IN THIS ISSUE...
NEWS
Huntley High School thespians participate in annual Theater Fest...............3
huntleyvoice.com
OPINION
Our school is beautiful with million dollar additions, but the bathrooms are disgusting...............7
FEATURES
A&E: Sophomore Braden Turk’s Theme of the Month recaps movies that feature dopplegängers. Check out other blogs on huntleyvoice.com. http://huntleyvoice.com/theme-of-the-monthdoppelganger/
Japanese exchange student Hana Lee shares the culture shock she experienced at HHS................11
A&E
Bruno Mars ‘finesses’ his way to the Billboad Top 100 with his new collaboration featuring Cardi B....................18
SPORTS
Brothers Zach and Sam Spencer are a dual threat on the mat as they prepare each other for the IHSA State Tournament.......26
Editorial Policy
Photo credits: Top photo (B. Turk). Middle (A. Landman). Bottom (K. Kalischefski). Cover photo by Katrina Troy.
HHS Media are the official student-produced media of news and information published/produced by HHS Media students. HHS Media have been established as designated public forums for student editors to inform and educate their readers as well as for the discussion of issues of concern to their audience. It will not be reviewed or restrained by school officials prior to publication or distribution. Advisers may- and should coach and discuss content- during the writing process. Because school officials do not engage in prior review, and the content of HHS Media 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 responsible student staff emmbers assume complete legal and financial liability for the content of the publication.
Meet the team...
Editors • Alexandra Landman • Editor-in-Chief • Maggie McGee • Print Editor • Emma Kubelka • Online Editor • Faith Losbanes • News Editor • Jenna Link • Opinion Editor • Emily Kindl • Features Editor • Bry Walker • Sports Editor • Riley Murphy • A&E Editor Katrina Troy • Doubletruck Editor/Photo Editor • Staff writers • Madison Barr • Sarah Biernat • Sophie Gire • Jen Gordus • Shaaf Iqbal • River Lee • Dani Rhody • Kelsey Ryan • Miriam Selimi • Skylar Sharkey • Austin Sadie • Braden Turk • Riy Walker • Photographers • Leslie Bounchaleunsouk • Kaitlyn Kalischefski • Arianna Sanchez • Haley Smalley • Dennis Brown • Adviser
2 @huntleyvoice
january 2018 I volume 21 I issue 4
A theater filled weekend at ISU
Thespians take a three day trip for annual TheatreFest
maddy laing I staff writer shops for students to attend.
T
he winter of 1975 was when the first Illinois High School Theater Festival was put into motion. The goal was to create a statewide festival where students and teachers could embrace the theater culture and perform for one another. The event needed to be at a central location to pull in students from everywhere to experience the different culture and pieces performed. In a non-competitive atmosphere, everyone could share their theater endeavors and learn more about the arts. The festival has an annual four-way sponsorship from University of Illinois, Illinois State University, the Illinois Theatre Association, and the Illinois State Board of Education. Every year [the sponsors] want more and more kids to participate because the fine arts is a lifestyle that can help people express themselves in ways they never knew. On the 43rd annual festival, Theaterfest took place
Students spent months preparing their pieces to perform in front of college scouts and other students. Senior Brandon Rios was one of those students to perform, along with the rest of his group, which consisted of seniors Noah Simmons and Ben Johnson. The boys had been working on their piece, “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged,” since the summer in early August. It is about three friends who put on a show telling all of the stories by Shakespeare. The piece was comical, so they had a lot of laughs practicing and performing it. “My favorite aspect was that the characters were us, even in the show we used our own names,” Brandon Rios said. Getting to perform a piece as friends with friends made it all the more true to themselves. They had to perform twice on Saturday. Both performances were back-to- back with only a 15 minute break.
“It was a very odd and interesting experience.” -Frank Mete Jan. 11-13 at Illinois State University. Every day was filled with all things theater with a range of performances and work-
Though happy with the performance and sharing it with everyone, they were exhausted.
Courtesy of F. Mete
With so many schools attending, “It was a really good opportunity to be immersed in an arts culture for a few days and be surrounded by theater kids,” Rios said. A few students helped out with the show: juniors Frank Mete and Jayden Romero, and HHS alumna Ava Novak. Mete stepped in towards the end and helped with the technical production on their performance. “It was a very odd and interesting experience,” Mete said.
It was his first time being involved in a culture so surrounded by the arts. He got to perform for colleges and go through one-onone experiences with scouts. Theaterfest was an overall surreal and everlasting experience that everyone enjoyed. To be completely surrounded by the company of accepting individuals, was a good time for the students to educate themselves and immerse themselves further into the arts. @huntleyvoice 3
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january 2018 I volume 21 I issue 4
Bringing the culture to the classroom Language dept. works to make a more culture infused lesson plan river lee I staff writer
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ĭ hăo! Hola! Bonjour! That is saying hello in Chinese, Spanish, and French. Learning the language is one thing and learning the culture of where the language came from is another. The language department is making steps toward incorporating the culture of languages in language classes at Huntley High School. This integration of culture education will soon be making its way into the early level language classes starting next year. Honors, and AP classes will follow. Some classes, like Chinese II and III, taught by Tianya Zhao, have the culture of the language already incorporated into the lessons. “For the lesson, we usually incorporate the culture in it,” Zhao said. “In the lesson when we are talking about holidays, I mention the culture or the story behind how it came to be. At the end of every lesson, I plan a culture day where we do activities like calligraphy, trying dumplings, or trying to pick up the dumplings with chopsticks.” Students who have gotten the opportunity to be a part of these culture lessons have always responded positively. “I had a blast with culture days,” Chinese IV student Kailee Stone said. “It was fun doing the calligraphy, I
enjoyed eating the mooncake, I enjoyed watching how the Chinese celebrated their new year, I enjoyed every little bit of culture that Mrs. Zhao gave to us. It was a great relaxation day to just chill out and enjoy the culture.” Students are on board when it comes to more culture education. It is not only fun, but makes them more aware of the world around them. “We need more,” Stone said. “Maybe once a week we can watch the news and see what is happening in China right now along with Raider Nation news on Fridays.” Leah Novak, head of the language department, was behind a lot of how this idea came to be. According to Novak, incorporating culture into existing language classes is the best practice, meaning, this is what educators around the country believe is best for students trying to learn a new language. “Not that what we were doing before was harmful, or poorly preparing students for future studies,” Novak said. “It’s old fashioned and we need to update our practices to keep up with what other comparable programs are doing.” According to Novak, the language department plans on incorporating authentic photos of the vocabulary words and what they look like in the real world. This way, students can be exposed to things like
the foods of the culture, as well as what they look like.
right away. “We’ll start slowly,” Novak
Spanish 2 Honors students act out a scene from Don Quijote in front of the class (H. Smalley)
“[The words used to order] at a fast food restaurant are different than ordering at an upscale outdoor cafe,” Novak said. “So students would still learn similar vocabulary, but with a better understanding of how to use it in real life.” In order for language classes to expose more culture, not much needs to change to pre-existing courses except for finding authentic resources, such as newspapers or videos for each class. Teachers will add the culture to their lesson plans, which will include new practices in the classroom. “I don’t think it’s going to be a major upheaval,” Novak said. “Our teachers are amazing and are already doing a wonderful job working on this initiative.” The costs for these beneficial changes could mean updates to some ancillary materials in the upcoming years. These changes will not be seen
said, “Hopefully beginning with the level one and two classes next year, and then move to three, four, and AP over time.” The biggest change the language department has to tackle is organizing and tailoring cultural content to each specific class so that students can get the real feel for what it would be like in China, France, or Spanish speaking countries. Not every culture has the same holidays. For example, France has Bastille Day, Mexico has Diel de la Raza, and China has a Mooncake festival. They hope to expand students’ overall knowledge on the language as well as their unique cultural celebrations. Although this may take a while, this progressive change will definitely help students get a better grasp of the culture as the they learn the language.
@huntleyvoice 5
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january 2018 I volume 21 I issue 4
A bathroom overview: tissues and issues Stark difference between the new and old bathrooms seen at HHS
riley murphy I a&e editor
I
t is fourth period and you have five minutes to go to the bathroom in order to make it on time to Algebra. You know that your teacher is a stickler for punctuality, so you try to make it quick. Rushing down the halls, you head to the nearest bathroom and walk into the first stall, but the old rust-colored door will not lock. You quickly head into the next one, and the same thing happens. You keep going and going until you find a stall that can provide some privacy. When you finish, you quickly run to the fourth gunked up sink because the first three do not work. As you hear the music playing, you encounter another problem; there is no soap to wash your hands with. The song starts wrapping up, so you try to dry your hands with what little air is coming out of the hand dryer and rush to class, but now the bell has rung. You have to get a HERO: your second one of the school year all because you had to use the bathroom. Sadly, this problem is not uncommon for the average student. The recent quality of the bathrooms has gotten so out of hand that a task as simple as washing your hands is a challenge. From none of the old rusted stalls locking, to the soap dispensers never being filled, to none of the sinks working, the list of problems could go on and on.
