6 - Merrillville Community School

M irror
ERRILLVILLE
HIGH SCHOOL
Vol.30, Issue 6 Merrillville, Indiana February 28, 2011
Lip Sync canceled; annual tradition ends
By Jalisa Mosley
News Editor
Unfamiliar to no one, the Lip Sync
competition was postponed, depending on
whether the participants would meet the
deadline for submitting new second round
music.
“Since the announcement of the show
being postponed, students had two full weeks
to find new music and bring in new CDs
containing their new songs and they [the
participants] failed to do so on time,” PNN
Director Brian Past said.
The final decision of the show relied
heavily on the students’ effort to act on
the compromise set in order to still have
a successful show. There were still some
remaining groups willing to participate.
“At the time, we had five confirmations
from the five groups that still wanted to
perform their acts totaling ten acts out of an
original 8 groups and 16 acts,” Mr. Past said.
“Whether there will be another Lip
Sync next year revolves around establishing
different rules. Students believe that there
are just no current or popular songs with
appropriate themes and lyrics,” said Mr. Past.
“It has been suggested to me by
underclassmen that I release a playlist for
future contestants to choose from,” he added.
Many students were sad that the Lip Sync
was canceled. It is one of the most anticipated
events here at the high school, especially
among seniors.
“I feel like it was tragic because we put
in so much work and we were really looking
forward to it as seniors,” said Senior Chris
Davis.
“It sort of took a lot of fun away from
senior year. It would’ve really been remarkable
to win as seniors. The cancelation was very
disappointing,” he said.
“It was very disappointing to have to
cancel the Lip Sync,” Davis said, “but the
bigger picture was the appropriateness of the
song lyrics.”
Last year’s Lip Sync winners, Take 5, won the grand prize of $500. This year, the Lip
Sync was postponed due to innapropriate music and ultimately canceled due to a lack of
participation.
Mock Trial places 3rd on ‘Murder on Lake Michigan’ case
The all female team was ‘awesome’, ‘phenomenal’ and ‘unbelievable’
By Aurielle Carson
Staff Reporter
The Merrillville High School Mock Trial
team competed in the regional competition
February 18, 2012.
Under the codename “Waterproof,” they
handled a murder case titled “Murder on Lake
Michigan.”
With just two weeks until their
competition date, the Mock Trial team had
to start all over from scratch. With their team
captain no longer with them, they reorganized
Technical issues
plague the Revue
Page 4
an all-female competition team. The team
consisted of new captain Sophomore
AuShaura Trimble, Seniors Alyssa Ahrens,
Paige Miller, Jasmine Washington, Aries
Edwards, Junior Jibria Ali and Sophomore
Megan Austin.
“The girls bonded so closely you weren’t
able to know who was captain,” Coach Mrs.
Sharon Row added.
“It was a team. They shared motivating
notes to each other. They helped each other,
and they were brilliant. I couldn’t be more
proud.”
Mirror
Staff
swaps
favorite
music
Pages 8, 9
The Mock Trial team was the third highest
scoring school out of what was supposed to be
16 teams.
“The girls met every objection, impeached
all witnesses and answered every question that
the judge threw at them. They did so well,”
Mrs. Row said.
Jibria Ali won the best witness award.
“These girls bonded into a strong female
presence. We had ability, we had skill, we had
good attitude. Not one boy was able to break
them,” Mrs. Row said.
Unlike Merrillville High School’s Mock
Girls’
Tennis
Team gears
up for
season
Page 11
Trial team, other schools such as South Bend
and Valparaiso have a law class and work
on their cases all year. They pick their best
competitors and come to competition.
“The girls were awesome. The team was
phenomenal. We were unbelievable,” Mrs.
Row added.
Although the season is over, Mrs. Row is
already hopeful for next year.
“I’m going to lose three girls, but the other
four will come back,” she said.
“Overall this was the best representation of
MHS that I’ve ever seen,” she said.
Index
News
Opinion
Features
A&E
Sports
Back Page
1, 2, 3
4, 5
6, 7
8, 9
10, 11
12
2
Save
the date
zSenior meeting every Monday in the
main building lecture hall
z National Honor Society Induction
March 3
z Science Olympiad Regionals
March 3
zPoetry Slam Victory Garden March 5
z Buddy Pictures March 6-8
z Early dismissal @ 1:48 p.m. March 8
z Senior Dodgeball Tournament
March 9
z Key Club Chili Cook-Off March 10
z SAT (not here) March 10
zAFJROTC Military Ball March 17
zFCCLA Blood Drive March 22
z
Spring Musical @ 7:30 March 23,
30, 31
zChess State Competition May 24
z Spring Musical April 1 @ 3p.m.
z Senior/ Faculty Game April 5
z Good Friday, No School April 6
z Spring Break April 9-16
zJostens Delivery during lunch April
18-19
z ACT (not here) April 14
z Orchestra Concert April 19
z Sam Troutman Game Night April 26
z ACT (not here) April 14
z Prom May 4
z Inclusion Dance May 11
z Freshman/Sophomore Dance May 12
z Graduation May 30
MHS goes to ISSMA
Third trimester begins for Class of 2012
By Ana Adame and Kyle Durham
Sports Editor, Staff Reporter
By Sam Gubitz
Editor-in-Chief
MHS Choir students brought home 127
gold and 1 silver medal from the ISSMA state
solo and Ensemble January 28. 42 students
performed in 17 solos and 7 ensembles at the
competition. Seniors Adrian Weaver and
Taylor Carter earned perfect scores with their
solo performances.
MHS orchestra had 111 students who
qualified for state, including 5 soloists Nikko
Saudral, Emma Harper, Allison Gronli,
Anthony Chamberlin, and Imani Smith. Also
six large ensembles and three small ensembles.
“Everyone did very wonderful and we’re very
proud,” said Orchestra Instructor Mr. John
Bradford. “ This is the largest group that
we have had go to state in years,” Assistant
Orchestra Instructor Mrs. Diane Kowalski
said.
The Merrillville High School Jazz Band
competed at the regional Jazz ISSMA on
Saturday February 15, 2012. The members
of the jazz group competed against other
students by performing a solo piece. Five
members received gold, five received silver
and one received bronze. One of the students
who received gold, Junior Eugene Rogers,
advanced and will perform his solo at the
State competition.
With third trimester starting, the Class of
2012 is preparing for its end in a multitude
of ways. “The third trimester is going to be
the craziest of them all,” Class Sponsor Mr.
Alan Mizimakoski said. The start of the last
trimester of the year has annually been host
to a variety of traditions, some old and some
fairly new.
Right away as the trimester begins, so does
the dodge ball tournament, which is on March
9. Leading up to the actual tournament, 16
teams were selected from a field of 31 through
the “penny wars.” “The purpose of the penny
wars is to raise money for the class gift to the
school and so far [as of Feb. 22] we’ve raised
$3220,” Mr. Mizmo said.
The penny wars are a way of narrowing
the number of teams who signed up for the
dodge ball tournament through the collection
France for the summer
By Jake Larson
Back page editor
Three students have been selected to
participate in the Indiana University Honors
program, in which students are selected to
go to go to a foreign country. The students
selected are Juniors Dayanna Arichavala,
Victoria Collins, and Megan Vinson.
