issue 10
DESCRIPTION
The tenth issue of the Mill Stream's 09-10 school yearTRANSCRIPT
mill stream05.14.2010
v41.10
Meet thePresidents
pg 12
Crowdingat the Mill
pg 8&9
Best slushfor your
buckpg 6
PerfectPutting
pg 15
www.mill-stream.org
Photo Illustration by J. Klave
18111 Cumberland Rd. Noblesville, IN 46060
Sometime during eighth grade, I was told that high school would be, quite literally, the highlight of my life. I had my doubts, but in anticipa-tion of four years of bliss, I took the woman’s word for it. But as a senior nearing graduation, let me say this: If this is the highlight of my life, I don’t want to live anymore.
Overall, I can’t complain about my experience. I’ve been fortunate enough not to fail a single class, get caught without a hall pass, or have a run-in with Officer Crask. I’ve only had one random drug test. It was clean.
I made a few friends, joined a few clubs, and wrote a few good papers. I went to some musicals, won some awards, and had some experiences.
Yep. It sure was a party. Gosh, I’m so lucky I got to experience it.
Sarcastic much? You betchya.Someone, please enlighten me. Is
this seriously what I was supposed to be so excited about?
I spent freshman and sophomore year social, happy, and involved. My peak probably coincided with being asked by my eternal crush to join Croquet Club, the then-secretive so-ciety of writers orga-nized by Mr. Kenley. Within that group, I found my own con-text, friends I actu-ally enjoyed spend-ing time with, and things to do on the weekends.
And then during junior year, I was faced with the reality that all my friends had graduated, school was
hard, and I had to start actually worrying about college. I fainted. I got a C on my research paper. I pulled all-nighters. I was forced to forge more than a few signatures.
This year has been remarkably better, but only because I’ve had college to look forward to and I can’t muster up the responsibility to
actually do my home-work at home. I spend my nights doing things I want to do. On the weekends, I get to for-
get about the bleak halls of our be-
loved school altogether.Now that we only have two more
weeks to suffer through, I find my-self looking forward to school sim-ply because I’ll get to tick another day off on my official countdown. Sometimes, I’m surprised I’ve made it this far. And I know I’m not the only one. I can’t be.
To my underclassmen friends: I hope you like school. If you’re where I was last year, know that the end is closer than it feels. In the mean time, best of luck. I’ll provide encouraging hugs, pats on the back, coping strat-egies, and mediocre baked goods to anyone who needs them.
To my fellow seniors: We’ve ar-rived. Let’s hope college (or whatev-er your post-Noblesville life will be) isn’t as overrated as high school.
Mill Stream is published by Block 6 journalism students and distributed free of charge. The staff will publish 10 issues during the 2009-2010 school year.
Mill Stream is a student newspaper, run for students, by students. We provide a public forum to serve as an outlet for student ideas and opinions; we work as an agent for change and provide cred-ible, objective reporting to inform, entertain, educate the reader and better serve the reader.
We welcome both signed letters to the editor and guest columns, which cannot exceed 350 words in length.
Mill Stream reserves the right to correct grammatical errors and
ask for the author’s assistance in editing. Mill Stream will not print letters that attack individuals or that contain obscene language. Let-ters may be submitted to room 137, the Mill Stream mailbox located in the commons or via www.mill-stream.org.
The staff reserves the right to reject advertisements that are political in nature, false, promote illegal substances to minors, mis-leading, harmful, or not in the best interest of its readers.
Mill Stream is a member of the Indiana High School Press Asso-ciation.
Mill
Str
eam
Pol
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18111 Cumberland Rd. Noblesville IN, 46060
2 opinion Mill Stream05.14.2010
Dianne Oslandeditor-in-chief
Nathan Brownproduction editor
Kelsey Ploofbusiness manager
Gabriella Guyfeatures editor
Hannah Davisopinion editor
Jayde Klavephotography editor/circulation manager
Phoebe DavisHannah Watsonphotographers
Navar Watsonartist/cartoonist
Sarah BoyumBrittany BurkhalterAlex GookinsBri HandyZach HopperJace HodsonJenna LarsonPaige Owenswriters
Katie Souderssports editor
Molly CrumpMatthew Loriaco-web editors
Krista Shieldsadviser
2009-2010Mill Stream Staff [the way we see it]
Mill Stream staff editorial
For the past few weeks, everyone from parents to teachers to students has been discussing the referenda. What would happen if they passed? What would happen if they didn’t? Now that the votes have been cast and tallied, at least we now know that the referenda have passed.
What this means for Noblesville Schools is that $5 million of the funds that was going to be cut will now be replaced. The money from the refer-enda will pay for teachers’ salaries, insurance cost increases, and building improvements, as well as make up for some of the budget and funding re-ductions that we are facing.
One of the most important factors the referenda will address is the lack of space in the school district. As more people move to Noblesville, in large part for the school system, class sizes are exploding, and the schools are running out of room. With the referenda in place, we will be able to expand our schools to fit both the growing numbers of students and their educa-tional needs, in addition to continuing to be able to support both curricular
and extracurricular programs.Though the passing of the referenda is immensely beneficial, that doesn’t
mean we won’t have to make cuts. The funds raised from the referenda won’t cover all of the cost increases, so budget cuts will still have to be made to make up for the higher costs that schools now face: a larger staff, more students, and more complications.
However, the quality of education is incredibly important in Noblesville Schools, and thanks to all those who voted “yes” on the referenda, we will be able to uphold that quality. Despite the fact that there will be budget cuts, they will fortunately be nowhere near as severe as they would be if hadn’t passed.
The Mill Stream staff is grateful that the referenda were approved, and we wholeheartedly believe that the increases in taxes used to raise its fund-ing are well worth the public’s costs to keep our schools strong.
Hannah [email protected]
Good night, and good luck
Is it so terrible for a high school student to love all things elemen-tary-- blowing bubbles, glittery gel pens, Dis-ney movies, neon nail polish…and now Silly Bandz? I think not.
When I discovered Silly Bandz, it’s safe to say I spazzed a little. Alright, maybe a lot.
