NON-PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 138 ALGONQUIN, IL
VOICE
THE
Personal quarantine stories
December 15, Volume 24, Issue 4
Mental health advice and resources
Open mindedness with politics in the community
CONTENTS NEWS 06 OPINION 16 HUMANS OF HUNTLEY 22 A&E 26 FEATURES 30 SPORTS 39 EDITORIAL 43
featured on
huntleyvoice.com
Huntley High School’s hybrid plan aims to start in early January but comes with many rule changes
Social media’s unrealistic beauty standards are detrimental to teens’ mental health
Behind the scenes of a hobby Alex Reilly
Junior Karen Marturano opens up about facing her biggest fears
Netflix’s newset original “Selena: The Series” is entertaining, but needs to do better
Junior Andrew Faber celebrates a massive weight loss and new-found confidence
Battle of the Baked Goods Arianna Joob
Junior Annalisa Stevens is a beloved leader in both her sports team and everyday life
V
Huntley’s divided community needs to be more open-minded and accept political differences
THE
EDITORIAL POLICY
OICE
Harmony Yearbook Layout Sydney Laput
Editorial Board Editor in Chief Ellie Armstrong
Managing Editor Kate Alvarado
Section Editors
Zoe Emerson, Alex Hartleb, Ally Panzloff, Kaitlyn Ziebell, Rayne Zilch
Photo Editor Sarah Baczewski
Marketing Editor Natalie VonderHeide
Social Media Manager
Staff
Staff Writers
Megan Curry, Sara Gebka, Annaliese Harper, Izzi Kellas, Bailey Lim, Shannon Magura, Emma Meier, Zaina Mohammed, Abby Panier, Lexi Radzinski, Steven Schumacher, Kayla Sweeney, Riy Walker, Melina Wsol, Austin Zenaty
Photographers Syed Hashmi
Adviser
Dennis Brown
Molly Baker
THE VOICE is an official student-produced medium of news and information published and produced every three weeks starting in October by Huntley High School News Media Production students (ADDRESS: 13719 Harmony Rd. Huntley, IL 60142). The Voice has been established as a designated public forum for student writers and editors to inform and educate their readers and to discuss issues of concern to their audience. It will not be reviewed or restrained by school officials prior to publication or distribution. Because school officials do not engage in prior review, and the content of The Voice is determined by and reflects only the views of the student staff and not school officials or the school itself; its student editorial board and staff members assume complete legal and financial liability for the content of the publication.
news donations
Return of Adopt-a-Family The continuation of the Adopt-a-Family program in Huntley
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By Rayne Zilch
eing a part of an event that can make a positive impact for people who have a harder time grabbing life by the horns is why the holiday season was created. Human beings gather with their families and give thanks for what they have. A traditional Christmas has presents, large meals, and beautiful decorations. Of course, these are not everyone’s Christmas desires. Just being warm and with family is joy enough. Although some people and families are so fortunate to have everything so glamorous for the holidays, millions of people suffer from poverty every year. Not all these people get the fair chance to make their life one that they dream about. The Huntley community hosts an event every year where they can help others gain a reason to have the holiday spirit. Christmas is about sharing and providing everyone with a reason to smile. “The Adopt-a-Family event takes place during the first part of December. During November, faculty, staff, and NHS members adopt families. We come together in December to get the presents together for delivery,” said Melanie Lyons, host of the Adopt-A-Family event. People can still participate in the event, even with COVID-19, because there is no need to come in contact with other participants. “The event is still going on. Rather than having a wrapping event in the school, this year, we are having four delivery days and packages will be collected outside,” Lyons said. “We will
have two afternoons when people will deliver the gifts for their adoptees to the Grafton Food Pantry. The other two evenings, we will be collecting gifts and placing them in a POD. People from The Santa Project will pick them up on Friday, Dec. 11.” Every participant makes an impact on a life. Whether it is a child or an adult. Just a little boost of positivity in a person’s life can give them the motivation and determination to work hard to get themselves what they deserve. “We have over 200 NHS members who participate in some way, adopting a family or individual, donating money or working the delivery event. Groups, teams, families, teacher groups and members all adopt people,” Lyons said. “We have adopted almost 300 individuals this year. Last year we adopted 195 individuals.” Not everyone in the community is familiar with this event, so some of the teachers reach out to some depart-
S. Baczewski Christmas tree in downtown Huntley.
kins, participant of the Adopt-A-Family “Just a little boost of posi- event. “Later, we are assigned a family. We shop and attend the wrapping party tivity in a person’s life can which usually takes place after school.” give them the motivation There are a variety of items raised and purchased for this event. Not every and determination to work family that is part of the event goes hard to get themselves out to pick out specific items for their what they deserve.” adopted people. Money donations are plenty help for Rayne Zilch the staff to go out and buy items themselves. There are lists of items that are prepared for individuals and families ments at Huntley High School to spread each year. some awareness. “We typically get a few hundred dolMany teachers and administrators lars and adopt a family. Each group gets take part in this event. It is just another a different size family and gift. After thing at Huntley that is greatly commuyou gather money, you take the specific nity based. list from the family and go to the store “As a participant, I just know that a to get them. Each family provides a google form is sent out to see if an inwish list of clothes, coats, necessities, dividual, department or student group gift cards for food or gasoline…. et cetis interested in adopting a family. In the era,” Jenkins said. past, we’ve done this as a math department and math team,” said Laura Jenhuntleyvoice.com • 3
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news election
Joe Biden’s action plan A new president with new plans
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By Zoe Emerson
s President Donald Trump’s term in office draws to a close, the beginning of President-elect Joe Biden’s term is nearing. Biden has largely differing policies than the outgoing president, mainly differing on issues such as the environment, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the economy, among others. Biden has made it his mission to either implement new policies or repeal Trump’s old ones. During Biden’s first 100 days as president, he plans to enact several policies which he hopes will help guide America through the pandemic. Such measures include the enactment of a national mask mandate, improvement of the testing process, and distribution of more personal-protective equipment. Critics argue that Biden will shuttle the country into lockdown, which may damage the American economy. However, Biden says that he will only impose lockdowns when scientists recommend that doing so would be beneficial. Biden has also promised to tackle climate change. President Trump has repealed multiple environmental restrictions, such as emissions limits, on businesses, which led to an outcry among environmentalists. Biden plans to rejoin the Paris Climate Accord, and has promised that he will reduce emissions, develop clean energy, and end subsidies for fossil fuels. President Trump has criticized Biden on his policies on fracking, claiming that Biden made contradicting statements on his position. Biden plans to not ban fracking entirely, however, he plans to ban any new fracking from happening on national lands.
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons 46th president elect Joe Biden. Trump has arguably helped the American economy, but Biden states that he will do more. Biden plans to create millions of jobs, spend more government funds on new technology research, and raise the federal minimum wage. Arguably the biggest component to Biden’s economic plans is that he wants America to become a more independent nation and not rely on other countries for help. Biden hopes to reinvest in American manufacturing. To assist in helping America become more economically independent, Biden will impose taxes on corporations that obtain profit from American manufacturing that took place overseas, as well
as rewarding companies who produce their goods domestically. One major worry for Americans is taxes. However, there is good news for middle-class Americans. Tax cuts will remain in place, but tax cuts for billionaires and large corporations will be repealed and the corporation tax rate will be raised 7% under the Biden Administration. Foreign policy under Biden is another component to watch. Biden has plans to reenter the Iranian nuclear deal, which President Trump walked out of during his presidency. Biden is also planning
see ELECTION page 8
huntleyvoice.com • 5
news hybrid plan
Hybrid learning updates Hybrid learning scheduled to happen if virus metrics improve
with that task and it is going to be one of their more difficult challenges when it comes to adapting to the new hybrid way of teaching. “I don’t expect them to be experts and perfect right out of the gate and I told them that at the beginning when we By Alex Hartleb started remote,” Superintendent Scott Rowe said. “I expect that our goal is to tudents walk through the hallget better each week.” ways wearing masks and doing For students who are both remote and the best that they can to socially going hybrid during the second semesdistance themselves from one ter, a schedule change can potentially be another. As they walk into their classrooms, they notice that they are empty expected to make the 50/50 split work and to create those remote sections. besides the 15 desks spread roughly According to Rowe, students can even six feet apart from one another, the expect their teachers to potentially teacher’s desk, and some hand sanitizchange, but the district is doing its best er on the wall. This is the new normal for students who will go back to school during the second semester. “If you are going to be in “A lot of people think that being at school is like going to be here before the this building, you need to pandemic, but sadly it’s not,” Principal follow the rules.” Marcus Belin said. “My goal is to make it the best experience possible.” Marcus Belin Huntley High School hopes to start their AB hybrid block schedule as soon to prevent that from happening. as Jan. 19, if the McHenry County For those going back to school, it is Department of Health metrics show going to look a lot different than in past it is safe to do so. Students will stay in years. For starters, classes will not be remote learning for another two weeks blended and students will be expectafter a recommendation from the MCDH predicted that virus transmission might ed to come to school and transition from class to class, with places like the rise after the holidays. The AB schedule will split the students commons area not being used as a place to hang out. New guidelines have also who chose to go hybrid down into two been put in place to ensure the safety of different groups: group A and group B. These groups will be separated as close everyone in the building. Staff members and students will all to a 50/50 split as it can be with group A be required to wear masks, maintain as coming to school on Mondays and Tuesmuch social distance as possible, and fill days and group B coming on Thursdays out routine health certification forms. and Fridays. All students will be taught Students who choose not to follow these remotely on Wednesdays. rules will at first be given verbal warnHHS is also trying to create as many remote sections as possible for the stu- ings, but if poor behavior, such as not wearing masks, continues to happen, dents who choose to stay fully remote more serious consequences will occur. so that teachers do not have to focus “If you are going to be in this building, on both the students who are in the classroom and those who are on Zoom. you need to follow the rules,” Belin said. “If not, we remove you from this enviBut teachers will most likely be faced
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6 • the voice december 2020
ronment and put you back in remote. At some point, it is a privilege to be here and you want that social interaction, and while I want you to have it too, I want everyone to be safe. If you can’t meet that need, you can go back home.” But for this all to happen, the COVID-19 metrics need to go to a safe level so that everyone can return to school in the best environment possible. The incidence rate, positivity rate, and weekly count of new cases for McHenry County all need to be trending downward and stay that way for a significant amount of time. With the numbers as high as they are now, it is unlikely that conditions will be safe enough for students to return any time soon. But that is where the community comes into play. It is the job of everyone in the community, whether it is school staff, students, or parents, to follow the proper guidelines so that the metrics can start to trend downward. Wear masks, socially distance, and help do your part so that those who want to come back are allowed to do so. This is what needs to happen so that the district can start to move forward with its hybrid plan. They know it is a tough thing to ask. “We have to be disciplined with wearing our masks and washing our hands and doing the best that we can when we have to go out to be socially distanced,” Rowe said. “That is hard when you are a teenager because so much of who you are and your development is being social with one another. Here we are asking you to do your best to separate yourself from your peers when you’re feeling isolated, that is a really hard thing for us to ask of you, but at the same time, that is what is going to make us successful in getting and staying back [in school.]” For more information on the hybrid plan and to follow the COVID metrics, here are some resources to do so. http://www.district158.org/covid-19/ dashboard/
news hybrid plan
S. Laput huntleyvoice.com • 7
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news e-learning
Remote learning hardships Coping skills for e-learning stressors
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By Abby Panier
he shriek of an alarm. A sound every student loathes and dreads from the moment they go to bed. With a lack of motivation, some set their alarms mere minutes before Zoom classes begin at 7:30 a.m. Many students are finding it hard to break out of the never-ending cycle of remote school. They feel suffocated and struggle to find an escape in a world of currently limited choices. Before the pandemic, the importance of social interaction was extremely underestimated. Now, there is a physical ache for conversation, working with others, and just seeing fellow classmates. Students feel stuck. “[Students] need that structure,” social worker Amanda Minogue said. “They need the consistency of being in a learning environment every day.” Despite the block schedule, there is a lack of structure that can not be obtained unless students are back in the building. Many students are having to hold themselves accountable by making their own schedules, with mixed results. With tensions rising and an entire semester completed online, take a moment to breathe. Collect some new anti-stress techniques to help battle that feeling of drowning. Minogue suggests three main actions for relieving the pressure of stressors and even preventing some stresses before they begin. Number one: set a designated, separate space for e-learning. The main hubs of the house such as the kitchen or living room are not recommended, as family members can become a distraction. Find a quiet, comfortable place with the least distractions to
S. Hashmi It is important to care for your mental health feel the same way too. Take the time to FaceTime a friend, reach out to a teacher or staff member, or talk to a parent. According to Minogue, it can be hard to determine when a student is struggling through a screen, so the weekly “[Students] need that student check-in surveys are extremely All of the questions are structure. They need the important. optional, offering anonymity and the consistency of being in opportunity to be honest. Not only is a learning environment the survey sent via email, but so are other resources and announcements as every day.” well, so students should regularly check their inboxes. Amanda Minogue In his mission to normalize talks about mental health, Principal Marcus Belin periods of time can make people antsy. released “Mental Health Matters,” a Ask to go to the bathroom, turn off the video presentation viewed in physical education classes. He shed light on the camera, and take a quick break. Physically get up and move to another place struggles of mental health and raised in the house. Take some deep breaths. awareness for teen suicides. Number three: reach out to others. “Mental health is something that we Be mindful that everyone is in the same should talk about and that we need to boat and they are all going through see ANXIETY page 18 similar situations. Chances are, they avoid procrastination and encourage productivity. Number two: change the environment. It is all right to feel overwhelmed, and staying in the same place for long
huntleyvoice.com • 9
Stuck.
