Drops of Ink -- December 19 Issue

DROPS OF

INK

December 19, 2013 Volume 87, Issue 3

Stevo Smackdown Wrestler Steve Polakowski seeks state title

Pages 29-31

Inside: What your iPod says about you...Singer/Songwriter Claire Bryant...Best of 2013

Check out these DOI blogs! freetimefridays.blogspot.com

runwaytohallwaylhs.blogspot.com

relationshipswithrachael.blogspot.com

Follow Us!

lhsdoijustanothermanicmonday.blogspot.com

Twitter: @lhsdoi Instagram: lhsdoi Facebook: Libertyville High School Drops of Ink

2013-14 Staff

Jessica Cartwright, Staff Writer Becky DeAcetis, Staff Writer Molly Downing, Staff Writer Ryan Jackson, Staff Writer Hannah Jenkins, Staff Writer Jacob Luce, Staff Writer Emily Malecha, Staff Writer Connor Polk, Staff Writer Maddie Salata, Staff Writer Shelly Schick, Staff Writer Korina Valenzuela, Staff Writer Kate Vittore, Staff Writer Nick Vittore, Staff Writer Katie Vrba, Staff Writer Mr. Michael Gluskin, Faculty Adviser

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

2

December 19,2013

Masthead

what’s inside Bailey Schmid Photography Editor

4 5 6 8 9 11-13 14-15 16-17 18-19

News Briefs

School Shootings Terrorize U.S.

Find out about recent school shootings and other types of school violence.

Malala’s Rebellion against Taliban Inspires the World A story of a young Pakistani girl shot in the head for promoting education for girls.

What’s Trending

Find out what’s popular at LHS right now.

What’s Happening

DOI reports the world’s doings.

With a Heart, Without a Home

A look at stats and stories about homelessness in the Lake County area and beyond.

Home for the Holidays

A story about military families at LHS and what they do for the holiday season.

Clairevoyant

Arguably one of the most fantastic voices at LHS -- a profile on senior Claire Bryant.

Blast from the Past

Teachers at LHS have shared photos of themselves from their own high school days.

20-21 22-23 24 25-28

What Your iPod Says About You

29-31 32-33

Reduce. Reweigh. We Wrestle.

34-35

letter to the readers

A story about the new coffee shop in Libertyville, Hansa; and a look at how construction in town is hurting businesses.

A look at what the songs on your iPod reveal about your personality type.

Best of 2013

A few memorable moments from the celebrity and entertainment world.

Staff Editorial: P.E. could be more effective Our staff suggests improvements for the P.E. program at LHS.

Opinion Columns

DOI staff takes a look at how high schools are differnt from the real world, offseason preparation for sports, sports rivalries, and whether or not school should be canceled each time it snows.

Dear Readers, As the old cliché goes, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Like many, I am passionate about photography—the art form that is for me, the very highest means of communication. As a student of photography, I learned to appreciate the art of image making at an early age. The love of photography helped change my world views and broadened my horizons.

Photojournalism in and of itself had been creating global awareness of turmoil, atrocity, poverty, injustice and victory long before those issues were known as such. After seeing an image, no one can claim he or she does not know about a situation. A photograph is as permanent as word.

Ever since joining Drops of Ink my junior year, it’s been my goal to create photos that work together with their respective stories, as well as telling a story on their own. I want the photos in every issue to leave an impression of professionalism. This has been my third consecutive cover so far this year.

While trying to convey what I have in my mind onto the cover page is a difficult and intimidating task, I have found that it is not impossible. For example, for the November issue (featuring Joe Borcia) and the current issue cover, I wanted to use lighting to convey emotions of sorrow and power, respectively. Ideally, that emotion carries over to their own stories.

I hope you enjoy this issue.

Sincerely,

A profile on senior Steve Polakowski and a look at how some wrestlers manage their weight.

Athletes Caught in a Haze

A recent bullying incident in the NFL has sparked discussion of hazing in sports.

Let’s Roll

What is the sport of bowling really like for those who participate in it?

Table of Contents

December 19, 2013

Cover photo by Bailey Schmid

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News Milwaukee construction harms local businesses

By Nick Vittore For the past several months, construction has backed up traffic on both Route 21 and Route 137 respectively, as commuters have had to work around their schedules, and businesses have had to change tactics.

Back in 2012, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) launched a project to widen Milwaukee Avenue (Route 21) to make it easier to cross the road. According to the Daily Herald, the new pavement on Milwaukee Avenue will be widened 2.2 miles north and south of Peterson. While this will one day benefit navigation on one of America’s most traveled roads, it has been a nuisance for today’s commuters to drive on and for business owners to deal with.

“The construction led to a slight loss in sales,” said Paul LaRoche, the owner of Ace Hardware in Libertyville, located just yards shy of the undesired intersection of Milwaukee Avenue and Peterson Road. “This is due in part to unavailability for consumers to come to the store as a result of traffic. Time is precious in terms of traffic, so naturally the consumer doesn’t always have time to come to the store.”

Cafe Pyrenees, a French bistro restaurant in Adler Square, was arguably the business that was hit the hardest as a result of the construction.

Management decided to take such drastic measures as to cancel lunch through November as a result of the construction.

Brenda Spried, the owner of the Home at Last Antiques adjacent to Peterson Road, is hoping to expand their extent of advertising as a way to attract more customers despite business slowing up. “We’ve been running monthly promotions and we’ve been doing a lot of mailers, which I don’t usually do,” she said. “We’re just trying to remind people we’re still here and open for business.”

It’s fair to say that a change seemed appropriate for such a busy road.

However, critics say that the timing should have been better.

“The construction process lasted 4-5 months longer than it should have, even though everyone did the best they could,” remarked LaRoche. “The nice thing is that it will make the roads more wide and safer.”

Virtually all businesses in construction zones have had to make changes of some sort or another, but all of them have a common goal: to continue with successful sales. “We’re going to continue to strive in our sales,” said LaRoche. “We’ve had very loyal customers and we thank them. Our goal after the construction will be to come back bigger and better.”

The official completion date was supposed to have occurred this fall, however IDOT spokesman Mike Claffey says the new completion date for the construction project of Milwaukee and Peterson Road is January 10, 2014, the Chicago Tribune reports.

Photo by Katie Vrba The inside of Hansa Coffee Roasters features high-tech brewing machines and a wide variety of food items.

What’s Brewing?

By Katie Vrba Opened in early October, Hansa Coffee Roasters has become a big hit in downtown Libertyville.

Owner Tom Maegdlin opened this gourmet cafe just north of the train tracks on the west side of Milwaukee Avenue. This makes it very convenient for commuters who take the the train.

But Hansa Coffee Roasters isn’t your average coffee shop.

“It has a very vintage feel; it’s exactly like you would find in a big city but it’s here,” said Juliann Abderholden, a customer at Hansa.

The outside of Hansa Coffee Roasters was built to look like a 19th century factory. There are two large garage doors giving it a trade dockyard look because of the wood interior and decor.

“The environment inside Hansa was very relaxing and it just gave off this cool vibe,” said sophomore Bridget Burnetti, a customer at Hansa.

Inside Hansa, there are differentiated pieces of wood, artwork, and a large chalkboard. You can sit in a little, private room with couches or enjoy your coffee at a table or stool.

Hansa sells a variety of different drinks including espressos, lattes, teas, and hot chocolate. “[The owner] has drawings that show you what espresso is and what cappuccino is, because some people don’t understand the milk and coffee ratio,” said Guy Abderholden, another customer at Hansa.

Hansa is known for their freshly brewed coffee. They grind their own beans, giving it a fresh, non-bitter taste.

After finishing a delicious drink from Hansa, one might get a little hungry. No worries, Hansa has lots of gourmet treats to enjoy. For example, taste Hansa’s apple cider donuts or chocolate chip cookies.

When a customer comes into Hansa, they are automatically greeted by the workers. At Hansa Coffee Roasters, “the people were very welcoming,” said Burnetti. “Their service was quick and the workers helped with whatever you need.”

Some people say that Hansa and other coffee chains have no comparison.

“The price was about the same, [but] the coffee was better quality,” said Abderholden.

Photo by Nick Vittore The entrance to Home at Last and the other retailers by Peterson Commons is littered with construction cones and signs.

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December 19,2013

News

School Shootings Terrorize U.S.

By Kyle Laska “Growing up with guns around I always learned safety first and to never do anything with a gun that could potentially endanger yourself or others. Others who only know guns from the mass killings on video games don't have a respect for them, and they even consider them toys.

Sophomore Andrew Allen, another fan of guns and their proper use, is a supporter of more background checks Gunman John Zawahri is seen on a security camera entering Santa and ways to en- Monica College. His shootings in June killed six. sure the people obtaining guns are fit.

“As a responsible gun owner I can say that gun laws should be stricter in a sense. We should not heavily regulate the guns themselves but rather the people that can obtain a gun,” stated Allen.

Allen added, “It’s not the guns that are killing people its the people using the guns. I myself think there should be a mental evaluation to obtain a firearm and a rigorous training course on how to operate your weapon correctly and safely.”

According to Officer Uliks, the plan in place at LHS is always the best it can be. Even after Newtown and Santa Monica, the plan is pretty stable.

“With these events, we haven’t necessarily changed our plan.

With the different law circles and enforcement groups, we often see different findings that we are able to put to use in our plan.

We make adjustments and improve our plan when necessary,” explained Uliks.

Assistant Principal, Mr. Maroscher, oversees and evaluates the team directors at LHS, in terms of security. Maroscher also facilitates the emergency response team and crisis teams when they are needed.

“Although we are so very fortunate to have a lot of safety features and security technology at LHS, it is the relationship of genuine trust between students and staff that is the secret weapon with regard to keeping LHS safe. Students at LHS are great at informing the adults when they have fears or suspicions about issues concerning safety. This is because there is an unmatched level of trust between our staff and the students.

Students at LHS know that there is always someone they can go to when they feel something is not quite right and/or when they feel an adult needs to know their concerns,” assured Maroscher.

Students evacuate Sandy Hook Elementary School after shots were fired there in December 2012.

These days, it seems as if there is a comfortability with shootings. While they aren’t condoned by any means, shootings are all too common, especially living just north of Chicago. According to an FBI release, Chicago has officially passed New York City as the murder capital of the United States. As of December 6, 1,682 people have been at least shot and wounded in Chicago this year.

School shootings have sparked controversy referring to gun control and school security. States have begun to put more restrictions on guns, including banning additional guns from being legally owned and exempting gun permits from public records.

One year ago, on December 14, 2012, one of the most infamous shootings occurred as gunman Adam Lanza opened fire at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. His shooting spree killed 26 people, consisting of 20 children and 6 adults. It is the second-deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.