Recently, after our return from winter break, there have been accounts of none of the sinks working in some of the upstairs circle bathrooms. Another time, there was an incident in the athletic hallway’s bathroom in which one of the stalls did not have a door. This puts a real strain on the students’ schedules, because they rely on having a well working bathroom facility to use before having to rush off to yet another class. Although we acknowledge many of the efforts made to make our bathrooms neater, such as the
“Most schools don’t hold a candle to what we have.” -Principal Scott Rowe installation of feminine product dispensers, it is hard to believe that many of these problems go unnoticed. “There was this one time where I walked into the bathroom and there were feminine products all over the place,” junior Kailee Stone said. A problem like this would have been simple to take care of, and it would have been far better for the bathroom rather than it being left there for studentsw to make an even bigger mess of. “Do I wish that the bathrooms would stay clean [and] that everybody would throw their trash in the trash can and there wouldn’t be clutter at the end of every day?” Principal Scott Rowe
said. “Absolutely, but when you consider the volume, it’s difficult to stay on top of.” Once, and if, there is a problem reported, there is someone automatically sent down to fix the issue, such as custodial worker Pablo Hernandez, whether it be a stall not locking or something as simple as more toilet paper. As far as daily schedules go, the school uses Alpha, an outsourcing custodial company, to take turns with the night shifts. Jerry Verhagen is one of the workers that is a part of Alpha and is mainly in charge of maintenance. One team is there until 11 p.m. and the other comes in at 12 a.m. to make sure everything is in prime condition for the start of the day. When asking Verhagen if he would like to talk about the recent quality of the student bathrooms, he declined to comment. We can tell that great strides have been made in order to make our bathrooms better than they are now. The West Wing bathroom is hands down the best of the bathrooms due to its lack of peach colored stalls, dingy lighting, and rust colored flooring. Part of the issue is the simple fact that there has been increase in vandalism in the older bathrooms. “I would say if the stalls clearly look like they were not cleaned or any sort of writing on the walls, or if it’s just past the point of inappropriate, I think it should be painted over,” Stone said. You would think that for a school that is so prestigious, we could expand the budget for the bathrooms,
but sadly, money is an object and the budget does not permit a lot of room to spend on bathrooms. “I think we’re really fortunate to have as beautiful and well maintained of a school we do,” Rowe said. “What you guys don’t know is that most schools don’t hold a candle to what we have.” Right now, the faculty is aware of some of the problems with student behavior in the bathrooms, but not so much of the maintenance side of things. Due to the fact that most teachers and deans do not use student bathrooms, they often do not experience first hand what problems we have to deal with. “[With] an e-mail to their dean or a visit to the secretary in one of the pods to inform them, we will take care of it immediately,” Rowe said. A system like this could easily solve a lot of the unnecessary problems that you run in to. Next time when you run into a stall not locking, a soap dispenser not filled, or the trash bins overflowing, mention it to one of your deans. It could really go a long way to us winning the fight against student bathrooms.
M. Barr @huntleyvoice 7
opinion
Does the wage gap affect Huntley? While the gap is rarely seen in education, the issue is still relevant
miriam selimi I staff writer
M
arching through the streets of Chicago, countless signs could be seen by women of all ages. One sign from the Women’s March on Jan. 20 read “equal pay for equal work.” For many people, these issues are now in the forefront of the media and people want a change. In today’s society, problems like the gender wage gap should not exist, but they do. As the division of opinion on the gender wage gap issue grows larger and larger, the United States of America is not doing much to fix this problem.
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@huntleyvoice
“Within HHS, I don’t think there is much of a gender wage gap,” English teacher Tara Wills said. “To make more money, we earn that through coaching sports. But I don’t think there will ever be a female football coach, for example.” There are some differences that are almost built into the way we think and the way we see our community. Men usually coach sports, but here at HHS, that is not completely true. Many women at Huntley have leadership roles with the head of the physical education department at HHS, Jennifer Heuck, being a prime example. There is not much of a gap in equality and wages at HHS between men and women. Although, that is not the case for our country as a whole. There are places like Iceland that have already made it illegal to pay men and women different for doing the same job for the same amount of time. “Other countries will exceed to [reach] Iceland’s standards,” sophomore Victoria Schulte said. “We are, 100 percent, a money driven country, and I don’t think we will make it there.” Laws and acts M. Barr like these should
be set all around the world, but women are still being treated unfairly in most countries. In some places, such as
focus solely on women. People of all gender, sex, and race should have equal rights. “You usually won’t see any
“You usually won’t see any big wage gaps with jobs in education.” -Tara Wills Saudi Arabia, men are telling women who they should marry, that they are not allowed to work on their own, and that they cannot leave the house on their own. Being independent is a right every man and woman should have, and no one should get in the way of that. Wages and simple equality should be the first step into raising awareness and proving to other countries that it is possible. That change can start here at Huntley High School. Our school already is progressive in so many ways, and this is another way we can excel. It is possible to see change within a society where women do not have to be stripped of their rights. It is possible to see. They are not asking for much, just basic rights and equality. Men and women should be treated equally, and no man or woman should degrade each other just because of their sex. It starts with something as simple as wages. If two people have the same social status, same job, and same hours, they should be paid the same. Although, it doesn’t have to
big wage gaps with jobs in education, but they’re usually present in jobs related to business,” Wills said. Though the gender wage gap is a controversial topic, most men do not have any power over it. It is the people in power who are creating these gaps, specifically in wages. Equal pay should not have to be fought for; it is a right that everyone should be entitled to, like voting. Of course, if two co-workers are doing different jobs for different amounts of hours, they should be paid appropriately. If two teachers of different genders have the same education and experience, they should be paid the same wages. Regarding coaches and advisors, there can be a gap, but that is a choice and the school should continue to hire the best candidate, gender aside. This issue affects everyone, and it will affect the students of Huntley as they enter the workforce. It is important to be aware. But there is hope; this can be stopped if the problems are solved from the roots.
january 2018 I volume 21 I issue 4
New Year, not so new resolution
Students will not stick with their January resolutions as time passes
skylar sharkey I staff writer
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he tradition of resolving to change is practically cemented in the transformation of a New Year. The first of every January often begins with high hopes, renewed gym memberships, and resolutions that will most often die off by the end of the month. Those resolutions will have their places taken by academic commitments, work, or just the “I’ll get to it tomorrow” mentality. But do not fret. You will have the opportunity to renew the same resolution the following January, only to fail again. New Year’s resolutions are the on-again off-again relationship that we just can’t help coming back to. “I think that New Year’s resolutions are things people try to do to gain motivation so they use an obsolete date as a way to get motivated,” sophomore Colin Stevenson said. “Then they break the resolutions after a month.” According to History.com, New Year’s resolutions were first created by the ancient Babylonians, who made
promises to their gods during the 12 day ceremony performed during the beginning of the crop season. It is safe to say that we have a different state of mind concerning resolutions than the ancient Babylonians. These days, we are not trying to win favor with the gods; we are trying to reach the goals that we have always viewed as attainable, but not worth the extra effort. Part of the desire to set goals is the new potential that the New Year tends to bring. Fresh opportunities cloud our judgement, and suddenly we can see ourselves running
“Anything you can do to help yourself to be smarter or healthier is good.” -Julie Stout three miles a day or taking the extra time to meditate. These resolutions allow us to focus on the ideal version of ourselves that we have always wanted to be, rather than face the reality of who we are within this very moment. Everyone has fantasies; envisioning ourselves with less debt and more abdominal muscles is just another. There is nothing wrong with setting out to achieve a
goal. As humans, we are not evolving unless we are constantly pushing ourselves to learn and overcome. I do not see why we need a specific date to kickstart this process. “I think resolutions are a good motivator. Even if you don’t abide by them, it’s always good to try to better yourself,” senior Julie Stout said. “Even if your resolution is something as as simple as getting more sleep, anything you can do to help yourself to be smarter or healthier is good.” Some might say that it’s the symbolism that compels them into the New Year’s fantasy. If you truly believe that you will stick to your resolution if you begin on the first of January, go for it. There are people out there, far and few between, who have actually succeeded in keeping their New Year’s resolutions. But for all of us out there who have that nagging feeling that our resolutions will slowly slide down our list of priorities, I suggest that you ditch the New Year’s resolution ideal all together. “I have more general [resolutions]: I want to write more and try to say yes to more things,” English teacher Tara Wills said. However, resolutions are not all bad. “I think resolutions are helpful, but I think that they’re just as helpful on February 1 or July 1 or any day,” Wills said. “I think that any
M. Barr time is a good time to reset, reevaluate, [and] set goals for yourself. There’s always value in resolutions, but they’re just hard to stick to.” Picking one single day to make a life changing decision is not very reasonable. Though I can see the appeal of picking a date that symbolizes new beginnings, what is stopping you from attempting to reach your goals today? Either you are prepared to begin the attempt right now, or you are not. This does not mean that New Year’s resolutions are not sincere. Everyone wants to be healthier. Everyone wants to start saving money. Everyone wants to maintain better relationships. But if the only way that you are able to commit to these goals is a certain date at the beginning of the calendar, then you probably are not ready to make that change to your lifestyle. Be committed to these goals no matter what month we are into in the new year. Why wait? @huntleyvoice 9
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january 2018 I volume 21 I issue 4
This place is not so foreign any more Exchange student Hana Lee reveals Huntley experience maggie mcgee I print editor
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ach year, a handful of foreign exchange students come and go through Huntley’s doors. They travel from different countries around the world, bringing many stories and experiences beyond what we as Americans can imagine. Senior Hana Lee’s story is one of them. As a 6-year-old girl, she would sit and watch Disney Channel for hours. It became her dream to come to America someday; shows like Hannah Montana fueled her desire. “I wanted to experience the different cultures,” Lee said. “I wanted to go to a new country: that was my dream.” So, Lee made it happen. There was a foreign exchange student program, Rotary, that she discovered based out of Japan. She contacted the program and was told that she would need to pass a test in order to be considered. Lee was one of 15 students who applied, all of who wanted to come to America. But, there was a catch. Only one of them would get the opportunity to study in America. Lee knew this was her chance to make her dream come true, so she worked hard, studied, and passed the test. The next step in the yearlong process was the interview, in which she sat in front of 30 people, all women, and answered a question regard-
ing why this was her dream. Fortunately for Lee, she was the one student chosen. “I was so lucky,” she said. And so her journey began. On Aug. 5, 2017, Lee made her way to America, where she planned to stay for about a year. Foreign exchange students like Lee get placed with host families. They live with them for up to five months and attend school where those families live. Fortunately for Lee, she was placed in Huntley and loved her first host family. “I cried so much after [I left],” Lee said. She now lives with another family in Huntley, who she enjoys just as much. Much like her host families have helped Lee adjust to life in the U.S., making friends in Huntley has also helped. “I thought people would be more mean,” Lee said. “Since I am Asian, I thought that people would not like me. But it’s very nice. I thought I wouldn’t be able to make friends, [but] people are very friendly here; people talk to you. In Japan, people don’t talk a lot. They’re shy.” However, one of the biggest challenges for Lee has been learning the language. “English is so hard,” Lee said. “[It’s hard] when I want to say something but I do not know how to.” She still struggles to this day; it took two or three months for Lee to get used to
the new language. Besides the obvious, a huge difference between Japanese and English is the basic structure of sentences. For example, if Lee wanted to say “I ate an apple” in English, her mind would automatically phrase it as “I apple ate” in the Japanese language. Aside from the language barriers, her appetite for food has not diminished one bit. She loves American food. Since Lee is not used to the fatty foods that Americans consume on the daily, she is surprised when she looks in the mirror and notices her face rounding out. How could she pass up guacamole and hamburgers, though? They are her favorites that she has tried here. After all, the calories found in American foods are very different from the usual rice and vegetables eaten for most meals in Japan. The culture difference has been quite a shock to Lee,
whose commute to school in Japan is two hours each way. She also notes that back home, students wear uniforms, no color, and no makeup. Although she loves it here, things are just very different. “[Huntley High School] is like a college. Everything is so big…we can talk and bring snacks and bring phones. It is very free here.” Despite Lee having a few more months left in America before she has to return to Japan in late July, she continues to learn and try new things. Lee has involved herself in Huntley’s culture more than some kids have during all of their four years. She has tried classes not required in Japan, joined the Orchesis team, and still wants to try a new sport as well. Her time spent in Huntley might have already left a mark on her, but she has most certainly left her mark on Huntley, too.
