April 10 issue

DROPS OF

INK

April 10, 2014 Volume 87, Issue 5

“Do you really see me?”

Inside: Anthony Paglia...Runner Max Roberts...Sam Gold and his business...Lax goalie Cole Blazer

DOI is on Twitter...Make sure you’re following!

For lots of updates and Twitter: @lhsdoi the latest stories, visit Instagram: lhsdoi our social media pages! Facebook: Libertyville High School Drops of Ink 2013-14 Staff

Elise Houcek, Editor-in-Chief Alex Zoellick, Editor-in-Chief Kyle Laska, News Editor Ava Polzin, Features Editor Tom Ackerman, Opinion Editor Mike Gasick, Sports Editor Tyler Skinner, Sports Editor Bailey Schmid, Photo Editor Rachael Girmscheid, Social Media Editor Emily Luce, Social Media Editor

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Mr. Michael Gluskin, faculty adviser

April 10, 2014

Staff Writers: Jessica Cartwright Becky DeAcetis Molly Downing Ryan Jackson Hannah Jenkins Jacob Luce Emily Malecha Connor Polk Maddie Salata Shelly Schick Abby St. Claire Korina Valenzuela Kate Vittore Nick Vittore Katie Vrba Natalie Zeng

Staff List

what’s inside Alex Zoellick Editor-in-Chief

Cover illustration by Bailey Schmid

4 5 7 8 9 10-11 12 14 -15 16-17 18-19 20-21 24

Brainerd Building To Be Torn Down

Creepy Crawlers

Find out about freshman Jack Kosowski and his apperance on Monsters Inside Me.

Borderland

Read an update on the continually escalating situation in the Ukraine.

What’s Trending

Find out what’s fashionable for ladies this spring.

What’s Happening

DOI reports the world’s doings.

Do You Really See Me?

What is it like being gay at LHS?

Meet Anthony Paglia

A profile of the talented senior.

Business As Usual

Learn about junior Sam Gold and his unique business.

The Fall of Facebook

Why is Facebook on the decline?

Music Through the Ages

Learn about pivotal moments throughout music history.

Top Secret Menus

Browse the secret menus for some local restuarants.

Editorial: LHS Financing Lacks Student Input Our staff suggests improvements for LHS’s communication about spending.

25-27

Columns

28-29 30-31 32-33

Blazer: The Last Man Back

34-35

letter to the readers

An update on what will go in place of the old Brainerd building

Is a liberal arts degree the right choice?

Should the drinking age be lowered?

Should LHS track its students’ IDs? Meet All-American LHS lacrosse goalie Cole Blazer.

Max Effort

Dear Readers, And so begins the end-of-the-year countdown. Let me rephrase that: the end of the year countdowns because there can never just be one.

There has to be a countdown that counts all the days, only the school days, only late starts, only Mondays and so on...

Anyway, spring break is over and LHS is beginning the final stretch of the school year and we, as students, have a lot to look forward to.

Late starts will end in May. Not long after that are AP tests: it will be difficult for kids to earn college credits without any sleep. The weather is going to turn from too cold to too hot and all of us will be cooped up inside the stuffy school. But, there is this DOI and one more coming out at the end of May; at least there is one thing to look forward to.

Okay, maybe there is more to look forward to. Seniors, every day inches you a little bit closer to prom, then graduation and then college.

My fellow juniors, we are almost seniors, almost at the top of the food chain. Sophomores, run while you can because the standardized test monster is coming. Freshmen, only a couple more months until you aren’t freshmen. And who isn’t looking forward to the summer, if summer ever comes this year.

But instead of stressing about the final nine Mondays, relax before the year-ending grind with this issue of Drops of Ink. What better way to focus on the present than reading our What’s Trending and What’s Happening. Eat your way through the end of the year by looking at our guide to the secret menus. Restaurants like Burger King, McDonald’s, Chipotle, Jamba Juice, Starbucks and Dairy Queen all have them.

Meet some new people before summer by reading the profiles on Cole Blazer, Max Roberts, Sam Gold and Anthony Paglia. There is some more stuff too, but I don’t want to spoil everything.

Enjoy!

Sincerely,

A profile of LHS hurdler Max Roberts.

Cats Go Collegiate

What is the likelihood of recieving an athletic scholarship?

All-Star Athletes Outside of LHS

A look at some LHS athletes who participate in unique sports outside of school.

Table of Contents

Apirl 10, 2014

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Brainerd building to be torn down

By Kyle Laska

While it was once a symbol of the tremendous history of Libertyville, the Brainerd building will now be torn down.

On March 18, citizens across Illinois went to the polls and voted for primary elections on a variety of topics. They voted for governor candidates, for the U.S. Senate, and in Libertyville, for the approval of $11.5 million of bonds to be used for the restoration of Brainerd.

The $11.5 million was to cover construction costs, plus renovation costs in order to turn the former high school into a community center. The Village anticipated that the $11.5 million in bonds would be a combination of taxable and tax-exempt bonds, and would be paid back over 10 years. The tax raise, often phrased by Pro-Brainerd supporters as “no more than a cup of coffee a week,” was to be about $142 for a house worth over $300,000.

Nonetheless, the villagers decided not to move forth with the proposal.

According to the Lake County Clerk, a whopping 82% of voters opposed the referendum, while just 18% accepted it. Of 402,644 total eligible voters, only 56,235 cast a vote on ballots. This minimal 13.97% voter turnout doesn’t even cover the votes for the Brainerd building, it just covers the amount of people who voted on at least one part of the ballot. Only 4,967 votes were cast on the Brainerd referendum: 4,086 against and 881 in favor.

Mayor Terry Weppler, an original board member of the Brainerd Preservation Board who helped form the not for profit attempt to save Brainerd, realizes that this made financial sense.

“I believe it is a great historical building and would have made a good community center. However, the cost of renovation and potential inability to pay for ongoing costs was a concern to myself and the Board.

We did not want to burden taxpayers with additional expenses over and above those currently facing the Village at this time,” stated Mayor Weppler.

Citizens were given numerous opportunities to attempt to learn about the vote, as meetings were held twice in February, and once early in March. At these meetings, a presentation was made displaying the background of Brainerd’s history, why exactly the vote was occurring now, the details of the proposed tax increase, and the blueprints of the new building, among other things.

Among the supporters who attended the meetings was junior Mary O’ Leary. O’Leary was very passionate in speaking up for the landmark.

“I think that the loss is great. I think it’s like the saying ‘you don’t know how much something is worth until it’s gone.’ Also, there will be barely any good places to host banquets and concerts in town. The Brain-

The Jackson Gym was to be torn down, regardless of the vote, due to its extremely high cost of construction. erd building is a national historical site and it won’t be there anymore.

The town could have benefitted from a renovated building by bringing tourism and memories. Now that it will be gone, we won’t be able to have that,” stated O’Leary.

The vote, needing to occur sooner rather than later, happened because of ongoing lease payments for the empty building. In December, $250,000 was to be due for an initial lease payment. From the years 2015 to 2034, additional $50,000 payments were due annually. It did not make financial sense to continue to pay for the lot any longer while not being functional.

The building, while historic, has been empty and unusable since 2003. While it serves no current purpose, it has been kept as a keepsake for the village. In 2008, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places, primarily for its role as the first four-year high school building in Lake County.

According to the group “Save Brainerd,” Brainerd was built in 1916 and opened in 1917. With its opening came an enrollment of 138 students. The Jackson Gym, opened in 1929, was a prominent athletic facility for both the community’s use and for the district’s use. In 1954, Brainerd became a freshman-only building, and this continued until 1999, upon the creation of Vernon Hills High School. The need for Brainerd became less and less, and in 2003, it was closed to the public and left vacant.

While it won’t be happening, the new building had high hopes. The building was to be turned into a community center. This community center was to have all of the following accommodations: a small theater complete with a stage and seating, a banquet room for special occasions, and plenty of room to cater to the elderly and their activities.

Instead, the lot will be turned into athletic fields and parking lots.

District 128 owns the land, and they will decide when to demolish the building.

For activities such as the football and lacrosse games, Distirct 128 Director of Communications Mary Todoric acknowledged that there are no plans that have been set in stone.

“The primary re-purposing of the Brainerd property will be for athletics, however, decisions regarding what specific sports will practice/compete at Brainerd will be made at a future time. The final decision on how the Brainerd property will ultimately be repurposed as part of the Board of Education’s larger capital plan. There are a few versions of what the property could look like, but that final decision is dependent upon how other capital needs are addressed,” stated Ms. Todoric.

Some classrooms have been left in terrible condition following the official vacancy of Brainerd in 2003

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Photos by Bailey Schmid April 10, 2014

News

Creepy Crawlers

Freshman Jack Kosowski was featured on the TV show Monsters Inside Me because of the parasites that live in his eye and eat away at his vision

By Becky DeAcetis

Bugs. When most people hear that word, they think of bees, flies, spiders: the common insects.

For freshman Jack Kosowski, the word has a whole different meaning. He was born with Toxoplasmosis, an incurable condition in which a group of thousands of parasites live inside his retina, occasionally wake up, and start eating away at his eye.

Kosowski has poor peripheral vision and floaters (black spots in his eyes caused by scarring) and is legally blind.

Kosowski was featured on Monsters Inside Me, a show on Animal Planet about diseases, parasites and other illnesses that can infect people. The episode was named “I Almost Killed My Baby” and originally aired on December 21. It can be purchased on iTunes for $2.99.

“I got interviewed for one and a half hours… they turned off every light in the room and they had one light on. The person that was asking me questions was in the dark.

One of the questions they asked was ‘Do you blame your parents for getting the disease?’

It was awful! Of course I don’t blame my parents!” Kosowski said.

Kosowski got the disease while he was in the womb; his mother ate rare lamb with the parasites, and got sick. She was able to fight off the disease; Jack, having a poor immune system, was not. He luckily only received the bad eyesight part of the disease; some people

News

with Toxoplasmosis can develop mental disabilities or go blind.

Monsters Inside Me contacted Kosowski’s mother, Nicole, via email to ask about Jack being on the show; they had found him through a post of Mrs. Kosowski on social media.

“It [the TV show] gives a lot of awareness about toxoplasmosis because a lot of people don’t know about it and not many doctors care enough to. If my mom had gotten a blood test, they would have known she had the disease and not just told her she had the flu. I would have been almost completely fine,” Kosowski said.

Toxoplasmosis is treatable; the parasites in Jack’s eyes could have been supressed to their dormant form when he was in the womb. If this had been done, Jack would have much better eyesight today.

Even though Kosowski faces many challenges because of the parasite, he has an optimistic and upbeat attitude about his disease and dosen’t allow it to effect his day-to-day activities. While being interviewed for the show, he said “I try to make every day as fun as I can make it.”

