Huntley HS Voice February 2021

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VOICE

THE

February 26 2021, Volume 24, Issue 6

The Colorful Life of Shannon Daly & Meaning of Life

Life

Since 2007, The Voice has published a Meaning of Life issue every year inspired by Esquire magazine. Our intention is to showcase the unique lives and stories within the Huntley community.

2 • the voice february 2021

Together we aim to define the meaning of life

Meaning of

L

eslie Ramos

My family and heritage are big parts of my life. Being Mexican-American has taught me many different things.

I have been able to be dependable for my family by helping my mom with translations for doctor’s appointments, phone calls, and answering the door.

It was tough at first because Spanish was my first language growing up, and I had to teach myself English. I had help from my closest childhood friend, Stephanie.

My family has always been [my] foundation. I have four brothers, ages 23, 14, 5, and 3. Growing up with them has taught me about caring for others as well as becoming independent and mature.

My favorite memories from my childhood were spending time with my brothers watching movies and building forts out of blankets and pillows. Because I was always surrounded by my brothers, I did not have many female role models.

I would visit Arizona where I have two cousins my age that I see as my sisters. However, quarantine has made it difficult for our family to see each other.

My role model growing up was my dad because he is always working hard and he has given so much for my family. Because he was always working hard, he raised my standards too, and the same for my brothers.

My older brother is the most influential person in my life. He has been the one who I have looked up to because he left and went on to go to college. He has been

Kind-hearted Big sister Senior meat or vegetables. Pozole is a traditional soup and is made with pork and a mix of vegetables.

If I could be anywhere in the world right now, I would be in Zacatecas, Mexico. Mexico has been a place where I would often go before COVID-19. It was an important place to understand my heritage.

My favorite vacation spot is Jerez Zacatecas, Mexico because it is where my parents grew up, and I can see where they grew up, their environment, and even the people they know.

If I could make the world listen, I would tell them to treat others the way they want to be treated. I believe that people should treat each other with kindness and respect; that is my philosophy.

With that, my advice to freshmen who are coming to high school is to enjoy school and don’t worry too much about it because it goes by so fast.

My dream job is to become an ultrasound technician, which I believe I will be able to do when I go to community college to study being a sonographer.

In 10 years, I see myself working as an ultrasound technician, as well as living in Huntley with someone whether that be a significant other or a roommate.

I would still like to live in Huntley because it has always been my home and it has a sense of security.

I believe the meaning of life is to make yourself happy, live your life to the fullest, and [not] care what other people care about.

Quick Facts

Favorite book • “Stolen” Favorite artist • Mac Miller Favorite movie • “Surfs Up” Favorite candy • Pelon Favorite animal • Ducks the one to set the expectations for my brothers and me to be the very best we can be.

My favorite holiday is Christmas because I get to spend time with my close and extended family. It is also my favorite holiday because we get to have amazing traditional Mexican food such as Tamales and Pozole.

Tamales are made from dough and can be filled with

interviewed by izzi kellas • photo by sydney laput huntleyvoice.com • 3

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4 • the voice february 2021

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A

nthony

Alexander

Unique Overachiever Junior

My ethnicity is Greek. I have been going to a Greek Church that speaks 100% Greek and I also celebrate all of the Greek holidays. My mother’s side that [is] Greek moved to the US when she was very young.

I have two siblings named Zoe and Jordan, who are both older than me. My sisters Zoe and Jordan are 24 years old and 21 years old. My entire family lives together and to add onto the household, I have eight pets. I have four cats named Rose, Belemy, Tucket, and Kuro. My three birds are named Jack, Elsa, and Pip. My last pet is my dog named Murphey.

What sets me apart from others is that some people in the world live to please or satisfy other people. I am not like that. I live for myself and I do not let others change who I am because I am not afraid to be myself no matter what others think.

I would tell the world, stop thinking materialistically, because I feel like people do not realize there is much more to life than money or clothes or a certain brand. It does not bring you any more happiness, it’s just more of a liability. I feel like people think like that because when they see something they want, they feel like they can bring happiness to themselves with new items, when in reality their happiness will be temporary.

would happen, I feel like I could break easily because it has made me feel helpless and powerless, out of control, not able to change the outcome. Thinking about it, my heart just drops entirely.

It is worse to never attempt something because you lose your opportunity to learn a life changing lesson from that failed attempt. If you fail, learning can help you move forward to achieve your goals.

My favorite childhood experiences are the times I have been on road trips with my family. At the moment, I did not enjoy it as much but looking back today, I think I had more fun than anything else.

RV road trips as a kid made it seem like I had it good while looking out the car window seeing nature and just the world in general made it look so beautiful.

One thing that has always been on my bucket list is going to Japan. I just think Japan has a beautiful city and an amazing atmosphere that one day Favorite place I’ve traveled to • Carribean I hope I get the opportunity to experience. World Favorite restaurant • Hibachi Kobe traveling has always been a dream of mine because I enjoy sightseeing and experiencing new places but I Favorite TV show • “The Walking Dead” know I have to work myself up to there if I ever want Best quarantine habit • Playing video games to achieve that goal.

The biggest recent change I made was to be Favorite animal • Polar bears more honest. I wanted to be more honest with everyone in my life so I am able to be closer and more On the last day of Earth, I hope I have the opportunity to open to people. Doing this started with me having to be take a nice drive, and take in the nature of my surroundings honest to myself. Being more honest has made things a lot for one last time while listening to music. I do not want to go easier to communicate with my family, friends, etc. It helps out while stressed, I want to enjoy my last moments on the me [converse] with people and I do not carry the feeling of planet. Something that would make me appreciate my last regret knowing that I am trying to cover something up. day and moments even more is if I can be with the people I The meaning of life is living it the way it makes you love. happy. No matter what brings you down or drives away your I am most afraid of losing my loved ones, more than any- encouragement and determination, pick yourself back up thing else in this world. It’s a scary thought for the people and strive to achieve your goals. closest to me leaving my life because I do not know where I would be without some of the people I have in my life. If it interviewed by bailey lim • photo by syed hashmi

Quick Facts

huntleyvoice.com • 5

A

bigail Goraj

My name is Abigail Goraj and I am 17. I am currently a junior and some nicknames that I have are Abby and Smalls.

I have an older sister. Her name is Emily and she is 18 years old. We both have the same parents.

I have played softball ever since I was 5 years old. I love the thought of animals and just being around them and I love playing golf ever since.

My favorite subject would probably be English and history and my least favorite would probably have to be math and science.

I like both cats and dogs, but I am allergic to cats. I have a dog at home too. I collect a deck of cards from different states because I love seeing the different kinds of cards that these states have. I also like to do card magic so it is fun to use different types of cards.

My favorite type of candy would be Milk Duds because I love the caramel inside the milk duds and any type of caramel. A superpower that I would like is to be a shapeshifter with any power they have so that means I get every power. I would go to Clearwater, Florida because of the weather, and my favorite basketball team is in Florida.

If I could change one thing it would be that people are rude to each other and I would like people to treat each other better so more people can get along. If I could make the world listen to me I would say listen to the gays because people should love whoever they love no matter if a guy likes a guy or a girl loves a girl. It should not matter.

Funny Golfer Junior

that I have had is when I used to live in my old house when we knew everyone on our street. We all came out on Fridays and hung out in my yard because it was the biggest and we used to play in our treehouse all night. It was special because I knew I had really good friends and it was just an amazing experience hanging out with friends.

I really do not have a favorite song. I mean it comes and goes I have certain songs that I like for the time being right now it is probably "Good Girl" by Carrie Underwood. She is a really good singer and some of her songs I like are because they are amazing.

My cousin Morgan was my role model growing up because I used to love seeing her and love to do what she did and still is my role model till this exact day.

If I had a million dollars I would give half out of it away to charity and then keep half of it for myself, and put it away in a safe spot to save it for my kids, and probably buy a house with it, and a car. Then I will put the rest of it somewhere safely.

Playing basketball is probably the biggest change of my life because I used to be really really active. I am not playing basketball anymore. It was like just a big change because I did not know what to do, but then I found golf.

My favorite costume when I was little was when I was dressing up as a teen wolf, and scaring the crap out of my family, and my friends.

My cousin Morgan is the biggest influence on me because she has always been there for me.

It’s just amazing how well she has been an influence in my life.

My favorite TV show as a kid was Favorite place I’ve traveled to •Hawaii and Florida probably “Charmed.” My mom used to Favorite restaurant • Tony’s Café watch it when she was little so when she showed it to me I liked it because it was Favorite TV show • “Riverdale” witches and stuff so that was my favorite Best quarantine habit • Learning card tricks show.

Favorite animal • Horse and turtle If I was stranded on this deserted island I would bring a survival kit, food, and my cousin Morgan because bringing my If it was my last day standing on Earth I would like to cousin Morgan would be loads of fun. Bringing food and a survival kit would be an important factor that I will need. spend the rest of the time on earth with loved ones that I If I had to be a color I would choose rainbow because I love because they are very important to me, and I would like find myself a colorful person and very different, and I am gay to be with them. so that is another way to describe me.

What I do to relax is watch TV and listen to music because it makes me calm. It helps me clear my mind.

On my bucket list I want to go to college at the University of Florida for a golf major. The happiest childhood memory interviewed by austin zenaty • photo by syed hashmi

Quick Facts

6 • the voice february 2021

huntleyvoice.com • 7

D

aniel Farlik

I am always going to be in education, because that is where my dad was, and he was the best teacher I ever had.

7th hour geography, back in Meridian Junior High School, I had my dad. At times, he was Mr. Farlik, but at times, when I really wanted his attention, it turned into dad. I was proud of him then, I am even more proud of him today, for all the things that he did. He was in teaching for 38 years and I always told myself that if I could go and have half the success that he had, in the classroom and outside of it, then I would consider myself a lucky man. And I think I have done that.

I did not teach, being 20, I got out of college and I decided to be a concrete laborer for 8 years of my life. Not the best career move, but I learned a lot and it was really hard work. I am really glad I did it, because it gave me a lot more perspective, and there was some value to working with your hands. Then, I actually decided to get back into education. I started coaching at Stillman Valley. I coached some wrestling there and had some success, and that kinda rekindled the spark.

My family give me advice, it does not necessarily mean I am always going to listen to them, so stuff that I take is stuff that my grandpa gave me, but every day, they are trying to point me in a better direction. Sometimes I listen, sometimes I do not. Mom said “You need to listen to me” so I kinda follow Mom’s advice too. I tell people that too, she is kind of bossy.