Lee working in her American Government classroom. (K. Kalischefski)
@huntleyvoice 11
features
The Bencko family smiling for a photo. (From left: Kyle, Meghan, Debbie, Brandon, Bob.) (Courtesy of M. Bencko.)
Huntley supports one of its own
Senior Meghan Bencko recounts her mother’s struggle with cancer katrina troy I photo editor
B
ob Bencko’s feet never moved a step on Dec. 18. Senior Meghan Bencko watched her father embrace person after person; some of the faces were strangers she had never even met. People kept rushing to him in waves of kindness and empathy. Members of the community packed the Huntley Culver’s to capacity for NHS’s “Culver’s Night” in support of Debbie Bencko, Meghan’s mother. Although Debbie was unable to attend the event, held on her birthday, Meghan and her father, Bob, were overwhelmed with words of encouragement. 12 @huntleyvoice
“People traveled from different towns,” Meghan said. “They didn’t have do that, but they heard about [my mom] and wanted to come show their support.” Weeks before the Culver’s event, Debbie felt a sharp pain in her body and went to the doctor seeking advice and a simple prescription. Instead, she was rushed to the emergency room. On Thursday, Nov. 24, Debbie went through surgery in hopes to restore her health. The following Wednesday, Debbie was diagnosed with cervical cancer. After describing a different sensation of
pain in her chest, a chest x-ray and a biopsy concluded that the cancer had spread to her lungs. The observation resulted in the final diagnosis: stage four cervical cancer. “I [went] from standing, walking, and doing every
and I am basically bedridden,” Debbie said. “I haven’t walked [in] more than nine weeks. Right now, I am relying on the support of my family and, of course, my tremendous amount of friends. I could never imagine they would be
“She is honestly my role model. You wouldn’t have thought anything like this would happen, and now [I] can’t take anything for granted.” -Meghan Bencko normal activity that I’ve been able to do, and turned around
out there to help support me through this battle.”
january 2018 I volume 21 I issue 4 Debbie’s road to recovery consists of both physical and occupational therapy, which focuses on helping regain strength in her muscles. After being unable to walk for over two months, learning how to retrain her muscles, and stand on her own two feet is like starting from the very beginning, similar to a toddler. In her time of training and conditioning, she stood up with support and walked six feet. “It honestly brought tears to my eyes and my dad’s eyes,” Meghan said. “Seeing her be able to [walk] even though she was scared…it was inspiring. She is honestly my role model. You wouldn’t have thought anything like this would happen, and now [I] can’t take anything for granted.” As Meghan works to complete her senior year, she leans on her family for support. Both of her older brothers, 24-year-old Brandon Bencko, who works in the city, and 20-year-old Kyle Bencko, who attends Iowa State, came home immediately after hearing the news about their mother. The three siblings spend every single second that they can at Debbie’s side. When commitments caused the family to be apart, they are each simply a FaceTime call away. Huntley High School has played a large role in the Bencko family’s journey. In addition to Meghan attending classes as a senior, Debbie works as an aide in the testing room, where she interacts with students and faculty on a regular basis. Global Studies teacher Brad Aney worked closely with Debbie in the second hour test room. They
formed an immediate friendship, realizing that they had similar values in education. “I was actually in the hallway and I heard some teachers talking about [her diagnosis],” Aney said. “It’s like a brick hit me. It just floored me. I got really quiet, started reflecting… [I] went home and told my wife that I
motivation. Special education teacher Shannon Vanek, who also worked closely at Huntley High School with Debbie, partnered with Aney to create a benefit solely in Debbie’s honor. “Brad had approached me and asked if I wanted to help,” Vanek said. “He knew that there’s a number of
“Right now, I am relying on the support of my family and, of course, my tremendous amount of friends. I could never imagine they would be out there to help support me through this battle.” -Debbie Bencko loved her… I thought about how important it is that teachers take advantage of health screenings that the district offers. The [thing] I thought of right away was: what can I do?” With a deep history in St. Baldrick’s and advocating for a cure to cancer, Aney took his sorrow and turned it into
other things that I’ve gotten involved in with coordinating and planning, so he knew that I enjoyed doing that and that I knew Mrs. Bencko. Just knowing what she’s been going through… even my [daughters] have asked what they can do [to help].” The “Our Hearts Are With You” benefit will be on Feb.
14 from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Nick’s Pizza and Pub in Crystal Lake. According to Nick’s website, 100 percent of the day’s net profit will be donated to the Bencko family. Aside from food, the event will have a 50/50 raffle, basket auctions, t-shirt and bracelet sales, and much more. All proceeds will go to the Bencko family. The event will be accepting direct donations at the event, as well as contributions through Debbie’s Go Fund Me page. More information can be found on the Nick’s Pizza and Pub website, as well as the Twitter and Facebook page for events. “I have no doubt in my mind that this community will rally around her,” Aney said. “I think the thing that distinguishes our high school from many others is the unconditional support that we have for one another. We decide to pick each other up and rally around each other when anything goes wrong. The atmosphere here… it’s not a bunch of cliques. It’s a community. We will continue to fight for each other like one of our own.”
(Courtesy of B. Aney.)
@huntleyvoice 13
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january 2018 I volume 21 I issue 4
Yatos Gym: home to the hard workers Former HHS student and brother begin powerlifting careers bry walker I sports editor really begins after school ends
H
e wakes up, gets ready for school, and scarfs down as many calories as he can before running to meet the bus by 12:10 p.m. By 12:30, former Huntley High School student Anthony Yatos is beginning his school day at Ombudsman. “Ombudsman is an alternative school option that has a program connected to Huntley,” Anthony said. “I left because my credits were lacking, and I like that we can choose to either do online work or paperwork.” However, Anthony’s day
at 4:30. Upon eating again and returning home, he begins lifting in his brother’s gym at 6 p.m. and finishes around 9. “I am on a [powerlifting] program that is supposed to help me train for my competition in March,” Anthony said. “I first was into bodybuilding for two years… Then about eight months ago, I realized the weight I was doing was near state records for benching, squatting, and deadlifting.” And as he continued to work harder and harder powerlifting, he reached and overcame state records and is
looking forward to officially “smashing” those records. Anthony practices and trains in the basement of the Yatos household, which is called “Yatos Gym.” It has been up and running for a few years now, and is run by Anthony and his older brother, DJ Yatos. “My older brother got me into [lifting] about four years ago,” Anthony said. “I used to work out in my room a lot, and then got a gym membership that summer. Towards the end of freshman year, my brother and I got more and more equipment for our gym.” DJ, who graduated from HHS in 2014, has been interested in fitness for a long time. He began weightlifting eight years ago, initially as a reason to gain weight for football in seventh grade. “I was a little underweight at my age and height, so the motivation to get bigger,
The Yatos brothers in their gym. (From left: DJ, Anthony.) (Courtesy of A. Yatos.)
faster, and stronger went into overdrive,” DJ said. “Ever since then, I have taken it very [seriously].” DJ plans to pursue lifting as a career, by getting his degree in physical therapy only as a backup plan. His major goal is to open up an “old school” gym with Anthony sometime in the next two to four years. Whilst DJ is passionate about the fitness side of things, Anthony plans to pursue a business degree so that he can run the business side of the gym. According to DJ, Yatos Gym will be very different from the gyms around town; the entire atmosphere will be for hard working people to better themselves, unlike fancy commercial gyms. “[This] gym will be no Lifetime or Centegra,” DJ said. “When you walk into our gym, you will know we are straight business.” As they continuously plan for the future, they have already begun to set some of their dreams as a reality. HHS sophomore offensive lineman Eddie Nesheiwat has been lifting at Yatos Gym for the past six months after meeting DJ through his older brother. “We powerlift, focusing mainly on strength, not size,” Nesheiwat said. “DJ mainly helps and coaches me through the program that he created.
