[CRIER Munster High School
[
Issue 3 Volume 53 Oct. 26, 2018
8808 Columbia Ave. Munster IN 46321
This house divided DIVIDED WE FALL On Nov. 6, seniors like Eli Stricker, senior, will vote in their first ever midterm election. “I’d like to see cooperation to get some important neutral legislation through in Congress, like net neutrality,” Eli said. “Realistically though, I don’t see that happening in this upcoming term, since the parties rarely bridge the gap.” [photos by Robert Young]
story by
[Alyssa Bass] Copy Editor
SEEING RED Eli is illuminated with red to represent the Republican party. “I expect them (candidates) to appeal to modern trends and maybe even reach out with social media platforms like Instagram and Snapchat,” Eli said. “I haven’t necessarily seen anything new or different, but I’m sure some younger candidates are trying to reach out that way.”
With 11 days left until the midterm elections, students and staff are getting ready to vote. Midterms are held every two years, halfway between presidential elections. Voters will elect one-third of the Senate and all 435 members of the House of Representatives. Midterms also determine which political party will control each chamber of Congress for the next two years. “Midterms are important for two reasons,” Mr. Steve Lopez, social studies teacher, said. “The first reason is to really kind of test the whole democratic process to see if we can get the level of participation nationally that’s been lacking in recent elections and in recent decades. Number two, is because the country does seem to be so divided on this political alignment, that the stakes seem to be so much higher, because it doesn’t seem to be that they’re promoting people to vote.” Students like Eli Stricker, senior, who is old enough to vote, think that voting is an important part of saying citizens are content with government. “The preamble is a microcosm for the Constitution, it’s a social contract, which basically outlines what the Constitution and government can do for you,” Eli said. “One of the interpretations of the preamble is that it is meant for the citizens, and only way to give consent for the social contract, or to say you’re okay with the government, is to vote.”
Midterm elections Nov. 6, students and staff discuss voting
[continued on next page]
[Inside look] pg. 4
Crier reviews vintage Halloween movies
[Upcoming]
pg. 7 Fall sports final recaps
OUT OF THE BLUE Eli is illuminated with blue to represent the Democratic party. “Democrats can appeal to minorities and younger people better, as their policies are generally in favor of them (younger people),” he said.
GET LOW Max Ladd, sophomore, bends down to hit a low ball.
eSports hosts all school Fortnite tournament Nov. 1-2
Best Buddies hosts Halloween party Sunday in Cafeteria, 2-4 p.m.
2 [NEWS] Sidenote
Munster High School Crier
Face to face
Oct. 26, 2018
Publications Awards
The Publications department attended the State convention last Friday. Paragon and Crier were winners of the IHSPA Hoosier Star Award, the highest State award a student publication can win. Additionally, seven staff members won individual awards for their achievements. “It’s really cool and exciting to have your work be validated,” former Editor-in-Chief of Crier Ian S. Brundige,’17, said. “Because when you’re there doing it, it doesn’t always feel like that. It can be grueling and tiring, and feel unrewarding sometimes. So now that I’m able to take a step back and see that people actually like it— people outside of the school, actually like it—it’s really nice.” The Columbia Scholastic Press Association has also made Crier a Crown Award finalist for their awards, which will be announced in March of next year. Crier is only one of 34 print publications from around the country nominated for this award.
Harvard Case Study
A professor from Harvard University will visit Mr. Michael Gordon’s government class today to observe their case study. The case study program was created by Harvard professor Dr. Moss to test a new way to teach students about civics. “We are now about four years into the pilot, and there are now 250 teachers across the country that are engaged in teaching these case studies,” Mr. Gordon said. Dr. Moss’s class observes Mr. Gordon’s class conversations through microphones and recording equipment throughout the year and visits the school for one week.
[photo by Mimi Brody]
OUR HISTORY While his students look upon him, Mr. Gordon, social studies teacher, discusses the Harvard case study with his students. “I like case study learning better because of the real-life application it provides. I don’t really learn a lot of real world examples in school, so this helps build that knowledge,” Sam Barazza, senior, said.
