Devils' Advocate September-October 2020

September-October 2020

THE DEVILS’ ACTIVISTS P. 18 THE RED AND BLUE DILEMMA P. 22

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DEVILS’ ADVOCATE MISSION STATEMENT 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 atmoshpere and students body by sharing information and recognizing and ideas.

Editor-in-Chief Hari Rao

Head of Design Kritin Shanmugam Managing Editors Nathaniel Bittner Ailish Lyman Copy Editors Caroline Cubbin Lainey Harvey Head of Photography Sofija Buzelis Section Editors Rania Arain Loukas Bezanis Nadia Burt Grace Erwin Killian Hughes Cedra Jazayerli Christine Leung Andrew Merz Grant Micaletti Grace Myall John Olsen Jameson Peculinas Ricky Sahgal Lucas Salvatore Mara Severts Jessie Wang Contributors Rana Dubauskas — Newsfeed Mikhail Essa — Battleground Hannah Florence — Newsfeed Samiksha Gupta — Newsfeed Noor Mryan — Battleground Caroline Petersen — Newsfeed Michael Tu — Unsolicited Advice Akshay Undevia — Photo Feature 2 | Contents

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CONTENTS 04 08 10 AROUND CAMPUS 04 DAILY DEVIL

06 HOT TOPICS

BY THE NUMBERS 08 HOGWARTS HOUSES 09 SPOOKY SEASON

PROFILES

10 SELF- MADE STUDENTS

14 NEW TEACHERS, NEW LEARNING

18 27

FEATURES

18 THE DEVILS’ ACTIVISTS

22 THE RED AND BLUE DILEMMA

26 PHOTO FEATURE: DEVIL ON THE ROAD

PERSPECTIVES 27 ASK AN ATHLETE

28 RED DEVIL REDUX 30 BATTLEGROUND 32 WELLNESS

33 UNSOLICITED ADVICE 34 STAFF EDITORIAL

CONTACT ADVISER, CHERISE LOPEZ CLOPEZ@HINSDALE86..ORG 630.570.8361

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Cover photo by Sofija Buzelis & Mara Severts

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Cover & TOC designed by Kritin Shanmugam

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LETTER FROM THE [EDITOR]

he start of this fall has been an eventful one to say the least. We’ve gone back and forth with different school schedules, sports seasons are jumbled, politics have escalated, businesses are struggling, all in the midst of a global pandemic.

In this month’s issue, we attempt to capture as much of this as we can. In “The Red and Blue Dilemma,” students provide their insight on the upcoming Presidential election, while the Battleground writers debate the SCOTUS nominee. “The Devils’ Activists” takes a look at the role of student activism in the community. Profiles “New Teachers, New Learning,” and “Self-Made Students” understand the difficulties new teachers and student businesses have faced in adverse conditions, while the editorial staff considers the situation of having cameras on during Zoom calls.

Our Unsolicited Advice and Wellness columns explain activities in which students should indulge to stay healthy and productive. Red Devil Redux reminisces about an exciting game against Central’s rival from the past, while Ask an Athlete spotlights a senior varsity golf player. This month’s photo feature shows scenery from a student’s trip out west. Hot Topics lists off the latest community-wide trends, while the Daily Devil captures what students around campus are doing to stay normal. And finally, By the Numbers encapsulates the traditional Halloween spirit, with a fun analysis of Central teacher’s Hogwarts houses. If you would like to be a guest contributor for our photo feature or unsolicited advice column, please email 821642@hinsdale86.org. We hope you enjoy this month’s issue!

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Daily Devil Red Devil Service Club Keeps Busy Amid Social Distancing Guidelines

by Hanna Florence & Rana Dubauskas

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call instead of giving them time to get to their first period,” Mehrhoff said. “Also, the attendance of our meetings seems to be greater this year due to the convenience of attending the meetings from your home.”

However, the club is looking for ways to work around the lack of in person meetings.

In one meeting this year, club members wrote letters to frontline healthcare to thank them for their sacrifices during the pandemic.

“The club is a lot different from previous years because it is hard to participate and have fun during the Zoom meetings,” said Gabrielle Becka, a junior involved in the club. “But overall, given the circumstances, I think RDSC is doing a lot to find activities

to be a part of and making new members feel welcome, even through a Zoom call.”

Red Devil Service Club will continue to find virtual volunteering opportunities and ways to continue hosting events that follow social distancing guidelines and other restrictions.

To find out more about what the club is doing, check out their website: https://sites. google.com/a/hinsdale86.org/hc-key-club/.

photo provided by RDSC.

Day of Service,” one of Red Devil Service Club’s main events at Hinsdale Central is a day in which students get together to perform different acts of service for the community. This event was cancelled this year, and many people are wondering what this club is doing during a pandemic.

Red Devil Service Club, or RDSC, typically holds four main events throughout the school year: Day of Service, Feed My Starving Children, and two PADS events in which members make food for the homeless.

In order to compensate for the Day of Service being cancelled due to school guidelines and safety precautions, RDSC is teaming up with Peer Buddies to do a pumpkin carving activity on Tuesday, Oct. 27 at 5 p.m. This activity will coincide with the COVID-19 standards put by the school, including social distancing and holding the event outside.

“We are currently looking for virtual events the club can participate in. As of right now, we have this pumpkin carving planned and are trying to find more events that can be done socially distant,” said Paton Mehrhoff, a board member of Red Devil Service Club.

With remote learning, RDSC has had to make many adjustments. The club participates in bi-weekly meetings every Friday on Zoom. Additionally, the club is using the Five Star App to check in for attendance and the Remind App to remind students about their meetings. There are no meetings in person and, therefore, it is more difficult to find activities to do from home.

“The meetings this year are a lot different due to the fact that they are online. This year, we have longer meetings seeing that kids can hop straight on their next Zoom

At the Day of Service event in October 2019, volunteers created blankets.

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Central Students Begin In-Person Band and Orchestra Rehearsals

by Caroline Petersen & Samiksha Gupta

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community and being able to play together.”

Many agree that learning music through Zoom feels more like a business meeting rather than a group practice where everybody can talk with each other freely. Students said that they have missed being able to talk to their friends and make connections with their peers in band and orchestra.

“We can only do so much on screen,” said Miette Morris, a freshman saxophonist in symphonic band. “Just getting to be around other people and build better relationships with teachers is great.”

Kurinsky said that students are used to playing in a small area, rather than a larger one, as they have gotten used to playing at home - particularly in their bedrooms or basement. Through in-person rehearsals, this habit of being used to the sound in a smaller space will go away by the time of concerts. “[State guidelines] have [impacted rehearsals] if you think about it from an orchestral standpoint. In the string world, the state guidelines allow us to play, even inside. If you play a woodwind instrument or sing, you share air, so the guidelines are much stricter,” Penksik said. “Usually, we play sitting close to each other with stand partners because the closer you are, the easier it is to hear and play music together.

Making sure the ensemble can hear each other is more difficult outside because sound doesn’t carry as well in the same direction.”

The teachers and students have said that everything has run smoothly and students have followed guidelines and procedures necessary for a successful rehearsal. A list of guidelines were sent out to parents and students, including

filling out a mandatory daily health check before arriving to rehearsal, a temperature scan, and keeping masks on unless a student needs to remove it to play their instrument (i.e. a wind instrument).

“Students have been really good about following the rules. We put the guidelines out in writing. Students show up at least 20 minutes before rehearsal and we take their temperatures. We aren’t doing as much moving and playing as we would like, but it’s better than Zoom, ” Kurinsky said.

Teachers said that they are hoping that concerts will go on as planned, but perhaps with a few changes. They have begun planning scenarios for the concerts, if parents should be invited for an in-person concert or a concert that would be livestreamed or over Zoom. The planning is heavily dependent on the school district and Governor Pritzker because the phases of the governor’s plans, as well as the school district’s decisions, heavily affect the events at Central. Additional rules have been added to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and limit the transmission of the disease, protecting bypassers as well as the students themselves.

Rehearsals are also dependent on the weather. Penksik says that the cold is not good for instruments made with wood.

This is especially challenging for students in any of the orchestras, as students in orchestra play instruments made of wood.

Marching band is used to playing outside at football games, so they will continue to practice outside. Students and teachers in the orchestra department currently are able to have rehearsals in the auditorium as fall progresses and winter approaches.

photo by Mr. Matthew Kurinsky.

he Hinsdale Central orchestras and marching band have begun socially distanced inperson rehearsals. Students prepare their instruments and music as they catch up with their friends. Although they are spread apart, Hinsdale Central musicians rejoice as they can finally play music with their classmates in person instead of over Zoom.

The Concert orchestra, the Symphony orchestra, and the Philharmonic orchestra, directed by Serge Penksik, practices in the senior parking lot. The Marching band, led by directors Matt Kurinsky and Matt Goeke, is split into two groups and practices on the baseball field.

Orchestra rehearsals started on Sept. 23. “[Rehearsals] were the highlight of the day,” Penksik said.

Even though they are spread out and limiting movement across the field, the marching band members said they have enjoyed playing together after playing at home for the last seven months.

“It’s definitely [a] sudden [adjustment], especially since this is the first time I’m marching and I’m learning to march while playing. It’s not only an adjustment from the size of the room we’re practicing in, but an adjustment to marching band itself,” said Kiran Gitzlaff, freshman flutist in the marching band.

Most of the band and orchestra students showed interest in the rehearsals, which didn’t surprise the directors.

“I was really happy with the turn out,” Kurinsky said. “It’s the majority of kids doing it. We’re really happy with the number of students who took us up on this offer.”

While the in-person rehearsals are optional, teachers and students agree that playing and rehearsing in person are fairly different than doing so over Zoom. The biggest difference, according to Pensik, is the atmosphere students play in and would generally play in, as he said it is hard for him to replicate a fun environment for the students to play in during remote learning.

“In order to truly experience what orchestra is, you have to play with the group,” said Nikolas Theotikos, a freshman violist in the concert orchestra.

Isabella Xu, a sophomore cellist in the Philharmonic orchestra, added, “I think a very important aspect of the music is the

Teachers and students directing half of the marching band on the baseball field in early September.

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HOT T

by Grace Erwin designed by Loukas Bezanis photos by Sofija Buzelis

MOVIES The Social Dilemma This documentary is about the danger of social media and how it promotes addiction and leaking of private information.

Released January 26, 2020.

FOODS Pumpkin Spice Latte

This year, Starbucks has not come out with any new fall items.

