Huntley HS Voice Newsmagazine Oct. 8 2021 by Huntley Voice

V the O I C E

October 8, Volume 25, Issue 1 Huntley High School

Sexual harrassment revisited Memories of 9/11 Alex Johnson wins state for long jump

CONTENTS

table of

Editor in Chief Amelia Pozniak Managing Editor Grace Helzer Floating Editors Ava Brancato, Jessy Gone, Lindsay Hunter, Arianna Joob, Rayne Zilch Photo Editor Alexis Cobb Marketing Editor Zoe Hurmi Social Media Manager Sean Kovach

EDITORIAL POLICY

EDITORIAL BOARD

STAFF

Staff Writers Breanna Burak, Matt O’Connell, Connor Considine, Sophia Coronado, Brooke Hamann, Calvin McFalls, Shane McGuine, Dylan Palczynski, Karolina Perkowski, Avery Robertson, Jacey Sola Photographers Leyla Arroyo, Amanda Hoglind, Brooklyn Tracey, Addison Raistrick, Katie Walsh Adviser Dennis Brown

changes in the school raider nation behavior CLB vs Donda album if these halls could talk teacher runs marathon the road to state sexual harassment

NEWS

OPINION

A&E

SPECIAL

22 & 23 FEATURES

SPORTS

EDITORIAL

THE VOICE is an official student-produced medium of news and information published and produced by Huntley High School News Media Production students (ADDRESS: 13719 Harmony Rd. Huntley, IL 60142). The Voice has been established as a designated public forum for student writers and editors to inform and educate their readers and to discuss issues of concern to their audience. It will not be reviewed or restrained by school officials prior to publication or distribution. Because school officials do not engage in prior review, and the content of The Voice is determined by and reflects only the views of the student staff and not school officials or the school itself; its student editorial board and staff members assume complete legal and financial liability for the content of the publication.

NEWS | walkout

Promoting change in school Students make their voices heard to improve school’s enviroment By Jessy Gone

here are many different factors that go into creating a school environment where students feel safe, supported, and confident in themselves. With accounting for so many students and trying to meet the needs of all, this leads to disputes about how to improve the school environment. Improvement of the school is always strived for in any given situation. Students do not always feel that they can make a difference when it comes to improving their own school. Huntley High School’s administration is always looking for ways to make the school better and the student body plays an important role in making these changes. Students are the primary subject and resource when it comes to finding ways to make the school a safer place for them. In light of the recent walkout against sexual harassment, many students have been hoping for an answer on how the school will be addressing the concerns that were voiced during the event.

“We will support a student’s opportunity to [protest], however, that’s not a sit-down conversation with school administrators,” Associate Principal Danyce Letkewicz said. Students who participated in the walkout expected administrators to respond with their solutions at that moment, causing frustration about how their concerns would be addressed. However, since the walkout, there have been meetings between students and administration about the ways that they think the school could better support them. “If there are students that are feeling that their voice wasn’t heard, I definitely encourage them to come and set up times so that we can talk directly with them,” Letkewicz said. Administrators support and encourage the feedback of students when it comes to these critical issues. Setting up meetings with administrators is only one way that some HHS students are trying to make a difference within their school community. Senior Angie Favila, student leader and creator of the Women’s Empowerment Leadership League, wants to make a difference in the school regarding gender inequality. The WELL club, created this year, has the goal of creating a space where people are able to collab-

Students organize a walkout against sexual harassment to create change at Huntley High School. A. Cobb

Check out more articles on the walkout on huntleyvoice.com!

A. Cobb OCTOBER 8 ISSUE 2021

orate and find ways to help the school. “I really wanted to make it a way for anybody to rise up and really [gain] that confidence to reach their goals, but also for the school to realize what we are and what we are trying to be,” Favila said. Some students see how women’s empowerment is an important issue at school and they want to improve that. Trying to change gender inequality by starting a club is another way students have been trying to make changes within the school. While they are not working with administration, they are trying to spread awareness among students and improve the school’s environment. “We are meeting a lot of times during late starts, [and] trying to partner with local organizations who have a curriculum about how to learn more and what they are doing. Just kind of getting people more involved and more interested,” said Anne Sharkey, social studies teacher and WELL club advisor. By partnering together, students and teachers are actively attempting to make the high school a more inclusive and positive place for students to be in. This hopefully will bring about changes that will continue benefiting the student body. Finding these outlets of ways for students’ voices to be heard is the way that administration will be able to improve Huntley High School for their students. They are open to suggestions about changes and being supportive of the ways students want to make their voices heard. Students are coming together and taking these opportunities to try to make their school a better place. “I wanted to create a space where like-minded people are able to accumulate their ideas to help the world in whatever way we can,” Favila said.

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NEWS | diversity

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NEWS | diversity

Cultural awareness RAD group promotes cultural diversity opportunities By Sophia Coranado

s sophomore Christina Smith arrived outside of Door One, she nervously began to create signs and set up tables with the other volunteers. She looked around to see three food trucks stationing themselves, and others setting up the stage in between the edge of the parking lot where traditional Latino dancers were soon to perform. As the event started, Smith heard constant music playing while everyone talked, ate, and danced to the aroma of freshly made churros. Huntley High School’s newly formed Recognizing American Diversity organization hosted one of many community events to come, in order to recognize and celebrate Latinx culture during September. Their event featured authentic food, music, dancers and activities. Despite being surrounded by the support of five other volunteers and some cheerleaders, Smith was unsure at first of how many people would show up. But with time, she was surprised to see how many people gathered at the Latinx event. “It was just so much fun, seeing all the little kids and their parents come,” Smith said. “I knew a girl who had her quinceañera recently, and when they started playing classic Latino songs they knew the songs and started dancing!” Smith volunteered to run the paper flower making stand, where she was able to interact with many of the people who attended. “I had a girl come up to me during the event and she asked me what club it’s through, [because] it’s so nice seeing [her] culture represented. That really made me want to cry because I didn’t realize throwing an event could make someone feel that way. It was really nice to see that” Smith said. As of now, RAD is a staff-led organization whose mission is to find OCTOBER 8 ISSUE 2021

resources rather than create them for the different groups each month. The group began as something that Brian Truax, head of the social studies department and Shaina Pocztowski, head of the English department had begun to process through early last year. The RAD board consists of 11 members, with three focusing on the media, two working on social media and advertising, and four working on identifying what event should be held each month. The board directors are Pocztowski and Truax to help coordinate the group. “It’s the idea of representing some groups that might not always have a presence in our curriculum, and really to highlight that there are certain students who might not be recognized as often. And we wanted them to know that we do see them and that they are part of our community,” Pocztowski said. It turns out that choosing a different group to cover each month is a complicated process because they must choose between underrepresented groups. “We went with the groups that are nationally recognized each month. The only one that we had changed was April, which will be our LGBTQ month. But since we are out of school in the summer, we still wanted to be able to highlight that group,” Pocztowski said. According to Truax, the RAD group communicates with the student body through the announcements, social media accounts on Instagram and Twitter and flyers hung around the school. On their website, they share a calendar of provided resources for students to access and participate in. “I would love to have feedback on ways in which we can improve. It is our first go at it, and we are obviously going to have missed some important parts of any particular identity and so on. We acknowledge that, and it’s just something that we want to keep working to improve,” Truax said. American Diversity teacher Shandon Nixon is one of the staff members in charge of the media for RAD. He explains why it is important to

K. Alvarado Dancers performing at the Latinx event in various cultural costumes. create exposure to the underrepresented groups in the community. “It’s really just trying to normalize cultural realities that might not look like what certain people have come to think is American. And acknowledging this is American too, it’s just a version of cultural reality of America that maybe you haven’t been exposed to. It’s time that we give you that opportunity to see there’s a lot to celebrate,” Nixon said. Although the temperature was mild at the Latinx event, the wind blew away the thin parchment paper Smith’s flower-making station was using. HHS’ RAD club is blowing away the divergence between different groups and instead bringing together opportunities of cultural awareness. HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

News | zoom

Quarantine online learning Students return to Zoom classes due to exposure By Arianna Joob

oming into the 2021-2022 school year, students are now able to interact with other students and follow a normal schedule. Although, not everyone can have this social interaction because of the COVID-19 safety guidelines in schools. Some students are forced to quarantine and go back to the familiar ways of Zoom and remote learning. Students have said that so far the quarantine situation has been a little unorganized and chaotic. “For me, it was very similar to the first lockdown two years ago when [learning] was all online,” sophomore Nicolette Radzinski said. So far during the school year students have had limited access to Zoom, with only one or two Zoom classes being available during the school day. Tests are also another problem when it comes to dishonesty. This has been an issue, especially in the math department. “The temptation to cheat at home is just really huge and [with] math, you can google almost anything, and it will solve it for you, with all the work,” math teacher Laura Jenkins said. Despite these issues, the question remains whether or not it is fair to give online, quarantined students access to online testing. If the students are learning all the material remotely, should they have to take the tests in person? It is a difficult thing to determine when it comes to testing someone’s learning abilities. Also, time and time again it is proven that motivation is a challenge with any type of online learning. Students have to get the work done, but it is hard to figure out a solution that caters to both teachers and students. Online learning can make some students get distracted by their at-home learning environment surroundings, while it makes others feel isolated. “If you don’t have that Zoom link, you’re more likely to [be] like, oh, I got a notification,” junior Jayden Bell said.

OCTOBER 8 ISSUE 2021

Phones, TVs, and technology are good resources but can be a distraction when it comes to remote learning. Isolation is also something that students deal with while quarantining during online learning. “The hardest part was not really having anyone that was going through the same thing that I was going through. All of my friends are still in school,” Radzinski said. Although, the Illinois School Board of Education has recently made progress in changing things. Feeling alone while quarantining can be a huge mental battle during online learning. According to the Illinois School Board of Education, Students must have at least five clock hours per day of a combination of instruction and schoolwork. In addition, the Illinois School Board of Education recommends that districts provide their students with at least 2.5 hours of synchronous learning with real-time instruction. The board is hoping to create change in current quarantined learning with these remarks. Ultimately, teachers are trying their best to accommodate both in-person and online learning students. “I just can’t be in two places at once, so that definitely makes it difficult. I don’t want any group of my students to feel like they’re missing out on instruc-

Students are quarantining at home due to COVID-19.

