October 2009

INKLINGS
Oct. 26, 2009
•
Volume 74 Issue 2 • Crown Point High School • 1500 S. Main Street Crown Point, IN 46307 • [email protected]
STUDENTS AFFECTED BY THE WAR: Students share their stories
WAYS TO PRIORITIZE: Get on track with these suggestions
page 3
page 8
DIVORCE AND ITS EFFECTS: The upsides and downsides of the situation
page 9
News
CP Library
moving
After 101 years
in Crown Point,
the public library
may be
relocated
pg. 2
Feature
Recycled
Costumes
Instead of
wasting time
and money on
a brand new
halloween
costume this
year, recycle old
ones with these
creative tips.
pg. 6
Sports
Girls Soccer
photo
Otte
Photoby
ByGeorgia
Georgia O
tte
As construction progresses, bulldozers flood the field where Southlake Stables used to reside. The new interchange is intended to create
accessibility and convenience for Interstate 65 users.
New ramp creates mixed feelings
Interchange displacing Southlake Stables connects 109th Avenue to Interstate 65
By Cori Novelli
co-editor-in-chief
Varsity girls’
soccer wins
sectionals,
qualifying them
for regional
tournament.
pg. 14
Check it Out!
Inklings has a
music blog!
With a wide
range of music
updated
regularly,
you’re sure to
find something
you like at...
http://inklings
music.blog
spot.com
Construction on new ramps connecting 109th
Avenue to Interstate 65 has begun after a seven
year preparation process. The diamond-shaped
interchange is intended to relieve traffic on U.S.
30 and U.S. 231, making it easier for drivers in
Crown Point to access the interstate.
Senior Lynne Mirabella uses 109th often and
is not looking forward to the construction of the
ramps. “It’s good for people who will be using
I-65 a lot, but for people who regularly use 109th
to get to school or other places, the traffic is going
to be terrible,” she said.
Others agree. “The interchange is going to
create so much more traffic. 109th is already pretty skinny, but with an exit off the highway, it’s going to be really cramped,” junior O’Day Abdulla
said. Abdulla uses 109th often to get to school and
friends’ houses since he lives in Hidden Creek, a
subdivision in Winfield.
Although the ramp is intended for easier accessibility, some students don’t feel that the interchange will be worth the trouble.
“The exit will be convenient, but not worth
the problems—especially in the winter. Besides, it
really isn’t much of a hassle to get to 65,” senior
Liz Palmer said.
Many drivers, like Palmer, feel that they can
already get on I-65 with relative ease; an interchange isn’t needed.
“We can get onto 231; it isn’t that far away,”
Abdulla said.
Senior Mike Laus agrees.
“All the traffic isn’t going to be worth it. The
difference in time to go to 231 (as opposed to the
new intersection) is at most 5 minutes,” he said.
While construction is going on, other routes
Those affected by interchange:
- Those who use 109th Avenue. This busy
street connects Winfield to Crown Point and
is what many drivers use to get to town or to
school.
- I-65 users. This highway allows users to
get out of Crown Point and to large cities like
Indianapolis and Chicago.
- Southlake Stables lovers. This farm will
no longer run due to the construction of the
interchange in its place.
will be accessible to avoid the heavy traffic. Both
Laus and Abdulla said they will use 117th to avoid
the interchange.
Bus drivers who use 109th to transport students to school will also be heavily affected. Buses
which travel up and down 109th retrieving students from many areas of Winfield may need to
reroute.
“Our biggest problem for now is our lack of
information about when 109th will be down to
one lane. The buses might not find out until they
get out there, creating problems,” director of
transportation Karin Toth said.
To try and keep these possible situatuons to
a minimum, Toth said that communication has
been ongoing with the Department of Transportation so that such issues can be avoided. Because of
this, students shouldn’t be affected too much by
the changes in bus routes.
“We’ll reroute and still pick up students at the
regular time. We’ll just leave a few minutes earlier,” Toth said regarding the construction.
The buses will travel down to 113th Avenue
to Iowa Street, and then back to 109th.
“There will definitely be more traffic, but it’ll
relieve some of the congestion in Merrillville and
make it easier for the people of Crown Point to
access I-65,” Toth said.
In addition to the traffic, many students are
upset with the closure of Southlake Stables as a
result of the new ramps.
“I’m so sad that it’s gone. I loved the hayrides
and everything,” Mirabella said.
According to Southlake Stables’ owner Leonard Fox, “The community needs something like
[Southlake Stables]. They don’t realize that these
kinds of places bring in a lot of people from all
over. The simple things can be fun, like hayrides
and pumpkin patches; it’s what we grew up with
and loved.”
Even though some students are upset with
its departure after 18 years running on 109th, Fox
said that everything has worked out well.
“With the economy down, we weren’t doing as well. We used to get two to three thousand
people a day on weekends, but last year, we were
down about 25 percent and I figured this year it’d
be around 50 to 70 percent,” he said.
“The kids are going to miss it,” Fox said.
“Lots of them especially loved the campfires.
There aren’t a lot of places where they can get together and do that.”
Sophomore Kelsey Inglehart claims that she,
along with others, is going to miss the stables.
“I had so much fun there. I liked the haunted
maze; I’m going to miss it this season,” she said.
Despite the closure, Fox says they plan to reopen at a different location in a couple of years.
“We’ve relocated the animals temporarily.
Hopefully we’ll be back with some things bigger and better in a place that’s more peaceful and
quiet,” he said.
2
save the date
11.8
Dance Showcase; Gym
11.13-15, 11.19-21
Fall Play; Auditorium
11.14
Softball Beanbag Tournament
11.18
Fall Sports Award Program; 6:30
p.m.
11.20
Blood Drive; Fieldhouse
11.26-27
Thanksgiving Break - No School
11.30
Spring Musical Audtions; 2:30 p.m.
in the know
Key Club to sponsor party
Crown Point children in
pre-school through grade 5 are
invited to attend tha annual Halloween festivities hosted by Key
Club tomorrow from 6 to 8 p.m.
in the high school cafeteria. Features include games, prizes, and a
haunted house. Participants are
invited to come in costume.
Photo retakes tomorrow
Photo retakes take place tomorrow in the library at 7:30 a.m.
Those who are getting their photos retaken need to bring the originial order form with them.
Fall play tickets on sale
News
CP Library may relocate
By Michele Bates
associate editor
Due to lack of space and
minimal room for expansion, the
community library may be building a new facility. The Crown
Point Library Board is interested
in land that is located at the corner of Joliet Street and Chase
Drive. Although the board has
made two prior offers to the current owner of the property, a final
offer was made in September.
“The site we are seeking is
within eight blocks of the downtown, and should provide space
for all of the [library’s] needs.
It is within walking distance of
several of the schools and many
neighborhoods,” library director
Lynn Frank said.
The library’s last renovation
occurred in 1997 due to ADA
(American Disability Act) laws.
According to Frank, it was during that time and earlier that consultants told the library to build
a new building rather than renovate. However, the library felt
that it wasn’t a good time to build
and several other changes were
taking place.
“The [Crown Point Community] schools were looking at
building a new high school and
were having opposition, and
the state was adopting laws to
allow libraries to have capital
project funds, so we would be
able to plan and save money for
computers and new buildings,”
October 26, 2009
Long school
days far from
CPHS’ agenda
By Becca Duggan
entertainment editor
Photo By Jermey Rex
Crown Point Community library director Lynn Frank shows the
lack of storage at the current location.
Frank said.
Crown Point Community
Library’s district currently covers both Center Township and
Winfield Township. The 2000
census of these areas was 33,069
people while a 2007 estimate was
over 39,000 people. According to
Frank, 3,000 people visit the library each week, with attendance
even higher during story time.
“We had 6,820 children attend our programs last year. Our
2008 all-ages attendance was
11,469 children. Clearly these
activities are welcomed by the
community despite our cramped
situation,” Frank said.
According to library board
member Fiona McCarroll, the library wants to add facilities such
as computer labs and a café . Currently, there is no definite date as
to when the library will open.
“We need to seek extra approvals prior to starting projects
and sometimes those delay the
groundbreaking,” Frank said.
MSA holds fourth annual Fast-a-thon
By Haajar Shaaban
staff writer
ing Fast-a-thon outside of Ramadan.
“Ramadan started right when school began,
so from a planning perspective, it was not the best
time to plan something. We wanted the students to
have time to get their feet wet before jumping into
something new. We also wanted to make it easier
for those who participate in fall and winter sports,”
Malik said.
Another change taking effect this year is that
MSA will be offering Fast-a-thon t-shirts for participants to purchase. Fasters will also receive a list of
fasting tips before the event takes place.
According to students, they generally enjoy the
Fast-a-thon, and are ready to face the challenge.
“It was hard waking up early [to eat breakfast],
but the dinner was really worth it,” sophomore
Grant Wysocki said.
Several sponsors of Fast-a-thon donate a dollar
for every person who fasts, and all money that is
earned is donated to a local charity.
The Fast-a-thon will be on Wednesday, Nov. 4.
To sign up, see any MSA member, sign up in the
library, or sign up in Annie Domasica’s room, E218.
For some students, the
idea of a shorter summer vacation (or shorter time away
from school in general) is a
concept that they would rather not let become a reality.
“We need time to relax,”
sophomore Paul Kendall
said. “We spend enough at
school.”
However, different authorities in the United States
have different ideas concerning the amount of time students should be spending in
the classroom.
Earlier this year, President Obama made a speech
about the advantages and
necessity of having longer
school days during the year.
He believes the idea is an
appropriate way to get the
United States caught up with
other countries academically.
However, Crown Point
High School is not going to be
implementing longer school
days anytime soon.
“I don’t think we’re seriously considering it,” Principal Eric Ban said. “It’s not going to be a real conversation
for a while.”
Schools Superintendent
Tony Bennett was also opting for longer school days,
according to The Herald Bulletin.
“We ought to be for a
longer school day, a longer
school week, a longer school
year,” Bennett said.
Some students disagree
with these ideas, believing
that our current system is sufficient.
“With longer school days,
you’d have more homework,
and you’d have less time to do
it after school,” senior Taylor
Perry said.
Ban is open-minded
about Obama’s suggestions,
but he still believes that the
school is far from implementing them.
“We’re not going to do
anything drastic,” Ban said.
“However, we’re always going to do things to improve.”
Reservations for tickets to
the November performance of
the Crown Point High School fall
play Anatomy of Gray begin Wed.
Nov. 4. All seats require a ticket
which can be reserved by calling
663-4885 ex. 11604 or by visiting
the box office from 2:45 to 4:30
p.m. on Monday through Friday.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $8
for students and senior citizens.
Award-winning author Jim
Leonard describes his newest
play as “a childrens’ story for
adults.” The play is directed by
Kit Degenhart. Performances will
be Nov. 13, 14, 15, 19, 20, and 21
at 7 p.m. and Nov. 15 at 2:30 p.m.
in the Crown Point High School
auditorium.
The Muslim Students Association (MSA) is preparing for their fourth annual Fast-a-thon, an event
that has become increasingly popular over the years
at Crown Point High School.
The object of Fast-a-thon is to create awareness
about the issue of hunger, and also about the Islamic way of life.
“We do the Fast-a-thon for two main reasons:
To spread awareness about the Muslim faith and to
raise money for a number of local charitable organizations,” MSA president Needa Malik said.
Muslims fast from dawn to dusk for 30 days in
their holy month of Ramadan. MSA hosts a Fast-athon on one day of Ramadan every year. They invite students of all religions to fast with them for
a full day. Then, the students who participated can
return to the high school that night to enjoy a free
meal, catered by Aladdin Pita. But this year, there is
a twist: it’s not going to be during Ramadan.