However, they have brought back all of the fan favorites from past years, such as the pumpkin spice latte and pumpkin scone. If you’re not a fan of pumpkin but still want to get in the fall spirit, they also offer the salted caramel mocha Frappuccino.

Photo provided by Executive Bulletin

Photo provided by Wikipedia

APPS

EVENTS “Home” Coming

Among Us

“Among Us” is a multiplayer social deduction game that takes place in a space setting.

Players are given either the role of “crew mate” or “imposter”. The imposter(s) then set out to murder the crewmates.

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Photo provided by Abby Chute

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e

FASHION Tie Dye

ACTIVITIES Drive-in Movie Theaters

Tie Dye has been used throught many different clubs, activities, as well as organization causing it to become a very popular ternd in todays day.

Another activity that has become popular since quarantine is drive-ins. There was even one set up at Soldier Field, so that Chicagoans could safely enjoy movies from the comfort of their cars (six feet apart of course). Masks are required when roaming around the area, but can be taken off if inside the vehicle.

Executive Bulletin

Put on by Varsity Club, the 2020 “home� coming event was a replacement for the real homecoming that was not able to happen due to Covid-19.

The board sent out a video to the student body explaining the premise of the event.

Students would use supplies such as red and white confetti or streamers to decorate their home or workspace and promote school spirit.

Photo provided by KTLA

SONGS

Heart of Glass: Miley Cyrus Performed Sept. 19, 2020 After Cyrus performed this cover of the original song by Blondie, it was viewed more than 3 million times on Youtube and eventually uploaded to streaming services. streaming services.

Photo provided by Brobible Around Campus | 7

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What WhatHogwarts HogwartsHouses Houses do do your your teachers teachers fit fit most most well well with? with?

(35 (35responses) responses)

REPRESENTATIVES REPRESENTATIVES

Mr. Mr. Bill Bill Rasavongxay Rasavongxay

Ms. Ms. Kathryn Kathryn Tosh Ms. Kathryn Tosh

Mrs. Mrs. Janelle Janelle Hoeksema Mrs. Janelle Hoeksema

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Mr. Mr. Matt Matt Doll Mr. Matt Doll

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SPOOKY SEASON (167 Responses)

3% Bats 9% Jack-o-Lanterns 16.8% Ghosts

39.5% Spiders

31.7% Skeletons

Spookiest Decoration?

What Are Some Costumes Students Will Wear?

Pennywise Among Us Witch Hot Dog

Best Candy?

40.8 % KITKATS 22.2% TWIX 12% SNICKERS 11.4% M&Ms 10.8% CANDY CORN

Homelander

3.6% MILK DUDS

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SELF-MADE STUDENTS Central students encounter new challenges while starting their own businesses.

by Drew Merz & Ricky Sahgal designed by Loukas Bezanis

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t’s 5:26 p.m. and junior Ward Aldasoqi has his monthly appointment for one of his customers in four minutes.

While keeping in mind how important punctuality is, he speeds out of his driveway, hustling to make it all the way across town by the half-hour. Pulling up to the white, brick Hinsdale home, just barely on time, he takes a deep breath and collects himself for his first appointment of the day.

Ward fixes and cleans cars so he knows he is going to need to focus to get the job done.

Aldasoqi got his entrepreneurial start by detailing cars, however, he is not the only student at Hinsdale Central to dip his toe into the world of business. Whether it’s washing cars or selling stickers, students have found creative ways to use their talents to earn some money. Some of these businesses started recently due to boredom during COVID’s quarantine this spring; however, some began long ago when they were young with a vision, or simply because they wanted to spend money they had not yet earned.

Aldasoqi spends his days traveling from house to house. He works mainly in Hinsdale, Clarendon Hills, Burr Ridge, and Willowbrook. His customers can schedule an appointment over the phone or on social media sites such as Instagram. Detailing cars is Aldasoqi’s forte, he specializes in cleaning both the exterior and the interior of his customers’ vehicles. He brings tools like a power washer, brushes, soaps, and more equipment with him in his family’s minivan when he comes to clean. Since early May when he started, Aldasoqi has detailed roughly 150 cars.

Similarly, senior Marco Grande has launched his own business where he

travels from client to client to maintain their lawn. Whether they are one-time customers or regular clients, Grande travels all over Hinsdale, Clarendon Hills, Westmont, Downers Grove, Willowbrook, and surrounding areas for his clients. On average, he puts in about 20 to 30 hours a week over the summer, but he said it has slowed down since the start of school.

“On my phone I have an app that tells me when I have school, or I have a test coming up, I want to work but it’s tough to balance around it when I’m going to work out or football practice,” Grande said.

Unlike Aldasoqi and Grande, senior Anna Coffey’s business is all conducted online. She has created her own line of custom stickers that have to do with a song, album or artist. Coffey draws out her design ideas on her computer and then, once she is satisfied with her designs, she gets them printed out onto stickers. She then takes advantage of promotion through social media and advertises them on Instagram.

“I made it into an Instagram account because it is the easiest way to promote it to my audience,” Coffey said.

It is not only the upperclassmen of Central who are following their entrepreneurial visions.

Sophomore Anthony Lynch launched his own online Lego store at just 15 years old. First, he hunts for Lego sets he believes have the potential to be resold at a higher price.

Once purchased, he goes through and sorts out each piece by size, color, and rarity. After the pieces are organized, he enters them into his page on the platform Bricklink. On this website, people can buy and sell Lego pieces, mini-figures, whole

sets, and even instructional booklets.

Each of these entrepreneurs had a different path that had led them to their businesses. For Aldasoqi, from a young age, he always had a love of cars. After following YouTubers with similar passions he realized he could be around cars all the time and even earn a pWrofit from it.

“Ever since I was 12, I’ve been watching this guy named ‘Ammo NYC’ on YouTube and obviously some people I know are detailers or were detailers in the past,” Aldasoqi said.

He mentioned that his work d o e s not feel like a job to him at all because he enjoys what he is doing. He said that detailing cars is not just a means of income but an enjoyable pastime as well.

“I’m interested in the operation.

I’m able to actually put time and focus into it because I’m passionate about it,” Aldasoqi said.

Like Aldisoqi, Lynch has learned a lot about his craft by watching YouTube videos of experts. He said he got a lot of inspiration from those who created similar businesses and filmed the process along the way.

“I watch a lot of Lego YouTubers, and many of them... either had stored Lego pieces for a while, or just recently started them,” Lynch said. “So I think if they can do it, (who’s) to say I can’t. I’ve always loved Legos since I was a kid… I just woke up and thought I could monetize this.”

When Lynch began his endeavor in February, his inventory consisted of under 1,000 individual pieces. Today, it has grown to more than 85,000 pieces.

Coffey also started her business this year. In an effort to help fill her time during the COVID-19 lockdown, Coffey, along with the help of her father, turned her drawings into a profitable business.

“You don’t really need a lot of supplies… you just need your computer,” Coffey said.

Despite the pandemic keeping students from Central out of school for months, some student entrepreneurs were able to take advantage of the situation.

“During quarantine, I had a lot of time, so I started painting and drawing again,” Coffey said. “I also wanted to try digital art and I love listening to music so I kind of just combined the two into one thing.”

While Coffey’s and Lynch’s businesses can be conducted entirely online, for Grande and Aldasoqi, being in person must happen.

Grande’s start originally came from being employed by senior Christian Schloegel, who had his own lawn care

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Sophomore Anthony Lynch browses Bricklink in his office after an interview for his Lego business

Photo by Luke Salvatore

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business. Schloegel grew what was once just a small part-time lawn mowing business into a year-round landscaping and maintenance company. After learning the ropes, Grande parted ways and created his own business, MG Landscaping. Although still employed by Schloegel, his main focus is now on his own company. Schloegel helped inspire him to start a business on his own.

“He taught me what tools we need, how to conduct an efficient plan to get the job done, pricing, (and) getting a client base,” Grande said. “I owe [my mentor] Christian everything, honestly. I had the skills to do it before but he taught me how to actually do it right.”

Grande has also taken multiple business classes at Central and said that the most helpful classes for him were Accounting and Business Law. “Accounting taught me how to balance my budget and checks,” Grande said.

“Business Law has taught me just overall running a company, basic logistics, what are the steps involved, and not getting arrested for doing it illegally.”

After taking those two classes, he has been able to expand MG Landscaping. He has recently purchased more equipment so that he will be able to do a wider variety of services for his customers. He said that one of the hardest parts of starting a business at such a young age is proving to customers that the quality of your product or service is equal if not better than competitors.

“Showing them that even if you’re only 17, you can do the job well, is so difficult,” Grande said.

He said he feels that one of the most effective ways to let people know about his business is through the use of personal business cards. He also had t-shirts made with his custom logo in hopes that it would help spread the word about his services.

Brand and name recognition are part of the challenges many new business owners face, but for Aldasoqi, he has found some advantages, such as being mobile. He brings his equipment with him to wherever the customer requests.

He also uses social media to communicate with and recruit new customers. His customers typically contact him and make appointments through his Instagram account. There, he advertises customer options and some of his previous work.

Aldasoqi is not the only one who uses social media as a form of promotion. It has been a huge help to Coffey as well.

She advertises her stickers using a website called RedBubble. On that site, there is an online market where other people can buy her designs and sell their own designs.

All of these entrepreneurs have reported having to deal with some challenges through their business endeavors.

“The clients can be some of the meanest people, even when you’re right… there have been times when I have been sworn at,” Grande said.

Grande said he feels that managing client expectations is an important skill.

“You don’t like to be wrong but it’s not worth the fight, even if you’re right, you’re still going to lose. You’re not going to get hired back, so I’ve

it into the company,” Aldasoqi said.

With his earnings, he has purchased his own BMW sports car and said he has no intention of stopping there.

When asked about his goals for the future he said he would like to buy a truck and eventually open his own shop.

However, for others revenue and profits also come down to how they manage their client load and time. Aldasoqi tries to be aware of his work/life balance. On a typical weekday, Aldasoqi has anywhere from one to three appointments. With each car taking on average an hour, he said he still finds time to complete all his school work and make time for his friends.

“It is a little bit hard to get to see my close friends every day, especially mixed with COVID,” Aldasoqi said. “But I still talk to a decent amount of my friends. I haven’t really cut anybody off.”

Also, as a result of the quarantine, Lynch saw a huge jump in his sale of Legos. He said that people were bored during quarantine and were looking for something fun to do.

“Sometimes I’ll spend four or five hours parting out sets when I thought it was only going to take two hours,” Lynch said. “I try to go to bed early, but sometimes I’ll stay up to about one or two [in the morning] because if I start it, I can’t do anything else until I finish it.”