A. Raistrick

tion with me because of being here or being home,” English teacher Noelle Greene said. Teachers are trying their best to make accommodations for students without seeming like they are choosing one group over another. Although, it is important to remember that a majority of their students are in the building. “That means for that one student, you have to make sure there are all kinds of materials available. So it’s a lot of extra work for just a few people, which is hard because you are trying to pour yourself into making really good, interactive lesson plans,” Jenkins said. This is proving it is difficult to win when it comes to catering to both groups of students. While teachers and students are struggling with the changes due to the COVID-19 quarantine protocol, the district is only trying to keep everyone safe. Through efforts to create both in-person and online resources, teachers do extra work that takes up more of their time. “The biggest resource [the district] can’t give me that I desperately need is time. I need more time and they don’t have it. I pretty much have been working until 5:00 p.m. every day. That’s an 11 hour day,” Jenkins said. The district has done things to help teachers, but it is still proving to be difficult to figure out how to make decisions that help both teachers and students. While online learning during quarantine is not ideal, it is important to remember that these accommodations were put in place as safety measures. Modern technology allows students to keep up in school from the safety of their own home. Over time, the online learning situation while in quarantine will change and adapt depending on the needs of the students and the availability of the staff. It will adapt in the same way that online learning has adapted over the course of the last year and a half. The important thing to remember is wthat students and teachers alike are all trying their best to make in-person learning work, even though many changes are happening as we come out of a pandemic. HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

NEWS | zoom

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Labs epic return to classes

NEWS | hands-on learning

L. Arroyo

Hands-on activities come back to school By Karolina Perkowski

tudents are back at school and ready to learn. Huntley High School has decided to bring back hands-on activities into classrooms, returning to the school norm. Teachers are prepared to have all students back in their classrooms and go back to a regular school year. Students as are happy to be back in their classes and get the high school experience every student wishes to have. Because COVID-19 is still a prominent issue all around, teachers need to take certain safety measures to keep all students safe in class. However, this pandemic is not keeping students away from going back to a semi-normal school year and doing in-class projects. “We have to be as safe as we can but then we need to not let it impede [on] education,” said Cindy Fuhrer, department chair of science. As teachers return to their classrooms, they have put together all of their lessons for the new school year, adjusting for the semi-normal school year to have all students participate in class activities. “Last year when the students started coming back, teachers were really worried about doing hands on but at the beginning of this year I think the teachers were ready to dive in and really go at it and were really looking forward to it,’’ Fuhrer said. Going back to school like before is definitely not an easy thing, it will take time to completely adjust to the way things were before. This is not easy for students and teachers, both facing challenges being back at school all day. Students need to get used to learning everything being taught to them and taking assessment the tradi-

OCTOBER 8 ISSUE 2021

L. Arroyo

Chemestry students complete a lab during class after a remote school year. tional way. “Kids have to learn how to take assessments without being at home,

We have to be as safe as we can but then we need to not let it impede [on] education.

Cindy Fuhrer science department chair

that’s been rough on a lot of people and that’s wonderful because the first Chemistry assessment was rough but guess what, the second one wasn’t,” said chemistry teacher, Allison Tuleo. “Grades have been worse actually this year, not because we’re not

learning as much, it’s because there’s more that we have to learn [since the] majority of people that were online last year didn’t really learn all of the stuff,” senior Sameer Anber said. Teachers are trying their best to make class fun by bringing back the enjoyable labs to have students talk with each other, since they had that taken away from them last year. “It’s making class a lot more fun… I think it gives students a way to practice content that isn’t watching a video and doing something with it,” Tuleo said. For students being back in class, having to learn and do everything the right way, it is not always easy. “When I’m online there’s really not really much keeping me away from finding ways of cheating or to find a way to find the answer without doing it the way they want us to,” Anber said.

see LABS page 14 HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

NEWS | hands-on learning

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FEATURES | marathon

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FEATURE | marathon

“She’s a runna, she’s a teacha” Spanish teacher trains in preparation to run the Chicago Marathon By Dylan Palczynski

t takes 20 miles to drive from Huntley High School to Lake Zurich High School in Barrington. For many this would seem impossible to run or even jog. However, for one of our very own Spanish teachers here at HHS, this is just another Sunday morning jog around the neighborhood. From running on her high school cross country team to now, Spanish I and IV teacher, Megan DiCianni is a running enthusiast. Cross country in high school would be the driving force in her life to keep on running. Cross country also formed support systems and allowed her to discover relationships with best friends. “Where my high school was, we had a street called Fairfax, so we did like Fairfax Friday, it was like two and a half miles. That was our easy day and we’d sing the entire time like as a team and there’s just these stupid memories from that.

But now I’m like kind of seeing the other side of it. I think if I didn’t start out with that group of goofy people I don’t think I’d like it as much,” DiCianni said. The people she ran with boosted her to new heights throughout high school, and they gave her the key to finish her first half-marathon right before her graduation. Leaping from high school to college would change the running scene for DiCianni for a while. College kept her busy, and she just did not have the time for running until her final years of college. Although college halted running for a little while. DiCianni would come back with her experience and years worth of work to take running to the next level by going for the Chicago Marathon. Her only options to get into the marathon are to either fundraise for a charity or to have participated in the Chicago Marathon already five or more times across the last 10 years. However, she could also get in through a lottery. During the summer of 2019, she won the lottery to get in for the 2020 Chicago Marathon.

Dicianni featured with her biggest supporters, her mom and her dog. They have provided encouragement throughout the training process.

A. Cobb

OCTOBER 8 ISSUE 2021

A. Cobb

Unfortunately the pandemic arrived in 2020, and canceled the marathon. Luckily, she was offered another chance to run in the Chicago Marathon, and now DiCianni is back in action to run on Oct. 10. While she has her opportunity to run in the marathon again, she still has to prepare herself to run 26.2 miles without any coach or assistance.

She sets high goals for herself and she doesn’t stop.

Valerie Hacker “Running is a very mental sport. So it’s like a lot of times your body will feel fine, but your head’s like,”You should stop running. Like what are you running from?’” DiCianni said. In terms of physical training, DiCianni has devised her own routine of switching between different kinds of running and distances. Some days, hill running is on the menu while others could be regular flat runs. These runs can range from 13 miles to 22 miles on a Sunday. She is able to do all of this is through a strong mindset. “If you run, you have this, I want to run a marathon seed somewhere in you,” DiCianni said. Since she does not have a coach, this is all done by herself. She does keep in touch with friends and her coach from high school. But now, the rest of the Spanish teachers are her support group. Every Spanish teacher is incredibly thoughtful and supportive of DiCianni. “She sets high goals for herself and she doesn’t stop,” Hacker said. DiCianni is in pursuit of that shining moment of completing a marathon. Years of her life now build up to this Oct. 10, and luckily she found her seed to run a marathon. HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

FEATURE | 9/11

UNITED WE STAND

This day should never just feel like a memorized date

s Sept. 11 2021 marked 20 years since the occurrence of the events that took place on 9/11, The Voice dedicates this to all of the fallen heroes and people who lost their lives on that unforgettable day. The pain endured by every survivor and witness is recognized: we applaud your courage and your continuity to educate younger generations about an event that will forever be recognized.

Lana Johnson

I was teaching an acting class at the time. [The students] weren’t understanding that you have to step in and be realistic, and I said, “No. Drama is not about faking it. Drama is in real life.” So I took them into the band room where there was a television. I said, “Take out your journals. You are going to study drama in real life.” I turned on the television. The first tower had fell. I was confused, and they were confused, and they were like, “Did you plan this? Is this real?” And I’m like, “No. It’s real.” We sat there staring at it. They were like, “Should we journal?” And I’m like, “No.” Some kids were writing some things down, but how in the world, on the worst day in our country’s history, do I take them into the room and have them study “drama in real life?” We sat there and watched it, and thought, “Okay, we’ll take a break. We started walking out of the band room and one of the other teachers came out and said, “The second tower just fell.” So we went back in. We just sat and watched it. I don’t know if we shed tears that day. I think we were stunned and angry. We couldn’t compute. We just sat there staring [at the TV]. You wanted to cry but you couldn’t. Boy, my students got better at acting. That understanding of what those other people had gone through- the people running from the dirt and the towers- I think we just became so appreciative. There was this sense of love and appreciation that you are used to when you hug your teacher and you feel like you can go to them and stuff, but there was something renewing in this tragedy. The kids all knew that I was going to NYC 3 weeks later [to visit former students]. They asked if I was still going. My sister and I had to make that decision. We decided yes. I was 37. It was my first time flying. [It was like] the “Wizard of Oz” movie. Everyone was happy to see us. Someone on the subway would always help or tell us where to get off. They’d ask, “Where are you from?” I’d say, “Chicago area.” They’d say, “Oh my gosh! It’s so great that you’re here.” The feeling was unbelievable. I hug people all the time, but you’d meet strangers and you’d hug them and you’d hug them before you left them. It was unbelievable. We went to ground zero. It was the most horrifying thing I had ever seen. The smoke burnt our eyes, [and] the ferry was still closed. It was unbelievable. We only spent an hour there because it was so hard to breathe. It changed my life. I was already a compassionate teacher, but I think we all held on a little tighter when we hugged and

OCTOBER ISSUE 8 2021

appreciated what we all had been through. Today, I think it makes me sad that the kindness that I saw in NYC slips away so easily. It makes me sad. That’s why I hug my students when they need it. Or they hug me when I need it. There’s nothing better than a kind word- there is nothing stronger.

