Against the Grain
October 3, 2008
Freshman Levi Kiser falls against the stereotypes of a typical Carmel student by living on a family farm with many types of animals
By Tommy Sneider
<tsneider@hilite.org>
How did you end up working on the farm?
My grandpa used to run it, and then he died of lung cancer, and so my dad took over.
What kind of farm do you own?
The farm is a corn and soybean farm. We do corn in one year and soybean in the other, but we alternate between the fields, so we have both each year. We have 800 acres. Read more
4-H involvement here not typical for students
October 3, 2008
By Cassie Dugan
<cdugan@hilite.org>
When many Carmelites hear the word Noblesville tossed into conversation, they smile and crack a joke about farming or agriculture. Some use words like “Nobletucky” to describe the community’s resemblance to agricultural Kentucky. However, despite its proximity to Noblesville, very few, if any people use the term “Carmeltucky” to describe Carmel. For this reason, sophomore Erin Vollmer sticks out from the crowd because of her long-term involvement in 4-H. Read more
Balancing Act
September 11, 2008
Sophomore Alex Chitwood plays on both varsity cross-country and varsity soccer teams while maintaining a 4.0 GPA
By Tommy Sneider
<tsneider@hilite.org>
Why did you decide to do two sports at the same time?
Last year I was just going to do soccer, but the coaches talked and said that I could do both. I really enjoy both of them a lot. Read more
Athletic scholarships aren’t all about the sports
September 11, 2008
By Ellie Seta
<eseta@hilite.org>
From the beginning of high school, Erika Petruzzi, varsity softball player and senior, said she has had her eye on an athletic scholarship. She said she marketed herself by going to exposure camps and keeping close contacts with college coaches. But she was always conscious of her grades and her other priorities. Read more
It Takes Two
August 13, 2008
With similar extracurricular backgrounds, seniors Weston Luzadder and Curtis Pittman are the first leaders to have earned their positions through combined effort
By Tommy Sneider
<tsneider@hilite.org>
Take 1 - SBP
WESTON LUZADDER
How good of friends are you?
Pretty good, we’ve been really good friends for about two years.
How will this friendship help you guys next year?
We already know each other, and it’ll just be easier to work together. We usually see each other in the hallways all the time, so we can catch up then on what needs to be done.
How is this similar to how Dan and David were last year?
I don’t really know how well they knew each other, but we both kind of did what Dan and David did and I thought it would be fun to do.
What makes you unique?
I’m outgoing and can get along with all different kinds of people.
What will be your biggest challenge this year?
Probably Dance Marathon and making it as successful as this year. Just starting a little bit earlier and using the class officers to get more people involved.
What do you want fellow Carmel students to know?
I’m looking forward to this next year and leading a great student body.
What’s your goal for this school year?
To make all of the activities fun, since if they’re fun then people will come.
How will you be different than other presidents in the past?
I’d like to improve on the things we’re doing and to raise the morale in the students and their involvement in the activities.
What traits make you a strong leader?
Outgoing, understanding, friendly, willing to listen and an optimistic attitude.
What’s one change that students will see right away? Listening to what they want and trying to get that accomplished, like the other day I was talking about the late starts about the year and that they heard that we would have half days on Friday, so stuff like that that could be able to be changed. There’s a lot of stuff that people have wanted to do in the past that I can’t promise to do, but I’ll work to get the wants and needs accomplished.
What big events are planned besides the usual ones?
As far as Dance Marathon goes, I want that students that do do Dance Marathon to get a bag of goodies or discounts at certain stores. Not only do the students get the joy of helping other kids, but also special incentives from other companies.
Why, in your opinion, were you elected?
Because people know me and trust me, and they know that I’m passionate about what I do.
What will you be doing as student body president?
First off, I will oversee 24 senators who were elected last year. I kind of make sure the activities and administration all those weeks are running smoothly. I put other people chairmen of other committees. As far as Homecoming, I look at people getting things ready for that being done in a timely manner and correctly. I’ll also oversee Care to Share and make sure that that goes how it goes and see that the events are successful. I meet with the senators during SRT, and I also have a prep period to meet with other students or teachers, whoever necessary.
Anything else to tell the rest of the student body?
I’m looking forward to this school year. I think we have a great school and great tradition, and am looking to keep that going.
Take 2 - SOH
CURTIS PITTMAN
How good of friends are you?
We became friends last year and sophomore year, and last year we became good friends with lacrosse.
How will this friendship help you guys next year?
I think since we mesh well we’ll have good ideas since we have a positive vibe and it’ll be more fun for everybody around us.
How is this similar to Dan and David were last year?
