Day

11 National Coming Out Day 24

National Food Day

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Pumpkin Fest at the Court House

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ISSMA Competition at Crown Point

14 Fall Break No School

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Last home football game Fall Break No School

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End of first grading period

31 Halloween

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9/11 continued from p.1 Wise recalls people covered in soot saying that they resembled ghosts, and while he boarded the train to leave Manhattan, he became aware on what was happening around him.

“I remember four things distinctly as I boarded and rode the train out of the city. (I remember) how quiet the train was, the presence of police and military, the anxiety I felt being on one of the first trains to leave through the tunnel under the Hudson River and the New York City skyline covered in smoke where the two towers stood just eight hours earlier,” Wise said.

For days after the attack, the city of New York attempted to clean up and rebuild what once was. In Crown Point, things struggled to get back to normal as well. Inglehart remembers the strange quietness he heard while he was outside.

“The most notable thing that I can remember is that when you went outside for the next few days there was nothing. You didn’t hear anything unless it was a fighter aircraft going through in which case you would hear the sonic booms,” Inglehart said. “It was just always the unsure things. There were some anthrax scares, and flights were grounded for three days. It was eerie being outside and not seeing or hearing any of that.”

Following 9/11, people began to spread their own ideas of who had orchestrated the attacks, and people called for

wars against countries who were not even involved. Still 15 years later, Inglehart confirms how vital it is to have accurate information when dealing with historic events.

Freshman Jacob Ronning was not yet born during the attacks of 9/11, but he does not feel as though he is at a disadvantage. He believes that he has more knowledge of the event because he has learned only the factual evidence instead of the chaotic rumors that were spread immediately following the attack.

“I think we actually have more information now that we saw everything happen and so before it came out of nowhere and was kind of a shock,” Ronning said.

Years later, the lives lost in those attacks may linger in the minds of all as they plan to go through an airport and go through security to enter a building. Wise says in the midst of the sorrow, Americans were able to become a stronger nation as a whole.

“Those who lost their lives on that day started that day as any other day and others died as heroes trying to save others without regard for themselves. This was an act of mad men who felt that killing innocent people was an answer to their beliefs,” Wise said. “All they did was strengthen our resolve as a country and my feeling to this day is I’m proud to be an American and proud of who we are as a country and a caring nature of all of us.”

PHOTO BY ALLY REKITZKE

People laid flowers at a memorial for the victims of the 9/11 attacks. A church service was held at Methodist Church in honor of those lost.

school changes continued from p.1 Accommodating the grade-specific needs of students is not the only motive behind the changes of this year. The entirety of the school is now participating in CP 2.0, and Petit contributes this fact to the Media Center’s upgrade, known as the Learning Commons.

“The needs of students have changed dramatically in the last 10 years. Primarily, this has been due to the 24-hour online capabilities that we now have at our fingertips,” Petit said. “Ten years ago, the Media Center was a place where students were checking out books, using the computer lab and conducting research in print form. We still want students to be able to check-out books, but we need to serve their other needs.”

While books and magazines can still be checked out from the Learning Commons, the goal of the space is to provide students with an area to collaborate and work with one another. Faculty members have made this possible through creating new areas in the space.

A darker area is furnished by lawn chairs, lamps and end tables which were created by industrial technology teacher Ed Topp. A more comfortable area is located near the windows of the Learning Commons with couches and bean bag chairs. Finally, there is a collaboration station with movable chairs and tables near a flat screen T.V. which students and teachers can connect their devices to. Tables and chairs of various heights are located throughout the Commons to further encourage interaction between students.

Junior Emma Baker feels that the new

views on news

Brianna Patrick sophomore

Indiana’s unemployment fell to 4.5% in August, which is lower than the national average of 4.9%.

According to Indiana Secretary of Commerce Victor Smith, over 150,000 people have been hired since January. Indiana businesses have added over 5,600 jobs according Bureau of Labor Statistics report.

‘‘

I think this is a good thing because it would lower the unemployment rate, and it shows that more people are going out and getting jobs.

Blake Osborn freshman

A fatal police shooting of an armed black man sparked violent protests in Charlotte, NC. During the protests, 16 officers suffered non-life threatening injuries.

Protesters looted several semi trailers, smashed a police van and blocked traffic on a highway.

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World

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I think it’s nice because we don’t have a lot of hardware stores around here and kids can work so they can make money.

of easily accessible passes. Some students, like Voss, find this change to be more of a hassle than a convenience.

“It’s so much of a hassle to go to a teacher before so you can get a pass to go see them when you could just sign a passbook. I think we should bring back the agenda books,” Voss said.

Though the technique may seem outdated, teachers providing individual passes for students may make a more efficient pass system possible. According to Petit, administrators would like to implement scanners throughout the building in order to make movement throughout the building more efficient.

“We would like … to make it easier for students to check-in and check-out. For example, if a student comes to school late, we would have them ‘scan-in’ to a computerized system that would sync with our attendance program rather than waiting in line to get a pass to class,” Petit said. “It would work the same way when students leave the building prior to the end of the school day.

We’re definitely looking at different ways to make student movement throughout the building more efficient.”

Overall, school changes every year.

According to Gianfermi, every year has its own life, and while seniors may recognize these changes more than underclassmen, they are made to benefit all students.

Though seniors may not be walking across the stage of the Star Plaza to accept their diplomas, as stated by Ramirez, the spirit and integrity of the ceremony will be present no matter its location.

Student reaction to events in our world

State

A True Value hardware store has officially opened its doors in Crown Point at 200 Franciscan Drive. The 12,000 square ft. space is adjacent to Strack & Van Til used to house Walgreens pharmacy until it was relocated. True Value has more than 4,500 stores worldwide.

environment provides various spaces that are beneficial to students’ needs.

“I like how there’s a lounge area for the students who just want to chill, but it is also good for the students who want to use the library for learning purposes. Overall, I think it is very versatile and benefits a lot of different students,” Baker said.

While the Learning Commons is geared towards student interaction, it maintains qualities many perceive as necessary for school work, such as research books and quiet areas for testing and studying. Media Specialist Julie Woodburn hopes to encourage students and teachers alike to utilize all the Learning Commons has to offer.

“What we really want to do is encourage kids to come down here from study hall and work. It’s a great space,” Woodburn said. “The Wi-Fi here is great too. Some classes that have been struggling (with Wi-Fi) have come down and worked here.

Teachers are welcome to sign up and bring classes in here all day long.”

The change in the Media Center is not the only shift that has been accredited to the school wide use of devices. The agenda book has gone virtual, which according to Gianfermi, was made possible through all students carrying devices.

“Since everyone had a device, it made sense to go with an electronic format for (the handbook), which allows us more time to check that it’s correct and ... up to date,” Gianfermi said.

The removal of the physical handbook means that students no longer have a place provided for them to record daily assignments, which also led to the elimination

Nation

In addition, Principal of Freshman and Sophomore Students Mark Gianfermi hopes the new offices will provide students with easier access to all needs they may have, whether it be a guidance counselor, administrator or secretary. Both Maginot and sophomore Jimmy Voss find the change a pleasant one that will bring more organization to the school, but some find it to be a tedious one. The split in offices caused for a switch in guidance counselors for some students, and junior Nick Ryan was affected by this change.

“I don’t necessarily care for the new guidance offices. It’s nice that they split up the 9th and 10th grade to one end and 11th and 12th grade to the other end, but some of the guidance counselors got switched around. I’m not too fond of that because I lost my guidance counselor. I was really close with her,” Ryan said.

Though there have been switches in counselors, Counselor of Junior and Senior Students Lauren Sandor believes the changes will ultimately benefit students.

The counselors who are designated to each office split the alphabet in three portions and are each responsible for a section of students. Sandor believes that having only two grades to focus on will enhance counselor’s abilities to help all students.

“I think sometimes some kids get lost in the shuffle because we’re so busy down here in Guidance. When you’re just focusing on a couple different grades, yes you have more students that are in those specific grades, but I think it’s easier for us to hone in on the certain things we need to hit hard with you guys,” Sandor said.

The United States has accused Russia of bombing an Aid Red Crescent; Red Crescent reported 20 people were killed.

The United Nations halted all ongoing and future aid operations in Syria.

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I don’t think that they should be accusing Russia of bombing and jumping to conclusions.

It is just too easy to get guns, and it needs to stop because it’s all very unfortunate.

Griffin Govert senior

Sienna Gentry junior

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Crown Point lacks mental health resources

BY JEREMY DEBOULD Reporter

In a country seemingly synonymous with mass shootings by what the government describes as “sociopathic” killers, it only makes sense that there would be an adequate mental health system in place to prevent such incidents. In the United States, over 100 million people have access to firearms, it only makes sense that the over 40 million people with mental health disorders would have access to sufficient emergency medical care.

It might be surprising to find out the United States has a crippled system for providing resources, primarily emergency psychiatric care, to those with mental health disorders. In fact, there is not a psychiatric ward in Crown Point; patients who present a serious harm to themselves or others have no adequate treatment facilities in the hub of Lake County. Patients taken to either Saint Anthony’s, which has the only emergency room in Crown Point, requiring emergency psychiatric help will have to be sent to a hospital with a psychiatric ward in a neighboring town.