A lot of things factored into the decision of hav-
Inklings earns honors
Economists declare end of recession
For the fourth time in five
years, the Crown Point High
School newspaper Inklings has
earned the George H. Gallup
award of Highest Honors from
the Quill and Scroll International
Honorary Society for High School
Journalists. To receive this award
a publication must earn superior
achievement in all five sections
of judging, which are coverage;
writing and editing; display and
design; business practices; and
policy guidelines.
Inklings also received a Gold
Medalist ranking with three AllColumbian honors from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association in New York, NY and a First
Class ranking with three marks of
distinction from the National Sholastic Press Association in Minneapolis, MN. The editor-in-chief of
the 2008-2009 edition was thensenior Megan Binder.
By Kelly Rostin
opinion editor
Since the beginning of 2009,
economists have predicted that
the third fraction of this year
would bring about the end of
America’s worst recession since
the Great Depression. In midSeptember these predictions
were confirmed, and the recession ended.
Social Studies teacher Jim Ingelhart had his eye on the recession.
“The recession happened because banks did not have reserves
(money held back) to loan out
because of all the loan failures,”
Ingelhart said. “GDP (Gross Domestic Product) has increased
from the last quarter of the year.
When GDP increased during the
third quarter of the year, (i.e July,
Aug. and Sept.) the recession was
considered to be over.”
While the exact numbers of
the GDP are not in yet, Ingelhart
says that the economy seems to
be in better shape than it was before.
“It appears the economy has
grown, thus GDP has increased,’
he said.
Even though the economy
is in better shape than it was last
year, the economy still needs time
to completely recover because it
is still considered “shaky,” and
job markets will be weak in the
upcoming months.
“High unemployment is
likely to linger for the next 6-12
months (over 8 percent unemployment),” Ingelhart said. “Recovery is going to be slow over
the next six months to a year. It’ll
be completely improved when
unemployment rates drops below 7.5 percent”.
Junior Hannah Schutter still
feels the effects of the shaky economy.
“I need to find a second job,
or at least a job that will pay better,” Schutter said. “I need to
make more money so I can afford
to go out with my friends, and to
take care of my car.”
Ingelhart, however, predicts
that unemployment rates will go
down in the late summer of
2010, which will give the economy just enough time to rebuild.
The unemployment rates will
also affect those during the shopping rush of the holiday season.
“Christmas won’t be as great
as it used to be. Families sill can’t
afford things, and that’s sad,” senior Nina Corradin said.
Companies are not quick to
add workers, and some are even
cutting back on their employment. According to the Bureau
of Labor Statistics, Indiana’s current unemployment rate is 9.9
percent. The highest recorded
unemployment rate is 12.8 percent in 1982
Even though companies are
trying to sell more goods and the
government has made attempts
to revitalize the economy using programs such as “Cash for
Clunkers”, Americans are turning frugal. According to foxbusiness.com, the national savings
rate increased from less than two
percent to five percent, but the
economy is still not up to par.
“I still don’t have money to
do extra things with friends. I
can’t afford things. Gas is expensive, Starbucks, everything. It’s
still overpriced,” Schutter said.
News
October 26, 2009
Students affected by war
War in Iraq impacts lives of soldiers and their relatives
By Haajar Shaaban
staff writer
On March 20, 2003, thousands of troops
were sent forth from both the United States
and the United Kingdom into Iraq. And so
began the six year long (and counting) Iraq
War, also known as the Occupation of Iraq.
Having a family member or close
friend fighting in a war can affect a person
in different ways. Many students deal with
having loved ones away at war every day.
Senior Angela Robert’s brother, Max,
was deployed to Baghdad, Iraq last year in
October. She hasn’t seen him since he came
home about a month ago, because shortly
after he arrived at home, he headed straight
to Kansas for some officer training.
“I love my brother and it was weird
when he left because my other brother was
in college at the time, so it was different going from growing up with two siblings to
living with just my parents,” Roberts said.
Max Roberts plans to return to the
Middle East or wherever else he is called
to serve.
Two years ago, sophomore Whitney
Mitchell’s father served in Iraq for one year.
He is currently stationed in Kaiserslautern, Germany. Mitchell has had to learn to
cope with having her dad gone most of the
time.
“He’s never home, but after a while, I
“
I always wished he
was home more.
While he was at war,
I always found myself
wondering, ‘Is he safe?’
“
-Whitney Mitchell
got used to him being away and it didn’t
bother me as much as before,” Mitchell
said.
Girls’ cross country coach Patty Begley
has had a substantial amount of experience
with deployed family members. Her husband, Major Sean Begley, is currently serving his second tour of Iraq. Begley’s brother
served two tours of Iraq. Additionally, she
has two brothers-in-law who have served.
She describes the war as an “unfortunate
necessity.”
“I don’t know anyone who would say
that the war is ‘good’ while it is happen-
3
Anatomy of Gray
opening soon
By Donny Casillas
photographer
A small town, a mysterious doctor,
and an unknown disease can only add up
to one thing: Crown Point High School’s
upcoming play, Anatomy of Gray.
The play is about a 15-year-old girl
living in the small town of Gray, Indiana
while dealing with the death of her
father. When a doctor arrives in a hotair balloon, the town finally has medical
assistance. After the doctor has examined
everyone, people start dying and others
put the fault on the new, strange doctor,
but is he really to blame?
Anatomy of Gray
director and Theatre
Play
Arts teacher Kit
Degenhart is excited
for the upcoming
fall play, considering
Nov. 13
this is the first play
Nov. 14
he has chosen to
direct immediately
Nov. 19
following his first
Nov. 20
reading.
Nov. 21
“I usually wait
years after I’ve read
a play,” Degenhart
said. “I only started
reading
[Anatomy
7 p.m.
of Gray] in May and
then chose to use it
and
in June.”
The fall play
Nov. 15
has provided some
opportunities
for
first-time
actors.
Sophomore Sarah
Maddack said she
2:30 p.m.
is nervous about
participating in her
first play.
“I tried out for One Acts, and didn’t
make it,” Maddack said. “But when I
tried out for Anatomy of Gray, I got in,
and now I’m very excited even though
I’m just a townsperson.”
Besides the excitement which
comes with onstage acting, the plot and
characters themselves get Degenhart
even more enthusiastic about Gray.
“It’s basically a children’s story for
adults,” Degenhart said. “It gets us back
to core values and family, but family is
the big one.”
The cast of Gray has also enhanced
the play with even more laughs.
“The funny parts are even funnier,
and they have also managed to have
people laugh when they’re not supposed
to,” Degenhart said.
DATES
Photo By Alex Parrish
Sophomore Whitney Mitchell holds a photo of her father, who has served in Iraq
and is currently stationed in Kaiserslautern, Germany. Mitchell has to cope with
having her dad gone most of the time.
ing. I think the hope is that through all the
horrors of war, more good will come out
of it for all of our future generations,” said
Begley.
Many have great pride in those nearest and dearest to them who fight for their
country, such as sophomore Hannah Luebcke. Luebcke’s cousin, Tyler, was stationed
in Iraq for almost three years. Luebcke is
proud of him.
“It takes a lot of courage and bravery
to go over there. He is definitely a hero,”
Luebcke said.
Others who oppose the war may not
like that their loved ones are being put in
danger for what some perceive to be a ‘lost
cause.’ Mitchell always worries about her
father’s safety.
“I always wished he was home more.
[While he was at war] I always found myself wondering ‘Is he safe?’” Mitchell said.
Roberts expresses a similar feeling towards her brother.
“I am afraid for his safety—you always
hear about all these casualties and public
bombings going on,” Roberts said.
Often times, there are some evident
changes in the soldier after returning from
fighting in the war. The changes might not
always be very positive.
Luebcke saw a definite change in her
cousin after he returned from the war.
“He wasn’t as happy, and he’s also not
allowed to talk about several aspects of the
war, so it was difficult for him to get through
the emotional stress,” Luebcke said.
Begley also noticed changes in her
brother.
“He can only sleep three hours a night
since serving and has quite a bit of anxiety
that he struggles with daily,” Begley said.
However, soldiers and their loved ones
may be given some peace of mind by the
Status of Forces Agreement that states that
all American troops are to withdraw from
Iraq by December 31, 2011.
Students express their approval of this
agreement.
“I’m happy that it’s finally time that
[the Iraqi] government starts controlling
[its] own people,” Roberts said.
Begley also believes that the time has
come.
“I’m glad [that all troops are going to
withdraw], as long as we’ve left the country better than we found it,” Begley said.
@
@
New faculty lot clears parking congestion
By Arley Gomez
staff writer
This year, to accommodate the growing enrollment of students, a new parking
lot became available to teachers. The lot is
located in back of the school on the west
end of the tennis courts and includes 150
parking spaces.
“Teachers will still continue to park in
the student area, but we’re hoping that the
new lot will free up space for some more
underclassmen [to park],” officer Milan
Damjanovic said.
The primary purpose of the new parking lot is to provide more parking for the
faculty. However, students in automotive
shop classes are also allowed to use the
parking lot.
“[Auto Mechanics and Auto Specialists classes] use it as storage for the eight
industrial cars that are used in advanced
and second semester classes,” industrial
arts teacher Jack Casteel said. “We do not
work in the parking lot. We just use the lot
because it is more convenient.”
According to athletic director Bill Do-
rulla, the parking area has also been used
for numerous sporting events.
“The lot has been used quite frequently for home football games because it’s so
easy to get in and out of the parking lot,”
Dorulla said. “It also provides an excellent
parking space for tennis events. Because
the lot is right next to the practice soccer
fields, it provides a more convenient route
there as well.”
Math teacher Amanda Carlson said she
does not park in the new lot. However, she
says that the new parking spaces do have
their benefits.
“I think it is nice to be able to park in a
place without students,” Carlson said.
The new lot isn’t the only change in
the parking system, however. Changes are
in store for all of the parking lots.
According to Damjanvoic, there are
plans to add more stop signs and other
directing equipment. Damjanovic is hoping that the traffic controls will help make
traffic run smoother and safer for everyone
who comes in and out of the lots. He is hoping for the traffic controls to be installed by
the end of the school year.
Photo By Georgia Otte
The new parking lot is located on the west end of the tennis courts. According
to officer Milan Damjanovic, the new faculty parking lot was built to accomodate
the growing enrollment of students.
Opinion
4
October 26, 2009
Small price for
weightroom use
worth the money
Inklings
Inklings is a student
publication distributed
to students, faculty, and
staff of Crown Point High
School. It is published
monthly by the newspaper
and advanced journalism students. Opinions
expressed in Inklings do
not reflect those of the
CPHS faculty, staff, or the
administration.
Inklings welcomes and
encourages signed lettersto-the-editor. Letters may
be edited for space or clarity. Letters must be signed
and turned in to room
E107 one week prior to
publications and must not
contain personal attacks.
Letters may also be sent
via e-mail at inklings@cps.
k12.in.us. Not all letters
may be printed. Such decisions are the sole discretion of the Inklings editors
and staff.
Advertising is subject
to the applicable rate, copies of which are available
from Inklings advertising
department or by contacting 663-4885 ext. 11349.
Inklings is a member
of the Indiana High School
Press Association, the
Columbia Scholastic Press
Association, National
Scholastic Press Association and Quill and Scroll.
Inklings may be
contacted at 1500 S. Main,
Crown Point, IN, 46307;
219-663-4885 ext. 11349;
fax 219-662-5663; or [email protected].
