The Oracle Vol 51 Issue 4

the

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 109 Glenview, IL

GLENBROOK SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL 4000 W. LAKE AVE., GLENVIEW, IL 60026

OR ACLE

FEB. 1, 2013 ISSUE 4 VOLUME 51

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

theoracle.glenbrook225.org

SYNCHED: During fifth period, David Jakes, instructional technology coordinator, speaks to science teacher David Lieberman’s AP Chemistry class-

es. He discussed the intentions and goals of a district-wide pilot that will integrate Google Nexus 7 tablets and Google Chromebooks into education across six classes at South, including Lieberman’s AP Chemistry class. Photo by Jacqueline DeWitt

Photo from pcadvisor.co.uk

District pilot to test Nexus 7, Chromebook in classroom setting Kathryn Jaslikowski

co-editor in chief As part of a district-wide pilot to test the effectiveness of new technology in the classroom, six classes at South received Google Nexus 7 tablets and Google Chromebook laptops Jan. 29.

According to Principal Dr. Brian Wegley, the pilot was initiated by David Jakes, instructional technology coordinator; Ryan Bretag, Jakes’ counterpart at North; and Superintendent Dr. Mike Riggle. Jakes said that a South committee consisting of himself, technology trainer Lisa Sly, participating teachers, librarians and instructional coaches has been meeting since midway through the first semester to plan the pilot.

Cameron Muir, associate principal of curriculum and instruction; Kris Frandson, Muir’s counterpart at North; and Rosanne Williamson, associate superintendent for educational services, were also involved in the planning process. Muir said that the pilot discussion originated from the debate over electronic versus traditional textbooks.

“From there it became apparent that the electronic textbook discussion really couldn’t be discussed without, logically, the question of the device and how students would be accessing those electronic textbooks,” Muir said. “[…] The question of the device became a topic and what would happen if we went with one device […] to a situation where a student can have any device.”

Once the pilot was proposed, teachers in the district were asked to volunteer to participate. The six teachers from South that will implement it are David Lieberman,

NEWS

2

Science; Christina Cosgrove, World Languages; Matthew Hamilton, Special Education; Scott Glass, English; Kimberly Kiraly, Family and Consumer Science; and Elizabeth Bushek, Math.

The pilot will last for 12 weeks, with classes testing out one device for six weeks before switching to the other.

After those 12 weeks, Jakes explained that he and Bretag will make a recommendation to Riggle and the Board of Education about whether or not to pursue the use of these technologies in future school years. He is unsure when a schoolwide implementation of the pilot would take place.

“It could be next year if it’s successful; it could be a year later; it could be maybe we don’t do it even if it is successful,” Jakes said.

“We’re hoping to have a great experience and say, ‘Look, this is compelling enough, this is so compelling that we have to do this,’ and then it becomes, ‘How do we do that at scale?’ […] It’s one thing for six teachers. It’s a whole different thing when you’re talking about the entire school.”

In order to evaluate the success of the pilot, a team at South will conduct frequent classroom observations under the Instructional Practices Inventory (IPI) method of measuring student engagement, according to Jakes.

OPINIONS

6

FEATURES

11

North’s observations will be conducted under a different method in order to gain different perspectives, Jakes said. “[At South], the team comes to the classroom, spends about two or three minutes observing the classroom, interviews students if they need to, and we can then take a look at, on [a] sliding scale, what level of engagement the kids are at,” Jakes said. “If you’re watching a demonstration of some calculus problem, that’s one thing, but if you’re actually doing it and processing that and asking questions, it’s a different level of engagement.”

According to Jeffrey Rylander, instructional supervisor of the Science Department, the teachers in the pilot do not have a set plan for how to use the devices in the classroom. Rather, the pilot is designed so that students will play a large role in integrating the technology within the specific subjects.

“In any kind of a pilot [...], the purpose of it is to really learn and evaluate and have the kids teach us, get [students] to help us figure this out,” Rylander said. “I think as [students] play with it and experiment with it, we’re going to learn a ton. Some of that is going to […] help us evaluate whether this is a direction that we want to go as a school or not.”

Cosgrove plans on using the devices in her Spanish

See PILOT page 2

A&E

18

SPORTS

24

2

news

Feb. 1, 2013

Off-campus staff surprises teacher with ‘hero’ award from Chicago Bears To nominate Rabinak for the award, Blair filled out a form online that had general questions as well as a two-page letter to help establish what type of person Rabinak was for those running the program.

Due to the odds, Blair was quite surprised to find out Rabinak had won.

“I knew that she totally deserved this award, but I really didn’t think I was going to get an email one day saying [...] ‘Your friend is a winner,’” Blair said. “I almost fell out of my chair.”

Blair, coordinating with Dr. Douglas Strong, Glenbrook Off-Campus instructional supervisor, kept the award a secret from Rabinak, letting her find out once representatives from the program came to Off-Campus to present Rabinak with the award.

“They called an all-school meeting,” Rabinak said. “I was sitting, just expecting another student or staff presentation, and all of a sudden they started giving their spiel about what the award is […] and I’m like, ‘It’s not me, I’ve been teaching forever and never gotten nominated for anything.’ And then all of a sudden, they said Mary Rabinak. They pronounced my name wrong, and then everyone went, ‘That’s you!’”

Lauren Berk, teaching assistant to Rabinak, described Rabinak’s reaction.

“It’s hard to shock Rabinak, she’s been through a lot, but it was definitely a surprise,” Berk said.

While Rabinak has not yet used her Office MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Teaching an off-campus class, teacher Mary Rabinak focuses on helping students with their grammar and reading. Rabinak, Max gift card, nor has Off-Campus used the who recently won an award honoring her efforts as a Special Education Instructor, has worked at Glenbrook Off-Campus for 11 years. Photo by KK Kuramitsu $1,000, Rabinak wears her custom jersey and already went to the Bears game with her family and Blair, according to Rabinak.

Richard Pearl & Inaara Tajuddin Bears. Nearly 300 teachers have been recognized by the Principal Dr. Brian Wegley expressed his pride for Raprogram so far. staff reporters The award, given to only 16 of the K-12 teachers in Illi- binak.

“We are obviously very proud of her, and I know that At a surprise assembly Nov. 28, 2012, Mary Rabinak, nois, includes prizes such as sideline passes and tickets to Glenbrook Off-Campus High School teacher, was named the Bears game Dec. 2, $1,000 for Glenbrook Off-Campus, she is a tremendous human being and asset to the Glenbrooks,” Wegley said.

“Symetra Hero in the Classroom” for her work as a Spe- a personalized Bears jersey and an Office Max gift card.

Rabinak said receiving the award was the most humcial Education Instructor.

Rabinak was nominated by off-campus teacher Anne bling experience of her teaching career. One of Rabinak’s Symetra Heroes in the Classroom is a community pro- Blair, who has worked with Rabinak for seven years. gram that celebrates the achievements of K-12 teachers Blair, a Chicago Bears fan, discovered the program favorite experiences associated with the award is the pride her students have expressed. and rewards them for their efforts, according to Diana through an advertisement on the Bears official website.

“A lot of the times when our kids get sent here […]

McSweeny, media relations manager for the Symetra Life “When I read it, the entire time my mind was just goInsurance Company. ing, ‘Mary Rabinak! Mary Rabinak!’” Blair said. “I felt there’s a lot of sadness, they feel like they’re away from A person who is connected to a teacher may nomi- like she was so overqualified. In the years that I worked their peers, their favorite teachers,” Rabinak said. “And nate them online. Winners are chosen based on teaching with Mary, I came to see a different side of teaching that for some of them, they’re like, ‘Wow, our teacher was one ability, demonstrated leadership and making a real dif- I wasn’t used to seeing, and that was someone whose of 16 only from the state of Illinois who got picked this ference in students’ lives. The program is presented in heart and soul went into the heart and soul of the stu- year, we have one of the top teachers!’ To see their sense of pride […] was cool.”

Chicago by Gallagher Benefit Services and the Chicago dents as well.”

PILOT, continued from front 363 class. According to her, she has never taught with such interactive technology before, but she does have some idea of how she will incorporate it into the subject matter. She plans on having students record and listen to themselves speaking Spanish to correct their mistakes along with taking online quizzes to generate immediate feedback.

“I want to make sure that we use these devices in a really meaningful, effective way and not just [use] them just to say we used them in the classroom,” Cosgrove said. “I want to make sure that it’s really meaningful, [and that] we’re using it because this is a perfect way to learn what we’re learning that day.”

According to Muir, the district has been in contact with other school districts to discuss data and uses involving different types of devices in the classroom. He said that District 225 is the first one to his knowledge that is implementing solely Google products.

Ari Marbán, a senior at Stevenson High School, has had an Apple iPad for the entire school year for her Anatomy class. She says that the school gave out iPads to select classes, but that it also has iPad carts available to rent out. According to Marbán, she enjoys the different activities she can do on her tablet to add a deeper level to her understanding.

“We have apps that quiz us; one of them is for muscles, one of them is for bones, and so on,” Marbán said. “We [also] have to download certain readings or texts or in-

While the constant threat of distraction added another structions to labs, and you can highlight them on your iPad, and we’re [also] doing a project [making] a keynote layer of responsibility on the students, she said she had to sit at the back of the classroom instead of the front to presentation and a whole movie on our iPad.” Jakes said that the two specific devices were chosen monitor her students’ activity on their individual devicpartially because the district is comfortable paying the es.

According to Muir, he hopes that the pilot will answer prices, as the Nexus 7 costs $199 and the Chromebook the series of questions that were brought up in the first costs $249 with an additional management fee.

“We’re heavily tied into Google Apps for education,” meeting and will eventually provide a route for the disJakes said. “I think between North and trict to go in.

“The idea [is] do the devices being present in the classSouth right now, we’re looking at right around 55,000 Google Docs that have been room [...] allow for not different kinds of instruction, but created, and that’s not even including pre- again, an enhancement to the instruction?” Muir said. sentations, spreadsheets and those things. “Does it revolutionize? Does it enhance? Does it change […] We want to recognize that and honor things up a little bit and make things easier or a little that and continue to build our capacity more powerful? Does it make things more accessible? there, so that’s where those devices come Those are the kind of questions that we have.” in.”

A smaller pilot was also conducted during summer school involving English teacher Afrodite Skaouris. Skaouris’ junior and senior English classes used the students’ own devices to read the play Waiting for Godot. Skaouris found that the technology was very beneficial in her classroom setting.

“One of the biggest benefits I saw in having a ‘bring your own device’ [...] was that [students] were able to have a conversation with the text in the sense that if they didn’t know something, they could easily Google it,” Skaouris said.

1082 SHERMER ROAD According to Skaouris, it required a change GLENVIEW, IL 60025 (847) 729-5829 in her teaching technique to adjust to having each student in her room on a device.

“I want to make sure that we use these devices in a really meaningful, effective way and not [...] just to say we used them in the classroom.”

-Spanish teacher Christina Cosgrove

Voice & Piano Lessons

4th Lesson for Free!

KIRSTIN SYNNESTVEDT, D.M.A.

news

3

Feb. 1, 2013

Nationally-ranked debaters prepare for upcoming competitions Faith Savaiano

co-news editor Ruhi Bhaidani

staff reporter Seniors Bobby Shaw and Ben Wolch, the seventh best policy debate team in the country, will compete in several tournaments in the upcoming months that are key to the team’s standing on a state and national level.

One of these competitions includes a Presidents’ Day weekend tournament being held at Harvard University against the top 14 teams in the country.

The team will also compete in the State tournament during the third weekend of March, as well as in an important debate tournament in April known as the Tournament of Champions (TOC).

During a policy debate, teams of two competitors debate a policy initiative against teams from other schools. This year’s topic is about increasing spending for transportation issues. According to Head Coach Tara Tate, policy debaters have to be prepared to debate in favor of and against the issue in question.

According to Shaw, one of his major goals this year has been to progress as far as possible in the TOC. “It’s going to be hard,” Shaw said. “[…] A lot of my goals are centered around just being competitive and not SHAPING THE DEBATE: Collaborating at a recent tournament held by Emory University, seniors Bobby Shaw and Ben Wolch are currently the top-ranked making the mistakes I made last year.” debate team at South. Shaw and Wolch compete in “policy debate,” one of three categories of competitive high school debate. Photo courtesy of Chris Callahan The TOC is more difficult than the upcoming Harvard Tournament because of a greater presence of top-ranked teams, accord“The Harvard tournament is easier because the nation the judges with personality.

“Every team [Shaw and Wolch] debate is going to be ing to Wolch. is split between two tournaments that weekend: Harvard and Berkeley,” Wolch said. smart,” Tate said. “They’re going to be well-coached, “The TOC has the top teams well-researched. But it’s just putting in that little extra hard work that puts you over the top, and that’s what I from all over the country.”

According to Tate, the hope the younger debaters see out of [Shaw, Wolch], and State tournament in March is all of the seniors that we have on the team this year.”

Despite their team accomplishments, Shaw and highly competitive because of the high caliber of debate Wolch have also achieved personal accolades. According to Tate, Wolch is the only debater in the country to in Illinois.

“We can be ranked na- achieve a “triple-double”—winning a specific number of tionally and still not win our recognitions at a tournament—at a national level thus far.

“He was top debater, top seed, and then [the team of state title just because of how good debate is in the state of Shaw and Wolch] were the champions of the tournament,” Tate said.

Illinois,” Tate However, Shaw and said. “So, our Wolch’s contributions to state tournaSouth’s debate team are ment, in my not simply competitionopinion, is related, according to Brithe most iman Roche, a freshman portant tournovice debater. nament of the “[Shaw and Wolch] year for us. are both superb men[...] We’re gotors, and no students ing to be inat South are more helpvesting a ton ful than them when it of time and energy into getting ready for comes to learning about debate,” Roche said. “[...} Their winning record speaks for itself. Wolch is one of the only that. ” Wolch had a specific rea- debaters in the country who is going to the Tournament son that he was anticipating of Champions [for the third year]. Shaw won state as a freshman.” the State tournament.

According to Wolch, his and Shaw’s friendship outside “State is important because we have a huge rival- of competition has bred a sense of trust during an actual ry with GBN,” Wolch said. debate. Wolch said that the duo also aspires to achieve a “[...] We know the state title specific award.

“A specific team goal for [Shaw] and I is the Baker will most likely boil down to 2/2013 GBS versus GBN. Everyone Award which is awarded to the top team in the country,” prepares for each other spe- Wolch said.

According to Shaw, a large time commitment and the cifically. We are working on writing new arguments to support of the entire debate team have been essential to adapt to GBN’s style of de- his and Wolch’s success. “[Wolch] and I put in close to 40 hours a week so that bating.”

According to Tate, Shaw we can achieve that goal, and if it becomes a reality, it and Wolch prepare new ar- will be a confirmation of everything that we have worked guments and research in for,” Shaw said. “It would also show the strength of our order to prepare for com- team because, though it would be [Wolch] and I in the fipetition. They also prepare nals, none of it would be possible without an incredible strategies for winning over base of people that comprise our squad.”

“Bobby and Ben are both superb mentors, and no students at South are more helpful than them when it comes to learning about debate.”

-Freshman Debater Brian Roche

4

Feb. 1, 2013

news

Inaugural celebration, message evoke reactions from students Julia Jacobs

asst. opinions editor President Barack H. Obama was publicly sworn in for his second term on the steps of the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. on Jan. 21.

A private ceremony had taken place in the Blue Room of the White House the previous day, beginning a celebration filled with speeches and vocal performances amplified for an audience of approximately 1 million, a parade, and an inaugural ball.

