Friday, Feburary 26, 2021
The Student Newspaper of Jones College Preparatory High School
New LSC clashes with administration
Feb. 9 meeting brings up questions of blame, policy agendas
SAM TEDROWE ‘21 Lead Reporter
Chicago Public Schools (CPS) Board of Education, CEO, and Mayor Lightfoot asking for CPS to redistribute funds used for reopening high schools to improving quality of remote learn During a meeting on Feb. 9, administrators Principal ing. LSC Chair Cassie Creswell noted the difficulties the new Paul J. Powers and Assistant Principal Eric Mitchell expressed council faces as a result of the timing of their term start. concern with the new Local School Council and their purport “Starting mid-year [the LSC] really needs a lot of ed lack of cominformation, munication and and we’ve been willingness to work asking for that together with the from the adadministration. ministration,” Many said Creswell. “ of the new LSC Certainly on my members, who end I have been were voted on Dec. very communi3, came into their cative with the new term with an administration agenda prioritizing and I think that is accountability and super important transparency from going forward so the Jones adminthe LSC has what istration regarding it needs to fulfill topical issues such its duties.” as anti-racism Powers, efforts and school while voting reopening. INTENT VS. IMPACT LSC and the administration are reviewing anti-racist dein favor of the However, mands and considering the implications of the return to in-person learning. reopening letter, the administration reiterated Mitchell’s view that there is potential for improveis concerned with the “finger pointing” and heavy criticism ment in terms of the relationship between the two bodies and they have been receiving from the council, said Mitchell. that the LSC was unnecessarily confrontational. “LSCs do not run schools,” said Mitchell in his “The LSC has too often assumed an adversariremarks at the meeting. “They should work with the school and support their initiatives to improve the school. You all may al stance characterized by accusations and demands of the claim this is your intention; however, thus far that has not been leadership team that ignore and insult the work and dedication we have given to our school family,” said Powers during the your impact.” meeting. “This is my 47th year in the field of education, and I Mitchell said the LSC was not informed of these know who I work for—I work for the students and their famiremarks prior to the meeting, but reached out to the adminislies.” tration after the meeting to clarify some intentions. Mitchell Right now the LSC plans to review and attempt to asserted that criticism of the administration was spread through incorporate student demands over anti-racism efforts spanning emails to staff, via social media, and that there was “bashing” curriculum, restorative justice, and School Resource Offiof individuals who disagreed with the council’s agenda. cers. The administration is also in the process of creating an “As an administration, we try to put certain things in anti-racist plan, with the oversight of outside groups including place and we’re always kind of criticized about what we’re Mikva Challenge and Equal Opportunity Schools. doing,” said Mitchell. “Some peoples’ criticisms are positive, “[We’re] addressing a mix of new demands and relatbut there are a lot of peoples’ criticisms that are negative. We ed demands made by the Black Coalition and really looking at spend a lot of time dealing with the negative scrutiny, and what we can do as an LSC to see where the budget is directed some of that was coming from various members of the [new] and what the School Improvement Plan looks like,” said CreLSC.” swell. “More generally, I also think there’s a huge demand for Alongside efforts to address anti-racism at Jones attention to student mental health.” on the institutional level, the LSC sent an open letter to the
Principal Paul Joseph Powers said he wants to see students back at school in the near future in a safe way. “I think it should be done carefully, because we want to make sure that everyone is safe and we’re following proper protocols, but I think it’s also extremely important that we start having students back in school, at the earliest possible time, in keeping with the health and safety protocols,” Powers said. While many people are hoping for a set date in which students will start returning to school, one has yet to be set. “With regard to reopening for the rest of the high school pro-
