The Tom Tom | March 2016

THE STUDENT VOICE OF ANTIOCH COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL

Plastic surgery’s knifing of American pop culture

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SMOOTH JAZZ, RAP AND SHOW TUNES HAVE A LOT MORE IN COMMON THAN ONE MAY THINK + What it Feels Like to Have Crohn’s Disease + SLEEPING, CYCLES AND STUDENT LEARNING

THE CLASSMATE COLLECTION: SEQUOITS COME IN MANY SHAPES, SIZES & FORMS

WHY VOTING IN THE UPCOMING PRIMARY & NOVEMBER ELECTION IS MORE THAN IMPORTANT, IT’S A CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY

From hygiene to healthy snacks, vending machines and the blood drive, what does a body good is a focus for administration and beyond.

Body THE

ISSUE

VOLUME 54, ISSUE 7 + MARCH 2015 WWW.SEQUOITMEDIA.COM + @ACHSTOMTOM + @SEQUOITSPORTS 1133 MAIN STREET + ANTIOCH, ILLINOIS + 60002

TIME TO MANAGE YOUR OWN MONEY? TELL YOUR PARENTS YOU’RE READY TO TRY WITH:

WINTRUST STUDENT CHECKING Available to students 16 to 25 years of age.

FREE ATMS! Use any Allpoint, MoneyPass, or SUM network ATM in the country PLUS we’ll refund you up to five times per statement cycle for any out-of-network ATM transactions.1

IT’S SO EASY! There’s no minimum initial deposit needed, we won’t charge you any monthly fees, and you don’t have to maintain a minimum balance. Plus, if your parents bank with us, they can transfer money into your account at any time!2 AWESOME TECHNOLOGY! You practically live on your phone, you might as well be learning how to manage your money at the same time. You can with these super cool features all within our app: online and mobile banking3 • remote deposit3 Person-to-Person payments3 • Cardless Cash3 • online bill pay3 • e-statements3 • and more!

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Antioch • Genoa City • Grayslake • Kenosha • Lake Villa Lindenhurst • Round Lake Beach • Spring Grove 847-395-2700 | www.sbotl.com 1. The bank does not charge its customers a monthly card usage fee. No transaction charge at any ATM in the Allpoint, MoneyPass, or Sum surcharge-free networks. Other banks outside the network may impose ATM surcharges at their machines. Surcharge reimbursements do not apply to transactions performed on MyFamilyCard Prepaid MasterCard®. Up to five (5) surcharge fees assessed by owners of other ATMs outside the network will be reimbursed per statement cycle. Reimbursement does not include the 1.10% International Service fee charged

by MasterCard® for certain foreign transactions conducted outside the continental United States. 2. Up to $250 per day when linked to a parent/guardian’s account. 3. Third party message, data, and/or internet fees may apply. Use of online Banking is required for access to Mobile/Remote banking and Person-to-Person payments. Mobile/Internet connectivity is required. Remote Deposit requires established Checking, Savings or Money Market deposit account for personal, family or household purposes with the Bank for at least 30 days and has had no more than six overdraft occurrences within the past or current calendar year. Person-to-Person payments require a Checking account. Cardless Cash requires a checking account and debit card with the bank and is available only at Wintrust Community Bank ATMs. 4. See a personal banker for more details.

MAR. 2016

CONTENTS

VOL. 54 NO. 7

JOHNNY HORTON

The student body of Antioch Community High School represents a diverse population. The students, staff and families of the community come together to form the Cardinal Crazies, the backbone of spirit for the school. Recently, students dressed in a beach-theme attire for the boys basketball regional title game at home. Students continued to support their team in their sectional semi-final game against Saint Patrick High School at Ridgewood High School with a black out theme. The next time the Crazies will be dressed and ready will be the first girls soccer home game next Wednesday.

THE CLASSMATE COLLECTION

9 | “HEAD, SHOULDERS, KNEES AND TOES” Music is incredibly present throughout the world.

Depending on the genre, the effects on the body vary.

16 PERFECTION What’s beneath the surface may matter most, but the laws of attraction arrest anyone not fitting a standard of outward beauty.

10 | VENDING HEALTHY OPTIONS Recent policy changes in the school district and beyond lead to the vending machines changing and being shut off during lunch hours.

18 CULTURE Beauty and the body can be seen drastically different depending on where one stands in the world. For some, the body is a work of art. For others, it’s another canvas to conceal.

11 | KEEPING CLEAN Proper hygiene is one of the most important things anyone can pay attention to each day. We’ve got quick tips and tricks to keep clean.

20 MOVEMENT Dance, one of the first forms of art, is an opportunity for many to turn movement into passion and the body into an art form.

12 | PLASTIC SURGERY Senior Yasmin Lara shares her view on the changing landscape of pop culture is impacting our beliefs of beauty and how a knife can “fix it.”

22 HEALTH With weight at the center of body shaming and concern, developing healthy habits and self-discipline assist in promoting a better lifestyle.

14 | STUDENTS AND SLEEP Research says that teens should be getting eight to 10 hours of sleep a night, but with homework, sports and extracurriculars piling up, the Sequoits are reaching for a lot less each night.

24 DECISIONS The great marijuana debate is one that continues to smolder in American politics and every day conversations. With new legislation emerging around the country, marijuana’s impact on the body might just be a little more prevalent.

THE STUDENT VOICE OF ANTIOCH COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL

Plastic surgery’s knifing of American pop culture

JAZZ, RAP +SMOOTH AND SHOW TUNES HAVE A LOT MORE IN COMMON THAN ONE MAY THINK + What it Feels Like to Have Chron’s Disease + SLEEPING, CYCLES AND STUDENT LEARNING

THE CLASSMATE COLLECTION: SEQUOITS COME IN MANY SHAPES, SIZES & FORMS

WHY VOTING IN THE UPCOMING PRIMARY & NOVEMBER ELECTION IS MORE THAN IMPORTANT, IT’S A CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY

From hygiene to healthy snacks, vending machines and the blood drive, what does a body good is a focus for administration and beyond.

Body THE

ISSUE

VOLUME 54, ISSUE 7 + MARCH 2015 WWW.SEQUOITMEDIA.COM + @ACHSTOMTOM + @SEQUOITSPORTS 1133 MAIN STREET + ANTIOCH, ILLINOIS + 60002

ON THE COVER A construction of a Sequoit is more than external appearance; it’s about what you can’t see every day.

EDITOR’S NOTE | 4 STAFF EDITORIAL | 5 NEWS | 6 LIFESTYLES | 9 SPORTS | 26 WHAT IT FEELS LIKE | 28 ONE|SEQUOIT | 30

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EDITOR’S NOTE

IN THE EYES OF THE BEHOLDER In a culture so easily persuaded by instant gratification, it becomes more important to recognize what you stand for, live for and want to be. To the Instagram-obsessed generation: care about what’s on the inside.

W

e tend to perceive beauty as an image painted on the outside of an individual, but there is more to it than that. True beauty, much like we’re told by our parents ever since we were first able to look in a mirror, is what’s inside; it’s your personality, beliefs, morals, and heart.

Your true beauty, is the structure your body needs to be successful no matter what.

