The March 2022 Issue - Vision

MARCH 3 2022 VOLUME 95, ISSUE 4

AP PORTFOLIO STUDENTS PAGES 8-11

@lhsdoi

@lhsdoi

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GREENFIELDS: A SUSTAINABLE CITY PAGES 16-19

HOW DOI SEES THE FUTURE PAGE 24

Libertyville High School Drops of Ink

Visit us at lhsdoi.com

LIBERTYVILLE HIGH SCHOOL’S STUDENT NEWS PUBLICATION

2/16/2022 12:07:33 AM

CONTENTS

NEWS

5

5 LHS

6 LIBERTYVILLE

New Club gives voice to Asian-American Students

Feeling Ethereal

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7 LIBERTYVILLE

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Cultured Roots: The Art of Green Thumb

8-11

FEATURES 8-11 LHS

16-19 ENVIRONMENT

The AP Portfolio: Creativity Brought to Life

Greenfields: A Sustainable City

12-13 COOKING

30 WHAT’S TRENDING

Cooking Cats

School Subject Colors

14-15 LHS

31 CROSSWORD

504 Plans: Creating and equitable school environment

March Madness

12-13 14-15 16-19

OPINION 20 COLUMN

22-23 COLUMN

A Thousand Splendid Suns: Is it really so splendid?

Health Awareness is rising, but at what cost?

21 COLUMN

24 STAFF EDITORIAL

Cultural Conformity: My experience growing up in a white community

How DOI Sees the Future

25-27

SPORTS

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20 22-23

21

25-27 LHS ATHLETICS

28-29 NFL FOOTBALL

The Next Level: LHS athletes playing sports in College

NFL Season highlights and recap

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2/16/2022 11:30:19 AM

CONTENTS

CHECK US OUT ONLINE lhsdoi.com

EDITORIAL BOARD JADE FOO

JASMINE LAFITA

Editor in Chief jade.foo@lhswildcats.org

Online Editor

ELLIE GEORGE

Opinion Editor

Editor in Chief ellie.george@lhswildcats.org

ANDREW BROOKS

SARAH WUH

UNMASKED LHS STUDENTS PROTEST AGAINST D128 MASK MANDATE

Sports Editor

PAUL REIFF Faculty Adviser paul.reiff@d128.org

STAFF Andrew Brooks Jack Birmingham Alex Clark Ella D’Amore Roqaya Elmenshawy Eva Fahrenkrog Jade Foo Liam Foo Ellie George Natalie Isberg

Lauren Kern Mia Khan Jasmine Lafita Liv Martin Sadie Parvis Zahraa Patel Ashley Sanchez Kylie Skibitzki Marisa Tarica Sarah Wuh Jasmine Lafita and Sarah Wuh

Sarah Wuh

WHO WE ARE Drops of Ink is a student-written, edited and produced high school publication.

Our publication functions as a service to the school and greater community of Libertyville, first and foremost delivering open-minded, informative content that is relevant to our readership. While not our primary motive, Drops of Ink also looks to provide entertainment to our audience. We aim to challenge readers to see different perspectives and gain knowledge of the world around us.

2021 MARVEL SHOW RANKING

Photo Courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures

WE’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU

Eva Fahrenkrog and Liv Martin

Ella D’Amore

Contact us at L.doi@d128.org Contents by Alex Clark Cover Photo by Alex Clark & Mia Khan Cover Design by Lauren Kern MARCH 2022

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Drops of Ink commences its latest edition by focusing on the concept of vision. Everyone sees the world through a different lens, and in this issue, we explore the ways that different people and groups view and experience the world, diving into the different lenses that we all have and live through. Innovation and imagination all hold a special place in the heart of LHS and the Libertyville community, something we are proud to showcase in our newest issue!

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NEWS

NEW CLUB GIVES VOICE TO ASIAN-AMERICAN STUDENTS Marisa Tarica

Alex Clark

S

we’re doing club bonding activities having fun and being open and free about their expression, because it serves as a club [and] also as a safe space for all individuals,” said Sam Chen.

Additionally, to address and combat Asian-American and Pacific Islander stereotypes, informational presentations are given every meeting by the leadership team.

“I wanted to focus on helping to enrich the LHS community and the greater community API Unite members Nico Adriano and Danielle Lam sell candy grams about education about to fundraise for the Lunar New Year.

Asian Americans and continue to raise awareget to know each other and see other kids ness about how our who are going through similar things that experiences are unique experiences,” stated they are, it’s healthy for the kids that might Sam Chen. “It is a sad reality that there’s still want to be involved,” Ms. Greenswag said.

Asian Americans being killed today.”

“I have heard kids say, I made so many new Club participation has nearly doubled friends at API Unite. I’ve met so many people in size since the club’s start, from 15 to like me. And I think that that’s so affirming 29 people. As the club sponsor alongside and huge.”

Mr. Paul Lecaroz, Ms. Sarah So far, the club has successfully brought Greenswag has helped with together the API Unite community to bond the club’s development from and celebrate their culture. the beginning.

Melody Chen stated, “I think it’s a great “The mission of the club opportunity, not just for me, but also for is to build community everyone else to come together because first and foremost among in my experience, I haven’t really met a lot Asian-American students of people from the same culture as me and at LHS,” Ms. Greenswag said. have the same traditions and heritage as I “And I think the longer term do.” goals are around raising In the future, Sam Chen hopes the orawareness and activism, [and] ganization leaves a legacy that continues to taking a stance on certain issues and promoting fundrais- celebrate diversity and create safe spaces in the LHS community. ers to help organizations that “I want to continue to keep this movesupport Asian Americans.” ment of Asian American empowerment and As well as providing a solidarity and unity and make sure that I can means for students to tackle educate everyone as much as I possibly can prevalent social issues, API about these issues,” Sam Chen explained. “I Unite also allows students to come together and be them- know there’s still [negative] experiences at Sam Chen, Melody Chen, DOI staff member Sarah Wuh and Ellie Chen celebrate the Lunar New Year Fundraiser Success. API LHS that go under the radar... So I just know selves without judgment.

Unite made at total of $309 during the fundraiser. we can always do better and I hope this club “Anytime we can create a can help.” place and a way for kids to tarted on Nov. 13 2021, Asian Pacific Islanders Unite is a new club at LHS dedicated to raising cultural awareness. The goal of the organization is to empower Asians and Pacific Islanders through education, celebration and advocacy.

API Unite focuses on connecting Asian-American students with their heritage while also encouraging LHS to collectively face issues relevant to Asian-American community. Junior Sam Chen, founder of API, explained, “In light of the rising rates of Asian violence, hate crimes, microaggressions and racism, this organization was formed to hopefully empower the youth and other individuals about the Asian-American experiences and hopes to prevent future Asian based racism.”

Anyone is welcome to attend API Unite meetings, which are held every other Thursday in room 223 from 3:30 p.m. to 4:10 p.m. Twins Ellie and Melody Chen, along with Sarah Wuh a DOI Staff Member help head the meetings with Sam Chen. The meetings have included activities such as playing Mahjong, a game with tiles that originated in China; creating a spotify playlist featuring API Unite artists and the decoration of LHS’s halls celebrating Lunar New Year.

“It’s really nice just seeing everyone while

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NEWS

Feeling Ethereal Eva Fahrenkrog

O

n Nov. 26, 2021, Ethereal Spiritual Boutique opened at 111 E. Cook Ave. in Libertyville. The store sells a variety of items including crystals, incense, jewelry, books and candles as well as other mystical merchandise. They also carry wellness products such as lotions, sprays and salts.

Store owners Nicole Glunk and Norma Lara live locally and are proud that Ethereal is now considered part of the Libertyville community.

“We love the town, we love the people,” Glunk said. She and Lara were drawn to Libertyville due to the feeling of community.

Libertyville is home to an array of boutiques, salons, restaurants, and fitness studios. Ethereal adds to this diversity of establishments as the first mystical shop.

“They have everything else here in Libertyville. So why not implement this as well?” said Lara.

Although Ethereal caters to all ages, they particularly aim to provide for teenagers.

“Our store is targeted for younger people,” Glunk stated. “[For] that early intervention, learning how to live their best life is so important.”

One of Ethereal’s defining features is the personal connection they hope to acheive with their clients.

Ashley Sanchez “Greeting somebody and making them feel welcome is what sets us apart,” said Glunk. “We’re working on that one-onone individual basis, and doing so builds relationships and that have trust.”

Ethereal represents both Glunk and Lara’s appreciation for spiritual growth and well-being.

“This is part of my life and it has been for a really long time,” said Glunk.

