THE STUDENT VOICE OF ANTIOCH COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL
ACCEPTING THE SILVER LINING MAY BE BETTER THAN THE GOLD MEDAL
A HEART MADE OF SOLID GOLD
THE GOLDEN GIRL TAKES HER PEDESTAL
WHEN SCIENCE IS THE KEY TO FULFILLMENT
THE GOLD ISSUE
volume 56 . issue 5. november 10, 2017 sequoitmedia.com. @achstomtom. @sequoitsports 1133 main street. antioch, illinois. 60002
sequoitmedia.com online exclusives SIX SHOWS SEQUOITS SHOULD NEVER FORGET BY TOM TOM ASSISTANT DIGITAL DIRECTOR ALEX RAPP Everyone has those TV shows from their childhood that always bring up memories of laughter and easier times. Revisiting these old TV shows makes any person feel like a child again. Take a trip down memory lane and relive these top six childhood TV shows.
DRESS CODED A FASHION STORY BY TOM TOM STAFF MEMBER ASHLY RING One of the most debated policies in the school has always been the dress code. However, many people do not know exactly what the dress code policy includes. Take a walk down the hallways of ACHS and dig deep into the real story behind the dress code policy A GLASS HALF FULL BY TOM TOM STAFFER EMILY HIGGINS There’s a glass of water filled to exactly the middle of the cup. One might say it’s half-empty while someone else would say the glass is half-full. Learn about how a positive perspective and mindset is important in everyday life.
EDITOR’S NOTE 04 staff editorial 05 HEAD TO HEAD 06 NEWS 08 lifestyles 12 Silver Lining 16 heart of gold 18 PUZZLED PAST 20 golden girl 22 sports 25 What it Feels Like 28
table of contents
the tom tom // the gold issue // november 10, 2017
PERSPECTIVES | November 10, 2017 | The Gold Issue
executive team
THE GOLD ISSUE
JASON R. WOOD Editor-in-Chief PATRICK R. JOHNSON, MJE Adviser JILLIAN M. EVERETT Managing Editor BRANDEN W. GALLIMORE Print Director
Jessica Nettgen JASON R. WOOD editor-in-chief // @jason_wood7
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inally… one of my all time favorite colors: gold. Its honey-colored shine has always captivated me, as have the meanings it carries. Gold can be represented by three Ps: perfection, positivity and perseverance. The feelings of success and power that exude from the color gold are my favorite aspects of it. I have strived to shine in the same way that gold does, both in my personal life and collectively with the Tom Tom staff, and, for that reason, I was overjoyed to see it shaping this magazine. Because gold represents excellence in just about every facet of life, it only makes sense for people to want to reach that level of perfection. I, myself, am one of these people. While I know that perfection is impossible to achieve, that doesn’t stop me from trying to reach it; most who know me would say I’m a perfectionist. I constantly do my best to be positive 100 percent of the time, and while once again that is unrealistic, I fall prey to the false reality that I can achieve that level of positivity. Similarly, I continue to try and persevere through every situation thrown at me. I’ve learned over the years that nobody can be perfect, 100 percent positive, and persevere through every situation. Eventually, you have to slip up, you have
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to have a bad day, you have to be stopped in your tracks. Nobody can be entirely gold. The Tom Tom staff succeeds in being gold more consistently than I do. While we stay fairly humble, we are nationally recognized as one of the top high school magazines for a reason. This staff consistently works to reach the gold standard of perfection. Positivity is probably our weakest facet in this program. While we try and stay positive as often as possible, on such an intense and fast-paced schedule as the one we run on, it is easy to have more than just one bad day. Perseverance is easily one of the most fitting characteristics of this staff. We constantly face adversity, yet we succeed in pushing past anything put in our path. As a whole, this staff embodies the qualities reflected in the color gold. Senior editor Lauren Bluthardt addresses the societal norms of “the Gold Standard” and what it means to be on top. As is usual with the overwhelming positivity of gold, it only made sense that team leader Madisen Krapf told the story of one who has a heart of gold—one who makes a difference with their positivity behind the scenes. Tom Tom staffer Emily Lara tells two success stories of someone who overcame adversity, in a sense going from rags to riches in their own ways. Senior editor Jessica Lamberty writes about the idea of the golden girl and the positive and negative connotations that come with one; while no one is perfect there are some who seem like they’re pretty close. Inside our school, team leader McKenna Kalisz gives Adventure Ed their chance in the golden light, talking about their recent trip to Lake Geneva Canopy Tours. For all of those conspiracy theorists out there, I’m sure you’ve heard of the Mandela Effect. For those of you who haven’t, read Tom Tom staffer Gianna Chiappetta’s story to hear about an effect which just might blow your mind. To hear about one of ACHS’s own mad scientists, flip to the What it Feels Like to read about senior Jacob Frye’s life of science. As always, thank you for reading and helping us show that there is more to life than what we may see as black and white.
KAYLEE S. SCHREINER Digital Director NICO L. CHIAPPETTA Public Relations Director CHLOE E.GRASS Creative Director DIANA ANGHEL Print Director ALIYA N. RHODES Creative Director Editorial Board DIGITAL ASSISTANTS Griffin P. Hackeloer Jacob R. Johnson Alex L. Rapp Emily M. Torres
SENIOR EDITORS Lauren N. Bluthardt Jessica L. Lamberty John P. Petty Monica E. Wilhelm
Coordinators SOCIAL MEDIA Jared D. DeBoer Emily C. Hanes Mikayla M. Holway PHOTOGRAPHY Jessica J. Nettgen Steffanie A. Richardson Kat B. Zamudio
TEAM Peter A. Boeh Dan D. Filippone Alexandra C. Johnson McKenna R. Kalisz Madisen M. Krapf Valerie N. Rasmussen Eleni A. Sakas Karley K. Rogalski
staff journalists
Gianna M. Chiappetta Joyclyn L. Crawford Caden M. Davis Taylor A. Feltner Merrick W. Foote Avery J. Frasch Kayla E. Grenke Emily A. Higgins Robert S. Hulting Joseph M. Kestian Alexandria Q. Knight Emily Lara
Ella M. Maggio Julia M. Murillo Benjamin J. Nauman Jadda C. Pope Ashly M. Ring Tyler S. Skutnik Matthew P. Soberano Kevin E. Tamayo Sadie M. Vanderwall Skyler R. Wackenhuth Mollie T. Wagner Sierra M. Ward
staff interns
Haley Aitken Charlotte Bongratz Gavin Calabrese Evan Day Andrew DeBoer Matthew Edmark Brianna Fisher Julia Hackeloer Kaitlyn Howe Jackson Hugener Isabelle Hunter Jake Ilkka Sofia Klem Madison McBride
Alexis Olson Maggie Quirke Alexander Riedel Alessia Rivera Grace Rowe Maya Schon Rilee Schreiner Sarah Smith Cassidy Thomas Katelyn Vaskovsky Beatriz Warnes Alison Weiser Walker Winkler
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.
JASON R. WOOD editor-in-chief
THE TOM TOM STAFF
2017-2018
STAFF EDITORIAL
FINDING PURPOSE
Recent survey sheds light on concern: students don’t feel like they matter. Now what?