More girls in computer science Jones wins AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award XOCHI CORTEZ ‘23 Lifestyles Staff
Principal Paul J. Powers announced in an email that Jones had won a College Board award for having more than 50 percent of their AP Computer Science test takers being female. Bryant Jaramillo, a computer science teacher, said that one of the department’s main goals has always been to make the class as accessible as possible to students from various backgrounds. “We take all of that into account and we have kind of catered what we teach to accommodate as many people as possible, so it doesn’t matter what gender you are, or what your background is, you can still take the class and be successful,” said Jaramillo. What is credited for discouraging many female students from paths like computer science is that they feel it’s a space where they can’t express themselves. Not having any prior experience to the subject can be discouraging as well. “What they don’t realize is computer science feeds on your creativity, so a lot of people don’t know what computer science is when they walk into the room, but then once they start learning how to code, learning how to create apps and and creating things,’’ said Jaramillo. Computer Science teacher Michael Kolody said the Girls Who Code club, an organization which was created this summer, should be also credited with this award. “It’s so amazing what that group of students did because I think that they’ve gotten this whole thing going,” said Kolody. “They met regularly virtually and during the summer, which to me was incredible.” The club’s main objective is to have more female students exposed to coding, with projects that cover topics like mental health and global warming. “I think it’s a win-win situation where girls benefit from computer science and computer science vastly benefits from more women gram, we are basically waiting to hear from CPS,” Powers said. being in that field,” said the president of Girls There are a lot of factors in determining when and Who Code club, Sanya Sharma ‘21. “Comhow students return. One factor is how well equipped the Jones puter science is so powerful nowadays, and buildings are to handle students during COVID. we’re kind of creating products that apply to Air purifiers have been installed in every classroom everyone. If you’re losing that woman’s voice, and the spaces across the building. Additionally, a temperature then you never get that opinion which literally check and health screening form has been implemented for applies to 50% of the world’s population.” anyone entering the building. Trinity Lee ‘21, the club’s vice pres “My sense is that most teachers would be okay going ident, said that spaces that are not diverse can back to school. I think the biggest concern for teachers is the make it difficult for other people to feel welfact that that north building doesn’t have windows that open,” come in things like computer science spaces. CTU rep Anthony Cappetta said. “That is definitely a big “[Computer Science] is predominantly concern among staff members -- being stuck in a room for eight made up of cisgender white males,” said Lee. hours and not having fresh air come in.” “And so, it is common that women, especially Jones is also trying to figure out the best way to bring women of color, do not feel welcome in these people back and while not diminishing anyone’s learning expe- spaces, and that greatly limits the opportunities rience. afforded to women, and it limits the kind of “We’re going to find ourselves where some students success that they feel they can are in the building, learning, and some students are still at home attain.” learning,” Powers said. “ I want to make sure that the students who are sitting in the classroom and the students who are sitting at home are getting the same access to good instruction.” Students also agree that in-person learning should resume. “Going back to school is essential because it provides more social interaction with people our age and helps teachers and students connect on a deeper level,” Maddie Huang ‘23 said. Photo by Sam Tedrowe ‘21
Jones administration plans for in-person learning GABI JOSEFSON ‘23 Lifestyles Staff
Volume 6, Issue 3
Graphic by Fiona Kogan ‘22
PAGE 2 Kicking Covid The city estimates that vaccinations for people 16 and older could be available by May.
