The Northern Lights Issue 4

the northern lights december 2012 vol. 57 issue 4

Principal Evans Branigan discusses his

Grace Van Allen

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16 THE NORTHERN LIGHTS | december 2012

information

Dear reader:

February people are infatuated by love and spending time with their partners. Through October you hear constant talk about costumes and trick-or-treating. During November people are constantly remembering what they have to be thankful for.Then of course December, joy and cheer. While these main events are going on, it’s almost all you hear. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love seeing tweets, posts and instagrams of what people are thankful and happy about. Lately though, I’ve started to wonder what if that joy lasted all the time, regardless if its Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween, Hanukkah or any other holiday celebrated throughout the year.

When I check my social networks the most recurring things seen are subtweets, heart breaks, sport updates and music lyrics. Then suddenly on the day of a Holiday it turns into uplifting, happy and joyful posts. It’s great for that one day, until tomorrow comes and its all disappeared. The main thing I wonder is how can one day bring such an overload of thankfulness and joy, but it’s gone one day later?

I’m not saying that I want everyone to constantly be ecstatic and annoyingly over joyed, that’s actually far from what I want. I just think it would be refreshing to see people positive, rather than hating their lives.

While you read this issue of TNL you’ll see a lot of things having to do with the holidays. The ways depression can hit but also satisfying ways to spend them as well. So for the month of December and for the year of 2013 my goal to anyone reading this: stay positive. Start to consider what life would be like if everyone continued the joy all year long.

Erin O’FarrellEditor-in-chief, TNL

editor’s letter

Year long joyWhat life would be like if everyone continued the joy all year long.

on the coverThe cover features Pricipal Evans Branigan III as if he were Super Mario. Rather than donning the Italian plumber’s red undershirt and blue overalls, Branigan keeps his suit and is poised for business. See the story where TNL reporters met Branigan at Dave and Busters to re! ect on the year and play games starting on page 8.

DEPARTMENTS

4 Briefs5 Q & A6 Private Lives12 Opinions14 Student Life15 Entertainment

FEATURES

8 Level Up10 Semper toy11 Not so happy holidays

ONLINE

Check www.nchslive.com

the northern lights

the northern lights staff

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Seniors cheer on the boys varsity basketball team as they take on the Carmel Greyhounds. The Panthers went on to lose the game by one point in the last remaining seconds. Photo by Bilal Jawed

editors-in-chiefPeyton CrantfordErin O’FarrellJacob Zeller

editorCaroline Skulski

managing editorsJack CagnassolaDaniel KleschickIzzie Miller

business & adsJack Judge

photo editorBilal Jawed

copy editorsJerome BinghamBrandi MetzgerKurt StegemillerKarina Wocial

beat leadersKyle BydlonJoanna Can! eldSarah CarlsonCarley Primavera

director of motivationJack Cagnassola

sta" membersHayley AlderJoe AtterholtRae’onna BannonTaylor BrownClaudia CraigIndia Davis

Jessica DiegoDaniel DzubayJohn FernkasOwen FriesenRyan HayesJordan HollowayAbigail KirkZakk MabreyElizabeth MannheimerEmma MerrellSam RoachJack SatromOlivia Satter! eldDymond SpellsHannah ThomasAubrey WellsJalen Wilson

adviserTom Gayda

onlinenchslive.com

physical locationNorth Central High School1801 E 86th StIndianapolis, IN 46240

phone317.259.5301

about the northern lightsOur editorial policy, and much more, can be found at nchslive.com. TNL is a student-produced publica-tion. Sta" members can be reached by visiting nchslive.com.

december 2012 | THE NORTHERN LIGHTS 3

photo of the issue

news briefs

The basketball team started the season with a road loss to the fourth ranked Pike Red Devils. The team began the game in a slump, allowing Pike to pull out to an early 16-4 lead. At the end of the quarter, the Panthers had closed the lead to four. After the ! nal buzzer, the Panthers lost the game 82-77. Freshman Eron Gordon led the way for North Central, scoring 31 points.

The Panthers won their next two games by a combined 79-points. In their game against Richmond, Eron Gordon was again able to lead the team. The freshman scored 15 of his game-high 22 points in the ! rst half, propelling North Central to a 79-54 victory in the team’s home opener. Starters Wade Stallings, Je" Harris, and Perry Poindexter combined to pitch in another 41 points for the Panthers.

December 7, the Panthers were at home again, playing host to rival, top ranked, Carmel Greyhounds. After erasing a 14-point lead in the second half, the Panthers were defeated at the end, losing by one point on a Carmel three just before the buzzer. Once again, Eron Gordon led the way for the Panthers, with 21 points.

Through the ! rst ! ve games, freshman Eron Gordon has led the team in scoring, amassing a total of 126 points. He has begun the season averaging 25.2 points per game, and looks to be one of the Panthers leading scorers for the rest of the season. The panthers have won three out of the ! rst ! ve games.—Zakk Mabrey

Students organize hurricane relief

AIDS quilt displayed in art gallery

Over fall break, junior Claire Moyer went on a missions trip. The trip was focused on aiding Young Life activities in New York. On the trip, friendships were made and both Hoosiers and New Yorkers would not forget about each other.

With the recent Hurricane Sandy disaster on the east coast, the compassion that Moyer felt from the trip sprung to life and as a

result, a relief fund was quickly set up.

“We thought it was a really great opportunity to help people who are going through an especially hard time right now,” Moyer said, who co-founder of the “Sandy Can’t Stop Us” organization, said. Like the missions trip, the fundraiser was organized and led by students.

Moyer and several other

students, along with the head of North Central YoungLife, Jon Whitmer, helped to raise over $600 to send to families in New York, through the sale of t-shirts and wristbands.