Both Glunk and Lara explain Ethereal’s number one priority is servicing their clients however they can, whether that be Shop owners Norma Lara (left) and spiritual life assisting them on their spiritual journey coach Nicole Glunk (right) stand proudly in their shop. Lara and Glunk’s ultimate goal is for Ethereal or improving their physical and emotional to be a unique and personal experience for evwell-being. eryone by creating a safe space for all beliefs and “It’s not about money. It’s about peridentities. sonal growth, and that’s the difference,” collectively help [our customers] and work Glunk stated. one-on-one with them.”

“I think it’s a way of life now. I really do The store isn’t meant to convert or force believe that helping [others] has become a ideas of one religion or belief. Ethereal huge thing for us,” said Lara. encourages open-mindedness and indulges Another defining feature is Ethereal’s curiosity. religious inclusion. Ethereal has a variety of “Our store is for those trying to underjewelry and handmade pieces, all with differstand themselves. We have the education ent religious origins in an effort to connect and the supplies all in one place,” said Lara. and provide for everyone in Libertyville, Ethereal is for people of all ages and regardless of religion. religions. Their goal is to establish a safe, “We’re encouraging growing and empositive environment for the Libertyville bracing each other,” said Glunk. “We hope to community.

“It’s about positive wellness, mind, body and soul,” said Glunk. “Encouraging spiritual growth, in a positive way.”

Ethereal is open Tuesday through Thursday 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday’s they are open until 7 p.m. They are closed Sunday and Monday.

Ethereal has several give-aways and raffles, and display their crystal of the week on their Instagram, @etherealspiritualboutique, you can purchase the crystal for 25 percent off.

Ethereal has a student discount of 10 percent off purchases if they bring their LHS school ID with them.

Shop regular Sofia Perkins browses Ethereal’s variety of tumbled crystals and raw stones.

Ethereal currently provides a 10 percent discount for any LHS student that presents a student ID with purchase.

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NEWS

Cultured Roots:

The Art of Green Thumbs

Cultured Roots, a small plant shop off Peterson Road, was recently opened by Crystal Peña after she developed a love for plants during the COVID-19 pandemic. The shop is the first plant shop in Lake County. Peña hopes to soon expand her business by moving into downtown Libertyville into a larger space where she can host bigger events and house more plants.

Located on Peterson Road, Cultured Roots is a small plant shop that features indoor plants of all shapes and sizes.

Having opened during the pandemic, Cultured Roots is a fairly new store in Libertyville that has spread the word through their many social media platforms which include Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

On the home page of Cultured Roots’ Instagram, patrons can find the shop’s hours, the latest deals and the store’s pet-friendly guests. Crystal Peña, the owner of Cultured Roots, started out with a few small plants at home, before developing a green thumb through practice. She eventually turned her love for plants into a fullfledged business, leaving her five-to-nine job at an educational toy company where she worked for five years.

“It’s always about social media.” Peña mentions, “The only thing that helps is social media, always post, post, post,” She says, discussing her following on Instagram and how she shares information regarding Cultured Roots.

“I used to buy fake [plants], but through the pandemic, I did a lot of research on plants, and I did learn a lot from my own mistakes of how not to kill them,” Peña mentions, “So it’s all from my own experience as well.”

Inside her shop, patrons can find every kind of indoor common plant from all across the United States.

“I have a lot of hanging plants, as well as the ground ones.” Peña says. “I don’t have outside plants, but in the future I will be having flower arrangements and dried arrangements as well,” She also supplies information for ways to care for the plants patrons buy in her store.

With plants lining the walls, a small lounge chair with the words “Good Vibes Only” lit-up in neon yellow for aesthetic photos, and quiet music playing overhead, the tranquil atmosphere is a welcoming place for patrons to shop for their plants in peace. However, outside, is Peterson Road, a loud street, which Peña explains is one

Lauren Kern

Jade Foo

of the reasons people may not know about Cultured Roots.

“Since the street is so heavy on traffic, I don’t get a lot of foot traffic,” Peña says, “that’s why social media is so huge because there’s not a lot of foot traffic over here.”

She plans to move to downtown Libertyville next spring.

“I’m so excited,” she says. “I have so many plans for there. Just a few more months, I can’t wait.”

After relocating, Peña plans to have pop-up events in hopes to bring in more foot traffic. Some ideas involve painting pots for the plants or displaying the community’s artwork.

Constantly showcasing her shop and the items in it, Peña supports local artists as well by showcasing their art inside Cultured Roots, which is where the name for the plant shop comes from.

“It’s like how the name goes from your roots, everyone’s roots.” She explains. “Everybody has their own roots, their family roots. I want to bring in different cultures in here. So that’s why we call it Cultured Roots. So everyone can be like a family you know, all together,” she explains.

Peña looks forward to developing a strong relationship with the community of Libertyville, even if the pandemic has gotten in the way of seeing other people.

“I love Libertyville, their community, especially because there’s a lot of small businesses in Libertyville, and they’re so huge and supportive with each other,” she explained.

Peña continues to run her shop, opening Thursday at 11 a.m. and closing on Sunday at 4 p.m. with Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday off for restocking, supply delivery, and cleaning for the week per COVID-19 protocol, which mandates strict health guidelines for all accessible, open to the public businesses.

Cultured Roots, despite being new to Libertyville, has become the plant shop for everybody’s needs.

Cultured Roots has a wide variety of indoor plants and plans to welcome more varieties as they move to their downtown location in Libertyville.

Instagram: culturedroots_ Twitter: @culturedroots Current Address: 213 Peterson Rd, Libertyville IL 60048 MARCH 2022

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FEATURE

The AP Portfolio:

Creativity Brought to Life

Natalie Isberg

Sarah Wuh

Jade Foo

Each year, students from the three sections of AP Portfolio (AP 2-D/Photography Art and Design, AP 3-D Art and Design, and AP Drawing), submit their work to be judged and graded as their final AP project. In this year-long project, students have to conduct a sustained investigation in which they answer a question through their artwork, as well as write descriptions explaining and connecting each piece to one another and to their sustained investigation.

AP Portfolio gives students the chance to pursue a concept using different mediums, and then express their art through their finished products and written responses. From sculptures, to acrylic paintings, to jewelry, or even scratchboard, artists deeply connect with their art through AP Portfolio.

Kaitlyn Mitchell What is your sustained investigation about?

“I have Celiac, which [means] I can’t eat gluten. I share about how my allergy affects me on a day to day basis. Not only how it affects me daily, [but] how it affects me on the inside and mentally.”

What has been your favorite piece to work on so far?

“Personally, my favorite piece was a cardboard piece where I had to use a cross hatching technique and then use fabric and other pieces of cardboard to demonstrate how the food I ate tasted like cardboard sometimes.”

When it came to learning new art techniques, did you learn them on your own or did your art teacher help you?

“I mainly learned them independently or used what I already knew. But my art teacher has a bunch of art books, so he gave me one on Henri Toulouse, and I learned to develop that sense of Impressionism which was really fun.”

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Why do you think it’s important for people to know your condition through your artwork?

“I just think that it’s not only me with the allergies, but just other people with conditions like this can possibly feel like it’s a joke to other people. Sometimes I find it funny when people make jokes and it is part of my personality sometimes. But overall, it is important to show and realize that there are deeper meanings behind these [works of art] and it’s important to show the processes that you have to go through to even get diagnosed.”

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FEATURE

Gwen Edgar What was your sustained investigation about?

“I chose to do my sustained investigation about light.”

What kind of mediums did you use?

“I experimented [quite] a bit with chalk pastel. I drew on sandpaper for two pieces. I also mixed chalk pastel with water and did that for two pieces.”

What was it like doing AP Portfolio remote last year? What about art supply issues?

“I will mention that during COVID, if we wanted art supplies we could ask to get them at a drop off area. So I got more paper [and] I got more chalk pastels that way.”

What did you think about the sustained investigation?

“I liked it. It meant that you were forced into a corner, but at the same time, you could change your [sustained investigation topic] if you really needed to. It also gave you some direction. In other classes, they [might] say ‘write about anything,’ and you’re like, ‘What do I do then?’ So, it helps you figure out what you’re going to do. That’s always really nice.”

What was your favorite aspect of AP Portfolio?

“I like that we got to choose our own thing in terms of what we did. Some people said, ‘Ooh, I’m gonna design my own world for a video game,’ and such. I always thought that was really cool.”

Grant Giardina What is your sustained investigation about?

“I chose to investigate the process of creating 3-D models to depict Greek Mythology.”

What did you decide to do as one of your first pieces?

“I want[ed] to start with something more humanoid [for a piece], just to get better at making people and not starting off with something too complicated. I chose the goddess Persephone. I began by researching her origins and character design. I wanted to focus on the aspect of her role as a goddess as well as what she went through.”

What’s one way you added detail into the piece?

