Devils' Advocate May 2020

The Senior Issue p. p.28 28

DEVILS'ADVOCATE - May 2020 - May 2020 -

LEARNING FROM HOME p.12 From Referendum to Renovation p. 9 HINSDALE CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL | VOLUME 94

209242 May Issue_r1.indd 1

5/12/20 5:07 PM

SECTION EDITORS

HEAD EDITORS

LOUKAS BEZANIS

LAINEY HARVEY — COPY EDITOR

SOFIJA BUZELIS

KRITIN SHANMUGAM — HEAD OF DESIGN

NATHANIEL BITTNER

NATHANIEL BITTNER — MANAGING EDITOR

CAROLINE CUBBIN

AILISH LYMAN — MANAGING EDITOR

RAMZEY DOUEDARI

GRACE ERWIN —TRENDS EDITOR

GRACE ERWIN

CAROLINE CUBBIN — COPY EDITOR

LAINEY HARVEY

CONTRIBUTORS

AMMAR HUSSAIN CEDRA JAZAYERLI DALYA LABAN AILISH LYMAN JOHN OLSEN HARI RAO KRITIN SHANMUGAM

DAVID GUST — BATTLEGROUND RAYHAN HUSSAIN — PUBLIC RELATIONS MANAGER AVA SEVERTS — BATTLEGROUND

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF HARI RAO

2 | Contents

209242 May Issue_r1.indd 2

5/12/20 5:07 PM

04 09 18 20

PAGE

12

LETTER FROM THE

[EDITOR]

School has come to an end, but even in the face of such a significant event, our focus is elsewhere. From cancelling activities and finals to forcing people to stay home, the COVID-19 pandemic has challenged our district in countless ways. And yet, in the face of those challenges, our community has stayed resilient.

In this month’s issue, we cover the impact of the Coronavirus on the Hinsdale Central community Our cover feature “Learning from Home” takes a look at the online learning system, standardized testing, as well as activities and sports seasons. Outside the world of academia, our profiles “Students at Work” and “Pandemic Pastimes” go in-depth into the lives of students who are essential workers as well as the hobbies that people in self-quarantine have come up with. In our final feature “From Referendum to Renovation,” we talk about the upcoming construction plans that Central has already started on and what more will change by next fall. Unsolicited advice recommends ideas of things to do for people that are feeling bored, and our Dished column reviews a simple recipe many teens have found themselves making: Dalgona coffee.

Also in this issue, our editorial board recognizes the religious holiday Ramadan and that everyone at Central should be mindful of its dates and effects on students who practice it.

Another editorial analyzes The College Board’s hold on our education. As seniors receive their final college decisions, our Battleground writers look at both sides of the validity of affirmative action policies in college admissions and the workplace.

Be sure to check out the senior issue (page 28) to see post-graduate plans and superlative winners.

I hope you all enjoy our May issue! And to everyone — please stay safe.

27

PROFILES

04 STUDENTS AT WORK 06 PANDEMIC PASTIMES

FEATURES 09 FROM REFERENDUM TO RENOVATION 12 LEARNING FROM HOME

BY THE NUMBERS

18 CORONA TIME

PERSPECTIVES 20 22 24 26

EDITORIAL UNSOLICITED ADVICE BATTLEGROUND DISHED

TRENDS 27 CROSSWORD/ OVERHEARD

MISSION STATMENT

Devils’ Advocate seeks to provide an open and diverse forum created by and for students from Hinsdale Central. The staff of Devils’ Advocate aims to bring news to the community of the school and surrounding area, by working with students, parents, and faculty, as well as reporting on events in a fair and balanced manner. The publication strives to inform, educate, and improve, the atmosphere and student body by sharing information and recognizing and ideas.

CONTACT

ADVISER, CHERISE LOPEZ CLOPEZ@HINSDALE86.ORG 630.570.8361

Cover photo by Lainey Harvey TOC photo by Lainey Harvey

Contents | 3

209242 May Issue_r1.indd 3

5/12/20 5:07 PM

Students At Work Students share their experiences of working through the COVID-19 pandemic Nathan Zock, junior, used to work at Kramer’s during the pandemic.

Photo courtesy of Nathan Zock

by: Cedra Jazayerli, Caroline Cubbin designed by Kritin Shanmugam

T

oday is like any day for junior Mildred Espinoza.

After completing her school work, Espinoza heads into town for her 4 o’clock shift at Giuliano’s Pizza in Downtown Hinsdale. Only this time, Espinoza doesn’t have to rush from school in the heavy traffic. The streets are noticeably empty, and her usual work uniform has a few adaptations. She puts on a mask and gloves after carefully disinfecting her hands. There are no customers eating inside, just the smell of pizza and the few workers wearing similar masks and gloves.

Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker issued a stay-at-home order for the state of Illinois on March 21 until April 7. However, as of April 23, the order has been extended until May 31. All non-essential workers, small businesses, restaurants, and more are required to practice social distancing, leaving many without jobs or failing in revenue. As of May 1, businesses such as pet groomers, golf courses, non-essential retail stores, and state parks will be allowed to reopen if strict safety guidelines are followed. The businesses that remain open in full capacity have adapted by prioritizing constant sanitizing, maintaining social distancing, and reducing hours. There

are students at Central who are either considered essential workers or have had jobs adapt to fit these unprecedented times.

According to a survey conducted by the Devils’ Advocate, 20% of the 65 students surveyed are working during this quarantine. Their jobs vary from cashier to sanitation worker, to landscapers.

While these occupations may have many differences, one thing many share is that their jobs have had to shift in order to meet new guidelines and abide by social distancing codes for the health and safety of everyone around them. Many students also mentioned that while they had jobs prior to the stay-at-home order, they have stopped working either because they don’t feel safe, or because their job was shut down.

Cham Yao, senior, worked as a physics and math tutor before the COVID-19 pandemic. He used to meet with students on a weekly basis at the Hinsdale Public Library, but recently the building has been closed due to the pandemic.

“I have lost some clients due to e-Learning; a tutor is not always necessary for some people,” Yao said. “I do still tutor, just virtually through Zoom or FaceTime.”

Yao said that he does not need to worry about exposure to others due to the fact

that everything has shifted to online and he can continue working from the comfort of his own home. Other students have benefited from working from home as well.

Raina Jain is a junior and a tutor at Mathnasium in Hinsdale. She started working 10 months ago and is considered an “essential worker” by providing distance learning to clients. Therefore she is allowed to work from the office with other staff members, but feels uncomfortable doing so.

“I, among many others, don’t feel comfortable [going in to work] so I work from home now,” Jain said.

Staff members have online meetings and meet with students on Zoom from 3-7:30 p.m. The instructors invite the students into Breakout rooms where they discuss their materials after the students download the work directly from their computers.

“Since I work from home, I do not need to worry about extra cleaning precautions, though the center did provide wipes and cleaning spray,” Jain said.

The flexibility of distance learning allows Jain to pick up extra shifts in addition to her Monday and Thursday schedule.

“I would definitely say I have more free-time since working from home is safe and productive,” Jain said.

4 | Profiles

209242 May Issue_r1.indd 4

5/12/20 5:07 PM

Though some students have been able to adapt to a work from home environment, with the example of Yao and Jain, others that are considered “essential workers” continue their jobs at a distanced level.

Espinoza has been working at Giuliano’s since October 2019 and says that this job has been one of her favorites. The restaurant has been able to continue operating under strict state guidelines.

“We have been washing our hands frequently and disinfecting [all surfaces] at the restaurant,” Espinoza said. “We also offer curbside pick-up and delivery, and we have a contactless option where we leave their pizza on the front doorstep.”

Although Espinoza considers these changes to her work life as less than ideal, she says that going to work is her favorite time of day because it gives her the opportunity to see people outside of her family and try to keep up her normal routine.

“The thing I look most forward to in my day is going to work at Giuliano’s to socialize and having the opportunity to keep working during this time,” Espinoza said.

In addition to Giuliano’s Pizza in Hinsdale, Kirschbaum’s Bakery in Western Springs has seen a change in operation as a result of Covid -19.

Holly Marcus, sophomore, has worked at Kirschbaum’s Bakery in Western Springs for the last two months. While she is still working, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she says that her hours have been reduced as a result of earlier closing times. According to Marcus, her job has recently involved much more sanitizing and cleaning as a safety precaution.

“Some customers try to keep their distance from people and stay cautious, but others remain the same as if nothing has changed,” said Marcus, regarding the attitudes of customers towards the current health crisis.

For some families, having someone outside working can be a source of anxiety, but according to Marcus, her family is glad that she’s working through the pandemic.

“My family has said that they’re proud of me for serving the community and helping out where I can,” Marcus said, Marcus said that she plans to continue working for as long as possible, and while she is cautious of her situation, she says she is doing everything she can to keep herself and others safe and healthy.

“I enjoy working, and I am fortunate that I still have the opportunity to do so,” Marcus said.

However, there are some students who

have stopped working in the interest of their safety as well as their family’s. This was the case for Nathan Zock, junior, who has worked at Kramer’s Foods, a local grocery store in Hinsdale for the past six months. Zock said that he worked for around a month during the pandemic before he stopped working.

“My parents were far more concerned about work than I was. I understand why I had to stop working, but I wouldn’t have left if it was my choice,” Zock said.

Prior to leaving his job, Zock said that his schedule was only slightly reduced, as a result of earlier closing hours. He said that he didn’t feel that the virus had impacted his schedule as much as it had affected others.

“I worked two days a week after Kramer’s started closing an hour earlier, but that was similar to my schedule before the pandemic,” Zock said.

Zock said that he considered his workplace to be safe, considering that, as an employee, he wore a mask and gloves at all times. He also noted that most customers wore masks and gloves as precautionary measures as well, but he said that many people who came into the store still seemed nervous despite the lengths that the store had gone through to try to remain safe and healthy.

“There was definitely fear among customers,” Zock said. “After the first official day of the quarantine, there was very little bread and other essentials because everyone was worried about not being able to leave their house.”

However, in an attempt to combat fear from customers as well as employees, Zock said that there were many signs throughout the store reminding customers to maintain social distancing. Additionally, the store began to open earlier for only elderly people to shop safely.

“When Kramer’s started opening 30 minutes earlier for only elderly people to shop, they also put up signs everywhere reminding customers to maintain their distance from others,” Zock said.

By wearing a mask and gloves at work, washing his clothes immediately after

work and sanitizing common touchpoints on his way home, Zock said he was able to avoid any potential spread of the virus.

“When I was working, I was careful to wash my clothes and hands often to make sure I couldn’t spread anything to my family,” Zock said.

Ultimately, Zock stopped working due to his family’s concerns, but he said he was also nervous about working because he didn’t want to bring anything home to his family or put them in danger. However, he maintains the statement that he felt safe at work.

“I felt that I was generally safe given that we were wearing masks and gloves nonstop, but my parents were worried nonetheless,” Zock said.

At the end of her shift, Espinoza takes extra care to clean all of the spaces at her job and makes sure to avoid contact with the most common touchpoints on her way out. The usual glow of traffic lights and endless lines of cars on the streets are absen.

But after a long day of work, Espinoza is finally allowed to remove her mask and gloves once she arrives at home. She makes sure to clean her uniform right away and washes her hands in order to avoid any possible transmission of germs from work.

While it seemed strange and foreign to Espinoza to be so cautious, it seems that this may become a reality for the time being, and the students who are working during the pandemic will try their best to adjust to their new routines at work.

“My family has said that they’re proud of me for serving the community and helping out where I can.”

- Holly Marcus

Profiles | 5

209242 May Issue_r1.indd 5

5/12/20 5:07 PM

Pandemic Pastimes

Q A &

6 | Profiles

209242 May Issue_r1.indd 6

A look at the hobbies many students have been engaged in during self-quarantine.

by Lainey Harvey & Grace Erwin design by Ramzey Douedari

W

ith the stay at home order in Illinois extended until the end of May, students from Central have been finding ways to stay busy. Izzy Levinthal, freshman, Eleanor Moyek, sophomore, Dan Ortiz, sophomore, Sophie Biancalana, junior, Maddie Ward, junior and Lorenzo Jennings, senior, have all shared their quarantine hobbies.

Q: Activities during Quarantine?

Sophie Biancalana:

During quarantine, I have been working out a lot. I usually like to do it every day for about 90 minutes. I have a fun time picking out a variety of different workouts to do depending on the day. My favorite workouts are on Popsugar.com. Working out has helped me stay healthy and fit during quarantine.

Izzy Levinthal: I’ve been taking the time to draw, which is something

I have been doing for years. I finally have sufficient time on my hands to really focus on drawing realistically, which is something I have been wanting to try for a while.

Lorenzo Jennings:

I have mostly been trying to keep myself to a daily schedule, combining schoolwork, outside of school projects, jigsaw puzzles, FaceTime with friends, running/working out, and movies.

Eleanor Monyek: I’ve been going on bike rides, it’s been really

nice to be able to enjoy the spring weather while riding my bike because it’s something that I really enjoyed doing as a kid, so it’s been fun to be able to do that again. I’ve also been cooking and baking new recipes that I’ve found online. I’ve cooked banana bread, chicken linguine, egg casserole and pork tenderloin. I’ve been learning to play guitar.

I’ve always wanted to learn how to play, but school and sports usually kept me busy and I had never found the time to learn. Now that I have more free time, I’ve been watching Youtube videos to learn how to play some of my favorite songs like “Sweater Weather” by the Neighbourhood and “The Less I Know the Better” by Tame Impala.

