Devils' Advocate March 2017

Devils ’

Advocate

Secret Talents Learning about teachers outside of school P. 12

College Bound Athletes Committing to play sports P. 18

Tinder Talking to student users P. 22 Hinsdale Central High School - Hinsdale, Ill. - Volume 89 - March 2017

State of Disrepair Seeing the proposed changes P. 14

Contents

Features

Secret Talents Revealing teachers' hobbies

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District 86 Referendum Seeing the changes that are being considered

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Collegiate Athletes Exploring the recruitment process She Kills Monsters Previewing the spring play Tinder Looking at student experiences

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Profiles Club Spotlight: Taking a look at Dance Company

Sign, Don't Speak Meeting sign language enthusiasts

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Opinions Ask the Athlete: Talking to Luke Skokna

Battleground: Debating the legalization of marijuana

Column: The Happiness Guide Remembering who you are outside of school Editorial: Improving the school's parking Cheers & Jeers

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News Newsfeed Infographic: Examining how students listen to music

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Trends What's Trending Now

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20 Cover photo by Abby Berberich Table of Contents photos by Alex Choi, Dan Jones, and Nora Wood

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Section Editors

Photo Editors

Editorial Board

Head Editors

Staff

Letter from the Editor

For this issue, we decided to bring our focus back to the news right here in our school. Our writers have talked to everyone from teachers with interesting hobbies to top student athletes in the college Editor in Chief Managing Editor recruitment process. On the more serious side, you can also read Seetha Aribindi Sayali Amin about the proposed changes in the upcoming District 86 Referendum.

Between reading about a student's daily trip to her American Sign Langauge class and the escapades of one of Central's seasoned Tinder users, I'm sure you will find something that interests you.

Right here in our own newsroom, we have some of our own very important news. Our advisor, Ms. Lopez, is going on maternity leave to take care of her first child. I wanted to take this time in my letter Copy Editor Copy Editor to thank her for all of her hard work helping us produce the Advocate.

Ray Shryock Maria Harrast From my sophomore year as a student in her Journalism 1 class to my senior year as the Editor in Chief of our magazine, she has continued to show me the importance of journalism in our daily lives.

If you see something you would like to respond to, I encourage you to e-mail devilsadvocate@hinsdale86.org to make your voice heard.

Copy Editor Design Editor Sincerely, Celine Turkyilmaz Lancelot Lin Seetha Aribindi Mission Statement

Abby Berberich

Alex Choi

Nora Wood

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.

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 Amani Mryan Sanchu Raghuvir Keshav Sanghani

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Ask the Athlete Rami Alzein

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Physicians: Dr. Medha Amin Dr. Shamita Bansore Dr. Ramya Narayanan

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Q: What do you normally do during practices?

A: We spend a lot of time warming up and doing skill training like passing. We also do a lot of drills that emphasize offensive and defensive strategies as well as getting to scrimmage and play for real.

Q: What’s your favorite postgame meal?

A: After every game, the home team hosts a meal for the other team, and we get to sit together eating and laughing and getting to know the people we just spent the last 80 minutes fighting. Usually we have Italian beef, pasta, and fried chicken.

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Devils’ Advocate Advocate

Devils ’

Q: What is your favorite part about rugby?

A: My favorite part of rugby is when we are constantly pounding the other team on offense causing them to make mistakes and tiring them out. This is when a big play usually occurs because we have the upper hand. I also enjoy tackling and bringing someone down.

On March 4, Rami Alzein, senior, tackled a Fenwick player in a scrimmage.

photo by Katie Wang

Q: When did you start playing rugby?

A: This is my second year playing rugby; last year was the first year for our school team and the first year for me as well.

Self Love Accepting your flaws P. 6

Jake Youngman Making “The Cult Next Door” P. 18

The Outside Perspective

Unseen Artists

Seeing Central in a new light P. 14

Taping up the walls P. 22

*E-mail devilsadvocate@hinsdale86.org* Hinsdale Central High School - Hinsdale, Ill. - Volume 89 - February 2017

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Battleground

Opinions

by Carolyn Chun and Shubhankar Deo

Legalizing Marijuana

As of this past November, you can get high in eight of this nation’s 50 states. Another 30 states have given weed the OK for medicinal purposes, and, with popular support for marijuana legalization reaching record levels, it seems likely that still more states will join the movement in the coming years.

Yet nothing could be more contradictory to what we really want to do. The arguments against legal cannabis are not, as some might argue, the sole product of backwards-thinking, elderly lawmakers, and social conservatives. They’re fact. Researchers at the University of Mississippi have found that modern marijuana is up to five times stronger than the stuff available in the sixties and seventies; a survey of the past two decades of medical research found that regular marijuana use more than doubled the risk of developing psychosis; an array of studies conducted everywhere from Australia to Canada concluded that children born to cannabissmoking mothers were more likely to exhibit low academic performance, behavioral problems, and signs of depression. Against arguments that marijuana is not addictive, the National Institutes of Health found that at least 30 percent of users formed some sort of dependence on the drug, and perhaps most damningly, studies have shown that even the casual use of cannabis can cause abnormalities in the structure of the brain.

That’s not even to touch on marijuana’s threat to longterm motivation, memory, and mental acuity.

Marijuana has certain medical uses, yes, but it is not harmless. Legalizing it means trivializing its dangers and shifting the social norm, erasing stigma and opening the path for increased marijuana usage across all spectrums of American society. It means making it even easier for kids to access it. It means undermining all efforts to warn of its dangers.