Jay Teagle

I was actually in the back hallway where the freshman wing is now. My classroom was down there. I was teaching class, and Mr. Johnson came down and was knocking on all of the doors. We had these big old TVs in the room, and he said “You might want to turn the TV on.” I thought he was playing a joke. That was also the day Michael Jordan was supposed to come out of retirement. I thought he was saying, “Turn on the TV! Michael is doing his press conference to come out of retirement.” I went to the corner of the room and turned the TV on. “Holy crap.” In less than 5 minutes the second plane hit. The first plane had already hit. I sat there and watched with my class. We watched the second plane go into the second tower. “This is not good.” For the rest of the day I just kept the TV on because I was in a trance. I had students leave my class. I had other students come from other classrooms come into my class because they felt safe there. I remember calling my wife who has a private business, and I thought she was headed down towards Chicago. I called her up and I was like “Where are you?” And she said, “I’m safe, I know what’s going on.” This was when the fourth plane was still in the air. Everyone thought it was coming for Chicago. I went from tears to complete anger, to complete revenge. Before my kids left my class that day, I don’t remember saying much to them. But I distinctly remember telling my class, “Don’t you dare walk out of here and blame this on religion.” I said, “This has nothing to do with religion. You better be careful about how you talk to people today and the next few days. This has got nothing to do with a large group of people. These are terrorists. If you want to be mad at somebody, be mad at the group of terrorists.” It’s one thing to watch the plane go into the building and think, ‘Holy smokes, this is bad.” But it’s another when you watch those towers go down, and watch the guys jump out of the windows of the skyscrapers knowing that they are going to die. Yet they still jump out of the window. The second thing I told my class was, “Don’t worry, someone is going to pay for this.” [My classroom] was quiet. Somber. In all honesty I think they were a couple of kids who didn’t understand what was going on. It was so, out of nowhere. I told students to go on my phone and call their families. I had two kids at a time; I had a 5 year old and a 2 year old. I remember I got home that night and my 5 year old turned

HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

FEATURE | 9/11

REMEMBERING 9/11

interviewed by Amelia Pozniak photos courtesy of Lana Johnson

or an event that you studied in a history book.

needed the help. There are a ton of people living right now dealing with serious health conditions because of this. First responders have cancer, first responders have lung disease and so forth because they sacrificed their time. Now granted, they didn’t lose their [lives], but because of the conscious decision they made that they wanted to go help and serve people, their long term thank you for that is “I have cancer.” They did it selflessly. I never thought there would be a time where people would become desensitized to something so big, but here we are. 20 years later, I can’t believe it’s been 20 years. I remember exactly what classroom I was in and where I was sitting. It [is] deeply engraved in my mind.

and looked at me and said, “Daddy? Are we gonna be able to go to Disney World?” She [had seen] the plane and she knows that we have to take a plane to Disney World in October. The impact for a five year old, knowing that bad people are on planes. I looked at her and said, “Oh yeah, of course we’re going to go.” There is a huge difference in perception of eyewitness, and primary accounts, than just sitting there and watching [videos or the news]. I’m not really sure if today you could put into perspective what that day was like. It was very personal for me. My cousin was 10 blocks away [from the towers] in New York. A friend of mine’s dad had a meeting on the 104th floor [in one of the towers] that day, but he had called off the night before. I played basketball with a friend named Todd Beamer. Todd was from Wheaton, Illinois. He was on Flight 93. To this day, I’m proud of my country. I’m proud of everything we’ve done. I’m proud of the way we handled it. I wish we could have more of that again. Just to see people support, grieve, cry, serve, together- it’s those stories that make me sit there and think, “Yeah. I wish [students] knew more about that.” I wish you really understood.

Danyce Letkewicz

I was a sophomore in college. I was single, a student in my early 20s. I went to Xavier in Cincinnati, and we had just announced a new president of the university. That day, classes had been cancelled, and it was a day of service. I was getting ready to go out and do a service project that day. So I came downstairs, and my roommate had the news on: The plane had crashed into the first tower. We continued watching and watched the plane crash into the second tower. Initially, I felt utter confusion and shock. Prior to that in my life, nothing had ever happened anywhere near that [intensity of tragedy.] There was a moment of just trying to make sense of what was happening and wrapping your head around it. That process has taken years. I think we’re all still healing from pieces of it. I grew up in Indiana, but I think the unique thing about being in college when it happened was so many of my friends were from the East Coast. I didn’t have any direct connections to people on the East Coast, but my closest friends did. I started watching them panic, trying to get in touch with their family members to make sure they were safe. The complete fear- phone lines were shut down, and there was just this panicked period where there was absolutely no way to get any information. The limitations for the communication were just huge, and just watching the fear was a totally different level of overwhelming. All of my college community, my immediate family, and just the country as a whole all came together [after the events.] [It was] a level of connection that we as a country haven’t felt in a very long time. Everything in the world and in the country right now feels so divided, but there was a time not very long ago where we found reasons to come together. We set everything aside as a community to support one another. It’s so critical we do that now too. The more we are reminded of individuals and individual stories of the people who died that day and the first responders that devoted everything and put all of their personal things and family aside. Those are the things that help [the event] still feel real and not just feel like a page in a history book, not just an event that you study. [Understanding individual stories] is what helps this feel real and human date that you memorize.

Marcus Belin

I was 14 turning 15. I was a freshman in high school. I was sitting in room 205 in Mr. O’Sullivan’s class. Half of our class was split, so all of the desks faced the middle. There were [several] TVs, and I remember turning around and all of the TVs came on at once. An announcement came on, saying “We’re going to turn all of the TVs on, there’s an attack and the world trade center is falling. We would leave from one class to the next- our whole day our eyes were just fixed [on the news]. It was quiet in the building all day. Even during lunch there were TVs in the cafeteria- these big, box TVs set up on the wall. It was amazing to see the news coverage, and it was amazing to see the guys who are nothing but fun or cracking jokes just [stunned]. I remember my mom was trying to get a hold of me on my cell phone, and I only had so many minutes on the phone. She was trying to see if my aunt could come pick me up and take me home, but I wanted to stay [at school] because it felt like it was the safest place I could be. For the entire rest of that week, my mom was trying to explain what the world trade centers were and seeing emotional faces [and hearing that there] was still concerns that there was a plane that could have been headed for Chicago. The fact that it hit so close to home and living through that was unreal. Years later, I went to D.C. There’s this museum [with] a section dedicated to 9/11. Seeing those pictures and those videos, people jumping from buildings; they knew that they were going to die. It was a lot to take in. There’s a lot of events in American history that you just look at. I think the magnitude of this is that it happened on American soil. We had first responders from around the nation going to help because we

OCTOBER 8 ISSUE 2021

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FEATURES | marathon

from MARATHON page 11

regular flat runs. These runs can range from 13 miles to go Marathon, and now 22 miles on a Sunday. DiCianni is back in action She is able to do all of this to run on Oct. 10. is through a strong mindset. While she has her “If you run, you have this, opportunity to run in the I want to run a marathon marathon again, she still seed somewhere in you,” has to prepare herself to DiCianni said. run 26.2 miles without any Since she does not have coach or assistance. a coach, this is all done by “Running is a very menherself. She does keep in tal sport. A lot of times touch with friends and her your body will feel fine, coach from high school. But but your head’s like,’You now, the Spanish teachers should stop running. What are her support group. are you running from?’” “She sets high goals for DiCianni said. herself and she doesn’t In terms of physical stop,” Hacker said. training, DiCianni has DiCianni is in pursuit of devised her own routine that shining moment of of switching between completing a marathon. different kinds of running Years of her life now build and distances. Some days, up to this Oct. 10, and luckihill running is on the menu ly she found her seed to run while others could be a marathon.

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A. Cobb Dicianni featured with her biggest supporters, her mom and her dog. They have provided encouragement throughout the training process. from LABS page 8 Kids are excited to be back to do activities with their classmates, they are all forced to talk and work with students they might not know. “When we’re in person and we do hands-on activities, we’re forced to collaborate with people that we might not know. That’s what builds the relationships,” Anber said. Students are learning to build friendships with peers in their classes since everyone is now back in the building. Teachers are doing everything they can to make this school year enjoyable for all students, like having fun projects, labs, and group activities, as it was before the pandemic.

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FEATURE | mrs fowler

Positivity had her persevere

By Kate Pozniak ArmstrongMari se publis videatiam. Also another sentence would improve the horizon-

B. Tracey

Social studies teacher and varsity cheerleading coach Renee Fowler and her battle with cancer By Amanda Sarrol

fter seeing all her student’s foreheads on Zoom, Renee Fowler was sitting in her classroom when her cell phone began to ring. Not knowing who it was, she answered. While it appeared to be a normal school day, she found out life changing news that made her stomach drop. Fowler was diagnosed wth breast cancer. During the beginning of quarantine,Fowler was taking her son on college visits. During that OCTOBER 8 ISSUE 2021

To techer Renee Fowler, being positive makes everything easier to get through. time, she noticed a painful rash under her eye. Even though she did not like going to the doctor, she decided to get it checked out. Her diagnosis was the shingles. Immediately, she began to question why she got shingles because of how young she was. She could feel that something was wrong and instantly acted on it. Her deep concern led her to go to the doctor for more tests. The doctor called her with the results and that is when she learned she had breast cancer. “I was mad. I was angry. I think I was a little bit shocked too because everything happened so fast. I don’t think you have time to be upset. I think it’s more about having a plan and just taking that next step for-

ward,” Fowler said. She knew that she was going to be able to fight her cancer by staying positive. “I think any obstacle with anything you’re dealing with, just making a plan and taking small steps, and being really positive makes everything easier to get through. I think that’s what I really focused on,” Fowler said. Her positivity not only got her through tough times, but it helped her family and friends stay positive as well. “Her positive attitude and drive to get through everything, rubbed off on everyone! She wanted to be with us and fought through so much, to do so,” husband Jason Fowler said. Being surrounded by family, friends, HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

FEATURE | mrs fowler students, and her cheerleaders motivated her to push past difficult times that she experienced. She always kept moving and stayed involved with everyone in her life. “Being part of Huntley [High School] is what helped me get through everything. Getting up every day, seeing my students, even though it was by Zoom, helped me. The Social Studies Department did so much for me. They had meals delivered, wrote me cards, and sent me messag-

She went in when she found out, ready to beat it. That was her mindset and she’s just done such a good job staying with us.