Arichavala and Collins will be living with
a French family and take classes for seven
weeks during the summer. Vinson, however
has chosen to attend South Africa during the
summer instead. In order to qualify for this
opportunity, the students had to take a test
and fill out an application.
“Being with a host family and mastering
the French language,” Arichavala said.
Fun and Games
at Eagle Park
By Ana Adame
Sports Editor
The special needs department participated
in a social activity with Eagle Park School
on February 17th. The students played
a friendly game of basketball against the
students from Eagle Park. The two teams
were mixed so that each team consisted of
both students from Merrillville and Eagle
Park. The event included a pep group and a
group of cheerleaders that cheered both the
teams on during the game. “It’s just a fun
little thing for the students,” comments Mrs.
Barb Dlouhy.
News
STAND plans spring trip
By Jalisa Mosley
News Editor
STAND went to Purdue Calumet to meet
with two professors in order to expand their
knowledge of the Holocaust. The club is
visiting Washington D.C. over Spring Break
in which they will have opportunities to meet
a Holocaust survivor and visit the Holocaust
museum.
“I think it’ll be beneficial since we learned
more about the Holocaust from the professors
than what is taught to us from a book,” said
Sophomore Cassie Govert.
“It was interesting to learn that the United
States was the root of how the Nazis were
influenced to begin the Holocaust,” she said.
The professors at Purdue Cal prepared
the students for the trip with more updated
information and a video.
“The professors explained a lot regarding
Holocaust which is good because we won’t go
into the museum blind to other things we will
be introduced to,” said Junior Khari Reed.
Throw a strike for FEA
By Jake Larson
Back page editor
Future Educators of America is hosting
their annual fundraiser Bowl for Kids March
1. It’s from 5 to 7 p.m located at the Stardust
II in Merrillville. The teams consist of five
people in which faculty and students can be
mixed on a team. Each contestant needs at
least $50, $250 per group.
of money. Each team collects as much money
as possible in their team’s milk jug; the 16
teams with the most money at the end of the
competition are allowed to compete in the
tournament.
The penny wars occurred this year during
the last 3 weeks of the second trimester and
made for a busier than usual schedule for Mr.
Mizmo. “It [planning senior events] is really
busy and it is time consuming; you definitely
give up many planning periods and hours after
school,” he said.
Around the same time as the penny wars
were occurring, the senior choice awards
were also taking place. In the choice awards,
seniors are voted for a variety of categories,
ranging from “most likely to teach at MHS”
to “best car.” This year, of the 551 seniors in
the Class of 2012, 80 turned in their ballots.
“Although the dodge ball tournament has had
great participation, the senior choice awards
participation was okay; not even 20% of the
ballots were turned in,” Mr. Mizmo said.
What flavor is your Crush?
By Sam Gubitz
Editor-in-Chief
Student Government’s annual Crush sale
once again was a success for the group. This
year Student Government made over $1100,
which will be donated to Riley’s Children
Hospital.
Every year the sale does well and Student
Government Sponsor, Mr. Michael Knocke
believes that success is due to its simplicity.
“It’s just a simple way to show they appreciate
their significant other or friends and I think
students like the creativeness of sending their
crush a Crush,” Mr. Knocke said
Because every single Crush needs to have
its recipient located and its card tied to it,
there ends up being a lot of work for the
Student Government members to accomplish
in a short time. “We usually came in after
school for a few hours each day leading up to
Valentine’s Day and it’s a lot of work but we
all work together to make sure it always gets
done,” Student Government Treasurer, Senior
Mat Harms said.
Although for the most part every student
that has a Crush bought for them is delivered
that Crush on Valentine’s Day, sometimes
things don’t always go as planned. “There are
several reasons why some Crush cans don’t
get delivered, but the most common is that
the student who purchased the Crush used
a nickname or a misspelled name for the
delivery,” Mr. Knocke said.
Grab Your Buddy, Take Your Picture
By Carley Laughead
Opinion/Arts & Entertainment Editor
The annual Buddy Pictures are taking
place again starting March 6th and 9th. As
per normal, students are encouraged to bring
friends and take pictures to commemorate
the 2011-2012 school year. Pictures will take
place in the Freshman and Main cafeterias.
3
News
Senior Choice Awards
The results are in
Best smile
- Jeanette Burbage, Rodney Mitchell
Most likely to teach at MHS
- Morgan Lamb, Leonard Mathews
Most likely to stay friends
- Morgan Lamb/Pauline Payani, Mat Harms/Zach Roberts
Most actively involved
- Lauren Carniello, Mansoor Arifee
Most athletic
- Nakel McClinton, Kourtney Berry
Most intelligent
- Nichole Anderson, Luqmann Ruth
Best eyes
- Mercedes McClendon, Anthony Palm
Most spiritual
- Alyssa Nymeyer, Joseph Drapeau
Most likely to succeed
- Alyssa Nymeyer, Luqmann Ruth
Best dressed
- Aries Edwards, Charles McGee
Most popular
- Belia Mercado, John Mosley
Most musical
- Kandice Nicholson, Erik White
Best dancer
- Donneisha Owens, Sir James Joiner
Best personality
- Christina Brown, John Mosley
Most talkitive
- Rosalyn Baker, Trent Turner
Best body
- Megan Dicken, Paul Carey
Best hair
Most likely to become famous
Best car
- Belia Mercado, Brandon Neal
Cutest couple
- Donneisha Owens and Kourtney Berry
Class clown
- Mercedes McClendon, Alonzo Charles
- Davina Anthony, John Dates
- Alejandra Mata, Anthony Disco
Best actor/actress
- Taylor Carter, Adrian Weaver
Most spirited
- Danielle Abel, Trent Turner
4
A mixed Revue
Opinion
A silent majority
Technical issues outshine the The importance of voting
real talent at this years show for the younger generation
The Revue is one of the few occasions
of the year where every student has an
opportunity to show off their particular talent.
The Revue is supposed to be a show where
everyone can enjoy the amazing talents that
the school has to offer.
However, the 2012 Revue sometimes fell
flat on their purpose on both their February
15 and 16 shows. Technical glitches and
mishaps ran rampant during both shows and
sometimes ruined entire acts.
On the first night Junior Alyxandra
Castro’s performance of her original song was
tarnished by a microphone that either was not
working or was not close enough to her. She
even came back on during the show’s second
act for an encore and still her microphone
was not placed close enough to her so
nobody could hear Castro’s lovely voice. This
problem was finally fixed during the second
performance.
That was a trend that seemed to be the
theme of this year’s Revue, “it was better
the second time.” For those that attended
both shows it was immediately evident that
the second night was almost a completely
different show than the first night. There was
such a plethora of glitches the first night and
while the second night may have been better,
it still wasn’t without its fair share of glitches.
During Senior Taylor Carter’s performance
on the second night her microphone appeared
to be possessed. It cut off and turned on at the
most random times throughout the act. Finally
her fellow host, Senior Adrian Weaver, came
out on stage and gave her a new microphone
to fix the problem. The question that came
screaming to me during the whole debacle was
“where is the stage crew?”