personal mental health
A personal story of online life in quarantine By Grace Helzer
Editor’s Note: While The Voice focuses on key aspects of journalism including objectivity and research, one of our floating editors wrote this personal anecdote about her experiences in quarantine. We have coupled it with poetry from another staffer and a news article about mental health resources on the previous page. It is our hope that you can relate to their words as we have.
M
y alarm shrieks the same bothersome sound every morning at 7:15 am. Eyes still glued shut, I send my arm flinging to the off button. With not an ounce of motivation, I get out of bed and walk down the stairs. If life was back to normal, I would be conversing with friends at 7:15 am talking about the most recent episode of the Bachelorette. Now, I do not converse with anyone. Upon entering the kitchen, I look at the time. I have 10 minutes left until class starts. The old me would rush upstairs, brush my teeth, brush my hair, and set up for class. Now, I look at the time and look away, completely unfazed. I make myself a cup of coffee in attempts to wake me up. It never works. I head back upstairs with 5 minutes until class. Grabbing my Chromebook, I tuck myself back under the covers and log onto Zoom. With my hair a mess, morning breath relevant, and dark bags under my eyes, I tell myself I can do it. I can do my work, and I will have the motivation to do so. But, however long and hard I try to want to do things, I can never bring myself to do them. It’s hard to find motivation during these times. It’s hard to stare at a screen for 7 hours, being assigned busy work and truly not obtaining any information. It’s hard to want to do
10 • the voice december 2020
anything. This time last year, I was surrounded by all my friends. Today, I sit in my room alone. This time last year, I had a reason to get up every morning. Today, I have none. This time last year I did not sit in my room as a child stressing about politics, stressing about my future, wondering if I even have one. Never did I think it was a possibility I be forbidden to enter my school. It’s like someone is controlling me. I just walk through the motions, never really obtaining anything, just kind of there, like I am a place holder. I am stuck in a never-ending loop of stress, anxiety, and tears. The weekends are of course my favorite because I can finally sleep in. Oddly enough, no matter how much sleep I get, typically 9-10 hours, I wake up exhausted. I get to see my friends on the weekends, it is the only thing I can look forward to. My friends are my current escape from our dark reality. However, once I am left alone with my thoughts, I cry. Stressed out about the world around me with nowhere to escape it, I simply lay in bed and cry. School served as my outlet, mainly my stressor but sometimes my escape. Now more than ever, I miss my little escape. I then go to bed with my 7:15 am
G. Helzer alarm set to go through this dreary cycle again. I am simply stuck. My eyes shut and I drift off into a sleep in which I dream of how my life used to be, the happier version of me. My alarm shrieks the same bothersome sound at 7:15 am. Eyes still glued shut, I send my arm flinging to the off button. With not an ounce of motivation, I get out of bed and walk down the stairs.
personal mental health
Memories of in-person Expressions of frustration through poetry By Annaliese Harper
Individual
The skies are turning grey and the nights are getting cold, While we sit all alone, with no one to hold No walks in the park, no days in the sun Everyone you know seems to be gone Staring into screens barely seen 28 people yet no one speaks Outside these four walls There’s no peep No words said Left on read Sitting here All alone Isolated Only Me
S. Gebka S. Baczewski
Gray
Doors A long hall Filled with doors Each one I open only leads to more And each new key Only opens one lock To reveal the next door blocked And the hall seems to grow And what was once fast and carefree Starts to slow with nothing new to discover As each door leads to another
S. Gebka
I remember the colors When I would feel the light of a rainbow The life I used to know, The experiences I’d have each day, Giving away to a world of gray A thick gray fog blocking the light, Thick gray carpet clinging to my steps So each one takes so much And I’m just so tired Everything used to be so bright I’d never thought it could be this dark huntleyvoice.com • 11
news traveling
Traveling during COVID-19 Precautions to take when traveling
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By Austin Zenaty
raveling during COVID-19 can be tough. The cases are rising and it is becoming a hassle. Traveling is different than it was when COVID-19 was not around. Some people may not want to travel during COVID-19. People may not like to travel because of their health or they are scared they are going to get it. “I think some people should be able to travel during COVID-19, not all though, because people with lower immune systems may contract COVID-19 easier. All though, if you have a stronger immune system like me, I think you should be able to travel and will probably be fine,” freshman Ryan Rextroat said. Some people have low immune systems, and are afraid to travel because if they get COVID-19 then they may possibly suffer badly. However, people who have stronger immune systems should be good to travel because they have a lower risk of catching COVID-19. They could still get it if they have a strong immune system. People are more fearful of taking the chance and do not want to put their lives on the line for getting sick. “I personally think I would not fly anywhere because I do not want to take chances because some numbers are higher than other places,” junior Lauren Raupp said. People have chances they do or do not want to take. “I personally do not think it is safe to travel with COVID-19 because if it is a question of your life, why take a chance? Especially, if you have parents/ grandparents at risk to transmit it,” junior Brooke Helle said. People are scared of the numbers
12 • the voice december 2020
S. Hashimi Suitcase full of travel essentials. that have risen. Some places are higher than other places and people usually do not like taking risks like that. More people are worried about the numbers when flying with other people in a confined space. Other people do care but they do not care about traveling. Some other people are careful about it and are willing to take the risk to travel.
and visit other people. I think people need to get out of the house because people are going insane and need to go out and feel better,” Abigail Goraj said. Some people need to go out and face their fear, but the people who have health problems not so much. Even if it is a road trip you are still traveling and going somewhere. More people care about their health and COVID-19 took many lives away, and a lot of people are a lot more strict “I think that if you are with traveling. careful you should be “I think traveling to popular areas is allowed to travel.” irresponsible. Even when wearing a mask the chance of spreading COVID-19 Abigail Goraj is still there. It is an exponential spread. One person can spread it to more “I think that if you are careful you than one person, and the same people should be allowed to travel, as long may do the same thing. The safe and as you are careful, and not messing responsible thing to do is stay home. If around about COVID-19,” junior Abigail you have to travel, take every precauGoraj said. tion. Especially for people like my aunt Not all people are scared about who has cancer or my mom who has traveling and facing the consequencasthma,” junior Emily Goodman said. es. Some people may be done with Some people care more about their COVID-19 and just want to go somehealth, and the people they live with. where instead of quarantining at home This is a serious thing for us, and the for such a long time. people we love. Some people do not “I would consider them to travel to go care about it, and want to travel.
opinion holiday trees
Fake vs real Christmas tree Are fake Christmas trees or real trees the better decision for the holidays this year?
a lot of time to straighten out the branches and fluff up the tree. “I would rather have a fake one because you can keep reusing it,” junior Mickenzie Hedberg said. “Fake trees are better because it is better for the environment.” Real Christmas trees are not used as much but can still be a By Emma Meier good option. Buying a real one requires you to go to tree farms and ne of the most important supports the farmers that grow things needed for Christthem for the winter season, it is mas is a Christmas tree. nice when the profit is going to a They brighten up homes and give joy to the kids and people who farmer and not a store. They can also be used as a relove the Christmas season. However, newable resource which is somepeople argue whether fake or real thing the fake trees can’t do. This Christmas trees are better than the makes it so much better for the other. environment and also the wildlife. Fake Christmas trees are actually For the kids, it could be the more commonly used than real trees. highlight of their winter looking for A lot of people prefer to use fake ones an actual tree to decorate after. because they are easy to set up, they Along with finding a tree, these are not messy, and will not poke you. farms usually have baked goods It is also lower maintenance and you and some sort of entertainment can choose from a variety of different for the families to enjoy. The trees colors, styles, and even can come precan also be recycled. strung with lights. The negative side to choosing a real Christmas tree, along with a fake tree, “Taking care of the tree it can also be a fire hazard. With the lights around the tree, if a fire starts the would be a lot of work. whole tree will start on fire too since During the holidays it is the tree is all wood. Some people can easier to enjoy a fake tree also be allergic to the tree which is not fun to be around. Sometimes it can be that will not cause a mess; hard to find a good one and you end up over a real one, that can leaving the farm with nothing, which can be disappointing. cause pain.” They can also be a lot more work than Leslie Gomez people want to deal with, especially since the pine needles can fall off and
O
S. Gebka
can be stepped on. This would not be a fun situation when there are little kids running around the house. “Taking care of the tree would be a lot of work. During the holidays it is easier to enjoy a fake tree that will not cause a mess; over a real one, that can cause pain,” junior Leslie Gomez said. All in all both trees have their pros and cons. The tree chosen is up to the buyer, even though many choose fake trees, a real tree could be a good change if you are willing to deal with the cons of it.