A court order in the state of Indiana can confine someone to an emergency receiving facility, like Saint Anthony’s, for 72 hours. When a patient is ordered to be confined to a psychiatric ward by a judge because they are presenting homicidal or suicidal behaviors, a mad rush is started.

In this mad rush doctors must diagnose the patient with the proper mental disorder, if not already diagnosed, then they find help for the patient before they are released from the stay.

If they are not able to find a psychiatric ward for the patient to be transported to after the 72 hours, the patient is released, often without help or proper medications afterwards. This task is made exceedingly difficult by the fact that at any given time, most psychiatric wards are at, or are over, maximum capacity.

It’s hard to watch anyone close to you suffer any illness, but it can be excruciating when help is seemingly non-existent.

Having more resources offered to those with serious mental illnesses both locally and nationally could prevent people from harming themselves or others. This is not a crisis that can be ignored, or will go away, it is only becoming more prevalent.

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I guess I’ll just use this as a pass...

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“Should the school provide printed agenda books?”

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iew: Lack of agenda books creates inconvience

Nobody knew it at the time, but the 2015-2016 school year was the last for agenda books. The agenda book has been abandoned and replaced with an online version. Not a single handbook was printed, distributed or sold this year.

Agenda books have been a valuable asset to many students’ book bags since anyone can remember. Now that agenda books are gone, there is a lack of organizational tools offered to students through the school. While the primary purpose of the agenda book was for students to have a hard copy of the handbook, the true benefit of the book was the addition of the daily planner.

The agenda books were the swiss army knife of student information, encompassing an agenda, passes, bell schedule, rules, graduation requirements and a calendar of school and sports events. Being able to find what you need in a tangible form proved invaluable to many.

Though some students ignored the benefits of the book, a majority reaped them. It’s unfair to take away a resource many students considered vital to organizing their day, leaving many students to go out and buy their own.

Despite many of the resources being offered online, they lack convenience. Going online to check the schedule takes about a minute if there is a good connection to the internet. It takes about two minutes to find an adequate sport schedule. Both resources were offered in the agenda book which provided a sense of convenience all students need when dealing with the stresses of school.

The books not only held information on the current school year, but it also contained information regarding students’ future aspirations.

Students could easily check if they were on track for their desired diploma, whether it be Core 40, Academic Honors, or Technical Honors.

Passes were signed out by teachers in the back of the book. Now, teachers have to handwrite little pink slips for passes or create their own. Teachers have the responsibility of writing out the pass and not the student. This takes time out of a teacher’s lesson to stop, write a pass and then continue on.

Instead of completely discontinuing the handbooks, it would be beneficial to many students to offer the opportunity to purchase agenda books through the school. The agenda book was more than just a book, it was our all inclusive, hand-held guide to CPHS.

editorial

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Vol. 81 Issue 1 Sept.30, 2016 1500 S. Main St. Crown Point, IN 46307 219-663-4885 ex. 11349 fax 219-662-5663 inklings@cps.k12.in.us online: www2.cps.k12.in.us/inklings

co-editors-in-chief Jackie Ham Maria Leontaras editor-at-large N GG SS LL II N Jill Kidder Crown Point High School, IN associate editors Inklings is a student publication created by the newspaper and advanced Ally Rekitzke journalism students and distributed monthly to students, faculty and staff of Abby Sobek Crown Point High School. Opinions do not necessarily reflect those of CPHS feature editor faculty, staff or administration.

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

Jill Kidder Advertising is subject to applicable rates available by contacting Inklings. sports editor Inklings has been recognized as an Indiana High School Press Association Hoosier Star, National Scholastic Press Association Pacemaker, Columbia Dominic Tomich Scholastic Press Association Silver Crown, and Quill and Scroll George H. Gallup assistant sports publication. editors

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Chris Garman

CARTOON BY DESTINY KOGLER

freshman

“Yes, because it is easier to remember stuff that is written on paper. Stuff that is said instead of written is harder to remember.”

Madalyn Wallis sophomore

“Yes, because written agendas help kids stay organized and helps them know what homework and tests are coming up”.

Ryan Bolda junior

“Yes, because I used the agenda all the time and it allows people to stay organized.”

Savannah Harris senior

“Yes, because they are more convenient than the agendas on the computer, and they include a page for passes.”

Yousef Abdeldaiem Matt McConnell design editor Grace Cleland chief photographers Jill Kidder Ally Rekitzke art director Abby Sobek artist Destiny Kogler advertising editor Audrey Gacsy staff Jessi Alcorta-Robles

Lindsey Baeza Tabitha Beishuizen Jeremy DeBold Kiersten Hardy Andrea John Destiny Kogler Demetri Massow Kaitlyn Penkala Ashley Rekitzke Kira Schuelka Morgan Taylor Henry Withrow Jon Wolwark adviser Julie Elston

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Should online texts replace printed books?

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Do what makes you happy

Internet

ERROR OK

BY ALLY REKITZKE co-associate editor

Pro:

Con:

CARTOON BY ABBY SOBEK

Online textbooks give backpacks less luggage and make it easier to carry

Online textbooks are unreliable due to technological and internet difficulties

reporter

reporter

BY DESTINY KOGLER

BY JON WOLWARK

Getting home after school and dropping the heavy backpack weighed down with thick Advanced Placement textbooks, countless notebooks and folders causes a loud thud to echo through the house. A majority of AP classes have a textbook to take home for studying. Sometimes the teachers require students to bring their books back to class for notes or homework. With all the other school supplies filling space in a backpack, the extra weight of a book is highly inconvenient. Online textbooks are a positive alternative to these books.

Online textbooks add no extra weight to the backpack and makes the textbook a lot more accessible. Sometimes a student may not remember to take their book to school one day. With online books, the book is with the student whenever they have internet connection. Following that, there is no anxiety of ruining the book since it would be all online.

Online textbooks may be a powerful studying tool as well. With conventional textbooks, students are not allowed to highlight or underline pages as a memory tool, unless they own the book themselves. With some online books, it has a feature that allows students to actually bookmark the pages and highlight them. Although some students would get annoyed with constantly flipping between tabs or scrolling to read a page on the textbook or assignment, online textbooks are a smarter alternative to physical textbooks.

Online textbooks overpower conventional textbooks in many ways. They are overall more convenient because while a physical book is heavy, the online counterpart is far more lightweight. The light needs to be just perfect so eye-strain does not happen, but with an online book, the brightness is always adjustable to prevent harming tired eyes.

With the world evolving and becoming more technologically advanced, online books are quickly becoming the better alternative.

Online books save space, are efficient and overall a better alternative to the outdated conventional books.

Students can just pop open their computers for an immediate answer on their homework, but this is only true when the internet connection is reliable. Unfortunately, there are poor internet connections at the high school due to the hundreds of students and teachers on the wifi all at once. Online books are now available to be used on Chromebooks, but it is not the best way to get work accomplished.

It could be really helpful to some to highlight and click on a bunch of big words to define on an online book, but there was nothing wrong with the way looking up information used to be done. Just writing important details down in handy-dandy notebooks is just as helpful as what online textbooks can do. Technology makes lives better because it is easily accessible. Does that mean schools and students have to rely on technology every time an assignment is completed?

Power outages and poor internet connections are things that cannot be controlled by schools. Unfortunate events occur all the time, and it would be a shame to not get homework done. Relying on tools available online too often can cause assignments to turn up missing or not even work. Whereas with a normal textbook, it is not rocket science to flip some pages.

There was never anything wrong with normal conventional textbooks. It still holds the same information, just not digitally.

Schools do not need to transition away from textbooks in order to do homework. School work could be done the “old fashioned way” by being referred to a normal textbook.

In conclusion, students should use regular textbooks instead of online. Normal hand-held textbooks are just as good as the online books. Although it is quite useful to use online books, there are many cons with it as well. Hardcover textbooks are more beneficial because they can be accessed anywhere at any time. The good part about normal textbook is not having to worry about them running out of battery.

7 Inklings staffers agree

16 Inklings staffers agree

Sarah Weitbrock

Latin teacher

Austin Atheron

“When you’re using the laptop a lot and reading over and over, you don’t gain as much information back than a normal textbook and you’re also prone to more distractions.”

“I mostly prefer online… There is so much more interactive things you can do, like, our online latin book you can click on stuff, and there are activities, and on the paper one you cannot do that.”

Zach Hoover

study hall supervisor

senior

“I prefer online textbooks because the regular textbook are too heavy, and my backpack is already heavy as is.”

Jenna Roberson

sophomore

“I think regular textbooks help me better because I get to see it clearly and the online textbooks are really hard to read.”

At this point in our lives, being happy is key to leading a successful life down the road.

If you’re not happy right now with the person you are and how you’re living life, then something needs to change.

The key to achieving happiness is doing what you enjoy and being surrounded with good people.

Be adventurous and get that tattoo you’ve been obsessing over for ages, but I ask you to please make sure it has got some sort of meaning. That’s permanent. Have a parent’s signature if you’re under 18.

