The Tom Tom | May 2017 | The Senior Issue by Antioch Community High School Tom Tom

THE STUDENT VOICE OF ANTIOCH COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL

VOLUME 55, ISSUE 9 + SENIORS 2017 WWW.SEQUOITMEDIA.COM + @ACHSTOMTOM + @SEQUOITSPORTS 1133 MAIN STREET + ANTIOCH, ILLINOIS + 60002

SENIOR 2017

CONTENTS

4 | EDITOR’S NOTE

THE STICK

5 | SOMEDAY YOU’LL THANK ME FOR THIS

25 | SPITTING IMAGE

VOL. 55 NO. 9

40 | SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED 42 | SEPARATE THE MEN FROM THE BOYS

S 44 | WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO STIGMATIZE 45 | TOM TOM GOODBYE

THE STUDENT VOICE OF ANTIOCH COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL

VOLUME 55, ISSUE 9 + SENIORS 2017 WWW.SEQUOITMEDIA.COM + @ACHSTOMTOM + @SEQUOITSPORTS 1133 MAIN STREET + ANTIOCH, ILLINOIS + 60002

ON THE COVER

When it comes to originality, this senior class certainly embodies it. This issue, and the cover, are meant to represent the end of the 90s and the start of the class of 2017’s future.

Seniors 2017 the TOM TOM staff

2016-2017 executive team

KRISTINA M. ESDALE Editor-in-Chief PATRICK R. JOHNSON, MJE Adviser PAIGE HOPE Managing Editor REBEKAH L. CARTLIDGE Digital Director JACK A. CONNELLY Digital Director JILLIAN M. EVERETT Print Director JASON R. WOOD Print Director Editorial Board DEPARTMENT EDITORS Rachel Beckman Grace Bouker Branden Gallimore Booker Grass Benjamin Gutke John Howe Lauryn Hugener Gabrielle Kalisz Alexander Ruano Abigail Russell Kaylee Schreiner Logan Weber SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTORS Haley Edwards Dylan Hebior Megan Helgesen Marc Huston SENIOR EDITORS Christina Michaels Natasha Reid

staff journalists Jayme Bailey William Becker Lauren Bluthardt Peter Boeh Nico Chiappetta Jared DeBoer Emma DeJong Taylor Feltner Chloe Grass Griffin Hackeloer Emily Hanes Symone Henderson Brenna Higgins Emily Holmes Jacob Johnson Michael Kawell Jessica Lamberty Chloe Moritz Nicole Peterson John Petty Alexandra Rapp Ashley Reiser Steffanie Richardson Matthew Rowe Allison Smith Ashley Stephens

Annie Wagner Kyle Whitley Monica Wilhelm Diana Anghel Caden Davis Dan Filippone Camille Flackus Emily Higgins Mikayla Holway Robbie Hulting Alex Johnson McKenna Kalisz Alex Knight Madisen Krapf Emily Lara Jessica Nettgen Valerie Rasmussen Aliya Rhodes Karley Rogalski Riley Rush Eleni Sakas Matthew Soberano Kevin Tamayo Emily Torres Skyler Wackenhuth

mission statement The Tom Tom seeks to not only be the premier source of student news, sports and lifestyles at Antioch Community High School, but it also aspires to do so with integrity, respect, responsibility and pride. The Tom Tom believes wholeheartedly in giving voices to the voiceless through unique engaging methods of storytelling, while engaging with the Antioch community to see diverse and challenging perspectives. In doing so, we choose to tell some of the more challenging or untold stories even when they can be controversial in order to make our community stronger, more caring, and more tolerant. This program envisions a holistic experience of quality journalism through print publications and digital content, as well as promotes student spirit and school culture through innovative and inspiring public relations and advertising campaigns. We are the Tom Tom. We are originals. It would be an awfully big adventure if you choose to come along with us and work as one community, One Sequoit.

EDITOR’S NOTE

SEE YOU LATER, ALLIGATOR

In a few short days we become Sequoit alumni; however, as we say goodbye, it will really be a see you later. KRISTINA ESDALE // Editor-in-Chief

ver since I was a kid, I loved to write. No matter where you saw me, I would always have a journal with me. When most kids go to the store, they ask their moms if they could get a new toy; when I went to the store with my mom, I would ask for a new notebook and cute pens. My journal was my outlet for anything I was feeling. When I was happy, I would write. When I was angry, I would write. When I was sad, I would write. Before I knew it, my journal shifted from the childish scribbles of song lyrics and puppy pictures, to adolescent rambles of the boys I had a ¨huge¨ crush on, to the now adult-like problems that every high school senior is currently being faced with. My obsession with writing—one that I thought I could never possibly make a career out of—has completely changed my life. When I decided to join the Tom Tom my sophomore year, I had no idea that my hundreds of journals stacked into piles in my room—the ones with my most personal thoughts and feelings—would be something I would even consider publishing for my whole school to see. I never thought that I would join a program that changed my life. I never thought I would be writing this note. I never thought that I would decide to write for a living. I never thought I would be living my dream. There are no words that could accurately describe what this year has been like for me, Mr. Johnson and the rest of the Tom Tom staff. My experience as the Editor-in-Chief opened my eyes up to so many possibilities of what I wanted to do with my future and where journalism would take me; I couldn’t imagine my life without it. I got the experience of a lifetime and couldn’t have asked for a better executive team or staff. But along with those positives came an overwhelming heap of negatives. I learned that not everyone has nice things to say about the work that we produce, regardless if they’re students or teachers. Although this lesson was a very hard one to learn, it also taught me to care a lot less about what people think of me and the work our staff produces. If I’m proud of what we make

4 Tom Tom Seniors 2017

PHOTO // NATASHA REID

together, that’s all that matters. And that makes saying goodbye to the Tom Tom that much harder. Nights of long hours spent editing may sound gruesome, but I couldn’t imagine not sitting in the media lab every night with my best friends, no matter how much we’re stressing about those deadlines. The Tom Tom didn’t only make me realize what I wanted to do with the rest of my life; it made me realize what kind of people I want to spend the rest of my life with. In the “S” magazine, you’ll find a range of stories about our Sequoit seniors. On a happier note, department editor Rachel Beckman writes about the exciting and greatly anticipated futures of the graduating class in “Stay Tuned,” while staff member Emily Holmes tells the motivational story of senior Desiree Davis in “A Snowball’s Chance in Hell.” Our annual map is also included in this issue. While every senior isn’t represented, we were able to get over 200 responses of where seniors were planning to attend after they leave the protected walls of ACHS. Within these pages you’ll also read about skeletons, sinking, suffering and stars. Throughout these pages, our year of cliches comes to an end. Each story is written to embody the Antioch version of the cliches that headline them. We hope you enjoy this final goodbye, seniors. Leaving the halls of ACHS won’t be easy, but sometimes saying ‘see you later’ opens more doors for the future. Don’t be afraid to go out there and find your voice. Once a Sequoit, always a Sequoit. TT

KRISTINA M. ESDALE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

SOMEDAY YOU’LL THANK ME FOR THIS

AMY SKONBERG-REZNICEK // Social Studies Teacher

enior Sequoits, in a few days you will pass through the doors of ACHS for the last time. Until now, much of your life has been determined by well-meaning adults, such as parents and teachers. But not anymore! As you begin your exciting next chapter, I would like to share a few tips that have made my post-high school life immensely enjoyable. Here are my guiding principles, in no particular order:

LIVE DELIBERATELY.

Don’t just wander through life waiting for things to happen to you—make them happen! Seize the day. Set goals for your education, career, lifestyle, and recreation. Develop a plan for success. Forgive your failures, reevaluate your plan, and begin again. Don’t rush into marriage, parenthood, or other big commitments. You won’t win at everything, but you also won’t look back with regret at missed opportunities and avoidable mistakes.

DARE TO KNOW.

Be curious about the world and never stop learning. Pursue education and attend class regularly. The more you know, the easier it is to learn and think about new things. Have the courage to develop your own intelligence, and success will follow. Your cell phone puts the collected wisdom of mankind in your pocket—use it responsibly!

CULTIVATE RELATIONSHIPS.

Hang on to your good friends, let go of toxic influences, and don’t be afraid to meet new people. Smile at strangers on the street, hold the door for others, and let someone get ahead of you in line. Try not to judge people on their outward appearance, but instead look for their inner beauty. Relationships take work, but good friends make good times more fun. You have a limited amount of time on this earth, spend it with awesome people.

HAVE ADVENTURES.

Go on a road trip, book a flight to Europe, or study abroad. Antioch is a wonderful home town, and you’ll appreciate it more after you’ve had a look around. Explore nature to gain new appreciation for life. Visit the mountains to see you how small you really are. Tour a cultural site and ponder how ancient people spent their short time on earth. Travel to somewhere they don’t speak English. Spend a season working at a resort or

PHOTO // BOOKER GRASS

in a National Park. Make friends everywhere you go. Watch out for bears and pickpockets.

RESPECT YOUR BODY.

You live your whole life in this one body. Take care of it! Get some sleep, go for a jog, manage your stress, and eat a salad once in a while. Wear sunscreen. Don’t smoke. Hold off on that tattoo. Take it easy on the energy drinks. Stay away from drugs. Don’t drive impaired. Avoid STDs and unintended pregnancies. Use the buddy system to help you stay safe. And remember; even if you make some bad decisions now or in the future, there’s usually time to turn it around!

BE PROFESSIONAL.

Keep it classy at school and work. Your public image should be purposefully cultivated. Don’t let others take compromising photos of you, and certainly don’t post them on the internet! Don’t email your professor or employer from your ilovebeer@party.com account. Pay attention in class and stay focused at work. Be confident in your abilities and growth potential. Maintain a good work ethic. Pursue every networking opportunity with colleagues, classmates, and mentors. A good reference can open many doors and a bad reference slams them in your face.

BE A GOOD CITIZEN.

Living in a free society is an awesome privi-

lege, but it comes with responsibilities. Become an informed voter. Learn to recognize fake news. Hold politicians accountable for their promises and your tax dollars. Don’t commit crimes. Democracy requires an enlightened and virtuous citizenry; we need YOU.

ENJOY MUSIC.

Life is better with a soundtrack, so crank some tunes. Explore new genres, see lots of live shows, and sing your heart out.

RELAX.

Work to live, don’t live to work. Learn how to manage your stress and make time for you. Life is short, so have a little fun every day… just not all day every day.

CHOOSE HAPPINESS.

Bad things will happen, but how you react is up to you. Decide each day to be happy. Some days will be harder than others, but you can’t allow tragedy or insecurity to define you. You deserve to be happy, and only you can make that happen. And so my dear Seniors, we bid you a fond farewell. On behalf of everyone at ACHS, we love you and we’ll miss you. Drop us a line once in a while to let us know how you’re doing. We wish you the very best—make us proud! Once a Sequoit, always a Sequoit! TT The “S” Issue

Seniors 2017

Seniors ecember 2017 2016 6 Tom Tom D

Retirement Profile

Julie Elver

“I love the students here, the staff and the community that I serve and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to work here in Antioch.” ANNIE WAGNER // Tom Tom Staff PHOTO // EMMA DEJONG

rom allegedly spotting ghosts in the hallways, to making tacos at the National Honor Society induction, the beloved Julie Elver is finally preparing to move on to the next chapter of her life. Elver started her teaching career at ACHS in the early 1990’s. However, she did not start out as only an art teacher, which is how most students today identify her. “My first position at Antioch required me to teach a few classes in physical science and two ceramics classes,” Elver said. “As the school grew larger, I was told that I could no longer be in three departments. I had to choose one. I chose art because I had the most freedom in teaching the curriculum, however it was a tough choice because I also liked teaching math and science.” Elver has countless memories from her twenty five years at ACHS, but there is one that will always stand out to her. A couple of years ago she had gotten permission from the school to take her classes to paint a jungle scene on a blank side of a restaurant building. “We painted the whole building with trees, parrots, snakes, alligators and birds. It was the largest project I ever undertook. We were very proud of the way it turned out and it was a very public place, so everyone who drove by got to see it,” Elver said. As her twenty-fifth year teaching at ACHS is quickly coming to an end, Elver has some words of encouragement she would like to share with the graduating class of 2017. “I would advise students to figure out what pleases them and make time to do these things, because all work and no play makes you resentful of your hard work,” Elver said. “You will find happiness if you have a good mix of work and play.” She also has a couple of last words to share with the teachers who still have numerous years left at ACHS. “Make the best of every day with the students. Some days are really hard and sometimes you want to quit, but the earnings are more than the paycheck you get every two weeks,” Elver said. I would remind

them that their legacy lives on long after their students are gone.” Elver is excited for her future out of the workforce because she will have endless amounts of free time, without any structure. “I am excited that I can spontaneously participate in activities on weekdays during the school year,” Elver said. “I can go places, near and far, for weeks at a time. I can be involved in short and long term projects without interruption. Having command over my time every day is very exciting because it allows me to choose what I want to do each day with unlimited possibilities.” After most people retire, they like to travel. Now that Elver has time, she would enjoy traveling as well. She would like to travel all around the world, near and far. From southern Illinois, to the Italian Alps, to the Philippines. “I’ve never been to any of these places, always wanted to go, and I’ve always wondered what it is like there,” Elver said. Elver did not enjoy her own high school experience, so naturally going back into the school environment could strike up a couple of nerves. When she started student teaching she was terrified, getting sick to her stomach nearly every day. However, once Elver got into the swing of things, the nerves subsided and she looked forward to going to work every day. “I found that I grew from liking my job to loving my job as a teacher,” Elver said. “I love the students here, the staff, and the community that I serve and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to work here in Antioch. The people are so incredibly nice. I would like to thank the school board, the administration and the community for making this an incredible place to come to work each day.” The students and staff of ACHS would like to thank Mrs. Elver as well, for all of her hard work and dedication to the school and those in it. TT

