Danielle Molnar and her transgender father p. 10-11
Cheating or Completing? p. 16-18
Tennis star Ben VanDixhorn p. 28-29
APRIL 30, 2015 VOLUME 88, ISSUE 7
Super siblings p. 30-31
LETTER TO THE READER 2014/15 STAFF LIST Alex Zoellick, Editor in Chief Kyle Laska, News Editor Ryan Jackson, Feature Editor Mike Gasick, Sports Editor Tom Ackerman, Opinion Editor Hannah Jenkins, Opinion Editor Korina Valenzuela, Photo Editor Maddie Salata, Layout Editor Abby St. Claire, Layout Editor Katie Vrba, Social Media Editor Manal Ahmed Lola Akinlade David Black Hannah Boufford Josh Bragg Becky DeAcetis Anna Demartini Kayla Fiore Lauren Forrest Alo Garcia-Escobar Olivia Griffith Emily Hamilton Eryka Jones Conor Kennedy Jake Luce Jarrett Malec Jack Murphy Tia Petrzilka Connor Polk Jillian Ruff Puja Saha Tyler Skinner Marijke Sommer Gabrielle Struik Maria Thames Sara Thunga Jasmine Turner Kate Vittore Jake Vogt Madeline Werner Kaitlyn Zabadal
DEAR READER... I think we can safely say we have finally made it through another brutal and treacherous Chicago winter. Snow plows are out of sight, and the words “wind chill” can be put off for (hopefully) the next winter. The trees have begun to bud, and as soon as we know it, a well-deserved summer will mark the end of the school year. As we head down the final stretch, final exams, AP exams, and other end-of-the-year projects still stand in the way before the 2014-2015 school year comes to a close. But don’t worry, picking up and reading an issue of Drops of Ink can alleviate some of the stresses that are brought upon by the end-of-the-year workload. As you can tell, our cover is a bit different than what our Drops of Ink design and photo editors have done in the past. The different cover pictures are of siblings who compete in the same sport. The story highlights how younger siblings have a bit more pressure placed on them, knowing that their brothers or sisters went through the same program with often times the same coaches. In addition to this story, you will find two of our staff writers debate whether or not college athletes should be paid, a profile on sewing and foods teacher Mrs. Patterson, along with a look at Libertyville history. Furthermore, this issue includes a look at how LHS will see an increase in its enrollment with their annexation of the Lancaster area. So, as a way to get through the grind of school work down the stretch, just think that the last Drops of Ink of the year will be in your hands at the end of May, as you head out the school doors and into the summer sun.
SINCERELY,
Michael Gluskin, Faculty Adviser DROPS OF INK 2
MIKE
4-7 News 8-9 What’s Happening & What’s Trending 10-11 Becoming Us 12-13 Cooking up a Career 14-15 Tools for Life 16-18 Cheat to Complete 19-21 A Look at Historical Libertyville 22 Staff Editorial: No Valedictorian, No Problem 23-25 Opinion 26-27 Libertyville’s Pastime 28-29 Advantage: VanDixhorn 30-31 Double Trouble
Find out about the latest at LHS, including StuCo’s end-of-the-year efforts and a new subdivision that will be feeding into Libertyville school districts.
Think you know what’s happening right now? Check out topics from the new “Star Wars” to relations with Cuba. Also see the latest trends about selfie sticks and new emojis.
Broaden your perspective with the story of a senior student, Danielle Molnar, who has a transgender father. Beloved teacher Mrs. Monica Patterson is retiring. Check out her impact at LHS and all she has done.
Ever wonder about what goes on in the woodshop? Read about some of the classwork and behind-the-scenes action.
What actually consists of cheating in school? Explore the idea in the feature.
A blast from the past: See famous places in Libertyville and the transformations they have undergone (complete with trivia!)
Our staff sheds light on the history and our opinions of LHS’s decision to omit valedictorians.
Included are in this issue are tips and tricks for those pesky AP tests, trends in name-brand colleges and different thoughts on paying college atheletes.
College-bound senior baseball players Mitch Townsend and Jimmy Govern give details into their high school careers. His teammates and tennis coach discuss the innate talent of four-year varsity tennis player Ben VanDixhorn.
Take a look at six pairs of super-siblings who participate in the same sport, and their views on competing together.
Cover photo and design by Korina Valenzuela DROPS OF INK
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Student Council Undertakes Big Projects as School Year Ends By Kyle Laska As the end of the year draws closer, Student Council is focusing on prom and the Color Run, as well as an all-school video, as their main projects for the time being. With the two events just a month away, Student Council has decided to push these projects to the forefront. With the “Come Sail Away” theme of the LHS Prom, a lot of time and money has gone into making the event special. Prom will take place on the Spirit of Chicago, a 600-person cruise ship, according to spiritcruises.com, that sails from Navy Pier. This doesn’t come cheap, as it also includes an open buffet, as opposed to previous years, in which there was one meal option. In order to help compensate for the lavish prom experience, Student Council has done a couple of things, including slightly raising prom tickets by $5. According to senior and Executive Board member Shannon Roche, the tickets “should’ve gone up closer [to] $15 to actually compensate.” In order to help subsidize the costs, Student Council is opening the Prom Boutique. The boutique is an online shop, through the company Customized Garb, in which students can get prom memorabilia and gear, instead of getting little tokens throughout the night. For example, last year students received a poker chip and a deck of cards with the prom logo, but this year, students can buy anything from t-shirts to drawstring bags to water bottles. More items tie in with the theme. These include tank tops, beach towels, and even sandals. In keeping with the tradition of males getting their female dates a picture frame, a 5 x 7 picture frame with an engraved prom logo can be purchased on the site for only $10. Unfortunately for females, they cannot buy their dates the traditional flask from the online boutique. According to senior Shannon Miller, the site is great idea that should make money, even if girls can’t buy the flasks. “The site is really easy to use and the stuff on there isn’t expensive at all. I understand why they wouldn’t sell the flasks but it’s sort of unfair that the boys have an easy place to get the frames. The rest of the stuff on the site is really cool though,” reasoned Miller. The site can be reached by going to the LHS homepage and clicking the link found under the “School News” area. “The hope is that instead of getting the little favors that people usually get and don’t use or they get rid of, that this year they can go online and buy something nice that they’ll want to keep and use again,” explained Roche. “The stuff we’re selling is more high quality than the stuff students got in previous years.” While prom has consumed a lot of the time that Student Council has,
Photo courtesy of spiritcruises.com Prom, which will take place on the Spirit of Chicago (above), will be accompanied by the Prom Boutique, an online store, to raise money for the expensive event.
Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia The first-ever LHS Color Run will raise money for the Safe Water Kenya Foundation. they have still put a lot of effort into the color run. The LHS Color Run will be on Saturday, May 9, starting at noon. The cost is $30 for ages 13 and up, and it takes runners on a 2.6-mile course beginning at LHS and wrapping around Butler Lake. The run will be hosted by 102.3 XLC, a radio station headquartered in Lake County. While all of this is expensive to cover, there hasn’t been too much in terms of fundraising, much to the thanks of local businesses. According to junior and Executive Board President Cam Chen, there has been a lot of money coming in from donations. “The community has been so helpful to us. Jet’s Pizza has donated pizza to us; Mickey Finn’s gave us a ton of gift cards and money. The whole goal of this is to help the foundation of Safe Water – Kenya, and the donations have allowed us to focus more on the event than the fundraising, which is great,” said Chen. The objective of these events is to make them memorable, with a lasting impact. Besides prom and the Color Run, there is another project that Student Council is working on that they hope will have a lasting effect for years to come. Senior and Executive Board member Joey Pucino is heading the project of organizing a school-wide video. The video, which will be shown at an all-school assembly at the end of May, as well as at future freshmen orientations, looks to “increase school spirit, showcase the campus, and promote clubs, sports, and academics,” according to Pucino. The basic premise of the video is to go throughout the school and campus with a camera as different groups are set up showcasing their faction. The video was inspired by other schools who have made these “lip-dub” videos, in which the camera travels accompanied by students lip-syncing and dancing. The students will dance and sing and lead the camera to the next location, where it will focus on the next specific group or set of people. The music hasn’t yet been selected but according to Pucino, “no matter what song [Student Council] choose[s] it’ll be upbeat and fun.” “We will have a track through the school, and people will have signs and be supporting their groups, grades, sports, etc. It will be filmed on a Tuesday during an assembly schedule,” stated Pucino. The Tuesday of filming will be May 19, the day after senior ditch day. For more information on both prom and the LHS Color Run, visit lhsdoi.com.
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Dispensing the Truth About Medical Marijuana By David Black
Photo by David Black Although formal rules have not yet been finalized regarding distribution of medical marijuana in Illinois, school nurse Ms. Cameron Traut said that it “is a possibility in the future” that she would dispense the drug to students who were prescribed to take it.
There have been murmurs of a medical cannabis dispensary opening up in the Libertyville area, and with the recent updraft of support for medical cannabis legalization sweeping throughout the nation, Libertyville has taken steps to prepare for the future. In 2013, the state of Illinois passed the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program Act, which allowed for up to 60 licensed dispensaries for medical cannabis to be dispersed throughout the state. There are up to 35 qualifying conditions to receive treatment, including HIV/AIDS, Parkinson’s disease, cancer, and Tourette’s syndrome. Although the bill was signed by former-Governor Pat Quinn, there has yet to be a provision to vet those who would be licensed to dispense the drug, and thus the process of getting the dispensaries open has been delayed. In 2014, following the state law on the subject, Libertyville passed a zoning law regarding medical cannabis cultivation centers, establishing that these cultivation centers must be 2,500 feet from any schools, day cares, or residential areas. In addition to other important distinctions and restrictions, anyone under the age of 21 would not be permitted to enter the facility. Medical cannabis dispensaries faced similar regulations, with a mandatory 1,000-foot boundary between them and schools and day cares, and they cannot be within a residential zone. Libertyville designed its laws in preparation for the possibility of a medical cannabis dispensary laying its roots in Libertyville, but as of now, they will not be put into action. According to the Chicago Tribune, “all three medical marijuana dispensary permits in Lake County
[went] to Mundelein.” That said, if medical cannabis was prescribed to students in Libertyville, the medication of those in school would have to be handled by school practitioners. According to school nurse Cameron Traut, who spoke about whether the school would ever dispense medical marijuana to students via the nurse’s office, “Yes, this is a possibility in the future. I think it’s still a little too early in the legislative process, as rules for the dispensing and administration of medical marijuana in certain situations are still being developed.” Ms. Traut noted that there had been informal discussions about medical marijuana treatment for children and its possible administration in schools, but nothing has been discussed formally. She suggested possible strategies the school might use, saying, “To begin with, my guess is that it would be treated as we do with controlled substance medications (i.e. ADHD medications such as Adderall and Ritalin), which require us to store it in a certain way and requires administration by a licensed healthcare professional such as a registered nurse or physician licensed to administer medications.” Ms. Traut emphasized that “The bottom line is safety and health of all students, so as with any implementation of a law concerning medication administration in a school setting, there are many factors to review and consider before implementing the law.” Mr. Bob Uliks, the School Resource Officer, spoke on the legal side of the subject: “There is a zero tolerance [policy for cannabis in school]. Any form. Any shape. The punishments are pretty severe if you’re caught with drugs, or if you’re under the influence [at school].