Lanza’s mother was a gun enthusiast, making accessibility to a gun easy for Lanza. The overwhelming outroar screaming for gun control was electrified after this incident.

Earlier this year, on June 7, John Zawahri started shooting at the campus of Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, California. The shooting killed six, and another four people were wounded. Zawahri killed both his father and his brother at their home before he went to the university’s library and began shooting. Zawahri had been a student at the college for a year, before dropping out in 2010. A note was left on his body, but no motive was mentioned.

Another incident worth noting occurred in October of this year, in Sparks, Nevada. At Sparks Middle School, 12 year-old Jose Reyes grabbed a hold of his parents’ semi-automatic handgun at their home and fired upon a teacher, killing him instantly.

This came before he shot and wounded another student, and later killed himself. Reyes was described as “a good kid” by his neighbors, according to USA Today. It remains in question why he started shooting.

These shootings occur at all levels of education. From middle school to college, these shootings have continued to happen, and will, unfortunately, continue to happen. The question is: How do we stop them?

Senior Colton Bast, an avid hunter and supporter of guns, says that the best way to handle the crisis is to familiarize people with guns.

Both photos courtesy of MCT Campus

News

December 19, 2013

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Malala’s Rebellion Against Taliban Inspires the World

By Hannah Jenkins

Who:

14-year-old Malala Yousafzai, who was shot on October 6, 2012, in her home country of Pakistan by the Taliban because she was in favor of women attending school. The Taliban also targeted her because of her anonymous blog she took over on BBC’s website when she was 11, which discussed how she thought the Taliban was unfair.

Photo courtesy of blog.law-kelly.com

What she’s done since 2012: •

• •

•

Photo courtesy of article.wn.com Yousafzai speaks at the United Nations Youth assembly on her birthday in July 2013.

Started the Malala Yousafzai Foundation, which provides education and schools for girls in Pakistan. The first grant provided 40 girls the money to go to school, who otherwise would have been pushed into the workforce.

Wrote and published her book, I Am Malala, to inspire kids to go to school through telling her struggles.

Addressed the United Nations on her 16th birthday in July 2013. She discussed how the Taliban attacked her and how “the extremists are afraid of books and pens. The power of education frightens them. They are afraid of women.”

In October 2013, she was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, the youngest person to ever be nominated for this award. Although she did not win, she has won a variety of awards in 2013, including Amnesty International Ambassador of Conscience Award 2013 and the Children’s Peace Prize.

Why she’s still speaking out:

She hopes to give kids the chance to be able to go to school every day. By speaking out against the Taliban, who are against letting children going to school, she hopes to target the world’s initiative of furthering education because, according to Gordon Brown, a United Nations envoy for global education. He spoke at a UN meeting two weeks after Yousafzai was shot to address her condition, where Brown said, “despite a global commitment that every child would be in primary school by 2015, 61 million children of primary-school age are still not in education, 32 million of them girls...This wonderful young woman is fighting for her life because she fought for the right of every girl to go to school. Now we must all fight for Malala’s cause.”

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December 19,2013

News

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December 19, 2013

Feature

Nelson Mandela dies

The world lost one of its most impactful and well-known leaders on December 5th. Nelson Mandela, South America’s voice passed away at the age of 95 late on a Thursday night, and his message is being spread more now than ever. A Nobel Prize winner and the former president of South Africa, Mandela dedicated his life to dismantle his country’s apartheid governfor his country and for his people. Nelson Mandela was released in 1990, and continued his efforts to bring equality to South Africa.

Photo courtesy of MCT Campus

RIP Brian the dog on “Family Guy”

One of Family Guy’s most beloved characters has been killed off of the popular cartoon.

Brian Griffin has been on the show since 1999, but in a recent episode entitled “Life of Brian,” the family pet was run over. Viewers have been expressing their anger about his death on Twitter, and have gone so far as to start petitions to get him back on the show.

Brian has been replaced with the new family dog on the show named Vinnie, voiced by

What’s Happening?

By Kate Vittore

Photo courtesy of MCT Campus

Illinois passes same-sex marriage bill

On November 5, Illinois became the 16th state to pass a law allowing gay couples to become legally married. Illinois Governor Patrick Quinn signed the legislation to allow same-sex marriages, starting in the summer, on November 20. This year, four other states, Delaware, Minnesota, Rhode Island and New Jersey, have also started allowing same-sex marriage ceremonies to be performed. Illinois was nearly the 15th state to pass the bill, but Hawaii passed its bill through the Senate on November 12, and Governor Neil Abercrombie signed it into law later that same day.

Tony Sirico from The Sopranos.

Photo courtesy of MCT Campus

Tornadoes Rip Through Illinois

What started as a single storm spawned a total of 24 tornadoes that ripped through Illinois on November 17. The twisters killed a total of six people, and also managed to damage and destroy over 2,400 homes statewide. Two of the tornadoes to touch down on that November day were recorded as the two most deadly tornados to ever occur in Illinois, according to the National Weather Service. This was Illinois’ deadliest day of tornadoes to strike in the 63 years that tornados have been kept track of.

Photo courtesy of MCT Campus

Photo courtesy of Truth Frequency Radio

Xbox One vs.

Playstation 4

Photo courtesy of MCT Campus

Two of the worl’d most popular console companies released their newest systems during November. The Playstation 4 was released on November 15, and shortly after, the Xbox One was released, on November 22. The Xbox One averages at the price of $500, and the PS4 costs less at $400. Both systems are sold at most big retailers, but at most stores, the shelves have been cleared of these hot items. Both Sony and Microsoft have sold millions of their newest consoles within the first few weeks of their release.

Feature

Paul Walker’s Fatal Car Crash Paul Walker, star of the “Fast and the Furious” movie franchise, was killed in a car crash on November 30. The fatal crash occurred

at 3:30 in the afternoon in Valencia, California.

Walker was on his way to a charity event to aid Filipino Victims of the Typhoon Haiyan for his own organization Reach Out Worldwide. When help arrived at the scene, the car had already gone up in flams. He died at the age of 40.

Photo courtesy of IB Times

December 19, 2013

“Catching Fire” Sets Box Office Record

Hunger Games fans everywhere made sure to set a record with “Catching Fire,” the second installment of what is said to be 4 movies based on Suzanne Collins’ best-selling book trilogy, as the last book is rumored to be split up into a 2-part conclusion to the beloved story. Released the weekend of November 22, the film made $307.7 million in the box office, setting a record and passing up the first movie’s profits of $152.5 million back in March of 2012. “Catching Fire” now stands as the best November debut in the box office to hit theaters, passing “The Twilight Saga: New Moon,” which earned $142.9 million in 2009.

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Advertisements

Winter Break and vacations represent a time when students can make poor decisions regarding drug and alcohol use. Athletes Committed to Excellence wishes you all a very safe holiday season and encourages our LHS students to make responsible decisions during Winter Break. - Sincerely, Mr. Ferrell and Mrs. Stevens, ACE Leaders

With a Heart,

Without a Home

ar with rybody is famili ve E . d e iv rr a s or ecember has f grocery store o e The month of D id ts u o s g n s. This e bell that ri Army donation the sound of th n tio a lv a S r fo ther it person asking ing spirit -- whe iv g e Walgreens: the th in re a lter, or ar that people at a PADS she g n ri is the time of ye e te n lu vo , tossn WISH project g as simple as in th e m be our very ow so e b ld u on the r jackets. It co meless person o h a donating winte f o p cu rn ut the ers into the wo think about it, b to e ing a few quart lik ys a lw a unty. ago. We don’t ere in Lake Co h t h g streets of Chic ri t n ca ifi n oss the ssness is sig s scattered acr ie tr issue of homele n a p d o fo d od and are shelters an trying to find fo ily a d Although there r e ff su ill like the many people st ve stories just a h le Chicago area, p o e p se e ber to rm to stay. Th mmunity remem co a somewhere wa s a e w t a passed. it is important th ay season has lid o h rest of us, and e th r e ft a y we can, even help in any wa

By Emily Luce

photo by Bailey Schmid

As Told by the Homeless Themselves...

Jim*, a man who lives in the Lake County area, is one of many examples of a success story. He was homeless for two years as a teenager, but now is extremely successful and on the side, ministers to the homeless people in his town.

“My dad left when I was 11, and it was always a struggle for my mom to find food to feed my four siblings and myself. I left home at age 15 and slept in the back of an old grocery store. Luckily for me, the major of my town allowed me to sleep there which probably saved me from many dangers... it was rough but I made it through. I joined the Navy when I turned 17 and went to Vietnam,” he said.

Jim is very thoughtful when it comes to the homeless community of the current times.

“I really enjoy helping and ministering to them. One thing you have to remember is that they’re people just like you, and they all have a story. You must treat them that way,” he said.

*Only first names have been used for privacy reasons.

Sarah* is from Lake County and lost her home two years ago due to financial problems.

Being a single mother, Sarah tries her best to find adequate food and shelter for herself and her 3-year-old daughter. Sarah takes advantage of PADS shelters as well as soup kitchens in her area, which she says she is extremely thankful for.

“I really am grateful for the services provided so kindly by the volunteers at these shelters. It gives us a place to go temporarily until I find work. The hardest part about [being homeless] is how people look at you. They don’t realize the situations at hand and often think we are homeless because of something we did wrong. It could happen to anybody,” Sarah said.

The Lake County Haven provides many services to these women who may have been victims of domestic violence.

There are a number of volunteer activities to engage in to help this cause.

Photo courtesy of commons.wikipedia.org Ken Busby, who lives in Lake County and has been an aide to homeless people since the fall of 2001, shared what a typical volunteer-run night would look like at a PADS shelter. He attends St. Mary’s Church in Mundelein, which hosts homeless people from the local PADS shelter on the third Wednesday of every month. The shelters across the area depend on churches to help out, and are in service from October to April.

A normal night at a PADS shelter would go something like this: *The clients arrive via bus from North Chicago to the church in the evening. Upon arrival, they are assigned a pad with a number, where they keep their belongings. *Volunteers serve them dinner and then put on a movie for the people to watch. *At 10 p.m., lights are turned out and the clients have a warm place to sleep. *At 5 a.m., everyone is woken up and served breakfast. *Another bus comes at 6 a.m., and the clients are sent off with a bagged lunch to take. That means that they are provided with three meals total.