The “S” Issue

Seniors 2017

Seniors ecember 2017 2016 8 Tom Tom D

Retirement Profile

Tim Hildner

“I honestly feel a little [bad] for teachers who aren’t teaching math.” ASHLEY REISER // Tom Tom Staff PHOTO // EMMA DEJONG

sk anyone in the ACHS building; Timothy Hildner is a loving person. Being able to spend a lot more time with his new grandson is something he is most excited about upon retiring. He is excited because for him, spending time with his grandson is the greatest feeling in the world. “And, best of all, there are no parental responsibilities, just the fun,” Hildner said. Hildner offered this piece of advice to the graduates of 2017. “Stay focused on those things that are truly important to you,” Hildner said. “In our busy lives, with so much going on around us, it is easy to get distracted and lose sight of those things we truly value. Don’t let that happen and I think you’ll find yourself in a better place in the long run.” Mr. Hildner is a knowledgeable man, he has one piece of advice for teachers whom still have a long ride ahead. “Every day, come to school thinking about what you can do to be just a little bit better as a teacher,” Hildner said. “This turns into a rich reflective process that really has its roots in the relationships with one’s students, colleagues and parents. It’s from these relationships that you develop the ideas that lead you towards this goal on a daily basis.” His most memorable experience in his time here at ACHS is the experience of seeing his students participate in extracurricular activities. To Hildner, these experiences stand out the most. Whether an athletic event or a fine arts performance, it has always been a mem-

orable treat for him to see his students participate and share with them in the excitement of their experience. In his mind’s eye, he can still picture many of the exciting moments from those events. Hildner’s main reason for becoming a teacher was because he wanted to have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of young people. By the time he became a teacher, he had a significant amount of life experience behind him and had a strong desire to bring that experience into the classroom in a way that would hopefully have a positive effect. For Hildner, in the context of those hopes and aspirations, a career switch seemed very logical. He expressed that math is a language and body of logic that helps develop your thinking and analytical skills in all areas of study. If given one place to travel, Mr. Hildner would explore the Country of Greece. Math is the most interesting and enjoyable subject that you could possibly teach. I honestly feel a little badly for teachers who aren’t teaching math.” “It’s the cradle of western civilization and I have yet to visit,” Hildner said. “I think it would be amazing to take in the sites and feel all the history in the air.” After 14 years, Hildner will leave ACHS with lasting memories of what has truly been a wonderful experience. He gladly thanks everyone who made it such a memorable, commemorative experience. TT The “S” Issue

Seniors 2017

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Retirement Profile

Elliott Hoffeditz

“Antioch is full of excellent kids... They are the ones that make it fun to go to school ever y day.” WILLIAM BECKER // Tom Tom Staff PHOTO // EMMA DEJONG

ver the years, teachers have come and gone, but that isn’t an exception for Antioch Community High School. It is difficult to find dedicated teachers that stay in the same place for a long time; these are the teachers that enjoy their job, master their craft and teach students from the experiences they have learned. At ACHS, one teacher that has that and more is science teacher Elliott Hoffeditz. Hoffeditz has been teaching at ACHS since 1987. Over the years he has taught biology, anatomy, earth systems and physiology. On top of his courses in his early years of teaching, he also taught freshman football for eight years and Varsity bowling for ten years. In the mid 80’s the high school was full of teachers, like Hoffeditz today, that had been teaching at Antioch for 25 years or more. This intrigued him. The experience at the school was something he was hoping to learn from and use in the future. Hoffeditz has done so successfully. One of his favorite parts about teaching is when students come back and let Hoffeditz know how much of an impact he had on their life. “Even if it was your worst student that comes back and says ‘you know what, you were right, and I’ve changed my ways’ it just gives you a feeling of accomplishment,” Hoffeditz said. “It shows that you’ve had an impact on somebody’s life.” While many parts of Hoffeditz’s job as impacted him over the years, nothing has impacted his relationship with his students more than time. As he gets, older Hoffeditz relates less and less with the students. Over the years, Hoffeditz said the only part of school that changes the most is the way he perceives it. When he was younger, kids would be listening to the same music he listened to on their C.D. players. Today, Hoffeditz can’t relate to his students as well, but it is the part of his job he will miss the most. “Antioch is full of excellent kids, really good kids,” Hoffeditz said.

“They are the ones that make it fun to go to school everyday.” Hoffeditz thoroughly enjoys being around his students. His students also enjoy being around him as well. Senior Connor Byczek had Hoffeditz for his anatomy teacher this last year. Bycek believes that he is the best teacher he had out of his time at Antioch. “He is a really great teacher,” Byczek said “He explains everything thoroughly and he’s really good at connecting the material to the way you will use it outside the classroom.” Hoffeditz is a teacher that Byczek wishes every student who goes through Antioch had to chance to learn from. When Hoffeditz stopped coaching; it was hard for him. He enjoyed seeing his students outside the classroom, and not seeing his students everyday is a part of his job he will miss. It is not the only part of his retirement he will have a hard time adjusting to. Hoffeditz’s time has been set by the bells of the school for so long that it will be hard for him to adjust to doing whatever he wants; whenever he wants. “After like 34 years of regimented time, you can do whatever you want whenever you want,” Hoffeditz said. “That’s kind of spooky.” After 30 plus years of his time at ACHS, Hoffeditz has a word of advice for teacher still at the school. “You have to have a life outside of school,” Hoffeditz said. “So when you leave school, it will be there for you the next day when you come back. You can pick it up and go on from there.” For the students, he wishes the best of luck. Hoffeditz is a teacher who has impacted Antioch Community High School tremendously through his 30 plus years as a teacher. His humor and ability to connect with students are traits that will last with students for years to come. TT

The “S” Issue

Seniors 2017

Seniors ecember 2017 2016 12 Tom Tom D

Goodbye Profile

Brad Hubbard

“It’s really bittersweet to leave; ever y day it gets closer I get a little bit more nostalgic.” LOGAN WEBER // Tom Tom Staff PHOTO // EMMA DEJONG

our years is not that long of a time period. It takes a lot to leave a lasting impact on a group of people. And with his time here, Dr. Bradford Hubbard has done just that. Students, parents, teachers and everyone in the community are sad to see him go. He is not going far, in fact he is staying in the district, but it is going to be hard to not see his smiling face in the hallway every day before school. The students here showed lots of love towards the soon-to-be Assistant Superintendent during his time at Antioch Community High School. Placing his face on a sign and waving it around at sports games was one way the students showed their affection. Another way he was shown affection was during a track meet, and it is part of Hubbard’s favorite memory of his four years at ACHS. “I was at the sectional track meet, and we had a 4x4 relay who was favored to win it and qualify for state,” Hubbard said. “I stopped there on my way home to watch and one of the guys came over and ask if I would hold their blocks. I was terrified that I would mess up because I did not have any idea what they were asking me to do.” The track team ended up in first place at the meet, and the celebration began. It was one of the most special moments for Hubbard because the students on the team cared enough about him that they wanted him out on the track and as involved as possible. The little things like the head in the stands or holding the blocks for a track team that qualifies for state is something that Hubbard is never going to forget. Hubbard also wants to be remembered as someone who made relationships with his students and who made an impact. In terms of his students, Hubbard would highly encourage to chase their passions and to never stop. “We have so many talented students with a lot of opportunities that lie [ahead] of them and I would encourage them to literally chase whatever it is that they are passionate about or that they dream of becoming,” Hubbard said. The class of 2017 has so much potential, and with a passion, anything is possible. Hubbard would like each and every one of them to go out and pursue whatever they dream of and chase after it. If he has taught the senior class anything, he would want it to be to never stop

chasing that dream or milestone that they want. Nothing can stop them if they put their minds to it. As for the staff of ACHS, Hubbard has some similar advice. “I encourage them to continue working on the relationships, creating unique, authentic experiences for students,” Hubbard said. “I also encourage them to continue to think outside the box and to try new things and be comfortable failing while modeling failure. We have to continue to challenge ourselves when it comes to curriculum, assessment and what we are affording kids to do in our classroom.” Hubbard believes that we have the best staff around and that if they continue to experiment in the classroom and try new ideas, they will only become better. Even if they fail at first, it will only help them in the end. There is not a job that fit Hubbard better than the one he currently has. He is extremely active in the school, whether it be by participating in the drumline or driving hours away to watch some of our sports teams play. This transition will not be easy, but he will try to be as involved as he can at both Antioch and Lakes. “I’m excited to sculpt the learning environment in two different buildings and I think the scope of my impact will be a little bit bigger,” Hubbard said. “Now we have the opportunity to take risks with curriculum, instruction and academic rigor. We can change the way we label a student as college or career ready, get away from the focus on one test score and broaden out.” Hubbard does not want to leave the place he once called home, and he is currently still not ready to leave. “It’s really bittersweet to leave; every day it gets closer I get a little bit more nostalgic,” Hubbard said. “It’s going to be hard being disconnected from the building. My time here has been incredible and I’m convinced that I will struggle to find a job that I love more than this one.” Hubbard poured his heart and soul into his job, and the students and staff will be forever grateful. No one will forget the countless hours and things that Dr. Hubbard did for this school and his community. TT The “S” Issue

Seniors 2017

STUCK OUT LIKE A SORE THUMB

1. Someone who goes against the grain. WILLIAM BECKER // Tom Tom Staff

ccording to the Los Angelese Times, over one million foreign students came to America for higher education learning in 2015– a record high. The number of foreign students enrolling in American universities has jumped 85 percent over the last decade. California and New York are the top destinations. Not only are more students coming to America, but more Americans are deciding to go overseas. Nearly 290,000 students received credit for study abroad programs in 2013. According to “Forbes,” the number of students studying abroad rose 2.1 percent from 2012. College students are not only participating in foreign exchange, but receiving full-time degrees from foreign universities. All 60,292 of these “internationally mobile students” are considered temporary residents in their country of study. The United Kingdom is by far the most chosen, followed by Canada and Germany. This year, one of the thousands of students who will attend college in Germany is senior Tyler Edling. Edling plans on attending the University of Berlin in the fall. He will major in anthropology with a focus in archaeology. Edling always considered going to Europe, but never thought it would be possible. After doing research on American schools, he quickly switched to European. One of the main reasons he started looking was because of the amount of debt he would be in if he went to a university in the United States. The average amount of debt accumulated by a college student in America was $31,231 in 2014, according to the “Wall Street Journal.” In many European countries like Germany, universities receive many government subsidies, and students pay very little, if any, tuition, including international students. This attracts many students like Edling. Between 2010 and 2013, Germany experienced a 33 percent increase in students coming to their universities on foreign academic degree programs. Edling made his decision based on the education system. His final decision came down to Germany or France. When doing his research, he found that France’s education system is too similar to the United States’. He believes that Germany’s system DID YOU would be more suitable and new for him. KNOW? “I like the new culture and the new expeSPAIN, THE UNITED STATES AND FRANCE riences,” Edling said. “I think it would be nice ARE THE TOP THREE to experience something new. Who knows, MOSTED VISTED maybe I like it and I don’t want to come back.” COUNTIES IN THE Edling solidified his decision after he WORLD. traveled to central Europe with ACHS over spring break. 83.7 TOURISTS VISITED “Experiencing new culture is amazing,” FRANCE IN 2014 Edling said. “During the trip over spring AND 74.8 MILLION VISTED THE U.S THAT break, I had never been happier. There’s SAME YEAR. nothing quite like going to a coffee shop, sitting down and listening to all the different languages.” SOURCE // As of right now, Edling likes Berin the WORLD ATLAS most, but he wants to travel around Europe

14 Tom Tom Seniors 2017

PHOTO // TASHA REID

even more. He said that Berlin feels foreign but “Americanized,” so he still feels at home. Although many people speak English in Germany, he still needs to take German classes before he leaves in September. Edling doesn’t just need to know German to communicate, but also to get into the university as well. Germany’s application system is different than in the U.S. Edling has to apply in September. If he gets in, he will move to Berlin with his brother who will also be taking classes. They will live in an apartment in the city close to the campus since there is no on-campus housing. To prepare, Edling has been saving up money along with researching German customs. “I’ll probably have a rough couple months adjusting,” Edling said. Although Edling said he will miss his friends, his family and most of all, portion sizes, he is excited to leave Antioch and start this new chapter of his life. While many American students will stay back in the states, Edling will be taking the path that is nothing short of original. TT

PHOTO // NATASHA REID

STAY TUNED

1. Keep checking back to see what will happen next. RACHEL BECKMAN // Department Editor

any of us go through the motions of an aveage American student: the curious discovery throughout grade school, progression to the dramas of middle school and the exciting adult-like phases in high school. As the four years of high school fly by, the looming prospect of college catches some students off guard while stepping into its rightful position of excitement in the lives of others. Offering a fresh start, the open door after high school allows students to figure out for themselves what they want to do with their lives and what they want their lives to look like. “What comes after high school includes learning how to be independent and advocate for oneself,” senior Kara Wolf said. “Through this, people have a greater freedom in choosing how they spend their lives.” Despite the glamorous outlook on college life, life after high school graduation involves more independence and responsibility. These new

freedoms that were oftentimes covered by structured life and parents during high school become reality to students not only in the move-in and first months of college, but each day as new adults in charge of their lives. From learning how to manage one’s personal life to fitting extracurricular activities around classes, the immense freedom found in this transition period is exciting, yet stressful. It is a stage of discovery for students as they embrace opportunities they were shielded from in the past and learn how to manage their own lives. “College is about being outside of the comfort zone you’ve built for yourself the last 18 years,” senior Teresa Furlong said. “It will open my eyes to what will come after and encourages being unique and finding something I’m passionate about.” Doing one’s laundry, creating healthy eating habits and building suitable study schedules are some of the many important aspects students

work through to shape themselves into who they want to be. “My choices will be my own and I will carefully make each decision in hopes of making the right ones,” senior Brandon Sorensen said. “For a lot of people, this will be a wake up call, but I’m sure they will overcome and find success.” The transformation found after high school brings about positive change as students gain mental independence and fulfill newfound freedoms. Additionally, students also receive an opportunity to change themselves. Whether physically, mentally or spiritually, post-high school transitions tend to lead students towards a new phase in life. With increased maturity and need to take control over daily actions, there is ample freedom for one to redirect his/her internal focus and motivation of which he/she may have lacked in high school. “I believe my attitude will change to one that is more positive as I will have more control over my life,” Sorensen said. “The work done at college will be more meaningful than the work done in high school and build to something impactful in my life: a job.” Change can be both positive and instrumental to the development of a student’s life or can bring on detrimental effects. Many use their time after high school to change or further pursue their career goals, discovering their passion and letting that future calling direct their attitude and personality. Other times, the immense change witnessed throughout college can create trials for a student, teaching them how to overcome difficult situations and strengthening them in the end. Whatever the outcome, this change improves the factor of adulthood that is found within the era after high school. “The whole process is not just a turning point, but rather a new chapter,” Furlong said. “It will allow me to become the person I’ve wanted to be and give me more chances to grow.” Sooner or later, the pressures of high school are over and a new realm of decisions cling to the thoughts of graduating seniors. The progression from high school to college holds an important role in the lives of all of all students. This quick period of change and response to new environments directs the futures of many as they take advantage of the freedoms given to them and use independence to create a new persona. TT

SHOOTING SKEET Many know him as the curlyhaired truck driver of ACHS, but Cameron Markus brings more than redneck style to school. Although he isn’t a part of school-related extracurricular sports or clubs, Marcus participates in a variety of special activities outside of school. “I shoot competitive skeet for Central High School,” Markus said. The club is not offered at Antioch, but Markus leaves his mark on skeet shooting as a participant in Grayslake Central High School’s team. Nonetheless, his unique passions are not limited to this shooting competition, but extend to his interest in dirt bikes, trucks and farm work in general. “I haven’t done many activities with my high school,” Markus said. “I choose to work over playing sports.” To wrap up the year as a special part of his I-Search presenttion, Markus revealed his interest in chickens , among other things, and his experience while working on a hobby farm. BY RACHEL BECKMAN

