In This Issue — Unexcused, pg. 14 Summer School, Reinvented, pg. 22 Coffee Central, pg. 24
HINSDALE CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL | HINSDALE, ILLINOIS | VOLUME 91 | SEPTEMBER 2018 front.indd 195640 September 1 2018 r2.indd 1
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CONTENTS OUR STAFF
TEMILAYO ADELAKUN HANNAH AHDAB SARAH BADAWI OLIVIA BEARGIE AUDREY CARTER GABBY COSTELLO CATHERINE DOLAN CAMERON GARBER RAYHAN HUSSAIN ANCHAL KUMAR RIMA RAFIQ KATIE SHARP GAYATRI THIRUNARAYANAN SAMMY YALLAPRAGADA
CONTRIBUTERS
01 04 08 10 14 24
letter from the COVER 03 TABLE OF CONTENTS
PERSPECTIVES 04 EDITORIAL 05 BATTLEGROUND 06 DEVILISH ADVENTURE 07 DEVIL IN DISGUISE
AROUND CAMPUS 08 NEWS
PROFILES 10 BEHIND THE COVER 12 BATTLING FOR THE GOLD
FEATURES 14 UNEXCUSED 18 IDLE HANDS 20 IN THE FRAME 22 SUMMER SCHOOL
IN OUR COMMUNITY 24 COFFEE CENTRAL 26 ALTAMURA REVIEW 27 CHEERS & JEERS
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 atmosphere and student body by sharing information and recognizing individuals and ideas.
[EDITO R ]
As the school year begins, students delve into their classes and get back into the rhythm of school. This month, we also jam to the rhythm of student bands as they reach new heights in popularity. Additionally, we discuss the changes in attendance policies and how they may affect students’ mental health. We examine the depths that this new policy has on Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and how the administration is handling this transition. Meanwhile, we take a look back into students’ summer experiences taking classes at universities to help further their education. Our new columnists experience an escape room and explore how they can adapt the skills they learned to school. Next, we profile Mrs. Barb Deane, one of our technology specialists, who is a prolific author and feminist, as well as Mr. Dave Stringer, an emerging novelist. We look at Red Goes Gold, a new initiative to raise money for pediatric cancer, its founders, and school involvement. Our Devil in Disguise investigates Varsity Club just as Homecoming activities have ended. Finally, we dispute President Trump’s statement that “the news media is the enemy of the people,” and offer a different look on the importance of journalism.
HEAD EDITORS
ANNIKA AGRAWAL
LAUREN LEE
CONTACT ADVISER, CHERISE LOPEZ CLOPEZ@HINSDALE86.ORG 630.570.8361
JENNY WITT | KATIE BUSCHER | GABBY TSAMIS | EMILY GOGGIN
SAFI Z. A. QADIR Cover & Back photos by Safi Qadir
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illustration by Audrey Carter
this is fake news.
The First Amendment to the Constitution states that American people will always have the freedom of speech and press, and those freedoms have been an integral part of the checks and balances system that exists in our government. Now, however, those freedoms are under attack. “The FAKE NEWS media (failing @ nytimes, @NBCNews, @ABC, @CBS, @ CNN) is not my enemy, it is the enemy of the American People!” This tweet, published by President Donald Trump on February 17, 2017, was one of the first in his attacks against the media, much of which he has labeled to be “fake news”. In fact, the president has had a long history of calling news stories he doesn’t like fake news, as shown by his tweet on February 6, 2017, where he stated, “Any negative polls are fake news, just like the CNN, ABC, NBC polls in the election.” To the president, the role that journalism plays in democracy means nothing. It is the right of the people to be informed by their press, to be shown the truth from every angle, even ones that contravent the policies of the current presidential administration. The right to free press covers members of the media who disagree with Trump’s actions, and his efforts to restrict that right border on unconstitutional. At a political rally in Pennsylvania, Trump pointed to a group of reporters covering the event and yelled, “They don’t report it. They only make up stories.” Over the past year, he has continued to ridicule the field of journalism, harass the Press 4 | Perspectives editorial.indd 195640 September 2 2018 r2.indd 4
Corps for asking questions he doesn’t like, and incessantly barrage journalists with false tweets such as, “[The Fake News Media] are out of control — correct reporting means nothing to them. Major lies written...a stain on America!” He tweeted that on December 10, 2017. While fake news has become a problem in our world, and there is indeed sensational clickbait news stories on social media outlets such as Facebook, time-honored newspapers are not “fake news”. The media provides factual information in order to inform people, and whether or not the President likes those facts does not decide their veracity. Trump is not the first president to attack the mainstream media for its reporting, but he is the first to do so in such a blatant, unending manner. He stated on August 16, 2018. that he believes in freedom of the press, that the press “is FREE to write and say anything it wants, but much of what it says is FAKE NEWS, pushing a political agenda or just trying to hurt people.” The President needs to understand that news stories are written to present only facts, not to have a political perspective, and unlike Trump himself, do not directly attack certain people. A news outlet writing about the Trump administration’s policies and any potential negative effects of those policies is not an attack on the President himself. Meanwhile, Trump’s outrage against members of the media is dangerously close to inciting violence. On August 5, 2018,
he stated on Twitter that, “[The News] purposely causes great division & distrust. They can also cause War! They are very dangerous and sick!” Furthermore, he has overtly threatened news outlets with collusion, and called them a danger to American society. It is the President, not the media, that is creating distrust within the nation. Not only do the President’s tweets cause paranoia, but his tweets also undermine the credibility of journalists across the country, when they are there to watch, write and inform. As recently as July 25, 2018, he has begun banning reporters from the White House, as well as bringing up the idea of barring questions from the White House’s own Press Corps. The American public has a right to know what is going on in the White House. They have a right to be informed on all of the administration’s policies, good and bad, given that the release of this information would not put the country or its military in harm’s way. As journalists, we have a duty to protect that right, to watch, to listen, and to inform. In this world that is getting closer to tyranny, the role of journalism is more important than ever. It keeps our government honest, provides a delicate balance, and humbles those in power. Journalism has always been, and will always be, essential to society. Nobody, not even the President, can take away that right. This editorial has been written as a joint venture with several high-school publications in the western suburbs of Chicago, particularly Downers Grove North High School.
This editorial is the consensus of the Devils’ Advocate editorial board.
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BATTLEGROUND The Cake Case: Not So Sweet
Context —In July of 2012, Charlie Craig and David Mullins, a legally wed same-sex couple from Colorado, visited the Masterpiece Cakeshop in Lakewood, Colorado to purchase a cake for their wedding celebration. However, the baker, Jack Phillips, refused to make this cake, stating it deeply violated his Christian beliefs. The Colorado Civil Rights Commission mandated Masterpiece Cakeshop cater the celebration in accordance to public accommodation laws, so Phillips appealed the case up to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court ruled in Phillips’ interest in 2018, but this topic continues to draw questions about freedom of religion, and the extent of the law.
