Movies still worth the buck
February 29, 2008
By: Mitch Ringenberg <mringenberg@hilite.org>
Going to the movies just isn’t the same anymore.
A few weeks ago, I was at the movies and found myself astonished at the raised ticket prices. My ticket cost a staggering $9.50. I know, a mere fifty cents is not an earth-shattering amount of money, but it got me thinking as to why the theater would choose to raise its prices. I mean, the movie theater certainly hasn’t upgraded on the quality of the movies its showing, which is obviously a problem that would be very difficult to fix.
The movie theater has not changed the size of its seats or enlarged its screens. No, the problem was that theaters just aren’t making as much money as they used to. A study conducted by Statistics Canada, showed that in 2004, movie theater attendance fell 4.6 percent and it’s still dropping.
This information bothers me as a person who loves going to the movies, but the statistics also make sense. First of all, it seems that all the great Oscar-nominated movies coming out these days are only being played in more artsy theaters and when they are released in mainstream theaters, they only play very briefly and at odd show times. This means that the general public will be forced to sit through mediocre or even terrible big-budget films such as “Alvin and the Chipmunks” or “Meet the Spartans” (shudder), despite their dismal quality.
But bad films have been around forever, so this can not be the only reason for the decline in attendance. Another contributing factor is the upgrade in home entertainment systems and the introduction of Blu-Ray/HD DVD movies (now only Blu-Ray). Everyone has had that experience when they’re at the movies and some annoying people are sitting near you and won’t stop talking.
Before, the benefit of going to the movies was the fact that you couldn’t get that kind of movie-viewing experience anywhere else. Now it seems everyone has a big plasma or LCD television at their house and with those, there’s hardly much of a difference between that and the real thing.
Also, with Blu-Ray movies, the picture is actually as good, if not better, than what you’d be seeing in the theater. And with DVDs coming out so quickly these days, you hardly even have to wait for the movie you want to see to be available for viewing in the comfort of your own home. However, that doesn’t mean theaters are completely useless.
With going to the movies, comes an experience and atmosphere that is impossible to recreate in your own home no matter what you do. Also, movie theaters
still offer somewhat enjoyable (if not outrageously overpriced) concessions.
Going out to the movies is something all high school students love to do with their friends. It is a social pastime that has been going on for ages.
But I think high school audiences are one of the only groups keeping the business alive. Fortunately, with such a slow, drawn out, decrease in popularity, the movie theaters’ losses will not be evident for quite some time. Te begin with, they could start by taking their prices down just a little bit.
The theaters still make enough money where they could most likely afford to lower their prices enough to increase attendance. Also, they can try upgrading the picture and resolution of the projectors so they can keep up with home entertainment systems. These are just a few suggestions that could possibly help the business stay afloat.
But still, with those raised ticket prices, I realized I could buy a movie for almost the exact same price and apparently, audiences are starting to realize this fundamental inconvenience as well. If the movie theater industry wants to try and keep itself in business, it will have to make some definite changes and improvements, or else fear the entire industry becoming completely irrelevant. Mitch Ringenberg is a reporter for the HiLite. Contact him at mringenberg@hilite.org.
Women’s basketball team advances to State
February 29, 2008
By: Stephanie Walstrom <swalstrom@hilite.org>
‘Just one more.’ That’s been the team’s motto all season, and for the first time in 13 years the Carmel women’s basketball team has just that: only one more game to play in order to clinch the State title.
After toppling Number-1 Ben Davis on Feb. 16th, the team defeated Columbus East last Saturday to claim its first Semistate championship since 1995. The team is now looking to the State finals game this Saturday against Number-2 South Bend Washington.
According to Danielle Havel, varsity basketball player and senior, the team is looking to leave behind a big legacy. The team went into the season seeking to end the six consecutive years in which it failed to advance out of Sectional. Having successfully accomplished that goal, the team is now aiming to clinch the school’s first State championship title for women’s basketball ever.
