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New courses added to 2016-2017 school year GIGI CEPEDA staff reporter

Illustration by Jini John

Illinois School Board debates ACT vs. SAT ANUSHKA KALRA & ALEX LADAN staff reporters

Late in 2015, the state of Illinois ended its three-year, 14.3 million dollar contract with the ACT, allowing the College Board, creators of the SAT, to propose their own contract.

This contract was 1.37 million dollars less than the ACT company’s bid.

According to Principal Lauren Fagel, a few major components were taken into account when determining to switch, the more crucial ones being the cost of administering the test, prep opportunities and accommodation for special-needs students.

“A committee at the state level looked at several different factors.”

Fagel said. “They [used] a rubric that they used to score each company.”

A possible factor closing the deciHowever, I don’t think they are gosion to contract with the SAT is their ing to win the appeal.” connection with the online tutorFagel explained how schools will ing service, Khan Academy. Accordbe able to start offering the SAT once ing to Fagel, the state’s this was ap“The tests provide a sliver of budget is fipealing to nalized and insight into a student’s educa- the ACT the state because it tional portfolio. I think both of C o m p a n y allows stuloses the them do that sufficiently.” dents to appeal. She take four described -Cameron Muir, associate free practhe frustraprincipal of curriculum tice SATs tion this has and receive a preparatory course caused among principals of the Cenbased on their results. Due to budget tral Suburban League. issues and the ACT’s determination “We meet four times a year, and to fight the contract, the decision we are always talking about curhas not been finalized. rent issues,” Fagel said. “[Right now] “ACT is in the process of appealwe feel like we are at the whim of ing that decision,” Fagel said. “They Springfield. There is all sorts of planare desperate to get Illinois back. ning that we need to do [in terms of]

scheduling, so there is a lot of frustration at the timing. It takes months to administer a test [like this].”

Cameron Muir, the associate principal of curriculum, also commented on the constraints the decision could place on GBS. “It’s a large expense to put on a test for 800 students,” Muir said. “If we wanted to give the ACT instead of the SAT, we would have to contract with the ACT company separately.”

According to Muir, the SAT has recently been rewritten to fit Common Core standards. However, he does not believe that either test had any outstanding features that made one better than the other.

“Colleges accept and respect both tests,” Muir said. “The tests provide

See ACT/SAT page 4

New and modified courses and a redesigned course offerings list will be implemented in the coming school years.

There will be two major additions for next year: a new business course, Entrepreneurship Business Incubator, which will allow students to create a business, and Geometry in Construction, which will allow students to learn geometry concepts by constructing a project, according to Principal Lauren Fagel.

Entrepreneurship Business Incubator will be largely influenced by the processes discussed in Running Lean by Ash Maurya and The Lean Startup

by Eric Reis, according to Mike Macfadden, who will be teaching the course.

“So, basically, there’s a nine step process that students will undergo throughout the entire year as they examine the different facets of business,” Macfadden said.

According to Cameron Muir, associate principal of curriculum, the course allows students to gain experience in the different jobs that are related to getting an idea started and developing it so they can create a pitch and start the business.

Another new program is Geometry in Construction, according to Fagel, which will consist of a geomtery course and a construction course with the same students. The program will teach geometry through the construction of a project.

According to Mark Gallagher, who will teach the Geometry portion, students who take this course will not only gain knowledge of geometry concepts, but also construction skills that will benefit them later in life.

“This class is an opportunity for GBS to partner with the Glenview community and other partners,” Gallagher said. “The key to the success of this program will be the ‘buy-in’ that students will feel from seeing the Math come to life and discover NEW why geometry plays COURSE an important role in OPTIONS our everyday lives.”

South administrators are also working on a digital, interactive course guide for the 20172018 school Graphic by Ashley Clark year.

South plans to replace desks in classrooms, test effect on learning environment MARY GRACE REYNOLDS staff reporter

GBS and GBN students will be running a trial of new desks from Feb. 21 to March 19 in preparation for their eventual placement in classrooms.

According to Michael Field, director of educational technology, during this trial period, various types of desks and tables will be evaluated by students. The feedback the students give will then determine which types of desks are purchased and put in the new classrooms.

“If we’re going to grow and progress the learning environment within our school and district we want to make sure that we have furniture that’s going to allow it,” Field said.

According to South Principal Lauren Fagel, the furniture that was selected to be in the trial was chosen to fit into the District’s’ 3-year technology vision. The technology vision is meant to make

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CONCUSSION REGULATIONS

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classrooms as engaging and advantageous as posField, the new furniture, once purchased, will not sible for students and teachers. be put in every classroom. To compensate for in“[Getting new creased enrollfurniture for the ment, GBN and classrooms] was GBS will be addjust a natural ing and connext step,” Fagel structing classsaid. “Last year, rooms in the the district did a schools over the 3-year technolonext few years. gy vision. In that Additionally, vision, it talks if all goes well, about creating there is a possiclassrooms and bility that all of other learning the the current spaces that are desks at GBS and conducive to usGBN will gradutesting changes: As part of the new furniture pilot at South, seniors ing the technolally be replaced. (left to right) Grace DuBois, Grace Pulos and Diana Perez participate in their classroom activity at desks that double as whiteboards. ogy.”

According Photo by Jacqueline DeWitt According to to South Senior

opinions features a&e

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Tori Lothian, replacing the desks might not be the best use of South’s resources.

“I think there are better ways that GBS can spend their money than on new desks,” Lothian said.

Partially disagreeing, South Sophomore Gracie Hambourger felt that replacing the desks and getting new desks for the classrooms could be very beneficial to students.

“I think that the desks in rooms right now are good but I think there can be improvements made because we have such a wide variety of students,” Hambourger said. “One standard type of desk might not always be sufficient.“ Field commented on how the furniture will serve as an improvement toward South.

“Teachers [are developing their students] collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and creativity skills,” Field said. “Now we will have the furniture to enhance that experience.”

sports MEN’S SWIM & DIVE

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news

Feb. 5, 2016

Old News

Taking a closer look at events that shaped the world.

WATERGATE SCANDAL KATIE CAVENDER co-news editor The media is always buzzing with activity, trying to capture attention with urgent taglines and pushing to ensure that their content (TITLE TBD)In the gets the most views. process of accomplishing this, however, the reporters of today sometimes end up with biased coverage. While LAUREN FRIAS the advertising and monco-editor-in-chief etary aspect associated with viewership is so highly influential in media coverage today, journalists have played a role throughout history in keeping the public informed about corruption and injustice in the government.

On Feb. 7, 1973, the United Illustration by Jini John States senate voted 77-0 in favor of establishing a committee to investigate the Nixon Watergate Scandal. Prior to this official investigation, JOHN SCHURER journalists Bob Woodward co-news editor and Carl Bernstein of the GRACE SHIN Washington Post reported on asst. news editor the initial Watergate breakin. Unlike the rest of the naAfter the Illinois State Board of Edtion’s media, Woodward and ucation formally mandated the PerforBernstein spent the followmance Evaluation Reform Act (PERA) ing months investigating the in February 2014, public schools beconnections that the break-in gan preparations for a “student growth had to officials in the FBI, component” as part of the administraand even the White tion’s method of evaluating classHouse. Conroom teachers.

According to Principal nections later Lauren Fagel, the 2015drawn be2016 school year is a tween thentrial run for the new President teacher evaluation R i ch a r d standards that will be N i xo n fully implemented on and the Sept. 1. PERA requires per petrathe district to create a tors of the group called the Joint break-in led Committee that will deto Nixon’s termine the percentage re s i gn a tion of teachers’ evaluations in August that are made up of a stuThis political cartoon appeared on the dent growth component.

1974.

Woodward cover of Time magazine on April 30, This component will make 1973 after the Watergate scandal broke. and Bern- Photo from Flickr Creative Commons up at least 25 percent of evaluation in the first two stein’s role years of implementation. in the resIf the Join Committee is unable to ignation of president Nixon agree upon a number that is 25 percent is often exaggerated in the or more, according to Fagel, South’s public’s memory due to their standard will become the state’s 50 perbook, All The President’s cent default.

Men, and its later incarna“[That] just tries to take teaching and tion as a film. It was a collaboration of Congress, the FBI and other federal officials that actually discovered and investigated the scandal. However, Woodward and Bernstein’s initial coverage opened the door that led the public to have a quick and STEM GROWTH complete understanding of On Jan. 27, 48 students from each the events that unfolded surDistrict 34 middle school visited rounding Watergate.

GBS to explore opportunities in SciAs with the recent Paris ence, Technology, Engineering and attacks and the Syrian refuMathematics (STEM) fields. Students gee crisis, professional news learned about course offerings in this outlets today can be biased category at GBS and also participated in their reporting, somein a design challenge. times using racist language

South pilots student growth component of teacher evaluation

or unintentionally making untrue claims. In an effort to keep public interest, reporters value speed in their reporting instead of putting accuracy first. Woodward and Bernstein’s coverage of the Watergate scandal set a precedent for reporting that was both fast and accurate, a precedent that the media today doesn’t always follow.

YEAR OF THE MONKEY GBS will celebrate the Chinese New Year with performances by the Chinese New Year Lion and Lion Dancers from the Chicago Chinese Cultural Center during each lunch period today. The dancers will be led by Dr. Jim Shellard.

turn it into nuts and bolts, like ‘Okay, that. They have a good day, they have what’s the average growth?’” Fagel said. a bad day, they’re interested, or they’re “‘Well, then that means that you’re a not interested, or they have things goproficient teacher,’ and that’s just not ing on in their own life. [...] I’m worried how adults do well. Nobody wants to be that focusing on such a narrow part of the learning in the class [with] multiple under a microscope like that.”

Fagel says that guidance counselors, choice tests [will not show everything] social workers, school psychologists, we learn in here.”

According to English Teacher Debnurses and speech-language pathologists that do not teach or co-teach are bie Cohen, there has been an increase in exempted from this method of evalu- data collection about teaching in recent ation. For teachers that are evaluated years. She believes using pre-tests and this way, it is just one component of post-tests as teacher evaluations will be difficult to apply in their performance review.

“All students and parents a way that will benstudents and “ [ Te a ch e r s and teachers know that efit teachers. are] always gothe student—especially a “Teachers all ing to be lookover the school are ing at [student] teenager—is most responalways assessing the growth, but they sible for their learning.” students in one way need to pick one or another,” Cohen that they’re go- Elizabeth Lupfer, said. “We’ve been ing to measure social studies teacher doing a lot of work and give to their on formative assessboss and say, ‘Use this as part of my evaluation.’” Fa- ments [and] giving feedback to students gel said. “[That unit is] going to be [at to help them monitor their progress toleast] 25 percent of the teacher’s evalu- wards their learning goals. I think it’s ation. Everything else is on their class- interesting and possibly useful to look at student growth in the aggregate like room practice.”

Elizabeth Lupfer, social studies we’ve been asked to.”

For Math teacher John O’Malley, teacher, does not agree with the usage of standardized testing as a method of teacher evaluations seem potentially unnecessary and slightly vague. reflecting students’ learning.

“I feel like it’s just another require“All students and parents and teachers know that the student—especially a ment that [teachers] have to fulfill,” teenager—is most responsible for their O’Malley said. “I’m always trying to figlearning,” Lupfer said. “We all admit ure out what my [students’] knowledge

GOING FOR GOLD The Glenbrook United men’s basketball team won gold at their division competition and will be continuing on to compete in the State Special Olympics on March 11-13 in Bloomington, Illinois. Team members include John Archibal, Andrew Yang, Michael Young, Robert Jacyznski, Martin Piorkowski, Kevin Levy, Jack Cienkus, Jonathan Shitvelberg, Henry Tish, and Kevin Lowry.

SWEET CELEBRATION The second annual World Cultures celebration will be held on Saturday, Feb. 6 in the West Cafeteria. The celebration’s theme is “Everyone Eats Sweets.” Admission is free with an option to purchase food tickets for $1 each.

LIFE SAVERS HEARTS OF SERVICE Key Club will host four “Eat N Read” events this spring at underprivileged grade schools. About 60 Key Club members will start on Feb. 12 at Rowe Elementary School in Chicago, packing lunches and donating used books.

Anyone 16 years or older and over 110 pounds can participate in the Interact Club blood drive this March. A donation can save up to three lives.

Interact encourages South students to be life savers. Listen to the announcements for further details.

is before and then making sure that they improve afterwards, so I’m not so sure that this [method] is going to make a huge difference.”

Additionally, O’Malley does not believe that pre-testing and post-testing is an accurate way to measure a student’s learning growth.

“What my definition of growth is for a student might be different from somebody else’s, so I think that [is an area of concern],” O’Malley said.

Spanish teacher Rachael Rothrauff did not explicitly pre-test and post-test her students, but used various activities and quizzes at the beginning of the year to gauge her students’ prior knowledge of the material.

“I think it is very effective, in terms of a teaching strategy,” Rothrauff said.

“The more you know about what your students know, the more accurately you can guide them in [learning].”

As the Joint Committee continues to look at the usage of the pre-tests, Fagel says that the committee will also continue to create a plan that will be comfortable for teachers, administrators and students as the transition to the new evaluation standard begins. While she does not think that the new form of evaluation is ideal, she hopes that South will be able to implement it in a way that satisfies everyone.

“I’m really optimistic,” Fagel said.

“We have a really great relationship with the teachers. We’re doing good stuff.”

GIRL POWER Today, GBS will host the Women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Breakfast, allowing sophomore girls to attend. The annual breakfast is hosted to celebrate the accomplishments of students in these fields.

FIRST FIGHT

GBS hosted the first ever state championship for Illinois high school fencers on Jan. 30. Fencers from more than a dozen schools in state travelled to GBS to participate in the competition. Winners will gain the opportunity to proceed to the Junior Olympic tournament.

3 NEW YEAR NEW LAWS

news

Feb. 5, 2016

JOHN SCHURER co-news editor

As 2016 begins, here are three of the 237 new Illinois state laws everyone should be aware of.

CONCUSSION DISCUSSION: Lying face down on the basketball court during a game on Jan. 13, sophomore Lauren Meier struggles with a head inury, later diagnosed as a concussion. By the next

school year, Illinois middle and high schools must fit concussion management to state standards, according to the Youth Sports Concussion Safety Act. Photo courtesy of Varsity Views: www.varsityviews.com

State requires new concussion regulations CASSIDY FORONDA & SAVERA ZULFIQAR staff reporters

Illinois middle and high schools will be required to adjust their concussion management to state standards, by the 2016-2017 school year, as mandated by the Youth Sports Concussion Safety Act. The act’s regulations had originally planned to be fully made official at the beginning of 2016, but the implementation was pushed back when Governor Bruce Rauner approved amendments on Nov. 20, 2015. According to Tony Catsaros, head athletic trainer, while South had a majority of the necessary components in place prior to the enactment, postponing the law probably helped other schools. “[The push back] is great, because then all these other schools that may not have had all the [...] pieces in place [now] have time,” Catsaros said.

According to the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) website, the act requires concussion policies to be compliant with all IHSA guidelines including return-to-learn and return-to-play policies. Catsaros explained that the two policies are followed in order to get a student active again after a concussion. The duration for recovery depends

on each student, but he also believes the said. “My concentration was absolutely programs at South help students catch shot. I was also unable to write [essays] up on work in order to make the transi- and felt super off emotionally.” tion easier.