Corrections
In issue two of Crier, the illustration done on page 5 was by Elizabeth Fonseca. On page 7, in “An evening in Paris” the quote given from Mrs. Kathleen LaPorte should have been attributed to Mrs. Kyleen Nolan, science teacher. On page 8, Anthony Young is a freshman, not a sophomore. On page 9, Charlie Hofferth, junior, should be attributed for the illustration. On page 10, Elizabeth Fonseca took the photo “Go, Fight, Win.” On page 12, Maddie Horin, senior, and Evneki Crenshaw, freshman, names were misspelled in “Backtalk.” Crier regrets these errors.
candidates’ key stances explained Joe Donnelly democrat Immigration
Mike Braun republican
Immigration
Voted for funding border wall three times, wants a border Believes building the wall must be the first step to any solusecurity strategy that includes the infrastructure, technolo- tion regarding immigration and supports banning sanctuary cities gy, equipment to secure our borders
Gun Rights
Supports more extensive background check and blocking convicted criminal and other dangerous individuals from buying a firearm
vs. Gun Rights
Opposes any efforts to restrict the rights of law-abiding gun owners, will also work to enact national reciprocity laws and protect the rights of sportsmen on federal lands
Military
Wants to work to provide our troops with the mental health services needed to prevent suicide and aid service members transitioning home or to civilian life
Military
[source: donnelly.senate.gov]
US Representative
Other key races
Modernize and streamline inefficiencies at the VA to improve care for veterans, never back down to despots, dictators, and rogue nation states [source: mikebraunforindiana.com]
State Senator
Peter Visclosky
Frank Mrvan Jr.
Mark Leyva
Charles B. Kallas
State Representative
Carolyn B. Jackson
.Encourage newdemocrat job growth .Rebuilding our infrastructure and increase minimum .Reforming our education system democrat
democrat
.Advancing Women’s equality .Defending American steel
republican
.Restructure funding for schools to
republican
.Permanent tax breaks .Build border wall
accommodate access to certain funds without raising taxes
[sources: visclosky.house.gov, markleyva.com]
Students discuss importance of voting [continued from front] While students may not know who is running or who they want to vote for, the internet and social media have become large platforms for campaign ads. Students can take advantage of the social media influence to research different candidates and see which candidates they agree with the most. “I think that doing anything, just doing a rudimentary Google search to look at both sides of the aisle, and then you can choose whichever candidate aligns with your values,” Brink Wolak, sophomore, said. Voting in the midterm elections is just as important as voting in the presidential elections, according to Mr. Joshua Harold, social studies teacher. “I think that because policy that the president sets the midterms one usually either a confirmation of the policies of the presidency is setting or it’s a kind of check here in terms of maybe getting things back on a different track,” Mr. Herold said.
In safe hands
[sources: frankmrvan.com,ckallasrun.com]
hourly wages
Donna Dunn
.
libertarian
Supplementing existing idustries in northwest Indiana
[sources: votecbjackson.com, votedonnadunn.com]
“Voting is definitely very important to do. I think also sometimes not voting on purpose, can send a bigger message than voting. So it’s although it’s important to participate, I think getting large groups of people to not vote to show protest is also very effective “Voting is important to properly as well.” represent the union. Think of it like
a lottery, each ticket is worth something. A single vote can contribute to an entire political party shift, especially this election. If millennials vote, the Senate will probably shift to the Democratic party majority, on midterms gaining the Democrats influence in the Senate. This example is one of the numerous reasons why young people, and everyone for that matter, should vote now and in future elections.” -Rachel Lyons, senior
-Brink Wolak, sophomore
[your take]
Students, staff discuss new Student Advisory Council
story by
[Nadia Perdue] Page Editor
variation will be representation for the rest of the school. This week students of the new Student Advisory Council The group meets every other Thursday in the morning. (SAC) have provided safety tips to the entire student body In their first meeting, the students expressed concerns they over the intercom. had for the school and how SAC can take part in fixing those “SAC works with the school’s policy and tries to help out issues. The group also came up with a mission statement. In with safety during the school day, and it helps out with school the future, SAC will present their ideas to Student Governspirit,” Jackie Bevil, sophomore, said. ment on how possibly to better the school. Assistant Principal Mrs. Valerie Zemaitis, one of the club’s “It (mission statement) says something to sponsors, explains that there were multiIt’s nice to be in a room the point that SAC has a purpose to encourple reasons for the creation of SAC, one of them being a way to help students feel more with administrators and age safety and responsibility for a unified people you can actually talk Munster High School community,” Mrs. Zesecure at school. maitis said. “In the news, it seems like we have been to. -Maha Alshamaileh, Maha Alshamaileh, freshman, hopes that getting a lot of media with concerns to freshman this club will encourage school spirit, and school safety,” she said. “Even though our will help students and faculty feel less divided. school might be safe, students are a little fearful of potentially “It’s nice to be in a room with administrators and people what could happen with them.” you can actually talk to, and have a conversation with, beMembers applied to be a part of SAC in a process that led cause often times, I feel like it’s hard to do that when there’s to 16 students being picked, four from each grade. According administration in the room,” Maha said. “We (students) alto Mrs. Zemaitis, there is a diverse range of students in the ways talk about what (the school) can do better, or how we’d club. Some of the students, for instance, are more involved in all like something (to be) but we never actually take it to them school activities than others. She said that she hopes that this and tell them.”
