By HANNAH STEELE- Students graduate and move on from IHS every year, but teachers stay and make it possible for these students to succeed in life. Now, it’s time for the roles to be reversed and for the students to say goodbye to the teachers.
As the school year winds down to an end, so does Mr. Newquist and Mrs. Versace’s time as teachers. With the news of their retirement, the students and staff of IHS are saddened but excited for what the future holds for them.
By JOE LUETKEHANS: A powerful entrepreneurial spirit has struck IHS with the introduction of NextGen Clothing Co, a start-up streetwear brand from the minds of junior students Owen Dougherty and Donovan Robinson.
In early March, NextGen began selling their screen printed designs to close friends before marketing themselves school-wide. Credit for the brand’s success is partially due to the simple, yet professional looking logo, the words “NextGen” surrounded by wings. The original inspiration for the name came on a whim during an evening drive, according to Dougherty. “… I was going through notes on Donovan’s phone and I saw NextGen, and I knew ‘this is it!’”
Continue reading “IHS trusts the process of NextGen Clothing”
By ASHLEE GRAHAM – Each year new teachers hit the halls of IHS, but only for a while. The student teachers for the 2018 school year have been here for some time now. IHS receives a group of student teachers from IUP to help provide new teaching styles to the students, as well as provide real-world teaching opportunities to the student teachers.
Continue reading “2018 student teachers enjoy the atmosphere of the senior high”
By RAELEIGH SMITH (contributing reporter) – Every year IUP does an Artist in Residence. This year they invented Jacob Shaw from London in the UK and his accompanist David Lau Magnussen form Denmark. Jacob Shaw is an internationally award-winning cellist. Performances in over 5 continents in the world. Greatest venues – Carnegie Hall, Berlin Konzerthaus, Seoul Arts Center, the Apollo Theater, Royal Albert Hall, and Walt Disney Hall.
Continue reading “Cellist Jacob Shaw IUP artist in residence”
By ASHLEE GRAHAM – Senior and gifted violinist Gloria Lo has accomplished many great things during her high school career, particularly musical accomplishments. With violin in hand, Gloria has done many great things, and there are many great things on the horizon for the young musician.
Continue reading “Gloria Lo: The musician behind the violin”
By RAELEIGH SMITH (contributing reporter) – Recently (March 19) Sudan the last male Northern White Rhino died, leaving only two females remaining. Rhinoceroses – of which there are five species – are the second-largest land mammal after elephants.
The white rhinoceros consists of two subspecies: the Southern White Rhino and the much rarer and critically endangered Northern White Rhino. Sudan, who was the equivalent of 90 in human years, was the last surviving male of the rarer variety after the natural death of a second male in late 2014.
Continue reading “Sudan, the last male Northern White Rhino dies: How will the species survive?”
BY KIMBERLY SAMUEL- The Indiana Senior High School is participating in The Challenge Program of 2018. The idea is to connect students with both business and their communities, The categories include Most Improved Academics, Most Community Service, Most Excelled in Academics and Best Attendance.
Let’s face it, being a student is difficult and most people will deny the fact that students will struggle.
Waking up early, having tons of assignments and still juggling around extra curriculum such as sports, theatre or art. It has been known that getting incentives is a effective way to get things done completely and well. Continue reading “Student of the year award: Who will win??”
By JORIE MEIL – Behind the spooky sets and haunting costumes of The Addams Family is the hard working crew that holds the show together. The stage crew, tech crew, wardrobe crew, and stage management crew keep the show running smoothly throughout the rehearsal process and the actual shows.
The stage management crew is responsible for a number of things backstage during the show. This year’s stage managers are seniors Skylar Pruett and Jackie Sprenger. The stage managers bring many aspects of the show together. Stage managers manage rehearsals, actors, and crew, making sure that everything is going the way it needs to be.
Continue reading “The Addams Family crew holds the family together”
By ADRIANA GUTH – BOROWSKI – The IHS drama department is putting on their version of The Addams Family. However, there is one part of the show many people often overlook – the pit.