“If we can continue to play together as a team, we will continue to do big things,” Ashlee Spearman, varsity basketball player and senior, said. Carmel finished the regular season with a Number-5 ranking and an undefeated record at home.
Thus far in post-season play, this school has defeated Hamilton Southeastern, Fishers, Noblesville, Franklin, Ben Davis and Columbus East. In Feb. 16th’s game against Ben Davis, a team that defeated Carmel 57-43 in regular season play, the Hounds became only the second team all year to defeat the Giants.
Carmel’s march to State then led them to Southport where the team faced Columbus East and came out on top with a final score of 66-44. Chrissy Steffen, varsity basketball player and junior, led the team in scoring with 25 points.
“The major wins have been momentum builders for our team,” Havel, who put up 16 points against Columbus East, said. “Those wins have really brought the team chemistry together. It is great my senior year to do something I have waited all four years to do, and I just don’t want it to end.”
The State championship game will be played tomorrow night at Conseco Fieldhouse at 8 p.m. South Bend Washington is the defending State champion and currently holds a 24-2 record. The team has yet to lose to a team from Indiana.
Assistant Coach Joe Stuelpe said that the tournament run has been an neat accomplishment for this group of players. “It shows what hard work and commitment to each other can accomplish. It’s huge for our program,” he said.
Carmel holds a 74-20 record over the past four seasons, and will be graduating six seniors this year. “There are a lot of amazing groups at Carmel, and they deserve the support they receive for their hard work. It’d be great for our girls to have some student support too,” Stuelpe said about Saturday’s game. He said the team has received incredible support from faculty and staff throughout the season. “It’s a neat testament to how much teacher’s at this school care about how the students do,” Stuelpe said. He also said the team has received immense support from the Carmel Pups basketball program.
Carmel High School currently boasts 99 State championships, and a win this Saturday would give the team 100. “We’d love to bring it home,” Havel said. “‘Just one more’ has been our motto all season, and we just want to say that until there are no more games to be played.”
Tradition, excellence, but no fight song
February 29, 2008
By: Maria LaMagna <mlamagna@hilite.org>
During so many convocations and sporting events, the same scenario sets up. Surrounding me, thousands of people wear blue and gold. They root for the school and eat popcorn. Cheerleaders start to cheer. And the band starts to play… the Notre Dame fight song.
Okay, so a few words are different. Instead of “old Notre Dame,” we do say “old gold and blue,” and there’s a “hounds” thrown in there. Other than that, though, the words are virtually the same and the tune is identical.
Disappointing. I remember freshman year’s soccer tryouts. Before school even started, our coaches and captains told all the freshmen to learn the school fight song and be ready to sing it in front of the team. Piece of cake. I was thrilled; my mom went to Notre Dame and I’d grown up singing that familiar song. When it came time to sing it for the team, I was ready. I just had to change a few words and I was set.
When that initial feeling of relief and convenience wore off, though, I was disappointed. I was so excited to experience everything this school has to offer. I wanted to experience Homecoming, see the trike races, even walk the trail (the first time was fun at least). I wanted everything that this school is; I wanted to say things like “I’m eating in Greyhound,” or just know my way around such a big school, be a part of its culture. Everything about this school seemed unique and interesting. When I found out we use Notre Dame’s fight song, I felt a little cheated.
With all of the tradition and individuality here, how could we skip that detail? It seems as if the school founders said: “School motto? Check. Mascot? Check. Colors? Check. Fight song? Eh…I’m not really feeling it. Let’s just use Notre Dame’s.”
I’m sure that’s not how it went. But seriously, we couldn’t write our own? There are so many talented musicians here, it’s unbelievable. I’m completely confident that some of them could write an amazing, one-of-a-kind fight song right now.
I love the Notre Dame fight song, don’t get me wrong. That’s just the point, though. I love it for its own reasons; it reminds me of Notre Dame. To me, it’s going to football games in South Bend, eating steak sandwiches and presumably sitting in the rain. To my mom and other Notre Dame alumni, it means even more than that. It’s their song.
Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but here? We’re unique for so many reasons; we’re the biggest, the best. We should carry that over to every part of our school. I’ve always loved that we’re the greyhounds because it’s at least a semi-original mascot. It would have been easy to pick the braves, lions, or any other typical “fighting” creature. We didn’t, though. We were creative.
We’re not even the only non-Notre Dame school to use that song. Cathedral does, for one. Carmel Junior High does too. Wouldn’t it be better if we could play a song at convocations and events that’s decidedly ours?
It’s convenient. This summer, I’ll be a senior, telling the freshman soccer players to learn the school fight song. “It’s easy,” I’ll tell them. “Do you know Notre Dame’s?” Maria LaMagna is a reporter for the HiLite. Contact her at mlamagna@hilite.org.
School response to deaths exemplifies respectful grieving
February 29, 2008
By: HiLite Staff
This February marks the second death of a Carmel high school student in the ’07-’08 school year. The tragic deaths of freshman Shaail Abbas in December and more recently sophomore Michael Schenkel this last Monday have made this winter a difficult one for the Carmel community. The shock and grief accompanied with losing a student so suddenly has had an obvious effect on the student body. As students grieve those that have departed, they must take time to commend the faculty and administration for reacting to these deaths in an appropriate and timely manner.
On Dec. 15, 2007, Shaail Abbas was involved in an accident on 141st and Towne Road after a severe ice storm. Abbas, along with her two sisters and mother, drowned in a retention pond next to the road. Their sudden and unexpected deaths rocked the Carmel community and the whole Indianapolis area. In response to the deaths, Principal John Williams responded the Monday after the incident with a few words in respect for Abbas. In addition, grief counseling was available throughout the day and teachers were prudent in allowing grieving students to visit counselors. The counseling department was more than prepared to handle the situation, and seamlessly took care of students who could not go through a full school day.
Similarly, on Feb. 18th, Michael Schenkel died in a car accident on 146th and Stephanie Road. His sudden death and had a considerable effect on the student body. But Schenkel’s death was commemorated by a respectful and heartfelt announcement by Assistant Principal John Abell the next day. Just as the administration responded to Abbas’ death, grief counselors and social workers were available for students who felt the shock of Schenkel’s death.
The sheer size of this school often gives the misconception that the students and faculty are disconnected, that teachers cannot reach out to students to aid them in times of need. However, the reaction to these tragic events proves that that idea is, in fact, just a misconception. As cliché as it sounds, Carmel High School is a family, and when faced with difficult situations, it reacts as a family. In addition to the counseling available, the understanding and care with which teachers reacted to students exemplified the strength of the Carmel family.
The quick responses to the deaths of these students reflect the compassion and concern the faculty and staff here has for students. The immediate set up of a counseling station leaves no gaps for students to fall through. Recovering from the death of a friend or classmate can be a long and difficult process, and the fact that the school provides comfort and a safe haven for those recovering from the tragedy must be commended. Their understanding and caring for students undergoing the various pains of mourning is unmatched.
Teacher of Year nominations due March 3
February 29, 2008
By: Michael Wang <mwang@hilite.org>
There are many ways at this school to recognize teachers for their efforts in teaching students. One of them is nominating a teacher for the Carmel Clay Schools Teacher of the Year. Nominations are due March 3.
Janice Mitchener, last year’s Carmel Clay Schools Teacher of the Year and math teacher, said, “I think that teacher recognition is kind of like icing on a cake to what I feel is the main reason why I am a teacher. I did not become a teacher for the teacher recognition part of it. The importance (of teacher recognition) is of just saying, ‘Thank you’ or ‘You are doing a great job.’ It kind of motivates you to continue to work hard and continue to improve your teaching style and techniques and things like that.”
As to what it means for her to get recognized, Mitchener said she is just excited to see all her hard work she had put into teaching is being noticed. She said, “Teachers spend hours and hours getting things ready for class, (such as) developing a lesson. Sometimes you can spend 10 hours on something that lasts 10 minutes in class. People don’t realize that, so I guess people have realized that all the work I do is worthwhile or has been worthwhile. It is telling me that I haven’t wasted my time.”