“
”
3 [OPINION]
Munster High School Crier
Opinion
Oct. 26, 2018
Innocent until...?
column by
[Jack Stork]
Contributing Writer
[cartoon by Chrys Navarro]
CONSENT CURRICULUM According to a National Opinion Research Center (NORC) survey, 14 percent of survey participants reported learning how to ask for consent in middle school, and only 21percent in high school. Teaching consent in health classes can help clarify existing misconceptions.
Editorial
Clarifying Consent It seems as if every week a new headline spans across TV news banners accusing a celebrity of sexual assault. While some cases are clear cut, like Bill Cosby, others are more ambiguous, like Brett Kavanaugh. In cases riddled with ambiguity, there tends to be a common theme of alcohol and misunderstood consent. In Brett Kavanaugh’s case, the allegations of assault were centered around a booze-filled party scene where consent was not discussed, and any evidence of assault was “he-said” or “she-said”. Party culture that revolves around drugs and alcohol is common and probably will not disappear anytime soon. So, instead of attacking the culture surrounding parties, perhaps it would be more effective to have an open discussion about consent so that the likelihood of assault becomes less prevalent. In high school health classes, STDs and protection are covered, but consent remains relatively untouched. Instead of just glossing over the concept of consent and preaching abstinence, health classes should include a clear cut definition of consent and the procedure of giving and receiving it. Too often, cases of sexual assault are reduced to a perpetrator claiming “They never said no” or “I thought they wanted it.” An honest and open discussion of consent
can remedy some of the confusion that arises. This lesson is one that needs to be taught, perhaps even before sophomore year, the year health class is commonly taken. Instead, students would benefit from being taught the basis of consent in middle school, that way the procedure is familiar with them before they encounter potentially dangerous situations in high school. Furthermore, as a society, both genders (and non-binary Consent should people) need to have be taught in health an honest discussion classes before about what actions require consent. In students enter high research conducted school by Natonal Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago, it is shown that men and women have starkly different ideas of what exactly constitutes consent. For example, women are significantly more likely to believe that consent must be given at each step of a sexual encounter than men. Standardizing these gray areas will help eliminate some of the fumbles that occur and allow everyone to feel more comfortable while engaging in sexual activities.
[Our take]
[CRIER] Crier, Munster High School’s official student newspaper, may be reached via mail at 8808 Columbia Ave, Munster, IN 46321; via phone at 219-836-3200, ext. 3443; or via fax at 219-836-3202. Crier is published through the Honors Newspaper Advanced Writing and Editing classes and extra-curricular involvement. •The newspaper serves as a public forum and two-way communication for the school and community. •Crier is a source of information, entertainment, advertising and opinion for the student body, faculty, administration and community •Published material will stress objective reporting except on the editorial page where opinion writing will be featured. 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. Letters to the editor and reader suggestions are welcomed, but should be limited to 250 words. All letters must be signed and should be either emailed to the editor (miryambrody@yahoo.com), given directly to any staff member or delivered to the Publications room,
N155, one week prior to publication. Letters must not contain personal attacks against an individual. Editors reserve the right to edit for length, clarity, and grammatical errors. Crier will accept letters from anyone, provided that the content pertains to school or school issues. Feedback may also be submitted on Twitter @munstermedia. Mailed subscriptions cost $25 per year. Crier’s website is http:// mhscrier.com/ Digital issues can be found on issuu.com. Crier is published 12 times a school year. Ad rates and policies are available to anyone upon request.
[Our Staff]
Editor-in-Chief Mimi Brody Managing Editor Carey Scott
With the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court, many Americans find themselves displeased with the course of national politics. The general dissatisfaction around Kavanaugh’s appointment follows a string of sexual assault accusations against the now confirmed justice. These accusations have become a cornerstone of the #MeToo movement. Allow me to set one thing straight: I personally don’t know if I am a supporter of Brett Kavanaugh or not. What I do know is that we live in a country that, by law, explicitly protects an individual under suspicion of a crime. In the words of the Fifth Amendment, no one shall be “deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.” The Congressional investigation during his confirmation hearing into the accusations against Brett Kavanaugh came up empty. Some argue that this investigation was not thorough enough, and that it did not have enough time to come up with conclusive evidence before his appointment was confirmed. However, the fact that no conclusive evidence can be found against him is important when considering his innocence. Yet Kavanaugh has been viciously attacked, and he is assumed to be in the wrong. I must ask, what has happened to due process? In cases where sexual assault takes place, the accused is often assumed to be guilty. It seems that in these sorts of cases, due process becomes null and void, begging the question: What happened to “innocent until proven guilty”? My heart goes out to every person who has ever been sexually assaulted, raped or harassed. I think we can all agree that sexual assault and rape are horrible. In a perfect world, these crimes would never occur. However, the practice of assumption can be damaging as well. While these cases are certainly the minority, a false rape accusation, whether against a man or a woman, can ruin someone’s life. If we continue to allow the decaying of the justice system, we have much to fear in the coming years.