I was beyond ex-cited. I mean, rubber bands in the shapes of animals, people, in-struments, food, shoes, letters? Talk about rad.
Now it seems like they’re all people can think about. Look around a classroom, and I guarantee that most people
are wearing at least one. I have a pack of zoo animals.
My little sister was super jealous when she saw it. “YOU have those? Ev-eryone at school has those!” Tell me about it, kid.
I took her to look for some of her own that day. We tried a CVS and two Wal-greens stores, and they were all sold out. My sister was upset and I was…well, surprised. The fact that these are so popular just shocked me. They’re
not Jonas Brothers tickets, for cry-
ing out loud, they’re shaped rubber bands! But when I thought about it, I could see the appeal. I’d take a rub-ber band cowboy boot over a Jonas Brothers concert any day.
When my sister finally found some Silly Bandz at a gas station a few days later, there were swarms of children sorting through the packs of stars, microphones, and dino-saurs.
They were eventually banned at my sister’s elementary school for being a distraction to the learning process. I won’t try to pretend like I haven’t caught myself playing with them in the middle of tests before. They don’t exactly help me stay on task.
You can shake your head all you want, but high school students are guilty, too. I hear, “Oh, which one
is that?” at least once a day. Then, factor in the fact that people legiti-mately trade them with each other, and you’ve got yourself a school-wide fad. As far as trends go, I’m definitely down with this.
There are still some haters out there, though. Yes, nonconformists, I’m talking to you. Either stand there indignantly or lighten up. I guess it really doesn’t matter to me.
Call me ridiculous. Immature. Whatever. It’s fun to connect with your inner child every once in a while, and with school winding down and finals coming up, I think everyone could use something juve-nile and simplistic.
So maybe I rock a rubber hippo on my wrist. It’s all in the name of fun.
In a scant couple of weeks, the class of 2010 will receive their di-plomas and, after a sum-mer split uncomfortably between anticipation and nervousness, head off to their first semester of col-lege. Scores of classes have done so before them and untold will after, including me, a member of the class of 2008.
I’ve spent the last two years at college, which – to me at least – makes me qual-ified to offer a few pieces of advice to this year’s seniors, as well as those of the next few classes. I’ve been at a small liberal arts college, so not all of my experience has
been typical, but I can assure you that the following will be true of al-
most anywhere you might find yourself.
Attend class: This might seem a little silly, but at college, un-like high school, nobody is there to force you to attend class. In fact, most pro-fessors will give you a couple of absences no questions asked. It’s not the end
of the world if you miss a class
for one reason or another. It is how-ever impossible to replicate the class you missed and far more dif-ficult to catch up – especially if you miss multiple classes – than it was in high school.
Choose professors, not courses: One of my Noblesville teachers gave me this bit of advice, but it took me a se-mester to appreciate it fully. In col-lege – as in high school – teachers vary widely in both style and quali-ty. Unlike high school, however, you have much more freedom to choose whose classes you take. Talk to old-er students or read the comments on a site like www.ratemyprofessors.com to see which ones you think would best suit your learning style.
Go to lunch alone: Meeting new people is one of the most enjoyable
facets of starting college, especially if you go to a smaller school, where there are far fewer familiar faces. Going to meals alone forces you to get to know someone you recognize from your class, or your dorm, or maybe you just think might be in-teresting. You probably won’t end up being friends with all, or even most, of them, but you will form a few great friendships.
Relax, you’re ready: No matter how you feel about it right now, Nobles-ville does a very good job of prepar-ing its students academically for college. For most people the social transition is much more difficult than the academic one, so as long as you use what you’ve acquired in your time here, you should be just fine.
Jenna [email protected]
?saywhat
Eavesdroppingat its funniest
3opinionMill Stream05.14.2010
“I did too get tan! I used to be the color of snow...now I’m the color of sand.”-Athletic Hallway
“There are only two kids in our school who could pull that off, and they’re both me.”-English Hallway
“You look like the kind of guy that would go backpack-ing naked.-Jr./Sr. Cafeteria
“We finish each other’s sandwiches.”-Statistics
“I wear the longer shorts in this rela-tionship.”-Art Hallway
“I only date male crocodiles.”-Cafeteria
“My sister has al-ways been a man.”-Cafeteria
“If you sing in the hallway, you will have friends.”-Student Services
“Thou shalt have fresh breath. That should be the 11th commandment.”-Cafeteria
“Jello makes me feel like I have no legs.-U.S. History
Going silly for Silly Bandz
Zachary Mooreguest columnist
Take some advice
4 reviews Mill Stream05.14.2010
Matt [email protected]
Most people see Jacob Hunt as a freak, a nerd, or even a jerk, but not many know of his true medical background. Jacob, the main character in Jodi Picoult’s House Rules, had been diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, a form of autism, at an early age.
Those with Asperger’s are classified as socially awkward people, but it goes farther than just any old person outside of a clique. People with Asperger’s tend to develop an intense fascination with a single topic that appeals to them. Unfortu-nately, Jacob’s love is in forensic science.
Jacob’s fascination with forensic science is the reason he owns a police scanner and the reason he arrives at a murder scene. When Jacob is confronted about the murder, his Asperger’s leads to his arrest. He is questioned, and because of his Asperger’s, he does not cope well with social contact. When the police interrogate him he avoids eye contact, twitches and quotes lines from popular Hollywood films, all of which make him look as if he committed the murder.
As the novel progresses, all evidence begins to point towards Jacob, and his condition makes him look even guiltier. His mother desperately hires the first attorney she can find. This evolves into yet another conflict when the reader finds out that the lawyer isn’t very well qualified for such a case.
Picoult provides the reader with a different look at the justice system and its ability to judge fairly. The novel provides an incredibly well thought-out conflict, with different forms of family conflict, and even a romance.
The book is broken up into different characters’ viewpoints of different events. Jacob, his brother, mother, attorney, and the police officer that initially arrested Jacob are all chronicled within the novel. What was most perturbing was when Picoult wrote from Jacob’s viewpoint.
Jacob knows he has Asperger’s, and he knows he doesn’t fit in very well. My problem with his text is that he is extremely self-aware. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for Jacob and to feel like I’d be his friend, but if he is truly so aware of his actions and thoughts, then I don’t believe he would have acted the way he did.