It has been less difficult for Coffey to manage her time because her business is all online. Coffey said she is able to work entirely from home or anywhere she wants. She said she feels that the flexibility has really helped her manage her time.

As for the future outlook, all of the young business owners said they plan to continue to grow their companies, including the seniors who have college as part of their future plans as well.

“The money that I’m saving is going towards my future,” Grande said.

“It doesn’t matter how hard the work is when you truly love it.”

-Marco Grande learned to pick my battles,” Grande said.

While customer service is the pinnacle to all good business, Aldasoqi said his challenge is being his own toughest critic, feeling that he could have done more.

“Sometimes it’s been as simple as not being able to have the job come out as good as I wanted it or expected it to,” Aldasoqi said.

Although Lynch did face some challenges, he said that he has learned a lot too. “One thing that I definitely learned was to be smart with my money,” Lynch said. “I bought stuff that I probably shouldn’t have in the beginning just to grow my store but now realized that the filler parts would be on the shelves for years.”

Aldasoqi put all of his revenue into savings, only withdrawing when he sees it necessary. He plans to spend more of his earnings in college. His most common expenses consist of purchasing better equipment, reupping on supplies and filling gas.

“I probably save about 90 percent of my money and the rest would go to... gas and food and just reinvesting

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New Teachers, New Learning

by Nadia Burt & Christine Leung photo by Grant Micaletti designed by Rania Arain

A look at the adjustments that new teachers are making in light of the pandemic.

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ather than setting up her Zoom at home to teach like usual, new teacher Hannah Kabat heads to the school early to get ready, as students will be coming into class for the first time. Today, students will be dropping off the ceramics projects they have been working on for the past few weeks. Wearing masks, students place their nature-inspired torn clay bowls and plates in the kiln, and pick up clay and sculpting tools for the next project. After the Ceramics students filter out, students from Kabat’s studio art class come in to cast pewter for their jewelry unit, creating intricate and delicate pieces. After getting home, Kabat prepares the materials for tomorrow’s class which she will teach from home, excited but wary of the challenges that remote learning will bring.

Many teachers, some of whom are new to Central, are adapting to the online school year in light of the pandemic. One such teacher is Hannah Kabat, a new Ceramics teacher, who helps students produce both functional and sculptural projects with clay with an emphasis on creativity. Benjamin Goodell, like Kabat, is a new teacher this year at Central, teaching AP Government for the first quarter.

They are just two of the 13 teachers that have joined the faculty this year. Teachers were hired for all departments, with some like Goodell filling leaves of absence, while others like Kabat were meant to teach for the entire 2020-2021 school year. All of these new teachers have had to adjust more this year as they navigate not only a different school, but remote learning and the struggles that accompany it.

Kabat, who recently graduated from Northeastern Illinois University during the pandemic, student-taught at North Elementary School in Des Plaines as well as Taft High School in Chicago in March, before coming to District 86. This year, Kabat primarily teaches ceramics with a few Studio Art classes as well.

Kabat explained how online school has altered the typical way she conducted class. With school being remote, the interaction between the teacher and the class became difficult to come by. Even though Ceramics was conducted over Zoom, Kabat ensured that her students were still receiving help they needed so they could succeed in her class.

“I have students submit photos of their progress each day for me to write feedback because the video quality on

Zoom isn’t the best and everyone’s boxes are small. I still like to take the time to make that like a normal class would be, and give them that feedback,” Kabat said.

Benjamin Goodell was another new teacher at Central this year, navigating many of the same experiences as Kabat.

A recent graduate from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Goodell first student-taught at schools in Champaign, where he taught classes such as remedial freshman geography. This semester, Goodell subbed for Christopher Wilbur’s AP Government class for the first quarter while Wilbur was away on paternity leave.

Goodell said that students at Central tend to be more conscientious of their attendance, and that many students made sure that they emailed him to let

“... now things are changing by the hour, by the day, so I’m just taking it one unit at a time.”

- Hannah Kabat him know if they were going to be late to a Zoom call. In some of his previous morning classes in Champaign, Goodell said that students often didn’t show as much consideration towards attendance.

“For the first period, sometimes you get eight or nine students who show up at all. So it’s certainly been the best of both worlds. I’ve seen a lot of different types of classrooms,” Goodell said.

Like Kabat, Goodell ensured that classes would be carried out in a similar way to in person learning and students were receiving help if needed.

“I’ve tried my best to make things as close to a normal class as possible, being that with online teaching it’s very easy to get into that teacher centered environment... where I’m just presenting a Google Slides, and [students] take notes,” Goodell said.

Online learning also forced teachers to be more flexible with their lesson plans, as

the schedules and ways school was being conducted were uncertain, especially at the beginning of the year. As a result, many pre-planned lessons were now up in the air and teachers were unable to create definite schedules for their students.

“In the past, I’ve laid out the whole semester...to know what lessons are coming next and broke it down by every day. Whereas now things are changing by the hour, by the day, so I’m just taking it one unit at a time and just kind of worrying about that,” Kabat said.

Since school was moved online, the typical Ceramics class had been altered, involving changes other than remote learning adjustments. According to Kabat, one such difference in how students acquired their materials for class. Normally, students made their projects at school where there was an ample supply of materials on hand.

For many students, clay was not a readily available item in their homes.

However, Kabat made sure to try her best to create a productive environment, even while her students remained at home. Clay could be dropped off at the student’s homes so they could do their projects without having to come to school, which enabled all Ceramics students to participate.

Still, remote learning held challenges and frustrations, especially in terms of technology. WiFi and Internet issues had been frequent and affected Zoom call connectivity, which sometimes forced the class to continue without audio or video at times.

“This past week, my Zoom was lagging...and I had to type... the entire period,” Kabat said.

Without in-person demonstration and aid, some Ceramics projects had been ruined. A significant struggle for Kabat as a teacher was not being able to see her students work in person and show proper technique to not only create, but protect their work. For example, Kabat said that previously she would always ensure that her students tucked in their bags so their work would be moist for the next class.

“Not being able to see them put away their work for the day, making sure it’s wrapped up airtight, spraying it [was a struggle] because a student will start a project and then the next day, can’t do anything with it because it dried out,” Kabat said.

One of the biggest changes for new teachers this year was the lack of hands Profiles | 15

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“There are some students that I’ve never seen [their faces] and wouldn’t actually recognize if I met them.”

-Benjamin Goodell

photo by Sofija Buzelis

on teaching that they had previously learned about in their student teaching courses. Having to adapt to an online environment was a struggle because learning names online was very difficult as many students turned off their cameras on Zoom. Due to this, new teachers had no face to identify a name with, which was a new adjustment from in-person learning.

“There are some students that I’ve never seen [their faces] and wouldn’t actually recognize if I met them,” Goodell said. “I’ve certainly had to go out of my way more to try and to do a better job of learning names.”

While new teachers such as Goodell have had to adapt to this online school year, students have been appreciative of their efforts to relate to the class. “[Mr. Goodell] being young really brings in the fact that he can relate with us... He has a really relaxed environment, he jokes with us and he makes sure it’s fun and entertaining,” said Isabella Terry, junior.

Terry said that even though her class was conducted remotely and felt slightly more relaxed, it did not negatively impact her information intake and understanding of the material.

“I think we’re absorbing just as much [content.] I mean we’re probably not having as many discussions as we would have in class but still, he makes sure that we’re learning the content that we should be,” Terry said.

According to Goodell, with remote learning, class discussions that involved the entire class were much more difficult as students often felt awkward speaking up, which led to periods of silence.

Benjamin Goodell, AP Government teacher, works on tomorrow’s lesson plan in his classroom on Oct. 9.

However, he said that breakout rooms have been a good tool to recreate a similar classroom environment and allowed him to connect with students better.

“I have deliberately tried to have more discussions, specifically small group discussions. I like to use breakout groups just because that gives students a chance... to speak up,” Goodell said.

While discussions were a standard activity in AP Government, Ceramics focused more on the projects of individuals.

“Group work isn’t really a part of the class, since all the projects are individual,” said John Tischke, senior.

Tischke took Ceramics this year with Kabat as his teacher, and like Terry, said that there were limitations to online learning but his teacher did her best to ensure students got feedback.

“While I don’t believe we’re doing as much as we would be in person (mostly due to the time constraint), I do think the virtual instruction has adapted well to a Zoom environment,” Tischke said.

“For each project, Ms. Kabat provides live demonstrations, virtual check-ins, and articulates feedback, and it’s clear she genuinely tries to engage the class.”

Though online school brought changes to both new teachers, veteran teachers and their students, they said they were able to find ways to adapt to create a productive learning environment. Teachers and students came back to school in person starting on Oct. 5 with a capacity of roughly 25 percent of students on campus.

“It’s the little things like meeting students in person, but also just being in the halls saying hi to students,” Goodell said. “That’s kind of something that we are missing now with online.”

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THE

Students and staff weigh in on the importance of student activism, and what it means to them.

DEVILS’ ACTIVISTS

by Grace Myall & Mara Severts designed by Mara Severts ilustrations by Mara Severts

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S

houts ripped through the air of Burlington Park, where a growing group of protesters convened for a Climate Justice Strike. People of all ages stand tall, holding sharpie-drawn signs up for curious onlookers. Speakers and Performers take a stance on a wooden picnic table, shouting over passing trains and middle-schooler’s conversations.

Chants of “What do we want? Justice!

When do we want it? Now!” can be heard as the protesters marched through the streets of Hinsdale.

On Friday, Sept. 25, at 3:45 p.m., upwards of 50 students and adults convened at Burlington park in Hinsdale for a protest organized by “@Hinsdale for BLM,” an instagram-based activism group. There, a small group of students, including senior Mohammad Ahmadi, recited multiple speeches, a song, and a play in protest against climate change. The group focused on climate change’s disproportionate effects on minority groups as a connection between the BLM and climate activism.

After going to initial Black Lives Matter protests in Chicago, Ahmadi, was inspired to organize a protest of his own Hinsdale.

Gathering together with other peers, they created the June 6 Hinsdale Black Lives Matter protest- an event which garnered upwards of 500 people.

Mohammad Ahmadi Senior and Student Activist “If we put out a flyer that there was a protest people would come,” Ahmadi said.

Ahmadi knew the momentum had to lead somewhere, so the instagram page “@HinsdaleforBLM” was created. The organization has since carried on towards other protests, including a July 14 rally against a Dupage county board member

recently, the “Strike Against Environmental Racism” on September 25.