The “S” Issue

Seniors 2017

STOP ON A DIME 1. To stop dead; stop quickly. BOOKER GRASS // Department Editor

SHREDDING SNOW Two years ago, senior Kyle Berry ignited his passion for skiing. “My favorite part about skiing is the freedom I have doing it,” Berry said. “I bought skis my sophomore year and haven’t stopped since.” Berry has a season pass to Wilmot Mountain and he also sets up ski rails in his backyard during the summer, too, to keep him occupied until winter. Not only that, but skiing also impacted Berry’s choice of college. Being busy oftentimes makes students more productive because students have to manage their time well, and the same goes for Berry and skiing. “Skiing played a huge influence on where I chose my college because it has helped me get through school,” Berry said. “I know if I wasn’t able to ski during college, I would not do [as] well and probably would become homesick.” This passion has made Berry more productive, healthy and happy. BY GRACE BOUKER

very teen believes that they are invincible. ‘That won’t happen to me. I won’t get caught.’ The reality is that high schoolers are not invincible. This realization came to senior Logan Hall earlier this year. This huge pill to swallow was shown to him through a drug problem. “This decision I made [greatly] affected my life,” Hall said. “I got caught with pot on school campus and because of that I had to finish the rest of my senior year at ROE alternative school, a place where the kids sell drugs in the lunchrooms, where you have to walk through a metal detector just to go in and out of the gym, and where you sit at a computer six hours a day doing modules to further your education. I finished my last semester of high school in 25 days, but it felt like four months.” Hall loved school, not because of the work or the classes, but because of the people. He would come into percussion with a huge smile on his face every single day. He lost many relationships because of his mistake. “So much has happened since then and if I never got caught, I would still be in high school and I can’t imagine how different my life would be,” Hall said. Hall has managed to turn his mistake into a positive. He graduated from ROE and quickly began classes at CLC. He has regret because of the loss of many of his friends, but he would not change his past. “I would not change my decision because I like

16 Tom Tom Seniors 2017

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PHOTO // NATASHA REID

I finished my last semester of high school in 25 days, but it felt like four months. where I am in life, I’ve been able to move on from high school and actually start living my life sooner than I ever expected,” Hall said. “I wasn’t regretting, but I was feeling sorry for myself for what happened and feeling guilty that I put myself where I was. I never wanted to be at ROE. I never once saw it as a roadblock in my way though. I was fully prepared to charge through my situation full force, and I did.” Hall has taken his mistake and turned it into a

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KYLE BERRY // SENIOR

learning experience. He has learned how to be more mature and more of a people person. “Personally, I think that this experience has helped me mold my relationships with others more positively,” Hall said. “I’ve found that my relationships with people have been calmer and more comfortable now that I’ve been broken down. Before, I used to put up so many walls to protect myself, but now that those walls have been broken down, people can be more

comfortable around me because I’m comfortable.” People will fail. A mature and wise person will learn from those failures. Hall made a major mistake and he has had to pay a large price, but in hindsight, he thinks he has grown. “I think this will effect me for the rest of my life because of the lessons I’ve learned through this experience, and I think I’ve come out a better person because of my mistake.” TT

e’ve all got a different spot in the ocean. We all face different belief. sharks and get stung by different jellyfish. But for the last “I hardly had [a senior year],” Urbina said. “I’ve been gone most of year, senior Armando Urbina has been swimming among it.” piranhas, braving brain surgery. Instead of going to the classes he signed up for like AP Spanish, he In October of his junior year, Urbina experienced intense migraines now goes to an empty classroom periods one through three and takes and other vague pains. He went to a neurologist and learned that he online courses through the APEX program. A couple of these classes needed to be treated for Chiari Malformation, which is, according to are health and English, because four years of these courses are necesthe Wisconsin Chiari Center, “a problem at the base of the skull that sary to graduate. affects the brain and spinal cord.” There is nothing wrong with the “The whole situation is hard, but the school has worked with me, brain. Part of the skull is just smaller than it should be, so the spinal which I’m thankful for,” Urbina said. cord and brainstem are compressed while the flow of spinal fluid is But, graduation is still a question left hanging in the air. disrupted. “I am waiting to know if I need another brain surgery,” Urbina said. ACHS social studies teacher Luke Karner had Urbina in U.S. history If he undergoes another brain surgery, finishing his courses on time last year. will be even more difficult. Most people who have to stay back in high “I know he was struggling with some really serious medical compli- school and redo senior year bring it upon themselves; Urbina is not cations, so when he was gone he’d be gone for quite a bit, but when one of those people. His medical condition is one with which he was he was in class, he was really personable,” Karner said. “He was pretty born, and its effects on his senior year are wildly out of his control. funny; he was a good kid.” “I don’t know if I’ll graduate However, this year, sympright now,” Urbina said. “I’m toms returned and Urbina is trying very hard to do so. I’m experiencing the same pain just trying to feel better, but as before. Common symptoms it’s hard not knowing if I’m of Chiari Malformation are not going to graduate with my 1. Two possibilities, one choice. headaches, neck pain, dizziclass.” ness, vague pain, impaired balance, We imagine walking down the aisle GRACE BOUKER // Department Editor clumsiness and nausea, to name a few. at graduation and throwing our caps The most common symptom is the headache, alongside the friends we have had all four which usually begins in the back of the head and radiates behind the years, and Urbina may not get this opportunity. We imagine going eyes. on to college and making new friends but keeping the old ones, and “I constantly have bad migraines, balance problems, neck pain and Urbina may not get this opportunity. We imagine getting college acvision problems,” Urbina said. ceptances and looking for roommates and signing up for classes, but This continuum of pain and discomfort has made attending school Urbina may not get this opportunity. Urbina’s high school career has severely laborious. In fact, Urbina has been out of school since the been halted by a stop sign that he didn’t want. This is not what he had symptoms returned early in second semester. mind when he imagined his senior year. We all have an idea of how our senior year will go, whether it be Even so, Karner is rooting for Urbina. attending football games, other sporting events, joining clubs, partic“I hope he does [graduate], without a doubt,” Karner said. “If there’s ipating in theatre, making the most of our last year with our friends a chance for it to happen, he’s the one who could find a way to do it.” and figuring out how the next four years will go and where we will It’s true; Urbina’s senior year has been an unwelcomed whirlpool. spend them. But instead of doing what he imagined doing, like going He faces the fear of the unknown: not knowing if he will graduate or to sporting events, hanging out with his friends on weekends or even have to retake courses for missing so much school. Numerous mediseeing his friends in class, he is confined to quiet rooms where bright cations have been a bust; he doesn’t know if the pain will remain or if light and loud noise won’t make his head throb. He won’t even get to another surgery will remedy his situation. Urbina has been swimming go to his senior prom because of his medical condition. We all have among piranhas, and unfortunately, whether he sinks or swims isn’t a picture of our own senior year, and Urbina’s got mangled beyond up to him. TT

SINK OR SWIM

The “S” Issue

Seniors 2017

SLOW AND STEADY WINS THE RACE

1. Consistent, effective effort leads to success. MICHAEL KAWELL // Tom Tom Staff

JORDAN HART // SENIOR

FLIGHT CONTROL Senior Jordan Hart has enjoyed Antioch Community High School over the course of his four years and is ready to move on. “One of the things I really enjoyed at Antioch was the school spirit and the support everyone saw in their extracurriculars,” Hart said. “I also felt all my teachers were fun and never found them to be boring people.” Next year, Hart will attend Western Michigan University and study aviation science. While he looks forward to a new journey, he is grateful for his time at Antioch

veryone wants to be the first to cross the finish and be successful, but oftentimes people get overly anxious and trip up after a quick lead proving that slow and steady does actually win the race. In many cases, this applies to one’s high school career in terms of academics and future successes. Today we live in an age where we hear the word “college” as early as middle school, and everything we do in high school is getting us ready for college. Students are forced into resume builders and countless volunteer hours as early as ninth grade. This early focus on college forces students into all AP class schedules and rigorous course load from the very beginning of their high school career. Oftentimes, unless there are very committed incoming high school students who can handle a heavy course load for four years, students try to “front load” their rigorous course work and get it over with during their first two or three years. They want to “just get by” their junior and senior years after college application season is over. This idea of getting things out of the way and over with just to enjoy senior year is not as practical as it sounds. Colleges tend to look for students who have well-rounded backgrounds and students who look to build upon their accomplishments and continue to grow, not students who worked hard and then just “got by.” Although this idea of getting off to a fast start and getting students into advanced classes is promoted by many, ACHS senior Eston Iman feels differently. “I feel like your first two years of high school you shouldn’t have to worry about AP classes and volunteering,”

Iman said. “High school is new and different and especially during the beginning you are maturing and may not even be ready for the AP course work. I really wish there was more emphasis on your grades, activities and volunteer hours in the later part of you high school career. ” However, the problem is that not many think this way; for many it’s all about being first and staying ahead of all the other students which could eventually lead to students burning out or deciding they’ve done enough and now it is time to relax. Many do not really see the importance in their senior year, but the difference between a non-productive and productive senior could the be the difference between being accepted or waitlisted at their dream school. The trick is to pace yourself. It is not about where you start, but rather, where you finish. “I’m not the same student or person I was four years ago when I started high school and honestly, I feel like colleges shouldn’t be making their decisions on my acceptance off who I was three and four years ago,” Iman said. “It should be based off the person and student that I am today.” In light of everything, AP classes are good when done right and there are many steps students can take to maximize efficiency when taking on AP classes. Some of these steps include only taking courses that will actually benefit you in college, only taking the AP test on courses you know you have a chance to pass and pacing yourself with classes, activities and volunteer hours over your high school career. If students can keep these in mind, it will only lead to better academic success in high school and greater opportunities for the future. TT

“I am so fortunate to have gone to Antioch,” Hart said. “I have learned so much here and have grown a lot as a person in these halls.”

PHOTO // NATASHA REID

18 Tom Tom Seniors 2017

SO CLOSE YOU CAN TASTE IT

DONOVAN SANCHEZ // SENIOR

MEDICALLY SIDELINED Senior Donovan Sanchez played soccer up until sophomore year, where he was then fored to stop because of a blood disorder.

1. When something is very close to happening. DYLAN HEBIOR // Social Media Director PHOTO // NATASHA REID

t is that time of the year again. Seniors all throughout Antioch Community High School are walking around, checking the “ABC Countdown” each day, waiting anxiously for the letter Z to finally arrive. As everyone is finishing up with their college, career or military decisions, there is one question wrestling around in a majority of senior’s minds: why does any of this work matter if I am already all set to go to college? “Everything I do feels pointless at this point,” senior Olivia Szwajkoski said. She will be attending the College of Lake County this upcoming fall and, like most seniors, she is ready to graduate. “I feel like the end of this semester is taking years, and I just want to get out,” Szwajkoski said. Senior David Lonski will be attending the Milwaukee School of Engineering, and like Szwajkoski, he is also ready to graduate. “[School at the end of senior year] is boring, none of it feels like it matters anymore,” Lonski said. The common trend among the current senior class of ACHS is a feeling of anxiousness and excitement. When that final bell rings on May 17, a breath of relief will rain over the seniors of ACHS. No more being tardy to class, no more

needing a pass to go to the bathroom and no more feeling like a little kid. It is time for everybody to experience life as young adults. Although it may not seem like it, the high school academic experience that everyone has received has all been an effort to prepare for the high leveled standards set by community colleges and universities. Being successful is what the past four years of high school has been all about. As everyone begins to think back on all the experiences they have had in high school, they will be able to transfer what they have learned to help them in the future. “Throughout high school I really feel like I have grown as person,” Szwajkoski said. “If I were to look at myself from freshman to senior year personality wise, I wouldn’t even recognize myself.” Once the letter Z strikes in the ABC Countdown, students will officially be able to say that they are all set to graduate from ACHS. The future, which once felt extremely far away, will finally be the present. From going to school with peers for 10+ years, it is finally time for the class of 2017 to part ways, and time for everyone to become their own individual person. TT

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I feel like the end of this semester is taking years, and I just want to get out .

“[Soccer] meant the world to me and still does.” Sanchez said. Although he has been told he is not able to play at the high school level, he still loves to play the game for fun. “To me it’s the best way to pass time with friends becasue it’s competitive but fun and there are so many ways to play it,” Sanchez said.

The “S” Issue

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Seniors 2017

SINCERELY YOURS, the class of twenty-seventeen

1. Written formula for ending a letter. JOHN HOWE // Public Relations Director BENJAMIN GUTKE // Department Editor

JENNA FRYE // SENIOR

THE FUTURE DR. FRYE Senior Jenna Frye has been attending ACHS since her freshman year and looks forward to graduation and moving on to the next chapter of her life. Frye has been very involved throughout high school, with being in various clubs such as National Honor Society, Math Honor Society and was on the cheer team for two years. Outside of school, Frye has also done some fascinating activities, such as going skydiving or spending her weekends working at the Gym Zone. Frye will be attending Bradley University.

ver the past four years, teachers have often times commented on the poor behavior of the class of 2017, but in reality, we have atleast had some remarkable athletic achievements. Achievements people will remember for many years to come. This past fall, the football team has been able to do the unthinkable; they went undefeated in the regular season and win the first ever Northern Lake County Conference championship, which included honorable wins against rival Lakes Community High School and Grayslake North High School. Senior Brandon Lind had the honor of being a captain to this memorable team, along with being an All-Area football player and an All-State academic student. “I think that at least for a few years people will remember that we won the first NLCC championship and were able to go 9-0,” Lind said. Few people know that as freshmen, the football team won only three games. Lind thinks that the biggest change from then until now is the leadership and lack of injuries. The winter was another season to not forget about for a long time to come. Senior Patrick Schoenfelder won the state championship for wrestling, the Varsity cheer team placed fourth in state, girls Varsity basketball won their sectional and the boys Varsity basketball team also won their

second regional championship. Senior Reece Eldridge has had the joy of winning the title two years in a row. “It’s really special how we had five seniors on the team who got a majority of the playing time,” Eldridge said. “And to have them have the honor of winning two regional championships is really cool.” Eldridge continues to say that has a freshman he did not hope for much for the future of his own and the team’s high school career, but he and the team have exceeded expectations of Antioch basketball and hopes to see the program do nothing but grow. Once spring comes around, the ACHS softball team seeks to win the regional title, yet again. Senior Hannah Cook has been on the Varsity team since her freshman year. She believes they had a bit of a rough start in the beginning of her high school career. “Starting freshman year, we were able to do a lot more than people expected, such as winning regionals,” Cook said. Cook and the rest of the seniors hope that the future softball players remember them by their competitiveness and leadership, and build off of those qualities to continue making the ACHS softball team the powerhouse in the conference that it is today. Although many teachers do not have the best relationships with the class of 2017, there is still much they will remember about the seniors. Through the years the class has had many ups and downs, as any class does, but the class of 2017 will go down as a tremendous year for the Sequoits athletic teams. Sincerely yours, the class of 2017. TT

“I’m extremely excited to be attending Bradley University where I will get my doctorate and eventually become a physical therapist,” Frye said. BY JOHN HOWE

In a nail-biting rivalry game against Lakes, regulation ended and the game was tied 2-2 and was sent to penalty kicks. Senior Cody Matonik scored the final goal to secure the 5-4 victory.