Dan and David were pretty good friends, and it was a fun place to be and they helped each other out.
What makes you unique?
I have a passion for student government and bring a lot experience to the table.
Why do you think you were elected for your position?
I think people saw me from cabinet, and saw that I was already in a role that has the same thing.
What will be your biggest challenge this year?
It will be to overcome the Dance Marathon total.
What changes do you plan to make in the coming year?
Nothing huge, a little things here and there. We might change the hour system to a point system, but just small things to be more efficient and organized.
What do you want fellow Carmel students to know?
We’re going to have a great year in general for activities.
What activities are you planning for this year?
I’m going to try to do Intramural Quidditch and see if we can do that. It’ll be a lot of fun. I want to raise money to send care packages to the people in Iraq.
What’s your main goal for this school year?
My goal is to make each event that I oversee bigger and better.
What traits do you think make you a strong leader?
I bring a friendly atmosphere that people like to be around.
What do you look forward to most as Speaker of the House?
I look forward to being with and working everybody in House and Cabinet.
How do you plan on improving Dance Marathon this year?
We’re doing middle school dance marathon that will go further towards helping out. We did one at Carmel Middle School and it raised $3,000, so we plan to do more of that. It’ll be a significant addition to ours.
What is the best thing about being Speaker of the House?
Everybody in House is just a lot of fun, and they’re all great people who are a lot of fun to work with.
Anything you want to add?
I hope to make the school year great, and just to have a lot of fun.
—
To submit nominations for 15 Minutes of Fame, contact Stephanie Hodgin at shodgin@hilite.org.
Extended Interview–Grace Baranowski
May 22, 2008
What are your thoughts in being the first distinguished grad?
I’m so honored to be the first distinguished graduate. I’m happy to represent this program because it stresses what I think is important in high school. The whole point about the distinguished graduate program is that it awards learning and growth inside AND outside of the classroom. I hope the students here realize the importance of the program and even more apply next year.
What activities have you participated in your four years at this school?
I’ve participated in a bunch of activities inside and outside of school. Ok here’s the list:
Freshman choir: 9th
Tennis team: 9th, 10th
Key Club: 9th, 10th; 10th, service projects
committee co-manager
Teen Volunteer Corp: 9th, 10th.
Youth Leadership Initiative through Indianapolis
United Way: 10th
House of Representatives: 9-12th
Student Venture (Christian student outreach):
9-11th
Blue and Gold choir: 10th
History Club: 10th
HiLite: 10th, feature reporter, copy-editor; 11th
features co-editor; 12th, managing editor
Accents (competing women’s show choir): 11th, 12th
Model U.N.: 11th, 12th
Spanish Club: 11th, 12th; 12th, Vice-president
National Honor Society: 12th
Spanish Honor Society: 11th, 12th
Wild Bunch (senior girls’ school spirit club):
12th
Teen Liaison to Friends Board: 11th-12th
Teen Library Council: 7-12th; 11th:
Vice-president; 12th: President
St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church Acolyte 4-12th;
11-12th: Crucifer
Conner Prairie Living History Museum Youth
Interpreter Volunteer: 9-12th
How have you balanced all of these activities with schoolwork?
It can get hard, especially during Accents’ competition season. Then, I can have HiLite from to 5 and Accents from 6 to 9. I get home by 9:30 and study until midnight or 1 a.m. Wash, rinse, repeat. It’s a matter of knowing what I have to do and making up my mind to do it. Actually, I find being involved in so many activities forces me to budget time wisely and study efficiently.
Are there any activities you still wish you could do?
I don’t exactly know what you mean by this comment. Time constraints have to become a reality at some point. As a junior, I had to stop playing for the Carmel tennis team because Accents and tennis had conflicting practices. Even so, I enjoyed playing tennis and hope to play intramural (tennis) in college.
What made you want to do all of these activities?
When I attended my first convo as a freshman, I remember that Mr. Lonzo told us we only take with us what we leave behind. The general impression I got was that the high school experience would improve the more involved one was. I also got involved with so many activities because it just felt natural. It was never really a question for me. I expected a busy schedule from day one.
What has been the most difficult part of doing everything?
The most difficult part of being so involved is that I often forget that I need a break. It’s so easy to just keep going and going, to follow the same routine and not to notice exhaustion. I can be like the Energizer bunny who just gets too wrapped up in work to realize the batteries have actually run out. Because not only do I participate in so many activities, I study hard and enjoy hanging out over the weekends with friends. What time do I have left for myself?
What are your plans after graduation?