Kosowski’s optomistic attitude also effected his parents; “Knowing that there is no cure for the parasite is a difficult thing, but he’s got a good attitude about it. It helped me deal with him having it,” Kosowski’s father, David, said during the show.

April 10, 2014

The episode featuring Kosowski shows his parents talking about the background information on Kosowski’s disease; most of the show has clips of Kosowski’s parents talking about Kosowski’s birth and when they first noticed something was wrong.

It explained that when Kosowski was a couple months old, he had to have surgery because of the excess water in his brain that could cause death.

A CAT scan revealed calcifications, unnormal deposits of calcium that may cause dementia, memory loss and muscle spasms, in Kosowski’s brain. This finding caused Kosowski’s doctor to test his and his mother’s blood. She discovered the taxoplasmosis and prescribed him with powerful antiparacidic drugs, which, after ten days, began working. Soon after returning home, Kosowski picked up his first object, a sure sign that he was beginning to be able to see.

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“Borderland”

By Ava Polzin Ukraine is caught between East and West — their ties to Russia and their increased closeness to the European Union. In the middle of that discussion is the polarized nation and the pro-Russian Crimean peninsula. After a (much-contested, technically illegal) referendum, Crimea was annexed

by Russia on March 21 in direct violation of Ukraine’s constitution, which requires any secessionary state to open the voting on its future to the whole of Ukraine, not just the affected portion.

While Putin was signing the documents to facilitate Russia’s acquisition of the disputed peninsula, Ukraine was entering a trade agreement with the EU. These two political and economic movements (each in direct opposition to the other) display a trend that has been afflicting Ukraine since the ousting of former (Putin-friendly) president Viktor Yanukovych in February. The country that has long acted as a buffer (“the Ukraine” translating directly as “the borderland”) between East and West is in political turmoil for being split itself. Riots and protests have rocked Kiev and other major cities within Ukraine where pro-Russian demonstrators are coming into conflict with those in favor of a nationalist or EU-leaning Ukraine.

The true price of Russia’s economic decline is in the toll it takes on neighboring countries, where a population accustomed to Eastern dominance is really just starting to see Western economic ties as comparable, or even, for that matter, viable. Even as much of Ukraine pushes westward, and some eastern parts of Ukraine and Crimea push eastward, political and economic strife are yet to be settled. This month’s presidential election in Ukraine is heralded as a potential end to the near civil war of East and West, pro-Russian and pro-EU, but it may come sooner yet. With Russian aggression coming to a head, the traditionally Russian-tied parts of Ukraine are increasingly associating themselves with the rest of the country, and a new Ukrainian nationalism appears to be on its way.

Significant Quotes on the subject “Putin believes he is righting historical wrongs. Gorbachev collapsed the Soviet Union, and Putin is painstakingly putting it back together to have a greater country... In the past 25 years Russians got used to the fact that it is a relatively open country. On the other hand, I just want to say you should never underestimate Russian complacency.” - Nina Khrushcheva, granddaughter of Nikita Khrushchev, speaking to National Geographic “The international community will continue to stand together to oppose any violations of Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity, and continued Russian military intervention in Ukraine will only deepen Russia’s diplomatic isolation and exact a greater toll on the Russian economy.” - President Barack Obama, to CNN “[Russia is] the only country in the world capable of turning the U.S.A. into radioactive dust.”

- Dmitry K. Kiselyov, Russian news anchor of Russia Today, Putin’s chosen Kremlin media source “[Moscow is working to] rip up the international rulebook, trying to redraw the map of Europe and creating... the most serious security crisis since the end of the Cold War.” - NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen

An Abridged AP Euro Timeline with Mr. O’Neill •“One of the reasons this is so big is that if we go back to Russia’s foundations in the

Middle Ages, Kiev is one of the heartlands, one of the bases of Russian civilization. In fact, the earliest Russian civilization is called Kiev Rus. That’s where it started.”

•“When the Soviet Union is formed, it’s supposed to be fluid in membership going back to 1917… A handful of Bolsheviks in the Ukraine, they take over power and they say, ‘We want to join’, and they join. … In 1921, they try to break away. Lenin can’t let them break away because the Ukraine is the breadbasket of Eastern Europe… The Soviet Union can’t exist without the Ukraine, so Lenin doesn’t allow them to leave. Fast forward twenty years, when Stalin takes over, and he starts collectivizing agriculture. The Ukraine doesn’t want to do this. They try to protest by not participating in it. Stalin starves the population of the Ukraine into submission. He exports grain from the country while six million Ukrainians are starving to death.”

• “The Treaty of Versailles happens and Russia is not allowed to participate in it, so they lose almost the entire western part of their empire, including Ukraine.”

• “World War II happens and Stalin’s in a much better position. Ultimately, after the back and forths of the war, Stalin is pushing westward through Europe. And he has boots on the ground in a lot of what had been Russian territory.... War’s over, Hitler is defeated, the Russian troops just stay.”

• “The West decides that’s going to be Russia’s sphere of influence, and basically they leave Eastern Europe to its own devices. They’re like, ‘Sorry, Stalin’s gotcha. There’s nothing we can do.’ Stalin says he’s going to give free elections, but he never does.”

News

• “The Crimea and the Ukraine become incredibly important for Russia because of their

connection to the Black Sea… Still to this day, the largest military bases of Russia, or some of their largest and most important are on the Crimean Peninsula.”

• “1954, Khrushchev gives back the Crimean Peninsula to the Ukraine… Now at the time it didn’t look like this was a big deal for Khrushchev because it looked like the Ukraine was going to be allied with the Soviet Union forever, so why the hell not give it back to them, you know?”

• “The Soviet Union collapses in 1991. And ultimately, the Soviet Union collapsed when the Ukraine pulled out… that’s when the president of Russia, who was Boris Yeltsin at the time, said, ‘You know what, we don’t have a Soviet Union without the Ukraine. If they pulled out, we’re dissolving this thing.’”

• “They brokered a deal that said the Ukraine would give up all of its nuclear weapons [to Russia] in exchange for independence, permanent independence, and permanent possession of the Crimean Peninsula.”

• “Essentially what we’re seeing is Russia and the EU both vying for the Ukraine...”

• “Does Russia allow independent Ukraine, with Kiev in it, that moves towards the EU? That’s like letting Philadelphia become part of China in their mind. They’re losing them to the West.”

April 10,2014

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Spring is in the air! in this edition of what's trending, I collaborated with "runway to hallway's" maddie salata to get the latest trends this april. visit her blog at runwaytohallwaylhs.blogspot.com to get more deatils on the outfits seen here.

By abby st. claire

Metallic

Graphic shirts

Boyfriend jeans

stripes

d'orsay flats

Velvet

photos by abby St. claire

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April 10, 2014

Feature

WHAT'S HAPPENING

by Emily Malecha An Ebola outbreak has began to spread throughout West Africa, mostly pinpointed to Guinea’s capital and just outside its borders. According to CNN, there have been 122 patients that were suspected of the disease; 78 have died, and cases of the illness have been noted in three provinces in Guinea. Because of the extreme fatality rate associated with the disease, Guinean people are in a panic, considering the strain seen in this particular outbreak is known as the Zaire strain, supposedly the most aggressive and deadly.

On Tuesday, March 18, during the primary elections, Illinois voters nominated wealthy former private equity executive Bruce Rauner (right) to run as the Republican candidate for governor, in his first-ever political race.

He will be running against our current governor, Patrick Quinn, from the opposing Democratic party, and, according to The Chicago Tribune, Rauner will pose quite the threat to Quinn’s possible re-election and they even go as far as to call Rauner the new “front-runner” for the political race. According to The New York Times, during Rauner’s acceptance speech, he referred to Quinn as a political failure who had raised residents’ taxes, chased away employers and “driven the unemployment rate in Illinois

through the roof.”

Malaysian Airlines flight 370 went missing from the air somewhere in between its origin at Kuala Lumpur and its destination in Beijing on Saturday, March 8. According to CNN, the flight mysteriously disappeared from radar after it lost contact with all air traffic controls while over the Gulf of Thailand. According to CNN, as of now, the bulk of the search for the missing jet is over the Indian Ocean and covers more than 1,500 square miles of open water. Ships searching for the missing airliner have recovered mass amounts of debris in their search, but there is no evidence that any of the debris is linked to the plane itself; as well, Australian ships spotted a few orange items floating in the water which quickly became the most promising lead. This lead was soon swept aside when the objects were confirmed as fishing equipment.

Families of the plane’s passengers are demanding answers, many of them getting extremely impatient with the investigation taking so long and some getting suspicious of the information the Malaysian government has been giving them about their loved ones’ flight.

Tragedy struck small town Oso, Washington, on Saturday, March 22. A large mudslide devastated neighborhoods, eating up homes.

According to CNN, there are at least 21 confirmed deaths from the mudslide, plus another 4 people found in the debris field. About 30 people

are still unaccounted for. Washington officials and rescue workers are in active rescue mode, trying to find any survivors amongst the debris and remainder of the natural disaster, and say they will remain that way until all possibilities of survivors are gone; rescuers have been actively searching the area of the mudslide with a canine unit. Officials expect the numbers of people unaccounted for to drop dramatically when citizens of nearby Darrington and Oso itself turn up and register as officially safe and well, and as soon as officials cross-check lists of missing people with lists of identified victims at medical centers.

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April 10,

2014

all photos courtesy of MCT Campus 9

“Do You Really See Me?”: Being Gay At LHS

By Kate Vittore

When you walk through the halls, what do you see? Your eyes are drawn to clothes, facial expressions, how people are moving; it’s what you see.

But something you can’t necessarily see is how someone feels. Out of 100 faces you may see in one passing period, you may see four people who identify as LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender), even if you don’t necessarily know it.

According to a Gallup survey taken in 2012, 3.4% of Americans identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender. Another Gallup survey said that out of 100 Americans that were asked in 2013, around a third guessed that 25% of the population identified as LGBT, while the rest guessed in the lower numbers. In reality, the number remains below 5%.

A few years ago, LHS addressed the issue of students who identify as LGBT feeling like outcasts.

With the social stigma affecting their students, the social workers made a new program, called the Gay-Straight Alliance. The social workers explain that the goal of GSA is self-explanatory: bring gay and straight students together in a way that gives them a safe environment to rally behind their cause.

“It’s like making fun of someone for their body.

It’s a part of you that you can’t change; you didn’t choose how you’d be born.”

- Anonymous “GSA’s overall goal is to bring awareness and acceptance. The whole point is a gay-straight alliance,” said Q-Z LST social worker Lindsay Recsetar, who is in charge of GSA, along with Mrs. Meagan Silverberg, the G-P LST’s social worker.

“It’s open to everyone, no matter what your sexuality is. The group is for support of the LGBT community. It’s a pretty taboo subject, so it’s usually not discussed very much, but it’s who people are, so having it as a place where people feel comfortable is great to have for our students.”

