Huntley HS Voice Oct. 14 2022 Issue

Meet The Staff

Editor in Chief

Arianna Joob

Managing Editor

Maggie Armstrong

Floating Editors

Luma Acevedo, Amanda Le, Jacey Sola, Gretchen Sweeney, Savanna Reynolds

Photo Editor

Diana Arellano

Marketing Editor

Zoe Hurmi

Business Manager

Karolina Perkowski

Social Media Manager

Ally Panzloff

Staff Writers

Bailee Borchart, Brendan Busky, Anthony Ciuleba, Jeanie Flodin, Anna Karpinski, Peyton Leahy, Emmalyn McCoy, Jasmine Sandhu, Peyton Taylor, Samantha Webb

Photographers

Leyla Arroyo, Donovan Doyle, Gray Edelstein

Dennis Brown

The positive impacts of Link Crew

By Emma McCoy

The 2022-2023 school year for freshmen kicked off with Huntley’s Raider Rally with no restrictions like in the previous two years. The freshmen were welcomed by Link Crew Leaders, and they filled the stands, ready to start up their high school experiences. The rally was an opportunity to sit the freshmen down and go through the entire program this year, which did not happen last year. Although there is a lower turnout in Link Crew Leaders this year, there has been a favorable effect on assisting this year’s freshmen.

and only one can have the spotlight, it allows for a lot of standing around. I do not see that happening this year,” Link Crew Coordinator Brad Aney said. “I see a lot of the leaders actively engaging in the lessons and in every lesson which is huge.”

Link Crew is more than just splitting up freshmen’s lunch hour and having the students meet every day. This program allows the leaders to engage and teach students beyond the lessons. Having a select number allows for more one-on-one mentoring from advisors to Link Crew Leaders. Ultimately, it allows the Link Crew Leader to have a better understanding and concept of each of the lessons that are taught.

“I will go through lessons with the leaders about what they will teach to freshmen and then I ensure that they will have time to work together, so they are not teaching a script,” Aney said. “They are molding it in how they want to teach it to make a difference in these freshmen’s lives.”

HHS may be intimidating, and Link Crew provides an experience to create bonds with upperclassmen and to gradually be more aware of the school.

“Last year, with four leaders, classes seemed to be harder to control, but this year, the students listen and give more respect with a lower number of leaders,” senior Link Crew Leader Aiden Zimmerman said.

Being a part of Link Crew is a great leadership experience, and the program is lucky to have upperclassmen step up to take the spot to lead a freshman class.

“The only concern that we have is when one of the two leaders can not be there,” Aney said. “It is a whole differ ent concept to be asking leaders to take on 26 kids by themselves then when they have the support from a partner.”

It is more than teaching lessons and being a leader, juniors and seniors get involved in the lives of incoming fresh men to connect with them.

“While this year is a different feel than last year, having [a smaller num ber] of leaders in the classroom really helps the students get to know both leaders easier and in a faster manner,” senior Link Crew Leader Natalie Svend sen said.

Last year, there were three to four Link Crew Leaders to a group. This year, the number has decreased, to two lead ers in a classroom. Although a change for the program, it has had significant positive effects on the classrooms. Hav ing two Link Crew Leaders to a fresh men classroom has allowed for more connections between the students and leaders. Each leader has an opportunity to engage with students during activi ties in class.

“When you have four Link Crew Lead ers standing up in front of a classroom

The Link Crew program greatly improves the freshmen’s experiences coming into high school and gives them many opportunities to learn about the high school and their futures at Huntley. Coming in as a freshman at

“Our Link Crew Leaders instill a pas sion to try and help others which is why our Link Crew Leaders are so good,” Aney said.

Emma and Gracie playing jeopardy with their Link Crew class.

Even with fewer leaders, upperclassmen are thriving

This year, the students listen and give more respect

Aiden Zimmerman

D. Arellano

Huntley’s town square is expanding

New construction project in the downtown creates new opportunities for entrepreneurs

By Ally Panzloff

The Shops on Main are Huntley’s newest project, designed to increase business in downtown Huntley and support small businesses. The project was officially proposed at the Jan. 20, 2022 Huntley Board Meet ing. The Shops will sit on the lot east of the First Congressional Church on Main Street.

“The Village is working with the First Congregational Church to utilize space on the east side of the church property for the Shops. The lease rate is still to be finalized,” said Huntley Village Depu ty Manager Lisa Armour.

The Shops will be smaller than typ ical brick and mortar businesses in the area and are proposed to have eightmonth leases. Opposed to the other shops in the area, Shops on Main is designed to be an incubator for young business owners looking for a chance at an in-person shop.

“When opening a small business, you’re really taking a leap of faith. Most entrepreneurs put all of their finances into the business. Owners can have a solid business plan and still fail. Shops on Main is a low-cost, low-risk chance for businesses to see if they’re suitable for retail” said Mary Holzkopf, Village Board Trustee and owner of Blessed Little Kitchen.

The Shops on Main project is part of a decade-long initiative called the Downtown Revitalization Program. The program was proposed in late 2010, and has enacted a series of construc tion projects in the downtown Huntley area, such as the 2015 building of a 5,600 square-foot retail space that houses Morkes Chocolates and Huntley Eye Care, and the 2017 demolition and reconstruction project of the building which now houses BBQ King.

The Shops on Main project was in spired by the Batavia Boardwalk Shops in Batavia, Illinois. They are small in

square footage, walkable, and optimal for small business owners, similar to the Shops on Main Project.

members have scrapped the idea for the time being.

“There was a lot of hesitation about safety issues and insurance,” Holzkopf said. “For now, we have paused the idea.”

Although there has been a lot of excitement and speculation about po tential shop owners, the application for lots has not yet been released.

While the shops were originally proposed to be done by Winter 2022, board member Mary Holzkopf now estimates the doors will now open in Spring 2023.

The delay is caused by a number of factors, such as supply chain issues, and the board’s focus on other, more pressing revitalization projects, such as the Catty building renovation.

The original construction plan from January included an ice rink in the center of the Shops. Since then, board

“We have had a few potential tenants express an interest, and will begin promoting the opportunity later this year to identify interested parties,” Amour said.

Overall, this is an exciting time for residents of Huntley. For a historically small town, the recent investment into the more urban areas can potentially draw in out-of-town shoppers and new residents.

“I think it’s a great idea, I hope they finish it soon; all the construction they’ve been doing looks good,” long time resident, Tom Miller, said.

The plan for the Shops on Main in 2023.

Shops on Main is lowcost and low-risk Mary Holzkopf

W. Algonquin

Lake in the Hills 847-458-1246

The new standards of Schoology

By Jasmine Sandhu

Students sit at their desks and log onto their Chromebooks, prepar ing for another day of learning. However, this year is different as they click into a different learning system, Schoology. This website replaced Pow erschool Learning, which everyone has become accustomed to.