JONESBLUEPRINT.COM @JONESBLUEPRINT FEBRUARY 26, 2021
South Loop restaurants close as pandemic continues Jones “staple” restaurants permanently shut down amidst pandemic FIONA KOGAN ‘22 Associate Editor, Design Several community announcements confirmed a number of Jones-area restaurants have gone out of business or plan to close after lack of student customers and business. Before March of last year, dining choices closest to Jones included diverse fare such as Panera, Devil Dawgs, and Art of Pizza. Restaurants like these would cater to Columbia College, Robert Morris, Depaul, Roosevelt, University of Illinois-Chicago and Jones students. Among those that have permanently closed include Hax: Hops and Hamburgers (formerly Hackney’s), a longstanding diner located on Printer’s Row. The former owners of Hax also own the Flaco’s Tacos next door, as well as Gordo’s ice cream parlor connected to the building. According to Yelp, the Chicago themed diner, Standing Room Only (SRO), is temporarily closed. Another restaurant to close permanently is Pauly’s Pizzeria, ending a 20-year stay in the South Loop area. Other restaurants have opted to temporarily close during COVID-19, including Buddy Guy’s Legends, a South Loop staple for nearly 30 years. On State St. and Van Buren, the familiar Panera building lacks the restaurant inside of it. The once crowded restaurant where students would socialize and eat is now a ghost town. The paintings, DESERTED Art of Pizza, Urban Grocers, Jimmy John’s and Devil Dawgs pictured on the corner of State St. and Polk after Urban Grocers announced their closure and a car crashed into Jimmy John’s. Many Jones students have lamented the loss of out-of-school eating and consider what a future back in school might look like. Goodwin Lane ‘23 said he looks forward to eating outside of Jones when possible and thinks it might make for a safer environment. “First, I’m worried about the safety of lunch in school, because eating requires students to remove their masks,” said Lane. “Unless teachers, students, and staff are vaccinated, I don’t think taking our masks off is a good idea. Eating outside would feel much safer to me. Second, out-of-school lunch sounds fun! I wouldn’t want to eat inside a restaurant, but eating in a park or something would be nice. I’d really enjoy a quick break from being in school.” Benedict Shwaegel ‘21 will be graduating this year and often used the “off-school lunch” policy to reward himself after taking a test or finishing a difficult assignment. Shwaegel wasn’t surprised at the increasing loss of patronage at these restaurants. “I’m not really [surprised], since not many kids are stopping and getting things to eat,” said Shwaegel. “They would lose a good chunk of income.” Photos by Fiona Kogan ‘22
school lunch policy next year,” said Green, “I’m not a very big fast food person to begin with, but also I’m not even sure what’s still around down there, and it might be even more crowded if everyone comes back to work and school at the same time and wants food.” Many restaurants have had to rely solely on take-out dining and curbside pickup for their sales, making their futures even more tenuous. However, the city recently increased indoor dining to 40 percent after a drop of COVID-19 cases. These restaurants include Flaco’s Tacos, Devil Dawgs, The Grail Cafe, Starbucks, Cafecito, Potbelly and Wingstop.
ONLY TEMPORARY Kasey’s Tavern rides out the pandemic.
signs, lights, and furniture once inside are now gone. At Jones, upperclassmen are typically allowed to leave school campus for lunch, opting to buy from one of the many surrounding establishments. Miranda Green ‘22 is one of this year’s juniors that was never able to utilize this privilege, as schools instituted remote learning prior to Green’s junior year. Green is among students concerned about the fate of restaurants next year. “I don’t really plan on using the out-of-
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PAGE 3 Welcome Back! Daniel Kovacs had returned from his 14 month deployment in Poland.
