Friday, December 18, 2015
The Student Newspaper of Jones College Preperatory High School
Like sand through the hourglass
As temperatures drop, frustration builds over state of narrow, congested, connection between buildings
trends in when the link is the busiest. “We’ve even looked at the amount of time that it takes evMAGGIE BEDORE ‘17 ery day; if there’s 10 minutes of Deptuy Editor, School passing, I think that it’s between “Slowly and patiently,” is minute three and seven or eight is how Principal P. Joseph Powers when it’s the most congested,” said describes Jones students passing Assistant Principal Eric Mitchell. The most probable reason for between the north and south buildthe increase of traffic in the conings as well as the security staff’s nective link is due to the increase of attempt to tackle the traffic flow. students at Jones, but Powers also “There’s so many people in believes that the reorganization of the hallway and a lot of them are the departments is also responsimoving slowly,” said Carrie Lenza ‘18. If you’re going from one ble for the problems in the link. “We moved whole departbuilding to the other, it’s going ments to the other building, at the to be hard to get to a class, esteachers’ request. Each department pecially if it’s on a higher floor. wanted to be in the same building Concerns about weathto facilitate communications wither are also prevalent to stuin the department. World language dents crossing the link. and social science classes are all in The “link” refers to the conthe north building, plus part of PE nective area between the north and part of science. That’s where and south buildings. This connection has created many prob- a lot of volume is coming belems for students and staff. cause a lot of students have to go “I’ve almost been late to to different floors,” said Powers. The reorganization has imclass. It’s really annoying because pacted many students, especially it takes like five minutes just to people that have pass through to move between that small little higher floors. gap. It’s cold “Going from outside right the sixth floor of now and peothe old building ple don’t know to the seventh how to walk floor of the new fast so it takes building to go way too [long],” from chemistry said Austin to gym, that’s Smith ‘19. Principal P. Joseph Powers a pain. It takes To fix too much effort and too much these issues the staff has imtime,” said Josh Gerenraich ‘17. plemented several new tactics. This influx of traffic has also “The reason we put that [the caution tape and safety cones] allowed for the questioning of up this year and tried to put staff the efficiency of the link’s debetween the two buildings, is so sign. The link was designed by we can try and facilitate it,” said the architecture firm Perkins + Powers. “For example, we opened Will, who was responsible for up the bottom of the north stairs, the design of the south building. Perkins + Will senior designer and people have been going up Bryan Schabel said that the reason and in that way. [Previously] behind the link’s design is because we didn’t have anyone going it “was not planned to be there, down those stairs. Those were so it had to be structured in part intended as emergency stairs.” by two existing buildings which The administration and securiwere not intended to support it.” ty staff have even started to notice ORLA LEVINS ‘18 Managing Editor, School
“I suggested zip lines between the buildings, but CPS has no imagination.”
Artwork by Ciara Greene ‘17
During the design process of the south building, it was generally perceived that the north campus would be demolished and that the south campus would be a stand-alone building. According to Powers, the administration was given the green light by the city to keep the north campus about “six months before we were supposed to move [into the south campus].” “Had we known it was going to be there, we would have designed the new building differently to provide better circulation between the two buildings,” said Schabel. Schabel says that the link was designed to incorporate other aspects of the building that are located underground. “It was decided early on that a covered walkway would be the best solution that would provide security and shelter from weather in the short distance between the two buildings while also maintaining access to the utilities if something goes wrong,” said Schabel. Powers states that the link was designed the way it is because a full design was too expensive. “We had to scale it back. We have the partial covering, the glass on the east side to protect from wind and for securi-
ty... and most of our work was concentrated on remodeling the other building,” Powers said. According to Powers, the current layout was not the original plan. “Be grateful that the original design wasn’t included, as it would be more crowded - it was a completely enclosed hallway, in effect.” As for next year, the administration believes that the growth of students will be less than the growth level of students over the past three years, which will affect link traffic. “We’ll be graduating 280 students, but we’ll basically bring in about, call it 150, maybe fewer than that, freshman students. Our target’s going to be 425, but we’re graduating 280, so it’s a smaller growth [from past years],” said Powers. To combat traffic, the administration should “encourage people to walk faster... somehow, people just slow down as soon as they hit the link,” said Lenza. “Now, I suggested zip lines between the buildings, but CPS has no imagination. I figured if we charged 50 cents per ride, we’d make a fortune,” said Powers. “It may not pass any safety codes, but it’d be a heck of a lot of fun.”
Raising $378 for Save the Children, a charity to aid children in developing countries
Meredith Kramer, Chris Lin, Director of Student Services Science Teacher
Traffic jams can be avoided JOSH ODUM ‘16
Teachers fundraise with holiday sweaters
Troy Hilbrands, Office Clerk
Volume 1, Issue 1
Michelle Parada, Spanish Teacher
Jeremy Voigt, Director of Finance
Apparently common sense is still stuck in heavy traffic. Traffic is worse this year. This is not entirely unexpected, however, as Jones took in far more students this year than it graduated. But the massive traffic jams between both campuses that have sprung up suddenly are unprecedented and unacceptable. The most glaring way in which administration could alleviate congestion is to tweak room assignments. Almost every department is grouped closely together. For teachers, stacking a floor with a single department can be convenient, but Sociology, taught by Frank Fitzpatrick, is held in the former choir room in the north campus. This room was never designed for traditional classes. What’s next? Will teachers have to shout to be heard in the auditorium? Good luck to all the students who’ll have to endure finals in the close confines of the former band room. This arrangement means that all students in a certain department during a certain period will be heading to the same location. This means that in the tight corridors of the north building and the inter-campus link, near-gridlock ensues every day. Why not put a less commonly enrolled department in the north campus, or distribute students across the building more evenly during each passing period, or separate underclassmen from upperclassmen by building? Despite all these obvious solutions, administration’s current response to the problem seems to be limited to a couple traffic cones, which divide the space in the link into two lanes. But the cones are not placed proportionately to the amount of traffic each side receives. The far less-trafficked north to south side has the majority of space, squeezing the south to north side into a bottleneck. Yes, certainly the other side experiences more traffic at certain times of the day, but the security guards can easily adjust the cones to provide more room for the side experiencing the most traffic. The bottom line is this: Jones’ administration must tweak the classroom assignments and adjust the structure of traffic lanes in the inter-building link, or else we’ll all have to grow considerably more tolerant of tardies.
PAGE 2 A REAL HOMECOMING
OUR VIEW: How to make homecoming positive, school spirited, environment. See online for more.