Now, these all sound like a reason to get a fake one but here are the downsides. Fake Christmas trees can be a fire Emma Meier is a staff writer in her first year at The hazard due to the lights, they can also Voice. Check out her vlog series “Caffeinated Corner” be toxic to the environment if not dison huntleyvoice.com posed of right. A lot of these trees tend to be tacky or fake and you have to take huntleyvoice.com • 13
opinion holidays
Gatherings over the holidays Should families get together in order to celebrate over the winter holidays?
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By Megan Curry
his has been a crazy year, from Australian Wildfires, to the COVID-19 pandemic, to one of the craziest elections our generation has ever seen. This year has been rough and all that we want is a good ending to the madness that is 2020. With the COVID-19 pandemic still strong approaching the holidays, we will not be getting the happy ending that we all had hoped for. The holidays are a time for family and friends to get together and remember all of the memories that had happened that year and to make new memories as the year takes a close; however, this year will be a very different holiday season. With COVID-19 still prominent in our community and with cases still rising, this holiday season has left everyone with a big question: Do we spend our holidays with our families, or do we skip out this year? This year has been full of surprises and it has not been easy for many families. With over 200,000 people passing away as a result of COVID-19 in the U.S, many families will not be partaking in the holidays together this year. Sophomore Jacob Stoner and his family have been through a lot with COVID. “My grandma is at risk, my mom has immune system issues, and everyone in my family has jobs or are in sports
S. Gebka
out of the house without a face mask. Even if we get together, we still need to practice proper precautions. “We can still do the precautions and have a safely social distant christmas, it will really bring us together as a whole after all of the tragic events of the pandemic,” Westberg said. Even though we will be with family, it is still important to wear masks, wash hands regularly, and maintain social distancing. This year has been like no other and no one knows how to really navigate through these times where everyone is happy. This year we might have to make some sacrifices regarding seeing family and friends in person, however if we make these sacrifices now we can have more holidays with our families in the future. If you do plan on getting together for the holidays, then please wear a mask, sanitize your hands and the surfaces you touch, along with being socially distant from others and quarantining before and after your family gatherings. This year is insane, but that does not mean we can not celebrate the holidays. Although traditions may be put on hold and family festivities may not hapMegan Curry is a sophomore and in her first year as a pen this year, that does not mean that staff writer on The Voice. In her free time, Megan enjoys binging shows and movies, such as Avatar the Last we can not celebrate these holidays and spend time with the ones that we are Airbender and Harry Potter. with right now.
14 • the voice december 2020
that lungs really help, plus we lost my grandfather at the beginning of the year, so we don’t want to lose anyone else,” Stoner said. Stoner enjoys the holidays and getting together with his family, however since this year raises many red flags for him, it is best for him and his family to not have any huge family gatherings. “Limiting your holidays can be nice, instead of a massive debate, my family instead just limited Thanksgiving to ourselves and it was much better,” Stoner said. There is another side to this debate, where getting together with your family can be nice and can be beneficial towards your family. It has been a crazy year and we all just need the love and support from our families. “I think it’s still needed to bring families together after the year that we’ve had. We deserve it and we can still do it safely,” freshman Isabella Westberg said. People are trying to bring a sense of normalcy back to this year as we have not been able to travel much or get
opinion hybrid
The worth of the hybrid plan Students may get a piece of normal life with hybrid
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By Kayla Sweeney
he 2019-20 school year came to an abrupt end when a week before spring break, we had “two weeks” off. That turned into the rest of the school year and all the way until now. On Nov. 9, we were supposed to go back to school, but due to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases, the hybrid option was canceled and students remained fully remote. Day after day, parents and students received email after email saying students or staff at Huntley High School have tested positive. This is very disappointing, but it is the harsh reality. When HHS switches to hybrid, students will have to choose if they want to continue being at home all day or go to school. Students will be in the building two days a week if they choose the hybrid option. The two days students will be in the building will be based on their last name. The last names will be divided in the middle and the two halves will go on different days. Some students love being fully remote, while others wish so badly to be back in the building. Some students like being remote for social distancing, peaceful learning, or more free time. Some students wish they were back for needing social connections, having it be easier to learn in person, or need to get out of the house. Everyone has their different reasons. Even some students miss getting a warm breakfast and lunch because sometimes that is not always available at home. Staff at HHS have divided opinions. Some teachers are truly sick of being remote and want to be fully engaged with their students, while other teach-
S. Gebka
ers wish that they could keep being remote. Some community members are worried about not having enough rules to enforce social distancing, however, when HHS had SAT and PSAT testing, the staff did an amazing job at making sure that the rules were being followed and enforced. Even the students complied and took it seriously. Masks were worn at all necessary times, the flow of foot traffic was followed, and being spaced out in classes was taken seriously. Senior Fiker Endalcachew states that having time to work more on her own has been really beneficial. “I think we should stay [at] home because my grades have never been [this good],” Endalcachew said. Senior Mikayla Alfieri wants the senior year experience. “I think that interacting with others and seeing classmates every day is super important for our mental health,” Alfieri said. Personally, I do learn a lot better
when I am in-person and it is easier for me, but I understand that that is not the case for everyone. It is hard to find the motivation to attend Zooms and complete assignments. Also, communicating with teachers online is a lot more difficult than being in the building. I miss seeing all my classmates and teachers. High school is not all to life, but growing up, I was always excited to experience senior year and none of us even got one day. I truly think going hybrid would do wonders for students’ mental health to have some normalcy back to their lives. Yes, COVID-19 is serious, but ways to help prevent it are mask-wearing, hand washing, and staying six feet apart. These would be great steps to take during the process of getting back to regular life. When the transition to hybrid begins, not everyone will choose to be hybrid. That cuts down on the number of people in a building at a time. There will be A & B days to not have as many students in the building at once.
Kayla Sweeney is a staff writer in her first year at The Voice. Check out her blog “Teacher Talk” on huntleyvoice.com.
huntleyvoice.com • 15
opinion image
Healthy or “perfect”? Social media can be detrimental to teen’s body image
S. Gebka
D
By Lexi Radzinski angerous propaganda of societies “perfect” people unknowingly cause hundreds of teenagers a day to second guess their confidence when looking at their reflection. Teens have been gaining new insecurities they never even noticed before at a rapid rate due to the media. In a world of airbrush photoshop and Lightroom filters, you never really know who you are truly looking at behind a photo. The right angle, filter, and sharpness can transform a person completely. Feeling the need to cover up just because they do not have the same body as a photoshopped magazine model is irrational due to the fact that those bodies are often surgically modified or photoshopped. Thinking twice about what to have for lunch just so you can get an extra belt hole tighter is the equivalent of only giving a plant enough water to live, but not grow. Our bodies need that energy to grow at this point in our lives, and to fuel our minds in school, work, and just everyday life. With people now having expectations for what others bodies should look like, body shaming is becoming more and more detrimental to the youth every
day. Social media, our parents, our friends, magazines, and television all have unknowingly large effects on the youths perspective of beauty and their own bodies. Body shaming is an act of mocking or making critical comments towards someone’s body. Most of these acts are directed towards unchangeable characteristics such as someone’s height, weight, race or facial features. Being criticized on things you cannot control is a very unfair offense that most people take to heart. Too many teens suffer from unhealthy thinking and it often leads to social anxiety, depression, insecurity, and no self esteem. “You’re too fat, too skinny, too tall or short, too wide, too fragile, you’re ugly, I hate you ” are all
Lexi Radzinski is a staff writer and is her first year at The Voice. Check out her makeup vlog “3, 2, 1, Glow” on huntleyvoice.com
16 • the voice december 2020
comments that high school students have told themselves or have been told at one point in time. Junior and cheerleader Abigail Tatosian has had her own share of experiences as well. Cheerleading after school had given Tatosian time for confidence, socializing, and exercising, but without that constant conditioning and practicing, her muscle mass, weight, and confidence levels have been dropping. Someone who Tatosian trusted and cared for once told her, “It would be nice if you put on 10 pounds,” and that is when she realized that she had lost weight and did not look the same as she did when she was a confident sophomore. “There definitely are standards now, like girls have to look a certain way to be ‘pretty,’ and it’s really unfair to be thought of like that when I am more than a body,” Tatosian said. That thought of losing weight stays in the back of her mind causing immense
see CONFIDENCE page 18
opinion COVID-19
Covid: how you are careless Precautions save lives in 2020
C
By Zaina Mohammed
OVID-19 cases are being documented at high rates, and death rates are steadily increasing. A life changing, dangerous, and exhausting pandemic. However, nobody seems to take proper precaution, let alone care. Ever since the official lockdown put in place in March, nothing seems to be improving. United States residents are doing things as simple as not wearing their masks around others, attending large gatherings, and traveling to high risk areas. “When going in public I wear a mask, but around family and friends, I don’t.” sophomore Hannah Johnson said. As harmless as it may seem, hanging out with friends and family without masks is one of the easiest ways people can contract the deadly virus. Although young people are not as susceptible to COVID-19 as older people are, it still comes with many risks such as becoming a superspreader and easily transmitting it to the elderly. Aside from smaller, intimate gatherings, when it comes to bigger gatherings the chances of you getting COVID-19 becomes higher. “I attended one big gathering, it was a party,” Johnson said. Even though attending big gatherings is an extremely false move, the people in charge of throwing parties can be at higher risk. If multiple people catch the virus from the gathering, the person in charge could end up having many consequences to deal with, such as paying fines and dealing with the guilt of people getting sick. It is not worth the risk and it is a major violation to Illinois state ordinances. As time goes on, more and more
S. Gebka people know others who got COVID-19. Before, it was not nearly as common to know someone who has caught the virus themself. However, it is becoming increasingly common by the day to have someone close to you have COVID-19. As reoccuring as it is, some are very lucky to have not personally known anyone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19. Johnson, is one of them. “I cannot think of anyone that I know who has gotten COVID-19. I know that a couple kids in my grade got it. I am not sure how many, but I do not personally know them,” said Johnson. Attendance to parties and smaller gatherings happens to be cases overall. Huntley has a large group of students and staff that attend/work at Huntley High School. Some Huntley Students have chosen to to throw parties during this time, risking everyone’s health. Looking at Huntley as one town in all of Illinois, there are still cases even in our small town. “I would not say COVID-19 cases are necessarily bad since I do not know many people who have gotten it. And for the most part when I go to stores,
mostly everyone has their masks on,” said Johnson. Even though there may not be many cases being reported in our small town, the amount still increases as time goes on. So as much as we think we are being cautious when it comes to COVID-19, the little actions we take every single day such as not wearing a mask and not washing our hands can end up having bigger consequences that could result in major changes and adjustments in our everyday lives, like no in person school and taking longer to go back to our “normal” lives. So, before going to a party, think if it is worth risking not only your life, but your friends and family’s lives. Before visiting your family and friends without a mask, think about the negative outcomes that could go along with that decision. The only way we can return back to anything close to our old normal is if we are careful, considerate, and are being the safest we can. With smart choices come good outcomes.