Kailey Cubelo es. Then, of course, my cheerleading squad also did so many amazing things to support me,” Fowler said. As far as school and cheer go, she tried not to make many changes. She did her best to attend cheer practices and not miss any school. “She went in when she found out, ready to beat it. That was her mindset and she’s just done such a good job staying with us. She did not miss one practice at all, and she was going through it all. She has done so much for everyone and I think we really appreciate that,” Varsity cheerleader, Kailey Cubelo, said. Even with her own three kids in school, Fowler did not want their routines to be changed as well. “My mom made sure that everything she was going through did not affect her children in any way. She did everything she could to make life normal for us. Of course, I was worried about her constantly, but she made sure that we put our school first and focused on the positives in life,” eldest daughter, Kayla Fowler, said. Even though she is still going through her battle with cancer, juggling chemotherapy and radiation last year, and now surgery, Fowler OCTOBER 8 ISSUE 2021

B. Tracey Receiving support from the Huntley community helped Fowler push through the difficult times. is still continuing to receive support from her family and the Huntley community. It definitely has not been easy, but she is taking small steps each day. “There are obviously days that are harder than others, where the treatments would make her feel absolutely awful and create more of a struggle. I just tried to be there and listen, help however I could. I hope to continue to be there and get even better at supporting her through this as we move forward,” Jason Fowler said. She does not let her battle with cancer keep her from doing what she loves. She touches the hearts of people who surround her and continues to persevere through any obstacle that comes her way. “As of right now, our team is with her four out of the five days of school. So, she’s technically like a second mom. I kind of tell her a lot that’s going on in my life, and she cares. She’ll

always be there for us, and she makes it clear,” varsity cheerleader, Reagan Overhage, said. Everyone has a different experience with cancer. For Renee Fowler, she just kept going and enjoyed every moment possible. “I was not alone and thank you so much to all of you who made sure they were here for me. Thank you for supporting me, for feeding my family when I couldn’t imagine eating let alone cooking, for texting me or emailing me positive vibes, bringing me dessert or sending me popcorn, for letting me swear and swearing with me, for letting me cry and crying with me, for telling me I look good even though I know I clearly looked like an alien, and just for being an amazing group of people. I know I have said this all before, but I appreciate you all more than I can ever say!” Fowler said. HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

1 HUNTLEY

FEATURE | mrs fowler

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OPINION | raider nation

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OPINION | raider nation

Disrespect in Raider Nation Behavior of underclassmen plagues Raider Nation By Matt O’Connell

very Friday, students all around Huntley High School search their rooms, Walmart, and Party City for clothing and accessories that they can wear in support of their school. The seniors laugh about memories and experiences from the last four years. The juniors realize just how little time they have left to get ready every Friday. The sophomores experience their first real season as Red Raider supporters. The freshman get their first taste of high school life and the thrill of being a Red Raider.

I feel [students] should support the team and represent Huntley in a positive way.

Markos Mihalopoulas But the last five Fridays have been full of bottle throwing, unorganized chants, fights, and downright disrespect. Underclassmen have been breaking the unwritten seating rule, and intentionally ruining chants. Raider Nation works as a complete reflection of not only Huntley High School, but of its teams, clubs, and the community as a whole. Students within the high school have all noticed the chaos that ensues every Friday, but what can be done to prevent it is the question many have in mind. “I feel [the students] should support the team and represent Huntley in a positive way,” Markos Mihalopoulas said. OCTOBER 8 ISSUE 2021

Being that this season is Mihalopoulas’s first at full capacity, his fresh eyes carry a lot of significance. The image that Huntley carries as a community is important in just about every aspect imaginable. Huntley is looked at as a model town, as it is very centralized and vibrant. High school football is the biggest thing around this time of year, so good representatives at football games are vital. The organization of Raider Nation itself is an issue that applies to every student who attends. “I feel it should be the seniors at the bottom, the juniors behind them, then the sophomores and the freshmen at the top,” Mihalopoulas said. Mihalopoulas thinks this seating rule should be followed out of respect for the upperclassmen, and as a security measure for the staff. He believes that the upperclassmen appreciate the football games far more than the lowerclassmen because their time is limited. “My sophomore year because there was a lot more energy, and the atmosphere itself was amazing,” senior Serene Gonzalez said. As a senior, football games kickoff the year in a way that nothing else can. School spirit is high and Friday nights can not come soon enough. What diminishes morale is seeing people not participating in chants, throwing water and buckets, fighting, and stealing from other students. “Organize the bleachers by class, and maintain supervision,” Gonza-

Matt O’Connell

S. Coronado lez, said. Organization by class can allow the administration to easily identify where poorly behaved students are while making the students happy by allowing them to sit with their friends and enjoy the games as much as possible. “Every class is unique in itself, every class has its challenges and its success stories. I dont think it’s fair to look at a class and say ‘oh this is the best class.’ When I look at the students here at Huntley I look at us as a whole community,” James Stotz, Dean of Students, said. The students at Huntley High School are a huge part of the community, and each class learns from one another. Reflecting Huntley in a positive light can boost spirit for not only the students, but the staff, players, parents, and other members of the community as well. Fixing behavior is the first step in the right direction, but maintaining it is what will ultimately lead Huntley to success. “It is important for them to realize that childish acts are something

see RAIDER NATION page 31

Myers Brigg: ENFJ-T | One Word: interesting

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

HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

OPINION | blended

Blended delayed for poor reasons

Nine weeks of freedom taken from students By Rayne Zilch

he administration had came to the conclusion that the Huntley High School student body became less aware of the expectations of an in-person school schedule. They decided to alter a schedule that, little did they know, would upset a lot of people. Blended classes allow students to flex their learning schedule and do their work during their free time or free period throughout the day. After about 20 months of working through a online schedule because of the COVID-19 pandemic, administration had decided to not start the blended aspect of courses until after nine weeks of being in school instead of the regular schedule of two. “This reset [waiting nine weeks] allowed us to rebuild those expectations, reteach them to students, allow the staff time to fully develop their plan to make sure they are still supplying a quality education.,” Associate Principal Tom Kempf said. “We were able to take a pause and just be like, hang on, let’s fix some of the things we know are a little broken right now and take the time to develop a program that we can be proud of again.” This change was proposed for the better of the student body, but was every position of student life considered? Many upperclassmen have jobs and outside school responsibilities, not including sports and extracurricular activities. Not to mention, students are not used to the homework load from having all eight periods every day. During school mornings, traffic is dreadful and there have been OCTOBER 8 ISSUE 2021

alterations to the parking routine, but they have not made much of a difference. If students were able to blend, that would eliminate a good percentage of students trying to get to school for the first period. ”Traffic issues were absolutely discussed. Again, after numerous conversations, we still valued the decision we made to correct some of the things that we needed to correct over the complications we were starting to hear about and experience,” Kempf said. “We just feel that the reset and knowing we are out in front of these things has more value than just changing our minds and letting kids go and have that freedom.” Kempf had also mentioned the idea that students having to be in the building all day gave them a greater desire to be a part of school spirit such as participation in Homecoming themes. “Students seemed to be a bit more involved in dressing up for Hoco this year but I don’t know if that has to do with not being allowed to blend. I would think it is more of a result of students being happy to be back to school and wanting to engage in the activities that they missed for a year and a half,” Zoology teacher Tamera Wyman said. Some students are still uncomfortable with the idea of being in school because of the COVID exposure. “If blended classes started in the beginning of the year, we would be allowed to leave the classroom where

Rayne Zilch

S. Coranado

about 24 students or more are being held, the exposure to COVID would decrease,” senior Leslie Gamez said. Waiting multiple weeks for students to blend is unnecessary. The reasoning behind the fact that students should be in-person schooling all day because they forgot what it’s like to be in school and the expectations of being blended is contradictory. “Before we were quarantined, we were used to having blended classes and following that daily routine. Now, the school is trying to reach expectations and go back to normal but this schedule doesn’t feel normal,” Gamez said. HHS students were doing online work for about 20 months; having to teach themselves things that were difficult to understand, learning through video examples, such as on Edpuzzle, and not having that in-class social interaction. Students have been doing blended style learning for years; it is unecessary to have weeks of delay of students’ educational freedom.

Myers Brigg: ESFJ-T | One Word: enthusiastic

Rayne Zilch is a Floating Editor of the Voice, it is her 3rd year on the staff. Rayne likes to listen to music and hang out with her friends and family. She loves the Twilight series and her favorite season is fall. Check out her blog “Coffee Review with the Crew!” on huntleyvoice.com

HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

OPINION | blended

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halls

if these They would say... Grade Junior

Activities Varsity Dance

Favorite TV Show “One Piece”

Star Sign Pisces

But they would not know... I had my gallbladder out when I was seven. It is very uncommon because most people have the issue when they are a lot older. My sister, who is 20 years old, just had that issue recently. I had to go to a bunch of different hospitals because nobody thought I would have it. I had gallstones, which is kind of like kidney stones. I had to go to a specialist since then because I had some type of issues that happen after you get the surgery. It has kind of calmed down since then. At one point, it was just common for me to go to hospitals and stuff or go to checkups and doctor appointments.

- Jess Buchanan OCTOBER 8 ISSUE 2021

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HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

talk

could

They would say... Grade Junior

Activities Cross Country and Track & Field

Favorite TV Show

“The West Wing”

Star Sign Libra

But they would not know... My family and I have always really liked the outdoors. Over the summer before fifth grade and the summer before sixth grade, my aunt took me and all my cousin’s on a super long 10-day national parks trip. We went to five different national parks. In 2015, we went to Yosemite, Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Big Sur. Then in 2016, we went to Olympic Park cascades and Mount Rainier. On that trip, Olympic was my favorite park!

