MHS Crier | Issue 3 | 10.21.22

Can't get a word in

With midterm elections approaching, students and staff discuss advocacy and modern politics

seamus keegan and josephine mittelberger

The sun’s rays shone through the trees of Crown Point near the courthouse just as they do every June, but this time, the sidewalks were flooded with people demonstrating their opposition to Sen ate Bill 1—the first bill since the overturning of Roe v. Wade that would ban abortion. One of the faces in the crowd was Tara Gaither, junior, who held a sign reading “pro life is a lie, you don’t care if women die.”

“Seeing everyone fighting for their rights and the idea of putting my opinion out there with a ton of people that agree with me was really empowering,” Tara said. “Even when people came by to flip us off, we just yelled right back at them. It was really nice to have that sense of community.”

With midterms approaching, potential for change opens all around—new representatives alongside possible new policies. However, most students can not vote yet, despite many laws directly affecting those under 18. Just like every vote, every voice mat ters. Students do not have to sit in silence when they see bills they disagree with pass—signing petitions, going to rallies and creating accessible information for others is something that is viable for students.

“There's this idea that we're just kids that don't have to care because we can't vote. But there's a lot of stuff that we can do that isn't just voting,” Paul Har kenrider, sophomore, said. “Big businesses can really be influenced by student movements. We can make a big change if we group together, and we're the ones who can change history.”

The large majority of high school students are quite hesitant to advocate politically. Ac cording to PRNewswire, only 32% of teens educate friends or family about a cause, and only 8% have ever boycotted a company in response to an injustice. Whether it is just a general ignorance of the prob lems students face today or a fear of retaliation, only a small percentage of teens talk about any political is sues, online or in-person. Mr. Michael Gordon, gov ernment teacher, has noticed his students move away from an interest in broad political parties, towards specific interest groups and political opinions.

“A trend away from broad belonging into small factions. And that’s not necessarily good or bad, it just is. We tend to target specifics rather than the big ger picture,” Mr. Gordon said.

editor and guest editor

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DROWNED OUT Sharing their opinions, sophomores Paul Harkenrider and Addy Ellis and Thomas Ashcraft, senior, pose for a picture. The statements on each of their shirts are either a direct quote from an inter view or a summary of their beliefs. (illustra tion by damien salahieh)

MHS introduces new Muslim Culture Club

Paving the way for PLCs

reena alsakaji editor-in-chief

Though students only recently began to hear the vague term PLC litter the halls of MHS, mostly in the context of early teacher meetings, its establishment was present long before the this school year.

Despite what students may think, Professional Learning Communities are not a program, but a process. The goal of any PLC is to encourage collaboration among teachers, and to improve the cur riculum and previous teaching standards.

At meetings, teachers establish learning targets for them to routinely check in on. For example, during her Algebra II PLC, Mrs. Katie Harris, math teacher, begins meeting by analyzing something posi tive. From there, teachers discuss what they want students to learn, and how they will measure that—whether it be an

exit ticket, an activity or assessment.

“We didn’t have protected time be fore,” Mrs. Katie Harris, math teacher and math department head, said. “That’s been really helpful for us to be able to talk to each other and have everybody be a part of the conversation and for us to have a common goal. If somebody has an idea that ‘oh, I never thought about teaching it that way.’ That helps us be better teachers, because we’re all great re sources for each other.”

But with these specific learning tar gets, of which teachers create, it has been a struggle for many teachers to adjust to vague PLC guidelines. At the recent PLC meeting Oct. 13, teachers gath ered in groups to discuss questions they had about PLCs, as well as what teacher collaboration has allowed them to do.

A common question pasted on the wall was “how do we measure PLC progress?”

While sometimes it is simple, there are

Seasonal symphony

MUSIC TO MY EARS While practicing and recording their song, juniors Arjun Keralavar ma, Paola Dominguez, and Isabella Shin, soph omore, listen to themselves play to see what they can do better. (photo by ashley garcia)

Orchestra

Orchestra had their very first con cert of the year Oct. 19. The perform ers wore costumes which embodied the Halloween theme they were going for. Their next performance will be Dec. 14 in the auditorium at 7 p.m. Along with the concert the Orchestra performed on the 19th, it was Miss Levacy Quinn’s, the new orchestra director, first concert.

“I enjoy being a teacher here. I’m al ways busy since I teach at the middle school, high school and the elementa

ry orchestra program, but I have a lot of fun teaching strings,” Miss Quinn said.

Choir

Choir has various fundraisers and events coming up to help raise mon ey for their performance in Austria at the Salzburg Choral Festival in June of 2023. Coming up, they will be host ing a Coffee House Open Mic Night where 20 student performers will show their talents. Students will be able to vote for their favorite performance.

“It’s a way for everyone to show case their talents, singing outside of choir.” Anagha Kodukula, senior, said.

Students and staff adjust to PLCs

obstacles that teachers can run into.

“It is different,” Mrs. Kelly Barnes, En glish teacher, said. “It is hard, because we tend to want to talk about more, and the PLC keeps us very focused. We usually will talk about more teaching practices and the PLC is focusing more on how are the kids learning and what. It is narrow ing our focus more.”

