Huntley HS Voice Oct. 7 2022

Meet The Staff

Editor in Chief Maria Loiseau

Managing Editor

Matt O’Connell

Floating Editors

Zuzanna Bates, Emma Chrsitensen, Sophia Coronado, Zoe Emerson, Anushka Pandya

Photo Editor

Ly Martil

Marketing Editor

Sandra Skiba

Business ManagerKarolina Perkowski

Social Media Manager Carrie Willig

Staff Writers

Ava Berardi, Sarah Christenson, Connor Considine, Maya Gawlak, Grace LaLiberty, Calvin McFalls, Nicolette Radzinski, Sienna Robertson, Jadyn Sola

Photographers

Jaeden Capito, Rae Habel, Kathleen Nash, Jay Thompson

Dennis Brown

Tasha Berillo speaks out about healthy relationships

By Sarah Christenson

Guest speaker Tasha Berillo was welcomed into Huntley High School’s freshmen health classes on Sept. 13 and 14.

Berillo has been speaking about do mestic violence and relationships for less than a year, and she moved into prevention around March of last year.

Domestic violence and sexual as sault are known to be hard topics to talk about. According to Justice.gov, sexual assault is where someone does anything sexual to someone without their consent.

As reported by the the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “about 1 in 12 [teens] experienced physical dating violence, [and] about 1 in 12 [teens] experience sexual dating violence.”

The CDC also states that some of the consequences of “unhealthy, abu sive, or violent relationships [can be] depression and anxiety symptoms, and engaging in unhealthy behaviors, like using tobacco, drugs and alco hol.”

HHS welcomes relationship speaker into health classes

not feel as forced to participate. She made sure it was already on the board and did not call any students out.

When you have people talk about [relationships] who sit on the phone all day, you get an inside perspective of that.”

Berillo was able to provide the help line which is 815-338-8081. Please do not be afraid to reach out for help.

Emily Vidales

“I think one thing we try not to do is call anyone out. We never want to put anyone on the spot,” Berillo said. “We are trying to get the participation, but it’s not anything that is gonna make [them] too nervous to participate.”

“I felt pretty comfortable. She did it in a good way,” Vidales said, regarding whether having a guest speaker can be beneficial.

“It can give people new perspec tives on things. If they need help, they can get the help,” Vidales said.

According to freshman Giuliana Farraj, some things that Berillo taught the classes included reminding every one of the helpline and warning signs in a relationship.

According to mass.gov, it is import ant to recognize signs of unhealthy relationships before they get worse.

“It really depends on the people in the class. [It depends] how well they are receiving information. You can see it on their faces [which] is probably the most enjoyable part,” Berillo said, regarding how it feels to speak to teenagers about such an important topic.

“I have always wanted to do more preventative work [and] try to stop the problem before it starts. That’s why I am here and I really enjoy it,” Berillo said.

Check out more articles on mental health on huntleyvoice.com!

Tasha Berillo talks about domestic violence to a health class.

J. Thompson

Emily Vidales is one of the many freshmen students who are enrolled in health classes.

“I noticed at the beginning [of class that] people were kinda not sure [when] talking about it. At the end, people became more comfortable with opening up,” Vidales said.

Berillo shared a PowerPoint with the freshmen students to help them

Control is where one person makes all the decisions and tells the other what to do. Dependence is when one person feels like they can’t live with out the other. Other warning signs can be dishonesty, disrespect, hostili ty, sexual violence, physical violence, and harassment.

“It is a class full of freshmen. Obvi ously, they will want to be in relation ships around this time in their life,” Farraj said. “It was insightful. It didn’t

I have always wanted to do more preventative work [and] try to stop the problem before it starts.

Tasha Berillo

It can give people new perspectives on things.

If they need help, they can get the help.

New parking, new rules

With the new school year comes new rules for students to follow in the parking lots

By Grace LaLiberty

It is not new that some students who have access to the parking passes do not park correctly in a space. Every morning before the bell rings at 7:30 a.m., they drive to a space that is open to use for the school day. Students may not think that staff members are keeping a close eye on them, but faculity always keep track of student habits to make sure every student is keeping them self and other people safe. They want to prevent accidents to make the parking lot a better enviornment. According to Chris Duncan, dean of 11-12 I-Z students, the hope is that drivers will follow the simple parking rules to allow themselves and other students who park to maintain the lot’s safety and easy accessiblity, as well as keeping their parking privilag es.

It also should allow students to be come aware of making sure they are coming on time before 7:30 a.m., 8 a.m. on late start Wednesday, to get an open space to park for the entire school day and one that allows stu dents to easily get out.

According to senior Madison Gioe, one change was that students are now able to pull into any parking spot facing forward to make it more effi cient for them to leave the lot.

to go to and from school even if they have low grades.

These decisions within the parking policies are important, so students must pay attention and understand that there are potential consequenc es, like getting their parking pass taken away.

According to associate principal Tom Kempf, students should control their speeding and safety to help make their parking better.

“One lesson that students will hope fully learn is to be safe drivers and keep others safe,” Kempf said.

Accidents are one of the main reasons why these parking policies are put in place. They also make it a challenge to figure out what transpor tation potentially needs to be used.

“I believe there will be less acci dents because they allow us to back into the parking spot,” senior Hunter Dalby said.

Students who have parking privileg es express many different emotions to these policies. Some of those feelings include freedom, strictness, joy, and many others. The privilege to have

a parking pass to drive to and from school is one students strive to have. In order to have one, students must adapt to the changes in parking.

In addition to the parking policies, students can have parking privileges

The student parking lot is notorius for accidents, admin hopes that the new rules will change that.

The fully packed student parking lot in the middle of the school day.

Students like the new rule of pulling into a space forward to get out of the lot faster Madison

John R. Faubl, D.D.S. 11613 Main St. Huntley, IL 60142

www.faubl.com www.faubl.com

JohnR.Faubl,D.D.S. 11613MainStreet Huntley,IL60142

: 847.515.2400

CELL: 815.382.6026

Out with the old, in with the new

PODs expand to better help students connect with their counselor

By Zuzanna Bates

As the new school year begins, counselors, deans and the POD secretaries work together to change the school for the better. Staff working in the PODs are now seeing new and old students this year.

Before, freshmen had their own counselors and deans, but now they share that with sophomores. This new change came about over the summer when the counselors shared and dis cussed changes that could be made to improve the student experience.

“The pod names were changed based on their location and to allow for some commonality. It would be a mouthful if we had to refer to a pod as the nine and ten grade I-Z pod rather than just West Pod. It makes it quicker to com municate with students and staff,” said by I-Z freshman and sophomore dean Justin Stroh said.

The North POD can be found upstairs at the end of the circle, the East POD can be found by door 27, the West POD can be found by door 1 and the cafete ria, and the South POD, which is the old freshman academy, can be found by the freshman hallways.

“Now it gives students a little more consistency, so it’s not so jumpy and so that they get two years built with some body and then they make a switch,” said by Se-Z freshman and sophomore counselor Samantha Skubak said.

Last year, freshmen built a relation

relationship with their counselor when they first enter high school.

“We also felt like our sophomores were getting lost in the transition between the Freshman Academy and their new pod because our counselors were busy helping their upperclassmen with college things,” Stroh said.

“We all were always looking for ways to support our students with social-emotional health and what the different ways we could do that,” said Se-Z junior and senior counselor Julie Atchley.

This change was brought about when a new counselor and social worker were brought in this year. This allowed the PODs to be expanded and the work load spread out for each counselor.

This switch not only benefits counsel ors but also students. Students can now have a seamless transition with coun selors between their sophomore and junior years. Due to the structure of the

“I know with one student, I introduced them more formally with their new coun selor and sat in like one or two [sessions] to kind of help ease into that and try to ease out a little bit,” Skubak said.

The counselors are ready for the change that may come in the future regarding the PODs and counselor structure. As the new year progresses, they are prepared to tackle difficulties that could possibly come with these new changes to improve for the years to come and are willing to work beside students and hear their voices regarding the PODs.

“We came into the year excited about the change, we’re excited about the new counselors, excited to meet all our new students and of course, we see all of our old students which is nice to see them around the school, and that’s great, I think we all came in with a really refreshed feeling. It’s been a really nice transition,” Atchley said.

R. Habel

Huntley’s solar panels:

What does it do for our school?

By Nicolette Radzinski

Every morning the students, staff, and parents of Hunt ley High School drive onto Harmony Road.