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illustration by Audrey Carter
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ack Phillips’ refusal to bake a cake symbolizes an attack to the nation’s continuing fight against sexual orientation discrimination. Giving legitimacy to his defense of freedom to “live out their religious identity in the public square” and an “expressive freedom of all who create art or other speech for a living” would only limit our nationwide effort towards acceptance (Howe). In his brief to the Supreme Court, Phillips states that his unwillingness is protected by the First Amendment’s freedom of expression, and was violated by Colorado’s public accommodation laws. According to Cornell Law School, these public accommodation laws state that, “All persons shall be entitled to the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, and accommodations of any place of public accommodation” regardless of “race, color, origin, or national religion”. However, Phillips has a misinterpretation. In the Supreme Court brief, the Colorado Civil Rights Commission states that from the point of a “reasonable observer”, baking a cake for a gay couple doesn’t constitute an endorsement, just compliance to a state mandate. If Phillips wanted to, he could’ve posted a sign stating that although he bakes goods for an event, he doesn’t endorse it. This easy alternative option is protected by First Amendment rights while complying with Colorado’s public accommodation laws, making Phillips’ entire argument absolutely misguided. However, not only is it important to consider his complaints against Colorado’s public accommodation laws, but the precedent that would be set if people were allowed to deny entire groups of people based on simply beliefs. When Phillips won this case on grounds of religious liberty, it opened the floodgates for countless businesses to be able to claim grounds against public accommodation laws because of their personal beliefs. Hairdressers, architects and tailors could deny specific groups of customers much like what Jack Phillips had done to the same-sex couple Charlie Craig and David Mullins. The government’s own power in ensuring equal treatment for everyone will be eviscerated, reversing a movement first started by the Civil Rights Act in 1964. In the end, although Jack Phillips’ concerns deserved to be heard, if we want to be able to continue supporting human rights world wide, it is clear our first challenge starts right at home. By allowing Jack Phillips’ ideas to go into Angela Han fruition, we are starting a global trend towards hypocrisy. Let’s not take a step back now.
hillips’s opposition to baking a cake for the same-sex couple is analogous to any commonplace act of refusing service seen in restaurants, stores, or buildings— often watered down to the “No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service” signs enforcing customers to be at least half-dressed to expect service, these “discriminatory” rules don’t generate significant controversy because the signs ultimately declare it the customer’s responsibility to carry themselves in a way that is not deemed uncomfortable by the owner. Of course, the Civil Rights of 1964 stating that “It shall be an unlawful […] to discriminate against any individual […] because of such individual’s race, color, religion, sex, or national origin” bounds such discriminatory actions from those relating to the individuals’ birth, something they cannot control. To Phillips, “Cakes have a message,” and so his refusal of service was no more than his opposition to the behavior of the customers, which would be expressed by the use of his cake as a symbol of their marriage. Phillips himself stated that “[he doesn’t] create cakes for Halloween, [he] wouldn’t create a cake that would be anti-American or disparaging against anybody for any reason, even cakes that would disparage people who identify as LGBT.” If Mullins or Craig had requested a birthday cake from Phillips, he would have happily complied, and so he was not discriminating against their uncontrollable “stateof-being,” rather their use—an action—of his product. In a cake shop that he owns, in a city that he calls home, his want to control the use and representation of a cake he will make by hand is a way he is upholding the standards of a religion important to him—the expression of which is fully supported by the first amendment. So were Phillips’s actions rude, a hindrance on the LGBT movement, and ultimately a loss of business for his Masterpiece cake shop? Perhaps. But as a citizen of the United States, his reaction and the Supreme Court’s support of that reaction is no different than the beachside store owner who refuses service to those whose lack of clothing he finds “inappropriate”—for whatever reason. By forcing Phillips to violate his beliefs and condone something his religion opposes, the government would be advocating its own involvement in people’s personal affairs, forcing them to act in a way predetermined as “socially acceptable.” And wouldn’t the LGBT community have something to say about that? Aliza Panjwani Perspectives | 5
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Devilish Adventure A way to escape the stress of school
By Rayhan Hussain and Rima Rafiq
W
#1 Go to an Escape Room
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photo by Rima Rafiq
courtesy of Escape the Room
ith school in full swing, we want to introduce little adventures to find different methods to help us all get our minds off of school and the stress that students like you and me feel every day. However, we also want these adventures to benefit students with new skills. For our first adventure we learned: time management, efficiency, paying attention to detail, and teamwork. What better way to escape the stress than an escape room. In choosing the escape room, we wanted to emphasize the importance of time management. The escape room helps train players to focus on details and problem solve efficiently within a set amount of time (typically one hour). Students can use these skills in situations such as a timed test or quiz, especially during standardized tests when time management is crucial. And of course, teamwork is another important skill practiced as your team works together effectively towards one goal. After some research on local options, we chose Escape the Room, located in Oak Brook. When we arrived at Escape the Room, the room themes included Meltdown, Jurassic Escape, the Clock Tower, and Theater, all with the mission to solve the puzzles in order to exit the room within the hour. We chose Theater because it had the most complex puzzles out of all the themes, such as singing puppets, hidden codes on movie posters, and answers in the popcorn machine. Because we didn’t have a full eight people with us, we paired up with a family of five. Now, some of you might be thinking, what does it mean to escape a room? Well, escape rooms were created in the early 2000s, with the idea being how participants should play in a themed room and solve mysteries to escape within the allotted time. Since then, escape rooms have blown up in popularity all over the country and the world and are now at a high of roughly 2800 around the world and people have become immersed in the game. When you enter the room, it is critical that you scan your surroundings and look for any obvious clues that might be in the area. However, most clues are in obscure places, which is why escape rooms teach the vital skill of paying Rima and Rayhan took Kiana Ravanasa, close attention to detail and being aware of your environment. Again, we junior, to escape. learned how to collaborate as a group and think smarter, not harder in order to solve the puzzle. In an article by award-winning blogger and wellness-coach, Elizabeth Scott, she states that having fun is one of the best forms of stress relief. A regular dose of fun is the best medicine because it gives you a chance to breathe and take a break from the pressure that we all face at school. In addition, TIME Magazine mentions how building strong social connections helps our emotional balance. Spending time with the people you love while doing something you enjoy has incredible advantages. The next time you feel stressed, go hit up some friends and find your adventure. The three closest escape rooms in the area are Fuzzy Logic, Just Escape, and Escape the Room. Escape the Room is located at 60 Oakbrook Center, Oak Brook, Ill. 60523. They are all roughly $30, with the exception of The Closet Room at Just Escape which is $10. Since not everyone can find the time to go out on a weekend and spend up to $30, we also recommend the school’s very own Puzzle Club, which offers escape rooms during second semester. In the end, we practiced skills, relieved stress and escaped the room.
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DEVIL IN DISGUISE An outsider’s perspective on the inner workings of a different club every month.