Mrs. Barnes does think it is good to focus on the learning process, as well as other teachers. At the end of the day, Mrs. Barnes believes the ideas PLCs aim for are where we always should have been in terms of teaching.

“As teachers, we’re very motivated by the schedule,” Mrs. Barnes said. “Focus ing on the learning means that I might have to be more flexible, or we might need to review this again, if our kids ar en’t getting it. PLCs are where we should have always been. But it’s often very easy to get away.”

Muslim Culture Club was introduced to MHS in order to encourage students to learn more about Islam, specifically the cul tures and celebrations within it. The next meeting is on Tuesday, Oct. 25 in room N114 at 3 p.m.

“My goal is to clear up stereotypes, show how important the month of Ramadan is for us and show the different cultures sur rounding Islam and how we can help the school environment improve for both Mus lims and non-Muslims,” Anum Minhas, ju nior and president of the Muslim Culture Club said. Anum also wants to educate on how Muslim students feel towards racism and to make the club a safe space.

Mrs. Abuali, club sponsor and WWMS english teacher, also said how in the club they want to encourage students to learn about the Muslim culture and the cultures and celebrations behind it.

sydney jones

Tutor.com now available to students

Tutor.com is a brand new source you can find on any of your teachers Blackboard homepages, in an effort for students to get help with homework in or out of school. Tutor.com is in place to help students get tutoring when it is convenient for them.

“I found Tutor.com very useful when I needed help with my math problem. It’s very benificial and I think it’s a resource ev eryone should use,” Niah Maduakolam said.

sydney jones

Clubs prepare for ‘Halloween Halls’ tonight

For the first time, MHS will be holding Halloween Halls, today, Oct. 21, an event designed for kids to come in and trickor-treat safely. The event was planned by both Mrs. Kathleen LaPorte, social studies teacher, and Ms. Kristen Szafasz, social studies teacher, with Student Gov ernment and Link Crew working to plan as well. The event takes place from 4:30-6 p.m., and clubs have each chosen a specif ic theme for their door.

reena alsakaji

Choir also has a triv ia night coming up in February.

Band

Band recently had two competi tions. On Oct 8, they went to Downers Grove South and came in first place. On Oct 15, they had Regionals at Jeffer son High School where they won gold.

“I would say band’s on the right track. We’re going to semi state soon. So the adrenaline is really pumping, but we’re working hard and I think it’ll be a good season,” Catherine Cronin, senior.

Band also has Semi-State Oct. 29 where they hope to win first.

corrections

In Issue 2 of Crier, on page 1, the pho to EMBRACING SPIRIT was taken by Jalyn Brannon. On page 7, the football team’s record was 3-3. Crier regrets these errors.

stay updated

check out our website: mhsnews.net and follow us on social media: @munstermedia on both tiktok & nstagram

TEAM TEACHERS During a PLC meeting, Mr. Morgan Nolan, principal, jokes with the staff while having group dis cussion. PLC meetings are held every morning for teachers to discuss student learning. “We want a chance to make sure teachers feel good about going into the school year, and that we are being clear and transparent,” Mr. Nolan said. (photo by zoe clark)

CALL THE TUNE Doing warmups at the start of class, Sara Progler, senior, Ava Rozmanich, junior, Megan Archer, junior, Josie Speckhard, sophomore, Emma Jez, junior, Elliana Cruz, senior, and Delaney Craig, junior, practice for upcoming concerts. (photo by anna evilsizor)

MARCH TO YOUR OWN BEAT Prac ticing for their upcoming competition, Kit Eisha, senior, Sophia Parker-Flinchum, freshman, and Emily Fink, junior, play the clarinet. (photo by anna evilsizor)

jones

BRAINSTORM Muslim Culture Club officers, Anum Minhas, junior, and seniors Danish Akbar and Bayan Musleh, meet in the newly built media center to discuss ideas.

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Criticism of the criminal craze

dorothy lakshmanamurthy page editor

Mindlessly scrolling through my TikTok “For You” page, I see a slow motion edit of serial killer, Ted Bundy, appear with the Britney Spears’ song, “Criminal.” The vid eo shows Bundy, with a malicious smirk, being escorted out of the courtroom as Britney sings in the background, “Mama I’m in love with a criminal...”

With the knowledge people know about Bundy today, it is off-putting to see someone romanticize such a psychopath. However, these edits are not just of Bundy. I have also seen TikTok edits of Richard Ramirez, the “Night Stalker,” in the court room with a caption that says, “I would let him murder me.” I look at the comments of this video, and I see people are com menting heart eye emojis for a man who raped and killed at least 13 people.

staff opinion From the page to the press

Following weeks of constant interview ing, scouring the internet for design inspiration and hours spent after school staring at screens in a lab, comes the most exciting day for nearly all Crier staffers: distribution day. Handing out the papers to fleeting students represents hard work coming to life, and despite some rude comments or crumpled up issues, the feeling of being asked for a paper makes it all worth it as we remember our purpose: to high light student voices.

our take we decide what is published, and our goal is always to highlight student voice

ways we advocate on their behalf is through our ability to decide our own content—oftentimes we are told, “How do you decide your content?” or “You should publish this in Crier.” Students on staff decide what is published, how it is published and when it is pub lished. We are not censored by administration, and although we have an adviser, she does not regulate our content either.