Sophomore Anthony Milunas was eager to join GSA as a freshman, having found out about the club through the extra curricular fair that is held to show incoming freshmen the opportunities at LHS. Milunas says he is passionate about gay rights and equality. The first few meetings confirmed his hopes of finding a special place in the group.

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“I’m not completely positive when I knew I was gay, but I came out in the middle of eighth grade,” said sophomore Anthony Milunas. “At the time, nobody else in our grade at Highland talked about being gay, and nobody had really said that they were gay. So I stood out in that way.

“I get so upset when I hear people using expressions like ‘Oh that’s so gay.’ Do they understand how offensive that is?” he said. “I just find it ridiculous that people need to use that as an insult.

It’s who I am, and who a lot of other people are. It’s really inappropriate to say things like that, even if you are just joking.

“I’m a part of GSA, which is Gay-Straight Alliance. It’s full of really nice people. We have a safe environment to talk about the LGBT community and acceptance,” said Milunas. “It’s an open space where you’re not afraid to be yourself, because the people you’re with can be struggling with the same things you are. It’s great to have other people to talk to who are like you.”

According to PFLAG, an organization of parents and allies that stand up for LGBT acceptance, LGBT students at schools with comprehensive policies on bullying and harassment are much more likely to report harassment to school authorities who, in turn, were more likely to respond effectively.

At LHS, there are specific rules stated in the handbook about bullying based on sexuality. The LHS Student Handbook states: “Bullying, intimidation

April 10, 2014

and harassment diminish a student’s ability to learn and a school’s ability to educate. preventing students from engaging in these disruptive behaviors is an important District goal.”

It continues, “Bullying on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, nationality, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender-rated identity or expression, ancestry, age, religion, physical or mental disability, order of protection status, status of being homeless, or actual or potential marital or parental status, including pregnancy, association with a person or group with one or more of the aforementioned actual or perceived characteristics, or any other distinguishing characteristic is prohibited.”

Mrs. Recsetar explained further that “Bullying someone for their sexuality is treated the same as making fun of someone for their skin color; it’s unacceptable. It’s really hurtful for people to use derogatory comments about being gay, or use it as an insult. It’s bullying; when you hear those negative terms, it’s how you’re born, so it’s directly insulting

“I just find it riduclous that people need to use ‘gay’ as an insult. It’s who I am, and who a lot of other people are.”

- Anthony Milunas

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someone for who they are,” she said. “School is a place for learning, where you should be comfortable being yourself; it’s supposed to be safe.”

An anonymous student explained that although their friends don’t know that they’re gay, it still hurts when they make derogatory comments, whether it be directed towards them or not.

“The words people use to ostracize or judge us really do hurt and even when the comments aren’t exactly directed towards you, you can still feel horrible because you know if you’re just being yourself, you’ll be called the same thing,” said the sophomore. This student says that they’ve known since fifth grade that they were different, but aren’t comfortable being honest and being themselves because of the way gay students can be treated as outcasts.

“School is a place for learning, where you should be comfortable being yourself; it’s supposed to be safe.

- Mrs. Recsetar The same student said, “The reason why I don’t want everyone to know at this moment is because I hear the things people say every day and know that I’ll be the receiving end of that ridicule and abuse. I hope that, in time, I will come out and be accepted by those close to me who I know will accept me as who I am. Some of us are scared to be ourselves,” they said. This unnamed source remains anonymous because of the worry that people on their sports team will not accept them for who they are. They feel as if being who they are won’t fit their lifestyle in sports and other activities they participate in.

Courtesy of Fenway Focus “Making jokes about gay people or calling someone gay to hurt their feelings is just unacceptable,” said the anonymous student. “It’s like making fun of someone for their body. It’s a part of you that you can’t change; you didn’t choose how you’d be born.

But it’s just something I’m not comfortable telling everyone because I don’t know how they’ll react. I go to school, and when I talk to people who don’t know, I feel invisible. In my head I think, ‘Do you really see An anonymous male freshman student explains that they don’t feel that their sexuality defines them; me?’” it’s only a part of their personality, and what makes This student, along with many others, remains them who they are. anonymous because he worries what others will think.

“My close friends know that I identify as bisexual. The fear of becoming excluded from their peers is what pushes them to keep it to themselves. But this I don’t tell everyone because it’s simply my busistudent is hopeful that one day, he won’t be considness. I feel like the main reason people don’t come ered strange anymore: out is because they’re scared of what others will think or say. When you think about that, everyone “Minorities will always exist, but the progression should feel comfortable about being themselves.” he of their acceptance is always moving forward in a said. “But in our world, not everyone is so accepting. I think because gay people are the minority, it’s way. We’re making it happen; we’re going to find hard to tell if someone’s going to accept you or not. acceptance.” offensive,” Scheibler said. “When you think about it, it’s immature and uncalled for to use that as an insult. It’s who people are, like would you say the r-word to someone with a learning disability? No. So don’t use derogatory terms even as a joke; it can hurt people around you without you even knowing it.”

Sophomore Tatum Scheibler started to identify as a lesbian at the beginning of high school. “I figured out that I like girls around eighth grade. I kind of made myself like guys because everyone did and I didn’t want to come to terms with it,” she said.

“I was bullied in middle school for being different ‘cause I was just weird to everyone else. It was just because I didn’t dress like girls and I didn’t wear makeup. I was just being myself.”

Scheibler lived in San Marcos, California, after her father’s job transferred him there early last year. She lived in Libertyville until they left for the Golden State. After moving back in early March of this year, she said that her school’s GSA wasn’t as active as the one here at LHS. “In California, it wasn’t the norm to be gay, but it’s not like you’re a different species. Here, our GSA is really close and we feel safe.

“To make fun of someone for identifying as gay by saying things like ‘You’re so gay’ is completely Courtesy of Third Way

Feature

April 10, 2014

11

Meet Anthony Paglia

By Kate Vittore award: “Anthony is one of those students that in a few years, I will hear about all of the great things he’s doing, and I won’t be surprised.

That’s just the kind of person he is.”

Senior Mariah Wilbat, a friend of Paglia’s, was also not surprised to hear that he won the award from the Principals Association. “You just notice his personality right off the bat. He’s really outgoing and fun to be around,” she said.

“I wasn’t surprised to hear that he won that award; he’s the perfect choice.”

Paglia moved to Libertyville when he was seven years old, having lived in Boston beforehand. Anthony has two sisters, Audrey, a freshman here at LHS, and Abby, a seventh-grader at Oak Grove.

Photo courtesy of Anthony Paglia After four successful years of high school, Anthony Paglia, a senior here at LHS, is one to watch in his activities, accomplishments, and personality. Heading off to college next year, he has gone far above the expectations of his teachers and peers when it comes to his achievements. Paglia has seen much success, and is expected by mentors to see even more in his future. In addition to all of this success, Paglia is also out of the closet as a gay man.

Paglia has been given the Illinois Principals Association award, after being nominated by a compiled group of his teachers. This award is a recognition that specifically highlights students with outstanding work ethic and individuality inside and outside the classroom. He was informed by Ms. Amy Belstra, the school’s college and career counselor, of his achievement earlier this year. Paglia and Elise Houcek (one of DOI’s editors-in-chief) have received this award as a reward for their involvement and activity in school.

“Anthony was really funny, and was just a kind, very honest, hard-worker,” said English teacher Ms. Melissa Gorski, who had Paglia in AP Language class his junior year. “Everything was just done to absolute perfection. He was a lot of fun in class. He sat right in the front, so I would constantly see him participating and getting involved with everyone. He’s the kind of student that every teacher would want in class.”

Ms. Gorski is not surprised whatsoever to see Paglia receive the Principals Association

12

“During my free time, I watch Netflix,” said Paglia. “When I’m not here at school, I’m working at Mariano’s.” He works as a cashier at the grocery store here in Libertyville, where he has worked for a little more than a year.

Paglia works 28 hours a week, a great amount of time for a student.

Having come out as a gay man when he was a sophomore, Paglia is currently in a relationship with Austin Sipolt, a senior at Vernon Hills High School.

“We met at the beginning of junior year; a mutual friend introduced us. We’ve grown not only to be one another’s best friend, but our families are also deeply connected,” Paglia said. Paglia and his partner plan to attend Roosevelt University in Chicago for college in the fall. “I can say undoubtedly that a love and compassion is there.”

“In utilizing ‘gay’ in that context, you are essentially insulting the lifestyle of a broad group of people who are no different and no less than yourself.”

April 10, 2014

Paglia came out to his parents in November of his sophomore year, and came out publicly in January of the following year. “It’s kind of difficult because people judge you based on the fact that you’re not only dating another male, but that you plan to attend college together and build a life around one another. I constantly get asked who is the woman in the relationship and who is the man,” Paglia said. “I know people may not understand, but this question is actually quite offensive. We are both men.

“When people use terms that sort of criticize gay people, I feel very belittled,” Paglia said.

When it comes to bullying, he doesn’t stand for it. “It's as if you were using the word ‘retarded’ in front of an individual with special needs.

With so many other words in the English language, I feel as if this is a ridiculous issue.

In utilizing ‘gay’ in that context, you are essentially insulting the lifestyle of a broad group of people who are no different and no less than yourself.”

When it comes to gay rights, Paglia explains that presence is the simplest form of representation. “I believe the most powerful thing one can do is show the community around them that they live a normal human life,” he said.

“It's about making others realize that you are indeed a human being as well who is undoubtedly deserving of the legal and social rights that many straight people wouldn't even consider rights; they just consider it normal.”

Paglia was on this school year’s Turnabout Sweet Sixteen, along with fifteen other select senior boys. “My interests vary greatly from the others that were chosen. The other students that were chosen were great,” he said. “I just feel as though there is an invisible barrier up between gay guys and straight guys. I'm hoping that in my lifetime this social wall crumbles.”

Looking towards the future, Paglia said, “I'm always back and forth on my major but it's going to be something science-based. And I wanna earn a few minors so that I can be attractive to medical schools.”

Paglia said his top choices in study would have to do with gender studies or sociology.

“I'm fascinated by any subjects with pertinence toward equality in our world, since I ultimately want to be a pediatrician specializing in infant care.”

Feature

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Business as Usual

By Ryan Jackson

To say that Lisa Harris, owner of Morning Sunshine Breakfast Cookies, was shocked upon learning that LHS junior Sam Gold is only 16 years old would be a dramatic understatement.

“Oh...I had no idea! That’s amazing! That blows me away,” Gold’s client mused over his wily business demeanor.

After spending five minutes with him, it’s plain to see how Gold has managed to morph an idea into an enterprising online company off of nothing but his own pocket money, all at the ripe old age of sweet sixteen. His steady eye contact, comfortable yet cordial disposition, and handshake that would make a Consumer Ed teacher swoon are just a few of the factors that have helped Gold’s company, Yumvelope, to take off.