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ixteen days before homecoming, Varsity Club sponsor Mrs. Stephanie Hiffman walks into room 224 drenched head to toe from the pouring rain. Her first words greeting the board assembled in her room are “I’m done.” As an outsider sitting in, I couldn’t understand what she could possibly be ‘done’ with before the day had even begun. I understood as the meeting went on. She was done with seniors who couldn’t fill out their court nominations on time. Done with accidentally ordering 300 extra shirts. Done with dedicating all her planning periods to Homecoming. Done with the stresses that come with being the Varsity Club sponsor. The board, however, laughs at her remarks and quickly returns to the huddle around the whiteboard where decoration decisions are being made. It didn’t matter how exhausted they were, there was a homecoming that needed to be planned. Every year in September our field house gets transformed into something different. The eighties, a jungle, and under the sea, to name a few. As students, we are often so preoccupied with finding the perfect date, outfit and group that we forget that this magical setup doesn’t just appear the night of the dance. Without the effort put in by Varsity Club there would be no homecoming dance. As part of their board applications, members of the club had to present well developed themes for this year’s homecoming, then present them to the whole club. It was this year’s co-
president Sydney Thayer who came up with the superhero theme. “When I was coming up with the theme I wanted something different. A good theme has to apply to many different aspects of the school and can get the whole school involved,” Thayer said. In order to alleviate stress, Varsity Club begins Homecoming preparations in April. “We do more in the spring than we ever have before. I think we have to because [Homecoming] gets earlier and earlier every year, so we do a lot before we even leave school for the summer,” said Mrs. Jill Tylk, co-sponsor of Varsity Club and English teacher. With a workload as large as planning Homecoming, Varsity Club has implemented co-presidents. This year, taking charge of Varsity club is junior Sydney Thayer and senior Tess Ellithorpe. “[The co-presidents] split off between who’s available for what and who’s got the materials for a task,” Ellithorpe said. “We make a to do list of everything that needs to get done and when we have extra time we go on it and see what we can do.” Walking through the halls before Homecoming, there are posters everywhere, advertising dress days and ticket sales. Varsity Club members are responsible for making these posters. “The teams was actually an idea we started last year. We found it more helpful because when you’ve got a whole club trying to do one thing you often find that some people aren’t doing anything at all,” Mrs.Hiffman said.
photo courtesy of Sydney Thayer
Varsity Club
Varsity Club board members participate in Marvel vs DC dress day.
Even with all the help that the club members provide, Thayer and Ellithorpe still find themselves trying to combat stress. “I’m literally running on three hours of sleep right now,” Thayer said at a club meeting less than two weeks away from Homecoming. “Caffeinated beverages are really important. This is literally caffeinated water.” Despite all the stress that comes along with trying to plan Homecoming, there’s just as much excitement from planners and students who attend. “I’m really excited for my first Homecoming because I’ve never really had the opportunity to attend a high school event this big,” said Ella Beargie, freshman. Homecoming took place on Sept. 22.
- Decorating Devil
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News
Local company emits toxins
photo by Katie Buscher
By Jenny Witt
Members of the Willowbrook community have angrily been speaking out against the company Sterigenics in the wake of new accusations last month that the company emitted carcinogenic chemicals into the air. Sterigenics, a company that sterilizes medical equipment, has been located amongst other warehouses in Willowbrook since the 1980s. According to the Chicago Tribune, Sterigenics sterilizes various medical equipment daily. In order to complete this sterilization process and comply with FDA regulations, Sterigenics must use a chemical known as ethylene oxide. Ethylene oxide has been classified as a probable carcinogen by the EPA; however, Sterigenics’ usage of ethylene oxide is well within EPA regulations. There are four schools and more than 19,000 residents within a one mile radius of the two Sterigenics facilities in Willowbrook. “What I’m most concerned about is that our town authorities weren’t aware of what was going on with Sterigenics,” said Gary Niederpruem, Willowbrook resident. “I am very disappointed with our local officials that this issue wasn’t brought up to us [previously].” On Aug. 29, the Willowbrook mayor held a forum at Central, where citizens raised concerns about this issue and discussed possible solutions, and on Aug. 31, there was a protest held outside Sterigenics. Dr. Bruce Law, superintendent of District 85, stated that the district’s first priority is providing for the safety and security of students and staff. “It does not surprise me that people are protesting Sterigenics’ operations because it has not been demonstrated yet whether the controls Sterigenics has put in place are working,” said Dr. Bruce Law, District 86 Superintendent. “As a school district, we will continue to monitor the situation and work closely with the elected officials who are in a position to shut their operations down if test results show that is the appropriate course of action.” District 86 is currently working with Mayor Mickey Straub of Burr Ridge, Mayor Frank Trilla of Willowbrook, and Illinois Senator John Curran to address the public’s concerns.
By Lauren Lee Brody Mehlia stepped onto the stage, ready for his first performance in a lead role. Although he was nervous to play Charlie Brown, he was bolstered by his immense amount of preparation and all the support he had received along the way. From Sept. 13 through Sept. 15, students put on the September show, “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” in the auditorium. It featured a variety of musical numbers ranging from heartfelt and personal to upbeat and energetic, such as Snoopy, The Kite, My New Philosophy, and Little Known Facts. “My favorite song was The Book Report, because everyone had their own solo moment, but there were also multiple parts where we all came together to sing,” Mehlia said. In addition to Mehlia playing Charlie Brown, Kaitlin Bergin played Sally Brown, Micky Horstman played Linus van Pelt, and Emily Goggin played Lucy Van Pelt. Other cast members included Robert Banda, Tess Klygis, Emma Gordon, and Tim Moser. Together, they brought the characters of Peanuts to life through entertaining monologues and group dances. However, rehearsals leading up to the performance were not always without mishaps. “There was a time during the last week of rehearsals when we didn’t have a stand for a prop mailbox,” Mehlia said. “Tim Moser, who played Snoopy, came on holding the mailbox instead. We all thought it was so funny that we decided to keep it in the show.” Mrs. Erin Lundin, English teacher, directed the musical. “The most satisfying part for me is always opening night,” Lundin said. “After weeks of rehearsal, it’s fun to watch the energy build when there’s finally an audience there responding to the show. It’s the moment when we realize that we made something where there once was nothing.” Tickets cost $10, unless the fee had been covered in the activities pass. “This was a much smaller musical production,” said Señora O’Connor, who attended over the weekend. “It was much more intimate, so each person was featured in a way they normally aren’t.” The next musical is the Addams Family, and if interested, tickets will be available in the spring.
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photo by Emily Goggin
You’re a good man, Charlie Brown
Senior Micky Horstman and junior Emma Gordan pause during rehearsal to showcase their musical costumes.
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BEHIND THE COVER
Deane wrote On the Homefront, which is available in the school library.
photo by Safi Qadir
By Anand Yallapragada and Catherine Dolan
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Author Barb Deane shares not only her technological expertise, but also her historical fictionnt.