Editors
Cori Novelli
Deanna Sheafer
editors-in-chief
Brittany Curtis
managing editor
Michele Bates
associate editor
Lauren Cain
Matt Smith
copy editors
Becca Duggan
entertainment editor
Kelly Rostin
opinion editor
Hunter McKee
sports editor
Milan Savich
Colin Likas
sports assistants
Anna Ortiz
graphics editor
Becca Iddings
advertising editor
Alyssa Blahunka
advertising assistant
Georgia Otte
chief photographer
Joe Nejman
Alex Parrish
Jermey Rex
Vinnie Needham
Mary-Katherine Lemon
Donnella Casillas
photographers
Staff
Ammy Easto
Arley Gomez
Garret Hogan
Lauren McCarroll
Danielle McCuan
Marwa Nour
Haajar Shaaban
Adviser
Julie Elston
By Garret Hogan
staff writer
V
cartoon by
Technology dependence
iew:
Technology
is a
tremendous
part of our
everyday
life, but
too much
dependence
on it leads
to downfalls.
editorial
Anna Ortiz
cartoon by anna ortiz
Assignments, projects, emails—most of today’s
communication is based on technology, but when a crash in the
system takes place, our grades could go crashing down with it.
It’s easy to get fed up with technology. This isn’t to say it
isn’t extremely beneficial at times, or that it can’t get things
done quickly. But when it stops working, suddenly everything
becomes one massive mess dedicated to retyping, refinding,
and the occasional redoing.
Perhaps returning to the old ways of completing some
assignments by hand would ensure their safety, instead of
dealing with the power outages, lost files, unsaved data, or
incompatibility with other networks when displaying a project
that took weeks to complete in the first place. When turning in
homework, sending it via email can be risking those hours of
effort by sending it into the unknown. Although it takes a little
more time to write by hand, the safety of that assignment, and
that grade, is ensured.
However, sometimes the decision regarding the way
students choose to complete or turn in an assignment is not
up to them. Increasingly, assignments and projects require the
use of technology. This sounds progressive in theory, but if
anything goes wrong with the equipment, students are forced
to scramble to complete an assignment by deadline which may
not result in their best work. Projects that take weeks of work
can be immediately derailed by uncooperative technology.
When a project strictly demands usage of technology
outside of school, some students are stuck due to the fact that
they don’t own a computer, video camera, or have access to
the internet. Sure, students are able to use the public library’s
computers, but they wouldn’t be able to just download an
expensive video editing program onto the library’s computer.
Students cannot always control the financial situation they are
in, and even if they are dedicated students, they don’t have the
same opportunity of getting a good grade as someone who can
afford the latest equipment and upgrades. With that in mind,
our system shouldn’t be so dependent on technology.
This isn’t to say that students are completely against using
technology, most enjoy it…when it works. But when it doesn’t,
or if there are students who have limited access to technology
outside of school, alternatives should be offered so that those
students have an equal opportunity to earn a good grade.
Technology use can be a double-edged sword; if we aren’t
careful we may have an iRobot situation on our hands and Will
Smith won’t be there to save us—or our homework.
The weight room at
CPHS has an extensive
array of exercise
machines and stateof-the-art equipment
to offer. The problem
however, is that students are required
to pay in order to get into better shape.
This is reasonable because if students did
not pay, the opportunity for such a great
weight room would not exist.
The current rate to use the weight
room is $1 a day or $20 for one semester.
For that small price, students have access
to the weight room and cardio room from
2:30 p.m. (after school) to 7 p.m. when it
closes (6 p.m. on Friday).
At any gym you may go to, there is a
fee to use their facilities. What makes ours
so much different? Not much, except for
the much cheaper price. While one can
argue that we shouldn’t have to pay to
take care of ourselves, that charge occurs
anywhere, not just at our high school. This
allows students to actually find a bargain
through this opportunity.
Some students and teachers may
feel outraged about having to pay a
fee. However, there are surprising and
legitimate facts behind the charge.
It takes money to maintain all of
the great facilities we have access to.
Moreover, in a tough economy, money can
be tight and the school cannot be expected
to run without charging for some things.
According to athletic director Bill Dorulla,
the fees paid by students and adults go to
the supervisor who has signed up to watch
the weight room so that students do not
harm themselves or the equipment. The
supervisor who stays that night gets paid
$15 an hour. In addition, $10,000 a year
is spent on new equipment or fixing the
current equipment.
One can realize that the small fee to
use the weight room is definitely worth
the cost. We have an amazing weight
room with cutting edge equipment, and
naturally it takes money to buy and
maintain it. Without the money, the weight
room can’t be supervised, and therefore
can’t be open, which poses the question:
Would you rather pay a dollar a day to use
the weight room, or not have the option of
using it at all?
heard in the
halls
New Laptops
“I hate the new laptops. I like the old
ones better because the new ones are
just too small, and they’re too hard to
type on.”
Senior Gilbert Sanchez
Classroom Temps
“The classrooms are freezing. It’s so
uncomfortable, and I wish they were
warmer.”
Junior Alicia Cole
Halloween
“Halloween’s the best. It’s scary, but also
a really fun holiday. I don’t trick-or-treat
though.”
Senior Robert Wiscowaty
Opinion
October 26, 2008
5
Diet pop replaces
regular in schools
By Dani McCuan
staff writer
I
Cartoon by Dani McCuan
Out with the old and in with the new?
HP Minis prove more
efficient and convenient
ssue:
By Deanna Sheafer
co-editor-in-chief
It seems like in the technological world of today, progress is measured by how small you can
make something and still have it be functional. We
buy the latest cell phones and iPods because they
become thinner, sleeker, and tinier. The smaller and
fancier a gadget is, the better. Our school followed
suit when purchasing new laptops, the HP Mini.
Why wouldn’t the school buy the newest and most
compact computer on the market for us?
According to technology director Jeremy Walker, the mini laptops provide higher performance
and less power consumptions at a more competitive
price compared to a full sized notebook. The school
obviously researched computers to see which
would be most useful in our school environment.
The biggest gripe I’ve heard against these
laptops is that the screen is too small. Every single
screen on our cell phones and iPods are significantly smaller, but everyone seems to be fine with those
screen sizes. Our generation is so used to reading
off something the size of a deck of cards at best,
so why is a screen that measures 10.2 in. by 6.2 in.
such a terrible thing?
The small size can even be a bonus.The old
computers took up an entire desktop, but a notebook or worksheet can comfortably fit next to the
new laptops, making the transfer of information
easier.
When I think about the larger, old laptops of
previous years, I remember all the frustrations and
loss of class time they caused. Logging in was a
constant struggle. It would take multiple tries ending in irritating beeps of the computer telling you
that the log in failed before it was successful. Batteries died left and right, leaving many students without a computer to use. The new laptops are more
reliable, so class activities planned around computer access can actually continue without a hitch.
Q
Our school
invested in HP
mini laptops,
which are
significantly
smaller than
the old laptops
we’ve had
in the past.
Which is more
preferable?
The larger
laptops or
the smaller
ones?
Dell notebooks easier to
use than new ones
By Arley Gomez
staff writer
Bigger is always better, except in the technology world. When it comes to technology, the
smaller the better, but is there such a thing as too
small?
With the arrival of the new laptops this year,
students have found issues. The HP Mini is meant
to be an ideal computer for an on-the-go student,
but at school, we are staying in one classroom and
often a single desk. We do not need a compact,
lightweight laptop to move from the computer cart
to our desk; a normal size laptop will work fine.
Also, the screen is short in the vertical direction.
When typing a paper, it is preferable to see the paper as an entirety rather than scrolling constantly
to view the document as several segmented pieces.
Another problem is that there is less space
between the keys, resulting in a higher chance of
making mistakes when typing. It becomes more
difficult to work quickly and efficiently. Finishing
by the end of class without typos could be quite
difficult.
When trying to save files or documents on a
flash drive, the computer’s documents do not save
to the flash drive for many students. Many students need to use flash drives for saving projects
because not everyone has computers with internet
access at home.
Also the buttons for right click and left click
are on the sides of the track pad on these. The rearrangement is simple and may not seem drastic, but
moving the keys around is a big deal. This is frustrating when using the laptops because they are
supposed to be at the base of the trackpad
Technology is becoming a big part of our curriculum requirements, but these laptops are not
quite up to par with the classes’ expectations on
their capabilities. Maybe in this case bigger is better for technology.
While
students
were away
from school
for summer
break, the pop
supplies in
the vending
machines
made the
switch from regular to diet.
Director of Food Services Pam
Maloney has revealed that
Crown Point High School, as well
as many other schools across
the country, have contracts with
the Pepsi Corporation in order
to use their vending machines
and products. Two years ago,
Pepsi began following guidelines
laid out by the Alliance for a
Healthier Generation. These
guidelines relate to the size of
beverages, making sure that
they are 12-ounce servings, and
reducing the high amount of
sugar in regular pop. Due to
these newly instated rules, only
low-calorie or sugar free pop is
allowed in schools now. Much
to our disappointment, diet pop
meets these standards, because
it has artificial sweeteners that
substitute for real sugar. Without
really knowing what ingredients
are in these sweeteners, can they
really be considered healthier
than genuine sugar?
Take aspartame (APM),
the most commonly used
sweetener in diet pop. APM
is a combination of two amino
acids, phenylalanine (PHE) and
aspartic acid (ASP). Studies
have shown that phenylalanine
can act as a neurotoxin; it is
capable of exciting the neurons in
your brain to the point of death.
PHE and ASP are dangerous
when combined with artificial
processes to form aspartame.
Therefore, the possible risks
associated with PHE are still
present. In addition, the pairing
of phenylalanine with aspartic
acid in particular is especially
dangerous. The reason is because
hydrolysis can turn PHE and
ASP into a toxic chemical
called methanol (MeOH). The
consumption of ten milliliters
of methanol can cause potential
blindness, and one hundred
milliliters is able to kill you.
MeOH is that poisonous, and
yet, its two main components
(one of which can be potentially
hazardous by itself) are used in
the artificial sweetener that is
found in most diet pop.
The facts show that diet pop
can cause blindness and even
death. It would seem as if the
more healthy option would be
regular pop, wouldn’t it?
Nick Huls
“I like the way
they run, but they
are kind of small,
especially for kids
with big hands.”
Abbey Jaranowski
“I don’t like them
because they are
too small.”
Senior
Junior
Sophomore
How do you
feel about
the HP Mini
Laptops?
Freshman
speak up
Nick Grubnich
“They are easier
to work with, but
they can be broken easier.”
Megan Tobias
“It is hard to type
because the keyboards
are so small, and there
is a horrible glare on
the screen.”
+
6
I
Junior Maiko Takada
helps sophomore
Jacob Suson put
on a kendo suit at
a Japanese club
meeting.
on
life
Ask
Laugh
Explore
Wonder
Inspire
Live
Dancing
p
essing U
r
D
October 26, 2009
Senior Bethany
Komazinski
dances with girls’
showchoir during
the intermediate
choirs’ fall program.
Recycled c stumes
Students reuse old costumes in creative new ways
by the
numbers
1.1 billion
Total production of
pumpkins by major
pumpkin-producing
states in 2008.
496
millions of pounds of
pumpkins produced
by Illinois. Illinois
led the country in
pumpkin production.
1,233
Photos Illustration by Georgia Otte
Almost everyone experiences the brain
freeze equivalent to chugging a 20 oz.
slushie when it comes to putting together a
last minute Halloween costume. Some default
to common guises such as a vampire (which
too often is simply a pasty teen in a polyester
black cape,) a fairy and a sometimes scandalous cat or bunny, an overdone pirate, an assembly line serial thriller, or some other sort
of postmortem cliché. For these costumes,
teens are shelling out hard-earned cash to
a mass Halloween superstore, when in the
end, an entertaining costume party can turn
into an embarrassing look-a-like contest.