Yet another lesson we’re taught since birth: beauty

the TOM TOM staff

2015-2016 executive team

NICHOLAS DOROSAN Editor-in-Chief MADISON PADDOCK Managing Editor NATHAN BORRIES Senior Editor MADELYNN SOBERANO Digital Director PAIGE GRUBER Digital Director

PATRICK R. JOHNSON, CJE Adviser KRISTINA ESDALE Print Director GRANT HAIDER Creative Director NATHAN FORMELLA Advertising Director JOHNNY HORTON Photo Editor

department editors

DAN MEADE Sports YASMIN LARA Lifestyles LAUREN PONZETTI Lifestyles

BRITTANY BLUTHARDT Lifestyles GENNIFER GEER News JESSICA GUZMAN Social Media Director

staff journalists

Nathaniel Alexander Nick Andre Jayme Bailey Rachel Beckman Chris Bedolla Grace Bouker Daniel Brito Rebekah Cartlidge Alexandra Comer Jack Connelly Haley Edwards Abigail Ellsworth Jillian Everett Matthew Farrell Booker Grass

Benjamin Gutke Dylan Hebior Megan Helgesen Symone Henderson Kennedy Hettlinger Brenna Higgins Emily Holmes Paige Hope Lauryn Hugener Marc Huston Gabrielle Kalisz Theodore Martinek Christina Michaels Kaleigh Miller Chloe Moritz

mission statement

The Tom Tom provides fair and balanced news reporting for the Lake County area.

The Tom Tom is a student-run news organization that serves the Antioch community through a monthly print news magazine and daily online content.

4 Tom Tom March 2016

Haley Nickles Nicole Peterson John Petty Natasha Reid Matthew Rowe Alexander Ruano Abigail Russell Kaylee Schreiner Lauren Slack Shane Sorensen Jordan Staten Tyler Steele Olivia Szwajkowski Clay Vesser Jason Wood

It is our duty to encourage the involvement of town activities and sporting events. The Tom Tom is an open forum publication and strives to inform, educate and improve the atmosphere and student body at Antioch Community High School.

comes in all different shapes and sizes. Many times we let people’s judgments affect us and we try to change who we are because of what those people say about and to us. You shouldn’t have to change who you are to please other people or to fit in, and not just your body image, but your personality and beliefs as well. You’re at your best when you’re yourself.

In many respects, beauty can easily be defined by examining the body.

Beauty first starts at your feet. Your feet are what gives you your structure, support and of course your strength. They give you the ability to run, walk, or just to stand. Your feet are there to keep you sturdy and give you the physical well-being you need to get you through whatever movement or talent you want to express.

It then moves up into your arms. Your arms are the part of your body that allow you to choose. The choice to grab something good or bad; to stay healthy, physically or mentally; to take things personally; or to shake them off. But in order to know how to choose you need your head.

Many of us are raised to have a strong head on our shoulders by making smart and confident decisions. Those decisions, whether they be good or bad, are grounded in your morals. These morals are taught to us from a young age, which lead to our ability to effectively make decisions that we believe in wholeheartedly. You’re decisions shouldn’t be made by others influences in order to force you to fit in to a group. Don’t let your judgement be warped by peer pressure; instead, use your senses to know right from wrong.

Your eyes are the one sense that accurately represent how society perceives “true” beauty: perfection. Everybody comes in all different shapes and sizes from different places with different thoughts. Nobody is perfect. Sadly, our eyes have the ability to trick us into believing in an unattainable ideal. And this ideal takes us away from believing in ourselves, making positive decisions, or finding an opportunity to ground our judgements. Our eyes force us, oftentimes, into changes in physical and mental behaviors, as well as experiences we choose to participate in with others.

However, even though our eyes can deceive us, the body part that does matter is your heart; it’s what you see on the inside. No matter what people think of you, don’t go out of your way to change for someone else; instead, focus on you before anyone else. You’re happiest when you’re yourself.

Be proud of where you came from, be proud of your beliefs, be proud of how you look, and be proud of your personality. Be proud, because you’re unique and no one else can never be like you.

In this month’s Tom Tom, “the Body Issue,” all of these aspects of beauty come to life. In our features section we explored five key components to the body: perfection, ethnicity and culture, movement, health and decision-making regarding drug use. Each of these stories provides an understanding of Sequoits both individually and holistically. On top of our features, we’ve chosen to extend our coverage of the body to discuss the role music plays on behaviors, healthy food options in the cafeteria, the movement of the upcoming musical, and even our “What It Feels Like” this issue discusses how a disease can drastically impact the body.

So, love your body and yourself. And, love this issue. Happy reading. TT

NICHOLAS G. DOROSAN Editor-in-Chief

STAFF EDITORIAL

FREE SPEECH Is it important to vote?

CARTOON BY NATHAN BORRIES

EVERY VOTE COUNTS

March 15 Illinois natives get their turn to cast their votes in the primary. Will you be one of them?

THE TOM TOM BREAKDOWN

60 2 AGREE

We can voice our opinions.

Kyle Babcock, Senior

DISAGREE

BY THE NUMBERS: THE SCHOOL

REPUBLICAN

NEITHER

DEMOCRAT

In a recent Tom Tom poll of 200 voting-age students, 23.2 percent align with the Republican party, 49.3 percent align with Democrats and 17.6 percent expressed they don’t align with either party.

PERCENT

24 39 7 30

We’re lucky to live in a democracy, and we should be able to have a say in our government.

Meghan Petrowski, Senior

PERCENT

@ACHSTOMTOM TWITTER POLL

OTHER

PERCENT

REPUBLICAN DEMOCRAT PERCENT

I

t’s no secret that it’s an election year. Everywhere you turn, there’s a political ad or another headline about one candidate or the other. But its also no secret that to many teenagers, politics is just about the last thing on their mind. Sure, it’s entertaining to hear a sound bite of what Donald Trump just said about Ted Cruz, or to jokingly ask if someone is “Feeling the Bern.” The sad truth is that many high schoolers don’t know much about this year’s presidential candidates, or they simply don’t care.

In the 2012 election, only 58.2 percent of the voting age population actually voted in the election, according to ElectProject.org. That’s only a little over half of the voting age population in the United States. How could it be that only half of Americans care enough about the future of our country to voice their opinion?

Primary turnout is even worse than general election turnout. The voter turnout for the 2012 primaries were record lows, averaging at about 17.3 percent turnout according to BipartisanPolicy.org.

Maybe it’s because people feel like their vote doesn’t matter, or maybe they don’t agree with what any candidate says, but showing up and VOTING will always solicit more of a difference than just sitting at home and doing nothing.

After all, it is your civic responsibility. If you believe in the power of democracy and the freedom that is given to Americans, vote.

If you are unhappy with how your local, state or national government is operating, vote.

If you want to make an impact on the future of this country, vote. After all, it is your civic duty.

In a recent survey of ACHS students, out of the 43.5 percent of voting age students who reported that they were NOT planning on voting in the upcoming primary many said that it was because they don’t know enough about the election or certain candidates.

If you’re not voting because you feel as if you don’t know much about any of the candidates, or you don’t agree with what you’ve heard in the news, educate yourself. Websites such as ISideWith.com or USAToday.com can help match your political and ideologic views with a candidate.