To one side, they have eclipsing farmland with rolling hills and rising fog. To their other side, they are greeted with the industrial innova tions taken by the high school, the solar panels.

Many view the solar panels with pride and admiration. Even some administrators, including principal Marcus Belin has solar panels in their own home.

“We’re proud that we’re the first in the area, and one of the first in the state, to take this road,” super intendent Scott Rowe said.

One of the biggest arguments surrounding the solar panels is the aesthetic and location of them.

Opinions on other uses for the land have been shared, such as

more efficient entrances and nos talgia for the open fields that once led up to our campus.

“Placement of them [is] a chal lenge,” Belin said.

As of Sept. 24, 2022, the solar panels turned two years old, but se rious talks about solar began 2017, and a request for proposal was sent out. A California-based company, ForeFront Power, was selected and District 158 signed a Power Pur chase Agreement in the summer of 2018 making the project official.

By 2021, construction was com plete.

ForeFront Power is a renewable energy corporation that specializ es in the implementation of solar panels. In the school’s agreement, they invested $9 million to build the solar panels and provide mainte nance and care. This comes at a cost, however, as Huntley does not

own the solar panels or any energy provided by them and unofficially leased 2.5% of the total land the district owns for placement of the panels.

It is important to understand how the energy gets from the solar panels to the schools. It is not as simple as plugging in an extention cord.

“Any purchase of energy still goes through ComEd like you do at your house,” Rowe said.

The power they generate goes from the panels to ComEd’s grid to be bought back by the school.

The district does receive an economic benefit in the form of a reduced price for electricity we buy from ComEd.

“We promise as a school district to pay for any electricity that [the solar panels] produces at a 2.6 cents per kilowatt hour,” said direc

our cost and contribution

What are the benefits and what is the cost?

tor of operations and maitinenance Doug Renkosik.

This is lower than the normal 11.049 cents per kilowatt hour that ComEd typically charges. This allows for the agreement with ForeFront Power to guarantee an annual saving of $270,000 with our first full Fiscal year of savings being calculated at $293,000, which exceeds estimates.

Solar panels were not the start of District’s 158’s energy conservation efforts, which trace back to 2012 with the implementation of LED lights and motion sensors for light and heat or air conditioning.

“We were spending $2.4 million a year on energy expenses. After installing the motion sensors in the ceiling and changing some of the lights to LED we trimmed that down to $1.3 [million] and I want to say today we’re at like $800,000 that

we spend annually,” Rowe said.

For some context, the annual operating budget for 2020-2021 school year, which is the last year with available data, was $110,246,199, meaning the elec tricity cost is 0.7% of the district’s annual budget.

The minimum savings specified in the ForeFront Power contract is $4.2 million over 20 years, which is a considerable sum of money, however, in the context of 20-years of a $110 million annual budget the contractual savings are a small percentage of the district’s overall expenses.

At this time, 75% of the school’s electricity needs are met by the solar panels and the electricity purchased from ComEd. Although the school’s kilowatt hour is fixed, the benefit will fluctuate over time with differences in energy costs and

inflation.

The economic impact to the school can be greater and the total savings over the life of the contract may well exceed $4.2 million.

Even with the accounted eco nomic benefits the discussion on alternative energy leads back to the question many students ask, “is it worth it?” Could we build a more efficient parent pickup line? Would more entrances ease the back-ups leading to the school each morning? Or, as leaders of the next generation, is it our responsibility to pursue green energy alternatives regardless of measuring the bene fit back to us and commit to these technologies as an example for future generations?

As a school Huntley High School has committed to clean energy innovations, a decision that will im pact the school for years to come.

photo by L. Martil

Life through a camera lens

Follow Kay Castro and her journey with fulling her dream in photography

By Maya Gawlak

Seeing the varsity boys soccer team playing together and supporting each other, smell ing the sweat emitting and feeling the turf in her white and pink Air Forces, Kay Castro smiles, excited to take yet another lively photo. Looking through the camera lens, she waits for the ideal time to take a photograph of the soccer team. She stands on the side of the field in her long sleeved pink crop top, holding her Nikon 3200 cam era, patiently waiting for a goal, or a player performing a technique called heading, or the goalkeeper to save the ball from being scored, or even a friendly group huddle. As she hears the shutter-button click, her images come to life in bright details.

“I primarily take sports photos, but I do events too!” Castro said. “My favorite pictures to take are girls basketball photos because I am the best at them.”

When Kay takes photos, she looks to capture worthy moments. She stalks the fields and courts of every sport like a hawk to find that split second to steal a photo. Not only does she have to be a phenome nal student and finish homework on time, she has to take pictures and edit those for 4-6 hours every week.

“I usually edit photos whenev er I feel like it.” Castro said. “It’s usually weekly though. It takes me around 2-6 hours for sports, espe cially basketball, and a few weeks for events.”

She isn’t only a photographer, though. She was the marketing director and social media manager for the yearbook.

“She [was]also in charge of our social media … So that’s very ex citing.” said Lauren Teeter, advisor of the Harmony yearbook. “I think those go hand in hand with photog raphy and social media. She started us off pretty strong!”

Kay’s photographs leave people amazed, wondering how she was able to take the stunning image. They show sportsmanship, compan ionship and deep expressions that

you might not be able to catch by watching from the bleachers. She’s able to capture beautiful moments by standing on the side lines and raising her camera whenever she sees that something is about to happen.

“[The photos] are detailed and she puts a lot of effort into them.” said Grace Skiba, a friend of Kay’s.

manager for varsity girls basket ball,” Castro said. “I decided to help run their Instagram page. Then one day, my dad told me to take his camera and use it to de velop photos for the page. I reluc tantly agreed, since I’ve never even operated a camera before. All of a sudden, I was getting teams asking me if I could take pictures of their games.”

Photography can open up many opportunities, especially for young photographers.

Grace Skiba

“I think last year, when we saw some of her photos for girls basket ball … that’s why she was recom mended for this class, because they looked so great,” Teeter said.

Kay wasn’t always into photogra phy. She used to be a basketball player. It wasn’t until recently that she picked up the talent of creating such expressing photos.

“It all started when I became the

“Being a photographer has been an extremely rewarding experience as I get to go to so many different sports games and events.” Castro said. “I meet new people every game I go to, which is amazing! My friend, Jimmy Doles, actually invit ed me to photograph a Windy City Bulls game over spring break. That was the most amazing experience of my photography career so far. It’s been an amazing journey.”

When she hears that shutter-but ton click, she gently lowers the camera away from her face and looks at the image.It was a pho to of a player saving the ball. She smiles.

Kay Castro holding her camera ready to take picturesque photographs.

She always works hard to please people, especially in her work.

J. Capito

D1 athlete is THE team player

Morgan Jones preparing for the game with a smile on her face to play against Crystal Lake Central in her home gym.

for them. With such a great extent of talent on the team is where Jones, her teammates and coaches set goals for themselves in the season.

“This year, I feel like there’s so much talent on the team. And I feel like this team can do great things this year,” Jones said. “We want to win state this year. So I feel like that’s our big goal as a team.”

“Starting off for this year, our goal is to get to state, because in years past, we’ve gotten to super sectionals, but we just want to take it a step further and go to state for the experience,” DeBlieck said.

Jones is a great teammate and is looking out for the best interest of her team. Although she is leading with kills, she mentions how she would not be able to do it without the help and support of her teammates.

“Obviously I’m excited and happy about getting kills but it wouldn’t have happened without a great pass from Luma or whoever else is in the back row or a great set from Maggie,” Jones said.

Jones’ calm and patient attitude on the court helps the team in stressful game situations. She is a great student athlete with a hard work ethic and continues to get better. The bond that she has created with her teammates helps them win on the court while also gaining friendships off the court.

Morgan Jones, prepping to bump the volleyball.

K. Nash

K. Nash

Huntley’s timeless home

Opening the front door on a hot summer morning, or cold winter afternoon, the smell of home hits everyone who enters. Greeted by the friendly smiles of those who have only been working a few months, and some who have spent more than half of their lives here. The Village Inn is a home to all those who live in Huntley.

Many people know it, and just as many love it. Huntley would not be Huntley without the Village Inn, not only because this restaurant has been around since 1980, but it has also become a second home for staff and customers alike.

Bill Galanis was a proud busi nessman, as well as a friend, in the Huntley community for 40 years.

By Maria Loiseau

He unfortunately passed away in 2020, but even today he is still remembered by everyone.

