We are CHS students who aim to see a new perspective of the community in which we live by asking questions and getting photos of the diverse people that live in the Indianapolis metropolitan area. Students with a new view are able to escape the bubble we inhabit in Carmel and see various thoughts from different type of people. HiLite’s goal for Through the Lens is to prove why the mean streets are in fact, not truly mean. The goal is to accomplish this by reaching all corners of society in the Circle City, from the urban mazes of downtown Indy to the laid back cafes of Broad Ripple, all the way to students’ desks at school. Seeing a quote from a person you may have never spoken to in your life allows you to see a snapshot of their life, which reminds students that while countless varieties of people live in our community, we are united as human beings.

“Being part of a community was always important to me. Growing up with an artist as a mother, I was always surrounded by art, and I was always at the forefront of the art scene in Indianapolis. I remember I would always go to the art galleries in Indianapolis with my mother, and every time the feeling was euphoric. I felt, and I still do feel like I was a part of something special.”
Who is your biggest artistic inspiration?
“Frida Khalo, hence the heart I’m drawing.”

“Well, I just came back form the Camerata orchestra trip, and I was talking in class with someone about it, and I just realized that in less than year I’d be leaving the program. I’ve been playing violin since third grade, I’ve been in orchestra since sixth grade, and I’ve been in Camerata during most of high school. In that moment it just hit me — I’d be leaving it all behind and starting with a clean slate. It’s bittersweet. It’s just that I’ve poured so much of myself into this school, and I just ultimately hope that people remember me well.”

What’s the most annoying thing that has happened to you?
“One time in the eighth grade, I was working on a worksheet, and my friend right next to me was looking at my paper, and I had no idea. I did all my work, but my friend had all the same work as me. So the student teacher said, ‘You guys have the same answer, and I’m going to give you detentions.’ I called my friend that night and asked him if he cheated on me and he apologized and said he would talk to the teacher, but he just does nothing. I was forced to talk to the teacher, and I still got a detention.”