The voice january 2016

the

VOICE

R

ecent accident shows the dangers of Rollercoaster Road

PLUS Service in Action class allows students with a passion to volunteer Justin Domingo battles cancer in hopes of returning to football soon Leonardo DiCaprio claims Oscar buzz with his latest film Kassidy Mahoney kicks down the competition and medical conditions (R. O’Sullivan)

Huntley High School • 13719 Harmony Rd. Huntley, IL 60142 • (847) 659-6600 • @huntleyvoice • huntleyvoice.com January 29, 2016 • Volume 19 • Issue 4

VOICE

Features

the

12

Rollercoaster Road COVER STORY Explore the dangers of Rollercoaster Road in the face of a recent accident

14

All That Everything Sophomore Briana Mezierre teams up with her cousin Lexi Luciano to make YouTube videos on their YouTube channel

18

Passion for Music Senior Nick Stanek overcomes physical disability and pursues his career in music

A&E 27

CK Sports radio show

Courtesy of Grace Carmen

Opinion 8

Huntley High School sophomores broadcast a one-of-a-kind sports segment 30

News 4

31

Gun violence in Chicago stems from a national harboring brutality in popular culture and everyday life

‘Making a Murderer’ Netflix streams a new documentary about a false accusation of Steven Avery

Chicago Violence

Sports

10

Blended vs Traditional

Sophomore Zach Spencer looks to build on his successful freshman season with eyes on a state championship 37

Traditional classes should not be pushed aside because they do not offer the flexibility of blended style classes 11

Huntley Construction

Voting for President Juniors and seniors should go out and register to vote to have your voice heard in the 2016 Presidential Election

New construction plans for the town of Huntley will create more places for students to eat and hang out

Wrestling Star

Finding himself Senior Makombo Tizora uses recent trip to Zimbabwe to improve his life on and off the basketball court

38

Huntley’s Legend Girls basketball player, Ali Andrews asserts her dominance on the court and ends her career as Huntley’s greatest athlete

VOICE STAFF

the

Editor in Chief • Adam Reckamp • Print Editor • Courtney Thomas • Online Editor • Ashley O’Brien • Assistant Online Editor • Camille Paddock • News Editor • Mawa Iqbal • Opinion Editor • Maddy Moffett • Features Editor • Charlie Vavrick • Design Editor • Sumbul Shakeel • A&E Editor • Devin Martin • Sports Editor • Tyler Watkins • Photo Editor • Ryan O’Sullivan • Staff Writers • Sarah Biernat • Brandon Frey • Danielle King • Alex Landman • Tyler Lopez • Maggie McGee • Lucas Modzelewski • Joe Rizzo • Raemon Savillo • Mohammed Syed • Natalie Trzeckiak • Austin Zeis • Photographers • Michael Czapka • Dana Kalish • Sehba Faheem • Adviser • Dennis Brown

Editorial Policy

H

HS 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 members assume complete legal and financial liability for the content of the publication.

NEWS

From the classroom to the community

Senior Emily Girard takes notes and asks questions in the new Serivce in Action class (D. Kalish)

these tasks. By allowing students to chose what they want to work on, Phillips gives them the opportunity to really engage in the projects.

“Students from last semester did so much more than I ever expected,” said Phillips.

However, Service in Action is not meant to be a place for students to catch up on their community service hours.

“It’s so much more than just volunteer work,” said Phillips. “We are trying to make a social change.”

Change is the fundamental core of the class. Not only does Phillips want to change our community and make it an overall happier and helpful place, but she also wants to instill a passion inside the students who take the class.

“It changed me in a lot of ways,” said junior Sheridan Goettelmann. “The class develops a mentality that you can really do anything.”

Goettelmann was placed into the class by mistake, as it is only for camille paddock• assistant online editor seniors, but with a background of over 400 service hours, she was an ideal s December rolled around and quickly passed by, hundreds of candidate. Giving back to the community through the class opened her eyes people in financially stable homes enjoyed the holidays, worryon how privileged she is, and also on how easy it can be to make a differfree. Children received their presents from “Santa”, and parents ence. watched in joy as their children opened their gifts. However, the “I believe it is important to give back to the people who are not as priviholidays do not always go that smoothly for those who are in need. leged,” said Goettelmann. “It brings us down to reality.”

Operation Christmas Child allowed a group of students in Huntley So while Service in Action may not be the easiest class to fly through, it High School to make a difference in over 70 children’s lives, who are living will most definitely be the class that will change your perspective. in war torn countries or in extreme poverty. This was all made possible “You really are the factor that can change the world,” said Goettelmann. through a new course at Huntley called Service in Action.

Students in the Service in AP Psychology teacher Shannon Phillips, was ready for a change in the Action class participate in packing food for Feed upcoming 2015-2016 school year. After teaching the same class for 12 Our Starving Children years, she wanted something new, something exciting. Phillips herself has (Courtesy of S. Phillips). always had a passion for helping others. So when the opportunity came to introduce a new course to the students of Huntley High School, she was thrilled.

Service in Action is a community service-based class where students with a passion for helping others can finally thrive. Throughout the course of the semester, students plan projects solely based on what they would like to do.

As of right now, Service in Action is only offered to seniors because students need to be able to drive to the events. However, this dynamic course is a semester long, which makes it widely available to students. The students keep a portfolio along with a reflective journal, which ultimately decides the final grade of each student.

Since Phillips leaves the projects up to the students, no two classes are the same. Although, there are “big picture” topics that Phillips feels the need to cover which include poverty and disability/disease awareness.

However, units can range from social norms and society, to personality and beauty, and even to mental illness. The first semester was more of a test trial to see how the class would work.

After creating a Wikipedia page on an organization each individual found interesting, students were able to vote on the top projects to donate and volunteer for. From there, they formed groups and then completed

AP Psychology teacher Shannon Phillips starts Service in Action

A

January 2015 huntleyvoice.com 3

NEWS

The location for the new Burger King (M. Czapka)

Our bigger small-town Huntley updates to become more commercial courtney thomas • print editor restaurant is set to open in March.

O

ur little town of Huntley has come a long way since they started construction in 2010, with the approval of the “Downtown Revitalization Plan.” Since then, the streets have been updated, sidewalks have been added, a new strip of stores including Morkes, Elated Boutique, and Huntley Eye Care has been put in.

Some stores have also updated their names and their storefronts.

It is safe to say that Huntley is becoming much more than a boring little town.

There is still more to come for the town of Huntley in the upcoming year. In October of 2015, Culver’s moved their location from the gas station near Sun City, to their own location just past the Walmart on Route 47.

The vacant storefront was picked up by Denny’s. According to Charles Nordman, the director of development in Huntley, the new 4 huntleyvoice.com January 2016

Another project set to start soon in Huntley is the building of a Burger King. Contrary to what most students think, the current construction next to the new McDonald’s is not Burger King, but a new Heartland Dental office.

Burger King is opening on the other side of the new McDonald’s in front of Walmart.

Building is set to start this spring, however the location of the new Burger King has raised some red flags for students.

“I think there’s going to be a turf war,” said senior Ryan Llamas.

Downtown Huntley is also getting some more tune ups this coming spring. Plans to improve the park area surrounding the gazebo have been approved, and will include sidewalk updates, fixing the landscape, removing dying trees, and the addition of a veteran’s memorial.

According to Nordman, the veteran’s memorial was recently proposed and will be going in

the Southeast corner of the park.

A group is currently fundraising for the memorial with the hopes of having the memorial done for summer.

A few years back, there were rumors of an Amtrak station going in where the new strip of stores is. The hope is that the station still goes in, but behind the new strip of stores.

According to Nordman, it is a statefunded station and with the recent economic problems, the project was put on hold.

Set to open in March of 2017 is the next building in the Centegra complex. Just north of the hospital, a medical office building will be built. The building will also house the new medical school, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. Centegra is hoping the addition of the medical school will attract quality physicians to the area.

With so much construction in Huntley and the opening of new stores, many students want to see more businesses opening up, offer-

ing activities for them to partake in.

“Commercialism is a big problem,” said Llamas. “We don’t have enough to do here. Food and shopping is good but we don’t have a lot of activities here.”

Other students are hoping for the revitalization of the Huntley Outlet Mall, which may not be out of the question. The owner has recently put the mall up for sale.

“I think the Huntley Outlet Mall should have new stores put in because no one shops there,” said junior Emily Strait.

It is no doubt that as a town, we have come a long way, from nothing more than just a gas station on the corner of Main Street and Route 47, to one of the busier small towns in the Northwestern Illinois area.

With Interstate 90 being so close, Huntley has a lot of opportunity to be put on the map in the coming years. But so far, Huntley has got a pretty good start at becoming a bigger small town.

NEWS

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NEWS

The course to the future Students select electives based on their careers raemon savillo • staff writer

A

s sophomore Kyle Cauldren was perusing through his course catalog, he was not only thinking about what courses to take, but also what would benefit him for his future.

Even though it is mid-way through the school year, students are already thinking about school for next year.

Course selection started for sophomores on Jan.15. Some students felt a little unprepared when selecting their classes for next year, but with the electives fair held on Jan. 12, students were able to see what courses interested them.

“I was not ready to pick our courses,” said junior Emmanuel Miller. “But the electives fair

helped me a lot with picking my classes since I was able to explore around on what electives I wanted to choose.”

Freshmen picked their classes on Jan. 23, and juniors will be picking their classes on Feb. 3.

Students are trying to focus more on picking their electives, since the electives they pick will lead them to a decision of what they will want to study in college.

“I want to stay in engineering not only for next year, but until I finish high school,” said sophomore Mckenzie Krich. “I just have to figure out what class I should take since there are so many choices for me to choose from.”

Some of the courses that were most popular amongst the students during the electives fair was the medical academy, the STEM academy, social studies electives,

business electives, and more.

“There was so many options to choose from, but I want to take Criminal Procedure and Constitutional law next year,” said sophomore Payton Aquino.” I really would like to become a lawyer when I grow up and the topic of law really interests me a lot.”

Even though there are a lot of classes to pick from, there are certain classes that fill up really quickly, resulting in some students not being able to take the class since it is very popular.

“If there is a class that is very popular, students should have a second option that is like the class they wanted just in case they will not be able to enter the class,” said English II teacher Christine DeFrancesco.

There will be more blended options not only for electives, but also for core classes. Blended classes

are starting to become a favorite option for students to take, and with chromebooks being given to every class next year, connecting to haiku for blended classes will be easier than ever. Next year, there will be a total of 54 blended classes, according to this year’s course selection sheet.

“I really like how there are so many blended classes now for us to choose from,” said sophomore Dylan Kuster. “Blended classes organize my time between school and after school activities.”

As there are a wide variety of classes to choose from, students should keep in mind that they should pick classes that are not only fun, but also that are beneficiary to their future and help with their career path.

Junior Harpal Singh talks to science teachers Cindy Fuhrer and Karen Larson about possible science courses and electives for next year at this year’s Electives Fair (S. Faheem).

6 huntleyvoice.com January 2016

NEWS

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OPINION

G. Bryczek

The city of guns maddy moffett • opinion editor

E

verything you need to learn about life is learned in kindergarten; I read that in a short story somewhere. You learn how to make friends, how to share, how to communicate. Most importantly, you learn how to resolve conflict. You are taught to use words to solve problems, not fists or projectile objects.

These days I wonder if some people skipped kindergarten.

I read an article by WGN Chicago earlier this month with numerous eye opening statistics. In the first two weeks of 2016, approximately 126 people were shot, 23 of whom were pronounced dead. That number, 126, is three times more than last year’s in the same time period. I put my Sherlock Holmes cap on and did some digging. I came to discover that 81.8 percent of the shooting victims were black, 90 percent were male, and the majority 8 huntleyvoice.com January 2016

Gun violence in Chicago presents a microcosm of a greater national issue of the victims were between the ages of 17 and 27.