We have always been a student-led press, with our main goal being not only to represent the student body, but to advocate on their behalf. Through all of the hard work that we put into our paper, each staff member is motivated by the student body. One of the key

opinion backtalk

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As we consider what content is timely, local, interesting and important, we also need to consider our main goal: to highlight voices and concerns in our community, but to also create a free press in which both students and teachers can stay informed. As MHS changes through culture and communities, both students and teach ers will have questions and opinions—it is Crier’s job to answer them.

Part of deciding content involves bal

what change do you hope to see in future politics?

I hope to see the political climate shift in order to emphasize equality as well as climate preservation.”

clover sarkady junior

“ I hope that people’s voices that are unheard become heard. I also hope that there is more diversity.”

joslynn rushdan senior

Crier, Munster High School’s official student newspaper, may be reached via mail at 8808 Columbia Ave, Munster, IN 46321 or at (219) 836-3200, ext. 3443. Crier is published through the Advanced Student Media: Newspaper classes and extra-curricular involvement. Crier’s official website is mhsnews.net.

•The newspaper serves as a public forum and two-way communication for the school and community. •Published material will stress objective reporting except on the opinion page. All published material will stress accuracy, integrity, honesty, responsibility, objectivity, fairness and independence. Corrections, when necessary, will be published on page 2.

•Opinions expressed in the newspaper do not necessarily reflect those of the School Town of Munster, faculty or administration. All content is decided and produced solely by Crier staff.

•Letters to the editor and reader suggestions are welcomed.

ancing free speech with ethics—before being on staff, students are taught about the difference between law and ethics in Journalism 1. Representing MHS is a daunting task, and we strive to produce coverage that is objective and fair. While we greatly value student opinion, there is also a level of credibility needed when it comes to or not that is ethical—is there a clear cut reason for publishing controversial content, other than for the sake of being a newspaper?

Reflecting on our purpose is import ant for any publications staff—as we continue to cover content that is contro versial or ambiguous in nature, we need to communicate to students what our goal is. Every staff member has the goal of publishing content that is accurate and fair, and as we move forward into the school year, we’d like to present why Crier is important—both to our staff and to our readers.

I think about what the victims’ families would think if they saw their relative’s murderer a part of a romanticizing TikTok trend. These video edits demonstrate peo ple being chronically online, as it distorts their sense of reality. People forget that these are real life killers that have damaged the lives of many. The video edits silence the victims and shine light on the crimi nal.

Movies and TV series have prominent ly brought up mixed emotions amongst victims’ families. The Ted Bundy film “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile,” glamorizes the Bundy case with an allure ambience by focusing so much on the charisma of Bundy that it drifts away from addressing his monstrous crimes.

The recently trending “DAHMER” series does not just focus on the gruesome details of the Dahmer case. It expands more on the broader systems which failed the victims, and shows their dismissiveness toward people of color. The show does a better job to not glamorize the case. Although, just like the Ted Bundy film, directors did not make an effort to notify victims’ families.

“ I hope politicians begin to start considering the long lasting impacts of policies, rather than current gains.”

wesley harle freshman

“ I feel like people are so divided on politics to the point where the divisiveness inhibits any real change or progress.”

True crime retellings need to do a better job of communicating with victims’ fam ilies before creating any sort of depiction. I do believe these retellings can be very interesting, but the directors need to be more mindful when creating them. The immorality of these killers that are being depicted, and even glorified, on large streaming services and in movie theaters only rekindles the trauma for the victims’ families. By glamorizing the killers, it is almost as if we are rewarding them for the lives they have taken.

All letters must be signed and should be emailed to the editor (reenaalsakaji@gmail.com). Letters must not contain personal attacks against an individual. Editors reserve the right to edit for length, clarity, and grammatical errors.

•Anonymous sources will be used if and only if the content matter is of high importance and if identification could bring any possible harm towards the individual or others.

our staff

Editor-in-Chief Reena Alsakaji

Guest Editor Josephine Mittelberger

Story Editor Lauren Hoogeveen

Photography Trainer Anna Evilsizor

Adviser Ms. Sarah-Anne Lanman

Page Editors Sydney Jones, Seamus Keegan, Dorothy Lakshmanamurthy

Cartoonist Damien Salahieh

Business Manager Josephine Mittelberger

Photographers Zoe Clark, Ethan Pischner, Marianna Young

illustration by damien salahieh

teodora dimitrijevic junior

In honor of Taylor Swift’s tenth album, Midnights, releasing today, Crier staffers review four of her albums

editor

In Taylor Swift’s second album, “Fearless,” Swift starts to venture out more to incorporate pop music while still maintaining the country music style. All the songs in the album have the countryside feel as Swift embeds a unique short story within a catchy rhythm.

