On Wednesday, January 20, 2021, just like every other 4-8 years, power was peacefully transferred from one man to the next. Joseph R. Biden Jr. was inaugurated as the 46th President. He is the successor to President Donald J. Trump. The Biden administration has the first woman and woman of color serving as Vice President. The country’s first ever youth poet laureate, Amanda Gorman, read her poem “The Hill We Climb” during the inauguration. Many celebrities like Tom Hanks and Lady Gaga performed for it as well.
This inauguration was a historical event just like any other inauguration, however, this one had a bunch of little things to it that made it extra special. - Joe Biden is the 2nd Catholic ever elected president, the first being John F. Kennedy. - Last time a president didn’t win reelection was in 1992 where George H. W. Bush lost to Bill Clinton. - It happened during a global pandemic. - The out-going president wasn’t there to welcome the new president - Kamala Harris is the first woman and woman of color to serve as vice president. - Vice President Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff, is the first Second Gentleman of the United States. - Joe Biden is the oldest man ever elected president, he is 78 years old. Second place is Donald Trump and third place is Ronald Reagan. - There’s now another dog in the White House, Donald Trump and his family did not have a pet in the White House. Last president to have a pet was Barack Obama. The country’s first ever youth poet laureate, Amanda Gorman, read her poem “The Hill We Climb” during the inauguration. Many celebrities like Tom Hanks and Lady Gaga performed for it as well.
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This year, Castle High School’s Business Professionals of America Club sends 58 students to the state competition. All of these competitors had to place top 3 in a team event or top 10 in an individual competition to qualify. Due to Covid 19, the regional competition which qualifies these students for state had to be done virtually. In years past it has been taken at IVY Tech and the students are excused from an entire day of school. Instead students had to come to Castle to take the test or some had to take it virtually during school time. This did not stop the students from performing their best, however. This year had the highest number of students qualifying for the state competition. “Congratulations to all of you! It was a very challenging year to compete virtually but you did it! I'm proud of you for competing whether you advanced or not” says Alicia Gilkey, teacher and leader of the BPA club.
Information about the State Leadership Conference is soon to come. There is a good possibility that CHS will have to compete virtually even though they are doing a hybrid SLC. This means that Castle students will most likely have to compete virtually at the state competition as well. At the present time the National Leadership Conference will still be held in Orlando, Florida at Disney World in early May. Hadley Beard, a sophomore at Castle High School, qualified in Business Law and Ethics. She said, “Even though it's not ideal that we don't get to compete at in person competitions this year, we are still really lucky to get to compete at all.” Seeing the bright side even though the situations caused by Covid 19 aren’t perfect is ideal for a successful school year. Only twenty minutes away, a new restaurant has opened in Downtown Evansville: 2nd Language. This patisserie is owned and operated by the same head of Pangea Kitchen (another restaurant in Evansville). Pangea Kitchen works to bring fresh and different food to a city primarily known for its preserved and unhealthy fast food options. After speaking with owner, Randy Hobson, it is clear that 2nd Language shares the ideals of fresh and original food. Hobson remarks that “[their] products are made from scratch 100%”. This means when you dine at either of their locations, you will be free from preservatives and only be eating what was made fresh for that day. Wondering what to get when you stop in? While they pride themselves on their French Donut, feel free to take a look at their menu for other delicious options! Be sure to stop in the shop within their morning hours (Tuesday - Saturday, 7 - 11 a.m.). On a scale from one to ten, this restaurant takes an eleven. Be sure to stop in and support the local businesses surrounding our town! Layla Leigh Wandel The movie ¨Clouds¨ was released on Disney Plus for streaming on October 16, 2020. It was directed by Justin Baldoni. Some of the people starring in it are Sabrina Carpenter, Fin Argus, and Neve Campbell.