Color your hair lavender and rock it down the halls while people stare in awe. Wear a funky patterned shirt because it compliments your eyes.

And when you do something that makes you happy, it doesn’t matter if others don’t care for it because you like it, and it brings you joy.

Doing things you don’t enjoy for others’ acceptance won’t make your life fulfilling. If it doesn’t bring you joy, don’t do it.

Drop out of the sport that you used to love but don’t anymore. Tell your parents that you don’t enjoy it anymore and be done with it. Don’t continue watching a show that you hate because your friends are watching it. Leave the person that continually puts you down and makes you feel bad.

Don’t be afraid of doing things you enjoy either out of fear of judgement.

Belt out One Direction in the car parking lot even though bystanders are giving you weird looks. Skip down the halls with your best friend, giggling, as others stare at you both. Have a dance party in the middle of an open doorway as family members stop by. In the moment, you may worry what others are thinking, but when you look back at it, you’ll remember being so happy.

I’ve struggled to find happiness these past few years, and I’ve realized that no matter what you’re doing if you’re happy, stick with it.

I’ve exchanged the toxic people in my life for others that were good for me, and it made me feel better than before. By putting more time into friends that I love, it helped me find happiness. I quit pitching in softball because it felt more like a chore than fun, but I recently picked it up again and found it more enjoyable. I colored my hair pink. A lot of family members did not like it, but I loved it.

Be happy in your life. If being with someone makes you happy, be with them. It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks or what someone wants you to do. If you aren’t happy doing it, don’t do it. So do all the weird things you like and don’t worry what anyone else thinks as long as it brings you joy.

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experiencing a different perspective

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY ALLISON HERKEY PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JEREMY DEBOLD, JILL KIDDER

The internet allows people from all over the country to become friends through social media. Sophomore Allison Herkey met her friend Elisabeth online two years ago. Even though it has worked out for Herky, there are still dangers involving internet connection. Officer Milan Domjanovic warns students of the dangers that online encounters may consist of.

Internet provides new gateway for friendships

BY ALEXIA WOJCIECHOWSKI feature editor

According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a friend is defined as one attached to another by affection or esteem.

The traditional view of a friend is someone whom one spends time with in real life. With new ways to communicate with people online, like social media, it is easier to make friends online than ever before.

Some students, like sophomore Allison Herkey, are challenging the definition of friendship and creating new ones online. Students are now able to expand their friendships to those all over the country.

Herkey met her online friend Elisabeth over two years ago; Herkey says that even though she lives in Virginia, they are very similar.

“We first bonded over a famous YouTuber, Matthew Espinosa. We started off just talking about YouTubers and things like that, but we instantly clicked,” Herkey said. “We are literally like the same person. It is crazy how someone so far away can be so much like me.”

Herkey’s parents were wary of the idea of an internet friend. After some convincing, Herkey and her parents came to an understanding.

“My parents at first thought having an online friend was crazy,” Herkey said. “Once they realized how much she meant to me, they began to understand that she was a real person and not a fake,” Herkey said. “My parents ended up talking to her and her mom through FaceTime and text messages.”

To keep in contact, Herkey and her friend had to think of ways to stay close.

“Because Elisabeth and I live so far apart, we can’t talk like regular friends,” Herkey said. “To keep in contact, we

By

The

#

PHOTO PROVIDED BY ALLISON HERKEY

Herkey hugs her friend goodbye as she gets ready to board her flight back home.

FaceTime, Snapchat and text all the time.”

Internet friends can live thousands of miles apart, and while some travel, others keep their friendship over the web. Over the summer Herkey traveled to meet her online friend in Virginia.

“I finally worked up the money for my mom and I to fly to Virginia. It wasn’t cheap, but it was well worth it. It was the best experience of my life, and I will never forget it,” Herkey said.

Like Herkey, sophomore Alex Johnson met his friend Tanner online only seven months ago. They met on the social media app Musical.ly.

Internet friendships can work best when the friends

57%

1-in-5 teens have met an online friend in person.

of teens have an online friend.

statistics provided by http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/08/06/teens-technology-and-friendships/

share interests just like in any regular friendship.

“We are good friends because we have a lot in common and get along well. We even both love Disney movies,” Johnson said. “Our friendship is unique because we are so alike but live so far away from each other.”

Johnson and his friend found different ways of communicating with each other since they cannot communicate in real life. Like Herkey and Elisabeth, Johnson and Tanner have found the best ways to communicate are text, FaceTime, and Snapchat.

Although the internet allows people to create online friendships, it can still be very dangerous. Director of Security Milan Damjanovic says students should be aware of these dangers.

“When you meet someone online, you do not know who they really are,” Damjanovic said. “Find out their name, school and any other information that will help you confirm they are who they say they are.”

Even though having an online friend can be fun, Damjanovic says having an online friend can be very dangerous.

“The biggest thing to be careful of is if someone asks for your address or a personal picture because they now have the ability to find you. This should set off a trigger that this person may be a predator,” Damjanovic said.

Having online friendships can lead to the discussion of meeting in real life. A safe way to meet them in real life, according to Damjanovic, is to have your parents talk to theirs.

Online friendships are one of this generation’s additions to social relationships, and they allow people to connect.

“She is a huge part of my life, and I see us being best friends forever,” Herkey said. “Our dream is to go to college together and eventually live, if not together, very close.”

3-in-5 61% teens ages 15 to 17 have met a friend online.

of boys are more likely to make an online friend than girls.

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New Beginnings

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School welcomes 16 new faculty members

BY KIERSTEN HARDY AUDREY GACSY reporter advertising editor

Nick Bruno Physical Education Indiana State University

Aaron Carter English/Language Arts Illinois Wesleyan University

New beginnings can be intimidating, especially when they are located in a public high school of nearly 3000 students. Freshmen and new students are not the only ones with that feeling. Teachers find new adventures daring as well.

Catherine Mazeikas teaches the medically based courses called Project Lead The Way, which consists of Human Body Systems and Medical Intervention. She left Munster High School after teaching there for eight years before coming to teach here this year.

“I moved to Crown Point High School to get a completely new perspective on teaching than what I was used to. I wanted to discover even more ways of learning, and I felt that to grow as an educator. I needed to try out a new environment,” Mazeikas said.

Like Mazeikas switched schools, she also switched her career path at a young age from a doctor to a teacher.

“My parents bought me a stethoscope when I was a kid.

They thought I was going to be a doctor, but I had other plans,” Mazeikas said. “I found myself naturally going towards teaching. My high school counselor, who passed away my sophomore year, suggested education as a path for me, and it stuck.”

Mazeikas has found the new experience both refreshing and surprising. However, her goals and motivations are still the same in her career.

“The students here are very much the same: same goals, same attitudes, same interactions. They’ve all been very respectful,” Mazeikas said. “There is, however, an extremely different setup here. Now, I have my very own lab area in my own classroom. At Munster, there was a shared lab room used by all of the science department.”

Junior Brittany Fuller has Mazeikas this school year as

Pheoinica Green

Tara Kostoff

Sarah Mayer

Western Michigan University

Purdue Calumet/ Chicago State University

Special Needs

Special Needs

Gabby Raspopovich Peter Setnicker

her Human Body Systems teacher. Fuller feels like having a teacher new to the school system has changed her outlook on learning styles.

“Having a new teacher compared to a teacher that has worked at our school before is so different. You don’t get the inside scoop on how the class is going to go, and you aren’t able to get your peer’s opinions of the teacher beforehand,” Fuller said.

Fuller has found that regardless of previous experience teaching elsewhere, Mazeikas has done a remarkable job.

“Miss Mazeikas gives us activities that allow us to learn the new material in constructive ways, which helps a lot in understanding what she is teaching,” Fuller said. “I like that she gives us these activities because it makes learning new things not so stressful and actually really interesting.”

It is Physical Education teacher Blake Yeager’s first year teaching in the district. However it is not his first time here. Yeager was a student at CPHS for his four years of high school.

“When I went to college, I always knew that I wanted to come back. I really enjoyed being here in high school. It was one of my favorite times,” Yeager said.

Yeager is a swim coach and a former swimmer. He swam with some of the seniors and knows siblings of current swimmers.

“They still view me as the swimmer and not the coach,” Yeager said. “After this year, I won’t have to deal with that as much. I was never a great student, but I always excelled in PE.” After leaving Crown Point for college at South Dakota State University and teaching for one year at New Castle Middle School, he understood how much Crown Point offered its students.

“You don’t really realize what you have until you don’t have it, and Crown Point shows you that you can have anything you ask for,” Yeager said. “Some colleges don’t even have what we have here.”

Catherine Mazekis Kristiana Ochman

Purdue University West Lafatteye

Amelia Claus French and Mathematics

Olivet Nazarene University

Carrie Quinn

Guidance Counselor

Ball State University

Indiana State University

Purdue Calumet

Indiana University

Megan Spurgeon

Tori Welker

Bill Woods

Blake Yeager

Special Needs

Special Needs

Special Needs

St. Joesph’s College

Purdue Calumet/ Indiana University Northwest

Indiana State University

Indiana University

about the new staff

German

Biology Education

Special Needs

Physical Education

Teaching facts

Candis Carey

5

Out of State College Attendees

11

In State College Attendees

Art

Music

Physical Education

Michigan State University

South Dakota State University

6

Degrees in Special Education

5:11 Male to Female Ratio

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PHOTO PROVIDED BY SARAH HUSSEIN

Sophomore Sarah Hussein captures the serenity and natural beauty of Egypt’s beaches.