According to Politico, a crowd of 1 million is only 55 percent of the crowd that attended Obama’s first inauguration in 2009, which set a new record at 1.8 million.

In his address, Obama recognized the fight for equality for those who are marginalized as one of the driving forces of his second term. Obama repeatedly proclaimed, “Our journey is not complete” until the day women gain equal pay and immigrant children are welcomed into schools and work places.

“Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law – for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well,” Obama said.

SWEARING IN: Taking the ceremonial oath for the second time, President Barack H. Obama moves into his second term as Commander-in-Chief. Inauguration Senior Andrew Peterson was among officials estimate that there were about 1 million people in attendance, which included South senior Andrew Peterson. Picture from the Los Angeles Times hundreds of thousands watching the walk from the U.S. Capitol to the White House, followed by throngs of Obama supporters.

Max Sendor, president of South’s Gay-Straight Allia parade of 8,800 people. The Peterson family, who had Despite his conservative leanings, Andrew appreciat- ance, was happy to see Obama, the first president to mensupported Mitt Romney during the election, primarily ed the inauguration as a fun experience for his family as tion gay rights in his Inaugural Address, openly supportmade the trip to see Andrew’s sister Charlotte participate well as a cause of celebration for the African-American ing equality for the LGBT community. in the parade, Andrew said. community similar to that of 2009.

“I hope this signifies that there has been a shift that has The Peterson family waited approximately seven “[The inauguration] is a good chance for liberals and begun in our society that finally shows complete rights hours in the 40-degree weather to witness Charlotte ride conservatives to join together and support [the presi- for everyone, including the LGBT community,” Sendor her horse in the parade, all the while surrounded by dent],” Andrew said. said.

Student council study: one-third of student drivers don’t buckle up

belts. This meant that 37 percent of these students had not buckled up, violating Illinois state law.

Declan Garvey, South student body president, thought Student Council and John Skorupa, driver’s education that the statistics were not only indicative of most adoteacher, conducted a preliminary survey about student lescents’ driving habits, but they also portrayed the staseat belt usage during open lunch periods on Dec. 14. tistics for people of all ages on the road. On the contrary, Skorupa thought that these statistics reflected solely The survey was conducted as part of an Illinois Deupon the teen driving population. partment of Transportation (IDOT) study in “I think the numbers are reflective of a conjunction with Ford and Allstate. to a Student Cou g typical teenager’s view on seat belt usSouth’s Driver’s Education Departn i n d ci l cor stu Ac age and driver safety,” Skorupa said. ment received a $2,000 grant from dy “I believe that most teens feel like, those three organizations to re‘That’s never going to happen to search student seat belt usage, me’ [but] as you get older, you beaccording to Skorupa. gin to feel more vulnerable and Skorupa was unhappy with therefore are more likely to use the results of the first survey, your seat belt.” because he expected a higher Despite the “typical teenagpercentage of students to wear er’s view,” some students starttheir safety belts. ed considering potential dan“I am disappointed that with gers posed by not buckling up all the efforts in school and in the after a milestone in their lives: media, we do not have 100 perreceiving their driver’s license. cent of drivers and passengers usAccording to an Oracle-conducted ing their seat belts,” Skorupa said. survey of 190 students, 35 percent of Student Council members observed students with licenses feel that getting students during fourth, fifth and sixth petheir license has changed how they view seat riod open lunch exiting the west parking lot off of Lake Avenue. Of the 180 students in 87 vehicles leaving belt safety.

Junior Hannah Schiller believes that the dangers of the the parking lot, 119 students were seen wearing safety Aaron Ach & Rosie Kelly

staff reporters

road seem more real now that she is in the driver’s seat.

“When you’re the one driving, you realize how fast a car is moving and how suddenly an accident could happen,” Schiller said.

Junior Huma Nizamuddin also shed light on how the car itself and new technological improvements on newer cars are making her more aware of personal seat belt use.

“My dad just got a new car, and it makes annoying noises until the passenger puts on his or her seat belt, so I’m pretty good with putting on my seat belt in his car,” Nizamuddin said. “I’d say that’s pretty innovative.”

Student Council’s survey is the first of two that will take place this year; a later survey will be taken in midFebruary of this school year.

As part of a safe driving habits campaign, Student Council and the Driver’s Education Department will unveil the first survey’s statistics to the student body prior to the second survey, according to Skorupa and Garvey.

“Our efforts [will] bring about a positive change [...] that will prove beneficial for not only the drivers whose safety will be increased, but the group of [Student Council members] who saw the direct result of their efforts,” Garvey said.

Ultimately, Skorupa set his sights on the goal of achieving safety for as many students as possible.

“The goal of [the campaign] is to promote vehicle safety on campus [and] driver safety on the roads of Glenview,” Skorupa said. “[We want] to prevent the senseless loss of life due to a lack of common sense.”

RISKY BUSINESS: Simulating a head-on collision where the driver neglects to wear a seat belt, the crash dummy experiences a violent impact with the windshield. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, seat belts reduce serious crash-related injuries and deaths by about 50 percent. Photos from the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety

editorial

5

Feb. 1, 2013

GBS Compliments exhibits untapped potential

is published monthly by students at Glenbrook South High School, 4000 W. Lake Ave., Glenview, IL 60026.

The opinions expressed in The Oracle are that of the writer(s) and not necessarily of the staff or school.

The Oracle neither endorses nor rejects the products and services advertised.

editors in chief

Sarah Jaleel Kathryn Jaslikowski

news editors Tammy Craven Faith Savaiano

opinions editors Bailey Monte Emma Sailer

features editors

Camille (CJ) Park Zoë Shancer

On Jan. 7, an unknown GBS Facebook user launched the GBS Compliments page, a project first introduced by students at Queens University in Kingston, Ontario. GBS students send anonymous compliments via inbox messages, and the unknown facilitator of the page then posts these compliments on its wall.

According to Compliments’ Facebook page, the page’s mission is to “spread some love,” and the user also reminds students that “rude and hateful comments will be ignored.” Although The Oracle believes Compliments’ intentions are sincere, we think the student body should reevaluate how they use the page to avoid further misuse and its potential to become a fad.

The Oracle agrees that during the first nights of Compliments, people expressed genuine thoughts of the student body, but the page has become a tool for compliments that, while possibly sincere, seem forced and unspecific. We believe the best use of the page is to acknowledge students who may feel overlooked, or to specifically recognize someone’s actions or kind words.

Submitting compliments such as, “You’re a nice person,” or “Thanks for being a good friend” might have a positive effect on a person, but we ask that posters think about their purpose for sending in such compliments. Do you need to log into Facebook and send that type of compliment for most of GBS to see, or is the compliment more appropriate for a normal, private conversation? Are you submitting compliments that aren’t consistent with our suggestions and therefore are not suitable for the page?

While the Editorial Board believes the sincerity of the posts has declined, we recognize that there is no way to know how much even

a generic post can positively affect someone. The Oracle supports the existence of Compliments if the posts note a specific instance when someone has positively affected your life, whether that means sending a thank you message to an acquaintance who helped you in a difficult situation, or expressing gratitude toward friends who might not know how much they’re appreciated.

Though many of Compliments’ posts have strayed from the original intention and have become jokes or solely for the Facebook world to see, The Oracle believes the account should still exist if students adjust their purpose for posting a compliment as well as the content of the posts.

In doing so, Compliments would be much closer in fulfilling its mission: to unite our student body through the social media lens, something GBS has had difficulty with in the recent past due to anonymous GBS Twitter accounts that have resulted in cyber bullying.

Whether students are feeling school-related stress or having difficulties elsewhere, Compliments has the potential to greatly improve a student’s day. The most important thing to remember is that it’s not the number of Compliments posts you receive, but it’s that a person took time to appreciate your words, actions or character. Though the page most likely won’t last forever, when used appropriately, it presents a great example of the potential power of a few kind words.

The Oracle Editorial Board Vote

Agree: 11 Disagree: 8 Abstain: 6

a&e editors

Maddie Abrams Rachel Mann

sports editors John Adkisson Ethan Spalding

web editors

Mary Friedman Ben Kraus

illustrations editor Ellen Takagi

photos editor Evan Richter

asst. news Carolyn Kelly

asst. opinions Julia Jacobs

asst. features

Shea Anthony Elisa Kim Madison O’Brien

asst. a&e Sally You

asst. sports

Rachel Chmielinski

asst. web

Kelsey Pogue Madeleine Salah

asst. photos Wyatt Richter

adviser

Marshall Harris

Letters to the Editor We would love to hear from you! Write a letter to the editor at gbsoracle@gmail.com.

The editorial board reserves the right to edit letters, being careful not to alter intent.

Signed letters may be published anonymously with the consent of the letter writer, the adviser, and the editors in chief.

Students in technology pilot: take advantage of unique opportunity In this digital age, it is clear that education is evolving. New technologies that were previously unavailable, like tablets and smart phones, are becoming common in the classroom so that students can apply their knowledge in different mediums. These innovations have the potential to take schooling to unprecedented levels in terms of what students can do with the new resources they have.

On Jan. 29, the district implemented a pilot that involves six classes at South receiving Google Nexus 7 tablets and Google Chromebooks to test out in the classroom. According to David Jakes, instructional technology coordinator, after the 12-week pilot is over, he and Ryan Bretag, his counterpart at North, will make a presentation to the Board of Education about their findings in the pilot. They will recommend whether or not to pursue a district-wide implementation of the devices.

According to Jeffrey Rylander, instructional supervisor of the Science Department, the pilot is designed so that students play a large part in determining the potential that each device has in aiding class activities.

While The Oracle Editorial Board sees the value in testing out the devices in a pilot and commends the district for its practice of proactively studying the effects of a potential change before implementation, we suggest that the pilot is conducted in the following ways in order to grasp a better understanding of their specific uses. These suggestions can apply not only for students participating in the pilot, but also any other students who bring their own devices to the classroom.

First, because both products being tested in the pilot are made by Google, the Editorial Board highly recommends that students take full advantage of the

Google Suite. Features like Google Docs, Gmail and Google + make it very easy for students to collaborate and build ideas for projects or other assignments. The ease with which classmates can connect on Google Suite is an opportunity that cannot be overlooked.

Another beneficial feature of these devices is the host of apps that can be downloaded onto Google Chrome, the Nexus 7 and Chromebooks’ internet provider. The Editorial Board encourages students to download apps that are directly related to the subject material they are learning in class to supplement lectures or the text. By participating in interactive activities, students can add a greater depth to their understanding.

Some of the apps for education that e-School News recommends include, “Molecules”, which allows students to see 3D models of molecules they are studying, “Math Ref Free”, which provides formulas, tips and examples for all math levels, and “iMemento Flashcards”, which allows students to create and share flashcards for easy vocabulary learning.

Finally, the Editorial Board suggests that students participating in the pilot should test the ability to create more advanced projects to demonstrate understanding such as video or photo projects.

With the superior technology, projects that were previously hard to create will be simplified by the use of Google features such as “Picasa”, a tool for integrating videos, photos and text into a presentation.

With those benefits also comes responsibility, and the Editorial Board would like to remind students participating in the pilot that they have the power to influence a huge change in the district. If the pilot is successful, these technologies could become standard in the district. The district has provided the opportunity to explore the technology; it is now up to the students to take full advantage of its benefits.

With the superior technology, projects that were previously hard to create will be simplified by the use of Google features.

Suggested Apps

“iMemento Flashcards”

“Molecules”

“Math Ref Free”

Photos from iTunes

6

opinions

Feb. 1, 2013

Gay rights debate invites a more thoughtful, complex response Why some have got it wrong: ‘love

TAKING A STAND:

Standing before an anti-marriage-equality protest in Marseille, France, two straight women share a kiss in response to the angry protesters’ anti-gay messages. The photo quickly went viral over social media as a powerful symbol for the gay rights movement. Photo by Gerard

thy neighbor’ should not discriminate Sarah Jaleel

co-editor in chief

Julien, from rukkle.com

Proactive, concrete action needed: boycott and protest Chris Callahan

columnist “I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

More than 40 years ago, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s words symbolized a fight for civil rights that is, in many ways, still going on today. But today it’s not just against racial discrimination.

This March, the Supreme Court will hear two cases that may have huge impacts on the future of same-sex marriage. The first is United States v. Windsor, a suit over the Defense of Marriage Act (a law passed in 1996 that prohibits federal recognition of same-sex marriage). The law has been declared unconstitutional in some parts of the country but not in others.

The second case is Hollingsworth v.

Perry, deciding the constitutionality of Proposition 8, a referendum passed by California voters in 2008 that banned same-sex marriage in their state.

I’ll be honest: I support same-sex marriage. LGBT people are law-abiding citizens just like everyone else. Marriage is a legal contract, and any citizen should have the right to enter into a legal contract.

Additionally, there is no objection to same-sex marriage that does not arbitrarily impose one’s own values on oth-

ers. Family values, religious values, political ideologies - whatever it is, there is no reason people should have their rights limited because of any one else’s opinions.

But no matter your beliefs, it’s easy to see that we are at a turning point in the same-sex marriage debate. The Supreme Court’s upcoming decisions will set the tone for both future rulings and future controversy over same-sex marriage, like Roe v. Wade did for abortion rights.

But the debate won’t go anywhere if people don’t act on their beliefs. For too long, many people I know (myself included sometimes) have voiced our opinions on things like gay rights without actually acting on them. Nothing gets done if people don’t go out and advocate for the things they believe in.

There are several obvious examples of this. In the civil rights movement, people like King and Malcolm X staged protests and created popular will for change.

Would anything have changed if they had sat around in coffee shops talking about how awesome civil rights were?

Obviously, there are examples of activism within the gay rights movement too. In the 2012 elections, Maryland, Washington and Maine all legalized gay marriage through popular vote, and Minnesota blocked a constitutional amendment limiting marriage. Even through the simple act of voting, equal rights have spread to more people in more places.

But the ballot box is not always

sufficient, as Proposition 8 shows. Something more has to happen.

Take the example of Rhode Island. According to the New York Times, on Jan. 15, several hundred protesters gathered outside the State Capitol building and petitioned for same-sex marriage. Then, last Thursday, a bill legalizing same-sex marriage passed, with overwhelming support, through the House and now only needs passage in the Senate to become a law.

I know, we’re high school students, what can we do? Well, a lot, actually. For example, consider all of the companies that donate money to politicians and groups against gay rights. The list includes Chick-fil-A, Urban Outfitters, Wal-Mart, Exxon Mobil, Salvation Army, and Amway.

Just to give you an idea, Urban Outfitters donated money to Rick “[gay marriage] is an issue just like 9-11” Santorum.

Why should we allow corporations to determine the country’s policies on same-sex marriage? If we don’t act, they will. I’m not telling you to boycott Urban Outfitters. I’m asking you to. We should not let our country’s civil rights policies be determined by homophobic CEOs. It’s not enough to condemn these people by talking about it. Obviously I would encourage discussion about this and any issue, but discussion alone doesn’t achieve anything. Action does.

Follow the Supreme Court decisions as much as you can because civil rights deserve attention. More than that - they deserve action.

We should not let our country’s civil rights policies be determined by homophobic CEOs.

Chick-fil-a has been accused of being anti-gay, stating they support “Biblical families” and is known for donating money to right-wing groups that oppose LGBT rights.

Source: The Huffington Post

Rick Garcia, a senior policy adviser at The Civil Rights Agenda, accused the Salvation Army of donating money to oppose gay rights.

Source: The Chicago Tribune

Richard Hayne, co-founder and CEO of Urban Outfitters, is a known conservative who has donated money to anti-gay politician, Rick Santorum.