see LIFTING, page 29
@huntleyvoice 15
features
Knapke working on a set with an assistant. (K. Troy)
The man behind the scenes
Nathan Knapke shares his love for technical theatre faith losbanes I news editor
W
ith 12 big production shows a year, countless meetings and other events held within its walls, the PAC in Huntley High School is in constant use throughout the year. Despite being a room with such heavy traffic, people rarely see the people working behind it. Nathan Knapke makes the works of art students have spent hours rehearsing on come to life with a simple lighting change and a labored-on piece of scenery. He can turn the PAC into a rock and roll concert in a second with a couple clicks of his mouse, and can change the mood of a full house of people with a carefully selected sound effect and well-timed lighting. He is always there to make sure a gathering runs smoothly, get the projector running, and the audio sounding throughout the 619-seated theater that finds its home within Huntley High School. Most theater students 16 @huntleyvoice
know him, but to the rest of the school, he is fairly unknown. Though he is not always seen, he is always there in a black polo shirt - the standard wear for any technical theater position - and ready to quietly call lighting or sound cues into a headset. Since January of 2014, he
auditorium loaded with the newest technological advancements in technical theater. He looks right at home behind the booth that is located discreetly in the back center area of the Performing Arts Center. He knows every piece of equipment in the room like the back of his hand. However, growing up,
“At the time [it was] terrifying, and super stressful because you feel like at any moment you’re making the decision that will change the rest of your life. It seemed very heavy and confusing, but when I look back on it, it was the perfect thing.” -Nathan Knapke has been running every event that occurs in the PAC as its Lighting and Sound Technician. Over the years he has made numerous additions that have elevated the quality of every show. Whether that is new moving lights or a fog machine, Knapke has kept the
he was not always planning on ending up behind a tech booth, but rather, a music stand. As an 18 year old college freshman, Knapke moved two hours away from his little town of St. Henry, Ohio to pursue music education with
hopes to one day direct a school band. In seventh grade, he decided that would be his life goal, to become a band director and educate kids about this love of his. Since he was a kid, he had been taking private music lessons. He played tuba throughout middle school, continued this passion into high school, and was a part of every honors band in the area. With the support of his parents, director, and his tuba instructor behind him, Knapke took the small leap into the world of music education and music technology at a university in Columbus, Ohio as he had intended to do since middle school. However, within two weeks of attending classes, he realized he was not where he was supposed to be. And by the end of his first semester, he became a transfer student. “At the time [it was] terrifying, and super stressful because you feel like at any moment you’re making the decision that will change the
january 2018 I volume 21 I issue 4 rest of your life,” Knapke said. “It seemed very heavy and confusing, but when I look back on it, it was the perfect thing.” By the second half of his freshman year, Knapke was packing up his bags and crossing the width of the country down to Florida, something very out of character for him as an introverted person. He began an accelerated two-year course at Full Sail University to revisit another high school discovery of his: technical theater and production. He knew he had found his calling. Knapke first started his technical theater adventure in his high school cafetorium. Within his small graduating class of 72 people, he was the only one who volunteered to run the audio. “I quickly became friends with my principal and my superintendent because I was the only one who could make the audio work,” Knapke said. “At that time I had a very supportive choir director there who [gave me] the keys to the booth and told me to just figure it out, so that was a really good environment for me because I like to get in there and experiment and figure out how it all works.” Knapke continued to do tech for all of his school productions, school board meetings, and grow his interest in it. However, since technical theater production was not viewed as a reasonable career path to those around him, it never occurred to him to chase after it in his professional life. “I came from a very small community that wasn’t necessarily as open-minded as a
community like ours, so when I decided that I wanted to go into this, I met a lot of resistance because, according to [my community], that wasn’t a real job.” To catch up on lost time from his first semester of college, he went to school all year round, working eight hours a day with $15,000 movie lights, enormous truss systems, and all top-grade, professional gear. These astonishing pieces of technology were some of the things that told him that he was in the right place. “At my college, in one of our venues, we had a ground support truss system where the whole grid drops to the floor so you can change lamps and refocus lights,” he said. “So we’re talking about something around a 5,000-pound truss unit, and on the first day we flew it to the ground, this huge colossal structure, and I was like ‘this is the coolest thing in the world.’ It’s such a perfect blend of technology and art that I geek out about it; it’s the greatest.” After graduating at the top of his class, he wanted to find
a place where he could work on what he loves, but also educate. He sent applications to both college and high school technical positions and ended up receiving his first call from Huntley High School. Though he had received other calls for interviews on his drive north, he immediately saw the potential of the spacious Huntley High School PAC, and decided that would be the place for him. From then on, he never looked back. “At the time the Performing Arts Center had a lot of potential but not a lot of tech, and I thought I could see myself really owning the facility,” he said. Even though the theater was not originally equipped for as many additions they have made, with creative thinking and support from the administration, Knapke has been able to really grow the space and make it something special. “We have a very supportive administration, and if I’m really obsessed with something at the time, I can usually figure out a way of working
that into our regular everyday affairs here,” he said. “We can really explore those technologies in real time with the industry so that’s a lot of fun for me.” After four years, the PAC has come to host a series of stunning productions with the help of Knapke’s technical oversight on the facility. He has made indoor pyrotechnics, flying choreography, and fog machines a possibility within the space. Knapke continues to encourage the growing number of student technicians working alongside him as he strives to bring bigger and better things to the PAC. Many of these students have gone on to pursue technical theater as their own personal careers. “If you want to go into technical theater, if you want to go into show production, if you want to tour, [or] any of those things…if your passion is behind it, you’ll have no problem because you will push yourself to get there,” Knapke said. “You have to really listen to what your heart is saying.”
Knapke painting another set. (K. Troy)
@huntleyvoice 17
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New song by Bruno Mars is ‘what we like’ Bruno Mars and Cardi B.’s new hit keeps listeners on their feet riyana walker I staff writer
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runo Mars has done it again with another top hit. His new song, “Finesse” featuring Cardi B hit the Billboard Top 100 in the top 40. This song has a new swing to it, with the music video symbolizing the old school ‘90s television show, “In Living Color.” This new remix and the video that goes along with it, is something that was different for Mars but not unexpected by his fans. According to the reviews from the Billboard Hot 100 Reviews, Mars and Cardi are a new dynamic duo that should not be taken lightly. This new song was also a great thing for Cardi B. because she has now tied with Beyonce on the billboards, a challenging feat. This is a huge accomplishment, especially for a new up and coming artist. Mars and Cardi killed this in my opinion. They have essentially re-created something from the ‘90s in a short video. To me, this was showing that these artist are still creating new music and constantly changing to better themselves and their music. Along with being on the Billboard Top 100, Mars and Cardi were invited to perform at the Grammys. This was a big step up for Cardi B., and she is super excited for this well deserved achievement. 18 @huntleyvoice
Mars has always been a hard worker and has come up with great songs over the last couple of years. With Cardi B. being one of the newer, very talented rappers in the
like icing on the cake in the way everything was interpreted. The viewers were allowed to see what they wanted us to understand along with the meaning of the song.
The song has gotten over one million plays on Spotify and the video has over one million views on Youtube and Vevo. According to the reviews, “Bruno Mars and & Bruno Mars Facebook Cardi B’s “Finesse” remix video has set social media on fire today (Jan. 4) with it’s nostalgic ‘90s-themed outfits, bouncy choreography, and colorful video sets.” This song gave a ‘90s era type of feel and that was something that caught the attention of the viewers and the fans. This was also another big change in Mars’ career and this might have come as a bit of shock to some of his fans, but it was something new and enjoyable. If you compare and contrast Mars’ music in the past to his recent music, you will see a drastic change in the way that his lyrics and the meaning behind his songs industry, Mars collaborating Some people might say have changed. with her on this song was a that Mars’ style has changed During these last couple big career boost for her and a a lot over the years as far as of years, the message behind brave move for him. his music goes. Some even the music is telling you to be bold and “ride your own “When I’m walkin’ with you I watch wave.” In the past years, his music was about giving his all the whole world change.” to somebody and then getting -Bruno Mars his heart broken. So that is why I personGoing into writing, filmthink that his music changed ally think his new music has ing, and performing this song for the worst and that could changed for the better. Now, along side Mars was a big not be further from the truth. you can tell through his music experience for Cardi B.. I am Collaborating with new artists that he is truly happy about sure they did not know how and having good outcomes the new things going on in much people would enjoy is a big accomplishment for his life. Through his lyrics he their song and listen to it, but Mars. Even though his music is showing his feelings and the outcome was shocking. has changed, that does not in his music videos, he keeps The music video was just mean it was a bad change. performing his heart out.
january 2018 I volume 21 I issue 4
Green’s books capture the hearts of many Author John Green conquers popularity on all platforms sarah biernat I staff writer
A
s Ansel Elgort met eyes with millions of girls across the U.S., John Green became a phenomenon. Every young and impressionable teenage girl was shrieking at the thought of finding their Augustus Waters, and I was one of them. The thought of a tall, attractive stranger melting the heart of any girl is always desirable. Prior to Elgort gracing our eyes one seductive smirk at a time, Green’s novels were the launching pad of something huge. Releasing mysterious “Looking for Alaska” in 2005 with a follow up of his now super platform that is the VlogBrothers YouTube channel, the future was unpredictable for Green. 2005-2007, a time when most of his readers were engulfed in Disney Channel and Barbie dolls, was an impactful push in the right direction. Originally named “Brotherhood 2.0,” the Green brothers posted, and still do, daily videos that are humorly thought provoking. Now surpassing three million subscribers with well over 720 million views, the quirky video diaries to two brothers living on opposite ends of the U.S. has become more. The textless communications of John and Hank 11 years ago introduced a family of more areas for dubious advice, banter, and downright awesomeness, hence the “don’t forget to be awesome” follower family (DFTBA).
Branching off with Crash Course in 2012 as a side project to his writings, John teamed up with Hank, and is slowly becoming known by a widespread of people. Give it two more years and John will have the female youth wrapped around his content for good. Now that is has been three and a half years since Green’s chronicles hit big screens in four continents and gained astonishing box office allowance of $392.7 million, he has had a terrific run so far in Hollywood. The emotion driven from these films, however, is an aspect of Green’s personality and creations of his YouTube channel, “VlogBrothers.” One property of Green’s work that has always amazed me is his voice; the scripts for his films and his novels incorporate his being. Of all the movie adaptations, here are some moments from each film, and novel, that grasp his personality. The 2012 novel and 2014 movie adaptation, “The Fault In Our Stars” is known for its deep quotations and emotion-seeking audience. A famous line is when Augustus Waters says, “I’m on a roller coaster that only goes up, my friend.” Despite Green’s OCD in real life, and Hazel Lancaster’s, Shailene Woodley’s character, risk of becoming a fatality statistic, the positive affirmations and outlook encompasses Waters, but also Green; it is magnificently done.
Courtesy of https://www.sketchport.com/ drawing/6457378002173952/tfios
While writing “The Fault In Our Stars” way back when, Green lived right along the Amstel River in Amsterdam while the second half of the book was being produced. While there, Green posted one of his many philosophical videos in the series, “Thoughts From Places,” where either him or his brother Hank ramble off their thoughts in a cinematic way. The depth progressed through Green’s novels and cineography is authentic and beautiful. While amongst the historical architecture that is Venice, Italy he said, “The world is what it is, but it’s also what you bring to it.” That one single handedly ties up the adventures of Quentin in “Paper Towns,” as well as Augustus and Hazel in “The Fault in our Stars.” Whether Gus and Hazel were battling terminal illness in one of Europe’s most beautiful cities, or Quentin and his buds were heading north on an east coast expedition, what could have been easily sorrowful tales eventually
ended with relatively optimistic endings. As for the future, it is not known where Green’s career could lead him. His 2017 release, “Turtles All The Way Down,” received stellar reviews. Through the eyes of Aza, a 16-year-old girl with OCD, Green vicariously expresses his mental health stability, and like Green, Aza’s “mind is at war with itself,” according to The New York Times. Aza embodies a tender-hearted, love struck, teen-gifted Green on the New York Times bestseller list with five star reviews. A hopeful Gus, Aza, and Quentin: there is a common theme among Green’s work. In times of desperation, there is a prominent and demanding message of “if you don’t imagine, nothing ever happens at all.” As also said in “Paper Towns,” “the town was paper, but the memories were not.” Green’s legacy of hitting home with teenagers will never be just paper, but stone.