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Lancaster subdivision breaks boundaries By Jasmine Turner
Screenshots courtesy of MapQuest.com Highlighted in purple, this map shows the estimated route of 14 minutes from the Lancaster subdivision (A) to Libertyville High School (B).
On September 30 of last year, the subdivision of Lancaster, which is located in the Southeastern part of Warren Township High School’s (WTHS) district, was granted their petition to annex themselves into Oak Grove and Libertyville High School’s districts. The petition was originally filed on June 25, 2012, where it was signed by two thirds of the citizens of the subdivision. The subdivision of Lancaster currently has a Libertyville mailing address. However, it is formally considered part of the city of Waukegan. The subdivision has 80 single-family homes in which there are 25 children attending kindergarten through eighth grade and 15 attending WTHS. Woodlands School District 50, where the kids of Lancaster currently attend, is comprised of four separate schools divided by primary, elementary, intermediate, and middle school, and has approximately 6,000 students. WTHS is comprised of two separate campuses divided by freshmen and sophomores in one building and juniors and seniors in another. WTHS has about 4,500 students in total. In contrast, Oak Grove is one school building housing kindergarten through eighth grade and has approximately 833 kids. Libertyville is also one school building, with approximately 2,000 students in attendance. The petition was proposed when the parents of the students in the Lancaster subdivision felt that their children’s education needs were not being met by Woodlands and WTHS. The petitioners presented testimony from Timothy F. Brown , chair of the department of education at Argosy University’s Chicago campus, in which he opined that due to the “data of literature as being an indicative of school quality: student mathematics achievement scores, student cohort size and student engagement” that the students would receive a better education at Oak Grove and Libertyville. The petition was met with harsh retaliation by all four school districts. Mary Perry-Bates, the interim superintendent for WTHS, suggest-
Highlighted in purple, this map shows the estimated route of 9 minutes from the Lancaster subdivision (A) to Warren Township High School’s O’Plaine Campus (B).
ed that a significant number of Brown’s opinions were unsupported or contradicted by the research he cited. Specifically, from the official case report of Merchant v. Regional Board of Trustees, she challenged his statement that mathematics achievement is influenced more by teacher instruction than is achievement in other subjects. Dr. Prentiss Lea, superintendent of Libertyville’s district, Community High School District 128, testified that he disagreed with the petitioners’ assertion that the Lancaster children would receive a better education at LHS than they would at WHS; in his view “the education provided at WHS was similarly excellent.” The petition was denied on Jan 3, 2013, meaning the Lancaster subdivision would remain in the Woodland and WTHS school districts. The residents of Lancaster later appealed to the Circuit Court, which then overturned the original decision declaring annexation from Woodland and WTHS to Oak Grove and District 128 to commence. However, all four districts opposed the appeal. After the Circuit Court’s decision, all four school districts then appealed the decision to the Illinois Appellate Court System, where, after hearing the case, the Appellate Court affirmed the previous decision, meaning the Lancaster annexation would take place. The school districts finally appealed to the Illinois Supreme Court, hoping to overturn the lower court’s ruling on Jan. 2, 2015, when the Supreme Court decided it would not hear the case. Thus, effective July 1, the school district boundaries will change for all students living in the Lancaster subdivision. The students will attend Oak Grove and Libertyville High School. There will be an estimated 40-70 extra students attending Oak Grove and Libertyville at the beginning of fall of 2015. According to the Chicago Tribune, registration will occur before the end of the current school year, from which there will be a more accurate number of new students.
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Meet the Candidates
By Alejandro Garcia Escobar
Photo courtesy of MCT Campus The United States presidential election of 2016 will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. The two major parties in the United States --the Democratic Party and the Republican Party-- will compete for the votes of Americans on November 4, 2016, but before that occurs, each party must select its candidate in a set of grueling primaries that will determine which candidate will represent their political party in the general election. In the Republican faction, Senator Ted Cruz from Texas has announced his candidacy for the nation’s highest office. He kicked off his campaign at Liberty University, appealing to the evangelical base, by prompting students -- who were forced to attend the assembly or suffer a $10 fine -- to imagine a United States where conservative ideology would permeate all aspects of a Cruz presidency. Hoping to shut down his rivals’ chances of obtaining the White House, Senator Rand Paul from Kentucky declared his intentions to run for the presidency, calling for a United States that reverted back to limited government and personal liberties. Both politicians have a rich history of standing next to each other on issues ranging from social policy to domestic affairs. However, Paul is notable for his more libertarian streak and his restrained view on foreign intervention, especially in the Middle East. Joining the collection of young, freshmen, Tea Party-senators is Marco Rubio; of Hispanic descent, the senator from Florida has divulged that he too will pursue the presidency. Rubio’s ethnic background -- he’s Cuban -- could help smoothen the party’s image in regards to the Hispanic vote, which has shifted to overwhelming support for the Democratic Party, making him a viable candidate in the national election. Other potential Republican candidates include Scott Walker, governor of Wisconsin; Jeb Bush, former governor of Florida; Chris Christie, governor of New Jersey; Mike Huckabee, former governor of Arkansas; Bobby Jindal, governor of Louisiana; and Carly Fiorina, a former CEO of Hewlett-Packard. None have yet declared, but the majority are expected to announce soon in order to prepare a legitimate campaign with the adequate financial backing of major donors and support of fellow party members. Compared to 2012, the Republican Party is full of new faces, attempting to offer a fresh, young alternative that can defeat the eventual Democratic nominee. Nonetheless, political analysts and pundits agree that next year’s primaries will be fiercely competitive, leaving the nomi-
nation for the taking of any candidate. “The Republicans are going to beat the heck out of each other... are they going to come out of that process so beaten up ... having to go through a competitive primary? They may come out really bloody and bruised, whoever the candidate is, it’s going to be really competitive,” stated Mr. Dennis Duffy, a government teacher at LHS. The same cannot be said about the Democratic Party. One name rings loud and clear throughout the country: Hillary Rodham Clinton. The former first lady, senator from New York, and secretary of state, released a video earlier this month, presenting a diverse collection of people, in what will become the theme of her campaign: fighting for the middle class and reducing income inequality. The momentum behind her candidacy is impressive; with universal name recognition, strong support amongst women and minorities, and with arguably no significant challengers in the primary, Clinton stands as the most obvious choice for the Democratic nomination. However, critics point out that the Clinton is too disconnected with the average American -- a caricature she has refuted several times. At the same time, former governor of Maryland, Martin O’Malley, and current vice president Joe Biden, are still deciding whether they will attempt to challenge the Clinton machine and run for president. For the politicians that have their eyes set on the Oval Office, the battle for the presidency has begun; for registered voters, a choice has emerged. Candidates will rely on their financial backbone to publicize their names and disperse their ideas, but most importantly will be their ability to whip up votes in key states across the union. Before any campaign gains enough traction to win a presidential election, it must first build momentum, and that’s where voter turnout comes to play; because after all the ads have come off the air, the debates come to a close, and the polls are finalized, it’ll be the voices of those who show up to the ballot box that count. “If voter turnout increased, I think there’d be a lot more transparency in the government. We had the lowest voter turnout for the midterm election since WWII. That was shocking,” voiced Shannon Roche, a first-semester AP government student. ”No one votes because everyone feels like their voice has no impact.”
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What’s Happening? By Josh Bragg Dzhokhar Tsarnaev found guilty after 2013 Boston Marathon bombings
After almost exactly two years since the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, the jury has reached a verdict on the status of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. The man accused of killing four citizens and injuring 280 more on April 15, 2013, was found guilty on 30 different charges, 17 of which could carry the death penalty. Tsarnaev was infamously the subject of an intense police chase on April 19, 2013, when he was eventually found hiding inside a civilian’s boat in a residential area. Despite the bombings, the Boston Marathon has not slowed down, as more than 30,000 runners participated in the 2015 Boston Marathon on April 20.
Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao: Fight of the Century?
After years of speculation and hype, the fight is on. On May 2, the undefeated Floyd Mayweather will face off against arguably his toughest opponent yet, Manny Pacquiao. The idea had been proposed as early as December 2009, according to ESPN, but has been postponed countless times to the point where many people believed it would never even occur. The fight will take place in an arena right near Las Vegas in front of 16,800 fans. The two are considered by many to be the top pound-for-pound boxers in the world. Boxing experts believe that this will likely be the richest fight in history and should bring in more than $300 million in revenue, with pay-per-view prices expected to cost about $99.95.
Obama and Castro meet in Cuba
After more than 50 years of conflicts between the United States and Cuba, it appears that tensions might have been eased. President Obama and Raúl Castro met for the first time on April 10 at a dinner in Panama City. The relationship between the two countries had been strained ever since events such as the Bay of Pigs Invasion (1961) and the Cuban Missile Crisis (1962). Due to Cuba’s communist regime, the United States had previously attempted to rid the country of its government during the Cold War. Delegates from both sides hope that this meeting is the first step in a repaired relationship between the two Western Hemisphere nations.
Chicago’s Cardinal Francis George passes away at age 78
The Catholic Church lost a valuable member on April 17 when Cardinal Francis George, a native Archbishop of Chicago, died after a battle with bladder cancer. Cardinal George was credited as one who helped shield the Chicago church from criticism amid the sexual abuse scandals and was considered by many to be a kind-hearted, faithful priest. He retired in 2014 to focus on his recovery and was replaced by Archbishop Blase Cupich. A memorial took place on April 21 to honor the man’s life, as friends, family members, and others participated in the Catholic funeral rituals.
