Devils ’
Advocate
Self Love Accepting your flaws P. 6
Jake Youngman Making “The Cult Next Door” P. 18
The Outside Perspective
Unseen Artists Taping up the walls P. 22
Hinsdale Central High School - Hinsdale, Ill. - Volume 89 - February 2017
Seeing Central in a new light P. 14
Contents
Features
The Winning Team Playing Special Olympics basketball
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Trump's Travel Ban Speaking about the impact on students
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The Outside Perspective Seeing Central from an outside perspective
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Unseen Artists Learning about the tape on the walls
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Jazz Concert Playing for Free Coffee 20
Profiles Jake Youngman Discussing his documentary
Club Spotlight: Taking a Look at Robotics
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Opinions Ask the Athlete: Talking to Matt Rush
Battleground: Plastic water bottles in schools
Column: The Happiness Guide Loving yourself despite your flaws
Editorial: Thinking about Valentine's Day Cheers & Jeers
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News
9 Infographic: Staying Healthy During Flu Season 24 Newsfeed
Trends What’s Trending Now
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22 Cover photo by Alex Choi Table of Contents photos by Alex Choi, Katie Wang, and Nora Wood
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Section Editors
Photo Editors
Editorial Board
Head Editors
Staff
Letter from the Editor
With a relatively quick turnaround from our last issue, our staff has worked hard to piece together the February issue in just under two weeks. I think this is one of the most exciting times to be a journalist Editor in Chief Managing Editor because we are living in the midst of history. Every day, I come home Seetha Aribindi Sayali Amin to new developments, with a new president and new laws and new protests. As journalists, we have the power and responsibility to seek the truth and report it, shedding light on what may not be seen otherwise. Our feature on Trump’s travel ban has been edited constantly to keep up with the recent updates on the issue, and I hope it shows the impact the ban has had on our school. We also shared experiences of Copy Editor Copy Editor Ray Shryock those who are new to our school, and how Central is seen from an Maria Harrast outsider’s perspective. I am also excited to share the profile on Jake Youngman and his investigative documentary. As always, I encourage you to write a letter to the editor by e-mailing devilsadvocate@ hinsdale86.org to join the discussion. Copy Editor Design Editor Sincerely, Sayali Amin Celine Turkyilmaz Lancelot Lin Mission Statement
Devils’ Advocate strives to provide fair and balanced reporting to its readers by working with students, teachers, and community members. It is a student-run monthly newsmagazine that wishes to inform the student body of Hinsdale Central High School.
Abby Berberich
Alex Choi
Nora Wood
Haley Anderson
Julia Baroni
Julia Chatterjee
Adam DeDobbelaere
Jayne Gelman
Minna Hassaballa
Bilal Khokhar
Cassie Kruse
Juliana Mayer
Sofia Rafiq
Charlotte Sudduth
Anya Uppal
Contact Information @hcDevilsAdvo on Twitter & Instagram @devils_advo on Snapchat Adviser: Cherise Lopez clopez@hinsdale86.org
Contributors Carolyn Chun Shubhankar Deo Everett Eck Yusuf Husain Isha Kukadia Amani Mryan Sanchu Raghuvir Katie Wang
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Ask the Athlete Q: What do you do in the off season to improve your skills? A: I play AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) basketball, and I try to work on my game when I can. Q: What has been your favorite memory from this year so far? A: Beating LT at home with all the fans supporting us.
On Jan. 6, Matt Rush, sophomore, played in a home varsity match against Glenbard West.
photo by Kathryn Williams
Q: What is your biggest strength on the basketball court? A: Finding others when they are open.
Q: How do varsity practices compare to other teams you have played for? A: They are very hard and coach stresses defense, but it helps in the games [to be] conditioned and solid defensively. Q: What is your pregame routine? A: I shoot around and listen to some music.
Matt Rush
Q: What is your favorite song? A: Bad Things by Machine Gun Kelly
46 Village Place Hinsdale, Illinois 630.537.1586 6300 Kingery Hwy #126, Willowbrook, Illinois 630.481.4944 www.cafelafortuna.com 4
Battleground
Opinions
by Carolyn Chun and Shubhankar Deo
Plastic Water Bottles Like with most save-the-earth policies, banning plastic, disposable water bottles from school hallways sounds great. Less plastic in the oceans, more dolphins, and everything’s fixed. But here’s the thing: really, it wouldn’t do anything. Let’s look at the facts, just for a minute. Most brands of aluminum reusable water bottles, like Sigg and Klean Kanteen, boast of the recyclability of their own materials— and yet make their own products out of virgin, not recycled aluminum. That’s a process that produces about .77 pounds of carbon dioxide per bottle, or 10 times the amount of carbon dioxide made by producing the same amount in steel. And even beyond the manufacturing process, reusable bottles need washing, a process that jacks up water consumption even as it purports to save the environment. To compound the problem, people rarely buy just one reusable water bottle, either; like shoes and coats and every other trend, water bottles have become commodified and stylish. Your S’well bottle, simply put, does less to help save the polar bears when you’ve bought five models in different colors. And disposable water bottles, those great evils of water consumption? The biggest issue is just that they’re not recycled. In 2006, only 24.7 percent of plastic water bottles were recycled, meaning that the vast majority headed to trash dumps or out into the ocean. Here at school, we’ve only just caught on to the importance of recycling, and there’s still far more to go—and maybe the energy spent trying to coerce students into buying reusable water bottles could be better directed towards a program to increase accessibility and usage of recycling bins. Sometimes, what’s even worse than a bad idea is an okay idea passing as a solution for a whole problem. A ban on disposable water bottles wouldn’t just be a hassle; it’d lull us into complacency, making us feel good without actually changing anything. Yes, the fight to defend this earth should still be fought. Just a bit more thoughtfully.