In fact the stage crew seemed relatively
absent during both shows. When a problem
came up they were usually the last people
to come and fix the problem. Their job is to
make sure the show goes off as close to perfect
as possible. Their performance was far from
perfect and was borderline unprofessional at
times.
Another problem that would only be
apparent to those who attended both nights is
the lack of consistency in terms of what shows
made an appearance. Acts that weren’t there
on the first night played during the second
night and vice versa. Or acts that appeared
during both shows were completely different
between the two nights. At one point there
was an act that played that wasn’t even on
the program. Once again, it was as if those
who had came on the second night saw a
completely different show than the one that
was put on the first night.
That is not right. Should someone decide
to attend the first date for the show then that
show should be essentially the exact same as
the one that takes place on the very next day.
Even the times of the shows differed from
one another. The first night’s show started
late and ended late whereas the second show
started much closer to the stated start time of
7 p.m.
The talents present at both shows were
amazing and every act had its own particular
qualities that made the show a true showcase
for the incredible talent of the school.
Sadly, the technical glitches and borderline
unprofessional stage crew held the show back
from being as great as previous years.
Sam Gubitz
Three cheers for the Weepies
New indie-folk band inspires
happiness and creavity despite name
By Meg Vinson
Staff Reporter
One lovely day in Boston a boy and a
girl walk into a bar. They are both singer
songwriters, and have been obsessing
over each other’s albums, even though
they have never met. The boy spots the
girl from across the crowded room and
the two fall in love.
Deb Talan and Steve Tannen have
been together ever since that first night
they met ten years ago as husband and
wife, as they wonderfully charming
indie band The Weepies.
Named as a reference to old movies,
The Weepies have released several
studio albums since their formation,
including “Say I Am You, “Happiness”
and “Be My Thrill.” They recently
wrapped up their 2011 “An Acoustic
Evening with the Weepies” tour.
The band tackles a variety of
sounds in their work. Songs range from
This year’s senior choice awards had an
abysmal turnout. Out of the 551 students in
the senior class only 80 voted; that’s a voter
turnout of 15 percent.
That statistic, along with the fact that
the 18-20 age groups had a voter turn out
of 16 percent during the 2010 midterm
election and it becomes increasingly obvious
that our age group truly has the worst voter
turnout.
Historically this has always been true;
our best turn out was during the 2008
presidential election in which 41 percent of
all registered 18-20 year old voters went out
to the polls.
Even that record setting turnout is
terrible when compared to the group with
the best turnout, senior citizens age 65 and
older. Their turnout is consistently above the
60 percent mark and has been for the past
decade and a half.
Our age group represents nearly 19
percent of the nearly 230 million registered
voters in the country; we could easily swing
an election in any direction we please. With
that type of pull we should easily be able to
attract political candidates to our interests
but that’s not the case because of our terrible
voter turnout.
These facts should force everyone in
our age group to ask themselves, “What is
wrong with us?”
Perhaps it’s just that some people feel
that their vote doesn’t matter because their
needs aren’t met anyways. All that thought
leads to is an unending cycle of nothingness.
If you actually vote for someone and
they don’t meet your needs then it’s well
within your power to withhold your vote
acoustic, folk pop and even bits of
funkier, indie rock style. Sound isn’t
the only thing that varies when it
comes to The Weepies; their lyrics
have a broad scope as well. While
many of their songs like “Somebody
Loved” are beautifully touching and
“Simple Life” could bring a smile to
anyone’s face, songs like “Dating a
Porn Star” voice despair and explore
darker topics.
The Weepies are the ultimate
romantics, so be prepared to fall in
love with their poetic lyrics and then
rainy day sound. Listeners of Jack
Johnson and Ingrid Michaelson will
easily be enchanted.
Even in a miss-matched genre,
from them the next time around. But
if you don’t vote, you have no right to
complain.
Or maybe some believe that politics
doesn’t matter and doesn’t affect them
in any way; this idea is the complete
opposite of the truth. Politics should be
the most important thing in our lives
because it shapes the way everyone will
live the rest of their life. Our group
stands to gain and lose the most through
the world of politics.
As stated earlier, the most represented
age group is 65 and older. Why is it that
the people in the country who have the
most representation are the ones who
will be least responsible for their actions?
They don’t have to live with their
decisions for the next 60-70 years like we
do. We are the ones that need the most
representation because we’re the ones
who will still be living in this country
when the current 65 and older age group
is long gone.
Our age group must vote in every
election, whether it is the senior choice
awards or the presidential election.
We must shape the country into what
we want it to be, what it needs to
be. Our tomorrow is not the senior
citizens’ tomorrow, it’s a tomorrow that
is uniquely our own. We must claim
ownership now, lest we lose out on our
own future. This is our country and
whatever happens to it should be our
responsibility, not our grandparents’.
The Weepies are able to make it work.
Their music is melanchololy with
hints of joy and joyful with hints of
melancholy. All in all, The Weepies
should have at least one song gracing
the gigabytes of your latest iPod. The
weepies are a truly unique band that
none should be without.
Sam Gubitz
5
Opinion
Respecting the differences
Leaving your comfort zone and learning to respect it
With the many different activities
in the world, there are many options for
entertainment available for any one with any
interest. People find themselves gravitating
towards people who may share similar interests
such as music styles, clothing styles and
many other things. Some people don’t see the
commonalities they have with other people
simply because they don’t share the same
interests. What most people fail to realize
is that although they may be interested in
different things, the differences tend to be
very minute and they may even have more in
common than they think.
The Mirror Staff did an experiment
where they picked one of their favorite
artists and exchanged with another staff
member’s favorite artist to get an idea of
just how different the styles would be. The
overall result was that many members found
themselves being fans of the music they
wouldn’t normally listen to.
Although some styles may be different
than others, most of the staff had a positive
experience with the experiment.
“I really liked listening to J. Cole. I liked
how he sounded very smooth and its really
easy to understand,” Senior Carley Laughhead
said.
Kyle Durham and Sam Gubitz exchanged
artists and found themselves fans of the
different styles.
“I really liked the Flobots because
the music has a message and it’s really
revolutionary,” Junior Kyle Durham said.
“I like Kanye West a lot. His music is
very introspective and it opened me up to
something I would have never listened to,”
Senior Sam Gubitz said.
This experiment shows how many people
think when it comes to venturing out into
new things. Many people find themselves
reluctant to trying new things, but come to
realize that things aren’t as unusual as they
may seem. What some people fail to realize
is that although they may share different
interests, they still need to respect the interests
of others. So many people feel that if others
aren’t interested in the same things they like,
then they are weird or strange. People forget
that our country is very diverse and there is
bound to be some things they may not like
or understand, but respect should never be
a compromise based on similarities. Calling
someone obscene names or exchanging
strange looks because something may not be
of interest to them shows the lack of maturity
one has.
Living in today’s world, one is going to
see many things that aren’t familiar to them,
but being judgmental is not the way to go
about the differences. Instead of judging, try
something new. Try to listen to a different
genre of music or sit with a new set of people
at lunch. One might discover that there is
more in common than the differences.