Star Wars trailer released at annual convention
On April 16, a teaser trailer was released to the public for “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” The video was first revealed at the Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, California, and later uploaded to YouTube. The newest movie will be the seventh edition of the “Star Wars” franchise and will be the first directed by J.J. Abrams rather than George Lucas, who owned 100 percent of Lucasfilm. Disney bought the company back in October 2012 for a whopping $4 billion. The movie is set for a Dec. 18 release date, which will test the patience of die-hard “Star Wars” fanatics.
All photos courtesy of MCT Campus
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What’s Trending By Kayla Fiore
@kristyn Triangl swim suits
@mason zavala Windbreakers
@Mellisa Bayne New emojis
Photos from Pinterest
@Maria Gurrero Man buns
@Vicki Gonzalez Fitbit watches
@Lauren Hunter High-top Converse
@Brittney Melton Long-sleeve t-shirts
@Demetra Onoufriou Layering necklaces
@travel selfies Selfie Sticks
Becoming Us by Eryka Jones
the tell all on transgender parents
While watching TV after a long day at school, some of us may have seen a familiar face in a trailer for an upcoming television show on ABC Family called “Becoming Us.” Confusion and curiosity ensue, and by the time you get to school the next day, everyone’s talking about Danielle Molnar, a senior at LHS, and her transgender father, Sally, in a TV show. “Becoming Us” is a docu-series airing on ABC Family this summer. Ben Lehwald, an Evanston Township High School senior who also has a transgender father, Carly, stars with Danielle and Sally on the show. The show is focused on the families’ relationship and captures what it’s really like having a transgender parent. Molnar described being transgender as “the off side of gender dysphoria,” a condition formerly known as gender identity disorder, “which is not identifying as the [sex] you were originally born with, and people get that confused. Transgender is not just about wearing makeup or dressing as the gender you identify as; it’s actually mentally being that gender.” As simple as it sounds, there is one question that many cisgender people, individuals who identify as the gender they were given, ask transgender people: “What do I call you?” In Sweden, they’ve acclimated a gender-neutral pronoun, “hen,” into their dictionary. He, “han” in Swedish, and she, “hon,” were the previous pronouns, but they added “hen” for practical reasons in society. By having gender-neutral pronouns, it broadens the idea of gender and makes people more open to the idea of transgender people in general. The U.S. still hasn’t developed anything like that. Molnar said her dad is called Sally or Sallydan, and uses the feminine pronoun “she.” Molnar confessed that she still struggles with the pronouns, however, she believes that, “if you do have a friend or someone in your life who is transgender, you should try to use the pronoun that they identify with because if you’re using their previous pronouns, it’s almost insulting to them.” Molnar said that during her childhood, her father was manly. “You would’ve guessed that my dad has always been very different, but growing up, my dad was a very average dad. We played sports, we did all that stuff together,” she explained. Slowly, Molnar started noticing little changes with her dad, like when he began growing his hair out, and when she got older, she saw that he was wearing makeup. Molnar said he opened up to her when she was 10 years old. “When my parents got divorced, he said he was gay and he went from being gay to being like, ‘you know, I’m not just gay I’m transgender.’” In an interview with the Chicago Tribune, Molnar said while attending Highland Middle School, she would get made fun of after people found out her dad was transgender. Although the taunting ceased in high school, Molnar is skeptical about its “open-armed” environment. “...High school in general isn’t accepting. Even [towards] gay and lesbian people; they’re still not accepting of that either... it’s almost a taboo thing in schools that when there is a person who’s dealing with identity disorder, they’re often ridiculed, made fun of or anything like that because it’s a hard thing for people to accept.” Stigmas and discrimination are still present in many places, and for LGBT rights in general, there still is a long way to go. In regards to the very controversial issue of transgenders and bathrooms, Molnar said, “I think that if I were to be transgender that would be incredibly hard to do, getting made fun of for using a bathroom that you think you should be using.” DROPS OF INK 10
The Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law claims that in 2011, 0.3 percent of the adult population identified as transgender; that’s around 700,000 people in the United States. According to Laci Green, the MTV host for the popular web show “Braless,” 70 percent of transgender people today have issues with going to the bathroom because of mocking, blocking off entrances or stalls, questioning, and even assault, which happens to 9 percent of transgender people in bathrooms. The Transgender Law and Policy Institute says there are more than 150 college campuses in the nation that have separate, gender-neutral bathrooms; however, Green views that as “separate but equal.” In this decade, more and more television shows have been providing LGBT themes. Television shows like “Modern Family,” “Glee,” “True Blood,” “Mad Men,” “Orange is the New Black,” and “The Fosters” have surely been supporters of the gay community, but when the comedy-drama Amazon series, called “Transparent,” won both a Golden Globe in 2015 and high praise from critics, a landmark for the transgender community was made. The show revolves around an L.A. family that finds out their father, Mort, is transgender. Molnar was not contractually allowed to discuss her show’s airing date, how many episodes there were, or how ABC Family contacted them initially, but she was allowed to say that filming for “Becoming Us” started in the beginning of the school year and has since ended. Molnar said that although it didn’t disrupt her life severely, she explained that “there were some nights that [we] filmed really late, it was really hard to get [her] homework done but that was about it.” Many wonder how they could live with a camera in their face, and Molnar described it as a weird experience. Reflecting back on the filming process, Molnar said, “I always think back and I always have to like rethink everything that I say because I don’t wanna like say something that’s gonna offend somebody or bring up media distress.” The transgender community is growing day by day because of the increasing support that is shown toward family members and friends. One piece of advice Molnar said to the people who are transitioning, based on her dad’s experiences, was to not “take what other people say too seriously. You have to have thick skin because there’s always gonna be somebody out there that’s not going to agree with what you’re doing.”
Transgender stories in the news > As a former olympian and ex-stepfather of the Kardashians, Bruce Jenner’s transition from male to female has been scrutinized publicly through the media, tabloids, and television shows since he announced that he was transgender, and he publicized his experience in the Diane Sawyer 20/20 interview.
> Ashley Diamond, a transgender woman, landed in an all-male Georgia prison three years ago for burglary and theft and is forced to act like a man in false identity and without hormone treatments. The 36 year old, who identified as a woman since the age of 15, received hormone therapy for two decades before imprisonment and without it, she has facial hair and her deep voice returned. Although federal prisons are required to give inmates their treatments, state prisons are not. In Diamond’s eyes, this is a human rights violation and she is currently suing the Georgia Department of Corrections. DROPS OF INK 11
> Yvette Cormier, a Planet Fitness member in Midland, Michigan, complained to an employee about a transgender in the women’s locker room. They cancelled Cormier’s membership because of their “Judgement Free Zone” policy, which is to allow members to use the locker room appropriate to the gender they associate with. layout by Abby St. Claire photos courtesy of Danielle Molnar
COOKING UP A CAREER By Katie Vrba Layout by Maddie Salata
Photo below by Kayla Fiore Photo right from Facebook
Photo left by Mary Todoric Photo above by Kayla Fiore
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In less than a year from now, consumer education teacher Monica Patterson pictures herself kayaking down a river, walking a path at a forest preserve, or traveling to New England. She’ll be outside enjoying the fresh air and staying fit. Until then, Mrs. Patterson will be savoring her last few weeks teaching at Libertyville High School. After 34 years of passion and dedication to the Consumer and Family Science Department, Mrs. Patterson is retiring. “I really didn’t want to retire this early, but then my husband retired from here [Libertyville High School] four years ago. I figured I better catch up with him because otherwise I wouldn’t be doing all the fun things he’s doing,” said Mrs. Patterson. Her husband, Dan Patterson, retired after 33 years as the Fine Arts Supervisor at LHS. Monica and Dan met at Libertyville High School in 1982 when a group of teachers went to Oktoberfest, and it all came together after that. Mrs. Patterson knew she wanted to teach at a young age. At first, she thought she would become an English teacher, but she later found her true calling when her guidance counselor asked what subjects interested her the most. Mrs. Patterson realized she was happiest in the Consumer and Family Science Department. “I get to be in the sewing room or the foods room cooking. Everybody is learning how to do something, and I’m just pushing that forward and giving them the skills. Literally being an elective teacher has been very fun,” said Mrs. Patterson as she twirled a sewing pin in her hand. Mrs. Patterson is very passionate about her subjects, always encouraging positive attitudes and hard work. She teaches students valuable skills, like sewing and cooking, which can be used throughout one’s life, but the way she treats her students is what’s truly unsurpassable. “She is positive and she really cares about kids. I think when you have that component, it doesn’t matter how old you are or how young you are, kids know when they feel cared about. They want to be in your class when you create a really comfortable, positive atmosphere and they’re going to be willing to keep taking your classes,” said co-worker and good friend Kathryn Hyla. Many of Mrs. Patterson’s students compete in Family Career and Community Leaders of America in categories such as Preschool Child Development, Speciality Foods, and Clothing and
Retailing. Her students have placed very well the last couple of years, some even receiving most outstanding in the State of Illinois. “At the beginning of last year, I didn’t know how to sew anything at all and by April, she took me to state and I placed second,” said junior Amy Flanagan, a student in Mrs. Patterson’s Clothing Construction class. Mrs. Patterson inspires all of her students to continue their passions after high school. Many of them fulfil their dreams as pastry chefs or fashion designers, she said, all with her help. “To see them getting to be an adult and knowing they sparked that interest here [is rewarding]. I love, love, love that,” said Mrs. Patterson. Mrs. Patterson shaped the Consumer and Family Science Department into what it is today. She has mentored numerous teachers in her department and even plans fun events for her co-workers. “She has been the staple of our department, the yoda, the family stone. Everybody goes to her when we have a question or a concern,” said Ms. Hyla. Mrs. Patterson stresses to her mentees that the main reason why they should become a teacher is for the kids; everything else is just fluff. Mrs. Patterson knows how to engage her students and always puts them first, before grades. After three decades of teaching, Mrs. Patterson will not only be missed, but forever remembered as a talented and loving consumer education teacher. Sophomore Halle Imm, whose mom also had Mrs. Patterson, said “I would recommend this class to anyone. I’m really sad she’s leaving because people will not be able to have such a wonderful teacher next year.”
“I just want to make kids feel like they have a special place for that one hour where they’re in my class because if you’re gonna be a teacher, you have to care about the whole student, not just their grade, ” said Mrs. Patterson.
