October 22 issue

Starlight Express at LHS Yes He Cam Take a look behind the scenes of the upcoming school musical. pgs. 10-11

LHS becomes the Oval Office for president Cam Chen. pgs. 20-21

OCTOBER 22, 2015 VOLUME 89, ISSUE 2

THE CHARTIER TRIUMVIRATE pgs. 16-17

Hannah Boufford, Editor-in-Chief Maddie Werner, Online Editor Gabby Struik, News Editor Tia Petrzilka, Features Editor Jake Luce, Opinion Editor Josh Bragg, Sports Editor Manal Ahmed, Entertainment Editor Kayla Fiore, Photo Editor Becky DeAcetis, Layout Editor Katie Vrba, Social Media Editor Sara Thunga, Copy Editor Jillian Ruff, Community Service Coordinator Kate Vittore, Staff Fun Director Blair Abington Lola Akinlade Brianna Baez Grace Bloom Nathan Campbell Tanner Dorow Alo Garcia-Escobar Max Friedlander Demi Glusic Jenna Grayson Olivia Griffith Abbey Humbert Hannah Hutchins Jack Kosowski Jarrett Malec Mary Kate Mieszala TJ Murbach Sam Nelson Dolores Palmieri Alyssa Stokovich Maria Thames Stephanie Thomas Hadley Van Der Bosch Carly Wegren Emma Williams Emily Yates Kaitlyn Zabadal

Questions? Comments? Suggestions?

Contact us at doi@lhswildcats.org Michael Gluskin, faculty adviser October 22, 2015

Rea der s

Letter to

2015-2016 Staff Listing

the

Dear Reader: It’s finally that time of year. Fall has just begun and you should be back in the swing of things by now.

As the features editor, I’ve discovered that there’s always someone or something to cover and that behind every simple story is something extraordinary. In this issue, you’ll find profiles on the the Chartier brothers and learn about their journey from the early days in Omaha, Nebraska, to their final year at LHS, and on president Cam Chen, a noteworthy Student Council member since grade four. In “Resturants Near Me,” learn about which restaurants you can visit during the duration of your lunch release (sorry, just for seniors) and still make it back for for next class!

More importantly, we’ve got you covered for the fall in terms of things to do--everything from haunted houses to Halloween movies at Navy Pier (yes, there’s more to fall than marking the start to your cozy and warm Netflix time that will last until March). If all else fails, you can indulge in some festive fall treats with a little help from “Everything Pumpkin.” Don’t worry, we will let you in on the fashion trends to keep you looking stylish (with Pumpkin Spice Latte in hand).

Homecoming is far gone and professional sports like the NBA and NHL are finally back. We’ll reveal what it means to be a captain from the fall captains themselves and what their seasons consist of as well as why the beloved LBC football program is on a decline.

Be sure to also check out all the web has to offer, everything from sports score updates to blogs. I run my own blog (Music Discovery) where I feature new albums, make playlists based on mood and time of year through Spotify, and rant about music.

Don’t forget to participate in our contests throughout the year, too.

Each issue, we will have a key word or phrase hidden in the magazine. In addition, DOI’s Twitter account will send out three hints to help you find the phrase. This month’s key phrase is “roaming through the halls.” Once you’ve got it, direct message us @LHSDOI with the key phrase, article title and page number as well as our hashtag--#ThinkInk. Each person who does so by the end of the school day on Friday will be entered into a contest to win a $10 giftcard to Starbucks.

Sincerely,

Tia Petrzilka Features Editor 2

Drops of Ink

4New clubs arrive at LHS 5Link Crew conference 6 No makeup, no shame 9What’s Trending Starlight Express 10-11 12-13Things to do in October & Everything Pumpkin Show you care: Be aware 14-15 16-17 Off the Chart(ier)s 18-19Restaurants near me 20-21 Yes he Cam 22Staff Editorial: Current Events in school 23Column: The polar plunge Column: Does the college you go to matter?

24 25 Libertyville Boys Club on the decline 26-27 Collect them all: Wildcat leaders of the fall 28-29 A decade of domination 30-31 Exceptional athletes A look at the brand-new student organizations that are starting at LHS this year.

Many Link Crew leaders attended a training conference, hosted by LHS, in leadership and cooperation.

AdvoCATS is sponsoring a makeup-free day for girls to participate in at school.

Fall is coming, and so are new trends to study up on.

The next LHS musical features actors on roller skates, venturing through the crowd.

Read about various events in the Chicagoland area this month as well as the best (and worst) pumpkin-flavored items.

October is Depression Awareness Month, and many may not know a lot about the chemical inbalance.

Triplets Jackson, Spencer, and Corbin Chartier, who grew up in Omaha, were all Sweet 16 Homecoming Honor Court members.

Read about the best local places seniors can go for lunch release.

The most familiar face of the student body at LHS: the president himself.

Should all academic classes be concerned with adding current events to the curriculum?

The average temperature of the LHS pool? Freezing.

Whether it’s an Ivy League or community college, does the type of college matter for success?

Participation numbers in the LBC have decreased in recent years.

Learn the important statistics about all of this year’s fall sports teams and their captains.

Senior soccer stars Kevin Reilly and Liam O’Connell have been teammates for 10 years.

These talented athletes excel, just not while playing for varsity teams at LHS.

Cover photo by Kayla Fiore

Contents

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New clubs arrive at LHS Engineering Club

Coding Cats

A newly introduced club this year is Coding Cats, a club for those interested in coding.

“Coding is writing programs by inputting commands for the computer to interpret and Photo courtesy of Creative Commons analyze,” senior Brian Vickers, one of three founders of the club, explained.

Club members are planning on using their coding abilities to create apps, games, and other programs that they have ideas for.

Looking ahead, Coding Cats is looking into doing competitions and perhaps doing an outreach program for junior high students, Ms. Teresa Elmore, the club sponsor said.

While most members have already taken computer classes and have knowledge on how to code, anybody is welcome to stop by or join Coding Cats. The club meets Mondays after school in room 122, a computer lab.

If interested in learning how to code, you are welcome to stop by.

New members can be paired up with someone with coding knowledge, and they would help you learn how to code.

“We are glad to have new members any time, any age, no experience required,” stated Vickers. “If you come in, we’d be more than willing to help you.”

By Demi Glusic

A hands-on and innovative way to show your passion for engineering has presented itself in Libertyville High School’s Engineering Club.

This club, although attempted in years past, is new to LHS this fall.

Although students in engineering classes are highly encouraged to attend meetings, all students are welcome. The group’s goal is to get as many people interested in engineering as possible involved, explained the club’s founder and president, senior Tyler Laroi.

“My favorite part of the club is seeing someone’s project work.

Even if only one out of all of the projects works and the rest fail, it is the best seeing someone else’s efforts succeed and being able to see your work come to life,” Laroi said when asked of the club’s values.

The group has many bright ideas of fun projects and on how to fundraise, but is open to working around the members’ ideas and interests.

“I want people to learn and develop their own skills through their own projects and teams, making this a hands-on and team-based experience,” Laroi explained.

Engineering club meets Tuesdays after school in the engineering room. Questions can be directed to the club’s sponsor, Mr. Thompson.

By Stephanie Thomas

Outdoor Ed Club Outdoor Ed Club, started by senior Jack Meyer, is another new pilot club that Libertyville High School will be testing out this year.

The club is still in its beginning stage, as details such as when and where the club will meet have not yet been decided on. The main activities that the club hopes to work into its agenda will be away from school grounds -- the club plans on going into the wilderness to test the skills they’ve learned on weekend camping trips.

Mr. Robert Kelch, an auto teacher at LHS and the faculty advisor for the Outdoor Ed club, hopes to see the club do a wide variety of activities pertaining to the outdoors, ranging from the basic skill of setting up a tent, to more advanced things such as rock climbing and even making snowshoes. The club hopes to be able to visit locations like Devil’s Lake, pictured to the right.

A club that goes on big trips such as this one is hard to get rolling, so Meyer and Mr. Kelch hope to collaborate with Lake Forest’s Outdoor Ed Club and combine the LHS and Lake Forest trips.

By Max Friendlander

Comic Book Club

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Unicef Club

If you love giving back and making a difference in the community, Unicef is the club for you.

This year, a small feeder into the main Unicef organization has been founded at LHS. Although new to the school, Unicef is setting big goals this year, hoping to raise $500. This money will go to the main organization and will be used to provide vaccines and meals for underprivileged students.

Having already raised $250 this fall, senior member Nia MccLendon feels the group is already striving. The first couple of months will focus on raising money and getting the group started, and later will shift to gaining more members.

This group is based on teamwork and it needs people willing to make commitments.

The club was started by junior Mariam Tolba. Unicef is student-led and Tolba holds many responsibilities, the club’s sponsor, Mrs. Jennifer Uliks, explained.

“It was a topic she was very passionate about bringing to the school,” Mrs. Uliks said.”

The Comic Book Club is a new club for people interested in reading and discussing a variety of comics with other people.

“Students bring in comic books of their own to share with everyone, and then the group of attendees have discussions on the comic, including certain aspects of it, such as the main characters,” club sponsor Mrs. Kim Jansen explained.

During a typical weekly meeting, club members have their group discussions on that week’s topics, then decide how the following meeting will be structured. The Comic Book Club meets on the second Tuesday of every month after school in room 124.

The number of those attending each meeting has been fluctuating because some of the people interested are currently participating in fall sports.

“We had four [people] at the first meeting,” stated club founder, senior Keegan Hurley. “It’s just difficult to find Photo Courtesy of Flickr people in general.”

By Stephanie Thomas

By Demi Glusic

News

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Conferring with the Crew at Link Crew conference

By Olivia Griffith On Tuesday, Oct. 6, LHS held the annual Link Crew Conference in the main gym for the first time. It was periods 1-6 for the leaders of Link Crew.

Any school with a Link Crew program can offer to host the conference. Last year, Student Activities Director Mrs. Jennifer Uliks brought the idea of holding the conference to the building-level administrators.

This consists of Principal Dr. Marina Scott; Assistant Principals Dr. Ray Albin and Mr. Eric Maroscher; Director of Student Services Mr. Ole Stevens; and Athletic Director Mr. Briant Kelly. After approval, the calendar committee helped to officially schedule the conference.

LHS has participated in the conference for five years, since Link Crew first started here. Business Education teacher and Link Crew coordinator Mr. Bill Reichert has attended all five of the conferences.