@huntleyvoice 19
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“Game of Games” gives lots of laughs Ellen’s hit show gives a new meaning to daytime television jen gordus I staff writer
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hairs spinning in dizzy circles, tubas blowing out toothpaste, oneeyed monsters eating people alive, people suspended from the ceiling blindfolded, all wrapped up into one single game show. Music, a live audience, cash prize, and comedy all connect to the one person who constantly reminds the world to be kind to one another. Ellen DeGeneres has truly done it all: having her own talk show for over 17 years, breaking Twitter, a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the voice of a very famous animated fish, and now her very own game show. “Ellen’s Game of Games” is a new TV show that is basically the Costco version of her games on her talk show. The new show gives contestants a chance to win a $100,000 cash prize, which is something that will not be found at Costco. The Warner Bros. Television Distribution has added this new game show to its mix of “The Big Bang Theory,” “The Middle,” and the iconic ‘90s show, “Friends.” Comedy seems to be a thread that connects these shows. DeGeneres and co-host Stephen “tWitch” Boss start off the show by bringing contestants on stage to compete in one of several games. One may be a game called “Dizzy Dash,” where two contestants race to a podium with the intentions of grabbing a 20 @huntleyvoice
Courtesy of Ellen’s Game of Games Facebook
ball before they can answer a trivia question, but before they make a run for it, they are spun in chairs, which is bound to shake things up a bit. Another could be a game called “Aw Snap,” where contestants are attached by bungee cords trying to move apples to baskets only with their teeth. Maybe even a game called “Blindfolded Musical Chairs,” which is exactly as it sounds. Whichever contestant wins their first game moves on to the next and is one step closer to becoming filthy rich or just plain filfly. “Hosting this show will be like a relationship,” DeGeneres said in the first episode of “Game of Games.” “We will laugh, we will cry, I’m going to play some games with you, I’m going to cause some drama, and when it’s all over one of you will walk out of here with all of my money.” Multiple games will be played with new contestants and the winner from each
will move on to compete in the semi-finals game, “Know or Go.” The previous winners will stand on top of a platform with chutes beneath them that could potentially drop them to their doom. All the players are given a category and asked a question regarding that category. If they answer the question wrong, then it is game over and down they fall through the chute. The game continues until there is one player left, the lucky winner will then move on to the last game and their last chance to win the cash prize. Whether it involves sweaty hands, pixelated fire on a screen, or hot celebrities like Ryan Gosling, it all adds up to the final game of “Hot Hands.” The remaining contestant sits in the hot seat with a big red button positioned beneath their fingertips. Categories such as TV hosts, animated characters, country singers, famous actors and actresses are among the categories for this
hot-headed game. Whatever the category may be, the player will be shown a picture of a celebrity that fits the category and must say the name of that person. Once they make their guess, they press the red button for the next image to appear. If they take too long to answer, the image will automatically transition to another and the more answered correctly, the greater the prize. Ten is the magic number in this game and if 10 images are guessed correctly within 30 seconds, the player’s bank account will hold an extra $100,000. Money is not everything in life and it is not everything in this game. It is about taking a few tumbles here and there, flour covered faces, falling from the ceiling, being yanked to the ceiling, thinking North Carolina is a country, forgetting the names of iconic celebrities, and overall never ending comedy that DeGeneres never fails to bring to the table.
january 2018 I volume 21 I issue 4
“Lady Bird” soars above expectations Golden Globe winning film leaves a lasting impression sophie gire I staff writer
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reta Gerwig’s mastery of the silver screen only becomes more and more apparent as she takes on new roles. “Lady Bird,” her directorial debut, hit theaters on Nov. 3 and has since achieved high praise from a majority of movie critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the website that rates movies based on the combined opinions of respected critics and average moviegoers, the film received an almost perfect score at 99 percent - it ranks 31st on the website’s “Top 100 Movies of All Time.” Among just critics though, “Lady Bird” sits at a perfect 100 percent. Gerwig wrote the script for “Lady Bird” as a love letter to her hometown of Sacramento, California. The movie is riddled with gorgeous sweeping landscapes of California’s capital and was shot in various areas of the city. The scene where the main character visits a corner store on her 18th birthday is shot at at real life American Market and Deli on North Street. An abundance of parallels throughout the film indicate that the story is loosely based on the director’s own experiences, including the main character going to Gerwig’s alma mater and the use of Gerwig’s mother’s name, Christine, as the birth name of the main character. The movie even takes place in the year of her graduation from
St. Francis Catholic High School. The film’s main character, Christine McPherson, grows up in Sacramento wanting to live absolutely anywhere else. Compared to the rest of her Catholic school’s students, she feels and appears detached from her peers, as evidenced by her magenta locks and given name (that is, given to her by herself): Lady Bird. What makes “Lady Bird” as successful as it has been is how much Lady Bird herself exemplifies the teenage experience. Coming from a less wealthy household than the popular kids, she so desperately tries to fit in. Lady Bird struggles with wanting to fly from the nest but not having the wings to do so. Another factor that differentiates “Lady Bird” from
most teen-angst high school movies is when it takes place: a full school year starting in the fall of 2002. The opening scene cuts to Lady Bird and her mother listening to a “Grapes of Wrath” cassette in a boxy, powder-blue car on their way home; the audience is immediately immersed into the life of a struggling family almost two decades ago. Actress Saoirse Ronan’s performance as Lady Bird is exceptional; she encapsulates the teen’s headstrong attitude with ease and has won a Golden Globe for her stunning performance. The movie earned an additional Golden Globe for “Best Picture (Musical or Comedy)” and was nominated for two awards with the Directors Guild of America. “Lady Bird” not only focus-
Lady Bird Facebook
es on the life of its namesake, but her family’s struggle to send off their only (biological) daughter to college. The audience is led to infer that the McPherson household hasn’t been financially stable for a long time, with all five of them living in what they thought would be a starter home. Lady Bird grows up ashamed of the fact that she does not live in her dream house on 44th Street: a three-story, ocean-blue, dreamy mansion owned by her boyfriend’s grandmother. She even tells her boyfriend she lives on the “wrong side of the tracks”: a metaphor meant to be taken seriously, since she quite literally lives across the train tracks from the more wealthy families. Because of her outlandish dreams, Lady Bird is often antagonized by her mother, Marian McPherson, a nurse in a psychiatric hospital. Throughout the movie, the main conflict is between the two: Lady Bird, not knowing how to improve herself to her mother’s standards, against Marian, not knowing how to help her daughter be the best she can be. Not only is “Lady Bird” a coming-of-age story for teenage girls to laugh at, cry at, and appreciate, but also a movie for anyone to feel in the pit of their heart. The film wraps its audience in a blanket of nostalgic comfort and assures that everything will work out in the end. @huntleyvoice 21
double truck
The men competing to win your heart Get to know the 2018 Mr. HHS contestants
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A word from Student Council
t is bikini season. For the men competing in Mr. HHS, the search for the perfect coconut bra and neon trucks has just begun. On Feb. 27 at 6:30 p.m., nine seniors and one junior will leave it all on the stage in hopes to earn the crown. “[Winning Mr. HHS] would mean a lot because I plan on doing stand up comedy instead of the usual singing or playing an instrument, so I think it sets the future for the boys who want to do Mr. HHS,” senior Sam Harris said. But the show cannot go on with simply ten boys answering political
“We’re trying to incorporate the audience more.” - Deepa Dhillon questions. Sophomore Ryan Meister and junior Deepa Dhillon work as the leaders of the Mr. HHS Committee from Student Council. The two students organize and manage all decisions involved in the pageant. “We’re trying to incorporate the audience more,” Dhillon said. “That’s what we took into account when we were picking the guys. We’re just trying to give the people what they want.”
kaitlyn kalischefski I photographer danielle rhody I staff writer kelsey ryan I staff writer jenna link I opinion editor katrina troy I double truck editor 22 @huntleyvoice
Just Don
Senior Donovan Spann
Eye Color: Brown Height: 6’2” Apple or Android? Apple. What did you want to be when you grew up? An astronaut. Why Mr. HHS? I thought it would be fun to compete with my friends and have a nice way to end senior year. Best Pickup Line: If I made the alphabet, I would put U and I closer together.
J
Senior Jay Patel
Eye Color: Brown Height: 5’7” Apple or Android? Apple. What did you want to be when you grew up? A bird. Why Mr. HHS? Well last year my friend did it and it just seemed funny and cool. It’s a positive way to represent the school as a whole. Best Pickup Line: All right so you take a bunch of limes and you drop them in front of a girl and say, “sorry I’m bad at pick up limes.”
Crippled
Senior Sam Harris
Eye Color: Blue Height: 5’8” Apple or Android? Android. What did you want to be when you grew up? Rich. I wanted to be what I wasn’t. Why Mr. HHS? I wanted to run for Mr. HHS because I think a free tux and two free prom tickets would be a great way to save money. Best Pickup Line: Ay girl, what’s yo number?
Sunshine
Senior Cory Knipp
Eye Color: Hazel Height: About 6’2” in the morning after stretching. Apple or Android? Android. What did you want to be when you grew up? An architect. Why Mr. HHS? I think I represent the high school very well and that it would be a fun opportunity. Best Pickup Line: Oh my gosh, I completely forgot my pick up line because you’re so beautiful.
january 2018 I volume 21 I issue 4
Dubbie
Senior Dubem Anikamadu
Moose
Senior Griffin Hall
Chick Nung
Junior Nick Chung
Eye Color: Brown Height: 6’2” Apple or Android? Apple. What did you want to be when you grew up? A policeman or a firefighter. Why Mr. HHS? I wanted to run for Mr. HHS because I wanted to live my senior year the best that I can. Best Pickup Line: Take some of this lotion because I am trying to slide in slow motion.
Eye Color: Brown Height: 5’11” Apple or Android? Apple. What did you want to be when you grew up? An engineer. Why Mr. HHS? I think it’s going to be a blast working with all these guys and having a little fun competition. Best Pickup Line: Are you from Tennessee? Because you’re the only 10 I see.
Eye Color: Brown Height: 5’11” Apple or Android? Apple. What did you want to be when you grew up? A pokemon trainer. Why Mr. HHS? My brother was in Mr. HHS when he came to high school. He ended up not winning. I want to make my family proud. Best Pickup Line: Are you sine squared x plus cosine squared x? Because I’m pretty sure you’re the one.