Zaina Mohammed is a staff writer in her second year at The Voice. Check out her entertainment series “All Around Town” on huntleyvoice.com
huntleyvoice.com • 17
Minogue said. Happyfeed is a great gratitude app continually talk about after the panthat allows users to list three things demic is over,” Belin said. from their day they are grateful for. The For more methods to integrate into app sends reminders and prompts its students’ daily schedules, check out users if theyhave not yet entered their the Virtual Wellness Room, accessible answers for the day and users can view on the district’s website. It contains nutheir past gratitude moments. merous calming strategies and relaxing Too much thinking? Try doodling or activities for relieving stress. journaling during Meditation periods or and mindful“We can’t control certain passing breaks. Many find it ness apps are factors of COVID and the easier to write down also great tools pandemic. What we can feelings than talk for combating about them. If thinkanxiety. There do is reach out and be ing about assignare countless there for each other.” ments, tests, essays, ones on the App and various projects Store; popular Amanda Minogue is too overwhelmapps include ing, write it down. Calm and HeadMake a to-do list to help organize and space. Just searching for guided breathprioritize. ing exercises or meditations on YouTube There may seem to be no end to the is also a great way to de-stress. pandemic, but there is also no end If students own a Fitbit watch, they to the coping mechanisms and stress can reap the benefits the app offers. relief strategies out there. There is Not only does it contain a variety of something for everyone, no matter workouts and support groups, but also their interests. free meditations and relaxation videos. If thoughts begin to spiral or get Another option is gratitude. Although scary, talk to a trusted adult or profesit can be hard to push past all the negasional. Do not be afraid to reach out tive emotions, finding something to be for help. grateful for can be calming. “We can’t control certain factors of “[List] positive things in your day so COVID and the pandemic,” Minogue you’ll have more of a positive aspect said. “What we can do is reach out and rather than dwelling on the negatives,” be there for each other.”
from ANXIETY page 9
18 • the voice december 2020
from CONFIDENCE page 16
stress. Instead of feeling proud on the cheer mat, she would actually look around to make sure no one was looking at her. The smallest comments can hurt the most, and are often unforgivable once they are in our minds. With winter here and constantly being home due to the pandemic, everyone’s time on social media has increased this year. Social media allows us to constantly be influenced and susceptible to other people’s negative opinions and comments on us whether we want to hear it or not. Every time you put out a post, people have the choice to comment. When that comment is negatively correlated with your body or how you look, your confidence may go down and you may second guess posting a photo of yourself again, or even at all. The mind is a scary place when you get lost in the bad thoughts. One comment can ruin someone’s day if it was personal and affected them a lot. Making the choice to negatively comment on other’s unchangeable and unique characteristics is not a flex, or funny, it makes people second guess themselves, their mind, body, and life. Be proud of who you are.
Happy Holidays! From The Voice
a&e clouds
Tears flow over Disney film Disney+ “Clouds” is a must see family tear jerker
despite his diagnosis or give up. This realization helps Sobiech to move forward and do all the things he always wanted to do with the time he has left, which leads to his album, produced with his best friend, and hit song “Clouds.” By Kaityln Ziebell Sobiech’s story is a recent one, ocn a crowded audience, the song curring only in 2013. Since his passing, rises. “Clouds” has been streamed and down“Up, up, up, but I’ll fly a little loaded over 200 million times. higher,” the crowd sings. “Go up The cast, featuring Fin Argus, Sabrina in the clouds because the view is a little Carpenter, and Madison Iseman, in their nicer, up here my dear, it won’t be long respective roles, played their parts as now, it won’t be long now.” close to real life as they could. All of his life, his dream was to hear an Justin Baldoni, director of the film, audience sing his own lyrics back to him. made sure it was this way. And now, days before his passing, his Knowing Sobiech personally before his dreams are finally able to become his passing through making a documentary reality. on his life and achievements, Baldoni Disney Plus “Clouds” released on Oct. wanted Sobiech’s legacy to live on and 16, follows the life, legacy, and subsefor his story to be told. quent passing of artist Zach Sobiech from This implemented itself into the film in his terminal osteosarcoma. a few ways, such as Argus wearing some When Sobiech discovers that he has a of Sobiech’s old clothes and actors taking life expectancy of around nine months, the time to get to know the person that he feels lost and confused as to why he they were playing on screen. would be one to bear the responsibility The end result is a movie that feels like of being terminally ill. you are right there with Sobiech, his best One day, after a particularly challenging friend Sammy, and girlfriend Amy, followclass in which Sobiech realizes he will ing along on the journey of a friend, not not have to be writing his college essay just a screen character. because he will not make it to college, The film, despite being Disney, shows his mother sits him down and tells him the truth of what cancer looks like. he can choose to live his life to the fullest Sitting through chemotherapy treat-
I
Courtesy Of Disney
ments, getting sick from medications, hair loss, and the slow passing from the illness are all depicted in the movie. No expense was spared to showcase every detail of Sobiech’s life, including the harsher moments. The story hit home for many audience members. The beauty of a single life, the highs and lows, triumphs and hardships, and joys and losses were all beautiful displayed. The story felt deeply personal, as if it takes you with Sobiech and his friends and family through his final days and the inspiring art that he produced and put
“The end result is a movie that feels like you are right there with Sobiech, his best friend Sammy, and girlfriend Amy, following along on the journey of a friend, not just a screen character.”
Kaityln Ziebell
out. The tension between his family and friends as his cancer progresses feels intensely real, even intimate. The fear, sadness, joy and small moments and glimpses that we see into the life of Sobiech do not feel adapted for the screen, but genuine. When Sobiech eventually succumbs to his illness at the end of the film, it feels like losing a close friend. It will leave you thinking long after the 2 hours are over, on the importance of life and never taking a day for granted. “Go up, up, up and everything will be just fine.” The concert where Sobiech hears his own lyrics being sung back to him unfortunately ends up being his last. But his legacy continues on, through his music, friends, family, and the film “Clouds.” huntleyvoice.com • 19
a&e call of duty
Newest Call of Duty game A look at “Black Ops Cold War”
Courtesy of callofduty.com
E
By Bailey Lim
very year, the “Call of Duty” franchise releases a new game that players are lining up to play. “Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War” is the fifth Black Ops game to be released by Activision. The developers listened to the community and continued a boots on ground experience. Activision decided to create this game during the Cold War era to avoid any hate of futuristic technology. The game features four different modes in the main menu: Campaign, Multiplayer, Warzone, and Zombies. Activision is known for the breathtaking and entertaining campaign they put in the “Call of Duty” franchise. “Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War’s” campaign takes place in locations such as East Berlin, Turkey, Vietnam, and Soviet Headquarters. In the campaign players are given the option to choose their ending by the decisions they make during the story. Taking on the name Bell, players make their way through unknown territory seeking to accomplish their mission objectives while following a thrilling story. Taking place in the early 1980s, the campaign makes players head through firefights and battlefields with nonstop battles based on real events during the Cold War era. The second option players can choose is Multiplayer. In the game mode, players are placed in a gunfight where they compete against each other. There are a variety of game modes to choose that have different objectives. Players start the game with a leveling system and are required to rank up to four before customizing your own class. The possibilities of attachment customization is high and players can change a
20 • the voice december 2020
weapon to fit their best play style. Multiplayer is a high paced option to choose where players have to be constantly listening for gunfire and footsteps. Competing against other players can be challenging while going against others who are just as determined to win. Activision this year implemented a new game mode to this game called VIP Escort. The objective of the new gamemode is to use one life to protect a randomly chosen teammate to the defending team’s exfil point. It is a slower paced mode where players need to be more cautious with the suspense of only having one life. The third option players can choose is last year’s hit game “Call of Duty: Warzone.” Warzone was free for all platforms to play and was popular among streamers and players across the world. Activision decided to link “Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War” to this game for easy navigation between games. This gives players the option to return to the old game with the same progress from last year. The convenience of Activision creating an option to make your own Activision account can link data between platforms. The Activision account is also what links the Warzone account to this year’s Black Ops game. The final option to move toward on
the main menu is this year’s Zombies game mode. The current only map released is named Die Maschine. Die Maschine’s location is in Poland in the 1980s. The surface features a call back to one of the original Zombies maps, Nacht Der Untoten, from “Call of Duty: World at War.” The surface of the location shows destruction and chaos spawning around players as the map leads underground. The underground is a sewage like system that all leads to its own particle accelerator room where the power and upgrades for both weapons and armor are found. Players are expected to work together as the team travels into an alternate dimension named the Dark Aether. The Dark Aether is its own mirror realm from the main map and you are required to find pieces to an upgrade machine to make it easier for you to survive. The goal of Die Maschine is to survive as long as you can or reach a specific milestone in rounds and complete an extraction mission to retreat with your team and survive. “Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War” has plenty to offer new players to the franchise. There are unlimited ways for the community to find something new and enjoyable to do in this game with the amount of personalization Activision included.
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humans of
Karen Marturano • Junior “’I’m most afraid of being unhappy and letting myself down because in the end, the only person you really have is yourself and I just want to make myself happy.”
interviewed by Natalie Vonderveide| photographed by Sydney Laput 22 • the voice december 2020
HUNTLEY “Stop hiding behind other people’s barriers. You are you, there’s no one else other than you. No two people are identical. Literally there are no people out of seven billion people that are the exact same as the other person. You are unique, and you are you.”
Nick Pratt • Senior
photographed by Sydney Laput | interviewed Natalie Vonderheide huntleyvoice.com • 23
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a&e christmas gifts
Top five holiday gifts to give Stumped on what gifts to buy? Here are the top 5 gifts to give this Christmas.