“It’s been so fun to be a part of something that could really make a di" erence in someone’s life, even if it’s a small di" erence,” Moyer said. —Elizabath Mannheimer

Freshman proves worth after ! ve

The AIDS memorial quilt will be displayed in the art gallery during the month of December. Social Studies teacher Karon Wallace is responsible for bringing the AIDS quilt back to North Central High School for the ! rst time since the ‘90s.

The memorial piece gives a 3 x 8 panel dedicated to a life lost from

AIDS. The quilt, which was started in 1987 by gay rights activist Cleve Jones, used to tour the country and visit high schools but it has since grown to a size of over 48,000 panels and become too big to display anywhere.

The art gallery will only display two panels this month. Wallace implores the students to take the

time to stop by and remember the lives lost to AIDS. “AIDS has changed so much in the U.S., it is no longer something that people are scared of and it has become more manageable, however it is still very prominent in developing countries” Wallace said.—Jack Cagnassola

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Want more news? Check our website daily, for stories like these...

Fictional book featuring North Central and Indianapolis...

Q&A with students graduating early...

Review of Spec cuts...

plus updates, blogs & more!

Jnior Claire Moyer diplays thewrist bands that she sold. All proceeds went to aiding those a" ected by Hurrican Sandy. Bilal Jawed photo

For continued coverage on student activities, follow us @nchslive. Reporters are everywhere covering the happenings at school. And remember, we are also an app for your iPhone. You never have an excuse not to know what’s happening with the student body.

Freshman Eron Gordon jumps to catch the ball and prevent it from going out of bounds. Bilal Jawed photo


Senior Andrew Sullivan has emerged as the new leader of the student section, starting many chants and the roller-coaster.

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The baseball team has seen a serious change in their pre-season workouts, with a majority of the morning workouts being moved from 5 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

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NHS and Student Council started something di" erent for the big game against Carmel, selling spirit towels to the sudent body both before and during the game.

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A new app has surfaced for the Iphone entitled “Plaugue.” It is a game inspired by Pandemic, you take control of a disease and attempt to infect the world and eliminate the human population.

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news bites

Jnior Claire Moyer diplays thewrist bands that she sold. All proceeds went to aiding

Freshman Eron Gordon jumps to catch the ball and prevent it


news briefs

q&aFHS travels to Haiti

Brie! y speaking this month...

During the week of Thanksgiving break, students from the French Honor Society travelled to Belle-Riviere, Haiti. First they ! ew for two hours to Port-au-Prince, the capital. Then from there, they travelled via truck to the community of Belle-Riviere, all the while taking notice of the banana trees, roaming livestock, dirt roads, blue skies and hilly landscape.

To prevent the lack of electricity from hindering Haitian children from studying after dark, the FHS had raised $5,000 last year to purchase 800 solar lamps for them. Kathy Lattimer, FHS sponsor, said that without the solar lamps, the families would’ve had to use pollutant kerosene lamps.

Amid dancing and games, there was still time for education. The FHS members made a Powerpoint presentation for Haitian school children about basic concepts of chemistry, biology, geometry, physics, history, Spanish and English as a second language. They saved the presentation onto a laptop and gave it to

the Catholic priest as a gift for the community to use.

The seven FHS students are not the same as they were only weeks ago. Their trip to Haiti was indeed life-changing.—Brandi Metzger

Eight North Central athletes signed their national letters of intent for division one athletics: Mac Lozer (Baseball, Michigan); Grace Van Allen (Swimming, Eastern Michigan); Andrew Stutz (Tennis, Ball State); Demetrius Webb (Baseball, Indiana); Tessa Faulkens (Soccer, Butler); Cameron Knox (Soccer, IUPUI); Darius Latham (Football, Indiana); and Michael Gallulo (Soccer, Indiana). See page 12 for more coverage on " ve of these athletes.

The big game against Carmel went down to the wire with a single 3 point shot winning the game for Carmel in the last couple of seconds. See more, including an action shot of the game, on page 12.

Former North Central soccer player Nikita Kotlov scored the championship-winning goal for the Indiana Hoosiers in a 1-0 victory of Georgetown to claim the school’s eighth soccer championship.

Key Club stresses hunger isn’t a game for drive

For many families the holidays can seem like a very strenuous time, but some are forced to turn to outside aid for resources such as food and clothing during the holidays.

“Hunger is not a game” is the popular quote used for the Key Club Canned Food Drive. Inspired by the Hunger Games movies and books, the quote is meant to convey how serious of an issue that hunger is. The food drive was held between from November 26 to December 7.

Students turned in their canned food and other non-perishable items in their " rst period class.

The title, “Hunger is not a game,” has duality in its meaning. While being charitable is the main focus, the total amount

of cans from each " rst period class were counted, and the winning period will be given a free breakfast.—Ryan Hayes

One year down

Principal re! ects on the " rst year, while taking some time to enjoy arcade games. See more Dave and Busters activity on page 8!

How was you high school experience?My high school experience was fun. I went to a much smaller school. Probably around 1,200 kids. I played football and did track for four years and played basketball for two. In a school that size we all knew each other. After football games everyone would hang out at Taco Bell or Pizza Hut with music playing real loud, wearing our letterman jackets and ! irting with girls.

What is an interesting thing about you when you " rst started teaching?I had waves. I would brush them every night while I graded papers.

How long have you been in the district?I have been in the district for 18 years.

What is it like having kids?They keep me hopping. Two sons, 6 and 8. They go to Greenbriar, when they come home from school its straight to homework and then 20 minutes of reading. You have to make them read aloud to you because, you know they just won’t actually read any otherwise. That’s usually followed by playing cards or wrasslin’.

What is it like following in the footsteps of one of the longest serving principals at North Central?I plan on making it through the school year one day at a time. I’m not worried about breaking any records.