photo by Safi Qadir
B
arb Deane, Central’s very own technical specialist, races towards another sleek Chromebook with a pop-up error box. Every day, Deane acts as an unsung hero, working to make sure the IT department runs smoothly. She’s warm and calm, even in the face of the often frustrating realities of technology. Deane is a member of the staff, yet most of the students who attend this school do not know about her literary endeavors outside of the building. Deane is a published author, with a passion for history and inspiring women. Her newest book, And Then There Was You, will be on sale shortly. Years ago, Deane practiced law, enjoying the writing and researching aspects of the job title. However, Deane did not care for the lawyers themselves. Later, she would choose to pursue a career in technology. But before she joined the school’s technology department, she was the owner of Barb’s All Romance Book Store. There she was able to further discover her passion for writing and network with authors and readers. Deane writes Historical Women’s Fiction and Romantic Suspense. She has published several novels, On the Homefront and Killing Her Softly. “I look around for something that speaks to me. Then once I find a topic that I’m interested in, I do a lot of research on it until a character shows up in my head. Once that person starts talking to me, then I figure out what their story is, what happens,” Deane said. Her novel On the Homefront features women in America during World War II. This specific period in history resonates with Deane. “You know, I think it was the greatest generation, the generation of people that lived through that war. It was the last time that we, as a country, pulled completely together. Everybody was trying to do their part to basically save the world,” Deane said. Strong women are celebrated in Deane’s literature, website, and everyday life. Online, Deane runs a page dedicated to “Feisty Women”. Women featured include Marion Pritchard, who helped smuggle
out more than 150 Jewish children over the course of WWII by pretending to be the child’s unwed mother. Or Jacqueline Cochran, who advocated for female pilots to be able to support the war effort, and went on to become a director and trainer for the Women Airforce Service Pilots. “As the saying goes, ‘Wellbehaved women rarely make history’. Unfortunately, even many feisty women often don’t make history. There are thousands of stories of women, mostly unknown, who made a difference in history. I want to shed a light on some of these stories,” wrote Deane, in her mission statement on her website. Feminism not only plays a large role
“…when [our Clubmobiles] pull up to a unit that has been fighting their way through shell craters and hedgerows for weeks, the smiles on the faces of those men make everything we’re doing worthwhile…this is why [we’re] here, and hard as it is, it’s wonderful.”
ON THE HOMEFRONT
in her work as an author, but also has translated towards her most recent endeavor as a presentational speaker. Not only does Deane give author talks, but her other speaking programs include Women of WWII: On the Front Lines & the Home Front, Women of WWII: At The Whistle Stop Canteen. “I have already done about 45 presentations at libraries, veterans groups, and women’s groups,” Deane said. “The people that served in the war are dying now, and it’s up to the rest of us to make sure that history lives on, and that everybody understands what it was like during that time.” Outside writing, working in the IT
department, and speaking, Deane is also an avid traveler. She lived for two years in Frankfurt, Germany and spent another two years in Shanghai, China. “I think I’ve been to now 40 countries and six continents. That’s the best way to see where people live and see how things are different. It’s fascinating, and it gives you so many more perspectives,” Deane said. However, Deane is not the only faculty member to have a literary hobby. Dave Stringer, a student supervisor, has recently published his first book, Winter Encounter. His pseudonym, D’Brian Strange, has a quite humorous origin. “First name is David, middle name is Brian, and I write strange stuff,” Stringer said. Winter Encounter is a drama and romance novel. It follows Matt Cleveland, a recent widower, who attempts to heal his grief by helping out in his town’s local homeless shelters. When a bad winter storm hits, Cleveland is able to heal through the help of Rita Silverton and her nieces. “I think [Stringer] is very witty and I’m anxious to read his book. I’m hoping that they’re going to get it in the library like mine,” Deane said. While working in the library and offering her technology services creates a balancing act with her writing, Deane said she enjoys coming to the school every day for the interaction with her colleagues and students. The infectious positivity of Deane spreads like wildfire in the library. The Department Chair for the Library Media Center, Mrs. Kerrin Riley, has no immunity. “I feel like she is capable of anything. I feel like she keeps her superhero cape in her desk,” Riley said. Deane’s books have been received well, with Killing Her Softly being nominated for the annual the Golden Leaf award, which is given out by the New Jersey Romance writers. Deane will find out the results on Oct. 20. Stringer’s book is currently available on Amazon and will be coming shortly to Barnes and Noble. Students can check out Deane’s books in the school library or find them on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Profiles | 11
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Battling for the Gold
During the month of September, the school took on the cause to spread awareness and raise money for childhood cancer By Katie Sharp and Sarah Badawi
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ediatric cancer is a problem near and dear to many teachers and students, including Mrs. Lynn Hatzikostantis, a physical education and sports medicine teacher also known as Mrs. Hatz. In 2015, Hatz found out her niece had been diagnosed with a brain tumor. After witnessing first hand the battle that children and their families are up against, Hatz said she felt impassioned to help the cause and become a major advocate for raising awareness and funds for pediatric cancer. Hatz worked alongside Ms. Ilyssa Hoffman, a social worker and varsity cheer coach, to create the Red Goes Gold initiative. By sponsoring sports events and sporting gold spirit wear, they have helped fund child cancer research and spread awareness. Starting last year, Red Goes Gold has continued to spread throughout many different clubs and sports at the school. With September being Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, both Hatz and Hoffman pushed to spread the initiative during the entire month through football games and spirit wear. Hoffman helped Red Goes Gold find its main advocacy in the cheerleading program, which has become key to fundraising and spreading awareness for the cause. She relies on her cheer captains the most to divide up responsibilities and get materials.
“I’m so glad [cheer] jumped on board last year with the Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation fundraiser (a foundation that helps families who are affected by cancer with financial needs and also funds pediatric research) and have found it important enough to continue their work,” Hatz said. “That’s the stuff that gives you all the feels, when the students drive the cause.” At the football team’s first home game on Sept. 7 against Oak Park River Forest, the cheerleaders hosted the Red Goes Gold football game. The cheer team sported gold shirts at school, hung up gold ribbons, displayed gold cups along the fence, and took donations during the game. One of Hatz’ best friends, Amy Carroll, a physical education and health teacher has been there for Hatz. Carroll also has a history of pediatric cancer in her family. Her nephew was diagnosed with a stage 4 sarcoma three days after his third birthday. He survived after undergoing 72 weeks of treatment. “You don’t really understand the magnitude of pediatric cancer until you see somebody in your immediate family or within your life dealing with it and the challenges that they’re up against,” Carroll said. Hatz found that simply spreading the word about childhood cancer can have a profound impact as many people
do not understand how widespread it has become. According to St. Baldrick’s Foundation, one in 285 children will be diagnosed with cancer before the age of 20. Yet, there is a significant lack of support for research in pediatric cancer. The St. Baldrick’s Foundation website states that childhood cancer receives less than four percent of the funding in this country that is dedicated to cancer research. Many different clubs and activities have taken up the idea and raised awareness in their own ways. Last year the Girl’s Cross Country team participated by players wearing a gold ribbon in their hair and shirts with “#morethan4” written in gold, showcasing the national campaign of donating more resources to pediatric funding. “Each of our teams over the years has adopted a charity that they raise money for,” said Mr. Dan Jones, athletic director. “Right now it’s cheer that’s taking on [Red Goes Gold]. But we’re having some meetings to talk about other teams coming on board.” Students and faculty who are not a part of these clubs and activities can also find ways to help out and get involved. Natalie Espinoza, senior, volunteered this summer at a camp hosted by Alex’s Lemonade Stand, a national foundation dedicated to raising money for new treatments and cures
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for all children battling cancer, at Villanova University. After volunteering and working with families affected by cancer at Hinsdale’s Wellness House, Espinoza wanted to do more for the cause. “We learned certain leadership skills that we could use, not just in life, but at our schools,” Espinoza said. According to St. Baldrick’s Foundation, by the time pediatric survivors are age 45, more than 95 percent will have a chronic health problem and 80 percent will have severe or life-threatening conditions. At the Oak Park River Forest game, the cheerleaders raised $450. Hoffman and Hatz said they are happy with how the fundraiser went and said that any amount, whether big or small, will help. The money raised this year will go directly to Alex’s Lemonade Stand. Last year the money was sent to the Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation. Although highlighted in September, the Red Goes Gold initiative will not end this month. Hoffman said that their biggest goal is to continue to raise money and awareness throughout the whole school year.
photo by Sarah Badawi
Cheerleaders Rachel Palermo and Keaton Jones, freshmen, stand by the Red Goes Gold Fence, decorated with solo cups.