If I see something or someone who could do things a little bit better, then it is my place and my time to go ahead

Quick Facts

Favorite place I’ve traveled to •Hawaii Favorite super power • Teleportation Favorite movie • “The Natural” Dream lunch • With past relatives and say so. Not that it is my full responsibility, but I need to help to get kids to understand a little more about the world we live in.

It has been a very kind transition, a fun one. I am not crabby all the time, I am just crabby most of the time, being a teacher instead of a dean. It has made a world of difference for me and I am glad to be back in the classroom and hopefully making a difference in some people’s lives.

8 • the voice february 2021

Energetic Teacher Former Dean

This year, I am teaching Global Studies, which is mainly freshman. I am also teaching American Government, which is mainly sophomores. When I was last in the classroom, I was teaching General Constitution, for about, a four year stint. At one time I taught every single student here at Huntley High School.

In school, I am not signed up for any sponsorships, I have kind of distanced myself from that. I was going to take a year off, with all the extra stuff I did as a dean, although I was approached by one of my students to be a sponsor.

Humza asked me to be the coin collecting club sponsor.

He likes coin collecting, and he was trying to recruit other people to go ahead and do that. Mr. Kempf, he said “I could not think of any other person to sponsor that than you, Mr. Farlik.” I told young Humza ‘maybe’ so then the rest of the office said why do you not do more than just coin collecting; why do you not just make a collections club? And so I said, ‘okay, so long everybody, see you later,’ but it was really neat.

Being able to get back in the classroom and into a more normal routine with good kids almost all of the time is really rewarding and satisfying with the right crew. That was the whole idea here, to be able to go and do that.

interviewed by annaliese harper • photo by sydney laput

“

There is not one big cosmic

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10 • the voice february 2021

N

ina Crement

Kind Daughter Senior

Up until her very last moments on this earth, even though she was unable to express it at the time, I knew my mother loved me and genuinely wanted the best for me.

I watched her as she took her last breath and I couldn’t help but be completely thankful that I was blessed with such a kind spirit for a mom.

Although I know she wouldn’t want me to dwell on the fact that she is no longer here physically, I can’t help but miss her every day.

Following her passing I relied heavily on the presence of my father and older sister. I knew they were the only ones who knew this loss like I did, even though my close friends and the community around me made an effort to be there. It was my family that mattered most.

It was important to me knowing that my Favorite place I’ve traveled to • Carribean family grew closer than ever by trying to keep Favorite restaurant • Rookie’s one another from falling apart. With losing my Favorite TV show • “The Vampire Diaries” mother it made value my father differently.

The love of his life was gone and he was still Best quarantine habit • None responsible for two people and he had no time Favorite animal • Raccoon to take a break. This allowed me to realize that yes although life is short and that nothing lasts forever, being grateful for what you have when you have will help the loss hurt less.

One thing I’m truly grateful for was the time we did get, A quotation that put death into perspective for me was although it was limited I couldn’t have hand picked a better “The worst day of loving someone is the day you lose them”. mother.

I found this to be truer than most quotes i’ve ever heard, The last text message I received from my mother was on If there was one last thing I could say to my mom it my first day of junior year she was hospitalized at the time would be “I hope you’re proud of the person I’m becoming, and still found a way to make me feel special. That message I can’t wait for the day we meet again.” read ‘Happy first day! Call me when you get home’ I would Growing up was rather normal. I had a calm little life in the suburbs, just me, my sister, my mom and my dad. You would think the story goes as follows… happiness, friendships, laughter and love.

While those were and still are key factors of my story they aren’t the only ones. I would consider 7th grade the start of my very first heartbreak. The loss of my mother.

It amazes me how I’m even able to talk about my mom’s story without feeling like I lost a huge part of mine.

Everything seemed to happened so fast… although it didn’t. It was October 2015 when she was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer that we soon found out were also mets in her brain. From then on, I knew things were going to change.

For the next two years everything was pretty stable, routine doctor visits, radiation treatments, and quite a few procedures. This was the new normal, or so we thought until we realized she was only getting sicker.

Something I’ve gained from my loss was a lesson. Life goes on, and with the death of a person does not mean the death of a soul. I know my mom’s spirit watches over me.

The most difficult thing to realize was the fact that she would have to miss my future. From birthdays, to graduations, to meeting my children and just watching me grow up.

This is what made my moms death so very real.

Quick Facts

consider these the last words my mother said to me.

interviewed by riyana walker • photo by sarah baczewski huntleyvoice.com • 11

GMAC 140 Howard Ave. East Dundee, IL 60118 12 • the voice february 2021

K

yle Jenkins

Comical Basketball Coach Teacher

In school, I’m just starting with freshman basketball.

I’m the B team coach for that. I also coach football at Judson University. They started a football program there about two years ago.

I enjoy skiing and stuff like that. Growing up I played football, basketball, and baseball, so I’m interested in that as well.

I met my fiancée at one of my friend’s weddings. She’s my buddy’s cousin. I went to high school with him and we were roommates in college together. Her aunt dragged me onto the dance floor, and we hit it off from there.

I don’t like spiders. I hate spiders, I hate snakes, and anything like that. I’m a big sissy when it comes to that stuff.

I’m a creature of habit and always have the same sandwich for the most part. I always go with a flavored type of turkey with pepper jack cheese. That’s my go-to. Also, I’m more of a chocolate guy. I like Snickers.

I like the caramel, nutty-type taste. I’ve always loved Snickers.

To relax, I golf. I just like getting on Favorite animal • Lion the course and out in the sunshine. It’s Travel destination • Pebble Beach, California relaxing to me. Outside of school, I enjoy golfing when it’s nice out, and I just Favorite movie • Dumb and Dumber went skiing a couple of weeks ago.

Superpower • Flying I don’t like when things are left Lunch with celebrity • Michael Jordan out, like unorganized. I always get on my fiancée when she leaves dishes in the sink or clothes on the floor. It just bothers me. here five days a week before school. I have a passion for With a million dollars, I would buy a house mortphysical fitness and I always wanted to have a career towards that whether it was physical education, personal training, or gage-free, pay straight-up cash for it and start banking my money working here. anything like that. I wanted to do something about physical fitness. I love teaching kids and being involved, and being a role model, I felt this was the best profession to choose to accomplish that.

I was born in Mesa, Arizona. I lived there until I was about two, then we moved to Illinois. I grew up in Itasca for about 23 years. I went to Catholic schools all my life, and both of my parents were in the picture the entire time. My upbringing was great, and my parents were very supportive.

They were always there for me whenever I needed something. I was spoiled quite a bit when I was a kid. I had a great childhood, and I wouldn’t change a thing.

My dad, Robert, passed away in 2014. He had leukemia lymphoma. My mom, Leanne, she’s 60 now, lives in Roselle.

I don’t have any grandparents as of right now that are alive, but my grandparents lived in Arizona. My mom’s side lived a block or two away from me, and whenever I wasn’t at my house, I was at their house for the most part.

I have a younger brother, and he is 30 years old. I also have an older half-brother, and he’s 41 years old. Right now I’m looking after one of my family dogs. I love dogs. We have Ben, a husky, and he’s about nine years old right now. And then we also had Jax, who passed away this past year. He was about 13 and he was a Golden Retriever. I also had a Golden Retriever named Rusty when I was a kid growing up.

I started at Harper College in Palatine. I played football there for a couple of years. Then, I was able to get a scholarship to play football at Northern Illinois University for a couple of years. I was very lucky to experience that. It was a great time for me. I always enjoyed P.E. class in school, and I always lived an active lifestyle. I’m always working out. I’m

Quick Facts

interviewed by shannon magura

• photo by syed hashmi huntleyvoice.com • 13

G

rant

Hochmuth

I am the middle child between two brothers. My little brother Colin is in eighth grade and my older brother Shane goes to the University of Tennessee. I also live with my two awesome parents and my amazing dog.

I currently work at State Farm (Sam Marshall) in Huntley. I truly enjoy working there because it has opened my eyes to how the field of business and sales work. I make calls to people to try and get them to sign up for insurance and to help them with their policies. It has been a great experience and I love my job very much.

I plan to go to college, but when I go, I want to take a different route. I want to choose the option to study abroad, specifically around Europe. It would be my dream to be able to learn about different parts of the world, cultures, and how other people live. Being able to get my degree while exploring this beautiful world would be a dream come true.

Not only learning in school but learning from my experiences would give me the most I could out of my education.

I always expected my last year of high school before my freshman year of college to be way different. I miss being able to see everyone at school and creating those lifelong memories with my classmates; however, I am grateful to be healthy during times like these, and I know that one day I will be able to make amazing, life-changing, and exciting memories.

But in the meantime, I am excited to be back in the building, even if it’s not the same, but it is still something.

Adventurous Photographer Senior want to try and get to know a bunch of new people to live out what is left of my senior year to the fullest.

I enjoy being with new people because it is so exciting and cool to learn about the different people that attend Huntley High School. At the end of the day, we are all seniors who got the short end of the stick on their last year.

My hobbies include photography and skateboarding.

“I am excited to be back in the building, even if it’s not the same, but it is still something. Being able to be in-person has helped me so much...”

Photography allows me to express myself and capture moments that I can keep forever. I like to take pictures of objects, cool scenery, my friends, and honestly everything. I also like to have my picture taken. One of my favorite things to do with my friends is to have a photoshoot and think outside of the box with pictures and including cool props.

Another activity that I enjoy doing with my friends is skateboarding. I enjoy just being able to skate and forget about my problems. Letting go while moving fast is an amazing feeling. It was difficult to learn how to skate at first, but I kept pushing myself and learned how to skate efficiently. It is also fun to bond with your friends and just skate with them. Photography is my creative outlet and skateboarding is my physical outlet.

My favorite thing in life is just Meaning of life • Living it to the fullest and making living in the moment and taking all that good memories life has to offer. I can not wait to see Favorite music artist • Frank Ocean where life takes me and I plan to live Best quarantine habit • Photography it to the fullest. I cannot wait to learn about the beauties of life.

Dream place to travel • Across Europe I plan on being successful, but not being driven by money. I want to do what makes me happy and fulfill my Being able to be in-person has helped me so much with my need to experience everything that life has waiting for me. I grades and helping me feel so connected to the school. I am just excited about the next step. do wish everyone went back or at least the A and B groups were on the same days.