Let’s face it. Despite the solar panels, the “Red Goes Green” stickers next to light switches in classrooms, and Earth Day celebrations, Hinsdale Central isn’t exactly a friend to the environment. Our lights remain on for hours after school, and the transition from paper documents to electronic ones is still a work in progress. By prohibiting plastic water bottles from Hinsdale Central, we, as a community of students and teachers, can take one step towards reducing our burden on the environment. Although plastic water bottles are recyclable, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration notes that nearly 85 percent of these bottles end up in landfills, never to have their materials reused. Worse yet, it’s unhygienic to refill plastic water bottles. A study done at the University of Texas Health Center found that plastic bottles accumulate bacteria at the mouth, and rinsing a bottle isn’t enough to kill the build-up; in less than a week, the bacteria’s presence was more than enough to deem the water unsafe to drink. Simply put, plastic water bottles are detrimental to our own health and to the environment, and both students and teachers at our school are fortunate enough to have access to sustainable water bottles and fountains to refill. So, why not make use of this advantage? It’s no secret that our school’s carbon footprint is a large, messy one. But that’s no excuse for not taking action at all. Yes, stopping the flow of plastic water bottles at one school may not have a significant impact on the larger problem, but our actions have the power to influence those around us, including other schools, other districts, and so on. More importantly, such an initiative to reduce our impact on the environment shouldn’t be thwarted because its impact is perceived as too little. After all, an effort to help is an effort to help, no matter how small.
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Opinions
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Flowers never and love.
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ately, the smell of roses and pictures of hearts have been everywhere. Heart-shaped sugar candies with messages like “Be Mine” and “Kiss Me” adorn the shelves of local grocery stores—raspberry and cherry flavored reminders of the holiday that February seems to be all about: Valentine’s Day. To us, it seems like there’s two kinds of people around Valentine’s Day. One is the kind of person who is in love with love. They purchase stuffed teddy bears and bouquets of flowers and boxes of chocolate tied with a red ribbon. When they see couples holding hands, they smile. The other is the kind of person who could care less about the pink satin cloud that seems to surround this time of the year. They roll their eyes at the people buying heart-shaped balloons, they wear black on Feb. 14 on purpose. When they see couples holding hands, they complain either about public displays of affection, or about being single. We’re pretty sure everyone’s been both of these kinds of people at some point in their lives. And that’s OK. But this year we want to focus on something else during the Valentine’s Day season: self-love. There’s a few different ways to show yourself some love during the month of February (and really, throughout the year). You can buy yourself flowers, or chocolate, or whatever it is that makes you happy. You can take a night off and just read or watch your favorite movie. You can draw yourself a bath and light candles and relax. But most importantly, you can try to think only good thoughts about yourself. It’s so easy to be hard on ourselves, and constantly look for our flaws. That’s why this month, we’re going to try to be as kind to ourselves as we are to other people. Because at the end of the day, you need to learn to love yourself before you can love others fully and completely.
- Maria & Celine
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Redefining Valentine's Day
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How Valentine's Day Consumerism Devalues Relationships A high school boy enters a Pandora jewelry shop with the perfect bracelet in mind for his girlfriend. He picks out a delicate silver bracelet, brings it to the cashier and is about to pull out his wallet when he sees the price -$125. How can he afford this bracelet? His only source of income is from tutoring students for $15 an hour. He places the bracelet back on the display, worried that his girlfriend will be disappointed with a cheaper gift. In the days leading up to Valentine’s Day, a sea of pink and red floods the store aisles. Roses, heart-shaped boxes of chocolate, ‘Be Mine’ teddy bears, and jewelry are just a few of the many products that compete for the customer’s dollar. The average person spends $512.03 on Valentine’s Day according to Bankrate’s index. According to a Fortune article, Valentine’s Day sales amount to $19.7 billion in revenue, just within America. This consumerism detracts from the important message of Valentine’s Day- to
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celebrate and appreciate relationships. According to The Dark Origins of Valentine’s Day by Arnie Seipel, Valentine’s Day was memorialized after the Roman Emperor Claudius II executed two men named Valentine. “Their martyrdom was honored by the Catholic Church with the celebration of St. Valentine’s Day. As the years went on, Chaucer and Shakespeare romanticized it in their work, and it gained popularity throughout Britain and the rest of Europe,” Seipel said in the article. During the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century, store bought cards began their production and by 1913, Hallmark Cards began producing Valentine’s Day cards. While the original purpose of Valentine’s Day was to commemorate saints, Valentine’s Day is now synonymous with appreciating relationships with loved ones- romantic or otherwise. Unfortunately, heavy marketing has
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blinded customers to pay inflated prices for gifts. Since teenagers do not have a high disposable income, they can celebrate Valentine’s Day in creative ways like spending time with friends, family, and significant others. For example, instead of buying expensive jewelry, one can enjoy a photo album, museum trip or a cute picnic. Celebrating Valentine’s Day in this manner puts less of an emphasis on material goods, and more of an emphasis on the value loved ones hold in one’s life. This does not mean we cannot show our love with gifts, however a gift should not be valued more than the relationship. More importantly, if the true meaning of Valentine’s Day is to celebrate loved ones, why limit this to one day in the year? The theme of appreciation and love should be celebrated as often as possible, and not necessarily in an expensive way. The essential message of Valentine’s Day needs to become a daily aspiration- show your loved ones that you care every day of the year.
This editorial is the consensus of the Devils’ Advocate Editorial Board.