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Ast. Principal leaves Jones
Fay accepts elementary principal position AVA THOMPSON ‘21 Editor-In-Chief GABI JOSEFSON ‘23 Lifestyles Staff
the prospect of possibly being an assistant principal here.” Assistant Principal Eric Mitchell speculated that there is no “rush” to fill Fay’s position. He said Jones listed the job offering and could potentially fill the position before the end of the school year. “We’ll start looking through resumes and things of that nature and come across the right fit,” said Mitch Assistant Principal Eric Fay said in a Google Meet ell. “Then, we may hire before the end of the year.” interview he will become the next principal of Lincoln El- However, Fay said it’s “not ideal” to leave Jones in the ementary on Feb. 22. middle of the school year, espe Fay said he recially being the new principal ceived the job offer on during a pandemic. Fay said he Feb.9, having only a two is having meetings with Lincoln week transition period. Fay teachers, the former principal, will enter Lincoln before Friends of Lincoln and others. all elementary students re“That’s one of the reasons I turn to in-person learning. thought I would start when the Despite being a teachers are starting to come high school assistant princiback,” said Fay. “And then, pal, Fay has an undergraduK to five students return for a ate degree in Elementary Edhybrid schedule on March 1. ucation, taught elementary So, things will be ramping up school, and has been an elfor the end of the school year.” ementary assistant principal. Mitchell said his work “Well, it’s just load might be different bebeen a just really a lifelong fore a new assistant princidream for me to be principal comes in. Mitchell said pal of a school,” said Fay. assistant principals “divvy” “And when this opportuup the work of teacher evalnity presented itself, I just re- DnD Ast. Principal Eric Fay plays DnD with other staff uation sand other assessments. ally thought I would just go members in March 2020. But without Fay there, Assistant for it and see what happens.” Principal Therese Plunkett and Jones has already started looking for Fay’s replacement Mitchell will have to divide work up another way. and the position has received a lot of interest from educators. “We, as assistant principals, kind of consider ourselves “It’s exciting to see the interest because I think peo- generalists,” said Mitchell. “We all cover different arple realize Jones is an amazing school,” Principal Paul Jo- eas but with Fay leaving, it just means some things that seph Powers said. “I see people who are very excited about perhaps we share some of us will kind of take over.”
Teachers strike averted
Jones community shares reactions to avoided strike CARRIGAN GARRITY ‘22 School Editor MADELINE FITZGERALD ‘22 Lifestyles Editor
Emotions ran high as teachers scrambled to find contingency plans for finals in the event of a strike. The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) voted to work from home, and they were unable to reach a reopening negotiation with Chicago Public Schools (CPS) in late January. The CTU was unclear about initiating a strike. However, CTU said if they were to be locked out from their accounts, that would prompt a strike. CTU and CPS came to an agreement during finals week. “Teachers should have been able to stay remote if they didn’t have any students going in-person, but when a teacher refused to go in-person they were locked out regardless of their students’ situation,” Math teacher Kyle Eck said. “The district wasn’t negotiating with teachers, so it felt like a proportional response to entertain the possibility of a strike.” As the weeks went on, the strike kept getting delayed. What once was almost a certainty was now in a constant state of postponement. “The postponing definitely elevated my anxiety, but as they kept postponing things as CTU and CPS were talking, it calmed my anxiety a little bit because the possibility that they were going to lock us out at that point was low,” said forensics science and biology teacher Garrett Smith. However, as finals week neared, the Chicago Teachers Union and the district had yet to reach a compromise. “I was in meetings every night the week before finals
week, so that made me anxious,” said Eck. Zoe Good ‘22 said she was worried about the impact the strike may have on finals, especially because she did not get much guidance from teachers. “I was a little nervous it would happen right in the middle of finals and I was ready for finals to be done with,” said Good. “If the strike had happened we were going to have to keep waiting for finals to happen, too.” Smith planned to have his finals open for the entire week on Goformative for students to take regardless of whether or not there was a strike. “I’m not sure what striking looks like on [the students’] end and if they are able to get into Goformative and all those tools that we’re using virtually,” said Smith. Some teachers and students were relieved when the strike was called off, and Eck said he was thankful. Despite there being no return date for high schoolers, Eck voiced his support for elementary school teachers who felt unsafe going back to school buildings. “I stand with our elementary school teachers,” said Eck. “Even though I’m not being pressured to return to in-person teaching, we’re all in the same boat and have the same contract. We’re all in this together.” Smith reiterated that teachers need to stand together, even if the return to in-person learning doesn’t directly affect them. “It’s important that we have solidarity with our elementary and middle school teachers,” said Smith. “I think it’s important that we recognize that people are in totally different circumstances than what we have at Jones, and we don’t face a lot of the same issues that teachers from other schools do.”