The new law also orders use of IHSA“[There are] great things here at GBS provided educational materials on between the TLC, guided study oppor- head injuries, creation of a Concussion tunities and [the return to learn pro- Oversight Team (COT), training for all gram],” Catsaros said. “[They’re all] well coaches and licensed officials and deestablished with velopment of an our guidance “I think it’s all about the emergency action counselors and plan for serious safety and health of our injuries that could with our teachers as well, so the athletes and that can only rapidly deterioteachers all get rate a student’s be a good thing.” notified if one condition, Catof their students saros said. He also - Mike Noll, assistant has a concusrevealed that GBS athletic director sion. [Teachers] will have to face can make some few changes as a accommodations [in their classes], in result of the act, since GBS had already terms of allowing [their students to] fulfilled a majority of its requirements. rest from certain assignments until “We already had [a COT], we just didn’t they are ready.” call it [that],” Catsaros said. “ [...] Part Senior Erica Gelman got her first con- of the law says that you should have a cussion during a soccer game when she physician on your team when applicawas elbowed in the head. Unaware of ble and since we are able to do so here, her injury, Gelman was diagnosed with we just had a recent discussion [about a concussion two days later, which took starting to work] on making sure we two months to heal. She went through add a physician to our [COT] by next the return-to-learn recovery program. year.”

“I was unable to [do work because] I Another adjustment that will need to kept forgetting what to do as I jumped be made is the appropriate distribution from one problem to the next,” Gelman of emergency action plans—written last

year—as mandated by the act, according to Catsaros. They are currently hung in athletic sites in the building next to emergency exit procedures. More plans will be added to outdoor locations during the upcoming spring sports season.

“It’s just something we wanted to make sure we had [last year], so we added them to the school incident plan,” Catsaros said. “Those were then distributed to our local fire department, as well as the police department.”

The added physician, anticipated to be in place by the end of the spring, will have direct involvement with the recovering process for students. Catsaros says this will be the most noticeable change for students suffering from a concussion since the passage of the act. “[The students will be able to see] the physician for evaluation or clearance, but [there will also be] an athletic trainer working under the direction of the physician,” Catsaros said.

Mike Noll, assistant athletic director, sees the addition of a new physician as another important factor in the recovery process for students. “[Adding a physician] leaves very little room to get [concussion management] wrong,” Noll said. “I think it’s all about the safety and health of our athletes, and that can only be a good thing.”

Illinois Lifeline Law protects underage drinkers MAEVE PLUNKETT staff reporter

The Lifeline Law, of Illinois, which gives immunity from legal prosecution to underage drinkers who call 9-1-1 for themselves or a friend, will take effect on June 1.

The legislation had been brought up almost three years ago in Illinois but failed to become a bill. State Representative Laura Fine was made aware of it by a former South student, Julia Jacobs.

Fine said a main goal of the new legislation was safety.

“What we wanted to do was see if we could find the safest way to protect children without saying that it’s okay to drink underage because it’s not okay to drink underage,” Fine said. “But if somebody does make that mistake, we want to make sure that they don’t have to pay for it with their life.”

According to Fine, the law has limits.

It will only protect up to three people involved in the emergency call and will not apply to schools and how they deal with students who use it. Principal Lauren Fagel elaborated that the school is not the main penalizer for underage drinking.

“If police walk into a party where there is underage drinking on the weekend [and] you’re involved in nothing, but you go to your classes [on Monday], we can’t punish you for what happened,

but you’ll have problems with the police,” Fagel said.

South has few plans to change the Code of Conduct violations for students, even if they use the Lifeline Law, according to Athletic Director Steven Rockrohr.

The only adaptation might be that calling authorities in an emergency would be taken as self-reporting.

“If you self-report, [the suspension from the athletic season] drops from 20 percent to 10 percent, so probably depending on the situation, it could very likely be dropped from 20 to 10 percent,” Rockrohr said. “You may not be self-reporting to me, but you’re still selfreporting to an authority figure.”

Rockrohr emphasized that he does not want Code of Conduct consequences to deter students from calling 9-1-1. Code of Conduct is meant to be a deterrent, a motive not to drink, according to Rockrohr.

“I hope they wouldn’t [be worried about Code of Conduct consequences],” Rockrohr said. “The idea of the Code of Conduct isn’t

Graphi

c by Nick Moran

to punish. By default, it becomes a punishment when you [violate it], but the point is to prevent it from happening.”

The GBS Health Department has received no formal information about the Illinois law yet, according to Health teacher Laura Duffy, but she has conducted class discussions about it based on information on Indiana’s preexisting Lifeline Law. “We will definitely make it a part of the curriculum and put some questions on it on the final exam,” Duffy said. “It’s important to make sure everyone understands it.”

Susan Jones*, South teacher and alumni, had an experience as a student in which she needed the Lifeline Law. Finding a friend passed out in the bathtub presented her with a moral dilemma.

“It freaked me out, and I basically was scared to leave her and wasn’t really sure what to do so I sat next to her and kind

of contemplated what I was supposed to do in that situation,” Jones said. “The first thing that I was most scared to do was calling 9-1-1.”

She chose not to call emergency services, and instead called the friend’s mother, an ER nurse. The mother arrived at the house and took the friend to the hospital where she was admitted for alcohol poisoning.

“Afterwards, we had a conversation with her mother [about how] after she got her to the hospital, the medical services at the hospital basically just said, ‘Thank God you got her here, because her body hadn’t really felt all of the effects of the alcohol yet, so it was still processing and being absorbed into her body,’” Jones said. “So, it could have gotten a lot worse, and we did the right thing by calling her mom.”

Jones’s friend recovered, and while neither the school nor the police were involved, they received punishments from their families, according to Jones.

“We got in trouble with our parents,” Jones said. “[The] school didn’t find out; no one got expelled or suspended but […] we had a serious conversation with our parents [and they said], [...] ‘You did the right thing by calling someone, [but] you should have called 9-1-1.’ And if this law was there, we probably would have [called 9-1-1]. [But by calling someone] we probably saved her life.” *name has been changed

PET PROTECTION PROGRAM The state’s Humane Care for Animals Act was recently amended to provide that “no owner of a dog or cat may expose the dog or cat in a manner that places the dog or cat in a life-threatening situation for a prolonged period of time in extreme heat or cold conditions.” A violation of this law could result in up to a year of jail time and a $2,500 fine.

That being said, Illinois pet owners must now take extra precautions with extreme weather conditions. Sara Feigenholtz, sponsoring Democratic state Representative, said the bill was inspired by recent cases of dogs freezing to death in subzero temperatures last winter.

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GAY CONVERSION THERAPY Gay Conversion Therapy, the practice of turning homosexuals into heterosexuals through counseling and lifestyle adjustments, has been outlawed for minors in the state of Illinois.

California, New Jersey, Oregon and the District of Columbia have outlawed this practice thus far, making Illinois the fourth state to do so. Illinois Senator Daniel Biss told Time Magazine that “[Gay Conversion Therapy] is out of date and can be deeply destructive to youth. Outlawing these practices is a small step in our pursuit for LGBT rights, but it’s an extremely important step in protecting young people in Illinois.”

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IT’S TIME FOR PUMPKIN PIE Illinois produced nearly 750 million pounds of pumpkin in 2014, according to WGN, making the state the largest pumpkin producer in the country. As a result, the official state pie of Illinois is now pumpkin pie. Keith Sommer, sponsoring Republican state Representative, said, “We do a lot of serious business here in this chamber and have a lot of hard work ahead of us, but it’s important to recognize the good things about the state of Illinois, the good things we share, the different cultures in the state.”

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To learn more about the other 234 Illinois laws adopted in 2016, scan the QR Code below.

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news

Feb. 5, 2016

ACT/SAT, continued from front

Illustration by Grace Shin

Math Department reconsiders calculator usage the Math Department. Changing the policy could have a negative effect on other departments, teachers and organizations. “[The Math Department] doesn’t get to dictate South’s Math Department is in the initial stages of deciding whether a gradual shift towards less to the rest of the world,” Gartner said. “There are certain entities that we can’t control, like the ACT calculator use would be beneficial for students.

While South still remains committed to the or the College Board, that are still going to want a hand-held calculacalculator, there is an interest to replace calculator use with “[Desmos] was very accessible tor, at least for the foreseeable future.” computer programs, accordWhile computers ing to Philip Gartner, Math to [students of all] learning and may not be practiDepartment instructional su- ability types...” cal for standardpervisor. ized testing, they “Math teachers are adapt- - Math teacher Joe Karlovsky are still applicable ing and looking at what the advantages are of the new technology and how in the classroom. When math teacher Joe Karlothey can harness that to improve learning, to vsky used a program called Desmos to quiz his make class more engaging or to find programs students, he was pleased with the results. “[Desmos] was very accessible to [students of that maybe offer an advantage over what the calall] learning and ability types [because students] culator has,” Gartner said.

Gartner stressed the delicacy of this poten- only have to follow maybe two or three steps intial change, as calculators are also used outside stead of what I might say is four, five or six steps TOMMY BARRETT staff reporter

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in the [calculator],” Karlovsky said.

According to Gartner, a change in calculator policy could also benefit students by not having to purchase them or bring a calculators to school.

“We also want to be ready to make that move when it is appropriate because it would offer cost savings to families, and a simplicity if we can cut down by one the number of devices that students need to have for school,” Gartner said.

According to math teacher Steve Farber, one opportunity for computer programs to overtake calculators lies in the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) Test.

Its ability to block a user from everything except the test could be a potential solution. “[During] PARCC testing, for example, they give you a calculator and lock the ability to get to Wikipedia or otherwise use your computer,” Farber said. “[But] until we get to a point where the Chromebook has the ability to allow you to do certain things but limit you from doing other things, we’re gonna stick with the calculators.”

sliver of insight into a student’s educational portfolio. I think both of them do that sufficiently.”

In terms of curriculum, Muir anticipates that little will change. Philip Gartner, Math Department instructional supervisor, sees some benefits for students regarding the SAT’s math section.

“I think it’s very helpful for our students that the SAT allows [them] to use the CAS calculators,” Gartner said. “We want our students to use tools they are comfortable with, so I think that’s wonderful.”

Gartner also believes that the SAT will be able to capture the strengths of GBS students that may not have been highlighted in the ACT. “The SAT is more based on data and statistics, which works well with our students and our curriculum,” Gartner said. “I think our math curriculum prepares students very well for that.”

The ACT will continue to be offered outside of school. For students concerned about the cost of paying for the ACT, Gartner encourages them to talk to their counselors about fee waivers and financial aid. ACT prep classes will continue to be offered at South, along with possible new classes for the SAT.

Illustration by Sasha Vassilyeva

editorial

The editorial expresses the opinion of the majority of the editorial board and not necessarily that of the publisher, adviser, school administration or staff.

Feb. 5, 2016

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Academic dishonesty demands teacher, student consideration “Didn’t understand it.”

“Stress.”

“Forgetfulness.”

“Too much to do in one night.”

“Laziness.”

In an unscientific Oracle-conducted survey of 225 students investigating their histories with academic dishonesty, students commonly listed these as motives for cheating on schoolwork.

Academic dishonesty is a prevalent phenomenon within GBS. According to Dean Ron Bean, students’ efforts to cheat on an assignment or assessment range from chatting in the hallways about quiz contents, taking pictures of testing materials, glancing over onto someone’s paper and doing “ just about every trick in the book.”

Although 33 percent said they had never academically cheated in their past, 67 percent confessed to cheating on their schoolwork. Of those 67 percent of students, 78 percent admitted to cheating on homework, 53 percent on tests and quizzes, 45 percent on WebAssigns, and 13 percent on essays.

GBS has worked to strengthen the measures and policies to discourage the culture of academic dishonesty that exists within the school, and the Oracle Editorial Board wishes to illuminate certain suggestions that could help with the process.

ADULTS As students, we have observed that a number of adults believe the difficulties they endured in their years of high school are equivalent to what students in the recent generations experience.

Therefore, the Oracle Editorial Board urges teachers to host and initiate conversations with students to better grasp their individual situations; by having students inform adults on the personal struggles students bear throughout their school lives, teachers especially will see how greatly the education system has changed.

Although history teacher Elizabeth Lupfer feels surprised when she discovers news of students cheating, she acknowledges the increase in pressure and a greater emphasis on factors that influence the competition of getting good grades.

“I don’t think that it’s all their fault; I think that society is what’s stressing [the importance of grades],” Lupfer said. “I think it’s more national with all the high stakes testing that the nation has done, with No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top, that has really just emphasized and given the wrong impression that tests are so important.”

With the intensity and rigor classes demonstrate, some students believe they are not receiving the help they need, academic or otherwise. Senior Jane Smith* feels the need to jeopardize her intellectual integrity due to this perception. “[I’ll resort to academic dishonesty] because school can be very difficult, especially if you have minimal guidance or support from teachers,” Smith said.

One example of the minimal guidance students receive from teachers is the reading of the academic honesty policy to classes at the beginning of the semester. Required by the school administration, this policy is regurgitated at the start of every class and monotonously recited; nevertheless, its impact can actually diminish the significance and complications of academic dishonesty.

Smith said, “I think the recent [emphasis] on the academic policy isn’t effective to stop academic dishonesty because just repeating what it is doesn’t do anything. Students will still do what

Illustration by Alex Solecki

in terms of homework... if they don’t have those they want, regardless of the enforcement.”

As a solution to this attitude, Terry Jozwik, So- resources,” Koo said. “To be more conscious and cial Studies Department instructional supervisor, be more sensitive to that, I try to give out the suroffers that adults should put a greater empha- vey just to know the kids a little bit more… I have sis on honesty. He cites that this responsibility of a student right now who told me they don’t have restraining from academic dishonesty is not only Internet at home... If my homework is all computone of which students should be mindful, but also er-based, then that student’s put at a huge disadone which adults who guide the students’ educa- vantage... As a teacher, at the end of that, you want to make sure that you’re assessing them in a way tion should strongly articulate. that’s fair.”

“It’s a matter According to an of how well parFailure is an important determinant in article on Greater ents are doing understanding your own capabilities. Good from the Unitheir job [and] versity of Califorhow well teachers are doing their job to keeping students honest,” nia, Berkeley, it is of great concern that adults Jozwik said. “I think teachers should continually should recognize the personal difficulties students advise people on the importance of approaching face and underscore ways to help them.

“Clearly, our children are in great distress,” the individual assignments honestly… and I think that reminding students that honesty is the best policy article stressed. “We need to help them. While many kids are meeting the high standards for is important.”

Dr. Thomas Kucharski, English Department in- school success that we hold out for them, many of structional supervisor, also acknowledges the ne- those same kids are sacrificing their happiness to cessity of teachers to encourage the enrichment do this.” of students’ educational experience and that the STUDENTS importance of the teacher’s role should not be underestimated in their students’ decisions to cheat.