Source: NYU Local

As I look back on my experience as a 6-year-old Religious Education student, I remember few aspects. Overall, I learned that being Catholic means that you love each other no matter what.

Though I don’t consider myself to be an ultra-religious person, I teach first grade Religious Education because of the lessons I began to learn twelve years ago. I learned the importance of lending a hand to someone in need and offering acceptance to everyone along your path.

Since Christianity’s basis is to show love to one another, I’ve recently become confused about distressing instances in which people use religion to defend anti-LGBT equality arguments.

Even though I believe a majority of Christians have shifted toward more of a socially liberal way of thinking, to some, the Bible still says that homosexuality is a sin.

One of the most unfortunate instances of this vitriolic belief is the way in which Thomas J. Paprocki and other Roman Catholic Bishops in Illinois have denied same-sex couples the chance to adopt a child through Catholic Charities. Although, according to nytimes.com, these charities have been at the center of Illinois’s social service network for over 40 years, these specific actions are abominable, especially because they stem from the heads of a religion that preaches the idea of loving your neighbor. Since when is your neighbor always heterosexual?

Even more terrifying is when people support these absurdities. The last time I checked, though physically and emotionally different, women and men have the same capacity to love. Besides food and water, isn’t that all a child needs?

Although I have no idea whether my Religious Education students will take away the same lessons I did twelve years ago, my goal in trying to spread these ideas of kindness and acceptance is total equality. I’m incredibly proud of the progress our country has made thus far. With 40 states that still deny same-sex marriage, however, we still have much to accomplishnamely, to never allow religion to outcast members of the LGBT community. Presenting equal opportunity to all is long overdue, but continuing this mission toward justice is essential in keeping our society forwardmoving. After all, wasn’t it Jesus who invited the outcasts to His table?

Exxon Mobil earned a negative score on The Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index.

The company does not have a non-discrimination policy covering sexual orientation.

Source: policymic.com

opinions

Photo from samchristmas.co.uk

Photo by Maria-Helena Buckley

Photo form solutionsphysicaltherapy.com

Photo by Mark Seliger

7

Feb. 1, 2013

Photo from totallycoolpix.com

Photo from swimmingworldmagazine.com

Is dance a sport? Opposing perspectives from dancer and football player

Julia Jacobs

Chris Altonji

asst. opinions editor

columnist

After four years of playing AYSO soccer I scored a total of zero goals. As the coach, my dad rotated me through forward, midfield and defense, yet I revealed no prodigious talent in any position. In my first 15 minutes as goalie I let the ball pass by me eight times until I took one straight to the face and Coach Dad led me off the field with tears charging down my cheeks and a long strand of snot dangling from my nose.

My lack of athletic prowess followed me through grade school, and I became accustomed to the deflated expressions of my peers when I was assigned to their team. Yet every spring, I would also witness a look of mild shock on my gym teacher’s face when I would finish the mile just behind the soccer player, do just as many push-ups as the basketball player, and attain a sit-and-reach score far surpassing them both. I have been a dancer since age four and had my highly athletic passion always been accepted as a sport, I can’t help but imagine a very different childhood for myself.

It is true that unlike America’s favorite athletes, jazz and ballet dancers do not engage in face-offs in which their skills are directly compared in the same match.

But if we were to exclude dance from being considered a sport because of this, we would also have to exclude gymnastics, diving, weightlifting, ice-skating and several track and field events including shot put, pole vault and high jump. Tell any one of those competitors that they are not considered to be an athlete and see if you come out of the conversation alive.

Competition dance, including GBS Poms, features a uniform scoring rubric that refutes the argument that dance is too qualitative to be an objectively judged sport. The Universal Dance Association judges dance teams on a 100-point system broken into four categories: choreography, technique, group execution and overall effect.

According to junior Gabriella Oppenheimer, a Varsity Pom, there are two ten-point subcategories within overall effect in which judges exercise their own personal preference. However this subcategory is only 20 percent and serves as an added layer of challenge as well as a way for judges to keep competitors in line, like a referee on the football field.

To a Pom, executing a flawless turn is very similar to shooting a ball into a hoop in that it requires both a great deal of practiced skill and a sprinkling of luck. The difference is that in basketball, an unskilled shot will not lose the team points. In dance, a turn with a bent standing leg or a working leg that is not pulled high enough will result in a point loss. This should not demote dance to a non-sport status, but elevate it as a more challenging sport.

Although noncompetition dance is undoubtedly a fine art that requires creatively gifted dancers and choreographers, I see no reason why it can’t be defined as both an art and a sport. Excluding non-competition dance from the sport family implies a level of physical rigor more aligned with holding up a paintbrush than playing football or competition dancing.

In reality, a professional dancer’s body serves as visible proof of such rigor: thick calluses that build on the soles of the feet from dancing without shoes, an incredibly muscled physique from hours of repetitive training and nearly inescapable knee injuries that develop from overuse of the external rotators.

The purpose of this argument is not to split hairs, but to define dance in such a way that it can be fully appreciated. In Glenview, ballet is an activity for young girls dressed head to toe in pale pink who quickly outgrow their tutus. In suburban areas like our own, almost every young boy participates in sports like football, basketball, hockey or soccer, but few parents enroll their son in ballet.

There is a certain delicate, effeminate stereotype that clings to dance and dissuades fathers from buying their sons their first pair of tights. However, being exposed to dance from a young age instills a love of movement, appreciation for aesthetics and a headstrong confidence while performing in front of an audience. If dance was considered athletic enough to be defined as a sport, there might be stadiums filled with people coming to see the ballet, and thus the values dance offers would enrich a larger society instead of merely a small niche.

Every year as I sit and watch the fall sports assembly, I am surprised by a couple of the groups that get included into the preview video.

Among these are Marching Band, De La Cru, and Poms (and the concession stands, but I don’t think I need to get into that). Personally, I am thankful that these videos are included because I enjoy sitting in the padded chairs of the auditorium and watching the fine productions of our TV department; however, I would like to take the time to remind people that these activities, particularly dancing, are not sports.

To me, there are three characteristics that every sport possesses. By explaining these three characteristics I think I can clear up why dancing and some other disputable activities just don’t fit my definition of a sport.

First off, a sport inherently involves athletic ability. This is where I declare that marching band is not a sport (despite that they receive a PE exemption, which I know you all love). Walking around for two hours does indeed burn calories; I know this because just like everyone else in the world, I do it everyday (though admittedly I probably could not do it in as organized a fashion as you).

Dancing, however, passes this one. Every time I see Poms or De La Cru perform, I am extremely impressed by their flexibility and coordination. Dancers clearly have to go through strenuous practices to be able to pull off those performances. But that’s just what dancing is, a performance, not a sport.

Dancing does not fit the second requirement of all sports, which is that a sport involves two or more teams/individuals competing against each AESTHETIC ATHLETICS: other. Now, I The debate over whether or not dancing is know dance a sport may never be put to rest. However, in competitions exist, but order to help establish dance as a professional sport, Gatorade recently began marketing these competitions do the winning dancer of So You Think You Can not qualify dance as a Dance as a dancer-athlete. Photos from totallysport. coolpix.com (top) and ephotozine.com These competitions (bottom) involve multiple teams taking their turns performing their dance; one team does their rendition of a high-tempo mash up of the currently most played pop songs, and then the next team does theirs. Never are two teams performing directly against each other (unless there is an improvisational dance-off part of the competition that I am unaware of, in which case dancing would be a sport and a really cool one, too).

Because two teams are never competing directly against each other, there are no variables except yourself, your teammates, and maybe the ground.

Although dancing may require more athletic ability than badminton, something that badminton players understand that dancers will never understand is what it feels like to be in direct competition with someone else, to have someone else’s performance affect your own.

The final quality of every sport is an objective grading system; when people play a sport, everyone watching knows who won.

Now, I am sure dancing does have some complex grading system, but in the absence of direct competition, some opinions of the judges must seep into the grading process.

This is where it moves away from sport and into the realm of a performing art.

So, from reviewing my list of three rules, I can say that dancing passes only one of three characteristics and therefore can be considered an athletic activity, an art, even a competition, but not a sport. I think that if I was a dancer (and trust me, I don’t have what it takes to be a dancer), I’d be fine with my activity not being called a sport. Performing art sounds cooler anyway.

8

reviews

Feb. 1, 2013

Zero Dark Thirty reveals depth behind Bin Laden manhunt Emma Sailer

co-opinions editor For Kathryn Bigelow, the director of Zero Dark Thirty, the task at hand was familiar. For the leading lady Jessica Chastain, it was a whole new endeavor considering the gravity of the project. Nonetheless, they both succeeded.

Nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, this historical drama is the brainchild of Bigelow and Mark Boal. Zero Dark Thirty is “the story of history’s greatest manhunt for the world’s most dangerous man,” or at least that’s what its creators are coining it. And truly, it is the dramatization of the investigation to find Osama Bin Laden after Sept.

11, 2001.

The movie focuses in on CIA agent Maya (Chastain) who, recruited right out of high school, feels it is her destiny to find and kill Bin Laden following the death of her CIA friends.

The 35-year-old actress entered the cinema game late, making her film debut in 2008’s Jolene and then starring in seven major motion pictures in 2011.

Her most notable role prior to Zero Dark Thirty was in 2011’s The Help for which she received an Academy Award and Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress. In The Help, Chastain plays bubbly southern belle Celia Foote, whose highest aspirations include marrying a rich southern gent and having lots of babies.

I was expecting to look up at the screen and see Celia Foote, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. Chastain completely immersed herself in the role of Maya and she had me believing it from the first second. Maya’s fiery personality and liking for the ‘F-word’ made the character one of my all time favorites. She is nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress and has already won the Golden Globe under the same category.

Unlike Chastain, Bigelow was not personally nominat-

ed by the Academy.

Bigelow impressed viewers everywhere with 2009’s The Hurt Locker, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Director, becoming the first woman to win the award and inching out her ex-husband James Cameron for his work on Avatar.

Many feel Bigelow’s lack of a nomination is a snub because of all the controversy surrounding the movie’s content. According to BBC News, Bigelow herself admitted the controversy involved may have been the reason she was left out.

Zero Dark Thirty is a very similiar project to The Hurt Locker, taking place in the Middle East and tackling the complexities of the “War on Terror”, while primarily featuring military and government personnel. Although the film focuses in on Maya and exposes some of her internal struggle, it lacks the same depth that The Hurt Locker possessed, most likely because Zero Dark Thirty was clearly a bigger project with a closer look behind the desks of CIA operatives as a result of the diplomatic aspects.

Despite the fact that I as well as everyone else in the audience knew the ending, I found myself on the edge of my seat the entire time and sometimes jumping out of it. Bigelow’s work developed so much suspense as the story unfolded and the agents zeroed in on their target.

The relentless pursuit by Maya becomes the driving force in the story.

Another key performance was by Friday Night Lights star Kyle Chandler who also appeared in Oscar-nominee Argo. Chandler plays a CIA Station Chief whom Maya works directly under. Their relationship of consistently bumping heads was a very enjoyable part of the film.

Also worth noting is the work of Boal, writer and coproducer of Zero Dark Thirty. Boal also wrote the screenplay for The Hurt Locker, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Writing (Original Screenplay) and is,

From a viewer’s pointof-view, the film seemed honest and the torture and bombing scenes just added to my emotional response to the movie.

Other responses to Zero Dark Thirty...

“I’m glad [Kathryn Bigelow directed] principally because she brings something to a difficult, incendiary story that another director – a male director – would not, perhaps could not, have done.”

-Anthony Quinn of The Independent “The last third of the movie, the SEAL mission itself, may be the best depiction of modern warfare on the screen.”

-Peter Keough of The Phoenix “I can't say I particularly liked watching Zero Dark Thirty. Though visually interesting (and very orange tonally) and scored quietly by a favorite composer of mine, Alexandre Desplat, there was nothing that gripped me emotionally.”

-Rachel wilson of PolicyMic “But by and large, Zero Dark Thirty dispenses with sentimentality and speculation, portraying the final mission not with triumphalist zeal or rank emotionalism but with a reserved, even mournful sense of ambivalence.”

-Ann Hornaday of the washington post

not surprisingly, nominated again. Boal has taken much of the heat surrounding the film’s controversial plot.

The press and politicians have been questioning the apparently pro-torture stance it takes as well as where Boal and others received their classified information. The film has even prompted a Senate inquiry. From a viewer’s point-of-view, the film seemed honest, and the torture and bombing scenes just added to my emotional response to the movie. Torture did result in information that helped lead them to Bin Laden, but ironically one of the more successful interrogations happened because the agents tricked an informant into giving them information by treating him with kindness.

Despite the film’s late premiere, (it was pushed back three months because Obama opponents felt the success of the mission advertised him), and to no surprise on my part, Zero Dark Thirty has greatly succeeded at the box office, grossing just under $25 million combined during its two staggered opening weekends.

The film’s real worth is the thought it provokes from viewers as they question whether the entire ten-year investigation was really all worth it. The film majorly depicts the effort put in and lengths taken to find a single man. That’s not to say it wasn’t worth it, but the film educates Americans about the endeavor and shows that killing Bin Laden wasn’t just a single mission. It was a decade of time spent and lives lost to find him and kill him.

US citizens paraded through the streets and chanted “U-S-A!” on May 2, 2011 when Bin Laden’s death was officially announced. Yet at the end of Zero Dark Thirty, when Bin Laden’s death unfolded, no one in the theater clapped or even uttered a word.

GIRL ON FIRE: Nominated for

the Academy Award for Best Actress, Jessica Chastain plays a CIA agent in Kathryn Bigelow’s newest war drama Zero Dark Thirty. The film is a historical dramatization of the decade long search for Osama Bin Laden, the leader of the terrorist group al-Qaeda. Photo from collider.com

reviews

9

Feb. 1, 2013

Vanderpump Rules: newest reality TV addiction sure to please Bailey Monte

co-opinions editor

Beautiful people, love, sex, deceit, betrayal, money and without a doubt, drama. These are the things that instantly draw me to any reality TV show. Whether I stick around is always up in the air. But I am confident in saying that no show (think Laguna Beach) has come close to containing all of the above for a very long time, or maybe ever. That was until Vanderpump Rules premiered a little over a month ago on Bravo.

I’ll admit I was hesitant to write a review about a reality TV show. But let’s face it: reality TV has become a dominating aspect of pop culture.

When it’s done right, it’s an addiction you gladly welcome and become fairly invested in.

Vanderpump Rules is a spinoff of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, which I also love, but if you aren’t a fan, don’t stop reading. Lisa Vanderpump, a fabulously wealthy British housewife J on the show, owns two restaurants in A Los Angeles. Villa Blanca is where “you take your wife,” and Sur is where “you X take your mistress.”

Sur is located in West Hollywood and was just begging to be the center stage for a reality TV show. The staff members are young, attractive, aspiring actors and models, as is common in Los Angeles. And they are all pretty much living together, dating each other, having sex with each other, hating each other or experiencing some combination of those things.

The producers hit a jackpot with this one. I can only see the show growing in popularity and blowing up as some less-deserving ones have done in the past (I’m looking at you, Lauren Conrad). Not only am I fairly confident in saying Vanderpump Rules is unscripted, as is detectable by one who is familiar with reality TV (there are none of those awkward one liners MTV is famous for), but it also doesn’t need to be.

The cast is full of such dynamic, impulsive and reckless young people that there is no need to fabricate any drama.

Lisa Vanderpump runs Sur and often describes herself as a “glorified babysitter” for her often immature and dramatic staff.