“Dad was always just such a fun person to be around,” Bill’s daughter, Christina Kamberis, said. “Always laughing. He loved to socialize. He loved kids. That was something that was important to him. Everybody kind of just gravi tated to my dad. Never had a bad day. [He] always took the good with the bad and the bad with the good. This was his life. He fell in love with Huntley, from the start.”

Not only did he fall in love with Huntley, but Huntley fell in love with him. From his warm and car ing personality, to running one of the core businesses of Huntley, it is safe to say that Galanis was no stranger to the community.

“He was here for 40 years, so he’s kind of a staple of downtown

Huntley,” Galanis’ granddaughter, Venetia Kamberis, said.

Galanis stayed committed to his business his whole life, and then it passed on to be the life of his daughter and granddaughter. In re ality, them having to take over the business was a big change, even though they had been working at the Village Inn their whole lives.

“I started working when I was about eight years old, and I’m not over exaggerating,” Venetia said. ”I had a chair behind the register, and I would stand on it, take money, and seat people.”

When the business was passed on it was not easy for Christina or Venetia to carry out the legacy that Bill had started so many years ago. There was a high expectation that they had to live up to, but they persevered working together as a mother-daughter duo.

“[Taking over] was intimidat ing,” Christina said. “However, my daughter had a lot of impact on it. So she pretty much knew the ins and outs of everything. She grew up here too with my dad. So he taught her a lot. Everything that she knows, so she pretty much took the reins.”

While at first it may have been a struggle, it is not hard to say that the two truly kept up the legacy Bill had in mind. The Village Inn is

After decades of business, the Village Inn remains as successful as ever

Family photo of Bill Galanis and family.

Courtesy of Venetia Kamberis

K. Nash

still like a home to many of their regular customers.

It is safe to say that no business does it quite like the Village Inn does.

“[The customers] are family is what it boils down to,” employee Kati Flodin said. “They’re family. When the pandemic happened and we didn’t have everybody’s num ber, we were still thinking about those people. We were still think ing about our customers because we care about them. We’re won dering, where are they eating? How are they getting food? Are they doing okay? Is everybody going to make it through good? I mean, it’s just how we feel about people.”

Flodin is not the only person

as well as the environment, of the Village Inn.

“I would like to say we pretty much stayed the same,” Kamveris said. Still an old school diner type of feeling.”

There are so many bits and pieces of history that a customer gets walking through the doors of the Village Inn. Sitting down and talking with owners, employees, or anyone who considers the Village Inn a home, a great story always will come from them. The stories and history range from carrying on Bill’s legacy, to Venetia explaining how when she was 4 years old she wanted to give customers hot dogs for breakfast because that was all she knew how to spell.

For decades this place has been a home, and for many more de cades it will continue to be one. Bill’s family has done a tremendous

One of the many portraits displayed in the Village Inn

job carrying out his legacy, and he would not be disappointed if he saw the Village Inn today.

“Yes, it’s a business, but there was more to it than just a business to him,” Christina said. “He built a lot of friendships, and we still have a lot of my dad’s friends that come in. They’ve seen us grow up so it means a lot to us,” Christina said.

Bill Galanis, working in the Village Inn’s kitchen.

who has spent much time working at the diner. In fact, some people have been working there practical ly all their lives. Claudia Casa, for example, has worked at the Village Inn since she was 15 years old. 21 years later and she is still working there consistently. She describes the environment they have created as a family, and for over 20 years she has been treated like family.

Over the decades, Huntley has gone through many changes, es pecially in the downtown square. Parking lots were added, buildings put up, businesses expanded, and much more. Through all of these changes the only thing that has re mained unchanged is the building,

[He] always took the good with the bad and the bad with the good. This was his life. He fell in love with Huntley, from the start.

Kamberis

Courtesy of Venetia Kamberis

K.Nash

New exchange student is XCited

weather is varied and fields are filled with sprawling vineyards.

Canet decided to leave her be loved city and family to pursue an opportunity to study abroad.

By Ava Berardi

It is a hot, sunny morning.

There are five minutes until the first gunshot goes off and the varsity girls begin running their race. Junior Guille Gimenez Canet walks to the starting line with her teammates and prepares to do her sprints. It is her first cross country meet, and she is nervous as she stands on the starting line. She looks over to see her teammates encouraging each other, and smiles as she leans towards the line. Boom.

“It was something that I wanted,” Canet said. “I wanted to experience it so it was something that I would know.”

Since she was 12 she has always wanted to study in a different country, and this year she had the opportunity to do it.

Even though entering a new coun try is strange and nerve-wracking, her host family helped her and they had one recognizable name, the Crisci family. Her first experience meeting the family was over Face Time, where she saw how nice the family was and got excited for this change. She could not wait to meet them when she got to Huntley.

When Canet came to Huntley the first thing she noticed was how big the school was and how nice the people are.

“I like that everyone is friendly and the school is big and you have a lot of options if you don’t know what to study or do,” Canet said.

She decided to join cross country because she enjoyed running and thought that it was a great oppor tunity to do something she likes and make friends.

Canet immediately started to make friends in cross country and she now looks forward to practicing after school so she can talk with them.

done cross country in Argentina, she has a natural talent and keeps on improving as a runner. Head cross country Coach Matthew Ka plan is impressed by her skill.

“Thus far, she’s been competing at the varsity level,” Kaplan said. “She has been finishing on our team as one of the top five, some times top four, sometimes the third best, but just watching her com pete is amazing. She’s very tena cious when she races and watching her she gives everything she has for every race.”

As she crosses the finish line for every meet, she recognizes how much she enjoys racing by pushing herself to be her best and being surrounded by her teammates that are happy for her.

Canet is excited to see what her season will bring by trying out mul tiple activities and is interested in seeing what Huntley has to offer.

The gunshot goes off and the McHenry County meet begins.

“It was hard,” Canet said. “I didn’t like the course so much but it was good. Everyone was so help ful with me and that made it easy for me.”

Canet is an exchange student from Mendoza, Argentina, a beau tiful, vegetated city where the

“It’s really fun working with her,” junior Ximena Ceballos said. “It makes practice overall a lot more fun spending time with her as op posed to when I was a friend versus a teammate.”

Canet is not just making friends, but still tremendously improving every week with her times on every course. Even though Canet has not

out more articles on cross country

R. Habel

huntleyvoice.com

Canet enjoys pushing herself during practice as well as meets by doing track workouts.

Exchange student Guille Gimenez Canet from Argentina joins cross country and builds friendships during a great season

have always wanted to study in a different

the

David Rocks,

Overcrowding in the cafeteria remains a pressing issue

S.Christenson

By Matt O’Connell

The smell of warm pizza, pasta, and vegetables fills the air when stepping foot in to the cafeteria. Grabbing your stiff lunch tray, ice cold drink, and food of choice is sup posed to be quick, easy, and simple. Af ter paying for the meal, a scan around the room to see where familiar faces, friends, or welcoming smiles are is a top priority. If all goes well, lunch is the best part of the day; a break from the stress of school. That is, of course, if all goes well. For many, lunch has not been enough time to eat or socialize.

With the sheer amount of students at Huntley, lunch has proved to be an insurmountable task to manage. Juniors and seniors have the privilege to leave campus, which alleviates the pressure of overcrowding.

For underclassmen, however, lunch is not a break, but a mission to find a seat and something to eat. Because there are so many students, it is very difficult to provide the same amount and qual ity of food for every period. It is also very difficult for students to get their food and find a seat in an appropriate amount of time.

“If they went back to an A and a B for all lunch periods, it would make it so much easier on us, there wouldn’t be so many people waiting in line,” said

half.”

Transitioning to different blocks for every single lunch period would prove to be a difficult task, but it would indefi nitely solve the problem of overcrowd ing. Having two blocks allows students more time to eat due to smaller lines and more availability. Even if it does not solve the issue initially, there is confi dence that separate blocks will eventu ally make the problem better.

An issue that has stuck around for many years regarding lunch has been the process of getting food. Many students run from their third, fourth, or fifth period class to the lunch line just to ensure that they will be able to get to their table in an appropriate amount of time. Those who take their time are forced to pack into the hallways on either side of the lunch line and hope that there is enough left for them.

“I think having everyone go up to grab their food at the same time is what makes the lunch period drag on for so long, but there is not much else

Matt O’Connell is a Managing Editor and it is his second year on the staff. In his free time, he enjoys listening to music, thrifting, going to the gym, and researching politics. He is excited to be a part of The Voice and is looking forward to what this school year has in store.

implored last year as a way of manag ing the central gym, but this year it has been forgotten. There are many ways to go about solving the issue of long and crowded lines, and sectioned dismissal seems to be the most efficient one.