Another downfall with the novel is its very un-Picoult-esque ending. Every Picoult book I have read (so far) has an incredible twist of fate and conflict in its ending. In House Rules I figured out the murder mystery halfway through the novel. I merely assumed that I would be wrong because Picoult would dramatically flip the entire case upside down with a classy touch of “Picoultism.” But I came to find out that I was right all along, which was a major disappointment.
If you have never read Picoult, then you will most likely enjoy the novel, but after reading her other novels, you may not think so highly of it.
It all began with Benjamin Bernthal, his great-grandma’s ukulele, and his dead uncle’s autoharp, a man with a guitar, a man with a trumpet, and a man with a saw. Yep, you read correctly. A saw.
Indianapolis-based Accordions, born out of Bern-thal’s life-long obsession for song writing, is an amalgamation of crusty lyrics, Beirut-esque instru-mentation-- complete with mandolins and tambou-rine-- and naive sincerity. Bernthal’s wordy lyricism is romantic and sentimental, not sappy sweet. Owl City could learn a thing or two from this tweed-clad, bearded, and bespectacled group of guys.
For the enthusiasts of The Decemberists, Arrah and the Ferns, and Neutral Milk Hotel, Accordions provides a new point of interest. Listen to their new album, Hope for the Best, for free and find purchas-ing information at www.myspace.com/accordions-band.
Hannah [email protected]
Photo from www.musicalfamilytree.net
Jodi Picoult is an acclaimed author of a considerable number of novels. Her newest piece of work, titled House Rules, is focused on a central character that is not an average eighteen-year-old boy. Instead, Jacob Hunt is an extremely brilliant individual with Asperger’s Syndrome (AS). This disease is a form of autism that causes him to be introduced to several difficult situations that he would otherwise not face.
Jacob has a strong fascination with forensic analysis. He shows up at crime scenes and has the ability to solve the case before the police. When Jacob is accused of a terrible murder that occurred in his town, he has to endure months and months of constant change and accusation from everyone in his community. AS makes Jacob display certain behaviors like not looking someone in the eye, stimulatory tics and twitches, and the flat affect (in which he lacks emotional re-sponse to situations). All of these behaviors make Jacob look like a guilty culprit.
This novel is a little over 530 pages. It starts off extremely strong and develops a clear image of the story. Jodi Picoult is great at illustrating a scene through her words. The book is written in the perspectives of the different characters, giving you an outlook on how they all view the conflict at hand.
I have not read any of Picoult’s other books; however, I am more than inclined to pick a few of them up. I could not put this book down after starting it.
The story gave a great insight into the inner workings of the justice system. I learned much about the legal system and how a courtroom operates just by reading this story. Not to mention, I learned a lot about people who suffer from Asperger’s Syndrome.
The only negative comment I have for the book is the ending. Picoult ended the story in an odd way. I didn’t feel like the story was over when the pages ran out.
Overall, Jodi Picoult’s newest bestseller is a fine creation.
Katie [email protected]
Two sides of the same story
Photo from www.jodipicoult.com
Accordions
5advertisementsMill Stream05.14.2010
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6 reviews Mill Stream05.14.2010
There may be no gas station more prolifical-ly located in and around good ol’ Noblesville than Speedway. Although it is, in most regards, the go-to place for summertime refreshment, save your slushie fund for somewhere else. These freezes are tasty, yes, but they lack the panache of others. Muted and more sugary than satisfying, at $1.18 for a 32-ounce, you’ll get more bang for your buck in the cloying, syrupy (although slightly more expensive) nir-vana of a Circle K ICEE.
Flavors: Blue Raspberry, Cherry, Mountain Dew, CokePrice: $1.18 for a 32-ozSnow to Ice Cube Ratio: 3 (not too smooth, not too rocky)
1176 S. 10th St.Noblesville, IN
Circle K, the third largest convenient store chain in the United States, sells some pretty darn award winning slush-ies. During my last visit, while looking over the rainbow of flavors, I quickly grabbed a 24 ounce cup and start lay-ing the syrupy slush. With the squeak of a plastic straw, my mouth was immediately bombarded with the flavor of ripe cherries: perfectly sweet, but not sickening. There was never that icky syrup residue at the bottom of the cup, either. And thanks to the Styrofoam cup guaranteeing my slushie a long life, I enjoyed it for hours. If you’re looking for something to quench your childhood thirst, take a trip to Circle K.
Flavors: Cherry, Blue Raspberry, Grape, Mountain DewPrice: $1.50 for 24 ozSnow to Ice Cube Ratio: 3 (not too smooth, not too rocky)
9510 E 126th St.Fishers, IN
The newest gas station in Noblesville, Crystal Flash, is taking the 317 by storm with it’s deliciously divine ICEEs. These slushies glide down your thirsty palate with the utmost ease. Instead of separating into those awful white glaciers and puddles of soda, the ICEE slowly melts, while maintaining its consistency. I tried the Coke slushie, and it captured the classic flavor without overdoing it.
A benefit to buying a slushie at Crystal Flash is the wide variety of flavors. Instead of the typical 50/50 choice of Coke or Mountain Dew, there are also a few flavors of Fanta, for the fruit soda connoisseur. All the flavors are worth try-ing, and none of them are your generic red-dye-number-40 slushies. On the flipside, you get a lot less slush for your money than you would somewhere else. Overall, I’d recom-mend these to any slushie fan; what you lack in size you get back in taste and quality, even long after your frozen delicacy has melted.
Flavors: Coke, Mountain Dew, Blue Raspberry, Orange Price: $1.39 for a regularSnow to Ice Cube Ratio: 2 (pretty smooth)
146th St. and 37Noblesville, IN
Conveniently located off 37 and in close proximity of the school, Valero is the perfect stop if you’re in the mood for a nice, cool after-school slushie.
The two flavor choices include Mountain Dew and blue cherry. Each not overpower-ingly sugary, but are sweet enough for a good rounded slushie taste. Unlike other gas sta-tions that offer slushies, Valero’s slushies pro-vide the happy medium of ice-to-syrup ratio; there’s no need to fiddle your straw to find the syrup nor will you need to go fishing for the ice chunks.