Photo left from Facebook Photo below by Kayla Fiore
Photo above by Mary Todoric Photo right from Facebook
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TOOLS FOR LIFE In high school, both parents and teachers often stress the importance of classes that are in the academic core -- such as language, mathematics, science, and history -- overlooking the value of classes that don’t fall under these traditional categories. Woods provides a hands-on, non-traditional style of learning that enables students to learn skills and concepts that they can apply directly to their daily lives while promoting individualism. “I think I like woods because it gives kids who may not feel like they have a real home in math or science or social studies, it gives them an opportunity to do something else. It also could breed students to work construction in the future,” stated Woods I and Graphic Communications teacher Mr. Jeremy Gerlach, who built houses in between his college years. Freshman and current Woods I student Bridget Horvath explained why she believes the class is beneficial to take. “We can learn something that isn’t typically part of the school curriculum, and it will still help us in the future by making us more self-reliant,” stated Horvath. Mr. Gerlach reflected: “Giving them (the students) the knowledge and even being able to do some of the stuff on their own in their own house, like trimwork or not being afraid of the tools and things like that, that was me as a little kid. I loved using all the saws, I loved using any equipment I could get my hands on, not all schools have opportunities like that -- so for us to still have something like that for the kids to do -it’s an outlet for the kids to come, you know, feel good about something they’re doing and most kids really enjoy it.” Along with many of the applied arts and art rooms, the woodshop room is located in the “dungeon,” specifically, room 014. Woods consists of two different classes, Woods I and Woods II, both of which are semester-long courses open to all grade levels. Sophomore Lexi Acosta explained why she chose to take Woods first semester this school year. “I think fixing stuff and making things by yourself is pretty cool and kind of a life skill you should have,” she said. Woods I includes three main projects that students tackle during the semester: a cutting board, a step stool or bench, and an Adirondack chair. According to Mr. Gerlach, students that progress quicker with their chair can make an ottoman in addition, which is a footrest or bench chair. Before students can even get started on their first project, however, theymust spend about two weeks going over safety guidelines, which may not be very interesting to sit through, but in a class like woods, they are especially important. In addition, students are tested on these guidelines and must pass each
by Tia Petrzilka
test with 100 percent accuracy, according to Mr. Robert Kelch, a Woods II, Auto and Electronics teacher. “The most difficult part of the class was having to do all the safety tests the first two weeks, not because they were hard, but because they were so boring,” explained Acosta. Mr. Gerlach shared a similar opinion. “We spend just about a week of actual class time going over safety. It’s really boring, it’s very tedious for the kids, but they have to know [it]. For me, the hardest part about teaching a class is the fact that they need to know that if they miss one thing that could be them cutting off a finger or getting seriously injured. The hardest part for me is the stress... And making sure that kids are actually safe and have an understanding of what they’re doing on every machine and that part is hard...I definitely got grey hair my first year teaching,” laughed Mr. Gerlach. Horvath believes safety is a crucial part of the class. “Safety is important because if you forget one little step when working on a machine, you can end up being seriously injured or the project could be ruined,” explained Horvath. Mr. Gerlach pointed out that the first project, the cutting board, is pretty simple. After completing this project, students will have learned how to glue, clamp, and work with a majority of the machines in the classroom. Each project gets a bit more difficult. With all the tedious work that is necessary to do to complete each piece, the class can sometimes be a bit repetitive, but students believe the final product is worth the effort. “My favorite piece was probably the Adirondack chair. I mean, it took a really long time to finish, which was kind of annoying, but it’s really cool to see something that you made and are actually able to use,” stated Acosta, who plans to take Woods II next year. Mr. Gerlach shared a similar opinion and claimed that completing each project can be quite rewarding, and actually seeing the final product is what drives students to continue their woods experience and enroll in Woods II. “It’s that final hoorah (when a project is completed) that really gets the kids to take Woods II...the stuff that we make gets so many parent compliments that makes us as teachers feel good too because they like seeing what the kids can do and they’re in awe when their kids can make an Adirondack chair or make the step stool and they just--they think it’s so wonderful and great. It really is the kid doing it. 90 percent of what they do is them, not us. We teach them what to do and they then do it, so it’s fun and most kids really like it. A lot of kids take Woods II,” stated Mr. Gerlach. Unlike Woods I, in Woods II, students have the freedom to choose
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photos by Korina Valenzuela
what they construct, as long as is appropriate and within their capabilities. Students are not permitted to make any kind of weapon, including axes, swords, and bow and arrows, according to Mr. Kelch. “Within reason [is] basically [what it] comes down to. Is a student capable of doing the actual project?...is [it] something they can finish by the end of the semester? Some kids come in and they do pretty basic projects, they’ll do two or three projects. Other kids will come in and they’ll do one large project,” explained Mr. Kelch. One piece, for example, that a student created was a poker table. “I had a kid make a poker table--which was phenomenal and he actually used. He had a friend that was in Graphics and he screenprinted his college logo on the felt and then felted the table in class. That was the coolest project that a student’s made,” recalled Mr. Gerlach. Some popular pieces are aquatic pieces like canoes and boat paddles, as well as patio furniture, like Adirondack chairs or swings. This freedom is another reason why students choose to take Woods II. Some students end up even taking Woods II for two semesters after taking Woods I the previous year. Current Woods II student and senior Henry Burns has been working on his project since the end of first semester. “I am working on a stand-up paddle board. I chose this piece because when I finish it, I want to use it at my summer house in New Jersey,” explained Burns. “The most difficult thing about this class is definitely the time restrictions. Only working for about a total of 40 minutes a day
[makes it] hard to crank out projects,” he added. Aside from the educational aspect of the class, another key element of the class is its unique environment, as it allows for a strong relationship between the teacher and students. “Personally, I think the best part of Woods is the teachers. They are hilarious and will always make you laugh. I have now had Mr. Kelch and [Mr.] Gerlach and [I] think that they are by far two of the funniest people in the school,” said Burns. Mr. Gerlach explained his perspective. “I feel like I relate to a lot of the kids. So instead of always concentrating on woodworking, kids ask questions and we get off subject a little bit...99 percent of the time, we are doing what we are supposed to do and that one percent you know we might spend 15 minutes and might have a discussion about a kid’s vacation and how wonderful it was,” shared Mr. Gerlach. “I feel like I really get to know the kids quite well as compared to a lot of other teachers… Woods is 90 percent the students working and maybe 10 percent me actually showing them what to do. So I have a lot more opportunity to talk with the kids, which is fun I really enjoy that part.” With the independence and direct learning style of woods, the class is truly a special and unique experience for students, whether they are considering pursuing a career in construction or architecture, or merely interested in developing a useful life skill. “[Woodworking is] a life skill. It’s the most common male adult hobby in this country...Teaching them (students) a life skill, something they can use from the time they’re 17 until they’re 70, is probably one of the unique things about the class,” explained Mr. Kelch.
“Teaching them a life skill, something they can use from the time they’re 17 until they’re 70, is probably one of the unique things about the class” -Mr. Kelch
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Cheat to Complete by Hannah Boufford and Mike Gasick It’s a Wednesday night. After getting home late from an away game, you have little energy to get anything done. While eating dinner, you painfully go through the long list of assignments that need to be completed for the next day in your head, and the overwhelming list causes you to roll over on your couch and pray that something magical might happen. You just wish that there was a way to press a button in your room and all of your homework would be completed. Your phone buzzes beside you and you realize there may not be a magic button, but you certainly have magically smart classmates who just happen to have phones. And cameras. The ability to send pictures via text… Before you realize it, half your homework is done by just looking at pictures on your phone’s screen. It takes you half the time to finish the rest of your homework, but then the question pops into your head… “Did I just cheat?”
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“I think teachers need to understand that there are so many resources out there, online with websites that have the answers, that students will eventually find them” - Anonymous senior
Cheating and Libertyville High School As technology continues to expand and provide widening opportunities to students, it had become easier for students to come in contact with homework-solving information. Not only has Google modified the searching system exponentially, but social media and cell phones have also improved the ability to access information. At LHS, many students find themselves with a pile of homework, gradually decreasing time, and a camera phone or smartphone. As a result, the ability to send and share homework answers with one another has increased greatly. Students in a pinch are able to copy their peers’ answers to complete their homework in a fraction of a
Quick and Easy
The LHS student body has a varying opinion on cheating and sending homework. DOI recently conducted a poll over the social media sites Facebook and Twitter that prompted participants to answer questions about what they considered to be cheating. The survey was available to all grade levels and was sent to most LHS students via e-mail. With 259 survey-takers, this poll, while not entirely scientific, provides an insight to the student population’s opinion on cheating (see the graphic on page 18 for more survey results). One junior survey-taker defined cheating as “a way to save lazy students from failing classes.” The open-ended questions generated a variety of responses on what students considered and defined as cheating, but many of the answers followed a similar path. Of the 259 surveyed students, when asked what they considered to be cheating, all of them checked the provided boxes that DOI considered to be the more prominent forms of cheating: looking at someone else’s test, keeping notes under your desk to copy during an exam, and writing information on a desk or arm prior to testing. When asked an open-ended question about what other forms of cheating they have seen, some students’ answers may shock teachers. An anonymous junior noted that stealing math test answers from online was a way he goes about cheating. “Honestly, all I have to really do is look up what the title of my homework says, and it’s right there,” stated the anonymous student. “I know the test is in a few weeks, but some of these questions I literally have no idea how to do.”
Collaborate, Don’t Copy
While students may not think that sharing their homework answers is a big deal, teachers disagree. The LHS handbook defines cheating as “misrepresenting another person’s work as one’s own, or allowing one’s work to be used in such a manner.” Mr. Tim Roegner, head of the math department, agrees, and views cheating as any work not completed by the students themselves. However, he also recognizes that most cheating probably occurs on
time they would have spent to consider the questions themselves. However, when does sharing answers become too much? A poll released by Common Sense Media in 2009 revealed that 35 percent of teenagers used their phones to cheat and more than 50 percent used the Internet as a cheating tool. Given that technology had increased considerably in the last six years, and Apple has since released eight different iPhones, that number has likely gone up. In a day where accessing the Internet is easier than tying your shoe, high schoolers are having an easier time completing their homework without actually having to do the work.
One anonymous sophomore could relate, when the student stated in an interview that they once memorized a correct scantron for an upcoming 53 question test. “I probably went through a whole notebook rewriting all the letters, and I still ended up having to write some on my hand because I just could not get the last four,” the student recalled laughing. “But I made them into numbers so it wouldn’t be as obvious so like A was one and B was two because then why would I have numbers written on my hand for a [non-math] test?” The survey further indicated the variety of classes students have seen classmates cheat -- the most prominent being math. Roughly 84 percent of the surveyed students, after being asked if they consider copying another student’s homework cheating, answered “no.” “I think teachers need to understand that there are so many resources out there, online with websites that have the answers, that students will eventually find them,” stated an anonymous senior in a separate interview. The survey also indicated that many students have seen their classmates using resources not allowed on exam days, noting that their teachers were oblivious to their actions. “I have never been caught [cheating],” the anonymous sophomore said. Whether it be writing information on their hands, or having a phone in their laps, students find many ways to get around studying the night before an exam.
homework because it is completed outside of school at home. “You know we certainly would expect kids to help one another, look at other resources for answers, but to simply copy, word for word or symbol for symbol, and then turn that in, I mean, we would view that as cheating,” Mr. Roegner commented. While teachers may have different responses and consequences, the LHS handbook provides guidelines to how cheating incidents will be handled.