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102 South Prospect Ave Clarendon Hills, IL 60514 630.325.0638 630.853.0638 www.littlecreperieclarendonhills.com
Newsfeed Put Your Love to the Test
photo by Alex Choi
The junior class board hosted a Valentine’s compatibility test to raise money, in which students filled out a survey and matched with someone based on their responses. The survey cost $2 for one set of results, and a dollar extra to get a list of the second most compatible people. “We organized about 35 questions that evaluate [students’] personality, including questions such as ‘what do you look for in a friend?’ or ‘where is your dream vacation?’ to learn more about what [students’] passions are, what [they’re] interested in, and what kind of person [they] are,” said Maddie Studnicka, a member of the junior class board. The surveys were given out during lunch periods on Jan. 24 and 25, and the results were released on Valentine’s Day. The process of the compatibility test involved sending the results to Ohio, where a company matched each person with 10 people in the school, ranked by percent compatibility. “You can either buy the results of compatibility with people [who] are in your grade or results for students throughout the whole school,” Studnicka said. All of the money raised will go towards prom for juniors. The idea was coined by Claire Lozier, the junior class board vice president. Approximately 500 people took the survey. “It’s an interesting and creative way to raise money,” said Amy Guo, junior.
Senior Jack Rasmussen, junior Liam Drury, and senior James Matthew rehearse for their Singing Valentines’ performances that took place on Feb. 14.
photo by Alex Choi
by Sanchu Raghuvir
Juniors Shayan Hussain, Stephanie Deolehide, and Claire Lozier distribute the compatibility test results on Valentine’s Day.
Sing Your Heart Out by Isha Kukadia
On Feb. 14, the choir program teamed up with National Honor Society for the school’s seventh annual Singing Valentines event. For the price of $3, a group of three to five musicians from Chamber Choir, Women’s Chorale, and HC Singers serenaded students with a 30 to 45 second song on Valentine’s Day. NHS provided the students with the heart lollipops that accompanied the Singing Valentine. The choir members prepared for the event by arranging a song that had at least two harmonies and an optional guitar or ukulele accompaniment. They also decorated the chairs themselves while NHS was in charge of selling tickets. Senior Ella Heider, a member of Chamber Choir, and her group began rehearsing in January by listening to playbacks of their singing to make sure that the harmonies clicked and had a full sound. “My favorite part of singing valentines is how [much] teachers love hearing the songs and how excited they get when they are sent a singing valentine themselves,” Heider said. Students and teachers also had the option to opt-out of the event. “We want this event to remain fun and positive and enable students and staff that might not be comfortable with an event like this the chance to individually opt-out,” said Ms. Burkemper, who teaches choir and organizes the event. Four hundred to 600 valentines are sold each year, and the event raises between $1,300 to $1,500. The proceeds are split between NHS and the choir program, from which a portion is donated to charities and community music schools such as Maywood Fine Arts and the Music Institute of Chicago in the form of lesson scholarships and music supplies for musicians and programs in financial need. “This event is a tradition that students in choir and throughout the building look forward to each year,” Ms. Burkemper said.
For more news, visit www.hcdevilsadvocate.com
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Features
Dribbling to Success Special Olympics basketball players and coaches weigh in on their upcoming state series by Haley Anderson and Cassie Kruse
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accomplishments of the season to teamwork. “[The students] are so successful this year because of how well they work together. They all love basketball and are friends with each other,” Ms. Watson said. Ms. Watson believes another reason for the team’s success is the efforts of the student aides and coaches. “[The students] are wonderful role models for our players,” Ms. Watson said. According to the coaches, having the basketball team allows students to learn social skills and cultivate meaningful interactions that last even after the season ends. “The kids [develop] teamwork and [form] friendships with each other. It is just the best,” said Ryan Jones, sophomore and student coach. The team will be participating in the state tournament on March 17 and 18, and are practicing to have a good performance. “We are looking forward to a fun time and hope to bring a trophy back to the school,” Ms. Watson said. For seniors Maria Meyer and Anish Bajaj, it will be their last season as a Red Devil. “I love basketball because I get to make baskets,” Meyer said. “I’m excited to go to state with my team.”
photos by Katie Wang
he players dribble the ball up the court, trying to score a final basket to win the game. They look for their open teammates, throw them the ball, and watch as the ball flies in the air. With a final hit off the backboard, the ball goes in, winning the game for the team. Applause and cheers erupt from the players, coaches, and fans alike. Students post pictures from the game all over social media, expressing their pride that these students are representing their school. The Special Olympics basketball team, with the help of the coaches, had one of its most successful seasons to date. The team has existed for more than 10 years and it allows the students that are a part of the Special Education Department to be on a sports team together and create bonds with other students. A group of students help with Adaptive Physical Education and coach the team along with Ms. Kelly Watson and Mr. Nicholas Gebhart. “I enjoyed Adaptive Physical Education immensely and decided to continue working with the kids through the basketball program,” said Charlie Johns, junior and student coach. “I knew that it was a great team, always having fun, and I wanted to be part of it.” Both student and teacher coaches attribute the
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Anish Bajaj, senior
Peace Cheung, freshman
Jackie Johnston, freshman
Maria Meyer, senior
Cheers & Jeers
- Cheers to Beyonce having twins. She’s probably used to carrying two people. #Destiny’sChild - Cheers to Singing Valentines taking up the whole period. Why is secondhand embarassment so fun? - Cheers to President’s Day. #only33daystoSB - Cheers to the free candy from school elections. I’ll ~definitely~ vote for you.
