High School Journalism Institute » Features

i-Dosing: The Music High

Sneha Radhakrishnan - Poolesville High School — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 14:43:28 +0000

I-Dosing is the latest high-tech way to get high, according to media reports. We look at whether the hype is overblown.
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Swag: Can’t Have Enough of It

Matthew Stefanski - Victory Christian Academy — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 14:40:42 +0000

HSJI Students Matthew Stefanski and Michael O'Neal ask people to define and rate their swag.

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Indiana: Plugged In or Unplugged?

Emily Goldberg - Staples High School — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 13:40:47 +0000

Let the World Keep In Touch

Bridget O'Brien – Indiana University junior

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Since its launch in 2004, Facebook has gained over 400 million members. Indiana University junior, Bridget O’Brien represents one of the 400 million.

“I use technology to keep in touch with my family and friends,” O’Brien said. Along with Facebook, O’Brien also uses her cell phone, laptop, iPod, and a desktop PC on a daily basis.

As an active user of a variety of technology, O’Brien said the constant technological advances in our society are for the best, and that they make our lives easier. “It connects people on a different level and allows global communication, and helps business and communication,” she said.

Despite the beneficial nature of technology, O’Brien admits it can become a distraction, and she is trying to cut back on her technology usage in some respects.

“ I’m trying to go on Facebook less to do more things like studying and reading.”

The Dangers Of Technology

Linda Long – Indiana University Scholarship and Financial Aid Assistant

Click on the link for the full interview.
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Linda Long picked up the phone to an unexpected caller. Instead of a friend for family member it was her credit card company. The company’s employee asked her if she had been to Canada recently. She said she had not, so it made no sense that there were charges to her credit card which had been made in Canada.

“That’s one of the scary things, no one had gotten my card but they had obtained it from the electronic system,” said Long. While the ability to do everything from shopping to bill paying online is convenient, it presents dangers like identity theft.

The Internet has made purchasing items online quick and easy, but it is important to remember to take certain precautions in order to protect oneself. “There’s a lot of convenience, things are quicker its easier to keep track of things on the web, but your information is out there everywhere,” said Long.

Unfortunately, credit card information is not the only personal information being posted on the web. Facebook and other social networking sites are places intended to hold personal information such as names, hometowns, and phone numbers. Additionally things like “status-updates” allow people to post what they are currently doing or where they will be.

Long said she often worries about her 13-year-old nephew who is an active member of Facebook. “If he said something like our family is going to be gone on a trip somebody could come to their house. Or, a child predator could be wanting to meet him and not really a friend. That goes through my mind and I worry about him.”

Making a Difference, One Recycle Bin at a Time

Sneha Radhakrishnan - Poolesville High School — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 18:30:27 +0000

By Sneha Radhakrinshnan (Poolesville HS) and Emily Goldberg (Staples HS)

Podcast: Lauren Taylor on Teen Dating Abuse

Hannah Alani - Bloomington HS South — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 17:24:29 +0000

This podcast includes highlights of Middle Way House's Lauren Taylor's presentation on teens in abusive relationships, along with an interview with Lori Henson, a teacher at HSJI, about her experience with a friend's abusive relationship.
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* Jackson Wen (Bloomington HS North) contributed to this podcast.

Vampire Crazed

Avery Walts - Floyd Central High School — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 19:55:11 +0000

By Avery Walts (Floyd Central HS), Amanda Millea (Floyd Central HS), Anna Dreyfuss (West Potomac HS) and Ian Schaak (Cathedral HS)

Dracula, Buffy, and now Edward are all symbols of the bloodsucking creatures, called vampires. However, when Stephanie Meyer published the book Twilight, she changed the image of vampires for the technological age.

When asked why people think the new vampires are so delicious, Indiana University junior Stefan Sivertson said, “I think new technology is able to give life to the stale characters.”

The American obsession with vampires first started with Count Dracula. Introduced in the 1897 novel by Bram Stoker, the antagonist soon became a legend. However, the way people have analyzed vampires has changed from a feeling of terror to a feeling of lust. According to junior Danielle Faczan, this change is something she is not quite sure about.

“I don’t like it, but at the same time, I do. I like the original idea, just not the romantic part. I don’t like the sparkle and not bursting into flames when they walk into the light,” said Faczan.