“She was abducted by Hades while picking flowers. I researched what types of flowers she was picking at the time, and what I eventually settled on were crocuses, the flower that lured her into being captured.

I decided to cover her jewelry and adorn her hair with them.”

What’s the process you’ve gone through to create your final products?

“It starts with 2-D sketches and goes through Photoshop a bit in order to compile different elements, [which is] mostly just for presentational purposes.

For the actual 3-D model, I use the Blender 3-D modeling program.”

MARCH 2022

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FEATURE

Jonathan Haug What is your sustained investigation about?

“My sustained investigation is about the relationship between people and nature when in states of emotion.”

What kinds of mediums do you use?

“I’ve started off with a kind of paper mache and using a wire armature, which is like a skeleton [of sorts]. Then I’ve gone into porcelain, stoneware clay, and raku clay, and now, I’m [working with] metal. I’m also going to be mixing that with stone or clay.”

What is raku clay?

“That’s a specific type of clay. You put [a] glaze on it and [after that], we actually invite people to the school and they have a special method of firing it, [which] creates this crackle texture on [the clay]. It’s pretty cool.”

What’s the message you want to convey in your artwork?

“The message that I would convey is to not overlook going on a simple nature walk when in a stressful situation. I think it helps more than you think. I think using nature as an outlet is a great alternative to staying in bed.”

Josie Thomas What is your sustained investigation about?

“My sustained investigation is the difference between how people deal with stress. [More] specifically, fight versus flight responses and how you can illustrate that in different ways.”

What pieces have been your favorite so far?

“My favorite ones have always been the ones with a combination of ink, watercolor, and gouache because they gave me either very dark colors or very bright and vivid backgrounds.”

What is gouache?

“Gouache is a really, really fun medium, it’s a combination of watercolor and acrylic. Basically, if you take your paintbrush and dip it into the paint, it’ll act exactly like acrylic. If you dip it in water, all of a sudden that dry paint will start moving around like watercolor.”

What are you hoping to accomplish by the end of your second semester?

“I want to be able to establish a really good work ethic for my art because that’s really hard [to do]. If you procrastinate just once, it will set you back months.”

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FEATURE

Madison Wilson What was your sustained investigation junior year?

“My sustained investigation inculded documenting the sense of timelessness during the pandemic.”

What is your sustained investigation this year?

“Now, I’m working on the progression of time during my senior year, because [I] think being 18 is a key age. I’m trying to capture all of the things happening to me this year so I can decide what really is important in my life by carrying around a camera...”

What kinds of mediums do you use?

“Film photography is my favorite. I’m also experimenting with digital photography, and I’ve also been trying to get back into pastel drawing and painting.”

How do you vary your photos and make them stand out from one another?

“So, I started out with just changing the subject matter. I switch between landscape and portraits of people and animals. I also started experimenting with contrast, [and making] more contrast than in other photos.”

Chris Giamis What is your sustained investigation about?

“It’s about types of theater in mundane situations. I take a historical or modern approach to theater and I place it in a boring scenario. An example would be a clown taking home groceries and stuff like that.”

What kinds of mediums do you use?

“I used acrylic for the majority of the semester. I also used charcoal. This semester, I’m working on scratchboard, which is a blank sheet of paper and you scratch away the black to reveal white. It makes for a really interesting light source.”

Do you have a favorite medium?

“I tend to like black and white because I just think I’m better at it, [as] I can get more detail [using black and white] than color. I tend to prefer things like charcoal and ink, but I did start out with a lot of acrylic because my theme tends to have colorful things because theater is bright.”

What is the process you go through when making your art?

“Usually [I] just start with a sketch or a concept. Then, if I like it, I go into more detail, getting photos so I can make the proportions or the background more realistic. Then, when all of that’s thought out, I finally start the piece using [a] medium of my choice.”

MARCH 2022

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FEATURE

cooking cats Ella D'Amore

Kylie Skibitzki

sheet pancakes (Instrupix | Lilly Childers via Pinterest)

Ingredients: - 4 cups Bisquick Pancake Mix - 2 cups milk - 4 eggs - toppings of your choice - 8 tbsp butter (melted) - large 11x17 sheet pans Instructions: 1) Preheat your oven to 425 degrees and generously grease a sheet pan.

2) In a large bowl, whisk together the Bisquick, milk and eggs (you’re basically doubling the pancake recipe on the box).

3) Pour the pancake batter onto your greased pan and top with the toppings of your choice.

4) In the center rack, bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Brush with melted butter.

5) Use a pizza cutter or knife to cut the pancakes before serving.

caprese salad (The Travel Palate via Pinterest)

Ingredients: - 20 oz multi-colored or red cherry tomatoes; halved - 8 ounces small mozzarella balls - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil - 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar (can substitute with regular vinegar) - 1 teaspoon kosher or coarse ground sea salt - 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper - 1/4 cup basil leaves (leave small leaves whole, tear larger leaves) Instructions: 1) Add tomatoes and mozzarella balls to a large bowl.

2) In a separate bowl, mix olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.

3) Pour olive oil mixture over tomatoes and mozzarella then top with basil leaves. Toss well to combine.

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FEATURE

chicken ramen stir fry (Chef Savvy via Pinterest)

Ingredients: - 2 tablespoons oil, seperated - 6 oz of ramen noodles (Instant Ramen packs, disregard flavor packet) - 2 cups broccoli (chopped) - 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces - 4 cloves garlic, minced - 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce - 1/4 cup water - 1/4 cup honey - 1 teaspoon sesame oil - Salt and pepper to taste - Sesame seeds for garnish, if desired Instructions: 1) Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet. Add in the broccoli and sauté 1/4 until tender and caramelized, 4-5 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.

2) Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the same pan. I cook my chicken in two batches to ensure it gets crispy and caramelized on the outside. Then, add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.

3) While the chicken is cooking, boil the ramen noodles according to the package (3 min). Drain and set aside in a separate bowl.

4) In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, water, honey and sesame oil.

5) Add the sauce into a large pan along with the broccoli, chicken, and noodles. Simmer until the sauce has thickened, 1-2 minutes.

6) Season with salt and pepper, add cooked noodles to the pan and mix.

7) Serve immediately with sesame seeds for garnish, if desired.

scan me for a fun cooking playlist:

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FEATURE

504 Plans:

Creating an equitable school environment Sarah Wuh

Roqaya Elmenshawy

DARING. If you are a student at LHS, chances are, you’ve heard or seen that word at least once this week. It is well known that DARING represents the qualities that D128 strives to develop in its students: Being a dreamer and doer, being aware, resilient, inquisitive, nimble and global.

We all have different starting points and roadblocks and need opportunities to develop these skills. And so parallel to its DARING mission, LHS provides support to students with physical and or mental impairments to create an equitable school environment.

This support comes in the form of 504 plans and Individualized Learning Plans (IEPs).

Approximately 11 percent of students at LHS have a 504 plan, according to special needs specialist and school psychologist Mrs. Claire DiBella. Despite the fact many students are impacted by 504s and IEPs, many students have no idea these plans exist, much less what they are.

504 plans come from Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, a federal civil rights law that protects against discrimination of students grades K-12 with a “physical or mental impairment” that interferes with school. These impairments include any physiological disorder or condition, as well as any mental or physical disorder. The law deems that those students have the right to federally funded programs and activities.

Additionally, through the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), some students are eligible for Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) under the 13 different eligibilities outlined in IDEA. “The main difference when you’re looking at eligibility between IEP and 504 is; does [a student] need specialized instruction and related services in order to remediate a deficit that’s adversely impacting them, or do they just need accommodations in order to level the playing field?” Special Education co-supervisor Mrs. Alyssa Henning said.

The first point of contact in creating 504 plans is between a student’s Learning Support Team (LST) and the students and their families. The LSTs, teachers, families and students work together on different levels of intervention in order to support the student.

LST counselors case-manage the 504 plans with the assistance of Mrs. DiBella. Mrs. DiBella believes the roles of the counselors and LSTs are vital in this process.

“It all starts with those conversations back at the LST and working with the teachers and family to figure out what needs to be

Jasmine Lafita

addressed,” Mrs. DiBella said.

Once a student has been deemed eligible, the LSTs and Mrs. DiBella work towards creating a specific list of accommodations for the student. These accommodations are individualized to the

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FEATURE

“I always feel like the social pressure is that if you have a 504 you might seem less intelligent than other people. And what I realized is that you clearly aren’t. It’s just a different situation.”

- Anonymous Student

student– even two students with the same impairments will probably not have the same plan.

“We are prescriptive in terms of the accommodations,” DiBella said. “It’s based on data that we receive from a wide variety of sources – to determine what areas a student needs accommodations for in an individualized way.”