As a country, we know that there are already dangers with the legal substances we do live with. Alcohol leads to alcoholism, and tobacco to cancer. But the solution is not to embrace another danger; it’s to prioritize the search for safety. All the arguments to the contrary are nothing but smoke.

The legalization of marijuana is a highly heated issue in the United States, and support for decriminalizing the substance has risen to nearly 60 percent, according to a 2016 Gallup poll. In addition to its medical benefits for patients, marijuana offers a host of benefits that outweigh its drawbacks, which pale in comparison with alcohol to begin with. The legalization of marijuana should continue occurring based on the will of the American people.

By legalizing marijuana, it is possible to regulate the selling and producing of the drug, meaning that the marijuana hybrids, which contain harmful substances like nicotine and are sold by illegal drug dealers from across the United States and Mexico border, no longer become a viable option for marijuana users. In turn, this reduces the illegal drug trafficking problem and allowing the United States to redirect billions of dollars that otherwise go to halting drug exchanges. Additionally, out of the 8.2 million arrests made for marijuana in the 2000s, over 85 percent were made for possessing the drug; decriminalizing marijuana ensures that America’s mass incarceration problem will move in the right direction.

It’s clear that legalizing marijuana has the potential to induce change in other issues, too.

And, while opponents of legalizing the drug argue its contents are dangerous, a quick comparison to alcohol shows otherwise. According to a study done at the Indiana University School of Medicine, frequent users of alcohol are twice as likely to become dependent on the substance compared to regular marijuana consumers, and an increased risk of cancer is linked to alcohol abuse, not marijuana usage. Even energy drinks are more likely to induce violent behavior in individuals compared to marijuana. In essence, its drawbacks are overblown.

The drug’s benefits in healthcare range from antiinflammatory powers to reducing pain for AIDS and cancer patients during painful treatment procedures, according to the National Institute of Health; denying Americans the right to a substance with these effects is outright ridiculous and inhumane.

It’s simple: we need weed.

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Opinions

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n a few days, many of us will pack our multicolored bikinis or tropical swim trunks and head off to exotic locations.

Some of us will throw on a pair of our favorite sunglasses and open a glossy new book by the pool, while others will jump on a jet ski, snorkel in the middle of the sea, or sip a fruity drink by the beach. Whether we take a plane halfway around the world or spend some time soaking up the sun in our own backyards, all of us will certainly be experiencing one thing: a well-deserved break.

Over the past seven months, we’ve endured everything from the freezing cold to countless exams to the drudgery of third quarter, and now is the time to relax. It can be easy to forget who we are outside of homework and grades, so we should leave behind our stresses, whether that be textbooks, ACT practice exams, or college concerns. Now is the time to remember who we are and reconnect with ourselves.

This spring break, we want to forget about school, and rediscover everything that makes us individuals.

We all have our own hobbies and interests, so we should use this time to capitalize on them. If it’s been months since we last read a good book, then we should check out an old bookstore and grab a thick paperback. Or if we haven’t gone on a photography excursion since last summer, then we should pick up our cameras and explore. We should forget about trying to build a flawless college resume, and try new things, just for fun. Whether that be riding the first wave on a surfboard or rolling out a yoga mat and performing sun salutations, we should all step out of our daily routines and enjoy ourselves without the pressures of school.

Spring break is the time to remember who we are and try new things without hesitation.

- Maria & Celine

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Opinions

The Parking Epidemic

illustration tby Juila Baroni

Students struggle with parking on campus

efore the sun even rises, junior Kaitlin Barbour races home from the school. She is a soccer player, and with practice starting at 6 a.m., and a job after school, it is essential for her to drive herself. But there’s one problem. There are many days where parking is not an option because of the overwhelming number of students needing to park and the lack of spots. In order to ensure a parking spot she must get to the school at 5:30 a.m. for a 6 a.m. practice, or risk being late by driving home to have her mom drive her back. “[Driving back home] is such a huge hassle for both [my mom and me], and it would be so much easier if I could just get a spot,” Barbour said.

With 2,179 students who are sophomores, juniors, and seniors assumably able to drive, Central has only 197 parking spots available to students. This allows for only nine percent of students to drive to school. Factor in that only seniors may apply for a parking pass, the passes are only for one semester, and there is only an average of 50 spots on the street, and the result is many students spending unnecessary time figuring out how they will get to school for their commitments. And if worse comes to worse, students may have to walk, which can take up to 20 minutes, and can be dangerous in the varying weather conditions. Parking is about much more than just freedom for students; it is essential for them to make it to all of their practices, lessons, jobs, and everything in between.

Students who can drive need parking. It is not a mark of independance as much as a necessity for many students. Many students have parents who work 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. jobs, and therefore are not around to drive them. In order for students to participate in school activities, they need to have transportation.

According to the U.S. Census from 2010, one in four high school

B

students have a job. For many students this means needing transportation to and from the job, and without a parking spot at the high school, this is virtually impossible.

But, without sufficient parking at the school, Hinsdale families and businesses have made a side business of selling parking spots for hundreds of dollars per semester to students willing to pay. For example, the Hinsdale Racquet Club, located on Grant street, charges $600 a semester for a spot, the Hinsdale United Methodist Church, located on 55th street, charges $300 a year, while the high school charges $75 per semester. According to students who purchase from Hinsdale families, the average cost for a semester is $500. Obviously, parking at school is the ideal choice, but because there is so few spots, many students must pay these outrageous prices.

The school attempted to solve the problem in 2011, when the bus turnaround was built next to Tower Field, and the busses began parking back there instead of in front of the school. This allowed for more parking spots to become available, but not nearly the amount needed in order to accommodate the number of students who attend Central.

