The ‘90s were a generational decade for music, and, in my opinion, some of the greatest albums of all time were released in this era. From alternative rock to rap and even to pop, artists created some of the most masterful and polished albums of the era.

I grew up listening to music from before I was even born, and it had a great influence on what I listen to now. I would hear Radiohead one day and Less Than Jake another day. There’s a variety of things that I would listen to on a regular basis, and even now I try to expand my taste more every day.

Music is my biggest passion, and after listening to it all my life, I compiled my favorite albums from each year of the decade into the 100 albums that I believe define the 90s.

1990

1. Goo: Sonic Youth
2. Fizzle Fry: Primus
3. Violator: Depeche Mode
4. Bossanova: Pixies
5. 1990: Daniel Johnston
6. Poison: Bell Biv Devoe
7. Bona Drag: Morrisey
8. Love Takes Time: Maraiah Carrey
9. Rust in Piece: Megadeath
10. Heaven or Las Vegas: Cocteau Twins

1991

1. Nevermind: Nirvana
2. Ten: Pearl Jam
3. Loveless: My Bloody Valentine
4. Blood Sugar Sex Magik: Red Hot Chili Peppers
5. Kerplunk: Green Day
6. Out of Time: REM
7. Operation Ivy: Operation Ivy
8. Slow, Deep, and Hard: Type O Negative
9. No More Tears: Ozzy Osborne
10. Badmotorfinger: Sound Garden

1992

1. The Predator: Ice Cube
2. 40 Oz. To Freedom: Sublime
3. La Sexorcisto: Devil Music, Vol. 1: White Zombie
4. Slanted and Enchanted: Pavement
5. Wish: The Cure
6. It’s a Shame About Ray: The Lemonheads
7. What’s the 411: Mary J. Blige
8. Core: Stone Temple Pilots
9. Dirt: Alice In Chains
10. Piece of Cake: Mudhoney

1993

1. Everybody Else is Doing it So Why Can’t We?: The Cranberries
2. Independent Worm Saloon: Butthole Surfers
3. Souvlaki: Slowdive
4. Debut: Björk
5. Black Sunday: Cypress Hill
6. August and Everything After: Counting Crows
7. Recipe for Hate: Bad Religion
8. So Tonight That I Might See: Mazzy Star
9. Enter The Wu-Tang: Wu Tang Clan
10. Houdini: Melvins

1994

1. Korn: Korn
2. Mellow Gold: Beck
3. Chocolate and Cheese: Ween
4. Smash: The Offspring
5. Live Through This: Hole
6. Diary: Sunny Day Real Estate
7. Weezer: Weezer
8. Ill Communication: Beastie Boys
9. When The Kite String Pops: Acid Bath
10. Grace: Jeff Buckley

1995

1. You’d Prefer an Astronaut: Hum
2. Tragic Kingdom: No Doubt
3. Sparkle and Fade: Everclear
4. The Presidents of the United States of America: The Presidents Of The United States of America
5. Gangsta’s Paradise: Coolio
6. Anthology 1: The Beatles
7. Garbage: Garbage
8. …And Out Come the Wolves: Rancid
9. What’s The Story, Morning Glory?: Oasis
10. Melancolie and the Infinite Sadness: The Smashing Pumpkins

1996

1. All Eyez on Me: Tupac
2. Lovelife: Lush
3. Rage Against The Machine: Evil Empire
4. Destruction by Definition: Suicide Machines
5. Return of the Bumpasaurus: Sir Mix A Lot
6. The First Band On The Moon: The Cardigans
7. Fashion Nugget: Cake
8. Everything Sucks: Descendants
9. Ænima: Tool
10. Load: Metallica

1997

1. OK Computer: Radiohead
2. Around The Fur: Deftones
3. Blur: Blur
4. Either/Or: Elliott Smith
5. Life After Death: The Notorious B.I.G
6. My Own Prison: Creed
7. The Colour and the Shape: Foo Fighters
8. Get Some: Snot
9. The Great Milenko: Insane Clown Posse
10. Homework: Daft Punk

