The Tom Tom | January 2016

THE STUDENT VOICE OF ANTIOCH COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL

THE

Vices

& VIRTUES ISSUE VOLUME 54, ISSUE 5 + JANUARY 2016 WWW.SEQUOITMEDIA.COM + @ACHSTOMTOM + @SEQUOITSPORTS 1133 MAIN STREET + ANTIOCH, ILLINOIS + 60002

JAN. 2016

CONTENTS

JOHNNY HORTON

THE STUDENT VOICE OF ANTIOCH COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL

THE

Vices

& VIRTUES ISSUE VOLUME 54, ISSUE 3 + OCTOBER 2015 WWW.SEQUOITMEDIA.COM + @ACHSTOMTOM + @SEQUOITSPORTS 1133 MAIN STREET + ANTIOCH, ILLINOIS + 60002

ON THE COVER What journey will you choose: vices or virtues? Take the elevator ride to explore what each looks like and get a glimpse at the middleground.

THE VICES LUST | 3 GLUTTONY | 7 GREED | 11 SLOTH | 15 WRATH | 19 ENVY | 23 PRIDE | 27 PURGATORY | 31

VICES Crawling out of darkness and into the lives of many are the “seven deadly sins.” Throughout time, much of humanity’s greatest conflicts and afflictions can be attributed to even just one of these wicked vices. Within each of us is at least a small amount of at least one of these dastardly deeds: lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy and pride.

Which afflicts you most?

VOL. 54 NO. 5

JOHNNY HORTON / ILLUSTRATION TYLER STEELE

The Vices and Virtues Issue

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A strong sexual desire. Sometimes uncontrollable and almost always completely unreasonable. An intense longing for one’s body. Something that can make or break a relationship, set boundaries and drive one crazy until he obtains what it is he has a need for.

Lust.

Such a magnetic attraction that one cannot contain it.

This concept of confusion, of love and what is socially acceptable and realistic is one that is difficult to fathom for most.

Most people cannot comprehend the intensity of desire that one person is capable of having for an object, person or idea.

A common misconception is that lust is a form of love, but it is not. Lust is the love of what you see and love is having lust for what’s inside. Lust is not love if the only attraction a person has toward another individual is merely a sexual longing or desire. Another misconception is that lust is primarily seen in men. Once again, this is truly a misbelief, and women are just as capable to have lust toward a man.

As any situation, lust comes with consequences and boundaries that are often broken.

As a result of this extreme attraction, cheating, deception, obsession and confusion are all likely to become a routine part of a lustful individual’s lifestyle.

PRETTY WOMAN LUST Can’t help falling in love

She’s the woman you stare at, her background unknown. All you know is that she’s someone you don’t want to know.

PAIGE GRUBER Digital Director

T

wenty-seven-year-old caucasian woman with long brunette hair and brown eyes. Available for men only. Category: escort.

If one typeed in “female escort” on the Internet, thousands upon thousands of websites with titles like “Rent a Friend” and “Hire a Date” flood the page, advertising for particular women to sign up and start working for their “lavish” escorting company.

The expectation is that escorting is exactly like prostitution: someone being hired to sleep with someone and take part in sexual activities for a high price. Except, there is a huge difference: escorting is legal and prostitution is not. Escorting, unlike prostitution, is when one individual hires another individual to be his/her date. Then the women, as one escorting agency “Dukes of Daisy” advertises, “will accompany gentlemen as their companion to various events such as dinner dates, weddings, business functions and other red carpet social events.”

So, where’s the part where the female sleeps with the male?

Well, of course that doesn’t happen because being paid for sexual intercourse is illegal. If that occurred, it would be prostitution. The escorts are not allowed to sleep with the man who hired them. At least that is what the agencies are telling the public.

There really is one answer to why people “sell” themselves as escorts. Yes, it is money. They make a lot of it almost instantly. According to “Dukes of Daisy,” the average salary for an escort is around 300 dollars an hour.

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When one is short on money, this is an unfortunately common solution to turn to for women and men.

“I started working because I’d gotten a few propositions through a dating website. I was studying medicine at the time, and I was short on money,” said a female escort who wished to remain anonymous. “So one time, this guy made me what seemed like a lucrative offer, and I agreed. A week or two later, I drove over to his apartment. I was petrified, but I needed the money, so I rang the doorbell. He was nice enough. He asked me to do some things that I didn’t want to do, so I said, ‘Maybe not this time.’”

On the other end of the spectrum, there are those who actually enjoy being an escort.

“I’m a high-class escort,” another escort said. “And before you jump to conclusions, no, I’m not paying for a drug addiction. Nor do I come from a broken home, nor am I unhappy. In fact, I love my job.”

She even goes on to talk about the “benefits” that come along with it, as if being “rented” for a couple of hours like an object and faking a relationship with a stranger was appealing.

“As a high-class escort I’m showered with affection, adored beyond measure, ravished, celebrated for my femininity, and paid for my time. Oh, and dinner, hotels, and any gifts are on him. Put it like that and it sounds a hell of a lot more romantic than dating a fellow student, doesn’t it? That’s because it is.”

Not to mention, it is not only females are being paid to be escorts; males contribute, too. In fact, according to Importio, a web-based data scraper, up to 42 percent of escorts are males.

But male or female, it is still morally wrong to pay someone to be his/her date and, in some cases, participate in sexual intercourse. One should buy people, despite the drive lust may provide. TT

“Lust is longing for someone or something.”

- Senior Andi Leineberg “I would describe it as being infatuated with something not for the emotional feeling, but for the physical feeling.”

- Senior Abigail Lubkeman “Wanting something you are taught not to want” - Senior Thomas Howe

“I’m a high-class escort.

And before you jump to conclusions, no, I’m not paying for a drug addiction.”

JOHNNY HORTON / ILLUSTRATION TYLER STEELE

The Vices and Virtues Issue

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JOHNNY HORTON / ILLUSTRATION TYLER STEELE

CHEATED ON AND BROKEN UP WITH

After months of confusion, a Sequoit finds out that her boyfriend had been seeing a girl on the side. This left her devestated and him without a relationship.

JORDAN STATEN Tom Tom Staff

I

n a relationship where all one knows is the comfort, love and support of his/her partner, the thought of him/her cheating is almost unimaginable. Cheating is an action looked down upon in nearly every society. It’s one that can destroy a relationship, but most importantly, like in the case of this junior, one’s self-esteem after being cheated on by her boyfriend. “[My relationship] was perfect,” she said. “The best relationship I had ever had, and I was so incredibly happy.”

Over a year and madly in love with her first boyfriend, she had never imagined that one day the end of their seemingly perfect relationship would hurt more than just an average high school break-up. Up until then, she could not have asked for a better boyfriend. We were always spending time together, caring for each other and acting as though forever was a reality.

All of her friends could see minor signs that they knew would lead to a bad ending, but she was blind to every bit of it. She explained that her friends tried to warn her, but she thought in her heart that she would trust her boyfriend more than anyone.

“I never caught on to it, until I found out,” she said.

Every promise turned into nothing because of one simple action.

When looking back at the situation, she admits that not one thing made her think that her boyfriend was being unfaithful. This boy that she con6 Tom Tom January 2016

sidered her everything was treating her like she was nothing.

Throughout their relationship, she promised herself that at this point in her life abstinence was morally right for her. She stayed true to that, even while having a boyfriend for such a long time, and even when surrounded by the constant pressures of high school. She knew that it would be worth it in the end, but her boyfriend had other things on his mind.

As he gave into the internal temptations and external pressures of society, he broke not only the relationship he had worked so hard for, but also broke the heart of his unsuspecting girlfriend.

“I think he looked to me to fill his heart, and he looked to her to fill his desires,” she said.

She had found out months later that the boy she admired was looking to someone else to fill the gap of sexual desires that she had not filled for him.

The junior believed that her boyfriend was merely using another girl for sex and let lust get the best of him. She accepted that she was not to blame for his indescretions, but that didn’t keep her from wondering what she could have done to stop it from happening.

Her confidence diminished. Her trust for him was no longer. Her heart, broken.

To come back from an experience like this seemed impossible, but with time, she knew with the support of her friends and family-things would turn around for her eventually.

“Although it is scary to think that someone I thought was completely head over heels for me can look straight through me at someone else,” she said. “This experience showed me that I can get through anything.”

Today, this experience is simply looked at as a lesson. A person, whether man or woman, should never have to feel the horrid effects that lust can have on a relationship. But nevertheless, a lesson. TT

JOHNNY HORTON / ILLUSTRATION NATHAN BORRIES

The Vices and Virtues Issue

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MUCH Too

A junk filled journey that lasts one week and almost results in a hospital visit.

CLAY VESSER

I

Tom Tom Staff

started on the night of Tuesday, November 17. I’m not sure what the goal was. They told me to eat crap for a week and then to write about it Well, I ate, and now I’m writing. Is it even called eating though? I felt like I was devouring, consuming more food than I should have. My doctor would be disappointed. My parents already were.

“Why are you eating all this crap for school,” my mom asked. “It doesn’t seem very educational to us. Are you sure this isn’t an excuse just to eat junk food for a week?”

Sure it was. Everything is an excuse for something, right? And this was my excuse to eat deliciously fat and sugary foods for a week in the name of journalism. Or something like that. I knew that I would probably feel like dying by the next Tuesday, but at the moment I was just looking forward to some Burger King.

TUESDAY NIGHT: Sitting at the kitchen table with hands tapping the surface of the wood. Waiting for my mom to get some BK on her way to pick my brother up from tennis practice.

Ten minutes later. Mom walked in. So does the smell. I inhaled and smiled, as she ploped the brown bag in front of my salivating eyes. Open the bag. Grab the burger. Devour.

I finished the Whopper, inhaled two large fries and had some Coca Cola. I wasn’t feeling the effects yet. This wasn’t much for a teenage boy with an insanely high metabolism. My mom knew this.

“Want anything else?” she said. I nodded, got up and grabbed two slices of pizza that my dad had just cooked for the rest of my family.

WEDNESDAY MORNING: I always ate breakfast before school. But not like this. A bowl of Fruit Loops. Another of Reese’s Puffs. A glass of chocolate milk. A Toaster Strudel. Man, I love Toaster Strudels.

Still not feeling anything. School sucked like usual, until 6th hour lunch with leftover pizza, Sour Patch Kids, two brownies from the commons and fruit punch. School ended. Dinner began with even more BK than the other night. Two large fries again and then two Whoppers. With a side of three scoops of vanilla custard from Culver’s.

8 Tom Tom January 2016

At this point, I began feeling it. Whatever “it” was. Slow, tired, emotional. I wanted to sleep for a few days. It was only 7 p.m.

I procrastinated moving up the stairs to my bedroom. I couldn’t do homework. Not like this. I opened the door, closed it. I pulled the covers back and covered myself up. I closed my eyes. And opened them again at 10:22 p.m.

THURSDAY MORNING: More Reese’s Puffs, more Fruit Loops. I had the last of the chocolate milk and the first Toaster Strudel in the new pack. It was Boston Cream Pie, my favorite. So I took another one out of the box, of course. I really did not want to go to school. I felt like puking.

Not over the Boston Cream Pie Toaster Strudel, though—that was going in my mouth. I finished breakfast somehow. Then my bowels reminded me that they existed. A quick run to the bathroom and off to school.

Lunch. Oh man, lunch was something that day. A brownie. I ran to the bathroom. The rest of my burger that I got from McDonalds on the way here. Getting up again to go the bathroom.

I scarfed it down. The other brownie, the piece of cake, the fries, the fruit punch. Oh yeah, the Hersheys bar, too.

That took one bite. Backpack on, off to class. But not before another bathroom break.

Wasn’t feeling too swell at dinner time.

“Can I not do this today,” I asked my mom, signaling to the Jimano’s pizza she had ordered specifically for me. Italian sausage, pepperoni, Canadian bacon, ground beef and bacon. It’s also known as the Jimano’s Meat Maniac. That’s what I felt like: a maniac.

Sixteen inches of cheese, sauce and excellent crust. My mouth a few days ago would have been salivating already. Not today. Today I felt like throwing this pizza out the window, along with the story.

“This is for a grade, isn’t it?” My mom looked at me with a worried glance.

I nodded. And then started eating. I still felt like puking. Halfway through, I could feel the food wanting to come back up. I kept it down

That’s what I felt like: a maniac. Sixteen inches of cheese, sauce and excellent crust.

H!

CLAY VESSER

with more food. It was finished. And so was I. I am never doing this again, I thought.

But I did. Friday, I threw up before school. During school I went to the bathroom four times. I will not describe it. More candy, more pizza, and more junk entered my system. The headache I had after school on Friday was insane. I began to think this idea was insane as well. I skipped dinner. I couldn’t do it. I slept from 7 p.m. till 7 in the morning on Saturday, when I had to wake up for work. More sugary cereal and drinks in the morning.

I got to my workplace at 8. There was a meeting. Someone brought coffee cake. Of course, I had to eat it. It was for journalism.

“Hey, are you all right? You’re not getting sick, are you,” a co-workers asked.

“Huh?” I raised my head from consuming my third piece of coffee cake. I realized they were staring at me. I shook my head.

“No, I’m good.” Crumbs fell from my mouth as I tried to speak. My boss smiled.

“Ahhhh, I remember when I could eat like that and not feel anything.” I almost burst out laughing. Lady, you have no idea what I’m feeling. Which at the moment was a headache and nausea, and I struggled with moving.

But our conversation reminded me that I needed to check my weight when I got home.

When I did get home, I passed out on the couch for a couple of minutes, wishing that it was Tuesday already. But it wasn’t. Three more days to go. I got up from the couch; I got up the stairs.

The scale read 137. Wow. One pound more. I wasn’t surprised. Even though I had eaten well over 6 pounds of fat and sugar alone in the past couple days.

More junk that night. As well as Sunday and Monday. More throwing up, more headaches. I felt tired all the time. Slow, sludgy and overwhelmed. The simplest of tasks was hard enough for me. Tuesday came. The last day. I think if I had eaten any more crap that day, I might have ended up in the hospital. But my mom saved me.

“Why don’t you eat healthy for today and write about the effects of eating healthy after 6 days of eating crap?” It was a good idea. In fact, it was the best idea I had heard in a week. I was so tired of all the fat, grease, sugar, salt; it was so disgusting. I ate so healthy that day—healthier than I usually eat.

It did nothing. Surprised? I wasn’t. It would probably take weeks to get all this sh*t out my body.

If you don’t usually eat junk food daily, then please don’t try it. And if you do eat junk food regularly, I feel bad for you. I really do. TT

I remember when I could eat like that and not feel anything

What Gluttony said: A narrative LAUREN SLACK Tom Tom Staff

Michael knew what he was eating. He knew how much he was eating. What he didn’t know was how to stop eating. I did this to him; this was my goal. I created a monster who has been so caught up in the selfishness and wastefulness of eating and eating; I have succeeded.

The clock hits 2:50 p.m. The final bell rings, dismissing Michael’s government class. Michael rushes out the door, caught up in his thoughts of what he gets to eat as soon as he gets home. Thoughts of potato chips, pizza and Twinkies flood his mind as he boards the school bus to begin his journey home.

Bursting through his front door, ignoring the yaps of his pet dachshund and the welcoming hello from his mother in the kitchen, Michael storms into the pantry, tearing down every appetizing box of cookies or bag of chips he sees on the shelf. He rips open his first bag of Lay’s barbecue chips while settling into the squished cushions of the brown-suede couch, already formed to his body from many previous hours of lounging in this exact spot.

Within minutes, he has finished every item he grabbed from the pantry. Lying back, rubbing his outstretched stomach, Michael closes his eyes and falls asleep within seconds.

I fill his brain with more images of different types of dinners and desserts—any type of food imaginable. I have made it impossible for Michael to go a second in his day without thinking about food. My laughter fills his mind with intense imagery of all the food, mocking his weakness to overcome the gluttony that has taken him over.

Michael awakens, drenched in sweat and panic-stricken by his dreams. Food should not take over his life to the point where he can’t escape from the real world without the thought of enduring in flavors entering his head.

He knows he has a problem; the first step is fixing it.

Michael stumbles up from his warm spot on the couch, grabbing the crinkling plastic wrappers and crumb-filled bags, and stomps over to the garbage in his kitchen, where he shoves the trash into the can without a second thought.

Committing the sin of gluttony is acting within the lack of self-control of overeating, where a person is not eating to live, but living to eat. TT The Vices and Virtues Issue 9

YASMIN LARA

SHE’S LARGE AND LOVING IT The Big Beautiful Women community fight the weight of their oppressors to celebrate their beauty inside and out.

M

YASMIN LARA

Department Editor ost women aren’t confident in their own skin because society has created a social norm where the word “beautiful” is thought of as a thin and athletic body. Models are photoshopped to have a more perfect figure than they have in reality. Bigger girls are usually frowned upon and stereotyped as lazy and uneducated. A group of women who call themselves the BBW have decided to go against this social norm and change society’s views on beauty.