Stassi is the lead female cast

member. If you’re a girl, you probably don’t like her and she most likely does not like you. If you’re a guy, you most likely want her. If you’re her boyfriend, you most likely wish you knew how to not want her. She is beautiful, blunt, confrontational, spoiled and could be mistaken for a witch with a “b,” but I was not so easily turned off to her as some others might have been.

She is incredibly entertaining but not to a point where I was led to believe she’s crazy, which she’s been called on and off the show. I admire her tell-it-like-it-is attitude.

Jax is an actor, model and bartender at Sur, and nine years older than Stassi, making him 32. He faces the classic “Peter Pan Syndrome” that many Los Angeles men face. He refuses to grow up.

Stassi and Jax have been dating for two years and the couple could best be described as a hot mess. They passionately love and then hate each other. A great deal of drama on the show surrounds their tumultuous relationship, one that is easy to become invested in even as a viewer (but maybe that’s just me).

Scheana is new at Sur, and Stassi does everything in her power to make her feel unwelcome. Dubbing her the “home-wrecking whore,” Stassi acknowledges the fact that Scheana was one of actor Eddie Cibrian’s mistresses before he finally left his wife and Real Housewife, Brandi Glanville, for famous singer Leann Rimes. Resembling a dark haired, bug-eyed version of Britney Spears, she is nice enough, but I found her to be on the trashy side.

The remaining prominent cast members are Stassi’s two identical minions, Katie and Kristen, who are dating Jax’s best friends, Tom and other Tom, all of whom are actor/models trying to make it. They only fuel the drama on the show...KrisK ten could use some dental work...

R Tom shaves his forehead. For now, that’s all that is really worth disI cussing.

If it wasn’t obvious enough beS fore, I love this show, in a bad way.

T I am hooked. And it is definitely E not just for girls, either. Reality TV has that potentially addicN tive quality for anybody. It presents a rare opportunity to follow someone else’s dramatic life and experience a storyline that is more or less (more, in this case) real. These people are some of the most entertaining people on television right now.

Vanderpump Rules capitalizes on a beautiful restaurant in a beautiful place in a big way. I just hope the future episodes are as strong as the first few. If you haven’t started watching, you should start now.

MEET THE CAST KATIE

TOM

LISA

S T A S S I

S C H E A N A

STAFF-TURNED-STARS: Dripping with drama, the newest set of reality TV stars, the staff of the Hollywood restaurant, Sur, pose. Vanderpump Rules airs on Mondays on Bravo at 8 p.m. CST time.

Photo courtesy of nydailynews.com

Green Day disappoints with newest attempt at reclaiming glory Will Gould

music critic Between September and December of 2012, Green Day released three full-length albums entitled ¡Uno!, ¡Dos! and ¡Tre!.

Green Day intended these albums to be a return to their former blaze of glory, even boldly stating that the trilogy would be a throwback to the Dookie era. I was wholly disappointed. While this trilogy is not a rock-opera like their past two albums, it strays as far from their classic California punk sound as I have heard.

The first single on ¡Uno!, “Oh Love” was released in July. Falling under the category of arena rock, I had high hopes.

Even though it quickly became clear that we would not get another punk staple, this single was on par with “American Idiot” and “21st Century Breakdown.”

Clearly, I spoke too soon, as this single was not representative of the

whole album. In their next single released, “Kill the DJ,” an attempted tongue-incheek stab at the up-and-coming rave culture, Green Day only succeeded in making themselves look childish. Their cool swear words and “too hip for dubstep” attitude made me want to turn on a Diplo and Friends mix and flush the shame out of my ears. This one will be a big hit with Hot Topic cavemen.

In its entirety, ¡Uno! is hit-or-miss. The good songs like “Nuclear Family” and “Stay the Night” are fresh and memorable, but it is rife with songs that made me green in the face, like “Kill the DJ” and “Carpe Diem.”

Looking down the track listing for ¡Dos!, I dreaded having to actually listen to the album.

If the quality of music was anything like the quality of titles, which included “F*** Time,” “Makeout Party,” and “Lady Cobra,” I could tell I was in for

a long 39 minutes.

Fortunately, my judgment was incorrect. The music itself is decent, but the lyrics remind me of something that I would have written in eighth grade. When Billie Joe Armstrong croons, “Hey you got yourself a pretty little mouth/I think I wanna rub it the wrong way,” it becomes clear that he used the last of his clever subtleties in 2008.

After these two relative disappointments, ¡Tre! swooped in and saved the day. The first single, “X-Kid,” would fit in on Fall Out Boy’s From Under the Cork Tree, and the rest of the album feels like Green Day’s Warning. “A Little Boy Named Train” and “Dirt Rotten B***ards” showcase this well, as they are catchy without being gimmicky. Simple, fun and sarcastic, this album shows that Green Day doesn’t need to try for a radio hit to be good. Needless to say, this was

a breath of fresh air after the first twothirds of the trilogy.

“The Forgotten” was released as a single for The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2, which is a new low for Green Day, but they probably got paid a lot of money for that, so I guess I’ll let it go. Surrounded by the likes of Passion Pit and Ellie Goulding, their track fits in well with the rest of this ”sparkling” soundtrack.

Over all, this trilogy is not what I was led to believe it would be. Rather than a trip to the good ole’ days of 1994, Green Day is continuing down their path towards radio pop. These albums were certainly not the kind of Dookie I was looking for. They conclude on a high note with ¡Tre!, but that is not enough to save the trilogy.

10

features

Feb. 1, 2013

Calliope allows students to share writing, art with peers Marlye Jerva

staff reporter “The ‘earth’ without ‘art’ is just ‘eh.’”

This is one slogan Calliope uses to attract South writers and readers.

“Calliope is a literary magazine, and yet it’s more an art magazine because we do not only publish poetry and short fiction, but we do photography and art,” Calliope co-advisor Cheryl Hope said. “[Unfortunately], we’re limited by color and to what we can do with art because we can’t afford too many colored pages.”

According to Calliope’s co-advisor Sonja Meyer, the magazine publishes about twice a year: a Halloween edition and a springtime edition. Each issue has around 25 to 35 pages of student work.

Calliope is a student-run club and magazine that has been at South for more than 20 years.

“Calliope has changed a lot over the years,” Hope said. “It used to be a group that met at lunch, and they would produce a magazine, not as glossy and nice as [the one we publish today]. It was [similar to] an underground magazine for a while, and then they realized that wasn’t what they wanted. What it is now is truly a traditional literary [and] art magazine.”

According to Meyer, Calliope allows students to express themselves through their writing, photography and illustrations.

“I don’t think there is any other publication here at GBS that really looks in as obvious a way for student creativity because we take anything that [students] have written, [drawn or photographed],” Meyer said. “It’s a place for students to just show what they like

doing or are good at doing that maybe people at school don’t even know about.”

Meyer is not the only one who thinks Calliope is different from other publications.

Senior Bobi Kukov enjoys reading Calliope, particularly because it is a student publication.

“I think Calliope offers a great variety of written works from a wide variety of students and that allows me to read things that someone my age wrote, which I think is pretty cool,” Kukov said.

Senior co-editor Leah Perri explained the staff’s passion for writing.

“Our staff members this year are dedicated, hardworking and passionate about writing and reading, which is exactly what we were hoping for [when senior Caroline Chalk and I decided to be the editors],” Perri said.

According to Hope, the club always has fun working together.

“We always have food, and we talk at the beginning of the meeting; [we also] spent a lot of time designing the t-shirt,” Hope said.

Perri has similar thoughts about the overall aura of the magazine.

“The mood of an average Calliope meeting is laid back, yet task-driven,” Perri said. “My co-editor and I have specific goals to accomplish each meeting, but we also allow time to talk and relax with our staff as friends.”

Chalk and the rest of Calliope outlined several objectives for the group to execute throughout the year.

“Our [main] goal this year has been to make students more aware of Calliope, especially since there are so many [talented] writers at this school,” Chalk said.

Illustration from the cover of Calliope by Ola Czyzewski

Oakton Community College offers opportunity for local adults, students Danielle Tuchman

staff reporter South’s Oakton Community College (OCC) Room is found on the second floor of the Old Pit. The room serves as a satellite office of OCC, where local adults can register for various classes.

Rhonda Lukas, the “Alliance for Lifelong Learning”

program assistant, registers adults for education continuation classes.

“The purpose of the on-site office is for the registration convenience of the parents or guardians and other family members of South students and District 225 residents,” Lukas said. “The most popular classes are Retirement Planning, Family Caregiving, English as a Second Language, Ballroom Dancing and Belly Dancing.”

Some South students, including freshman Jeremy Joseph, junior Joris Powathil and senior Anson Vadukumcherry have all opted to attend extra classes at the actual OCC campus in Des Plaines.

According to Powathil, he’s been taking classes at OCC since the end of his sophomore year. Powathil devotes himself to these 75-minute classes two evenings a week. He originally started taking Psychology, Chemistry and Nutrition, as he was motivated to do so by his brother.

“After his first year of college, he dropped out, and after that he made it his life goal to not have me make the same mistake,” Powathil said.

“He wants the best for me. This way I get a head start on what I want to learn in college, how I want to learn it and if I want to learn that specific subject again in the future.”

According to Vadukumcherry, he started attending evening Biology and Chemistry classes junior year but for a different reason than Powathil.

“My parents moved back to their home country, India, because they weren’t doing so well, and I have to go to college there most likely,” Vadukumcherry said. “I asked what requirements I needed, and they told me I needed Chemistry, Biology and Physics. So, I took Biology and Chemistry at Oakton and took Physics at South as a twosemester course.”

Joseph also plans to take science classes at OCC. “I want to get a better education, learn more and expand my knowledge,” Joseph said. “I’m hoping to get ba-

sic information about science because that’s what I want to pursue as my major.”

Powathil said it’s a struggle to balance early bird gym and extracurriculars like BPA Club and track with the extra classes he is taking at the OCC. “Doing all of these things along with OCC, it’s a lot to handle, but I think that, at the end of the day, it’s worth it,” Powathil said.

Since anyone can sign up for these additional classes, Powathil and Vadukumcherry both found that students at OCC range in age from 18 to 72.

According to Powathil, it was at first intimidating to come into the classroom and see people much older than he. Powathil noted that these older students were not coming to pursue a career but were instead pursuing something that they loved to learn about.

Vadukumcherry sees differences between classes at South and at OCC. “The classes at South are definitely harder, although the teachers at the OCC don’t teach as much,” Vadukumcherry said. “If you’re not sure what you want to do in your future, go [to OCC]. It shows you the opportunities that you have.”

According to Joseph, he suspects that the atmosphere at OCC will be competitive.

“Being a top student in the class might be difficult for me when I am going up against 30-year-olds,” Joseph said.

Math teacher Janez Arko also teaches part-time at OCC. He has been teaching mathematics there part-time for about 20 years, typically at night.

“At South, it is more lively because the kids are much younger,” Arko said. “It’s different at the OCC. If I want to get a question answered, I have to pry it out of them.”

As a student who has been taking classes at OCC, Powathil recommends these classes to others.

“If people want to get a head start on what they want to do and learn in life, I suggest you do it,” Powathil said.

“If you’re not sure what you want to do in the future, go [to OCC]. It shows you the opportunities you have.”

-Junior Joris Powathil

LIFELONG LEARNING: The Oakton Community College (OCC)

Room at South allows for local residents to conveniently register for classes on the college’s campus. Several South students also take classes at OCC, while Math teacher Janez Arko teaches mathematics there part time. Photo by Jacqueline DeWitt

features

11

Feb. 1, 2013

South reflects on safety procedures after Sandy Hook shooting

photo from abcnews.go.com

Grace Abiera & Addie Lyon

staff reporters After the devastating loss at Sandy Hook Elementary School, curiosity and concern rise in the hearts of families of the Glenview community. However, many of the safety procedures in place at South go unnoticed to the student body. The faculty has consciously made an effort to preserve South’s environment from atrocity.

According to Ronald Bean, dean and assistant principal, it is important to reevaluate the school plan based on the tragedy to see if there is anything the administration is missing.

“We try and make sure that we are being as proactive as we can be to make [our school] the safest place it can be,” Bean said.

Principal Brian Wegley explained that at the start of the school year, the district decided to update all the safety procedures. “[South safety] is constantly on the [administration’s] mind, even before the Sandy Hook incident,” Wegley said.

Wegley believes this is why cautionary procedures like signing in and out of school, as well as fire, tornado and lockdown drills, are in place and taken very seriously.

Paraprofessional Catherine Furse explained some of the changes South made to their security at the beginning of the year.

“One major change we made up here in the front office is when visitors come into the building, [...] we have a system called Rapterware, and the visitor needs to provide me with either a driver’s license or a state ID card

photo from becksbooks.com

from any state in the country,” Furse said.

According to Furse, the program then displays the visitor’s information on the screen. Rapterware then puts this information into a database that is able to identify if the person is a convicted sex offender or pedophile.

“If it is someone that’s not supposed to be in the building, I would hit ‘yes’, [...] and it would automatically call the school policeman and the deans to come in and take them into an office to further question him or her,” Furse said.

According to Wegley, many of the tragedies our nation has experienced point to individuals not taking the time to pay attention to warning signs. To prevent this from happening at South, there are clear resources and help in the building that students who are struggling can go to for guidance.

According to social worker David Hartman, there are seven social workers and four psychologists working with the students at South.

Wegley also mentioned the Titan Concern Hotline, which is a link on the GBS website that includes a phone number and space to post anonymous concerns for any student or faculty member within the school.

“If you have a concern with someone who is feeling down and may harm themselves, you’re letting somebody know who can help,” Wegley said. “This can be anywhere from an eating disorder to someone who is planning to cause harm.”

Bean echoed Wegley’s belief that faculty play an important role in students’ lives.

“Every day, we try and listen to our kids and talk to our kids and hope that we have those kinds of relationships that if our students are concerned about something, that there’s at least one adult in this building that they can go to and share their concerns to,” Bean said.

Wegley also points out that clubs such as Erika’s Lighthouse are effective tools to help break the stigma of seeking help and openly talking about depression and other issues.

“You are going to have times in your life where you are up and you’re down, and when you’re down and stay down you need to seek help to get you back up,” Wegley said. “This is not a sign of weakness or anything other than you needing to find someone who has the expertise to help you.”

According to Wegley, on the GBS website there are also links to information about many helpful facilities that are available in the Glenview area.

“We regularly meet with these agencies [regarding social work services] to make sure there are really strong connections between us and them,” Wegley said.

Wegley is also confident that the teams of individuals at South who constantly work to try and help students and staff who are struggling will remain open and connected to anyone who seeks their help.

“If we have the trust between the school and the students, we are going to be safe,” Wegley said.

Anonymous tips or concerns can be reported by calling the Titan Concern Hotline: 847-486-4949.

“We try and make sure that we are being as proactive as we can be to make [our school] the safest place it can be.”

-Dean Ronald Bean

12 Students experience benefits, Maggie Engels & Calli Haramaras

staff reporters Nowadays, teenagers may consider a relationship to consist of texting or having a “thing.” But what happens when a thing turns into a relationship?

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, many couples involved in long-term relationships reflect on what it means to be in a relationship.

Junior Danny Legittino feels that being in a relationship through high school gives him the opportunity to share the ups and downs of his high school career with someone special.

“I like it,” Legittino said. “You have someone to go through the stresses with.”

Senior Erika Eiseland, who has been in a relationship for more than a year, also feels that being in a relationship as a high school student presents opportunity.

“You get to [be involved] in a lot of high school experiences together, like going to dances,” Eiseland said. “You kind of grow up together.”

But school dances aren’t the only thing that high school students in relationships have to look forward to. According to Legittino, being in a relationship means always having support.