New Right to Work legislature draws the ire
of union members
America’s foundation has always been
on the back of the common worker. From
the pioneers and settlers of America’s first
frontier, to those who fought for workmen’s
rights, the entirety of our country’s history
includes the common household worker. The
advances made for future generations since
the time when you were paid .10 an hour has
insured equal pay, equal working conditions
and equal hiring capability. In a short amount
of time, however, the state of Indiana has
pushed through a bill that effectively takes
the bargaining rights away from the unions by
allowing non-union members to join without
dues and proper screening.
Media reports have been that Governor
Mitch Daniels pushed the bill, deceivingly
titled “Right to Work,” through the Indiana
state senate.
This piece of legislation allows non-union
members to opt out of paying union dues.
So, in effect, it gives companies the legal
opportunity to refuse to hire union workers,
and non-union workers to legally join a union
without dues. Most dues cost around $80 a
year. Unions required these dues to uphold
standards of work and train new employees.
Union members from across the state joined together in Indianapolis during the Super
Bowl weekend to protest the recently passed, and highly controversial, Right to Work
law.
There has been no secret of the animosity
between Daniels and the unions of Northern
Indiana. When the bill passed, and members
traveled to Indianapolis during the Super
Bowl to protest, he was quoted in an article as
saying if they continued to protest they would
“regret it.”
Not only does he take away the bargaining
rights for union workers, which has always
been assumed a basic right of the people,
he threatens them as well for disturbing the
Super Bowl, an event that would generate
immense revenue for Indianapolis and by
default him.
So, the people of Indiana, without regard
for their northern neighbors, have voted into
legislation something that not only affects
us, but future generations. For those of us in
high school that had hopes of getting into the
union, beware. With help from this bill, the
standards will drop, and wages will fall, and
who will be there to pick up the pieces?
So when the time comes for the people to
vote, in November, who is going to step up? If
it’s not for your future, or for your children’s,
then vote for the others who will need
the opportunity and safety a union offers.
Together, as cliché as the motion stands, we
can change the course our country is currently
on and progress to a more equal and high
quality America.
Carley Laughead
6
Feat
Always
something
different
Several members of the newspaper staff choose cereal.
No effort,
good taste
Once a kid,
always a kid
Being who I am, there’s
always little effort when it
comes to finding food for
breakfast that will satisfy with
no effort and usually that
consists of Honey Almond
Chex cereal and Sunny Delight
. I first discovered Chex cereal
when I received the newspaper
one morning and they gave
three cereal samples. In the
midst of sampling the cereals,
a love for Chex had emerged.
Although it tends to be a bit of
an expense, I always find a way
to get some. Sunny Delight is
a juice that I never have been
able to function without. I love
the juice and feel more useful
after having my daily serving.
As a kid, I was introduced
to “Dinosaur Eggs Oatmeal,”
a sweet and sugary instant
oatmeal that any kid would
love. Although it’s an
extremely childish meal whose
aim is more than likely for
children, I have yet to grow out
of it.
Ever since I was little, eating
breakfast in the mornings,
especially before school, never
agreed with me because it
upsets my stomach. I don’t
make time for it in between
waking up on time, showering,
doing my hair, getting dressed
and giving myself enough time
to get to school on time.
The “dino eggs” are
sugarcoated candies that melt
once the oatmeal is really hot,
and it spreads more sugar on
top of an already brown sugar
based pack of oatmeal. Just as
a kid would, I still get a kick
out of watching the “dino eggs”
melt into mini dinosaur candy
pieces, almost like magic.
To even out an intake
of overly sweetened oats, I
drink a glass of whole vitamin
D milk to increase vitamin
consumption.
I do not eat breakfast
everyday, but that particular
oatmeal and a glass of milk
does the job.
— Allisa Bryant
Sunny Delight
120 Calories
190 mg Sodium
29 carbohydrates
27 Sugars
100 % Vitamin C
Chex Honey Nut Cereal
120 Calories
200 mg Sodium
55 mg Potassium
28 g Carbohydrates
1 g Dietary fiber
9 g sugars
Senior Jalisa Mosley never
grew out of her childhood
oatmeal.
— Jalisa Mosley
Quaker Oatmeal Dinosaur
Eggs
Calories 190
Calories from Fat 30
Total Fat 3.5g
Saturated Fat 2g
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5g
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 260mg
Total Carbohydrate 37g
Dietary Fiber 3g
Soluble Fiber 1g
Sugars 14g
Protein 4g
A growing boy/ young man
is only supposed to have 2000
calories per day . Whenever
I actually do eat breakfast,
which is rarely. I never eat
a traditional breakfast, it is
always something different.
What I eat changes constantly
every time I eat. A McDonald’s
sausage, egg and cheese
McGriddle is usually what I like
to eat. With amazing pancakes
with syrup, and great fried egg,
melted cheese , and the fresh
made sausage, this sandwich is
only 560 calories. I also had a
few glasses of Pepsi and Sunny
D. Pepsi, with 150 calories per
serving, and Sunny D, with 60
calories, are two of my favorite
drinks. Sunny D gives me my
daily dose of Vitamin C. After
eating the McGriddle and
consuming all of that liquid, I
get hungry again. To finish my
breakfast, I eat a few Jimmy
Dean Sausages. These have 260
calories, but taste great.
— Kyle Durham
Sausage, egg , and cheese
McGriddle
560 calories
20g Protein
32g Fat
48g Carbs
1360mg sodium
Pepsi
150 calories per serving
Total Fat 0g
30mg sodium
41g Total Carbohydrate
41g Sugar
0g Protein
Sunny D
Calories 60
Total Fat 0g
Sodium 170mg
Total Carbohydrates 16 g
Sugars 14g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 100%
Thiamin 15%
Jimmy Dean Sausage
Calories 260
Total Fat 24g
Saturated Fat 8g
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 50mg
Sodium 710mg
Total Carbohydrate 2g
Protein 8g
What ti
Break
tim
Caffine, a best
friend
Time is definitely of the
essence when you’re a teenager,
and I know that better than
anybody. There really isn’t
anything in the morning to
properly pick me up so I can
be ready for school, so waking
up is definitely the challenge.
I never wake up refreshed, so
between a shower, homework
and make-up, breakfast is the
venture that suffers.
I started eating crackers in
the morning in seventh grade
because I would always feel
sick. It just became a regular
and it was faster than making
a full breakfast. Pepsi came
along just because I love it.
The caffeine and sugar were
just enough to get me through
the morning. Soon enough I
just expected it; before I left
the house I’d have a couple
crackers and a can of Pepsi
for the road. It would last be
enough till lunch.
When I started realizing
that the can of Pepsi every
morning was causing a crash
that would leave me drained by
10 am, I started taking 5 Hour
Energy shots. They helped give
me the boost to do work, and
then when I got home, I have
another to get me through
work and chores. Caffeine is,
truly, my best friend
— Carley Laughead
Nutritional Facts on
Crackers, Pepsi and 5 Hour
Energy
Crackers
Calories - 80
Calories from fat – 40
Total fat - 4.5g
Saturated – 1g
Trans Fat – 0
Polyunsaturated 2g
Monounsaturated 1.5
Sodium 130
Total Carbohydrate 10g
Protein less than 1g
Pepsi
Calories 150
Sodium 30
Total carbohydrate 41g and
of that all is sugar
She’d rather sleep
My breakfast of choice
nowadays seems to be,
surprisingly, nothing. Between
school, a job, and other
extracurricular, not much
time is left for much else other
than sleep. In the morning the
snooze button is my best friend
and I end up waking up with
barely enough time to get ready
for my day. In the midst of this
rush is no time for breakfast.