“I think the school should open the central gym to students who want to eat lunch there. Last year, that proved to be a good idea. I do not think anyone is at fault for overcrowding, it just so happens that there are more students eating in the cafeteria this year in comparison to previous years,” junior Marko Mihalopoulos said.

It is good to note that because the central gym was open last year, over crowding was not as prevalent. Now, however, the central gym is closed, causing the student body to collide. Opening the gym is an idea that has worked in the past, and there is no rea son why it would not work this year.

Overcrowding in the cafeteria is an issue that comes due to the large number of students in the building, but it costs so many students a comfortable lunch. Long lines, not finding a seat, or not having time to eat makes lunch more of a hassle than a break. There are few things that have worked in the past that could be applied this year, but only time will tell if anything changes.

The cafeteria does not have enough seats to allow for functional lunch periods

One Word to Describe Matt: energeticMatt O’Connell

Late bus provides unwheel experience

It has been a long, stressful day, and you cannot wait to go home and decompress. As you trudge out to the bus parking lot, you make a mental list of all of the tasks that must get done before the day’s end. So much to do, so little time.

Upon exiting door 27, you begin the trek to your bus. The buses are all lined up, almost packed togeth er like sardines. The sea of yellow buses, all of which are nearly filled to capacity, is quite the sight to behold.

Soon after beginning the walk, you freeze. The slot where your bus is normally parked is empty. In fact, there are several empty slots. You notice a congregation of students who are on your bus standing on the edge of the curb, clinging to some sense of hope that the bus will magically appear.

You kick up a chunk of grass in frustration. All plans for the day have effectively gone down the drain. You know you will be strand ed at the school for no less than half an hour.

Unfortunately, this is a common scene here at Huntley High School.

Tardy school buses leave students stranded, furious and left with no answers

By Zoe Emerson

Ever since the beginning of the school year, there have been late buses nearly every day. For some students, their bus is late at least twice a week, if not more.

Typically, after the final bell rings for the day, there is a late bus announcement. The buses that are going to be late picking up stu dents are announced, identified by route number, over the intercom. However, with the commotion that occurs after that final bell, it can be difficult for students to hear the announcements.

Freshman Sofia Guerrero’s bus is late around three times a week. Guerrero states that the bus tar diness has gotten more consistent since the beginning of the year, and the situation can be bothersome due to the boredom that follows.

Luckily for Guerrero, there have been no scheduling conflicts be tween the late bus and her person al life to date. However, Guerrero feels that something is absent from her daily routine.

“I do have to pick up my sister al most every single day. Then we just talk about her day,” Guerrero said. “At times, I don’t get that time to pick her up. I feel like that’s some thing that’s missing.”

As a result of the late buses, some students have had their work lives and scheduled appointments compromised. For students who work directly after school, not

having a ride home can be detri mental to their careers. Additional ly, canceling previously scheduled appointments can be a hassle for students and their families.

Senior Maylea Flynn relies heavily on the bus to take her home so she can get to her job. However, Flynn has had some difficulties regarding her job due to the late buses.

“And she respects that, so I’m very glad that she respects that.”

Jacqueline Bullio, a bus driver for the district, recognizes that the late buses can cause an absurd amount of problems for the student body. However, some fail to realize that the late buses cause problems for bus drivers as well.

“Many of the drivers are doing double routes, and they’ve ad justed the times on the routes to accommodate,” Bullio said. “Almost everybody is subbing routes, and it’s because we are so short on drivers.”

Bullio stated that the district is short roughly 20 bus drivers. As a result of this catastrophic shortage, some routes have to be outsourced. In this case, outsourc ing occurs when companies supply drivers to take students to and from school.

“We are trying, We are training” said Bullio.

According to Bullio, outsourcing has freed up several drivers, which has been beneficial to the district. Bullio also stated that the district requires at least 15 more drivers for the operations to run smoothly.

My boss knows that I can’t come in before 4:00 because my bus has been consistently late Maylea Flynn

“I can honestly say that our bus drivers care about you guys deeply and do everything they can. Trust me, we don’t want to be late,” Bullio said. “We hate it as much as you guys do. We are trying to do everything we could possibly do to get there on time.”

Another problem that students and their families face in regard to the late buses is a lack of commu nication on the part of the district. Some parents and guardians have opted into receiving school alerts via text message, and these do include late bus alerts.

However, students are often times largely unaware of when their bus is going to be late until the announcements are made after school or they see for themselves that their bus is absent. Although some students ask that their par ents or guardians inform them of late buses, not every family has opted into these alerts.

One common solution that has been suggested by students and families is for the district to hire more bus drivers. However, while it may seem like an obvious solution, it is not as simple as it sounds.

“They’re not not hiring drivers. We’re not getting the people com ing in as much as we would like. Since COVID, we lost a lot of drivers when we were off of work because they went and found other jobs,” Bullio said. “We lost probably 2030 drivers that just got out of work or retired, and now, we are having a hard time recouping from that.”

Flynn understands that the cur rent labor shortage has an impact on the late buses. Flynn proposed a variety of solutions that could be implemented, including carpooling and expanding bus routes.

“Not [a] significantly lower [price], but lower it just a bit so that it’s more manageable to some students,” Flynn said. “Especially when [students] get their first car, and they have to pay for gas and insurance, and they can’t afford a

parking pass.”

Guerrero simply suggests that the district do one thing: communicate.

S. Webb

wants not only students to know what is going on, but parents as well. Bullio also emphasizes that the district’s drivers are doing everything they can with what they have. Bullio is also optimistic about the current state of the district’s overall transportation system.

“We have excellent bosses. They got the system down. I think it’s great,” Bullio said. “I’ve been working here for 19 years, and I’m very happy with my job. I love the students, I love the people, and I love my coworkers.”

Jacqueline Bullio

“I think [one solution could be] making the bus problem more out there,” Guerrero said. “This [prob lem] is bumping into the students’ schedules.”

Bullio agrees. She states that she

Students and their families should be patient with the district regarding the late buses. The situa tion is out of the district’s control, and the bus drivers are making do with what they have. Although the situation is frustrating, it is of no use to throw around blame.

“Sometimes our buses are late, but I hope in the future that it’ll look a little better.”

I’ve been working here for 19 years, and I’m very happy with my job. I love the students, I love the people, and I love my coworkers

Len Schlachta

they would say...

Before I was born, I had an aunt who passed away in a car crash. When I was born, my family could not pick a name for me, so they chose Noelle, my aunt’s name. Growing up, I had an identity problem with figuring out who I was. I wanted to be her. I realized as I got older that was not how I should have felt. I was trying to find my own sense of who I was. It was hard, but now I go by ‘Len’ to find some sort of identity. I’ve been going by Len for two years now.

If these halls

interviews and photos by Ly Martil and Jaeden Capito

they would say...

I started creating art at a young age. When I was 12, I became more serious and started studying photos and using them as art references. I submitted my work into art exhibitions. I had my first art show at 13, and I showcased 20 pieces that were watercolor.

It gave me an insight into what putting together a show is like, and it gave me a lot of experi ence. I was in another art show when I was 15, and it was my first time having my work dis played at a gallery.

Faith Rasmussen could talk

Thin blue line between racism & policing

As I am walking through the crowded bustle of students in the hallway past the main stairs, I stop in the pod right there to search the lost and found for my jacket. Defeated and jacket less, I turn around to leave the pod and look up to see a flag hung on the wall in an open office, across the room. A flag that either in spires or frightens the people who see it depending on their back ground, beliefs, and experiences with police.

The flag is simple: a thin blue line dividing the otherwise normal American flag colored black and white. The line divides the flag below the 50 stars, and it replaces one of the 13 stripes. I immediately feel my heart drop. I am uncom fortable and confused.

Why do I feel like this? Why might other people feel uncomfortable when faced with the blue line flag that is meant to support and honor our police officers and all they do for us?

The origins of the “thin blue line” actually started innocently. In 2014, college student Andrew Jacob saw the protests in response to the police killings of officers Eric Garner, Michael Brown and Tamir Rice on television. He noticed the simple flag symbol on patches and stickers.

Inspired to show his support for law enforcement, Jacob became

By Sophia Coronado

president of Thin Blue Line USA, an online retailer that sells flags, clothing and jewelry with the thin blue line flag. Jacob’s mission is to support the men and women in blue as a non-profit organization.