The change was unexpected when people only recenlty heard about Powerschool’s change with Schoology late last year. Going from Powerschool to Schoology was a massive shift for all, teachers and students alike.

Students used Powerschool Learning, otherwise known as Haiku Learning, since they could remember. Now, after getting into the rhythm of it all these years later, it was time to change. Except, Huntley High School didn not make the change to the new learning website until 2022.

Students work together to navigate Schoology.

blended classes that we had, [it] was going to take so much time, so I guess this [was] kind of forced [on] our hands so. . . there was not a whole lot we could do.”

This change from Haiku Learning to Schoology may be unwanted. Many students do not like the new learning management system. However, some do not mind the switch.

website is gray and it’s discouraging.”

The Schoology shift doesn’t only affect students with learning. Teachers have a big part in this new system. They tell students where to view assign ments posted, and many had spent hours training in various different ways in order to figure it out before students.

“Haiku is shutting down at the end of September, so come Oct. 1 [we] will no longer have access to anything in it,” assistant principal Shelly Kish said,

“We didn’t find out until last spring that this was going to be happening, and they gave us the end date of Sep. 30. We have been using Haiku for years. We had considered switching from Haiku a few years ago, but the amount of work that it would take to transition everything, especially because of our

“It’s more organized than Haiku,” junior Maliha Khan said. “But Haiku is what we were used to for a very long time, so this is definitely a change. It’s hard for students and teachers to adjust at first. I feel like it’s better that they introduced us to Schoology when the school year started rather than it being introduced in the middle of last year.”

The website is not liked by all, though. According to senior Chloe Zentefis, it is more complex to navigate than the Haiku system.

“I don’t like Schoology and don’t like that we changed, we should’ve just switched to Google Classroom be cause it’s better,” Zentefis said. “Haiku is easier because we’ve been using it since I could remember. Also, the entire

“It doesn’t seem to be real us er-friendly for teachers who are trying to set things up on it,” Chemistry teacher Melanie Lyons said. “I haven’t necessarily been encouraged with what I’ve seen. . . it’s complicated, which of course discourages me.”

Although the new learning system can seem like a pain, an adjustment is required for there to be more of a ben efit to both students and teachers. We can take advantage of this change and make due since it does not seem like it is going to be going anywhere, anytime soon. According to Kish, “Considering we had to make a choice, I do think that this was the best way to go based on what we know about the other pro grams and ease of use. It’s just going to be a transition and take everybody time,” Kish said.

New learning platform calls for change

Considering we had to make a choice, I do think that this was the best way to go

Kish

D. Doyle

English teacher Courtney Fulton becomes new Student Council advisor

By Anna Karpinski

Every Thursday morning there is a general Student Coun cil meeting in the raider aid room. The plain feel to the room is brought to life by the flowing ideas and excitement from the advisors and students. Courtney Fulton used to be one of those students in her high school days.

This is Fulton’s 12th year of teach ing. She attended Rockford University, as well as St. Xavier for her masters degree.

English teacher brings positivity into classroom

things you are grateful for in the past 24 hours and always seems so interested and involved,” sophomore Natalia Krajewski said.

“I love teaching students new things and like seeing them grow and see them overcome challenges and in spire kids to just reach for the stars,” Fulton said.

In her childhood, she loved sports and focused on academics. She played soccer and basketball. During her five years teaching at Heineman, she coached boys track and field along with boys basketball.

“I was really involved with sports; it was a big thing,” Fulton said.

Fulton also mentioned her child hood was “nothing like Jeannette Walls” which is from a memoir students are currently reading in her English II class.

“I’m pretty grateful for what my parents were able to give me,” Fulton said.

One of the things Fulton likes to spread is kindness and positivity.

“She’s very active and energetic, and it shows that she actually wants to be there and is interested in her students’ lives,” Krajewski said.

Since this school year, Fulton has been one of the newest advisors on the Student Council. Back when she went to Streamwood High School, she was most excited for school events.

“I loved all that stuff when I was in high school like all the dances, all the activities, and now I get the oppor tunity to watch the students do the same thing and be involved and help guide the students to have successful events for the school,” Fulton said.

Fulton is in charge of Homecoming and Prom this year. She is confident that the events will be successful and filled with fun.

“We have so many students that are part of the Student Council with such fantastic ideas, and it’s very exciting,” Fulton said.

According to Fulton, the key to living a positive life is to always re member, “every day is a new day.”

Folton prepares her classroom for her next lesson

She also was an assistant principal at Heineman Middle School for two years after having taught there for five.

Currently she teaches English II Blended and Senior Seminar Blended. These classes are full of reading and writing but also growing relation ships.

“I’ve never had a teacher that was so involved in the class. It makes the time go by so fast and makes me actually enjoy English class, which is new,” sophomore Austin Riviera said.

In her classes, Fulton makes sure to be involved and try to get the class talking. “She does this thing every day where you write down three

D.Doyle

I’ve never had a teach-er that was so involved in the class. It makes the time go by so fast and makes me actually enjoy English class, which is new.

Austin Rivera

Main St.

60142

: 847.515.2400

815.382.6026

Zimmerman’s got your back

Zimmerman catches up with some of the people he has impacted as he walks around during lunch

M. Armstrong

Junior Joseph Zimmerman welcomes the new school year with a smile

By Maggie Armstrong

The bell rings for the start of fifth period as the students in fifth-period lunch rush to find seats or a spot in the lunch line. The students swarm around the cafeteria and commons, catching up with friends and finding their place among the nor malized chaos.

The shoes squeaking on the tiles, shouts of students calling to their friends, and echoes of their uncon trollable laughter would scare any person who is not accustomed to this environment. Luckily, junior Joseph Zimmerman is no stranger to lunch time at Huntley High School. In fact, he practically runs the show and is not afraid to place himself in the center of the madness.

During his lunch period, Zimmer man strolls around the cafeteria and commons, getting high-fives at almost every table or performing his famous squat-dab per request. His enthusiastic and contagious personality lights up the room and encourages new people to go over and introduce themselves. As he moves throughout the lunch areas, he tells a new dad joke and shows off his humorous shirt of the day, only ever staying for a bit before moving on to talk to more people.

“He’s got a bubbly, funny personality. He’s very welcoming to everybody and outgoing,” said special education teach er Shannon Vanek.

Vanek is not the only person to rec ognize his positive and friendly person ality.

“Joey loves to tell jokes and make people laugh. He loves his dad jokes,” said strategy education teacher Kristy Brown.

Zimmerman can always brighten someone’s day with or without even trying to.

“He always puts others’ feelings ahead of his own. He always wants to make sure people feel welcome,” said

Zimmerman’s mom, Devin Zimmerman.

With his energy and positivity, it is no surprise that Zimmerman has partici pated in Best Buddies Club for all three years of high school. Buddies Club is a club at HHS that focuses on inclusion and allows students in both strategy ed ucation classes and students in atypical education to form friendships.

confidence and made him understand just how important he is.

