3 - Merrillville Community School

The
Merrillville High School
Merrillville, Indiana
October 26, 2010
Vol. 29, Issue 3
www.mhsmirror.com
Mirror
National Honor Society to ‘Walk ‘n Roll’ for charity
Annual Walk-A-Thon to be held October 30
BY ALYSON AUSTIN
Editor-in-chief
National Honor Society
(NHS) will sponsor the fourth
annual Walk-A-Thon October
30 at 9 a.m. on the track.
The theme this year is “Walk
‘n Roll with National Honor
Society.”
The members of NHS
will walk the 5K, along with
anyone else who would like
to join. All donations will
benefit the Special Needs
Department.
“I’m excited to be a part
of something that helps the
community,” Senior Ashley
Jamerson said.
“People sometimes forget
about the Special Needs
students so this is a great way
to create community,” NHS
adviser Mrs. Patrice Weil said.
“It’s a great team-building
project that benefits our own.”
Last year, the group raised
$1,364 for the Special Needs
Department. The group’s goal
for this year is to exceed that
amount.
“We look forward to it
every year,” Special Needs
Department head Mrs.
Barb Dlouhy said. “It’s a
wonderful opportunity to have
extra funds and additional
resources for the program in
general.”
The proceeds will go
towards funding adaptive
equipment, educational kits,
art supplies, cooking supplies
and adaptive P.E. equipment.
“There is always a great
turnout from kids, teachers
and administration,” Mrs.
Dlouhy said. “We hope for
good weather and look
forward to seeing the NHS
kids out there.”
Last year’s members of National Honor Society participate in the 2009
Walk-A-Thon for the Special Needs Department.
Seeing double nothing new around MHS
Portis and Dicken twins tell
what life is like as a twin
Seniors Bianca (left) and Mariah Portis.
BY JALISA MOSLEY
Reporter
Merrillville High School is a
home to many pairs of twins.
Though the twins see this as
“normal” many are interested
in what it would be like to
have one.
Seniors Bianca and Mariah
Portis, who are fraternal
twins and Juniors Megan
and Michael Dicken, who are
fraternal opposite-sex twins,
give their insight on the reality
of having a twin.
“It’s like having a best
friend around 24/7,” Mariah
said. “We get a lot of
attention, and we get double
everything.”
“I like being a twin. I have
never had to go [places]
without her,” Bianca said,
who is one minute older than
Mariah.
Just as typical siblings may
argue and fight over things,
so do twins.
“We fight over who’s really
the smartest between the two
of us,” Megan said, who is two
minutes older than Michael.
“Just last week, we fought
over which one of us should
park in the driveway,” Michael
said.
The Dicken twins agree
that they enjoy having a twin.
“Although he’s annoying
and overprotective, I love
my brother to death. I would
rather have a guy twin than
a girl twin because girls are
mean,” Megan said.
“It feels normal. I have no
Harassment leads to tragedy
page 5
‘Harvey’ comes to the Reinhart Auditorium
page 9
Harrison, Caddick advance to semi-state page 10
idea how it would be to not
have her. I mean, we can’t
share clothes like same-sex
twins do,” Michael said.
Megan and Michael agree
that there is absolutely
nothing that they dislike about
being twins, but Mariah has a
different feeling.
“People treat us as one
person instead of two actual
individuals. My sister can be
nowhere in sight, and the
person talking to me just has
to associate her,” Mariah said.
Megan and Michael say
that they receive plenty of
reactions when people find
out that they are twins.
Continued On Page 3
2
Save
the date
vSenior Class Meetings
every Tuesday in Arena
vACT Dates: Dec. 11, Feb.
12, April 9, June 11(check for
deadlines)
vSAT Dates: Nov. 6, Dec.
4, Jan.22, March 12, May 7,
June 4 (check for deadlines)
Sold-out Homecoming disappoints many
BY TAYLOR SMITH
News Editor/Reporter
For the first time in Merrillville
High School’s history, this year’s
homecoming tickets sold out.
Over 700 tickets were sold to
students, and about 300 students
were turned away, leaving
them with no way to enjoy the
Homecoming dance.
Senior Reaunna Maxie had
to wait later than other students
to buy her ticket because her
paycheck hadn’t arrived.
“I was very upset because
they [the MHS staff] should have
planned ahead of time and been
prepared for tickets to be sold
out, even if they weren’t the years
before,” Maxie said.
Still very angry at the way
the situation played out, Maxie
offered an explanation to why the
tickets were sold out.
“They ran out of tickets
because they didn’t think outside
the box and ask themselves what
if. In this case, that question
should have come to mind,” she
said.
Students were frustrated at
the fact that details of the dance
had not been fully thought out.
vThanksgiving food drives
Oct. 25-Nov. 12 and Nov.
15-19
BY MEREDITH DOBES
Web Editor/Copy Editor/
Reporter
vPoetry Slam Auditions
Oct. 28-29 in room A114
vNational Honor Society
Walk-A-Thon Oct. 30
vDrama Club’s production
of “Harvey” Nov. 4-7
vDaylight Savings Time
ends (set your clock back one
hour) Nov. 7
vFinals, week of Nov. 8
FOR MORE RECENT
INFORMATION PERTAINING
DATES, SCHOLARSHIPS
AND EVENTS, CHECK OUT
OUR WEB EDITION
www.mhsmirror.com
Corrections
In the last issue of The
Mirror, Major Guy Ramey and
Junior Justin Koenemann
were misquoted.
The staff of The Mirror
regrets the errors.
The Hall of Flags and the
freshman cafeteria were both
estimated to hold only 550
students, without risking safety
hazards.
“Mr. Krutz was looking out for
the best interest of the students,”
Student Government Sponsor
Mr. Mike Knocke said. “It was not
administration’s responsibility.
I should have taken initiative to
keep students updated on ticket
sales.” Mr. Knocke said.
“The best thing we can do
is maybe have a countdown of
students planning to attend on
PNN,” Knocke said.
Band wins silver rating
at October ISSMA meet
vRed Ribbon Week Oct.
25-29
vLast day to have your
senior picture taken at Giolas
Oct. 30
“I think they should never
let kids from other schools go to
this dance, because more MHS
students would have had the
chance to get in,” Sophomore
Raven Tibbs said.