The pit is made up of 23 talented student musicians, who are capable of playing high-level music.
By JUSTIN REESE- As schools across the nation close due to harsh weather conditions, some students find themselves asking, “Is climate change real?”
Weather is a natural occurrence, and although it is possible for there to be natural outliers and sporadic changes, the drastic changes in the past two years are not natural. From the sweltering summers to the bitter and harsh winters, climate change is at fault for these extreme conditions.
Continue reading “If global warming is real, why is it cold outside?”
By DYLAN LATORE– The Indiana Gazette Newspaper in Education Contest is returning once again for its annual showcase of student work.
The contest is held “to encourage students to use creativity to showcase their town through different media.” It involves many sections of the contest that focus on different newspaper-specific media. Such as a Writing contest, a ‘Design an Ad’ contest, an Opinion/feature Column contest, a Photography contest, and a Cover Design contest.
Continue reading “Newspaper in Education photo contest returns, hosted by the Indiana Gazette”
By INDIA KRUG –
Mr. Noah,
In your book, Born A Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood, you write about a tragic Valentine’s Day experience as a young man. A classmate promised to be your valentine, only to dump you on the holiday. But, being the incredibly generous person that I am, I’m not only going to write you a valentine, but an entire article in my school newspaper. (A.k.a. free press– I will be contacting your manager to discuss compensation.)
By DYLAN LATORE– It’s that time of the year again. Where Cupid shows his tiny, ugly face. Once again I have been appointed to deliver this year’s love-filled Valentine’s article. You may be wondering: how could he even begin to top last years article? And the answer to that is fairly simple–I probably won’t.
By ADRIANA GUTH-BOROWSKI – Large puffs of white smoke fill the air. The newest high school trend, vaping, unlike most fads, can impact the rest of people’s lives.
With multiple brands and styles of vape pens, these multi-flavored devices have taken over high schools across the nation. Closer to home is IHS, where it seems at least a few people monthly are getting caught.
By DYLAN LATORE – Every year that goes by feels quicker than the one before it. While that statement is subjective, I personally feel that 2017 is no exception. So many things happened in 2017 that it is hard to really remember more than you can count on your fingers. So let’s recap, starting with January.
By PARKER KOONS – This recent Tinsel Ball saw an interesting character rise to the throne, not one of great renown for his academics or his popularity but simply put… his oddity and uniqueness. Laurance Nakrosis is the man who won this title and is known around the school for his eccentric nature. What some may not know about him is the actual amount of intelligence he has, which is usually cast aside by his endearing, if goofy, demeanor.
To begin the second semester, Laurance will be leaving us to attend the highly selective arts college Bard College at Simon’s Rock in Great Barrington, MA.
“I think Laurance will do well in college. He just has to work hard, we all do if we want to succeed,” ponders junior Ben Van Wieren who is a good friend of Laurance. Laurance’s friend group is quite an interesting little story which he commonly acknowledges started in 2006; “I’ve known Laurance since 2006,” reminisces fellow junior John Harper, “We sat together on the first day of Kindergarten.”
As for what Laurance wishes to do when he gets to college, of which his choice happens to be Bard at Simon’s Rock which is also where his sister Athena goes, he says “Nothing really, probably gonna take film and computer science classes, but nothing set yet.”
Though he is leaving, Laurance has made quite a splash in our school community with both his quirky personality and also his recent performance at the annual Variety show which will surely be remembered by many for probably years to come.
Though some of us may not admit it many of us will more than likely miss his crazy antics and his ability to disrupt class, saving some of us from things we didn’t wanna do. Finally a quote from Laurance’s “favorite” movie, “Stay gold Ponyboy.”
[Photo by Jacob Christian]
Photo Caption: “The King the night of his crowning at the Tinsel ball, looks pretty happy huh?”
By JORIE MEIL-Twenty five IHS seniors and juniors are taking advantage of an opportunity to get a head start on their college careers. The dual enrollment program allows students to take college classes prior to their high school graduation.