Voting is about more than just choosing a candidate. It’s about forming an opinion for yourself and exercising your rights to make a difference. Ultimately, voting is not just a privilege we are given as American citizens, it is our duty to ensure that this country is and always will be run by the people, for the people. TT

NOT VOTING The Body Issue

5

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NEWS IN BRIEF

JOHNNY HORTON

FOOTLOOSE: THE MUSICAL

After a strong start to the school year with the productions of “Alice In Wonderland” and “And Then There Were None,” the ACHS theater department recently casted the actors for the spring musical: “Footloose.”

Choosing the contemporary, 1984 production for the annual spring show, the department wanted a change from the past two classics of The “Music Man” and “Oklahoma.” Not only is the musical different in style, but in its talents needed to be performed effectively.

“Almost all of the scenes throughout Footloose have some type of dancing included,” junior Brooke Menzies said. “Because of this, the show requires a lot of dance skill as compared to the classic singing necessities of the past musicals.”

The show is possibly a familiar one if sudents have seen the either film version; however, the show features some new, possibly unfamiliar,

songs in addition to the story revealing the love connection between the new kid and the clergyman’s defiant daughter. While the main characters seek rebellion through dancing and music, they discover who they truly are and the friendships that they have formed with each other.

Bringing dancing, singing, and acting to the stage starting April 21, the Sequoit actors hope to tell the moving story of “Footloose” in an inspiring and entertaining way.

“It is exciting to see 120 kids audition with lots of them being new faces,” fine arts department chair and musical director Wanda Teddy said.

“The diversity of the cast is amazing. To see the student body of ACHS truly represented in this show is incredible and a must see.” TT

BY RACHEL BECKMAN

SEQUOIT SOUNDOFF

“Trump, although he has some valid points that prove to be promising.

A majority of his views are absurd and should not be agreed upon.”

TRENDING:

S p e e c h Te a m Q u a l i f i e s for Nationals Marking a distinct moment in school history, two speech students qualified to the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) National Tournament in Salt Lake City this summer.

Senior Gennifer Geer will compete in Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking, and junior Gabrielle Kalisz will compete in Humorous Interpretation.

“I am super excited because nobody from our school has ever qualified before,” Kalisz said. “Considering it’s a five-day long tournament and there will be thousands of competitors there, I am super intimidated but super excited at the same time.”

NATHAN NUENGCHANA JUNIOR

100

BY THE NUMBERS

YEARS Even though ACHS celebrated its centennial birthday last year, the yearbook, The Sequoia, will be in its 100th volume with this school year’s book.

6 Tom Tom March 2016

T

GRANT HAIDER

This year, students were introduced to a new space in the Information Learning Center. Makerspace, located in 200E, is a place for students to go during a free period to tinker, make and learn.

This is also a first for theater director Wanda Teddy, who has been coaching speech for 20 years.

BY BENJAMIN GUTKE

IN SEASON

Sequoit Snapshot

JOHNNY HORTON

Junior Michael Kawell drives to the basket against a Carmel defender in their regional championship game.

Sequoits won 5756 and claimed the first boys basketball regional title in 20 years.

TheSports Body Issue The Fall

7

N SEMI-ANNUAL BLOOD DRIVE

BLOOMBERG BACKS OUT BEFORE HIS RACE EVEN BEGAN

With the combined efforts of ACHS students and staff, many lives were saved because of the spring blood drive. The number of donations made at this most recent drive even surpassed the numbers of previous drives.

Last fall, the blood drive managed to bring in 218 donations. But, Sequoits were able to beat this number with a total of 231 completed donations this semester. This exceeded not only the number of donations that ACHS had in the fall, but also the number of donations that Lakes made: 207.

Physical education teacher Gregg Henning was pleased with the turnout of this event.

Students even stayed until 4:15 p.m. because there were so many people waiting for their turn to donate.

“They actually stayed; it was great,” Henning said. “I appreciate our students and staff for participating and making it that successful.

It’s awesome.” TT

As of Monday, March 7, independent politician Michael Bloomberg announced to the public he will not be entering the presidential race. Bloomberg stated that he fears that his participation in a three-way race would lead to the election of Republican candidate Donald Trump, whom Bloomberg thinks will endanger the country. Bloomberg claims he was worried by Trump’s threats to bar certain ethnicities from entering the United States and saying he would initiate trade wars against nations such as Japan and China. Bloomberg stated that he felt such actions would cause more harm than good. Due to Trump’s major lead in the Republican primary, Bloomberg said that he believed he would be able to win a number of diverse states. However, he did not think he would be able to win enough electoral votes to win the presidency. TT PAIGE HOPE

BY CHLOE MORITZ

BY PAIGE HOPE

NEW CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED TO STOP CAMPUS SEXUAL ASSAULT President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden collaborated with leaders from universities, grassroots organizations, the sports world and media companies to kick off the “It’s On Us” campaign against sexual assault on college campuses (“The White House”).

“I think awareness of sexual assault is important. A lot of kids go to college not thinking it will ever happen to them, and every single year I have girls that come back and tell me they have been raped,” ILC secretary Kathleen Stewart said. “It breaks my heart. A campaign like this could be very helpful.”

The “It’s On Us” site provides 17 tips to help prevent and handle sexual assault if you, a peer, or anyone is subject to it. Their website also allows visitors to take a pledge to stand against sexual assault and gives the option of promoting the campaign on Twitter and Facebook (“It’s On Us”).

The ultimate goal of the “It’s On Us” campaign is to: 1. Recognize that non-consensual sex is sexual assault.

2. Identify situations in which sexual assault may occur.

3. Intervene in situations where consent has not or cannot be given.

4. Create an environment in which sexual

8 Tom Tom March 2016

assault is unacceptable and survivors are supported Sexual assault is a real issue among women and men, and the Sequoits are responding to it.

“I think this campaign is important because I know there is a lot of sexual assault occurring at the college setting and people need to be protected,” junior Brandon Sorenson said.

Together everyone can make a difference in the future of sexual assault prevention. It is true that “It’s On Us” to stop sexual assault. TT

BY KENNEDY HETTLINGER

JOHNNY HORTON GRANT HAIDER

A variety of student artwork, produced through the visual arts classes, can now be seen on display in a number of locations around the school. This sculpture has been found in numerous places as the traveling moose searches to find a true home.

TYLER STEELE

“HEAD, SHOULDERS, KNEES AND TOES”

With music being such an influential and popular facet of society, one must wonder how it affects the body.

BOOKER GRASS Tom Tom Staff

M

usic: vocal or instrumental sounds (or both) combined in such a way as to produce beauty of form, harmony, and expression of emotion.

“I have always thought that there is something inside of each of us that certain music connects to,” Jonathan Untch, director of bands, said.

“I don’t know what it is, but music is a very interesting aspect of human nature that effects all of us differently.”

Music is seen as both an emotional and mental art form, but it also effects the body just as much as it effects the mind. The use of music in many situations—like exercising, doing homework, and driving—is very helpful and influential.

“We’re using music to better understand brain function in general,” Daniel Levitin, a psychologist, who studies the neuroscience of music at McGill University in Montrea, said.

There is a very interesting connection between the style of music and how it makes someone feel. Music can be used to get a person pumped up or ready to go to bed. There is a reason why high energy music is played before a sporting event because the players and the crowd are effected by the music, in a way to generate excitement.

According to eMed, “Musical rhythm has the remarkable ability to move our bodies. Music reduces muscle tension and improves body movement and coordination.”