Chicago Police Department spokesman, Anthony Guglielmi, chalks the barbarity up to “chronic gang conflicts” and “petty disputes among rival factions.” Somehow I cannot fathom how “petty disputes” result in shooting someone point blank.

There is a reason the once-named “City of Big Shoulders” is now dubbed “Chiraq:” in 2015 alone, 2,986 people were shot. A person was shot every 2 minutes and 55 seconds.

You wake up and brush your teeth, get in the shower. Meanwhile in Chicago, a 20-year-old just got shot. Pulling your jeans on, fiddling with the zipper, you rush downstairs. While you are shoveling Lucky Charms into your mouth, an 18-year-old was shot on his way to school because he crossed into rival gang territory. Imagine how many

people all ready have bullets in their bodies before the first hour bell even rings.

The steadily increasing violence in Chicago has been seemingly brushed under the rug in the wake of the rise in mass shootings across the country: the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting, the movie theater shooting in Colorado, the San Bernardino shooting. More high profile cases have involved police officers and black men. These stories are then plastered on Channel 7 and every other major news stations. I cannot bring myself to sit on my couch after watching “The Bachelor” on a Monday night to hear about the latest slayings.

What disgusts me most about all of the violence is not the violence itself, but the fact that I have become numb to it. I think to myself “wow, that’s really sad” when I skim a headline about another teenager being shot in the streets of Chicago.

And for that, I blame the media.

Every second of the day we are bombarded by a myriad of breaking news, all with the tap of a finger. I want to be informed just as much as everyone else, but at what cost?

Think about it; have you thought about how the prevalence of guns has affected you? Think about how we have to wear our IDs around our necks and how we can only enter and exit school through one door. We have protocol in the event that a gunman enters the building.

There are times as I zone out during class when I catch myself plotting my escape to safety if such an event ever occurred.

I do not begrudge the administration for taking such precautions; ever since Columbine, guns and disgruntled individuals have been the oil to the American school’s water.

But I believe there is a direct correlation between media coverage of gun violence and the recent

influx of firearm-related instances.

And the news stations are not the only guilty parties; American film and television shows are culpable as well. Every genre utilizes weapons and gore and murder; in fact, it is glorified. Every Sunday, superhuman athletes strap on pads and insert a mouth guard and tackle opponents to the brink of death. Teenagers spend ungodly hours playing Call of Duty, sniping Nazis’ heads off and whooping in delight when they successfully reach the next level. Americans thrive, indulge, revel in violence of any form. It has become this country’s social norm.

So why on earth is the general public appalled at the fact that gun violence is on the rise? We do not live in a world where you receive endless lives; we live in a world where no one gives a damn what another person’s life is worth. We have come to harbor violence, and thus have indirectly contributed to the acclimation of outright anarchy on our own streets.

As a society, we have failed each other; we no longer hold our neighbors accountable for their individual actions. We have forgotten that guns do not kill people. I cannot conjure up a single scenario in which a firearm pulls its own trigger. People kill people; guns are just a medium in which hate and cowardice are carried out.

By letting popular culture infiltrate and rule our lives, the prominence of violent public acts has risen to an unacceptable level, prompting the intervention of the federal government.

On Jan. 4, President Obama announced his headline-grabbing executive order regarding his plans to “reduce gun violence” and “make our communities safer.” In this press release, he laid out a series of plans to combat the rise of gun violence. Background checks will become mandatory for any sales platform, including gun shows and the Internet. The FBI will be hiring 230 additional examiners to process background checks 24/7.

The Obama Administration also proposed to dedicate $500 million to improve access to mental health care in conjunction with the $100

million in funding from the Affordable Care Act. The biggest question mark about Obama’s plan comes in the form of money. He proposed $500 million to go towards “mental health care.”

I accept the president’s desire to help those who do not have access to such measures. But I wonder where he thinks this money will come from. As I am sure he has

to submit to another considerable increase in the national debt behind the scenes, while at center stage he lays out his plan to save Americans from guns.

I appreciate the president being proactive and attempting to grapple with a leviathan of extreme caliber.

I appreciate his ambition to diminish gun violence to a dilemma of the past, but I am not convinced that

Statistics are compiled from the Chicago Tribune, Chicago SunTimes, NBC 5 Chicago, and Homicide Watch Chicago.

noticed, the national debt is upwards of $17 trillion as of late and simply calling for another increase in some type of tax is not acceptable. He all ready dumped $100 million in mental health care with his implementation of Obamacare; why does $600 million of government funds need to be distributed in such a way? I admire how far as a society we have come to both acknowledge and treat mental illness.

With that being said, I think half of a billion dollars might be better spent attempting to weather the United States’ roughly $17 trillion debt. Obama’s precious Affordable Care Act has all ready thrown private health care into a tailspin; ironically, the Obama Administration is holding a gun to the head of the American people, forcing them

his plans will be enough.

The problem does not lie with lack of regulation or legislation, but rather we the people. And per usual, a small minority of assholes ruin it for the majority of law abiding citizens. The bottom line is this: so long as there are humans on earth, there will always be conflict. Humans have inhabited the earth for thousands upon thousands of years; we have yet to live in harmony with one another, so we might as well accept the fact that we must simply do the best we can to be cordial.

Guns will always be on the streets, as they should be. The Second Amendment is the people’s insurance policy against a potentially tyrannical government. It is the God-given right of the people to rise up against such authority, as

OPINION

solidified by the founding fathers of America.

For the overall safety of the nation, however, certain concessions must be made. I have no objections regarding mandatory background checks or restricting gun ownership based on mental health status; if a person is not in the right mental state or has committed a violent crime in the past, purchasing a gun should not be an option. But I do not see a problem with my neighbor owning an assault rifle. I personally do not understand why someone would need such a weapon, but I am not one to impede on another’s pursuit of happiness. If a gun purchaser follows all legal steps to gun ownership, I see no issue. To each his own.

While Obama is in the midst of reforming gun regulation, I would like to see an addition of mandatory gun licensing and continued education courses. Not only would education significantly lower incidences of accidental shootings, but gun owners would become overall more knowledgeable and more safe.

Again, I am pleased with the fact that the president is choosing to make a difference in the social norms of modern America. But Obama and many Americans are oblivious to the real problem: people. People pull the trigger.

People make the conscientious decision to hurt another. People have the power to choose. But free will is often abused, and we fall into the habit of placing blame on society as a whole and not holding individuals accountable for his own actions.

Taking guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally unstable may significantly reduce the amount of shootings and homicides in places like Chicago and Baltimore. But the real change must come from the people themselves.

Until America can break free from the chains of violent entertainment and overstimulation of the media, people will continue to bleed out on the streets.

America needs to pull a Billy Madison; go back to kindergarten, and remember what it means to be a decent human being.

January 2016 huntleyvoice.com 9

OPINION

For the right reasons Classes should not be overlooked because they are taught in a traditional setting bri governale • staff writer

I

t is the Electives Fair, and students flood into the central gym. Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors are all eager to learn about the new classes they can take next year. The teachers are waiting to convince the students why their classes are so great. However, these students have one thing on their mind that will determine if they take the class or not.

Is it blended?

The blended program is no secret to Huntley High School students, and more and more students are signing up for these classes each year. Every year, new classes are added and many of these start off as traditional. The problem is that these classes are being ignored because of the fact they are traditional and not blended.

“I was standing at the electives fair and some of the things I heard across the table were ‘Is it easy?

How much work is it?’ and ‘Is it blended?’” said HHS social science teacher Shandon Nixon.

So many new and educational electives are not taken because there is no blended option. A lot of these ignored classes can really benefit a student in the future. But the idea of a traditional class is not the way many of these students want to go.

The juniors and seniors who drive to school have the biggest advantage of blended: they can leave.

Being able to get out of the school

is one of the reasons blended is such a popular class choice.

Junior Gianna Tasarz only has one traditional class. Some days she only needs to come in for one period and then has the freedom to go home.

“I take blended classes so I can go home and relax in bed to do my work,” said Tasarz. “It’s so much better than being in an uncomfortable chair.”

“Kids prefer blended classes more just because it allows the kids the freedom they want,” said sophomore Beau Kozin. “They are able to use the period to go get food or go home.”

Being a student myself, I know that my peers choose the route of blended because of the perks.

Sometimes, I even find myself doing that. It is important being able to learn on my own but the benefits make it even better.

“I was willing to make sociology as a blended class so people will

take it,” said Nixon.

Blended was created to prepare students for the future and to use to their advantage. Unfortunately, those are not the reasons students chose the classes now.

Kozin and sophomore Bryce Butler believe traditional is the way to go. Being able to be in class is how a student can learn and get better at the subject. Students claim blended is less work than traditional which also can drive a student’s decision.

“I can say firsthand that it’s not less work,” said Butler. “If anything it’s more work because not only are you doing homework, you’re learning on your own as well.”

Most students I talk to really enjoy blended because they think it is less work and they love the perks.

According to a Twitter poll, 63 percent of 223 Huntley High School students answered yes to “Do you pick your electives based on if they are blended or not?”

G. Bryczek

10 huntleyvoice.com January 2016

“I would much rather take a blended class,” said junior Madelyn Kralis. “You have the opportunity to leave if you don’t have to be in class.”

“I was willing to make sociology blended so people would take it.”

-HHS teacher Shandon Nixon Many classes are being ignored because of the fact they are not blended and the privileges are being abused. The reason blended courses were created is not the reason why we take them. Students take blended because they do not want to be in class and they want it to be easy.

So many new and great classes were introduced this new school year. Last year, Medical Ethics was added to the course catalog. Renee Fowler introduced this class idea and now she teaches it. Creative Writing is a wonderful, but nonblended course students can also take, but does not have many students enrolled because of its traditional class setup.

The amount of people that take Foods and Nutrition blended compared to Medical Ethics is extremely different. Now, blended is the popular option. Blended is the class everyone wants to sign up for, but should not be the sole reason for choosing a class.

OPINION

Let your voice be heard

America’s youth need to exercise their right to vote devin martin • a&e editor

T

he air is cool at 5:30 a.m as senior Isaac Reiter walks into Chesak Elementary School to volunteer for a polling station. Reiter gets situated at his station. and in no time, he is assigning voters to various booths so they can cast their vote for the Midterm Election. It is not all that busy in the school, but Reiter enjoys being with the other volunteers and sees some young faces going to vote. As Reiter leaves Chesak at 6:00 p.m, a thought hits him: in a short while, he will be voting himself.

“I think it’s great that I finally get to make my voice heard,” said Reiter. “It is definitely exciting because I have a chance to help change the future of the country.”

The 2016 Presidential Election is quickly approaching; Feb. 1 marks the day where the people of Iowa and New Hampshire vote for who they want to be president. State after state will follow, with Illinois voters getting their turn on March 15. Then it will be time for the Primary Election. So juniors and seniors, go register to vote; your future depends on it.

A lot of the American youth think that their vote will not count for anything and that the Electoral College will just determine our next president. They see no reason to register to vote. However, there is more to it than that.

A perfect example would be the Election of 2000. George Bush ran against Al Gore , and they were seaparated by 2,000 votes. The entire election came down to the votes of Florida.

So when someone says, “My vote won’t matter,” I look at them with a perplexed expression. How so?

A majority of the youth complain about who is representing them when they cannot take five minutes to register to vote. You can register to vote at the Huntley Public Library, Village Hall, or even do it online. It is that simple. Then when dates like Feb. 1 roll around, the youthful voters do not or cannot vote.

Juniors, seniors: it is depressing that only 38 percent of the youth population voted in 2012, the second all-time-low record for voting in our age range. What ever party you are associated with, go out and vote and make the right choice for you.

If you do not know what side party you support, you can make an informed decision based on this information.

Let’s start with the Democratic Party. Senior Bryan Zimmerman has some insight on what it is like to be a Democrat.

