The Daily Northwestern - February 6, 2018

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The Daily Northwestern Tuesday, February 6, 2018

DAILYNORTHWESTERN.COM 8 SPORTS/Men’s Basketball

3 CAMPUS/Events

Wildcats seek revenge against Michigan

SESP board hosts film screening, dialogue centered around ‘Moonlight’ themes

Find us online @thedailynu 4 OPINION/Sainati

ACA mandate repeal would be dangerous

High 19 Low 16

Ruling denies ETHS athlete’s request Court confirms rejected appeal for teen with disability By RYAN WANGMAN

daily senior staffer @ryanwangman

Katie Pach/Daily Senior Staffer

EvanSTEM director Kirby Callam gestures at the Evanston/Skokie School District 65 school board meeting on Monday. Callam updated board members on the goals of the program.

D65 discusses STEM program

Board hopes to strengthen program’s ties with students, businesses

By SAMANTHA HANDLER

the daily northwestern @sn_handler

Evanston/Skokie School District 65 board members discussed on Monday the future plans for an Evanston-based STEM program, which aims to improve access and engagement for students. Director of EvanSTEM Kirby Callam said at the

meeting that the mission of the program is to create an “ecosystem of learning” by coordinating and collaborating with educators and other partners, including Northwestern, Youth & Opportunity United and Evanston Township High School District 202. EvanSTEM began about three years ago with a $625,000 grant from the Noyce Foundation — which ceased operations in 2015 — and now receives

equal financial support from NU, ETHS and District 65, according to Callam’s presentation. The partnerships work together to provide free summer and after-school programs that give opportunities to students who have traditionally underperformed or been underrepresented in STEM classes. Once families sign their children up for programs at STEM Fest — a registration

fair in the spring — those organizations then follow up with them to offer more opportunities throughout the year, Callam said. “With those partnerships and programs, the key to that is really the relationships with families,” Callam said. “And the key to that is holding on to them and moving on with them with Evanston pathways » See STEM, page 6

An Evanston Township High School athlete had his hopes of running in a state meet likely dashed on Friday, after a federal appellate court held up a ruling that denied his request that the Illinois High School Association create a para-ambulatory division in track and field state championship meets. ETHS senior Aaron Holzmueller has cerebral palsy, which limits him physically. In his initial lawsuit in February 2016, Holzmueller requested that the IHSA create a separate division with different time standards for para-ambulatory runners in the sectional and state championship track meets. In July 2017, a district court judge ruled in favor of IHSA, stating that the athlete’s requests were not reasonable accommodations under the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. After receiving the verdict, Holzmueller’s lawyers appealed the case to the Seventh Circuit United States Court of Appeals, which

affirmed the district court’s ruling on Friday. “Simply put, the qualifying times ensure that the State championship meet is reserved for the best and fastest runners in Illinois,” two of three judges wrote in their decision. “The odds are overwhelming that runners like (Holzmueller) would not meet the qualifying times even if they were not disabled.” Aaron Holzmueller’s father Keith, who represented him in court, said the family was “disappointed” with the decision because it means his son likely won’t be able to compete in the state meet this year. Keith Holzmueller said his son is taking the ruling in stride because he always knew this outcome would be a possibility. Keith Holzmueller added that added that as more states accommodate athletes with physical disabilities in championship meets, he hopes to see the same in Illinois. “Not doing so is going against the wave of what’s going on elsewhere,” Keith Holzmueller said. “I hope that IHSA at some point adapts a different view of the situation.” IHSA executive director Craig Anderson said in a statement that the ruling does not » See LAWSUIT, page 6

Researchers study Play explores race with young actors caretaker tweets City officials attend show as part of equity, empowerment training

Faculty compile data from media posts on diseases By ALANE LIM

the daily northwestern @thisisalane

In a study mining information from thousands of tweets, Northwestern researchers found that those looking after Alzheimer’s and dementia patients use Twitter as a space to discuss coping strategies, frustrations and their overall experiences with caregiving. A team of researchers led by Feinberg Prof. Margaret Danilovich and McCormick Profs. Ankit Agrawal and Alok Choudhary used data mining and qualitative analysis to explore how users talk about Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. The study, which analyzed thousands of tweets from a one-month period referencing keywords related to Alzheimer’s and dementia, was recently published in the journal Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation. Agrawal said the long-term

goal of the project was to reduce “caregiver burnout.” People giving care to others also need to take care of themselves, he added. “The adult population who need care is rising,” he said. “If we are to ensure that they get proper care … we have to ensure that their caregiver’s health is good.” Danilovich said that she initially was interested in caregivers because of her work as a physical therapist. Much of her research revolves around older adults and their caregivers, she said. Agrawal said Danilovich approached him for the study because of his team’s previous work using data mining techniques to analyze tweets about cancer and the flu. “Many times we assume that older people don’t use social media,” Danilovich said. “But these people who are providing care are using (Twitter) to document their experiences caregiving.” Agrawal said the study focused on “informal caregivers,” like people who look after their own parents, because they » See TWITTER, page 6

Serving the University and Evanston since 1881

By JULIA ESPARZA

daily senior staffer @juliaesparza10

City employees attended an original play that examined race and identity as a part of their equity and empowerment training Monday night. The play, “I.D.,” brought together Evanston children to act in scenes depicting the racial realities of Evanston. Mayor Steve Hagerty said the play is important because it speaks about the complexities of race and identity and can mobilize an important conversation. After the show, the directors and performers hosted a talkback to discuss the play and their experiences making it. The play began with the actors, aged between 10- and 15-years-old, being labelled with stereotypes based on their physical appearances. By the end of the play, the narrative is reversed to allow children to identify themselves how they choose. » See PLAY, page 6

Julia Esparza/Daily Senior Staffer)

Evanston students act in play at Evanston Township High School. The play examined race and identity in Evanston.

INSIDE: Around Town 2 | On Campus 3 | Opinion 4 | Classifieds & Puzzles 6 | Sports 8


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