Twitch
Ranch, I be dressin’
The BFG
Senior Jeremiah DeLeon
Eye Color: Brown Height: 5’9” Apple or Android? Android. What did you want to be when you grew up? A football player. Why Mr. HHS? I thought that it’d be a very fun and memorable experience that I could look back on high school with no regrets. Best Pickup Line: If someone complimented my name then I would say oh you should hear my phone number.
Senior Noah Vasconez
Eye Color: Brown Height: 6’2” Apple or Android? Apple. What did you want to be when you grew up? An astronaut. Why Mr. HHS? Through my high school experience, I’ve touched a lot of different aspects of Huntley High School from Science Olympiad, to lacrosse, to academics. I definitely think I’m a solid representation. Best Pickup Line: Hey girl, you like these eyebrows? Thick and manly.
Senior Jack Filpi
Eye Color: Blue Height: 6’5” Apple or Android? Android. What did you want to be when you grew up? A firefighter. Why Mr. HHS? I saw the pageant my freshman year and thought it was amazing and I wanted to do it. Best Pickup Line: Hey girl, are you the sun because your beauty is blinding me. @huntleyvoice 23
sports
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G O R A I D E R S
january 2018 I volume 21 I issue 4
HHS students hit the Alpine slopes
Huntley’s popular winter club encourgages membership
W
madison barr I staff writer
hile riding the lift to the top of the slope, Snow Raiders Club sponsor Angela Zaleski chats with a student sitting next to her, a first time snowboarder. The lift reaches the top and the brisk winter air fills Zaleski’s lungs before she hops off the seat, gliding down the hill on her snowboard. Snow Raiders has been a club at the school for relatively long time and has been a featured club at Huntley High School since it was introduced. Zaleski, one of the health teachers here at HHS, has been the club sponsor of Snow Raiders since 2007 and has enjoyed
every minute of it. Within the Snow Raiders Club, there is a planning committee that works on improvements for each new year. They are typically in charge of making the Snow Raiders t-shirts, decorating a display case, and creating themes for each of the trips, which club members can partake in from Dec. 13 to Feb. 14. The club travels to Alpine Valley trips in East Troy, Wisconsin. In addition to Zaleski being the sponsor of the club, she has a team of 14 chaperones who accompany her on each of the nine trips taken during this school year. The chaperones include teachers from various departments of the school,
Snow Raiders pose during one of their trips (Courtesy of A. Zaleski).
such as health teacher Gavin Fahey, art teacher Bridget Regan, and math teacher James Allen. Students typically hear about Snow Raiders through Zaleski herself mentioning the club during her health classes with freshmen students. “I had Mrs. Zaleski as a health teacher my freshman year and she mentioned the club a couple of times in class,” junior and former Snow Raiders
member Lauren Black said. “I ended up joining because it sounded really fun to be a part of.” During the six trips to Alpine Valley Resort, offered during the winter season during the school year, students are able to choose to either go skiing or snowboarding. Aside from these six set trips, there is the possibility for other trips during the winter season if the weather cooperates. This winter, Snow Raiders is planning on going to Chestnut Mountain in Galena, Illinois. Students are able to socialize and go skiing and snowboarding with fellow student members of the club, as well as the teacher chaperones. “I really liked all of the nice people that were in the club,” Black said. “Everyone
see SNOW, page 29 @huntleyvoice 25
sports
Taking names and making weight Spencer brothers compete to leave their Huntley legacy shaaf iqbal I staff writer
A
s their matches approach, both brothers prepare for the same task, but in opposite ways. The older brother, Zach, is pacing around with headphones in, trying to get a song stuck in his head. He stares down his opponent to gain a mental edge and to keep positive thoughts. Meanwhile, his younger brother, Sam, is trying to stay loose and out of his head, telling himself if he has fun and does his thing, everything will fall into place. 26 @huntleyvoice
K. Kalischefski The Spencer brothers have been dominating the mat throughout high school. Zach has wrestled for four years and his accomplishments speak for themselves. He has made it to state every year and is eyeing his final trip. He is only a few wins shy of breaking the all time record at Huntley. Sam is only a sophomore, but his future looks just as bright as that of his older brother. “Zach wins. He’s a constant,” wrestling head coach
Benjamin Bertlesman said. “I think when it’s all said and done, Sammy may be better than that, but he wouldn’t be there without Zach.”
improve. “It’s more of a mutual learning...we’re so different. We learn something from each other, both personality
“I know when it’s all said and done, Sammy may be better than that, but he wouldn’t be there without Zach.” - Benjamin Bertlesman You can see the bond and support between the brothers as they help each other
wise and wrestling wise,” Zach said. “We teach each other
january 2018 I volume 21 I issue 4
things and we tell each other what’s right and what’s wrong and where to go from there,” Sam said. Wrestling together has created fierce competition between them. “We constantly push to work on new things and up our game since we’re so familiar with each,” Zach said. “We need to surprise each other. In the two years I’ve been working with him, my stand up game has gotten so much better, and when he’s gotten down on the mat, he’s so
much better, and I notice the improvement. We’re opposite in the way we wrestle and the sibling rivalry pushes us.” Wrestling with Zach has given an already talented wrestler like Sam a unique way to get better. “Zach’s really strong and it helps me when I wrestle kids my size,” Sam said. “I feel I have an advantage. I’m used to Zach, then when I wrestle kids my size, they’re smaller.” “Sam benefits more having Zach as an older brother,” Bertelsman said. “When Zach was Sammy’s age, he didn’t have that person to drive him.” The advantage brings high expectations for Sam. “My goals are always to end up topping [Zach] each year,” he said. “I’m a sophomore now I want to top what he did his sophomore year.” Although there is competition, Zach is supportive of Sam and his goals. “In middle school, he broke all my records and he’s already on track to beat my records in high school,” Zach said. “I’m going for goals that I wouldn’t have for too long, but at least he would be the one breaking all my records.” Zach’s favorite moment of high school is a special one he shared with his brother. “Sam’s freshman year, he made it to state. I had no doubt he would,” Zach said. “I wasn’t focused on my match...I was focused on watching him. It was better than my two previous trips because we were able to make it together. Instead of my brother coming to watch me, he is coming to compete with
me.” “Zach always worries about Sammy when wrestling and I’m sure it’s the other way around,” Bertlesman said. The Spencer brothers are not like any other brother
best ever,” Zach said. “This year we can top that. Everyone on our team is doing a good job of staying active and the way it’s going this year, we can go to state as a team and come back with a trophy.”
“Instead of my brother coming to watch me, he is coming to compete with me.” -Zach Spencer duos who have wrestled. “They live and die wrestling,” Bertelsman said. “All previous brothers had other sports, but the Spencers just have wrestling that’s what they do 24/7.” Although they are similar in performance, their personalities are opposite. “Zach is quirky, Zach will talk your ear off, but both of them question a lot of stuff,” Bertelsman said. “Sammy is the quiet one.” “I’m nerdy, I play lots of video games, I’m the athletic type, but I’m really a nerd at heart, Zach said. “I’m a huge Star Wars fan. Anything nerdy you can think of, I fit into the stereotypical geek.” “When you meet me, I’m shy, but when people get to know me, they see how fun and goofy I am,” Sam said. Regardless of personality differences, one thing has stayed the same. With the Spencer brothers, Huntley has dominated not only the Fox Valley Conference, but they have their sights set on qualifying the entire team to the IHSA State Tournament. “The team last year was the
“It would be a great way to end my senior year,” he continued. “After having a lot of individual success, having team success would be a great way to end high school with my brother.” Huntley’s success has been a team effort, with the Spencers right in the middle of it. “They’re leaders by example,” Bertlesman said. “I expect them to go out and be professional and they always go the hardest in practices.” Both Zach and Sam have set different goals for themselves. “I’m trying to grow as a person,” Zach said. “I know more about myself, I’ve grown more comfortable in my skin, I know what I want do with myself moving into the future, I know what I’m doing, and I’m constantly changing and learning more about myself.” Contrary to his older brother, Sam’s goals pertain to the mat. “[My goal] this year is to make state,” he said. “I have lots of goals, like winning state. That’s my end goal and to have the all-time record in wins and take downs at Huntley.” @huntleyvoice 27
sports
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january 2018 I volume 21 I issue 4
SNOW, page 25 was always willing to help you learn and make sure you’re having a good time.” Overall, the feeling surrounding the club itself is one of family and friendship, where everyone was always willing to help each other learn. “I love that this is a sport that you can invite your friends to participate in or go by yourself and enjoy some alone time,” Zaleski said, according to the Snow
Raiders haiku page. Anyone is welcome to join the club, whether you are a self-proclaimed skiing champion or someone who wants to try out snowboarding for the first time. “My favorite part of being in Snow Raiders my freshman year was making it down the bunny hill at Chestnut Mountain because I was having a lot of trouble learning, so it was my biggest accomplishment at that point,” Black said.
As students grow as winter athletes through the opportunity of being a part of Snow Raiders, they begin to become more skilled, advancing through hills and learning new tricks. “I enjoy having students tell me what new tricks and skills they have mastered whether it be riding a rail or even just advancing beyond the bunny hill,” Zaleski said. Being the sponsor of a club may be a grueling
task, but at the end of the day, it is all worth it to Zaleski when she sees how much fun everyone on the trip has. “I hope to get new students and even staff members exposed to the sport,” Zaleski said. “I also hope that this will become a life-long passion that students will participate in well into their adult life and even with their own families one day.”
LIFTING, page 15
include a one rep max of the squat, bench, and deadlift. The fourth record is the total of those three lifts.” Surprisingly enough, convincing their parents to build a gym in the basement was not hard at all. According to Anthony, they did not seem to care too much. After getting their first piece of equipment, which was a machine rack that only took up about a quarter of the basement, the boys’ friends also wanted to lift, so they bought a squatting rack and a benching cage. “After that, me and my brother had a long talk with my parents [and
told them] that we’re taking this seriously,” Anthony said. “We’re the only ones who really use the basement in the first place to chill with [our] friends and whatnot, [so] they weren’t mad at all.” And as more equipment makes its entrance into Yatos Gym, both Anthony and DJ will continue to push themselves and their clients further every day, praying for multiple wins and broken records this spring. According to DJ, the key to pursuing a passion as a career is putting 100 percent into something that one loves doing no matter what anyone else
says. He believes people should live in a way that others are in awe of that person’s achievements, but also in a way that is not geared toward pleasing others. “It all comes down to being able to find your purpose in life… I’ve come to realize that life isn’t just about working hard, stressing out, and living for pay day,” DJ said. “It’s about enjoying every single moment and being present, constantly taking stock of what energizes us and brings us joy…so we can use our feelings as indicators of our purpose, and follow them wherever they may lead us.”