Summer Travels

Students travel overseas for summer

BY GRACE CLELAND design editor

Plane after plane. Hour after hour.

White fluffy clouds that hold the ability to cause turbulence up ahead. Summer thrills racing through the mind of what to do when the plane lands.

Students take multiple weeks to their whole summer vacation to travel overseas to their ancestral countries. While there, they usually spend time visiting people they have not seen in awhile.

Cousins Suzi and Kostadin Karamacoski, a junior and senior respectively, traveled together to Macedonia to spend time with their relatives and close friends. Sophomore Sarah Hussein went to Egypt for the 10th time to visit her family, while Afan Atif, a sophomore, went to Pakistan to see his extended family.

“My trips usually last about two months. In that time, I’m constantly visiting people I haven’t seen in years,” Kostadin said. “Two months may seem like a really long time, but it’s not enough to visit all of my family while trying to enjoy (my) vacation.”

In Crown Point, most cafes and restaurants close around 9 to 10 p.m. However, places visitable for adults in the United

States are open much later into the night.

“Over (in Macedonia) people don’t go out until 11 or 12 p.m. People are out all night. It could be 3 a.m. and people are still sitting at cafes talking and drinking,” Suzi said.

With major time differences between the U.S. and countries across the ocean, it can be a struggle to maintain a normal sleep schedule. Jet lag may have no influence on a person’s sleep schedule or disrupt their sleep patterns incredibly.

“Once I got home, it was the middle of the day in Chicago, and it was the middle of the night in Macedonia. All I wanted to do was sleep. For a few days, I was going to bed at 7 p.m. and waking up at 4 or 5 a.m. naturally,” Suzi said.

All cities are different in their own ways. According to Suzi and Atif, their countries have easily accessible mountains, beaches and other sights people in Crown Point may have to travel far to see.

“It is very crowded over there, and everyone knows each other. It makes you feel very safe, so you’re not disconnected from anything,” Hussein said.

Different countries call for different atmospheres and environments. Traveling outside of the U.S. can allow for a plethora

PHOTO PROVIDED BY KOSTADIN KARAMACOSKI

While visiting family in Macedonia, senior Kostadin Karamacoski stands tall on a tree.

of eye opening sights. According to Hussein, she would shop at the Cairo Festival, which is a mall filled with a lot of American stores. “(In Pakistan) there are camels, palm trees and coconuts. You can go up north, and there’s a lot of mountains. Then there’s the ocean down south. It is much hotter over there, and where I live, it reaches like 115 degrees on a daily basis,” Atif said.

The thought of finding wifi in a foreign country may seem difficult to some, and in most cases it is, like Atif’s in Pakistan. Some students, like Suzi, find ways to stay connected with relatives and friends back home.

“I usually feel pretty connected. I’m al-

There’s always that

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ways with my cousins over there, so I’m not really missing much family. However, this past summer, my parents did not come with my sisters and me, so I was missing them a lot,” Suzi said. “Along with my parents, I missed my friends from home too much.

Although thanks to social media and texting, I was talking to them every day.”

The importance of seeing extended family means a lot to some students. Keeping in touch with long distance family members can be significant some people’s’ lives’ whether it be to stay informed or to continue having a close knit family. According to Suzi, it is important for her to see her extended family and to learn more about her culture.

Last Chance!

There are just a few extra copies left of the 2015-2016 yearbook for $75.

This was the historic 100th anniversary edition.

Bring a check payable to CPHS Excalibur to the Main Office or E107.

Order online through the link on the CPHS website or bring a check payable to CPHS Excalibur to the Main Office or E107.

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Gamers participate in tournaments for various prizes

BY ALLY REKITZKE

Smashboards,” Swope said. “You can go on there and search (for tournaments nearby) by putting in your area code, and it’ll bring up a list of local areas where you can go and play in tournaments.”

Tournaments usually have prizes such as money or even custom game controllers depending on how many people attending the event.

“I’ve won money, but you can also do what’s called a money match which is basically a side bet you make with another player and do a private match,” Shimkus said.

Going to competitions evokes a range of emotions in some players because of the atmosphere and environment.

“It’s very exciting, and I love it. When I go to bigger tournaments, I’ve went to some in Chicago with top players in the world, I get really nervous.,” Shimkus said. “When I start playing, it kind of all goes away, and I become more confident.”

There are various ways to get involved in competitively gaming without competing before one is comfortable according to Shimkus.

“Other students can get involved by just playing casually and just getting into the scene or maybe they can start a Smash Brothers club,” Shimkus said.

When one is ready to compete, Swope encourages gamers who enjoy playing games and are interested in playing competitively to try and compete in tournaments.

“Your first competition, you’ll probably do really, really bad at it. You’ll go and get destroyed so have a positive mindset. Come back when you’ve practice and have everything down,” Swope said.

“Also, if you get stuck with something and don’t know how to figure it out, if you just Youtube it, things can come up and help you. If you’re struggling, you can just Youtube it, and a hundred videos trying to teach you how to do it.”

co-associate editor

Game systems hooked into TVs are scattered across the room.

Chairs filled by game lovers sit in front of the screens practicing their skills before the big tournament starts. Then the real gaming happens.

Competitive gaming is an organized multiplayer video game competition where players compete for titles.

“Competitive gaming, also known as eSports, is when professional players play on a team to make money, but there are also local scenes that kids can get into for fun,” senior Sam Swope said.

At tournaments, players can play a variety of games from first person shooters, fighting games, multiplayer online battle arenas and strategy games. Swope has been playing games competitively since his freshman year.

“I’ve always been into gaming as a kid, and around freshman year, I went on YouTube suggestions page and saw a competitive Smash Bros tournament. That was my favorite game as a kid, so I started to watch the video. I got interested in it, and it became my passion,” Swope said.

Junior Braeden Shimkus has been competing for a little over a year after getting a Super Smash Brothers game during Christmas.

He has won a few local tournaments.

“I started playing the game casually when I got it for Christmas. But then my cousin wanted to host a tournament with his friends, and I loved it,” Shimkus said.

Depending on game interests, tournaments can be found by searching different games online, websites devoted to specific games or social media.

“There are multiple websites devoted towards different types of games that you want to play like for Smash Bros. There are

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Rankings provided by http://www.sittingeagles.eu/the-most-popular-esportgames/

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EARLY OCTOBER

FALL

COUNTY LINE APPLE ORCHARD

FUN

200 S. County Line road, Hobart, IN 10,000 apple trees with over 30 varieties $1.79 per pound of U-Pick Apples $1 General Admission

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LATE OCTOBER PHOTO BY ALLY REKITZKE

Seniors Max Jenks and Bridgette Bazin search for apples at County Line Orchard which offers various flavors of apples.

Seasonal change brings new adventures

BY LINDSEY BAEZA TABITHA BEISHUIZEN reporters

CLOWN POINT SMASH & DASH 5K

As the seasons shift, the vivid images of falling leaves, children trickor-treating and pumpkin patches come to mind. These picturesque scenes may sound like one from a postcard, but they can be seen right here in Northwest Indiana.

Apples and pumpkins are coming into season and are ready to be picked. County Line Apple Orchard offers apple picking, a corn maze, gift shop souvenirs and food items such as their traditional apple and pumpkin donuts.

“County Line has a lot of different activities to do for whatever you are in the mood for,” sophomore Josh Boudreau said.

Kregel’s is a local pumpkin patch where people can not only pick

Lake County Fairgrounds Oct. 21 @ 7 p.m. $20 for the first 100 runners $10 Shirt (not including entry fee) various awards given

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pumpkins but also slingshot them at a target in a slingshot challenge. It includes a farmers market, hayride and petting zoo. Kregel’s opened Sept. 24 and will remain open throughout the fall season.

For some, Haunted houses are a staple for Halloween. Criminally Insane is one hosted in the Old Lake County Jail.

“It was a thrilling experience because you didn’t know what was going to happen next. It’s also very convenient because of how local it is,” sophomore Madison Allen said, having visited last year.

Another popular haunted house in the area is Amhurst Asylum. With it only being a slightly longer drive than Criminally Insane, some people believe it is more of an adrenaline rush.

“I liked Amhurst better because

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it was longer and there was different scares in it,” said junior Madison Haas. “I felt like the jail house has all of the same things over and over again. Whereas Amhurst you go into different rooms and there’s different actors and just different stuff to scare you.”

The Clown Point Smash and Dash 5k will be held at the Lake County Fairgrounds on Oct. 21. Participants will have the opportunity to run a course that has clowns scattered along the path while dressed in their Halloween costumes. Afterwards, there will be a pumpkin smash, refreshments and music.

“I’ve never been to the Smash and Dash, but it sounds cool,” senior Nicky Waran said. “If you’re afraid of clowns, I wouldn’t do it, but I think it would be pretty fun It’s like a childhood dream come true.”