5/12/20 5:07 PM

Q: Have you spent more time with your

family since quarantine has started?

Sophie Biancalana:

Yes, I have been spending a lot more time with my family. We always have dinner together and usually do something fun together after dinner. We like to watch movies and play card games together most nights.

Dan oritz:

I have spent significantly more time with my family. I have three younger brothers and we are all pretty close in age. We have been playing wiffleball in the backyard almost daily for a few hours just to get outside and have fun. We all play different sports so it is usually hard with all our different schedules to have a full family dinner, but [now] we have been having those almost nightly.

Izzy Levinthal: I have, yes. I have three younger brothers so I get to spend a lot more time with

them. One of them is only six years old, so he likes that I have time to play with him. We have been having dinner all together as a family. We have been going on family walks as well, which is nice because my siblings and I are typically too busy for this to be possible.

Lorenzo Jennings:

I have spent more time with family. We actually took a family trip to the Indiana Dunes last weekend, which was super fun. We were able to social distance while still enjoying nature and so it was a great combination of spending time with family and getting outdoors.

Maddie ward: Yes, my dad is home from work and my siblings are home from college so we eat family dinners and always spend time together.

Eleanor Monyek Profiles | 7 209242 May Issue_r1.indd 7

5/12/20 5:07 PM

Q: Have you been staying in contact with your

friends?

Sophie Biancalana: I have been going on walks with my friends a lot. We always stay six feet apart.

It’s a good way to exercise, pass time, and catch up with my friends. I also have been meeting up with my friends in parking lots and sitting and talking. We just sit in our cars and catch up.

Dan Ortiz:

I play Minecraft on my group’s server at night. I also get on FaceTime or Google Hangouts with them.

Seeing people face to face, even if it’s through a screen, can be a big morale-booster. I also have a girlfriend of over two years that I am unable to see. We use Facetime and try to call for about an hour between 8:00 and 10:00 every day to catch up on each other’s days and say good night.

Izzy Levinthal: I have been texting and snapchatting my friends a lot. We also occasionally do Facetime or Zoom calls.

Lorenzo Jennings: I’ve actually started a step challenge with a big group of my friends. We divided up into teams of four and are competing to try to get the highest average number of steps as a team until the end of April. It has gotten me out of the house quite a bit, my feet are very sore from walking over 20,000 steps a day but it’s been working and keeping me motivated as well as my friends.

Eleanor Monyek: I’ve been staying in contact with my friends by texting and FaceTiming them. I’ve missed my friends a lot but hopefully with all the social distancing we’re all doing we could be able to all hang out and see each other during the summer.

Q: Do you think it is good for people to learn

Something new and take part in a hobby?

Sophie Biancalana:

Yes, I do. Now is a great time to take up a new hobby or continue an old one. The internet is a great tool for this. Having hobbies can improve both your mental and physical health.

Dan Ortiz:

Definitely. It’s great to have hobbies in general, but especially right now, with all the free time we have, it’s as good a time as any to pick one up.

Izzy Levinthal: I think it is. For a lot of people, having hobbies is a good way to pass time. Right now is the perfect work time, as many people have a lot of extra time on their hands. For people who have hobbies that they can’t do from home though, this is a difficult time.

Eleanor Monyek:

Yes, it’s a good time to have hobbies at a time like this because with the Coronavirus in our country, it can be a scary time. But instead of being upset about our activities and sports being cancelled, we can fuel our energy into something beneficial that we can use in the future.

Maddie Ward: Yes, because if all you do is sleep you are going to start to have a rough time being motivated once this is over.

8 | Profiles 209242 May Issue_r1.indd 8

5/12/20 5:07 PM

From Referendum to Renovations District 86 begins the first renovations to Central and South that were part of the April 2019 Referendum

Photos provided by Cotter Consulting

by: John Olsen, Dalya Laban designed by Kritin Shanmugam

Workers are drilling helical test piles, which will ensure the foundation will properly support the new pool.

O

n a warm April morning, construction workers wearing face masks and Hi-Vis vests continue the renovations being done at Central. The smell of gasoline lingers in the air and the noise generated by the construction equipment blocks out all other sound. A lift is parked on Grant Street in front of the math hallway entrance to raise workers up so that they can remove parts of the roof.

With Governor J.B. Pritzker closing all schools for the rest of the semester due to the COVID-19 pandemic, District 86 was able to begin renovations that weren’t scheduled to start until the end of May. These renovations are the first part of the $140 million dollar referendum which District 86 passed in April 2019.

The money granted by the referendum is being used to fund improvements at both Central and South. A few of the many renovations that are being funded by the referendum include: expanding building spaces, providing additional infrastructure, and installing improved security measures.

Superintendent Tammy Prentiss said she believes that the renovations were desperately needed and will largely modernize the infrastructure of both schools.

“This was the scope and magnitude of what needed to be done,” Prentiss said.

“There’s quite a bit of replacement that needs to be done at the two schools. We did tours at Central, and people could not believe what a hot mess the building was in terms of the infrastructure.”

All of the planned renovations are laid out in the Master Facilities Plan (MFP) which has been revised multiple times since it was first created to accurately reflect the amount of money that could be spent. The MFP details the amount of money each project is expected to cost, and the total amount is $139,815,983, with about $80 million being spent at Central and $60 million being spent at South.

Grant Zhang, a sophomore at Central said he believes that the amount of money spent shows how invested the district is in its students.

“The fact that the community and district were willing to have a referendum of $140 million shows that we care about the students’ learning environment,” Zhang said.

Features | 9

209242 May Issue_r1.indd 9

5/12/20 5:07 PM

10 | Features 209242 May Issue_r1.indd 10

opinion of the community. For instance, a special committee was formed of people with a background in construction who live in the district. Its purpose is to help advise the district along the time frame of this process, and to help support the process with their expertise.

After consulting with a variety of sources nd people, the administration and district had to plan all of the construction and how much each project would cost.

The construction has been split into two phases, with Phase I construction taking place during the summer of 2020 and Phase II construction taking place during the summers of 2021 and 2022.

Before construction can start, the District, by law, has to go through a bidding process, which ensures that they are getting the fairest price for the construction.

According to the District 86 website, the bidding process for Phase I construction was finished during the 2019-2020 school year, and the bidding process for Phase II construction has just started, and will be finished within the 2020-2021 school year.

Roughly $35 million of the $140 million is being spent on Phase I construction, with many of the smaller but more necessary projects occurring now, while many of the larger projects have been made part of Phase II. Some of the Phase I renovations occurring at Central are new tennis courts, new turf at Dickinson Field, and a Building and Grounds addition.

The biggest renovation occurring at Central during this phase is the construction of a new pool, which is a $17 million renovation.

According to the MFP, the new pool will enable Central to host both swimming and diving events now, and will also provide a much cleaner environment for athletes and

Physical Education students to swim in.

Erkan Ozgen, a junior at Central who is on the swim team, said he thinks that a new pool is a much needed addition and will be beneficial given the condition that the current pool is in.

“The old pool is disgusting,” Ozgen said. “We’ve definitely had one of the worst pools in the state, but one of the most successful teams in the state. I feel like we aren’t getting the best training we can because the air in the pool is also atrocious.”

A new pool isn’t the only major renovation or addition occurring at Central, as more projects occurring during Phase II will have major impacts on the environment in the school.

The first big Phase II renovation is a remodeled cafeteria space, which will be built in the summer of 2022. Walsh said he believes that the new set-up of the cafeteria will change the way students get their food.

“We’re redoing the cafeteria kitchen and completely changing how food is going to be served in our cafeteria,” Walsh said. “Think of it as almost like an open marketplace. Instead of all these lines, there are going to be these kiosks, and you walk in and it’s just this open space.”

Zhang said he believes that these changes will be beneficial for students, especially given the setup of the cafeteria space.

Photos provided by Cotter Consulting

Both schools will have some of the same renovations, but will also have improvements that are unique to each school.

An example of an improvement that both will have is an updated security and safety system, that includes a new intercom system with two-way speakers and call backs throughout the school. There will be improved security at entrances, doors, and communication systems. As part of the remodeled safety system, the exterior and interior doors will be replaced and will have security codes in front of each one. To ensure student safety in the hallways, handrails and guardrails will be replaced and put throughout all of the stair levels in the buildings. Advanced smoke detectors will be installed, as well as emergency generators.

The new security system is only one of many improvements being made.

After the Referendum passed, a lot of discussions had to be held to make sure that everything runs smoothly.

Principal William Walsh, who has overseen much of the planning of construction at Central, has been involved with many of these discussions.

“There’s been a lot of meetings. Some with students, some with staff, a lot with construction people,” Walsh said. “These meetings were called end-user meetings, and we were meeting with students in particular areas and asking what they thought those areas needed to meet their needs after the project was done.”

Kari Hein, who has been a student counselor at Central for 15 years, was one of the many people involved in these end-user meetings. “[Part of these meetings] was being able to go out and see some of the other schools so that we could look at their student services departments to then decide what we really like about each school, and what would work really well with our department,” Hein said.

The end-user meetings were not the only meetings being held, as the administration had to stay in touch with the people who would actually be doing the renovations.

“I meet with Cottar Engineering, Pepper, which is our construction firm, and Arcon, which is our architect, along with key people in the district,” Prentiss said. “There’s about 44 of us who have a Google Meet every Monday morning from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.”

The District also has stayed in touch with a number of community members to make sure that all of their decisions regarding the MFP accurately reflects the

Workers are demolishing the old roof. Photo taken before state guidance on using face masks.

5/12/20 5:07 PM

“Currently, it can take up to half of the lunch period to get your lunch, and if you design [the new cafeteria] the right way, it could allow for more options, shorter lines, and look more aesthetically pleasing,” Zhang said.

Another big project that is part of Phase II construction is the addition of a new band room, which will be placed where the Building and Grounds department is currently located. Band Director Matt Kurinsky, who has been at Central for more than 10 years, said he is pleased that a new band room is being built.

“The administration realized that we needed a new band room,” Kurinsky said. “It’s going to be over 3,000 square feet and it’s going to be amazing.”

Kurinsky was also involved in a couple of end-user meetings and was able to visit other schools to see what their band rooms were like.

“I got to go around with the architect and we toured seven or eight different high school music departments,” Kurinsky said.

“We’ve got some very good ideas.”

In addition to a new band room, which will have built-in recording capabilities, the Music Department will add a common locker area for instruments, and a separate hallway with practice rooms in it. These renovations will give students more space, given how crowded the current band room can get with more than 300 students sharing one room.

The last big project occurring at Central is the addition of a new Student Service Center, which will take up about half of the current courtyard space and will house all of the counselors and social workers. Hein said she is looking forward to this space.

“Based on what the architects have come up with, I could not be more excited,” Hein said. “Getting a new physical space is going to be amazing, and [the architects] have done such a great job with the design plan to make it so student friendly.”

Walsh notes that the new Student Service Center is his favorite part of these renovations. “[The current counselors’ offices] are really cramped and the current counseling department isn’t exactly the most welcoming space,” Walsh said. “With the new Student Service Center, there’s

going to be a waterfall of stairs out front and it’s going to be this open venue, and it’s going to just be this inviting space.”

With these projects and renovations comes a set of challenges that the administration has to anticipate and find solutions for. The first of these challenges is making sure that the people who live around Central are prepared to deal with everything that comes with all of this construction.

“Central is literally built in the middle of a neighborhood,” Prentiss said. “We want to stay friends with our neighbors. There’s going to be a lot of construction equipment and trucks, and so we have to change the way the bus drop works. Currently, it’s a sort of a nightmare to be near Central at 7:45 in the morning, and for the next three years

“Intrinsically, there is just incredible satisfaction in knowing what the outcome is going to be.”

- Principal Walsh it’s going to be an even bigger nightmare.”

To make sure that the people who live around Central are aware that this will be happening, the district has had teams go to the monthly village meetings in Hinsdale. In addition, they have also gotten addresses of everyone who lives near to Central and sent them personalized letters to let them know what to expect.

Another challenge that the district has had to overcome is making sure that they are efficient with their money and don’t spend more than they need to. Prentiss said

she believes that there are multiple systems in place that allow the district to stay on budget, but be frugal at the same time.

“There is an internal control and check, and the Board has to approve all expenditures,” Prentiss said. “Pepper Construction has some pretty sophisticated software to take in design, dimension, and materials. We call it value engineering. For example, we found that if we removed one basement piece [from the design], we could save hundreds of thousands of dollars.”

An additional challenge that the district has faced is keeping construction out of the way of students. They have adapted the school calendar to make the summer breaks longer, which gives construction more time to work, and then given less time off during the school year.

“In the summer of 2021, we need at least 13 weeks to get the Student Service Center in,” Walsh said. “We don’t want students on campus when they’re carrying beams over the roof and into the courtyard. It’s about figuring out the time needed to get those projects in a state where everybody is going to be safe and secure.”

Kurinsky said he believes that even with the assurance of safety and security, navigating around the construction and dealing with it is going to be difficult. “[Construction] is going to be a real pain in the butt for three years,” Kurinsky said. “It’s going to be an inconvenience.”

Despite all of these challenges, the administration has remained optimistic about how rewarding the process will be when complete.

“Intrinsically, there is just incredible satisfaction in knowing what the outcome is going to be,” Walsh said.

Walsh said he believes that this process has proven to both the district and the community that the end goal is giving students the best environment to succeed in.

“We all have the same goal and the same mission to give the best opportunity to our kids, and put them in the best spot to be successful,” Walsh said.

