SPOTLIGHT
BEN DAVIS HIGH SCHOOL VOLUME 86
1200 N. GIRLS SCHOOL RD. ISSUE 2
Covering Wayne Township since 1933
INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46214 OCTOBER 27, 2020
GIANT
NOTES
Clocks jump
back an hour
Battle for the ages
It’s Trump or Biden
on November 3
Daylight
Savings Time
returns this
weekend.
Remember to
turn back your
clocks one
hour before
going to bed Saturday night.
The time changes at 2 a.m.
Sunday as we fall back in time.
The clocks will stay that way
until, March 8, 2021, when we
spring forward an hour.
No school
next Tuesday
Tuesday, November 3 is both
an election day and a day off of
school. Voting will take place at
the high school fieldhouse next
to the football stadium.
Wayne Township also will
be closed November 25-27 for
Thanksgiving. Winter break
begins Monday, December 21.
The end of the first semester is
January 15, 2021.
Early voting
ends Monday
For those interested in casting
an early ballot for the 2020
election, early voting ends in
Indiana Monday. You can vote
at the City-County building
downtown or at the Krannert
Family Center at 605 South
High School Road. Krannert
voting is open 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
Monday-Friday and 10 a.m.-5
p.m. this Saturday and Sunday.
Follow us at
BDSPOTLIGHT.COM
@BD_PUBLICATIONS
@BDPUBLICATIONS
Graphic by Atzel Nunez
2 Spotlight Ben Davis High School Indianapolis, IN October 27, 2020
“Together, we’re
committed to protecting
the American
people, preserving
American
values, defending
America’s
heritage,
and
keeping
America
safe,
strong,
prosperous,
and
free.”
- President
Donald Trump
By Lexie Bordenkecher
editor
President Donald Trump
is seeking a second term
as president. A republican,
Trump won the 2016 election
over Hillary Clinton. Here is
where he stands on criticval
issues.
Climate change
While Trump doesn’t
call climate change a hoax,
he hasn’t done much at
all to reverse the effects
caused by climate change.
He has talked down to
Greta Thunberg, an teenage
environmental activist, and
discredited her. He does
not believe climate change
is manmade. He also withdrew
from the Paris Agreement,
which was created to
help stop the irreversible
damage of climate change.
Gun rights
Trump has no intentions
of repealing the Second
Amendment. He wants to
remove guns from “dangerous
individuals,” but not all
Americans.
He supports the idea that
school teachers should have
guns in their classrooms to
use for protection. Trump
wants to keep the Supreme
Court republican so they
can continue to protect the
Second Amendment. He
believes the bigger issue is
mental health, and if we
improve our mental health
there won’t be as many
mass shootings.
LGBTQ rights
Trump is known for his
discrimination of LGBT
people. In 2017, he tweeted
that transgender people
should not be allowed to
serve in the military “in
any capacity”. He did not
acknowledge Pride month
in 2017, 2018, and 2020.
However, in 2019 he made
“Make America Great
Again” shirts in rainbow
font, raising money for his
campaign, not the LGBT
community.
Education
Trump went to Fordham
University in New York,
and then University of
Pennsylvania and received
a degree in economics. He
favors increased funding
to charter schools and is a
proponent of school choice.
Taxes
Donald Trump has no
intentions of raising individual
taxes. His tax plan
benefits the rich more than
it does the working class.
Women’s reproductive
rights
Donald Trump’s stance
on abortion and overall
women’s healthcare has
changed over the years. In
the 1990s, he stated that
he was “very pro-choice”,
saying that he hates the
procedure and everything
surrounding it, but still be-
Who you got?
Trump, Biden face off in historic battle
lieves in choice. Since then,
he has shown no support of
that idea. He has said that
he would vote to overturn
Roe V. Wade. Trump has
tried to make employers
responsible for birth control
covered by insurance.
Student debt
Forgiving student debt
isn’t one of the big issues
Trump has talked about.
He suspended all student
loan interest and payments
until December 31, 2020.
Military spending
Donald Trump has increased
military spending
over his years in office
Civil rights
In the first presidential
debate of 2020, President
Trump failed to denounce
and acknowledge white
supremacy in the US.
Instead, he told the
far-right organization,
Proud Boys,
to “stand back, and
stand by”. He has
criticized the Black
Lives Matter movement,
and called it
a “socialist” organization
that harms
black people. Although
Trump made no comments
on it, his supporters started
a hashtag on social media
called “#Repealthe19th”,
indicating a desire to strip
women of their right to
vote.
By Mary Adams
lifestyle editor
Joe Biden was vice prsident
under Barrack Obama
and is seeking his first term
as president. Biden is the
democratic choice for president.
Here is a look at where
he stands on critical issues.
Climate change
Joe Biden is against the
Green New Deal. His team
plans to ensure that by
2050, the US achieves a
100% clean energy economy.
Gun rights
Biden is in favor of universal
background checks.
In a tweet he said “it’s clear
we need to close the loophole
that allows individuals
to buy guns online or at
gun shows without a background
check. ”
LGBTQ rights
Biden is in favor of protecting
LGBTQ+ people
from discrimination and violence
in the workplace. He
wants to protect individuals
from violence towards
the transgender community,
especially transgender
women of color. He wants
to support LGBTQ+ youth.
He plans to expand healthcare
access for the LGBTQ+
community.
Education
Biden is against for-profit
charter schools. He feels
that they take money from
public schools, which need
the money more.
Biden thinks two years
of college should be free.
He thinks public schooling
should be free until grade
14, and he has said this
could be done by closing a
single tax loophole. Biden
favors a strong public education.
Taxes
Biden wants to increase
capital gains tax rates. He
wants to increase the tax
rate to 28%. he wants to
enforce a minimum 15%
rate on corporations with
at least $100 million in net
profits so they can’t avoid
taxes all together. Biden
wants to increase the tax
rate on upper-income
Americans, those making
more than $400,000.
Women’s reproductive
rights
Biden wants to have
some limits on abortion
without abolishing it completely.
He wants to ban
late term abortions.
Student debt
Biden wants to expand
and fix existing student
debt-relief programs. He
wants to simplify them and
make sure they help teachers.
Biden also favors making
college free for students
whose parents makes less
than $125,000 annually.
Military spending
Biden wants to boost the
defense spending budget.
Biden vowed to better
equip the National Guard
and that he would work
to reassure allies rattled by
his opponent’s “America
First” approach. He said he
backs a small footprint for
U.S. troops in the Mideast,
but couldn’t promise a full
withdrawal given the complicated
conditions in Syria,
Afghanistan and Iraq.
Civil rights
Biden wants to ensure
his housing plan makes investments
in homeownership
and make affordable
housing accessible to black,
brown, and native families.
He wants to ensure people
of color are treated with
dignity and are treated
equally in the workplace.
“If you entrust me with
the presidency, I will
draw on the best of us,
not the worst. United,
we can and will overcome
this season of
darkness in America.”
- presidential candidate Joe
Biden
October 27, 2020 Ben Davis High School Indianapolis, IN Spotlght
So this is Jorgensen
Libertarian candidate feels like the forgotten one
By Laura Fowler
staff writer
Jo Jorgensen has been here before.
Jorgensen, the 2020 presidential
candidiate of the Libertarian
Party, is no stranger to national
politicis. She was the party’s vice
presidential candidate in the
1996 election and has been involved
with the Libertarian Party
since 1983.
Everyone is familiar with the
two-party system in American
politics, which for the last 80 or
so years has been the Democrats
and Republicans. Did you know
there is a third party?
That’s right, a third party --
the Libertarian Party. The reason
you don’t hear much about this is
that for a third party to be recognized
is really hard because most
of us support either the Republicans
or Democrats. But this year,
there is more talk about this third
party because of Jorgensen.
Just so you can have a little
more insight about the Libertarian
Party, they promote civil liberties,
limiting the size and involvement
of the government and,
laissez faire capitalism (meaning
the government should just leave
the economy and make it a free
market).
Holcomb faces tough challengers
State shutdown
a hot topic
for governor
By Brooklynn Sharp
staff writer
Suddenly, Governor Eric Holcomb
finds himself in a bit of a
race as he seeks his second term
as political leader in the state of
Indiana.
Holcomb has come under fire
-- even from members of his own
party -- in recent months over
his handling of the Covid-19 response.
Business owners -- especially
bars and restaurants --
have been upset with his “stages”
of opening that have handcuffed
their ability to open.