JONESBLUEPRINT.COM @JONESBLUEPRINT DECEMBER 18, 2015
NEW POLICIES, NEW ATTITUDES
ID policy necessary for school safety
Rule crackdown confusing, inconvienent
KEVIN SHANNON ‘16 In the post Columbine world, security in both private and public spaces has increased from metal detectors, hired security, security camera set ups, and identification attached to lanyards. It is without a doubt that at any given moment a school can turn into the next massacre, a workplace can be the next site of domestic terrorism, and any steps to prevent such an event should be taken. Jones has implemented a heavier and more strict policy on students wearing their ID’s. Previous consequences for not wearing IDs were light or non-existent. But as the school exceeds 1,600 students, there are more students to be accounted for at all times. In 2014, the school was issued a threat from an anonymous source through the social media app Yik-Yak. Due to Yik-Yak user anonymity, it was unclear who was to blame. Other violent threats towards the school took place in the 2014-2015 school year. One was of a man wielding an assault rifle and firing shots at a Blue Line CTA Train, who was later arrested right next to the school. Easily, the man could have seeked shelter inside our school and put students at risk.The other was a threat placed in the Class of 2018 Facebook page. Granted, the post was from the video game “Hatred,” but it drove the school into lockdown for almost two hours. The caveat that comes with the ID policy is that there is no ability to decipher who is a threat to the school based off a lanyard. However, in past school shootings, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold did not wear ID’s
ETHAN PHIPPS ‘16 Right out of the gate, administration made it a point that many things they used to let slide will no longer be tolerated – most targeted offenses being the lack of an ID around your neck and wearing a hat around the building. Complaints have stemmed from the fact that wearing ID’s were never a big deal until now, and arguments used to justify the switch are weak at best. Wearing them proves that you are a student that attends the school, and Jones does not want to take a chance of having potential threats roaming the halls. While that is valid, it just serves to be an annoyance for students. Even more perplexing is the implementation of the ban on hats inside the school. As soon as you step in the
to Columbine High School. Adam Lanza, the Sandy Hook Elementary school shooter, was an outsider who invaded the school and killed children back in 2012, a time when wearing an ID was not required by. Yes, the ID policy is strict and annoying for everyone: staff enforcing it and students abiding in fear of five detentions. The point is that the school has faced serious threats and anything that can be done to prevent harm, even something as little as wearing a lanyard around your neck, should be embraced for the safety of our school. Visitors, even recent graduates, must wear an ID sticker. While IDs might not prevent a student from acting violently, it helps identify who belongs here.
door, administration, security, and even some teachers immediately remind you about taking off your hat. And, if you do not comply, you could face five detentions or risk having your hat confiscated for the rest of the day. Through these rules and the more strict enforcement of them, Jones is creating a relationship between authority figures and students that is unhealthy. This is horrible for Jones moving into the future. We want to create a place where staff and students get along in harmony, not where students feel like there are people always breathing down their neck over arbitrary rule constructs. As a student, I know that my school is trying its hardest to make this a great environment that fosters learning and a progressive social mindset; but, it is difficult to sit back and allow certain things to be carried out without at least voicing my opinion. Through these rules and the exponentially more strict enforcement of them, Jones is creating a relationship between its authority figures and students that is, to say the least, unhealthy. Students see staff more as people they have to watch out for rather than people that are just watching out for them. This is horrible for Jones moving into the future – we want to create a place where staff and students get along in harmony, not where students feel like there are people always breathing down their neck over arbitrary rule constructs.
Artwork by Ciara Greene ‘17
Strength in numbers: All CPS schools must unify in budget battle As racial tensions and the title of most segregated city in America loom over Chicago, the students of Chicago Public Schools have joined together in a fight for their education. The students have united to protest against devastating budget cuts that could eliminate Advanced Placement and visual and performing art classes while potentially having even broader impacts. While the immediate goal of the protests is to defeat the budget cuts, they also present an opportunity for young people in Chicago to address even bigger issues that affect their community like racism and poverty. This broader focus could be particularly successful if the protests can truly incorporate the voices of students from both neighborhood and Selective Enrollment Schools alike. While the Selective Enrollment Schools are in many ways extremely diverse, they are often seen as exclusive establishments compared to neighborhood schools. Through the protests students from both these types of schools will have a chance to interact with and learn about each other’s experiences in a way that they otherwise may not. This will not only make the protests more effective, but will make the students more active citizens of Chicago. In order to achieve this promise of a broader involvement, the leadership of the
protests needs to reflect the voices of all types of Chicago Public school students. Because the budget cuts will impact neighborhood school students at a far greater rate than Se-
order to make the protests as effective as they can be, there needs to be a partnership between the two types of schools. While this may require Selective Enrollment students to be more humble and neighborhood students to take initiative for change, Chicago Public Schools and the entire city itself will benefit from the effort. This, however, is a two-way street. True leadership from neighborhood schools must be prepared and willing to wage an efficient campaign. If not, schools will resort to fending for themselves as Payton’s principal has taken action to help raise two million dollars Photo by Kevin Shannon ‘16 for the school from alumni and SOLIDARITY Anthony Wagner ‘17 leads a CPS-wide stu- parent donations. This does not dent protest on Nov. 6 at the Thompson Center, against budget solve the issue. It only promotes cuts proposed by Gov. Bruce Rauner. the idea that the Selective Enrolllective Enrollment students, it is essential ment schools are at the forefront of this all that neighborhood school students cultivate and are only invested so much in the protests a sense that their voice matters to the same in order to prevent their own misfortune from degree as Selective Enrollment students. the budget cuts. But it is no excuse for neighThe efforts of Selective Enrollment borhood schools to sit and watch Payton do students leading the protests should be all the work. It is time to for them to unite loudly applauded. They are doing more as the Chicago Public Schools that they are than they should have to do to ensure their and face this budget crisis as a united front. schools are properly funded. However, in
Blueprint: A new voice for students
ALEX BEHLE ‘16 Over the past year and a half, students Editor-in-Chief from John Lund’s journalism class picked up the pieces left by the defunct “Eagle’s Eye” and rebranded into Blueprint. With a new name, Blueprint reflects Jones in a new era: charting a new course, mapping out what our legacy will be, and what additions and changes have yet to be foreseen. The newspaper is an outlet for all students and a window into the diverse opin-
ions and experiences of the Jones community. On behalf of Lund, we would like to thank Principal P. Joseph Powers, JoAnne Troesch, Gabe Dominguez, and Friends of Jones for their help towards getting this printed publication off the ground. We hope that the Blueprint will be a Jones tradition for years to come. While we aim to publish at a bi-monthly frequency for the rest of this school year, please visit jonesblueprint.com for the lastest stories and updates.