“I think the most common mistake
would be going out to the store and getting
something already completely put together.
Then a lot of people would have your costume and it would be unoriginal,” senior
Harry Davis said.
Many students agree that costume faux
pas are a sweeping epidemic at a Halloween
party.
“I think it’s lame when people dress in
skimpy outfits for their costumes and aren’t
even a character or anything,” senior Tawny
Viater said.
However, among the malaise of similarly costumed teens, certain ones manage to
stand out.
“The coolest costume I’ve seen would
have to be from last year when a girl from
my art class dressed up as Sasquatch,” senior
Rachael Goffin said.
Some may remember Goffin’s costume
last year when she came to school as a giant clown Pez dispenser for Halloween. This
year she plans on being Transformer Optimus Prime, constructing her costume out of
cardboard boxes.
“I found a bunch of empty cardboard
boxes at Aldi and decided ‘Why not make a
costume out of them?’” Goffin said.
Davis once put together his costume by
combining a monk’s robe and a light saber so
he could duplicate a Jedi from Star Wars. He
agrees that the best costumes are put together by the wearer.
“
Just find a way
to put your
personality into
the costume and
improvise.
-senior Rachael Goffin
“
By Anna Ortiz
feature and graphics editor
“I once saw someone who made an outfit out of a bunch of Styrofoam plates stuck
together for his costume. I can’t remember
what he was supposed to be, but I’ve never
seen someone do anything like that before. I
would’ve never thought ‘Hey, there’s a bunch
of Styrofoam plates, I bet I could make a costume out of that,’” Davis said.
Senior Tarynn Hedden is planning to
dress as Frankenfurter from the Rocky Horror Picture Show, using clothes from her closet and finding pieces for her outfit at different
stores. Hedden finds that shying away from
cookie-cutter guises and being more creative
with costumes always pays off.
“It is like the whole prom dress thing;
you show up and then you say, ‘Hey, look,
she has my dress!’ If you make your costume,
then no one else will have the same thing as
you,” Hedden said.
Many students agree that the best costume is the home-made one, and with most
teen costumes averaging at $50 a piece, it
could be easiest on the wallet, too.
One great idea to help with Halloween
inspiration is to pick a favorite show, whether new or old, and get a group of friends together to mimic the characters. Then it’s not
just one person in on the joke and it’s easier
to shop for costumes together. Another idea
is to have a creative theme such as dead movie stars or music legends, then the group can
bounce ideas off of each other for costume
inspiration. If going solo, find inspiration
from movies and books to create or mimic a
memorable character.
“Your costume choice is based off of what
you like. Mine is from Rocky Horror Picture
Show. Find something that you’re really into
and make it your own,” Hedden said.
Goffin agrees that personality should
have a transforming effect on a home-made
costume.
“Just find a way to put your personality into the costume and improvise,” Goffin
said.
number of U.S.
manufacturing
establishments
that produced
chocolate and
cocoa products in
2007.
23.8
per capita
consumption (in
pounds) of candy
by Americans in
2008.
36
million
The estimated number of potential trickor-treaters in 2008
— children 5 to 13
— across the United
States.
Facts from the U.S. Census Bureau 2009
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October 26, 2009
7
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Crown Point, IN 46307
219-661-1090
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Feature
8
County Line Orchard offers cheap fun
By Ammy Easto
staff writer
Photo By Vinessa Needham
Junior Samantha Snooks picks an apple at the County Line Apple
Orchard. General admission into the orchard is one dollar, which
also includes a tractor ride throughout the orchard. Other activites
include a corn maze and a pumpkin patch.
Prices at the orchard:
$1 general admission into the orchard
$.40 per pound for
pumpkins
$1.65 per pound of $5 admission into
pick your own apples
corn maze
$30 private hayride
for 35 people
$7 dozen of apple
cinnamon donuts
With autumn in full swing, the “Disney
World” of Northwest Indiana has officially
opened its gates, or in this case, barn doors. The
County Line Apple Orchard, located in Hobart,
has finally begun its seasonal venue.
Because of the common stereotype of an
apple orchard only having apples, many people
believe this multiple acre farm would be a bore.
I beg to differ. From newborns to elderly couples,
the sight of people of every age swarming the
farm is mesmerizing.
Since County Line is the closest U-pick apple
orchard to Chicago, there are always new faces to
be introduced to. From dates, to family outings, to
birthday parties, to weddings, even, this orchard
brings the best that any apple orchard has to offer.
Live music from local “country” bands fill the air
with tunes from the sixties and seventies while the
smells of fall, and apple everything, waft through
the air.
As money continues to be tight in this day
and age, family days are getting more expensive.
However, County Line has a $1 general admission
into the orchard itself. There, you get a tractor ride
and a chance to choose from and pick 21 different
types of apples which start at $1.65 a pound.
Be sure to bring a partner, though, because you
may need a hand or shoulder to reach the best
apples out of the bunch. And take caution when
walking through the forest of apple picking trees.
Dropped, thrown, or simply unwanted apples
may cause serious injury.
Aside from a tractor ride to the orchard, there
is also a pumpkin patch with a starting cost of 40
cents a pound. It’s a great deal, with all the proper
fall necessities in one place. Spend the day not
only searching for the perfect apples, but also
picking the biggest pumpkin on the farm. Not
to mention a corn maze which lurks in the land
of County Line. Cost is $5 a person, but fun and
Kodak moments are free of charge.
However, if you or younger siblings are
not looking for apples or pumpkins, perhaps
a climbing goat or live bee hives will grab your
attention. There is also a kids’ farm, in which the
goats are located, and baby chicks do hatch daily.
Whatever gets your “awe” factor in check.
On your way back from the orchard, patch,
and maze, proceed into the picture perfect red
barn. Here you will find all of the apple drinks
and munchies known to the human brain. Cider,
pies, doughnuts, fudge, fresh caramel apples: You
name it, they got it. All freshly baked or brewed,
County Line has some of the best in Indiana.
Bundle up and take a day to visit the County
Line Apple Orchard. Chances are you will find
more than you were looking for. Bring a camera, a
friend, your family, and a smile. You will learn to
love the autumn season and will take home more
than ever thought possible, including the aroma
of apple pie.
October 26, 2009
$
WAYS
to
ave
In a struggling economy, these
are a few small, simple ways to
make the most of your money
By Lauren Cain
co-copy editor
When we were young, we saved our
lemonade stand earnings until we had enough
change saved up to buy an ice cream cone.
However, as we grow, our jobs and income
change, so inevitably the way we handle our
money changes as well. Here are a few ways
to ensure that you’re gaining the most from
your money.
•Get a job
For those students who have trouble
balancing busy school and extracurricular
schedules with a work schedule, there are
overlooked options for jobs where students
can make their own schedule. A classic choice
is babysitting, where you can choose which
jobs you take, and which ones you don’t
have time for. Another alternative would be
tutoring. Students make their own schedule
for when they tutor someone, so that it can
balance with their schedule. With both of
these jobs, you can set your own price. Both
can earn an average of about $10 to $15 an
hour. Students can sign up to be a tutor in
the Guidance office.
•Put money in savings
Once you have an income, instead of
cashing each check, deposit it into savings.
When you cash a check, you’re more likely
to spend the money if it’s at your fingertips.
By depositing it into a savings account, you’re
less likely to spend it right away. Also, once
it’s in your savings account, you can start
earning interest on it.
•Buy practical things
When you buy something minimal like
food, it’ll satisfy you once. However, when
you use your money to buy something
practical, it’ll satisfy you over and over.
Consider your purchases an investment, and
make sure that you will use them enough to
make the purchases worthwhile. While big
price tags may scare you away, spending
your money on more expensive items ends
up paying off. For example, an iPod is
something that can be used enough to make
it worth the price.
Students find ways to prioritize their schedules
Quick tips:
• On days when
you have extracurriculars, find time
between activities
to devote to homework and studying
• Make time to
meet with the
teacher of a class
you are struggling
in before you fall
behind in the class
• Don’t shy away
from extracurriculars because
of your school
schedule. Colleges
will look at your
activities as well.
By Lauren Cain
co-copy editor
Eight hours of school, then a three hour
long extracurricular, followed by two hours of
homework. For many students, this is the reality
of their average day. With so much going on, it’s
hard for some to figure out how to prioritize their
schedules.
“There has to be acceptance by the student
that academics are first priority,” guidance
counselor Peg Shaffer said.
While it seems obvious to put school as a
priority over extracurricular activities, there is
also a prioritization that needs to occur within
students’ academics. Students need to make the
effort to meet their teachers for help, and focus on
the subjects they know they are having trouble
with.
“If students know that math is a challenge,
then they should meet with the teacher during
zero period and maybe dedicate three days a week
to math, if they know they can handle their other
classes,” Shaffer said. “Basically, keep the lines of
communication open with the teacher. Teachers
want to see students succeed, and not just take the
easy way out.”
Some students have to set up a schedule
for themselves to ensure that they balance their
activities wisely.
“I try to get all of my homework and studying
done before I have cheerleading,” junior Lexi
Diamond said.
Diamond is a varsity cheerleader who
practices about six hours per week, on average.
Freshman David Kepshire has also had to
find a way to structure his days so that he gets
his schoolwork done while balancing his schedule
full of sporting events and practices.
“Between basketball practices and baseball
games, I’ve had to find time to finish my homework
and study for my tests,” Kepshire said. “It’s been
a little hard, but I always make sure to find some
kind of time to get it done.”
Kepshire makes sure that he is able to get his
schoolwork done so that he is able to stay in the
sports he loves.
“I really like basketball this year, so I need to
make sure I can keep my grades up during the
season,” Kepshire said.
Even though students should put their
academics before extracurricular activities,
there is a need for students to figure out how
to prioritize so that they can be involved in the
activities outside of school which they love.
“Students are involved with extracurricular
activities because they enjoy them, so there has to
be a balance of work and play,” Shaffer said.
Diamond agrees.
“Sometimes it’s hard to balance them both,
but they’re both very important to me, so I make
it work,” she said.
According to Shaffer, when students do not
prioritize adequately, they are risking not getting
into the college of their choice.
“Colleges are much harder to get into now.
Next year, two years of foreign language will be
required to get into IU or Purdue, even though
the Core 40 diploma doesn’t require it,“ Shaffer
said. “[Colleges] look for students who challenge
themselves and take rigorous classes, maintain a
3.0 grade point average, and are involved in the
community and extracurricular activities.”
Although it is important to have other
activities for a college transcript, academics are
first priority, according to Shaffer.
“To maintain good grades, you have to be a
good manager of time. Some classes may take you
ten minutes to study, and others may take you an
hour,” Shaffer said. “It’s hard: that’s why it’s called
schoolwork.”
9
Dealing with divorce
Students find ways to cope when their parents split up
By Haajar Shaaban and
Lauren McCarroll
staff reporters
What’s
HELPFUL?
Jon minus Kate—what about
the eight? With the imminent divorce of Jon and Kate Gosselin,
the parents of the eight children
who were formerly on a television show, it seems as if the topic
of divorce has been given a second look.
Even though it’s the faces of
“
A good friend who
listens and helps
out when times get tough
Handling stress
responsibly
“
HES
145
Feature
October 26, 2009
The way the
parents handle
it is really what
affects the kid,
Cooperating with
siblings and
parents during
changes
-Guidance counselor
Peg Shaffer
the parents that are plastered all
over the front of the tabloids and
distributed around the world—
what about the kids? How does
divorce affect kids and teenagers
who are stuck in the middle?
Divorce. One might not realize the magnitude of the word until they have been struck by it.