For those who haven’t heard of Yumvelope, it’s a website that allows consumers to sign up for a monthly subscription box. The box contains six healthy, unique treats that aren’t found in regular grocery stores, for the price of $21 per month. For example, the box from January of last year (shown on page 15) contained hot chocolate on a stick, cocoa chili almonds, and Weefuls pancake mix, among other treats. Yumvelope is run completely off the website, Yumvelope. com, and caters to those who aren’t afraid to dabble into some obscure snacks.

(One perspective vendor vouched for their coconut bacon to make it into the box, which it did not).

When Gold kick-started Yumvelope at the end of his freshman year, it marked his first venture into the business world.

“I’d always sold stuff online, bought stuff online, but I really wanted to go into a full-fledged thing. I had seen this sort of model work with makeup...I saw it work and figured I could make it work,” Gold explained.

While most freshmen were plugging their way through Driver’s Ed, Gold was trudging his way through tax codes and web design to get his company off the ground. By the end of the school year, Yumvelope was trying to establish a reputation for itself in the world of subscription boxes. Gold dedicated himself to preventing his company from flopping like others he had seen.

“When I was getting started, I talked to a bunch of people about it. One of the people was someone who got a subscription from Paleo, from the Paleo fad [an eating plan that is all foods one would find in the Paleolithic age]. I talked to someone who started something that eventually failed. I’m not shy about asking people for help,” he said.

After the company was up and running, Gold was able to experiment with different business and marketing techniques. One of his most effective tactics has been for every box that is ordered, he donates a meal through Feeding America, a program that attempts to end hunger in the U.S. This strategy highlights both his generosity and the marketing savvy of someone well beyond his years.

Proud owner Sam Gold, clad in his Yumvelope attire, shows off his company.

14

April 10, 2014

Photo by Bailey Schmid

Feature

“I think that’s really smart of him to have a personality go with his business... that type of philosophy is pretty proactive and cutting edge in marketing,” offered LHS Entrepreneurship teacher Bill Reichert.

Reichert also admired that the timely surgence of Yumvelope is in concordance with current trends in the food industry.

“The fact that he is capitalizing on the psychographic trend of people leaning towards healthy eating and the departure from GMOs and chemical-laden foods is very crafty,” Reichert said in fluent entrepreneurial language.

To track down these obscure food companies that make up the monthly Yumvelope box, Gold used to have to search Amazon and other websites to hunt for potential clients. Now, the company has established a strong enough reputation that small business owners reach out to Gold and ask to be featured in the boxes.

Harris, whose company cooks and distributes their original breakfast cookie, has worked with Gold frequently to publicize her product, which is a healthy spin on the traditional baked good.

said. “I ended up going to the city last summer and working for these guys, and it was a lot of fun. It may not seem that fun, but I really enjoyed it.”

However foggy the specific future in business may be for Gold, his confidence and experience look to pave a clear path towards success.

“Whether he succeeds or fails, he’s out there, and he’s doing it. As opposed to people who are just talking, he’s actually doing it. And even if he does fail, the things he’s going to learn along the way are such valuable lessons that no matter how you look at it, it’s a winning situation, because he’s out there executing,” Reichert beamed.

Although Gold is humble by nature and plays down his own success, he reiterates that it’s possible for anyone to open a company.

“I think really anyone can do something like Yumvelope,” he stated. “It’s just coming up with something of value and getting people to pay for it.”

So next time you dust off the old fold-up table in the garage to journey into the world of Lemonade stand entrepreneurship, just model yourself after Gold and remember: it all starts with an idea.

How

Works Step One

Sam Gold comes into contact with food companies all around the world.

Photo courtesy of Yumvelope The January 2013 sweet tooth shipment, complete with chocolate from Madagascar.

“The thing that impressed me about Yumvelope was that they really wanted to work with the small businesses and help them grow, and not just expect a ton of free product that only benefits them,” Harris raved.

That is perhaps the most distinctive quality of Yumvelope as a business and Gold as a business owner -- the consideration for the success of its clients.

While most subscription boxes greedily request illogical amounts of free product, Gold collaborates with his clients to maximize success for both parties.

In addition to wooing small business owners and raking in a profit margin that would color a grocery store employee green with envy, Gold is gaining valuable, real-world experience that puts him a head above the competition. (Even though at 6’2”, he hardly needs it.) While the future of Yumvelope is uncertain, its head honcho is certain he’s ready to splash into the business world. He has already been awarded the Bruce Fishkin Scholarship, which will pay $10,000 per school year in college. The Fishkin Scholarship website displays that they are “in search of standouts,” and they found one in Gold, who cites his business as the prime reason he was awarded the scholarship.

“Just the fact that I’ve started a business is such a huge conversation starter,” he said.

Step Two

The companies mail their product to Gold, who packages them up into one monthly box.

Step Three

The boxes are loaded up and shipped out, arriving at the customers’ doors just days later.

“The first (goal) was to try to make the same amount of money I would make working at Sunset or Mariano’s. I think I’ve pretty much reached that,” Gold (under)stated.

Yumvelope has done more than just start conversations. In addition to landing him the scholarship, Yumvelope connected Gold with the sister firms of Far Shore and DashFire, who specialize in business and web development. Gold interned with the two companies last summer in Chicago and gained invaluable experience outside the Libertyville bubble.

“I’ve been surprised by how many doors it (Yumvelope) has opened,” Gold

Feature

Photo courtesy of Yumvelope The Yumvelope packages from September 2013 are loaded up and ready to be shipped.

April 10, 2014

15

By Molly Downing Remember in 8th grade when everyone was on Facebook? People used to spend hours of the day messaging their friends, writing clever statuses, or even taking care of a virtual farm.

So, why has the use of Facebook among teenagers been decreasing in the last couple of years?

According to an unscientific survey of 150 Libertyville High School students, the four most popular social media among LHS students are Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Tumblr. That being said, what happened to Facebook?

Facebook was created on February 4, 2004, in Cambridge, Massachusetts

by Mark Zuckerberg while attending Harvard University. The site had a slow increase of hits from November 2006 to December 2012. Then, in January 2013, the usage of Facebook slowly started to decrease, according to Google Trends.

There are a lot of good things about Facebook. Facebook helps people keep in touch with each other. If a person doesn't have someone’s phone number but need to shoot them a quick text, they can use Facebook messenger, which works the same way as the texting app on any smartphone.

People can send e-vites to events, which can be delivered instantly. They can reach more people than a written invitation could and, by inviting people over Facebook, people don’t have to spend a lot of time searching for the address of every individual person.

Facebook can be a confidence booster. Who doesn’t feel good when they open Facebook on their birthday to a stream of happy thoughts and good wishes, get good feedback on a selfie, or get tons of likes on a status?

“It’s pretty satisfying when you get a lot of likes on a picture,” said senior Evan Johnston.

Facebook seems to be where posts on other social media websites take their final breaths. Scrolling down the Facebook wall is an almost guaranteed way to see old text posts from Tumblr, videos from Vine, and the occasional feel-good YouTube video.

“It’s a simple source of entertainment. I like how all the vines and instagram posts lead back to it,” said senior Mark Girgis.

Even though there are many positives to Facebook, it seems there are also, if not more, negatives.

Being able to search what a person is interested in is an important aspect of social media. On Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram, people can search with hashtags, which link them to similar posts. On Facebook, hashtags aren’t links to other pages.

Another downside is the amount of ads that seem to pop up around every corner. Pages that have been “liked” on Facebook get recorded, which in turn creates personalized ads that will come up around Facebook’s wall.

Ads can be for anything. They are just normally tailored around the interest of each individual Facebook user.

When asked what he would change about Facebook if he could change anything, junior Ryan Behm replied, “Ads. Literally half of what you are looking at is ads. It’s not what people are posting and I don’t really want to see them.”

16

A common complaint among the LHS student body was that people aren’t free to post what they wish on their accounts on the count of Facebook being taken over by relatives who comment on too many things.

“Facebook has too many relatives on it,” said junior Brandon Cortina.

“I would also like there to be a dislike button so I could ‘dislike’ some of the drama.”

According to Facebook Insights, the age group that uses Facebook the most are 21-30 year-olds at 49%. Following that are 13-20 year-olds at 31%, then 31+ year-olds, who make up 20% of Facebook profiles.

“I dislike having family members on Facebook because they comment on posts and make a lot of them awkward,” said senior Mandy Marquard.

Obviously, every social media website will have drama, but there is no drama like Facebook drama.

“I don’t like all the drama that people post,” said Girgis when asked what he would change about Facebook if he could change anything.

Everyone has seen the statuses that don’t mention names but say things like “Wow, I thought I could trust you, guess not” which normally lead into some kind of spiraling fight. These can become so ridiculous they make sane people want to pop some popcorn, sit in front of their monitors, and laugh at the argument going back and forth.

There are quite a few social media website alternatives to Facebook.

There are new ones popping up every day, each with its own thing that attract different types of people to them and away from Facebook.

“There are just more social media options now. It’s kind of like how MySpace dropped when Facebook actually was popular,” said freshman Riley Sneen about the lack of Facebook use in the last couple of years.

Facebook Twitter YouTube Tumblr Instagram Vine Pinterest Other Don’t Use

April 10, 2014

Feature

Facebook Alternatives Options for those who are tired of Facebook

Although Facebook has about 500 million users and Instagram has just over 200 million users, 32% of the randomly polled students of Libertyville High School have chosen Instagram as the best social media outlet.

On Instagram, there are no written posts. It’s all pictures with an option to add a caption and other people have the option to add an additional comment on the photos. There is an option for a short description so people can read a little about the person whose instagram account they are on. They have an icon picture and next to that is a tracker that shows how many posts they have made, how many people are following them, and how many people they are following.

“I like pictures more than writing,” said Sneen, who prefers Instagram to other social media sites.

Sneen isn’t alone in her opinion. Most of the LHS student body, when asked, said that they check their Instagrams three to five times a day, while the popular answer for Facebook was only once a week.

Another alternative to Facebook is Tumblr. On Tumblr there are no “walls” like Facebook, but instead there is a dashboard. When making a Tumblr, a person is actually making a blog with a unique URL that is completely customizable to their standards.

Having a URL can be more convenient. Say a person wanted to find their friend Joe Smith. On Facebook, they could get tons of different Joe Smiths to search through before they found their friend. But on Tumblr, the person could just type in Joe’s unique URL and find him instantly.

Another great thing about tumblr is being able to connect with more people that share the same interests. This could be with photography, TV shows, movies, books, animals, science or anything else that makes that person happy. All there is to it is just typing in the search bar whatever the thing may be and it will show all the posts that have been tagged (hashtagged) with the same thing that was typed in.

“I prefer Tumblr because it’s a good outlet for self expression and it’s more private. You can do you on there and not think about what anyone else is going to say,” said Marquard.

On Twitter, when a person makes a post, it will show a real/preferred name and their username, which helps link others to their page.