Graphics Editor Robert Young Web Editor Lilia Brunetti Social Media Manager Adam Klaich Alt-Copy Manager Mercedez Williams Page Editors: Alexis Lindenmayer, Nadia Perdue Business Manager Kammy Moore Head Photographer Elizabeth Fonseca Chief Photographer Melanie Powers Chief Social Media Photographer Lauren Kozy
Copy Editor Alyssa Bass
Photographers: Charlie Hofferth, Lana Salahieh
Design Editor Megan Syzmanski
Adviser Ms. Sarah-Anne Lanman
4[REVIEW]
Munster High School Crier
Oct. 26, 2018
Spooky Cinema
Crier staffers review 20th century horror movies
Crier staffers review horror movies
[screenshot from Amazon]
story by
[Mimi Brody & Carey Scott] Editor in Chief Managing Editor
“Little Shop of Horrors” When geeky florist’s assistant stumbles upon a rare exotic plant with a taste for blood, “Little Shop of Horrors” was born. The movie-musical follows Seymour, a putsy worker in a failing flower shop, as he realizes that his new plant requires more than just water and sunlight. The music is catchy and humorous given the darker plot of the movie. Standout songs include “Da Doo” and “Dentist!” The film also features notable performances from Steve Martin and Rick Moranis. Even Bill Murray makes a small but lively cameo. While the film is more comedic than scary, the premise makes it a great alternative for those not interested in traditional horror films.
“Carrie” As a Stephen King fan, I think that any movie based off of a Stephen King book already has a lot of potential. “Carrie” was originally a book written by Stephen King in 1974, which sparked two remakes: one made in 2002 and one made in 2013, both lacking in comparison to the first adaptation made in 1976. The movie focuses on a bullied teenage girl named Carrie White. As she discovers she has telekinetic powers. Though “Carrie” may not seem to be that scary a character herself, the scariest part of the movie by far is the way that she is treated by her mother and classmates, and how that eventually impacts them later on in the movie. The relationship between Carrie and her overly religious abusive mother, is so well portrayed on screen, and quite frankly, made my skin crawl. “Carrie” is more than just a horror movie, there are twinges of dark comedy, classic teenage movies,
and aspects of science fiction as well. There were parts that definitely scared me at times, but the shining part about “Carrie” is that it has a real plot and a real message that viewers can genuinely follow, something recent horror movies lack.
“Rocky Horror Picture Show” “Rocky Horror Picture Show” may be the epitome of cult movies, and for good reason. The film is as absurd as it is genius. The story revolves around a couple forced to take refuge in a castle owned by a mysterious and eccentric Dr. Frank N Furter. The creators played off various old horror movie stereotypes and included everything from aliens to Nazis. On top of this, it is a musical, a good musical at that. My favorite songs included the opening “Science Fiction/Double Feature,” “Dammit Janet” and, of course, “Time Warp.” The eclectic and seemingly non-existent plot-line make you wonder how the creators even conceived the idea. Viewers should be advised the film is filled with sexual innuendos and inappropriate scenes. The very daring can also take a trip out to Art Theatre in Hobart to take part in the show. Part of the cult appeal includes going to a midnight showing, where actors perform the show alongside the movie and audience members participate by yelling and throwing things.
“Creature from the Black Lagoon” “Creature from the Black Lagoon” focuses on a group of relatively ignorant scientists on a geology expedition that leads them to the Creature of the Black Lagoon. The movie is extremely cliche, but I would expect nothing else from a movie made in 1954. This isn’t to say that the movie isn’t
“Little Shop of Horrors” 1986
“Carrie” 1976
[Universal Pictures]
enjoyable to watch, it is if you can enjoy a movie purely because of how cheesy it is. “Creature from the Black Lagoon” is almost a caricature, fulfilling the criteria of a cliche vintage horror movie. My reasoning behind the two star rating is purely because the movie is supposed to be a horror movie, and competing in comparison to the special effects available in modern day cinema, the movie almost comes across as amusing to watch. If you’re looking for a movie that will offer entertainment this Halloween, but won’t cause you much of a fright, “Creature from the Black Lagoon” offers just that. average
[21 Century Fox]
Movies Ranked (in stars)
bad mediocre
good exceptional
“Rocky Horror Picture Show” 1975
“Creature from the Black Lagoon” 1954
The last straw
Munster High School Crier
story by
[Carey Scott] Managing Editor
Students, teachers weigh in on environmental impact of plastic straws
What can you do?