According to the Forest Institute of Professional Psychology, a
50 percent divorce rate has been
reached. Even though separations
between parents might be a common occurrence, that does not
always mean it is any easier for
teens to handle.
“The way the parents handle
it is really what affects the child
involved,” guidance counselor
Peg Shaffer said. “If the parents
are putting the kid in the middle
[of the dispute], it isn’t fair.”
Research has shown one of
the most common signs of a sour
divorce is that the parents talk
behind one another’s backs to the
Getting involved
in a sport or
hobby
Cartoon by Anna Ortiz
teen, putting them in the middle
of the situation.
Divorce can affect teens socically just as much as mentally.
“Teens often withdraw from
social events and become defensive because they feel the divorce
is their fault. Some may even try
to change the way they look and
escape the past by changing who
they spend their time with, the
way they dress, and the way they
wear their hair,” Shaffer said.
Other teens are looking on
the brighter side of life.
“I’m still happy either way,”
sophomore Taylor Passine said.
“Sure there are hard times every
once in a while, but I am just happy to have my parents.”
Extracurricular activities are
also a large part of many teens’
lives. But even though some students’ parents have separated,
they are still there, being supportive at their child’s events.
“The divorce hasn’t affected
my interests. They both still come
[to my events],” sophomore Hannah Raspopovich said.
According to Divorce Source,
Inc., the age at which the divorce
took place can be a factor in the
way a child handles or reacts to
the situation. Older adolescents
whose thinking skills are more
fine-tuned may see the divorce
differently than a younger child.
“I was two years old when it
happened, and I did have issues
when I was younger, but I’m fine
now,” senior Charlie Wood said.
It is common to assume that
children wish that their parents
had never separated in the first
place so their lives wouldn’t have
changed so drastically, yet in
some circumstances parents can
improve the child’s life by communicating and staying active in
the child’s life.
Some teens think back on the
situation and say that if they had
the chance to bring their parents
back together, they wouldn’t.
“My parents wouldn’t be
happy together. They are better off
with other people,” Wood said.
With cooperation between
parents and students, teens do not
have to struggle with divorce.
“It helps me to accept things
easier and just be happy with
what I have,” Passine said.
Lake
Driving
School
What’s
HARMFUL?
Using drugs or
alcohol as a
coping
mechanism
Violently acting
out
Giving up on
academics or
extracurriculars
Blaming the
separation on
yourself
Southlake Resource Center
1450 E. Joliet (Rt. 231)
Suite 203
219-663-6110
State Licensed
State Certified
Patient Instructors
Private Driving Instruction
(One student at a time.)
Home pick up & drop off
It’s a Strack & Van Til Thing.
Crown Point
Four week classes!
(2 locations)
200 Franciscan Dr. (219) 663-0304
10851 Broadway (219) 661-4144
Merrillville
7201 Taft St. (219) 738-2150
Call today and ask about our
back to school special!
Feature
10
October 26, 2009
Integration of new technology
By Deanna Sheafer
co-editor-in-chief
As our school grows and
becomes more diversified, so
do the methods in which we
are taught with. The days of
handwritten notes on chalkboards
and tests on paper are numbered
with the integration of new
technology.
Many students
are familiar with the computer
program called Brain Honey,
which was first used with the
Algebra I Credit Recovery
program.
“It’s a Learning Management
System. Basically, it is an online
environment where students can
view lectures, do homework, take
quizzes and tests, and chat with
other students or the instructor,”
foreign language and math
teacher Ryan Collier said.
Brain Honey is currently
being used in classes like Honors
Pre-Calculus, Latin, and Spanish.
Some students find advantages in
learning through computers and
enjoy the different approach to
new material.
“I like using Brain Honey
because you don’t have to
wait until your teacher grades
something to know how you did,
and you can review the material
immediately,” senior Mava Malik
said.
Since all students learn in
different ways, Collier thinks
that trying out new instructional
technology could be helpful.
“It is simply a different
approach to instruction and
assessment. It allows a more selfpaced approach. it also allows
a student to do certain things
from the comfort of their own
homes. For the teacher, it’s an
opportunity to try out some new
instructional technology with the
hope that they might get through
to some students who don’t enjoy
the traditional environment as
much,” Collier said.
Similar to the Algebra Credit
Recovery program, Brain Honey
allows students to take courses
online that they cannot take
throughout the school day.
“It has the potential to ease
some scheduling conflicts for
students that have to choose
between classes because they
don’t have room in their schedule
for both,” Collier said.
However, some students
and teachers alike see drawbacks
to learning strictly through a
computer program.
“It is inconvenient to take
tests on a computer because you
have to keep looking between
your paper and the screen,” senior
Lindsey Wacnik said.
“
I like using Brain
Honey because you
don’t have to wait
until your teacher
grades something
to know how you
did, and you can
review the material
immediately.
“
-senior Mava Malik
“The biggest drawback that I
see is the de-emphasis of face-toface interaction between teacher
and student. For some, learning
from the computer is not an issue,
but I think others may struggle
to learn new material without
a licensed educator in front of
them,” Collier said.
The use of Brain Honey
and the general integration of
technology into classes increased
the demand for computers to
be readily available to students.
Thus, the school purchased 880
HP Mini Notebooks over the
summer.
“The smaller units referred
to as ‘mini notebooks’ provided
a higher performance machine,
a smaller footprint, and less
power consumptions at a much
more competitive price point as
Photo by Mary-Katherine Lemon
Sophomore Richard Rangel uses one of the school’s new laptop computers. A total of 880 of the
computers in the school are laptops.
compared to a full size notebook,”
foreign language and math
teacher Jeremy Walker said.
According to Walker, the
last time the school purchased
laptops was in 2003 when the Dell
Notebooks were installed.
“Mobile carts account for 735
of the new computers, the other
145 are deployed as fixed units
within the Science Department as
Lab Stations,” Walker said.
In further efforts to keep
CPHS at the forefront technologywise, student email addresses
will soon be available for all
students. According to Principal
Dr. Eric Ban, students will use
the provided school email for all
official school information, just
like at a college.
“All students have to be
competent in a digital world and
use the right tools to support
working smarter. Thus, all
students will have an email
address,” Ban said.
Number of laptops added to each
wing:
•
Art wing: 16
•
Auxiliary wing: 226
•
Auxiliary “E” wing:
60
•
Presentation
rooms: 25
•
English wing: 170
•
Media center: 46
•
Science wing: 48
•
FACS wing: 48
•
Social studies
wing: 96
Bringing back the lost art of arguing
By Matt Smith
co-copy editor
Photo Illustration by Jeremy Rex
From birth, we are instilled
with a desire—a sort of natural instinct—to argue. As a wolf fights
to protect its territory, man fights
to protect his opinion. And like
a wolf, we have certain inherent
tools to facilitate this protection.
Unfortunately, many have not
learned how to properly utilize
the tools they have been given.
“Traditionally, parents tell
their children not to argue--to
be respectful and listen,” English teacher Ashley Monroe said.
“However, people are starting to
learn that argument is acceptable
if the tone is right.”
Speech and Debate coach Jacob Adams agrees that the ability
to argue is a vital part of a person’s life.
“In everyone’s life, there will
be disagreement, whether it is in
personal life, at work, or in the
community,” Adams said. “This
is why arguing is so important.”
According to both Monroe
and Jacobs, there are two main
tools which one can use in an effective argument: the evidence
and the counterargument.
The first tool in a proper argument is the evidence supporting your stance. Without this evidence, according to Jacobs, your
claim falls through because you
don’t have the facts to back it up.
“In order to argue a point,
you have to have the evidence,”
Jacobs said. “The thing that annoys me the most in today’s culture is that people have empty
claims. People argue with each
other without really getting anywhere. When you’re arguing, it’s
not enough to just have an opinion. You have to say, ‘I feel this
way because...’”
The second tool in an argument is the counterargument.
“Anyone can find evidence
to support a claim,” Monroe said.
“The ability to see both sides of
the argument is so important.
When you’re able to weigh the
sides, you are then able to produce a better argument.”
Adams agrees that this is an
important component.
“You have to listen to the other person and change your argument based on that,” Adams said.
While many don’t know how
to properly utilize these two tools,
some know them, but make mistakes which are detrimental to
their argument.
“The biggest mistake that
people make in arguments is that
they become so concerned with
proving a point that they lose
sight of the final goal,” Adams
said. “People need to realize that
the whole point of the argument
is to come to a conclusion.”
Senior Ryan Farrell, who won
the state championship in Speech
last year, has experienced these
mistakes first-hand
“Before I was in Speech, I
never had as solid of a case in an
argument,” Farrell said. “Recently, I’ve been trying to know more
about my argument before I make
it. I do my research and have defenses ready.”
Monroe and Adams believe
that the tools of argument can
be utilized throughout one’s life
to give some order a human’s
natural instinct to argue. So next
time your parents tell you to stay
at home, remember your tools.
Ready your fangs. Sharpen your
claws. Argue—and try not to
make any mistakes.
Arts & Entertainment
October 26,2009
More funny than frightful
“Horror”ible movies worth watching for laughs
As the leaves change colors and the season of thrills and fright quickly approaches, one can
only hungrily anticipate the release of more ‘late night’ horror movies. While the purpose of
most classic horrors is to be scary, some manage to strike the funny bone in their attempts to
spook audiences. Whether it’s a factor of age, poor writing, or just poor quality, some frightening movies end up being more humorous than terrifying.
From Dusk Till Dawn
By Joe Nejman
photographer
While fleeing from the FBI, two bandits
make their way to the southern border of the
United States. Along the way, they use an
unexpecting family as hostages to smuggle
themselves across the border. Once on the
other side, the bandits and the family find
themselves pinned against gruesome, bloodsucking vampires. They soon realize that the
only way to survive the night is to work together and forget their past relationships.
Though the movie starts off with an excellent
and original story line, it tends to lose focus
once the vampires appear. At that point the
over exaggerated action and gore replaces the
storyline and devalues the movie as a whole.
Terrorvision
TerrorVision has to be either the worst
concept ever, or possibly the most brilliant.
It somehow combines the need for cable, a
family pet, and the destruction of pollution
and turns it into a movie. Starting off on a
far away planet, an alien species discovers a
new way to dispose of their trash: by turning
it to energy and beaming it into space. Unfortunately for the Putterman family on Earth,
their new, state-of-the-art cable satellite dish
intercepts the alien trash. Among the garbarge is a hideous, slimy, two-ton monster
that’s ready to eat. After a few mishaps, the
Putterman children try to adopt the monster
as a pet. Unfortunately, they soon realize that
the role as the children’s pet might not sit
right with the beast, himself.
Motel Hell
“It takes all kinds of critters to make
Farmer Vincent’s fritters.” With a tagline
like that, you can only imagine what kind
of movie Motel Hell is about. In spirit of the
more successful 1970’s horror films, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Last House on the
Left, Motel Hell tells the story of two elderly
siblings who own and operate a rural motel and meat processing plant. Despite the
friendly name of Motel Hello, the strange
short circuiting ‘o,’ moans and groans lurking from the secret garden, and ignited “No
Vacancy” sign could cause any passing traveler to only imagine the horrors that might
lurk in the empty motel. The writers’ attempt
at wit and irony only bounces off to sound,
instead, like a satire of the more successful
movies of the 70’s.
Cartoon by Anna Ortiz
Killer Klowns From Outer Space
Killer Klowns from Outer Space takes a new
leap into clown horror and comedy. Just as
the title suggests, this movie is about an alien
race that resembles clowns. Arriving in none
other than a flying circus tent, the clowns are
discovered by a young couple that try to warn
the police of this mysterious threat. Of course
the police don’t believe them, which results in
a night of clown terror. Although the clowns’
ultimate goal was to capture humans for food
by cocooning them in cotton candy or balloons,
they also terrorize the town with attacking animal balloons, guns loaded with popcorn, acidic
pies, killer shadow puppets, and an assortment
of other mischievious acts. Even though Killer
Klowns from Outer Space was made by the Chiodo brothers (the special effects artists who are
most known for Critters and Team America: World
Police), it lacked the realistic special effects that
their more popular movies contained.
