By: Charley Howard

Cigarettes. We all know ‘em. Some people, a little too well. But what about vapes? More specifically Juul? Vuse? SMOK? Three very popular brands of electronic cigarettes. If you’ve ever spent a day in a high or middle school, then I know you’ve heard of them. We all know that one kid; the one who has been caught with vapes and doesn’t see a problem with it. Should they? Why or why not? I decided to dive deeper into the topic and see.

I talked with Noemi Adame, a doctor at Culver Pediatrics about the consequences of vaping. “Vaping as a pediatrician and as a mom, quite honestly, scares me more than cigarettes… they make the design very sleek and modern looking… and then they also advertise these flavors; which again, I think, is very appealing to young people,” Dr. Adame says.

Dr. Adame went into great lengths of speaking about many different illnesses and diseases that can be caused by vaping, and she brought up a specific one that has been in the news recently. “Really there is no fancy name for it. It’s called Vaping Related Acute Lung Injury. There’s been about 60 cases and a little under 10 deaths, mostly young people; and the symptoms are very nonspecific, really they look like they just have the flu.” When she said this, I was mentally in awe. Vaping has been around for 10 years, which means there has been around 1 death per year due to vaping. If the symptoms look like the flu, many people wouldn’t rush themselves to the E.R. but would rather take some over-the-counter medication and wait for it to pass. But in reality, it won’t.

Almost 17% of the people who’ve had Vaping Related Acute Lung Injury have died. Now that might not seem like a lot, but when you put it into bigger numbers such as 6000 cases and 1000 deaths, it seems scarier.

My discussion with Dr. Adame caused me to look deeper, so I decided to talk to teenagers I go to school with here at Culver Community. Ian Brown and Marshall Meador, sophomores, were great sources. Ian said, “My personal opinion is that it’s bad, but if you do it, that’s your decision… I don’t think people know what the consequences are, and they should know what they are inhaling before they do it. They might still vape because they got hooked to it. They might cope with stuff by using it. I don’t think you should use it to cope with stuff, you should try to talk to people if things are going on.” I also think that many teens use nicotine as a way to cope with problems that are going on in their personal life.Marshall Meador felt similarly. “I know it's not as healthy as our generation makes it seem, and it's not cool to vape, but it's just one of those things that blew up with a specific generation… Tobacco use has always and probably always will be a thing amongst younger people no matter the “bans'' or “restrictions.” It's not to be taken as the right thing, just an action that is addictive and that a good amount of the population enjoys.”

Vaping blew up in our generation. It doesn’t make it good for young people, but they think it makes them look cool or use it to cope with their problems.

After talking to people, I have formed my own opinion about vaping. Teens and young adults vape. Should they? No. Will they? Yes. Minors will do what they please, no matter the side effects on their body. I, personally, don’t approve of kids vaping, but I know that’s not the same for everyone. So, before you take that rip, or you ask your friend for their nic, please think about the negative effects of vaping. Because after all, vaping is a silent killer.

By: Brianna Bailey

February, March, November, and May, these months probably mean nothing to most except where they fall in the year; but to many, they mean a lot. Each month listed is a month where a culture is celebrated in America. February is black history month, March is Irish- American heritage month, May is Jewish- American/Asian-Pacific heritage month, and November is American-Indian heritage month.

Many don't know what these months honor or much about the cultures they celebrate. Those months are not often talked about among students and teachers, and oftentimes schools are blamed for the lack of knowledge people have about these nationalities. And for students living in areas like Culver, there isn’t a lot of diversity to fuel knowledge outside of the classroom.

According to Mr. Klinge, “We try to cover it [different aspects of history] but we're not going to get three layers deep into the actual culture. It would be cool to learn all the different languages and the different facts; but sadly, we can spend all year on Gwanghwamun and never learn all their history. There's definitely things we could improve, so I'm open-minded to whatever ideas.”

However, the Indiana state standards for history have limited rules for teaching different cultures. Teachers have to run by the state and usually don't have time to add extra information since the standards in the book are long, but even with that, a lot of students still wish that more culture was taught.

