Vol. 60 - Issue 6 - May 2026

C MET

“People

-Emilee Schaaf (10)

C Ntents

Around the School Entertainment Sports Lifestyle

8-9 14-15

On the cover, Emilee Schaaf (10) poses with a flip phone to represent how old trends are coming back into modern society. Students within the story share why they believe these items are coming back in pop culture. Learn more on pages 26-27.

CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEFS

Zainab Mohiuddin & Katie Poncin

MEDIA CHIEF

Madelynne Bush

PHOTO EDITORS

Abigael Brennan

Ivan Carey

DESIGN EDITORS

Sky Simmons

Mia Legaspi

COPY EDITORS

Izabel Ontiveros

Madeline Ross

Josina Nye

ADVISER

STAFFERS

Josephine Amenta

Jocelyn Dunkerley

Isabella Magallanes

Lillian Hobbins

Kayla Blackman

Aubrey Walker

Sophie Lapointe

Piotr Zarozny

Jessica Salerno

Elaina Gromala

Carrie Wadycki-Cruz

24-25 26-27

Hey LC! Welcome back to the sixth, and final issue of Comet Magazine. This has been such an amazing journey this year, and we’ve loved working with everyone on producing six issues. To wrap up the year we spent time reflecting on the history of the Comet Magazine, and the school in general. Speaking of trends, staffers looked into the come back cycle within pop culture through through “Reycycling Old Trends.” Another area of pop culture was covered too this issue, where we discussed the repetition of actresses and actors within Hollywood. Then, we jumped into a recap of the science olympaid team at the school, and their success this season. Speaking of organizations at the club, a brand new club sport was brought to Lake Central! The girls lacrosse team had their

first season this year! Find out more about how the program was brought to the high school in “First Faceoff.” Also, in the sports world we talked about interesting records broken this past school year by various students in “Records in Reach.” Now, find out more about students’ cool hobbies outside of school; especially in musical talent through the “Sound On” page, which discusses student-led bands in the region. Speaking of the region, we also covered the importance of public libraries and the neat resources they offer in Northwest Indiana within “Beyond the Books.” Thank you for supporting the magazine this year, and we can’t wait to see what students create next year!

-Katie Poncin & Zainab Mohiuddin

aR Und THE School

Observing small details, Anthony Greer (11) and Sophia Rodriguez (12) take a look at Greer’s helicopter. Greer kept adjusting the parts to fix the problem at hand with advice of Rodriguez. “In future competitions, I

Rodriguez said.

First Place Focus

Some of the team’s best placings at competitions

James Fleming (12)

1st in Electric Vehicle at Crown Point High School Invitational

1st in Experimental Design at Purdue University Invitational

1st in Machines, 1st in Boomilever and 1st in Engineering CAD at Regionals

1st in Lean Mean Meme Machine (Trial) at Univeristy of Michigan Invitational

1st in Boomilever at Purdue University Invitational

Ascend to Antarctica

- Any first place winners at state get to put name on the Antarctica poster in Mr. Daniel Fox’s (Science) room.

- Names have dated back almost 15 years of Science Olympiad, even including Mr. Fox when he was a high schooler in Science Olympiad.

1st in in Rocks and Minerals at Regionals

Bielecki (11) Kayla Dzado (11)

1st in Chemistry Lab at Battle of States Virtual 1st in Boomilever at Crown Point High School Invitational, Purdue University Invitational, Regionals and State

Magesh (11)

1st in Anatomy and Physiology

1st in Chemistry Lab at Crown Point High School Invitational, Regionals and State with Omar Hijaz (12)

1st in Anatomy and Physiology at State 1st in Designer Genes at the Indiana Virtual Competition

1st in Lean Mean Meme Machine (Trial) at Univeristy of Michigan Invitational

Dunkerley (11) Jayden Shah (11)

1st in Boomilever at Crown Point High School Invitational

Gordon (11)

Testing Converts to Impression

1st in Experimental Design at Purdue University Invitational

1st in Engineering CAD at Regionals

Leanest, Meanest, Supremest Memes

the students, including Harper Wrenn (10) and Sofia Stojakovic (9), decided to help create memetic images of their very own.

Hugging her coach, Madeline McNabney (12) lets out some tears. Her bungee cord for Bungee Drop reached a maximum depth at the Marquette High School’s competition. “For Bungee Drop, I reflected on past competitions and looked at what needed to be tweaked or what we could have done better. Personally, I don’t like the math and long equations that we have to do, but I made an elasticity calculator on Google Sheets and used that to save some time,” Sophia Rodriguez (12) said.