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How Can You Help? ~PADS shelters and similar services across Lake County are always welcoming volunteers, and they prefer high-school aged teens or older due to the mature nature of the jobs. To volunteer your time, visit padslakecounty.org. ~The Lake County Haven provides services for women and children in the local area. They currently have a wish list of items that are needed, including alarm clocks, garbage bags, and gently used women’s clothing. Drop off donations at 314 S. Milwaukee Avenue in Libertyville. ~Local soup kitchens, such as the Libertyville Township Pantry, located on Winchester Road, are always willing to accept donations of canned goods as well as volunteers. This specific pantry operates on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

December 19, 2013

Feature

Did You Know...? • Every year, 600,000 families with 1.35 million children experience homelessness in the United States. The number of children who are homeless each year make up about 50% percent of the homeless population in the U.S., and most of them were born into it.

Based on the January 2011 National Alliance to End Homelessness State of Homelessness report, an estimated 14,055 people experience homelessness each night in Illinois.

Of these people... ~ 84% were living in shelters and transitional housing, while 16% were unsheltered.

Photo courtesy of commons.wikipedia.org

474 people met the federal definition of homeless in Lake County on January 28, 2010, according to the Lake County Point-in-Time Count Report, which took place on that night.

Homelessness is generally categorized into three groups:*

~53% were single adults and 47% were persons living in families. ~48% have chronic substance abuse issues.

Episodic: -These are individuals and families who are in and out of shelters. They tend to be younger, leave shelters when they find a source of income, or only take advantage of the shelters seasonally.

Transitional: -These are usually individuals and families who become homeless due to a health care issue, housing problem, or another financial crisis. They come into the homeless shelters provided in their area and stay around three months or until their crisis is solved. These people often do not become homeless again.

~25% are people who have encountered domestic violence at some point in time. ~4% are suffering from HIV/AIDS and are unable to get any care for it.

Chronic: -These individuals and families have been homeless for a year or more, or four times in the last three years. Many of these people make use of the shelter system for longer periods of time and are thought to take advantage of 50 percent or more total shelter days. *Info researched from www.thechicagoalliance.org

Feature

December 19, 2013

13

Home for t

By Becky DeAcetis

Home Sweet Home

By Becky DeAcetis

Everyone knows there’s no place like home for the holidays but for many

members of the military, being home sometimes isn’t an option.

Kate Aumuller, junior, faced a common struggle for military kids before her dad retired from the Marines: having her dad miss special occasions.

“He missed more of my brother’s birthdays than he missed mine,” Kate said.

Most families take being together for granted, but Aumuller appreciates it more than others, knowing she’s lucky to be with her family. “I love Christmas so much. Not the whole present thing, just being around your family.

It’s a big deal,” Aumuller said.

Photo courtesy of Kate Aumuller When she was part of an active military family, Aumuller’s father could The Aumuller Family poses for a family photo. be deployed for months on end. Although he never missed the holidays, her dad spent long periods of time away from his family because he was deployed. Aumuller said her dad was deployed for nine months while her parents were engaged, leaving her mom to plan the entire wedding.

“I’m proud of him for doing it… 25 years is pretty good. I think it’s a pretty good thing to say about your dad,” Aumuller said. Although she was sometimes angry at her dad for having to move every year, Aumuller said she would never ask her dad to quit.

Moving was the hardest part of being in a military family, according to Aumuller. “Most of all I kind of hated him for all the moving. It was just awful to have to leave every single year...You would get so attached to people and then you would have to say goodbye,” Aumuller said.

Her family lives across the United States, so she isn’t able to see her famPhoto courtesy of Aldrin Alvarez ily very often.

The Alvarez Family getting a Christmas tree for the “I’m thankful for my family. I know everyone says that but truly, I really holidays. am. I don’t know what I would do without them,” she said.

Aldrin Alvarez, a junior whose step-dad is the army, has faced similar problems. He moved to Libertyville from Guam during the summer; although he became a military kid only two years ago, Alvarez has already had to move twice.

When asked what the hardest part of being a military kid, Alvarez replied: “Being separated. You couldn’t have any life experiences with them and you have less time with them… time’s pretty valuable.”

Alvarez said that people in Libertyville view things differently that people who are part of a military family. He said that non-military family people have different morals and don’t appreciate things as much. According to Alvarez, people in Libertyville take things for granted.

Alvarez is considering joining the Navy after high school; he said it’s a “fall-back option” if he doesn’t find a good college. “I sorta wanna do it but I think I would fail boot camp,” Alvarez joked.

Alvarez’s favorite part of the holidays is something many love: food.

Although their lives are very different, Aumuller and Alvarez can both agree on one thing: for the holidays, you can’t beat home sweet home.

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December 19, 2013

Feature

the Holidays & Korina Valenzuela

My Life as a Military Kid

By Korina Valenzuela

Growing up not knowing where your father was most of the time can take a toll on any

child’s life.

My father, a proud military active duty service member, has been serving in the United States Navy for 20 years. Fresh out of high school, he was inspired to join when he was at the tender age of 18. Since his family could not provide money for a proper college education, he had to resort to joining the military. As children, my brother and I never really understood what my father had done proudly for his country. However, as we have gotten older, we have realized that he had helped young men and women gain opportunities to join the military. In simpler terms, his specific job was as a job counselor for the Navy RecruitPhoto courtesy of ing Training Command. Today, he still holds this job and also helps with accounting for the Korina Valenzuela Navy.

The Valenzuela Family in front of a As a kid, I always knew that my family was very different from others. My father was German castle during the holidays. almost never home, and my brother and I always wondered where he was. After he was deployed for months on end in places such as Thailand, Japan, Korea, or Syria, we would get used to him not being around.

From time to time, he would miss a birthday or two, maybe even a Christmas.

December 25, 2008, was the one time my father ever missed a Christmas. I didn’t know where he was or what he was doing, only that he was on a ship helping people in another country for the United States Navy. Even though he had sent us Christmas gifts through the mail, it was eerie not having him around.

Through modern technology such as skype, I was able to see and hear my father that Christmas. That was the most emotional time for my family and I because we had celebrated a Christmas without my father around.

Those are the most emotional and probably the worst times that almost every military kid has to experience when their parents are on deployment.

Like other military families, we had to move from time to time. Every three years, we had to readjust to a new life.

Since my father was an active duty service member, we had no choice but to follow him wherever when he was reassigned for a new job. So far, I have had to move eight times. I have lived in places such as Hawaii, California, Texas, Italy, and of course, here in Libertyville. It was a constant cycle that repeated itself over and over. Active duty service members were always needed in different parts of the world and as a military child, you could have been forced to move to any place in the world.

Once a military child has moved to his or her location, he or she needs to adapt to a brand new set of things. New place, new friends, new school, and a whole new life. Not many people realize how difficult it is to move more than once, and moving eight times was certainly a struggle. Since moving here to Libertyville in the middle of freshman year, I had to readjust during my first year of high school. Fortunately, I met new friends and started to become used to the area. Unfortunately, I do not know whether I will be moving again or not. It will all depend on the status of my father’s job.

However, all of these experiences gave me a new perspective that most don’t see. As a person, you realize how thankful you are to be able to see new places and experience the culture of these places. Over the years, my morals have changed in the sense that I am much more appreciative for everything that has been given to me and for everything that I have worked for. Lastly, having a parent or relative in the military makes you realize how proud you are of the person that they have become. So this year, I’m thankful for much more than any materialistic thing and more thankful for the fact that I have a hard-working father who serves his country proudly every day.

Photo courtesy of VectorFree

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December 19, 2013

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Clairevoyant

by Elise Houcek

There seems to endure a certainty about her character, about her personal resolve, a quality of confidence that speaks to contradict an aura of humility and meekness. A passion that radiates not only in the melodies of her voice but in the expression of her philosophies through systemic prose. A dedication to talent intrinsically bestowed, to the forsaken notion of individual, artistic capacity. A tendency towards the preservation of creative freedom and the self-actualization of a worldly cause, bound by the devotion of spirited intensity and carried through the resonance of song.

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ocalist, lyricist, and senior Claire Bryant had never questioned

her capabilities as a musician. From a young age she was attracted to the beauty and abstraction of music and harmony and was intrigued by its ability to affect those involved. Motivated both by her personal infatuation and by her teacher’s recognition of an apparent genius, Bryant began taking weekly voice lessons with her first grade music instructor Ms. Sissy Deprima.

“Ever since kindergarten, I just knew that this was my talent, that singing was my thing,” Bryant said. “I was just so fascinated by how people could play with their voice and make something beautiful and that people would listen. It was the initial struggle of whether or not I could pursue my talent as a career that made things a little unclear.”

Bryant’s vocals eventually evolved to include songs self-composed, when in seventh grade she realized the ease with which poetic verses could be put to music. At first, Bryant’s lyrics were short and simple, maintained mostly by repetitive melodies and an elementary tone. As the years progressed and her character matured both intellectually and in terms of aesthetic preference, however, her songs took on a distinct complexity and a unique artistic form.

Senior Jake Michelotti, who has worked with Bryant combining her vocals with his electronic beats, described their producing experience as something both original and organic: “My experience working with Claire has been pretty rad. She digs cool sounds that I like too. And she’s down to jam all the time, which is awesome.”

Most of Bryant’s songs revolve around the topics of love, hardship, and emotional experience, with a sincere devotion to subject matter to which all of her audience can relate. She stressed and expressed the importance of establishing an intimate connection with one’s listeners, that the primary goal of all musicians is to speak to each individual as if they were alone in the crowd. Writing with the inspiration of personal experience gives the audience something to cling to and be moved by, as all people are joined by a human condition that binds us to a sum of universal feats.

“Everyone experiences the same things, it just depends how you interpret that experience that makes people who they are. Writing about things that everyone goes through is what really impacts an audience,” she said.

Bryant’s desire to engage her listeners goes beyond mutual understanding.

Her resolve to transcend the bounds of popular music and to utilize her voice as a powerful, uniting force is evident in the scope of her aspirations: “What I really strive to do with my music is to change people, to make a difference with my voice,” Bryant said. “I feel like a lot of people tend to suppress certain emotions and songs can bring all that to the surface and allow people to just open up. I think that’s more powerful than anything.”

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Bryant’s inclination to write about love, she said, originates from her perception of impermanence. A lot of music that is produced today tends to focus on transitory experiences, on topics such as sex, money, and partying. In contrast, the power of love is permanent, never changing, and has the potential “to move a body of people” and therefore, as Bryant suggested, is something worth expression.

Bryant articulated her commitment to her lyrical identity: “I wouldn’t change anything about my songs or what I write. I feel like people are either going to love me or hate me because of what I write about. And that’s what most of my songs are about, about love.”