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OPINION | redskins

Whatever is making your life hard right now, you don’t have to just endure it. Schedule an appointment now to change it.

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OCTOBER 8 ISSUE 2021

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OPINION | redskins

Erasing the Huntley Redskins Admin should reconsider putting Redskin logo back up

By Lindsay Hunter

t was a hot summer day at the beginning of my senior year, and I was wandering around the high school, trying to reacquaint myself with the school I had not been a part of for almost two years. Music blaring through my headphones, drowning out all background noise as I rounded the corner to the athletic hallway: However, something was missing from the walls of trophies and awards. The previous gym floor of the high school was gone. I stopped in my tracks and stared in confusion at the silhouette of where the floor was displayed. Why was the biggest part of Huntley High School’s history missing? This gym floor displays the old Huntley Redskin logo- a picture of a Native American man wearing a headdress with oversaturated, red skin. The image on the floor hung on a wall celebrating Huntley’s history as the Redskins, surrounded by an old basketball and marching band uniform. Ever since I first stepped into the high school during a middle school basketball camp, I had noticed the looming floor cutout hanging above me as I walked to the east gym. The hardwood cutout is one of the most eye-catching things to visitors and students as they walk through the athletic entrance of the school. But I wondered, should we really be proudly displaying this racist depiction of Native Americans to everyone? I suspected the reason for the removal of the old gym floor was a visiting parent must have seen the cutout and complained to the school and had it taken down for its racist depiction, either that or the school was trying to restore the OCTOBER 8 ISSUE 2021

faded school symbol. Something was up, and I was determined to get to the bottom of the disappearance of the old gym floor. Turns out, the motivation for the temporary removal of the gym floor was innocent. Tom Baber, the artist who painted the Native American head on the gym floor, had passed away and his granddaughter, Jessica Baber, reached out to the school wondering if she could borrow the old cut-out for a memorial service for her grandpa. She had mixed feelings about if the floor should be displayed once more. “You are always at risk for controversy if you try to bury history,” Baber said. “The subject matter is not what’s important to us. It’s the fact that he was the one who laboriously painted it. At the end of the day, it’s Huntley’s decision to keep it up or down.” But now that the floor has come down, is it in Huntley’s best interest to put it back up? I do not think so. The whole reason that Huntley changed from the Redskins to the Red Raiders was because of the racist implications the mascot celebrated. Putting the floor back up would communicate that Huntley is continuing to celebrate its history, regardless of the racist mascot they are advertising. The importance of the history of the old mascot to Huntley’s community cannot be overlooked. However, many residents in the community have graduated from Huntley as Redskins, and sent their kids through Huntley to graduate as Redskins. Huntley’s community

Lindsay Hunter

B. Burak was outraged when the switch from Redskins to Red Raiders occurred. The Redskin mascot is a part of Huntley’s history and is a very significant figure to this day for a portion of the community. Times have changed since Huntley was the Redskins and our society’s social values have changed immensely. A little over a decade ago, our society was not so quick to condemn the usage of racial symbols and discrimination against minority groups. Many people didn’t see the fault and the prejudice behind something as small as a school’s figurehead. When I sat down to talk to Tom Kempf, Associate Principal for Operations at Huntley High School, about the school’s stance on the displaying of the Redskin cutout, he agreed that this might be the perfect opportunity to change how Huntley’s past is displayed. “There’s new concepts in our society that haven’t been discussed

see REDSKINS page 31

Myers Brigg: ENFJ-A | One Word: loyal

Lindsay Hunter is an editor of the Voice, it is her first year on staff. In her spare time, Lindsay plays lacrosse across the Midwest, cuddles with her dog Misty, and holds tools for her dad’s motorcycle hobby. She loves the Hobbit trilogy and anything associated with cooking.

HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

OPINION | sports dress code

The shirt mandate Athletes are required to abide by stricter dress code during practice By Ava Brancato

B. Burak

veryday after school, senior and varsity cheerleader, Ava Garifo, attends practice in the sweltering fieldhouse. She previously ran, stunted, and tumbled more comfortably in a sports bra and shorts. But now, she is forced to practice in an annoying t-shirt that clings to her skin with every move. She is left frustrated and confused, wondering why she must cover up in a room full of her teammates. This is due to the recent, yet unnecessary, change in the enforcement of our athletic dress code. Although practice is during after school hours, there are new, stricter rules regarding how the student athletes should be presenting themselves to the public. Now, shirts must be worn at all times during practice, no matter the weather or the sport. Athletes from all sports are confused and upset over why they are suddenly being cracked down on for something so innocent and helpful to their sport. “We run all summer without our shirts on. Everything’s perfectly fine. And then we go into our season, taking off our shirts because it’s hot,” sophomore cross country runner Ava Allison said. The real question is: what changes between summer and after school

OCTOBER 8 ISSUE 2021

practice? Nothing. The cheerleading team is also unsure of where these rules came from. “It’s never been a problem before. [During] my three years of being here there’s never been a problem with us taking off our shirts, and then all of a sudden it just came out of nowhere, and we were told that we had to put on our shirts for some odd reason,” Garifo said. I believe the inability to remove shirts during practice is unneeded as it has been acceptable for many years prior. “We wanted to be more aligned with what our student expectations for dress code during the school day,” Athletic Director Glen Wilson said. However, the student dress code has stayed the same for many years, and the sports dress code has never been an issue. So why all of a sudden this year must we be ‘more aligned.’ The way students dress in school should also be much different than the way they dress during a hot, strenuous practice. The shirt mandate also becomes an inconvenience during practice. “It hasn’t been a rule for a long time so we always have to be reminded like everybody go put your shirt on and it takes a lot of time out of our practice when people have to go put their shirts on, take them off, we don’t know when we can when we can’t,” varsity cheerleader Sarah Cross said. The confusion about this rule has created an unnecessary annoyance during

Ava Brancato

practices. Not only is this modified dress code an inconvenience for athletes, but it can also be extremely dangerous. Everyday cheerleaders practice dangerous stunts, lifting and throwing each other up into the air. T-shirts can get caught on shoes or limbs, and cause serious injuries during practice. Tumbling also becomes an issue as a shirt can obstruct vision and movement.

It’s never been a problem before. [During] my three years of being here there’s never been a problem with us taking off our shirts.

Ava Garifo Cross country practices in the beginning of the year also feel the wrath of this new rule. While the heat of summer continues to impact practice, it is unbelievable to make runners wear more clothes than they need to. “More important mitigations are modifying practice and have available water and rest breaks in my mind to help our student athletes,” Wilson said. However, I think that these slight changes do not make up for the fact that athletes are being restricted from a safer environment. Athletes should be able to practice in the safest conditions possible, and that includes removing shirts during practice. They are not parading around shirtless, it is purely for sport and should not be prohibited.

Myers Brigg: ENFP-T | One Word: Creative

Ava Brancato is a floating editor for The Voice. She is in the medical academy and silver cord at the high school. In her free time, she likes listening to music, hanging out with friends, watching movies, and reading. She loves all things vintage, especially when it comes to clothes and music.

HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

OPINION | sports dress code

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A&E | disney

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A&E | disney

Changing the script LGBTQIA+ characters in Disney media begin to impact the community By Calvin McFalls

ith the release of the Disney movie Frozen in 2013, the LGBTQIA+ community was finally given a new member. Although Disney may seem like a company that has been recently supporting LGBTQIA+ communities, the truth is that Disney has been supporting the community for a long time. They continue to support the community through the new rise of media. One of the newest Disney+ exclusives, “Luca” and “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” has helped the LGBTQIA+ community quickly make its way into the studios of Disney. “To start in a most obvious place as a business, Disney has long held a progressive attitude toward LGBTGIA+ people. Gay pride events have been hosted at Disney world since 1991 and the company started offering its gay employees health insurance benefits for their partners since 1995, a decision that was not entirely popular back then” Akash Nikolas, of The Alantic, said. Disney has been making its audiences happy with new releases that address the LGBTQIA+ community and have actively been looking for new ways to show them from live action to animation. They also have been employing LGBTQIA+ actors to be a part of the scripts as well, something that might seem small. “Queer kids can uniquely identify with Disney protagonists, who are usually outcasts set apart from society by some innate desire,” Akash said. “[From] Ariel wanting to be part of another world, [to] the townspeople [that] think Belle is ‘a funny girl, different than the rest of us.’ This marks the Disney protagonist as odd, unusal, and queer,” Akash said. The media goes further than just having character traits involved with OCTOBER 8 ISSUE 2021

Mike McBey/CC BY2.0

the story as well. Using unorthodox marriages and unusual acts of love as a way to show their differences as well. This can be found in a recently made film “onward,” in which the main character, Ian, is insecure and has trouble dealing with his emotions years after his dad’s death. During the movie, there are several cases of Ian’s brother, Barley, becoming a father figure he really never had. Towards the end of the movie, this becomes most identifiable. One of HHS’ very own, Craig Jahnke was willing to talk about his ideas and

I think that Disney is starting to do a lot more work on portraying different relationships and different types of people that exist within our world.

Craig Jahnke experiences with representation of the LGBTQIA+ community within our school. “I have worked with students to help them advocate for themselves, like when they like to use a preferred name other than their birth name. Huntley does a really good job, teachers do at least, to honor the requests of students when they identify as either a different name or a different pronoun,” Jahnke said. He also had his own opinions about how Disney is handling the LGBTQIA+ community. “I think that Disney is starting to do a lot more work on portraying different relationships and different types of people that exist within our world,” Jahnke said. “There is a difference between representing a gay white male, compared to a transgender Black male, so when [I] think about representation I think there are certian

groups in the community that get represented at a higher level over other people within the community, who may have far less representation.” Disney has done well when it comes to giving the representation to more than just one or two groups. Multiple groups have been represented, ranging from people who stand out, to those that are just different, whether that “difference” is a physical or mental representation. Disney has had a growing admiration and appreciation for the LGBTQIA+ community. Neither Disney nor the community are going away anytime soon. As the community keeps getting more followers and activists, Disney keeps supporting the community. The media, actors, casts, and producers are giving them the attention they finally deserve.