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“Any situation where a student is found to be cheating or plagiarizing may result in no credit for the particular assignment and the LST will be notified with each incidence of cheating,” according to the 2014-2015 handbook. “Repeated cheating incidents may result in a failing grade for the course and/or LST imposed consequences and may impact participation in school activities/athletics.” Mr. Matt Leone, an earth science teacher, has tried to minimize occurrences of cheating in his classroom by changing the way homework is given and graded. He assigns textbook questions as homework but encourages students to work together and share their ideas. He then gives an open-note reading quiz, instead of evaluating the answers themselves. “This way, if you did the homework, and you put the effort into it, you will do all right on the quiz,” he explained. “If you just have someone else’s words in front of you and you don’t know what they were putting down, it doesn’t do you any good.” However, if Mr. Leone does give an assignment that is to be completed individually and a student is caught cheating, he dishes out a zero for the assignment in accordance with the handbook and requires the student to notify his or her parents of the incidence. The parents must then notify
Mr. Leone that their student has talked to them. This way, the student is only hurting their grade and learning experience, and he or she must take ownership of his or her actions. Mr. Roegner had the same opinion: copying math solutions from the back of the book or from one another only hinders the students themselves. It is also hard for teachers to call out when a student has copied a solution directly, so most math teachers only provide homework completion grades rather than grading it based on accuracy. “I’m okay with students collaborating together, working on group projects,” stated math teacher Mr. Rick Brenner. “But sending homework and copying down, that’s cheating.” While each teacher considered copying answers as cheating, they did understand the appeal to many students. Often times, the LHS student population finds itself overwhelmed between sports, work, family, extracurriculars, and school. Before you know it, it’s almost midnight, there are four classes of homework left to do, and your phone just happens to be sitting next to you. “In this day and age, where anything can be sent anywhere at anytime, it’s gonna happen, you can’t stop it,” Mr. Leone said. “It’s quick, it's easy.”
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A Look At Historical Libertyville by Lauren Forrest
“As someone who has studied Libertyville history for years, I really love the fact that our town has the same strong sense of community now, as it did 150 years ago. People who live in Libertyville have always been captivated by her character. I think that’s why you see so many families live here for generations. There is a unique and special excitement Libertyville residents have for our area.” - Jim Moran, VP of the Libertyville-Mundelein Historical Society and a former DOI reporter
The history of modern Libertyville begins in the early 1830s when English settler George Vardin and his family arrived in what is now Libertyville. The small settlement that soon developed was known as “Vardin’s Grove.” In 1836, during the Independence Day celebration, area residents voted to call their town “Independence Grove.”Mail service from Chicago to Milwaukee was established in 1836, prompting area residents to petition for a post office. The request was granted and the first postoffice was established in the former Vardin cabin (where the Cook House now stands) on April 16, 1837. The Village was also registered under the name “Libertyville” on that day because an Independence Grove post office already existed in the state at that time. The name of the Village was changed again when, with the creation of Lake County in 1839, Libertyville was made the county seat. The new name, “Burlington,” lasted until the county seat was moved to Little Fort (now Waukegan) in 1841. At that time, the Village reclaimed the name “Libertyville.”
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Fould’s Macaroni Factory Independence Grove The land was property of the Illinois River Potawatomi Indians until August 1829, when economic and resource pressures forced the tribe to sell most of their land in northern Illinois to the U.S. government. The history of modern Libertyville begins in the early 1830s when English settler George Vardin and his family arrived in what is now Libertyville. The small settlement that soon developed was known as “Vardin’s Grove.” In 1836, during the Independence Day celebration, area residents voted to call their town “Independence Grove.”
Doddrige Farm (The Gate) The gate’s history starts with Britton I. Budd, a Chicago railroad executive and president of the Public Service Company, whose wife Katherine was well-known for her work with disadvantaged children. Upon Katherine’s death in 1925, Budd bought 200 acres along the Des Plaines River north of Libertyville for the purpose of building a summer camp for children from St. Mary’s Orphanage in Chicago. The Katherine Kreigh Budd Memorial Home for Children was opened on June 27, 1926. The camp consisted of 15 buildings, including dormitories, a dining hall, a recreation hall, a chapel, an infirmary, an outdoor swimming pool and a playground. Also known as Doddridge Farm, the camp welcomed girls from the orphanage for many years. In 1955, Franciscan brothers repurposed the site as St. Francis Boys’ Camp until 1973. The camp was opened to girls until 1979, when the camp closed for good and the buildings were demolished.
Village Hall Built in 1913, Libertyville’s original village hall was located on West Cook Street. According to local historian Dean Larson, the village hall housed the fire station, jail, meeting rooms and the Alpha Club Library (the forerunner of Cook Memorial Library) in addition to the village offices. When the village moved its offices to the new Schertz Municipal Building on East Cook Street in 1970, the old village hall was almost completely demolished and a new fire station was constructed at the site. In 1994, the village returned to its roots and moved back to its original site after remodeling the fire station into a new village hall.
Copeland Manor School Copeland Manor School opened in 1957 as a result of the baby boom after World War II.
While it may look abandoned, the Fould’s Macaroni Factory, located on East Church St., is very much in action. It is the factory and headquarters of Fould’s Macaroni Company, which moved to Libertyville from Cincinnati in 1906. The structure, originally a ladder factory, was built in 1894 with timbers from the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. In its early years, Fould’s was a major employer in Libertyville, well-known for its summer company picnics and winter Christmas parties, to which the whole town was invited.
Libertyville One-Mile Race Track
The track opened in 1904 as a harness racing venue. Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which horses race at a trotting pace pulling a two-wheeled vehicle called a sulky. A few automobile races were held there in its later years. Samuel Insull bought the track in 1918 and closed it -- reportedly due to his objections to gambling. The heart of the track was located at the intersection of today’s Crane, Carter, and Rockland Roads.
Cook Library
Local library service began in 1909 when the Alpha Club (now the Libertyville Women’s Club) began a subscription library in Decker and Bond, a local drugstore. The small collection of books soon outgrew the few shelves in the drugstore and in 1914 found a new home in the Libertyville Village Hall. In 1921, the home and property of Ansel B. Cook were left to the village of Libertyville for library and park purposes; Cook Memorial Library opened to the public in November of that year. The first head librarian, Blanche Mitchell, lived with her husband in one of the upstairs rooms of the Cook House. DROPS OF INK 20
Liberty Theatre
Public Service Building
The Liberty Theatre opened its doors on Aug. 27, 1937. The owner, Fred W. Dobe, first polled the community to determine whether or not Libertyville was satisfied with the existing moving-picture facilities on the second floor of the Gridley Building. When Mr. Dobe was convinced that the area would support a modern theatre, he proceeded with plans for the building. At the time of its opening, the Liberty was admired for its ultramodern design, 700-seat capacity, parking lots and air conditioning. Actor Marlon Brando was employed as a theatre usher for a short time, when he lived in Libertyville between 1939 and 1941.
The story of the Public Service Building in Libertyville is very much connected with Samuel Insull, founder of the Public Service Company of Northern Illinois, Commonwealth Edison, and owner of numerous banks. In 1907, Insull bought a large acreage south of Libertyville and built and lived in the house now known as the Cuneo mansion. Insull wanted to build a commercial building that would house his bank and promote the potential uses of electricity. To this end, the Public Service Building was constructed in six months in 1928 at a cost of $250,000. The architect, Hermann Valentin Von Holst, had designed many buildings for Insull, including the original Condell Hospital. When the stock market crashed in 1929, Insull lost everything, including the Public Service Building. In the years following, the building and grounds gradually deteriorated due to neglect. Today the courtyard is gone, with a parking lot and bank drive-through in its place behind the building. Despite changes over the years, the Public Service Building remains a town landmark and fine example of unique architecture.
Libertyville Fire of 1895 One night, in 1895, cigar maker Max LeBeau was up late working to finish cigar orders. Around midnight, Max got up from his chair, walked to the front of his shop and looked out the window. What he saw were huge flames leaping skyward in back of Schanck’s Hardware store on the corner of Sprague (now Cook) and Milwaukee (Rolland’s Jewelers, across from Picnic Basket). Max called “Fire! Fire!” rousing many people from their sleep. Bucket brigades quickly formed because there was no fire department. The cause of the fire is unknown to this day.
Libertyville History Trivia Direct message your answers to the questions to @lhsdoi on Twitter or Libertyville High School Drops of Ink on Facebook. The person to answer the most questions correctly will have a chance to win a Chipotle gift card. Good luck! 1. Where was Libertyville’s first post office housed? 2. What is the oldest elementary school still standing in the Libertyville area? 3. Until what year was the Brainerd building in use for all students? 4. How many hospital beds did Condell Hospital first have when it opened in 1928? 5. Libertyville saw three _____ destroyed by different fires.