Singles discuss Olivia Day & Hailey Hauldren

staff reporters

phic Gra s by nR Eva r

e icht

Valentine’s Day is often associated with flowers, love and overly-affectionate couples.

Despite the couple-oriented aura, singles have a lot to say about the holiday and find ways to celebrate it in their own way.

Valentine’s Day is a holiday that junior Nick Moses believes has turned into a product of marketing.

“I don’t really like [Valentine’s Day] because I feel like [love] is one of the last remnants of the non-material world that is still a part of our everyday lives, and then we turn it into this holiday where you have to buy gifts for people,” Moses said. “It just kind of materializes love, and I don’t really like that, so I think its just a way for card companies to make money.”

Like Moses, sophomore Ellie Britton also questions the validity of the holiday, especially for high school couples.

“In high school, everyone is really obvious about their Valentine’s Day plans, and you’ll see people walking around school with huge teddy bears and chocolates,” Britton said.

“I feel like when you’re an adult, it’s more of a private, intimate experience with your significant other.”

According to Moses, Valentine’s Day puts unnecessary pressure on single people, making them feel bad that they are not in a relationship on that one day of the

year.

Junior Becky Holt recognizes that Valentine’s Day also puts pressure on people in relationships. “[Valentine’s Day] puts a lot of pressure on people in relationships because they feel they have to go the extra mile to get special and extravagant gifts for their significant other, when there should be no specific day to do that,” Holt said.

13 drawbacks of long-term relationships “I always have someone to go to, someone to talk to, and you can always talk to a best friend, but a best friend can’t hug you and tell you it’ll be okay,” Legittino said. “To have someone like that, it’s nice.”

According to Legittino, being in a different grade than his girlfriend presents a challenge when it comes to being in a relationship.

“We have different friends so when we go to parties, events [...] there’s always going to be [times when you feel you are] missing out on being single,” Legittino said. “But then when you’re with that person you remember why it’s so important to be in a relationship.”

Senior Conor Heneghan also feels that he has faced challenges in his relationship. “[We have confronted stereotypes because] of the fact that we are an interracial couple,” Heneghan said.

Although there are struggles involved in being in a long-term relationship as a high school student, junior Jacob Kidd feels that it is worth making it work.

“It really depends on the person and the couple,” Kidd said. “If they really have the dedication and truly like and love the other person they will make that relationship work, but if they don’t, it won’t last more than maybe two months.”

Though relationships in high school can be difficult to maintain, Eiseland supports them.

“Being in a long-term relationship is tough, but at the same time, there are a lot more benefits than negative parts to it,” Eiseland said.

14

merit, meaning of Valentine’s Day

s n a l p ’ s e l p u o c : South y a D s ’ e n i t n e l a for V ark

Though skepticism surrounding this day of love exists, according to an Oracle-conducted survey of 100 students, 65 percent feel that Valentine’s Day is a legitimate holiday.

Junior Ciosa DiStasio relates Valentine’s Day to other holidays with similar purposes.

“I think [Valentine’s Day] is like Mother’s Day or Father’s Day; it’s a day to honor those we love and cherish,” DiStasio said.

According to Holt, it can be an ego-boost to be single on Valentine’s Day. “I don’t have to go out and feel the pressure to buy someone something,” Holt said. “If I feel like it, I can go buy it for myself because who can treat me better than myself?”

According to junior Katerina Economou, Valentine’s Day can still be fun if you’re single. Many single students at South celebrate the holiday despite its romantic connotation.

Senior Olivia Rowe said,“I like making chocolate treats and giving them to my friends and family.”

Junior Steven Ziegler celebrates Valentine’s Day with South’s Singer/Dancers. r n O’Conno “I’m in Singer/Dancers, so [the guys] buy carand Morga roline Berg Ca by d te nations for the girls,” Ziegler said. iews conduc from interv n obtained Junior Ally Nathan reaps the full benefits of Informatio Valentine’s Day. “I watch love movies and I’m forever alone, so I’ll be by myself preparing for a great sale on chocolates [February 15],” Nathan said.

Valentine’s Day is a big day for starting relationships, according to junior Chris Baylaender.

“I know a lot of single people use [Valentine’s Day] as a day to ask someone out,” Baylaender said.

Though commonly associated with romance, senior Gabbie Hill believes Valentine’s Day can be celebrated whether someone is in a relationship or not.

“Love is the only universal language,” Hill said. “It can be spoken to all.”

P

lenium l i M n i e t ska

go

wer o T s i l l i W to top of m

netariu a l P r e l d visit A ovie

ym see a funn

kies

oo decorate c

Illustration

kagi

by Ellen Ta

14

features

Feb. 1, 2013

Students learn value of giving back through hair donations Danielle Tuchman

staff reporter

Junior Taylor Thomas

Senior John Basak

“Every little girl wants long hair like Rapunzel,” freshman Grace Moran said.

According to Moran, beautiful hair is a dream of many girls, especially those who are denied it by a life-threatening illness.

The non-profit organization Locks of Love uses hair donations to make wigs for sick children who suffer from hair loss due to chemotherapy, severe burns, genetic conditions or a disease called alopecia areata.

Over the past few years, many South students have donated their hair to this cause.

“I first got it cut [...] in kindergarten,” freshman Miranda DeBow said. “I remember thinking even at the small age of five, ‘I definitely want to help other kids in need,’ wondering at the time why others didn’t have hair like I did.”

According to junior Taylor Thomas, the whole process is organized into sections.

The salon dries the hair out, cuts it, wraps it in tinfoil and places it in a envelope to be mailed to processing plants in Florida for wig manufacturing.

“When I originally went into the salon, I kept thinking, ‘It’s just hair. It can be grown out again,’” Thomas said. “Afterwards, I was just in shock that it was all just gone.”

According to freshman Sarah Westerfield, going back to get it cut in fourth and

sixth grade was very rewarding, even at such a young age.

“You feel good inside knowing that the hair isn’t just going in the garbage, but that it’s going to someone in need of it,” Westerfield said.

South students often cut their hair to support loved ones who have suffered from these disorders. This is the case for Moran.

“When I was younger, my mom’s friend was diagnosed with breast cancer,” Moran said. “[My mom] told me that she had lost all her hair and femininity. Ever since [that conversation], I have wanted to donate my hair and give back.”

According to senior John Basak, he was known as “the guy with the ponytail” by his classmates. Basak recently donated his hair, which had been growing out since sophomore year.

“I’m going into either the Air Force Academy or the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps,” Basak said. “I figured I had to cut it there to maintain the same standards as airmen.”

The hair is ultimately made into wigs, and senior Molly Cunningham, who is going back to donate her hair for the second time in a few weeks, believes that these prosthetics can truly make a difference in a child’s life.

“It probably makes the reality of their life a lot easier to deal with,” Cunningham said.

“They might not wear the wig all the time, but when they do, they at least look normal.

They may not feel normal, but it’s definitely a step forward for them.”

“You feel good inside knowing that the hair isn’t just going in the garbage, but that it’s going to someone in need of it.”

-Freshman Sarah Westerfield

Blank books fill South hallways with legacy of love, hope, happiness Grace Abiera & Morgan O’Connor

staff reporters Each human being experiences different emotions. South students and faculty have further explored the meanings of these attributes and discovered that they can be seen in several different ways.

For Issues and Answers class taught

by Dan Zapler, social studies teacher, South alumnus Patricia Ayad created a book in which students wrote their perception of love and left it with Zapler to pass to future students.

According to Zapler, the “Love Book” began to inspire other students to create books with other concepts, such as hope and happiness, that are being passed around the school today.

“These books represent the perfect teaching moment,” Zapler said.

“When you have an idea and a student takes it and adds on to it.”

South alumnus Ryan Kuramitsu said that he created his own Love Book because he believes love should not be confined to only one book.

“Love isn’t solitary; you can’t love alone, that’s literally just selfishness or loneliness,” Kuramitsu said. “Love is a group activity. It should spread.”

Kuramitsu believes the Love Book is a great example of how similar humans actually are in regards to their

wants and needs.

“There’s a lot of beauty written into its pages, but there is also a lot of brokenness and pain there,” Kuramitsu said. “But it’s real, and that’s why people have latched onto it; it’s alive.”

Senior Katharine Battaglia fell in love with the Love Book for the same reason, so she decided to keep the legacy alive.

“I was really interested in not only how people perceive love, but hope as well,” Battaglia said.

“In my experience, people who wrote in the Love Book want others to experience defining love because they have found a lot of joy in doing it for themselves and because of this I decided to start my own book focused on hope.”

Battaglia described the “Hope Book” as how people identify hope in their lives.

“Whether [the entry] is written, drawn or in the form of poetry, the Hope Book allows people who want their personal story to be heard to have an outlet and a place to document their experience,” Battaglia said.

Battaglia believes that people who fill in an entry usually flip through the already filled-out

“I enjoy seeing others happy, and this book is my way of letting others express their happiness with me.”

-Senior Nigel Howard

pages and read others’ stories of hope. “ W h e n someone reads through the passages in the book and decides to journal, not only are they adding a new perspective to the book, but also receiving a ton of new in- DEFINITION OF HOPE: In senior Katharine Battaglia’s Hope Book, sight,” Batta- freshman Jack Pabich writes in his own entry. This book allows people to write in their own definitions of hope. Photo by Tommy Hagerty glia said. why it’s important.

According to Battaglia, “Recently, with college being big in if you have hope, no matter how dismal your situation may seem, my life, I kept finding that no matter what I did in life I wanted to be hapyou feel relief.

“Usually, what brings you hope py,” Howard said. “I realized I knew isn’t you, it’s something [...] or nothing about happiness as a subject someone else in your life,” Batta- and just that there are times I have felt it, so I created this book to learn more glia said.

Battaglia was the first one to about it.”

Despite the fact that eight or nine write in senior Nigel Howard’s “Happiness Book”. She believes entries have been documented, Howhope has a direct correlation to ard admits that he still does not exactly know how to define happiness. happiness.

“How you can get happiness out of “I think hope is the opposite of despair and just knowing that life itself is my question that I want to there is always something more answer through this,” Howard said.

According to Howard, the Happiand something bigger than you makes you happier,” Battaglia ness Book allows him to connect with others about his ideas. said.

“I want to be happy, and I enjoy seeAccording to Howard, the Happiness Book is a book with many ing others happy, and this book is my authors’ ideas about what happi- way of letting others express their hapness is, where it can be found and piness with me,” Howard said.

features

15

Feb. 1, 2013

Human trafficking convention spurs awareness, involvement Shea Anthony & Elisa Kim

asst. features editors On Nov. 29, 2012, Alex Campbell was sentenced to a life in prison for human trafficking. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, he was charged for harboring four illegal immigrant women and forcing them to act as sex slaves on his behalf. He took away their visas and used blackmail to get them to comply with him. Campbell did not pay these girls and barely provided them with the bare necessities. This man was from Glenview, Illinois - a staggering fact that demonstrates how human trafficking exists on a much larger scale than most are aware of.

Senior KK Kuramitsu PROACTIVE PAIR: At a human trafficking convention held in California Nov. attended a convention on 1-2, a camera captured smiling siblings KK and Ryan Kuramitsu. The convenctor of Freehuman trafficking on Nov. Batstone, dire tion was sponsored by “Not for Sale,” an organization that fights human trafleaders Ethan t a picture at a en r Ev fo : se M A po 1-2 in Sunnyvale, CaliTRAVELING TE , official eMCee of Free2Play, ov. 1-2. Free2Play ficking and modern-day slavery globally. Photo courtesy of KK Kuramitsu iS ornia N fornia. Her brother Ryan 2Play, and Nom n held in Calif the word ing conventio s on spreading se cu fo Kuramitsu, a South gradat th human traffick ” u le Sa r fo ot y of KK Kurmits “N n of try. Photo courtes un is an extensio co uate and a sophomore at the University what was going on with that, but also of- world. e th ss ro ac n-day slavery against moder of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and his fered solutions and ways to fix it or try to Accordthree friends attended the convention as help the situation,” KK said. “[...] It en- ing to Brett well. According to KK, it was sponsored courages you to be proactive.”

Tucker, a approved stores, which are stores by an organization called “Not for Sale,” KK learned from the conference that friend of Ryan’s and an attendee of the where the workers have rights and the whose goal is to end human trafficking. in the next few years or so, human traf- convention, the people who came to the working environment is clean and free “What I liked about the conference was ficking will surpass drug trafficking as convention ranged from middle-aged from issues like child labor. that it told you about human trafficking, the biggest organization endeavor in the Americans to college students and young One of the most important lessons adults.

Tucker took away from the conference Different speakers spoke on stage, and was the humanitarian side of human trafthere were booths where people interact- ficking. ed with those speakers by asking one-on“I learned about how ordinary people one questions. can reach out in love and begin to restore “Personally, I really connected with the hope,” Tucker said. “We can do it every documentary filmmaker, [Mimi Chakaro- day, in the choices we make and ways we va],” KK said. “[...] She did a documen- think about people. With our lives, we can tary called ‘The Price of Sex’ a few years bring redemption to others. Biggest takeago, and it’s being shown all over the away: Slavery is [...] a multi-faceted issue world. That was really interesting because that sparks a lot of debate. But as long as we got to talk to her about it. The stuff she we can all agree that slavery has no place was saying really struck [...] me. The stuff in today’s world, that’s enough to keep us that she went through moving forward.” in order to expose KK, Ryan and his human trafficking, friends are hoping to sexual slavery and make a difference by everything that she getting the word out went through is pretabout human trafty amazing.” ficking. KK is thinkAccording to KK, ing about starting a Chakarova pretendclub about human ed that she was a trafficking awareness prostitute in order at South. She is also to infiltrate the sysconsidering doing a tem and figure out TV or PSA announcehow it operates. She ment at school about wanted the buyer to her experience at the think they were poconference. tentially going to sell Chakarova. KK said “I’ve been trying to tell people [but] it’s that even though Chakarova was not re- hard to get the word out about this, and ally in danger at any point, the fact that you need to have enough people who are it could have happened to her or that it is really committed to it,” KK said. “I don’t happening to millions of women all over think a lot of people are [aware]. “ the world is scary to think about.

According to Tucker, Ryan and the othAs for Tucker, his favorite part of the ers who went on the trip decided to start convention was seeing people unite as an organization on the University of Illione group and fight against human traf- nois campus in hope of raising awareness ficking. about the issue.

“A speaker during one of the sessions “We call ourselves ‘Carry The Fire,’” proclaimed that when it comes to slavery, Tucker said. “Our goal is to ignite a spark ‘The victims can’t walk away, and neither in communities all across campus. Hopewill we,’” Tucker said. “It was during that fully that spark will grow into a burning point that I, along with several others, passion to take a stand on the issue of slavsaw how we had to come together. Peo- ery. From there we plan to offer various ple’s lives were at stake. Unity is more im- avenues that allow students to activate on portant than all we let divide us. Seeing their passion. From conscious consumerthose walls break down was a truly amaz- ism, to micro-lending, to simply changing ing experience.” the way we think about the world around According to Ryan and KK, it is impor- us, we aim to make social activism an intant to identify and support fair-trade tegral part of campus culture.”

“As long as we can all agree that slavery has no place in today’s world, that’s enough to keep us moving forward.”

-Brett Tucker, attendee of human rights convention by“Not for Sale”

16

features South presidents share leadership experience Feb. 1, 2013

The Oracle highlights four club presidents whose talents and contributions are as diverse as the clubs at South.

Lauren Frias

staff reporter

Senior Brittany Balzano, president of Cure Club, a club that supports cancer awareness and prevention, has been president since her junior year.