A person will feel more ready for physical activity after and while listening to music. That is why music is so important when exercising because music can cause an exercise to seem easier and less tiring.

“Music is like a legal drug for athletes,” Costas Karageorghis, a pro-

fessor from London’s Brunel University School of Sport and Education, one of the world’s leading authorities on music and exercise, said. “It can reduce the perception of effort significantly and increase endurance by as much as 15 percent.”

Music can also have the opposite effect when it is considered “low energy.” Ambient sound and styles, like smooth jazz, can increase creativity and significantly calm a person down. There are many styles of music that can help when studying for a test or writing an essay. According to Levitin, some styles that are helpful include ambient noise, smooth jazz, classical, instrumental hip hop, and even a movie score or two. They may not be someone’s favorite thing to listen to, but it will help when studying.

One area where music could be detrimental to one’s heath is listening and driving. Driving with music can relive stress after a long day at work or school, but it can also be dangerous. A study conducted in Israel involved 85 drivers listening to different music on the same 45 minute trip.

They were accompanied by an experienced driving instructor who would judge their driving. The study revealed very interesting data.

“All 85 subjects committed at least three errors in one or more of the six trips; 27 received a verbal warning and 17 required steering or braking by an instructor to prevent an accident,” the study, which was reported in the “Wall Street Journal,” read. “When the music was their own, 98 percent made errors; without the music, 92 percent made errors; and while listening to the safe-driving music, 77 percent made errors. Speeding, following too closely, inappropriate lane use, one-handed driving and weaving were the common violations.”

The effect of music can be different for every person.

“I do not know a lot behind the science of how music effects people, but I have found that music effects my mood greatly,” Untch said. “I can be ready to exercise when listening to high-tempo music and I can calm down with some smooth jazz. I feel that if someone connects with the lyrics of the music, it will cause them to enjoy it much more and understand themselves as a person.” TT

The Body Issue

9

S L

VENDING HEALTHY OPTIONS

New policies forces vending machines to be shut down during lunch hours, restocked with healthier foods and a lunch menu to support the initiative.

JORDAN STATEN Tom Tom Staff

E

very school cafeteria has its perks, as well as its downfalls. When thinking of cafeteria food, healthy choices aren’t traditionally the first ones that come to mind. Corn dogs, french fries, homestyle choices and rice krispie treats are a few of the options Sequoits see on the menu almost daily. Ultimately, greasy junk food is the stereotypical base for school lunch, but the lunch staff of Arbor Food Service, Inc., Community High School Distric 117’s food provider, works to constantly improve the food options for the Sequoits and Eagles they serve.

Not all food choices at ACHS are considered unhealthy. Ideally, Arbor would like to work toward a healthier menu, but everything has to start somewhere. As of now, a variety of fruits, juices, salads and sandwiches are available on the menu. Other than the food choices, Arbor and ACHS have invested money in multiple ventures around the school to help students get started on a healthier path.

Three of the high school’s water fountains were improved this year to help reduce the number of water bottles used and to help students fill their water bottles with filtered water more quickly and efficiently.

A new healthy vending machine was put in the gym foyer and is accessible to all students that walk the halls.

“I think the healthy vending machine is a great option for students before and after lunch,” Arbor Food Service Manager Jeanne Wolff said.

Most recently, the accessibility has been restricted during all lunch hours. Every vending machine, including the healthy vending machine, are to be shut off due to conflicts with competition in sales between the vending machines and the school’s provided cafeteria food.

“The timing of the vending machine’s use, however, generates a lesson in school finances,” Wolff said. “The revenue generated from the vending machines goes toward helping various student groups in the school district, not toward supporting the food service program. Having the vending machines operable during lunch hours defeats the efforts to keep the food service program self-supporting.”

As the healthy choices are now limited, the question of what else there is to choose from is raised.

“Everyone’s perception of a healthy food is different,” Wolff said. “We offer many different foods, and just like in the world outside of school, students need to make food choices that work for themselves.”

When one walks into the cafeteria or commons to purchase a lunch, it is evident that the most affordable food choices are most certainly not the most nutritious and the sales of food choices purchased by students reflect that entirely. One cannot question why the majority of students pick the meal with a large piece of pizza and fries for $2.00 over the salad for $4.50.

“Our costs to purchase ingredients have generally increased over the past four years, though prices that students pay for those foods have only increased recently,” Wolff said. “When food prices fluctuate due to floods, droughts, extremely hot or cold weather, our costs increase, but we do not pass those costs on to the student consumer.”

Like every cafeteria, there are complaints about selection, availability

10 Tom Tom March 2016

and price. However, there are also perks and many enjoyable aspects.

“When I order hot lunch I am satisfied with the healthy choices in the lunch line,” junior Ashley Reiser said. “I usually go for the fruit cups and a nice healthy caesar salad. There is plenty of variety to choose from, such as the fruit and the parfaits.”

Each year Wolff gathers volunteers to hear their opinions and suggestions to better the school’s lunch options based on the student’s likes and dislikes. Wolff, in partnership with ACHS, continues to work on bettering the school menu in hopes to influence a healthy lifestyle on as many students as possible. TT

JOHNNY HORTON

The “healthy” vending machine is one of the changes in student food options in the commons and cafeteria. Students feel that while it is nice to have options, the price point of the healthier options should be more comprable to the unhealthy ones to make them worth purchasing.

Q-tips decrease the amount of wax in the ear making it easy for particles to travel to the ear drum, harming it.

Washing the face too vigorously will leave it irritated and cracked

Not having the required eight to 10 hours of sleep weakens the immune system.

Wash face twice a day. Dirt and oil get caught in pores creating blackheads.

Use shoe cleaner to reduce smells that get trapped in interior of shoe.

Removable insoles make for an easy clean.

Trimming hair every four to eight weeks reduces split ends and dead, dried out hair.

“If you don’t take care of your body, where are you going to live?”

Washing hands in cold water reduces sweat production.

Flossing reduces gum disease, a disease that carries bacteria to the heart, causing valve problems

KEEPING CLEAN Quick facts to maintain a more hygienic lifestyle.

MATTHEW FARRELL Tom Tom Staff

The Body Issue

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OPINION

PLASTIC SURGERY

Senior Yasmin Lara weighs in on pop culture’s impact on American ideals.

YASMIN LARA Tom Tom Staff

B

12 Tom Tom March 2016

eing a teenager today is more difficult than some might think.

There is a lot of peer pressure to look perfect. Most want to look like the people on the covers of magazines and the supermodels that walk on the runway. An image of perfection is expertly crafted in people’s minds that for many is not easily attained. The average person would never be able to attain the Photoshopped body unless it was with the help of plastic surgery.

Plastic surgery is a fast and easy way to get the body one would only dream of having. The media portrays plastic surgery as a positive thing, but they rarely focus on the negative outcomes of it. Many young adults go to the extreme to simply get that perfect body that appears on the front page of every magazine.

“I think that everyone should love their bodies and if someone doesn’t like the way they look,” senior Cayla Engmark said. “I think it’s good they have the option to change it. It can also help when people need it because of medical conditions, however I would never want to get it done.”

More and more teenagers are looking to get cosmetic surgery to meet the demands of a perfect body. Social media has influenced body image a lot in recent years. Instagram is a main source that has become more influential than the rest. Being able to see how other people look has an influence on personal body image.