Eager to go to the dance,
Tibbs, like many other students,
bought her dress ahead of time.
Disappointed by the fact that
she had taken so much time
out to plan for the dance, she
explained, “I stayed after school
until everybody in the gym left,
and I still didn’t get a ticket. I can
only hope that we don’t have this
problem again.”
The Marching Band of
Pirates received a silver rating
at the Indiana State School
Music Association (ISSMA)
Merrillville High School Band plays during halftime on their Senior
Night during the football game against Lake Central. Photo credit
Christa Flores.
Carnival takes on
western theme
BY PATTI ZIMMERMAN
Arts and Entertainment
Editor/Reporter
This year, the annual Key
Club carnival will be held
in the Freshman cafeteria
November 11 from 5 p.m. to
8 p.m.
This year’s theme is
“western,” and all Key Club
members will be dressed in
western attire.
Games like Cowboy limbo,
Cowgirl hopscotch, Sucker
pull, Boot Scootin’ boogie
buckets, Ranch hand ring
toss, Jump Rope, bean bag
and more will be played.
There will be a concession
stand selling hot dogs, chips,
soda and water.
Last year Key Club raised
$1,800.
This year, they hope to do
better.
Key Club sponsor Mrs.
Carrie Bedwell said she
would like to “make that if not
surpass it.”
Performances by
AFJROTC, cheerleaders and
Voices of Reason will highlight
the evening.
The carnival is for all ages.
This year Mrs. Bedwell rented
two bounce houses, one for
younger children and the
other for older students.
Proceeds will go to the
Hobart Humane Society.
District competition October 2.
The band’s senior night
was October 8.
The jazz ensemble began
meeting October 14 and
will continue practices on
Tuesdays and Thursdays from
3:30 to 5 p.m.
Bible Club founder
invites students to join
BY TAYLOR SMITH
News Editor/Reporter
Merrillville High School now
offers the Bible Club, a group
that meets every Thursday
morning in room AB101, to
learn a lesson in the Bible,
pray and share stories to
encourage each member.
The meeting lasts 15
minutes. Students may
request prayers during the
meetings.
In this short period of time,
students get the chance to
bond with peers on a spiritual
level and gain a higher
understanding of Christianity.
Senior Charity Scollon,
founder of the Bible Club,
wanted students to get more
in-tune with religion and could
not find a better way to do this
than to bring her religion to
school.
“I go to church all the time,
and I also go to public school,
and I feel like I’m in two
different worlds. I want people
to learn about Christian
beliefs,” Scollon said.
Scollon mentioned that the
club meetings have been a
success.
“It comforts me knowing
that they’re interested,”
Scollon said.
The club is not only for
Christian students.
“We’re open for anybody.
Religion doesn’t matter,”
Scollon said.
“I like the fact that a lot of
people come there that don’t
regularly go to church,” she
said.
Spanish wedding reunites old ‘amigas’
“
”
By Meg Vinson
Reporter
Three years ago, Mrs.
Josefina Poropat, a former
Merrillville High School
Spanish teacher, moved back
to her native country of Spain,
leaving behind the friends she
had made here. At the end
of this September, though,
French teacher Ms. Irene
Spiro and Spanish teachers
Mrs. Evelyn Steiner and Ms.
Mary Ann Bertram were able
to visit Mrs. Poropat again
during her son’s wedding in
Cartagena, Spain for a week.
“It was nice being with one
of my best friends and all of
us being together again,” Ms.
Spiro said.
“The whole thing was
great,” Ms. Bertram said.
“Staying with the Poropats
and having them show us
around and learn about the
culture in Spain.”
Between Ms. Spiro, Mrs.
Steiner and Ms. Bertram, they
have been to over twelve
different countries in Europe.
This was Ms. Spiro’s first trip
to Spain and Ms. Bertram’s
second, but it was Mrs.
Steiner’s eighth time visiting
the country.
“Even though I had been
to the country before, it was
still my first time in those
cities, so it was still new,” Mrs.
Steiner said. “It was the first
Seeing double:
Twins tell what it’s like
continued from page 1
Michael and Megan Dicken
dress as one another for Twin
Day 2010. Photo by Heidi Dula
Michael said people
usually say, “There is no
way that she is your twin!”
“People don’t know we’re
twins until they ask. Then
they will ask thousands of
times afterwards because
they just don’t believe us,”
Megan said.
The Portis twins say that
people are usually shocked
to find out that they, in fact,
are not identical.
“People just assume
that since we look so
much alike, that we must
be identical,” Bianca said.
“We’re really not.”
Twins have all sorts
of experiences. Both the
Dicken and Portis twins
shared their experiences.
“We’ve always said that
we’d re-enact the very first
episode of ‘Sister, Sister,’”
Mariah and Bianca said.
“[It’s the episode where]
Tia and Tamera bump into
each other at the mall where
they meet for the first time,”
Mariah said, “and they shout
to one another saying, ‘That
girl has my face!’”
“There’s a picture of
Megan and I when we were
about a year old lying on
our mom’s bed,” Michael
said, “and we were picking
each other’s noses.”
3
It was nice being with one of my best friends and
all of us being together again.
Ms. Irene Spiro
time that we [Ms. Spiro and
Mrs. Bertram] went together.
It was fun to be able to travel
with friends, and I had never
been to a wedding in a foreign
country before, either.”
While some parts of the trip
were completely new, the trip
still held a familiarity to the
teachers.
“It was very similar
to southern France and
Greece. The landscape, food
and people are all similar.
Everyone is very hospitable
and open,” Ms. Spiro said.
“Europe has a certain feel
to it,” Mrs. Steiner said, “and
each country is just a little
different.”
Mr. Thomas Steiner, Ms. Irene Spiro, Mrs. Evelyn Steiner and Ms.
Mary Ann Bertram sightsee near the Museu de les Ciences Príncipe
Felipe in Valencia, Spain. The four traveled to Spain to attend Mrs.
Josefina Poropat’s son’s wedding.
Poetry Slam team callout
BY BRE PULPHUS
Reporter
Auditions will be held
October 28 and 29 at 3:00
p.m. for the first Poetry Slam
team, sponsored by English
teacher Mr. Dave Hossler.
These aduitions will
be held in room A114.
Mr. Hossler is asking that
students bring material that
takes no less than 30 seconds
to perform. Pieces do not
need to be memorized, as
long as they are written by the
student.