Photos by Josh Blustein ‘20
College Board introduces AP testing plan Admin begins planning spring tests WHITNEY SHURTLIFF ‘22 Copy Editor
Although Jones has yet to solidify its individual Advanced Placement (AP) testing plan for the spring, the College Board has introduced multiple testing plans because of COVID-19. The College Board will offer fulllength testing options, unlike last year, when tests were significantly shortened. In addition, there are now three testing sessions available for students, each offering virtual or traditionally-formatted exams. College Board’s plan includes two in-person options: one on paper and the other online. Both prohibit notes. The third plan is online and at home. Jonathan Smith, an AP U.S. History and AP Government teacher, said he was glad to hear of later testing opportunities. “The possibility of these digital exams which happen at a later date are very exciting for me,” said Smith. “That gives me more time in the class in the runup to these exams.” To help organize Jones AP testing, the school has hired a new testing coordinator, Nicole Guevara. She said she hopes to give students flexibility over when they test and what format they can take it in. “[Eric] Mitchell and I are working on a survey to send students asking them their thoughts, their preferences, and concerns,” Guevara said. “Ideally, I would like to be able to meet students where they are and give them options with the options that AP has allowed.” Assistant Principal Eric Mitchell said the College Board formed its plan with the varying degrees of in-person and remote learning in place across the country in mind. “I guess the College Board has looked at it from a national perspective,” he said. “There have been probably larger percentages of people who have gone remote, but there are people who have been in school every day as well. So, to be fair, they have to present the best option for everyone, which is why I think they have this collective hodgepodge that they provided.” Smith said the new AP testing plan is a step up from the situation from last spring. “I like the full-length exam because it gives students a fair assessment of all that they know,” said Smith. “Still, even the fulllength exam, there’s going to be entire topics that you’ve spent hours of studying...not show up on that exam. And that’s unfortunate, but it’s even worse for the shortened exams.” Although students are assured full-length exams this time around, their full range of options are still up in the air. “I’m going to start creating a tentative plan; however, nothing will be finalized until we meet with the district,” said Guevara. “We have to wait until the district [Chicago Public Schools] tells us what we can do. What’s expected is they’re going to have some meetings with some AP coordinators in the city, get some conversation going, get some dialogue, and then they’ll release their guidance.”
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JONESBLUEPRINT.COM @JONESBLUEPRINT FEBURARY 26, 2021
ThisTheir is a headine words matter Jones hosts seminars to better teachers’ BIPOC response To help reconcile the overall experience of BIPOC students at Jones, the administration organized the FOJ funded anti-racist training. Jones teachers have to do a series of virtual workshops and seminars to increase their knowledge and empathy in hopes to decrease the tension between the students and staff, according to administration. Two out of the six sessions have been completed. In those sessions teachers learned anti-racist terminology, the difference between diversity, inclusion, and equity, and the history of whiteness in America. The workshops take place during Eagle Days as a part of the teachers’ professional development, and attendance is mandatory. “The voices of students really pushed things to a point where it couldn’t be dismissed or ignored,” said teacher Dunkin Dobrik *. “Jones used to be a predominantly minority school, and as we transitioned to the new building, as the consent decree of CPS that asked for even racial representation in schools was struck down, the demographics started to change. As the demographics started to change, students of color started complaining more and more about things a fellow student said to them, things that teachers had done intentionally or unintentionally.” Tensions in the school have been at a breaking point due to the steady stream of complaints and stories of microaggressions. “A group of about 75 percent of the Jones faculty wrote a letter to the administration in February of last year, asking for antiracist professional development. This summer after everything, after the LSC meetings, we had students publicly, powerfully sharing stories of how they felt,” said Do-