“Parking is a full blown problem,” Principal Walsh said. “It is markedly better than 2011, but it’s still a problem.”

The parking issue hinders students’ ability to participate in activities because they cannot drive themselves there. There is talk of building a parking garage in the Master Plan located on the district website, but it is not in the foreseeable future for students presently attending Central. Prices of side businesses must be regulated, and in order for the parking crisis to be solved, the school must prioritize creating new areas for students to park.

This editorial is the consensus of the Devils’ Advocate Editorial Board

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Profiles

Club Spotlight

Dance Company bac

by Sanchu Raghuvir

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photo by Celine Turkyilmaz

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ance Company is a club open to anyone who loves to dance.

The company puts on an annual show which includes dancers of every style.

Sophomore Sarah Zidell has been a member of Dance Company for two years.

“The company does all types of dance including jazz, hip hop, tap, lyrical, and more. I do jazz and hip hop,” Zidell said.

Ms. Lisa Tazelaar, aerobics teacher, is one of the sponsors of Dance Company along with Ms. Maeve Andrews, science teacher.

“We are like advisors for the groups.

We make sure their dances are being learned and progressing at an appropriate pace, and we help them with lighting, make up, costuming—all the things that will go into the show,” Ms. Tazelaar said.

“We also help create the groups and guide them as to what they will be performing at the show.”

Although the sponsors are important to the club, the students do much of the work.

“Students will choreograph dances and then hold auditions for other students in Dance Company. The choreographer gets to choose who is in their dance, and then they will practice once or twice a week until the final showcase,” Zidell said.

The participants of Dance Company held a bake sale to raise money for the show last year.

“Anyone who loves to dance can join the company,” Ms. Tazelaar said. “We are encouraging everyone to check it out. We

Dance Company practices one to two times every week after school in the dance studio.

have even reached out to staff to see if any of them want to participate in the show.”

The company meets one to two times a week after school, but groups only have to come to practices on the dates that they sign up for. Members of Dance Company make up two eight counts to a song and then try out.

“My favorite memory is doing a lyrical duet with one of my friends last year,” Zidell said. “It was very fun.”

Tryouts are ongoing for the show, which occurs every year, and the

choreographers for the show will be finalized soon. The final performance will be on May 19 at 7 p.m. in the auditorium. “[Dance Company] is a fun and creative way to get involved and show your talent,” said Charlotte Jaeger, sophomore and dancer.

Newsfeed She Kills Monsters Deep in the dystopian world of Dungeons and Dragons, “She Kills Monsters” tells the story of Agnes Evans as she leaves her childhood home in Ohio following the death of her teenage sister, Tilly. Throughout the game, Agnes discovers more about her sister than she ever knew while she was alive.

“Characters often have to battle strange creatures. Therefore, the show contains a lot of fighting with swords and other weapons,” said director Ms. Lundin, English teacher. Ms. Lundin has directed several other school productions, including the fall play “Arsenic and Old Lace” and the musical “The Secret Garden.”

The play was performed on March 9 to March 11. The students practiced every day after school doing line-work or practiced with Tim and Ross Frawley, the fight directors, to prepare for the action-packed fight scenes.

“The play also deals heavily with the topic of bullying, specifically in matters of LGBTQ acceptance or the lack thereof,” Ms. Lundin said. “It is essentially a comedy, but it does have some darker moments.”

Reagan Brownell, junior, played the lead. Brownell was also involved in the September show “Henry V” and last year’s “The Cripple of Inishmaan.” “[This play] is so much more than a geeky show. It’s about connecting with your loved ones even after they’ve already gone,” Brownell said.

photo by Nora Wood

by Amani Mryan

Freshman Emma Gordon (left) and junior Kaitlyn Philips (right) perform as Tilly Evans and Lilith respectively in the spring play “She Kills Monsters.”

Forensics: The Road to Nationals

photo by Kaitlyn Philips

by Keshav Sanghani

The regional Forensics team competed in the IHSA Regional Tournament on Feb. 4.

The Forensics District Tournament was held on Saturday, March 4. The District Tournament allows students to qualify for the National Tournament which will be held in Birmingham, Alabama from June 18 to June 23. There were more than 20 students who competed in eight different events, including public speaking, dramatic interpretation, and debate.

The competition lasted for 14 hours, but preparations included countless more hours.

“During the season, we have practices every day, and for competitions, students often practice three to four days every week,” said Mr. Wilbur, Forensics coach.

Nine students qualified for Nationals. Juniors Conor Donlevy and Claire Elman qualified for Public Forum Debate, junior Reagan Brownell qualified for Original Oratory, and junior Meghan Johnson qualified for Program of Oral Interpretation.

Seniors Zeljko Kospic and Shubhankar Deo qualified for Informative Speaking. Sophomore Micky Horstman and junior Claire Mueller qualified for Humorous Interpretation, and senior Jake Youngman qualified for Dramatic Interpretation.

“I am incredibly proud of [our students],” Mr. Wilbur said.

For more news, visit www.hcdevilsadvocate.com 9

Don’t Speak. Sign.

Central Students travel to Hinsdale South to learn American Sign Language

by Bilal Khokhar and Anya Uppal

Freshman Amy Counihan shows off her favorite symbol, “I Love You”

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s she unzips her backpack and hears the ringing of the bell, she prepares for another class without speaking. She relaxes her hands and waits for another day of her typical language class. Amy Counihan, freshman, travels to South everyday during first period to take sign language class.