Editor-in-Chief Alex Behle ‘16 Associate Editor, Design Nikolas Merten ‘16 Associate Editor, Copy Alicia Wala ‘16 Associate Editor, Photo Kevin Shannon ‘16 Deputy Editor, Opinion Josh Odum ‘16 Managing Editor, School Orla Levins ‘18 Deputy Editor, School Maggie Bedore ‘17 School Staff Jessica Jamaica ‘16 School Staff Dawen Mei ‘16 School Staff Ethan Phipps ‘16 School Staff Vanessa Gonzalez ‘17 School Staff Maeve Harvey ‘17 School Staff Mia Prekop ‘17 Managing Editor, Lifestyles Colleen Mitchell ‘16 Deputy Editor, Lifestyles Nia Curtis ‘16 Lifestyles Staff Cristian Espinoza ‘16 Lifestyles Staff Genna Greblo ‘16 Lifestyles Staff Jacob Montalvo ‘16 Lifestyles Staff Gabby Torres ‘16 Lifestyles Staff Jacob Naszke ‘17 Lifestyles Staff Ivy Rejman ‘17 Elizabeth Goldblatt ‘18 Lifestyles Staff Managing Editor, Sports Mikaela Uddfolk ‘17 Julia Gaworski ‘17 Deputy Editor, Sports Juan Cuecha ‘16 Sports Staff Nico Moreno ‘16 Sports Staff Jonathan Nunez ‘16 Sports Staff Ulisses Regalado ‘17 Sports Staff Kayla Candos ‘16 Business Manager Henry Michaels ‘16 Business Manager Max Segal-Wolk ‘16 Digital Artist Ciara Greene ‘17 Cartoonist Advisor
John Lund
Letters Letters to the Editor are encouraged and will be screened for libel, irresponsiblity, and obscenity. The Editorial Board may edit or shorten letters as long as the meaning is unchanged. All letters must be signed and include your email for verification. Requests to withold the writer’s name from publication will be considered. Letters can be sent to jonesblueprint@gmail.com or dropped off in Room 201.
@jonesblueprint
PAGE 3 WINTER BREAK
No classes will be held from December 21, 2015, to January 4, 2016.
JONESBLUEPRINT.COM @JONESBLUEPRINT DECEMBER 18, 2015
Fast-growing faculty
23 new faculty members join more than 30 others who haven’t been at Jones as long as senior class Brian Bastyr Survey of Lit., Creative Writing Education: B.A., Rhetoric, Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; J.D., Univ. of Illinois College of Law; M.A., Education, Univ. of Illinois at Chicago Fun Fact: Has two kids from Korea.
Fran Feeley Library
Education: B.A., Psychology, Univ. of Notre Dame; M.A., School Psychology, State University of New York at Buffalo; M.A., Library and Information Science, Dominican University Fun Fact: Jumped out of a plane twice with parachutes.
Laura Blackburn Law I, II Education: B.A., English, Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison; J.D., Univ. of Minnesota Fun Fact: Grew up on a farm.
Elisa Foshay Dance
Education: B.A., Dance, Columbia College Chicago; M.F.A., Univ. of North Carolina at Greensboro Fun Fact: “I actually had no interest in teaching when I was an undergrad, and fell into my first teaching job completely by chance. I ended up loving it.”
Susan Chong Counselor
Education: B.S., Education, M.A., School Counseling, Univ. of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana Fun Fact: Has adult braces and enjoys biking on the 606 trails.
David Gilmer Survey of Lit., Black American Lit. Education: B.A., Creative Writing, Knox College with a minor in Black Studies; M.A., Secondary Education, Accordia Univ. Fun Fact: Is left handed.
Kyle Eck Math 3A
Education: B.S., Mathematics, Theatre, Northwestern Univ.; M.S., Teaching of Mathematics, Univ. of Illinois at Chicago Fun Fact: Rides a motorcycle to and from school every day.
Education: B.S., Biology, Indiana Univ.; M.Ed., Univ. of Illinois at Chicago Fun Fact: Lived on a mountain in South Africa three different summers doing ecology research.
Nicole Lowery AP Biology, Biology
Education: B.A., History, Kalamazoo College; M.A., History, Univ. of Chicago; M.S., Ed., Northwestern Univ. Fun Fact: Also teaches at Wilbur Wright College and is an active investor.
Education: B.S., Biology with minor in Secondary Education, Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Fun fact: Grew up on a dairy farm in Illinois and was an active member of Future Farmers of America (FFA) in high school.
Education: B.A., History, Univ. of Colorado; M.A., History, Univ. of Michigan Fun Fact: Previously taught French.
Education: B.S., English Education, Temple Univ.; M.S., Teaching, Univ. of New Hampshire Fun Fact: Has three brothers.
Michelle Parada Spanish I, II
Peter Podlipni Chemistry, Astronomy
Kara Reichert Chemistry, Biology
Eric Mitchell Assistant Principal Education: B.S., History and Sociology, Northwestern Univ.; M.S., Educational Leadership; National Louis Univ. Fun Fact: Still has his trumpet from when he played it in high school.
Ming Chu Pearl Terry Mandarin I, III Education: B.S., Commerce/ Accounting, Univ. of Santo Tomas (Manila, Philippines); B.S., Education/Chinese Literature and History, Chiang Kai Shek College (Manila, Philippines) Fun Fact: Plays a Chinese musical instrument called Pipa.
Education: B.A., Political Science with minors in Spanish and Public Relations, Marquette Univ.; M.A., Teaching, National Louis Univ. Fun Fact: Has been learning to speak Polish little by little.
Caitriona Tobin Math 3B, 4A
Education: B.S., Mathematics and English, Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Fun Fact: Has two screws in her hand from when she broke it playing dodgeball.
Education: BSEd, Secondary Education in Sciences, Northwestern Univ. Fun Fact: Was a Chicago lakefront lifeguard for four years.
Eyal Wallenberg Math 1B, 2A Education: B.A., Economics, Brandeis Univ. Fun Fact: Favorite food is avocado.
Briefs compiled by Crisitan Espinoza ‘16, Genna Greblo ‘16, Max Segal-Wolk ‘16, Maggie Bedore ‘17, Vanessa Gonzalez ‘17, Mia Prekop ‘17, Orla Levins ‘18
Education: B.S., Mathematics, Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; M.S., Education, Northwestern Univ.Fun Fact: Loves Star Trek: The Next Generation and has seen every episode at least twice.
Eric Hancock Biology
Daniel Kovacs World Studies, Economics
Cathleen Martin World Studies, U.S. History
Natasha Fast Math 2B, 3A
Al Jacques Intro. to Engineering Design, Digital Elect. Education: B.S., Mechanical Engineering, Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; B. Arch, Architecture, Univ. of Illinois at Chicago; Secondary Teaching Certification, NU-Teach at Northwestern Univ. Fun Fact: Is learning to play ice hockey.
Samantha McElroy Survey of Lit., American Lit.
Education: B.S., Chemistry, Taylor Univ.; M.S., Education, DePaul Univ. Fun Fact: Feminism Club sponser
Caitlin Miller American Lit., British Lit. Education: B.A. and M.A., English, Univ. of Illinois at Chicago Fun Fact: Plays the drums and has performed in several bands across the city.
Jonathan Smith AP Gov., World Studies Education: B.A. and M.A., History, Colorado State Univ. Fun Fact: Was an innertube water polo champion in college.