A great thing about Twitter is the option to follow rather than to friend because then if a person doesn’t like what someone else is posting, then that person can unfollow them or vice versa.

Many people like Twitter because it puts them in closer contact with their favorite celebrity. They can see what the celeb may be doing at that moment rather than wait to find out later in a magazine or on E! News. They also have an opportunity to actually talk to the celebrity. People have the ability to tag the person they want to see the tweet and if they are lucky, the celebrity might respond.

USA Today has stated that Twitter had a popularity boom in April of 2012. The people behind Twitter speculate that this is actually in relation to Beyoncé joining Twitter earlier that same month.

Another plus to Twitter is that it’s short and instant. Refreshing your page brings a plethora of new posts that have just been made.

“I like that it’s instant. I can see what people are doing right now where as [on] Facebook, you see the entire day. Like if I’m watching sports or something, I can see what people are thinking right now,” said Behm about Twitter.

Feature

April 10, 2014

17

The theory that music and society share an inviolable relationship is one that has long been Music recognized. The only way to achieve some level of popularity as a musician is to establish a experience to which an entire audience can relate. Again and again through history, Through common scholars point to a culture’s music as one of the best ways to evaluate the social and political the Ages atmosphere of the times. I have compiled a list of some of the most influential events in music history, and have attempted to relate many with their social circumstances and ramifications.

As students of the modern era, it is useful to consider our social scenario through the lens of media, and in evaluating the past based on something we can all understand, we are better able to interpret history and to apply it to our present lives.

By Elise Houcek

Robert Johnson scores his first recording session

Robert Johnson’s blues guitar and songwriting further inspired the style and rhythm of modern rock. Artists such as Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, and The Rolling Stones attribute much of their work and success to his original compositions. Again, a black man is set at the forefront of American music.

1942

1936

1927

1922

Race Records is introduced in America

Finally confident in the sales potential of African-American artists, Race Records was the first recording company to open its doors to black musicians; the popularization of jazz and blues, often praised as the foundation of American music, was able to take form.

Duke Ellington opens at The Cotton Club

As a composer, pianist, and jazz orchestra leader, “The Duke” is accredited with establishing the jazz genre and the groundwork of rock and roll. He challenged racial margins as one of the first African-American artists to attain massive success amongst the white community.

‘25

1927

‘30

1936

‘35

‘40

1942

‘45

‘50

1953 ‘55

‘60

1964‘65 1969‘70

18

The Beatles appear on The Ed Sullivan Show

The Beatles are, to many, the complete personification of 6os counterculture ideals. As a part of The British Invasion, The Beatles held worldwide fame and marked the beginning of a new era in music. Their message of peace, love, and social justice moved millions to “change the world.”

1969

Elvis Presley meets Sun Record Studios

The best-selling solo artist in the history of recorded music, Elvis not only defined rock and roll, he fashioned its culture. Controversial for his nonwhite stardom and provocative dance moves, Elvis’s rebellious reputation attracted American youth and horrified traditional society. In 1957, CBS censors demanded Elvis only be shot from the waist up. Later musicians sought to emulate his free-spirited, radical air.

1964

1953

1922

Frank Sinatra: “Chairman of the Board”

His cool, romantic vocals served as an escape for millions of Americans during the Second World War. With tags like “The Voice” and “Chairman of the Board,” Frank Sinatra was unrivaled, unmatched; America’s first pop superstar.

April 10, 2014

Jimi Hendrix rewrites the national anthem

During his performance at Woodstock, Hendrix’s radical adaptation of “The Star Spangled Banner” is perceived both as a musical revelation and profound social commentary. His warped interpretation of the nation’s theme song has been said to signify intense social turmoil and distorted American ideals. Admired for his skillful experimentation and unprecedented detail, Hendrix has been called “arguably the greatest instrumentalist in the history of rock music” by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Feature

1980

Led Zeppelin gives their final show

A combination of wild hair and a wild personality gave the rock and roll artists a reputation for heat.

Unprecedented in their improvisation, mysticism, and fiery live performances, Zeppelin has been called “unquestionably one of the most enduring bands in rock history” by Rolling Stone. Accusedly invoking the devil as their creative muse, the group offered listeners a dark and heavy reality and is permanently criticized for their “anti-religious” ideals.

“God Save the Queen” takes Punk to the top

Controversy followed when the British punk rockers The Sex Pistols likened the Queen of England to a “fascist regime.” With the national anthem as the song’s title, “God Save the Queen” and the artists were banned by numerous radio stations for condemning the monarchy. Prodemocracy idealists provided their support and revamped a worldwide music movement steeped in political protest.

1981

1973 1977

MTV is born

The entire definition of music is revolutionized.

People no longer expect just to listen; they want to be entertained.

Elton John performs in the USSR

The first western rock star ever to perform on the other side of the Iron Curtain, Elton John brought American music to a society forbidden from the non-Communist world. The performance provided the first cultural communion between two polarized nations in the midst of the Cold War.

1982

1979

Pink Floyd grounds psychedelic rock

Dark Side of The Moon, frequently ranked one of the greatest albums of all time, was among the first, and most lauded, to mix synthetic sound with classic rock instrumentation. Famous for its theme of disillusionment in the modern world, Pink Floyd sustained the 60s counterculture with its sonic experimentalism and trippy vibe.

‘85

1992

NWA releases “**** tha Police”

Seeking to expose the widespread tension between city police officers and African-American youth, the gangsta rap group glorified what they considered to be a battle against racism and corruption.

Later threatened censorship by the FBI and cited as an influence of the Los Angeles police riots, the song has been accredited for inspiring countless other anti-authority genres, particularly Rage Against The Machine.

2001

1988

1973 ‘75 1977 1979 1980 1981 1982

Michael Jackson’s Thriller epitomizes Pop

With the momentum of MTV and the rise of the music video, the child star grew to the peak of fame when in 1982, he blended funk, R&B, and pop with dance. Thriller became, and continues to remain, officially the best-selling album of all time. Michael Jackson set the bar for success in the music industry, is globally recognized for his humanitarian interests, advanced the achievement of colored artists, and has since been hailed “The King of Pop.”

1988 ‘90 1992

‘95

‘00

2001

“Smells Like Teen Spirit” fuels angst and solipsism

The popularization of Nirvana and its lead guitarist Kurt Cobain is often hailed as the breakthrough of alternative rock and the genesis of grunge. A symbol of teenage rebellion and non-conformity, Nirvana armed the social outcast, as well as future musicians, with an appreciation for unfiltered expression and art.

George Bush declares Eminem “The greatest threat to American youth since Polio”

“Slim Shady” to some, a tragedy to others, the controversial artist has close to revolutionized rap and rhyme. Also dubbed one of the greatest 100 artists of all time by Rolling Stone, Eminem’s raw, unapologetic lyrics and wanton reputation has provided a sense of empowerment to millions worldwide. Bush’s condemnation only validated Eminem fans in their anti-establishment identity: record sales and fan following continued to rise, and in 2011 he was identified as the first artist to have two year-end number-one selling albums in Nielsen SoundScan history.

Photos and layout edited by Bailey Schmid

Feature

April 10, 2014

19

SECRET MENUS SUICIDE BURGER

COTTON CANDY FRAPPUCCINO

Most Burger King locations sell the Triple Stacker; they may know this as a “Quad Stacker,” if you’re lucky.

If they don’t know what that is, then order a burger with 4 patties, 4 slices of cheese, and bacon with their special sauce.

Order a Vanilla Bean Frappuccino. Add raspberry syrup (1 pump tall, 1.5 pumps grande, 2 pumps venti).

By Maddie Salata and Katie Vrba

Every fast food restaurant has a menu -- but did you know that many also have “secret menus,” offering new options and variations that aren’t listed anywhere? We visited six different restaurants all across town to find the best (and worst) secret menu items.

For reviews on the different secret menu items, visit lhsdoi.com.

LAND, AIR, AND SEA BURGER

Order a Big Mac (or McDouble), a Filet-O-Fish, and a McChicken. Now assemble this monster of a burger however you see fit!

MCDONALD’S 20

FRINGS

COOKIES & CREAM FRAPPUCCINO

Simply ask for an order of half french fries, half onion rings - or “Frings.”

Ask for a Vanilla Bean Frappuccino with java chips blended in. Top with mocha syrup or cookie crumbles.

BURGER KING April 10, 2014

STARBUCKS Feature

COFFEE BLIZZARD

Add coffee syrup in a vanilla or Oreo Blizzard.

FROZEN HOT CHOCOLATE

BERRY LIME SUBLIME

Blend together 12 oz. Raspberry Juice, 9 oz. orange juice, 2 scoops of raspberry sherbet, 1 scoop of raspberries, 1 scoop of strawberries, and ice.

= EW = KINDA BAD = PRETTY DECENT = YUMMY = WOW QUESARITO

LEMON DREAM MACHINE

Ask if the DQ staff can make you a “Frozen Hot Chocolate” by adding ice to their hot chocolate and blending it up.

Blend together 6 oz. lemonade, 6 oz. soy milk, 1 scoop lime sherbet, 1 scoop frozen yogurt, and ice.

MIDNIGHT TRUFFLE BLIZZARD

PINK STARBURST

Ask nicely for a vanilla Blizzard with dark cocoa fudge & truffle bits added in!

Blend together 6 oz. lemonade, 6 oz. soy milk, 1 scoop raspberry sherbet, 1 scoop plain sherbet, 1 scoop frozen, yogurt, 2 scoops of strawberries, and ice.

DAIRY QUEEN Feature

JAMBA JUICE

April 10, 2014

Two tortillas and some cheese are used to make a quesadilla. The cheese quesadilla is then wrapped around a burrito that is loaded with rice, beans, meat, and anything else of your choice.

NACHOS

Order a burrito bowl and ask for chips instead of rice at the bottom! Then enjoy your Chipotle “nachos.”

CHIPOTLE

21

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Staff Editorial

LHS Financing Lacks Student Input

Do you ever wander LHS’s halls questioning whether its resources are being wasted? As a staff in DOI, mixed feelings were expressed toward the topic of the school’s effectiveness in spending, but a general consensus for more communication between the school and its students was reached.

While walking through the school on a daily basis, it’s impossible not to see the constant and often pricey innovations to the school. With DOI, you’ve been kept up-to-date with many of these more extensive additions to LHS, such as the updates to the pool proposal, the TVs around the school, the LCD projectors in the main gym. But without a venue like DOI, how would any students hear about the additions before the construction actually starts?

The list of expensive purchases within the school is nothing short of astonishing at times. How can an institution built solely for education, a field synonymous with a lack of funding, illustrate such prominent expenditure?

The answer, we found, lies in the nature of the town’s wealth itself.