What was the thing that made you the most mad this past year?North Central’s “C” score. I got defensive. In the 18 years I have been here I have seen everything good that comes from the shcool.

Where have you gone this year outside of North Central?I went to China in early October. I was a keynote speaker at a conference on education. They were going through a reform. Superintendents and administrators from across Indiana were there.

What is your opinion on social media?That Twitter stu# is ridiculous. Like that @NCPrincipal account. But I do admit I have been experimenting with Tout. It’s kind of interesting. I don’t have an account yet but be on the lookout..

What do you take pride in at North Central?We were given an “A” in college and career readiness despite our “C” rating. The way its divided 30 percent of the score comes from English, 30 percent from math, 30 percent by graduation rate and 10 percent college and career readiness.

If you feel you could do one thing better, what would it be?I need to get a better control for any students who are under-acheivers.

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Juniors Helen Brabant-Bleakely (left) and Amy Smikle (right) are both members of FHS who went to Haiti. Here, they are seen holding two of the children whom they aided on the trip. Photo contributed by Kathy Lattimer

Bilal Jawed Photo


private lives

by Owen Friesen

Robbie Becker is poised on the edge of a brown leather sofa, hunched over an iPhone, thumbs tapping methodically. His face is illuminated by one of two lights in his basement. The second is a laptop on top of a glass co! ee table.

A rap instrumental is playing, a quick snare over a huge bass line. His thumbs hesitate. He isn’t texting. For Becker, the rap verses he writes, and later will record, " ow naturally onto his iPhone’s notepad.

Two guitars lean haphazardly on the back of the sofa. Adjacent to the bar and in the far right corner of the basement is a keyboard.

The basement’s sliding glass door leads onto a patio. The patio overlooks Lake Maxinhall, an 85 acre reservoir.

Maxinhall is big enough that most residents own a boat, but small enough that a committee has banned jet skis. Small enough to see the other side, but big enough to feel lost when paddling into the middle of the lake at night on a raft.

Becker, a 17-year-old senior, enjoys the bene# ts of living on a lake.

“I can’t really remember life without a lake,” Becker said. “So I guess I kind of take that for granted. But during the summer when it’s primetime tan-time, it’s fun having the girls over.”

He laughs, smiles and then adds:

“It’s a chick magnet. It has like a gravitational pull in the summer time.”

That may just be true. “Chicks” agree. “The lake def[initely] makes me want to go over and lay out all

day,” senior Gabby Sutton said.“What happens at the lake stays at the lake,” senior Katelyn

Buchanan said.But during the blustery winter, Lake Maxinhall seems to have

lost its magic. Becker and I sit alone in his basement, though we are soon joined by Becker’s next door neighbor, friend and constant companion, senior Conor Lakin.

“When I’m bored I come over to Robbie’s [house]. When I’m not bored I come over to Robbie’s. I pretty much come over to Robbie’s pretty often,” Lakin said. “He is liable to # nd me outside of one of three di! erent entrances to his house on any given day. Sometimes I just wait for him to come home.”

Becker has lived at his lake house almost his whole life. Born in California, Becker has never met his biological father.

When his mother married his stepfather, Eric Becker Sr., Becker’s name was legally changed to Eric Robert Becker, Jr. Becker Sr. raised him like his own son and Becker thinks of him as a true father.

Becker attended elementary school at St. Thomas Aquinas where he connected with students that would later encourage a

transition to public school.“I met some of my really good friends like Alex Nation and

Marcus Logan there,” Becker said. “Those are some of the guys that helped me get to NC. Without Connor and those guys I probably wouldn’t have ended up here.”

From St. Thomas, Becker moved to Christ the King, attended high school at Chatard and the second semester of his freshman year transitioned to NC.

“Coming to North Central at the beginning of second semester without an intro was just kind of daunting,” Becker said. “It’s huge compared to Chatard and it was like I just entered high school as a freshman without all the formal introduction.”

Becker # rst picked up a guitar in a music class o! ered at Christ the King. At the end of the class, he had learned the basics he needed to continue teaching himself.

Becker also taught himself piano, but admits his lack of knowledge in other musical areas.

“It never carried over to stringed instruments where you have to use the… Whats that thing? The wand,” Becker said.

Lakin corrects him. “The bow.”By sophomore year Becker’s friends quickly realized his musical

skill.For the rest of this story, go to www.nchslive.com and search

“Living through music.”“

Check out Becker’s music on YouTube Search:Becker, “So Sophisticated”Becker, “It’s a Beautiful Thing”Becker, “The Ride”Becker, “Real Talk”

Living through musicStudent details how music has shaped,in! uenced his life

Left: Senior Robbie Becker showcases his musical talents via a live performance. Becker joined The Counterpoints this year to further his knowledge of music. Right: Becker poses for a picture in front of the Golden Gate Bridge with his step-father, Eric Becker Sr. Becker Sr served as a father # gure because Robbie never met his biological father.

NORTH CENTRAL PUBLICATION

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Check out NCHS Live! on Facebook this week and vote for the “Best’s of 2012!” Best cafeteria food, administrator, athletic event and more! Categories run through the end of the year!

student life

Sweet 16

If you could create a national holiday, what would it be?

Jack Satrom & Olivia Satter! eld

Lena Duncan, 10“Chocolate Day.”

Johnathan Hill, 9“Swim Day.”

Randy Sanders, 10“Pizza Day.”

Jocelyn Miller, 11“Celeb

Look-alike Day.”

Eloise Christophi, 10“Travel Day.”

Diana Gitierrez, 9“Skip Day.”

Sean Davie, 9“C.H.U.B Day.”

Lasawni Reynolds, 11“Sleep In Day.”