The Poetry Slam team is
based on competitive poetry,
which requires both a strong
piece and an even stronger
performance.
The Poetry Slam team
was greatly inspired by the
annual Socially Together And
Naturally Diverse (STAND)
Coffee House. The Coffee
House is an event that
showcases various acts of
poetry, as well as singing and
dancing. Last year’s Coffee
House portrayed the style of
“poetry slam,” which is the
act of performing a piece with
dramatic movements and a
strong delivery.
Key Club members trick or treat
for UNICEF to raise money
BY RAEVYN HARPER
Features Editor/ Reporter
Last year Key Club
members raised money for
Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF and
this fall they plan raise more.
“Our goal is to raise about
$230,” Key Club sponsor Mrs.
Carrie Bedwell said.
All the profits will be
donated to children in
Uruguay who are living in
poverty. Trick-or-Treat for
UNICEF is an organization
that is educating young
people about their peers
in developing countries all
around the world. Every Key
Club member will receive a
fundraising kit with collection
boxes, to help them have a
successful campaign.
“They are walking around
with their boxes and asking
around for donations,”
Bedwell said. “Anyone is able to help
raise,” she added, “if they are
interested.”
4
STAND members participate
in first student exchange
BY BRE PULPHUS
Reporter
Socially Together And
Naturally Diverse (STAND)
members went on the first
Student Exchange of the
school year October 5.
Eleven Merrillville students
went to Munster High School
to spend the day “shadowing”
Munster students.
I was one of the STAND
members chosen to go to the
Munster Student Exchange,
and I definitely enjoyed
myself.
Each STAND member was
paired with a Munster student
and was made to follow their
partner during the school day.
“My kid was nice,” Junior
and STAND leader Jose
Gonzales said. “He was
different from me, but we still
got along.”
My Munster student,
Junior Zak Kulam, was very
excited that his school would
be getting more “variety” in
Senior BreAnn Pulphus hugs
exchange student Zak Kulam of
Munster after participating in first
student exchange.
their student body. However,
I thought the Munster school
had a lot of different races
there, and I was impressed.
Most of the other Merrillville
students were surprised to
see that Munster High School
was as big as it was.
“They had 1700 students,”
Senior and STAND leader
Mary Williams said, “which
was more than we expected.
My guy was all excited that
his school was getting a new
pool, until he learned that we
already had two.”
Both Munster and
Merrillville students were able
to bond almost instantly, so
communication was hardly
a problem. Students from
both schools spent the day
whispering to each other in
class and passing notes.
“Their classes were kind
of hard,” Gonzales said, “so
it was supposed to be quiet
most of the time. We still were
able to talk, though.”
Munster had a wide variety
of Advanced Placement
(AP) classes, including AP
Spanish.
“The exchange was
great,” Williams said. “The
classes that Max [her
exchange student] took were
pretty hard, but they were
interesting.”
Kulam’s classes were
mostly AP: AP Literature, AP
Chemistry and AP Biology. I
even tried to help Kulam with
his English and AP Chemistry
work, but his work was just
too difficult.
Munster had four lunch
periods, and none of them
are as packed as the average
Merrillville cafeteria.
“That was the best part,”
Gonzales said. “The lunch
room had a lot of space, so it
wasn’t hard to find a seat like
it is here.”
At the end of the day,
students from both schools
gather to discuss their day.
“We have discussions
to compare and contrast
the things we have in our
schools,” Williams said. “That
way, when we go back to our
own school, we have a better
appreciation for the stuff we
have.”
The two different student
bodies also address
stereotypes that they’ve had
for the other school. The
assumption that Munster had
for Merrillville was that it is
a basically all-black school.
On the other hand, a lot of
the MHS students admitted
they’ve also had some
thoughts on what Munster
was like.
“I had heard that Munster
was a snobby, rich white
school,” Gonzales said, “and
that they were too stuck-up.”
Of course, the Merrillville
students were happily proved
wrong.
“Everyone was so friendly,”
Williams said. “They were all
nice, and every time I walked
into a class, everyone waved
to me.”
The STAND Club will be
having several more Student
Exchanges throughout the
school year, hoping to go
to places such as Hobart,
Highland, Hebron and
Crown Point. The Munster
High School students will
be coming to Merrillville
to complete the exchange
October 26.
They all asserted that they
were eager to visit Merrillville
and see how diversity affects
the school.
“I can’t wait to see my guy
again,” Williams said.
Taking the time out now for later
BY JIM WRIGHT
Sports Editor/ Reporter
Time. Time is something
that when really examined
can be broken up into
sections. In our lifetimes we
have gone through being
babies, children and now we
are young adults.
Through all of these time
periods, we have grown up
and lived with our families.
You wake up, they are there.
You go to sleep, they are
there.
During the good times and
the bad times, they never go
anywhere.
The problem is that no
matter how much time we
have, it always seems to go
by so fast.
For the Class of 2011, we
have less than a year before
we will be at college, some
of us close but some of us
far. For those that go farther
away, this means that the
family time that was once
there will no longer be. People
see this time away as a part
of growing up, and it can be,
but what we do not realize
is how much our families will
miss us and how much we will
miss our families.
The other day, my sister
sent me a message telling
me that we need to hang
out sometime soon because
more than likely I will be far
away for college. One might
wonder why this had to be
said by message and why
we do not hang out already,
and it’s because I have been
so preoccupied with clubs,
school and other things that
I rarely get to see her other
than driving her to school.
Some might see these as
reasonable excuses, but
they are not. Reading that
message made me realize
that.
The time that we have
now is precious, and I am
hoping that seniors, as well
as underclassmen, realize
that. Some of it is going to go
towards school, friends and
relationships, but we need
to use some for family. Just
because you see your family
every day doesn’t mean
you are spending time with
them. It could mean you are
just coexisting. You need to
actually take time to be with
them. It could be something
on a larger scale like going
out to eat or into the city, or
it could be something small
like watching a new television
show or movie. The degree
doesn’t matter; it is the time
and the memory created that
will resonate in their minds
and keep them close when
you are away.
Zach Raspopovich, Bob Wright
Sr., Bob Wright Jr., Lexy Wright,
Judy Smith, Jim Wright and Amy
Wright enjoy a familly vacation
in Key West, Florida. Photo
provided by Wright family.