Features | 11

209242 May Issue_r1.indd 11

5/12/20 5:07 PM

Learning From Home

by Hari Rao & Nate Bittner design by Ramzey Douedari

A look at how the Coronavirus has impacted different aspects of life for students and staff.

12 | Features 209242 May Issue_r1.indd 12

5/12/20 5:07 PM

g

Features | 13 209242 May Issue_r1.indd 13

5/12/20 5:07 PM

D

ilan Garg wakes up to the sound of his alarm and sees that it’s 8:45 a.m.

Remembering that today is a Friday, he rushes out of bed and straight to his chromebook to sign in for first period, which begins at 8 a.m. He clicks through the many different instructions to reach the Google attendance form and rapidly types his name. Once he sees the pop-up reading “Your response has been recorded,” Garg turns around and runs back into bed, knowing that he can wake up later to complete any assignments. It isn’t until 10 a.m. that he actually gets up from bed.

From there, he works on his own schedule after he taps through his phone to make sure he’s signed in for his third period class.

That same morning, Katrina Geiersbach woke up at 7:30 a.m. after a great night’s rest. She first prepares a good breakfast, consisting of protein filled eggs, yogurt and healthy fruit. Then, she gathers her materials, sits at her desk and signs into first period. Immediately after, she checks that period’s assignment, working to get it done as soon as possible. After being productive for 30 minutes and completing her classwork, she goes through her morning workout routine. Before the next period starts, she spends time making her bed, tidying her room, and when the next lesson comes around she’s sure that she’s ready to finish her objectives.

Background & E-learning

It was March 13 when Principal Bill Walsh first told students and staff over intercom that school would be temporarily closed until April 7. On March 20, Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzker announced that the entire state would go on lockdown until at least April 7. After the D86 administration cancelled spring break and the governor pushed stay-at-home orders until the end of April, Pritzker officially closed schools for the rest of the school-year with a statement on April 17.

According to the stay-at-home order and social distancing guidelines, issued on March 20, the goal was to aid hospitals by ensuring there was enough equipment to treat those who are infected.

“It is critical that the State’s health care and first responder workforce has adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) to safely treat patients, respond to public health disasters, and prevent

the spread of communicable diseases,” Pritzker stated in his executive order.

As a result of Pritzker’s stay-at-home order, schools moved to online learning.

Central had been preparing for the implementation of online education since the start of this school year, according to Superintendent Tammy Prentiss, to provide the district different opportunities for collaboration. Central has enacted remote learning days on select Wednesdays. The first half of the day is completed at school, and the rest is done at home electronically.

When the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) issued statements asking schools to move to working from home, Central’s remote learning plan served as a baseline for not only community members but also the state as for what to expect.

According to Prentiss, Dave Lapetino, the district’s instructional innovation coordinator, created a comprehensive plan for students to stay engaged in learning at home, commonly referred to as e-learning.

For e-learning, teachers would need to plan assignments for each week. Those on the administration and District 86 Board would put in thought about how to handle all school related issues. Not only are the students required to play their part, but so are all members of Central’s community.

students & Teachers The schedule for e-learning consists of an “Enrichment day” on Monday for students to, according to Prentiss, catch up on missing assignments and receive help in classes if they need it. Throughout the week, students do assignments for every other period and then alternate the next day to the classes they did not have.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, students have Early Bird and periods 2, 4/5/6 and 9, while on Wednesdays and Fridays there are periods 1, 3, 6/7/8 and 10.

Jackson Hughes, senior and Hinsdale Central Board Liaison, affirms that teachers and staff at Central have done a wonderful job in transitioning to e-learning.

“Teachers have been pretty successful in keeping students on track with what they should be learning,” Hughes said. “What our school is doing is a great thing, they’re trying to make this manageable for everybody.”

Some students, such as Geiersbach, said they appreciate that the new schedule is not incredibly different from the normal schedule and believe that it helps keep a sense of structure even while being at home.

“Continuing to learn and having to sign in each hour has really helped me maintain a sense of normalcy,” Geiersbach said.

Geiersbach continues to wake up at the same time each day, and completes her tasks during the given hour.

For other students, the day may look very different. For instance, Grace Clopton, junior, likes to incorporate a diverse plan for finishing her school work, not always taking it at a relaxed pace but also not constantly relying on a structured schedule.

“I prefer to finish my work quickly but it’s a week-by-week thing honestly,” Clopton said. “Some weeks I wake up at 7 or 8 and just get everything done in three hours, but there’s other weeks where I only wake up for attendance and do my work later in the afternoon.”

Geiersbach said she doesn’t believe her workload is as difficult as it would be if there hadn’t been a stay-at-home order and said she can complete her class assignments in roughly 20 minutes.

“I feel like I’m not getting the rigor I would if I was at school,” Geiersbach said.

“AP exams are coming up really soon so... I’ve been doing stuff on my own [to prepare].”

Despite school closing down, teachers and staff are still doing everything they can to help their students, even from a distance.

Platforms like Zoom and Google Meets have allowed students to be in a classroomlike experience in their houses, allowing them to still be able to ask questions and communicate with teachers from afar.

“I’d say half of my teachers have mandatory Zoom calls every class period.

Most teachers have an optional one for the period,” Garg said. “It’s important for [the teachers] to be available for students.”

Geiersbach said that her teachers have been very organized and have used their online platforms to make the transition as smooth as possible.

“The teachers that have pre-recorded lessons or done live teaching sessions (have been) really helpful,” Geiersbach said. “The district was prepared and we’re in a really fortunate position especially compared to other schools.”

For some students, depending on their at home situation, the challenges may be different. For students with other siblings learning from home, they may find that they have technological restrictions.

“The main difficulty I’ve experienced is connecting to WiFi,” Clopton said. “My dad and sister are also on their computers with multiple zoom calls a day, so it can

14 | Features 209242 May Issue_r1.indd 14

5/12/20 5:07 PM

get tricky when we have multiple people in the house trying to connect to a call.”

Despite not being in school, teachers have access to methods, including lockdown browsers, that direct students away from cheating in tests and quizzes at home. However, according to Garg, he has not yet taken a quiz or test where a teacher has used these secure methods because of its impracticality.

“I’ve had a biology test and a math test so far, and both of [my teachers] said those tests were open-note because realistically they can’t monitor that,” Garg said. “I don’t know what the point of saying it’s not an open note would be.”

Prentiss, who has been virtually meeting with staff since the start of the self-quarantine, said she understands the difficulty teachers have in giving instruction while at home.

“They miss their students and being able to teach in-person,” Prentiss said. “I don’t believe any of us ever thought that in our lifetime there would be such a public health crisis that would come to this level of intervention that we’ve needed to take.”

Christina Brodell, Spanish teacher, explained that she finds managing e-learning very tiresome. She said she makes sure students are able to find the directions for assignments, and she consistently has to go through the online programs to check if students are doing their work.

“There’s a lot of tedious tasks of going to Edpuzzle and seeing who did it, going to canvas and keeping track of who submitted the assignments, and writing an email to the kid who didn’t,” Brodell said. “There’s a lot of clicking.”

Brodell adds that, like many other teachers, she uses Monday as the planning day for the week. The most important thing on her mind while making assignments is to not make work that students would perceive as pointless or boring.

“I try to make assignments as authentic and engaging for the students as possible,” Brodell said. “I know a Peardeck (for my classes) may be busywork, but Señora Delacey and I are always trying to make sure that the assignments are engaging or meaningful.”

Brodell emphasized that she felt lucky because she had already used much of the technology she is using now, just that it used to be alongside her normal teaching.

“I felt pretty comfortable going into e-learning because in my classes we have already used a lot of this technology,”

Brodell said. “I have a lot of empathy for teachers who were unfamiliar with this technology coming into e-learning.”

Brodell said one of the hardest things for her during quarantine is watching her students not carry the same attitude as they had during normal school, and she said she feels helpless about the situation.

“In some of my classes that would be normally very energetic, I’d ask ‘hey what’s up everybody’ and no one responds, and it feels terrible,” Brodell said. “I want to be able to help students regardless, but because it’s through the computer, we’re missing the human connection and it feels so different.”

“

It’s my second semester as a senior, which is supposed to be a fun time .

”

Jackson Hughes

Andrea Ellexson, the director of the Special Education Department at Central, clarified that those students with extra needs are getting all the help and personalized attention needed. She added that the most difficult part of helping students with extra needs, as for all students, is trying to provide the social connections that are absent when people are self-quarantining.

“Not being there physically with each other is probably the hardest for the students and staff,” Ellexson said.

“We are used to being hands-on with our students, but we’re all adjusting.”

Regardless of the challenges Brodell and other teachers may be facing, Brodell highlights that she is continuously motivated because of her students. She said she is very proud of all her students because

she has almost everyone completing homework and signing into class.

Ellexson said that while the stay-athome order is challenging many teachers’ abilities, the most important part of being a teacher is to continue to be resilient and learn from each new situation.

“The most important thing, as a teacher, and life in general, is that you continue to have an open mindset and be reflective of your practices so you’re always a life-long learner,” Ellexson said. “I’m learning things every single day to improve things for our students, staff and myself as a person.”

Grading & final exams Final exams are typically scheduled for the very last week of the school year.

This year, those dates were originally planned to be May 26, 27, and 28.

However, in Prentiss’s email sent out on April 20, the district decided to not administer final exams this school-year.

“I like that [finals were cancelled] because they usually stress me out,” Garg said. “I’d rather keep the grade I have than have to worry about a final exam.”

Another aspect conflicting students has been the grading system. Per the state of Illinois’ clarification, grade input after March 13 cannot harm students’ grades. Thus, the assignments may only improve a grade. However, if students (freshmen through juniors) do not participate in the assignments at all, they may end with an Incomplete.

“I think it’s a pretty good system, it doesn’t hurt students who are struggling with e-learning so they can keep their grade for the semester.” Garg said. “It’s been working pretty good for the assessments.”

However, some students were worried that their grades wouldn’t be looked at fairly by colleges or be entered in the gradebook fairly. An unsuccessful, studentled petition sprung up in mid-April asking for all grades from e-learning to be void. Even after the district and many colleges have clarified that they promise to be accommodating to the class of 2021, those students who wanted more large assignments were still disappointed.

“I don’t really like the grading process because I feel like, more or less, I’m stuck with the grades I had preceding quarantine,” Clopton said. “We would’ve had two more months of projects and tests every day that could have compensated for a large portion of our grade that

Features | 15 209242 May Issue_r1.indd 15

5/12/20 5:07 PM

I feel like I can’t make up for now.”

Even with her concerns regarding the grading system, Clopton has still recognized her success.

“My grades have only gone up during this time, which is definitely a plus,” Clopton said. “It’s frustrating because I did have grades where I was in-between two grades on March 13, but not enough grades went in to change it very much.”

Collegeboard & Standardized testing From AP tests to the SAT and ACT, students have seen major changes surrounding not only the structure of the upcoming tests, but also how and when they will be taken. With school being closed for the rest of the year, the April 14 schoolwide mandated SAT was cancelled, leaving many students stuck with no SAT score.

Central has been looking into potentially offering a date in the fall for this year’s juniors to have a chance at taking the SAT. “There are a lot of students in Illinois who would have had that as their only opportunity to take the SAT,” Walsh said.

“We’re trying to navigate the details of how we’d give it, when we’re going to give it and when students need to apply for college.”

Due to the new situation of students at home, the College Board has changed the format of their AP tests from paper to online, meaning that it is also open-note.

The lengths of the exams have also been shortened, from originally lasting around three hours to now being 45 minutes.

As a result, the multiple choice sections from all tests have been removed and every test will only offer either one essay or some free response-styled questions.

With news about AP tests now widespread, students are looking into what their situation may look like as well as what adjustments will need to be made.

Hughes, who has taken 10 AP tests in his high school career, notes that having tests online relieves some of the pressure of taking tests in person. However, he highlights that having a test this style is beneficial to a certain set of people.

“There is a completely different set of students who will be successful with an online test rather than one in person because there are skills such as note-taking and compiling notes that are weighted more with the online tests,” Hughes said.

“It’s not for the kids who can learn and

memorize stuff for the normal AP test.”

Some students, such as Garg, have expressed many of their complaints about this situation.

“It makes it so that your entire AP score for a single class depends on, for example, one essay or a couple questions,” Garg said.

“So you have to do really well because you have nothing else to back it up.”

Geiersbach said that it can be frustrating for some AP students who now only have one, 45 minute test opportunity to receive their desired score.

“I feel like we don’t get to show our full skillset and we can’t be tested on our entire year’s worth of knowledge,” Geiesbach said. “In some classes that’s nice that we’re not responsible for as much but in other (classes) I would appreciate having more than just two questions determine my entire (AP score).”

However, she notes that some students appreciate the lighter load and now they are able to hone in on the skills that they know they will be assessed on.

“We’ve worked really hard this year to prepare for (several different tests) so I guess it’s a relief that we’re only tested on one [section],” Geiersbach said.

Geiersbach said she realizes that the junior class have been put in a position very unique, like the seniors from the class of 2020.

“Our AP testing is drastically different, and now many colleges have gone testoptional with SAT/ACT,” Geiersbach said. “We’re in uncharted territory.”

Activities Seniors aren’t the only ones who’ve had activities affected by Coronavirus.

Many students throughout the school involved in various clubs and activities saw their seasons and meetings end abruptly. With more than 90 different clubs and activities at Central, many participants had to accept an ending to these clubs without any option for return.