Basically, the many gas stations around town are just not up to par. Even though others may provide more flavors, Valero provides the best of the lot. Also, the two flavors can easily be combined to create a delicious concoction of the blue cherry and the lemon lime from the Mountain Dew.
Flavors: Blue cherry, Mountain DewPrice: $1.39 for a regularSnow to Ice Cube Ratio: 2 (pretty smooth)
2995 Conner StNoblesville, IN
Valero
Ice cold slurpin’ in Noblesville
Speedway Crystal Flash
Circle KGabby [email protected]
Hannah [email protected]
Molly [email protected]
Phoebe [email protected]
Photo illustration by H. Davis
7advertisementMill Stream05.14.2010
Mill Stream09.03.2007
8 the focus 05.14.2010
Here in Room 137, we would prefer not to send our seniors off, but seeing as we have no choice, we’ll “send you off” with the regards of champions. The Mill Stream will always remember the mark you left, but as a bird leaves its nest, we must too watch as you leave ours. Pretty soon, you’ll develop your own place in the world, but if it ever feels as if it’s too much to bare, remember the times in room 137: the stay-after days, the deadline days, and distribution days. Remember the laughs and the friendships that were shared while on staff, and remember that the Mill Stream can always be called home.
Senior Send-offDianne Osland, editor-in-chief
Gabriella Guy, features editor
Bri Handy. writer
Nathan Brown, production editor
Paige Owens, writer
Hannah Davis, opinion editor
Molly Crump, co-web editor
Kelsey Ploof, business manager
Sarah Boyum, writer
Summer is quickly approaching and students are seizing the opportunity and making plans on how they will spend their vacation. Some student’s simply plan on sleeping in and lying by the pool, but others have fas-cinating ideas on how they will devote their two months of free time.
A Trip To AlaskaLast summer, Junior Russ Goodwin and his cousin drove all the way from Indiana to Alaska. They spent
seven days driving and five days in Alaska. They pulled over into campsites and slept in the truck most nights, but slept in tents once and a hotel once as well.
“I found out two weeks before we left that I was going, my cousin had a route planned and that was about it. I brought $1,000 and came back with about $150,” Russ said.
On the drive there they listened to music the entire time and took a bunch of pictures. “We took a pass through the Rocky Mountains, it was amazing. A couple of time we had to stop and wait
for moose to cross the road, and there were bears along the side of the road. The night that we stayed in tents we were in the Bad Lands and when we woke up there were buffalos surrounding our tents,” Goodwin said.
With this trip under his belt, Russ is inspired to go on another crazy journey this summer. During this vaca-tion Russ plans to drive his cousins, sister, and girlfriend to Oregon.
“Were going to do a round trip stopping at my uncle’s house. My sister and I have been to Oregon many times and we love it there,” Goodwin said.
The Bucket ListJuniors Bryce Campbell and John Gangnon along with friends senior Ben Lacy and sophomore Matt Brad-
burn have made it their goal to successfully finish an entire list of crazy things they came up with. “We have made a bucket list containing all of the events that will make this summer the best summer ever.
We have things like spending a few days in the wilderness without supplies, breaking a world record, having
Ah, the joys of graduation. The shiny black gowns, the wriggling tassels attached to hair-mashing caps. The oratories that inspire those who assemble in the folding chairs on the basketball court, the occasional toot of a proud parent’s air horn. The relatives, the celebration, the… limited seating? Indeed, the limited seating.
This year – in order to accommodate all the gradu-ates, along with their families and friends – each senior will receive seven tickets for their personal fan section at the graduation ceremony, which will be held in the gym. Upon receiving these tickets, the seniors may ei-ther utilize them all for their own posse, or they may give their tickets away to those with a rather large num-ber of relatives set on seeing their niece/grandson/dis-tant cousin walk the stage and grab that diploma.
However, Great Aunt Bertha shouldn’t worry too much about the allotted amount of tickets available, be-cause attendees will also have the opportunity to watch the ceremony on the big screen in the auditorium with-out a ticket.
As of last year, the auditorium had not maxed out
Rising graduating class numbers proves problem for seating
Juniors unveil plans to make summer ‘10 the best and most exciting yet as they prepare for senior yearKatie [email protected]
Junior Russ Goodwin Juniors Bryce Campbell and John Gangnon
the focus 905.14.2010
Summer is quickly approaching and students are seizing the opportunity and making plans on how they will spend their vacation. Some student’s simply plan on sleeping in and lying by the pool, but others have fas-cinating ideas on how they will devote their two months of free time.
A Trip To AlaskaLast summer, Junior Russ Goodwin and his cousin drove all the way from Indiana to Alaska. They spent
seven days driving and five days in Alaska. They pulled over into campsites and slept in the truck most nights, but slept in tents once and a hotel once as well.
“I found out two weeks before we left that I was going, my cousin had a route planned and that was about it. I brought $1,000 and came back with about $150,” Russ said.
On the drive there they listened to music the entire time and took a bunch of pictures. “We took a pass through the Rocky Mountains, it was amazing. A couple of time we had to stop and wait
for moose to cross the road, and there were bears along the side of the road. The night that we stayed in tents we were in the Bad Lands and when we woke up there were buffalos surrounding our tents,” Goodwin said.
With this trip under his belt, Russ is inspired to go on another crazy journey this summer. During this vaca-tion Russ plans to drive his cousins, sister, and girlfriend to Oregon.
“Were going to do a round trip stopping at my uncle’s house. My sister and I have been to Oregon many times and we love it there,” Goodwin said.
The Bucket ListJuniors Bryce Campbell and John Gangnon along with friends senior Ben Lacy and sophomore Matt Brad-
burn have made it their goal to successfully finish an entire list of crazy things they came up with. “We have made a bucket list containing all of the events that will make this summer the best summer ever.
We have things like spending a few days in the wilderness without supplies, breaking a world record, having
my friend jump over me on a dirt bike, make a music video, gorilla bathroom gag (basically I will dress up like a gorilla and go in the Steak’n Shake bathroom making grotesque noises), playing music in the streets for money, and staying up for five days,” Gangnon said.
