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HHS welcome party helps familiarize new students
NEWS Welcome to HHS
Welcome Party helps new students adjust
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By Amanda Le
You are surrounded by the unfamiliar chatter, the unfamiliar stares you would walk past, and the unknown halls. A new school, a new start, a new chapter in your life. As a new student, you look at your schedule, trying to find your classes. Once in a while, someone would point in the direction of your class, but otherwise, you are left alone to wander about.
During the second semester of 2022, the HHS Welcome Party was made to help new transfer students become accustomed to the school, whether they are from neighboring schools or from foreign countries.
These small acts can go a long way as a student begins a new school year. HHS Welcome Party sponsor Gerald Marchand was inspired by Volodymyr Ivanyshyn and other transfer students to create the HHS Welcome Party. There are transfer students that do not speak English or need help with getting familiar with the school.
“They were just given a tour, a map, and a Chromebook, and like you’re good to go,” Marchand said. “I was like, this isn’t really working for some of these kids, a lot of them.”
Last school year, Marchand told his students about the problem with new students being thrown into an unknown environment, and they wanted to help.
“So that’s kind of how we got started, just kids that are interested in helping kids,” Marchand said.
What Marchand does is that he connects the transfer students to students from HHS that are willing to give a tour of the school or take the transfer students to their class and help them become accustomed to the school. The Welcome Party is not a club, rather more of students helping students. Marchand calls the students helpers, as they help the transfer students. The helpers can help students navigate the cafeteria and walk them to classes. They try to help in any way they can.
“If I needed the help, I’d get it,” sophomore Elle Assumpcao said.
Marchand hopes that this would become a standard for the incoming transfer students. Currently, the HHS Welcome Party is not funded by the
Members of the Welcome Party plan their socials and activities with new students
L. Arroyo district, so they make money by selling the $2 wristbands during lunch hours.
“It’d be nice if we could get funded from a fundraiser or the district just so that we can provide as much support and social events for that small group of kids as possible,” Marchand said.
As of now, counselors would inform new transfer students about the HHS Welcome Party, but because the program is still new, there are still new students who do not know about the Welcome Party. Those whose first language is not English or do not know the language would have a higher chance of being informed about the Welcome Party.
“I think the program is a great way to help people adjust from whatever school they came from, especially because hallways are like super big and you don’t really necessarily know what you’re doing and most of the time just to have a support system is good,” freshman Giuli Farraj said.
This school year of 2022, there has been an ice cream party and a breakfast party to help bond the transfer students to our school. Marchand would like to have more social events such as a lunch party for fourth, fifth and sixth hour lunch parties.
“Having a school program like this could really help the new transfer students. People should help the program by buying the bracelets they sell at lunch,” sophomore Gauthum Ramesh Sivakumar Jayanthi said.
There are still many students who do not know about the HHS Welcome Party. Many students have said that the name itself sounds like a dance and is the reason why they do not buy the bracelets at lunch. They believe that they are donating to a dance such as Homecoming, instead of the program’s purpose of helping new students.
For those who want to join the HHS Welcome Party and help incoming transfer students, contact gmarchand@ district158.org.
“I think it’s always gonna be a student to student thing, and it’ll just connect the students,” Marchand said.
Castans joins Huntley High School’s physical education department
By Jeanie Flodin
As students walk through the halls, making their way to the gyms, they notice the physical education office, which now belongs to the newest member of the physical education department. When the position opened up for the head of the physical education department, someone had to stand up and take that position. Rita Castans did just that.
When the 2022 school year came around, they had to find a new leader, and Castans had athletic experience in the past at Marlowe Middle School.
Castans has athletic experience because she worked as the athletic director at Marlowe Middle School.
“She has been a very welcome addition to our department,” Michael Naymola said.
Naymola teaches Advanced Strength and Conditioning at Huntley High School.
“She’s very fortunate to have been given the position,” Naymola said.
“It’s a really nice switch for me,” Castans said. “Coming from being assistant principal at Marlowe where I had all the discipline, and it was nice because I felt like I could build relationships with kids, but there’s always this negative connotation when you have to give consequences,” Castans said.
“Being up here, it’s really nice because I’ve gotten to know you guys and see you grow from middle school and
From Marlowe to HHS, a fresh start
being able to have these relationships and check-ins and support you guys,” Castans said.
Her experience is different here at Huntley High School.