Big stars like the Kardashians and the Jenners have become Instagram queens. Their constant posting of pouty lips and perfect bodies have attracted a hundreds of likes and millions of comments. The reality show stars have had many procedures done, and the biggest influence they said was society. They believed that if they changed something about heir bodies they would get accepted and liked more.

Kylie Jenner the youngest of the Kardashian family admitted to getting lip injections because she was self conscious of her small lips. Even the biggest in hollywood try to live up to the expectations of others.

Social media influences how others look. Young girls in particular want to alter their bodies just for extra likes on the pictures. Living in a society where perfection means looking like a barbie, it is only reasonable to get plastic surgery.

That is not the mentality of surgeons though. Many plastic surgeons are not preforming procedures to people who are under the age of 18, and a reason is required other than just to look better.In many cultures parents expect their children to look a certain way and even force them to get plastic surgery at a young age. Now surgeons are not allowing parents to make the decision for their children.

Plastic surgery has evolved over the years, an has become a social norm.

“I think that soon enough everyone is going to be able to alter their body in an easier and more affordable way, “ Engmark said.

Although everyone dreams of the perfect body, there is nothing better than being perfectly imperfect. TT

L

Sleep affects everyone, students at ACHS included. Find out how Sequoits don’t let sleepiness affect their learning.

students & sleep NATHAN BORRIES Senior Editor

H

igh school students constantly have to fight over the one obstacle between them performing well everyday: sleep.

Today, students in high schools struggle to find the perfect balance of school and sleep. With academically rigorous classes and extracurriculars, high school students rarely get the recommended amount of sleep. According to the UCLA Sleep Center, each teeneager should get at least eight hours of sleep because “teens are at an important state of their growth and development.”

At ACHS, the amount of students getting the recommended eight hours is slim to none. One student that struggles with sleeping is senior Serena Chapa.

“On average, I get about five hours of sleep on a school night, and maybe six on a good night,” Chapa said. “Depending on the day, homework, technology, or simply the habit of late nights will keep me awake.”

Unfortunately, UCLA predicted that if students don’t receive enough sleep, it will eventually affect learning and comprehending information. This is especially true for Chapa.

“My lack of sleep definitely affects my focus and attitude at school, as well as my overall mental, physical, and emotional health, making learning much more difficult,” Chapa said.

Being tired and trying to attain new information is one challenge, but keeping oneself awake is battle in itself. Coming to school tired creates the possibilities of falling asleep in class. Whether it is listening to a lecture or researching information for an upcoming essay, many students at ACHS have different methods of waking themselves up each morning.

“To overcome my lack of sleep, I drink coffee in the morning, and eat healthy, energizing foods, rather than ones that would make me tired, which is easier as I am a vegetarian and avoid the sluggishness associated with eating meat,” Chapa said. “Additionally, being in a fitness-focused gym class, I receive a boost of energy from a midday workout.”

One scare of making students more tired at ACHS is the implementation of zero hour once again. Junior football player John Howe is excited for early morning classes.

“I’m not too concerned with losing sleep,” Howe said. “I believe [zero hour gym] will push me to finish my homework faster so I can get more sleep and go to bed earlier.”

Tired or not, Sequoits always have to come to school ready to learn.

Knowing how to balance sleep and school is important not only for learning, but for accurate growth and development as well. Sleeping more is one of the most beneficial parts to a student’s learning. TT

14 Tom Tom March 2016

GRANT HAIDER

THE

CLASSMATE COLLECTION From perfection to ethnicity and healthy living to movement, the make up of a Sequoit is dynamic and diverse.

The Body Issue

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CLASSMATE THE CLASSMATE COLLECTION COLLECTION KRISTINA FIRST ESDALE LAST

Print Position Director

PERFECTION TM

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16 Tom Tom March 2016

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JOHNNY HORTON

The Body Issue

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THE CLASSMATE COLLECTION MADISON PADDOCK Managing Editor

CULTURE T

anning beds, contour makeup and Kylie Jenner Lip Kits. These things may seem normal to anyone who lives in the United States, but chances are the cultural worship we provide these items and types of beauty aren’t necessarily shared with other ethnicities or countries outside of North America.

Although beauty comes in all different packages, these packages certainly vary around the world. Different cultures and ethnicities all have varied views of what “beautiful” means and each has their own standards for beauty. Strange, outlandish, exotic or whatever it may be, these are all beautiful, and these standards and trends truly define the originality of each culture.

UNITED STATES Artificial tanning, contour makeup and, even in some extreme cases, plastic surgery are all relatively normal beauty standards and trends in America.

“A beauty trend I’ve noticed is wearing enough makeup to make the face look completely different,” junior Elizabeth Taylor said. “It is not a look that I would wear, but I definitely support people who do. Makeup has become almost like an art form with everything people are doing with it, and who am I to say they shouldn’t wear it just because it’s not to my preference? I don’t think you can define beauty because it comes in so many different forms.”

While many would agree that makeup has become an expression of self and an art form, some believe that both women and men in the United States are held to too high of standards. “’I’ve noticed a lot of new makeup trends that have been going around, one of them being the major contouring that girls are doing,” freshman Jessica Nettgen said. “Personally I think it’s great for girls to express themselves through makeup, But once people are using makeup to cover up and change major things about themselves, then we start to see a problem that goes much deeper. Although change is being made, we still have a long way to go as far as changing the way us girls see ourselves.”

THAILAND A rather unheard of trend in the United States, the elongation of the neck, is a standard many women are held to in Thailand. As young as the age of two, women of the Kayan people begin to prime their necks in order to wear neck rings, which are basically tight necklaces with the

18 Tom Tom March 2016

Beauty and the body can be seen drastically different depending on where one stands in the world. For some, the body is a work of art. For others, it’s another canvas to conceal. purpose of stretching the neck. The neck rings push the collarbone and ribcage down and the weight of the rings twist the collarbone and ribs to create the illusion of a long, beautiful neck.

ETHIOPIA In certain tribes in Ethiopia, instead of getting tattoos, they practice scarification. During scarification, thorns and razors are used to carve intricate designs into the skin. After being cut into, the skin is then rubbed with sap or ash in order to raise the scars into bumps. While this may seem outlandish and extremely painful, getting the scars is shown as a sign of beauty in women and maturity in men.

MAURITANIA In Mauritania, a small country in Western North Africa, women don’t strive for smaller magazine-type bodies as they do in America; in fact, in Mauritania, the bigger the more beautiful rings true. It’s not just the fact that big is also beautiful, but that being skinny is considered highly unattractive. Parents in Mauritania often send their daughters to fat camps where they are forced to eat up to 16,000 calories a day in order to gain weight and create stretch marks, which are considered a mark of beauty.

CHINA While in the United States men and women tan in tanning beds and get spray tans to keep a warm summery glow year-round, people in China admire pale skin. Being untouched by the harsh rays of the sun is seen as a sign of affluence in China, and women choose to cover up with a parasol or hat instead of basking in the sun. Many products in China or other Asian nations also offer many whitening skin products.

IRAN Just like in America, plastic surgery is also a popular trend for beauty overseas in Iran. In fact, Iran is the rhinoplasty capital of the world.

Unlike the United States, though, plastic surgery in Iran is not a secret procedure that is meant to be hidden, but rather, it is boasted about. People in Iran often sport their surgical bandages in order to show off their social status and ability to receive vanity surgeries. Some who cannot afford plastic surgery will actually purchase fake surgical tape to give the illusion of a freshly finished face job.