His mask mandate offered no
consequences for those refusing
to comply and then comes an unprecedented
surge by Libertarian
candidate Donald Rainwater,
who recently polled as high as
24% of the voters, and it all adds
up to a tighter then expected race
LIBERTARIAN CANDIDATE Jo Jorgensen is running for president on the Libertarian
ticket. She has been a part of the Libertarian Party since 1983 and ran for
vice president in 1996. (File photo)
Many just use this third choice
to vote for instead of the Republicans
or Democrats because they
don’t want to choose between
the two. But this year, people actually
have a reason to vote for
the Libertarian candidates.
That reason is Jorgensen.
Here are a few things she stands
by. Jo is pro-choice (meaning
she believes in women choosing
wether or not they want to have
an abortion), she doesn’t want a
wall built along the border because
she doesn’t want the parents
and children to be separated
but she supports deporting illegal
immagrents if they have done any
serious crimes.
As for the enviorment, she
wants to replace oil and coal
burning with new safe non-polluting
high-tech nuclear power
plants.
Those are only a few things
that Jorgensen stands for, but you
can see why many are choosing to
vote for her instead of President
Donald Trump or former Vise
President Joe Biden.
Government teacher Mike
Vetter pays close attention to the
for governor.
Holcomb, however,
is a Republican
governor in a state
that has gone Republican
all but eight
years since 1969.
Democrat Frank
O’Bannon served as
Governor from 1996 Holcomb Myers Rainwater
to 2003 and when he
ate of Shortridge High School
died in office Democrat Joe Kernan
finished his term.
room physician before entering
who spent time as an emergency
Other than that, Indiana has politics. Myers supports a strong
been a Republican stronghold state-run health care system, is a
since 1969. Holcomb also has the big supporter of education and
backing of Vice President Mike wants Indiana to be a leader in
Pence, who served as Indiana climate change legislation.
governor with Holcomb as his “Our students and teachers
lieutenant governor.
deserve better,” Myers said during
a campaign rally. “We owe
Holcomb believes in a strong
and diverse economy and wants our students a high-quality education.
As governor, I’ll restore
to spend $60 billion on improving
roads throughout the state, public confidence in our education
system by providing needed
including finishing Interstate 69
from Indianapolis to Bloomington.
He also is big on developing Rainwater has gained steam in
funding.”
a work force, but has been hard state polling over the past two
on education and has repeatedly months as Holcomb continues to
turn back efforts to give raises to take heat for his response to the
educators across the state. global pandemic.
The Democrats counter with Rainwater is a lifelong Hoosier
and is a 1981 graduate Dr. Woody Myers, a gradu-
of
elections and has followed closely
the Libertarian Party.
“There are some ideas I agree
with and some of her ideas I disagree
with,” Vetter said. “The
problem is that the U.S. is a twoparty
system and it can be difficult
for a third party to break
that barrier and win the election.
“But they do help keep the Republican
and Democratic parties
in check at times. I would like to
see more people support third
parties. Not necessarily the Libertarian
party, but third parties
in general.”
In addition to her support of
the Libertarian Party, Jorgensen
is a business women from South
Carolina. She has degrees in marketing
and business from Clemson
and Baylor and has worked in
marketing with IBM.
She makes it clear why she is
running for president as a third
party candidate.
“I will govern to preserve the
life, liberty, and property of all
Americans,” said Dr. Jorgensen
on her web page. “If elected, I will
be a president who does not govern
as a member of Team Red or
Team Blue.”
It was libertarian principles,
including religious freedom and
no taxation without representation,
that moved America’s
founders to declare the country’s
independence.
Warren Central High
School in Indianapolis.
That means all three
candidate have roots
in Indianapolis, with
Holcomb graduiating
from Pike High School,
Myers from Shortridge
and Rainwater from
Warren Central.
Rainwater is an eight year veteran
of the United State Navy and
has worked in software engineering
as well as computer training
for the past 20 years.
Rainwater favors less government
and would work toward
eliminating state income taxes.
“As governor, I would propose
that the Indiana General Assembly
pass legislation to ensure that
a governor never has the unilateral
power to shut down our economy
again,” Rainwater said on his
web page. “I will not mandate the
shutdown of businesses, churches,
or schools. I will not mandate
the wearing of masks. I will not
mandate vaccinations. Hoosiers
must be well-informed and be allowed
to make their own choices
as citizens, not subjects.”
What
happened
to them?
Look at former
third party
candidates
3
After serving as the eighth
president of the United States
from 1837-41, Martin Van Buren
was a member of the Free
Soil party in the 1848 election
and finished third.
Van Buren was a founding
member of the Democratic party.
He gained 13% of the votes
in 1848 in an
election won by
Zachary Taylor
of the Whig party.
He returned
to the Democractic
party after his
failed attempt in 1848 and was
outspoken against slavery. He
supported Abraham Lincoln in
the Civil War before dying in
1862.
Teddy Roosevelt served
as our nation’s 26th president
from 1901-1909 and ran for a
third term in 1912 as a founding
member of the Progressive
parry, often referred
to the Blue
Moose party.
Roosevelt
earned 27 percent
of the votes
and finished
second in the 1912 election Following
the defeat he led a twoyear
expidition to the Amazon,
where he died. He remains the
youngest man elected president.
John Anderson ran as an Independent
in the 1980 election
after losing in the Republican
primaries to Ronald
Reagan.
Anderson ran
on a campaign of
cutting social security
taxes and
raising the gas
tax. After the 1980
election, he founded a company
called FairVote and remained
involved in politics, founding
the Justice party in 2012 before
dying in 2017.
One of the most famous third
party candidiates was Ross Perot,
who ran as an Independent
in 1992 and as a member of the
Reform Party in 1996.
A billionaire from Texas, he
made most of his money in the
computer business and ran on
a campaign of balancing the national
budget. He worked with
Apple founder
Steve Jobs after
leaving the political
arena.
Perot bowed
out of politics after
the 1996 race
and died in 2019.
4 Spotlight Ben Davis High School Indianapolis, IN October 27, 2020
How do
you decide?
Webb takes her time in making
her first voting decision
By Mary Adams
lifestyle editor
Some Ben Davis students will
be able to get the opportunity
to vote this year.
One of these students is senior
Liberty Webb. There are different
aspects of voting that need to
be taken into consideration before
actually voting.
Making sure you register to
vote is important. The deadline
to register in Indiana was October
5. Webb registered on September
15, a few weeks before the
deadline.
Students also need to know
where they are voting and if they
want to vote early or on Election
Day.
Knowing your candidates is
important. Knowing the candidate’s
background and doing additional
research is important.
Webb said that she is preparing
for the election by “research-
ing everything there is to know
about both presidents. Based on
that I will make my decision on
who to vote for.”
Doing background research is
important because you will be
able to vote on who you think
will be a better president, and
not voting just based on political
parties.
Students also need to realize
why they are voting.
Webb gets her inspiration
from wanting to be a political
news anchor. Her interest in politics
helps her feel like she is involved
and making a difference in
her country.
“I just like to read up on both
candidates and see where they
stand,” Webb said. “I think it is
an interesting thing to pay attention
to.”
When pushing her friends to
vote, Webb says “if you have the
chance to vote and make a difference,
then take it.”
Webb is thankful for her
FIRST TIME VOTER Senior Liberty Webb will be voting in her first election next week and has studied both candidates
before making her decision. (Photo by Karla Toledo)
chance to vote, because she
knows some of her peers aren’t
getting the same opportunity.
She encourages students to
vote if they have the chance, and
to make a difference in their future
because every vote counts.
“Everyone has an opinion, and
everyone should get the chance to
voice it,” Webb said.
Most people remember that
first time they went to the polls
and voted. Journalism teacher
Tom Hayes drove from Ball State
to his home on the north side of
Indianapolis for his first presidential
election in 1980.
“I wanted to vote in person,”
Hayes said. “I could have cast an
absentee ballot, but I wanted to
see what it was like to be there in
person.”
Hayes recalled that he voted
for independent candidate John
Anderson in that 1980 election
because “I was a college kid who
thought a new candidate had a
chance.” Anderson finished a distance
third.
Webb won’t say who she is
voting for.
“I’ll know when I get in that
booth,” she said.
Presidential elections have unique history
From hanging chads to one vote,
these elections have seen it all
By Mary Adams
lifestyle editor
The 2020 presidential election
is November 3. This election will
be a historical election due to the
global pandemic. There have been
many elections that have had an
impact on future elections.
