November 25 issue

NOVEMBER 25, 2014 VOLUME 88, ISSUE 3

Pages 11-15

LETTER TO THE READER DEAR READER...

2014/15 STAFF LIST Alex Zoellick, Editor in Chief Kyle Laska, News Editor Ryan Jackson, Feature Editor Mike Gasick, Sports Editor Tom Ackerman, Opinion Editor Hannah Jenkins, Opinion Editor Korina Valenzuela, Photo Editor Maddie Salata, Layout Editor Abby St. Claire, Layout Editor Katie Vrba, Social Media Editor Manal Ahmed Lola Akinlade David Black Hannah Boufford Josh Bragg Becky DeAcetis Anna Demartini Kayla Fiore Lauren Forrest Alo Garcia-Escobar Olivia Griffith Emily Hamilton Eryka Jones Conor Kennedy Jake Luce Jarrett Malec Jack Murphy Tia Petrzilka Connor Polk Jillian Ruff Puja Saha Tyler Skinner Marijke Sommer Gabrielle Struik Maria Thames Sara Thunga Jasmine Turner Kate Vittore Jake Vogt Madeline Werner Kaitlyn Zabadal

While this time of year is traditionally a cheerful one for Drops of Ink and the rest of the school, it is with a heavy heart that we release our issue today.

One would be hard-pressed to remember such a tragic time for the Libertyville, as the passing of former LHS students Kelly Hackendahl, Jake Messina, and Connor Robinson weighs on the shoulders of the school and the community. Our tributes to these Wildcats serve to celebrate their accomplishments and the legacies that they have left on us, and our town, forever.

It would be easier to let such a forceful series of blows knock this community on its back. But LHS, and the town as a whole, has embraced the words that line the white sign on the cover of this month’s issue. We have been able to Stand Together, taking the mantra to a level of new proportions. The abundant support of Wildcats everywhere has defined what it means for a community to congregate as one.

So while Drops of Ink looks back at the lives of some of our school’s former students, Libertyville will continue to move forward, continuing a tradition of togetherness like no other place in the world. The Wildcat Family is a powerful thing; when three members from it are lost, the rest just band together even tighter than before. Join us in honoring parts of the family that will be missed dearly for years to come.

SINCERELY,

Michael Gluskin, Faculty Adviser DROPS OF INK 2

RYAN

4-6 NEWS 7 EBOLA: FACT VS. FICTION 8 WATCHING YOUR STEPS 9-10 WHAT’S TRENDING /WHAT’S HAPPENING 11-15 IN MEMORY OF 16-17 STOPPING STRESS IN ITS TRACKS 18-19 BE FLY GUY 20-21 ONE TREE VILLE 22 STAFF EDITORIAL 23-24 OPINION 26-27 THE SPACE RACE 28-29 LAURA ZENG AND THE OLYMPIC DREAM 30-31 BASKETBALL PREVIEW

Take a look at status of Bolander for the winter and changes to the local train station; re-live the girls volleyball team’s run to state; explore Libertyville’s Murder Mansion.

Get educated on the realities and myths of the Ebola virus.

Stay in step with one of the most popular gifts of the holiday season, FitBits and other sport watches.

Trust DOI to help make the cold winter hot and stay in the know about current trends and events around the world.

Honoring former LHS students who have passed away in the recent months.

Read about the painful realities of stress and how to manage the issues surrounding it.

Junior Sam Kim is one of the youngest business owners on the market -and one with years of experience.

One of Libertyville’s favorite traditions is just days away -- take a deeper look at the bright night after Thanksgiving.

Flipping the classroom has turned much of the school upside down.

Check out our survival guide to Black Friday and find out whether or not Shakespeare works are worth our time.

The cold months ahead have winter sports teams fighting over floor space all over LHS.

Freshman rhythmic gymnast Laura Zeng is gunning for gold.

Both the boys and girls basketball teams have high hopes for the upcoming season.

Cover photo by Korina Valenzuela DROPS OF INK

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Bolander back for one more season

By Jack Murphy

Photo by Maria Thames Thanks to the money awarded to the village, the area surrounding the train station will be developed soon, with the planning process starting in 2015.

Train station wins major grant

By Maria Thames The Village of Libertyville recently won an $80,000 grant to support development around the downtown Metra train station from the Regional Transportation Authority’s Community Planning program.

RTA’s program “ funds planning and implementation studies that support transit, such as transit-oriented development plans, transit corridor studies or studies to improve transit operations,” said Ms. Heather Tabbert, manager of local planning and programs for RTA. The RTA Community Planning program is a competitive program administered each year by the RTA, which received 22 applications this year, and Libertyville was one of the fortunate 16 applicants chosen to receive a grant because “though they have a Metra station, they have not prepared a transit-oriented development plan for the station area,” described Ms. Tabbert.

For those not familiar with the term transit-oriented development (TOD), “it is moderate to high-density, mixed-use community typically located within a half- mile (ten minute walk) of a rail or bus corridor designed to maximize walkability and transit access,” explained Ms. Tabbert.

In other words, TOD is meant to make the general vicinity of the train station more appealing and useful to citizens riding the train, such as by building a strip mall, office space, restaurants, and possibly even a grocery store or a pharmacy.

In Libertyville, the RTA “will produce a plan that includes recommendations for the future, TOD in the Metra station area and improvements for access to the station (especially for walking and biking). The recommendations will likely detail locations for future residential, commercial or office space,” said Ms. Tabbert.

The planning process will begin in spring 2015 and take about a year to complete. Furthermore, the process is going to include participation from not only village staff and officials and representatives from RTA, but Metra and Pace will also be including a public participation process of sorts so business owners and residents can have input of what they wish to see around the train station area.

“Once the plan is implemented, the RTA and Metra hope to see increased ridership at the Metra station. From Libertyville’s perspective, increased investment in the station area (more residential or commercial development) can add to the tax base of the village,” said Ms. Tabbert.

Bolander Park and its recreation offices are going to be staying for one more winter, as the sale of the land will not be effective until sometime in 2015.

The land -- featuring administrative office buildings, a storage shed, a park, and an outdoor ice rink -- covering over five acres, -- has been owned by the Village of Libertyville since the mid-1990s, after buying it from the Bolander Construction Company. The property is located on Winchester Road, adjacent to Butler Park.

According to Libertyville Recreation and Sports Complex Director Connie Kowal, the village has reached an agreement with a “private developer” that is lacking only a “few small details that need to be worked out.”

Kowal added that the new developer will build a residential housing development on the property.

Up next will be the process of moving everything that is at Bolander to new locations so that they can still function accordingly.

The administrative offices that house Kowal as well as three other workers will be moved to the Libertyville Sports Complex, where, according to Kowal, there will be some architectural transitions done in order to accommodate the new offices.

As well as holding offices, Bolander is also Photo by Jack Murphy the home to many dance classes that take place Libertyville students are pleased that the outdoor hockey inside of its building. rink at Bolander will be open for one last season this winter.

The classes, including hip hop, ballet, and tap, will also have to be moved to a new location, which will also most likely be the Libertyville Sports Complex, according to Kowal.

In the summertime, the park is the home base of Teen Travelers, a camp for grade school children that bikes all over Libertyville and participates in various activities; the camp will need to find a new location next summer due to the sale of the park.

Safety Town also takes place in Bolander’s parking lot, where the lot has been designed to teach children about intersections and crosswalks.

Kowal is reviewing options as to where the program will be moved to.

Finally, there is the hockey rink on the property that has been the biggest issue amongst Libertyville residents. The rink includes boards, fencing, and lights, and is used all-year round. It is used for ice hockey between the months of December and February, when it is frozen, but can be used in the warmer months as well with rollerblades.

Kowal, a big hockey fan himself, has said that moving the rink “has been the biggest headscratcher” but the village is continuing to search for the right location to house the beloved rink.

The rink will be frozen again this winter, hoping to build on last winter’s impressive showing with the polar vortex allowing for the most “skatable” days in the last four years, Kowal said.

Plenty of LHS students are pleased that the rink will be used again for a final season. Senior Sam Kratzer was ecstatic, saying that he “will be going there every night that he can this winter” and senior Bryan Constable added that he is “so glad that there is one more year before we all head off to college.”

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Varsity Girls Volleyball Finishes 2nd in State

By Kyle Laska The girls varsity volleyball team capped off a fantastic season with a second-place finish in the IHSA Class 4A playoffs; this was the best finish in school history for the girls volleyball program.

The Wildcats ended their season with an outstanding record of 35-7.

The Cats rolled through the state playoffs, with each game being as difficult as the last. The team brought home a Regional title after defeating New Trier in three games.

They captured a Sectional title by defeating Carmel in three games.

They then clinched their trip to IIlinois State University for a chance at the State title by defeating Crystal Lake South in three games for the Super-Sectional title. The Cats continued to fight in each game, even when it looked like they were points from elimination.

In a must-win game to send the team to the state championship game, the Cats came up big and took down Loyola Academy, 21-25, 25-22, 25-11. Much like their win against Crystal Lake South, the team started out slow but came back in a big way to win. The girls didn’t panic; they simply regrouped and came back strong. According to head coach Greg Loika, this had been the case all year.

“We definitely had lapses during this season and the postseason was no exception to that. What we knew along the way is that if we played our game, our way, we could accomplish just about anything.

What occurred against Loyola, interestingly, also happened in the Elite 8 against Crystal Lake South. We were the better team all along -- but it’s not about that in the playoffs, it’s about who’s better that night. I was extremely proud that they decided they weren’t done winning and found the strength to keep going in that semifinal. That’s something that has been part of the core of this team all season long,” said Loika.

The team knew that they had to be at their best every game they played in. While volleyball is very much a team sport, relying on multiple players touching the ball on each play, it is hard to look past some of the individual players. Senior Alex Basler, bound for Cornell University next year, has been one of the most dominant middle blockers in the

Photo taken by Kyle Laska Coach Loika brings the team together for a timeout during their State Semifinal match against Loyola Academy.