During my senior year, I am just trying to put myself out there and make the best memories with new people. I

Quick Facts

interviewed by kayla sweeney • photo by syed hashmi 14 • the voice february 2021

huntleyvoice.com • 15

E

mma McCoy

I was born in McHenry. Throughout my life, I have still been here in Illinois. My parents raised me to be mature and to work towards what I want in life. When my mom had my eldest brother, they lived with my grandparents. After that, we moved across the street from them until I was about seven.

When I was growing up, we were dependent on my grandparents, but as the years went on my family was able to provide for themselves. Now we are completely independent.

I have three siblings. They are 22, 18, and 15. They live with me and so do my parents. My parents are married, and my family and I moved into our current house last year. I have two cats and two dogs. I am a mixture of things such as Italian, German, European, and Slovak.

My favorite subject is law, and my least favorite is math.

My favorite subject is law because I find it very interesting and it makes me think a lot.

My least favorite subject is math because I never know what I am doing, and it is confusing. In school, I am involved in the Medical Academy and outside of school, I do gymnastics.

The meaning of life is being able to be with the people you love and travel around the world. I would say my goal [is for] everyone [to be] equal and happy.

If I had a million dollars, I would go shopping with my friends, without a doubt, and donate some to people who

Compassionate Gymnast Sophomore

as a kid and dressing up like lots of princesses. I also used to collect stuffed animals, horses in particular.

Alongside that, I would watch a lot of iCarly and Spongebob while eating Nacho Doritos.

My role model, while I was growing up, was my grandpa. He was just so hard-working and just an incredible person. He is also my hero as well.

I stress about school so, so much. I do think education in America is broken. We barely learn things in school, and I feel like we have been taught to just memorize. If I wake up in the middle of the night and worry about one thing, it would be school. I would also say I am most afraid of school as well. My law class is my favorite class, though.

In 10 years from now, I see myFavorite place I’ve traveled to • The Bahamas self becoming a lawyer. If I could give Favorite restaurant • Buffalo Wild Wings any advice to anyone about school, it would be to take it slow and don’t take Favorite TV show • ”The Fosters” anything for granted. I would tell the Best quarantine habit • Making TikToks graduating class that they are capable Favorite animal • Panda of so much and that they’ll do amazing things.

My greatest achievement so far need it. My best friends bring the most joy to my life. My is being able to succeed in gymnastics the last five years, perfect weekend would be hanging out with my friends and and I would have to say one of the happiest moments of my eating good food. life was getting first on beam at my gymnastics meet. In my My happiest childhood memory would be Halloween spare time, all I do is more gymnastics. I would say one of my with my siblings. It was so special because we made so many biggest fears that hold me back is other people judging me memories. Another one of my favorite experiences would be and what I do. traveling and going on cruises with my siblings and parents.

I remember American Girl Dolls being my favorite toy interviewed by zaina mohammed • photo by emma mccoy

Quick Facts

16 • the voice february 2021

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18 • the voice february 2021

A

ngel Lopez

Hardworking Quarterback Junior

There were a lot of things I wanted to do in the past that now I look back on and think, I should have done it. There’s someone in my family that I wasn’t talking to because of some things that happened, but I never got a chance to make up with them [before I left Mexico] and I regret that.

We didn’t really have any problems in Mexico, but my dad got an interview for a job over here. It was a big decision and it took months for us to decide if we were going to move or not. I felt like I needed a change because my routine was the same for years. My mom didn’t want to move at first. It was a big deal for her because she had to leave her family.

My favorite thing about being here is how calm things are. Everything is so chill and there aren’t the same kind of problems that there are in Mexico. Especially when it comes to the government; it doesn’t really affect us here. In the suburbs it’s like living in a bubble.

I didn’t really know if the things I did normally were socially acceptable here. At first, I mostly just vibed by myself for a while until I learned what was a ‘thing’ here. I started texting people and asking them if it was okay or not to do certain things. It really wasn’t much of a change because people are people whether they’re here or there.

[When I first got here] I felt like I was in a whole different world. My first struggle was [with the] language. I knew English but I’d never had a conversation with an English speaker. When I first got to school I sat with a guy, who is now my friend, and I tried to talk to him but Favorite place I’ve traveled to • Chicago it was so hard. It was probably one of Favorite restaurant • Texas Roadhouse the hardest things I’ve ever had to do.

Favorite TV Show • “Suits” I was so embarrassed since I couldn’t understand him.

Best quarantine habit • Started playing piano My freshman year I was too scared Favorite animal • Lions to do things because I didn’t know how other people would react. Then I realized that I shouldn’t care about what people I don’t even like think. they had my brother in 2001. That’s when they moved in I don’t think we came to this world to worry about together and three years later, I happened. I came to bring money or what we’re going to do tomorrow. The important joy to the family. things to worry about are how you’re going to be happy and I have a cousin that’s basically like my twin. I loved hangwhat you are doing to achieve your dreams. ing out with him because it was so much fun. One time we I want to make a name for myself. I feel like I didn’t come spent New Years with my grandmother. All the cousins spent here for nothing. I have to prove to myself that I can do the night and it was a blast. We even painted my brother’s more than I think. face because he fell asleep super early. The next day he yelled at us, but it was so worth it, and we went to Six Flags. interviewed by kate alvarado • photo by syed hashmi I’ve always played sports, football specifically, since fourth or fifth grade. My mom didn’t like the idea at first so we begged her for like three years.

I used to practice [football] at this college that had a junior league. One of the college players told me to always work hard because you never know who could be watching you. Even if you don’t realize it, there will always be people watching so just keep working and someone will notice you.

My first year playing football, there was a coach that only came for a few weeks. That year, no era de los buenos, and I didn’t really stand out, but he saw something in me.

He told me that I had potential but needed to believe in myself more. I started working harder thinking about what he said. I knew I could do better and be someone. That’s when I really found my motivation.

When I was 5 years old, my dad gave me his kicking -t that he used to play with when he was my age. I still have it.

When I came here, I was playing freshman football on the B team and I wasn’t even a starter. The next year I was starting as the JV quarterback, so that was a really big step for me. I’m pretty proud of that, but I still think there’s more I can do.

My dad played football his entire life. He even played in college until he had an accident so he couldn’t play anymore. Then he started working where he met my mom and

Quick Facts

huntleyvoice.com • 19

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20 • the voice february 2021

A

nca Wsol

Loving Survivor Mother

I was born and raised in Transylvania, Romania, and now I’m in the Chicago suburbs. My upbringing wasn’t easy. I was surrounded by love from my family, but grew up with divorced parents where there have been a lot of problems.

I grew up in a communist country, where things are not what they seem, where there weren’t enough opportunities.

If you happened to be against communism, there were no opportunities for you. That made it very difficult to achieve your goal in life.

It’s up to you to find God. In communism, religion was banned, specifically Catholicism, Orthodox, or just about any religion that did not pay homage to communism. But where there’s a will, there’s a way. I still went to church. I still went caroling on Christmas Eve. I still spent every Sunday at church because it was something I enjoyed doing and it was because we were a part of a community. But [religion in Romania] simply does not have the power that religion has here to support the community or to feed the hungry.

It’s just because the communist system does not allow the church to be a part of society.

I’ve seen both sides of the coin. I’ve seen what not having freedom of speech and freedom of religion really is. A lot of people that have been born with it feel entitled to it. But the truth of the matter is that freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of press, and freedom to have a good education is something you earn, and when you [lose that right], you truly know what it means not to have it. People

your dreams. Do not be afraid to put it out there in the universe because you are meant to do that. You need to claim your space in this universe.

Do not be afraid to do so. You are your own person and you need to do what interests you. Believe in yourself and support your dream with your own work and it’ll happen.

[My philosophy in life is to] love as hard as you can. Be truthful with yourself and love even if other people aren’t.

Even if your love is not returned by another person, do not give love with the condition that you must receive it. Because when you give, you enjoy the act of loving someone. If that person no longer loves you, that’s fine. You don’t have to do any of it. But don’t ever regret loving someone.

Someone who [is a good friend] is loyal, someone who has the patience to listen to you, and also someone that has the ability to tell you the truth even when they don’t agree with you. Someone who supports you and helps you see the truth when you yourself don’t see it.

My grandfather [was a huge influFavorite place I’ve traveled to • Hawaii ence in my life]; I loved my grandpa and Favorite restaurant • Mama’s Fish House in Maui his beliefs in life. He was a person of low education with tremendous integrity.

Favorite Movie • “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” He had a huge influence on my life and Best quarantine habit • Washing my hands specifically my decision on what type of Favorite animal • Cats a person I would ever want to date or accept a date. They had to be someone who had integrity and had to be someneed to appreciate what they have. one that I knew 100% I can depend on that person. And that This is addressed to my daughter, who is a teenager, had a huge impact and the type of person I chose to marry. and to women in general: [I learned to] never, ever date Also Dr. Mary Anne Player, who was a professor of biology at someone because you’re lonely. Never give up on your stan- Wright college, was a huge influence in my life. She helped dards of dating, of who you think the right people are for me set a course in my life when I came here by helping me you, because when you make that mistake, it’s never good go and apply to be accepted at the Art Institute of Chicago. and you give up a little bit of who you are.

[To the graduating class] Believe in yourself and follow interviewed by melina wsol • courtesy of anca wsol

Quick Facts

huntleyvoice.com • 21

U

mer Khan

I collect hoodies, accessories, and shoes. I used to collect watches and I had six watches that were high end. I also collected water bottles and anything that had a ‘hype’ name to it. Right now I have about 20 hoodies and 40 pairs of shoes.

I first started collecting apparel because of the vibe I was getting in high school my freshman year. I saw everybody else wearing super nice clothes like Supreme and Louis Vuitton and stuff like that so I decided I should try [it]. I saved up and invested myself into getting some stuff and it put me on my business path.

I used to sell apparel, but right now I just have my own stuff. When I used to sell, I sold like crazy. I was a supplier and as a supplier I had contacts in China, Thailand, and Indonesia, which I would contact if a client came to me and needed shoes or anything else. I got it from over there to here and then sold it.

Enthusiastic Shoe collector Senior About two years ago, I had a sudden craze to get reptiles and eventually I got my first snake which was a pastel ball python. Now I have two snakes; one carpet python and one kenyan sand boa and I also have a red belly piranha. I have been exposed to reptiles since I was like 4. A lot of people have a fear of reptiles but I think mine just kind of faded out. I find that if you respect the animals they will respect you.

“Currently I am starting my own business in reptiles where I want to breed reptiles and sell them for profit.”

[The biggest change I have made is] my personality. If you talk to freshman me vs current me, freshman me was quiet and shy. I liked sitting alone and even during lunch in middle school, I ate in the school library. I feel like I have opened myself up more after freshman year.