Ways you can conserve energy and reduce waste in your day to day life Use the front and back side of each page of paper you use, instead of using a new piece of paper
Pick up any trash you see on the ground when outside and recycle or throw it away
Try using reusable water bottles or straws instead of disposable plastic
Turn off lights before leaving the room
Avoid using air conditioning and heating systems when you aren’t home Wash your clothes in cold water whenever you can Recycle any used batteries you have lying around (there is a bin to donate them at Town Hall) [source: worldwatch.org]
[photo illustrations by Charlie Hofferth]
Wash recyclables that have been in contact with food/ drinks before putting them in the recycling
Seven years ago, then 9-year-old Milo Cress recognized the waste created by plastic straws. He started the “Be Straw Free” movement, supporting the idea that people should prevent using straws because of the negative impact that they have on the environment. Just this past summer, the rest of the world came to a similar conclusion Because of the environmental impact and organizations like ‘Be Straw Free,’ businesses like Starbucks are replacing plastic straws with biodegradable paper straws, or lids. “I think it (companies getting rid of straws) is helpful, and in a way that’s significant, and sometimes it can be kind of superficial,” Mr. Patrick O’Neill, science teacher said. “You can make some steps that are positive, but if your institution still runs primarily on fossil fuel power, and that’s where your electricity comes from, then some changes may be minor.” However, the reduction in plastic usage overall, and not just plastic disposal, is an even bigger problem than usual. Even though recycling plastic is more beneficial than throwing it out, it seems that reduction is the best way to help the planet right now. “With the new trade situation with China not as many of our recyclables can go to China,” Mr. O’Neill said. “So a lot of the plastic that we throw away can’t be recycled, even some that we will put into recycling. Turns out those contracts to send it to where it was being reused don’t exist anymore. They (recycled plastic items) end up in the ocean, and so eliminating plastic is definitely a purposeful move.”
[INFOCUS]5 Oct. 26, 2018
Some students like Bailey Broelmann, senior, have stopped using straws all together in an effort to avoid contributing to plastic waste. “I try not to (use straws) and, actually, I have reusable straws at home but when I’m out and stuff they aren’t accessible, so if I’m at a restaurant I won’t use them there,” Bailey said. Bailey even owns a shirt that reads “skip a straw, save a turtle.” “I bought it because I see a lot on the news and just like over time I’ve seen how the straws and everything affect the turtles,” Bailey said. “Basically they go up their nostrils and they get caught in there and then they tend to hurt them or they can even kill them and can impact everything greatly.” Although companies and people reducing use of plastic straws is a good thing, students like Ella Uylaki, senior, sometimes straws are necessary. “I do think it’s beneficial, but I do know that there are a lot of people with disabilities that are finding this very upsetting because they need them,” Ella said. “So I’m conflicted. I’m worried about the environment, but I know they’re necessary for some people with disabilities.” Bailey also makes an effort to reduce her waste in other ways, whether it be through picking up trash or reducing her energy usage when at home. “It’s really important to pick up trash and stuff. A lot of people don’t do that,” Bailey said. “I make a point to do it and if my friends throw something on the ground I’ll kind of hint at them and tell them ‘Hey that’s not cool,’ I would say the best way to help is always do good things, but mostly encourage other people to do them too.”
6[SPORTS]
Munster High School Crier
Oct. 26, 2018
A game
Students discuss fantasy football
Opinion
League of her own
changer
story by
[Alexis Lindenmayer] Page Editor
It seems to be every kid’s dream to one day be able to play in a professional league of their favorite sport. However, most kids will eventually grow out of that daydream and instead settle for playing in fantasy leagues. Students all around the school choose to partake in the phenomenon that is fantasy football. Many of its participants have been playing for years and believe that fantasy football is simple to comprehend. “Fantasy football is taking the NFL and how players do in real life and then taking the stats, converting them to points, and then going up against other people,” Noel Fary, junior said. “You draft a team of a certain amount of players in each position and then you put them in the lineup for that week and based on how well they do in their game, you get a certain amount of points and the person with the most points wins.” Some students find that picking players can be a nerve-wracking concept; however, most people will find themselves following a common strategy that involves breaking down statistics. “I’ll pick players based on their performance last year and based on what expert analysis think they will perform this year,” Ethan Orange, sophomore, said. “If there are new players that are doing well in the actual NFL season, then I will try to add them to my team.” According to Fary, fantasy football is a highlight for hardcore football fans. “I’m a really big fan of the NFL and I just really like football and I feel like it’s a way that I can get to know the sport better and get to know more players,”
column by
[Nadia Perdue] Page Editor
[photo by Lauren Kozy]
HAIL MARY Watching football on a Monday night, Daniel Senisais, junior, and Jaylee Rodriguez, senior, see the Atlanta Falcons beat the New York Giants. “I like to watch football because it gives me a rush. Like watching it, all the action and everyone cheering on for a specific team,” Rodriguez said.