The Oracle Editorial Board finds it imperative “I don’t necessarily think it’s up to the students,” Kucharski said. “It’s helpful when the stu- that students recognize academic dishonesty leads dents kind of go out of their way to try to under- to the inevitable and irreversible punishments stand why what they’re learning is relevant, but which accompany it. We understand the pressures of getting into that good I really think it’s the school you or your parteacher’s responsibilents want you to go to, or ity to make sure that that you also may want a the students undergood grade without the stand why they’re added endeavors to finish learning what they’re some assignments, but learning.” the consequences of acaTherefore, the Ordemic dishonesty prove acle Editorial Board to be much more dire. only suggests beginStudents caught cheatning a conversation. ing waste away their Teachers such as sciyear-long efforts, accordence teacher Josh ing to the GBS Board PoliKoo opt to pass out cy, by risking the entirety surveys at the beginof their semester or overning of the semester, all course grade. Not only an effective solution will these penalties jeopfor students to exardize students’ school plain their situation careers, but will create or conflicts which a harmful ripple effect: might interfere with the cheating would affect their schoolwork. their acceptances into “I can’t treat all of their desired college and, the students the same

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 Lauren Frias Hannah Mason Dani Tuchman news editors Katie Cavender John Schurer opinions editors Evan Sawires Elaine Sine features editors Alexandra Sharp Anne Marie Yurik a&e editors Mollie Cramer Hannah Rauh

sports editors Georgia Arvanitis Samantha Casey photos editors Ashley Clark Jacqueline DeWitt asst. news Grace Shin Sasha Vassilyeva asst. opinions Jonathan Lee Lilly Ludwig asst. features Leah Dunne Maddy Ruos Gracie Sands Olivia Sotirichos

in turn, diminish the possibility in obtaining their dream job. The consequences permanently taint one’s reputation for an unreliable solution that degrades students’ credibilities.

Furthermore, students could also lose privileges such as being selected for honor societies; moreover, academic dishonesty could threaten students’ social relationships due to the incessant questioning for answers or having the general association with someone who cheats.

Despite this, students such as Smith continue to neglect these policies for their desire of freedom from the school’s seemingly domineering environment.

Smith herself has shared science labs with other classmates, worked on her homework as a group and Googled answers to her WebAssigns; however, she doesn’t consider the consequences of academically dishonest behavior negatively and believes cheating to be an unavoidable fate.

“In the real world and in college, you get to do whatever you want, where the stakes are even higher,” Smith said. “If someone is going to cheat, they will, regardless of whether or not their teacher threatens [punishment].”

This is one of many common perceptions students have regarding academic dishonesty: its inevitability. Thus, students lead themselves into giving and receiving answers to assignments. This dangerous notion can not only potentially harm their grade, but according to Bean, prevent teachers from learning of students’ overall potential.

“I think a lot of the kids we catch that are cheating on assignments have the capacity and the capability to do well on the test or the quiz or the paper if they put the effort into it,” Bean said. “I worry about the impact that it has on them academically depending on what the assessment was or what the paper was.”

Failure is an important determinant in understanding your own capabilities. However, if you cheat because you want to get into a good college and obtain a good job, how will you determine and carve out your future if you don’t know what you’re good at?

The Oracle Editorial Board wishes to stress the importance of refusing to offer information about an assessment and refusing to receive it. Also, we wish to remind all students that, instead of cheating, it is normal and acceptable to get a bad grade on a test, essay or whatever schoolwork that may seem difficult at the time. It will not affect the entirety of your semester grade; moreover, it will not cheapen the worth of your intelligence. *Name has been changed

asst. a&e Nick Moran Hwa Oh asst. sports Sophie Hensley Cassidy Jackson asst. photos Sophie Mason adviser Marshall Harris gbsoracle@gmail.com “The Glenbrook South Oracle”

@GBSOracle @gbsoracle

6

opinions

Feb. 5, 2016

Strong female characters deserve greater attention

Mayor Rahm Emanuel fails to right serious wrongs

EVAN SAWIRES co-opinions editor DANA SIM columnist

What do Harry Potter, Holden Caulfield, Gandalf and Captain Kirk all have in common? They’re all male protagonists.

But where are the female protagonists?

On the big screen, women are not stars.

Typically, they’re the love interests or the supporting character of a bigger man. They’re sources of romance, not action. They’re the people in the background, not the front-center hero. Men are the protagonists, not women.

But for the first time in history, entertainment is presenting women as something more.

From Imperator Furiosa in Mad Max: Fury Road to Rey in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, 2015 was rife with new female lead characters. I’m talking about Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games and Ava from Ex Machina. Even Game of Thrones’ Daenerys Targaryen fits the bill.

These are women who are playing roles normally filled by men.

They’re women who have taken hold of their destiny. They’re the warriors and champions, heroes and rebels, not just sidekicks and love interests. They’re the main characters, the centerpieces around whom the story revolves.

The beauty of it is that they’re doing it on their own. They fight their own battles and reach their own goals, and they don’t need the help of men along the way. They solve the crime on their own.

They strike down the villain on their own. They save entire cities on their own.

Get where I’m going here?

Hollywood is changing, but are we as a society willing to follow? Currently, the answer seems to be no.

When toys for the popular Avengers: Age of Ultron released, Black Widow was curiously missing from the action figure sets. When Hasbro released their Star Wars Monopoly set, Rey’s figure was replaced by Darth Vader (who doesn’t even appear in the film). When mothers go shopping for their child’s clothes, they ask for a Mad Max t-shirt without Furiosa on it. Is it because a lady hero is too weak for your male son?

Rey’s figure eventually came to the shelves only after the #WheresRey campaign gained attention.

Disney’s response? According to an article written in Forbes, they were keeping it “under wraps” to surprise the fans. Right, because releasing a toy after an angry campaign made of upset fans really screams “surprise factor” to me.

As a society, as a community at South, I ask that this not be us. That for our girlfriends, sisters and daughters, we take on this new trend and begin to see women as more than just romantic interests.

There are little girls in our community who enjoy swords over princesses or spaceships over horses, and these girls need role models. What’s going to happen if we don’t support this trend?

Are we really going to push these girls into a corner of peer pressure and force them away from what they love?

Are we going explain to them that men rule the world and not women? Are we building women who call themselves confident and strong or limit themselves as side characters and romantic interests?

If all we show our young girls are women who are weak, dependent and always getting themselves captured by dragons, then what do you expect our girls will become? Weak, dependent and always getting captured by dragons themselves.

If we show our women as side characters, then that’s all they’ll amount to: side characters. But today, women are taking to the stage. Isn’t it time we give them the spotlight?

So far, it’s been a rough term for Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel. Despite his campaign’s huge financial advantage, the famously arrogant New Trier grad was re-elected by a mere 12 percentage points last February, according to Al Jazeera.

Things have gone downhill since then. The state’s bid to suppress the dashcam footage of 17-yearold Laquan McDonald’s 2014 police murder proved unsuccessful, but not until Nov. 24. This delay led to assertions that the mayor had intentionally prevented the release of the video until after the election.

According to USA Today, 51 percent of respondents believe he should resign. And with good reason: throughout his first term, he appeared out of touch and neglectful, funneling funds into revamping Navy Pier and McCormick Place and proposing a new selective enrollment high school while closing mental health clinics and public schools in poorer neighborhoods.

After all that, the alleged suppres-

MARCHING DOWN MICHIGAN: In response to the police killing in Chicago of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald, protestors disrupt Black Friday shopping by marching down Michigan Ave (above). One of their demands was the removal of police superintendent Garry McCarthy (below). Shooter Jason Van Dyke has since been indicted on six counts of first-degree murder. Photos from Flickr Creative Commons

sion of the McDonald video until after the election isn’t a surprise, but it has justifiably shattered the trust the city had in him.

The video directly contradicted all of the officers’ initial reports that McDonald had put their lives at risk. In the video, the 17-year-old is clearly retreating when the shots begin, and they continue for several

seconds, resulting in a grand total of 16 shots.

Shooter Jason Van Dyke has been rightly (and surprisingly) charged with six counts of first-degree murder, but no charges have been brought regarding the false reports the police filed. There have been continuous protests since the video’s release.

The damage control was frantic.

The mru was initially framed as the act of a rogue officer, as if everyone had suddenly decided racism and police violence aren’t proud American traditions after all. Rahm initially defended his police superintendent, but then fired him for losing the public’s trust. He resisted the Department of Justice investigation into the police department, but later welcomed it.

More than anything, he has proven himself yet again to be reactive and neglectful, catering primarily to the richest parts of the city while neglecting everywhere else until he no longer can, at which point he

makes small reforms before continuing with business as usual.

Of course, it’s possible that his promises are for real. Maybe Chicago is about to embark into a new era of police accountability and trust in a department historically known for its violence. There have been a few good signs; according to NPR, 57 victims of police torture in the 70s90s were recently paid reparations totalling $5.5 million.

However, like many rich, powerful men before him, he’ll probably just continue doing what he does until he’s recalled or loses an election. That could’ve happened last election, but in the words of Rahm himself, it looks like Chicago let another crisis go to waste.

Selfish desires prove Powerball losers are real winners

JONATHAN LEE asst. opinions editor

In the past month, America experienced something great. It was a time of hope for everyone.

No one had ever dreamed of something so amazing. Achieving the American dream was missing just one thing—the Powerball worth 1.3 billion dollars.

Everyone was happy. There was finally something for Americans to live for. Sure, there was the final season of American Idol, but this was something much bigger. Bigger than DJ Khaled’s growing fan base on Snapchat and even bigger than Kim Kardashian’s... ego. The hype was real, up until the winners were announced. Then the salt was real.

Sure, everyone was mad they didn’t win, but everyone

bought the ticket knowing there was basically no chance of winning.

I personally was extremely salty when I found out that the Citgo 1.7 miles away from my house had the one million dollar ticket. According to USA Today, the chances of winning were 1 in 292.2 million. There was more of a possibility of getting bitten by a shark or getting struck by lightning. Through this event, it’s evident to see that money has grown to be a top priority in our life.

First off, 1.3 billion dollars is a lot. I get that. But now if we see 100 million on the Powerball billboard, all we think is, “Eh, that’s not that much,” Bruh, what are we doing? I would pay $99 dollars to win a lottery worth $100. In many times of our lives, we often forget how fortunate we are. One dollar to us can seem so little, but in other places people are working vigorously just to earn that much daily.

As we

grow up, society makes it feel as if money is the priority over our interests; at the same time, we feel getting a standard job with good pay is better than a lower-paying job that you truly like. It’s sad that we think like that, even as we’ve grown up hearing our parents tell us to follow our dreams.

But in this day and age, it seems that reality hits earlier than before. Our childhood is arguably the most important time of our lives because that’s when we find ourselves, the time where we discover what we like. As children, we could enjoy playing sports and desire to become an athlete. However, if reality hits us during our childhood, we’ll all end up having boring jobs with boring lives.

With 1.3 billion dollars, the opportunities are endless. You basically have enough money to not work and live a successful life.

But what does suc-

Illustration by Alex Solecki

cessful mean? You could use that money to help others and make a difference, or you could binge watch Grey’s Anatomy from your 100 inch T.V. 10 hours a day. Money is a dangerous thing and can lead to dreadful things. All we hear about from these winners are how they went in debt for gambling all their money away. They have selfish desires, and they end up losing it all. It’s scary to think that we would possibly do the same.

So maybe it was better that we didn’t win that money. Who knows how you would have spent it. Maybe you would go bankrupt after throwing it all away on gambling and an unlimited supply of Taco Bell. That would only lead to depression and have you feeling worse than you did before winning.

So let’s celebrate that we didn’t win—we’re much better without it.

But who am I kidding? I would much rather be driving to school in a Lamborghini with some fresh Yeezys than walking to school with some Skechers that don’t even light up.

opinions

Feb. 5, 2016

7

Loss at young age requires thoughtful reaction grieving. You don’t have to talk about how sad the situation is all the time. Saying “It will be okay” is not offensive; it’s empowering!

It’s okay to talk about the person who died. People who have lost someone close to them don’t want to feel like their loved one is forgotten. Talking about the person who died not only keeps their memory alive, but it also aids the process of grief.

Avoid saying any variation of “I could NEVER go through what you’re going through”. Wow, I feel so LILLY LUDWIG much better now that you made a situation that asst. opinions editor has literally nothing to do with you, all about you!

Thanks!

Here in the North Shore, we’re pretty accusAvoid saying any variation of “I wish I could find tomed to the idea that a family consists of two par- the right words to say…” Yep, I’m right there with ents and a few kids. you buddy. I also wish you could find the right The reality is that life is far from perfect. Nobody words to say. is immune to illness or accidents, and as scary as the If you’re really at a loss for words, “I’m sorry” is the thought is, nobody is immune to losing someone best thing to say. Unless you’re a spiritual advisor or close to them. Because of this, I think there should have dealt with a similar loss, you probably don’t be a common language in our society on how to have any advice that’s actually helpful. However, treat young people who have experienced tragedy. you are a friend, and you are feeling sad and sorMy mom died when I was 15. After her death, ry about what’s happened. It’s okay to let us know. my life definitely changed. However, what changed We’re sorry too. the most was the way othDon’t treat us like we’re er people treated me.

Experiencing a loss is sad, but broken. I think people As a kid, there’s nothto disregard a young what people all too often fail tend ing in the world like losperson’s ability to bounce ing a parent, a sibling, a back from sadness and to recognize is the blessings best friend or someone as to new situations; that come from that experience. adjust equally close to you. The young people are very reidea of this can be heartsilient. Multiple days will breaking to a lot of people. So heartbreaking that go by where I won’t even think about my mom. Not a majority of people don’t know the right words to because I don’t love her and miss her, but because say or can become uncomfortable when they’re con- there is so much more to my life than this one sad fronted with someone who has experienced loss. thing that happened to me a few years ago.

It’s been two years since I lost my mom, so I’m Recognize that we’re going to be okay, and we’re gopretty far removed from what happened to me. This ing to be better because of what happened to us. Young time has given me the experience necessary to write people are infamous for feeling “invincible”, but my own language on how to treat people going those who have seen death first hand know that life through a tough loss. is fragile and not something to be wasted.

Don’t patronize us. The constant reassurance, the Not to mention that facing intense grief makes excessive hugs, the puppy dog eyes… Yes, they come a person stronger. It forces you to grow up and befrom a place of love, but they’re not helpful, they’re come mature more than any college experience or patronizing. gap year ever could. Seeing death so close confronts Avoid enabling or victimizing the person who is young people with intense questions about life, and

Illustration by Grace O’Malley

the grieving period creates a space to find answers to these questions. Some people will not seek these answers until much later in life.

Tragedy at any age is a moving experience, but I believe that the losses young people experience become triggers for positive growth that create the fundamental aspects of who they will grow to be.

Experiencing a loss is sad, but what people all too often fail to recognize are the blessings that come from that experience.

I know that for me, my mom’s death was a catalyst for my spiritual growth that led to what I believe is my purpose in life. I can say with certainty that I would not be who I am if she was still alive,

and I like the person who I am today. And if my mom were here, she would agree. Changing someone for the better just might be one of the best gifts we can give to the people that we love.

‘Comfort women’ deserve greater recognition for traumas

ELAINE SINE co-opinions editor

On Dec. 28, 2015, I discovered Japan and Korea’s agreement to settle a 70-year dispute of Japan’s sexual enslavement of South Korean women. Optimism and exhilaration ballooned within me.

A bit of history to understand what this column is about: About 200,000 women were captured and enslaved by the Japanese Imperial Army as “comfort women” (a euphemism for sex slaves made by the Japanese) until the end of World War II, according to Amnesty International.

