24 minute read
TRENDS
winter trends
designed by: Christine Leung
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Outfit ideas as we wander
Photo courtesy: Freepik
Photo courtesy: Freepik
into the colder months
A chunky knit sweater as a base—you can’t go wrong. Lighter pieces work wonders as layering pieces.
Photo courtesy: Creative commons Photo courtesy: Creative commons Shackets are a staple: they’re fashionable and warm. Find a cut that is loose enough to wear with all your wardrobe, but still structured!
Photo courtesy: Wikimedia commons Photo courtesy: Free Pik
Asymetrical jeans
like this light wash pair are a fun twist on a classic cold weather staple.
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Get the Chuck 70’s for a more vintage feel or platform/patterned for a modern touch.
current events...............
by Killian Hughes designed by Mara Severts
Kyle Rittenhouse social justice and gun rights
For more than a year, the case of Kyle Rittenhouse has captivated the nation. Rittenhouse is an 18-year-old from a town just an hour north of Hinsdale called Antioch, Illinois. On August 25th, 2021, Rittenhouse shot and killed two and injured another in Kenosha, Wisconsin, a small city close to the Illinois-Wisconsin border, during a violent protest. Critics of Rittenhouse claim that the then - 17 year old bringing a AR-15 style riἀe to Kenosha constituted a violent provocation, and that his actions in the subsequent fight amounted to first degree murder. Sympathizers, conversely, claim that all three victims were aggressors who threatened the personal safety of Rittenhouse, and that he shot justly in self defense. On November 19th, the jury found Rittenhouse not guilty on all charges. Regardless, the reverberations of the case will extend far into the future both in our Chicagoland community and beyond.
Elections national politics
This November, a new set of elections happened. While Illinois did not hold any, the message of the elections in Virginia, New Jersey, California, and the city of Buffalo provide important signals for the spate of candidates running next year. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, narrowly beat Democrat Terry McCauliffe for the Governor’s seat in Virginia, while Democrat Phil Murphy beat Republican Jack Ciaterelli with similarly slender margins in New Jersey. Joe Biden won both Virginia and New Jersey handily in 2020, with margins of 10% and 15% respectively, according to AP News. On top of that, moderate Democrat Byron B. Brown beat out the much more progressive India Walton in the Buffalo mayoral election, despite Walton being slated as the official Democratic nominee. The results from all three elections provided a warning shot for Democrats across the country, especially in suburban areas like Hinsdale. A major talking point of Youngkin in particular was the administration of schools. This is a particularly important issue to suburban families with school-aged children, and its successful field test in Virginia likely indicates that issues like the role of parents in education are likely to be enormous talking points during the 2022 elections here in Illinois.
China and Taiwan foreign policy
Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, tensions have been escalating between China and Taiwan. The People’s Republic of China has been ἀying planes over the island of Taiwan for the past few months at increasing rates; according to a Nov. 7 Deutsche Welle article, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) sent 16 fighter planes over Taiwan following a meeting between Taiwanese leaders and EU delegates. Additionally, according to an article from Reuters, China is considering annexing islands claimed by Taiwan in an effort to further escalate the conἀict. A real conἀict between the two powers could have ripple effects that reach even into the halls of Hinsdale Central. Taiwan is a massive manufacturer of everything from base metals to computer chips, and its potential embroilment in conἀict would massively hinder the already tenuous global supply networks. Senior defense analyst Derek Grossman of the Rand Institute believes that the relationship between Taiwan and China is very unlikely to turn violent until 2024 or 2027, where a Taiwanese presidential election and PLA anniversary could impact China’s course of action. China’s growing inἀuence over its region of the world will continue to have wide-ranging effects as these next few years pass, and their effects may be felt here at Central.
Tensions between Taiwan and China have been rising since China started flying planes over the island earlier this fall.
photo courtesey of Peace for Asia
Elections
photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons On November 2, 2021, businessman Glenn Youngkin was narrowly elected the 74th Governor of Virginia. Youngkin won the state despite it going for President Biden by 10% in the 2020 Presidential election.
revisting traditions
students detail their favorite holiday traditions
by Isabella Salti
Right as November hits, the holiday season begins and people eagerly start preparing for their favorite holidays. Multicolored lights illuminate the exterior of houses, garlands decorate stairways, and local radio stations play music that sync up with decor. ἀe holiday season also marks a time where people get to revisit their favorite traditions.