5
Facebook terrors snap
BY TAYLOR SMITH
News editor/reporter
One month ago, Freshman
Tyler Clementi of Rutgers
University in New Jersey
committed suicide after his
roommate videotaped and
posted on Facebook footage
of Clementi having intimate
relations with another male.
Before ending his life,
Clementi wrote on his
Facebook page, “jumping off
the gw bridge sorry.”
Before authorities could
reach him, they found nothing
but his belongings at the top
of the George Washington
Bridge from which he jumped.
A bully is someone who
is cruel to others in an
attempt to feel superior.
The term “cyber-bully” is an
understatement in this case.
When a person violates
another’s privacy, then uses
that same negative energy
to broadcast the person’s
personal relations, he can no
longer be classified as a bully.
He may be charged with a
crime.
Most people associate
death with one of the most
feared experiences in life, a
point of no return. Whether
it is intentional or not, we
all contribute so much to
people’s depressing thoughts.
We all have bad habits of
posting dirt about people on
the web for all Facebook eyes
to see. When I really think
about it, we are the reasons
for increasing suicide rates
among teens.
“I feel our biggest problem
is being worried about
someone else’s life when
we don’t need to be,” Senior
Evan Sandifer said.
People are so fascinated
with other people’s business
that they will intrude in any
way possible.
“I keep my problems to
myself and try not to involve
other people,” Sandifer said.
Facebook needs to be
more controlled in terms of
what people say out loud.
Senior Brechey White
admits to talking about people
via the Internet.
“We talk about each other
and pick on each other too
much,” White said.
Why do we taunt our peers
when we know the worst
possible outcome? It seems
that it comes natural to target
those who are unlike us.
“We fear that no one will
like us, so we try to fit in,”
White said.
One cannot even be
relaxed in private, proven by
the case of Clementi. White
agrees that Facebook has
turned more negative than
positive.
“We scorn people for being
individualistic,” Senior Sarah
Dora said.
Dora agrees that Facebook
has become a huge problem
for teens.
“Facebook is almost like
alcoholism,” she added.
It’s an addiction to roam
various status updates of
the people we see on a
daily basis and judge them,
most likely in the worst way
possible. We live in a world
that is rapidly becoming
more and more impersonal
and fixated on harming other
people.
“The reliance on
technology for social
networking,” Dora said, “is
extremely scary.”
Ballard High’s suicide-prevention club wrote messages of support in
chalk outside the school in Seattle, Washington. ( October 11 picture
by Greg Gilbert/Seattle Times/MCT Campus)
Be aware of your surroundings
Recent murder, crimes raise safety issues
“
BY DAYNA YOUNG
Opinion editor/reporter
As an adolescent, you
are taught that your family,
teachers, law enforcement
and even friends are there to
protect you from dangers of
society.
An individual known as
the “Honeybee Killer” was
involved in the murder of one
man in Illinois and seriously
injuring two others in Indiana.
“When I first heard of
this story, I was shocked
and thought this man was
crazy,” security guard Mr. Tim
Washington said, “and at this
point, he has the ability to do
anything.”
It is obvious that indivduals
need to be alert because, as
the old saying goes, “bullets
have no name.” Merrillville procedures,
when situations call for
serious measures, sometimes
result in lockdowns and locker
searches (with administration
guidance and supervision).
As peers, we cannot
always stop the dangers of
our community, but taking
safety precautions can
prevent bad situations from
coming into effect.
The following tips can help
protect individuals against
everyday situations.
When leaving your house,
remember to lock all doors
and windows.
Even when you are leaving
and entering your home
or other public places, just
looking at your surroundings
can help determine if
something is out of the
ordinary.
“Now that this situation
has occurred, it has helped
me be aware of my children’s
well being,” Mr. Washington
said, “so whenever they make
plans, I try to ensure they go
as a group.”
Traveling in groups is
another positive safety step,
as well as simple things such
as keeping your cell phone
and keys in your front pocket.
This provides easy access in
case of an emergency.
“You can’t determine the
decisions others make,”
science teacher Mr. Dave
Hinkel said.
“Not only as a husband,
but a father, my biggest
concern at all times,” he said,
“is making sure my family is
safe.”
As peers, we
cannot always
stop the dangers
of our community,
but taking safety
precautions can
prevent bad
situations from
coming into effect.
”
6
Hallowee
Photos courtesy of MCT Campus
The
scariest
places
to go
Halloween is right
around the corner.
The leaves are falling
from trees and the wind is
a bitter chill.
To some, this holiday
is nothing more than an
excuse to wear a silly
costume and get free
candy.
To others, it is a
tradition that must be
respected and held in the
highest esteem. In some cases
Halloween is considered
an evil day that must be
avoided, whether due
to morals or religious
reasons.
It is clear that Halloween
has had many different
faces throughout history.
It has been seen as “the
Devil’s birthday,” the day
the dead come back to life
and just as a ridiculous
children’s holiday.
Regardless of its
changing façade,
Halloween has been
universally viewed as
a scary night when
dressing up is completely
necessary to partake in
the uproarious activities
of the evening.
The Teenage
Survival Guide To Halloween
BY RAEVYN HARPER
Features editor/ reporter
Forget those petty trickor- treat rules your parents
told you about when you
were younger, like staying
on the sidewalk or not
eating candy that’s not
wrapped.
This is high school, and
in high school, things are
run in a different way.
When we think of
Halloween, candy isn’t the
By PATTI ZIMMERMAN
Arts and Entertainment
Editor/Reporter
Imagine walking through a
dark hall as lightning flashes
and a girl drenched in blood
growls in the corner as she
gnaws on an arm of her
victim. Now imagine being
trapped in a dark room with
no way out, the sound of a
chainsaw in the distance and
coming closer.
Sounds like a horror
film, but every year around
this time many people put
themselves in the positions of
the victim for the thrill.
Reaper’s Realm is located in
Hammond and is open Friday
and Saturday 7 p.m. to 12 a.m.
and Sunday 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
until October 31.
Statesville Haunted Prison is
located in Cresthill, Illnois and
open Thursdays and Sundays
7 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Fridays
and Saturdays 7 a.m. to 11
p.m.
only thing that comes to our
teenage minds.
Halloween, for us, is now
an excuse to party and to
dress up in vulgar attire.
