Volume 91, Issue 6 March 13, 2018
2017-2018 Staff Listing Hannah Hutchins, Editor-in-Chief Savanna Winiecki, Online Editor Lola Akinlade, Features Editor Rachel Benner, Features Editor Anya Belomoina Rachel Dudley OIivia Gauvin Maggie Hutchins Elizabeth Manley Dylan Trott
Amanda Black Moira Duffy Demi Glusic Ben Kanches Ella Marsden Megan Wolter
Maria Thames, Editor-in-Chief Sam Nelson, Photo Editor Olivia Griffith, Layout Editor Colleen Mullins, Social Media Editor
Maggie Burnetti, Sports Editor Matt Smith, Sports Editor
Molly Boufford Maggie Evers Jenna Grayson Jacob Kemp Kylie Rodriguez
Ariella Bucio Megan Fahey Kath Haidvogel Corey Kuchler Claire Salemi
Jenna Carnazzola Katie Felsl Emily Hamilton Allie Kuhlman Bulat Schamiloglu
Ian Cox Lizzie Foley Dylan Heimert Anna Legutki Kelly Shinnick
Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Contact us at doi@lhswildcats.org
Michael Gluskin, Faculty Adviser
All Roads Lead To... FOOTBALL SOCCER BASEBALL LACROSSE VOLLEYBALL WRESTLING SWIMMING FRISBEE GOLF
TROPHIES LETTERING TEAM ORDERS SILKSCREENING CUSTOM ORDERS EMBROIDERY MONOGRAMMING UNIFORMS
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Next to Panera March 13, 2018
Excellent Customer Service
2
Drops of Ink
Olivia Devin Zachary Ford Abbey Humbert Stephanie Luce Nate Sweitzer
4 Constructing innovative classrooms
4
28-29 Libertyville’s Mr. Basketball
News Constructing innovative classrooms
Feature 7-9
Changes are being made to classrooms at LHS and Oak Grove to create a more friendly environment for students to learn in.
5
The influences and effects of social media on teens are explored, including a look at whether it has created good or bad habits for the students.
Southern Poverty Law Center to remove Gurnee from their hate map
10-11
Opinion How social media influences our connections
12-13
The collective thoughts from the DOI staff on how social media is affecting relationships and social dynamics.
15-17
25
19-21
Sports The King of the Jungle: the Fan
22-23
Libertyville’s Mr. Basketball
Behind Bullying
The nature of bullying has changed over the years, largely impacted by technology, but LHS is taking steps to try to prevent it.
Senior Drew Peterson has left a lasting legacy while playing basketball at LHS, and he looks forward to where his future career will continue.
Table of Contents by Maggie Evers Cover design by Nate Sweitzer; Cover reporting by Olivia Gauvin and Maria Thames The quotes and words on the cover are a compilation of thoughts and ideas from more than 25 interviews conducted with students and staff. These are meant to highlight some connections within the LHS community.
Wildcat Stats
With the winter sports finished, LHS spring teams are hoping to have a strong start to their season. Contents
The Heat to Cheat
Students and teachers have both noticed the prominence of cheating at LHS and discuss how and why they feel cheating impacts the school environment.
How do the screaming and cheering fans affect the athletes and the games at different sporting events?
31
Modern High School Romance: The Hookup Culture
Digging deeper into the evolutionary definition of hooking up and its direct connection to the current culture at LHS.
Staff member Kelly Shinnick discusses how her life would be without her cell phone.
28-29
Spilling the Tea on Subtweets
The cultural phenomenon of subtweeting is discussed, along with questioning why people do it and the effect it leaves on society.
A day in the life of a cellphone addict
26-27
Following the Finstas
A new dimension has taken over Instagram as teens are now using fake Instagram accounts, or finstas, as an outlet to post a more realistic view of their lives.
The SPLC’s recent investigation concluded that there are no affiliations with the KKK within Gurnee.
24
The Power of Social Media
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Drops of Ink
Constructing innovative classrooms By Demi Glusic This school year, changes have started to appear around LHS to update DLU FRQGLWLRQLQJ DQG KHDWLQJ XQLW RQ WKH VHFRQG ÀRRU RI WKH EXLOGLQJ it from a traditional high school to one more representative of a 21st-cen- ZKLFK ZLOO VROYH FXUUHQW WHPSHUDWXUH LVVXHV tury learning space. 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LQJ YLEH WR LW 0HDQZKLOH 0UV /H0DLV2DN *URYH (OHWUH¶V URRP ZDV mentary School WKH ¿UVW URRP LQ *UHHQ 2DNV WR EH SDLQWHG DV is another local a trial run for school that has that particular recently implecolor. PHQWHG D QHZ ³7KHUH ZHUH innovative classmixed reactions room setting for [among my its students. In VWXGHQWV@ EXW ODWH 'HFHPEHU , ZRXOG VD\ RI KHDOWK DQG 3( WHDFKHU RYHUZKHOPLQJ0LVV 6DUD .XUW] O\ WKH\ OLNH WKH ZDV JUDQWHG idea of it, and a approval for the ORW RI WKHP OLNH SXUFKDVH RI the color,” said 0UV /H0DLVWUH Photo by Maggie Evers ELNH GHVNV IRU her classroom. One student LQ RQH RI 0UV Mrs. Karen LeMaistre’s classroom is currently one of several rooms at LHS with an orange accent wall at the front. 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Southern Poverty Law Center to remove Gurnee from their hate map By Rachel Dudley
Photo by Jenna Grayson In 1987, five members of the KKK announced their plans for a rally in Gurnee at the town’s village hall, seen above. The city issued a permit for the event, but a rally was never held. name removed. The deputy police chief, Brian Smith, researched the KKK in Gurnee police records and reached out to the Illinois State Terrorism and Intelligence Center to see if they had any records. Neither the town nor the ISTC found any past or present evidence of the Klan in Gurnee. Although the KKK scheduled a rally in Gurnee in 1987, no rally took place and, according to Kovarik, the village has no record of any permits being issued. However, the Chicago Tribune reported in 1987 that a permit was issued on the advice of the village’s legal counsel. It was important to Kovarik to seek removal because “one, it was a PLVUHSUHVHQWDWLRQ LQ WKH ¿UVW SODFH VLQFH QR ... DFWLYLW\ KDG WDNHQ place ever in the village, and two, no one on the [village board or town VWD൵@ DQG HYHQ RXU FRPPXQLW\ ZRXOG ZDQW DQ\RQH WR HYHU WKLQN WKDW Gurnee was a place that accepted hate.” Kovarik stated that the majority of residents believe that Gurnee is an accepting and inclusive place to live. She said, “we have [had] unconditional support to pursue [their] removal from the list.” After seven months of seeking their removal, on Feb. 14, the SPLC sent the village a letter to inform them that they would be removed from the list. This change has already occured online. “[The letter] mentioned that the village has demonstrated a strong commitment to discouraging hate and creating a community that values all individuals,” Kovarik shared. According to Kovarik the town was relieved to hear the news. She explained that labeling the town as a place of hate was untrue and the whole town is happy the mistake has been corrected. Attempts to get a comment from the SPLC were unsuccessful.