In addition to singing and writing song lyrics, Bryant has more recently started playing the piano in accompaniment to her music. At the end of her sophomore year, her Dad’s work partner gave the Bryants an old (and out-oftune) piano to which Bryant quickly found affection. She then began making up chords and linking them together until she was familiar enough with the piano’s sound to match the tune of her voice to various key combinations. From that point, the process became intuitive (and rather chaotic, as Bryant described) as she scribbled poems into her assignment notebook, harmonized the lyrics with a vocal melody during her lunch period or other free time, and put the composition to chord progressions with only her ear as a guide.

Bryant’s musical inspiration is derived primarily from those whose artistic

December 19, 2013

Feature

In regards to her future involvement and vocation of music as a career, Bryant has struggled with identifying a true, singular niche. After her performance at Writers Week 2013, however, Bryant is sure of one thing: her potential and influence as a singer/songwriter exceeds all other pursuits: “Before Writer’s Week, I was unsure of my future. I always knew that singing was my passion but I just didn’t see it as something to follow as a practical career. But after seeing how many people who I had never talked to before or who I would never expect to open up came up to me and told me that my music impacted them, I realized that singing was my calling; that I had no choice but to make this a career. I had always wanted to make an impact on the world and to change people somehow, and I knew then that my music was the way to make that vision real.”

If all circumstance were ideal, Bryant’s only real desire would be to be able to “make a living solely off of what I love to do.” Whether that means singing in front of millions making millions or performing at small, intimate venues, her passion for following her dream is illimitable.

“Everyone always says to be your own boss and to do what you love but no one ever actually lives up to that standard and that’s what makes me so mad. I want to be the image to youth that if you set your mind to something, you can achieve it and if you are so passionate about something, you can make that your career” Arden Weiner, 2013 LHS graduate and Bryant’s friend since Freshman year commented on her capabilities: “Something Claire can do better than anyone I know is write music. Most writers our age are maybe OK but still awkward, she’s phenomenal. Every song she has even shown me has blown me away com pletely. Many of her songs have brought me to tears. Her extraordinary talent is irrefutable, and something that will carry her far in life.”

“Quicksand”

Photo by Bailey Schmid Bryant peruses her personal playlists for inspiration expression is reflective of a deeper, inward sentiment. According to Claire, Jimi Hendrix, among other classic rock artists including Janice Joplin and Jim Morrison, is famous not only for his extraordinary technical genius but for a passion for creative freedom and strength in individuality. Bryant, who also admires Hendrix’s gifted improvisation and impulsive tendencies, aspires to achieve a similar sense of independence through her own music.

“I love Jimi because he truly beat to the rhythm his own drum, and I think that alone made an impact on his audience. He wouldn’t compromise his sound for anyone and he was never afraid to be himself. I also really admire how spontaneous he was with the guitar. He loved to improvise and to play around with sound, which is what I love to do with my voice,” she said.

This quality of individuality and improv is emulated not only in the nature of Bryant’s music but in her outward appearance as well. Although she acknowledges the fact that looks are not a sincere priority, Bryant feels that one’s clothing can say a lot about an artist’s personality and is critical to her creative self.

Bryant reflected on her style as an artistic statement: “My style is really all over the place with everything. I constantly change my hair color, I wear crazy mismatched patterns, and that will probably never change. I feel like it shows my sense of self-expression and makes me stand out from the crowd. And if you want to make it as an artist, you have to be able to stand out.”

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He is a tree losing his leaves, she is the wind blowing them down He is a refugee who fled to find safety She is the fire burning the town He can’t hide, he can’t run She’s the darkness, she’s the sun He holds the knife, but she holds the gun He can’t run, he can’t hide She’s the ship, she’s the tide He locks the doors when she’s inside Oooo, whatchya gonna do She’s coming for you Oooo, whatchya gonna do You’re falling into quicksand You try to grab her hand Quicksand, but she watches you drown He is a follower, listening to God’s word She is the devil making him sin He is a helping man Doing whatever he can She is the itch underneath his skin He’s deaf and he’s blind He’s perfection, she’s my kind He’s crazy, she’s his mind He’s plotting, he’s deaf She’s all he has left He was robbed and she’s guilty of theft Chorus Instrumental He tried to escape, as she watches him struggling He’s only sinking down Chorus

December 19, 2013

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Blast from the

Past

By Rachael Girmscheid

Can you spot any familiar faces below? Let’s take a look at some of the teachers here at LHS from back in the day, when they attended high school.

Mr. Brenner Attending Paynesville High School in Minnesota, Mr. Brenner considered himself a good student. Some of us LHS students may look back on our high school years and might think the opposite of ourselves, but he was smart. “I was a math nerd back in high school.

Does that make me sound cocky?” Brenner stated. His favorite classes back in the day were physics and calculus, which explained why he was on the math team. Finishing school every day, he had track and cross country to keep him occupied along with an intramural bowling team. Students at Brenner’s high school would often call him up if there was any homework or tests that they needed help on. “I had more girlfriends the day before a math test than you could shake a stick at,” Brenner likes to say.

Ms.

Photo courtesy of Ms. Hyla She attended high school from 1994-1998

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Photo courtesy of Mr. Brenner He attended high school from 1981-1984

Hyla

The high school that Ms. Hyla attended was Lane Technical High School in Chicago. Her brother and sister would say she was a great student, was very involved, and got good grades. Swimming, volleyball, and softball were the main sports she participated in and at one point, she was the captain of her swimming team. Now we all have those embarrassing moments in high school, whether you trip in the cafeteria or maybe you fall asleep in class, but this one story that Ms. Hyla shared is icing on the cake: “The first week of school my freshman year, I was wearing a babydoll dress that was really popular at the time. It crept up my backpack without me noticing and I made it down the long hallway exposing my underwear to the entire school. Luckily I recovered from that moment,” Hyla said.

December 19, 2013

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Mr.

Kreutz

Mr. Kreutz started off as a three-sport athlete at his high school, Salem Central in Paddock Lake, Wisconsin. He played football, basketball, and baseball. He also tried out for the swing choir group, but that took a turn for the worst. “The basketball head coach met me in the hall, after hearing in the announcements that I had made the group, and told me he didn’t want any choir boys on his varsity team. I fought it all the way to the school board and won but even in victory I lost as the coach caught up with me again and told me, ‘Go and tryout, I will even keep you on the team, but you will never see the court,’” Kreutz stated. But, when one door closes, another one opens. He was the captain of the varsity football team and during his second semester of his senior year, the head coach at Carthage College saw Kreutz playing and asked him to come play for Carthage’s football team, so he took the opportunity and seized it.

Photo courtesy of Mr. Kreutz He attended high school from 1980-1984

Ms. Monken A Wildcat at heart, Ms. Monken went to our very own Libertyville High School. “Teachers would tell you that I was shy and quiet,” Monken said. “I didn’t raise my hand that much.” She was very active and played four years of basketball and softball as well.

Some of her friends considered her a “screwball” back in high school as well. One day, all of her girlfriends locked her in the glass trophy case down by the boys locker room in the main hallway. So now every time you walk past that one trophy case, you can enjoy a few laughs.

Photo courtesy of Ms. Monken She attended high school from 1975-1979

Mr.

Duffy

Back in high school, Mr. Duffy went from being a new kid in town to settling in perfectly by his sophomore and junior years. Mr. Duffy attended Lake Forest High School and along with that came orchestra, choir, and the acting club. Track and cross country were Mr. Duffy’s main sports, and he ran an 11.2 second 100-meter dash.

School came very easily to Mr. Duffy except for the math portion of it. Asked if he was a geek or jock, Mr. Duffy answered, “Are you kidding me?! Geek, all the way! I embraced my inner nerd at a young age, and stopped caring about what other people thought of me and the company I kept about sophomore year.”

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December 19, 2013

Photo courtesy of Mr. Duffy He attended high school from 1985-1989

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By Ava Polzin and Emily Malecha

You’re political...

You take your music with a message.

You’re rebellious...

You prefer a fast tempo and an anti-authority flair.

Nirvana Muse Foo Fighters The Sex Pistols Garbage Pearl Jam Bring Me the Horizon Tool Asking Alexandria Hole The Dixie Chicks Danny Brown Odd Future

Tom Morello U2 M.I.A. Bob Dylan Green Day The Clash Arcade Fire The Beatles Dead Kennedys Bob Marley Johnny Cash The Pogues Rodriguez Bikini Kill

You’re a musician...

You value technique and musical quality.

Joey Pucino. Junior.

“I tend to like any type of music that makes me feel happy. I love the Killers, Phoenix, Coldplay and generally those types of bands.

That’s not to say I’m not open to other genres and artists, though.”

Rush The Yardbirds Pink Floyd Jack White Jimi Hendrix Nick Drake Cream The Eagles Jethro Tull The Decemberists The Smiths The Civil Wars Sufjan Stevens Led Zeppelin Photos by Ava Polzin

You’re a social creature...

You’re a romantic...

You enjoy songs that address matters of the heart.

You love music that has its own energy.

Death Cab for Cutie The Cure Drake Taylor Swift Ellie Goulding Rogue Wave Blitzen Trapper Adele Lana Del Rey Frank Sinatra Hunter Hayes Left Banke Teenage Fanclub

Lorde Tame Impala Miley Cyrus The Fratellis Bassnectar GRiZ A$AP Rocky RL Grime Macklemore Icona Pop Katy Perry One Direction

You’re a poet...

You appreciate the beauty in lyrics.

Elliott Smith Purity Ring Ed Sheeran The Shins Andrew Bird Simon and Garfunkel The Eels R.E.M. Cat Stevens Patti Smith The Doors The Who Lou Reed Donovan

Eryka Jones. Junior.

[

A self-described “intelligent system that can automatically decode every truly musical property in every song,” and available on iOS, Android, Blackberry and Windows, Moodagent is an emotion-based playlist generator. Rather than gauging personality or taste by what you choose for your iPod, let your iPod choose music that suits you and your moment.

Happy and Tempo Ava 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Count Five Steriogram Macy Gray The Vines The Yardbirds The Guess Who LCD Soundsystem 8. SOULKID #1 9. Imelda May 10. M.I.A.

Emily 1. Sublime with Rome 2. Angels and Airwaves 3. Arctic Monkeys 4. Danny Brown 5. Kid Cudi 6. Gold Panda 7. Grouplove 8. Fall Out Boy 9. Lorde 10. Flatbush ZOMBIES

[

Moodagent: What we got.

“My song choices are all over the place!

It varies from the Arctic Monkeys and The Kooks to stuff like Stevie Wonder and Bob Marley & The Wailers. I actually have a surprisingly mellow song choice compared to my personality...”