Sources can include outside evaluations, teacher feedback, test data from standardized testing, student interviews and medical reports.

These accommodations eventually become a 504 plan that is shared with the student’s teachers. The 504 plan is not rigid, however. As a student develops, their plan also evolves. A student who has a 504 plan in middle school, for example, may transition into additional or different accommodations as they enter high school.

Teachers are given a copy of the 504 plan with agreed upon accommodations, and they have different practices within their own classroom to meet the accommodations set forth.

“I feel like the teachers have to be very open minded and also flexible at the same time,” an anonymous student said. “My teachers have been really good about that. Like ‘alright, you need extra time. Just turn it in once you get home... So the teachers do an amazing job in my opinion.”

Even though a list of accommodations is provided for students with 504 plans, that does not necessarily entail that a student must use all of them every day.

An anonymous student at LHS with ADHD has a 504 plan that lists accommodations that include graphic organizers for classes, sitting in the front of the classroom, and testing in a different room. However, the student utilizes some accommodations more than others based on how they are feeling and the strategies they have learned.

“I barely go into a different room because I’m usually pretty comfortable,” the anonymous student said. “When people start finishing ahead of me, I sometimes do get a little anxious and I do start rushing a little bit. But I have strategies to calm myself down.”

As beneficial as 504 plans are in creating a more equitable learning environment in school, taking the first step and receiving the help one may need can be a difficult task when there is a stigma that exists around students with impairments.

“I always feel like the social pressure is that if you have a 504 you might seem less intelligent than other people,” a second anonymous student said. “And what I realized is that you clearly

aren’t. It’s just a different situation.”

Even those who are comfortable with utilizing their 504s feel some hesitancy around sharing that with others.

“People are not usually open about it, because I feel like others think like, ‘Oh, they’re stupid,’” the first anonymous student said. “That makes me so mad. I’m like, ‘Okay, well, it’s not my fault. My brain works differently.’”

Nonetheless, 504 plans effectively provide support for students as they grow in school. As a supervisor and integral part of working with students with disabilities, Mrs. Henning is always moved by how much students develop and learn as they go through high school.

“Working with families in eighth grade and [seeing] how quickly the four years go by, and seeing how much progress a student makes with student growth, confidence, and ability to navigate some of their disabilities or limitations is rewarding,” Mrs. Henning said. “[It’s rewarding] to help level the playing field for them to reach their fullest potential and then see what they do with that next step.”

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Greenfields: FEATURE

A Sustainable City

Jack Birmingham For many years now, sustainability has been a concern of the world as a whole. Sustainable concepts, from food production to energy, have been experimented with around the world. But what if these ideas could be joined together, and harvested for their full potential? What if clean energy could power entire cities, not just single homes?

What if each city grew its own organic food, rather than relying on a rapidly dwindling supply chain from abroad that threatens local farmers? These ideas have all been combined to create Greenfields. Greenfields is hypothetical and exists only in my imagination as the ideal image of a sustainable city, but hopefully one day it will exist in reality.

Housing In Greenfields, each and every house is powered by a system of solar panels. Although solar panel systems are not cheap, with a whole-house solar panel system having a price between $15,000 and $25,000, at the same time, the average Illinois household spends $112 a month on electricity alone. This means that within approximately nineteen years, a solar-powered system would pay for itself. This does not include how much the price may shift for smaller housing, tax credits, or the various other expenses related to oil-produced electricity that pull money straight from the pockets of consumers and would make solar power more affordable.

Kylie Skibitzki

Jade Foo

Public Transportation Another example of where green ideas are initiated is in public transportation. Using a concept known as “new urbanism”, neighborhoods in Greenfields are built around the concept of everything needed being within walking distance.

Cities are built around the needs of people, not around the needs of cars. Well-lit pathways create a safe atmosphere for pedestrians, while simultaneously connecting all of the important places within the community. Gardens and lighting throughout provide a calming aesthetic. Roofs running above the pathways protect from rain and weather hazards, while solar-powered heaters running beneath the paths prevent snow and ice from forming in the winter. Since everything is so close, there is little need for privately-owned cars, and the outdoor atmosphere fosters communication between individuals, and less of a reliance on technology.

Personal Transportation Some motorized transport is necessary to keep the city of Greenfields running. This is why traditional gas stations around town have been replaced with solar powered charging stations for all vehicles. In addition, cars, trains and buses are all equipped with solar panels to create a sleek and energy efficient design for all forms of motorized transportation. Home garages are also installed with these specialized solar charging stations, and as one final precaution, backup hydrogen fuel cells are installed on each and every vehicle, ensuring that no vehicle remains powerless. In addition, traffic and street lights feature LED bulbs, which are energy efficient, rechargeable through solar power, and a perfect solution for modern transport.

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FEATURE

Garbage Disposal Perhaps one of the biggest threats to Earth’s ecosystems is improper management and disposal of garbage created by humans. Countless items that need not be disposed of in our precious environment make their way into landfills, where they continue to pollute the planet. In Greenfields, every home is installed with a compost bin. Food scraps are placed in these bins, similar to how normal trash would be placed into a garbage can. Once a week, a truck collects the food scraps, and they are taken away to be made into organic compost and fertilizer. This is used to make gardens, flowerbeds, and organic environments flourish from the increased nutritional boost of the compost. In addition to the compost of food, homes are installed with recycling bins to recycle paper, plastics, glass, and other recyclable materials. The final component of garbage disposal is a trash incinerator for wood and non-recyclable trash in every home.

The incinerator, similar to a home furnace, takes in the wood and non-recyclabe trash, and burns it to generate thermoelectric power, which runs from the houses throughout the city to serve as backup power. Specialized pipings and a protective cover on the incinerator contain smoke, fire, odors, and fumes, so that life in the house can function as normal. An ashtray located in the home basement collects the ashes, which are then placed into a trash can to be taken to the Greenfields processing plant to be dissolved and diluted in specialized chemicals, effectively eliminating the need for landfills. These methods are a crucial part of Greenfields, and represent a significant step towards a reduced carbon footprint.

Agriculture Based on concepts such as those utilized in Dubai’s 46-hectare prototype of a sustainable city, sustainable agriculture in Greenfields is one of the top priorities. Enough food must be regularly produced to nourish the needs of the consumers residing within the city. Organic greenhouses, gardens, and farms, using organic fertilizers, natural lighting, and clean, untainted water, produce more than enough food around the clock to feed the city’s occupants.

A Sustainable School On average, a school requires about ten kilowatt hours of electricity to run year-round. In Greenfields, the main source of energy is much more unique and clever. With the help of a real-life company known as Pavegen, the school uses footfall-harvesting power, where a single footstep on a specialized tile, made from nearly 100% recycled materials, according to New Atlas, can produce around three joules of electricity, or 0.00000083333 kilowatt hours. This may seem like a small amount of electricity, but with most highschools averaging over one thousand students, if each student took about one thousand steps a day, that amount increases to 0.83333 kilowatt hours of electricity each day. Combined with the approximately 180 days a year that students spend in school, and there’s enough electricity being produced to power a school nearly fifteen times over, just by students walking to and from their classes.

These tiles, if produced in large supply and made affordable for a school’s budget, could be the end of unclean energy being used to power our most important buildings.

In conclusion, while a city like Greenfields is unlikely to happen any time soon, it does represent a beacon of hope, a way forward, in a time when climate change and a lack of sustainable practices threaten our planet. By working together, someday in the future, a community such as Greenfields can become a reality.

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FEATURE

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GREENFIELDS

FEATURE

GREEN SPACE

STORE

SCHOOL

RESTAURANT CENTER

HOSCOMPITAL MUNITY

LIBRARY POST OFFICE

PARK

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OPINION

A Thousand Splendid Suns: Is it really so splendid?

Zahraa Patel

Mia Khan

In World Literature classes at LHS, students read a myriad of books highlighting stories and experiences from all over the world. One of these books is A Thousand Splendid Suns (ATSS) by Khaled Hosseini. ATSS follows two women and their experiences in Afghanistan.

Teachers in District 128 began teaching this novel back in 2013 as a part of the World Literature curriculum to expose students to Muslim culture.

However, its credibility has been questioned quite frequently throughout the years. Some would argue that the book’s mature scenes can be eye-opening to young students, but do students have the maturity to comprehend it? Additionally, with naive eyes, is the portrayal of Muslim culture as accurate as it seems?

“It’s a beautifully written complex piece of literature that requires background knowledge and maturity in order to tackle in a responsible way,” said Vernon Hills High School English teacher, Mrs. Samantha Phillips. Mrs. Phillips stopped teaching this book per the VHHS English department’s decision to remove the novel from the curriculum.

A big factor in this decision was when teachers assigned students a summative assessment where they had to write a letter to the administration to defend if they believed the text should continue to be taught in classrooms or not.