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A&E | music feud

Rivalry between “Donda” and “Certified Lover Boy” Tensions between Kanye and Drake intensify after album release By Jacey Sola

he albums “Donda” by Kanye West and “Certified Lover Boy” by Drake have both been in the forefront of the music industry during the month of September. This has led to people from all over the internet to constantly compare and contrast the two albums with one another. With “Donda” being released on Aug. 29 and “Certified Lover Boy” on Sept. 3, it is understandable that people have already tried to make it a competition on which album is truly the best and possibly deserving of being the album of the year. After several delays, West’s, “Donda,” initially scheduled for July 23, was finally released on Aug. 29. The name of the album was inspired by and dedicated to West’s late mother, Donda West, who passed away on Nov. 10, 2007. West greatly cherished and admired his mother. According to The U.S. Sun, West said in an interview with Q Magazine that, “[His] mother was everything.” Donda had played a huge role in the production of the album, but also West’s personal life. “Donda” includes several features from major rappers and music artists, such as the Weeknd, Don Tolivar, Travis Scott, Lil Durk, Lil Baby, and Playboi Carti. It includes the songs “Moon,” which features Lil Durk and Kid Cudi, “Hurricane,” with the Weeknd and Lil Baby; and “Jail,” which features Jay-Z. The album stands out in its production. The song “Moon” includes calming and soothing tones with background vocals from the Sunday Service Choir. Don Tolivar also stands out in this song with his outstanding vocals from the chorus, “I wanna go to the moon/ don’t leave so soon.” “Hurricane,” with the Weeknd and Lil-Baby is OCTOBER 8 ISSUE 2021

also one of the songs with a high level of production. The unexpected duo of the Weeknd and Lil-Baby elevates the listening experience with the Weeknd’s vocals and Lil-Baby’s rapping. The beat is a great fit for the song and perfectly synergizes with West’s, the Weeknd’s, and Lil-Baby’s parts. “Donda,” also includes Biblical references and is tailored to West’s Christian faith. An example of this is from the Weeknd’s chorus from “Hurricane,” where he says, “Finally free, found God in me/ As I want you to see, I can walk on water/ Thousand miles from shore, I can float on the water/ Father, hold me close, don’t let me drown/ I know you won’t.” The album also includes references to God in its song names, such as the songs, “Praise God,” “God Breathed,” and “Jesus Lord.” Drake’s album, “Certified Lover Boy,” initially announced in April 2019, was released on Sept. 3, 2021. Drake dedicated his model to late models, Nadia Ntuli and Mercedes Moore. The album’s meaning is that it is a justification for Drake’s desire to stay as a player or not have a single steady relationship. “Certified Lover Boy,” includes 21 songs, with features from Lil Baby, Lil Durk, Giveon, Young Thug, Future, 21 Savage, Rick Ross, and Kid Cudi. Drake also worked with smaller artists, Yeeba and Tems, on the songs “Yebba’s Heartbreak” and “Fountains.”

Courtesy of OVO Sound

While “Donda” relies on its production, Drake’s album heavily relies on its features and star power, while also having an emphasis on rapping and lyricism. The song “Way 2 Sexy,” with Young Thug and Future, stands out as a major hit on the album. The song includes the sample of the song “I’m Too Sexy,” which was released in 1991 by the British group, Right Said Fred. Similar to many other songs in the album, this song also relies on its features with Young Thug and Future. This is also evident in the song “Knife Talk,” with 21 Savage, in that Drake’s verses are heavily overshined by 21 Savage’s rapping.

People constantly compare and contrast the two albums with one another. Both albums include major hits and amazing tracks, yet also include some skippable songs that could interrupt or affect the listening experience. Besides that, both albums are truly good in their own different ways. If you are more into production and instrumentation, “Donda” would be the better choice to listen to. If you are more into pure rapping and lyricism, “Certified Lover Boy” would be a better choice. In the end, it comes down to personal preference as both albums include great pieces of music. A line from the song “Off the Grid” by West: “When you from the bottom and you work your hardest/ To get to the top, then they gotta respect it.” A lyric from the song “Love All” by Drake: “Grab the top spot like pardon my reach.” West and Drake have both always tried to reach for the stars, and they truly gave their all in their respective albums. HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

OPINION | jump page

from REDSKINS page 25 before, and we need to recognize that having this logo up could potentially cause someone harm,” Kempf said. “We have to find a way to work together to create something that remembers the history of our school and is still respectful to minority groups.” My journey began with a simple observation of a missing decoration on the wall of Huntley’s history. I have heard from more members of the Huntley community than I ever have in my 17 years living here. Out of everyone’s perspective, alumni and students alike, they agree that we need to be respectful to Native Americans and their culture, but still remember Huntley’s history. Huntley needs to take immediate action by taking down all offensive items. We need to remove all of the Huntley Redskin memorabilia and replace it with something new.

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from RAIDER NATION page 19 that needs to be left at home,” Stotz said. The childish acts that are repeating themselves week in and week out are what is reaping so much havoc in the stands. Leaving poor decisions at home will make football games more enjoyable for everyone and allow Huntley to be viewed as the amazing community that it has grown to be. As an immediate reflection of Huntley as a community, fixing behavior issues at football games is something that has to come sooner than later. Seating should be organized by class, acknowledging the seniority of the upperclassmen, while allowing underclassmen to enjoy the games just as much. The student section of Huntley High School is one that brings everyone together for those 48 minutes of play. It is not just on the team to release positivity, but the student section just as much. Huntley needs to serve as an example for every team, school, and community that sees it; it all starts with the students. HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

Marvel’s alternate worlds

A&E | marvel

First animated anthology series

By Connor Considine

he multiverse is a strange but fantastic place, and also is, as The Watcher, Jeffrey Wright, puts it, a place “...Where a single choice can branch out into infinite realities creating alternate worlds from the ones known. The pondering question, ``What If…?” fills the atmosphere with that type of strangeness but also interest, and demonstrates the main idea of exploring weird concepts of Marvel’s recent multiverse. “What If…?” is Marvel’s first animated anthology series, based on the comics. Taking place after the end of Loki, where the murder of He Who Remains, that show’s main antagonists, creates the multiverse, and an exploration of small and unexpected changes to the 24 MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) films that change everything about it. The show’s cast changes each episode, but are still made up of the characters known from the MCU, with the majority of the actors returning to voice them. Unfortunately, due to publishing, this won’t cover the full show, only up to the penultimate episode, (Episode 8) and will not be a full treatment of the show. The show goes off on a kind of bland start, and a stark contrast to the monologue. It’s about a change to the film “Captain America: The First Avenger,” where instead of Steve Rogers taking the serum and becoming Captain America, Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) becomes “Captain Carter.” This episode follows events mostly similar to the previously mentioned film, which when dealing with the multiverse, can be boring due to the potential that the past 13 years of the MCU and what it has brought. If adventures like, for example, Space Iron Man can be made, I feel like mostly

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Images courtesy of Disney+ Marvel’s latest adaptation by A.C. Bradley keeps the vibes of the MCU and its source material, while staying limited to the first three phases. replicating an already established film, especially with its lack of changes overall compared to the MCU prior is a little disappointing. Fortunately, that taste is quickly cleaned out with more out there (and darker) episodes, such as T’Challa replacing Peter Quill as Star-Lord, a zombie apocalypse, and Thor being a party man with characters from the events of Thor: Ragnarok. All of that culminating in a great final arc that has been both built up with every episode and foreshadowed in the previously mentioned Loki. The show adds to these weird concepts with interactions that would never be possible if the concepts had not come to light. My favorite interaction in the show is in ‘What If.. Zombies?!’ where Hope van Dyne (Wasp) and Peter Parker (Spider-Man) talk about Peter’s upbeat nature, which leads to him talking about everyone he’s lost (won’t say who as it spoils things a tad). It made him change as a person to help others. It’s arguably the best line the character

has said in the MCU, despite sadly not being said by Tom Holland, and shows the potential this show has and will continue to have going forward. On top of the interactions, the animation on the series is great, the cell shading makes a lot of the scenes pop and look better than the CGI of the MCU ever does, while harkening back to the appearances of the actors. “What If…?” is an odd show about some of the most unexpected changes in the MCU, and for the most part, it handles those ideas greatly. It uses these concepts to tie movies such as Iron Man and Black Panther into a short film to tie characters that were never expected to be tied in such as Spider-Man and Kurt from Ant-Man to a fun duo, and shows them working greatly. For these reasons, I believe it’s the greatest of Marvel’s Disney+ shows so far and absolutely lives up to the rest of it, and I am very excited to see how season two handles this concept.

HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

A&E | social media

HHS doors and cans featured on Instagram By Sean Kovach

sually, laughter can be heard echoing through the hallways, as kids walk from one class period to the next. But this past school year, the only echoing heard within the building was the teacher’s microphones as they spoke through to their computers. As most students remained in online learning all year, many have had little to no physical contact with the school since March 2020. The rough times brought about by the pandemic left students feeling exhausted and unmotivated, and the ending of the school year did not help out these feelings. To distract themselves, many students chose to scroll through social media during free time in their classes. Some students would constantly look through social media platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok. Usually, social media feeds are composed of different posts in regards to certain celebrities, topics, influencers, etc. But, as the 2020-21 school year began winding down, a new type of account began to emerge in the social media realm. Unlike other users’ accounts, these

Ordinary objects become social fad accounts would anonymously post photos of everyday high school things such as doors, trash cans, windows, ceilings, bathrooms, and more. After such a tough school year, seeing these anonymous users posting these random pictures brought smiles to many student’s faces, and became a focal point in many students’ conversations. One mainstream example of these accounts is @huntleydoors, which has nearly 400 followers on Instagram, where they post daily pictures of different doors located around the building. They are considered as one of the original accounts to begin posting this kind of content on Instagram. They are also noted to be the main inspiration for smaller accounts. But, like the smaller accounts, any creative idea has some kind of inspiration, and @huntleydoors is no exception to this. They were inspired by another account created by a student at Marlowe Middle School, @ mmsclocks. As the accounts continue to gain followers, many kids are scratching their heads wondering, who is behind

these accounts? Despite multiple rumors circulating about who may be behind these accounts, the owners of @huntleydoors, have managed to keep their identities undercover. “No one has figured it out; we are super good at this,” @huntleydoors said. Another account on the rise is @ huntleycans, which takes pictures of trash cans throughout the school’s campus and posts them on Instagram. Like other Huntley accounts, they began posting near the end of the 2020-21 school year, and were also encouraged after seeing some of the earlier profiles. “I saw a few of the other parody accounts like @huntleydoors. I thought [they] were pretty funny, so I decided to join in. The nearest object near me was a trash can behind the bleachers, so I took a picture of that and posted it,” @huntleycans said. The rise of these new accounts have brought a mysterious, yet fun experience to Huntley during these tough times, and will continue to bring students closer for the rest of our lives.