Tender

Angry Ava 1. Tool 2. Hole 3. Garbage 4. Pigeonhed 5. The Raconteurs 6. Kaiser Chiefs 7. CAKE 8. The Offspring 9. The Ramones 10. They Might Be Giants

Emily

Emily

Ava

1. Of Mice & Men 1. Rufus Wainwright 2. The Color 2.

Elliot Smith Morale 3. The Shins 3. Nirvana 4. Nick Drake 4. A Day to 5. The Velvet Remember Underground 5. La Dispute 6.

Frank Sinatra 6. Bring Me the 7. The Pierces Horizon 7. The Runaways 8. John Lennon 9. Death Cab for 8. Pearl Jam Cutie 9. Blink-182 10.

Keane 10. Fiona Apple

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Purity Ring Radiohead Mayday Parade Daughter The xx Coldplay Death Cab for Cutie 8. Bon Iver 9. Simon and Garfunkel 10. Brand New

Entertainment&CELEBRITIES BEST AND WORST OF

By Maddie Salata

Kanye West and Kim Kardashian gave birth to their daughter, North West, on June 15.

David Beckham announced his retirement from soccer at the age of 38. “I feel now is the right time to finish my career, playing at the highest level,” said Beckham.

Miley Cyrus chopped off her long locks and dyed her hair platinum in attempt to ditch her Hannah Montana look.

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Justin Timberlake returned to the music industry, releasing his first album in seven years, called “The 20/20 Experience,” in March. It was the first album in 2013 to sell over 2 million copies. The second part of the album, “The 20/20 Experience - 2 of 2,” was released September 27.

Kardashian and Bynes photos are under the Creative Commons License. All other photos courtesy of MCT Campus.

December 19, 2013

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Amanda Bynes was placed under psychiatric hold after starting a small fire in a neighbor’s driveway.

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Jennifer Lawrence won the Oscar for Best Actress for her role in Silver Linings Playbook.

Cory Monteith from “Glee” tragically passed away on July 13. It was later released that the cause of death was a drug overdose, caused by a lethal combination of heroin and alcohol.

Lindsay Lohan was sentenced to 90 days in rehabilitation after a DUI charge from 2012, along with community service and therapy. In August, Oprah Winfrey interviewed Lohan, who is set to appear in a TV series on OWN in 2014. Many online sources reported that she has been paid $2 million for the 8-part special.

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December 19, 2013

On July 22, William and Catherine, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, gave birth to their son, George Alexander Louis of Cambridge. He is third in line to succeed his great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.

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Staff Editorial

P.E. Could Be More Effective Just how effective do you believe P.E. at LHS to be? With a clear vote difference, DOI voiced physical education at Libertyville to be ineffective.

To start with the criticisms of the current system, there is an overall lack of motivation to try in gym, which makes it a waste of time for both the teachers and the students. There’s no getting around gym class, as Illinois is one of six states that adheres to national P.E. standards, so all we can change is how students perceive P.E., or their overall experience. But who would be motivated in a regular gym class? Like Driver’s Education, P.E. doesn’t count toward your GPA. Ultimately, if you have your uniform most days, you should have an A. So where’s the incentive to break a sweat? According to LHS P.E. Supervisor Patti Mascia, there will be a change in which Driver’s Education and P.E. switch from .25 credit to .5, which will hopefully address the problem. Although this won’t affect GPA still, “It’s a first step...This will put DE and PE on the same plane as all other classes. These classes can [once the change is made] be counted for eligibility reports if you are involved in an after-school activity,” she said.

With the way P.E. is set up now, the courses only becomes effective for students who willingly work for their own benefit. Many DOI members often see those who work very hard, but also those who don’t -- the range is huge. According to Ms. Mascia, “We are excited and pleased with student output… It’s rare that I have to have a conversation with someone.”

In addition, the way participation is graded often ends up penalizing those who are in better shape. Yes, the dreaded heart rate monitors. As the monitors track your heartbeat and your time in the zone with elevated heart rate levels, how hard you have to work depends on your health. You all know that dreaded situation -- when a heavier student walks around the gym with his watch ticking time in the zone, while the rest of the class runs back and forth relentlessly. The kids who are achieving the lifestyle goal of the entire physical education system by being in shape are actually punished into a more difficult daily workout and barely scraping by because of it. Therefore, those who don’t take care of themselves get to lie back and watch other students break a sweat. Kind of an ironic circle, isn’t it?

To see this from a different perspective, though, Ms. Mascia stressed that “heart rate monitors are used so it’s (grading) fair and not biased.” The alternative would be purely a gym teacher’s judgment as to whether a student was working hard enough, which is what used to happen.

But to address the minority of the DOI staff opinion, P.E. does have its benefits. For starters, regardless of how little students may move, it’s better exercise

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than nothing for those who need it. It’s a way to get out of the classroom and to blow off a little steam, even if it’s not always the most difficult activities. Also, there tends to be at least a unit that each student is challenged by physically, resulting in a good workout. It’s near impossible to find something that challenges everyone in gym, but even the system as is allows a healthy balance of activities that give students a moderate challenge and effective use of their time. So why not make the best of it?

Well, DOI has the answer to accommodate supporters and critics alike. A lack of motivation indicates someone is doing something they don’t want to do. So for starters, more P.E. options would be a definite solution. Even though working out isn’t everyone’s thing, giving people more options, giving people that choice to pick their poison, will no doubt improve incentive to move a little. “I did choose this class, I guess this won’t be that bad...”

There are several alternate options to regular gym as is, including sports medicine and athletic training, dance, exercise physiology, lifeguard training, weight training and conditioning, and integrated physical education. Although that’s a great jumping off point, more options could still be a valuable thing. Classes like yoga and meditation, for example, would fill up in a minute and leave students happier with their workouts in gym. In response, Ms. Mascia stated that “the goal of regular gym classes is to introduce [a variety of activities].” Topics like pilates and yoga are touched on, but are more stressed in junior and senior classes, like dance, when the introduced topics become something students can choose as their class.

Another possibility would be a simple vote. Give a regular gym class a voting option, in which students vote on their units or whether to have game days or not, and people will be more inclined to exercise. Although Ms. Mascia agreed this would be ideal, LHS just “doesn’t have the space,” she said. As a result of few locations in the school that kids can actually run around in, units have to be coordinated ahead of time. However, Ms. Mascia is understanding of this idea.

According to her, “I try to let teachers develop their own classes to how they see fit.” This often includes more of what students want to do, as well.

The problem is fitting everyone’s need. With more than 2,000 kids to consider, this is no easy task -- hence regular gym’s less difficult nature and broad variety of activities. But with a couple more classes and a voting option, wouldn’t gym be a little less of an annoyance? Gym isn’t an option; us students have to get over that fact so long as Illinois doesn’t change its policies. But what we do in gym is an option.

Photo by Ava Polzin Alternative P.E. options like Sports Medicine are offered at LHS, though many students crave more choices.

December 19, 2013

Opinion

Elise Houcek Editor-in-Chief

Education or Prostration?

Consider the reality of a typical high school experience (“Madison,” a junior, will be used for fictitious display): Madison starts her day in full awareness of her conduct, keeping the student dress code in mind as she rummages through her summer clothes. Finally satisfied with her choices after displacing a new pair of yoga pants and a blue lace bandeau recently declared indecent by the administration, she proceeds with her education and hurries off to class. In first period, she is greeted by a procession of harmony; all students in agreement with the information as it is taught. With the occasional deterrent, her teacher continues in lecture and leads the class in concession of some expected belief. About half-way into second period, Madison raises her hand and asks if she can get a drink from a nearby fountain. “You should have taken care of that during passing period,” her teacher replies, and, accepting, she settles back into her seat. Toward the end of the day, Madison picks up a copy of a fresh off the press student newspaper, and walking out of the building, textbooks in hand, she reads: “Why the school dress code is fair.”

press has served American society as an outlet through which the common citizen is allowed to learn and be learned. Ensuring individuals the opportunity to communicate their concerns not only promises equality in information but discourages unrestrained corruption through the prospect of being revealed. Besides the fact that the definition of “legitimate pedagogical concerns” is wholly subject to the discretion of the adviser, the mere quality of prior review (in which administrators approve newspaper content before it is printed), especially in a place of learning, is contrary to reality and detrimental to self-rule.

The value of American education in relation to our democracy is a misfortune far removed from ideal.

As established by the American Civil Liberties Union through circuit court appeals as well as in the infamous Tinker v Des Moines case, students in public high school are permitted to wear clothing displaying their individual expression provided that it does not “forecast substantial disruption,” target an individual, or advocate the use of drugs. Again, we must consider the pretense of this ruling with it’s inherent disposition to subjective manipulation. Disallowing students the right to don what they please teaches them that their most intimate choices are not theirs to control (and from my understanding, pervades every sense of democracy). In cases where students have been punished for wearing non-US flag necklaces or having too long of hair, I would argue that there exists no aspect of “disruption;” that the only “substantial concern” is that of curtailing personal liberties and assenting to a subordinate class.

First of all, let’s establish a disparity between decency and regulation. Is it indecent for a student to sport an “offensive” t-shirt to class or is it indecent to restrain the youth of a society whose first amendment guarantees the right of free expression? As a nation, we seem to hallow our democratic philosophy as a principle impervious to compromise, as if the practice Further, the tendency of class discusof religious and social tolerance is something sions to lend to a singular view either to be preserved above all else. Here, we are led through intimidation by the teacher or to incongruity. If our youth is our future, the lack of confidence by the student reveals Photo courtesy of MCT Campus/Edited by Bailey Schmid an environment of stagnation rather than American system of education needs not only to teach the values of a democracy but to implegrowth. After all, the ability of an individual ment these values through imitation and encouragement. to dissent from expectation is the sole foundation of progress. How can any advancement be made in a system that answers those who “argue” against On many occasions, the degree and content of student regulation has standards with a derogatory or dismissive phrase? One may challenge the proved antithetical to justice. validity of this argument and reject my claims as radical or unsound, but I can assure you first hand that any question of disagreement or proposiAccording to the 1988 Supreme Court ruling Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier, tion of “anti” belief is not often met with appreciation (let alone applause). any public school newspapers that have not been established as an open Composure is the key to imperceptible self-defeat; and in order for an instudent forum are subject to regulation, “so long as their actions are reason- dividual to realize their full potential and preserve democratic free speech, ably related to legitimate pedagoogical concerns.” This is the first and they must be encouraged to express every dissension that youth is bound to most injurious facet of our irony. Since its conception, the freedom of the meet.