JONESBLUEPRINT.COM @JONESBLUEPRINT FEBURARY 26, 2021
Including activism in education
This is a subheadline
AKIRA SINNOTT ‘22 Lifestyles Staff
Farewell! Ast. Principal Dr. Fay will be principal of Lincoln Elementary
brik. “Administration agreed and Friends of Jones agreed to help fund this anti-racist program through Davis Squared Consulting and it’s a six-part series.” Contrary to popular belief, the Illinois Report Card said 39 percent of Jones students are white. Despite not being a Predominantly White Institution (PWI), the teaching staff does not reflect the student popuation as 51 percent of Jones staff i s white. “A
g o o d place to start is by the adults in the community, like the teachers and administration, educating ourselves about the different experiences of the different groups that our student population is made up of,” said Science Department Chair Heidi Park. “If you’re not spending that time do-
ing the work to learn about what other groups have experienced historically and currently, it’s hard to even be aware that we might need to respond in specific ways and do specific things.” There is an overwhelming amount of support for the program, but some students are upset that i t had to go on for this long before something was done about the issue. “The scandals with our peers, it was a lot. I feel like because of everything that happened last year, in regards to George Floyd and the BLM movement, that’s when they started doing the training programs for being anti-racist,” said Laura Pratt ‘22. “It’s good, it’s a step of progress, but I don’t like that the sequence of events had to unfold in that way, instead of Jones doing it out of their own good.” Some of the work is being done behind the scenes, out of the public eye, but that doesn’t allow students to be aware of the changes happening. “The adults at Jones know that there is pain. A lot of the adults are asking the question, ‘What can be done?’ I would say that even when students aren’t seeing those conversations happening, they are,” said English teacher Tricia Rodriguez. “I think they’re doing a good job of saying, up front, that the anti-racist portion hasn’t really been approached yet. It’s more work that needs to be done before you can have that discussion. They’re well intentioned and well informed, whether or not that work is being reflected in the classroom.” Graphics by Akira Sinnott ‘22
Non-history teachers honor Black History Month AMARA ALEXANDER ‘21 Opinion Editor AKIRA SINNOTT ‘22 Lifestyles Staff
During Black History Month, Jones has decided to implement a Black Lives Matter week. This week is meant to acknowledge and educate the Jones community on Black history in all subjects. Some teachers in the math and science d e -
partments are using this opportunity to s h e d light on Black achievements in their respective fields. APEnvironmental Science teacher Eric Hancock has reserved a large portion of his curriculum to educate students about environmental racism and environmental justice. During Black History Month, he featured individual Black figures in the environmental science field. “Learning about this stuff is important, not just as lip service for Black History Month, but we need a cultural revival in which we redefine what we see as progress and redefine what we see as success and put more value on community and each other,” said Hancock. The Physics department posted a Black History
Month scientist spotlight, hoping to diversify the selection of scientists that students learn about. Physics teacher Erin Cathcara said this is a step in the right direction. The department is trying to do more than the surface level. “This could be part of a larger dialogue,” said Cathcara. “This was a really good idea that Mr. Clayton had, which is why I started doing it in AcLab too. And now instead of the attendance questions I’m going to try and do more info post check in questions.” To help the students further explore on their own, the teachers attached links that give a more in depth look at the lives of t h e Black scientists.