Photo taken by Kyle Laska The Cats prepare for the opposing serve during the State Championship game against Benet Academy. area, as well as accounting for a great amount of kills. Senior Lizzie Apgar was the team’s setter, as well as a vocabl leader. Apgar had more than 600 assists and 200 digs this season.

Obvious to anyone watching the game, Apgar had no problem being a leader on the court as she encouraged and instructed her teammates between plays. Sophomore Morgan O’Brien, the team’s libero, made a huge impact on the team, even though she is one of its youngest players.

O’Brien was a leader in terms of statistics, being one of the highest-total points scorers, and one of the leaders in aces. All three players were members of the Lake County All-Area team this season.

These three were great players for the Cats, but playing together as a team was the Wildcats’ greatest strength. Apgar used her role as captain to help keep everyone playing unified and smoothly, which surely helped them fight back in games they were down early.

“We have always been a really close team and I think the playoffs made us closer. We never had any drama on this team and that really helped us through the playoffs to help stay focused on the task of winning,” explained Apgar.

The team, united, did something no other girls volleyball team at LHS has ever done: Play in the state championship game. The Cats were matched against Benet Academy, a volleyball powerhouse, which has played in each of the last four state championship games. After defeating the Wildcats, they improved to 3-1 in those games.

Although the Cats were unable to get things going in the match (losing 10-25 in both games), they played hard and were able to walk away with a second-place trophy. This, according to Coach Loika, is a great accomplishment for not just this team, but for the entire LHS girls volleyball program.

“These girls all deserve to be very proud that they’ve accomplished something that no other team in our program has. It certainly has set the bar higher for future classes -- now there is only one rung left -- and that would be a state championship to top what this team has done. For these seniors, it is a culmination of a four-year career in a place where many don’t ever get to see, and for the underclassmen, it is a challenge to try to put themselves in a place in the future to further the ‘Wildcat Volleyball’ storyline,” he said. “This is something these girls will be able to look back and cherish for a very long time as will we as coaches. The way the pieces to the puzzle fit together resulted in an outstanding team -- they did it together.”

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LIBERTYVILLE’S OWN ‘AMERICAN HORROR STORY’

By Jasmine Turner The Discovery Channel’s affiliate station, Investigation Discovery, is investigating the dubbed “Murder Mansion” in unincorporated Libertyville where Bruce and Darlene Rouse were brutally murdered by their son on June 5, 1980.

Stephanie Hill, an associate producer for Sirens Media, asked the village’s Board of Trustees on Oct. 14 for permission to film on the property through the 17. The footage would include snippets of real-life roads, village signs, neighborhood streets, and local landmarks. According to the Libertyville Review, Hill said as a public statement that the documentary needs a mix of real-life footage and digital imaging.

“We’re establishing the setting as a suburban area near Chicago and in or by an All-American town where these things had never happened before,” Hill said. “Part of the story also touches on how the murder shocked the town.”

Bruce and Darlene Rouse were self-made millionaires who took up residence in a 13-bedroom mansion in unincorporated Libertyville at 2057 N. Milwaukee Ave., a few blocks north of Route 137. Owning a chain of gas stations and cable services, they became prominent members of the Libertyville community. They had three children, Kurt, Robin, and Billy, ages 20, 17, and 15, respectively.

According to the Crimelibrary.com, None of the children confessed to the murder at the time. However, Robin, then 17, said that she believed one of her brothers had done it; she failed to mention which one, however. All of the children moved on with their lives and received $300,000 each in life insurance.

The case eluded police for many years. Billy Rouse, the youngest of the children, after spending his fortune away on drugs and alcohol, living from couch to couch, and having been arrested multiple times, later confessed on camera to the murder of Bruce and Darlene Rouse.

Billy Rouse was convicted in August of 1996, 16 years after the murder, and sentenced to 80 years in prison for murdering his mother and his father .

According to Billy Rouse’s recollection of the night, Billy recalled the night as having gotten into what seemed like a recurring fight with his mother after she came home to smell alcohol on him. Nonetheless, this time Darlene threatened to send Billy to military school.

Feeling like he wasn’t good enough, Billy felt like he had to get rid of his mother. At 2:30 a.m. Billy Rouse took his father’s shotgun and fatally shot his mother in the face and then proceeded to shoot, stab, and beat his father.

This was not the end of the “Rouse house saga.” The new owners of the mansion created just as many problems. Members of the Chicago mob opened up a cocktail lounge and casino shortly after. According to the Chicago Tribune, In 1983, bookkeeper Robert Plummer was strangled and beaten to death on the stairway for working for a rival organiza-

Photo by Jasmine Turner Above: 2057 N. Milwaukee Ave. lays vacant after the orginal standing property, dubbed the “Murder Mansion,” burned down in 2002.

Left: Mug shot of William (Billy) Rouse 15 years after murdering his parents, Bruce and Darlene Rouse.

Police file photo tion. The mansion was now dubbed “Murder Mansion.”

The infamous house did not stay out of the spotlight for long, though. In 2002, the house mysteriously burned down when the then-residents of the house were away on vacation. No evidence was found of arson.

The story of the “Murder Mansion” will appear on the Investigative Channel as a documentary. According to the notes recorded at the Libertyville Board meeting on Oct 14, the producers of the show have met some resistance from the Board of Trustees and the mayor of Libertyville.

Mayor Terry Weppler has encouraged the associate producer to cautious as to how she is portraying the town of Libertyville.

“You’re talking about taking pictures of our signage, which to us will read ‘Welcome to Libertyville, the place where we have murders and Mafia-run gambling houses,’” Mayor Terry Weppler told associate producer Stephanie Hill, according to the Libertyville Review. “That was not the case and has not been the case in any time frame since then either.”

Mayor Weppler reiterated the point to Drops of Ink that it was important the term “unincorporated Libertyville” was stressed on the aired documentary.

“I just want to make sure it is made clear that these events happened in unincorporated Libertyville,” Mayor Terry Weppler said. “Reality TV is not always real, and it tends to dramatize a place or situation. We were recently named one of the top 20 safest towns in Illinois. We like being perceived that way.”

Mayor Weppler went on to say that the filming done by Sirens Media went smoothly and should stay true to his requests on air. When the show is finished, it will air early in 2015.

DROPS OF INK 6

Fact:

Fiction:

Fact 1: The virus is actually easy to avoid, especially in the United States.

One can avoid contracting the virus by simply washing their hands and avoiding infected areas and people. It is considered low-risk in the United States. According to The Washington Post, the U.S. has been cleared of all known Ebola cases as of November 10.

Fact 2: The epidemic has reached areas worldwide, including the United States.

Ebola has spread around the world, however every case, excluding those of three nurses, have been contracted in West Africa. The three nurses include two American nurses who took care of Thomas Duncan, a Liberian who became the first patient to die from Ebola in the United States, and one Spanish nurse. The Spanish nurse was the first case of Ebola that was contracted outside of West Africa. All three have since recovered. Deaths from the virus have been recorded in Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, and the United States. Germany, France, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States have all treated patients who contracted the disease in West Africa.

Fact 3: There is no certified cure or treatment available for Ebola at the moment.

While there are multiple vaccines being worked on to cure Ebola, the CDC has yet to confirm one as the cure or regulated treatment for Ebola.

The CDC says that the best way to treat Ebola at the moment is to treat the symptoms as they come by “providing intravenous fluids (IV) and balancing electrolytes (body salts), maintaining oxygen status and blood pressure, and treating other infections if they occur.” Other treatments are being tested for safety and effectiveness, though the CDC says they are underway.

Myth 1: We’re all going to die…!

The virus actually has a very low risk factor in the United States due to the nature of the virus not spreading through casual or airborne contact. One would be more likely to contract the flu. High risk factors include traveling or working in infected areas, handling animal or human remains, or working with animals (such as monkeys or fruit bats) in West Africa.

Myth 2: The disease can be spread through contact with an infected person and it is airborne.

Ebola cannot be spread through casual contact or coughing. Ebola spreads through contact with bodily fluid or infected needles. The virus is not airborne, and is only contagious when symptoms are present. Symptoms can occur 2-21 days after contracting the disease and often include flu-like symptoms as well as vomiting, red eyes, (bloody) diarrhea, raised rash, chest pain/cough, stomach pain, severe weight loss, bleeding (especially from eyes), bruising, and internal bleeding.

Myth 3: Planes and air travel are enabling the spread of Ebola.

John F. Kennedy in New York, Newark Liberty in New Jersey, Washington Dulles in Virginia, Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta, and Chicago O’Hare take the temperatures of many passengers arriving from infected areas in West Africa because early Ebola victims have a fever when the virus begins showing symptoms. Starting on Oct. 22, travelers from Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea were forced to funnel through these five airports, where security was to screen most passengers’ early symptoms.

President Obama followed the advice of many health officials and said that “a travel ban is less effective than the measures that we are currently instituting.”

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8

What’s Trending

By Olivia Griffith

The Script

Music

Winter Vests Photo courtesy of eroswholsale.com

Luke Bryan

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Iggy Azalea

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Lokai Bracelets

Flannel Shirts Photo courtesy of Delia’s

Starbucks

Hunter Boots

Restaurants

Rosati’s Pizza Spirit Jerseys Etsy.com

The Brat Stop DROPS OF INK 9

What’s Happening?

By Gabby Struik Rauner wins Illinois governor election

Republican Bruce Rauner beat incumbent Pat Quinn, in the Illinois governor election on Nov. 4.

The race was called at 10:30 p.m. local time. Rauner stated in his victory speech that “this election is about bringing back our great state.” The two had been close in the running ever since they started campaigning and in the end, Rauner closed out on Quinn by 4 percentage points. The Northwest Herald stated that Rauner says that he will focus on raising the minimum wage and mending the state budget.