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After so many close loses, we are looking to bounce back with this week. LaPorte is ranked top ten in the state, so we will defiently enjoy the challenge.

- senior Donald Schuch

‘‘

STRONG SISTERHOOD PHOTO BY JON WOLWORK

Morgan Chacon, Savana Chacon and Alaina Chacon (left to right) started playing when Alaina tried out for the middle school team in seventh grade. She influenced them to take up the sport.

Chacons merge teamwork, family on court

BY YOUSEF ABDELDAIEM co-assistant sports editor

It wasn’t like other cliche beginnings.

The start of Alaina, Morgan, and Savana Chacon’s volleyball careers didn’t involve starting at a young age.

There were no big dreams, no family legacies. Senior Alaina Chacon was not born into the sport, rather, she was the first in her family to take it up. “In seventh grade, a lot of my friends were trying out for the (volleyball) team and I had just recently quit a sport, so I just went to try out and see if I could make the team” the senior outside hitter said.

She did, and just like that, the story started.

Seeing her older sister begin to play is what gave Morgan the push to follow. If it wasn’t for that, she may not be playing the sport which she now loves today.

“I’ve always been in a ton of sports since I was young.

Then Alaina started volleyball in middle school and I kind of just went off of her,” Morgan said. “After that, I quit all of the other sports because volleyball was the only sport that I was always happy playing.”

Savana’s start is similar to Morgan’s, crediting her eldest sister for giving her the spark she needed.

“I didn’t know volleyball was a sport until I saw my

‘‘

I asked what they were doing since I didn’t know volleyball was a sport, and I decided I wanted to play, and that’s where it all started.”

Savana Chacon freshman mom trying to teach Alaina how to bump the ball when she was in seventh grade,” Savana said. “I asked what they were doing since I didn’t know volleyball was a sport, and I decided I wanted to play, and that’s where it all started.”

That’s when the Chacon’s story took a traditional turn.

After realizing school play wasn’t enough, Alaina and Morgan decided to enroll in club volleyball, increasing their practice time to enhance their chances at further success.

“Club volleyball is a little more competitive,” Morgan said. “They take the best players from all around the states, so it definitely helps you improve a little more than playing at school.”

While the team is preparing for its future, Alaina has

already started to prepare for hers. The senior has already committed to playing Division I volleyball at Florida State University, and while her decision to continue her career comes as no surprise, Alaina’s pursuit of beach volleyball drew some attention.

“Even though I’ve been playing indoor for the last three years, I’m a shorter player, so in the indoor world, at a collegiate level, I’m way too short to play my position,” Alaina said. “Also, in beach volleyball you touch the ball every single point, so you’re more involved.”

Although the future is one she said is filled with excitement, Alaina couldn’t help but break into tears at the thought of leaving her sisters behind in high school.

“I’m excited to play at a higher level, but it makes me sad that I won’t be able to experience the times I had with Morgan and Savana,” Alaina said.

Alaina has played in her fair share of high pressure games including the 2016 semi-state championship game.

She feels that this experience will benefit her at the collegiate level.

“Since I have experienced playing in a high school semi-state, I would imagine every collegiate match to be just as intense,” Alaina said. “I look forward to playing at this level and challenging my volleyball ability.”

Volleyball anticipates successful postseason

BY MATT MCCONNELL

co-assisstant sports editor

With depth and talent on their side, the Dogs have not slowed down from their stand out season from last year.

The squad will enforce their ability as the season continues and as they head into the postseason.

“Last year was unreal. We like to rewatch the regional match to see how much intensity we brought to the game.

Going into this years post season we need to bring the same fight,” junior Alex Equihua said. “It’s hard to live up to our accomplishments from last season, but we have the same team this year and our future looks bright. We all want that feeling again, and it’s something we are willing to give 110% for.”

Their will to keep fighting has proven to drive them far in past seasons and will be a main factor in doing the same for the girls this year. However, they continue to stay level headed as they focus in on each and every game.

“Of course we are naturally excited about and looking forward to postseason after what we accomplished last year, but we are also trying to stay humble and take our season one game at a time. We know better than anyone that any team can win or lose,” senior Jessica Yukich said.

Despite that natural winning ability, there are some kinks that need to be worked out before the Dogs hit the post season.

“We really need to work on executing through an entire game. We sometimes have trouble with genuinely enjoying the moment we are in and having energy, so we tend to let teams in at the end of matches,” Yukich said.

Knowing what they need to do to ensure success will play a major key in winning games.

“The talent is there. It is fully based for us to progress later in the state tournament. We have to have momentum, energy, excitement, and we need a big student section,” Coach Duncan said.

With post season around the corner, the girls will need to keep regular DAC matches in mind before it begins.

“We need to focus one game at a time and play at our level no matter who is on the other side of the net. We are focused on doing whatever we can to be CPHS’s first Volleyball DAC Champs,” Equihua said.

With other teams at their heels, the Dogs continue to keep every game in mind.

“Our program has never been in this position before, so it is definitely a new feeling to be the team to beat in a lot of cases. Coach Duncan always tells us ‘Teams are coming after you guys!’ Mostly, the pressure we feel comes from expectations we have for ourselves and our team as a whole. We all know what it feels like to go far, and that is a big motivator for us,” Yukich said.

This motivation will push the Dogs forward in fulfilling their regular and postseason goals. The Dogs play Portage at home on Oct. 4.

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Boys soccer ties East Chicago, aims for postseason win

BY MATT MCCONNELL

assisstant sports editor

Number one singles player Bryce Bonin looks to remain undefeated in his post-season play.

Last night as the newspaper went to press, the team was due to face Lowell in sectionals after a first round bye. Although it was raining, no decision had been made on a delay or postponement.

The winner of the CP-Lowell match would play either Kankakee Valley or Lake Central dependent upon who came victorious in their competition.

“It looks like we are going to have a tough sectional this year. We have two strong teams in our sectional in Lowell and Lake Central,” Bonin said. “If we play our game, we can definitely repeat as sectional champs. We need to work on believing in ourselves when facing any opponent. Our young team just needs to find confidence, and it will lead to our success.”

Mental toughness has been shown to play a major role in getting the win.

While the team held a 6-10 regular season record, they maintain hopes to succeed through a focused mindset.

“We have to make sure we’re playing with a real killer instinct. In the postseason especially, if you let your opponents see you’re pulling your shots, they’re gonna go in for the kill. With the level of talent increasing every round, you can only get more and more intense. If you start to coast, that’s when teams destroy you,” senior Tommy Pawlowski said.

As many of the team leaders from last year graduated, the Dogs have a new squad this year. New roles have to be filled, and these new team leaders are stepping up.

“As a senior, I knew these kids were going to look up to me, and it would be my job to try and push these kids. It was weird, going from always having someone to ask and look to, to having to be that person. But I’d like to think that I met that challenge, and I gave those kids everything they needed to feel comfortable and to, more importantly, increase their tennis skills,” Pawlowski said. “The team is going through some growing pains, but they’re what we expected, and all that matters is we get them out of the way in time for postseason.”

As they look past their young team, the Dogs believe the tournament season is ready for success.

“The post season is looking bright.

We had a bye first round and we feel we got a good draw, and our team is finally clicking together perfectly at the right time, were a scary team when we’re firing on all cylinders,” Pawlowski said.

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BY HENRY WITHROW reporter

PHOTO BY JON WOLWARK Sophomore Zoë Olivares dribbles the ball down the field looking for an open teammate.

Girls soccer prepares to kick off sectionals

BY HENRY WITHROW reporter

The girls soccer team defended its home turf Tuesday in an inner conference battle against the Michigan City Wolves.

The Lady Bulldogs won in a dominating fashion after scoring four goals in the first half and five in the second. The Lady Bulldogs held the Wolves scoreless throughout and won 9-0.

“The girls did a great job and everyone had great opportunities. The seniors did awesome as well. For them to get the opportunity to start together and leave the field together was an important moment for them,” Coach Chris Mikrut said.

The girls finished last season with an 8-8 record and have improved abundantly.

In order to improve off of last year’s season the Lady Bulldogs needed to fill the absence of Malorie Henderlong and other 2015 seniors.

“These new players add a new dimension of talent and energy. Our graduates had a ton of talent and the new players bring another level of energy to the table.

They work very hard and are excited to just be out there and play,” Mikrut said.

After not playing in five years, juniors Paytn Grady and Alicia Pinchok return to the pitch in order to fill the void for the Lady Dogs.

“I am very grateful for an opportunity like this where I come back to soccer so late. I am happy to be able to play on a great team who has been very supportive,” junior Alicia Pinchok said.

After losing in the 2015 sectional championship to Kankakee Valley, Mikrut and the Lady Bulldogs seek vengeance in this year’s sectional against rival Merrillville High School.

“We work great together as a team when we push the ball up the field but we don’t reward ourselves with enough goals,” sophomore goalkeeper Maddie Johnson said. “If we can just push ourselves that extra step further and convert when we have the opportunity, we can be sectional champions for sure.”

The Lady Bulldogs face off against the Merrillville Pirates in round one of sectionals on Oct. 6.