Courtesy of @huntleydoors’ Instagram

OCTOBER 8 ISSUE 2021

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SPORTS | volleyball

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Bretana on the sidelines cheering on the team he loves the most.

A team’s encouraging voice Junior Eddie Bretana boosts girls volleyball team’s morale match after match By Grace Helzer

he clock ticks down to its final minutes before game time; a patronizing ticking of the clock that players look at every few seconds to validate their nerves. The air is thick and sticky- a result of an intense warmup. The gym floor shines with sweat as the girls have been diving for balls in prepa-

OCTOBER 8 ISSUE 2021

ration for the game that lies ahead of them. Finally, the buzzer lets off a cruel squeal, signifying the end of warmups and commencing the beginning of the game. Already used to this routine, the girls gather in a huddle near the bench. The crowd begins to silently converse, eager for the game to begin. Huntley High School junior Eddie

Bretana enters the middle of the huddle, blocking out any outside distractions. Looking back at him in the huddle are some of his best friends, the people he chooses to spend every day after school with, the Huntley High School girls varsity volleyball team. Bretana takes note of a few worried faces, faces that belong to his beloved friends. Within seconds, as if HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

SPORTS | volleyball it was second nature, Eddie reassures the girls of their soon victory over the opposing team and manages to turn some worried faces into bright beaming smiles. A weight of worry is replaced with radiante confidence as the girls take the court to inevitabley defeat the opposing team. Kind, funny, and personable are the three words varsity volleyball head coach Karen Naymola would use to describe Bretana. “Eddie boosts our team morale with his easy going and kind spirit. He is an individual that the team really enjoys having around,” Naymola said. Bretana is considered to be the “hype man” for the girls volleyball team, and frankly they are very grateful to have him. “It’s hard when you know you’re doing bad, when you’re down on yourself, and you just don’t play well. In those situations, all you need is a little boost of confidence. Eddie is definitely always there to cheer me up and just make me feel better about myself and he makes sure that I know that I can do it,” junior volleyball player, Cierra Fletcher, said. Through Bretana’s time managing the team, he has made some of his closest friends, one of them being Fletcher herself. “The relationships I made through managing makes me stick with it. If I hadn’t managed, I would’ve never met Cierra and today, I don’t know what I would do without her. The team is just like a family and I am so thankful to be a part of it,” Bretana said. “There is practice everyday. It’s long hours, I get home late, and if there’s a game, I get home even later. Some Saturdays, they have tournaments so I’m usually at volleyball all day long. [So, managing] is pretty time consuming.” Despite the fact that volleyball management may take up most of his time, Bretana is dedicated to the team, and he claims his sacrifice of time is all worth it in the end. “Putting smiles on the team’s faces and being able to be there for them after a tough loss is why I love managing. I get to see the highs and lows, the behind the scenes, but most importantly, I can hype up my girls from the bench,” Bretana said. “I care a lot about this team. When I can see someone is struggling, I do everyOCTOBER 8 ISSUE 2021

A. Cobb Bretana listens intently in a huddle during a game. thing possible to help them out.” “Although Eddie doesn’t play on the team, he is still a huge part it. He is just so loud; he’s always cheering me on and he always loses his voice after every game,” Fletcher said. Although the beginnings of games provoke serious and nerve wrecking feelings, Bretana wants the girls to remember why they play the game; because they simply enjoy it. “[At games] we all hype each other up, and I’m just sitting back, giving tips, but we are always cracking jokes and bringing each other up,” Bretana said. Boosting up the team’s confidence and overall making them feel better about their performances is something that Bretana lives for. When Bretana sees that one of his teammates is down, he makes sure to

check up on them. “If someone was having an issue on the court, I would leave them alone and let them figure it out. Once they are off the court, I would talk to them to see how they’re doing, because volleyball itself creates an atmosphere where players are supposed to work with their team and they’re supposed to bring each other up.” Bretana said. “And although I’d say I’m a part of the team, I’m really not, so I think that the girls should work together, figure it out first, and then I make sure to talk to them to see how they’re feeling.” Bretana’s helpful and kind spirit has left a mark on the Huntley High School girls volleyball program and his upbeat personality is recognized and appreciated by his coaches and fellow teammates. HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

SPORTS | vb manager

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SPORTS | fishing

O-fish-ially an addiction Senior fisherman dives deep into the rough waters of bass fishing By Brooke Hamann A. Raistrick Fishing takes a high level of patience and focus.

he bass boat rocks side-toside. For the blue-eyed fisherman, the glimmering water of the Chain O’ Lakes, gives off a slight glare. The smell of garlic drenched lures, lingers around the body of water. His hands, dry, numb to the touch from the cold morning air. Visible from a distance, the skin from his thumb, peeling away from the tiny teeth of a bass, a symbol of accomplishment: bass thumb. Trudging to the front of the bow, he studies his surroundings, his eyes finding a particular shaded structure near a neighboring boat dock. With a flick of the wrist, the spool begins to unravel making the quietest of noises, concluding with a splash from the rig into the water. Within minutes, he feels the slightest of tugs. Slowly reeling in the line, he awaits the fish’s next move. The end of the pole begins to bend abnormally; it is time. He abruptly whips his pole to the right and sets the hook. The battle has begun. Senior Brandon Czesak has been on the bass fishing team since his freshman year here at Huntley. However, his love for the sport began long before joining the high school team. “I learned [to fish] when I was around 4 years old,” Czesak said. Growing up, it was Brandon’s dad and now deceased grandfather that taught him most of what he knows today about the pastime. “My grandpa, dad, and I fished together for as long as I can remember. It’s all we used to do,” Czesak said. Entering high school, joining the

OCTOBER 8 ISSUE 2021

A. Raistrick Czesak is focused while he waits to act on the next move of the bass.

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SPORTS | fishing

A. Raistrick Czesak eagerly lures in a bass. The senior has been fishing since he was 4 years old. team was a must for Czesak as he strived to do so since middle school. However, in order to prove himself worthy of attending tournaments, nevertheless standing out to the coaches, he exhibited what he could do. “There was one spot left in a tournament the fall of my freshman year. We had a casting accuracy competition between all the freshmen to see who was most deserving and I ended up winning,” Czesak said. “I was then capable of fishing my first tournament.” Despite the harsh conditions, the number of participants, Brandon and the other participants determination to win was never dimished. “A typical tournament starts around 7 a.m and it goes until 2 p.m. Some days it’s freezing, while other days it’s hot and you’re getting a sunburn left and right,” Czesak said. “With bigger tournaments, there will be around 50-60 boats competing. We then weigh in the fish we’ve got; it’s a five fish limit, and the winners get decided based on who’s got the most weight.” For an earlybird like Czesak, being in a tournament-setting with people who share the same love for the sport, continues to make him ecstatic for every tournament in the books for the OCTOBER 8 ISSUE 2021

2021-2022 school year. “After fishing my first tournament, I knew this was gonna be it for the long haul. It was a feeling I’d never felt before, especially on a typical pond. And, it was an amazing experience for me, almost as if it became an addiction at that very moment,” Czesak said. Behind all his devotion to the sport, Czesak thanks his coach, Erik Lachel, for the privilege and guidance he has received from him. “Lachel is probably my favorite teacher at the high school. I love him as my coach because he’s very social and engaging with everyone that’s involved in the club. He makes all the newcomers to the club just feel so welcomed and ultimately I’ve become a better fisherman and I have him to thank,” Czesak said. Similarly, Lachel shares the same mutual respect for Brandon, as he’s been able to see the growth in his technique the past four years on the team. “Brandon has grown as an angler in so many ways since his freshman year. As a freshman, he came in with a really good foundational skill set,” Lachel said. “Tournament fishing presents many challenges including fishing with an-

other angler on the boat. Brandon is a good partner and it is one of the main reasons I like to get him out in tournaments. He has a diverse set of skills meaning he can pitch jigs, dropshot, finesse fish, and he can crank with the best of them. Brandon has also learned that winning tournaments is never easy. What I think he has probably learned the most is even the best angler needs a little luck from time-to-time.” Behind every kid’s passion, are proud, supportive parents. In this instance, that is an understatement. “Brandon has grown in many ways since he began fishing at a young age. His dedication to the sport has helped him learn how to achieve goals when he sets his mind to anything,” Brandon’s mom Kasia Czesak, said. “I’m very proud of the young man Brandon has grown into. His getting selected to attend fishing tournaments just justifies what a great fisherman he truly is and I’m so proud of him!” Through it all, Czesak remains humbled to be a part of the team and thankful that he found something that makes him so happy. “Without bass fishing, I’d be a completely different individual,” Czesak said. HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

SPORTS | football

HHS steals Jacobs’ quarterback Junior Sam Deligio becomes Raider’s starting quarterback after transfering By Shane McGuine L. Arroyo

Starting quarterback, Sam Deligio, hustles during football practice. His teammates and coaches watch as he runs a play.

etting up on the line of scrimmage junior Sam Deligio looks across the field, seeing his teammates lining up and getting ready to execute what was said in the huddle. On the other side of the line he sees old teammates from, Jacobs High School. Once he sees that everyone is ready, he starts the play, and suddenly everything that was planned goes into action. Deligio looks for his open receiver while keeping aware of his surroundings. In an instant there is an opening where the defender slipped up, leaving the receiver open. Deligio throws to the receiver and a catch is made. Deligio is the starting varsity quarterback for the Red Raiders football team and he is a transfer from Jacobs High School. “Football is taken a lot more seriously, and the football team is run very well… It is not easy and I am trying my absolute hardest,” Deligio said. He started playing football at 5 years old. His father encouraged him to join football. He also played in college and his love for football passed to his son.