My favorite song on the album would have to be “The Way I Loved You.” The song has a unique dynamic with the use of con tradicting emotions. Swift has content and calm verses as she describes the perfect rela tionship she is currently in, but in the chorus she unleashes her inner frustration about the nostalgia she feels toward her wild past rela tionship.

There is no particularly bad song on the album, but “Fifteen,” compared to the other songs on the album, seems to be overrated. The song stays constant with no striking factors. For instance, the bridge of the song could be more prominent.

Most overrated:

“False God”

Most underrated: “The Archer”

If you’re feeling “Paper Rings,” listen to “London Boy.”

sydney jones

editor

Taylor’s album, “Reputation” was a shocking change in contrast to her previous, upbeat albums. In this album, she talks about how she’s changed, as sug gested in the song, “Look What You Made Me Do.” I like how she experiments with different genres of music so everyone has something they can listen to—I would even go as far as saying that it is my favorite of Taylor Swift’s albums.

Most overrated:

“Dear John”

Most underrated:

“The Story of Us”

If you’re feeling angry, listen to “Better Than Revenge.”

lauren hoogeveen story editor

Most overrated: “Fifteen”

Most underrated: “Forever & Always”

If you’re driving with friends, listen to “Love Story” or “You Belong With Me.”

infocus.

In contrast to her previous “Reputa tion” Album, Taylor Swift’s “Lover” is full of upbeat, positive songs that signify a happier era in Taylor Swift’s life. While the album is a solid listen, and I do have personal favorites, it does not contain nearly as many groundbreaking songs as her other albums.

This album has a lot of dubstep beat drops which are pretty intense, but there are also some songs that are more mellow. My favor ite song is “Don’t Blame Me,” because it is a mix of both of those qualities. The song has super catchy, and easy to remember lyrics, and I like how I can sing along. It does have a bit of a darker feel but it fits with the vibe she is going for. “New Year’s Day” is a very forgotten song. When the album came out, I either skipped it or did not hear it as often, but it is a chill song that has very heartfelt lyrics.

That is not to say however that there is no interest in larger political issues and concerns. Students still do make their beliefs known, often through social media. Ac cording to a 2022 study by the Pew Research Center, the most popular medium is YouTube, with a 95% usage rate among teens 13-17, fol lowed by TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat. Se nior Madison Sheeman did a lot of advocating last year on her Instagram story, but this year she is taking a lesser approach.

“This year, I’m just kind of trying to stay away from posting so much, just because a lot of people didn’t agree with me,” Madison said. Though students may feel like they need to

“Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince,” and “The Man” are easily my per sonal favorites on the album. With the lyrics flowing smoothly and content that I can easily jam out to, “Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince” is a constant replay. Though I’ll admit that “The Man” is not exactly the greatest song in terms of catchi ness, the feminist undertones and its relation to Taylor’s personal life sets it over the top. However, other songs in the album, such as “False God” and “I Think He Knows,” are incredibly mediocre, and there is a stark dif ference between likeability in each song.

Most overrated: “End Game”

Most underrated:

“New Year’s Day”

If you liked “Look What You Made Me Do,” listen to “Ready For It?”

Transitioning to pop music, Taylor Swift balances country-esque instru mentals while also incorporating new genres in her third album, “Speak Now.” Maintaining the small-town-teen age-girl vibe from her previous albums in songs such as “Mine,” “Enchanted” and “Sparks Fly,” she simultaneously includes some angst in “Mean” and “Better Than Re venge.” The song “Never Grow Up,” which is a reflection of Taylor’s childhood and how she felt being on her own for the first time, never fails to make me a little teary-eyed. My favorite song is “Better Than Revenge”—it is a relatively sad song, but it still manages to be one of those songs where you have to scream with your friends in the car, especial ly the bridge. Although I don’t think “Dear John” is a bad song, I think people give it too much praise in comparison to her other songs.infocus.

shy away from controversial topics, they are al ways affecting people’s lives. This is evident in Indiana’s current Attorney General Todd Roki ta, class of ’88 and part of the MHS Alumni Hall of Fame, who has come under fire for re cent statements in regards to his pro-life views. Crier reached out to the Office of the Attorney General for an interview about student advoca cy, but was unable to set a date.

In classes such as government, students learn about the constitution and current political structures, yet learning to stay informed is left to be done alone. According to the U.S. Cen sus Current Population Survey, the lowest age group of voters are 18-24 year olds. Prejudice may be a barrier to voting, but in a more un expected form. A survey done by Tisch College showed that 64% of white responders reported

having been encouraged to vote in high school, versus 50% of their Black counterparts. This is significant because those who did not receive encouragement were more than twice as likely to agree with the statement “voting is a waste of time.” Urging students to participate in gov ernment is just as important as educating them on the history of the voting process.

What students choose to do in their high school careers can greatly affect their futures. Even those who are not up against prejudice, seem to be hesitant to make their beliefs heard.

“I think a lot of people do not advocate un til it hits them. And even then, a lot of people don’t realize it’s hit them and so they remain silent,” Pemi Ogunjimi, sophomore, said. Mrs. Katie Harris, math teacher, recalls

not being into politics or advocacy in high school—only when she minored in history did she realize the importance of government in stopping issues she saw repeat themselves.