After the events in Charlottesville, Virginia, last year, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) posted a hate map on social media and their website that indicated hate groups throughout the United States. Gurnee, located about 10 miles north of Libertyville, was on this list, with the SPLC claiming the Ku Klos Knights of the Ku Klux Klan had a group based there. Gurnee denied any KKK presence in the village and after an investigation, the SPLC contacted the village to say they will be removing Gurnee from the hate map. The SPLC was founded in 1971 “to ensure that the promise of the civil rights movement became a reality for all,” according to their website. The center does this by exposing hate groups and their activities throughout America to the media and law enforcement. Its annual hate map shows 954 locations around the United States where there are any type of hate groups ranging from anti-Muslim groups to anti-LGBT organizations. There are 35 other hate groups listed in IL, with 12 in the Chicagoland area. The map depicts any village ZKHUH WKHUH DUH UHSRUWV RI KDWH DQG VSHFL¿HV LI WKHUH LV D KHDGTXDUWHUV in that location. According to the mayor of Gurnee, Kristina Kovarik, the village was shocked by their inclusion on the map. In an email interview, Kovarik H[SODLQHG ³:H SDUWLFLSDWH LQ DQG UHFRJQL]H PDQ\ GL൵HUHQW FXOWXUDO events throughout the year and we embrace diversity, which is [evident] by our demographics and visually in our neighborhoods. There is no place for hate in our community.” After the map was released, the village was determined to get its
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Pamulas.spamula (a fake account) posts a picture on one of her Instagram accounts of her with completely sunburnt shoulders and her “I Heart Jamaica” clothes on while on vacation. She has SRVWHG RQ KHU ¿QVWD Five minutes later, she posts a picture of herself with her hair in the ZLQG DQG D EODFN DQG ZKLWH ¿OWHU DSSOLHG WR KLGH WKH EXUQ WKHUH¶V an iconic landmark in the background and the perfect caption beneath the photo. This is posted on her real Instagram or “rinsta.” Over the past couple years, there has been a rise of fake Instagrams, PRUH FRPPRQO\ FDOOHG ³¿QVWDV ´ ZKLFK DUH DFFRXQWV ZLWK SLFWXUHV WKDW D SHUVRQ ZRXOGQ¶W W\SLFDOO\ SRVW RQ WKHLU UHDO ,QVWDJUDP $ UHDO ,QVWDJUDP IHDWXUHV PDQLFXUHG SRVWV ZLWK ¿OWHUV WR JHW WKH PRVW OLNHV ZKHUHDV ¿QVtas are platforms to express the more authentic nature of people, as well DV WKH OHVV ¿OWHUHG VLGH RI D XVHU¶V OLIH 6LQFH ,QVWDJUDP¶V ODXQFK LQ PDQ\ SHRSOH VSHFL¿FDOO\ WHHQDJHUV
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KDYH XVHG ,QVWDJUDP DV D ZD\ WR VKRZ R൵ KLJKOLJKWV RI WKHLU OLYHV ,Q WKH $VVRFLDWHG 3UHVV 125& &HQWHU IRU 3XEOLF $൵DLUV 5HVHDUFK IRXQG WKDW DERXW SHUFHQW RI WHHQV EHWZHHQ WKH DJHV RI WR KDYH Instagram accounts. 0DQ\ RI WKHVH WHHQDJHUV KDYH DOVR UHFHQWO\ PDGH ¿QVWDV IRU YDULRXV reasons: Sometimes for posting drug and alcohol content, sometimes for r vlogging or sometimes just to post funny things to make people laugh. v Finstas can be an outlet for a person to be their true selves and not to F post p about the perfect life that is expected from so many people this day and a age. 6RPH ¿QVWDV DUHQ¶W RZQHG E\ MXVW RQH XVHU JURXS ¿QVWDV KDYH EHFRPH SRSXODU DV ZHOO )RU H[DPSOH MXQLRUV -DNH 'X൵\ 0LOLFD /XNLF $OO\ S 0F/HDQ DQG +DQQDK 7KXUDX DOO KDYH D ¿QVWD WRJHWKHU 7KH\ VDLG WKH\ 0 post p funny things that they have done together, as well as memes and SLFWXUHV RI WKHP FU\LQJ :KHQ DVNHG ZKDW WKH SRLQW RI D JURXS ¿QVWD S ZDV 0F/HDQ UHVSRQGHG ³:KDW EHWWHU ZD\ WR VKRZ RXU IULHQGVKLS >WKDQ@ Z through a joint Instagram?” t $QRWKHU PHPEHU RI WKDW JURXS 7KXUDX DJUHHG DQG VKH DOVR WKRXJKW WKDW WKHLU MRLQW DFFRXQW ³H[SUHVVHV >WKHLU@ WUXH VHOYHV ´ W Some users have also posted vlogs, or video blogs, on their accounts. 6RSKRPRUH .HQ]LH )HUUHOO KDV EHHQ YORJJLQJ VLQFH VKH VWDUWHG KHU ¿QVWD 6 WKH EHJLQQLQJ RI KHU IUHVKPDQ \HDU 6KH VDLG WKDW KHU ¿QVWD IHHG LV KHU W ³YORJ>LQJ@ DERXW IXQQ\ WKLQJV DQG >KHU@ OLIH ´ ³ Typically, these “fake” accounts are private. Finstas usually have fewer IROORZHUV WKDQ ULQVWDV EHFDXVH XVXDOO\ ¿QVWD RZQHUV RQO\ OHW WKHLU IULHQGV I IROORZ WKHP $OWKRXJK )HUUHOO VDLG ³, SUHWW\ PXFK OHW DQ\RQH >IROORZ I P\ ¿QVWD@ EHFDXVH , GRQ¶W SRVW LQDSSURSULDWH WKLQJV EXW , NQRZ D ORW RI P JLUOV NHHS WKHLU ¿QVWDV SULYDWH ´ J Many keep the follower amount to a minimum because they post things about other people or display illicit use of drugs and alcohol. a
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By Claire Salemi Photos by Sam Nelson Layout by Livi Griffith
)UHVKPDQ &ROH /DQGPHLHU YLD HPDLO VDLG WKDW EHFDXVH KH KDV IHZHU IROORZHUV RQ KLV ¿QVWD ³0\ ULQVWD ZLOO SUREDEO\ JHW IRXU WLPHV WKH amount of likes, but my rinsta also has six times the amount of followers.” The smaller amount of followers also creates a way for people to post things that are about other people, like gossip. Ferrell has noticed when ³SHRSOH DUH LQ D ¿JKW ZLWK VRPHRQH WKH\ ZLOO VD\ µ, KDWH WKHP¶ RQ WKHLU ¿QVWD ´ 0RVW SHRSOH LI WKH\ GR VD\ VRPHWKLQJ DERXW VRPHRQH HOVH GRQ¶W W\Sically reveal the name of that person, but other times people will say the QDPH $QJHOD 1RZDN DQRWKHU VRSKRPRUH ZLWK D SRSXODU ¿QVWD DFFRXQW VDLG WKDW ¿QVWDV DUH DQ RXWOHW WR ³VD\ µ2K WKLV SHUVRQ LV ERWKHULQJ PH ¶´ ,Q DGGLWLRQ WR JRVVLS RQ ¿QVWDV DQRWKHU WKLQJ VHHQ LV WKH XVH RI LOOHJDO drugs and underage drinking. There are users who show their use of GUXJV DQG DOFRKRO WKURXJK YLGHRV RU SLFWXUHV RI WKHP XQGHU WKH LQÀXence. Sometimes these posts can get reported through Instagram and are deleted, but other times, they are seen by all the followers on that SHUVRQ¶V ¿QVWD 7KHVH W\SHV RI ¿QVWDV FDQ DOVR EH FDOOHG ³VLQVWDV´ RU ³VLQ Instagrams.” One senior girl, who asked to remain anonymous because of the illegal FRQWHQW RQ KHU DFFRXQW H[SODLQHG WKDW VKH SRVWV WKLQJV RQ KHU ¿QVWD VR RQO\ KHU IULHQGV FDQ VHH KHU SULYDWH SLFWXUHV $QRWKHU IDFWRU ZK\ VKH NHHSV KHU ¿QVWD SURWHFWHG LV EHFDXVH RI WKH IDFW WKDW FROOHJHV PD\ ¿QG WKH risky posts. To protect herself from colleges viewing these illicit pictures, VKH VDLG ³0\ SUR¿OH SLFWXUH LV QRW D SLFWXUH RI PH DQG WKH RQO\ SHRSOH who follow me are people who I know.” $ MXQLRU IHPDOH VWXGHQW ZKR UHTXHVWHG DQRQ\PLW\ WR SURWHFW KHU SULYDF\ FRPPHQWHG ³, RQO\ OHW P\ IULHQGV >IROORZ PH@ EHFDXVH , PRVWO\ SRVW GUXJV DQG DOFRKRO VWX൵ ´ 7KH VHQLRU JLUO ZKR KDV SRVWHG DERXW EHLQJ XQGHU WKH LQÀXHQFH RI DOFRKRO VWDWHG ³, GRQ¶W OLNH WR WDNH YLGHRV RI P\VHOI EHFDXVH , GRQ¶W like that, but I typically have pictures of me from the end of the night, so when I am not looking too cute.” 7KH IHPDOH MXQLRU VDLG WKDW VKH JRW LQ WURXEOH ODVW \HDU IRU VWX൵ VKH SRVWHG RQ KHU ¿QVWD ³0\ SDUHQWV IRXQG P\ ¿QVWD , GRQ¶W NQRZ KRZ WKH\ JRW RQ LW ´ VKH VDLG ³, DP JXHVVLQJ IURP P\ VLVWHU¶V SKRQH VLQFH WKHUH LV VR PXFK VWX൵ RQ LW DQG , KDG WR GHOHWH P\ ¿QVWD IRU D ZKLOH DQG get a new one.” Finstas can also allow users to rant about everyday life, like school, IULHQG SUREOHPV DQG PRUH 9L &DUEHOOR D VRSKRPRUH ZKR KDV D ¿QVWD ZLWK DERXW IROORZHUV VDLG WKDW VKH WKLQNV WKDW ¿QVWDV DUH VXSHU helpful as a source to talk out problems and get the support needed from friends. Finstas not only can help people get support but also help people get DGYLFH RQ GDLO\ SUREOHPV 1RZDN VDLG WKDW VKH JHWV RSLQLRQV IURP KHU IROORZHUV RQ KHU ¿QVWD 6KH KDV UHFHLYHG RSLQLRQV RQ KHU 7XUQDERXW DQG +RPHFRPLQJ GUHVV GHFLVLRQV WR HYHU\GD\ RXW¿W FKRLFHV There are an endless variety of topics and things that can be done of ¿QVWDV ZKLFK FUHDWH D ZD\ IRU PDQ\ VWXGHQWV WR EH FRQQHFWHG WR SHHUV $V )HUUHOO H[SODLQHG ¿QVWDV DUH ³WR KDYH IXQ ZLWK ,W PDNHV SHRSOH laugh.” Editors’ note: Although the topics of underage drinking and illicit drug use are mentioned in this article, Drops of Ink does not condone or promote the behavior discussed here, given that, for all students under the ages of 21 and 18, respectively, such activities are illegal. Since illegal activities and actions that go against the Code of Conduct are discussed in this article, some individuals interviewed were granted anonymity, aside from their grade and gender. The picture of a student drinking features a non-LHS student who is legally drinking an alcoholic beverage, since he is 21 years old.