“There’s a big intersection between climate crisis and racial justice— environmental racism,” Ahmadi said.

Outside of that, Ahmadi works as an outreach coordinator for Earth Uprising, a climate education-focused organization, and additionally is the president of the Hinsdale Climate Coalition, a like minded, social media-based climate advocacy group. Ahmadi said he strives to bring racial and environmental change to Hinsdale and Chicago, attempting to educate through online platforms, protests, and in-person discussions.

“Our goal is to amplify (the voices of Hinsdale people of color) to show others in the community that racism does exist in Hinsdale schools and communities,” Ahmadi said.

In the modern era of social media, infographics, chain posts and even news of protests are spread through sites like Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook. With the AACP citing that 75% of teens aged 13 to 17 have active social media accounts, it isn’t hard to see how starting an activism page online is apealing. And In trying times, during a pandemic, political polarization and heightened racial tensions—some/ many students are looking for a way to express the their beliefs. “(Activism is) important for people who can vote and for people who can’t vote,” said senior Alexis Lincoln, another organizer for the Black Lives Matter protest.

Lincoln had helped Ahmadi start the “@ HinsdaleForBlm” Instagram account and organize the first protest earlier this year.

Alexandria Collins, junior, takes a different approach to advocacy. As opposed to organizing protests, Collins seeks to spread her messages through having difficult conversations. Participating Against Ethylene Oxide (SAETO), Student Organized Against Racism (SOAR) and more, Collins says she steps into a broad array of advocacy with one key connecting feature- discussion with her peers.

Collins works within her broad array of topics by starting conversation.

Whether that be within school and district

tions, or outside of school in her environmental work, she discusses with her peers and creates circles of diverse yp of people p p to empower p g types change.

Alexandra Collins Junior and Student Activist “The first step you have to take (towards making change) is being willing to accept help, because it isn’t easy to create change,” Collins said.

“So you really do have to look to those who are surrounding you and accept their help.”

SOAR is a newly organized club at Central looking to tackle difficult discussions about race and implement them into the curriculum. Collins said that it is key to integrate race-based topics across departments, through culture presentations, town halls, or highlighting important people of color in various fields.

“Part of the goal personally is to hold these racial discussions and create leaders that are not afraid to talk about these... issues,” Collins said.

She said she hopes the organization targets injustice through correcting ignorance,citing that she doesn’t believe racism in students is formed out of hatred, and instead is out of learned behaviors.

“You can’t be afraid to call [people] out on [racial ignorance] if you hear them saying something [offensive] to someone else,” Collins said.

Additionally, Collins tackles the production of Ethylene Oxide, an issue that came up during her freshman year concerning a nearby Sterigenics plant producing the chemical. Found by the United States Department of Labor to cause increased chances of developing breast cancer, luekemia, lymphoma and more, she and her sister set off to create SAETO

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spread of Ethylene Oxide in their community.

After fighting against nearby ETO plants for the past two years, the community succeeded in getting the plant shut down by the EPA ( United States Environmental Protection Agency) until further notice.

Now, the organization seeks to stop the spread of Ethylene Oxide first nationwide— and then across the world. Recently, Collins has expanded to chapters across the country as well as internationally with a newly formed Guatemala chapter.

Collins said she aspires to spread hope and positivity in her advocacy, and to take a more personal spin on broader issues.

While dealing with so many categories of advocacy, she stresses that it is difficult but necessary to say positive things when dealing with heavy issues concerning race and the environment.

“It’s difficult for people to change when we have this negative viewpoint, so you really do try to stay positive,” Collins said.

However, some activists cite how dealing with polarizing situations can stir up controversy, draw resistance, and have people asking bigger questions.

When sophomore Nicholi Roads stood silently at the Climate and Black Lives Matter protest on Sept. 25, sporting a red MAGA (Make America Great Again) hat in a crowd of supporters, he said he sought to contradict some of the core messages of the Black Lives Matter movement, not through loud counterprotesting, but through quiet discussion. He argued that the real concern within black communities should be revolving around gang violence, not issues like police brutality. “(I) agree with the statement black lives matter...I think if people really want to hold back, they’d be attacking gang violence in Chicago and not necessarily police brutality,” Roads said. “People aren’t going to do the actual research themselves and to find out what actually hurts the black community.”

Over the course of the protest, through

the march and after reconvening in the park, multiple organizers came to talk with Roads, and other students offered him and a friend bright red bandanas to use as facemasks once the march started.

While Roads started conversations about the topics of the protest, others brought to question the reason why the protest needed to be started in the first place. Concern has been raised over the importance of advocacy for the right reasons- some said that organizers are only organizing protests for personal gain.

“When you don’t (advocate) with the right intentions then the work really doesn’t count and can’t reach the level of impact that it would if you have better intentions,” Ahmadi said.

Concern over the intention behind student activism have some worried that their personal beliefs would cause a disadvantage in college applications.

Janelle Hoeksema, business teacher, said application reviewers may have an inherent bias regarding advocacy issues.

“I’m concerned that depending on what you are advocating for.., I would hate for that to be a reason why somebody does or does not get into a school,” Hoeksema said.

She spoke of how in a perfect world, students would feel confident to show their beliefs to respective universities. However, due to everyone’s innate personal bias, this is not a world where she thinks that can happen.

Despite the bias within college applications, Hoeksema said she still believes that student activism is key to student culture.

Similarly, Billson Rasavongxay, the Social Studies Department Chair, said he hopes that students are informed about their ventures if they are to be actively involved in advocacy.

“I think that if we open up these discussions to have as many... perspectives as possible, it can help model the way that we want to engage (as) future students, college students, adults and so on.,” Rasavongxay said.

Like Rasavongxay, Hoeksema wants her students to be well read. But she mainly

Protesters at the Climate Justice strike on Friday, Sept 25 make their way down a Hinsdale street.

stresses that students are honest with not only themselves, but with her as well.

“I want the students to tell me what they really think,” Hoeksema said. “And more importantly, why they think what they do.”

Students in her classroom speak of their activism experiences, including rallies or protests. Hoeksema encourages students to speak up about their beliefs as long as they are not harmful or rude to others.

Rasavongxay also said he believes in students speaking up during classes and

“If you’re truly passionate about it... you’re not going to want to stop.”

Alexandra Collins advocating for their personal beliefs.

“If we silence voices either politically or unpolitically...I don’t think it’s helpful for future conversations or discussions,” Rasavongxay said.

Student activism can be seen in many different forms. Through the clubs that students start, the protests and rallies that students organize, and the discussions in classrooms- students create many spaces to speak about what they are passionate about. “ I think the really important part about being an activist is that you’re willing to kind of get down and do all the dirty work in situations where other people might not be willing to do it, “ Collins said.

photo by Sofija Buzelis

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THE RED&BLUE DILEMMA Students provide insight on their political views and who they’re supporting in the election this November..

November

by Killian Hughes & Jessie Wang designed and illustrated by Jameson Pecilunas

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B

rightly colored lawn signs cover the neighboring streets of Hinsdale Central as senior Graham Singer makes his way to school. From the Presidential Trump-Pence and BidenHarris signs to the Congressional yellow Jeanne Ives and blue Sean Casten signs, it is impossible to forget the upcoming election.

For Singer, these signs are a reflection of the choices he will make on Nov. 3. After winessing the actions of the Bush, Obama, and Trump administrations throughout his life, Singer will now have the option to take action himself and to vote on the issues he cares about. For the first time, Singer and his fellow seniors will have a chance to change the nation with their ballots- in person or not.

To gain further insight on Central’s Senior Class and their political perspectives, Devils’ Advocate conducted a survey with 27 respondents, where 10 were Democrats or left leaning, seven were Republicans or right leaning, and three identified as Independents. All listed out the issues that struck them personally.

Out of all those who identified as left of center, 59 percent said climate change was an important issue, and 71 percent said that racial/social justice was among their top concerns. They also cited wealth inequality and healthcare as deciding issues.

All Democrats who could vote said that they would be casting their ballots for Joe Biden.

The Republicans, on the other hand, considered economics, taxes, and immigration to be their most important issues, with each issue making three of the seven Republicans’ list of issues. Those who could vote stated they would cast their ballot for President Trump.

Of those eligible to vote, 60 percent said that they planned to vote in person, either going early or on election day, while 30 percent said that they would vote by mail.

For Dupage County, vote by mail ballots must be postmarked no later than Nov 3.

As of Oct. 9, Dupage County’s records show that since Sept. 24, more than 48,000 people have voted by mail. This is far greater than any past election cycle. Another 10,000 voted early at the Dupage County Fairgrounds.

Although Hinsdale’s streets are lined mostly with Biden yard signs, the area has Trump supporters as well. Christopher Freiler, teacher and co-sponsor of the political discussion group Citizens Club, stresses the importance of remembering these less vocal, yet still strong beliefs at Central.

“Trump supporters don’t necessarily advertise,” Freiler said. “People thought [Hillary Clinton] was going to… run away with the school election… [but] Central’s 2016 mock election was a lot closer than... a lot of people thought it was going to be.”

However, Freiler said not all Trump supporters hide their affiliation. On social media, the Instagram account “@hinsdalefortrump2020,” has 306 followers, many of which are Central

photo by Sofija Buzelis students. Central’s Conservative club, according to active members, has also gained substantial popularity since Donald Trump was first elected.

One supporter is senior Ethan Austermann, who is a leader in Hinsdale Central’s Conservative club. Austermann said that although he does not love the President’s behavior, his Republican values drive him to support him nonetheless.

“The big thing for me is foreign policy,” Austermann said. “Because, in my career, I want to go into… foreign policy and things like that, (and) so that’s a big reason why I support Trump.”

Austermann also is an intern for Republican Jeanne Ives’s campaign. Ives is running for Congress in Illinois’s 6th congressional district against Democratic incumbent Sean Casten.

Casten’s victory in 2018 was part of a blue wave where Democrats gained many seats in Congress. Whether Republicans or Democrats win Illinois’s 6th and similar districts across the United States will impact how effective the President can be in passing legislation.

According to ABC 7 Chicago, “one local race that’s getting a lot of attention is in the 6th Congressional District… Sean Casten is facing a challenge from Jeanne Ives.”

Despite the shared national interest, though, Austermann said he thinks that residents of Hinsdale and surrounding towns are decopling the congressional and presidential races. “[There has been] a shift between people realizing the role of local and federal politics,” Autermann said. “A lot of people recently stared to lean more conservative for local politics, but more liberal on the federal level.”