Smarts and the Fun Parts

TMinds in Motion

Highlighting the excellence of Science Olympiad after their competition at State

he Science Olympiad team is built around three types of events: build, study and mixed, with each offering a different challenge. Some competitors design and test devices while others dive deeper into scientific concepts. Some even do a combination of both. Together these events create a hands-on environment where creativity, strategy and teamwork all play a hand.

“Each event always covers an independent topic of science, almost mutually exclusive from the next. All the events in the life science topics, they may be slightly inter-related, but the way that the rules are set up, each event is covering a different aspect of life science. For example, Designer Genes would be more about genetics, whereas Anatomy and Physiology may have some genetics in it, but there’s obviously going to be more of anatomy,” Dhruva Magesh (11) said.

Each event has its own challenges, rules, procedures and materials, which crafts a unique experience.

being a really cool cipher to use in competitions, especially the crypt analysis. I learned how to do the crypt analysis of a nihilist cipher, which is really complicated and the really hard ciphers are really rewarding when you actually get them. I learned how to wire stuff. I did end up learning a little bit about electronics that I did not know before. I ended up figuring out that I like Code Busters so much that I want to go into cybersecurity so that I can continue working with ciphers and more in my future,” Keira Gordon (11) said.

The key element of Science Olympiad’s success is its ability to blend both fun personal relationships and work that is made easier from the connections one makes.

“You just have fun with your partner. Before Chemistry Lab at the state competition, we were busy goofing off with the Munster kids. We were dancing, we were emoting, we were using memes. It was a great time,” Jayden Shah (11) said.

In addition, Lake Central puts a fun twist on Science Olympiad that many teams do not.

Different Science Olympiad traditions and fun facts

Competitions

The team

Visiting College Campuses

Some competitions are held at colleges like Northwestern University, University of Michigan and Purdue Univsersity. Members are able to roam the campus, visit bookstores and meet with professors and current students.

Members sell candy grams at school and hold a Culver’s fundraiser to raise money for the club to run smoothly.

Members each claim a world flag that they wear at award ceremonies throughout all their time with Science Olympiad.

“The main material I need to bring for competition is the machine for Machines. You need to make sure everything is good with it beforehand because one time the string broke. You need to make sure the string is there. There have been many different machines. There was this one time where we had to label the actual beams; we had to make sure when we taped it on that the hook we use to attach the masses wasn’t getting caught by the paper we used to label the centimeters on it. You need to make sure of the cadence and that there isn’t anything crazy wrong with it,” Jocelyne McNabney (11) said.

Students find motivation in events because each challenge gives them a chance to learn something new.

“For Code Busters, it did actually change a little bit. I learned a new cipher that was called the checkerboard cipher. It had a really cool use of a square and it ended up

“I do think we enjoy ourselves a lot more than other teams. Every time I look at Munster, they’re busy studying a bunch. When we were at University of Michigan, people were just studying the entire time. I think people in the Science Olympiad for Lake Central definitely just enjoy it more and have more fun with it,” Isaiah Thatcher (12) said.

Also, familiar faces may be found across the various campuses visited, with many alumni coming to support the competitors.

“My favorite aspect of a competition is seeing all the alumni that used to attend Lake Central running these events. They are there for the Purdue Science Olympiad competition, and seeing how much they still care and put effort into this organization at Purdue is awesome,”

said.

Did you Know?

Things about the history of the school that you may not have known

-N-Teens started off as Y-Teens and only female students were able to join.

Walking Through

History

Waalking through the school you may see donations from past senior classes such as the mirror in E Hall donated by the class of 1997 that students use to film Tiktoks and take photos with their friends, or even just check their appearance. Or the senior center donated by the class of 2023 where seniors can relax for a few moments and study. Walking through Main Street you will see the line of photos of graduates dating from 1920 to the present.

The school that students walk through now has made so much progress and potential for future generations starting with the first ever class in Dyer High. Lake Central would not be who it is without the history of its students, faculty, and building that students journey through today.

“I enjoyed my time as a student and athlete here at Lake Central (2008-2012). The memories I made with my class and teammates are things I look back on fondly.

It’s important to me that I provide the same environment for my students and athletes that I work with now as a teacher and coach.

Despite the highs and lows, I want to make sure all of my students and athletes have

an overall positive experience when they stop being my student or athlete,” Mr. Alex Thompson (Science) said.

Lake Central has always been proud to showcase our alums and their accomplishments. Glenn Robinson III, a professional basketball player currently playing for the Seoul Samsung Thunders in South Korea, graduated from our school in 2012 before starting his successful professional basketball career. Our alumni base is so strong that many students return to teach future generations years later.

“One thing I don’t think has changed over the years at LC is its overall quality - the students are still really well behaved and seem to care about the school. I had some fantastic teachers at LC, some of whom still work here in various capacities, and I truly think that’s been a constant aspect of our staff,” Mr. Ryan Freeman (English) said.