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ROAD TO 2016
PAGE 4
The first votes in the Democratic and Republican nominating process for president will be cast in Iowa’s Caucus on Feb. 1
JONESBLUEPRINT.COM @JONESBLUEPRINT DECEMBER 18, 2015
Frustration over cultural,
“My culture is not your costume” Cultural Clash: Explaining cultural appropriation IVY REJMAN ‘17, Lifestyles Staff Brewing tensions revolving around cultural appropriation on a national level recently have lead to discussions within the Jones community and a debate on what’s offensive and what’s acceptable. After hosting the VMAs on Aug. 30, Miley Cyrus received a lot of criticism for wearing a dread weave that mimicked locks, being called out on many social medias as an example of c u l t u r a l appropriation. This was the first time many Americans were hearing the term cultural appropriation, and since then many still remain unaware of what it is. In short, cultural appropriation can be defined as, “when somebody adopts aspects of a culture that’s not their own.” However, a deeper understanding of cultural appropriation refers to, “a power dynamic in which members of a dominant culture take elements from a culture of people who have been systematically oppressed by that dominant group.” This has become a large issue to some, as Karsyn Terry ‘17 puts it: “When the fashion industry grew, aspects of black culture, along with many minorities, were taken and turned into statements suddenly considered beautiful or high couture, while the minorities were judged and deemed unattractive for that same tradition for thousands of years. Cultural appropriation says to us (minorities) that we are unworthy, and only dominant cultures can make us adequate” Case in point: When actress Zendaya wore
locks on the red carpet, she was described by E! Fashion Police Giuliana Rancic as smelling like “patchouli oil and weed,” but in the past Cyrus and Kylie Jenner’s locks have been deemed by many on social media as “beautiful” and “edgy.” Cat O’Donahue ‘17 has dreadlocks and is a Caucasian girl. O’Donahue has looked into the history and de bate surrounding cultural appropriation, especially after the incident with Cyrus at the VMAs and personally being criticized for having locks. “I did research because I hate feeling like I am hurting other people with my appearance. I am very aware of the issues with cultural appropriation, and how it is offensive. Miley Cyrus is an excellent example of how offensive cultural appropriation can be, but there is a difference between putting in a ponytail weave made of dreadlocks, and actually living with the dreadlocks like I do. I cannot take out my hair whenever I want, I live with them.” O’Donohue said she is apart of “counter culture,” which rejects social norms, and “is not apart of any particular culture.” “It stems its roots from Rastafarian culture, which was not for any specific race. I have spiritual reasons for getting my dreads. Also, I just don’t want to brush my hair, it’s easier.” O’Donohue said, “I am in no way trying to be offensive. I completely recognize that cultural appropriation is an issue. White people adopting black culture is an issue, but dreadlocks are not a part of that.” A friend of O’Donohue’s, Yori Mohorn ‘17, has locks as an African American girl and is not offended by O’Donohue’s hair at all. “It’s not that serious, if dreads were actually redeemed in the black culture it could be serious, but they’re not,” Mohorn said. There are also feelings of fear that being Caucasian and wearing locks can give people an excuse to bully O’Donohue and her friend, Margaux Reifman ‘17, another Caucasian girl who has cho-
sen to style her hair in locks. O’Donohue said, “I am afraid to walk around the school. I am constantly paranoid, not just in Jones, everywhere I go. I receive stares and comments on how ugly and offensive my hair is to them.” At which point Reifman spoke up and commented, “I am afraid to be here (fourth floor of new building) after the bell rings,” People have commented negative messages on social media in response to her hair previously, making her concerned about her safety at school. Black Student Union president, Terry, on the other hand pointed out that African American people live with the oppression and disapproving views from society, and when Caucasian people adopt their culture without doing anything to help change the way African Americans are viewed in society it is “hypocritical.” Adopting black culture, while “saying how bad they (African Americans) are, doesn’t add up.” “You can’t take the culture, but continue to discriminate the culture’s people. Black people cannot get jobs because they dress a certain way, or have dreadlocks, but the fashion industry took it and suddenly it’s okay because of white people,” Terry said. Terry is “annoyed”, and feels like people who appropriate cultures, “don’t understand why people would be bothered by it”. She wants people to understand that the people who own the cultures you appropriate are being shunned, but those appropriating the cultures aren’t. Taking their culture makes them feel “even more powerless.” T h e awareness of the issue of cultural appropriation, or even what it is within the Jones community is described by
Terr y as, “very limited.” “Most are uneducated on the topic,” said Terry. “A lot of people walk around ignorant, confusing cultural appropriation with cultural appreciation.” In an anonymous poll collected from the Jones student body, 48 out of 74 s t u d e n t s answered “No” when asked the question, “Do you find it offensive when Caucasians wear dreadlocks?” Addi tionally, 17 out of the 26 students who answered “Yes” to this question were African American. ALAS sponsor, Mr. Ernesto Saldivar, made it clear that cultural appropriation is far more than j u s t locks and offending the African American culture. It spreads across many cultures, yoga, for example, has become a fad in America. It is a way to relax and stretch, but to Hindu culture, yoga is a sacred practice that is part of their religion and a form of prayer. This attitude and behavior can lead to “an inten-
tional or unintentional mocking of the original culture.” Saldivar also pointed out a common form of cultural appropriation that occurs during Halloween, when people may dress up as the stereotype of a particular culture. “ Y o u can take off y o u r sombrero and poncho and be done with it, dissociated from it. But for me, they (these sterereotypes) remain present after I take them off.” Saldivar said The disconnect, and g e n e r a l lack of understanding that Jones may have with this issue is a “clear misunderstanding of culture and students,” according to Saldivar. It’s the “high school mentality that has lead to a disconnect between what people of color go through and the way white people act.” Artwork by Ciara Greene ‘17
PAGE 5
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JONESBLUEPRINT.COM @JONESBLUEPRINT DECEMBER 18, 2015
, racial tensions hit home With racial unrest, senior faces college application dilemma
NIA CURTIS ‘16 In light of the recent racial issues at the University of Missouri, students are protesting to bring attention to racist acts including yelling the N-word at Black students and vandalizing the school with a swastika. With such disgraceful actions, I am put in in a unique position as a Black student who was planning to apply to attend this university that seems to ignore the necessity to enforce respect for my Black culture. I wonder, as a Black student, should I still apply to Mizzou? As a student attending high school, you are faced with deciding what college you want to go to. As a Black college-bound high school student, one could apply to an all Black college, known as a Historically Black College or University (HBCU), instead of dealing with prejudice and rac-
Faces in the crowd NIKOLAS MERTEN ‘16 JACOB NASKE ‘17
In the wake of the release of yearold video showing Chicago teenager Laquan McDonald’s death, Jones students and alumni joined hundreds protesting alleged police brutality on Black Friday, Nov. 27.
ism at other colleges. Though some HBCUs rank high, most of the Ivy Leagues and the top one hundred colleges are all Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs). So, when you are like me and are applying to colleges in a day and age when racial discrimination has struck hard at home and in school, it is hard to decide what type of educational environment you want. When I was a sophomore, I had fallen in love with University of Missouri. The school, known as Mizzou, when explained to me bustled with school spirit, diversity, and a love for rigorous education. I knew that I wanted to go there. I had the Mizzou t-shirts, pens, hats, and I rooted for the Tigers for every college football game. Now, as I hear from friends and the portrayal of protest by the media, they make Mizzou, my dream school, a monster. This school, where I saw myself running to classes and football games, was now buried un-
der my worries of being safe and comfortable as a Black student. Anuri Nwagwu, a friend of mine, attended Mizzou her freshman year in 2013, but later transferred to University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana after an unpleasant experience during her first year. Her experience at the school was shocking to me because I had not seen Mizzou the way she described it. “I hated it. I cried every night to my mom on the phone. People were so mean,” said Nwagwu. I could feel the sunny thoughts of Mizzou diminishing as I saw one of my mentors cry about not fitting in. Nwagwu continued, saying students, “will call you ugly, shout things like ‘Black girls are ugly’ while you’re walking down the street. They won’t let you into frat parties, or other organizations, knowing that they are all-white parties.” Her experience and the national media coverage of the protest truly shifted how I felt about Mizzou.