“There’s a lot more people here at the high school, a lot more staff to get to know,” Castans said. “It’s just different because it’s not set up by a team basis. I get to focus more on curriculum.”
“We have really awesome physical education, health and driver’s ed staff,” Castans said.
She was quickly welcomed into the department, and it did not take long for her to get to know all of her new colleagues.
“I really enjoy getting to know everyone on a deeper level, getting to know everyone in general. I didn’t know any of them prior to coming here, and seeing how everyone works well together, how everyone has each other’s back at the end of the day, it has been something very special,” Castans said.
Her role here is completely different from what she did at Marlowe. She used to give consequences, but now, she is setting up readings and focusing on one of her biggest goals: the RULER assignments. These assignments could possibly help with social and emotional skills here at the high school.
She also has a lot of meetings during late start. She has administration meetings as well because she is a part of the administration here at Huntley High School. It is a different role for her because she has to make sure that the curriculum is going well and make sure that everything is working out, especially for the students.
Nothing has really changed for the classes in general here at the high school.
“She’s picked up where Ms. Heuck left off,” Naymola said.
This year, a new legacy was born, someone that is willing, strong, compassionate, kind and ready to take on the role as the new physical education department chair: Rita Castans.
Castans is welcomed by the physical education staff as she takes over the department.
G. Edelstein
Courtesy of Andreas Demakis
Andreas Demakis stands with his sister after a piano performace Playing with a passion
Junior Andreas Demakis spends his free time engaging in the world of the piano
By Jacey Sola
Standing behind the stage, Demakis was filled with both stress and excitement. After putting countless hours into practicing, he felt somewhat ready. After a few minutes, it was finally his turn, his opportunity to show his talent. Walking across the stage, he only focused on one thing, the beautiful, black Steinway Grand Piano that was at the center of everything.
Sitting down on the piano stool, his mind went completely blank. Adrenaline filled his body. He took a deep breath, gracefully lifted his hands to meet the keys, and started playing a beautiful melody. His muscle memory took control as his hands danced up and down the keys. As he struck the last note, the crowd erupted in applause. His hard work had paid off as he played his piece gracefully and flawlessly.
Playing the piano has been a huge part of junior Andreas Demakis’ life. He started playing when he was 7 at Martinez Music Studio. His mother was his inspiration to play because she also played when she was a child. She was the one who encouraged him to enroll in piano lessons.
“I put Andreas in piano lessons because I used to play piano, and I wanted him to have the same opportunity. Also, it has a lot of benefits for cognitive and brain development,” Andreas’ mother, Lee Ann Demakis said.
Starting off, he was not naturally gifted in playing. His fingers felt unnatural on the piano and he played without thought or creativity. He was also nervous when he played in front of large groups of audiences.
“In my early years, I wasn’t really
that good. I watched a video of when I was first playing when I was 7 years old, [and] I was so bad. My fingers stuck up when I was pressing the keys, and my technique wasn’t good. But you know, it’s important to start somewhere,” Demakis said.
Today, Demakis has grown tremendously as a musician and has developed his talent. Playing in recitals does not make him as nervous anymore. Instead, he feels relaxed and comfortable with playing in front of others.
He can play difficult pieces, such as “Presto Agitato” by Beethoven, and “Revolutionary Etude” by Chopin. He also likes to create his own melodies, such as jazz improvisations for various songs like “Somewhere over the Rain-
I’m very proud of how he grew musically. I’m hoping that what he learned from our studio will somehow help him in the future. Not just musically, but as a person in general Euri Martinez
The dynamic duo
Courtesy of Karen Naymola
FEATURE The Naymolas crazy life during the fall
By Luma Acevedo
Life is busy at the Naymola house. Karen and Micheal Naymola are both head coaches of successful teams here at HHS: Karen being the head coach of the girls varsity volleyball team, and Michael being the head coach of the varsity football team.
“We’re kind of used to the craziness of the fall and [we have a lot] of help in the fall,” Karen said.
Tuesday’s and Thursday’s are usually game days for the HHS volleyball team. On those days, Michael is able to go home and relieve either his mom or Karen’s parents from taking care of the kids.
“There’s no way we would be able to do what we do if we didn’t have the help that we have, at home especially,” Michael said.
Even though this time of year is busy for the Naymolas, and sometimes they have to spend time away from their family, they would not trade it for the world.
“There’s so much stuff going on during the week. But it is rewarding at times,” Michael said.