Eight schools, including our own, attended the conference. There were up to 240 students attending from schools all over the area, and some from Wisconsin. This year the conference was completely sold out, according to Mr. Reichert.

Usually, there are around 15 students from LHS who attend the conference. This means that normally there are not enough leaders gone to cancel Link Crew during the conference so Link Crew is still held during this time. However, this year, up to 40 attended due to the easy accessibility of it being at LHS as opposed to another school. Because of the large number of absences, Link Crew was cancelled for the day.

There are 150 Link Crew leaders in all.

It was not mandatory for the Link Crew leaders to attend; they did not have to miss class if they didn’t want to. However, for those who attend, it helped to shape them into leaders for Link Crew, according to Mr. Reichert. Another purpose was to help the leaders see their importance in school by helping freshman to acclimate properly.

At the conference, there was a professional moderator, as well as the heads of Link Crew from each school, and representatives from the Link Crew Parent Organization there to help guide the leaders that chose to attend. It was, essentially, one rotating game. One morphs into the next, into the next, and so on, without any breaks.

“At first, everybody kind of kept to themselves. But by the end, peo-

The leaders gather in circles while playing games at the conference.

News

Photos by Olivia Griffith The Link Crew leaders listen as the moderater explains the purpose of each exercise. ple were super close and exchanging numbers,” said Link Crew leader Maddie Ryan, a senior.

They started with a game where they formed a large circle and walked around until the mediator said stop. They then spoke with the person in front of them about a subject given to them. It helped them to get to know more people. This helped to transition into a game where they would similarly walk around a circle but would speak about things they have in common with the person they stopped in front of.

“I loved the Link Crew conference. I met so many new friends and it made Link Crew more exciting; now that I know how fun it can be,” said Link Crew leader Laura Johnston.

Added Mr. Reichert: “Link Crew leaders who stay around for another year, like those who were accepted as juniors and attended the conference, say it’s one of the best experiences you can have in high school.”

LHS Link Crew leaders Laura Johnston and Maddie Ryan make a new friend, from a different school.

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No Makeup, No Shame

By Hannah Boufford

Photo by Manal Ahmed Club member Julia Wilson and Vice President of AdvoCATS Monica Martin and are helping to lead “Fresh Faced Friday.” Here, Wilson poses with makeup and Martin poses without makeup to show that wearing makeup is an individual choice for this campaign.

Next month, Libertyville will be encouraged to break away from society’s beauty standards and norms. In November,“Fresh Faced Friday” will be coming to LHS and AdvoCATS is encouraging students to come to school without makeup on.

AdvoCATS as a club focuses on gender equality in the world and at LHS. They educate students on issues in society regarding gender concepts, as well as create a safe atmosphere for people to share, discuss, and put forth their own ideas and feelings.

“One of our main goals, especially being a club in a high school, is to educate students on issues surrounding gender equality and inequality in society because a lot of people don’t think that exists,” senior club founder and president Julia Thurau explained. “Especially at this age, it’s not something that affects us directly in many ways. So our main goal is to educate, but we also raise money for different organizations.”

According to Thurau, the point of their November campaign is to have girls understand both the importance of appreciating themselves and their beauty, and the fact that they do not need makeup to conform to societal beauty standards.

The idea was originally proposed by senior club members Kate Vittore (a Drops of Ink staff member) and Julia Wilson. After reading a blog post about it, Vittore brought her idea to Wilson, and then the pair brought the concept to the club. In proposing the idea, their main goal was to help girls realize that wearing makeup is their choice, not society’s decision.

“The point of this day is to show everyone that girls are beautiful without makeup, and that it shouldn’t be necessary for them to wear if it they don’t want to,” explained Wilson.

Instead of just supporting the idea of not wearing makeup to school, AdvoCATS created a specific day for their campaign in order for it have a bigger impact.

“We did it as a specific day just so that people could feel unity and solidarity in it,” said senior club vice president Monica Martin. “So instead of just saying ‘oh, you shouldn’t be afraid of it,’ we’re saying ‘this is a week in which we can all do it together, to conquer it together.’”

While hoping for a successful campaign, they do understand that not

News

everyone will feel comfortable ditching their makeup for the day.

“There is the problem that it is something different. It is girls, or whoever, stepping out of their comfort zone, so of course it’s always hard to get participation for something like that, but we do hope that people realize that it’s going to be a lot of people doing it, and they can feel safe doing it as a group,” Martin said.

Not only girls are being targeted by this campaign. According to Wilson, “every high school student” is a part of the target audience.

Thurau explained: “There’s always guys, you hear them say [something] like ‘oh, she’s not wearing makeup today, she doesn’t look good,’ or something like that, and there’s also guys that say ‘oh my gosh, she’s wearing so much makeup, she looks so fake, it’s a lie’ and there’s two opposite sides to the spectrum. So obviously if the message gets to guys that they don’t get to judge a girl’s worth on what she does with her appearance, then that’s good too.”

While enthusiastic about the campaign, Thurau and Martin want to remind people that they should not feel obligated to take part in it.

“We just want to really stress that this isn’t an attack on people who wear makeup at all. If you wear makeup, that’s your own choice. We want everyone to feel comfortable in making that decision on their own and not feeling pressured from other students or society in general that this is a necessary thing to do. We just want people to make the decisions by themselves,” Thurau said.

Martin emphasized that the campaign was designed to allow girls to reclaim the decision to wear makeup: “It’s to really take back ownership of it, so that you can choose when you put it on and when you keep it off, instead of feeling like you have to do one thing and you can’t do that other.”

This campaign, like AdvoCATS, is meant to support everyone in their pursuit of educating LHS on gender equality in society and in high school.

“We just want people to see this and get the impact that other people are doing it and other people are showing them that you don’t need to wear makeup to feel beautiful. You’re already beautiful, and you should be comfortable in your own skin,” said Thurau.

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first priority deadline: OCT. 31

now accepting

submissions

in conjunction with

EMAIL

your your your your your

Slant Of Light (who is now taking art submissions)

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! poetry fiction songs memoirs scripts

to lhswritersweek@gmail.com 7

Drops of Ink

CHECK OUT THE WEB #ThinkInk LHSDOI.COM “The Sweet Reality of the Homecoming Court”

By Alyssa Stokovich, Staff Writer

“LSTs are no longer texting passes”

By Emily Yates, Staff Writer Photo courtesy of Student Conucil

“Student petitions superintendent to recognize Islamic holidays of Eid”

By Emma Williams, Staff Writer

“Homecoming in the Windy City”

By Stephanie Thomas, Staff Writer

Photo by Kayla Fiore

Humans of Libertyville http://humansoflibertyville.blogspot.com/

“I guess my career kind of started after the death of Meem Mill, one of my friends who was aspiring to be just like Meek Mill. Lots of people say he was just like me, and after he passed away, I felt like I had to follow in his footsteps and grow into what I am today... ‘OB Rice Cube’. However, after my claim to fame, if you will, I am still that boy who grew up on the streets of Libertyville, just trying to have fun with my friends. Point is: you can still be chill even when you spit fire.”

Photo by Jillian Ruff

Feature

James He, senior, Rap Artist

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2

Toms Booties

1

4 T-Shirt

Dresses

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Pumpkin Spice Lattes

Ripped Jeans

What’s Trending?

By Emily Yates

Scott 6Kendra Necklaces

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Chromebook Stickers

8Flannels Feature

7Balayage 9 Nike SB 10Chicago Cubs

Photos courtesy of: 1-Pinterest, 2-Pinterest, 3-Tumblr, 4-American Eagle, 5-Sami Campbell, 6-Flickr, 7-Flickr, 8-Polyvore, 9-Flickr, 10-Wikipedia

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ilka

etrz P a i T d n lec a a M t t e r r

By Ja

T H g I l r a T

S ess r p ex the story to help develop the choreography, the characters, where it’s from -- any type of mood that you want the audience to feel and also thinking about the performers’ skills. I like to use the students’ special talents in the best way possible,” explained Mrs. Brown.

Skie elaborated on what it’s like to be a part of the production.

“Being a part of ‘Starlight Express’ is like taking an AP class. You go into it sort of overestimating how well it’s going to go, and all of a sudden it starts and everything’s so fast-paced that you can’t keep up...you find yourself silently wondering if you should have done this because you just don’t think you can make it,” said Skie. “But then you do, and you do it so well that it makes everything so worth it, and you start to wish you could do it all over again.”

Despite all the hard work that must be done, Miller explained why it’s worth it.

“I chose to be a part of ‘Starlight Express’ not only because I love to dance and sing, but because of what an amazing experience being part of a cast is,” shared Miller. “We are like a family, and being around such a positive group of people is the highlight of my high school experience.”

There will be a total of four performances of the production in the LHS auditorium: on Thursday, Nov. 5, at 7:30 p.m.; on Friday, Nov. 6, at 7:30 p.m.; on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 7:30 p.m.; and on Sunday, Nov. 8, at 3 p.m.

Admission is $5 for adults and $4 for students at the door. For advanced tickets, visit www.lhsstageplayers.org or call 847-327-7058.

BEHIND THE SCENES TIA PETRZILKA

Every year, the Fine Arts Department at LHS puts together a number of productions. However, this November, they are doing something that has never been done in the history of the school: they are performing a musical on roller skates.

“Starlight Express” is rarely done in a high school setting, due to the nature of the play.

“No high school in their right mind puts on ‘Starlight Express;’ it’s too technically and choreographically complicated. But we’re doing it, and we’re not failing, and that to me is the most exciting thing in the world,” stated senior Taylor Skie, who plays Dinah the dining car.

The technical director of the show, Mr. Kevin Holly, saw the original production of “Starlight Express” (written by Andrew Lloyd Webber) in London in 1985 and was in awe of the performance.

“The reason why I love it so much is that it’s a spectacle in terms of the actors. [They’re] roller skating, they’re dressed up in these costumes that make them look like trains. The lighting [for this production] is going [to] be overwhelming, the effects that are going to happen -- they [will be] skating through the audience,” exclaimed Mr. Holly. “Just the sheer size and spectacle will be something that has never happened as far as I know in this auditorium...It’s Andrew Lloyd Webber, so it’s going to be big and just amazing to watch.”

Many of the students had no prior skating experience, but they put in the hours to learn as early as May at the roller rink in Mundelein, where they currently rehearse.