20 Tom Tom Seniors 2017

What could have been an opportunity to rest after placing second in last year’s state tournament, Schoenfelder seized the opportunity of his senior year and brought home the championship. Being the first IHSA State Championship in school history, Schoenfelder has left his mark forever as a Sequoit wrestler.

After many disappointing seasons with high hopes, the Sequoits steamrolled through the beginning of the season until facing rival Lakes with a narrow victory of 14-7. In the first round of the playoffs the boys had a thrilling comeback win against conference foe Wauconda, winning 2928. Sadly, the Sequoits were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs by Dekalb.

SYDNEY MORROW // SENIOR

THE THESPIAN Sydney Morrow moved to Antioch and began going to school at ACHS halfway through her freshman year. Morrow has since been involved in multiple plays, including being the lead performer in the play “And Then There Were None,” which she believes is her favorite memory at ACHS. Morrow has been involved with the speech team throughout high school and played softball as a sophomore. She is excited for her future endeavors. “I decided to go to Gateway Technical Institute for a teaching program, and getting an apartment with my lovely boyfriend, Devan Babcock,” Morrow said. Two of Morrows talents are bending her thumb all the way back on her hand and rollerblading.

Girls basketball at Antioch has become a dynasty these past four years at the helm of the Reiser twins as well as senior Erika Gallimore, reaching their second super sectional. The girls capped a successful four years with four conference and regional championships followed by two sectional championships.

BY BENJAMIN GUTKE Successful traditions were continued and even taken to a new level during the competitive cheerleading season. With arly season victories at both Belvidere High School as well as Stagg High School, the girls secured an amazing accomplishment by placing fourth at the state competition in the medium division.

The “S” Issue

Seniors 2017

SHARP AS A TACK

QUINTON HENEY // SENIOR

THE PREGNANT CAT Quinton Heney, an active member of Model UN, loves being a Sequoit because of the lessons and relationships he can use after high school and in his working future. “I love being a Sequoit because I’ve gotten a lot of connections to this school,” Heney said. “There’s a lot of people who know a lot of other people that I can use to make volunteer connections, work and extracurriculars.” Although Heney didn’t push himself academically until later on in his high school career, he learned how to thrive.

1. Very smart or quickwitted. CHRISTINA MICHAELS // Tom Tom Staff PHOTO // NATASHA REID

o put into perspective as to just how intelligent and hardworking senior Stanley Liu is, this past semester he attained a 4.7 cumulative GPA and was able to uphold a 4.66 GPA for the past three years. As for his ACT score, he was able to achieve a nearly perfect score of 35. In other words, Liu may just be a wicked genius that will leave a deep academic footprint in the soil of Antioch Community High School; he has attained a legacy that will be hard to top. In the eyes of most students at ACHS, Liu was the quiet student that attended only the most prestigious and challenging classes that the school has to offer. To an outsider of who Liu truly is, they would see him as being a student that, when he did speak in class, only projected the best, top-notch answers and disputed unique ideas that bewildered his peer’s craniums. “If my peers were to describe me, I’d prefer the epithets of loyal or honest,” Liu said. “I always try to be a good friend, but I will never flatter anybody. On the other hand, any praise I provide will always be completely sincere.” While Liu is academically wise and has been impeccably triumphant in his four years as a Sequoit, this does not mean that he has not had to face forms of adversity or setbacks. In fact, some dilemmas have been so challenging to the point where they completely altered Liu’s plans for his future. Liu was determined to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. According to MIT admissions, “The acceptance rate at MIT is 8 percent. In other words, of 100

“I pretty much didn’t try during my first two years, and then I somehow kicked myself in the ass and got back to it,” Heney said. “My favorite memory was probably getting a good enough grade in anatomy to get to dissect a pregnant cat.” In the fall, Heney will be attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison.” BY LAURYN HUGENER

22 Tom Tom Seniors 2017

students who apply, only eight are admitted. This means the school is very selective.” Liu took this challenge head on by applying for early action. Dolefully, Liu’s application was deferred and then denied. Luckily, after most calamities, new beginnings began to surface. Liu committed to the University of Minnesota at Twin Cities. According to PrepScholar, “The admission rate for the University of Minnesota is 45 percent.” At the University of Minnesota, Liu will be majoring in chemical engineering. In his chosen major, the University of Minnesota is ranked as No. 4, behind Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cal-Tech and Stanford. In addition, the University of Minnesota has confirmed Liu’s scholarship of $20,000 a year for all four years. “I’m looking at taking a second major of biology, enough courses to qualify me for med school, and maybe a minor of political science or something along those lines,” Liu said. “It’s a world of possibilities out there.” It is evident that Liu has made a name for himself inside of the classroom, but who is Liu outside of the classroom? While Liu may seem like an introvert and an intellect that upholds many pondering thoughts inside of his head, he truly is an approachable, humorous and intriguing person. Liu also has many hobbies and interests as well. “First and foremost, I love to read,” Liu said. “I also hang out with friends, and like to explore new places/parks/etc. I think I’ve gone on upwards of 50 flights in my lifetime.” Liu, to outsiders, is the student that is persistently listening and always projecting intellectual comments during lessons. But to his friends, Liu is much more than a super genius. He has had to go through a lot and do a lot to get where he is today. Liu truthfully is the sharpest tack of them all. TT

SNOWBALL’S CHANCE IN HELL 1. Small chance of getting what you want.

MICHAEL KENNEDY // SENIOR

EMILY HOLMES // Tom Tom Staff

ollege. Something that has been drilled into the heads of most kids from the time that they could walk. Going to college and having the resources to be able to go to college is fairly normal in most middle and upper-class households. However, that is not the case in all of these households. Things come up and life becomes complicated at times, and sometimes, dreams are put on hold because of that. Senior Desiree Davis has not always had the best luck and has had to really work for her dreams. Ever since she was little, Davis knew that she wanted to go to college and get the opportunities that both of her parents were not able to receive. “Both my parents didn’t go to college and they always regretted it,” Davis said. Even with this dream in her back pocket, she knew that it was not going to be easy. Financially, college is difficult to pay for. This is especially true in a one-parent household. Counselor Kelly Lindgren has been at Davis’ side since freshman year to help Davis with life inside and outside of the classroom, especially when it became college time. “There wasn’t and there’s just not the resources,” Lindgren said. “Yes, there is financial aid, but to be able go to college without $100,000 of debt is hard. Anybody can go to college, but to get the scholarship that she got and to watch her be successful that way is awesome.” Davis was a Questbridge finalist this year, which meant that she was up for a full-ride scholarship to one of 36 of the top universities and colleges in the country including the University of Southern California, Stanford and Yale. Davis ended up winning a partial scholarship to University of Southern California in hopes of becoming a lawyer. Throughout this whole experience, Davis learned that in life, everybody is faced with challenges, but it is all about how people overcome those challenges. “I just kind of surrounded myself with my friends and I always tried to go out and be busy so that I didn’t really have to be at home home thinking about it and dealing with it and that helped me a lot,” Davis said. Davis has been able to return the favor by impacting those around her, like Lindgren and senior Emma Miller. When Miller met Davis freshman year, they were both different people than they are today and have helped each other grow this past year especially.

LESSONS LEARNED

of USC University rnia Southern Califo S IR E E D A V IS , D E

STUDENT

ILLUSTRATION // CHLOE MORITZ

“I feel like Desi has grown more as a person,” Miller said. “Not only in athletic ability and her confidence, but she handles situations differently. Desi has taught me some lessons. She’s taught me how to be nicer to people and she’s also taught me how to stand up for myself more, in a more nice way instead of just blurting out whatever comes to mind.” Davis was able to break the stereotypes and reach her goals of going to a top university with the help of Miller, Lindgren and many others throughout the years. “It’s inspirational and I feel like if she can do it, other students can do it,” Lindgren said. “Sometimes they look at Desi, who is a cheerleader and does really well in school, and you think that everything’s easy or something but it’s so the opposite of that for her.” Although Davis’ resources were very limited when trying to go to college, she defied all odds and is getting the education and experience that she has worked so hard for over the years. TT

Senior Michael Kennedy has been able to learn a lot in his four years here at ACHS, from going to sporting events and interacting with new people to learning valuable life lessons. “My favorite part of high school was being able to meet new people and become friends with people I never would have thought I would be friends with,” Kennedy said. Kennedy has learned that in order to avoid the hassle of making up work at a later date, it is very important to actually show up to class. “Come to school,” Kennedy said. “Making up the work later and trying to catch up is never fun and it is very stressful towards the end of the year.” Whether Kennedy was sitting silently in class or hanging out with his friends after school, he was sure to enjoy all that ACHS has to offer and is glad that he did not let these last four years pass him by. BY EMILY HOLMES

The “S” Issue

Seniors 2017

SHORT END OF THE STICK

taking the spots,” senior James Tognarelli said. “I get [to] the school at 7:20, so I always park in the back. But sometimes I park in the staff and go to the office and get a pass because all the juniors and sophomores are taking the spots.” CHLOE MORITZ // Tom Tom Staff According to students, the parking lot is becoming so cramped that not everyone can fit into the student lot. This ILLUSTRATION// CHLOE MORITZ is mostly an issue for seniors who have waited for this right he last days and still can not park in the of the school upper lot. year are finalAntioch Community Another privilege that ly here, and seniors has recently changed is the High School are now reflecting school pass system. Prior District 117 on the fond memto this change, students ories they shared still had to use their passM AR C GI LLESPI E these past few years books as passes, but once together. For the they became a senior, they seniors, they get to 2016-2017 were able to use their IDs. experience tradiNow, seniors are no longer tions like toga day, allowed to use their IDs, ABC countdown and they must use the passSENIOR the senior picnic; all book. of the special privi“I believe that it is a privleges people get to ilege for the seniors to be participate in their able to use IDs as passes,” senior year. While senior Marc Gillespie said. Antioch Community these are the mo“I remember looking forHigh School ments people will ward to this as an undercherish forever, it District 117 classman, and to have this also causes seniors taken away is a big disapR AE AN N LEI ST to look back at pointment.” some of the tradi This shows that, yet tions that have not again, these changes have 2016-2017 made it to present not been in favor of seday. Traditions like nior privileges. Yet, these upper lot parking changes most likely have for only seniors and some reasoning behind SENIOR any few juniors and them. how seniors used “I see where they’re comto use their IDs as ing from, you don’t have a passes have faded teacher’s signature,” senior Antioch Community away, and in ways RaeAnn Leist said. “One High School have affected cerkid could just be roaming tain seniors. around the halls and be District 117 For a teen, getting like ‘Oh yeah I have my ID, J AM E S T O GN A R ELLI his or her license I have permission to be out is the best feeling. of class.’ That’s where the It gives teens more inconsistencies come from. 2016-2017 freedom to hang Would the teacher know in with friends and alcase of an emergency?” lows them to drive With this in mind, there to school every day. are certain reasons as to SENIOR But with this freewhy these changes have dom also comes occurred. conflict. Since so “The IDs are still there, many students drive to school, both the upper and lower but I feel seniors get confused with what they are intended lots become packed with cars, especially the upper lot. The for,” Student Dean Wilbur Borrero said. “Their use was for upper lot used to be a lot for only seniors, along with some hall and bathroom passes, but students started using them juniors, to park in as an upperclassmen privilege. But as the as excuses to come in late to class.” years have gone by, it has become an area where all stuWith these new changes, the seniors just have to accept dents can park. This change has left many willing to express getting the short end of the stick. TT their strong opinions. “For right now, all [of] the juniors and sophomores are

1. When something is not fair and not in your favor.

RACHEL CARON // SENIOR

JOURNEY ON

The end of the year is finally here, and now is the time to reflect on the memories shared together. Memories such as that awesome winning moment at a sports game, or the dances shared with your date or friends at prom. Not to mention all the great relationships created with the teachers here at school, and how it is finally time to say goodbye. For seniors, this year ends up being the most memorable especially for senior Rachel Caron. “Adventure education will always be my favorite class,” Caron said. “It taught me a lot of handson skills that I never would have learned, and truly will never forget.” It is all of these moments that will stay with people, and take with them on the journey that lies ahead. BY CHLOE MORITZ

24 Tom Tom Seniors 2017

SPITTING IMAGE JERRET RINGLER // SENIOR

1.The exact double of another person or thing.

PERFECT PITCH

MEGAN HELGESEN // Social Media Director

Jerret Ringler believes there are many elements that make his time at Antioch special, the hours spent with the fine arts department has made his overall experiences unforgettable.

t’s like looking in a mirror and seeing an exact replica of oneself, but knowing there is so much more. It’s knowing that behind that mirror image is a different person. The mirror image, that exact replica, is a symbol for twins. Twins that have grown up together, attended school together, played sports together, yet together they are not one; together they are two different people with different futures and dreams. Seniors Anthony and Nicholas Farino sure know what it feels like to be looked at as one, when they are truly two. Being a twin is hard; the Farino brothers can attest to that in a second. But for 12 school years, they have learned to stay true to themselves. “I definitely feel like we are constantly compared to each other,” Anthony said. “But truthfully, we are both very different. It becomes very obvious once you start having a conversation with Nick.” A mirror image, an exact replica. But, everything is not always what it seems. There is power and passion behind both of their eyes, drive and desire within their brains, and love and empathy within their hearts. Life has room for both of them, and for both of their successes. “To be honest, going to the same school with Anthony has made the transition to school a lot easier,” Nicholas said. “There are so many advantages to having a brother in the same classes as you. I can ask for help if I don’t understand something, get an opinion on a project, and so much more.” They have benefitted from this so much so that they have both decided to continue this teamwork at the University of Iowa next year. This will not only help academically and socially, but also financially. According to Cappex, a lot of colleges

PHOTO // NATASHA REID

give discounts to students who attend the same school as their siblings, making it easier on their debt. They are a teammate, a friend and a brother to the other. But what they are not to one another is a mirror image or an exact replica. They are not a spitting image, maybe figuratively, but never literally. They are so much more, and it can’t be stressed enough. “I feel like I will be treated a bit differently in college,” Nicholas said. “Considering we will be involved in different activities and classes, we won’t be around the same people at all times. In result, there won’t be as much comparing.” Nicholas has high hopes for his future and plans to do some type of engineering in the University of Iowa’s College of Engineering. He’s most excited to be in the BIG TEN atmosphere, but knows he is going to miss his family a lot. Although this may be true, he is grateful to have Anthony by his side as his roommate for the next few years. “I want to make an effort of branching out and having another friend group to where I have my own portion of solidarity,” Anthony said. Anthony doesn’t plan to change much around other than taking studies a little more seriously because of his double major in computer science and engineering. Luckily, they will both be down the same path, so they can work together and get help just like they have for the past 12 years. What was said to be a mirror image is no longer that; it’s more than that. Everyone is their own. Everyone has their own potential. Every single human being deserves to be their own, separate from another. Nicholas and Anthony prove that. They prove that there is more. They prove there is more behind every spitting image. TT

“There are a lot of favorite memories, but if I had to pick one, it would be being a part of a capella choir,” Ringler said. As a member of a capella choir, Ringler brings special talents to the class. People know him as a strong singer in the tenor section, but a unique quality he has is perfect pitch. As a characteristic that one is born with, perfect pitch can be worked towards, but needs talent to be truly mastered. “I just loved music and started singing,” Ringler said. “I then found I could match pitches and notes on demand.” Ringler is also a part of jazz band, HarMeny and the spring musicals. “It’s sad to leave, but I hope to do more music in the future,” Ringler said. BY RACHEL BECKMAN

The “S” Issue

Seniors 2017

SWEEP IT UNDER THE RUG 1. To hide something.