Lake Central’s persistent adherence to our traditions has created a unique atmosphere where alumni can return and find familiar practices no matter how much time has passed. We have successfully created an everlasting connection between our past,

present and future, and it is important to remember where those traditions came from.

“I had a fantastic experience as an involved student. I was in clubs, played sports, and worked hard in class. I took pride in my experience. I came back because I wanted to give back to what helped me so much. My experience was grand,” Mr. Jeff Sandor (Assistant Athletic Director) said.

It is incredibly important for Lake Central students to understand the history of our school. All of our pre-game traditions, school-specific sayings or inside jokes started somewhere. When we are all able to identify and understand our history, it can allow us to learn more from everything that we do during our short four years here.

“I do feel like the yearbook is important, especially if you’re in a sport, because you can learn about the people who did the sport before you and then you can learn the tricks that they did. It’s also important for when you are studying because you can learn tips and tricks for studying from the people who had honor rolls back then,” Addison Olivia Baker (9) said.

-Comet started out as “Comet” and its first known issue dates back to 1930 and it was known as a student newspaper, coming out every month with even a gossip section in the 1940-1945 Comet collection. It later changed to Scout in 1967 and continued until 2020 where the staff decided to switch back to Comet.

-Principal Bernie Krueger (1980-1990) started off as assistant principal in 1977, earlier however he was announced as Indiana’s coach of the year in 1962 and then later inducted to the Indiana Football Hall of Fame in 1976. 1947

-In one of the school handbooks from Dyer High the “Dress-Right” Program states that, “Long feminine hair styles are not becoming to men and should not be worn.” The suggestion for female students shows, “Girls should always be conscious of sitting in a lady-like manner.”

1944

Changes to the School

1948

Reflect on the past classes and clubs of Lake Central High 1950s

Clubs that LC got rid of: SADD- Students Against Driving Drunk Latin Club- Furthers the knowledge of Latin outside of the classroom. (Dyer High Central Handbook)

Classes that LC got rid of: Issues in Society (11, 12)- A one semester course that dealt with the social, political and economical structures of different peoples of the United States (LC handbook of 1966).

Bookkeeping- A course on how to keep records of business transactions through a series of accounts. The class stressed the importance of the methods of bookkeeping by category such as sales, purchases, cash receipts and how the transactions are to be reported (Dyer Central High School Handbook).

Latin 1-3- Just like the other languages it taught the language through reading and writing, often using works from Julius Caesar. It was later replaced with French. (Dyer Central High School Handbook).

Entertainment

12-13: sound on 14-15: Hollywood’s favorite faces

On Feb. 13, 2026, Reverse Girls, including Maddux Brandt

Jonathan

and Justin

perform at the Region Rage in

was alternative rock band mainly inspired by The

The

“I enjoy guitar a lot because it comes naturally to me, and it also allows for me to show more forms of expression musically, just in terms of the way you can play the notes,” Metcalf said.

Sound on Sound On

Discover the inspirations and origins of LC’s student-led bands.

Page by: Lillian Hobbins & Josephine Amenta Design by: Mia Legaspi

tudents have come together and formed their own bands that they personally manage and perform with. Many of the bands here at Lake Central explore genres as diverse as pop to alternative rock. These bands are a unique form of creative expression and set an example for teamwork, leadership

Student bands have all come together for similar reasons, being as simple as friends to wanting to do something together.

“It started when me and two other friends, at the end of 2024, decided to make a band,” Ruben Vasquez (10), the drummer of Slideliners, said.

Sideliners debuted their musical journey in early 2025, coming together to cover various rock songs from Nirvana to Blink-182.

“We’re mainly grunge and alternative rock,” Mitar Konjevic (10), the guitarist and lead singer of Sideliners.

All of the bands have their own unique work ethics and ways they practice with each other.

“Usually, if we’re rehearsing, we just play through a set list all together, but if we’re making something, I usually come in with a song that’s somewhat complete, and then we add all the instruments together, and we work all the kinks out. That usually takes about two or three practices, and then when it’s all finalized we play it live. It doesn’t usually take that long,” Jack Metcalf, the lead singer and guitarist of The Reverse Girls, said.

Organizing and managing bands takes a lot of effort and cooperation, which is what drives bands to perform and exemplify their talents to the best of their abilities.

“We normally practice our original songs once and then work on writing something new,” Justin Jacobs, the second guitarist of the Reverse girls said.

However, these bands manage to make their effort count. “We work really hard on our music and we care a lot about it. It is a large part of our lives.It means a lot to us that we’re able to get together and make music,” Jack Metcalf (12) said.