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ome students believe that their teachers don’t care about them, but it’s not fair to categorize all teachers as “uncaring” because in order to be in this profession, teachers need to display somewhat of a concern to others. Why do students feel that teachers don’t care about them? Every day you walk into a building with 1,500 other people and basically feel alone. The only reason you’re there is because you have to be; it doesn’t matter if you fail a test because you don’t feel connected with your teacher enough to care about your grades. You don’t feel like you make any difference in your school environment because you feel as though your opinion doesn’t really matter. Unfortunately, this is a reality for a significant portion of the students who attend Antioch Community High School. According to the results of the Panorama Survey conducted in the spring of 2017, ACHS is ranked in the 0-19th percentile nationally for how much students feel that they are valued members in their school community. More specifically, about 66 percent of students feel as though they do not really matter to others at their school. Now the question becomes, why do they feel as though they don’t matter? Maybe it’s because there are so many people involved in the school community that they feel like their opinion doesn’t matter or that their actions won’t be of any importance to the school. Even though it may seem difficult to actually make an impact on the school, there are many small things that can be done for one to feel involved. Joining a sport, club, elective or even acting in the next school play are all great ways to have a positive effect on ACHS. Another area of data from the survey concluded that ACHS also ranked in the 0-19th percentile nationally for how strong the social connection is between teachers and students within and beyond the classroom. Specifically, about 72 percent of students do not feel a strong connection with the adults in the school, and 64 percent of students thought that if they came back to visit class three years from now, their teachers would not be excited to see them. We can’t pinpoint why these statistics are so unfavorable because they are specific to each person, but, generally, some students may feel like they cannot talk to teachers, adults or peers in the building because they are intimidated or think that no one cares. Maybe students feel like they cannot talk to some teachers because it may seem like there are favorites in the classroom. Maybe they believe that they do not know the correct answer or they may be afraid that people in the class will judge them, so they suppress their opinions and feel that making a true connection with the teacher is not worth it. Possibly, another reason that students don’t feel that bond is because teachers may also be hesitant to share what’s going on in their life. Because they do not let students get to know them, there is less of a chance that students will feel connected, and, oftentimes,
Jessica Lamberty being connected makes students have more motivation to reach their full potential as a student and person in general. Whatever the reason for students feeling like they do not have a good connection with their teachers, we, as students, need to remember that every teacher became a teacher because they care about kids; their main goal is to help all of us be successful in and out of the classroom. Additionally, about 54 percent of students feel like they do not belong at ACHS. Students’ responses to this question vary as to why they feel like they do not belong, but maybe it’s the simple fact that kids like freedom, and school has very minimal freedom. Maybe it’s that school makes students stop doing what interests them and, instead, they have to do what the curriculum is telling them to do. Granted, some students deliberately choose not to belong; they choose not to engage in activities and purposely avoid school events. An insufficient amount of school involvement can lead to a student feeling as though they do not belong. Making a positive connection with an adult in the building can help someone be successful and feel appreciated at school. When someone has a relationship with a teacher, they do not want to disappoint them. A good teacher-student relationship can foster participation in and out of the classroom, and it assures that the student feels like they are supported and knows someone cares about them. The responses to the survey may not be due to the lack of connections with teachers, but because students are just not interested in learning or because they do not care. Then the question becomes, how do we make people care? How do we make students want to be at school even though they don’t want to? In order to change these statistics for the better, we, as as school, need to remember that everyone’s opinions are valid and that listening to someone makes them feel like they matter; it makes them feel like others care about what they have to say. Another way to see an increase in sense of belonging is to know that getting involved makes the high school experience more enjoyable and personal which increases the amount of connections made. The most important thing to remember is that the statistics from this survey are not permanent; there are ways for both faculty and students to contribute to creating a more positive school environment, one that every person can feel they belong to.
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PERSPECTIVES | November 10, 2017 | The Gold Issue
SEQUOIT TO SEQUOIT: HEAD VERSUS HEART THINKING WITH YOUR HEAD hen I wake up in the morning my brain has already started going before I have. I plan every part of my day before it ALEX C. JOHNSON has even happened to tom tom staff // @woahalex2 stop any problems from occurring. Obviously this doesn’t work everytime and I’m still trying to grasp that concept. For me, thinking with your head means to look at problems logically to try and figure out the solution. It might even mean looking at every single little detail until you think that you can solve the problem. Most of the time people like me do not like to show their emotions because logically that won’t solve anything. Sometimes thinking with my head is a burden for me. I wish I could be more emotional
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with the people I love. I wish that they could see how I am feeling, but it’s not that simple. It is almost as if my emotions are locked away in a box and I lost the key. This can be troubling for my friends as well because if I can’t tell how I am feeling, then neither can they. This has made it increasingly hard for me to make friends. It was easier when I was a kid to make new friends because I didn’t really do any of the work. Most of the people I had made friends with when I was younger came up and started talking to me; I just had to sit back and wait for them. Then when I grew up, things started to become difficult. Not many people in high school willingly walk up to you in an attempt to become your friend, and nowadays if someone just started talking to you it would seem weird. I still can’t comprehend why being nice is now considered to be weird. Aside from all of that, there is a bright side to being a thinker. Even though I have a hard time showing my emotions, to others it may
just seem like I am being strong in my time of crisis even if my emotional battle is something way bigger than they will ever know. Also, I may overanalyze every single situation but I have deepened my understanding of critical thinking, and I don’t really have a one-track mind anymore. I am lucky to be someone that doesn’t have a hard time in school, which I would like to think is because of my ability to look at every detail before making a decision. I also started to grasp more intelligent topics at a younger age, which makes it easier to have conversations with adults without feeling inferior. Thinking with my head has made me unique in a way that no one else will ever be. I may be a little weird and I may have some problems that I don’t even know to to fix yet. But I wouldn’t change any of the experiences that have come along with thinking with my head, and it might do you some good to add a little logic to your life.
Jessica Lamberty
THINKING WITH YOUR HEART climb out of my princess bed and ravish in my pink walls and diamond lights. I drag my feet into the bathroom and the cold tile soothes my warm skin. MOLLIE T. WAGNER My blonde curls are in full tom tom staff// swing, going every which @molliewagner_ way but I could care less. I put on my favorite blue sweater with a huge sequined heart in the middle; it was my favorite because it was the greatest representation of who I was: a lover and an even bigger dreamer. For my birthday that year, I was given my first pink journal with an engraved M on the front—my first entry was the most dramatic. I sat criss cross on my floor with my pink pen with a pink pom pom attached. I scribbled on about my third grade crush, and would finish writing every night by marking my page with the felt heart that was connected to the spine. I knew the
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shoes ahead of me were too big to fill, and that’s still true. But as far as I was concerned, I was the dreamer. For only being a small impressionable girl, my personality was taller than I was. I used to add color to everything black and white, to where my mind was like a whole coloring book completely outside the lines. I sit here with my heart in a state of reminiscing and I remember why I can’t forget. As I write my millionth story about me and my life, being Mollie just makes a little bit more sense again. I am a firm believer in following my heart; I do everything possible to dig out the deepest roots and darkest secrets of everything, with the help and guidance of my deepest root: my heart. Ever since I was small, I was always taught to do whatever I thought was right. I engraved those words into my bones and always lived my life by them. As I got older life just dragged on—the curls deflated, the blonde faded and my smile became smaller. My head took control of who I was and I had to make decisions based on what the world thought was right, not what I whole heartedly
believed was right. Years ago my head took me by the hands and said, “when it rains it pours,” and I’ve never looked back on those words since. It took me years to finally realize that being a huge dreamer with a fast pace and determined heart was woven into the fabrics of who I am. My dreams are extravagant and bold. I have always been the kind of girl who sits in class and some days will spend the whole period doodling flowers or repetitive circles while daydreaming about my future, my past or the groundbreaking present. While in the midst of learning who I was about two years ago, my heart faced definite bumps in the road and sometimes it needed a sick day. My heart had a maddening firm grip on my life and once I opened it to kinder souls and gentler smiles, I learned that when it rains there’s always an umbrella. Dream with only yourself in mind. Love hard and dream big. Most of all, whatever it is that you were made to do and whoever you were destined to be, follow your heart. It grips you hard and shows no sign of relenting. 7
NEWS | November 10, 2017 | The Gold Issue
IN BRIEF A number of the stories included in this “NEWS IN BRIEF” section were written by our staff interns, the introduction to journalism students, as their first published writing assignment.