Mr. Kling continued to state that it would be very difficult to teach everything in the history book and teach extra cultures with the time limit they are given. Mr. Klinge expressed that he would love to have someone from around the world come and speak to his class about their culture, but because of the lack of diversity in Culver, it's very difficult to find opportunities for class.

“It feels weird sometimes because Culver is a very privileged area so people don’t know how to act around people with native heritage or people of color (POC) in general so jokes are very prevalent in the halls. The little diversity that's at Culver is uncomfortable because it creates an environment where ignorance becomes the norm and it takes the voices from students who are POC. Some students don't have as much trouble with students and teachers as other students of color who regularly hear insensitive comments,” said a Junior NaKalvin Morningstar.

Sophomore Myah Craft said, “I feel like there's little culture taught in Culver to be honest. We basically have our regular subjects like math, English, and history. I feel like we don't really learn different cultures a lot. I feel like it's just the material the teachers are told to teach.”

Even though the teachers may not be able to teach the culture they want, it's always good to stay educated. Culver doesn't have a lot of diversity, but the students who come from different backgrounds still need to learn about their culture. Some students don't have parents from their culture, so it's harder for them to learn about themselves which could lead to insecurity.

America is made up of different cultures; therefore, those cultures should be taught. The state standards aren't very inclusive and maybe the state should evaluate what they cover and add more or take out some to be able to cover nationalities that make up their public schools.

By: Charley Howard

Ten is the age that most kids get their first phone. Eleven is the age that most kids start their own social media account. When kids that are underage join social media, they become attached. Their accounts and phone is all that they know. Many kids that attend Culver Community have social media. And many of them have had negative experiences.

“I think social media should have a bit more strict guidelines,” Mr. Llovet, high school coach and NG3 leader says, “maybe even age-wise, who could use different social media.” Mr. Llovet leads a group for both girls and boys called “ng3.” The ng3 group is where kids get together once a week and talk about what is going on in their lives, and it is a place to find God.

Mr. Llovet thinks that social media should be stricter with who is using it and what they are using it for. When a child is given a phone with many different social media platforms on it, they will most likely encounter something that will affect them or others around them. Young children don’t know the consequences of using social media at such a young age. If we could put more guidelines on social media, there would be fewer problems. On the other hand, there are some people who think that it is, in most cases, okay for kids to have social media.

“I think social media is a good tool when used responsibly,” NaKalvin Morningstar, junior at Culver Community says, “only if kids are taught how to act online.” Nakalvin uses social media very often and has come in contact with people who have had negative experiences because of social media. “I’ve had friends who are in music who have to take month long breaks from doing stuff that they love because they can’t manage the stress that comes with an online life.”

Social media doesn’t just affect kids using it but the others around them. It is difficult for a person to know how they are affecting someone when social media only allows face to face interaction when the screen is on. A person can’t read emotion over a screen as well as they can when they are right in front of someone. When on social media, a person should be careful about what they do and how they use it. Avoid putting your whole life in and on social media. And as Mr. Llovet says, "social media is always dangerous when we openly put our value and worth in other people’s hands."

By Abbi Kisela

Diversity, Inclusion, Community, and Equity or DICE is a new club at Culver Community Middle High School. Mr. Mark Maes, an elementary teacher, started it this winter and this club isn’t your typical club. It’s a club that’s diverse, people feel included, it’s people in your own community, and where everything is fair.

“When I was trying to think of a name for this organization I did a lot of research to see what other schools had that was somewhat similar. I discovered that many schools have a DEI Coordinator. DEI stands for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. I really wanted the name of this to be somewhat consistent with other organizations so I kept that acronym, but also tailored it to meet the needs of the Culver Community Schools Corporation.” Mr. Maes said.