The musical is centrally a Cinderella-like story about a steam engine named Rusty (played by sophomore Jack Miller) and his goal is to win the affection of Pearl (played by Jackie Ovassapian), the classiest coach. It takes place in the imagination of a little boy.

“It’s really a love story -- it’s all about the underdog,” explained Mr. Christopher Thomas, English and theater teacher, and the director of the musical. “The Cinderella character Rusty trying to get the girl in the end.”

According to Mrs. Eryn Brown, the music director and choreographer for the show, there is a set score for the show; it has the accompanying music that is written already for the musical.

“I use obviously the music to help do the rhythm and the counts and stuff like that, but the main determining factor is the play’s plot. We use

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Lead Jackie Ovassapian plays the role of Pearl, an observation car. Pictured above (center), she runs routines in Act I with others in the cast.

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Seen above, set construction for the musical took out rows of seats in the auditorium to allow cast members to skate through the audience during the show. Hannah Hartung (in front) leads others as they practice on the ramps. the cast more time to rehearse and get familiarized with the layout of the stage. Every part of the floor used for skating will be covered up with an extra piece of hardboard material to make the surface smoother. Additionally, there are railings everywhere on the set for the skaters, according to Mr. Holly.

“We’ve taken seats out and put that hardwood material on the floor like we did on the stage for students to skate on. In order to create more space for them to skate we left the pit cover on that we usually take out to put the orchestra in. They are now going to be on stage for students to have even more room to skate, “Other than a school in Ohio about eight or nine years ago, there have been very few high school productions of the Starlight Express. That is why there is a certain type of buzz around the community, because it is so rare to see, Mr. Thomas said”

SKATING SAFETY AND SET CONSTRUCTION Jarrett Malec

On Nov. 5-7, the LHS theatre department will be showcasing the famous musical production: Starlight Express.

For this musical, most of the cast will be on roller skates, which presents an issue of safety. In order to make sure that all students and cast would be as safe as possible, preparation for this musical began at the end of the last school year.

“We started skate nights on Wednesday nights at the roller rink in Mundelein. Our first skate night was the last day of final exams. There were students from Libertyville at every single skate night. It was good to get them to feel comfortable on skates, as well as preparing for auditions,” stated LHS Theater Coordinator Kevin Holly.

Along with having weekly open-skate practices, the theater department contacted many people about how to ensure safety for everyone involved.

They asked the roller rink staff about what type of skates to use, as well as Athletic Trainer Ron Russ to inform him about the rehearsals and the possibility of an injury.

“We had a guy come in who we called our skate professional. He came and worked with students for a long time both over the summer and in the beginning of the process this year. I also had a meeting with the Libertyville Fire Department fire marshall about what they would let us do with the audience, Mr. Holly informed.

With the expansive role of skating in the musical this fall, Mr. Holly and the crew began work earlier than normal on the set in order to give

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Photos by Lola Akinlade Layout by Hannah Boufford

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Things to do in October Written by Sam Nelson

Layout by Sara Thunga

When October comes around, we all know that means haunted houses and apple picking. Here is a list, featuring information found from Chicago Events 12, of the most exciting, scary events that Chicago (and its nearby suburbs) have to offer around Halloween. Happy Haunting!

Free

October 23-31 Navy Pier movie showings: Friday (Oct. 23) 5:30 “Beetlejuice”, 8:00 “The Shining” Saturday(Oct. 24) 5:30 “Hocus Pocus”, 8:00 “The Lost Boys” Friday (Oct. 30) 5:30 “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial” , “8:00 Psycho” Saturday (Oct. 31) 5:30 “Casper”, 8:00 “Carrie” Also on the 31st, Navy Pier will be setting off festive fireworks.

Another option is to go apple picking or pumpkin picking at places such as Didier Photo from Flickr Farms, Heinz Orchard, or Kroll’s Farm. Though this is a common activity around Didier Farms offers a “Farmstand,” which includes a variety of fresh produce and this time of year, it is still a alternate option to sitting at home, and a great way to get currently has its annual “Pumpkinfest,” which can be a great, free way to get outside while we still can! outside.

Cost

(low to high price) • “Skelebration” Teen Halloween: Food trucks, DJs, arcade, and unexpected surprises throughout the night. $10 per person, located at Redmoon, 2120 S. Jefferson St., Chicago, on Oct. 30, from 7-11 p.m..

• “Disturbia Screams In the Park”: A Rosemont haunted house that has 35 rooms full of thrill. Open Oct. 23-24 and 30-31 from 7 p.m. - midnight and Oct. 25, 27-29 from 7-11 p.m., and Nov. 1 from 7-11 p.m. (5501 Park Place, Rosemont) • “Basement of the Dead” in Aurora is an underground basement-themed haunted house, based on a murder story that happened in the underground sewers of a laundry company. Every Friday in October, it is open from 7-11 p.m., every Saturday from 6-11 p.m., and Sunday from 7-10 p.m. (42 W. New York St., Aurora) • “Statesville Haunted Prison” in Lockport is a prison-themed haunted house with 23 cells to walk through, followed by a walk into the caves and mines called “City of the Dead.” Though it is a little pricey ($30 per person) it lasts from 40-50 minutes and has more than 40 detailed rooms. (17250 S. Weber Road, Crest Hill) • Haunted Segway Tours: Even though these segway tours are on the pricey side ($65 per person), they offer a tour to see unusual attractions. Absolutely Chicago Segway Tours offers an evening segway tour, lasting two hours, which visits haunted sites throughout Chicago, such as a haunted theater, morgue, haunted Fort Dearborn, Death Alley, and Al Capone’s haunted yacht.

Book a tour at www.chicagosegways.com, and prepare to be truly haunted while gliding through the city.

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Everything Pumpkin Ratings by Katie Vrba and Kayla Fiore Photos taken by Hadley Van Der Bosch Layout by Sara Thunga (Food or drinks rated 1-10 leaves, with 10 being the best)

Donuts

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino Bagels Oreos

Waffle Milano Cookies

Pop

Tart

Marshmallows Cider Feature

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Yogurt Drops of Ink

Show You Care: Be Aware

By Blair Abington

“Just another rough day,” you say to yourself. “Just another rough month,” you repeat. “Just another rough year…”. Well, sometimes it’s not just another “sad mood;” sometimes it’s bigger than that.

Profound feelings of sadness exceeding two weeks, as Everyday Health says, is a common sign of depression. Depression can be one of those things that gets swept under the rug; therefore, the month of October focuses on depression awareness and how to help the 350 million people World Health Organization says are suffering from depression.

Depression can be a confusing topic. Medically speaking, depression is a lack of mood-related chemicals in the brain, such as serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine. According to PsychCentral, these chemicals are most lacking during major depressive episodes. Because of this, depression is also known as a “chemical imbalance.”

“Some days a person can wake up and they find it impossible to get out of bed,” describes junior Robert Plohr, “or they don’t want to do anything. This is due to lack of energy to do everyday tasks. Depression can affect a person in different ways. It can lead to a decrease or disconnect in friendships. A person with depression might feel more lonely and like the world is moving on without them. People with depression don’t see an end to it.”

To better understand what it really is, it’s important to know what causes it. There is no single reason why some people have depression and others don’t. For one person, it could develop because they’ve had a long history of abuse; for another, it could just be because of genetics. Certain medications prescribed by doctors can cause it as well. Major events such as death, loss of a job, moving, or a serious illness with you or someone close has a big risk with the development of depression. Nearly 30 percent of people with substance abuse problems also have major clinical depression, according to WebMD. Other personal problems, such as feeling like an outcast, can increase the risk as well.

Although there is major depression, which consists of extreme sadness, hopelessness, lack of energy, irritability, trouble concentrating, changes in sleep or eating habits, feelings of guilt, physical pain, and thoughts of death or suicide; there also are more specific types of depression.

For example, according Everyday Health, 85 percent of women feel postpartum depression after childbirth. However, only 16 percent have it serious enough for it to be diagnosable. Postpartum is characterized by feelings of extreme sadness, fatigue, loneliness, hopelessness, suicidal thoughts, fears about hurting the baby, and feelings of disconnect from the child. Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder is another form of depression women can get: this affects women in the second half of their menstrual cycle. Symptoms include anxiety, depression, and mood swings.

Situational Depression is often referred to as the “when life gets you down” depression. The most common symptoms include excessive sadness, worry, or nervousness. Normally the depression tends to clear

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up over time or once the event that caused it has ended. However, if the event has cleared up and there are still feelings of excessive sadness, it could be a sign of major depression.

Atypical Depression, like situational and major depression, is quite common despite its name. This sort of depression has symptoms that include heaviness in the arms and legs; the person almost feels paralyzed, according to Everyday Health.

Dysthymia, which is less severe than major depression, causes a low mood over a long period of time. One may experience sadness, trouble concentrating, fatigue, as well as changes in sleep and appetite.

When hearing the word “depression,” not many would associate it with high energy moods and racing thoughts; however, bipolar disorder is just that. People suffering from bipolar will experience extreme moods of mania, which include high energy, racing thoughts, and poor judgement. Bipolar 1 has the mania portion, followed by extreme moods of sadness. Bipolar 2 has the high moods, but they are called hypomanic episodes and are less severe than the mania moods. The hypomanic episodes may sometimes feel good and give you a greater sense of well-being, but just like Bipolar 1, Bipolar 2 has extreme moods of sadness. Bipolar disorder has one of the highest risks of suicide.

Starting early in the winter and ending in the spring, seasonal affective disorder has symptoms including anxiety, increased Photo by Alyssa Stokovich irritability, daytime fatigue, and weight gain. This can also be known as “winter weariness.” WebMd believes that this may be caused from the lack of light which causes problems with serotonin, a brain chemical that affects the mood.

The most dangerous type of depression, which includes the highest rate of suicide, according to Holistic Online, is psychotic depression: A mental state characterized by false beliefs, known as delusions, or false sights or sounds, known as hallucinations. Everyday health believes in this form of depression a person may ‘lose touch with reality.’ About 20 percent of people, as Everyday health says, with this type of depression have episodes so severe that they see or hear things that are not really there. People suffering from psychotic depression need immediate hospitalization and extreme treatment in order to prevent injury to themselves or others.

If depression goes untreated, it may lead to more problems. Suicide is always something untreated depression could lead to, but there is more.