READING IS FUN, SO DO IT
SCHOOL INVOLVEMENT IS WORTH THE PRICE Being involved in school activities can cost a pretty penny. People go in depth on why they pay for whatever is necessary to get involved. Be passionate. That’s what everybody tells the students as they walk through their high school. Every week there is some type of fee sent to a parent or student to pay for, but the reasons behind them are worth it. “Most trips are around three to four thousand dollars,” teacher Stephen Rose said. “They have to fill out an application, they have to ask for references. I think that will help them greatly when it comes to applying for college or jobs later.” There is a lot that goes into and comes out of a school trip such as stress, memories and experiences. “The way it [the travel program] impacts the students is so special,” Rose said. “I mean there’s no way to describe it.” BEATRIZ WARNES, STAFF INTERN STUDENT-ATHLETES HAVE TROUBLE COMPLETING WORK Although most athletes like hockey player Nick Carlson succeed in class, many still continue to struggle completing homework and their punishment has been probation. Here at Antioch, there are athletes like sophomore hockey player Nick Carlson, who succeeds in class despite struggling to find time to complete his work and keep his grades up. However, when looking past the model athletes, it’s clear to see that some have trouble juggling their commitments. ”I have to find more time during the actual school day to get my work done because there is often not enough time to get it done at home,” Carlson said. Carlson often has trouble completing his work at home and has to use his study hall time efficiently. In a survey of 29 Sequoit athletes, it was found that 67 percent of student athletes have the same problem as Carlson in getting homework done on time. Even though time seems to be a big problem for athletes, Sequoits such as as Carlson continue to perform well. MATTHEW EDMARK, STAFF INTERN
Lauren Bluthardt In the month of November, ILC secretary Kathleen Stewart is having a laid back book talk where everyone is welcome. The group focuses on what Stewart believes are the best of the best books, while enjoying discussion and snacks. All grade levels and personalities are welcome to attend; Stewart also encourages all ability levels and styles of readers to participate. Stewart loves when new people come.
JADDA POPE
SIGN LANGUAGE CLUB LOOKS TO IMPROVE COMMUNITY AWARENESS
Lauren Bluthardt The sign language club enjoys learning new songs and even the alphabet. Members of the club see it as a great way to communicate with friends and family members dealing with deaf or impaired people. Students get to work alongside a mentor to increase their sign language skills. The sign language club teaches grammar and combinations to help students along their new journey. Junior Jena Burton has been in sign language club since the beginning of her sophomore year and is continuing her passion and education for signing. “I enjoy sign language club because I like interacting with the same interests as me and learning how to sign songs.” Burton said. “I have had an interest in sign from a young age.” JADDA POPE
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“What I love is that we get a variety of different people from different backgrounds and different grade levels,” Stewart said. “So everyone is welcome there are no expectations.” Don’t forget to talk about the crazy fun books that you have been reading and go to the book talk.
Emily Hanes
IMPROVING EDUCATION THROUGH CELL PHONE USAGE Educational applications are available to students through cell phones. These apps are available on iPhones and Androids anywhere and anytime. “Students use those phones a lot with other needs and why not use it for organizing work and classroom expectations,” school psychologist Jim White said. Cell phones now have the capabilities of a standard calculator; they can also perform functions like using the internet and sending emails that validate the use of cell phones as an educational tool. “That phone is always on the student or the teacher and if a student’s having an issue in the evening they can at least shoot off a message,” White said. Cell phones allow students to receive help from their educators to improve their learning experience. KAITLYN HOWE, STAFF INTERN SCHOOL START TIMES A POINT OF CONTENTION AMONG STUDENTS AND STAFF Due to the early start time of school, students often suffer from loss of sleep. Students and teens often struggle with school due to the early start time. “Being tired affects your ability to focus,” dean Matthew Jones said. “If the kids are staying up late, which I know some of them do especially if they are athletes, it affects [their] ability to think and perform well.” In the morning students aren’t usually engaged their classes because they are losing sleep from staying up late at night due to after school activities and homework. “When I was a teacher I definitely saw my first hours were typically a little quieter,” Jones said. “The kids were probably not really in their mode yet so [it was] a little quieter.” Teenagers should receive around nine and a half hours of sleep a night.
AFRAID TO FIND HELP FOR DEPRESSION Many teens are not finding the help they need
JULIA HACKELOER, STAFF INTERN
SOFIA KLEM, STAFF INTERN
when experiencing depression. Experiencing signs of depression is serious and most teens are afraid to find help for their symptoms. Surveys show that most teens have experienced signs of depression, but haven’t asked for help because they’re frightened. “It’s just not an easy thing to talk about,” Wilmot student Gracie Hover said. Resources at ACHS are there to help teens with depression, but they are still afraid to find help. Research shows most students at ACHS have a trusted adult they can talk to for help plus a variety of social workers and counselors yet they aren’t seeking help. “The teacher that did reach out to me could see it on my face,” Hover said. “I didn’t really even tell her
SHOULD STUDENTS BE ALLOWED TO USE THEIR PHONES IN CLASS? Students at ACHS are distracted by their cell phones going off in class Students at ACHS tend to use their phones a lot during class; are they too distracting? Many teachers have become less tolerant of phones due to this problem. “If I have [my phone] on my desk and I see I got a notification, I want to open it and I don’t pay attention to my teacher,” freshman Alyssa Colpaert said. Teachers are also aware of this and many of the policies about cell phones in class have become a lot more strict. “I prefer the phones out of sight out of mind unless they’re being used for educational purposes,” Spanish teacher Taryn Ashworth said. Although a lot of students like to be on their phones, they know they can become extremely distracting. MAGGIE QUIRKE, STAFF INTERN
until she said something to me.”
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NEWS | November 10, 2017 | The Gold Issue STUDENT-ATHLETES HAVE LITTLE ROOM FOR SOCIAL LIFE Many students have to prioritize their schedules in order to be successful in athletics and school. All high school students prioritize their time in different ways. Some focus more on school and sports while others focus more on a social life. Students who value their social life put their family and friends above everything else, but this can come with added difficulty and stress. Having the position of Junior Miss Antioch, sophomore Adalia Tate finds this to be her biggest priority of the year. “I prioritize Junior Miss Antioch before my sports and band,” Tate said. “I want to put that before I put my other things because I am supposed to be there to support the town and represent.” Having a responsibility like Tate’s can be honoring, but finding time to manage homework and extracurricular activities can be difficult. ALESSIA RIVERA, STAFF INTERN STUDENTS COMBAT CHEATING IN CREATIVE WAYS Many students are tired of cheaters profiting off their work. Cheating during tests occurs in schools everywhere, but not all students are okay with this. Many are annoyed with the way cheaters do no work but still get good grades. They are willing to do whatever it takes to stop cheating, including sabotage. Most students cheat by looking at other student’s papers, a method that is easy to ruin. “Freshman year in Spanish class, a kid was looking at my answers,” junior Carrie Miller said. “And then I just turned the test the other way, and quickly wrote down the wrong answers, and purposely set it out so he could see them, made sure he wrote them, erased them and wrote the right ones.” This is just one of many creative ways students combat cheating. ALISON WEISER, STAFF INTERN PARENTS AND COACHES CONFLICT AFFECTS PLAYERS Student-athletes cave during the game due to conflicts on the sideline. Blood pumping through the veins, yelling on the sidelines and weight on the player’s shoulders trying to be good enough for parents and coaches only makes the athlete perform worse. When parents and coaches fight over the coaching or the player’s performance, it causes a worse performance. With constant battles of 10
Emiily Hanes STUDENTS SPEAK OUT Outrage and distrust with the dress code has lead to general unhappiness among many students. Somehow, the line between reasonable restrictions and specialized expectations became blurred, resulting in an unfair enforcement of dress code. Though the concept is understandable, the application of clothing restrictions have left many humiliated by seemingly personalized attacks. Unhappiness with the way clothing restrictions are enforced is almost unanimous amongst students, yet little has been proposed to ensure universal comfortability for both students and faculty. “It’s super targeted at girls and has stupid limitations,” sophomore Rachel Konczak said. It’s not only the female students that feel as if the rules they’re expected to follow target them unfairly. “I’m a boy,” junior Thomas Bulka said. “Of course I haven’t been dress coded.” This sentiment is shared among the majority of male students at Antioch Community High School. MADISON MCBRIDE, STAFF INTERN trying to listen to both adults, the pressure is on. “I listen to my coaches over my parents,” Deighton Butenschoen said. “My coach knows just what I need to do then and there because he’s there for the practices and all the times that I’m struggling with the game and my dad's not.” Throughout an athletic career, parents and coaches will continue to argue, but learning how to work past it improves the game. RILEE SCHREINER, STAFF INTERN
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Junior Karter Pesole climbs on the 30-foot-high ropes course at Lake Geneva Canopy Tours while receiving assistance from two climbing experts.