“Our inspiration is pretty much the fact that this is our last summer together because of college,” Campbell said.
Conquering It AllTwo students have the idea of conquering land, sea, and air. Having already conquered water, juniors Ryan
Ferguson and Austin Thomas are setting their sights on air and land. Where did this idea originate? “When I took the SAT, Austin Thomas was like, ‘Hey, I want a canoe,’ and I thought to myself, hey, I can do
that. So I decided to do it over Spring Break and surprise him. It took me three days. The first day, I spent twelve hours on it, the second day I spent five to six hours, and only two hours on the third day. I used marine-grade wood, boater’s resin, and epoxy. I took the canoe out in water and it worked,” Ferguson said.
To conquer land Ferguson plans to fix-up a car with his friend senior James Willman. “To conquer air we’re going to try to build a hot air balloon in my garage. All we need is some impermeable
fabric, a basket, something to hold me, and lots and lots of fire. Those are the basic ingredients, so how hard could it be?” Ferguson said.
Take me to FranceJunior Abby Fink applied for the IU Honors program in foreign language for a chance to travel abroad this
summer and stay with a host family for six in-a-half weeks. After taking a test to apply, she received word on March 15 through an email that she was accepted and would be spending the summer in France.
“When I told my parents I wanted to go, I don’t think they believed me at first,” Fink said. The trip costs $4500 and lasts from June 9-July 24. She cannot speak English while she is there and has to at-
tend IU classes. Fink has tried some creative ways to get ready for her trip. “I’ve been trying to get French music to listen to while I’m there since I can’t listen to mine,” Fink said.
its full seating capacity at graduation (600-700 people). However, many wonder what will happen when the graduating class will have a population too large to hold the ceremony within the walls of Noblesville High School.
Rumor says the ceremony would transfer to Verizon Wireless Music Center.
“Ain’t gonna happen,” principal Annetta Petty said. “Holding the ceremony at Verizon puts it at the mercy of the elements: it might be too hot, too cold, or rainy.”
Petty also mentioned that her conversations with the heads at other high schools such as Carmel and Ham-ilton Southeastern have taught her that this particular location creates problems. However, weather does not represent the only obstacle to hurdle at Verizon – mon-ey poses another issue. One year, Fishers and HSE paid $6,000 dollars total to rent out the site; Carmel once rented it for $9,000.
How about the football field?Petty notes that Hare Chevrolet Field seats less
people than the gymnasium. And, if the ceremony was held there, rehearsals would have to take place not only on the field, but also in the gymnasium – once again in case of increment weather.
So Verizon and Hare Chevrolet Field are out of the question. What now?
Petty said that the school has, rather than stake out a brand new location, focused on rearranging the place-ment of the chairs/stage/orchestra and band on the gym floor in a way that increases available seating, at least for the graduates.
Such rearranging could include moving the gradu-ate seating to the back and on the sides of the gym floor; it could also include moving the band/orchestra to the balcony area – or really, the indoor track above the bas-ketball court.
Petty is concerned that moving the music folk up-stairs might negatively affect the acoustics available for the musicians, but, “I’d rather have the sound suffer than lose the live music entirely,” Petty said.
Noblesville Schools’ population continues to boom, but for now, the graduation ceremony held at NHS isn’t going to bust.
“Visually, the ceremony is really neat,” Petty said. “It’s an overall good experience.”
Photo by H. Watson
The gymasium seating capacity is estimated at 3,940 people and in years past has been full or nearly full for graduation ceremonies. Overflow has now been taken into the audito-rium.
Rising graduating class numbers proves problem for seating
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School’s out for
SummerJuniors unveil plans to make summer ‘10 the best and most exciting yet as they prepare for senior year
Katie [email protected]
Junior Abby FinkJunior Ryan FergusonJuniors Bryce Campbell and John Gangnon
10 advertisement Mill Stream05.14.2010
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Endless all-nighters, last minute cram sessions, and trying to survive finals fill up most high school careers. Many par-ents lecture students about how high school is so important for the future, be sure not to screw up.
Several students will slack off in high school, getting along with the mini-mum requirements. Some will go out all weekend and attempt to complete that pre-calculus problem or AP Chemistry lab the block before it is due.
But more often than not, students will fill up their schedules with study-ing showdowns and extra credit.
“Junior year was tough academically, but continually making good grades helped me achieve my ‘you’re in’ accep-tance letter from Indiana University,” senior Aubrey McMahon said.
A few things students should expect in their junior year could include read-ing numerous novels (Huckleberry Finn, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, Death of
a Salesman); countless nights doing pag-es of pre-calculus or Algebra 2; studying up for your physics, AP Chemistry, or AP Biology; and loads of preparations for blue books in AP US History, current junior students report.
“I was sick a lot junior year, but I worked really hard in my core classes,” senior Taylor Coonce said. “Because of that, I was able to have a 3.5 GPA, which got me three scholarships to Hunting-ton University. If I had just given up, I wouldn’t have gotten into the music program, and I wouldn’t have been able to afford it.”
According to guidance counselor Alan MacDonald, the average GPA for the current freshman class at Indiana University is between a 3.4 and 3.8. In a student’s junior year, classes get more challenging due to the increase in hon-ors and AP classes, so studying habits must change to obtain students’ full potential, MacDonald explained. The current Noblesville junior class’s top ten percent has GPAs of 3.88 and higher.
11featuresMill Stream05.14.2010
Alex [email protected]
Junior year requires more effort and time for success in class
Students participate in Mayfest
“Single ladies” dancers, seniorsEmily Albright, Aubrey McMahon,
Abbey Carich, Taylor Blankenship, Ra-chel Johnson
“We didn’t want to sing individu-ally so we decided to do the ‘Single Ladies’ dance to showcase our fun and sassy personalities. Come and watch!”
Orchestra member, sophomore
Renee Cunningham“All three orchestras
will be on the stage play-ing ‘I Dreamed a Dream’, ‘Viva La Vida’, and ‘Pi-rates of the Carribean.’ The stage is going to be pretty full.”
