[CRIER Munster High School
[
Issue 4 Volume 53 Nov 30, 2018
1968
14
Clubs are run by female students
[Mercedez Williams] Alt-copy Manager
senior
Comparing and Contrasting
social studies teacher
“The first thing that comes to mind when comparing Donald Trump and Richard Nixon is how they handled China differently. Trump is currently waging a trade war with China, while Richard Nixon was the first president to open trade relations with communist China.”
Peter Gallagher junior
[Inside look] pg. 8
Updates on FDA rules on JUULing
pg. 7
story by
L
Copy Editor
ooking back at women’s liberation movements 50 years ago the most prominent was “No More Miss America” protests. Women gathered outside the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey holding signs reading “No More Miss America Cattle Actiond” and “Women’s Libera-
323
Continuing the Legacy
“I think that civil rights obviously progressed at a rapid rate during the Civil Rights Movement, but in this current age. I am not sure that I would say that the rate of progression is rapid. My previous AP US History teacher, Mr. Lopez once said to me ‘This generation has a tendency to demand instant gratification and that we march and protest for a little bit and then give up.’ I think to some extent that this is true. For example, when Starbucks had the recent scandal of arresting the two black men for using the restroom without purchasing, the majority of the black community viewed this as a blatant act of racism, but refused to boycott Starbucks.” Kayla Prowell
Record number of women elected in midterms earlier this month
[Alyssa Bass]
23
story by
“Nixon, in ’68, was not initially as hostile to the press. That happened a little bit more as you went into the second term. But there was always this kind of idea where Nixon, more or less, would see the press in his confidants and his discussions with his age, and with the enemy, he referred to them as the enemy. When you look Trump, rather than calling them his enemy, his famous line is ‘Fake News’, one of the thinks you notice with Trump is that he rarely gets press conferences.” Mr. Steve Lopez
WOMEN ON A MISSION
Out of a total of
his year marks 50 years since 1968 and the civil progress that occurred in that year. Events in the Civil Rights Movement can be compared to Black Lives Matter Movement. Richard Nixon’s controversial election could be compared to President Trump’s equally controversial election in 2016. In the beginning of this year, March For Our Lives took place across the country and a 17-minute walk out walkout can be compared to Vietnam protests. Crier looks forwards—and backwards.
[STUDENT LIFE]12 Nov 30, 2018
8808 Columbia Ave. Munster, IN 46321
LOOKING T BACK, MARCH NG FORWARD Comparing activism 50 years after landmark year 1968
Munster High School Crier
Women are served in Congress to date
Women in the Legislative branch
85
Women are serving in the House of Representatives
23
Women are serving in the Senate
Out of 103 women that will be serving in Congress, 38 are women of color
tion” to protest the sexism of the Miss America Pageant that was being filmed inside. “The whole premise of the Miss America pageants is that sex sells,” Emma Stevens, senior, said. “This idea is still prevalent in our culture today, as we see women who breastfeed in public as ‘shameful’ and needing to ‘cover up’, but drive past billboards of scantily-clad women for different strip clubs and lingerie stores. To a significant amount of the American population, seeing a woman in a non-sexual way is disgusting and looked down upon.” Even though society has come a long way with how we view women, there is still progress to be made according to Lily Leslie, senior. “We have made a significant amount of progress since the 1960s,” Lily said. “We’ve gone through the feminist movement. It started in the 60s and moved through the 70s. We went through, the women’s revolution and then also kind of went along like the sexual revolution which definitely made us more comfortable with our bodies, but we still have a ways to go.” This year, January 20 marked the second annual Women’s March. According to the Women’s March official
website, their beliefs include progress for reproductive rights and getting women more active in leadership roles. “I think that women always have been running/trying for leadership positions, wherever these positions exist,” Emma said. “But we have been silenced and denied the right to be able to due to their sex. Considering that we weren’t even able to vote prior to 1920, the road to leadership has been a rocky one.” Women in the ’60s were getting into government and paving the way for future female leaders, such as Patsy mink from Hawaii in 1969. This year 108 women are in Congress, 23 women were elected into Senate and 85 women serve in the House of Representatives. “I become overjoyed when I think about the women in politics being elected,” Emma said. “They are venturing into territory untouched by females in America for ages, and with their trailblazing, seeing women in such positions will create a normalcy. I hope that being a woman in politics will be seen as a common occurrence, just as being a man in politics is.”
2018 “Manipulation. That’s a word I’d use for both administrations. They have trouble with the truth, they would do anything to gain the upper hand and take advantage of the situation. They would also compromise their values. Nixon had more of an issue with compromising his values. I think it was harder for Nixon then it is for Trump.”
Mr. Joshua Herold social studies teacher (Top left) Former President Richard Nixon addressing reporters during a press conference. (Bottom left) At a rally, President Trump addresses his supporters. (Top right) In 1968, students led protests against the Vietnam War across the college campuses. (Top right) Martin Luther King, Jr., gives a speech. (Center) In the 2017-18 school year, students hold signs to rally for gun
“I would say probably another significant comparison between the two is now the kind of belief in the executive that—not that they can go above around the law—but that they can test the constitutionality of issues. Trump has done it with executive orders. Nixon attempted to do it with executive privilege, particularly concerning the tapes was the Watergate investigation began. So there are definitely a comparisons there.”
Mr. Steve Lopez social studies teacher
law reform. “Finding the courage to express myself and my ideas, was rough, to put it bluntly.” Ella Uylaki, senior, said, “The negative energy casted onto me before, during, and after the event was a big low point in my life, and made me question myself. I don’t have any regrets about how I did act, because ultimately I did what I knew had to be done.”
WOMEN IN POWER Lily Leslie (12), Emma Stevens (12), Catie Gilhooly (12), Chynna Vaughn (12), Jackie Webber (12), Mimi Brody (12), Zoe O’Shaughnessy (11), Lilia Brunetti (11), Elizabeth Fonseca (12), Sam Barraza (12), Maddy Foreit (12), and Rachel Lyons, junior and senior leaders of various clubs, pose for a photo together.
Creative commons photos from Wikipedia, Boston Herold, Daily Mail
pg. 9
Popular clubs, Wrestling travels hour by hour to Plymouth
[Upcoming] Boys’ Basketball game at home tonight at 7 p.m.
Club picture day for yearbook in Fieldhouse all day next Friday
[BACKTALK]
“Do you like science? Because I’ve got my ion you.”
It’s cuffing season. What is your best pickup line?
“How you doin’?”
Antonio Cantu, freshman
Charlie Mason, freshman
“Are you Jamaican? Cause you’re Jamaican me crazy” Taylor Grahm, sophomore
“Are you cake? ‘Cause I want a piece of that.” Waaniya Irfan, sophomore
“If I could rearrange the alphabet I would put u and i together” Holden Raffin, junior
“Hey, I’m getting my nails done, what color would look best holding your hand?”