Only 6 Northern White Rhinos left

CNN reported that Suni, a northern white rhino, was found dead on Oct. 17. He was one of seven of the last northern white rhinos in existence. Sadly, there are none left in the wild and the remaining rhinos are held at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in central Kenya. There, they only have one male and two females that can still breed. Many of their ancestors died because of poachers who killed them for the ivory in their tusks. Poachers continue to cause the numbers of endangered species to shrink today.

New World Trade Center building opens in New York

One World Trade Center, a new building to replace the two World Trade Center buildings that were taken down in the 9/11 attack, was opened to the public on Nov. 3. According to ABC News, the skyscraper was built on the northwest corner of the World Trade Center site and is now the tallest building in the country, at 1,776 feet. Companies like Vogue, GQ, and Vanity Fair will be spreading their employees out in the building’s numerous floors. The building stands as a reminder of the strength and resilience that fill the people of New York City.

Macy’s annual parade to be held this week

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will be marching through the streets of New York for the 88th time on Nov. 27. The parade kicks off at 77th Street and Central Park West around 9 a.m. and eventually ends at noon in front of Macy’s Herald Square. According to Macy’s, as many as 50 million people tune in to watch the parade at home and 3.5 million New Yorkers watch the parade in person from the streets. Networks like ABC and NBC will both be broadcasting the parade on Thanksgiving Day. This year, the parade will feature classics like Ronald McDonald, Spongebob Squarepants, and Snoopy, along with some new balloons like Toothless from “How to Train a Dragon” and Rodrick from “Diary of a Wimpy Kid.”

“Mockingjay” debuts at the box office

The first part of the long-awaited “Mockingjay” finale arrived to theaters Nov. 21.

“Mockingjay” centers around the District 12 revolutionary, Katniss Everdeen (played

by Jennifer Lawrence), and picks up after Katniss has survived the Hunger Games arena for a second time. Katniss is now a symbol for the rebellion and the people of the districts are ready to go to war with the Capitol. The previous movie, “Catching Fire,” grossed $158 million and “Mockingjay” is projected to make the same sort of profit, according to Movie Insider. The movie is directed by Francis Lawrence, who also produced “Catching Fire” and movies like “Water for Elephants” and “I am Legend.”

All photos courtesy of MCT Campus

DROPS OF INK 10

This school year, we have experienced many losses in the Libertyville community. These next few pages remember and highlight the lives that are no longer with us, and offer advice on how to manage the grief that comes along with their passings.

DROPS OF INK 11

by Puja Saha

One person, just by existing, touches so many people’s lives in a multitude of ways. Whether or not they are aware of it, they have made a difference for the better and have left the world more beautiful than they found it.

This was true of Kelly Hackendahl, a bright, energetic, and promising student at Libertyville High School and later, at Indiana University, Bloomington. Her winning personality and deep involvement in both communities made her legacy a permanent one.

Kelly passed away on August 28 and was found in her Zeta Tau Alpha sorority house at Indiana University just five days after celebrating her 20th birthday. Kelly was a student at LHS, moving from Iowa to Libertyville just weeks before her freshman year. She graduated high school in June 2012.

Those close to her remember Kelly as a student who was constantly striving to highlight the good in every situation.

“Before we left for college, we were all crying because we’d been so close and couldn’t imagine attending different schools without each other. But Kelly tried her best to lighten the mood and put a smile on everyone’s face by saying she was worried about people at IU not knowing that she was a princess. She made light of the situation, even though she was sad about leaving us too,” Elise Eidson, an LHS alumna and close friend of Kelly’s, remembered.

Eidson also emphasized Kelly’s knack for being an upbeat, active, and involved person. “[Kelly] was involved in poms, student ambassadors, FBLA, and choir. She was new to Libertyville herself as a freshman, and so she was very dedicated to getting involved and welcoming new students because she knew how it felt. She truly was one of the most genuine, outgoing, and down-to-earth friends I’ve ever had. She had a way of making any situation seem positive. Kelly really was beautiful both inside and out, and her friendship is something I will always cherish and will never forget,” Eidson said.

Kelly’s outgoing personality didn’t stop when she entered the classroom -- in fact, it carried over into everything she did. Known for her outstanding and unwavering commitment to her education, Kelly often made connections with and drew inspiration from her teachers.

She was a history major in college and aspired to teach someday, modeling herself after LHS AP European History teacher Mr. Kevin O’Neill.

“You know, I can picture her, she was a little tiny freshman in my world history class... and it’s not easy for a little freshman girl who doesn’t know anybody in that

room to speak up and ask questions, but she did... and she would participate,” Mr. O’Neill recalled. “And then Euro was a challenge for her... but she just loved it, and she loved the learning and being challenged.”

At the forefront of Kelly’s personality was her overwhelming kindness and her innate ability to lead and mentor others. A counselor at Banner Day Camp based out of Lake Forest, Kelly proved to be an inspiration to the group of fifteen 12-year-old girls she mentored for the summer.

“We got a letter from a young girl, one of [Kelly’s] campers, who sent it to Banner, and Banner sent it to us. She wanted to let us know that she’s now going to four-week sleepaway camp. And she didn’t want to go to Banner initially because you know, you’re 12... day camp isn’t cool anymore. But she wrote, ‘I went to Banner, and I met Kelly, and she made every day fun and cool. She made every girl feel like her best friend, and she made Banner ten times better than my sleepaway camp,’” Mrs. Jodi Hackendahl, Kelly’s mother, said.

Even before starting her journey at Indiana University in hopes of becoming a teacher, Kelly was already working to make those around her better people. “I learned acceptance [from her]. Even if I gossiped a little bit, she’d say, ‘Mom, that’s not okay. I mean, who cares?’”

Mrs. Hackendahl reminisced.

Kelly’s passing has brought Libertyville together as a community. Her shining personality and eternal optimism have changed the lives of students, parents, and teachers alike. Most recently, Singalila, a local accessories shop located in downtown Libertyville, paid tribute to Kelly with a display of paper cranes. The cranes will be shipped to Indiana University’s chapter of Zeta Tau Alpha, Kelly’s sorority, to decorate the house during recruitment.

This past October, the LHS poms team also helped raise funds for ZTA’s breast cancer philanthropy, a cause that Kelly supported very passionately throughout her college career. This newfound unity and sense of togetherness is something Kelly would be proud of.

As Mr. O’Neill stated, “...the best measure of someone is how many people they’ve touched.” In that case, Kelly’s unencumbered happiness and limitless optimism will preserve her legacy for years to come.

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by Ryan Jackson

In stories, it’s common to see a character defined by a single trait they possessed -- red hair, a booming laugh, or an unwavering confidence, to name a few. However, life isn’t a story; things don’t always end happily ever after, and the people with whom we cross paths rarely have such a distinguishable trait that they come to be known for just that.

But Jake Messina was a character, and his laugh -- an undeniably contagious laugh -- will remain imprinted in the hearts of his friends and family forever.

Jake’s laugh will have to be relegated to memory; he passed away on October 20 at the age of 17. A Libertyville High School student from the fall of 2011 to the spring of 2014, Jake was spending his senior year at Lakes Community High School.

“It was just the goofiest laugh you could ever hear, I can’t even explain it...the joke wasn’t even funny but then you would hear Jake’s laugh and end up cracking up,” offered junior Griffin Bruns, one of Jake’s closest friends.

Such an infectious chuckle is the perfect symbol for a kid who loved to have fun, whether it was zooming around in his black Camaro, spending time at the beach with his friends, or passing time with his grandmother.

Despite his tendency to “live on the edge of life,” according to Bruns, Jake’s happiness was often rooted in the happiness of those around him.

“He was the happiest any time he was doing things for other people,” said his father, Mike Messina.

Bruns can attest to that first-hand. He explained that he will dearly miss Jake’s loyalty as a friend and willingness to put others first: “He would always help you out if you were feeling bad...if you were ever having a bad day, he would just make you happy.”

Jake also employed perhaps his greatest talent, his baking, to help other people whenever he could. Mr. Mike Mansell, Jake’s case manager for his first two years at LHS, admired the way that Jake used his skills to help everyone around him.

“My best memory of Jake is when we were doing the Adopt-a-Family (WISH) program, he would make cakes and cupcakes, and he was always so proud about how he made them...they were so good that they were always the first thing sold,” he explained.

Jake held a reputation at LHS as someone who an-

swered to no one, and “lived by his own rules,” according to Bruns. This presented issues in his academic career; he left LHS in the spring of his junior year. However, Mr. Mansell, who worked with Jake more closely than anyone else at LHS, had an overall positive experience.

“When he was in a one-on-one scenario, he was always very appropriate...it’s always really nice to see potential in someone, and he certainly had that,” he said.

Although Jake’s defiant personality could create problems in the academic sphere, his knack for standing up for himself earned him respect and further endeared him to his friends and family.

“It didn’t matter how big the guy was, he was going to speak his mind,” shared Mr. Messina. “He was fearless.”

Students that spent time at school with Jake rarely understood that Jake’s personality had more than one facet.

While many of Jake’s peers were aware that he was uncomfortable in the school setting, almost none knew the Jake that saved every ticket stub from the movies he went to with his dad. It also went unnoticed that Jake cherished spending time and baking with his grandmother. And his plans for the future? To enter the Navy once he turned 18, his childhood dream.

Jake’s personality was characterized by a devotion to the well-being of those around him. Because of the way he held his friends together as a close-knit group -- he often piled more kids than seat belts into his beloved Camaro -- Bruns referred to him as the glue of the group.

Bruns and the rest of Jake’s close companions will miss their glue for years to come.

“He totally changed my life,” Bruns said. “We have so many great memories together, now I’ll never be able to see him again...but you can’t change it. Just gotta keep going.”

For those who have been thoroughly touched by Jake, the last few weeks have been filled with sorrow. Despite all of the lamenting, one sound rings true above it all: a distinct, contagious laugh that may have left the earth, but will never leave their hearts.

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by Alejandro Garcia Escobar He lived, he laughed, he loved.