Responses were split between three different stances: continue teaching, continue teaching but only with supplementary sources, and remove it from the curriculum entirely. Based on arguments that students who wanted the book removed, the VHHS teachers decided the negatives outweighed the positives, and the positives could be achieved with a different book.

As a Muslim student at LHS, I believe there are several instances where the story portrays Islam and the people who live in Middle Eastern countries in a horrible way.

For example, throughout the novel, both Muslim female protagonists go through hardships and solely rely on men to pick up their lives after tragedy.

Mrs. Anne Singleton, a world literature teacher at LHS, decided not to teach the book because of the oppressive imagery of women. “[When I read the book] I felt sorry for women who live in Afghanistan,” Mrs. Singleton said. “That is not what I would want my students to get out of it. Because if anything, it perpetuates this stereotype of women as being fragile and frail.”

Additionally, the difference between a student and a teacher reading this text is the level of knowledge surrounding political and global issues. ATSS represents Afghanistan through the Soviet-Afghan war, the Taliban, and the Mujahideen.

So while ATSS is an interesting, provocative story, it’s also a single story. When students are introduced to this text, they are likely to accept the stereotypes around Afghanistan as the truth. The story’s plot and dramatization can be seen as real in a student’s perception

Kylie Skibitzki

of Afghanistan.

Teachers at LHS who have their students read the book use it to combat negative stereotypes. Mrs. Karen LeMaistre, a world literature teacher at LHS, has been teaching this story for many years. Mrs. Lemaistre supplements the text with other resources about the experiences of Muslim women and of Afghanistan.

“Students come in with very limited understanding and I think some of the prejudices and the stereotypes that students are concerned with, unfortunately, already exist,” Mrs. Lemaistre said. “So it’s my intention to help them see the things they do know but more significantly for more students, what they don’t know [about Muslim culture].”

However, I think ATSS simply reinforces too many harmful stereotypes and I encourage teachers to replace this book with a more accurate depiction of the Middle East and its people.

Another issue in ATSS is the dark, mature themes that sophomores lack the maturity to handle. The book features tragic events such as suicide, execution, and domestic abuse. At LHS, there are teachers who have decided not to teach this story primarily because of the vivid imagery, triggering topics, and the negative portrayal of women.

“The amount of graphic violence permeated my reading experience,” Mrs. Kristin Bolsinger, a World Literature teacher at LHS, said. “I thought that this might be a challenging target for my sophomore students.”

That being said, as English teacher Mr. Matt Tooley, puts it, “part of the role of the school is to expose students to things they may not necessarily normally expose them to, and to help students grow not just in an intellectual capacity, but also emotional capacity.”

However, combined with an inaccurate portrayal of Afghanistan, the book does more harm than good. The negatives outweigh the positives severely. If LHS, a majority white school, decides to keep on teaching this novel, negative stereotypes about Middle Eastern countries may continue to be enforced in the minds of growing students. Therefore, LHS should follow in the footsteps of VHHS, and remove the novel from the curriculum.

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OPINION

CULTURAL CONFORMITY: Mia Khan

M

MY EXPERIENCE GROWING UP IN A WHITE COMMUNITY Zahraa Patel

erriam Webster dictionary defines conformity as “behavior that is the same as the behavior of most other people in a society, group, etc.” Cultural conformity is this same idea of assimilation of behaviors, but instead blending into the majority’s culture.

This phenomenon is an overlooked problem in suburban towns that forces children at young ages to bend and fold themselves to fit into western culture. I am a product of that. (To clarify, western culture is being used to describe European cultures and religions which predominantly are both Caucasian and Chrisitian.)

At a young age, I discovered that I am of Afghan heritage, and now am proud of my name and family.

However, as I grew older, children in my grade started harassing me because of my ethnicity. Over the course of a few years, I was harassed both verbally and physically by my peers, without friends or teachers at my side.

Since then, I have changed my hair, as well as other physical features in order to blend in. This bullying carried on into the eighth grade, but finally mostly ceased during lockdown.

One of the most devastating experiences, the height of the harassment, occured during seventh grade. Peers would throw ice at me, yelling “go back to your country;” which they used to mock my family name of Khan.

It was around this time when my father gave me a word of advice in regards to the bullying I was facing. He used a quote from the Bible – “Do not cast pearls amongst swine.” While sacred books can be up to interpretation, this quote led me to an incredibly helpful conclusion. I decided to, while staying proud of my family’s heritage, keep it to myself.

My father grew up in a small town in southern Illinois, his own father having immigrated from Pakistan at age 18. My father and I both grew up in predominantly white communities, which led to not only him losing most of his beliefs, and changing even his given birth

Alex Clark

name, but also led to me losing touch with rest of what he passed down to me.

Cultural conformity and suburban towns, even Libertyville, seems to be linked, and in the case of my own personal experiences, forces western culture onto minority groups.

Since culture is deeply rooted in religion, it is worth noting that 7% of the Chicago metropolitan area are non-Christian people, according to the Pew Research Center study updated in 2022.

If culture comes attached to and develops from religion, then we should also encourage students to get to know people from other religious backgrounds as well.

According to the Pew Research Center, 70.6 percent of Libertyville’s population is Christian. This leads to a lack of diversity, which has an immense impact on children’s understanding of the differences amongst people and their classmates. The most impactful way to quash the issue of acceptance of diversity is to expose children to it. A child is most likely to learn and to improve, or change their habits through experiences with their peers, as opposed to adults.

Another way to encourage diverse learning and collaborations could be through more outreach programs. Outreach programs allow students to connect with peers that come from different backgrounds. With advancements made in technology as well as in schooling in general, schools can even do online meetings to truly stretch the western limitations of places like Libertyville.

In my experience at Highland Middle School, I remember the librarians arranging an outreach program between my school and a school in Chicago. Through schools’ encouragement of peer development, students can learn and grow together, while not being called out for possibly not understanding another culture.

To live up to the American ideal of a melting pot of cultures, I see that the only way to truly thrive in culturally alike communities is to teach the importance of the acceptance of other remarkable cultures.

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OPINION

Health Awareness is Rising, But at What Price?

Ellie George

Sadie Parvis

On the surface, gym and fitness culture seems simple. Go to the gym, eat healthy and take care of your body. Once you begin to dive in, the complexity of keeping your body healthy in the age of severe pressures from social media is more than what it seems.

Fitness culture has evolved into something completely different than what it was even 20 years ago. Diet culture, body image and eating habits have evolved as well.

The beginning of widespread physical health awareness boomed in the mid 20th century, as President Eisenhower implemented Presidential Fitness Testing into public schools.

While the testing initiative has since been criticized, many believe that the origins of youth fitness began here.

Since then, Gen Z especially has become more conscious of the importance of health and fitness. According to Center of Disease Control’s data from the National Youth Physical Activity and Nutrition study, 12.2 percent of high school students do the recommended 60 minutes of aerobic exercise daily and muscle strengthening three or more days a week.

This awareness provides a promising future for the improvement of health in our future generations, but at what cost?

The wave of fitness influencers on social media has created an accessibility to diet culture that has not been experienced by prior generations. TikTokers, Instagram influencers and other social media personnel have generated a societal shift in the attitude teens have in relation to fitness. The prominence of social media has contributed to how teens and adults alike view staying healthy, and can even be motivation to work out.

This phenomenon is a double-edged sword. Obviously, promoting healthy lifestyles for future generations is great, and is a large stride towards improving the health of future generations.

But, if not promoted honestly and correctly, teens can possibly receive misinformation in regards to what their exercise and dieting regimen should be, and could instill harmful health habits.

Physical education teacher Mrs. Carrie Keske, one of the LIFE (Lifelong Integration of Food and Exercise) teachers, emphasizes the importance of balancing a healthy diet with a consistent exercise regimen.

“Changing your eating habits is a lifestyle change, not something you do for a few weeks, like a fad diet. That is the only way a diet change will be successful,” Mrs. Keske said.

The prevalence of fad-diets can be extremely harmful to teens and young adults who are just starting their fitness journey. Calorie deficits paired with vigorous exercise can be very dangerous for growing and developing teens.

22

Sadie Parvis

Students take advantage of the weight room after school to improve their strength and prepare for their sport seasons.

“As soon as you start taking away the foods and the things that you love, that’s when it’s going to be a chore,” Mrs. Keske explained. “My biggest suggestion is all in moderation.”

While dieting and disordered eating can be prevalent in a gym-goers lifestyle, overexertion can be problematic as well.

Fitness influencers and those in the fitness world love to post about different types of workouts and what muscles to work, but rarely do they ever talk about rest days.