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A Subtweeting, and “when someone talks crap about you, you have to put them in their place.” Senior Micah Holzwarth mainly sees subtweets, such as the ones Scopacasa tweets, “after a breakup, if some people have beef or if something happened to them.” Subtweets between students at LHS tend to occur after drama within a friend group or following a breakup. They can range from hilarious comments to truly scathing roasts while all staying ambiguous about the subject of the tweet. Another reason many subtweet, according to psychology teacher Ms. Kara Bosman, is to gain attention. If something just happened or one feels strongly about it, wanting to garner attention from it is a natural step for many people. “With subtweeting, you have a target audience that you indirectly call out, but there is a whole other audience that you gain attention from which is also what you want.” This goal may not always be achieved, as senior Brilynn Dawson, upon seeing a subtweet, “usually just [reads] it and [continues] on with [her] search.” However, others, like Scopacasa, become more invested in a subtweet. Scopacasa usually “[hits] it with a like and [checks] the comments to see if there’s a brawl going on.” Beyond that, on certain occasions, Scopacasa will go so far as to “do some investigating like check out [their] SUR¿OHV >WR ¿JXUH RXW ZKR WKH VXEWZHHW LV DERXW@ ´ Although most subtweets are viewed on Twitter, Dawson sees them on Instagram and Snapchat stories as well. On Snapchat, subtweets can be characterized as “sarcastic, funny, and straight-up roasts [that] usually end with really weird or funny hashtags.” Whatever platform is used, there is always a sense of mystery as to who the post is directed to, leaving many as unknowing victims, whether meant in good fun or with malicious intent.
By Megan Fahey and Anna Legutki Photo by Ben Kanches Layout by Corey Kuchler Twitter was created in 2006. That same year, the word “subtweet” was coined. The word is a blend of the words “subliminal” and “tweet,” and refers to a comment directed to a particular person without directly mentioning them, according to the Oxford Dictionary. Since 2006, these types of posts have become increasingly popular on social media. Despite the origin of its name, subtweeting has evolved from solely taking place on Twitter to appearing on other social media platforms and even in person. This evolution has cultivated a society rooted in passive-aggressive communication.
Subtweeting at LHS The Twitter feeds of LHS students vary GHSHQGLQJ RQ WKH SHUVRQ 6RPH PD\ ¿OO WKHLU feeds with politics, others with memes and some with retweets from the latest pop stars. But most have one thing in common: they have subtweets. Senior Marco Scopacasa, avid Twitter user DQG RFFDVLRQDO VXEWZHHWHU YHUL¿HG WKLV DV WUXH Scopacasa said that he only chooses to subtweet “when necessary” because “it’s funny”
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Tea-Spilling Society Societal Impact For some, subtweeting can be a viable way to express feelings. SubWZHHWV GRQ¶W DOZD\V FRPH R൵ DV PHDQ DQG WKH SXUSRVH EHKLQG WKHP might be a way to vent about someone or call them out. Often times, subtweets can serve as a source of comedy for those who read them. ³,W¶V MXVW IXQQ\ DQG LW FDQ JHW K\SHG XS ´ 6FRSDFDVD GHVFULEHG D EHQH¿W to subtweeting. Despite this, there is a popular belief that the phenomena of subtweets is indicative of a much larger occurrence in our current society -- the inability for individuals to communicate directly between each other. The ability to have an open, free dialogue, even when it might not be the most comfortable, is an integral part of communicating with others. It is widely believed that by subtweeting or otherwise indirectly expressing (usually negative) feelings about someone, people are not as obliged to think about the feelings of the person they are indirectly talking to. “Society as a whole will become more willing to bury their emotions [without direct confrontation] because we don’t like being uncomfortable and don’t practice it very often,” Ms. Bosman expressed. The desire to subtweet is rooted in a need to express feelings about other people and how they impact us. And though any method of catharsis can help to clear the mind and make one feel better about who or what is upsetting them, it can also hurt those who the subtweets are directed at. As AP Macroeconomics teacher and former sociology teacher Mr. Brian Voss explained, “on one side [of subtweeting], yes, you unload your frustrations, but on the other side, you are doing it at someone else’s cost.” Subtweeting does not only have the potential to hurt the person it is directed at but also can hurt the person doing it. “You lose the ability to connect as people, to have that dialogue. I think that’s the scary thing. It’s so easy for us to go on social media and say something that we either, for fear of repercussion or just our thoughts, that we lose the ability to be human,” Mr. Voss said. By choosing less direct methods of communication, many members of society choose to put aside the option of having an authentic, productive FRQYHUVDWLRQ LQ IDYRU RI EORFNLQJ WKHPVHOYHV R൵ 1RW RQO\ GR SHRSOH do this, but some also open themselves up for others to form negative opinions of them because of this behavior. According to research conducted in 2016 by Autumn Edwards, a professor at Western Michigan University, and Christina Harris, her graduate student, subtweets are perceived negatively and “lead to unfavorable impressions of the source.” 7KHVH ¿QGLQJV ZHUH UHLQIRUFHG E\ VHQLRU +D\OH\ +ROVRQ D UHJXODU Twitter user, who believes that “subtweeting has a negative connota-
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tion.” However, this study also revealed that the only tweet viewed worse than a subtweet is a directly unfavorable call-out. These call-outs are becoming rarer as people tend to choose the passive-aggressive alternative of a subtweet rather than direct confrontation. “I don’t really solve problems on Twitter. I feel like that’s kind of immature,” Holzwarth discussed when asked if subtweets were a valuable way to solve problems. Ms. Bosman believes that “being passive aggressive is easier than confronting someone directly because people are afraid of showing true emo-
tion and saying, ‘you hurt me.’ It’s easier to be upset instead of hurt. Being passive aggressive allows us to put up walls instead of being vulnerable. In a way, we believe we’re hurting people the way they hurt us.” An alternative to a passive-aggressive altercation is talking out problems in person. Many people, including Dawson, prefer this: “I love confrontation,” she expressed. This makes sense to some. Confrontation not only allows for a wider range of emotion but also, “It’s easier because you get to see their facial H[SUHVVLRQV DQG KHDU WKHLU WRQH ,W¶V VR GL൵HUHQW ZKHQ \RX¶UH RQOLQH -XVW to be in person and have that face-to-face interaction is much preferable,” Dawson added. In addition, confrontation reminds people that the person they’re upset with, like themselves, is only human. Everyone can feel upset, sad, angry and experience a full range of emotions. It can be hard to remember that when typing up a subtweet about someone, especially when the tweeter never has to see the immediate reaction of the person they are calling out. But, by having an open dialogue with someone about what they’ve done to cause a problem, people are, in a way, forced to remember that words hold power. While typing up a 240-character subtweet might not seem like such a big deal, having to talk about those feelings face to face may make people put more consideration into how they really feel and want to go about expressing it.
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BY HANNAH HUTCHINS & LOLA AKINLADE
PHOTOS BY ELIZABETH MANLEY Note: Due to the sensitive nature of the topic, most student names are not included in the article to protect their privacy; these students’ names have been replaced with pseudonyms for the readers’ ease.
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Drops of Ink
n the poorly lit basement of a high schooler’s house, music echoes against the walls. Groups of people can be seen scattered about talking and drinking. A party is in full swing and while everyone else is busy socializing, two people flirt in a separate corner. Eventually, one grabs the other’s hand, leading them to an empty room upstairs. While this is just one scenario of hooking up, its culture is very real and it is here -- talked about through Snapchat, acted on at parties and hangouts -- taking the place of high school relationships and providing a way for high schoolers to connect with others.