There are many colleges that participate in this program. The most popular among the students is IUP due to it’s closeness and good staff and facilities.
The dual enrollment program has many benefits for participating students. The program gives students insight into what the next four, and possibly more, years of their lives will be. They get a feel for the workload and all of the responsibilities that come with taking college-level classes.
For students who think the high school workload is a lot, college will be a rude awakening for them. Students participating in the dual enrollment program will be more prepared for college when it comes around. “It is a serious commitment I would only recommend it to students who are good at keeping themselves organized and on top of assignments,” commented dual enrolled junior Kate Metzger.
Another benefit of dual enrollment is the ability to take classes that really fit a student’s personal interest. IHS offers a wide selection of classes, but we don’t have a classes like Samurai and Gongfu heroes. Taking classes that are interesting and picked by the student taking it will make school more enjoyable. Senior Jackie Sprenger says, “It’s a really fulfilling experience because it allows students to take classes in subjects not available at IHS.”
Dual enrollment also helps students get ahead in college. All classes that are completed while dual enrolling count as credits. Students who dual enroll already have credits that go towards their college graduation. This way they can have a lesser class load or maybe even graduate early. “I will be getting eight credits towards my degree which will mean I can take fewer classes while I am in college’” says senior Halle Angello.
Dual enrollment is a great program that has many benefits for high school students. This is an opportunity that students will not want to miss out on!
Photo by High Arrow Staff
Photo Caption: “Seniors Hannah Erdley and Halle Angelo enjoy their time on the IUP campus.”
By ASHLEE GRAHAM – During periods 3-5, there are kids in the halls of IHS that are a little shorter than usual. These are the kids that participate in the yearly IHS preschool.
Junior Maura Nutter says, “I’m excited to take this class because I’ve heard a lot of great things about it. It’s good for people who want to work with young kids in the future.”
Every year, IHS has a preschool class offered to grades 10-12 called Child Development. In this class, students receive a hands-on learning experience, all while running their very own preschool. This elective course is taught by Mrs. Brady, and is extremely effective for anyone going into a profession involving young children, or even for those who plan on having their own children someday.
Junior Chase Cunningham states, “I think that this elective is very beneficial because it allows students that are going into education the opportunity to get prior experience, and help them get ahead in their career.”
Child Development is a semester course and has two different structures. In the beginning of the course, students learn about the development of children and how they think and grow. The second part of the course is developing lesson plans for preschool where the kids come in and these students are now their teachers.
This year there are eleven preschoolers: Addie, Ava, Molly, Emmett, Bennett, Miles, Max, Liam, Phillip, Decklen, and Otto.
Along with all of these perks, the class is extremely fun. Students can bond with the kids and be a very impactful part of their early learning careers. Sophomore Lola Van Leer says, “I love this class because I have the opportunity to work with preschoolers; this age for them is really cute.
As beneficial as this class is for the high schoolers, it’s even more beneficial for the preschoolers. With the layout of the class that focused on math & science, handwriting, arts & crafts, and lessons, these children learn a lot about listening to teachers and many other skills they will need when they move on to Kindergarten.
This course also helps the children ”branch out,” as they have never been around a lot of other kids in a social setting. Through the preschool, the kids can make a lot of new friends that will help them as they transition into kindergarten.
[Photo by Marianne Brady]
Photo Caption: “Seniors Halle Angello and Jordan Raible teach the preschoolers yoga during circle time.”
By DYLAN LATORE– Do you remember getting out of bed in the morning to see a snow-covered world and feeling a sense of excitement and wonder? Or laying on your back in bed at night, unable to fall asleep and jittering with anticipation because you knew in the morning it would be Christmas? Or begging your mom or dad to “Just open one” present the night before? When I think of Christmas, these are only a few of the thousands of thoughts and memories that flood into my brain like liquid nostalgia. But now these thoughts really only feel like memories. Simply put, Christmas doesn’t feel the same anymore.