CHARLOTTE GEISSLER ‘17 Blueprint: Do you think the protest was justified? CG: Of course. Ayoung, innocent boy was brutally murdered by a protec tor of our city for no rational rea son. To make matters worse, the system of city officials managed to silence McDonald’s death for an entire year by keeping the video concealed.
NATALIA BRANAS ‘17 Blueprint:From your experience, how was the conduct of the police officers on duty at the protest? NB:The police officers were present at the protest in fairly large numbers, however, they were not interfering in any way.
My high school is diverse enough. At my school, I dealt with microaggressions (small verbal, or behavioral actions, whether intentional or unintentional, that relay derogatory or negative racial insults toward people of color) and misunderstandings about my Black culture, but never at a level where I felt threatened. If I attended Mizzou, would I spend my four years defending my Blackness and fearing for my life? While deciding to apply or not, I emailed Jawann Pollard, Mizzou’s Chicago admissions representative. Despite my upsetting feelings about Mizzou, Pollard said one thing that stuck out and helped make my decision about applying. Pollard said, “One of the takeaways from this situation is that this isn’t a Mizzou issue, but a national one.” Here, my heart changed, because Mizzou was not the only PWI that had issues like this. He reassured me, saying, “Our students decided to take a stand and MAX McKUNE ‘14 Blueprint: What was going on during the protest? MK: People had signs and megaphones while shouting, “black lives matter.” At one point we took over the bridge on Michigan Ave. I got arrested before trying to [close] the expressway.
Is there a difference between protest and disruption? and Christmas lights aren’t the offenders in this situation.The true offender was sitting in a jail cell. COLLEEN MITCHELL ‘16 Van Dyke posted the required ten percent of his $1.5 million bail and It seems Chicago is in uproar faces life in prison if convicted. over an October 2014 incident, in These protests would make which Laquan McDonald, a black more sense if Van Dyke had not Chicago teenager, was shot by been arrested at all or if he had white Chicago police officer Jason been acquitted in court, but in this Van Dyke, now becoming a nation- case, the justice system is in sync al news story. Once the city was or- with the protesters’ wishes. So what dered to publicly release the foot- more could they have to protest? age, Chicago streets were flooded For the most part, Chicago with protesters. Police were Protesters had “Blaming the entire decompliant their voices heard, partment for the despi- with the proas the protests were cable act of one officer testors and broadcast all over respected the country, and is generalizing police their right to succeeded in rais- in the same way many peacefully ing awareness on protesters feel they are protest. Only the issue of police being stereotyped by five people brutality. Howev- police.” were arrester, though most ed during protesting tactics have been peace- the Nov. 24 protests, and four on ful, I question the effectiveness and Nov. 25. During the Black Friday purpose of some protesters’ actions. protests, officers allowed blocking The tearing down of Christ- of the stores; police had already mas lights on the tree in Millenni- blocked off the stores and ordered um Park and blocking of Black Fri- them to not let anyone in or out. day shoppers from store entrances Efforts raising further awareon the Magnificent Mile does not ness for this incident took a viseem to relate to the issue pertain- olent turn when Jabari Dean, a ing to McDonald’s death: police 21-year-old black male student at brutality. As a method of fighting University of Illinois at Chicago, injustice, protesters are making posted a threat to the University their point by inconveniencing oth- of Chicago on social media sayers who did no wrong. Shopping
ing, “I will execute approximately 16 white male students and/or staff, which is the same number of times McDonald was killed. I then will die killing any number of white policemen that I can in the process.” Classes were canceled Nov. 30 while police tracked him down to avoid a potential massacre. The defamation of Chicago Police continues in the streets and on social media. Blaming the entire police department for the despicable act of one officer is generalizing the police in the same way that many protesters feel they are being stereotyped by the police. Confronting officers monitoring protests, screaming in their faces, or in one case, allegedly punching one officer, is unjust. Those officers were not the ones who killed McDonald; the man who did was rightfully behind bars where he should be. Similarly, protestors should not blame the entire white race for this event. People who speak out against the need for protests are often attacked on social media and unjustly labeled as “ignorant” or “racist” merely because they don’t see the point in blocking Black Friday shoppers or tearing down Christmas lights. Holding signs that say things like, “White silence = white consent” puts blame on people who had no involvement in the situation. Most people of all races
do something about it. Student protests at Mizzou have been the catalyst to many student bodies on other college campuses to create a more diverse and inclusive community at their schools.” I know that if I attend Mizzou I would be amongst students who are “catalysts” to the evolving treatment of Black students at White campuses. After having these conversations and internal reflection, Mizzou is not one of my top schools anymore but still made my list as worthy to apply to. Being Black, and especially a Black student dealing with racial issues, is something we are taught to deal with. This racial issue is not a “Mizzou issue,” but a world issue. I will not be a student who will try to duck and dodge racism but take it head on, as the students at Mizzou did.
are shocked and outraged by this event, myself included. There must be a better way for people to respond to this incident that does not involve the destruction of city property, harm to the businesses of Chicago, or threats made to college students. If these protests continue, moving away from peaceful marches to more destructive and violent actions, Chicago is likely to become the next Ferguson or Baltimore, with the national media focusing in with a negative light. Everyone has the right to their own opinion. Protesters have the freedom of speech to have their voices heard, as well as those who believe the justice system will do what’s right based on the evidence in this case.
Photo courtesy Charlotte Geissler ‘17
NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE Natalia Branas ‘17 joined hundreds protesting police brutality in wake of the video of Laquan McDonald’s death on Black Friday.
PAGE 6
SEMESTER ENDS
February 4, 2016, marks the halfway point of the 2015-2016 school year.