What is it and What Does it Mean? While there are many definitions for what hooking up actually entails, the term has more to do with the casual nature of the relationship rather than how far things go. “A hookup itself is with someone that you are not dating or don’t have a relationship with. Then, it wouldn’t be called a hookup,” said Daisy, a junior. However, in high school, it seems that, for the most part, students tend to think of making out when they hear the term. “A lot of people have different definitions of what a hookup is,” said Theo, a senior. “But I think generally, in high school terms, it’s just making out. Yeah, that would be considered to be a hookup for a lot of people.” The significance of a hookup, much like the definition, is subjective. While the overall feeling of it is casual, and the situation will obviously vary depending on the people, place, and circumstance, hookups are more significant for some due to their intimate nature. “I mean, it’s not like I go hooking up with every guy, but I’ve had the occasional hookup and it always ends up meaning so much more to me than it ever did to them. In the end, it’s very hard to find a case where both people are like, ‘Okay yeah, cool, bye,’” said Daisy. “It always means more to one person than it does to the other. So, it’s always significant to me, but it’s just a chance whether it’s reciprocated [or not].”
something that you have to deal with, and I think that especially when you’re young, it’s hard to know that everyone that’s in the situation is comfortable and knows what’s going on and is totally educated and understands both themselves and the other person well enough,” said senior Claire Mills. Some, on the other hand, prefer the casual, laid-back nature of not being in a relationship. This preference can be for a number of reasons, but one widely echoed sentiment was the simplicity of not exclusively committing to another person. “Hooking up is easier; there is a lack of that clingy-ness...As soon as you [use] the word ‘dating,’ you’re stuck with them. Hooking up is much less commitment, ” said Libby, a sophomore. Libby, however, chooses not to hookup with others anymore, due to the inevitability of other students in her grade hearing about it. “To me, relationships [of any kind] are meant to be between you and the other person, not you and your entire grade. So it is a respect thing between you and the other person. I don’t like other people finding out,” she said. While sometimes hooking up can lead to a relationship, whether that be a “thing,” dating, or friends with benefits, there are times when hooking up does remain just that. “I think if you try to make every hookup a relationship, it gets too hard. I don’t think it has to be that way. Hookups in high school today are just built into the culture. Whether it’s good or bad, it’s just how it is,” said Theo.
Transition to Casual Relationships For some high schoolers, the label of “dating” can be too much commitment, and just hooking up may also be too relaxed for some, too. Instead, they opt for a more casual relationship, often coined a “thing.” As the students interviewed described it, a “thing” is “so hard to explain” but involves both people knowing “that they’re into each other.” Theo described it as “if you hang out, hookup and don’t want to be with other people and they don’t want you to be with other people.” Mills has never dated anyone but reported that she has had a “thing” with someone, which is what she prefers. “I haven’t had anyone that I’m full-on dating. I think the thing that is more common is when you have a ‘thing’ with someone for a while. It’s a lot more casual and it’s not a big commitment, which I like that better. I kinda don’t want to get into actual dating because that’s a whole other level of time and commitment. I don’t really see high school relationships lasting, especially for me [because] I know where I want to go with my life, so it just always felt kind of pointless to make something serious happen,” Mills stated. Another factor that often prevents people from dating is the fear of commitment. “Being single is a privilege… to be able to do what they want and literally ‘do’ whoever they want. Calling someone your boyfriend and calling someone your girlfriend is such a
Differences in Perspectives While at a larger societal level there seems to be shift towards casual relationships, many people still choose not to engage in this aspect of high school. “I think [hooking up] makes things more complicated and it adds a whole other layer to
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“I think if you try to make every hookup a relationship, it gets too hard. I don’t think it has to be that way. Hookups in high school today are just built into the culture. Whether it’s good or bad, it’s just how it is.” -Theo big step, and I feel like people are just scared of that,” Daisy stated. While Daisy acknowledged that it is a privilege for her to be single, she also revealed that she would prefer to be in a relationship with the person she is hooking up with. “My problem is that I would love so much to have a person. So, I feel like I’m not credible to talk about it because I haven’t experienced it. But I feel like I would like [hooking up] so much more if I had someone to do that business with that loved me and cared for me instead of just a ‘yo, you up?’ But I mean hooking up isn’t bad. I enjoy it,” Daisy stated.
Sexism in The Hookup Culture As we contacted sources to interview for this story, one theme that we noticed was that boys were often more reluctant to talk, which is why only one boy was interviewed throughout this process. Additionally, some girls were offended by the emails we sent out as they felt they were being “called out” or “shamed.” These reactions may be a factor of the sexism ingrained within the hookup culture. While both girls and guys hook up, sometimes there is a negative stigma and slut shaming associated with a girl who chooses to hook up. As Merriam-Webster Dictionary describes it, slut shaming is “the action or fact of stigmatizing a woman for engaging in behavior judged to be promiscuous or sexually provocative.” Out of all the students interviewed, everyone stated that they were aware of sexism in the hookup culture and also viewed it as a problem. “We have this ideology that girls are supposed to be proper and they’re supposed to save it and keep an Aspirin between their [knees]…there is so much slut shaming that it’s just so much easier to attack a girl than it is to attack a guy because ‘boys will be boys,’ and I hate that
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because girls will be girls and we’ll do what we want,” Daisy stated. Mills believes that one of the factors that contributes to sexism in the hookup culture is that hooking up is often talked about through the girl’s perspective. After there’s been a party, “people don’t talk about which guy hooked up with who, they more just talk about it from the girls’ end. So I think it’s the kind of thing that girls like talking about more than guys, but I definitely think there’s a silly feeling that it’s okay for guys to [hook up] but for girls, it’s more their responsibility to be the one to stop [the hookup], which is kind of ridiculous because both people are part of it,” Mills stated. Many students, including Daisy, believe that slut shaming is a problem and can be harmful to a girl’s mentality. Daisy specifically believes that people should instead focus on empowering other girls. “If you wanna hook up with a guy, then
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hook up with a guy. If you wanna hook up with three guys, then hook up with three guys. I don’t care,” she said. “That’s what we should be telling [girls] because in the end, it’s their body, and if we have other people slut shaming them or being condescending to them because they want to act on it and fulfill their needs that everyone has… that’s just so unfair because it’s not their body; it’s ours. Why would someone else have a right to tell us what we should do and what we shouldn’t do with it if it’s yours?” Daisy stated. Although Theo is a boy and hasn’t directly been affected by slut shaming, he acknowledges that it is a prevalent problem that has been ingrained in our society. “There is more to be associated with a girl hooking up with a guy than a guy hooking up with a girl,” he said. “It’s the culture today. It’s not right, but for so long, it’s been that way and it hasn’t really broken up yet. It’s a problem.”
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t is no question that in the LHS Student Handbook, cheating is against the rules. As the handbook states, “Any situation where a student is found to be cheating or plagiaUL]LQJ PD\ UHVXOW LQ QR FUHGLW IRU WKH SDUWLFXODU DVVLJQPHQW DQG WKH /67 ZLOO EH QRWL¿HG with each incidence of cheating. Repeated cheating incidents may result in a failing grade for the course and/or LST imposed consequences and may impact participation in school activities/athletics.” +RZHYHU VWXGHQWV DFURVV WKH VFKRRO FRQWLQXH WR FKHDW RQ TXL]]HV WHVWV DQG HYHQ ¿QDO H[DPV :KLOH WKH DFW RI FKHDWLQJ LV QRW OLPLWHG WR VSHFL¿F JUDGHV RU JURXSV RI VWXGHQWV WKH PHWKRGV LQ ZKLFK VWXGHQWV FKHDW DUH TXLWH YDULDQW (DFK VWXGHQW KDV D GL൵HUHQW SHUVRQDO UHDVRQ EHKLQG ZK\ WKH\ FKHDW DQG HDFK VWXGHQW KDV D GL൵HUHQW VWRU\ EHKLQG KRZ they have or have not been caught. By Olivia Gauvin -- Photos by Claire Salemi -- Layout by Colleen Mullins
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The Reasons Behind Cheating Gavin, a junior, didn’t know he was going to cheat on his math quiz when he walked into class that day; just like how Penelope, a junior, didn’t know she was going to be cheating on her Spanish vocab quiz. As Gavin explained, while it may be methodical for some students, he never actively planned when and where he was going to cheat; he would normally cheat when he was stressed and unprepared for a certain quiz. “It’s usually when I’m stressed out, or I have some [subject] I really don’t understand. At that point, when I’m really nervous, that’s usually when I [cheat]. I’d say it has been three or four times where I’ve been like, ‘I don’t know this, therefore maybe extra help would help me,’” Gavin stated. For him, the extra help came from Google Classroom resources he pulled up on his phone during the quizzes, where he would use example problems to try and help him understand the concepts and equations in the quiz questions. However, when Penelope cheats, she rarely does so using her phone; RIWHQ VKH¶OO XVH VPDOO SRVW LW QRWHV ZLWK SUH ZULWWHQ DQVZHUV RU ORRN R൵ of the work of her peers during tests and quizzes. She emphasized how VKH GRHVQ¶W IHHO FRQ¿GHQW HQRXJK LQ KHU ZRUN WR FRPSOHWH VRPH WHVWV and quizzes on her own and how the constant pressure to have successful grades contributes to her cheating. “I just hear the school saying ‘honor roll, A’s, B’s, National Honor Society,’ and all of that going around. I feel pressured to be in a high percentile…All of my friends are insanely smart and they get good grades and they’re in all AP classes, and I think the atmosphere of the school, with Libertyville being very above average, I feel like I need to keep up with WKDW :LWK >P\@ ODFN RI FRQ¿GHQFH , IHOW OLNH , QHHG WR NHHS XS ZLWK HYHU\one,” Penelope explained. “That [is] my struggle. I’m stressed about being [unsuccessful] and not getting into college; I want to get into a decent college, and I want to get decent grades and I want to have a good future.” All of the students interviewed emphasized that the stress within the
LHS community to maintain certain grades for colleges, scholarships and academic awards contributes not only to their cheating but other students’ cheating as well. Corey, a senior at LHS, noted how many of his peers cheat, including himself, and often the cheating is just to bump their grades up a little bit higher for a better-looking GPA. “I feel like if school puts so much stress on doing well, I’d rather do well than not do well…I’ve always been able to maintain a 3.4 or 3.5 GPA, but I’ve always felt like I should cheat because having good grades is a good thing,” Corey stated. He further explained how although he cheats often, he never uses his SKRQH RU D VHFUHW FKHDW VKHHW LQVWHDG &RUH\ ZLOO QRUPDOO\ ORRN R൵ RI the answers from his peers and copy them down as his own. However, not all students who have cheated at some point in their high school careers still feel the need to cheat regularly. Anya, a senior, exSUHVVHG KRZ KHU LPSURYHG H൵RUW WRZDUGV VWXG\LQJ IRU FODVVHV PDGH WKH lessons more enjoyable, without the need for cheating anymore. “In my previous years of high school, I didn’t really get math, so I ZRXOG MXVW FKHDW 1RZ LW¶V GL൵HUHQW , PHDQ MXVW OLNH ZDQWLQJ WR GR [well] in school and wanting to actually learn the information and actualO\ >XQGHUVWDQG@ WKH LQIRUPDWLRQ LW GH¿QLWHO\ FKDQJHG P\ VFRSH EHFDXVH , like math now,” Anya emphasized. 6LPLODU WR KRZ WKHUH DUH PDQ\ GL൵HUHQW ZD\V VWXGHQWV FKHDW WKH WHDFKHUV XQGHUVWDQG WKDW WKHUH DUH PDQ\ GL൵HUHQW UHDVRQV DV ZHOO 0UV 7DPL Rende, a math teacher at LHS who caught several students cheating earlier this year, explained that she feels students cheat because “it’s the LQVWDQW JUDWL¿FDWLRQ >$ VWXGHQW WKLQNV@ LI , >FKHDW@ , FDQ JHW WKLV RQH WKLQJ R൵ RI P\ SODWH ¶ LQVWHDG RI ORRNLQJ DW WKH ELJJHU LVVXH RI PD\EH [students] have some time management issues right now, maybe [they] need to relook at how [they’re] spending their time doing all of these assignments,” she noted.