“When I watch him interact with stu dents at the football games, and in the cafeteria, just kind of how at ease he is, and you can tell that his confidence has grown in three years. And I would say that sets him apart,” Brown said. “I have been super happy to see him blossom.”

Zimmerman makes it one of his responsibilities to reach out to people who are having a rough day or need someone to talk to. He understands hardships and challenges, so he strives to be a great listener.

“Joseph is in the strategy [education] program, so he got invited [to Buddies Club] that way, but he also has such a bubbly personality. It was an easy one to invite him in as a leader for that group,” Vanek said.

He has been a member of the execu tive board for Best Buddies Club since his sophomore year, and he has grown incredibly as a leader and a person.

Buddies Club promotes inclusion and equality for all students, and in doing so, many meaningful friendships have been formed.

“It’s just good to make more friends and get to know people you don’t know yet,” Zimmerman said.

However, his leadership roles do not stop at Buddies Club. Zimmerman is a leader in his Boy Scouts, church, and martial arts. Outside of school he is working on his Eagle Project for Boy Scouts and taking Kyuki-Do classes as a black belt.

Over the summer, Zimmerman spent seven nights in a tent for leadership training with Boy Scouts. He helped train other scouts on leadership char acteristics, improving his own along the way. This leadership experience and growth has been seen in Buddies Club this year.

“Since the school year started, he has been proactive with coming in and ask ing what there is to do, so he’s taking a stronger leadership stand,” Vanek said. This growth has also increased his

“I’m trying to be there for them if they’re feeling sad, trying to be a friend to them,” Zimmerman said.

Strategy education has taught Zimmerman different ways to handle challenges and obstacles, and he has used what he has learned to help other people as well.

“Most of the time, he has a smile on his face, and he’s happy. He likes to make other people happy,” Brown said.

However, he also has his own rough days. Zimmerman has learned that the hardest days do not mean they are impossible to get through.

“I was working on being more posi tive. I kind of am, but I’m still working on it,” Zimmerman said.

Through his leadership roles inside and outside of school, Zimmerman has become more social and independent, smiling through every challenge and using his family and teachers to help him succeed.

“I hope he gains everyday life skills to be able to face society and to exist in society and be successful,” Devin Zimmerman said.

So when the bell rings for fifth-period lunch the next day, amongst the frenzy and hubbub of high school, Zimmer man is seen visiting his friends, return ing high-fives, and making an impact on even more of his peers.

“What has he taught me? Persever ance. He just never gives up; he keeps trying. He’ll take a step back, but he takes five steps forward. Never gives up,” Devin Zimmerman said.

Joey loves to tell jokes and make people laugh, he loves his dad jokes Kristy Brown

Ad-van-tures await

Teacher Bridget Regan travels the world

By Bailee Borchart

In the early spring, art teacher Brid get Regan steps out of the sliding door of her Dodge Caravan and onto the grass.

The hot sun warms her skin with the crisp smell of trees around her. She feels free with no civilization for miles, just her and her dog.

She sets up for her daily meditation while she thinks of what she will do that day. When she hops in her Cara van, she is ready for adventure.

“My kids had grown up enough; I just had the desire to see all the national parks. I just woke up one day and said, I’m going to see all the national parks,” Regan said.

Regan really found her love and inter est for traveling in the ‘80s. She would watch her siblings travel all over the world. As one out of 11 other siblings, she had a lot to look up to.

“All of my siblings moved to various parts of the U.S. [I have] a sister in New York, a sister in Boston, a sister in

Germany, a brother in Japan, a brother in Seattle, a brother up in Door County, a sister in Madison, [and] a brother in Maryland,” Regan said.

While traveling to various locations around the U.S. to see her siblings, she got a taste of her future. Regan wanted to try on the world for herself.

After graduating from University of Wisconsin-Madison and while having a desire to get a job in advertising, she moved to California, her big break. That was where she lived for nine years and traveled the whole west coast.

She went on to Enterprise, and after looking and looking, she found it. She found a silver Dodge Caravan that was perfect for her. She set it up with a mini kitchen, bed, and room for her dog.

Throughout the summer, she hits the road and begins her adventures. She prepares for everything: bathroom, shower, bears, food, and the long trip to the new place that she will see.

Regan plans weeks in advance to find out where she is going, what she is doing, and what places she can stay.

“I am planning on stopping in New York to see my sister and camping on the west side of New York state, then

moving onto the Acadia National Park,” Regan said. “Then two of my sisters are meeting me up in Nova Scotia, and I’m going to come home through Canada down into Michigan, so I’m hitting the west and the east coast next summer.”

Regan saves money by not spending money on hotels by camping for free in national parks is how she saves her money for trips on gas and any food that she might need. She finds little ways to make sure she is putting money towards something she really needs while saving for future use.

Nikki Brzezowski says that she has learned where and when to save and spend her money because of Regan’s advice. She often went on runs with Regan throughout the summer where they would motivate each other.

“Mrs. Regan really inspires me to be a better person. She is one of the most charismatic people I know,” Brzezowski said. “I love how she views the world, not afraid to voice her own opinion.”

Regan always keeps in touch with Brzezowski while she is on different ad ventures. She will send pictures, videos, and messages of the places that are around her. Brzezowski not only enjoys seeing the nature that she is living in for that week, but she also loves learning how she lives.

The advice that she would give to others, like Brzezowski, would be telling others to save our future.

“Your generation has got to get it together for the rest of us because our Earth is so great. Once you start trav eling you start seeing floating garbage mounds and oceans. I’ve been through the nuclear waste sites in Utah, we have got to stop this,” Regan said.

While living in a van most of her sum mer, Regan tries her best to not leave a carbon footprint by living a sustainable life.

By not using plastic, she helps to stop the already 50-75 trillion pieces of plas tic that goes into the ocean every year.

While most would dream about trav eling some day, many do not achieve this dream. Life is too short for Regan, so try on the world.

G.

Our concertmistress is resistless

Junior Ella Felz’s eight years of dedication to violin has brought her to new heights

By Gretchen Sweeney

Her brown doe eyes wid ened in awe at the sight of the purple violin that glistened in the luminescent light of Ella Felz’s third grade classroom. This show and tell would predict Felz’s future more than she knew.

Soon, Felz was approaching the big blue wooden sign: “The Players Bench.” The grand glass panel windows dis played instruments of every shape, size, and color, but Felz had one instrument in mind: a violin.

come with being in an orchestra has left Felz with fond memories of the other musicians.

“The orchestra is like a family. We all have to be on the same page. We all have to communicate. We are a team,” Felz said.

The orchestra has brought Felz many close friendships and connections, espe cially with junior Josh Thorstenson.