Opinion

December 19, 2013

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Connor Polk Staff Writer

Offseason: You can never be too prepared Every time a sport ends, there always seems the lacrosse team, I can definitely say that it’s kinda just show up to be there...and the guys to be that hint of bittersweetness in the fact that hard to drag yourself to any offseason workout who actually commit to it and really work at it. you no longer have to consistently work out day after day, especially after a long day at You will see guys make huge strides in games, every day and devote a portion of your life to a school. By no means am I forced to go, but the guys who focus in on their lifting,” said LHS seasonal competition. But boys head lacrosse coach, no matter how many hours Mr. Brady Sullivan. of free time and relaxation Obviously there’s no you get back, it seems replacement for one’s slightly unfulfilling by that personal struggle towards noticeable lack of competiprogress, but a plausible tive team spirit and devoted substitute for any other motivation. It is that bitmandated offseason is to tersweetness, though, that simply join another sport. is offset by the fact that While it obviously depends offseason preparation for on the intensity of the a season so far away starts joined sport to judge any so soon. legitimate results, it brings Obviously, it is diverse back that focused teamwork from sport to sport, some and motivation. getting no mandated off Regardless of what sport season preparation at all, it is, what really matters is and others getting only what a player is willing to one month without it. But put in to get out. What can for those who do, the real be done, should be done. question is if it all really Not only are additional matters. Do those months sports a good idea because of miles, laps, weights, “there’s no substitution for workouts, or practice competition” but also, “any really make a difference player who’s in any sport, if once the next season rolls they want to work on their around and it’s really time strength, can always do it to shine? outside of practice,” said “It can be hard at times Sullivan. staying committed...but One can complain all they the results are worth it,” want, skip every practice, said Jeffrey Pearson, a cheat every day, and say sophomore member of the it’s all too much, but in football program. It’s that actuality, there never can commitment that constibe too much preparation. tutes any and all results, Obviously, only work to the even if the results aren’t extent that your body can necessarily observable handle, but when it comes improvements. down to it, the desire to purMike Jones, the head sue personal tangible results coach of the LHS Photo by Connor Polk should have no limit. football program, is No coach and no program Athletes participate in after-school Crossfit Club as a part of their offseason workout schedule. very confident in saying, will ever ask more of you “I know it would make a than what is worth it for the difference if we didn’t do it.” Basically, even if it’s the incentives towards individual and team team. Treat every workout however you want one is to not achieve observable results, it would success that always keep me pushing forward. as long as you remember that you can never be still be detrimental for them to not participate I know if I really put my time and effort in, the too ready for the next season and you can never at all. next season will yield better results. be too much of a better player.

Speaking from experience as being a part of “There’s a difference between the guys who

Opinion

December 19, 2013

26

Tyler Skinner Sports Editor

Nothing Can Rival a Good Rivalry Bears against the Packers, Cubs against the able to debate that their team is better than the see the players at their highest level. Because White Sox, Libertyville against Carmel. When others, and so do the players. of the rivalry, every game between them sells these matchups come around, fans all around When asked if the players enjoyed the trash out, and tickets can sell for higher prices. After stop and watch. talk, Murphy said, “Yes, it builds more perthat game, the punch thrown was on the front Clearly sports rivalries run deep, all the way sonal rivalries, and it makes you want to shut page of all the newspapers, there were articles from the professional sports level down to the down your opponent even more.” filling the internet taking sides on what the high school level, but still a question remains: Rivalry games also seem to get the games fallout would be, and everyone in Chicago Are rivalries good for sports? more intense. Whenever the Cubs play the was talking about the next day’s game. UltiWell, it gets the fans and players more into White Sox, games seem to be more heated, mately, that punch renewed the rivalry, and that games. In a typical week, importance to beat the sure, there is talk about crosstown rival has not the Bears, but when it is dwindled. the week of the Bears and Even though the Cubs Packers, suddenly that’s all and White Sox both took people talk about. There last place in their respecare arguments over who tive divisions last year, is better, and excuses in both players and fans advance. “Well Clay Matloved to talk about the thews is hurt.” “The Bears crosstown games. Ticket haven’t been healthy all prices were higher, and year.” “It’s being played in a seat in the last row of Lambeau.” Rivalry games U.S. Cellular to see two completely rachet up the last place teams was sellintensity of fans into these ing for over $50, which I games. learned over the summer High school rivalries as I sat in that last row also run deep, which for $55. For normal create excitement for games, the price of those the fans and players. A seats is under $20. great example is when Another benefit of the Libertyville Icecats rivalries in sports at the (the Libertyville/VHHS professional level is that hockey team) played the for that one game, it does Carmel hockey team on not matter what the teams’ Saturday, November 23. In records are; they are the days leading up to the playing to beat their arch game, kids at Libertyville rivals. Historically, the St. were talking about Wildcat Louis Cardinals have better Photo courtesy of MCT Campus records than the Cubs, and hockey more often than Bears running back Matt Forte stiff arms the Packers B.J. Raji in a rivalry game earlier this season. the Blackhawks. Because have won 11 World Series it was a rivalry game, more from the last time the Cubs fans got excited about and won theirs (1908), but the went to the game. and nobody has to look far for Cubs vs. White records go out the door in these rivalry games.

“There were way more fans [at that game]...

Sox games being impacted by the rivalry Whenever these teams match up, the games turn out [The rivalry] makes it so exciting and there’s aspect. Many Cubs or Sox fans remember more competitive, and the last seven seasons have a big buildup of importance for bragging in 2006 when the rivalry aspect of the game been a good sample of the evenness of the rivalry; rights,” junior defenseman for the Icecats, Jack boiled over on the field, when former Cubs the Cubs have 54 wins, while the Cardinals have Murphy said. catcher Michael Barrett punched then-White 59. This is not just the Cubs and the Cardinals, but Bragging rights are a huge part of sports Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski in the face in the there are examples of this all over the MLB, NBA, rivalries, and are super important whether it be middle of a game. The fact of the matter is that and NFL. professional, college, or high school. An arguit clearly renewed the rivalry, which benefits Overall, ticket sales are greater, interest ment against sports rivalries would be that they the clubs greatly. from fans is greater, intensity from players is are destructive because all they do is cause When fans see that the players are that into greater… I don’t see how sports rivalries can arguments. The truth is, sports fans enjoy being games, the fans have more interest in going to be anything but a huge positive for the games.

OpinionNews

December, 19 2013

27

Ryan Jackson Staff Writer

Let it Snow Day There aren’t many feelings in the world that can compare to the one that anytime snow falls within at least a twenty-mile radius. Even a minute-long rushes through every LHS student when he or she hears the famous recording of flurry can be life threatening.

Dr. Marina Scott’s voice divulging that school for the next day is cancelled due Any type of snowfall is a surprise nowadays, due to impending global warmto snow. I’m pretty sure I can hear a faint hint of excitement in our principal’s ing. By the winter of next year, Chicago and the rest of Illinois looks to be an voice as she graces all of our answering machines on the eve of a snow day. entirely tropical area with climate comparable to cities like Miami and Mexico There’s an intangible mystique about snow days. Maybe it’s the optimism that City. Before we know it, igloos will turn into sandcastles, ice skating into we will spend the day building snowmen, drinking hot chocolate, or doing other parasailing, and frost bite into sunburn. Libertyville resident and atmospheric things that would belong in a holiday claymation movie from the 70s. scientist Sonny Future is well-read in the area of global warming.

So the question becomes, why don’t we have more snow days? No one deserves “If I had to guess, I would say that snowfall will decrease by about 700% over the them more than the next couple years,” he students in Libertyville. shared. “Schools in the And at the end of the Chicago area really need day, it’s the safe thing to value snow and its rapto do; nobody wants to idly waning presence.” take a chance with their Students at Liberlife and venture into tyville are itching for the icy death trap that more snow days; it’s is LHS after even the the perfect time for lightest snow. students to spend time Snow puts our with friends and family students and staff in in the winter wonderdanger, and it’s imland. Whether it is perative that our school having a snowball fight makes safety a priority. or making snow angels, What bus driver, or snow days give students any driver, is trained the chance to value the to handle the frantic charm of nature. conditions of a light “I’ve been seriously flurry? Even one small behind on my ‘Call of snowflake that lands on Duty’ lately,” comthe windshield causes mented sophomore Will immeasurable distress.

Freese. “Snow days Why put our students would help me isolate at risk and force them myself and catch up on to drive through the my gaming.” imposing eighth of an He’s not the only inch of snow that may one who could benefit blanket our roads? from an extra day off of Libertyville bus driver school. The grueling, Wendy N. Snowee has seemingly never-ending valuable insight about three week stretch the matter. between Thanksgiv“There’s no way I ing and Winter breaks Artwork by Ellen Kenston Winter Wonderland or Winter Death Trap? should be carting kids warrants an occasional around when there’s mental health day. even a little bit of snow outside,” she commented. “Sometimes I even feel dan“Sometimes school literally stresses me out so much, I just need some time to gerous driving when I look up and see clouds.” sleep and stay inside,” said junior Summer S. Gonn.

When there’s remotely any snowfall outside, imminent danger looms around Students like Summer deserve this day off to appreciate the essence of what every hallway and sidewalk of LHS. We should prevent kids slipping and fallwinter is all about: focusing on things that are more important than school. Is ing on ice by just cancelling school for the day, and possibly even the week or school the key to our success and the foundation of our future as young adults? month. Libertyville senior I.C. Path is walking, or falling, proof for why snow Yes, but you don’t prestige on COD by sitting around and wasting your time dobrings problems at the school. ing homework. Students are finally getting their priorities straight and realizing “Last year I was walking into school and I slipped on some ice on the sidethat school deserves to sit at the bottom. walk,” he shared. “I didn’t have any injuries, and actually didn’t even fall to the Snow days provide the ideal opportunity for kids at LHS to stay safe and treaground, but it really made me question how much the school cares about my sure the allures of winter. So let’s get our dedicated students more snow days, safety.” and even think about even cancelling school for the whole winter. That “Call of Libertyville High School owes it to the safety of our students to cancel school Duty” isn’t going to play itself.

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December 19, 2013

Opinion

Reduce.

Reweigh.

We Wrestle.

By Shelly Schick

He’s constantly repeating the cycle of starving himself for days just to gain it all back within a moment for months upon months only to compete in a six-minute match in the sport he has grown to love:

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STEVO

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POLAKOWSKI

Don’t mistake this 5-foot, 2-inch, 120-pound man to be anything short of incredible. Starting wrestling in eighth grade, Steve, or as friends may call him, Stevo, Polakowski was an amateur wrestler. But with hard work, by the end of eighth grade, he ended up qualifying for state and decided to stick with wrestling. Then, as a freshman, Polakowski went to watch the high school state tournament and from that day on, he decided he really wanted to pursue wrestling.

Polakowski was then determined to reach his goal of winning state and was going to do anything to reach that goal. He was nominated most improved wrestler his sophomore year by his team. Additionally, in both his sophomore and junior year, he went to state, but was defeated in the preliminaries.