The cheerleaders plan to host another Red Goes Gold game during the basketball season to continue fundraising throughout the year. “We want to raise awareness in every way we can; the captains assigned everyone a job like decorating the trees with ribbons or making posters so we could get more awareness out,” said Greta Garber, senior cheerleader. “Mrs. Hatz and I are super close so we all really wanted to help when she came to us with the Red Goes Gold program.” Espinoza also plans to set up a fundraiser for Alex’s Lemonade Stand and hold one at all the home basketball games this winter. If any students or staff would like to get involved, they can reach out to Hatz or Hoffman. “I’m so proud to be behind the scenes watching our student athletes bring attention to something they feel deserves it,” Hatz said. “Red Goes Gold makes me proud to be a Red Devil.”
OUR CHILDREN ARE WORTH MORE THAN FOUR PERCENT.
MRS. HATZ
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U n exc
Exploring the district’s new attendance policy and its potential effects on students’ social emotional learning
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xc u s e d
photo by Rayhan Hussain
By Audrey Carter and Anchal Kumar
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F
rom a glance at his title, one might expect Junior Class President, Nick Moawad, to be the perfect student, and, for the most part, that’s true. Moawad has been head of the junior board for two years in a row. He gets good grades, maintains a balanced social life, and even plays on the Junior Varsity Soccer team. His secret? He gets six hours of sleep each night. Between school, sports practices, and family, Moawad estimates he finishes his homework between 12 a.m. and 1 a.m., leaving little to no time for relaxation. Yet, despite being Class President, Moawad’s schedule is far from uncommon. According to a 2018 U.S. News and World Report article, Hinsdale Central is ranked the thirteenth best high school in Illinois, and with that ranking comes an environment of academic rigor. As of this year, school administration updated their attendance policy in accordance with new mandates from the Illinois School Code. This alteration requires that all publiclyfunded schools review their past chronic absence data. Upon review, the school must make changes using their resources to prevent chronic absences as they see fit. Given the emphasis Central has placed on social emotional learning (SEL) over the past few years, the updated policy has drawn some criticism from students as to how it will influence mental health in the building. With the common stresses of their average school week, the thought of a nonattendance day may seem appealing to some students. Yet for others, it can be an even greater source of pressure. In a survey conducted by Devils’ Advocate one student felt “Central [is] known for [its] extreme workload and
8+ 8 7% 7%
5 22%
Hours of Sleep 7 37%
6 26%
27 Responses
stress and this new attendance policy does not help.” What is the policy and how has it changed? According to Director of Deans, Kimm Dever, the new code responds to a trend of increasing excessive absences within the past few years. “We are… [creating] an academic learning environment that maximizes a student’s attendance in school. The attendance policy is intended to be an educational model for how one behaves in life and work regarding responsibility and accountability,” Dever said. There are two notable changes within this year’s policy. Foremost, qualifications for what counts as an excused absence have been altered. Illness, family emergencies, hospitalization, court dates, and religious
“
You’re taking time away with your family… taking away time with the people you love. Nick Moawad
”
holidays continue to qualify as excused absences, as do “circumstances which cause reasonable concern to the parent or guardian for the student’s safety or health, other situations beyond the control of the students, and other reasons as approved by the Superintendent or designee,” according to the student handbook. College visits and doctor’s appointments also qualify as excused absences, but only with the “appropriate documentation”. For college visits, sports, and activities not affiliated with Central, a pre-arranged absence form must be completed at least two days prior to the absence. The student handbook also states unexcused absences now include vacations, oversleeping, cutting class, car trouble, missing class to study for an assessment, missing the bus, babysitting, shopping, resting before or after special events, and post-prom recuperation days.
“By creating vacations as an unexcused absence you’re taking time away with your family… taking away time with the people you love,” Moawad said. In recent years some students have began taking what they call “mental health days” in order to cope with their stress levels. While mental health days are not specifically listed under excused or unexcused absences, ‘missing class to study for an assessment’ and ‘resting before or after special events’ are listed as unexcused. According to a Devils’ Advocate survey of 229 respondents, 7 percent of respondents determined this to be the most frequent cause of their absences in the 2017-2018 school year. The method in which make-up work is handled has been revised as a result of the new policy. In the event of an excused absence students will receive the amount of days they were absent to complete their work. In the event of an unexcused absence, students must take their assessment the next day and are only allowed to complete make-up work for a grade of up to 75 percent. Other disciplinary steps may also be taken as the deans see fit. In tandem with these changes, an “excessive absences” arrangement has also been applied. A student is categorized as having “excessive absences” when they accumulate 10 or more absences of any kind. After this point a doctor’s note is needed for any illness-related absence. In addition, students may also be recommended to receive support from the administration to regulate their attendance. Other Districts This policy is one which has been implemented statewide. Many districts which operate in close proximity have also reconsidered there policies relating to attendance. Other districts among these are Lyons Township High School District 204 and Community High School District 99 which includes Downers Grove North and South. As recorded in its handbook, Lyons Township possesses a policy which operates significantly different under the same Illinois School Code. Unlike District 86, District 204 allows vacations and extended absences of any kind for its students as long as a phone call is made ahead of time. Up to seven of these “parentally excused” absences are allowed before documentation is needed. Another difference in this policy
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is that “school excused” absences do not count toward “parentally excused” absences. If an absence is not reported for any reason it is then considered unexcused with consequences that include no chance for makeup work. Increased unexcused absences may result in weekend detentions as well as dropped classes which are recorded permanently on student transcripts. Despite the difference in policy, however, some Lyons Township students still find the attendance system to be difficult and stressful. “I think that LT’s attendance policy is just a little strict because there are a ton of rules about everything. It creates a lot of stress to not miss school,” said Kat Krull, a junior at LT. Similarly, District 99 also provides the opportunity for a vacation to be rendered an excused absence with appropriate documentation. There is a similar “excessive absences” policy that includes only unexcused absences. After six absences, students must provide documentation validating any other absences. District 99 also allows makeup work to be submitted, although the credit received is dependent upon individual teachers. Stress at Central The new District 86 policy has garnered a lot of support, as well as concern from students around the community, particularly in relation to how it will influence Central’s existing expectations. Some students have expressed their concern with the updated attendance policy, specifically how the new definition of an unexcused absence affects make up work. “I would say that my workload is stressful as well as how the expectation at Central to join a lot of extracurriculars, so that combined with the heavy course load adds to a lot of stress and late nights,” Moawad said. Comparatively, a 2013 study by the American Psychological Association found that 31 percent of students aged 13-18 reported feeling overwhelmed, 30 percent reported feeling depressed or sad, and 36 percent reported feeling fatigued. This same study found the primary cause of stress among adolescents to be school. Similar findings were reported in the Devils’ Advocate survey, in which 92.1 percent of students indicated they found the workload at Central to be greater than
that of the average high school. “It really goes in waves. There’s times when teachers don’t give you homework, but then you’re stressing because you realize next week is going to be [difficult]. There will be a week when you don’t have any homework and then a week when it all piles up,” said Alek Malone, senior. Furthermore, of the 127 responses, 100 students described stress levels at Central as high or extremely high. Despite finding stress to be an issue, however, respondents said that they found the staff to be helpful and supportive. “Some teachers are really [understanding] about it. Like they’ll say ‘If you just need to go to bed and you won’t be able to participate in school at all tomorrow because you’re not able to focus because you’re just that tired, stop your homework and go to bed’,” Malone said.