JONESBLUEPRINT.COM @JONESBLUEPRINT DECEMBER 18, 2015
Combing through criminal minds, motives
Lord of the Dance: Breaking barriers in dance
VANESSA GONZALEZ ‘17, School Staff For the first time, Dance is offered to Jones students. Taught by Elisa Foshay, students filled five periods; however, there seems to be an issue of class diversity due to low male enrollment. Jessica Li ‘17 said having guys in her class doesn’t create an awkward atmosphere. Rather, she’s “impressed with the guys who had the courage to take it, but it definitely is inclusive… regardless of gender.” Reasons for signing up for the class differ for all students. But some students think there is a specific reason why there is a lack of gender diversity in the dance classes. “I thought dance would be an easy class and good way to be active during the day,” said Hannah Nelson ‘17. Yet, Nelson believes the reasoning for boys not signing up for Dance stems from the class itself. “I feel like dance has always been a very female dominated industry… if they [boys] were interested they might have hesitated to sign up because they feared they may be judged by their peers.” Some male students take the class to fulfill graduation credit requirements. Joey Bergren ‘17 signed up for the class for the credit. But at the time he signed up, he didn’t realize that there would only be a handful of males in his class. He believes that the girls’ flexibility and facilitation to the choreography makes males like Bergren feel “unequal”. Foshay said low interest in dance from boys stems from a line of reasoning en-
MAGGIE BEDORE ‘17, Deputy Editor, School
Photo by Kevin Shannon ‘16
FEELIN’ THE BEAT Allie Kells and Noah Kaiden both ‘17 dance on stage in the first annual dance showcase. graved into the minds of children. “It’s important to me that we are getting as many boys in [Dance] as possible, but ballet has affected the way dance is perceived in a contemporary culture. Many people still believe ballet is the foundation for all dance forms… that ballet is for girls, ballet is the foundation for all dance- therefore, dance is for girls,” said Foshay. Foshay hopes that an increase of interest in dance and her efforts to make the class unisex will eventually inspire more boys to enroll next year.
Described as “an interesting hybrid between psychology and law,” Criminal Psychology is a new class taught at Jones this year. Criminal Psychology is the required class for CTE Law III, however, it is also being offered as a social science elective for juniors and seniors. All students taking the class have the opportunity to earn college credit from Loyola University. Emlyn Ricketts modified the curriculum in order to ensure that all students are interested and more likely to succeed in class. “I adapted the curriculum to make it a little bit more engaging for students who have taken psychology, for students who have never taken law before, and for students who have never taken psychology before,” said Ricketts. “Anybody can
take this class and be successful.” The curriculum covers a wide variety of topics, including the insanity defense and juvenile justice. “It’s interesting to learn about not only the laws and the crimes themselves, but the motives and states of mind that often result in criminal behavior,” said Ashley O’Donnell ‘17. So far, Ricketts has only faced one major struggle with teaching the new course. “There are so many things happening in the world around us that are really relevant to this class. The challenge is picking and choosing what we are going to cover,” said Ricketts. “For example, the Laquan McDonald shooting. I wanted to make sure we had a chance to talk about that and relate it to the curriculum that we have been covering.”
AP “HUG:” Embracing college ACES: building an inclusive community DAWEN MEI ‘16, School Staff rigor from an early age Bowling in the hallway and creating masterpieces “What many people might not be aware of is JUAN CUECHA ‘16, Sports Staff
With so much focus on preparing students for college, it’s no surprise Jones decided to offer a new course for freshmen, AP Human Geography, so they could experience a college course. Some of the goals of AP Human Geography are to teach students to interpret maps, perform geographical analysis, and recognize regions. Students have formed opinions on the class. Scott Deja ‘19 said that AP Human Geography is “one of my favorite classes because it puts me in situations that help me learn by challenging me with concepts that are new to me.” Not only does it seem to cover topics that students enjoy, the the class format is also appealing. “The class is student based with many discussions and debates,” said Jack Bedore ‘19. “The students understand and learn the
material better than a teacher dictating lessons to the students.” Not only was this class chosen to allow the freshmen to gather college experience, the decision to offer this course was influenced by a need to “challenge the students who already had the writing and reading skills, as well as the strong interest in Social Studies.” explains Bochnak. Bochnak believes World Studies became a class that focused more on the struggling students and was “dragging behind” the more advanced ones. Although the new class has fulfilled his early expectations, Bochnak is aware that there are still areas that need improvement. He wants his students to remember that “it doesn’t matter what decisions are made... geography will always play a role in that decision, event, or action.”
in the classroom; there is never an average day in ACES. how large our population is of students with modACES, short for Acceptance, Caring, and Em- erate cognitive or severe and profound disabilities,” powerment, is an honors course available to soph- said special education teacher Andrew Adelmann. omores, juniors and seniors as an art or P.E. class. “Because we have 38 students in our cluster Each special education student is paired with a stu- program, this requires the same amount of ‘buddent known as their “buddies’ from our general eddy”, and students work with ucation program in order their buddies to play games to ensure that each student and create projects. Budgets the same quality expedies, also known as leaders, rience from the program on run the class with a teacher. both sides.” says Adelmann. In a P.E. class taught by Carly Klein ‘17, who Robert Heselton, students is a buddy in ACES Art, and their buddies play games said that ACES is imsuch as volleyball and bowlportant to the school being. Classes sometimes visit cause it lets all members of Roosevelt Park, where they Jones act as a community. Photo courtesey of Dawen Mei ‘16 walk around and explore the Buddies want to FUN AND GAMES P.E. teacher Robert take ACES for a mularea. In ACES Art, taught by Heselton looks on as students play games Laura Boban, the students in the gym during ACES. titude of reasons. and their buddies work toCole Hamilton, a buddy in gether to create art to be installed around the school. the ACES P.E. class said that he is taking ACES because Boban said, “The ACEs Art program is a won- his cousin has autism and a similar program helped him. derful addition to Jones. It offers students a unique “ACES is a program that helps bring visual arts opportunity in which they collabo- the entire school together. We need it in orrate on all of their projects and class activities.” der to be a whole community,” Hamilton said.
Reaching for the stars Blood splatter, finger prints JOSH ODUM ‘16, Deputy Editor, Opinion and crime scenes, all in one Though he may not have observatories, telescopes, or even visible stars to aid him, first-year teacher Peter Podlipni endeavors to teach Jones students not only about what lies beyond the horizon, but also how to expand their own horizons. The course includes a “general survey” of the history and foundations of astronomy with a focus on influential astronomers, such as Sir Isaac Newton and Johannes Kepler. Podlipni then moves into a sequential study of the characteristics of celestial bodies, beginning with “familiar” systems like the sun and the moon, and then “branch[ing] out into the solar system” and beyond. Podlipni admitted that there were many “wrinkles to be ironed out” with a new class taught by a brand new teacher. He said the class can be confusing to students because of the massive scale and foreign nature of its material.
ELIZABETH GOLDBLATT ‘17, Lifestyles Staff
Forensics returns to Jones for the 2015-2016 school year after an eightyear hiatus, and stands out for being a unique environment that comprises science, law, and social awareness. Reception to the class is generally positive. Nina Gesher ‘16 said that she would be upset if the class got cancelled due to the impending CPS budget cuts because “it’s one of [her] favorite classes.” Teacher Marlita Sanders reinforced that homework wasn’t a main focus of the class, and usually was just
complimentary to in-class work. “The homework is practicing more of what they covered in class,” she says. “Whatever we are doing in class in that point in time, that’s what they have to go and practice.” Sanders established that Forensics “is the application of science to the law. [The students are] applying knowledge that they’ve learned from biology, chemistry, [and] physics class to the law. And not only does it encompass biology, chemistry, physics, but all the other disciplines as well, like psychology, mathematics, art and music.”