Multiple teams, from Mock Trial and Scholastical Bowl to Gaussians Math team and JETS, were looking forward to pursuing further competitions all from regional to national levels before having their seasons cancelled by the pandemic.

“For both Citizens Club and JETS, the whole process just kind of stopped,” Garg said. “Especially for JETS, we had a state tournament coming up and Corona cancelled that.”

Compared to what he lost, Garg said

that he has sympathy for those who he thought lost a lot more than him.

“I feel bad for spring sports that just didn’t get any time at all,” Garg said.

Bilal Khan, junior, who is on the JETS team and Math team, was planning to go to state for both activities. He says around half of everyone in each club was planning on competing at the state level.

“In JETS it was kind of a shock because we didn’t find out our results [from sectionals] until after school was cancelled,” Khan said. “For both clubs, it abruptly just happened, and we didn’t even get a chance to meet about it in person, and we couldn’t do anything else.”

Khan said he felt especially unhappy about JETS, as it was his first time, but he felt even worse for the seniors who lost their final chance to compete at state.

“Our seniors really deserved to go to state; they were great at what they did,” Khan said. “Based off of our record, we were expecting to place really well.”

Brodell, who coaches Boy’s Water Polo, said that her team feels miserable about not being able to compete for the season. However, they’re trying their best to be positive and keep their hopes up for the next season “I asked one of my boys how to respond to the question about how the team’s feeling, and he said that even though we are far apart and separated, we’re still trying to be positive,” Brodell said. “[He said] we’re a strong team, and we’re trying to make the best of the situation by interacting online through social media.”

Brodell also sponsors Breaking Down the Walls, and she said she has been encouraging members to start thinking about sponsoring food drives or helping essential workers.

Khan adds that he still has found ways to be involved in activities outside of school since self-quarantining was mandated by the government.

“I’ve had the opportunity with my mosque to answer a hotline for people who cannot go out to get groceries, and my job is to answer the calls and help people who are struggling get the essential food they need,” Khan said.

in the Future This May, seniors will end their time as students at Central in an informal way.

“It’s my second semester as a senior, which is supposed to be a fun time,”

16 | Features 209242 May Issue_r1.indd 16

5/12/20 5:07 PM

photo by Nate Bittner

Hughes said. “It’s a little disappointing to have lost that because you look forward to it your entire high school career.”

Many girls begin to plan out their prom dresses in the beginning of second semester.

Like others, Mia Dhilon, senior, said she felt terrible about not having a traditional prom.

“I was upset because I already picked out a dress in February that I was really excited to wear,” Dhilon said. “I wish I had prom, but these are the sacrifices we have to make.”

Recently, Prentiss said the district has been working on a new way to congratulate the seniors virtually. She said they expect it to be a fun and formal virtual gathering on May 21 where students can use their computers to have their own mini, simulated graduation.

“We did not want to let the actual graduation night go by without doing something formally to recognize them,” Prentiss said.

Prentiss explained what will be expected on graduation night, going over the set-up of the event.

“We’re trying to keep the traditions, so we’re all going to show up at Hinsdale Central, put up greenscreens, have a slideshow of graduates’ pictures, and do our part while they’re filming us,” Prentiss said.

Central is also planning to have a social gathering during the summer, but the date has yet to be decided.

“We’re hoping to have a social event this summer on our campus,” Walsh said. “If we have around 500 students, it may be possible.”

But despite what Central is planning for, Prentiss said the decision depends fully on the Coronavirus situation and how well it has been handled. Dhilon said that if the lockdown is lifted and a summer social event happens, she would most likely not want to attend.

“Most students, including me, would rather go out with their friends and do something they haven’t been able to do instead of going to a barbecue,” Dhilon said. “But I do think that it would still be a nice end to be around your senior class.”

Implementations such as having hand sanitizer machines in every room or needing to take the temperature of every student in the building are now being planned. Much of the construction as per the Referendum has started sooner because the campus is empty. Prentiss adds that the sanitation of the building has also been a concern of hers and the rest of the staff, and there have been steps taken to cleanse the entire school.

Frehsman Lorelai Bittner enjoys a show while working on an assignment.

“Our company that we use is the third party that comes during the night and normally cleans the school,” Prentiss said. “We worked with their corporation to find additional cleaning products, so each door for every classroom has been cleaned and secured closed.”

Walsh is uncertain about the state of the school for next fall, saying that there are many questions left to be answered, from teaching students what they would have missed out this spring as well as how things will look like this fall.

“If we see a runny-nose or hear a cough, do we send you home and not let you in the building? Do we have to have a whole new schedule?” Walsh said. “We have to hope for the best but plan for the worst.”

Hughes said that he continues to be motivated throughout this self-quarantine because he wants to be best prepared for his future and going to college. He considers being self-quarantined as an opportunity to better himself that he may not have often.

“I won’t ever have any other moment in my life where I’ll have this much time to learn new skills and better myself for the future,” Hughes said. “As terrible as a situation as it is, it’s a great opportunity to grow individually for the future.”

Geiersbach agrees with this statement.

She said she feels it necessary to play her part in keeping society and school running by keeping up with her work and maintaining structure in her life.

On the other hand, Brodell emphasizes that it’s fine either way, regardless if students are taking time to learn new things or relax because of much of the stress happening regarding the pandemic.

“I think we’ve been given a gift of having our lives on pause right now,” Brodell said. “We don’t have to learn anything, it’s fine whether you want to or not.”

From this experience, Brodell has added that she has learned to cherish being with people outside, including moments that used to feel small and insignificant to many.

“I will never underestimate those small social interactions...again,” Brodell said.

Hughes remarked that while he was disappointed with how his senior year ended, he finds that there are still many things to be proud of.

“While I missed some of the events that seniors typically get, I did have a pretty good high school career with so many great experiences to look back on,” Hughes said. “I’m excited and looking forward to moving onto the next chapter of my life.”

Features | 17 209242 May Issue_r1.indd 17

5/12/20 5:07 PM

HOW MANY DAYS DO YOU WATCH NEWS DURING THE WEEK?

0

15.2%

1

LISTEN TO THE NEWS FOR UNDER AN HOUR.

10.6%

2

11.9%

3

7.9%

4

11.3%

5

11.3%

6

74.2%

4%

7

27.8%

CORONA TIME

A look at students’ n

18 | By The Numbers

209242 May Issue_r1.indd 18

5/12/20 5:07 PM

-43.7% watch news on the TV

7.3%

74.2%

TEN TO THE WS FOR UNDER HOUR.

-36.4% read news on phones

10.6% 43.7% 36.4%

-10.6% read news on computers -7.3% use social media -1.3% read newspapers or magazines -0.7% use the radio

DOES EVERYONE IN YOUR FAMILY USE THE SAME NEWS SOURCES? 51.7% 48.3%

No Yes

k at students’ news consumption during quarantine (151 respondents)

By The Numbers | 19

209242 May Issue_r1.indd 19

5/12/20 5:07 PM

STAFF EDITORIAL ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS

Illustration by Audrey Carter

E

id-ul-Fitr is a religious holiday celebrated annually by roughly 1.8 billion Muslims around the globe.

The holiday marks the end of Ramadan, a month-long period during which Muslims fast, not consuming any food or water, from dawn to sunset each day. For Muslims everywhere, Eid is a time to rejoice and reflect, much like Christmas is for those who celebrate. Common practices include going to the mosque in the morning to pray as a community and then gathering with loved ones to feast, give gifts to children, and enjoy each others’ company.

At Central, however, repeated actions by

district leadership to reschedule key school events on the day of Eid have put students in a tough quandary. Most recently, as a result of the stay-at-home order amid the COVID-19 crisis, prom was not able to be held as scheduled on May 2. As such, it was announced that the new date for prom would be May 23 — the night that Eid-ulFitr begins this year (Eid starts at sunset on May 23 and lasts until sunset on May 24).

Decisions like these force students to make a choice that no one should ever have to: sacrifice their religious identity or miss out on some of the most important days of their high school career. And that is unacceptable.

While the United States does not officially recognize Eid-ul-Fitr (or Eid-ulAdha, the other major Muslim holiday) as a public holiday, many school districts across the country have taken the initiative to give public schools the day off to commemorate the celebration. In 2015, New York City became the first major school district to do so, and a number of other prominent districts, such as the Detroit Public School system, have followed suit. Because the date of Eid is determined based on the Islamic lunar calendar, which is 11 days shorter than the Gregorian calendar that most of the world

20 | Perspectives

209242 May Issue_r1.indd 20

5/12/20 5:07 PM

uses, Eid is not on the same day every year.

However, that small inconvenience hasn’t stopped many of our nation’s public school systems from taking the extra step to give students the day off in order to celebrate.

Last December, Devils’ Advocate published a feature entitled “Hidden Holidays” discussing how various religious holidays, including Eid and Hanukkah, are celebrated at Central. Many students voiced their opinions on the benefits and detriments of adjusting days off to accommodate more holidays for students.

One of the major points argued in favor of giving more days off was that, while students are currently able to be excused from school for a religious holiday, the pressure of having to make up missed work often puts students in a tough position in having to choose between celebrating an important holiday or falling behind.

Others countered this point by saying that it is impossible to cater to every religious group. While that debate has a valid argument on each side, there should be no debate whatsoever when it comes to establishing a basic level of respect for every religion and accommodating students who have religious obligations. Yet, that is sadly not always the case at Central.

A few months after that story was published, the Board of Education made the decision to make up snow days by pushing finals back to June 3-5, 2019. Eid was on June 4. There were a number of other options available, such as using the designated Emergency Days on President’s Day, the “non-attendance day” that happens to fall on Good Friday each year, or, alternatively, scheduling finals on different days altogether. Yet, the Board made the conscious decision to force Muslim students to choose between celebrating Eid or taking their finals as scheduled.

District 86 does not publish any information regarding the religious breakdown of the school population, however in a Devils’ Advocate survey of 160 students last year, 14.7% indicated they identified as Muslim, When one religious group makes up such a significant portion of the demographic, it’s inexcusable to ignore their religious obligations and fail to consider potential conflicts.

While students who wished to be excused from finals for Eid had the ability to reschedule their tests, the process of doing so is not an easy task. Students first have to pick up a form from the Dean’s office, work with up to three individual teachers’

schedules to find a new time for major exams, call the attendance office, return the form to the Dean’s, and then have to take make-up tests on days when other students are already celebrating the summer.

“The whole thing was upsetting, to the point where even when discussing with my parents, they told me to study for finals. It came to the point where they said, ‘as hard as it is, you should prioritize school,’” said Riz Zaheer, board member of Central’s Muslim Students Association (MSA). “It threw me off because it is the one time a year where we celebrate our religion after a hard month of fasting, and I had to make a really hard choice. I ended up being told to put aside my culture and religion to ensure I did well in school. I don’t think that’s a culture the school should be promoting.”

There was likely no malintent in the Board of Education’s decision. However, their oversight put many students in a difficult situation, causing some members of the Muslim community to reach out. As a two-year MSA board member, I emailed Principal William Walsh myself and received the following statement: “Thank you for bringing this matter to my attention.

You are correct, we need [to] do a better job at recognizing all students and conflicts that occur with the school calendar.”

That empathetic and well-intentioned response could’ve been the end of the issue. Yet, this year, once again, the school administration has shown that there is a lot of work to do when it comes to concretely recognizing religious diversity. At the time of this writing, the Hinsdale Central website reads “Prom will be held on Saturday, May 23, 2020… this is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our experiences with friends and staff.” The issue, however, is that prom is only a “wonderful opportunity” for those who are able to go.

Due to an extension of the stay-athome order by Governor Pritzker, prom will not be occurring on May 23 after all.

However, the cancelation of prom does not change the fact that for the second year in a row, the school and district leadership made the choice to schedule a major event on a religious holiday celebrated by a significant portion of the student body.

“May 23 was chosen as it was the alternate date for prom this year as it was the only Saturday in May available with Crystal Gardens,” Walsh said when asked about the decision to reschedule prom to May 23. “We were trying to reschedule prom, for our students, in a COVID-19

environment and decisions had to be made in a matter of days. If we had the option to survey students and identify options we would have… We had little to no time to make an alternate arrangement.”

Central’s leaders have done an extraordinary job in adapting to the everchanging and unpredictable situation that is the COVID-19 pandemic. These past few months have been undeniably unprecedented. Nonetheless, that does not excuse another crucial oversight by the school and district leadership team. The fact that students almost had to choose between celebrating their most important holiday of the year and attending one of the most memorable nights of their lives is a significant problem that needs to be addressed. There is no doubt that a decision had to be made quickly, but the issue arises when Eid is not even considered as a potential conflict. A survey, as Walsh mentioned, would have been nice if time allowed, but a survey should not be necessary for those in charge to take into account a day that holds so much importance to so many students.

In a public school district in a country where the First Amendment of the Constitution states that the government “shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,” our leaders have a duty to uphold religious equality and treat every holiday with equal respect. While Eid is the most prominent example of the glaring issue of religious appreciation facing our school, the same principle applies to other holidays celebrated by religious minority groups.

We are given more than two weeks off, and justifiably so, for “Winter Break” in large part to give an opportunity for the community to celebrate Christmas and other holidays that fall around that time. Given the large number of students who celebrate Christmas, that makes sense. The district may not be able to give time off like that for every religious celebration throughout the year, and that is completely understandable. Scheduling major events such as finals or prom on important religious holidays, however, is not. It is time that the decision-makers in our school and district live up to their words when it comes to religious equality and stop treating important celebrations as days to be used at their convenience.