Not a lot of people know about DICE or what it stands for or why it is called DICE. COVID has had a toll on clubs and SRTs. Because of split SRT’s, it’s hard to figure out what is even going on.. And so if a club started after the Club Go Week, many students don’t know if they can sign up. If a club has after school meetings,have a hard time making meetings because of sports and rides. I

DICE is something new and exciting. “I had the opportunity to attend Culver Community as a student and I have worked here as a teacher for the past four years. As a student, I never felt like there was a “safe place” where I could completely be myself. As an educator, I think it is very important for students to have a place to go where they can discuss things that really matter to them. I want to have this organization give those that feel that they don’t have a voice a place where they can SHOUT! I came out after college in my early twenties. I knew that I was gay long before that but never felt comfortable saying it out loud for fear of how others would react. I want DICE to be a place where we celebrate diversity and where everyone knows that there’s no need for fear. An organization like this would have made a huge impact on my middle and high school career.”

How is DICE going to affect the Culver Community? That might be a question that goes through your head when you learn what it’s about. Will it be a positive or negative effect? Culver Community isn’t just the public high school, it’s the entire town. “One thing I love about Culver is that we are a very small community. One of the things I find difficult about Culver is that it is a very small community. We are in a place where we aren’t exposed to a ton of diversity, and oftentimes we have the notion that we shouldn’t discuss our feelings. I want DICE to be a stepping stone where we continue to celebrate diversity and aren’t afraid to talk about how we’re feeling. It is my hope that DICE will have a positive impact on not only the students that attend but the community as a whole. The more we talk about our differences, the more we realize how alike we really are. Once some COVID restrictions are lifted, I would love to partner with the Culver Academies. I think this would be a great opportunity to collaborate and share some ideas!” Mr. Maes said.

. This may rile up the questions about the different age groups the club allows. “DICE is currently open to students that are in grades 6-12. I would love to form something like this at the Elementary School in the future, but I would like to focus on the middle and high school for the time being. We are currently meeting from 3:30-4:30 PM every other Wednesday, but there has been talk about meeting more often, which I would love!” Maes said. Unfortunately for now there won’t be any meetings for Culver Elementary but focusing on the middle schoolers and high schoolers.

If joining the club seems interesting to you, you may wonder what activities Mr. Maes will be hosting during the meetings. “I have said from the beginning that I want DICE to be ever-changing and ever-evolving to meet the needs of the students. It is my goal to dedicate each meeting to different topics, but I am always open to adjusting that schedule to meet the needs of the students there at the time. I would like to have guest speakers come in and discuss topics such as how to cope with stress and anxiety, how to set goals for yourself, how to work on self-confidence and self-esteem, how to accept and love who you are, topics based on culture, sexual orientation and gender identity, the list goes on and on! We are fortunate enough to live in a day and age where being different is good, and I want to help continue to spread that message here in the Culver Community Schools Corporation. I would really want the members to help determine the activities we do! I think it’s important they have a voice in these decisions.” Maes says. You get to decide sometimes, what you do while you’re in a club meeting. This club teaches you things you may not learn in regular life or even school. DICE is an opportunity for everyone to feel welcomed.

DICE is new and exciting. This club gives everyone a chance to be themselves, feel safe in a room full of people who are completely different than they are, and learn about things they’re going through. DICE is a great club and if you’re not thinking about joining after learning what it’s about then you should.

The start of school left a lot of people wondering if schools would be forced to close like they did in the spring, and people are still wondering how the government will respond if things get out of control. Fortunately, the answer to the question of whether school will close is no. School will, in fact, stay in session throughout the duration of the school year.

The truth is, according to Indystar.com, the government has made it an unlikely possibility for school to close. The idea of government funding to the school being taken away dissuedes schools from closing. So, if the school closes, it will most likely not close completely, but instead switch to an alternative like e-learning. Although, even the chances of that are small at this rate because the school has openly stated there are no current cases of COVID-19 according to the all-school call sent before fall break for staff or students.

These facts haven’t kept students from having their own opinions about what they think should happen. High school senior, E Lima commented, “If young people are out of school, they’ll violate social distancing guidelines.” Which is in fact exactly true. According to the Indiana State website, Indiana’s guidelines on COVID-19 related closures state that in the event of cases dramatically rising among the students still need a continued education. So, in the event of a closure, students will still need to finish the school year by any means necessary.