The movie is based around the main character, Zach, and his life long best- friend, Sammy. They posted a song Zach wrote on YouTube and went viral. It is a true and touching story about a boy who was diagnosed with cancer. The movie follows as his dreams come true, but not without many obstacles. The movie is inspiring to viewers that no matter the circumstances, if you put your mind to something, you can accomplish anything. The true story is based on a boy named Zach Sobiech who died on May 20, 2013 at age 18. Zach was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a bone cancer, at age 14 and was told by doctors in June 2012 that he had months to maybe a year to live. Zach went on to pass this time which was so inspiring to so many because while he knew his time was up, he continued to be positive and uplight to anyone he met. The movie so far has a 7.5 out of 10 star rating according to IMDB. The song Zach made was released on December 12, 2012. All the proceeds went to fund research for osteoporosis. 156,000 copies of the song have been sold so far and it has 17 million views on YouTube. Throughout the whole movie Zach is faced with many challenges with himself, his medical issues, friendships, and relationships but through it all he pushes through and is a light to all. This movie is a very good movie to watch with any age because it has something everyone can enjoy. It touches the hearts of people while it also makes them laugh from Zach´s sense of humor. Throughout the movie the audience comes to love every character's personalities and how they look at life. All the characters go through something that changes their look on life and shows viewers a positive look on a very difficult situation they all went through. The future can be scary, but it can also be full of hope. We asked our seniors some questions about their last semester at Castle and how they’re feeling about the future in general.
There were a variety of schools and areas of study we got as responses. Olivia Anderson is just one example. She plans on majoring in Political Science and minoring in Gender Studies at the University of Notre Dame. She says this about graduating; “I’m very excited to graduate. I love Castle and high school has definitely treated me well, but I’m excited to see what the future holds!” she goes on to say, “I’m hopeful that the class of 2021’s life post-high school will return to normal. We will be able to live the lives we have dreamed of. Personally, I hope to attend law school after undergrad and work to make the world a better place.” We have heard so many inspiring stories like this, and not just from one person. Another Castle senior with big plans is Hannah Ryan. She plans to go to IU to study Neuroscience on the Pre-Med track. We think she puts how most seniors feel perfectly, “I'm hopeful for a fresh start at college. While everyone might not be continuing on in college, I think we can all collectively agree that we are excited and anxious for the next chapter of our lives to begin.” Yet another thing students agreed on was what they would miss the most: their friends. Our fellow Lancer member Elliott Kieffer says this, “My favorite aspect school wise has definitely been my time in the Lancer. The class is always so fun and there's just a great energy overall in the room. Outside of school, my favorite thing has always been spending time with my friends. I've been able to make some long lasting memories and relationships that I'm truly thankful for. I'll miss the Lancer and all of my friends the most.” Isabella Stratton agrees too. “I will miss my friends the most. I enjoyed coming to school every day and laughing with my friends in our classes as well as sitting with them in the parking lot after school.” A lot of seniors say the thing they’ll miss the most is their friends and that can be incredibly anxiety inducing. Stratton also says, “Honestly, I am terrified to graduate. All we have known our entire lives is the structure of K-12 schooling and the new responsibilities that come with graduation bring a HUGE change.” She says, “The unknown is scary, which makes me nervous going into college. That being said, going into adulthood is exciting and the new freedoms bring along new adventures and experiences.” The way all these seniors describe their nervousness mixed with excitement is perfect. One student we believe put it perfectly is Kiersten Justice. Justice is part of the marching band, along with the summer musical, and National Honors Society, and she’ll be going to Ball State to study Criminology/Criminal Justice. “I have had many ups and downs throughout my high school career and I wouldn’t have changed anything. You learn who the real people are when you spend 4 years of high school together and you find the people you love to be around just to move classes or to move hours away at the start of next school year.” She continues, “While I’m so ready to say goodbye to Castle High School, a part of me will always be happy that this is where I have spent the past 4 years.” As seniors ourselves, we completely agree with our classmates. However nervous we may be for the future, the excitement of growing up is still there. We can probably all agree that we’ve learned so much about ourselves, the world, other people, etc. in our four years together. We thank Castle High School for being there for us in times of trouble. We wish good luck to our fellow members of 2021 in college and so on! On Saturday, January 9th, 2021, the Castle speech team competed in a meet at Fishers High School. The meet was of course virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Meets at schools like Fishers are big deals as they have 500 competitors from forty schools compared to local meets which average 100 competitors from 11 schools.