When depression hits, a person may experience a lack of motivation.

This could cause poor school performances or sports performances or a lack of motivation for hygiene. It could even cause a lack of motivation to get out of bed and start the day.

Depression can cause someone to become disconnected. They start to pull away from everything and push people away. This can damage

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friendships and relationship with family and friends.

For bipolar disorder and psychotic depression, reckless behavior is more than likely. But reckless behavior can be a side effect of any untreated depressed person, which puts their life at risk.

Reckless behavior can be anything from compulsive gambling to reckless driving, or even participating in dangerous sports. Substance abuse is another reckless behavior, and that can lead to addiction.

According to WebMd, about 30 percent of Americans with major depression also have a substance abuse problem.

They look for a way to drown out their feelings or distort their mind so they don’t feel as miserable, but when the alcohol wears off, the person will usually feel more miserable than before drinking. This is because alcohol is a depressant. Since the feelings get worse, they will drink more alcohol to drown out their pain. It’s an ongoing cycle until serious help is gotten or they take one drink too much.

Alcohol isn’t the only addiction, this could also happen to someone who is addicted to drugs. They may first start by using marijuana, escalating to harder drugs such as cocaine or heroin when the marijuana just doesn’t cut it.

Self-harm is something that some people associate with emo but is actually a serious problem and something that many depressed people suffer from. It isn’t always easy to express one’s feelings and many people who self-harm can agree: they turn to this because they don’t know how to explain what they’re going through. Self-harm can include cutting, burning, pulling hair, beating oneself, scratching or pinching, impacting oneself in objects, ripping skin, rubbing objects into skin, interfering with healing, or carving. All these are used as coping mechanisms to release pain, distract

yourself, or express yourself. It’s like breaking your leg so you can forget you have a tumor; you outwardly hurt yourself to distract from the inner pain. Self-harm can be a serious addiction because when you hurt yourself, your brain releases dopamine (the happiness hormone) to compensate for the pain, making you want to do it more and more to get that “high” feeling. Ever year, 1 in 5 females and 1 in 7 males will engage in self-harm.

Mental Health Reporting explains that research shows 90 percent of people who commit suicide have some sort of depression or other mental illness.

Suicide.org says that each year 30,000 lives in America are taken by suicide, making it the 11th most common death. Over one million people in America receive treatment for suicidal thoughts, behaviors, and attempts per year.

Depression isn’t something that the school focuses on in depth, but “relative to other schools, I think ours does a pretty good job,” explains junior Paige Ward, “I’m part of Erika’s Lighthouse, and we try our best to raise awareness about depression and mental health, but there’s only so much a small group of us can do. The issues is that the only real indepth explanation of it happens in health freshman year. I think LHS could definitely do a better job creating a theme of good mental health throughout all year of high school.”

If senior Cynthia Capota could say something to someone with depression she would tell them that, “they are perfect the way they are and it will get better for them. Also if they ever need someone to talk to, they can come to me, and that they are loved by someone, even if they think that they aren’t, and that they should never take their own life because the impact that they have on everyone in their lives is immeasurable.”

Infographic created by Hannah Hutchins

Layout by Kaitlyn Zabadal

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OFF THE CHART(IER)S

By Alejandro Garcia-Escobar and Emma Williams

Transition to Libertyville

A typical person

will interact with 80,000 individuals in his or her lifetime. That may sound like a lotbecause it is.

Most people walking down the hallway are so focused on those walking next to them that they never take the time to learn the stories of all those others just passing

by. However, two things can be said with absolute certainty: first, the Chartier triplets are not typical; and second, the stories of these brothers are three out of 80,000 that should not be missed.

The Boys’ Background

Born under precarious circumstances, Spencer, Corbin, and Jackson Chartier faced immediate medical complications following their delivery.

For starters, they were 13 weeks premature. After one week, Spencer suffered a pulmonary hemorrhage (bleeding of the lungs) and required a 30-minute resuscitation process. In order to get off the ventilator, a part of his lung had to be removed.

Corbin’s lungs tore, resulting in extremely slow growth. Jackson, on the other hand, was known as “Steady Eddy” in the hospital, as he did not face the same ups and downs as his brothers, the boys’ mother, Peg Chartier, stated.

Spencer, Jackson, and Corbin are also living with cerebral palsy, which is a movement disorder that has impacted the boys in their physical development.

“The muscle tightness slowed all of those developmental milestones — crawling and walking,” Peg said.

In elementary school, they all underwent osteotomies (surgically cutting bones to realign them). The recovery of this kind of painful surgery requires a slow relearning of simple tasks, such as walking and bending over.

Roots in Omaha

Life at LHS

Here at LHS, the Chartier brothers demonstrate qualities that the students and staff both admire. All three of them were chosen as 2016 Homecoming Escorts, exemplifying their sportsmanship and citizenship, among other qualities, that stand out to the high school’s community.

When Corbin’s name was announced first on “Wake Up, Wildcats!”

Spencer was thrilled for his brother’s good fortune.

“Oh, huzzah! Good for him! He’s going to escort a pretty lady,” he exclaimed, laughing. Spencer and Jackson’s names soon followed. Their reactions were predictable in that they affirmed the qualities for which they were chosen.

Amelia Schmitt, a member of the Sweet Sixteen, was thrilled to have been escorted by Spencer, her longtime friend.

“Walking out with Spencer was truly such an honor. He is the most kind, caring, and sweet boy I know. He has such a big heart and I am beyond grateful that I got to share that experience with him,” she explained.

Big Moment

Raised 500 miles west of Chicago, the Chartier brothers grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, a place they still consider home. They were able to grow up surrounded by family members such as cousins and grandparents, and by the time they moved at the age of 8 years old, they had built solid relationships with their grandparents, which last to this day.

“Nebraska is where the family is, so they had fantastic exposure to their grandparents,” commented Mrs. Chartier. “I think that that helps shape who you are, when you know where you come from.”

Despite having settled in Libertyville, the brothers haven’t forgotten their roots; they visit their family at least twice a year, heading to their uncle’s farm, where they recreationally shoot and socialize with their dad’s side of the family.

“We like to just go hang out with them, have fun, laugh with each other,” mentioned Jackson. “That is our vacation. Our vacation is going back home.”

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Medically, the move proposed possible complications. However, the transition to new doctors in Chicago was smooth and reliable. Born in a Children’s Miracle Network Hospital in Omaha, the family sought care from another Miracle Network Hospital upon their move. They received such quality care from one hospital in particular, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, formerly Children’s Memorial Hospital, that the whole Chartier family now speaks and fundraises on its behalf.

Similarly, the move to a new school necessitated that the district have an established understanding of Individualized Education Programs, or IEPs, which strive to make educational goals for students with disabilities more individualized and attainable. “It was only District 70 that gave me real concrete answers,” Peg said. “So I knew that if we moved somewhere inside District 70, the boys were going to be taken care of, and that’s the truth.”

Since their move in the middle of second grade, which they said was difficult at first, the boys have come to love the community of Libertyville.

“It’s been a blessing being out here, meeting new people, and getting to be in an area that everyone cares about,” Corbin explained.

The Chartier triplets immersed themselves at Copeland Manor School where, foreshadowing their reception at Libertyville High School, they were welcomed with open arms by the students and faculty.

“Copeland could not have been more welcoming to them. Libertyville is really an amazing place to live. Not everybody has this type of experience. So we just we really got lucky where we landed,” commented Peg.

When asked what her proudest moment as the mother of her sons, Peg affectionately responded: “That is impossible to define in one moment because there are so many things — you know every time you face milestones like these young men have faced, you’re thrilled when they can overcome it… I think anytime your kids start to realize their own dreams — that’s what makes you proud. That’s the big moment.”

Walking Down the Hallways

Spencer, Corbin, and Jackson are three individuals who embody the openness, empathy, and respect that Libertyville prides itself on. And while words on paper can’t encapsulate their cheerful disposition, they can provide a glimpse of their down-to-earth character.

So here’s one last bit of sweet realization that just might impart a desire to discover the stories of those passing right by.

You meet approximately 80,000 people in your life. Make them count.

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With The Chartiers

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What is your favorite thing about Spencer?

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Corbin: His personality. He’s always meeting people and it’s fun to see him hanging with Charlie [Burrows] every day at school.

Jackson: I would definitely say his sense of humor and his wit. He has a wit like no one else around... He’s a very funny person and I think that’s a very good quality to have, and I’m glad he’s got it.

Spencer: Thank you, I’m blushing

What’s your favorite thing about Corbin?

S PE

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Spencer: He’s determined at everything. When you tell him he can’t do something, he will go immediately in the other direction and buckle down and do it. He marches to his own drum.

Jackson: I would say the same thing. He definitely at times is a little fireball, but I think the most genuine aspect is that he cares about people...that’s a good quality.

ER

What’s your favorite thing about Jackson?

Spencer: I’d have to say my favorite thing about Jackson is that... he’s not afraid to get down and dirty. He’s ready to do that tough, back-breaking manual labor that a lot of people would wuss out of.

Corbin: My favorite thing is how when he’s on the wrestling mat, he’s just going at it 110%. If anyone tries to go for his upper body he’ll just turn them around and completely destroy them.

What are you involved in at LHS?

Spencer: My favorite activity --well in school-- is definitely Best Buddies.

You know, I’m in a leadership role this year. I’m the Buddy coordinator so I help coordinate the meetings -- things like what games we play. I just love to meet new people, it’s one of my favorite activities in school.

Corbin: My favorite thing to do outside of school is practice my kicking for football. I always think I’m going to forget my steps when I’m out there so I just want to constantly be getting them down so I don’t have to think about it when I’m out there.

Jackson: I’m building my own car at the moment. It’s a ‘65 Buick Skylark...I’ve had the car for about two years now. It’s getting close to being done. And during school, I like running and I like wrestling. Those are my two biggest things at the school, besides, obviously, going to Tech Campus for automotive. And then after college I plan to go do automotive and diesel technology and get my degree in high performance and go work for NASCAR.

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What’s your favorite activity?

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Spencer: I’m involved in Wildcat Productions, FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes), and Best Buddies — we’re all involved in [FCA].

Corbin: I’m on the football team and the wrestling team, and also on ACE (Athletes Committed to Excellence), and FCA as well.

Jackson: I’m a cross country runner; I’m a wrestler. I’m on FCA -actually a leader for FCA. And I’m a leader in ACE.