One thing Austermann said he believes is particularly important to the Central comunity is law and order. This topic has seen national atention given the many instances of looting and violence that began after the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.

“The biggest thing, especially right now… is the civil unrest,” Austermann said. “I think Trump’s policies are pretty good with that; supporting the police and things like that.”

Austermann said that many people feel uncomfortable to voice their opinion if they are conservative. He is unsure if he wants to include his internship on his college application, and knows that many in the club have similar fears.

“I know a lot of people don’t like to voice their opinion, just because there’s that negative contrast that comes with a conservative organization,” Austermann said. “They think ‘oh, you must be racist or something like that.”

He said that in reality, this is not the case.

“I support the protests and ... the message [they’re] trying to spread. But at the same time, I also agree with doing that peacefully, “ Austermann said.

Senior Alexis Lincoln is another student who has also gotten involved with politics in the community around Hinsdale Central.

Unlike Austermann, though, Lincoln supports Democrats in her political efforts, and believes they have the best solutions for the community. In the past few years, Lincoln has been increasingly involved in the local liberal movement, and now is a leader among the Democratic youth in the area.

For Central Democrats like Lincoln, there is not a dedicated club. However, the Hinsdale Climate Coalition hosts a large number of leftleaning members, and the broader community has organizations ranging from Sean Casten’s Congressional campaign to the group DuPage Democrats. Lincoln also said that she utilizes social media to connect with those who share her beliefs.

Lincoln said that she leans progressive, especially on social issues, and that she is very vocal about her beliefs. She said that she encourages others to join in her advocacy, and that she helps to organize protests and

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rallies in the area. Lincoln said she supports Biden because she feels that his policies, especially regarding COVID-19 response, are more in line with her personal beliefs.

“Some of my main issues would be racial justice (and) climate justice,” Lincoln said. “ I support Biden, because he’s sort of the better of the two... With COVID-19, we need a president who’s going to have more of a sciencebased plan and mandate things like masks.”

Lincoln said she hopes for changes that address climate change as well as racial injustice, and she said that the two are linked. Lincoln frequently posts these issues or other recent news stories on Instagram.

“Something that establishes some sort of acknowledgement of climate change… to regulate fossil fuels and big corporations...definitely needs to be passed,” Lincoln said. “I personally never really faced anybody trying to… criticize me for it, but I’m sure there are a lot of people that see sort of what I’ve posted and question it.”

Lincoln said that the coverage of protests has gone down compared to the momentum gained the summer following the death of George Floyd. However, she believes that social justice issues still exist and that many people continue to be involved.

“I think that with the outcome of the election, we’ll probably [see] another spike in interest like there was in June,” Lincoln said.

Austermann both choose to express their beliefs in a civil manner, this is not always the case.

Lawn signs do not just represent the candidates, but also provide a spark for polarization. On both sides of the aisle, signs have been defaced by spray paint in the Hinsdale area. Followers of the “@hinsdalefortrump” and “@hinsdaleforblm” Instagram accounts frequently get into prolonged flame wars, dominating comment sections and feeds with attacks and counterstrikes. Much of this had been spurred by conflict between President Trump’s supporters and opponents.

“Whatever you think of him, Donald Trump has been a uniquely divisive figure in American politics,” Freiler said. “It’s kind of hard to have a… moderate view on Donald Trump. I don’t know too many people who do.”

As a measure to combat the issues taking place as a result of the election, History teacher John Naisbitt stresses the importance of listening to all viewpoints and using reputable news sources.

Naisbitt joins Freiler as co-sponsor of Citizen’s club. Naisbitt said that he was inspired to get the club off the ground following the 9/11 terror attacks. This year, Naisbitt said that the upcoming Presidential election underpin every conversation.

Since its first meeting in August, the club has discussed the Democratic and Republican National Conventions, the financial crisis of the

“Whatever you think of him, Donald Trump has been a uniquely divisive figure in American politics...

It’s kind of hard to have a… moderate view on Donald Trump, I don’t know too many people who do.”

-Christopher Freiler

Lincoln also noted a split between progressives and moderates in the Democratic party as Biden tries to appeal to independents that may have voted for Trump in 2016. She said she believes that Biden’s Vice Presidential pick, California Senator Kamala Harris, will help to balance the dynamic of the party.

“I think that when you talk about any political party there’s going to be that sort of split.... that’s fine because people are going to have different beliefs,” Lincoln said. “ Because [Harris] is more left leaning than [Biden], … her being there is going to really help them get stuff done.”

However, even though Lincoln and

make that difficult for one reason or another.

He went on to draw from history, the primary subject he teaches at Central, and elaborates on how he believes genial political conversation has become more challenging in recent years.

“We’ve had a significant erosion of our institutional life,” Freiler said. “We don’t have the mechanisms to be able to… have a forum for dealing through our disputes and our disagreements. And this is one of the side effects when you rely almost exclusively on digital means to get your information.”

He gave an example of the erosion that he has observed, a hypothetical pair of people, one who supports Trump and another who opposes the President.

“Let’s say you’re a Trump supporter, and I hate Donald Trump,” Freiler said. “If I’m on social media, you’re just the enemy, so I’m just going to flame you.[But] let’s say we belong to the same church, and I’ve seen you, I’ve driven past your house, I’ve seen your Trump sign... (and) we start talking, and [I’m] like, oh, well, [you’re] actually a pretty nice guy.”

Singer, who is eligible to vote in the next election, backs Freiler’s observation.

He cited the Pew Research Center which explained that Americans are struggling to overcome their divisions.

“Politics in America has become increasingly divisive,” Singer said. “[This has resulted] in hostility and a lack of middle ground in our government, and in our society.”

Although Singer does not see an easy solution to this issue, he referenced Richard H. Pildes, a professor of Constitutional Law at New York University. Plides said that in order to overcome partisanship, Americans need to focus on their leaders, not specific parties.

“A good solution according to Plides… would be the diffusion of power away from political parties to the individual elected official,” Singer said.

USPS, the protests in Portland over the death of George Floyd, and the political ramifications of the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, all issues that have had a direct impact on the race for the White House.

Despite the potential for a political battlefield, Naisbitt said disagreements are courteous and respectful. Naisbitt said that he consistently stresses to students the importance of keeping the club one where everyone is free to speak their minds, and said he believes that this is one of the strongest aspects of the club.

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DEVIL ON THE ROAD Senior Akshay Undevia documents his trip across the American West. photos by Akshay Undevia

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Ask an Athlete

by Nate Bittner & Sofija Buzelis

Ben Rassmussen Photo provided by Ben Rassmussen

Q A Q A Q A Q A

Ben (right) next to his brother Alex, who is also on the Hinsdale Central boys golf team.

What’s your favorite golf event to watch on TV? My favorite golf event to watch on TV is the masters because of the history of the event and the intensity it brings to each player.

What is your favorite course you’ve ever gotten the chance to play at?

My favorite course that I have ever played is Cape Kidnappers in New Zealand. The views were unlike any other course I have ever played.

If you had to play a scramble with any golfer in the world on your team, who would it be?

I would play with Tiger. There is no other answer to this question because Tiger is the G.O.A.T. What would you say is your pre-match ritual to get you ready to swing it?

My pre-match ritual consists of first hitting balls starting with a wedge, and working my way up the bag going in two club increments, then hitting short putts before I tee off.

Team

Class

17

Varsity

Senior

Ball of Choice

Titleist Pro V1x Favorite Pro Golfer

Justin Thomas

Swings

Photo provided by Ben Rassmussen

Age

Right Handed

Favorite Club

2 Iron Best Round

69

Ben swings at Corales Golf Course in 2018.

Perspectives | 27

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RED DEVIL REDUX

R

Hinsdale Central vs. Lyons Township 2017: Retold

ivalry week, at any competitive level, is arguably the biggest week of the season. Typically forged out of geographical proximity, rivalry games mean so much more to fans and players alike. This is no different for Hinsdale Central and Lyons Township (LT), two schools that are only four miles apart and are some of the fiercest high school rivals in the area.

On October 13th, 2017, Central and LT faced off in one of the most competitive games in the history of the rivalry. In an extremely close matchup, The Red Devils ultimately prevailed 21-20 over the Lions.

The game still lives fresh in the minds of those who played in it, due to how it played out, as well as the circumstances surrounding the rivalry.

Luke Skokna, junior running back at the time, said the Central vs. LT rivalry was special to him for multiple reasons. “[The rivalry] means a lot to me,” Skokna said.

“Not only is LT our rival school, but my

only meant more to the players, but also had a different feeling on the field. Connor Bauer, senior quarterback in 2017, said the games against LT were more intense, with players giving everything to win. “It got really physical, everyone’s giving their all,” Bauer said. “Everyone gives their all every game, but you find a little more drive when it’s a game against LT.” In the week leading up to the game between Central and LT, competition between the two schools had already started off the field. Students from each side challenged each other to see which school could raise more money for hurricane relief in Puerto Rico. According to the Chicago Tribune, more than $5,000 was raised.

The student body not only made an impact outside of the stadium, but also in it. Oakey said that the atmosphere created by the fans made the games against LT the best games he played in. “[The game against LT] was definitely the most fun game of the year,” Oakey

Photo from HC Football

Junior running back Luke Skokna (7) not only rushed for 178 yards against LT, but also completed a 2-point conversion with a pass, showing both his versatility and impact on the HC offense.

dad and his eight siblings all went to LT. He always jokes about how LT has the tougher kids, so I really just wanted to go out there and prove something.”

Garrett Oakey, senior wide receiver and running back at the time, also said the rivalry with LT was meaningful because of how long the players on each team had known and faced each other. “[The rivalry] meant everything to me and to a bunch of guys on the team,” Oakey said. “We’ve grown up playing them since elementary school with the Hinsdale Falcons.”

The games between Central and LT not

said. “The stands for both teams were jampacked, and they had confetti, baby powder, signs, you name it. It was definitely the best atmosphere that I played in.”

Heading into the game, which would be played at Dickinson Field, Central was 5-2, coming off of a 14-9 loss away at Glenbard West. It could be argued that the biggest loss Central suffered wasn’t on the field, but off of it, as both starting quarterback Matt Rush and starting center Joe Monahan were out for the LT game. This forced Central to adapt their offense to cope with the injuries.

Bauer said the injuries forced Central to

by John Olsen

play to their strengths, but they still wanted to remain aggressive.

“We ran the ball a little more in general that year, but against LT, we tried to attack them and do what we did best and use Luke [Skokna] as much as we could,” Bauer said.

