Scout - April 2020 by Lake Central Comet

Scout

THE

M A S COT

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April Issue Vol. 54, Issue 4 Lake Central High School St. John, Ind.

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Scout

April 2020 Contents Life & News

JOSHUA CHEN Editor-in-Chief JADE MEHOK NITYA SHAH AVA SOLIS

Design Editors CHARMAGNE ABANGAN FRIDA ARELLANO EMILY BELL MIA BORN CLAIRE FABERBOCK RILEY KNESTRICT HANNAH KOSINSKI MIA MARTINEZ YOUSEF NAMMARI TIFFANIE RICHERME ADRIANA RODRIGUEZ JOHN SANCHEZ BRIAN SCOTT KILEY SZATKOWSKI MAISIE WESTERFIELD

Smart Success

Find out which seniors qualified as National Merit Scholars

The 219

Individuals explore what “The Region” means to them as a geographic area and as a home

Corona Cancellations

Anticipated spring band and guard events have been completely shifted by the COVID-19 pandemic

Editors

ISABELLA BRAZZALE KELLY HAYES JUSTYCE REED HAILEY PRASOPOULOS BRENNA SEALY MORGAN TAYLOR

Team Leaders

TAYLOR ANDERSON KYLIE BIEHLER JEANOA CAMERON MINA CARDENAS CALEB CHEN WILLIAM CHURCHILL COLLEEN DYRA BAILEY EGAN OLIVIA FIGG MAYA FIRLEJ DELANIE FLYNN MATT GACEK ANNIKA GORNEY MACKENZIE GUTHRIE LUKE HAMILTON ALISON IRACE ANDIE KALEMBA ALYSSA KLIMOWSKI CORI LOLLIS ICYSS MEREDITH ANNALISE NELSON LILAH NELSON LITA NIGHBERT JACKSON NOVAK BRENNA POLOVINA ALLISON POTPORA EMILY PRINCE CELESTE RECIO LEXI RIGG JONA RIVERA AVERY ROBINSON EDEN SCHILLING LILLY SCHROEDER ELIZABETH SULEK MOLLY TKACH ISABELLA VILLARREAL ALAYNA WILKENING JORDAN ZNOSKO

As a home, “The Region” holds various meaning to residents in the area. Illustration by: Joshua Chen

Honey Nilson (12) prepares a piece for her AP Art portfolio. Photo by: Jeanoa Cameron

Athletics 12

Moving On

The soccer staff is leaving a significant gap in one of the school’s most prominent athletic programs

Features 14

The Mascot Question

A look at the school’s history of the “Indian” mascot and the controversy surrounding its use

For the Culture 22 Fans, Stans and Boy Bands

Fans of boy bands share their world

24 Trust the Process

How AP Art students have been preparing portfolios this semester

On the Cover A statue depiction of the Lake Central Indian mascot. See Page 14. Photo by: Joshua Chen Scout is a student publication of Lake Central High School in St. John, Indiana. All content is student directed and produced. Opinions are those of the writers and do not imply the position of the school. Questions and comments can be directed to Joshua Chen at joshshuenchen@gmail.com. Businesses interested in advertising should contact 219-365-3886.

Staff Members MRS. APRIL FLORES MRS. SARAH VERPOOTEN MS. CARRIE WADYCKI

Advisers

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Stay up to date on coronavirusrelated news, opinion stories and more. Stay connected. LAKE CENTRAL NEWS Web www.lakecentralnews.com Twitter @LCHSNews Instagram @lakecentralnews Facebook @LakeCentralNews Snapchat @LCNews Contents / 3

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Life & News

Quick Facts PAGE BY HAILEY PRASOPOULOS AND AVA SOLIS

“We have to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to flatten that curve and to slow the spread to the best of our ability.”

Days of school missed in person due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb said about extending cancellations for all K-12 Indiana schools for the remainder of the year.

“My main concern of the coronavirus is the possibility of me or any other teen carrying it. If I’m carrying it and I pass it on to my grandparents or even my parents, it could cause issues with their health.”

Number of IHSAA spring sports cancelled due to COVID-19

7,345 Number of positive COVID-19 cases in Indiana as of Apr. 12, 2020. Lake County has the second highest number of cases in the state.

Lauren Galocy (10) said about her concerns with COVID-19 and social distancing.

16.5

The number of millions of views the original TikTok video featuring the #SavageChallenge dance received as of April 12, 2020. Millions of users are participating while quarantined at home.

“I am probably more scared about the economic, governmental outcome of the coronavirus. We could possibly go into a recession and that can be really scary to go through.” Mckenzie Duncan (12) said about her concerns with the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The number of feet health experts recommend people stay from others in an effort to “social distance”

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Smart Success Four students receive national recognition for their 99thpercentile PSAT scores PAGE BY DELANIE FLYNN, ANNALIESE NELSON, BRENNA SEALY, AVA SOLIS AND ALAYNA WILKENING For many, scholarships are a huge contribution to help with paying college tuition. The National Merit Scholarship is a prestigious scholarship awarded to students with exceptional scores on their PSATs. Five individuals from Lake Central became National Merit Finalists this year. As finalists, seniors Hamza Abughofah, Jacob Malatestinic, Aleece Spaveski and Kate Pletz qualified for scholarship consideration. “You score well on your PSAT and there is a certain threshold, and after you get past that threshold you become a semi-finalist. You then have to go through an application where you write an essay and submit your grades,” Abughofah said. Mrs. Melissa Rettig, assistant principal, organizes the scholarship program within the school. Rettig began encouraging training for the scholarship after seeing that there were no students under St. John Township in 2018. “We had a year where we didn’t have one and we’re the sixth-largest school in the state of Indiana. We didn’t have one kid [qualify in 2018] so that’s what got me started. I started looking at the selection indexes and what score you needed in the past and I started pulling those kids,” Rettig said. Rettig’s passion for the program paid off, as this year four of her mentees qualified as finalists. Pletz was happy to receive the recognition, and was especially proud to know that her peers also receieved the scholarship. “Everyone who got it I knew, and I’ve been going to school with [them] since fourth grade. So I was pretty proud that it was the four of us. It seemed fitting,” Pletz said. The finalists were especially excited to tell their family about their achievement. Pletz and Malatestinic both quoted their family as being their main motivators in working to qualify for and earn the scholarship. “My biggest motivator would probably be my family. I’m really close with my family, so I try to work hard to make sure to make them proud. Seeing their reactions when they found out and telling them that