The first presidential election
was held on January 7, 1789.
The first president elected was
George Washington, who was
unanimously elected into office
with 69 electoral votes.
Washington was elected twice
and he served two terms as president.
After his second term, he
didn’t want to run for a third
term. Washington made it clear
that he would have ran for a third
term if he thought it was necessary,
but he felt it was right to
stop running.
After Thomas Jefferson served
two presidential terms, he decided
that two terms was enough
for one person. Washington and
Jefferson set the precedent that
each president would only serve
two terms.
The Election of 1800 was an
odd election. It was between
Thomas Jefferson and John Adams.
This election was before the
12th Amendment, which states
that the electoral college had to
distinguish between who they
wanted as president and vice
president.
Since this was before the
amendment was in place, the
electoral college had two votes
to place on who they wanted as
president. Whoever got the most
votes was president and whoever
was in second place got vice president.
Thomas Jefferson and his running
mate, Aaron Burr, tied for
president. They went to Congress
to break the tie. Alexander
Hamilton, the nation’s treasury
secretary, was called to choose
between the two of them. He disliked
all candidates for the presidency,
but he pushed Federalists
to vote for Thomas Jefferson.
Hamilton said that Burr was too
self-centered to take on the role
as president.
The 15th Amendment was
passed by Congress February 26,
1869, and it was ratified on February
3, 1870. This made it legal for
African American men to vote. A
month after it was ratified, March
1, 1870, the first African American
exercised this right. This man
was Thomas Mundy Peterson. He
voted in a local election in Perth
Amboy, New Jersey. The election
was to find a new town charter.
The citizens of the town gave Peterson
a medallion in 1884.
The Election of 1920 was a historic
election. The 19th Amendment
was passed by Congress in
May 1919, but it wasn’t ratified
until August 18, 1920. This was
three months before the election.
America was also recovering from
World War 1.
The two candidates were
James Middleton Cox and Warren
Harding. While taking every
state outside of the South, Harding
won by a landslide. Harding
held a neutral stance on many
subjects, which is what many
people liked. He was able to get
people from both parties to support
him. He also promised a
form of normalcy, which caught
people’s attention while recovering
from a war.
The presidential election of
1948 was historic due to a misprint
in a Chicago newspaper
that claimed New York Governor
Thomas Dewey with a historic
upset over incumbent President
Harry Truman when, in fact, Truman
was the winner.
The 2000 election was famous
for what became known as the
Hanging Chad. The state of Florida
was the votes in question and
it took five weeks and a legal battle
to proclaim George Bush the
winner over Al Gore.
Florida decided that 2000
presidential election despite
Gore winning the popular vote.
The Hanging Chad referred to
push ballots that appeared to
have been tampered with and
became known as the Hanging
Chad. Florida went to Bush by a
mere 537 votes in a state that had
more than six million votes.
There have been many elections
in the past that have shaped
how we vote today. There have
been elections held during wars
and elections held months after
“goups” were granted rights to
vote.
This year’s election could join
that long list of memorable moments
in our political history.
OCTOBER 27, 2020 BEN DAVIS HIGH SCHOOL INDIANAPOLIS, IN SPOTLGHT
5
Trying to make a difference
By Raelynn Hughes
staff writer
Algebra teacher hopes to give back to her Shelby County community
All a community needs is a
dedicated and hardworking
individual who is
willing to make a difference. Ben
Davis’ Laura Stieneker-Taylor is
that type of person. She is currently
running for County Council
in Shelbyville, Indiana.
Stieneker-Taylor has been
teaching for 29 years. She is going
on her fourth year teaching at
Ben Davis. She started working
at NorthWest High School, but
once the high school got moved,
she decided to come to Ben Davis
because she wanted to stay on the
west side of town.
She graduated from Shelbyville
High School and lived in Indianapolis
for a brief period of time
before moving back to Shelbyville
several years ago.
One night Stieneker-Taylor
was having a conversation with
a couple of friends on Facebook
about what needed to be done
in order to make the community
better. Instead of complaining
and putting the problem on to
someone else, she asked herself,”
Why can’t I be that somebody?”
That Facebook conversation
led her to take the necessary steps
to become a candidate.
Although she loves her job as
a teacher, she wants to be that
somebody that makes a difference
in her community.
“I’m not so naive as to think
I’m gonna change the world from
the at large seat at the Shelby
County Council,” Stieneker-
Taylor said,” but I might change
something in my area. I have to
start someplace.I can’t change
the world, but I can change my
part of it.”
Because of covid, Stieneker-
Taylor hasn’t been able to campaign
like she would wants to.
She isn’t able to go to county fairs
“I have to start someplace.I can’t change the world,
but I can change my part of it.”
- algebra teacher Laura Stieneker-Taylor
and festivals where candidates
would normally go to campaign
because they have all been canceled.
She also hasn’t been able
to go door-to-door either. But
she has been able to speak at different
churches and meetings
where she can voice her opinion
and campaign. She has also done
a meet and greet where she got to
meet her neighbors and friends
to discuss what changes will be
made and why.
Since she hasn’t been able to
do a lot of in person interactions,
she has been doing a lot of online
campaigning.
“A lot of the work I’ve been
doing is on Facebook,” she said.
“I post videos on there that talk
about what I’m about and give
information about the election
and about Shelby Country. That’s
been the way I’ve been getting
my voice out there.”
Stieneker-Taylor no doubt has
an interesting way of thinking,
which is a strategy she is using
in her campaign. Her campaign
color is purple because she likes
to be in the middle politically.
“That’s one of the things I have
with my campaign. I talk about
how there are people that are way
far left and way far right. There
are people that are really blue and
then there are people that are really
red, but most of us are purple
in the middle,” she said.
Many people complain about
what is going on and do nothing
about it. Devoted citizens like
Stieneker-Taylor get out there
and try to be the change they
want to see in the world.
Hard works pays off
BD parent looking to make her political mark
By Raelynn Hughes
staff writer
Renee Pack is a hard working
Ben Davis parent who has spent
the last six years working hard to
get to where she is. She is running
for State Representative in District
92 (the westside of Indy).
Pack has been involved with
Wayne Township ever since her
three daughters and one son attended
and graduated from Ben
Davis. Two of her daughters were
in Spotlight themselves. She also
has a son who teaches at North
Wayne, and she is married to
Sean Pack, a local pastor who
also is very involved in the community.
She was an undergrad at Indy’s
Wesleyan University, and got her
masters degree at IUPUI.
Pack’s political interest started
back in 2008.
“My inspiration came back in
2008 when Barack Obama won,”
Pack said,” I have the education
background and the platform,
“I still want to get my voice
out there. It’s nice to let people
know who is going to be
representing them.”
- Renee Pack
why can’t I make life better for
the citizens of Indianapolis?”
In 2014, Pack ran for Wayne
Township trustee, but unfortunately
lost.
“I lost by about 200 votes.”
Pack said. “It isn’t that much,
but it still motivated me to work
harder.”
Karlee Macer, current State
Representative for District 92
and close friend of Pack, appointed
Pack for this role.
She has technically already
won because she is the only candidate
running for State Rep. She
started out at pre-primary convention
where she had no competition.
She had to wait until July
6th to see if anyone would run
against her, but no one did.
Although she technically has
the job, this didn’t stop her from
campaigning. She has done many
things to get her ideas out there
like working for phone banks,
calling voters, fundraising and
also helping other campiners
with their campaigns.
“I still want to get my voice out
there,” Pack said. “It’s nice to let
people know who is going to be
representing them. There are also
many many Zoom calls.”
Renee Pack is no doubt an inspiration
to all. Even though she
lost once, she came back to do
bigger and better things. She has
overcome many obstacles, but in
the end achieved her goals.
STATE REP Ben Davis parent Renee Pack still campaigns and meets voters as
often as possible despite already winning the District 92 state rep election as an
unopposed candidate. (Submitted photo)
6 SPOTLIGHT BEN DAVIS HIGH SCHOOL INDIANAPOLIS, IN OCTOBER 27, 2020
YOUR
VIEW
What qualities make up
an ideal president?
“An ideal president for me is someone who
believes above all in human rights and equality.
It doesn’t necessarily matter what their race or
gender is but they need to believe that all people
are created equal and they must do things that
show they believe that.”