Wishing she was more active when she was younger, Mrs. Harris teaches her own children the importance of using their voice. When schools were losing funding for the Depart ment of Education, Mrs. Harris took her two daughters at the time to a rally in Indianapolis and taught them to speak up and stand up.

“I think that our young people have room to grow, to speak up for themselves and to say, ‘this is what I need, this is where I’m struggling,’” Mrs. Harris said. “I think we can definitely grow with that. And that comes from talking to each other, trying to be good listeners and trying to put ourselves into others’ shoes.”

reena alsakaji editor-in-chief

dorothy lakshmanamurthy

continued from front

Year in and year out

A look at how Paragon constructs the yearbook

lauren hoogeveen story editor

Mac computers lined up on the ta bles. A strobe light set up facing a backdrop for photos. Mini lockers filled with various cameras and lenses—all things that students are immediately intrigued by after walking into publications adviser Ms. Sarah-Anne Lanman’s classroom. Nationally recognized as one of the best scholastic jour nalism programs, MHS’ publications consist of Crier, the newspaper, and Paragon, the yearbook. Approaching their first deadline Oct. 31, Paragon staffers will submit 22 pag es for the yearbook that comes out in May.

Their main struggle so far has been time management with assignments and commu nication between photographers and writers.

“We end up thinking we have more time than we actually do, so sometimes not ev erything is done exactly on time,” Jaylyn Fassoth, junior, said. “It’s definitely some thing that will improve throughout the year, considering it’s only the first deadline and there are many new staffers this year, myself included.”

In order to start their coverage for the year, Paragon has to pick a theme for the yearbook that staffers feel represents the school year

best. Yearbook staffers choose “Fill in the Blank” as the yearbook theme to capture the sense of uncertainty about recent school years in comparison to this year—this year feels more random. Over the past two weeks, yearbook staffers have been asking students to fill in the blank in the sentence ‘I’m ___,’ so these responses can be published in the yearbook. According to Ms. Lanman, Para gon’s goal every year is to cover as much of the student body as possible, and staff be lieves this is a great way to talk to everyone.

“I think handwriting is such a unique thing about a person,” Lita Cleary, senior and Paragon editor-in-chief, said. “It distin guishes personality, so I love the idea of in cluding handwriting in the yearbook.”

Although staff assignments are de termined by which prerequisite class was completed, Journalism I or Pho tography, all staffers design the yearbook spreads, or each page of the yearbook. Start ing with a blank eDesign document, they create the spreads taking into consideration what is visually appealing and helpful to the reader. Photographers capture various sports, clubs and school events throughout the year, while journalists write the corresponding stories. Writers also tap into the more emo

On the drawing board

A brief outline of how Crier creates each issue

 MARKING MISTAKES

Making final edits to Issue 3 of Crier, Reena Alsakaji, senior and editor-in-chief, edits the sports dou bletruck, which you can read on pages 6-7 of this issue. This were the final round of edits, with Ms. Sarah-Anne Lanman, ad viser, having completed edits right before. (photo by ethan pischner)

 STICK TO IT With the list of all the students in the school, Zuzu Smith, junior, prepares to post them. The Paragon staff needs these lists so that they can cover everyone in the school. “I feel the purpose of yearbook is to let kid be heard and have a voice, along with telling a story of events that happen throughout the year,” Zuzu said. (photo by ethan pischner)

tional or personal side of each school year, such as larger world events and how it affect ed MHS students, in sections called student life.

“When I first joined the yearbook as a freshman, I felt like I found my kind of people,” Gia Cvitkovich, senior, said. “I love taking photos and seeing my name on the pages and getting complimented for it. It’s a huge responsibility and will drive you crazy, but it’s all worth it in the end when you see what you have created.”

Along with the repeated sections such as student portraits, clubs and sports, Paragon aims to capture what it is like to be a student at MHS both inside and outside of school and include as much student voice as possi ble. In Ms. Lanman’s words, Paragon has to evaluate what a student 20 years in the future would consider important when looking in their high school yearbook. Staffers have to put themselves in the mindset that they are capturing history, not just what is currently happening, like Crier’s coverage.

“The process of it is terrifying and exciting at the same time,” Lita said. “But I’m most excited to get the book, have it in my hands and be able to say ‘Wow, I did this.’ It’s going to be amazing.”

In the back of the Mac lab, Ms. Sarah-Anne Lanman, publica tions adviser, and Aidan Boyle, senior, are solving an issue that is happening with the computer. The Publications staff has the only Mac computer lab in the entire district. “We are lucky that we have the resources and the support of administration to have such a nice facility,” Ms. Lanman said. (photo by lita cleary)

Awards won by publications...

Hoosier Star

Awarded from the Indiana High School Press Association, both Crier and Paragon have consistently won Hoosier Stars for many years. This recognizes them as the best publications in the state.

Gold Crown

Picked along with 10 other high school publications in the country, Crier won a Gold Crown from Columbia Scholastic Press Association. Recognizing Crier as one of the top 10 print newspapers, they were chosen out of over 800 high school newspapers in the nation.