For more information on Mayfest visit www.mill-stream.org.
MAYFEST ScheduleSaturday, May 15
Bands - 9:30 am (Auditorium)Choirs - 12 pm (Auditorium)Orchestras - 5 pm (Auditorium)Guitar - 9:30 am-4:30 pm (LGI)Piano Senior Solos - 9:30 am (Commons)Jazz Band - 11 am (Commons)Guard & Drumline - 12 pm (Gym)Choir Senior Solos - 10 am (Jr/Sr Cafe)Improv - 12 pm (Jr/Sr Cafe)Speech - 1 pm (Jr/Sr Cafe)Open Mic - 1:30 pm (Jr/Sr Cafe)Theater - 10 am (401)
12 features Mill Stream05.14.2010
Student Government election results are in!
Presidential Meet and Greet
Sophomore Class President & Vice PresidentKelsey Sigman and Sydney Toschlog
Junior Class Vice President & PresidentPayton Moore and Zach Hopper
Senior Class President & Vice PresidentTanner Watson and Jake Boxberger
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Student Body Vice President & PresidentSydney Grant and Will Grabb
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Sarah [email protected]
Junior Will Grabb didn’t trust any-body.
So he ran for student body president in order to take matters into his own hands.
“That might sound egotistical,” Grabb said, “but it’s true. In our class, there’s no one else who’s had the same experience with Student Government that I have over the years. I know what it takes, and I know the seriousness of the position. I figured if anyone can handle the job and all the re-quirements, it would be me.”
Grabb thought he had what it took. And so did the student body. After the April 28 election, Grabb, along with running mate junior Sydney White were elected to lead the student body in the next school year.
The team’s stance is centered on voic-ing the opinions of every person in the school, no matter how small.
“Will and I want to help our school out by having people’s opinions voiced. Both of us know how bad it is to sit with a problem you can’t fix, so we want to do anything we can to help out the students at NHS,” White said.
The two have been friends for awhile, White said, and decided they’d make a good team. Grabb recognized White’s po-
tential as a partner from the get-go.“I chose Sydney because I’ve known
[her] for years and I know that I can count on her to do her share of the workload, keep a level head, and stay focused on what needs to be done.”
In order to gain the votes of their class-mates, Grabb and White used a variety of advertising techniques to showcase their campaign. Posters and television ads helped them communicate with the stu-dent body. The posters were styled after World War II propaganda posters because, “first, I love Uncle Sam and second, we were studying WWII at the time,” Grabb said.
Keeping with the WWII theme, Grabb even hosted a fireside chat, based loosely on those given by Franklin Roosevelt dur-ing his presidency, and aired it on the an-nouncements during the school day. This ad was very successful and it gave Grabb the chance to “introduce [himself] to peo-ple he didn’t know in a good light, show-ing that... he wants next year to be fun,” White said.
Grabb also mentioned wanting to “ac-complish the things [he’s] always thought Student Body president should do.” He plans to listen, improve the school, DJ, and dances. Anything “in his power” to help the student voices be heard .
13featuresMill Stream05.14.2010
Parking gets territorial
The Referenda get real
A dream, a hope, an aspiration. For many, the referendum has been just this, but it is now May 14 and the vote for both the operating and the building referenda have passed in landslide votes. Most people know that they passed, but the question on everyone’s mind is what are they going to do for us?
Many have different points of view on whether or not they are good, but the effects that they will have on the schools and the com-munity will be vast.
In addition to many teachers’ jobs being saved, there will also be many additions to the existing schools.
First, the operating referendum will take ef-fect. “It will hopefully give more room to call back some of the teachers we’ve laid off, which means that we should be able to keep the class-es students have signed up for and keep class sizes at reasonable levels,” principal Annetta Petty said.
The building referendum will also help the district, but not right away, and most of the changes will occur at lower levels than the high school.
“Nothing will happen in the near future. Building needs are more urgent in lower grades. There will be additions and renovations to el-ementary schools and to make the intermedi-ate school a middle school. We physically need more space to put the kids. We would have to
spend thousands of dollars on temporary class-rooms throughout the district,” Petty said.
There will, however, be some renovations made to the high school through these refer-enda, mostly in the health and wellness area. There will be more classroom space for health classes and an expanded weight room.
Also, many do not realize that the school ran out of sports lockers this year. There will be ad-ditions made to the weight rooms to account for the growth in numbers using the locker rooms.
In addition, the most immediate impact for the high school will be more science labs on the west side of the building. In Noblesville, almost every single student takes chemistry or physics at some point, so these classes are an absolute necessity.
The fine arts classes are also valued in the school system. Teachers and students alike enoy these electives. “I think in the long run, it will save jobs and it will save the fine arts. It makes our school more enjoyable to have these classes,” junior Jonathan Chaudion said.
To many, these may seem necessities, but some do not believe that the referenda are good for our community.
“I’m not happy about them passing, because there will be much higher taxes that our fami-lies will have to pay,” sophomore Aysha Ahmed said.
Regardless of whether they are good or bad, they are happening, and it is a fact that must be accepted. In the long run, they will affect our school district, and the length and the nature of these effects will present themselves.
Students driving to school every day un-doubtedly find a routine when it comes to the parking process. It is natural for everyone to park in the same area each day because, when it comes to school, teenagers are creatures of habit. But where is the line between being caught in pattern and becoming territorial?
Perhaps some students have blurred this line by claiming one particular spot as their own.
“I park in the same spot every single day,” senior Kelsy Browne said. “I’ve done it since the beginning of my junior year and hate it when someone takes my spot.”
Even though there may be no physical marker indicating personal ownership, there is no lack of emotional attachment when it comes to certain students and their parking spots.
“I used to park in the front by the handicap spots, and one day someone decided to fill up two parking spots. There was anger,” senior Taylor Coonce said.
Sharing Coonce’s anger when her spot is taken is senior Shannon King. According to King there have been times when she has ar-rived to school a little late to find another car
in her favorite spot. “I got really angry and left a note saying that it was my spot,” King said.