Many athletes and gym enthusiasts on social media claim to feel ‘gym guilt’ if they take a rest day. Gym guilt is feeling guilty about skipping a workout or taking extra time off from your workout routine.

This phenomenon can cause more harm than good. Working out consistently is important, but taking rest days is just as necessary.

Heather Fahrenkrog, owner of Heather’s Gym in Libertyville, is a fervent advocate for including diversity of exercises within fitness routines.

“When you have a lot of variety in your fitness you don’t need to have a ‘rest day’,” Fahrenkrog said. “Inserting activities like yoga, or even a walk, will alleviate the feeling of gym guilt.”

Mrs. Keske also stresses having a set routine to help alleviate the remorse of not working out.

“Try and create a routine that you can stay consistent with every single day,” Mrs. Keske said. “Make sure to build in [organized] rest days, so you are still staying active but not harming

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OPINION

accountable. Fahrenkrog suggests that those leaving soon your body. If you’re going to the gym every single day and should “start to implement a routine now.” working your body out to its max, [that] is not healthy. Your “Sometimes, the best way to socialize in a healthy way in body is not going to experience any gains from that, because college is to have a gym buddy,” Fahrenkrog said. “Parties are your body needs to be able to recover to rebuild.” nice, but implement a healthy routine that you can do with For many, getting a gym membership can seem intimidatyour friends now, so when you’re older, you know what you ing, especially when you have to curate your own workouts need to do.” and learn how to use the equipment properly, all while other Keeping yourself healthy is a lifelong goal. And it can be members watch you. While most gym goers probably don’t intimidating. Follow people on social media who promote a pay attention to newer members, the fear still exists. healthy fitness Fahrenkrog lifestyle that is explains that obtainable for sometimes the you. best option for “Helping peonew gym goers ple to take care to build up conof themselves fidence is to join is my whole a class or gym purpose[in life]. group.

To get people “What makes to just take care you want to and love their exercise and body,” Fahrenwhat makes you krog explained, stick with it is “Don’t compare people who you yourself to connect with others, and don’t and a life coach be so critical of who knows your yourself. Find name. Owning things to do that a gym, I have to are enjoyable but make people feel make your body very comfortstrong.” able. Because when you’re talking about fitness, you’ve got to be a little bit vulnerable. So joining a positive Working out is a great way to keep a healthy routine while still maintaining the “teen group makes lifestyle”. The weight room is a fun,easy access way to start this lifestyle and continue that experience to strengthen your body in off seasons. more enjoyable.”

Fahrenkrog understands the importance of not only “being strong” physically but also mentally and emotionally.

“I like to stress [especially to young girls] that being strong and healthy is what your goal should be from working out.” she explained.

Many LHS students will be leaving for college soon, possibly leaving behind sports they played their entire lives. Transitioning from a student-athlete to just a student is very intimidating. Many students achieve their necessary exercise solely from structured practices their coaches organized.

As many students leave for college, their health and fitness is placed into their hands, with no one there to hold them

“My biggest suggestion is all in moderation.”

- Mrs. Keske

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STAFF EDITORIAL

How DOI Sees the Future DOI Staff

Ashley Sanchez

Ella D’Amore

Note: This piece is a staff editorial, which is an opinion article meant to reflect the opinions of the Drops of Ink staff.

Because of this, the author’s name does not appear alongside the story, as the opinions shared in here are based on class discussions about the topic among the 20 DOI staff members. The staff is composed of students of all grades from a variety of backgrounds and experiences; therefore, the editorial speaks to the publication’s view on a subject and is not representative of each staff member’s exact view on the issue at hand.

In thirty years, we will be adults, leading our own lives. The world is rapidly changing around us as we grow up in the midst of skyrocketing technological advancement, rampant political strife and the COVID-19 pandemic, all while the effects of climate change are closing in on us.

Climate change has been slowly creeping up on us for decades, but the world is beginning to face the point of no return, where we have to act or its effects are irreversible. Global temperatures are rising significantly more and more each year, and our planet is facing these consequences as we speak.

It is the responsibility of government officials to address this and enforce stricter laws and regulations to prevent the global warming issue from worsening. They are the only people who have this power and are responsible for leading this change.

Technology has been rapidly progressing for the last few decades, and will continue to expand, especially in response to climate change.

A growing sector in new technology is electric cars, which are already becoming more and more popular. Electric cars are considered to be environmentally friendly and developed as they are easy to use, require less maintenance and are eco friendly.

In an era ripe with fear of climate change, electric cars will have to make their way into the mainstream. However, they are overpriced and there is no way that we will reach a point where everyone has electric cars to benefit the environment.

Another crucial issue that has worried us about the future is the widening rift between the upper and lower class. The wealthy are becoming wealthier and the poor are becoming poorer.

Social class division has been a conflict since the beginning of history, but it’s gotten to the point where upward mobility is nearly impossible to achieve, despite this ideal being touted as attainable in the United States.

Multi-billionaires in first-world countries have enough money

to end world hunger, homelessness, poverty and more. As these billionaires grow wealthier, they should also be held responsible for using that wealth to improve society.

It will take worldwide efforts to provide protections for the lower class, along with holding grossly wealthy people accountable for paying their fair share. If multiple countries band together to try to fix this and provide clear regulations and goals, the social class divide could lessen, instead of grow, like it will if no action is taken.

Another issue looming in the future that we will have to confront is the healthcare crisis. The United States has a very complicated healthcare system that doesn’t work for so many people.

On top of that, it is also grossly expensive for people. Paying off bills years after an accident or illness or being left in lifelong debt is extremely wrong.

Everyone would benefit from a change in the healthcare system. Many countries provide free healthcare or require patients to pay a very small check, and if they can do that for their citizens, the United States shouldn’t be doing less.

While COVID-19 seems to be reaching its end, its effects are still beneath us. While many jobs and college classes have returned in person post-COVID, others have remained virtual. Remote jobs and classes provide flexibility for clients to work from home and live wherever they want. We hope to see that option become more available in the future because it works extremely well for so many adults.

The future can seem so exciting, yet so terrifying simply because it’s too unpredictable. While we cannot wait to see flying cars or that new Apple Macbook that can do just about anything, we might end up seeing terrifying global conflicts rapidly growing to the point where it becomes too late to prevent.

Our generation has a complex future ahead of us — one full of both advancement and progress, alongside world-ending crises. It’s tough to sort through our feelings about it because everything is so ambivalent and divisive. All we know is that one day, the world will be ours, and these issues will be ours to solve.

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SPORTS

THE NEXT LEVEL: LHS ATHLETES PLAYING SPORTS IN COLLEGE Andrew Brooks

Eva Fahrenkrog

Many athletes have achieved incredible success at LHS. However, a select few have taken their talents to the highest levels of college athletics, the Division I Power 5 conferences.

Former Wildcat athletes who are currently playing sports at a university in one of these conferences discussed their experiences in college athletics and how LHS prepared them for the next level.

Drew Peterson, Basketball, University of Southern California Drew Peterson graduated from LHS in 2018. Three years later in 2021, he played in March Madness.

Liam Foo

terson calls this, “the best decision I’ve made. Being in LA and playing basketball is one of the best things I can imagine.”

Peterson started 30 out of 33 games last year, averaging 10 points and 5 rebounds per game. “It’s awesome to have a big impact on the team and be in a spot where my coaches and my teammates trust me to play well,” he said.

His favorite aspect of playing basketball in college has been “having a team that you can bond with and hang out with on a regular basis. It’s almost like another family away from home.”

USC made it to the NCAA March Madness Tournament in his first year on the team. Peterson and the Trojans won three games in the tournament to make it all the way to the Elite Eight.

“As I was getting ready to leave my room before the first game [of March Madness]. I think that’s when it kind of really hit me. It’s definitely something you dream of as a kid, a once in a lifetime type of opportunity. And we went on to make a deep run. So I got to play in a few different games. It was really cool. It was an experience I’ll never forget.”

Evan Rasmussen, Soccer, Michigan

Drew Peterson, basketball star, who graduated from LHS in 2018, now plays for University of Southern California. He competed in March Madness just three years after graduating.

Photo courtesy of Drew Peterson

Peterson played basketball throughout his youth, but once his freshman year of high school rolled around, he developed a “realistic goal” of playing in college. “I kind of saw that if I work hard, I can see myself playing this to the next level,” he said.

“I’ve just got to stay the course.”

After a successful Libertyville career, which included scoring 26 points per game and making a buzzer-beating game winner in the regional final of his senior season, Peterson committed to Rice University to play basketball.

“I ended up committing to Rice because I really focused on academics and athletics as a combination,” he said. “I really wanted to make sure I got a good degree.”

In his two years at Rice, Peterson appeared in all 64 of Rice’s games, starting 55 of them. In his sophomore year, he led the team in rebounds and assists. However, before his junior year he decided to enter the transfer portal.