Photos by Sam Nelson

How does it feel to be chosen for the Homecoming Honor Court?

Spencer: “All three of us have this once in a lifetime high honor, and it’s just amazing to have that honor by yourself, but to get to share it with your siblings, it’s truly like a planets align once in a hundred years kind of thing.”

Corbin: “When I saw their names on the board I was like, ‘Well! Looks like mom and dad are going to be happy tonight.’ It’s just a blessing to know that all three of us are on it and to know that the school thinks very highly of all three of us.”

Jackson: “To think that I was one of 16 chosen by the 200 adults that work in this school, it was shocking because I didn’t think I deserved it. People would talk to me about it like ‘you’re the perfect person they’re looking for.’ I would say I really don’t see myself in that way, I just see myself as a good person.”

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Restaurants near me

By Jillian Ruff and Carly Wegren

Layout By Becky DeAcetis

Brat Stop

Open after 8 a.m.

Average meal - $10 60 minutes away **Order Ahead**

For the more adventurous senior craving a hearty brat or cheese, the notorious Brat Stop is located just southwest of Kenosha, Wisconsin. It is recommended that food is ordered ahead of time as travel to and from the Brat Stop totals about 60 minutes.

Open after 11 a.m.

Average meal - $8 Three minutes away Three-minute wait

Well-known to the Libertyville community, Chipotle, settled just off of Milwaukee Avenue, is always ready to satisfy customers with sizzling meats and sofritas for your taco, burrito, or burrito bowl fix. Guacamole and chips are always available as well, but, of course, the guac is extra.

Chipotle

Culver’s

Open after 10 a.m.

Average meal - $8 Five minutes away Seven-minute wait

Located off of 176, Culver’s is a prime location for classic, Midwest lunch options. Offering everything from Butterburgers to Fresh Frozen Custards, and located across Milwaukee Avenue within five minutes from the high school, Culver’s is a comfort food lover’s paradise.

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Open after 11:30 a.m.

Average meal - $10-15 Three minutes away **Order Ahead**

A local favorite that fits one’s hibachi needs, Hanakawa offers fried rice, sushi, and your choice of Japanese cuisine. About a five-minute drive from the high school, and located on Milwaukee Avenue, it is recommended that meals are ordered in advance.

Hanakawa

Three minutes away

Picnic Basket

Opens at 10 a.m.

Three-minute wait Average meal - $8

Offering a range of soups, sandwiches, and salads, Picnic Basket lives up to its name while delivering variety and quality to their customers. An approximate three minutes from the high school without having the cross the busy Milwaukee Avenue, Picnic Basket averages a three-minute wait, making them a quick fix for the hungry teenager.

Opens after 11 a.m.

Rosati’s

Average meal - $5-10 Five-minute drive One-minute wait

Offering their popular “Two for Tuesday” dining option, lunch consumers are able to buy one slice of pizza and receive another for free. Besides pizza, Rosati’s offers a wide variety of food, like pasta, salad, and sandwiches. If you are in the mood for Italian cuisine, this restaurant is the place to go.

Opens after 11 a.m.

Suzy’s Swirl

Average Cup - $3.25 14 minutes away 1-minute wait

A true hole-in-the-wall establishment, Suzy’s Swirl is a great option for those with a sweet tooth. For a student who doesn’t want a full lunch or is craving a froyo parfait, Suzy’s offers a wide range of sorbetto, gelato, and frozen yogurt with flavors that change weekly as well as a wide range of topping options.

Thai Noodles Cafe

Open after 11 a.m.

Average meal - $13

Order-- Fiteen-minute wait

Three minutes away

Local to the Libertyville High School students, Thai Noodle Cafe offers the best Thai food in the area. With orders ranging from their famous Chicken Fried Rice and Pad Thai to a mixture of authentic Thai appetizers, this family feel restaurant is sure to fit your hungry stomach.

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YES HE CAM

By Gabby Struik Layout: Katie Vrba Photo: Kayla Fiore Illustration: Mary Ahern

It is clear that if Chen could emphasize one thing at this school besides all of his Student Council work, it would be the principle of just simply being kind and inclusive. Even throughout the interview with him, he was consistently greeted by people from different grades, including various administration members, demonstrating the level of respect that he has at this school.

“I kind of just want to be seen as the nice kid who did the right thing,” stated Chen.

Chen has also been known around the school for his sense of creativity as seen by various videos that he has made for different classes, or even just for fun. His videos range from a lip-syncing video that includes his entire family during a trip to China to a rap video from freshman-year geometry that brought shapes to a whole new level.

With a mom who is a graphic designer, Chen claims that she has a lot of influence on his artistic abilities, yet everything he does is, for the most part, just for fun.

Besides Student Council, Chen is also a member of an extensive amount of clubs and organizations at the school, which is consistent with his philosophy of getting involved.

Basketball has been a large part of Chen’s life every since he was small. Chen started playing varsity basketball for LHS as a sophomore and this will be his third year on the team. As a little kid, his parents always watched the NBA because they were huge fans. He looked up to basketball role models such as Michael Jordan, Tracy McGrady and Paul Pierce.

“I love it so much, I played it in my front yard every single day and the passion just grew from there,” Chen explained.

Chen has been a huge fan of the Chicago Bulls team ever since his grandpa and dad started taking him to games when he was 4 years old. He admires Jeremy Lin, a player for the Charlotte Hornets, who was the first player of Asian descent to play in the NBA. “Cam is always the guy you can look to,” shared varsity basketball assistant coach Mr. Richard Kolze. “He has a great ability to push through and work through adversity.”

Besides basketball, Chen is also part of track and field in the spring, where he participates in the high jump and sprinting.

Along with athletics, he is a leader for the club Athletes Committed to Excellence, and a Link Crew Leader.

Despite his numerous activities, he still somehow finds time to maintain good grades in multiple AP courses.

“It’s the modesty thing. It’s the fact that he can be president and accomplish so many things in the school but still deny how good of a person he is when you compliment him; it amazes me every time,” shared senior Student Council Co-head of Broadcasting and longtime friend, Alyssa Seefeldt. “He’s just one of those people you come across in your life that gets you through the day. He’s Cam.”

He greets you with the rest of the Student Council crew at the beginning of each week. His classic smile dares you to have a great day. As his high school career comes to a close, we will be saying goodbye to an influential member of this community. As the president of our school, he has helped lead some of the most successful initiatives here at LHS, one of them simply being to do the right thing and just be kind to everyone.

Wake up, Wildcats: it’s Cam Chen.

Student Council has been a large part of Chen’s life since elementary school. His Student Council career began all the way back in fourth grade because of a push from his mom to become more involved in his community. He eventually ran for student body president in fifth grade and earned the presidency through a class vote. Chen has been part of the Student Council body ever since.

“I felt like Student Council was somewhere I belonged, where I could really make an impact in other people’s lives, which I think is really important and I really enjoy doing,” Chen explained.

Chen is a versatile member of the Student Council Executive Board, as his jobs vary based on the season. Homecoming season is their busiest, because during this time, the Student Council crew is responsible for planning the assembly, the parade and decorating the school, while still producing their traditional Wake Up Wildcats videos.

“We noticed last year even as a junior that when [Cam] steps to the microphone at assemblies, people listen to him. He doesn’t have to shush anybody,” shared Student Council Advisor Ms. Andrea Lara. “He just kind of commands that sort of respect.”

The Student Council group is also responsible for connecting the administration and the students in a respectful manner. The group meets with the deans, the Student Activities Director, Mrs. Jennifer Uliks, and the Principal, Dr. Marina Scott, each week.

“I think being a medium between students and staff is a cool thing. It helps me be more involved in the school,” shared Chen.

The Student Council board is like a family, which is apparent through the support that they all shared for Chen when interviewed about him. When asked to describe Chen in one word, the words selected were “friend,” “golden,” and “champion.”

“I think he has tried to lead the school in a way that not only includes his friends, but includes anyone and everyone,” senior Student Council School Liaison Jordan Mitchell shared. “He always tells us he loves us.”

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The issue of not discussing current issues Staff Editorial Throughout a student’s high school career at LHS, they will take many courses in subjects such as history, math, science, literature, and more. Within these courses, students will learn facts ranging from ancient civilizations to bizarre math equations. But despite all the knowledge students will gain from school, it seems that many teachers fail to inform their students on things that are occurring in the real world.

Many DOI staff members noted that they rarely talk about any current news in their classes. The staff found it astounding that on days such as 9/11 or Constitution Day, these topics were rarely mentioned in any classes. Our staff believes that current events, as long as they are relevant to the subject of the class, should be discussed more often. It is essential for students to keep informed on current events, and due to the fact that many students do not watch the news, it is the job of teachers to let them know what is going on in the world.

For example, in a social studies class, teachers could keep their students updated about who is leading the polls of the presidential election or about the war going on in Syria. Science teachers could inform their class on new, important scientific discoveries.

Literature teachers could discuss current events that relate to a novel being read in the class. Foreign language teachers could even inform their class of events taking place in a country where that native language is spoke.

Although they are important, these discussions do not have to take up an entire class period. Our staff believes that it is essential for teachers to teach their curriculum, but they could also use a

few minutes at the beginning of the class period to discuss current events. If each teacher dedicated about five minutes at the beginning of certain class periods to talk about relevant news, students would be much more informed on what is happening in the world.

Because it is only five minutes, and it would not have to be every day, it would not take too much time away from the curriculum of the class.

Our staff found that many LHS students rarely get outside of the “Libertyville bubble.” Due to the fact that we live in an affluent area where violence and big news are uncommon, it is easy to forget about the problems occurring elsewhere in the world. If students became more aware of these problems, they would be more connected to the outside world, rather than just Libertyville.

Talking about current events would benefit not only the students, but the teachers as well. Our staff believes that it will be easier for teachers to get their students to understand a topic if they relate it to something currently happening. For example, an election in the past would be better understood by students if a teacher compared it to a current election.

Our staff believes that discussing current events in class will not only help students further their academic success but will help them become more progressive members of society as well. When students are well informed on what is happening in the world, it is easier for them to carry out conversation with adults and escape the Libertyville bubble. Our staff believes that teachers should make an effort to discuss certain news topics as long as they are relevant to the curriculum of the class.

Photo from Flickr Current news issues are rarely discussed in classes at LHS, but our staff believes that should change.

