Graham DeWitte



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Journalism Story

Stepping Forward to Defend The Championship

By Annelisse Bruder, Graham DeWitte, and Max Ichelson

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (April 3, 2025)

After clinching a national title last year, Indiana University’s RedSteppers are back in the studio, stomping, sliding, and spinning with championship energy as they prepare to take another shot at the crown.

With the 2025 national competitions coming up on April 10 and April 13, the RedSteppers are chasing more than just another win; they are building a new legacy for themselves.

In a recent practice, the team moved with precision and power, executing complex formations and high-intensity choreography that showed why they are a team to watch heading into the competition.

“We know what it takes to get there,” said Jaylyn Hogan, a sophomore on the team. “In the fall we practice three times a week for four hours. But for competition, it’s every day. Most of us schedule our classes early in the morning so we can have the evening to practice.”

Jaylyn Hogan warms up with the team for practice. The upcoming Nationals ramp up the pressure tremendously.

 

That work ethic paid off last year in a big way. The team competed in and did incredibly well in two different categories: jazz and spirit rally.

“Last year we competed in jazz for the first time and we placed 10th out of 40 teams,” Hogan said. “It was really rewarding seeing such a hard routine place so well.”

Despite the great finish in their jazz routine, it was their performance in spirit rally that took them all the way to the top.

“Our other routine, called spirit rally, placed first out of roughly 35 other teams,” Hogan added. “It was so nice seeing all the hard work that went into it pay off. The other teams were celebrating with us because they know how hard it is to get there.”

Hogan cheers, waiting to perform at the football game. The large audience, coupled by the football team’s historic season put a lot of pressure on her and the other Redsteppers.

Freshman Jenna Hanland is experiencing that pressure for the first time—but she is embracing it, more than ready for what is to come.

“Yes, haha, a little bit,” she said when asked about the feeling the pressure going into nationals. “It’s hard when you have to double time it after a national championship last year, but it’s a good type of pressure, knowing that we’ve done it before and we can do it again.”

Jenna Hanland stretches to loosen up. As a freshman, she eagerly anticipates the next few years she gets to continue as a Redstepper.

Hanland also reflected on one of her most memorable moments as a member of the RedSteppers so far: performing at Assembly Hall.

“It was crazy, there were so many people,” she said. “Growing up as a studio dancer I’ve danced in front of people before, but never that many. It was awesome.”

At practice, the team’s chemistry is undeniable. The dancers move in sync, encourage one another between reps, and make even the most grueling rehearsals look joyful. Coach Wood pushes the group with precision, demanding their best while reminding them of the opportunity ahead.

Hanland splits with her team as she works on the routine. The practice is rigorous in order to perfect every move.

“There are a lot more eyes on us for sure,” Hogan admitted, “but it’s just as exciting.”

With their trademark intensity, innovative choreography, and deep-rooted pride, the RedSteppers are not just defending a title, they are performing with a purpose. And come next week, they will once again be dancing under the national spotlight.

Two RedSteppers share their thoughts and feelings about the year ahead of Nationals.

Public Relations Story

Apple CEO Tim Cook Announced the Apple Watch

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE.

Media Contacts
Madeline Gray
Graham DeWitte
Kaixin Chen

CUPERTINO, California (Sept. 9, 2014) — Apple CEO Tim Cook has unveiled Apple’s most personal device yet in the Apple Watch, with features designed to create a customizable, stylish, and powerful experience that hasn’t been possible before in any product on the market today.

“We have been working incredibly hard for a long time on an entirely new product,” Cook said. “We believe that this product will redefine what people expect from its category.”

The video displayed after Cook’s introduction showed off a sleek, modern design for the Apple Watch with easily customizable elements that will make for a unique, stylish experience for any user. Cook, wearing the watch himself, emphasized the importance of the functional user interface that will allow for an enjoyable and easy user experience. A standout feature regarding this is the digital crown, or the dial that doubles as a button on the side of the watch to allow for scrolling, zooming, returning to the homescreen, and other uses that are infinitely easier than if users were forced to tap and pinch to control the screen.