- Jeers to the man who supposedly paid $100,000 for a Cheeto that looked like Harambe. He could’ve paid for my college tuition. - Jeers to the weather. Almost as bleak as my third quarter grades. - Jeers to the death of Club Penguin. #theicebergtipped - Jeers to the ACT in February. #justcollegethings
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Travel Ban Controversy Students relate the impact of President Trump’s executive travel ban on their lives by Bilal Khokhar and Anya Uppal
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Senior Rand Abayad facetimes her dad while he is in Syria. reaction to the ban, saying that while he is glad that the Trump administration is taking action on immigration, he disagrees with the manner in which it is being implemented. “I do feel that some sort of policy to oversee immigration is necessary because 40 percent of foreigners who come to the United States overstay their visa [according to The Wall Street Journal] and the government has no idea where they are,” Doorhy said. The ban has not only impacted people coming into the country, but people leaving as well. Nazanin Makkinejad, an Iranian Ph.D. student from the Illinois Institute of Technology, is worried about her future in the United States after the ban. “I really don’t know what’s coming next,” Makkinejad said. “My husband and I will probably be unable to leave the country for awhile and I don’t know what’s going to happen to my current [student] visa.” Since the ban was implemented, various protests have arisen throughout the United States’ airports and major landmarks.
According to The Washington Post, the initial reason for the protests was the detainment of more than 109 people and the denial of 348 people from boarding in various airports. Protesters across the nation chanted pro-immigrant slogans such as, “No hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here”. However, some students questioned the necessity behind the protests. “I do not want to contribute to the disorder that these protests are causing around the country, even though I understand their viewpoint,” Doorhy said. The protests have also caused politicians, lawmakers, and judges to debate whether the ban is constitutional or not. “The manner in which some have been calling it unconstitutional is by the fact that it violates the Equal Protection clause in the Fourteenth Amendment,” Doorhy said. “I believe, from a constitutional standpoint and from the precedent put forward by multiple Supreme Court cases, that the Constitution only applies to noncitizens in any case when they are in the country. The people who the ban applies to are not citizens nor are they in the country,
V infographic by Lancelot Lin
n Friday, Jan. 27, President Donald Trump signed Executive Order #13769, banning travel into and from seven countries: Syria, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, Sudan, and Somalia. The ban has been stated to have been implemented in order to reevaluate the current screening system for immigrants and refugees coming from certain Middle Eastern and African countries and to prevent further domestic terror attacks. On Feb. 9, three-judge federal appeals court panels and the Department of Homeland Security overturned the ban and suspended its enforcement. According to USA Today, The Trump Administration could go straight to the Supreme Court to ask to lift the stay on the order, appeal directly to the full 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, or return back to the district court level to begin trial on the benefits of the ban. “We’re going to put the safety of Americans first. We’re not going to wait until we get attacked and figure out how it’s going to happen again,” said White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer in a press conference. “That’s the key point in this: How do we keep ahead of threats?” Although the ban was intended to prevent foreign terrorists from entering the country, it has impacted students here as well. Syrian student Rand Abayad, senior, was shocked when she first heard news of the travel ban being implemented. “I thought [the ban] was a joke at first, to be honest,” Abayad said. “It’s ridiculous. It’s quite unfair to ban innocent people from coming here or even from just wanting to visit their families.” The ban hits close to home for Abayad, whose father was visiting family and friends in Syria when the ban was announced. “I’m very paranoid and scared that they might not let him back in,” Abayad said. “He only went back there to visit but, as we can see, he seemed to have visited at a very inconvenient time.” Senior Ryan Doorhy felt a mixed
photo by Alex Choi
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so therefore the Constitution does not apply to them.” Some, such as Abayad, believe that the ban initiated by President Trump is biased against Muslims. According to a ABC News and Washington Post poll taken in August, 52 percent of Americans disagreed with the idea of an immigration ban based on religion when the Trump campaign originally suggested it. “From what I have seen, [President] Trump is letting Christian refugees in, and perhaps this ban is simply a way to cover up his true intentions of banning Muslims,” Abayad said. Some have been quick to criticize not only the ban, but the choice of countries as well. “I found that the ban was very stereotypical towards Muslims as a whole and one of the countries that had a citizen that was involved on 9/11 was perhaps not banned due to [President Trump’s] business purposes,” said Roland Chira, junior. President Trumps defended his choice of banned countries saying,“The seven countries named in the Executive Order are the same countries previously identified by the Obama administration as sources of terror.” Other ban critics have argued that the the Trump administration is being hypocritical, pointing out that President Trump’s advisors themselves have stated that this is a Muslim ban. “When [President Trump] first announced it, he said, ‘Muslim ban.’ He called me up. He said, ‘Put a commission together. Show me the right way to do
“It is the policy of the Unite d States to protect its citize ns from foreign nationals who intend to commit terrorist attacks in the United Stat es; and to prevent the admiss ion of foreign nationals who intend to exploit United St ates immigration laws for malevolent purposes.” -Protecting The Nation Fr om Foreign Terrorist Entr y Int o The United States, Executive Order #13769 it legally,’” said Rudy Guiliani, White House Cybersecurity Adviser, in an interview with Fox News. However, some like Doorhy disagree that the ban is discriminatory. “Although a majority of the people from the seven countries that the ban applies to are Muslim, many of the people in these countries come from other different faiths and cultures and are also prohibited from entering the United States,” Doorhy said. The Trump administration refutes that there is a “Muslim” ban, or even a “ban” at all.
“[President Trump] made it very clear this is not a Muslim ban, it’s not a travel ban, it’s a vetting system to keep America safe,” said White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer in a press conference. While the future of the ban and reinstating it and its implications remain unclear, supporters and non-supporters are calling for unity. In a final response to the ban, Abayad said, “We need to stay united to solve one conflict at a time, because when we try to solve too many we end up only causing more issues.”