Note: As this piece is a staff editorial, it is representative of the opinions of the Drops of Ink staff as a whole. The staff is comprised of LHS students from each grade level and spans a wide range of opinions from two class periods, with 40 students total. The author(s) of this piece did not place their personal opinions in the story; they merely reflected the staff’s thoughts.

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The Polar Plunge

By Maria Thames

Photo courtesy of Google Images

It may not be ideal for students to take the polar plunge in the middle of the school day, but it’s nothing to flip (turn) out about.

As you walk onto the pool deck, you smell it right away: the stench of chlorine. You see the steam coming off of the water from the humidity, and the layer of slimy film that floats on top of the water. As you take the plunge, you feel the freezing, Arctic waters of the LHS pool. Now that you can no longer feel your limbs, you have achieved what is considered the average temperature of, you guessed it, the swim unit.

What makes the swim unit so special, you may ask? Well for starters, it makes your body move in ways that it’s not used to. One of my personal favorite moves is when you have a pull buoy in between your thighs and your face head first in the water, so you somewhat resemble a legless turtle, slowly struggling stroke by stroke. Also, learning to do a flip turn is quite easy -- it’s as simple as a flip on land, except you have to make sure not to drown or hit your head in the process.

What’s even easier than learning how to flip is finding the perfect look for the unit. I mean, who doesn’t love walking around looking like an egg with a swim cap on their head? Goggles also leave a great raccoon-eye look (running mascara really helps with this too, ladies). Not one for goggles? Don’t worry, your eyes will only burn for the duration of the class period.

The aftermath of the swim unit is also what makes it so beloved. Once you’ve finished your workout, you grab a large, warm and fluffy towel as you take a leisurely stroll to the locker rooms, of course, with plenty of time to spare. Even after you rinse off, the stench of chlorine lingers on your skin, almost as if the pool wants to leave its mark on you (because the goggle marks are just not enough). Getting dressed, especially for the girls, takes no time at all, and I would certainly recommend wearing tight pants on the days you swim. After finishing changing and heading to your next class, the feeling you have is great. Exhaustion, slight irritability and numerous people asking you why your hair is wet -- does it get any better?

In the end, I know it’s not the most pleasurable thing to take the polar plunge during the school day, but this unit isn’t anything worth dreading (or treading). Whether you’re a freshman experiencing the notorious swim unit for the first time or a senior who simply wants it to be over and done with, just know one thing: we’ll all struggle together with the people next to us (well, maybe not -- we do have to swim in a single file line, after all).

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Does the college you to go matter?

By Jack Kosowski All high school upperclassmen, including me, around the country are A study looking at the publications produced by students six years after constantly fretting about what college they’ll go to or be accepted into. they had graduated showed that those students in the 95th percentile But in reality, there’s really no difference between going to Harvard or of their class produced around four publications per person. Yet, those community college. students in the 75th percentile, still smarter than most college students in A term known as the Big Fish-Little Pond Effect (BFLPE) introduced the nation, had significantly less publications, around a half of a publicaby Herbert W. Marsh, a faculty member of Oxford University and tion per person. To compare to the 30 worst schools, the top students had prominent educational about one publication psychologist, states per person, better than that students who the 75th percentile attend highly selective from the best schools. schools have an acaThis goes to show that demic self-concept that you choose the college is negatively affected. that best fits you To put that simply, because that will give we as people don’t you the best chance of compare ourselves on success into the future. a global scale; instead On an interesting we compare ourselves note, some famous to neighbors and people have attended friends. For example, community college: you go to Princeton Clint Eastwood, popand you only focus on ular Hollywood actor, the fact you are at the went to Los Angeles bottom of the class but City College; Ross nationally you’re at Perot (the 99th richest the top. person in America, I have had this according to Forbes) problem many times attended Texarkana Juas I have smart friends nior College before enwho get higher grades rolling into the Navy. than I do on tests.

He worked at IBM and Instead of comparing founded Electronic myself to the class avData Systems (EDS) erage, I compare to my in which he sold it for friends’ higher grades, $1.3 billion to G.M. which then negatively As I see it, the college affects myself. that these select people Now, if you were at went to really didn’t CLC and were at the affect them and their top of the class, your desire for a prosperous self-concept would future. be more positively I don’t want it to affected, if the study is make it look like Photo by Jack Kosowski correct. The question I’m saying that no The CRC helps guide students to the right college so that they don’t just go to a school because of its notoriety. now raised is, how one shouldn’t go to a does one’s place in smart, highly respecttheir class compared to their peers affect later succes? It really comes ed school; I’m merely stating that a student from a community college down to how the experience at college was perceived. Future employers can have a more successful life and career than someone from an Ivy won’t care much about the college you attended, OK? Yes, having Harleague school. Some people have never attended college before and are vard on a resume is something to be proud of but it comes down to how millionaires. It’ll be the actions you do that will create your reputation, well you can do the job, not the title of the college. not the school.

Opinion

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Libertyville Boys Club on the decline

by Josh Bragg and Nathan Campbell

“The demographics of Libertyville have changed. If you go back and look at the school statistics -- and we studied all [of] these -- enrollment was down in all of the schools.”

Since only Libertyville citizens can join LBC, the enrollment numbers at Highland, Oak Grove, St. Joe’s, and the elementary schools have a large impact on the potential pool of players.

The smaller the pool, the less LBC participants projected.

A high-publicized issue that may have impacted LBC’s future occurred back in 2011, when the old head treasurer for LBC was the culprit of an accounting scandal. Just under $67,000 was embezzled by Christopher Jacobsen, who turned himself in after Photo by Nathan Campbell a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Amy Alderman, a Chicago Tribune reporter, wrote an article covering the scandal and stated that, “If LBC had the $67,000 taken from its general fund to complete the lighting project, there would be about $17,000 left to complete other projects such as more field maintenance or concession stand repairs.”

Because the program is a not-for-profit organization, they are only able to put their budget towards yearly maintenance, equipment (refurbishment and custom jerseys), and paying a field crew to keep the fields tidy, as stated by Mr. Scott. When this large sum of money was taken from the organization, it seemed to create a downfall for the program.

Mr. Scott mentioned that LBC is a feeder organization to the high school team, which means they also get to use the facilities provided

by LHS. Games are held at the stadium on some Sunday mornings for the kids to get the feel of what it’s like playing on a varsity field. Scott believes that this will get the kids to want to come back and keep playing so that one day they can perform under the glaring Friday night lights.

Butler Park, where the above game was played a few weeks ago, serves as a central hub for the county’s football teams.

The Libertyville Boys Club (LBC) has been around for decades, dating all the way back to 1933. LBC is a not-for-profit organization that serves as a way for young boys and girls to play football and be physically active. The program features cheer teams as well, in order to further the feeling of a high school football game. Despite its enduring success throughout the years, participation numbers in recent times have generally been declining, as stated by Kevin Scott, the current president of Libertyville Boys Club, “The numbers are down to about 240 kids, so what we did, is all teams are now travel teams.”

LBC has traditionally been divided up into two groups: the travel teams and house teams. The travel teams, as the name suggests, journey around Lake County and play against other towns’ youth programs. The LBC travel teams act as a Libertyville Wildcat affiliate and feeder team, sporting orange and black colors and the Wildcat mascot. The house teams exclusively play at the two football fields at Butler Park every Saturday morning, with games rotating in and out. However, the house league was discontinued in 2012 due to the decline in enrollment within the program according to Mr. Scott.

To make the travel teams, a player needs to avoid getting cut by the coaches during tryouts. If one was cut, he was then placed into the house league, where kids could develop, hone their skills, and try out again the following season. Mr. Scott touched on the topic of not making the team, “The kids who didn’t make the travel teams got together and played against each other on their house league teams.”

The declining numbers may in part be caused by the fear of potential injuries. The issue of concussions and mental health have been at the forefront of all levels of football, particularly in the NFL, which has been sued multiple times by retired players and saw commissioner Roger Goodell take a lot of heat. The issue may be even more prevalent at the youth level, according to the Journal News, parents’ concern about head injuries is considered the number one cause for the decline.

Ryan Maher, a senior on the LHS varsity team, tore his ACL during the game against Lake Forest on September 18. When asked about how he has been coping with his injury, Maher responded, “Not being able to finish my senior season on the field with all of them is killing me. But the support I have received from everyone and on this team, from the players to the coaches, has been unbelievable.”

Mr. Scott shated what he believed to be the reasoning for the decline:

Sports

As suggested by Mr. Scott. the enrollment numbers at both Highland and Oak Grove have generally been declining.

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COLLECT THEM ALL: WILDCAT LEADERS OF THE FALL

By Abbey Humbert and TJ Murbach

Layout by Hannah Boufford

With the fall season in full swing, all athletes are busy with their sports and school work. Captains have bigger responsibilities when it comes to managing their team. From talking to individual captains, the true nature of their roles and their sports come to life.

GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL

WIDMARK

ZERWAS

DUNLEAVY

O’BRIEN

Photo by Lola Akinlade NAMES Erin Dunleavy -- senior, 2 years varsity Morgan O’Brien -- junior, 3 years varsity Jacqui Widmark -- senior, 3 years varsity Hannah Zerwas -- senior, 3 years varsity PRACTICE SCHEDULE PRACTICE LENGTH Mon. - Sat. 2-3 hrs SEASON LENGTH 4 Months (August to November) Camps in the summer AVERAGE PRACTICE INCLUDES Warm-ups, practice serve recieve, hitting lines (warm up arms), drills (like 6 on 6) HOW THEY COMPETE Tournaments; individual games can be anywhere from 45 minutes to 1.5 hours

NAMES Tucker Goebler -- senior, 2 years varsity Kevin Reilly -- senior, 4 years varsity PRACTICE SCHEDULE PRACTICE LENGTH Mon. - Sat. (excluding game days) SEASON LENGTH 1.5 hrs 4 Months (August to November) AVERAGE PRACTICE INCLUDES Long warm up, previous game review, formations and drill work, shooting drills HOW THEY COMPETE Games that last for 80 minutes

BOYS’ SOCCER REILLY

GOEBELER

Photo courtesy of Tucker Goebler

HOCKEY

GIRLS’ SWIMMING AND DIVING

AGEMURA

Photo by Lola Akinlade NAMES Harriet Davies -- senior, 4 years varsity Staci Herchenbach -- senior, 4 years varsity PRACTICE SCHEDULE Mon. - Sat. Tues. & Thurs. = additional morning practices SEASON LENGTH PRACTICE LENGTH 4 Months (August to November) 3 hrs AVERAGE PRACTICE INCLUDES Warm-ups, main sets (including sprints, kicking, distance, different yards and strokes) HOW THEY COMPETE Meets; split up into events depending on what race you are swimming

DAVIES

HERCHENBACH

Photo by Lola Akinlade

NAMES Walker Hare -- senior, 2 years varsity Ben Kimpler -- senior, 3 years varsity Riley Lees -- senior, 3 years varsity Ryan Maher -- senior, 2 years varsity Brian Murphy -- senior, 2 years varsity Sean O’Malley -- senior, 3 years varsity PRACTICE SCHEDULE PRACTICE LENGTH Mon. - Thurs.; Sat. 2.5 hrs SEASON LENGTH 6 Months (June to November) Weight lifting in off season (December on) AVERAGE PRACTICE INCLUDES Position specific drills, running through plays, talking about plays, and watching film from the previous game HOW THEY COMPETE Games; average game time is three hours, usually on Friday nights

FOOTBALL

LEES

HARE

O’MALLEY

MAHER

MURPHY

NAME Justin Agemura -- junior, 3 years varsity PRACTICE SCHEDULE Varies on availability; 3-5 days a week SEASON LENGTH 7 Months (Fall, winter, and additional training) Running camps in the summer AVERAGE PRACTICE INCLUDES Conditioning, shooting drills, passing drills WHERE THEY PRACTICE PRACTICE LENGTH Glacier Ice Rink 1.5 hrs HOW THEY COMPETE Games and tournaments; each game lasts about 1.5 hours

KIMPLER

Photo courtesy of Ben Kimpler

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BOYS’ CROSS COUNTRY

GIRLS’ CROSS COUNTRY

CHEERLEADING

PIRIH

ALL SENIORS ARE CAPTAINS Interviewed: JACKSON CHARTIER, ZACH CLAUSEN, WILL JOHNSON

NELSON

Photo courtesy of Will Johnson

NAMES PRACTICE LENGTH Every senior is a captain 2 hrs PRACTICE SCHEDULE Mon. - Sat. SEASON LENGTH 3 Months (August to October) Running camps in the summer AVERAGE PRACTICE INCLUDES Varied running distances ranging from 3-10 miles; easy days = 4-5 mile, hard days = 6-7 mile, prep days = 4 miles at race speed HOW THEY COMPETE Meets; the team usually gets on a bus at 6 or 7 a.m. and returns around 2 p.m.

COOK

Photo by Victoria Moy NAMES Hannah Boufford -- senior, 4 years varsity Kenzie Cook -- senior, 3 years varity Allison Nelson -- junior, 3 years varsity PRACTICE LENGTH PRACTICE SCHEDULE Mon., Tues., Thurs. --practice 2.5-3 hrs Fri. -- game (fall) or practice (winter) Sat./Sun. -- practice or competition (winter) SEASON LENGTH 10 Months (May to February) AVERAGE PRACTICE INCLUDES A cardio warm up, stretch, jump and tumbling warmups, tumbling/stunting technique practice, and routine run throughs.

HOW THEY COMPETE Competitions; size and time based on the amount of teams signed up to compete

KLEIN

BERTAUD

Photo by Lola Akinlade NAMES Mia Bertaud -- senior, 4 years varsity Gabbie Haws -- senior, 2 years JV Sarah Pirih -- senior, 4 years varsity PRACTICE SCHEDULE PRACTICE LENGTH Mon. - Sat. 2 hrs SEASON LENGTH 4 Months (August to November) Running camps in the summer AVERAGE PRACTICE INCLUDES Weight training and/or running -- amount of running varies per day HOW THEY COMPETE Meets: length determined by the size of the opposing team

NAMES Dani Blaser -- junior, 3 years varsity Callie Klein -- junior, 3 years varsity Gabby Struik -- senior, 2 years varsity PRACTICE LENGTH PRACTICE SCHEDULE Monday - Friday 2 hrs SEASON LENGTH 3 months (August to October) AVERAGE PRACTICE INCLUDES A warm-up, drills and games to practice formations and shots, a game or practice match HOW THEY COMPETE Matches: length varies depending on the skill of the opposing team

GIRLS’ TENNIS STRUIK

HAWS

BOUFFORD

BLASER

Photo by Lola Akinlade

POMS BOYS’ GOLF

WESTPHAL

LUCE

YATES

Photo courtesy of Kristen Luce

GIRLS’ GOLF NO TEAM CAPTAINS Pictured: HOLLINGER, STURONAS, MIKAELIAN, STEGMAN, PIAZZI, QUIST (Not Pictured: ROBERTS) Interviewed: STURONAS, MIKAELIAN, PIAZZI

Photo courtesy of Simone Mikaelian PRACTICE SCHEDULE Mon. - Fri. (excluding matches) PRACTICE LENGTH Individual practice on weekends 1.5 hrs SEASON LENGTH 3 Months (August to October) AVERAGE PRACTICE INCLUDES Going to the driving range, putting practice, practice rounds WHERE THEY PRACTICE Willow Glen near the naval base HOW THEY COMPETE Matches; length determined by the size of the opposing team

Sports

NAMES: Kristen Luce -- senior, 4 years varsity Nikki Westphal -- senior, 3 years varity Emily Yates -- senior, 4 years varsity PRACTICE SCHEDULE PRACTICE LENGTH Mon, Wed, Thurs -- practice 2.5-3 hrs Fri -- game (fall) Sat/Sun -- practice or competition (winter) SEASON LENGTH 10 Months (May to February) AVERAGE PRACTICE INCLUDES Stretching, conditioning, technique work, and routine run throughs HOW THEY COMPETE Competions vary depending on size and schools invited

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WATSON

Photo courtesy of Michael Watson NAME Michael Watson -- senior, 2 years varsity PRACTICE SCHEDULE Everyday (excluding matches) PRACTICE LENGTH SEASON LENGTH 2 hrs 3 Months (August to October) AVERAGE PRACTICE INCLUDES Going to the driving range, putting green practice, practice rounds HOW THEY COMPETE Matches; length determined by the size of the opposing team

Drops of Ink

By Maddie Werner and Mary Kate Mieszala Teammates for 10 years, neighbors for seven, and best friends through it all, seniors Kevin Reilly and Liam O’Connell, or as their social media accounts read, Krylee and Lowcon, have a deep connection on and off the field.

This chemistry on the field was further developed when their friendship took off.

“We’ve just got that connection,” Reilly shared.

The boys also shared that almost every time they go to a restaurant, they are mistaken as brothers because of their matching curly dos and their similar personalities, which their teammates refer to as “calm.”

Despite being better players now, the boys say it was different playing as kids because they were much nicer to each other, and all players got even playing time. The competition has escalated in high school and Reilly and O’Connell have definitely earned their spots.

Where it all began:

Both of the senior boys are on the varsity soccer team at LHS and have been since freshman year, but it didn’t start there. Reilly and O’Connell have been playing travel soccer together since they were 7 years old and have been on the same team every single season.

The boys began playing on the Greater Libertyville Soccer Association (GLSA) club team in second grade, following their older brothers’ footsteps, and went on to play for the club’s select branch, FC 1974, in 2011. The two said their most memorable moment is when they won the club’s first Illinois Youth State Cup at 12 years old under coach Mike Zovistoski, who has coached them for eight years.

“I have been coaching Kevin and Liam since they were 10 years old. It has been amazing being a part of their development as a player and person over the years,” said Zovistoski.

Reilly and O’Connell have had multiple coaches throughout their youth years, but Zovistoski is the one who has mentored them the most and been with them the longest.

Under his coaching, the two have had many accomplishments, such as a State Cup, numerous trips to nationally ranked tournaments, and a continuous high level of play throughout their youth.

Reilly and O’Connell’s teams have also participated in top-notch leagues, such as the Midwest Regional Premier 1 League and the U.S. Youth National League, for consecutive years.

Zovistoski expressed that his longtime players “always give 110 percent regardless if it is State Cup final or [3 on 3] in training. The game is very much a part of their fiber and that makes me extremely happy.”

For a competitive soccer player, the fall, winter, and spring seasons are always packed with tight schedules. Since the two have remained on the same squad for continuous years, they have gained an exceptional understanding of how one another plays.

Reilly joked, “I’d say there’s definitely a lot of verbal abuse, but we know it’s for the greater good and we know it’s only to make each other better.” O’Connell then chimed in, “We know the other one can take it.”

O’Connell says it’s usually him passing the ball to Reilly and Reilly scoring the goal or Reilly passing back.

Sports

Varsity Veterans:

Photos courtesy of Liam O’Connell

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Reilly and O’Connell have participated on the varsity level of the LHS boys’ soccer program for four years now and have had many accomplishments throughout their time as teammates.

Reilly is currently a captain of the team along with Tucker Goebeler, who has also been a longtime teammate of the two.

The 2012 team, which Reilly and O’Connell were a part of, won the conference and regional titles. In 2014, they won the regional title, which was during Reilly and O’Connell’s junior year.

This fall season has been a success so far as the team currently holds a record of 11-3-1, has won the NSC Conference and Lake division titles, and made it to the championship match of the largest high-school soccer tournament in the nation, the PepsiCo. Showdown.

“We just went to the Pepsi Showdown final and we’re looking to have a good state run,” said O’Connell.

The soccer team defeated Round Lake on Oct. 7, with a score of 3-2 in two overtimes, to take the North Suburban Conference Championship.

Of course, it would only make sense to have their last year playing together be the most memorable; the ultimate goal for the whole team this season is to accomplish the state championship.

Head coach Andy Bitta has been leading the boys varsity soccer team all four years that Reilly and O’Connell have been present. Bitta has high praise towards the two, saying, “Coaching Kevin and Liam has been a coach’s dream; they are very coachable and work very hard in practice. Both are team players and will do anything to help the team win.”

Drops of Ink

“The game is very much part of their fiber and it makes me extremely happy.”

-Mike Zovistoski 2005 The boys make the GLSA Orange team [U8].

2009 Illinois Youth State Cup Champions [U12].

2011 The two join FC 1974.

Win MRL Premier.

Participate in US Youth National League.