“You may not agree with some policies that get thrown forward,” said Zimmerman. “But being open minded towards the different cultures and traditions is huge.”

Zimmerman described the Democratic Party well. The Democrats have been around for nearly 200 years, most notably leading the way

for women’s rights, social security, and civil rights. The Democrats believe in individuals always wanting to strive for success.

“Everyone who is down in the system should have the opportunity to get back up,” said Zimmerman.

That is also what the Democratic Party is trying to showcase today.

There are three Democratic Candidates: Martin O’Malley, Hillary Clinton, and Bernie Sanders. All stand for virtually the same issues, but they have their differences: Clinton is known to fight for women’s rights; Sanders is known to be for the people; and O’Malley is known for standing with veterans.

“I support Sanders,” said Zimmerman. “The $5 I gave him might go to seconds in a TV ad, but you see a chain reaction.”

The Republican Party might not seem like they are for real, but they are getting a lot of attention. The Republicans seem very misunderstood, but the Republican Party was formed by a group of abolitionists who believed in the pursuit of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

“I think the Republican party has had a history of giving opportunity to people,” said Reiter. “Our party has given opportunities to people throughout history.”

What Reiter said is completely the truth. The Republican Party

has had leaders that ended the Civil War and fought for the Civil Rights Movement. The Republican Party tends to be more conservative and wants to stick to the key principles of the Constitution. Some 2016 Presidential Candidates that abide by those rules are Donald Trump, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, and Carly Fiorina.

“I like Rand Paul [because of his foreign policy,]” said Reiter. “I hate that we are getting entangled in these foreign wars and we are spending way too much on our military when we could be spending the money here at home.”

You should have a basis for how Democratic Party and the Republican Party operate and what they tend to stand for. However, if you are still confused on the party you side with, or the candidate you support, feel free to use the website Istandwith.com. The website gives a direct analysis of the party you support, the candidate, and how you can even spread the message of the party.

But all in all, juniors and seniors, time is running out. Register to vote, volunteer for a campaign, and be a part of something that is bigger than yourself. Why? Because, it will make all the difference.

“You need to use your power to vote and not take it for granted,” said Zimmerman.

G. Bryczek

January 2016 huntleyvoice.com 11

FEATURES

‘Rollercoaser Road’ (R. O’Sullivan)

A near-death experience Three students wreck car on the dangerous ‘Rollercoaster Road’ ashley o’brien • online editor in Carman’s red 2006 Mazda 3,

T

he first thing recognizable to sophomore Elijah Smith was his hand. It fell in front of him and instinctively he unbuckled his seatbelt, pushed himself up, and went out the first window he saw.

He was unaware of where he was, or why he was there.

“I knew kind of in my head that we were upside down,” said sophomore Elijah Smith. “[It] was the weirdest thing ever being upside down in a car.”

On Tuesday Dec. 8, 2015 junior Grace Carman, sophomore Drake Sjoberg, and Smith were all out enjoying their night. They had eaten at Moe’s Tacos prior and thought the night could only get better from there.

“It was lit,” said Carman. “Then it was just all downhill.”

Around 7:31 p.m. the three were

12 huntleyvoice.com January 2016

Smith was sitting in the front passenger seat, and Sjoberg was sitting behind Smith. They were killing time they had to spare, and coming back from route 20 in Hampshire, they went driving on Dietrich Road, nicknamed ‘Rollercoaster Road’ because of all its hills. They just drove on it for the fun of it.

Although, while driving up the second hill heading towards Huntley High School, Carman was going over 65 mph when she tried to avoid a pothole near the top of the hill. The posted speed limit was 40 mph.

Carman turned her wheel and the car went the opposite way, causing them to flip forward down the hill. “[It] felt like forever,” said Smith.

“All I heard was glass shattering and metal being crumpled.”

Every movement was felt and

every crunch was heard. The radio was dead and no passenger made a sound. The engine and the transmission had been disconnected from the car completely. Nothing felt real, everything seemed like a dream.

“The deepest I ever thought was when we were flipping,” said Sjoberg. “I just thought I was going to die.”

They rolled into the far left lane and bounced off bushes; avoiding a tree. “[The bushes] completely rolled us back the other way, which saved our lives,” said Sjoberg.

No one knew at what point they could die and just wanted the crashing to stop.

Then they flipped two to three more times on their side before landing upside down in the left lane. In total, the crash caused them to flip at least five to seven times, and only lasted for about six to

seven seconds.

“I was just not even thinking,” said Smith. “I was in survival mode.” As Smith was unbuckling, Sjoberg reacted. He unbuckled and landed on his head. He then looked around at his surroundings by turning in a full circle on his hands and knees. He stopped looking at Smith’s window.

“I saw Eli climb out that window,” said Sjoberg. “So then I climbed out super fast.”

Unimaginary and unreal, it was something they all wanted to wake up from.

At this point, their main concern was to make sure Carman was okay and to call an ambulance.

The steering wheel was stuck on Carman, however the door was bent so Smith was able to pull it off and help her get out.

Terrified, their phones were left in the loud and steaming car, and they were afraid of it exploding.

FEATURES

However, it turned out to be smoking due to the radiator letting off steam from the crash.

Junior Dylan Standiford and four other passengers were driving

“It makes me never want to go on that road again” - junior Dylan Standiford back towards the high school that night themselves.

“I saw their car on its side,” said Standiford. “There was a ton of stuff from the car all over the street and I ran over it, I knocked the muffler 50 feet down the road with my tire.”

At this point Standiford, the driver, and his four passengers decided to turn around and pull over to the side near them. When he got out of his car, Carman, Sjoberg and Smith all ran to him asking for a phone. They then called the police.

“Once you saw the scene afterwards,” said Carman. “It was insane how we all lived because you could see the trees and how the car went into the trees.” The Mazda symbol was approximately eight feet high up in the tree, and debris was everywhere. Overall, it is shocking how no one got too hurt.

During the four minute period before the police came, Standiford and his friends helped the three and examined their injuries. “[Sjoberg’s arm] had glass all over it,” said Standiford. “It was cut from about all the way down [his arm] from glass.” Later in the hospital, Sjoberg discovered he had broken his right elbow and had road rash on the same arm.

“I’ll never be able to [fully straighten out my arm] again,” said Sjoberg. His first time at therapy he was able to go as far as 70 degrees,

as of Jan. 11 he can now go to 38 degrees.

Carman had crushed a muscle in her thigh and had a concussion.

Smith had just had a concussion.

“That’s one of the worst car crashes that I’ve seen where all three people survived,” said Smith. If it were not for the side airbags, their seatbelts, and the bushes that acted as sponges, they would have been dead. wThankfully these three survived, however not every passenger driving on Dietrich Road has been as fortunate.

Dating back to as early as 2003, there have been at least 21 people involved in accidents and over nine accidents on ‘Rollercoaster Road,’ including five deaths. All the death accidents were young adults, aged 18 to 20. Three of those deaths were former Huntley High School students.

“I don’t think I could of survived it if Drake and Eli passed away,” said Carman. (courtesy of G. Carman) “I felt so

guilty that I flipped a car with my two best friends in it.”

Many students at Huntley are unaware of the dangers of ‘Rollercoaster Road.’

“It makes me never want to go on that road again,” said Standiford.

As for Carman, she was given four tickets at the scene: failure to reduce speed, going too

fast for the conditions, improper lane usage, and having too many people in the car.

“Because you’re behind the wheel,” said Standiford. “You have responsibility for everybody.”

Driving recklessly is just as tragic as driving drunk, or under the influence, and has just as terrifying memories to live with.

“My perspective on cars has totally

changed,” said Sjoberg.

All three can agree they want a safe car, and wish the accident never happened.

It took longer than expected for them to realize they were in a crash.

“The scariest part was looking at the bright lights in the ambulance,”

Drake Sjoberg at Sherman Hospital after the accident (courtesy of D. Sjoberg).

said Smith. “I realized ‘oh my god I’m really in an ambulance.’”

As for Sjoberg, he had the realization as he was the first one rushed to Sherman Hospital and was having the x-ray done on his arm. For Carman, her situation is different.

“I still can’t drive,” said Carman.

“I can’t even sit behind the wheel of a car, I tried but I started freaking out.” It took her about twenty minutes to realize she was in an accident, yet to be able to drive again she says could take her years.

“One thing you gotta tell people is you never think anything like that will happen to you, but it does,” said Smith. “I thought I would never be in anything serious and then it happened.”

The accident was just what it is; an accident. It is something all three are still processing today, and Dietrich is a road all three have agreed they will avoid at all costs.

“I get that there’s nothing to do in Huntley,” said Sjoberg. “But do something else.”

“It’ll be a lot cheaper in the long run than having to pay for a new car, never being able to extend your arm, and possibly dying,” said Sjoberg.

January 2016 huntleyvoice.com 13

FEATURES

Student YouTube fame Sophomore Bri Meziere and Lexi Lucianio’s YouTube channel boasts over 90,000 views sarah biernat • staff writer

I

started hearing screaming of my name like ‘Bri! Bri! can I get a picture?!,” said sophomore Bri Meziere. “It got so crazy that a security guard pulled over Lexi and me and told us we’d have to leave the pit and gave us VIP tickets for backstage and got to meet everyone. We got to talk to Nick Bean the longest. Everyone was so nice.”

To students at HHS, she is just a normal teen, however to the Internet, she is the new Andrea Russett. On Sept. 4, 2014 her life was completely changed.

“Lexi and I used to have our own channels. Then, we made and named our channel ‘All That Everything’ because I was like ‘We need a channel name’ and Lexi said sarcastically ‘well, we’ll do a little of everything’ and laughed. Then, it just stuck.”

- Briana Meziere Meziere and her cousin Lexi Luciano uploaded a music video to the song “Wild Life” by Jack and Jack and got immediate attention. “We filmed it months in advance and weren’t planning on putting it on YouTube,” said Meziere. With over 14 huntleyvoice.com January 2016

90,000 views on the video, Bri and her cousin have been getting treated like actual celebrities.

“We go places and get asked for pictures,” said Meziere. “One time Lexi and I were in Chicago and got stopped a bunch of times.”

Chicago isn’t as far as their fame has hit though. In fact, it’s reached international.

Every other year, Meziere and her family head out to Italy where their family lives. While walking outside, Bri heard a young girl crying besides her.

“The girl knew very little English, but luckily I speak Italian,” said Meziere. “She was saying how she was so happy she finally got to meet me. At first, I thought I made her cry.”

With YouTube being their entertainment platform of choice, Bri has many ways of connecting with her audience: YouTube, Twitter, and especially Instagram.

“My first fan experience was

online,” said Meziere. “It was on Instagram, and I didn’t know about it (the All That Everything fan account) until two weeks later.”

Bri followed the account instantly and hit up the girl behind the account. It turned out it was a girl from Hampshire, Ill. “We are friends now,” said Meziere.

“We FaceTime, just haven’t met in person.”

When the girls thought life could not get any more crazy, they were proven wrong. This past June, the girls were attending a social media event in downtown Chicago, called DigiFest. The event is for viewers to meet their favorite Vine stars, YouNowers, and sometimes YouTubers.

During the concert portion of the day, Bri was deep into the pit, enjoying the talent on stage. Soon, she was mobbed. The rest of her day was filled with pictures, signatures, and treated as if she were on the tour.

Wherever these two girls go, fans will come out running after them, but what about businesses?

“We’ve been approached by so many partnerships, so we can make money on our videos.” said Meziere.

These offers to their channel have been so out there that the girls have not signed with any offers yet.

“Our parents are looking into it,” said Meziere. “We don’t want to get trapped in something fake.”

With all that has come to All That Everything, is there still things left to come?

“We are going to post twice a week, whenever,” said Meziere. “We just go with the flow and have no exact upload schedule.”

“I love making people smile.