Jony Ive, the Senior Vice President of Design for Apple, then presented the features included in the Apple Watch to make it both fashionable and functional for all users, as well as Apple’s motivations for doing so.

“It’s driven Apple from the beginning, this compulsion to take incredibly powerful technology and make it accessible, relevant and ultimately personal,” Ive said.

Ive spoke on the impressive accuracy of the Apple Watch’s timekeeping abilities, staying with 50 milliseconds of true time at all times, as well as the range of watch faces that allow for a chic and personal time-telling experience. Beyond watch faces, the Apple Watch is uniquely modifiable through its 6 strap types that can be effortlessly swapped out at any time. With this range of straps, including the sport band, leather loop, leather modern buckle, simple leather classic buckle, stainless steel link bracelet, and milanese loop, all users can find a style that fits their personality and needs.

College TA does her work while wearing Apple Watch
Qin Li, a Teaching Assistant at Indiana University, does her work while wearing her Apple Watch. The Apple Watch has a multitude of customizable aspects such as the watch faces and straps, allowing users to show their style and flair through the product.

Beyond the straps and watch faces, the Apple Watch itself has a range of styles that can fit each user’s personal goals and priorities. The Apple Watch has three distinct collections, the first of which is the Apple Watch, made from a custom alloy of stainless steel. The Apple Sport collection is made to be 60% stronger than a normal alloy without being bulky or heavy. The Apple Watch Edition is made from 18-carat gold designed to be twice as strong as normal. The ability to mix-and-match as you please between the range of options available with the Apple Watch will allow all users to prioritize what they want and easily adapt their Watch to fit that.

After displaying the design of the Apple Watch, Vice President Kevin Lynch came up to demonstrate the innovative capabilities of the Watch. The Apple Watch’s watch faces can be customized on the watch itself to allow for important information to be displayed, as well as Glances allowing for users to swipe to get more relevant information throughout their day. The Apple Watch also is linked with the iPhone so as to notify the user through a tap on the wrist whenever a notification comes through, allowing for a private yet unmistakable reminder that users can then check by lifting their wrist watch to see. A feature that Lynch was particularly proud of was the Digital Touch feature, which allows users to send taps, drawings, or even their actual heartbeat to another user through the use of the combined Apple Watches. Finally, Lynch explained how Apple has given third-party developers the ability to expand the Apple Watch’s capabilities through WatchKit, which will allow companies to develop apps for the Watch beyond what is already available.

Cook then came back to present the health and fitness capabilities present within the Apple Watch, which comes with both a Fitness app to monitor all activity throughout the day and a Workout app to monitor specific workouts. The Watch has a plethora of features designed to track health, including an accelerometer for total body movement, sensors on the bottom of the Watch to track one’s heart rate, and a GPS to determine distance traveled. The Fitness app specifically tracks calories burned, amount of exercise, and the amount of times one has stood per hour throughout the day to measure health, and the Workout app can allow users to go for time, calories, or distance.

A young woman exercises while her Apple Watch tracks her fitness levels for the day.
Dian Zhong, a student at Indiana University, exercises in the gym while her Apple Watch tracks her fitness levels. The Apple Watch has a plethora of features designed to track and improve the user’s overall health, including a Fitness app to track overall activity for a day and a Workout app to track specific, focused exercise sessions.

“We think it’s gonna help a lot of people live a better day and a healthier life,” Cook said.

The Apple Watch is set to be released in early 2015 and will be priced starting at $349. It will be compatible with the iPhone 5, 5s, 5c, 6, and 6 Plus and is charged through inductive charging using a magnet that will also be sold through Apple.

Tim Cook speaks on the Apple Watch’s purpose as a personal, accurate timekeeping device. The Apple Watch’s main purpose is to keep time, but additional applications allow it to also serve as a fitness tracker and communication device, among other things.

Tim Cook explains the purpose of the digital crown on the Apple Watch. The Apple Watch was designed to allow for users to interact with the watch without blocking their view of the screen.

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