- English teacher Deb Aquino
“Someone who has compassion for the citizens
of the country, someone who is reserved in their
judgement, someone who has a mastery in knowledge
but is willing to admit when they do not
know something.”
- English teacher Tim Payne
“Someone who cares and is willing to do anything
for the best interest of the people. Someone who is
open minded and doesn’t judge others.”
- senior Cristin Howard
AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Political signs are popping up all around
the west side in preparation for the
November 3 election. The
fieldhouse will be a voting
site in the elction next
week and Wayne Township
schools will be closed.
(Staff photos)
“My ideal president is one that keeps his promises,
but is flexible enough to change his/her stance
on issues if that is what the American people
want.”
- business teacher Rachel Jones
“My ideal president is a man or woman who is
principled, with political convictions aligned with
my own, and at the same time realistic, open-minded,
and willing to compromise for the good of the
country. He/she understands the challenges facing
the nation, both domestic and international. My
ideal president puts the social needs of our country
-- healthcare, housing, education -- and national infrastructure
on an equal plane with military spending. My ideal president
unites rather than divides, and surrounds him/herself with
knowledgeable and apolitical advisors.”
- world language teacher Bill Gilmartin
“An ideal president is one who cares about all of
the people in the country, not just certain parts
of the population, and tries to make life better for
all people who live in this country. That person
also must show sympathy and empathy for the
struggles people are going through.”
- English teacher Jennifer Roberts
“An ideal president is someone who would
actually help the people and actually will make
American great because now days everyone just
wants money.”
- senior Kathy Rodriguez
“Somebody who follows through with their word
and cares about the less fortunate.”
- junior Al’laja Steel
.
“My ideal president would be someone who is calm
and rational, who recognizes the clear inequalities
in our country and does what they can to fix them
or better them. Someone who can make unbiased
decisions.”
- junior Laila Kardad
Gaining support
where needed
Running mates, former presidents have impact
By Brentton Wharton
staff writer
In most presidential elections,
everyone’s main focus is on
the two candidates running
for office, but sometimes we forget
just how important the people
on the outside are.
Three weeks ago ago we saw
the first -- and only -- vice presidential
debate between Joe Biden
and Donald Trump’s respective
running mates, Kamala Harris
and Mike Pence. Many overlook
how pivotal these two are to this
election cycle.
Take the Democratic party in
this election, for example. It was
no secret that the party was indecisive
at first when it came to who
they wanted to nominate for the
election. Obviously, Biden was
the ultimate choice, however, his
now running mate and vice presidential
candidate, was his biggest
competition for the Democratic
presidential nomination.
So now that Harris is a part of
Biden’s camp, one can only assume
that anyone who originally
wanted her as the nominee, will
now at least consider voting for
Biden because he chose her as his
potential vice president.
It is important to note how
fundamental this can be for these
candidates. The man up for election,
Joe Biden, was once a running
mate, and vice president. He
served as Barack Obama’s vice
president for eight years, and
now he has a chance to become
president.
Trump was voted president
in 2016 and had no real political
background, so chooisng Mike
Pence as his running mate was a
calculated decision that gave him
someone with a long history of
politics. Pence was a congressman
in Indiana and was governor
of Indiana before becoming part
of the Trump ticket.
So we’re seeing right before
our eyes how being around the
office can directly lead to a future
as the commander in chief.
Could Pence or Harris try their
hand at the presidential election
in the coming years? It’s also important
not to forget the weight
the past President and FLOTUS
still can pull in politics.
In 2016, the Obama’s endorsement
of Hilary Clinton for president
made headlines everywhere.
Obviously the Obama administration
endorses Biden, and the
voters that made Obama president
for eight years, will more
than likely turn out for Biden this
year as well.
Dan Quayle, former Vice President
(1989 - 1993) has also openly
endorsed the Trump administration.
Quayle, a former Senator
from Indiana, was the running
mate and VP for George H. W.
Bush, one of the most well known
and recognizable presidents in
American history.
Quayle is familiar with the Republican
party, and has the trust
of many after working for and
being a part of such a successful
camp. These political figures that
many forget about in these elections
are vital for their party’s
success.
Harris, Pence, Quayle, and the
Obamas are all notable and recognizable
personalities, with the
trust of the people who support
their respective parties.
These people on the outside of
the spotlight have just as big of an
impact on the way the country is
run as the main candidates. It’s
important for voters to be familiar
with who supports the candidates
for office, and to be knowledgeable
of the policies (both
past and present) that they support
and want to push forward.
OCTOBER 27, 2020 BEN DAVIS HIGH SCHOOL INDIANAPOLIS, IN SPOTLGHT
7
The future of politics
Many young politicians are ready to make their mark
By Lexie Bordenkecher
editor
Pete Buttigieg
Pete Buttigieg was a major candidate
in the 2020 election. At
the young age of 38, he became
the first openly gay major candi-
Despite the fact that both
date.
presidential candidates
The now
are more than 70 year
former Mayor
of South
olds, there are many younger politicians
who are waiting to prove
Bend, Indi-
themselves. Starting off with the
most notable ones, Alexandria
Ocasio-Cortez and Pete Buttigieg
have already made big moves.
Here is a look at some of the up
and coming names in American
politics.
Alexandria
Ocasio-Cortez
In 2018, Ocasio-Cortez, known
generally as AOC, became the
youngest woman
to ever be
elected to congress.
She was
29 when she
took office.
The young
democrat was
a big supporter
of Senator Bernie
Sanders
during the 2020 presidential race
up until he dropped out. AOC introduced
the “Green New Deal”,
which is a climate change proposal
which would make millions
of new jobs to improve our environment.
Some speculate that she
might run for president in 2024.
She would turn 35 in October of
that year, so she would just barely
be of age.
ana, was a
successful
candidate
early in the
race. Butt- i-
gieg won the Iowa caucus with
two more delegate votes than
Sanders, even though Sanders
won the popular vote. He was a
very well respected candidate
due to his military background
and ability to speak many languages.
After dropping out, he
expressed his support for Joe
Biden.
Tulsi Gabbard
Tusi Gabbard is a 39-year-old
member of the House of Representatives
from
Hawaii. She
was the first
female combat
veteran to run
for president.
Gabbard was
the first Hindu
member of congress,
and also
the first Samoan-American member
of the voting congress. She
endorsed senator Bernie Sanders
in 2016. Along with many in the
democratic party, she wants to
raise the minimum wage to $15/
hour and eliminate the electoral
college.
Caleb Hanna
Caleb Hanna is a 20 year old
member of
the West Virginia
House of
Delegates. He
is currently
the youngest
black legislator
in the U.S.
He is against
abortion and
for second amendment rights. He
opposes his party by supporting
medical marijuana legalization.
Hanna is the youngest African-
American ever elected to a state
office. He currently attends West
Virginia State University as a
full-time student.
Joe Kennedy III
Joe Kennedy III is the grandson
of the
late Robert
F. Kennedy,
brother of
former president
John F.
Kennedy.
He is a
39-year-old
democratic
member of
the U.S. House of Representatives
for Massachusetts, and served
two years in the Peace Corps and
then studied law at Harvard. In
2020, he ran for Senate, but came
up short against Ed Markey.
Michelle Wu
Michelle Wu is currently running
for the 2021 Boston mayoral
election. She
is the former
president of
the Boston
City Council.
Originally
from Chicago,
Wu attended
Harvard
for law.
One of her professors was former
presidential candidate Elizabeth
Warren.
She was the first Asian-American
on the Boston City Council,
and the youngest at the time.
Trump family
Donald Trump has five children
between three wives. So far,
none of them have gotten into
politics on their own.
Eric and Donald Trump Jr. are
heavily involved in their fathers
organization, both serving as executive
vice presidents. Trump’s
other son, Barron, is only 14 and
isn’t in the public eye much.
The daughters, Ivanka and Tiffany,
are both involved in other
ways. Ivanka is a businesswoman
and Trump’s advisor, and Tiffany
is a recent college graduate. Tiffany
is also a singer and model.
No word of if they would remain
in politics if Trump isn’t reelected.
FIRST FAMILY President Donald Trump has four children who have helped
him in his political life. From left, they are Donald, Ivanka, Eric and Tiffany. Son
Barron is 14 and too young for politics.
Races of interest
November 3, 2020 Election
Polls open 6 a.m.-6 p.m.