BBW (Big Beautiful Women), has become a big name in the media in the last couple of years.

Lots of women are starting to fight against body image. Many campaigns, such as the Dove campaign, have been trying to change the views of people today by using models of all shapes, sizes and ethnicities.

Unlike Victoria’s Secret, the Big Beautiful Women’s Club embraces their big shape. The Big Beautiful Women’s Club is a club that recently formed in New York. Their goal is to end fat-shaming for bigger women. They are really

10 Tom Tom January 2016

proud of their bodies and the people they have become in the process. Not only do they enjoy their shape but they also work very hard to keep it that way.

“Women should be confident in their own skin,” said senior Ashley Young. “I think it’s really cool that someone is actually going against society and making a statement. Everyone has the right to do whatever makes them happy. ” In a recent episode of “Living With The Enemy,” two women who are complete opposites of each other were forced to live together for one week. This episode showed the the two women not cooperating the entire week. One woman was a health and fitness addict, and the other woman is a model for the Big Beautiful Women’s Club. One of the women exercised three times a day and ate minimal to stay in shape.

On the other hand, the BBW member ate an immense amount of junk food, such a donuts and pizza, all day.

Not only do these women embrace their big shape, they also make sure other people know how proud they are of their bodies. Some members of the BBW community have become models to show people that anyone can be a model, no matter the size. As models, they take photos that show off their large figure. The models usually wear very minimal clothing, just like a Victoria’s Secret model would wear. Although these women can oftentimes get negative com-

ments, they make sure to stay united and confident and to always keep their heads held high.

“Confidence is one of the most important things a woman could have,” senior Emily Shultz said. “Beauty can be only skin deep, but confidence is what really stands out to people.”

Although the BBW community is trying really hard to change the views of people, doctors will still say that it is not a healthy lifestyle. The amount of calories that women in this community and of similar size consume daily just to maintain their weight is considerably more than what a healthy person does. Also, not exercising may cause major health problems and lead to obesity. Health conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure are often results of obesity and/or poor eating habits.

The Big Beautiful Women community is now expanding from only being present in social media. They have started a dance club in New York City. This club started of only being open for women, but is now allowing men. Some men who are looking specifically for bigger women go to this club not only to have fun, but also to find love. The BBW community can be found on social media, and they also make appearances in television shows and even parties. This community is increasing each day and will continue trying to reach their goal of ending fat-shaming for women all over the world. TT

JOHNNY HORTON / ILLUSTRATION NATHAN BORRIES / MAKEUP CHLOE GRASS

The Vices and Virtues Issue

11

EFFECTS OF GREED

Greed’s consequences can claim more than just chump change in one’s wallet.

ABIGAIL ELLSWORTH

Tom Tom Staff

I

12 Tom Tom January 2016

magine facing a loved one every day who seems to care less about you and more about oneself.

His/her obsessive behaviors seem to almost be growing more and more each day, constantly trying to please him/her and doing anything to get their attention. Soon, the effects of greed start to take place and control them.

Greed is a part of many events in the world today, due to the fact most people are continuously looking for more. It is an intense and selfish desire for something, especially wealth, power or food. It is triggered by a fundamental sense of deprivation—a need for something that cause consequences. Not all effects of greed are bad, however; some can be good, but for the most part are lacking or unavailable. Greed is all around, and when it becomes overpowered within a person, his/her actions and attitude do not always have a very positive outcome. This obsesion doesn’t always end well, and when coming across it, it becomes stressful and possibly results in having important things taken away or ruined.

When the feeling of laziness becomes obsessive in a person, she can become overly focused on getting what she needs, trying to eliminate a person’s needy feeling. This one thing can be money, knowledge, power, attention, or just about anything. Some of greed’s effects or consequences are losing friendships, being neglected, happiness, risky commitment, disappointment and sometimes even facing criminal charges.

A lot of times greedy people will do whatever it takes to get what they want; this one problem can create and lead to many more problems that most do not realize in the beginning.

Sophomore Mia Fogel said, “It almost ruined our friendship; it caused so many arguments because we could not trust each other. It got really frustrating because my friend would not admit to having a greed problem, and he never got help with it until it got really bad. When anyone would offer to help him about it, he would get offended. It was hard for

us to show him that his actions were causing more than what he had actually thought.”

Trust is one of the most important things to have in friendships, marriages and families; without it, it’s hard to be able to communicate and it causes relationships to be questioned. Greediness can often lead to lying in order to get what is wanted, causing relationships to become ruined due to not being able to trust one another.

Joseph Lyle Mendez and his brother Erik Galen Mendez were involved in a world-wide case known as The Mendez Brothers. They had wealthy parents, and they let the power of greed ruin the rest of their lives by shooting both of their parents to try to get all of their money. Eventually, they were both found guilty and sentenced to life in prison.

“Greed is something that occurs when someone wants something—that being money or a car of a plentiful amount of things—and they don’t care how they get it as long as they get it,” junior Vince Destrade said. “They will do whatever it takes. Having money is great, but there is a fine line between having a few luxuries and not knowing what to even do with it. Someone that plays the lottery and wins will most likely end up right where they started in a short period of time. Why? They are given something with mass amounts of power and have no idea how to handle it. Instead they build the biggest house out there, new cars every three years, and luxuries they don’t need. Instead, they should invest in real estate and the stock market to diversify their wealth.”

When someone who is thinking about himself more and not the people around him, the house, money and nice luxuries will eventually become boring and cause him to want more. Soon he will start a new search and begin to go out and get more of what he already have when really not even needing it. Dealing with greed can be difficult at times, but it is possible to handle and overcome with the motivation to want to be able to overcome it and go forward with it.

Remember, greed cannot be satisfied, but it can be controlled. TT

FACES OF GREED

ALEX RUANO

Tom Tom Staff

G

reed is a leech attached to men and women, which sucks the life out of everyone around them for personal gain. Humanity is constantly being attacked as more and more people wake up every day with a new face of greed. Unfortunately, greed is much more than wanting money, which means there are many different faces to know when it comes to greed.

Animalistic Craving One face of greed is the desire to obtain personal gain. This face of greed forces people to have a sick craving for more; they must have more. Many assume greed is all about money. However, it is not. This type of craving could be for food, objects or personal satisfaction. One would grab more and more food, even if others need the food to survive; the greedy person would take it all for himself. This craving makes people appear animalistic in nature.

They are seen as animals as they crave greed like a starving lion craves his prey. Allowing these animals to feed more and more without consequences will tear the world apart.

Power-hungry Although greed is usually associated with money, many forget something with a similar value: power. People who posses a role of leadership or power should be generous and willing to help others. However, this is not always the case. Many powerful men and women crave power. They desire a sense of strength as they believe “I’m the best” or “it’s all about me.” This face of greed causes people to treat others poorly and always put themselves before others. They see themselves as godly and the best, and are willing to do anything to stay on top even, if their success means the downfall of others.

Cheating The System Another type of greedy people are the ones who cheat the system; they are constantly looking for loopholes or ways to break the rules without being punished in their gain. Even though their actions are legal, they still cheat and leave others to suffer. One example would be companies cheating a tax legally. Another is when people buy clothes from stores, wear them a few times and then return them for credit just to do it again. These greedy people have no respect for rules or other people; they do not just bend the rules. They cheat everything and everyone. A disturbing desire takes over, and these greedy people feel a satisfaction for every rule they avoid. Their satisfaction leads to more and more rule-breaking.

No Work Needed Sitting and watching is all this face of greed requires.

These people do no work whatsoever and do not contribute to anything. In the end, they are more than willing to take all the credit. They pass through life without even lifting a finger to help out. They will let others struggle and collapse before they even get up to check out what is truly going on. Somehow they find a way to take credit if others are successful, but if it is a failure, they easily turn the other way and act like they had no part of it. Mankind cannot let these faces walk its streets forever. Every day more and more people are consumed by greed. Be aware, as these faces are turning from rare to a part of everyday life. TT

The Vices and Virtues Issue

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DO YOU FEED YOUR HUNGER? Every human being on this earth has felt greed or been greedy at least once in his/her life, but how do each choose to feed his/her greed?

CHRISTINA MICHAELS Tom Tom Staff

W

ith 86,400 seconds in each day, every second is a fight to overcome the empowering feeling of an intense, selfish desire for something more or something else.

This feeling can possess every thought in a person’s mind, while his body is struck with an electrifying spark of fear.

Google’s definition of greed is, “An intense and selfish desire for something, especially wealth, power, or food.” As for some people, this deadly sin has completely consumed and ruined their lives. It can do anything from breaking relationships up to making people bankrupt. Greed can make anyone do the unthinkable.

So what controls one of the deadliest sins?

Greed is controlled by two factors. The first is having a desire.

This means someone has a deep hunger or want for something.

Some desires are beneficial, while others can be destructive.

When someone has a greedy desire, this can be very destructive.

The second is being selfish. To be selfish means not to consider others and to engage in self-serving and self-seeking behaviors.

But what feeds these two factors?

“I use to feed my greed by playing games of dice and winning them,” senior Rob Bednarz said. “I loved the feeling of winning money, and because I loved money, I hated losing it. So, due to my greediness, I would keep playing the game of dice until I won.”

Strangely enough, greed feeds itself. This is because greed is a cycle that leads to an unfulfilled life based on a “self-serving” desire. It is possible to fight this selfish desire, though.

In order to fight greed, a person must be able to recognize his own selfishness. Once the person comes to terms with his greediness, he must be able to realize that he do not have to be rich in order to be happy or generous. Also, making a list of what one is thankful for can help one realize that he does not have to possess a lot of things to be thankful. But most importantly, do not feed your greed; instead, fight it.

“I realized my greediness over the game of dice and money became a problem when I started pushing my friends away and my life became consumed around the game,” Bednarz said. “I came over my greediness when I decided all of the money and the game of dice was not worth the loss of so many friends and all of my free time.” TT 14 Tom Tom January 2016

JOHNNY HORTON / ILLUSTRATION NATHAN BORRIES

The Vices and Virtues Issue

15

KENNEDY HETTLINGER Tom Tom Staff

HISTORY

IT ALL STARTS WITH

Apathy,sluggishness, and joylessness, are all qualities of the sin sloth.

To early Christians, the now-considered sin was not always defined with the same meaning. Sloth was not originally considered one of the seven temptations, but was rather given other names such as “acedia” and “tristitia.”

“Acedia” was defined as spiritual apathy, which kept the monks from finishing their tasks. It was also defined as having no purpose or meaning to life.

On the other hand, tristitia was a type of sadness that more often than not resulted in impatience and uncertainty. Together, these “sins” were toxic.

For example, if a person is unmotivated and as a result does not want to work, how can she provide for their family? How can she put dinner on the table each night? If one is unmotivated, she does not get anything accomplished, leaving her kids and loved ones helpless.

Sloth is and was a sin because of the characteristics that it is associated with.

According to Greek mythology, hard work was considered a necessary virtue. Since sloth was strongly despised, if one showed any sign of sloth, he was automatically seen to have a medical illness

16 Tom Tom January 2016

rather than an immoral and toxic deficiency.

Hippocrates (the father of modern medicine) would give a diagnosis of Melancholia, also known as depression. Because Hippocrates was convinced this disease was caused from a buildup of black bile in the stomach, he attempted to cure by bleeding, forced vomiting, enema or combination of all as treatment.

By the fifth century, sloth was not an illness caused by a buildup in the stomach, but a contamination in the soul. This particular change of thought resulted in Pope Gregory including sloth as one of the seven deadly sins. It is said that Dante relentlessly reserved the fourth level of Hell for the slothful humans, where he is to be inhaled into the bog and deteriorated away. It was also said that if one should avoid physical and spiritual work, they will be thrown into snake pits once he has reached Hell.

It wasn’t until the late fifth century that Hebrews had a slight change of interpretation on the sin sloth.

Despite feeling as though sloth was ruining society and the people, this negative connotation still remains and is defined as, “Failure to love God with all one’s heart, all one’s mind and all one’s soul.” TT

STACKING

UP

ACHS

SHANE SORENSON

Tom Tom Staff

Being slothful can kill you. Physical inactivity plays an important role in being slothful and is a major part of being lazy. Gaining weight, becoming unhealthy, unmotivated and developing bad eating habits are some effects that being slothful can have on a person. Getting bad grades, having no source of income and no social life

are also effects that being lazy can result from not working hard in school, having a job or putting in effort to go out and spend time with friends. The long-term effects of sloth, diagnosed thousands of years ago, have had the severity of suicide and even depression. Sloth makes one feel fatigued, which leads to the feeling of not having a fulfilled life. If one does not have the feeling that one has had a successful or purposeful life, ultimately losing hope, and giving them a depressed, sluggish feeling.

The Vices and Virtues Issue

17

TOO LAZY TO

GROW UP

Millennials have been labeled as the laziest and slowest to-emerge-intoadulthood generation. Even though most millennials are aware of this title, can they overcome their laziness to become more than a sloth?

LAUREN PONZETTI Department Editor

A

lmost everyone is lazy.

It is not necessarily a negative thing to be lazy, for it can be difficult and exhausting if a break is not taken and 100 percent effort is given 100 percent of the time. Millennials are distinguished as the laziest generation, and according to psychologist Caroline Adams Miller, the parents of millennials are to blame.

“The self-esteem parenting movement [mostly] developed narcissists and sociopaths, and not hard workers,” Miller said.

This movement began in the 1970s and is a parenting approach that acts to validate children and make them feel like winners. Children began being raised to be protected from failure, which result in them not developing “the character strengths to be resilient when things don’t go well.”

Phrases of praise such as, “way to go,” “you’re special,” “nothing can stop you now” and “you’re a winner” are pounded into the heads of millennials beginning at a young age.

Although these words of encouragement are given to instill confidence, these words also promote what is known as the “invincibility complex:” The belief that nothing can happen to you and nothing can hurt you because you have your whole life ahead of you.

But something as simple as a car accident, a rejection letter from a college or a breakup can

18 Tom Tom January 2016

serve as a brutal wake-up call on a once “invincible” life.

This complex alone has set the millennial generation back substantially—so much so that psychologists have given a name to a new phase of life that millennials generated: the emerging adulthood phase. This phase lasts till age 28 to 30 and is described as the time that young adults seemingly boomerang home after college in seek of family financial support.

According to the National Endowment for Financial Education, parents supporting an adult child say they have taken on additional debt, 13 percent report having delayed a life event and seven percent have delayed retirement. In a survey conducted by Bank of America Merrill Lynch, 80 percent of surveyed parents say helping is “the right thing to do,” 60 percent are willing to work longer, 40 percent of parents actually go back to work and 36 percent live with less in order to better support their adult children.

The invincibility complex has encompassed young adults to the point of being the most underinsured generation, as well as the most slow at attaining insurance-- due to the fact that they think they are invincible.

The lack of taking initiative when it comes to important life events and stages-- such as investing in your own insurance or being able to stand on your own feet after college-- is a pivotal part of the life and development of young adults that is beginning to diminish.

As a result of being sheltered and protected to an extreme measure, millennials have grown accustomed to having things done for them, giving them more opportunities to slack when it comes to important tasks and using their time instead on things like playing video games, scrolling through social media or sleeping—also known as being sloths.

In a survey sent to students of Antioch Com-

munity High School, 44 percent of participants nap on a daily basis, 70 percent watch television, movies or Netflix every day, and 84 percent use the Internet each day. In 1978, close to 58 percent of American teens had summer jobs, whereas that percentage reached an all-time low in 2010, when only 32 percent of American teens had jobs, and 24 percent of surveyed students have jobs.

Millennials have grown to be heavily dependent on their parents and to learn that it is not vital for them to be able to support themselves.

Although virtually all emerging adults could support themselves if they really needed to, they would not have a very nice life in their 20s ,so financial support from parents is generally welcomed with open arms. In addition to being overly reliant on their parents, millennials, having grown up surrounded by social media and the Internet, have grown to lean heavily on electronics.

Nearly 50 percent of ACHS students surveyed use the Internet for more than six hours per day, which is two times the amount of time an average teen spends online, according to a survey done by “The Telegraph.” Millennials have by default gotten lazier when it comes to in-person social interaction and doing homework due to the dependency on electronics because social media and having the internet at your fingertips makes tasks far simpler than they would be without electronics.

Millennials are statistically known as a lazy generation, and that fact is only something millennials can change. Finding the easy way out of things, placing burdens on the backs of parents as a way of getting them off yourself and avoiding important life events is something millennials are used to doing. We are used to being lazy.

We are used to being sloths.

And we are too lazy to change that. TT

JOHNNY HORTON / ILLUSTRATION NATHAN BORRIES

The Vices and Virtues Issue

19

MAN VS

SELF

Self destruction: behavior and actions that harm one’s life and are often used as a coping mechanism for inner problems. This is a Sequoit’s struggle to be more than he was.

KALEIGH MILLER Tom Tom Staff

T

20 Tom Tom January 2016

hirteen years old. Brad* was thirteen years old when he took his first sip of alcohol. From here, the habits only worsened. Brad got to the point where he was drinking five times a week and using drugs every day, only as a high school senior.