But it is important to note that Jacob was not the first to coin the “thin blue line” term. It actually appeared much earlier in the 1950s as a television show called “The Thin Blue Line.” It was about the L.A. Police Department, and was conveniently the idea of the LAPD chief William H. Parker. Parker used the term “thin blue line” in many of his political speeches.

During the ‘50s, the Civil Rights Movement became nationally widespread and the demographics of L.A. specifically had undergone big changes, as the African Amer ican population greatly increased in only a couple of decades. Parker was known for being racist, and his racist remarks proved how discon nected he and the police depart ment were at the time.

Despite Parker’s bigotry, the police headquarters was named in his honor after his death in 1966. Twenty six years later, the video of police beating Rodney King sur faced and protests took place at the building founded on prejudice.

I wanted to explain the back ground of the Thin Blue Line flag is to emphasize how the term origi nated from a racist history. That no one politicized the flag; it is actual ly rooted in controversy.

Today, the flag is everywhere. It is typically hung on the houses of police officers or their supporters. It can be seen on hats, shirts, stick ers and car decals. I have seen it on

some students’ cars at our school.

I understand the genuine intent of supporting police officers who are helping their communities and doing honorable work, but the us age of the flag in the Capitol attack on Jan. 6 makes many second guess what the flag really represents and the motives of the people who fly it.

I can’t help but wonder if its in creased popularity is in response to the Black Lives Matter movement, and others feel the same way.

Resource officer Kevin Choklad has the “thin blue line” flag hung on the wall in his office, and a mini cutout of the shape of America displayed with the blue line flag over it.

According to Choklad, the flag has been up since Officer Gregorio worked at Huntley, and he found no reason to take it down as he simply sees it as support for law enforce ment.

He explained that if students are uncomfortable with the flag, he has no problem removing it and would love to have a conversation about it. He wants to make it clear that the symbol has been official long before him.

“I don’t get in the middle of all the ‘blue lives matter,’ ‘all lives matter,’ Black Lives Matter,” Choklad said. “I don’t associate my self with political stuff, you know part of my profession is to not be biased one way or another.”

“The blue line symbol histori cally has always just been a sign of support for law enforcement,” Choklad said. “And obviously I am

If you can’t recognize the controversy surrounding the “Thin Blue Line” flag, you might be part of the problem

The way I see the thin blue line is the support of law enforcement in general Kevin Choklad

supportive of law enforcement. But I think that symbol is kind of being used by a different movement now that has obviously been controver sial, which is why I try to stay out of that.”

I understand the point of staying out of politics, but I’m unsure if the “thin blue line” flag is innocent and unpolitical at this point. Does this make flying a Black Lives Matter flag too political? Or hanging up a Pride flag too controversial?

I have no problem with support ing the police. They have very difficult jobs and they do a lot of dangerous work. The honest cops are 100% worthy of respect.

However, flying the “thin blue line” is not the best way to support law enforcement, and it can send a harmful message. When the blue line has been portrayed in such a negative and controversial way, can you blame people for feeling un comfortable around the symbol?

Even sophomore Len Schlachta, whose father serves as a deputy chief, feels a little uncomfortable.

“[The thin blue line] started out in a nice way,” Schlachta said. “[But] people started to use it in a petty way. They started to use it more negatively to kind of target the other side, but I do think [the Thin Blue Line] started with good intentions.”

Senior Carter Coss’s father is a patrol officer for the Huntley Police Department. Coss explained how the Blue Line Flag represents his dad and his profession. He also recognizes how there are bad cops, but thinks they shouldn’t take away our respect for law enforcement because at the end of the day, they are the ones to respond to our emergency calls.

We should still back our law en forcement but engaging in the blue lives matter movement undermines the real issue at hand. Every time minorities use their voice to advo cate for change, other groups feel threatened and want to take the spotlight for themselves.

Seeing the Thin Blue Line dis played is common, but there’s

rarely a Black Lives Matter flag displayed alongside it. It’s easy for many to display the Thin Blue Line, but rarely is a Black Lives Matter flag displayed alongside it. Is Black Lives Matter too political to take a stance on? Is the blue lives matter movement less controversial to support?

Another aspect to consider is how the Black Lives Matter movement has been pushed forward because historically Black people and other people of color have been treated as if they didn’t matter. Of course, police have had pushback and there has been recorded violence against law enforcement. But when looking at the history, minorities have been treated significantly worse.

It’s very important to have conversations about controversial topics because communication is the key to spreading awareness and solving problems. Everyone is enti tled to their own opinions, but we as a community should think before deciding to display something con troversial just to get a power trip.

S. Christenson

Freedom or freedumb?

BRRRING! Your alarm wakes you with a jump. The sun has not yet risen. Groggily, you roll out of bed and start to get ready for the long school day ahead of you. You wash your face, pick out clothes to wear and head downstairs to grab some breakfast.

Just minutes away, the bus will be pulling up to your designated corner, ready to fit even more kids in those too-tight seats. You quickly take a glance at yourself in the mirror but something is missing. Deciding what that is, you rush to find your most prized posses sion: your favorite hat. Its crisp blue color with the bold yellow Air Force emblem in the middle and the large, cream stars on the side comforts you.

Admiring its perfect condition, you grasp the bill of the hat and place it on your head; your look is complete. You can just imagine serving this country by soaring through the air. Quickly, you make it on your bus and to the school. Excited to show off your attire, you confidently walk into the building, only to be told, ‘Take the hat off! You know better than that.’

At least that is how it was for as long as this district can remember. This school year, hats and hoods are allowed for all to wear, and many have taken the opportunity to wear them, but was this really the best decision for our school?

This past spring, a Parent-Adviso ry Committee got together virtually to discuss the long-standing rule of prohibiting hats and hoods in schools. Any parent of Huntley High School with a child who graduated or who is still in school was able to

By Carrie Willig

attend. Within this mix of parents, Kirstin Schmitt joined in.

Schmitt, a 48-year-old administra tor for Crystal Lake’s District 47 was eager to attend the Zoom call to help come to a decision.

“I’m always happy when someone wants to know what my feedback is. I’m always happy to share my thoughts [because I] have a little bit of a different perspective be cause I’m an administrator and not just a parent,” Schmitt said.

The committee meeting, ran by a District 158 facilitator, was run smoothly from start to finish. The whole group reached a consensus quite quickly: most parents were in favor of removing the rule, and the rest had no strong opinion either way. Schmitt, in addition to the majority of the parents, was there to advocate her support of remov ing the rule.

“I think that hats as a prohibit ed item was born out of an era of gang affiliation. Many years ago, you would wear a hat, and it would show that you were affiliated with a gang,” Schmitt said.

Although the idea of gangs was a concern, it is outdated and never truly applied to kids within the school. Now hats should be seen as nothing more than to allow ex pression. An issue that could arise, however, as found in any other forms of attire, is distractibility.

“I think that anything negative that can come from [wearing hats] can be addressed on an individual basis,” Schmitt said.

If a kid in class were to be wear ing or using hats or hoods in an unfavorable way, a teacher could personally speak to the student as a way to combat this issue.

“I think addressing it on an in

dividual basis with something like this in particular can be more pow erful and more fair to the whole group. If you’ve got 10 kids abusing something, why say no to 3,000?” Schmitt said.

To Schmitt’s point, the general rule of one ruining something for all has never been loved by stu dents. The majority of students will wear hats or hoods as they are asked to, but someone will always try to test the waters. Instances like this are unavoidable, but they should not ruin a privilege given to a whole student body. Schools may have had this rule for a long time, but change is always welcome.

“I understand why [school dis tricts] used to [ban hats and hoods],” Schmitt said. “I just don’t know that it’s necessarily applica ble anymore.”

In Schmitt’s eyes, this is a posi tive change. Hats allow for free ex pression in a way that is respectful to the learning environment.

However, on the flip side of this debate, stands Rochelle Hewlett, an English teacher. Her 28 years of experience here at Huntley High School have allowed her to see it all and craft an informed opinion.

In previous years, students of hers had tried to wear hats and hoods in her classroom, despite the rules of not allowing any sort of headwear.

“[Students choose to evade rules] depending on if there’s conse quences or not, [and it determines] if they adapt or not,” Hewlett said. “I don’t care if it’s speeding down the highway, if it’s wearing a hat in school, if it’s being on time to your job. It’s irrelevant. If you have to be home by 10 [p.m] and you roll in at 10:05 [p.m] are your parents going to care?”