Yalissa Rubio, junior
“Are you a Snickers bar? Because I’m satisfied.” Kara Bryant, senior
“Are you a parking ticket? Because you have fine written all over you.”
Matt Nahnsen, senior
2 [NEWS]
Munster High School Crier
Nov. 30, 2018
Piece by piece Media Center adds new features to be more refined, comfortable story by
[Nadia Perdue] Page Editor
Do-re-mi-feeling the music
Choir prepares for holiday concert Dec. 12 at 7 p.m. story by
[Alexis Lindenmayer] Page Editor
[photo by Elizabeth Fonseca]
PUTTING IT TOGETHER Addy Klawitter, sophomore, and Emme Poulston, junior, are constructing one of the many puzzles that can be found at the Media Center this year. “It’s very relaxing to do,” Addy said. “It’s just fun to complete them. It’s very satisfying.”
Fresh new features
Some of the newest additions to the Media Center include:
Longer hours
Hours are now extended to 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. “If you don’t necessarily have somewhere to go to study, you can go there and meet up with people, as opposed to meeting up (elsewhere).” — Ella McComis, senior
Electronic sign-in
The written sign in sheet was replaced with sign-in iPads. “It’s easier for people sign in and for people to know who’s going in.” —Aubrey Rivera, sophomore
Easier laptop return
The laptop repairs are now documented online instead of on paper. Students can turn their broken laptps in to the front desk, have their problems put onto a Google Form, and sent to Mr. Craig’s email.
To make signing in easier and more reliable, the Media Center introduced tablets late last year. As explained by Mrs. Tanzillo, sign-in entries are sent to her computer in real-time, so that she can verify who is actually checking into the library. Ella McComis, senior, who frequents the Media Center to work and study, finds this change much more efficient than the previous method of pen and paper. “A lot of people forgot to do that (sign in),” Ella said. “So it’s just a lot easier to sign in with a tablet, and there’s not so much of a long line.”
[photo by Elizabeth Fonseca]
Students are can charge their laptops in-school while they work in the Media Center. “A lot of the times, I see kids in my class wanting to be able to charge because their laptops die all the time, or they just didn’t charge last night for some reason.” — Sofia Pavlic, sophomore
Puzzle table
These puzzles are intended to bring students together. “Have you seen the jigsaw puzzle? It’s the craziest thing! We’ve had maybe as many as six, eight, ten kids around that table. Last month, maybe we went through four puzzles.” —Mrs. Tanzillo, Media Center Audiovisual
But they’re not done yet. The staff says that they have many more ideas planned for the Media Center. However, these ideas have yet to be announced. The school will just have to see what the library has in store. Nonetheless, the Media Center will continue working to creating a more relaxed environment for students and staff. “I just want to encourage students (and) faculty, to make use of all that we have going on here,” Mr. Craig said, “because there really is a lot.”
Warming up vocals and memorizing lyrics is fi- make sure we form specific vowels and exaggerate nally coming to a point as choir prepares for their consonants when we sing,” Tim said. “It’s not somesecond concert of the year on Dec. 12. With a holiday thing that’s crucial, or that it’s terrible if you don’t theme, students are anticipating an interesting con- do it, but it helps you sound the best that you can.” cert experience. Once warmed up, they will focus their attention “I think it (the concert) will go wonderfully,” Kelly on perfecting their songs for their next concert. Collins, senior, said. “We’ve been working a lot on “We just picked the two main songs out for this the music and we chose two songs that everyone concert and we’re starting to spend most of our time loves, so I’m sure that will show in the excitement learning them,” Cris Aguilar, junior, said. “We chose we have while singing them.” two songs that I think everyone would like and are Concerts have always proved to be an impactful very different from each other.” event for students. By spending so much time together, students “My favorite part of concerts will surely bond and therefore It’s really important and make the the atmosphere of is actually singing the songs in front of everyone. Being a part of exciting for me to put on Chorale extremely pleasant. Chorale and it being the highest “It was very welcoming the a good show for all the first year I was in it. I didn’t choir you can get into in the high school, there’s a lot expected of parents and families that know anybody that wasn’t us,” Tim Giannini, junior, said. from my grade,” Cris said. “I’m come out to see us. “It’s really important and exciting so close to everyone now it’s Tim Giannini for me to put on a good show for like a second family.” junior all the parents and families that With the school year become out to see us.” ing halfway over, seniors will soon miss all of the Before they can even begin to think of concerts, good times they experienced in the school’s choir Chorale must prepare their songs and vocals. With program. a class period set for practice, they begin by doing “Some of these people have been with me for all vocal warm ups. four years of high school and they’ve become some “We sing specific scales on the piano, certain notes of my closest friends,” Kelly said. “All I want for my or patterns that help us clearly sing high notes or last year in Chorale is to be able to share the music low notes, and other patterns with specific words to with these people who love it just as much as I do.”
“
IN CHORUS Jamie DeJoan, junior, Anu Anora, senior and Lauren Slavo, junior, rehearse a festive piece to showcase at their upcoming concert.
Charging stations
“
From longer hours, charging stations and even puzzles, the Media Center is undergoing numerous reforms this year. Mr. Joshua Craig, Media Center Specialist, has only been working at the school for a little over a year, but he and other Media Center faculty are striving to make great changes. “I really love being of service,” Mr. Craig said. “So I felt like I wanted a position where I could have employed my talents to serve the whole school community. And this is a great place for doing that.” This summer, while at a conference at Purdue University, Mr. Craig noticed puzzles sitting out for people to use in the campus’ library. Despite his initial doubt of anyone actually using them, Mr. Craig started to see multiple people playing with the puzzle in a matter of a few minutes. “I was really kind of won over,” he said. “I said, ‘All right, if they’re doing that here, if that’s successful, I wonder how it’d work in high school?’” The puzzles have definitely found their success at the school. According to Mrs. Betsy Tanzillo, the Media Center Audiovisual, as many as six to ten people surround the puzzle table some days. Additionally, stations for students to charge their laptops have been added. Initially, she explained, many students were doubtful of these stations being for their use. However, she believes that more students have become less apprehensive. “[If] you’re gonna be in here for study hall, you can just plug in,” Mrs. Tanzillo said. “You can’t leave your computer here, but you can plug it in (and) boost up your battery.” In addition to the charging stations and puzzles, Mr. Craig also says that the hours have been extended to 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. When he first worked at the Media Center, he explained, he found that many students were rushing to print out papers in the morning, or looking through books in the afternoon. “We were kind of shooing them (students) out the door to close up shop,” Mr. Craig said. “So, it was really important to me that we expand our hours in order to make ourselves available to students both before school and after school.”
Munster High School Crier
[NEWS] 3 Nov. 30, 2018
Sidenote Ping Pong Club
Ping pong club is now underway meeting every Friday after school in the Commons. This year they hope to add another tournament to the season with one in January and one towards the end of the season. “This is only my second year (sponsoring),” Mrs. Audrey Fuhs, Spanish teacher said. “So far I think it (the season) is pretty similar, the number of students always varies how many people we have because everyone is busy with other activities as well, but so far it has been a pretty good turnout.”