Cassidy Wheeler, 11“No Fast Food Day.”

Ron Blankenship, 12“Remembrance Day.”

Travon Hamilton, 9“Cabin Fever Day.”

JT Wynne, 9“Tobal Day.”

Allie Hammer, 12“Adoption Day.”

Diego Angulo, 11“Skinny-dipping Day.”

Ashley Ibeh, 11“Obama Day.”

Jyron Waholstin, 10“Get Money Day.”


RELIVEHOMECOMING.ORDER THE BOOK!Now available at lulu.com and soon online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.See a preview of the entire book at NCHS Live! (www.nchslive.com) or NCHS Live! on Facebook.Now available at lulu.com and soon online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Catch the latest school news each day online with The Daily Update, next semester featuring host Joe Atterholt everyday!

TNL reporters hit the arcade at Dave & Busters withEvans Branigan to discuss his !rst year as principal

January 2012: Branigan takes o!ce as principal.

March 2012: Girls basketball wins state.

May 2012: ECA scandal breaks.

August 2012: The "rst semester of the new year begins; altered schedule goes into e#ect.

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by Danny Kleschick

When Principal Evans Branigan III took the reigns of North Central roughly one year ago, he thought he knew what he was in for. Branigan had been at NC for 17 years, four of those spent as associate principal. However, once he was in charge, Branigan gained a completely di!erent perspective of North Central.

“The move has really allowed me to see through new glasses,” Branigan said.

Branigan sees both positives and negatives in his "rst year.“We’ve had some ups and downs,” Branigan said. “I inherited

the whole biology ECA mess. But then you have something like commencement, which was a blast.”

Branigan stepped into the principal’s position just as scandal broke loose. News surfaced that some teachers in the science de-partment used answers from past tests to prepare students for the ECA, which violates Indiana school code. Although Branigan was not principal when the incident occured, he was when the story broke in the media. Branigan said that the scandal was di#cult for him as a new principal.

“That’s a tough thing to walk into,” Branigan said.The transition to principal was also challenging because of the

school and statewide changes to schedules and testing. Teachers now have weekly meetings before or after school. School times changed, with classes beginning at 7:25 a.m. and ending at 2:40 p.m. with new six-minute passing periods.

“Who knew that the state would change how teachers are

evaluated. Who knew that we as a school would change our schedule,” Branigan said. “We’re making it work. The time before and after school is wasted unless we use it correctly.”

Despite all the changes, Branigan says the school has respond-ed well. He especially commends the teaching and administrative sta! for their adaptability. With the new state standards, many of the long-serving teachers retired last year, leaving holes for "rst-year teachers to "ll.

“I like the way we’ve responded to the new changes,” Branigan said. “[The students] don’t really get to see it, but our new teachers and young administrator team is really coming together.”

Branigan also commented that the athletic teams and student body activities that brought the school together made him proud.

“The girls basketball team winning the state championship

was a big achievement,” Branigan said. “But also, I get a real kick out of football games, or volleyball games, where the student sec-tion is supporting its school.”

As for this year and beyond, Branigan looks to build upon the foundation he has begun to lay for his legacy. He says that his focus will always be to prepare students for life after high school and to help an underachieving student "nd their motivation in any way possible.

“I need somehow to get a better handle on students that allow themselves to underachieve. I just want them to hit their stride,” Branigan said. “If they’re a C student, how do we get them to a B. If they’re a B student, how do we get them to an A.”

Branigan commends the sta! on their disciplinary improve-ment, noting that expulsions have drastically gone down.

feature


sound bitesTeachers share their thoughts about Branigan’s "rst year.

“As far as I’m concerned, noth-ing much has changed for me.” --Jami Gray

“I think it’s hard that he had to be the bearer of bad news...He’s done a great job of mak-ing it his own. It’s a hard act to follow.” --Kari Fritz

October 2012: Branigan visits schools in China.

November 2012: Washington Township media specialist Glenda Ritz is elected as Superintendent of Public Education.

September 2012: Homecoming turnout exceeds expectations.

Opposite: Branigan mugs for the camera after a long day at the arcade with sons Jaden (left) and Cole. From left: Branigan and Cole face o! in a basketball game. The editors get in on the fun, racing Branigan and his sons. Branigan poses with an arcade gun. TNL sta! members caught up with Branigan and his sons during Thanksgiving break at Dave and Busters. Bilal Jawed photos


October 2012: North Central receives a C from the Indiana Department of Education.

“Anytime when a student is kicked out of school, it is never a positive,” he said. “I want to establish long term success plans for students.”

Branigan has also targeted getting students who are new to the country in a position where they can be suc-cessful. He says that he wants to see immigrants able to get into their "rst and second choice colleges.

As for the success of North Central, Branigan attributes it to the Washington Township community. Branigan says that the community comes together extremely well, and is accepting. He comments that our diversity is a gift, and has allowed the community to grow.

“At North Central, no matter what race, or religion, or

nationality you are, you have the opportunity to succeed and positively interact. We embrace our diversity,” Branigan said.

Diversity has also created an extremely large student body. North Central has the third highest enrollment of all high schools in Indiana. Branigan stresses the importance of him connecting with students, and always being ap-proachable.

“I try to be out of my o#ce as much as possible dur-ing the school day. I also try to attend almost all student activities, whether they be performing arts, sports or Brain Game,” he said. “That’s the fun part about being a high school: all the activities. There’s more to school than ABCs

and 123s.”As for interaction between Branigan and his sta!, he

said that his teachers are all wonderful. He said that he hardly ever needs to motivate his sta! to do their very best.

“You have to hire motivated people,” he said. “You have to hire the best.”

Through the "rst year of being principal, Branigan has had to deal with much change. However, he has also tried to keep much of what has made NC a great school.

