Chained to Commitments
October 9, 2007
By: Erin Lowe <elowe@hilite.org>
“I try to run every week to get back in shape for the spring season but when the season starts we practice four days a week. I love it,” rugby player and junior Mary Anne Gabinet said.
For many students, the activity they participate in is very time consuming. Some of the students want to be in the activity and some are forced to be in it. Others are not forced to stay in an activity but feel obligated for a certain reason.
Swim team member and junior Jillian Bonanne said, “I’m in swim club and on the high school swim team. I don’t really feel obligated to be in it since I enjoy and my coach, parents and other friends who are on the team influence me to stay in it.”
One of the obligations for some students is that their parents force them to join and stay in certain activities.
Other students have parents that have paid so much that they wouldn’t quit because all that money would have been a waste.
“I’m also in orchestra; I don’t really enjoy it but it’s a great leadership experience. I don’t feel obligated to be in rugby because I actually enjoy it. I feel obligated to orchestra because my parents have spent so much money on it and I have been in it since the 6th grade, also, if I quit there goes any chance of a scholarship,”Gabinet said.
These students lose a lot of their free time to the activity they are in and have to deal with balancing homework and their activity. Sometimes doing homework is forgotten or put off because they are so tired from all of the hard work they have done with their activity.
Although some students balance homework and the activity quite well, including the swim team.
“I think the best way to balance school and swimming is to use your time wisely. When you have an extra 15 minutes, study, get ahead on the weekends, use your SRT time and minimize time on the internet, playing video games and watching TV. I do think the time spent affects their grades in a very positive way. The boys and girls swim team had one of the highest athletic team GPA’s a year ago. Swimming teaches time management skills and discipline,” swim club coach Chris Plumb said.
“I spend about 24 hours a week swimming; there is practice everyday after school from 3:20 to 6:00. It affects my grades sometimes because there are times when I am just so tired I don’t get my homework. I don’t ever consider quitting because it’s not a sport that you can just quit. Overall, I like it,” Bonanne said.
According to Plumb, students spend 18 to 20 hours swimming each week. “I don’t think that anybody can force someone to join a sport they don’t want to do. I believe that swimmers are there because they want to be there and it is their choice and no one else’s.”
Most students know that the longer they are in an activity they usually get better at the activity. This can lead to a student getting a scholarship which is why many students don’t quit. Sometimes getting a scholarship is the only reason they stay in the activity.
On the other hand Gabinet said she only spends time in class on orchestra.
She said,“of course it affects my outside life by the time I spend, that’s why I spend time on it outside of school. Rugby affects my time also, but this is rugby, you don’t find people like this anywhere else. If I’m not at practice then I’m hanging out with rugby girls.”
Besides obligations to stay in an activity there is the big reason of actually liking it.
Although students may like certain activities, there are still other things that they will miss out on, which shows dedication to doing something that they love.
“I’m in swimming because I like all of the people in it and I like it, but there’s always that party that I can’t go to or a time when I can’t hang out with my friends. I’ve been in swim club since I was 8 and on the high school team since freshman year so I couldn’t just quit,” Bonanne said.
“I started playing rugby last year when I was a sophomore and I loved it. I really started because my brother played during his senior year and I played with him until I joined the team when I transferred to Carmel last year,” Gabinet said.
Eventually the hard work pays off, according to Bonanne. She said, “Swimming is hard work and it takes up a lot of time, but in the end it’s worth it when you reach your goal.”
Without the limelight, with the interest
October 9, 2007
By: Rosemary Boeglin <rboeglin@hilite.org>
FOOTBALL VIDEO MANAGER
Q. Describe what it is that you do as the video manager for football.
A. The role of the video managing crew is to film games and practices, capture them into our computers and enter them into our database. Being the senior in our film crew, I mostly oversee the other three guys that do it, but it’s a huge team effort . I’m mainly the computer and technical guy because I know how everything works, including the small details. Because I understand our equipment the most, I fix almost all of the problems that come up, decide which tools we need to add to our arsenal, and also find the most efficient ways to get everything done and put that efficiency into action. We do all of this so that the players and coaches can watch it and analyze plays, add stats and things like that. They also use it to credit players and as trade tapes, so teams can view other teams’ footage. The final part of our job is to make sure we get that same footage into a DVD or “SportsEdit” file that the coaches and players can use.
Q. What is the hardest part of your job?
A. When something doesn’t work, you have to spend hours fixing it because you have to make it work. You can’t just say, “oh well, that didn’t come on right” and move on, since this stuff is so critical.
Q. What are the advantages and disadvantages?
A. There are a lot of advantages like how I get to sit in the upper press box during games. I learn a lot of stuff, and I’m dealing with real life software that professionals use. I guess the disadvantage would be it takes about 18 to 20 hours a week minimum.
PINNACLE STAFF
Q. Describe what it is that you do on Pinnacle staff.
A. I’m a writer and I design a little bit too. I really do everything. I also have to take daily photos.
Q. What is the time commitment like for this job?
A. We have to stay after school for four hours every six weeks. On top of that you have to have time to interview and things like that outside of school. It’s a pretty big time commitment.
Q. How did you become involved in this?
A. I was on yearbook staff in middle school and then I decided to take introduction to yearbook or yearbook 1-2. I was on staff last year too; this is my second year.
Q. What is the hardest part of your job?
A. It would have to be time management because we have to get our spreads in on time. It’s not like on newspaper when you get things done for a deadline multiple times throughout the year. We have to get everything together for one yearbook. If one person is behind then all of us fall behind too.
Q. What are the advantages and downfalls of being on yearbook staff?
A. As far as advantages I feel like I know what is going on in the school, and I get to know a lot of different people from interviews. One of the disadvantages is that it can definitely be stressful at times.