“

“

president

It’s very challenging to sometimes stand out of the group. [The members] are my peers, and there is a borderline that every president needs to be aware of. You walk the line of being bossy and nobody wants to be like that. I’ve learned so much from being president, and it has helped me become a better leader. […] There are days when it is hard, but every president has to [overcome] them at [some] point.

Ellen Hirsch Key Club

”

co-president

My co-president, [senior] Jen Butz, and I usually speak at most meetings and events. Lots of people come and ask us questions about the specifics. At the beginning of the year, it was a lot more of a responsibility because we had to worry about recruiting new club members and training new board members, [but] now we get a lot of help from the Key Club board, who all take on some important responsibilities and make the job easier.

Co-president since junior year, senior Grace Pittner helps lead Student-to-Student with activities and events that support students in remaining drug and alcohol-free.

“

Brittany Balzano Cure Club

co-president

I became a part of the leader board my sophomore year, and […] I applied to be a leader the following year. One of the sponsors asked me during my interview if I would consider being president. I really wanted the opportunity, and […] I became president my junior year.

Korri Hershenhouse Interact

”

president

A big role I have [as president] is planning events and making contact with the outside organizations that we have to work with and keeping up those relationships so […] that future presidents and future leader boards will have an easier time organizing events with that same organization. Also, [I have to] motivate the students to become active in the club, […] to stay engaged and to be motivated to do their best.

Photos by Marley Hambourger

Senior Ellen Hirsch is the co-president of Key Club, a club that participates in charity events around Glenview.

Grace Pittner Student-to-Student

“

”

”

Senior Korri Hershenhouse, president of Interact, which contributes to charity events including Habitat for Humanity, helps to engage members and future leaders in activities for the club.

a&e

17

Feb. 1, 2013

mother and daughter bond over theatrical passion Mollie Cramer

staff reporter From shopping to going out to dinner, teenage girls acquire many memories with their moms throughout their childhood and adolescence, but according to junior Sophie Gomez, one of her fondest memories with her mom is walking the famed red carpet together.

Sophie’s mom, Katia Gomez, is an actress who recently appeared in the movie Playing for Keeps. According to Sophie, her mother has been a big part of her own acting career at South.

“My sister and I both follow in her footsteps a little bit,” Sophie said.

According to Sophie’s father John Gomez, there are clear similarities between Katia and Sophie.

“They’re always running around the house singing and reading lines,” John said.

“It gives our house a lot of energy.”

Katia says that Sophie discovered her passion for singing and acting on her own.

“The first time that I ever even knew that she had a desire to sing she was in middle school,” Katia said. “And I just walked by her room and all of a sudden I hear this really beautiful voice and I open the door and I said, ‘Sophie is that you?’ It was incredible.”

According to Sophie, she seeks advice from her mom on many things.

Similarly, Katia said that she also seeks advice from Sophie when it comes to her own auditions.

“I had a musical piece that I was rehearsing and asked Sophie if she’d help me, and she actually sat down, listened to me and was very honest, ” Katia said. “I love that she can be so candid and open with me like that.”

Katia added that at times when she is really lost, especially with singing, Sophie becomes a vital source for help.

“Sophie’s a really talented singer,” Ka-

tia said. “She’s a much better singer than I am; in fact, when I have to sing I need to ask her for advice because the training she’s gotten at GBS is incredible.”

According to Sophie, she and her mom sometimes clash because of their differences, but they are the only ones who can have that connection.

“I’ll criticize her and then she’ll criticize me, and we’ll get [kind of] offended, but then at the same time we’re the only people who would tell each other the truth,” Sophie said.

According to Katia, her entire family was invited to go to the red carpet premiere for Playing for Keeps.

“They walked me up to the red carpet and there were hundreds of people there with cameras,” Katia said. “All of a sudden the cameras started flashing and John, Gaby and Sophie’s faces were in shock. It was a surreal experience for all of us.”

According to Sophie, having her mom in a movie was an amazing experience for everyone in her family.

“I thought it was really cool every time I saw [a commercial for Playing for Keeps],” Sophie said. “I’d be like ‘You’re on TV!’ LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION: Smiling for the camer [...] It was really cool. My whole a at the red carpet premiere of Playing for Keeps , junior Sophie Gomez and her sister support their mothe family was screaming.” r, Katia Gomez, in her latest debut. Katia has appeared in several television and theatrical produ ctions Choral director Stevi Marks bethroughout her acting career.

Photo courtesy of Sophie Gomez lieves Katia and Sophie are a positive addition to the South community. said. “I think that that most moms and daughters can say “Having [Katia as a] part of GBS cer- her mom had something to do with it, but they have. tainly enriches our community,” Marks theater just fits for Sophie, too.”

“I think that they obviously have a lot said. “It enriches Sophie’s experience, Junior Hannah Schiller said that Sophie more to talk about than a mom who’s a and Sophie certainly brings that with her has a strong stage presence. lawyer and [a] daughter [who] sings,” here.”

“I’m sure she looks up to her mom a lot Schiller said.

According to junior Megan Kay, Sophie in terms of performance tips and incorpoAccording to Katia, Sophie’s passion genuinely enjoys being on stage just like rates what she has learned from her mom for the arts comes from her own ambiher mom. into her own performance,” Schiller said. tions and desires, and all Katia did was “I think that theater’s such a perfect Katia said that having the same inter- open the door to that world. fit for her because she’s such an outgo- ests definitely provides a sense of close“Maybe it’s in her genes, or maybe by ing person, and she’s not self conscious ness with her daughter. According to being exposed to it she wanted do it and on stage in front of so many people,” Kay Schiller, that is not a common connection became inspired,” Katia said.

“They walked me up to the red carpet and there were hundreds of people there with cameras. [...] John, Gaby, and Sophie’s faces were in shock.

It was a surreal experience for all of us.”

-Katia Gomez

18

a&e

Feb. 1, 2013

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT: In preparation for the Variety Show, Lauren Marchetto, Janie Kahan and Celia Grabill-Sulski practice their sign language for a variety act (above); Stage Crew members Emily Horvath and Alex Brown work on a portion of the set (top right); and, Singer/Dancers Julia Jacobs and Ellen Hirsch (front) practice an assisted lift (bottom right). “Carpe Diem” is the theme of this year’s 38th annual V-Show. Photos by Marley Hambourger

V-Show theme ‘Carpe Diem’ provides opportunity for wide range of acts Rachel Mann

co-a&e editor Sally You

asst. a&e editor Kali Croke

staff reporter The Glenbrook South Variety Show (V-Show) is a production that students, faculty and the community look forward to every year. According to director Stevi Marks, “Carpe Diem” will be the theme of this year’s 38th annual V-Show. “‘Carpe Diem’ means ‘seize the day’,” Marks said. “It’s about celebration of the moment and making good choices [now] that propel us to a greater future.”

According to Marks, students were asked to keep the theme in mind when coming up with ideas for variety acts.

Marks believes that “Carpe Diem” allowed for a wide range of interpretation.

“It’s great to have a broad theme because then we can really have variety within the structure of them all relating to ‘Carpe Diem’,” Marks said. “I think the students found it pretty easy to find music and also think about ideas for seizing the moment and celebrating who they are and the things that are important in their life.”

Along with the variety acts, Singer/ Dancers, Comedy Troupe and Stage Crew all found ways to adhere to the theme while still embracing their own traditions.

Singer/Dancers Singer/Dancers is a group consisting of ten female and ten male students who will appear in five acts in this year’s V-Show.

Their acts consist of the group singing and dancing to songs that relate to the theme of “Carpe Diem”.

“We are opening the show with ‘Seize the Day’ from Newsies, which is our most obvious nod to the title of the show,” senior Singer/Dancer Ellen Hirsch said.

“The rest of our numbers center around the theme of embracing each day as your last or the general idea of living it up and having fun in the moment.”

Hirsch enjoys the wide variety of interpretation the theme “Carpe Diem” has provided for the Singer/Dancers.

“Because seizing the day means enjoying the moment, it brings a really fun and happy mood to a lot of the numbers,”

Hirsch said.

According to senior Singer/Dancer Nicolle De Roeck, practices are three to five days a week where the Singer/Dancers rehearse dances and musical numbers.

Singer/Dancers learn the music with the backup singers, a choir of students who sing Singer/Dancer songs under the stage during the V-Show.

“In dance practice, we are with Marla, our choreographer, in the drama/dance room,” De Roeck said. “We choreograph, learn and perfect our dances. In music practices, we are in the choir room with [choral director Marty] Sirvatka where we learn the songs for the show.”

According to senior Singer/ Dancer Murray Campbell, Singer/Dancers connect with each other in order to enhance the quality of their numbers.

“We really like to work on the whole ‘building a family’ aspect of the group because it really helps us trust one another in performances,” Campbell said.

Hirsch explained the positive aspects of successful teamwork within the group.

“Being a Singer/Dancer gives me an awesome opportunity to participate in [V-Show],” Hirsch said. “I used to always be jealous of people with athletic abilities because they get to experience that camaraderie that accompanies working together for some greater goal. With Singer/Dancers, I get to experience that feeling.”

writing all Comedy Troupe skits that are intended to capture the overall theme of V-Show.

“It’s hard to think of an idea for a script about seizing the day,” Kahan said. “You really have to be creative and think of it from a different angle. I enjoy that personal challenge, and I think, as a group, we succeed at making each script unique and different.”

According to Kahan, Spur is always looking for the best, most humorous approaches to each year’s theme.

“The process for Spur of the Moment starts pretty much as soon as we find out what the theme is,” Kahan said.

“From then on, it’s just constant brainstorming as a group for different things involving that theme.

For example, with ‘Carpe Diem’, immediately our thoughts were ‘YOLO’, people who have seized the day in history and pop culture, stuff like that.”

According to Beth Barber, Comedy Troupe director, after a list of skit ideas is produced, each member of Spur picks a topic they want to write about. From then on, the Spur members work on creating a script that encapsulates the V-Show theme and also includes all members of the Comedy Troupe cast. “[Eventually], we hone it down to five viable scripts,” Barber said. “We keep writing and writing until we get to the scripts we think are the best. It takes a while.”

According to Kahan, up until a few weeks before V-Show, scripts are still a work in progress.

“We’re always looking to make [skits] funnier, better, stronger,” Kahan said. “We all want each other’s scripts to succeed, so we’re tearing each other’s apart [by] editing [and] revising. It’s just really not finished until a few weeks before V-Show, and then it’s set in stone.”

“It’s great to have a broad theme because then we can really have variety within the structure of [the acts] all relating to ‘Carpe Diem’. [...]

Students found it pretty easy to find music and also think about ideas for seizing the moment and celebrating who they are.”

-V-Show Director Stevi Marks

Comedy Troupe Comedy Troupe, a cast of 20 students that performs humorous skits, will appear in five acts in this year’s V-Show.

Among Comedy Troupe, there is a group called Spur of the Moment (Spur), composed of seniors Jeff Collins, Allie Kahan, Kevin McDermott, Raina Payne and Molly Quinn. Spur is in charge of

Stage Crew Stage Crew is comprised of a group of students from all grades who work many hours before and during V-Show. The crew is responsible for controlling the show’s lighting, hooking up the sound, and designing and constructing the stage.

As far as how the stage will portray this year’s theme, senior Caeli Cleary, Stage Crew member, explained that the set will allow the performances to give their own “Carpe Diem” feel.

“It’s kind of funny,” Cleary said. “The set doesn’t really have anything to do with seizing the day, but I think that’s what’s good about the theme. It doesn’t have defined boundaries, so the acts can have more variety, and the set can be whatever it feels.”

According to sophomore Emily Horvath, Stage Crew member, aside from construction, the weeks before V-Show are spent rehearsing the show with the performers and going through technical lighting and sound cues. “[During tech], we run through the show multiple times,” Horvath said. “We make sure the sound is perfect and the lighting cues are written with the props on stage in the right place at the right time.

It’s the time where we fix any problems we have.”

Senior Sophie Hartler, Stage Crew member, further explained how problems may not only occur during rehearsal, but they could also occur during the nights of the actual show.

“The challenges are definitely being prepared for anything that could happen,” Hartler said. “A lot of things can go wrong that no one would expect, but we have to be ready to fix it. The nights of V-Show can be very hectic, but we all have a lot of energy and report to our assigned jobs.”

For Horvath, being on stage crew is a challenge in itself, and although it takes commitment, the time spent is worth it. “[Each day] we arrive earlier than everyone else and leave later than everyone else,” Horvath said. “You have to be able to manage your time well and be on top of things. It’s a lot of stress, but it’s rewarding in the end.”

The V-Show will begin Wednesday, Feb. 20, and conclude after the Saturday, Feb. 23 show. Tickets can be purchased at showtix4u.com.

a&e

19

Feb. 1, 2013

TV opens doors for students on, off camera Maddie Abrams & Rachel Mann

co-a&e editors Maeve Hanrahan & Anna Hofmockel

staff reporters Lights, camera, action! The lights come up, and the director calls “rolling” as students in South’s Television program begin to play their parts in yet another production.

Taught by Mark Ferguson, there are three different TV courses provided by the school: Intro to Broadcasting, Beginning TV (BTV) and Advanced TV (ATV).

GBS TV has come a long way since it first started in 1984, according to Ferguson. Some of its projects include the VShow, seasonal sports videos and video announcements. GBS TV produced the Lip Dub, which has over 120,000 views between Vimeo and YouTube.

Senior Kevin Mathein, a leader in the ATV class, was a part of the production team on the Lip Dub. “I worked with the rest of the staff to plan the route,” Mathein said. “During the actual Lip Dub, I was the assistant camera operator guiding [senior John Paul O’Rourke] through the route.”

Senior Jack Stillman, a member of ATV for three years, says that TV meets daily to work on productions. “[Every day] we critique each other’s videos, we pitch ideas to each other for stories that might go in the GBS Report or Titan Sports,” Stillman said. “We write, edit and produce.”

Senior Emily Mitchell, a member of ATV, explained that they take on specific projects during the year.

“I am part of the Glenbrook South Report production staff, specifically the reporting side [which is] on camera,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell explained that other people are also involved in the Glenbrook South Report, such as senior Meghan Freeman, executive producer, and junior Chloe Valtos, director of Cinematography.

“For our specific weekly productions such as Glenbrook South Report and Titan Sports, that normally takes up a class period to shoot and a late night to edit,” Mitchell said. “Overall, we definitely donate a lot of our time to the class.

According to Ferguson, the creativity and self-motivation in the program create one of the best parts of teaching TV: the final products.

“One of the great pleasures of teaching is watching my students create something that will have a shelf life, something you could watch over and over and never tire of,” Ferguson said.

Stillman said that directing this year’s Homecoming video was one project he worked on that required a lot of time. “[It] was pretty intense,” Stillman said.

“Directing it involves coming up with the idea, writing a screenplay and script, casting a solid group of actors that you’ll be able to work with and that will find time for you […] and editing it all into one coherent video.”

According to Stillman, one of the big-

gest TV productions of the year is filming V-Show. This year will be Stillman’s third year as one of the four act directors.

“Basically that means [we’re] in charge of the TV crew for it, so we record the show with five cameras and they’re all on different things— one camera on a shot of the singer, another might be on the dancers behind them,” Stillman said. “In the studio, the directors call out the camera they want the shot to be on.”

Things start getting crazy around the TV studio as V-Show gets closer, according to Mitchell. She was a V-Show director last year, which she says is a huge time commitment, and is excited to have the same role again during this year’s show.

“Directors have to start preparing their crew, and overall, everyone gets ready for the long week of late nights, minimum sleep and acts that get stuck in our heads

by Saturday’s show,” Mitchell said.