Though our intentions
are just to have fun, in
the heat of the moment,
we don’t make wisest of
decision. Here are some
tips to staying safe and out
of trouble Halloween night.
• Tell your parents the truth about your
whereabouts. Better safe than sorry.
• Respect yourself. Wear a costume that
you’re able to show your parents.
• Be above the influence. Don’t let peers
trick-or treat with your actions.
• Stick with friends. They will always have
your back in case things get crazy.
• Have a plan “B” just in case that party really
wasn’t your type of scene.
ar
“I cover my ears
when I watch
scary movies
because the loud
noises creep me
out”
-Mr. Dan
Moslander
7
en ‘10
re you ready?
“One time I was at
a corn maze, that
was supposedly
for kids, not scary
at all. Towards the
end a man came
out of the corn with
a knife in his back.
I still don’t know if
it was real.”
-Senior Erika
Erskine
Nightly frights and haunted sights
For young kids, Halloween
is usually a night devoted to
carving pumpkins, trick-ortreating and pranks. As we
become older, though, our
meaning of Halloween is seen
in an entirely new spectrum.
Lowell, Indiana doesn’t
seem like the portal opening
for supernatural activity, but
Indiana Bridge is an exception
to this.
There are many places
in Indiana that people would
consider “haunted,” but who
steps out and really takes a
look behind the closed doors of
a home or on the dark streets
at night?
During the day, the
town seems peaceful and
the surrounding fields are
welcoming. But, if you
venture in at night you will
find something completely
unexpected.
It was around 11:15 p.m
on a Saturday night when we
finally found it in ourselves to
go out and find what everyone
else had been looking for:
hauntings.
According to the myth of the
region, Indiana Bridge and the
manor just a few miles down
are to be considered haunted
by the ghosts of Native
Americans buried in the area.
Locals in the area often
report sightings of orbs,
unknown mist that appears
spontaneously and can
sometimes hear the beat of the
tribal drums.
According to legend, the
sounds of screams can be
heard from the house, where
the manor once stood.
The house is now
abandoned because of the
supernatural activity that
supposedly occurred there.
We, naturally curious,
decided to check it out and
were shocked at what we
found.
The trip from Merrillville to
Lowell was a silent one. As we
headed off of the exit and took
a right on Clay Street, we knew
there was no going back; we
would either have an amazing
story to tell or definitive proof
that the supernatural world
does not exist.
After the tedious task of
driving to our not-so-certain
doom, we reached the bridge
and were disappointed in the
demure look of it.
How could a place so normal
be so intensely spooky? We
decided to stay anyway and
check it out.
Although we were not
able to go into the house
where supernatural activity is
supposedly abundant, we did
let the bridge challenge us.
In the legends, it is said
that if you turn your car off
and let your windows fog up,
handprints of dead Native
Americans will appear on
your car. As we tested this,
strange noises began to rattle
our thoughts from underneath
and behind the car, and we felt
the presence of someone, or
something, watching us.
Only one of us was brave
enough to venture through
the newly formed fog and see
what sort of animal had gotten
caught underneath the grill.
As we waited, a member of
BY FRANCESCA BRICKER
CARLEY LAUGHEAD
Reporters
our group came back, white as
a ghost, and shakily reported
handprints all over the surface
of our car. This concluded our
ghost hunting for one night;
we quickly decided it was time
to leave and that we were too
tired to continue.
When civilization finally
greeted us, and we all stepped
out of the car, a handprint was
on the back, where we heard
a sudden thump, at one point.
It was smudged like someone
was attempting to keep us
there as we drove away.
Although no substantial
evidence was taken, we can
only go on feeling and personal
experience to conclude if
Lowell’s Indiana Bridge is
indeed haunted. Perhaps, if
you are feeling adventurous,
you will check it out for
yourself, if you dare.
8
How Facebook got its start Talents by the dozen
BY SAM GUBITZ
Advertising Manager/
Reporter
“The Social Network” tells
the story of the founding of
Facebook and the various
lawsuits its creator, Mark
Zuckerberg, faced following
the website’s success. In
order to tell this story, director
David Fincher adapted Ben
Mezrich’s nonfiction novel,
“The Accidental Billionaires,”
into a screen play.
Zuckerberg and his best
friend Eduardo Saverin are
played by Jesse Eisenberg
(Adventureland, Zombieland)
and Andrew Garfield (Lions
for Lambs, The Other
Boleyn Girl), respectively,
while Napster founder Sean
Parker is portrayed by Justin
Timberlake.
The story is told through
multiple perspectives
throughout the movie, ranging
from Zuckerberg and Saverin
to the Winklevoss twins, who
believe that Zuckerberg stole
their idea and adapted the
idea into Facebook.
While listening to the
various legal testimonies
during both of Zuckerberg’s
lawsuits (one by the
Winklevoss twins and
the other by Saverin), we
are shown the creation of
Facebook, its aftermath and
the characters themselves,
through the previously
mentioned points of view.
While the truth remains
debatable, in the movie and
the real world, the movie does
a good job of portraying all of
the character’s points of view
to allow viewers to create their
own idea of the truth.
There are only two
prevalent problems presented
in “The Social Network,” one
of which being the fact that
there’s only one character you
actually care about throughout
the entire movie, Mark
Zuckerberg. Sean Parker
is introduced far too late in
the movie for any emotional
attachment to be formed at
all; in fact, he is probably the
movie’s weakest character.
The other drawback is
the fact that the movie might
actually be too intelligent
for its own good. I consider
myself a pretty big nerd, but
almost the entire 20 minute
opening of computer talk
went over my head. Another
off-shoot problem that stems
from this over-intelligence is
the dialogue.
“The Social Network” is
not an action film, so almost
the entire movie consists of
dialogue between the various
characters. While the dialogue
may be comical at times,
there are some who won’t be
able to understand any of the
humor due to their inability to
keep up with the fast-paced
conversations. This is not
their fault; the producers of
the film seem to have had
a specific audience in mind
when they created the movie,
and the typical Facebook
user may not be a part of that
audience.
“The Social Network” may
be a modern story that’s
beautifully portrayed by its
amazing and believable
characters, but by the end
of the movie viewers realize
that if they knew these people
in real life, they’d probably
“ignore” their friend requests.