I can remember being able to effortlessly write a Christmas Wish List a mile-long, but now it even pains me to ask for anything because I feel guilty. Why would I make my parents drop a large amount of money on something I could work for and earn myself? When item prices stop being these meaningless and imaginary numbers, they just feel like wallet burners. And you can say, “Oh, but Christmas isn’t even about the presents it’s about family and being together and celebrating baby Jesus” But try to tell me with a straight face that seven-year-old you was more concerned with childbirth and Uncle Roger than your brand-spanking new PlayStation 2.
Really, it just comes with age. As you get older, it is easy for the Christmas Spirit to fade away. But nevertheless, there are tons of ways to bring the Christmas Spirit back into your life every year. Getting older doesn’t mean the end of Christmas. Try out a few of these techniques to bring some joy this holiday season:
The first example on the list is easily a favorite of many. And that is to arrange a Secret Santa exchange. Whether that be for your sports team, a certain class, or even just within your friend group. This involves each participant drawing a name out of a hat of the other participants. After all names are chosen, the fun part begins. Gifts are bought all around, and after some patient waiting, you have an exchange. It is a fun way to give and receive gifts, and the mystery of who got who makes it all the more exciting.
Another similar activity is a White Elephant Party/ Gift Exchange. The term white elephant refers to an extravagant but burdensome gift that cannot be easily disposed of, based on the legend of the King of Siam giving rare albino elephants to courtiers who had displeased him, that they might be ruined by the animals’ upkeep costs. But in this case, a White Elephant party involves bringing any gift (usually low cost and undesirable), wrapping it up, then setting it under a tree or in a pile. Going around a circle, each participant can either choose a mystery gift from the pile or steal a gift from someone else in the circle. Senior Jeremy Adamson said, “The best white elephant gift I’ve ever received was an extra large Fruit by the Foot. I ate the entire thing in one day.” This can lead to some pretty intense moments and an exciting ending. This game can very easily ruin multi-year friendships though, so be careful.
Listen to Christmas music! Listening to Christmas music is one of the easiest ways to bring the spirit of Christmas into your life. This doesn’t just include the boring old songs that get played every year. Modern Christmas music gets produced every year as well. Artists like Chance the Rapper, DRAM, Jeremiah, and even DMX, have put out their own collections of music or albums. Senior Will Luetkehans actually stated, “My favorite Christmas album is the Chance x Jeremih mixtape: Merry Christmas Lil Mama.” And that’s just the tip of the iceberg as well, there are so many more selections of all genres to satisfy your musical needs. Put on Christmas jams, and decorate your room with festive items to really have you feeling jolly.
Even putting Christmas lights in your room can really make a difference. Senior Liz Denver said that Christmas decorations get her in the Christmas spirit the most; adding, “My house looks like the North Pole around Christmas time.” But I had to take my Christmas lights down because, “They’re a fire hazard, Dylan. You’re going to burn down our house.”
But honestly, just doing little things like this can turn a certified Scrooge McDuck into a candy cane slinging Christmas FIEND. So if Christmas doesn’t feel like it used to this holiday season, try out a few of these festive techniques to boost your holiday morale.
[Photo by Noah Finegan]
By EMMA NORMAN – Pumpkin recipes, flavored lattes, and cherished candy bars are all things we associate with fall. This fall, new recipes are all over the internet, leaving all of us with endless recipes and adorable Halloween themes.
An all-time fall favorite is roasted pumpkin seeds. This recipe for honey roasted pumpkin seeds is gluten-free and serves up to six. With just a few ingredients and a short 50 minute cook time, you’ll be left with a new favorite snack.
Mix butter, honey, brown sugar, and salt together in a bowl. Then add pumpkin seeds and mix. Bake the seeds in the oven, preheated at 300 degrees F, stopping every 20 minutes to stir. Do this two or three times, or until you think the seeds are done. Sprinkle seeds with white sugar and bake until lightly browned for about 20 more minutes. After the seeds are done baking, let them cool for about 30 minutes before eating. These flavorful and colorful pumpkin seeds will leave you craving more.