“She is unique in that she likes dif ferent styles of music. She likes impro vising and solos rather than classical music,” Thorstenson said. “She is very rambunctious in her demeanor.”

Thorstenson plays many instruments, such as the cello, violin, and piano. Felz hopes to one day do a duet with him and compete.

Felz puts in many hours of dedication into her art, but she could not have gotten there completely without the help of her many instructors.

After years of being with Moore, Felz graduated from her in seventh grade.

“My current private lesson instruc tor is Jackie Fisher. She has made a big influence on me; she is a professional and helps me get ready for solos and competitions,” Felz said.

Ella Felz

Fisher has her master’s degree in violin performance and has traveled all over the world to perform.

Jeff Rollins is Felz’s instructor for the symphony orchestra. Through her com mitment, Rollins looks fondly towards her.

Ella Felz

The Players Bench, now closed, initiated the composition of the current concertmistress of Huntley’s Sympathy Orchestra, junior Ella Felz.

Felz has been playing violin for eight years now and not inactively. She has private lessons Tuesdays and Thurs days, daily Huntley Sympathy Orches tra rehearsal, and three-hour Sunday rehearsals with Elgin Youth Sympathy Orchestra. Their first performance is “Blueprints” on Nov. 13.

“It’s not a sport, but it is basically my sport because it’s such a large time com mitment,” Felz said.

She has been involved in many concertos and chambers but four total orchestras.

Through her dedication, she has been invited to play sectional sessions with the adult Elgin Orchestra. This upcom ing season they are looking forward to touring in New York together.

The long hours of rehearsals that

Felz’s earliest private instructor was Virginia Moore.

“She knew what I liked to play, and she pushed me outside my comfort zone and taught me to memorize music bet ter and work on my Boeing,” Felz said.

“She pushes the orchestra to be better. She raises the level of musicianship of the entire ensemble and is a hardwork ing leader,” Rollins said.

After high school, Felz hopes to audi tion for The Julliard School.

“To get into some music colleges, it is a 50-50 shot. When you apply, your application is everything you did and your scores. Even if you know you’re not going to make it into a difficult school, it is still worth a shot,” Felz said.

For now, Felz will continue to amaze all around her with her impeccable talent and skill.

D. Arellano

Third-grader Ella Felz playing violin at her Holiday Recital.

It’s not a sport, but it is basically my sport be cause it’s such a large time commitment

Ella Felz playing a violin solo at the Blackbox Theater.

Courtesy of Ella Felz

She knew what I liked to play. And she pushed me outside my comfort zone

HHS is locked up

By Savanna Reynolds

Starting this year, a new rule has become enforced and this rule of closing and locking classroom doors after the bell has left people confused. But with some students, they are unaffected and make it to class on time without worry. Some students are not as lucky though, they would have to walk to a pod and receive a pass. Some kids might find it weird, embarrassing or unnecessary, others might be fine with it existing. But it is for our safety that this rule is here now, and being enforced for a reason.

“It was passed on from the district office from our chief security officer. It was just a district wide policy shift,” said Tom Kempf, the assistant principal of operations.

According to Kempf, it was a possible response to the Uvalde Texas mass school shooting that happened on May 24.It was a district-wide change, not just school-wide. But has this been proven as a way to help any school?

“We are proactively trying to make changes to be preventative. I don’t believe that there’s any kind of study or research based investigation that says, ‘Oh, this school has, all closed and locked doors, so they’ve never had school violence’,” Kempf said.

That is because the vast majority of schools have not had school violence.

They’re catastrophic, and they’re horrible, but they are still largely rare. It’s awful and it’s gut wrenching, but, there’s not a lot of schools that have had more than one incident of school violence,” Kempf said.

This was a mandated thing that happened recently, and some teach ers were left either confused or unchanged. “I understand why we are doing that and why the district has done that. From a school safety

distracting to teachers? This policy isn’t the worst thing in the world.

“Sometimes I’ll forget to close my door, so is it nice every once in a while somebody walks by and closes the door to make sure we’re safe in the buildings. I could understand teach ers maybe being a little frustrated. If they’re quickly doing something out in the hallway, or maybe they’re talking to a student out in the hallway, and the doors’ closed on them.”

Despite what others may think, the action of closing the door never has disrupted class time either. When asked directly, Henricken stated that it didn’t distract his students, and the supervi sors were being polite and respectful about it. And it did not distract from the learning environment; although he can’t speak for all teachers.

standpoint. I understand their perspec tive, given light of recent events, being safe and secure in the building is really important, specially in a building this size. So, from a district point of view I understand that. Right, from a teacher, I respect any measure that is intended to keep students safe. I really respect that part first and foremost,” Henricksen, the AP Euro and Instructional Coach, stated. And even though teachers have possible mixed emotions on this policy, has this policy proved to be helpful or

Savanna Reynolds is a Floating Editor on The Voice, and it is their first year on staff. In their free time, Savanna likes to voice act, play video games, hang out with friends, and draw with some calming video game music. They love to make people laugh and smile

So next time you want to complain about how the doors are closed and lockedwww after the bell rings, just remember that it’s one out of many attempts that this school is trying to do to protect us students from any sort of danger. The teachers and staff care for us enough to make and enforce rules like this. The top priority for the staff is to protect us students, and this rule is an example of such.

Savanna Reynolds One Word to Describe Savanna: shy

Policy of doors being closed and locked after the bell rings has been strictly enforced, leaving some confused

We are proactively trying to make changes to be preventative Tom Kempf

Gone with the pandemic

The abolishment of free lunches in schools disappointed some, though leaves many uninterested

By Anthony Ciubela

Sept. 2

That was the day when free lunches would no longer be in effect, coming closer and closer.

Sept. 2

As the days crept closer, no one was really around to witness it.

Sept. 2

When the calendar finally hits this day, nothing happens. There was no outcry, no feel ing of dread, and absolutely no disappointment throughout the entirety of Huntley High School.

Free lunches are now no longer provided.

Andrew Rodriguez, a junior who frequently purchases the lunches provided at Huntley High School, had little to say in objec tion or in favor of the change, claiming that he got his lunch and ate and went about his day without the slightest thought about how much that lunch cost him that day.

The consensus is similar on the other side of things, the ones providing students with the food to begin with, the cooks and cashiers working in the cafeteria claim that there are few students that voice their opinions on the matter, which prompts the

said.

Such a system where a lunch is given out for free is simply not necessary for students to func tion properly, especially compar ing Huntley’s 6% poverty rate to New York City’s 11.6% or even worse Chicago’s 17%. Current ly, in Illinois, you must apply in order to receive free lunches, and even then you must meet multiple criteria in order to be considered for the program.

Ultimately, free lunches should be provided to students all throughout the country, especially to communities that need them the most. This change would effectively help potential ly millions of children and their families to not worry about more

S. Reynolds

Natalie Svendsen

they would say...