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Like his father, Deligio is also working towards playing football in college. Not only does Deligio play football for the high school, but he is also planning on playing baseball too. Huntley’s head football coach, Matt Zimolzak says Deligio is a leader, he pushes his teammates to do better in practice too. He is seen as a role model for other players and is respected by his coach. At practice, Deligio is a leader within the quarterback group that he plays with. “He has great respect and discipline that the younger kids respond to… He is a very hard worker,” Zimolzak said.

He stepped in as a natural athlete.

Andy Deligio Since transferring and becoming a part of the football team, Deligio has made friends with many of the other players on the team, some of which he had already known before transferring.

Deligio became a quarterback when he was in eighth grade. The quarterback from the previous year did not want to be a quarterback anymore. So, Deligio stepped up to the challenge and with no prior experience and decided to be a quarterback. “He stepped in as a natural athlete and was able to excel at the position,” said Deligio’s father, Andy Deligio. Andy is very supportive of Deligio’s athletic career. He drives him to camps and practices. Deligio was once chosen to play for team USA. He is the quarterback on the winning team for his age group. “[I am] just being supportive and giving him insight, especially when he was younger” said Andy Deligio. Deligio is working out at the facilities in Huntley during the season. During the off season, he will workout at LA Fitness. One of Deligio’s friends, Dean Rizzo, said that Deligio is good with the younger kids in practice and he will help them correct their form when he can. “He is always ready to go,” Rizzo said. HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

SPORTS | football

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OCTOBER 8 ISSUE 2021

HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

SPORTS | track and field

Training to be a champion Alex Johnson claims state long jump title as a sophmore By Breanna Burak

pectators line the narrow blue runway waiting anxiously as their umbrellas shade them from the blistering heat. While her eyes focus on the pit of sand ahead of her, sophomore Alex Johnson rocks back and forth to prepare herself for her last jump at the state meet. It was June 12 at the girl’s Class 3A State Track and Field Meet in Charleston, Illinois, and Alex was among the top five jumpers, but she was not ranked number one. “I’ve had the goal for the last 3 years to win a state championship at some point, but it wasn’t my goal going into the day,” Alex said. “It was very unreal. I wasn’t expecting it at all.” Her dedication and positivity on and off the track led her to an IHSA state championship in long jump. Although she was not ranked to win, it was no surprise that the sophomore claimed the title, given that she already had school records

for indoor long jump and 60-meter dash. “She came to all our open gyms in the offseason. She doesn’t miss a practice,” head coach Jason Monson said. “I think one of her strongest character traits as an athlete is [that] she’s such a positive influence and a team person; She builds up a lot of people around her,” Monson said. Alex’s commitment was not just portrayed in the presence of the high school. She carried her work ethic home, where she trained with her dad, Alvin Johnson. “It’s going to sound crazy but I actually quit my job so I could train her,” Alvin said. Alex explained that her family is very sports and workout-oriented, so she is always doing things every day to improve.

It’s gonna sound crazy but I actually quit my job so I could train her

Alvin Johnson

She always took advantage of what the high school team had to offer, and she would monitor her

Alex Johnson posing by the HHS State Champions sign where, at the top, her long jump state title is featured.

K. Walsh OCTOBER 8 ISSUE 2021

K. Walsh

workload before deciding what to do at home with her dad. “It was tough because she was training with the high school team, and I’m trying not to put too much on her legs, and overtrain, and overexert her. We played it by ear each day,” Alvin said. Each day leading up to the state meet, Alex continued to work on her jumps and decided to try something new. “We changed the way she jumped two weeks prior to the state meet,” Alvin said. Although the state meet was approaching soon, Alex proceeded with confidence. “She seemed to be a good athlete. She picked it up real quick. I think without that she probably wouldn’t have done as well,” Alvin said. Alex was able to jump 19-feet, 5-inches at the state meet, a school record. She was also a medalist in the 100-meter dash, placing sixth. Her results taught the program that success at high levels is attainable. “To have a state champion is something that very few programs have the opportunity to say so,” Monson said. “It certainly elevated the expectations, not just for Alex but I think for everybody,” Monson said. Alex is grateful for the opportunities that were provided for her because they lead her to success. “[I did] work really hard for it and I owe all my success to the people around me. I honestly wouldn’t be where I am if it wasn’t for people pushing me hard every single day to do my best,” Alex said. “I know they saw something in me more than I do most of the time. I’m really thankful for my teammates [and] my coaches, especially my dad,” Alex said. “I’m thankful for everyone around me; I owe them for my success,” Alex said. HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

EDITORIAL

n Sept. 7, the end of second period came with the ring of a bell. The halls were buzzing, but not with cheerful chatter. Students were walking, but not to class. With courage in their eyes and pride in their steps, dozens of students met outside of Door 1. Class could wait. Due to an increasing amount of concern regarding sexual harassment on campus, students came together to protest inappropriate behavior, sexualization due to the dress code, and what seems to be a lack of investigation for reported misconduct. Since The Voice’s last editorial back in April, we realize that this issue is not being taken seriously by both the community and the administration. We need solutions. We need prevention. We need change. Senior Adi Anderson, an organizer and spokesperson at the walkout, experienced vulgar, verbal harassment from a group of boys at her lunch table a week prior to the protest. “He said, ‘I bet you girls got good p*ssy.’ After [he] walked away, we were trying to talk to him and tell him, ‘that’s not okay at all and you need to understand that,’” Anderson said. Anderson is not the only female student who feels this way. When protesters asked female participants to raise their hands if they had ever been subjected to sexual harassment, nearly every hand was held high. This objectification of women is exemplified by our district in its very own student handbook. While the connection between sexual harassment and dress code may not always seem clear, the rules unintentionally encourage nitpicking of clothing choices by students and staff. The rules facilitate an environment that perpetuates a sexist way of thinking. “The purpose of the dress code, in my opinion, is to come to school, focus on school, and not cause a disruption or a distraction,” Superintendent Scott Rowe said. “Whether it be what’s on your shirt, how much or how little you wear, and that distraction is difficult to pinpoint because it’s individual.” We argue that the most harmful disruption to a student’s education is the fear of being harassed, assaulted, or called out because of conditions outside of their control - and, yes,

the reaction to what a girl wears is outside of her control. “I’ve really been trying to dress according to the dress code, but still have been slut-shamed,” senior Angel Wiley said. A well-crafted policy would not subjectively target female and plus size students; it would hold harassers accountable for their behavior and not marginalize students based on gender. “When you go out and you go shopping, this is all you see. You have to work really hard to find

to hear from students to be able to do that,” Belin said. Hear us out: Ann Coker at the University of Kentucky’s Center for Research led a study involving The Green Dot program, a bystander intervention program that helps normalize the idea that sexual violence and innapropriate behavior are not okay. The study examined bystander intervention in 26 high schools over the span of five years and confirmed that rates of sexual abuse, dating violence, and stalking were reduced by significant amounts. The program is being used in schools near our area such as in Barrington High School. We encourage the district to look into this and implement proactive measures as we suggested in our April 2021 editorial. Along with changing the dress code and implementing new programs, we encourage families to simply discuss sexual harassment with children or younger students. Although the topic is sensitive and parents may feel that “they are just too young,” it is more concerning if a child unpreparedly faces an uncomfortable or dangerous situation. It may also encourage students to begin evaluating their own behavior at a young age. Regardless of one’s opinion on the schools’ protocol for sexual harassment or the student handbook, students feel unsafe here and more needs to be done. Don’t ignore this editorial. Take action to protect girls from sexual harassment.

Revisiting sexual harassment

OCTOBER 8 ISSUE 2021

After our latest editorial, not much has changed something that fits in the dress code,” Principal Marcus Belin said. “Not saying that it can’t be done. But let’s be real, right? You go to the mall, you go to the [Algonquin] Commons… you’re going to look for the latest trends.” That is a great point. Why is this not taken into consideration? Considering all of the problems with sexual harassment in our commuity (problems that are worsened by dress code), we want to offer solutions that can prevent cases and create a more accepting environment. We have observed that not much has been done beyond planning for PBIS days, including the mandatory screening of Erin’s Law. “I want to sit down with students before I decide the things that we’re going to do. Instead of throwing up a poster, we may have a campaign, we may have some speakers that come in, but I want

S. Gebka HUNTLEYVOICE.COM

one last VOICE

English Teacher Student Council Adviser What is your best quarantine habit?

I don’t know if it is a habit, but it is a hobby. I turned into a grandmother and started diamond painting which is the most intricate, time-consuming thing to do, but it kept me busy.

Where did you go to school?

I went to Western Illinois University for my undergraduate degree. I originally went to be a preschool teacher, but I changed to elementary education. Then I realized that I do not like math at all, so I switched to English secondary education.

What is your favorite book?

My favorite book of all time is “The Giver”. I have read it 20 million times because I love it so much. I like the dystopian type of books where society has got stuff that you are trying to fix. It is kind of my jam.

Who was your role model growing up?

My grandma on my mom’s side, my Grandma Jane. She raised four kids by herself because her husband died at a pretty young age. I was always impressed with her strength and ability to do that.

- Rebecca Davison photo by Alexis Cobb interviewed by Zoe Hurmi