Like Reilly and O’Connell, several other players on the varsity squad also compete on the u18 Libertyville FC 1974 club team, including senior Tucker Goebeler, who has recently committed to play college soccer at Cornell University.

He has been with them on the GLSA teams for 10 years and high school varsity for the past two, “[club soccer] is a lot of fun, as we have been able to travel around the country to a variety of the most elite club soccer events and got to play against some incredibly talented teams while having a great time.”

Goebeler expressed that O’Connell, Reilly, and himself have come so far from being 8 year olds running all over the field to getting ready to play in college. They wouldn’t have been able to do it without all of their coaches and teammates.

The three equally enjoy playing together on both teams, but “high school [soccer] has a different dynamic to it because you are playing with all of your school friends, and the atmosphere is lighter than the club atmosphere,” Goebeler said.

Another teammate and senior at LHS, Christian Long said that Reilly always works with the team to take their wrongs and make them rights.

2014 Varsity Regional Champions as juniors.

2015 Conference Champions as seniors.

Their last year together.

2016 The boys plan on playing soccer in college.

The Future:

When asked about their soccer life after high school, Reilly and O’Connell both stressed that it would be weird without each other, but they are looking forward to the next step.

They are both intent on continuing their academic and athletic career at the collegiate level; Reilly has committed to play soccer at the University of Dayton, while O’Connell is still undecided.

While the two will be moving forward to a new team full of new challenges, their longtime coach, Zovistoski, is confident they will continue on as leaders.

“They are leaders by example. They work tirelessly and play without fear -- the way real leaders lead.”

Sports

2012 Make high school varsity as freshman, winning conference and regionals.

Participate in U.S. Youth National League.

Photo by Kayla Fiore

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not-your-average athletes

by Hannah Hutchins and Dolores Palmieri Athletics at LHS can be very exciting, whether you’re sitting in the student section cheering on one of the school’s teams or actually playing on one, this school is well-versed in the topic of sports.

But what of the sports not offered at the school, and what of the athletes in them? All throughout the hallowed halls of LHS walk exceptional athletes most probably don’t even know of. And while there are many more, here are three unique ones.

Photo by Maria Thames Ally Kunkel, Dante Parra, and Brian Lemay are three unique athletes and LHS students who participate in skiing, cycling, and fencing, respectively.

Skiing the slopes

Caption: Ally Kunkel (left), Dante Parra (middle), and Brian Lemay (right) are three unique athletes and LHS students that participate in skiing, cycling, and fencing. Photo by Maria Thames with the Park City Ski Team, located in Park City, Utah.

According to Kunkel, she has earned 62 medals, a Top 60 spot in the

Junior Olympics, and third place in the Paralympic USA Nationals back in March.

Even though skiing is not in season year-round here, Kunkel still manages to practice.

“In Oregon, you can ski year round, so I go to Mount Hood, Oregon, in the summer for a couple weeks.” Kunkel said. In addition to her summer stay in Oregon, Kunkel also does different dry land exercises all year round, like sprinting, weight training, and agility to tests to make sure she’s always race ready.

However, the trek isn’t always easy. Between school, practices, and races, Kunkel sure keeps herself busy.

“In the winter, weekend practices are about five to six hours, all day Saturday and Sunday. During the weekdays, it’s on Tuesdays and Thursdays, [and] it’s about two hours after school.” Kunkel says.

With practice being an hour away, Kunkel’s schedule doesn’t leave much time for school work. In addition to practice four times a week, Kunkel often finds herself having to miss school for races every other weekend.

“Most of the races start really early Saturday morning, so we always leave like a day before,” Kunkel said.

Most races take place in the upper peninsula of Michigan, which is about a six-hour drive from Libertyville. While some of her races also take place in Wisconsin, there are some as far as Colorado and even New Hampshire, which is the site of the championship race Kunkel competes in annually. “[Balancing school and skiing] gets pretty challenging. I mean, I do put school first, but it gets hard,” she said.

For her upcoming season, Kunkel hopes to qualify for the Junior Olym pics again and possibly place higher: “I love to ski. It’s my passion and I’m constantly looking for ways to improve myself and I’m so excited to start the new season.”

Ally Kunkel began skiing when she was just 3 years old, and when she was 7, she decided to try out for the Wilmot Mountain Ski Team, a racing team in Wisconsin.

“I’ve always loved skiing and I saw that there were tryouts for the race team, and my dad said I should do it, and then I fell in love with it,” Kunkel said.

And from there, it was all downhill. Currently, Kunkel competes in four different kinds of races: slalom, giant slalom (GS), super giant slalom (super G), and kombi.

In slalom skiing, the skier must try to make it down the hill as fast as possible, hitting down poles known as “gates” to shorten their time.

“It’s kind of like cutting corners,” Kunkel said. “You hit them down to make you go faster.”

GS skiing is similar to regular slalom, but the skier travels at a much faster speed, and the gates are closer together. Super G is just like the other two, but even faster. The course also contains jumps and the gates are even closer together. And lastly, kombi is essentially slalom and GS combined, the as the course switches back and forth between the two randomly.

Along with the Wilmot Mountain Ski Team, Kunkel races part time

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A modern-day swordsman Junior Brian Lemay was 8 years old when he saw a fencing flyer at the local YMCA: “I picked it up, loved it and kept going with it.”

Lemay’s fencing career has allowed him to shine not only at the local, state, and national levels, but also on a world stage. He became a very talented athlete at a very early age. He started fencing at a local club, where he made many friends and fell in love with the sport of fencing.

Although it did not take long for Lemay to want more.

“After a while, I realized I needed the next step up to get to a higher level of competition,” Lemay said. He then began fencing at the Midwest Fencing Academy (now known as the Midwest Fencing Club) located in Chicago. “They introduced me to the whole national level of competition and the type of training I would need to get there.”

With the help of the Midwest Fencing Club, he surely did get there.

Lemay has competed at the Summer National Competition for the past three years. In 2014, Lemay placed ninth at the national competition.

This past summer, Lemay traveled to San Jose, California, for the summer national competition where he placed 24th in the Division III men’s sabre.

Lemay also looks forward to competing in Division I fencing events from now on since he recently increased his national rating to a C on a scale starting with unrated and then progressing from E-A. In addition to the Midwest Fencing Club, Lemay also fences with the Thundercats, the Libertyville and VHHS fencing team. Fencing for him is year

round and there is no time to break. The Libertyville season gives Lemay plenty of time to practice and compete due to all the local competitions.

“Through the high school competitions, you get so much experience through the circuit and it’s just a really great opportunity,” he said.

Along with all the extra practice, Lemay enjoys the Libertyville team because of all of the close friendships he’s formed. His teammates have become his second family. The team acts as a support system for everyone, even though the fencing match is a solo event. “The structure of fencing is one of the most interesting things about it,” Lemay said. “When you are on the strip, it is just you fencing someone else, totally individual. That makes it very cool because it is all you and that makes it very engaging. Then, in another regard, you have your teammates who are all cheering each other on and you are all fencing as a team to get the most points collectively.”

Lemay is exceptional not only on the fencing strip but in the classroom as well. He has to juggle his school work along with his rigorous fencing schedule. Throughout his high school career Lemay has managed to maintain straight A’s. He has also been in a variety of honors and AP classes, where he constantly challenges himself academically. The national team practices take place in Chicago, and getting his homework done can be a challenge when he arrives home with little time to spare.

However, he hasn’t let anything slow him down or step in the way of his career: “I would definitely want to continue fencing not only in college but for the rest of my life.”

This year, Lemay looks forward to hopefully returning to both the Junior Olympics and the Summer Nationals along with following his dream and playing in college: “I’m hoping that I can work on getting my rating up and use that as a really good way to have fun and compete in college doing something that I love.”

Pedaling towards success While many athletes begin at a young age, senior Dante Parra’s experience was a bit different. This year will be his second year cycling competitively, but he’s no stranger to the sport.

“My dad, Delfino Parra, was a professional back in his day; he was actually on the Mexican National Team,” Parra said. Parra’s father has been an inspiration for him, which is why he decided to begin cycling.

Parra, who is on Team Wisconsin, competes in three different types of racing: road, mountain, and cyclocross. Road, which is the most basic race, takes place on a paved surface. Mountain is similar to road, but as the name suggests, it takes place on a mountain, so it’s generally hillier and the path is dirt, not paved. Cyclocross tends to be the most challenging, as it is an all-terrain race with pavement, dirt, grass, and gravel.

There are even obstacles, such as stairs or barriers of some sort that the cyclist has to get off their bike to cross.

While the winner of some courses depends on the first finisher, many are given a time limit. Whichever cyclist completes the most laps is given first place. Within Parra’s year and a half of cycling, he has won numerous medals, as well as a first place title in a 90-mile race.

However, it took a lot of hard work for Parra to get to where he is today.

“I usually try to go out for like an hour or two. Different days [feature] different training methods,” he said.

Some of the different training methods Parra does include sprints, various workouts, and thresholds, which are workouts that test one’s ability to sustain power for minutes at a time.

With the commitment to cycling, keeping up with school can be challenging.

“I usually try to train after school so I’m not antsy, otherwise I can’t really focus. Then I try to do my homework afterwards,” Parra said.

Between daily training sessions and weekly races, balancing school and cycling can prove to be challenging for Parra, but it all proves to be worth

it once Parra gets on his bike. Parra’s favorite season, he says, is summer.

“It’s much more fun. You get all day to do whatever you want and you can train a lot more since there’s no school,” he said.

Most races tend to be in the summer, which is more convenient for a school schedule, although Parra does still miss the occasional day of school every now and then to make sure he is thoroughly prepared for his upcoming race.

On a race day, Parra has a schedule he usually sticks to: “I usually wake up no later than seven. I eat breakfast a few hours before -- lots of eggs and milk. Then I prepare the bikes and put them in the car. Then I put my stuff on, basically the shorts, because they take the longest to get on.

We get to the race like an hour early just so I can warm up.”

Parra’s warm-up consists of easy spinning and some sprints; just enough to get the blood flowing. After warm-ups comes racing, and in Parra’s case, winning.

Through all of his success, Parra has managed to remain grounded and keep his sights set high but also focus on his near and exciting future.

“It would be pretty cool to reach my dream of becoming pro,” Parra said. “That is my goal but since I am first starting out I don’t want to reach too high. So right now I’m just doing little by little.” *Photos courtesy of the athletes

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