Something that many people wouldn’t know about me is that I struggle with anxiety. I have always had a small bit of anxiety, but in the summer of 2021 it became hard to leave the house and live normally. Finding cop ing mechanisms had become a normal guidance for me. I had to learn to adapt to living with anxi ety. Coming back to school in Au gust of 2021, I found it difficult to adjust. Throughout the strug gles my teachers understood and were supportive while here at school. I was able to maintain my anxiety going on and was able to experience a great junior year. It was very important to me to have a strong and understanding support system, always push ing me for the better. Mental health struggles should not be hidden or ignored, as they are not something you can choose. I would never choose to have these struggles, I do believe they have shaped me into the strong person I am.

these halls

interviewed by Luma Acevedo photos by Gray Edelstein & Alexis Cobb

they would say...

A unique experience for me was this year. I was playing against my old school in a crosstown rivalry football game at home. I had played with all of those kids my whole life, from pee wee all the way to high school. The game had a lot of meaning behind it, especially since we couldn’t finish the job last year. We came out from the start and just played together as a team. We wouldn’t let anything stop us from getting the win. And in the end, we came out on top. It was easily my favorite football game of my entire life.

Sam Deligio could talk

track and baseball

TV

from

es cost around $14.2 billion to the people overall before the pandemic hit, afterwards the government took over expenses, and only had to pay a third of what the population needed to have their children full.

It may certainly be argued that these numbers were tampered with thanks to said pandemic and the subsequent quarantines that were in effect afterwards, forcing many to stay home and therefore eat food at home or used some form of delivery service, completely ignoring the government issue food waiting for them to obtain.

Considering the cost of lunches before the pandemic began, it might seem like a large feat in order to pay off all of that cost in order to keep up with the schools and their needs, but a yearly budget of $17 billion could easily be allocated from the department of defense and be transferred to a new free lunch plan.

There is not only the monetary problems with the free lunches movement but also the debate about health, obesity and self confidence are key subjects in this matter. There is absolute ly no competition between a teenager making a lunch for themselves and a lunch prepared by a highschool in comparison of health benefits and nutrition, with the school lunch outshining home lunches since the Obama administration and their policy of healthy eating.

There are multiple more

to Europe and most of the world providing their citizens with free healthcare, and much more importantly, and providing their students with free and reliable food so that they do not starve.

Will the lack of free lunches cause the collapse of the United States? No, but free lunches will be a BAND-AID on the wounds

Anthony Ciubela

Someone once said “How you love yourself, is how others are taught to love you.” Essentially meaning that if we do not care for our citizens then we will never be accepted on the inter national stage as an equal, but as a bunch of clowns who can not even feed their own children at the schools they go to.

Anthony Ciuleba is a junior writer on The Voice, it is his first year on staff. In his free time, Anthony enjoys reading Lovecraftian horror, playing video games, and investigating politics and historical events that interest him. Whether it be a war, or an unexplained event within our past, Anthony is always interested.

No leaving with temporary IDs

Students able to leave the school campus with permanent IDs, prohibited without

By Brendan Busky

You can leave. Walking out the last class to go out to lunch, you can leave. Walking down the halls thinking about how good that Culver’s cheeseburger is going to be, you can leave. As you walk up to check out of the building, however, you can not leave. You forgot your ID at home and can not leave the build ing with your friends.

Leaving campus is an option that students have as a junior or senior. They can leave the campus when they do not have class, which would be during blended classes, early release, or a study hall.

Leaving the campus allows students to have an easier time in high school by being able to get things done such as getting to extracurricular activities on time, getting food, or going to work.

“I leave four out of five days of the week for lunch,” junior Jenna Amer said. “I always lose my ID and then all my friends want to go out and I don’t have my ID, I get annoyed about it. So it kind of sucks, but it’s a little bit understandable.”

From a student’s perspective, it is easy to see the permanent and tem porary IDs as the same thing. The IDs have the same picture and barcode, and have our grade on it, with the only difference being that there is no color.

Having off-campus privileges can be convenient. However, if you forget your ID once, the privilege is taken away. This is a privilege, so it makes sense why it is being taken away if a student does not have their perma nent ID. Everyone makes mistakes, so is it fair for this privilege to be taken if we mess up once?

Alice Ohlinger, the dean for last names A-H and Grades 11-12, rou

their ID on. She believes in the impor tance of wearing your permanent ID but that leaving with a temporary ID is not a good idea.

“You know, it’s gonna be an inconve nience. You’re not going to forget it again,” Ohlinger said.

Students leaving a certain amount of times with a temporary ID sounds like a good plan; however, according to Ohlinger, the plan is not as great as it seems.

“It’s harder to track and make sure that you’re an upperclassman who should even be at the door ready to scan,” Ohlinger said.

This is because the upperclassmen have red IDs, and when they scan, it is easy to see that they are able to leave.

Not having your permanent ID can also be a safety issue. They are es sential for identifying students in the building.

Brendan Busky is a staff writer for The Voice, it is his first year on staff. In his free time, Brendan likes to golf, work out, and hang out with friends. He has been playing golf almost his entire life.

S. Webb

“It comes down to an overall safety issue; we’re supposed to wear the IDs. You guys are the leaders in the building,” Ohlinger said.

Another dean working with Ohlinger is Thomas Kempf. He also believes in the importance of wearing the permanent IDs.

“I think what it is about is that the movement to wearing IDs was also another security shift. We know who’s here and who’s not supposed to be here, that’s a lot easier on a black lanyard around your neck. When you’re on the sticker, you might have it on your sleeve or anywhere we can’t see it,” Kempf said.

From a dean’s perspective, wearing the permanent ID is a responsibility that students have, and not wearing it could result in safety issues. However, from the perspective of a student, it is an inconvenience to not be able to leave with a temporary ID because they are going to miss spending time with their friends.

Allowing students to leave campus with a temporary ID will allow them to have freedom to do what they desire. On the other hand, deans and other members of staff do not support the idea because they want to uphold safety precautions and be lieve that students need to be more responsible.

One Word to Describe Brendan: hardworkingBrendan Busky

Cobra Kai Never Dies

Cobra Kai and Miyagi-Do fight for control in season five

By Jacey Sola

Miyagi-Do and Cobra Kai face off once again in the new season, which kicked off on Netflix on Sept. 9. Daniel Larusso, played by Ralph Macchio, and Johnny Lawrence, played by William Zabka, return for the fifth season along with costars Xolo Maridueña, who plays Migeul Diaz, Tanner Buchanan, who plays Robby Keene, Jacob Bertrand who plays Hawk and Peyton List, who plays Tory Nichols.

This season, John Kreese is no longer the instructor of Cobra Kai. Terry Silver takes over and completely shifts the program around. During the beginning of the season, Miguel leaves to go find his father in Mexico, and Robby and Johnny go and look for him. Daniel Larusso also partners with Chozen as they plan to put an end to Cobra Kai by plotting against Silver.