I’m attending Duke University in the fall of 2008. I plan on studying international relations, languages, neurolinguistics or maybe psychology. I’m quite undecided as far as the exact major, but I’m fascinated by world cultures and human interactions.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Hm. In five years I’ll be 23, graduated from college. I see myself either at graduate school, researching something intriguing, or maybe in Europe, working in a foreign capital. I don’t really know what my future holds–those speculations might just be daydreams, or they might mirror truth. Regardless of my activities or my location, I see myself happy and loving life.
In 10 years?
In ten years I’ll be 28. I see myself as a more established, more knowledgeable, and even more successful version of my 23-year-old self.
How do you think you have made Carmel a better place?
I don’t think I made Carmel a better place as much as it made me a better person. Carmel has given me a place to grow and challenge myself. After all, it’s very difficult for just one person to change 4,000. But I hope that, because of me, people laughed more or maybe found something they were interested in. I hope they had one more friend.
What’s your favorite part of this school?
My favorite part of this school is our school spirit. It might sound corny, but I still love piling into the varsity gym and half-singing, half-yelling the words to our fight song. There’s something to be said about seeing 4,000 other teens awash in blue and gold cheering thunderously as one.
What are you going to miss the most about the school?
I’m going to miss the relationships I’ve formed–the bonds with friends and teachers. I’ve
really learned that the importance of learning pales if you don’t have anyone to discuss your findings with. I’ll miss sitting in the HiLite room at the computers, having an impromptu but comically heated debate about nothing in particular. I’ll miss walking down the senior hallway with my friends as we belt out our competition set to the bewilderment of students walking by. I’ll miss the little things, really.
If you could change one thing about the school, what would it be?
I wish more people knew how lucky they are to go to this school, compared to a lot of other high schools in the country.
Describe your most satisfying moment throughout high school.
My most satisfying moment came when the Accents won State for the second year of my involvement. The year before, we had swept every competition and won the State title. This year, prior to State, we won every competition except one; that unnerved us slightly. We continued to practice and perfect harmonies and dance steps in the rehearsals leading up to State. When it came time to perform, we had one shot. (In the competitions, which are somewhat like meets, you have one performance in the morning and one in the evening, if you make it to finals. State is considered the “finals” of the competition season, as only a select number of choirs are invited). In the transit from warm-up room to the actual stage, we passed a hallway and saw Mr. Williams standing there with the Ambassadors, all of whom were dressed in pink. They started yelling and cheering for us. Emboldened, we performed with sharp movements and even clearer harmonies. Three hours later, the Accents sat in the bleachers anxiously awaiting the results with our competitors. We had to wait at least another hour for the awards program to even begin. The tension built at each passing minute, as my friends and I gripped each others’ hands and made scared, silly faces for the camera. When the announcer listed off the winners, he started at last place and worked his way up to fourth. He then listed off the caption awards: best visuals, best vocals, etc. At this point we were breathless and ready to explode with nerves. Third place: not us. Second place: not us! At this point we knew we had won, but we had to keep ourselves from cheering in order to give the other choirs a chance to celebrate. Then first place: the Carmel High School Accents!!! I began to cry out of sheer happiness and shrieked as I hugged my friends. We had won the State title for my senior year. It had been a close battle, but we had won.
Who was your favorite teacher at this high school and why?
I can’t pick just one. I’ve had too many excellent teachers, each with a different lesson to teach. Mr. Streisel, my newspaper adviser, has become a true mentor after four years of being in the HiLite room almost every day. He’s not just a teacher; he’s a friend. In Honors Block, Mr. Bardos taught me to be excited about history. Miss Borto whipped my essay writing skills into top-notch shape. The sense of intellectual community from that class was just incredible. From AP Calculus BC, Mrs. Freed is truly dedicated to her students and somehow made calculus fun. Mrs. Conrad, or Mama C as we call her, has taught the Accents the art of stage presence and grace in the face of victory or defeat.
What suggestions do you have for incoming freshmen, as well as current freshmen, sophomores, and juniors?
The Pathways is the most invaluable tool you have–block out your time into hours and plan as much of your day as you can. Grades are incredibly important, yes; but don’t let scholarly achievement become your self-identity. They should reflect onto you, but you shouldn’t base your self-opinion on your performance in the classroom alone. Incoming freshmen: get ready for four of the most exhilarating, happy, rewarding years of your life. Get ready for stress, tedium, frustration and drama, too. Laugh when it gets to be too much to handle. There is life after high school. Don’t worry if not everything goes perfectly. Don’t plan your activities or coursework around what you think colleges want, or even what this distinguished graduate program wants. Do what you want for yourself. You’ll be happier in the end. And of course, don’t forget that you only take with you what you leave behind.
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