Food Drive [photos by Lilia Brunetti]
READY AND WILLING Trying on a superhero mask at Target, Korey Allen, freshman, decides on toys to purchase for the annual toy drive. Korey makes up just a small percentage of the student body that is donating their time, money, and care this holiday season. “If we all chip in [this holiday season] we can help children that’s in need, or whose parents that can’t give their children toys,” Korey said.
A toy story
Students and teacher talk about the importance of giving during the holiday season story by
[Alyssa Bass] Copy Editor
This year will mark more than 35 years of the football team doing the Mustang Toy Roundup. “The toy drive is an annual event organized and led by Coach (Leroy) Marsh (health teacher),” Cole Lesinski, junior, said. “Every year the football team collects brand new toys from people around the community along with money which they use to buy toys as well. We then donate the toys to people not in great economic situations and cannot afford to buy them.” The team is asking for new unwrapped toys that are $10 or more. Toys can be given to any football player or coach or they can be dropped off at the Athletic Office during the school day. The toy drive ends Dec. 12. “I think the toy drive is important every year,” Cole said. “It helps out a lot of people in worse off economic conditions that can’t afford to spend lots of money on gifts. Most kids don’t understand how life can go wrong and how that can affect holidays and gifts.” Last year the toy drive was able to help 500 families, and aims to help
over 400 local children this year. Toys go to kids in need in the Hammond, Highland, Munster and Dyer area. In addition, kids not only get toys but can get other necessities. “We gather toys we can possibly donate so that at Christmas time those who aren’t as fortunate aren’t left out,” Javaughn Richards, senior, said. “Also there are kids with specific needs like clothes, so in addition to getting toys they’ll get necessities. It feels really good to know that you’re helping someone else, especially younger kids who don’t have as much.” The largest age group of kids getting gifts from the toy drive is ranging between two and ten years old. “I just like seeing the children receive something during the holidays that they usually wouldn’t get,” Mr. Marsh said. “I would encourage students to think about themselves and how they would feel if they were in a situation such as a divorce, if mom or dad was out of work and they had to go without receiving gifts for the holidays.”
HEART IN THE RIGHT PLACE Picking out a toy, Henry Sklar, junior, thinks to himself about the positive impact he will have on a child’s life. “I’m thinking about the kids who really like Cars, but could never connect with the movie until after seeing it, and I could change that,” he said.
Helping Hands
Rules for participating in the toy drive 1) New and unwrapped 2) $10 dollars or more
[photo by Megan Szymanski]
3) Bring to Athletic Office or to football coach or any football player 4) Monday-Friday during the school day 5) Ends Dec. 12 [sources: Mr. Jason Grunewald and Mr. Leroy Marsh]
Merry music Joyful noise Band put on holiday concerts Dec. 13 story by
[Mimi Brody] Editor-in-Chief
Who: Band What: Winter Concert When: Dec. 13 at 7 p.m. Where: Auditorium Why should you go? “In concert band we don’t alter the pieces we choose the way we do in marching band. We play what’s written as opposed to using only parts of songs and adding extra flair to it. (You should come) to hear good music and just for support in general. We like knowing people enjoy what we do.”
Javaughn Richards senior
The annual student government food drive raised 3,369 cans of food this year. This is slightly lower than previous year’s food drives; however, many schools in the area did not do a food drive this year, so the Reserve Bank greatly appreciated all donations. “Most of us don’t know what it’s like not knowing when you’re going to have your next meal,” Mrs. Kathleen LaPorte, social studies teacher and student government sponsor said. “The fact that we can do this, that we can do something like that to help people get through the holidays, just get through their day with some food is an amazing thing we’re able to do.”
Orchestra set to perform holiday concert Dec. 12
Who: Orchestra What: Winter Concert When: Dec. 12 at 7 p.m. Where: Auditorium Why should you go? “There are three pieces our orchestra is playing for this winter concert. They are ‘Christmas Eve/Sarajevo,’ by Paul O’Neil and Robert Kinkel. It’s essentially Christmas music mixed with rock. It’s a really fun piece to play and hopefully the audience enjoy it too. To be honest, you can’t go wrong with a Christmas rock song. Then there’s
the ‘March of the Nutcracker Trepak’ by Tchaikovsky. We’re playing the original piece and not an arranged version, so it’ll be a challenge for us to play. Last but not least we’re playing ‘Sleigh Ride’ by Leroy Anderson. I think everyone knows this Christmas song. I can’t imagine performing in a winter concert without playing this piece.”
Josh Kim senior
GIVING BACK Maddy Foreit, senior, looks through the bags of donated food people brought in for the food drive.
Chanson for Cancer In an effort to raise money for St. Jude’s children’s hospital, Zoe O’Shaughnessy, junior, is using her musical talent to put on a solo harp benefit concert. The proceeds from the ticket sales will go directly towards St. Jude’s. The concert will be held in the Auditorium on Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. Admission is $5. “My goal is to make as much money as I can,” Zoe said. “I already have $790 from people who cannot attend, but still wanted to donate. My goal is over $1,400, which is 122 people.”
Corrections
In issue 3 of Crier, on the front page the picture ‘Get Low’ was taken by Lana Salahieh. On page 2 in the ‘Harvard Case Study” brief, it incorrectly states that there was a Harvard professor present during the case study, and it was also the first time having a film crew at the school. On page 7 in “Seasons change,” Volleyball was not included in season recaps. In addition on page 7, the Cross Country photo was taken by Charlie Hofferth. Crier regrets these errors.
Munster High School Crier
[OPINION] 4 Nov. 30, 2018
Opinion
Shoplifting, seriously?
column by
[Melanie Powers] Chief Photographer
GREAT FOR GROUPS Changes, such as the extension of hours and renovations to make group collaboration easier, would enhance the role of the Media Center in students’ lives, and the school as a whole.
Editorial
Cultivating Collaboration
A library is characteristically quiet. As a student, sometimes this silence is uninviting. Surely the constant “Shhh”s and close supervision make students feel intimidated. However, Mr. Joshua Craig, Media Specialist, and Mrs. Betsy Tanzilo, assistant, are looking to change that. Both have brought new additions to the Media Center, including a community puzzle, facts of the day, and electronic sign-in tablets. However, they are looking to go farther and transform the space into something students really value. Currently, most students go into the Media Center to print papers in between classes or get extra batteries for their dead laptops. However, the Media Center has the potential to become the social and academic hub of the school. Personally, we feel as though using the Media Center for group collaboration would be a fantastic use of the vast space that is currently often found empty, and a good way to get students to engage with the many resources available to them there. Ways to encourage collaboration in the Media Center could be allowing groups to rent out the unused conference rooms in the back of the room, designating quiet and collaborative areas of the Center, upgrading the technology, and expanding the hours. If the Media Center were open later each night, perhaps till 7 p.m., it would have the potential
to become the quintessential meeting spot for group projects. Imagine instead of meeting at a cramped Starbucks, meeting in our very own media center, complete with printers and other resources free to students. Other upgrades would encourage student use as well, including updated technology and furnishings. Now that referendum money is coming in and the school is starting to renovate, some of that money should go towards modernizing the Media Center and making it more conducive to Renovations should group study. Simple be made to the changes like adding Media Center couches and tables with built-in outlets that encourage could make all the collaboration difference. Any student can voice what they may want to see in the Media Center. If you have any suggestions of something you may want to see added to changed in the media center, someone is listening. Go in and talk to Mr. Craig, send him and email or follow directions below and write a letter to the editor with your suggestions. This is our school, and we now have a chance to make it what we want.