“I smoked weed, of course, like every other high schooler in the world,” said Brad. “I did some prescription drugs; I even tried ecstasy, but I wouldn’t have done that, or any of the hard drugs, again—I did it just to try it.”

Brad faced the typical high school problems that are school work, relationships, and decisions about his future, and when the stress was building up, he looked to temporarily disregard it with the use of drugs and alcohol.

“I used to do it because I was just in the mood or to take away the stress,” Brad said. “Alcohol and drugs helped to cope with things in my life, but it was only a short-term thing to forget about it for the moment, to bottle it up and bury your problems.”

Substance abuse is a large component of self-destructive behavior– actions that are counter-productive to one’s life and serve the purpose of escaping one’s obstacles for the time being. What is intended as an effort to solve problems and relieve stress, substance abuse in reality adds to the stress and, in like manner, physically damages the body. People who abuse drugs or alcohol are often looking to take out anger, whether it be at the world or him/herself. Self-destructive behaviors can stem from frustration at oneself, feeling inadequate, and having a desire to escape. The coping mechanism that is substance abuse has the ability to truly wreck one’s life, whether it begins at a young age or later in life.

High schoolers often go through peer pressure to succumb to habits like drinking and using drugs, and this is often the gateway point to further addiction. Teenagers are still discovering the world and its evils, and when faced with the stress of high school and early adulthood responsibilities, many teens turn to the more or less uncharted territory that is drugs and alcohol.

“When you’re in high school you just want to try new things, learn how it all works, have fun and do stupid things,” said Brad. “You do your own thing, make your own destiny, and sometimes you choose the wrong thing.”

Although many high schoolers fall victim to forms of substance abuse, there is certainly a whole life ahead of a teenagers to make the necessary changes for success. Young minds hold the potential to find more suitable ways to deal with their stress and self-resentment, and with proper support and motivation, they are certainly able to escape the self-destructive behaviors and live a healthy life.

“A lot of things are opening up, like college, meeting new people, and going new directions with a career,” said Brad. “It’s not that easy to stop right away and get my life together—I know that—but I don’t think these habits will be a part of my life—later in life, I’m not going to have these problems.” TT

MAN VS

MAN

Wrath is extreme anger used to assert dominance over others.

THEODORE MARTINEK Tom Tom Staff

T

he swelling anger that builds up when you see him. He has done nothing to you, but there is a bitter resentment towards him. His very presence gets your blood going—a hint of adrenaline surges, exciting your nerves. Time seems to slow and you detest every step he makes. You wish he was gone and wish you could get rid of him. To wipe that smug look off his face takes work and effort you don’t want to give.

Does he feel the same? Does he grimace every time you walk near him? It does not matter. You have had this anger built up way too long. Suddenly you walk over, fist clenched, ready to swing.

Writh is an unexplainable feeling of extreme anger. It has most commonly been associated with fighting, two people in melee against each other because they see no other way to resolve a dispute. Throughout history, fighting is the most recorded event, whether it be two families in dispute over land or a nation going to war because they believe to be the rightful owner of the world. But simple fighting is not wrath. Fighting is a part of human nature; wrath is the extreme of it. It is the need to fight to please yourself, taking out your anger on others to be happy. Each one of us has the beast inside us, just waiting to come out.

Some people know how to wield its power. They often will take it, and with it, threating others to gain power. It is the classic tale of a brute antagonist who fights his or her way to the top and uses cronies for malicious and evil intent. While in real life, tales may not play out the same way, it does not rule out that some people cause havoc to get to the top.

Wrath has been displayed at school, as senior Jared Bolton recalls a fight between two students: “...basically, he broke the other ones jaw after he was being provoked. It started with the one that got his jaw broke talking crap to the other, so he just took a swing, broke his jaw, and knocked a few teeth out.”

The fight started because someone decided to relieve his wrath. Bullies are people who use their strength, wit, and power to conquer. It is the textbook definition of wrath and the easiest one to get away with. These people constantly tell a victim he is of no use or no one likes him, even going to lengths to hit and physically hurting him. He wields wrath’s power and stays at the top of the social hierarchy. This brings a pleasure similar to no other. The actions and benefits are simple. The accompanied feeling of bliss is never in short supply.

Most people have the aptitude to control it. When the beast tries to come out, we suppress it, and wait for the moment to pass. We take the high road and avoid unreasonable fights, trouble, and problems that come up. This avoidance of wrath, denying the feelings we get when anger hits, is the high road everyone must strive to take. But even if you aim to take the high road, its fiery grips will always try to find a way into your life, and sometimes, it will. TT The Vices and Virtues Issue

21

MAN VS

WORLD

School shootings: an impending epidemic and horrific trend that is the ultimate representation of wrath in society today.

BRITTANY BLUTHARDT Department Editor

V

iolence is a reaction: a reaction that inflicts pain and causes suffering.

It is the harboring of anger, sadness, and despair that eventually leads to an outburst and explosion of feeling. These bottled-up emotions are not uncommon, but certain extremist actions are what instill fear and anxiety in the lives of everyday people. Most recently, wrath has slipped its way into the halls of schools, campuses and institutions. Shootings, chillingly, are becoming the norm and the subject of news headlines. According to Every Town Research, there have been over 160 school shootings in America. This statistic, this gaping number, represents only a fraction of the tears shed, a fragment of the children lost and a glimpse of the pain felt by families and friends.

These attacks have not only impacted students and teachers around the country, but also at Antioch Community High School. Senior Ashley Hare has experienced the security changes first-hand and believes that, overall, the school’s campus is safe. “We have a good community and a great faculty that provides so much support and safety for our students,” Hare said. “School shootings can happen anywhere for any reason, which is why security is important at a school.” ACHS, along with other high schools and college campuses, has implemented a new blue alarm that is placed in classrooms and hallways. This alarm is used in the case of an emergency, similar to that of any fire alarm or tornado siren, and is another way to protect those inside of the school from an intruder or possible shooting attack. Along with the alarm, an organized system of hall passes and sign-in sheets is intact to ensure all students are recorded during an emergency. These procedures, although helpful, cannot directly prevent an attack from occurring, but do aid in making ACHS a safer environment for students and teachers to reside in.

Wrath, released in the form of an attack, is an intense release of the emotions that are bottled up inside of a person.

“I think all of these emotions come from a confused individual that does not verbally let his/her feelings out,” sophomore Jordan Delara said. “They feel the need to show [their feelings] physically.”

It is most often that attacks and threats are by the students themselves, and not from an outside source or person.

“If a student has ever been rejected so much, or bullied, or continuously tried to join groups but ultimately failed, they start building up this negative onset,” senior Ryan Thorn said. “Every bad experience they have had just adds to the pile and they will eventually decide that they have had enough.”

Unfortunately, these are the events and emotions that could cause many students to make harsh decisions and act on instinct, not thought.

An incredibly destructive vice, wrath is present constantly in society and in every individual.This battle between world and man will not end any time soon, but can be prevented to a high degree.

“I think a school shooting could happen anywhere,” senior Arabella Gigliotti said. “ACHS has the same risk as any other school.”

With the most recent improvements to high school security, it is hopeful that the hundreds of shootings and attacks will be lessened in the early future. TT 22 Tom Tom January 2016

JOHNNY HORTON / ILLUSTRATION NATHAN BORRIES

The Vices and Virtues Issue

23

ENVY

IN THE CLASSROOM Some students miss the big picture when it comes to how well others do in school and when they don't.

JESSICA GUZMAN Social Media Director

M

any people tend to focus too much on what other people have and not in what they themselves have. When it comes to high school students there is too many comparisons. There are always someone prettier, someone funnier, someone of higher intelligence.

Senior Madison Rychtanek is a driven student with a solid work ethic to keep her at the top third of her class. Rychtanek’s intelligence is not something to be jealous of, because even some of the smartest students notice there is more to life than having good grades and a 4.0 grade point average.

When Rychtanek grows up she is aspiring to become a psychologist and help others overcome their problems.

“Ever since I was little I just loved helping people,” Rychtanek said.

Rychtanek realizes that when it comes to school there are more aspects that add to how well a student does in school and how efficient their work is done.

“You have to take into consideration what someone has going on at home,” Rychtanek said.

For Rychtanek she is the person who pushes herself the hardest out of anyone she knows.

“My parents do care about my grades, but they both know that I push myself more than anyone ever would,” Rychtanek said.

With the pressure of being a good student comes the stress of the work load.

“I pretty much do all of my homework once I get home because if I don’t, it just nags at me to get it done,” Rychtanek said.

Many students, especially seniors, do not have the motivation to even get their work done, let alone get the work out of their backpacks.

“The main reason I stay motivated is that, to me, doing all of this work right now will pay off in the future,” Rychtanek said.

Try to not focus on how jealous one may be about how smart one is, but strive to have the work ethic a good student has. For Rychtanek, there is as many as two and a half hours of homework a night from all of the honors and advanced classes.

24 Tom Tom January 2016

Rychtanek is a person who understands the fact there is more to life than just coming to school.

“I like being intelligent, but I really value creativity,” Rychtanek said.

“Creativity is just as important as being intelligent.”

There has to be a healthy balance between work and play.

“I live by the motto ‘work hard, rest easy,’” Rychtanek said.

For her, creativity and dance play a huge role in her life to vent the stress of so much school work.

“In a lot of my free time, I spend listening to relaxing music,” Rychtanek said. “I do a lot of artwork, especially drawing and painting, which is a really good escape method for me.”

Too many students are preoccupied with what they think are more important things like parties or unnecessary drama that won't end up mattering in a couple of weeks. In other cases some students actually tend to focus on school, and the kids who slack off think these students are just suck-ups.

“Some intelligent people tend to be arrogant sometimes because they miss what really matters,” Rychtanek said.

There are things that happen in high school that really matter, whether they are getting good grades or having friends and making memories. The thing is, people focus on all the faults that are in their lives and not on the good in what they have or others have as well. TT

CHRISTIAN BEDOLLA

TOP 10

ENVIED CARS 1. Bugatti Veyron 2. Porshe 918 Spyder CHRISTIAN BEDOLLA

DRIVING ENVY One ACHS student sees his car as an opportunity to showcase his talents CHRISTIAN BEDOLLA Tom Tom Staff

S

enior Adam Navarro is a student who has a very unique passion for cars. Navarro drives a 2012 Subaru Impreza WRX (World Rally Cross) that pushes around 300 horsepower.

Navarro is looking into colleges for mechanical engineering to expand his knowledge in motor vehicles.

“I really want to expand my knowledge on a passion that I will enjoy for the rest of my life,” Navarro said.

Navarro knows that carrying this passion can lead him into a future that can be very promising.

“The feeling, the drive, the moment as you pass a car or hear your turbo spooling is such a wonderful feeling,” Navarro said.

His car is not the only thing people envy for its uniqueness, but so is the knowledge he carries to make his car unique.

“My family was always into cars, and they taught me a lot because I knew at such a young age that working on cars will always be a part of me,” Navarro said.

When it comes to car shows and car events, Navarro does to hesitate to pay attention to the motors

and the explanations of why people add specific parts to improve their car performance.

“I like seeing how people build their cars; what you have under the hood and how well your car is maintained shows how passionate you really are,” Navarro said.

Having a passion for cars is not only a hobby, but it is also a stress-reliever.

“Cruising in my car calms me down; hearing my car roar makes me realize damn this thing’s a beauty,” Navarro said.

Even though he has one of the nicest cars in school, Navarro does not let it go to his ego.

“I try not to be cocky, but it is really hard,” Navarro said. “I take huge pride into my car; knowing I created this monster makes me want to show it off all the time.”

Do not let ignorance and envy control one’s life; use it as a motivation or a driving force that will push you past your limits and achieve everything you need in life. Don’t envy people over their belongings such as a car; instead, be thankful for what you have and the struggle that you or your parents went through to get it.

For Navarro, he believes that everyone should focus on what really matters in life. TT

3. Ferrari La Ferrari 4. Lamborghini Aventaador 5. Rolls Roice Wraith 6. Aston Martin Vanquish 7. Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG 8. Audi R8 9. Range Rover Overfinch 10. Jaguar F-Type Convertible The Vices and Virtues Issue

25

AND

ENVY MESSI JOHNNY HORTON

DANIEL BRITO Tom Tom Staff

S

ophomore Patrick Coleman tries his best to be like one of the best soccer players in the world.

Lionel Messi is arguably the best soccer player in the world. With all of his accomplishments that he has received over the years, he may just be the best of all time. However what separates him from others is his raw talent. His ability to pass around a defense and be able to take complete control of the game when the ball is on his foot makes him the best. Even if it is an off game, he can change the game without touching the ball.

There truly is no other Lionel Messi. That’s why plenty of soccer players all around the world idolize Messi as the world’s best.

Patrick Coleman, who plays for Chicago Magic PSG (an academy level team), envies Lionel Messi more than most people. Coleman, who plays right wing like Messi, envies a specific trait that he hopes to one day achieve.

“I definitely [envy] his dribbling skill,” Coleman said. “[Messi] is one of the most consistent players in a one on one situation and I would love to be able to beat people the way he does and create for my team. He is the best in the world, and he is always fun to watch. I am amazed most at how he can beat defenders so easily.”

Messi is known as a great finisher in the box, but it takes more than just skill to get in that position.

26 Tom Tom January 2016

“His quickness, vision, creativity and skill make him the most complete forward in the world,” Coleman said. “When trying to play like him, I sometimes throw body feints into my moves. That is one of the things Messi is the best at. He does the simple things better than most, and that’s one of the things I envy most about his talent.”

Messi was known as a child prodigy as at age of eight, when he was recruited by F.C. Barcelona. His raw talent was recognized at such a young age, and that ultimately turned him into the phenom he is today. He inspires many soccer players to play like him. Coleman remembers a time when he tried to play like Messi.

“A couple of years ago, I remember him scoring four goals against Arsenal in the champions league, and in my next game. I also scored four goals,” Coleman said. “Other than that, I cannot compare myself to him because there is only one Messi, and his play style is so unique.”

Envy is a trait all find at sometime in his/her life. Much like Patrick Coleman, many soccer players around the world envy Lionel Messi based on his soccer ability. As long as there will be a great, many will strive to one day be better. There will be haters that will talk only about the failures and not the success, lovers who only bring out the good but not the worst and people do not care. Whether it’s Messi or the star of the team, envy is a worldwide trait spread amongst everyone. TT

JOHNNY HORTON / ILLUSTRATION NATHAN BORRIES / MAKEUP CHLOE GRASS

The Vices and Virtues Issue

27

LET SUCCESS BE YOUR N OI

SE )))

How having too much pride can lead to an inferiority complex in others.

MATTHEW FARRELL Tom Tom Staff

E

xpressing yourself as being more than what you are capable of or labeling yourself as “better than others” not only associates negative reactions towards you, but also supports a personal superego. It’s important to allow judgement and positive criticism to guide who you want to be if you are willing to change.

A broad setting in which these actions occur would include both school or another social environment, both populated mostly by teenagers. When it comes to an education, some feel more superior than others. Whether having the right answer, turning assignments in on time, or having a strong organization system, it makes for a self-pride that causes one to discriminate against others.

For some people, education can become a competition. It’s favored to avoid being the center of attention when one is recognized for academic achievements. A grade should be a way to maintain personal pride, not a way to arouse jealousy from others. It’s okay to be gracious and want a goal to be recognized. However, some may need a sense of support to continue to do better, and it’s better to work in silence and let success be your noise.

With every action, there is an effect that could harm either yourself or others. With oneself, it’s better to convey an accurate view of how you are and not what you want to be.

“When someone purposely puts me down because they did better at something in a class, it makes me feel bad about myself and that I’m not smart,” senior Toree Briggs said. “[Pride] also makes me push myself to become better. I prove to myself and others that I’m smart.”

It’s acceptable to be educationally matured, yet making that a noticeable characteristic is unreasonable.

28 Tom Tom January 2016

MATTHEW FARRELL

On top of that, an inclination that begins early in a school year is the feeling of favoritism for another student by the teacher.

When trying to build an education, it becomes important for some to impact the teacher in a way that makes it seem you are the star student. It’s good to express effort, but not to the point where you portray yourself to others as the best student. Keep in mind that being active in class shouldn’t become a necessity for attention.

Perceiving an education as only a way to impress the experts subtracts from the fact that you learn for personal progress.

“Teachers like students who work,” Briggs said. “When you work hard and your impress the teacher, that’s a good thing. However, that doesn’t mean you should rub it in other students faces that you are a good student and liked by the teacher.”

Education is a gift that is given and shouldn’t be taken advantage of in order to prove oneself. Letting yourself feel proud of your accomplishments is a solution. It doesn’t include gloating about the performance it took to get there. Allowing no room for criticism will otherwise hinder how you associate yourself with people. It becomes a flaw when placing people below you who aren’t up to par with schooling. It’s not always important to be correct. The main focus isn’t on perfection, but the joy that comes from completing assignments. TT

PRIDE TAKEN TOO FAR Some athletes are known for their egos. And for some of those athletes, their pride becomes an opportunity to degrade others.