“There were a few moving pieces and I thought it’d be best for me, after having a pretty good year, to kind of weigh my options and take the next step,” Peterson explained. “I knew I wanted to transfer to a bigger school.”

After many coaches reached out to him, he decided to commit to the University of Southern California (USC). Pe-

Evan Rasmussen graduated from LHS in 2019. While he attended, he helped lead the boys soccer team to incredible success. During Rasmussen’s junior and senior seasons, the Wildcats made it all the way to the state championship.

“That’s something I’ll never forget,” he said. “ It was such a fun experience to do that with some of my best friends and my brother.”

Evan Rasmussen, soccer player, who graduated from LHS in 2019, now plays for University of Michigan. During Rasmussen’s junior season, he started 13 games and scored his first career goal against Notre Dame.

Photo courtesy of Evan Rasmussen

After high school, he set his sights on playing soccer in college, which had been a dream of his for “as long as I can remember.” He also grew up a fan of the University of Michigan and called it a “dream come true” when they offered him a MARCH 2022 25

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SPORTS

scholarship to play soccer.

“The [Michigan] coaching staff emailed me early into my junior year, saying they thought I did really well at the camps I had been attending and that they’d like to chat more about recruiting me. So we set up a few phone calls and a visit. They made me an offer during my visit and I accepted it right then and there.”

Rasmussen spoke highly of his time so far at Michigan, despite the packed schedule.

“When we are in season during the fall, we spend 20 hours a week training and usually travel 1-2 times a week for 2-3 days at a time. For the first few weeks of the offseason in January, we only spend 8 hours a week training but that quickly jumps back up to 20 hour weeks in February for the remainder of the year.

“The hardest thing about being a collegiate athlete is finding the time to balance school work with my soccer schedule while still trying to have a somewhat normal social life. It is certainly challenging at times, but it is 100 percent worth it.”

In Rasmussen’s junior season, which took place in the fall of 2021, he started 13 games and scored his first career goal against rival Notre Dame. A few weeks later, he earned Big 10 Offensive Player of the Week after his performance against Indiana. In that game, Rasmussen scored the game-tying goal to force overtime and then assisted on the game winning goal in the extra period.

“That was the first time we have beaten Indiana since 2013, so it was a huge accomplishment for myself, as well as for the program,” he said.

Looking back, Rasmussen believes LHS prepared him for college “in more ways than [he] could have imagined” both athletically and academically.

“Their soccer program has been dominant for years and they were able to keep me competing at a very high level in order to be ready for collegiate soccer,” Rasmussen said. “LHS is also such a strong school academically. I’ve learned that the resources and staff at LHS are unlike the majority of public schools across the nation.”

Emma Gleason, Swimming, Notre Dame Emma Gleason graduated from LHS in 2020. She had been participating in competitive swimming for years, but between her sophomore and junior years of high school was when she believed the option to swim in college “opened up” to her.

“After I started dropping time, my coach told me, ‘This is something you could do if you wanted to,’” Gleason said. At LHS, she set the school record for the 100 Butterfly and was a state finalist in two seasons.

When recruiting began, Gleason felt “overwhelmed. Especially since it was junior year which is already very stressful.”

A short time into the process, she’d set her sights on Duke University and was “very convinced” she would swim there.

However, upon going on a recruiting visit to the University of Notre Dame, Gleason fell in love with the school and realized “this is exactly where I need to be. I kind of had an aha moment.”

Since arriving at Notre Dame and beginning her college swimming career, Gleason has enjoyed the “attitude of collegiate sports. Everyone has that mindset of, I want to be here and I

Emma Gleason, swimmer, who graduated from LHS in 2020, now swims for University of Notre Dame. In her freshman season, Gleason placed 19th in the ACC Conference Championship in the 200 butterfly with the time of 1:58.

Photo courtesy of Emma Gleason

want to succeed. Everyone is always on their top game and it really brings out the best in themselves and others.”

Being a student at a prestigious university and an athlete in a Power 5 conference can have its challenges. “I do think that a lot of people, including myself, did not realize the difficulty of doing athletics and academics at the same time in college.

We practice 20 hours a week on top of doing schoolwork, recruiting weekends and of course meets and competitions.

It is a lot and it’s something that I preach to people who are wanting to do sports in college.”

In her freshman season, Gleason placed 19th in the ACC Conference Championship in the 200 Butterfly, with a blazing time of 1:58. Her performance helped Notre Dame place fifth in the conference and earned her a spot on the ACC team.

“I think it is definitely the highest achievement I’ve had,” she said regarding this title.

Danny Pucino, Wrestling, Illinois Danny Pucino graduated from LHS in 2020, but he knew his future plans well before that. Pucino committed to the University of Illinois for wrestling during his sophomore year.

Illinois demonstrated interest in Pucino after he placed third in the state as a sophomore.

“I was only 16 years old, but they said we’re going to put an offer on the table that is not going to be on the table much longer. And what they ended up offering me was just too hard to turn down,” Pucino said.

In high school, Pucino saw great success. “Winning in the semi-finals at the state tournament and making it to the finals was a dream come true.” One meet that meant the most to him was “the home meet where I was ranked 13th in the country and my opponent was ranked second. I ended up beating him pretty good and that was a lot of fun to do it in front of people I knew and my home crowd.”

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SPORTS

All of this helped him commit to Illinois for wrestling, which he says was “the best decision I’ve ever made.”

Pucino continued his success into his freshman year as he was “one of the few guys in the Big Ten getting to start as a true freshman.” In his debut, he started against Ohio State and beat a top 25 wrestler in the conference to seal the meet for the Illini.

attention of recruiters.

“I went into the recruiting process completely blind,” he said.

“But it was actually much more streamlined and less intense than I thought it would be. It’s just you talking to normal people. And all you have to do is put yourself out there.”

Richter drew interest from Notre Dame, Illinois, Alabama, LSU and many others. However, he ultimately committed to Auburn University.

“I was interested in Auburn because the coach is one of my dad’s former college teammates,” he said. “And when I visited, I knew it was home. I fell in love with the place and the people here.”

Since arriving at Auburn, Richter says he is “most proud of the fact that I’ve been able to surround myself with people who make me a better person.” He and his new teammates have begun with success in the indoor season. This is no easy feat, competing in the SEC, which is seen as the top track and field conference in the country.

Danny Pucino, wrestler, who graduated from LHS in 2020, now wrestles for University of Illinois. In his debut, he beat a top 25 wrestler in his conference against Ohio State, to seal the meet for Illini. He finished his freshman year with a 7 - 1 record.

Photo courtesy of Danny Pucino

“It was the best wrestling feeling of all time,” Pucino said with regards to that moment. He finished his freshman year with a 7-1 record.

Pucino has realized some of the difficulties of transitioning from high school to college athletics. “No one in college is just naturally good,” he said. “You have to work so hard to be the best.

We’re training all day. In the morning, I do a hard cardio workout for an hour and then we have a two hour practice. And later we’ll have a two hour lift in the evening. If you’re not getting the right sleep and nutrition in between practices, you’re not gonna feel good for the next one. It’s basically a lifestyle.”

Pucino is currently taking a redshirt year for his sophomore season, where he will practice with the team but not compete in the meets. Due to this and the extra year of eligibility awarded to all college athletes from pandemic disruptions, he still has four years of eligibility left starting next season for his junior year. “I have four more years and I’m going to be a four year starter. Basically, I haven’t started my college career in a sense.”

Ethan Richter, who graduated from LHS in 2021, now throws for the Track and Field team at the University of Auburn. Richter now competes in the SEC, one of the top track and field conferences in the country.

Photo courtesy of Ethan Richter

Ethan Richter, Track and Field, Auburn Ethan Richter graduated from LHS in 2021 and has recently started his career as a track and field athlete for the University of Auburn. Despite his college journey just beginning, his discus throwing career began many years ago.

“My parents put me through every single sport when I was little,” Richter said. “But for me, nothing really stuck until fifth grade, which is when my dad suggested track and field because he threw in college. I tried it out, and loved it instantly.”

At LHS, Richter continued his discus success. At his senior night, he threw 172 feet, which he said was “exactly 100 feet further than how far I threw my first meet ever when I was in fifth grade.” He finished his high school career by placing fourth in state his senior year. With this success, he drew the

Richter echoed the same ideas as others about the amount of time college athletes spend on their sport. “When you’re competing, during the season, which is January to June, three to five days out of the week you’re traveling, so 24 hours a day it’s track track track, that’s all you’re doing and thinking about. And you’ve got to put academics first, even if athletics takes up most of your time.”