You’ve just got to do your own thing and let it be. People will watch you when they see you’re having fun,” said Meziere.

Screen capture taken from Briana Meziere’s YouTube Channel (Courtesy of Briana Meziere)

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FEATURES

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FEATURES

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January 2016 huntleyvoice.com 17

FEATURES

One-handed wonder Senior Nick Stanek overcomes birth defect to play in band and join the Color Guard natalie trzeciak • staff writer

T

he squeak of the case’s hinges and the feeling of the cool metal greet him as he pulls the brass instrument out. A feeling of bliss and relaxation passes over him as he plays. It’s just him and the sheet music. Just him and the sound.

Nothing can touch him.

Senior Nick Stanek has been breaking barriers ever since he was born.

When Stanek was still developing, the umbilical cord had wrapped around his left hand causing him to lose the top half of all five fingers, two of which still had bones. The thumb, the only finger with a nail and a natural growing bone, and the pinky, which would require surgery at an early age, before the growth became explosive, are the only two noticeable fingers.

In Korea, Stanek’s hand was considered a handicap which labeled him “hard to place” by the adoption agency. Though it might’ve been viewed negatively by others, it was a blessing for David and Cristie Stanek.

“Everything that was considered a ‘disadvantage’ was the reason we were able to adopt him,” said Cristie Stanek. “That’s how we knew he was the one we wanted.”

Before they knew it, Cristie and David were looking at the smiling face of an 8 month old boy, playing with the judge’s gavel. This foreshadowed all of the good times to come, whether it was him teaching himself to skateboard or him persuading a bartender to give him and all his friends kiddie cocktails. “[Nick] is never in a bad mood,” said David Stanek. “He always has a quick come back and that’s what always made him so easy to get along with.”

18 huntleyvoice.com January 2016

With all good times came a few bumps in the road as Stanek underwent surgery for the first time at the beginning of the first grade. Doctors had put a fixator in the area beneath the pinky in order to keep the bone parallel with the thumb. This prompted a 12 week healing process and another surgery in the third grade.

None of this phased Stanek whose wit and general “Mr. Krab feeling” inspired him to use his hand to make other people laugh whether it was attempting to do a pull up or telling people that his hand had been smashed by a machine.

“I believe in luck of the draw,” said Stanek. “You’re dealt a hand and you have to make the best of every situation.”

Stanek also comes from a family with a rich musical background.

Both his father and grandmother have degrees in Music Education. Though they weren’t a direct Stanek playing his instrument of choice, the trombone (R. O’Sullivan)

influence on Stanek, their support helped nurture Stanek’s love of music.

“It’s just something I’ve always been interested in,” said Stanek.

“When the opportunity to become involved came, I took it.”

In middle school, Stanek’s increasing interest in music flourished when he joined the school band.

His instrument choice was limited and though he would’ve liked to play percussion or the saxophone, Stanek chose the trombone.

“The trombone really isn’t as difficult to play with my hand as it may seem,” said Stanek. “Plus, I thought it was cool because I could hit people with it.”

Ever since, Stanek has been expanding his horizons, both at home and at school. In his free time, he likes to find sheet music for his favorite selections and listen to a wide variety of music, ranging from jazz to classical to fusion. At school, Stanek took the time to enroll in

Music History, Jazz Band, and Pit Orchestra. He is also the first male member of Color Guard.

“I really wanted to get involved in Marching Band in some way,” said Stanek. “[Color Guard] was a great way for me to have fun and do that.”

Color Guard has provided Stanek with the opportunity to receive scholarships along with memories and friendships that will last a lifetime. It is one of the few activities that inspired him to try and inspire others.

“Never underestimate yourself because if you think you can do something, you probably can,” said Stanek. “If you can’t, just use it to make other people laugh.”

In the meantime, Stanek will continue to defy expectations by doing what he loves and entertaining others.

“If I can do it with one and a half hands, you can do it with two,” said Stanek.

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FEATURES

Getting back to strength Junior Justin Domingo fights Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, trying to get back to football austin zeis • staff writer

J

unior Justin Domingo lies in bed on a typical weekday.

He stayed home from school that day because he came down with a fever, was vomiting, felt fatigued, and felt a sharp pain in his chest. Victoria Domingo, his mom, walks into the room with a glum face and tells her son that she believes he has come down with another case of meningitis.

They both get dressed immediately and head outside into the frigid November morning, ready for a trip to the hospital.

When they arrive at Lutheran General Hospital, Justin and his mom do not know the long journey ahead of themselves. So many CT Scans that nobody could keep count and the same amount of blood tests, and all of these tests coming back with nothing, resulting in a week and a half stay at Lutheran General Hospital.

Justin is lying in the typical hospital room, with a white bed and a few bland chairs. Family members surround Domingo.

A sudden knock on the door has everyone’s heads turn in such surprise and all eager to see who it is outside the large wooden door. After that week and a half, Domingo and his family received the results of the tests.

Dr. Agrawal walks into the room with a look of sadness and despair, the look that only is imaginable upon those of a family member.

A look as if it is Dr. Agrawal’s first time breaking this particular brand of news to a patient.

“I am sorry to says this Justin, but you have Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma,” said Agrawal.

As of November 27, 2015, Domingo has been living with the 20 huntleyvoice.com January 2016

constant pain of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Despite his pain, it is extremely difficult to tell the difference in his unbreakable attitude.

“I was more frustrated than I was sad,” said Domingo. “I realized that it would set me back quite a bit in sports, but especially in school.”

Only a few sessions into his chemotherapy, which does not include radiation, Domingo noticed that his hair had begun to shed, after taking a shower. At that moment, he knew that it was only the beginning of a long treatment process.

“When I first got the news, it was over Thanksgiving break and I did not know whether I wanted to let any of my friends know,” said Domingo. “I was worried that they would tell more people that I didn’t want knowing, but then I realized that it would only make me stronger to tell others, so if I ever needed anything, I had someone to go to.”

With the help of his friends and family, Domingo got to a point where he was confident enough to shave the rest of hair and be able to go out in public without having to think twice about his decision.

Even with all the support, he does enjoy wearing his black and white Jordan winter hat through-

out the day.

As most people know, few forms of cancer are treatable, and usually only in their earliest of stages. Luckily for Domingo, it was caught early enough where he will only need four cycles of chemotherapy.

Each cycle consists of a three week period of treatment.

The first week of each cycle has three days of chemotherapy, Monday through Wednesday. The other two weeks only have one day of treatment, Monday, so he appears at school and football workouts Wednesday through Friday, as opposed to just Friday.

“He is one of the strongest guys I know ever since freshman year and his work ethic is incredible,” said junior football player Tony Bucaro.

“Domingo’s drive just to get back on the football field and back to offseason workouts goes to show how much of a man he really is.”

The football team raised more than $1,200 dollars at the end of the season awards ceremony and

all that money was donated to Domingo, in order to help pay for the medical bills. The team also has scheduled a Justin Domingo Day, February 5, at the high school.

The next day, the team is holding another fundraiser for him, a dodgeball tournament.

“It really means a lot to me because I know I have people’s support,” said Domingo. “All the fundraisers were such a huge help for my family because the medical bills are getting really expensive.”

Another big help for him to deal with this terrible disease will come from the annual Huntley Goes Bald event, which is an event with St. Baldricks. Last year, the event raised more than $40,000 dollars.

“I am just glad that this long four month process is coming to an end,” said Domingo. “I miss having a normal life, being able to workout or go to track and field open gyms, but the one thing I will not miss is the weekly treatments and feeling sick for the rest of the week.”

FEATURES

Domingo lifting in his favorite hat. (M. Czapka)

January 2016 huntleyvoice.com 21

CENTERSPREAD

2,500 students, new teachers, classes, and a new language. sophomore

Alba Gomez Courtesy of www.cia.gov Courtesy of www.cia.gov

Germany:

Spain: • Population: 48,146,134 • Official Language: Castilian Spanish • Religion: 94% Roman Catholic • Labor Force: 22.95 million • 150 airports

• Population: 80,854,408 • Official Language: German • Religion: 34% Protestant, 34% Roman Catholic • Labor Force: 44.79 million • 539 airports

Courtesy of www.cia.gov

India: • Population: 1,251,695,584 • Primary Language: Hindi There are 14 other official languages • Religion: 79.8 % Hindu • Labor Force: 492.4 million • 346 airports 22 huntleyvoice.com January 2016

mohammed syed • staff writer

S

itting quietly in her ESL class, sophomore Alba Gomez different, but blends in well with the rest of the ESL stu Gomez is no different.

“I came here in September for the AFS Exchange Pro Rican family so sometimes I speak Spanish. They are really nic AFS originally stood for American Field Service. Now, it is families to host students from other countries.

Back in Spain, Gomez spoke Spanish and sometimes spoke P excellent student, Gomez misses her home country.

“It was sad because I was leaving my friends there and I came getting used to the schedule,” said Gomez.

To relieve some of her stress and remind herself of her cultur “I mostly hung out with friends,” said Gomez. “I also love p seven. My family was into music, especially my dad and my gra Gomez became fluent with her English after about two mon at school, she also speaks English with her host sister.

“If I don’t understand a word, I ask the person to repeat wha mez. “My mom wanted me to learn English so I attended an a I came here.”

Gomez, with the support of her new ESL friends, hopes to m

CENTERSPREAD

junior

Madleen Lang

W

z thinks about her past. Coming from Spain, she feels udents. Each student has a unique background and

ogram,” said Gomez. “Here, I’m staying with a Puerto ce.” a program that allows students to study abroad and

Portuguese with her distant family. Although she is an

e here in the middle of the first quarter so it was hard

re, Gomez plays music. playing the ukulele. I started playing when I was six or andmother.” nths of going to Huntley. Apart from speaking English

juniors

Avani and Meet Patel sumbul shakeel • design editor

S

taring intently at her Chromebook screen, junior Avani Patel takes a test during her ESL period. Her cousin Meet Patel, also a junior, watches her silently as he sits with his uncooperative computer.

Just two months ago, these two cousins were enjoying a warmer climate back home in India. Moving to another country is exciting, but it comes with loads of challenges as well. Meet and Avani have adjusted well to many of the obstacles in their new life here in America. They have battled the cold temperatures, huge stores, new currency, and even the new food. One thing, however, has proved to be difficult: English.

“It’s been hard to learn and improve the accents that you speak,” said Meet. “TV shows help. I decided in India that I’m gonna go there, I’m gonna learn English. My cousin helped me and she gave me a TV show. It was ‘Friends.’ The accents they speak, it helped a lot. I liked it.”

Their native language is Gujrati, and both Meet and Avani find it natural and easy to speak at home. English just seems out of place.

“We just speak Gujrati at home...it doesn’t make sense to talk in English at home,” said Avani.

Courtesy of www.cia.gov Despite the fact that they need to work on their reading and writing skills, they actually speak English pretty well, since it was taught at their old schools back in India. Their ESL teacher, Kate Mennenoh, also plays a big part in helping the cousins adjust to native vocabulary and improve their writing.

Although they balance two different languages, they have one goal: to improve on their English and be successful in their futures.

“I just want to become an engineer,” said Avani. “I want to become an IT engineer.”

For now, they take little steps at a time, working hard every day to get better. Avani finally finishes her test, gets her score and immediately tries to learn what it means and how well she did.

at they are saying or sometimes I use Google,” said Goacademy separate from my school. This is also the reason

make her transition easier.

alex landman • staff writer

hen she first arrived in the States, she was nervous. A new country, a new family, a new house, and new opportunities. When she first walked through the doors of Huntley High School, she was a whole new kind of nervous. 2,500 students, new teachers, classes, and a new language.

For junior Madleen Lang, the first few months of school were full of “news.” A foreign exchange student and native German speaker, Lang found her first few months at Huntley a period of adjustment, not only with the overwhelming student body, but with the primary language she would have to get used to speaking.