Pumpkin spice lattes come around every year leaving everyone excited. ¨Pumpkin spice lattes are my favorite part about fall,¨ says sophomore Sarah Denver. With just 1 cup of milk, 1 tablespoon of white sugar, 1 tablespoon pumpkin puree, 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract and ¼ cup brewed espresso you can make your own pumpkin spice latte right at home.
Whisk 1/2 cup milk, sugar, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract in a small saucepan over low heat. Let simmer for about five minutes. After that, whisk in the remaining 1/2 cup milk. To remove the pulp from the milk mixture, pour it into a mesh sieve. Then return the milk mixture to the saucepan and let it simmer. Continue whisking for 2 minutes. Then add espresso and whisk until foamy.
[Photo by Emma Norman]
Photo Caption: “Sophomore Hannah Wagner holds a staple of fall recipes.”
By JUSTIN REESE- Nothing shows appreciation and gratefulness like trampling over people in order to get the best deals, right? This is exactly what this year’s Black Friday shoppers will be doing.
With the holidays just around the corner, clothing lines, department stores, and shops of all sorts are releasing their Black Friday Deal advertisements. Black Friday being the day after Thanksgiving where millions of shoppers across the nation leave their homes to get the very best of deals.
Although these deals may be great, is it worth the demoralization of Thanksgiving? Isn’t Thanksgiving all about being thankful and grateful for everything currently possessed? Yet millions leave their homes to get what they want. Sophomore Kiara Smith said, “I think it’s a good idea, and it’s not really supposed to do any harm, but it definitely takes away from Thanksgiving, especially since it’s the day after Thanksgiving. I plan on probably going out of town with some of my friends and shopping.”
Even occasional physical harm is done on Black Friday. A total of 10 deaths and 105 injuries have been reported in past years. Freshman Greta Ushock said, “If the police are needed to manage the violence, it has gotten entirely out of hand. People shouldn’t get hurt or killed just for a good deal.”
Black Friday can still be fun, if done correctly. Freshman Kaitlyn Marshall said, “It’s a great opportunity for people who have financial issues to be able to buy more pricey gifts. It is also a great way to have fun by spending time with your family, which is what I do every year.”
When the British colonists called Pilgrims celebrated the first Thanksgiving, they most likely weren’t planning on going on a shopping spree directly after their feast. So on November 24th, which is Black Friday, remember to be thankful for what you already have by perhaps taking less when shopping, or buying for other people.
[Photo by Justin Reese]
Photo Caption: Freshman Nathaniel Clarkin searches for the very best of Black Friday deals during study hall.
By KAYLEE BECKER-GEORGE – There are a lot of students at IHS who don’t use their lockers, which leads to them carrying all their books, folders, and notebooks in their backpacks. Back problems can stem from this, which can hinder students in sports and prevent them from pursuing other extracurricular activities.
There are many students who find it easier to completely ignore their lockers and save time by keeping everything in their book bags. Sophomore Grace Wadding says, “I have my backpack, so I don’t find it useful to use my locker.”
Some students don’t know their combination or how to dial it in. There are some students who don’t even know where their lockers are, like freshman Jesse Greve who says, “I don’t know my locker combination or where it [his locker] is.”
There are also students who only use their locker once throughout the day, like freshman Dustin Miller, who says “I only use my locker to get my jacket out of it.”
The New York Times recently did a study showing that, on average, backpacks weigh about 18 pounds, though some weighed up to 30 pounds. Due to modern technology, more textbooks are online, but there are still some teachers who require one to be used. Depending on a student’s schedule, this can mean a lot of weight being put on a student’s back. This is even worse for students who walk to and from school. Even if a student doesn’t carry textbooks, there is still their Chromebook and all their folders, papers, and notebooks, all of which can add up to a pretty substantial weight.
A student’s backpack should be no more than 10% of their body weight. If these limits are exceeded, back pain can become a problem. If a student is experiencing severe back pain, that means that their book bag is probably too heavy.