Plan 9 From Outer Space
Combining aliens, zombies, and a manmade doomsday weapon, Plan 9 from Outer
Space starts off as an eerie UFO movie with
strange sky lights and confused pilots. Then,
taking a completely different direction, the
movie starts to revolve around zombies attacking and causing chaos on the people of
Earth. It is later revealed that the U.S. government is making a weapon of mass destruction. In an attempt to stop this, extraterrestrial
beings implement “Plan 9,” a plan to resurrect dead Earthlings and disrupt the production of the doomsday weapon. Overall, Plan
9 from Outer Space has an intriguing plot line,
but most of it is lost in its poor production,
picture and sound quality, along with the
confusion in figuring out what exactly happened to previous plans ‘one’ through ‘eight.’
Not to mention, Bela Logosi appears several
times in this movie by the use of stock footage from previous movies. The reason for this
bizarre special afffect? Bela Logosi died three
years before Plan 9 was even made.
Capitalism: A Love Story fails to impress
By Lauren Cain
co-copy editor
As a young student, I have had the privilege of being relatively untouched by the recession. For this reason, I have also had trouble understanding the proximity of the issue
in addition to knowing who
Review really is to blame for our economic crisis. As a viewer of
Capitalism: A Love Story, I was hoping to have
this put into context for me. Even though Michael Moore achieves a lot in this movie, he
wasn’t really able to answer these questions.
For someone to make a documentary on
a subject, you would hope that they’re knowledgeable enough on the topic to be able to state
exactly what’s going on in the Average Joe’s
terminology. Apparently, Moore can’t, which
makes this movie difficult to follow unless the
viewer is someone already knowledgeable of
current events and knows exactly what has
been happening with the recession
Moore definitely loses some points by not
being able to state what is actually wrong with
the economy, but he gains them back by creating a reality that we seldom see. By seeing the
police knock down the door on a house that
has been foreclosed with the family locked
inside, it all hits home as to what exactly is
going on with this economy. Viewers also see
and hear from blue collar workers who have
lost their jobs and commercial airline pilots
that are forced to live off of food stamps. Also,
he allows viewers to gain a different perspective of the economy through his classic humor
which never fails.
Moore is famous for his cynical views on
this country; that is, after all, what has earned
him praise for his former movies Fahrenheit
9/11 and Bowling for Columbine. While he is
good at showing viewers how the recession
has actually affected many people, he isn’t truly capable of saying what is going on with our
economy. So if you’re looking for something
to explain the reason behind our economic crisis, this wouldn’t be the way to go. However,
if you just want to see the economy through
a different perspective, involving humor and
hearing from those affected, this is an entertaining movie for you.
a few of our
Michael Jackson’s
This Is It
Coming out this Wed. Oct.
28, Michael Jackson’s This
Is It gives Jackson fans an
exclusive behind-the-scenes
look at the singer as he
prepared for his concert tour
before his tragic death. Compiled from over 100 hours of
Jackson as he rehearsed for
his tour, This Is It is the last
footage of Jackson performing before his death.
favorite
things
Inklings Music Blog
Developed by yours truly, our music blog
features music that we believe should be
in the spotlight- whether it’s new or old,
popular or obscure, loud or soft, rock or jazz.
We’ll be doing our best to bring you music
of every style and genre. So check us out at
http://inklingsmusic.blogspot.com!
myview
11
Too many sequels
take away from
original movie
By Brittany Curtis
managing editor
When a movie is successful, the obvious question
is, “will it make a sequel?”
And while many have tried,
few can truthfully say that
they have made a sequel that
lives up to the caliber of its
predecessor.
Some franchises are just
better off left as one movie.
You can’t mess with the
classics. I couldn’t imagine
Titanic 2: Jack Strikes Back, not
only because it is illogical,
but because it would most
likely ruin the first movie for
me.
Take the Saw saga, for
example. How many movies
do you really need about
gruesome, disgusting situations in which the victims
learn something about their
lives and are eventually
“better off?” The premise
is always the same, and
you can always expect a lot
of blood and gore. Why is
there a need to keep making
sequels?
Pirates of the Caribbean
is another blockbuster that
should have left their series
at one movie. The first movie
was excellent, the second a
little out there, and the third
was just ridiculous. And to
add insult to injury, Disney is
in talks to make a fourth film.
While I love Jack Sparrow,
I think that it’s time for him
to hang up his hat and call it
a day.
While there are an
infinite number of horrible
sequels (see Teen Wolf 2,)
there are a few who manage
to get it right.
The Harry Potter franchise, on the other hand
has consistently produced
entertaining and successful
sequels. With each movie,
technology progresses and
allows the film producers to
make more enjoyable and
fascinating films.
Most superhero movies also manage to produce
sequels which live up to or
even surpass the success of
the first movie. Spiderman,
Superman, and X-men are
three franchises have gotten
it right.
While everybody doesn’t
want their favorite movie to
end, sometimes it’s better to
leave the franchises at one
movie.
Christmas From the Heart
Although the holiday
season is still two months
away, that didn’t stop
American Idol alumn David
Archuleta from releasing
his Christmas CD, Christmas From the Heart, on Oct.
13. The CD includes holiday classics such as “Have
Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and “Ave
Maria.” Archuleta will also be going on a holiday
concert tour throughout the season, and will be
coming to Waukegan, IL on Dec. 11.
Information compiled by Inklings Editors
Arts & Entertainment
12
October 26, 2009
Alternative soundwaves
Consider trying sounds
of lesser known artists
who rival your favorites
Reality TV
portrays fantasy
By Brittany Curtis
managing editor
By Alex Parrish and Lauren McCarroll
photographer and staff writer
While we all might like to believe that reality shows are real,
that simply is not the case. But as
more and more shows have begun to come into the spotlight as
being fake or staged, the question
is posed as to what real “reality”
actually is.
“The Hills” is perhaps the
most popular of these shows to
come into the spotlight as being staged. Star Lauren Conrad
has been quoted as saying that
almost none of what you see on
“The Hills” actually happens. The
show follows a variety of young
adults including Lauren Conrad,
Heidi Montag, Audrina Patridge,
and Lauren “Lo” Bosworth as
they live in Los Angeles.
“The Bachelor” is another reality show that has caused viewers to question the actuality of its
premise. With only one couple
out of the show’s 13 seasons actually still together, is the show’s
purpose really to find a suitable
spouse for the bachelor?
Most recent bachelor Jason
Mesnick went on the show to
find a wife, but two weeks after
the season finale was taped, he
was shown breaking up with the
woman he chose at the final rose
ceremony in front of a live audience.
Another “reality” show that
faced controversy over speculation of its authenticity was “Man
vs. Wild.” The premise of the
show is for a man to survive in
the wild, however allegations surfaced that there were many nights
that were actually spent in hotels,
rather than braving the great outdoors.
Discovery later released a
statement saying, “Discovery
Communications has learned
that isolated elements of the ‘Man
vs. Wild’ show in some episodes
were not natural to the environment, and that for health and
safety concerns the crew and host
received some survival assistance
while in the field.”
While it is understandable
that due to safety reasons the host
had to spend some nights in hotels, it makes viewers wonder how
often instances like this occur.
In its essence, reality TV isn’t
real. On average, how many people are stranded on an island and
asked to survive for nine weeks?
Not many. So, is what we’re looking for really reality? Or is what
we’re looking for the drama and
humor of seeing real people in
not-so-real situations?
While not exactly the same, these similar bands are easily
comparable to ones a little more famous. So if you want to find
new music not too far out of your comfort zone, check it out.
Try listening to...
If you like...
Hey Monday
Paramore
If you were enticed by Paramore’s Hayley Williams’ flaming hair
and lyrics, then similar sounding Hey Monday might capture
you as well. Be sure to check out their highly popular “Homecoming.” Both bands have catchy pop-punk lyrics and are led
by female singers (Cassadee Pope is Hey Monday’s) with an attitude and style all their own.
PlayRadioPlay!
Owl City
If you’ve leaped onto the newly popular Owl City bandwagon,
then you may want to escape with PlayRadioPlay! (more recently known as Analog Rebellion). They’ve been around since
2005 but haven’t been immensely popular. Both bands are an
easy listen a with their breathy voices and soft indie sounds
with the lyrics to match.
The Rocket Summer
NeverShoutNever!
Though nobody could compare to NeverShoutNever!’s
uke(ukulele), The Rocket Summer knows how to grab you by
the heart and never let go in a similar manner. With four completed albums and four EPs under his belt, singer and only
member Bryce Avary knows what he is doing. Both have a certain happy-go-lucky, youthful feel to them.
Fefe Dobson
Lily Allen
These spunky-sounding, hard-hitting yet adorable singers
add a kick to the pop world with edgier lyrics and lip gloss to
boot. Both are dedicated to full force female ferocity, yet are
still charming with Lily’s British and Fefe’s Canadian accent.
Songs such as Lily Allen’s “The Fear” and Fefe Dobson’s “I
Want You” have been hitting the charts hard.
The Kings of Leon
Vampire Weekend
Although the Kings of Leon have been ruling the music charts
(they were nominated for three American Music Awards) and
few known bands can compare, many Kings fans can also enjoy listening to Vampire Weekend. Though both bands have a
similar genre, Vampire Weekend rocks a fun, British and lighthearted sound.
Metro Station
Forever the Sickest Kids
Syntho-pop duo Metro Station blew up with their hit “Shake
It” and has been put into the same genre as similar sounding
Forever the Sickest Kids who are most known for “Hey Brittany.” Although Metro Station has a more techno sound, fans
should still like Forever the Sickest Kids’ stronger vocals and
heavier guitar riffs.
What’s on
your iPod?
Emily Dykstra
Freshman
Kolton Evans
Sophomore
Jake McCaffery
Junior
Sassafrass
The Devil Wears Prada
Club Foot
Kasabian
One Wish
Ray J
D- Techno Life
Uverworld
Hypnotized
System of a Down
Imma Star
Jeremiah
Given Up
Linkin Park
Awake
Godsmack
If Everyone Cared
Nickelback
Josh Rice
Senior
Resurrecting
Built Upon Frustration
Odysseus
Steel Nation
Don’t Stop Believin’
Journey
Sports
October 26, 2009
Girls cross country wins sectional crown
Lady Bulldogs finish runner-up in regional contest, prepare for semi-state
By Colin Likas
asst. sports editor
photo by
Liz Palmer
Junior Laicee Pierce runs through the
leaves during the third mile of the regional
meet. Pierce finished second overall in
19:01.
The sectional meet became a nightmare
for all teams competing against the Lady
Bulldogs’ cross country team.
The regional meet, however, brought a
repeat of the season’s only real rough spot
for the girls: a loss to the Lake Central Indians.
The Lady Bulldogs went into the sectional meet strongly favored. The meet was
held on Oct. 13 at Lemon Lake County Park,
the Crown Point home course. Before the
post-season began, however, the girls competed against their fellow DAC teams in the
DAC Conference Championship meet.
The girls were able to defeat all seven of
the other teams en route to capturing their
first ever DAC title. They outscored the second place team, Valparaiso, by a margin of
53-57.
Junior Laicee Pierce finished in second
place overall, followed closely by sophomore Lauren McCarroll (sixth) and junior
Augusta Schrader (ninth).