Coming from a South Korean family, I’ve heard so many stories about the sexual slavery that haunted the Korean generations since World War II: the rape, the abuse, and the difficulty of living without an apology for the women’s sufferings.

The happiness I felt for my family’s country lightened the unresolved grievance on my heart.

Finally, according to the New York Times, the Japanese government officially planned to apologize, pay $8.3 million in reparations (for the provision of the comfort women), and the 46 remaining sexual slavery survivors in South Korea can distinguish a peace with the pain they’ve been suffering their entire lifetimes. The other comfort women who passed away would become martyrs of this historic moment; I felt grateful to be one of the many living witnesses to this landmark occasion that ends the age-old dispute.

Or so I thought. My period of celebration was cut short when I dug deeper into the issue. This deal wasn’t carved from the genuine forgiveness and guilt that I’d originally thought it was. It was a half-hearted political gesture.

Korean, Chinese, Taiwanese, Filipino, Malaysian, Indonesian, Dutch, East Timorese, Vietnam-

ese, Thai, Burmese, American and even Japanese women were poisoned by the terror-filling, inhumane and forever life-ruining actions of the Japanese army when the women were forced into sex slavery.

Japan had not apologized to South Korea for the women’s sex slavery until now, but there’s a lot wrong with this agreement between the countries.

One of the greatest ironies with this Japan-South Korea deal? The comfort women weren’t even part of the negotiations, according to NPR. In a CBS Nocutnews video, Lee Yong-Su, sexual slavery survivor, challenges Lim Sung-Nam, Seoul Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, when he comes to visit. Yung-Su’s heart-wrenching pain and anger at this political settlement is underscored and captured clearly, but the one moment that most vibrantly resonates with me is when she cries out: “Why are you killing us twice?”

She weeps at the fact the South Korean government failed to acknowledge the survivors. Sung-

Nam attempts to justify the government’s decision, that this was, but Yung-Su’s words continue to ring in my ears.

The lack of genuine sympathy on both sides enrages me. It’s a crime against humanity.

According to Amnesty International, Lee Oksun, a sexual slavery survivor, contracted diseases that affected her ability to have children, and the psychological trauma was unbearable for her.

“I couldn’t even think about having a baby,” Oksun said.

So, for these thousands and thousands of women whose lives were inconsolably ruined, how can you not let them speak for their sufferings? Where is the genuine sincerity in all of this?

Is it in the agreed upon terms that this is, as said in the Washington Post, the “final and irrevocable resolution,” despite its inconsideration and ignorance of the women brutally assaulted and/or murdered from this sexual slavery atrocity? Is it in the condition that South Korea has to remove the

WEEKLY WARRIORS: Protesting outside the Japanese embassy in Seoul, surviving comfort women and their families partake in a weekly protest for comfort women. According to the Korean Council, the Wednesday demonstrations have happened every Wednesday since 1992 with the goal of obtaining justice for Korean women held as sex slaves by the Japanese military during World War II. Photo from Flickr Creative Commons

statue representing the sexual slavery survivors in front of Seoul’s Japanese Embassy?

During interviews with Amnesty International, many of the women, not just Korean, tore off their garments and showed the interviewers the scars imprinting the memory of abuses: “a breast where a soldier had beaten a woman with a hot spatula, a vagina where penetration had been brutal and relentless or feet that had been bound with tight ropes.”

I was glad that South Korean “comfort women” have finally gotten their pain acknowledged, but what about the thousands of other women who were incessantly raped over and over and scarred from this terror for the rest of their lives?

Lola Maxima can still freshly remember her experiences, physically acting out the horrors she endured: “clawing, screaming, falling onto the floor, crawling in an attempt to get away, curling up into a ball”.

These psychological traumas are ones with which we are not familiar, but which are branded and sharply etched into the memories, muscles and futures of these women. As humans, how can we be so heartless to ignore that?

I recognize that South Korea and Japan’s agreement assists in the process of collectively securing greater safety from current threats, such as North Korea’s nuclear weapon program, according to the New York Times. However, the lack of compassion that laces this political arrangement is disgraceful.

Even though I’m not a born-and-raised South Korean, I am human enough to realize that South Korea’s women deserve the respect of a voice in this disingenuous settlement. This fight for humanity, for all survivors from each afflicted country, is not over.

8

features

Feb. 5, 2016

Nickele promotes IWW, feminism LILY SANDS & SHARON KIM staff reporters

The fictional tales of Robin Hood and King Arthur are renowned for their themes of preserving justice and achieving equality. For South senior Angelo Nickele, his favorite childhood stories influenced his interest in socialism. Nickele found his socialist ideas of equality at the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), which he explained he later joined.

According to Nickele, he currently works at the IWW as a general member. Nickele conducts research for a railroad local that does maintenance on trains while planning out campaigns, resulting in legal benefits.

“From the Union, I get a newsletter where if I run into any legal trouble [having] anything to do with the Union, I get their lawyers [to] represent me,” Nickele said.

Nickele explained that IWW aligns closest with syndicalism, a form of socialism in which the ownership and control of the means of production are distributed within unions.

“I liked the idea of equality and people working together for a common good,” Nickele said. “I got interested in history and last year when I was doing the [AP US History] research project, I found syndicalism... [It] was like all of my ideas wrapped up into one idea.”

According to Nickele, his AP US History research paper inspired his involvement in the IWW. AP US History teacher Ryan Kinsella explained that Nickele’s paper focused on unions and their influence in history.

Representing Rights: Senior Angelo Nickele, an active member of the Industrial Workers of the World and The Feminism club at South, wears his IWW hat and holds “I think it strengthened his knowledge on unions and gave him a sign that is promoting the rights of workers around the country. Nickele’s passion about these social injustices led him to joining the IWW and the Feminism Club. the knowledge base that he needed then to do something like join Photo by Ashley Clark the [IWW],” Kinsella said.

According to Nickele, his interest in the Union only increased According to Nickele, his views on socialism and From the IWW, Nickele claimed that he was able when he attended the first IWW meeting at the Chicago Public Liseeking equality for his sister fueled his involveto gain real world experience outside of South. brary about a year ago.

According to Kinsella, Nickele has a strong pas“I felt [...] nervous for the first five minutes or so,” Nickele said. ment in the Feminism Club at South.

“My sister has been bullied by people a sion towards learning and expressing his social“I sat right next to a couple members that I knew already and then ist passion outside of South. the discussion was like a discussion I have had at school or clubs, so lot and I really want to stand up for her and other people,” Nickele said. “The whole “I remember [Nickele] once asking me if it I felt comfortable getting involved.” was okay if he didn’t come to class one day so he According to Nickele, most IWW members range between ages idea of feminism is really important to any sort of social movement...since it encould participate in a rally to support fast food 23 and 32. workers and their fight to increase their wages to “I am one of the youngest members probably because not a lot compasses over half the population.”

According to sopha living wage,” Kinsella said. “Of course I couldn’t of other kids really knew about [the omore Fiona Hellergive Angelo permission to do that, but I think that IWW] and gotten involved,” Nickele “The whole idea of feminism man, Nickele voices speaks to the type of person he is and his character.” said. is really important to any sort his passion on diminAccording to senior Allison Kraft, Nickele’s vision According to Nickele, he has had on raising minimum wage is strong, even in the coman internship as an AUTOcad techniof social movement [...] since ishing social inequalities through the IWW and munity of Glenview. cian doing computer aided drafting it encompasses over half the Feminism club.

“My friend works at [Wagner Farm] in the ice-cream for two years, making himself eli“During Feminism club, parlor and [...] he only makes like 8 dollars an hour or gible to participate in the IWW. Acpopulation.”

[Nickele] gave me a pamsomething, and Angelo was like, ‘We’re going to change cording to Nickele, he hopes to get - senior Angelo Nickele phlet for the IWW [...]” that,’” Kraft said. a job as a labor lawyer in the future.

Hellerman said. “I looked Senior Evan Sawires says that she had attended the So“Socialism got me involved with cialist Convention with Nickele this past summer. Accordresearch in IWW [...] and through them I have done readings where through it and because I had my sketchbook with ing to Sawires, his interest in socialism remains powerful.

I’ve looked at labor laws from the national labor relations board,” me, and I keep flyers and stuff in there, and then “[Passionate] is the number one word to describe AnNickele said. “I found all that really interesting...That is exactly [Nickele] said, ‘You should put that in there and write some notes about it.’” gelo,” Sawires said. what I want to do.”

H2O Club fosters fellowship, discusses Christianity GINA KIM staff reporter

Each Thursday afternoon, one by one, students trickle into the quiet comfort of Room 257. Among the walls adorned with laminated math posters, a muted noise of a singer and his guitar plays in the background as students exchange lively conversation over plastic cups of soda and a crinkly pretzel bag. Although not a large group, nor a school sponsored one, H2O club, a Christian student-based organization, gathers to share fellowship among other students of the same faith. “[H2O] is not a chemistry club,” English teacher and club sponsor Mark Popovici said. H2O, which stands for “Humbled to One,” is a student faithbased organization established across multiple schools in the suburbs, including Glenbrook North and Niles, according to Popovici.

“It’s a club for Christian students to get together and just be with another,” Popovici said, “But it’s also about fellowship […] and to create a positive fellowship in the school.”

According to H2O senior leader Kevin Jeon, he shared this sentiment when he joined his freshman year, but his passion for the club only grew with time. “[Joining H2O] was my first step in showing my faith in an action,” Jeon said. “My passion for H2O has been growing, and [so has] the urge to go to H2O meetings and to make H2O more known […]

I just wanted to share this vision of mine of living for Christ to my fellow students.”

Senior H2O Leader Claudia Choi agreed with Jeon. School can bring trying times to the student body between obligations inside and out of the curriculum, but H2O serves to lighten that burden,

according to Choi.

“We want our club to be a light to the school,” Choi said. “Especially because the environment is really hard, there are a lot of people who feel lonely and left out […] We wanted to be people who, in these times, [would] be there for [students] so that they’re not alone, and [to show that] there’s someone who loves them.”

According to Popovici, H2O’s weekly gatherings are largely student run, in terms of events, planning, and organization for the day, but also for the future. In terms of outreach in community work or coordination with other schools, Popovici said that the students were still looking to do work different from canned food drives and clothing drives that the school has already done.

“I’m trying to build a foundation that we can grow off of,” Popovici said. “It’s spiritually uplifting for me to see so many people that want to do something […] because they have this passion.”

According to Choi and Jeon, the club aims to not only help the community, but to also create a safe space for people looking for a comfortable, relaxed environment where others can share their thoughts and encourage each other. “[H2O] can provide a second home for [students], and show that people are there for them as well,” Choi said.

H2O is not without its religious roots, however. According to Jeon, although the club is based around creating a welcoming community in South, he also wants it to be a place for students to grow closer to their faith, especially in the difficult times that a high school experience may bring. Jeon explained that this was a work in progress, but a goal he wished to see the club achieve for its members.

“I liked the things that [the former leaders] did,

CELEBRATING CHRISTIANITY: Senior H2O members Kevin Jeon (left) and Claudia Choi (right) engage in a conversation with junior member Paul Choi (middle). The club discusses their faith and promotes positive fellowhip within the school.

Photo by Jacqueline DeWitt

but I was thinking that [the club] could be more,” Jeon said. “What it used to be was that [H2O] was more like straight up bonding time, straight up fellowship time and having fun […] I wanted it to be more of a training time and helping students to get through school and planting [in them] a passion for God.” Despite this mission’s goal, Choi emphasized the importance of the community aspect that built H2O’s foundation beneath it, a foundation upon which the club may expand its membership and horizons.

“H2O is more like being a family,” Choi said.

“Even outside H2O, when I would see [members] in the hallways, or if I’d see them outside school, we’d always encourage each other, we’d always rely on each other.”

Popovici notes that although the club is very faith-oriented and places an emphais on the value of prayer, the club also sets aside time to relax and have fun with other members of the club. He believes that finding a balance is very important.

“H2O is not always just [praise],” Popovici said.

“It’s sometimes just games, it’s fun, it’s hanging out with other believers, and that’s what sometimes you need-- and that’s exactly what we’re here for.”

features

Feb. 5, 2016

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Students find passions in medical field, plan for possible careers Besides being introduced to the hospital setting by learning valuable information through volunteer work and Tucked into a small room in the back club opportunities, some students have of South’s library, Med Club meets every been influenced from a young age to go Wednesday to discuss different profes- into medical professions, like sophosions that the medical field offers. En- more Mira-Cler Josaiah. According to Jogaged and intrigued about the differ- saiah, she has been brought up around ent medical professions, these students everything and anything medical. form a bond over the desire to help oth“My mom and my dad [...] are in the ers in the future. medical field,” Josaiah said. “My dad is Junior Donna Shegarfi wants to be a medical technologist, and my mom a cardiologist and said that Med Club worked with babies in the hospital. played a big role in showing her the dif- When I was a kid my parents would alferent fields she could pursue. ways bring me to work with them.” “[We] learn about different mediJosaiah said that being brought up cal professions and [it] gives you ex- with the strong influence of the mediposure to the different types of medi- cal field has definitely had an impact on cal professions her choice to [there are],” “Ever since I was little I alwayswant to be Shegarfi said. wanted to be a doctor. [...] I re- acian. pediatri“[The club] lets Similar you know [...] ally like helping people. [...] It to Josaiah, there’s other freshman Juopportunities.” kind of runs in the family.” lia AnuszeSome stu- - freshman Julia Anuszewska wska also has dents, such as known she senior Mary O’Dea, volunteer at differ- was destined for a medical profession ent places that imitate the medical en- since a young age. vironment, to get a feel for what they “Ever since I was little I always want to go into. O’Dea volunteered at wanted to be a doctor,” AnuszewsGlenbrook Hospital last year, and put in ka said. “[...] I really like helping over 100 hours. people. [...] It kind of runs in the “It was such a great experience,” family.”

O’Dea said. “The people were great, and Not all students have I got to be very hands on with all of the had the influence of family patients and help them out; make them since a young age though. feel comfortable. It definitely made me Shegarfi discovered her realize a lot more about the hospital set- passion watching a TV ting that I otherwise would not have show, and will soon be known.” shadowing a family

KALA JABLONSKI staff reporter

friend at his medical occupation.

“When I saw Grey’s Anatomy and I saw Christina Yang holding a heart for the first time, I thought, ‘Yeah that’s going to be me someday,’” Shegarfi said. “Now I’m planning on shadowing a family friend who is a surgeon. [...] I’m planning on helping him do his rounds and possibly [helping] him write a research paper.”

Senior Alex Freidinger, who wants to go into neuroscience, acknowledges some of the main drawbacks of medical professions.

“Knowing that it’s four more years after college, and then surgery is another six [or] seven years after medical school [is hard], so just the timeline [is discouraging],” Freidinger said.

Recognizing that these hardships exist, the students remain on their path. According to Anuszewska, she understands these bumps are a part of becoming a doctor, but still has her sights set on having a medical occupation in the future.

“I’ve always been pretty determined about this; [...] I’m driven,” Anuszewska said. “It’s not easy but [...] if I just put in the hard work, then [I know I’ll] be fine.”