Capstone, the culminating AP experience MAGGIE BEDORE ‘17, Deputy Editor, School
Researching, writing, and comfy library chairs: these are components of AP Capstone, a new class taught this year. AP Capstone is built on two AP courses: AP Seminar and AP Research. AP Seminar began this year, while AP Research will start next year for students who completed AP Seminar. Students analyze text from multiple perspectives and construct evidence-based arguments. Students who complete AP Seminar will take AP Research the next school year, involving a year long independent study. “We added AP Seminar to give some of our highest performing students another outlet to explore and to give them another thing on their transcript for college,” said AP Capstone teacher Brady Gunnink. The course was developed two years ago, which has led to challenges for Gunnink and the other AP Capstone teacher Ryan Maggid. “Another challenge is creating a class that doesn’t really have any content. It has skills built into it, but there is really no specific content we have to teach,” said Maggid.
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NO SCHOOL
The next day off of school after Winter Break is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Mon., Jan. 15
JONESBLUEPRINT.COM @JONESBLUEPRINT DECEMBER 18, 2015
Recycling gets the green light Green Team behind a more environmentally-friendly Jones NIKOLAS MERTEN ‘16, Associate Editor, Design After an outburst of surprise and com- recycling bins in classrooms and recyplaints from students last school year, the cling dumpsters in the alley, there has Green Team is taking on the responsibil- been no connection between the two. ity to ensure that the recyclable materials “We needed some way to get stuff from we purposely place in our blue bins are not Point A to Point B,” said Merva. “It was going to being thrown into a trash compactor. Envi- be too much to ask our maintenance staff to just ronmental science teacher Katherine Merva add to their list of things to do, so we had students heads the small army of members that com- volunteering to actually do this collection.” prise the after school recycling workforce. Despite the Green Team’s efforts, there Once classes are still many hurare dismissed for dles that they face the day, a group at Jones, namely the of Green Team lack of communicamembers venture tion and education. around the buildMerva has had to ings collecting relay information plastic, glass, and to the head custodianything else that an and maintenance can be recycled. staff to not throw “We take the away recyclables recyclable things anymore. A potential that are in the backing from adminblue bins in classistration could create Photo by KEVIN SHANNON ‘16 a an enviormentally rooms and dump DUMPSTER DIVING Green team member Hannah them into a big refrienddly and reRachlis ‘16 and Molly Bryson ‘16 sort through recycle cycling bin and sponsible school. bins daily. Their efforts have led to an increased recythen take that and “I feel like cling volume. put it into the recythere could be cling bins in the alley,” said Alexis Soto ‘17. more support,” said Merva. “One obstaWithout this new system of student volun- cle we have is communicating now with teers, Jones would continue to discard the valuable maintenance staff that the blue bins’ [conrecyclable resources into the trash dumpsters. tents] should no longer be thrown out.” “People sign up for different days each In light of the current threat to the CPS week,” said Jacob Gold ‘16. “We try to get budget and chance for 22 percent of Jones a substantial amount of kids each day of the faculty to be laid-off, recycling is an enviweek so recycling gets done because CPS ronmentally and economically-responsible does not have enough money to give our way of waste management. This is one way school the funds to do recycling themselves.” that CPS can conserve money, but it requires Although Jones has always had the action from all schools, reports the Inter-
nal Communication branch of CPS. “It costs CPS more than twice as much to send garbage to a landfill as it does to recycle, thus it is important that all schools participate in this program,” CPS said in an email to schools’ administrators. According to CPS Sustainability Coordinator Meredith McDermott, Jones has only been using around 23 percent of the capacity that we have available per week. The rest of CPS averages out to a minimal usage of 27 percent. The Green Team plans to expand the recycling to include a collection in the lunchroom. The south building cafeteria is already supplied with designated spots for different recyclable materials, but they have never been used. “Our next step is to get [recycling] into the cafeteria because that is where a lot of it is produced,” said Merva. Ultimately, the continued success of the recycling program revolves around the education of the Jones community. “We have to work on getting people to not put certain things that cannot be recycled in there, but also encouraging the right things to go in,” said Merva.
Garden club blooms with plans to grow further ALICIA WALA ‘16, Associate Editor, Copy
Blooming onto the scene, Roots Garden Club, started just last year, has been growing like a weed and is now ready to kick off their holiday fundraiser. Co-presidents Katie Treskow ‘17 and Emma Wilson ‘17 started the club for their love of gardening, and science teacher Nichole Lowery started sponsoring the club just this year. Despite being such a new club, it still has ambitious plans. “Our goal is to beautify the school,” said Wilson. “We want to get more plants around school and in the courtyard.” Their goals are not only based on plants, however, as the club also wants to collaborate with Green Team, the school’s environmental club. “We want to start composting, so we want to work with the Green Team,” said Wilson. “We feel bad that we [in the school] don’t do that already.” To achieve these goals and more, Roots Garden Club knows fundraising is necessary. For the upcoming holiday season, they have prepared a fundraiser to raise money for their composting efforts and to buy more seedlings and tools they need. “The fundraiser is awesome and adorable,” said Lowery. “We are selling little holiday-themed jars with succulent plants in them, and it is such a cute idea.” The succulent plants, which have parts that are fleshy and thickened more than usual, like cacti, will be on sale in December. The timing of the sale makes them a good
idea for a Christmas gift, which was the intention of the Garden Club. They will cost around ten dollars, but the price may change depending on the size of the plant. A similar fundraiser took place at the end of the last school year that went very well, earning the club around $100 and allowing the Garden Club to purchase seedlings and
Photo by Kevin Shannon ‘16
THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING Fundraising for future club expenses, garden club sells succulents as a holiday stocking stuffer.
bulbs to plant for the upcoming season. “I’m excited for them [the fundraisers],” said Jack Harris ‘17, a member of Roots. “I hope people enjoy our hours of long work and toil.” Garden club is still planning on growing from the seedling it is now. In addition to working with Green Team and their upcoming fundraisers, they have other hopes for what the club can bloom into. “I hope it’ll grow into a more diverse organization and define its responsibilities more clearly,” said Lowery. “The club just started, and the members learned from last year. It will get even better.” Garden Club meets every Monday at 7:15 a.m. in room 5005 and is open to new members.. They have many big plans that will soon take root. “Join Garden Club,” said Harris. “I learned how to weed, what a succulent is, and what a coleus looks like. Being a part of this club is a good choice.”