DAN MEADE

Department Editor

P

ride can be the downfall of athletes in many ways, and it all comes down to celebrations, for they are far more critical than some may think. Swish. Buckets. Takedown. Pin. Victory.

To many athletes, the first instinct after making a good play is to celebrate. A display of pride and success is shown throughout all sports. But sometimes, athletes’ emotions can get the best of them. Occasionally, athletes will let their heads get too big. This is usually followed by some unsportsmanlike conduct.

Senior basketball player Brandon Dade witnesses opponents boasting on the court all the time.

“If you’re playing your game, and if you are passionate about it, then you should celebrate with some energy,” Dade said. “Not towards the other team, though, because often it gets taken too far when the opposing teams start to clap in another’s face. Then trash talk starts and all that bad stuff.”

The bad sports tend to show off their pride because it’s all they have to bring to the table.

“If you respect the game, it shouldn’t happen, but sometimes passion gets the best of us,” Dade said. “The only skills those types of cocky players have developed is trash talking because that’s the only thing they’ve got.”

Celebrating is all about timing. The wrong time and place can make a good athlete cost a game, match, meet, or competition for his/her team with a technical, foul, or some sort of penalty. Four-year girls varsity basketball player Alexis Duehr knows that time and place.

“I think it’s okay to celebrate when your team scores or does a good move, for example, but you should only celebrate within your team,” Duehr said. “It gets taken too far when athletes rub it in the other team’s face or makes comments to them on what they’re celebrating.”

So where does this unsportsmanlike conduct sprout from? Athletes everywhere learn from their idols. Professional athletes like Odell Beckham Jr. and Cam Newton are allowed to celebrate to a certain extent, and younger athletes want to do the same. They pick up on these celebrations and bring it to their games and let their pride overcome them.

Senior Brandon Faber competes in a basketball rec league. He thinks it can be very influential in a negative way.

“I believe younger athletes learn from their heroes, but reinterpret it the wrong way,” Faber said. “It sends the wrong message to the other

JOHNNY HORTON

team that the sport being played is more of a game than a competition.”

Unsportsmanlike conduct can be avoided when role models like coaches team their athletes to play for the game and positivity, rather than for smack talking and dirty plays. When players showboat, it can reflect on the coaching staff and the team as a whole.

“It’s immature, and it shows how players are coached,” Duehr said.

“If a coach really values sportsmanship and good attitudes, then it’s displayed through their team.”

It’s a common trend to see that athletes who are cocky and unsportsmanlike targeting the other team; other than that, celebrating success with your team is acceptable.

“It’s good to be confident, but there is a difference between confident and cocky,” sophomore wrestler RJ Vzquez said. “Cocky players are too confident and talk smack or rub things in your face. It’s taken too far.”

Sportsmanship carries a long way. When pride overcomes an athlete, it can only get ugly. The best thing to do is to stay humble and celebrate with your team. TT

The Vices and Virtues Issue

29

ME, MYSELFIE, AND I Has the selfie become more of a tool for bragging, rather than just a photo?

BOOKER GRASS Tom Tom Staff

U

nlock your phone, swipe to your camera, find the best lighting, get to your good side and snap. In recent years, ‘selfie’ became a common word. In fact, Oxford Dictionary made it ‘Word of the Year’ in 2013. Celebrities, professional athletes and even astronauts have joined in on the craze. The only problem is that it could be starting to cause issues in teenagers’ lives.

The fun of getting together with your friends and taking a photo to post on Twitter or Instagram is becoming more serious. People have started to use selfies as ways to flaunt themselves, and taking a fun photo has turned into showing off a new, expensive brand name outfit. The names on clothes are starting to become more important to people than how one acts as a person or one’s character. There is also an been a increase of what people call “humble brags,” which are tweets or posts like, “I am wearing sweatpants and two guys have already hit on me.”

People now make social status out of social media and it is affecting people who are less fortunate and may not have Nike shoes or a Michael Kors purse.

While logging on to any given social media, it is almost certain that one will see a selfie that is meant to flaunt the poster. This is an inherent problem.

According to “Psychology Today,” “results showed that both narcissism and self-objectification were associated with spending more time on social networking sites, and with more photo-editing. Posting numerous selfies was related to both higher narcissism and psychopathy, controlling for the overall number of other types of photos posted.”

The worry of a more narcissistic teen population is that people will be bullied and put down for not being as pretty or not having the latest pair of Jordans. People who post the selfies do not see it as bad and it usually is not that big of a deal with most posts, but one flaunting tweet or Instagram post can start a cycle of narcissism.

Posting a selfie and seeing the likes pile up feels good, but it can be addicting.

MATTHEW FARRELL

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MATTHEW FARRELL

In an interview with “Psychology Today,” Pamela Rutledge, Ph.D., faculty director of the media psychology program at the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology, said, “The cult of the selfie celebrates regular people. There are many more photographs available now of real people than models.”

Social media can be a powerful tool in the ever-changing world that we live in, so why waste the opportunity to meet new people, create relationships and voice valuable opinions by only using it to brag? Social media should be used in a beneficial way, similar to how celebrities, such as Leonardo DiCaprio, use it to promote charities and show their support for issues like the destruction of natural habitats of endangered species. A selfie every once in a while will not hurt, but they can easily become an issue if overdone. Like everything in life, selfies and social media should be done in moderation. TT

EXECUTIVE NOTE

DEFINING PURGATORY In a world full of opposites, members of our executive team decided to write a note together in an effort to best understand the middle ground.

NICHOLAS DOROSAN, MADISON PADDOCK, KRISTINA ESDALE, MADELYNN SOBERANO, PAIGE GRUBER AND NATHAN FORMELLA Tom Tom Executive Team

L VICES ELEVATOR

ife is about beginnings and endings, darkness and light, black and white and good and evil. Life is about the middles, the horizons, the grey areas and the every day.

Life is also about vices and virtues: the sins and the rights of humanity.

For each of the vices, there is a virtue, each varying in severity: envy and kindness, sloth and diligence, greed and charity, lust and chastity, gluttony and temperance, wrath and patience, and pride and humility. Despite each being distinctly different and opposite of one another, no human being is complete without a combination of both.

This story is a journey to define what it means to be human: the in-between of each vice and virtue.

ACCEPTANCE: THE CENTER OF ENVY AND KINDNESS

JOHNNY HORTON

The balance between the green monster that is envy and the pushover that comes out of unrelenting kindness is a blurry line. Envy is a seemingly uncontrollable feeling and a major factor of being discontent and unhappy with life. It leads to focusing solely on what you lack, instead of appreciating what you have. As a result of this, you tear others down to feel good about what you have and make others feel worse in return. Kindness, on the other hand, is a blessing as well as a curse. Truly kind people are easily taken advantage of by others. Although their heart is big, their voice is small. Focusing on the happiness of everyone except themselves can lead to self-doubt and being walked all over by people who are not quite as kind.

The middle ground between these two extremes is the ability to embrace others and yourThe Vices and Virtues Issue 31

self: acceptance.

Accepting the fact that tearing someone down will not make you a better person, and not thinking for yourself will do you no good. It’s the potential to find yourself and love yourself for who you are, regardless of what anyone else thinks. Accepting others for who they are is a crucial part of finding the perfect balance between envy and kindness.

MOTIVATION: THE CENTER OF SLOTH AND DILIGENCE When it comes to vices and virtues, only the extremes are addressed, and the middle of each vice and virtue is left untouched.

The vice sloth is described as being lazy in all aspects and putting forth minimum effort. The virtue diligence is on the opposing side, representing a hard work ethic on a persistent level. The in-between: motivation.

Without the vice sloth and the virtue diligence, a common ground for us as humans would not be considered. Motivation is our energy. It's what keeps us moving forward. Having the balance between sloth and diligence is the perfect attribute into becoming successful. Motivation is doing what needs to be done, but still having fun and not getting so caught up in work because all work and no play makes you a dull person. You don't want be known as the couch potato or the work junkie, but instead be known as a balance between the two.

Imagine a world where motivation does not exist. Inventors wouldn't be inventing, hard work would be just a concept and nothing would ever get done. Luckily, humans have the power to control how much motivation is involved in their lives. It's important to know that without the vice sloth and the virtue diligence, motivation wouldn't be able to be sustained in human life.

COMPASSION: THE CENTER OF GREED AND CHARITY There's greed, the idea that one needs to be on top and above everyone else, possessing an excessive amount of wealth and status than one may even need. On the other end of the spectrum is charity; this is typically shown through someone who voluntarily gives his time and earnings to those who need it. But what comes before charity? It's the feeling one gets deep inside when he realizes another person's suffering, the desire to sit down, help and empathize with him. This emotion, the feeling between greed and charity, is called compassion.

The Dali Lama once said, “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”

That's why compassion is so important—because it goes both ways. It can benefit others, as well as oneself. Being compassionate is not a sign of weakness, but rather a sign of resilience. To live a truly happy life, you need to be selfless at times, to consider others and of course to show compassion.

LOVE: THE CENTER OF LUST AND CHASTITY It’s hard to imagine a common ground for the virtuous concept of chastity and the sinful connotations of lust. Chastity paints a picture of innocence and white sheets, while lust paints a much darker and dirtier one. The middle ground of these two paradoxical concepts is an essential, maybe even the most important aspect of human nature: love.

Since the beginning of time, human nature has centered and thrived on love. When The Beatles said, “All you need is love,” they weren’t lying. Love doesn’t necessarily constitute a roman-

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tic concept, though. There are countless types of love: first loves, soulmates, love at first sight, the love between friends and family, or simply feeling human compassion for one another.

Think about it, most of the world revolves around love. Humans are fascinated by love—so much so that most of the movies, books and television shows in the world center their plots around love. It started back with “Romeo & Juliet” and has progressed throughout the years with iconic characters such as Bonnie & Clyde, Jack & Rose or Noah & Allie. Whether it’s silver screen romance films or real life and heartbreak, love is everywhere. No matter what, your heart will go on.

Ultimately, love cannot happen without both lust and chastity.

Chastity is sacrificed for love, and lust is obliterated when true love exists. Love is neither a vice nor a virtue, but rather an essential human instinct.

SELF-CONTROL: THE CENTER OF GLUTTONY AND TEMPERANCE Gaining self-control leads to opportunities for growth driven by learning.

No one is capable of reaching perfection. No one is immune to sin; even someone with the most paragon of good is incapable of fighting off the desires and behaviors of gluttony. Gluttony is the impulse at 11 p.m. while lying in bed, to finish off the rest of the chocolate cake that is left in the fridge, devouring it before someone else can even grab a piece. While temperance is the strict restriction of cutting out the bad in life and abstaining from potentially harmful things, the horizon between gluttony and temperance is self-control. Being able to fight off those inner demons and having some sort of self-restraint is the in-between of over-indulgence and self-restraint of bad substances that makes us human, and it is the combination of these that separate us from being gods and monsters.

LEARNING: THE CENTER OF WRATH AND PATIENCE Each and every day, students and teachers fill the hallways, engaged in a wide variety of conversations: academic, social and personal, to name a few. When the bell rings and the hallways empty into classrooms, a whole new conversation begins—one driven by learning. However, one of the hardest aspects of learning is sustaining the balance between heinous wrath and unconditional patience.

We’re expected to sit in a desk day in and day out. We’re expected to be patient. Once the fiery wrath of forced patience subsides and we finally realize the importance of what’s going on, we learn. In the end, school doesn’t suck. We’re sadly a part of a system that takes all the fun and love out of learning. Rather than accept the daily monotony of learning, we should choose to be progressive and innovative with our learning, pursuing our interests and investing our time in what we love. Accept the wrath; embrace the patience. Instead of sitting in a desk and contemplating nothing more than straight facts and information you deem “useless” while you count the black dots/holes in the ceiling tiles because that’s your only form of entertainment, choose to engage and reflect.

Learning is about doing. It’s about getting an education rather than being schooled.

CONFIDENCE: THE CENTER OF PRIDE AND HUMILITY Pride.

Humility.

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Two opposites that, when combined, make only one quality that is reached in a person: confidence. Without one or the other, confidence cannot be reached.

Confidence is one of the most essential parts to human nature. It’s what gets you through life's duties that are thrown at you every single day, an attitude that allows you to push and pull the different voices telling you what to do. It's the drive that makes you achieve even the smallest of goals. Without confidence, you wouldn’t be able to survive in the real world.

Confidence has it perks: more happiness and enjoyment, motivation to act, less stress and anxiety, better health, greater success, etc. Overall, confidence helps you become stronger over time. But confidence can also be bad; too much of it can lead to cockiness, and no one likes a cocky SOB. People with high self-esteem tend to be blind to their own faults, thinking they are superior to everyone else, and also tend to push people away because, well, they think they’re better than others, and no one really likes that. Oh, and did we mention that there is evidence linking high self-esteem to criminality?

Ultimately, instead of allowing oneself to become weaker and weaker by falling prey to extreme pride or humility, appreciate the little wonders in life. By doing so, one reaps the benefits of being self-confident, becoming strong and stronger over time and recognizing why life is worth living.

VIRTUES ELEVATOR

*** A holistically virtuous person and a holistically sinful person seemingly have nothing in common. The two by nature are polar opposites.

Yet, we often believe that opposites are meant to attract. It’s human nature, after all.

In an effort to define ourselves and our humanity, we explore what it means to be sinful and virtuous. By doing so, we are able to get a grasp on the seven centers: what we argue guides us as humans to our fulfillment. Even though we live in a world defined by our opposites, no human being is complete without striving for the centers: acceptance, motivation, compassion, love, self-control, learning and confidence.

If life is about beginnings and endings, darkness and light, black and white, and good and evil, then there is no doubt that life also is about the middles, the horizons, the grey areas and the every day.

Life is a delicate balance of the vices and virtues: the sins and the rights of humanity.

Our lives are a story, a journey to define what it means to be human and ultimately our fulfillment: the in-between of each vice and virtue. TT

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JOHNNY HORTON

IN THE EYES OF THE

TOP 5 BEHOLDER WAYS TO STAY ORGANIZED

OBTAIN AND USE A PLANNER It can be as simple as the planner that’s handed out on the first day of school, or an immoderate, expensive, Lilly Pulitzer agenda. The idea is to get down all the due dates, tests, and upcoming events in the calendar, as well as writing each and every day’s assignments. Without this, tasks are forgotten and important dates are lost.

CREATE A TO DO LIST First and foremost, keep it visible. Each time it is seen, it is a reminder to get those tasks done. Secondly, make sure all assignments are in order of most urgent to least. Therefore, you get the longer and harder assignments out of the way first. Also, don’t forget to check off each task as you go and remember that it’s okay to have a break or treat in between, but use it as a motivator.

KEEP YOUR WORK WITH YOU Occasionally you find yourself with extra time and nothing to do. Instead of updating your Twitter feed, get in the habit of bringing your assignments everywhere you go. Simply take advantage of the bus ride home or the 10 minutes of waiting before an appointment. It may seem like a hassle, but it saves time in the near future.

ARRANGE A HOME STUDY AREA Without realization, you will spend more time looking for materials and a place to do homework than actually completing the homework. Set up an area in your home where there are no outside distractions, and where you have necessary materials and a comfortable amount of space to work in. A cozy option would be to invest in a lap desk, so you can sit on a couch or bed while doing homework.

However, be very careful not to fall asleep!

HAVE A SEPARATE NOTEBOOK FOR EACH CLASS Sure, it may seem like a good idea to have one huge five subject notebook holding every class’s notes, but there is a simpler way to organize and eliminate all the weight and sloppiness. Having separate notebooks allows you to pick and choose what is necessary to carry around, also making it easier to match up certain notes with the specific class.

BY MEGAN HELGESEN

Being a high school student involves pressure, extracurriculars, sports and grades; it is all about finding the happy medium.

MEGAN HELGESEN Tom Tom Staff

T

he clock strikes 12 a.m., and a 16-yearold girl is able to finally lie down and get some sleep after what she describes as an extremely busy day, only to wake up in less than six hours and do the same thing all over again.

Six hours of sleep versus eighteen hours of work and dedication is not an even battle. For junior Tessa Furlong, this is a daily ritual.

“My day starts off with school, like anybody else; then directly after school, I attend practice for whatever sport I am in, whether it be cross country or soccer,” Furlong said. “Normally, I will have work or an extracurricular activity to go to after. That then leaves me a few hours to finish homework.”

There are not enough hours in the day for Furlong to get everything accomplished and accomplished well. However, she has an optimistic viewpoint on how to go about her time management.

“In about a year, I’m going to realize that all of this work will matter, so I make sure to stay on top of things,” said Furlong.

Not only is Tessa a straight-A student, but she is also in two varsity sports: cross-country and soccer. Furlong was one of this year’s cross country captains. Many of her teammates looked up to her for her positive and upbeat attitude.