Starting seniors for their final regular season game did not lead the Bulldogs to their desired victory.

The boys soccer team faced the East Chicago Cardinals on Sept. 26. This nonconference battle held at home was a very tough fight for both sides. After a tenacious first half, both teams remained scoreless.

The second half brought a late goal by senior Jeremy Ebbert. The Dogs were up 1-0 until a goal by East Chicago tied the game with nine minutes left. The Bulldogs and Cardinals fought aggressively for the time remaining, but both teams fell short of a game winning goal.

“Other than putting the ball in the back of the net, we played well. We had 16 shots on the goal and only converted once. If we want to move on into the postseason we need to score more than what we have been lately,” Coach Michael Bazin said.

In order for more offensive production, the Dogs have implemented a new system which should bring more opportunities to score.

“We have changed our formation to using three defenders, five midfielders, and two forwards. This will help us have more opportunities for counter attacks,” sophomore Trevor Witte said.

The Bulldogs are now 6-6-2 overall and 2-3-2 at home. The loss of both sophomore Karsen Henderlong and senior Brad Kurtz has affected the team’s record so far, yet the Bulldogs have stepped up recently winning three out of the last five games.

“Everyone has had to step up this season,” senior Boze Spaseski said. “We’ve had to play more as a team, be better leaders and buy into the system this year.”

After graduating 13 seniors and losing sophomore Michael Anderson, Kurtz and Henderlong, the Bulldogs have tried to play to their full extent. Bazin believes the team has the potential to succeed in the postseason.

“We’ve made the best of what we have, and the boys have played very well.

The season has been up and down, but when the players buy into the system, we play amazing,” Bazin said.

In order to go far into the postseason, the Bulldogs need to improve offensively and find the rhythm they’ve been seeking since the beginning of the season.

The Bulldogs are looking to bring additional wins with sectionals approaching at Andrean High School on Oct. 1.

Golf seniors meet final round at regional tournament

BY MARIA LEONTARAS co-editor-in-chief

The varsity girls golf team took their final swings as a high school team on Sept. 24 at the Lafayette Jefferson regional tournament. The team ranked seventh out of the 18 who competed. Only the top three teams and top five individuals not on the top three teams advanced to the state tournament, meaning CP has concluded its season.

Seniors Riliegh Haas, Emily Harvey, Leah Huffine, Laura Mott and Taylor Mrzlock competed at last Saturday’s tournament, making an all-senior varsity team. Even though none of the girls advanced, Huffine played one of her best rounds as her last.

“Personally, I thought I played very well. The front nine, I was on track to play one of the best games of my career. I shot a 41, which is the best I’ve ever done on nine, and it was great. The back nine I kind of didn’t do as well, but I shot an 87 which was good for me,” Huffine said.

She was also able to achieve many personal goals throughout her final season while creating quality friendships with those on the team. This led to a heartening senior night celebration.

“It was a great season. I accomplished a lot of goals,” Huffine said. “It’s a strange feeling (being a senior). Our senior night was really fun. All the underclassmen made us these wonderful gifts. It was really heartwarming.”

Since there were five seniors, which is unusual for the sport. The girls created close friendships through many sesaons of playing with one another, so concluding practices and tournaments was an emotional event for the whole team. Because of this, Haas found the ending of the season to be bittersweet.

“It’s the last time I’m going to play with my other seniors that I’ve been playing with, like Emily. We’ve been playing since seventh grade together,” Haas said. “The night before (regionals) we had our senior night, and (the other girls) gave us little gifts. Everyone was crying and stuff … (Ending the season was) sad but also really happy at the same time because of that.”

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sports september 30, 2016

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Dogs look to take down Slicers

Talks with Tomich

BY DOMINIC TOMICH sports editor

BY DOMINIC TOMICH sports editor

Public protesting brings needed attention to issues Lack of patriotism isn’t something connected with football often considering it’s one of the most American things ever.

There’s not a more patriotic way to kickoff an event than the national anthem itself, and there is nothing more patriotic than the rights granted to all citizens.

Athletes including professional Colin Kapernick and even Pop Warner players have been exercising their First Amendment rights by not standing for the anthem to silently protest injustice.

People are quick to point out flaws surrounding these protests.

Those who say they’re against the protesting should think about the actual meaning behind them and the message athletes are trying to get across. The individuals protesting are enduring hatred and even death threats to make our country a greater, safer place to live.

It is uncomfortable to see something considered disrespectful but it brings necessary public attention and discussion.

Of course, there are alternative ways of protesting, such as remaining in the locker room or even taking up the protest on a platform outside of football.

Then again, if the country seeks a change for the better, these peaceful demonstrations reach a large audience. The message against violence is being heard and discussed everywhere.

Very rarely are controversies solved instantly. The path forward will include overcoming many obstacles. Only through active participation can we confront the daunting challenge of race relations and ultimately put an end to the problems facing our nation.

Being brave enough to take a stand on tough issues the country faces does not mean one doesn’t love this country; in fact, standing up for what is right is one of the country’s ideals.

Rather than viewing it as disrespectful toward those who have served we should recognize the similarities in those willing to fight for what we believe in.

Americans need to understand the difficulties facing our nation are larger than the protests we are witnessing. Through these protests the nation can seek unity.

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After a sluggish 2-4 start to the season, the Dogs are riled up after falling to Valparaiso and have the perfect opportunity for redemption this week. This weeks matchup includes the Dogs traveling to Laporte to face the undefeated Slicers who have been slicing up opposing defenses through their first six games.

“Taking down Laporte would be a great way of boosting our mindset and momentum heading into the postseason. Handing them their first loss on their homecoming would be great for our team,” junior Tyler Jones said.

“We will be playing a good offense Friday night, we need to play mistake free football and the game should be a great one.”

Nothing seems to beat the feeling of winning; however, the team sees past the record and seeks to improve day in and day out.

“For our team the main objective is getting better day to day and we know that’ll translate into wins. No one respects us and we believe we have the opportunity to take home a sectional championship,” senior Grayson Lynk said. “We can compete with all the teams we faced so far and we’re going to continue working hard to improve.”

Having the opportunity to play a state ranked team is not typical, nonetheless the focus remains on the Bulldogs. The only thing the Dogs are worrying about is themselves.

“The goal every day is to go out there and just get better. You need to work extremely hard and reach your potential. The number

PHOTO BY ALLY REKITZKE

Senior Grayson Lynk scrambles towards the sideline against Lake Central. The Dogs won 17-3 to secure a second victory on their senior night.

one thing is to take care of the controllables which is us. If we do that, we feel like we can compete with anyone,” Coach Kevin Enright said.

Previous tough losses have the Bulldogs hungry for wins. The team continues to take the season one Friday night at a time. Coming off a tough 21-7 loss at Valparaiso, the dogs feel they have taken away valuable lessons from these losses.

“The Valparaiso game like all of our other losses continue to point out things we need to further improve. We continue to look back at our losses and build off of our mistakes because we want to play mistake free football for an entire 48 minutes,” Lynk said. “We don’t have time to hang our heads over previous losses because we need to be concentrated on whichever game we have next and right now that is Laporte.”

Girls cross country run into high expectations

BY JON WOLWARK reporter

As they enter the season with a rough start, the girls cross country team continued to train hard and made as towards state qualifiers “We have a couple strong freshman coming in,” head coach Allison Bickel said. “Maddy Russin wa sone of them. She’s done really well for our team and she’s one of our top three runners. So that’s really helpful. If we can all come together as a team come post season, I think we can have a pretty good run at it.”

Senior runner Gabby Graveel has been running cross country all four years of her

high school career. With her best efforts, Graveel ran in the girls varsity elite race with a time of 21:31 at last weekend’s Culver invite.

“Gabby has worked really hard this year.

She has a really good work ethic and as far as ranking goes on the team, she’s sitting around seventh or eighth. She has been racing really well and improving from her injury that occurred during track season last year,” Bickel said.

Despite some trouble from the beginning of their season, Graveel believes that they have improved and are ready for the teams tournament season.

“At the start of the season everyone

showed up to practice determined to to train and perform to their fullest potential. We hit a few minor bumps in the road, but the Crown Point invite uncovered some faults in our teams performance.”

With the season coming to an end for most of the girls, they look to make it to state as a whole and have a successful DAC. “We would love qualify for state as a team,” Bickel said. “If the girls race to their potential I think it’s possible. The teams in our conference that we will be also facing in regionals are good teams and we just need to bring it.”

The team will compete in the DAC Championships on Oct. 1 at Valparaiso.

Boys cross country stays positive into post-season

BY YOUSEF ABDELDAIEM assisstant sports editor

As the regular season has come and gone, the boys cross country team looks to improve going into the postseason.

The Bulldogs competed in the Culver invite on Saturday, September 24th. Although the team did not finish in the top ten, head coach Keith Iddings was still optimistic with their performance.

“The guys did really well. We finished in 13th place in the varsity elite race, and fifth in the freshman sophomore race,” Iddings said.

“The majority of the guys on the team had their best race of the year so it went very well.”