Jacob Malatestinic (12), Kate Pletz (12) and Hamza Abughofah (12) stand together. The three received the National Merit Scholarship. Not pictured: Aleece Spaseveski (12) Photo by: Adriana Rodriguez

I made the finalist, they were just so proud of me and it made everything worth it,” Malatestinic said. The scholarships will provide recipients with opportunities to benefit their future and help cover the cost of college tuition. The status of National Merit Finalist is also a mark of distinction, as approximately 1.6 million students enter the program each year. “It’s a really good thing to put on a college application. It looks really impressive. The scholarship itself is only 2,500 dollars. It’s not that much, but it is something that schools look at and are pretty impressed with,” Pletz said.

BY THE NUMBERS

Scholarship Process Narrows Down Qualifiers

50,000

students around the country who qualify for recognition based on their PSAT score

16,000

students who are semi-finalists

2,500

students who receive the scholarship Life & News / 5

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Life & News

The 219

Region Rats share the go-to spots that embody their experience living here PAGE BY JEANOA CAMERON, MINA CARDENAS, LUKE HAMILTON, JADE MEHOK, BRENNA POLOVINA, HAILEY PRASOPOULOS, LEXI RIGG AND AVERY ROBINSON

rom Dunkin’ runs with friends and antiquing family collectables, Northwest Indiana has led to making tradition among family and friends. The area, nicknamed “The Region,” has a myriad of meanings to locals. “The annoying thing about living in The Region is that when someone asks where you’re from, if you say Indiana, there is a stereotype that it’s all corn fields and nothing to do. So I normally just say I live in Chicago. Sometimes it’s boring here but there is so much more than that in The Region,” Hailey Whennen (12) said. Although Northwest Indiana may have cornfields along the roads, one student sees light of this vegetable. The Lake County Fair is full of unique food, including locally grown corn and deep-fried oreos. “I love going to the Lake County Fair because the food is amazing and it’s a fun thing to do with friends or family. It’s a friendly environment and there is so much to do no matter your interests. The corn on the cob is the best part. You can’t get corn like that outside of The Region. I mean, that is what Indiana is known for,” Paige Harrison (10) said. There are many different options for restaurants that The Region is known for. According to Adrian Vera (10), Portillos is on the top of his list for a place to eat. Sip Coffee House is also a newer addition to the Region Rats handbook. “In my free time, I go to Sip Coffee House in Crown Point Square with my friends and take cute pictures. We walk around and look at the different antique shops. Sometimes, I’ll buy decorative plates because my family collects them. The Square is unique because the buildings are more historic than in Schererville or St. John,” Kathryn Mink (12) said. Similarly, Peyton Pepkowski (11) enjoys going with friends to get coffee and different drinks from other local stores. Her group of friends make traditions

Coffee, corn and the Crown Point Square are some of the few important aspects of culture in the region. Illustration by: Joshua Chen

this way. “Sometimes my friends and I get really bored, so we stop at Dunkin for the $1.50 coffee from two to five. We spend hours at a time at Target just messing around and making Tik Toks. Our tradition is to try the new or limited edition drinks at Dunkin, so we do this at least once a month,” Pepkowski said. Traditions have made their way into Indiana

college culture. According to Christopher Logan (9), living in The Region is also ideal for people who have earned college credits in high school. He says that these credits are easy to transfer over to Indiana schools. “I think Purdue Northwest is an amazing school not only because of the cost, but it’s really nice having smaller community colleges in The Region because it can bring economic activity in the area. It is really nice being able to stay home because you

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BRIEF

What Makes a Region Rat? “Region Rats go to Chicago for a day just to take pictures by the Bean and post them on Instagram.”

“In The Region, school only gets cancelled or delayed when there’s a blizzard.”

Karina Rivera (10)

“A Region Rat is when you have to keep an extra jacket in your car because one minute it’s 80 degrees and sunny and the next it’s 46 degrees and raining.”

Olivia Smith (9)

“A good thing about being a Region Rat is that there isn’t a lot of violence here.” Eric Burns (11)

Darcy Barkauskus (11)

“You’re a Region Rat when you go to the 49er DriveIn movie for fun in the summer.”

“A Region Rat is someone who goes to Target to walk around when they are bored.”

“Region Rats are known for going crazy over pierogies and bowling.”

Hayley Matlon (12)

Jacob Delgadillo (10)

Jacob Mucharski (10)

IN-DEPTH

History of Region Spots Lake County Fair The first Lake Country Fair was held on October 28, 1852, at the Court House in Crown Point, Indiana. This summer fair offers carnival rides, food trucks, a horse arena, a petting zoo and more. Their website plainly states, “Our weather can change within minutes,” because this is The Region.

Pierogi Fest Taking place in Whiting, Ind. annually, Pierogi Fest features food vendors, games and a parade celebrating Eastern European food and culture. It attracts almost 300,000 visitors each year.

can keep your social life,” Zachary Tobin (12) said Being the third largest city in the United States, Chicago is a place where students go for their free time. Popular attractions in Chicago are The Bean and the Willis Tower. “Living in The Region isn’t the most exciting place in the world, but being so close to a beautiful city like Chicago makes it better. It’s weird to think that Chicago is on so many peoples bucket lists and we live 45 minutes from there,” Leah Lindborg (9) said.