I look forward to seeing if he made me a better athlete this summer.” DJ’s program is general and everyone can use it, but when he trains with Nesheiwat, he makes adjustments specific to him and his body so can respond to it as best as possible. He based the powerlifting program around the limitations of the lifter’s weaknesses. While he is training Nesheiwat, DJ also plans on competing this March. “I am going to compete to take the four state records at my body weight of 181 pounds,” DJ said. “The state records
@huntleyvoice 29
sports
Nevertheless, she persisted Hustle and heart aren’t the only things that set senior Cassidi Revere apart alexandra landman I editor-in-chief
Courtesy of C. Revere
30 @huntleyvoice
E
very Tuesday, she would haul her bag of equipment, which at that point, was bigger than she was, on the train. Then 7 years old, she caused quite the scene. She staggered down the Metra steps, her jersey so big it fell below her knees. She dragged her bag behind her and pulled the hair out of her eyes. From behind her messy bangs, she found her grandpa and insisted on lifting her bag into his trunk herself. This was not
january 2018 I volume 21 I issue 4
want to stop the goals and I thought you’d just stand there and do nothing.” After being forced to put on the team set of gear, it was, well, love at first shot. She loved the feeling of being lost in the gear and the satisfying feeling of being hit with the puck. Rather than chasing after the puck, she was content with the goalie helmet falling over her eyes and resting her hands on her knees, determined to track the puck through the sea of skates. “I would just stand there
“I would just stand there and if it hit me, it hit me...and if it didn’t hit me, it went in.” - Cassidi Revere the first time she showed persistence. Senior Cassidi Revere remembers two things: always having to ask where the girls locker room was and never wanting to be a goalie. She started playing hockey at 4 years old and 14 years later, hasn’t looked back. Her first team, the Franklin Park Panthers, was an all-boys team. A fierce right wing whose long ponytail distinguished her from her teammates, Revere never wanted to take her turn in the goalie rotation. “I wanted to be a playmaker,” she said. “I didn’t
and if it hit me, it hit me... and if it didn’t hit me, it went in.” Revere’s mom, Vicki, told her that being a goalie would be challenging and that there was a good chance she would get hurt. Nevertheless, she persisted. “I knew Cassidi was going to become a hockey player when she was very young,” Vicki said. “I am a professional figure skating coach and at 3 years old, I would bring her to work with me and put her on the ice in figure skates. After only a few times out there with me, Cassidi pointed to the other end of the ice where the hockey players
practiced and said, ‘I want to do that!’ so I gave in and let her try hockey. That was it. She never turned back.” After three years as a Panther, Revere’s family moved to Huntley, and she needed a new rink to call home. Then 9 years old, she walked into Leafs Ice Centre and asked for the girls locker room. She walked into the locker room wearing sweatpants and a sweatshirt and waddled out in her oversized gear and jersey, hair pulled back, with her helmet tucked under her arm and stick in the other hand. It was quite the transformation. For the next season, Revere found herself the only girl on the silver Leafs Ice Centre team. She proved herself to be one of the best goalies in the area, with opposing coaches, parents, and players surprised that they “couldn’t get a shot
past a girl.” At the same time, an opportunity arose for Revere to play for an all-girls team out of Naperville, Illinois, the Sabres. Two teams, one season. As tryouts for Leafs rolled around the following season, she was preparing to play for the elite team. She had her best season, best tryout, and was ready to play with the best of the best. However, they placed her on bronze, the lowest tiered team. “They didn’t want any of the boys feeling bad that a girl beat them.” Her dad immediately pulled her out of the Leafs program and she played her next season with the Sabres. With this being her first full experience on an all-girls team, Revere remembers it being an adjustment. The Sabres had a closer bond and, to her surprise, took it more seriously than the boys. For Revere, the biggest
Courtesy of C. Revere
@huntleyvoice 31
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difference was not the emotional aspect of playing with girls, but the physical one. “The biggest difference is that you’re not allowed to check in girls hockey, which I think is bullsh!#,” she said. “But it’s a rule. We hit though, don’t get me wrong.” The transition also brought a mentality shift. Revere never felt as though she had to prove herself with the boys, her athleticism did that for her. Boys were not interested in forming relationships; they wanted to win and that was that. Playing with her new “sisters” offered her a fresh outlook. “Girls were like, ‘lets play a sport we love together,’” Revere said. Revere concluded her first year on an all-girls team with a trip to the national championship in San Jose, California. The Sabres earned a bronze medal as their undefeated season came to an end. She had fun, but was ready to move up the chain to the top level, Triple A. At this
level, she would be playing with (and against) the best kids in the country. The little girl who never wanted to be a goalie in the first place found herself as the youngest player, at 11years old, on a 14u team, Team Illinois (TI). TI was out of Leafs and a huge jump for Revere. Not only was she playing with girls three years older, but in her sport, that meant they were bigger, faster, stronger, and smarter. Nevertheless, she persisted. Despite the fact but it was a big jump for her, the team itself was not good. In fact, they only won one game. “We were a young team playing in a league that we didn’t really belong in because we were so bad,” Revere said. “But we had to because there was only one league for Illinois Triple A girls teams at the time. We only won one game the entire season, that’s a fact.” In fact, Revere claims they were the worst Triple A team in Illinois. However, although it wasn’t a fun season scoreboard-wise,
Courtesy of C. Revere
32 @huntleyvoice
she is thankful because it was in this season that she grew the most. In any given game, she received around 40 shots because of the lack of defense. It was a good building year for her as a goalie, as she was getting quality shots that helped her improve and learn the faster pace of the game at its highest level. She decided to stick around with TI for one more season, despite knowing that it would be similar to the first. At the end of the year, her team was playing at the state tournament in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. It was Round-Robin style and although she knew they would get killed, they were required to be there. Nevertheless, she persisted. But then, everything changed. In the third place game against the Chicago Mission, Revere had one of her best games to date. Although they lost 1-0, she was proud that she took one of the best teams in the country to overtime. According to Revere, the Mission coach was in awe of how she played and the way she carried herself. “The lucky thing is, my soon-to-be coach saw me play one of the best games of my life,” she said. “At that point, he was like, ‘there’s no doubt, I want this girl on my team.’” The 4 year old who got dressed alone in the girls locker room and origi-
nally refused to even look at goalie gear was now 14 years old playing for a Triple A all-girls program consistently ranked top three in the country. The Chicago Mission are a prestigious and wellknown organization. Revere thought her step from Leafs to Sabres was big, but playing for a top five program was her greatest feat. Her first year with Mission was really her third year playing on a 14u Triple A team. Mission put together a team of Illinois all-stars 14 years old and younger. They were called the “ ‘99 Dream Team” because they were born in, well, ‘99. The ‘99 Dream Team was ranked first in the country and “too good for state and too good for regionals.” They made it to Boston nationals in a breeze, where they lost the semifinal in triple overtime. Her second and third years on Mission were just as successful. Revere was the starting goalie on the 16u team. The ‘99 Dream Team separated as half of them stayed down and the other half went up to play 19u. They upheld their status and won state all four years. However, her success came at a price. Playing at such an elite level meant that Revere’s family paid tens of thousands of dollars a year, just to get her the exposure she needed. This covered her
january 2018 I volume 21 I issue 4
locker room, rink, off-ice facility, weight room, uniforms, equipment, and other resources needed for her to play among the best of the best. It was a financial
national championship in Detroit. She had never played in a national championship and despite the hype and enthusiasm, she knew it would be a blood-
“Can you show me where the girls locker room is?” - Cassidi Revere hardship, but nevertheless, they persisted. “My family always found a way and I can’t thank them enough for giving me the opportunity they did to allow me to play at such a great place,” Revere said. Her fourth and final year at Mission was the most memorable. The ‘99 Dream Team was back together and favored to win the national championship. They were ranked second in the nation and practiced and played like a national champion team. They had three practices during the school week for three hours, which included on-ice, off-ice, and lifting. Over the weekends, they traveled to tournaments across the country. “Basically, the grind never stopped,” Revere said. “I like to say we were a professional hockey team without being paid and still being minors.” The 19u Mission was determined to live up to the hype. Revere and her teammates made it to the
bath. Mission would face their rivals, Shattuck St. Mary’s, a private school in Minnesota that pays kids to play, for the national title. Nevertheless, she persisted. “We were a stacked Illinois team, but they are a stacked country team,” Revere said. “We had more heart. If it’s not us that wins, it’s them...always.” In the last game, Revere and the Chicago Mission lost a 3-1 heartbreaker to Shattuck St. Mary’s. The silver medal in her hand hurt more than the bronze she had received with Sabres years earlier. As the goalie, she was the one responsible for her opponents’ number on the scoreboard. “When I was standing on that blue line listening to the National Anthem with the silver medal in my hand, because I refused to put it around my neck, I thought that this next and upcoming year would be my chance to win the national championship for my team,” Revere said. She never got the
chance. As spring training approached, Revere was preparing to lead her team to a national title. Every time she thought about giving up, she remembered they way she felt standing on the blue line holding the silver medal in her hand. It would not happen again. A few days after tryouts, Revere’s world came crashing down. According to Revere, her coach was looking to go younger and as a senior, she would not have a spot on the team. He was looking to give younger athletes the same opportunity that he gave her. The hardest part was that the news did not come from her coach, but from her mom. As soon as Vicki received the news, she sat Revere down. “I thought ‘oh my God, my dad died,” Revere said. “But I got cut.” A few weeks after she received the devastating news, her Kings coach called her and offered her the starting goalie spot.
She had played with them the year before, but her mind was set that if it was not Mission her senior year, she was not going to play. Remembering the 4-year-old girl swiping the hair out of her face as she dragged her equipment bag off the train, Revere knew that she could not be done. This had been 14 years of her life and she was not going to let a 15 minute phone call ruin it. “I wouldn’t trade the downs for the world,” Revere said. “Hockey changed me as a person.” And so, every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evening, Revere walks into Leafs Ice Centre wearing sweatpants, a sweatshirt, and her Los Angeles Dodgers baseball hat with her equipment bag over her shoulder. Being back on an allboys team for the first time in nine years, she walked up to the front desk. “Can you show me where the girls locker room is?”