“It was challenging to hear English all the time,” said Lang. “I already new several students from the tennis team, but the school was bigger than I was used to and I felt lost at the beginning.”

Fortunately for Lang, who began to learn English back in Germany in 5th grade, the transition to the English language was not as hard as she thought it would be. With the help of her English teacher, Lauren Teeter, and ESL teacher, Kate Mennenoh, her reading, writing, comprehension, grammar, and speaking skills improved at a rapid rate.

“The hardest part for any second language learner is reading in their second language. I’ve helped explain stories from her English class as best I can,” said Mennenoh. “She also talks one on one with her teacher and other students in order to understand the material.”

Because Lang began to learn English back in 5th grade, she had all of the basics down.

“For writing, I knew how to form English sentences and how to identify nouns, verbs, and adjectives,” said Lang.

“For speaking, the hardest part was actually all of the slang and the different ways Americans speak to each other. In Germany, we have our own way of talking and it is very different from what I have been learning here.”

According to Mennenoh, Lang was shy when she first arrived but has always been a hard worker. In the classroom, she is social and studious, she enjoys talking to other students about a number of topics, but she also understands that she needs to get her work done.

Lang usually translates things on her own, or with help from apps and websites, but she brings her writing to Mennenoh to check before handing it in so it is near to native vocabulary. As the year progresses, she is becoming more independent and not as reliant on Mennenoh.

Throughout all of the change Lang endured, she is sure it is all worthwhile.

“All of the people I have met, friends I have made, and skills I have learned have made all of the challenges worth it,” said Lang.

Although her experience at Huntley High School has been extraordinary, it is not the language, classes, or activities that stand out in Lang’s mind.

“I will never forget when the girls on my tennis team made me mac ‘n’ cheese,” said Lang. “They were all talking about it one day and I was confused because I didn’t know what it was. Now I know, and I am definitely going to bring a bunch back to Germany.”

January 2016 huntleyvoice.com 23

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

24 huntleyvoice.com January 2016 26 huntleyvoice.com December 2015

Photo courtesy of https://www.facebook.com/ RevenantMovie/photos/pb.568876783246225.2207520000.1453649339./739377676196134/?type=3&th eater

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

‘The Revenant’ shines Leonardo DiCaprio succeeds in latest suspense film lucas modzelewski •staff writer

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he year is 2009. Junior Shawn Kripner is watching TV. While scrolling through the channels, a movie catches his eye: “Titanic.” Kripner had never seen it before, but he was intrigued so he decided to sit down and watch it. Pretty soon into the movie, Kripner was impressed by the acting talent of Leonardo DiCaprio, a name unknown to him at the time. He realizes that in a few years, that name will be one known to everyone in the U.S. Kripner was right.

Nowadays, DiCaprio has become a household name and is widely known for his amazing acting ability and his surprising lack of Oscars. In fact, DiCaprio’s inability to get an Oscar, no matter how well he performs, has become a very commonly known joke among many different communities.

DiCaprio has been nominated for Best Actor three other times with “The Wolf of Wall Street,” “Blood Diamond,” and “The Aviator,” and he has been nominated for Best Supporting Actor once with one of his earlier performances in “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape.” However, after his recent Golden Globe win for Best Actor in a Drama for “The Revenant,” DiCaprio has many wondering if this is the year where his Oscar drought ends.

While he has won two other Golden Globes for Best Actor, one for Best Actor in a Drama with “The Aviator” which came out in 2004, and one for Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical with “The Wolf of Wall Street” which came out in 2013, this really feels like the year for some people as there is not as tough of a competition for the Best Actor Oscar as there was in previous years. Not only that, but his performance in “The Revenant” was quite possibly his best performance in his entire career.

Not only could “The Revenant” give DiCaprio his first Oscar for Best Actor, but it could realistically win the award for Best Picture.

In fact, it already won the Golden Globe for Best Drama.

There are a good amount of people who believe “The Revenant” is the movie to beat when it comes to the Best Picture award.

It’s going up against “Room,” “Bridge of Spies,” “The Big Short,” “Spotlight,” “Mad Max: Fury Road,” “The Martian,” and “Brooklyn.”

According to Kripner, there are not any movies that can put up strong competition against the latest DiCaprio film. It especially helps “The

Revenant’s” case that its cinematographer is Emmanuel Lubezki, a two-time Oscar winner. “[DiCaprio] partnering up with such an amazing cinematographer will definitely catch everyone’s attention and many critics’ eyes,” said Kripner.

However, some are not as kind toward DiCaprio’s talent. “[DiCaprio] deserves it. Not the Oscar, he deserves what’s coming to him,” said junior Brendan Thompson.

However, Thompson’s favorite performance

by DiCaprio was as the terrifying slave-owner, Calvin Candie, in Quentin Tarantino’s “Django Unchained.” “[DiCaprio] played a really odd character and it was pretty funny,” said Thompson.

So after all that talk about DiCaprio and “The Revenant,” how is the actual movie? Well, it is unquestionably an incredible film. In fact, due to its limited release in December, it is considered a 2015 movie. Because of this, “The Revenant” is not only an incredible film, but it is also hands-down the best movie of the year.

“The Revenant” has a star-studded cast. This includes Tom Hardy, known for his appearances in more action-based movies like “Mad Max: Fury Road,” “Warrior,” and “The Dark Knight Rises.”

Domhnall Gleeson, known for recent movies like “Ex Machina,” and “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” Lastly, Will Poulter, mostly known for the 2013 hit comedy “We’re the Millers,” and “The Maze Runner,” which was based on the incredibly successful book of the same name.

All these famous faces do a great job in the film, including a surprisingly fantastic performance

by Poulter, and multiple have received an Oscar nomination for their part, including Hardy for Best Supporting Actor. However, the one who really steals the show is DiCaprio, who portrays the character of Hugh Glass, who is based on an actual person.

The story surrounds Glass and his struggle to survive in the wilderness of Montana and South Dakota in the 1820s after his son was murdered and he was attacked by a bear and left for dead.

Through mostly gritting his teeth, grunting, screaming, and wincing in pain, DiCaprio expresses the emotion of his character excellently.

While a good portion of those who saw the film believe DiCaprio is a shoe-in for Best Actor, some disagree.

“There’s a slim chance he wins the Oscar, but I doubt it,” said junior Ian Nichol.

One thing about this movie that stood out was the make-up. Right from the get-go everyone’s face in this movie was dirty, just like how it would be in real life. Wounds look deep, painful, and grotesquely realistic. After Glass is attacked by the bear, he has multiple visible cuts including a huge gash across his neck that hurts to even look at.

This is one of the grittiest, most realistic movies ever created. Even the visual effects looks fantastic, with the appearance of a CG bear creating no distraction, and not at all taking away from the experience. “[The] best part of the movie would be the bear attack, because it looked very realistic and convincing for CG,” said Nichol.

There is no hollywood shine or glamour in this one. However, this does not mean that this movie is not beautiful. With some of the best camera work seen in years, “The Revenant” really astounds in this department. Certain scenes stand out, like the battle at the beginning of the film, where the camera seems to never cut and just shifts from each tiny battle between two warriors to the next.

It really creates a great atmosphere for the film, and it immerses you into the film. Another scene that stood out was a scene involving a church and Glass’s son. No spoilers here, as it is about halfway through the movie or so, but it manages to be one of the best scenes of 2015, without any dialogue, conveying the emotion of the scene perfectly.

The last shot of the film, is one of the best as it really makes you reflect over the entire movie, and wonder if everything Glass went through was really worth it. “[Director Alejandro González] Iñárritu did a good job with camerawork and art direction,” said Nichol. “He had a lot of dedication to making the film amazing.”

This movie was nominated for 12 different Oscars, which includes Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Visual Effects, and quite honestly it deserves to win most of those. At the very least, it should get half.

According to Nichol, the film is likely to win Best Picture and if it does not, then Iñárritu is guaranteed to win for Best Director.

“The Revenant” is a must-see for any movie fan, and it is a must-see for anyone who is not bothered by grittily realistic violence or an R rating.

If there is one thing for sure, “The Revenant” will dominate the Oscars, and DiCaprio may finally get that Oscar he deserves.

January 2016 huntleyvoice.com 25

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ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

CK Sports Talk prospers

HHS Sophomores produce a one of a kind sports broadcast at The Huntley Community Radio maggie mcgee• staff writer

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simple log cabin sits along a loud and busy Route 47. Unnoticeable from the road, many residents of Huntley don’t even know what the cabin’s purpose is.

Yet inside, a room occupied by four microphones, an automation system, and a comfy set up of tables and chairs is used as the official studio of the Huntley Community Radio.

The Huntley Community Radio is a volunteer run, nonprofit corporation that records at the log cabin like building more commonly known as the Al Litwin Studios.

The growing radio station has shows of all different kinds; from home improvement shows, to the HHS radio show, and even a sports talk show created by sophomore Cory Knipp.

Knipp’s radio show, “CK Sports Talk,” consists of HHS sophomores Jordan Goldstein, Nicholas Roche, Ben Litwin, Andrew Fulcer, and Knipp himself. Along with a few other students that have recorded from time to time.

The addition of sophomore Danielle King this past year has been a huge role in the shows efforts to rebrand and develop the show to different types of audiences. Being the first female to join this group of guys, King has opened up the door for other females who are looking to join this growing field of occupations.

“Danielle was added because she will be interviewing, she markets and gets our name out which will help a lot,” said Knipp.

Originally Knipp, Fulcer, and a few others broadcasted a sports talk TV show on a cable network channel around McHenry County.

They discussed Chicago sports and even local sports topics such as the Chicago Wolves and the Chicago Slaughter.

The boys were only 8 years old so

Sophomores Jordan Goldstein, Cory Knipp, Nicholas Roche, Andrew Fulcer, and Ben Litwin produce a broadcast called CK Sports Talk (Courtesy of D. Kalish).

being in front of a camera wasn’t a big deal at the time. After five years of having the TV show and as the second graders grew and eventually weren’t second graders any more, they decided to switch to a sports talk radio show. Being under 18 years old and having had experience with TV shows, is a big deal in itself.

“Eventually we changed it to a radio show because as 8 year olds we were different in front of the camera,” said Knipp. “People stiffen up on camera so we did it hoping it would increase the conversation and hoping there was less pressure.”

One day Huntley Community Radio was having meeting where people could pitch ideas for shows they wanted to start. Litwin happened to be at the right place, at the right time.

“I remember I was at the meeting helping out because my grandma is head of the radio,” said Litwin. “Mrs. Knipp was there and she pitched the idea for CK Sports Talk. I thought it was really interesting so I approached her about it.”

The radio show began in 2012 when the boys were 13 years old.

After several years recording they still are just as dedicated to make CK

Sports Talk a success despite being a few years away from graduating and leaving for college.

When Knipp was younger and the shows were starting out, his parents ran most of it because as a young kid he couldn’t do much. Now, as highschoolers, the kids have learned a lot about running the show.

“Running a radio show is a huge responsibility, much like running a business because you have many people you have to work with and deadlines you have to get done,” said Knipp.

Aside from the show teaching them the basics of radio broadcasting, they’ve learned how to communicate better, they’ve improved their presentation skills, learned how to have better public speaking confidence, and an overall knowledge of sports and people in general.

Sophomore Andrew Fulcer has been apart of both the TV and radio production since the beginning of CK Sports Talk.

“Cory asked me to join because we’ve been always been close friends and we enjoy talking about sports together,” said Fulcer.

Knipp and Litwin agree that the show just comes natural for them, it’s

part of what they love most; sports.

“It doesn’t even feel like a radio show, it just feels like we’re talking about something we all love, like the mics aren’t even there or anything,” said Litwin. “It’s really nice.”

What makes this show so successful is the dedication and love for sports talk.

“It’s fun because we get to talk about sports together,” said Knipp.