“
Not many of the skills that we learned in the classes were brought into the classrooms. Austin Krzysik
”
One concern expressed by many students is that their existing stress is being added to by the new attendance policy. According to the survey, 76.3 percent of students are moderately to extremely concerned about the effects of this policy, and 64.6 percent predicted the change would negatively impact social emotional learning. What is Social Emotional Learning? Over the past decade, many of the top high schools across the country have come to implement programs focused on the mental well-being of students. SEL is geared towards increasing students’ situational awareness and emotional management in relation to academic achievement. “Addressing student stress and anxiety through educational programming and practices is important to the overall success of our students and District,”
Principal William Walsh said. Starting with the class of 2021, incoming freshmen now take a SEL course once a week as part of their physical education period. The course teaches students techniques such as the mood meter, a grid developed by Yale University designed to help track emotions from moment to moment. “We are really focused on students’ self awareness...in class, but [also] the emotions that surround: ‘is my performance in class consistent with the kind of performance I want, and if it’s not, what is my emotinal response?’,” said Mr. Kurt Vonnahme, Math Department Chair and SEL leader. The classes also discuss study skills and how treating other people can impact their mental state. According to sophomore Austin Krzysik, however, they have yet to explore strategies for how students can balance academic and personal needs in combination. “The program itself I think is very helpful, especially to freshmen coming in to high school...but none of my teachers implemented anything that the program was teaching us... not many of the skills that we learned in the classes were brought into the classrooms,” Krzysik said. In addition to health and SEL classes themselves, the school also offers a variety of clubs centered around emotional stability. Among others, Breaking Down the Walls, Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD), Peer Leadership, and Erica’s Lighthouse all focus on creating open spaces to discuss and prevent mental health issues. “People are always afraid to confront [mental health issues]...I think [because] people are being more open and are pushing for that openness, it allows people, [in the case of conditional issues], to not get to the point at which it really becomes a problem,” Malone said. At just a month into school, it is difficult to determine what the end result of the attendance policy will be, but the ability of students to balance their personal health with academic requirements remains a priority of the school nonetheless. “I don’t really see the current attendance policy being such a big deal,” said Mr. Matthew Goeke, band teacher. “I think the bigger issue to be addressing is why students are getting to that point in the first place.”
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The Spins Robert Russo
Idle Hands are the Devil’s Playthings Meet the student and teacher bands making sound waves By Cameron Garber and Gabby Costello
The Loose Screws
festival JamBone, when four Central bands (The Spins, Straight Flush, Planet IX, and Kontrolled Khaos) performed on the school’s front steps on Sept. 19, demonstrate the growing popularity and recognition garnered by extracurricular music acts. Although the members of The Spins formed the band early this summer, each individual player has years of experience playing music. Seniors Parker Bailey, the lead guitarist and vocalist, and Jonathan Tatooles, the drummer, became bandmates almost by accident when they were hanging out in Tatooles’s basement. His basement is full of music equipment, so when Bailey mentioned that he played guitar, the two of them proceeded to play together. “We jammed for two hours,” Tatooles said. “I thought to myself ‘I should be playing music with this guy.’” Jack Biondi, senior, despite being an experienced musician in his own right, wasn’t initially supposed to be in the band. In fact, he started off as the producer and sound engineer, as he had access to a studio. Once Tatooles and Bailey considered doing live shows, however, they realized they needed a bass player. “We thought that Jack should play bass, considering he was a part of the creative process since the beginning,” Bailey said. Before the band fully formed, they recruited Tate Renner, senior, as a
The Spins
I
n a hot crowded basement with 50 students gathered, senior Abby Stephens, eagerly waits for the school’s newest band to perform. Each band member had invited ten of their closest friends and family to watch their debut. Parents and friends alike huddled close to the makeshift stage, the excitement palpable in Stephens’ ears. She had been anticipating this event since the beginning of June when she first listened to some of the band’s original songs. As the band walks onto the stage, the crowd comes alive, jumping with excitement. When they strummed the first chords, every audience member belted out the words. “The Gangster’s Ball” being a crowd favorite, had everyone on their feet. Stephens could tell, from the moment she first heard the music, that it was going to be a hit. “It was like euphoria,” Stephens said. “You could just see the similes on their faces. They were so happy and you could just see that they love what they are doing. Nobody knew what to expect but they knew it was going to be good.” That live show was the first for the newest band in Central’s thriving music scene: The Spins. From student-led bands such as The Spins and The Millennials to teacher-led bands like The Loose Screws, there is no shortage of ways Red Devils are finding to indulge in their musical passions. Events such as the recent music
photos by Rachel Gaynes, Eric Miscimarra, and Eric Johnson
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“When I was 16, I couldn’t get a date, and I thought that girls might like me if I played guitar, I have gotten one date in the last 34 years from that guitar.” - Mr. Russo Every band distinguishes themselves with their unique styles and musical influences. The Loose Screws perform exclusively cover songs from an eclectic range of styles, including songs ranging from the 1950s through modern day and ranging in genre from rock music to country songs. In contrast, The Millennials limit themselves to covers of classic rock and pop music, and The Spins further distinguish themselves by playing their own songs, which they describe as blues rock. “[The Spins] literally put their own spin on things,” Stephens said. Another distinguishing factor between these musicians is their inspiration for
starting to play music in the first place. Steve Edsey, one of the school’s deans and a former bass guitarist of The Loose Screws, had his interest in music piqued during his formative years, when he was inspired by the band formed by his three uncles. “My dad has no musical experience whatsoever,” Edsey said. “However, three of his brothers had a band while I was growing up, and I always idolized them.” In some cases, however, musicians have ulterior motives for developing an interest in music. “When I was 16, I couldn’t get a date, and I thought that girls might like me if I played guitar,” Russo said. “I have gotten one date in the last 34 years from that guitar.” Just like Edsey, Tatooles and Biondi found musical talent in their family. Biondi’s father worked with many different artists through his work producing music, while Tatooles’s father has been playing music with him since he was two years old. The Spins hope to continue to make music for the rest of high school and some even plan on continuing in college. “I think they will all participate in some form of music for the rest of their lives, even if it’s not their career,” Stephens said. “The Spins have such a natural talent it would be disappointing if they ever stopped.” For anyone who is looking to become proficient in music, Edsey gave two pieces of advice that he has learned. “I know it’s not hip to read music, but learn how to read music. You make yourself so much more marketable as a musician, [and] take time to listen to what everyone around you is doing,” Edsey said. “It’s not just about you, it’s about how you blend and support everyone around you.” For further information and updates concerning upcoming shows and events, follow thespinsband on Instagram for The Spins, follow The Loose Screws Facebook page for updates on Russo’s band, and follow The Millennials on Facebook as well or check out their website at: www.millennials.band.