Fary said. “It’s also a competitive thing because a lot of people do it around here and a lot of guys do it so it’s just like a fun game to play with your friends. Even new football fans find themselves joining in on the action. “I love sports but I don’t watch them often enough,” Lydia Smith, senior, said. “I hoped playing fantasy football would force me to pay attention to football, but it turns out it’s actually really fun and quite addicting.” Simply, students will use this time of year to bond with others over their great passion of football. “It is something that I started doing with family and friends and I’ve done it for five years,” Jake Uylaki, freshman, said. “It brings competition to friends and family so that can bring everyone closer.”
Player ready Jake Uylaki, freshman, shares his top fantasy players Alvin Kamara
New Orleans Saints
“He is the most consistent in what he does.”
Adam Thielen
Minesota Vikings
“He has some of the most points for wide receivers.”
Blake Bortles
Jacksonville Juagars
“Just because he is my quarterback.” [photo graphics by Mercedez Williams ]
Good luck to all the Munster Mustangs on a successful 2018-2019 from
Dixon’s Florist
(219) 836-1668 919 Ridge Road, Unit B-C Munster, Indiana 46321
If someone asked you to name a few basketball players, which names usually come to mind? Maybe Steph Curry or Kevin Love, or the legendary Michael Jordan. Besides being basketball players, what is something that all of these athletes have in common? The similarity is obvious: They’re men. Now, name some female basketball players. Lots of people, myself included, may hesitate when it comes to this. This got me thinking: are male leagues paid more attention to than their female counterparts? According to statista.com, 17.7 million people tuned in to the NBA finals this year, but WNBA’s website says that the finals only averaged around 902,000 viewers. This disparity between these two leagues explicitly shows how unnoticed these talented women are. Basketball, however, is not the only sport where women are not observed properly. The Legends Football League (formerly known as the Lingerie Football League) includes teams like the Philadelphia Passion and the San Diego Seduction. The significant thing about these teams is their attire. In a sport that involves tackling and other risky contact, why are these athletes clad in practically nothing but their underwear and some shoulder pads? The answer, simply, is to gain male interest. These women are not seen for the sum of their athletic skills, but the sexiness of their bodies. Even with exceptions like Serena Williams, women have to work harder to gain platforms. Women in all fields of sports should be acknowledged just as much as men are.
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Seasons change Season recaps and results from fall sports story by
[Adam Klaich & Mercedez Williams] Social Media Manager and Alt-Copy Manager
Boys’ Tennis Although the Boys’ Tennis team was eliminated at Semi-state, seniors Zach Schmidt and Frank Wolf competed at the state competition, placing fourth in the doubles competition. “Frank and I are both 20-0 and we’ve won Sectionals, Regionals, and then, us individually won Semi-state,” Schmidt said. The team found success throughout the season and captured their fourth straight Regional win and won Sectionals for the 38 year in a row. “I think our doubles were definitely better (than singles) because sometimes the competition against other teams has been a little weaker than the singles so generally our doubles team were always able to pull out a win,” Schmidt said. The state competition took place last Saturday. Schmidt was excited for the opportunity to play at State and he was confident through the whole season he could make it. This was Schmidt’s and Wolf’s first state competition. Schmidt and Wolf finished in the top four of the state, but lost in the semi-final to Carmel. Both players were very excited and grateful for the experience. THE WOLF WITHIN (left) Frank Wolf, senior, practices for his singles event for tennis KICKING IT (left) David Dafiaghor, senior, battles for the ball at sectionals
Boys’ Soccer
The Boys’ Soccer Team finishes the season with a 9-5-3 record and lots of hope with a relatively young team. “A lot of people didn’t think we were going to get as far as we did because we lost a huge senior group, and that left a lot of pressure on our small seven seniors to pick up the slack.” Adam Wisniewski, senior, said, “I think we did better than we expected so I am happy about the outcome. We all worked hard and had fun doing it.” With changes being a normal occurrence each season, Wisniewski thinks changes are not necessary. “I wouldn’t change anything,” Wisniewski said, “I just wish from the beginning that we fixed the problems we saw later in the season. I just wish that we communicated more from the beginning versus noticing that was a problem for us and fixing it later.” The team finished 9 and 3, and Wisniewski has a positive outlook on the team ‘s future years to come. “I think our team is going to look good for the future because we’re so young, and I think we have a bright future,” Wisniewski said.