[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
Recently, it has come to my attention that teenagers in the area shoplift. Almost everyone has either done it or witnessed it, whether it be a friend or stranger, rich or poor. It may be an easy thing to do, but that does not mean it is ethical. Stores like Target have had to improve their security systems due to the loss of money from shoplifting. At the Munster location, they have lost so much money that they have invested in high tech security systems that set off alarms every time a customer dwells too long in front of an item or is suspect to stealing. This has also resulted in a camera in every makeup isle, security at the doors, and locked boxes around commonly stolen items. There have been many instances of wealthier teenagers shoplifting from stores, even though they have the capability of purchasing the items. If someone can simply ask their parents for the money to buy the clothes, makeup, or jewelry that they want, there is no reason to shoplift. I understand some people cannot buy things they want, but it is still not right to shoplift trivial items. Munster is a generally affluent community. It has its highs and lows, but all in all, it is on the wealthier side of the spectrum. More often than not, the people on the comfortable side are the ones that shoplift because they are simply too lazy to buy the product, or they do not want their parents to know they are obtaining it. For me, the guilt is too much of a burden on my conscience to steal. If I got caught and had to explain to my parents that I did not want to ask them for money that we have, I would not be able to deal with their disappointment in me. For that reason, I could not carry the guilt and anxiety that comes along with shoplifting. All in all, if you can afford to buy an item, do so. It is too much of a hassle to steal, and the risk is too great for it to be worth it. The guilt and disappointment of owning up to your actions is dreadful.
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
Munster High School Crier
Transitioning to Technology
story by
Crier staffer ranks online study platforms
[Lilia Brunetti] Web Editor
tion, and theme tracking. The simple, organized appearance and navigation of LitCharts makes it a perfect study tool for students, or literary geeks like myself. Moreover, LitCharts, unlike its competitors, does not offer comprehension quizzes. I find the ability to quiz yourself an important part of a study platform, as it helps to recognize what you should focus on — whether it be a few events or the entirety of the content.
Imagine this: It’s Aug. 27. Your first summer reading test is in two days, and you have not even read the title page of your book. Or perhaps tomorrow is your literary analysis test of “Pride and Prejudice,” and Jane Austen did you dirty by writing a complex plot full of romantic tension and too many family connections. If you happen to stumble across LitCharts, the new and improved child of SparkNotes, you might feel a little to a lot better about your comprehension of the literature. LitCharts offers summaries, in-depth chapter analysis, quotations, characteriza-
vates them to study
Ever since its original launch date, Sal Khan’s online education platform, Khan Academy, has been saving the lives of millions of students across the nation. The main purpose of the platform is to provide young students with a personalized learning experience. Being brought up in a society that stresses standardized test scores, the ability to link together PSAT scores to Khan Academy, I find, is extremely helpful. In doing this, students have the capability to focus on their weaknesses while maintaining their strengths to better prepare them for the big test day — all for free. A typical SAT tutor can cost up to hundreds per few meetings, let alone for months on end with hopes to achieve that perfect 1400. This alleviates the problem economic differentiation that divides availability of equal educa-
Have an upcoming AP Psychology test and need to memorize 90 vocabulary terms in 24 hours? Well, Quizlet is the perfect way to memorize them. Ever since Quizlet’s upbringing in 2005, the site has flourished for students to create their own custom study sets by filling in terms and definitions. Upon making these, Quizlet offers the possibilities to “Learn” the set, “Write,” “Listen,” or “Test,” which involves matching, multiple choice, short answer, or true and false, and is customizable. I like how Quizlet strays away from traditional flashcards: offering visual and auditory options to different types of learners. However, Quizlet’s code refuses to accept answers that are not exactly as typed despite them
“Music”
- Michelle Blanford freshman
“A cup of coffee”
“A speaker”
Nov. 30 2018
tion to American students. However, Sal Khan’s beliefs focus on teaching the posterity to educate them, rather than teaching to the test scores. This philosophy aligns with the immense amount of educational content presented on the platform. As of 2018, Khan Academy features a grand total of over 50 classes, all tailored for maximum learning. Within these classes, Khan offers short lessons via Youtube videos with digital transcripts, articles, and practice quizzes along the way to assess your knowledge. The confidentiality and ability for students to study at their own pace without the anxiety of being face to face in front of either a teacher or tutor is exceedingly impressive.
FINAL GRADE:
FINAL GRADE:
Stress savers Students share what moti- Payton Isenblatter freshman
[REVIEW] 5
“Comfort food”
- Nikolai Hoogewerf junior
- Francis Hovland sophomore
being accurate — putting an impediment in studying. As psychologists would say, students would not practice elaborative rehearsal while using Quizlet — this said, students follow a “memorize, ace test, and forget” timeline that doesn’t truly encourage learning. This encourages students to set deadlines for themselves. Personally, I believe there needs to be a line drawn between memorizing and learning information, but Quizlet primarily leans towards the “memorize” side.
FINAL GRADE:
Take a break Crier staff discusses the ways they de-stress “Take a nap.”
- Lana Salahieh sophomore “Meditate.”
- Carey Scott senior
“Take a bath.”
- Ms. Sarah-Anne Lanman adviser “Light candles.”
- Mimi Brody senior
“Let it build up.”
- Charlie Hofferth junior “Watch K-pop videos.”
- Mercedez Williams junior
GRASS FED • PATURE RAISED • FROM SCRATCH
“Play an instrument.”
- Robert Young junior “Watch Comedy Central videos.”