Modern technology, especially cell phones, have had a major impact on how students cheat. Phones in particular can be used for sending answers to tests and homework. Feature
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Caught Cheating While students are not always caught cheating, "Libertyville High School's Cheating PolWKRVH ZKR DUH RIWHQ VX൵HU WKH FRQVHTXHQFHV %RWK Penelope and Gavin were caught cheating, and by icy: Cheating is misrepresenting another the time they were caught, they’d already cheated person's work as one's own, or allowing on multiple quizzes or tests throughout the past one's work to be used in such a manner. school year. Penelope was caught plagiarizing on an in-class Students are expected to perform their essay in her English class, where her teacher own work...Any situation where a student noticed distinct similarities between her essay and is found to be cheating or plagiarizing example essays from an AP prompt. She emphasized how being caught strongly impacted her, and may result in no credit for the particular it made her feel worse about the struggles she had assignment and the LST will be notified in school. with each incidence of cheating. Repeated “Of course I felt guilty, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it for a while. Guilt was just the cheating incidents may result in a failing main thing I felt because I know it was [wrong] grade for the course and/or LST imposed and I really didn’t need to [cheat] and there are consequences and may impact participation bigger problems in the world instead of getting a bad grade on a practice test. I felt guilty that in school activities/athletics." I needed to cheat and betray my teacher,” she explained. Penelope was given half credit for her essay, which she said brought her grade down about 4 percent. She stated she has not cheated in HU DV ZHOO DV KLV GHDQ \HW KH ZDV VWLOO DEOH WR ¿QLVK KLV WHVW DIWHU KH JRW her English class since. his phone taken away. 0UV $QQH 6LQJOHWRQ DQ (QJOLVK WHDFKHU DW /+6 QRWHG KRZ VKH KDV “It wasn’t a good feeling because I instantly knew it was going to go to FDXJKW KHU IUHVKPDQ DQG VRSKRPRUH VWXGHQWV SODJLDUL]LQJ RU FKHDWLQJ R൵ my parents and then it’s also going to look bad [to] everyone that knows of one another multiple times, and highlighted how awful she feels when me. I don’t think I’m that type of person, but obviously doing something she discovers such an occurrence. like [cheating] would make people think things about you, like not being “‘Soul-crushing’ is probably a good word to describe it. I feel like I very honest, but that’s not who I am,” he explained. have failed my students so much when [they cheat], and I feel so hurt However, not all students feel that same guilt after cheating, nor have that the students didn’t feel comfortable enough to come talk to me,” she DOO VWXGHQWV EHHQ FDXJKW FKHDWLQJ &RUH\ VWURQJO\ YRLFHG KLV LQGL൵HUHQFH said. “I think when students plagiarize, it’s sometimes [due to] a feeling towards cheating, concluding that not only has he never been caught of inadequacy, that their writing isn’t good enough…I just think [they] cheating in high school, he’s never felt guilty for it either. could’ve told me that [they] needed more time, or [they] needed some “Teachers always give the spiel about how ‘you should be proud of help.” your own work,’ but I don’t know, I’ve never thought like that. I’ve 0DQ\ RI WKH VWXGHQWV LQWHUYLHZHG HFKRHG WKLV VHQWLPHQW DV HDFK WLPH never felt bad about cheating,” he explained. they cheated they felt continuously guilty and wished that they had just Anya, while never caught cheating, expressed that she still has felt spoken to their teachers as opposed to cheating. For Gavin, the cheating occasionally guilty because “it’s taking someone else’s work and using was not worth getting caught, as it only made him feel worse. After Gavin was caught cheating, he was confronted by his math teach- it as your own,” she explained. “If you didn’t prepare yourself for the material, and you don’t know it, then you shouldn’t cheat.” As those interviewed expressed, cheating contributes to students’ connections across the school, whether it be sending worksheets in group chats or telling each other quiz answers. Even though they know it is against the rules, many students do it because they want to get better JUDGHV LQ KRSHV IRU EHWWHU RSSRUWXQLWLHV LQ WKH IXWXUH <HW 0UV 5HQGH explained that cheating doesn’t make or break a student’s life, nor does it GH¿QH WKHP “One bad decision doesn’t make you a bad person. If something happens, and it does happen in my class, and you get caught, that doesn’t mean I automatically think you’re a terrible person,” she emphasized. “I feel like if you make that decision [to cheat], you need to own up to it and then we can get past it and talk about why you made that bad decision… I think how you handle the situation says a lot about [you].”
- LHS Student Handbook
"All of my friends are insanely smart and they get good grades and they're in all AP classes and I think the atmosphere of the school, with Libertyville being very above average, I feel like I need to keep up with that."
- Penelope Feature
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BehINd
BulLyINg
By Emily Hamilt on and Abbey Humbert Photo by Dylan Heimert Layout by Colleen Mullins
The connection between a bully and their victim is like no other. ,W LV ¿OOHG ZLWK KDWHIXO KXUWIXO DQG KDUPIXO EHKDYLRU WKDW PDNHV people feel powerless. Bullying goes beyond the surface of what some may see or hear in the hallways or what they scroll through on social media; it is damaging mentally and emotionally.
DefINinG buLlYInG anD ItS hiStORy beating up the weak underdog in a back alley, or may imagine teenagers gossiping and spreading rumors, or think about a bully knocking someone’s books to the ground with people mocking in the background. However, more recently, this stereotypical bullying has evolved into cyberbullying and passive-aggressive comments online. This could be subtweeting, leaving rude comments on a person’s post or taking pictures or videos without permission and sharing them with people. ³, WKLQN VRPHWKLQJ WKDW UHDOO\ SOD\V D IDFWRU >LQ EXOO\LQJ@ LV MXVW WKH SUHVVXUH RI VRFLDO PHGLD DQG EXOO\LQJ RQOLQH 0D\EH LW¶V QRW >GLUHFWO\@ FDOOLQJ QDPHV EXW MXVW WKH FRPSHWLWLRQ RI µ, QHHG WR KDYH WKH EHVW ,QVWDJUDP IHHG¶ RU µ,I , SRVW WKLV SLFWXUH LV VRPHRQH JRLQJ WR MXGJH PH"¶ , IHHO D ORW RI WLPHV LW GRHVQ¶W OHW SHRSOH EH WKHPVHOYHV DQG H[SUHVV ZKR they really want to be,” said senior Lauren Kavathas, an active member of Random Acts of Kindness, a club that promotes positivity. Students may think that just because they don’t see bullying happening often in the hallways, it doesn’t exist. But modern-day bullying happens in more invisible ways, like on social media or harassment over text messages. Social media has played a critical role in this new generation of bullying. People can hide behind their screens and cause just as much harm, if not more, as they could in person. “Keyboard cowards are everywhere and sitting behind a screen at home gives the online bullies the feeling of safety as they keystroke their way toward making someone feel bullied,” said Assistant Principal Mr. Eric Maroscher in an email.