Courtesy of C. Revere
@huntleyvoice 33
brief brief
34 @huntleyvoice 34
H.K. Smalley Troy
january 2018 I volume 21 I issue 4
Girls bowling ‘strikes’ the season away
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n Jan. 9, a cold and bleak Tuesday evening, Huntley’s girls faced Wauconda at Bowl-Hi Lanes at 4:30 p.m. Prior to the competition, three HHS girls clad in matching black “SENIORS” t-shirts were brought in front of their fans. They were congratulated with single red roses and appreciated for the exceptional effort and leadership they have maintained throughout their time on the team. The seniors noticeably inspire the younger players, so every Huntley bowler performed their best that night. With as much strategy and precision as possible, each player slid their right leg behind their left as they followed through with each bowl, utilizing the arrows on the adequately-slicked lanes. Every time, the anticipation only lasted for a few seconds before the ball made contact with the pins. And every time, the fans, the friends and family members, the bowling alumnae, and the Raider Nation members all chanted and cheered…regardless of the amount of pins knocked over. However, while the girls played hard and maintained spirit, enthusiasm, and unity, they lost to Wauconda: 2,558 to 2,983. Senior players Kaytlen Clutter, Dani Szmergalski, and Bry Walker bowled a 504, 431, and 356, respectively. And though they were not able to conquer Wauconda, the Raiders still remained joyful and humble, and each senior savored every second.
“[I love] being there with the team: winning, having excitement, and doing all the cheers… They’re like a second family to me.”
- senior varsity bowler Kaytlen Clutter brief written by emily kindl
@huntleyvoice 35
brief
Gone Gator Huntin’
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n Jan. 19, the bleachers were packed in camo as the Huntley Red Raiders warmed up to face the Crystal Lake South Gators. On this particular Friday night, the boys were looking to secure their first Fox Valley Conference win over the Gators. After tying up early in the first quarter, Huntley took the lead 13-11. This gave the Red Raiders the momentum they needed and would eventually carry them through the rest of the the game. At the half, the Gators trailed 26-20 and would not grab the lead for the rest of the game. Junior Davis Pasco led in points scored with 18, and helped the Raiders defeat South 62-47.
“We wanted to make sure we kept our foot on the pedal and kept playing ” hard to keep the lead. - senior Cory Knipp 36 @huntleyvoice
brief written by maggie mcgee
K. Kalischefski
january 2018 I volume 21 I issue 4
@huntleyvoice 37
sports
Bidgens ball out on the court Brother-sister duo share their passion for basketball
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emma kubelka I online editor oments after stepping off the field house court, junior Bridget Bigden switches from her practice clothes into a more comfortable sweatshirt to join the growing Raider Nation crowd. She watches through three rows of yelling fans as her brother, senior Brett Bigden, rises from the bench, takes his black Huntley warm up shirt off, and heads to the score table to take a knee: awaiting his substitution. Bridget attentively watches as her brother makes the court his own, similar to what she had done only hours before. After watching Bridget play basketball on her park district team when she was seven, Brett knew this was something he wanted to make his own as well. He joined the sport one year later. Both the Bigdens continued their love for the sport as they moved on to an Amature Athletic Union (AAU) travel club. Their AAU teams easily grew their love for the sport. Thanks to both the Bigden’s coaches and teammates, practice was eagerly anticipated, despite its competitive level of intensity.
38 @huntleyvoice
This propelled them to become standout players in the Huntley basketball program. Their varsity seasons started junior year: this year for Bridget and last year for Brett. They both put their best efforts toward improving their skills by playing basketball year round and rotating between their AAU and HHS teams. “Getting to where we are today required a lot of time in the gym, practicing, shooting, [and] dribbling,” Bridget said. “It just took time.” According to Bridget, the high school season is the main goal. Their AAU team prepares
them to be the best players they can be, but especially in their Red Raider uniforms. Despite the inconsistencies between coaches, teammates, and overall A. Sanchez atmospheres in each season, one coherence remains: the shared passion for the sport. “We can talk about the game, we both know and understand what’s going on in each other’s games,” Bridget
said. “We can talk about it and reflect on it together afterwards.” While watching each other’s games, the plays and points scored not only become more engaging, but more passionate and intense because they can relate and learn from one another’s playing time, especially due to the fact that they play the same position: forward. The communities they built from the game are extensive. Relationships between coaches and teammates flourished for Brett during summer camps and before each season. “Cory, Andrew, and I would spend hours, any free time we had, either in his backyard or at Centegra just shooting, and getting better...challenging ourselves,” Brett said. The relationships that they were surrounded by growing up shaped who they are as people on and off the court. They both hope to move on after high school to coach an AAU team. This way, they can both offer the mentorship that they received from multiple coaches over the years. “The reason I have such a good left hand and the reason I love the sport so much is thanks to my first AAU coach,” Bridget said. “He was super supportive [and] he knew the game. He helped me develop my ball handling. I want to be able to do that for kids.” In addition, much of her success playing basketball in high school is thanks to one of her coaches, Clay Henricksen.
“Through it all, he just knows I love it and doesn’t want me to quit,” Bridget said. For Bridget, basketball was the first sport she ever played. Her emotional attachment to the game is what keeps her thriving. When something is wrong on the court, she is the first player to react, to yell, to scream, and to guide her teammates. Brett, straying from Bridget, first played soccer but soon settled on basketball as a longterm passion. “When I was eight, I started playing my first season of AAU,” Brett said. “My coach and I had a talk after; he asked me if I wanted to keep playing. I knew the answer was yes, and I’ve kept playing ever since. I‘ve never stopped because it’s fun and I enjoy it.” Both brother and sister share a bond, but their love of the game has only strengthened that link, and together they will continue to grow as a dynamic duo.
K. Kalischefski
Huntley’s most difficult goodbye
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t is 7:30 a.m. and the bell rings through the loudspeaker signaling the start of first period. Principal Scott Rowe stands against the wall next to the P-Z office as he does most days. In between classes, he interacts with students as they pass by. This is not the first time some of these students have walked past him on their way to class. They are familiar faces to Rowe, who watched them grow from middle schoolers to high schoolers during his time as Marlowe Middle School principal. While students remain his top priority as Huntley High School’s principal, his acceptance of the associate superintendent, 6-12 grade position, has been his main focus of late. Rowe’s transition to the district office is one of three major leadership changes in District 158 in the last few months. With current Superintendent Dr. John D. Burkey leaving the district and veteran associate superintendent Terry Awrey retiring, this is the perfect time for Rowe to advance his career. Rowe is eager to start his new position at the district office. But one of the hardest things for him to think about is the lack of student interaction he’ll face next year. “It’s going to be a difficult, difficult spring for me,” Rowe said. “An exciting one, but definitely very bittersweet. I’m nervous about not seeing kids every day.” This position will also allow Rowe to oversee policies,
transportation, and registration and more. It will offer him the ability to think differently and improve the district’s current curriculum. Having previous experience at the high school level will help to guide Rowe during his collaboration with whoever will become Huntley’s new principal. “I think, if anything, we can vertically align what we are doing [at the high school] and fit that with the middle schools,” Rowe said. “I think that I can start pushing that innovative thought and support the principals and their schools for whatever initiative they have going on, developing them and their leadership.” When Burkey offered Rowe the position, Rowe knew he
“I’ve absolutely enjoyed this ride so much.” -Principal Scott Rowe wanted to accept it. Rowe had known for a few years that Awrey, the current associate superintendent of grades 6-12, was planning to retire after his four-year contract ended. The idea of becoming superintendent someday appealed to Rowe, so starting his doctorate was the next step. “I love it here,” Rowe said. “[Taking the position] wasn’t a hard choice. It was a great opportunity. I wouldn’t have applied for another job if it hadn’t been in this district. If
editorial
A. Sanchez it weren’t that job I would stay [principal].” Rowe sees himself staying at Huntley long term; his son and daughter both attend Leggee Elementary just across the parking lot. “That would be my dream job [to be superintendent] and do it all here.” Rowe said. “That is what I struggle with internally because I was always [being moved around].” After college, Rowe taught in Missouri for two years. He has since taught at two different McHenry schools, each for two years, was principal of Marlowe Middle School for two years, and has been Huntley High School’s principal for the past five years. “This is the longest I’ve been in one building and the longest I’ve been in one district,” Rowe said. “So to replicate what Dr. Burkey did, in terms of years, is something that I’d be very interested in. I’d love to spend my whole career here.”
We at The Voice want to wish Dr. Rowe good luck with his new administrative position and thank him for making students his first priority, because it shows day in and day out. We acknowledge his success in cultivating a destination district and leaving behind a legacy. He has left big shoes to fill. It may seem like the end of an era to some at Huntley High School, however his era is only just beginning. When the opportunity to become superintendent of Huntley Community School District 158 comes up, he will “wait very, very cautiously for it.” Still, Rowe is grateful for his time at HHS. “I’ve been a product of the opportunities that have been laid in front of me,” Rowe said. “Taking this [principal position] was the best thing I’ve ever done. I’ve absolutely enjoyed this ride so much.” @huntleyvoice 39
huntley high school I 13719 harmony road I huntley, IL 60142
onelastthing Tara Wills
English teacher shares....
...her favorite book to movie Generally, I hate movie to book adaptations. It’s very rare that the movies are better than the books. I think Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson is an exception of that rule. I can’t decide whether the book or the movie is better.
...an alternate career I am a certified lactation consultant, I even did it for the first couple years I taught because I made more money there. I could still see myself going back to doing that. I always wanted to be a wartime journalist, and I could see a future in writing for sure.
...a profound lesson
I would say, the most profound thing happened by accident. When I was in college, I was taught to be professional and have the wall up. I was super self conscious, like my kids knew I had kids, but I wouldn’t tell them stories, that kind of thing. There was this kid I got into it with, he was in and out of jail, and he got really mad at me and threw a candle at mwe. Then he called me a white rich entitled privileged teacher who had an easy life. Gave him a thumbnail detail of my life, and he shut up real quick. This was years ago, but we have a really good friendship now. He was also the first student who ever stole from me. It was the second Hunger Games book. He didn’t have the money for it so he stole it off my desk. He taught me, that I need to be able to relate with my students. That changed for sure the way I teach, it definitely helped me grow my relationships with my students.
K. K
alis
che
fski
... a good school day When we are reading a really good novel in the classroom and students are into it and debating, passionate. The best day ever is when a student comes into my class and goes, “This is the first book I’ve ever liked.” interviewed by austin stadie