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By Steven Schumacher
hristmas is almost here. Your head is full of Christmas spirit, but not gift ideas. With Christmas Day fast approaching, many of us are struggling to find the right gifts. 1. Gift Cards One of the worst feelings of gift-giving is giving someone an item they already own. That is why gift cards are a very popular item during the Christmas season. With a gift card, the receiver can buy whatever item they want to buy using the credit stored on the gift card. This is general knowledge, of course, but something to be noted is that gift cards are useful when you cannot decide on a specific item to get somebody. The gift card still is, and always will be, the most popular Christmas present. 2. Xbox Series X The next-generation Xbox console is here. The Xbox has always been a great Christmas gift. Whether it’s for your children or your significant other, they will be wishing they got you something better. The Xbox Series X is a step-up from the Series S, the second-most recent Xbox console. It has 4K resolution and runs at 60 frames per second. The new game Halo: Infinite will be released on the Series X, as well as many more games to come. Rest assured, the Xbox Series X will be bigger and better than the Xbox One, its predecessor. 3. PlayStation 5 To combat the release of the Xbox Series X, Sony has released the new PlayStation console: the PlayStation 5. There is a bit of a twist with this release, however. It is always typical
of gaming companies to release new games only on the newer consoles to force consumers to buy the new console to play the games they like. Sony is no different, but they do give us a choice: the PlayStation 5 comes in either the standard edition or the digital edition. The standard edition features the same things as the older console of the PlayStation 4: a disc drive to manually insert your games or the PlayStation Store where you can buy and download your games. The digital edition only features downloadable games, but the price is decreased by $100, making it $400 and not $500 like the standard edition. A great price saver, but also a significant loss as you can no longer play games using discs for your console. Drew Lauer, an adamant gamer, pointed out a new feature that the PS4 and PS5 consoles will have. “Certain games you have for your PlayStation 4 are cross-compatible with the PlayStation 5. This means, if you own the game on your PlayStation 4, you can play them on your PlayStation 5 without losing any of your progress,” Lauer said. 4. iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro With the release of the new iPhone by Apple, it is no surprise that many people will be wanting this for Christmas. The new iPhone is a huge upgrade from the last one. Not only does it include more storage, but its front camera has been equipped with a new 12-megapixel lens and the rear camera with a 7-element lens. Not only that, but each camera has better image processing to make your photos clearer and better quality. On top of that, the iPhone 12 does not have a home button, which many Apple users seem to like. On top of the iPhone 12, you can buy the iPhone 12 Pro for a bigger screen and better quality. The downside? The large $800 hole in your pocket for the 64 gigabytes of internal storage, all the way up to the $1000
S. Schumacher A decorated Christmas tree with presents underneath. crater for the 256 gigabytes of internal storage. This is just the price for the basic iPhone 12, not the Pro. 5. Airpods Max The Airpods Max is the perfect pair for your new iPhone 12 or iPhone 12 Pro. Not only are they stylish and new, but they are of higher quality than the last two sets of Airpods. They have much better noise cancellation, high-fidelity audio, spatial audio, and more. All of this means that your listening experience when using the Airpods Max will be a lot more enjoyable. The Airpods Max is already a popular item due to all of the professional reviews, but they don’t release until December 15th. The Airpods Max is a perfect gift for Christmas if you know somebody who loves to listen to music, which is practically all of us. Hopefully, these new items are a great suggestion for those looking for some. These are the Top 5 items on everybody’s Christmas list. Happy Holidays from The Voice! huntleyvoice.com • 25
a&e netflix
“Selena: the series” upsets
New Netflix series causes controversy among loyal fans
completely different side of her life than the movie. It starts off similarly with her father, an ex-musician, spotting Selena’s talent at a young age. Already a music loving family, her father formed Selena y Los Dinos with her older siblings, A.B. By Kate Alvarado and Suzette Quintanilla. They performed at local weddings, quinceñeras, arlier this month on Dec. and festivals to help sustain the family 4, Netflix released its latest biographical show Selena: The financially. The difference is that the series goes Series. at a much slower pace, detailing everyBased on the life of Mexican-Amerthing from the band’s early days strugican singer Selena Quintanilla, the regling to make ends meet to Selena’s lease of this show brought fans togethteenage years in high school. Through er once again nearly 25 years after her this, it is almost as if fans are introduced tragic death.
E
Despite the typically loyal fanbase, the show has taken a lot of heat on “This is not like 13 Reasocial media, causing many to wonder sons Why, where Netflix if it is worth the watch when there is can pay someone to write already a beloved movie documenting the same story. more content after the Overall, I would give the series a 7/10; source material runs out.” however, there is still an important conversation surrounding Netflix’s choice in casting that must be addressed. If there is one thing Netflix got right in to this icon all over again. My favorite aspect of this is getting this series, it is the entertainment value. to see the individual perspective and This rendition of Selena’s story shows a
Courtesy of NBC 26 • the voice december 2020
struggles of A.B. and Suzette, something that is not explored in the movie version. Viewers are almost able to feel the constant pressure their father puts on A.B. to take charge of the band. It is also the first time fans are prompted to consider the struggles Suzette deals with for being a female drummer in an industry dominated by men. There are also many tender moments between the siblings and other band members that make the whole watch worth it. However, there was constantly a question lingering at the back of my head while watching: How much of this is real? Many of these scenes are “played up” and come off as inauthentic. Unfortunately, for those of us who have obsessed over Selena for years, it is easy to tell which parts were thrown in strictly for entertainment purposes. While it is understandable to dramatize certain aspects of the story to fill in the gaps, it does not sit right with me when it comes to someone’s life. This is not like 13 Reasons Why, where Netflix can pay someone to write more content after the source material runs out. Specifically, what irks me about the plot is how drawn out it is in order to secure a second season. The best example of this is how Yolanda, Selena’s fan club president who ultimately murders her, is not introduced until late in the series; clearly intended to be a cliffhanger. While many knew this was likely to happen since Netflix did not list Yolanda as a character in the cast, it is still disappointing to see. As annoying as this is, the truly upsetting part about this release has less to do with the series and more with the planning and decisions that went into it. The bottom line: Netflix’s casting is off. Christian Serratos and Jesse Posey, the actors for Selena and Chris Pérez, both have recognizable or intriguing names in the industry; however, they
do not fill all of the prerequisites of the characters they are portraying. For example, while both actors are partially of Mexican descent, neither of them are fluent in Spanish or have really identified with their Mexican culture in the past. Additionally, actress Serratos has no musical history and instead opted to lip-sync Selena’s original versions of the songs for the majority of the show. This is surprising since Jennifer Lopez, who played Selena in the movie, sang all versions of her songs and has always identified as Hispanic. This made many question Serratos’ casting since she has no singing experience, does not particularly look like Selena, and identifies more as Italian-American than Mexican-American. It is important to acknowledge how hard it is already for Hispanic-American actors to find roles in the industry. For a corporation as big as Netflix, their casting outreach should have made it easy enough to discover a talented singer/ actress who is Hispanic. This could have been an amazing opportunity for Hispanic-American actors to get more recognition like it was for Gabriel Chavarria and Noemi Gonzalez, who played A.B. and Suzette. These two Hispanic-American actors are on the rise and being in such a big name project will only boost that; which is a huge win for those fighting for accurate representation in the media. Because Netflix has a history of miscasting characters, it makes them seem like they care more about the marketability the actors would bring to the series rather than the accuracy they owe to Selena, Chris, and the thousands of viewers that just want to be represented. What is worse is that this is not the first time Netflix has done this. Many remember the controversial casting of Ronnie Hawk, a white actress, as Olivia, the child of Mexican immigrants, in the Netflix original On My Block! How many times will they make the same decisions before they choose to do better?