Visas affected by immigration order infographic by Lancelot Lin
Iran: 42,542 Syria
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photos by Alex Choi
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pictured: Kyle Jones Shah, junior
Features
Outsiders’ Perspectives From the Inside Transfer students discuss their outlook on their new school
by Julia Baroni and Juliana Mayer
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enior Ljubisa Jankicevic only knew one thing about Hinsdale Central before moving 5,165 miles from Lazarevac, Serbia to suburban Illinois: the mascot. He approached the school with apprehension, tentative to meet a student body called the Devils. Though Jankicevic’s move did open new opportunities, one thing he valued from his Serbian school—the freedom to venture from class to class—was taken away from him upon walking through the front doors. Ultimately, however, beyond the initial changes in hallway behavior, Jankicevic said that kids here are just the “same crazy teenagers.” From an outsider’s perspective, it’s the nuances of student life that distinguish Central from any other, both internationally and locally. In Jankicevic’s eyes, the spirit of the highschooler is constant across continents. Dozens of students transfer both locally and internationally, with different levels of prior knowledge about the community, and thus different lenses and perspectives on Central’s facilities, academics, extracurriculars, and social scene. Jankicevic has found a surprising amount of comfort in the American high school system, but not all students feel as positively about the social intricacies of the school. Shreya Dhananjaya, junior, moved to Central from York High school last year. Dhananjaya was taken aback by the exclusive format of student life within the student body. “There are definitely people who love to make new friends, but a lot more who stick to their friend group and don’t really talk to those outside their ‘clique’,” Dhananjaya said. This, however, was not Dhananjaya’s expectation when she transferred. According to Dhananjaya, a common misconception
required to take before progressing to any AP science courses. This means that regardless of future plans for advanced courses, the St. Ignatius student body always interacts with all peers in their grade. Skibiki also appreciates the more lenient gym requirement of only two out of eight semesters, which has allowed her to take classes of her choosing rather than simply requirements. “Most students at Ignatius have multiple free periods, and there’s so much more freedom. There’s multiple rooms and libraries we can go to to study or just kind of hang with friends during the day,” Skibiki said. This freedom to roam the halls and take in the school day with leisure was an aspect of academic life that Jankicevic missed from Serbia. He found it surprising that he could not walk through the halls without being stopped by hall monitors. He recalls his first weeks dealing with the tardy system with humor now. “I was late, and I said ‘Sorry I’m late’ and the teacher said ‘You need a pass’ and I said ‘What’s a pass?’ And I went off to search for a pass,” Jankicevic said. The rigidity of Central’s student life was further surprising in terms of work outside of school. While living in Serbia, Jankicevic said he was never assigned homework and never felt it necessary to study outside of class. However, Jankicevic appreciates the ability to explore different classes within this difficult curriculum. “[At my old school there was] a school for engineering, school for literature, school for math,” Jankicevic said. He was enrolled in public school for electrical engineering. Since he came to Central, Jankicevic has been able reach outside of this subject with classes such as Philosophy and Investment. Senior Daniel Sakho, also enjoyed the extensive breadth of course choices at Central, after transferring from Downers Grove South, and previously moving from Senegal, Congo, Marseille, and Paris. But even more so, Sakho was struck by the passion that the teachers here exhibit. In his European school in West Africa, and in schools in France, many of the teachers seemed less engaged to Sakho, always giving lectures. But, he recalls one fifth grade teacher in particular, whose hands-on approach to teaching is reminiscent of some teachers here, in particular, his AP Spanish teacher, Ms. Caitlin Tierney. “As a student, you can feel that [Ms. Tierney] enjoys what she is doing because she tries to get to know her students on a personal level, asking them questions about themselves, and how their days are going,” Sakho said. “She relates herself and her experiences and we talk about common world issues.” Sakho has a deep admiration for these passionate teachers, whose commitments to education are, in his opinion, transient of geography. Junior Clara Karas, who transferred this school year from the Chicago High School for the Arts (ChiArts) as a ballet dancer, has found the school’s focus on academics to be a change in pace. “In terms of the arts at ChiArts, people were very high achieving, but not with academics,” Karas said. There, students operated on a block schedule, starting at eight
“I was asked to homecoming... and I thought it was going to be like the High School Musical movies, so I memorized all the dances.” - Daniel Sahko at York is that there are no cliques at Central, which made for some dismay when she met the reality. Michelle Skibiki, junior, transferred to St. Ignatius her sophomore year and notes the lack of high school stereotypes associated with Central’s student body. “Not a ton of Ignatius kids really know about Central. There’s really only a handful of students from the area,” Skibiki said. St. Ignatius students harbor a relatively detached perspective on Central students. Skibiki, however, who has attended both schools, believes that there is a distinct divide in Central’s student body. “Another huge difference is that Central has a lot of different kids at a lot of different levels, so I think academically there might be a bigger divide between ‘honors’ and ‘non honors’, which was something I remember not loving as much,” Skibiki said. At St. Ignatius, students find themselves united under common curriculums. Rather than three individual one year courses of biology, chemistry, and physics, there is a two year course that combines the three called Integrated I and II that students are
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pictured: Clara Karas, junior
in the morning and ending at five in the evening. The longer schedule made room for conservatory, or time allotted within the day for the students to practice their art of choice. Her move to Central created a radical shift in her academic focus. Though Karas found that the opportunities to dance are limited here, she feels reenergized in her studies. “It’s motivating me to get good grades and helping me to find a college that I would best fit at,” Karas said. Karas views the academic rigor as the defining aspect of student life at Central. “[Being here] is weird because there’s so many high achieving people in terms of academics, and although I try my hardest to get good grades, it’s a lot tougher here,” Karas said. Differences in the level of difficulty are not the only changes that new students experience within core curriculum. Like Skibiki, junior Kyle Jones Shah is familiar with religious studies within high schools. Shah moved from a private Christian school in Atlanta, where he felt there to be a distinct focus on God in the context of learning. “It was an episcopal school. Subjects like science sometimes included creationism and history was religious in some instances,” Shah said. Shah is thankful for attending a public school that does not mix religion in with core academics, regardless if this heightens the intensity of the classes. Sakho, having lived abroad in France and the Congo, agrees that despite what other students may believe about the strict structure of the student body, Central has created an open-minded community in comparison to other schools. “It’s less about what someone is teaching you and more about what you think about it and what you feel,” Sakho said. “You are encouraged to think for your own, which is a really big difference.