This editorial is the consensus of the Devils’ Advocate editorial staff.

Perspectives | 21

209242 May Issue_r1.indd 21

5/12/20 5:07 PM

Unsolicited Advice

by Catherine Dolan & Anchal Kumar

With quarantine being our new reality, we wanted to share some fun activities that will help you change up your normal routine, maintain social distancing, stay active, and get fresh air!

1

Forest Preserves

Illustrations by Audrey Carter

During quarantine, exploring your own neighborhood can seem dull. After all, whether you are looking at the scenery through a window or taking a walk, being in the same surroundings can get old. Leaving your house to go to Forest Preserves is a great way to break the monotony! Plus it is a good way to get some physical activity by walking, biking, skating, or anything else. Every once in a while, taking a different route can be a welcoming change—you might see plants, animals, etc. that you do not usually. So, grab your family, some masks, and drive over to Fullersburg Woods, Waterfall Glen, or Ty Warner. And of course, remember to practice social distancing if you see other people there!

2

Sports With all the extra time, it could be fun to pick up a new sport. Even if you are not great at it, it could just be a way to pass time or bond with family. Tennis and basketball courts are not closed and you can still bring bats, balls, and nets outside. One fun idea would be setting up a makeshift net in your backyard and playing a game of volleyball or badminton with parents and siblings. If you are looking for something to get your heart rate up and a way to spend time with loved ones, playing sports is a great choice!

3

Hobbies One option is to mix things up and take your favorite hobbies outside. If you have been drawing or painting the great outdoors could give you some inspiration. If you have been reading and doing e-learning at the same desk all of this quarantine, set up a chair and make yourself a snack in the backyard. Finally, running is not the only way to exercise in nature. Try bringing your online exercise, yoga, or meditation session outside for a fun twist!

22 | Perspectives

209242 May Issue_r1.indd 22

5/12/20 5:07 PM

209242 May Issue_r1.indd 23

5/12/20 5:07 PM

BATTLEGROUND AFFIRMATIVE ACTION

Context: This month, many seniors committed to attending college, but that doesn’t mean everyone is happy with the admissions process. Colleges have long been criticized for admitting too few minority students—in 2017, The New York Times examined the 100 most selective schools in the U.S. and found that both black and Hispanic students made up a smaller portion of the student body than the general college-age population. In order to increase diversity, many colleges have implemented affirmative action policies that consider the race of the applicant in making an admissions decision. However, some argue that these policies aren’t meritocratic and shut out other deserving students. Should colleges and universities be allowed to use race-conscious affirmative action policies?

The principle behind affirmative action is simple—by admitting more students of color, schools seek to compensate for the unique challenges that minority students face. Take school segregation and funding. The Atlantic reports that between 1996 and 2016, the number of black children attending segregated schools (defined as less than 40% white) actually rose from 59% to 66%. According to NPR, those schools then receive $23 billion less in funding per year than predominantly white schools—roughly $2,226 per student. While individual student experiences vary, the fact remains that racial minorities face a systemic disadvantage in education.

Affirmative action forces admissions officers to take into account that minority students who are otherwise equal in their qualifications haven’t had access to the same resources or opportunities as white students.

Furthermore, trying to essentially ignore race in college admissions misses the point when it comes to equality. Racial minorities have historically been shut out of certain parts of society. While going to a selective college does not guarantee fame or wealth, it does give access to communities and connections that can increase your chances of professional success. That is why incorporating only socioeconomic status and not race in admissions misses the point—race can materially impact college applicants and deserves additional consideration. Of course, this doesn’t mean socioeconomic status should be left out—wealthy minority applicants likely had more advantages than poor ones—but neither should it be the only context considered.

In addition, the increased diversity that results from affirmative action benefits everyone, not just minorities. As part of the Supreme Court case Fisher v. University of Texas, researchers submitted evidence to the court on the benefits of diversity. One study analyzed how the different perspectives associated with different racial and ethnic backgrounds led to better critical thinking in classroom discussions. Unfortunately, classroom diversity and its associated benefits are in danger if affirmative action is banned. The data analysis website FiveThirtyEight reported in 2015 that public universities in states that prohibit affirmative action consistently have lower black enrollment and, in some cases, lower Hispanic enrollment as well. Evidently, eliminating affirmative action would harm diversity, and, by extension, the college learning environment.

And as for those who argue against affirmative action on the basis that we should get into college based on our merit alone, without consideration of any other factors? Let’s not kid ourselves—the admissions system doesn’t work that way. Wealthy parents can donate to a school to raise the chances their child will be admitted.

Legacy students and athletes get a leg up as well (a recent study found that 43% of Harvard students were either athletic recruits, legacy students, or had parents who had donated to the school).

Why should we target race-conscious affirmative action when advantaged students already get a boost? The concept of merit in itself is difficult to apply when everyone comes from different circumstances and has access to different advantages in college admissions.

Affirmative action isn’t unmeritocratic—in fact, it’s leveling the playing field.

AVA SEVERTS

The great Martin Luther King Jr. once said “I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” The mission of the Civil Rights Movement was simple: achieve equality for all Americans. Martin Luther King Jr. wanted to ensure a day when all people, no matter their race, would have equal opportunities.

But how can we reach such a day when our education system chooses candidates based on color rather than qualifications? Affirmative action is a fundamentally racist idea that inhibits the United States’ transition to a meritocracy free of color. The United States should forego race-based affirmative action DAVID GUST for a socioeconomic model to account for underprivileged kids and create true equality of opportunity.

It’s racist to assume that certain minorities need a boost to compete.

Not all African-Americans live in impoverished neighborhoods, and not all Asian-Americans have access to better resources. Yet, according to CNN, all Asian-Americans must score 200 points higher than black and Hispanic Americans to be recruited by Harvard. That is textbook racism.

Not only is this race-based policy unfair, but it reinforces stereotypes, creating a vicious positive feedback cycle that encourages racism. Skin color doesn’t affect SAT scores—socioeconomic status does. Impoverished children, despite their ethnicity, are systematically discriminated against in the college process. Lower income students lack college counselors, tutors, and many other resources available to the upper-class. Colleges should discard their racist policy in favor of a socio-economic model that encourages talent for all classes.

Affirmative action undermines meritocracy and equality. This is a country of social mobility, and it’s our duty as Americans to ensure that the best students are attending the best colleges. I don’t care if you are black or white, if you are the best America has to offer, then I want you at the best university. The best of these students will have the technology to solve cancer and build rockets at their fingertips. According to U.S. News, Harvard University alone has more than $39 billion of endowments.

That’s $39 billion untaxed dollars ready to aid student ventures. The best way to ensure the most qualified students is by considering socioeconomic status, not race. The entire point of the education system is to build students who can make a positive impact on society, not rig the system in the name of “diversity.”

Universities should scrap their color-based affirmative action policy for a socioeconomic model. The entire point of affirmative action is to fix the inequalities present in the college admissions process. Race doesn’t guarantee disadvantages: poverty does. Social mobility is a pillar of the United States, and a socioeconomic model will encourage meritocracy by creating more equality of opportunity among students. Impoverished students are no less intelligent than the wealthy, and by increasing the use of socioeconomic affirmative action, universities will be able to tap into a larger pool of students to choose the most qualified students. I understand that universities have good intentions, but affirmative action is a fundamentally racist policy that contradicts American values.

24 | Perspectives

209242 May Issue_r1.indd 24

5/12/20 5:07 PM

Our students develop knowledge and skills necessary for a lifetime of safe, intelligent driving.

We Teach Driver Intelligence™�

800-374-8373

www.topdriver.com

Hinsdale: 1 Grant Square Willowbrook: 313 W. 75th St. Western Springs: 810 Hillgrove Ave. 209242 May Issue_r1.indd 25

5/12/20 5:07 PM

DISHED

by Rima Rafiq

This Week's Dish

Photos by Rima Rafiq

In light of the quarantine restrictions, I’ve been stuck at home feeling pretty bored. When I saw a recipe on Tik Tok going around about “whipped coffee,” I thought it would be fun to make. As someone who loves coffee, I knew I had to try it and see how it compared to my go-to type coffee, which is a regular iced coffee. For a java-free alternative, I also tried my hand at homemade bubble tea.

Whipped Coffee

Iced Coffee

Bubble Tea

Whipped coffee essentially consists of 3 ingredients, which are instant coffee, white sugar, and water. In order to make it, you start by whisking together 2 tablespoons of each ingredient. The whisking took about 15 minutes to get to the right consistency, which was a little annoying, but it finally became the way it was supposed to be.

When it became a caramel-colored, gooey texture, I knew it was ready. I poured in my milk and added the whipped coffee on top.

I was really excited to try this drink, and it definitely didn’t disappoint. It was super creamy and had a great balance between having really good flavor while also not being too heavy.

While I usually get my iced coffee from Starbucks and other coffee shops, they are risky to go to at the moment, so I decided to make my own iced coffee. I started off by making regular hot coffee and then putting it in the fridge throughout the night. By the morning, it’s the perfect temperature. At that point, all I have to do is add in however much milk and sugar I want. The drinks I order at coffee shops usually have vanilla syrup and cold foam on top, so my coffee didn’t taste the same as I usually like it, but it was still good. Because I prefer my coffee to have more flavor and consistency to it, I’d probably figure out a way to add vanilla syrup before making it again.

As hard as it is to believe, not everyone is a coffee drinker. For those looking to get their caffeine fix from a lighter source, bubble tea is a fun and trendy beverage to turn to. The tea itself was pretty easy to make. Anyone with water, sugar, milk, and a few bags of earl grey can easily steep their own cup. However, because I didn’t have tapioca pearls, I had to follow a recipe to make them from scratch.

After several hours of work and two hands stained with food coloring, the pearls were finally finished. Then, all I had to do was spoon them into my cup, add the milk tea, and sweeten with simple syrup. Overall, the drink turned out way better than I expected, but it also took a long time to make. If you need a fun quarantine project, bubble tea is a great way to pass the time, but as a daily drink, I think I’ll just stick to coffee.

The Verdict

While I had never heard of whipped coffee before, trying it out was definitely the right choice. The whisking was time-consuming, but a lot less so than the bubble tea, and its rich and unique flavor tasted a lot better than the iced coffee. Overall, I wish that I was able to go to coffee shops to get my usual drink, but making a whipped coffee is a simple and satisfying way to get your coffee fix during quarantine.

26 | Perspectives

209242 May Issue_r1.indd 26

5/12/20 5:07 PM

Trends CROSSWORD

OVERHEARD AT CENTRAL Comical Quotes Heard In the Halls of Central

“

Gone Viral With all of the free time we have on our hands during quarantine, a lot of students have been using Tik Tok as an entertainment outlet. Test your Tik Tok knowledge below!

Free Panda Express is a burden”

“President Woodrow Wilson was a robot implanted by the Chinese government

“

”

The lengths I would go to have a bush baby as a pet are extreme”

“If Idaho is a real state then why didn’t they donate potatoes during the potato famine

”

Clues Across

Down

3. What is the first dance move in the Renegade dance?

1. This name of this group of Tik Tokers filming content together includes Chase Hudson, Addison Rae, and Avani.

5. This fast paced dance took over the Tik Tok app and has more than 29.7 million attempts 6. Which Drake song plays in the trend where people flick the light switch on and off, swapping each other’s outfits and mannerisms?

2. Which artist has many dances created to her songs on Tik Tok? 4. Which Tik Toker is known for having the “hype”?

7. Fill in the blank to this viral audio: “This message lasts two minutes. This is for ____”

209242 May Issue_r1.indd 27

1. Hype House 2. Doja Cat 3.Woah 4. Charli 5. Renegade 6. Nonstop 7. Rachel

Answers:

Trends | 27 5/12/20 5:07 PM

The Senio Issu 28 | Contents 209242 May Issue_r1.indd 28

5/12/20 5:07 PM

e enioR sue

Senior Bios 30 College Map 34 Senior Decisions 36 Cheers and Jeers 45 Superlatives 46 Senior Editorial 52 54 Letters to the Senior Class Contents | 29

209242 May Issue_r1.indd 29

5/12/20 5:07 PM

Senior Bios Audrey Carter – Editor in Chief I was in the fall of my sophomore year when I first interviewed to be a contributor for Advocate. I remember feeling extremely nervous (in part for the interview itself, but in part because nervous was pretty much my default state as a sophomore), and sitting down for the meeting I was anticipating a major ordeal. In reality, however, the club leaders only asked me a single question: If you could be any ice cream flavor, which one would you be and why?

First and foremost —if any of the former editors are reading— that question was an absolute nightmare. Trying to conjure up an on-the-spot dessert-themed metaphor for my journalistic qualifications is the hardest thing I have ever had to do for this publication. That being said, the experience also taught me the first of many lessons I’ve learned during my time with Advocate— to always expect the unexpected.

In my three years with this magazine, I have grown more than I ever thought possible. I’ve had the opportunity to tackle a variety of subjects from race-relations to local politics; and bringing those subjects to life, both in writing and design, has completely transformed the way I think creatively. Collaborating with the staff to clarify complex stories and give voice to new ones is immensely fulfilling, and as Editor-in-Chief, it has been equally gratifying to be able to guide our new members through that same meaningful experience. I feel so lucky to have been a part of this staff and I can’t wait to see what next year’s team does with the publication! Good luck, and thank you for a fantastic year!

Anchal Kumar — Managing Editor As a senior, I can confidently say that Devils’ Advocate has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my high school career.