Indiana Governor’s Race
Republican Eric Holcomb
Democrat Woody Myers
Libertarian Donald Rainwater
Attorney General of Indiana
Republican Todd Rokita
Democrat Jonathan Weinzapel
U.S. House Indiana District 7
Democrat Andre Carson
Republican Susan Smith
President of the United States
Republican Donald Trump
Democrat Joe Biden
Libertarian Jo Jorgensen
American Solidarity Party Brian Carroll
Green Party Howie Hawkins
Independent Abram Loeb
Independent Valerie Lin McCray
Independent Deborah Ann Rouse
Independent Joseph Charles Schriner
Independent Christopher Stried
Independent Kasey Wells
Wayne Township School Board
see candidate profiles, pages 10-11
8 SPOTLIGHT BEN DAVIS HIGH SCHOOL INDIANAPOLIS, IN OCTOBER 27, 2020
SPOTLIGHT
Editor-in-chief:
Lexie Bordenkecher
Opinions editor:
Denise Gimlich
And in the future...
What high school journalists would like to see
Lifestyle editor:
Mary Adams
Sports editor:
Zion Brown
Photo editor:
Isli Trejo
........
Staff:
Aaron Ayala, Choyce Cephus,
Allison Flores, Sophie Dorrance-
Minch, Frida Fonseca, Laura
Fowler, Raelynn Hughes, Atzel
Nunez, James McNeal, Jaylyn
Patrick, Corbin Robinson,
Brooklynn Sharp, Nick Wert,
Brentton Wharton
Adviser:
Tom Hayes
Principal:
Sandra Squire
Spotlight is the official newspaper of
Ben Davis High School. It was created
and is maintained by the Board of
Education of the Metropolitan School
District of Wayne Township as part of
the curriculum of the school district.
Its purpose is to allow students to
develop and refine their skills as
journalists under the supervision of the
principal, Sandra Squire, and faculty
of Ben Davis High School.
Spotlight represents and exemplifies
Ben Davis High School and is not a
public or open forum. The principal
and faculty of Ben Davis High School
are therefore charged by the Board of
Education with the responsibility of
exercising editorial oversight to ensure
that contents of Spotlight reflect
Wayne Westside Community Values,
which may be found on the Wayne
website and are available upon request
from Ben Davis High School.
It is the policy of Spotlight to accept
letters to the editor from all readers.
All readers must be signed and
verified for permission. The editor
reserves the right to edit the letter for
journalistic and grammar purposes as
well as to maintain a safe environment
and to exempt prohibited material.
Letters to the editor can be submitted
to Tom Hayes in room X109 or to the
editors. Letters can also be e-mailed to
Tom Hayes at tom.hayes@wayne.k12.
in.us or to the editors.
Readers who submit letters sent via
e-mail must see either Tom Hayes or
the editors for verification if they wish
to be published.
Businesses interested in advertising
in Spotlight should contact Tom Hayes
at 317-988-7148. Spotlight publishes
at least six issues per school year and
the online version can be found at
www.bdspotlight.com Advertising
rates are available upon request.
When it comes to thinking
about their futures,
a survey of more than
200 high school student media
students from throughout central
Indiana found that education and
the environment are their top concerns.
The survey was conducted by the
Spotlight staff and included student
media students from Ben Davis and
Southport high schools.
Here is a top five look at what
student journalists are concerned
about for their futures:
5
Dependecy on technology.
It has been said that current
high school students are
among the most tech-savvy generation
in our country’s history.
While acknowledging that is
likely the case, many students are
cocerned that such a heavy reliance
on technology could hurt society in
years to come.
“Will future generations forget
about everything and only know
about electronic devices? Will they
depend on that and only that?,” junior
Ricardo Torres said.
Along with technology, students
raised a big concern about social
media and platforms like Twitter,
Facebook, Instagram and Snap-
Chat.
“The kids raised with social media
will have their entire lives out
there for the world to see,” junior
Emilia Avalos-Felix said. “That will
have an affect on them and likely
not in a good way.”
Some think that reliance on technology
could filter down to employment
concerns. They say that
is not a good thing.
“I am afraid that human society
and workers will be replaced by robots,”
senior Zion Brown said.
4Politics.
While many high school
age students are not yet eligible
to vote, politics is very much
on the mind of these students.
Several issues were brought up in
relation to politics:
• Covid-19. Students expressed
concerned over how
our government is mandating
life choices during this
pandemic. “We have lived
our entire lives without
something like this and then
no one handles it well,” Torres
said.
• Poverty. “Poverty is rising all
the time,” senior Isli Trejo
said. “In our world there are
celebrities that could give
hundreds of people thousands
fof dollars and still b
wealthy. These poeple are
overly rich and instead of
coming together to heklp
those in need, they choose
not to. Our government
should look at this.”
• Jobs. While acknowledging
that Covid-19 put a halt to
job creation back in March,
students are concerned
about what steps our government
will take to make
sure jobs are available in the
future.
3Racism.
This is a generation
who has witnessed countless
acts of violence among all races, has
seen the Black Lives Matter movement
grow to incredible numbers
and has witnessed -- through the
nightly news -- acts of violence and
outrage against all races.
“Being a woman of color and
growing tensions day by day, I’d
hate to endure real injustce from
another person or law enforcements,”
senior Jordyn Coleman
said.
During downtown rallies last
May and June, several Ben Davis
students took part in protesting racial
inequality.
“I would absolutely speak out
“I feel racism needs to stop.
History is literally repeating
itself and I hate that I am living
through it.”
- senior Jaylyn Patrick
against injustice again but as my
dad said, I hope this is the last time
I ever have to,” junior Kansas Robinson
said after attending a downtown
rally in May.
“One of the concerns for my generation
growing up is that we are
so on the egde with racism and
inequalities,” junior Laura Fowler
said. “We are the main factor of
how we live our lives and racism
should not be a part of it.”
“I feel racism needs to stop,” senior
Jaylyn Patrck said. “It’s gone
on too long and brings along so
many problems that should never
ver been thought of. History is literally
repeating itself and I hate
that I am living through it.”
2Education.
This response included everything
from how to deal
with the hybrid schedule we are on
to how to pay for college to what
career fields to study for the future.
“Some kids are not motivated
enough to do e-learning and some
kids need more help then e-learning
provides,” Fowler said.
While e-learning and he hybrid
schedule was a hot topic, an even
hotter one was what to do with
your education in the future.
“I worry about how to pay for
college, I worry about how Covid
will affect my ability to go to college
and I just worry about college
in general,” senior Denise Gimlich
said.
Surprisingly, most students favor
more education.
“We need more hours in school
to allow more time for students
to learn and study,” senior Atzel
Nunez said. “But no homework because
that is the downfall of many
students. Longer school hours to
complete the work.”
Seniors aren’t the only ones worried
about college.
“I always worry about college,”
sophomore Raelynn Hughes said.
“I want to be able to go to college
and live in a dorm room, not stay at
home and do classes online.”
1
Environment.
Far and away the most pressing
concern expressed for the
future was the environment.
Some students called it global
warming, some called it climate
change and some just referred to
it as littering, but whatever it was
called, it was clear that today’s generation
cares about their environment.
“We have to take care of our
world by not littering, cleaning up
trash and watering our grass, trees
and flowers,” sophomore Brooklynn
Sharp said. “We have to stop
harming mother nature.”
“I worry about what kind of irreversible
damge will have been
done to the environment by the
time I want to start a family,” senior
Brentton Wharton said. “What
will everything look and feel like?
“Right now wildfires are raging
across the world and will everyplace
in the world feel the affetcs of
them soon? Will farming be impossible?
These kinds of things can’t be
changed with a snap.”
“Climate change is a major issue
today with all the rises in pollution,”
senior Holly Gibson said. “I
would love it if people would start
using better resources instead of
the kind that hurt the earth.”
She is not alone,
“Is mother nature mad at us?,”
Coleman said. “I’m concerned because
the way the world is going
right now, how many years we
actually have left. Are us humans
running the world down into the
ground to be destroyed?”
These students know a problem
when they see it.
“Climate change concerns me
because not many countries take
it very seriously and the quality of
earth could be degraded as a result
of that,” Brown said.
“Is mother nature mad at us?
Are us humans running the
world down into the ground
to be destroyed?”
- senior Jordyn Coleman
OCTOBER 27, 2020 BEN DAVIS HIGH SCHOOL INDIANAPOLIS, IN SPOTLGHT
9
Where do you
get your
politics?