Girls’ Golf
After their last match on against Hanover Central, the Girls’ Golf team ends their successful season with a 10-2 record. Despite a successful season, weakness are inevitable. “I’d say some of our weaknesses are the nerves that build up right before a match against a strong team, we went 10-2 this season and we just gotta take each match as a new round, play our best, and not let the nerves distract us” Mirela Jeknic, junior and varsity golfer, said. Even with these weaknesses, the team has let their strengths outshine their weaknesses, and their record shows that. “I think some of our strengths were maintaining and keeping positive energy before and after a good or bad match,” Jeknic said The girls finished 11th at Regionals and are looking forward to getting back on the green next year. “We all worked hard and put extreme love into the sport,” Jeknic said. “All of us were there for each other, we made practices fun with our putting short game challenges, and played the best we could.”
Munster High School Crier
[SPORTS] Oct. 26, 2018
7
Cross Country
The past season has been hectic for both Boys’ and Girls’ Cross Country. With a new coach installed for both teams, it has taken a small toll on the dynamic of the Girls Cross Country team. “I would say one coach taking over both teams has been hard” Erin Gonzales, senior, said, “but, we do have an assistant coach and she’s been a huge help to like the girls’ team and kind of helping evening out managing the team” Although a new coach can be a challenge to adapt to, players still see it as a success. “I think we really bonded as a team and we really came together and we helped each other out and we’ve had a really strong postseason.” “I think it’s just again with the transition it’s just kind of been a little bit scattered but I think overall we’ve come together and help each other out,” Gonzales said. The girls won the Sectional and the boys finished 6th.
CROSSING THE COUNTRY (above) Brisa Bohling, senior, sprints to finish her race. TIME TO CELEBRATE (below) Javaughn Richards, senior, celebrates after scoring a touchdown at a Munster home game.
Football
Football will be competing against Michigan City in Sectionals after their win against Kankakee Valley in conference. The team finished the regular season with a record of 2 and 7 under their new coach, Jason Grunewald, WWMS gym teacher. “The nice thing about this season is that we had some really good practices during the week, but sometimes they just didn’t translate over to the games, unfortunately,” Mr. Andrew Martin, math teacher and offensive coach, said. The team faced schools they considered tough this year such as Highland and Lowell both of which they lost to. “Coach Grunewald and I are going to sit down at the end of the season and we’re going to talk over some of the things we thought worked really well with the offense this year and what we may need to add and what we need to subtract,” Coach Martin said. Coach Martin has high hopes for next year and thinks the thinks the team will do well. He is proud of how the team reacted to the teams practices this year which we more upbeat and faster than usual. The team will play Michigan City today at 7 p.m. at Michigan City for Sectionals.
Girls’ Soccer
Girls’ Soccer had a rough year due to injuries, but the team is proud of how their season turned out and how most games were played. “In the very beginning of the season, we lost two starting defenders to season ending injuries and had to adapt quickly to overcome that,” Olivia Choros, junior, said. The team faced various injuries ranging from concussions, ankle sprains, and torn muscles. With the absence of multiple varsity players, some junior varsity stood up and helped the team. “A lot of JV players stepped up to fill the gaps that were created and overall did a really good job at it,” Choros said. The team finished the season with a record of 11-7 and beat Crown Point in the first round of the sectional finals. “Beating Crown Point in the first round of Sectionals after losing to them the week before gave us a lot of confidence going further into the Sectional,” Choros said. The team reached the final round of Sectionals, but lost to Lake Central. They were disappointed by the loss, but are looking forward to next season and are proud of the junior varsity members who stepped up and helped the team.
OUT ON THE GREEN (bottom left) Emma Ladd, senior and team captain, keeps her eye on the ball and initiates her swing. (bottom right) Kayla Ziel, sophomore, throws [photo illustrations by Robert Young, Elizabeth Fonseca, Megan Szymanski, and Lana Salahieh] the ball back onto the field and to her team.
8[STUDENT LIFE]
Munster High School Crier
off
Oct. 26, 2018
Hands
[BACKTALK]
Halloween is next week. If you had to wear any costume for the rest of your life, what would it be?
“I would dress as someone from the 50s because I just love the fashion from that era.”