For junior Naya Majauskas, her favorite tradition is Kūčios. “It’s basically our Christmas Eve,” Majauskas said. “We give up all meat and most animal products, except fish, for the day.”
Kūčios is a holiday with Lithuanian origin and includes both pagan and Christian traditions. It is a day dedicated to bringing family together, from near or far. Majauskas is a vegetarian, which is one of the reasons why she enjoys Kūčios so much. “It’s one of the only holidays where I can eat almost everything on the table,” Majauskas said.
Majauskas is not the only one who enjoys a food related tradition. Junior Beatrice Tjernstrom’s favorite holiday tradition is cooking for her family.
“I get to cook the food myself,” Tjernstrom said.
Her favorite thing to make is fondue, mentioning that it’s good to eat. She also likes it because while she makes fondue, her mom cooks with her, making meat and scallops. She enjoys this time with her mom, as she is unable to spend much time with her during the school days.
Students also have their own special holiday movie traditions.
“I love watching Nightmare Before Christmas constantly from October to December,” said Vinni Guo, junior. “I just keep watching it over and over because I
image courtesy of Flickr image courtesy of Flickr
A typical Kūčios spread, consisting of mostly vegitarian foods of Lituanian origin.
image courtesy of Flickr Some enjoy watching classics like “ἀe Nightmare Before Christmas,” to get into the festive mood.
love Halloween so much, and it’s over, but we can still watch the movie after October. So, all throughout November and December I’ll be watching that movie whenever I get the chance to.”
For Gargi Giotra, junior, it’s all about watching Home Alone.
“I love the vibe, the decorations, the music, everything. I watch it 50 times every year,” Giotra said.
And while many traditions are repeated down from year to year, it is never too late to start new traditions. Meeting new people and learning about their personal lives (like their family, food, and culture) can help you get ideas to start a new tradition. And with COVID-19, there is no better time than now to distract yourself and build new traditions that can be repeated for years to come.
the return of concerts to chicago
students discuss their exitement heading back to concerts after COVID-19
by Rachel Brugge
With numerous events being canceled this past year due to the pandemic, there has been a recent surge in concerts, tours and live music events returning to the Chicagoland area as COVID restrictions are lowered. Many Central students are participating in the festivities, attending events at venues across the metro area. ἀere was an overall pause in the entertainment industry during the pandemic, and most artists are now getting back on stage and performing for their fans.
Popular artists such as Justin Beiber, Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, and Billie Eilish had all canceled their 2020 tour dates, and have recently rescheduled.
Harry Styles’ Love on Tour was just recently completed in November, but Billie Elish and Justin Beiber have planned tours in 2022, both with Chicago locations.
Many are jumping at the opportunity to see live music again, but the experience, in comparison to before the pandemic, is not quite the same.
“Venues required either proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test within 72 hours. So, that’s pretty easy,” said Grace Staford, senior, who in September and October went to see Alec Benjamin, Mt. Joy and Dayglow in concert. “All of the venues also had mandatory mask requirements.”
Depending on venues and the specific artist, the restrictions and requirements are different. Many artists and bands like the Foo Fighters and ἀe Killers are being very specific on the necessity for COVID vaccinations in order to attend their shows. ἀe return of live music to Chicago has given many students events to look
image courtesy of Mara Severts
image courtesy of Taylor Fodor
Musical artists Dayglow and Harry Styles are among many musical artists returning to the stage in 2021.
forward to and opportunities to see their favorite artists live. ἀere are many concerts coming to Chicago soon to be on the lookout for including the Backseat Lovers, Lorde, Tyler the Creator, Billie Eillish, Coldplay, Kasey Musgraves, Alt-J and many more. Mother Mother, the popular Canadian indie rock band, will be holding a concert January 23, 2022 at the Metro on North Clark Street in Chicago.