His junior year was fantastic; his record was 40-5, plus he won conference, regionals, and sectionals.

Sports

December 19, 2013

29

Pre-Season:

Many people think that wrestling is a one-season sport. But actually, it is year round. Right after the wrestling season ends, pre-season begins. Pre-season is as important, if not more important, than the actual wrestling season. Polakowski and other wrestlers from LHS go to Mike Poeta’s Wrestling Club in Libertyville three times per week and practice wrestling with some of the best wrestlers in the state and some of the best coaches in the country. In addition to wrestling, they also hit the weight room at least three times a week.

There are also a couple tournaments throughout the pre-season to help Polakowski and his fellow teammates see where he compares to the other wrestlers. Polakowski did very well during these tournaments; he took eighth place at the freestyle national in North Dakota this July. Another huge accomplishment for Polakowski was winning the preseason national in November in Iowa. Doing very well doesn’t come easy for Polakowski and his teammates. They work hard during pre-season to prepare for the upcoming season and do everything they can to get better.

Wrestling Season:

This is where all of his hard work pays off. It is also when the horrendous workouts and starvation begin.

Working out almost every day of the week while not eating very much can get exhausting for many wrestlers.

Polakowski and his teammates are very content after placing 9th in the Dvorak tournament last year, which is the hardest tournament during the season.

Despite the fact wrestling can be very tough and exhausting, Polakowski has never had any doubts about quitting wrestling. He loves the sport with all his heart and couldn’t imagine his life without it.

“Without wrestling something would feel missing. I really have no idea what I would do without it. I would probably be really bored,” he said.

A lot of people underestimate how hard wrestling actually is. The amount of strength and stamina that goes into the sport is unbelieveable. Weight lifting, cardio, drills, dehydration, and starvation all mixed together make a very tough sport, both physically and mentally. Senior Chris McDermand, another teammate to Polakowski, agrees that wrestling is a very difficult sport.

“It [wrestling] requires so much dedication, mental toughness, and a lot of hard work. You have to be willing to give up a lot of time in order to be a wrestler,” he said. “All wrestlers are crazy in some aspects; you really have to be in order to succeed.”

The friendships that Polakowski has made from wrestling makes up for all the starvation, dehydration, and tough times during wrestling season. He really enjoys getting to see all of his teammates at practice everyday because they motivate him to do better. In addition, they make his day more enjoyable by making him laugh and smile no matter what the situation is. A lot of Polakowski’s teammates have been wrestling together since eighth grade, so they have become very close with one another. Both McDermand and Koziol agree that wrestling is the main reason why they’ve become so close with Polakowski.

McDermand, MacCallum, and Polakowski pose for the camera, acting silly for their last LHS wrestling pictures.

“Wrestling made us closer just from the countless hours and early mornings together having to work out, lose weight, or compete,” said Koziol. “When you experience such awesome things like setting school records with each other and such tough things like losing close matches in the state tournament, there’s nobody I would rather do it with than my team.”

Polakowski’s work ethic is not found in many guys his age. Anything that he needs to improve on, he will do his best to do so. He and other wrestlers will even go in on Sunday mornings if they felt they didn’t perform as well as they wanted to in their previous meet. Mr. Dale Eggert, Polakowski’s wrestling coach, said that Polakowski’s work ethic in wrestling is one of the best, if not the best, that he’s ever seen.

“He is willing to spend whatever time is necessary to get better as a wrestler,” Mr. Eggert said.

For example, in July there was a tournament in Bloomington. Polakowski told Mr. Eggert that he was not going to be able to make it. Then, the next week, when Polakowski saw Mr. Eggert, he told him that he did very well in the tournament. Mr. Eggert was shocked; he couldn’t believe that Polakowski actually went to the tournament.

Polakowski soars above the other wrestlers as he takes first place at Conference his sophomore year.

*Photos courtesy of Steve Polakowski

30

“For every 10 guys that say they are going to an off-season [tournament], 5 will go, for the other 5 ‘something will come up.’ No one says they can’t go, then go, especially if the tournament is 3 hours away,” Mr. Eggert said.

“All wrestlers are crazy in some aspects; you really have to be in order to succeed.” --Chris McDermand December 19, 2013

Sports

The Future: The future looks promising for Polakowski. His goal this year is to win state. Though that is not going to be an easy task to complete, Polakowski works hard everyday to improve in wrestling. Koziol thinks Polakowski is the most determined person he has ever met.

“He knows what his goals are and does whatever it takes to achieve them and if he falls short, it motivates him even more,” said Koziol. “As a teammate, Stevo helps motivate other people and make them realize how much they can push themselves and make themselves better.”

Polakowski is going to continue his career in wrestling after high school. The decision of where he was going to commit to wasn’t easy though. He started talking to the coach at the University of Minnesota after he won the preseason nationals. Then, he took an official visit there and stayed overnight for the weekend with the wrestling team and loved it. He was also getting scouted by the coach at the University of Illinois, but when he visited there, he didn’t feel the same chemistry with the wrestling team as he did with Minnesota. Because of this, he committed to the University of Minnesota on November 13.

Photo courtesy of Mary Todoric Polakowski smiles after he signed his contract, committing to continue wrestling at The University of Minnesota.

He is joined by his teammate Kayne MacCallum and Coach Eggert.

“I’m very excited to be going to Minnesota! It has one of the best college wrestling programs in the country and I’m excited to be a part of that,” he said.

Wrestling Their Weight: Wrestlers are going to the extreme to do anything to lose weight. According to Mike Viscardi from Vanderbilt University, in 1997 three college wrestlers died from hazardous dehydration techniques in order to lose extra weight. One of the wrestlers, Jeff Reese from the University of Michigan, was trying to lose 17 pounds in two hours to qualify for his first college wrestling match. His body couldn’t handle working out in a rubber suit in a 92-degree room and that resulted in death. The other two athletes died from riding a stationary bike without being replenished with any liquids. These extreme dehydration techniques can result in kidney failures, heat strokes, and heart attacks. Because of the deaths, it is now illegal for all wrestlers at any age to use rubber suits or saunas to lose the extra pounds in water weight.

In the two-day tournament over winter break last year, junior Joey Gunther, a fellow wrestler to Polakowski, said he was overweight by eight pounds the day before the meet. He knew that he had to make weight in order to be able to wrestle, so on the bus ride to Harlem, where the tournament was held, he rode a stationary bike the whole way down. Then, after he wrestled three matches, he went back to the hotel and worked out again. This time he rode a stationary bike with two sweatshirts, two pairs of sweatpants, a long sleeve t-shirt, and a winter hat on from 9:00 p.m. until 12:00 a.m. This didn’t even get all of this weight off; he still was three pounds overweight. Because of that, he had to wake up and workout from 5:00 a.m. until 6:30 a.m. the next day to get the rest of the weight off. When he finally got all the weight off, he had to wrestle three matches.

Though senior Austin Koziol, teammate to Polakowski, doesn’t have to cut much weight this year, in past years he has had to experience what it is like to starve himself to make weight.

“Having to go through practice on no food and not being able to drink water during the ‘water breaks’ is one of the hardest things to put your body through.

Most people don’t realize what it’s like to go 24 hours without water, no food, and still have to lose a few pounds. It takes a lot of focus and mental toughness to commit to a weight class,” Koziol said.

According to Polakowski, the average wrestler has to cut their weight between 5 and 10 pounds throughout the season. Wrestlers have to watch their diet and work out constantly to lose this weight. Here is a look to a typical week of what a wrestler eats and a typical week of workouts:

Diets and workouts of a typical week of a wrestler:

Sports

December 19, 2013

31

Athletes Caught in a Haze

By Mike Gasick

Thursday, November 17, 2013. Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tanrooms. According to an ESPN article by writer Bill Williamson, San Francisco nehill wakes up early in his hotel room, as he gets ready to play a key 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh does have a policy against hazing in his locker non-conference matchup against the winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers in room. When asked about how severe the punishment would be if one was primetime. With the Dolphins record at 4-4, Tannehill knows that if his caught bullying a fellow teammate in the locker room, Harbaugh would not go team cannot muster out a victory for this game, then their playoff aspiinto detail. However, the coach was comfortable relaying that there was a policy rations look significantly duller. While he takes the bus to the stadium, in his locker room. Because of this, his team will not tolerate bullying in the Tannehill wonders how to adjust to having locker room whatsoever. two new offensive linemen blocking for him Even though Miami Dolphins head tonight, instead of his focus aimed at mentally coach Joe Philbin stated that bullying going over different schemes and zones he will wouldn’t be tolerated, Incognito is have to face against the defense. He can’t stop still on the team, which has Martin thinking about how he is going to try to desupporters upset because a suspenvelop chemistry with new offensive linemen, sion for a major bullying case is a Tyson Clabo and Nate Garner, an adjustment minimal punishment. that would not had to have been made if ofHere at LHS, hazing and bullying fensive guard Richie Incognito did not bully a have consequences as well. Accordfellow teammate of his. ing to the LHS student handbook, In the wake of Incognito’s bullying case, it “expulsion is a possible penalty for has shown high school athletes that there are such behavior whether it occurs harsh punishments for hazing in the locker within the school, on the campus, room. on the school buses, or at any school The most common forms of sports-related sponsored activity or can in any way bullying are either cyber or physical. In the be related to school.” case of Incognito’s, it was a little bit of both.

The student handbook applies to On October 30, Miami Dolphins offensive everyone at the school, not just athlineman Jonathan Martin reportedly left the letes. “Bullying doesn’t happen often team for an undisclosed reason. Throughout here, but when it does, it’s mostly the next couple of days, details emerged that online or some sort of cyber bullyMartin was dealing with emotional issues and ing,” stated head athletic director Mr. was reportedly bullied in the locker room.

Briant Kelly.

Martin’s representation reported that Incognito If an athlete was caught, the school, had verbally and physically bullied Martin in athletic office and parents would be the Dolphins’ locker room, and the Dolphins, notified of the situation. The severafter hearing these allegations, suspended ity of the punishment for hazing or Incognito indefinitely, which sent a wave bullying a fellow teammate depends of uproar around the league. Incognito was on the seriousness of the act and the accused of sending racial slurs through text respective team’s policies. Conseto Martin about him and his family. A recent quences could range from giving the ESPN investigation polled 72 different players athlete a one-game suspension to a around the NFL on the Incognito issue. Of the season suspension from the team.

72 players, 34 would rather have Martin as a The decisions would be made by teammate compared to only 15 players wantschool officials or the coach. ing Incognito as their teammate. The other 23 photo courtesy of MCT Campus According to head football coach Mr. did not want either on their team.