“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” was another teen favorite. The television show that opened in 1997 starred Sarah Michelle Gellar, the typical teenager who spent her time killing vampires. In the same sense, Bella Swan spent time with vampires, but in a rather unusual way. Instead of slaying the Cullens, she chose to become a part of their world.

“I guess I can see how it can be sexy biting the neck and the mysterious factor works for them,” said Indiana University sophomore, Lindsay Hicks.

From “Twilight” themed cookbooks, to a massive picture of Edward Cullen on a shower curtain, the vampire hype is very much a pop culture phenomenon. For senior Jessica Meyers, the new persona of the vampire has taken on a more romantic outlook.

“I think people are so intrigued because they [modern vampire characters] put a romantic fairytale and a non-reality twist on real life things like love,” said Meyers.

* David Taiclet (St. Louis Priory School) and Mikaela Orbon (Mercersburg Academy) contributed to this story.

Stacy Morgan is Serving up Scoops With a Smile

Rachel Rogers - Valparaiso High School — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 15:00:03 +0000

Stacy Morgan, an Indiana University student and Hartzell’s Ice Cream employee, is all about customer service.

Morgan greeted me promptly and kindly as I entered the creamery, smiling and waiting patiently as I perused the large menu of frozen treats. I decided finally on a double scoop of cookies and cream, which Morgan was more than happy to dish up for me as she chatted animatedly.

“I love working here because it is very close to campus, it’s fun and relaxing, and a lot of different kinds of people come in here every day. It’s definitely never boring.” Morgan began working at Hartzell’s a little over a year ago, and has been enjoying every day of her employment since.

She especially likes interacting with the customers, which was obvious to me as we chatted. Hartzell’s is the perfect place for an IU student to make money; it is right by campus, the hours are flexible, and the job is both enjoyable and fulfilling just to make a little cash.

Morgan is an incoming junior at IU, and is majoring in elementary education.

“It’s my dream to be a successful elementary educator. I just love kids, teaching is my passion, as well as ice cream,” said Morgan with a laugh.

Because Morgan wants to save up more money for school, and is pleased enough with her job, she has stayed down at Bloomington for the summer to achieve this, and continue her work as an employee at Hartzell’s.

One thing I liked about Hartzell’s was the atmosphere. It was not overly crowded whatsoever, and seemed more laid-back with just one employee working. The menu is huge, and I guarantee that upon your first or second visit, you will definitely spend a few minutes or more just looking it over to decide on what you want.

“If I had to recommend one thing to try, I would definitely say get a banana split. The classics just can’t be beat,” said Morgan.

When she is not making ice cream recommendations, Morgan likes to spend her free time with friends, who also attend Bloomington.

“I would definitely consider myself to be a social person. I like meeting up with my friends and hanging out , it doesn’t really matter where we go,” said Morgan.

Hartzell’s Ice Cream is a great place to hang out, and it is located at 107 N. Dunn St., and can be reached at 812-332-3502. It is open Mon-Sat from 11:30 am-11:00 pm and on Sun from 12:00 pm-11:00 pm.

Festivals on the Rise

Anna Dreyfuss – West Potomac High School — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 16:18:18 +0000

Jasmine Patel, a student at HSJI, looks forward to the summer. Not because she takes exotic vacations or gets to spend all day at the pool: Her summer fix is music festivals. She prefers festivals to concerts because “you usually get something more out of them, and when you go to a concert you know what to expect. Festivals are more diverse.”

She seems to be part of a trend. According to Pollstar.com, for the first six months of 2010, the combined gross revenue of the top 100 concert tours was down 17 percent from last year. Conversely, music festival popularity has increased, most notably with Lollapalooza, which sold out its 3-day passes ($215 each) before even announcing the lineup.

“I feel because the music pop culture is so popular, the industry can raise the prices and people will still go to them,” said Patel.

Concert cancellations have sprouted up all over. The Lilith Fair tour was called off due to soft ticket sales and a subpar marketing campaign. Christina Aguilera also pushed back her tour for a year because she needs “time to focus on the work at hand,” as she posted on her website. However, in light of the recent decline in ticket sales, such vague reasons sound suspiciously like excuses.

Several other HSJI students are examples of the trend as well. Junior Yonah London understands the hype surrounding festivals:

“Festivals provide more bands, a bigger experience, lots of merchandise, and a variety of people to talk to,” said London.