1998

1. Hello Rockview: Less Than Jake
2. Slipknot: Slipknot
3. System of a Down: System of a Down
4. In an Aeroplane Over The Sea: Neutral Milk Hotel
5. Stratosphere: Duster
6. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill: Lauryn Hill
7. Use Your Illusion: Guns n’ Roses
8. England Made Me: Black Box Recorder
9. In/Casino/Out: At the Drive In
10. Hellbilly Deluxe: Rob Zombie

1999

1. When The Pawn: Fiona Apple
2. A Place In The Sun: Lit
3. Significant Other: Limp Bizkit
4. Enema of the State: Blink-182
5. 14:59: Sugar Ray
6. …Baby One More Time: Britney Spears
7. Hybrid Theory: Linkin Park
8. American Football: American Football
9. Aquabats v.s the Floating Eye of Death: Aquabats
10. Make Yourself: Incubus

Senior picture day will be taking place on September 30 and October 1 in Schultze Hall.

The pictures taken are higher quality and will be used in the yearbook instead of the standard student ID photos. Since the pictures are higher quality, students are encouraged to wear professional clothing. Students are highly recommended to wear shirts with straps. This week is homecoming week, so if one plans to participate in spirit week, bring a change of clothes if needed.

With this, students will be given the option to choose which photo they would like in the yearbook. HR Imaging will email them to each student soon after they are taken, and then one will be able to decide. Multiple poses and angles will be taken to ensure a satisfactory photo.

Students will be given passes to go down with specific times unique to their English class. These passes are three minutes apart to prevent long lines and traffic. Students do not have to bring money for their photos when they go down. Those without an English class will be scheduled in open times throughout the day.

There will be an all-call for photos in one’s fifth hour on Oct 1, and there will be retakes in November if needed.

Micheal Scheck taught at South Central High School for 15 years before moving to LPHS this summer. Sheck is now the head director of the marching band and has made an immense impact on the music program.

Previously at South Central he taught band in grades 5-12, music theory, classical music history, and a history of rock and roll. Now at LPHS, he is co-teaching concert band, symphonic band, wind ensemble, and jazz band. Scheck also teaches electronic music, music theory, and music history. His passion for music is clear in all of his classes, and it shows in his teaching and playing.

“I started playing trumpet in band class when I was in 5th grade and started taking piano lessons the summer before 6th grade, but I didn't really start taking music seriously as a possible career path until about my sophomore year of high school. I remember the first time I heard the song Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen very well. I was at my Uncle's house, and he put it on. I borrowed that cassette tape from him, and I listened to that song about a thousand times in a row. I had no idea a song could do things like that…” Scheck said.

Before Scheck became a band director, he was in the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corp. He marched in the Bluecoats for five years from 1999-2003, and was the trumpet section leader in 2002 and 2003, as well as the Horn Sergeant in 2003. He also marched in the 50th anniversary alumni corps in 2022.

With all of his experience in bands and drum corps, he has watched many peers and students grow to be better musicians.

“I want all students to always give their best efforts and enjoy themselves while they are doing it. In teaching music, my goal is that all students develop a love for music. Successful performances are great, but not as important as developing a lifelong love of the art. I strive to instill in all people an awareness of music's important role in the enrichment of the human spirit,” Scheck said.

Scheck has made a great impact on the music students at LPHS, and he hopes to continue inspiring students for years to come.

At most rock concerts, many attendees will partake in a particular dance style that is only seen in rock and hardcore subgenres. Some know it as slam dancing, while others simply know it as moshing. This is observed in nearly every venue where people can stand, but how did it start, and how did it become so popular?

According to Wikipedia, moshing is simply concertgoers slamming into each other, and it began in the Southern California hardcore punk scene in the late ‘70s. Before this, there was a style called pogo, where people would jump up and down with their arms by their sides.

Throughout the ‘80s, moshing spread to major cities across the country. The So-Cal scene continued to pioneer new ways of moshing and having fun at concerts. Around this time is when stage diving gained popularity, but it is rarely seen in modern-day concerts.

Then in the ‘90s, Lolopalooza introduced the Chicagoland area to moshing and slam dancing, leading to the development of their own regional style. By this time, moshing was so mainstream that bands such as The Cranberries and Bush began having attendees mosh. Even electronic and techno groups began seeing crowds mosh, crowdsurf, and more.