However, if by some miracle I
do remember to grab something
to eat it is usually something
prepackaged (healthy, right?).
This consists of some sort of
breakfast pastry, Pop-Tarts,
and whatever I can get to
drink at the vending machine
at school for a dollar (cheap, I
know). This might not be the
best breakfast, but it does the
job of getting me through the
morning.
— Ana Adame
Pop-Tart (Chocolate Chip
Cookie Dough)
1 Serving
Calories 190
Total Fat 5g, 8%
Saturated Fat 2g, 10%
Sodium 190g, 8%
Total Carbs 35g, 12%
Dietary Fiber .8g, 3%
Protein 2g
Vitamin A, Calcium, Iron
10%
Pepsi
1 Serving (8 oz)
Calories 150
Sodium 30 mg, 1%
Total Carbs 41g, 9%
Sugars 28g
Caffeine 25mg
Potassium 5mg
Phosphorus 35mg
Senior Matt Harms gives a thum
Sleep longer, save t
Breakfast may sound
delicious in the morning, but
I don’t eat it. Eating breakfast
takes too much time. By not
eating breakfast, I can sleep
longer and save time.
When she eats breakfast, Senio
something prepackaged.
tures
ime is it?
kfast
me
7
Ba da ba ba ba
Ensure a healthy
breakfast
Coffee and
bagel a practical
breakfast
mbs up for cereal and juice.
time
Most breakfast foods don’t
really taste good and the ones
that do are more like dessert.
I’ve adapted to not eating
breakfast for so long that it
doesn’t affect me much. I just
may feel a little tired.
— Alexandra Woodberry
or Ana Adame chooses
Coffee is a great way to
wake up in the morning and it
doesn’t have all of those nasty
chemicals that are found in
energy drinks (I’m looking at
you, Mr. Knocke). Now it may
be true that coffee can stunt
your growth, but honestly, I
don’t mind being the height I
am for the rest of my life.
Along with my cup of
coffee I usually eat a 100
percent whole wheat bagel with
a cup of coffee. I like to think
of my breakfast as being very
practical and that’s the primary
reason I eat this everyday.
A bagel in the morning is a
great way to start the day off
with a lot of energy to burn
through the morning. A bagel
may be all carbohydrates and
the equivalency of half a loaf
of bread, but I still love it. My
morning would not be complete
without it.
— Sam Gubitz
To get ready for a day of
school, my usual breakfast
consists of Chocolate Chip
Cookie Dough Pop-Tarts,
which is the best part of my
morning breakfast, and a
vanilla Ensure. The reason is
its healthy; its sweet; its easy
to prepare. I choose to drink
Ensure because it is healthy
and has a lot of vitamins and
minerals that are good for
you. However, it’s not for the
people who have sensitive
taste. Cookie Dough Pop-Tarts
helps get rid of the taste of
the Ensure drink and adds a
bit of sugar to my diet. I first
started drinking Ensure after I
work out, as it helps to rebuild
muscle, and I just wanted to try
it out.
Senior Aurielle Carson chows down on McDonald’s bacon,
egg and cheese McGriddle.
— Aurielle Carson
— Jake larson
Ensure Nutrition Shake
1 (8 fl oz) bottle
250 calories (50 calories
from fat)
Total fat 6g
Saturated fat 1g
Polyunsaturated fat 3g
Monounsaturated fat 2g
Cholesterol 5 mg
Sodium 200mg
Potassium 370 mg
Total carb. 40g
Sugars 23g
Protein 9g
Chocolate Chip Cookie
dough Pop-Tarts
1 serving (1 Pop-Tart)
190 calories (45 calories
from fat)
Total fat 5g
Saturated fat 2g
Polyunsaturated fat 1.5g
Monounsaturated fat 1g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 190mg
Total carbohydrate 35g
Dietary fiber less 1g
Sugars 18g
Protein 2g
The bacon, egg, and cheese
McGriddle from McDonald’s
is my choice for breakfast. My
mother has a job that requires
her to work late hours, and I
wake up with just enough time
to shower and head to school.
This means that unfortunately,
neither my mother nor I have
the time to make breakfast
every morning. Due to the
fact that the nearest food
place, McDonald’s, is just up
the street from my home, it is
the most convenient. I have
tried waking up earlier, but no
matter what time I wake up, I
always find myself leaving my
house at the same time every
day. I have tried the breakfast
meals that only require being
in the microwave for a few
minutes, but even that to me
is too time consuming. At
McDonald’s, I like that I can
just place my order and head
to school. The fact that the
McGriddle tastes phenomenal
also adds to the reason why I
choose to eat it for breakfast. I
love that instead of just regular
bread, they have miniature
pancakes. I love the bacon in
the sandwich, and even the
folded egg. The bacon, egg, and
cheese McGriddle might not be
the healthiest choice, but it is
definitely the most fitting and
delicious for me.
Senior Jake Larson chugs an Ensure, but eats Pop-Tarts to get
rid of the taste.
Total: 420 Calories,
15g Protein,
18g Fat (28%),
48g Carbs (16%),
1110mg Sodium (46%)
Here’s what the professionals (and the labels) say
The staff consulted Mrs. Kay Pikus, the manager of the main high school cafeteria, to
evaluate their breakfast choices.
“Drink 100 percent juice,” advises Mrs. Pikus.
Aurielle Carson’s drink of choice, Sunny Delight, is mostly sugar. So is Pepsi.
“Eat whole grain breads and cereals,” Mrs. Pikus said.
Whole grain cereals and breads use the entire grain seed of wheat, rye, rice, barley, corn,
or oats without milling out the bran and germ. “Whole grain” means it’s the complete grain,
including the bran, the germ and the endosperm. The health benefits of whole grain come from
those three components working together in their natural proportions.
“Keep the carb count down,” she added.
Carbohydrates turn to sugar, and sugar is one of the main culprits in weight gain.
“Watch the salt,” Mrs. Pikus said.
Seen as sodium on most lists, salt is often the culprit on bad diets that destroy good health.
The acceptable amount per day is six grams.
“Protein gives you a boost for the day,” advises Mrs. Pikus.
Jalissa Mosley will be delighted to hear that Dino Eggs contain four grams of protein, but also
14 grams of sugar. Ensure has nine grams of protein, and sausage has eight.
The bad news is that Kyle Durham’s sausage also contains 24 grams of fat, which is never a
good thing.
Bottom line: read the labels to know exactly what you are eating.
8
Arts and Entertainment
Kanye West:
terrible
character,
lovely music
W
h
a
t’
s
By Sam Gubitz
Editor-in-Chief
y
Adele:
o catchy but
whiny
u
r
By Alexandra Woodberry
Staff Reporter
t
a
s
t
e
Adele’s voice is great and her
songs are catchy. My personal
favorite song is “Chasing
Pavements” because it sounds
upbeat. On the downside, her
songs are slow and kind of
depressing. Most of them seem to
be about heartbreak. Her hit song,
“Rolling in the Deep,” is given too
much credit and her voice comes
off as a bit whiny. Her other
song, Set Fire to the Rain, is more
creative.