Connor Robinson did something remarkable that many aspire to accomplish: he lived a life worth living, full of joy and radiant euphoria. Connor’s life was marked with unparallelled brilliance, clever wit, and meaningful friendships. His stark individuality surpassed social boundaries, allowing him to connect to and touch the lives of everyone he met.

On Monday, October 27, Connor passed away in a car accident while heading back to Cornell College in Iowa. He was 18 years old and a part of the Wildcat family, a member of the Class of 2014.

Connor was, by all means, an academic giant. His stellar test scores and his thirst for knowledge combined to make him an inquisitive and impressive learner. Accepted into Cornell College with a near-perfect ACT score, Connor had high hopes of working for the State Department and pursued his studies in international relations with as much devotion as he had at Libertyville. Connor didn’t measure his success by how well he did on a test, but rather by how much he was able to learn and absorb.

“He wanted to understand things. He loved learning and being well educated,” noted Mr. Matt Thompson, the Model United Nations advisor.

Besides his classes, Connor displayed an affinity for clubs, particularly Model UN. Serving as part of the Model UN executive board, Connor played an instrumental role in the club: he inspired newcomers with his chill and cool demeanor and provided an example of what all delegates wished to emulate.

“He was a leader, but I don’t think he sought out the attention; people gravitated toward him. I think he just had that endearing quality and personality that people just sought him out as a leader,” recalled Mrs. Lauren Pothast, his AP Psychology teacher and Model UN advisor.

After graduating from LHS last year, Connor returned this fall and helped his old club host its annual school conference in September. He took an active role in committee, debating and helping his friends formulate solutions to the world’s problems. But Connor did something more important than help resolve international conflicts: he created and maintained relationships that left long-standing friendships.

Connor, with his smart mind and reserved ways, astounded people with his equally as formidable caring and loving nature.

“I felt like he was someone who understood a lot about me, and I didn’t expect that. I didn’t expect him to be so understanding, so compassionate, so kind...He was always there to support me when I needed a friend,” stated Haley Schueler, a senior and close friend to Connor.

His openness to understand and listen made him someone people wanted to meet, someone with a genuine approach towards life and a goodwill towards his friends. But perhaps what attracted people to Connor most was the fact that he

was comfortable in his own skin and helped make people feel content in theirs.

“He knew he was a nerd, and he embraced that, but once again, [he] did not do it in an in-your-face kind of way. He just kind of put it on like a comfy shirt,” remembered Mrs. Lisa Robinson, Connor’s mother.

“I remember when Connor was little, we would go to this small community pool. His brother and sister would play in the water, but Connor just sat on the end of my lawn chair in the shade, playing with his trucks. He didn’t crave the action and adventure of the pool, he was just content to hang out with me,” Mrs. Robinson said.

That moment highlights a significant aspect of Connor’s personality. He didn’t care for the extravagant, but rather focused on the simple and paramount: his family and friends. He saw the potential in everyone and took the time to talk, care for, and love those he knew.

There was an outpouring of support and love for the family on social media following Connor’s passing, with friends thinking back on old memories and expressing their final thoughts.

“He was gifted and hilarious, and more than anything, he redefined cool for a lot of people who needed to feel confident as part of the nerd herd,” posted Chase Wonderlic, a friend of Connor’s and fellow member of the class of 2014.

The countless amount of posts, texts, words, thoughts, and memories that are mustered together makes one thing clear and indisputable: Connor Robinson had an impact. Connor Robinson touched people’s lives, and Connor Robinson changed everyone he met for the better.

Whether going for a meal to Taco Bell or single-handedly consuming a pack of Skittles, Connor made every moment special and meaningful to his friends. “It’s not about the time that I lost; it’s about the time I’ve been given with him,” reflected Schueler.

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We’re All In This Together How the LHS Community is coming together to overcome grief

By David Black

The LHS community has experienced great loss.

With great loss comes great grief, a normal emotional response to loss. Although not everyone has been affected personally by the recent deaths of former LHS students, many know someone who has been touched by tragedy. There is no simple, by-the-book way to deal with tragedy, but the community, friends, and particularly the school social workers, are here to help.

In terms of handling the loss of a close friend or family member, Mrs. Meagan Silverberg, the G-P LST Social Worker, discussed the importance of acceptance: “There’s no right or wrong way. It’s okay to be upset, it’s okay to be angry, it’s okay to just accept those feelings and then find ways to kind of help yourself.”

“Sometimes it’s just going out and doing things that you enjoy doing with the people that you care about.”

When trying to help a friend who is dealing with grief, first put yourself in the mode of understanding. To help others with grief, understand that not everyone resolves their grief completely, and often, the best thing to erode the pain of grief is time. Give them this time by taking their mind off of their grief.

“Sometimes it’s just going out and doing things that you enjoy doing with the people that you care about,” said Mr. Greg Loika, the A-F LST Social Worker.

The LSTs have been stepping up their response to the recent crises. “[Just a few weeks ago], my LST became the coloring room where everyone brought coloring books. You know, it’s just the little things, and if you do them with friends, they don’t feel like they’re taking time out of other people’s days,” said Mrs. Silverberg. “We just provide a space down here for students to come and maybe take a timeout, a place where they can collect themselves.”

“We’re working with teachers to make them aware of what students are going through,” said Mrs. Silverberg of the efforts of the social workers. “We want to make sure teachers get enough information on what

happened. Sometimes, students can come to their teachers on a more individual level, just so that they can have another support measure in their teacher. It’s just good to know that, if [they’re] upset, [their] teacher can give [them] space in class.”

“It’s ok to have fun and to do what you’re supposed to do.”

In getting over grief, Mr. Loika explained that “listening to music, doing exercise, or distracting yourself with something you love to do” are good ways to help yourself. “A lot of the time, people think ‘I should be really upset, I can’t laugh, I can’t smile,’ and I think it’s really the opposite. We need to do those things to remind ourselves that we need to move forward personally so we can support each other together. And if we feel stuck, that makes it a little more difficult. Some people feel guilty about having fun after terrible news, but it’s ok to have fun and to do what you’re supposed to do.”

Jackie Ovassapian, a junior at LHS, provided some strategies for overcoming grief: “Music, other distractions...I try to surround myself with other people. When you have nobody to talk to, all you can do is think. Don’t avoid talking about the topic. If there’s something that’s bothering you, let it out.”

Everybody handles grief differently; sophomore Zach Pearson shared his own method: “I try to remember all the good things that that person did. That normally helps me,” said.

In times of tragedy, friends and family become key sources of aid.

“Sometimes, it’s just knowing that there is someone they can call, and a lot of people are being that for a lot of people, which is awesome,” said Mr. Loika.

“Sometimes, when we are dealing with [times like these], there is intense support early on, and as time goes by, people think time has gone by, and [the grieving] don’t need support anymore. That’s when people need the most support. Keep checking in on them and give them constant support,” Mr. Loika explained.“It doesn’t go away in just a week or a month, it takes a long time to get through grief. It’s a process.”

Everyone experiences grief in their own way, but together, grief can be overcome.

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Stopping Stress in its Tracks

By Marijke Sommer and Hannah Jenkins There are many stressors in the everyday life of a high schooler and beyond, from the need to get good grades to impress colleges to managing extracurriculars, a social life, and homework.

There are many ways to cope with the stress of everyday life. But before a person can deal with their stress, they need to understand what is causing it. Many times, the causes aren’t clear because it could be a lot of little things going on in life rather than one big event, like a project due in school, which is more evident and easier to understand.

Some ways to help identify stressors is to pay attention to any time throughout the day when stress creeps up. Students tend to repress or avoid dealing with stress and distract themselves with anything in the present moment, only to feel the stress overwhelming them later on when they are by themselves doing homework and without the distractions within everyday moments.

According to the Mayo Clinic, some stressors in school include getting a bad grade on a test, struggling on the border between two grades, not understanding what is going on in class, having a conflict with a significant other or a friend, having to deal with tragedies in the family, and so on.

The list is endless. Seniors could be stressing about getting into the college they want, disappointing parents by not fulfilling their expectations, doing poorly on a sports team or not improving in performance throughout the season.

“My life stresses me out,” stated junior Cynthia Capota. “The fact that I’m in 4 AP classes and the rest honors, I do work. Doing debate, scholastic bowl, and top cats is kind of a time-consuming schedule. Oh! And then I also have friends. I also have a family, so I obviously want to spend time with them at the same time. It’s just stressful. But I’ve just gotten to the point where I’m so stressed that I don’t even feel the stress anymore and my mom thinks I’m stressed, but I don’t feel stressed.”

Helpguide.org hypothesizes that when students pay attention to their emotions during the day, it helps them figure out what is stressing them out and how to fix it. As humans, students do anything possible to fit in and try to have perfect lives and so will repress any start of stress instead of getting it over with in that moment. By dealing with it in the moment, it could stop the building up of it. The counselors in the school are here to help students deal with and fix their situations and stop any potential situations that could cause stress.

One easy way to help reduce stress in life is to start having a healthier lifestyle. Eating the right foods that are needed and exercising are key to improving health. The healthier a person is, the easier it is for them to be able to clearly think and deal with the stress of life.

“Sometimes, switching up eating habits or by just getting some fresh air can make someone feel better,” G-P LST social worker Mrs. Meagan Silverberg added. “It can help clear the head since your body will feel better and have more energy.”

The same goes for getting an adequate amount of sleep. With extracurriculars, homework, and school early the next morning, it is difficult for students to get the amount of sleep that they need to significantly reduce stress in their life. As stated by helpguide.org, having enough sleep not only increases attention during the school day and helps students focus on their classes more, but it takes away the stress of needing enough sleep. With the right amount of rest, students can focus on the topic that the teacher is discussing rather than on not falling asleep during class.

Another way to deal with stress is to put aside a little free time every day to relax and enjoy life. “It’s important for students to know what their limits are and to not go beyond them...it’s also important that they realize that it’s okay to just take some time for themselves. Like to hang out with friends or watch Netflix, you know, whatever makes them happy,” explained Mrs. Silverberg.