Showcasing poets around school
Through the Night
Through fields of human ashes and remains I run
Slowing down more and more only to realize the journey is undone
Poison amidst the air grabs at my throat and burns my eyes
“For this” a voice tells me “ is the result of sin and lies
A black shadow chases after me, further behind
Covered in the blood of his victims and everything else he could find
My feet rip and tear with every step that I take
Discovering that there’s no end to this thing, my heart begins to break
A million years ago, if you asked me I would’ve told you I’ve done good
deeds
From what I understood, I sowed good seeds
Until coming across an apple from the garden of forbidden fruit
Then biting deliberately and ignorantly continuing pursuit
When doors were closed and I thought no one heard my chat with the snake
I thought that no one would find out about the deal I was about to make
Then as my running progresses and a sword pierces my soul, red pouring
like vanilla cream,
I realize it was all a nightmare; it was only a dream
By Taylor Smith
BY DARIEN KING AND
BRE PULPHUS
Reporters
There are some people that
seem to have extraordinary
talents. People with an ear for
music, an eye for art, or even
the gift of mastering multiple
languages generally seem to
be highly recognized.
When you have a mixture
of all these talents and more,
as Senior Tanya Riveron
does, all types of people
come together to study your
accomplishments.
“She’s very creative,”
Photography teacher Mrs.
Janet Anderson said, “and
she has high standards for
her workmanship.”
Mrs. Anderson says that
Riveron is goal-orientated
and is constantly searching to
improve her talents.
When at work, she
becomes more than just
an ordinary student, as Art
teacher Mrs. Sarah Kennedy
knows.
“She has a really good
imagination,” Mrs. Kennedy
said, “and she’s not scared
to experiment and fail. A lot
of kids are scared to fail, but
she’ll try something new and
learn from it.”
Riveron’s talents include
drawing, sketching and
anything involving art. She
plays violin, guitar and piano,
and speaks Spanish and
Japanese.
“What really got me going
[in art] was anime, but now
I’m expanding,” Riveron said.
She said her grandfather
has inspired her the most.
“I would always watch him
draw when I was little. He
gave me tips and pointers,”
Riveron said, “but seeing
other people do their best
motivates me as well.”
Like most true artists and
great musicians, she feels
nothing is ever finished, only
to be improved upon.
Aside from her artistic
talents, she nurtures a
curiosity for different cultures
and history.
“I have very high
expectations for myself,”
Riveron said. “I rate myself
differently.”
9
‘Harvey’ takes on the imagination
BY MEREDITH DOBES
Web Editor/Copy Editor/
Reporter
Elwood P. Dowd is best
friends with a six-foot-tall
invisible, white rabbit.
The story of how this
friendship affects his
relationships with everyone
in his life, along with their
perceptions of him, is told in
the Merrillville High School
Drama Department’s fall
presentation of “Harvey.”
Elwood’s sister, Veta
Louise, tries to have him
committed for his strange
behavior, but ends up being
put away herself.
“It is a great family friendly
comedy. It’s a Pulitzer Prize
winning play,” Drama Director
Mr. Stephen Elser said.
Including backstage
responsibilities, a total of 30 to
40 students are participating
in the play. Twelve actors and
actresses have onstage roles.
Lead roles are played
by Senior Russell Cole II
as Elwood P. Dowd, Senior
Alyson Austin as Veta Louise,
Senior Erika Erskine as Myrtle
Mae, Senior Gloria Graham
as Nurse Kelly, Senior Joshua
Melvin as Dr. Sanderson,
‘My Sister’s Keeper’ explores family ties
BY MEG VINSON
Reporter
Anna Fitzgerald has been
saving her older sister Kate
since the day she was born.
After Kate was diagnosed with
leukemia as a child, the girl’s
parents chose to have Anna
to be a donor for Kate in an
attempt to save her life.
“My Sister’s Keeper”, by
Jodi Picoult, opens when
Anna is 13, and even though
Kate has lived years longer
than anyone expected, her
body is starting to give out.
She needs a kidney from
Anna to keep living, but after
giving up so much already,
Anna
doesn’t
know if she
wants to
give up any
more, even
though it
might mean
breaking her
family apart
and hurting
the sister
she loves.
“My Sister’s Keeper”
explores the ties between a
family that is trying to hold
itself together after being
torn apart so many times and
raises some of the harder and
unclear questions of whether
it is right to save a
life at the expense
of another.
The characters
are not unlike
many other
families. Flawed,
but never doubting
their love for
one another
though all the
hardships life puts
them through.
In her 11th book, Picoult
again created a touching,
bittersweet story that many
would find hard to put down
and is guaranteed to keep
readers thinking long after
they have finished.
Senior Brandon Shea as Mr.
Wilson and Senior Richard
Smith as Dr. Chumley.
“I’ve done tech work for two
plays so far. This is my first
play where I’m acting in it. It’s
lots of fun,” Shea said.
The play will be performed
November 4, 5, and 6 at 7
p.m. and November 7 at 3
p.m.
“There’s tons of comedy.
EVENTS
More details and events can be
found at www.mhsmirror.com
Demons
of the Jail
Porter
County
Jail
10/27
Haunted
Trails of
Sunset Hill
Valparaiso
Stop
by!
5374 Broadway
Call
us!
884-0114
GET A FREE ORDER OF BREADSTICKS
with a Big Deal Purchase & your
Merrillville High School ID
Kids will enjoy using their
imaginations to see Harvey
through the play,” Erskine
said.
Tickets are $7 for adults
and $5 for students and
senior citizens.
“People should see this
play because it is a lot of fun.
Support MHS drama,” Mr.
Elser said.
10/29
10/26-10/30
Campfire
Chillers at
Deep River
County Park
10/29-10/30
Halloween
at County
Line Ochard
10
Boys’ Cross Country team
advances 2 to semi-state
BY PATTI ZIMMERMAN
Arts and Entertainment
Editor/ Reporter
Boy’s Cross Country
team competed at sectionals
October 12. Senior Dylan
Harrison placed first, Senior
Jacob Caddick placed third
and the team as a whole
placed third.
Last year Harrison was the
first sectional champion in
the history of Merrillville High
School.
Regional’s took place
October 16. Harrison placed
first and Caddick placed fifth,
but the rest of the team did
not advance.