Mr. Greg Loika, a social worker at LHS, described bullying as a “power-based interaction where someone’s doing something that causes harm to someone else” or “something that impacts someone else’s world in a ZD\ WKDW WKHUH¶V D SRZHU GL൵HUHQFH EHWZHHQ WKHP SK\VLFDOO\ VRFLDOO\ age-wise, whatever that one person is discerning over another.” Principal Dr. Tom Koulentes had a similar position. He stated, in an HPDLO WKDW ³7KHUH DUH PDQ\ GH¿QLWLRQV EXW , XVH WKH RQH WDXJKW WR PH by national expert Barbara Coloroso. According to her, bullying is not about anger; it is an act of aggression targeting someone considered to be inferior in some way. A relationship is considered bullying when there is an imbalance of social or physical power between two people and when the more powerful person uses this power to physically, mentally or emotionally harm or terrorize the weaker person.” Bullying has taken many forms over the years. There are numerous references of bullying and violence in old literature and history. Examples include the capture and subsequent enslavement of several groups of people in the Bible and Gilgamesh’s oppressiveness in “The Epic of Gilgamesh.” The abundance of persecution and oppression of various peoples can be seen in history and modern times as well. Jews, among other minority JURXSV VX൵HUHG XQLPDJLQDEOH SDLQV LQ WKH +RORFDXVW JD\ PDUULDJH VWLOO isn’t legal in several countries; and just last year, gay men were tortured and beaten in concentration camps in Chechnya, a federal subject of Russia, as reported by several news outlets, including BBC News, The New York Times and 7KH +X৽QJWRQ 3RVW. On an individual level, many may picture the classic big, strong bully
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EfFecTs oF bULlYinG LHS is just as susceptible to bullying as any other school, suggested Dr. Brenda Nelson, the prevention and wellness coordinator. ³, GRQ¶W WKLQN WKDW /+6 LV VLJQL¿FDQWO\ GL൵HUHQW EHWWHU RU ZRUVH WKDQ other places,” she said. 6WDWLVWLFV IURP WKH ,OOLQRLV <RXWK 6XUYH\ LQ VKRZ WKDW SHUFHQW RI UHVSRQGHQWV DW /+6 WRWDO VWXGHQWV UHSRUWHG WKDW WKH\ KDYH been bullied, harassed, or had rumors spread about them on the internet RU WKURXJK WH[W PHVVDJH 7KLV VDPH VXUYH\ VKRZHG WKDW QHDUO\ SHUFHQW of students have seen or been a part of bullying. This bullying, even when it doesn’t happen in person, can create an environment that makes both students and teachers uncomfortable in a place where they should feel secure and safe. ³, WKLQN DQ\WLPH VRPHRQH GRHVQ¶W IHHO JRRG RU VDIH LQ DQ HQYLURQPHQW ZKDWHYHU WKDW LV LQ WKLV FDVH VFKRRO DQ DFDGHPLF HQYLURQPHQW >LW@ impacts learning, impacts the environment in which other people are OHDUQLQJ >DQG@ WKH HQYLURQPHQW LQ ZKLFK WHDFKHUV DUH WHDFKLQJ LQ ´ VDLG Mr. Loika. :KLOH WKH H[WHQW RI WKH H൵HFWV RI EXOO\LQJ ZLOO REYLRXVO\ YDU\ WKHUH DUH DOZD\V UHSHUFXVVLRQV $IWHU WDONLQJ WR PXOWLSOH VWXGHQWV RI GL൵HUHQW genders and grades in the cafeteria to get their thoughts on this subject, VRPH VDLG EXOO\LQJ PDGH WKHP ³FU\ DW QLJKW ´ ³PDGH >WKHP@ IHHO UHDOO\ SXW GRZQ´ RU ³PDGH >WKHP@ IHHO OHVV WKDQ >WKH\@ DFWXDOO\ >ZHUH@ ´ 7KHUH DUH RWKHU VWXGHQWV ZKR EHOLHYH WKDW ³LI DQ\WKLQJ LW MXVW PDGH >WKHP@
stronger.” According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people ZKR H[SHULHQFH EXOO\LQJ FDQ VX൵HU IURP DQ[LHW\ GHSUHVVLRQ DQG VOHHS GL൶FXOWLHV $OVR SHRSOH ZKR JHW EXOOLHG RU DUH D EXOO\ DUH PRUH OLNHO\ WR develop mental health and behavioral problems. There is a strong connection between bullying and suicide, although the majority of people who are bullied do not become suicidal, according to a bullying prevention website sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The site added, however, that being bullied can lead to feelings of rejection, isolation and exclusion, which can make people have suicidal thoughts or actions. ³%XOO\LQJ FDQ KDYH ORQJ ODVWLQJ H൵HFWV ZKLFK FDQ OHDG WR FKDQJHV LQ EUDLQ IXQFWLRQLQJ ,W FDQ OHDG WR FRJQLWLYH DQG HPRWLRQDO GH¿FLWV Bullying can alter levels of stress hormones and research in animals and SHRSOH VKRZV KRZ WKLV FDQ D൵HFW EUDLQ IXQFWLRQ ´ VDLG 'U 0DULVD .XQ] a local therapist from Grand Oaks Behavioral Health in Libertyville. “Studies have shown that those who are victims of being bullied have shown abnormal levels of cortisol (a hormone related to stress) compared to their non-bullied peers.” ,Q DGGLWLRQ ³7KH EUDLQ RI WKH DFWXDO EXOO\ KDV EHHQ VWXGLHG DQG VKRZQ that the centers of the brain that are associated with reward and pleasure are activated when the individual engages in aggressive behavior or acts aggressively towards others,” said Dr. Kunz.
PreVEnTiOn eFfORtS at LhS Despite the hidden nature of bullying in today’s society, there are ways be tolerated or accepted at our school,” he said. to prevent further bullying. Starting next year, every student will be exposed to a new program LHS has a bully report system through its website for students to called Green Dot. Green Dot is a schoolwide movement to teach about report bullying they have been a witness to or a victim of. The individual EXOO\LQJ DQG KRZ WR EH DQ H൵HFWLYH E\VWDQGHU ,Q WKH SDVW FRXSOH RI making the report may remain anonymous if they choose. The report, months, teachers have begun training and learning about this new move¿OHG WKURXJK D *RRJOH )RUP IHDWXUHV D VHULHV RI TXHVWLRQV UHODWLQJ WR WKH ment. Next fall, students will begin class modules to learn more about the incident, like when and where it happened. SURJUDP LQ RUGHU WR EHFRPH H൵HFWLYH E\VWDQGHUV “The most commonly reported issues are DFWXDOO\ SHHU FRQÀLFW LVVXHV ZKLFK DUH VRPHZKDW GL൵HUHQW WKDQ D EXOO\LQJ LVVXH 6R WKDW DV an aside, the most common types of bullying reports we get are students, in general terms, being mean to other students,” said Mr. Maroscher, who sees the submissions along with other building administrators. ,Q DGGLWLRQ WR WKH RSWLRQ WKURXJK WKH /+6 website, one potential way of preventing bullying is for students to tell someone in their LST what they saw or experienced. Prevention H൵RUWV FDQ DOVR EH DV FRQIURQWDWLRQDO DV EHLQJ verbal to the bully and telling them to stop. ³7DNH \RXU UROH DV E\VWDQGHU VHULRXVO\ , WKLQN VRPHWLPHV SHRSOH RQO\ WKLQN µ,¶P RQH SHUVRQ ¶ OLNH µ:KDW GR , UHDOO\ PDWWHU" +RZ FDQ , UHDOO\ KHOS WKLV SUREOHP"¶ >%XW WKH\@ DUH YHU\ VLJQLILFDQW :KDW LW WDNHV >WR VWDQG XS WR EXOO\LQJ@ LV IRU SHRSOH WR VD\ LQ D PRPHQW µ+H\ WKDW¶V QRW OK,’” said Dr. Nelson. Dr. Koulentes added that “students can be allies to students who are being targeted by EXOOLHV KHOSLQJ WKRVH VWXGHQWV ¿QG FRPIRUW support and the guidance of caring adults.” ³:H VD\ WKDW µ+DWH KDV QR KRPH DW /+6 ¶ :H are saying that hate speech, bullying and overt With social media becoming increasingly popular over the past decade, cyberbullying has become one of the most common or subtle actions of violence and intimidation towards individuals or groups of people will not forms of bullying.
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HOW SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCES OUR CONNECTIONS
Staff Editorial Photo by Amanda Black Illustrations by Grace Dillon Layout by Jenna Carnazzola
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Note: As this piece is a staff editorial, it is representative of the opinions of the Drops of Ink staff as a whole. The staff is comprised of LHS students from each grade level and spans a wide range of opinions from two class periods, with 47 students total. The author(s) of this piece did not place their personal opinions in the story; they merely reflect the staff ’s thoughts.