Making a list is another helpful way of finding out what is stressing a person out and making the stressors seem more manageable according to helpguide.org. On paper, the list seems smaller than it seemed just swirling around in one’s head and it can help a person focus on just the tasks that they need to get accomplished. Since they are listed on paper, it is easier to plan out a schedule for finishing stressful activities and keep the mind on the task of finishing each activity at a time while keeping it away from the overwhelmed feeling that accompanies stress.

By doing something positive and active to fix the stress, it can counteract the overwhelming emotions and reassure the person that they are doing something productive to fix their problem rather than wasting time.

However, not all stressors can be fixed just by finishing an activity like homework or part of a project.

Many times, stress comes from having a fight with a friend or significant other or from the combination of the stressors at school, plus added ones from tragedies or uncontrolled events that can happen.

When a friend has a lot of their plate, Mrs. Silverberg recommends that just “being there for you friends during a tragedy is the best thing someone can do. Just hanging out and talking to them can help distract them from what’s going on and can help them feel better.”

There also are things at school to help students get to the root of their problems or to get added support for whatever stress that is going on in their life. The counselors are always there to talk to students about anything.

However, there are also student groups that meet and the students talk about the things going on in their own lives, which can be very beneficial. Mrs. Silverberg explained: “These groups can sometimes be more helpful than just talking to an adult or counselor because it’s a different kind of feeling to hear a person your own age talking about an experience similar to yours and how they deal with it. It helps bring students Photo courtesy of Getty Images closer together and feel better about what they’re going through.”

Stress balls can help reduce some people’s stress.

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Information courtesy of statisticbrain.com DROPS OF INK

17

Be

F L Y

Guy

By Maddie Werner Junior Sam Kim’s company, “BeFly,” promotes being yourself through a variety of apparel while giving back to the community.

“Be You, Be Fly” is the slogan that junior Sam Kim came up with in seventh grade when he was assigned an art project that involved creating a company. Sam never thought his simple shopping bag art project would evolve into a real company until his dad, an entrepreneur himself, suggested that this company could actually work while giving back to the community at the same time.

Sam’s art project was designed on a simple, white gift bag, filled with words and pictures about “fly clothing” that showed how being yourself is cool. His whole project was centered around the idea that being yourself is enough for anyone and fitting in isn’t all that important. This starting idea has remained the same over the past few years.

“He described a company that we thought was pretty cool and we thought he could do something with [it] and learn a little about what it takes to start a business and run it,” said Sam’s dad, also named Sam Kim. A few months later, the BeFlyNow business was up and running as a clothing company.

The goal of Sam’s company is to create apparel that promotes being yourself and ultimately to gain experience as a business owner. Being the creative designer of his apparel, Sam makes his t-shirts, sweatshirts, pajamas and even phone cases, all while keeping his slogan in mind. Sam uses computer programs to design all of the prints and custom orders, which have helped him grow and develop as a creative designer.

Short-sleeved t-shirts are $15, long-sleeved t-shirts are $20, sweatshirts can range anywhere from $30-40, and phone

cases are $20. The shirts come in all different colors and have various slogans like the original “BeFly” and other slogans like “Talk to the Paw” and “Class of 2015” that reflect Sam’s affiliation with LHS. Sam feels these prices aren’t too overpriced compared to alternative sources.

“He is creative and skillful when it comes to designing art work or customer projects, but there are many other aspects of the business such as sales, marketing, purchasing, screening, and website management. Sam is learning all aspects of a business and definitely knows what it takes to run a business from end to end,” said Mr. Kim. Sam’s dad, the financial supporter of his son’s company, owns an office that has turned into the headquarters for BeFlyNow. At the office are all of the prints and shirts, but BeFlyNow does its actual sales via BeFlyNow.com. Sam’s customers consist of a wide variety of people including sports teams, friends, and classmates.

“The turnaround is really fast. He can get you the shirt the day of the order,” said customer and friend of Sam, Jordan Bach.

Another customer, junior Marissa Garapolo said “He has a lot of different colors and logos to choose from so it’s not a selective company.”

Sam’s biggest supporters are his parents. Sam is thankful for his dad’s faith and confidence in his business and knows that he wouldn’t have been this successful without the financial help of his dad. “I gave him seed starting money of $5,000 to start and it’s been operating profitably ever since,” said his dad.

“It’s really not about the money. It’s about learning how to start a business, to market, to be financially stable. It’s more about promoting being yourself.”

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Photos taken by Korina Valenzuela Sam uses computer programs to design all of the prints and custom orders for his BeFly apparel.

With the importance of financial support, Sam also knows his mom’s role is essential for the organization of his company. “She’s trying to promote the company more and she’s been really big with helping me complete large orders on time,” said Sam. His mom helps with large sports team orders, like one of Sam’s greatest accomplishments with BeFlyNow, which involved designing and creating all of the jerseys for a summer team run out of Slammers, a baseball facility.

Sam admits the company has been slow recently and his dad said “we let Sam run the business as much as he can but as a student with academics and sports, time is a precious commodity.” Running a business takes a lot of time and energy and it can be hard to keep up with the business while staying strong in all other aspects of school and activities.

“I’d probably say the last half a year has been pretty tough because I haven’t had time to focus on it and my parents have been busy, too,” said Sam. Sam wants students at LHS to know he is always open for orders and his apparel is accessible online via BeFlyNow.com and on his Facebook page, BeFlyNow. For Sam, BeFlyNow isn’t about the money. A big part of Sam’s business involves donating 20 percent to charities like the Lake County Haven, a social-service agency dedicated to meeting the needs of homeless women and children. Then profits either go to Sam for commission or back into the company itself. He feels it’s really important to give back

to the community that he has grown up in. “It’s really not about the money. It’s about learning how to start a business, to market, to be financially stable. It’s more about promoting being yourself,” Kim emphasized. “A lot of people think I’m in it for the money and I’m not.”

Sam knows how important it is to gain experience at a young age and he is currently completing an internship with one of his dad’s companies, called www.LibertyHealthSupply.com, to learn through direct mentoring from professionals that do product management, online marketing, order management, supply management, and finance. With Sam’s dad being an entrepreneur himself, Sam has an upper hand with programs and internships that will help him expand his knowledge on running a business so BeFlyNow can only grow bigger after his career at LHS and on into college.

Sam absolutely wants to continue his company after he graduates high school and he is looking to collaborate in the future. “Moving forward, I could see Sam taking BeFlyNow as a brand to do many things such as clothing, merchandise, headphones, shoes, jewelry, electronics, etc.,” said his father.

BeFlyNow has only been active for a short period of time in comparison to how long Sam wants to keep it running, so this is only the beginning. Mr. Kim added, “time will tell what comes of his company, but for now, we are proud that he is learning and appreciating what it takes to start and operate a business.”

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One Tree Ville

By Anna DeMartini and Alex Zoellick

Temperatures Drop, Spirits Rise

The seasonal transitions in the Chicagoland area can be harsh. Hot and sticky summer days turn into cool breezes and vibrant colors. As November ends, the leaves fall and so do the temperatures; the only difference is that the temperatures don’t stop dropping once they hit the pavement. Cool turns to cold, breezes turn to gusts and nippy turns to bitter.

The bare trees can often make the area feel lifeless; however, one tree brings life to the barren town. Each year, one tree in Cook Park brightens the spirits of the town. This special tree is lit one day after Thanksgiving, a date that has withstood the test of time and weather.

“We go on rain, shine or snow,” said Mr. Connie Kowal, the Director of Recreation and Sports Complex for the Village of Libertyville. “The show always goes on, it is almost Norman Rockwell-like.” (Rockwell was a famous twentieth-century artist who is famous for his portrayal of the great American traditions.)

The tree lighting is Libertyville’s welcome to the holiday season every year. Put on by the Parks and Recreation Department, it is a family-friendly way to bring the town together every year where Santa Claus rides into the park on a fire truck, counts down from 10, and lights the tree. All the while, children are singing carols, people are taking pictures in the sleigh, and everyone is having a good time.

“I absolutely feel a connection with the town since people with various backgrounds and of all ages are coming together for the same celebration,” said senior Gretta Ebert, who attends the ceremony every year.

Once the tree is lit, people take pictures with the tree, kids take pictures with Santa, and everyone has the option of taking a tour of the Cook Building, the former City Hall of Libertyville. Not to mention, everyone can virtually walk into the life-size nativity scene and relive what they are celebrating. Each person has their own favorite part of the ceremony.

“My favorite part of tree lighting is being able to see everyone together enjoying the holidays!

It’s so exciting and fulfilling to see our town looking so beautiful,” said Ebert.

In order to accommodate for different holiday celebrations, requests were sent to Village Hall to add a Menorah for the Jewish population of the town, according to Kowal. It was added within the past four years.

The ceremony itself hasn’t seen very many changes in years past. According to Kowal, the Parks and Recreational District found a winning formula years ago and have stuck with it ever since. Before Santa rode in on a firetruck, he would appear in a window of the Cook Building and walk down to the front entrance. The ceremony has been going on for the last three decades, according to Kowal, who recalls going to the ceremonies when he first moved to Libertyville, though he does not know the exact date it started.

One thing is for sure: people love the tree lighting and they all have different reasons for coming back every year.

“I go back every year since I love the holidays and being able to stand alongside people whoalso enjoy the Christmas season as much as me and it brings me way too much joy!” added Ebert.

Taking Main Street

Because of the sheer number of attendees, the night of the tree lighting is often a popular night for the businesses of Main Street Libertyville. According to Kowal, when the park is filled to capacity, there can be a couple thousand people at the ceremony. Many people will dine at popular restaurants like Trattoria Pomigliano or 545 North. Starbucks and Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory see a hot chocolate sales boost as people accommodate for the chilly weather. Many customers will also take advantage of the promotions and sales in retail shops.

“Business is booming on the night of the tree lighting!” Libertyville Starbucks manager Dan Gibbs said.