According to the 2012 state report card for District 128, 89.7% of the school’s funding comes from property taxes alone. Wow. Compare that with the district average of 58.2% in Illinois, and it becomes clear how unique LHS is in its vast amount of resources. To put it into perspective, based on the high percentage of property tax income, the school receives a significantly lower amount of federal and state aid, purely because LHS doesn’t need it. With that being said, the school can often afford more non-essential items like the LCD projectors, and so forth. With money generally left over for less essential additions like this, why are students not being asked for their input on decisions, or at least being informed on the decisions being made?

“Our district is in a very good financial state, while some other districts are not right now,” commented Principal Dr. Marina Scott.

As a staff, DOI agrees that the school’s tendency to spend on technology is a beneficial and effective means of using the budget appropriately, as it aids the education students receive. Although technology can be a controversial investment at times, if used properly, it can provide different perspectives of learning to students, as well as make the classroom experience more interactive. Such investments, though, like the TVs, are deemed unnecessary, as students get nothing out of them, as they merely serve as another bulletin board at times.

Thus, spending should be focused on technology that helps educationally, like the Chromebooks.

In addition, the staff believes that more emphasis should be placed on improved sanitation in certain washrooms and improvement in the locker rooms’ condition, specifically in the area of repairing broken lockers and budgeting for more towels. It is the staff’s opinion that such areas are a priority over certain investments, as they are a daily part of student life at LHS. More importantly though, DOI believes that financial decisions at the school should be more vocal and informative. Students like to be knowledgeable about what’s going on in their school, as teachers do. Although kids would like to be sought after more for the decisions being made in school, even being told more of what happens at the school would be of significant value for many students.

Dr. Scott explained that it was a common misconception that LHS has money to buy whatever it wants, though. This holds true because money is held in specific areas of budget: education, debt source, transportation, municipal retirement/social security, capital projects, working cash, and tort (legal issues).

The Board of Education itself primarily makes most of the decisions, even those out of the financial area, and approves the budget plan made by the heads of the academic departments at Libertyville. Essentially, each department makes a list of what it needs for the year. These lists cumulatively make up much of the budget, which has to be approved by the board.

The board itself is made up of various members of the community and financial advisors. “They (the board) are elected to serve on the BOE [Board of Education] and must live in the community,” said Dr. Scott. “The board is very conscious of what they use taxpayer money for. All our board meetings are on cable TV and are open to the public. The public is always welcome to speak.

I wouldn’t say they always go out to collectively [to ask the public], but their meetings are always open,” stated Dr. Scott.

As a result of their consciousness of the community, “In some cases, the board will seek a referendum if they don’t have the funds available, and the community would have to vote on that,” said Dr. Scott. An example of this is the Brainerd situation, which can be seen in DOI’s reporting on page five.

The Drops of Ink staff hopes for more informative means of communicating the financial decisions to students at LHS. The financial decisions are surely justified by a group of knowledgeable people, but students should receive more of a role in the process of finances at Libertyville.

State vs. LHS School Funding 10.1% 1.2% 9.5% 2.6% 17.1% 1.5% 5.1% 5.1% 58.2% 89.7%

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April 10, 2014

Opinion

Hannah Jenkins Staff Writer

The HeART of Education There is a constant pressure to succeed in your future, yet, for many, it is hard to predict what your destiny will end up being. And even if they do find it, it could end up being a risky career path that they never initially intended on straying to.

Usually, in high school, this pressure to find what you find meaningful ferments and then you have to somehow condense your passion into a major in college. As if that wasn’t hard enough, now you must decide if you can actually make it in your declared profession. (No pressure.)

It becomes a battle of passion versus the economic value that a career could provide. And it’s hard to pin one as better than the other, unfortunately.

Therefore, it’s no surprise that the most popular majors are the ones that make the most dough, according to a study conducted in 2011 from Georgetown University.

Engineering, Computers and Mathematics, and Business top the list, ranging from a median salary of $60,000 to $90,000.

Many feel pushed into career paths such as these mostly because of the money attached to the gig, even if it doesn’t necessarily fuel their passion. They know it’s a steady job, with most of these majors having 91 to 99% employment rate according to the 2011 Georgetown study.

People know it has a steady income (and a pretty gracious one, at that).

Some people really do have passion for this strictness and it’s an added blessing that their love comes with the stability of a good income.

Yet, some people slide into these majors because of the money sign.

So, what are you to do if your passion falls into a group that doesn’t have such a great income?

According to the same Georgetown study, Arts, Education, and Psychology and Social Work are the bottom three of the list, with a median salary ranging from $42,000 to $60,000.

OpinionNews

So, unfortunately for the people whose passions lie in these majors, like mine do, you must make the decision of happiness versus stability.

The Arts, although not seen as completely necessary by everyone, still exist and flourish.

Of course they attract many with the chance of being doused in glimmering lights and having your name scribbled in so many minds other than your own, but you have to have the vigor to get anywhere. However, with business and/or science, you don’t necessarily need the fascination to succeed in those careers; you are taught the skills and can still have a steady job and pay sans the enthusiasm for their career field.

But music and art and acting and modeling are different.

You can’t get anywhere in music, for example, if you can’t feel it creep inside you, drape its hands over you and, with every touch, it wakes up more of your heart. You have to be able feel all of it, it has to give you goosebumps and shake your insides upside down before you can begin the long process it takes to become stellar.

The Arts matter since they live and thrive purely on the passion that erupts from so many who take the jump.

April, 10 2014

For me, music has always been there, always been the hand guiding me along moonless nights and scorching days. Singing, even though I never joined choir until high school, has always been what I’d do in any spare moment I could capture (my mom can vouch for me). It began with a jumble of words and notes, pitched and off-key. Yet, the more I sang (I didn’t realize this until a couple years ago), the more the notes came easier, in the right key.

Being in band since I was 9 also sparked the hunger for more music, more notes to play and/ or sing. And even though there have been many times I wanted to tear the sheet music in half, whack any thought about doing this forever out of my head because it seems so ludicrous and impossible, I always come back to its familiar arms.

This passion, which I’m sure I share with many others, is what keeps us going, keeps us going back to the practice room and then return to the stage because once the fascination for the arts fade, so does the desire to continue their lives.

The difference between the more calculated versus the more creative majors is constantly around.

Science and business majors are taught the materials and then can still be successful and receive a steady salary. Majors in the arts (such as music, acting, filmography, visual and performing arts degrees) are the opposite because you need to be in love with their flares and you need to have the talent to keep up with it in a long four years in college.

Therefore, it’s not a surprise that, according to The Wall Street Journal, in 2011, that people who major in those fields tend to be happier than everyone else since they are doing what they want to do before looking at the price tag of their career.

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Jake Luce Staff Writer

21 and Over Underage alcohol consumption is a very prevalent issue, not only at Libertyville High School, but around the United States as well.

Some U.S. citizens feel that the drinking age should be lowered to 18 years of age, instead of 21. However, due to the dangers of alcohol, the undeveloped brains of teenagers, and the lack of experience teenagers have when it comes to driving, the drinking age should not be lowered.

Currently, the national law for the drinking age is 21 years of age. However, according to a 2008 poll taken by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, there are 10.1 million underage drinkers in the United States. The study concluded that 39% of 8th graders, 58% of 10th graders, and 72% of 12th graders have tried alcohol. Also, underage drinking is the leading cause of death by injury. If the drinking age was lowered, these statistics would most likely rise, and so would the amount of injuries and deaths to adolescents around the country.

In 1984, the drinking age was raised from 18 to 21. A foundation called “Mothers Against Drunk Drivers” helped to pass this law in hopes that it would reduce drunk driving and make roads safer.

According to the National Traffic Highway Administration, the rise in the drinking age saved around 900 lives a year. On average, teenagers ages 16-19 are four times more likely to be involved in a car accident. If they change the drinking age back to 18, even more teenagers will get into dangerous car crashes.

Libertyville’s school resource officer, Mr. Robert Uliks, takes a similar position on the drinking age being lowered.

“I do not think [the drinking age] should be lowered,” Mr. Uliks explained. “You can not legally allow anyone to consume alcohol who is still in high school, and we have 18-year-old students here.

Also, research shows that the amount of serious alcohol-related incidents occur between the ages of 18-22.”

Mr. Uliks also believes that the driving age would be an issue if the drinking age were to be lowered.

“When you look at European countries with a lower drinking age, their driving age is raised. You have to sacrifice one thing for another,” he stated.

With a contrasting viewpoint, an anonymous junior at LHS believes that the drinking age should be lowered. This person did not want their name included when discussing this sensitive topic.

“Most kids do it anyway,” he stated. “So why can’t we just lower it back down to 18? It wouldn’t make that much of a difference.”

I, however, disagree. If the drinking age were to be lowered, it would seem as if our country is encouraging our youth to drink alcohol. The amount of 18-, 19-, and 20-year-olds who drink alcohol would go up if it were legal. However, this is a bad thing, because younger people usually are not smart enough to make good decisions. If an 18-year-old is drunk, they are more likely to drive, or drink even more, because they lack the correct decisionmaking skills of an adult. If an adult is drunk, they will usually make a better decision, because their brains are more developed than a teen’s.

“If 18-year-olds are allowed to vote, then they should be allowed to drink,” the junior also said. “In America, you basically become an adult at age 18, therefore, you should be allowed to drink alco-

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hol at that age.”

This junior does make a decent point. At age 18, U.S. citizens gain many more rights than they previously had, so why should they not be allowed to drink alcohol? The reason is to keep them safe. Although turning 18 is a sign of adulthood, it is not safe to allow 18-, 19-, and 20-year-olds to drink.

Senior Kelsie Loumeau also made a valid argument regarding the drinking age.

“If people can join the military at age 18, then they should be able to drink at 18,” Loumeau stated.

If a person is located on a military base outside of the U.S., then it is up to their commander whether or not they are allowed to drink, even if they are only 18 years old. However, if you are located on a base within the U.S., you cannot drink until 21, unless your commander makes an exception. So if you join the military at age 18, then there is a chance you will be able to consume alcohol.

For the overall safety of our country’s teenagers, the drinking age should not be changed. Alcohol endangers their own lives and the lives of others. If the drinking age were to be lowered, then the 18-, 19-, and 20-year-olds will most likely abuse their new freedom, just like 21-year-olds often do now.

Being able to drink alcohol is not a matter of adulthood versus childhood; it is a matter of safety, responsibility, and the overall well-being of our country’s youth. Alcohol will endanger the life of the person drinking it, and even the people around them.

That is why the drinking age should remain at 21.

April 10, 2014

Photo courtesey of Getty Images

Opinion

Connor Polk Staff Writer

Can I Offer You an EyeD? Have you ever wished that you could be under birth, menu preferences at Taco Bell, and mother’s constant supervision by LHS? That those friendly maiden name, providing exact location within the faces you see in all the offices every day of the school. This information is then sent to a room week could track your every move, having knowlonly just short of NSA headquarters filled with edge of nearly every aspect of your life? overpaid grunts hunched over computer screens.