Castle did very well at the meet as three students made it to semi finals in their categories: Parth Patel - Discussion Connor Mahooty - Humorous Interpretation Olivia Anderson - Impromptu Olivia Anderson also placed 5th overall in her second category, Programmed Oral Interpretation. One of the biggest changes this year for the speech team is that all of the meets are now virtual. This has been a big change for everyone. As there’s now no traveling and all Castle competitors compete at home with their chromebooks. Coaches also now have the added responsibility of making sure that their competitors login and deal with technical issues. However, Castle’s very own speech coach, Mrs. Mitchell, is still enjoying the situation. “Virtual meets could be a metaphor for our 2020-2021 school year experience; they're not as satisfying as being in person, but they're better than nothing. I miss the excitement of the competition and the camaraderie built when the team travels the most” says Mrs. Mitchell. Senior and four year speech team member Laith Koleilat , also feels very similar about the situation regarding virtual meets. “They’re not bad but I would much prefer doing them in person because of the interaction” says Koleilat. Virtual meets have been a big change for everyone this school year. Luckily though speech is a competition that could easily adapt to virtual with tools like SpeechWire. On the subject of how the veteran competitors have adapted to the current climate, Mrs. Mitchell had to say “I am blessed with veteran competitors who have embraced the need for flexibility with poise and grace. Sometimes, they find themselves walking into new situations along with me, and we adapt to the challenges together. I haven't heard a complaint, even though I know that most if not all of my team would rather compete in person. My new competitors are not getting the full experience either, and they've followed suit. I'm extremely proud of all of them and very impressed with their resilience.” Once again congratulations to Olivia Anderson, Parth Patel, Connor Mahooty, and everyone else who participated in the meet. With a record of zero wins to three losses to start the season, one might have assumed that this may be a rough year to be a fan of the Castle Knights on the basketball court. However, these losses were against very formidable opponents. Nonetheless, a 0-3 start encouraged the Knights to keep pushing. They had a chance to steady the ship on Wednesday, December 30th at the annual Danny Bush classic.
One player who seemed specifically tilted about the start to the season was senior, Zeke Niehaus as he came out in the first game of the tournament and scored a high school career high 24 points. Last season Niehaus battled a hand injury throughout the year, but he was finally able to find his shot late in the year. When asked about his success in the tournament, Niehaus said, “it felt really good to finally play how I want myself to play.” He continued, “I just kept hitting shots over and over again. Everything was falling for me.” Thanks to the efforts of not only Niehaus, but the whole team, they were able to knock off Milan High School by a score of 58-46 which set them up for a matchup with Bedford North Lawrence. After advancing to the championship game, I asked Niehaus what the team needed to do to repeat their success. He explained that they “needed to want it more than them and shoot the ball better. We played harder than them and had more success shooting and the results were there.” The Knights were able to even their record at 3-3 versus conference foe, Vincennes Lincoln, but unfortunately this game led to the cancellations of eight games due to the positive Covid-19 test of a Vincennes player. Senior Cole Simmons explains that, “while the cancellations are annoying, especially as a senior, it’s keeping us safe.” The Knights hope to get their season back on track post quarantine. With six seniors, this could be a special season. Starting off 2021, Castle students are returning to school. As some decide to stay home and learn virtually, many students are returning to their usual classrooms.
Students returning to school have plans for staying safe and socially distant throughout the day. Additionally, they have the ability to say "hello" to their favorite teachers and classmates. Carter Lynn, a junior learning in person, says he “prefers hands-on learning rather than virtual” because “factors of slow or non-working WiFi are an annoyance.” Occasionally it’s small factors like these that allow students to make easier decisions regarding their learning choice. Kate McAtee, a sophomore, decided that learning from home better fit her situation. As a varsity member on Castle’s swim team, McAtee said, “...being an athlete it’s important that we don’t get quarantined so we can still participate in events.” Along with McAtee, many sports teams and other students participating in extracurricular activities have decided to learn virtually. Returning to school also means taking new classes. Castle High School offers an enormous variety to choose, allowing students to specialize in subjects they enjoy. Bryce Eckert, an in-person senior, is looking forward to “automotives class with Mr. Deters” this semester. 2020 brought many surprises, but students hope for a great new year to shine brightly. Many still have hope for a senior prom, and more opportunities to hang out with friends. When asked what the best thing about returning to school is, Castle students responded as expected. To them, there is nothing more important than the ability to make more connections with their peers. Keeping safety a priority, Castle High School ensures that the return to school will bring success to all. All in all, students are looking forward to finally being back on a schedule and getting their brains back in action. 2021 is looking bright for our Knights. The Castle High School season has been a successful one so far, even after new COVID-19 regulations made it look impossible. Many of the swimmers have already achieved best times and first place finishes. After many hours of training and competing, these accomplishments are all well deserved. The Knights are not done, however. They have their eyes set on the series of championship meets that are yet to come.