After losing 14 senior runners to graduation including Dylan Wallace and Ryan Kepshire, the team had some big holes to fill. Id-

Should professional athletes be able to protest during the National Anthem? out of 83 students polled

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yes

dings continues to stay optimistic about the future of the team.

“Well those guys had tremendous amount of success for us but every year you have kids who graduate which just opens up opportunities for the younger kids to step in and fill in those spots,” Iddings said. “The guys who we have this year have done a nice job doing the best that they can at all of our meets and I’m excited to see what we can do come tournament time.”

One of these younger runners who stepped up is freshman Geno Christofanelli who finished ahead of any other Crown Point runner at the Culver invite.

“I think I did pretty well. I got 31st place as a freshman in the varsity elite race,” Christofanelli said. “I feel like I did really good but could have done better, there is always room

to improve.”

With the post season right around the corner, the team looks to put themselves in a position to compete with what looks to be a competitive conference.

“Well we’ve been doing a lot of things at practice to try to help us to get ready for it,” Iddings said. “The Duneland conference is extremely competitive, it’s going to be a tough meet, but I think the guys are focus and will do the best that they can.”

Christofanelli shows that he has really bought into the team’s system as he prepares to compete with the team in the DAC meet on Saturday, October 1st.

“I’m going to keep doing what the coach says, train harder, and just run faster,” Christofanelli said.

My moment of the month ...

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“... scoring the game tying goal against Valpo and contributing to sharing the DAC regular season title.”

Junior Paytn Grady

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arts & entertainment september 30, 2016

inreview “Don’t Breathe”

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Netflix original abducts viewers’ attention

BY MORGAN TAYLOR reporter

“Don’t Breathe” is a jawdropping thriller that will make you jump out of your seat. With many shocking scenes, and scream worthy actions, this movie will leave you frightened. A not-soinnocent man turns into a man of pure terror, and it shows throughout the movie.

“Friends don’t lie.”

-Eleven

“Cold Water (feat.

Justin Bieber & MØ)”

by Major Lazer The latest single from Major Lazer, “Cold Water”, combines with Justin Bieber and MØ to make an up-beat, exhilarating song that would cause anyone to make them feel like dancing. The song can get repetitive and quite annoying because of the unoriginal beat that is used in every pop song of the century.

“Unlocking The Truth” Season One MTV’s new show helps citizens of any community that have been put in jail for something that was wrongly accused of doing. The main point of the show will make you feel warm inside, and make you realize the cruel acts law enforcement does to these people. Episodes ending making you curious on what’s next, and what they are about to uncover.

“Me, Earl and The Dying Girl”

by Jesse Andrews The book “Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl” has tragedy, love and humor all wrapped into 336 pages. This may not a be a true story, but the way Jesse Andrews writes about them really makes it seem like they happened in real life.

“Blue Ain’t Your Color”

by Keith Urban Most love songs consists of how the guy will get the girl. But in the song “Blue Ain’t Your Color”, love is described in a whole different way. The artist Keith Urban has written a love song that transforms the way you look and feel about falling in love.

Finding a good science-fiction show can be really difficult after the days of “Twin Peaks” or “The X Files.” This time, Netflix has really outdone itself. “Stranger Things” is a Netflix original series released earlier this July, starring a primarily young cast. The show follows Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) and Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), the show’s main protagonists, in the ‘80s on their trek to find their best friend Will (Noah Schnapp) who was mysteriously abducted. Will’s mother Joyce, played by Winona Ryder, and his brother Jonathan (Charlie Heaton) also go nearly mad trying to find their beloved Will. The characters also have help from the sheriff in finding their friend. On their journey to find Will, they encounter a girl (Millie Bobby Brown), who is named after the eleven tattooed on her wrist, who will turn their lives upside down.

This eight episode series left Netflix-watchers wanting so much more.

The soundtrack is profoundly impeccable, one of the best songs being Peter Gabriel’s rendition of “Heroes” by David Bowie. Only the best and most diverse group of artists are featured in this show.

From Dolly Parton to Joy Division, this soundtrack was fabulous all around.

Sometimes science fiction can be extremely difficult to film because it either comes off as trying too hard or extremely cheesy.

Directors Matt and Ross Duffer did an amazing job with the casting, script and general cinematography. The monster was very well animated and everything looked extremely realistic.

The emotional relationship dynamics between Mike and Eleven were so heartfelt that by the end, all you wanted is the best for each of them. Plus, the friendships between the boys was very reminiscent of strong childhood friendships. This show continued to be riveting and very thought provoking throughout the entirety of the season. Overall, it is one of the most talked about shows of the summer.

Fans have had a very positive response to this and for good reason. Netflix announced that there will be a second season premiering sometime next year. Season two is said to be set a year after the events that take place in season one. The creators have said they would like for the upcoming season to be more like a sequel, implying that it would be more like a second series rather than a continuation of the original story, though some threads of the plot will be continued. It has also been rumored that Eleven, one of the beloved characters, may not be featured in season two which has upset many fans.

“Stranger Things” deserved all of the hype it received. People tend to be apprehensive of science fiction television, but this show surpassed all expectations for great extraterrestrial television. This show has something for everyone including horror, comedy and even some love elements. All TV lovers will find something to love about “Stranger Things.”

Mendes proves himself through “Illuminate”

BY ANDREA JOHN reporter

Many aspiring artists who post on social media want to make it big, but few do. Former Vine star Shawn Mendes, 18, was one of those lucky few and for a good reason. His sweet and modest persona makes him stand out, and tweens and teens alike are attracted to his good boy vibes. His second album, “Illuminate” was released in its entirety Sept. 23.

Singer-songwriter Mendes describes his musical style a mix between John Mayer and Ed Sheeran, and many songs on the album reflect that line of thought. The first song, “Ruin”, was clearly the kind of song that John Mayer would produce. The bluesy undertones further promote the heartbreak about wanting someone but being unsure about how one felt.

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The next two songs on the album did not disappoint. “Mercy”, resembles a heartbreaking ballad with lyrics like “even though you don’t mean to hurt me, you keep tearing me apart” and “ripping all the skin from off my

best tweets

bones”. “Treat You Better” has Mendes promising to treat his love interest better than her last, and one may find themselves humming along the next time it is played.

“Patience” and “Three Empty Words” show a side Mendes could improve on. The lyrics were cute, however lacked passion and confidence. Mendes takes a step back from his usual innocent songwriting with “Lights On” and “Bad Reputation”, proving that with time his music will mature as he and his fans age. Listeners of all ages will find something on “Illuminate”, leaving Mendes in a good position to further develop his already pleasing talent.

It is encouraging that Mendes is not trying to pretend to be anyone else but himself.

This time in his life is an important period for growth and independence, and his next album is sure to be more mature and gritty.

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everyone’s wanting to be homecoming princess but at this point I just want more Alex and Ani bracelets freshman Mia Roy

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Do NOT vote for me please….just let me play 2k without interruption. sophomore Timmy Abbott

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Good songs always come on right when I pull up to my house so I always have to sit and listen until the song is over. junior Kourtney Vanwoerden

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Save the village of Minutia in this fast paced puzzle game. Connect the shapes to power the fiends who fight the monster that’s taking their village.

Who doesn’t love videos and pictures of kids being kids? Follow Cute Kid Vines on Twitter for endless amounts of precious content.

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arts & entertainment september 30, 2016

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Grant’s latest novel rises to the top

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Embrace your natural beauty

BY DEMETRI MASSOW reporter

Screams of terror, burning skylines and hordes of flesheating humans hunting down anything that moves are key parts of a typical zombie apocalypse, but “Rise” is not your typical undead horror story.

The events of science fiction story “Rise,” written by Mira Grant, are the result of a genetically altered strain of the Marburg virus, a previously deadly virus from the jungles of Africa that was used to cure cancer, being paired with a lab spawned virus meant to cure the common cold. The mixture was never meant to happen, and the results were not discovered until it could not be stopped.

The combination of the viruses, Kellis-Amberlee, causes the demise and reanimation of its host, whether it is human or not.

The human zombies are difficult to manage, but when the zombie deer and bears came into play,

BY JACKIE HAM

co-editor-in-chief

only the strongest survived. The end of the civilized times and the total government takeover was called The Rising, and nobody saw it coming.

“Rise” is a collection of stories told by the journalist who survived The Rising. From San Diego, the Australian Outback and the U.S. school system, nothing was left untouched by the devastation. Not even the most isolated of communities and labs were left alone because of the bands of raiders that dominated the West Coast.

For the most part, the character personalities Grant has produced are extremely well written, and their experiences and emotions are portrayed in a realistic way that is rare in the genre.

It is not often that an author

scripts their characters this well, but Grant escapes from the common cut and paste method used in other books. When things go wrong, readers feel as if they’re right there next to character.

Each character also has a vivid backstory, sometimes only being recounted in the video tapes that were recovered after the fire bombs fell.

Each character’s story provides one of the many subplots that join together at the end. For example, Mahir Gowda, a blogger from London, reviews and revisits events and places influenced

by The Rising. The articles he and his staff writes about range from an MIA school teacher to Georgia Mason, the force behind a government conspiracy.