Senior Ryan Gamble arrived to school ear-lier than usual one morning and decided to take advantage of the closer parking opportu-nities. “I apparently parked in someone else’s spot and messed up some group’s parking pattern. They left a note on my windshield so that I wouldn’t park there again,” Gamble said.
Territorial parking can range from reason-able to extreme cases. Senior Colin Hanson, though not claiming the same spot each day does at least hope his spot remains vacant while he is at lifeguarding. “I always get mad when I leave to lifeguard and someone takes my spot,” Hanson said.
Perhaps it is habit, or an inherent need for structure. Maybe territorial parking habits are concentrated in the senior class because of a feeling of endowment derived from being the oldest. Whatever the cause, this is a seri-ous matter to some students sharing our lots.
Wherever students may choose to park, all is fair game, and regardless of preferences, the spots are always first come, first serve. Not including the spots on the circle, of course.
Office Jim Crask warned, “I move around a lot and check the circle spots very often, so students shouldn’t park there.”
Do you park in the same area every day? YES NO If so, do you park in the same spot every day?
YES NO
**Survey taken from 56 students during lunch **
Kelsey [email protected]
Zach [email protected]
Final Exam ScheduleMonday, May 24
Tuesday, May 25
Wednesday, May 26
BLOCK TIMES INFO
BLOCK TIMES INFO
BLOCK TIMES INFO
2467
ReviewReviewReview
Final Exam
Final ExamFinal ExamFinal Exam
ALAL135
AL246
ALFinal ExamFinal ExamFinal Exam
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7:35-8:308:37-10:22
10:29-12:4312:50-2:35
7:35-8:308:37-10:22
10:29-12:4312:50-2:35
14 features Mill Stream05.14.2010
For many students, the month of May means the annual round of Advanced Place-ment (AP) testing, a time filled with sighs of relief and major headaches.
This year, and the past couple of years, the state’s funding for AP exams has changed yet again.
According to counselor Joel Wittstein, in 2007, the state of Indiana paid the AP exam fee for sophomores, juniors and seniors tak-ing math and science tests, such as statistics, calculus, biology, chemistry, physics, and environmental science. In 2008, the state only covered juniors and seniors with tests in these subjects.
However, students were responsible for the $86 fee on tests of any other subject mat-ter unless they qualified for free or reduced lunch, in which case the fee was waived.
In 2009, the state stopped funding AP ex-ams for students.
“Last year was a total anomaly. The state paid nothing,” Wittstein said.
This year, the state covers all tests in
math and science classes, but only for juniors and seniors, consistent with cov-erage in 2008.
AP Statistics teacher Dave Fer-ris noted a decline in the number of students taking the exam for his class in 2009. “Last year was a dip,” Ferris said.
From 2005 to 2008, Ferris aver-aged about 35 stu-dents taking the AP Statistics exam each year. In 2009, only 27 of his students took the test.
Likewise, according to AP World History teacher Debbie Marcum, 61 students took her exam in 2008, compared to only 32 stu-dents in 2009. This year, 91 students signed up for the test in her subject.
However, according to Wittstein, this does not follow the overall pattern of stu-
dents participating in AP testing. “It goes up every year. The number of kids taking it is doing nothing but increase,” he said.
This year, 443 students are taking AP tests at NHS and 621 exams are being ad-ministered.
Ferris believes that even without as much
financial support from the state, taking an AP exam is worth the money. “The reward is down the road,” he said.
Wittstein agrees. He described the exams as a means to challenge students to grow. “I don’t see any risk. It’s the difference be-tween graduating and being educated.”
AP test funds shift
Every day seems to commemo-rate some sort of national holiday. Only in the U.S. can one celebrate Jan. 21’s Like National Give a Hug Day, May 4’s National Respect for Chickens Day, or Jan 15’s National Strawberry Ice Cream Day, in ad-dition to a plethora of other holi-days that any person can seem to declare. For senior Luke Hall and his group of friends, they have declared Monday as Jew Day, Tuesday as Flying Moose Day, Wednesday as Quaker Day, Thursday as Fish Day, and Friday as Peanut Butter Day.
It all started with Fish Day. According to Hall, he has a semi-obsession with fish, even going back to a young age.
“Back in 7th grade, Evan Peg-ues used to say random words in class, so I decided to say fish,” Hall said. Since then, Hall ran-domly utters the word “fish”, eventually creating Fish Day in 10th grade. Recently, he carved a wooden fish that he named Frank to bring to school on Thursdays for Fish Day.
After Fish Day was created, a joke started to arise between Hall and his friends. They began to name each day of the week some-thing else. According to Hall, se-nior Mike Greiner had no liking
to fish and made Friday Peanut Butter Day. Next Senior Andrew Gold crafted Flying Moose Day and Quaker Day.
“One day Luke was playing a Mary Kate and Ashley video game and there were ghosts in it that looked like flying moose,” Gold said. “And then Luke used to eat oatmeal every morning so I called him Quaker, for Quaker Oats oatmeal, and that is pretty much how that was created.”
As for Jew Day, Physics teach-er Maggie Coyne is Jewish and felt there should be a Jew Day to celebrate Jews. Hereafter, Hall then established Monday as Jew Day.
More students are becoming
more aware of the declared days by Hall’s Facebook page as well as his email address, [email protected], both com-memorating Fish Day and as way for anyone to ask questions to learn more. Hall and his friends have also made signs and told their classes about each day in order to spread the word.
According to junior Richie Sellers, they gather in the morn-ing to talk before class and say “Happy Blank Day,” depending on which day of the week it is.
“It’s pretty much a joke,” Sell-ers said.
Hall hopes one day to create a National Fish Day, but as for now it is mostly for fun.
Made-up holidays take over the week
Jenna [email protected]
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AP senior students take their AP English Language and Composition test May 12. The state will provide funding for upperclassmen taking math and science tests, but those looking for credit in other courses must pay the fees out of pocket.
Senior Luke Hall with Frank the Fish, the mascot of Fish Day.
Photo by P. Davis
Gabby [email protected]
15sportsMill Stream05.14.2010
Softball team’s streak continuesThe varsity girls softball team is only in the beginning
of its season, but thus far they have only lost two games. Not that this is anything new, according to senior shortstop Alyssa Shriver.