Working together has made these difficult schedules so much easier for the coaches. Few are able to say they work in such close proximity to their spouses.
“It’s nice that we actually work together. That is probably when we get to see each other the most,” Karen said.
Despite the busy weeks endured by these two, they are always supporting each other at sporting events. Michael is able to make it to almost every one of Karen’s home games, as well as a big portion of away games. It is rare that Karen will miss one of Michael’s Friday night football games.
Karen led her team to be 18-0 in games and 36-0 in sets this past season of the Fox Valley Conference.
“Our goal early on was to go undefeated in conference, so I thought the girls did a great job of setting realistic goals and working hard the whole season to achieve them,” Karen said.
The 2022 girls volleyball team made a mark on the program that will be remembered for years to come. Coach Naymola could not be more proud of everything the girls have accomplished this season.
“It’s nice because we have so many options, offensively, defensively. We’re a strong team. Even changing line ups, the girls were able to adjust and play for each other,” Karen said.
The varsity volleyball team will be saying goodbye to nine seniors this year. Coach Karen Naymola is sure that this has been the motivator all season: Do it for the seniors.
Michael has the outsider’s perspective on Karen and her team. He has his own opinions as to what he thinks were the motivators for the HHS volleyball team.
“One of the motivators I thought [they may have used] without knowing was there was a target put on their back because of all the talent they had,” Michael said.
Karen has led her team to several regional and sectional championships in her time as head coach at HHS. She feels that this success is always due to the fact that the team is always close. The team is always family.
Micheal just completed his first season as head coach. Many will attest to how Coach Naymola has contributed to the team’s remarkable turnaround.
“It would be egocentric to say that I did it. I have a very good supporting staff. I have three coaches who have been head coaches before,” Michael said. The Naymolas take on a new school year together (Courtesy of Naymola)
Coach Michael Naymola went into this season ready to work. He wanted to make sure that his players knew that as well. The team changed their off-season training routine. Unlike the previous years, the HHS football team did their training at 6 a.m. before school started. This was to set the expectation and to show the team that they were going to dedicate themselves to it.
After the 2021 football season may not have gone the way the Raider’s had hoped, the boys were determined to not let that happen again.
“We had a very unique group of leaders this year who refused to let what happened to them their junior year, happen to them their senior year. They were willing to do anything they needed to do,” Michael said.
For a team who rosters 74 players, the team is very tight-knit. The team bought into the coaches and the drills. This brought them together in ways that Michael was proud to see.
“They do Thursday dinners. We do team bonding stuff. By training in the morning you kind of create a sense of brotherhood by knowing that you can trust those guys because you have gone through so much with them,” Michael said.
The Naymolas spend more time with their teams than they do their own family during the fall. But, that is just a testament to how much they truly love their players. This dynamic duo is unstoppable.
bow” from the “Wizard of Oz.”
“As his piano teacher, I’m very proud of how he grew musically. I’m hoping that what he learned from our studio will somehow help him in the future. Not just musically, but as a person in general,” said Euri Martinez, owner of Martinez Music Studio.
Demakis has also participated in multiple competitions, including the Illinois Music Association music competition and D300 piano festival. In each, he had to compete against other students around his level in front of a judge. Additionally, he played in American Grands at Elgin Community College, which was a concert that involved 12 grand pianos playing at once.
Playing the piano often causes Demakis to feel a variety of emotions.
“When I play the piano, I mostly feel happy and calm and maybe also sad or mad, or any type of emotion. The piano has been a way for me to cope, or let out any emotion that I’m feeling,” Demakis said.
Demakis has been able to balance his school and piano life, but it has been a challenge for him. However, playing the piano has helped to reduce his stress.
“It seems difficult at times because I can be very busy with things like schoolwork and homework and tests. And sometimes I have no time to practice. But then when I am stressed out from school or I need a break because my brain is constantly busy, I go to the piano for a break,” Demakis said. Apart from piano, Demakis is involved in many other extracurricular activities, including volleyball and swimming. By playing the instrument, he has been able to learn so many valuable lessons. “The first lesson I’d say is patience. In life, we tend to rush into things and expect a result right away, but playing the piano has taught me that progress is gradual. I also learned perseverance. Even if you made 100 mistakes in a row, just keep on going. If you’re determined to accomplish a goal, look forward and pursue it,” Demakis said. Demakis’ love and passion for the piano will remain strong in his heart for the rest of his life.