In the sectional contest, the girls ran
away from the rest of the field, putting all
seven of their runners in the top eight overall. They took home their fourth consecutive
sectional title with the win.
Pierce led the way for the girls, finishing in a time of 19:01.
“It was exciting to win the race,” Pierce
said. “This is the third year in a row that I’ve
won it, so it’s cool to keep doing well at sectionals.”
The other six runners contributing to
the 18 total points scored were McCarroll
(second), Schrader (fourth), senior Morgan Kleinaman (fifth), sophomore Allison
Wortel (sixth), senior Melissa Ostaszewski
(seventh), and sophomore Madison Koch
(eighth).
“The results [of the sectional meet] exceeded my expectations,” head coach Patty
Begley said. “Scoring only 18 points is an
awesome accomplishment by these girls.”
An outside factor that came into play
for this meet was the cold. Unseasonably
cold weather could throw off even the best
runners. However, Pierce didn’t let the brisk
weather get to her.
“I just ran my normal race and pushed
through it,” Pierce said.
The regional race was held the following Saturday, Oct. 17. Once again, Lemon
Lake County Park was the site of the competition. Although the cold was still lingering for this race, a new challenge entered
play in the form of standing water and a
muddy course.
“I do my best to ignore the weather conditions and focus on my race,” McCarroll
said. “I was pushing myself to stay strong
mentally.”
Lake Central provided solid competition for the Lady Bulldogs throughout the
race. In the end, it proved to be too much for
the girls to overcome, as they fell by a single
point to the Lady Indians.
Pierce again led the girls, this time with
a second place finish overall. The field was
tightly packed behind the first place finisher, Dana Payonk from Lake Central.
Relatively similar to the sectional race,
McCarroll finished second for the girls and
sixth overall, followed by Schrader (eighth),
Kleinaman (tenth), Ostaszewski (13th),
Wortel (14th), and sophomore Taylor Passine (16th).
“It was heartbreaking to lose by one
point,” Begley said. “I fully believe we have
the ability to bounce back at semi-state and
win it.”
Although the girls were unable to take
down a regional title, they still looked on to
the semi-state meet. With a fifth place ranking as a team in the coaches’ poll, the girls
looked poised to qualify for the state meet.
The main competition for the Lady
Bulldogs should have been out of their own
conference. DAC foes Valparaiso and Portage should have challenged the girls for a
semi-state title.
“It should be extremely close between
us, Valparaiso and Portage,” Begley said. “If
we don’t win we can, at the very least, have
a great showing.”
The semi-state meet was held at New
Prairie High School on October 24. If the
girls qualified for the state meet, they will
travel to the LaVern Gibson Championship
course on October 31 to compete.
The results of the meet were unavailable at press time.
LISA GRADY
219-308-6237
[email protected]
Each Keller Williams Realty Office is Independently Owned and Operated
“ALWAYS WEAR A SMILE-IT IS YOUR
BEST FASHION ACCESSORY.”
13
Boys tennis wraps
up sectional title
By Colin Likas
asst. sports editor
The boys tennis team waited
for days on end to finally finish
their sectional match against
Rensselaer. They waited for
three long days for their chance
to take down a sectional title.
When the opportunity finally arrived, they took the title.
It took several days for the
rain to stop, but when it did, the
boys made their way to a 5-0 victory over the Bombers.
Senior James Haworth, the
‘Dogs’ number two singles player, won his match 6-0, 6-2.
“I was pumped,” Haworth
said when asked how he felt
about the victory. “I was replaced on varsity last season and
I was able to prove I belonged on
it this year.”
Also victorious for the
boys was fellow senior Thomas
Vanderplough, who took down
his match 6-3, 6-2.
The number one doubles
team of seniors Nick Vlassopoulos and Scooter Jacobus also won
their sectional match 6-0, 6-0.
A date at the Munster regional followed the sectional
victory. The boys defeated
Highland by a 5-0 score in the
opening round, but fell to Munster 4-1 in the finals.
In the match against Munster, Vanderplough lost by a
score of 0-6, 0-6. Haworth also
fell to his opponent, losing 1-6,
0-6. Number three singles player
Dan Smith, a sophomore, was
defeated 2-6, 3-6.
The one point for the ‘Dogs
came from the duo of Vlassopoulos and Jacobus, who were able
to pull of a win by a score of 4-6,
6-3, 6-4.
Vlassopoulos and Jacobus
were not able to keep up their
winning ways in the following
round, however, as they fell to
Lake Central’s duo by a score of
0-6, 1-6.
Sports
14
October 26, 2009
Girls soccer scores DAC and sectional titles
Lady Bulldogs win sectional title for the first time since the 2003 season
Inklings
Scoreboard
Varsity Football
Valparaiso-56
CP-21 (Sept. 25)
LaPorte-17
CP-27 (Oct. 2)
CP-3
Chesterton-14 (Oct. 9)
Michigan City-35
CP-3 (Oct. 16)
Boys Soccer
Merillville-3
CP-5 (Sept. 23)
Michigan City-1
CP-2 (Sept. 30)
Lake Central-3
Crown Point-0 (Oct. 5)
Lake Central-6
CP-0 (Oct. 8, Sectionals)
Girls Soccer
CP-8
Michigan City-2 (Sept. 29)
Lake Central-4
CP-3 (Oct. 6)
photo by vinnie needham
Andrean-0
CP-3 (Oct. 12, Sectionals)
Lake Central-1
CP-2 (Oct. 15, Sectionals)
photo by
Vinnie Needham
Senior Sammy Vercellino runs down the ball in a game against Portage. The girls won the game against the Indians by a score of 4-1.
By Milan Savich
asst. sports editor
The Duneland Athletic Conference title was on the line for the
Crown Point Lady Bulldogs. In the
regular season finale they were victorious over Lake Central with a final score of 4-3.
“Mentally, beating Lake Central was huge,” Coach Chris Mikrut
said. “Winning the DAC championship for the first time in six years was
a great confidence booster heading
into sectionals.”
The following weekend at sectioanls the Lady Bulldogs finished
first, which marked their first sectional win since 2003.
“Anytime we play Lake Central
it’s a very emotional game for us,”
Mikrut said. “If we would have lost
the DAC championship game [to
Lake Central] then it would’ve been
more difficult to win the following
sectional game.”
After losing nine starting seniors from the 2008 season, the Lady
Bulldogs faced the challenge of filling in the gaps with a mix of young
but expirinced players.
“Even though many of the girls
on the team are underclassmen, they
are all experienced soccer players
who have played in other leagues
before high school,” Mikrut said.
The Lady Bulldogs were led
through sectionals by senior Sammy Vercellino who has been a varsity soccer player since her freshman
year.
Mikrut said that Vercellino is
one of the teams key players and her
mental support towards the underclassmen is one of the main reasons
for the young team’s success.
“If we’re having a rough game I
always try to stay positive and keep
my spirits high,” Vercellino said. “I
try to keep the team pumped up so
we can finish games strong.”
During sectional play, which
was held at Lake Central, the Lady
Bulldogs deafted Andrean 3-0 in
the opening round and moved on
to face Lake Central for the second
time this year. The Lady Bulldogs
won by a score of 2-1. Junior Beth
Rothrock scored one goal and also
dished out an assist to Vercellino for
the winning goal.
“It was a great feeling to beat
Lake Central two times in a row,”
Vercellino said, “Even though it
wasn’t the championship game, the
bus ride home was the loudest and
most exciting ride I’ve expirienced
in four years.”
The Lady Bulldogs deafted Hobart in the sectional championship
game with a score of 4-1 and moved
on to play Munster at regionals
which took place at Highland.
In the regional championship
game, Crown Point was down 2-1
with 15 minutes left to play when
Vercellino scored the tying goal
,which was her 20th goal of the season. Regulation ended with a 2-2 tie
and led to a shootout where Munster won 4-2.
Even though the Lady Bulldogs
will graduate six seniors they will
return a core group of sophomores
and juniors for next season.
“[The players] gained a lot of
confidence from what we accomplished this season,” sophomore
Amy Adams said. “We are all excited for next year.”
Boys cross country captures ninth sectional title in last ten seasons
highly regarded throughout the
area, the field was wide open. The
boys battled their way to a second
One thing that has become place finish as a team. The showmore and more noticeable around ing helped the ‘Dogs to a second
school these days is the number of place finish overall in the DAC this
students with the flu or some other season, the best the team has ever
illness. The boys cross country team done.
has been hit particularly hard by
“I was really excited for the
the flu-bug as of late.
team after DAC,” senior Kyle Davis
Nevertheless, the ‘Dogs just said. “Second is the highest we’ve
keep on running through the post- ever finished.”
season.
Although the boys were missThe boys recently wrapped up ing two of their top seven runners,
another sectional title and, a few seniors Andrew Facemyer and
days later, advanced to the semi- Jake Masolak, they wound up winstate meet. The sectional victory ning the sectional crown, defeating
was their ninth in the last ten sea- closest competitor Lowell by three
sons.
points.
Before the sectional and the
Senior Chris Shellenberger led
regional, however, was the DAC the boys with a second place finish
championship meet. Besides the overall. He was followed by senior
host Chesterton, whose team is Colin Likas (4th), Davis (12th), junior Marcus Trybula (14th), junior
Senior Jake Masolak competes in Ryan Santelik (19th), freshman
the regional meet at Lemon Lake. Daniel Walters (21st), and sophomore Shawn DeBoth (24th).
By Milan Savich
asst. sports editor
photo by
Joe Nejman
“I thought the guys ran really
well,” head coach Keith Iddings
said. “It was exciting to win our
ninth sectional title in the last ten
years.”
Muddy course conditions made
for a tougher race at the regional
meet at Lemon Lake, but the boys
were still able to advance to the
semi-state meet by taking fourth as
a team.
Likas finished first for the ‘Dogs
and seventh overall. Close behind
him were Shellenberger (19th),
Trybula (21st), Masolak (25th), Davis (31st), sophomore Tor Jansson
(61st), and sophomore Will Kroncke
(70th).
“Semi-state will be challenging,” Iddings said. “Although we’ve
suffered setbacks, we are capable of
advancing to the state meet if we do
our best.”
The boys competed in the semistate race on Saturday. Results were
not available at press time.
Hobart-1
CP-4 (Oct. 17, Sectionals)
Munster-4
CP-2 (Shootout, Oct. 21,
Regionals)
Boys CC
2nd Place @ DAC Championship Meet (Oct. 3)
1st Place @ Sectional Meet
(Oct. 13)
4th @ Regional Meet (Oct.
17)
Girls CC
1st Place @ DAC Championship Meet (Oct. 3)
1st Place @ Sectional Meet
(Oct. 13)
2nd @ Regional Meet
(Oct. 17)
Volleyball
Merrillville-0
CP-3 (Sept. 22)
Michigan City-3
CP-2 (Sept. 24)
CP-1
Lake Central-3 (Sept. 29)
LaPorte-3
CP-0 (Oct. 1)
Valparaiso-2
CP-3 (Oct. 6)
CP-3
Portage-1 (Oct. 8)
Chesterton-1
CP-3 (Oct. 13)
CP-2
Michigan City-3 (Oct. 20,
Sectionals)
Boys Tennis
Rensselaer-0
CP-5 (Oct. 5, Sectional
Finals)
CP-1
Munster-4 (Oct. 7, Regionals)
Sports
October 26, 2009
Badgers Boast
Fall sports postseason brings
high hopes
By Hunter
McKee
sports editor
Despite
the early departure of girls’
volleyball and boys’ soccer
in sectionals, the 2009 fall
sports post-season looks to
be an exciting and successful one for the Bulldogs.