In the United States, the most common signing is the ASL, also known as, American Sign Language. American Sign Language is the predominant language of deaf communities in the United States and is used today in many schools. The language is composed of hand movements, facial expressions, and postures.

Hinsdale Central does not offer ASL classes because it is a grant funded class that is offered only at Hinsdale South.

South is in receipt of the gran and offers the class for the entire county. South serves students from all around the area that are deaf or hard of hearing, since Hinsdale Central falls in the same district as South, the course is able to be offered to Central students even if they are not deaf or hard of hearing.

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“I started to learn ASL in third grade because I had a deaf girl in my class and I wanted to talk to her...I found the language interesting and wanted to continue to learn it,” Counihan said.

“When I am older, I want to be an ASL interpreter or ASL teacher.”

Annie Banks, junior at Hinsdale South, actively participates in the class and uses it in her everyday life.

“I started signing because I thought it was a beautiful language...It is full of such emotion and beauty and every person that uses it makes it their own style,” Banks said.

ASL is a completely separate from English. It has its own rules of punctuation, grammar, and word order.

“Sometimes it’s easy and sometimes it’s hard. The language is completely different than English,” Counihan said.

While learning ASL, students have to incorporate not just body movements, but also facial expression to fully communicate what they are trying to say.

“It takes patience. It takes practice and

slight of hand. You have to not feel silly when you sign, and it takes a lot of facial expressions and details. There is some frustration when you are not clear and you have to repeat yourself, but it’s a process,” Banks said.

Sara Sargent, an ASL teacher at Hinsdale South, has been teaching ASL for 12 years, and the program has grown over the years.

“ASL is such a beautiful and visual language. It is a class in which we are very active and interact a lot with each other,” Ms. Sargent said. “When I first started in 2005, I taught one ASL 1 class, and one ASL two class. Now, we have three ASL 1 classes, and two ASL two classes. The program has really grown.”

ASL is a language that is growing all throughout the United States, and especially in colleges. According to the Modern Language Association Survey, ASL is ranked one of the most popular language classes, likely to keep growing into a widespread language used all around the world.

photo by Nora Wood

Profiles

Cheers & Jeers

- Cheers to the new chocolate shamrock shakes. Obesity comes in many flavors. #ImLovinIt - Cheers to Moonlight winning Best Picture! La La Land winning was getting La La Lame.

- Cheers to more student elections. #morefreecandy - Cheers to Spring Break. We’ve been waiting for it since...

Winter Break.

Features

- Jeers to the Oscars mixup. So awkward for everyone.

- Jeers to Prama (prom drama) #Idontwannagoanymore - Jeers to being expected to register for AP Exams without a reminder from teachers. Do they think we’re responsible or something?

- Jeers to water fountains filling water at a rate of 14 hours per bottle. #tooslow

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Secret Talents Teachers discuss their hobbies outside of Central

by Sofia Rafiq and Charlotte Sudduth

As soft jazz plays in the background, couples in colorful costumes dance an Afro-Cuban called steppin’. The leader steps forward to the rhythm of the music while the follower walks backwards in a smooth motion. One can find Ms. Jan Hall, Central’s student safety supervisor, performing this steppin’ dance at local dance clubs. Ms. Hall is not the only staff member who pursues interesting hobbies. Students may not know what kind of activities their teachers pursue outside of work.

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photos by Alex Choi

Choi

Ms. Jan Hall

Ms. Hall performs a steppin’ dance with her husband, Ted Mladenoff.

Features

One may recognize her as the friendly face at the entrance desk or a hall pass deliverer, but she is also a theatre and dance enthusiast who has performed at a variety of venues. For example, she and her husband, Ted Mladenoff, have performed on the Channel 7 late night dance show, Steppin’ at Club 7, in the major motion picture, “Love Jones,” as well as several local dancing competitions such as the Harvest Moon Festival.

Since her parents were professional dancers, Ms. Hall was acquainted with all types of dance from salsa to waltz from a young age. In recent years, Ms. Hall and her husband generally practice a type of dance known as steppin’ and have made great strides with their performances.

“My greatest accomplishment of my dancing career is meeting my husband on Valentine’s Day at the Willowbrook Ballroom, ” Ms. Hall said.

Mr. Rick Lapinski

Photo courtesy of Rick Lapinski

Special Education teacher Mr. Rick Lapinski was intrigued by the Ironman World Championships after viewing them on television. As a collegiate soccer player, competition was an important element in his life, and after graduation, triathlons fulfilled that yearning for competition.

His training for triathlons varies depending on what events are coming up. Currently, Mr. Lapinski trains about 12 to 20 hours a week, sometimes waking up at 4 a.m. to train before school. Mr. Lapinski has competed in the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, in addition to other Ironman competitions in Utah, Arizona, and Idaho. Mr. Lapinski believes that training has taught himself to push further than he thought was possible.

“Your body is much stronger than you think it is. It’s often time your brain that needs to be trained,” Mr. Lapinkski said.

Mr. Lapinski trains for an upcoming triathlon.

Ms. Robyn Corelitz

English 1 students of Ms. Corelitz practice mindfulness techniques in class.

Ms. Corelitz, English teacher, enjoys hobbies such as yoga, playing the violin, and writing a young adult novel she hopes to complete soon.

“I got into all of the hobbies because there’s something focused and intense and grounding about all of them,” Ms. Corelitz said.

As a licensed yoga instructor, Ms. Corelitz teaches at Heaven Meets Earth Yoga with a specialization in teenage and children yoga. She implements the mindfulness techniques from yoga into her teaching methods in order to encourage better focus and engagement. Ms. Corelitz notices that these mindfulness techniques make her students more calm and engaged throughout the day.