Pacemaker 100

Paragon was recognized by the National Scholastic Press Association as 7th in the top 100 of publications. Based off of every publications recognized in each competition throughout the past 100 years, this names Paragon as one of the best.

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TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES

 MASTER PLAN Sitting in front of the Mac computer, Lita Cleary, senior and Paragon editor-in-chief, carefully plans how she will get her tasks done. Lita was currently looking at the announcements to figure out athletics schedules. “As stressful as yearbook is, I find ways to organize my different assignments and to help my staff,” Lita said. (photo by ethan pischner)

 THINKING OUT LOUD Pictured above is Crier’s page-by-page plan for this issue of the paper. The staffers plan each issue based on the date and cur rent pressing issues. (photo by ethan pischner)

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ROUGH WRITING Crier staff writes their stories as rough drafts first before editing them into the final stories you’ll read. They then design the pages them selves in Adobe InDesign. (photo by ethan pischner)

sports.

Falling out of season

As fall sports come to an end, athletes reflect on the ups and downs of 2022’s fall season and prepare for postseason

Boys’ Tennis Football

lauren hoogeveen story editor

After winning Sectionals and Regionals, the Boys’ Tennis team advanced to SemiState Oct. 8, where they ended their sea son. At the Sept. 29 match, the team won 5-0 against Highland, naming themselves Sectional champions for the 42nd year in a row. Winning Regionals for the 30th time in 32 years, they beat Hobart 5-0 Oct. 5. Looking back on his senior season, Daniel Sroka believes that the strong bonds between teammates this season helped them succeed in their matches.

The football team finished up all their regular season home games. The team lost against Hobart last Friday, with a score of 35-0. As of now, the season record is 3-7.

“For me, this season has had its ups and downs on defense this year, but offensively I feel like I have improved a lot,” Joeseph Bartusiak, junior, said. “The team gets along really well which helps us work better together. We continue to get better and better as the season goes on.”

Cristian Silva, junior, said that this season has been much

better than the last, and expressed that the team put up some good fights each game.

“I had a strip sack my very first varsity game,” Silva said. “Also, our quarterback Prieboy ran through tons of people this season. It was a fun time.”

The team is now focused on their first Sectional game next Friday against Merrillville.

“This week is our bye week to prepare for the Sectionals,” Silva said. “We are probably going to scan Merriville’s defen sive and offensive formations with conditioning, and find cracks in it that we can use.”

Volleyball

Finishing off their season at Sectionals, Girls’ Vol leyball advanced their way to the final game on Oct. 15 against Lake Central. The season record came out to be 16-17. Although they did not win the final game, the team managed to get in some good plays and win a set out of four.

“I think we played well and put up a fight even when we were down or struggling,” Olivia Webb, ju nior, said. “The highlight of the game was being able to play with our two seniors for the last time.”

The season was filled with individual achievements as the team reached personal goals and improved.

“I have gotten a lot faster at hitting and blocking,” Julianna Kisel, junior, said. “I really enjoyed the sea son and improved a lot. I was in the top ten in the state for juniors on blocking.”

Lauren Wallace, senior, explained that she also feels that she individually grew as a player this season, as she got her 1000th kill during her last conference game. She also expands on the growth of the team overall.

“We have played really hard, and I think we’ve ex ceeded the expectations of a lot of people,” Wallace said. “ At the beginning, it was a little rocky because we had never really played with each other. We got better throughout the season and played more as a team.”

“This last season will forever have a spe cial place in my heart, arguably one of the best and most fun of my high school ca reer,” Sroka said. “We won Semi-State the past three years, the first couple years since 2010, so I would say it’s special to have had an impact on the team these last four years on Varsity.”

Girls’ Cross Country

Placing second at Sectionals, the Girls’ Cross Country team advanced to Regionals, Oct. 15. Along with many personal records, five girls placed in the top 20 at Sectionals— Elora Bliss, freshman; Eva Olson, sophmore; juniors, Riley Mach and Riley Jorge and se nior, Mary Buck. After placing sixth at Re gionals, the team lost the tie-breaker against Lowell, ending their season. Individually, Bliss, Buck, Mach and Jorge will be advanc ing to Semi-State tomorrow at New Prairie High School.

“This is definitely my fastest season yet,” Mach said. “I’m pretty happy with my over all performances, but there’s always races where you wish you did better.”

 GET SERVED In the air, Julianna Kisel, junior, prepares to spike the ball. At the game against Lowell, the volleyball team won 3-0. “I feel I have improved on hitting around the block this season. I’m looking forward to kicking LC’s butt next season,” Kisel said. (photo by anna evilsizor)

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 TO THE CORNUCOPIA Coming out of the forest, Elora Bliss, freshman, reaches closer to the finish line. Finishing second at Sectionals, her time was 19:45. “I went out trying my best, worked towards my goal, and didn’t give up.” Bliss said. (photo by anna evilsizor)

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MAKING A RACKET Tossing the ball in the air, Jack Morton, freshman, prepares to serve. (photo by anna evilsizor)

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 BREAK-AWAY Running away from Highland’s defense, Joseph Bartusiak (29), junior, runs down the field. Playing against Highland for the bridge on Sept. 23, the team lost 12-7. (photo by marianna young)

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Boys’ Soccer

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Boys’ Soccer came to an end Oct. 6 after coming short of a penalty kick in their Sec tional Semifinals against Hammond Mor ton. There will be no future games for the team, but they reflect back on their accom plishments throughout the season.