ADVENTURE IS OUT THERE PE class pushes boundaries to improve students’ outdoorsmanship.
MCKENNA R. KALISZ tom tom staff // @mac_kalisz
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riday, October 13, Antioch Community High School’s very own Adventure Ed went on a field trip to the Lake Geneva Canopy Tours to experience the high ropes and engage in team building activities. This trip is one of the many that the group will go on throughout the year. The Lake Geneva Canopy Tour includes multiple excursions, such as ziplining through the canopies, rope courses, hiking and biking. This year, Adventure Ed tackled a ropes course. While on this field trip, the group spent hours on the ropes course. The course has multiple activities, each meant to challenge the students both mentally and physically. Junior Kameron Jones is always eager to participate in Adventure Ed because of the new
experiences along the way. “People should join Adventure Ed because you get to learn so many new things and work with people you didn’t think you’d ever work with,” Jones said. While up in the ropes they engaged in activities like having to place planks down and walk across them to the other side. The challenging part for the Sequoits was balancing on the boards as a class. The class usually attends the program ran at Camp Peacock in Lindenhurst each year to take on more adventures. Most days, they leave for camp and head straight to the rock climbing wall to start working. While at the walls they perform different activities ranging in difficulty, including a two person climb on an uneven ladder. Some of the other activities
Skyler Wackenhuth Senior Mikaela Jordon hoped luck was in her favor as she gets ready to climb the tightrope section of the high ropes course on Friday the 13th.
that they go on throughout the year include kayaking, canoeing, fishing, rock climbing, high ropes, team building, mountain biking, fire starting, campfire cooking, skiing, winter shelter building, sledding, sailing and white water rafting. This is the fourth year that Adventure Ed has been offered to upperclassmen as a physical education credit. The class is offered twice a day during periods 4 through 6. Some may say that this gym class is for students to slack off in and get an easy credit, but the mentally and physically demanding events allow students to experience opportunities that aren’t
offered in other gym classes. While talking to Physical Education and Adventure Education teacher Gregg Henning, he talked about how Adventure Ed is not only a class where you get to find your physical strengths, but also a class where you can open up to those who are there to aid you on this adventure. “I believe that this class gets students to open up and trust others that they might have never thought they would trust with their lives,” Henning said. This class has so much to offer and has open spots. Joining Adventure Ed is one great adventure that shouldn’t be passed up. 11
LIFESTYLES | November 10, 2017 | The Gold Issue
FANTASY FROM REALITY Questioning the truth of the Mandela Effect. GIANNA M. CHIAPPETTA tom tom staff // @gigic29
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he Mandela Effect: a phenomenon in which a large number of people share false memories of past events. Across the world, a mass of people are affected by this strange theory. This speculation all began from the belief that Nelson Mandela died in prison, when he actually served his respective 27 years and later was elected the first black president of South Africa. After the realization that Mandela, in fact, did not die in prison, many individuals started to recognize other big differences from what they thought were to be true and what is actually false. Some of the most recognizable Mandela Effects include: The Berenstein Bears being The Berenstain Bears, Oscar Meyer being Oscar Mayer, the idea that the Monopoly man wore a monocle (he does not), Snow White’s “mirror, mirror on the wall” being “magic mirror on the wall” and Star Wars’ “Luke, I am your father” being “No, I am your father.”
To freshman Elijah Ruano, the Mandela Effect took him by surprise. “I was appalled by what I found,” Ruano said. “I didn’t want to believe it at first. I always thought Froot Loops were spelled F-R-U-I-T, not with two ‘o’s.” The Mandela Effect reached its popularity in 2013 when Nelson Mandela passed away. His death was a revelation for a majority because they already thought he was already dead. Senior Katherine Sorensen is a strong believer of the Mandela Effect. She was not on board with the whole idea of the theory until her junior year. “My lunch table last year had a whole discussion on the Mandela Effect and what is real or not,” Sorenson said. “I remember it lasted a week and every time it’s brought up, it really makes me think.” For those who believe in the Mandela Effect, they are torn between the false memories caused by a parallel universe or failure of collective memory. “A part of me believes there’s a parallel universe, but that is a
little bit of a stretch,” Sorensen said. “I just find it fascinating that so many people believe in things that are not correct.” Even with false memories corrected, some people still stand to their original opinion on the matter. “I don’t care what people say, it’s Sex in the City, not Sex and the City, which is the correct name,” senior Emily Palmer said. “I grew up with my aunt constantly watching the show. I think I know the correct name of it.” The amount of people who cannot seem to remember or come to terms with the truth of the real world show the truth the Mandela Effect might hold. Believing in the Mandela Effect is based on opinion, but with facts being questioned, one cannot help but wonder: what if the Mandela Effect is real? Maybe life does not contain all the events people think it does. Maybe, just maybe, everyone is a victim to the Mandela Effect.
Gianna Chiappetta 12
THE SCIENCE OF PLAY Having free time can have a positive impact in a student’s lifestyle.
VALERIE N. RASMUSSEN tom tom staff// @Val0270
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tress is something that nearly every student experiences daily. According to a study done by New York University, half of students report being stressed every day due to homework, grades and other facets of their education. Sress is on the rise. More people are reporting high levels of stress than in years prior, which could mean that it is still increasing for high schoolers and adults alike. The American Psychological Association’s annual report showed that for the first time in 10 years there was an increase in the stress level of Americans. They also report that many feel that it is due to the current political climate. The political world is constantly changing as new information comes about, and new developments are made. Due to the instability, this is still a large source of stress for many. Oftentimes, when students were younger, they had an outlet to enjoy themselves and relax: recess. In high school, students don’t get that same luxury; however, many feel that if they had the freetime, they may be less stressed. The free time that students would have would allow them to unwind and enjoy themselves, even if just for a few minutes. Psychology teacher Tony Borchert understands that not many students are able to release the stress that is built up within them. “High school students internalize stress and hope that it either goes away or that they can just forget about it,” Borchert said. “I don’t think a lot of students have stress coping skills.” These coping mechanisms are essential for one to have, so that the stress of everyday life does not continue to build up inside of them. If that stress is not released, it will overflow and can have a very negative impact on one’s body. “Stress, whether it’s a student or an adult, impacts you physically, mentally and emotionally,” Borchert said. “If stress is not dealt with over a period of time, then it can lead to a lot of different medical issues.” Possible stress related ailments have a large variety in terms of the diagnosis and the impact on one’s body. In addition, an article written by Jonathan Weiss of Medical Daily reported that stress is also linked to heart disease, depression and obesity. The impact of stress is not only hard to deal with on a short term basis, but it can seriously impact one’s life later on. By having a way to relax and reduce one’s stress for a little while, their life can be positively impacted. It can not only make one feel better in the moment, but it will also have a lasting impact on possible medical issues. However, having free time during the day may help relieve the stress that many students often feel. Sophomore Jackson Fries starts his day at 5:15 a.m and doesn’t get home until at least 7 p.m every day. On top of that, he often has homework to complete before the cycle begins all over again. Fries believes that having more free time would be very beneficial to him, as well as for the many other students that have a similar schedule. “I would mostly try to finish any projects, homework, anything that’s worth something to my education,” Fries said. “It would actually help me get to bed sooner.