The group effort of LC’s student bands stems from the individual efforts and talents of each band member. These musicians have put in the time to practice and master their instruments along with finding inspiration to keep the drive alive.

“So there was a bassist that unfortunately passed away in 2013, but he played for the band Deftones. His name was Chi Cheng, and he kind of inspired me to start playing bass,” Rey Gomez (10), the bassist of Sideliners said. Interest in exploring different instruments or even original experiences have sparked the curiosity and enjoyment of playing in bands.

“My parents thought it was a good idea to find me a little baby electric drum kit, and then from there, I went to lessons and I’m still playing today,” Grayson Lukac (10), the drummer of The Reverse Girls said.

Within these bands, all of the members have a unique experience with being in one.

“It’s very inclusive. It’s like having a really close friend group,” Evelyn Willis (9), an additional singer for The Sideliners.

Although being in a band can be exciting for the members, it can also be tedious.

“It’s very time consuming. It also takes a lot of sacrifice because it’s a lot of time wasting. It just takes a lot of time out of my week. Being in a band is really fun because I’m with my friends, and we get to hang out and play the music we love.”

No matter how hard it is, these bands find the ability to pull forward and keep up their team dynamics. The traction that most of these bands get is from their shows and performances. Many of them play at various places in Northwest Indiana and in Illinois.

“We usually perform at bars, restaurants, or festivals. I really like festivals because they’re very fun to perform on and also usually feel very familiar to me, like Schererville-Fest or Rock-and-Rail,” Jorden Cline (9), the guitarist for BLT, said.

Performing not only helps the band get fans, but it also plays a pivotal part in their shared achievements.

“I would say just the feeling of performing what we love to do in front of hundreds of people is a great factor to our success. These events and venues are provided by great people who let us express our music,” Cline said.

Throughout all these bands, they all developed many different skills like team work, work ethic, and many others that they all share. Although there may be many struggles, they still pursue their talents and passions through their unique performance.

The ReveRSe GiRl S

“Definitely the Smashing Pumpkins, Blink-182, Radiohead and the Beatles. Those are probably the main four,” Jack Metcalf (12) said.

“I guess we try to be like Blink 182, Weezer, and Nirvana,” Ruben Vasquez (10) said.

Musical Inspiration

Discover the original sounds that shaped these

“I’d say most of the

Gear Check Abreakdownofthegearpoweringtheperformances.

“My drums are a Tama Imperialstar 5 piece kit. It has a nice wood finish on the outer shell. I use Evan’s drum heads and a purple remo snare head, along with a PDP kick pedal. I also like my Roc N Soc hydraulic drum throne.”

“It’s a Fender Stratacoaster, I enjoy it because it was my first guitar and has great versatility in terms of sound and genre. It has both a great clean and distorted tone and has a design that I enjoy.”

“I play a Sterling bass guitar. I like because it has humbuckers and it just fits the pocket.”

“I have a Ibanez Gio GSR205B 5 string. The reason I like playing this bass is because of its high versatility, built in EQ, bass booster knobs and tone knobs which can lead to many unique tones.”

“I have a couple of guitars but my main preference is Epiphone because I like the way they look and is my primary choice of sound.”

“I play a Sterling by Music Man and why I like it is because it’s lightweight and has a good tone.”

Zegler

Y2K 2024

West Side Story 2021 Snow White 2025

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes 2023

The Long Walk 2025

Karate Kid: Legends 2025

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping: will premiere on November 29th, 2026

Hollywood’s

Favorite Faces

The Hollywood Industry is one of the main sources of entertainment, with movies constantly being released. Considering that Hollywood is a competitive industry, it leads actors and actresses to high expectations -- whether they’re new or old to the industry. Audiences often hold newer stars to a higher expectation, especially when it comes to those actors recreating reboots of movies or TV shows. As Hollywood evolves, the industry gets more competitive. Some people love familiar faces while some want to see new talent in Hollywood. Casting is an important factor of a movie or show which can determine if it’ll be a hit in the box office or not. The repeated use of familiar actors makes the industry feel predictable, especially when actors play similar characters throughout all of their work. Art is created to be criticized, but there is little to dissect when one is fed the same story on repeat.

With a new generation, comes many new faces and yet, they are being underutilized. Diversity in film is what makes the shows we today love so memorable. But now, it seems that Hollywood has begun to use the same rotation of select actors and actresses. The new movie adaptation “Wuthering Heights” has faced a lot of backlash due to the inaccurate casting of age and race. Heathcliff was described as a “lascar” and a “gypsy” which was translated to Jacob Elordi, and frankly, this makes no sense. Catherine was around 18 in the book, yet is played by Margot Robbie who is 35. However, the casting crisis does not only happen with inaccuracy, but also actors and actresses seen in a lot of different films such as Timothee Chalamet, Mckenna Grace, Ariana Greenblatt, and Mason Thames. Many people claim this is because movies with

completely new faces will not bring in the grossing number they hope for, but this is not true.