“The best game we played this season was against Glenview High School,” Niki Dimi trijevic, sophomore, said. “We won 4-0 and dominated the game. We kept the ball and passed really well. We were great at attacking and defending that game.”

For the overall season, the team achieved a record of 11-3-3.

“This season, I individually learned a lot and improved a lot, and so had the team,” Aaron Bobb, junior, said. “I think my favor ite part, and the most memorable part, of the season was when we beat highland and we all knee-slid in front of our fans.”

Boys’ Cross Country Girls’ Golf

The girl’s golf season ended with a loss at Regionals Sept 24. Overall, they had a suc cessful season, and the summer tournaments helped to generate team morale for when the school season began.

“Our season really improved with the addition of three new freshmen to the team this season,” Cate Stephan, junior, said. Although they did not make it to past Regionals, junior Alexis Schmidt also thinks the team did well but plans to improve next season. Natalia Jeknic, junior, says main taining mental focus and locking in before matches were crucial to their achievements.

“I think each of us made outstanding im provements this season that helped the team do extra well,” Jeknic said.

Boys’ Cross Country had Sectionals on Oct. 8 where Ralph Brown, junior, won first in long distance. Seven members of the team placed in the top twenty-five of runners. Placing fourth overall at Regionals on Oct. 15, the boys will advance to Semi-State tomorrow at New Prairie High School. Brown also placed third overall at Regionals.

“I never expected I’d end up being fourth on the team,” Josh Serrano, junior, said. “At Semi-State, I hope to break 18 minutes for a 5k.”

Junior Ralph Brown becomes Boys’ Cross Country Sectional champion

Running across the finish line, Ralph Brown, junior, won first at the Boys’ Cross Country team’s Sectional meet Oct. 8. At regionals, Ralph ran 16 minutes and 40.6 seconds, averaging 5 minutes and 22.8 seconds, “It was nice knowing that I had met expectations,” Brown said. He also mentioned how much he appreciates his family, coach and teammates supporting him throughout the season. “I knew it was the small est of the challenges to come, so I wasn’t too nervous.” Brown start ed doing cross country in sixth grade when he noticed he was good at running for long periods of time. He believes his experience from playing soccer and basketball opened the doors of cross country for him.

Girls’ Soccer

reena alsakaji editor-in-chief

Girls’ Soccer’s season ended Oct. 7 in a tough game against Lake Central. The final score was 1-0, marking the end of Sec tionals. The team fought hard during their season, with the final score 7-8-3. Through a loss of five key players at the start of the season due to injuries, the girls had to adjust to the remainder of the season.

“A lot of girls stepped up,” Bianca Villarreal, senior, said. “We, as a team, pulled it together and worked our hardest and had fun when we stepped on the field.

The girls had to make it through an unexpected season, with three players lost at Penn. But adjusting to the season is what the girls can look back on.

“It was hard adjusting but we had some players that really stepped up to make this turn out to be a good season,” Haneen Srour, senior, said. “My favorite memory was when we played in a tournament in South Bend, only losing one out of our three games. We played some tough teams to beat and came out and played some great soccer.”

 GET OUT THE WAY Making his way around the defense, Alex Orange, senior, drib bles towards Crown Point’s goal. (photo by zuzu smith)

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PRACTICING THE PUTT Lining up the shot, Alexis Schmidt, junior, warms up before the match. (photo by lita cleary)

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 A RACE TO THE FINISH Turning the last corner of the Sectional race, Ezekiel Gomez, senior, crosses the finish line. An important goal of his being to make top 20 by senior year, he finished in19th place. “Without my teammates and coach, I wouldn’t be where I am now,” Gomez said. (photo by anna evilsizor)

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FINESSING Swerving away from the defense, Kylie Meegan, ju nior, prepares to pass the ball. Going into overtime twice, the team lost 1-0 against Lake Central. “I’m sad to see the season ending, but I’m looking forward to see what next season has in store for us.” Meegan said. (photo by marianna young)

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sydney jones

 LIKE THE WIND Sprinting to the end, Ralph Brown, junior, fin ished his 5k with a time of 16:17.8 averaging 5:15.5 per mile at Sectionals. (photo by anna evilsizor)

An untold history

For LGBTQ+ History Month, students and staff discuss Indiana education for LGBTQ+ history

Sitting in class, Sophie Ferrer, fresh man, watches a video about literature and the teacher skips over a sec tion that details queer relation ships within the stories. For LGBTQ+ students like Sophie, this scene is not uncommon. Looking back, she can recall many times in which LGBTQ+ history was skimmed over or ignored. This creates a space where she cannot easily accept herself or see that their experiences are normal.