Searching for Equity
Hinsdale 86 welcomes Dr. Patrice Payne as Hinsdale Central’s and Hinsdale South’s new Director of Instructional Equity
by Grace Myall designed by Mara Severts
When a school posts open positions, most students don’t notice; however, when a entirely new position was ἀlled this year, students did notice. Many were left wondering what does an equity director exactly do?
On July 21, 2021, Dr. Patrice Payne was welcomed as District 86’s new Director of Instructional Equity. The position’s purpose is to direct the school as they work to support historically underrepresented student groups. This is the ἀrst year that the position has been implemented at Hinsdale Central and Hinsdale South. Last November, the position of Instruction Equity was proposed during a school board meeting, in an effort to push forward the district to a more just education for all of its students.
“We felt there was this gap that was widening,” Principal Bill Walsh said. “People were beginning the next steps to have their own educational process and how to ingrain and have the conversations in a classroom.”
Payne has been an educator for 15 years, and received her doctorate in Urban Leadership, a degree which studies promoting sustainable communities through academic study, immersion programs, and experiential learning. Payne worked as an English teacher for nine years before moving over to administration for the next four. She published a dissertation as well, a case study on an urban high school titled, “African American Male Students in Outperforming Urban Schools.”
“All programs were very centered on equitable practices,” Payne said about her schooling. “It was based on multiculturalism, in working on systemic shifts to support students from marginalized communities.”
Working as Director of Instructional Equity, Payne is using her experience to pinpoint ways to improve the current practices used at the Hinsdale Central and Hinsdale South schools, so that more students are included. To do this, Payne is working with department chairs, and having conversations about types of practices and gaps or trends that they can see that they can address so that all students can improve overall. “An equity director’s position to me is providing instructional support to our teaching staff and our instructional leaders to be able to move with cognizance of the speciἀc needs of students who are not meeting our identiἀed goals,” Payne said.
Payne was interviewed in April 2021 for the position. During which, they spoke about different ways to approach equity work and how to support students academically and socially.
And while Payne’s position is new to the school and the district, working towards racial equity in the school system is not. Over the years, teachers have pushed the district to start making changes to bring in a more culturally responsive education, so that teachers and administration can ensure that all students receive equal and just teaching.
“[Culturally responsive education] is such a great opportunity for all students
to recognize the multitude of global perspectives, and how valuable those perspectives are,” said Ms. Kate Saunders, an English teacher who’s worked at Hinsdale Central for 22 years.
Students are encouraged to look back at their own experiences and culture, and use their own perspectives to make an informed decision about others. Teachers have begun picking from wider sources for many different topics. According to Saunders, for example, English teachers have been picking more books that come from writers of color, making sure that there is more representation in their teachings and curriculum.
There have also been optional inservices,
Katherine Saunders
where teachers can come in and learn about ways to be available to different students, done through outside groups.
With the introduction of the Director of Instructable Equity, came the introduction of more training for teachers taught by Payne. In this training, they work on different ways to approach different perspectives - especially of those who are in marginalized communities.
“We talk about a lot of different strategies about being more responsive to culturally linguistically diverse students,” Saunders said. “Students who have been marginally disputed in school.”
Changes are already being implemented throughout the district. Many classes’ curriculums are changing, as teachers are working to create a safe space to think and
talk about ways to improve as a whole.
“They’re very important... conversations,” Payne said. “People (are) willing to open their eyes to things that they had not previously thought about, people acknowledging and recognizing blind spots.”
While in this position, Payne is working towards making sure that the highest number of students possible can be successful after high school. She is supporting the school by looking at students who are struggling in certain areas, and ἀguring out how to ἀx the system and practices so that those students can succeed.
“The big picture is making sure that we reduce and make our achievement gap non-existent,” Payne said. “The day to day is... taking those small steps looking at our current practices, how we can audit all of the the practices that...we’re currently using, and how we can...improve those practices.”
The district as a whole is working to improve the practices done at the two high schools, and working to make sure that all students who come through its doors have the ability to be successful.
Changes have already been made at both schools, and it appears that there will be more to come, as the position will remain for the foreseeable future - as Payne continues to work with the district in making sure that all students graduate with the potential to achieve.