“I have to remember the history and legacy of what I in-herited. There’s a reason for why we do a lot of what we do,” Branigan said. “North Central still means something when you put it on a college or job application.”

“Semper ! delis” means “always faithful” in Marine lingo and whether it’s through serving the nation or participating in the community, the Marines remain always faithful. Toys for Tots is a program that was started 65 years ago

by Marine reservist Major William Hendricks. Hendricks’s wife, Diane, who was trying to donate toys to children in need, found that there wasn’t an organization like Toys for Tots and set the wheels in motion

that fall of 1947. The 1947 pilot project was so successful that the next year the Marine Corps adopted Toys for Tots and expanded it into a nationwide campaign.

Now it is all over the United States, made up of active duty and reserve Marines, former Ma-rines and even civilians who wanted to take care of their own community.

The Indianapolis unit of Toys for Tots takes care of the Indianapolis area and the surround-ing 16 counties.

“Last year, we collected, bought and distributed 33,000 toys to needy children in those communities,” sta" sergeant Brock Dienst said. Dienst is the head of the Indianapolis divi-sion of the Toys for Tots organization.

“We drop o" boxes to collect toys, accept donations from members of the community to buy toys for speci! c age groups and sort them at our warehouse,” Dienst said.

There is, however, a shortage of manpower involved with the organization.“We only have approximately 12 to 16 Marines at any one time who are not currently

employed with di" erent activities to go out and make all of this happen,” Dienst said.“We do have volunteers and organizations that help out quite a bit as well,” Dienst said.

One of those volunteers is social studies teacher Kari Fritz, who o" ers extra credit to her students who bring in toys.

“I wanted my extra credit to be altruistic and Toys for Tots is a great cause because not only does it help needy children, but the organization can be used for

many religious groups as well,” Fritz said. Toys for Tots is not sanctioned at North Central High School but Fritz

donates the toys she collects to Allisonville Elementary School because they participate in the Toys for Tots campaign every year.

“I’ve been involved with Toys for Tots for ! ve out of the six years I’ve been at North Central,” Fritz said.“I got involved during my ! rst year of teaching and did Coats for Kids one

year but then I realized that Toys for Tots is easier for my students to get extra credit and I personally like it better,” Fritz said.

Last year, 210 toys were donated and distributed to kids just in the Indianapolis area. Toys have to be new and unopened. The most popular toys to donate are HotWheels, Barbies and

games.“Stu" ed animals are tricky because students like to bring me their stu" ed animals that they

had when they were four years old with the tags still on them and I can’t take them,” Fritz said. “I know some people that are involved in the organization take money, however, I don’t like to deal

with money. I take toys or nothing.”Over its lifespan, the Toys for Tots Foundation has supplemented local toy collections

with more than 98 million toys valued at more than $694 million, as well as providing promotion and support materials valued at over $8.5 million.

Since the program began in 1947, Marines have distributed more than 452 million toys to more than 209 million needy children, making the U.S. Marines

the unchallenged leader in taking care of the less fortunate children during the Christmas season.

Semper toy

Bilal Jawed Photos

Toy drive combines military and community by Hayley Alder

feature


Like everyone says, the holidays are a time for people to be joyful and loving as they come together to spread cheer. With acts of giving presents and decorating the house, it is hard to believe anybody would not be looking forward to the holidays. Contrary to popular belief, this time of year does quite the opposite for many.

In the last few years, the stereotype of the holidays bringing everyone happiness is becoming less of a fact and more of a myth. Due to the stress of the season, people are no longer !lled with joy, but falling into states of depression. Although the reasons for this lack of holiday spirit vary, a"ects people in the same way.

A main reason as to why someone would be so unhappy during this month, is because of the high expectations the have for the season. Due to the Christmas season being advertised so many months ahead, people begin to get excited months before the actual season starts.

“I started seeing Christmas decorations back in October,” sophomore Lily Boots said. “I was so excited at !rst, but it got old pretty fast.”

By setting their standards so high, and the season not live up to it, people won’t be as cheerful once Christmas actually gets here.

A huge factor playing into the holiday depression is the weather outside. Just as people start to get accustomed to the warm temperatures, seasons take a 180 and bring those thermometers right down.

“Because my family spends so much time outside during the summer, the winter really brings us down,” sophomore Jacob Evans said. “The cheerfulness around the house is at a bare minimum.”

While some people just feel blue, others su"er from real medical disorders. Much of this depression of the seasons comes from Seasonal A"ective Disorder. Although it is not common, about 5 percent of the United States population su"er from it. SAD can occur during the transi-tion between summer to winter, or vice versa,

putting someone (usually an adult) in a state of depression due to the weather change. While the summer to winter transition exists, more people su"er while going into winter.

The holidays also have the ability to bring back old memories of previous years. Whether it be a loss of a loved one or a change in one’s life, it can a"ect their amount of spirit during the season.

“After losing a good friend, Leon Baisa, so close to the holidays, I tend to think about him a lot this time of year,” senior Alex Mohr said. “Not necessarily always sad thoughts, but just more often and it makes me grateful for what I have.”

Not only do friends bring back sad memo-ries this time of year, family is a major contribu-tor to the frustration of the holiday.

“A few years back I lost a close cousin,” senior Alyssa VanFossen said. “We had to really alter our holiday season, and sure we can have a great time, but it is still really hard on my family.”

The death of family members and friends can bring down your holiday season, but just the absence of them also can a"ect these months.

Senior Sophia Mamilli moved to the United States in middle school, and has had to spend her last few holiday seasons without her ex-tended family. While she gets to visit France and Morocco to see her family during the summer, the winter season is di#cult because she feels as though she is completely separated from them.