I joined the class because, as an underclassman, I thought the concept of a magazine being produced at the high school level was really interesting and not given enough credit. Little did I know just how much I would learn. Being on this publication has taught me how to work with others and how to help lead and run an entire staff. Interviewing, writing, and facing challenges all along the way has also allowed me to gain insight into the red devil community. Whether it was exploring teams like ping pong and rowing or piecing together a four part series on the referendum, I have been able to gain more perspective about the people and places around me. Beyond these lessons, this is the place where I have discovered the most about the staff and made some of my closest, deepest friendships—staying after school to cut out pictures with photoshop creates a special bond.

Going into college, I will never forget what Devils’ Advocate has given me; I hope to continue using my editing, advertising, designing, and leadership skills for years to come. Even though our senior year is ending unexpectedly and without closure, I am grateful we can release this last issue to commemorate our time and get back some of what the class of 2020 has lost. Enjoy!

30 | Senior Bios 209242 May Issue_r1.indd 30

5/12/20 5:07 PM

Catherine Dolan — Managing Editor Honestly, it feels absolutely surreal to say goodbye. Central still holds so many unmade memories and experiences. Needless to say, the end of my high school experience has lacked closure.

What I’ll miss most about Central is the incredible sense of community. As a freshman, I was terrified I wouldn’t find my niche or thrive in such a large environment. I remember scanning through Central’s catalog of activities, feeling completely overwhelmed. Four years later, I can happily say that I lived out my high school career to its fullest potential. Countless times, I put myself out of my comfort zone and relentlessly sought new opportunities. I joined the speech team, and learned to embrace mistakes and anxiety. Out of all the clubs I’ve joined, however, Devils’ Advocate holds a special place in my heart.

Journalism allowed me to discuss and raise awareness about the issues at Central that are of personal relevance. Furthermore, journalism taught me the importance of determination. As a Managing Editor, I have endured many late nights, early mornings, and missed lunch periods. The friendships and bonds I’ve made while a part of the Devils’ Advocate staff are lifelong. I’ll always cherish our long brainstorming sessions and the stressful minutes before a deadline. I poured my heart and soul into every issue of Devils’ Advocate. I am honored to have been a part of RDN, and I am excited to use the lessons I’ve learned at Central throughout my life.W

Olivia Beargie — Head of Design It feels absolutely crazy sitting down and writing this. Not finishing out the school year has left me feeling incomplete and unsatisfied. I don’t feel like a graduating senior at all.

However, as I make amends with the fact that life isn’t perfect, I feel beyond grateful that Hinsdale Central has prepared me for these exact moments. While I still struggle with the idea of leaving everything behind so soon, I have faith that the experience and knowledge Central has armed me with will carry me into a bright future. Each and every class, passing period, and practice has thrown at me the toughest obstacles and the happiest of memories. I started my journalism track sophomore year in Journalism 1 and I couldn’t be more grateful for where the journey has taken me. I have had the opportunity to interview incredible people, be thoughtful on important issues, and write, rewrite, and rewrite again. I have made so many friends and gained an incredible work ethic from my years taking journalism that I know whatever life has to offer me I will be able to take it in stride. So seniors, while this isn’t the finale we dreamed of, let’s be thankful that we were given the tools to prevail. I know in my heart we can all do it.

Senior Bios | 31 209242 May Issue_r1.indd 31

5/12/20 5:07 PM

Hannah Ahdab — Copy Editor This was not the senior year I expected to have. I have spent a lot of time lamenting the things that I lost in my final semester of high school, but I think it also makes me grateful for all the things I did get. For three and half years I got to call Hinsdale Central my home.

In such a large school, it’s essential to find smaller pockets within that allow you to be who you are. I found that in room 249. I walked into that room for the first time sophomore year for Journalism I; I had no idea what was awaiting me. Room 249 gave me skills, experiences and friends to last a lifetime. I got to create my very own column that allowed me to explore all the amazing opportunities our school has to offer. I got to be a part of covering some of our school’s most decisive issues. Most importantly, I got to work with an incredible group of people to create amazing issues every single month. And while this month’s issue will be far different than any other, we did it for the seniors. So here’s to the class of 2020, no matter how our senior year ended we’ll always be Red Devils.

Katie Sharp — Copy Editor As our senior year comes to an end, I’m just wishing we had one last day to say goodbye to all of our classmates, teachers, coaches and others who made these past four years special for us. I joined Journalism 1 my sophomore year with Ms. Lopez and decided to join Devil’s Advocate after realizing writing was something I wanted to pursue in my future. This class helped me to understand the importance of highlighting new perspectives or giving a spotlight to things that may otherwise go unnoticed or unappreciated. And giving people a voice and an audience to speak about things that are important or special to them is rewarding for me. Although I will miss Devil’s Advocate, I am grateful for the friends I have made and the lessons I’ve learned about the importance of writing, which I will carry with me in the future. Although I may not remember everything I learned at Central, I will never forget the friends and memories I made, so thank you for a great four years.

Rima Rafiq — Trends Editor While our senior year got cut short, I’m so grateful for the memories I was able to make in the past four years. I joined Journalism 2 Honors my junior year with Ms. Lopez after having some experience writing in the club. I wanted to expand my horizons and try something new, so I thought journalism would be a good idea. This class helped me understand the effect media has on everyone and how important it is to share perspectives. Writing as a columnist allowed me to discover my own voice and how I want to display myself to the world.

Most of all, I’m grateful for the friendships and lessons I’ve gained throughout my time with Devil’s Advocate. It’s been a great four years, and I can’t wait for what comes next!

32 | Senior Bios 209242 May Issue_r1.indd 32

5/12/20 5:07 PM

or

Ammar Hussain — Section Editor I joined Devils’ Advocate this year after not having any prior experience with journalism because I’ve always enjoyed reading the newsmagazine and I had an extra spot in my schedule. I originally joined in the hopes of writing a political or a sports column, but even though that didn’t work out, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time writing. My favorite article by far was Setting the Dialogue, a piece about political polarization at Central, because the process of researching, interviewing, and writing the article completely changed my perspective on the topic. While my four years as a Red Devil, and my time writing for Advocate, have certainly not ended how I could have ever hoped, I wouldn’t give up my experience at Central for anything.

I’ll be honest, Advocate for me has been a wild roller coaster ride. I started last year and I remember I had to interview at the end of my sophomore year. I thought it went well and what’d you know? I got a little slip in my Algebra 2/Trig class saying that they thought I was Advocate material. I went home that day and I was ecstatic to be part of something that I had found interesting. Last year I was a columnist and later a photographer and this year I was the Public Relations manager. I’ll be honest although I liked my position this year I wish I had gotten to write. That being said I liked how in my position I was able to help anyone anytime I wanted. I was there behind everyone to support them in ways that weren’t noticeable because I don’t do very well with any attention. I am, after all, extremely socially awkward. This year was cut short and I will definitely miss the fact that I wasn’t able to end my high school career properly. It’s not like I was trying to go out with a bang, but I wanted to have that sense of closure that comes from closing this chapter of my life. All that set aside it’s not like I’m unprepared for the next stage of my life; it’s a well-known fact that four years at Hinsdale Central is rigorous enough to be compared to some colleges. I didn’t go out with as much as a bang, but that’s okay. My class has gone through two superintendents, favorite teachers being cut, and a referendum that split the community. I’d be willing to bet that we can survive this and come out stronger. I do have regrets from my last four years, but I wouldn’t give up my experience for anything.

Rayhan Hussain — Public Relations

Senior Bios | 33

209242 May Issue_r1.indd 33

5/12/20 5:07 PM

209242 May Issue_r1.indd 34

50+ STUDENTS 26-50 STUDENTS 11-25 STUDENTS 6-10 STUDENTS 2-5 STUDENTS 1 STUDENT 0 STUDENTS

ACROS

34 | By The Numbers

5/12/20 5:07 PM

CLASS OF 2020 SS THE COUNTRY

By The Numbers | 35

209242 May Issue_r1.indd 35

5/12/20 5:07 PM

CLASS OF

2020

Here is where your seniors plan to take the next steps of their journey

ALABAMA Auburn University Weston Ball Emma DeCaigny

Southern Union State Christian Letts

Spring Hill College Isabella Lorr Danny Lorr

University of Alabama Ella Centracchio Jenna Frizzell Graydon Gibson Anna Gruchala Jakub Gucius Megan Mckay Grace Notbusch Andrew Stevenson Cade Sweeney Mia Wingren

ARIZONA

Arizona State University Ethan Antinossi

Univeristy of Arizona Anna Howell Jackie Pergantis Gigi Smith

CALIFORNIA California State University, Chico Charlie Cave

Tea Pantelic

University of Southern California Victor Buccellato Daniel Leung Carter McCarroll

California Institute of Technology

University of The Pacific

Occidental College

COLORADO

Gabrielle Chang Tommy Clark Ian Becker

Point Loma Nazarene University Taylor Wagner

San Diego State University Juliana Gee Chloe Opler

University of California, Berkeley Cham Yao

University of California, Los Angeles Chelsea Biala Andrew Carras Sanjana Shanbhag

University of Redlands Nikki Hutten

University of California, San Diego Iker Casillas Plazola

Nathan Kim

Front Range Community College Isaiah Kongmanivong

University of Colorado, Boulder Fred Ferro Robert Fix Jackson Giunta Chloe Hafner Daniel Hepding Julia Miller Natalie Newmann Zachary Northey Jack Paulman Evan Pines Madeline Pisani Steven Rakos Luke Schiavitti Kayla Sheldon

University of Denver

36 | By The Numbers 209242 May Issue_r1.indd 36

5/12/20 5:07 PM

Liam Fitzgerald Grace Fowler Chloe Lapointe Samuel Robinson

CONNECTICUT Yale University

Kiran Amegadjie Jenna Collignon Catherine Collins

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA American University Zamaan Qureshi Dominic Zeno

Georgetown University Ammar Hussain Emma Villanueva

George Washington University Lincoln Virant

Howard University Lela Matthews

GEORGIA Emory University Fareed Khan

University of Georgia Olivia Fallon

ILLINOIS Augustana College Alex Simon

Benedictine University Kimberly Drcman Nadia Hamadeh Rayhan Hussain Jennah Khan Kiswa Malik Gianni Salbego

Omar Shakaib

Black Hawk East Campus Gabrielle Trilla

Bradley University Sarah Lian

College of Dupage

Serna Artemio Isabella Baca Yaroslav Basov Sakina Batliwala Matthew Blanck Yassine Bukhari Andrea Ciancio Jovan Dimitrijevic Aleksandra Gallagher Paola Gonzalez Alexandria Hui Meredith Johnson Nicolette Katsis Marc Lagestee Hannah Letizia Tanis Merkle Sara Pavlovic Alexis Pavone Olivia Pollard Cassandra Renteria Joseph Saban Gisel Santiago Artemio Serna Garduno Almoatasim Shahbain Nolan Sharer Dua Sharif Dominic Teoli

Columbia College Chicago Tristan Baryl Jnaiya Owens

DePaul University

Aya Atassi James Balderston Brendan Bauer Kaylin Brillantes Kyle Brillantes James Buonavolanto Jacquelyn Dynis Dominykas Galinskas Emma Gordon Ian Hales Daniel Janas Edward Mills Peter Paskalides Bryan Shepardson Adam Statham-Taylor

Jennifer Terrones Ethan Turner James Welch

Eastern Illinois University Shayne Lacy Bidhi Patel

Elmhurst College Angela Feng Raul Flores Ankush Moolky Elijah Nazario

Illinois Institute of Technology Jeffrey Richig

Illinois State University Carma Abu-Ghazalah Thomas Borys Cheyanne DelTio Mattthew Finley Alexandra Froiland Kristin Mertz Haley Paulson Justin Paulson Grace Purdy Laurie Sims

Illinois Wesleyan University Chirathi Jayesinghe Garrett Lambert Grant Niestrom

Lake Forest College Maryam Siddiqui

Lewis University

Enkhamgalab Davaanyam

Loyola University of Chicago Saba Ali Muneeza Ali-Khan Dylan Elazegui Daniella Gallegos Douglas Groenewold Jenna Juracka Demetrius Karris Naya Khayat Gabriela Licwinko Isabella Martirano Brody Melia Genevieve O’Bryon Grace Piller Igor Ponomarenko Jasmine Qadeer Amaan Razi

By The Numbers | 37

209242 May Issue_r1.indd 37

5/12/20 5:07 PM

Richards Thomas Rizwan Zaheer

Midwestern University Bianca Chen

North Central College Salvatore Fretto Ashley Murphy Jacob Schaik Connor Swallow

Northern Illinois University Ethan Alcorn Lilliana Jimenez Anagha Roy

Northwestern University Lorenzo Jennings Aaron Lu Molly Schnieders

Southern Illinois University David Adeyemo Joshua Griffin Abigail McDonnell

St. Xavier University Jonathon Martinez

University of Illinois at Chicago Lamis Alnatafgi Mohamed Alnatafgi David Aviles Kareem Bayrakdar Oyunbold Boldbaatar Michael Boleyn Ammar El-Dars Lana Jawich Jackson Luo Matthew Malitz Kathryn Michal Sarrah Moosabhoy Melany Morales Masah Mourad Sophie Papiernik Axat Patel Daniyal Syed Tahira Syed Yuming Tao

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Ayesha Abbasi Emily Ali Maiwen Amegadjie Caroline Azzo