Mitchener said as a result of becoming Carmel Clay Schools Teacher of the Year, she received two $500 awards to be used for professional development.
Math department chairperson Vicki Tribul, who said she nominated Mitchener for the Carmel Clay Schools Teacher of the Year award, mentioned that in order to nominate someone, one starts out with the name and from there it went to a lot of forms.
Tribul said she nominated Mitchener “because of all the extra extravagant things she does with technology and just her teaching style and just her as a teacher really.”
Sophomore Vikas Vavilala, who currently has Mitchener as a teacher, said, “(Mitchener) presents the material really differently from any math teacher I have ever had (because) she combines technology so it proves fun for the students.”
Tribul said, “The more the better at times. There is probably not enough of it (because) there are a lot of people around here who do a lot of special things who never get recognized.”
Students decide if unweighted classes, co-curriculars worth the time
February 29, 2008
By: Maria Lamagna <mlamagna@hilite.org>
It’s a typical week, and senior Blake Koness is worn out. Between his involvement in Ambassadors, Greyhound Connections, New World Youth Symphony Orchestra, voice lessons, dance classes and homework, he does not have much time to waste. With Ambassadors alone, he said that he usually spends eight hours every week.
So when scheduling his senior classes last year, Koness said he had a difficult decision to make and numerous questions to ask himself. Was his involvement in choir worth the hours he would have to put in outside of class?
“Last year I was really close to not (participating in choir),” he said. “It was really time-consuming.”
Koness’s decision was like that of many students when scheduling. Many of the classes this school offers, including orchestra, marching band, choir and Pinnacle, require students to expend effort and time outside of class. This commitment could discourage some students from participating in the classes, especially since many of them receive no extra credits or weight on transcripts.
According to counselor Bettina Cool, many students evaluate outside-of-class obligations when scheduling. However, she said they are usually not discouraged by the potential time commitment.
“I think the kids who are doing (the classes) are really committed and want to take them anyway,” she said. Additionally, Cool said students who sign up for the classes are “passionate enough” to spend the time, even if their extracurricular effort doesn’t show up on their transcripts.
In some cases, students do receive credit for time they spend outside of class. For example, those who participate in jazz band (an activity that occurs only outside class time) receive half of a credit on their transcripts. This is in addition to the regular credit they receive for participating in band.
Cool said that she is not completely sure why some students who take time-consuming classes receive no extra weight or credits for them.
“Ultimately, it’s a school board decision,” she said. “They decide if new classes will be weighted or not.”
Koness ended up deciding that he would, in fact, participate in Ambassadors again during his senior year. According to him, his involvement allows him to reap many benefits, even if they don’t come in the form of extra weights or credits.
“I decided that I wanted to (participate in choir) because of social reasons, being with my friends and feeling connected to other people. Also, it helps me improve my performance skills,” he said.
In some ways, Koness pointed out, participation in time-consuming classes does actually manifest itself on high school transcripts for college.
“It’s always good to be involved for college and for scholarship opportunities,” he said.
Furthermore, involvement in certain courses gives some students points toward the Distinguished Graduate program which began this year.
Cool listed many other positive aspects of being involved in classes which require time spent outside of school. She said that, when involved in these classes, students are able to follow their passion and establish camaraderie along the way. Also, they may improve their time-management skills and consequently perform better academically in the long run.
This school also offers several weighted performing arts classes, such as those that are part of the IB program. Students who participate in these classes receive full weight for them on their transcripts.
The deadline to make scheduling changes is March 1. Students should know that the policy of weighting or giving extra credits for these classes will probably not change any time in the near future.
For the time being, Koness will complete his participation in Ambassadors this year. Though he said he knows that it helps him in many ways, he said, “I definitely think the high-caliber, high-effort classes should receive weight. You have to work really hard in them.”
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