The pacing for this season is definitely better than the previous seasons. The

story is more fast-paced, without any boring or slow episodes. Each perspec tive within this season, and it is always fun to see characters reunite, like Chozen and Daniel, and characters get ting closer with each other, like Robby and Johnny.

Miguel and Robby’s clash in the fifth episode was also fun to see. They still have a strong rivalry with one another and have fought ever since the first season, such as fighting in the All-Valley Tournament in season one, and the fight that broke out in school where

a lot of growth and change from her first appearance in season two.

The storytelling this season was also done well. The story for this season was pretty interesting compared to the rest, and it was cool to see how the adults, Daniel, Chozen, and Johnny, played big roles in this season. It will be interest ing to see how Terry Silver is as evil as Kreese when he was in charge of Cobra Kai.

Although the season was great, there are some issues with the show. The show seems to be following a rinse and repeat pattern of a training or planning part of the season, with the All-Valley Tournament or competition at the end. I feel that the show should try to move away from this pattern and try to do something different and more creative. Season two did go away from this pattern with the school fight. The latest season also tried to go away from this pattern by including the fight at Silver’s house, but it still involved a competi tion-like event between Cobra Kai and

Overall, this season was great. I would definitely recommend watching this season if you enjoyed the other seasons of Cobra Kai or if you are just a fan of the Karate Kid movies. Even if you enjoy action movies with bits of comedy, this is the show for you.

BeReal has peaked

The ‘realness’ may be what is keeping BeReal from having longevity

By Arianna Joob

Ti me to BeReal. 2 minutes left to capture a BeReal and see what your friends are up to.

2:00

Social Media is always growing and evolving, whether it comes to new apps being created or old apps being reformed. Arguably, one of the biggest issues with social media is the ability to actually be your true and ‘unfiltered’ self on them.

People strive to edit pictures, pick certain angles and dress a cer tain way in order to portray their best selves for all to see on the internet. The pictures are heavi ly curated, endlessly edited and strategically placed to create one’s perfect persona. Although, the new app BeReal aimed to end this phenomenon.

1:51

BeReal in simple terms is a social media platform that allows users to post once a day and at a spe cific time. When the notification from the app pops up, the user has two minutes to take a photo of themselves with the front and back camera before their photo is considered ‘late.’

Once someone posts their BeRe al, their friends are able to send RealMojis to react to other peo ple’s BeReals. Everyone’s BeReals are accessible until the following day when it is time to BeReal again.

1:36

Because of the specific require ments of the app, it attempts to create a structure where it is im possible to not be real, yet people still accomplish this.

“I think that they should not let you post after a certain time limit because a lot of people just wait to post until they’re doing some thing fun,” said sophomore Del aney Stock, who has been a user of BeReal for 2 months.

When people wait to post and are purposefully late, it defeats the purpose of the app, which is to take a picture with the front and back camera at that very moment.

Of course, there are always emer gencies and other things that are excusable and could cause you to be late to the BeReal.

1:08

The real issue came when BeReal was prominent at the beginning of this school year. So, what happens when the BeReal notification goes off in class?

“You can get the wrong people in the picture that don’t want to be photographed,” said Jason Cooper, a career and business teacher at HHS.

It’s the flavor of the month

Jason Cooper

The classroom is a private setting, and it does not warrant all students to be in the background of random pictures. BeReal encourages people to take pictures and reveal their true selves, but is this at the cost of random people getting photo graphed, even as it conflicts with school rules?

0:49

Student safety involving pho tography has always been a major concern for the district, especially with people that have requested to not be photographed. But, with people now taking random pictures in the middle of class, how can this be accurately controlled?

0:36

BeReal is unique in how it allows for real-time pictures, in compari son to other social media apps like Instagram and TikTok. At the end of August 2022, BeReal had about 21.6 million active monthly users according to the Influencermar ketinghub.com. It is still behind in ratings compared to mega apps like TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram.

“I feel like [BeReal] already did [peak] right before school started and then it went down,” senior

Juliana Simandl takes her BeReal while she is at work.

BeReal goes off while Delaney Stock is at a concert.

Courtesy of Delaney Stock

Courtesy of Juliana Simandl

Courtesy of Dielza Sejdini

Courtesy of Dielza Sejdini

Courtesy of Sara Willis Courtesy of Mckenna Corso

Stock gains a reputation for causing a racquet

G. Edelstein

Sophomore Delaney Stock works hard, enjoying herself on the girls tennis team

By Amanda Le

Sweat drips from sophomore Delaney Stock’s forehead to her nose. She adjusts her glass es, catching her breath. The afternoon rays of the sun illuminate Stock’s face, giving her a warm yellow-red cast. The glaring sun only brings more heat to Stock’s performance. To prevent the stray strands of hair from interfering, her hair is tied into a lazy bun. The cool breeze gives her a sense of relief. Stock grips her tennis racket. Stock and her doubles partner, senior Emily Chong, were losing their match against Batavia High School.

“I kind of just felt like there’s no point in trying to win; we’re not going to win. But then, Emily just kind of hyped me up and was like, we can do it. Like we got it. And our coach talked to us, and he was like, just put your mind to it, and you’ll be able to get it done,” Stock said.

“It was a great match. I was proud of it. It was early on in the season, and since then, they’ve really improved and you know if we played them again today, I think it might be a different match,” said varsity girls tennis Coach Barry Wells.

The fall season of 2022-2023, Stock was paired with Chong for doubles. Stock and Chong always hype each other up during difficult matches. The positivity and compassion they radi ate can be felt from the stands. Coach Wells explained that he chooses players whose skills are better as doubles and who have chemistry.

“Me and my partner have gotten re ally close over the season,” Stock said. “It’s just so much fun hanging out with her and playing with her.”

While it is important to work hard, it is important to have fun as well. In tennis practice, Stock works hard to be better than last time.

“When we play music, she routinely likes to dance during practice, which I

think is really cool,” Wells said.

Prior to the match, the girls warm up before their rival school comes. The girls tennis warm-ups are meant to warm up the girls’ technique, form, and footwork. Even in warm-ups, Stock tries her very best to get the ball to keep going.

“On the court, I would say her place ment stands out the most. She’s really good at placing the ball and being in the right position and just playing smart and mentally tough out there,” Wells said.

Before any match, Stock and her teammates have pep talks to pump each other up. Her mentality would be to focus on the next point and to shake the bad things off. When a match starts, Stock would spin her black and blue Babolat tennis racket onto the tennis court to determine whether she and her double pair will receive or seve. The Babolat’s logo has a two-striped design on the bottom of the handle that deter mines whether the double pair serves or receives first based on which side of the stripes it lands on.

Stock began her tennis journey seven years ago when she and her dad were looking for something fun to do and a new sport for Stock to play. Stock and her dad would practice together. For five years, Stock trained and practiced at Centegra.