Jay Batra Isaac Brorson Charlie Brubaker Katelyn Buscher Alan Contreras McKeegan Curran-Seijo Catherine Dolan Emmett Drew Evan Drew Moudar Dweydari Kayleigh Excell William Fahy Jack Frank Manas Gajjela John Gallwas Riya Ghai Nathan Goliak Youssof Hamad Carl Hinchman Sarah Holland Thomas Jurack Zayn Khan Caroline Klobach Colin Lane Audrey La Valle Luke Leddy Ethan Lin Ammaar Malik Nathan Melkus Caroline Menza Adrianna Minnella Will Misicko Conner Monyek Daniel Morrar Rayan Nehme Rose O’Grady John Otten Alex Ovan Bennet Plucienik-Kapoun Colin Pope Thomas Posthuma Adam Quiballo Julia Radu Rishi Ramchandani Haaris Rathore Will Rivera Sarah Running Noor Saleem Joan Sanders Anna Lee Schwarzbauer Gabrielle Sullivan John Shawaker Carter Smith Stefan Sokolowski

Jackson Stermer Mitchell Stermer Andrei Tamas Dylan Thomas Sunny Tian Robert Walsh Charles Williams Jeremy Wong Daniel Zhang

District 86 Transition Center Peace Cheung Onyinyechi Ojiako Jack Sieger

University of Chicago Marcos Lopez Jacqueline Roberts Ava Severts Perry Zhao

INDIANA

Ball State University Nicholas Pasciak

Butler University Charles Karstrand Sophia Panos

DePauw University Lily Fuchs Fiachra Logan Emily Napier Lauren Ridgway

Indiana State University Benjamin Schnur

Indiana University Bloomington

Emily Alden Luke Allison Emily Bagnall Reagan Boomer Phillip Borhani Connor Dietz Vivian Eck Philip Fan Rebecca Foracappa Caroline Fryzel Cole Harris Nicholas Henneman Natalie Howard Ryan James Jessica Joy

38 | By The Numbers

209242 May Issue_r1.indd 38

5/12/20 5:07 PM

Megan Kubycheck George Liu Ryan Loughlin Parvathy Madathil Marc Maritz Stuti Mundada Matthew O’Connell Olivia Parrillo Connor Phillips Matthew Phillips Scott Pitts Maggie Rowe Nicholas Schopp Peyton Weber William Wilson Bolin Zhu Thomas Zimmerman

Purdue University Northwest Lema Wardak

Purdue University Mrinal Bhagavan Kendall Butler Emilie Chadwell Evan Eldridge Jack Ferrino Natalie Holt Ismail Husain Brandon Kuo Sophie Mortensen Gillian Norton Peter Pancione Simone Scaratti Sahil Shah Shivani Shah Jasmina Wasti Aidan White Marla Winters

Saint Mary’s College Sarah Cernugel Abigail Rigazio

University of Notre Dame Emma Bauschard Madeline Czerwiec Jon Galassi Patrick Hsiao Nicholas Lynch Thomas Mercurio Nicholas Moawad Eamonn Newton Katherine Sharp Rachel Thompson

Valparaiso University

Andrew Berberich Barden Contreras Maximilian Paarlberg

IOWA

Drake University Lia Reichmann

Iowa State University Emily Barnard Nicholas Fiflis Haris Khan McKenzie Wakeman Kylee Wakeman

Loras College

Tanner Carter Daniel Hofmann

St. Ambrose University Mark Skokna

University of Iowa

Reem Abu-Ghazalah Jaffar Ali Mitchell Anderson Haley Arnold Katherine Beach Reid Carter Ben Cosentino Grace Deering Fiona Fitzsimons Nicholas Franko Katie Grohe Parker Jones Patrick Kealy Elizabeth Klink Aly Koranda Rebecca McCann Alex Mittelstadt David Molfese Natalie Nordloh Karishma Patel Jada Sewell Alexandra Tistle Rachel Wagner

KANSAS

Kansas State University Lucy Fischer

University of Kansas

Christopher Barnard Alexander Kumskis McCabe Quast Addison White

KENTUCKY University of Kentucky Sophia Bruni Caiden Liljestrand Robert Newland

Western Kentucky University Kathryn Ashley

LOUISIANA Tulane University

Max Schwalb Andrew Tannebaum

MAINE Bates College Emma Baroni

Bowdoin College Olivia Rayis

MARYLAND Johns Hopkins University Andrew Novatney Ashley Rempert

The United States Naval Academy Mia Dhillon

University of Maryland-College Park Munir Siddiqui

MASSACHUSETTS Babson College Aarushi Dham Kelly Ma

Bentley University

By The Numbers | 39

209242 May Issue_r1.indd 39

5/12/20 5:07 PM

Matthew Hoffend

Berklee College of Music Mitchell Lee Monica Marchel Colin Ratcliff

Boston College

Molly Bruns Timothy Ziegler

Boston Univeristy Marilyn Risinger

Brandeis University Helene Friedman

Merrimack College Ryan Isaacson

Northeastern University Madeline Camplese

Tufts University Sarah Lotsoff

Wellesley College Lauren Witt

MICHIGAN

Grand Valley State University Hunter Kruep

Michigan State Univerity Kasey Albert Cami Anderson Michael Benington Charlotte Gleason Brynn Kuhlman Erin O’Reilly Leah Paulson Ana Suchy Elleanor Witz Sydney Wojczynski

University of Michigan Manvit Adusumilli Sachin Advani Hannah Ahdab Zayd Alkadri Nicolas Blanchard Audrey Carter Maxwell Ewing Matthew Halpin Lauren Hughes Brian Kim

Mary Klygis Jack Kroll Samantha Lee Ella Simms Melina Slone Mason Steere Matthew Thomas Leah Wang Kennedi Wojczynski Jana-Maria Zogbi

Western Michigan University Sean Montroy

Nina Tekkey Trevor Tompkins Mackenzie Turnbull

NEBRASKA Creighton University Christian Sadek

University of NebraskaLincoln Christian Riordan

MINNESOTA NEW YORK Carleton College Maya Wolff

Minnesota State Mankato University Chet Daker

MISSISSIPPI University of Mississippi Claire Watkiss

MISSOURI Saint Louis University Kaitlyn Bergin Rachel Chang Alexander Daw Sri Sai Dinesh Jaliparthi Anna LaMountain Sofia Rosas Lauren Theoharous

University of Missouri Benjamin Anderson Rachel Foracappa Nicholas Kapp McKenna Revord Michael Shean

Washington University in St Louis Nora Ewing Lily Hart Addie Li Cullen Peterson

Binghamton University Bryanna Lee

Colgate University Owen Goss

Cornell University Anna Gruvberger Anchal Kumar

Marymount Manhattan College Madeleine Van Houtte Lauren Theoharous

New York University Benjamin Cresto Romona Dawson Jessy Huang Kyle Shrader Payton Stifflear Carolyn Xue

Pratt Institute Anna Becker

Syracuse University Michelle Brown Jonathan Hernandez

The Culinary Institute of America Jaina Miller

University of Rochester Alexander Cho

West Point / United States Military Academy Carolyn Ahn

40 | By The Numbers 209242 May Issue_r1.indd 40

5/12/20 5:07 PM

NORTH CAROLINA Duke University Chinmay Amin David Gust Herbert Wang

Elon University

Payton Donnan Catherine McElroy

High Point University Jessica Moniuszko Kate Venis

University of North Carolina Charlotte Emilia Panek

Wake Forest University Anuj Karamchandani Ronan Martin

OHIO

Bowling Green State University Jack Ging

Denison University

Michael Wang

John Bartuch

Otterbein University

Widener University

University of Cincinnati

RHODE ISLAND

Emily Laughman Nicolas St John Ashton Wilson

University of Dayton Connor Bonino Mary McCarthy Grace Murray Connor Nelson Nicholas Ness

Xavier University Cecil Lucy Lilian Niemeyer

OKLAHOMA

Oklahoma State University Emma Stewart

OREGON

Lewis & Clark College Sara Brown

University of Oregon Brady Blacher

Berkay OzgenJustin Terry

Brown University David Chu

SOUTH CAROLINA Clemson University Jacob Franco Genevieve Haarlow Matthew O’Neill

Coastal Carolina University John Kaczynski Joseph Pellegrino

The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina William Bush

University of South Carolina Tess Elman Franny Lucente

John Carroll University

PENNSYLVANIA TENNESSEE

Miami University

Carnegie Mellon University

Lily Goers

Dritan Isufi

Daisy Agne Alexander Andalcio Joseph Cunningham Nick Daly Michael Dunphy Luke Evans Mia Gaddis James Gaddis Madelyn Glasby Ryan Kelly Anthony Zayed

Ohio State University Charles Huth Sofia Malamazian Michael Moser

Alyssa Lee Anand Yallapragada

Franklin & Marshall College Owen Hare Jared Levine

Penn State University Zhuo Chen Alaina Hamood

University of Pittsburgh Cullen Cochlan

University of Pennsylvania Phillip Matthew

Villanova University

Belmont University George Boddicker Isabella Ravencroft Luke Moran Olivia Kingsfield

Southern Adventist University Karen Guerra Tobias Jackson

University of Tennessee Jorie Purcell

Vanderbilt University Angela Brinckerhoff Payton Frankiewicz Kevin Jin Justin Terry

By The Numbers | 41

209242 May Issue_r1.indd 41

5/12/20 5:07 PM

TEXAS

WASHINGTON

Gabrielle Conidi Sophia Elbrecht Jason Fu Nathan Hamp Baylor University DigiPen Institute of Technology Emma Houchens Caroline Kotarski Samuel Haverkos John Kinsey Cole Koffron Rice University University of Washington Lucas Schwartz Jackson Hughes Rima Rafiq Khalid Shakir Selena Ren Southern Methodist University Emma Watcke Alyssa Moncrief

Texas Christian University Spencer Anderson Matthew Barnes Lainey Clark Riley Greifenkamp Griffin Hawthorne Grace Kalis Michael Kavooras Michael Kocoras Britton Leigh Lauren Zelisko

University of Texas at Austin Esha Modi Luke Pyle

UTAH

University of Utah Ken Huang Nathan Nieson

VERMONT Norwich University Logan Brenneman

VIRGINIA

College of William & Mary Sydney Thayer

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Owen Cain Sriram Dronamraju Samuel Eddins Matthew Rajan

WEST VIRGINIA

West Virginia University Dawson Brown-Limjuco Brandon Gick

WISCONSIN Carthage College Lauren McGarry

Lakeland University Sebastian Ramirez

Lawrence University Navdeep Natt

Marquette University Sarah Badawi Nikolas Dimitriou George Feng Julia Hanley Margaret Huber Ronald Kruse Paige McMahon Taylor Ward

Milwaukee School of Engineering Michael Matura

St. Norbert College Matthew Johnson

University of WisconsinMadison Bahar Abtahi Mary Claire Arbor Olivia Beargie Caroline Booras

University of Wisconsin Whitewater Nanyamka Salter

University of WisconsinMilwaukee Maxwell Fellows

WYOMING

University of Wyoming Liz Youngman

ABROAD

Beijing Language and Culture University Brandon Wang

Robertson College Tanvi Singh

The Southern Alberta Institute of Technology Magnus Naess

The University of Edinburgh Chloe Lannert

University of Kaiserslautern David Ostertag

University of Toronto Yolanda Chen Michelle Man Kiana Ravanasa

GAP YEAR Jacob Brown

42 | By The Numbers

209242 May Issue_r1.indd 42

5/12/20 5:07 PM

Aidan DuFort Guy Goss Lilli Linn Jordan Martinez William Seppanen

Anand Venkatraman

MILITARY Josh Benjamin Brian Connelly Aidan Fuller David Gomez John Hohe

UNREPORTED Hugo Duran Alexander Eggert Jacqueline Johnston Chrisyopher Justema Matthew Menendez Apiwan Muenhawong Yoltic Oliver Ochoa Rodriguez Hussnain Rathore Erik Rothenberger Kathleen Ryndak Brandon Vaden

PREFER NOT TO DISCLOSE WORKFORCE Noor Alghafeer Rhett Bergevin Faris Elqaq Maia Halle Guilberto Hernandez Sarah Jaber Leon Kamenev Rebecca Olteanu Charles Schuster Felix Xi Alghafeer Yaman Dejun Zeng

Jade Crespo Vukasin Pesic

CONGRATS

UNDECIDED -The Devil's Edward Ahrens Zayd Alamuddin Elaria Botros Dorthea Burkhart Alexander Cunningham Destiny Flores Maya Hamdan Nadia Karim Virginia LoPresti Julio Martinez Elinor Mather Dior Nicholson Juan Rivera Evan Sekiguchi Daniel Skora

Advocate Staff *Although Devil’s Advocate tried extremely hard to contact each and every senior through Google forms, social media, email, and phone calls, we were unable to do so. Furthermore, we sincerely apologize for any unintentional errors that may be present. This section also represents those who chose not to report where they were attending or who were undecided at the time of publication.

By The Numbers | 43

209242 May Issue_r1.indd 43

5/12/20 5:07 PM

SHOP

alix. C O M

alix

40 AND 42 S. WASHINGTON ST. HINSDALE, IL 60521

SHOP .COM $

00

50. OFF

o Code W/ Prom 9 HC1

Better Education.

Better Student Experience.

At The Lowest Price.