While these beauty standards may be different from what people in America are used to, they show the diversity that brings true beauty to the planet. TT

JOHNNY HORTON

The Body Issue

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THE CLASSMATE COLLECTION

PAIGE GRUBER Digital Director

MOVEMENT D

ancing, unlike any other art, uses movement and body. Sequences of moves and techniques are executed to create a visually appealing and usually symbolic performance.

The grace, the passion and the dedication from the dancer all come together on stage to form this specific form of art. Dancing comes in many different and diverse types, presented in all kinds of cultures around the world and is debated as being one of the very first forms of art in history; it can be performed professionally, competitively or casually.

For junior Denae Eldridge, she wanted to do more than recreational or competitive dancing, something she had been doing for countless years. She wanted to take her true passion to the next level.

“I was looking for something different than competition, and I found a studio in Libertyville where I dance now called Talent Forum.” Eldridge said. “They have a preprofessional contemporary company called Forum Dance Theatre. Our company is different from other dance groups because we focus more on preprofessional training, like we’re on track to become concert dancers—the dancers you see in New York City or in Chicago.”

But it does not take just artistry to be a dancer, it also means being an athlete. Traditionally, dancers start dancing at ages as young as two. Being a dancer means having a strong core for balance, powerful legs for sky-high leaps and a toned upper body to hold your arms properly. Having an all around toned and fit body is something most dancers strive for, since their body is the main focus on stage, rather than paint on a canvas like other forms of art.

“I think what makes dance so unique is the artistic form, but it requires athleticism,” Eldridge said. “I have trouble when people say, ‘You know, dance isn’t a sport’ because although it may not be what you define as a sport but it still requires athletic ability as much as any other sport.”

Hours of practicing is mandatory in the dance room, and all for the outcome off just a couple minutes on stage. Commitment is huge, a dancer needs to be willing to dedicate time in and out of the studio. If you want to make it far in the dance world, it’s all

20 Tom Tom March 2016

Dance, one of the first forms of art, is an opportunity for many to turn movement into passion and the body into an art form. or nothing.

“We dance anywhere from 20 to 30 hours a week,” Eldridge said. “We have an annual show every year at the end of January, do a lot of performances in Chicago, and went to Austria, which is really cool.”

Eldridge dances because she believes she can feel the music take control and move her. Eldridge has turned that connection with music into her biggest passion. Dance is her safe haven, when she steps foot into the building everything that was bothering her or stressing her out, whether it be school or other chaoses of life, is left at the door. The only thing that matters now, is dance.

“I started dancing because it was something I always did when I heard music,” Eldridge said. “It just turned into a sort of passion for me. And I cant imgaine not dancing and not having dance in my life especially because it helps me work through some problems as well as stress in my life and it provides a healthy distraction.”

However, dance can at times involve politics. Sometimes teachers or instructors favor some students over others or dancers can turn against each other out of envy or rivalry for the spotlight. But worst of all, it is very common that every dancer will experience self-doubt and have a lack of self confidence in themselves when it comes to comparing themselves to others with technique or talent.

“I think the hardest thing about dance is constantly compare yourself to others and really you, cant because everybody style is so different and so unique, and what you do is so inherently different than anyone else,” Eldridge said. “So, you stare at yourself in the mirror, and you stare at 20 other girls in the mirror you’re like ‘Why am I not like them?’ ‘Why can I not do this like them?’”

But at the end of the day, dance means having confidence. It means realizing you have potential.

“You just have to learn and understand what you do and what your strengths are, so I think that is the hardest part is realizing that you are still good despite what you may think,” Eldridge said. “It’s really shaped me as a person and because of dance I am disciplined, I am more open to new things and not as shy I used to be.” TT

JOHNNY HORTON

The Body Issue

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F THE CLASSMATE COLLECTION MADELYNN SOBERANO Digital Director

HEALTH

N

ot enough.

Stomach isn’t flat enough.

Thighs aren’t small enough.

Five more pounds. Maybe ten. Just a few more though.

Nothing seems to be good enough. Nothing seems to be enough when looking in the mirror.

According to DailyMail.com, women look at themselves in a mirror at least 14 times each day. While men view themselves at least 23 times a day. Both women and men constantly judge what they see in the mirror; wanting to change the number appearing on a scale.

We eat out of the hands of media through magazines, ads and television; striving for perfection. Perfection that seems to be just out of reach to both genders. The body of 2016, of the Instagram age - where every post is sponsored by diet bars and Tabata Traning videos are broadcasted to millions of viewers who respond back with #BodyGoals. But the sad reality is that no matter how many squats, lunges or vegan diets done, the combination of Beyonce’s curves, Katy Perry’s bust and Taylor Swift’s thigh gap are out of reach and unrealistic. No matter how many protein shakes or deadlifts done, Channing Tatum’s godly abs and Zac Efron’s perfectly toned biceps is a dream that seems to be difficult to achieve, but needed to be accepted by others and ourselves. These expectations that are broadcasted throughout different types of media sets most teenagers up to have a lower self-esteem.

92 percent of teen girls would like to change something about the way they look, with body weight being the highest, according to the Dove Campaign. Identity and self-esteem go hand-in-hand, developing self-esteem leads to a strong identity and mental health. Self-esteem is how one values themselves and how they perceive themselves. As the years have gone on, self-esteem has plummeted it’s way into the gutter.

According to the National Association of Self Esteem, 90 percent of eating disorders are found in girls, men are usually overlooked to having eating disorders, but continues to be a rising issue that goes unnoticed.

In a survey given to ACHS students, 51 percent of them have thought about skipping a meal to lose weight and 25 percent of students answered that they would use enhancers to improve the way their body looked.

Although, many want to see results in losing weight quickly, there are alternate and healthier ways to losing weight and feeling comfortable in one’s own skin.

Senior Kylie Fleming decided to start her weight loss journey in the

22 Tom Tom March 2016

With weight at the center of body shaming and concern, developing healthy habits and a strong will assist in promoting a better lifestyle. fall of 2015 after her mom lost 70 pounds and gained a job at Ideal Protein Weight Loss.

“I’ve always wanted to lose weight; it was always hard because I would give up and quit,” Fleming said. “I felt like I was the biggest one in the family and I didn’t like it. Once I got my drivers license, my eating habits started to turn. I would get fast food after work since it was quick and easy.”

Fleming’s goal is to lose 100 pounds and she’s lost 40 pounds since starting her diet filled with protein, nuts and lots of water.

“I still feel like the old me,” Fleming said. “When I look into the mirror, I see the old me. It’s not until I go shopping and put on clothes till I see these changes and it feels good. My self esteem and confidence has gone up since I started; I’m much more outgoing and confident than I was before. If someone ever wanted to lose weight, they definitely have to get in the right mind set to do, it’s not just something done overnight.”

Living a healthy lifestyle isn’t easy, it requires hard work, dedication and lots of patience. Physical education and health teacher Jamie Walton decided to change courses in her eating habits after a former student asked about them.

“I was teaching nutrition in one of my health classes and one of my students asked me if I ate the way I was teaching them to eat. If I was exercising the same way I was teaching them to exercise,” Walton said.