“Yoga allows the body and mind to connect with purpose.

It allows us to take a step back and to notice the details in our lives, almost as if we are reading a book about our own lives and noticing something new in the narrative,” Ms. Corelitz said.

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A E T A T SO F DIS E R PAIR

Features

by Julia Chatterjee and Adam DeDobbelaere

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1: Driver’s Ed simulators in room 11 2: Stairs across from boy’s football locker room 3: Wrestling locker room in basement 15

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Electrical outlet in the field house

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he air is thick, muggy, and heavily chlorinated when junior Margaret Neil steps out of the locker room and heads towards the weathered pool. She just finished changing into her suit alongside the opponents of her upcoming water polo game. Neil hops into the water and routinely touches her toes to the cement ten feet beneath the surface.

When she resurfaces, she glances up at the stands scarcely dotted with supportive parents. She is not used to seeing many fans up in the viewing balcony, and she does not mind. When too many fans enter, the air becomes even harder for her to breathe. Neil inhales the sticky atmosphere and plunges deep into the water.

Air quality and the dated condition of the pool are just a few of the many problems District 86 is hoping to address with its April referendum.

According to School Board President Kay Gallo, the referendum is asking for $76 million in bonding authority to improve facilities at Central and South through renovation and reorganization. The Master Facility Plan Steering Committee initially presented its proposal for renovations in September of 2015. Recently, district officials have narrowed down the list of potential projects.

According to the Chicago Tribune, the district has received estimates from three construction management firms, Gilbane Inc., International Contractors Inc. and Pepper Construction. Each predicted the price to be above $76 million.

With the help of Arcon Associates Inc., the Steering Committee created a Global Component Priority List ranking the renovations as high, midlevel, or low priority. High priorities at Central included relocating departments within the school, addressing classroom environments, and constructing a new natatorium—a building containing a pool.

Many swimmers are eager for renovations. Currently, the diving well at Central is two feet shorter than

the 12 feet required by the National Federation of State High School’s Association. Central had to take out the diving boards and no longer hosts diving meets.

Junior Thomas Wilemse, swimmer on the boys’ varsity swim team believes, that even if a completely new pool is not built, the current one definitely needs to be updated.

“I think it would be a good idea to build a new pool, but that does take a lot of time and money,” Wilemse said. “Even if they make some small changes such as another locker room or a deeper diving well that would be fine, too.”

A new natatorium and ventilation system are additions that sophomore and swimmer for the girls’ JV swim team Claire Kern hopes to see come out of the referendum, but she also recognizes that they are costly.

“I think everyone understands how difficult it is to get a new pool, so everyone just works with what we have,” Kern said. “A new pool would be wonderful as [Central’s] is out of date and not adequate for what most other schools have today.”

Neil said that the school’s pool is similar to South’s, but it greatly differs from rival Lyons Township’s.

“In comparison to LT’s pool, our pool has much less space. They have two different pools which allows them to have a bigger program, even though it is still smaller than Central’s,” Neil said. “Overall, it’s just a better pool.”

LT’s pool also has two easily

accessible and separate locker rooms, according to Neil. During water polo season, Neil changes in Central’s single pool locker room and shares it with the traveling team. The boys’ team has to change somewhere other than a pool locker room.

According to the Master Plan, if the pool was to be rebuilt, it would be eight lanes at 25 yards with a new locker room, more spectator seating, and improved air quality.

The committee considered gymnastics and wrestling for additional space, as well. The Master Plan proposed the relocation of the wrestling room and the conversion of its current location to a sensory room for the special education department. Sensory rooms use lighting, furniture, and sounds to calm students with self-soothing techniques. Stimulating equipment such as rocking chairs, aquariums, or exercise bands fill the rooms.

A study performed at University of Massachusetts Memorial Hospital found that the perceived stress levels of patients who entered a sensory room were decreased on average by 38 percent when they exited the room.

Senior Olivia Niestrom, a student aid in Peer Buddies and Adaptive Physical Education, said the sensory room at Central has shown similar results among the students of the special education department, but it could still be improved.

“It would be very beneficial to all the students to make [the sensory room] larger and have more things

in a classroom that is not a science room, you’re not getting the real experience,” Ms. Breig said.

As with many other members of District 86, the cost and availability of space concern Ms. Breig, but she is certain that the science department needs the new space.

“The question is where and how we are going to make this work with the environment we have got here without just razing the entire building and starting over,” Ms. Breig said.

According to the Chicago Tribune,

“Anytime you are teaching science in a classroom that is not a science room, you’re not getting the real experience,” -Ms. Breig “Many teachers get upset about it because our walls are falling apart.

In my opinion, we have bigger fish to fry,” Ms. Tomas said. “I feel like the biggest issue we have is we are running out of room.”

Ms. Tomas can’t make phone calls to parents during the school day because the math department’s office is just one room with a singular phone. Similarly, her classes have been growing in size.

The board has reached the same conclusion about the hindrances induced by overcrowding at Central. New classrooms at Central, including two new science labs, are proposed in the referendum in response to the need for more classspecific rooms. Ms. Breig, physics teacher, believes these additions would highly benefit the science department. Currently, many science classes are taught in rooms across the building that lack science labs.

“Anytime you are teaching science Photos by Abby Berberich

the new science labs will be on the first floor of a two story addition to the science wing which will also be filled with three new general classrooms.