a&e netflix
Courtesy of Netflix It is a shame that the producers chose to honor the wishes of the corporation instead of staying true to one of the biggest icons in Hispanic-American culture. Whether you know her as
mined to stay in touch with her culture and learned Spanish through music. The children of Hispanic immigrants see themselves in her because she symbolizes the hope they have for future generations. “My family came from Mexico. You “The children of Hispanic came from me. Like a thread, like a immigrants see themsleves tree. With the roots over there but growing here. Both countries, Selena, in her because she sym- they come together in you,” Abraham bloizes the hope they have Quintanilla in Netflix’s Selena: The for future generations.” Series. Despite all of its imperfections, Selena: The Series is worth the watch for the Queen of Tejano Music, the Mexiany fan; casual or dedicated. Since Selecan-American Madonna, or simply Sele- na’s tragic death, fans are forced to be na Quintanilla, her legacy and impact grateful for every bit of content made on the Hispanic-American community is to honor her. However, we will always undeniable. have the movie to fall back on for some Being the third generation of her non-problematic nostalgia. family to live in America, she was deterhuntleyvoice.com • 27
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feature photography
Life through Maddie’s lenses Up & coming photographer amasses Instagram following
“I guess it’s my thing now. I feel like in high school everyone wants their thing, and I’ve kind of tried everything and nothing really stuck, and I feel like this is just kind of my own. It’s my baby,” Maddie said. Now that photography is a big part of her life, her Instagram account is a By Shannon Magura big part of how she gets her name out lthough Huntley, Illinois there. With times like these, it’s not may seem like a boring always easy to go out and safely spread place to live filled with your name, so she has heavily relied on nothing but cornfields, the Internet to help her. to Madeline Raclawski, those fields are “Instagram, social media, it really the perfect place to bring her camera helps when people tag me in stuff, even and get pictures taken. As high school word of mouth,” Maddie said. is a time for students to find what their If you check out her Instagram page, passion is, Maddie found one a little you’ll see hundreds of different picdifferent than what everyone is used to. tures, with varying settings and backNo matter what the weather is, being grounds. Although Huntley can seem out taking pictures for people is what pretty bland and unphotogenic, Maddie makes her happy, and she’s good at it knows many good places to go that she too. feels fit her clients. This passion of Maddie’s recently took “I usually try to get to know the off, but cameras have been a part of person first, I’ll text back and forth with her life for a while. Over the summer is them. If they’re more country style, when her passion for photography took then I take them down the backroads off. and we all get in my truck, and when“My mom has had this camera since ever I see an area I like we pull over. If I was about 10 years old and I’d always they’re more city style, I like downtown use it, and then in the summer I kind Dundee, Lake Geneva, Pleasant Valley, of got into photography and forced my places like that,” Maddie said. friends to go take pictures. Eventually, Where Maddie is at right now is small I started wanting to do it professioncompared to where she sees herself ally, and it sort of just took off, people in a couple of years. She wants to take started asking and I just went with it,” photography to a bigger level, and alMaddie said. though she already makes money off it, Due to the high number of people she sees it as a possible future career. asking her to take pictures, and her “I’ve always wanted to be a concert dedication to taking these pictures photographer, which I think is just so professionally, Maddie created an cool, travelling on tour and everything. I Instagram account that has taken off actually reached out to Morgan Walin the past couple of months. Now at len’s concert photographer, and he seven-hundred and eighteen followers, responded to me and gave me a bunch this account has many of her pictures of numbers to call to get free passes. posted and helps set up dates and I’ve always wanted to do that, or maybe times for her shoots. It means a lot to wedding photography,” Maddie said. her and really represents how importAlthough most of what social meant photography is to her. dia and people see is how good her
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Couple photographed by Raclawski account is doing, there is much more to Maddie’s life than just photography and running her small business. Balancing school, personal life, and shoots aren’t easy, and she is already booked through 2020. “I have to get everything done during the day. I can’t really take a moment during the day, I have to try to get everything done and then after school I usually shoot for about 3 or 4 hours and then editing I usually leave till a certain day. I kind of have a balance but I’m still getting used to it. It can be a lot. I have about twenty-one shoots lined up for the rest of the year,” Maddie said. Maddie’s photography account grows more each day, and she continues to take beautiful pictures that bring pride to Huntley High School and it’s community. She perfectly captures the moment in one picture, and her photographs don’t only show the person’s style, but a bit of Maddie’s as well. huntleyvoice.com • 29
feature weight loss
Celebrating the small things Junior Andrew Faber recounts his 100 pound weight loss over quarentine
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By Ellie Armstrong
ndrew Faber braced himself. May 1 was a starting point, another chance. Still, he could not help but feel the disappointment and frustration rising within himself as he opened his eyes and saw the blinking number on the scale. The starting point: 305 pounds. At exactly 6 feet tall, he weighed 305 pounds on May 1, but that number provided him with the motivation to change something that had been bothering him for years. “I was more hard on myself than anybody was hard on me. And that really affected a lot of things,” said Faber, who is currently a junior. “I was a lot more self conscious about [being] heavier than people around [me].” Each passing year from middle to high school resulted in new self-esteem issues due in part to the changing class around him. As a freshman, he began working out at Centegra with his theater friend and Huntley alumnus Frank Mete; who showed him safe practices of different exercises and gave him the inspiration that would eventually carry him through his quarantine weight loss journey. “You are doing what 95% of Americans can’t: getting off the couch and simply moving,” Mete said. Despite his interest in losing weight two years ago, according to Faber, there was no significant change in his eating habits and there never seemed to be the right time to buckle down and commit to a plan. Luckily - or perhaps very unluckily - the
30 • the voice december 2020
E. Armstrong Faber after his 100 pound weight loss. opportunity presented itself. During a time when many people saw an increase in stress-related eating habits due to the pandemic (an inevitable and natural occurrence according to the National Center for Biotechnology Infor-
and walked daily in the cool spring air, earbuds in and blasting the sounds of everything from Travis Scott to Van Halen and Bon Jovi to ‘80s pop. “Pick me up and shake the doubt,” Yazoo sang “Situation” to start Faber off. “Now he’s in control.” The walks around the block turned “You look so incredible!” into mile-long routes, which became runs. Bodyweight workouts were meRachel Miester thodically planned to build muscle mass with push-ups, sit-ups, and burpees. At mation), Faber saw a string of months first, Faber was active from the time he in which he would have enough time to woke up to the time he went to sleep, though over time he found a less rigortake control and better his lifestyle. “It’s really easy to lose weight ous routine. unhealthily, and he did everything As straightforward as his plan sounds, he could to make sure he didn’t do there were many bumps in the road, low points where he considered giving anything hastily,” senior Avi Schwank up. The first couple times he did atsaid. “When I saw him, I was really impressed. He was happy and glowing. home workouts, Faber had to revisit them multiple times with declining Andrew has a really strong sense of motivation and charisma that make him patience, and his first lengthy walk was really easy to admire.” exhausting. After researching long-term weight“It was painful in a way that you can loss strategies throughout April, Faber grow [from] it. I remember coming began intermittent fasting, where he home [thinking] I can’t do this, but that gave himself a set number of hours to was just an instant,” Faber said. “Then eat during the day; tracked and proit’s like keep going.” gressively decreased caloric intake; All of the sweat, the feelings of inad-
feature weight loss
unbelievably ecstatic that he has taken this upon himself and actually committed to it,” Mete said. “He is, out of everybody I’ve ever met, one of the most self-driven people that I can think of. If he puts his mind to it and convinces himself that he’s going to do something, he’ll go and do it.” As Faber’s family was getting ready to eat dinner, he walked in, beaming and struggling to find the words. “Guys, I think I did it,” he said. “I hit it.” His family was overjoyed to say the least. E. Armstrong “It’s so hard to talk about because being the mom, all you can say is just [I’m] so proud,” Jennifer Faber said. Quarentine brought an opportunity to Faber. His 100 pounds lost cannot remotely equacy and failure, they were worth it weight in a positive, healthy manner. describe what he has gained in confor the progress he began to see. His Beyond her actions, her moral support fidence and “giddyness” as he puts monthly front and side-profile photos got him through the occasional low it. Still, it surely inspires, as seen on displayed a physical change. The scale point. Faber’s humble Instagram post about shone with numerical advances like the “That’s, you know, something that I his journey. 50-pound-lost mark in mid-summer. can never pay back. It is unpayable,” “Six months of work. Six months Faber saw these as bonuses. Faber said. “I’ll never be able to find a of change. Six months of victory,” he “It’s the small things that kind of way to thank her. She was really the one posted. “It is because of all of you that mark those milestones, [not] seeing the [who got me through].” today I can happily say marks my official stomach cut down nor being able to run On Nov. 6, half a year after he remilestone of 100 pounds lost. So from or do push ups,” Faber said. “It’s the newed his dedication to his weight loss, the bottom of my heart. Thank you! small things that really, really make the Thank you! Thank you!” biggest difference.” As a private person, Faber was “You serve as a pinnacle of apprehensive of posting the progress Daily activities like walking up stairs without being winded revealed imhard work and photos, but a flood of comments (78 to proved health and contrasted the diffidetermination for us all.” be exact) from classmates and friends culties he had months before. Faber’s showed just how big his support system achievements were celebrated at Braeden Clements is. home, with one of his biggest motivaA month after he has passed that tors and guides being his mom. milestone, Faber continues to enjoy “He saw me at a very young age go Faber stepped on the scale with the working out to build muscle mass. The through a drastic weight loss as well. knowledge that he had reached 229 exercises that were once the most I’ve been there. I know how much it pounds in September to see something difficult for him are now his favorites: means to him,” Jennifer Faber said. “I that made him smile uncontrollably in running and walking. Now, he encouragtold him it’s not a sprint, it’s a maradisbelief. 204.7 pounds. He stepped off, es anyone interested to go for the same thon. Take it slow, you don’t want to then stepped back on, hoping it was lifestyle change as he did. rush into this… He is absolutely unstop- true. He had reached 204.7 pounds. “Anything is possible. I know it sounds pable.” As Faber said, the little things matter cliche, but it’s truly a saying that really In between studying for her elemen- more than the numbers. Still, what that doesn’t age and means a lot,” Faber tary education degree, his mom helped number implies is the effort and hard said. “If you don’t think you can do it, with his dieting as she made special work that went into losing each pound take a step back, breathe, listen to Bon meals and checked in on him to make and dedicating himself to his goals Jovi or whatever you listen to, and just sure he was staying hydrated, getting every day. think it through. Tell yourself that you enough nutrients, and overall losing the “I’m so proud of this man. I’m so can do it.” huntleyvoice.com • 31
feature choking game
A trend nearly took his life Ian Calato and his experience with the dangerous choking game
to Ian and his twin sister Sylvie. “I knew about it, where some people don’t know about it,” Liz Calato said. Although, she was not the only one who knew about the risks of the deadly game. Ian first learned about the game in elementary school when partaking in By Natalie VonderHeide the Lead the Way program. “They came home from school and oon-to-be seventh grader at said ‘Mom. Mom. Mom. There’s this Marlowe Middle School, Ian game and kids are doing this and we Calato was spending his last learned about it in Lead the Way’ and few days of summer break just I was like ‘Oh I know about this, I saw like every other 12-year-old. Who knew, it on “Doctor Phil”, don’t ever do it, on that Friday, Aug. 5, 2016, he would it’s very dangerous,’ so then we talked participate in a deadly popular internet about it,” Liz Calato said. trend: The Choking Game. Since his mother was aware of the The Choking Game originated in the trend, she knew what signs to look 1930s and did not become as wellfor in case her kids started playing the known until the early 2000s as teenag- game. During the summer of 2016, she ers began playing amongst themselves. began to notice marks on Ian’s neck. The goal is to deprive your brain of Her first instinct was to question him enough oxygen and create a brief euabout playing the game, but she truly phoric high without the use of drugs. wanted to believe her son when he While in most cases the game is insisted on it being a rash from chlorine played with two or more people, Ian after swimming in a pool. found ways to participate alone. The marks continued to linger as days Liz Calato, Ian’s mom, was no stranger went by so eventually Liz confronted Ian to the internet game. In fact, the first and asked wif he was playing the Choktime she heard about such was when ing Game, in which he denied again. she was on bed rest before giving birth Over a week later, on Aug. 5, it was the start of the 2016 Summer Olympics. The Calatos celebrated by inviting a few friends over. The night went on, and eventually Ian told his friends he was tired and was headed up to bed. He walked in his parents room to say goodnight, and then he went to his room that he shared with his brother. It was around 11 p.m. at this point, when his younger brother, Charles, entered their room to grab a charger when he found Ian. “Charles slammed the bedroom door open so hard, the hinges broke off and he screamed ‘What the f***! Ian!’ and he was going in fifth grade, and for Courtesy of Liz Calato him to say swears like that, I jumped awake,” Liz said.
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32 • the voice december 2020
“They fight all the time, but the way he was screaming, and his face of pure terror, I knew something was wrong. I told my husband to get up, they’re not just fighting and to go see what’s going on.” After getting out of bed and heading down the hallway to their sons’ room, Charles finally made out the words ‘he hung himself.’ Liz could feel her heart drop and instantly knew she was right about the marks all along. At first, she could not walk in be-
“They fight all the time, but the way he was screaming, and his face of pure terror, I knew something was wrong.”