“I am a very family oriented person, so when it gets to the holiday season I really start to miss them,” Mamilli said. “Sure my intermediate family is great, but my cousins are some of my best friends and I really wish I could see them this time of year.”

Whether the season’s high expectations, weather, or lack of family bring someone down during the winter, just know that the holidays aren’t always as cheerful as them may seem.

NOT SO HAPPY HOLIDAYS

feature


by Izzie Miller

Twelve months ago, NC bid farewell to Principal C E Quandt. He had announced his retirement plans, but left reassuring students that the position would be left in capable hands. Associate Principal Evans Branigan III took over and has nearly completed his !rst year leading the school.

And it has been a great year.Though Quandt is gone, the strong leadership that he

gave the school doesn’t feel as though it has left. Branigan has successfully assumed the role of principal and is not just another mere administrator. He is in charge of hundreds of teachers and thousands of students, yet he is very personable and welcoming.

His ability to be personable is one of the many reasons for his success. Many obstacles have been presented to him, and he has handled them with grace and dignity.

An example of his ability to deal with hardship is when he had to announce the death of a senior Zach Brown. It was heartbreaking news, and his sorrow and care for not only Brown’s family, but for his friends and the student body was obvious. Branigan is a compassionate man who has a genuine love for the students and faculty underneath his command.

There have been other trials that he has seen us through with the greatest amount of honor. When Superintendent of Instruction Tony Bennett gave North Central a “C” grade, Branigan

promptly defended the school and made everyone know that he believed in us, that we were better than a “C.” It is motivating and inspiring to see the amount of faith he has in the school. It re"ects back to his compassion, and how he cares.

Yet the !rst year has not been all sunshine and "owers.Branigan has accomplished a lot, but in many ways the school

doesn’t seem much di#erent than when Quandt was in charge. Besides music on Friday’s during the passing periods, we can’t yet point to one thing that really de!nes this as Branigan’s school. We expected changes, but haven’t seen major di#erences yet.

It isn’t just the students, either. Within the !rst few months of Branigan taking the reigns, there was a scandal involving ECA testing. Yes, the year has not been perfect, but given Branigan’s character and style, he is bound to learn from such incidents and further better the school.

Quandt was right. He had left the school in very capable hands indeed. North Central is a !ne school and Branigan is a man who is worthy of being the principal. While there will always be ups and downs to the school, Branigan has tried his hardest to ensure that there will be more ups than there will be downs.

It has been a great year, and we look forward to having Branigan continue to be our principal for more years to come.

High school sports are becoming more and more like a business. Growing up, many people play in youth leagues, church leagues, and many other places. In these leagues, sports are about having fun and learning the game. Coaches in youth sports do not often push for winning and a competitive atmosphere.

This all changes when you reach high school. In high school, winning is everything. In my opinion, that is great. The competition was always my favorite part of sports anyway; sports were always about winning. And so it’s a good thing that high school sports encourage winning and a competitive atmosphere. It gives the school, its students and athletes a great sense of pride.

Coaches, however, must remember the fact that these are student athletes. It seems odd that the athlete

part seems to be more important when we are still in a school setting.

It is expected that players on the sports teams at high school attend practice most, if not all, days of the week. This leaves them extremely busy, and takes time away from their studies and other school events. And, although a coach may allow you to skip a practice, many people will not do it, because it makes you feel like you are letting the team down.

Essentially, high school athletes have to sacri!ce parts of their educational and social lives in order to play a sport they love. In my opinion, coaches should be more lenient on their players, lower the expectations. It would make life a lot less stressful for student athletes, and would allow them to pursue success outside of

their sports. Members of the teams would be able to play their sport as the game they loved without feeling pressured and overworked. In my opinion, decreasing the stresses that surround their lives will help to improve their performance when it comes time for a game.

Also, with fewer practices, and lower expectations for student athletes, it is possible that their grades will increase, and they will have time to participate in other clubs as well.

With daily practices usually occurring right after school, it is hard for many athletes to go to their teachers for help if they need it. They have to miss out on opportunities to participate in clubs as well, because many clubs have their call out meetings immediately after school.

opinions

Change is needed on some sports !elds

STAFF EDITORIAL

Looking forward to more Branigan

ZAKK MABREY


More and more, as seniors are approaching graduation, they tend to take weekend trips to colleges in order to see the campuses, meet up with friends, or to support their favorite sports team. I was lucky enough to experience all three.

A popular college choice for NC students is Indiana University, where I had the opportunity to to visit a good friend that had previously graduated.

Going in with the mindset of potentially attending IU, I had high expectations.

It was early morning and as I was pulling up it was clear to me that the campus was beautiful, with the streets crowded because it was game day. The warm welcome from my friends was !lled with laughs and excitement, allowing myself to have a positive start to my day.

A big part of IU’s student life is the large tailgate that takes place during every home game. Everyone gathers in an area to get ready for the kick-o". Having previously heard stories about this event, I couldn’t wait. I could hear the music a mile away, which made me more anxious to get out there.

Once we were !nally there, it was very crowded and muddy. The music played too loud to actually have a conversation, and people weren’t quite as friendly as I had hoped.

Sure, it was nice to see everyone, but the hype of this event didn’t compare to the real thing.

During the game we made our way over to some of the parent’s tailgates. With free food and kind families, this was much more up my alley. Much to my surprise, I was having loads more fun with a few friends and the parents than I did in the massive crowd of student.

As the afternoon was winding down, we went back to my friends dorm to take a nap and get ready for the night. Before I knew it, the small dorm was !lled with almost 15 people.

If you have been in a dorm, you would know they aren’t meant to hold more than about !ve. While I loved and enjoyed everyone there, the setting was not ideal.