The approach of finishing school is hotly discussed by the student body. For example, one interviewed student suggested having the school place more restrictions on interaction, while another suggested school should be strictly online for the duration of the 2020-2021 school year.

High school junior, Amelie De Jesus commented, “If school's do close for the rest of the year, it would give teachers and students better chances for not getting COVID-19. The year after, we can go back to school without masks or any procedures as long as we do our best to stay home and work hard.”

As for school events, such as sports spectacular and extravaganza, for now, it is likely that we will have these events, but the rest of the school year will have to determine that. For now, the school has no current cases of the virus among staff and students, but the circumstances may change over time.

By: Charley Howard

Culver Community unfortunately suffered the loss of a student and friend in early August. After the saddening death of sophomore, Alex Paré, many students were left searching for ways to prevent this from happening again. Mrs. Trent, Culver Community’s guidance counselor, gave some tips and helpful ideas that Culver students could use.

“Just telling someone ''Hi” or ''How are you doing?”” Mrs. Trent says, “can make someone’s day or week even.” Just making someone feel noticed can make them feel better. “Especially complimenting someone on something,” Mrs. Trent states, “like, “I like that color on you,” or “Your hair looks pretty today,” can help.”

When you notice someone has been down lately or doesn’t find enjoyment in what they used to, you should talk to them; but don’t push them or force them to tell you. “Don’t ask them why they feel that way,” Megan England, freshman, says, “sometimes they don’t even know themselves.”

Let the person know you’re there for them, and you will help them with whatever they are going through. Making people feel noticed and wanted could help so much. And being nice can go such a long way. If you listen and pay attention to your peers, it could do a lot of good.

A student should think about what makes them feel better. For instance, “Actually caring about what I’m saying when I’m interested in something,” NaKalvin Morningstar, junior, said, “and making me laugh.” Letting a person talk to you about things that make them happy could make them feel better.

by Abbi Kisela and Noah Davis

A few weeks ago Culver Community Middle/High School had club go week. This gives everyone a chance to sign up for different clubs they are interested in. Each club has its own different type of field trips. But with COVID this year, students are worried there may not be any trips this year.

Spanish Club director Mr. Lute said, “Due to COVID issues, I think the only field trip we may take would be later in the Spring. We usually got to Restaurante Don Quijote for their Fiesta Flamenco.” Taking a field trip would also require different guidelines than in the past because of COVID.

“Given that Indiana just moved to stage five on restrictions, I think the best thing will be to follow the Governor’s advice. If we are in public, I would strongly encourage students to wear masks and wash/sanitize their hands frequently.” Mr. Lute stated. However, clubs aren’t the only thing affects by COVID

“As of now, many places that CCMHS students attend for field trips are pending,” stated principal Mr. Berndt, and “If a field trip occurs, standard school protocols will be in place (masks and social distancing). And the uncertainty of field trips has students wondering if they have a field trip will they miss that experience entirely?

Mr. Berndt stated, “If trips are cancelled, we will try our best to accommodate and/or replace them. If it is a possibility to have two classes go the following year, we will do our best to allow that situation.”

Clubs and field trips now will not be the same….Thanks a lot COVID

by Abbi Kisela

Culver Community is back after the longest summer break of their lives. Corona stopped a lot of students' regular activities and changed life at school.

Principal Brett Berndt gave his thoughts about whether or not students should be here at school or go virtually. “I believe that in-person education is the best format that a school can offer.” Mr.Berndt said. “I believe we should be here unless an outbreak occurs and students can’t be safe in this environment. As long as students are safe, we should be at school.” Mr. Berndt stated.

Teachers also have an opinion on whether or not students should be in school with the coronavirus. “We should be at school as long as it's safe. In-person school is the best way to reach students and help them reach their fullest potential academically. Not to mention the importance of social interaction. People need people!” Mrs. Zehner said. “At this point in time, I do not feel as though there would be any reason not to be in school. Our teachers, administrators, custodial staff, and students are doing an amazing job keeping everyone in school and the school as clean as possible.” Mrs. Zehner astated.