Students discuss consent, sexual assault
Anne Gilhooly, freshman
“I would wear something FBI or SWAT related because I would always be like, super official, and that would be really cool.” Maya Querez, freshman
[photo illustration by Melanie Powers, Lauren Kozy, Megan Szymanski, and Robert Young]
story by
[Mimi Brody and Alexis Lindenmayer]
By the numbers Study shows how boys and girls view consent
strongly disagree consent for sex one time is consent for future sex
strongly agree consent must be given at each step in a sexual encounter
9%
12%
19%
27%
Strongly disagree engaging in foreplay, kissing or touching, means someone is giving consent for more sexual activity 12%
Boys 17% Girls
Can consent be nonverbal? people strongly agreed that...
19% Not saying ‘no’
22%
Foreplay
23%
Getting a condom
37%
35%
Nodding to agree
over up. Stay in groups. Never put down a drink. Growing up, sexual assault was always a real prospect for girls. “I am afraid to just go walk down the street at night, and being at a party with intoxicated men makes it even worse,” Moira Glowacki, senior, said. “There are straying hands, there is a little bit more brushing, and this idea of going with the flow. Girls will say ‘I am just going to go with the flow’ or ‘I don’t feel like fighting him off.’ I think a lot of girls can relate to that.” According to Moira, high schoolers do not place adequate emphasis on consent, which causes girls to often feel pressured into activities they feel uncomfortable with. “I feel like verbally saying ‘yes’ or ‘no’ is not as popular in high school,” Moira said. “There is more of an idea of ‘I didn’t say anything, I went along with it.’ There is this idea of ‘Oh, it’s a party, that’s the vibe, and I didn’t say anything because I wanted to fit in.’” An anonymous victim of sexual assault agrees that the idea of consent and assault are often overlooked in high school. “(People will say) ‘Oh, they’re just high schoolers, they don’t really know what they’re doing,’” the sophomore said. “So then, people kind of just write it off. But it’s a real thing, it happens. And I think that, not necessarily a closer eye needs to be looked at your children, but at least be aware of who’s coming into your house.” Michael Svolos, junior, believes that a divide exists between how boys and girls view consent, but despite this divide, most boys know what is considered appropriate. “Guys have this idea that they don’t need as much consent, or have lower standards (of consent),” Michael said.
Taking off your own clothes
C
Editor-in-Chief and Page Editor
...constitutes consent [source: National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago]
“(I feel like) most guys do ask, or at least have a very strong idea of how something will go, but if they sense that something is wrong and not how the girl wants it, they will stop.” Earlier this month, President Donald Trump said, “It is a very scary time for young men in America,” because they can be falsely accused of sexual assault. In the shadow of the #MeToo movement, boys are scared that they can be swept up in the wave of accusations, even if those accusations turn out to be false. While Michael is not scared, he believes that the tendency to believe someone is guilty until proven innocent can be harmful to men. “It is a dangerous time because when you throw out due process and assume someone is guilty instead of innocent, you don’t use evidence to say they are guilty,” Michael said. “If a story is corroborated when a woman accuses a man of sexual assault, then I am for the woman one thousand percent, but if there is no evidence to back it up, or very little evidence, then there is no just way to accuse the man. He should not be guilty in the court of public opinion.” The lack of evidence in many sexual misconduct cases makes understanding consent especially important, as it could eliminate the discrepancy that may exist between two parties. “If you are doing anything with another person, you just want to make sure,” Jamie DeJoan, junior, said. “You always need consent, even if you are just trying to hold someone’s hand.” Above all, the best thing both boys and girls can do to create a more comfortable environment is to simply ask. “Ask,” Moira said. “A lot of people just do not ask. Whether you are the guy or the girl, just ask.”
It’s still always in the back of your mind, ‘What will they think of me?’ But honestly, I’d just want to say that it’s okay. (Others are) not going to judge you, they’re going Anonymous victim of sexual assualt, to judge them (perpetrator).
”
sophomore
“I would dress up as a bag of Doritos. So I can look at myself in the mirror every morning and say, ‘dang, I look like a whole snack’.” Caden Tomko, sophomore
“Probably a nurse because in the future I probably want to work in the medical field.”
“I would be something really scary and gruesome so I could scare little kids, but not too scary.” Safaa Tarakey, sophomore
“I would wear a Batman costume because he is my favorite superhero.”
Emily Badynski, junior
P.J. Katona, junior
“I would wear my cornstalk costume because it empowers me and reflects how I feel about myself on the inside.”
“A hot dog, because of how versatile they are—you could easily slip in between crowds of people while still remaining hip and relevant, because when do hot dogs go out of style?”
Maddie Horin, senior
Ben Foreit, senior
“Maybe a cute, furry animal onesie, so then I could wear pajamas everyday.”
“Indiana Jones. It’s a classic look. Always in style. Plus, I still get to wear khakis.”
Ms. Leigh Ann Mr. Joshua Herold, Westland, social studies teacher English teacher [backtalk photos by staff]
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