Experience the Difference • Changing a Tire • Texting & Driving Simulation Awareness

• Expressway Driving • Chicago Driving • Parallel Parking

Now in Hinsdale at 111 W. Chicago Ave. www.BeAResponsibleDriver.com • 630-974-6700 209242 May Issue_r1.indd 44

5/12/20 5:07 PM

Cheers & Jeers What’s high school without its ups and downs? Here’s to some of the biggest memories from the past four years!

Freshman Year Cheers to ...

Jeers to ...

Watching Shakespeare and Navy Pier Ditching school for the Cubs Parade Making our best friends for the #next4 Laughing at LT hype videos Having an undefeated football season

Losing the Dippin’ Dots Getting lost all the time Coming to school early for freshmen orientation Actually doing summer reading

Sophomore Year Cheers to ...

Jeers to ...

No longer being fresh meat Having the walkout Getting our drivers license Taking whatever gym class we want Our last year with with no chromebooks

The buffer zone drama Our beloved Junior Police No more homecoming roses Health class Accidentally activating the blue light alert

Junior Year Jeers to ...

Cheers to ...

Limited testing center hours Not being allowed to order food for lunch College planning and standardized tests Losing teachers Locking the best bathrooms

The polar vortex A referendum finally passing Opting out of gym for sports season Our first tailgate The first all school ethnic fair assembly

Senior Year Cheers to ...

Flex learning (especially during college apps) Forty-five minute, open note AP tests Having homecoming skits (sorry juniors) Getting to stand in the front at football games Mr. Griffin as our new football coach

Jeers to ...

Left turns & second semester parking passes Locking the locker rooms The last day of high school No college t-shirt day, prom, graduation, spring sports...& everything else Cheers & Jeers | 45

209242 May Issue_r1.indd 45

5/12/20 5:07 PM

SENIOR SUPERLATIVES Here are your picks for the 2020 senior superlatives! We asked the seniors chosen to submit a themed photo of themselves that encapsulates their superlatives. Enjoy!

“MOST LIKELY TO BE PRESIDENT”

Zamaan Qureshi

“MOST LIKELY TO BE A PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE”

McKenna Revord

46 | Superlatives

209242 May Issue_r1.indd 46

5/12/20 5:07 PM

“MOST LIKELY TO BE A VIRAL MEME”

“LOUDEST”

Maiwen Amegadjie

“CRAZIEST DRIVER”

Jay Batra

Emmett Drew

“BEST DRIVER”

Tess Klygis Superlatives | 47

209242 May Issue_r1.indd 47

5/12/20 5:07 PM

“BEST DRESSED”

Ben Cresto

“MOST LIKELY TO WIN AN EGOT”

“MOST CHANGED”

Justin Terry

“CLASS CLOWN”

Emma Gordon Nick Daly 48 | Superlatives

209242 May Issue_r1.indd 48

5/12/20 5:07 PM

“CLASS DAD”

“CLASS MOM”

Scott Pitts

“MOST LIKELY TO BE LATE TO GRADUATION”

Catherine Dolan

“BEST SMILE”

“Is that today?”

Charlie Brubaker

Lauren Hughes Superlatives | 49

209242 May Issue_r1.indd 49

5/12/20 5:07 PM

“BEST FRIENDS”

Manas Gajjela & Kyle Shrader

“MOST LIKELY TO BE A FORTUNE 500 CEO”

Eamonn Newton

“CUTEST COUPLE THAT NEVER WAS”

Emilie Chadwell & Stewart Leigh

“MOST LIKELY TO BE A FORTUNE 500 CEO”

Sachin Advani

50 | Superlatives

209242 May Issue_r1.indd 50

5/12/20 5:07 PM

“MOST LIKELY TO BE A REALITY TV STAR”

Juliana Gee

“MOST LIKELY TO SURVIVE THE HUNGER GAMES”

“BEST HAIR”

Saba Ali

Thanks for voting!

David Gomez Superlatives | 51

209242 May Issue_r1.indd 51

5/12/20 5:07 PM

STAFF EDITORIAL COLLEGE BOARD OR TYRANNY?

Illustration by Audrey Carter

Throughout high school, whether starting your freshman or junior year, we all become acquainted with The College Board. Prepping for the SAT, Subject Tests, or AP Tests, we all send the check and wait for our test scores. The College Board describes themselves as a missiondriven non-profit “dedicated to promoting excellence and equity in education.�

Founded in 1900, it may have started off this way, but The College Board has expanded beyond what anyone could have expected. And now they have monopolized the American education system.

Sure, The College Board connects us with opportunities to get into college, but they have also turned high schoolers into

fierce competitors. AP classes are a great resource and can help save money in the long run by allowing you to gain college credit. However, what lies behind the reasons for kids pushing to enroll in these classes? For seniors applying to college, it has now become a competition over who has taken the most AP classes or who has been taking them since freshman or sophomore year, and adding more each year until their schedule is maxed out. We are told by the College Board that additional AP classes mean additional success.

In past years, The College Board began registration for all AP exams conducted in the spring. For many seniors who were already committed, or had a relative idea of

what university they were going to attend, they were able to pick and choose which AP exams they were going to take. However, with the new guidelines implemented this school year, students now have to register in the fall before they have even heard back from any colleges. If they fail to do so, the price of each exam continues to go up.

Students also only had until the beginning of March to withdraw from an exam to get only a fraction of what they paid back as a refund. This early registration has little benefits for the students, instead, it allows the College Board to monopolize standardized testing. And since no other organization in the nation has the ability to conduct these exams and offer the college

52 | Perspectives

209242 May Issue_r1.indd 52

5/12/20 5:07 PM

credit, they are free to adopt any rules they want without the fear of losing customers.

While it seems like students have the choice to select whether or not they register for the exam, they are often coerced by the College Board and our own school into taking it. The pressures that high schoolers are faced to take these AP Exams is extremely high. Teachers of AP classes often encourage students in their classes to take the AP exam even if they have previously registered no. Some kids do not want to take the exam in the spring and are only taking the AP level course because they do not want to take the regular level alternative for their GPAs. According to CNBC, 38 percent of schools capped the number of AP tests they will take from a student and many only accept 4s or 5s, although a 3 means the student is “qualified” according to the College Board. They also mentioned that “among top colleges, 86 percent restrict the use of Advanced Placement credits.”

Of course, we can’t ignore the fact that AP tests can be very beneficial in terms of saving money and course credit upon enrolling in college.

“The benefit of taking the AP exam

is the ability to earn some sort of college credit or advanced placement in college,” said Jennifer Regnier, Head of Counseling.

“Again, this varies greatly from school to school and will depend on the score earned, but will likely be a financial savings of some sort if a student does well.”

CNBC noted that one AP test can save you around $1,800 to $3,000 spent on a three-credit course in college.

The SAT is also like a competition, seeing who can have the best score to bolster their college application. And many students and parents put so much value into their standardized test scores that they hire additional tutors or attend prep classes which are quite costly, and also not affordable for many students. According to Market Watch, one Princeton Review session can cost $2600 for 10 hours of preparation. They also mentioned a March 2019 report from IbisWorld that valued “the tutoring and test preparation industry” at $1.1 billion. One-fourth of that money goes toward exam preparation. This has created an unfair environment where students can seemingly buy their way into good test scores, despite The College Board’s emphasis

on equity within education. For years, this practice went unchecked as schools and students placed exaggerated value in their standardized test scores despite the clear disadvantage for underprivileged students.

In May of 2019, The College Board adopted an SAT Adversity Score, which would have given students a number between 1 and 100 to reflect obstacles they may have overcome in both their school and neighborhood environment.

However, according to National Public Radio, they completely dropped this idea in late August after receiving harsh criticism.

While standardized testing will most likely remain a large part of the college application process in the years to come, many universities like New York University and Brandeis have begun implementing “flexible testing” policies that allow students to pick and choose the scores they submit.

This movement is gaining momentum and is aiming to chip away at the problems that are presented by standardized testing.

Policies like these are showing potential applicants that they are being evaluated for who they are, not a number the College Board determines them to be.

This editorial is the consensus of the Devils’ Advocate editorial staff.

Perspectives | 53

209242 May Issue_r1.indd 53

5/12/20 5:07 PM

Goodbye Letters

Dear Class of 2020,

Thank you for a wonderful school year, even the parts that took place on Google Hangouts! I always tell people that I am one of the luckiest people in the world because my job is not just a job, but a passion. Your inquisitiveness, your thoughtfulness, your silliness gave me something to look forward to each and every day.

Whether it was a heavy discussion of literature or a silly singalong, I knew that each day you would surprise me and delight me. I will miss every one of you and carry you in my heart as a very special group of students. So let me end with the words of the world’s greatest rock band, Mouse Rat, and sing: Bye, bye Senior Classmen I’ll miss you in the saddest fashion Bye, bye Senior Classmen You’re 5000 Candles in the Wind!

With love,

This is not the way that I thought I would be sending off a group of people I have known for four years, but I am so appreciative of the Devils’ Advocate for publishing these letters. I also want to thank the senior class as a whole for being so kind and empathetic to each other, us teachers and staff, and to the community. From small acts of kindness like lending a classmate a highlycoveted Chromebook charger to large-scale efforts such as cheering like crazy at a pep assembly or fighting for extracurriculars, the Class of 2020 has made all of us extremely proud. I know that the coronavirus has affected everyone differently and in ways I cannot begin to imagine, but I am confident that all of you will work to get your families, communities, and future campuses through this. Continue to give love and grace to people, do what’s right, and know that we are always here for you.

Congratulations on graduating! I can’t wait to hear about all of your future successes.

All the very best,

Ms. Saunders Mr. Wilbur This is not the ending we all hoped for when we started school in August. In fact, there hasn’t been a true ending. When I said goodbye to you on Friday, March 13th, I had no idea that could be the last time we would see each other in person. For many of you, room 234, has become a place where you can freely express your ideas and beliefs on current events, prepare for mock trial tournaments, see your name on the hall of fame wall, rehearse for an upcoming speech tournament, or simply catch-up in between classes. I am so honored to have been even the smallest part of your high school experience. Thank you for the memories, laughs, and gossip. I know you will emerge from this stronger than before. It’s been an honor and a pleasure. Congratulations and seriously, make good choices.

There is no getting around the fact that this was a disappointing way to end the year. A lot of the rites of passage that you look forward to at the end of senior year got rudely interrupted by bigger things. That being said, I hope that you’ve come away with a greater appreciation for all that we have—even if some of those things are on pause for now. Thank you for all of your enthusiasm, determination, and patience (the tallies never stopped, even during remote learning…). Thank you for welcoming Particle Man, Mr. Olld, and the lava lamps into your classroom. You’ve all gotten an early lesson in the fact that things can change fast and we had better be ready to adapt. I’m looking forward to when you will have to re-adapt to being together with each other again.

Please keep in touch,

Sincerely,

Ms. Hoeksema

Mr. Doll

54 | Teacher Letters

209242 May Issue_r1.indd 54

5/12/20 5:07 PM

From: Teachers To: The Class of 2020 I know this is a less than ideal way to finish out your high school careers—you missed out on so much losing this last quarter. I have no words to take the sting from those losses away; you have every right to grieve. This loss will forever bond you to your friends. Lean on each other. Make new (virtual) memories together. Know you WILL physically see each other someday – with a little hope, soon. There is much to celebrate then!

I cannot predict the future. I am, however, confident the class of 2020 will emerge even stronger from this experience.

Soon you will graduate. It is not the graduation for which you had hoped. Regardless, it’s an opportunity to celebrate all you have accomplished. Be proud of yourselves. You have successfully navigated this incredibly difficult and stressful situation.

Congratulations Red Devils!

All my best,

Mrs. Hiffman It is incredibly bittersweet congratulating all of you from a distance. The entire Hinsdale Central family wishes nothing but the best for each and every member of the graduating class of 2020. This class has left a positive mark on the school and will be remembered for more than just how the year ended. I hope you are the class that has learned firsthand that trying times require leadership that is innovative, creative, and thinks outside of the box. I hope you become leaders that are not just driven by self-interest, but are guided by compassion and empathy. Be the leaders of the new “greatest generation”—one that values their personal relationships, revives our commitment to community, and always rises to the challenge. We all can’t wait to see what your class does and achieves in the years to come. I have full faith that you will leave things better than how you found them.

While the end of this school year is nothing like any of us imagined and it is very easy to list all of the things you didn’t get to do in your last few weeks on campus, I am here with good news. Your life is just beginning!

Ahead of you are so many adventures! So yes, let yourself have that moment of sadness, but then go out into our world with your head held high, shoulders back, and strong mind that you’ve spent four years developing into that reflective, inquisitive, and logical powerhouse. Yes, hang on to the relationships you have made these four years, but don’t be afraid to make new ones. Remember that in all things, kindness wins. I will miss you in these halls, and you are forever in my heart.

Love,

Ms. Green Congratulations! You have so many memories to look back on in your high school career that have shaped you—some good, some hard—all culminating into the person you are in this very moment. The last few months have reminded us that, no matter how hard we try, we cannot control everything. What we can control are the choices we make that determine the person we are becoming. As you move on from the halls of Hinsdale Central, I encourage you to pursue purpose in everything you do. Each choice you make will continue to lay the foundation of who you are ultimately going to be! Build a foundation that you are proud to stand on, even when everything else around you feels uncertain. I am grateful for the impact you have had on me and will miss you all. Good luck in your next chapter!

Always a Red Devil,

Mr. Griffin Ms. Patel Teacher Letters | 55

209242 May Issue_r1.indd 55

5/12/20 5:07 PM

209242 May Issue_r1.indd 56

5/12/20 5:07 PM