Emily Higgins Stress is common among most students when it comes to their schoolwork. “Stress, whether it’s a student or an adult, stress impacts you physically, mentally and emotionally,” Psychology teacher Tony Borchert said. Having free time can help one to unwind during the day.
Many students stay up late trying to finish their schoolwork, but if they had time during the day to get their work done or relax and relieve some of the pent up energy, it could have a positive impact on their brain as well as their body. ILC Director Barbara Mason understands the value that free time has on students. “It gives them a chance to unwind and recharge their batteries, which ultimately helps them focus better in their classes,” Mason said. One way she encourages this is with the Makerspace lab. The Makerspace is an area where students can go to relax and create something new. Each week, a different activity is in store for those who wish to go. She and other members of the school take their time in selecting activities that they believe the students will truly enjoy. “These activities were initially created so students and staff would become familiar with the space and the materials that are available to them,” Mason said. “I like to create a wide variety of activities to meet the diverse needs of our student population.” Stress is often very overwhelming for students, but having free time can have an overall positive impact on students. It can lead one to having a brighter outlook, as well as being able to be more focused during the day.Many students need an outlet to express themselves. They need somewhere that they can be free from worrying about school projects, homework or their grades. Some may find this time in the Makerspace, while others may enjoy spending time on their phones or perhaps by diving into a good book. However one finds the escape they need, one must take the opportunity to relax, even if just for a moment. 13
LIFESTYLES | November 10, 2017 | The Gold Issue
or a week f a new tom tom tradition.
I TRIED GIVING UP MY PHONE. IT WAS HARD. DIANA ANGHEL print director // @didi_anghel
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oing a day without my phone was fairly easy, as I had just finished a week long break from all my social media. Because of this, I was still accustomed to not being on my phone nearly as much as I typically am. In my classes, I tended to be more attentive and comprehensive of all the information given by my teachers because I didn’t get distracted by Snapchat or text notifications. Being off social media during school was relaxing and I somehow felt less pressure to be up to date with all my friends. Oftentimes, we get too focused on constantly knowing what everyone around us is up to and isolate ourselves in the waves of social media. Overall, I would strongly encourage anyone who is looking to be more focused in class and feel a lesser need to check up with friends to hit the pause button and put aside their phones for a bit. EMILY A. HIGGINS tom tom staff // @emily_higgins81
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expected giving up my phone to be hard as I am dependent on my phone for communication, something to lean on during awkward situations and during my free time. The first full day without the device was the hardest; it was a major jump that I had no time to prepare for. After going without my phone for a week, the time I spent on my phone had significantly decreased. I enjoyed the conversations, experiences and connections I had made without the use of technology. This experiment has really shown me that the bluelight behind the software is a complete distraction from the rest of the world.
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Lauren Bluthardt VALERIE N. RASMUSSEN tom tom staff // @val0270
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t first going without my phone was really hard because I’m so used to having my phone attached at my hip, but as time went on it gradually became easier to live without it. I stopped reaching for my pocket every time I didn’t have something to do. When I began the process, I was scared because I am constantly on my phone and I didn’t know what I would do without it. But I’m really glad I tried it because it has opened my eyes to all the things I could be doing instead of just pulling out my phone. Having that break allowed me to take a step back from my technological world.
THE GOLD ISSUE features 111017
FEATURES | November 10, 2017 | The Gold Issue
ACCEPTING THE SILVER LINING IN A SEA OF GOLD Being on the top can be a desirable trait until being on top turns to too much. The golden standard of society can put pressure on students and oftentimes people forget it is acceptable to be the silver standard.
LAUREN N. BLUTHARDT senior editor // @laurennoelle_
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standard education begins with matching the correct time to the arms on the clock or subtracting single digit numbers. Now, a student is expected to find the standard deviation of the amount of cells in an oak leaf. For years there used to be a time when walking into school was joyful, but for high school students, the stress becomes participating in multiple clubs and sports while maintaining adequate grades. As a society, there is an idea that in order to be successful a person must complete rigorous courses, be in various clubs, a medalist in a sport and have semi-good looks. Teachers and parents urge students to take multiple Advanced Placement and honors classes because the idea of taking these classes places students on a gold pedestal. The golden standard has been idolized for years, but the concept that every student should be golden is taboo. THE GOLDEN GRADES For years, awards have been thrown out left and right for students who excel in multiple facets of school. The different obstacles students deal with on a daily basis are commonly dismissed. Each year parents say that hard work equals success, but for some, trying hard 16
is working multiple jobs to help pay for their car while barely making assignment deadlines. The end goal is to achieve A’s and B’s in advanced courses and for senior Megan Trusky, the pressure has been following her all her life. “My family definitely pressures me to achieve good grades,” Trusky said. “That mindset has put a lot of stress on me and sometimes I hit a breaking point.” A common goal of parents is to see their child become successful coming out of high school. Each student has different abilities, whether it is in the arts, sciences or maths. Those who achieve the golden standard have excelled in each category of life in order to go further, and this has only been proven through the opportunities students receive towards higher education. “Being in the gold standard means getting into college is a lot easier,” Trusky said. “If they are not in the gold standard, then they will have a harder time getting into college.” Having a gold standard mentality of wanting to be the perfect specimen is a topic that often isolates much of the student body. Current social studies teacher Katherine Olson believes the gold standard puts a lot of pressure on students. “Sometimes I think it would be better for kids to take regular classes,” Olson said. “It is hard to know a student’s limits, only a student can know.” The internal pressure to be the best that one can be is something that lead to severe stress and worry. Senior Emily Luc is in multiple clubs while balancing challenging courses. “Sometimes it’s super hard,” Luc said. “When times are tough you just want to give up, but you have to keep going because you don’t want your future to be crushed.” The gold standard teaches that if a student fails or does not join a club they cannot go
far, but in reality their self perseverance and determination is what determines a student’s post-education distance. BEING SECOND PLACE Each day people grow older and the past stays in the past. What people remember others by is how they took their coffee or how vibrant a person was in the darkest times. Being a millionaire and number one isn’t always the best goal for an individual. Luc has learned a lesson or two about the idolized gold standard. “It is okay to be second sometimes,” Luc said. “Because there are always going to be people out there who are going to be better than you.” Each student has different abilities and oftentimes the gold standard overgeneralizes what those abilities should be. Young children are trained to be the best quality they can, but in reality the best quality is who the individual wants to be. As a mother, Olson is aware of how valuable life is and playing a sport or aceing a test is irrelevant if a person is not happy. “Happiness should definitely be based on life satisfaction,” Olson said. Life satisfaction was twisted into the current standards young people believe is good. However, in this day and age, happiness is generalized as performing well in school. Happiness can be helping the family out at home, or following the family business. Pursuing the top is only valuable if the top is what is best for someone’s situation. Teachers and parents often knockdown students for not being the gold standard. “Teachers will reward kids for being successful [on tests or athletics],” Trusky said. “Then they turn around and shame kids for being unsuccessful.” As a society, receiving the gold medal is honored and those who perform well on a test
griffin hackeloer
are placed above the rest. This idea of only rewarding students with higher achievements is detrimental to those who are struggling. This is why the gold standard of education is more harmful than beneficial. Ideas are placed in front of students and they grow up only focusing on those goals, but each student is individually different in their abilities. What students should realize is not their abilities, but rather on their capabilities—what students can achieve if the effort is put forth. “Be careful of what you consider as a gold standard,” Luc said. “Because it might not always be the best for you.” Taking the step down and bending the knee to others does not change an individual’s value. When a person walks off the podium, the gold medal always weighs more than the silver medal; in the end both medals sit on the same leveled shelf.