“We have some really serious conversations too where you learn about others opinions and it might even lead you to changing your own opinion.”

Every person on the team is different and yet has interesting points of view that make the show intriguing to listen to. The hard work and effort put into the show by these motivated young students is evident in many ways. To have a hobby this serious from such an young age is an achievement that proves how rewarding hard work is in the end.

CK Sports can be heard on 101.5 FM on Tuesday and Friday mornings at 6:30 a.m. and their podcasts can be replayed anytime at huntleyradio. com. You can also follow them on Twitter at @CKSPORTSTALK. January 2016 huntleyvoice.com 27

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Top five diss tracks Rappers of all kinds bash one another in famous songs joe rizzo•staff writer

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fter a long day senior Jon Franzen goes home and turns on his iPod and listens to one of his favorite rappers 2Pac. Franzen has been listening to 2Pac ever since he was a little boy. “It is something about his music that just relaxes me and makes me forget about the world for a moment,” said Franzen.

Hence, Franzen has a love for Hip-Hop. Becasue of this. Franzen’s favorite artist is 2Pac. “‘Hit em Up’ was my favorite 2Pac song because it has so much meaning behind the song. Biggie and 2Pac have been fighting for the Top Rapper at the time, they would go back and forth at each other in the Process ‘Hit em Up’ was created,” said Franzen. “In my opinion this was the greatest diss track of all time.”

There are many diss tracks in the world of rap music. Most rappers have an ego that they think they are the best. Now imagine 100 different Rappers thinking they are the best. You can see how this may spiral out of control. This is how the diss track was created, rappers make music dissing or making fun of another rapper. People love these kinds of songs because it’s good music that has a comedic meaning to them. Here are my top five diss tracks of all time. #5: “Back To Back” - Drake “Back to Back” is a song produced by Canadian rapper Drake, targeted at American rapper Meek Mill. This is Drake’s second diss track aimed at Meek Mill. On July 22, 2015, Meek Mill publicly criticized Drake on Twitter after being upset with Drake’s non-involvement with the promotion of his album “Dreams Worth More Than Money,” claiming that he used ghostwriters to write his verse on “R.I.C.O.,” and then releasing the reference track to the song. Following this Drake tweet released two diss songs within a week, these songs are “Charged Up” and “Back to Back.” “Back to Back” was the first diss track that was awarded a Grammy. Meek Mill is also with Nicki Minaj, who was first with Drake. Drake may also be jealous of 28 huntleyvoice.com January 2016

26 huntleyvoice.com December 2015

Meek Mill and making these songs is a way to get back at him. The drama between these two rappers has been heard around the world, and in my opinion Drake has been winning since day one.

“My favorite line from the song is, ‘Is that a world tour or your girls tour,” said Franzen. “I laugh every time I hear this.

Since this track won a Grammy and it is a current song I think this track deserves the number five spot. #4 “Hit Em Up” - 2Pac “Hit Em Up” is a diss track by rapper 2Pac featuring his group The Outlawz. It is a sequel from the track “How Do U Want It” released on June 4, 1996. The song contains many insults to several east coast rappers among them Biggie Smalls and Shakur. They were once friends and now they are rivals. The east coast rappers in the song produced tracks of their own tracks. Diss tracks were created though these rappers. 2Pac and Biggie Smalls were two of the greatest rappers of all time and having them going at each other is truly entertaining. The controversy surrounding “Hit Em Up” is due to the death of Shakur three months before the song was produced. These rappers continued to go at each other, east coast and west coast rappers fought to see who was the best. Many rappers were killed and some believe this rivalry was a result of 2Pacs death. This song started one of the best rivalries of all time and that is why this song deserves the number four spot on my list. #3 “Takeover” - Jay Z Rapper Jay Z recorded “Takeover” in 2001 as a part of his album “The BluePrint.” In this song Jay Z called out rappers like Nas, Prodigy, and Mobb Deep. This was the first official diss track between Jay Z and Nas. Many diss tracks were created between them but “Takeover” was one of the better ones out of all of them. In the very beginning of the song Jay Z mocks Prodigy and tells everyone how he took ballet classes as a child. In the rap world this a major insult. Afterwards, prodigy goes out and tells everyone that Nas has a one hit wonder every 10 years. The reason I decided to put this song so high was because Jay Z did not hold anything back.

He was upset and made others pay for it.

Jay Z goes on to diss Nas style of rap and says he is to slow and should stop. The war between these the rappers started at this song. One of the best diss tracks of all time and one of the meanest as well. This

song made my number three simply because of how much Jay Z dissed Nas in one song.

“I love this song, I love Nas but he definitely messed with the wrong dude,” said Franzen. #2 “Ether” - Nas A song recorded by rapper Nas directed at Jay Z. “Ether” had produced this diss track after Jay Z made “Takeover.”

This song starts by talking about how Nas, 2Pac, and Biggie are the greatest three rappers of all time, and asked Jay Z to name a rapper he did not influence.

This leads to how Nas destroys Jay Z in the first line of the rap. The tracks that were produced between these Nas and Jay Z were amazing. “Ether” would have to be my favorite because of how funny it is and how harsh Nas gets. Nas calls out Jay Z and says how he steals all of his lyrics and he is the most overrated rapper ever. The best part about this rap is all of it is true.

Nas got all of his facts right and made Jay Z pay for his song “Takeover.” It only took one song to destroy Jay Z and that is why Nas has my number two the spot in my top five. #1 “No Vaseline” - Ice Cube “No Vaseline” is a diss song recorded by Ice Cube. This song was directed at NWA a rap group that Ice Cube left. Ice Cube left because of royalty reasons. Hence, why NWA dissed Ice Cube in one of their songs. Ice Cube responded by producing “No Vaseline” to tell everyone what NWA was doing with their money and how it was not fair.

Ice Cube states that Jerry Heller, NWA producer, was the reason for these problems. The Reason this is my number one diss track is because of all of the history behind these rappers, NWA was how Hip Hop music was created. For example NWA started rap music and for one of their very own members to leave and start a small rivalry is like making history. If you have seen the movie “Straight Outta Compton” you know the story behind NWA and Ice Cube. Ice Cube ends up joining the group after Jerry Heller is kicked out. I thought this deserved my number one spot simply because of all of the history behind these rappers and the current relation to “Straight Outta Compton.”

Overall, many great rappers fought each other through words and made a lot of money doing it.

Only five songs made my list and I believe these are the greatest diss tracks of all time. However, there are many other diss tracks out there for you to discover and also enjoy.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Photos and cutouts courtesy of https://www.facebook.com/ Drake/?fref=ts, https://www.facebook.com/JayZ/?fref=ts, https://www.facebook.com/IceCube/photos/a.477428651264.287417.

21973336264/10152531964971265/?type=3&theater, and https://www.facebook.com/tupacshakur/photos/a.104455329632531.

6405.104452656299465/716068571804534/?type=3&theater.

January 2016 huntleyvoice.com 29

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Avery Through The Years

Photo and cutouts courtesy of https://www.facebook. com/makingamurderer/ photos_stream

Making accusations ‘Making a Murderer’ provides viewers with biased opinions danielle king• staff writer

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tiny rectangular guitar hangs on the wall in a room that displays multiple guitars along with it. It’s a guitar that the kids like to play with all the time since it is so tiny and easy to travel with. Hence, one day the guitar was found smashed on the ground. The strings were broken along with the body of the guitar.

Sophomore Sophie Dowell, age six at that time, went to go tell her dad what had just happened. It was her little brother, Trevor, who had stomped all over the guitar. Sophie’s father ran into the room and immediately blamed it on Sophie. She explained that is wasn’t her fault but he just didn’t believe her.

Later that night, Sophie’s mother had trust in her and knew that Sophie would not ruin the instrument. That also convinced her father into believing Trevor was the one who wrecked the tiny guitar.

In the documentary, “Making a Murderer,” finding the verdict of Sophie’s dilemma was not as easy as finding the verdict in Steven Avery’s case.

“Making a Murderer” is a documentary that you can find on Netflix, about Avery who was ac30 huntleyvoice.com January 2016

cused of murder.

The film grabbed attention to Avery’s criminal past. He had been involved in multiple misdemeanors but not as serious as the final case.

Before the final case occurred, Avery was also accused of the rape of Penny Beernsten. Whether he was guilty or not guilty is up for you to decide.

The 10 hour documentary (lasting around one hour per episode) takes place in Manitowoc, Wis. A town that is only about three hours from Huntley.

“Documentaries can be as long or as short as they want as long as they get to the point,” said sophomore Abbey Molaski.

The documentary shows the struggles of Avery when he is accused of multiple crimes and one final one. The only question is, “Did he really kill Teresa Halbach?”

“It was definitely biased from one point of view,” said Dowell.

Directors Moira Demos and Laura Ricciardi filmed the unraveling of Avery and Dassey’s life through the eyes of someone who would definitely see the defendants as not guilty. This makes the audience believe that he did not kill Halbach. Not all viewers believed the point of view of the filmmakers.

“I think Steven is guilty,” said

Molaski.

Molaski has family who knows the victim, Halbach, and believes that Avery is guilty.

I feel that this film could’ve been created without being so favored on Avery’s side. With the 10 hours in the documentary, the filmmakers still could have been able to leave out evidence against Avery.

The documentary reeled me into wanting to watch more and more and it was hard to stop watching. Every new episode left new evidence and kept my brain turning. The end of each episode gave a glimpse of what would be in the next episode, which makes the audience more vulnerable to watching more.

This film definitely is a must see for anyone who is into shows like “NCIS” or “Law and Order.” What makes it better is knowing that Avery’s story is real and continues to this day.

So get comfy and get watching “Making a Murderer,” because you will not be able to stop. Although the film is biased, it may leave you to have your own opinion.

SPORTS

Pinning the competition Zach Spencer proves his dominance on the mat Sophomore Zach Spencer looks to escape from his opponent’s grasp (M. Czapka).

tyler watkins • sports editor

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nticipation fills the air as then eighth-grader, and current Huntley sophomore, Zach Spencer carefully moves around the mat. He is looking to take advantage of any opportunity to score a crucial takedown against his opponent, hopefully leading to a pin. As the match nears the end of the third period, the crowd gets louder. Both wrestlers are exhausted, but Zach manages to hold off a furious comeback by his opponent. The referee raises Zach’s arm in the air to signal his victory.

Years of dedication and hard work have paid off, as Zach has won the IESA state championship at the 105 pound weight class.

Spencer began wrestling in first grade after seeing a flier for a local team. Although his dad had been a wrestler, he didn’t try to push his son into wrestling. Zach gradually progressed to more competitive teams as he began to take wrestling more seriously.

“I started out with the Huntley Junior Red Raiders and then I moved onto another team called Z’s,” said Spencer. “The last team

I was with was called Greg Gomez Wrestling.”

Although Spencer’s dad hadn’t taken wrestling as seriously as his son, Spencer credits his dad as being one of his biggest supporters. His dad constantly is browsing the internet for new moves and techniques that allow Spencer to take his wrestling to the next level.

Spencer also credits his high school and club coaches for helping him be as successful as he has been.

Spencer is extremely dedicated to his craft, and it shows in his preparation. During the offseason, he not only wrestles for his club, but he also began running cross country this fall to help recover from a broken ankle and improve his endurance. The extra training has paid off, and is something Spencer may continue in the future.

“I’m thinking about doing cross country again this year because it was actually really good for my endurance,” said Spencer.

Sometimes, wrestlers can experience problems adjusting to the high school level, even if they’re coming off of state championships like Spencer. But Spencer didn’t take much time to prove that he was a top-tier wrestler. His freshman year,

he won regionals and took second at sectionals, earning himself a spot at the IHSA state championship in the 106 pound weight class.

“State was a really cool experience,” said Spencer. “I didn’t really get that far but it was still a great environment.”