“I kind of just fell in love with it, and it’s been my favorite ever since,” Stock said.

As a freshman, Stock participated in lacrosse and tennis. She played lacrosse and tennis for the girls’ JV team. When high school began, her tennis lessons came to an end as she would partici pate in lacrosse club outside of school, following tennis practice.

“I think doing two sports and doing school is just kind of a lot to handle, since I love both my sports, and I like getting good grades,” Stock said.

G. Edelstein

Despite Stock’s busy schedule she has time to participate in Silver Cord as well. This year, Stock’s classes consist of honors but no AP classes, unlike last year. Balancing tennis and then another sport is difficult, so Stock has to have a good sense of time management.

“I would just say that tennis affects school life and just makes you busier. You know, less time for things. You have to have really good time management to get everything done,” sophomore Carlie Weishaar said.

Fortunately, Stock was able to join the girls varsity tennis. According to Coach Wells, he has the tennis players play matches against each other. Those who finish in the top 11, are usually on varsity. The girls can move up to varsity and down to JV. During practice, JV and varsity practice together, so that the girls have an opportunity to mix. Tennis is a non-cut sport.

“Anybody can come out that wants to,” Wells said.

In the final weeks of the season, Stock will continue to put in hard work to allow her team to remain champions in the Fox Valley Conference.

“But if you put your mind to it, you can do anything that you want,” Stock said.

But if you put your mind to it, you can do anything you want Delaney Stock

Third time’s the charm

“I can’t do this again.”

“I can’t do this again.”

Through tears, Maddie Lackovic repeated the same phrase, knowing she had seriously injured herself. Everyone’s eyes had been fixed on the play un folding just feet away. The girls soccer game had been a lull, all interest in the other team in white, who had the ball. Lackovic was on a roll this year, making leaps and strides since her first ACL tear in 2020.

She reached for the ball, attempt ing to intercept the pass. Her knee hyperextended and all of the sud den, she was on the ground. At first, many thought she had just tripped or cramped up, but after realizing she was not getting up, it quickly became

Athlete Maddie Lackovic

comes back to sports after a second ACL tear

By Samantha Webb

critical.

Her breathing was erratic and tears were down to her chin, mixing with the rain. Looking up from the ground, the dark sky loomed over her. Parents who sat in their cars perked up from their seats, looking to see what happened.

It had not actually hurt her as much as it scared her. As she sat there, fear filled in her chest and panicked thoughts rushed through her head.

Marta Sobey, the JV coach, was attempting to calm her down; they needed her to get to a trainer and pos sibly to the ER. Tom, the athletic trainer, rushed over to her and helped her into his cart.

Sounds of running cars permeated the air. Headlights trained on the field had blurred as she rode to her father’s red and black car.

Her family and friends all had the

same look on their faces. Empathy and disappointment. Murmurs of “Oh my god” and “I’m so sorry” followed her. As she sat in front of her dad, his eyes were soft, and all he could be was sorry.

“It’s like having paralysis or some thing where you just want it to be over. I want it to be over,” Lackovic said.

Lackovic knew she tore her ACL. She grieved in the days after, while receiv ing an MRI and walking into the doc tor’s office. She sensed what her doctor would say, because she had heard the words before. Her thoughts were not of what happened, rather, the fear of her future in sports.

Her ACL was like a string that was cut and frayed at the ends. Unable to be repaired without introducing more muscle. During the surgery, doctors had to take a part of her hamstring and repair that ACL. Positively, her meniscus was only damaged slightly and did not impact her post-surgery.

Getting surgery was a simple step in recovery, but she felt dread for the re covery time. She wanted to get back to her sports. Lackovic commits herself to

Maddie Lackovic and her teammates posing for the camera.

D. Arellano

multiple travel sports. She was always at practice or games, even on week ends. The first day after surgery was eye-opening, relieving and depressing all at the same time.

Lackovic sat for weeks in her bed while friends sent her snacks and visited her. A useless and debilitating feeling resonated through her constant ly. Even going to the bathroom was a challenge for her.

Starting this year’s soccer season, she participated in tryouts and it was announced that she would be placed on JV2. This was to help rehabilitation and keep her active. While it was disap pointing for Lackovic, she knew it was for the best.

When given ACL surgery, one has to wear a brace to keep the knee stable and strong while going through the long process of healing. This brace, however, symbolizes much more for her.

After both tears, she had to wear this brace and both times, she felt out of shape and behind. Running next to

her friends felt like a chore instead of a sport she loved. She was trying so hard to keep up, and when the brace came off, the work she had put in had paid off. She was making significant prog ress; she felt hope.

Now, all she has is senior year. On her wall, she has a sticky note. It reads, “Senior Comeback.” Her motivation. During this year, she plans on pushing herself. Senior year, she wants to make the push for JV1 or varsity soccer.

Sobey is confident in her abilities. Be ing on varsity is not just about physical attributes, it’s also about personality. Her attitude outshines so many, and she pushes her friends around her.

“She is one of the hardest working ones there. So, the biggest thing about making varsity is you have to be a good practice player because they don’t always see that. Maddie is that on and off the field,” Sobey said.

As a high school athlete, Lackovic has been through too much disappoint ment. But, she has strived through

the thick and thin of tearing an ACL, not once, but twice. Her personality surpasses others, and she is making significant progress, only three months after surgery. If she keeps this up, we will all see her making that sticky note come true. She will make her senior comeback.

Maddie Lackovic watching her teammate practice in the field house.

She is one of the hardest working ones out there. The biggest thing about making varsity is you have to be a good prac tice player. Maddie is that on and off the field Marta Sobey

D. Arellano

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golfing since he could walk and does not plan on stopping any time soon

By Zoe Hurmi

Junior Nathan Elm approaches the green at the Randall Oaks Golf Club. The sun is beaming down on Elm. While walking out onto grass, instead of the usual squish and light dampness on his shoes, it is dry.

While the team’s mornings are usually cold and calm, this day took a different turn. It was mid-day, the heat was coming down and the wind was blustery.

Elm knew that this would be the same course he would be playing at

for next week.

The constant score updates from his phone let him know his place throughout the entire day. Looking down and seeing the name Elm in the top five was eye-opening. Lining up his second-to-last hole led him to be in a great position.

Facing hole 18 was where he could really show improvement, especially for the imminent sectionals. Being at hole 18 with a good chance at a birdie was a great place to be in.

“I’m gonna go bogey-free for the first time,” Elm said.

Elm has had a natural attraction to the game ever since he was a toddler. Elm had golf running through his

club ever since he could stand up,” Micheal said.

While playing golf with his dad, they had amazing opportunities to play on courses in places such as Kapalua, Hawaii and Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin.

The bonding between Elm and his father has brought in hours of

L. Arroyo

The kid just lives golf, he’s kind of a junkie Collin Kalamatas

discussing the game and playing together.