The locations and animals are well described but sometimes aren’t used to their full potential, leaving lulls in certain parts in the book that take some time to pick back up. This was especially true with the Outback, with the continuous mentioning of kangaroos and wombats getting old after some time.

Overall, “Rise” is a refreshing take on the traditional zombie genre. The 644 page count is daunting at first, but the characters and plotlines of each individual story makes up for the length. Besides the rare lackluster landscape and plot connections that only make sense later in the book, “Rise” is definitely worth reading for any zombie genre fan.

Locked In closes players in a thrill trapping reality

BY ABBY SOBEK

co-associate editor

Wrists completely bound by cold metal cuffs, trapped in a 1930’s sheriff’s office and jail cell, only having an hour to escape the awaiting fate of execution. This anxiety inducing, yet thrilling experience can come from places like Locked In, an entertainment escape room where “prisoners” only have an hour to escape their jail cell before the time runs out.

Over the summer Rhonda Wendt, an owner of Locked In, created the escape room on Main Street. In this new entertainment building, players have an hour to figure out how to escape the room using the puzzles and riddles that are in the room. They have two rooms, one room is set in the 1930’s where the group is trapped and must figure

out what crime they committed and how to escape execution. The other room consists of being trapped in a vampire’s lair and participants must solve puzzles to get their way out. Five members of CPHS Inklings went to Locked In and all we knew beforehand was that we just had to figure out all the puzzles before times runs out. Going through the escape room was one of the most anxious yet fun experiences that people should try.

Before entering the room, everyone in the group gets handcuffed to each other and then make their way to the cell where they are locked in. As soon as the timer turns on, the “prisoners” hectically search the room to find all the clues and trying to solve the problems.

Figuring out how to solve all the problems creates a thrilling feeling throughout the entire time. Being handcuffed makes the experience more real, it really sets the scene of

being trapped. Throughout the hour, nothing but excitement went through all the members.

It is obvious that the owners put a lot of thought and effort into all the puzzles and riddles that are in these escape rooms. Playing the game is definitely like no other, solving the clues opens up the eyes to things that usually would not be noticed and changes the way the players think. Locked In is a unique experience that provides people with a chance to create new memories that will never be forgotten.

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we’re so over Snapchat streaks

Receiving a snapchat is always exciting, but do we really need to have a 460 day streak with a friend? Sometimes we almost feel like keeping a snap streak up is something that has to happen.

Constantly waking up to three different people sending you a snapchat saying “morning streaks” is undesirable. It is becoming more about a number than an actual conversation. Snapchat was created so we can communicate with friends; not to just respond to them like some robot.

Who knew that the lack of CoverGirl concealer or a MAC lipstick would put the internet world in such a frenzy.

Alicia Keys has put an end to her makeup days and has decided to take on the world with a bare face. She declared her absence from the makeup world back in May of this year, and no one seemed to care. But after she attended the MTV VMAs sporting a makeup free face, it seemed as if everyone had an opinion about it. It went from one extreme to the next: you loathed it or embraced it. I, on one hand, found it to be one of the most empowering movements from a woman during this day and age.

Her motive behind her bare face is to eliminate the stereotypes that women have to present themselves as perfect during their everyday lives. She started to have her own insecurities about her natural appearance which drove her to make the decision to terminate her makeup days. She continues to celebrate the fact that women should embrace their appearance and love what they see in that dirty bathroom mirror.

She is the role model I needed when I was younger.

Growing up a tomboy and only having males infest my house has hindered my “normal girl activities.” To this day, I rarely wear makeup, jewelry or nail polish, but I continue to ponder on the fact that maybe I should try and be like every other girl. You see celebrities like Kylie Jenner and Kim Kardashian who promote the dolled up lifestyle. It is hard not to conform to their standards, but I know that their way of living is completely different from mine. If I were to change the way I present myself, I would not only go against what I believe in, but I would also feel very uncomfortable in my own body.

There is a need in this world for more women like Alicia Keys. Her movement is hopefully just the start. Girls need to stand together and promote body confidence. No one needs to worry about pleasing anyone else if it does not please themselves. Go bare face.

Eat that pint of Ben and Jerry’s.

Wear those sweatpants with pride. Know you are beautiful no matter what you look like.

No one can tell you otherwise.

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Take me out to the

10 Take years

ball game

co-editor-in-chief reporter

It took 10 years to accomplish a dream.

Traveling across the country and staying in numerous hotel rooms was all a part of senior Luke Adams’ and his father’s journey to achieve a goal. They finally did it. Adams and his father have been to all 30 of the MLB stadiums.

Adams’ father who is said to be the mastermind behind this entire excursion. With Adams’ senior year off to a start, time was dwindling away for the duo to get to all the stadiums.

“His goal was to have me go to all 30 stadiums before I graduated high school,” Adams said. “It’s just something he’s always wanted to do, and he has the interesting goals that he wants to do and ends up getting them done.”

In the beginning, Adams was not thrilled about visiting all the stadiums. But now in his later years, he has a new appreciation for all that he was able to accomplish with his father.

“When I was seven, I was just like, ‘Oh my dad is dragging me to all the stadiums,’ but now that I see all he goes through just to do that, it is amazing. All the time and effort he has put into finding out all the tours

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Simply Soothing “I like swimming because it relaxes me and I’m usually surrounded by all my friends.”

Clowning Around

Father-son duo travels to all 30 MLB stadiums and when they are open and who is playing,” Adams said.

Baseball is played in 30 different cities all around America and Canada. According to Adams, each stadium has its own unique style effected by the climate, people, and atmosphere of the city. Each aspect of the environment helped shape the ambiance of the stadium.

“Say if you are at Miami, you just got that whole Miami vibe. It is hot out, and the city is crazy. Say you go to New York; New York is crazy because there are so many people there.

It is unreal with the amount of differences between the stadiums. Even the prices of the stadiums are nuts,” Adams said.

Being able to see the stadiums in person allowed Adams to form his own opinions on his favorite ones to visit. He also sees himself as a reliable source to give information to people who are interested in touring the stadiums.

“The one stadium that stood out to me the most was Pittsburgh. PNC stadium is probably my favorite. The venue was awesome, and you could see the bridge and the river in the background,” Adams said. “I like Fenway, but the seating has these huge poles in the way of things. We were sitting right behind this huge pole. We could not see any-

I

sophomore

Petco Park • Busch Stadium • Citizens Bank Park Nationals Park • Safeco Field • AT&T Park Great American Ball Park • Comerica Park Wrigley Field • Marlins Park • Minute Maid Park Chase Field • Dodger Stadium • Miller Park Turner Field • Yankee Stadium • Kauffman Stadium Angel Stadium • Rogers Centre • Coors Field U.S. Cellular Field • Tropicana Field • Fenway Park Oakland Alameda Coliseum • Target Field • Citi Field Camden Yards • Globe Life • PNC Park • Progressive Field

Senior Luke Adams and his father take a seflie while visiting Citizens Bank Park home to the Philadelphia Phillies.

BY JACKIE HAM JESSI ALCORTA-ROBLES

5 L

Zoe Petsallis

Stadium count: 30/30

PHOTO PROVIDED BY LUKE ADAMS

ink

thing the whole time.”

Having gone to all 30 stadiums is something that Adams feels accomplished about.

According to him, he does not know enough people to count on one hand who can say they have achieved the same goal.

The experience itself was not only all about the physical moments spent touring the fields, but it also created a strong bond between him and his father. Since these moments have impacted his relationship with his father so much, he hopes to continue with his own children in the future.

“It would be awesome to take my son or daughter there. It would be awesome to say that I have been to all 30, and I also took my son or daughter to all 30,” Adams said.

Since Adams has been working towards achieving this goal for so long, he has had time to create lifelong memories with his father. There may be 30 stadiums to recall, but there is not one stadium that he will forget.

“If you were to say the name of a stadium, I would think of a memory that goes along with that. There is not one certain memory that is just like, ‘Wow I remember that,’” Adams said. “Each stadium has its own story that I can relate to with my dad and how we’ve been a part of all 30 stadiums.”

“Clowns are scary because nobody should paint their face and try to make people laugh. That just doesn’t fly in my book.”

Trunk Bunkin’ “The trunk of a car, that was when my family went to Wisconsin. There was too many people in the car, so I went to sleep in the trunk.”

Disaster Date “I have never been on a weird date but one would be dumpster diving because you’re digging in trash.”

Staying In “My perfect Saturday night is staying at home with family, ordering pizza, and watching netflix.”

What do you

Think

What is your primary goal for the school year?

“My goal for this school year is to get good grades, at least a B average, and to make new friends.”

“My goal for this school year is to get good grades, join more clubs, and make new friends.”

“My goal for this school year is to make new friends, and get better at math and English.”

“My goal for this school year is to pass all my classes and to make it to my senior year.”

“My goal for this school year is to not fail dual-credit Pre-Cal and hopefully get a passing grade.”

“My goal for this school year is to get all my work done and graduate.”

Charles Stele

Victoria Gonzalez

Troy Thompson

Jake Keaveney

Zoe Francis

Dishaun Rutledge

freshman

freshman

sophomore

junior

senior

senior