Culver gave students the option to choose between going to school virtually or in-person. Having some students choose to go virtual has affected more than just the teachers. “Having virtual students hasn’t really affected me because they interact with the teachers and not the students. Although in some of my classes we waste time because the teacher has to give virtual students more attention when they have a problem because the teachers cannot help them in person so they have to verbally talk to them step to step which is time consuming.” Angelina Miguel said. Teachers are majorly affected by virtual kids because they have to make sure they’re recording, or have started a meet for their virtual students. “Having virtual students has been quite the adjustment and challenge. I am ready for it all to be back to normal and see ALL students in-person again.” Mrs. Zehner said.

We all should be back in school. It helps not only students but teachers as well. Students and staff are doing a great job keeping Culver open! Keep up the great work!

Movies are something that have been a part of everyone’s lives, whether you're a child or a full grown adult; and when COVID-19 hit, movie streaming was at an all-time high due to the quarantine giving Cavalier students and faculty time to binge-watch shows such as Tiger King, The Walking Dead, Ozark, Rick and Morty, and Stranger Things.

Senior Nolan Shaffer, said, “I watched mainly Rick and Morty over quarantine,” saying that the reason he watched it non-stop over quarantine was that it was, “Funny and actually made me feel like I was smarter.” He then went on to complain how Rick and Morty is getting “cancelled,” and how it “isn’t on Netflix’”

Many teachers like Mrs. Fobert were doing the same thing. Mrs. Fobert watched Rebecca and The Social Dilemma on Netflix, stating that she decided to watch these shows because she, “Actually read the book Rebecca when she was in high school, and I wondered how movie adaptation would be.” She then explained why she was interested in The Social Dilemma, saying its draw was,”its take on how social media affects us.” Another Cavalier student, senior Christian Davis, stated he “Watched the A Team, one of my favorite movies,” stating that he continues to rewatch this movie over and over, “because it’s funny.”

What people chose to watch while stuck in quarantine shows everyone has a different taste and opinion of TV. As winter approaches and the threat of quarantine is in the air, talking to other students about what shows they are currently watching may allow a person to stumble upon something they might

By Sophia Heath

Like many schools across America, Culver Community Middle/High School offered it's students the option of in-person or virtual learning using Google Classroom for the 2020-21 school year. This option has protected the lives of many immuno-compromised students, and created other benefits to the school; unfortunately, it has also created unexpected problems and created a lot of opinions.

Google Classroom has become very helpful at Culver Community schools with things such as staff meetings, personal development days, and resolving the issue of having to make up snow days, as students will still be able to attend their classes virtually.

And staff members at Culver Community have had positive experiences with the Google Classroom. According to Mr. Pugh, “some students perform better with virtual learning.”

However, with something as new as virtual school, there are definitely things to work out like students not logging in for their class calls, students falling asleep in class, and technology problems such as poor internet connection.

“Some tech problems have been students not being able to access Google Classroom the first time they try, or they may have spotty Wifi connections at times. Some students solve the problem themselves by contacting another student in the class, using their phones, to let me know. Most will email me if they have problems or use the chat on Classroom. The beginning of the year, we found out that virtual students couldn't see my DVD's if I played them through my computer so we've learned to just use a DVD player and I line my computer up so instead of seeing me they see the TV screen,” quoted Mrs. Hammond on the issue of technical problems with virtual students. Besides the logistics of the situation, having Google Classroom has created a divide in opinions between students.

For instance, many students feel the overall point of attending school virtually is to avoid catching COVID-19, so students often complain about students attending school events. “I think it should be the same as home-school, students should have to at least attend one class in the school,” said Alex Zehner. Also, many students feel it is easy for students to cheat on tests or assignments. However, teachers have some of the same concerns as well and are trying to combat what they can.

“If I catch a virtual student cheating, I will handle it the same way I will handle it with a student who is physically in the room; that student will receive a 0 on the assignment. If the cheating continues, then the student will earn a referral to the office,” stated Mrs. Pitera on the issue of cheating. However, knowing this, many students still feel there should be a divide between virtual and traditional.