“He was that power back that just made plays, and we relied on him.”

Central also planned to change their formation and run a lot of Wildcat, with running backs, such as Skokna and Oakey, taking direct snaps and running the ball.

For LT, they were 6-1, with their only loss coming at the hands of Glenbard West.

Averaging 28.1 points per game and led by senior QB and three star recruit Ben Bryant, LT’s offense posed a very real threat to Central’s defense, which was only allowing an average of 14.5 points per game. To deal with this, Bauer said Central tried to put Bryant under as much pressure as possible and tried to force him to make mistakes.

Given the way both teams were playing coming into this game, it would no doubt be one of the most competitive and compelling games between the two schools in recent history. Central had won the last 3 meetings between the two sides by a combined score of 116-65, and LT was eager to snap that losing streak. With a 4-0 record on the road so far coming into this game, the Lions had a good chance of coming out with a win.

Bauer said everyone worked harder at practice that week in order to give themselves the best chance at winning.

“Everyone studied the plays a little more, worked a little more in practice, and watched a little more film,” Bauer said. “We just wanted to give our all throughout the week so that we were ready to take them on Friday night.”

The game kicked off on an ominous Friday the 13th in October, with somewhat of a horror story unfolding on Central’s first possession. Oakey went down with an ankle injury, meaning that Central would have to adapt to injuries once again.

“I got tackled funny, and ended up getting a Grade 3 ankle sprain,” Oakey said.

“I was on crutches and couldn’t play the rest of the game, and that was probably the most devastating moment of my high school career. I had been working for four years to play that game against LT my senior year

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and beat them at home, and to have that happen in that moment was just a shame.”

With Oakey going down, Skokna said he knew he would have to step up and shoulder the load, and try to make plays wherever he could.

“Garrett and I split reps, so [when he got injured], I knew I would just have to do whatever I could for the team," Skokna said.

Whether that be in Wildcat, at running back, kick returner or punt returner, I was just going to get it done.”

It wasn’t all bad for Central, as Skokna opened the scoring with a five yard TD rush. That, along with an extra point from senior Quentin Wallace put the Red Devils up 7-0 before the end of the first quarter.

With the defense stifling LT’s high-powered offense, Skokna was able to get into the endzone again to put Central up 13-0 before halftime.

Skokna said that overall, the team was happy with how they played and the position they were in at halftime.

“We were playing smash mouth football, we were winning the battles up front and in the trenches, and we were playing good defense, so we were pretty confident,” Skokna said.

Bauer said that although Central was in the driver’s seat, there was still work to be done and mistakes to be fixed.

“We weren’t satisfied with only a 13 point lead,” Bauer said. “We wanted to fix the little things that we were messing up on throughout the half. LT had a really good offense that year, and while the defense had done a really good job [keeping LT’s offense scoreless], we knew we needed to produce more than 13 points if we wanted to win.”

At the start of the third quarter, LT was able to finally get things going on offense, with Bryant unloading a 52 yard passing TD to bring the Lions within six. Running back Tyrone Smith then scampered 14

yards into the endzone to put LT up 14-13 at the end of the quarter.

Skokna said LT had started to understand what Central was going to do on offense, and that prevented them from scoring in the third quarter.

“They figured out that we were going to just run Wildcat the whole game, so they started stacking the box and blitzing,” Skokna said. “We knew we would then have to start chipping away, getting four or five yards each play.”

The Red Devils’ defense held strong, led by junior linebacker Aidan Cruickshank, who recorded 14 tackles throughout the game. In the 4th quarter, a fumble recovery by senior defensive end Caleb Lagestee at the LT 17 yard line put Central’s offense in prime scoring position.

Two plays later, Skokna would score his third TD of the game on a 12 yard rush.

He then threw a pass to senior tight end Matt Bjorson to complete the two-point conversion. This put Central up 21-14 with just under five minutes left in the game.

Skokna would accumulate 178 rushing yards on 34 carries throughout the game, stepping up big when the team was being ravaged by injuries.

Bauer said performances like this from Skokna weren’t out of the ordinary, and to get this kind of performance from him in such a big game was great.

“He was the guy we went to when we needed to run the ball, and he just [did well] week in and week out,” Bauer said. “He just turned it on that game, and it was good to see him show out especially against LT.” The Lions’ offense roared to life once again, scoring on a two yard rush from Bryce Moskiewicz with just over a minute remaining, which brought the scoreline to 21-20. Instead of kicking the extra point, LT elected to go for two, which meant the game would be decided on this single play.

Central’s defense was able to hold firm again, and got enough pressure on Bryant to disrupt the two-point attempt, keeping the Red Devils ahead by one.

LT chose to onside kick on the ensuing kickoff, and were able to recover, meaning the Central defense would have to make one last stand. They did just that, and the Devils were able to claim a 21-20 victory, clinching a playoff berth and extending their winning streak over LT. Getting the win over the rival team always means a lot for the players, but for Skokna it meant even more because of who was in attendance. “[Winning] meant a lot to me,” Skokna said. “I had an older brother who lived in California at the time, and he was there. I was trying to put on for him since he had been the one training me since I was a little kid. It was just a team effort, and we put it together and got the job done.”

LT won their final regular season game 31-14 against Oak Park River Forest, but got eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by Curie. The Red Devils would also go on to win their final regular season game, triumphing 42-7 over Hinsdale South. Additionally, they won their first playoff game against Stevenson before being eliminated in the second round by Loyola Academy.

In the context of the season, the win against LT was likely Central’s biggest moment, and Oakey said he couldn’t have been happier for his teammates and to have won, given the circumstances.

“The guys played awesome,” Oakey said.

“We had three main guys go down, and you can just roll over and [accept defeat] in that situation, or you can persevere and find what’s deep down inside of you and do what you need to do to win. That’s what we did, and I couldn’t have been more proud of the [team].”

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BATTLEGROUND SCOTUS NOMINATION

illustrations by Rania Arain & Mara Severts

CONTEXT: Late September, the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg left a vacancy in the Supreme Court. The nomination of Amy Coney Barrett (ACB), justice, has raised two nationwide questions: should SCOTUS nominees be confirmed prior to an election cycle and is ACB an appropriate pick?

A

nswering the question of whether or not a SCOTUS nominee should be confirmed prior to an election cycle is dependent on which nominee is in the running. After the tragic death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, President Donald Trump appointed Amy Coney Barrett (ACB) to fill her seat. Notre Dame Professor and Appeals Court Judge, ACB is a notable conservative.

While confirming a judge during an election cycle has happened before, the United States has never been more unstable— especially compared to 1988, which was the last time a Judge was confirmed during an election year. We were not in a global pandemic. We were not this polarized. We were not this distrusting of our government.

Rushing this type of decision only harms the future of our country and its citizens. In fact,

NOOR MRYAN

confirming ACB would put the Court at a 6-3 conservative majority—an idea feared by many Americans, as highlighted by the New York Times on Sept. 28. Let’s be clear: this is an attempt at a power grab, one that would drastically change the course of American democracy. Not to mention, there are far more pressing issues that the U.S. government and executive branch should be more concerned with. More than 200,000 Americans have died from COVID-19, and as Senator Tammy Duckworth said, “instead of addressing the many life-and-death issues facing working families during COVID-19, Trump and the Senate Republicans are focused on jamming through this nomination”.

It is critical to analyze this question by examining Federal Judge Amy Coney Barrett and her beliefs, as well. ACB is an originalist, like some on the Supreme Court. She believes that her job as a judge would be to interpret the Constitution according to its original meaning.

While this is problematic to some, it is not the main issue with her beliefs, two of which include abortion and the Affordable Care Act. Many are concerned that with her confirmation comes the overturn of these pressing issues. While ACB stated she does not intend on overturning Roe v. Wade, the case that gave people the constitutional right to end a pregnancy, she has stated that she intends on restricting “late-term abortions” and regulating “how many restrictions can be put on clinics”, as according to NPR. This is a drastic step backwards. In 2016, Trump specified that he intended on appointing

someone committed to overturning Roe v. Wade, as he stated in one of the presidential debates. He has made his pick.

Especially in this pandemic, millions of Americans rely on the Affordable Care Act for their healthcare. The Affordable Care Act has especially benefited underprivileged Americans and has given them access to some healthcare, as according to CNBC. ACB is a threat to this, as she criticized Chief Justice John Roberts in a 2017 law journal article, writing that “Chief Justice Robers pushed the Affordable Care Act beyond its plausible meaning to save the statute”, as according to TIME. This gives Democrats a reason to believe ACB could be a vote against the Affordable Care Act. Finally, Barrett is a Roman Catholic, and has stated that her religious beliefs will not impact her ruling. That would be ideal, except they already have. In 2006, Barrett signed her name to a “right to life ad”, which calls for “an end to the barbaric legacy of Roe v. Wade and restore lives that protect the lives of unborn children.” Religious beliefs should not be a determining factor, but hers have consistently impacted her rulings, changing the freedom of Americans.

One thing is clear: the Notorious RBG did not die for another woman to take her seat, and reverse all the things that she pushed forward. During her hearing, Amy Coney Barrett was not able to name all five unalienable rights given to us in the Constitution, forgetting the right to protest. If she isn’t able to name them, she definitely is not able to uphold them.

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W

ith only a few weeks leading up to the 2020 Presidential elections, the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (RBG), may she rest in peace, comes as a shock to progressives all over the country. RBG was a voice for minorities, a voice for women, and a voice for progress.

According to Axios, she was ranked as one of the most left-leaning justices currently on the Supreme Court. The progressives’ reaction of astonishment, however, isn’t just the result of losing one of their keystone figures -- it’s the fact that RBG’s replacement lies in the hands of President Donald J. Trump.

President Trump’s decision to immediately select Judge Amy Coney Barrett (ACB) as his Supreme Court nominee has gathered outrage by the political left. Not just because of ACB herself, but because of the supposedly ‘hypocritical’ nature of breaking the precedent set by Republicans who waited after the election to replace Justice Antonin Scalia back in 2016. If precedence is of concern, though, it’s best we take a look at the 29 prior cases where a Supreme Court seat became open during a Presidential election year. The National Review notes that of those 29, there’ve only been 10 cases in history where the “party opposing the President held the senate” as were the circumstances in 2016. Then out of those 10 cases, only one nominee was confirmed before the election.

Even setting precedence aside, why would a political party pass up an opportunity to hand pick their own supreme court nominee? Especially when the confirmation of this nominee would give them an ideal 6-3 majority in the country’s highest federal court.