According to Mitchell, it is hard to explain how much fun lies beyond the intensity of V-Show for ATV members.

“While it [can] be really tense at times, it is an amazing experience,” Mitchell said.

“V-Show is my favorite part of the year despite the lack of sleep. When a show is about to start, the adrenaline gets going and everyone gets so excited. […] And by the last show, there is so much sadness because it’s over.”

In addition, ATV members are all assigned to create a video for V-Show and are required to participate in the annual TV Video produced by Stillman and Mathein, according to Mitchell.

O’Rourke is also a part of the VShow, and believes it is the best time of the year. O’Rourke

has been a member of ATV for four years and enjoys the room for creativity that TV allows.

“Over the summer, my friend [Peter Lyngso] and I did this 48-hour film festival which is where you have to write, shoot and edit a movie within 48 hours,” O’Rourke said.

“We just hammered it out.

We didn’t sleep the first night, went to sleep for like three hours the night after that. [We were so] tired but having an awesome product in the end was a great feeling.”

O’Rourke accredits much of the success of the program to Ferguson.

“Ferguson in TV is a really good guy [...] to know,” O’Rourke said. “He’s been doing this for a while, so he’s very good at critiquing films and telling kids what they can do differently, creative criticism and what not. He’s a wonderful teacher.”

According to Stillman, ATV will be attending the annual film festival held

by Chicagoland Television Educators

“While it could be really tense at times, it is an amazing experience. V-Show is my favorite part of the year despite the lack of sleep [...]. When a show is about to start, the adrenaline gets going and everyone gets so excited.”

-Senior Emily Mitchell

Council (CTEC) for high school students across the Chicago area toward the end of the school year.

“Basically, you submit a news story, narrative, documentary or whatever,” Stillman said. “I think there are 13 categories, and they have judges vote on it and you can place.”

The GBS TV department has entered the competition every year since it has existed, according to Stillman.

“Last year, I won first place in live directing for performing art,” Stillman said.

“So I was pretty happy about that.”

According to Ferguson, nine students will be attending the National Association of Broadcasting convention in Las Vegas for the first time this year.

Stillman is part of the group going to the convention and believes there will be fewer than five other high schools attending the event.

“It’s honestly like real professional stuff, and this is the first year we’re doing it,” Stillman said. “It’s an experiment to see if we get anything out of it.”

Mathein appreciates the quality of the TV program and he is glad he decided to get involved.

“They have given me opportunities that I wouldn’t have gotten at any other schools,” Mathein said. “I have gained knowledge that will help me pursue my future in filmmaking.”

TAKE FIVE: Capturing the video for the GBS Lip Dub, senior Kevin Mathein guides senior JP O’Rourke through the halls to record students throughout the school. O’Rourke and Mathein are part of the GBS Advanced TV Department, which is a huge time commitment filled with different on and off camera activities and projects, according to senior Emily Mitchell. Advanced TV members will participate in the Chicagoland Television Educators Council competition, and nine members will also attend the National Association of Broadcasting convention in Las Vegas toward the end of the year. Photo by Meghan Freeman

20

sports

Feb.1, 2013

Wrestling looks to build off season at regionals Rachel Chmielinski

asst. sports editor Moving into Regionals, the Titans wrapped up their regular season with the Central Suburban League (CSL) tournament Jan. 18 and 19.

Head coach Tom Mietus said he is happy with the season overall, but he still believes that there is room for improvement in the last few weeks and looking into next year.

“Our technique’s gotten better,” Mietus said.

“It’s just the mental side of wrestling that we really need to work on the most.”

Senior captain Jimmy Binder echoes the need to improve the team mentally.

“I think mindset is the whole thing,” Binder said. “They just have to fight off their back, they have to find the will not to get pinned.”

Mietus believes that each individual match matters, and that every point is vital.

“We’ve lost a lot of close [meets] because of [one] match,” Mietus said. “A kid could’ve gotten major instead of tacked, tacked instead of pinned, and they could’ve gotten bonus points when they didn’t.”

According to Binder, one major meet that captures this sentiment was South’s loss to Waukegan, where they lost by one point.

Mietus sees both the positive and the negative in the close losses.

“I think it’s shown the kids could compete,” Mietus said. “It’s good that they see that, but bad RUTHLESS WRESTLING: Grappling on the mat, juniors Hagan Synnestvedt (left) and Jacob Revello (right) prepare for Conference on Jan. 18 and 19. that [it] happened, and we didn’t succeed be- South’s wrestling team took eighth place in this year’s Conference tournament. Photo by Jackie Cortopassi cause of it.” mat.” far was the 2013 CSL tournament, where the Titans took According to Mietus, key wrestlers include Mietus believes there is also a lot of strength in South’s eighth place.

Binder as well as seniors Amra Otgonbaatar, Jacob Suter coaching staff. The coaching staff consists of Mietus, Pat In this meet, Suter was voted the Outstanding CSL and Sanja Erdenebaatar. wrestler. Other successes for the Titans include senior Led by these seniors, Binder believes that the team’s Castillo and Tim Cichowski.

“We’ve got a good coaching staff in general,” Mietus Chris Altonji taking sixth in the 182 pound class, Erdenestrengths lie primarily in conditioning and sportsmansaid. “The kids have always gotten a lot out of what we’ve baatar taking fifth in the 152 pound class and Otgonship.

“I don’t think we’ve ever gone against a team where been teaching just from the relationships that we’ve got- baatar taking third in the 126 pound class.

The Titans will continue to compete in regionals tothey were more conditioned against us,” Binder said. ten to with the athletes.”

According to Mietus, a major point of the season thus morrow, Feb. 2, at Fremd High School.

“We have good sportsmanship and pride on and off the

Men’s hockey aims high heading into playoffs Hannah Mason

staff reporter

Se nio

rE ric

Da

vis

The men’s varsity hockey team currently holds a record of 4-10-2 and eigth place in its conference. Senior captain Greg Abbott believes that the whole season revolved around working up to the playoffs.

According to Abbott, the team started out well in the beginning of the season, but in December they had a slight fall with many players out sick or with injuries.

“Hopefully coming back from [a break in our season], we can get back up to where we were earlier in the season,” Abbott said.

According to sophomore Ryan Buckingham, the team isn’t doing very well, but they are improving.

“We’re a really young team,” Ryan said.

“We are getting better, and since we’re young we’ll get better over the next couple of years.”

According to junior Trey Buckingham, because they have added eight sophomores to the team, including his brother Ryan, the older members of the team have been helping them with the transition to varsity hockey.

Photo by Wyatt Richter “You can’t make

as many moves,” Trey said. “This isn’t Stars, [Glenview’s local travel hockey team], it’s high school hockey. It’s a bigger, tougher [and] faster game.”

With the mixed ages on the team, they bonded when they traveled to New York in November, according to Trey.

Though the team only accomplished one win; they’ve become closer friends, according to Abbott.

“It contributed a lot to helping to build our team chemistry,” Abbott said. “We went out for lunches, dinners, we saw other games at the rink, and went out around the town. It was just being together.”

On Jan. 20, South played rival team GBN, losing 3-2.

According to Ryan, South didn’t make any drastic changes to the way they played, but they did practice that morning before the game.

Abbott said, “Of course any time we play GBN they’re a big rival.

Everyone wants to be ready to play. Overall, I’d say for every game we try to prepare the same amount of time.”

According to Ryan, he felt the team’s greatest victory was against Rockford, 3-2, who is one of the best teams in the conference.

“We [all] wanted to win pretty bad because we need to move up in our division,” Ryan said. “We were all working hard that game.”

According to Abbott, the team still needs to improve on the quality of scoring opportunities.

“We have to have the mindset to try and get the puck in order to score goals,” Abbott said.

According to Ryan, another problem that has been recurring is the number of penalties the team has averaged per game.

“We are still getting a lot of penalties,” Ryan said. “We are trying to play with more discipline.”

While the team is working to fix the penalty problem, it is also working on a new power play in order to throw off the other teams at playoffs, according to Trey.

“Usually we perform well in the playoffs,” Trey said.“We’re hoping to upset a lot of teams in playoff season.”

On Feb. 9, the team will be playing against MT. Carmel at Soldier Field. According to sophomore Johnny Savino, this is the first time South has ever had the chance to play there.

“It’s a great opportunity because not a lot of teams are fortunate enough to be able to play at Soldier Field during this time,” Savino said.

According to Savino, the team has had very little practice playing outdoors except for a game versus Loyola.

“The only negative is that it is going to be pretty cold out there,” Savino said. “It’s going to be a big game for all of us though, and we want to get a win out there.”

According to Trey, because Mt. Carmel isn’t in their top nine league, which consists of the best nine teams in Illinois, they are expecting an easy win against them.

When playing at Soldier field, Trey expects the team to have a different attitude with the location.

“We are going to go out harder, because there are going to be a lot of people coming out to see the high school teams play,” Trey said. “All the high schools want to check out all the other teams.”

With all the hype for this game, according to Trey, he is just looking forward to the experience.

“It’s a once in a lifetime thing; to be able to skate and play on Soldier Field,” Trey said.

“We’re getting better, and since we’re young we’ll get better over the next couple of years.”

-Sophomore Ryan Buckingham

sports

21

Feb. 1, 2013

Gymnastics falters following key injury Harrison Kenner

staff reporter With a 2-3 dual meet record and a second place finish at the Evanston invite this season, the South women’s gymnastics team has been up to par, according to junior Amanda Browder, who is currently in the all-around position for the Titans. “[The] season has been going pretty well,” Browder said. “Last year we had our best gymnasts [and now] it’s just [us]. We definitely improved this year [more than] last year so we’re pretty proud about that.”

The Titans have had recent success in invites, most notably a second place finish at Vernon Hills, culminating with a 122 all-around score. Despite encouraging results, the team has been set back with the loss of Samantha Kopley, South’s top-three all-around gymnast, to an ACL injury. “[With the] injury of [Kopley], we dropped 5-6 points,” Coach Steve Gale said. “Without her we are not going to be as competitive.”

Also speaking to the impact of the injury, junior Jamie Vear says that the impact have not yet set in, but in the future the loss will hurt the team’s depth and reliance in dual meets and invites.

“Its effect [is large],” Vear said. “We only have four people on varsity. [Judges] only count the top four scores, [and] without an extra person when someone makes a mistake it reflects on the whole team.”

Despite the losses, the team looks to reaffirm their commitment to finishing well towards the end of the season. Gale indicated that although expectations haven’t changed, the realities are setting in.

“It has been a good season,” Gale said. “I’m proud of what [the girls] have been doing. We are aiming toward next year, although we haven’t reached all of our goals.

Next season [is] a stepping stone and a building block to future success.”

Going into Conference, the Titans, Browder says, will push forward and do their best given the situation they have been dealt despite the team’s hardships.

“Our goal is to do well in Conference,” Browder said. “[Then] make it to Sectionals and from there to make it to State. For now the goal is to go to Sectionals.”

Kopley’s injury, according to Gale, makes State a challenge. However, Gale believes that rather than dwelling on the negative, the injury can be a building block for success in the future, especially since there are no seniors on the varsity squad this season.

“One of our goals is a more competitive season for the girls [next year],” Gale said.

However, with state hopefuls sophomore Kaci Castino and Browder in the mix, the team looks at sending someone down to State as an individual qualifier, according to Gale. “[Castino and Browder] are going to have to do well on specific pieces of equipment,” Gale said. “Going to State is not realistic as a team.”

Coach Eric Campbell completely agrees with Gale, saying that Castino’s and Browder’s chances depend on a few improvements.

BAR-NONE: Gaining momentum on the bar, sophomore Chloe Farbar works on her high-bar routine at practice. Farbar is one of four gymnasts on the varsity team this season who have recently struggled to compete due to injuries. As the team heads into the postseason meets, they have amassed a total record of 2-3 in dual meets. Photo by Wyatt Richter

“[Castino’s] bars routine is pretty good,” Campbell said. “If she hits it and throws on a few new skills she could have a good chance at making it to State and placing at Conference.”

Browder knows that improvements are the only way to make State attainable. She has set her sights on bettering her all-around routine, as well as making strides in all areas to try to be as competitive as possible.

“I am currently trying to improve my vault, bars and beam,” Browder said. “I’m just trying to stay on the beam. On the floor I am trying to improve my form.”

Campbell also added that if both girls do well it would not be out of the question to see them both at the State meet. “[Browder] is our second up on allaround,” Campbell said. “If [they] hit their routines we will do really well.”

Castino reflected the coaches’ positive sentiments and added that, although injuries hurt the total product, the season has progressed just fine.

With the roller coaster season coming to a close, both Gale and Campbell stressed the positives, with Gale adding that the season is a process toward ultimate self-betterment. Gale thinks that next year can be even better.

“We are going to finish the season strong and come back strong next year,” Gale said.

Cohen’s contributions to South sports held in high regard

Being five feet eight inches tall, Cohen is one of the smallest quarterbacks Noll has coached. Despite the height, Noll believes that Cohen has one of the best arms of any player he has ever coached at South and tried to shape his playbook around that abilFor senior Max Cohen, playing three varsity sports seems routine. In the fall, Cohen ity and not his size.

“His ability to throw on the run [is unique],” Noll said. “ We didn’t use him [as] a led the Titans as the starting quarterback on the football field; in the winter, he comes off the bench as a role player on South’s basketball team. And when spring comes along, rushing quarterback because of his size, but we used him because he could do it.”

On the basketball court, Cohen’s size can be considered a problem. However, like Cohen mans= the outfield on South’s baseball team.

As rare as a three sport athlete can be, Cohen feels that it is totally natural, and with the other two sports that he plays, Cohen is able to make it work to perfection with his keen ability to shoot. His basketball coach Ben Widner understands that Cohen couldn’t see giving up any of the sports he plays. takes a lot of what he learns on the gridiron to the hardwood.

“I didn’t think much of [playing three sports], and I didn’t think it was a “Coming from being the quarterback on the football team, he’s not huge accomplishment because I was just continuing to play the sports that overwhelmed by any moment in a big game [because] he’s been there beI love,” Cohen said. fore,” Widner said.

As well as during the school year, each summer Cohen plays all three sports.

When the spring starts up, Cohen won’t have a moment to blink beA typical summer day can go like this: In the morning, he goes to football camp fore he starts up with baseball workouts. Cohen, who played left field last which is then followed by basketball camp during the day and then a baseball year, was a flexible hitter. He batted anywhere from the two spot to the six tournament or basketball game in the evening. or seven spot according to baseball coach Bob Rosinski.

Spending most of the school year competing in athletics does come with a price, But even as Cohen makes the transition from basketball, Rosinski knows however. According to Cohen, injuries and general exhaustion are definitely not that he will be ready to be a leader once he steps on the baseball diamond. foreign to him.

According to Rosinski, being a three sport athlete has taught “Every single year of high school I sprain my left thumb,” Cohen Cohen to be more mature. said. “There are days when I’m just exhausted from not having a “[He] is able to accept criticism more [...] and deal break at all in between seasons, but I’ve gotten used to it over the past with it in a better way,” Rosinski said. four years.”