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Special thanks to: LMHS (Libertyville-Mundelein Historical Society) Illinois Digital Archives-Libertyville History Cook Memorial Library Blog-Libertyville’s Past is Present
No Valedictorian, No Problem
Staff Editorial
The unhealthy competition, massive amounts of stress, and controversial little lower of a GPA were neither recognized nor praised as much as the ranking are all factors that deemed having a valedictorian at Libertyville class valedictorian. High School as highly unnecessary. However, not having a valedictorian does have negative impacts on the In previous years, LHS had a valedictorian, a title for the student who schooling system. If there is no competitive system to achieve this title, holds the highest academic ranking in the graduating class. According some students may not be motivated to work as hard. not many people to Mr. Greg Herman, science are working as hard. Also, the department supervisor, the student who is at the top of title was solely based off of their class is not recognized, a student’s GPA. The student which seems unfair. Although granted the title would give a being a valedictorian does not graduation speech and would make or break your college be awarded with a plaque on decision, if a student was at the wall in the school. In 2007, the top of their class and was Libertyville stopped awarding awarded the valedictorian the valedictorian label. label, he or she would have Now, students who have another beneficial thing for a higher GPA are put on the colleges to look at. “Honor Graduates” list on Being a valedictorian does a plaque at the front of the not necessarily beneficially school. To give the graduation impact a student’s long-term speech, seniors can audition life. Becoming a valedictorian and are then chosen by faculty. can be a lot of work and if a As stated by Mr. Herman, student is awarded the title, it the main reason why LHS is possible that they are burnt does not have a valedictorian out and have less motivation is because of overcompetiveto work hard. It is understood ness. In years before, students that having the valedictorian would be pushing themselves label does not make that great too hard just to get the title of a difference in someone’s of being a valedictorian. schooling career; it is the work Students would take summer one does to get there which is school every year and would important. attempt to take as many pass/ Despite the negative aspects fail classes as possible to that having a valedictorian secure their GPA. This commay bring, there are positive petition was very unhealthy. impacts to the current situation. Students who wanted to Not having a valedictorian be valedictorian would be relieves pressure for many aimlessly studying and taking students. Students are not comas many AP courses for the pelled to be granted this title so wrong reasons; they did not they do well in school for the Photo Courtesy of Pinterest want to learn, they just wantright reasons and are overall ed to be granted a title. less stressed. Our staff concluded that As of right now, it looks like having a valedictorian was not fair to other students at the top of the the valedictorian will not make a return here at Libertyville High School. class. Only one valedictorian was given each year and was based only Having a valedictorian seems very outdated and although some parents off a student’s GPA, not taking into consideration any sports and outside and teachers may want the school to have one, it is very unlikely that the activities a student participated in. Students working just as hard with a valedictorian title will make a comeback.
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AP - Additional Pressure E
by Jillian Ruff
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Spring has sprung and so has the need to start preparing for your AP exams. You know those little cummulative tests taken each May by students in high school hoping to achieve a successful score that could earn credit and advanced placement in college. No big deal, right? After all, it’s just a little two-to-four hour test with the most challenging questions that could send even the most gifted individual into a full-blown panic attack. Have you started to sweat yet? Well, no worries! Drops of Ink is here to help you out with some humorous ways to relieve your tension. Just follow some of these helpful studying suggestions, and we are sure you will meet the AP challenge with success.
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Study Tip One: Music
Well, yes, music does soothe the savage beast, but music could also be used to calm the nerves of the anxious teen whose head is about to explode from the stress of an upcoming AP test. Although many musical genres do exist, don’t choose music that is soothing. That can just put you to sleep and waste valuable studying time. Instead, we suggest heavy metal, head-banging music that will shake up those neurons into helping you think through those difficult challenges. What better way to annoy your parents and stay awake? Why not try Alice Cooper’s “School’s Out for Summer.” After all, “we got no choice” but to study for those exams.
Study Tip Two: Bathroom Breaks
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Have you ever noticed that when you are nervous you have to pee? Just count how many times you go to the bathroom during one hardcore study session. You might be surprised how many minutes you are wasting on the john. Well, stop wasting time during your waste time. Sit on the toilet with your notes! If you are there long enough, you will not even have to waste any toilet paper. You can drip dry while learning! An economical and time-saving solution to those many minutes that accumulate into hours wasted in the bathroom.
Study Tip Three: Food
Everyone knows that food provides you with energy, but have you ever thought of using food as a trick to keep you going through your studies? Just place a favorite food item or sweet treat between each page of your studies. As soon as you finish one page, reward yourself with the food item that is awaiting you on the next page. This little trick is not only tantalizing, but is a sure way to add those few pounds you will be burning off due to the stress of studying. Disclaimer: your notes may stick together, but that is just one less page you have to go over.
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Study Tip Four: Note cards
Ahh, the famous notecard trick. A favorite little tool that helps people believe that if a term is placed on the front of the card, then the definition can be studied from the back. Good idea, but when a cummulative test occurs and one ends up with more than 300 notecards, that could be a little cumbersome, even for the most studious individual. Might we suggest the 300-card pickup game. Throw all the notecards up in the air and the ones that land term up, study. Keep doing this until all the cards have been reviewed. If you are lucky, you may lose some in the process. May the odds be ever in your favor.
Study Tip Five: Down Time
Now, everyone needs a little down time while studying. Let’s face it, your brain can only hold so much information. There are those who believe in sleeping with cats, better known as a cat nap, and there are those who need to watch a little Netflix. What better way to have your brain relax than watch an entire series in one sitting? But, we have a better suggestion when downtime is needed. We suggest relaxing with a good book or magazine. Perhaps reading the entire April issue of Drops of Ink will sooth that aching brain.
Study Tip Six: Exercise
Exercise, the excruciating art of moving your body in ways that can only leave you in pain, is highly suggested. Look at it this way, if your abs, legs, and/or arms hurt, then you can complain about them instead of your AP test. Talk about diverting your mental pain to a physical one! It is one way of hating something more than taking an AP test.
Study Tip Seven: Use Mnemonic Devices
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A mnemonic device is a technique a person can use to help them improve their ability to remember something. In other words, it is a way to help your brain recall important information. It is usually simple, clear, and vivid, such as using the device CRAP when it comes to AP exams. We all know that is how we feel about the AP exams, but if you Cram Rigorously to Avoid Problems, you should be successful.
In all sincerity, the most important thing for you to do is eat, sleep, study, and repeat. Don’t let this time of year get the best of you. Your teachers have prepared you, and now it’s up to you to show them that you were listening. So take a deep breath and apply what you have learned during your studies. Your body and brain will thank you and so will everyone else when you ace those AP exams. On behalf of the DOI staff … Good luck!
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The College Name Game
by Jake Vogt
We live in an era where the name means more than the product carries less weight than Michigan, for those who have heard of it. Alitself. People want name brands when buying food, clothing, equipthough ACT alone does not determine how good a school is or isn’t, it ment, and now, education. It is the age of the name, where students does show the quality of students certain schools are looking for. go to a college or university because of the reputation it has. Loras College-bound senior Ryan Pacholski has a similar story to Indiana-bound senior Meghan Quane decided on her school partly mine, looking for a school where he could continue his athletic career because of the reputation : “I want to major in business and their and still receive an above-average education. “I didn’t want to feel Kelley School of Business is nationally ranked. Also, the dean is a like just a number at a big school; at a smaller school, I’ll be able to woman, so there is a large emphasis on women in the business field,” be more than just a number,” said Pacholski who is continuing his said Quane. soccer career. As a future student-athlete at Luther College, a private, liberal-arts Undecided senior Peter Feely has been focused on small schools school in Northeast from the beginning; Iowa with not even influenced by his 3,000 students, sister, who had a phemy point of view nomenal experience is a little different at a small school, than most. From Feely has focused in the beginning of on several schools, my search, I knew including DePauw. I wanted a small “Many people school that would think they have to allow me to continue go to a brand-name my baseball career, school to major in but also a school that business or economhad solid academics; ics or anything else, this task was not as but a liberal arts eduhard as I was led to cation is much more believe. I found a flexible than that of surplus of DII and larger schools. It is DIII schools that had not uncommon to see the academic stanbusiness executives dards that were just that were at liberal as good, if not better Number of class of 2014 LHS graduates (out of 478 total) now arts colleges,” said attending a Big Ten school. than those of larger Feely. public schools. Last year, with a According to the graduating class of University of Wisconsin-Madison website, the typical Madison stu478 students at LHS, 111 went to a Big Ten school (about 23%), 37 dent scores between 27-31 on their ACT, a well-above average score. of whom ended up at the University of Illinois. There is obviously a However, this number is extremely similar to that of Illinois Wesleyan focus on big, brand-name schools; the common thought process is, if University, where students average a score of 27, according to the I go to this well-known school, I will get a good education and find a school’s website. But why does the Madison name carry that much well-paying job. However, this may not be the case. more weight for prospective students? According to Forbes magazine in September of 2014, the median Illinois Wesleyan is not the only school like this in the area; St. mid-career salary for graduates from a top 25 liberal arts college is Olaf College, a private school in Minnesota, has the same range of north of $100,000 ($133,500 for #1 Washington and Lee University). ACT scores as Madison, according to the St. Olaf website. The DeThe top Big Ten school, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Pauw University website (a small school in Indiana) has ACT ranges has a mid-career median salary of $93,300. from 25-29. There are numerous other schools in the area with excelObviously there are thousands of successful people who come out lent academics that do not carry the Madison reputation but almost all of brand-name schools, so I’m not trying to say these big schools are of them go overlooked. If nobody has ever heard of it, it can’t be a a waste of your time. However, there are just as many success stories good school, right? out of small liberal arts colleges. It is important to pick a school that One of the best big-name schools in the area, the University of you know you will be happy at, and maybe that is a well-known, Michigan, looks for a 28-32 ACT, as recorded on the school’s website. brand-name school. But if you are looking for purely a great educaA mile down the road from St. Olaf, Carleton College, ranges from tion, maybe you should take a look at these lesser-known liberal arts a 29-33 ACT but hardly anyone has ever heard of it, and it certainly schools with phenomenal track records.
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Pay College Athletes? There has been a recent and ongoing debate over whether or not the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) should compensate college athletes.
Tuition Compensation is Fair Enough
The Athletes Need to be Paid
By Jake Luce
By Tyler Skinner
Naviance has Duke University listed at about $60,000 per year. The University of Michigan, UCLA, and Notre Dame are all around $55,000 per year to attend. College athletes, who are at the top of their sport, are getting all of this for free to play their sport. Each of the athletes on the Michigan basketball team are effectively getting “paid” $55,000 a year to go there and to get better at basketball. There are very few fields in the real world where an 18-year old can get a job paying $55,000 a year with nothing more than a high school diploma. These kids, because that’s what they are, leave school when they are 22 years old with absolutely no debt, which very few 22-year-olds with a degree from a prominent university can say. Business Insider states, that only about two percent of these college athletes actually go on to play in their respective professional sport, and that other 98 percent is set up far better than the rest of their peers because once they get a job in the workforce, they get to keep all of that money rather than having to pay off debts with the first few rounds of paychecks. For that two percent that is going pro, they are also better off. Being a professional basketball player does not last for many, and they end up needing to get a real-person job sooner or later. Those who went the four years at college and then could not cut it in their sport are set up with a degree and do not have to spend more time and money for classes that they could have done before. Lastly, the athletes shouldn’t be paid in college, because that would just start them earlier on having more money than they know what to do with. The National Bureau of Economic Research recently came out with a study that stated between the years 1996 and 2003, 1.9% of draftees declared bankruptcy within two years of retirement. That number skyrockets to 15.7% after 15 years. A big reason for that is the kids earning all this money are not given advice on how to handle it, and they end up spending it frivolously on cars or partying with fair weather friends. Paying the kids in college would just start that whole cycle a couple years earlier. Getting a college diploma, and not having to pay anything for it, is enough compensation, because it will end up changing the lives of these kids more than a flat check for coming to play basketball at their college.