What seems like another conniving ploy by Republicans to further assert their control over the nation is simply a gesture to the dynamics of the American two-party political system. The very definition of politics, in accordance with the Merriam Webster dictionary’s definition, is “competition between competing interest groups or individuals for power and leadership.”

Amidst rumors of conservatives planning to overrule monumental cases like Roe v.

Wade, ACB’s strong religious convictions

are of concern to leftleaning Americans. Well and Good shares that even Illinois Senator Dick Durbin doesn’t believe ACB can put her religious views to the side especially for issues like same-sex marriage and LGBTQ+ rights. ACB, however, according to Heavy, states that her “personal church affiliation or [her] religious belief would not bear on the discharge of [her] duties as a judge.”

To fear that ACB is not the right person for the opening due to her supposedly ‘too strong’ religious views and their potential in leading to discriminatory judgement is discrimination in itself.

Since when was one’s religious faith a factor for concern? Even RBG held religious beliefs, but never did she let it get in her way of decision-making.

As of now, no major controversies regarding ACB’s personal life have surfaced as with Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination, and it seems like her ‘strongly-held’ religious values are the only excuse her opponents can come up with.

ACB’s personal life actually compliments her reputation for office as the loving mother of seven children, two of whom were adopted from Haiti. Breitbart narrates the selflessness ACB demonstrated when caring for one of her adopted children, having transitioned him from a state of malnourishment to “fully restored health.” If her personal life alone doesn’t stand as a testament to her competence and fit for one of America’s most influential roles, then maybe her law degree from Notre Dame and experience as a 7th Federal Court of Appeals judge will. The Week even discusses how many of ACB’s colleagues and acquaintances have come out

MIKHAIL ESSA to endorse her decency and fit for the role.

In our polarized world, the nomination of ACB and the possibility of being confirmed before an election serves as another topic of controversy. But given ACB’s background, the party in control of the Senate, and President Trump’s sense of urgency in regard to this matter, it is only a matter of days before she is confirmed and rightfully so.

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WELLNESS A RUNNING EXPERIMENT

J ard e C yadnuS

Cedra Jazayerli stretches at Katherine Leggie Park on a Sunday morning.

nie b t rela ohc s nfied t eht A sa o ot d na VOC rivne d na esym epyt evah i l a er uom tsoc fsitas N vol I to n l t to b taht TAH eh t ti a r t mrof eB elttob rauq nnu r b ym eh t a tuo a ef e d klaw

he past three months have required a lot of adjusting. From preparing for hybrid learning to being rudely awakened by an all-remote alert email a week prior to the start of school, the beginning of my senior year definitely has not gone to plan. On top of the traditional twelfth grade stresses, such as ACT tests, college applications and way too many AP classes to count, my peers and I have felt the anxieties of a postCOVID learning environment. This is an environment that has made me feel scared and anxious about my future. I consider myself to be carefree, a go with the flow type of girl, but the feelings of uncertainty have been too much as of late. I quickly realized I needed a way to combat my mounting anxieties. Thinking of an easy, no cost activity that would give me immediate satisfaction, I decided to start running.

Now, let me be frank, I am not a runner.

I love working out, but straight cardio is not my thing. My middle school water bottle of choice was a hot pink thermos that screamed attention with its bolded I HATE RUNNING phrase wrapped around the middle. I thought it was a personality trait to boast how much I despise that form of cardio. But things have changed.

Besides throwing out the hideous water bottle, I have come to tolerate running. Over quarantine last spring, I used the excuse of running to get out of my house and move my body. Granted, I never actually ran the whole time. The workout would start out as a slow jog, but eventually I’d accept defeat in favor of a walk. But I would walk upwards of five miles some days,

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zoning out to music and appreciating my neighborhood. Though my life was chaotic and I was sick of my family, I wish I would have appreciated the stillness of life more.

Now, the chaos has been magnified tenfold.

I decided I wanted to test my mental ability to stick to running for 30 days. I am an active person, and I love working out, but there is something so mentally challenging about running that I can never push past.

Nonetheless, I am using this platform to hold myself accountable and see how my mood, body, and schoolwork can change over the course of a month of consistent running.

The first four days were an exciting trek.

I would start my runs at around 6:30 p.m.

The heat would have subsided substantially and the view of the sunset was pleasant in comparison to how I was feeling. I think it was the adrenaline of starting something new that made the first few days go really well. I was slow-a 10 minute mile pacebut I ran nonetheless. I felt accomplished after I had finished, like I had done something beneficial for my mind and body. The hardest part was always starting, but I could see myself continuing this.

I wish I could say each day got better.

I wish I could say each day I got faster, or stronger, or ran for longer. The truth is, I had to drag myself out of my house at the last minute to run. I don’t like quitting, but there were some days where I could not get myself out of bed, or off my phone, to go run for 10 minutes. I tried listening to motivating music, podcasts, anything to distract myself from the pain and exhaustion I was feeling. I became really familiar with my neighborhood, running laps around the block. My sisters made fun of me, and I grumbled in protest. If I hadn’t promised I’d write a story about this experience, I probably would have gave up already.

Finally, after about 13 days of consistent running, I started to see a change. My pace had lowered to about 9 minutes and 15 seconds, and I gave myself a different view on these runs. I would start at Katherine Legge Memorial Park and run down County Line Road towards downtown Hinsdale. I loved running through the neighborhoods and it gave me something

by Cedra Jazayerli photo by Sofija Buzelis

to do. I also increased my mileage from one to two miles, essentially running for 20 minutes. Every time I wanted to quit mid stride and walk the rest, I would think of the post-run feeling and mental clarity it provides, then maybe quicken my pace.

Things were going well. I was running almost daily and it felt part of a routine. I was busy with school, tennis season, and this new running hobby. It wasn’t until Oct. 1, when I received the news of my grandfather passing, that things began to crumble.

I found out alone in my house, and the utter feeling of hopelessness and helplessness began to set in. It was 5:35 in the evening, the time I would usually start getting ready for a run. Reality was not setting in as I stared at my forgotten and insignificant homework with tears in my eyes. I could not be in my house. So like the coming of age movie, where the main character runs out in the rain, I raced out of the house without any headphones, water, anything remotely beneficial for me at that moment. I just ran.

I ran 4.2 miles that day, just under eight minutes each mile. The fastest and longest I had ever ran. It was so freeing. I did not think about my family, my school, or life without my grandpa. I just put one foot in front of the other and listened to my heart beat pound to the rhythm of my steps. I understand what people mean when they say they experienced a “runner’s high.” It was addicting and I knew I wanted more.

I am not saying that the last 30 days transformed me as a person. But I am encouraging others to try something new to better their physical, mental, or emotional health. The column is health and wellness based, so I am excited to venture out with more interesting tips on how to stay healthy and sane during such an unprecedented time. In the meantime, I hope to continue running outside as long as the weather permits, and know that it will be beneficial for all aspects of my life.

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UNSOLICITED ADVICE

I

STUDENT PRODUCTIVITY

’m going to be honest. Since the start of the school year, I’ve been operating on fumes. My work, at best, has been sub-par. I’m skimming through classes, doing the bare minimum to succeed. You’re probably doing the same thing too. We’re all unmotivated, with any notion of hard work drowned out by feelings of hopelessness. Our productivity is at an all time low, steadily decreasing as the weeks drag on. We have to fix it, we want to fix it, but how? Obviously, you can do what everyone says: eat healthy, sleep regularly, and exercise daily. Those habits help, but we’ve been doing all that already. So why do we keep feeling this way?

Well, the answer is a bit more complicated than the basic Keto diets and ab workouts.

To understand why we keep feeling unproductive, and how to fix it, we first have to understand the concept of “surge capacity”.

When we first started having these productivity problems, it was March.

Schools were shutting down and we were becoming isolated. We learned, worked, and lived completely alone. But, we still had to maintain an equal level of productivity as before. We had to learn how to do all the work, with none of the fun. So eventually, we burned out. As the pandemic dragged on, we began to lose interest in our work. Without interests and goals, Hinsdale Central students started to feel despondent and adrift.

“It’s harder for high achievers,” Pauline Boss, PhD, a family therapist and professor at the University of Minnesota stated in an Elemental article on surge capacity.

“The more accustomed you are to solving problems, to getting things done, to having a routine, the harder it is on you… You get feelings of hopelessness and helplessness,” But why exactly are we feeling so hopeless and helpless? Well, in the beginning months of isolation, we were operating on what is called surge capacity. Ann Masten, PhD, a fellow professor at the University of Minnesota, explains “Surge capacity is a collection of adaptive systems — mental and physical — that humans draw on for short-term survival in acutely stressful situations, such as natural disasters.”

Surge capacity allowed us to quickly adapt to the drastic changes of Covid-19, exceptthere’s one problem. Natural disasters occur over a short period of time, and pandemics are certainly anything but (especially in America). The emergency adaptiveness of our surge capacities have already been outstretched as the disaster it was meant to react to has become indefinite. We’re already beginning to face the consequences.

70.5% of Hinsdale Central students say they feel less productive than last year, and 85.3% say they feel burned out. Our surge capacity is depleted, and we have no idea how to renew it. So what do we do now?

“The pandemic has demonstrated both what we can do with surge capacity and the limits of surge capacity,” Masten said.

Expect less from yourself. Due to the pandemic, many of us have lost our support systems, whether that’s friends, family, teammates, or even just the reassurance of a regular schedule. We’re starting to break down, making it nearly impossible to function at full capacity.

But beating yourself up for it will only make it worse. For once, we should be pushing ourselves less instead of more.

“I think we’re in a period of a lot of self discovery: Where do I get my energy? What kind of down time do I need? Masten says.

Accept that life may be different right now. In order to fix something, you must

accept that it’s broken. And in order to fix your work ethic during the pandemic, you must accept that things are different now then before. The harsh truth is that this year won’t look the same, and you’re not going to get all the activities you used to look forward to. But if we become resentful of our unfair situation, it’ll be more difficult to move on from it. Keep in mind that acceptance is not equivalent to surrendering though.

Instead, it means forgoing a resistance to reality in order to step into a better state of mind. Things may look different, but that might not exactly be a bad thing.

Find the silver linings. After accepting that life is different than before, the next step is to make the best of it. Instead of focusing on what we lost, we should be focusing on

by Michael Tu

what we can gain. Personally, I’m using this extra time at home to reconnect with my family. As a busy teenager, I often neglected my relationship with my parents, and being confined at home allowed me to spend more time with them. By finding silver linings, you can develop a habit of recognizing positive aspects of your life instead of fixating on the negatives. And then, the negatives will begin to seem less significant, and feelings of hopelessness will subside.