Now, in the 2000s and beyond, moshing is seen at most concerts, from rap to hardcore punk. Each scene has its own style and culture, with most having some overlap with the original slam dancing from So-Cal.

There are many types of moshing seen at concerts, but the most common are circle pits, wall of death, hardcore, two step, and crowdsurfing.

A circle pit is a form of moshing in which participants run in a circular motion around the edges of the pit, often leaving an open space in the centre. While a wall of death is a form of moshing that sees the audience divide down the middle into two halves on either side of the venue, before each side runs towards the other, slamming the two sides together.

Hardcore dancing is a term that covers multiple styles of moshing, including windmilling, two-stepping, floorpunching, picking up pennies, axe-handling, bucking, and wheelbarrowing.  A two step is a style of hardcore dancing done during mid-tempo sections of songs. It is a running-in-place motion in which legs are crossed over one another while the opposite arm punches downwards.

While crowd surfing isn’t technically moshing, it is often associated with it. Crowd surfing is the process in which a person is passed overhead from person to person. The "crowd surfer" is passed above everyone's heads, with everyone's hands supporting the person's weight.

Moshing is often seen as a fun activity, and while it is, it can also be dangerous, and many artists have spoken out against it due to injuries. In a performance by the band Smashing Pumpkins, Billy Corgan spoke against moshing after there were multiple deaths due to the practice.

“I just want to say one thing to you, you young, college lughead-types. I've been watchin' people like you sluggin' around other people for seven years. And you know what? It's the same shit. I wish you'd understand that in an environment like this, and in a setting like this, it's fairly inappropriate and unfair to the rest of the people around you. I, and we, publicly take a stand against moshing,” Corgan said.

But this has not stopped concertgoers from throwing themselves into the pit, and in most instances, the people in the pit will help someone if they're not doing well. It's common practice to pick someone up if they fall, get someone out if they're hurt, and to be conscious of the people who don't want to mosh. There will always be people who do not follow this and ruin it for people, but the majority of people in a mosh pit will help if something happens.

Lillian Quadlin is a rising freshman at LPHS, and after making new friends and gaining experiences, she’s excited for this new chapter in her life.

In middle school, Quadlin was a member of the Yearbook Club, club swim team, and Concert Band for percussion.

Quadlin swam for the Turbos swim club throughout middle school, and in her time, she was primarily a distance swimmer. Her main event was backstroke, but she competed in every type.

“Swimming was a big part of my childhood. I learned a lot growing up on deck, from how to control my breathing to how to make new friends. I started swimming at 7, so I did end up getting burnt out from how demanding it was. I like to think about it as one thing ending, so that another part of my life can start,” Quadlin said.

She has participated in the Indiana State School Music Association’s Solo and Ensemble for multiple years with different ensembles and in each one has received a gold ranking. This past summer she joined the La Porte Marching Band (LPMB) and played bass drum in both the 4th of July parade and their upcoming field show “Dragondance.”

“I really love the community I’ve found through the marching band and the friends I’ve made through it. I find learning all the new music fun, and getting to hang out with everyone so often makes it really wonderful,” Quadlin said.

Quadlin hopes to continue Marching Band and Concert Band throughout high school. She aims to continue being active in the performing arts while being social and continuing to work hard on her academics. After high school, Quadlin hopes to attend Anderson University to become a therapist, so she can help others and make a difference in her community.

The Slicer Squad returned to the local elementary schools this year.

The Slicer Squad consists of juniors and seniors from the football team, cheer squad, dance team, volleyball team, and marching band. Jennifer Goss is the sponsor for the Slicer Squad, and she organized this to bring school spirit and cultivate positivity across La Porte.

“I started with that particular group of high schoolers because they are the ones on the field on Friday nights. They serve as positive role models and ambassadors of Slicer spirit. It’s been a wonderful experience, and I’m excited to continue it,” Goss said.

Each elementary school has a group that is split throughout the school so every student gets a greeting. Some stand by the bus while others stand in the pick-up line. Cheerleaders will do cheers, and music is played to get the kids hyped up for the day.