Well, before you answer those questions, conIma Stocker, a spokesperson for this new techsider the fact that high schools around the country nology, said, “It’s a really great way to connect are considering and, in some cases, administering with the students as well as keep them on track mandatory ID tracking. Before you dismiss this during school. Once you figure out who a person as ridiculous or impossible, think about how a talks to, what they eat, what hallways they take, multitude of Texas campuses have already done what bathrooms they go to, or what way they take this, students as young as preschool age are enduring this in California, and plenty of pilot programs are starting in schools around the country.

After hearing about this development, I jumped at the opportunity to volunteer as a subject to endure this life if it were ever to become a reality at LHS. For those really looking for a further commitment to their high school (don’t worry, you don’t have to date LHS… at least not openly), this is the technology for you.

For those who will do anything and everything to distance themselves from this place as much as possible, well, tough.

The device is a radiofrequency identification device, or RFID, and they The prototype ID tracker for the experimental LHS program. can be put in anything that’s used daily, from an ID card to clothes to being implanted in your brain (that one is still a to school, you really feel like that relationship has work in progress). Specifically, if it were an ID, a been taken to a new level.” lanyard, its weight proportional to your athleticism While this constant supervision can be a little (it makes it harder to run), worn around the neck unnerving, it’s really all about the perspective you would be the most likely thing for it to come to. take. Mr. Al Waiswaching, a major proponent of The device emits a radio signal that links to the this technology, said, “It’s kind of like spending student’s social security number, address, date of time with a friend, except that friend doesn’t know

Opinion

April 10, 2014

you’re spending time with them, and you’re not really friends.”

From a subjective point of view, while it may be daunting to know that you have Big Brother breathing down your neck every waking second of the day, it’s kind of nice to know someone’s always there. From those quiet, slightly less-thandiscreet whispers I hear when I’m alone, to the constant pair of eyes darting around corners when I turn my head, it’s like I always have someone by my side.

Honestly, besides the constant emotional distress and invasion of privacy, I don’t feel much of a downside. I could always just go to a school counselor if it became a real problem, but I don’t even think I would have to say anything; I mean, what do they not know by now?

Let’s lay it all out here: it’s a potential way to use both huge amounts of money and employee time to simply ensure a student’s location and to determine whether or not they are truant when not in class or if they are not up to no good.

Obviously, these are just the advertised uses (I mean, there’s no real reason to talk about how they can track behaviors, Photo by Bailey Schmid friend groups, tendencies to wander, or even bathroom usage).

For me, besides the fact that I didn’t realize there was no way to opt out after agreeing to this, I have found this to be a pretty enriching experience. The fact alone that a school is already willing to spend mass amounts of funding and employee time in order to do what an abundance of surveillance cameras and security guards already do is pretty inspiring.

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Blazer: The Last Man Back

By Nick Vittore

Photo Courtesy of the LHS boys lacrosse team LHS goalie Cole Blazer reaches down to make a save during warmups before a game against Lake Forest last year.

Imagine a ball being fired 80 miles an hour at you from point-blank range. At that speed, it takes .4 seconds for a batter to react to a pitch in baseball, and .25 seconds for a lacrosse goalie to react to a midrange shot.

For LHS lacrosse goalie and senior Cole Blazer, facing a barrage of shots is normal, and his ability to do it has helped him earn his position as starting goalie at LHS. It may also help him replicate those results at a Division I college.

There is a saying that some things were just written in the stars, and that statement could not be more accurate to describe the process Blazer underwent to become the goalie he is today. Starting lacrosse in 3rd grade, he played in a youth league at the Sports Complex whilst playing other sports like baseball and football during the remainder of the calendar year. While playing lacrosse, Blazer enjoyed playing on offense for four years, when a revelation dawned upon him: Why not play goalie?

“In 7th grade, while I was playing in a spring league, my brother had just switched positions to play goalie for LHS,” said Blazer, who previously had never even considered stepping into the cage. “In my backyard, I would play goalie, and my brother would teach me proper goalie technique.”

Then, Cole got his chance. “I was still not too interested in playing goalie, but a goalie on my lacrosse team got injured before a game, and I was granted permission by the coach to replace him,” he revealed. “I adjusted very well, and consistently played well, and I learned that goalie was the position for me.”

In the eyes of boys lacrosse head coach Brady Sullivan, Blazer’s talent at goalie was apparent early on. “I realized he had potential when I was evaluating him,” the coach said. “By the time he was going into 8th grade, the varsity players, myself, and the assistant coach would shoot at full speed on him,” he said. “Our then-assistant coach Steven Brooks, who is a current professional player, was shooting shots at over 100 miles per hour at him.”

Blazer cites the early transition to goalie as key, and although his

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position is selective, he thinks it would have only been harder if he waited longer. “I was still young and developing as a player,” he said. “I think if I first transitioned to goalie during high school, it would have been more difficult.”

That’s not to say that Blazer’s path has been free of its bumps and bruises. While playing goalie in the spring of his freshman year, an opponent struck a shot at his collarbone, breaking the bone. Despite being sidelined for six weeks, Blazer was thankful that the injury was not worse. “There are many sports injuries that involve ligaments, like ACL injuries, and many injuries involve tendons, too. Injuries to those parts of the body often result in athletes having to go through physical rehabilitation. I went through a six-week recovery period for the bone to heal without having to do that,” he said. Blazer was able to return to competitive lacrosse early in his sophomore year, and after a handful of practices, was back in the cage for his sophomore season.

In addition to playing lacrosse in orange and black, Blazer has suited up for multiple club teams over the years. When he first started high school, he played for a team called Team One, which is based in both Milwaukee and Glenview. While Blazer enjoyed his experience there, he decided to join a new program at the start of his sophomore year called True Lacrosse, headquartered in Elmhurst. Blazer initially thought True Lacrosse was the better fit for him, and he looks back on the decision with no regrets. “They (True Lacrosse) had a very strong team and the goalie coach was very good,” he said.

No matter how much one loves a sport, it requires tenacity to play for a club team in addition to playing for a high school team.

But Blazer has several memories from his past with True Lacrosse that reflect his passion for the game. One memory from the summer going into his junior year particularly stands out. “True Lacrosse had organized a month-long trip where we were out on the east coast in which we played in tournaments on the weekends and we visited different colleges during the weekdays,” he recalled.

April 10, 2014

Feature

Photo Courtesy of the LHS boys lacrosse team Blazer heads to the goal in a game versus Stevenson a year ago.

Photo Courtesy of the LHS boys lacrosse team Blazer stands in goal in a 2013 game versus Glenbrook North.

“Other coaches observed us and we got to visit many different cities. I was very fortunate to do that.”

By overcoming the adversity of injuries, limiting his offseason, and pulling off a 4.019 weighted GPA on top of lacrosse, it was no accident that Blazer became a force to be reckoned with. The results speak for themselves: Blazer was a key asset in the Wildcats’ third-place finish in the state finals last year.

In fact, it was their final win of last year, a third round win at higher seeded Glenbrook North, that stands out as his favorite memory playing for LHS. That win avenged their 2012 postseason home loss to the same team.

“That was definitely my favorite memory thus far with LHS,” he said. “Every Wildcat player played phenomenal, myself included, and we were able to beat them.”

By being a strong goalie, Blazer is also reliable. Senior forward Nick Bagatti says having a goalie as reliable as Blazer instills confidence in the team. “Stronger goalies can handle high shots to the stick side easier and read bounces off of the ground a lot easier,” remarked Bagatti. “When the team is not performing very well, Cole is able to lift us up by employing these skills.”

Unfortunately, LHS was eliminated after losing in the 4th round to Loyola.

But 2013 raised the bar of expectation for Blazer and the Cats going forward.

Even despite losing 17 seniors from last year, Blazer is optimistic about this

season. “We have a lot more spots to fill… but there’s not a doubt in my mind that the players will do well this year,” he stated. “We are definitely not short on senior leadership this year, and seniors such as Nick Bagatti will lead by example for the younger guys.”

Even with new faces, Coach Sullivan agrees that Libertyville can match last year’s success this time around, and he trusts Blazer to get the W in pressure situations. “We have the potential to be as good or better than last year, but if guys are not working their hardest, we may very well come short of that mark,” he reflected. “Cole will protect us in close games. He can make up for a lot of mistakes and inexperience.”

In the short term, Blazer wants his experience to pay dividends when the season starts. But after the final horn, Blazer is hoping his long-term goal will take shape: playing at the next level. “I am hoping to play Division One collegiate lacrosse,” he explained. He explained the difficulty of being recruited in a midwest player pool that he believes receives noticeably less attention from elite schools out east, many in which are his college preferences. There are four schools he is considering walking on to play at: the University of Virginia, Marquette, Villanova, and Bucknell. He has been observed by all of those teams.

As the last man back, a strong goalie must be reliable. Look no further than Cole Blazer to uphold that responsibility.

“By the time he was going into 8th grade...our then-assistant coach Steven Brooks, who is a current professional player, was shooting shots at over 100 miles per hour at him.”

--Coach Sullivan

Feature

April 10, 2014

29

Max Effort

By Tyler Skinner

Photo courtesy of Mr. Benjamin Zollo

Libertyville junior Max Roberts runs cross country and track; he has lofty goals for the upcoming season and beyond.

I

n his freshman year, current junior Max Roberts was leading the whole race in the 110 meter hurdles. Roberts was a hurdle ahead of the next closest opponent when he got to the last hurdle of the race. He clipped that last hurdle and face-planted on the track.

With the finish line so close, Roberts used his arms and propelled himself forward to preserve his lead.

“I literally just threw myself forward and I crawled over the line… and won!” Roberts said with a laugh. “That left some bruises.”

That race in his freshman year is symbolic of Roberts’s life. He has a lot of natural talent, but that is not enough to win races. Many times in his life, that natural talent has been tested with adversity, but his hard work and determination have always taken over.

His love for running came from an early age; Roberts’s dad ran track for

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Kansas University. “Wanting to do track came from growing up around the sport,” Roberts said.

Growing up around the sport turned into living around the sport. Roberts has a hurdle blocking the doorway to his room, so he can’t go to bed or start his day without doing yet another hurdle. He ran track and cross country at Oak Grove Middle School, and was successful even at an early age. In the seventh grade, Roberts made it to state and won; he returned the next year to take second in State.

By the time he got to high school, Roberts was known as one of (if not the best) track runners in his grade. During track in his freshman year, however, Roberts tore both of his quads. That could have easily derailed, or at the least set back his track career, but he continued to run through it.

April 10, 2014

Feature

Running constantly, normally to music from his phone, he pushed through. Listening to anything from Jack Johnson to Skrillex, Roberts kept getting better.

At the end of sophomore year, Roberts was finally recovered from his torn quads and was running faster than ever. He eventually placed second at Sectionals last year in the 300 meter hurdles, qualifying him for State.