Because most in our district last year grew lenient with this rule, due to few consequences and little support for writing students up, hats and hoods became a relaxed regulation, making it easier for

A look into why District 158 has allowed hats and hoods in school and how students and staff are reacting

the switch this year. However, it was still upsetting to see so many rule-breakers.

“If the school district says no hats, no hoods, then no hats, no hoods. If the school district said to jump, we should say ‘How high?’ I think that’s just how it works. We don’t always have to agree with the rules,” Hewlett said.

Following the rules lets peo ple know that they are reaching expectations and gives us value and regulation. This rule was set in place to prepare us for life outside of school, which is high school’s overall job.

“When you go into the real world outside of Huntley High School walls, yes you’re allowed to wear hats in college, and I get that,” Hewlett said. “But no job is going to let you wear a hat. And there are a lot of places that you walk into that it’s always been a respectful issue to remove headwear. That’s just the way it is.”

Although most come to find that as an outdated response, it still ap plies to the present. This idea has been around since the 19th century and will not be going anywhere anytime soon.

“[It’s] just like when you say the Pledge of Allegiance. I was raised to stand up and take [my] hat off. I think there’s some customs in our society, even something as silly as wearing a hat, that I think we adapt to,” Hewlett said. “It doesn’t make us any less of a person, it doesn’t demean us, it doesn’t devalue us as human beings, it just is abiding by the rule.”

But old customs and breaking the rules are not the only reasons she sees this as a negative change. Hewlett finds this addition of hats and hoods to be encouraging stu dents to slouch and disengage in class. But that does not mean there is no way around it.

“I understand we have school policies [saying students] can wear [hats and hoods, so] I ask them

when they walk in the room to turn it around, so I can see them and their full engagement. If you want to keep your hat on, turn it around, but I want you to be completely present when you’re in my class room,” Hewlett said.

Overall, Hewlett finds that this change is too big of a jump for her from all of the previous years where the rule has always strictly been to take the hats off, whether in school or not. It sure was a shock to all of the students here when we received the news, but the majority of us students find that this change is on the positive side. Especially in our generation, hats and hoods are worn often and are a fun way to express our likes and raise our confidence.

Sophomore Kaidden Assissel Kaiser, agrees with this change of allowing hats and hoods, and finds that he is enjoying incorporating hats into his attire as well. Howev er, he understands why hats and hoods can be such a complicated topic.

“I think it’s the majority of being able to identify people [that made hats and hoods be prohibited last year]. Who is wearing that hat? Who is wearing that hood? So, it’s

not easy to tell,” Assissel said.

During this year, many of the students here at District 158 are taking the opportunity to wear hats and hoods, like Assissel, who can now wear his Air Force hat while walking through the halls.

I have noticed a definite increase of happiness around the school, and it is exciting to see that we are touching base with some long-es tablished regulations and seeing if they still apply to today’s world.

Hats and hoods may seem like just another piece of fashion, but it is actually an intricate debate that will continue to be had long into the future. Just as Schmitt had mentioned, all potential issues could be tackled with a one-onone conversation. As long as the place you are in allows for hats and hoods to be worn, go ahead and make the decision if you want to wear one or not in confidence. With this big step of tackling the prohibition of hats and hoods at our school, who knows what’s next.

“This is a great example of taking a look at policies and procedures regularly to make sure they still make sense,” Schmitt said. “and not just doing things because we’ve always done them.”

S. Coronado

“Andor” release gets sudden praise

By Connor Considine

Note: this is a spolier free first impression of Andor by both me and the show’s current audience.

Since the streaming giant’s launch on Nov. 12, 2019, Disney+ shows have become standard in media for some of the most well known franchises on the planet, such as Marvel, Disney Chan nel Originals, The Simpsons, and Star Wars. The Star Wars shows have mostly been hits with general audiences, with the “Mandalorian” and “Clone Wars” now being fan favorites. Even with these hits, Andor was never looked at attentively compared to other shows like “The Book of Boba Fett” or the long awaited “Obi-Wan Kenobi.”

“Andor” explores the character of Cassian Andor, one of the main charac

ters of the film “Rogue One.” It explains how he became a passionate leader of the Rebellion, as well as the creation of said Rebellion from the five year gap between the show and “Rogue One.” It explores who he was before these events and who he became after.

The show uses new creative tech niques to enhance their consumer experience.

What sets this show apart from the rest of the Star Wars, as well as other Disney+ shows, is its bigger attention to cinematography, being the first Star Wars live action show to not use a digital background (also known as StageCraft).

They opted for realistic environments, as well as going for a lack of fan service, which are moments in entertainment meant solely to appeal to only fans. On

top of the more grounded nature, the show brought in people who wanted to see something new.

Many people praised these changes upon learning of them via trailers.

Critics and influencers who got to see the first four episodes early, a custom for new Disney+ shows, praised the episodes for their sets and tone.

The show released on Sept. 21 with three episodes immediately, and will run until Nov. 23, with a second season well on the way.

The sets look amazing with a proper set up to the conflict of the show and how it will force Andor to make steps for himself.

Having watched the first four epi sodes, I can say that Andor himself is great. He has a nice origin to shape

The show, originally uncared for by most people, is seen as one of the best Disney+ shows

the man

is at the

the events setting him up to be come something greater.

this perfectly with his pessimistic tone throughout the start of the show. On top of that, the sense of community you see in the start, with extras walking and talking no matter where you look in the hometown, contrasted with the abusive and hypo critical nature of those higher in power.

sense of realism in both sides can make you feel for characters you barely even know at that moment, as you can see their fears and desires to fight back.

helps to establish a sense of rebel lion that has been prevalent in the era of Star Wars.

takes place in, this sense of rebellion also being what makes Andor feel compelled to become a rebel like he is in Rogue One.

are amazing highlights and I hope they are expanded as the show goes on. The show balances pessimism with a growing seed of hope so well that it is great to watch it unfold.

Andor sets incredible precedents for Disney+ shows in presentation of both filmmaking and character building. I would highly recommend watching it if you want better from the streaming service that has at least one thing you grew up with.

is set to start filming their sec ond season in November and through August.

New “Pinocchio” disappoints

By Emma Christenson

Right as the 1940s “Pinoc chio” hit the box office, people ran in to see a stunning animation that melted their hearts, lit up the Cinematic movie screen, and implanted a special memory in their childhood. But now as the new live-action “Pinocchio” appeared on Disney+, families began to realize the movie does not have the same fondness that it once did.

The live-action “Pinocchio,” di rected by Robert Zemeckis, has had people’s heads on a swivel thinking about the overwhelming nega tives of the movie. But the magic in Disney never waivers because they always bring some kind of new ingredient to the table.

The numerous clocks strike mid night in the home of Geppetto, a woodcarver. We see various clocks: Woody riding Bullseye in front of a ranch, Donald Duck getting chased by an alligator in a swamp, Roger Rabbit getting kissed by Jessica Rabbit, and Aurora pricks her finger on the spinning wheel. Details such as this really make the film 10 times more beautiful. This scene displays the timeline of Disney movies that lead up to the present.

As Pinocchio arrives on Pleasure Island, the carnival lights, Ferris wheel, and fireworks light up his birchwood skin and give him an unfathomable glow. Pinocchio is riding down Sugar Mountain and as his boat hits the candy, the colors fly everywhere. Right as Pinocchio gets off Sugar Mountain he has a confused frown on his face, his eyebrows tilt up and his mouth goes wide. Everything that was just described was because of the remarkable CGI.

Even though the CGI gave every one goosebumps, the plot was the opposite.Robert Zemeckis added unnecessary scenes and dull new characters. In one scene, Pinocchio gets captured by Stromboli, who is ambitious, greedy, and cruel. Then we meet Fabiana, who wishes to rescue Pi nocchio, with her puppet, Sabrina, but fails.

Another character is a seagull named Sophia, who is just there to add to the run time. These characters are absurd because there is no point in any of them be ing in the film. They take you away from the original plot of the movie.

The musical selections were standard for any other regular movie, but for a Disney film more was expected. Geppetto wishes on a falling star that Pinocchio will turn into a real boy, the Blue Fairy appears and makes his wish come true. After she explains what Pinocchio must do to become a real boy, she sings “When You Wish Upon a Star.” Cynthia Erivo’s vocals

are absolutely incredible, her voice bounces off the walls and advances to your ears. But none of the other songs were as notable as the one she sang.

There was some exceptional act ing, but then there was the polar opposite. Cynthia Erivo, the Blue Fairy, acting was breathtaking, even though she was not on screen for a very long period of time, every time she was on screen I believed she was the Blue Fairy.