“When the Slicer Squad shows up at the elementary schools in their Slicer gear, they are doing so much more than just saying hello. To the elementary students, seeing a high school student they can look up to who might have the same interests as them, it creates excitement, pride, and a sense of belonging.  For our high school students, it is an opportunity to realize the impact they have just by showing up and being a positive role model. When we build connections across schools, we are strengthening the pride, spirit, and sense of community that makes being a Slicer so special,” Crichfield Elementary School teacher Katie Talbert said.

These students love going to their elementary schools to visit their teachers, but they also love it for how happy the kids are seeing their upperclassmen.

“Slicer Squad is an amazing program that allows us to connect with younger students and get them excited about our school. We get to sit down with them during breakfast, talk about the upcoming Friday home game, and encourage them to show their school spirit. It’s really rewarding to see how excited the students get and know that we’re helping build school spirit in our community,” senior cheerleader Elizabeth Ford said.

The final Slicer Squad days this year take place on this upcoming Friday, September 26 as well as Oct 2.

The annual Senior Sunrise will be Monday, August 31, at 6:00 a.m. on Kiwanis Field.

Senior Sunrise is a way for the graduating seniors to come together for their last year of high school. Many have been anticipating this for weeks; however, due to the storms, there was a delay with the event.

Students attending are encouraged to bring plates, napkins, and utensils. Students with the last name A-H are to bring sausage, students with the last names I-P are encouraged to bring eggs, and students with the last names Q-Z are encouraged to bring bacon. All students are recommended to bring pancake mix as well

This event is early, so it is important to consider the weather and to dress appropriately for the temperature. Students are permitted to park at Kiwanis Field or walk from the LPHS student parking lot.

AP Research (APreach) is a required class for the AP Capstone Diploma, which challenges students to take the AP Seminar, APreach, and five other AP exams. When going into APreach, many students don’t realize what the course fully entails.

With APreach at LPHS, the course is split into multiple sections. The first section is an introduction to the course and everything that will take place. At the same time, participants will be learning about cognitive biases, which will prepare them for their presentations in the future. The first few months of the year are for learning about the exam and what one would want to do for their topic.

Topics can range from technical and scientific matters to fun and creative projects. Some of these can vary from content analysis, which is understanding a form of media, to quantitative analysis, which is understanding the statistics of a phenomenon, and many more. One will spend the full year working on this project, so it is important to pick something that they are passionate about.

Then, students will begin looking at sources. This consists of reading academic journals and papers to see what they would like to do for a project. This is also done to see if one likes the topic enough to research it for an entire year. During this time, students write practice papers based on movies, interviews, and media. These are done to prepare students for academic writing and to see if this is something they are interested in. Some of these include content analysis, ethnography, case study, and more.

Once all of the practice papers have been written and a portion of the sources have been found, participants will begin writing their paper. This begins with the actual question that will be the basis of the research. When the question is found, students will begin writing the method section. The method section must be approved by the ethics board, which is comprised of LPHS staff and community members, before one can begin their research. Some will take longer than others, and if one has human or animal subjects, this may take longer and require adjustments.

When project outlines have been approved, they can begin collecting data. Participants will have around three months to do so; therefore, it is crucial not to procrastinate. During this time, the researcher will begin working on their introduction, finding more sources, and begin learning about logical fallacies.

Once data is collected around March, students will begin learning how to do statistical tests. These include T-Tests, ANOVA, Chi-Square, and more. These will be useful for anyone doing quantitative research. Qualitative research projects likely will not use statistics, so this is less important for these students, but it is still important to learn for college prep.

When April hits, the course is kicked into high gear with the results and discussion sections. These are often the longest and most time-consuming sections of the paper, and according to the rubric, these are the most important. This is the time when papers are being wrapped up, presentations are being made, and peer reviews are assisting in the creation of the projects.

The actual presentation consists of a 20-minute time frame. The goal is to aim for a 12 to 15-minute presentation and a five-minute oral defense section. Students will have worked on this project for an entire school year; the time frame is less intimidating than it seems. Oral defense consists of three questions about one’s project, and they will range from questions about the method, discussion, future implications, and more.

This course is extremely fun for those who are curious about many topics. The workload is often rigorous, but it pays off when students see their final presentation come together. Overall, I would recommend this course to anyone who likes AP Seminar and to anyone who wants to prepare for college classes.