Crown Point Square

The Courthouse Building in the center of the Crown Point Square was founded in 1834 and has become one of the city and area’s most recognizable symbols. The Square is known for its antique shops and cafes, notably Sip Coffee House, which opened in 2012 and is frequented by teenagers around The Region.

Life & News / 7

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Life & News

Corona Cancellations Band and Guard students face major cancellations due to a global pandemic

PAGE BY MATT GACEK, MACKENZIE GUTHRIE, JADE MEHOK, CELESTE RECIO, JONA RIVERA AND BRENNA SEALY

and activities such as Winter Guard, Winter Percussion and All-State Band have been canceled due to the coronavirus. These programs made the decision to cancel in order to hinder the spread of the national and global pandemic known as COVID-19. “I think the virus is very dangerous and a lot of people don’t understand just how dangerous it is. As much as I hate not being able to leave my house and I miss my friends, it’s better in the long run to social

distance and stay home,” Emily Dahn (11) said. The government advises everyone who is able to stay inside and away from other people to help slow the spread of the virus. With these precautions taking place, All-State Honor Band had to be canceled, and the work students put in would not be showcased. “I have spent two months preparing my music. All of my music was coming along very well. I was upset about the cancellation,” Andrew Huffman (12) said.

The extensive amount of work put into performances is shown through the Open Class Winter Guard’s preparation with long days and extra practices according to Nicole Smith (11). They ended their season with a first place at their final competition. ”There was a lot of preparation put into [the show] including 12-hour practices added to clean work. I feel like the season should have continued, but where we ended was really good for us this year,” Smith said. Opinions vary on the many outcomes that have resulted due to the pandemic. For some students, the cancellation of a large event that they prepared for was seen as a big decision that made the outlook of the virus seem bigger than it should be. “I feel like the virus is blown out of proportion by the media; people are overreacting and panicking

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BY THE NUMBERS

What Was Affected?

Winter Guard competitions were canceled for LC

Students in All-State Honor Band

14 Students in Winter Percussion

All-State Honor Band Performance was canceled

LC Winter Guard groups

All Winter Percussion competitions Canceled

Winter Percussion competitions canceled for LC

IN-DEPTH

So, What Is It? All-State Honor Band All-State Honor Band is an exclusive program which students must audition for. Qualifying high school students from around the state prepare music on their own for about two months. All of the members then meet and rehearse the weekend leading up to their performance.

Winter Guard Winter Guard is an activity that highlights the color guard aspect of the marching arts. Groups choreograph shows that spark meaning through movement. Flags, rifles, sabres and other props are used to further demonstrate the concept of the show.

Winter Percussion Winter Percussion places the focus onto the world of percussion. Similar to Winter Guard, a show is put together in order to demonstrate a concept and be performed and judged. The show is demonstrated by the use of various percussion instruments and the ensemble’s ability to perform.

Members of the marching band stand together. Many of the marching band members are members of the winter activities that got canceled due to the virus. Photo by: Joshua Chen

more than they need to and it’s making things seem worse than they are, which is really affecting people who got things taken away,” Elliot Wallis (10) said. Many students believe that the work and practice that was put into their competitions proved to be futile with the cancellation of the events. Macie Arena (10) felt as if the extent of the Winter Percussion program’s progress was cut short because the recently added critiques to their show would not be able to be put to use. “I’m not satisfied with where we ended; we had just gotten a clinician to give us advice on how to make our show better. A lot of changes had been made, but

we didn’t get to show any of it off. I felt disappointed, but not exactly surprised. I was looking forward to trying to improve our group’s rank and making more memories with everyone,” Arena said. An announcement was released on March 12 stating that the Winter Percussion’s remaining competitions were canceled. Although their season ended abruptly, the students understand this was needed to stop the escalation of the virus. “I was devastated because of how successful the season had been going and it all came to an end just like that. [It] was awful. I do think it is a necessary precaution to try and contain the virus and to keep people safe who are participating in this activity,” Tyler Murray (10) said. The sudden cancellation of the competition may have discouraged the competitors, but it also reminded competing students of the work that they

still accomplished. Students believe the progress they made can stand as inspiration for future seasons. “It makes me want next season to be way better. Besides the cancellation, this season was amazing so hopefully next season will be even better,” Kylie Knight (9) said. Despite the cancellations of competitions, the Winter Percussion program was able to have one more runthrough of their show. Although this was not a judged performance, according to Dahn, it produced a similar energy. “Our percussion technician had us meet the day that we heard the season was canceled and talked to us about the season. We performed the show one last time and recorded it. While it does not make up for the season being canceled, it did feel good to perform the show again,” Dahn said. Life & News / 9

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LENS

True Champions The boys white hockey team hoists the first-place plaque in the air and celebrates their victory at the Class 1A State Championship. The boys won the championship 3-1 against Hamilton Southeastern on March 7 at the Midwest Training Center. Photo by: Brian Scott