“We usually do really well in the beginning of our sea-sons, but the biggest games are yet to come,” Shriver said.
This may change, though, when the team faces some of its more difficult opponents. Upcoming games against Hamilton Southeastern and Carmel’s teams will pose a challenge for the girls.
“HSE and Carmel are some of the hardest teams for us to beat,” junior Ellen Forkner said.
“HSE has lots of power hitters, but if we really fight ev-ery game this season, we have a good chance of being the best out there,” Shriver said.
Though so far there have been mostly wins for the team, a recent string of injuries has cropped up and may threaten the team. The most recent injury is sophomore first base-man Taylor Thomson, who received a concussion at one of
her games.“I was in the dugout and Pendleton’s second baseman
overthrew the first baseman, and the ball flew into the dug-out and hit me on top of my head,” Thomson said.
Forkner has faced knee problems throughout the sea-son, and had surgery to repair torn cartilage a few months ago. She was out for a month and a half, but can now play again.
“I can still play three fourths of the time,” Forkner said.Thomson and Forkner are not the only ones facing inju-
ries this season. Senior Kaitlyn Flak and junior Katie Har-rison also got hurt. Flak received a deep bone bruise, and Harrison sprained her wrist, putting her out of play for five games, although now she too is able to participate.
“I can play. It doesn’t really affect my catching, it affects my batting averages more than anything,” Harrison said.
While many games are still to come in varsity softball’s season, the team has so far managed to overcome their ob-stacles and remain in good standing, and they hope to stay that way.
“I can’t really say whether or not I think we can win [the rest of] our games.... knock on wood!” Harrison said.
Jace [email protected]
The girls’ softball team gathers around home base after one of their games. They will face a chal-lenge against upcoming games against Carmel and HSE.
Photo provided by A. Hardway
Noblesville boys lacrosseWith the boys’ lacrosse team’s re-
cord of 6 wins and 3 losses, the guys are expecting to go big this year. “If we step it up and play all four quar-ters I think we can make it to the Final Four,” junior Steven Lind said. The Fi-nal Four, based off of the NCAA’s Fi-nal Four, is the Indiana state tourney for all club lacrosse teams.
This season the team is composed of mainly seniors with very few play-ers from other grade levels. “We [se-niors] have been playing together since the eighth grade and that ex-perience of playing together helps us communicate and score,” senior Cody Lovell said.
“If we play to our abilities and
strengths, that we know each other has, then I think we will and should go far in the state tournament,” senior Brad Gysin said.
The boys hope to bring home the state title this year, but they are also beginning to prepare for next year’s season. “Next year we are losing a lot of seniors. We are trying to work to-gether with the younger players this year to be more prepared for the num-ber of seniors we will lose next year,” Lind said.Noblesville boys rugby In the world of thrashing club sports, the Noblesville Rugby team is turning heads. The team has pounded this year’s season into a solid five wins and three losses start. This year’s team expects to go far this season, but they also hope to plan ahead for future seasons.
“This is the best we’ve been since we’ve gotten our new coach. We all get along well and we have high hopes for state, especially with our fast back line,” sophomore Chris Davis said.
“This is the best I’ve seen the team yet. We are going to have to work hard and eventually we’ll get there (state championship), but it isn’t going to be easy. It’s not like anyone said it would be though,” junior Tim Bates said.
As with the boys’ lacrosse team, the boys’ rugby team is also expect-ing a younger team next year. “We do have a lot of seniors this year, but we’ll make do with what we have next year,” Bates said.
Senior Blake Delong also believes the team will get along with the loss of the seniors. “The guys will get it to-gether next season the same way they do every season,” Delong said.
If you are looking to take up the sport of golf, here are some tips from sophomore Spencer King, junior Vince Drahman and senior Charlie Castino, members of the golf team. These stu-dent golfers share their advice to help get you started.
1. A starting out golfer should look at their grip. -King
2. Most starting out golfers swing too hard. Tempo is an important thing to remind yourself of. -King
3. Well-fitted clubs are essential. -King
4. Do not get too complicated with your swing. Find the swing that works for you. -Drah-man5.Think your way through the course. Do not try to be a hero. -Drahman
6.Work on your putting. That is where you score the most. -Drahman7.Get your confidence up, and go to the driv-ing range a lot. -Castino
8. Getting lessons always helps. -Drahman
NHS golfers give useful tips
Brittany [email protected]
Matt [email protected]
Boys lacrosse and rugby teams find success
Noblesville girl’s Chaos rugby team fights for the ball in a scrum against the Brownsburg girl’s rugby team. The cur-rent season record is 5-3. Because the Penn girl’s rugby team forfeited the playoff game, Chaos heads to semi-state May 22 to play North Central.
Photo by A. Gookins
16 caboose Mill Stream05.14.2010
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cd releases
Conseco FieldhouseMichael BubléJune 29
Lady GagaJuly 15
Justin BeiberAug. 12
Verizon WirelessMusic CenterBrad PaisleyJune 5
Dave Matthews BandJune 18 & 19
Vans Warped TourJuly 6
Jack JohnsonJuly 23
Rihanna feat. Ke$haAug. 3
John MayerAug. 15
In Theatres
Letters to JulietMay 14
Robin HoodMay 14
Shrek Forever and AfterMay 21
Prince of Persia: The Sands of TimeMay 21
On DVD
InvictusMay 18
The RoadMay 25
Dear JohnMay 25
Alice in WonderlandJune 1
plan ahead...
by Dianne Oslandmovie releases live shows
MayfestMay 15
Cap & Gown DistributionMay 19
Senior BreakfastMay 21
End of Second SemesterMay 26
BaccalaureateMay 27
CommencementMay 28
May 25For Your EntertainmentAdam Lambert
Straight to DVDAll Time Low
May 26The RemixLady Gaga
June 1To the SeaJack Johnson
June 8BionicChristina Aguilera
If I Had Hi-FiNada Surf
June 15MojoTom Petty & the Heartbreakers
ScreamOzzy Osbourne
school events