Social media plays a big part in what you know and how you know it
By Sophie Dorrance-Minch
staff writer
Social media has a huge impact
on the elections.
Don’t think so? President
Donald Trump joined Twitter in
2009 and since then has posted
more than 45,000 tweets, with
more than 17,000 coming since he
was elected president.
Trump averages roughly 140
tweets a day since becoming
president and sent out a record
202 tweets back on June 6, 2020.
Social media is an important
source for American political
news. It also is a virtually unmediated
way for politicians to
talk to their followers and it is
a largely unregulated medium to
broadcast ads.
Name a political candidate --
even at the school board level --
and you can find Twitter pages,
Facebooks pages and Instagram
posts for each candidate.
Every generation is impacted
by social media differently, so the
overall use of social media as a
platform for elections varies.
For instance, people, particularly
those under 30, are turning
to social media as their primary
source of news while older generations
focus on television.
Those who do use social media
stay in touch with others who
share similar political viewpoints
and they consume the same news
sources, talking and reflecting
over the trending news.
“Social media influences politics
greatly,” deaf and hard of
hearing instructor Kaliandra
Walbert said. “Many politicians
use it for their image, to promote
their beliefs and to reach a large
amount of people at once.”
Social media is used as a direct
way politicians can communicate
with followers and rivals.
Political stories -- such as Mike
Bloomberg’s campaign -- have
demonstrated the power of social
media and its platforms. Because
of politicians having such power,
they’re able to hack onto social
media, and run messages through
their followers and rivals. They
also tend to place ads in video
lists.
A study earlier this year by
pewresearch.com, shows that
roughly 55% of social media users
are worn out by political ads and
that 72% percent of social media
users say that discussing politics
online is “stressful and frustrating.
That same survey also says that
“I use known sites only that
are reliable or familiar.”
- Deaf and hard of hearing instructor
Kaliandra Walbert
35% of social media users find
polticial discussions interesting
and that a mere 29% of users find
people with common political
views.
“I use known sites only that are
reliable or are familiar,” Walbert
said. “I might also look at other
articles to see if there is a common
thread (i.e. attacking a specific
person or group to promote
another). I check dates, frequently
used sources (and if each article
has multiple reliable sources)
and opt for longer articles with
multiple sources instead of ones
with unnamed sources.”
There is no denying the impact
social media has on politics.
In June, a group of TikTok users
joined together to order tickets
for a Trump rally in Oklahoma.
The result was a smaller then expected
crowd due to the TikTok
users placing ticket orders they
never intended to use.
But mostly, social media is
used for news.
“I get a lot of political news
from social media via friends,
campaign ads, or groups like
Women Reshaping Indiana,” science
teacher Lauren Wyatt said.
“If I read a questionable story or
claim, I will google it and look
for legitimate sources like CNN,
BBC, or NPR.”
Wyatt realizes the impact social
media has on politics.
“I think it has a huge influence
on political views,” she said. “ A
lot of ignorance, hate, racism, and
fake news is being spread by certain
groups of people.”
Social media is able to reach
people behind the scenes in order
to make the ads more appealing
to its audience. They manage to
target ads to certain demographics
through the use of algorithms.
Social media also is very much
a generational things.
While calling himself “very
much old school,” ROTC instructor
David Thompson says social
media is about his last stop for
news.
“I do not get my political news
from social media, which I believe
is more opinions than fact,”
Thompson said. “I think that
unreliable and irresponsible social
media has far more effect on
people’s opinions than it should.”
President Trump uses twitter
as a modern presidential tool. His
tweets -- especially those in the
morning of any day -- can often
change the entire news cycle for
that day and on top of that make
decisions about what people are
going to talk about that day in
the news, hence the news covering
politics.
No other politician has the
same power on twitter as Trump
in 2020.
To be clear, social media is
amplifying America’s polarized
news bubbles and is another
source where they receive news.
Different people use different
platforms and they can be used
as a tool depending on the circumstances
such as the number
of followers. Politicians are able
to communicate more with their
supporters as well.
10 Spotlight Ben Davis High School Indianapolis, IN October 27 2020
Meet the candidates
Plenty of options for three Wayne Township school board spots
Karen Burke
Karen Burke is a lifelong westsider
who had three children attend
Wayne Township schools
and currently has a granchild at
Chapel Hill.
Burke owns
Graceful Touch
Home Care, LLC, a
personal home care
service for senior
citizens. She spent
27 years in health
care, most of the
years in management
at St. Vincent Hospital &
Health.
What motivated you to run for a spot
on the Wayne Township school board?
“ I have lived in Wayne Township
nearly all my life and have
always had the desire to not only
serve the community, but represent
the students and advocate
for their education and future.”
What do you see as the main functions
of a school board?
“To work as a team to establish
the goals, vision and safety assurances
for students in order to ensure
the best possible educational
experience.
“To represent the concerns of
the citizens, taxpayers and parents
to the school administrators,
and to represent the needs of the
students and school district to
the citizens, taxpayers and parents
of the community.
“To create policies and rules
for the administration to implement.
“To oversee the responsibility
of the superintendent.
“Responsible for the oversight
of the district’s fiscal responsibilities
and annual operating budget
as regulated by the state of Indiana.”
What are your top priorities for the
school board?
“Supporting school safety and
security (physical and emotional)
for students and staff of Wayne
Township
“Advocate the development of
more personal educational programs
for the students
“Promote the hiring of diverse
staff, administration and teachers
to ensure all cultures are represented
“Working with other school
board members to support and
encourage our superintendent
and his staff to be the best they
can be
“Enhance the educational programs
that maintain the current
high standards of Wayne Township’s
graduation rate
If elected, what will be some of your
main goals as a board member?
“Prioritize what is best for the
students, starting with academics
and bridging our educational
philosophy into their home.
“Help oversee the educational
needs for students and make sure
they are equitable for all.
“Be transparent and communicate
any changes that will affect
the community.
“Appeal to the
needs of all and
find solutions to
the concerns of the
school, staff and
community.
“Establish and
revise policies that
reflect the current
educational landscape.
“Give additional support for
struggling families: financially,
mentally, or technologically.”
Shirley
Deckard
Shirley Deckard is a retired
teacher who had three children
attend Wayne Township schools
and five grandchildren attend
Wayne. She has been president of
the board three times during her
28 years serving on the Board of
Education.
What motivated you to run for a spot
on the Wayne Township school board?
“I decided to run again because
of my experience and my love for
this school district and its community.
“Many of the successes we
have all seen with MSD Wayne
Township have come from the
continuity of its leadership, from
long-established board members
to Superintendents who far exceed
the national/state average
for their tenure. I know the history,
the values, and the people
who have helped to make MSD
Wayne and the Wayne community
great! My goal this term to
help instill these to our newer
board members.
What do you see as the main functions
of a school board?
“As defined by law, a board’s
main functions are to create policy
and to hire/evaluate the superintendent.
However, there are
the unwritten functions of:
*understanding the community
and developing a working
partnership with it;
*making oneself available to
respond to community members’
questions and concerns;
*advocating for one’s district
(and all issues regarding Public
Education) at the state level;
*being an active member of
organizations that give on-going
professional development as a
board member.”
What are your top priorities for the
school board?
“MSD Wayne is a premier
school district, with more na-
tional recognition than many are
aware. So, goal one is to continue
to be so, and to continue to
spread the good news about our
district.
“I also see it as my duty, and
one which I welcome, to help
newer board members to acclimate
to our culture and our climate
through helping them understand
our history.
What do you see as the schools board
main responsibility to
the citizens in its township?
“Board members
have a tremendous
responsibility
to be good
stewards of our
citizens resources,
beginning with their most valuable
ones...their children. The
board needs to be constantly
considering how our schools
can be the safest, most nurturing
environments possible. We
need to understand the needs the
children have in order to offer all
necessary for them to become the
best individual that they can be...
to grow fully into successful and
responsible adults.
“At the same time, board members
have a responsibility to use
our limited state funding in a way
that makes for good stewardship
of our communities financial resources.
This is sometimes quite
the balancing act.”
Have you held any other public office?
No. Being a good school board
member has been quite challenging,
but, satisfying, enough.
Mikeal Gordon
Mikeal Gordon is a fulltime
student working on a degree
in business administration. His
daughter graduated from Ben Davis
last spring.
What motivated you to run for a spot
on the Wayne Township school board?