“Dylan got his job done. I
got half of my job done, but
fortunately it was still good
enough to advance to SemiState,” Caddick said.
“I am hoping to get top 10
with a time of 16:15 or better,”
Caddick said.
Tennis season ends
Seniors
Jacob
Caddick
and Dylan
Harrison
compete at
the Portage
meet.
Harrison took
first place
and Caddick
took second
delivering
the onetwo punch.
“Harrison
dominated
the race,”
Caddick said.
Photo by
Giolas.
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BY JAKE LARSON
Back Page Editor/ Reporter
The boys’ tennis team
finished with a record of 4-11
and lost in the first round of
sectionals.
Junior Leonard Matthews
advanced out of sectionals
individually, but lost in the
regional meet.
Even though the record
wasn’t what the team was
hoping for, the season was
enjoyable for the team and
there were many positives.
“A positive of the season
was our efficiency in practice,
finding the problem and fixing
it,” Coach James Simon said.
“The season was more
enjoyable than in previous
years, nice season overall,”
Coach Simon said.
“The maturity of the guys
was real good and they all
worked together very well,”
said Coach Simon.
“We just fell a little
short, but every match was
competitive,” Coach Kyle
Prow said.
Even though the team had
many positives, the team also
has things they would like to
improve on.
“Something we can
improve on is playing every
month, even during offseason, competing and
playing in tournaments,”
Coach Simon said.
The coaches have a
“what’s best for the team”
approach for the roster and it
carried over into sectionals as
the team held a quick match
to see who would take the
final varsity spot in sectionals
as Junior Mansoor Arifee
battled Freshman Ronnie
Mayersky and walked off the
court with the final varsity
spot.
“He had been struggling;
but he’s a tough guy and I
wanted to see if he could step
up,” Coach Simon said.
A player that has
impressed the team is Alex
Swierc.
“The thing is that he was a
beginner this summer, but he
started coming in and winning
a lot of matches,” Coach
Simon said.
Swimmers dive into season
BY RAVEN SMITH
Photo Editor/ Reporter
Swimming conditioning
started September 8.
They have a rigorous
schedule every day of the
school week and every
other Saturday. Their routine
consists of working out, lifting,
running in and out of the
water and drills.
Coach Ladd Downham
and Coach Sara Stallings
have high expectations for the
upcoming season.
“The kids are working hard
at preparing for the upcoming
season, and the newcomers
are adding excitement to the
team,” Coach Downham said.
The routine works a lot
of different muscles such
as abdominal, leg and arm
muscles.
“Coming from golf, I wasn’t
in the proper shape at all, so
when I first started swimming
I was really sore for the first
week. Swimming really
wears the body out,” Junior
Jeanette Burbage said.
The leaders of the team
have responsibilities that
include making sure everyone
is aware of what drill is being
done at the time and the
placement of people in the
correct lane depending on
their own pace.
“The ultimate goal this year
for the team would have to
be having a winning season.
We have a strong team, and
I know we can do it,” Senior
girls’ Captain Kelsey Sajdera
said.
The official season begins
October 25.
11
Pierce’s hard work and
dedication paying off
BY MEREDITH DOBES
Web Editor/Copy Editor/
Reporter
As the Pirates continue
forward in their season and
closer to sectionals, Senior
Denzel Pierce continues with
them, not to be overlooked.
A starter for three years,
Pierce has had experience
on offense as a wide receiver
and, primarily, a running back.
His experience continually
contributes to the offensive
line and the team, as a whole.
“He’s well known in
the [Duneland Athletic]
Conference. The defenses
key in on him and that
opens up the field for me,”
Senior quarterback Zach
Raspopovich said. “He knows
what to expect. From his
quickness and the way he
During last
year’s state
championship
game, Junior
Raveen
Murray
dribbles the
ball up the
court against
the Ben
Davis Giants.
The Pirates
lost the game
99-52 making
them the
state runnerup. Photo by
Giolas.
sees everything on the field,
we all benefit from his natural
abilities.”
The team contributes to
Pierce’s personal success, as
well. Pierce believes part of
his success this season can
be attributed to the offensive
lines blocking and because of
the play calling of Coach Zac
Wells.
“He’s probably the
strongest player on the team.
He understands what to look
for and helps other players
understand,” Coach Wells
said.
Pierce’s will to win inspires
him to succeed at football.
He listens to music and stays
well hydrated to prepare for
games.
“I rep plays repeatedly. I
make sure I know all the plays
Senior
running back
Denzel Pierce
runs in for one
of his three
touchdowns
against the
Andrean
59ers in the
Battle of
Broadway.
Pierce also
had 173
rushing yards
to go along
with his
touchdowns.
The Pirates
went on to win
27 -13. Photo
by Giolas
well,” Pierce said.
This being Pierce’s senior
year, he is looking forward to
the opportunities available
to him after graduation
from MHS. Northern Illinois
University, Bowling Green
State University, Grand Valley
State University and Illinois
State University are schools
recruiting Pierce, and he is
looking into all of them.
“He’ll be successful as
long as he continues his work
ethic. That goes for college,
academics, sports and a
career too,” Coach Wells said.
From his first time playing
football and building upon
his skills at MHS, Pierce has
learned that “football teaches
responsibility and being
accountable.”
Girls basketball team prepares
to defend conference title
BY JIM WRIGHT
Sports Editor/ Reporter
Last year, the girls’
basketball team surpassed all
expectations for their season
when they only lost one game
until the state game.
Players do not see why
there is any reason they
should not be able to do that
again.
“We did lose our leading
scorer and big player Bryonna
Davis, which is always going
to cause your team to have
to adjust, but we have girls
capable of stepping up and
filling that role,” Head Coach
Amy Govert said.
The Pirates were not the
only team to lose a big player
or players in the Duneland
Athletic Conference, either.
“Many other schools lost
top players as well, so it is all
just a matter of how quickly
we get it together. How we do
that will determine how our
season goes,” Coach Govert
said.
Returning to the court this
year in hopes to help the
team will be Senior Melanee
Stubbs. The last two seasons,
she suffered season ending
injuries, but she has high
hopes for this year.
“I am really excited for this
year. Missing two years was
not fun, but I am ready to
leave everything on the court,
because this is my senior
year,” Stubbs said.
Along with Stubbs,
there are other key players
returning this year, including
Juniors Jasmyne Miller and
Raveen Murray.