Favorite place I’ve traveled to • Turkey My favorite childhood experience is going Favorite restaurant • Burger King to Pakistan with my family. I am Pakistani and my parents are both from Pakistan. I enjoyed going Favorite TV show • “The Office” there because while everyone says it’s a third world Best quarantine habit • Watching Netflix country, it opened my eyes to what the world really Favorite animal • Leucistic monocled Cobra looks like compared to the facade that we are hiding under. The food was also amazing, the people were awesome, and I got to meet my cousins.

Selling was a fun thing to do. I made connections, talked The best advice I was ever given was if you don’t ask, to people, and built my customer service skills. I also built you don’t know. That was given to me by my dad and has my business skills. Of course I [made] mistakes, but mistakes worked for me every time. If you don’t ask anybody, you will are valuable in the fact that if you do not make mistakes, you never know if they want your product or if they want to hire will never know what you did wrong. you or that they want to even talk to you.

I would get around 300 clients a month in the US and My biggest pet peeve is people saying things about [internationally]. I was on Discord for a while and Instagram themselves that are not true. I personally hate frauds and advertising myself all over social media. It was to the point people who just pretend and completely disregard who they where I didn’t even have to post, people just came to me are. I prefer somebody who has less achievements and less knowing my name. accomplishments but they are genuine because then I know Currently I am starting my own business in reptiles they aren’t gonna lie to me. where I want to breed reptiles and sell them for profit. Eric If I had 24 hours to live, I would probably hang out with Ockerlund is my business partner in this. We are both going my family, watch a movie or two. I would do what I regularly to conventions and just looking around, scouting, and buying do except I would not do my homework because it would reptiles. For me it is like [collecting] shoes because there are not matter at that point. At the very end for like the last four different types and different color ways. Snakes have differhours, I would go and steal a Lamborghini and go on a joy ent genetics which can cause them to have different patterns ride because who is going to stop me. and different colors, which people prize a lot. interviewed by alex hartleb • photo by sydney laput

Quick Facts

22 • the voice february 2021

huntleyvoice.com • 23

D

ave Erwin

My close family members call me “Crocky,” and the meaning of life for me is to live everyday to the fullest and to leave this world with no regrets.

My injury was caused by years and years of harm that I had done to my own body. I had a hernia in my pelvic area.

I had put my body through so much constant moving from gymnastics, my high school sport, and working long hours of labor most days after highschool. After a while it got to the point where it needed to be fixed.

I drove myself to the hospital and went through the entire operation by myself. The only time I needed a close friend to help me was when I needed a ride home.

The hospital I went to was Good Shepherd hospital in Barrington. I had my surgery in May of 2003. I was 42 years old and it had taken me 10 years of pain to realize I needed to go to a doctor and get myself checked out.

When I found out that surgery was the necessary option, I was scared. But on the bright side of that situation, I did not have to go to sleep. They basically gave me an Epidural, so I felt no pain during the operation. I also had a drug that made me have no idea what was going on. One of the nurses had told me it was considered a “date rape” drug.

To sum it up, I was numb from the waist down and was not in my own mind.

The operation was only 40 minutes and as I was becoming more conscious and aware from the operation, I felt like I was floating on a bed. I felt amazing. I had actually told my

Enduring Surgery patient 59 years old

was when I had felt excruciating pain. I had to stop work for eight weeks which was not enjoyable because I am the type of person who has to have productive days.

The doctors said that it is arguably one of the worst pains someone can experience, especially a man. Everytime I would cough, sneeze, or do anything really, the pain was almost unbearable. But luckily my amazing mother had taken care of me.

They do not compare it to a woman giving childbirth, but they explained that it is the closest thing a man can experience to see what childbirth is like.

The pain I was in had completely changed my perspective on going to the doctor. I am typically not the type Favorite place I’ve traveled to • Mexico of person who rushes to a doctors Favorite restaurant • Rokbonki Japanese Steak House office when something is off with Favorite movie • “Can’t Buy Me Love” me, but if I ever feel that type of pain again, I will be that person.

Best quarantine habit • Binging TV series With everything that had hapFavorite animal • Wolf pened with this hernia, I would not say that this was a traumatic experience for me. The situation was scary nurse that whatever they were giving me, to just keep them but it is a different type of scary compared to real world coming. I had to be at the hospital a couple hours after the issues. operation because the drugs had to wear off and the nurses The only thing that still scares me about what happened had to do follow-ups on my healing progress. is that because I had this hernia on the left side of my body, I The treatment I had at the hospital was amazing. The will most likely have to have the same operation on the right drugs had made me flirt with one of the nurses when I was side. Fortunately, that day has not come. not even aware of where I was at.

After I had left the hospital, the coming days and weeks interviewed by rayne zilch • photo courtesy of dave erwin

Quick Facts

24 • the voice february 2020

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huntleyvoice.com • 25

26 • the voice february 2021

L

ance Leigh

Curious Traveler Sophomore

down the side of the sand dunes together, so that was pretty cool.

My most traumatic experience was when I was in the airport in Dubai and there was a lot of security there. I was younger, probably like 8 years old. I accidentally had a lot of bottles of sunscreen and lotion in my backpack, which is wrong to have on a plane. So I had to go back there and all these people were standing around me while they searched my bag. Being so little, I was so afraid of them.

If I could make the world listen, I’d like for people to understand each other better. I feel like there’s so many arguments that could be avoided if we just agreed to disagree. It would be more peaceful.

I don’t know if education is broken, but it’s definitely outdated. There’s a lot of people who learn in different ways and want to learn about different things. I feel like a lot of the things we learn about, we can’t apply in the same way people used to be able to. It needs to be changed more specifically for certain kids and what they want to learn, rather than just general education where we learn a bunch of stuff that 90% of it we’ll never use again. Like in math, half the equations I use in Geometry and Algebra I’m never going to look at again. I’d rather be using my time learning something that maybe I want to go into a career in the future with.

I’m most afraid of not experiencing my dreams. I want to be able to travel when I’m older and see all these different cultures. Not being able to accomplish that and being old and not having done it scares me the most.

The motto I live by is always work hard. Even if it feels like no one’s noticing how hard you’re working, Favorite place I’ve traveled to • Singapore it’ll pay off in the end. Just keep pushing through Favorite restaurant • Outback no matter how hard things get. If you really want to accomplish it, don’t let obstacles scare you away. If Favorite TV show • “Grey’s Anatomy” it’s people telling you that you can’t do things, or if Best quarantine habit • Working out daily it’s really hard for you at first, just keep trying, keep learning, and ignore them. Stay positive about it.

Favorite animal • Turtle A good friend is someone you can trust and talk to about your problems. You don’t have to feel afraid of how you feel, you can just tell them, and they’ll accept goes somewhere or something, but I think that nothing that and help you out. happens. I was raised as a Christian, going to church, etc.

The most influential people in my life are people like My grandparents and my mom are really religious. I want to Anthony Bourdain. He died, but he just traveled the world believe in God, but I feel like I don’t really. I’m just skeptical and did what he wanted to do. He showed different cultures about religion in general. and met different people; I think that’s really inspiring.

My favorite vacation was Dubai. We came to this one place like a big sand dune. We got to go snowboarding interviewed by abby panier • photo by sarah baczewski

If I could live anywhere, I’d definitely live in Singapore, just because I used to live there and I love it. It’s always really warm. It’s always summertime, so you can do a lot of things outside, which I love to be outdoors. It’s an island so there’s beaches and water. It’s basically what I love and all my favorite things. The food there is great too.

I would say [in Singapore] they speak mostly English and then some Mandarin Chinese. If you talk to someone though, they’ll know English. You can learn in English, mostly. My sister learned more Chinese than I did because she was older than me when we lived there. I’ve taken Chinese for the past three years at school.

I was born in Hoffman Estates, but I lived in Singapore for almost 3 years and I’ve lived in America. It was always me, my mom, my dad, and my sister. We were always a close family, we did a lot of stuff together. We’re really close with my grandparents, and I was introduced to sports by my cousins. I learned a lot of stuff from them.

I got really into history and geography and all that stuff from my dad and his job. My family always traveled together.

I’m not really close to the [relatives] on my mom’s side, they live in Michigan. It’s nice to see them, but we’re not really that close. The cousins on my dad’s side who live here we’re really close with like I always grew up with them and I’d go to their house when my parents were working.

When we die, I want to think so badly that your spirit

Quick Facts

huntleyvoice.com • 27

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For more news, sports, and features, visit huntleyvoice.com today!

V

all about our website

huntleyvoice.com Our staff works together to create an engaging and informational website for and about our community. With daily uploads, staffers write articles about current events in Huntley. In addition each staffer is given the opportunity to express themsleves through a fun, personal assignemt. We hope to keep growing our community engagement during a time where many feel isolated. Check out huntleyvoice.com/ for a sneak peek of our content featured below.

Photo Gallery photo taken by S. Laput

Each month, our photographers take a series of photos that capture a specific event around Huntley High School. After they and post them on the web for your enjoyment. This month, photo editor Sydney Laput took photos of the varisty poms performing at the newly constructed blackbox theater. See photos like these and many more on the web.

Personality Video

video created by H. Urbanczyk

Every cycle Holly chooses the focus of her video blogs to be on ways to volunteer around the community. During this video she goes in depth on the Grafton Food Pantry. She gives her insight on how to better get involved and even how to sign up to get more hours.

Sports Feature

article writen by N. Darnall

“As his team enters the rink, the cold air rushes past their bodies.

They slide around the ice with perfect grace and control. They practice taking shots at the goal and work on doing specific drills; their entire team flaunting their skills. Their competitors, the Glenview Stars, arrive on the ice bringing the same intense game face...”

huntleyvoice.com • 29

H

annah Kubelka

I don’t think there’s anything specific on my bucket list.

Like, I don’t want to go skydiving or anything, but I think in like the next 10 years, I just want to go to college and get a nice job, have a family, those things.

The first few times I went snowboarding, I was so tired and just not having it. But after a while, I was just like “I’ve gotta send it” and then it definitely got more fun.

The most recent time I’ve gone snowboarding, I went with my friend. He’s never snowboarded before, so it was fun for me because it was like “I kind of know how, I can show you what I know, but we’ll be falling together.”

Snowboarding is a high you’ve never felt in your life; it’s amazing. Normally, there’s not too many people on the hills. When you’re going, feeling the wind in your face when you’re going super fast, it’s the best feeling.