The Spins drummer, Jonothan Tatooles, at their live show.
rhythm guitarist to fill out the band, thus completing their lineup. This story of friends coming together and forming a band isn’t a new concept. Senior Ashley Haggard had a similar experience when she formed her former band. “A couple of my School of Rock friends and I created a band called The Millennials,” Haggard said. “We were getting tired of playing the same School of Rock songs and we wanted to do our own thing, pick the songs we played, and just have more control over our music in general.” Not every band is created with a set lineup in mind, however. Mr. Robert Russo, who teaches Sociology and Digital Video Production, has always maintained that people build a lot of great relationships by meeting others through music. His band, The Loose Screws, is a prime example of his philosophy, as it consists of a revolving door of friends that Russo has made throughout his years in music. “The Loose Screws is kind of a collection of guys I’ve played with over the years,” Russo said. “I have three drummers I can call on, three bass players I can call on, and I’ve got about three guitar players, so depending on who can make the date is who makes up the band.”
photo by Rachel Gayens
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photo by Hannah Ahdab
[In The Frame]
The Homecoming court participated in Monday’s Pajama day.
Tuesday Blackout
Michael Ryan and William DeDobbelaere in their pajamas.
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photo spread.indd 195640 September 2018 2 r2.indd 20
Anna Glowniak, Lily Podracky, and McKenna Hayes in all black for Tuesday’s dress day.
photo by Rima Rafiq
photo by Hannah Ahdab
Monday Pajama Day
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Gabby Costello and Thomas Williams sport matching Notre Dame spirit wear.
photo by Hannah Ahdab
photo by Rima Rafiq
e]
Thursday College Spirit Wear
Ambika Sharma and Anna Glowniak finish off Homecoming week in black dresses and red heels.
Friday Central Spirit Wear
photo by Rima Rafiq
photo by Hannah Ahdab
Wednesday DC vs. Marvel
Gavin Schwarz, Parker Bailey and Sara Draddy portray their favorite superheros.
Leah Stevens at Homecoming skit practice Friday morning.
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Summer School Reinvented
Students discuss why they take summer college programs and whether they give them an advantage to college admissions
By Olivia Beargie & Gayatri Thiru
I
photo courtesy of Jenna Collignon
nside the walls of the burnt, brick building, Kyle Schrader, junior, fidgets with his pencil, restless after a day full of lectures. As he glances through a window, Schrader notices the sun parting through the puffy clouds dotting the sky. He concentrates, trying to recall the feeling of the rays hitting his skin, but after seven weeks of summer school, the outdoors are a distant memory. This is, however, what Schrader signed up for. He is not a student forced into taking summer courses after failing during the school year. In fact, he’s quite the opposite. As a top student, Schrader chose to trade his summer break to attend Harvard Summer School with the hopes of furthering his prospects of attending the most elite institutions, and he isn’t the only one. With an atmosphere at school described by students as “competitive” and “rigorous” and persistently decreasing admissions trends at colleges and universities, according to the Washington Post, more students at school are finding
a need to spruce up their resume and summer college programs offer just this with their educational and athletic camps. These summer college programs have become a new outlet by which students can make themselves stand out in the competitive application pools. Summer college programs at universities have been offered at colleges since their founding, but the most recent catering to high school students occurred near the mid 1900s, according to Best College Reviews. Educational reforms during the 1950s tried to standardize public high school curriculum with the creation of tests, such as the ACT. Part of this movement included summer programs at colleges so high school students would know what to expect at the collegiate level. Cornell University boasted its first college program for high schoolers in 1958—a reading comprehension class— while schools such as Northwestern University started out with offering summer programs at the specialized Medill School of Journalism and later expanded
Junior Jenna Collignon (left) pictured at the Michigan University lacrosse camp this past summer.
to various academic fields. Soon, smaller universities and community colleges began offering the same opportunities, and courses became popular among students as education gained a higher emphasis. With increased standardization, former Ivy League admissions directors claim that admission processes have become much more selective in the last decade, according to a Business Insider article. A condensed list of admission rates shows that the average admission rate to the current top 20 schools in the United States was 24.4 percent in 2007 but dropped to 9.4 percent in 2017. One significant form of standardization in the college application process, the Common Application, has increased in popularity, making college applications more accessible and universal for high schoolers to apply. According to an article in The New York Times, 9 percent of students applied to seven or more schools in 1990; however, in 2013 that number rose to 32 percent. “The Common Application is a large part of why more kids are getting rejected,” said Mr. Edward Formanski, a counselor at the school with 39 years of counseling experience. “[The Common Application] allows students to apply to more places easily...and the number of high achieving students has slowly increased over the years.” For this reason, students are putting more work into standing out through summer college programs and matching the increased level of competition by gaining a competitive advantage from doing summer college programs. “I went to summer school strictly because it would look good to colleges,” Schrader said. Critics of these summer programs, however, point to the notoriously high prices and wonder whether they are worth the investment. According to the Harvard Summer School website, tuition for an eight-credit course is $6,600 on top of a
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$5,700 room and board fee. “There are ways to minimize commuting costs for students doing summer college programs, since we are lucky enough to live in a suburban area in close proximity to many great colleges and universities,” said Mr. Michael Litton, counselor at the school. Formanski attributed the effectiveness and the “worth” of these summer college courses to the expectations of the student. “From a subjective standpoint, any type of academic or educational endeavor that kids do over summer is just, in general, good for their resume,” Formanski said. Nevertheless, Formanski pointed out that the common belief that going to a certain college summer program is going to give the attending student an “edge” over other students applying to that same school, is not correct.
It is reported that Brown University hosted around
5,000
students for summer college in 2015 according to Forbes. In the case of Stanford University, whose hundreds of college classes attract thousands of students every summer, it is unlikely that attending the program will make a significant difference in the admissions process, according to an alumni forum on the Stanford website. “There are people out there who think that if you go to a Stanford summer camp, you’re going to have an edge at Stanford—I don’t think that’s the case,” Formanski said. In general, college summer camps serve as a way to enhance a student’s profile and give colleges more knowledge about a field of interest. Brian McManus, senior, scouted the opportunity to develop his interest in math and took a two semester math class over the summer at the University of Chicago, taught by a college professor in the subject area.