“You never see her get down,” said cross country coach Christopher Bailey. “I mean, I’m sure she has bad days when she’s disappointed, but you never see her break down and get upset, and I think the younger kids see that.”

Achieving throughout her three years as a varsity runner, Bailey and Furlong both share a favorite moment: Furlong winning all-conference her sophomore year. Both coach and player were able to celebrate the achievement of the young runner without bragging about it.

“When I got all-conference last year during cross country,” Furlong said. “Personally, I was very proud of myself, but I didn’t want to try to

rub it in anyone else’s face. I kept most of it to myself.”

School and sports were not enough for Tessa, so she decided to add more to her plate.

In the Furlong family, the term “extracurricular” is a very common vocabulary word, starting from her oldest brother Alex to Thomas and ending with Tessa. Furlong is involved in 9+ extra activities beyond the regular school day, ranging from peer tutoring to Sequoit Sidekicks to International Travel club. Unlike most students, Furlong doesn’t have trouble finding things to get involved in.

“From the beginning of my freshman year, my parents made it really important that I get involved in the school so I could spread my interests in other areas as well,” Furlong said. “My brothers helped, too. They were involved in a lot of things and I saw that, and became interested as well.”

Furlong adores all the things she has participated in throughout high school so far, and she believes it has shaped her into the person she is today. Coaches, teachers and peers all seem to notice a similar quality in her: humility.

“She’s as humble as they come,” Bailey said.

“She doesn’t talk about herself, and she doesn’t brag about herself, but she is confident in herself.”

Incidentally, one of Tessa’s favorite teachers had an identical thing to say about her.

“It’s simply in her nature to be humble, and that just makes Tessa, Tessa,” social studies teacher Charlie Trout.

Furlong expects to finish out her junior year staying at the top of her class and to keep making progress through her sports and extracurriculars while staying true to herself and being humble.

“I don’t want to come across self-absorbed with everything I am doing,” Furlong said. “I’d rather just be proud of my own self.” TT

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MUSIC

EARS

TO MY

Three talented musicians were chosen to represent Antioch Community High School that will test their limits in the arts of music.

ALEXANDRA COMER Tom Tom Staff

ALEXANDRA COMER Tom Tom Staff

F

ront and center, before the assembly of critical judges, the anxious auditioner stands with twitching legs. He feels his own sweaty palms and that heart beating out of their chest mixed with butterflies feeling. Thump. Thump. Thump.

Anxious thoughts race in sloppy motions prior to the audition. The only option is to leave it all on the floor. This roller coaster of nerves is what juniors Rachel Beckman and Kar Toman and senior Quintin Tallian went through prior to being accepted into the prestigious Illinois Music Education Association.

The ILMEA is an association consisting of various styles of music, some big band, orchestra and vocal. ILMEA splits Illinois into “districts,” and each area holds auditions. Students have the ability to audition for the various talent(s) they participate in. Though they are wide-ranged in student interests, ILMEA is not as open to whom they accept.

“They are very precise with who they pick, and it’s a real honor to be accepted because it not only gives every choir member a memorable experience, but it also really helps me in building courage in trying out for new choirs,” Tallian said. “I think there needs to be a lot of musicianship and a lot of style because I know when I was working on these études, I was making sure I wasn’t just looking at the page and playing what was on the page. I was putting myself into the music.”

After originally falling in love with the baritone in fifth grade, and later switching to the tuba, Toman works hard every day to become better in her passion of being a talented and wide-ranged musician.

At other schools, it is normally teachers who singularly ask their strongest performer to audition with ILMEA. The encouragement she receives daily by her teachers and peers is her motivation.

They are very precise with who they pick, and it’s a real honor to be accepted

ELLA GRUBER

Senior Kar Toman practices various pieces on her tuba.

“Here at Antioch, you can just go if you want to,” Toman said. “Our teachers at Antioch want people to see that it is possible to get in if they want to, and they should want to.”

Like every journey, there have been some bumps along the way for both students.

“The most rewarding thing about being able to sing is that you can really change someone’s emotion just by letting the music out and showing your expression towards the song,” Tallian said. “I’ve just grown along with the music.”

“It was freshman orientation, and I had just gotten done playing with the pep band; it was awesome. I got my schedule, and it had said wind ensemble,” Toman said. “It was cool because I was looking forward to being with the other freshman. Mr. Riggs had asked to see my schedule, and pointed out to me a mistake had been made: I was actually going to be in advanced wind ensemble. I went into advanced wind ensemble, not even auditioning for the group. The music was really scary, and everyone else was so good, and they motivated me to push harder and practice harder.”

For Tallian, practice makes perfect, but it doesn’t come without some aggression others might not understand.

“The most frustrating part is how much time it takes out of my schedule,” Tallian said. “Of course, my time goes towards something I love to do, but I’d also like to do other thing.”

Tallian explained that scheduling is sometimes a mishap, but he loves hearing the future set of songs for upcoming concerts; he enjoys the opportunity to take on new challenges.

Being a part of ILMEA is just one more step in a future full of music for these musicians, which, for one, includes sharing her passion for music with others.

“After high school, I’d like to become a band director for fourth and fifth graders,” Toman said. “I think it would be really cool to see the growth from the first time they pick up the instrument, and setting the base for their love of music.” TT The Vices and Virtues Issue

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DIFFERENT PEOPLE DIFFERENT MEANINGS With every individual, comes a unique outlook.

REBEKAH CARTLIDGE Tom Tom Staff

ELLA GRUBER

H

aving humility can mean different things to different people; therefore, a common understanding of the word is something rare to come across.

There are many students at Antioch Community High School who show many different personalities. It could be difficult to pinpoint what exactly humility means to the student body.

“To me, humility pretty much means being humble and kind of modest with how you view yourself,” senior Annie Horner said, “but I think that people now consider it humiliating.”

Horner believes that high school students sometimes think a word that sounds the same must be the meaning. She is not wrong; it is a very common thing to associate one word to the meaning of another. People are in fact considering the word “humility” to be connected to someone being humiliated, when the two are not actually connected to each other at all.

Being humble is not being in the center of attention; being humiliated could do exactly that.

“Humility” is not only a word people don’t know much about but many students show humility throughout the day. ACHS is a place where humility is exercised every single day. It’s a difficult thing to point out and to realize. Humble people tend to keep to themselves and do work, do it very well, and put in the right amount of work ethic without expecting or

wanting a reward for the task they have done.

Junior Angelica Bartler knows exactly what that means.

“For someone to have humility is for them to do the right thing and not look for praise or reward,” she said.

Bartler understands that just because someone may do the right thing does not mean someone needs to pat herself on the back or give herself a high five to tell others what a good job she did. For example, someone could do something as simple as holding the door. That person probably isn’t looking for a reward or praise, but just enjoys helping other people out. This could also go along with school or sports, or really anything that a person could accomplish.

“For someone to have humility, I think they need to have a positive view on things,” junior Lauren Bowers said. “Also, I think a person needs to be modest and not be full of themselves.”

Bowers thinks that having a positive view on situations no matter what is the best way to view humility. She also believes for people to have humility means they should also have a positive outlook on life.

Humility can mean so many different things to so many different people, which is not a bad thing at all. There may be no true meaning or one meaning of humility besides doing the right thing and doing it because a person wants to, not feels the need to or to get a reward. TT

37 Tom Tom January 2016

JOHNNY HORTON / ILLUSTRATION NATHAN BORRIES

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JAMIE ATKINSON

INVOLVEMENT One major goal of this club is to improve the lives of everyone involved, and students who take part in this club say that it has only benefited their lives. It has been a positive influence in the development of social skills, too.

“It shows me how to act around new people,” said one student.

A highlight thus far was going to the corn maze in October; it was an entertaining fall activity that enabled participants to be active on their weekend. “The club forces you to not be lazy,” said another member.

Furthermore, a favorite memory for a different student was going to the ice rink. For most, it was a completely new experience, but according to one student, it was the first time ice skating in eleven years. The student said it was a blast to try again, even if it meant occasionally falling on the ice.

The Sequoit Sidekicks sports teams offer helps students exercise while having a good time, because not many students in the club are involved with other extracurriculars. They were able to play sports they may not be familiar with to see if they like them or not.

In addition, the games were all played in a friendly manner, and the teams continue to help build companionships.

The weekend activities help build self-esteem skills, friendships and a sense of belonging. The students form close bonds and relationships with everyone in the club to make sure they feel that sense of belonging. The group is very excited to participate in the year’s upcoming activities, which include a movie night, bowling, Jump America, and track and field day. TT

The most incredible thing about the Sequoit Sidekick program is the lack of attention it receives. The leaders and helpers in the club go completely under the radar--not demanding attention or glory. Helping and hanging out with kids who face social challenges isn’t always easy, but people like Atkinson and Howe do it breathlessly. Their actions are the epitome of kindness--doing something without expecting anything in return. They are generous, loving and affectionate towards all, while acting gently, quietly, humbly.

IMPACT A club that started with just a few students has grown to over 50 members. But although the program has gained significant ground over the past year, many students remain uninformed about the club.

“I had no idea the school had such a great program, but I would love to do anything to get involved,” said freshman Gianna Chiappetta. “I’m very surprised I haven’t heard of Sequoit Sidekicks before. I think if it was promoted more, a lot more people will get involved, bringing our community even closer together.”

For those involved, the group leaves a lasting impression.

“Coaching the allied soccer team last year and going undefeated was my first involvement with Sequoit Sidekicks,” junior John Howe said.

“I loved every minute of it.”

The sense of community and friendship was gradually built between the students and allowed them to form relationships that will not fade.

“I feel proud that our school has a program, and I am able to be a part of something as cool as this,” Howe said. “It really allows everyone to create relationships they will cherish and never forget. Being involved with the Sequoit Sidekicks taught me how much it really makes someone’s day to go that extra mile and putting others before yourself.” TT

SECOND SEMESTER EVENTS

Ice skating Movie night Soccer games Open gym Jump America Bowling Rinkside arcade Formal dance

39 Tom Tom January 2016

JAMIE ATKINSON

THE HISTORY

In 2014, a program called Sequoit Sidekicks was introduced to Antioch Community High School. The intention of the group was for all students to feel included and welcome at school, and to allow students to socially interact in a new way. Jamie Atkinson, founder of the program, viewed it as an opportunity for the entire school to be a part of something new.

The idea originally stemmed from a teacher who launched a similar program at another school and was hoping that Atkinson would be willing to further the effort at Antioch. The idea was approached and set in stone within a day.

“We met that day, came up with a name, wrote all the paperwork, and submitted it all within 24 hours because we were so excited,” said Atkinson. The program only escalated from there.

Since the main goal of Sequoit Sidekicks is to make all students feel included and supported, the club provides many ways for all students to get involved in things that may differ from their normal routines. These activities range from movie nights and laser tagging to dances and sports. These events bring together all different kinds of students and give them the opportunity to create new friendships.

The kindness of those involved in Sequoit Sidekicks has drawn in all kinds of support from the school and the community. “One of the biggest events that the Sequoit Sidekicks held was our red carpet event last year,” Atkinson said.

“We came up with a list of everything we needed, and we sent out the list to the faculty, and within three minutes, I had about five responses from teachers saying ‘I will donate this,’ and ‘I will bring you whatever you need.’ By the end of the day, our list was literally filled. I was like, wow, the community is really embracing this club.”

A club that originally started with a small group of people has expanded into a larger, more diverse group. Athletic Director Steven Schoenfelder also directs the athletics in which

the Sequoit Sidekicks participate: a soccer and a basketball team.

After the first day of basketball practice, Schoenfelder said, “I really appreciate the work ethic and enthusiasm I saw from this group last spring and at tonight’s practice.”

The Sequoit Sidekicks reach out to other students with kindness and a determination to make sure that everyone feels included, and Schoenfelder has noticed.

“The positive emotions these kids display in the halls, in class, and while participating in co-curriculars is out of this world,” said Schoenfelder.

Along with the support of the school and the community, the Sequoit Sidekicks have been working fervently to pursue their goals. TT

Most Memorable Moment The first annual red carpet dance hosted by the Sequoit Sidekicks took place on May 23, 2015, at Antioch Community High School. According to junior Sarah Opolka, it was the highlight of the year. “It was a night where everyone could have fun and dance the night away! Homecoming and other dances at school can be intimidating for anyone, and our red carpet dance gave the opportunity to all students to dress up and have a great time,” said Opolka. The Sequoit Sidekicks are looking forward to the next dance this spring.

JAMIE ATKINSON

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40

GRACE BOUKER, HALEY NICKLES, JOHN PETTY AND KAYLEE SCHREINER Tom Tom Staff DISCOVERING EMPATHY

Sports play a prominent role in the lives of many children worldwide.

In America, nearly three out of four families have at least one child participating in sports. Approximately 45 million kids in the United States are on a team, and senior Kamila Zbiral was not one.

Most parents encourage sports to help their child create friendships, build character and morale and feel valued.

Some parents and kids choose not to participate in sports, but Zbiral was not given this choice.

Born with a condition that limited her physical capabilities, doctors told Zbiral’s parents at a very young age that she would never be able to engage in contact sports. Sports are an outlet, a method to relieve stress and exercise the brain and body.

Sports are an avenue to many unique opportunities, like travelling to new places and meeting new people. Coaches serve as mentors, and teammates serve as second family. Zbiral would never experience any of this.

Growing up, Zbiral watched her friends join teams without her. She noticed how much fun they were having and was sad knowing that she could never be a part of it. Her friends kicked soccer balls together, they shot basketballs together, they jumped for the rebound together, and they dogpiled together when they won important games. Zbiral was on the outside.

One day, all of that changed. Sequoit Sidekicks, a program at Antioch Community High School, launched a basketball and soccer team available to anyone. The teams work around any condition or incapability.

It was a safe opportunity to become part of a team, engage in physical activity, and have fun. Zbiral jumped at the idea, and she was signed up in no time.

Prior to her first game, Zbiral felt jittery, but more excited than she ever had. Her parents were there. Her friends were either on the field playing with her, or cheering her on from the sidelines. Her best friend, who goes

They told her she could never play sports. With the help of the Sequoit Sidekicks program, she proved them wrong.

JAMIE ATKINSON

to another school, came to support her.

Outside, it was sweltering. The sun was beating down hard, and the turf was radiating heat. Her brand new jersey stuck to her skin. Since the weather was so intense, Zbiral and her teammates received frequent breaks. All of the sudden, one of her teammates slipped the ball past the other team’s goalie and scored. Everyone on the team jumped up and rejoiced. Zbiral was confident that they would win.

Since the formation of the team, Zbiral has created numerous irreplaceable friendships and has developed priceless team skills.

“It changed me,” Zbiral said.

They told her she could never play sports. With the help of the Sequoit Sidekicks program, she proved them wrong. The program would not be possible without the help of the countless volunteers that dedicate their time to creating opportunities for kids who would not have them otherwise. In fact, the program is dedicated to being a friend to anyone and everyone. Every person faces different challenges, and some are more stifling than others. For some, it is a challenge to reach out and make new friends. For others, it is feeling overwhelmed by the seemingly slightest of things. Sometimes, it is feeling left out with no solution. Due to the initiative, support and kindness of the Sequoit Sidekicks, Zbiral’s dream to be on a team has come true. TT

JAMIE ATKINSON

41 Tom Tom January 2016

KINDNESS COVER JOHNNY HORTON / ILLUSTRATION NATHAN BORRIES

The Vices and Virtues Issue

42

ucation, physical education, and health department chair Teri Klobnak. “If you allow the situation to get the best of you, you can’t do what your main job is, and that is to do the best for the kids and for teachers.”

Klobnak knows the importance of staying patient with her students, and said that the times she has had t o remain the most calm were when she sat in the passenger seat of a driver education car. “[Drivers ed] was a time that I went into the car and I had to challenge myself to stay as calm and patient with the students as possible, because if I would overreact or jump to them, then I felt that I was setting them up to be a little more scared or timid,” Klobnak said.

Stepping away from the environment of a car and into the setting of a fine arts class, band instructor Jonathan Untch finds that impatience can have an effect on his students as well.

“If I lose patience, I feel like I’m more likely to discipline a student where maybe I shouldn’t have or yell at students when they don’t deserve it,” said Untch. “So I think [impatience] totally, for at least my teaching style, could have a negative impact on my students.”

One way teachers try to retain their patience throughout their day is by entering with a positive attitude. If they begin the day in a pleasant way, they are more likely to remain calm with students.

“When I go to start a class, I try to be as positive as I can be going into class,” Klobnak said.

“If I have something that’s happening to me, I have to know that it has to get set off. It has to stay away from that and I can’t come into class with it, and sometimes it’s very difficult...You kind of have to let it go and be able to focus on the task at hand.”

When teachers enter the class in a cheerful mood, they are bound to stay calm during the day. Hildner owes his own patience to not only his natural character, but also to the fact that he genuinely enjoys his job.