Currently, 65 percent of the renovations on the referendum go to Central, and 35 percent would go to South. South shares many of the same renovation needs that Central does: a new pool, new classroom space, and updates to the special education department.

“If you look at enrollment, that is exactly the proportion right now of students,” board member Ralph Beardsley told the Chicago Tribune.

“In that sense, we are right where we should be.”

Central’s current building opened in 1950, whereas South’s opened in 1965. Both schools went under construction during 2004. Central built its current library, expanded the cafeteria, and added new classrooms.

South built its greenhouse, incorporated six new science

Boys wrestling locker room in basement

in the room to help [students] since it doesn’t seem to match all of the students’ needs,” Niestrom said.

Many other classrooms throughout the school have been identified as needing such improvements. In the math department, many of the classroom walls are peeling, and cracks have formed in the plaster.

Ms. Tomas, math teacher, said that although she has also noticed areas in the department developing mold, it is not the most important problem facing the building.

classrooms, and renovated the special education department.

Central’s building area is currently 460,139 square feet, larger than South’s 429,815. However, as of 2015, this meant 269 square feet per student at South, and 162 square feet per student at Central.

The expansion or minimization of the buffer zone, an area where families can chose which District 86 school they attend, has been proposed as a way to address the overcrowding at Central. However, Kathleen Hirsman, secretary of the school board, has said that the buffer zone is currently static and the referendum will not affect it.

“The goal of the referendum is to address the specific needs of each school,” Hirsman said. “At each school, learning space will be redesigned to more effectively meet students’ needs. The redesign will result in a more efficient use of our facilities, which should address concerns of overcrowding.”

The vote for the referendum will appear on the April 4 ballot, and the next school board meeting will be March 20 at Central. If the referendum is approved, renovations will begin in 2018.

17

COLLEGE BOUND photo courtesy of Sydney Collignon

ATHLETEs

by Jayne Gelman and Minna Hassaballa

Eager murmurs fill the room, as high school students and their parents take their seats. Students attempt to stifle their excitement and whispers as the coach stands up. Moments afterwards, a name is called. A boy signs the letter in front of him with a steady stroke of the hand. He looks up from the page and smiles as a bright flash goes off.

Niko Ivanisevic, senior, began his recruiting process his sophomore year when he attended a recruiting camp and obtained an offer from a Division II school. Ivanisevic has been playing football since he was in fourth grade. He also started wrestling when he was five years old and has been on the school team since his freshman year. When it came to the decision for college, he ultimately chose to play football as it provided him with better opportunities.

“Throughout high school, many coaches came to watch me workout, watched my film, or watched me at their camps and decided whether or not to offer me,” Ivanisevic said.

Ivanisevic committed to playing football for Princeton University in New Jersey the July before his senior year. His brother had an influence on his decision as he also plays football at Princeton.

Ivanisevic has visited Princeton’s campus multiple times and attended a football camp there this past summer. This is when he solidified his love for the school and decided to attend it. However the choice was not very easy for him.

“Picking an Ivy League school over scholarship

18

schools was kind of hard,” Ivanisevic said. “I feel like I made the right decision and couldn’t pass an opportunity like this [to] play with my brother.”

Since Ivanisevic has been playing sports all of his life, he has gotten used to balancing schoolwork and practice. He has developed a routine and manages his time so that he hardly misses any school.

During the recruiting process, Ivanisevic recalls that there was not much tension around the other players on his team when it came to committing to college.

“A lot of us were talking to the same schools and essentially competing for spots, but we all supported each other,” Ivanisevic said. “Whenever someone got offered, we were happy for that guy.”

Even though Ivanisevic began his senior year knowing where he will attend college, he still finds that school is not any different than before.

“I still had to apply to the school like everyone else, and once I received my acceptance letter it was a relief,” Ivanisevic said. “I’m just trying to enjoy my last year of high school now.”

photo courtesy of Niko Ivanisevic

Student athletes share their experiences with the committment process

Niko IvanisEvic senior football

Sydney Collignon SOPHOMORE LACROSSE

Liliane Perrault, junior, and current player at Chicago Mission Youth Hockey Club, committed to playing at Mercyhurst University in Pennsylvania. However, as she was working with a college coordinator as well as her coach, the process was somewhat less difficult for her.

“I talked to many schools like Ohio State, Penn State, Dartmouth, Wisconsin, Princeton, Cornell [and more],” Perrault said. “But my final three schools that I had narrowed down were Mercyhurst, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and Bemidji.”

Perrault’s father, Yanic Perrault, the Player Development Coach for the Chicago Blackhawks, constantly offers his daughter advice and helps her improve.

“My dad is always helping me get better and giving me tips. And also my dad still works for the Hawks so I’m always around hockey,” Perrault said.

Perrault remembers being in awe the first time she spoke to the assistant coach of Mercyhurst University as he offered her a full ride scholarship. According to scholarshipstats.com, the average amount of players allowed a full-ride scholarship is 18, per team of 24.

found the process so stressful was because she began when she was in eighth grade. She recalls making a list of colleges with her father.

“We’d gone through the list and he was like, ‘are there any ones you would like to add, any ones you want to take away,’” Collignon said.

“And so I e-mailed all of the colleges and I started playing tournaments.”

After the tournaments, Collignon followed up with colleges that expressed interest. She knew that University of Denver was the school for her.

With all of the practice she has every day, Collignon has found a system of balancing her schoolwork and lacrosse, although sometimes it can be difficult and often times she finds herself up late doing homework.

“Everybody’s been telling me, ‘you can give up now’, but I really can’t,” Collignon said.