Mike Jones, there have not been any Many players around the league were angered Richie Incognito was suspended by the Dolphins on November 4 after he major hazing cases he has had to deal with Martin “tattling” on Incognito because he allegedly bullied his teammate Jonathan Martin through insulting text messages. with over the course of his coaching was breaking the code of the locker room. They career. thought Martin should toughen up, and not go complaining to the league “Sometimes when you’re youthful, you don’t have the best judgment, but it that his feelings were hurt. The New York Giants’ Antrel Rolle stated that has never reached a level to that of Incognito’s,” stated Jones. He mentioned the incident was just as much as Martin’s fault because he was the one who that because the team spends so much time together throughout the year and the let it happen, without consulting anyone. offseason that the players have too much respect for everyone on the team for a On the other hand, there has been uproar from supporters of Martin, large hazing incident to happen. arguing that there should be no tolerance for hazing and bullying in locker Some students thought Incognito’s actions were unacceptable and detrimental

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December 19, 2013

Sports

“An offensive lineman is trained to protect the ball carrier by taking hits for them and clearing a path. This man is doing exactly the opposite, which is selfish. He put himself before the team.”

-Mark Girgis to his team. Senior Wildcat offensive and defensive lineman Mark Girgis noted that if he was suspended from the team, it would be one of the worst punishments because he would lose the respect of teammates.

“An offensive lineman is trained to protect the ball carrier by taking hits for them and clearing a path.” stated Girgis. “This man is doing exactly the opposite, which is selfish. He put himself before the team.”

Senior girls basketball player Andi Katz felt bad for the players affected by hazing on the Dolphins.

If this were to happen on the high school basketball team, the offending player “would probably get kicked off the team and questioned by their teammates,” stated Katz. “A strong relationship with your teammates is key to a team’s success and hazing would definitely have a negative effect on the team.”

In north suburban Des Plaines, Maine West High School was involved in a 2008 hazing scandal that involved boys soccer and baseball players abusing other teammates in their locker room. As a result of the investigation, five victims have sued Maine West and their coaches for sexual assault. According to a Chicago Tribune report, one athlete claimed that his coach encouraged other teammates to tackle him to the ground, push his face against the grass and sodomize him with multiple objects. Maine West soccer and baseball head coach Michael Divincenzo was fired immediately after the allegations came out. He was then charged with hazing, failure to report abuse and battery. The most recent court case for the trial took place on December 18, where the verdict will be decided if Divincenzo is guilty of his charges.

As a result of Incognito’s bullying of Martin, it has reinforced the idea of athletes thinking before they act. No matter if a person supports Martin or Incognito, one thing can be learned by athletes from this situation: if a teammate is caught bullying, serious consequences will follow.

photo by Bailey Schmid

Major Events Associated With The Incognito Bullying Case Some NFL players blame Martin for breaking code of locker room conduct

Details surface that Martin was subject to bullying

Dolphins suspend Incognito

Martin leaves team

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Dolphins owner Stephen Ross speaks publicly, giving support for Martin

December 19, 2013

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Martin officially placed on non-sports related illneses list

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Let’s Roll.

by Alex Zoellick

It’s Saturday night. You and your friends are bored out of your minds. Just when you are about to offer up the same thing your group does every Saturday, someone pipes up and says, “Let’s go bowling!” After getting shoes, a lane and ordering a Thanksgiving-like feast of pizza, mozzarella sticks, chicken tenders and cheese fries, you think to yourself: “This is great. I wish I was on the bowling team and got to do this every day after school! The bowling team has to be exactly like this, right?”

Not all bowlers approach the sport this way. There are bowlers who take the game as seriously as a football player would take football. However, that does depend on who you ask. In fact, many bowlers get their start bowling by simply joining the high school team to have fun. Many bowlers join the team freshman year for the opportunity to sit back, relax, mess around with their friends and have a good time while doing a non-taxing but still competitive after-school activity.

“I would say a lot of times bowling is viewed as an activity and not a sport,” said first-year head boys bowling coach, Mr. Robert Sweno. “Part of the belief of some of the freshmen that came out this year was that this was going to be an after-school fun league. So I had to tell the guys that this is still an IHSA sport where we bowl competitively and we have to take it seriously.”

At least one of the varsity bowling members fits Coach Sweno’s description perfectly. Duncan Hughes, a junior and varsity bowler, joined the team with one of his friends his freshman year. His friend quit, but he stuck with it because he enjoyed the unexpected level of competition.

Hughes and other varsity bowlers help change the young bowlers’ mindset from the beginning of their bowling careers. When the freshmen and other first-year bowlers see varsity at practice and meets, they see how serious a sport bowling is. Coach Sweno is a big reason for increased seriousness on the boys team this year, according to Hughes and fellow varsity bowler, senior Jack Baumruk.

“Bowling takes a lot of skill, a lot of muscle, a lot of time and a lot of dedication” -Coach Siegel

Upon arriving at practice, the bowlers have time to get ready and relax, but once practice starts, everyone gets down to business. Curiously huddled around Coach Sweno, the boys team anxiously awaits the drills or skills the team will be practicing. Coach Sweno will slowly go through the plan of the day that could consist of several drills, including hooking a shot, when the bowlers will tape a part of the ball so they know what part is spinning; spare shooting, taking a partner’s second shot to improve your ability to shoot with only a few pins; or approach, how to step up to take a shot. Following a brief period of warm-ups, the girls team shows their serious side, too. Veteran players team up with new team members to share the secrets of success in meets and how to improve their overall game. The girls will practice balance, to keep steady while bowling; hand release, so they know the proper way to hold the ball; and spare shooting, to work on picking up difficult splits.

They also study video and articles about professional bowlers to see what makes them succeed.

With all the work bowlers put into practice, it is no surprise they are both having a successful season. The girls are a perfect 3-0 and with a strong varsity core, they are hoping to advance to the IHSA sectional finals after regionals this year. This will be the first year bowling has a regional final.

Sophomores Emma Davellis and Taylor Salon and Senior Natalie Zeng will be three of the team’s leaders throughout the year according to Coach Siegel. As for the guys, Coach Sweno is pleased that his bowlers have improved every meet this year. Hughes and Baumruk will be two of the team’s varsity leaders and freshman Spencer Baumruk will be one of the JV team leaders. Hughes recently bowled the team’s fourth-highest score ever at 704; he is hoping to continue his individual success.

Though not many people consider bowling to be a “rise and grind” kind of sport, it is. To have the opportunity to compete in travel leagues, bowlers must first compete in a team’s morning league. Waking up as early as a normal Photo Courtesy of Jack Baumruk school day, bowlers will spend all day almost every Saturday bowling during their season, from April until August.

Baumruk and Coach Sweno consult possible in-game adjustments during a meet this year.

The meets will go late, often until sunset. Kids like Baumruk, Sloan, Davellis and Zeng bowl in these travel leagues to improve during the offseason, the same way football

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December 19, 2013

Sports

Hughes’ High Game

12 pins per frame

704 total pins 264 high game 8 strikes and 2 spares in high game

234 Average Game players spend all day in the sweltering summer sun preparing for the season.

Since they spend the entire year perfecting their craft, many bowlers get upset with the stereotype that bowling isn’t a sport. They put in time to improve and have to be very skilled to even compete. All bowlers want bowling to receive the recognition that they think it deserves. Baumruk found it easy to compare bowling with another sport that is heavily criticized: golf.

“It’s like golf,” said Baumruk. “It’s literally the same thing as golf except it is not outside. And you don’t have to walk at all. It’s not an athletic sport that involves cardiovascular abilities. It’s a precision sport that requires repetition, consistency, fine motor skill [and] muscle memory.”

A lifelong bowler herself, who bowled for LHS when she was in high school, head girls bowling coach Ms. Lindsey Siegel sees where Baumruk is coming from: “The bowling team doesn’t get as much respect as they probably should,” said coach Siegel. “Bowling takes a lot of skill, a lot of muscle, a lot of time and a lot of dedication. A lot of people view this as a practice sport. It’s a recreation. It’s not a real sport. But in actuality it is. It takes a lot to be on the bowling team.”

Though many kids don’t consider bowling a legitimate sport, it shares a lot of similarities with other team sports.

One big thing is the sense of togetherness on the team.

Photo courtesy of the Just like any other sport, the LHS Girls Bowling Team bowlers grow close and form Sloan poses with her seventh place medal a bond. They become a family much like football teams conafter the Stevenson Invite this year. sider themselves brothers.

Sports

The togetherness isn’t limited to a singular team. Because of bowling’s laidback nature, many opposing bowlers become friends after continually meeting at different events.

“A lot of times we get to interact with other teams,” said Sloan. “We high five them, have fun with them and make new friends. It’s a good time.”

Davellis agrees with Sloan that one of the best parts of bowling is meeting new people and seeing them at different events.

“We all support each other. You always meet a ton of people at meets and invites. A lot of new faces, a lot of similar faces we’ve seen before. No one is really snotty,” added Davellis.

Not all bowling meets are about meeting other people and having a good time. The intensity level is turned up to 11 during invitationals. When a bowler has a high game going, according to Davellis, a crowd will form around anxiously awaiting the outcome. When the matches come down to the wire, the teams start to get animated. “[Matches are] surprisingly intense,” said Coach Sweno. “The parents get very into it. It is fun. They like to cheer a lot. The kids get into it more if the match is close. What is cool, much like football has a scoreboard, we have the monitors that keep score. They show the total team score so we can see if we are up pins or if we are down pins. If it is close, the kids get more amped up and they’ll start cheering if they strike or spare. It’s definitely pretty intense.”

How do bowling meets work?

Bowling meets are scored by adding up the scores of the games of each of a team’s five bowlers. The teams are divided into five-person varsity, JV and sometimes JV one, two or even three. Each bowler on the five-man team will bowl three games. For every game, the bowlers’ scores are added together into one team score. The highest team score for each game is awarded two points. The set of three games is called a series and the series winner will be awarded three points. The series score is totaled adding all of the game scores together. Whichever team has the most points of out of nine wins the match. Pin total also factors into the score during invitationals and non-conference matches.

December 19, 2013

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Fodrak’s celebrated 26 years serving Libertyville on December 7. Please stop in and say hello.

We are famous for our catering!

Fodrak’s 26th Anniversary Special is

$26 off any catering order of $200 or more

Now through Super Bowl Sunday Complete catering menu at www.fodraks.com LHS Students show ID card for 15% discount on regular menu Succulent Baby Back Ribs, Greek Baked Chicken, Black Angus Burgers and Salads made 100% with Romaine Lettuce are just a few of our great menu choices.

327 South Milwaukee Avenue, Libertyville . 847-816-8111