’

Lov e Fea , ture s

吀䤀吀䄀一 吀䤀吀䄀一 吀䤀倀匀 吀䤀倀匀 嘀愀氀攀渀琀椀渀攀ᤠ猀 䐀愀礀 䔀搀椀琀椀漀渀

嘀愀氀攀渀琀椀渀攀ᤠ猀 䐀愀礀 䔀搀椀琀椀漀渀 If you’re spending Valentine’s Day “Hans” style (solo), here are some things to do by yourself or with friends if you really don’t want to be alone on Valentine’s Day. 1. Wait until Feb. 15 to eat as much chocolate as you can handle. Why pay so much money for a heart full of candy, when you can wait until the next day and get the same heart with the same candies for half the price? That also means double the chocolate since it costs less so...

2. People-watch. It can be hilarious to go out into the public simply to observe what people do; it might even provide insight into things you do without second thought. (Also making up a fake backstory is way more entertaining than lying on your couch will be.)

3. Try cooking or baking something new. If the food is terrible, no one will be disappointed with the attempts, and you have all night to perfect it and then eat it all yourself. If all else fails, you can just order take out and say you tried.

4. Go shopping alone. It allows you to spend as long as you want in each store finding the perfect outfit to make anyone envious.

5. Take a trip to the movie theater. See the most embarrassing, cheesy guilty pleasure movie, or the dumb chick flick that gets you every time. That way, no one will see your bad crying face.

6. Build an extremely large and comfy pillow fort where you would not mind spending the rest of your night. A fort is the ultimate hide out and best binge fest area to hang out in.

7. Remember that Valentine’s Day is just a holiday. Don’t fixate on the carnations, message hearts and couples. You have yourself... and all that half price chocolate the next day!

COMMUNITY CARETAKER: Attending the late Dorina Frishlander’s 97th birthday party, sophomore Mira-Cler Josaiah builds her relationship with the residents at Chestnut Square, an independent senior living community in Glenview. Josaiah has been volunteering as a caretaker for two-and-a-half years, and is considering a related career in the medical field. Photo by Sean Dolan

圀愀渀琀 琀漀 戀攀 愀 瀀愀爀琀 漀昀 琀栀椀猀 渀攀眀猀瀀愀瀀攀爀㼀

匀椀最渀 甀瀀 甀瀀 昀漀爀 䨀漀甀爀渀愀氀椀猀琀椀挀 圀爀椀琀椀渀最℀ 䘀漀爀 洀漀爀攀 椀渀昀漀爀洀愀琀椀漀渀Ⰰ 琀愀氀欀 琀漀 礀漀甀爀 挀漀甀渀猀攀氀漀爀 漀爀 䴀爀⸀ 䠀愀爀爀椀猀℀

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Feb. 5, 2016

features Students reflect transfer, accepting environment ELIZA SCHLOSS staff reporter

Shocking Story: Fox News anchor Steve Doocy shares possible areas of miscommunication between the State Depar tment and

the White House regarding security surrounding the embassy that had gone unnoticed following the bombings in Benghazi. The attacks which occurred Sept. 11, 2012 in Libya killed United States Ambassador Chris Stevens, as well as two former United States Nav y Seals acting as security personel. Photo courtesy from Creative Commons

World crises highlight inequality in news coverage media, Flannery was able to see national events on a more personal level.

“One thing I have discovered lately is how Twitter gives you news happening in the moment,” Flannery said. “When I came to this realization, I Americans across the country watched in awe on Nov. 27 as news media was kind of new to Twitter, and the Baltimore riots were happening...On reports covered the terrorist attacks that occurred in Paris, France. Gen- Twitter this guy was walking around taking pictures of people protesting erating an out pour of support, many Facebook users altered their profile peacefully, trying through civil disobedience to demonstrate their frustrapictures by adding a “filter” containing the French national colors. As the tions with the police. But none of that was on the news.” nation turned its attention to Paris, some believed that reports on the atOswald explains that from his perspective, he believes that people of totacks occurring in other areas of the world, such as Beirut, Lebanon, lacked day’s generation already have this skepticism for the media built in. a similar spotlight.

“If news agencies err on one side or another, [this] generation has come According to Broadcasting Instructor Dr. Dan Oswald, lopsided and un- to expect that,” Oswald said. “They are trained knowing that not everyequal news coverage is inevitable in the modern age of media. Oswald ex- thing they hear is true. I would have never met someone [that] age who plained that he believes that in order to gain viewers, news coverage often believes everything on the news. [...] In an information society, it is bedepends on the interests of the general public. holden on the consumers to triangulate information by using multiple “News media has become almost a form of entertainment,” Oswald said. sources. So it is not on the news media any more, I feel much of it is on the “You have to make money in the news. I think the news media, by focusing consumer. It’s the nature of modern media.” on terrorist attacks in Paris and not other parts of the world, believes that In accordance with Oswald’s beliefs, news coverage can also become we would find that more interesting because it happened in Paris, which more apparent throughout the months of campaigning. An article from is a city that even if you haven’t been there, you know what it is...[Attacks] Harvard’s Kennedy School explains how such bias in the news affected happen and media makes the assumption that this is what will get our atthe 2008 campaign with Obama and Romney. The tention more.” article noted specific time intervals in which both Oswald additionally explained how he be- Inequality in the news starts Obama and Romney received air time and coverage lieves that the media’s tendency to base their when the media believes that as well as the affect on national support for each news coverage on public interest leads to a cy- they are giving us something candidate. cle of unequal reporting. According to Oswald, The article stated, “While Romney received a this cycle is described by a theory called Sta- we find more important, but roughly even amount of positive and negative covtus Conferral. Oswald explained that the theo- in essence are training us to erage during the day, evening coverage (when the ry explains how viewers tend to associate im- see what’s more important, so majority of viewers tune in to network news) saw a portance of events to what they are consuming stark change, giving a positive three percent boost it becomes a vicious cycle.” from the news. to President Obama while Romney received two-to“[The theory] says that we are trained to be- -Doc Oswald, one negative coverage.” lieve that anything shown in the news or any radio production teacher Recognizing the effects of skewed and biased people in the news, have more important things to say,” Oswald said. In- news coverage, Oswald explained how he associates these inequalities. equality in the news starts when the media believes that they are giving “If we are to say there is no bias in media, we are lying to ourselves,” us something we find more important, but in essence are training us to see Oswald said. “If we are to say that there is one group out there that gets it what’s more important, so it becomes a vicious cycle.” worse than others, we are also lying to ourselves... In every media outlet According to Oswald, there are many subtleties in the news such as con- if you read [the story or piece] thoroughly, there will be bias. It’s a human text. Oswald explained that he believes that wording can additionally have endeavor, all human endeavors have a bias. But, that’s kind of what makes the ability to completely alter the overall message as phrases have differ- them interesting.” ent connotations for individuals.

“Context many times is what makes news inappropriate, unfair or biased,” Oswald said. “It’s not just the content itself, and I think that’s what a lot of people miss about the news. They think content is king, well it’s not: context is king. It gives so many meanings to words. So many different words or phrases depending on where you are, or how you connote different things.”

Junior Saarah Bhaji agrees with Oswald in his views about wording and phrasing in the media and the contributions it can have to prejudice towards certain groups of people.

“The word terrorist is used in ways that it should be used, and sometimes in ways it shouldn’t,” Bhaji said. “If a white man shoots up a school, they’ll just call him a lone wolf or say he has something wrong with him in the brain. But if it is a black guy or a Muslim guy, all of a sudden he’s a terrorist or he’s a gang member. [News inequality] is big on wording.”

According to History Teacher Stacy Flannery, the problem lies not with words such as terrorist being used, but rather where they are directed.

“It’s not the word itself, it’s the limited way in which the word is being used to describe a particular group of people,” Flannery said. “That’s another thing I try to pay attention to is language and the way events are being described. Is that overly dramatic? Is it meant to incite fear? I just try to think of those things as I am watching the news and not just blindly Graphic by Ashley Clark accept whatever is being told to me.”

With information varying throughout the news, Flannery believes it is important to invest time to look at topics from many different angles, building a larger picture of what is going on in the world. Using social ZACH CEPEDA staff reporter

Welcoming. That is one word freshman Kelly Tite, who transferred to South in early January, used to describe South’s student body on her first day. South is home to transfer students who must acclimate to the new school and the changes that occur with their transition.

According to Tite, the moment she started South, the students were nothing but kind to her and willing to help her navigate her classes. In addition to the kindness portrayed by students, Tite says the teachers were also eager to help her.

“The teachers were very nice as well, way nicer then the teachers I had before,” Tite said. “They all asked me where I was from, what I learned so far and introduced me to the class, which was very respectful and nice of them to do.”

According to Randall McGraw, South guidance counselor, he always speaks with incoming transfer students before their integration into South. McGraw notices existing students’ enthusiasm toward these new students.

“I had a student come in about a month ago and I walked out into the entryway of Guidance and said we have a new student, and all five students around there jumped up, said hello and welcomed her in,” McGraw said. “She stayed there and they took her to lunch; it was really awesome.”

In addition to Illinois, South is home to students from 16 different states across the nation and 13 different countries. Current senior Preeti Patel transferred to South during her junior year from Mississippi. Before moving to Mississippi, Patel lived in India where she attended a boarding school and was taught how to speak English.

“The [way we learned] English was [...] different,” Patel said. “The way you pronounce words was different. I wouldn’t talk to anyone, and I was always scared of other people. It took me about two months to get to know people.”

Junior Antonio Duca also transferred to South this school year. Outside of school, Duca sings and has even starred in the show Empire. Coming into South, many students didn’t know about Duca’s success outside of school.

“My intentions of going into [South] was not to say anything [about being on TV],” Duca said. “I just wanted to make real friends first because then of course people came up to me. I am glad because I met a lot of people…They are really nice to me.”

Tite feels that at her old high school, Maine East, students wouldn’t have treated transfer students as kindly and helpful as they do at South.

“They wouldn’t talk to [transfer students] or introduce themselves,” Tite said. “It’s a total 180 from what happened here to me because people were so nice and so friendly and always asking to see my schedule.”

Preeti Patel

Photos by Sean Dolan

Kelly Tite

features

Feb. 5, 2016

13

Koo creates documentaries, aids community “Mr. Koo encourages us in all we do and continues to push us to continue to look for more and more interesting opportunities to serve,” Bodyna A science teacher, service enthusiast and docu- said. “Overall [it’s] a great quality for the sponsor mentary producer, Josh Koo, often recognized for of any club, and especially of Key Club, to have.”

According to Julia Jakubiak, sophomore Key his role as the sponsor of Key Club, has devoted his Club leader, she feels that she can depend on Koo time and commitment to helping those within the as an adult she can go to when she needs guidance. community.

“I view [Koo] as a really good friend if I need According to Koo, his involvement with the service club at his high school was one of many out- advice or anything, or if I’m having a problem, I lets for his pursuit of service, which continues to- can sit down and talk to him, and he doesn’t mind,” day. Koo explained how over time his perspective Jakubiak said. “He’s always open to listening.”

Outside of South, Koo demonstrates his passion on volunteering has changed since high school.

“When I was in high school, my mentality was, for assisting the community by creating documen‘It’s gotta be big to make it meaningful’,” Koo said. taries for businesses and nonprofits on the West “I think over the years, [...] through my traveling side of Chicago. According to Koo, the four-month experiences and even just leading Key Club, I real- process includes him and his creative arts team ized the magnitude isn’t important; it’s the reflec- finding organizations, without means of media, who they can highlight. tion that happens afterwards.”

“We find [organizations], build relationships After four years of sponsoring Key Club, Koo expressed the club’s overall focus has been to re- with them, get to know them as people and say, define the definition of service. According to Koo, ‘We’re not just here to take advantage– we want to the primary objective of the leader board was to help you,’” Koo said.

According to Koo, he form a clear distinction and his team recently between charity and “The heart of service and the worked to create a docliberty. heart of compassion has umentary for an after“What we’ve come dance group. The to is a very loose definialways been in my DNA, and school group was created by tion that whenever we who I am – my identity.” a mother who strives do service, we always shield students from want to give opportuni- Josh Koo, Key Club sponsor to street violence while proties of liberty, and not viding them with an opcharity,” Koo commented. “Charity is the ‘feel-good, quick easy, pat your- portunity to become part of a community through self on the back,’ type of work. But we really want learning how to dance. “[The dance group] wanted to go to San Diego to focus on liberty, meaning if we help somebody out, it should be so that the trajectory of their fu- for a dance competition, but they didn’t have the money,” Koo said. “We worked with them to creture has the opportunity to change.”

According to Caroline Bodnya, senior Key Club ate commercials and GoFundMe pages [in order to] Leader, Koo’s support for students as well as his get them networked to give them an opportunity dedication to service opportunities are beneficial to go.”

He and his team helped the dance group raise qualities for any club at South.

ABBY GRANT staff reporter

Bring us your report card by February 12th, Any ‘A’ grade (non PE) gets you a free pizza meal

REDEFINING SERVICE: Wrapping up a Key Club meeting, club sponsor Josh Koo (left) talks to student teacher Stephanie Jund about the club’s agenda. Aside from his many roles at South, Koo extends his reach deep into the city to aid organizations in need by creating documentaries aimed at raising awareness or funds for various causes. Photo by Jacqueline DeWitt

enough money to attend the competition in California, according to Koo. Another project Koo worked on was for a cafe which provides a safe haven where students can go after school in order to avoid gang activity. In order to help the establishment, Koo and his team made a documentary.

“This cafe owner purposely picked a location across the street from the school, so he can get kids off the street,” Koo said. “After school times, he reduces all the prices for students, and then he basically creates a study hall area. [...] They can hangout, they can talk to each other, and even in the cold winter, stay warm. [...] If they get a an A, he’ll give them free food.”

According to Koo, he attempts to car-

ry over the dedication he has for making mini-documentaries into Key Club at South.

“It’s been very rewarding for me to see [the impact]- and it’s very encouraging as well,” Koo said.

“My hope is that kind of heart can be really utilized and transferred to when I run Key Club.”

Koo described how life isn’t about how much money one makes. The real value of life is derived from one’s ability to reach out to others and have an impact through that. Although his aim of service has changed over the years, impacting others in a meaningful way has always been Koo’s main goal.

“The heart of service and the heart of compassion has always been in my DNA, and who I am– my identity,” Koo said.

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reviews

Feb. 5, 2016

The Revenant impresses with stunning imagery, acting DANI TUCHMAN co-editor-in-chief

There’s no question that director Alejandro González Iñárritu has secured his spot in the nonexistent Filmmakers Hall of Fame. With his recent release of The Revenant, Iñárritu continues to solidify his newly-deemed reputation for visually transcending and technically sound cinema. Between last year’s Academy Award for Best Picture, Birdman, and his widely praised triptych of stories-Amores Perros, 21 Grams, and Babel--the 21st century has undoubtedly proven that Iñárritu is one of the most influential cinematic masterminds to ever direct for the widescreen.

The film does not require more than a two-sentence summary, as the plot is inherently simple.

The Revenant, also known as “Leonardo DiCaprio’s Continuing Quest For An Oscar”, is the glamorized, true story of Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio), a 19th century fur trapper who is left to endure a solitary war against nature upon being abandoned in a shallow grave by his fellow frontiersmen.

Glass, with a rare yet unmitigated form of determination, willingly treks hundreds of miles through frozen-over Missouri Ozarks with one goal: to seek revenge for the iniquitous murder of his son.