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Athletics

Moving On The departure of the soccer coaching staff has altered junior players’ goals and hopes for next year’s team PAGE BY ISABELLA BRAZZALE, COLLEEN DYRA, KELLY HAYES AND AVA SOLIS As seasons come to an end, teams must learn how to fill the holes of their senior leaders they lose for the next season. Not many teams, however, have to fill the hole of losing an entire coaching staff as well. Both the boys and girls soccer programs face this obstacle for their seasons in the next school year. “It will be different transitioning from one of the best coaches to someone that we don’t know as well,” Derek Baldin (11) said. “I think losing seniors and coaches will be weird. Every team loses seniors

every year and it takes its toll, but with the quality that we have on our team, our expectations and priorities are just as high as last year. I hope to get to State again, whether that’ll happen, nobody knows. But we’ll reach for the sky, honestly. I look forward to the future. I hope the new coach fits in well with the guys. The relationships we’ve had with the coaches in the past years is exceptional. It’s really been a family, so I hope that the players can make him feel welcomed and at home and start getting to

work right away.” The soccer teams will now have to adjust to a new face, voice, and coaching style of the incoming coaches. The players must learn how to work together with the brand new coaches to rebuild their family and work towards success for their upcoming season. “You get used to how the coaches coach,” Sophia Hoyda (11) said. “And so getting a new one and having to adjust to who they are and how they coach can be a challenge. It’s always nice to have a relationship with your coach, because he knows your improvement and has seen how far you’ve gone and how much you’ve improved. This new coach coming in doesn’t necessarily see that, you have to fill that up. I hope that they are good and know the game and they’re able to actually coach us, but I also hope they don’t lose sight of the fact that soccer is a

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definitely going to change the way we do our practices. Of course I’m going to be excited about soccer, I love the sport, but having a new coach is going to be different. Rainwater has had a lot of successes along the way and he made an impact on how LC soccer is.” Some of the juniors have started taking on different roles on the team. With the girls uncertain of who their new coach will be, training for next season has picked up and next year’s senior players have taken on some extra responsibility. “Coach Shawn was the one who moved me to goalie,” Tatumn Damron (11) said. “I’ve known him for so long and hearing that he’s not going to be coaching anymore really hit me hard. I’m excited to

“It’s always nice to have a relationship with your coach because he knows your improvement and has seen how far you’ve gone and how much you’ve improved.” Sophia Hoyda (11)

Coach Jereme Rainwater has a pep talk with the boys soccer team. All three soccer coaches decided to resign their positions, but each for different reasons. Photo by: Caleb Chen

sport and meant to be fun. We are going to have to rely on each other a lot, but we also have to put a lot of trust into somebody that we just met.” As juniors move up into senior positions, it is difficult for the players to say goodbye and welcome in a new face. These coaches have been with some of their junior players since they started playing soccer and have shaped the style and attitude of these players. “I’ve been with him since I was four or five years old, Emilio Zambrano (11) said. “I’ve improved with [Coach Rainwater] and he’s taught me everything I know about soccer. [The coaches] leaving is

see who we get but it’s sad. [His] leaving just means we have to work harder because we don’t know who our next coach is going to be, so we have to try our best with everything. I really took the role of leader to help guide everyone to where we need to be. I definitely think we’re going to improve just because everyone is going to be working so hard; we just don’t know with the new coach. It will be interesting to see how we all do, but I think we’ll all improve and be better than we were last season.” For some players, it may be hard to say goodbye to their coaches. They still have hopes about next year’s season. As the old coaches step down, the teams will adjust to new dynamics with whomever the replacements will be. “I’m going to miss [Coach Thomas’s] ridiculous exercises and how he was always there for us and the after-game speeches,” Cameron Freitag (11) said. “We are in a rebuilding stage; there’s a lot of new people coming in and it’s going to be very different. We already have a built team, so gaining new members and a new coach is going to be difficult. However, we are all getting along pretty well. I think we will have to work harder, but I still think we have a shot at Sectionals.”

IN-DEPTH

The Coaches Explain Their Reasons for Leaving

Coach Graves “I wanted to spend more time with my family — I have an 8-month-old at home — and focus on growing my businesses. My decision to leave was not influenced by other coaches. I had originally planned on leaving the previous year and stayed an additional year to supplement my wife’s lost income for her maternity leave. I have been coaching since 2008.”

Coach Rainwater “It was a tough decision, but I felt like the moment was right for everyone. Our players are in a great place and I had another great opportunity to coach at the college level. Our school has a great support staff and administration in place. They will make the right decision knowing how much it means to the players and parents.”

Coach Thomas “It was a long and difficult decision to quit. The demands of my regular job increased, and as much as I would love to continue to do both, I would not be able to give the time and effort that the position deserves. Although I am sad to see the end of an era with the departure of Coach Rainwater, it did not influence my decision. I coached at LC for 10 years — 4 years as an assistant for the boys team and 6 years as the head coach of the girls team.”

Athletics / 13

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“WE

SHOULD

C R E AT U R E S

NOT

SEEN

ANIMALS

AGGRESSION SCHOOLS

AGAINST IN

OUR

AS SHOW

OTHER

OWN

LAND.”

GENELLE SNIDER (11)

THE MASCOT QUESTION Story by Taylor Anderson, Caleb Chen, Bailey Egan, Annika Gorney, Andie Kalemba, Cori Lollis, Lilah Nelson, Lita Nighbert, Allison Potpora, Emily Prince, Justyce Reed, Elizabeth Sulek, Morgan Taylor, Molly Tkach and Jordan Znosko Design by Nitya Shah

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The usage of Native American likenesses as team mascots has been a controversy for years and has sparked a massive debate across the country. Lake Central’s use of the Indian mascot has compelled many students to share their beliefs on the topic, whether they find it disrespectful to native cultures or think it is just a part of a decades-old tradition. With only 16 LC students identifying as Native American, there are only so many individuals here able to voice their opinions on this controversy and educate others about their heritage, potentially making it challenging for others to understand why the mascot could be harmful to their culture and even self-image. Indiana’s Native American past is rich with history and culture. The Miami tribe was one group greatly affected by the Indian Removal Act of 1830, which forced their eradication from the “land of the Indians,” as Indiana was known. The tribe eventually made its way back to the region, currently located in Peru, Indiana, along with regions in Oklahoma and Wisconsin. The use of a Native American mascot at Lake Central began with obtaining permission from a native Wisconsin tribe in order to gain validation. Some students and staff believe this action justified the school’s usage of the Native, viewing it as a way to preserve and honor Native American culture. “They had Native Americans come in out of Wisconsin and give their blessing to the school. It is really weird because when you go up to Wisconsin, there are a lot of Native American schools up there and their mascots are the Indian,“ Mr. Tom Clark, Social Studies, said. For some students, their opinions on having the Indian mascot are all dependent on how the Native American culture is portrayed at the school, from the way the mascots dress to the chants students shout at sporting events. They feel that fellow students should be respectful of Native American history and all that native people went through. The mascot should be portrayed in a well-informed manner without using potentially offensive mannerisms.