Joseph Gorden-Levitt, Jiminy Cricket’s voice, and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, Pinocchio’s voice, were both satisfactory voice actors. Their voices match the emotions the characters were both showing. But Tom Hanks, Geppetto, gave an insufferable performance. Gep petto is a kind, lonely, old man, but whenTom Hanks tried to evoke these qualities he was not very believable.

In conclusion, this movie provides a flashback to childhood. But do not spend two hours watching a movie that is subpar, it would be better just to stick with the origi nal.

The new characters destroy “Pinocchio” storyline

Disney

The “Rings of Power” and change

A show that does not deserve what people think, and why that is

By Calvin McFalls

The Rings of Power. A series of objects that shaped the world, forged to defeat a dragon that made the world of the Lord of the Rings. Each represents a form of power, the most well known is the ring of Sauron, typically seen in the films, granting invisibility and the ability to view into another plane of existence to the “wielder.” However, critics and fans alike are torn between loving the series, or forgetting it.

When the “Rings of Power” released on Amazon Prime Video Sept. 1, the original expectations were mixed be tween loving or hating the prequel. Af ter the first two episodes, the fanbase could not decide which side to pick. Some loved the unique attention that Amazon chose to follow with the story, but others disliked everything, from the cast and writing to the characters alike. Although the “Rings of Power” is said to take place almost a thousand years before the events of the “Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit,” the main themes and storyline are still present of said shows. Almost a decade after the proclaimed “defeat and death of Sauron,” an elf, called Galadriel, finds and follows the signs that Sauron will eventually return. While another elf, named Arondir, finds out that the Orks, a species of pig-human hybrids that burn in sunlight, that followed Sauron have returned.

Galadriel seeks out Sauron to avenge her brother’s death, while Arondir is pursuing to protect a small village from the Orks that threaten them. Both are characters who are beyond capable fighters, and warriors, but why are they hated?

The most common argument is that Galadriel is lucky all the time, with no training, skill, or time spent that is shown on screen to justify this luck. But after a hundred years of fighting,

to defeat these foes?

Galadriel is told in the show to have hunted Sauron far longer than any other elf, human, or any other species has even remembered him. In the pro cess of doing so, it is not very hard to imagine what dangers she would have encountered. Trolls, Mountain ogres, Ents (tree-like beings), and dragons are some of the possible dangers. Within the first few minutes of the show’s premiering episode, Galadriel encoun ters a winter troll, which kills several soldiers of a detachment accompanying her. Galadriel, on the other hand, leaps into the air after being thrown by her companion and kills the troll. This is not her getting lucky with her strike, but her knowing how to kill the troll.

While this example might not seem obvious, there is one section of the sec ond episode that showcases the strug gles of the main characters quite well. However, Arondir, a part of an Elven guard that is responsible for the protec tion of a small farming village, falls in love with a young human woman. She and her son are the first to encounter

village, and after an intense five minute action sequence, they eventually behead the ork, and presents the head to the rest of the village by dropping it on a bar table, a seamless transition that brings out a laugh with the sudden switch from intensity to humor.

In this sequence, they are almost killed several times, only succeeding due to the Ork’s clumsiness, and with out the help from any other outside assistance.

While they might not have been a fighting force, even Arondir struggles against an ork-hound in the next episode. He only kills the hound after it forgets about Arondir and in stead goes after his friend from the El ven guard, who is instead impaled and killed by ork reinforcements, a rather sad and emotional moment.

The show itself has both awning effects and visuals, while also bringing out emotion and character within those on screen.

Although it might not be “flawless,” it is a show that has broken a long chain of shows and films that disappoint those who watch them in a spectacular and wondrous fashion.

Amazon Prime Video

Sunshine on the court provides happiness, confidence to players

Sophomore Ariana Patel brings smiles and her positive energy to the girls tennis team

By Jadyn Sola

The smell of newly cut grass and fresh tennis balls floats through the air. Ariana Patel walks onto the court, feeling the grip of her racket.

The cool breeze makes her feel fresh and awake, prepared to do her best and try her hardest. Energized, she raises her racket, tosses the ball, and swings her arm.

Patel started playing tennis at 10 years old. Her parents encouraged her to play, and she really enjoyed the sport.

After that, she started working hard and practicing more often.

“The environment was really nice,” Patel said. “I felt like I was doing a sport that I actually enjoyed, and I was surrounded by people I wanted to be around.”

Patel learned how to play tennis from one of her coaches, Craig Gre enwald. He has taught her a lot, and even now, he continues to push Patel to be the best version of herself.

Patel has her eye on the ball with her racket ready to hit the ball.

As a freshman, Patel’s dedication paid off, and she made it onto the varsity team.

“On the tennis court, she has good power and very pretty form on her shots,” said varsity girls tennis coach Barry Wells. “Ari is a really nice player, [and] an even nicer girl off the court.”

Ever since she started, she has been a positive influence towards her teammates. Rain or shine, she knows how to cheer her team up.

keeping the positivity up when people are down in a match.”

Patel likes being on the tennis team. The welcoming environment from her teammates and coaches really made her enjoy the sport more.

“Tennis has been going really well,” Patel said. “I feel like I worked really hard, and I’ve made a lot of really good friends on varsity.”

Patel spends a lot of time working on her form. When she is available, she practices with her team or her friends. Recently, she has been work

“My parents and my coach have been my biggest supporters and have always been there for me,” Patel said. They have never let me down.”

Before Patel joined the high school program, she would do tournaments all over the state. This experience taught her how to play against differ ent types of people, and it helped her improve.

“Being on a team with Ari is actual ly really fun,” senior Emily Chong said. “I feel like Ari is the glue that really keeps our team together, especially

ing on having stronger serves.

“She’s definitely a good groundstro ker, meaning like her shots from the baseline, her forehands and her back hands,” Wells said. “She’s got good power, and she plays really hard.”

Patel is also a good student in school. Balancing school and practice is fine for her, and she tries to be efficient with everything she does. This year, her goal is to make it to sectionals.

Patel’s positivity has really helped her stand out on the team. Whether they win or lose, she always does her best and cheers her teammates on.

“Just have fun,” Patel said. “If you have fun and really like what you do, then it will come naturally to you.”

My parents and my coach have been my biggest supporters and have always been there for me Ariana Patel

L. Martil

news on web huntleyvoice.com

Our staff works together to create an engaging and informational website for and about our communi ty. The website includes daily uploads of galleries, videos, articles, and more. Staffers write articles about current events in Huntley. In addition, each staffer is given the opportunity to express themsleves through a fun, personal assignment. We hope to keep growing our community engagement. Be sure to check out huntleyvoice.com for a sneak peek of our content featured below.

Photo Gallery

photo taken by G. Watt

Each month, our photographers take a series of photos that capture a specific event around Huntley High School. After, they post them on web for your enjoyment. This month, photographer Grace Watt took photos at the Latinx event, coordinated by RAD. Watt’s gallery and a broadcast by Abby Panier showcase the successful event. See photos like this and many more on the website.

Personality Article

blog written by C. Keller

Every cycle, Chase Keller presents answers to the curious mysteries of famous people. During this video, he talks in-depth about the fate of Lindsay Lohan. His extensive knowledge makes for an engag ing and informational video. See more videos and columns like this one the website’s multimedia page.

News Article

article written by J. Gone

For this cycle, Jessy Gone filmed a broadcast video about the first Best Buddies Club social of the year. This was done instead of a typ ical article, and the broadcast gives a fun, entertaining look at this event. See more news articles and broadcasts on the website.

W. Algonquin

Lake in the Hills 847-458-1246

New captain swimming to the surface

Senior Ashley Gerrard’s journey of rising up to the captain position on HHS’s Swim Team

It is 2:58 p.m. on a Tuesday after school. Ashley Garrard sticks her last piece of gum in her mouth before changing into her swimsuit and walking over to the pool. She sits down and chats with Coach Jenna Gaudio before getting up, throwing away her gum and walking towards her lane.

Surrounded by her friends, she puts on her cap and goggles and dives into the water. She begins her two-hourlong practice with one arm swinging in front of the other to push herself through the water.

18-year-old Ashley Garrard is a senior at HHS and captain of the swim team this season. But she was

not always sure she would become a captain.

“I had an idea that I wanted to be one, as a goal,” Gerrard said. “But then [Coach Gaudio] asked me to be one and obviously I said yes. I feel like it was in the back of my mind until she asked me.”