It’s hard to know if it’s a result of the freezing temperatures on set in Argentina and Canada or Iñárritu’s ultra-specific direction, but DiCaprio portrays a man stricken with pain and traumatic memories so deftly that the Academy may be foolish not to grant him a pardon from the cold.

It’s difficult to forget their sportive, on-screen companionship in 2008’s Inception, but the introduction of Tom Hardy as Fitzgerald delivers a masochistic addition to the fuel of Glass’s fuming rage. Fitzgerald’s character is soon revealed as the avaricious fiend who presents unwanted moral and physical challenges for the other fur trappers.

Hardy also received a well-deserved nomination for Best Supporting Actor from the Academy, although his performance maintained an equal, and probably overlooked, weight next to DiCaprio’s.

The allure of The Revenant can be attributed to the dramatic cinematography and less to t h e

QUEST TO SURVIVE: Traveling across uncharted American wilderness (above and below), explorer Hugh Glass (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) is left for dead by his companions after a near-fatal bear attack. Glass has to go through incredible hardships and agony to find redemption and revenge. Inspired by true events and directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu, The Revenant is nominated for multiple Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Supporting Actor.

Photos from 20th Century Fox

lackluster adaptation of one man’s inconceivable journey through hell and back. That being said, cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki showcases his familiar, gliding camera movements from Gravity and wide-angled close-ups from Birdman that trick the audience (including myself) into thinking we’re closer to the characters and the strained breath of DiCaprio on the camera lens than we actually are. Cinematography is a true art form, and Lubezki is one more Academy Award nomination away from the complete mastery of it.

In truth, the film would serve as just another historical representation of post-Revolutionary War events if not for the way the shots literally immerse us in bloody battle scenes, transport us to the unpredictability of frozen lakes and challenge our memory to remind

us that we are not actually there. It does, at some points, make us forget that we are staring at a screen and not a window into the horror of mass genocides.

Transitioning from technique to the textbook, one historically thought-provoking aspect of the film is the artful incorporation of Native Americans: a once ubiquitous culture that eventually vanished.

It is humbling to watch these native inhabitants, people whose lives and values were disregarded following outside invasions, eventually protect and encour-

age Glass on his arduous road to redemption. But from their teepees to their clothing and their dialects to their mannerisms, Iñárritu’s well-accomplished goal was to achieve a historical authenticity unrivaled by any other film of its kind.

The fact of the matter is that The Revenant is not for every audience so much as fellow Best Picture nominees Spotlight or The Martian. If you’re not fond of viscera with an extra order of it too, then you may want to wait to eat until after the 156-minute run-time is up. Iñárritu’s gory demonstrations reflect how far one man will go to survive the reality of brutality deeply-rooted in nature. It’s a visual masterpiece more than anything, and witnessing this cinematic experiment is an engrossing experience more than any Wes Anderson and Guillermo del Toro film combined.

Coldplay’s final album introduces new sound, recalls band’s history LEAH DUNNE asst. features editor

Thinking of my early childhood years, I can’t help but remember listening to Coldplay’s early 2000 songs, “Yellow,” “Fix You,” “The Scientist” and “Speed of Sound.” Lead singer Chris Martin’s smooth vocals, guitar riffs and percussive rhythm never failed as go-to comfort music, so to say I was surprised in early December hearing the band’s seventh and allegedly final studio album, according to Martin, A Head Full of Dreams, was an understatement, due to its deviation from their normal melodic tunes.

The first single released a month prior to the complete album, “Adventure of a Lifetime” was something that I had never heard from the band, but it was music that I enjoyed nonetheless. Martin’s swift lyrics cut between groovelike percussion, synth and guitar-picking reminded me of beats unique to Daft Punk’s 2013 Random Access Memories.

The album encompasses a variety of upbeat and dance cut tracks like “Adventure of a Lifetime” but did not stray away from the old-school acoustic and comforting hymns from albums prior.

Tracks like “Amazing Day” and “Up and Up” surely brought me back to the similar Coldplay anthems of the mid 2000s,

speaking encouraging words in contem- with pop artist Tove Lo, entitled “Fun”. Rihanna. In this sense, Martin delivplation of life and love.

The song features smooth, calming ered a tranquil love duet, appealing to Through minimal beats with both acoustics in contrast to the earlier piece pop fans.

Undoubtedly, my favorite aspect of acoustic and alternative roots, in “Up in 2011, “Princess of China”, featuring the band’s final album and Up”, Martin’s lyrics, was their incorporation “Just need love, just need love when the going gets of song breaks, as seen in rough sayin’ don’t ever Viva La Vida, Death and All of His Friends in 2008 and give up,” work to lift the Ghost Stories in 2014. Song spirits of the listener. breaks have been used to Similarly, the band incorporated themes of their skillfully divide one sinupbringing, urging their gle song essentially into two different pieces. In audience to share how the past, the song would they feel to one another, regardless of the consebe centered on a dreary quences. and slum-like conflict, slow and steady with the Martin illustrates this through the alsong break serving as a change in tone and feel, bum’s track “Everglow” through his words, delivering an ending with “Now I’m gonna miss differentiation from the you I know, so if you love start. someone you should let This aspect of Coldthem know.” Additionplay’s writing was inially, the album does not tially confusing and not fail to please fans of the something that I truly enjoyed to listen to until pop genre, similarly as Coldplay did in their I heard their track “Army 2011 Mylo Xyloto, featurof One” on the new alLASTING LEGACY: In what they have announced as their last album, poping eccentric tracks such bum. The song features rock band Coldplay released A Head Full of Dreams on Dec. 4, 2015. The a percussion-dominated as “Paradise” and “Prinalbum includes tracks such as “Everglow”, “Fun” featuring Tove Lo, and cess of China”. Martin intro with the addition of “Hymn for the Weekend” with Beyoncé. sudden and abrupt riffs performs a collaboration

illustrating Martin’s efforts to express himself fighting for what and whom he believes in. About half way through the six-minute piece, the song, which sounds like it is coming to an end, takes a turn from a smooth, soft-spoken tone to harsh percussion. The song transitions with a change in tone; a percussion beginning introduces Martin as he begins to claim his defeat against the “army of one” he was previously referring to prior to the change in tone.

The use of song breaks and drastic change in themes is what drew me to enjoy this album as a whole. Sure, I have individual favorites that anyone will have, but I truly believe that in their final album, Coldplay delivered a diverse album both musically, conceptually and emotionally. They managed to incorporate themes from their past six studio albums and 17 years as a band, creating one album to unify it all and pleasing audiences coming from all different tastes of music. A Head Full of Dreams certainly feels like a dream, drawing you into each song with grace and purpose.

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South’s crew: Stage crew constructs production sets, supports performances one sheet of plywood [and transform it into] what it will be on opening day with all the colors, painting and all the wood put together. It’s absolutely amazing.”

Several groups contribute to GlenStage crew also has several tasks durbrook South productions, and one of those ing the show itself. According to Wingroups is stage crew. According to Rich ship, in between every act, the stage crew Winship, stage crew director, stage crew members are backstage preparing for the is responsible for the sets, lights, sound next act or on stage in the dark setting and the other technical aspects of a proup. He says that stage crew only has 15 duction. seconds to accomplish the tasks for the According to Winship, stage crew next act. works 20 to 24 hours during the construc“It takes a lot of practice and a lot of tion process of a production. During the leadership by the heads of each crew to week or two before a production and and make sure that everybody knows where the week of, they work about seven hours they are going to go, what they are going a day. to do and what they are going to do when “[Stage crew has] to be committed to they are done,” Winship said. “It is very the amount of time it takes to get everyhighly choreographed.” thing done,” Winship said. “They have to According to Winship, during a Vbe focused, they have to be organized, Show, things can get stressful due to the [and] they have to be able to work together as a team with [both] each other and fact that stage crew members have such also the performers.” a limited time period between acts. GelWinship believes that one important man expressed that he at times does feel benefit of being on stage crew is all of the stressed during V-Shows. skills that members learn along the way.

“Right before I have to make a shift, According to Winship, stage crew memI’m really nervous and sitting in the chair STARTING FROM SCRATCH: Sawing wood for the Variety Show, freshman Bryce Brennan and junior Justin Kalish prepare smaller pieces of bers gain several important skills, such sort of shaking,” Gelman said. “The second wood to assemble the set. Every set design is created by Rich Winship, stage crew director. Photo by Katelyn Luckey as working together as a team, building [the show] starts, I get on stage and I start things using tools, the ability to multi-task ed from the ceiling and stage crew is controlling V-Show set [and] what’s needed for a Variety Show moving things around and I feel fine. Evand also respect, camaraderie and discipline. Se- how you move; you are completely in their hands. set, which is lots of different levels, lots of open erything feels perfectly natural.” nior Alan Gelman, stage crew member, says that You have to trust them entirely, and they are space for performers to perform and the ability to Winship explains that if stage crew does their he believes stage crew will play a valuable role in amazing at their job.” maybe make it a more intimate space with light- job well during a show, the audience should not his future. even perceive that they are there. He says that Winship believes that the Variety Show is the ing.”

“I’m planning on going into engineering when I most challenging and inAfter Winship designs the even though stage crew does not go on stage and grow up,” Gelman said. “Stage crew is probably go- tense production for stage “You have to trust sets and the lights, the plans receive applause after a show, he feels that the ing to help me with working with teams of people, crew. According to Winimplemented by stage work of stage crew definitely does not go unrec[stage crew] entirely, are building things, understanding blueprints, reading ship, he designs the sets crew members. According to ognized.

“We get recognized quite a bit by our colleagues light plots [and] things like that.” and lights for every V-Show. and they are amazing junior Alex Roth, stage crew Junior Jordan Zelvin has performed in several of Winship explains that the member, he says that con- and our peers, so that’s plenty for us,” Winship at their job.” the productions that have taken place at South in theme of every V-Show structing the set for V-Show said. “People who are involved in shows know the past. According to Zelvin, the stage crew is the gives him ideas for the de- junior Jordan Zelvin is the most satisfying part of what it takes and know what we do, so we are not looking for going on stage and getting applause. glue that holds every show together. sign of the set. the process.

“In past shows, I’ve had to work very closely “I get inspired by concepts related to the “What makes me proud is all the work we put The applause we hear on stage, we know is for us with stage crew,” Zelvin said. “If it’s a show like theme,” Winship said. “Then, it’s just a matter of into V-Show,” Roth said. “I get to see the set from even though the audience may not know it’s for us Charlotte’s Web, where there are people suspend- making that concept fit within the parameters of a when the stage is just empty, and we start out with because [shows] couldn’t happen without us.”

AAKASH BHOJWANI staff reporter

Quinn expresses passion for acting, explores professional opportunities IMRA TAJUDDIN staff reporter

For many South students, theatre is their passion, and some venture into opportuities beyond school activities. Senior Chuck Quinn IV acts professionally outside of school and has been doing so since his childhood.

Quinn has been acting ever since he was a young child, and since then, his acting career has become increasingly important and frequent in his life. According to Quinn, this career was influenced by his father, a professional actor.

Quinn’s first show was set in a professional environment.

“My dad’s an actor, so I watched him act professionally in a couple [of] plays,” Quinn said. “I remember seeing him as King Arthur when I was 3. [For] my first show, I did the Wizard of Oz with him.

He was the Cowardly Lion, and I was a munchkin. That was when I was 6.”

According to Quinn, his acting career was not solely influenced by one source; rather, he was born an actor, and his love of acting has grown greatly since his childhood.

“I grew up backstage watching my dad perform on stage, get laughs,

and then come backstage and hang out with everyone,” Quinn said. “I got to see how the whole thing worked. I did my first show when I was in first grade, so I was on a professional stage before I knew long division.”

Quinn has played various roles at South, including John Proctor in The Crucible, Big Deal in West Side Story, Professor Callahan in Legally Blonde and J. Pierrepont Finch in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Furthermore, he performs in Comedy Sportz, Chamber Singers and the Variety Show at South, according to Quinn.

Quinn reflects on his experience in the professional play, Ordinary People, he recently participated in at the Citadel Theatre in Lake Forest.

“I got to play the bully, which was a lot of fun,” Quinn said. “I got to beat up the main character, learn[ed] to do some stage combat [and] work with adults -- working actors -- which was a great experience. It was fun kind of holding my own against people that have gone to college for acting and [also] learning from them and even teaching them things.”

Quinn has worked at several companies and theaters, including the Emerald City Theater Company, Glenview Theater Guild, Up and Coming Theatre, Wilmette Park District, Apollo Theater and Citadel Theatre. Quinn says after auditions, one will not always get the part and should be prepared for rejection most of the time -- a challenge that he faces in his career.

“It’s unlike other careers because you face rejection far more often than you face

acceptance,” Quinn said. “That means that you have to have another job to support it; you have to either wait tables or have another career that you’re interested in. But also, when you go into an audition, you can’t hope for a part; you can’t get attached to the work that you did.”

According to Quinn, he has faced rejection multiple times in his acting career since he was a young child.

“I auditioned for a McDonald’s commercial when I was really young,” Quinn said. “I was supposed to be fighting off bad guys with a little Pirates of the Caribbean figurine. I didn’t get the job though because I was 6 or 7 and they told me to fight off the bad guys with the toy. They meant use the button on the side to make him swing his sword.

I didn’t realize that there was a button, so I used it as a weapon, and I just started smashing invisible bad guys.”

Quinn says he has an agent w h o helps him find auditions and manages his career. One of the other auditions he participated in when he was younger was for a Nike commercial.

According to Quinn, he intends to pursue an acting career in the future after graduation and hopes to get involved with improv, commercials, film and theater.

“I’m taking improv classes downtown right now, so I’m hoping to pursue that professionally in the next couple [of] years,” Quinn said. “It’s interesting [because] I’m 17, but everyone else is well into their late 20s. So it’s a very interesting vibe hanging out with them. It’s very strange, but I’ve always liked working with older people because you can learn a lot more from them.”

Drama teacher John Knight claims that there are limited acting opportunities given to students at the high school level. According to Knight, only a few students act professonally because there are not many opportunities for teenagers to play roles, as most of the parts are offered to adults. Knight feels that these professional acting opportunities are beneficial for the future.

“Any opportunity that a student has to do some sort of acting is a good experience -- whether it’s in school, in a class, or in a professional setting,” Knight said. “Whether you get money for it or not, it’s a great experience.”

CHUCKLING CHUCK:

Writing and performing his comedy skits in Original Comedy, a speech event, Quinn takes on the roles of Sex Drive from “Lipstick Stains on My Left Side Brain” (middle), Safari Guide (right) and Gym Teacher (left) from “Escapades with Escobar.”

Photos courtesy of Chuck Quinn IV

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Duca dazzles in jazz singer role for FOX’s Empire JOHN PARK staff reporter

On a dimly lit nightclub stage, a band starts to play a soothing, jazzy tune. A couple measures in, a dulcet voice begins to sing a melody and creates an atmosphere that invites the club’s audience back to the swing era. This rich voice is coming from junior Antonio Duca.

This past summer, Duca bore a major step in his career when he played a role in the FOX television series, Empire.

According to Duca, he sings at a nightclub in Berwyn, Illinois, FitzGerald’s, once a month with the John Burnett Swing Orchestra. It was one of these performances that helped him land a spot on Empire. Rich Daniels, the musical director for the show, was at the club one night and Duca’s performance caught his eye.