With these returning
players, the girls are going to
change focus on the court.
Last year, they were more of
an offensive-minded team,
but this year the main thing
stressed will be defense.
“We are going to focus
more on defense. This year
we will be able to press
because we have more
depth,” Coach Govert said.
“This heavy focus on
defense gives us a chance to
come out on top and be just
as successful as we were
last year,” Stubbs said, “only
hoping to win state.”
The Back Page
12
not know the reason why they
were doing so.
As with a majority of
rebellions, those in charge
simply ignored the problem,
and the green rebellion faded
away from people’s memories
the very next day.
While the rebellion was
quick to fizzle out, the two
days where it officially
occurred gave students a rare
glimpse into the personalities
of their fellow peers and
teachers. Those who chose
to wear green on Friday were
treated like traitors
by a good portion
of the faculty and
student body.
Comments like,
“How dare you
wear green?” and
“Don’t you have
school spirit?” were
commonly heard in the halls
and in the classrooms.
The United States
government protects its
citizens’ right to protest by
wearing whatever clothing
they chose, including green
clothes. Although you
forsake some of your first
amendment rights when you
come to school, the landmark
Supreme Court decision,
Tinker vs. DesMoines, said
that students could wear black
armbands to protest the war
in Vietnam as long as it did
not disrupt the school day.
It’s debatable if the “green
rebellion” disrupted the school
day, but even so, students are
still permitted to wear green,
so long as it does not go
against the dress code.
As for “school spirit”, the
hypocrisy of the matter is
astounding. It is amazing that
in Merrillville High School
you hear comments like “this
school sucks” or “this school
is so ghetto” on a daily basis
and yet the very same people
who say these awful things
are the ones who wear purple
every Friday for a football
game, claiming to have
“school pride.”
“
The United States
government protects
its citizens’ right
to protest
by wearing whatever
clothing they chose,
including
green clothes.
”
counterpoint
BY SAM GUBITZ
Advertising Manager,
Reporter
The United States of
America has seen its fair
share of revolutions and
rebellions throughout its
history: the Revolutionary
War, Shays’ Rebellion, the
Whisky Rebellion and the Civil
War.
But never before has there
been a “green rebellion,”
that is, until Merrillville High
School’s 2010 Spirit Week.
As with any rebellion,
there’s always a
“good” reason for a
group of individuals
to band together in
the face of a mutual
enemy. To trace the
origins of the green
rebellion, someone
simply has to read
the Merrillville High School
handbook.
Within this handbook there
are rules, some of which
state that masks, hats and
sun glasses may not be worn
inside the school.
During certain days
of Spirit Week, some
individuals thought that their
particular outfits could only
be completed with one, or
several, of these banned
items.
Sadly, the administrators
did not share the same
thought and asked that all
hats, masks and sunglasses
be removed as per school
regulations.
In response, a number of
students decided to celebrate
the last day of Spirit Week,
purple day, in the most
opposite way possible. These
students decided that wearing
green, the school color of the
Valparaiso Vikings, would
teach the administration a
lesson.
As witty as the original idea
was, the plan was deluded by
a complex game of Chinese
telephone; the end result was
that the students who had
planned to wear green did
Down with green
point
Rebels wear green
“
... next time you decide
to join a protest,
make sure you’re aware
of the reasons you’re
doing it.
”
The Mirror
The Mirror is the student
newspaper of Merrillville
High School, 276 E. 68th Pl.,
Merrillville, IN 46410. The web
edition is located at mhsmirror.
com.
Publications at MHS are
members of the Indiana High
School Press Association,
National Scholastic Press
Association and Quill and Scroll.
BY ALYSON AUSTIN
Editor-in-chief
Probably the most
memorable day during this
year’s Spirit Week was the
drama that came along with
“Anti-Purple” Friday, during
which many seniors wore
green to protest dress code
rules that were more strictly
enforced throughout the
week.
Many of these people were
angry that they could not wear
hats, other headgear, during
Spirit Week, so they thought
wearing the opposing team’s
color that day would
be great backlash.
For one, the dress
code has been in
force for years,
so it’s puzzling as
to why protesting
was necessary. If
you couldn’t wear
anything on your head before
this week, then it’s pretty
obvious you couldn’t do it
during Spirit Week.
Though I am all for protest
and exercising freedom of
speech, I believe the energy
put towards talking about it,
making a Facebook page
advertising it and buying new
threads to support Valparaiso
could have, and should
have, been put towards
something more productive,
like supporting our own team.
Though wearing green didn’t
“disrupt the school day,” it
was still sad to see so many
people cheering on another
team.
Since administration asked
Editor
Alyson Austin
News Taylor Smith
Opinion
Dayna Young
Features
Raevyn Harper
Arts & Entertainment
Patti Zimmerman
Sports
Jim Wright
Photo
Raven Smith
Advertising
Sam Gubitz
Web Editor
Meredith Dobes
Back Page Jake Larson
the rebelling seniors not to
go along with this, and some
did, it was basically a slap in
the face to authority. Not only
did they make the class look
bad, but they failed to show
their school spirit on one of
the biggest football days of
the year.
After talking to many
people, it became clear
that most people joined
in because they thought
everyone else was doing it
or that it was a good way to
show school spirit. Though it
was evident that students had
fun with it, and it may
have been a good
“bonding” experience
with the seniors,
maybe this “bonding”
should have been
done in a different
way.
I’m no football
player, but if I had to spend
the day preparing myself
for a big Homecoming game
that night, it would have been
great to see the support from
my fellow classmates, even
during school.
There’s no doubt that
student support at the game
was unbelievable, but my
advice to you, students, is
this: next time you decide
to join a protest, make sure
you’re aware of the reasons
you’re doing it. If you believe
in karma, then maybe this
was the real reason we broke
our 5-1 winning streak, not
because of simply wearing
a color, but because of
everyone’s reactions to it.
Reporters
Alyson Austin
Meredith Dobes, Sam Gubitz
Raevyn Harper, Jake Larson
Naim Muhammad, BreAnn Pulphus
Raven Smith, Taylor Smith
Megan Vinson, Jim Wright
Dayna Young, Patti Zimmerman
Adviser
Teresa Procter
Letters to the
editor must be 200
words, signed by
the student, and
delivered to room
M108.