The main two roles for “A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” were practically unknown, but Rachel Zegler and Tom Blyth are known for their incredibly moving performance they delivered. Being open to new faces in big roles can open opportunities for the actors and provide a fresh new face for audiences that are tired of An Oscar nominated short film called “The Singers” was praised because every person was cast simply from being scouted off of social media or while they were giving a performance on the street. Film is an art form, and when people begin to get lazy when picking the face of their film because of money, can it still be considered art? For the longest time actors of all ages have struggled to stay perfect in the Hollywood Industry.

There’s also controversy revolving around Nepo babies such as Lily-Rose Depp, Jaden Smith, Maya Hawke, Dakota Johnson, and Zoe Kravitz. While having famous parents that can open doors, some debate that nepo babies don’t work as hard as other actors to get where they are today. It’s arguable that actors with their parents already in the industry get favored or more likely to land a role. A family name alone could determine if nepo babies land better roles because talent is expected to run in the family. Being a Nepo baby doesn’t always guarantee success though which leads to pressure, to see if they can withhold the expectations that their family has laid down for them.

Casting should take time and long consideration before letting anyone become the face of a new film.

Talk to Me 2022

Everything Now since 2023

Babygirl 2024

What is a Biopic?

Generation $577 million globally in three weeks, Michael, took Elvis’s spot as the second highest grossing biopic. Michael premiered on April 24th, 2026 with Michael Jackson’s nephew portraying him. Despite controversies about inaccurate storytelling, the movie received a lot of praise from people that knew Jackson personally and many fans.

Biopic combines the words biographical and picture and refers to a film that dramatizes the life of a real person. Biopics capture significant achievements, challenges and personal aspects of political leaders, musicians, artists, athletes and scientists. Biopics can be informative and entertaining, shedding light on the complexities of real-life personalities.

In 2023, Oppenheimer premiered relatively at the same time as Barbie (now commonly referred to as Barbenheimer) has become the highest grossing biopic ever in the world wide box office.

Christopher Nolan’s film about J Robert Oppenheimer, the director of the Manhattan project that developed the first nuclear weapons accumulated over $957 million since its release on July 19th, 2023.

I, Tonya premiered on January 19, 2018 with high ratings from rotten tomatoes (90%). The biopic explores themes of societal judgement and media scrutiny. Margot Robbie did an interview talking about the struggles of depicting a real person’s life and trying to portray different stages of life saying “...it was a wonderful challenge because you get to map out someone’s character arc over decades and you can kind

was

SP rts

At the match against Chesterton on April 8, Madelyn Bley (11) runs along the field with the ball in her crosse. This was the first year the program was introduced to Lake Central. “I decided to join because my friends were doing it, and my parents pushed me too because they said that I used to really like it. I hope that this paves the way for more sports to come to Lake Central. I feel like we don’t have a wide range of sports,” Bley said.

FACEOFF FIRST

their

The 2025-26 school year brought many changes, like the creation of new diploma pathways and the addition of art murals throughout the school, but one of the most significant changes came within Lake Central sports. Girls Lacrosse, an “emerging sport” in the IHSAA, was added to our school’s already extensive sports catalog.

“I just transferred to the district, and when I came, I didn’t think there was a lacrosse team for LC, so when I found out that they were adding it, I was super excited. It is a really cool experience being able to play for the school and being on the first LC team,” Bryony Torres (9) said.

Though this is the first year lacrosse was offered as a sport at Lake Central, other schools and organizations have had teams for years. Several Lake Central athletes participated on these outside teams, which prepared them to play for the school.

“I started playing in fifth grade. I played lacrosse with Crown Point for four years, but now I am playing against my old teammates. It is kind of hard, but I feel like our team is actually doing really well. I think everyone on the team has either played soccer or volleyball or some other sport, so everyone has some sort of knowledge. You just have to train a lot and put in work outside of practice,” Mabel Salmen (9) said. However, not all the girls have the same experience. Some have never played lacrosse before, being completely new to the sport and its environment.

“This is my first time ever playing lacrosse. Compared to other sports that I have played, lacrosse is a lot different. It is a completely new experience. I have wanted to play since elementary school and I grew up watching it, so when I heard about the team I knew I had to join. It

Controls the pace of the offense and is responsible for scoring or getting assists. Most offensive strategies rely on the attack to maintain possession and strike at the correct times.