It’s highly shaped by the majority of the community.” Recent controversy, shaped by the April referendum regarding improvement of facilities in District 86 has made new students approach classrooms and laboratories with caution. Jankicevic, however, said that the rooms are actually more organized and clean than his old school’s. Dhananjaya admits, that despite the facilities not interfering with the manner of life, they are noticeably older than that of York’s. “[York] has a beautiful campus and definitely looks a lot better than Central,” Dhananjaya said. “It was nice that during the day, students were able to sit in a nice courtyard and the lunchroom was very large. There was a lot of space, and in general it was a wonderful place to spend the day.” Skibiki appreciates the view of the city that St. Ignatius’s tall and slim structure provides, but misses the laid out structure of Central. “My school has five floors and those stairs are brutal,” Skibiki said. “Specific staircases have specific directions, so you can’t go up the down staircase and vice versa.” Regardless of any apparent flaws within Central’s academics, Skibiki believes that ultimately the spirit of students outweighs any problems. “Central is really cool about having a unified student body… but social cliques existed at both schools,” Skibiki said. “At Central there’s much more fluidity between groups and I think that’s a testament to the school and the atmosphere we all participated in.”
Special thanks to Ambassadors Club.
17
THE MAKING OF
“T H E C U L T N E X T D O O R” by Jayne Gelman and Minna Hassaballa
photo by Alex Choi
The Institute in Basic Life Principles, established in 1961, held various youth seminars—to resolve “parent-teen conflicts.” The seminars, encouraged by IBLP leadership, were meant to instill a greater sense of discipline and the seven Biblical principles of life in children. Since its opening in 1964, 2.5 million people have attended the Basic Seminar. Bill Gothard, the founder of the IBLP, was recently charged with sexual abuse by several women who attended his seminars in their youth. Attendees of IBLP programs have described the environment as “cultic.” Senior Jake Youngman’s documentary explores the truth to these claims and the history of the institution.
18
photo by Alex Choi
photo courtesy of Jake Youngman
”
F
og fills the dark night sky as a seemingly mundane day comes to a close. A cool gust of wind blows, followed by the creaking of an ancient sign that reads “The Institute in Basic Life Principles” (IBLP). The building, which is the former headquarters of the organization, is adorned with six faded white pillars and surrounded by discolored red bricks. To many students, like Selena Ren, freshman, this building on the Northeast side of Hinsdale is known as “the Cult.” Ren remembers hearing that the building was being cleared out, and that the cult used social media to convert people. Despite rumors, many students still do not know the true origin of the building and the people behind it. Because of this, Jake Youngman, senior, was inspired to create an investigative documentary about the Institute and the man who led it, Bill Gothard, after attending a film festival in Michigan last October. “I started to do some research on [The IBLP] and I realized that there was very little actual coverage on it at all. The closest thing to [coverage] was a couple of articles written by newspapers,” Youngman said. Youngman has been working on the film since October, and plans on having a semi-private, local premiere on Feb. 26, two days before its official online release on Vimeo. However, the process
Profile
of creating the film, gathering people to interview, and finding the resources necessary has proven challenging. Youngman has interviewed everyone who was involved in the Institution, from former members, to adults who attended the IBLP seminars in their youth. Youngman—who missed school on various occasions to drive to Michigan, Wisconsin, and other places to communicate with people interested in and affected by the project—believes his teachers have been supportive throughout the entire process and have assisted him with the endeavor. “School has definitely taken the back burner, 100 percent. Some of my teachers, like my Film Studies teacher and my Digital Video Production teacher, let me use class time to work on stuff sometimes if we don’t have anything to do,” Youngman said. “Last semester I was actually able to use the documentary as a part of my final project for my sociology class.” Although Youngman is doing the majority of the work himself, including directing, editing, and producing, he has received some help from various students and professionals. Dane Walker, producer, musical composer and graduate of Berklee College of Music, reached out to Youngman after he saw one of his trailers online. Walker is a departed member and employee of the IBLP and thus considers himself passionate about the subject.
“I want to leave a professional footprint on ‘The Cult Next Door’ that raises its integrity and helps make sure that the emotional truth of this story is told completely and concisely,” said Walker, in a behind-the-scenes video posted on Vimeo on Jan. 16. Ana Theriault, junior at Nazareth Academy, also aided Youngman throughout the filmmaking process. Theriault was with Youngman the day the institution inspired him and has been intrigued with the topic ever since. Part of the reason Theriault agreed to aid Youngman is because she believes that church abuse is an underreported issue that needs more attention. She says that researching the institution has made her pay more attention to abuse within religious institutions, and even her own school. “The way I see people now is way different than before, especially because I go to a Catholic school. When people talk about their strong beliefs, I can’t help but think of Bill Gothard’s teachings,” Theriault said. “I think the film will open the eyes of many Catholics and [make them] realize that you can take Catholicism too far in your everyday life.” From the research Youngman has gathered in the filmmaking process, it is clear that the IBLP has affected the lives of many with its teachings. “At the peak of the organization, they were taking in $350 million a year, and they had an estimated 200 million people in the world that have been influenced by this guy,” Youngman said. “They had headquarters in Moscow, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and four locations in the United States.” Youngman’s documentary will be available online, free to stream on Feb. 28. For more information on the film and trailers, visit https://vimeo.com/ youngmanfilms. 19
photo by Alex Choi
“Music clicks for me. It’s Many Hinsdale Cenrtal students chose not to attend school on Friday Nov 4th in order to experience history in Grant Park, Chicago at the Cubs Parade.
fun it’s
exciting it’s what I’m planning on spending
the rest of my doing.” Jack
life
Rasmussen
The Artist Within
Features
art by Kue Pan
art by Anushka Nair
art by Helen Hu
art by Wendy Li
Exploring the unseen art world
by Julia Chatterjee and Adam DeDobbelaere
22
photos by Nora Wood
grades every waking moment,” Li said. “Instead, art class can present a time to be mindful of oneself and emotions and express that in a creative way.” However, art classes have also continually challenged Li and Bartuch in a way other classes have not.