Patrice Payne
Pivot Pivot
Local businesses compete for limited amounts of workers in a new economic climate. By Maximilian J. Pohlenz
Three years ago, ἀomas Stice, the current owner of ἀe Sacred Succulent in Bolingbrook, told his parents that he was going to leave his current job in property management to sell plants.
“I had just bought a house, and had just bought a new car, and it was risky,” Stice said.
His initial love of plants (an outlet to express frustrations with his current job) eventually grew into a business after realizing the need for a vehicle to make imported plants more accessible. From there, he grew a devoted customer base, before eventually expanding. Now, as the head of a company, Stice remembers the mundane nature of his profession that drove him to where he is today.
“I started collecting succulents honestly because I hated my job, and it was something to do outside of work,” Stice said.
Whilst Stice chose to quit his job prior to the onset of COVID-19, the pandemic has caused many to do the same, and often for similar reasons as Stice. ἀe phenomenon has been coined “ἀe Great Resignation.” Because of this, small businesses have been put in jeopardy, as they now must find a way to somehow attract and keep employees in order to stay afloat themselves. ἀis comes on top of having to compete with larger corporations for employees, and of course, still find a way to attract customers.
“I feel for every business that is struggling to get employees, and it’s a very fine line. People are so much more aware nowadays and are so much more willing to fight for their rights, which is awesome,” Stice said.
He said he sympathizes with the reason many of the remaining members of the workforce are moving towards more higher paying jobs at larger corporations. “At that, it’s a double edged sword. As a small business, we don’t make a ton of money; we’re not a big box store making millions, so it is really hard to compete with some of these other stores that now are offering 20 bucks an hour, sign on bonuses, things like that,” Stice said. “We can only offer so much.” ἀe phenomenon is hardly limited to Stice’s shop in Bolingbrook. Whether it’s Hinsdale, Oak Brook, or Clarendon Hills, employers said they all feel the impacts of a mass shortage in the workforce.
“The elephant in the room is hiring. Getting people,” said Derek Berg, President of the Clarendon Hills Chamber of Commerce as well as the owner of the Clarendon Hills Music Academy. As his two titles suggest, he’s had to face this problem head on - both in terms of trying to help businesses throughout Clarendon Hills, and as an owner himself. He’s expressed how businesses have been forced to push, pivot, and reinvent throughout the pandemic - and how it’s pressured their employees.
“You get your workforce leaving and now you have people who were doing two jobs [at your business] having to do three jobs. And then you get ‘I’m on Zoom eight hours a day instead of interacting with people,’” Berg said.
It’s this pressure, combined with general stress due to the pandemic, that Berg said is the core of why so many individuals are finding themselves dissatisfied with their jobs.
“ἀey had this ‘coming to Jesus’ moment about their career. ‘What should I be doing? Should I use this opportunity to pivot? Should I do something totally different?’” Berg said. ἀe pandemic has only then increased the reasons for workers to experience a “coming to Jesus moment” similar to the one Stice experienced just a few years prior to the pandemic. Berg also notes that service jobs - people working at restaurants and supermarkets - are even more likely to experience this dissatisfaction.
Richard Dolan, senior, is familiar with this type of job. A former employee at a fast food restaurant, Dolan has a long list of reasons behind why he is
indeed a former employee.
He said this negative culture was only worsened by the company’s response to the pandemic. He said he felt that the COVID precautions handed down by upper management were more for customer peace of mind, and had little to do with the company’s actual concern for employees - something he found to be quite obvious.
“It kind of felt like we’re putting on a show. It’s really pointless. Like why are we doing this if we’re not actually enforcing these rules inside the store when the customers can’t see us?” Dolan said. “But [then] you’re really enforcing them when you’re outside the store, especially when you’re interacting with the customer.”
Berg is acutely aware of situations such as the one that Dolan had experienced. Situations where employees feel as if they’re in a job that is meaningless, working for a managers that don’t care for them, and all of this being exposed by the stresses of the pandemic.
“It’s hard for [large companies] to manufacture empathy and kindness at a large scale because they have to systemize it and they have to put it through legal,” Berg said.
However, he said he feels that smaller businesses don’t have these problems.