In girls’ golf, we saw a
vast improvement from the
2008 season, as the Lady
Bulldogs were able qualify
for the regional tournament.
The boys’ tennis team
swept through Lowell and
Rensselaer to earn themselves a sectional championship. Then, in the regional
round, they once again
swept through Highland.
However, their momentum
in the post-season was no
match for Munster.
Although the football
team didn’t have the most
promising regular season,
on October 23, the Bulldogs
took on the Chesterton Trojans. In the regular season,
the Bulldogs were able to
keep the DAC’s second
ranked team in check. The
game looked to be a highly
competitive one.
The girls’ soccer team
had the most impressive
post-season for Crown Point
High School Athletics. The
Lady ‘Dogs had a great
regular season,
finishing
15-5 and earning accolades
such as DAC champions
and sectional champions. It
goes without saying that the
community of Crown Point
would have loved to see the
Lady ‘Dogs carry their momentum as far as the state
game. The ‘09 Lady ‘Dogs
soccer team was an exciting
team to watch throughout
the entire season.
For both of the cross
country
teams,
success
seems to come naturally for
them. Where does it come
from? Who knows? But one
thing is for certain: on October 24, both teams will
be competing in semi-state
and they will be expected to
qualify for the state meet.
15
Football team wraps up regular season play
Bulldogs finish season 3-6, moved on to sectional match against Chesterton
By Colin Likas
asst. sports editor
It hasn’t been the easiest of
seasons for the football team, but
the ‘Dogs worked their way to a
3-6 record for the campaign. They
also finished at 2-5 within the
DAC.
Wrapping up the September
part of the schedule, the boys faced
off against the Valparaiso Vikings.
The performances on both sides
of the ball were not particularly
impressive, as the ‘Dogs fell to the
Vikings by a score of 56-21.
Sophomore quarterback Joe
Hopman completed 11 passes for
one touchdown. He also threw
two interceptions. Junior Austin
Atherton led the team in receptions with six for 73 yards.
The
homecoming
game
against LaPorte brought about
much better results. The team won
that game by a score of 27-21.
Senior Mason Popovich led
the offense with 27 rushes for 251
yards and three rushing touchdowns.
“I’ve worked hard this season,” Popovich said when asked
how he was able to have such a
breakout game. “I feel I’m very
dedicated.”
The final two games of the
regular season both resulted in
losses for the ‘Dogs. They faced
off against Chesterton and followed that up with a game against
Michigan City.
The game against the Trojans
on October 9 was a rainy affair.
The muddy conditions limited
the struggling offensive attack, as
the ‘Dogs fell by a score of 14-3.
The defense held Chesterton
in check for a large portion of the
game. Junior Jordan Jurasevich
led all defensemen with nine
tackles and a blocked punt. Senior
Zach Breuckman had six tackles
and three assists.
The final game of the regular
season was played at home against
Michigan City. The defense was
not much of a match for the highpowered Wolves’ offense, and the
Bulldogs’ own offense was stifled
again. The final score went in favor of Michigan City, 35-3.
Hopman completed 19 passes
for 75 yards and an interception.
He also rushed for 41 yards on
10 attempts. Junior Cody Bacon
rushed for 58 yards on only six
carries.
Despite a disappointing record, head coach Chip Pettit had
a positive outlook on the regular
season.
“I feel we’ve gotten better every week,” Pettit said. “We have a
young group and I’m not disappointed in the effort put forth.”
The most recent game for the
‘Dogs wass the sectional opener.
The team drew Chesterton in the
first round and played them on
October 23 at home.
Before the game, both play-
photo by
Cat Fleszewski
Senior defensive lineman Ben Cottrell rushes in to make a
tackle against Merrillville on September 4. The Bulldogs lost
38-14.
ers and coaches alike felt the team
needed to focus on certain things
to get the job done.
“If the offense plays up to par,
we have a chance,” senior Steven
Polacek said. “The defense needs
to remain solid as well.”
Pettit had a similar view on
the necessity of a good offensive
night.
“We need a couple of big
plays offensively,” Pettit said. “We
also need to stop Chesterton’s option.”
The result of the game was
not available at press time.
Volleyball falls in sectional opener to Michigan City
By Colin Likas
asst. sports editor
Although a sectional title was
within reach for the volleyball
team, they came up just short in
the opening round of the postseason.
The girls fell to the
Michigan City Wolves in five sets
to end their season. Before the
sectional game, however, the girls
had several DAC matches as well
as large tournament competition.
They finished the regular season
with a record of 18-16.
On September 29, the
girls lost to Lake Central three sets
to one. Junior Sofija Cucuz led the
team with 24 kills. They followed
that match up with another loss,
this time to LaPorte in three sets.
The Lady Bulldogs got
QuickHits
Achievements
-Girls head soccer coach
Chris Mikrut was named a
district representative by the
Indiana Soccer Coaches’ Association.
-Seniors Andrew Facemyer and Chris Shellenberger
were named to the DAC AllConference Team. They both
finished in the top 12 of the
field in the boys cross country
DAC championship meet.
-Sophomore Andrew Anglis ran in the Indianapolis
Marathon on October 17. He
finished in a time of 4 hours
and 55 minutes.
back on the winning track against
Valparaiso on October 6, defeating them three sets to none. The
girls continued their hot streak
with two more victories following the one against the Vikings.
Those two victories were against
Portage and Chesterton, both by
three to one margins.
After a loss to Lowell on
October 15, the girls competed in
a tournament at Penn. The Lady
Bulldogs won the first two games
of the tournament, defeated
Homestead and Chesterton two
sets to zero. Senior Blythe Redman had 15 assists and junior
Zara Cecich added 12 assists in
the contest against Homestead.
Junior Alle Geisen had 14 digs in
the match versus Chesterton.
The girls were unable
to maintain the momentum from
those wins, however, as they fell
to Fort Wayne Snider and Penn,
both by two to zero margins, in
the same tournament. Cucuz
had six kills while junior Gabby
Raspopovich added four more
against Fort Wayne Snider. Cucuz also recorded five digs in the
match with Penn.
Although the girls finished
with an above .500 record, some
of them felt that they could’ve
performed better.
“The season didn’t go as well
as we expected it to,” senior Tori
Welker said. “We could’ve competed with everyone we lost to.”
Sectionals opened on October
20 for the Lady Bulldogs. They
drew Michigan City for their
opening match. Despite taking the
first two games, the girls couldn’t
advance to the next round, drop-
Boys’ Soccer
Girls Golf
-The boys soccer
-The girls golf team
finished their season
with 9th place finish at
the regional meet in
LaPorte.
With five golfers on the
regional team, the Lady
Bulldogs shot a total
score of 403.
Junior Carolyn Kupchik
led all Lady Bulldogs
shooting an 87, second
was junior Kelly Rostin
with a 104. Third was
achieved by sophomore
Christina Hall, who shot
a 105.
team wrapped up
their season with a
sectional loss to Lake
Central 0-6.
Prior to the postseason, the Bulldogs
received their last win
in the regular season
against Michigan City,
by a score of 2-1.
In the Michigan City
match, junior Daniel
Relinski scored both
of the goals for the
Bulldogs. Senior Alex
photo by Cat Fleszewski
Menn recorded four
Senior Chris Shellenberger saves for the ‘Dogs.
ping the next three games and the
match.
The girls opened the match
with a 25-21 win in game one,
followed by a 25-18 win in game
two.
However, as has been the
problem for most of the season,
the team struggled to finish off
their opponent. The scores of the
final three games were 25-15, 2516, and 15-8.
“With all of the talent we had
this season we should’ve done
better,” Cecich said. “We could’ve
won it [sectionals].”
Despite the disappointing finish to the season, Welker believes
the future could be bright for the
returning team.
“They just need to work hard
in those tight situations,” Welker
said.
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Gerald M. Bradshaw
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219.663.3041
Crown Point, IN
Educated Advice Columnist
Post-Tribune
Personalities
Student takes part in pageant
Senior Sarah Ballas competes in Cedar Lake Junior Miss
Pageant, walks away with $350 in scholarship money
While some young
girls stumble around
their living rooms in
their mother’s high
heels and a Barbie tiara, senior Sarah Ballas was able to make
this dream of being in
a beauty pageant a reality.
Located at Hanover High School, the
annual “Junior Miss”
competition gave eight
girls awards and scholarships at the Oct. 11
pageant. Ballas left
the show with $350 in
scholarships for her
excellence in creative
talent.
Junior Miss is a
scholarship-based
beauty pageant that
scores contestants in
six different categories:
fitness, talent, scholastics, interview, poise,
and elegance. While
the pageant focuses
highly on the overall
merit of each category,
Ballas enjoyed other
aspects to the show in
addition to its possible
scholarships.
“It was really fun
because I got to meet
new people in Cedar
Lake even though I
don’t go to Hanover,”
Ballas said.
For the fitness portion, the girls learned
a dance routine that
demonstrated
their
physical attributes and
endurance.
“We had practices every day from
7 p.m. to 10 p.m. for a
week leading up to the
show,” Ballas said.
For the scholastics
portion of the competition, transcripts and
SAT or ACT scores
were submitted to be
judged. In addition to
this, a ten minute interview took place where
the contestants were
individually consulted.
‘Get Happy,’ a catchy,
Broadway style song
originally sung by
Judy Garland,” Ballas
said. During the show,
Ballas said that she was
nervous but confident
because of the amount
of work she put into
practicing.
Finally, the pageant consisted of a
competition for poise
and elegance.
Girls wore floor
length ball gowns and
strolled across the stage
“
I’m really glad I did
it. I was able to make
new friends, and it
bettered my confidence
and stage presence.
-senior
Sarah Ballas
Questions ranged from
those getting to know
the contestants’ personalities to others testing
the girls’ knowledge of
today’s current events.
“I was asked about
the most important lesson I’ve ever learned,
and how I feel about
obesity in teens across
America,” Ballas said.
During the talent
segment of the pageant, the girls each
demonstrated one of
their personal abilities.
“I chose to sing
16
Getting to know...
Adam Piaskowy
Math teacher and DJ
Did you
KNOW?
The pageant scores
contestants in six different
categories: fitness, talent,
scholastics, interview,
poise, and elegance.
photo by Donny Casillas
Why did you decide to become a DJ?
“
By Cori Novelli
co-editor-in-chief
October 26, 2009
to answer a question.
“I was asked what
I felt was the best quality in a teacher,” Ballas
said.
The show concluded with scholarships awarded to the
girls for each category.
Five of the six categories awarded the best
performing girl with a
scholarship. The talent
section was the only
one that gave out two,
with one for creativity and one for performance.
I just love music. I started when I went to a
wedding with my group leader because he
needed some help with some things, and I
volunteered.
How many gigs do you DJ a month?
I only DJ on the weekends, so I DJ two
gigs a month.
What kind of events do you DJ?
photo submitted by sarah ballas
Senior Sarah Ballas poses before the competition in her ballgown. She wore this gown
to answer the question portion.
Because
Crown
Point does not hold a
Junior Miss program,
students who are interested in participating
in the event their senior
year and live in Crown
Point are automatically
eligible for state qualification.
Overall, Ballas was
thrilled with the overall
outcome of the show.
“I’m really glad
I did it. I was able to
make new friends, and
it bettered my confidence and stage presence,” Ballas said.
Weddings, school dances, and parties. I
also did Crown Point High School’s homecoming dance.
What was your favorite experience
while DJ-ing?
I D.J.ed a wedding on the 70th floor of the
Sears Tower. It was just cool being way up
there, and I had a really good view.
What kind of equipment do you use?
Everything’s digital, so I have a laptop and
an external hard drive to store my music.
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Starting September 3 Ending October 22
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