“Sometimes I think as a school we stray away from [what the mascot really stands for]. It’s not the Indian itself that is offensive; it’s the chants and aggression, and we have definitely toned it down over the years. The mascot is about supporting our teams and getting the student section energetic,” Marc Prince (12) said. While the opinions of students are mixed, Menominee speaker and educator Richie plass completely opposes the idea of a Native American mascot. Plass attended Shawano Community High School in the northern part of Wisconsin. The school’s mascot was a Native American and Plass was asked to perform as the mascot due to his race. After being discriminated against, he took his position to advocate against Native American mascots. “I think each and every state should ban the use. It is discriminatory (and in most cases against the law) to use the name and/or image of a living culture

as an avenue to make money,” Plass said. History surrounding the mascot in the school can be traced back to the 1930s, when Lake Central used to be called Dyer High School. The earliest yearbooks from the ‘30s contain imagery of native culture, and yearbooks throughout the 1900s contain photography of costumes used during sporting events. Some costumes from the late 1900s are still in use today. “What we thought when Lake Central was built was thought to be completely acceptable. But we have started to rethink that, and in that process of rethinking it, I think that we need to reflect on what we are doing because it is maybe no longer something we should be doing. I understand that that’s tradition and it’s really hard to break tradition, but I would like to see us try,” Mr. Darrell Wierzal, English, said. Changing the logo from the Indian head to the

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dreamcatcher took place a few years back, but many of the school’s social media profile pictures are still the Indian heads from before. With the magazine and yearbook named Scout and Quiver — names that arose from Native American culture — changing the logo could also influence changing other direct uses of the culture. “I don’t think we should have a person dressed up as the Indian at games and that’s the bottom line for me. I think it’s great that it’s a school spirit thing and that somebody takes a lead in that. That’s a good thing, but the way we go about it, I feel, is wrong,” Mr. Patrick Winters, English, said. Before 1990, the school was criticized for the costumes, headdresses and chants that were used along with the mascot featuring an Indian warrior and a tomahawk. These practices were dropped and the mascot became the side profile of the Indian. In early 2013 the school board discussed the possible

unification of the school corporation’s mascot. According to the NWI Times, a petition against this unification garnered over 1,200 signatures. Though the possible change never officially mentioned the removal of the Indian mascot, many pointed out the racist qualities it has. In recent years, the mascot has had a slow transition from the Indian side profile to the dreamcatcher. “I always suggest any type of movement should start with the students. Do the research, do the history and collect all the data that is available today to show and prove the harm these names and images do to both Native and non-Native Americans within the school systems,” Plass said. The movement to change

the mascot has two strongly opposed sides. Some students believe the use of a Native American to represent our school is wrong, while others believe the mascot symbolizes positive qualities. Regardless, the removal of the Indian mascot will likely only occur if students advocate for their beliefs. “I think it is good that LC made those changes because it is a controversial topic, but I do like that they kept the name [as] the Indians,” Michael Toporis (12) said. The mascot unification was never carried out because people saw the mascot as a tradition and feared the cost of rebranding, and people still use those reasons to combat any possible changes — a reason that the dreamcatcher logo is not featured on everything. “[Rebranding] is the easiest thing in the world. You snap your fingers and it changes. And I am not saying that you have to tear everything down, but when it is time to buy new uniforms, just [buy] new uniforms with new names on it. We reworked the logo once before. It was really easy and we can do it again. The only thing that I think is holding us back is public opinion,” Wierzal said. The dreamcatcher is often seen on school memorabilia such as clothing and agendas. Despite the gradual retirement of the use of the Indian head, it is still seen on letterman jackets. Additionally, the Indian head is used in the Publications social media accounts. However, many of the athletic social media accounts use the dreamcatcher. “You notice here in this school, you don’t notice the Indian heads that often now. We see the dreamcatcher instead, except when you go downstairs and the carpet’s right out in front, you have the Indian head there,” Clark said. Lake Central, however, is not the only school to use the Indian mascot. There are seven additional high schools in Indiana, as well as several colleges around the country, that have a Native American mascot. One particular university in Illinois was faced with an ultimatum due to their mascot. “I went to college at the University of Illinois and we were the Fighting Illini. They still are and the mascot was Chief Illiniwek. And the NCAA said that if they didn’t get rid of the mascot then the University of Illinois wouldn’t be allowed to participate in NCAA playoffs, so they got rid of it. I will tell you at one time I disagreed with getting rid of the mascot. I thought it was fine, but, again, while I was in college I learned about what had happened to the Na-

“I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT’S TRADITION AND IT’S REALLY HARD TO BREAK TRADITION, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US TRY.” MR. DARRELL WIERZAL, ENGLISH Features / 17