“I think they shouldn’t be able to come. They are choosing to stay home to be safe,” said Jane Wright on the topic.

The school has created some boundaries. For instance, Mr. Pugh has said that field trips already have a tentative plan in place. “I think these situations will be handled case-by-case. If it is for a grade or for credit, then yes, it would be something expected of them because that would be a part of synchronous learning. When it comes to an incentive trip, that would be case-by-case,” stated Mr. Pugh.

The virtual learning option for this year is a some-what controversial subject, but one thing that everyone can agree on is that with COVID still a threat, schools have to have it to protect their at-risk students and keep learning moving forward through any future closures.

By: Myah Craft

This year is unlike any other, but for Culver Community MS/HS there has been one positive in all of the negative of COVID.

Our school granted students incentive days on February 11-12, March 11-12, and another happening in April. These provide students with the opportunity to catch up on missing work while giving a nice incentive for kids with all of their work completed to get a mental break or catch up on other work.

For the first incentive in February, students who completed all of their work were granted days off of school. These are not just typical days off from school, it means a lot more because of the life changing pandemic that began last year, and perhaps one of the most critical losses was of “normalcy”. There has been an increase in people developing suicidal thoughts and anxiety.

According to an article entitled, “The Long-Term Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health,” from commonwealthfund.org, “Crisis hotline use is also rising, with some reports of staggering spikes.” The article also states that “calls to Los Angeles suicide and mental health hotlines have increased 8,000%.” Increases in calls to hotlines like this demonstrates how people are struggling and have a lot to deal with.

SInce people are dealing with the “new normal,” it is much appreciated that our school has granted the opportunity of having a little break. Having Thursday, Friday, and a weekend off has really helped with students’ mental health.

Sophomore Owen Falk said, “I had time to sleep and get back to normal. I also felt good on the next Monday.” Many students also expressed similar feelings. However, not only did this incentive help the students’ who had all of their work done, but it also gave the students who did not have their work done an opportunity to catch up.

Sophomore Roan Peterson had to come in to catch up on his missing assignments, but he also saw this as an incentive. He stated, “The reason that in order for me to pass, I need all my work done so I can maintain good grades. Having work after school makes it hard for me to keep up on all my schoolwork. So, I really thought it was nice to have this opportunity to catch up on all my work.” Roan was only one out of the many students that received the possibility of completing their missing work.

Senior Adriana Tharpe believes that having February 11 and 12 off affected her in a positive way. She said, “It helped my mental health because I didn’t have to worry about getting to places on time or turning things in on time,” and “I believe it was a good opportunity for people to get caught up on make-up work. It allowed many people to work for something.” It is obvious that the February 11 and 12 incentive was very beneficial to everyone.

School counselor Mrs. Missy Trent thought that the incentive helped several students’ mental health. She stated, “I do feel it was very helpful. Our students are really struggling right now and to have those two days, stress free, was a welcome relief. It was also good for their mental health to be able to work on missing assignments in a smaller class size setting and so they could get more individual attention from the teacher.” Not only does she agree with the fact that this was beneficial to the students who had February 11 and 12 off, but she also can agree that it helped many students who had to catch up on missing work.

Being behind can be stressful and students can feel pressure to have to catch up on missing work. Oftentimes, students struggle with completing their assignments because they do not have enough time, but now they have the opportunity. Mrs. Trent said, “This was a perfect opportunity for students to catch up on missing work. There were no other assignments to do, so these students could work on all missing assignments with no stress of completing new ones.”

Students saw the value in the opportunity to work, but how effective was it? Trent answered, “I am not in the classrooms, so I can’t say for sure how effective it was, but based on comments from the teachers, it seems to have been very effective. Some students were able to go from failing a class to passing it.” Overall, this has helped students continue to be successful.

It is clear that this incentive has not only improved mental health, but the outcome was a success as well. With COVID-19 going on in the world, too many people’s mental health is at stake, it has been very difficult to get back to life and school, but our school gave students an opportunity to feel less burdened which is something everyone needs.