In a survey of 433 students, 43.8 percent agreed that pressuring students to earn A’s and B’s is bad for a students health; 40.6 percent said sometimes.
WHAT ASPECTS OF LIFE DO YOU THINK WE PUT PEOPLE ON A PEDASTAL FOR?
Anything and everything because somebody will always be better than you, and you would “place them on a pedestal “ and want to be just like them.
SAMANTHA BROWN // JUNIOR
Sometimes we have set, inflexible standards for various things. Talent, beauty, etc. are complicated things and are difficult to quantify and measure. BRADLEY GAYDOVCHIK // SENIOR 17
FEATURES | November 10, 2017 | The Gold Issue
‘‘ BE THE CHANGE IN THE WORLD AND PAINT A GOLDEN HEART INSIDE YOU AND HELP BUILD A POSITIVE EMPIRE MADISEN KRAPF
McKenna Kalisz 18
HEART OF GOLD The grass is always greener on the other side. MADISEN M. KRAPF tom tom staff // @madisenkrapf
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he screen reads “BREAKING NEWS” in all caps—another shooting has occurred somewhere in America. These words across the screen are read like it’s showing the weekly forecast. It’s a frequent occurrence that doesn’t surprise anyone anymore. That reminder of the world that is currently crumbling is once again brought into everyday life. It seems as if there is nothing positive on the news anymore because the bad is starting to overpower the good. All across the world news stations broadcast shootings, hurricanes, massacres, terrorist attacks, bomb threats and so much more every single day. The world seems to be so focused on the bad, and it appears to be draining all of the hope that is left. Granted it is extremely difficult to put the blame on a single group of people, there are not many options in attempting to stop the tragedies. Since there are so many catastrophes that happen daily, it seems like it is hard to find time in the regular schedule to broadcast acts of benevolence. The only way to stop the bad is to outweigh it with the good. There is so much more in the world that citizens should be proud of, like people rescuing others, inspiring stories, positive advocates and more. Some people are trying their absolute hardest to improve the messages around world and encourage positivity on others. A lot of the time, individual’s good acts go unnoticed because there are so many bad acts that outweigh them. With that being said, some people’s careers are dedicated to bettering the wellness of other people. People like motivational speakers go through certain experiences, tell their story and promote the good aspects along with how the listener can stay positive. For example, women’s advocate Malala Yousafzai used her story to spread a message. Five years ago, she was shot by Taliban members for speaking out on her beliefs. She survived, received a Nobel Peace Prize and carried on her story for the whole world to hear. Every night on World News, reporter David Muir reports a segment called “America Strong.” In the segment, he covers events where citizens are shown doing acts of kindness or service. Some segments include “Homecoming Hero Gives Homecoming Crown to Friend with Cerebral Palsy” or “Elementary Teacher Donates Kidney to Student.” This gives the right people the publicity that they deserve. To add on to that, a magazine called Positive News is dedicated to only positive and uplifting occurrences in the world. According to Positive News, their mission statement is, “Good journalism about good things: Positive News is the constructive journalism magazine. Online and in print we offer quality, independent reporting on progress and possibility. As a magazine and a movement, we are changing the news for good.” This movement is taking a big leap towards bettering the outloook and impact of the world around us.
Magazines and any powerful media sources are great ways to attempt to bring positive attention to as many matters as possible. With all the publicity some platforms receive, some don’t use them with positive goals in mind. This is the type of news that is on the television every single day. Whether they are big in the world or small in the community, these acts make a big impact. But a question asked by many is, why are these the only stories making the news? It is no surprise that war and terrorism stories have flooded our news sources; however, those aren’t the only events that occur in the world. Those good stories just seem to not make the cut on major news outlets; however, news sources seem to know what their readers and watchers are looking for. They are constantly analyzing their ratings and statistics on the types of stories and what is getting the most feedback. Sophomore Rachel Ustich believes the tone of the news varies on the watchers mindset and any newsworthy event that occurs is ultimately what is put on the news. “I feel like it can be a mixture, but [the type of news] also depends on your personal beliefs,” Ustich said. “I believe we should just know and understand why these certain things are going on in the world.” The stories that end up on the news are moreso to attract their viewers. Reporters focus on the juiciest stories that average communities don’t see, and those are the stories that make the cut. For example, say someone lives in a neighborhood of about 500 people. If a journalist is reporting about the events in that neighborhood, there wouldn’t be anything too interesting. The possibility of something interesting or newsworthy happening is very slim. That’s why people turn to their news stations to catch up on news. The United States and the world in general is full of different “neighborhoods.” The chance of something happening in a small neighborhood versus an entire country is very different. People go to the television to see action happening in our world, like in major cities, to steer away from the monotony that occurs in their everyday community. Regarding citizens attracted to the negative side of the news mood spectrum, an article from Psychology Today states, “from evolutionary and neuroscientific and probability perspectives, we are hardwired to look for the dramatic and negative, and when we find it, we share it.” All in all, people are just starving for the stories that make a difference, or just a spring in their day. Even though influential and important news stories that are positive don’t always make the news, that doesn’t mean these special acts of kindness should stop. Realizing that the acts being done are making a difference, and improving the state of the community is a big step. Not everything that is done has to benefit the person doing the act. With that being said, the world is a much better place once all of the negativity is pushed to the back. The good will rise up against and demolish the bad once people put in the effort to make the world a better place one step at a time. Be the change in the world and paint a golden heart inside you and help build a positive environment.
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ON THE FIELD | September 29, 2017 | The Cardinal Issue FEATURES | November 10, 2017 | The Gold Issue
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FACING THE PUZZLED PAST It’s the broken pieces that shape an individual’s story.
EMILY LARA tom tom staff //emilyl_1
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hange \‘ c h ā n j \ noun The act or instance of making or becoming different. The journey of becoming different often corresponds with changing the past. Individuals frequently dwell on situations to help themselves become better and be the person they want to be. One dilemma, one question or one opinion could lead to a change in the future. The question that can be brought up is how did an individual change to become who they are today. One might stop to answer this simple question, but never get through the reasoning. Change occurs every day, although people may not notice, because it often could be small. A single person could agree that individuals do not resemble the person they were five years ago. What mark left such a big impact on each individual that lead them to change who they were then and now? Fear \’fir \ noun An unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain or a threat. Everyone is brave in their own way. To be courageous, one must overcome fear. People’s fears could range from spiders, to death, to being alone or to clowns. Everyone at some point gets scared: it’s life. However, how and why play big factors to each individual’s fears. Facing scenarios that result in shock are common. That could’ve been from seeing a scary movie at six years old and growing up to have a fear of dolls, or riding a hot air balloon and looking down at one’s biggest fear: heights. Overcoming fear may be difficult, but it is possible if one puts the effort into facing their own battle. Sophomore Elkanah Gahima’s biggest fear was being alone. “It came from me not having friends, good friends, to be around,” Gahima said. “Feeling left out was the biggest component of me feeling alone.”