“My motivation behind running
for the Wayne Township
School Board is to be a part of the
solution for our children and is
my way of serving in a great community.
“Every child deserves to receive
a quality education in order
to be successful long past the
days they leave our buildings.
Whether this means moving onto
college, a trade school, the military
or straight into the workforce
I want to help ensure that
every student is ready to make a
positive impact on their future.
“As a father of seven, two of
which have graduated and went
on to serve in the military, two
who are currently in college, one
who recently graduated through
the Thrive special needs program,
one who is in high school and re-
ceiving dual credits through Vincennes
University, and one still in
middle school, I understand the
value of providing an education
that fits them as an individual. “
What are your top priorities for the
school board?
• To be a voice of the community
in matters of public education.
• To support the school
district while understanding that
there are many different views
and opinions within the district
and the community.
• To assure that adequate
facilities and resources are provided
for the proper functioning
of our schools, both in person and
virtually.
What do you see as the school boards
main responsibility to the citizens in its
township?
• Listening actively to the
community
• Engaging the community
in prioritizing the achievement of
each student
•
Representing
the
district at
community
events.
•
Recognizing the need to seek
the improvement of education
throughout the state, not only in
Wayne Township.
• Thinking always that the
scholars are first.
If elected, what will be some of your
main goals as a board member?
• Asking the tough questions
• Listening to the views of
all parties on all issues.
• Respecting the oath that
I will swear to.
• Always vote my conscience
to represent the best interest
of the students.
Susan Graves
Susan Graves is a 1982 Ben Davis
graduate with a son who is a
sophomore at Ben Davis University.
She holds a Masters Degree
in Curriculum, Instruction, and
Assessment and is a Nationally
Board Certified Teacher who
taught second and third graders
in IPS and Pike Township.
What motivated you to run for a spot
on the Wayne Township school board?
“Last September I retired from
a 32 year career as an elementary
teacher and instructional coach.
Before I actually retired though,
I started thinking about “What’s
next for me”? Where would my
path go?
“One thing I knew without
question was that I wanted to
stay connected to the field of
educating our children. The
thought of running for a school
board position had crossed my
mind, but it was just that, a fleeting
thought.
“I believe that children deserve
the very best that our educational
system can offer them, and I am
proud of the work that Dr. (Jeff)
Butts and his
team of amazing
educators have
done for kids.
I believe that
I will bring a
wealth of experience,
questions, and the desire
to serve our children.”
What do you see as the main functions
of a school board?
“First and foremost as a school
board member, I am an elected
state officer, and will abide by the
Oath of Office Pledge I will agree
to and support at the Swearing In
Ceremony.
“As a former public school
educator, I will always advocate
for public education at the local,
state, and national level.”
What are your top priorities for the
school board?
“To begin, a priority will be for
me to build a strong, committed
relationship between myself and
the other board members, the
superintendent, and the Wayne
Township Classroom Teachers
Association. As a classroom
teacher, that is the first place to
start ALWAYS, with relationship
building.
“The school board and the
district leaders must be completely
transparent with data,
practices, and evaluations before
policy should be made that is in
the best interest of kids. In addition,
building that same dedicated,
honest relationship with our
community is crucial. We must
have their support and action.”
If elected, what will be some of your
main goals as a board member?
“As a new member of the
school board, my main goals will
be to listen to what our community,
students, and leadership is
telling us and to look at supporting
data to back policies and procedures.
“I plan to encourage the school
board and administration to hold
meetings off campus to enable
residents more easily access to
the meetings. As a servant leader
it is important to empathize with
families so they can support the
growth of their children. My last
goal is to understand and question
the systems in place within
the district. Especially during
this time in our country, it is important
that we make sure we
are doing everything within our
power to grow all children and
make them strong citizens in our
society.”
OCTOBER 27, 2020 BEN DAVIS HIGH SCHOOL INDIANAPOLIS, IN SPOTLGHT
11
Current
School
Board
Brandon Bowman
Presiudent
Term expires
December 31, 2022
Michael Nance
Vice Presiudent
Term expires
December 31, 2022
Phyllis Lewis
Secretary
Term expires
December 31, 2020
Ben Wakefield
Board Member
Term expires
December 31, 2022
Raimeka Graham
Board Member
Term expires
December 31, 2022
Shirly Deckard
Board Membe
Term expires
December 31, 2020
Trish Logan
Board Member
Term expires
December 31, 2020
Brandi London
Brandi London is a Registered
Nurse who co-owns a vocation
training school and healthcare
education center. She has had
two son graduate from Ben Davis
and currently has a son at Chapel
Hill.
What motivated you to run for a spot
on the Wayne Township school board?
“I’m a mom of two Wayne
township graduates and a Wayne
student. I am passionate about our
community and want to continue
the work of our school board in
developing & implementing policies
that affect positive change.
As a high school educator, I value
public education and want to use
my experience and knowledge to
help the students and families of
Wayne township.”
W h a t
do you see
as the main
functions
of a school
board?
“ T h e
main function of the school
board is development of policies
and oversight of the Superintendent.
The school board has major
influence over important factors
that directly impact our district
resources, including the budget.
The role of the school board is essential
in providing our students
and staff with resources necessary
to ensure student success
while maintaining safe schools.”
What are your top priorities
for the school board?
“My top three priorities for
the school board include student
safety (particularly during
our current pandemic), equitable
funding for our district,
and increasing engagement with
our communities and families of
Wayne township.”
What do you see as the schools board
main responsibility to the citizens in its
township?
“The school board has three
main responsibilities to the public:
provide for safety of our students
and staff, creating policies
that align with Wayne township’s
core values and diverse
population, and decision-making
that’s based on honest and fair
practices.”
If elected, what will be some of your
main goals as a board member?
If elected to the Wayne Township
School Board, my three main
goals are 1) navigating through
the current pandemic with policies
that focus on student safety
while maintaining academic
rigor; 2) focusing on budgetary
restraints that threaten the future
of essential Wayne township
programs & services; and
3) building a stronger & more
engaging connection between
the school board and the Wayne
community.
Melissa Richey
Melissa Richey is a Ben Davis
graduate who has raised seven
children through Wayne Township
schools. She currently owns
Home Realty here on the west
side,
What motivated you to run for a spot
on the Wayne Township school board?
“I want to be able to help engage,
enhance and enrich our
schools and community.”
What do you see as the main functions
of a school board?
“To be responsive to our community
regarding our schools but
also to uphold
the values and
policies of our
school system
that will protect
our administrators,
teachers and
students.”
What are your top priorities for the
school board?
“My top priority is to engage
our community and families so
they are always in the know.”
What do you see as the schools board
main responsibility to the citizens in its
township?
“The main responsibility of the
school board should be to engage
our community, teachers, parents
and students. Every citizen needs
to know what is goin on in our
schools and be well informed.”
If elected, what will be some of your
main goals as a board member?
“Some of my goals are to engage
our community in meetings,
events and conversations, to
enhance our ability to come together
to solve issues within our
schools/community and to enrich
the lives of our Wayne families.”
Lisa Schmitz
Lisa Schmitz is a former Human
Resources Executive, having
been in Human Resources in Indy
for more than 25 years. She left
her corporate role to start a community
arts
center nonprofit
with
her husband
that is located
in Mars
Hill. She also
runs a small
floral design
business and
does weddings, events, and arrangements
for loved ones.
What motivated you to run for a spot
on the Wayne Township school board?
“It is important to me that we
have representation for our students
in the area of Mars Hill. I
have been a part of this community
for over 15 years in a corporate
and nonprofit capacity and have
served the families here. I see so
much need and would be grateful
to serve from this perspective.”
What do you see as the main functions
of a school board?
“To serve along side administrators
and staff, providing objective
oversight, establishing
strong policies, and supporting
the district by leading our schools
and their teams with an attitude
of service.”
What are your top priorities for the
school board?
“Commitment to supporting
quality education in Wayne
Township through the following:
listening, supporting and
defending students and staff,
making critical decisions, and encouraging
consensus to address
students’ needs while building
strong policies.”
What do you see as the schools board
main responsibility to the citizens in its
township?
“To own and professionally
carry out the responsibility they
have to the students, staff, and
board, and to not use the position
for personal gain, and to continue
to serve the township with integrity.
If elected, what will be some of your
main goals as a board member?
“Commitment to supporting
quality education in Wayne
Township.