After a long conversation about what to do, we decided to go to a party down the street. Because the day had not lived up to my expectations so far, I was really hoping that the night would turn my opinions around.

The party experience was fun, but nothing more than a typical high school party. Because of the mass amount of NC people that attend IU, I even saw the same people I did the previous year at parties. Seeing everyone that I hadn’t in a while was fun, but the excitement wore o" quickly when I realized that I drove all the way to IU just to see the same people.

Needless to say, I didn’t necessarily enjoy my time at IU. The people were fun, but it wasn’t worth $30 in gas money to make the trip down there.

To me, the hype of visiting college campuses does not live up to the real deal. I am not sitting here and telling you to never go visit a college during your high school years, but go into it with more of an open mind and no previous expectations.

This past weekend we made a trip down to Bloomington, Indiana. We had both de-cided to apply to Indiana University, but were curious to see what the night-life was really like before we made any decisions. Here we’ll tell you the story of our night and how it got us thinking about what we are looking for in a college.

Our !rst stop at IU was a visit to Foster, a freshman dormitory, to visit Katharine Luers-sen, a North Central graduate of 2007. We ar-

rived at Foster around nine and waited around for almost two hours before !nally setting out on our college adventure. Second stop: Kappa Sigma fraternity. We spent most of our time there meeting the brothers, listening to blasting rap, and watching the football game. Typical.

Around 1 a.m. our ride showed up and chau"eured us to our third stop of the night, a house party hosted but the IU men’s soccer team. Aside from the claustrophobic, steamy environment , this party turned out to be pretty fun. Our next stop was the Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity, more com-monly known as “Fiji” Despite the late hour, we hoped to catch a second wind and expected to !nd yet another hopping social scene. To our dis-appointment, on this particular night, this fraternity was neither hopping nor social.

An hour was more than enough time here. However, around 3 a.m., we realized we had no ride back to the dorms. The last thing we wanted

was to be stranded in unfamiliar territory. Luckily, after almost an hour of searching, we were able to !nd a safe ride back to our respective dorms to crash. Neither of us was used to staying up until the wee hours of the morning and welcomed out beds, situated comfortably on the linoleum #oors.

Overall the night was bittersweet. It was fun to see friends from high school that we had not seen all year. It was fun to visit the di"erent fraterni-ties, dorms and the quaint town of Bloomington. It was fun to have some variety from the monotonous social scene of high school. What was not fun was lack of control various situations throughout the night. We never knew where to go, where our friends were or how to get safe rides from place to place. The campus is so large that it was unrealistic to walk to most places, especially since most girls in high heels. Safe rides are necessary and we didn’t know whom to call. There are som many people at IU that you rarely see the same person twice in a night, making it di$cult to get to know people.

Before visiting, we had seriously considered IU as out college choice, but Saturday night may have tilted the scales. Although we don’t necessar-ily share the same views about what we want from our college experience, we both agree that IS isn’t for everyone. It’s critical to visit a college before you commit to going there, but it’s also critical not to judge a school based on one night. It looks like we will have to make another trip yo IU in the near future. (Editor's note: Kroot would go on to study at IU while Wynne went to Vanderbilt.)

“Color my Hair again.”—Lauren Seymour, 12

“Get !rst place in a speech meeting.”—Emily McMath, 11

“Make $50”—Brianna Jenkins, 11

“Make $51.”—Addison Smart, 12

Bucket listDecemberWe asked !ve students what they hope to do this month.

What’s on your bucket list this month? Let us know!

@nchslive@tnleditor

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Submit your letters to K634. Signed letters may appear in a future issue.

NCHSLIVE.COMVisit our website for more opinion, and comment on the stories you’ve read here. Our site is updated daily,

so make sure to check often!

Interviews by Olivia Satter!eld, Aubery Wells photos

IZZIE MILLER ! TNL 2012

SAM KROOT & KATIE WYNNE ! TNL 2008

Side-by-side: Spending a weekend at IUThis month we looked through issues of TNL from years past and found our favorite columns, then gave the same title to some of our writers and had them create their own version. We hope you enjoy seeing how opinions have changed with time. For the rest of the side-by-side columns, go to www.nchslive.com


by Joe Atterholt

Another year has passed and more and more seniors committing to colleges for sports.

Senior Demetrius Webb committed to Indiana University. “I did not want to go far from home, and their program has been

improving a lot,” Webb said about his decision. Webb has strong family ties, especially with his brother. “I also wanted my brother to see me play a lot because I wouldn’t

be where I am today if it wasn’t for his coaching and helping me become a better player,” Webb said.

Webb wants to major in either sports management or sports medicine.

Senior Mac Lozer also committed to a Big Ten school to play baseball. Lozer visited Michigan the week before he committed.

“I felt it was the right !t for me, both athletically and academically,” Lozer said.

Lozer plans to enroll in the language, science and arts program at the Ross School of Business his second semester.

Senior Michael Gallulo received IndyStar’s Boys Soccer Super Team Player of the Year award this year. Gallulo committed to Indiana University, which won the College Division 1 National Championship in soccer this year.

Concerning why Gallulo chose Indiana, he said, “They currently have a very good soccer program along with world-class coaching that I believe will help me succeed in pursuing my ambitions.”

Gallulo wants to be a professional soccer player. He is interested in Indiana’s Kelley School of Business.

Senior Andrew Stutz played on the boys varsity tennis team until he injured his leg this year.

Stutz committed to Ball State.

“I committed because I’ve known the coach for a few years and he stuck by me after my injury,” Stutz said.

Stutz also said he likes the campus and his future teammates. Stutz is undecided on what he wants to major in, but is interested in political science.

Senior Grace Van Allen chose Eastern Michigan to pursue her love for swimming. Van Allen loved the school from the moment she stepped on campus.