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6[INFOCUS]
Munster High School Crier
Nov. 30, 2018
Poppin’ tags
Secondhand shopping becomes prominent, students discuss aspects of thrifting culture
story by
[Nadia Perdue] Page Editor
Rags to
riches
[photo by Mimi Brody]
AT ANY COST While shopping at her local Goodwill over Thanksgiving Break, Audrey Beck, senior, checks the price tag of a jacket that caught her eye. “ The jacket caught my eye because it was so unique and looked like something that could be in the next season of Louis Vouttion,” Audrey said. “It ended up being only $12.”
more affordable, and fits her better than retail clothing. She believes that the recent growth in popularity is “definitely” different than before. “I remember when I used to do it when I was in fifth grade, people would be all like, ‘Oh, you’re wearing that stuff? Like, it’s hand-me-downs.’ And they’d harass me for it,” she said. “But now that they’re using it for trends, I’m like, ‘What’s going on?’” Though she does not find any direct problems with thrift shopping, she be-
“
lieves that many people that are simply hopping on the trend can often be insensitive of those who have no other choice but to thrift. “They’re like, ‘Oh, this stuff is old, this stuff is ugly.’ But they don’t understand that other people actually need this stuff.” The question still remains: Is the thrifting craze here to stay? According to Declan, maybe not forever. “With fashion, it’s a real curve,” he said. “So I think that it’ll die out and come back. It always does.”
Me and my friends...saw Instagram posts of people making shorts and cutting shirts, so we tried it out and we really liked it.
Isabelle Bednarowski, senior, alters tops that she bought from Goodwill to give them a more cropped fit.
“
“
“Definitely certain brands (and) designs,” Declan said. “I like to look for hoodies, windbreakers and jackets.” Mikaila Swanson, senior, wanted to thrift in eighth grade because she wanted to stand out. Now, as she nears life on her own, she believes that thrifting is a better option for young high schoolers’ and college students’ budgets. “You know, girls wanna go on a shopping spree, and I think that shopping (at the secondhand store), you’re able to go on that spree without having to spend hundreds of dollars....You can spend $20 and get so much more,” Mikaila says. One issue that Mikaila has found when it comes to shopping for thrifted clothes is the struggle it can be to find an article that can be in the exact size she wants. Unlike retail stores, which can have the same piece of clothing in multiple sizes, Mikaila describes thrifting as being “all or nothing”. “It’s hard,” Mikaila said. “You can find something that’s super cute… (but) it’s either going to be in your size or it’s not.” Emily Guerrero, sophomore, has gone secondhand shopping since she was little. She finds that the attire is
“
Now more than ever, it can be very common to find a peer wearing a stylish outfit, purchased not at Forever 21 or Urban Outfitters, but Goodwill. Thrift shopping is nothing new, but lately, it seems to be at an all-time high in popularity. What attracts people, specifically our generation, to this phenomenon? To Ethan Stewart, senior, thrifting is more than just shopping for cool, vintage clothes, but the memorable experience, as well. “It’s like a hunt,” Ethan said. “It’s like an adventure. You’re going out (to) find an item that you’re never going to find again if you didn’t go. Fashion has always been something of the present; what’s cool now. But the thing of thrifting is going back and taking all bits and pieces of the 80’s, and the 90’s, and everything that’s ever happened, and combining them into what’s happening now.” Declan Urbaniak, senior, started thrifting one or two years ago at a Salvation Army in Downtown Chicago. Since the store is downtown, he says that more name-brand clothes can be found there. When he’s on the hunt for clothes, there are various items that he tends to keep his eye on.
I get my own clothes and make them unique.
[photo by Lauren Kozy]
Good luck to all the Munster Mustangs on a successful 2018-2019 from
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Munster High School Crier
A slice of club life story by
[Alexis Lindenmayer] photos by
Page Editor
[Lana Salahieh] Photographer
Nov. 30, 2018
Hour-by-hour coverage of popular clubs in school on Nov. 14
S
2:55
School day ends
3:00
Speech & Robotics start practice
3:50
[INFOCUS]7
peech is one of the many clubs that spend drastic hours after school practicing. Around 3:50 p.m., when everyone has separated to focus on individual work, Charlie Mason, freshman, performs his speech in front of his peers. “I love to get the feedback,” Charlie said. “Usually what we will do is write down critiques for people and give it to them. Then we will go into the back rooms and work on everything we were told.” Plenty of speech students will spend time rehearsing in the mirror found in the practices rooms. PREMIUM PROSE Presenting his prose, Charlie Mason, “I practice in the mirror to sort of check freshman, gives his all of my movements and tech, which is the performance to his fellow movements we make during the piece and peers. “When I’m performing I zone everything out and just go facial emotions.” Charlie said. with the flow,” Charlie said.
JACKETS TO FILL In between rehearsing, Charlie Mason, freshman, and Alyssa Nahnsen, junior, mess around with letterman jackets. “I Iike to feel that it (wearing all the lettermen jackets) brings me closer to the upperclassmen,” Charlie said.
R
5:05
obotics club spends a ton of time together and therefore they get to know each other immensely. Serena Alvarez, junior, Cynthia Chockalingam, sophomore, and Alyssa Sangueza, freshman, all joke around as they go over rules and regulations at 5:05 p.m. “Starting building season, when we are here for hours everyday, that’s when we really get to know each other because we spend so much time together,” Cynthia said. At 5:05 p.m., Serena demonstrates how to use a radial arm saw while sharing why she joined Robotics. “Before freshman year I was thinking about what else I could offer besides music and a lot of my friends were in this club already, so I thought it was something new to give a try,” Serena said. “I was not previously interested in engineering or anything, but I have definitely learned a lot since then.”
5:45 SAWESOME Alyssa Sangueza, freshman, watches as Serena Alvarez, junior, demonstrates some of the equipment.
6:30
7:05
Robotics’ official build season is not until January , but that doesn’t stop the club from getting in extra meetings. Currently, they meet Wednesdays and Fridays. “Robotics is a club that tries to teach kids a lot about STEAM so hopefully it cultivates that interest,” Serena said. “Our competitive season starts in January which marks build season where we have six weeks to build a robot that we are going to take with a us to competition.
D
Debate arrives for practice
CALM BEFORE THE STORM (above) Sitting in the Media Center, George Dimopoulos, Kiari Nero and Robbie Tengdin, juniors, do homework before debate practice. ARGUING AND ARTICULATING (left) Working on their cases, Kiari Nero, junior, and Carina Crisan, sophomore, do a cross examination. “I sat at the same table as a few debaters,” Kiari said. “Hearing them converse about the season’s resolution and the latest political news helped me decide that debate was something I wanted to do.”
SAFETY FIRST As they laugh, Alyssa Sangueza, freshman, Cynthia Chockalingam, sophomore, Serena Alvarez, junior review rules and guidelines. “Robotics is something that tells other people that I can build and show off a different side of me,” Alyssa said.
ebate arrives for their practice normally beginning around 6:30 p.m. Carina Crisan, sophomore, is enjoying her second year of debate and all of the experiences she has had with it. “It’s just a good dynamic here,” Carina said. “We all get along together especially since we are all kind of in the same boat when it comes to competitions and helping each other out.” At 7:05 p.m. in the Media Center, Carina and Kiari Nero, junior, participate in a practice technique called cross examination. “The first negative speaker comes and does a cross examination and asks them questions about their case,” Carina said. “They will maybe try to get as much information and stuff they didn’t understand or maybe try to get them (the other person) to say something that will work in their favor.”