The Knights have been in preparation for these upcoming championship meets and are focused on the end. From showing up to every single practice and trying their hardest, to taking care of their bodies by sleeping and eating, the swimmers are more than ready to perform. Practicing up to eight times a week, the swim team has become very close, which is a key to their end success. Kate McAtee, a sophomore, says her biggest motivation when competing is her teammates. “Having your teammates there to cheer you on for me is the most important thing. They help me stay focused and get me excited for my race,” said McAtee. For Reid Wagner, this is his first year as an assistant coach for the Knights. He feels the swimmers’ performances up to this point have been exceptional. “I can already tell that the hard work is paying off and that if each swimmer continues with the same effort they have been giving, then we will be in a great place for sectionals and beyond,” said Waninger. He believes that if the Knights keep the effort up and don’t stop working hard, the season's end will be a happy one for everyone. Waninger also says he always tries to balance hard work with having a good time. He believes that if you first work hard, there is always room for some fun as well. The meets so far have been enjoyable, even with the COVID-19 regulations. The swimmers still find ways to cheer for each other and be socially distanced. It is a new adjustment, but it is one the Knights are willing to make. They are lucky to yet have any cancellations due to COVID. They are also fortunate to have only had a few swimmers quarantined due to testing positive or being deemed close contacts. The team has done a great job adjusting to the new norm for sports during a pandemic. Colton Tang, a junior and top sprinter for Castle is excited for the rest of the season's results. His goal for the sectionals swim meet is to have both the boys and girls teams to hold a sectional title. His advice to his teammates for the championship meets is to just have fun. “It goes by so fast there’s no point in stressing over this meet, just take a deep breath and enjoy the experience,” said Tang. Every swimmer has a different approach to staying calm before these big meets. Madelyn Porter is a sophomore who competed in the top meet, the state competition, as just a freshman. Her approach to staying calm is simply believing in herself. “You just have to trust that the work you put in was enough,” said Porter. “We have a great coach and a great staff that has helped us get to this point and now we just have to trust we are ready and the quality work we put in was enough.” With the mindset and work ethic Porter possesses, she is expected to go far in the swim world. As the championship season draws near, the common emotion circling the team is excitement. The swimmers cannot wait to show how much the long, hard practices have paid off this season. This is their chance to prove themselves to everyone, and they could not be more excited. So keep your eyes on the pool, because there is going to be some face racing going on in the next few weeks. Kicking off the new year, season 3 of the hit show “Cobra Kai” was released on Netflix, making it the perfect time to watch the series.
Originating on YouTube, Cobra Kai is a television follow up to the classic 1980’s movie The Karate Kid, continuing the story of the main characters Daniel Larusso and Johnny Lawrence reigniting their karate rivalry. I have been a big fan of this series since the first two seasons were added on Netflix last fall. The original “Karate Kid” movie is a personal favorite of mine, and I love getting to watch the characters from the film again. The series also changes the viewer’s perspective of the original movie. The movie’s villain Johnny Lawrence is portrayed much more sympathetically in the show, as he becomes one of the most enjoyable and well-liked characters. “Cobra Kai” also does not get too serious or try to make the Karate Kid franchise into something it is not. The series relies heavily on references to the original movie and its sequels, as well as references to the 1980’s in general. The music in the series is amazing as well, featuring numerous songs from the 1980’s. The new teenage characters in “Cobra Kai” are done really well too. The main ones include a student named Miguel, Johnny’s son Robby, and Daniel’s daughter Sam. While they are not as iconic or memorable as the original movie’s characters, the new people are still very fun and enjoyable to watch. The storyline is also outlandish and cheesy enough that it fits into the 1980’s feel of the show. The basic plot follows Johnny and Daniel opening rival karate dojos and the problems it causes in the local high school. Karate is already a cheesy concept for a tv show, and the constant 80’s references and jokes make it so much more enjoyable. I would recommend this show to anyone who is a fan of “The Karate Kid” or just the 1980’s. The show is cheesy enough that it makes you laugh while also getting you invested in its story and characters. And with season three having just premiered, it is the perfect time to start watching. |