“The band leader told me they were casting for

a certain part in the Chicago area for a kind of person of my kind of style of a Frank Sinatra kind of thing,” Duca said. “So, he gave me a contact of a man named Rich Daniels, and I called and he said, ‘Well, kid, I saw what you did with the band. I liked it very much, so come down here and try out.’”

According to Duca, the idea of acting on a show made him nervous at first because with singing it was “just the stage and the music.” However, his familiarity with the role gave him confidence.

“I knew what the whole feel for the part they wanted was,” Duca said. “It was a singer in a nightclub, so it was right up my alley.”

At the audition site, Duca said he felt like an outsider because everyone else was well-trained.

When his name was called, he walked into the room where there were three judges, one being the director of the show. He had to sing a song a capella, choosing “Stardust” by Nat King Cole.

“They said, ‘Alright now read this line,’ and

SINGING AND SWINGING: Performing on an episode in season two of Empire, junior Antonio Duca sings “On the Sunny Side of the Street.” Duca has been involved in jazz singing since he was a child, putting his own twist on lyrics by prominent singers of the time, such as Frank Sinatra. Photo from of Fox.com

I read it,” Duca said. “‘Now read it in an accent.’

Luckily my grandpa’s from Mexico, and my grandmother is from Colombia, so I’m used to that kind of accent. They found it kind of entertaining.”

Afterwards, according to Duca, he didn’t know what to expect but did not really care because he had nothing to lose from the experience. His grandfather, Frank Fernandez, also calmed him, telling him not to worry if they didn’t call him.

“You have to knock on a lot of doors and maybe one’s going to open,” Fernandez said. “As soon as I said that, the phone rang.”

According to Fernandez, when Duca was casted for the part, his whole family was surprised and excited for him. In August, Duca and Fernandez drove to the set, which was a bar, to shoot his scene. Duca says he was very unaccustomed to the constantly active environment.

“There’s these giant cameras on cranks and lifts that have tracks that move this way and that way,” Duca said. “They had this guy on me the entire time fixing my tie. It was kind of weird.”

Duca’s role was to sing a song and then introduce a character named Laura Calleros (played by Jamila Velazquez). According to Duca, he had already pre-recorded the song, so it was “no pressure,” but it was his first time, so he undoubtedly did make some mistakes. Duca says the crew had to do multiple takes in order to get different angles and camera positions.

“I remember I was so stupid one point,” Duca said. “I think it was the seventh take for my scene.

One guy is just like, ‘Dude don’t look at the camera,’ so I was like ‘Whoops!’”

The shooting took about five hours, according to Duca, and once the episode aired, he and Fernandez were surprised at how many people had seen him on TV. “It’s one of the best feelings that you can have, to be in that kind of a show, and have so many viewers: 15-18 million viewers,” Fernandez said.

“Friends from different countries sent him congratulations, so we were in shock.”

As Duca was about to leave, director Danny Strong approached him, saying that he enjoyed working with Duca and that they could really use this act in the future. Although Duca is doubtful he will be called back, he says he grew through the experience. Acting in Empire gave him the assurance of knowing he can do greater things.

“I think by having that one positive encounter with that kind of situation, mentally, it’s nice,” Duca said. “It can make you go out there for more.”

One person that has been helping Duca “go out there for more” is Fernandez, who is also a musician that played in multiple bands, both in Chicago and in Mexico. Fernandez recognized Duca’s talent at a young age when Duca took a CD from his shelf and listened to it by himself.

“Later, he came back and he had the CD with him and he said, ‘Grandpa this is what I want to be the rest of my life,’” Fernandez said. “And I said, ‘What are you talking about?’ [...] He had a Frank

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Sinatra CD. He wanted to be like him and he wanted to do that the rest of his life.”

Ever since Duca had a big hit singing in an Italian restaurant three years ago, Fernandez has been a manager for his grandson, looking for places where he could sing with a big band. Although at first they were met with little success in their search, they eventually found a band that would play with him: the John Burnett Swing Orchestra.

“People hire me; they’re little private events,” Duca said. “That’s kind of what I do as a job right now, and I love it.”

In addition to such events, according to Fernandez, Duca also does a lot of charity work. Duca uses his singing to benefit the community, especially it’s elderly residents.

“Mainly, [where I sing] mostly are the nursing homes,” Duca said. “That’s because [for] the older people, it’s their music. So, they really get a kick out of that, that’s why I like to do it.”

Duca has grown to respect the musicians he works with and their passion for their job in all environments. Despite the importance of academics, and the challenges of becoming a singer, Duca has hopes for a musical future.

“The way I think of it, it’s been a success and it’s happened to people who have been less fortunate,” Duca said. “So, I think it’s worth a shot, and I think if you enjoy it, then what the [heck].”

However, one obstacle Duca has encountered is that people often associate him with simply imitating famous singers from the past. Instead, Duca wants to emphasize his uniqueness.

“People have labeled me as a Sinatra wannabe,” Duca said. “In reality, it couldn’t be further from the truth. I want to be something unique, new, my own name. Maybe the songs are the same, but the message is mine and mine alone.”

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Jazz Fest creates collaborative competition JOSIE SCHNEIDER staff reporter

The Northshore Jazz Festival, hosted by South, allows junior high and high school ensembles to perform and compete against each other. Each band prepares songs of different genres and participates in a clinic after performing in front of a judge. This event took place in different stage areas set up at GBS on Jan. 23.

According to senior Adam Ley, a trombone player in jazz ensemble who has been participating in the jazz festival for several years, the festival is similar to a large concert. It has different bands come, each of which have their own genres and styles. According to Greg Wojcik, sponsor of the jazz festival and director of South’s jazz band, this is a judged event, which adds a competitive aspect. “[The jazz festival is an] opportunity for high school and middle school bands to play for the public,” Wojcik explains. “We bring clinicians and judges in and they critique the bands and give them scores, so it’s actually a contest… so it’s pretty intense. We have around 80 bands, represented by 42-45 schools.”

According to senior Matt Grinde, trumpet player in jazz ensemble, he has been involved in the festival since middle school.

Grinde explains that South students and parents play a large role in the production of the event. “[The kids in the bands] actually run the festival,” Grinde said.

“We help the bands that are coming find the rooms they are warming up in, the rooms they are performing in [...] Basically it’s a pretty hectic day, but it’s a lot of fun, and there’s a lot of great jazz.”

According to senior Lauren Yep, a saxophone player for jazz ensemble, some other duties the students have include running the tech rooms, selling food and setting up performance areas. According to Wojcik, it’s a “kid-run festival.”

“Our festival is almost entirely student run, from the top to the bottom,” Wojcik said. “Except for the judges, the kids are showing the band directors where to go, they’re taking care of the judges, selling food, they’re doing everything.”

What started out in a single room hosted at South has now grown into a much larger scale production, according to Wojcik.

“It started off as just in the auditorium, one day for three hours,” Wojcik said. “Everybody played, and then it got bigger and bigger and bigger and bigger until it’s this giant thing. It’s one of the most prestigious festivals in Illinois.”

According to Wojcik, rehearsal time is incredibly vital to the quality of the production. “[The environment of the rehearsals is] sometimes tense, sometimes fun, [but I am] always making music and always trying to get the best out of the kids,” Wojcik said. “Sometimes you have to be

GET JAZZY: Performing with the Glenbrook South Jazz Lab, junior Kayleigh Markulis, freshman Gus Morales and sophomore Jonah Frese (front) entertained the audience and judges with their saxophones at the Jazz Festival. Their group performed “Morning Funk,” “Vita Bella” and “The Groove.” Photo by Jacqueline DeWitt

more intense to get them to focus time on it,” Grinde explained. “So, more… It’s a matter of focusing for it would be like a sports team, inthat 50 minutes in the morning.” stead of the entire team having to Yep explains that for the most do conditioning together, everypart, the musicians come to re- body does it themselves and then hearsals ready to practice. She when you get together as a team, commented that the environment you can work on team things like is overall one in which the stu- power plays and things like that. dents can enjoy themselves.

We get a group mentality going, “[In rehearsals], everyone’s instead of individuals.” pretty prepared to work, and we’re On the day of the festival, the all there to play jazz, so it’s not su- bands are escorted to their asper stressful, signed homebut we do get “[In rehearsals], evrooms, warm-up in there and eryone’s pretty prerooms and evendo our best to tually perfortry to have fun pared to work, and mance rooms, with the mu- we’re all there to play according to sic,” Yep said.

Wojcik.

Ley goes jazz, so it’s not super “After the into further stressful but we do performance detail of the rooms, they go rehearsals. He get in there and do to a clinic room describes the our best to try to have and we have band’s secthree judges in a tional days, fun with the music.” room and a cliniwhich are -Senior Lauren Yep cian that listens specific reto the band, then hearsing techthe clinician folniques the jazz band uses to drill lows the band into the room and sections of the music. then tries to make them better in “We’ll play tunes; we’ll play twenty-five minutes,” Wojcik said. them down,” Ley says. “Every once “Each band gets their own clinin awhile [during rehearsals], we ic. So, it’s a real educational type have a sectional day where we go thing.” off all the trombones, all the trumAs an experienced live performpets, all the saxophones and we er, Grinde explains that playing in work on problem spots.” the jazz festival is very different According to Grinde, the sec- from playing in other non-judged tional time proved very beneficial performances. for the band. “[Performing in the jazz festi“So, the saxophones, if they val] is pretty different [from othhave a part they need to work on, er performance experiences] bethey can work on it by themselves cause, yes you want to play your instead of wasting group rehearsal best, but you can’t make mistakes,”

Grinde said. “When you’re going around playing gigs, you can make a mistake because no one’s really listening for your mistakes. But at the festival, it’s a competitive festival; you’re being judged.”

According to Grinde, a challenge at the festival is finding a common ground between taking risks and playing it safe during the judged performances. He explains that though improvisation is a part of jazz, caution must be taken.

“It’s different because you have to play your best and there’s no taking risks,” Grinde explains.

“You have to be comfortable with what you’re doing, and a lot of what jazz is is taking risks [...] but at a festival you basically want to play inside of yourself and make sure you’re not going to make a lot of careless errors.”

According to Wojcik, the funding of the jazz festival goes back to the students; all of the money made is used to fund the band.

“The proceeds from it go to the GBSIL,” Wojcik said. “The GBSIL is the band parent organization here at the Instrumental League. The money that we make is used for all the different programs in band.”

Improving the jazz festival each year is based entirely on what is best for the students, according to Wojcik.

“What I do is I listen to every director that comes in, and if they have suggestions then I try to follow them,” Wojcik explains. “We try to make it what’s good for kids [...] So, it’s supposed to be ‘Come, do your best and see what happens.’”

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FIGHT TO THE FINISH: Junior Paul Jo goes head-to-head against a Waukegan wrestler on Jan. 16. Jo finished with an individual win (left). With 49.2 seconds left on the clock, junior Mason Slan gets under his Waukegan opponent, ending the match with a win under his belt with a score of 6-0 individually (right). The men beat Waukegan with a final score of 51-24. Photos by Ashley Clark

Men’s wrestling aims to overcome adversity, prepare for regionals HENRY SCHLEIZER staff reporter

The varsity wrestling team has faced distractions, adversity, and tough losses, according to head coach Tom Mietus. These setbacks, however, have not hindered the Titans as they aim to build on their current 13-4 record.

Mietus awknowledges that the practices towards the end of the season are not as difficult in order to let the wrestlers’ bodies rest. The Titans are aiming to feel the best they have all year, according to Mietus.

“This is the point in time when we try to scale back in practices a little bit,” Mietus said. “We’re not trying to break them down anymore [because] we’re trying to let their muscles regenerate [and] build up confidence, [as well as] mental toughness.”

The Titans have been able to lean on captains junior Ethan Bond, senior Diego Montesinos and

senior Edgar Borun, according to Mietus. The team needs to improve their awareness on the mat, according to the captains. “[We need to improve on] little things like parts of moves or being a little bit out of position on a move,” Bond said. “[There’s also a possibility that] you waited a few seconds too long to hit another move and you didn’t leave enough time [left] on the clock.”

The team’s ability to maintain focus and improve mental toughness have been key elements to winning this season, according to Mietus.

“Everyone is at a different level,” Mietus said. “I do think we have an edge [and] when it comes to mental toughness, the

younger guys are learning it and the older guys have learned it and are still improving.”

According to Mietus, those skills will be more useful against teams like New Trier and Maine South. However, the Titans have had a successful season so far, according to Mietus.

“We are above .500, [and] we’re one-andone in the conference,” Mietus said. “We beat Niles West, who we have not beat in a long time.”

Bond notes Niles Wests’ great performance, despite the fact that the men won by a score of 46-17. Bond, however, lost

by a score of 0-3.

“It was kind of tough, [and] we thought we would match up and have a good chance of winning [against Niles West],” Bond said. “Individually, the guy [I was against] was ranked pretty high, and I wrestled up a weight class, so I wasn’t super confident [going into the match].”

Besides the win against the Wolves, the team looks to build on their successful start to the season at regionals, according to Borun.

“We hope to perform well at regionals,” Borun said. “We have some high hopes [and] we hope some guys go to sectionals.”

Bond aims to work hard for the rest of the season in order to do well during regionals.

“I think if we go in and wrestle hard we will finish in the top five,” Bond said. “That would be a big accomplishment for our team.”

The next time the men hit the mats will be on Feb. 6, for the ISHA regional competition.

sports

Feb. 5, 2016

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Faulkner wins national tennis coach award

LAY-UP LADIES: Passing Maine South defenders, senior Captain Sarah McDonagh jumps for a lay-up (left). Carie Weinman, junior shooting guard looks for an opening to pass while defending the ball (right). The Titans currently have a winning record of 18-3 and hope to defeat Evanston in their upcoming game on Feb. 12. Photos by Ashley Clark

Women’s basketball holds winning record, 18-3 SOPHIE HENSLEY asst. sports editor

Only losing three games so far this season to New Trier, Evanston and Maine South, the women’s basketball team leads with a record of 18-3, according to Head Coach Steve Weissenstein.

“Our toughest competitors are by far New Trier and Evanston,” Weissenstein said. “We lost to both of those, [and] we also lost to Maine South. We’re very competitive with both those teams, so they’re really good games when we play them.”

Compared to last season, there is a change in the type of players and their game, according to Weissenstein.

“Last year, I think we were a much more ‘inside oriented team,’” Weissenstein said. “In other words, a lot of our baskets came in the paint. This year, I think we’re more of a perimeter shooting team, and

we have really good shooters. We fense. We held them to 34 points, haven’t had people shoot over 40 but offensively, against a team like percent from [the three-point line] Evanston, we can’t leave points on in quite some time, and both Cait- the floor; we missed a lot of laylin [Morrison] and Carie [Weinman] ups, [and] we missed a lot of freeare shooting over 40 percent from throws, which came back up on us.”

Similar to Weissenstein, senior the three.”