“We always pretty much have an open door policy.” - Ms. Sievers
“I think the creative problem solving process is, to me, one of the key things that we are teaching people,” said Ms. Sievers, art teacher. “So, it’s not just one right answer whereas in a lot of other areas it’s just one straight [solution] to problems.” Research conducted by neurologists Anne Bolwerk and Christian Maihofner, through the Public Library of Science, found that the creation of visual art helps develop effective communication between various parts of the brain after comparing fMRIs of those who took a hands-on art class versus those who took a lecture class. The hands-on art students’ results showed psychological resilience and higher connectivity within the brain, whereas the lecture students’ did not. “I’ve learned over the years that art [sort of] helps me in school because I pick up details a lot more than I used to,” Bartuch said. According to Ms. Sievers, the Art Department provides students with helpful teachers and an encouraging community to
spend time with. Her room is always filled with students, former or current, before, after, or during school either doing art or just hanging out. Recently, senior Emmitt Flynn came into her room looking for a button and was immediately intrigued by what the art department had to offer. Now, he comes into Ms. Siever’s room daily to work on projects. “If he is willing to learn, I am taking the time to show him how to do different stuff,” Ms. Sievers said. “We always have pretty much an open-door policy if somebody wants to learn anything.” Li said that the teachers of the Art Department have encouraged her to escape from traditional media and explore alternatives forms of art, such as mixed media. Earlier this year she created a papercut, made by cutting designs into paper, titled “Coexistence.” “Not only are the teachers always there to give you pointers and new advice you would never have heard of otherwise, but the community of artists is super strong and supports you while also motivating
art by Madison Bartuch, Stephanie Davis, and Grace Manske
art by Jessy Huang
to see, it does not go unappreciated just because not everyone is into art. The art hallways, room 216, and the senior gallery are frequently updated with recent work from various art classes. Wendy Li, senior and student in the Art Department, believes that sometimes students’ art goes unrecognized because people don’t take a break to go view it. “Unfortunately, work often goes unnoticed simply because students don’t have the time to wander into places like Gallery 216,” Li said. “People at Central walk with purpose, and students won’t go out of their way to leisurely enjoy some art.” Li said she has no resentment towards students, but she does think that students
have misconceptions about art classes. Li did not get involved with the Art Department until her sophomore year. Since then she has enrolled in Drawing and Design, Studio Art Honors, Painting Honors, and AP Studio Art. She has found an emotional benefit in each of the classes. “Students cannot and should not be frantically anxious about their tests and art by Agatha Krasuski
T
he ring of the bell, the shuffling of paper. The zipping of backpacks in unison, the stomping of feet. Students put in their headphones, text back their friends, or review their notes as they mindlessly follow their daily paths to second period. For the few that are looking up, they are surprised by the recent adornment of their route. What was once a plain, painted brick wall is now coated with an optical illusion or the Chicago skyline or a tic-tac-toe game. Students stare in wonder at the black tape designs for the few seconds they have, questioning their origin, and then keep walking. Honors Portfolio, an advanced art class, is the reason for the new art in the halls. Madison Bartuch, junior, is currently enrolled in the class. According to Bartuch, the only guidelines the class received included creating something with tape that was large enough for students to see. Bartuch, along with some of her peers, created a spiral design in the art hallway. “We wanted to do this illusion for students walking in the hallway to catch their eye because usually no art goes on that wall,” Bartuch said. “We hope the mural maybe made [students] take a double look and get a chance to see something unique.” Bartuch said that although her work is not always broadcasted for everyone
you to do your best work,” Li said. Bartuch agrees that the community and teachers of the Art Department offer a home to all types of students. “Everyone thinks that you have to be really good at art in order to take it,” Bartuch said. “But really the art teachers are awesome, and they would love to work with any students that walk into the classroom.” Students can get involved with art within the school by joining Art Club, Photography Club, or Solstice. Currently, Art Club member Xinru Li is planning a mural of the earth. Students will be able to get a section of the mural and design it with any media they want as long as it replicates the necessary color values for the mural. Other events that will showcase art includes the annual Tell Your Story on Feb. 16 where various students shared their prose and poetry around the theme of “Still.” 23
Seasonal Illnesses
We are 95% confident that the true percentage is between 40.7% and 45.1%
Vaccinated: 42.9% Not vaccinated: 57.1%
by Lancelot Lin
Proportion of individuals in Illinois who received the flu vaccine in the 2015-2016 season. data from the CDC
Wash your hands (or use hand sanitizer) after you use the bathroom, after you sneeze or cough, and before eating.
How diseases are spread You can acquire bacteria and viruses by touching contaminated surfaces, or ones previously touched by an infected individual.
When you sneeze or cough, remember to cover your mouth with a tissue or your arm.
Bacteria and viruses can spread through the air via the droplets of sneezes and coughs.
A weakened immune system can make you more susceptible to catching colds or getting the flu.