I haven’t been snowboarding for long, only a few months. But I go all the time now. I’ve gone 5 times this winter. I just started, but my family and siblings have all been snowboarding forever. I was the last one to learn, but I think I’ve learned pretty quick because I have lots of people to teach me.

I’ve had my yellow snow pants for 7 years. That’s definitely something. The rest of my gear is hand-me-downs from my siblings. It’s all been in the family for a bunch of years, but I think it’s funny that my snowpants are from when I was actually like, 8 years old.

The craziest thing I’ve ever done is volunteer at a

Adventurous Snowboarder Sophomore

older, like Marylin Monroe. I think it’d be interesting to see the difference between their times and ours, especially with beauty standards. Like, Marilyn was the most beautiful woman in the world in her time, but the beauty standard has changed so much.

My dream house would be something in the woods, like in the middle of nowhere. But I want something big with lots of land. More of a cabin style house. I want a farm with cows and stuff.

My last meal would definitely be chicken fettuccine alfredo, from anywhere.

If I had a million dollars, I would go on vacation. I know I’ve got to say I’d put some of the money away for college and stuff, but I’d definitely want to go on a tropical vacation, probably Hawaii.

My favorite holiday is Christmas. I think everyone likes Christmas but I love the winter, so it’s my favorite season and holiday all in one. Also, I like getting time to spend with my family. Christmas is the only time I can see all of my family.

I’ve connected with old people that I haven’t talked to in a long time because of snowboarding. Relatives and friends that are in Snow Raiders, people I haven’t talked to in years text me saying “Oh my gosh, you snowboard?” and I’ll say “Yeah I just started” and then they say “Oh well we should go sometime!” Trying to make plans out of snowboarding, that’s cool.

My family has never really had something that all of us enjoy doing together, but even my brother who doesn’t live with Favorite place I’ve traveled to • Door County, Wisconsin us anymore says “we should Favorite restaurant • Qdoba go snowboarding sometime! It would be so fun!” and I’m like Favorite TV show • “Love It or List It” “Oh my gosh, that’s never hapBest quarantine habit • Better morning routine pened before.”

Favorite animal • Grizzly bear My biggest fear is doing something wrong that would make people not want to be zoo. I worked at the Brooklyn Zoo for a week, and the next friends with me any more, or leave my life. And then not summer I went to the Columbus Zoo. At the Brooklyn Zoo, I realizing what I did wrong. mainly helped with the aquatic animals, like sea lions, but in If I could tell my younger self one thing, it’d be it doesn’t Columbus I kind of did a little bit of everything. I got to work matter if you’re popular or not, be yourself. The friends with rhinos and giraffes. you have now will probably not be the friends you have in If I could have dinner with anyone, it’d be someone high school, or the rest of your life. Being yourself is more important than being friends with people who won’t last forever. interviewed by ally panzloff • photo by sara baczewski

Quick Facts

30 • the voice february 2021

huntleyvoice.com • 31

L

exy Allen

Thoughtful LGBTQ+ Confident

I was born in Elgin, Illinois with my two siblings.

I switched schools again in eighth grade, and then I In sixth grade, we moved to three different towns, so stayed in that town. we switched in between two different schools and lived I have three tattoos that have the most significant in some really bad places. Some even without carpet and meaning to me. The first two I got are two different sets just concrete floors. It was awful, but that’s just what my of coordinates locating to two houses I grew up in. One mom could afford. house in Wisconsin which was my grandparents’ house, From seventh grade, until sophomore year, we moved and the second house in Illinois. The meaning behind to a town called Nina, Wisconsin. That’s where my siblings live right now.

Seventh grade was probably my Dream Vacation • Oregon hardest year. My sister was a freshman at the time and her dad passed Lunch with a celebrity • Frank Ocean away but she had never met him Favorite movie • “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” before, so she took it really hard. That Super power • Flying, driving is a lot of work is the point of time when I was coming to terms with my sexuality.

Favorite animal • Pit bull or shark I did have a boyfriend and I felt so bad because I met the only fully out gay girl at my school, so I just became friends with her these was that growing up I moved so many times I never and developed a big crush on her, but she already had a really felt like there was a home for me, but these two girlfriend. I started dating the girl I had a crush on’s sister, houses were the two I grew up in the longest, so they felt but I did not really like her. I don’t really know why I dated like the closest thing to home. her, but then, my siblings found out.

My third tattoo is of a Shel Silverstein poem called At that point I had not come out, it was just like me “Colors” and to sum it up it is about how everyone is dating a girl without them knowing basically. So, they told different in their own way. my mom and she was okay with it. Once they understood In the past I have spent a lot of time trying to please what it actually meant for me to be gay, they were really people. I cared a lot about what other people thought accepting, and the rest of my family has always been about my upbringing and how I did not really have much accepting. growing up, and it is shaped my meaning of life. There came a point in time where I realized it was making me so unhappy to be such a people pleaser that I stopped and started focusing on myself, my mental health, and the things I wanted to do.

If I could take anything out of what I have been through it’s that I am my number one person and I need to take care of myself first.

My meaning of life is that there is no specific meaning, but in a variation to myself and my life experiences it’s to live how you want to live, and live for yourself.

I’m not entirely sure what my future will look like, but I look forward to enjoying every inch of it I can. My main goal is to have a family, a wife, and kids to share better experiences in life than I did growing up. I think that would be the ultimate joy of a lifetime. interviewed by natalie vonderheide • photos courtesy of lexy allen

Quick Facts

32 • the voice february 2021

huntleyvoice.com • 33

34 • the voice december 2020

N

oah Loiacono

Strong Big brother Third Grader

My dream job is being a firefighter because my dad was a firefighter [before] he joined the Marines, and I kind of want to see what it’s like to be a firefighter, how you put out the fire, and how everything works. If [a person’s] house burned down, I would help them. I believe I can be a really good firefighter when I grow up like my dad. My dad [is my role model] because he’s strong. He protects us.

My favorite subject is probably science. In second grade, we were watching geysers for class, and we tried to make bubbles start rising out. So we put this stuff in, and it started to rise. We all went like “Whoa!”

I’m good at basketball. I’ve played for three years. For two weeks [this season], I did basketball, but since this whole situation happened, they canceled it. I was looking forward to meeting everyone.

Our favorite baseball team is the White Sox. I’m going to play baseball in the spring [through the Huntley Park District]. I’ve been playing for five years. I like to bat, sit on the bench, and watch with some of my friends [who] sit by me. It is really fun.

For me, what makes a good friend is how we help each other. Helping them when they need help.

I’m smart. I’m cool. I’m a little strong.

It’s kind of fun [having a little brother] because I get to help him. When he was about to be born, I was a little nervous about what was going to happen next. Liam is about to be seven, but right now, he’s six.

We had handcuffs too.

My favorite animal is a puppy. We do have a one-yearold dog, and his name is Charlie. He’s a white and yellow lab.

He’s big now. He’s crazy and a stinker sometimes. I like to run with him around the house, but not too fast or he’ll scrape the floor. I like to cuddle and sleep with him.

One of the happiest moments of my life was when we got Charlie. When we got him, it felt like we knew him because he kind of reminded me of [our old dog]. Charlie saw me, and he ran up to me and jumped on me.

A couple of months ago, we went to Universal Studios in Florida. That was cool. We got to see these lizards, and I almost caught one. I went on a Hulk roller coaster. At first, when it was launched, I was like “AHHHH” because it went fast.

My superpower would be strength, so I can lift stuff.

Like I could lift a fire truck or a whole building.

I collect shells and rocks. I would get them from my uncles.

Last year, we went there and stayed in a cabin, like a cottage.

We went to the beach, and we found crab arms, rocks, and shells.

My most prized possession is my bunk bed. We built it from scratch. I burnt my finger a little bit. I got to sand [the pieces]. I helped a little bit with building Liam’s bed. It took us two days, and we got to finish it after church. I got to sleep in it last night. It was comfy. It felt higher because I’ve never slept in a bunk bed.

I would go back in time to when dinosaurs were around, so I could see what a megalodon looks like. [If I was in that time], I’d be in an egg of a dinosaur.

Favorite place I’ve traveled to • Florida I would turn into a megalodon. They’re Favorite restaurant • Dairy Mart so big, and they can catch huge prey. I would see what it’s like to hunt in the Favorite TV show • ”The Mandalorian” water and have gills.

Best quarantine habit • Playing family board games On my ideal day, I would do a lot of Favorite animal • Puppy things. The most fun [thing] I would do is if we got a trampoline, I would stay on the trampoline as long as I could with My brother got [an Xbox]. It’s kind of both of ours. We my cousins. can play Mario Kart, but my brother downloaded Fortnite.

Skittles are my favorite candy, and I like the green the There are these really good guns, and it’s cool. In Mario Kart, best. my [character] is Bowser, Donkey Kong, Silver Mario, or Dry If I could make the world listen, I would say “Believe Bowser. He is like a Bowser, but he is made of rocks. in yourself.”

When I was 5, I was a SWAT [officer] with Liam for Halloween. Then, when we would go to a house, we would say trick-or-treat, and we’d be like, ‘Are you safe in your house?’ interviewed by ellie armstrong • photo by ellie armstrong

Quick Facts

huntleyvoice.com • 35

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B

eyonce Paez

Laid-back Color Guard Junior

I have three sisters: Celine who is 22 years old, Antonella who is 3, and Romina who is just a year old. All three of them live with me and my parents. Other than that, it’s just our pets. My older sister has a turtle who’s named Monjiro and our cat who’s named Chappie.

My family used to live in Woodstock [Illinois] and then we moved to Huntley. Growing up, I wouldn’t really say my household was chaotic; it was just the four of us back then.

Now there’s two more younger sisters to handle, so that keeps most of us on our feet.

Before quarantine hit, I was a part of Color Guard. If I’m being honest, the only reason I joined was because my parents wanted me to do something after school. I could’ve chosen something different, like I don’t know, a club, but something that I really like about color guard is how mesmerizing the routines are.

I didn’t join Color Guard right away. In fact, during my freshman year I couldn’t really imagine myself ever doing something like it. Something about the way the flags moved and the colors were really soothing, if that makes sense.

After I joined, I was able to go to competitions and watch other schools do their performances. Sure, we never really won anything, but it was really cool to just watch what each school would do.

My favorite subject has to be history; I’ve always loved learning about it. I don’t know, it’s just interesting that so many things have happened over the course of who knows

advice.

I am terrified of clowns, I’m not sure if I would go to the extent of calling it a phobia, but something about clowns just makes me uneasy. It could be the exaggerated face paint that they use or the clothes they wear, who knows.