“I think I am [patient] because it’s just the way I’m wired,” Hildner said. “I have a strong

PAIGE HOPE Band instructor Jonathan Untch

conducts his students in it’s his daily routine. about expressing that in healthier ways,” said Antioch Community High School guidance counselor Kelly McCracken.

Patience is vital when it comes to expressing negative emotions. When someone sense with anger management problems gets mad, the of em- student tends to have an extreme reaction to the pathy for peo- stimulus. Being patient will help force the perple. It’s very easy son think before one acts. When the person is for me to get a sense not patient and acts without regards to the conof what they’re experiencing sequences, it can result in referrals to the dean.

Guidance counselor Darcy Peck said that ...and so I think that’s helped me to be a patient person. I don’t feel like she helps students talk through their problems ‘Oh, today I have to be really patient’...I go to figure out what is making them act so irrathrough the day and it’s just like ‘That was a tionally. When the student realizes what is trigtreat!’ It’s fun. Do we have bad days? Of course, gering these responses, it can help him work on we all do. But on balance...if you’re enjoying improving his reactions.

“You can achieve patience with practice,” what you’re doing and having fun, it may mean said McCracken. you don’t need a lot of patience.”

By practicing dealing with their triggers, Remaining calm with students can be challenging for teachers at times. Teachers do not students can overcome those problems. Role want to disrupt the students’ education with playing and acting out scenarios can help them their own inability to keep their cool. However, decide how they should react in situations.

One way a counselor can tell if someone is if learning is going to happen, it must happen in an environment where students do not feel having anger problems is if the student’s grades rushed. In fact, Hildner believes that patience is begin to drop or the kids is getting in trouble the single most important virtue to have when regularly.

“It takes away from their learning just beteaching. So next time you think that you are gocause they can’t focus on anything; all they can ing to lose your composure focus on is why they’re anwith a teacher, put yourself gry,” said Peck in another student’s shoes Anger not only has an and try to understand the impact on students’ grades, patience he/she have with but also on their future. you.

Talking to their counselor While patience can be can make them feel less the most important trait in stressed. Anger manageteaching, it is also a key ment problems are much factor in controlling your more than just getting mad temper. occasionally; it affects their Actions do speak loudeveryday lives and future er than words. The way in successes. Being patient is which someone reacts to the most important part of a bad situation can easily OLIVIA SZWAJKOWSKI containing angry emodetermine if he/she mad, Peck advising a student. tions, as it will help aggressive or even have Counselor Darcy eliminate negativity and anger issues. Anger manirrational behavior. agement problems are not Patience is key in all aspects of life. It’s necsomething to be taken lightly; they make a huge impact on someone’s social life, education and essary in maintaining a long-lasting relationoverall happiness. The main issues people with ship; critical while going through the applicaanger problems face are patience and commu- tion process; essential for a teacher during the nication, which can lead to greater issues later school day; and important for handling anger problems. No matter the obstacles in life, they in life.

“We all get frustrated, we all get angry, but can only be overcome through patience. TT

43 Tom Tom January 2016

HOW LONG HAVE YOU SPENT APPLYING TO COLLEGES? The Tom Tom conducted a survey of seniors on how long they’ve spent on college applications. How do you compare to your classmates? man agree that patience in a relationship requires you to acknowledge your partner’s needs as well.

On the flip side, keeping your cool while going through the college application process requires a similar type of patience.

One of the most enjoyable and stressful times for any teenager is senior year. Add college applications on top of that, and you have a recipe for disaster that includes stress, anger and patience. Each student goes through a different process in terms of where the student wants to go and what he/she wants to do.

One key factor in this process for many is the patience that they need to be successful. Senior Caitlyn Redd knows the stress that comes along with applying and waiting.

“Usually I have a little bit of patience, but sometimes I’m just so anxious for the letters to come,” Redd said. “At first I was nervous, but overall it was pretty much the easiest thing I’ve ever done.”

Redd is one of very few who have been able to keep their patience while waiting to receive the big news.

“It’s very exciting to know that I could get in, but it’s also kind of nerve wracking that you don’t know if you’re going to get in,” said Redd.

The process usually determines where someone will be spending the next four years of their life. With the help of her mom, Redd based her search primarily on size.

“I have gotten one [letter] back and it was from Western Illinois University,” said Redd.

Redd is patiently waiting to hear back from the other colleges she applied to.

Although the experience was enjoyable for Redd, for others, the college application process was not as easy. Alumnus Brad Russell can vouch f o r

this. Graduating at the top of his class last year, Russell had high hopes for college. Russell applied to four schools; one of them was Rose Hulman Institute of Technology, where he currently studies and plays football. Russell focused more on the academic aspects of each school.

“I started picking colleges based on what I found online about their academic programs and what others had recommended for me,” said Russell. “ I narrowed that down to five and visited each of those, which helped me narrow it to four.”

Russell described waiting for the letters as a testing time in his life.

“I did not do as well as I had wanted. Waiting for a letter was one of the most mentally difficult parts of high school,” said Russell.

Russell received acceptance letter back from one school: Rose Hulman.

Even with patience running thin at times, Redd and Russell thrived with their individual situations and remembered that patience is key.

Students go throughout the day dealing with a great amount of stress and pressure. They sit through hours of lectures, followed by hours of extracurricular activities, followed by hours of homework, followed by little sleep. It is understandable why a student’s patience may wear thin.

But, look at a

7+ Hours 25%

5-6 Hours 27%

0-2 Hours 23%

3-4 Hours 25%

school d a y from the other side of the classroom. A day of trying to get students to listen in an attempt to educate them.

A day that is spent dealing with teenagers who are constantly testing one’s patience. Look at a school day through the eyes of a teacher.

For teachers, patience is more than just being tolerant of their students; it is about giving a student time.

“As [patience] relates to the people around us, I really think it goes to empathy because it means I understand where you’re coming from and I respect that and I’m going to take the appropriate time to deal with whatever it is,” said math teacher Timothy Hildner. “Even though you may be under a fair amount of pressure at any given point in time...when that student asks a question, you have to be patient. You have to give that student room to learn and...be able to put yourself in that student’s shoes… You have to be able to empathize with that student, and I think when you do, patience in a way comes naturally… because you’re sensing what their issues are.”

Most students appreciate having a teacher who empathizes with them because if the teacher is not understanding, it can affect the classroom dynamic or learning.

“Patience gets tested by students and teachers,” said driver ed-

Teri Klobnak assisting a student with her weight lifting form.

The Vices and Virtues Issue

PAIGE HOPE

44

Patience is the ability to have an empathetic outlook on life while maintaining self-control EMILY HOLMES, PAIGE HOPE, OLIVIA SZWAJKOWSKI AND JASON WOOD Tom Tom Staff atience is one of the most important virtues. It allows you to be understanding while waiting for your spouse to be ready. It helps you stay calm while waiting for colleges to reply to your applications. It keeps teachers composed while instructing their students. It is essential in overcoming anger issues.

It is neccesary in your day to day life.

Sitting around the dinner table, a husband and his wife are arguing over what to do for their date night that weekend. The husband wants to go to his favorite restaurant, while the wife wants to go dancing with their friends. Eventually they come to an agreement: dancing this week, the restaurant next week. They settle down and return to their meals.

Patience in a long-lasting relationship requires one to acknowledge their spouse’s needs along with their own: a compromise. Social studies teacher Anton Borchert and English teacher Kathleen Beckman have both been married for years, and they agree that relationships require people to be patient with each other.

After being married for 12 years, Borchert is no amateur in being patient when it comes to his relationship. Sometimes, while sitting and waiting for his wife Kelly Borchert to finish getting ready, he often finds his patience being worn down.

“A lot of times, when my wife and I are going somewhere, my patience can get a little thin,” Borchert said. “Like I’ll ask, ‘How long before you’re ready?’ and if she says ten minutes, when ten minutes comes, I think, ‘Okay, it’s time to go.’ Then I’ll ask her again, ‘How long?’ ‘Ten minutes.’ ‘You just said ten minutes, ten minutes ago. What is it?’ So for me, I think that sometimes my patience gets a little thin when I’m really, really conscientious of when we tell somebody we’re going to be there, and my wife is way more relaxed.”

P

KATHLEEN BECKMAN Kathleen Beckman on her wedding day, 29 years ago.

JASON WOOD, PAIGE HOPE, OLIVIA SZWAJKOWSKI, EMILY HOLMES From left to right: Anton Borchert, Timothy Hildner, Kelly McCracken and Caitlyn Redd showing patience in their daily lives.

Although he is focused on getting to their commitments on time, Borchert has learned to sit back, be patient and let things take their course, even if it requires them to be a little bit late.

Borchert sees patience more as an opportunity to understand his wife.

“For me, I think patience is always giving people an opportunity to explain their point of view, not jumping to conclusions in situations and for the most part, realizing that I’m not the only person with something going on,” said Borchert.

Checking the trash, making sure there’s no food in the fridge that could spoil or fussing over cleaning the house, Beckman makes sure there’s nothing that could go wrong while her husband Bryan, her three kids, and she are away on vacation. After 29 years of marriage, she’s had a long time to practice being patient. But she still struggles being patient when they go on vacation. It’s a little thing, but one that stands out to her.

“I take on a lot of the responsibilities where I don’t necessarily have to,” Beckman said.

“But I do, I guess, and then I get short with people, because it’s like we need to get the house ready, [or] set up some different things before

we leave, and people aren’t on my timeframe or don’t view it as a necessity like I do, and so I get impatient.”

Beckman knows that her relationship isn’t just about her and her husband, but also her kids.

She looks at patience primarily as self-control and knowing that not everyone has the same priorities, like cleaning the house before going on vacation, but also, when in the case of a relationship, compromise.

“I think that part of having patience is realizing that not everybody is going to be where you’re at and have your point of view and your set of values or priorities, and that that’s okay,” she said.

She acknowledges the different priorities and uses this same personal definition to help her when she gets impatient before vacations.

In fact, she used it over 25 years ago in the early stages of her marriage.

“It’s certainly a compromise all the time,” Beckman said. “Everything from how do you navigate in the morning together to what’s for dinner to what are our financial goals or life goals or who’s going to do what as far as work.”

No matter if it’s waiting for your wife to get ready, or single-handedly getting your house ready for a vacation, both Borchert and Beck-

45 Tom Tom January 2016

PATIENCE COVER JOHNNY HORTON / ILLUSTRATION NATHAN BORRIES

The Vices and Virtues Issue

46

DILIGENCE OVER INTELLIGENCE

LAURYN HUGENER Tom Tom Staff

F

ailure is something most people face throughout the course of their high school careers, something continuously bringing them down. However, some people are more commonly associated with success than they are failure. Junior Stanley Liu is one of these people. For many, Liu’s successes are associated with his “natural” intelligence.

“The common idea has been that I’m a genius, and that I just do everything without any work at all,” Liu said. “Raw intelligence will only take you so far. It does require some work.”

Despite Liu’s reputation, he said he often defies what people think of him by only spending about one to two hours per night on his schoolwork and 30 minutes to one hour practicing his music.

Since he was young, Liu has felt a pull towards classical music, gravitating toward the piano. His interest and attentiveness led him to becoming the developed pianist he is today.

However, it is clear from his rigorous courses

and high test scores that Liu is most passionate about his schoolwork, which will ultimately help him in achieving his goal of becoming a chemical engineer.

“I’ve always had an aptitude for learning new information quickly, especially things having to do with numbers,” Liu said.

Although Liu takes ownership of his successes, he also acknowledges his failures. He said he doesn’t excel in athletics, and he received a three on an AP test.

“My A’s in class made me feel sort of a false confidence, and then I didn’t review the material before the test,” Liu said. “I decided to work harder for the next social studies course.”

Liu gives off a sense of humbleness, often leaving those around him to identify his innate talents.

“He’s naturally intelligent,” English teacher Sarah Ogborn said. “He could be one of the smartest kids I’ve ever met. He’s always thinking about learning, but in an interesting way.”

TOP OF THE JOB

GENNIFER GEER

Contemplating a calculus problem, junior Stanley Liu attempts to gain points for his team. Liu is a starting member of the Antioch varsity academic team.

Liu tends to take different approaches to learning, such as making a “The Scarlet Letter” playlist. In his mind, being diligent doesn’t necessarily have to be tedious, but rather involves being invested in something.

“It means working hard for what you want,” Liu said. “Not just working hard on one thing, but specifically to get what you want. I apply a lot of effort to learning higher math skills, which is how I’ve gotten so far in math.” TT

Department chairs provide guidance for teachers, students.

DYLAN HEBIOR

O

Tom Tom Staff ut of the 94 teachers at Antioch Community High School, there are nine department chairs. These individuals are chosen by years of experience age and diligence in pursuing and maintaining their position.

“A department head job is two-fold,” math department chair Jill Farrell said. “On one hand, we are teachers. On the other hand, a department chair has many hats.”

Those additional duties include maintaining budgets, running late-start meetings, ordering supplies, keeping staff informed and supporting teachers.

Working with teachers is a major part of the job. When a teacher is uncomfortable or looking to see if he or she is doing his or her job

properly, the department head helps by sitting in on a lesson and offering suggestions.

Department heads speak with each other and the upper administration. Although it produces positive feedback and outlook, this reduces the time they have available for other duties, which is why the diligence of the ACHS department heads is not taken for granted.

“This job is something I’ve been working toward for the last ten years,” said world language department chair Chad Rusk.

Prior to the start of Rusk’s teaching career, he went to college for about four and a half years. Along with his hard work in the classroom, he was also a swimmer in college.

While maintaining a 3.5 GPA and practicing swimming, he was able to stay on track,

pursuing his teaching career.

English department chair DeeAnn Andershock was not planning on being a teacher. Andershock spent a total of 12 years in college, and she decided to go back for her teacher’s certification after her fifth year.

“When I went back for my Master’s, my dad talked me into getting my teacher certification since I was at school anyway,” Andershock said.

“After the first couple [of] education classes, I knew that was the road I wanted to walk down.”

When the former English chair decided to retire, Andershock knew after her hours of hard work, she had finally gotten her chance to prove to the administrators what she had. TT

47 Tom Tom January 2016

A

diligent person is someone who understands the task at hand and gets the job done.

Senior Ashley Hare is ranked number one in her class, and she provides a prime example of a diligent student.

“I try to stay really organized and make sure I get everything done on time while still staying busy,” Hare said.

Hare is not working alone — she said she has a strong support system behind her.

“My parents push me to do the best I can,” Hare said. “Whether it’s a simple question about how school’s going or a reminder to stay on top of things, they really help me stay motivated.”

Hare said part her success in school can be attributed to her dominant personality traits.

“My strengths are my perseverance and dedication,” Hare said. “I really

try as hard as I can in school, both in academics and extracurriculars.”

Hare said she often puts off completing assignments. However, she always discovers a way to get it done, no matter what.

“My biggest weakness is when I procrastinate,” she said. “Sometimes I won’t be motivated to do homework or to study for a test, but most of the time I, realize I need to keep working and stay on top of my school work.”

Hare said she hopes her class rank and success in sports will reflect in her future achievements.

“It’s nice to know my hard work has paid off,” she said. “I plan to go to a 4-year university and study civil engineering and economics, and then hopefully continue on with my career in engineering, focusing [on] management.”

Hare will attend Duke University as part of the Class of 2020. TT

THE ATHLETE

THE ROUTE TO SUCCESS Through hard work, organization, senior achieves admission to dream college.

MARC HUSTON Tom Tom Staff

Senior’s hard work on and off field yields rewards on football team, GPA.

MATTHEW ROWE

Tom Tom Staff or senior Tommy Howe, being a student, an athlete, a worker, a friend and a son means balance—a balance that isn’t necessarily easy.

“The hardest night I can remember, I went straight to work after practice and didn’t get home until about 9:45,” Howe said. “From there, I had a chemistry lab to finish, an English essay to write and multiple math packets to do. I probably went to bed around 2 a.m.”

While playing varsity football and having a job, Howe still makes time for his school work and grades.

“I carefully plan my day so that I have enough time to get my school work done,” Howe said. “A lot of the time, that might mean having to stay home and finish a project instead of going and doing something with friends. It’s a sacrifice, but it’s what I’ve had to do in order to maintain my grades.”

Howe also balances a part-time job.

“I like having shifts with Tommy just because he makes it fun and not as boring as it could be,” Howe’s coworker, junior Tessa Furlong, said.

“Tommy always gets work done when he needs to, and it’s good to be able to

F

TOMMY HOWE

rely on your co-worker like that.”

As a member of the football team, Howe worked all summer to get a starting position as a weak-side cornerback.

Early mornings spent lifting, late night practicing and playing under the Friday night lights meant Howe had to find windows to do school work and be a teenager.

“His attendance over the past two years was almost perfect,” social studies teacher and varsity football coach Brian Glashagel said. “He’s one of the few athletes in a spring sport that still found ways to get into the weightroom.

If Tommy wasn’t at practice, summer camp or weight lifting, something was wrong.”

It was hard work that led to Howe’s placement on the football team.