“That was when I realized, oh man, I can do a lot more than I thought I was capable of,” Roberts said.

After spending six days a week training, Roberts was competing in the preliminaries at State when the runner on the inside lane hit their own hurdle, which flew into Roberts’ lane, tripping him. Then a sophomore, Roberts hit his shin, ultimately finishing 18th at State.

“It wasn’t a great experience to lose in that fashion, but it was good for me to get a feel of competing at that level,” Roberts said.

Roberts doesn’t only go all out for track and cross country; he has also held jobs that take up a lot of time. In the summer going into his junior year, Roberts worked in the restaurant at the Botanic Gardens. After quitting that, he recently got a job at newly opened Trader Joe’s. “School, run, work,” is how Roberts described his life.

Because track is a spring sport, colleges will not be able to judge a runner based on senior results, making junior year of utmost importance. The track team just finished up the indoor season, which is seen as a preseason to the outdoor track season, but Roberts is still showing improvement. To prepare for the season, Roberts has been running up to four events at the indoor meets, including races directly after one another. The

“My goal is to run track in college... Divsion One.” -Max Roberts

Photos by Alex Zoellick Roberts (above, right, and below) runs during the first outdoor meet of the 2014 season against Vernon Hills earlier this month. He won both of these races.

events he has been competing in show his far-reaching talents. He has been going from the low hurdles (a sprint) to running a mile (long run) to the 1600 meter relay (a mid-run).

“He has a unique skillset, that he can do [different events] successfully at a meet,” track coach Mr. Benjamin Zollo said.

The indoor season has helped Roberts with his outdoor event, the 300 hurdles, because this season, he got his strides down to three in between hurdles, which is the goal for hurdles runners. That is a big improvement for Roberts, seeing as just last season he was “five-stepping” the hurdles.

“My goal is to run track in college… Division one,” Roberts said.

The spring season started on April 1, in an away meet against Vernon Hills. Roberts ran in three separate events in that first meet. He took second in the 4x8 relay, won the 300 meter hurdles, and led off for the 4x4 hurdles, which also won. The next competition will be Saturday, April 12 in the St. Charles Invite.

Feature

April 10, 2014

31

Cats Go Collegiate

By Natalie Zeng

“I joked around when I was younger saying that I would [play in college] and I would get a scholarship so my parents wouldn’t have to pay for anything. It kinda just worked out for the best and I got lucky with this scholarship.”

--Anthony Monken Any high school athlete will tell you that they’ve thought about competing at the collegiate level at least once. Those with the passion, dedication and talent actively pursue the student-athlete’s ultimate goal of not only competing, but using athletics as a way to pay for higher education. But before any student can play their way through college, they must endure the long and highly regulated process of college recruiting.

A student becomes a “prospective student-athlete” at the start of freshman year. While communication between student and university is not initiated at such an early point in the process, a student-athlete’s main focus is on achieving and maintaining academic eligibility. For Division I schools, a student must maintain a minimum 2.3 GPA and complete sixteen core courses, including English, math, science, and social studies. Division II schools require a 2.0 GPA and the same sixteen core courses. Division III schools each set their own academic eligibility standards. “[Academics are] so important,” said LHS senior Devika Joshi, who will be playing on the women’s water polo team for Iona College next year. “[Coaches] want to see somebody’s hard work, and they aren’t going to let you play if you have bad grades. In college, if you start

Devika Joshi plays against Mundelein last year.

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Photo courtesy of Devika Joshi

getting bad grades, they’re going to make you not play and get your grades because that’s the number one priority. So in high school they want to see you do well.”

It is during the sophomore year that communication is initiated between student and university. The recruiting process is bound to strict regulations that vary by division and sport, but generally, students may begin receiving questionnaires and brochures advertising training camps and are permitted to make calls to coaches.

However, coaches are Alex Snarski signs his NLI for Northwestern University prohibited from calling or contacting student-athletes off-campus at this time.

“The NCAA has a lot of regulations on the recruiting process,” said LHS Athletic Director Mr. Briant Kelly. “Basically it’s to help level the playing field for the colleges so that those with more money available to them aren’t taking advantage of that and being able to fly across the country and recruit. So by leveling the playing field it allows some of the other colleges and universities that don’t have as much money or resources available to them to also follow the same rules and be able to recruit the kids. And also I think at the same time [the amount of contact] was getting out of hand...so now it’s, ‘Here’s the time college coaches can contact high school kids.’”

Also during sophomore year, student-athletes must register with the NCAA Eligibility Center, which certifies the academic and amateur credentials of prospective student-athletes who wish to compete in Division I or II athletic programs. Students must submit general information, such as address and date of birth, along with the name and location of the student’s high school and the sport or sports in which they plan on participating. Division III student athletes are not registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center because Division III institutions set their own individual academic standards.

Junior year is by far the most important year in the recruiting process, both academically and athletically. All ACT and SAT test scores must be reported to the NCAA Eligibility Center, and students must earn a minimum combined sum SAT or ACT score that corresponds to their GPA on a sliding scale, based on division. For example, if a student was looking at a Division I school with a 3.0 GPA, they would need each subsection of their ACT (English, math, reading, and science) to total at least 52.

It is during this year that student-athletes begin “self-recruiting” -- sending universities highlight reels, sports resumes, and letters of introduction.

April 10, 2014

Sports

“When I talked to coaches, I sent them a list of all my times,” said LHS senior Alex Snarski, who received a scholarship to compete on the men’s swim team at Northwestern. “I emailed a bunch of coaches and gave them my number and email address and stuff, and I told them they could call me whenever they want, or my coaches if they needed any other information.”

It’s important for students to make themselves known to coaches and universities because there’s no possible way for each head coach to review every player at every high school in the nation. Coaches may call students at most once per week and are permitted to visit off-campus.

They may also observe a practice or competition, depending on division and sport.

Senior year is when communication between athlete and university is at its peak. Coaches may begin offering official visits, where students and their parents are invited to tour campus, observe sports practices, talk to current players, and attend sports events, all at the expense of the university. Coaches are also allowed to evaluate a player’s athletic performance at practices and competitions. “[Coaches would] try to sell their team to me, saying that their team is the best and stuff,” said Snarski. “I’d just ask questions like How will I fit on the team? What is the team chemistry like? to try to find out what the team is like. Once a week, the coaches would call me and we’d talk.”

If a student is wanted by a university, they will be offered a National Letter of Intent, or NLI. By signing an NLI, the student agrees to attend the designated institution for one academic year. Outlined in the NLI is an agreement to provide the student with a certain amount of athletic financial aid, which is determined at the discretion of the institution.

While Division I and II schools may offer athletic scholarships, Division III schools are prohibited from doing so in order to “minimize potential conflicts between athletics and academics,” according to the NCAA Guide for the College Bound Student Athlete. “[Colleges] have so many scholarships per sport,” said Mr. Kelly.

Anthony Monken signs his NLI for ULM Sports

“Some sports have big, big rosters and are considered revenue sports, so they will have more scholarships available.

But, with Title IX, it has opened up the doors so that some of the nonrevenue sports and also female sports are getting the same amount of opportunities with scholarships.”

After signing an NLI, all other institutions are prohibited from recruiting the committed student.

But what’s the likelihood of all this happening, anyway? According to the NCAA, only about 2% of high school athletes receive scholarSnarski swims the backstroke ships to compete at the collegiate level. LHS senior Anthony Monken is one of the lucky few, for he has received a full scholarship to play football for the University of Louisiana at Monroe.

“It didn’t hit me until a little bit later that night and I was talking to my family about it. I joked around when I was younger saying that I would [play in college] and I would get a scholarship so my parents wouldn’t have to pay for anything. It kinda just worked out for the best and I got lucky with this scholarship,” he said.

Unless otherwise stated, all photos courtesy of the LHS Athletic Department April 10, 2014

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Michelle Mueller: ICE SKATING Senior Michelle Mueller has ice skated since she was three years old. Her entire family skates, except her dad. She practices every day for three hours, other than Sunday. All this hard work has paid off because she competes at the highest level possible, senior, and placed top 7 in the upper great lakes regionals this past season in 2013. She also qualified for the Illinois Grand Prix, where she placed 1st last summer. Her funniest moment was when she forgot her program routine during a competition and had to make up a routine on the spot.

Photo courtesy of Michelle Mueller Senior Michelle Mueller skating at the upper great lakes regionals, where she placed 7th.

All-star athlete By: Shelly Schick & Mike Gasick

Emily Shull: ROWING/MOUNTAIN BIKING

Photo courtesy of Karen Shull Senior Emily Shull gets ready to start a rowing practice.

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Senior Emily Shull rows and mountain bikes outside of school. She was recruited by the University of Iowa on a mountain biking scholarship but then “talent transferred” to rowing. She travels to the university about once a month, where she participates in clinics and camps. She started rowing last February and fell in love with the sport. Shull was mountain biking Midwest regional champion two years in a row and also finished fourth at nationals three years ago.

According to Shull, the worst part about the sport are the rowing machines used in practice because of the hard work they present. Shull, however, has as much fun as she can with the sport. Shull’s favorite memory from her rowing career came when her rowing team of eight was ready to start a race and a spider jumped onto the boat. Shull was the only one to scream, and her teammates have not forgotten about the incident to this day.

April 10, 2014

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Tad Carlson: FENCING Senior Tad Carlson has been fencing for 5 years. He currently fences at the Libertyville Tennis Club and also competes for the high school’s fencing team. The high school team fences from November through early February, competing in different tournaments. Carlson has proven to be one of the best fencers on the team. He placed second in an intrasquad tournament in November and placed third in a different intrasquad tournament in February.

“It’s like a game of physical chess,” stated Carlson. “It’s thought and skill in performance.”

According to Carlson, the best part about participating in different tournaments is meeting new people and learning from their experiences. His favorite moment came when the team traveled to the University of Chicago to compete in a tournament earlier this year.

There, the whole team was cheering on a teammate that made it far in the tournament and supported him throughout all of his matches.

Photo courtesy of Kent Carlson Senior Tad Carlson competes in one of his fencing matches.

es Outside of LHS Erin Kowalski: HORSEBACK RIDING

Photo courtesy of Erin Kowalski Senior Erin Kowalski riding in a show at Dunham Woods Riding Club in Wayne, Illinois.

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Senior Erin Kowalski started horseback riding four years ago. She horseback rides at Equidream School of Horsemanship in Grayslake and spends eight hours of the week practicing. Her biggest accomplishment was making it to the finals of a derby competition. She feels as though her horse, Harley, is a spitting image of herself; both are funny, alert, and love food. The day she met him, she went to sit next to him and he laid his head on her lap and instantly she fell in love. In college, Erin wants to be an equine physical therapist, helping horses when they get hurt or sick and need rehabilitation.

April 10, 2014

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