Since Australia’s fire season began in July, the world has witnessed some of Australia’s worst wildfires in decades

Nearly one billion animals have been affected nationwide, approximately 28 people are dead  and thousands of homes are damaged. An ocean away, Australia is on fire.

According to CNN, even though there have been fires in every state, the state of New South Wales has been affected the most. Some of the largest cities in the country, including Sydney and Melbourne, have been hit the hardest. In early December, because of the large amounts of smoke, the air quality in Sydney was 11 times the level that’s considered dangerous. 

Jeffersonville High School student and president of the student council, Amelia Epperson, who is Australian, believes that bushfires are common and that the news coverage should be more focused on the animals affected.

“Every time there’s a bushfire it’s awful,” she said.  “But it’s kind of one of those things where we have them a lot.  But these are pretty bad, these are probably one of our worst ones. Especially with all the animals and stuff. They stem in a rural area so it’s mainly animals as opposed to people dying. I feel like that’s where the lack of coverage comes from because (it’s) animals and not people.”

Jeff High’s Student Council felt that it was needed to have an Academy “Penny War” to raise money for Australia’s animals. The money will be going to Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors Worldwide, which was established by Steve and Terri Irwin in 2002.

 Natalie Bronson, the sponsor of Student Council, explained the fundraiser. 

“The main goal of this fundraiser is twofold…first to raise awareness of an issue happening that is impacting some of our students at Jeff High and secondly, to always be advocates for needs in our community,” Bronson said. “This time, it is just our extended community.”

“The fires are devastating,” Bronson said. “Droughts are a thing of the past and will be an issue in the future with climate and climate change. The devastating part is that not only are humans displaced and houses destroyed, animals habitats are being destroyed as well as lives being lost. Humans have warnings and are given the opportunity for escape and have shelter locations in stark contrast to animals, who essentially are fighting for their very lives.”

Story by Greta Reel

From school visits to applications, applying to colleges can be overwhelming. Perhaps the biggest issue? The cost of college and student debt. The tuition and fees for an average in-state four-year college costs approximately $9,410 a year. In-state four-year private colleges average about $32,410 per year. The prices are even higher for out-of-state colleges.

According to NBC News, student debt has risen in recent years and is now at $1.6 trillion nationwide. Tyler Colyer, a Jeffersonville High School counselor, says that many worry about the cost of college. “The cost of college is a huge concern for many students and families,” Colyer said. “Parents and students worry not only about the cost but also how they will afford it now or in the future if student loans are necessary.”

According to a report from CNBC.com, 84-percent of students that borrowed loans said that debt has affected their ability to save for retirement. Many people don’t pay off their loans until their 40s.

Kyle Sanders, former editor-in-chief of The Hyphen and a sophomore at Indiana University Southeast, said that he is concerned about money and that it even influenced his decision about the university he attends. “I decided to attend a local college to save money and am constantly thinking about how the debt I have will affect me years from now,” Sanders said.

Colyer advises students to start early when it comes to paying for college. “Get good grades and work on your standardized test scores because that means money,” he said. Colyer pointed out that scholarships are also essential. “Don’t write off applying for a scholarship because it’s only a few hundred dollars. Every penny counts!”

story by Greta Reel and Gabby Bishop

photo submitted by James Kimbell

Red Devil students have the opportunity to experience more of the world in high school than some have seen in their entire lives.

Foreign language teachers James Kimbell and Lisa Stumler are going to France, Switzerland and Germany in June 2018, while English teachers Stephanie Detzer and Anya Evinger are going to Italy over Spring Break this school year. Social Studies teacher Drew Davis is going to Japan in June 2018.

“The most beneficial educational thing is seeing that everything there is just as real, and just as big, as our world is to us,” says Kimbell, who is marking his third trip out of the country with students.

Students will have the opportunity to see many places on these trips, including the Eiffel Tower, Vatican City and the Imperial Palace.

“Broadening one’s outlook about the world and other cultures is incredibly important,” Detzer says.

Davis’ group will end up experiencing a lot of the traditional activities of Japanese culture.

“We will sit on the floor to eat and sleep, and hopefully we will get a Ryokan (Japanese traditional house) that has hot springs that are privately connected to your room,” Davis says.

Despite seeing all of the sights, students will amazed at all the cultural things they could never experience in America.

“When we look at a place in a book or even on a big screen, we are getting much less sensory input: it’s flat, it’s small, it’s lacking in smell and temperature and wind and sun,” Kimbell says. “But when you’re there, you’re inside of the place, and you can see it in a new way.”