For the students who do use their lockers, another problem exists. Some students leave their lockers unlocked so that next time, all they have to do is open it. This, unfortunately, increases the risk of theft. The point of a locker is to keep it locked. If it is open, someone could literally go down the hall and push up on the lockers, making thieving easier.
Using a backpack can’t be completely avoided, so here are some tips on how to properly wear your backpack so that it cuts down on back pain and makes it easier to manage. First, students should wear backpack with both shoulder straps. It may seem like an inconvenience, though it only takes a second, but it really helps. It distributes the weight across the shoulders so that not all of it is focused in one place.
Second, the backpack should be high on the back and the straps should be comfortable. It should not be so high that the straps are choking the person wearing it, but the backpack also shouldn’t be all the way down the back. Third, if a backpack has a waist strap or a pectoral strap, a strap that connects the shoulder straps across the chest, then it should be used. The waist strap distributes some of the weight to the waist. The pectoral strap helps by keeping the shoulder straps in place so they don’t move too much and chafe the shoulders.
Students can increase their locker usage in multiple ways. To start, if a student doesn’t know where their locker is or where to find it, they should find out through the office. Then, the student should think about their schedule and plan as many trips to their locker throughout the day as they can. It can also be determined by which classes require the most materials.
The way students treat their backs during school could affect many things in their outside lives. It is vital for students to start utilizing the school-given lockers to their advantage to cut down on back problems and improve performance inside and outside of school.
[Photo by Kaylee Becker-George]
Photo Caption: “Freshman Gregory Kenning opens his locker after class.”
By JOE LUETKEHANS– Stains line the drooping ceiling tiles. Nestled in between gated storefronts are small oases of civilization under dimly lit signs flickering with the words “SHOE DEPT.” and “SPENCERS.” The stench of salted pretzels and cleaning supplies fills the air. Residents of Indiana are likely well-accustomed to the atmosphere of the local mall; it seems like it’s always been the best place in town to find suggestive trinkets and catch the newest films.
To many, it may feel like it’s always been ever so slightly run down, dirty, and loveable at the same time. Perhaps that’s part of the appeal. However, between the death of some of its most popular stores and the worsening condition of its appearance, one cannot help but think that it won’t be around for much longer.
Obviously, our own Indiana Mall has not been immune to degradation. Starting with the death of Finish Line several years ago, a local shoe and sports supplies store, each year has seen a handful of annual store closings. The GameStop came next, then the Aeropostale, followed by the FYE, and etc.. This has continued until today when the last few months saw the announcement of the deaths of both K-Mart, and most recently Sears, two of the largest and originally most prominent stores Indiana Mall had to offer. One cannot help but think: How long will it be before the entire mall is nothing but an empty, grey shell of a once-great social hub?
This has not gone unnoticed. Youtube channel Ace’s Adventures, who explores abandoned businesses around the country, traveled to Indiana in June of 2016 to document the local mall. The owner of the channel has stated “My goal is to see every ‘dead mall’ in the country. Somehow, some way…” The channel was started that same year but has since documented dozens of businesses nationwide. While stalking the empty halls, the narrator notes the appearance of the K-Mart and same-y layout to other malls around the region as the markings of the company who built the building.
This company, Zamias Services, Inc., is based in Johnstown and owns retail property such as Pittsburgh Mills Mall, Northern Lights Shopping Center, and the DuBois mall, all of which have the same run-down level of upkeep.
Pittsburgh Mills is a notorious example of this, seeing as it closed within just over a decade of existence. Simply put, nobody wanted another mall in the Pittsburgh area. Today, the property is worth nearly nothing. This is the problem. Americans stopped visiting malls at the same time that they kept being built. The turnover rate has become all too fast, leading to more dead malls than live ones.
This pattern of run-down malls has stricken most of the north and middle eastern regions of the country, with dead malls becoming commonplace in states such as Virginia as well.
The state of the mall is reflective of most locals’ opinion on the building and malls in general. Sophomore Katie Wachob enjoys the feeling of shopping in stores, but when it comes to option, she states that she prefers to leave town. “I love the food courts, the options, malls are great… but not Indiana Mall. That’s not good.”