Liz Calato
cause she was terrified, so she sent her husband in. Once she heard his scream, she immediately ran in traumatized to see her son hanging, purple, and foam oozing out of his mouth. By the way he looked, they believed their son was already dead. “I just stood there, I didn’t know what to do, I felt like his life just flashed before my eyes” Liz Calato said. “It’s always Sylvie and Ian, Ian and Sylvie, every picture is two baby heads, and I pictured things in the future, and he’s not going to be in the picture.” After a couple minutes, Liz’s husband said that he believed Ian was still alive. “I went back in, and I had to lift him so he could undo the tie, and then he just crumpled to the ground,” Liz said. “He wasn’t moving, he wasn’t breathing, and he was just blue and purple, and foam was coming out of his mouth.” They then called 911 in which they were advised to perform CPR. In that moment, Liz’s mind shut down and she
feature choking game
Courtesy of Liz Calato Ian Calato on life support could not process what to do. Luckily an officer arrived and took over. Once the paramedics arrived, they got him in the ambulance and allowed his parents to come in. A major thing Liz remembers as they were putting Ian in the ambulance was, one of the paramedics looking over to her and saying ‘I think he’s breathing on his own.’ Those seven words gave her the hope she would need over the next week. After arriving at the hospital, Ian was flown over to a children’s hospital in which he spent five days in a coma. At first the police were ruling it out as a suicide attempt or even his own parents doing, but after searching through his search history on YouTube and going through his camera roll, they found videos of him playing the game alone. While Liz and her husband never watched the videos, they did look at the thumbnail of the video to believe it was actually true. “The last video he had was right before the party. I looked at the clock and it was probably 20 minutes before people came over,” Liz said. “And in one
of the pictures, he was doing it in my closet.” Although to Ian, things felt normal when going home, his parents made some changes in the house: he could not lock the door, the bunk beds were taken apart, and he could not be alone for extended periods of time. Ian had a hard time remembering much, specifically the weeks leading up to the event, or some things after but, the vague stuff he does remember, haunts him to this day. “Please think about things before you do them,” Ian Calato said. “As much as I do regret it, I wouldn’t change the past because the past is the past and it shapes who you are today.” His brother suffered PTSD and anytime he had to get Ian from his room, he could not go up there and look. “Charles had a hockey coach and he was talking to us, and he said ‘you know Charles doesn’t want to put his neck guard on,’ and he didn’t want to put it on because he didn’t want to put anything around his neck,” Liz said. Ian’s mom did everything right
though. She monitiered his phone, educated him on peer pressure, and even talked to him specifically about The Choking Game. So, the main question after this event is why would a kid so young begin to play this game? Liz never found a reason for sure as to why he did it, but they believed social media was a big factor. “Kids are doing stupid things they wouldn’t normally do just to get likes, followers, and reactions,” Liz Calato said. “Just like the Tide Pod challenge or perfume Challenge.” Today, the Calato family uses this experience as an opportunity to educate others on what they went through. “Parents, please monitor your kids on social media; don’t be complacent and never think ‘it won’t happen to us,’ Liz Calato said. “To kids, gaining likes, shares, and followers on social media, isn’t worth risking your life for. Ian was lucky, but so many people who did what he did, didn’t make it.” For more informaion, visit https:// www.erikscause.org/ huntleyvoice.com • 33
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feature working
The worker’s life of a student Emily Sanchez and her balance between work and school
new things and gained memories in the meantime,” Sanchez said. Focusing on self love and mental health is a huge part of everyday life. Checking in on your peers and making sure you are okay is number one. By Riy Walker In a time full of stress, exhaustion, and eing a full time student and depression, there has to be time for working a full time job has people to stop for a minute and make not been easy on senior Emily sure they are okay. Sanchez. “The hardest part of working during It has taught her many things along the school year is having time to myself the way, and she has gained so much and my mental health. With so much discipline and independence from her going on this year specifically and work job experience. being more scary than ever it was so “Experiences I wouldn’t have gotten hard to stay on top of taking care of anywhere else,” said Sanchez. me,” Sanchez said. There are many challenges already “Working through everything and this year and working through a panrealizing that nothing is really as hard demic could not have been easy. as it seems and sometimes even just “Working a ton of hours and going taking a deep breath helps to put to school is not as bad as it seems,” things in perspective. Life is scary, so Sanchez said. “The only thing that is I’d say be able to manage your mental important to me is being able to keep health before jumping head first into my grades up and focus on school as new things,” Sanchez said. well as make money. Once I learned One thing about working in highhow to do both, it was way easier for school is meeting new people and me to succeed.” teens from all over the area. Grades are something that all high school students worry about from their “I like to think that workvery first day of school till their last. Working hard in school and still having so young was necesing time for work and extracurricular sary for growth and life activities is hard to juggle in general. lessons. In the end I think “Trying to keep my grades up is definitely something I find difficult because was more prepared for it’s so easy to just say ‘I’ll do it later’ real world problems and and that later eventually turns into hectic situations.” forgetting about it. It takes patience and discipline to be able to learn time Emily Sanchez management skills,” Sanchez said. The school year takes up most of a teens time and there is really only time There are some people who have for school, work, or sports. traveled the world and ended up here “There is really no time for relaxing, in this small town. There is so much life goes so fast so why not work and beauty in people that can be discovgain experience, why not do everything ered just by listening, you can when you are young so when “It is so crazy to think that these peoyou look back on life, at least you tried
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S. Laput Emily Sanchez wearing her Dunkin Donuts hat ple come from all different areas and we all end up in the same place. This makes it easy for us to keep conversations and remain interested in each other’s lives,” Sanchez said. High school is hard and life is harder. There will be a time where the “good ole days” have come and gone. There will be a time where regrets or pure joy with decisions made along the way will matter most. “I like to think that working so young was necessary for growth and life lessons. There were times where it was hard to keep track of everything but in the end I think I was more prepared for real world problems and hectic situations,” Sanchez said. In the end everyone is granted one life, with multiple opportunities and a ton of decisions to make. What you chose to do with your life and time is all up to you. huntleyvoice.com • 35
sports home workouts
Staying fit during COVID-19 Kristine Debolt, physical education teacher and her goal to stay fit at home
S. Hashmi
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By Melina Wsol
he year 2020 threw everyone for a loop. The year of the COVID-19. No doubt it has affected everyone in some way, whether it has been mentally, physically, emotionally, or socially. With school being switched to fully remote, students have been staying inside to do their school work and avoid getting sick. However, staying inside all day and sitting at a desk or kitchen table to do homework does not allow for students to get the physical activity that they need. So the question becomes, how can we stay fit at home, if all the gyms are closed and quarantine is still in effect? Is this even possible? Kristine DeBolt, the group fitness teacher here at Huntley High School, is a well known lover of at-home workouts. She frequently incorporates these types of workouts in her classes, using equipment that can be found in any household, to teach her students how to keep fit outside of gym class. In regards to staying fit at home during quarantine, DeBolt believes that it is very doable. “A lot of people don’t have gym memberships simply because they can’t afford them. And even now, if they could afford them, it’s not available,” Debolt said. “It’s super easy to stay fit at home. There’s a lot of different programs to do it on your own to help you along the way.” Many students might be skeptical about working out at home. After all, 36 • the voice december 2020
Common workout equipmnt for working out at home. most homes do not have all the equipment a normal gym or health club may have. So how are you going to workout in an environment that is not set up for that purpose? DeBolt is a firm believer that being at home should not stop you from getting a good workout. “Anyone and everyone can get
use a ball to jump over, toe tap, to raise and lift, and move our body in different directions just so that we have an object to physically be there while we work out,” Debolt said. “Just having that object there, even though it’s not heavy or full of weight, is good. If you want to have a reference while you’re working out, and don’t have access to a mat, we use paper plates to move around.” For DeBolt, fitness is all about yourself “It’s super easy to stay fit and tailoring workouts to fit your speat home. There’s a lot of cific needs. So for working out at home, different programs to do she really enjoys doing HITT workouts. “I think the best way to workout at on your own to help you home is doing HIIT workouts, or high along the way.” intensity interval training workouts. They train your body in a lot of different Kristine Debolt ways, get your heart rate up, increase your cardiovascular endurance, mushealthy, or stay healthy at home. If cular strength and endurance,” Debolt you’re just trying to stay generally said. “A lot of these workouts are really healthy and remain physically active, just bodyweight workouts with speit’s great. With workouts at home, you cific moves. So I think those types of won’t need extra weights, or need cra- workouts are probably the easiest to do zy amounts of equipment,” Debolt said. at home because they don’t require a DeBolt is very creative when it comes lot of space and cover many different to using common household items as components of health.” workout equipment. So while we are at home during “I had my students grab a towel that this time of remote learning, let us all can help them stretch, move, and reach remember that our physical health is things. I also had them grab a milk just as important as mental, social, and gallon that they could lift. We often emotional health.
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sports soccer
Stevens sets up for success Junior soccer player Annalisa Stevens on training and being a good teammate
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By Izzy Kellas
s the sleet pummeled on to her cheek she looked around to see that she was surrounded by three defenders with no one around to help. Junior Annalisa Stevens is an active member on the Huntley girls soccer team. She has been playing soccer since she was 5 years old. She has also been active in other things as well such as the buddies club, NHS, and Medical Academy. Playing soccer for Stevens is not only a good way to stay in shape; it has been a way to escape during stressful times.
“Playing with Annalisa has been eventful, entertaining, and sometimes funny.”
Courtesy of A. Stevens Annalisa Stevens (left) with a teammate.
soccer team, Huntley Heat. However, everything has shut down and the weather has gotten colder, she can no longer play or practice. Even though the winter season is postponed she hopes to stay active for Lauren Zydorowicz the new season. “ I was having club practices throughout the fall, but now winter indoor season is postponed. So I “Playing soccer makes me feel happy, will go for runs and walks outside or on it’s a stress reliever for me to go run the treadmill and do workout videos to around and take my mind off of things. I stay shape possible,” Stevens said. love playing, it is so fun” Stevens said. For the new season, Annalisa does Her first memory of playing was with not have high expectations for the two friends in the park, enjoying a simability to play for the club or the school ple game of soccer and having a natural season because things are so uncertain understanding of the game. Stevens has with COVID-19. “I really hope we get to had the opportunity to get outside and have a season in the summer but I am be social with the help of soccer. Her fanot getting my hopes up,” Stevens said. vorite times were during tournaments, Junior Lauren Zydorowicz is one of she loved to see other teams and travel Annalisa’s teammates. Lauren also to different states. loves playing with Stevens because In the beginning of quarantine she they can always have fun, but at the was able to practice with her club same time play seriously.