Being one of the biggest sales nights of the year, lines are out Starbucks’ door for the hours of the tree lighting. With new holiday beverages being offered, kids from one to 92 gather in the warm shelter of Starbucks to share their holiday cheer. Open until 8 p.m., Starbucks will be supplying the town of Libertyville with bursts of peppermint and warm hot cocoa.

Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, another popular destination for visitors, stays open until the last customer is served. With special offers like spiced apple cider and chocolate Christmas tree DROPS OF INK 20

pretzels, business is very good on the magical night of the tree lighting.

“As a business owner, it is one of my favorite nights of the year because of all the families coming together and enjoying our chocolate,” said Pam Lockowitz, manager of Rocky Mountain.

Keeping the Tradition Alive

The popularity of the tree lighting spans from families to kids and their friends. A group of LHS seniors, including Maddy Licocci and Ebert, has been going to the tree lighting together every year since fifth grade. According to Licocci, the group got together to celebrate a friend’s birthday and they have been going ever since.

“A big group of people starting going and it became a tradition to see Santa Claus, even though we knew he wasn’t real,” said Licocci. “We always go to Starbucks, the line was always out the door; it was so worth waiting for.”

The tree lighting’s ability to bring people together can also be applied to smaller groups of people, in addition to the town as a whole. Often times it is hard for students to find time in their busy schedules to spend time with their friends. Between jobs, homework, sports and everything else that applies to the cliché saying, it is difficult for a whole group of friends to get together. That’s where the tree lighting steps in.

“All my friends go and we all want to be there and we all make the best of it,” said Licocci. “It makes you feel like a little kid again.”

Since the group is made up of seniors and it has very little time left in high school, the students in it are trying to make the most of their traditions.

“Once you start something, it is nice to keep it going,” said Licocci. “Now that we are seniors, it is our last time to do this as high schoolers. Next year, when we are in college, who knows if we will all be able to go.”

Ebert is hopeful that the group’s tradition will continue past high school: “I go back every year because of my friends! It’s something we’ve always done and hopefully will continue to do, plus we always get Starbucks, which is reason enough to go back every year.”

Photo by Alex Zoellick

Courtesy of Maddy Licocci Licocci, Ebert, and their friends join in one of the most popular activites: taking a photo in front of the tree.

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Staff Editorial

Flipping the Classroom: A New School of Thought Flipping the classroom is a new teaching strategy that is starting to gain popularity with Libertyville High School teachers. Flipping the classroom is done when teachers have students do the opposite of what they do in a traditional school day.

The standard classroom setting that has been common forever is the teacher lecturing from a Powerpoint in front of the class during the day, and for homework, the kids doing notes, or a worksheet or some sort of paper to prove that they learned the material in class. In this new way to teach, the opposite is done.

Just how popular is this at LHS? 36 out of the 41 staff members of Drops of Ink have been in a class that has been flipped at least once. The kind of classes that have been flipped haven’t been all in one department either. The classes range from Spanish IV honors to government to algebra one to chemistry.

It is clearly gaining popularity and spreading to all departments because it is a good theory, but there are some flaws to it. One of the main issues with it is if one kid does not watch the video for homework, he or she is totally lost in class. Missing notes for homework is one thing, but when you miss the whole lesson itself, the student doesn’t stand a chance on a quiz or test.

In class, unless the student is sick, the kid has no other choice but to listen to the teacher who is speaking about the topic right in front of their face. Even if the students do watch the video but a part was confusing, then that teacher ends up spending time in class the next day pretty much re-teaching it.

Technology is also involved in this new style of teaching, which is not always a good thing. If a student’s internet is out for that night, then just like that, he or she is way behind. If the video itself doesn’t work, then the whole class gets pushed a full day behind. Technology can be a good thing, but being totally reliant on it could be a disaster for a class.

Another issue is not being able to have that conversation with the teacher. If the teacher explains something that the student doesn’t understand, conventionally the kid is able to raise his or her hand and have it clarified instantly, but when it is a video, he or she has to wait until the next day or later for help which doesn’t help them that night with their homework.

Additionally, in class, the teacher has 50 minutes to explain the lesson in depth in school, but knowing that the students don’t have that kind of time at home, the lesson gets abbreviated into 5-15 minutes in the video. That cut-down time often takes out some of the extra explanations and stories that could be key for an individual student remembering a concept.

Along those lines, when watching the video at home, there are way more distractions than at school. Sure, at school, your friends

are around you, but teachers make sure you don’t talk to them, and sure, you have your phone, but teachers make sure you don’t use it. Ultimately in school, the kid ends up paying attention in some capacity for the lesson, but at home, there is no limit on distractions.

Whether it is some sort of social media, music, siblings, parents, TV, or anything else, 5-15 minutes could seem like an eternity for a student having to listen to the teacher on the computer. Also, it is 5-15 minutes of straight notes and information; in class the teacher is able to spread things out to give students a break, but on the videos, the teachers are trying to cram the unit into a tight timeframe.

The last negative was whether or not there was additional homework to go along with the video. A 5-15 minute video along with notes is absolutely manageable for the students, but when more work is added to it, the workload quickly becomes a little too much. If it is a 5-15 minute video plus notes and the teacher adds notes out of the textbook or a worksheet, the homework starts taking every student almost an hour to do, which is unfair considering many students have five other classes.

If there are so many flaws, then why do so many teachers use this strategy? Simple, if everything goes right, then the class will be way more efficient, and even more fun for the students. It gives the students more accountability over their own work, which many students crave.

What this also does, if right, is spend more time on individual questions. If the next day of class includes class time to discuss questions from the night before, then kids can have their exact questions answered very quickly. Speed is also important in the video the night before. Because it is a video, the student can spend as much time as they want rewinding or pausing the teacher to listen and get the hang of a specific concept. A sick student can also use this to their advantage. Instead of an absent student missing the whole day’s lesson for good, they can reference the video, and get the whole lesson.

Class time is one of the key parts to this, and when the flip is done correctly, class time can be spent on not just questions, but also group work and hands-on activities. In class, students will be able to spend time playing review games or time asking direct questions to the teacher, which could accelerate the learning process and improve the students’ mental grasp on the lesson.

Overall, we think that flipping the classroom definitely can work well, but too many things have to happen for it to be worth it for everyone. A fix to this could be the videos being made, but to be used only as an extra resource. The videos as specific homework could go wrong, but students being able to use it as a way to get back on track after missing school or a review for a test is a great idea.

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The shopping games

By Becky deacetis and lauren forrest

Cartoon by Erin McAuliffe Ah, the sounds of Black Friday. Frantic shoppers screeching “I had it first!,” stampedes in the aisles and managers crying while being yelled at by extreme couponers. It is appalling that many Americans still don’t know how to properly shop during Black Friday. Don’t worry, this article will tell you all you need to know.

The average shopper begins their quest at 6 a.m. Thanksgiving day; you have to have your RV set up at least five hours before the sales begin (make sure to bring your rifle and baseball bat to fight back against competitors). Clothing should be sporty; running shoes are a necessity (spikes can be added for extra traction and agility). You will want to bring at least half your closet for the campout; you have to keep your muscles warm for the fight later. A few warm-up laps and push-ups are recommended.

Make sure to shove others out of your way to get to the front of the line when the doors open. If necessary, smack a few people with your bat to show dominance. It is advisable to trample the employees to get inside faster. Don’t worry about their screams, just run to get a cart (maybe even bring your own for extra speed).

Since you have already mapped out the store (take extra precautions to mark aisles with items you need) you know where to head first. Using the shopping cart as a battle ram, charge through the crowds and grab your #1 item. Maybe grab a few extras so you can sell them on the streets later.

After getting items 1-100 on your wish list, sprint down the aisles, using your spiked shoes to step on other shoppers.

Grab whatever you can until you can’t see over the top of

your cart.

At the checkout line, bulldoze your opponents out of your way to get to the cash register. Show the cashier you mean business by glaring at them until tears are visible (they will scan extra fast). Using your recyclable bags (mother nature for the win!) that you brought in your army style backpack, dash to your RV and throw the bags inside.

Drive quickly to the next store on your hit list (who cares about the speed limit--it’s Black Friday!). Once there, slam on the brakes and get out of the RV. Leap over the potholes and dead bodies (left over from previous battles) in the parking lot to get to the front doors. Repeat actions from the first store, being a little more aggressive if necessary (the deals don’t last forever!). If you see someone you know, hold a conversation while snatching items from their cart; your friends obviously know what a good deal is.

After your seventh store, you should have at least 2,000 pounds of purchases (you’re slacking if you don’t meet that minimum). If not, visit a few more stores. By the time dawn breaks on the next day, you should be picking up loose ends and heading home. Stop in a relatively safe parking lot and use your bathroom to clean up. Wash any blood off you face, hands and clothes (you can reuse your Black Friday clothes to show you are a warrior next year-blood and rips are great intimidators). Change back into pajamas and remove any warrior paint you have. Return your bat and rifle to the closet for later use. Return home and back to your normal activities and personality. Congrats on your Black Friday success.

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Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia Shakespeare’s plays have been cultural staples since their writing, and the tradition of teaching his texts in high school has yet to be broken.

How Beneficial is Studying Shakespeare?

I’ve studied Shakespeare’s plays in school since seventh grade. Even before that, teachers of mine constantly alluded to his work, and we read his passages in class. Back in middle school, I always felt reading Shakespeare was worthless; it was time and energy wasted on deciphering flowery, archaic language and maybe uncovering some semblance of plot, which itself was unintriguing and dull. Since then, though, new teachers’ approaches to the material and the variance of the plays themselves from year to year helped me to appreciate the Bard.

There remain many, however, who go unenlightened and still complain incessantly about the terrors of Shakespeare, most without understanding why it is taught. You may be one of these people, but you need have No Fear™ because the most important part of learning the playwright’s writings is not translating 17th-century English, nor is it even fully understanding the plays’ events. Instead, the relevancy of Shakespeare lies in the ingenious structure of his compositions.