Most of her songs have a jazzy,
soulful sound to it. A few songs
sound like gospel music. The songs
are favorable to listen to when
feeling down or heartbroken since
they’re not really cheery. Overall,
Adele is charming enough to
listen to on the radio, but too
depressing to buy on iTunes.
Distrubed:
‘a challenge
enjoyed’
By Ana Adame
Sports Editor
In a world of mainstream music and
upbeat pop songs, the band Disturbed is
usually overlooked. Disturbed is a metal
band, a huge difference from what I usually
listen to. My experience of going from what I
usually listen to, mellow Adele, to Disturbed,
was very interesting.
I knew nothing about Disturbed before
hand, other than they were a metal group.
As I played the first song, I realized it was
going to take some getting used to the heavy
sound of guitars and drum sets. As I listened
to “Down with the Sickness,” (recommended
by none other than the amazing Jake Larson)
it got easier to adjust to the difference in
tempo and sounds from what I normally listen
to. The song, in my opinion, speaks of the
not-so rose-colored side of love and the many
changes that it can evoke within a person.
Most of the rest of their songs revolve around
this central theme of evolving into your own
person. “The Night,” for example, is a song
told in metaphors about how one should be
their own person and break off the chains of
relying on what others think.
After listening to Disturbed I also decided
to learn more about them. As it turns out that
the band originated close to home, coming
together in 1994 in Chicago. The band has
also placed multiple albums on the Billboard
200 list, some in first place.
To sum up my experience, listening to
Disturbed was interesting and required some
getting used to. Their metaphorical way of
explaining problems of love and growing up
was a challenge, but certainly a challenge that
was enjoyed.
Flobots:
a progressive,
political rap
By Kyle Durham
Staff Reporter
This reporter’s favorite Artist is Kanye
West. But everyone on the mirror staff
decided to switch favorite artist with another
staff member. I switched with Sam Gubitz.
The Flobots are a political rock and hip
hop musical group from Denver, formed
in 2000 by Jamie Laurie. Flobots found
mainstream success with their major label
debut Fight With Tools (2007), featuring the
single “Handlebars”, which became a popular
hit on modern rock radio stations in April
2008.
The song “Handlebars” has a very deep
meaning. Jamie Laurie (Jonny 5) stated that
the song “is about the idea that we have so
much incredible potential as human beings
to be destructive or to be creative,” Laurie
said. “And it’s tragic to me that the appetite
for military innovation is endless, but when it
comes to taking on a project like ending world
hunger, it’s seen as outlandish,” he added.
This is progressive rap for the people,
embodying a lyrical spirit out of the voices of
rebellion.
Flobots bring to life progressive politics
and advocate open-mindedness and careful
thought. This group will grow on you quickly.
It’ll connect with your inner-rebel, and get
in touch with your activist side of you.
According to Senior Sam Gubitz, “Anyone
can enjoy the flobots, especially if they’re
interested in the world around them at all.”
Just as all people aren’t the same, not all
rap is the same. This was something I realized
very quickly when I traded my favorite
musical artist, the Flobots, with Kyle’s favorite
artist, Kanye West.
While Flobots may be classified as rap
or hip hop, it definitely leans towards the
alternative style of music. Kanye, on the other
hand, is more of the main stream kind of rap
that many people associate with rap.
Before I began listening to Kanye, all I
really knew about him was the stuff everyone
saw on the news. From the benefit concert
for Hurricane Katrina during which he stated
that “George Bush doesn’t care about black
people,” to the 2009 MTV video music
awards “I’mma let you finish” episode, my
idea of Kanye West was not a positive one.
So when listening to Kanye West’s music,
I knew I’d have to dispel my personal beliefs
regarding his character. After listening to
Kanye with an open mind, I really started to
enjoy his music.
My primary focus was on two of his
albums, “Graduation” and “My Beautiful
Dark Twisted Fantasy.” Of the two albums,
“My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” was my
personal favorite and that is the focus of this
writing.
“MBDTF” tells an amazing story that
follows the central theme of the complications
that fame brings. Each song is an adventure in
itself and each is more beautiful than the last.
Even when I wasn’t necessarily agreeing with
the lyrics of the songs, I always found the
music to be hauntingly beautiful. Each song
has its own unique musical styling but each is
beautiful in its own way.
The album is dark and very introspective
in that the album sometimes focuses on
Kanye’s own character flaws, as demonstrated
in “Power.” This theme sometimes borders
self-loathing, especially during “Runaway.”
After finally listening to Kanye, without
my own preconceived notions of his
character, I can proudly say that he found
his way onto my music library. While he may
not share any similarities with my personal
favorite artist, his music is still something
that should be appreciated by any music lover.
Perhaps that’s the best idea to take away from
my experience. You don’t have to necessarily
like someone to appreciate what they do.
On a side note, it is truly a shame that
“MBDTF” was not nominated for “Album of
the Year” at the Grammy’s. It’s easily one of
the best albums I’ve heard from 2011, a year
that was sadly dominated by computer made
dance music and uninspired pop songs.
9
Mayday Parade
exceeds typical
predictions
Arts and Entertainment
i
n
By Aurielle Carson
Staff Reporter
The usual agenda of music that I listen
to includes only Drake or other artists that
are similar to his stle of music. However,
after trading favorite artists with Senior
Jacob Larson, Mayday Parade couldn’t be any
different but still has happened to gain my
interest.
A rock group with typical bass, a lead
singer with a loud voice, and the well known
guitar is included in this group but what
matters the most are the lyrics. This group just
so happens to make songs about things and
common situations. The emotion is evident in
songs such as “Bruised and Scarred” explains
and goes through heartbreak. “You’re Dead
Wrong” explains vulnerability and pure
openness.
Even after listening with reluctant ears,
I could not help but unfasten the hands
from around my ears and broaden my music
horizons.
Mayday Parade has definitely been added
to my agenda of music.
Didn’t expect
to like Drake
By Jake Larson
Back Page Editor
For this issue, Senior Aurielle Carson and I
had decided to exchange our favorite musical
artists and expand our musical interests. Being a
fan of alternative and indie rock, and never being
a fan of rap, it was unexpected and surprising
to be able to find her artist to be enjoyable. The
music artist I had been assigned to listen to
was Aubrey “Drake” Graham is an entertainer
who is most famous for his music as of today.
He is relatively young to the music business
as he has only released two albums. However,
to compliment his youth, he has an immense
amount of talent, as his voice is among the best
that I have heard out of most of the other artists
of this particular genre.
His music features a good mixture of songs
that have beats that are fun to listen to, such as
in “Headlines” and “Buried Alive Interlude” but
also have good lyrics, such as “Doing it Wrong”
and “Shot for Me.” Being a person who finds
a need to just sit down and relax, it has been a
pleasure to be exposed to Drake and his soothing
style of music. What comes with the good comes
with the bad as Drake has a bit more vulgarity
for my taste, as there is a plethora of F-bombs
in many of his songs. Also, a lot of his music
has to do with feelings towards a girl, good or
bad. However, those minor flaws seem to be a
small price to pay in order to receive relaxation
and listen to meaningful lyrics and catchy beats.