“I still have to take the SAT and ACT [like] everybody else has to.”

Although she still needs to maintain her grades like her fellow peers, she is relieved to have a concrete path after high school.

“It’s really comforting because I already know which one I am going to and I don’t have to go through the stressful application process [again],” Collignon said.

Perrault fondly remembers speaking to the coach in French, as she is originally from Québec, a French speaking province in Canada.

“I was in shock since it was my first time talking to them,” Perrault said. “Soon after, I visited their school. I loved everything about it, they gave me a month to make my decision.”

During this time, Perrault visited RPI, which is well-known for its engineering program. However she found that the school did not have a program for her. After she returned from the visit, she had one week to make her decision. Upon making her choice, she was required to call every school that she spoke with before sharing her commitment with her friends and family.

“Now that I am committed to a [Division I] college I work twice as hard to improve every day,” Perrault said. “My current goal is to be a part of Team Canada one day.”

photo courtesy of Lilliane Perrault

photo courtesy of Sydney Collignon photo courtesy of Niko Ivanisevic

vic or all

Sydney Collignon, sophomore, committed to playing lacrosse at the University of Denver, on Jan. 4 of this year.

Both of Collignon’s parents attended the University of Denver and were reluctant to let her attend the school, until she visited the school and “fell in love.”

Collignon was drawn to the University of Denver because of the excitement she feels while watching games. One of the most exhilarating games that Collignon recalls was when the school went into triple overtime against Louisville and won.

“I love getting to watch my future teammates dominate on the field,” Collignon said.

According to Collignon, the application process for lacrosse is slightly different from the processes of other sports. Many times, Collignon and her team went to recruiting tournaments in which all of the schools that the athletes are interested in playing attended.

“They come and watch us play and depending on whether they think we’re a good fit, we follow up after the tournament,” Collignon said. “From there we have to do stressful things, like make calls.”

Part of the reason why Collignon

LiLlianE Perrault Junior hockey 19

photo by Nora Wood

SHE KILLS MONSTERS In the Spring Play, Tilly Evans, accompanied by her fellow Dungeons and Dragons fighters, Lilith and Kaliope, embark on dangerous adventures in an “imaginary� world fighting demons and killer fairies.

TIND

Students reflect on dating and hookups through social media

by Julia Baroni and Juliana Mayer

S

enior Kimberly Russell* never considered herself a flirtatious teenager. She had dated in the past, but never felt confident casually exploring relationships and sexuality.

After she turned 18, however, an easy download of the app Tinder allowed Russell to change that.

Released in 2012, Tinder is a location-based dating app that allows people to swipe “yes” or “no” to photos of users they are attracted to. When two users swipe “yes” to photos of each other, a “match” is created in the app, and the individuals can begin chatting. The app requires verification through Facebook, so in addition to location and gender, users’ feeds are curated based on mutual friends and interests.

Before June 2016, the age limit was 13. According to New York Magazine, the age range of 13 to 17 accounted for seven percent of the app’s user base at the time. Currently, Tinder requires users to be 18, displaying potential matches based on an age range that each user sets to his or her preference.

Russell decided to install Tinder over winter break. To her, the app is not a platform for dating, but rather, one for personal entertainment, especially among her friends.

“I’m not necessarily looking for a boyfriend or a sexual partner.

A big part of Tinder is looking at it as a joke,” Russell said.

Riley Kowalski, senior and fellow Tinder user, agrees that the app is not something to always take seriously.

“It’s fun and quick to use. You have thousands of people at your fingertips,” Kowalski said.

Jimmy McMahon, another senior, installed Tinder somewhat out of curiosity, and partially as a joke. “[I wanted] to see what’s out there… outside of this little world,” McMahon said.

“I’m not necessarily looking for a boyfriend or a sexual partner.”

-Kimberly Russell*

22

*Russell requested to remain anonymous under a pseudonym.

McMahon enjoys browsing profiles of other young people he otherwise wouldn’t have been able to meet.

In fact, according to cofounder Sean Rad, Tinder has made over eight billion matches since launching. Business Insider found that of these matches, 38 percent of the pairs cerated were made up of members under the age of 24.

Russell notes that finding matches has been relatively simple for her, estimating that she has made around 400 since becoming a user. Once a match is created, Russell has found that the people she is paired with are not shy to initiate conversations. “[Matches] immediately start complimenting you,” Russell said. “I’ll get ‘Hey cutie’ or ‘Hey you look great in this picture’ or ‘Hey your butt looks great’.”

Senior and Tinder user Zach Zaccone appreciates that the app takes away the stress of a making a good first impression. In his opinion, swiping simplifies the process of approaching people.

“Tinder is straightforward enough where you both know you’re attracted to each other, so things are easy,” Zaccone said.

Zaccone believes that Tinder is best tackled half-romantically and half-sexually. In his experience with the app, Zaccone has found that the majority of users he knows from his grade are girls, which he thinks is rather puzzling.

“I think more guys would be more interested, but maybe they’re just embarrassed to try it out,” Zaccone said.

Russell has also noticed this gap in the gender of high school users, but attributes this to girls being more intimidated than guys when actively seeking out a reltionship.

“At Central there is a big hookup culture rather than an ‘ask a girl out and date them’ culture. A lot of girls want to talk to guys and hookup with guys but they just don’t really know how to,” Russell said.

Russell also mentioned that many “hookups”, casual romantic or sexual encounters between students, take place at parties.

Because she and her friends don’t go to many and do not drink much, she feels that they often miss out on this type of opportunity.

Even when users like Russell are having fun exploring relationships, there is a noteworthy dark side of Tinder’s userbase.