Find solitary activities, both new and old. The frustrating irony of the pandemic

is that our activities, which for many served as a coping mechanism, were taken away. Therefore, it’s important to find new activities (or uncover old ones) not just to occupy ourselves with, but also to fall in love with. As we begin to commit to these new activities, we build ourselves up with small feelings of accomplishment.

These feelings add up, and we start to go back on track to productivity. For me, the new activity was journaling. For you, it could be painting, or cooking, or maybe even playing a new instrument. Find something you can enjoy, and stick with it.

70.5 % FEEL LESS PRODUCTIVE

(129 Respondents)

85.3% FEEL BURNED OUT

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STAFF EDITORIAL CAMERA COMMOTIONS This editorial is the consensus of the Devils’ Advocate Editorial Board.

illustration by Mara Severts & Rania Arain

A

student wakes up at 7:45 a.m., ready to start their day. They roll out of bed, and trudge over to their desk. They sit down slowly and open up their Chromebook. Another student awakes at 7:55 a.m., with only five minutes to spare before the first period of the day starts. They get up to grab their computer, and roll back into bed. A third student wakes up at 7 a.m., does their normal school routine, and sits at a desk, wide awake, and ready to attend class. All three students log into their Zoom class and hear their teacher greet them.

Their stomachs drop, they roll their eyes, and their hearts start beating a little faster when they hear their teacher begin with “OK class, please turn on your cameras today.”

With classes being over Zoom or other

online video conferencing apps, seeing faces on a screen is some of the only social interaction students and teachers receive. At Central, teachers have different requirements for cameras. Some make it a necessity for students to turn their cameras on, while other teachers make it optional. While it may be respectful to have cameras on during class, teachers should not force students to show their faces.

Some teachers express that while they don’t require cameras to be on, they would still like to see their students. Having cameras on during class can help teachers to feel more comfortable teaching, and it also allows teachers to monitor whether or not their students are engaged in class.

Many teachers have told their students that

having their cameras on helps them feel like they’re in a normal school environment.

“If we see our peers and teacher, it will hopefully feel like a class environment,” said Jennifer Ellinghausen, P.E. teacher.

“I think seeing peers adds a social and collaborative factor because some people really do not get to socialize other than with their family members.”

Many students understand the desire to return to normal school, but they also recognize that having classes on Zoom is much different than having classes in person, so the standards for virtual class should be different.

Some students cite a phenomenon known as “Zoom fatigue” as a reason for keeping their cameras off. After being online in front of a computer screen all

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day, many students find it exhausting to stare at themselves and their classmates for upwards of an hour in each class. While there are breaks in between classes, it can be draining to have the feeling that you’re being watched at all times in your classes.

“Gallery view challenges the brain’s central vision, forcing it to decode so many people at once, that no one comes through meaningfully, not even the speaker,” said National Geographic in an article about the effects of Zoom on the human brain.

Many students take notes on their computer as well, resulting in their arm being across the screen and their face very close to the camera. Due to this, students don’t want to turn their cameras on because it is more of a distraction to their classmates and themselves. Showing faces on camera can be an insecurity to some students.

“I feel like it is distracting because I’m looking at myself… it feels uncomfortable and it’s harder to focus on learning the material,” said Caitlin Brankin, senior.

Although teachers want students’ cameras on, they should not form a grade

based on a student having their camera on or not. Some students have unique home lives, and may not want their classmates and teachers to be aware of those cases, or be distracted by them.

Many students have had to take on more responsibilities in their home lives throughout the course of the lockdown and the ongoing pandemic, so multitasking during class has become common for some students.

In some situations, a student’s WiFi connection at home is not strong enough to support both video and audio connection to Zoom, or other video conferencing tools, and can cause connection issues. In this situation, a student with WiFi issues can at least attend class with the ability to listen and speak, even if they can’t be on camera.

However, if students have the ability to turn their camera on and they feel comfortable doing so, students should take this step. If teachers have the ability to see their students while they’re teaching, it can help them feel more comfortable trying to help their

$

students throughout this challenging time.

The pandemic presents new challenges with online school for students, but it’s important to be mindful of the struggles that teachers face as well.

Many teachers have never taught virtually before, so it could be a sign of respect and compassion for a student to turn their camera on. However, students should still have that choice, no matter what the circumstances are.

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Perspectives | 35

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Whether you’re starting your first job benefits youoff cantorely on. Students have remarkable or heading college in the fall, ourshown Student Checking HINSDALE’S COMMUNITY BANK resilience through time,inand your own account is 25 E. First St. | Hinsdale, IL 60521 or heading off you to this college theopening fall, our Student Checking HINSDALE’S COMMUNITY BANK account gives quick access to your funds and offers resilience through this time, and opening your own account is 25 E. First St. | Hinsdale, IL 60521 an exciting milestone we don’t want you to miss out on.

630-323-4404 | www.hinsdalebank.com HINSDALE’S COMMUNITY BANK account gives you quick access to your funds and offers convenient mobile tools to manage yourtomoney onon. the go. an exciting milestone we don’t want you miss out 630-323-4404 | www.hinsdalebank.com 25 E. First St. | Hinsdale, IL 60521 convenient mobile tools to manage your money on the go.

25 E.with FirstaSt. | Hinsdale, IL 60521 Stop in or give us aTo call tostarted, learn more!

630-323-4404 | banker. www.hinsdalebank.com get click here to schedule an in-person meeting Stop in or give us aTo callget tostarted, learn more!

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STUDENT STUDENT CHECKING CHECKING

Available for students 13 to 25 years of age. Applicants under the age of 18 must open account jointly with a parent, legal guardian, or other adult.

Available for students 13 to 25 years of age. Applicants under the age of 18 must open account jointly with a parent, legal guardian, or other adult.

FREE ATMS ATMS Five free FREE nationwide ATM refunds 1 Five free pernationwide statement ATM cyclerefunds per statement cycle1

AWESOME TECHNOLOGY22 AWESOME TECHNOLOGY Online & Mobile Banking | Remote Deposit

OnlineBill & Mobile Banking | Remote Deposit Online Pay | E-statements | Cardless Cash Online Bill Pay | E-statements | Cardless Cash

YOUR OWN DEBIT CARD

YOUR OWN CARD Get a debit card ofDEBIT your own today!3 Get a debit card of your own today!3

No minimum balance required | No monthly maintenance fees | No minimum deposit to open No minimum balance required | No monthly maintenance fees | No minimum deposit to open Proud to be part of the family Proud to be part of the family 1. ATM Fees. There is no Wintrust Financial Corporation transaction charge at any ATM in the Allpoint, MoneyPass, or Sum surcharge-free networks. Other banks outside 1. ATM Fees. is is nono Wintrust Financial Corporation transaction at (5) anysurcharge ATM in the Allpoint, or Sum surcharge networks. bankswill outside the network may impose ATM surcharges at 1.the ATM Fees.There Thereimpose Wintrust Financial transaction charge at any ATM inassessed the MoneyPass, Allpoint, MoneyPass, or ATMs Sumfree surcharge-free networks.

Other banks outside network may ATM surcharges atCorporation their machines.

Upcharge to five fees by owners of other outside theOther network be reimbursed per machines.

Surcharge fees assessed by owners of other ATMs outside theatnetwork be reimbursed.

Reimbursement does not include the 1.10%Other International Servicethe feenetwork charged for transactions 1.their ATM Fees.cycle.

There is no Wintrust Financial Corporation transaction charge anysurcharge ATMwill in the Allpoint, MoneyPass, or Sum surcharge freeoutside networks. bankswill outside maycertain imposeforeign ATM surcharges at the network mayReimbursement impose ATM surcharges atinclude their machines. to five (5) assessed by owners of other ATMs the network be reimbursed per statement does not the 1.10% Up International Service feefees charged for certain foreign transactions conducted outside the continental United conducted outside the continental United States. 2.

Benefits. bankingwill is be required to access Mobile banking and Capture.

Internet/Mobile is required.

Deposits made their machines.

Surcharge fees assessed by owners ofAccount other ATMs outsideOnline the network reimbursed.

Reimbursement does notRemote includeDeposit the 1.10% International Service feeconnectivity charged for certain foreign transactions statement cycle. Reimbursement doesbanking not include the 1.10% International Service fee for certain foreignInternet/mobile transactions conducted outside the continental States. 2. Account Benefits. Online is required to access mobile banking andcharged remote deposit capture. connectivity is required.

DepositsUnited made through mobile banking through Mobile banking or Remote Deposit Capture subjectBenefits. to depositOnline limitsbanking and funds are typically available by next business Deposit limitsCapture. may change at any time. Third-party conducted outside the continental United States.

2. are Account is required to access Mobile banking and day.

Remote Deposit Internet/Mobile connectivitymessage is required. Deposits made States.

2.

Account Benefits.

Online banking is required to access mobile banking and remote deposit capture.

Internet/mobile connectivity is required.

Deposits made through mobile or remote deposit capture are subject to deposit limits and funds are typically available by next business day.

Deposit limits may change at any time.

Third-party message and data ratesbanking may and dataMobile rates may apply. apply. are Forsubject more information go to:and https://www.hinsdalebank.com/personal/resources/online-mobile-banking/agreement-and-disclosure.html. through banking or Other Remoterestrictions Deposit Capture to deposit limits funds are typically available by next business day. Deposit limits may change at any time. Third-party message or remote deposit capture are subject to deposit limits and funds are typically available by next business day.

Deposit limits may change at any time.

Third-party message and data rates may apply.

Other restrictions apply.

For more information go to: www.hinsdalebank.com/agreement-and-disclosure.

3.

Debit Card Fees.

Overdraft fees may apply.

For more information 3. Debit Overdraft feesrestrictions may apply.apply.

For more regarding overdraft fees, speak with a personal banker. and dataCard ratesFees. may apply.

Other For information more information go to: https://www.hinsdalebank.com/personal/resources/online-mobile-banking/agreement-and-disclosure.html. apply.

Other restrictions apply.

For more information go to: www.hinsdalebank.com/agreement-and-disclosure.

3.

Debit Card Fees.

Overdraft fees may apply.

For more information regarding overdraft fees, speak with a personal banker.

3. Debit Card Fees. Overdraft fees may apply. For more information regarding overdraft fees, speak with a personal banker. regarding overdraft fees, speak with a personal banker.

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