Ashley has been on the HHS Swim Team since she was a freshman, but has been swimming on her own since she was about six-years-old.

“[When] I was six, my older sister was on the swim team and she liked it, so my parents were trying to con vince me to do it [even though] I was scared because I didn’t know how to swim,” Gerrard said. “But I just tried

By Anushka Pandya

out and here I am, however many years later.”

Despite being pushed to join at such a young age, Ashley enjoys swimming a lot and looks forward to practice every day. It is something important to her that she has committed herself to.

“Yeah, I’ve had hard times where I’ve hated swimming, but most of the time it’s something that brings me joy and I get excited about during the day,” Gerrard said. “It gives me a purpose.”

In and out of the pool, Ashley is known for her bright personality. Her

J. Thompson

Ashley Gerrard

coaches and teammates appreciate her ability to bring the mood up and make them feel better.

“I think she is a really outgoing and friendly person and her school spirit is top notch,” Coach Jenna gaudio said. “She’s a really hard worker.” Although, Ashley wasn’t always as en ergetic and extroverted as she is now.

“Ashley is a very funny person. She’s really outgoing and you know when she’s in the room because she’s always laughing and making other people laugh,” Jill Cherwin said.

Jenna Gaudio

“I do think that she has some nat ural born leadership skills and I think

that over the past four years I’ve re ally seen her kind of be a role model and a leader and gradually step up to that captain position,” Coach Gaudio said.

Overall, swimming has been im portant and impactful to Ashley’s life, helping her to find something she is

J. Thompson

passionate about and to make friends along the way.

“I’ve made so many friends. So many close friends I have are from my club team or the high school team,” Gerrard said. Gerrard’s piece of advice is “if you like it enough, don’t give up, work hard.”

I do think that she has some natural born lead ership skills and I think that over the past four years I’ve really seen her kind of be a role model and a leader and gradually step up to that captain position.

I’ve had hard times where I’ve hated swimming, but most of the time it is something that brings me joy and I get excited about during the day. It gives me a purpose.

Donating from Huntley to Liberia schools

Donations of Huntley soccer jerseys help school children in Liberia

By Sandra Skiba

In Liberia, Africa, a large group of boys are playing soccer. No team has the same jersey for everyone, making it slightly harder to differenti ate who is on which team.

Marta Sobey is the JV2 soccer coach. She has been in contact with Innovative Education International for

a few years now. This year she will be able to donate old soccer jerseys from Huntley to kids in Liberia.

Although the program is not pri marily meant for jerseys or soccer, Huntley High School has the oppor tunity to contribute to it by doing so. The story behind why Huntley gets to donate jerseys this year started a few years back.

“I went to Liberia with Innovative Education International a few years ago. And since I was a soccer player,

they took me to a tournament that they were doing where the boys were playing soccer, and the girls were playing kickball,” Sobey said. “It was rare that they had matching uniforms. So since I had a personal connection with the group through their work with the education side of it, and I had gone with them to see that, I reached out to IEI.”

After getting in touch and discuss ing with the executive director of IEI, Gary Friesen, they were able to arrange a donation from Huntley High School to Liberia. This generous do nation gave a bit more joy to the kids

Marta Sobey visiting Liberia, posing with a tournament player.

Courtesy of Marta Sobey

enjoying the sport.

“For seven years now, our organi zation, Innovative Education Interna tional, has sponsored an All-County Sports Tournament at the Greenville Stadium,” Friesen said. “Some schools have sponsors that provide uniforms. Other schools are not so fortunate, and these are the schools that will receive the Huntley uniforms. The uniforms will be highly valued and proudly worn by the players as they compete in front of their peers.”

Huntley wants to help other com munities as much as possible with supplies that we already have in sur plus. Donating to put a smile on kids’ faces is the least we can do.

“I think it’s so awesome to share our blessings with others who aren’t as fortunate,” varsity soccer Coach Matthew Lewandowski said.

The organization is a small one, not nearly as large as World Vision. It mostly circulates around local

communities, and therefore cannot handle such a large bulk of jerseys but will receive as much as they need.

“If they have a need that continues, we can continue to give to them. Oth erwise, we’ll find a different need for the uniforms and maybe help another group out,” Sobey said

the future with integrity, courage, and competence.

Liberia is shown to have 62% of chil dren missing out on primary school. Huntley can help IEI make a differ ence by donating.

IEI provides SmartBoxes to multi ple schools in Liberia. They contain chromebooks with learning resources for the children.

Thesmartbox.net shows the impact that this technology has for children around the world who are not fortu nate enough to have technology.

Currently, nine out of 15 counties in Liberia have SmartBoxes.

Lewandowski

These donations by Huntley are not the only way our community can help. IEI’s vision is to raise up a new gener ation who will lead their country into

IEI received Huntley’s donation of soccer jerseys, also seen on the table are SmartBoxes they use to help children learn.

If you want to learn more about this program and how it works, visit iei3c.org. Donating can also be done online, which would help many kids in Liberia through Innovative Education International.

“The students in this remote re gion of Liberia are blessed that the Huntley school community cares for them,” Friesen said.

I think it’s so awesome to share our blessings with others who aren’t as fortunate Matthew

Courtesy of Garry Friesen

Blended opportunities, student fights, and vandalism were just a few of the issues that soon became the new normal for the student body of Huntley High School in 2021-22.

Anxieties ran high for both stu dents and staff alike as the 2022 school year started, with expecta tions low.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Huntley High School was filled with spirit and pride, especially for up perclassmen.

Yet after online learning and time away from school, the atmosphere shifted. School became more about surviving each day, not partici pating in school spirit.

We are happy to notice that this year the level of respect, unity, and inclusion have exponentially increased from last year. Some of this may be due to the fact that expectations were set very early in the year, and the message was spread across all grade levels, not just underclassmen.

been really challenging, and I think we all went into this year with just a sense of hope of getting past a lot of that,” associate principal Danyce Letkewicz said. “Really be ing able to have fun and experience high school as we all want it to be without restrictions.”

lot better of an experience.”

Security this year also plays into the expectations set for students. Last year students skipping class was one of the main issues, which led to the temporary disbanding of blended learning. This year, dean Justin Stroh, as well as the campus supervisors have framed a new tactic.

“I know that the campus supervi sors do what we call sweeps in the commons area during blended pe riods,” Stroh said. “It’s just making sure that students are where they should be.”

New school year, new attitude: keep it up!

While slowly returning to a state of normalcy, administration has made it their mission to bring back the Red Raider pride that has been lost.

“I think the physical setting of it just kind of propelled you into doing something different, like the cafeterias were normal. We also had seven days of the Raider Way schedule where we really focused on expectations,” principal Marcus Belin said.

The week of Raider Way lessons was a very important piece of the beginning of the year, as they introduced several new guidelines and announced several rules that would be relaxed. With heightened security measures and more staff, we ask the student body to contin ue to collaborate with administra tors to maintain our school culture.

This year students are actually able to experience what it feels like to really be involved at the school. From Friday Night Lights, to Improv Night with the theater department, possibilities are endless. With more opportunities, students are ready to get involved in one way or another.

“I think the last few years have

Along with being academically involved, being active in school activities is just as important. The spirit that comes from being in the student section, pep assemblies, and Link Crew has really been felt this year. For many students, being a part of something means more than just cheers and applause; it means community, growth, and unity.

“I feel like [students] need to attend the football games and all the sporting events,” senior Ja cob Tatkowski said. “Hanging out with friends inside and outside of school, it’s just going to make it a

The accountability that is held for students this year on many levels ranging from secu rity to academics is justified. We have seen what happens when our way of life is thrown out the window and it is important that we pick each other up along the way.

“Internally, your peers drive so much of what you can do,” associ ate principal Tom Kempf said. “And when you see something positive, you want to be positive. You want to mirror that instead of that nega tivity that we saw [last year].”

Everyone who calls themselves a member of Huntley High School can attest to the fact that to strengthen the school, we need to work to gether as a community. Compared to last year, we have started off with positivity, now it is the job of the student population to stay on the right track.

S. Christenson

School culture is slowly returning to normal, thanks to efforts from staff and students

Humans of Huntley

Parkside Pub Employee

What is your favorite TV show?

My favorite TV show is Yellowstone.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Genoa, Illinois.

What is your favorite thing about Huntley?

I love the community and how people act like a family here.

What advice would you give to students?

Have fun and do what makes you happy in life, no matter what anyone thinks. The world is so big, so go out and travel the world.

Abitua

interview and photo by Jay Thompson