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tive Americans and how they went through horrible conditions in the United States,” Wierzal said. On the national scale, many sports teams, including the Kansas City Chiefs, Cleveland Indians, Chicago Blackhawks, Atlanta Braves and the Washington Redskins, have a Native American mascot. Known for their controversy across the media, the Washington Redskins were originally named the Boston Braves when they were founded in 1932, but then changed their name in 1933. The owner, Dan Synder, often defends the name of the franchise by explaining that it honors their late coach in 1933, William “Lone Star” Dietz, who has Native American ties. Despite this, many historians believe Dietz lied about his Native American background. While many see these Major League sports teams honoring the strong and powerful characteristics of the Native Americans, others see it as a way to offend their culture. “I feel like Native Americans as well should be proud. I get that some people think it’s offensive, and maybe some of the names like the Washington Redskins are offensive, but I feel like they should take it as more of a symbol of respect,” Toporis said. For one student, the tradition of the mascot holds particular significance. James Saggus (12), the chosen “Indian” — the senior in charge of leading the student section and representing the mascot with a headdress at athletic events — for the 2019-2020 school year emphasizes the importance of the role of the mascot. “I was picked to do it for tradition and was never meant to hurt anyone’s feelings. My stance is [that] it’s tradition and has been for 40 plus years. It’s not anything to hurt anyone’s feelings. It’s for school spirit and to hype up the student section,” Saggus said. Another aspect that students believe is an advantage from the Indian mascot is that the student body is able to embody positive characteristics of Native Americans through the mascot. In this way, the Native American figure could have a positive connotation. “People [could] look at it [as if] we’re taking their traits of being strong and resilient and just bringing them towards us and taking it into our pride trying to represent those traits,” Marc-Henry Derogene (12) said. This sense of pride taken from the school’s Native American mascot is shared by some Native American faculty members. Mrs. Rita Chavez, Business, sees the Native American ties as a way to embrace their hardworking and willful side, but also believes it can become disrespectful and misused. “If it portrays Indians in a positive light, I think that it would be fine. Just as long as we use care, there can be a sense of pride with having a mascot named after Indians because it brings that to light,” Chavez said. The Native American mascot is put in the spotlight by students who believe that it is a positive symbol.

1943 Imagery depicting Native Americans was used on page dividers throughout this year’s yearbook.

1967 Imagery found on the letterma for students who excelled in athletic

1970 A sophomore Indian mascot surveys the crowd as he sits on top of the cheerleaders’ float for the homecoming parade.

1970 Senior students form a totem p school spirit for their Homecoming

1970 The Indian mascot shouts into a megaphone to help the cheerleaders lead the pep block.

1972 Banner paper is decorated wit Homecoming parade.

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an jackets. These patches were used cs and academics.

1967 Similar to these patches from 1967, we still use a new version of them on our jackets today.

1970 An Indian doll sits in a canoe for the sophomore float at the basketball Homecoming game.

pole with costumes demonstrating spirit week.

1970 Football players run through banner paper with the Indian mascot drawn onto it as they begin a game.

1970 The cover of the 1970 Quiver issue. On the left is a side profile of an Indian head.

th an Indian head for the

1975 The Quiver staff addresses how the names of the yearbook and magazine came to be.

2018 The school’s “Indian” mascot for the 2018-2019 school year cheers along with the student section crowd during a football game.

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These students don’t want the mascot to change and want to continue using the mascot as a representation of pride for the school. “I don’t think it’s offensive because I feel like it’s more a symbol of respect than it is controversial. I feel like it represents the history and culture of Native Americans and people should be proud to have it as a mascot,” Toporis said. On the other hand, there are many students that believe using the Indian mascot is offensive and should be changed. Less than 0.5% of the student body identifies as Native American, meaning that there are only so many native students here able to

The Native American History Behind The Region

voice their opinions on this controversy. The lack of education that many non-native people have about indigenous culture and tradition is one reason that people feel the mascot should be changed. “The only thing I don’t like, though, is the Indian chant we do at some games. No offense, but it’s a school made up of [a] majority [of] white kids. I feel like the only way people would take offense to the [mascot wearing a] headdress is [that], in the culture, it’s usually the chief who has the headdress [and] it takes a lot to get one,” Mateo Cedano (12) said. One potential reason for the disapproval towards the mascot is the negative stereotypes that people claim are perpetuated by the use of the Indian mascot. Certain aspects of the mascot like headdresses and caricatures have been limited in recent years, as some believe that these lack cultural sensitivity and do not accurately portray what it is really like to be a Native American today or historically. “I’m extremely proud of my roots, which gave me my beliefs, religion and overall culture. [Native Americans] being used as a mascot based on stereotypes creates an unwelcoming environment,” Genelle Snider (11) said. There are some students who believe the school’s mascot’s attire is offensive toward true Native Americans due to the misconceptions it may create around their traditions. In American Plains Indian culture, wearing a headdress is considered

1500

Indiana was first explored by the French. Hernando de Soto from 1500 to 1542 explored Indiana, studying its physical landscape.

1689

The French and Indian Wars were fought over land in North America. This was a series of conflicts involving the French colonies in Canada and Louisiana and the 13 British colonies.

an honor, and it was often worn during battles or during special ceremonies. Only male leaders were allowed to wear the headdress, and some students see it as disrespectful that the school’s mascot wears the same thing without going through the proper steps that actual Native Americans take in order to have this honor. “Students are not even educated about the culture or groups associated with these symbols, so things such as the feathered headdress undermines the cultural significance,” Snider said. Some also believe it is disrespectful to use the word “Indian” instead of “Native American” due to its origins. Considering Native Americans did not come up with the title “Indian” themselves and “Indians” from India are an entirely different ethnicity, some people think it is wrong to call them “Indian.” “The term ‘Indian’ is a derogatory term because it was a name given to Native Americans by the people who came and started to conquer their homeland. Also, the name is based off of pure ignorance of the group who first landed here, who assumed they had reached India so they called them ‘Indians,’” Grayson Hill (12) said. The use of Native American imagery even extends to the media and has also sparked controversy. Because of differing opinions, certain newspapers, such as the Oregonian and the Minneapolis Star Tribune, have banned the use of terms regarding Native American background that could be seen as offensive to some people. As some argue that the media should do something about the issue, others think it should stick to stating the facts. For those opposed to the use of Native American imagery in the media, using team names that come from Native American culture is seen as offensive. They believe these media outlets should engage in

TRADIT PLUS Y TO HURT FOR SCH U

1785

The Northwest Indian War (1785–1795) in Indiana and Ohio was fought. The Americans suffered two humiliating defeats by a Native American confederation until they won the Battle of Fallen Timbers in 1794.