While still not being a huge fan of rap, Drake has
been a nice start to transitioning to an everyday
listener to the particular genre.
Florence & the
Machine has
distinct sound
J. Cole
creates a versatile
field of vision
By Jalisa Mosley
News Editor
By Carley Laughead
Opinon/Arts and Entertainment Editor
Artists that I enjoy listening to are
somewhat similar because I like storytellers
that touch on various, real-life situations. Nas,
Kendrick Lamar, and of course, J.Cole are a
few of my favorites for that reason.
Switching my favorite artist, J.Cole, with
Carley’s favorite, Florence & the Machine,
I discovered that she has a distinct, melodic/
indie pop style to her music. Prior to the
challenge, I had only heard “Dog Days Are
Over” which was something that was catchy
and happened to get stuck in my head but
turned out not to be a bad song at all.
The two artists have completely different
ways of expression through music. J.Cole
leans more toward life struggles of all types
of people and situations bad or good whereas
Florence has more of a laidback, soft rock feel.
She has such a blossoming, yet theatrical
voice which is definitely something I would
have not even thought to listen to previously.
The words come off a bit haunting but it
makes your mind wander. It seems as though
you instantly become relaxed, especially
towards the end of some of her songs where
the musical joy seems to become more intense.
Music is something of an international
language. No matter what genre or what
language, you can generally decode that it’s a
song. However, learning to accept other types
of music is something that many teenagers
today struggle with.
Personally, I have never had one specific
genre I could only listen to. Everything from
Adele to Pantera can be found on my playlist
and more than often I’ve found myself
listening to Young Money and Wolf Gang.
One artist, however, has escaped my field of
vision.
Hailing from Germany, J. Cole has hit
America this year with a Grammy nomination
and his single Work Out hit 1 million digital
downloads. His lyrics are deep, and the flow of
his rhyme has a somewhat peaceful edge. He
has a song for most people to take pleasure in,
so if you think you wouldn’t enjoy his music I
can guarantee you’ll find something to fit you.
So, thanks to Jalisa, I’ve been exposed to
someone who is versatile and able to draw in
different demographics of people to his music.
He’s an artist, and I’ll gladly be adding him to
my playlists quite soon.
m
u
s
i
c
?
3 Doors Down
establishes
connection
By Allisa Bryant
Staff Reporter
Switching my music style from R+B Soul
to alternative rock, I realized just how similar
the music can be. Switching my favorite
artist, Patti Labelle, with Nathaniel Mcnary’s
favorite artist, 3 Doors Down, allowed me to
be more open to different genres of music.
Listening to the songs showed me that even
though I hadn’t had a personal relationship
with alternative music, I still had found the
songs familiar and interesting. When focusing
on the beats, I found myself wanting to dance
along. In focusing on the lyrics, I realized that
there were many similarities in emotion and
words. Although I had never listened to the
songs, I felt a connection to the words and
emotion.
10
Senior athletes look to continue
athletic performance in college
By Alexandra Woodberry
Staff Reporter
Even though signing day was February 1,
Senior Nakel McClinton verbally committed
to Indiana University to participate on the
track team in October.
“I just felt very comfortable with IU,”
McClinton said. “There was a sense of
familiarity because state is there every year.”
McClinton has advanced to the state
tournament every year since she was a
freshman. She has medaled twice, the latest
last year as state runner-up in discus.
“I’ve been throwing since I was 13, and I
never would have imagined that all of this
would come from it,” she said.
McClinton said she chose IU over
University of Louisville and Cornell
University.
Location was also a factor in selecting
Robert Morris University in Chicago for
Senior Brandon Spencer. He signed a letter of
intent to play football.
“I had a lot of options and I decided price
and distance wise,” Spencer said.
Named by local media to the Duneland
All-Conference and All-Area teams, Spencer
started varsity for two years at MHS. At
Robert Morris, he will major in sports fitness
& physical therapy and minor in history.
“I would like to become a physical
therapist,” he said, “but if that doesn’t
happen, I would like to teach high school
history and be a football coach.”
Senior William Isabell is going to Alcorn
University in Mississippi to play football. The
2011 Football Team’s most valuable skill
player has played organized football since he
was five.
“I’ve been playing football since I was
little,” Isabell said, “My dad taught me how
to play,”
AT MHS, Isabell played cornerback on
defense, “guarding the wide receiver and
tackling whoever was carrying the ball.”
Isabell said his best year at MHS was senior
year when he was named Pre-season All-Area
and honorable mention All-State by local
media.
“I tried to overcome obstacles,” he said.
“People said I couldn’t play the position. I tried
to be more physical.”
He said he chose Alcorn because he always
wanted to play football in the South.
“All my family lived in Jackson and I like
the climate,” he said. “It’s always been a big
dream of mine.
Player
Junior Jelani Pruitt
Profile improves mental game
Q: What did you do in preparation for this season?
A: “I just hit the weights and ran a lot, and of
course putting up shots.”
By Jalisa Mosley
News Editor
Q: What contributions do you make to the
team?
A: “Bring as much energy as possible and do
whatever it takes for my team to win. I try to be a
leader on the floor.”
Q: In what ways do your help your teammates?
A: “I make sure their mindsets are right and I try
to keep them with a humble mentality.
Q: What are some personal improvements that
you’ve made?
A: “I fixed my attitude and I stopped over
thinking or thinking about other things during a
game. I learned to stay focused.”
Q: Explain your expectations prior to the season
in relation to the season’s current status?
A: “Yes and no. I wanted us to develop and mature together as a team. I thought we would
do better but we’re still a great team, we’re still adjusting to some changes and we’re going
to come out on top. I’d rather do better toward the end of the season than to do bad at the
beginning and never show progress.”
Sports
MHS wrestlers perform well
at state competition
By Allisa Bryant
Staff Reporter
final round. Kourtney Berry competed against
Mitch Sliga from Fishers High School where
he was pinned and put in second place.
Merrillville High School’s wrestling team has
Athough we had no winners at state, the
competed in the State Competition February
team competed to the best of their abilities
17 and 18. The wrestlers have been competing and worked hard all season.
for this competition all year. The wrestlers
“I wish I had done better, but the season
that made it to state include freshmen Bobby
went great. We accomplished alot and I’m
Steveson, sophomore Mike Garza, junior Adam going to miss the team,” Senior Adam Brodie
Garcia and seniors Darryl Peppers, Kourtney
said.
Berry, Michael Nickson, Al Padilla and Adam
“Kids work sometimes their whole life to
Brodie. They planned all season to make it to
get to this point, but you can’t let this define
this point of the season and have worked hard you, because it doesn’t make you who you are.
in the process.
What you did to get here makes you who you
While competing at state, the wrestling
are and even having the courage to show up,”
team was faced with many strong competitors. Coach David Maldonado said.
They had one competitor that made it to the
Senior Adam
Brodie
wrestles
during a
meet. Brodie
was one of
the eight
wrestlers
that made it
to the State
Competition
this year.