“With a lifetime of education
experience and resources that
include parents who are retired
administrators and principals, a
sister who is currently a superintendent
of schools, and other
family who are in the field, “education”
has been a life-long experience
and commitment to supporting
children as students. I
am proud to say that in my role as
co-founder of a nonprofit in the
Wayne Township neighborhood
of Mars Hill, we work closely
with the schools in our area
to help augment the students’
learning experience through art
and activities.
“As a former Human Resources
Executive in the Wayne Township
school district, and VP of
HR overseeing a staff of corporate
personnel, many of whom were
Mars Hill residents, I understand
the value of listening with an
open mind and open heart to the
needs of such a community. Listening
as a board member to the
needs of the administration, the
needs of the teachers and support
staff, and the needs of the
students will be a priority.”
Audrey Strecker
Audrey Strecker has a decade
of teaching experience in Indiana
and volunteer work in Warren
Township schools. She is transitioning
to retirement from teaching
and works as a representative
to assist families in locating their
missing pets.
What motivated you to run for a spot
on the Wayne Township school board?
“I come from a military family
that taught me how important it
is to serve the community. I also
learned the value of volunteer
work during my time as a high
school student in Indiana. It is extremely
important to me to help
and support my community and
I have directed my background
in education to actively advocate
for the education and well-being
of all children and adolescents.
What are your top priorities for school
board?
My top priorities are; to give
our children the best possible education
by continuing and adding
to the policies enacted by the
school board and administration;
to clarify legislation to the com-
munity, to communicate with
families and tax payers to give
them more input
regarding the decisions
made by
the school board,
and to introduce
video streaming
to school board
meetings to provide
greater understanding
of the issues facing
the community.”
What do you see as the board’s main
responsibility to the citizens in its township?
“The board’s main responsibility
is to lay the foundation for
and to provide an excellent education
while balancing the education
budget. Citizens of Wayne
Township must be able to trust
that their property taxes are efficiently
used to build research
based educational opportunities
via multiple ways of learning that
will benefit all our students.”
If elected, what will be some of your
main goals as a board member?
“My main goal is to ensure
all of our students are receiving
and benefiting from an excellent
education. Beyond this, I plan to
measurably increase communication
between the community and
the school board.
“By implementing live video
streaming of board meetings, I
hope to markedly increase access
to the school board, expand
community involvement, and
heighten community awareness
of important issues.
“Furthermore, I hope to personally
engage with the Wayne
Township community and sincerely
listen to concerns with
the goal of utilizing this input to
make the best possible decisions
for our schools.
Finally, I cannot stress enough
how much I care about the wellness
and safety of students and
their families. I have first-hand
experience dealing with potential
threats students face. My goals in
regard to this are to proactively
focus on a platform to eradicate
bullying from our schools as
well as to propose and promote
policies that place the health and
physical safety of students, their
teachers, and their families at
the forefront of the school board
agenda.”
12 Spotlight Ben Davis High School Indianapolis, IN October 27, 2020
Sports, politics do mix
These athletes forged a successful career in the political world
By Zion Brown
sports editor
Throughout the history of
sports, there have been a
surpisingly large number
of sports figures who have gone
on to have a career in politics.
Here are some examples.
Tom Osborne
Tom Osborne grew up in Nebraska
and played quarterback
at Hastings
College in Nebraska.
He then
played in the
NFL for Washington
in 1960
and 1961. Osborne
pursued a
career in coaching
and was
the head coach for the Nebraska
Cornhuskers from 1973-1997,
winning three national championships.
After retiring, Osborne
served three terms in Nebraska’s
House of Representatives from
2001-2007.
Anthony Gonzalez
Anthony Gonzalez was the
Colts first-round draft pick in
2007 out of Ohio State. He played
for the Colts from 2007-2011,
catching seven touchdowns in
his career. In 2018, Gonzalez was
elected into Ohio’s House of Representatives
and he took office in
January 2019.
Alan Page
Alan Page was the Minnesota
Vikings first-round draft pick in
1967. In the 70s, Page was a member
of the Vikings famed defense,
the “Purple People Eaters.” Page
made nine straight Pro Bowls
from 1968-1976 and is a member
of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
In 1992, he was elected as Associate
Justice of the Minnesota Supreme
Court, a role he served in
until 2015.
Steve Largent
As a wide receiver out of Tulsa,
Steve Largent played 14 seasons
for the Seattle Seahawks from
1976-1989. Largent made seven
Pro Bowls in that time and he was
inducted into the Pro Football
Hall of Fame in 1995. Following
his retirement, Largent served in
Oklahoma’s House of Representatives
from 1994-2002.
John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy went to Harvard,
where he was on the swim
team. His backstroke performance
played a role in one of the
best freshman teams in school
history. Kennedy earned his letter
in his senior year. After college,
JFK began a career in politics. He
was a member of Massachusetts’
House of Representatives from
1947-1953. But immediately after
that, he joined the state’s Senate,
which he was a member of from
1953-1960.
Kennedy then ran for U.S.
President in 1960. JFK received
303 electoral votes and won the
election over Richard Nixon,
who became president two terms
later. Due to his assassination in
November 1963, John F. Kennedy
only served one term as president.
George H.W. Bush
At Yale, George H.W. Bush
was a first baseman and team
captain. Bush, a lefty, helped lead
the Bulldogs to the first two College
World Series in 1947 and
1948. Yale lost both series. After
college, Bush spent about 15 years
as a businessman, working in oil.
In the early 1960s Bush began
working in politics. He had several
roles including directing the
CIA, being a U.S. ambassador,
and being in the House of Representatives.
From 1981-1989, he
was the U.S. Vice President for
Ronald Reagan. At the end of
Reagan’s second term, Bush ran
for office and became the 41st
President of the United States.
While in office, Bush kept his
college mitt in the drawer of his
White House desk. He frequently
attended Houston Astros games
before his death on November 30,
2018.
Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford attended Michigan
from 1931 to 1935, where the
football team won back-to-back
national championships in 1932
and 1933. Ford was awarded
Michigan’s Most Valuable Player
Award in his senior season. After
turning down offers from the Detroit
Lions and Green Bay Packers,
he began pursuing a law degree
from Yale.
Ford was in Michigan’s House
of Representatives from 1949-
1973. He followed that by being
Richard Nixon’s vice president.
When Nixon resigned, Ford consequently
took over as America’s
38th President for the remainder
of the term.
Dwight Eisenhower
Dwight Eisenhower played
football at Army in 1911 and 1912.
Eisenhower went both ways,
playing running back and linebacker.
He tackled Pro Football
Hall of Famer Jim Thorpe in his
time as West Point. Following his
graduation, Eisenhower fought
for America in both World Wars.
In 1948, Dwight Eisenhower
considered running for president
but at the time he believed
that “life-long professional soldiers”
should not run for office.
Eisenhower then had a change
of heart, and he ran for president
in 1952. Eisenhower had two of
the most lopsided U.S. victories
of all-time, winning 83.2% of the
electoral votes in 1952 and 86.1%
in 1956.
Tommy Tuberville
Tommy Tuberville played college
football at Southern Arkansas
from 1972-1975. Following
college, he began a coaching career.
From 1995-2016, Tuberville
was a head coach in college
football for Mississippi, Auburn,
Texas Tech, and Cincinnati. Tuberville
won two conference
championships and had a 7-6
record in bowl games. In August
2018, he moved to Alabama and
in April 2019 he announced he
would run for the state’s Senate.
Tuberville, a Republican, will run
against Democrat Doug Jones for
the Senate seat.
Bill Bradley
Bill Bradley played 11 years
in the NBA for the New York
Knicks, winning two NBA championships
in 1970 and 1973. He
was an All-Star in 1973 and in
1983 he was inducted into the
Basketball Hall of Fame. Bradley
became a Senator in New Jersey
from 1979-1997. In 2000, he ran
for U.S. President, but he fell
short in the primaries.
PRESIDENTIAL ATHLETES A
number of presidents were outstanding
collegiate athletes before
they turned their attention to
politicis. George H.W. Bush (top
left) was a standout baseball player
at Yale. Dwight Eisenhower (top
right) played football for Army in
1911 and 1912. Gerald Ford (middle)
won back-to-back national championships
while playing football at the
University of Michigan. Ford was
named most valuable player of the
team his senior year. John Kennedy
(left) was on the swim team at Harvard
before turning his attention to
politics. A number of presidents also
have been avid golfers while in the
White House.
Change language