ASHLEY REISER // Tom Tom Staff

BEYOND THE BRAIN Not many people know that Alexandra Comer loves to run long distances in her free time, preferably at sunrise; it’s her way of unplugging from the world. “If I am not running in my free time, I always enjoy watching neurology lectures on YouTube, or documentaries on psychology,” Comer said. She loves psychology, and “is incredibly fascinated with the anatomy of the human brain.” Comer likes to take advantage and dig deeper into the topics outside of the classroom. Her ultimate life goal is to help people; she wants to impact as many people as she possibly can, and she wants to help others reach their fullest potentials in times of hardships. Her one purpose in life is to help people and she wants to help other people reach their own version of identity fulfillment. BY CHLOE MORITZ

26 Tom Tom Seniors 2017

parents, at least mine, are much more understanding if you tell them the truth,” Jane said. Jane used to deceive her parents a lot more in the past, but since she has aged throughout the years, she has opened up more and tries to always tell them the truth. “In some instances, if I know my parents will say no to something that I would like to partake in, then I would concoct an elaborate plan that involves my friends in order to be able to sneak behind the backs of my parents,” Jane said. “Throughout all the mistakes I have made, my parents always seem to find it in their hearts to forgive me,” Jane said. She now has a really good relationship with her parents. They get along really well and she even likes spending her free time with them. “Yes, we have our moments and argue occasionally, but I am positive that would never ruin our relationship we have with one another,” Jane said. Jane had learned one of the most valuable lessons. “Ultimately, I think one of the most important lessons I have learned throughout high school is that you should always tell the truth,” Jane said. “No matter what the circumstance, the truth is always better than an elaborate lie.” At the end of the day, the truth will always prevail. No matter the consequence, telling the truth to one’s parents will result in a better relationship, less stress, and a happier lifestyle, not only for oneself, but for one’s parents as well. TT

“

What they were most disappointed in though, out of ever ything that happened, was that I had lied to them.

“

ALEXANDRA COMER // SENIOR

ie after lie after lie, Jane, whose name has been changed for anonymity, could feel an uncontrollable amount of deception in the room. “The air was thin, almost unbearably thin,” Jane said. All of the anxiety was building up and led up to when Jane had to come home to her mom or dad after they caught her “red handed,” doing something she was not supposed to be doing. Jane would hardly ever speak the truth to her parents last summer. It greatly affected they way she would talk and act around them. “Most of the lies would consist of where my location would be, but other than that, and the happenings that came along with that, I often spoke the truth,” Jane said. “I’m not sure they believe me all the time so much anymore.” Last summer was the one time Jane got in deep trouble after she lied to her parents about her whereabouts. Jane told them she was spending the night at a friend’s house, but really she went to a completely different place. A place where there would be underaged children consuming alcohol and participating in other illegal activities. That night, Jane’s parents found out in the worst way possible; they received a phone call from the Antioch Police Department. Jane described the emotions that night as the worst feeling she has ever felt: her stomach formed knots, she felt so ashamed and she could hardly look at her parents when they showed up at the station to pick her up. “The worst part is, I knew that what I had done was wrong; however, I knew if allowed, I would do the same thing over again,” Jane said. The night had turned into early morning and she knew that was the last thing her parents wanted to deal with. Not only was she up past curfew, but she had received a drinking ticket that night. “They were so disappointed in me, I had never seen them as disappointed as that night,” Jane said. “What they were most disappointed in though, out of everything that happened, was that I had lied to them. They were extremely upset, but not about the ticket. I was surprised at the way they acted in the situation. They handled it much better than I had expected. The disappointment in their eyes, however, is something I could not handle ever again.” According to an article in “The Washington Post,” “Does your teen lie? Maybe. Probably. More than likely. Research suggests that on at least one important matter last year, you were not told the truth by your teen. In a small study, 82 percent of teens admitted to lying to their parents in the previous year.” As the days went on, Jane was able to reflect upon what had happened that night. “One very valuable lesson I learned that night was that

PHOTO // NATASHA REID

ALEKSEI KUVSHINIKOV // SENIOR

THE RUSSIAN CZAR Senior Aleksei Kuvshinikov has had a relatively normal high school experience, except for one defining fact: he’s from Russia.

PHOTO // WILLIAM BECKER

STRAIGHT AS AN ARROW 1. Someone who does not drink or do drugs. ANNE WAGNER // Tom Tom Staff

eer pressure plays a particularly large role in the lives of most high school students. Most of the time, it contains a negative connotation. The most prevalent pressures conflicting high school students tend to be choosing whether or not to study for a test, deciding whether to do their homework or take the zero, or determining whether to say yes or no to doing drugs or drinking alcohol. According to WebMD and the National Institute of Drug Abuse, “71 percent of teens have tried alcohol by the end of high school, far fewer drink to get drunk. 22.9 percent of 12th graders have tried marijuana.” Senior Amy Reiser, however, is not a part of those percentages. Reiser has stayed drug and alcohol free throughout her high school career and plans on abstaining from them throughout college as well. “I have abstained from drugs and alcohol because it just does not inter-

est me,” Reiser said. “I like having fun by being active and doing things like sports. Plus, I have always been serious about playing basketball in college and I have heard numerous stories where kids have lost their scholarships and amazing opportunities because of alcohol and drugs, so I have stayed away.” Reiser has been playing basketball since she was seven years old and will be playing for the basketball team at Milwaukee School of Engineering starting in the fall of 2017. She believes that the choices that she has made throughout high school have gotten her to this point, and does not regret any decisions that she has made. In college, she plans on making friends similar to the ones she has now, whom she gives credit to for making it a little bit easier to abstain from drugs and alcohol. “I have stayed away from peer pressure by having friends who are like me and are also not really into drugs or alcohol either,” Reiser said. “I may have friends in college who drink because most kids do, but I will make sure that the friends I have do not pressure me into joining.”

Most parents play a major role in shaping the way their children behave when they’re not around, and Reiser’s parents are no different. “I would never ever want to disappoint my parents and I know that doing drugs or alcohol and sneaking around their backs would, so I don’t do it,” Reiser said. On the other hand, some seniors believe that being exposed to drugs and alcohol now will benefit them in the future when they are surrounded by completely different people in a completely different atmosphere. “I respect people’s decisions to abide by the rules, however, in the real world, it will become more daunting because they do not have any experience,” senior Kathy, whose name has been changed for anonymity, said. “In life, I really do believe that there should not be any regrets, only lessons learned. As long as I can learn from the poor decisions that I have made then I should not regret anything.” Staying away from all of the pressures throughout high school and college can be tough, but for Reiser it is not. Sometimes all it takes is staying true to morals, and just saying no. TT

During high school, Kuvshinikov played soccer, but the most defining part of his experience began in the beginning. “[My most interesting memory] was probably getting through my first day of high school here,” Kuvshinikov said. “I felt really accomplished, because it was a completely new environment from middle school to high school.” During the last four years, Kuvshinikov has developed lifelong relationships that have stemmed within the ACHS walls. “My favorite thing about being a Sequoit is the friendships you make here,” Kuvshinikov said. BY LAURYN HUGENER

The “S” Issue

Seniors 2017

SENSORY OVERLOAD

SAVANNAH HALLETT // SENIOR

AN UNFORGETTABLE TRIP For senior Savannah Hallett, the memory she will always keep from high school is the trip she took with the school to Peru, the summer during her junior and senior year. The reason she will remember this trip the most is because of how it changed her view of the world. She saw the differences between how she lives and how people in other countries live. But, the biggest impact for her was going to a rural area and visiting a school that was being built. For her seeing the school made her rethink how she treats people. “I think seeing [the school] taught me to be nicer to people because you don’t know what they’ve gone through,” Hallett said. Hallett is excited to carry this and many other lessons she has learned from high school into the rest of her life. BY ABIGAIL RUSSELL

PHOTO // NATASHA REID

1. A lot happening all at once. ABIGAIL RUSSELL // Department Editor

ife changes quickly; just four short years ago the current senior class was entering high school. Now they are leaving: entering the workforce, going into the military or going to college. With their new paths ahead of them, the seniors will have completely new lives. This change can be exciting, relieving, nerve wracking and terrifying. These fears can be specific or generalized. Some are just myths or an actual concern. The class of 2017 faces all of these fears. These fears range from having to stay up all night studying, to not being able to make friends. For a large percent of seniors, going to college can be an overwhelming experience. For senior Julia Bucci, she will embark on her college journey at Western Michigan University. The big-

28 Tom Tom Seniors 2017

gest fear she has is that this school was not the proper choice. “I’m afraid that I will start school and realize I want to go to a different college [or that] I will be unhappy with the campus or the professors,” Bucci said. “I don’t want to regret my choice for college.” For senior Skyler Searle, she will face the challenges of going to school at the University of Arizona. According to Searle, she just wanted something different from Antioch, so being far away is not something for her to fear. Her biggest fear has to do with her future roommate. “I fear not liking or not getting along with my roommate,” Searle said. Searle fears that if she’s with a bad roommate, she will not be able to move out. Searle finds the unknown

of it scary. “People can be really terrible and I’d have to live with them still,” Searle said. For senior Christiana Buchino, she decided to stay home for her first two years of school. “I can get my general education classes out of the way and it really matters where you finish, not where you start,” Buchino said. Despite this confidence for her first few years, Buchino still faces overwhelming fears. For her, the biggest fear is losing high school friends. “Even though we are all going separate ways and moving on in our own lives, I won’t get to see all of the people that I have become really close with over the years,” Buchino said. With their lives completely changing, ACHS class of 2017 is facing fears like never before, but they are prepared for this new chapter. TT

STICKS AND STONES MAY BREAK MY BONES, BUT WORDS CAN NEVER HURT ME 1. Calling someone names won’t physically hurt them. ALEXANDER RUANO // Department Editor

omeone’s past is a vast wonderland full of memories, shocking secrets, embarrassing truths and brutal regrets. Although the past may not always be full of butterflies and rainbows, it is important to reflect on the hard times in order to truly become stronger. However, this cliche doesn’t mean “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” No, this is much, much bigger than that. At some point in life, one is told the same phrase over and over again, as if just saying a simple phrase will make all the bullying problems go away. Like it or not, schools are full of bullies, teasers and people who say dumb things. The last few generations grew up to deal with these taunting peers in one simple way. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. Senior Alexis Garcia Fier has been brave enough to reflect upon her middle school days and share her experience. She has the courage to speak up about her bullies and use the experience to move forward, bones and soul unbroken. “When I was in middle school, I used to stay after in order to work more and get everything done.” Fier said. “There were these two individuals who called me names and taunted me for being hispanic.” Unfortunately, school grounds are not the commercial, perfect places our society has shaped them to become. Fier experienced taunting at a rather young age, along with receiving a reputation from her attackers, as her bullies became a daily acquaintance. The older bullies started to become more serious when they started attacking Fier’s future. “They said stuff like ‘You’re not going to live up to anything, you’re going to mow lawns your whole life’ and stereotypical taunts that made me not want to stay after anymore,” Fier said. The reasons for being bullied reported most often by students were looks (55 percent), body shape (37 percent), and race (16 percent), according to Davis and Nixon. During that time, Fier attempted to push the bullies to the back of her mind. She talked to people about her situation, but everyone said something along the lines of ‘words

cannot hurt you.’ However, for a middle school girl with her plate full of stress, Fier found herself thrown over the edge by the bullies hateful words. “One day, they said something that just struck the wrong nerve in my body and I retaliated by kicking them in the shin,” Fier said. For her retaliation, Fier got in a heap of trouble from her teacher. However, like many students, Fier was frustrated and confused. She question her teacher for punishing her and not the individuals that the teacher heard every day. When Fier told adults about her issues, they simply told her it will be okay. “Bullying is awful; unfortunately, there is a lot of it that goes on,” ACHS science teacher Elizabeth Pohlman said. “People that tell someone to get over it need to consider the fact that bullying is not just the words that are used, but actually holds a greater impact on the individual,” With the repetitive name calling and taunting, a student may find themselves used to the taunts as they evolve into friendly jokes, flirting between the line of friendship and hatred. “Over time I got used to it and would even laugh along at some,” Fier said. “But if something actually bothered me, I would feel hurt, but I couldn’t let them win by showing it.” The solution Fier found most useful was to ignore their words. Her experience was ground zero for helping herself cope with the daily jokes and taunts; a way to not take the jokes to heart when someone pokes at her race. If Fier knows the person is joking, she will jump in and joke around with them. Even when the person is being mean, Fier does not retaliate with violence. Truth be told, words do hurt, but how one reacts to those words is all that really matters. Fier did not let hurtful taunts break her. “No matter what anyone says, words hurt,” Fier said. “People like to act like they don’t and they put on this masquerade and they joke around and stuff, but they could be going through more at home. So yes, words actually hurt deeper than anyone may know.” Fier was able to become a stronger person as she found her own way to cope with the pointless taunts. As a senior, she is moving on with her life and not letting other’s words break her spirit. Although she was unfortunate to experience petty harassment, Fier fought through it and now looks back on those individuals and knows she has proven them wrong. Sticks and stones can break your bones but words will always hurt. However, how you deal with those words is what shapes everything. TT

The “S” Issue

Seniors 2017

SARAH OPOLKA // SENIOR

FINDING HER PLACE Senior Sarah Opolka has been involved in volleyball throughout all four years in her career at Antioch Community High School. She has managed the boys volleyball team and was a part of the girl’s team,as well as the Sequoit Sidekicks for her four years. “Joining the Sequoit Sidekicks freshman year was one of the best decisions of my life,” Opolka said. “I have built relationships and have memories that will last a lifetime.” After high school, Opolka will be attending the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh for an intended major in psychology then transition into occupational therapy.

SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS 1. To compete at a higher level where the stakes are more important and the consequences can be more costly. LOGAN WEBER // Department Editor

BY LOGAN WEBER

30 Tom Tom Seniors 2017

here are times when athletes shine in high school, but when they get to a national level, they panic. We have quite a few students at Antioch Community High School who are intending on playing in college. Among these athletes is senior Alexa Castino, who plans on cheering at University of Illinois, and senior Patrick Schoenfelder who has recently committed to wrestle at Northern Iowa University. Selecting a college comes easy to some people while others have a tough time picking between a top few choices. For Schoenfelder, the choice was easy. “I’m a huge fan of the coach and it’s been a lifelong goal to compete for someone like him,” Schoenfelder said. “I met the guys and they were all nice, kind of like a family feel. Once I stepped on campus I knew that this was the place for me.” In high school, there are no cuts for either wrestling or cheer, but college is a completely different experience. Only the best of the best make the team at the next level because the competition is so much more skilled. Both Northern Iowa and the University of Illinois are Division I, so the level of play for these schools are the peak of the collegiate community. It takes a lot of skill to make the athletic teams at these two schools. “To make the cheer team, I had to submit a video demonstrating my skill set,” Castino said. “Based on the video, I got invited to tryouts. There were three sessions of tryouts, each followed by a cut. The coaches evaluated a cheer, the school fight song, stunting and tumbling. I made it through all three cuts and therefore made the team.” Castino will be cheering at both football and basketball games in the upcoming year. Both of these sports will be televised for the nation to watch, and the stage could not get any bigger. “Obviously the football games will be much more intense and contain much larger crowds,” Castino said. “The football and basketball games will also be broadcasted on TV

which will be much different from high school.” High school sports can not compare to the intensity of college sports. The crowds are exponentially larger, the games are always on TV, and the level of competition is the highest in the country. There is a lot to prepare for in the upcoming season, with many programs and workouts for the athletes to complete. “We have two camps over the summer and will receive a workout program to complete on our own throughout the summer in order to prepare for the upcoming season starting in the fall,” Castino said. She is beginning to focus on the cheerleading workouts and is currently focused on next season. However, Schoenfelder is currently running track, and he would much rather focus on his last high school sport than next year. “I’m currently focusing on my last season of track before I start playing for my club in the summer,” Schoenfelder said. “I have a really good club that will help me train all [through the season].” Schoenfelder has been a three sport athlete all four years in his career at Antioch, and he does not want to end his final high school season on a bad note. After the season, his focus will completely turn and he will be ready for the college wrestling season. High school sports get extremely competitive, especially rivalry games, but in college it is almost as if any game is a rivalry game. Schoenfelder is ready for the upcoming challenge. “College sports are kind of a job,” Schoenfelder said. “It is basically a lifestyle in college and it is a bigger deal than it is in high school.” The student athletes from ACHS have competed on the highest stages of high school sports and are ready to represent our school at the next level. There is no doubt that these two, along with the rest of ACHS athletes playing in college, will do big things in the next years to come. TT

LANDON KEEFOVER // SENIOR

BREAKING RECORDS Earlier this May, senior track star Landon Keefover has signed to be the number one hurdler at the University of Nebraska. He is among a few other Division I athletes that Antioch Community High School is sending to the next level. This season, he has broken school records. He is on track to making a statement this year at the IHSA State Finals track meet. “I am looking forward to running at the Division I level and improving my current times,” Keefover said. “I am excited to work with coach Pepin next year.” BY LOGAN WEBER

PHOTO // NATASHA REID

The “S” Issue

Seniors 2017

GRETCHEN WAGNER // SENIOR

FINDING HER PLACE

Wagner has changed a lot in the past four years. She used to keep to herself, but throughout high school she has found a great group of friends who she has opened up to more and realized what is important to her. “Some advice to incoming freshmen would be to get involved; there are so many opportunities and you learn so much from it,” Wagner said. Wagner plans on attending CLC for her general classes, then going to Carroll University in Wisconsin to major in English. BY ASHLEY STEPHENS

PHOTO // JR JOHNSON

SWALLOW ONE’S PRIDE 1. To set aside one’s pride so that they can fix a difficult situation. ASHLEY STEPHENS // Tom Tom Staff

or some seniors, selecting a college is not the only decision they must make. Another big decision high school seniors face that impacts them greatly is whether to continue their athletic career. There are many athletes that are good enough to play at the college level that decide not to. Many wonder why these student athletes decide to end their journey of playing the sport they have succeeded at, but in an athlete’s perspective, it is one of the toughest decisions for any athlete to make. For some athletes, it is a hard decision to decide if they should focus on academics and forget the sport they’ve played all their life and are passionate about. Playing sports in college was a tough decision for senior Erika Gallimore. Gallimore started playing basketball and volleyball in the fifth grade and continued through her senior year. Gallimore wanted to go to a big university and decided not to play a sport in college because she wanted to get settled and focus on her education. “I just decided to end my career after high school, but I don’t regret spending all my time playing sports,” Gallimore said. “It was the best high school experience of my life and taught me so many things [that] made me who I am today.” After getting used to college, she plans on trying out

32 Tom Tom Seniors 2017

for the school’s basketball team. She believes it would be a great experience and would love to continue the game. Gallimore will miss playing the game because it has been a part of her life for so many years. With a great support system, her family and friends give her encouragement to try out for the girls team in college. There are several reasons as to why athletes decide to give it all up. For many, just enjoying their college years without a commitment to sports is important. Athletes eventually get burned out from their sports, education and social life. There are many talented athletes who have played the sport for so long and committed so much time and dedication out of their daily lives, that they get to a point where they need a break and time for themselves. “When the athlete is very gifted you always wonder how good they could have been or if they knew how good they could have been,” softball coach Anthony Rocco said. “Sometimes athletes just want to enjoy college life and its experiences.” Skills do not always matter. It is what will be best for that person in the end and what will make them happy. Playing in college can be both physically and mentally exhausting for a student athlete. Just because an athlete decides not to play at the college level doesn’t mean that sports are completely taken out of their lives. Many choose intramurals or club which do not require as much commitment, but allows them to still play the sport that they love and have fun. “The best way to play a sport is to have fun and not worry about all the politics that go with it,” senior George Bessette said. TT

“

The best way to play a sport is to have fun and not worr y about all the politics that go with it .

“

Gretchen Wagner’s best memories of high school have to do with her involvement in school activities. She also enjoyed spending time with her friends who she grew closer with throughout the years. What she will miss most about high school is being so close in distance with her friends.

SAVE YOUR BREATH 1. Don’t talk because I don’t want to hear what you are saying. ALLISON SMITH // Tom Tom Staff

enior year is a year full of deadlines. At the beginning of the year, students struggle to get college applications in on time. At the end of the semester, seniors scramble to get their 5000 word I-Searches completed. On May 1, seniors have to send in their final decision on where they are going to college. This isn’t even mentioning the small deadlines along the way, like tests and projects. With strict deadlines comes a lot of stress and worry, and the big picture can often get thrown aside. At the end of the tunnel however, once college decisions are submitted and the I-Search is completed, nothing seems to be a big deal. That test that was worth 40 points in calculus class seems miniscule in comparison to the big picture. Whether the big picture means focusing on college, getting a job after class or simply living life after high school, it is all that matters in the end. Selena Rezvani, a contributor to “Forbes” magazine, wrote an article about the importance of keeping the big picture in mind. “Master your preferences: get crystal clear on what you naturally gravitate to and what gives you energy,” Rezvani wrote. What Rezvani meant by this is based around a very simple idea: do what you love and nothing else. Focus on the bigger picture, and emit anything that brings negative energy into life. Senior Elizabeth Gardner focused her last semester of high school around this exact idea. Throughout high school, Gardner spent her time making sure everything was always perfect, from her attendance record to her freshman year physics assignment. After realizing almost everyone ends up with a diploma in the end anyways, she decided to focus more of her time on having fun. This doesn’t mean she completely disregarded school, but taking a day off here or there, she realized, wouldn’t have an effect like she thought it would. “At the beginning of senior year, I realized my attendance record was almost too good,” Gardner said. “This semester, I finally got a warning in the mail about my attendance, and I was actually really proud of myself. Everyone should want to go have a ‘Ferris Bueller’ day off.” School wasn’t always this way for Gardner, though. Up until senior year, she focused most of her time on school and making sure she was involved in as many extracurriculars as she could be. In a sense, her hard work is what allowed her to step back, relax and have fun during her senior year. “If you work hard for three years, you won’t have to be stressing so much during your senior year,” Gardner said. With only days left of senior year, Gardner is focused on her big picture: enjoying every last second left of high school. After nearly completing four

WILLIAM SMITHSON// SENIOR

MAKING AN IMPACT Will Smithson will be attending the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign next year, along with eight other Antioch students, to study political science. One thing that sets Smithson apart from the normal student is his incredible musical talent. He can play guitar, bass guitar and piano, and is a part of the a capella choir, madrigals choir and jazz choir. Smithson is a co-leader of the men’s a capella group Harmeny. PHOTO // NATASHA REID

years of high school, most seniors are itching for change. Instead of desperately waiting for senior year to be over and for college to finally arrive, Gardner is relaxing and soaking in her last moments as a senior. “In every phase in life, there is something you can be enjoying,” Gardner said. “I am just trying to enjoy the things I have right now, while still being excited for what’s to come.” After years of working diligently, Gardner will be attending The University of Notre Dame in the fall. With a 19 percent acceptance rate, Notre Dame is a very selective school. According to Naviance, over the past seven years, Antioch has only had a maximum of five applicants every year and Gardner was one of the only students that has been accepted. Gardner’s hard work and dedication definitely play a role in allowing her to achieve her goals, but her positive outlook on life is what really separates her from others. As the four years of hard work come to an end, the last thing a senior wants to be is stressed. So, as the end comes near, make sure to step back and take a second to enjoy moments. Everything will come together in the end; there is no point in wasting a breath on the small things. TT

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Ever yone should want to go have a ‘Ferris Bueller’ day off.

Smithson believes that most people see him as being “apathetic,” but in reality, he is always engaged and attentive. This is perfectly exemplified in Smithson’s hard work and dedication to school, which will follow him to college. In the future, whether it be through his job or in his future family, Smithson wants to make an impact on those around him. “I plan to try to find a job in which I can make a difference,” Smithson said. BY ALLISON SMITH

The “S” Issue

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Seniors 2017

JANEAL LOWRY // SENIOR

ALL OF THE ARTS Senior Janeal Lowry has dedicated a lot of her time in high school to the fine arts, she has involved herself in multiple music groups at Antioch Community High school, including marching band, jazz band, pit orchestra, wind ensemble and orchestra. “Some of my favorite memories were marching band competitions,” Lowry said. “Especially when we went to U of I and were able to perform in front of hundreds of people.” Along with the music groups Lowry is involved in she also is a part of National Honor Society and the Tri-M Music Honor Society. Lowry joined the fine arts department on the trip to Disney World her junior year and it is one of her favorite memories. “It was so much fun to travel with my friends and make so many amazing memories,” Lowry said. After high school Lowry plans on going on a year and a half mission trip for the LDS Church. BY REBEKAH CARTLIDGE

SCARED OF HIS OWN SHADOW

1. Someone who is afraid of many things. 2. Someone who is often afraid. REBEKAH CARTLIDGE // Digital Director

ear is common; it’s a natural reaction from the body. Fear of spiders, heights, drowning and the dark are experienced by most. It’s easy to avoid these fears: kill the spiders, stay low to the ground, stay afloat and keep the lights on. Most fears can be controlled. When the fear is not being good enough, it cannot be swatted away like a spider, be avoided like heights, prevented like drowning or become brighter by a simple flick of the light switch. The fear becomes a shadow, a shadow that follows a person around forever. Spiders appear out of nowhere and disappear quickly, it’s a surprise every time one pops up without warning. A surprise is it’s own fear, the idea of something coming out of nowhere activates the fight or flight response. The reaction that they teach freshman year in health class; they were never talking about something as simple as spiders. They were talking about real life. To stay or to leave, when a person assumes they are not doing something right, or something good enough, the reaction is to leave. It’s easier to leave, just like it’s easier to leave the spider in the bathroom rather than killing it. It feels as if it is not worth taking that extra step to do something just incase it may fail. Heights affect people in different ways, someone may be scared of only being five feet off the ground, while others may only get scared of being 100 feet off the ground. There are different extremes to everything in life, climbing a ladder can get harder with each step, the higher and higher a person gets, the more the fear kicks in. It starts to become real, and that’s when it becomes scary. As students, it is encouraged to “climb the ladder to success” and not to look down. It’s easier said than done, looking down is the easiest thing to do when it feels as if everyone is watching. Success is scary, because when there is success there is people pointing out all of the flaws. The higher something gets in the air, the bigger the shadow becomes. It’s easier to take a step down rather than having the shadow become bigger with every step. Senior Nichole Harris wants to find success but realizes that the journey can be scary. “I find the journey to success scary at times because one decision can take you down so many different paths in life,” Harris said. “With success, the possibilities of getting to your goals are endless, but it’s all about pursuing it the right way. That is what gets scary at times to me.” For Harris, the idea of climbing the ladder can be exciting but there is still the fear of the unknown; the fear of being too high off the ground.

34 Tom Tom Seniors 2017

ILLUSTRATION // CHLOE MORITZ

“The idea of reaching success is very exhilarating,” Harris said. “It’s just the journey there that makes me uncertain.” Drowning is supposed to never happen. Most people learn to swim at a young age, or at the very least taught to stay away from the water. Drowning does happen but it’s not always in the water. As students, it’s common to say, “I’m drowning in homework,” or “I’m drowning in everything I have to do this weekend.” Students feel as if they are submerged by the things, or sometimes, the people around them. Senior Madison Pierce struggles with finding the silver lining in her classes. That’s when the alternative feeling of drowning kicks in, instead of water, it’s the expectations she holds for herself that she feels that she can not achieve. “It’s a feeling of being cold, claustrophobic and unable to breathe in a public setting. I can be sitting in class perfectly normal but minute by minute I slowly get more unsteady,” Pierce said. “Once a star student speaks or interacts in any way then I feel as if I’m not good enough.” Darkness is constant, the sun always sets, it gets colder and the world is quiet. The dark is the one thing that is unavoidable, the lights may be on from the inside but at the end of the day the light still runs out. A shadow, always surrounded by light yet the darkness still exists. “I believe I have a healthy sense of confidence,” Harris said. “I have faith in myself, but I know I’m not the best at everything and that’s okay.” It’s easy for students to compare themselves to everyone around them, no matter what class or what setting, a comparison will be made. The shadow has the ability to get bigger and bigger if the person allows it to. It’s never just dark however, the sun will always shine. No person is perfect, without a little bit of darkness we would never appreciate the light. TT

SHOW ME THE MONEY

1. Let me see that you are able to pay the amount in question. KYLE WHITELY // Tom Tom Staff

n the fall of 2017, many Sequoit seniors will be starting college. No matter what school someone attends, there is always one constant: how to afford it. According to College Confidential, Amherst College in 1960 had an annual tuition fee of around $1,885. In the present day, that is about equal to the cost of attendance at College of Lake County, whereas Amherst’s cost now is listed at over $60,000 per year. This poses an important question: how does one afford attending college? The most common way that students pay for college is through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, more commonly known as the FAFSA. The application factors in how much money a student’s parents make based on their tax forms. FAFSA then supplies a fraction of tuition costs in the form of a loan. The process of repaying the loan begins six months after the student finishes college. This grants students in tighter financial situations the opportunity to attend college. “In my opinion, [student loans] should be a last resort,” Rodney Fitts, a loan officer for the state of Illinois, said. “I think students and their parents who have the means and qualifications to pay for their child’s schooling should [pay]. Parents need to be educated about college tuition and save money in advance for their kids.” With college graduates struggling to find full-time jobs out of college, loans may cause financial troubles that can last a lifetime. According to StudentLoanHero, over $1.4 trillion is currently owed in student loans by

PHOTO // JOHN HOWE

Americans. Also, for the class of 2016, the average graduate has around $37,172 in student loan debts. “Student loans are not beneficial to all people,” Fitts said. “The debt can be a killer. If someone graduates without a guaranteed job, to be 30 to 50 thousand dollars in debt is not a good start. It is always better to pay cash up front. To be honest, depending on the school, my suggestion is to attend a junior or community college for two years, then transfer.” Every year, many Sequoits begin their college experience at the College of Lake County in Grayslake, Illinois. One student who is contemplating this for the upcoming year is senior Michael Maloney. “I have the choice between Western Illinois, Southern Illinois and CLC,” Maloney said. “This decision will not come easy to me and money will ultimately be what influences me the most. I think I may attend CLC for two years and try to make some money and then transfer out.” Many universities offer work-study programs, which allow students to have a job on campus where a portion of their pay goes to their fees. Senior Sam Lahti will be attending Michigan

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In my opinion, student loans should be a last resort .