According to an audited financial statement published by The Washington Post, the NCAA raked in about $989 million in revenue in 2014. With the NCAA making almost a billion dollars every year, it seems astounding that the athletes in major revenue sports make no money, and the rules regarding “extra benefits” are incredibly harsh. NCAA athletes in major revenue-making sports deserve to receive some compensation for the absurd amount of effort they put into their sports. According to Forbes magazine in June of 2014, the average Division I football player devotes around 43.3 hours per week to his sport, yet the average American work week is only 40 hours per week. Due to the amount of time dedicated to their sport, many Division I athletes lack enough time to do their homework or study for their classes. According to Business Insider in January of 2015, around 98 percent of college athletes do not play professionally after graduating. These student athletes are put at a severe disadvantage when trying to find a job due to their lack of knowledge from the classes they missed as a result of their busy schedule as an athlete. Business Insider reported that there are 13 Division I schools that brought in over $100 million last year, and many more bordering that number. However, these schools must maintain their “non profit organization” status, which means they have to spend almost all of the money they make each year. And although this money does benefit the school and the athletic facilities, there is certainly enough money to be paying the athletes instead of making unnecessary purchases. Not only would it be benefiting the NCAA players if they were paid, but it would improve the overall competition in NCAA sports. Many students leave college early in order to go pro. Even if the player is not completely ready to be a professional, the idea of being paid big money leads them to leave the NCAA. If the NCAA paid its players, there would be less players trying to turn professional early, thus increasing the level of competition in the NCAA. The NCAA can absolutely afford to pay its players. Paying NCAA athletes in major revenue-making sports such as basketball, football, and baseball, will increase the level of competition and improve players’ college lives.
Even Shaquille O’Neal (4-time NBA Champion), with almost $300 million over his career, saw the value in education, and in 2012, he went back to school to get his doctorate.
Photos courtesy of MCT Campus
Syracuse basketball coach, Jim Boeheim, was suspended for nine ACC games and stripped of 108 wins after a scandal involving certain players being paid by a booster. DROPS OF INK 25
Libertyville’s Pastime
By Alex Zoellick
Few things warm the hearts of the American people more than their national pastime. The grace with which infielders turn a double play, the methodical nature with which a pitcher delivers his best stuff, and the sheer power used to project the ball unimaginable distances have all pleased the souls of fans for more than a century. A connection exists between the players and fans -- an unrivaled passion for the game rarely seen on both sides of the fence. But recently, the game has been tainted by greed, watered-down by player egos and battered by years of cheating. As the stage changes from the MLB to the IHSA, where players play for the love of the game, and not for the money, it thrives. Where players still enjoy the scent of fresh-cut grass in the morning, where the morning dew on the infield is enough to raise the excitement for a game, where the mutual respect between teams still means something, the game thrives. Baseball thrives at Libertyville High School. With the departure of prolific hitter Evan Skoug, the Wildcats are without one of the best young players in all of baseball. Skoug graduated last year and is currently playing for the number-8 ranked Texas Christian University Horned Frogs, where he is playing well. Through 34 games, he is batting .284 with three home runs and 25 RBI, according to Baseball Cube. To fill the void left by Skoug (and the three other Division I players from last year) the Wildcats will look toward two of this year’s captains: seniors Jimmy Govern and Mitch Townsend. “Last year’s team was obviously a pretty dynamic group with Evan being one of the big hitters, focal point, no pun intended,” said head baseball coach Mr. Jim Schurr. “Behind the plate he was there for four years. It’s hard to replace someone who has sured up that spot. He was known as ‘the guy’ for a long time.” Another key loss was that of Jeff Barton, who currently pitches for Illinois State University. Barton was looked at as one of the shutdown men in the team’s rotation. “I was remissed to not mention Jeff Barton as well. He was one of the big seniors we missed from last year. Jeff is playing at Illinois State right now and pitching well. The guys are working to fill in those voids, with [Townsend] coming back from rehab, the other guys that are throwing right now are having to carry their workload and step up,” Coach Schurr said. As of April 19, the team is 6-6 (2-3 in conference).
and looks to inspire his teammates through his hard work and overall dedication to the sport. “Both of them (Govern and Townsend) were voted captains by their peers, so from a leadership standpoint, they can not only be verbal but also lead by example and let other guys know ‘I was in your shoes a few years ago,’” coach Schurr said. “The seniors rallied the underclassmen a few years ago. I’m hoping they do that for our younger guys. The leadership they bring to the table every day I hope is going to rub off on the rest of our guys.” As the shortstop of the team, he is viewed as the leader on defense; short is usually the most active of the infield positions. Govern is very comfortable at short because of his years of experience with the position, which began at the age of 6 playing tee ball at Butler Park. After a few seasons of Little League, Govern transitioned to Libertyville’s travel baseball program when he turned 9. To this day, his former travel teammates and experience still impact the way he plays. “Jake Vogt’s dad was our coach for the longest time, and Mitch’s (Townsend) dad,” reminisced Govern. “They just instilled in all of us [to] play scrappy, play hard-nosed baseball, work your butt off. And then having teammates like RJ (Ryan Jackson) and Nick (Rosetti), we’ve played together since we were 7 or 8. Everyone loves each other and it’s a great environment to play in.” Govern’s history playing the game, as well as his work ethic, have helped propel him to be a college-level athlete. During the offseason, Govern trains year-round for baseball, whether that be running sprints, lifting at Synergy, hitting at Slammers, or doing the off-season team workouts. His consistent effort over the past three seasons has earned him a scholarship to play at Eastern Illinois University next year, where he will see playing time immediately, something that was important to him when deciding. In committing to EIU, Govern turned down Air Force, Southern Illinois University and the University of Illinois (where he would have played with preferred walk-on status). “[Eastern] gave me the money I wanted and I just felt like it was the right fit,” Govern said. “The biggest thing for me was getting playing time right away, getting the opportunity, and that’s what they gave me. I just want a chance to play; sitting on the bench would kill me.”
“They are both good enough to play at the next level. [Govern] has already committed to playing at Eastern and [Townsend] is certainly good enough to play at the next level, once he is 100% better.” -Coach Schurr
Jimmy Govern: Dynamic Offense, Sound Defense
Govern is not afraid of the spotlight. After starting at shortstop and leading off in the batting order the last two seasons, including the 2013 run to the state finals, Govern will see an even bigger role this year. Currently in his third year as the starting varsity shortstop, Govern will be looked upon to fill big shoes in the batting order. After batting leadoff his first two seasons, Govern now bats third (Skoug’s former spot), where he is looked at to drive in runs, rather than trying to get on base and into scoring position, as leadoff hitters do. To this point in the season, he is hitting .488 with 13 runs and 14 RBI. Govern will also be looked at to lead the team. He leads by example
Govern has the speed to be an effective baserunner as well as the power to hit deeper in the lineup, as he’s doing this year.
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Mitch Townsend: Back in the swing of things
Townsend came face-to-face with the most infamous name in baseball this past off season: Tommy John. Townsend needed reconstructive elbow surgery following his junior season and is hoping to return to his previous form this year. This is Townsend’s third season as a member of the varsity team, where he will be used as more of a first baseman and cleanup hitter than a pitcher. Though right now it seems Townsend won’t spend much time pitching, his coaches and teammates expect he will be just as, if not more, effective as years past. This outlook is a testament to Townsend’s work ethic, as Tommy John surgery is one of the most difficult to return from in all of sports. The well-known reconstructive surgery consists of the replacement of one elbow tendon (the UCL or Ulnar Collateral Ligament ) with a tendon from another part of the body. “I worked hard through rehab and physical therapy. At first it was tough, but I learned to be patient and not to rush anything,” Townsend said. One of the more challenging tasks of returning from any type of injury, let alone something as devastating as Tommy John, is the mental game. “I think psychologically overcoming the injury [is the hardest part],” varsity baseball assistant coach and pitching coach Mr. Dan Gooris said about coming back from Tommy John. “There are some people who get hurt, they rehab, and they pick up right where they left off. Other people have a mental hurdle to overcome; I don’t know if that is going to apply to [Townsend]. He seems to have taken everything in stride and not gotten down on anything. He very easily could have gotten down. It’s his senior year and he isn’t pitching, but he is working toward making himself better than he was before and having the opportunity to continue his playing career.” Townsend isn’t scared of the mental barriers. He feels he will be ready for the season and return just as good of a player. “I think my arm will be at the same level or stronger when I come back. Most people come back even stronger,” said Townsend. Govern, who has been a longtime teammate of Townsend’s, shares his teammate’s optimistic view. “He was so dominant before, of course. No one really knows how you are going to do after that surgery because it is reconstructive elbow surgery,” Govern said. “He has been throwing bullpens and he looks just like he did before. It is really exciting because he has been the best pitcher since we were 9, so it’s great to see him back.” Though it is uncertain if Townsend will have the chance to pitch this
All photos by Lola Akinlade
season, one thing’s for sure and that is he will be looked at as a leader on the team. As one of the captains on the team, he can be looked to lead by example. However, his sense of humor allows him to help the team bond, as well as lift the spirits of his teammates. “He always keeps everyone light-hearted, keeps everyone not nervous,” Govern said. “He is that guy in the clubhouse that you need that always cracks jokes in any situation. It keeps everyone loose. He is just a funny kid.” On the field, Townsend is looked at to fill the position many big hitters fill: first base. His sound fielding and big bat make him the ideal candidate to fill the vital position. Usually as the fourth of fifth hitter, Townsend is looked at to clear the bases as often as he can. Though Townsend doesn’t yet have any college offers, he hopes to continue playing at the next level. “They are both good enough to play at the next level,” Coach Schurr said. “[Govern] has already committed to playing at Eastern and [Townsend] is certainly good enough to play at the next level, once he is 100% better.”
Townsend hits cleanup, a position in the order traditionally occupied by heavy hitters.