“Even though it is not the prettiest place, the environment and vibe is wonderful,” Van Allen said. She plans to study occupational Therapy. She also received o"ers from Texas Christian University, Purdue University, East Carolina University and Florida International University.

sports


ACTION SHOT

All eyes !xed on center court, junior Perry Pointdexter goes up for the opening tip-o" to try to give the Panthers the !rst quarter advantage over the Carmel Greyhounds. At the end of the !rst half Carmel was ahead 30-16, but the Panthers overcame a 14 point de!cit in a furious third quater rally. But as the !nal few seconds passed the Greyhounds made a 3-pointer to win the game 50-49. For the !rst time at a sporting event, spirit towels were sold to fans. The towels were sold by members of National Honors Society and Student Council. Photo by Bilal Jawed

From left to right, Andrew Stutz, Mac Lozer, Grace Van Allen, Michael Gallulo, and Demetrius Webb sign letters of intent to attend speci!c colleges. The colleges each student has been recruited by are Ball State, Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Indiana University, and Indiana University, respectively. Photo by Kathleen Altice

Students commit to sports in college

sports briefs

Wrestling started the season with ups and downs. The Panthers started strong in their opening matches at the Hamilton Invitational, where they won three of their !ve matches. However, the Panthers followed this strong performance with three straight losses to city rivals Pike (29-59), Warren Central (12-55), and Ben Davis (18-60). The Panthers will look to rely on strong performances from Juniors Seth Isaacs and Austin Johnson to keep them competitive. The grapplers head to Avon for an invitational on Dec. 28.

The boys swimming and diving team was ranked 3rd at the start of the season and the girls team was ranked 9th. Both teams have multiple swimmers ranked in the top 16. Joe Steinkamp is ranked 4th in the 200 yard freestyle, Ted Steinkamp is ranked 5th in the 50 yard freestyle and Rawley Davis is ranked 5th in the 100 yard butter#y. For the girls; Mary Grace Van Allen is ranked 7th in the 200 yard freestyle, Rachel Hayden is ranked 2nd in the 50 yard freestyle and Sarah Carlson is ranked 10th in the 200 yard individual medley.

The baseball team will participate in the 18th annual St. Vincent winter salt project. The project involves bagging melting salt so that people can come pick the salt up and use it on their driveway to prevent falls. It is a charity event and the participants are all volunteers. This will be the fourth consecutive year the baseball team has participated in the event. It is their way of giving back to the community and a way for them to promote not only the program, but their individual compassion.

The boys track and !eld team has started their preseason conditioning schedule. The team practices on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. The early conditioning workouts focus on athletes developing a strong base for which they will be able to use for the rest of the year. The !rst uno$cial meet takes place on Saturday February 2nat Anderson University. The indoor season concludes with the Indoor State Meet at Purdue University. After Indoor State, the outdoor season !nally begins. The Panthers will kick o" their season against defending state champions Lawrence Central.

Baseball

Swimming and Diving

Wrestling

Track and Field

1entertainment

15 THE NORTHERN LIGHTS | December 2012

What kind of cook are you?1. When baking I enjoy... A. Rarely following the recipe (1) B. Dirtying all possible dishes (2) C. Precise measurement (4) D. Inviting all neighborhood children to join me (3)

2. My favorite ingredients include... A. Spices (4) B. Chocolate (3) C. Water (1) D. Any generic brand item (2)

3. My cooking attire includes... A. “cooking attire is lame” (2) B. The classic white apron (3) C. “Why am I Cooking?” (2) D. A T-shirt and Snapback (1)

4. My Favorite Celebrity Chef is... A. Emeril Lagasse (3) B. Gordon Ramsey (4) C. Hannibal Lecter (1) D. Remy from Ratatouille (2)

5. My favorite type of food to make is... A. Kid Cuisines (1) B. Italian (4) C. Spanish (3) D. Lunchables (1)

6. My worst cooking disaster includes... A. I burned water (1) B. Confused sugar as parsley (1) C. Mixing sugar with salt (2) D. Chernobyl (0)

7. The most exotic food I have prepared is... A. Caviar (4) B. Crawdads (2) C. Bu! alo (3) D. Wood (0)

8. The reactions of my guests to my food include... A. Consistent Enjoyment (4) B. Pleasant Surprise (3) C. Unconsciousness (0) D. Projectile Vomiting (-2)

Master Chef (29- 24)Everyday (23-15)Ocassional (14-7)Inexperienced (6-3)

PANTHERCARS

NUMBER

A great 1.8L 4 cylinder sedan, the Honda Civic wins as the most popular car among the student body. It is one of the most reliable and a! ordable cars of all time. With its 26 mpg rating and er-gonomic interior it is a great car for teens looking to save on gas but still have a quality vehicle.

Jordan Holloway was sent on a mission to discover the most common cars that students drive, and then wrote a review for each one. Cars for students normally consist of practicallity and a! ordability, and this results in a number of the same cars being purchased. Amidst all the Hondas, Chevys and Fords, these are the three most common cars distributed among the student body.

NUMBER 2 goes to the Toyota Camry. A great Japanese four-door sedan, it has a larger engine than the Civic and gets almost the same gas mile-age at 21 mpg in the city. If you are looking for this type of car, but want to avoid the Honda name, the Toyota Camry is the car for you.

NUMBER 3 goes to the Honda Accord. This sporty two-door coupe is a great car for teens looking to spice up their driv-ing experience and still save on gas. The Honda Accord is the right car for you with a quick 0-60 time of 7.5 sec and a race inspired suspension this car would be at home on the street as well as any racetrack.

the northern lights december 2012 vol. 57 issue 4

Principal Evans Branigan discusses his

Grace Van Allen

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The Northern Lights Issue 4