“I took Linear Algebra at the University of Chicago since [it] has one of the best math programs in the nation and I want to study there and it shows that I’m doing things outside of the classroom. I also really enjoyed it,” McManus said. At Harvard Summer School, Schrader took classes on financial management, with a focus on nonprofit organizations, and macroeconomics. “I learned so much about economics and now I know I want to pursue it,” Schrader said. According to both McManus and Schrader, the benefits of summer college greatly outweighed the downside of missing summer. Summer college camps are not only popular among academically geared individuals, they are also popular among athletes and more particular groups of students interested in the armed services. Jenna Collignon, junior, attended sports camps at Dartmouth College, University of Pennsylvania, Cornell University, Colgate University, Princeton University, and Stanford University over her summer break for lacrosse. “The competition is more intense than ever, so players feel pressured to start sooner [with recruitment] rather than later,” Collignon said. At these one to three day camps, players are generally split into small groups for focused skills and rotate through drills during the daytime. Generally, college coaches are usually not allowed to be in direct contact with players until after they reach a certain age. Because of this, players find camps valuable in order to assess their interest level in the college, and coaches find them valuable to assess their interest level in the players, according to Collignon. Madeline Pisani, junior, attended lacrosse camps at Boston University, Ohio State University, and San Diego State University before recently committing to University of Colorado, Boulder. “[For] anyone who is trying to play a sport in college I would recommend [summer camps] because you get to know the coaches and get a feel for the campuses,” Pisani said. Some specialized schools such as West Point Military Academy and state military schools view doing summer programs at their academies as large advantages to their admissions process. West Point Military Academy, for
example, rewards students more points during the admissions process if a student attended their Summer Leaders Experience (SLE) program. More points are also given for taking part in rigorous athletics, holding leadership positions, and doing well in math and physics classes as they value these experiences as essential for succeeding in a military academy. “The summer programs at such academies can be helpful for students trying to decide if a military school would be the right fit for them,” said A.J. Nasharr, senior who attended West Point during the summer. “When we arrived, they screamed to sprint to the barracks and they treated us like real cadets...later there was more comradery and it was really fun,” Nasharr said. According to Mr. Litton, involvement in clubs and sports has consistently ranked as one of the top considerations of colleges, and there are summer programs in school that give similar experiences to summer college programs. The business department’s Summer Internship Program encourages students to shadow and record work they do for a company of their choice while the Science Inquiry and Research program let’s students see how research is conducted in various occupations. “[The Summer Internship Program] taught me a lot about the business world and gave me my first real job experience in high school,” said Anshul Sankaran, senior. The school also provides various electives geared towards the purpose of allowing students to dip their toes into areas of study that aren’t core subjects such as computer design, broadcasting, and theatre. “Summer college programs can be a neat way to even just gain an experience of how college life is, to meet kids from different parts of the country,” Litton said. “It can be something you do for personal growth rather than impressing admission committees.”
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HINSDALE COFFE
2
ICED COFFEE
What’s in your
The number of cups of coffee the average student drinks, daily.
The students’ drink of choice.
Coffee infographic.indd 195640 September 2018 2r2.indd 24
of water are needed
TO MAKE 1 CUP OF COFFEE Source: Black Bear Coffee
Everyone’s favorite coffee shop.
24 | In Our Community
37 GALLONS
The staff’s favorite drink is hot coffee.
Data from this infographic gathered from a poll of 507
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COFFEE CENTRAL
t’s in your cup?
Most of HC uses a traditional coffee machine. Keurig’s are the second most used.
Around 18 percent of staff and students drink the school cafeteria coffee.
his infographic gathered from a poll of 507 respondents
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ESPRESSO
The machine that created the first version of espresso became available in 1901. Luigi Bezzara patented a product that could compress coffee filters and force out a shot of espresso. In Italian, “espresso” quite literally means “expressed,” and the espresso machine was the first to prepare coffee expressly for customers. Source: Smithsonian Magazine
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I
t was best-selling food writer and restaurateur Lidia Bastianich who said, “Italian food really reflects the people. It reflects like a prism that fragments into regions.” Altamura Pizza, a small new pizzeria in downtown Hinsdale, is a perfect reflection of the different facets of Italian food. The restaurant opened its doors eight months ago, replacing the former pizza chain Home Run Inn, but preserving the take and bake structure of the previous establishment. They specialize in Italian pizza, featuring imported crust. Exclusive pizzas include pesto, primavera, and calabrese pizza. Customers can also choose to take home Pizza 26 | In Our Community Food Review.indd 195640 September 2018 2 r2.indd 26
Rossa or Pizza Bianca. For dessert, they offer all-natural gelato, dairyfree sorbetto or nutella pizza. “As first generation Italians, we have very high standards for Italian culinary,” said Altamura’s owners on their website. “[Customers] can be confident that every ingredient and recipe meets our standards and is delicious.” Customers can choose to dine in or outside and add $1 to the price of the pizza if it’s baked on site. Pizza prices range from $10 for the personal mia to $16 for the family nostra size. The restaurant also serves up a variety of salads with italian imported dressings as well. Altamura is also a reflection of the
cozy atmosphere of Hinsdale. When I went in, I was not expecting the warm ambience, nor the selection of ice cream. I was encouraged to try their lemon and basil sorbetto, a bit of an unusual flavor. After overcoming my initial hesitation, I loved the refreshing taste and the sweet, yet tangy contrast it brought to the savory margherita pizza. Customers have the option of eating their pizza outside the restaurant, or taking home their own personalized pizza and making it in their kitchens. This delightful experience allows friends and families to enjoy a day out, or bring Italy right into their homes. Altamura’s cuisine truly is food that feeds the soul.
photo by Layo Adelakun
Altamura Italian Cuisine
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Homecoming Heroes What Superhero Are You Based on Your Homecoming Choices?
How much in advance did you prepare for homecoming this year? A) I figured out my date and group in August. Sorry you can’t join but my group is capped. B) Kinda figured out my group in Sept. It is kinda a mess. C) I am going solo/didn’t know who I was going with until three days beforehand. What did you wear? A) I went full out and had my outfit handmade. B) I wore something old from my closet; nothing beats a good familiar outfit. C) I showed up in a tee shirt and jeans, who says homecoming has to be fancy? What did you do for pictures? A) I bought out the entire country club, of course. B) My house—I wanted to keep it low key this year. C) A forest preserve, I like being at one with nature. How long did you stay at the dance? A) For five minutes—I wanted to see my friends, but then we dipped. B) Stayed for a half-hour, wanted to see what the DJ was playing this year. C) The whole time; I am the dancing queen. What did you do after the dance? A) Went into the city because I am trendy like that. B) Chilled with my friends and watched a movie
C)
Mostly A’s:
You are Batman, the original boujee superhero, and you’re not afraid to spend money. Who said trust funds can’t go to good use? You have all the tools, and are ready for battle at any moment.
Mostly B’s:
The Flash—sometimes you’re prepared and sometimes you’re not, but it’s no problem since you can do things in flash. You’re an OG who is not afraid to get things done fast, and you can keep up with the pace of homecoming craziness.
Mostly C’s:
You’re Hawkeye. You’re kinda chilling. You have your friends, but sometimes you like being left alone. You might have missed the last two movies, but you’re there when it matters.
Slept—studying for the AP Chemistry test was a grind.
Cheers & Jeers
- Cheers to diversity on the cheer squad - Cheers to @Reddevilnation100 on Instagram—our
For more news, visit: www.hcdevilsadvocate.com
student-run school spirit page is one word: HYPE
- Cheers to seniors winning the Powderpuff game; it’s tradition
- Jeers to no wifi for students - Jeers to half the teachers being on Canvas and the
other half still using Google Classroom
- Jeers to the heatwave in the gym and the polar vortex in the basement
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