8[INFOCUS]
Munster High School Crier
Nov. 30, 2018
to minors
students discuss effectiveness of new FDA crackdown, juuling story by
[Mimi Brody] Editor-in-Chief
note: names of students are anonymous so students could share their thoughts without worrying about backlash. Crier felt it was important to allow students to share their stories and insights.
M
GETTING A FIX Addiction has caused students to bring the JUULs into school so that they can get a quick bit of nicotine between classes. “We are on an average of (catching kids) one every two weeks,” Officer Gabe Isenblatter said. “They are subject to school discipline. The first time is two days of in-school suspension. I also issue them a citation for possession of it and a judge can fine them up to $500.”
In their
hands
students discuss various aspects of JUULs “It (JUUL’s warnings) has been viewed as a joke. You can tell people it’s bad, they’re still going to want it. That’s just like common sense.”
Anonymous, senior
“I think that people will just buy more pods and distribute, so I think it would turn into its own thing where you have a middleman. If you can’t go in and get them yourself, kids are still going to want them and also someone is going to make their own little empire out of it.”
Anonymous, senior
“I do it the most when I am bored to keep me occupied, especially when I am watching a movie or playing Fortnite. The two are really intertwined.
Anonymous, junior [photo illustration Charlie Hofferth and Lauren Kozy]
ore than 60 days have passed since the FDA warned JUUL manufactures and retailers about the consequences of selling to underage kids. Their time is up. In an effort to appease the FDA, JUUL deleted its social media accounts and announced it would stop selling flavored pods in stores, which are popular among younger users. Despite JUULs efforts, the FDA ruled all flavors but menthol, tobacco and mint would not be banned from stores. The agency is also considering banning selling the products in convenience stores. An anonymous student and JUUL user believes banning flavored pods will be ineffective. Instead, the senior thinks that the accessibility of JUULs is the greater cause of the device’s popularity among teens. “Companies and businesses are not carding kids, and kids know that, so they’re going to keep going there, and they’re going to keep purchasing,” the senior said. “I think if you have a system where it’s harder to access, even if kids are buying them for other people, that’s a smaller pool that you now have to worry about.” JUULs are seen as a fixture of the high school social scene. However, intense addictive qualities of nicotine transform JUULing from a social habit, to an addictive habit. The widespread accessibility is the reason another anonymous student, junior, got hooked on nicotine. “There are days where you say, ‘I can do this, I do not feel anything,’” the junior said. “There are days though when there are things that are happening to you mentally or physically that you cannot explain— like suddenly you start fidgeting or playing with your hands or pacing for no reason. That kind of stuff is scary. That kind of stuff proves you are addicted, and not (juuling) is a challenge.”
The students agreed that getting their hands on JUULs is easy. When explicitly asked, both said they have a definite way to buy pods. Crier tested this as well. Staffers were sent to five local retailers and were carded at only three of the five. “A large percentage, I would argue, of their sales is from kids— businesses know they’re kids. They purposely don’t ask, and I think that doing so would hurt them undeniably,” the senior said. The Munster Police Department is taking steps to try to target businesses without stringent carding policies. “We actually have a dedicated officer who drives around that just checks
local businesses from Thanksgiving until after Christmas because we have lots of robberies that go on, but hand in hand with that they also check most of tobacco stores in town to make sure that they’re not selling illegal things,” Officer Gabe Isenblatter, Resource Officer, said. “While we’re not proactively just seeking or concentrating on tobacco stores, we’re in and out of the shops on a regular basis.” Munster police generally cannot do that much to punish businesses. Much of that responsibility falls to the State Excise Police, who can revoke licenses and shut down businesses. Munster police can, however, issue fines. This still, is only minimally effective. “We have a constant eye on one, and we have written them multiple tickets. However, they end up getting an attorney and they plead it down to a lesser ticket,”Officer Isenblatter said. The main hurdle police face in prosecuting stores is the burden of proof. “It is a matter of catching them in the act,” Officer Isenblatter said. “We cannot send a minor in to try to buy something illegal, we cannot use minors for that purpose. So, it is tougher to catch people in the act that way. We rely on a lot of tips.” At the time of their interviews, both students were currently trying to quit. Their reason for quitting was not due to the potential health effects that adults bombard kids with. It was mainly due to feasibility. “(Quitting) would decrease my risk of being caught by family or the school, and if you tell the truth you don’t have to worry about anything. It would lead to less tweaking,” the junior said. No matter how difficult quitting is, both students said they would never smoke a cigarette. They both agreed that socially, smoking is not acceptable, and that this creates a distinction between JUULing and picking up a cigarette. As far as how to get kids away from JUULs, the senior thinks that it will take something much more than just banning flavors or raising prices. “People at one time thought cigarettes weren’t harmful for their bodies, and then they saw the awful things that happen in the long term,” the senior said. “I think, unfortunately, it’s gonna take a tragedy to catalyze people, even the government, to realize this is a major problem we have to stop. To say ‘forget capitalism’ and actually take action. Sure, JUUL is still a company, they still need to like pay their bills, but I think so much more can be done nothing is going to happen.”
[SPORTS]
Munster High School Crier
Nov. 30, 2018
9
Finding their
footing Wrestling building team leadership, travel to Plymouth tomorrow [photo by Melanie Powers]
HIT THE MATS Preparing for their next match at Plymouth tomorrow, Luke Hermanson and Will Rojas, juniors, practice a live match. The team believes the live match practices help provide a glimpse into what the actual match will be like. “Basically it was a simulation of an actual wrestling match where we try to take each other down and try to get what’s called the top position,” Hermanson said.
story by
[Mimi Brody] Editor-in-Chief
In 2013, the elder Crary brother ( Jason Crary, ‘17) stepped onto the mat for Munster. This marked the beginning of a period of Munster Wrestling that was characterized by the Crary brothers Jason and Cody, ‘18). When Cody finished out his career last year at State, where he placed 4th, it marked the end of an era. “It will hurt a little bit,” Jonah Clark, senior, said. “They brought good energy to the team and a good work ethic that people could look after and imitate. It is going to impact me a little bit because I had practiced with Cody for the past few years.” Without a Crary on the mat, Wrestling is in need of leadership. Clark was a natural choice, but an injury from football season likely has him out till postseason. While Jonah still helps lead the team, he has limited his ability to practice with and teach younger wrestlers. With this, experienced underclassmen like Leo Tsirtsis, sophomore, have risen to the occasion. “I’m just helping out because a lot of the kids are not technical, but something that I worked on over the summer was a lot of technique,” Tsirtsis said. “I’m just sharing my information, giving little tidbits I learned to help them progress and be more fluid because wrestling is a fluid sport, it’s not like foot-
ball where you just hit hard and keep moving. It’s a lot of moving the person to get them to where you want them to go.” Outside of injuries and leadership, the team is also comprised of 10-12 new wrestlers, some of whom who have never wrestled before. “We have a lot of young kids. We will probably be okay, but this year we need to stress learning and technique and just getting used to the sport,” Clark said. “We have a lot of newcomers. We probably will not have very many people make it very far this year, but that is okay, just because we are all young. It is going to be a teaching year—not necessarily a rebuild, but a building year.” Tsirtsis agrees that experience will be the biggest
Talking takedowns
Jonah Clark, senior, describes how to perform a proper takedown
“Once you pin your opponent down you have to start hitting combinations. Everything you do is a move, unless you get into a scramble.” Jonah Clark senior
obstacle the team will have to overcome this season. “We have a lot of new faces and a lot of the kids are inexperienced and they don’t have mat time yet, which is something that as a wrestler, you kind of need so you’re comfortable. When you have at a big tournament, like if you’re at Semi-state, there is like maybe 1000 people there and the spotlights on you, you won’t get nervous because you had the mat time before” With the aim of development in mind, Wrestling approaches its tournament in Plymouth tomorrow hopeful. Of course, Tsirtsis still wants to win. “No matter what, a win is a win, and a loss is a loss. That all ties into your sectional seating, which is the most important thing really,” Tsirtsis said.