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A day in the life of a cellphone addict By Kelly Shinnick Photo by Kath Haidvogel Layout by Savanna Winiecki Ah, yes, nothing beats waking up to your dad throwing open your bedroom door and yelling that you’ll be late to school if you don’t get up NOW. Getting up means being cold, so instead, I shimmy to the side of the EHG DQG SHHU RYHU DW ZKHUH P\ SKRQH LV UHVWLQJ IDFH GRZQ RQ WKH ÀRRU charging. Rescuing my phone from the ground, I stab a million times at the home button without looking at it as I simultaneously hide under my fuzzy blankets again. It won’t turn on. Wonderful, my phone is dead. Wondering what time it is, I brace myself and sprint downstairs through the cold to check the microwave clock in the kitchen because no one in my family has a watch; we just use our phones. IT’S 7:05. TIME TO PANIC. I speed up to my room to grab my backpack and the corpse of my phone, because even though it’s dead, I can’t leave it behind. As I dash out the door, I make sure to inform my brother that it is entirely his fault that we are late, DQG , DP GH¿QLWHO\ QRW WR blame for any part of the situation. Sure, he might have waited for me for 25 minutes, but he didn’t put on his shoes until I came downstairs and those precious 90 seconds he took made us late to school. To add to this crisis, I’m supposed to drive my friend Stephanie to school today, and I can’t warn her that we’re running late. Once I pull up to her house, I debate leaning on the horn until she comes out. But, being the good citizen that I am, I decide that loud honking at 7:21 a.m. might disturb the peace. I also realize that my brother can’t text her because 1. he doesn’t have her number and 2. how am I supposed to know it?? Let’s be honest, the only cell phone numbers we have memorized in this era are our parents’ and our own. 7KURXJKRXW WKH VFKRRO GD\ , KDYH GLVFRYHUHG WKDW , KDYH D UHÀH[ WKDW OLWHUDOO\ UHTXLUHV PH WR FKHFN P\ SKRQH UHJXODUO\ 'XULQJ ¿UVW SHULRG alone, I picked up my phone and attempted to turn it on a grand total of 13 times. Maybe all the research on how teens are addicted to their
Opinion
phones isn’t as crazy as I thought. Addicted or not, I am quickly realizing that when I’m without my phone, I lose all of my connections to the rest of the world. This is ZURQJ EL]DUUH 7KHUH LV QR FRQVWDQW PXVLF ÀRZLQJ LQWR P\ HDUV QR IDVW paced texting with friends when bored in class and no Instagram to scroll through mindlessly. $IWHU DQ HQWLUH HLJKW SHULRG RUGHDO RI SKRQHOHVV WRUWXUH , ¿JXUH RXW WKDW dressing to run outside for track becomes far more complicated when you don’t know the temperature outside. The past few weeks have been a mix of running in temperatures ranging from 40 degrees to a single one degree. Compromise is usually a good solution to problems, so I wear a tank top and leggings. I quickly discover that wearing a tank top today was the worst mistake of my young life. Additionally, my young life is quite likely going to end very soon because I’m convinced that I’m getting hypothermia and frostbite simultaneously. Pro tip: tank tops and eight degree weather don’t go well together. My experience when I get home only further convinces me that phones are a very vital part of society. Everyone seems to blame phones for their life problems, like, “Oh, I don’t get along with my parents because I’m on my phone and they lecture me.” Fun fact -- even without a phone, your SDUHQWV KDYH PDQ\ PDQ\ GL൵HUHQW VXEMHFWV WKDW WKH\ ZLOO OHFWXUH \RX RQ instead. (Apparently I’m lazy.) Additionally, to anyone who claims “I would be so much more proGXFWLYH LI , GLGQ¶W KDYH P\ SKRQH ´ , KDYH QHZV IRU \RX 1HWÀL[ FDQ EH accessed with a laptop, and as a result, it is 10 p.m. and my homework hasn’t been started and my room is still a mess. Tragic. Maybe I’ll get to it tomorrow. While I await the glow of a small white apple to appear on my phone screen after plugging it in, I consider my potential addiction to my phone. , UHFRJQL]H WKDW , VKRXOG SUREDEO\ PDNH DQ H൵RUW WR OLPLW P\ XVH RI LW EXW , GRQ¶W ZDQW WR EH WKH ¿UVW SHUVRQ WR VWRS I have Snapchats to respond to.
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The King of the Jungle FDXVH RI %DUVWRRO -XQJOH FDQ PDNH LQ D JDPH (\UH UHFDOOHG DQ LQVWDQFH LQ ZKLFK WKH IDQV FDUULHG WKH WHDP WR VXFFHVV GXULQJ D JDPH DJDLQVW /DNH Forest. ³:H KDG D JDPH DW WKH EHJLQQLQJ RI WKH VHDVRQ DJDLQVW /DNH )RUHVW WKDW went into overtime. Because it was close, we pulled the energy from the fans and scraped out a close, but big victory,” he said. $QRWKHU WLPH ZKHUH WKH IDQV KDG D QRWLFHDEOH H൵HFW RQ WKH FRXUW ZDV RQ -DQ DW KRPH YHUVXV :DXNHJDQ 7KH JDPH ZDV GXEEHG ³7KH 6LOHQW Seven,” as the crowd stayed silent until the team’s seventh point. The LGHD IRU WKLV WKHPH RULJLQDWHG DV D WUDGLWLRQ LQ FROOHJH EDVNHWEDOO DW 7D\lor University in Indiana. At LHS, after the seventh point was scored, the IDQV ³DOO ZHQW FUD]\ DQG NHSW >WKH KLJK HQHUJ\ OHYHO@ IRU WKH ZKROH ¿UVW TXDUWHU >ZKLFK@ ZDV UHDOO\ FRRO ´ VKDUHG &RQZD\ Eyre also explained that this game was noteworthy to him because ³>KH@ QHYHU UHDOO\ QRWLFHG KRZ PXFK RI DQ LPSDFW >IDQV FDQ KDYH XQWLO@ WKH VLOHQW QLJKW JDPH ZKHQ WKH HQHUJ\ VN\URFNHWHG ´ $3 3V\FKRORJ\ WHDFKHU 0U -RQDWKDQ .LP UHFRJQL]HG WKLV DV D SKHnomenon found in psychology. “There is social facilitation at play. If players are really well prepared and have practiced a lot, which most of the time they are, then a certain DPRXQW RI H[FLWHPHQW >IURP IDQV FUHDWHV@ DGUHQDOLQH DQG KHOSV WKHP perform better,” he said. 7KH %DUVWRRO -XQJOH KHOSV WR EULQJ RXW D FURZG ZKLFK LQÀXHQFHV ZKHWKHU VRFLDO IDFLOLWDWLRQ LV SRVVLEOH &RQZD\ UHSRUWHG WKDW KH SODQV WR JLYH WKH DFFRXQW WR D FXUUHQW MXQLRU QH[W \HDU LQ RUGHU WR NHHS WKH DFFRXQW alive.
One voice is heard in the crowd. They start a soft rhythm, which erupts into a roar. “I. I believe. I believe that. I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL WIN. I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL WIN.” The crowd is now jumping up and down, pushing their vocal chords to the limit, and reminding athletes of their unwavering support. This scenario occurs at some Libertyville High School sporting events, where the fans’ voices have inherent power.
Barstool Jungle 3ULRU WR WKH ¿UVW ER\V EDVNHWEDOO JDPH WKLV VHDVRQ DW /+6 VHQLRU 3DWULFN &RQZD\ FUHDWHG D 7ZLWWHU DFFRXQW FDOOHG ³%DUVWRRO -XQJOH ´ &RQZD\ RULJLQDOO\ VHW RXW WR PDNH D PRUH WUDGLWLRQDO VWXGHQW VHFWLRQ DFFRXQW but was inspired by Barstool Sports, a satirical sports blog with a large presence on Twitter and Instagram. Senior Thom Siegel created a logo modeled after Barstool Sports’ logo, and the account was born. &RQZD\ YLHZV %DUVWRRO -XQJOH DV GL൵HUHQW IURP PRUH WUDGLWLRQDO VWXdent sections because it is more interactive with players and fan accounts from other schools. ³:H¶OO NLQG RI WKURZ VRPH VKDGH DW RWKHU VFKRROV DQG OLNH GR GL൵HUHQW things. A student section will just tweet out themes and say, ‘come out DQG VXSSRUW ¶ EXW ZH GR VRPHWKLQJ GL൵HUHQW ´ KH VDLG $ ODUJH GL൵HUHQFH WR ZKLFK &RQZD\ LV UHIHUULQJ LV KRZ WKH DFFRXQW RIWHQ 3KRWRVKRSV /+6 SOD\HUV¶ IDFHV RQWR GL൵HUHQW LPDJHV WR DFFRPSDQ\ D MRNH DQ DQQRXQFHPHQW RI WKH WKHPH RU D PHVVDJH RI HQFRXUDJHPHQW Many players have expressed enthusiasm for the account and its purpose of getting more fans to come to games. One such player is senior &KDVH (\UH (\UH D VWDUWLQJ IRUZDUG DQG ER\V EDVNHWEDOO WHDP FDSWDLQ KDV QRWLFHG WKH GL൵HUHQFH WKDW WKH IDQV VRPH RI ZKRP FRPH LQ SDUW EH-
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Photo Courtesy of Patrick Conway Barstool Jungle was inspired by Barstool Sports as a way to increase the interaction between players and fans.