“I knew what the answer was and about a month later I joined Weight Watchers. I needed to change my life around.”

In 2005, Walton lost 75 pounds using Weight Watchers. In 2006, Walton had her second son and gained back 50 of the 75 pounds she lost earlier. Her goal was to lose it before returning back to work after her maternity leave, she was only four pounds short of her goal “There’s years where I gain weight and I lose it all again,” Walton said. “I’m not perfect and I constantly remind my students this, I eat fast food and I drink soda. Knowing serving sizes is important to that though. I tell my kids that if they’re truly looking to lose weight you have to track what you’re eating and know what you’re putting inside your body.”

Walton now teaches an Advance Fit for Life class where she exercises and motivates alongside her students everyday. Before, Walton admitted to not being able to physically handling former workouts, but now challenges her students to work harder or just as hard as she does.

“I can be a role model now and I love it. If I can do it, they can too,” Walton said. TT

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JOHNNY HORTON

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CLASSMATE COLLECTION KENNEDY HETTLINGER

Tom Tom Staff

DECISIONS C

annabis Sativa, the scientific name for a plant and drug known commonly as weed, pot, marijuana, Mary Jane and more.

The controversy over this widely used drug, regarding whether or not the positives outweigh the negatives, is largely prevalent in today’s society. However, according to a recent report from ABC News there has been a dramatic increase in the amount of younger users beginning as young as twelve years old.

The stoner stereotype seems to exist more in a high school setting, but continues to be a popular phrase among adults. This stereotype is especially noted in a few states and cities where cannabis is legal, most notably being Colorado, Oregon and Washington for their legalization of both medicinal and recreational use of marijuana. Despite medicinal marijuana being legalized in Illinois since the law went into effect Jan. 1, 2014, schools still face the very real problem of recreational use of the drug by their students. Whether its medicinal or recreational use, weed impacts and impedes a variety of functions on the body, especially for adolescents.

Some students within Antioch Community High School aren’t exempt from using weed recreationally. Jeffrey, a student who wishes to remain anonymous, is one of those students. Even though some students participate in using weed, other students choose to avoid the drug. Melanie, a student who wishes to remain anonymous, is a student who has never experienced the affects of cannabis.

“The first time I smoked was my sophomore year in high school,” Jeffrey said. “I started smoking because I was curious. I was curious what it felt like and why people who smoked loved it so much.

Since then, I have smoked consistently and have not regretted one thing about it. When I asked most people if they like weed, usually they love it or they’ve never smoked.”

Melanie among the crowd that responds to Jeffrey’s question with a resounding “no.”

24 Tom Tom March 2016

The great marijuana debate is one that continues to smolder in American politics and every day conversations. With new legislation emerging around the country, marijuana’s impact on the body might just be a little more prevalent.

“I’ve never smoked weed,” she said. “I’ve just never wanted to.

It’s not that I’m extremely opposed to it or I’ve never been in a situation where I could have, it has just never been especially appealing to me.”

Although studies show there are medicinal benefits of cannabis use, there are other reasons the use of this drug can cause inhibit day-to-day life. According to Healthline, a website for health advice, a few drawbacks of smoking include impaired judgement, memory recall, delayed reaction time, withdrawal and immature brain development. As for the positive affects, according to New Health Advisor, a daily health care website, smoking can relieve pain, help stop cancer from spreading, treat glaucoma, decrease anxiety and help reverse the carcinogenic effects of tobacco.

The bodily effects extend to emotional and social responses to peers and family members.

“All of my friends smoke weed, and honestly, I love it,” Jeffrey said. “No, we are not addicted. No, we do not depend on it. In fact, I’ve seen many of my friends go on tolerance breaks for long periods of time to prove to themselves that they aren’t. I love that we all have something in common that we like to do. We nonstop laugh and go on adventures and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Despite Melanie not being a smoker, not all of her friends share the same belief.

“A lot of my friends smoke weed, and a lot of them don’t,” she said. “I don’t judge people based on whether or not they do, I don’t really see it as a big deal. I see it more as just something they like to do, not a major character trait.”

Marijuana is illegal in most states, despite the pros and cons, and is supposed to be prohibited on the national level. It is also evident that weed is a powerful drug, considering it can help prevent cancer from spreading, as well as having the ability to impair many bodily functions. However, it is up to the user on whether or not the consequences to their body and the law are worth the high. TT

JOHNNY HORTON

The Body Issue

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S

PRE-SEASON GIRLS SOCCER

Girls soccer kicks off their season with a larger than ever tryout group and pool of talent.

The team’s first scheduled home game is next Tuesday against the Deerfield.

“I think we have a lot of potential on our team this year,” sophomore Rachel Moore said.

The team hopes to repeat their success from the previous years by returning to regionals. In the past years they have not made it past the regional title game, but the team is planning a turnaround this season.

“I’m looking forward to getting coached by Coach B and Coach P and learning so many new skills by not only my coaches, but also my teammates,” freshman Gabriella Michaels. “I hope to get closer with them all and improve so much and have a great season.” TT

JOHNNY HORTON

BY ABIGAIL RUSSELL

SOFTBALL Girls softball looks to continue their dominance in the North Suburban Conference this season.

Led by two juniors, Ashley Stephens and Jillian Foote, both on their third straight season starting for the varsity team, the team plans to come out swinging this spring.

In preparation for the upcoming season, Stephens said, “I am really excited about this season. We have some really strong returning players and some talented freshmen and sophomores that could impact this team and make us even better. We hope to be able to achieve what we have the last two seasons by winning regionals and hopefully taking it a step further and going to state.” TT

BY BENJAMIN GUTKE JOHNNY HORTON

Sophomore Kyle Boudreau is just one of the boys tennis players looking to make his mark this season in the NSC.

BOYS TENNIS Boys tennis is looking to leave their mark this year, hopeful of finishing on top in the Prairie Division in the North Suburban Conference this year and sending a solid amount of athletes down state. Goals are set high for senior, Braden Ward who is heading into this season as an obvious leader for the team. Ward has qualified in the IHSA State Tennis competition and is setting his sights on beating that mark. TT

BY BENJAMIN GUTKE

26 Tom Tom March 2016

SEQUOIT SOUNDOFF

“This [softball] team shows a lot of promise and I’m excited to play and get the chance to be on varsity.”

EMMA DEJONG JUNIOR

W

WINTER HIGHLIGHTS BOWLING The girls bowling team placed third in the North Suburban Conference. Sophomore Samantha Knab also qualified for sectionals.

GIRLS BASKETBALL The girls basketball team won the Prarie Division of the NSC Conference. They lost to St. Viator in the sectional semi-final.

BOYS BASKETBALL The boys basketball team wrapped up their season with an overall record of 12-15 and a regional title.

WRESTLING The wrestlers placed four individuals at state with junior Patrick Schoenfelder finishing highest at second place.

CHEER The cheerleading team placed third at sectionals and qualified for state.

DANCE The dance team placed 4th at sectionals and were 0.14 points away from the second day of the IHSA state competition.

BY NATHAN BORRIES

BASEBALL

TOP 5

As the baseball season comes swinging in, sophomore coach Rob Hafer is excited for the upcoming season and what they can accomplish. The school’s baseball tryouts were held on March 1. According the coaches, the numbers are up across all grade levels.

When comparing this year to last year, the players’ biggest struggle might just be to stay positive on the field.