1. Get a good set up
Make sure you head and hand positions are secure.
2. Find your shot
Create a good angle for you to attack.
3. Go after it
Commit to your shot and be aggressive and explosive in the process.
Leaping
Defining Dance
season
Jazz
Monica Fronczek, senior, tells the difference between jazz and pom styles of dance
into the
“
Jazz is typically more of a lyrical or contemporary dance for us where the movement is softer and flows, but it could possibly be more upbeat or stronger. Usually there is emotion and a storyline behind our jazz dance to leave an effective impression on the judges and audience.
Dance starts competition season with Lake Central Invitational Dec. 8 story by
[Alyssa Bass] Dance team is starting their basketball season and their competition season starting in December going through march. “Right now we’re preparing for our first competition, which is Dec. 15,” Abbey Ruckert, junior, said. “Competition season starts in Dec. and goes until march, so were really starting to kick things off into full gear. We also just started basketball season last week so we’re looking forward to dancing at the home game.”
”
Pom
Copy Editor
[photo by Lauren Kozy]
DANCE TIL’ THEY DROP - After school, in the dance room, while practicing their routine, Alexandra Vjestica, senior, and Layna Kounelis, junior, leap into the air. Since they are starting competition season, it’s pertinent that the team practices regularly. “We are doing a ring jump in the picture,” Kounelis said. “In the beginning of practices we warm up all our tricks, including jumps. Normally we do ring jumps in our jazz dance. They are fun and look cool when doing them with a lot of girls.”
Dance started cheering for basketball games last week and practice every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday practice during competition season. “Because dance goes basically all year long I’ve kind of been in a rou-
tine for balancing practice and school work ever since middle school,” Ruckert said. The dance team is excited but anxious to start their new seasons and are overall feeling secure about going into their season.
“
Pom is where we use poms while dancing to make ‘pictures’ and give the judges more of a visual effect. Pom is upbeat and fast with a lot of tricks and hard hitting movements.
”
“I’m really excited for the season,” Alina Arzumanian, senior, said. “I have a feeling that things are going to go very well for us with all the hard work we have been putting in.” watch dance perform at basketball game tonight at home, 7 p.m.
10 [SPORTS]
Munster High School Crier
Nov. 30, 2018
Opinion Team chemistry and team clash
story by
[Adam Klaich] Social Media
During the NBA offseason, viewers saw a lot of big players, like LeBron James and Chris Paul, go to smaller, less powerful teams and mixing up the league. In order to have a good NBA franchise, teams always need one thing: chemistry. Chemistry has contributed to some solid teams in the past such as the Chicago Bulls throughout the 80s and 90s. Some highly respected teams in today’s league, such as the Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors have lacked the amount of chemistry they need. On Nov. 12th, all-stars Kevin Durant and Draymond Green got into an argument while on the bench over a play. The argument carried into the locker room and eventually lead to Draymond Green, one of the best defensive players in the league, receiving a one game suspension without pay. The Warriors have been a solid team for the past couple years and it’s embarrassing when something like this happens over a small overtime loss. Similar situations have also been the case for the L.A. Lakers who recently rebuilt their team with players LeBron James and Rajon Rondo. The team was expected to do well by many, but the team hasn’t reflected those expectations. They had poor chemistry and hasn’t completely figured out how to work together yet. It is a normal side effect when rebuilding a team, but the team’s inability to work together has cost them greatly. I do think the Lakers will get better as the season goes on, but if these big teams want to perform better, I think it is best for them to learn how to work like a well oiled machine.
The next step
to stardom
A volleyball captain’s next step into her future story by
[Mercedez Williams] Alt-copy Manager
Who: Maddie Horin, senior Where: Minneapolis When: Dec. 14 What: Maddie will play for the Under Armour All American Volleyball team, a team consisting of senior female volleyball players all across America. Maddie’s team has 24 girls on it, picked from a pool of 793 from across the nation. “It’s something I’ve been working towards since freshman year when I
[photo by Lilia Brunetti]
TRIFECTA In the season opener against Bishop Noll, Tyler Zabrecky (left), senior, receives a pass from Eric Jerge (right, 3), senior, in the season opener against Bishop Noll. Nick Fies, senior, was on the sidelines due to a leg injury. “We all have high expectations for this season,” Fies said. “The three of us have really great fun and enjoy our time playing in the Munster basketball program.”
The three Mustangs Eric Jerge, Tyler Zabrecky, Nick Fies, seniors look back on their basketball careers together story by
[Adam Klaich] Social Media Manager
Boys’ Basketball is six games into their season, but for a trifecta of seniors, their basketball journey is far from the beginning. Nick Fies, Eric Jerge and Tyler Zabrecky, seniors, became friends over the years with their love of basketball. “We were best buddies back then, and our relationship kinda grew, me, Tyler and Eric are still best friends’, Fies said. The boys first started playing basketball on the Munster travel team in third grade when they first met. “Through the years we always played together and we’re still on the same team practicing together and we are still on the same team together,” Jerge said. Along with their regularly scheduled team practices, the group practices in their free times at gyms, parks, and other places. “Anywhere there’s a hoop, we are there playing and practicing,” Fies said. “We’re just trying to get better.” The boys believe that practicing together over the years has made them better players and have helped each other improve certain areas with constructive criticism. “Nick used to be really bad when we were younger and me and Tyler just pushed him to become a better basketball player and person as a whole,” Jerge said. “Just first heard about it, because as a part of the program, you get to help a few beneficial organizations. I think we’re going to do a clothing drive and a food drive. (Being on this team) means you’re a really well-rounded student athlete and person. It’s a very high honor volleyball world.” Why do you think you were accepted? “I think I have a pretty decorated resume just for making both national teams and being a part of a respected program like MHS volleyball. So, just having my name and then obviously was the recruiting I was doing and talking with a lot of big time schools, (like the) Pac 12 and bigger name universities. The coaches are kind of just always talking with the USA program.” There’s also the Division One college program, also the high school program, there’s a club (program), so there’s lots of different realms of vol-
pushing each other over the years definitely made us better players.” Fies recalls his friends helped him improve his passing skills and helped him gain confidence passing on the court. The basketball team has a game tonight in the field-house against Hammond at 7pm and currently hold a record of 2-0.