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:
: The fan
By Megan Fahey Layout by Livi Griffith
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Photo by Anya Belomoina Energy bounces between the court and stands during the senior night boys basketball game on Feb. 16.
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By Matt Smith Photos By Katie Felsl Layout By Maggie Burnetti Hearts beating, clock ticking, sweat dripping-- the student section in the Libertyville gym is quiet. It’s a close game coming down to the last shot, and there is only one player that everyone expects to take that shot -- senior Drew Peterson.
tipoff Peterson has played basketball since second grade and was mentored by his older brother, a two-year varsity player for Libertyville High School who was a preferred walk-on at Xavier University. Their relationship helped Peterson’s game throughout his childhood and into high school. “My dad always played with me and my older brother, and I really liked it a lot. And my brother started playing it and I started playing rec league in second grade and I always loved watching [basketball]. It was the main sport I played with my dad and my brother,” said Peterson. Since sophomore year, Peterson has been a vital part of the varsity boys basketball team at LHS. “Some kids who are playing basketball at the high school level, they peak their sophomore year or they might peak their junior year. Drew has gotten better each of the three years I’ve watched him play on varsity,” expressed the Daily Herald’s Lake County High School Sports Editor, Joe Aguilar, in a phone interview. Through his three elite years of competition at LHS, Peterson has received much recognition: he has been named the Chicago Tribune player of the month multiple times as well as Comcast Sportsnet’s “High School Lites” Wintrust Player of the Week. Last year, he was named to the IHSA All-State third team. In addition to that recognition, this year, he is in the running for Illinois’ Mr. Basketball, an award given to the best player in the state. This award has been won by household names such as Lake County’s own Jalen Brunson (currently playing at Villanova University), and professionals such as Jahlil Okafor of the Brooklyn Nets, Jabari Parker of the Milwaukee Bucks, and Shaun Livingston of the Golden State Warriors.
Top photo: Drew Peterson celebrates with his teammates, who are ecstatic after a huge 3-point shot, during their home game against conference opponent Lake Zurich. Bottom photo: Peterson, called by coaches and teammates, a versatile athlete, plays close defense on the perimeter in a game against Lake Zurich.
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on the court 7KURXJK VHYHUDO GL൵HUHQW FRQYHUVDWLRQV ZLWK UHSRUWHUV DQG +HDG Coach Mr. Brian Zyrkowski about Peterson for this story, there were three aspects of his game that stood out: his versatility, his passing and his ability to shoot. “I think he’s showing he can play multiple positions at the next level, which is gonna be at the Division I level, you know, so he can play [small forward], he can play [shooting guard], [and] I think he can play [point guard] in certain situations,” said Aguilar. Peterson has endless range, according to multiple sources, and he has a vision on the court to create open shots for teammates, such as junior Josh Steinhaus and and senior Chase Eyre; Peterson is averaging four assists per game this season. “His game is unique. The mid-range jumper is one of those shots that’s kind of gone away in basketball. Normally guys shoot threes
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and layups. Drew has brought the mid-range game back,” said Coach Zyrkowski. “He can shoot a shot inside the arc and it’s like a lay-up for him. He’s [a] very consistent shooter, and he’s a great passer.” In AAU, Amateur Athletic Union basketball, Peterson plays for the ,OOLQRLV :ROYHV DQG KLV JDPH LV D ORW GL൵HUHQW $FFRUGLQJ WR VHQLRU /+6 teammate Brandon Simberg, who has seen him play in AAU, Peterson plays with a lot of other Division I players, so in AAU, he doesn’t have to ZRUN DV KDUG WR JHW RSHQ DQG GR DV PXFK RQ WKH R൵HQVLYH HQG %XW DW WKH VDPH WLPH KH LV PRUH H൶FLHQW EHFDXVH KH JHWV PRUH RSHQ WKUHHV DQG PRUH RSHQ VKRWV DQG KH¶V DEOH WR VKRZ R൵ KLV SDVVLQJ This year’s varsity team was the North Suburban Conference co-chamSLRQV ZKLFK LV WKHLU ¿UVW FRQIHUHQFH WLWOH VLQFH 7KH :LOGFDWV KDYH a season goal to win a sectional title, according to Peterson. As of Mar. 5, WKH\ KDYH D UHFRUG RI ZLQV DQG QLQH ORVVHV DQG 3HWHUVRQ DYHUDJLQJ 25 points per game and bringing in eight rebounds per game -- has the ability to get Libertyville basketball to heights it’s never seen before, such DV D VHFWLRQDO WLWOH ZKLFK KDVQ¶W KDSSHQHG VLQFH 7KH ,+6$ VWDWH SOD\R൵V EHJDQ RQ )HE DQG WKH 3HWHUVRQ OHG /LEHUW\YLOOH squad will have to go through conference foe Lake Zurich if they want to reach their goal of a sectional title. On March 2, the Wildcats won an IHSA reJLRQDO WLWOH RQ D EX]]HU EHDWHU LQ RYHUWLPH E\ 3HWHUVRQ ZKR VFRUHG VWUDLJKW points to lead a comeback in the fourth quarter against Conant.
pretty heavy for a high school senior. He said [his technical foul] was wrong, he can’t be doing that, he’s gotta support his teammates,” said Aguilar. “The way he carries himself, if he was my son, I’d be proud. I always go up to star players after a tough game and try to talk to them and see their character. Drew’s body language and the way he talks [shows that] he carries himself very well.” Peterson consistently pushes his teammates to get better, due to the fact that he wants to play at a high level and represent the town and LHS well. “He’ll text me asking to get shots up and getting me to work on my game, and we make sure we’re both working on our game...we both need to be working hard and we’re constantly pushing each other to get better,” said Simberg.
future and legacy
Peterson is being heavily recruited by colleges and is one of the top players in the state, according to Joe Henricksen, a prep hoops reporter. In an email, Henricksen added that Peterson is the top uncommitted senior in Illinois. As far as next year, Peterson has many Division I schools recruiting him, such as Rice University, the University of Wisconsin, the University of Illinois and others. He said he is not committing until after the season to weigh all of his options. In the interviews conducted for this story, many of the sources said in order for him to improve his game going into college, he needs to As the senior team captain, Peterson has had to step up as a leader. become stronger and to improve on his skill development. Many sources “Last year we had Harrison Bach as our point guard, and he was one of believe he can be an elite scorer at the next level. our best leaders last year. And this year, with a lot of juniors coming in, According to Simberg, Aguilar, Henricksen and Coach Zyrkowski, , KDG WR GHYHORS PRUH RI D OHDGHUVKLS UROH DQG EH PRUH FRQ¿GHQW DQG EH he is the best player in the county this year and ranks among the best in able to be a lot more vocal; it’s really helping us this year,” said Peterson. the state as well. Libertyville has been through ups and downs this year as a team and As far as players to go through Libertyville High School, he is an “he’s not afraid to criticize people or call people out, but at the same time, SRLQW VFRUHU WKH ¿UVW WR DFKLHYH WKDW IHDW VLQFH 0DWW +HOGPDQ GLG he can accept blame if he messes up. He’s not afraid to put blame on VR LQ +HOGPDQ ZKR SOD\HG DW WKH 8QLYHUVLW\ RI ,OOLQRLV KDG KLV himself,” said Simberg. career cut short due to a tragic car accident. One example of his leadership was during the conference opener “He’s the best player we’ve had since Matt Heldman. You can argue against Warren, on Dec. 5. It was a tight game and Peterson was given a that his complete game, in terms that he can score, or he can pass, he’s technical foul for arguing with the referees in the fourth quarter. Coach doing all of those things and we haven’t had a player like Drew in years. Zyrkowski benched him for the rest of the game. Peterson didn’t sulk or He’s a game changer. He causes issues on the other team to defend him,” hang his head while on the bench; he was engaged in the game and was said Coach Zyrkowski. “He might be one of the top players we’ve ever vocal with his teammates. had in this school, and I don’t know if we’re going to have a player like “I talked to Drew afterward and he said all the right things, which is him in a while. He’s a unique player.”
leading by example
“Drew’s body language and the way he talks, [shows that] he carries himself very well.” - Joe aguilar Feature
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I L D C A T
By Katie Felsl Layout by Stephanie Luce
ce Cats lost on March 4 to AWF, in the second round of state playoffs. eading the team this season, 11 varsity returners look to make it to another girls soccer regional championship. uring the season, the boys gymnastics team will have two seniors leading the way. olin Fields, Riley Gowens, Micah Holzworth, Tim Jean, Luke Plunkett and Nick Angel all committed to play baseball in college.
pril 4, the boys tennis team starts their season, against Vernon Hills.
wo-time, back-to-back regional champions, the boys volleyball team starts its season next week, on March 19.
T A T S
rack (for boys and girls) holds its first home meet on April 3 against Warren and Zion-Benton. s a new IHSA-regulated sport, boys and
girls lacrosse will now have an official state tournament. aking on highland park on March 19, the boys and girls water polo teams look to get a win as they continue the season. oftball is looking for another regional title as they start their season on March 20 at LHS against Lakes Community. Sports
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