TECHNICAL THEATRE CREW
Q. Describe what it is that you do in technical theatre.
A. I work on lights crew and occasionally am the light board operator for the shows.
Q. How did you become involved in this?
A. My brother was involved in it (Technical Theatre). So I decided to and began as a freshman.
Q. What is the time commitment for this activity?
A. I’m here every day after school. There’s not always specifically something to do, but I always find something.
Q. What is the hardest part of your job?
A. Definitely patience because not everything works out exactly what you need it to be, so (you’ve) just got to keep working at it until it does.
Q. What are the advantages and downfalls
A. Advantages would be that I get experience with working with technical aspects. If you can rig up a light, you can learn to use other tools. The biggest disadvantage I can think of would be time commitment.
Q. How do you receive credit for your work?
A. Typically it’s just a name in a program, maybe a head shot. Also, in International Thespian Society you can submit work and get feedback and points for it. It’s just like NHS for theatre. That also goes back to being an advantage for college.
PTO chooses not to host annual fund-raiser for media center
October 9, 2007
By: Shireen Korkzan <skorkzan@hilite.org>
For over 10 years, the PTO has held its book-shopping fund-raiser for the media center every single year, but will no longer hold this event as of this year.
Over the past few years, there has been a rather significant decline in the total amount of money earned.
Every year, the fund-raiser would be held in Barnes & Noble, but in 2005 the PTO raised $651, which was significantly lower than what had been earned in previous years, such as the year before which raised $1,101.
Last year, the PTO decided to change locations to Borders, which included the stores in Carmel, River Crossing and Castleton, but only raised $250 for the media center, the lowest total ever earned.
“I was stunned because we had always done so much better than that,” media center specialist Connie Mitchell said. “And I was puzzled – (the PTO and the media center) we’re all puzzled – why we didn’t do so well last year.”
Every year, the PTO would send advertisements among the school and around the community to shop at either Barnes & Noble or Borders on a specific day in November with a coupon handed out to them that could be used by having 10 percent of what they buy go towards the fund-raiser.
The PTO and media center mainly advertised in the parent newsletter and during morning announcements here. Such reasons for not raising as much money every year could include the frequent change in store policies and more restrictions on what can be included in the fund-raiser.
For a while, gift certificates were included in the fund-raiser, but over the last few years were not allowed because of new corporate decisions that all stored had to follow. Another reason could be that book stores, especially Borders, are now constantly giving out coupons online to members or instantly give discounts.
“I think we (the media center) understood why (the PTO) was planning on not doing this kind of fund-raiser again,” Mitchell said. “(The PTO has) put a lot into these fund-raisers and I appreciate all they have done.”
WRAP holds regular meeting today, plans bookstore trips
October 9, 2007
By: Monica Rice <mrice@hilite.org>
WRAP will have its next meeting today in media center classrooms three and four after school from 3:20 to 4:30 p.m.
“I think (WRAP is) probably just about expressing yourself,” said librarian Connie Mitchell. Mitchell is WRAP’s sponsor, but said for the most part, WRAP is run by students.
“A lot of kids help with a lot of different aspects and several kids help with each one,” Mitchell said.
The meetings are held with a coffeehouse setting in mind, creating a more intimate atmosphere for students to share their creative work. Students who enjoy expressing themselves through art, music and literature will definitely be interested in WRAP, as this is its main focus. “Anyone can be a part of WRAP, they just have to be willing to share their creativity,” said Mitchell.
Aside from regularly scheduled meetings, WRAP is also planning trips to meet authors who will be speaking at local bookstores. Students provide their own transportation to and from the bookstore. These trips are still being planned and dates have yet to be set.
Another highly anticipated event is WRAP’s Halloween variety hour, which will be held Oct. 31 in media center classrooms three and four after school. During this event, students will showcase Halloween-themed poetry, short stories and more.
Model Rocketry Club members hope to qualify for nationals
October 9, 2007
Prepare to Launch: Model Rocketry Club members sophomore Adam Wilmes and senior Michael Nanaji sand a rocket’s nose cone using a band saw and drill press. Club sponsor Thomas Maxam meets with students every Wednesday after school in room B207 to construct rockets for future competitions. It’s not too late to join, Maxam said. In 2003, the club won 17th in a national competition, and the members hope to qualify for nationals again this year. Additional plans include visiting the Wright-Patterson Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio.
Lifelines Club sponsors Red Ribbon Week
October 9, 2007
By: Sam Watermeier <swatermeier@hilite.org>
In the last week of October, some students may take a vow of silence and wear Grim Reaper T-shirts. This is not a way of celebrating Halloween, however. This is an activity sponsored by Lifelines.
Hena Ahmed, Lifelines president and senior, said, “During the Grim Reaper activity, students go all day without speaking and wear Grim Reaper shirts as a way of recognizing all of the deaths caused by alcohol-related car crashes.”
The Grim Reaper activity will be one of the many activities that occur during Red Ribbon Week, though the club is still deciding if it will be an event or not this year. Red Ribbon Week is sponsored by Lifelines and will last from Oct. 23 through Oct. 31.
In terms of all of the different activities that will occur during Red Ribbon Week, Ahmed said, “There will be door judging where each SRT class decorates its door in a way that is anti-drug and alcohol related. The SRT that has the best door will win a pizza or Chipotle party.”
This is just one part of an even larger goal the Lifelines Club wishes to accomplish.
Lifelines sponsor Rebekah Overbey, who serves as a “go-between” to the administration and students, explained the overall goal for Lifelines.
Overbey said, “The ultimate goal is to empower students to make a positive difference in the lives of their peers and to promote student leadership in the community.”
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