“We don’t have you read Shakespeare because of his archaic words. That would be silly. What matters is that his syntax, diction, and use of both rhetorical devices and figurative language are excellent—probably the best in all of literature,” said Mr. Craig Schmidt, an English teacher at LHS who teaches Hamlet in his Freshman Literature and Composition class. “Shakespeare’s best speeches are packed with vivid examples of all the things English teachers want our students to recognize in other people’s writing and incorporate into their own writing.”

Furthermore, we as students are exposed to the works of the English dramatist here in high school because it is something we wouldn’t otherwise study.

By Conor Kennedy

“I think if students didn’t get it in high school, they wouldn’t get it, and I think that would be a shame,” said Mrs. Karen LeMaistre, another Lit teacher at LHS. Her World Lit Honors classes study Macbeth. “People don’t often pick up Shakespeare for fun unless they’ve somehow been introduced to it and it isn’t made to be scary for them.”

That last part is important: lots of kids are resistant to Shakespeare in the first place because they know it will be challenging. That resistance is one of the reasons so many end up struggling with his plays. Almost paradoxically, then, Shakespeare is taught because his texts are so hard to analyze.

“What students fail to see (or simply resist seeing), is that one of the main reasons to read Shakespeare is because doing so is difficult...In dissecting his writing, the reader or spectator is doing the literary equivalent of performing an autopsy, except that the subject is not dead, but rather alive and constantly challenging us to examine him from different perspectives,” contended Schmidt.

The last issue to be brought up is that of cultural relevancy. To put it simply, in 30 years, the Twilight Saga (hopefully we’re already forgetting these) will be just about as widely read as The Aquitaine Progression, a best-seller in 1984, is now (hint: it hasn’t been popular in three decades), while Shakespeare will still be read throughout the world in massive volumes -- no pun intended.

The fact is, Shakespeare has attained an unprecedented cultural permanence because of the efficiency and beauty of his writing, and his work will continue to demand universal attention. That is something we have to accept and should embrace. Frankly, I wish I could tell my seventh grade self to put a sock in it.

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25

The Space Race

By Jake Vogt

Every winter athlete knows the frustration that comes along with With the main gym booked every week, that leaves just the West competing in this approaching season. Being confined to small Gym and two fieldhouse bays for the six other basketball teams. The indoor spaces, hardly seeing the sun each day, and long, cold walks sophomore boys team usually occupies the West Gym, leaving the to and from parked cars come with the territory. But the most voiced freshman boys, both A and B, in the Fieldhouse. frustration about winter sports is the lack of space for teams to pracHowever, a common problem in the Fieldhouse is the lack of tice and compete in. traction, making it difficult for basketball practices to be safe and Twelve teams compete for two gyms, a fieldhouse, and the efficient. lunchroom. That totals to six basketball courts (one fieldhouse bay is “The [fieldhouse] floors are so slippery that we couldn’t run plays designated for wrestling), of which only two are used for games. The or else people got hurt,” said sophomore basketball player Harrison eight high school basketball teams compete for time in these spaces, Bach. “Our coaches were really mad about the fieldhouse practices.” along with high school feeder programs, as well as the high school The freshman and JV girls teams alternate between the West Gym cheer team. and the Fieldhouse. One team practices after school until five o’clock “The hardest part [of winter sports scheduling] is the facilities, while the other will start just before five. scheduling the practices “The fieldhouse was for all of Libertyville High frustrating because of the School athletics, then humidity and having to incorporating our feeder start so late,” said sophoprograms, and balancing more Riley Weis. that out,” said LHS Athletic Freshman A girls coach Director Mr. Briant Kelly.

Ms. Melissa Gorski enjoys With so many teams the closely scheduled lobbying for gym space, the practice times because it two Poms teams are stuck gives her team the ability in the lunchroom. Varsity to scrimmage the JV girls and JV Poms practice at the team. The overlapping same time, crowding the schedules help her team already limited space even improve throughout the further. year.

“Orchesis has to come “We have a half hour in here too in the winter, overlap where we actually so it’s Orchesis, JV, and scrimmage each other, so Varsity, all trying to split it’s actually more benefiPhoto taken by Jake Vogt cial because scrimmaging this tiny little area. It gets a little bit too close for is really important for comfort,” said junior Poms basketball. We get to put The cafeteria space is shared between JV and Varsity Poms, as well as Orchesis during the winter member Emily Yates. in what we’ve been practicThe limited space makes it season. ing, so I really like when we hard for the team to rehearse overlap,” said Ms. Gorski. their whole performance, limiting the amount of preparation the team The majority of scheduling falls on the shoulders of Mr. Kelly. has for competitions.

According to Mr. Kelly, he and the varsity basketball coaches sit “Usually when we compete, our performance is in a gym so obvidown before the season to discuss scheduling in order to ensure the ously the lunchroom is not going to be the same size, so we can’t do most efficient practice locations for each team. our routine full out,” said Yates. “It’s frustrating because this floor is “Games and matches get first priority and then we go in order of really bad, and people get injured on it; we’ve asked them to move us varsity and work our way down,” said Mr. Kelly. but they don’t know what to do.”

“The issue with winter sports spacing also comes in January The Poms team has even had to practice in the carpeted Link and February when I am trying to incorporate open gyms for spring Crew room, making rehearsal almost impossible. The cramped room sports. So that becomes a lot of an issue, when we are trying to does not allow the team to practice their performance because the schedule all those times in there. It is an issue; we can always have space is nowhere near regulation competition size. more space,” said Mr. Kelly, meaning that there can never be too With the lunchroom filled, the next open space is the main gym. much gym space.

The main gym can be divided into two practice courts, allowing The most recent high school renovation was the addition of the varsity boys and girls to practice at the same time. However, when West Gym, which was a major effort to add more space for winter it comes to games, there is only one regulation court. The main gym sports. is where all varsity games take place because of the large amount “In 2005 we built the West Gym, so that obviously helped, having of seating available for fans. This gym is also used for intramural an extra gym helped. That gives you an extra competition court and basketball games during the week, which generally take place from two extra practice courts,” said Mr. Kelly.

7-9 p.m.

Before the West Gym was built, the high school partnered with the DROPS OF INK 26

Spacing for Winter Sports

Infographic by Hannah Boufford Libertyville Sports Complex, where the freshman basketball teams would practice. In another effort to add space, the cardio room would be stripped of its equipment after school and be replaced with wrestling mats, freeing a fieldhouse bay for a basketball team to practice.

Although this option is no longer used, it could be a possibility in the future if the school is looking for more space.

Multiple teams practice off campus as well, including bowling (Lakeside Lanes in Mundelein), and diving (Vernon Hills High School).

Mr. Kelly does not often hear complaints from coaches about spacing issues. He commends the coaches on their ability to work together in order to get the most out of their practice spaces.

“I think our coaches do a great job with working with each other and understanding that each sport in the school is important,” said Mr. Kelly.

With alternating practice times and breaking down gyms into mul-

tiple practice courts, there is enough space to allow teams to prepare for competition. In fact, Mr. Kelly believes winter sports aren’t the most space restricted.

“I think there is a bigger issue with space in March, with spring sports,” he said.

In the beginning weeks of spring sports, most teams do not have the ability to go outside to use facilities because of weather conditions. This causes multiple teams to lobby for space in the Fieldhouse, while boys volleyball occupies the Main Gym and West Gym. Short of building another gym, there is no easy way to avoid spatial restrictions for both winter and spring sports. With no plans in the near future to do so, the school will continue to work with teams and coaches to use every square foot the school has to offer.

Although some practice times and locations are not ideal, they can be acclimated to in order to prepare for competition.

DROPS OF INK 27

Laura Zeng Strives for the Olympic Dream Have you ever had that feeling of success when you get an A on a test or take first place in a sport? That feeling can make a person’s day ten times better.

Now imagine getting that A on a test and achieving third place at the Youth Olympics. Freshman Laura Zeng had this similar feeling of success this past summer, when she took third-place at the Youth Olympics in China.

The story of how Zeng got to this point in rhythmic gymnastics is different from what most people would expect. Zeng explains her story of how she started this unique sport, which surprisingly didn’t exactly begin with rhythmic gymnastics.

“When I was 6 or 7, which was a while back... I was a pretty good swimmer and apparently my mom was like, do you want to do gymnastics or swimming because I had to focus on one, and I chose rhythmic gymnastics,” Zeng explained.

At such a young age, Zeng was already showing signs of a gifted athlete.

“I used to do Chinese dancing, and a friend of mine did both and she kind of recommended me to try it, and ever since then, I’ve just been doing it always,” Zeng stated.

Many people haven’t heard of rhythmic gymnastics, since it isn’t very popular in the United States, but Zeng is unbelievably talented in this sport.

Rhythmic gymnastics is a form of gymnastics that emphasizes dance like rhythmic routines, typically involving the use of ribbons, hoops, balls, and clubs.

In this competitive sport, gymnasts either compete in a group or as an individual. Zeng prefers to compete as an individual and with the amount of talent she possesses, she shines.

Unlike how most people have a favorite class in school, Laura doesn’t have a favorite discipline (ribbon, hoop, ball, and club) in rhythmic gymnastics.

“I like all of them (ribbon, hoop, ball, and club) equally and I can’t say I have one favorite because that’s kind of superstitious and I don’t want one to get jealous of the other.” Zeng jokingly explained.

Although Zeng doesn’t have a favorite, there are certain risks to different disciplines. Just doing a routine with a potentially dangerous object, like a club, can be terrifying to even think about; Laura has to do this everyday.

“One time... I was doing clubs and there was this little toss and I had to go get stitches. That was pretty scary.” Zeng expressed one of her frightening accidents she encountered with clubs.

There are several risks associated with rhythmic gymnastics, but the devoted and courageous Zeng disregards them and focuses on her dream. “The hope for [the] Olympics is always something in mind and it’s the goal that I strive for,” stated Zeng. “I think it’s one of the main things that helps motivate me.”