Although concerts are an unpopular choice currently, there are still fans out there who prefer them. “Concerts are a fun event to attend in which I enjoy the opportunity to relax and listen to music in an exciting and thrilling environment,” said HSJI student Marika Edwards.

A&E Section Editors- Vampire Craze

Avery Walts - Floyd Central High School — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 16:14:38 +0000

When current Indiana University sophomore Lindsay Hicks moved into college her freshmen year, she was unaware of the fact that her hatred for the Twilight series would create a bond between her and her roommate. She soon realized that hating something, as well as mocking it, could develop a strong friendship with a stranger.

“I guess I can see how it can be sexy biting the neck. The mysterious factor also works for them. I try not to get caught up in all the hype,” said Hicks.

Dracula, Buffy, and now Edward are all symbols of the bloodsucking creatures, called vampires. However, when Stephanie Meyer published the book Twilight, she changed the image of vampires for the technological age.

As of March 2010, the Twilight series has sold over 100 million copies worldwide with translations in at least 38 languages, according to Wikipedia.org. With the success of the book series inevitably comes movie adaptations. The Twilight movie (2008) grossed $35.7 million in the United States on the first day (www.ew.com). The sequel, The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009) became the lead in the biggest single day domestic gross with $72.7 million (www.variety.com). The most recent movie, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010), then scored the biggest Wednesday opening in history with $68,533,840 (www.thehdroom.com).

When asked why people think the new vampires are so delicious, Indiana University junior Stefan Sivertson said, “I think new technology is able to give life to the stale characters.”

From “Twilight” themed cookbooks, to a massive picture of Edward Cullen on a shower curtain, the vampire hype is very much a pop culture phenomenon. Beyond all the merchandise and marketing tactics, Hicks still remains skeptical to this new form of vampire.

“I think people are so intrigued because of the fantasy concept, rather than the realistic views. People get caught up in it,” said Hicks.

Twilight Merchandise
•Bed Sheets
•T-Shirts
•Bumper Stickers
•Mugs
•Tote Bags
•Teddy Bears
•Ornaments
•Flip Camcorders
•Beauty Products
•Greeting Cards
•Baby Bibs
•Dog T’s

A World Connected by News

Laura Schulte - New Prairie High School — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 15:43:40 +0000

By Laura Schulte
New Prairie High School
HSJI Section Editors

When a devastating earthquake struck Haiti, many people at HSJI said that it was the best example of news connecting the world. Immediately after the disaster, Americans began texting donations to the American Red Cross.

The Red Cross received $22 million in donations to the Haiti earthquake relief through text messages, according to the Washington Post. Even Twitter played a part, allowing people who hadn’t heard from loved ones who were in Haiti, to post and get information and locate the peoples’ whereabouts.

“Haiti is probably the most recent event that connected us. A disaster brings people together. When it’s world news, the world tunes in,” Teresa White, the director of High School Journalism Institute, said.

White talked about how news around the world connects audiences who might not otherwise communicate. HSJI’s focus is to teach teens how to become news gatherers and use technology to get information from anywhere in the world.

Amanda Millea said news that comes from a teen’s perspective is appealing to other teenagers.

“If it comes from a teen’s perspective, they get a younger tone. But when it comes from an adult, they can’t relate as well,” she said.

Many of the high school journalists and faculty at HSJI agreed with White.

“Haiti is a good example [of news connecting the world]. Port-au-Prince was devastated, and the images we saw sparked people to do something. People texted in donations after seeing the images on the news,” said Lori Henson, and instructor at HSJI and a journalism professor at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College.

Andrew Klein, a student at HSJI, said the 2004 Asian tsunami, which killed nearly 228,000 people according to U.S. aid officials, was the first world event he remembers paying attention to in the news.

“I remember seeing the flooded areas in Thailand,” he said.

He remembers making a donation to relief efforts along with his parents. He said he thought it was cool to give money to people in a part of the world that he hadn’t known about before.

“News and the world have a symbiotic relationship. They feed off each other. What journalists choose to report; it sets an agenda for what people pay attention to,” said White. “News shapes the world, and the world shapes news.”

Section editors Danielle Faczan of New Prairie High School, Hannah Troyer of Fishers High School, and Amina Madrid, Savannah Nowakowski and Meri Doughten — all of Clay High School in Oregon, Ohio — contributed to this story.