Captain Sarah McDonagh The girls played the Evanston Wildkits also acknowledges the difficult on Jan. 8 and 䘀爀椀⸀Ⰰ 䘀攀戀⸀ 㔀Ⰰ ㈀ ㄀㘀 one-point loss were caught 瘀猀⸀ 一椀氀攀猀 圀攀猀琀 against one of on the de䀀 一椀氀攀猀 圀攀猀琀 their toughest fensive 䘀爀椀⸀Ⰰ 䘀攀戀⸀ ㄀㈀Ⰰ ㈀ ㄀㘀 competitors. side most 瘀猀⸀ 䔀瘀愀渀猀琀漀渀 “If we had of the 䀀 䠀漀洀攀 cut the turngame, losovers we had, ing with a score of 35we would’ve won,” McDonagh said.

34. Weissenstein “You could feel the frustranotes that overall it was a tion on our team because no good game, but the beginning is what led to a loss. one was really playing very well; we only scored 32 points, “I like the way we came back in the fourth quarter, [and] so that’s always hard because we’re we played very well,” Weissenstein not the type of team to only score said. “I’m very pleased with our de- 32 points.”

McDonagh attributed their low score to the fear of strong and well rounded teams.

“When we play these big teams like Evanston, Maine South and New Trier, we think, ‘Oh my gosh it’s New Trier,’ and we don’t play the way were supposed to play,” McDonagh said. “We don’t play Glenbrook South basketball; we play their basketball, and I think that if we play our basketball, we’d beat any team in our conference.”

Besides the three losses, the Titans started the season winning against Prospect on Dec. 12, with a score of 50-39. “[After playing New Trier], I remember [Coach Weissenstein] telling us after the game, ‘We have Maine South this upcoming Friday, and the one thing we can’t do [is] let one loss turn into two,’” McDonagh said. “The next day we played Prospect, [and] that was probably the most satisfying win we’ve had.”

Men’s basketball hopes to finish top three in conference isn’t realistic, but focusing improvgeared [towards] not just strength, in the top three. ing will help the men come out on “We have had a rough start in but also for injury prevention. You top. conference, but they were all close can never guarantee 100 “At the end, it’s not just about games, and I think we can turn it percent safety [because] The men’s basketball team has there is going to be freak the win and the loss, it’s just about around and finish in the top three played several close games this accidents, but we’ve had [if] we did as well as we can do,” of the conference,” Martinelli said. season and look to improve their no overuse injuries [so Widner said. “It’s really hard some“I think we will win a regional record of 8-10, according to head far].” times because you want to win all championship in the playoffs, and coach Benjamin Widner. the time, but we try to focus on the The men have modified their who knows According to senior captain Jim- playing style by adjusting on the fly, what can process and what we’re doing as my Martinelli, New Trier has been and becoming more zone-defense, happen afopposed to just the outcome.” a tough team to face this season. rather than man-to-man. Widner ter that. Our The Titan’s next game is on The Titans are 1-2 against the Tre- believes that this method has been team has a chance Feb. 5, against Niles West in the vians, facing a tough loss on Jan. more effective in game-play. dome. to be dangerous if 22, with a score of 52-67. Niles West According to Widner, the team we are focused every and Evanston also defeated the Ti- has faced many close games re- game.” tans, with scores of 59-52 and 45-54 sulting in both wins and losses.

Widner attributes the respectively.

The men fell to Maine South with a close game losses to los“We played very well in our score of 51-55. However, the Titans ing fourth quarter leads. The first games against New Trier, came out on top against Palatine, men have lost fourth quar[and] Niles with a score ter leads to Maine South, West, and we “We’ve played so many close of 73-71. New Trier and Evanston. played pret- games and we haven’t come Additional- According to Widner, the ty [well] in ly, the men team played well against the Evanston out on the top-end of most of beat Prosser Evanston, who are ranked game [even them, so we’re frustrated,” High School fifth in the state. though] we “We’ve played so many Coach Benjamin Widner said. on Jan. 23 lost,” Marwith a score close games, and we haven’t tinelli said. come out on the top end of of 76-52.

“We have a lot more seniors on the “On Saturday, we played a good most of them, so we’re frusteam this year, and our team chem- team from the city, Prosser High trated,” Widner said. “Evanistry is better as well.”

School, and our [guys] just respond- ston is a highly-ranked team According to Widner, the team ed and played great,” Widner said. in state. We had it down to has spent a lot of time keeping “It might have been our best game four points against them late themselves healthy by working of the year. That was an important in the game, so it was another on and off the court. Widner attri- game for us, so I was glad to see that close game.” butes the lack of long-term injuries the guys came out hungry to win.”

Martinelli and Widner agree to warm-ups and injury prevenAccording to Martinelli, the that the team can pull through tion based activities and pre-season team’s start to conference was not in conference and learn along yoga. what they were hoping for, but they the way. Widner acknowledg“We actually spend a lot of hope to recover and improve their es that winning all the time time trying to make sure that the game. The men are [guys] are taking care of their bod- halfway through FANCY FREE-THROWS: Preparing to shoot, senior Captain Jimmy Martinelli (#33) aims to make his freeies,” Widner said. “We warm up the their conference throw. The men are mid-conference with a record of 8-10, hoping to finish in the top three.

Photos by Jacqueline DeWitt right way; all the lifts that we do are and hope to finish

GEORGIA ARVANITIS co-sports editor

Courtesy of www.glenbrook225.org CASSIDY JACKSON asst. sports editor

Larry Faulkner, varsity men’s tennis coach, was named the National High School Tennis Coach of the Year by the NHSA on Jan. 11.

Faulkner acknowledges the award as being a monumental moment in his career, accompanied with three tennis awards and 40 years of coaching under his belt.

“There are so many great coaches throughout the state of Illinois, so to even be [nominated] by the state is an honor,” Faulkner said. “To be selected nationally is just humbling. I never expected it.”

Highlights of Faulkner’s GBS coaching career include the team’s second place state finish in 2003 and a top-five finish for nine of the past 20 years. Faulkner points out other awards that he has received in the past.

“I’ve been blessed by being named the state’s Coach of the Year twice [in 1996 and in 2009] and [inducted into] the Coach Hall of Fame [in 2006],” Faulkner said.

Junior Bryce McClanahan, first doubles player, foresaw Faulkner’s national level recognition based off of Faulkner’s awarded past. According to McClanahan, Faulkner earned the award through his hard work and dedication on and off the court.

“I was impressed and proud [of Faulkner],” McClanahan said. “He deserves it because he has been coaching for so long, and he still is so committed. He doesn’t work at the school, but he still coaches and puts in so much effort. He has taught me to keep a level head because with a problem there is always a way out of it.”

Junior Sebastien DesRoberts, doubles player, speaks on Faulkner’s genuine personality, inclusiveness, and positive attitude.

“He is very genuine and connects with every single person on the team,” DesRoberts said.

“He’s a very positive person, so he’s made me a more positive person. He has done a great job with me and my other teammates.”

For Faulkner, the congratulations and compliments received from McClanahan and DesRoberts have added to the joy of receiving the award.

“I’ve gotten feedback from people [who] were my coaches in the [1970s],” Faulkner said. “Also, two guys I coached in track congratulated me.

To have them be 40 years out of high school, in their late 50’s [and] take time out of their day is very nice.”

Faulkner comments on what separates a poor coach from a great coach and looks to the upcoming season.

“It just gives me joy,” Faulkner said. “If you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, you need to get out because if it’s not fun for you, it’s not fun for the kids you coach. It’s fun to see kids improve over the four years [and] reach their true potential. It [is] not about winning or losing, it’s the journey; the process of improvement through every day practices. My goal for this season is to get each kid to their personal best.”

20

sports

Feb. 5, 2016

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GEORGIA ARVANITIS & SAMANTHA CASEY co-sports editors

These are the top three moments in Titan sports from the past month, picked by the Oracle sports editors.

1)

Sam Iida

yard butterfly in 59.77 seconds, coming in second place behind Niles West’s Adam Orynczak. Photo by Sean Dolan

Men’s swim & dive prepares for State

Junior Sam Iida, state champion in the 500yard freestyle, beat the GBS record for the 100yard breaststroke on Jan. 22 during a home meet against Niles West. The school record was previously held by Jon Salomon, a state champion who graduated last year. According to Iida, he intended on beating the record before he went into the race. Head Coach Keith MacDonald is excited to see Iida perform at the State meet.

“Sam has been swimming fantastic, just lights out incredible, so I am excited to see him swim at the end of the year,” MacDonald said.

2)

JImmy Martinelli

Senior Jimmy Martinelli was named all-tournament player at the Loyola and New Trier invite on Nov. 23-28. He was also the leading scorer out of all 16 teams, averaging 19 points per game at the Wheeling Hardwood Classic on Dec. 2126. Head Coach Benjamin Widner names Martinelli as one of South’s key players this season.

According to Martinelli, his goal, as well as the team’s goal, is to finish in the top three of conference. “[ Jimmy] is our leading scorer and rebounder.

He does a great job,” Widner said.

3)

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FLYING FORWARD: Looking towards the wall, senior Peter Dales takes a quick breath during his 100-yard butterfly against Niles West on Jan. 22. Dales swam the 100-

Titan POMS

The Titan Poms competed in the National Dance Team Championships in Orlando, Florida on Jan. 29-31. In the Large Varsity Team category, the Titans placed 11th in Poms and 13th in Jazz, which is the highest GBS has ever placed in Jazz and Poms at Nationals, according to senior captain Grace Moran. The Titans advanced to semifinals in both Jazz and Pom categories. However, they missed the finals cut by less than one point, according to Moran.

“When we hit the last pose in our semi-final Pom performance[… ] we all went crazy as we ran off because we all knew [that] we just nailed [the performance],” Moran said. “I will never forget that feeling.”

Photo courtesy of Grace Moran

SAMANTHA CASEY co-sports editor

The men’s swim and dive team is in the last month of their season and are looking forward to Conference, Sectionals and State, according to Head Coach Keith MacDonald.

The Titans have three invite wins and a record of 4-1 in dual meets. The Titans fell to CSL South rivals, New Trier, with a score of 80-106 on Jan. 15.

MacDonald was not pleased with the results of the New Trier Meet. According to MacDonald, the team may have been tired at the meet because of their difficult training leading up to the New Trier meet. However, MacDonald believes that should not be an excuse and the team should have stepped up to race.

“We swam very poorly against New Trier, and it was not indicative of how we have been training,” MacDonald said. “We have been training really well, […] but

we did not perform well against New Trier and that was disappointing because they are one of the top teams in the state and it was a good opportunity to race and challenge ourselves, [but] we were a bit flat at that meet.”

The Titans were beating New Trier halfway through the meet, but MacDonald and senior captain Sam Salganik do not think the Titans could have won.

MacDonald was not focused on a win or loss; he wanted the team to take advantage of racing at a competitive meet, according to MacDonald. Salganik attributes their inability to beat New Trier to the Trevians’ depth. “[New Trier’s] team is twice the size of ours, so they have the extra depth,” Salganik said.

“Even though we could win an event and get six points, they could come in second, third and fourth and get eight points overall.

Things like that is what led us to lose a lot of points.”

The Titans beat Niles West 117DIVING INTO STATE: Holding a pike position, senior Trevor Burke flips in the air during a dive against Niles West on Jan. 22. Burke came in first place for diving. Photo by Sean Dolan

52, on Jan. 22. According to MacDonald, most of the swimmers were not swimming their main events. However, junior Sam Iida, state champion in the 500-yard freestyle, beat the Glenbrook South school record in the 100yard breaststroke with a time of 57.95 seconds. The record was previously 58.09 seconds. It was held

by Jon Salomon, a state champion in the 50-yard freestyle who graduated last year.

“It was a pretty big moment because I have never gone under a 58 in a regular meet,” Iida said. “Before I went into [the race], I told [junior] Trevor [Utter] and [senior] Byron [Mandell], ‘Have fun breaking my new record,’ [because they are both breaststrokers]. There is also a swimmer from New Trier, Charlie Scheinfeld, and he is a fast [breaststroker] and I just wanted to show him there are other people out there.”

On the diving side of the team, Diving Coach Laura Duffy calls this season really exciting as she has two seniors, Trevor Burke and Patrick Tener “on the [cusp]” to make the State meet.

According to Duffy, Tener has added dives with higher degrees of difficulty to his diving list to help him score higher. Burke’s strength comes from his consistency and ability to perform the

required dives from each category, according to Duffy. “[There are] a lot of people returning that were State finalists last year,” Duffy said. “We only lost a handful, so it is possible, which is what we are working for, but they would have to dive really, really well. It is all about who wakes up and shows up to dive that morning.”

According to Duffy and Burke, the team needs to work on their entries and consistency in order to have a better chance at making state. According to Burke, the diving team is very deep. Burke attributes the divers’ success to Duffy, who was inducted into the Illinois Diving Hall of Fame last year for coaching.

According to Duffy and MacDonald, diving and swimming points are combined to determine where the team will place at state. According to MacDonald, the team hopes to trophy again this year at State by placing in the top three, despite losing Salomon, a sprinter. MacDonald believes the team needs to improve on their sprinting and the front half of their races. MacDonald is also looking forward to the State relays.

“We have the capability of being one of the best in the state in the medley relay,” MacDonald said. “The goal for the 400 freerelay is [to place] top six.”

The Titans next home meet is their senior night against Maine South on Feb. 2.

Cheerleading places sixth at IHSA Sectionals HANNAH MASON co-editor-in-chief

The Titan Cheerleading team placed sixth at the IHSA Sectional competition on Jan. 30. However, the girls were hoping to place in the top five and proceed to IHSA State for the first time. The 11 seniors are satisfied with the way they are ending their GBS cheerleading careers, according to senior captains Emily Weiss and Suzy Whiting.

According to Whiting, placing at sectionals has been close to impossible in years past, as the top five qualifiers are usually set in stone.

Though they didn’t qualify, Weiss and Whiting agreed it was one of their best performances.

According to Weiss and Whiting, performing the routine and hearing the results were both heavily

emotional experiences.

“We hit everything, so it was [an] exhilarating [performance],” Whiting said.

“With it being the seniors’ last competition, we were just leaving it all on the floor. I started crying after.

When we found out the results a lot of us were a little upset, but we know we tried our best either way.”

The Titans have also had accomplishments this season such as placing first at the ICCA Qualifier invite on Dec. 19 and placing second at the CSL conference competition on Jan. 17. According to Whiting, Maine South and

GBN were the team’s main competition. For Weiss, the CSL competition routine the team performed is one of her fondest memories from this season.

“All day, we were all so excited and right before we went on [a lot of us] were like, ‘This is our last conference,’” Weiss said. “We went through the routine and the entire crowd was cheering for us; we’ve never had a crowd so invested in our routine before.

It was just such an amazing feeling. When we finished the routine, everyone was hugging each other. We’ve hit the routine before, but this, for some reason, was totally different and you could feel it.”

For both Weiss and Whiting, they attribute their

HANDS UP: Looking up, Titan bases suport senior flyers Suzy Whiting and Julia Park in a pyramid. The Titans’ competition season is now over; however, they will continue to cheer at the remainder of the home basketball games. Photo by Anushka Haldar

team’s strong dynamic to having 11 seniors on the team. Though difficult at first to balance the roles between the three senior captains and the other eight seniors, said Weiss and Whiting, once they found that balance, everything seemed to click into place.

“Overall, especially now, we all are working together more to lead as a team as opposed to captain [versus] seniors,” Whiting said.

As this season comes to an end, the cheer program will say goodbye to Coach Stephanie Fuja, who was with the program for eight years, and continue with Jason Powell as the returning head coach.