1830

The Indian Removal Act was signed, authorizing the president to negotiate with southern Native American tribes for their removal to federal territory west of the Mississippi River in exchange for white settlement of their ancestral lands.

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“MY STANCE IS [THAT] IT’S TION AND HAS BEEN FOR 40 YEARS. IT’S NOT ANYTHING T ANYONE’S FEELINGS. IT’S HOOL SPIRIT AND TO HYPE P THE STUDENT SECTION.” JAMES SAGGUS (12)

the issue and think about whether or not the use of these names is ethical, while taking into account the people who may be offended by using them. Newspapers have stopped the use of these names because they didn’t want to continue promoting the stereotypes formed by them. “Since our mascot was created by a more dominant group other than the minority group of natives, it shows a stereotypical, mainstream idea of how we are seen in society,” Snider said. On the other side, people don’t believe the news should take a stance on the controversy. They say the news is for facts, and they shouldn’t encourage or discourage the use of these names. This group says the media should remain neutral and only report on the issue, but it should not take a side. Although not all people see eye to eye on the issue, some believe even small changes such as stopping the use of Native American imagery in the media is another step closer to the end of the controversy. “I am all for starting that movement now. They are trying and people understand that we do need to be sensitive to the Native American community and that’s really good, but I think we just need to continue moving forward. I know it’s super unpopular, but it starts with one person saying ‘Let’s think about it.’ And eventually overtime, more and more people will hopefully come to that way of thinking,” Wierzal said.

1887

The Dawes General Allotment Act passed by Congress led to the breakup of the large American Indian Reservations and the sale of Indian lands to white settlers.

1979

The American Indian Religious Freedom Act was passed It was created to protect and preserve the traditional religious rights and cultural practices of American Indians, Eskimos, Aleuts and Native Hawaiians.

STAFF EDITORIAL

It’s Time to Acknowledge the Problem We All Perpetuate Even without bad intention, keeping things the same is part of the problem As student journalists, our role is to inform our community without bias and with accuracy and noble intention. Our position as student journalists also forces us to speak up when we need to and argue for a worldview that promotes equality and respect for all, especially the most vulnerable and marginalized in society. With this exploration into how Lake Central has used native culture as a mascot for the past several decades, we staunchly believe in starting to rectify the problem of appropriating and trivializing an entire group of people. And that correction starts with acknowledging the problem: Using a symbol of a historically oppressed group of people as a mascot is dehumanizing and feeds into stereotypes of indigenous people. According to the National Congress of American Indians, the country’s oldest and largest American Indian advocacy organization, “rather than honoring Native peoples, these caricatures and stereotypes are harmful, perpetuate negative stereotypes of America’s first peoples, and contribute to a disregard for the personhood of Native peoples.” As a school and as individuals, we must, at the very least, educate ourselves on the extensive and complex history of egregious wrongdoings against native people on this continent — a history that spans centuries. As a school that prides itself on being a “tribe” and “Indians for life,” it would be insensible to draw identity and pride from a culture about which we know little to nothing. Yet, education and informing is only the first step. We continue to feed into the degradation and caricaturization if we consciously acknowledge this nation’s historical relationship with native people

while performing stereotypical sports cries, wearing “Indians” on our clothing and rallying around a white student to dress in a stereotypical headdress at sports games. It is crucial to question whether tradition is truly a justifiable basis for cultural insensitivity and appropriation. Does our school pride need to come from being “Indians?” Can’t the same level of pride and community, an even nobler type, come from being another mascot? Our sense of spirit and union as a school community should originate from respect for each other, as well as appreciation for our values, generosity and achievements. Even this very publication is named Scout — a reference to Native American lookouts/ trackers. Journalism class students in 1965 changed the name of what used to be the school newspaper to Scout to fit the Indian mascot. The history of how this name came about, a legacy that this staff participates in, is part of the problem. We are discussing changing the name for the next school year and will remove imagery of native culture from our online platforms. This is an effort to begin to rectify a problematic decades-long history and emphasize sensitivity to Native American students; we hope this generates a wave of similar behavior throughout the school. This topic reveals the importance of highlighting and listening to the voices of those often unheard, simply because they are often underrepresented in our school. Native American students should be given a chance to voice opinions, especially in schools where they are characterized as mascots. People and institutions around the nation are increasingly acknowledging and addressing the issue of appropriation of indigenous culture and people, and it’s time Lake Central starts too. Features / 21

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Angelina Slager (10) displays photocards on her wall, each picturing one member of the band BTS. One photocard is included inside every album; opening albums to reveal the member photocard is a major part of K-Pop fan culture.

Slager is pictured laying on top of a pile of clothing depicting bands she listens to. Wearing merchandise of their favorite bands can be a way for fans to connect and a fun way to represent the artists they listen to.