“The hope for [the] Olympics is always something in mind and it’s the goal that I strive for.”

DROPS OF INK 28

By Lola Akinlade and Kayla Fiore

Having a busy life training can cause Zeng to miss out on some other opportunities.

Some people are able to go to the mall with their friends on the weekend or go see a movie; more than likely, Zeng would be found perfecting her routines.

To accomplish what Zeng has done, there are countless things that must be sacrificed.

“I don’t get to participate in a lot of clubs, but I do get to have some social life too. Like on weekends sometimes or during the holidays I make up for it,” Zeng explains.

Most of Zeng’s friends would agree that having to train for so many hours may result in Zeng missing out on most Friday night football games. Freshman Kelly Xu has been one of Zeng’s good friends for years and is proud of how far she has come.

Through her athletic career, Zeng spends most of her time training but also has some time to get together with friends and watch youtube videos or talk about life. Xu describes her as “a very fun, charismatic, and kind girl.”

Zeng’s natural talents are one of the things that got her to the point of winning thirdplace at the Summer Youth Olympics in China. Her coach, Natalia Kilmouk, contributes to her success as well.

Kilmouk is the former coach of the Belarus national team and also has more than 20 years of experience in rhythmic gymnastics. Kilmouk is currently on the Rhythmic Elite International Committee Chair. It’s no

wonder why Zeng has reached the level she has with her own talent and having a well rounded coach.

“We start work with Laura for national/ international level when she was 11. Laura was showing everyday on practices her great focus and ability to work with full concentration. Those two main things bring her to success which she has now!” Kilmouk explained.

Zeng’s competitions allow her to live a life of travel. Some of the places include Germany, Portugal, Italy, and Bulgaria. And just this past month, she traveled to Spain for another competition. With all this travel and competing, it’s easy to get homesick, so Zeng likes to keep her loved ones in mind.

The good luck charms that Zeng keeps with her remind her of family back home. “I have two key chains. One’s from my sister in China and the other one’s from my dad. I always have them on my bag,” Zeng said.

Living two lives--a student at home and an Olympian in training-- and traveling the world and winning awards is without a doubt difficult to manage. Her parents are there to support her and are available to take her to every practice and cheer her on at competitions. This support makes the tough times a little easier for her to handle.

Many people look up to Zeng for her kind heart and talent, but she doesn’t have a specific role model in mind.

“I don’t really have one specific role model, but I think that each gymnast has their own specialty and I like to learn from each gymnast,” Zeng stated.

Coach Kilmouk explained what makes Zeng stand out from other gymnasts: “When she performs on carpet, people love to watch because she lives with music in that moment.

She is very, very elegant and so graceful.”

The nerves that a person often experiences before a final exam is a feeling somewhat similar to what Zeng may feel before competing.

“I am really nervous before I compete and right before I compete I try to calm myself down as much as possible,” Zeng explained.

But unlike taking a test, Zeng is performing and competing in front of her peers, friends, family, and judges. Now imagine that kind of pressure; students often calm their nerves before a test with gum, but Zeng has a different method: chocolate.

“I feel like I do have a lot of superstitions before I compete; I just don’t necessarily think about them as superstitions. I like to have a small piece of chocolate before I go just to give me some quick energy,” Zeng revealed.

Zeng, who practices six days a week, three to four hours a day, always keeps her goal in mind: “The hope for [making the] Olympics is always something in mind and it’s the goal that I strive for.”

A typical day in the life of Laura Zeng

Drives home

12:00-2:00 am

DROPS OF INK 29

Wraps up practice and starts conditioning

9:00 pm

Warms up for practice, and then begins her routines

8:00 pm

Goes to Northshore Rythmic Gymnastic Center in Deerfield

4:15 pm

3:30 pm

6:30 am

Wakes up and gets ready for school

Eats dinner, finishes her homework, and goes to bed

Opening Shot for Boys’ Basketball

By Jarrett Malec Coming off a 15-13 campaign last year, the Cats are once again ready to prove themselves as a contender in the North Suburban Conference.

Libertyville finished off the 2013-2014 season 4-7 in conference, placing them fifth out of seven teams. In last season’s playoffs, the Cats had a two-game stint, winning against Mundelein, while falling to Highland Park in the second round to end their season.

“I think last year was a pretty good year, but it could have been a little bit better. Considering who was in our conference, I think we played very competitive. We lost some close games against Highland Park and Carmel specifically, and the biggest thing for us last year was that we could have finished better,” Coach Scott Bogumil stated.

Last season brought the players and fans tense and exciting play, such as the heartbreaking loss to Carmel on a last-second shot, as well close games at the Proviso West Tournament like the 62-54 loss to Homewood-Flossmoor.

One game that still stands out in Coach Bogumil’s eyes is photo by Korina Valenzuela the Cats’ victory against Warren on the road.

“I believe when we beat Warren on their floor was the highlight of our season because of how we stepped up at the Junor Cam Chen drills against junior teammate Ethan Fowkes in a recent practice. end and made a few key defensive stops to secure the win,” commented Mr. Bogumil With another tough year ahead of conference games with veteran players on most teams, the Cats look to improve the manner in which they finish games. This may prove to be an even taller task than expected, with LHS losing some experienced players from last year like Jack Lipp, Matt Reed, and Anthony Monken among others.. This year’s team looks to have few returning senior varsity players, including Joe Borcia and Conor Peterson.

Libertyville has a large front court with Borcia and Ben Kimpler manning the middle. That being said, the Cats need their junior guards to produce for a successful season.

There’s not much game experience outside of those two guys, so we have a much younger group. We’re going to need some more juniors to step up who haven’t played much on varsity,” Bogumil commented.

A few juniors who might have to carry a heavier load include guards Cam Chen and Paul Steinhaus. Their exposure to the varsity levels as sophomores will be a huge help for the Cats according to Coach Bogumil..

“I think definitely [playing] last year and learning from the graduated seniors helped me gain experience overall,” said point guard Chen.

Chen came off the bench last year and proved to be a very capable ball handler; he was also a formidable game manager. With the season almost upon him, Chen looks to be more of a leader both on and off the hardwood.

“Being a point guard, I know it’s my responsibility to be a vocal leader on the court.

The other big thing for being a leader is keeping the locker room chemistry up and staying positive throughout the season -- something I know I can influence.”

Chen believes that this young group of guys will have their ups and downs, but they will be better because of it.

“I know for a fact there’ll be growing pains and what not, but we have the potential to play as well as any other team on the schedule,” retorted Chen.

The Cats’ first test of the year will come with a Thanksgiving tournament (The Warrior Classic) with the first game on Monday the 29.

They will first face off against Maine South in the main gym at 5:00. Coach Bogumil feels that in terms of goals, he and his team needs to take things day-to-day and just get better photo by Korina Valenzuela every opportunity they can.

Coach Bogumil instructs his team during a practice.

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Young Girls’ Basketball Roster Hopes to Prosper

By Josh Bragg The Wildcats ended last season with a 10-18 overall record, but they finished an impressive 6-6 in a tough North Suburban Conference. The team played past their expectations and were very competitive despite their lack of experience relative to the other powerhouses within the conference.

The Cats competed until the end against some teams that boasted rosters full of seasoned veterans. One game that comes to mind was against Stevenson at home, when the Wildcats were up against a very talented Patriots squad and the outcome wasn’t decided until the last few seconds.

“It was good to be competitive. We were having kids who were still getting their varsity feet wet,” said Coach Pedersen.

“A lot of those kids who played [last year] have a year under their belts now and are ready to go this season.”

The team lost some key contributors, but also retained some valuable players. The returnees at the varsity level include seniors Becky Deichl and Addie Neal, juniors Maggie Piazzi and Erin Dunleavy, and sophomore Claire Keefe. Overall, the roster is fairly balanced and everybody realistically has Photo by Korina Valenzuela a chance to contribute, but one player that comes to mind is Deichl.

The Wildcats run through their offensive game plan during a practice earlier this month.

“Becky has done a lot of work. She’s got a lot of responsibility heading into the season, but from what I’ve seen so far, she’s taken her game to whole other level.”

Deichl plays on the inside as a center and her presence on the boards and defense will be key in the Cats’ success as a team. Maggie Piazzi can handle and distribute the ball as the starting point guard and Claire Keefe, who played on varsity as a freshman, is a talented scorer and rebounder.

The added year of experience for the varsity returnees should help not only themselves, but assisting the younger girls in becoming better players.

Coach Pedersen hopes that his team will continue to develop their skills and that his youthful players will be able to produce this upcoming season.

“We’re a young team. We have [some seniors], but we’re looking at having four or so sophomores that will get regular playing time,” said Coach Pedersen. He wants to get the underclassmen acclimated to varsity basketball quickly so that the team can continue to mature as a unit.

The Cats play a half-court type of game that is build upon ball movement, spacing, and good passing. With the all-around talent on the roster, playing in a team oriented way would help Libertyville compete against the upper echelon teams in the conference.

“We want to take care of the ball and maximize our possessions. We want to find the open player and knock our shots down on the offensive end,” said Coach Pedersen.

Although Stevenson is heralded as the biggest rival LHS has, Coach Pedersen feels like every team within the North Suburban Conference motivates the Cats to play up to their potential.

The conference is getting better and better, with Stevenson being its usual self, but Zion-Benton and Mundelein have improved dramatically.

“It’s heated. The kids really want to go out there and win.” said Coach Pedersen. “Our team this year is one of the most competitive teams I’ve coached before. These kids really take it seriously.”

It may take some time for the team to get used to playing with one another, but it may also be shorter than expected due to each player’s competitive nature and desire to improve. The Wildcats begin the season with a tournament and start their conference play at Stevenson on December 2 in what promises to be an interesting 2014-15 campaign.

“I think our goal is to work hard, get better every day, be as competitive as we can be, and see where we’re at in February, come playoff time,” photo by Korina Valenzuela said Coach Pedersen.

Coach Pedersen meets with his players during a practice.

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