Growing up with a family who is also very passionate about the sport can make you gain a certain apprecia tion for it.

When on family vacations, the Elm family tries to have friendly compe tition and play either parents versus kids or girls versus boys.

During the stage in everyone’s life where you are trying to decide who you are, Elm did not just play golf.

He has played baseball, basket ball, hockey, and lacrosse. During these personality-defining years, Elm dipped his toes in many other sports but came back to golf.

When going into high school, Elm did not go unnoticed. Being able to represent himself in tournaments before joining the high school team brought in a whole new set of eyes. Collin Kalamatas, coach of the boys golf team, had been keeping an eye out at the junior tournaments to see students in the district who could po

tentially be on the high school team.

“We had an idea that Nathan was going to be someone who could help

Michael Elm

us,” Kalamatas said.

In the summer of 2020, Elm prac ticed and improved more than ever.

“That’s when I first started noticing

Nathan Elm holds his toddler golf clubs that initiated his start to becoming a great golfer.

a drop in my scores,” Elm said.

During the year when we all were inside, he was working on his putts.

While the school’s golf season is over by November, Elm’s season is year-round. Over the course of the winter, Elm practices in his basement with a simulator that his family has. When the weather comes around, he practices at the Boulder Ridge Coun try Club with sophomore teammate Taig Bhathal, or at Pinecrest Golf Course with junior teammate Sam Locascio.

Elm also attends Illinois Junior Golf Association and McHenry County Junior Golf Association tournaments in the spring and summer, preparing for the fall season.

“Nathan is definitely dedicated to his golf game and for most of his free time in spring and summer he can be found at the course practicing and playing,” Micheal said.

When Elm is not on the green, he is doing something golf-related.

“The kid just lives golf. He works at Dick’s Sporting Goods in the golf shop, watches golf on the television all the time, and is always constantly working on his game. The kid’s kind of a junkie,” Kalamatas said.

This past golf season, Elm has been improving more than ever. From last season to now, the difference is impeccable.

“He’s hitting the ball farther which puts him in a better position to score lower, leading his game to improve,” Kalamatas said. “He’ll be our best returning player next year.”

While Elm is not the captain of the team, he is still respected by the old er members, and younger members really look up to him.

“It is said that ‘golf is not a game of perfect’ therefore, it can be a very humbling sport that also teaches you the importance of focus, prob lem-solving, and how to deal with adversity,” Michael said.

Since golf is such a versatile sport with its age range of players, there will always be the availability to play with family and friends for Elm.

It is said that ‘golf is not a game of perfect’ therefore it can be a very humbling sport that also teaches you the impor tance of focus, problem-solving, and dealing with adversity

Courtesy of Michael Elm

You matter.

If there’s one thing students will always remember from their time at Huntley High School, it’s that the faculty care about them.

This motto is visible in different places as you walk through the building, including several murals.

Many students scoff at this, citing circumstances where they felt neglected or when their reports were swept under the rug.

Many times, the editorial board of the Voice has brought to light different individuality issues that have been sidestepped in the community, including racial discrimination (Oct. 15, 2021), sexual harassment (Oct. 8, 2021 and April 2021), and LGBTQ+ acceptance (Jan. 29 2021). While these editorials gave the affected a voice, this is only the beginning.

teacher at the school. This critical information is not posted publicly anywhere.

“I also think [they should] just have it written down somewhere whether it’s in the Student Handbook [or somewhere else,]” said Amanda Flight, GenderSexuality Alliance advisor.

Students need to know that this help is available to them. If HHS really prides itself on the idea that everyone matters, then the school should do its best to publicize information that pertains to its population.

Currently, the only thing the

to fend for themselves.

With something written in the handbook, there would be no questioning whether or not these resources are available.

“I need a targeted group of individuals that are looking for support and help so that we can actually identify what the needs would be,” Kempf said.

If the school needs a group of individuals that are looking for support, LGBTQ+ students and their rights as individuals are a great place to start.

According to Belin, every year around January or February, the student handbook is revised with the school board to see if any changes are needed. Hopefully, come this winter, things will change.

Vocalizing student accommodations

“It’s not [only] you as a student matter, it’s you as an individual,” principal Marcus Belin said.

The high school prides itself on being inclusive and claims there are opportunities for students, but these accommodations are not necessarily vocalized.

For example, for LGBTQ+ students, staff restrooms located inside the pod are available in place of the traditional restrooms and locker rooms. These restrooms are not necessarily private, but can be used as a safe space for transgender students, transitioning students, or others that would feel more comfortable there.

“There are some students that only feel safe in a gender-neutral bathroom, and there are some students that I think wouldn’t feel safe in a gender-neutral bathroom because there’s no telling who could go into that bathroom,” associate principal Danyce Letkewicz said.

Administration wants to create a safe environment for all students and using the teacher bathrooms inside the pods is the best solution for right now. In order to live up to ‘you matter,’ administrators need to find solutions that make everyone feel safe, even if they’re only temporary.

In order for students to find out about these opportunities, they must talk to a counselor or trusted

student handbook talks about is that students are able to file a complaint and cannot be denied access to anything based on gender, race, background, religion, beliefs, etc. The words “transgender,” gender-neutral,” or “LGBTQ” are not even mentioned in the handbook, only that a student may be harassed due to gender identity.

“I think there could be broad enough verbiage in the handbook that gives support options,” associate principal Tom Kempf said.

If something were to be written in the handbook, students would know about the opportunities available to them.

The LGBTQ+ community isn’t the only ones affected; many students who need locker room accommodations for privacy or other religious reasons are left

“This doesn’t necessarily fall into administrative procedure. This more falls into policy and what we include, and if it’s policy related, then our board has to approve it,” Belin said.

When ideas regarding the handbook are presented to the board, we hope that LGBTQ+ bathroom policies part of those ideas.

“I think [schools should] definitely just be taking responsibility if something is to go wrong. [Schools should be] making sure that ownership is taken and [they know] how to make the situation right and [are] also advocating for their rights,” Flight said.

‘You matter’ should not only be a motto by door one or only apply when it comes to academics.

The school should feel more of a responsibility to make sure that all student’s rights are set in stone if all students truly matter.

S. Webb

District policy & high school student handbook need to be updated

Interview by Luma Acevedo

Photo by Julia Jolly

Humans of Huntley

Loving Mom

Describe your upbringing. My upbringing was very Catholic. We went to church every Sunday. I went to Catholic school growing up.

Tell me something about your background.

I got a job when I turned 16. I attended tech college with a degree in computer science.

What do you do in your spare time?

I enjoy reading, exercising, and shopping. What I enjoy most though, is spending time with my children.

What is one piece of advice would you give your younger self?

Take time to smell the roses. Stop worrying. Stop trying to change what you can’t. Remember that God is in charge. Your life is already planned.

- Celeste Jolly