Another issue facing Spencer was his ability to compete at a higher weight. According to Spencer’s coach at Huntley, BJ Bertelsman, the 106 pound class is usually dominated by freshmen, and some have trouble adjusting to a heavier division. So far, Spencer has done well at 113 pounds. He’s beaten the vast majority of his opponents, and rarely loses to any inferior wrestlers.

“He beats who he’s supposed to beat, he beats good kids, he goes out there and wins,” said Bertelsman.

“The only time he loses is when he’s way outmatched. Anybody his equal he’s going to beat.”

Spencer’s ability to adapt, both during a match and throughout the season, helps him stand out on the mat. Spencer is always able to improve, and even when he loses he often knows what went wrong as soon as the match is over. He then takes these issues and resolves himself to solving them so that they don’t happen again.

“With Zach it’s not one moment, it’s comparing moments,” said Bertelsman. “Last year he lost to a couple of kids then beat them the next time.”

Both Bertelsman and Spencer agree that his biggest strength is his motor. Spencer never gives up during a match, and he’s constantly in his opponent’s face, pushing the tempo and going after them every chance he gets. His endurance is a lot higher than some of the wrestlers he faces, so Spencer can usually outwork any of his opponents.

“The way he wrestles is he gets in your face and keeps coming at you,

and a lot of kids can’t handle that,” said Bertelsman. “That’s where he gets an advantage over a lot of them, even the ones who are bigger than him.”

One aspect of his wrestling that Spencer still wants to improve is his neutral game. Currently, he often scores the majority of his points through his defense than his offense, but he wants to be able to wrestle more aggressively.

“I want to work more on my neutral game because my offense there isn’t where I want it to be,” said Spencer.

As for his teammates, they’ve all been helpful to Spencer in their own ways. However, there are two teammates, fellow sophomore Juan Quiroz and junior Josh Stenger, that Spencer credits as having the biggest impact on him.

“Juan has been a really good friend and teammate for me,” said Spencer. “Josh has been a really good partner, even though he beats me a lot in practice it helps me get better.”

Right now, Spencer is focusing on reaching the goals he has set for himself. He wants to place at state and improve on his 36-10 record from last year. Bertelsman would like to see Spencer make state this year, and hopefully wind up as the first four-time state qualifier at Huntley by the time he graduates.

“He has a really good chance this year,” said Bertelsman. “It’s going to be tougher than last year to make it but I don’t see him not doing it.”

Eventually, Spencer’s goal is to win state and go on to wrestle in college.

Bertelsman feels that Spencer definitely has the makings of a collegiate wrestler.

“He’s got to put on more muscle, but he’s only a sophomore in high school,” said Bertelsman. “There should be no problem for him wrestling in college, he’s got all the tools.”

January 2016 huntleyvoice.com 31

Breaking Barriers Kassidy Mahoney overcomes health complications

By Mawa Iqbal • News Editor Photo • Sehba Faheem 32 huntleyvoice.com January 2016

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he had just finished executing a Heian Yondan kata, a choreographed routine of 27 green belt forms, in diligent preparation for her upcoming belt test. She knew her kata wasn’t flawless, but she definitely wasn’t expecting a response like this.

“You’re going to fail your belt test tomorrow,” said her teacher, Sensei Prayag Patel, after refusing to sign her testing papers.

She left that 7 p.m. Monday night class at the Illinois Shotokan Karate Club with tears welling up in her eyes. She was devastated. She was crushed. Her sensei’s verdict had hit her like a kick to the face.

Her mother, troubled by the fountain of tears flowing down her cheeks, asked her to perform that dreaded green belt kata again.

Except this time, she concentrated on the fluidity of her movements and the pin-point accuracy of each form, all the while clearing her mind of every fragment of thought except one: I have to prove him wrong.

“That was the best kata I’ve ever seen you do,” said her mother, Kristina Mahoney.

It was as at that moment that something inside of 10-year-old Kassidy Mahoney changed setting a smoldering little flame ablaze.

This fire would burn all throughout her career, with a fierce intensity to prove the doubters and skeptics wrong. But this fire would only glow the brightest when she had proven to herself what a shy girl with hindering health issues was truly capable of.

A quiet 6-year-old Mahoney began her journey as little embers of flame. Her parents had enrolled her in Shotokan karate classes to help her break out of her timid shell and build confidence in herself.

Yet as the years went on, she noticed that there was something that set her apart from the other kids. And it wasn’t just her reserved demeanor.

Her asthma gave her with shortness of breath, her scoliosis gave her with aching pain, and her hypoglycemia gave her with the shakes.

She wasn’t performing as well as

SPORTS

the other kids. She wasn’t advancing through the belt hierarchy as quickly as the other kids. And she wasn’t being taken as seriously as the other kids.

“I’ve always been the one my competitors would look over,” said Mahoney. “They would say ‘Man I hope I get Kassidy my first round’ so that they’d have an easy first round.”

She knew that if her classmates were putting 100 percent into their training she had to put 200 percent into hers. But because of her health issues, there were times when she could only muster about 55 percent.

Not only does her 39 degree spinal curvature induce constant muscular pain, it also complicates the healing processes of other injuries. Due to overcompensation from other muscles, Mahoney has a protruding winged scapula; a forward left rib, a higher hip, and an occasional episode of exasperation.

“Sometimes it’s frustrating because it’s like ‘Why am I the one with all these problems that hinder me from being successful?’” said Mahoney. “It made it really hard for me to believe in myself because I would be in pain all the time.”

But she wasn’t about to let her frustration get the best of her. She didn’t want that to happen. She couldn’t let that happen. The little flame inside of her began to dance.

“Once I started doing karate, I learned that these health issues actually make me stronger,” said Mahoney. “All of these can be seen as setbacks and I could’ve let it get to me, but I wanted to show others that I can work hard and be good at karate.”

This drive to prove herself despite the medical obstacles precipitated into her accepting the advice Sensei Patel’s gave her that fateful Monday night class. She enrolled in private lessons, was put on a kata team, and began participating in more competitions. It was a drastic increase in work, but she was perfectly fine with it.

Because that year, her blood, sweat, and bruises finally paid off.

An introverted 10-year-old Ma-

honey traveled to South Carolina to compete at the USA National Championships, where she took home the glory in an event none other than the dreaded green belt kata.

“I went from having my teacher tell me I was going to fail my belt test to winning nationals in the same year,” said Mahoney.

She had also changed from Sensei Patel to Sensei Weber. Under Weber’s instruction, Mahoney went on to place consecutively at the U.S Open and USA National Championships. However, Weber soon found that Mahoney’s skill level was surpassing his level of teaching, and suggested that she be placed in a higher class.

“He made the sacrifice of losing a fighter,” said Mahoney. “He saw potential in me, and he wanted to make sure that I could reach it to the fullest.”

Weber’s sacrifice ultimately carried her all the way across the world.

After undergoing a more advanced training regime, a more confident 14-year-old Mahoney competed at her first World Shotokan Championship in Liverpool, England where she took eighth place in kata.

Although it had been four years since the ignition of that tiny flame, she showed no signs of losing her spark. Before she went on to conquer Worlds, she knew it was time to conquer the belt hierarchy with the final belt test.

She was going after the gold, or in this case, the black.

The basics portion of the test has always been difficult for her.

It consisted of nonstop, back and forth cardio drills which easily triggered her asthma. Testing was very strict: there would be no leniency whatsoever And then came the dreaded kata portion of her evaluation.

She approached the judges table to find Sensei Patel seated there as her judge. He had already selected the perfect kata for her to do: the dreaded green belt kata.

“It is always going to be my favorite kata, even though it is a green belt kata and it’s usually no one’s favorite! It just holds so much

significance to me,” said Mahoney.

Unaware of her fate, Mahoney walked into class the next day where she was welcomed by a disappointed Sensei Patel. Her heart immediately sunk and a lump immediately formed in her throat.

She was crushed. It all came back to her like a kick to the face.

“Kassidy do you want to announce to the class that you failed your test?” asked Patel.

“Yeah, why not. There’s no point in keeping a secret,” said Mahoney.

But before she could lower her gaze in embarrassment and the utterances of shame could escape her lips, Patel pulled from his bag a sleek, visibly costly belt the color of midnight sky.

“Congratulations, you got your shodan,” said Patel.

She was shocked, but in a good way. It all came at her like a kick to the face, but in the best possible way.

For Mahoney, this Shodan was a testament of what pure motivation can do to someone. She wasn’t bothered by the fact that she received her black belt at an age considered to be “late.” In fact, it was her age that made this rite of passage so precious to her.

“I was a lower belt for the longest time,” said Mahoney. “Coupling that with my health issues and going through all of my issues with self-confidence and believing in myself, it made me even more proud when I actually did get my black belt, no matter what age.”

With another notch on her black belt, Mahoney’s dancing flames turned into a roaring frenzy of reds, oranges, and yellows. She laid down the foundations of self-confidence at the age of 6, and had finally built her skyscraper at the age of 14.

An unstoppable 16-year-old Mahoney was ready to graduate into the Junior Elite division, one step away from the coveted Senior Elite division, and pack a punch in the 2015 USA National Karate Championships.

But like most competitors before a big tournament, she was nervous, really nervous. She had competed at Nationals in kata that same year January 2016 huntleyvoice.com 33

SPORTS

but didn’t qualify for the 2015 PanAmerican games in Bolivia. She was devastated. She had spent that night with misty eyes and tissue boxes.

Her mother, once again troubled by the river of tears flowing down her cheeks, reminded her that she still had another chance to book those plane tickets to Bolivia.

“Show them that you can do kumite [traditional sparring],” said Kristina.

Finding solace in her mother’s words, she conquered the semi-final rounds head on. Every competitor she fought against had reigned victorious over her in the past. But the past was in the past, and they started to realize that Mahoney was a force to be reckoned with.

“I beat this one girl in the semifinals and her friend said that they both were sure that they would go to finals together since they were fighting me first,” said Mahoney.

“She wasn’t really expecting me to beat her friend.”

Mahoney had scorched the semi-final rounds, qualifying her for the Pan-American games. She had done it. She had seized her second chance. So who was stopping her from igniting the final round and qualifying for the All-Styles World Championship in Indonesia?

17-year-old J-Cha David is pretty intimidating. She has quick reflexes, technical footwork, and some of the best trainers in the country.

Although Mahoney measured to be about the same height and weight as David, she couldn’t help but feel the nerves running down her curved spine.

But it was almost time to begin.

As a pre-match ritual, Mahoney and her mother sat down and prayed with each other. Her mother asked the Lord for her daughter’s safety and protection, while Mahoney recited her own customary prayer, quoted from “The Patriot.”

“Lord, help me be fast and accurate,” said Mahoney.

She walked onto the battlefield, the blinding lights putting her on center stage. The eyes of hundreds of spectators watching her every move. She felt exposed. But she 34 huntleyvoice.com January 2016

knew it was time to light up the arena as she dipped her head towards David in a respectful bow.

“Hajime!” called the referee, signaling the fighters to begin.

The crowd erupted in chants and cheers. The first point was awarded to Mahoney after David committed a jeopardizing foul. David was quick to bounce back from this error and gave Mahoney a literal kick to the face, tying the score 1-1.

The score was even and so was the playing field. This could be anybody’s match, all boiling down to who the best fighter was.

Once the referee called hajime the second time, Mahoney was sure to scrutinize David’s fighting tactics, keeping a keen eye out on her for vital penalties.

“It’s really about who makes the most mistakes at the elite level,” said Mahoney.

After killing some time with an episode of intense shuffling, it finally happened. The moment she was so eagerly anticipating. David was over pursuing her.

She needed to take the chance.

She had to. Given how much time was left, it was literally now or never. She swung her right arm and

felt her fist connect with David’s chin. As David staggered, she craned her neck to where the judge was seated.