“Being a part of the LGBTQ+ commu nity has made my life a little bit harder in MHS,” Sophie Ferrer, freshman, said. “I struggle with feeling pride sometimes be cause I really wish that I could be like other girls, fawning over boys and stuff like that. I don’t have that connection, and it makes me feel very left out.”

National LGBTQ+ History Month takes place throughout all of October, and National Coming Out Day was Oct. 11. For some students, the month is a time of reflection on queer history in the United States. MHS does not have any books in the curriculum with queer chracters nor does it teach LGBTQ+ history. Mr. Thom as Barnes, English department chair, shared that in May, newer textbooks are coming in with more diverse authorship. Novel se lections are trying to be updated; however, replacing books costs thousands of dollars, and the department is struggling to find modern books that are school appropriate.

“I think it’s important that everyone gets various viewpoints,” Mr. Barnes said. “It’s important to see the world through the lens of various demographics. If everything is only through the eyes of a white male or whatever it may be, then you’re missing out on a lot of different colors that exist in the palette of literature and experience.”

In recent years, more states have re quired LGBTQ+ history to be taught in schools—California, Colorado, New Jersey, Oregon, Illinois and Nevada. In Indiana,

Stackin’ it up

there is no law, and students do not have many places to turn to within the school system. According to the Indiana Youth In stitute, three out of four LGBTQ+ students in Indiana experienced at least one form of anti-LGBTQ discrimination at school in the past 2021 school year. A club that tries to minimize harm from such actions is Gay-Straight Alliance.

“We’re in a stage as a club where a lot of students are looking for a place to build themselves up first,” Mr. Ben Boruff, GSA sponsor, said. “There is definitely value in diving into advocacy and trying to change your environment, but for some, they need a space to heal first before they can take on too much of that.”

According to Mr. Boruff, teachers are not trained to deal with LGBTQ+ students specifically—rather, aspects of LGBTQ+ statistics are incorporated with other training. When being trained on suicide prevention, for example, teachers look at the rates of students who attempt suicide, a large proportion being LGBTQ+ students. There is no specific training for LGBTQ+ students at a state level or at MHS specifi cally, though some counselors can make an

READING BETWEEN THE LINES

Reading through a copy of “Brave Face”, Lucy MacDonald, who identi fies as LGBTQ+, reads about growing up, coming out, and dealing with depression.

(photo by zoe clark)

backtalk

“Sneak into fancy events that you have to pay to get into.”

“I would see if I could walk through a wall, since ghost are intan gible.”

individual effort. For some students, like Lucy MacDonald, senior, a lack of these support systems led to more underlying fears.

“I think that was scariest, not being able to go talk to my school counselor because I was scared of what they were going to say,” Lucy said.

Like Lucy, other students believe that taking the steps to understanding should be a priority for the school system itself, not just GSA. As a response, students have had to seek out those support systems. Being an openly queer teacher, Ms. Abigail Brosseau, adult roles and responsiblities teacher, has had several students reach out to her as a role model. Students struggling with their identity have gone to Ms. Brosseau with questions of identity or when they face mean comments during school.

“It is great that I have created a safe space for students to come to,” Ms. Bros seau said. “But it breaks my heart that it’s 2022 and people still struggle. It has been brought to tears multiple times because I just love my students so much, and in 2022 people still have to go through crazy things like that.”

“I would hide behind doors and jumpscare people.”

“If I was a ghost, the first thing I would do is see if the whole floating through walls and doors actually works.”

self-acceptance, and discovering the world of drag  kings, queens and in-betweens

Gabi Hernandez highlights her senior year, with themes such as coming out, sexuality and teen pregnancy

gabi, a girl in pieces

A biography outlining the lives of LGBTQ+ peoples throughout history

no way, they were gay?

16 short stories of teens discovering their sexuality and coming out  am i blue?

Published two years after the Stonewall riots, an essay on being a homosexual in the United States  on being different

A history of LGBTQ+ in the United States, and how it began long before Stonewall  a queer history of the united states

A tribute to Matthew Shepard, a gay 21-year-old who was beaten to death in 1998

october mourning

A book exploring why the murder of Matt Shepard still haunts the United States today

losing matt shepard

“I would eavesdrop on my opponents to see what they were trying to do.”

If you were a ghost for a day, what is the first thing you would do and why?

“Float through build ings in Chicago and go steal some pizza.”

“I’d probably haunt the Pope and change the entire trajecto ry of the Catholic Church.”

“I would fly across the globe. Actually, why stop there? I’m going to space and explor ing the universe”

“Travel the world be cause ghost can’t sleep and don’t need food.”

“I would go into a cheesecake factory and just appreciate the scent.”

Lindsay Opiola, freshman Marija Pavlic, freshman

Jordan Jones, sophomore

Billy Goldman, junior

Juliette Miranda, senior

Mr. Leroy Marsh, health teacher

Anthony Ornelas, junior

Sarah Pruzin, senior

Mr. Ben Boruff, English teacher

Luna Gutierrez, sophomore

reena alsakaji & josephine mittelberger editor-in-chief & guest editor