“I just want them to have the ability to keep up the consistency and confidence throughout the season, despite the opponent,” Hafer said.

As everyone scrambles to get the year started out, the first game is coming up in a couple of weeks against Marengo. That only gives the boys so much time to perfect their swings and steal bases with ease. TT

BY SYMONE HENDERSON

ATHLETES TO WATCH JILLIAN FOOTE SOFTBALL AFTER BEING ALL-CONFERENCE, ALL-AREA AND ALL-STATE LAST SEASON, FOOTE’S SIX+ YEARS OF EXPERIENCE ADDS TO HER HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR HER JUNIOR SEASON.

BRADEN WARD

BOYS TENNIS WARD’S YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFYING FOR STATE THE PAST THREE YEARS HAVE PREPARED HIM FOR HIS FINAL HIGH SCHOOL SEASON WITH A HOPEFUL TO RETURN TO THE STATE MEET. JOHNNY HORTON

BY THE NUMBERS

86

PERCENT

THEODORE MARTINEK

March 2 the Adventure Education class learned to rock climb at a facility north of Milwaukee.

TRACK AND FIELD

86 percent of girls soccer injuries involve the lower body, most often knee (25 percent) and ankle (20 percent). Also female soccer players are four to eight times more likely to tear their ACL than males.

BOYS VOLLEYBALL

As spring rolls around, the track season comes into full bloom. The boys and girls athletes are both looking forward to the upcoming season.

Many underclassmen of the past have stepped up and will be leaders for this year’s track team. Off-season training has helped with form and strength going forward, as many of the athletes have taken it upon themselves to improve during the fall and winter.

The coaching staff is excited for this specific group of runners. They anticipate this season to be a successful one with key returning members and a crop of new athletes.

“We have a ton of new faces, a lot of guys that are working hard, a lot of guys that worked hard in the offseason,” coach Christopher Bailey said. TT

As volleyball season approaches, the team and their coach, Jamie Atkinson, look to see how their work in the off-season will pay off on the court. The team is looking to improve their record from last year, as well as work together as a team to build talent and win games.

“They are one of the greatest groups of young men that I have ever had the opportunity to coach,” Atkinson said. “I would like to see a top-three finish at the Waukegan Invite.

Mostly, though, I’d like to see an improvement in our conference record.”

The boys volleyball team is looking forward to the upcoming season and they are ready to put in time and effort to reach their goals. TT

BY JOHN PETTY

BY KAYLEE SCHREINER

ANNA ARDEN

TRACK AND FIELD ARDEN’S NATURAL SPEED AND ATHLETIC ABILITY PROPEL HER INTO HER SENIOR SEASON. SHE PLANS ON MAKING ANOTHER TRIP TO THE STATE MEET THIS YEAR AND PLACING IN THE TOP 10.

IAN FLATLEY

BOYS VOLLEYBALL WITH HIS IMPRESSIVE HEIGHT, POWER AND JUMPING ABILITIES, FLATLEY IS A STARTER FOR THE ACHS TEAM AND HELPS LEAD THE TEAM BY BEING ONE OF THEIR MAIN OUTSIDE HITTERS.

MONICA WILHELM

GIRLS SOCCER BEING ONLY A SOPHOMORE, WILHELM HAS SOME BIG SHOES TO FILL IF SHE WANTS TO KEEP HER STARTING POSITION ON VARSITY. THE CHALLENGE SEEMS OBTAINABLE FOR WILHELM WITH HER PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE AND SHE IS READY FOR THE NEW YEAR.

BY ABIGAIL RUSSELL

The Body Issue

27

P

WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO HAVE

CROHN’S DISEASE

BY MORGAN MILLER AS TOLD TO BRITTANY BLUTHARDT

M

y health has been a concern of mine for my entire life.

As a child, I struggled with symptoms that the doctors could not find a solution for. I cannot remember a day when I was not sick. The bad days trumped the good, and, although I was very young, I could sense a difference between myself and the other kids. I did not get to experience what it feels like to be a “normal” girl, mostly because I spent a lot of my time in a doctor’s office or hospital.

Everyday and every trip to the hospital was filled with hopeful and encouraging words from my parents, but mostly, worry. I remember the expression on their faces whenever test results came back with more question marks rather than solutions.

Before the diagnosis, my childhood, to say the least, was very troubling. It was a constant struggle for my parents, mostly because of the hospital and medication bills. Medicine costs money, and getting better was the main focus no matter the price.

Eventually, I was officially diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in fifth grade. Going into middle school, I did not know anyone that could relate to my pain or suffering. My grade school days were filled with medical testing instead of school testing. In all reality, I did not spend a lot of time in school and was constantly being taken out of class for more testing or medication.

It caused me to miss a lot of school, which in turn made my grades suffer. I could not work to

28 Tom Tom March 2016

my full potential, which was really frustrating at times, but I knew that I had to get better. I was private about my disease until high school when I fully understood everything about it, so many people did not even know what I was dealing with on a daily basis before then.

Crohn’s is basically a disease that eats away at your digestive system. My organs are filled with ulcers which cause severe stomach pains.

It causes me to become incredibly sick and incapable of getting through the day. The dreaded pain often comes in waves and has multiple side effects. The disease can affect everyone in different ways, but I mostly dealt with the stomach pains and a change in weight earlier on in the diagnosis. I was severely malnourished, so I had been on steroids, which caused rapid weight gain. I took trial medications in fifth and sixth grade, which is when the pain was at it’s peak.

The major symptom was just constant stomach pain and I did not think of it as a big deal until the doctors started giving me medication. I started to feel normal, and I then realized how bad it had been.

Over the years, I have grown to accept my disease and power through it. I could not give up and I needed to have hope. Currently, I am in remission and have no symptoms. Every seven weeks I get IV infusions of a medication called Remicade. I did not really know when I was younger, but now each treatment is about $15000. Because I have to get the medicine every so often in order to survive, it really adds up

and is costly. I barely have an immune system because of my medication, so I am regularly at the doctor for “everyday” sicknesses. A simple cold or cough could put me into the hospital, but it is better than having to deal with the pains that result from the disease. It is strange for me to think how a lot of teenagers my age have not experienced a single hospital visit.

I have learned about patience with my medical experience. It is very aggravating at times, but I have learned that being angry does not help the situation. I do not know anyone else with Crohn’s and I would not say it is a super rare condition, but it is not extremely common either. For someone as young as I am though, it is very rare. There is not a cure, and although I am in remission, it could come back just as bad or worse. Over the years, I have had a much better run then I have right now. I still have pain and ulcers because they are triggered by stress, so senior year is making it tough for me. I am not sure yet about how it will go in college, and I am worried to find out.

Overall, I would describe Crohn’s disease as time consuming. Most of my life has been dedicated to curing my disease, and now that I am in remission, I know my future is bright and becoming brighter everyday. At the same time, I am worried about how college and my stress levels will impact it in the future. For right now, all I know is that Crohn’s is a part of me.

It is something that is incurable, and I have no choice but to live with it. TT

JOHNNY HORTON

The Body Issue

29

P

. . .

M A S S I THIS SHE’S A SENIOR.

Scan here to listen to audio about Sam Beltran and why she loves being a Sequoit. http://goo.gl/SWXxdI

JOHNNY HORTON

30 Tom Tom March 2016

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