Elkanah believes having the fear of being alone has shaped him to the person he is today. “I’m going to stay strong, try to find people who enjoy me as a person and love being around me,” Gahima said. “I’m going to stay with those people, even if it’s a small group of friends. It’s better off having a small group of friends than having no friends at all.” After facing one’s fear, it’s common to feel a change within themselves and develop more positive outcomes in their personality and personal life. Fear may be a cliche topic, but in another light it’s what could affect change and help people view themselves differently. Friendship \’fren(d)- ship \ noun The emotions or conduct of friends, the state of being friends. A part of growing up is having to face countless scenarios where one has to be social to make new friends, memories and be apart of something bigger than themselves. Today’s generation is so involved in technology that they often forget how to be social and have a proper conversation with another person. For people who never interact with new individuals, it’s hard to get out of their comfort zone and join clubs, sports and other activities. Changing how one interacts with others is a battle; being shy or an introvert could be difficult in a world of outgoing people. Overcoming shyness may be a difficult task; however, it could be reduced with the help of trusted adults or a social gathering that involves oneself to open up. “Coming here to Antioch, I didn’t know anybody because I went to Round Lake and I grew up with everyone there,” sophomore Paul Valdivia said. “Just being myself made it easy and coming here to a new school and environment made things harder because I was [an introvert] for the first few months.” One could change after they face a situation that causes them to act differently. Becoming social may have to deal with meeting new people and making friends in a new community. “Going to a new environment is really hard, but it’s so easy to adapt if you are actually pushing yourself and trying to make yourself comfortable in a situation where you are super new and want to make friends,” Valdivia said.
Emily Lara Pushing oneself and getting out of usual habits is a way to change who someone is as an individual. Going from being an introvert to becoming an extrovert can be a difficult task for people, sometimes impossible, but these challenges form what they become to this day. Family \’fam- lē, fa-mə- \ noun Any group of persons closely related by blood, as parents, children, uncles, aunts and cousins. The meaning of family is often misunderstood. There’s a majority of different families, although one could view them in another way. According to the Pew Research Center, 46 percent of children today are living in a family with two married parents. With that said, there are foster and adoptive families and there could also be no parent at all, where grandparents or others play a role as a parent. Through all the diversity, there’s no such thing as a picture perfect family. All families have problems, but the way conflicts get resolved may differ from family to family. Relationships between a parent and a child correspond with how the family acts physically and mentally toward each other. Families may often face issues with finances, jobs and lack of communication. Parents may often target their anger and frustration at their children causing conflict within the family. A situation could change a child’s lifestyle and create a butterfly effect once they’re married and have children of their own. Although hardships may defeat a person, they are meant to make an individual grow and create
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FEATURES | November 10, 2017 | The Gold Issue
JESSICA LAMBERTY
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As Hannah Montana once said, “nobody’s perfect,” but some people seem very close. JESSICA L, LAMBERTY senior editor // @jessicalamberty13
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eing golden is not just an attitude, it’s also a way of life. All too often, people mistake the term “golden girl” as someone who is spoiled, conceited and has a lack of interest in others. However, the truth could not be more contrary. A “golden girl” is defined by the the Oxford dictionary as “a very popular or successful young woman,” but this title is not earned without extreme determination and effort. These golden girls have done their fair share of work to achieve their successes. When leafing through success stories, it is easy to see a pattern. From her first dance trophy to her latest victory, sophomore Adalia Tate has crowned herself as a golden girl. With her most recent addition of Junior Miss Antioch and sophomore Homecoming Duchess to her repertoire and being an underclassman on the varsity field hockey team, Tate is a very well rounded student of Antioch. The question, however, is not why she has achieved so much, but rather how she has reached success. “I think that success is defined by setting a goal for yourself and achieving it, whether it takes a short amount of time or a long amount of time,” Tate said. Many of the most successful people involve themselves in everything that they can. For example, Apple is renowned globally for its success. The company started under the genius computer programmer Steve Jobs and is now a worldwide network. This is because the company took risks. It became involved globally and made an impact. Golden girls and boys are just like this. They commit to many different activities in an effort to bring forth success. Many of the brightest, most influential people on the planet do not hold back. They are involved in as many things as they can be.
“My definition of a golden girl is probably somebody that is really successful all around in everything that they do and they’re really involved in a lot of things,” Tate said. A typical golden girl spends almost all of her time keeping busy with the school, sports and the community, attending numerous school and town events. With a schedule like this, it is hard to imagine that they can stay focused on each individual activity, but they push through it and even have a positive attitude as well. “I feel like a key of being a golden girl is having a kind personality because if you’re not kind, people won’t see you as a golden girl,” junior Grace Hellen said. “They’ll just see you as conceited.” Balancing good grades, AP classes, sports and extracurricular activities is not an easy task, but it forms the foundation of being a golden girl. Many times, people who are involved in a lot of activities feel that they are stretched too thin, which causes them to stop excelling in certain activities or aspects of life. This is what separates success from excellence: accepting that nobody is perfect at everything. Band teacher, Jonathan Untch, noticed that balancing time is difficult for students and sometimes takes their focus off from what they are doing. “I think that the main thing that distracts people from whatever they are doing would be the other ‘thing’ they have to do,” Untch said. “It’s almost impossible to give 100 percent of your time to a school activity or sport when you are involved in more than one.” Being multi-involved is great, but it does mean that sometimes sacrifices have to made. It can be assumed that success can get to one’s head, which is why many high-achieving students are looked upon with a certain disdain by other students who peg them as the “popular” type. In reality, what is popularity?
“To me, popularity is people looking up to you or people admiring you for different things or qualities that you have that they want or aspire to have too,” Tate said. “I think that by being popular, it can also be associated with being kind of a role model.” Sophomore Kolton Powers agrees with the idea that popularity is not solely based on having a certain friend group. “The definition of popularity to me is a group or individual that is very liked and well known,” Powers said. Popularity does not always mean someone belongs to a certain friend group that has been deemed popular; it can mean that they are connected to many individual friends based on activities they are a part of. But in the midst of having many friends, it is important to stay true to one’s self.
‘‘ I FEEL LIKE A KEY OF BEING A GOLDEN GIRL IS HAVING A KIND PERSONALITY GRACE HELLEN
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FEATURES | November 10, 2017 | The Gold Issue
Jessica Lamberty The illustration above pictures the qualities that make a girl a golden girl featured in the article. Junior Grace Hellen credits a kind personality as the greatest characteristic of a golden girl. ““I feel like a key of being a golden girl is having a kind personality because if you’re not kind, people won’t see you as a golden girl,” junior Grace Hellen said.
Aside from popularity, being successful has its lows. Sometimes, people peg high achieving students the wrong way. Oftentimes, people put pressure on them without even realizing it by saying things like “you just get everything handed to you.” “I’ve had people that just kind of throw my accomplishments back at me like an insult,” Tate said. Despite this, she strives to be a role model to others in every way she can. The best way to look past comments is to take the negativity and pay it forward with a positive connotation, using it to push harder. A key component of being golden is being kind. “I feel like it’s really important to be true to yourself and to be honest about how you feel about different things because everybody has feelings,” Tate said. There is nothing to hide from one’s friends because everyone cries, everyone has a bad day and being true to one’s self is the best way to gain and show respect for others. Being golden gives just as often as it takes. Giving back to the community through avid volunteering is a common trait of the coveted golden 24
girl. Giving back does not have to be through volunteering, though. It can be as simple as surprising a friend with a sweet treat, or donating to a local collection. What happens if reaching a goal does not happen immediately? There is no need to panic. Failure is the fuel for determination. Remember that even if one does not achieve them right away, that does not equal failure. Success is trying everyday to be a better person and look at every day as a fresh start. A positive outlook on life is a key component of the golden girl ora; they have a natural drive for whatever they are working on, coupled with a desire to improve. “[A golden girl] is the kind of person who always works hard and is always positive,” Untch said. So, how does one achieve the golden girl status? It takes involvement, dedication, respect for one’s self and others, a positive attitude and generosity. Being golden is not an attitude, it is what one makes of their life and how they choose to celebrate it.