When it comes to what brings me the most joy in life, there’s only one thing I can think of: chocolate. I just love the taste of it, and it doesn’t have to be some fancy, grade-A chocolate, it could just be anything.

While I do love chocolate, I cannot stand the taste of dark and white chocolate. For me, dark chocolate is just really bitter, and you might say, ‘well not only dark chocolate is bitter.’

Sure that might be the case but, I just don’t like it. Same goes with white chocolate, it just has a really strange taste to it.

For me, true happiness would be owning a ton of money. Sure you could say that being with your true love is what true happiness is all about, but I Favorite place I’ve traveled to • Japan just don’t want to be homeless. I mean, Favorite food • Chocolate you could still find the love of your life while you have a ton of money and on Favorite TV show • “The Promised Neverland” the plus side, the bills would be paid.

Best quarantine habit • Eating, if it counts Other than our trip to Japan, one of Favorite animal • Seals the best vacations I ever went to was when I visited the Florida Everglades. It was just me and my parents since my what and that in present time we’re able to learn about it. older sister wanted to stay behind. We saw a bunch of differAs for my least favorite subject, it’s obviously math, there’s ent animals, including alligators. We also got to see a bunch so many people that hate math that it shouldn’t be surpris- of nature stuff, which was refreshing since in Illinois you ing at this point. don’t really get that. In my opinion, visiting the Everglades is Some advice that I would give to freshmen is that they better than going to Disneyland or Universal since you don’t need to pay attention in class, turn work in on time, and not really get to experience that naturistic feeling. procrastinate because work will start piling up. That’s something that a lot of people say but I believe it’s some good interviewed by sara gebka • photo by sydney laput

Quick Facts

huntleyvoice.com • 37

A

mber Kowalski

If I could change one thing about the world it would be all of the poverty in the world. There are a lot of people in the world that do not have a lot of opportunities, and I would really like to help them.

The biggest mistake I have ever made was not trying something and instead shying away, such as not doing that job interview or audition.

When I was in middle school, I definitely changed myself for the worse because I thought I needed to be like the popular kids and that I needed to be cool to fit in.

It did not work. It did not make me a better person. That impacted me a lot and it made me realize that I did not need to change.

The Ving Project is a non-profit organization based in Chicago where teenagers can make a short video explaining why a certain individual deserves 1 thousand dollars.

If they are chosen, they are given the opportunity to present a check to them to help them out in any way possible.

Quick Facts

Favorite place • New York City Favorite celebrity • Timothee Chalamet Favorite movie • “Me Before You” Best super power • Flight Favorite animal • Kangaroo I learned about The Ving Project through a social media post from Huntley High School and I knew exactly who to nominate for this donation.

My Neighbor’s Cousin tragically lost his life in a motorcycle incident and it was horrible for his family. He was an organ donor and his family needed money to help pay off medical bills and to help with other costs.

I decided to give them the money because I knew that they really needed it and they were the first people who came to mind.

I submitted my video and I was nominated by The Ving Project to present them with the check.

It was such a heartwarming experience presenting them the check and seeing their faces light up. If I could do it again, I would.

If I could make the world listen to me say anything, I 38 • the voice february 2021

Outgoing Activist Sophomore would tell everyone to never give up and to never quit because it’s never worth it.

Some of my favorite activities include being on our high school’s cheerleading team along with taking extra tumbling classes. Out of school I was involved in The Ving Project and I currently have a job.

I lived in Huntley for almost my entire life. I was born

“If I could make the world listen to me say anything. I would tell everyone to never give up and to never quit because it’s never worth it.” about 30 minutes away from Huntley and I lived in South Elgin, and then moved to Huntley.

My family is pretty small, living with my brother Adam and my parents. I only have one aunt and uncle on my mom’s side, with a younger cousin, and two aunts and uncles on my dad’s side with my two cousins.

My dad’s parents passed away and my other grandparents are alive and doing well. I also have two dogs, Penny and Peanut, and they are both Chihuahua doxin.

Ten years from now I see myself either as an engineer or something in psychology, and hopefully with a family. I would love to stay close in Huntley, or at the very least stay close to my parents.

Some things I would like to achieve on my bucket list to travel the world and explore as much as possible. I would also love to do a big scale charity project.

If I were given a million dollars I would first spend it on some of the family’s hospital bills and cover any costs that my family needs to cover.

I would then use the rest of the money to help those in need all around the world and help eliminate poverty and promote peace.

My favorite subject in school is math, and my least favorite is English.

The most Influential people in my life are my parents, they support me in everything and they help me with everything that they possibly can.

One piece of advice that I would give to my younger self would be to never stop being yourself because of what someone else said, do not change yourself.

interviewed by megan curry

• photo by sydney laput

huntleyvoice.com • 39

40 • the voice february 2021

J

uan Acevedo

Determined Baseball player Coach

My background is definitely very Mexican.

I believe I got my work habits from my mother. We are workaholics. I love to complete. I am not a guy that sits down too much.

After high school I really didn’t get what I wanted. I was very young. I kind of was mad at the world. So I started my own detail shop but I realized that I didn’t want to detail cars for the rest of my life. My first love was baseball so I went back to college, got drafted, and the rest is history.

I was drafted in 1992. I spent eight years in the major leagues. I played for 22 years professionally, here and in Mexico.

There are two coaches who had a big impact on me when I was younger. I had a coach when I was 15 and 16 that told me that I wasn’t going to make it. Me being determined and knowing how I was, I accepted the challenge. I didn’t listen to him. And then when I did get drafted I had a coach, Rick Dempsey, that pushed me. He was very hard on me. He was old school. But at the same time, when he scolded me to get smarter, to get better, he also gave me a pat on the back and told me “You’re learning because you have to learn to play at a high level. You have to let things go and then you have to learn how to refocus.” I think that’s one of the reasons I like to coach now. I know what talent is but I want [to coach] kids that don’t have a shot because maybe I can make them better. If they are coachable, I can definitely make them better.

hard on myself. [I needed to] learn how to laugh at myself a little more during my playing career because I laugh at myself now more than ever, but at the same time I think there were times where I drove myself nuts because I was too hard on myself. I would overthink in my mind. You have to tell yourself to relax and that you had a good outing. You made a good pitch there or you didn’t make a good pitch there. It’s just something where you have to learn from your mistakes. You have to learn from your failures. This is the way you will become better.

There were a couple [coaches] that were very good, a lot that were so-so, and there were probably more that were just bad coaches. But you have to learn as they say, how to filter what is going to work for you. But the one that I will always remember is my pitching coach in Double A where I became Double A pitcher of the year. I had a bad game; I had a bad first couple innings. I walked like five guys in the first couple innings and I didn’t like doing that, I hated doing that. And I asked him, “Coach I can’t figure it out, I’m throwing a lot of balls, what am I doing wrong?” And I loved that guy because he made me think a little bit more. He said, “I don’t know, figure it out.” So of course I got mad right away because I was like, “how is this guy not helping me. I trust this guy.” But at the same time it clicked. I was like I better learn now, because if I don’t learn now, nobody else is going to help me.

He actually did me a favor because he started making me think a little bit more about what I had to do. I had to become my own pitching coach. Even if you’ve had coaches that have been around a lot Favorite place I’ve traveled to • Mexico of games, coaches that coached Hall of Favorite restaurant • Whatever my wife cooks.

Famers, you have to know what works for you. Get advice from them, try to Favorite TV show • “Family Feud” apply it, and if it doesn’t work, move Best quarantine habit • Washing my hands on.

Favorite animal • Dogs I continued despite the obstacles because I love the game. I love to compete. Even right now with [my son] My first couple years of high school I wasn’t very big. I Abraham, when we play Jenga, I don’t like to lose. With my knew I wasn’t very big, but I always believed in myself. You 6-year-old Alex, when we play checkers, I don’t like to lose. knew who you were competing with and unfortunately in So I am very competitive. It was a challenge. I knew it was life, especially in high school, there is a lot of politics. But a way to help the family. But I loved it, I knew that was my like my mom said, all you can do is play as hard as you can. dream. I knew I could achieve it and I think I proved people That’s all you can do. You can’t control the rest. wrong too.

I think there are a couple things I would change [about my career]. The most important one is not to have been so interviewed by luma acevedo • photo by syed hashmi

Quick Facts

huntleyvoice.com • 41

B

rock Larkin

I have three brothers and one sister. I live with my wife, three daughters and one son. I also have three dogs, two cats, and twenty chickens. We are getting two goats in March.

My hobbies outside of the police force usually include being outdoors, fishing, and hunting. I also play outside with my kids.

My favorite subject in school was criminal justice, gym, and those types of classes. My least favorite subject was math. In college, I took oceanography, and it was the most difficult class I have ever taken.

I was born in Illinois. I’ve grown up in Huntley since third grade, and went to Huntley High School. I studied criminal justice at American Military University. When I was in the Air Force, I lived in Texas and North Dakota.

Before I joined the Air Force, I had wanted to be a cop. It was my goal from high school. The main reason I wanted to be a cop was because I always enjoyed helping people that can’t help themselves, or take care of certain things.

Nothing has really changed for me in regards to being a police officer during these tough times in our country. I still go out and do the same job regardless of people’s opinions. I do the job I signed up for as best I can.

Oct. 9 was a normal morning until we got a call. I had just gotten on shift around 6:00 a.m. I could see the smoke from Route 47 and Algonquin Road.

Two sides of the house were completely in flames and there were a bunch of people outside. They were trying to

Hard working Hero Police officer

When I saw the woman and her dog in the basement, I saw a small window. I told the woman that she had to come out. She was trying to get her dog, which was drifting in and out of consciousness. I told her to lift the dog out to a neighbor and me. We pulled the dog out, then she stood on an end table and I Favorite place I’ve traveled to • Disneyland pulled her out.

Favorite restaurant • Chik-Fil-A Once everybody was out of the house, the Favorite TV show • “The Office” house was going to burn. Our job was to keep traffic out of the way and shut down the area. We Best quarantine habit • More time with kids were going to let the fire department do its job.

Favorite animal • Wolf When they told me that I would be receiving the Department Life Saving Award, it felt really good. I don’t really care for the recognition figure out what was going on. because it’s just any other day on the job for me, but it’s I was asking people if anyone was still in the house and cool that the department and the village recognize stuff like someone told me a woman was still in the basement with that. her dog. I went to the back of the house and there were interviewed by zoe emerson photo by sarah baczewski neighbors there.