Play both offense and defense. They are the first line of defense on one end of the field and play at the top of the box in offense. They are responsible for getting the ball to the attack players.

has been really great so far,” Emily Bishop (12) said.

Though lacrosse itself is new to many, several girls on the team have played other sports during their time in high school. Since each sport is different, the girls’ experiences playing for these different teams is very unique.

“I feel like lacrosse is different from other sports. For example, I play volleyball, and volleyball requires a lot more leadership. Lacrosse is a bigger team than volleyball, or at least it feels bigger, so I feel like the relationship between players is just different,” Torres said.

As previously stated, girls lacrosse is considered an “emerging sport” in the IHSAA, meaning it is not yet sanctioned and does not have an official state tournament. In order to become an IHSAA independent sport, 100+ schools must participate, and as of this year there are approximately 39 schools involved. As more schools add lacrosse to their repertoire the sport could grow and eventually become fully recognized in the IHSAA.

“It took a lot to get lacrosse at Lake Central, and I think that the school might add it as an actual sport if we do well. For this year, it is just a club because the school did not want to adopt it as an actual sport and pay for a new field and things like that, but if the season is successful, then they will consider making it an official varsity sport,” Salmen said.

Within the last three years, girls wrestling, boys volleyball and girls lacrosse have all been added to Lake Central as official or emerging sports. These new events are paving the way for future sports, athletes and organizations.

“I think we have a strong team that could go far, which I think could lead to other sports being added to the school. If new teams are successful, then the school might allow or fund other new sports,” Torres said.

Main job is to stop the other team from scoring. Responsible for communication with midfielders and checking to take the ball away.

Playing catch with a teammate, Madelyn Bley (11) raises her stick to receive the ball. Bley played lacrosse when she was younger, and came back to the sport this school year when it was added to Lake Central.

“When I was little I played lacrosse, but I quit about seven years ago and now I’m playing again. I’ve played a lot of physical contact sports, so that is kind of the same. The main difference is that you have the stick and you have to have good hand eye coordination,” Bley said.

Huddling around the bench, the girls lacrosse team gives each other a pep talk. The girls played a tough match against Chesterton. “I think it’s cool to set an example by being the first lacrosse team at Lake Central. It is also slightly scary because a lot of the teams that we are going against are good and they’ve been playing for years. We’re a varsity sport, so we’ll be playing against really good teams,” Madelyn Bley (11) said.

BRAVE BEGINNINGS

Players turning their wrists and arms to cradle the ball in the stick pocket.

Takes place at the beginning of each quarter, after a goal, or after certain dead balls. Two opposing players crouch down at midfield, hold their sticks flat and press the backs of the sticks together. The ball is placed between the pockets and when signaled, the players clamp on the ball to gain control.

Holding her stick in front of herself, Anna Brumm (10) runs toward the ball. Brumm played for 5 years before Lake Central made a lacrosse team. “One of my other teammates and I have always played for Crown Point, but last year they made it a school sport resulting in us not being able to play the year [at Crown Point],” Brumm said.

“My biggest inspiration is just to win. I love winning no matter what. Just the determination to win probably keeps me going,” Cooper Kroncke (12) said.

Lake Central Successes

Take a look at moments that made this our season

Girls tennis: Both varsity and JV are undefeated.

Wrestling: Luke Nied (11) and Cruz Orueta (10) went to state.

Gymnastics: Placed in the top 10 at state.

Rec rds Reach in

Highlighting athletes at Lake Central who have individually excelled in their sport

Lake Central’s student-athletes are setting a new standard this year, delivering standout performances across several sports and breaking school records. Several athletes from a variety of sports have achieved new milestones, highlighting the school’s athletic strengths.

“This year, I broke the 50 free record for the school and the conference. To break not only a school record but also a DAC one feels great. I was really happy when I first broke the record. It’s just a good feeling,” Kajus Rudzevicius (12) said.

Along with Rudzevicius’ massive accomplishment, the boys swim team had several competitors attend the IHSAA State Finals at the end of February. Acknowledging the benefit of a supportive team, Macey Thompson (11) is grateful for her teammates and her recent breakthrough for the school record in the 3200 meter run.

“I felt amazing, I never thought that I could do that. A couple years ago, I wasn’t the best, but it felt amazing just crossing through the finish line and everyone was there supporting me and cheering me on. It’s just amazing to see how everyone around you is also so accomplished,” Thompson said.

The support received from teammates builds confidence and strengthens motivation in students, that encouragement helps athletes to push themselves to new levels.

“[My teammates] push me everyday to be a better runner and I’m so glad I have them. Having my teammates by me really

helps me to enjoy the sport more. My friend Macey especially contributes to my success because I look up to her so much and running with her always pushes me to be my best and work harder,” Lana Bruggeman (10) said.