“One of my biggest accomplishments was becoming a starter on the football team this year,” Howe said. “Last year, I didn’t get much playing time, and I was a little unsure about my role on the team, but my hard work and dedication during the offseason allowed me to start all nine games this season.” TT The Vices and Virtues Issue

48

WORKING HARD OR HARDLY WORKING?

Students, teacher explore the meaning and importance of diligence.

GENNIFER GEER Department Editor

I

n the words of first lady Michelle Obama, “You work hard for what you want in life.”

She and other American figures proudly proclaim America to be a nation where diligence is rewarded—a virtue instilled in children at a young age. Yet when students reach high school, they gain independence in determining their own value of hard work. Though some students continue vigorously studying, others let academics fall to the wayside.

Teachers often encourage students to work hard in the classroom, even if academic success doesn’t come easily to them. English teacher Katharine Giertych said she believes students show true diligence when they struggle.

“I always think diligence means not giving up when you have a challenge you’re facing,” Giertych said. “I think any time a kid is con-

WHICH IS MORE IMPORTANT TO YOU?

HARD WORK 66.42%

NATURAL INTELLIGENCE 33.58%

fused by a new task in front of them, they tend to shy away from it. [When] they actually are able to embrace that and attempt it, I think that’s an excellent example, even on a small scale, of diligence.”

Though students don’t always value school work, Giertych said it’s important to complete.

“If you can’t be successful in high school, how can you expect to be successful post high school?” she said. “Once you get to your adult life, you can’t pick and choose what you want to do a lot of the time. If you’re truly going to be successful, take responsibility for your approach to hard work.”

She also said students who pursue knowledge are typically the most diligent.

“Hard work you especially notice in kids who take initiative,” she said. “They’re not passive, and they’re actually seeking out the answers on their own.”

Senior Jake Sheridan said he feels diligence in school should come from within one’s self, not from external motivation.

“I feel like you should get good grades in school for your own purposes,” Sheridan said. “You shouldn’t do it because it’s the expectation. You should do it because you want to.”

Sophomore Maryssa Willey takes a different approach to hard work. She said a work ethic is necessary to get through life.

“You need to be mature enough to work,” she said. “I babysit my brothers. I don’t get paid for my babysitting, but I still need to be able to take care of them because it shouldn’t matter if you’re getting paid or not; you’re

How long do you study a day?

Out of 134 students surveyed, a majority placed more value on diligence over intelligence. However, most students reported devoting no more than 30 minutes a day to studying.

0-30 minutes 1-2 hours 3-4 hours 4+ hours

79 38 11 6

still responsible for them.”

Willey said she keeps up in school work, knowing it has a big impact on her future. She said her father heavily influences her capacity for diligence.

“My dad works really hard for us,” she said.

“It’s a good example to set because I want to do the same thing for him in the future.”

Willey said she strives to apply herself in all aspects of her life. According to Giertych, the ability to balance school, home and activities is a key skill to learn. “[If] a kid is failing my class who really should not be, it’s hard for me to look at that kid and find a lot of pride in what they’re doing, even if they’re really successful in other aspects,” Giertych said.

Sheridan said he feels students who study often work the hardest, but that’s not necessarily an admirable trait.

“I think most of the people who sit around all day studying are the people who do it because it’s an expectation placed on them or they placed on themselves when they shouldn’t have,” he said.

Other students question whether innate talents have a larger role in achievements than diligence.

“People want to hear if you work really hard at life, you’re going to get success, but I’m just not going to say that,” Sheridan said. “You don’t get success just by hard work; you get success by being realistic as well.”

However, Willey said she believes hard work alone can accomplish much.

“If you work hard enough, you can get anything,” she said.

In the end, hard work is only one of many choices students can make to steer themselves to success.

“Being smart, making good choices, listening to people, not being a jerk usually helps,” Sheridan said. “All of those could be classified as work, but I find at times ‘work’ translates as you’re spending hours and hours trying to get something done. I find, most of the time, just don’t be dumb.” TT

49 Tom Tom January 2016

DILIGENCE DILIGENCE COVER JOHNNY HORTON / ILLUSTRATION NATHAN BORRIES

The Vices and Virtues Issue

50

HELPING WITHIN THE COMMUNITY Clubs throughout the school help give students a reason to remember the importance of giving.

BRENNA HIGGINS AND NICK KILLIAN Tom Tom Staff

B

eing a part of a club in high school is one thing, but being part of a club in high school that helps out the school and community is another. Antioch Community High School has clubs that help out the school and the community. Being a part of a certain club, will make a student or even a teacher a better person by caring for others and helping out the community.

One club that helps out the community is the Environmental Club.

The club finds ways to keep Antioch clean and tries to spread environmental awareness. Each meeting that the club has, the members go help clean up garbage around the Antioch community, then throw it away in a dumpster. This ensures that the garbage is put away correctly and not put in a landfill.

“Every year, we have an Earth Day Fair where we invite people from all over to showcase their environmental products or lifestyle,” said social studies teacher and club sponsor Stephen Rose. “Right now, we are also looking into modifying

Someone helped all of us as we were growing up, and now it is our turn to pay it forward.

NICK KILIAN

the recycling program at ACHS.” Organizing time, money and opportunities for the students at Antioch is what Sequoit Pride is about.

Sequoit Pride is an organization run by parents that helps raise money and funds various student opportunities within the school. Every year, Sequoit Pride receives donations from businesses throughout the community, and many families donatetheir time, effort, and money to help support the Sequoits and their community. Last year, one of the biggest fundraisers by Sequoit Pride auctioned off various prizes, assisting the organization to raise over $20,000. The money Sequoit Pride receives created more opportunities for the Sequoits that might otherwise have gone unfunded.

“The main goal is making the world a better place,” said Sequoit Pride President Jim Connelly.

“Someone helped all of us as we were growing up, and now it is our turn to pay it forward.”

Picking up trash, handing out cards and helping the community is what the students involved in Interact Club do. Interact Club has members who are from Antioch High School and Lakes High School. The Interact Club is sponsored by the local Rotary Club. The club focuses on community service and the wellbeing of the people in the community.

The club helps out with many food pantries and food drives to give back to the community for all that they do. The ideas and plans the members create are very effective and help the

community succeed in its well being.

“I have a strong passion to volunteer and give back to the community because I genuinely care about the people in my surrounding communities,” said Jasmine DeLara, President of Interact Club.

The club is based on giving back and helping out the community.

Members strives for excellence in their work of duty. Every member is not only a part of just another club, but a part of a family involved throughout the community.

“The club in my point of view only does things that will give back to the community. Whether it’s at Open Arms in the winter handing out Christmas dinner packs or at a Rotary event helping with the silent auction, we strive to help with everything we do,” Delara said.

Every hour spent giving back to those in need is worth spending.

No matter what an individual does it impacts the community. Being in Interact Club helps others as well as helping oneself.

The greatness of our community works with each individual helping make Antioch the way it is by giving back. The town is very fortunate for the opportunities and people who are involved. The high school would not be given the same opportunities without the help of each one. Environmental Club, Interact Club, and Sequoit Pride are excellent organizations in volunteering and helping not only the community, but ourselves. TT

NICK KILIAN

Stephen Rose, Enviromental Club sponsor

NICK KILIAN

Jim Connelly , President of Sequoit Pride

NICK KILIAN

Jasmine DeLara, President of Interact Club

51 Tom Tom January 2016

RACHEL BECKMAN

THE GIFT OF RECEIVING Receiving charity does not always have to be a solid object. It’s much more meaningful.

SYMONE HENDERSON AND CHLOE MORITZ Tom Tom Staff

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eceiving has many different definitions, whether it’s being given a helpful hand, smile, or a kind wave. Receiving itself doesn’t always have to be a physical object, but when thought about charitably, it’s represented more emotionally.

To be given help from another might seem embarrassing at the beginning, but as time moves forward, it starts to get easier.

To receive food from a food pantry for the first time for Diane Erickson was told as, “Kind of embarrassing because you had to go ask for food because you couldn’t afford to buy food with the money you had.”

Junior Marian Lafferty had a similar perspective, “The first time I was kind of like ‘What is this, why is this happening to me?’, and then I realized ‘Oh ‘cause I don’t have enough money to buy my own food and bring it to school, or buy the food at school here.’ I just [kind of] learned to accept it.”

Even though being given food seems to have a typical negative feeling at first, needing a little bit of help is never a bad thing.

Often held at churches or local schools, these food trucks or food pantries help more than 300 families by giving them boxes of various food items to help them get along with their weeks.

“It’s definitely helping because now my mom

and I don’t have to focus on buying food for a family of seven,” said Lafferty.

But some food pantries can only support to a certain extent because the food pantries are typically an annual event, which only gives families a good amount of food for a few days.

“They help the best they can—granted food pantries can’t give you a week’s worth of food,” said Erickson. “So it’s nice to be able to have meat, for example, where you couldn’t have meat before. And in that respect, it’s nice to have something you didn’t have if you didn’t go to this pantry.”

As families continue to slowly collect in the waiting area, volunteers work to create individual boxes of food for the people in need. All that can be heard is the light, friendly chatter about anything and everything people cam think of.

It’s a place where people know that they are not alone.

It’s not really an awkward thing because we’re all people, and sometimes we all need a little bit of help.

“It’s not really an awkward thing because we’re all people, and sometimes we all need a little bit of help,” Michelle Coleman, a seventh grade teacher and community volunteer said.

“And whenever that time comes, then everyone there is baring open arms and support to you and helps you get through it.”

And she is very correct. From the perspectives of others, it’s pretty clear that food pantries aren’t meant to make people feel embarrassed.

They promote charity to others in need, and that’s never a bad thing.

When looking back at what it really means to receive, it does not just mean to be given something; it has a more emotional aspect behind it.

“The only way to really understand the true meaning of what it means to give, I think every person at least once in their lifetime should volunteer just to see how it makes them feel. It’s very rewarding,” Erickson said.

Though some may see differently, receiving from others is a beautiful thing. Whether you’re either giving or receiving, the gesture itself will always be welcomed. It comes naturally to everyone and is an important trait to be shared. It supports those in need and gives them a reason to do the same in the future. It shows the true significance of the gift of receiving. TT The Vices and Virtues Issue

52

A GIVING HEART Members of the ACHS community share their experiences of charity and how it impacts their lives.

RACHEL BECKMAN Tom Tom Staff

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aking up to a blaring alarm at 4:00 a.m. on a crisp, winter morning to prepare breakfast for a gym full of men. Willingly giving away precious time after work to personally hand out food to strangers in the community. Using an athletic passion to help recognize a life which is being hindered through health issues. These are some of the many ways that students, parents and alumni in the Antioch community help those around them. Although they all give in different ways and for different reasons, each of these people has a common goal of helping others through acts of charity.

Charity is normally viewed as someone giving food, money or clothes to a poor person on the street. But what most don’t realize is that charity isn’t always the simple action of handing out things to the impoverished in the surrounding communities. The types of help that people offer others differ from personal help, anonymously donating and participating in charity events, all of which help to make someone’s day better.

No matter what they do to benefit others, charitable people gain new perspectives and feelings as they change lives.

It effects my heart. It makes me realize that there are a lot of people just trying to make it in life

RACHEL BECKMAN Several people within the community give their heart to others through charity.

“It effects my heart. It makes me realize that there are a lot of people just trying to make it in life,” Robin Gwinn, former cheer coach, parent and alumna of ACHS, said.

Outside of helping people through her everyday job, Gwinn also volunteers with a willing heart at the local food pantry. As she spends her time trying to improve the lives of others, it breaks her heart to constantly encounter lives that are less privileged than hers. When she sees the gratitude that is expressed from those receiving food from the pantry, Gwinn is compelled to continue serving others with a selfless heart.

These feelings are similar to those of senior Griffin Hill. He, and the Sequoit football program, recently helped to recognize a child in the Antioch community during the fall football season through the Makea-Wish foundation.

“Beforehand, I was excited and happy that I was going to be able to help make a difference in someone’s life,” Hill said.

His act of charity consisted of honoring a young student at one of the Friday night football games.

With a fully signed jersey, helmet, and picture frame in hand, Harrison Victor, who was struck with cancer at a young age, was full of smiles, happiness and excitement that night. Hill believes Victor’s reaction impacted him in several ways and made him feel emotional as he was able to help a young boy feel special. This also led him to want to pursue his future desire of making a difference and changing lives.

While giving and helping others, a person is able to see the recipient’s reaction and how he/she is personally affected. Current ACHS parent, Robin Nottingham, spends hours of her time each month as she prepares and organizes food for a local ministry at her church.

Shopping and cooking are the principal tasks that she is faced with, all of which are necessities given to a group of twenty to fifty homeless men from the Lake County area.

“I saw a need,” Nottingham said.

“I have always been interested in PADS since my church hosted it once a week [when I was little].”

The PADS organization, which is run through Chicago, establishes

food, shelter and job opportunities for the homeless people in the local communities. Nottingham is among the many volunteers needed who help with providing the food and shelter once a month as the men are rotated through different churches. Though she works behind the scenes most of the time, Nottingham takes on a huge role in assisting the organization in being run through Chain of Lakes Community Bible Church in Lake Villa. She helps to impact the lives of dozens of men who have grown up all their lives without the knowledge of where the next day will take them. Though she rarely speaks to any of them, Nottingham gains new aspects on the lives of these underprivileged men.

The several types of charity all have a common effect on both the recipients’ and the givers’ hearts.

“It’s a daily reminder that others are suffering,” Gwinn said. “We may not have a lot, but we can help others survive and make it to the next day.”

Whether they physically take time out of their day to help someone, to donate money or to work behind the scenes, a charitable person is able to form new friendships and connect with others who may not feel loved because of their circumstances. Preparing food for a room full of snoring men, all of whom don’t know where their gratitude is entitled. Making a young boy excited and happy for days, as he is able to play with a team which he dreams of being a part of in the future. Personally meeting and handing out food to those in need in the local community. These acts of generosity, which aid the lives of the people in the surrounding community, show how charity impacts not only those who receive, but also those who give. TT

53 Tom Tom January 2016

CHARITY COVER JOHNNY HORTON / ILLUSTRATION NATHAN BORRIES

The Vices and Virtues Issue

54

ATHLETES. CODE. CONDUCT. BENJAMIN GUTKE Tom Tom Staff

A

thletes put countless hours into their sports throughout each season, yet somehow still find time for a social life. Athletes are held at a higher standard in and out of school.

Outside of school, athletes are expected to be responsible and safe in all scenes. Athletes face the problem of abstaining from drugs and alcohol no matter what the scenario is. For some, this may be the least of their concerns, but for other athletes, this is a constant battle that they face to stay true to their coaches, family and teammates. Many athletes are punished year round with suspensions from their sport, or they could even be asked not to participate. While

Everyone has goals, and nobody will reach those goals if half the team is suspended for going out and partying.

most athletes are friends with and will spend their free time with other athletes, there are possible situations that they could be put into that would jeopardize their eligibility.

Teammates count on each other to abstain from all contact of illegal substances because when one team member is caught, the athlete not only hurts herself, but ultimately the whole team suffers due to that one person. It is a situation that not only the athlete doesn’t want to be put in, but neither does the coach. One stupid decision could change a whole season in some circumstances and disappoint that athlete’s teammates.

Seeing that juniors and seniors fill up the majority of varsity sports, one freshman, Graci Leineberg was introduced to a varsity cheerleading team with the majority of them being upperclassmen.

“I don’t feel too much pressure,” Leineberg said. “My teammates respect me and respect my choices, and I’m grateful for that. I have never been put into a high-pressure situation, and even if I was, I think my teammates would be the ones there to take me out of it, rather than be the ones pressuring me. We are all there for each

other, so if anyone is ever feeling pressured, we will be there to help them; it’s really a great atmosphere.”

Fletcher Neville, a varsity baseball player, believes his experience was a little more surprising.

“Not everything that you see in the movies is how it is in real life,” Neville said. “I thought being a varsity athlete was going to parties every weekend and everyone drinking whenever they wanted because that’s what varsity athletes do. I was surprised to see that everyone is just one tight, unified group.

“Everyone has goals, and nobody will reach those goals if half the team is suspended for going out and partying.”

Neville was also surprised that athletes even had the time to partake in all of this.

“For baseball, we are out on the field six days a week, for at least two and a half hours,” Neville said. “I don’t even know how some athletes have time or the energy to do other things. I’m exhausted by the time I get home. Our team has a strong bond, so I’m not worried about anyone taking that risk to hurt our team and themselves.” TT

NICKLAUS ANDRE Many athletes have used temperance to rise above negative pressure.

55 Tom Tom January 2016

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N D “I WAS REALLY IMPRESSED TO SEE A GROUP OF STUDENTS WHO WANTED TO POSITIVELY IMPACT THEIR PEERS AND PROMOTE A POSITIVE MESSAGE IN THEIR SCHOOL...”