By the time baseball season beThis school year began with students and parents watching gins, Cohen will have finished up his Cohen play starting quarterback for South on Friday nights. last seasons of football and basketball After going 5-4 on the season, he lead the Titans to their in high school. However, that does not ninth consecutive playoff appearance. As the fall turned mean Cohen will be hanging up his cleats for to winter it was time for Cohen to contribute to the basthe last time. ketball team, coming off the bench as a guard. Cohen “I’m looking at playing football or baseball [in believes he’s learned something from each sport to college] but I haven’t decided yet,” Cohen said. “I’ve also help him become a better competitor. not decided on a school yet, but I’ve been talking to Divi“Football’s mental aspect helps me a lot with staysion III coaches, but I need to visit the schools first to really ing mentally focused,” Cohen said. “It also teaches me MAXING OUT: (clockwise get the feel of the school and the team.” how to work hard and fight through the physical from left) Senior Max Cohen While Rosinski just coaches Cohen in baseball, he pain and accomplish your goal [...] while basketball runs around the bases in a feels that he can speak to Cohen’s work ethic for all helps me get faster and be quick on my feet.” game last season; Cohen calls the coaches that work with Cohen.

Mike Noll, head football coach, understands for the ball in a game versus New Trier; Cohen winds up for a pass. Cohen “When he’s in [football, basketball and basehow much playing three sports has built Cohen. is a three-sport athlete for South, starting on the football] he’s so committed to being in those sports, “He has a [really] good understanding of the big ball and baseball teams and coming off the bench his mind is nowhere else, and he just loves to picture [and] what you’re trying to accomplish,” for the basketball team. Photos by Dan Chmielinski (left) and JP Noll said. be there and loves to work,” Rosinski said.

O’Rourke (top and right) Ben Wittenstein

staff reporter

22

sports

Feb. 1, 2013

Twitter provides excellent medium for shining sports personalitites

As the world enters 2013, and news and information is more readily available than ever, over 500 million accounts have been created on Twitter. With many different types of accounts, Twitter has become one of the quickest, most efficient ways to learn about anything, as well as to get a good laugh. Particularly, athletes, sports fans and writers alike have an especially large affinity for Twitter. Since Twitter’s start in March 2006, purveyors of sports of all kinds world-

@_MICHAELJ0RDAN

While I think that parody accounts are cringe-worthy in their nature (as they take something funny about something and run it into the ground), the brain behind this Michael Jordan is certainly a clever one. Playing up Jordan’s hoop earring-wearing, cigar-smoking, bestguy-ever-so-I-don’t-care attitude, this account tweets Jordan’s erratic stream of consciousness, as seen below.

@JayBilas

Jay Bilas is a rarity in the Twittersphere, as well as the sports world in general; while sports writers and analysts on the big networks try to be funny (I see you, Fox Football pundits...), Bilas finds a perfect balance of being really funny while not compromising his intelligence.

A scroll down his page will reveal many insightful articles, as well as caps-locked, deadpan jokes about his hilarious self-awareness.

wide took to Twitter to express their short (but not always sweet) opinions.

While many sports tweeters are definitely not the smartest people, there is still hope for well-articulated, and even funny, sports gold on Twitter. The following are the editors’ picks for the funniest and most insightful sports personalities’ Twitters. We apologize in advance for our sense of humor. Please follow us on Twitter for more of it.

@keithlaw

Keith Law is a baseball writer for ESPN. Keith Law is not a typical writer for ESPN. He is intelligent, funny and very accepting of newage statistics that are so useful for analyzing baseball. His main duty is as a scout, and his top 100 MLB prospects list is in-depth and fantastic. He also tweets a lot about food, politics and golden-age hip-hop, making him a very entertaining follow.

@bmccarthy32

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Brandon McCarthy is not your typical athlete on Twitter. He is very witty and intelligent, and doesn’t tweet useless motivational garbage like most athletes. Not only that, but his re-tweets are golden, and his ability to mock himself is unmatched among athletes. His sports commentary is also much better than your average athlete clichés.

Don’t forget to order your customized T-shirts and Hoodies for Turnabout!

sports

23

Feb. 1, 2012

Undefeated Titans gearing up for late-season meets John Adkisson co-sports editor Heading into the final stretch of the season, the men’s varsity swim team has amassed a record of 7-0 in dual meets, including a 5-0 record in CSL South meets.

According to head coach Keith MacDonald, despite the start of the season being easier than the end of the season, the team has met and exceeded expectations.

“I think we have done really well,” MacDonald said. “We haven’t had a lot of competition. We have been better than most of our opponents.”

The start of the season was met with uncertainties about how well the team could do, according to MacDonald, due to the loss of State-qualifying alums Ryan Brander, Ryan Hianik, J.J. Connor and Thomas Pollick. However, MacDonald feels that the team has adjusted nicely.

“Each year we usually have guys step up to try and fill that void,” MacDonald said. “Even though we lost a good amount of seniors, we still have a relatively strong team.”

According to senior Ethan Spalding, the depth of the team was showcased at the Spartan Sprint Classic Dec. 8. Going into the meet the Titans were not ranked in the top 20, while opponents St. Charles North DASHIN’ DANNY: Grabbing a breath, senior Danny Correa races through the breaststroke leg of the 200 yard medley relay Jan. 26 against Evanston. Correa, and Mundelein were ranked in the top five whose primary stroke is breaststroke, is in his first year on varsity. His season-best 100 yard breaststroke time of 1:06.43 trails only sophomore Jon Salomon and top 10 respectively, according to Wild- among the Titans’ top times this year. Photo by Wyatt Richter kit Aquatics. In the final event, an unorth“The end of the year is the most important for swimodox 12x25 sprint relay, sophomore Jon Salomon over- ly hard for the team to reach its true potential. “[The team’s youth] puts the onus on us seniors to ming,” MacDonald said. “I’m sure guys will stumble and took a St. Charles North sprinter on the last leg to win the work to get those young swimmers to perform better in succeed in peaks and valleys in the next few weeks, but meet for the Titans.

South’s squad, according to MacDonald, is relative- practice and understand the rigors of the varsity season,” as long as we’ve got our eyes set on the very end of the Spalding said. “It’s something season, they’ll do fine. It has worked in the past that guys ly inexperienced at the that will show its effect [not have swam fast at the end of the year, and I expect that it varsity level. However, only] at the end of this year but will work this year.”

MacDonald feels that Looking forward, the team ultimately hopes to earn a also further beyond.” this quality has not cripMacDonald and Spalding top 10 finish at the State meet. To prepare, MacDonald pled the team. agree that the team has had a says that it is time for the team to slow things down and “We do not have a solid foundation of swimmers keep their bodies healthy for the rest of the season. lot of guys coming back “It’s pretty smooth sailing from here,” MacDonald this year. According to Macwho had State meet exDonald, seniors Tommy Cahill said. “We’ve put in a lot of hard work, so there is still perience,” MacDonald and Bob Meyer have been very a good amount of work to do, but we are going to start said. “For the most part, successful sprinters, while easing off. The important thing is to rest, relax and sprint the guys that are new to Spalding has competed well in very hard in practice without getting run down. That varsity have handled it Over the last five years, the average points the tenth distance swimming. Addition- right there is a recipe for success at the end of the seaand accepted it well.”

According to Spald- place team in state has scored is 40.6. The Titans ally, Spalding cites juniors Sea- son.”

Spalding echoes MacDonald’s sentiments about the ing, who along with Sa- placed ninth last year with 45 points, 24 of which mus Heneghan and Jake Nelend of the season and also feels that the team is primed lomon and junior Kevin came from the third place 200 free relay, of which son as the team’s x-factors.

Despite an undefeated re- for a successful end of the season, which includes conferBenson are the only re- three members graduated last year. cord thus far, MacDonald feels ence Feb. 9, Sectionals Feb. 16, and the IHSA state meet turning state qualifiers on the Titans’ roster, youth is a key ingredient to the that the hardest part of the season is yet to come, as post- Feb. 22-23.

“I’m excited for the end of the year,” Spalding said. “I team this year. Spalding feels that while the underclass- season meets are quickly approaching. However, Macthink we have the potential to be a very good team.” men have had success, the seniors need to work especial- Donald trusts that the team will step up when it is time.

Sophomore Salomon shines in second year on varsity Caroline Bickel staff reporter In his second year on the varsity swim team, sophomore Jonathan Salomon has dropped time in all of his events. He has yet to be beat in a 100 yard breaststroke or 200 yard individual medley (IM) this year, and as the Titans approach the state meet, his times are ranked in the top six in state in both events.

According to Keith MacDonald, head men’s swim coach, he has had a terrific season, with many personal best times. He also says that he has really improved on his swimming techniques, which is a result of his work ethic.

Senior teammate Tommy Cahill agrees that Salomon has been working hard this season.

“He has learned how to train harder [during practices] which is definitely going to help him out [at the end of the year],” Cahill said.

Cahill also says that besides pushing himself, Salomon also pushes his teammates.

“He’s always telling people to [refrain] from slacking off and to work harder,” Cahill said.

His hard work has paid off during his races, according to MacDonald, who says Salomon is often exhausted after pushing himself to the limit in both practices and meets.

Senior Ethan Spalding, who has now been Salomon’s teammate for two years, believes Salomon’s defining moment occurred Jan. 12 at Titan relays. Salomon was to swim the anchor leg of the all-sophomore 4x100 yard freestyle relay, and as he entered the water, Titans trailed their counterparts from Warren by over four seconds. In the

end, Salomon wound up catching the Warren relay with a time of 46.52 seconds.

“When he was coming up in the sophomore relay, everyone on our team knew he was going to do something special,” Spalding said. “His confidence on the blocks was clear, and even though we were losing by a lot, we assumed he would make it a race. But no one expected him to go a 46 [to catch up].”

MacDonald believes a key element to Salomon’s success is the effort he gives during practices and meets alike. According to Salomon, this is because he knows the rewards of hard work.

“You don’t get better by going easy, you get better by going harder and faster,” Salomon said.

According to Salomon, consistently giving it his all is how he will work to achieve his goals. He will spend the next two to three weeks balancing speed work and resting before the IHSA State meet, a process known as “tapering” that maximizes performance at championship meets. Salomon currently has his sights set on swimming two relay and two individual events at the State meet, which will occur Feb. 22-23.

“Everyone on our team knew he was going to do something special. His confidence on the blocks was clear.”

-Senior Ethan Spalding

FISHING FOR SALOMON: Preparing for a race, sophomore Jon Salomon eyes the pool and his competition. Salomon has the Titans’ top time in the 50 yard freestyle, 100 free, breaststroke, and butterfly, and 200 free and individual medley. Photo by Jackie Cortopassi

24

sports

Feb. 1, 2013

Basketball teams share success, postseason hopes Ladies look to contend for State title after competing in strong conference Justine Kim

staff reporter As the South women’s basketball team prepares for the playoffs, they have amassed a record of 17-5. According to head coach Steve Weissenstein, the ladies have experienced a lot of success this season, but they still have the playoffs to worry about.

“We still have three weeks left in our regular season [until] the State playoffs start, and it’s been a great [season],” Weissenstein said. “[State] is a long way away [and] it’s going to be tough.”

According to senior captain Lindsey Oldshue, the team’s goal is going down State.

“Making State is [the team’s] ultimate goal, especially since we were so close last year to making it,” Oldshue said.

The girls hit a rough patch when they lost to Hersey early on in the season. According to senior captain Molly McDonagh, the loss was the most frustrating moment of the season.

“We didn’t come ready to play, and we let [Hersey] beat us when we’re so much more capable of winning,” McDonagh said. “It’s really important to [the team] to always feel like [we] left 100 percent on the court, and in that game none of us did.”

Over winter break, they were able to see some of their State competition at the Wheaton North Christmas Tournament. McDonagh was named Most Valuable Player and the Titans placed first, defeating Wheaton North. According to Oldshue, the win was a turning point in the already successful season.

“We [won] with an average of about 23 points per game, which was quite a step for us,” Oldshue said.

According to Weissenstein, the team is putting its focus into doing its best in the next six games as well as performing at a high level at Regionals and Sectionals, with the ultimate goal of win-

ning State.

“We’re a really good team, but there are a lot of obstacles in front of us before we start thinking about [going down State],” Weissenstein said.

Last season, the ladies were two games away from going downstate. According to Oldshue, the team uses last year’s experience as a motivational factor as it heads into the postseason.

“As much of a bummer it was last year [to be so close], I think it’s a motivational factor,” Oldshue said. “We were so close, and it helped us because we know that we’re good enough for State.”

This year’s varsity team has size and speed to their advantage.

According to McDonagh, the starters’ height only helps.

“Our height is a big advantage because it gives other teams a lot of trouble when they try to guard us,” Mcdonagh said. “When we’re on the defensive end it’s a huge advantage with our 1-3-1 zone because our wing span is so long, so we really take up the whole court.”

The Titans continue their season tonight with a conference game against Maine South, and begin playoffs this week.

OH MY GUARD!: Standing up

to the New Trier point guard, senior captain Lindsey Oldshue prepares to prevent a drive. Oldshue is the starting point guard of the Titans this year and has helped lead them to a record of 17-5. Photo by Wyatt Richter

Men maintain positive record after fresh-look start Breck Murphy

staff reporter After starting their season off with an overall record of 10-7, South’s men’s basketball team seeks to finish in the top three of their conference, according to senior captain Justin Busiel.

With a conference record of 2-3, the boys hope to improve in their second round games against the conference competitors, according to senior captain Matt Siegel.

“I don’t think there’s a team in our conference that we can’t beat,” head coach Ben Widner said. “We want every game in our conference season to be competitive.”

According to Busiel, the losses that have occurred could have been wins, and the rest of the games are highly anticipated by the boys.

On Jan. 11, the team experienced what was one of its best and complete conference games of the season when playing Evanston in the Titan Dome, according to Siegel. While conference play has perenially been difficult for South, Siegel feels that South was finally firing on all cylinders against the Wildkits.

“We executed all of our plays really well, made extra passes, and played good defense,” Siegel said. “We ended up winning by double digits.”

Aside from its conference season, the team has been hard at work playing in tournaments. After losing their first game in the Hinsdale South tournament, the boys came back and won three consecutive games, earning themselves first place in the consolation bracket.

According to Widner, the players’ satisfacwe played [very well] and beat tion with their performance was what stood Palatine.” out for him.

According to Cohen, a win “Just seeing the smiles in the locker against a competitive Metroom afterwards [...] The guys knew they ro Suburban League conferworked hard to earn it, and they did earn ence team like Palatine is it,” Widner said. a great accomplishment Senior Max Cohen attributes the team’s for South. improvements to an added focus on defensive “We just did what we play throughout the course of the season. had to do to pull out the “ [ D e win,” Cohen said. “It fense] was was a really physical one of our game.” weaknesses at As for the rest of the beginning of the season, Widner the season, so durhas high hopes for his ing practice we’ve team and hopes they been working a lot can make a run during on defensive drills the postseason. and trying to play “I [want to see the defense as one team] playing at the highteam,” Cohen est level that we have been said. [playing at] all year,” WidAs the ner said. “I want us to be season proplaying our best basketball, gresses, Widner believes that the squad has which shows that we have formed a consistent team on their half of the been [improving] and playing court. As for offense, Widner would like better together.” to see the team run its sets while handling The regular season continues pressure better. for the men through Feb. 19, where According to Widner, the team’s most they will then begin their postseason successful endeavor thus far was its run. regular season game against PalaDRIVE-BY BASKET: Driving to the hoop tine, even though there were a against New Trier Jan. 26, junior Danny Nikitas prefew obstacles to overcome. pares to lay-up the ball. After starting the season with no “We were without our consistent lineup and playing style, the team has seen Nikitas emerge as one of the starters of the team. Photo by Wyatt Richter leading scorer, Busiel, whose ankle was hurt,” Widner said.

“Other guys came into the game, and

“I [want to see the team] playing at the highest level that we have been all year. I want us to be playing our best basketball, which shows that we have been [improving] and playing together.”

-Head Coach Ben Widner