In order to be successful in a sport, students are required to be committed, disciplined and motivated, while also having excellent time-management skills.

“It has definitely been a different experience compared to others. I have practice until five o’clock, so I try to get all of my schoolwork done. Honestly, you automatically have a group of friends by just being in a sport, so I think that has helped me make friends throughout the year. It’s definitely busy, but you just have to commit to it,” Thompson said.

Thompson wasn’t the only student to break a record.

Though not a traditional record, Cooper Kroncke (12) shot a game-winning buzzer beater moment on March 6 in a game against Munster that assisted in the boys basketball team’s advancement to Sectionals.

¨My favorite memory throughout the years was definitely the shot I made against Munster because everyone kept talking about it. I was just going crazy during that shot. Everything went blank. There was just so much energy,” Kroncke said.

Such an incredible moment may push individuals to continue with their sport, showing them how far they have come since their first season.

“Breaking the record made me feel like I was achieving stuff. It made me feel way more successful in the sport,” Rudzevicius said.

Standoing with his coach, Cruz Orueta (10) tries to stop his bleeding nose.

Orueta placed sixth in state two years in a row.

“Tournaments are a lot more fun I would say. It’s more exciting. You’re against kids who are a bit better,” Orueta said.

LIFESTYLE

over schoolwork,

work together during third hour. The library was a free space for all students who wanted to get peace and quiet, and many would visit with their friends. “I’ll go [to the library] sometimes to study with friends, but not weekly, by any means. I go to the St. John Public Library becasue I have a free membership with them, so I have access to books, and that’s really nice. If budget cuts were going to make it so that you had to pay for the membership and stuff, I feel like that would cause problems, because less people would go to the library,” Larrarte said.

With libraries being an important public resource for many, especially young people, budget cuts have taken away important resources. While many know that libraries have books, printers and computers, there are other materials at public libraries that some do not know of.

BEYOND THE BOOKS

“There are services that the public library provides that I don’t think [people] have any idea of. Like, if you need to rent a spade to do some digging in your backyard, you can go to the public library and check out a spade. Our Lake County Public Library also has the ‘libratory’, where you can go and use a 3-D printer. You can use their technology [and] digital devices because you may not have access to them. The fact that they’re free in this day and age, all of that stuff is free to you just because you’re a citizen, that’s a huge deal, and that’s how we keep democracy going. The government being used to provide all of these services for people, I mean, it’s magic,” Mrs. Elana Arens (School librarian) said.

Due to Senate Bill 8, (SB 8) budget cuts have affected libraries statewide, over 400 libraries in Indiana are currently dealing with this. In the past, library funding has already been reduced. Now, the remaining funds are at an even higher risk of being cut. According to Julie Wendorf (Library director, Crown Point Community Library), the budget reductions are no longer capped at 10%, meaning the cuts could now be unlimited. Students who often visit libraries can understand the risks of budget cuts and why they should be prevented.

Communities endangered as public libraries face massive funding cuts

Page by: Sophie Lapointe & Josie Nye

Design

by: Katie Poncin & Zainab Mohiuddin

“I’m passionate about libraries, I go to the library a few times a month. Usually I borrow books, use the computers and study there. They also have classes and community clubs that I’m interested in attending. Libraries are important to the community as a third space and for a center of education. Budget cuts could lessen the library’s ability to keep up with the facilities they have, update the collection of books they have and continue the classes and clubs they host. This means people who use the library as a major center of education, a third space or just a place to study could lose a very important place to the community,”

Daytona Read (11) said.

Many students seem to agree on the situation of budget cuts. Overall, teenagers seem to place libraries as the best alternative to actually buying books.

[I go to the library] a good amount, the library is important because renting out books is so much more price-worthy since you don’t have to buy it then it lays around. Budget cuts would make it so that there’s less books available and likely people would go less. People who study in it will probably suffer too, because it might not be as comfortable,” Nevaeh Barlow (11) said.

Though mainly used for checking out physical books, the library has various resources such as printers, ebooks, computers and more. It has other resources, such as printers, online resources and more. Such materials can be especially beneficial to students, especially for school projects.

“I do sometimes use their electronic resources through their website to check out audio books and ebooks. I think it’s quite important for the community because it’s a quiet place for people to get away from everything, study or even just read. The budget cuts are going to affect things like open hours availability of online resources. It would also be hard for libraries to afford new media like new books, DVDs and online licensing. I think where it’s really going to hit hard is in rural communities because they could be relying on their programs like hotspot, WiFi loans or in building computers,” Jonathon Turnes (10) said.

More Than a Library

Discover interesting facts you might not have known about public libraries

-You can donate any books you don’t want anymore to the library, as long as they are in good condition!