Larger shopping centers such as the Westmoreland Mall and Ross Park Mall are much more popular among students for their better level of maintenance, better selection of stores, and more chic feeling.
According to analysis in a BBC piece on the death of the American mall, the heyday of such lifestyle centers peaked in the 1970s and 1980s. Eager gen-Xers would hit the mall after school or on weekends, creating the now-decrepit stereotype of the “mall rat.”
As the decades carried on and entered the 1990s, malls began to take a hit. From that point onwards, malls slowly became less and less crowded due to a variety of factors, such as the internet and new kinds of malls themselves.
Unsurprisingly, the shrinking reliance of malls partly has to do with the booming rise of online shopping, with sites such as Amazon and eBay taking millions of customers who once populated their halls. Before this, the explosive birth of the strip mall stripped people of their will to take a day trip across town to the megamall, instead offering the convenience of a few key stores in an easy-to-access open location.
Indiana students have taken advantage of these conveniences. Senior Allison Ream detests the idea of local shopping. “It’s stressful… you have to see people. I prefer to shop online.” Ream, along with many others, prefers the convenience of online stores. “…you can compare prices, find better deals, and spend money better. You can do it all from your PJs!”
Ben Bianco, a senior and self-professed online entrepreneur, has found nothing but joy in online shopping. “I don’t really go to malls. It’s just so much easier to shop online.” This sentiment makes sense for many Indiana students. Since the newest and most popular items can’t be found locally, the next best place to turn is the internet.
This shrinkage can be labeled as dramatic, even in the last 10 years. According to real-estate research firm Cushman and Wakefield, there was a 50% decrease in mall foot traffic nationwide from around of 35 million visits to 17 million in the time span between 2010 and 2013- only 3 years.
So what is the future? Will physical shopping centers eventually have to foreclose in defeat? The future of the mall is in the hands of the consumer, and only time will tell.
[Photo by Joe Luetkehans]
Photo Caption: Junior Joey Bujdos shops on Amazon, unknowingly contributing to the death of retail.
By KIMBERLY SAMUEL – Personalized learning is something that has been around for years in the education system, and this school year there have been changes to both the Indiana Junior and Senior High. One method of personalized learning is online classes where a student is able to get their credits through programs that offer yet another option to best meet their needs.
The program that IHS uses is called Asynchronous, and students have many options available once registered for a new school year. One option is that students are able to take classes online with no required time in the building. Another option is that students can take three to four classes in the school building, and the rest online, or just one or two online to free up a student’s schedule.
There are some requirements for certain courses to be taken online, for example, one must pass Environmental Science before taking Biology. Also, parental permission is required before a student enrolls.
Some classes that have been popular with students have been Phys. Ed, Social Studies, and Computer Applications. Senior Alex Detwiler takes Phys.Ed this year and stated that he had also taken online classes for computer applications last year, “ I have more time in my schedule to work without conflicting my schedule, and there isn’t limited classroom time.”
With online classes, there aren’t any specific times students have to sign in, and if there are things they need help on, they can schedule appointments with teachers to get further explanations.
One of the teachers for online classes, Ms. Nibert gave more information on the programs and stated that it is available for all grades adding,“ Online classes provide students with more flexibility when trying to schedule classes in the building, and it allows students to strengthen their time management skills.”
Lastly, sophomore Hannah Lupinetti is currently working on the On your Own class that deals with finances and planning for the future. Her favorite part is that she is able to work at her own pace and says that if given the chance, she would take an online class again for Psych.Ed. stating, “ I would rate online classes a nine out of ten because you get to work by yourself without a time limit; however, the testing format could use some fixing.”
Personalized learning is coming to the newer generations of students and the impact is something that could greatly improve the ways and means by which students learn, and many students at IHS are excited to be a part of this innovative movement.
[Photo by Kimberly Samuel]
Photo Caption: Sophomore Hannah Lupinetti works diligently in the Ideal lab on her Computer Applications class.