Quick Facts

42 • the voice february 2020

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huntleyvoice.com • 43

A tribute to

Shannon Daly On Oct. 20, the Huntley community was shocked and saddened by the news that junior Shannon Daly had passed. She was a sister, daughter, stepdaughter, friend, artist, and classmate to so many. As we began interviewing her friends and family, we understood that the best way to tell her story would be through those who knew her best.

Interviews by Ellie Armstrong, Amelia Pozniak, Kate Alvarado, and Nikki Darnall Photos courtesy of Samantha Daly, Aiden Hamilton, and Sean McGuckin Artwork done by Shannon Daly

44 • the voice february 2021

Maureen Daly

M

y favorite trait of hers was her creativity. She was kind. She liked animals, yes, but she also liked people.

I was surprised I was having twins. There was nothing alike about Samantha and Shannon [though].

Ellen was only 14 months old when they were born, so I had three kids in diapers. A lot of people asked how I handled it.

I say, “I don’t remember the first 7 years.” There was a lot of work. But [we were] very happy.

I was very happy when they were healthy. They were 38 weeks, which is unusual for twins. They were full size: 6 pounds, 10 ounces for Shannon, and 6-4 for Samantha.

They were full-size babies and a lot of times twins don’t come out that healthy or that strong. Other than that, they were just like the crown jewel. It was amazing to have healthy twins.

[As a kid], she cried a lot. She was always crying. She really was. And she had one favorite toy called Bear that, you know, she was inseparable from. She was always just kind of an anxious person.

We went on a trip to Universal Studios in Orlando, and we stayed at a hotel. [One of my favorite memories of her is] just her in the swimming pool every day. There was a lazy river that we couldn’t keep her out of the water, and she loved to swim in pools. So any time she had a chance, she’d grab the inner tube and go.

Shannon hated school. She went to school, but it was never a favorable part of her existence. It was something that she had to tolerate. There’s no way to sort of sugarcoat the fact that not everybody likes school, and e-learning didn’t make it better. With e-learning, there was no reason to get out of bed, so it was hard.

[One time], she drew [a family friend and artist] a unicorn, and she wanted to show him that not all things had to be scary because everything he drew were like scary creatures. She ended up drawing him some sort of horse, so she had her own commissioned horse picture from an artist.

For most of her life, she kept railing against how disgusting tea was and then she finally drank it and couldn’t stop.

Winter was her favorite season. She always built snowmen. Tim and Shannon always did it with her.

Her favorite thing to do as a family was when we went on vacation, she would always want everyone to go into the pool. She did like to swim.

We used to go to the Bristol Renaissance Faire once a summer. That’s always fun. She hated the car ride, but she liked being there.

Mother Shannon was kind There were a lot of [meaningful] conversations I had with her. I’m not really comfortable sharing [specifics]. I’m of course her mom, so a lot of things we talked about were like, “How are you doing? How is school going? How are you and your dad?” There are a lot of conversations I had with her, but Shannon was not really one to ask for help.

We would have a really hard time helping her through any situation because Shannon was not a troublemaker. She was not a complainer. [It was like] “Did you do your homework?” and “Yeah, sure mom.”

I’ve had a lot of meaningful conversations with her, but they’re painful now.

We lived in the city for a long time. We only moved to Huntley in 2016. Someone said that [she] was having these issues and needed help. I started looking for doctors to take us to the right place, and it went off the rails really quickly.

When you go to a medical professional, and they say that they might be able to get you a therapist in September, but it’s currently April, that’s a problem. Or, [they’ll tell you] “If you’re having suicidal thoughts, go to the ER.” That’s not very helpful. You have an absolute mental health desert here.

When she started seeking help, we lived here. That doesn’t mean that her issues weren’t there [when we lived in Chicago]. As a parent, [I saw] she had a different personality than [Ellen and Samantha]. I didn’t have the same

huntleyvoice.com • 45

situations or issues that she did when I was a kid. So I didn’t see it, I didn’t understand it, if that makes any sense. But she never asked for any help until after we moved here. All of her problems, I’m sure they were there early on.

Having COVID-19, there are no face-to-face appointments, so mental health [resources] are in even more of a tight demand because doctors themselves can’t come in. If you’re talking to someone face to face, [doctors] receive social cues and behaviors that you cannot get across the screen. How many times have you been in class, and you’re looking at the ceiling fan [on Zoom]? You’re talking at people, and you just hope that somebody’s listening. Mental health is going the same way. Whatever was once working for her, stopped working when we stopped actually seeing doctors. She couldn’t figure it out.

She’s not the first child, she’s not the first student you’ve

Ellen Daly

S

hannon could be really impulsive, which probably fed into her creativity.

My fondest memory with Shannon was probably when we were making boba. We got the tapioca flour and everything. But it was really late at night, and we were all really slap happy. We were just sitting there, right?

And we were all just like messing around. We made cube boba just because we could. We’re dying it hot pink and everything like that. That was just a lot of fun. Our hands were stained. Oh my god, it was so good.

I remember that trip to [Universal Studios in] Orlando. We were walking around and she kept running into and finding the same pigeon with a clubbed foot.

I would describe her as charismatic like she was able to take complete control over a room and break any tension down. You could always rely on her to break the tension.

Always. Get everybody to laugh.

They made the mistake of letting me name our cat, Petrichor. It’s my favorite word. It means the smell of rain.

How do I put this? [Having Shannon as a younger sister was] annoying. Shannon and Samantha, they liked pulling 46 • the voice february 2021

heard of [who has gone through this]. I had a different mom come up to me and say, “This is what happened with my son last year. You know [emotional support] is a problem here, and it needs to be addressed.”

I was at work that day at the [O’Hare International Airport]. I just worked afternoons. At that point in time, I was usually home around 9 o’clock. The last conversation [I had with her] was, “Hey mom, I’m going for a walk.”

“Okay, see you when you get home. Have a cup of tea.”

“I sure will.”

I think the jury’s still out on [how her passing has impacted our lives]. It’s too soon to have an impact on your life. We’re still struggling in the now because it’s only been a little bit of time. It’s still very new. Impacts will come later.

Older sister

Shannon was charismatic the twin card on me. Most of the time, Shannon ignored the fact that she was a twin. She tried to push that as far away as fast as possible and as hard as possible, but when we were home and when they wanted to win an argument, then they were inseparable. I had no authority.

Most of our books upstairs are nonfiction accounts of World War II. I mean she could list off like every single plane they used. She just knew a lot about World War II in general.

She was big into nature preserves. She went for really long

walks a lot. She listened to heavy rap, a lot of dark stuff.

[Shannon liked] the snow. She couldn’t ice skate. We have a picture of her snowman on the window from like 2017.

We still haven’t taken it down. I wouldn’t help her make the snowman, but I always offered to help her make hot cocoa.

I’ve been out of the house [at college in Elmhurst]. The [last] conversation I had with her was through text. I can’t really remember what happened.

Samantha Daly

W

e used to stay up at night, and we’d just talk.

We’d get really slap happy and do dumb things. We traded pants, and we shared songs. She was big on music. She listened to music like Nirvana, Ghostmane, and Killstation. She went to a Hobo Johnson concert with her friend and after she just kept telling me, “I want to take you to a mosh pit!”

She was always doing something random that I wouldn’t have expected. And I’d die laughing and we would just lay there.

Ever since she was a kid, she got along with everybody’s pets. She would walk into a house she’d find a cat. They’d be best buds.

There was one day when I was playing “Animal Crossing” out on the back porch, and I was listening to music.

I heard scratching from above me, and I looked up at the window. She was holding the cat. She was like, “Do you want tea?” from the second floor. And I was like, “Yeah, I’ll start the water.” Green tea with lemon or oolong was her favorite. So we made ramen. We made spicy dumplings, but made [them] way too spicy. We couldn’t eat. We were crying at the kitchen table face to face like “I can’t eat this, can you?”

She just liked art, drawing, ink, watercolor, Crayola whatever she could get her hands on. She liked drawing and doodling. She’d grab people’s hands in class and doodle on them. She wanted a lot of colors in her art, varying colors. I think her favorite color set was the primaries.

It was different [being a twin]. A lot of people expected us to have the same friends or to be the same, but we really weren’t. In middle school, we had the same lockers right next to each other. I used to hear people make fun of us. I would always step up like “Oh are you talking about my sister? She’s my sister.” They didn’t think it because we didn’t look the same.

I remember one day in high school, I was going to Chinese, the first class of the day. She’d been texting me.

She said, “I’m hot. My sweater’s too stuffy.” I said, “You wanna switch sweaters?” So we walked into Chinese

Shannon and I used to hang out in her room a lot. Her room had her vibe all around it. She had all this art supplies everywhere and sketchbooks. Now she went through phases of course, but art was a big consistent one. She really spent a lot of time just making things. I talked to her about her art a lot. We just kept talking to each other about our hobbies and how we were progressing, always listening to music… It was really nice.

Twin

Shannon was impulsive class. I’m drinking an energy drink. We’re taking off our sweaters and switching them in the start of class. We’re talking through doing this like “How was your day? Oh, you have math next? That’s gross. You want the energy drink?”

Everybody stared at us like “What are you doing?” I was like “Oh, that was my sister. “ In elementary school, we were “Shamantha” because nobody could remember our names.

huntleyvoice.com • 47

She’d pass me notes in school. She’d say hi, but she wasn’t really into school. I’d asked her what period she had, she’d shrugged it off. She liked history and art. We were in the same art class for a little bit but different periods. She loved it. I hated it. Then for history, she just liked history and learning about it. More particularly the World Wars because she already knew a lot about them.

I can’t remember one meaningful conversation we had.

Everything we did was really dumb and impulsive. We’d just sit and talk.

During all of September and October, we’d be really stressed from school, so I would put on a random YouTube [video], and we’d sit on our phones the whole time. I did art with her a few times. Otherwise we’d just sit there.

We were on a road trip one time, and I was drawing random things from movies like Maui from “Moana” or the Shrek from “Shrek.” She began adding onto it. We were laughing, and somehow we made Maui’s face on an onion.

It’s my favorite photo and my favorite drawing of hers.

I was the last person to see her the day of. She had left class early around 2:20 p.m. ish. I was sitting down here.

I did my homework, and I had just finished my Zoom call.

I was playing video games, and she said, “I’m going for a walk.”

She was anxious. She wanted to go for a walk, and she had a bag with her. Whenever she had a bag with her, she brought art supplies. She would sit and do art, [so] I didn’t ask about it. [Lately] I had been telling her that she looked great, or that I love her, and I complimented her outfit. She walked out the door.