Richter believes he owes much of his success thus far in his life to his time at LHS. “All the teachers that I’ve literally ever interacted with at LHS seem like they really love the students,” he said. “Having that passion where the teachers want to help the students achieve their best academically, really set me off on the right foot.”

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NFL SEASON HIGHLIGHTS AND RECAP Andrew Brooks

The 2021 NFL Season has been regarded by many as the best season of all time. Including the playoffs, 37 games were decided on the final play. The excitement level and watchability of the games was at an all-time high. Here is a recap of the biggest moments of the season, and a review of the accuracy of the LHS Super Bowl Predictions Survey from September.

The season ended with the Los Angeles Rams defeating the Cincinnati Bengals in the Super Bowl. Despite these two teams making it all the way to the big game, their paths to that point were very different.

The Rams went all in for the Super Bowl in the 2021 season. They haven’t had a first round pick since 2016 and they won’t until 2024 at the earliest. This is because they have traded for veterans to try to build a superstar team. In the last two seasons, the Rams have acquired superstars in trades like Matthew Stafford, Jalen Ramsey, Odell Beckham Jr. and Von Miller. Pairing these players with homegrown All-Pros like Cooper Kupp and Aaron Donald has worked wonders for LA. The Rams began the season 8-1, with very few of those games being competitive. They followed this up with a 3-game losing streak, causing many to lose faith. But head coach Sean McVay brought them back to close the season 5-1, steal the division title, and roar into the playoffs, ready to make a run.

The Bengals road to the Super Bowl began in 2019, when they finished 2-14 and earned the first pick in the draft. They selected

Liam Foo

quarterback Joe Burrow, who was coming off a 15-0 National Championship winning season at LSU, and he has changed their franchise.

After pairing him with Ja’Marr Chase, his college teammate, in the 2020 first round, their team was transformed. Cincinnati began the season uneven. They beat division foes Baltimore and Pittsburgh, but lost to the lowly Jets and Bears. They lost on a last second field goal to the team with the NFL’s best record, the Green Bay Packers, and won on a last second field goal to the team with the worst record, the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Bengals seemed like an average team with a lot of firepower that would be scary in the future. Turns out, the future meant a few weeks down the road. Cincinnati went 5-2 down the stretch. Burrow combined for 971 yards, 8 touchdowns and 0 interceptions in his last two games of the regular season, to upset the Ravens and the Super Bowl favorite Chiefs and secure the division title for Cincinnati.

In the first round of the postseason, the Bengals and Rams won their matchups as home favorites. The Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers also stormed past their Wild Card opponents.

The San Francisco 49ers became the final team to enter the next round by upsetting the Cowboys in Dallas.

The Divisional and Conference Championship rounds were historic. There were six games over the two weekends. The average margin of victory in the games was 3 and a half points.

The 4 seed Bengals upset the 1 seed Titans on a game winning field goal by rookie kicker Evan McPherson after linebacker Logan Wilson intercepted a pass with 20 seconds to play. Later that night, the 6 seed 49ers stunned the 1 seed Packers on a last second field goal of their own, thanks in large part to a blocked punt and a powerful first down run by receiver Deebo Samuel.

The next day featured the final game of Tom Brady’s legendary career, and he made sure to keep it entertaining down to the final second. Despite trailing 27-3 to the Rams, Brady and the Bucs tied the game at 27 with less than a minute to play. A 44-yard bomb from Matthew Stafford to Cooper Kupp then set up the third game winning field goal of the weekend.

The final game of the Divisional Round has been called the best NFL playoff game of all time. Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs took on Josh Allen and the Bills and the result was beautiful. The game was close throughout and an incredibly back and forth affair. The biggest lead either team had the whole game was seven points.

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Trailing 26-21 with 1:57 to play, Josh Allen found Gabriel Davis on a 4th and 13 touchdown strike. After the 2-point conversion, Buffalo led by 3, but that lead did not last. 55 seconds later, Mahomes found Tyreek Hill over the middle who darted for a 64-yard touchdown. Kansas City now led by 4 and it still was not over.

Allen came back on the field. It only took him 49 seconds to gain 75 yards and score a touchdown.

This was Allen’s fourth touchdown of the game to Davis and it put the Bills up by 3 with 13 seconds left. Mahomes still was not done. Two plays and 13 seconds later, the Chiefs were in field goal range, and kicker Harrison Butker sent the game to overtime.

In overtime, Kansas City won the coin toss, and due to controversial overtime rules, their touchdown drive to Travis Kelce sealed the deal. The Chiefs would return to the AFC Championship for the

fourth straight year.

In that championship game, the Chiefs took a 21-3 lead over the underdog Bengals. But Burrow stormed back, taking a 24-21 lead in the late fourth quarter thanks to the offense and defense putting out unbelievable effort. Kansas City tied it at the end of regulation on a field goal and sent the game to overtime. Once again, the Chiefs won the toss. But this game did not go the way the previous one did, as Mahomes was intercepted by Jessie Bates on the Chiefs first possession of overtime. Burrow drove the Bengals down the field and McPherson sealed the deal, sending the Bengals to the Super Bowl on his 12th made field goal of the postseason.

Who would the Bengals opponent be? The winner of the Rams versus the Niners. San Francisco had beaten LA six times in a row and got out to a 17-7 lead in this game. But Stafford and Kupp took over. They played flawlessly in the fourth quarter, gaining a 20-17 lead with a minute left to play. Aaron Donald pressured Jimmy Garoppolo on a last ditch effort by the Niners and the pass was picked off, sending the Rams to a hometown Super Bowl against Burrow and the Bengals.

Just like the rest of the postseason, Super Bowl 56 was a thriller.

It had everything football fans could want. This game had big plays on offense and big hits on defense. It was a back and forth affair, with neither team leading by more than 10. It featured elite players making the best plays in the biggest moments, and it had a gripping conclusion where the Rams took over on both sides of the ball in the final minutes. With six minutes to go, the Rams got the ball back down by four points. They proceeded to complete a 15 play drive that was capitalized by a touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford to Cooper Kupp. This score put LA up by 3 with less than 90 seconds to play. Joe Burrow got the ball back and tried to mount a game tying drive, but Aaron Donald pressured and disrupted Burrow’s pass on 4th down to force an incompletion, and the Rams were Super Bowl Champions.

In September, a survey was sent to the LHS students and staff, allowing them to send in their pick for the Super Bowl. Out of 258 responses, 30 people selected the Rams to make it to the Super Bowl and eight picked them to win it all. The Bengals had the 29th best odds to make the Super Bowl at the start of the season, but two people in the survey still picked them to make it all the way to the big game.

The most popular pick, the Kansas City Chiefs, lost in overtime of the AFC Championship. The next three teams that were picked the most often- Buffalo, Tampa, and Green Bay- all came up short in the Divisional Round. The Bears were the fifth most common pick, but failed to make the playoffs after finishing 6-11.

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WHAT’S TRENDING

WHAT COLOR IS EACH CLASS? Sarah Wuh

Ashley Sanchez

Jade Foo

It’s back-to-school shopping time. You have to buy a folder and notebook for your classes. It’s time to decide what color each subject is. Is English blue or red? Is social studies yellow or purple?

Science is green, right? Without a doubt, there is great controversy around what color is associated with each class. Countless social media debates have stirred strong emotions about what the right answer is. A survey was sent out to the LHS student population via email asking what color they associate with each school subject. For each subject, the color options included red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink, black, brown, white, or any combination of them.

The survey results are as follows:

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MARCH MADNESS Andrew Brooks

CROSSWORD

Alex Clark

Do not include a space for two word answers For numerical answers, write them out. For example: 2 = TWO 1 2

3

4 5 6 7 8

9 10 11 12

13 14

Across

15

3: the round where there are 16 teams remaining.

6: A foul committed by the offense if they knock over a defender with an established position.

8: The round where there are 8 teams remaining.

9: The position that is responsible for dribbling the ball up the court.

11: The round where there are 4 teams remaining.

12: This conference has most of the large schools in the Midwest.

13: A school in North Carolina. Their mascot is the Blue Devils and their colors are blue and white.

14: A shot that a player gets to take after they are fouled.

Their opponents cannot defend it.

15: a school in Texas. Their colors are green and gold and their mascot is the Bears.

Down

1: The name of a shot that is made for the win as the game clock runs out.

2: The number of teams that make it to the March Madness tournament.

4: Everyone fills one of these out before the tournament begins in order to predict the games.

5: A school in Washington. Their mascot is the Bulldogs and their colors are gray and blue.

7: The day that the teams who will compete in March Madness are chosen and revealed.

9: A school in Indiana. Their mascot is the Boilermakers and their colors are black and gold.

10: The foul a player commits when they take more than two steps with the ball in their hands.

MARCH 2022

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