“You have 20 staff members. You can know them all by name. You can know their specific interest, you can know their music interest, you can know (without crossing the line of getting too personal) stuff that they have going on at home. You can get to know their ambitions and their dreams and be able to help support that, even if it’s not the most obvious way,” Berg said. ἀis point is articulated by Dolan as well: “I think that that type of bigger company mentality...is impersonal, you are replaceable. [ἀe companies] don’t really need you here,” Dolan said. “It’s just not where you want to work.”
Berg has begun to find ways to pivot to this new approach to employment within his own business, applying it to the way he perceives the musicians that he employs as teachers.
“I’m almost seeing it differently now. I always thought, ‘Well, we’re giving a great place to teach, and we pay a really good wage, but I think it’s got to be more than that. I’m looking at it [now] as more ‘we’re developing an artist, not
just a teacher,’” Berg said. “We’ve got to facilitate them being able to express themselves through their lessons, and being a little more proactive, and knowing that human element, and nurturing it, rather than just providing a place to teach and a good wage. It’s not enough.”
It’s this idea of more intimate and personal relationships that small businesses have that Berg said he believes is what will be able to attract employees back to small businesses. To Berg, they’re not just providing money to their employees. ἀey’re providing a service as well.
Dolan now works at the Deli section of Kramer Foods in Hinsdale.
Dolan then went on to compare this to his previous job.
“I went up to my manager at [the fast food restaurant] and said this was conflicting with school, and could I change these hours. And she basically said to me, ‘You can change your hours, but you’ll be without a job. We hired you to do those hours. So, you’re going to do those hours,’”Dolan said.
Dolan’s major motivation for the job at Kramer’s is still the same as it was at the fast food restaurant: monetary income. His earnings are something that he’s not only using to save up for college, but also to fund his love for the guitar. ἀat being said, he has found some other benefits working at a small business.
“Work experience. Just being able to deal with different types of people,” Dolan said.
It’s experiences like these that Stice said he hopes to give to his employees at his shop. Stice teaches his employees about all of the plants that the shop sells - including techniques such as cactus grafting.
“Being more personable with them. ἀat’s something that you don’t get at the big box stores,” Stice said.
Stice said he also feels that this personable nature extends not only to the employee, but the customer as well.
“I think the thing that has kept us afloat is that we are super personable with every customer. We greet every customer that walks in, we say goodbye to them, and we try to special-tune things to everybody,” Stice said. “We try to find a plant that’s very specific and perfect for them, and then we teach them everything about it.”
It’s this idea of intimacy with not only the employee, but the customer as well that Berg said he feels that he wants to emphasize as president of the Clarendon Hills Chamber of Commerce. In an effort to “make lemonade out of lemons,” Berg has tried to pivot the Chamber of Commerce
What do we What do we have to do have to do to be able to be able to reinvent to reinvent ourselves - to ourselves - to be able to serve be able to serve and survive?” and survive?” -Derek Berg -Derek Berg
The plants that The plants that Stice cares for Stice cares for line the shelves line the shelves of his shop in of his shop in Bolingbrook. Bolingbrook.
into a more hands-on role that mirrors his new philosophy.
“ἀe Chamber is actually acting as a simultaneous arm of community development and business development at the same time,” Berg said.
According to Berg, hosting one or two events a year is not enough - just like providing a decent space to work and a good wage isn’t enough. By hosting events year round, and bringing both business and community outreach together, Berg said he hopes to make Clarendon Hills a “destination town.” In other words, he wants customers to come from one or two towns away, instead of businesses relying on simply Clarendon Hills residents.
“We’re going to give you incentive to ascend in the town and experience it, but in order to do that [we] can’t just put posters up,” Berg said. “We’re doing strategic marketing...businesses putting content out there, driving [people] to an analog event.” ἀis new vision of pivoting the Chamber of Commerce hasn’t come without speed bumps. One of the problems Berg has encountered has been employment yet again - finding staff for his expanded Chamber has been another uphill battle.
Whether it’s at the Kramer’s deli, as an entrepreneur, or for the revitalization of Clarendon Hills, businesses will always be facing those uphill battles. How they face those, and who they face it with is what will determine whether or not they reach the top of that hill.