State University in the fall and he said he plans to participate in one such program. “[Finances are] not that important,” Lahti said. “It’s going to be a lot but I’m going to work to pay off my debts. I want to work on campus as part of a work-study program so that it goes towards my tuition and I can also have some money for things like gas and food.” Some of the best methods for being able to attend college without breaking the bank are scholarships and grants. There are countless local and national scholarships that students can be awarded. Federal Pell Grants can be awarded to students who need assistance in paying for college. According to StudentAid, the maximum payout of a Pell Grant for the upcoming school year is $5,920. These grants will almost never cover a full tuition but they don’t have to be paid back and are recognized by every school in the country. No matter the amount, college debt will almost always look daunting. However, steps can be taken to ensure that the repayment process is quick and easy. A lot of companies offer summer internship programs which can help not only with immediate finances, but also help the students get a foot into the working world. Having a job is also beneficial because there will be money waiting to begin paying off loans if one has difficulty finding a job after graduation. TT

The “S” Issue

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Seniors 2017

SHOOTING FOR THE MOON 1. Aim high. 2. Set very high goals. HALEY EDWARDS // Social Media Director

etting goals for the future help keep a person on track and keep the bigger picture in mind. Whether these goals are short term or long term, they aid in a person’s journey to ultimately achieving what they have been dreaming of since a young age. For senior Denae Eldridge, she has set goals for herself that revolve around her passion in life: dance. At five years old, she began to discipline herself in certain aspects of life so that she could stay focused on where she wanted to end up. “I never really knew how far [dance] would take me,” Eldridge said. “But I’ve always worked really hard and have even had to miss out on certain social events, but I continued to push myself and it has ultimately given me a full tuition scholarship to the college I’m attending.” Eldridge has not only pushed herself in extracurricular aspects, but also in academics. She currently stands tied for first in the class of 2017 rank and got there by knowing what she wanted from a young age.

“One of my goals was to do really well in high school and I wanted to have the opportunity to go to whichever school I wanted to,” Eldridge said. “I never wanted to feel like I couldn’t go somewhere because my grades weren’t good enough, or my ACT score wasn’t high enough.” By having a determined mind set and setting short term goals that would lead to a long term outcome, Eldridge was able to achieve her goal. She was admitted to every college she applied to and this for her was an accomplishment. In the fall, Eldridge will attend Case Western Reserve University located in Cleveland, Ohio, where she will double major in biochemistry and dance on a premed track. Now that Eldridge has met her goal of being successful in school and staying disciplined with dance, she has set more goals for herself to achieve. Once she obtains her undergraduate degree, she knows she wants to attend graduate school soon after, whether it be medical school or just regular graduate school. Her ultimate goal is to be-

come an orthopedic doctor and work with dancers and other athletes in the recovery process from injury. “I want to achieve these goals because I will find fulfillment in accomplishing these things I’ve been dreaming about for so long,” Eldridge said. “I just want to feel successful and be like ‘wow, I finally did it after so long.’ ” Similar to Eldridge, senior Morgan Balleza has set and achieved some high goals herself. Like Eldridge, she too is a dancer but intends on majoring in astronomy at San Diego State University in San Diego, California. After college, she has goals to go into a field pertaining to astrological research and has her eyes focused with NASA. “I actually started having these goals about college and my major this year,” Balleza said. “Once I realized what I wanted to do though I began to plan for the future and set goals to obtain my ultimate goal.” Although Balleza was not sure about her specific college and career goals until recently, she still made sure to stay determined and focused in on smaller goals that would eventually lead her to achieving her dream ideal for her

ILLUSTRATION // HALEY EDWARDS

36 Tom Tom Seniors 2017

PHOTO // HALEY EDWARDS

future. Balleza mentioned how she has worked hard to keep her grades up and how she has even looked into internship positions that she could take up after college. At the age of eight, Balleza set a goal for herself to become a member of the Aspire Dance Company located at Center Stage Dance Studio in Bloomingdale, Illinois. Six years later she was able to achieve that goal. “I was surprised I made the team actually, but still super excited,” Balleza said. “I felt fulfilled to be able to accomplish something I worked so hard for. The feeling was so good and it made me want to set more goals and work even harder to accomplish future goals.” Now that Balleza is focused in on her future and knows she wants to study astronomy at San Diego State University, she has began to plan for after college. “I know I for sure want to get married and graduate college,” Balleza said. “Also, before I’m 30 I want to be able to own a house and have a car for myself to be able to have that sense of independence that I have always wanted. My goal is to not have to depend on anyone else for anything; I want to be stable.” People are able to shoot high and land among the stars when they keep an end goal in sight. Hard work and determination lead to success and an everlasting feeling of fulfilment. By setting short term goals that will essentially lead to a long term goal, one is able to accomplish what one has dreamed of achieving. TT

ADRIAN BLUE // SENIOR

MORE THAN DIGITS

STUFFED SHIRT 1. A person who thinks he is better than everyone else. 2. Someone who is conceited. PAIGE HOPE // Managing Editor

ewbies, babies, fresh meat. These are just a few of the many nicknames that have been coined to freshmen from none other than the upperclassmen. But the seniors that look down on their peers like this forget that they were in that spot just four short years ago. They forget how nervous they were for high school and how young and inexperienced they felt compared to the older kids. Seniors forget what it was like to be a freshman and focus on the fact that they are the top dogs and run the school. Sometimes, however, this seniority can lead to an overbearing sense of pride. Senior Brooke Menzies learned first hand just how conceited seniors can grow to be. “When I was a freshman, many of the upperclassmen often treated the underclassmen in a certain way,” Menzies said. “They often played down our abilities and shot down our ideas. Sometimes it is the underclassmen that were more responsible and hardworking, but were constantly pushed to the side by the upperclassmen.” Menzies mainly attributes this arrogance to age. She thinks that the expectations that are placed on seniors as they begin to enter adulthood often leads to treating younger students differently. “We are in a weird age where we are treated as kids but expected to act as young adults,” Menzies said. “So then kids try to act older but it often leads them to believe they are better than someone younger than them.” Because of her experiences as an underclassman, Menzies has tried to see eye to eye with her younger peers. Rather than pushing their points of view away, Menzies tries her best to accept and implement those ideas into whatever it is they are doing. By doing this, she has managed to stay humble, even during her senior year. “I appreciate what others do for me,” Menzies said. “To me, every person is a new learning experience and tool for me to use to become a better person.” But some seniors do not share Menzies’ opinions on

PHOTO // JOHN HOWE

this subject. Instead, they push away their friends and whoever else they need to in order to climb to the top of the social ladder. They involve themselves in activities that they think will help them gain popularity. And some even act like they are too good for their own hometown. “Kids think so lowly of the town they came from and they are probably just trying to find some hope that they can do better in their future,” Menzies said. “Antioch isn’t an awful place; it’s a starting point. We shouldn’t think we are better than where we started because it is where you learn everything from.” Living in a small town such as Antioch, people often overlook the perks we have here and only focus on how “awful” this place is. Senior Adam Bouker knows this may be because of the reputation that Antioch supposedly holds. “I think that Antioch has a reputation for being extremely ‘country,’” Bouker said. “Although it may not be entirely true, it comes with a stigma that is demeaning, which makes people think that almost anywhere else would be better.” A lot of seniors at Antioch see themselves as the big fish in a small pond. And according to Bouker, sometimes they are justified in their thoughts. However, they may see themselves as being the best here, but once those people get to college, they will be a small fish in a big pond once again. But it is not too late for these people to learn humility. “As they get older, they will look back and hopefully see the wrong they were in,” Menzies said. “Some still may not and live in there own fantasy world of thinking that they are better the everyone around them. In college, it will either get worse or reality will hit them and allow them to realize they are not ‘all that.’” As for these seniors that do think that they are ‘all that,’ Bouker has some words of advice. “I think that with age comes wisdom, and once you can put others before yourself, that is when you learn true humility,” Bouker said. For these seniors with stuffed shirts, it will be difficult for them to transition into being at the bottom of the food chain again. But hopefully with a little humility, they can realize that although they’ve been at the top all throughout high school, they will have to fight quite a bit harder to make a name for themselves in college. TT

To some, senior Adrian Blue may seem like the quiet kid who is always on his calculator. But those who know him know of Blue’s humor and intelligence. Blue joined the math team his freshman year as a way to get more involved in the school. He saw it as an opportunity to be an active member in the Antioch Community High School family. “I was looking for extracurriculars and math team seemed the least objectionable,” Blue said. Blue has been to math state three years. He and his teammates have enjoyed their years at state, even though they have had some weird but memorable experiences. “One time I bought milk on our way to state, and the rest of the team freaked out because apparently having milk outside of a refrigerator for half an hour leads to super-ebola or something,” Blue said. The math team will miss Blue and his crazy antics at state in the upcoming years. Blue plans to attend the University of Illinois—Urbana-Champaign in the fall to study chemistry. BY PAIGE HOPE

The “S” Issue

Seniors 2017

SKELETONS IN THE CLOSET

PHOTO // NATASHA REID

38 Tom Tom Seniors 2017

JACK CHUDZIK // SENIOR

1. A discreditable fact that someone wishes to keep secret. KRISTINA ESDALE //Editor-in-Chief

o one ever said that high school would be easy. As a matter of fact, high school can sometimes be downright haunting. Not because of teachers, or classes, or even the stressful amount of work to be completed. Being in high school changes a person. High school forces students to grow up and sometimes to even be put in undesirable situations, but life doesn’t stop on account of that. High school is the same routine every day. Wake up, do work, do more work, sleep (maybe). When students are stuck in the repetitive pattern of this daily, it’s hard to let go of the things that tend to be hidden in the closet. Those burdens are hard to shake off when kids are trapped in the same walls without the chance to start fresh. “High school has definitely brought some grossly undesirable ‘skeletons’ into my life,” senior Elysium Lynn said. “Everything drastically changed since I started high school; I was in an abusive relationship for about two years, and that gave me pretty terrible PTSD. I also developed an eating disorder.” Sometimes, these skeletons stuck with students in high school aren’t always hidden. Senior Matthew Jelinski has never been the type to keep anything out of plain sight; he is an open book. Jelinski rids of the undesired hindrances in his life by simply deciding to not have any. “I personally am willing to share anything and everything about myself, if the moment is appropriate, so I do not really have any quote unquote skeletons,” Jelinski said. “But that does not mean I do not have things that I wish I had done differently. For instance, every year of my high school career, without fail, I found some person to muse over – mostly in a romantic sense. Now, some relationships went further than others, but never more than a simple kiss. In fact, I have ever only kissed one person, and have never ac-

tually been in a relationship. I am saying this because if I could go back and start over, I would have told myself to invest less in other people.” Like most teenagers, students at ACHS don’t always wish to have everyone knowing about their personal problems. But sometimes, it isn’t healthy to hold in all of the things that are better to talk about. According to Love To Know, “The teenage years are difficult. Growing up, as Peter Pan will testify, is not for the faint of heart. Problems such as stress, self-image, and emotional control are often exacerbated by the mass hormonal maelstrom that is more commonly known as high school, making it seem like a physical and psychological obstacle course rather than a place of learning.” But luckily for the class of 2017, graduation is right around the corner. With graduation comes a new phase of the life of a young adult: college, work or even the military. The world is full of endless possibilities for this years’ seniors, and with that comes the opportunity to rid of the skeletons that have been trapped inside of their closets. “Graduating is going to help me get rid of my skeletons, and after 4 years of horror, i’m ready to move on,” Lynn said. “I’m tired of carrying around these burdens and pretending like I’m okay, and I think a fresh start in college is going to be exactly what I need.” But, moving on is easier said than done. Having a change of scenery and lifestyle will not only evoke a transformation in the student´s maturity, but also their ability to prioritize problems that are seemingly unimportant after graduation. I personally believe that change is possible, and the best avenue for change is through a fresh start,” Jelinski said. ¨Now, one should never forget the past, rather they should age from it, but there is a difference between recalling the past and rehearsing it. If you recall, you are simply basing your current decisions, whatever they may be, on your past experiences; if you rehearse, you are simply living in the past.¨ TT

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Ever ything drastically changed since I started high school.