A H

E L NICOLE PETERSON

JACK CONNELLY Tom Tom Staff

W

hile it can be found hidden away in many places, temperance is known for its link to alcohol in the 21st century. Temperance movements promote restraining from using alcohol, and sometimes total abstinence from it. While broader than a temperance movement, the school’s anti-drug club has many of the same goals, including this one: to rise against alcohol and drugs.

Rise Against Alcohol and Drugs, which is the name of the club, is the motto for the group of dedicated students who work to promote that cause. Special education teacher and club sponsor Andrew Seketa praises his students’ work around the community.

“RAAD promotes awareness of substance use and supports students in positive decision-making,” Seketa said. “This occurs through our leadership and team-building initiatives, Red Ribbon Week and our student pledges.”

The average student faces the pressure of drug and alcohol use potentially on a daily basis. The faint nagging voice of temptation and gluttony is aroused whenever the topic of substances is casually introduced in conversation. While many simply shove the thought of drugs and alcohol into the mental cabinet for “future me,” RAAD members go the extra mile to help stop the problem. It is this drive that makes individuals in RAAD so impactful. Their efforts do not go unnoticed, either.

Seketa himself was impacted by the group, which drew him into advising the club.

“I was approached last year by students and asked to advise the RAAD group,” said Seketa. “I really impressed to see a group of students who wanted to positively impact their peers and promote a positive message in their school, and I’m proud to support them in that endeavor.”

Drugs and alcohol affect everybody, especially in high school. The dreaded peer pressure that parents warn their children of so frequently becomes all too real in high school, and drugs, especially alcohol, are a huge factor in that pressure.

However, it is easier to avoid that pressure than many think.

“I think that students have much stronger sense of what’s right and wrong than they are often given credit for,” Seketa said. “Joining a group like RAAD and surrounding yourself with positive people can make resisting the pressures out there a little bit easier.”

In fact, RAAD members have just as much effect on each other as they do on the public. While popular media outlets and the very culture of high school often suggests the use of alcohol and drugs is widespread, that is not the case. RAAD members frequently speak of “the silent majority” of people who refrain from the use of substances.

“RAAD helps students see that you can have a good time without the influence of drugs and alcohol,” said Seketa.

“Many students are looking for a way to meet peers who also feel it’s important to enjoy life without the influence of drugs and alcohol.” TT

NICOLE PETERSON

The Vices and Virtues Issue

56

FOOD KILLS

ABIGAIL RUSSELL Tom Tom Staff

Something as common as sharing a snack with a teammate or eating a snack at a party could risk someone’s life. For people with food allergies, this is the reality they have to face.

A

ccording to social studies teacher Lauren Krickl, some people have food allergies throughout their lives and never know until they have a reaction. For Krickl, this first reaction was a scary reality.

“When I was a junior in college, I started to get very sick and ended up needing emergency surgery,” Krickl said. “It took until a few months after the surgery before we realized that gluten was the problem. I went in for testing, and it was confirmed that I had Celiac disease. I have had it my whole life, but I never made the connection between eating gluten and feeling sick until later.”

While Krickl said she is not technically allergic to gluten, she was diagnosed with Celiac disease. According to celiac. org, Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that causes damage to the small intestines when gluten is ingested. Since finding out about her disease, Krickl has developed a love for food and cooking. Krickl said that her routine for shopping and cooking has become easier with time.

“When I grocery shop, I stick to brands and products that I know are certified as gluten-free, and I always read the labels,” Krickl said. “If I’m eating at a friend’s house, I just ask what’s in the recipe.”

While Krickl’s disease is not uncommon, celiac.org reported approximately one in every 100 people has the disease, while simple food allergies are found in one in just 13 people.

For senior Meghan Bohn, her simple food allergy, being allergic to peanuts and fruit, has also become part of her daily life.

ABIGAIL RUSSELL Junior Cody Matonik uses temperance in his daily lunch choices to attempt to stay healthy and strong.

Childhood was difficult for Bohn because many of her classmates could not connect with her. In grade school, Bohn said it was hard for her to explain to others she could not sit with them because there was someone eating a peanut butter sandwich.

By trying to not be hurt herself, Bohn said she would have to risk hurting people’s feelings. It made her younger years awkward, and it took a while for that to change.

Bohn developed allergies to things other than peanuts with age. Bohn said she goes once a year to get an allergy test to see if she has developed any more. Allergy testing is a safe way for people to find out exactly what they are allergic to without having a deadly reaction. These tests have shown for her, like many others, that her allergies have grown stronger, thus making her to more sensitive to her allergens.

Now that her friends know about her allergies, Bohn said her friends actively help her avoid problems with them. As a high schooler, her friends are more mature and aware. Bohn believes that her allergies do not affect her friendships like they once did, and she found help from family and friends to avoid having a bad reaction.

“My mom has been really good about helping me find other things that I can bring for lunch,” Bohn said. “She’s always trying new things in my lunch.”

For junior Patrick Schoenfelder, this type of testing is how he found out about his allergies. Schoenfelder said he found out when he was little that he was allergic to peanuts when his dad gave him a sandwich with peanut butter on it. After this, his parents took him to take an allergy test. When they tested Schoenfelder, they found he is also allergic to fish. Schoenfelder has handled his allergies by simply avoiding what he is allergic to. Schoenfelder has used this technique and a few others to stay healthy and not have a reaction. TT

ABIGAIL RUSSELL Senior Meghan Bond enjoys her lunch, despite her allergies

57 Tom Tom January 2016

TEMPERANCE

JOHNNY HORTON / ILLUSTRATION NATHAN BORRIES

The Vices and Virtues Issue

58

MEAT

Vegetarianism is on the rise, with more and more people beginning to see the benefits of not eating meat. According to “Vegetarian Times,” 7.3 million Americans are vegetarians and an additional 22.8 million Americans follow a vegetarian-inclined diet.

After not much thought, junior Elizabeth Taylor, who has only been a vegetarian for a few months, jumped right into vegetarianism.

“One of my best friends, Sydney, has been a vegetarian for awhile,” said Taylor. “She always told me reasons why I should be vegetarian… I didn’t [do much research]. It was kind of on a whim. I just kind of realized I should and then went for it.”

Although there are many reasons for someone to become a vegetarian, Taylor thought of meat-eating as wrong and unnecessary.

“I just thought about it, killing animals for meat we technically don’t need,” said Taylor. “It just doesn’t sound necessary to me. Any way to save animals from being treated so horribly is good.”

As for senior Brittany Bluthardt, who’s been a vegetarian for a year now, it was more of a necessary decision she made to prevent herself from becoming sick.

“I used to just eat meat regularly because my family did,” said Bluthardt.

“But then I would eat red meat, and I would feel sick afterwards. So, I wouldn’t want to eat it because I would either throw it up or just get really

sick from it. Then my cousin, who is a pescetarian, told me more about it, and I did a research project on it.”

Since meat is a major source of protein for most people, it is important to make accommodations as a vegetarian to ensure they are still getting that protein.

“I started off not taking any supplements at all,” said Bluthardt. “I was eating a lot of nuts—which is where you can get a lot of your protein from it and tofu. I still eat those, but recently I have this shake I drink; it’s not completely protein, but it does have protein in it, along with other nutrients.”

Vitamins are another route a vegetarian can take to substitute what he/she are not getting.

“I take lots of vitamins, but not protein supplements,” Taylor said. “I just eat, like, a lot of beans.”

There are many healthy benefits that go along with vegetarianism.

“I have a lot more energy,” Bluthardt said. “I’ve lost weight, I guess you could say, but I think it was more the bloating type from the salt in meat and everything. I don’t get as many headaches. It has also helped me to eat a lot healthier because my options are less, and I’ve learned more about healthy eating.”

Taylor also sees the health benefits.

“I’ve noticed it gets me to eat a lot healthier,” said Taylor. “I eat a lot more vegetables and a lot of pasta, too.”

The choice to take on vegetarianism will alter many aspects of living. The decision to become a vegetarian needs consideration as to how someone will supplement nutrients like protein, but once someone does decide to become a vegetarian, it could be life-altering. TT

I would eat red meat, and I would feel sick afterwards.

Q&A SENIOR JAKE CLOE Tom Tom: Would you call yourself a picky eater?

Jake Cloe: Let’s just say if being a picky eater was a crime, I’d be in a lot of trouble. I am just very particular in my food choices: if I haven’t had it before, chances are I won’t eat it.

TT: What are some foods you have never eaten?

JC: Cereal, hamburger, steak, ground beef, meatballs, tacos and burritos, meat loaf, black beans, applesauce, and guacamole.

TT: Would you ever be willing to change your eating choices?

JC: I have absolutely no interest in changing my eating habits at all.

Everyone tries to make me eat different foods, but it has never happened and never will.

TT: What are your favorite and least favorite foods?

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Piggly Wiggly displays their wide variety of fresh vegetables. They are just one option in Antioch to find fresh produce.

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JC: Chicken is my favorite food. It’s very good for you too. Hamburger is my least favorite food.

BY JAYME BAILEY

59 Tom Tom January 2016

GABRIELLE KALISZ Instead of using social media, Derek likes to spend his free time on the ice. He chooses to push himself athletically than get caught up in the potential drama that comes with social media.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Tweets, Snapchats, Instagram posts and more have become a huge part of everyday life. Social media has transformed everyday communication, making it essentially instantaneous.

According to a 2015 study by the organization We Are Social, over 1.7 billion people have active social media accounts. Although over a billion people have signed up for social media, others choose to abstain from its use.

One of these people is sophomore Derek Olson. Olson uses no social media whatsoever, and he believes that it’s benefitted his everyday life.

Olson used to have social media, but after seeing what it was all about, he chose to revert back to a social media-free lifestyle.

“Getting rid of my social media has actually made me more social,” Olson said. “It’s allowed me to spend more time with friends and family, as well as spend time doing other things.”

Although social media was meant to benefit communication, it has in some ways damaged it. Communication has moved from face to face to behind a screen. Olson explains how not using social media has forced him to actually talk to people face to face. His choice to abstain from social media has increased his social skills, allowing him to make new friends. Olson also voices how not using social media has given him more time for hobbies. With his newfound time, he enjoys playing hockey. Even though a lot of his friends have social media, he has no plans of getting it again in the future.

“Unless I need it for school or a job in the future, I see no need for it,” said Olson.

Social media brings new features to everyday life; the benefits of abstaining from it outweigh the negative in Olson’s life. Not using social media might seem inpractical to others, but to Olson it’s the right thing to do. TT

ALCOHOL As high schoolers, people know that drinking is frowned upon because it is illegal, but once they turn 21, they have a choice. Few people abstain from alcohol completely. However, there are advantages to staying away from alcohol: control of the body, keeping behavior civilized and decreasing health risks.

Reasons for refraining vary from person to person. Some choose not to drink for medical reasons or the effect that it has on the body. People might not like how it makes them feel. Others have religious beliefs that influence their decisions. Math teacher William Zambole said he abstains due to past experiences with friends and family.

Many people choose to be alcohol-free because they have a specific person who influences their beliefs. They might look up to those people and see that person’s life is successful without alcohol in it. Some people do not want the choices they make now to affect their future.

“I keep my future in mind and think of the consequences that could occur if I chose to drink, which is enough to steer me away from making a wrong choice,” senior Ashley Hare said.

According to madd.org, approximately 4,700 young people die each year from underage drinking.

It is not only illegal, but also dangerous. Drinking alcohol during brain growth can damage the brain with effects including memory loss and blackouts. Teenagers al-

ready have daring personalities.

Mix that with alcohol, and the judgement can get fogged up.

Individuals who choose to abstain from alcohol completely are considered the minority. According to the University of Illinois Center for Prevention Research & Development, 35 percent of high school seniors in Lake County have not taken a sip of alcohol in the last year. Hare is in that minority, but it is even more rare that Zambole is. According to the study, the older the person is, the less chance that he/she refrained from drinking alcohol with, very few staying away from it altogether.

Peer pressure is a big part of why people drink. It is difficult for some people to turn down something if everyone else is taking part in it. Some people have strong morals and stick to them.

“I don’t want to be in the presence of it occurring because if something happens and the police are involved, I can get in trouble for it,” Hare said. “So when I’m put in that situation, I leave as soon as I can.”

Many individuals are curious of what alcohol tastes like, and they may think about drinking, but never actually do. It is human nature to think about things and ask what it is all about, but the more they think about it, the more they realize their own values and how important they are to them.

One the principles both Hare and Zambole choose to live by is to be alcohol-free. They have never swayed away from their original stances. TT

The Vices and Virtues Issue

60

LET’S NOT TALK ABOUT

JAYME BAILEY, DANIELLE BAY, HALEY EDWARDS, JILLIAN EVERETT, AND GABRIELLE KALISZ Tom Tom Staff

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hastity is a virtue that is intended to avoid indulgence, but it is mostly associated with sex. Yet that is not the only thing that defines chastity. Chastity is about abstaining, whether that be from alcohol, drugs, certain foods or even social media. It is a choice to live this lifestyle, a choice that helps anyone stay in moderation for the good of the person.

SEX

According to the Center for Disease Control, sexual activity rates for teens have dropped significantly, and now most high school students are virgins. This means that more teens are realizing the benefits of staying chaste, thinking more before they take the jump and dive right into having sex, saving themselves and making sure they are doing it with the right person and for the right reasons so they don’t end up being hurt from their experience.

Senior Anna Locklear is one example of the statistics. She is choosing to save herself for marriage.

“I don’t want to have sex until marriage because I don’t want to have the uncertainty of the guy that I become vulnerable with because you’re not just doing it physically, but it’s a lot of emotional vulnerability, too,” Locklear said. “I want to make sure that I’m spending it with a guy who’s not only going to love me when I’m doing that, but love me when life is hard because he is going to be my husband.”

For Locklear, the vow to love and be with another completely is one of the most important agreements anyone can make in life.

“I want to spend it with someone who I know is going to be with me forever,” Locklear said. “[Making] a vow to stay with me through every part of life, not just for the fun wedding night kind of thing before we are paying bills and struggling, but also when I’m crying and when I may be birthing babies and it may not be pretty.”

There are many different influences for people to help them decide to be chaste. Some do it because of their religion or what they believe is morally right. For others it is because they want to eliminate the risk of getting sexually transmitted diseases. According to Edward O. Laumann, the divorce rate for men married as virgins is 63 percent lower than non-virgins, and for women it’s 76 percent lower.

“A big influence [for me] is obviously growing up in a church, and that’s what the Bible says,” Locklear said. “I’ve not only listened to what my parents told me to do, or what the Bible tells me to do, but I’ve kind

ASHLEY NICOLE Senior Anna Locklear chooses chastity over temptation in an effort to stay on what she sees is a morally correct path. For her, the church and her promise to a husband are important gifts to keep.

of made it my own. I think I want to because I see a lot of people who don’t do it for the first time with a person they’re going to be with, and they have regrets. I’ve had youth group leaders who told me that they’ve had problems in their marriages years later, and they think it wouldn’t be a big deal, but it is. I want to be sure that I can really save all that I am for my husband.”

Practicing chastity does not come easy. Many temptations come along the way. People who are chaste are affected mentally, physically and emotionally. When considering to make the decision of being chaste, many people think of their futures and how they will affect their lives.

“It makes me more selective when it comes to just dating people,” said Locklear. “I don’t want to just date him just because he’s cute, but because it is someone that I could see as being my husband… You’re waiting for somebody who also wants the same things as you because you want someone to wait for you as much as you wait for him or her, keeping that promise to you as you’re keeping for them.” TT

61 Tom Tom January 2016

CHASTITY COVER JOHNNY HORTON / ILLUSTRATION NATHAN BORRIES

The Vices and Virtues Issue

62

JAN. 2016

CONTENTS

VOL. 54 NO. 5

JOHNNY HORTON

THE STUDENT VOICE OF ANTIOCH COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL

THE VICES &

Virtues ISSUE

VOLUME 54, ISSUE 5 + JANUARY 2016 WWW.SEQUOITMEDIA.COM + @ACHSTOMTOM + @SEQUOITSPORTS 1133 MAIN STREET + ANTIOCH, ILLINOIS + 60002

ON THE COVER What journey will you choose: vices or virtues? Take the elevator ride to explore what each looks like and get a glimpse at the middleground.

VIRTUES The “seven heavenly virtues” emerge from the light: a place we find comfort, security and infinite amounts of support. From each of these seven cardinal ideas comes a belief in oneself and others.

Within each of us is at least a small amount of at least one of these respectable deeds: chastity, temperance, charity, diligence, patience, kindness and humility.

Which aids you most?

THE VIRTUES CHASTITY | 62 TEMPERANCE | 58 CHARITY | 54 DILIGENCE | 50 PATIENCE | 46 KINDNESS | 42 HUMILITY | 38 PURGATORY | 34

THE STUDENT VOICE OF ANTIOCH COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL

THE VICES &

Virtues ISSUE

VOLUME 54, ISSUE 5 + JANUARY 2016 WWW.SEQUOITMEDIA.COM + @ACHSTOMTOM + @SEQUOITSPORTS 1133 MAIN STREET + ANTIOCH, ILLINOIS + 60002