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Advantage: VanDixhorn By Jarrett Malec At LHS, there are countless amounts of sports that have star talents riddled about them. Sports of all varieties, ranging from swimming to golf to football, have athletes that light up the court or field almost every time they go out and compete. Tennis, a sport that does not get as much attention around the school as other major sports, has one of those prime talents: Senior Ben VanDixhorn, playing number-one singles at the varsity level since his freshman year, has made quite the imprint throughout his high school tennis career and looks to keep it going after Libertyville. After his senior season with the Wildcats, VanDixhorn will be headed to Northwestern University on scholarship to play tennis. Being the athlete he is, VanDixhorn grew up playing
sports besides tennis, such as baseball and basketball. VanDixhorn excelled in those sports; he was on travel teams for baseball and JCats for basketball. However, around eighth grade, he began to get more serious with tennis and quit the other sports. “With tennis, you can’t play other sports if you are going to get really serious about it. You got to play every day. It’s one of those sports you have to put a lot of time into,” stated VanDixhorn. VanDixhorn’s dad has his own tennis club -- College Park Athletic Club in Deerfield -- where VanDixhorn first got into the game at a very young age. He regularly practices two to three hours a day, six days a week at College Park. Trying to better himself as much as possible, Vandixhorn also tries his best during the high school season to still practice. “Probably sophomore year is when I got the idea that I could play the game in college, and junior year I started looking at some schools,” stated VanDixhorn. In December 2013 at Winter Nationals in Scottsdale, Arizona, VanDixhorn had a great showing in front of college coaches, which drew him a considerable amount of attention for colleges to scout him. The schools that he visited were Northwestern, Notre Dame, and Illinois, but he knew that Northwestern was his place. “The coaches [at Northwestern] are really nice but also want to win so they’re intense, which I want. There are also only 10 guys on the team [as] opposed to other teams that have about 16 people. The academics are great and I love the campus,” noted VanDixhorn. In his junior season, VanDixhorn qualified for State at Hersey High School, where he finished in seventh place. VanDixhorn also attended State his freshman and sophomore years for the Cats. Last year resulted in one of VanDixhorn’s most memorable matchups of his high school career. “Conference finals last year, I lost in a three-hour match to the number-one kid from Lake Forest (Brice Polender),” VanDixhorn said. “He had beaten me pretty badly before but that match showed me that I can do this.” After being defeated again by Polender at the State quarterfinals, VanDixhorn came back this year with a vengeance, defeating Polender 6-1, 6-1 earlier this month to rectify some of the pain from last year’s losses. VanDixhorn has had great teammates as well as coaches that have lead him towards success. One of those coaches is head LHS tennis coach, Mr. Dan Kiernan. Kiernan is not a part of the LHS staff, but he has played a positive role in VanDixhorn’s tennis growth. “Ben is a left-handed athlete with height, is determined, and has the resources to obtain skills needed to play division one,” Coach Kiernan stated. Coach Kiernan also believes that last year is when VanDixhorn made a big jump, but he has improved every year. The coach stated that VanDixhorn has beefed up and is serving bigger. Coach Kiernan knew from the beginning of VanDixhorn’s
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VanDixhorn sits on the bench before he hits the hard court for a match. high school career that he would keep getting better and improving each and every day. Coachability is a term often used in regards to athletes, and according to Mr. Kiernan, VanDixhorn is nothing short of it, as well as being a great teammate on and off the court. “His best traits are being coachable, his passion for the game, and his team. He is very disciplined,” Coach Kiernan said. He also went on to state that VanDixhorn’s work ethic is second to none, as he is already training like a professional player, which will make him very successful in the future. On the court, Coach Kiernan believes that VanDixhorn’s serve has gotten better every year, in addition to his strong backhand and forehand.
“His ability to dictate play [from his serve] and end points has been an area of improvement,” stated Kiernan. As VanDixhorn finishes his senior season, he most looks forward to the team aspect of college tennis and the raised level of competitiveness. As of March, Northwestern’s men’s tennis team ranked 26th in the nation, according to College Tennis Online. A teammate of VanDixhorn’s, who, like Coach Kiernan has been impressed with the Northwestern-bound senior, is senior Hao Chen. “He holds himself to a high standard on court and that doesn’t let up when he’s off the court,” commented Chen. Another one of VanDixhorn’s current teammates is junior Scott Daluga. The two have known each other for almost four years. Daluga has had the opportunity to play with VanDixhorn in practice and learn how he plays. “I have played against him and he plays very smart, and doesn’t give you any free points. His best traits are his methodical play style and experience,” Daluga noted. Daluga, a part of the doubles team and State qualifier his freshman year, believes that VanDixhorn will do well in college because he is a hard worker and doesn’t complain. “Ben has been a huge help to me, by giving me tips and by being really supportive, which makes me believe in myself more,” stated Daluga. Unfortunately, VanDixhorn has been dealing with a back injury this year. This setback has caused VanDixhorn to miss out on several matches and tournaments. The Wildcats boys tennis team will compete at conference from May 14-16. VanDixhorn, along with another singles teammate and the Cats’ top two doubles team, will compete in the IHSA sectionals on May 23, and he will look finish his LHS tennis career at state the following week.
VanDixhorn will be attending Northwestern University next fall.
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All photos by Kayla Fiore
Double Trouble These LHS siblings are on the same team (the horror!)
Twins Nick and Robbie Seneczko, both seniors, have been on cross country and track together all four years at LHS and even during middle school. “My dad was a runner and my mom still is so they were both pushing ‘hey, do this’,” Nick said. “We weren’t really that good at anything else, so why not?” Nick explained that one of the biggest benefits of having a sibling in the same sport is always having someone else to talk to. “If he wasn’t on the team, we probably would have grown apart because I would have hung out with the friends from cross country and he would have hung out with friends from whatever he would be doing,” Nick guessed. “Since we’re in the same sport, we kind of hang out with the same people. It keeps us close.”
the alaks
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The Seneczkos
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The Luces
By Becky DeAcetis
Kristen and Stephanie Luce, a junior and freshman respectively, were both on the varsity poms team this year; Kristen has been on the team since she was a sophomore and is excited to see her sister following in her footsteps. “It’s fun to be able to be with my sister all the time. I was on varsity poms by freshman year too and I had a great experience and it was a really great way to start my high school career. I want her to have the same great experience that I had,” Kristen said. Last year, when Stephanie was in eighth grade, the two sisters had very different schedules; because of this, they weren’t able to spend very much time together. “The team has made us closer,” Stephanie said. “If I wasn’t on the team I don’t think we’d be as close.” Having a sibling on the team has it’s benefits. If Stephanie needs help on a dance technique, she can ask Kristen. They also take the same dance classes outside of LHS, which makes their schedules practically identical (which is beyond helpful to their parents according to Kristen). In addition, Kristen has helped Stephanie familiarize herself with the team and its members. “She’s always there for me and she also helped me meet all the upperclassmen,” Stephanie explained. “It’s only been good, there’s nothing bad about it.”
This pair of sophomore twins played soccer together for 10 years (from Kindergarten through freshman year). During their freshman year, they were both on the Freshman B team. This year, however, they went down different paths; Tamara chose gymnastics and diving, while Amber joined track. According to Amber, they didn’t want a break from each other necessarily, but just had contrasting interests. “When we played together when we were younger, we were always together. I was kind of just stuck with her,” Amber laughed. Being “stuck” together had its uses; the twins got together after every soccer game and discussed their strengths and weaknesses during that game. According to Amber, it helped them improve as teammates and siblings. However, this honestly could sometimes become hurtful. “Sometimes it’s hard because she’s your sibling so you could say mean stuff to her and get away with it,” Amber admitted. “We could blame each other for our problems but it’s really neither of our faults.” DROPS OF INK 30
The Richardsons (sophomore Stephen and freshman John) both run distance events in track, although Stephen is a member of varsity and John is on JV; they participate in the 800, 1600 and 3200 (½ mile, mile and 2 mile). “He’s on varsity so he can help me and give me tips for running and how to get better,” John said. “And he’s my ride.” Since Stephen is on varsity, he has been able to help his brother familiarize himself with the team; “He’s helpful when I need tips and he knows a lot of people so he introduced me to them,” said John. According to Stephen, the brothers are fairly close and rarely fight. Because of this, he hasn’t had to change his behavior to accomidate for his brother’s presence on the team. “I like having him on the team and it’s not like I have to change who I am because I’m afraid he’ll tell my mom something I said.” Stephen said. When Stephen and John were at Oak Grove at the same time, they also participated in track together; “It’s cool to have an extracurricular with him because we see different sides of each other,” explained Stephen.
the zwirns The Tangs
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the richardsons
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Chloe and Hannah, twin sophomores, both play tennis and lacrosse; they played tennis last year as well, but only started lacrosse this spring when they both wanted to add a spring sport to their schedule. In tennis, the Zwirns are double partners. Last year, they played together on the freshman/sophomore team, and this year, they competed together on the JV team. “We know each other better so we know how to play and work better together,” Chloe said. “I don’t think I could imagine playing with someone else.” Chloe explained that being siblings allowed for more criticism and honesty: “Sometimes in tennis when your partner messes up, you don’t really want to say anything too mean to them, but it’s my sister, so I can tell her if she messes up.” Although some siblings may be appalled by the idea of working together with their family, the Zwirn twins have no such problem. “It’s really fun. Other siblings don’t do everything together, but me and Chloe… we play the same sports… It’s always fun having a sibling on the field,” Hannah said.
The Tang brothers (senior Ryan and sophomore Brandon) were both members of track last year, although they participated in different events. Ryan ran mostly distance, while Brandon focused on hurtles. This year, after 3 years of track however, Ryan chose not to join to allow himself to focus on the 7 AP tests he will be taking this spring. But even though Ryan isn’t in the same sport as Brandon this year, they were still able to bond over track last year. “Ryan and I are pretty close and it was pretty helpful because I was coming from Roundout, which isn’t exactly the biggest school, so I didn’t really know anyone there,” Brandon laughed. “If Ryan wasn’t on the team, I wouldn’t have known anyone and I would have been much more shy than I already was.” Despite participating in different events, the brothers were able to become closer during the season, according to Brandon. “It was fun because we all knew the same people and we had some intersection with friends,” Ryan said. “And we had workouts to complain about,” he added.
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Photo taken by Korina Valenzuela
IT’s pARTY PLANNING TIME!
Birthday. Graduation . Office . Reunion “Just because you feel like it” parties!
We cater special events for a few and corporate events for many. Show your current Student ID Card for a Regular Menu 15% Discount or Free Fries with Sandwich Purchase. View Fodrak’s regular and catering menus at www.fodraks.com. We have lots of ideas for great parties. Call or stop by and discuss how Fodrak’s can help you make this year’s party season the best ever.
327 South Milwaukee Avenue, Libertyville
847-816-8111