Swim teams improve
record from prior years
By Aurielle Carson
Staff Reporter
The Boys and Girls Swimming and Diving
teams wrapped up their season feeling content
with their final accomplishments. Senior
Nicholas Badali, one of the boys swimming
and diving team captains is satisfied with the
overall season this year.
“It went really well this year. Last year we
had 2 wins, but this year we more than double
with 5 wins. We sent at least one swimmer to
the finals in sectionals in at least one event.”
He said.
Senior Hailey Holden, one of the girls
swimming captains agrees with Badali’s
statement,
“Everybody achieved their personal goals
and as a team we did better than last year so
I’m happy with it.” She stated. Reflecting back
on the season, both Badali and Holden feel
sorrow about the season ending.
“I’m going to miss the girls being around
all the time.” Holden added. Badali feels
similarly,
Junior Markus Kluga competes in a meet
against Munster. This year the swim team
sent individuals to sectionals.
“I’m going to miss swimming everyday.” He
stated. When asked if they could say one last
thing to their Coach Ladd Downham what
it would be, they both humbly stated “Thank
you.”
“I would say thank you for putting up
with me and making me better at what I do.”
Holden stated.
11
Poms place at regionals;
proceeds to state
By Kyle Durham
Staff Reporter
Saturday, February 18, Merrillville Dance
team attended the regional competition at
Lake Central High School. Junior Alyssa
Smith, who has been on Varsity for two years,
loved the competition.
“Every team that attended the competition
was really good, Jazz is my favorite and we
always do very well,” Smith said. “A lot of
pressure was on Poms to do well also, even
only getting fourth they still did well,” she
added. All three routines made state.
“We came together as of a team and
performed as one,” according Senior Captain
Erricka Brown.
“I’m happy with how we did though.
Jazz got first, Hip Hop got third, and Poms
got fourth,” Dance coach Melissa Sickinger
said. The dance team will attend the state
competition March 10 at New Castle.
Sports
Gymnastics hopeful for sectionals
By Allisa Bryant
Staff Reporter
The gymnastics team has been practicing
to meet the goals they wish to achieve for this
season. February 9, they had a meet against
Chesterton High School. In this competition,
the team lost by 7/10 of a point which shows
just how the minute details can cost a win in
the world of gymnastics. Competing against
so many teams this season, aiming towards
perfection and being strong and composed,
one would wonder where the fun comes in.
February 18, the team hosted a 1992 State
Championship team reunion for the 20 year
veterans, recent gymnasts and their families to
bond. Before the reunion, the gymnastics team
faced off against the number one school in
the state, Valparaiso High School.
“It’s difficult to imagine that we could beat
the number one school in the state, so our
goal is to match or surpass our personal bests
and including new skills to secure a top three
spot in at sectionals to advance to regionals,”
Coach Diane Roberts said.
The team is hopeful to compete at
sectionals March 3 and making it to the top
three teams and advance to regionals. They
plan to stay focused and achieve their goals.
“This is the most confident we’ve ever
been, we practice hard and are focused on
improving the skills we have,” Junior Amy
Aponte said.
Poms performs one of their routines at a Merrillville football game. The dancers recently
placed at regionals and will perform later at the state competition.
Girls’ basketball team
ends season with one loss
By Ana Adame
Sports Editor
The girls’ basketball team finished their
season with an incredible record of 21-1, their
only loss from a hard-fought game against
Michigan City at sectionals. “We had some
off games throughout the season but the
second night of sectionals we had a really
off game. We got too comfortable,” Senior
Raveen Murray said. Throughout the season,
the girls battled with being able to keep their
intensity up for a full game but they were still
able to end their season undefeated in the
Duneland Athletic Conference. “I’m proud
because we played well the whole season and
were undefeated,” Murray said.
After a free throw attempt, Senior Raveen Murray gets acknowledged by teammates .
The girls finished their season undefeated in the Duneland Athletic Conference.
During a meet last season, Junior Amy Aponte does a routine on the uneven bars. The
team is hopeful to place at sectionals and advance to regionals.
Girls’ tennis team prepares
for regular season
By Ana Adame
Sports Editor
With two weeks before their official first
practice of the season, the girls’ tennis team
began pre-season conditioning. “Turnout was
better then anticipated, we had almost 90
girls sign up,” comments Coach Kyle Prow.
The girls are preparing everyday, bright and
early, with morning practice every day except
Wednesday from six to seven. On Tuesdays
and Thursdays they also have open hitting in
the field house for those beginners that would
like some practice before tryouts. Team leaders
this year are returning seniors Ana Adame,
Lauren Carniello, Morgan Lamb, Tiffany Lee
and Ashley Witkowski. “Expectations for
this year are to play hard and improve. Our
goal for this this season is to win sections and
improve our record,” says Mr. Prow.
Senior Lauren Carniello returns a shot
at one of last year’s matches. The team
is currently conditioning to prepare for
season.
12
The Back Page
Words of inspiration
for Black History Month
Barack and Michelle Obama
(1961-) (1964-)
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
(1929-1968)
“One day we will have to stand before
the God of history and we will talk in terms
of things we’ve done...
It seems I can hear the God of history
saying, ‘That was not enough!”
“Peace is not merely the absence of visible conflict. Only a just peace based on the
inherent rights and dignity of every individual can truly be lasting.” - Barack
“I am desperate for change — now — not in 8 years or 12 years, but right now.
We don’t have time to wait.” - Michelle
Jesse Owens (1913-1980)
Oprah Winfrey (1954-)
W.E.B.
Du Bois
(18681963)
“In all things that are purely social,
we can be as separate as the fingers, yet
one as the hand in all things essential to
mutual progress.”
Frederick Douglass
(1818?-1895)
Michael Jordan (1963-)
“You have seen how a
man was made a slave; you
shall see how a slave was
made a man.”
“The battles that count aren’t the ones for gold medals.
The struggles within yourself—the invisible, inevitable battles
inside all of us—that’s where it’s at.”
“Believe in
life! Always
human
beings will
progress
to greater,
broader, and
fuller life.”
Booker T. Washington
(1856-1915)
The Mirror
“You cannot blame apartheid,
your parents, your circumstances,
because you are not your
circumstances. You are your
possibilities. If you know that, you
can do anything.”
“I can accept failure. Everyone
fails at something. But I can’t
accept not trying.”
The Mirror is the student newspaper of Merrillville High
School, 276 E. 68th Pl., Merrillville, IN 46410.
Publications at MHS are members of the Indiana High
School Press Association, National Scholastic Press Association
and Quill and Scroll.
Staff Reporters
Editor
News
Arts and Entertainment
Opinion
Sports
Features
Back Page
Adviser
Sam Gubitz
Jalisa Mosley
Carley Laughead
Carley Laughead
Ana Adame
Alexandra Woodberry
Jake Larson
Ana Adame, Allisa Bryant,
Aurielle Carson, Kyle Durham,
Sam Gubitz, Jake Larson,
Carley Laughead, Jalisa Mosley,
Meg Vinson, Alexandra Woodberry
We encourage students to write letters
to the editor. Letters must be at least 200
words, signed by the student, and delivered
to room M108.
Teresa Procter