There was a possibility that she was penalized for taking that lastsecond chance. But then she saw it. The two flags raised in the air, signifying that Mahoney had won the point.

“Yame!” called the referee, ending the match.

It was at that euphoric moment where she knew that she had won more than just one point. She had won the match, and the opportunity to compete in Indonesia.

She walked over to the side where she was greeted by her teacher, Sensei Martel. The flurry of electricity and excitement in the atmosphere had also left him with charged emotions.

“Look at what you did for yourself ! Have you ever been to Indonesia? Because I haven’t,” said Mertel.

She needed to control her rapidfire heart rate. Breathe in, breathe out. She needed to keep a straight face. Look poised and composed.

But she couldn’t help that little bubbles of happiness were creep-

ing up to her face, stretching the corners of her mouth over her blue mouth guard into a smile.

Mertel turned Mahoney to face the crowd and raised her arms to the sky. Those strange eyes peering at her every move had now morphed into the happy faces of teachers, parents, friends, family, and even younger versions of herself.

“I knew that when I got up on the stage in front of everyone at Nationals, all those kids with asthma and scoliosis would be looking up to me,” said Mahoney.

Every underestimating opinion she had faced, every battle against her own body she had fought, and every moment of self-doubt she had lived through, were finally lifted from her chest. She had proven to herself, and to everybody in that arena that she could do it.

Those once timid, dwindling embers were now up in flames of glory.

At that moment, her fire burned hotter and glowed brighter than the stage lights that had once made her feel small.

She truly was the girl on fire.

Junior Kassidy Mahoney displays her front stance before she performs her kata at the All-Styles World Championships in Poland (S. Faheem).

SPORTS

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SPORTS

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SPORTS

Going back to his roots After visiting Zimbabwe, senior Makombo Tizora looks to better himself, both on and off the court court came a little slowly for Tizora.

“I had put on a couple pounds,” said Tizora. “It would’ve been considered rude not to eat the food we were offered, and there was a lot of it.”

Tizora came back with very limited playing time, not touching the court in his first game back.

“A lot of the drills, that I used to handle with ease, felt like torture,” said Tizora. “I just had to work at it to drop the pounds and get that chemistry back with my teammates.”

The coaches have noticed this change as well. According to Tizora, his play time, after his return, is up and he’s been hitting more and more shots.

Tizora is also taking this view of the world into account in other areas of his life, such as friendships and his schooling.

Senior Makombo Tizora defends his man on the perimeter (R. O’Sullivan).

charlie vavrick • features editor

S

ometimes, a seemingly simple action, event, or experience can fundamentally change the way in which an individual views the world around them. A complete change of an individual’s perspective on life can happen in the most unexpected of places.

For senior Makombo Tizora, this paradigm shift, happened half a world away.

On Dec. 15, Tizora and his family packed up their bags, boarded a flight, and traveled to Zimbabwe, to attend his grandmother’s funeral.

According to Tizora, he had to miss six regular season games over the course of his 3 week absence.

“It was tough missing all that time,” said Tizora. “I missed out on practice time and lost a lot of the chemistry I had with the guys.”

On his trip, Tizora visited his expansive family, traveling across the country to attend various events throughout the stay. He attended weddings, parties, barbeques, but the thing that stuck most for Tizora was a visit with his ill grandmother, Momo Tizora.

“It really put things in perspective for me,” said Tizora. “It just reminded me that life is precious, and that you shouldn’t waste a single minute of it.”

Along with this encounter, the entire experience brought to life something that many people take for granted.

“You drive through the rural parts of Zimbabwe and you see people struggling to get by,” said Tizora. “It makes me grateful for what I have here and thankful that my parents made the journey to give me a better life.”

Tizora’s parents traveled to America when his father’s job relo-

cated. At the time, he was one-yearold. According to Tizora, he doesn’t remember his time in Zimbabwe, but attempts to make it back at least once every two years.

“A lot of people don’t have the advantages that many of us have,” said Tizora. “I just want to make sure I make the most of it” Over the last three weeks, Tizora has sought to take this new-found perspective and apply it to the many aspects of his busy life.

First and foremost, he is trying to become a more confident basketball player, attempting more shots, playing with less hesitation, and eliminating a fear he had before the trip: fear to be perfect.

“I’ve been playing with a lot more aggression since I got back,” said Tizora. “If I’m not giving it my best effort, then what’s the point? I feel like I got rid of a lot of the fear and hesitation in my game too.”

At first, the transition on the

“It really puts things in perspective for me. It just reminded me that life is precious, and that you shouldn’t waste a single minute of it.”

- senior Makombo Tizora “Basketball isn’t the only thing I’m trying to improve at,” saud Tizora. “School and relationships can be looked at in the same way. If you put in effort, good things will happen. Life’s too short to not give it your all.”

January 2016 huntleyvoice.com 37

SPORTS

Queen of the court Ali Andrews leaves her legacy at Huntley High Senior Ali Andrews shoots a free throw (D. Kalish).

adam reckamp • editor in chief

O

ver the years, hundreds of incredible athletes have passed through the halls of Huntley High School. Getting a chance to play any sport in college is a huge achievement; but those students who commit to play Division One athletics are in a different, incredibly small tier. Huntley has had a lot of incredible athletes in the past, but senior basketball superstar Ali Andrews is the best to ever be a Red Raider.

From the time she was a young girl, Andrews always figured to be an exceptional basketball player.

She has always been tall, and took naturally to basketball, spending lots of time shooting in her driveway or playing pickup games with her older sister Sam. Ali continued playing basketball with Sam as she grew up, even playing together on the varsity basketball team for two years before Sam went to go play college ball at Truman State University.

Andrews started playing travel basketball in fifth grade, but didn’t begin to take basketball super seriously until she began playing in middle school. In middle school, she was primarily a post player, and used her height to get most of her points.

By her freshman year of high 38 huntleyvoice.com January 2016

school, Andrews measured 6 foot 2 inches tall and walked right onto the varsity team. Her very first year on the team, Huntley advanced to the state tournament for the first time in school history, ultimately finishing fourth. Andrews led the team in scoring her first year, averaging 16 points per game as well as 7.4 rebounds per game.

Andrews’ career started off with a bang, and just continued to trend up from there. While Huntley as a team has not reached state again, Andrews has kept up her exceptional play. She has been the team’s leading scorer every year and has become a much more complete player throughout high school. She has broken basically every record at Huntley, including career points scored and most points scored in one game. But on Jan. 5 of this year, Andrews set the most impressive record of all when she became the all-time leading scorer in McHenry County, regardless of gender, passing Melissa Dixon, a Johnsburg graduate playing professional basketball in Australia.

Andrews doesn’t put up empty numbers though, she can score when it counts. Last year against Stevenson, one of the better teams in the state, Andrews hit a buzzer beater shot to win the game and allow Huntley to advance to the

finals of the Dekalb MLK tournament, a tournament they would go on to win.

Later in the same year, Andrews had perhaps the most defining moment of her high school career.

With her team down seven to Rockford Boylan in the second half of the Sectional final, Andrews took over the game: scoring 13 fourth quarter points and leading the comeback for a 37-33 win to become sectional champions.

Andrews’ incredible performances have not gone unnoticed; throughout her high school career she has been showered with accolades.

Last season she was named to the All-State first-team in class 4A, and she was recently named a finalist for the McDonald’s All-American basketball game, a game that greats such as Maya Moore and Elena Della Donne have played in.

As seniors above her graduated, Andrews needed to take a much larger role in Huntley’s offense.

Through hard work with Huntley varsity head coach Steve Raethz, Andrews developed one of the best three-point shots in the state, even competing in the state three-point shooting contest last season.

“I’m a versatile player, I can score both inside and outside,” said Andrews. “My game has developed a lot over the past four years and Raethz has really helped me with that.”

Being the tallest and strongest player on the floor in most games, as well years of playing in the post, have made Andrews a lethal threat on the block. But her newly developed ability to shoot threes and create offense off of the dribble has vaulted her from a very good basketball player, to the most accomplished player in Mchenry County history.

“She works really hard, all her life she has been shooting every day,

working out every day. That’s what makes her the best,” said senior Danielle Nichols, a teammate of Andrews who has known her since kindergarten. “She is a big leader, she can bring up the ball, post up, shoot from long range, she does everything for us.”

Scouts across the country have taken notice. Andrews is ranked the 79th best player in the nation, 14th among forwards. A scout from espn.com described her as a “fundamental faceup-4,” and a “consistent 3-point threat.” Her improved shooting will allow her to play the highly coveted “stretch four” role in college, a role which is rapidly rising in importance in both the NBA and the WNBA. In October of 2014, Andrews committed to play Division One college basketball at the University of Illinois, the first player from Huntley to ever play college basketball at a power five school.

“I loved everything about being there,” said Andrews about her visit to the University of Illinois. “The coaches, the environment, the style of game they play...it all fit.”

Andrews highlights the Illini’s 2016 recruiting class and figures to make an immediate impact on the team, having played for many years against college level talent in AAU basketball, as well as playing some of the best players in Illinois during Huntley’s deep playoff runs.

With Andrews moving on to college basketball next year, her impact on Huntley basketball won’t soon be forgotten.

“Ali has been the most dominant player in our program’s history,” said Raethz. “Most importantly, aside from all the individual accolades that she has garnered, Ali has elevated the success of our program during her four years. She’s always been willing to do whatever it takes to help make her team successful.”

STAFF EDITORIAL

Goodluck to football Coach John Hart as he begins a new job

T

his year has been filled with many accomplishments for Huntley High School, one being our football team. The Red Raiders went 9-0 in the regular season and made it to round two of the playoffs. Many attribute the football team’s success to the head football coach, John Hart.

But the future of Huntley’s football team no longer rests on his shoulders. Hart announced that he was leaving Huntley High School on Dec. 29 to coach at Brownsburg High School in Indiana.

His main reason for leaving was to be closer to family.

When Hart first came to Huntley High School in 2012, our football team had not had a winning season in three years. Since he took over as head coach, the football team has made the playoffs three out of his four years coaching.

“Coach Hart improved many areas of the Huntley football program over his four years,” said athletic director Chris Rozanski.

“With a new hire, the community is anxious to see what the next era of Huntley football looks like.”

Before Hart came here, he was a coach at Warren Central High School in Indiana. In his two years there, the team won a state championship. Hart had various reasons for leaving the school of more than 4000 students for a school with fewer than 3000.

In an interview with The Voice in 2012, Hart said “I just had a vast difference with the principal and athletic director. It’s mostly about respect. Respecting yourself, your school, and mostly, your opponent. I don’t think they felt that way.”

Hart believed that living a passionate life was important. He preached that to his players and taught them that their teammates were their family.

“We all were out there for each other,” said senior Casey Haayer.

“The blood, sweat, tears, all of it. Just to love each other and be there for one another.”

Hart’s presence at Huntley High School is not something that can be filled overnight. According to Rozanski, the position was posted on the district website Jan. 4. Interviews will start at the beginning of February. Until the position is filled, the duties Hart had will be divided among the remaining coaches.

“At present the remaining coaching staff has split up the dutie necessary to keep the team moving forward with off-season weight and conditioning activities,” said Mike Slattery, offensive coordinator for the football team.

With Hart gone, many students and staff are wondering how the team will move forward without the coach that made them. Many are fearful the team will no longer be successful.

The team will continue to succeed if the school hires someone who is open to building on the culture Hart created. If the next

coach is resistant to working with the existing dynamics, the team will struggle to be as good as they were this year.

It is no doubt that Hart came to Huntley High School when our broken football team needed it most. He turned around the team and the program for the better, making an impact on all of his players and co-workers.

While we are saddened that Hart has left Huntley High School, we support his decision to leave to be closer to family.

Courtesy of the football Haiku page

January 2016 huntleyvoice.com 39

Ali Andrews: Dominates the court

(D. Kalish)