READY FOR THE FUTURE From middle school to high school, Jack Chudzik said has changed a lot as a person. Being introduced to a lot of new people and getting close to them has made his experience more enjoyable. Chudzik said sports are his life. He played football freshman year then switched to cross country sophomore and junior year. He also ran track all three. Cross country was his favorite sport and he made his favorite memories doing it. His senior year he had surgery on his hip and he was not able to participate. In Chudzik’s opinion getting involved will lead to a lot of new opportunities and will keep studetns busy. “Make the most of it,” Chudzik said. “This is said a lot but high school does fly by. Stay close with all your friends and try to get involved.” Chudzik will be attending Northern Illinois University in the fall. He his excited to be in a different environment with new people. BY WILLIAM BECKER

The “S” Issue

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Seniors 2017

SIGNED, SEALED AND DELIVERED Map based off students who responded to school survey. CA

OHIO

NORTHERN OHIO CASE WESTERN UNIVERSITY RESERVE UNIVERSITY

Chloe Moritz COLLEGE OF WOOSTER

LIF

VAN SYL

NIA

Denae Eldridge Reece Eldridge

Grace Bouker

Dezarae Moore

Hannah Cook

COLLEGE OF LAKE COUNTY

Morgan Balleza Haley Nickles

UTAH UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY

Desiree Davis

Paige Hope

MINNESOTA Stanley Liu Helena Neumann Kara Wolf

JOHNSON AND WALES UNIVERSITY

LAFAYETTE COLLEGE

ILLINOIS

SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA TWIN CITIES

COLORADO

N PEN

MARYLAND

WINONA STATE UNIVERSITY

Nicole Peterson

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND

Lauryn Hugener

Mariel Almaria Carson Ambroso Alexandra Bargamian William Becker Alanah Bonney Adam Bouker Monica Breen BRADLEY Brandon Gsell UNIVERSITY Zak Hebior Jenna Frye Sjana Henderson Sarah Schwantner Claire Holston Kaitlin Sommerfelt Connor Kaiser John Kemmet Shania Kowalski Aleksei Kuvshinikov Aubrie Lackhouse MOODY BIBLE Quinn Landl INSTITUTE Michael Maloney Cody Matonik Rachel Beckman Gabrielle Morgret Gabrielle Mowry Ryan Olsem Emily Olson MILLIKIN UNIVERSITY Sydney Polich Connor Reynolds Marian Lafferty Sophia Ruiz Olivia Szwajkowski Abigail Tyrell Abigail Zienty NORTHEASTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY

ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY

Lauren Bowers Rebekah Cartlidge Alexandra Comer David Estrada Marc Gillespie Gabriella Hartnett Jordan Lanahan Madison Oakes Brandon Sorensen Ashley Stephens UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN

Alexa Castino Tessa Furlong Jackalyn Geraty Gregory Kane Ryan May Alexis Mordawski Justin Prinn William Smithson Logan Weber SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY AT CARBONDALE

Mallory Andre Jacob Emer Timothy Otter Alexa Spokas LINDENWOOD UNIVERSITY-BELLEVILLE

Rachel Esler

Haley Edwards

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY AT

NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY

Erika Garcia

Joshua Sidare ROBERT MORRIS UNIVERSITY

OREGON LEWIS & CLARK COLLEGE

Regan Penn

ALABAMA UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA

Nino Galante Sommer Spencer TROY UNIVERSITY

Emma Miller

40 Tom Tom Seniors 2017

Jayme Bailey Benjamin Gutke MARIO TRICOCI UNIVERSITY OF BEAUTY CULTURE

Natasha Reid

NEBRASKA

TEXAS FL

WEST TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY

IDA

Nicholas Clifton

FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY

TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY SAN MARCOS

F O T IA C RI MB T IS U AMERICAN D OL UNIVERSITY C

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA - LINCOLN

Dylan Hebior Landon Keefover

Gabrielle Kalisz

Emma DeJong

Carlie Gaylord

GERMANY

FLORIDA GULF COAST

Erika Gallimore

INDIANA BUTLER UNIVERSITY

Allison Smith

Tyler Edling

MIS

IOWA

INDIANA STATE UNIVERSITY

David Estrada

UNIVERSITY OF NOTHERN IOWA

INDIANA UNIVERSITY BLOOMINGTON

Dylan Parker Patrick Schoenfelder

Megan Helgesen UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME

Elizabeth Gardner

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

INDIANA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY

Marc Huston Margaret Ruffin Victoria Schultz

Rebecca Cleven Megan Kelly Rylie Mercer Dylan Rathbun

Karla Toman

UNIVERSITY OF IOWA

SOU

LINDENWOOD UNIVERSITY

Sean Bering Emily Bronswick Anthony Farino Nicholas Farino Nathan Nuengchana

Emily Holmes

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI

Kristina Esdale RaeAnn Leist SOUTHEASTERN MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY

Booker Grass Brooke Menzies

Y CK

WILLIAM WOODS UNIVERSITY

T EN

UNIVERSITY OF BERLIN

Madison Pierce

UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND

Jack Connelly

VIRGINIA

CARROLL UNIVERSITY

Michael Kawell UW - LA CROSSE

WISC

Savannah Hallett UW - GREEN BAY

Jillian Foote Abigail Russell

GEORGE WILLIAMS COLLEGE

RIPON COLLEGE

Brittney Zuidema

Aubry Herbon UW - EAU CLAIRE UW - PARKSIDE

Sarina Kuechle Karley Rosenquist UW - SUPERIOR

Kyle Whitely

MILWAUKEE SCHOOL OF ENGINERERING

Alexandria Gigliotti

Mallory Burns David Lonski Amy Reiser Lena Slater

UW - WHITEWATER

Haley Aldersebaes Jessica Borkowicz Colette Mendoza Kayla Spera

MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY

Angelica Bartler John Howe Collin Savage Annie Wagner

Jack Kiyohara

ONSI

CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY

Dylan Atkison

VIRGINIA TECH

UW - STEVENS POINT

Warren Sundt Danielle Tebbe

MICHIGAN

CARTHAGE COLLEGE

Stephanie Bonaguidi NORHTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY

UW - MADISON

Jenna Bork Breanna Carley Quinton Heney GATEWAY TECHNICAL COLLEGE

Diana Piskie

UW - MILWAUKEE

Alexander Ruano UW - OSHKOSH

Connor Byczek Sarah Opolka Rachel Price

ARIZONA UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA

Skyler Searle NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY

Elysium Lynn Ashley Reiser

Brandon Lind LAKE SUPERIOR STATE UNIVERSITY

Katherine Salmi WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY

Julia Bucci Jordan Hart Brenna Higgins Eston Iman

The “S” Issue

Seniors 2017

SEPARATE THE MEN FROM THE BOYS

1. Determine who is strong and who is weak. LAURYN HUGENER // Department Editor PHOTOS // NATASHA REID

MILITARY-BOUND SEQUOITS

“EXPERIENCE.”

GABRIELLA WOLSKE

I grew up in a military household. My dad, brother, sister and brother-in-law joined the Air Force. After talking to a Navy recruiter, I decided to join the Navy. One of the biggest reasons I decided to join the Navy is because of what’s going on in the world right now. A lot of people don’t think women are capable of doing lots of things, so I want to be able to prove that women can do those things. I want to see more women do what they want to do, and be the difference I want to see. I love the lifestyle that military people live--they’re really respectable and have high expectations for themselves. I hope that I can be honorable, serve my country and become an overall better person, and also gain the feeling of knowing you’re part of something bigger than you. TT

“SELFLESSNESS.”

42 Tom Tom Seniors 2017

MATTHEW JELINSKI Whenever somebody asks me what I think of myself, basically I talk about how I don’t think I’m a good person. And personally, I hate nationalism: it doesn’t make sense to have pride just because you live in a different place than somebody else. A lot of my opinions heavily clash with the military, but I’m not joining the Marine Corps for my opinions or benefits, I’m doing it for the experience. While in the Marines, I plan to get my bachelor’s degree as fast as possible, and I want to continue schooling for the rest of my life, even if that means becoming an eight-yearold guy sitting in a community college. I just like to learn. I haven’t had any influences or inspirations, but the disciplinary aspect has been my influence. It’s something I’m looking forward to, having a better state of discipline. TT

“HONOR.”

NICOLAS KNIGHT

When I was about six or seven years old, I started to understand how the world worked, and I realized that joining the military was something I wanted to do. I’ve been inspired by the heroes who have put others’ lives before theirs. I view myself as a person who is willing to improve, adapt and overcome obstacles, but physically, I’m still stronger. I definitely need to work on those mental toughness skills, and that’s what I hope to gain out of joining the Marine Corps: discipline, honor, courage, the will to put myself before others. I applied for the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps back in November. I didn’t get that, but I realized I still wanted to go in, so I’m taking the enlistment path. Afterwards, I hope to utilize the GI Bill to pay for college, and I plan to either the University of Nebraska or Iowa State University. TT

THE IRON MEN AND WOMEN

“FUN.”

PATRICK SCHOENFELDER SPORTS? Cross country, wrestling and track & field. WHAT DID YOU GAIN? Learning how to work hard and take responsibility for my actions and myself. BIGGEST INSPIRATION? My sister, she was a big athlete and she’s why I work so hard and do what I do. FAVORITE ATHLETIC EXPERIENCE? When I won state, and pasta parties for cross country every ewek had that whole family feel to it. STRONGER MENTALLY OR PHYSICALLY? Mentally.

“CHALLENGING.”

BRANDON ETAYEM SPORTS? Football, wrestling and track. WHAT DID YOU GAIN? I gained a sense of confidence, and new friends I treat like family. BIGGEST INSPIRATION? Coach Borrero. I could tell he truly cared about making me a better person and wrestler. FAVORITE ATHLETIC EXPERIENCE? The playoff game against Wauconda--it was exhilarating. STRONGER MENTALLY OR PHYSICALLY? Mentally. Going into some of these sports, I thought I couldn’t do it.

“REWARDING.”

REBECCA CLEVEN

SPORTS? Volleyball, tennis, basketball and soccer WHAT DID YOU GAIN? New bonds with friends and lots of memories. BIGGEST INSPIRATION? My family, because I proved to them that I worked hard. FAVORITE ATHLETIC EXPERIENCE? This year for basketball, since we went so far. It was fun as a team. STRONGER MENTALLY OR PHYSICALLY? Mentally, because I usually don’t get anything in my head.

“TOUGH.” MEGAN KELLY

SPORTS? Volleyball, basketball, soccer and tennis. WHAT DID YOU GAIN? I gained how to prepare myself and how to time consume. BIGGEST INSPIRATION? My parents, because when I wanted to quit, they kept tellng me ‘no, you can do it.’ FAVORITE ATHLETIC EXPERIENCE? Changing from volleyball to tennis for my last year. STRONGER MENTALLY OR PHYSICALLY? Being in sports keeps you active, but mentally, sports pushed me.

“EXCITING.” EMMA MILLER SPORTS? Cheerleading and track. WHAT DID YOU GAIN? I hope that I’ve grown not only as an athlete, but as a person. BIGGEST INSPIRATION? My [track] coach. He was like a father figre to me, I always wanted to make him happy and prove to him that I am strong enough. FAVORITE ATHLETIC EXPERIENCE? Going to state my senior year for cheerleading. STRONGER MENTALLY OR PHYSICALLY? Mentally. The “S” Issue

Seniors 2017

WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO

STIGMATIZE BY GABRIELLE KALISZ

We grew up together in the same house, under the same roof. We lived together. You held my hand when I was sad. I hid behind you to mask what was really going on. We left together side by side, but as one. You were my best friend and my darkest secret. You were my safe haven. No one could ever know that I was you and that you were me. As the time passed on and we grew older you reminded me less and less of me. I was beat down, tired, and stuck free falling from everything that I knew. When we left, I left as you, leaving myself behind and desperate for no one to see. We grew up together, we lived together, we left together, but you were my mask. I stepped out of the four walls that were strung together and labeled as home. I could never actually leave there; I crawled out of my skin and into yours. I was stuck in quicksand, struggling to get out, but only being pulled under more. I desperately wanted out. As the time passed on, I lost you. I lost the ability to have thick skin, to leave it all behind, to cover the bruises. I ran out of energy. I was done masking myself as happy, as the perfect girl that everyone knew: the one that got good grades, had friends and didn’t have to worry about anything below the surface. If only you could have seen past my surface. If I wouldn’t have been so caught up in the facade. If when I was tired and relentless I could have taken off the mask. You were my best friend, my darkest secret. You were the version of myself that I showed to the world. You were everything I wanted to be, and when you left, I was desperate. Desperate for new skin to climb into, desperate for someone to realize I wasn’t okay, desperate for someone to see past the wasted energy and fake smiles. I waited for you to come back, but when you did it was too late. I found them. I saw them: the group of

44 Tom Tom Seniors 2017

people who had everything. Or at least who I thought they had everything. They were the people that looked too good to be true. They kept it together, they had friends, they had heart. But when they looked back at me they still saw you. They went out on Friday nights, whereas I resorted back to those four walls. I went back to my quicksand, my loneliness, my need to crawl into your skin. They had people, feelings, heart and purpose; something I would later try to destroy. They saw the facade; the pristine perfectness I had worked so hard to establish. Little did they know that girl-the girl with energy to stay in the background, to smile and make friends-was gone. I clung onto you for as long as I could, until suddenly I forgot who you were. All I could remember were the rules you followed. I followed them religiously, hoping something would catch me from free falling into the quicksand I was still drowning in. I watched as they broke the rules you made for me. I watched as they were happy. I watched as you left me, leaving me empty. Their happiness was my anger. Their fun was my poison. They were who I wanted to be, who you tried to be and what I soon realized I could never be. They had each other. Each individual had small singular heartbeats that together made a siren. The siren was the constant reminder I could never be or have that. I tried to ignore it. I tired to be you. I tried to just smile and stay away. You were gone. I was alone with no skin to crawl into, and for the first time, I was vulnerable. Their happiness made me angrier. Their fun was even more poisonous. I couldn’t ignore it any longer. I couldn’t find a way to get it to stop. All I wanted was for it to stop; I wanted it to go away. I didn’t want it to remind me that I was alone. I didn’t want to be alone. I spent my whole life with you, and as we drifted apart, I should have realized that you weren’t who I actually wanted to be. You were who I hid behind. You were the excuse to hide the siren within me.

I created you to mask how I really felt. You were who I was when I left the house: the girl without feelings, the girl without hardship and the girl that followed the rules. When you left me, when I could no longer become you every day, I broke. The siren rang through my ears, the laughter broke my heart to pieces. I longed to be them. I did everything I could to get it all to stop. I spread rumors, I told lies, I made sure that everything they did they would regret. I followed the rules, and when they didn’t, I made sure they knew. All I wanted was to be them, or maybe I wanted them to be me. Maybe I wanted them to understand what it felt like to be alone. I thought I could silence the siren but it only kept getting louder. I tried harder. I lost that empathy that I wanted them to have. I became unforgiving. I was deafened. Why did you have to leave me? Why did you have to go all of a sudden? Why couldn’t I keep up with the two versions of myself? Why did I have to expose myself? I was alone. I am alone. I thought if I could silence the siren, they would join me. I wanted to join them. As the siren echoed in my ear, I fell: falling, screaming and crying. I thought I knew what rock bottom was; I thought I knew what it felt like to be alone. Now I knew. I was as far away from joining the noise than I ever was before. I can’t blame them, or you. All I can blame is me. I wore the mask, I put on skin that I knew wasn’t mine, but pretended to be it anyway. I manipulated others happiness to try and manufacture my own. There aren’t rules to being happy. Happiness is a siren, a noise so piercing your heart swells. Behind the facade, behind you, is a broken girl desperately longing for a heartbeat. A heartbeat that wants to join you, a heart that wants to join them, yet never will. They will never forgive me, because I created you. You were never loved; you were created for the sole purpose of hiding myself. All you did was ruin it. All I did was ruin it. I am who I am, forever longing to be them. TT

THE SENIOR TOM TOMMERS PHOTOS // HALEY EDWARDS

Scan any of the three goodbye pages to watch a video of the senior Tom Tommers reflecting on their experiences in high school, and, more specifically, this program.