PAGE 8 HOLIDAY BASKETBALL Boys Basketball plays in the Luther North Christmas Tourney, December 26-30 JONESBLUEPRINT.COM @JONESBLUEPRINT DECEMBER 18, 2015
Not-so-Secret weapons Jones athletes share pre-game rituals, traditions NICO MORENO ‘16, Sports Staff From past to present, the greatest athletes have had their own unique pre-game rituals and routines. Lebron James throws chalk in the air, Michael Jordan wears his North Carolina college basketball shorts under his Bulls uniform every game, Serena Williams wears the same socks all throughout her tournament. Cristiano Ronaldo cuts his hair before every game. The greatest athletes, past and present, have their own unique pre-game rituals, they trust alone. Athletes and teams at Jones have their own exclusive pre-game rituals that help them to focus and perform their best. From the boys and girls basketball team to the girls and guys soccer team and almost every sport in between, to make sure they are fully prepared to play their opponents, these teams have devised strategic habits and customs that aid their performance. Varsity baseball player, Eric Robledo ‘16 said he always eats a banana in the passenger seat of his car on the way to games and eats a fourth of a FAMILY FIRST Keith Ferguson ‘16 pats his number 12 jersey in honor of his late father before each basketball game.
bag of sunflower seeds while warming up. “We always run in a V formation to the center field fence and back, we get hyped and do a chant in a huddle, (baseball coach Mike) Strok ’05 reads us a motivational line from a poem or something he makes up,” Robledo said. Varsity soccer player Fernando Ortiz ‘17, said he eats a piece of gum to calm anxiety and pre-game nerves. Junior Varsity Soccer coach Paul Zubb said he makes sure to tell his team the same key points of emphasis for every game . He believes these points will lead the team to victory if they do them all. “High level of intensity, holding positions, communicating on the field and most of all never giving up regardless of what goes on or happens,” Varsity soccer and basketball player Dani Schulgasser ‘17 has a very peculiar way of preparing. She gets dressed in the same distinct distinct fashion before every single game. She pays extra attention to putting on her clothing and shoes; this differentiates her from many other athletes. “I put my right sock on then my left sock then my right shoe then my left shoe,” she said. Varsity softball player Nicole Zapotoczny ‘17 expressed the way softball girls share inspiring words among one another so that the players feel united and a vital part of the team.
“As a team, we are all supposed to bring in a motivational quote for everyone. Before the game, we read it, then we put it in our sock to have a little luck. It’s a good way to boost confidence,” Zapotoczny said. Varsity basketball player Keith Ferguson ‘16 recently started a pre-game ritual for himself that is significantly important to him. “I pat the number 12 that I wear on my chest a couple of times before each game in honor of my father who passed August 12, 2014. This reminds me I’m playing for us,” Ferguson said. Sandra Fortoso ‘16 and the water polo team have a super unique chant which they took from the movie Finding Nemo. They get in the zone by using the part of the movie where the characters chant “shark bait oo ah ah.” Cheerleader and tennis player Luisa Brayan ‘17 combats her nerves before a match or cheerleading performance in a scientifically clever approach. She feels this also helps her perform at her best. She said, “ I stand with my fist over my head because that releases confident endorphin’s in your brain.” These pre-game rituals and routines, although very unique and special to each individual or team, have the same goal in mind. They are meant to calm athletic nerves or aid them in performing at their highest level.
Photo by KEVIN SHANNON ‘16
Varsity Boys Basketball
Varsity Girls Basketball
Record: 6-1 Record: 6-3 Last Game: W @ Englewood Last Game: W @ John Hope 58-31 74-60 Upcoming Game: 01/6 Jones @ Phillips Upcoming Game: 01/5 Lindblom @ Jones
Baseball team strikes out: Near North no longer an option JULIA GAWORSKI ‘17, Deputy Editor, Sports Homeless! The end of a sixteen year deal with the Chicago Housing Authority, the organization that controls the ball field at Near North, has left the baseball team field less for the upcoming 20152016 season. The varsity coach, Dave Rosene, has been hard at work alongside athletic director, Frank Griseto, to find new fields for both the short and long term. Walter Payton, Northside College Prep and Lincoln Park High School are all expected to have access to Near North now that Jones been kicked out despite the fact that Lincoln Park has a field at their school. The reason being that these schools are closer to the field than Jones is. “We’ve been hanging on by a thread at Near North for the last ten years” said Griseto, “We’re making arrangements to find as many fields as possible for our varsity team” The threat of losing Near North was present for years leading up to the official departure, but for baseball player, Rolando Alvarado
‘16, the reality of the loss hit hard. “A lot of memories have happened on that field, so los-
Photo by Julia Gaworski ‘17 BRINGING IT IN The baseball team talks about their agenda for fall practice at temporary home Washington Park. ing it is just like losing a part of yourself” said Alvarado. Despite how surreal the loss of Near North is, Rosene believes that what makes the team successful is not the location, rather, the character that the players carry with them wherever they go. “As far as our guys go, we’re
pretty resilient” said Rosene “We’re going to use it as a rallying point rather than a negative” This lack of available space for baseball is a problem that affects not only Jones, but the majority of Chicago Public School teams. “It’s just really sad that a lot of city teams don’t have a place to play” said Rosene, “They’re at the mercy of the park district and the park district doesn’t allow people on the field anywhere between April 1st and April 15th and that’s already a month into our season.” Baseball fields at UIC, ITT and Washington Park are available in the meantime, however, it is evident that finding a permanent field will continue to be a challenge. Though the baseball team has been flexible, Near North will always hold a place in their hearts. “It’s really bizarre just because they’ve told us each year that we might lose the field,” said Alvarado, “but to actually lose it this time is surreal”.
Boys Swim and Dive Past Meet: W @ Lincoln Park 66-19 Next Meet: 01/7 Von Steuben @ Jones
Work hard, eat good
CRISTIAN ESPINOZA ‘16, Sports Staff Getting in shape during the factor to keeping fit, diet is anwinter is a struggle. The freezing other factor that ties in with it. temperatures discontinue peo- Varsity Soccer Coach Juan Espiple’s routines. However, there noza encourages his athletes to are now alternatives at Jones eat healthy and avoid junk food. for students to get in shape. “An athlete’s diet should This fall, Serafin Herrera ‘16 consist of the right amount of and Manuel Ledesma ‘16 took the carbohydrates, protein, fat, and initiative to start the “Team Swole” hydration,” said Espinoza. “I club where student can work- encourage my players to drink out out at their own satisfaction. lots of water before the game.” “It kind of started last year as we However, students don’t rewould go individually to condition ally find themselves changfor sports,” said Herrera. “I would ing their diet, but instead go after school with my friends avoid certain unhealthy foods. two to three days and then decid“I should diet better but I ed to make it official this year.” really don’t,” said Herrera. “I Team Swole runs Tuesdays can’t say I eat healthy, but I and Thursdays from 3:30 to 4:50 in definitely don’t eat unhealthy.” room 213 by art teacher Jake Myers. Huerta also doesn’t change When there aren’t any his diet. “I don’t find it necesoptions in Jones, some stu- sary to change my diet. I’m going dents walk across the street to burn it off regardless, so I eat to XSport fitness to workout. whatever.” Huerta does believe, “Although it [XSport gym] though, that a healthy diet will gets crowded, I am still able to payoff in the long run for athletes. get a great workout in. I highJones is becoming more ly recommend it for students engaged with helping stuat Jones who can’t make it to dents in working out and eatworkout club. The only obstacle ing healthy. With Team Swole, is paying $40 a month. But it’s students now have a place to totally worth it.” said Herrera. condition and workout for free. Though exercise is an important