“Playing with Annalisa has been eventful, entertaining and sometimes funny. Especially when you get to know her and she thinks she can beat you in a one on one” said Zydorowicz. Stevens has taught Lauren many different things through her playing; especially playing under pressure. “She is better under pressure than I am and it shows in a game and how watching her I have learned how to calm myself in a game situation, which improved my playing skills,” Zydorowicz said. Stevens has been able to find success in soccer and has been able to keep up the regime for the tough sport. “Soccer has taught me how to work hard and put my all into something I am passionate about” Stevens said. Soccer has made Annalisa into a quality teammate and an all-around amazing person. huntleyvoice.com • 39
sports NCAA
Changes in college recruiting
COVID-19 brings drastic changes to the college recruiting process
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By Ally Panzloff
he basketball courts are empty and the football fields are quiet. From e-learning to the holidays, almost nothing in 2020 has been normal for teens. So it is no surprise that college athletic recruiting has become a new kind of challenge for the prospective student athletes of Huntley High School. As of Nov. 18, all Division I schools have extended their ‘dead period’ until April 15. Previously, the end of the dead period had been Jan. 1. During the dead period, coaches cannot meet any recruits or scout in-person. All campus visits have also been discouraged by the NCAA, but not outright banned. Division II and III schools returned to normal recruiting rules on Sept. 1, after their “quiet pe-
riod,” meaning there was no recruiting on-campus, but coaches were able to scout games. Even before the NCAA dead period, COVID-19 made recruiting almost impossible. After the initial quarantine from late March to May, gyms and practice facilities in Illinois had strict safety guidelines to follow over the summer, including required masks, social distancing, and limited people in a gym. Many sports require contact and have rosters larger than the 10 person limit.
“I think now it’s more social media. Social media has grown, and more people are using it.”
Jessie Ozzauto
Normally, athletes use their freshman year to start sending out film and emails to college coaches or attend large tournaments for exposure,
Andrew Baumley poses in his lacrosse gear.
S. Baczewski 40 • the voice december 2020
committing to a college sometime during their junior or senior year. But with no new film to send and no large tournaments to attend in Illinois, many athletes are turning to social media. “I think now it’s more social media. social media has grown, and more people are using it, so I think it’s very important” sophomore basketball player Jessie Ozzauto said. With few opportunities to compete in Illinois, many teams are traveling to other states. Indiana was very popular for sports because of its relaxed rules, including no required masks while playing. Many athletes are feeling hopeless or stressed during this time. It’s not uncommon for some to have gone weeks or even months without the chance to play and it can feel like a college scholarship is slowly slipping away. “You have to do more because you’re missing out on really important years,” Ozzauto said. A rare positive effect, though, is that many athletes are taking their recruiting processes into their own hands. “Before Corona, I wasn’t too interested. But then I figured out that this was a big deal and I had to start investing time,” sophomore lacrosse player Andrew Baumley said. New ways of being recruited had to be used during this time. Any athlete can use platforms like the National College Sports Association and Sports Recruits to send a film to college coaches. When indoor sports eventually resume, companies like Baller TV can live stream events to any college coaches. “Take [college recruiting] easy, take it slow, but don’t lack what you do. When it’s too late it’s just too late,” Baumley says. Sports these days may be wildly inconsistent at best.
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sports snow raiders
Snow Raiders adapt to remote
After-school group adjusts to change
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By Sara Gebka
rees quickly flash by as she gains speed. The once ant-sized people in front of her draw nearer before she passes them in a blink of an eye. As she moves down the slope, she instinctively moves herself a few feet at a time. The wind slaps against her face, but she takes little notice of this, for a moment, she feels free. She lifts her arms above her head and lets this feeling of freedom last for as long as possible before meeting the foot of the slope. This feeling of freedom, and their love for winter sports, is what brings students together in Snow Raiders. According to senior Jacob Richardson, the club brings together people who love adventure and are passionate about skiing or snowboarding. The club has been around for 20 years, with the last 13 being sponsored by health and Link Crew teacher Angela Zaleski. The club has also been co-sponsored by art teacher, Bridget Regan, who joined the club during the 2019-2020 season. Zaleski has been snowboarding ever since she finished high school and was introduced to her love for it when she was a winter camp counselor at YMCA Camp Duncan. Ever since she tried out the board, she has fallen in love with the sport. “I enjoy having students tell me about what tricks or skills they have mastered, whether it is riding a rail or even just advancing beyond the bunny hill,” Zaleski said. “I also enjoy seeing the look of excitement and fear on a student’s face when it is their first time on a ski lift. It makes it worth it to sponsor the club when I see how much fun everyone is having.” Regan, on the other hand, has been skiing ever since she learned it in fifth grade. Since then, she has grown passionate for the sport and enjoys every second of it. “My favorite part about skiing is the
42 • the voice december 2020
Courtesy of Angela Zaleski. People skiing and snowboarding down a slope. freedom I feel whenever I go down a hill,” Regan said. “Another part I like is the comradely, good laughs, and conversations that we have in the lodge.” In addition to sponsors, a planning committee is organized to do the inner workings of the club. This includes senior Jacob Richardson and junior Olivia Kosiak. “The planning committee helps me out with getting ready for the trips and to hand out lift tickets when we get to the slopes,” Zaleski said. “They also help me out with designing stickers and promoting the club. All the stuff that makes a club happen.” They are also responsible for decorating the display case in the cafeteria during their season. Stickers would usually have some sort of theme to them, like Hawaiian night, which would be passed out once the club arrived at Alpine Valley, located in Elkhorn, Wisconsin. Due to COVID-19, Snow Raiders could not be affiliated with the high school this year. Instead, it is affiliated with Alpine Valley’s Ski Club Program, promoting a family-style version of the club. So for now, Snow Raiders is considered a family club, but there might be changes in the future that are unclear as of right now. This also means that Snow Raiders will not be accepting newcomers. This is vastly different from what was usually done during the club, with students now having to drive themselves to and from the slopes, rather than being packed into a bus. Additionally, students
of all skill levels would be able to join in. “If we were having school normally, students would bring their equipment to school when we would have our trips,” Zaleski said. We would take it to a storage place and it would be there until the end of the school day. Then we would grab them and then wait for the buses to come.” Years prior, students of all skill levels would go to Alpine Valley and head their own way. Some of the students would have to take lessons while others would go on more advanced slopes. Others would have to rent equipment when the bus arrived at the slopes. “It is kind of like when you go roller skating and you have never been roller skating before. Some people get there and zip around like crazy and then there are other people who are learning and gripping onto the rails,” Zaleski said. “That is basically what skiing and snowboarding is. Some people will be able to hop onto the ski lift and go down the slopes, and others will have to learn what to do,” Students and teachers of varying skill levels bond through their love of winter sports. Many enjoy the freedom that comes when going down a hill. “Sometimes if I am going down a hill and I know there is no one in front of me and it is smooth, I like to close my eyes and lift my arms up above my head,” Kosiak said. “It just feels so thrilling in the moment.”
Let’s talk about politics In a community divided by politics, we take a look at how we can become more accepting
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ith political tension rising around the world, communities are targeted with pressure involving who to vote for and what political views are considered “right” or “wrong.” It is not uncommon to see relentless posts and ruthless conversations all across social media. Although everyone is entitled to their own opinion, how necessary is it to end a friendship based on political views?
“I honestly think it’s sad. It’s gotten to a point where you cannot have a civil conversation with someone at all. There’s no conversations to be had,” senior Joe Zephries said. “Well, there are, but no one will listen. Nobody’s willing to listen. No one is willing to hear another side’s perspective.” With 270 electoral votes needed to win the general election, both Fox News and CNN cited as of Dec. 9 that Democratic candidate Joe Biden won with 306 votes over Republican candidate Donald Trump’s 232 votes. Since both of these politically-leaning sources agree, why are members of our community struggling to find common ground? Due to the technology at our fingertips, access to the most recent and significant news is incredibly easy. Public political disagreements explode into arguments that could easily be ignored or simply resolved with an open-mind. On social media, we have seen countless posts on stories saying something along the lines of “If you are ___, unfollow me” or “If you support ___ for president, we can’t be friends.” This behavior is immature and unacceptable. Even though the election occurred months ago, the fact that high school students disregard each other in this way is concerning considering we will be voters, politicians, and leaders of the future. As people feel less intimidated to argue over the Internet, relationships become highly impacted due to ignorant messages. Although everyone is entitled to their own opinion, it is disappointing to see a community fall apart over something our Founding Fathers intended to be a safeguard of society: popular sovereignty, our right to give the government our consent to have authority over us (in other words, our vote and our political voice). Political discourse is a discussion amongst two parties about opposing beliefs. It is not a fight and should not be
editorial
treated as such. Many argue that it is their First Amendment right to freedom of speech and expression of beliefs. However, though all citizens possess this right, that does not justify their disrespect nor does it mean they should use their freedoms carelessly. If you would rather attack someone for differing views, then know that even though you may not be punished for your spoken or written words, there will always be societal and social consequences to your actions. “Just because you have freedom of speech doesn’t mean you should be completely reckless and disrespect people, because they’re people,” Principal Marcus Belin said. “Some of the stuff that comes up just demoralizes and diminishes people as humans, [but] your vote is just as strong as the person’s who is in the voting booth next to you.”
““I think people need to turn off the TV and read the facts and discuss their opinions and understand different points of view.”
Commuity member Mike Mitria
Others may argue that it is too difficult to listen to a side that much of their media sources and close contacts consider “wrong”; however, progression takes time and effort, and there are many benefits to exposing yourself to views that differ from your own. If not to change your mind, then to develop patience and understanding. “Your voice matters,” Belin said. “Your viewpoints may be different, but you can agree to disagree and not be slanderous and put people down because that completely changes how people look at you.” We at The Voice believe that human rights are not up for debate. Treating others fairly has nothing to do with political affiliations and students should not look down on one another for advocating for one another’s freedoms. We hope that during the next election, debate, protest, rally, or school discussion, you objectively consider another perspective. While politics are very personal, ideological arguments do not have to be taken personally. “Different experiences tend to make people see things differently, so most everyone has a different thought process,” sophomore Amelia Abed said. “Everyone can put in their part to be kind.” huntleyvoice.com • 43
one last
VOICE Lauren Teeter
Harmony Yearbook advisor English teacher Music lover Optimist What is a motto you live by? Radiate positivity. It’s cheesy to say and people have it in their Twitter and Instagram bios, but I love music, and I adopted it at the Bonnaroo Music Festival because the energy and vibrant community that is there. I feel like if you have a positive outlook on life, the rest of the world becomes more positive around you. What is something not a lot of people know about you? When I lived in Chicago, I would sing on stage at places sometimes. My goal for 2021 is to release my first album. I have all the songs written, it’s just a matter of recording them. What are you most proud of? My students. Being so resilient, not only during this time right now, but like, all the time. It’s very hard to be a teenager right now in today’s world. I could not imagine with the amount of social media, pressure, AP classes, and college. Interviewed by Natalie VonderHeide Photographed by Sydney Laput