Tim Kabbe

T

he last time I saw her, it was [that] Sunday [before], and we were going to drive out to Starved Rock. We went out there, and it was really crowded. We couldn’t get out of the car. We went to a gas station, got drinks, and drove all the way back.

We got back home, and Shannon said she was going to go hang out with her friends.

I love that Shannon was a tomboy. She wasn’t afraid to catch frogs or toads and handle them. She was just loving, and she was really good at fishing. She knew what she was doing.

She and I went out fishing one day. We went fishing in Lake Delavan. She out-fished me, caught almost every species in the lake. I caught one or two fish. She was catching big bass. I caught a small-mouth, crappy perch. [I asked her] “I was doing the same thing you’re doing, so how did you do that?”

[I enjoyed] talking with her and trying to get her to come out fishing and spending time with her.

48 • the voice february 2021

Stepfather

Shannon was a tomboy

Sean McGuckin

I

[got to know] Shannon better around freshman year.

We shared a similar taste in music, more alt-rockish, and we connected through the band Hobo Johnson & The Lovemakers. They ended up coming to the House of Blues in Chicago so we went to the concert together and met him at the merch booth. It was our first time going out without parental supervision. Those are always going to be my fondest memories with her: the experiences we shared through music.

In our group, it was us three against the world. I would pick up some weird food from 7-11 and we would sit in my car blasting music and annoying her neighbors. Even though at the time these moments seemed minute, looking back I really appreciate the time we got to do that. About a month before she passed, we were looking at skateboards together, and we were going to learn how to do a kick-flip. We never got around to that, but I’m still planning to learn how to do one in 2021.

We shared a love for the Englewood District of Chicago. Shannon grew up there, and I lived there for a summer so we both had a weird respect for the place.

Frogs were the one consistent thing that always made her smile, especially towards the end of her life. My phone background is one of her purple frogs, and I’ve kept it like that since she passed.

Gibson Danekas

M

y first impression of her was that she was very wise. I taught Shannon when she was a freshman in Global Studies. If you think back to your freshman year, there aren’t many wise freshmen. She really understood who she was, and you could tell that she was just wise. [She was really] funny, creative, and shy, but once you got to know her, like most people, she liked to talk.

She was a good student, consistently got good grades, and was an extremely good writer, especially for a freshman.

What was different with her compared with the average student was that she wanted to go deeper with things and actually learn something that didn’t necessarily have to do with class but then tie it into what we were learning.

Friend

Shannon was creative She was also an incredibly talented artist. She has an Instagram account @stale_thoughts that has some of her artwork. I specifically remember her painting this big vivid picture of a crow with a crown over its head. It still baffles me that anyone can create anything like that. She had a very specific edgy-girl art style that was really gritty and realistic.

A truly creative mind is something that is so beyond rare in the world but it’s something Shannon Daly definitely possessed.

She did what she wanted, and she never really cared what people said.

She was always determined to do things her own way.

She never wanted her friends to feel some of the things she was feeling. She was always really good at putting on a happy face and making us laugh.

If you know someone who is struggling, reach out and be their friend. Live by the principle that everyone is a little weird and if you don’t appreciate the weird people from time to time, you’ll never know who you’ll miss out on. I know what it’s like when you see someone struggling.

It’s hard to recognize, but you can sometimes feel it. Make sure they know they’re loved and that people care about them. If anyone feels lonely or afraid, reach out. I’ve learned that there are always resources out there. Places to go, people to talk to, and people who will want to be your friend.

Teacher

Shannon was genuine She was always drawing, and I would give her a hard time because when we would take notes in class there would just be doodles everywhere [on her notes].

Shannon was very humble, never boastful and never made things about her. She was always looking to help somebody else or be a good part of somebody else’s day. I think since she was kind of shy, people didn’t know she was really funny and had a great sense of humor. Maybe that was because she was really smart, so sometimes her jokes went over people’s heads.

She never tried to be anyone that she wasn’t, which I think is really rare in high school kids because there is so much huntleyvoice.com • 49

pressure to fit in. I don’t think she really had that need. She was just really genuine in all of her interactions, whether it was talking to a kid in class or to her teachers.

[Her passing is] hard to experience for everyone that had a relationship with Shannon but from the teacher’s perspective, it’s so hard because you invest so much time into your students and a lot of teachers genuinely love their students and want to see them be successful and grow up to be awesome. I think what I’ve learned from it is that every interaction I have with a student is important.

I have slowed down a bit in my life and in my relationships.

[For anyone who is struggling] first and foremost it is more

common than you think and it’s not a battle that you are fighting alone. I would say almost every high school student at some point in their four years goes through a time period that is difficult. It’s not a sign of weakness whatsoever to talk to somebody.

It’s so important because after you just feel better. It’s human nature to share things and develop relationships with people. You need to make sure that if you are ever in that situation or mindset, that you find somebody who you trust because they can give you some advice to help you navigate it and help you out.

Aiden Hamilton

Friend

T

he sweetest person ever. God. Literally unreal.

26 letters is not nearly enough to describe how caring she was. A tomboy with a heart of gold if you will.

[Our friendship] had a little bit of a slow start. We went to a pool party together around the end of eighth grade, and that’s when I really started to become friends with her. I think it was at that point that I made a mental note that ‘hey I want to become friends with this person.’

I remember the moment when I realized that Shannon was going to be one of the best friends I would ever have, and I stick by that. It was freshman year, and we were under a skate ramp, and I just started crying my eyes out, just really in a bad place mentally. I think we were listening to music and she turned off the music, and she said something that I wish for the life of me I could remember. All I remember is that it hit deep.

One time we were hanging out at a park with our little friend group from the summer. There was a little kid like probably between the ages of 4-7. He was by the swingset, and he wanted to be pushed, so she went over and pushed him for a good 10 minutes just to make his day. It was very motherly of her.

[Her passing] was really difficult for me, because me and Shannon always depended on each other. Whenever I was down in the dumps she was always the one to make me feel better and so it was hard not having that person to go to.

I still cry a lot about it, I still don’t think I’ve ever gotten close to acceptance. I just keep bouncing between every stage of grief.

There was a random Instagram post that really gave me, and I know a lot of other people, help with coping with Shannon. It was a post about a veterinarian having to put a dog down, and a little kid sharing some little-kid wisdom that was somehow so impactful.

‘Why do dogs die so young?’ It’s because [for humans]

50 • the voice february 2021

Shannon was caring it takes our whole life to realize how to be a good person and learn how to mature and have love and compassion for others, [but] dogs are just born with it. There is no bad dog.

All dogs go to heaven. So they don’t have to stay here for as long because they’re born knowing how to love and how to be good.

And if you apply that to Shannon, maybe just maybe in a weird way, it explains that she didn’t have to stay here as long, as unfortunate as it is.

On the loss of a classmate

editorial

Shannon’s life and moving forward with acceptance

saw her sitting with her friends - you are allowed to feel grief, confusion, and loss. For many of us, Shannon’s passing was our first experience with the death of a peer. Her sudden passing was a shock and a tragedy. Your feelings are walked arm-in-arm with managing editor valid and shared.

To those who knew her best, she was creative, funny, and Nicole Darnall to the entrance of DeFiore Fugenuinely kind. Shannon was the kind of person to dance at neral Home on Oct. 25 around 3:30 p.m. After putting our masks on, we were met by a dozen a concert without the fear of judgement so many of us cower from as teenagers. She was bold in that way. Her friends of our peers on the left side of a velvet rope. knew she was there for them when they were struggling.

To quote former editor in chief Emma Kubelka and print Chatting in the living room, listening to lighthearted stoeditor Faith Losbanes: “There is never a good reason for a ries of moments of slap-happiness, and seeing her artwork funeral home to be filled with a bunch of kids.” gave us insight to her family, who loved her randomness Friends and family huddled together in small groups, and spontaneity. The way she could break the tension in talking, hugging, crying. We spotted a few familiar faces, any room by simply being herself. exchanged a few words, and went to the right of the rope, As Nikki, Amelia, Kate, and I interviewed her family, following it to a small table with a place for messages and a pile of memorial prayer cards for Shannon Daly. We each friends, and teachers, one thing stood out the most: she was truly loved. Though we spoke with only seven of her left a note and continued to the large room ahead, where closest school and personal connections, there are hunchairs were placed in neat rows in the center with poster dreds - thousands - of lives she has impacted and brightened boards along the far wall. with her empathy. Shannon will be remembered as a genuine, artistic soul with a vibrant mind.

Many people feel that they are fighting silent battles “You are loved, and there are people alone. If you or someone you know is battling any type of who care about you deeply. ” mental illness, know that you are loved and that there are people who care about you deeply.

People who battle mental illness are the strongest people The boards gave insight into Shannon’s beautiful life with of all, as they wake up every day to fight the same demons photos of her and her sisters, her parents, her friends, her that left them tired the night before. family. Laughing, smiling, being a kid like the rest of us.

It is important that we continue to normalize mental It is an understatement to say the goodbye was difficult. health conversations, help to educate our communities, Nikki had known her better than I, as she had been in art and understand that these struggles are the furthest thing classes with Shannon since middle school, admiring her talent and having small conversations here or there. It had from abnormal. Loved ones would strongly encourage you been about 5 years since I had spoken with her during sev- to take care of yourself, and kind people like Shannon would enth grade lunch where I sat nearby and saw her sketching comfort you in the process. Despite feeling lost herself, Shannon was the type of friend to prioritize other’s happiand reading.

I was not sure if I should have been there at the visitation. ness and help them.

We hope that Shannon’s generosity, selflessness, and emHer friends and family really knew her like I never would. pathy for others can encourage you to look after the people They knew she loved history, art, ramen, cranberry Red Bull, you are close to and, most importantly, yourself. animals, and swimming. They knew she would carry her bag The Voice admires you all for your strength during this of art supplies with her on walks just in case the scenery difficult time. We love you. Be gentle with yourself. inspired an idea for a sketch. They knew she refused to try tea for the longest time but could not stop drinking it after.

Was I entitled to feel sadness over someone I passed in the Ways to seek help: • Tip Line: 847-659-INFO (4636) halls, someone I never really even knew so long ago?

The confusion you feel is not yours alone.

• Safe Text Line: 847-659-6599 No matter who you were to Shannon - whether you spoke • McHenry County Crisis Line: 800-892-8900 to her every day, knew her sisters Samantha and Ellen, or

I

•

NTL Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255

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