-You can get free passes to local zoos, museums, state parks and even waterparks with a library card.

-“Library of Things” is a collection of items that the library loans such as sewing machines, videogames, board games, kitchen equipment, garden and fishing tools and so much more, depending on the branch.

-There is access to 3D printers at the library.

-Free access to movies, music, CDs and audiobooks.

-Free access to language learning tools and websitesFree access to news sources such as The New York Times, Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal and more.

-Some libraries offer small bags of “DIY” crafts that you can take and do at home on your own, specifically made for parents but can be done by anyone of any age.

How often do students visit the library? (Poll out of 200 students)

Retro Rewind

Recently, retro fashion trends are making a comeback, as styles such as baggy jeans, vintage sneakers and early 2000s outfits begin to make their way back into everyday wardrobes. Influenced by social media, celebrities and per sonal expression, teens are recycling past trends to create new looks, showing how fashion continues to repeat itself over time. What was once considered outdated is now being reintroduced in a modern way.

“I think it’s really cool and a really interesting age of fashion. It’s evolving into to something new, like today’s styles,” Anna Shawver (10) said.

The cycle continues as more people discover and recreate past styles, often adding small changes that make them feel updated. Social media plays a major role in speeding up this process, allowing trends to resurface almost instantly and spread across different communities. Platforms push certain looks into popularity, and once they gain attention, they are repeated and adapted by others. Instead of creating entirely new ideas, many individuals remix what already existed, which keeps older trends alive while still making them feel modern.

“Back then, everybody created stuff, but now people, they just copy everything over and over again. Like the eating trends, everybody just does that all over again,” Tyrone Jordan (10) said

This pattern is not limited to clothing. Many teens are also drawn to music, collectibles and other types of media from past decades, showing how older trends continue to influence modern interest.

“I felt I was drawn to them [the Beatles] because I just grew up listening to them. I had grandparents who were alive during the 60s and they got me hooked on it, but I just feel like their music has a lot of, like, soul and influence to it,” Olivia Mack (9) said.

Some interests go beyond just listening. Mack collects memorabilia from that era, including Beatles vinyls, posters and other items she finds in antique stores, showing how past trends are not only being appreciated but actively preserved and brought back into the modern future.

“Even if you don’t like them, you can’t deny their influence on just music in general beyond their existence, even though it was very short-lived,” Mack said.

This appreciation for older trends is also seen in other areas, such as gaming and technology. Instead of focusing only on new releases, some students are intentionally seeking out older items.

“I started collecting games a while ago and I’ve always had an interest in the old Nintendo games. I have been on the search for a variety of the original 30 games on the console,” Alexander Lucas (9) said.

The return of past styles is not just about appearance, but also about influence and accessibility. With apps like TikTok spreading more underground interests, teens are able to rediscover trends from decades they never experienced firsthand. The speed of these platforms allows these trends to circulate rapidly, turning something once considered outdated into a hot new style almost overnight.

“Some people are going back to the 2006 stuff and they’re like, ‘this is fire’. They’re getting new creativity from that, it’s really positive.” Leany Gold-Hurrins (10) said.

Zig-Zag-47

Cheetah-68

Style Print

What style does LC prefer?

AminiaturizationoftheCD, mixingitsaudioquality andrecordabilityofacassette,Sony’sMiniDiscwas thelaststandofphysical mediabeforebeingbeaten byApple’siPod,withthelastnewplayer beingsoldin2020,anddiscproduction endinginFeb.2025.

Resolution of the Past

Comparing digital cameras for the best nostalgic

One of the most iconic cameras, the Polaroid, is a staple of 90’s culture, instantly printing out photos in the moment they are taken. Its popularity has risen again with the “new” Polaroid company making new cameras and film.

An engineering marvel, from the first of the digital cameras, is miniature. A recently common sight, small digicams like this have grown in popularity across social media.

All portable media culminated into one device, a thousand songs in a pocket, the iPod. This later version, the 4th Generation Classic, featured the beloved click wheel and button combo for controlling it.

One of the first digital cameras, the Sony Mavica, led the way for pictures spreading online. This later revision, using a normal floppy disk, could hold 20 photos per disk and bring a nostalgic 90’s vibe to any photo it takes.

The first big console, the Nintendo Entertain ment System (NES) is a breakthrough first console. It was one of the most successful, still fondly remembered by many. “I have been on the search for a variety of the original 30 games on the console,” Alexander Lucas (11) said.

Treasureofthe90’s,theSonyWalkman waskingofportablemusic,stillseen examples,todayinmoviesandshows.Notable “GuardianoftheGalaxy”and “StrangerThings”usethisasmajorprops oftheirrespectivemedia.