Exercise regularly and maintain a diet low in saturated fats with fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
You can get sick through contact with other people, either by being around them or by making physical contact with them.
When you’re sick, try to avoid shaking hands or touching other people, and consider staying home.
0.30 0.25
Flu frequency by month
0.20
Graph shows the proportion of samples that tested positive for Influenza in the US.
0.15
data from the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System
0.10 0.05
24
20 17 Ja n
De c2 01 6
No v2 01 6
O ct 20 16
20 16 Se p
20 16 Au g
Ju l2 01 6
20 16 Ju n
M ay 20 16
Ap r2 01 6
M ar 20 16
20 16 Fe b
Ja n
20 16
0.00
On average, 25 out of the 80 students who visit the nurse’s office daily are sent home.
Robotics Club by Amani Mryan
Club Spotlight
hhh
photo by Lancelot Lin
I
n the center of the school’s basement, a group of bright and talented minds hunch over a scrap of metal that, in a mere month and a half, will become a fully functioning robot. Students drift in and out of the “BotCave” looking for drills, bolts, or extra pieces of polycarbonate. There are 63 robotics members on the team that, every year, has six weeks to build a fully functioning robot from scratch. In 1994, math teacher Mr. Steve Wilson became the sponsor of the computer club, which was comprised of a group of students who took on projects at their own leisure. In 2013, former student, Jordyn Imaña, who was involved with the robotics team at IMSA (Illinois Math-Science Academy), wanted to create a robotics team at school. Seeking the help of computer club sponsor Mr. Wilson, Imaña helped turn the computer club into a robotics team. “I had been looking for some way to provide more direction to our club and to make it more challenging and engaging for students,” Mr. Wilson said. “After talking with Jordyn, I decided to take a chance and re-invent our club around the FIRST [For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology] Robotics Competition for the following school year.” From then on, the club grew into a group of 25 students who came together in hopes of building a robot for the FIRST Robotics Competition. That year, the team was named the Rookie All-Star Team at the Midwest Regional and moved on to the World Championships, where teams from all around the world came to compete.
Seniors Matthew Nevling and Arnav Sankaran work on the robot while it hangs by a rope.
“We split our members into four divisions: mechanical, electrical, programming, and business,” said Qianfan Song, one of the co-presidents of the team. Each division has a crucial role to play in the robot construction process. “All divisions work together to brainstorm our robot,” Mr. Wilson said. “After that, each division has certain responsibilities, although many of our team members actively work on tasks from every division.” Members find that working on various aspects of the robot enable them to learn more about the process as a whole. “I really enjoy the open atmosphere of the club and its accepting nature. The
flexibility yet determination is something I also want to carry with myself to other clubs and courses through the years,” said Aliza Panjwani, sophomore, and member of the business division. Many of the members see the club as a way to get hands on experience in the field of science. “We’d like students to know how much fun it is to engage in the fields of STEM in this environment,” Song said. “It’s a unique chance to gain an understanding of technology and engineering before you enter a job [in the field].” Anyone interested in becoming a member of the robotics team should come to room 12 on Mondays after school.
25
What’s Trending N Oscar season is here and we polled the student body to see who the school thinks deserves to win the gold.
BEST PICTURE Arrival Fences Hacksaw Ridge Hell or High Water Hidden Figures La La Land Lion Manchester by the Sea Moonlight
“It’s a piece of art in all meanings of the word; it’s breathtakingly beautiful visually, musically. and emotionally. You cannot watch the film without feeling moved in some way.” -Mackenzie Huber, senior
BEST DIRECTOR Denis Villeneuve, Arrival Mel Gibson, Hacksaw Ridge Damien Chazelle, La La Land Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea Barry Jenkins, Moonlight “The director for La La Land had the plan for this movie for years but no one wanted to take a chance on an original musical until he directed Whiplash and then his movie was made in his vision.” -Meghan Johnson, junior
BEST ACTRESS
BEST ACTOR
Isabelle Huppert, Elle Ruth Negga, Loving Natalie Portman, Jackie Emma Stone, La La Land Meryl Streep, Florence Foster Jenkins
Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge Ryan Gosling, La La Land Viggo Mortensen, Captain Fantastic Denzel Washington, Fences
“The way she carried the role was just so true and relatable, especially for the thousands of kids that go to LA every year to pursue acting. She was just brilliant in the way that everything she did and said had an immense amount of purpose.” -Katie Schaber, junior 26
“He’s so witty and cunning and his acting style is so perfectly casual that it seems like something you would do in real life.” -Tim Moser, sophomore
Photos courtesy of Summit Entertainment, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, 20th Century Fox & Amazon Studios
g Now: Oscars
Trends
by Ray Shryock
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Mahershala Ali, Moonlight Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water Lucas Hedges, Manchester by the Sea Dev Patel, Lion Michael Shannon, Nocturnal Animals
Viola Davis, Fences Naomie Harris, Moonlight Nicole Kidman, Lion Octavia Spencer, Hidden Figures Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea
“I think the way he portrayed going through the stages of grief as a teenager was realistic and authentic; it never seemed like he was acting.” -Julia Sant, junior
“Octavia makes her character from a true story feel real through the emotions she portrayed in a grand, fantastic performance.” -Spencer Anderson, freshman
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Deepwater Horizon Doctor Strange The Jungle Book Kubo and the Two Strings Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Kubo and the Two Strings Moana My Life as a Zucchini The Red Turtle Zootopia
“It mixed the use of practical effects and computer generated images to create a world that was unique to the story it was telling but true to the original trilogy at the same time” -Jack Franco, senior
“Disney does a great job of telling a story that is relatable and accessible for people of all ages.” -Emmett Drew, freshman
Results collected from a poll of 80 students.
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