DER Russell recalls times when she has needed to block users in order to stop receiving lewd messages.

“Some guys will start off with ‘Hey do you wanna bang?’ and I’ll be like ‘OK, bye,’” Russell said.

As a safety precaution, Russell gives her Snapchat username to people she is interested in. If the Snapchat photos confirm the profile of the Tinder user, she considers giving them her cell phone number. Russell often tells these users that she attends school somewhere other than Central, in order to protect her identity.

McMahon, too, is cautious of strangers on the app, even though he has never met up with one of his matches on the app before.

“My one friend got matched, a girl, and the first thing she got was something really inappropriate,” McMahon said. “It was funny, but just really wack.”

Nevertheless, Russell isn’t too concerned about her safety as long as she doesn’t release any identifying personal information like where she lives or her last name.

“It’s harmless flirting. One guy and I were sexting about church —a bunch of dirty church puns—which was pretty crazy,” Russell said.

Since users only have to verify their age through Facebook, McMahon is aware of the possibility of matches lying about their age. He understands that it is possible for someone who is much older than him to pose as a teenager.

Ms. Jennifer Cave, social worker, is hesitant to recommend apps like Tinder for teenage dating. She too is aware of the potential to lie on an app so accessible and simple to use.

“It scares me that if students were to meet up how do we know [the match] is telling you his or her true identity,” Ms. Cave said.

“It’s important to be cautious.”

But despite the dangers, she does believe that there can be some impactful positives for otherwise shy students.

“Meeting new people is fantastic. There are a lot students who have a hard time building friendships, not necessarily dating,” Ms. Cave said.

Consistent users continue to recommend the app as long as conversations with strangers remain safe.

Features

LOSING MY TINDER VIRGINITY

by Zach Wols When I first decided to try to go on my first Tinder date, my primary concern was that I would devolve into someone with the social skills of a chimpanzee who had no idea how tarticulate an idea or carry on a rational conversation. To my delight however, I was not the overflowing pot of boiling awkward that I had anticipated. I was actually normal.

The problem with the date was that my match was very different than how she appeared to be on Tinder. Given an extended amount of time to formulate a response, anyone can make themselves appear however they want, but when it came down to it, and we were talking face to face, we both seemed like very different people.

It was still enjoyable, but the person I dated was not the same person I chatted with online.

photo courtesy of Devils’ Advocate Online

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Hearing 101

by Lancelot Lin

ex) Skullcandy, Audio-Technica, Samsung

he

:8

% 4.3 r: 1

se

80 40

20

0

24

84% of students use wired earbuds as their daily driver 0

40

20

60

.4%

6.7%: Wired on/over year 5%: Wireless earbuds 4.2%: Wireless on/over ear

60

80

100

s nt e 8.4% ud nes t Beats: s o of dph le 9% ea App .

68 se h om u fr

100

21% (Vol. 70-80%)

26.9% (Vol. 30-40%)

5% (Vol. 90-100%) 41.2% of students use headphones at 50-60% volume

Decibels

Ot

Bo

5.9% (Vol. 10-20%)

120 100 80 60 40 20 0

10

20 30

40 50 60

70

80 90 100 Vol. %

Loudness of Apple Earpods paired with an iPhone 6 Specifications via Anandtech.com and Specout.com; formulas from Head-Fi.org

Max. Listening Time 45.4% of students have attended 1-2 concerts in the past year 26.1%: 0 concerts

75 decibels

8 hrs

Blender (85 db)

2 hrs

Hair dryer (91 db)

15 mins 3.75 mins

9.2%: More than 5 concerts

Train (100 db) Loudest spot of avg. concert (106 db)

120 db: Threshold of Pain

19.3%: 3-4 concerts

1 sec

Unsafe beyond this point

Golf Club (127 db)

140 db

Moon rocket launch (155 db)

175 decibels 24

data from a Survey of 119 students

24

Trends

WHAT’S

TRENDING NOW

by Ray Shryock

Logan starring Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart Sci-Fi/Drama Released March 3

Beauty and the Beast starring Emma Watson and Dan Stevens Fantasy/Musical Released March 17

Ghost in the Shell starring Scarlett Johansson and Michael Pitt Fantasy/ Sci-Fi Released March 31

Music Mania

of the Month

Lorde, released two singles titled “Green Light” on March 2 and “Liability” on March 9 from her upcoming album “Melodrama”.

On March 2, the pop band Coldplay released “Hypnotised” from their new EP Kaleidoscope. photos via Google Images

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By the Numbers Hinsdale Fruit Store, 26 W 1st St in Hinsdale Score: 9/10 Smoothie: Berry Nice The friendly service and pleasant atmosphere are sweeter than the smoothies.

The addition of grape to a berry smoothie added a pleasant surprise.

34%

Percent of students are making a March Madness Bracket.

44%

Owl and Lark, 41 South La Grange Road in La Grange Score: 8.5/10 Smoothie: Mango Lark Owl and Lark has a unique and trendy style but was a little too artsy for me.

The smoothie was full of special ingredients like dates and cardamom.

Percent of students that think Villanova will win the NCAA championship.

17%

Percent of students that think Gonzaga will win the NCAA championship.

Jamba Juice, 7169 S. Kingery Highway in Willowbrook Score: 7/10 Smoothie: Aloha Pineapple What Jamba Juice has in quantity of options on its menu it lacks in quality.

It was sweet and sugary to a fault, to the point that I couldn’t finish it.

photos by Ray Shryock

Percentages collected from a survey of 132 responses

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