SMITH PLACES 10TH IN IHSA STATE Courtesy Nancy Corey 25
SPORTS | November 10, 2017 | The Gold Issue
PRESEASON BAR SET HIGH FOR GYMNASTICS TEAM
JADDA POPE
GIRLS BASKETBALL The Antioch girls basketball team is preparing to start their 2017-18 season. Last year, the Sequoits were nearly undefeated with a final record of 30-4. The Sequoits’ impressive season landed them in the super sectional game, which they lost to Chicago Marshall with a score of 55-48 to end their season. The team believes their success was due in large part to their older starting lineup. “Last season was very successful because we had a very experienced starting lineup that motivated and helped unite the team as we all learner our roles,” Foote said. “The team saw how determined the upperclassmen were to get to state and so the rest of us pushed to compete at their level.” This season the Sequoits expect a lasting struggle throughout their season is a lack of experience within their lineup; however, the girls can still manage another successful season if they stick together and work hard. The Sequoits’ first game is Tuesday, November 14 at Vernon Hills. MERRICK FOOTE
TORN ACL AWARENESS Many athletes have been vitally affected by the horrid consequences of a torn ACL; however, there are many ways to treat and recover from them. Injuries affect so many athletes on a daily basis. Many athletic careers have changed due to injuries like torn ACL’s, which could very easily affect someone’s everyday life. Athletes from all ages are tearing their ACL’s, however there are ways to prevent it. The likeliness of a torn ACL drops at an amazing rate when the athlete stretches correctly. “[A torn ACL] could be from overuse or not properly stretching,” physical trainer Cindy Calabrese said. Calabrese has to deal with tragic injuries such as torn ACL’s on a daily basis. Ask anyone that has had to deal with an ACL complication before, they aren’t fun. Next time someone thinks about not stretching to their fullest ability, they should remember that their athletic career is at risk. EVAN DAY
DANCE Last years dance team was left with a bittersweet taste in their mouth as their season ended just shy of state. The dancers are more determined and are striving for more success to have the best team Antioch has ever seen. “We are looking forward to improve our difficulty in our dance routine and making it to state,” junior Casey Kiyohara said. The choreography from last year’s routine was one of the best the dance team had in a long time, however, due to a heavily stacked sectional, the team ending up losing. Yet, the team has high hopes that they will perform better and make it to state. They hope they can improve their skill level with team chemistry. “We want to improve our bond and make sure everyone feels like they are a part of the team,” Kiyohara said. Everyone being connected to each other is very beneficial for the team. Team chemistry helps improve the team productivity which could help out with their routine. Come support the girl’s at their first competition November 19 at Mundelein High School. NICO CHIAPPETTA
Kayla Grenke Antioch and Lakes Community High School partnered for a new district-wide gymnastics team. The team hosted tryouts Nov. 6 -7. “You need to work really hard and practice as much as possible,” sophomore Josie Morgret said. The new gymnastics team is open to any student in any grade and will hold practices at the Gymnastics Zone.
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BOWLING The winter season for sports is arriving fast and each team is preparing for their seasons mentally and physically. The girls bowling team is back and better than ever and the girls are excited to finally have a bowling alley back in their own town. Senior Samantha Knab and sophomore Lynn Michalec are both very excited to see what this season has to offer. Over the summer the girls had trained hard to better themselves for this upcoming season. “When I’m not bowling at the high school, I bowl at a Saturday morning youth league at Lakes Bowl,” Michalec said. “Also over the summer, I went to a bowling camp at Robert Morris College.” Knab also spoke about her training in the offseason. “Over the summer, I was in a national tournament, Junior Gold, and I did really well in it,” Knab said. “I also attended a college recruitment camp.” “I think this next season will start off a little bumpy with the newbies getting the hang of things, but I have high hopes overall,” Michalec said. TAYLOR FELTNER
BOYS BASKETBALL The 2017-2018 basketball season is approaching. Players are training to earn their spot as a starter and some are there to get conditioning in for the other sports they play. Open gyms have started and the players are starting to shake out the rust and get back to playing. Players who go to all the extra practices and workouts have a better chance of impressing the coach; it will help secure a better chance of earning a spot on the roster for this upcoming season. Coming into tryouts without picking up a basketball, besides gym class, is not a good idea. Putting in the extra work will give a player an edge over the other players. “I have been running on treadmills, lifting, going to open gyms and going to other gyms in the area,” sophomore Ben Ticsay said. Students who don’t play any other sports have been putting in work on the court as well as in the gym. This allows them to get the most out of themselves, giving them the best opportunity they can to make the team and become a better athlete. Getting into shape and picking up a basketball is the best way one can prepare for the upcoming season. CADEN DAVIS Lauren Bluthardt 27
PERSPECTIVES | November 10, 2017 | The Gold Issue
WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO
HAVE A LIFE FULFILLED BY SCIENCE BY JACOB FRYE as told to nico chiappetta
M
y passion for science first came to me in sixth grade when I had my first actual science class. We were learning the basics of physics and chemistry and I loved everything about it; it was my favorite class. After my little introductory of science, a whole new world was opened up for me to explore. As a kid, my interest for physics sparked. I would build things using wood in my basement for consecutive hours at a time. One of my favorite projects that I ever built was a robotic mechanical arm. I bought a kit that had all the parts, gears and steps, so I didn’t build it out of scratch, but it was still very difficult to do. In order to build the arm, I had to place each gear into a specific place that allowed all the areas to move and rotate in harmony. Every piece had a designated placement and all the parts added up to make it work; it was fascinating. Next, I built a motor with a battery and then attached gears to it. Once I was done with that, the arm was able to move up and down. Then, I made a system of wires to be able to move the arm side to side. The wiring also gave the arm the ability to grab and pick things up. I was so astonished that I was able to make it work that I tried to find similar projects to challenge myself even more. I wish I could have focused on chemistry a little more when I was younger, but my parents
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didn’t want me do chemical experiments in my basement because possible explosions and things like that. Sadly, now that I’m in high school and busy, I can’t really do as many projects, but whenever I have free time I try to continue working on my numerous projects or start a new one. What most people don’t realize is how often they use science in their everyday lives. Your daily physics, chemistry or biology classes are not even the half of it. For starters, the way our body functions is all science; transferring blood cells around our body and back to the heart, converting food into energy and don’t even get me started on the nervous system; it’s phenomenal. The way technology is built is revolved around science developments, too. Technology is so important in today’s society. Computers are able to do so much and now that we have phones, we can literally carry a computer in our pocket. It’s absolutely stunning. Technology plays a very important role in my everyday life, especially for my small engines class. One of our projects was to build an engine using a 3D printer. My group’s biggest predicament so far was how to make each individual piece the right size and shape without it snapping. Basically, we just kept printing pieces
over and over again until we got something that sort of worked, then we built the engine from there. This project ended up taking a very long time to accomplish because we essentially ran a trial and error experiment, which was definitely not the right way to go about it. Contrary to most people, my favorite scientist isn’t Einstein, Darwin or Newton; it’s Nikola Tesla. His invention of the AC Current—an electric current which periodically reverses direction and converts to a DC current—powers all outlets. That is definitely one of the most popular inventions and most important, at least in my opinion. In general, Tesla was just a great guy, too; he was very selfless, donating everything he had. I really admire that about him. After I graduate high school and college, I want to pursue a career as a mechanical engineer. Mechanical engineers design and build machines that are powered by energy. Rocketships, cars, planes and boats are all made by mechanical engineers. Physics is what I love to do and mechanical engineering is the perfect job for someone who’s as intrigued in physics as I am. Designing and building projects is one of my favorite activities to do and I can’t wait to devote my life to science.
Nico Chiappetta 29
Want to Sponsor the Sponsorship Levels White/$50 Gray/$125 Cardinal/$200 Black/$300 Diamond/(Name Your Price) Contact Information The Tom Tom Antioch Community High School 1133 Main Street Antoch, Ill. 60002 Phone: 847-395-1421 Editor-in-Chief: Jason Wood e-mail: jason.wood@chsd117.org Media Adviser: Mr. Patrick R. Johnson, MJE e-mail: patrick.johnson@chsd117.org
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