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Fans, Stans and Boy Bands Teachers and students share how boy bands have changed over the years and what it’s like to be a fan PAGE BY ANNIKA GORNEY, ANDIE KALEMBA, CORI LOLLIS, AVA SOLIS AND MORGAN TAYLOR When The Beatles made their debut in 1957, they not only made music that is still played in households today, but they created a whole new subgenre of music: boy bands. Although there is no clear definition of what exactly a boy band is, their music has been heard worldwide throughout many generations. “A boy band is a pop/rock group that is male gendered, and it’s typically geared towards younger generations from high school to middle schoolers,” Ms. Candace Boone, Music, said. Jackson 5 and the Beatles set the stage as two of the earliest boy bands. Today these groups can still have an impact on a new generation of listeners. “Every era has a purpose. I think everyone can feel comfortable listening to [older boy bands] and not embarrassed. I think everyone can relate to songs by The Beatles and The Beach Boys, to name a few, with themes of love and peace,” Cole Marquez (11) said. In the mid-1990s, bands such as Backstreet Boys and NSYNC rose to prominence. Known for their synchronized dances and matching outfits, they quickly became icons in the music industry. “It was something [my friends and I] all had in common. It was an important part of my life and there’s good memories going to concerts with friends,” Mrs. Pamela Neth, Art, said. A few decades later, boy bands are still relevant in popular culture. One Direction had a major impact during the early 2010s with hits such as “What Makes You Beautiful.” More recently, boy bands from around the world have broken language barriers. Korean pop band BTS is one of the most recent boy bands that have taken the music world by storm. “A lot of the songs by One Direction create a positive self image that you’re beautiful no matter what. These messages definitely are what helped make them as popular as they were and still are,” Ashleigh Thompson (11) said.

Displayed on Slager’s wall are posters of her favorite bands, including BTS, SuperM and Monsta X. Posters are a common way for fans to proudly display artists and bands that they love.

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For the Culture

Trust the Process AP Art students infuse personal stories, emotions and growth in their portfolios PAGE BY JEANOA CAMERON, LUKE HAMILTON, BRENNA POLOVINA, HAILEY PRASOPOULOS, LEXI RIGG AND NITYA SHAH

P Art students have put time in and out of class creating an art portfolio that represents them uniquely as an artist. The portfolio has benefits for future lives of students, some of these benefits dealing with college. “This portfolio really helps me with college applications because to get into art school, you need to submit a portfolio and it needs to be strong enough to show cohesive ideas and that you can do a bunch of different things. The AP art portfolio is very much structured to help you find yourself as an artist and prepare for college portfolios,” Honey Nilson (12) said. According to some of the AP art students, working on this portfolio can definitely help shape potential careers in the future. Whether it be animation, architecture or any other career, the portfolio can help with future choices. “My portfolio is currently a huge part of my life. It has changed so much over the school year, reflecting how I’ve changed a lot as well. I am focusing on architecture for my portfolio because I am interested in that field as a career. Although I am not learning all of the architectural technicalities, I am starting to familiarize myself with drafting and the processes that I may encounter in a future career,” Nicole Rytczak (12) said. As AP Art is a two-year class, students are able to watch their artistic ability grow over the years. Being exposed to different forms of art, students can find what they are meant to do with their careers. “The portfolio is a great way to document growth as an artist. It allows a student to gather works they have done in one place and see the scope of their talent and experience as a whole,” Maureen Yaeger, Art said. All portfolios are due no later than May 8, at 5 pm. Students, such as Amanda Guizar (12), put thoughtful time into all of the pieces of their

Honey Nilson (12) uses the light box to get an accurate rendition of her piece on the final paper. Photo by: Jeanoa Cameron

portfolio to give themselves the best spot they can be in. According to Guizar, the students spend about two years to gather artwork for the portfolio. “My favorite piece I made that I’m putting into the portfolio is a project that I did about where my parents are from, Belize. I wanted to show

my heritage and how much Belize means to me. I always visited there when I was younger, so I wanted to make an art piece based on it,” Guizar said. Students in AP art work to get all of the deadlines completed. Whether it is personal or solely classbased projects, each piece takes time. “Currently, most of my artwork revolves around places I have been. I really like to draw pictures that are more cropped so that people will question where that place is and why I did something. In other words, my artworks are focused on confusing

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BRIEF

General Guidelines for AP Art Students’ Portfolios

1. Follow instructions of the chosen portfolio. Complete all of the requirements according to specifications.

2. The students’ portfolio may include work from past school years, in and out of the classroom.

3. All work in a student’s portfolio needs to be created by the individual student. Group projects are not allowed.

4. No work can be duplicated between portfolios. Each portfolio must have work that was not submitted in other AP Art and Design Portfolio Exam.

5. If a student submits a work for the Sustained Investigation section of the portfolio, they may also submit the work for the Selected Works section.

6. Students will also need to submit typed responses to prompts, providing information on how each work was investigated, or what materials or processes were used.

IN-DEPTH

How COVID-19 Has Changed the Production of the Portfolios While some students find the school shutdown helpful in completing their portfolios, others see it as a barrier for those who may not have the right resources. “Since I was on-schedule I only had to make one project at home from scratch. Now, I’m just touching up my pieces.” Nicole Rytczak (12)

the viewer and beautiful sceneries.” Thao Nguyen (11) said. No matter the reason for each individual student taking the class, they all have the same end goal: finish the portfolio. One particular student enjoys the relaxing nature of art. “Compared to other classes, AP art can be a bit of a break to use a different part of your brain and not just go all of the time. It’s kind of like therapy,” Tayler Zajeski (12) said.

“Moving on to new projects is starting to become a problem since not everyone has the supplies they need to work but we’re finding ways around that.” Brooke-Logan Garcia (11)

“Having the time off has given me extra time to work on my portfolio so I can get ahead with submitting it which is nice and helps a lot with my time management.” Amanda Guizar (12) Nicole Rytczak (12) uses markers to add detail on one of her AP Art portfolio pieces. Photo by: Jeanoa Cameron

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Scout x

THE CENTER OF EVERYTHING Quiver 2020

A forthcoming special issue of Scout, now part of the yearbook supplement, covering the extensive ways the coronavirus pandemic has upended life as we know it.

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Ghost Town The weight room was completely empty on Tuesday, March 17, the last day the high school was open before closing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Indiana Department of Education announced two weeks later that all K-12 schools would be closed for the rest of the year. Photo by: Joshua Chen

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