Fourth time’s a charm Three seniors playing basketball since third grade, building great chemistry for the beginning to now
The Beginning The boys joined the third grade Munster basketball travel team and became friends. The boys joined high school together.
leyball. I was pretty well immersed in all of the realms. So I’m thinking that is probably just me being a social butterfly, and just kind of talking with everyone and making friends and experiences is probably what got me on this team. Obviously, it was really hard work, and I love volleyball.” How were all of the team members chosen? According to the American Volleyball Coaches Association’s press release, requirements for nomination were that the student-athlete be in her senior year of high school, that she be nominated by her high school coach, that her coach be a member of the AVCA and that her individual season statistics versus all opponents for the entire season be entered into MaxPreps, a free service that aggregates and distributes data on high school sports.
Eric and Nick play for middle school basketball team, while Tyler attends a different school. The Game Changes The boys now play for the Varsity Basketball team.
[photo by Lauren Kozy]
HORIN ON THE HUNT Maddie Horin (right) high-fives Sarah Morton, freshman, as Morton was being subed in for her in a game against Highland. The team won their game against highland by winning all three rounds of the homegame later in the season.
Munster High School Crier
No days
off
stories by
[Mimi Brody] Editor-in-Chief
[SPORTS] 11 Nov. 30 2018
Teams go through extensive conditioning in, out of season; lack of coach limits track conditioning Calling all coaches
[photos by Megan Szymanski]
DEDICATED DRYLAND (left) Swimmers watch on as Coach Mathew Pavlovich, P.E. teacher, demonstrates how to do the planned exercise. “We were doing cross-over symmetry which helps with shoulder injuries and helps the swimmers get stronger for competition,” Coach Pavlovich said. REACHING THE SURFACE (right) During practice, Grant Afman, junior, catches his breath while doing a set.”I’m swimming butterfly and the only thing through my head is what I’m going to have for dinner. I’m surrounded by my best friends and family and it makes practice a lot more fun then just swimming laps,” Afman said.
Dedicated to dryland It is 4:45 a.m. on a Monday. Allison Burris, freshman, is fighting the urge to stay in bed. Instead, she gets up, grabs a per-packaged breakfast to eat after practice and hops in the pool to do a morning workout. “It is hard to get up in the morning and not fall asleep in school,” Burris said. “But, in the end it will probably all be worth it.” According to Burris, the early practices typically consist of weightlifting and sprinting. All the early hours in the pool are seemingly paying off for Swimming, as they sealed a win in their first meet of the season. But, as Martin Barnard, junior, explains, lots of the payoff can be attributed to conditioning done out of water, dubbed ‘dryland’. “Swimming is whole body sport- you are using your legs and your arms,” Barnard said. “Lately we have been incorporating a lot of dryland and weight room work for 45 minutes at a time. Every single week we also have a lap day set where we are just totally sprinting and keeping our muscles extremely tight. We are pushing ourselves, essentially.” The dryland workouts are created by Coach Mathew Pavlovich, P.E. teacher, and are created to target specific muscle groups. “We are targeting a lot of muscles we either do use, or targeting muscles we do not use enough so that we can get a better foundation,” Barnard said. “A lot of it is core based- that’s a huge part, stamina comes from the core. A lot of conditioning is stamina based too,
and we are try to keep our endurance by doing a lot of distance conditioning and swimming anywhere from three to five miles a day.” Sometimes, the workouts are designed specifically for each race. “I usually go in the distance group, and I will do 400m and 800m based on fast times, so I can improve my endurance over the length of the race,” Burris said. “Sometimes I will just tell myself in my head, ‘It is almost over, you just have to get through it then you can go home and relax.” Swimmers like Alexis Flores, senior, believe dryland translates into better times. “I have dropped time over the past couple of years and conditioning has definitely helped me drop time at big meets,” Flores said. “We do stuff with (resistance) bands on the pool deck every single day. I am a distance freestyler, and the shoulder exercises help because my arms get really tired swimming long laps.”
On to the next ones Date and location of upcoming swim meets
Saturday, Dec. 1 Munster Tuesday, Dec. 4 Munster Thursday, Dec. 6 Munster [source: mhs.munster.us]
Absent of a coach, Audrey Stooksberry and Erin Paskewicz, seniors, have taken it upon themselves to lead conditioning for distance runners. Although they are not allowed to use the indoor track without a coach, they are taking advantage of the weight room and are organizing runs outside of school. “I know there’s some girls that want to run and that encourages us (seniors) to start it,” Audrey said. “Last year we were already running by now, so we should probably do it this year.” After many coaches left or decided not to return last year, both the Girls’ and Boys’ Track have vacant coaching positions. According to Mr. Brian Clark, Athletic Director, the school is currently working to fill the spots, and hope to have them filled before winter break. There are three open positions for Girls’, and one open position for Boys. The athletic department would prefer the position be filled by someone in the school. “The whole purpose of the athletic department is to promote educationally-based athletics,” Mr. Clark said. “I know lay coaches cannot always understand that, but we feel that teachers, being here all day and teaching, understand the academic side and what athletes go through during the day. Ideally we want a teacher there for that, but also for the relationships teachers build with athletes during the day.” The vacancies are concerning primarily for the Girls’ team, which has no coaches as of now. Runners are uncertain what their season will look like if coaches are not found. However, Mr. Clark ensures that the season will go on. “We will fill the positions somehow,” Mr. Clark said.
Unbreakable bond The past few seasons, Girls’ Basketball has been improving their record. They have also been increasing their conditioning. While some may say the two are unrelated, Maddy Lakomek, senior, believes they are. “Our team this year is definitely a lot better than past years because of all the work we have put in,” Maddy said. “We are coming into the season already conditioned more than we would be in previous years, so we don’t have to spend as much time running, and we can spend more time working on our skills and practicing our plays.”
This summer, the morning workouts that used to be optional became a priority for many players. According to Maddy, getting through tough workouts when tired served not only a physical purpose, but a social purpose- it built teammates. “I think (conditioning) has helped our team bond because we spend so much time together,” Maddy said. “All our free time in the summer was together and we spend everyday together after school, we get to know each other really well and our bond is strengthened. That makes playing a lot easier.”
STAYING SERIOUS Delaney McGinty, junior, guards teammate Maddy Lakomek, senior, during a scrimmage at practice. “We were scrimmaging in practice for our game,” McGinty said. “The hardest part (of scrimmages) is competing against your friends and taking it seriously in order to get better in practice.”
[photo by Megan Szymanski]