Steven Clayton had his students do a scavenger hunt where they matched graphs with scenarios. He added quotes from a diverse group of scientists with the help of the other teachers in the physics department to make the assignment more inclusive. “This is something that we’ve all talked about trying to incorporate. But I’ve also known that there’s a huge blind spot of non-European scientists,” said Steven Clayton. I’ve always wanted to incorporate it but like, honestly, there’s not that many resources out there”. The physics department said they are optimistic about the effects these new changes will have to the previous curriculum. “I appreciate the fresh breath of scientists. I think a lot of times when you experience Black History Month activities in school you see the same couple names pop up again and again. So I’ve been learning a ton by putting
these things together and giving access to my students.” These teachers are also hoping to integrate social justice issues into their curriculums to inspire students to push towards a more equitable future for society. Statistics teacher Kimberly Bowman is striving to include these topics as examples of how math can be applied in the real world. “ W e have to
find creative ways of breaking down systemic racism within the history of mathematics. And then, use social issues within the context of things like statistics to help bring issues to light and to have discussions and educate others about it,” said Bowman. Hancock said talking about these topics will help his students realize how environmental issues, such as climate change, stem from the culture of the exploitation of marginalized communities. “These types of lessons are some of the best ways to start thinking, conceptualizing, seeing how it [environmental injustice] is played out in history, and seeing how it still plays out today. And then, we can challenge our notions of what the status quo is and what our society should look like,” said Hancock. Graphics by Akira Sinnott ‘22
The brains behind the Virtual Black Leadership Panel Future of Black Coalition ANA ROWLEY ’22 School Staff The Jones ership panel on Feb. 16. The primary focus of power to discuss their workplace. “We wantpeople who look like portunity to ask [the of Black Leaders An essential students to across Yo u n g Morner of En-
Black Coalition hosted a virtual Black leadthe virtual panel was for Black people in methods of success and diversity in the ed to give a chance to students to have them come in and give them the opspeakers] questions,” said co-president and Mentors Club, Janiel Laboy ‘22. aspect of the panel was to allow hear from a variety of speakers many career paths. Kenya - Executive Producer of ing Edition at NPR; T.J. Breeden - foundeMerging trepreneurs;
Cristel Turner - Sr. Director of Brand Communications at U.S. Cellular; Raychel Barfield - VP of Virtual Events PGi; and Braxton Simpson - senior at Tennessee State University and a Leadership Fellow were the speakers of the evening. “We have a lot of technologically inclined people in our panel, all who may be doing stocks or software and computer editing,” said Laboy. Breeden discussed the idea of staying true to oneself and trusting the process to success throughout the panel. “I see a lot of young people that I work with experience this; they’re trying to find their voice, and then a consequence of that is sometimes grouping yourselves or allowing yourself to be grouped in spaces where your individuality gets lost,” said Breeden. Another important topic discussed in the panel was navigating different careers as a student of color. “I feel like a lot of the times Black students and Black young adults can be dismissed from different fields, and feel like they can’t obtain different roles when in actuality these roles are out there,” said Cole Francis ‘22 co-president of Black Leaders and Mentors Club. The panel aims to give Black students and other students of color outlets to feel included and promote students’ desire to obtain more aid in overall success. “I feel like a lot of these spaces aren’t a s
inclusive as we want them to be, so having something specifically towards Black students really helps with just making sure that they know that somebody is looking out for them, and somebody wants them to succeed,” said Francis. Laboy and Francis took over as co-presidents of the Black Students and Mentors Club this year and have dedicated themselves to re-structuring their club and being proactive with their outreach both to other clubs within Jones and beyond. Additiona l l y, the
Black Students and Mentor’s club has added an Outreach Manager to provide additional support to the club and started working on projects such as the “Being Black at Jones” letter as early as the summer. I think it’s been very instrumental for getting recognition for Black students at Jones because w h e n we united it was just a lot easier to put weight and power behind what we were d o ing,” said Laboy. Looking into the future, Laboy and Francis are preparing for what the Black Students and Mentors Club will look like without them. “We need to make sure that we can make this club sustainable even after we graduate,” said Laboy. Graphics by Fiona Kogan ‘22
PAGE 6 Picture Day! Grades 9-11 will have picture day on March 3rd & 4th.
JONESBLUEPRINT.COM @JONESBLUEPRINT FEBRUARY 26, 2021
How do we learn to love ourselves?
Promoting positive self-talk to young people struggling with body image is more prevalent than ever GUINEVERE MACLOWRY ‘22 Struggling with body insecurity is regarded as a normal behavior in young people, but many adults fail to see the severity of the current situation. With the rise of social media, it’s hard to feel adequate in one’s own skin, and it’s impossible for one person to adhere to our culture’s ever changing beauty standards. Hating our bodies has become the new normal for teenagers in 2021. Adolescent girls are taught that the only way to be seen as desirable is to adhere to a specific image of beauty and health. In an attempt to fit said image, girls fixate on every flaw, and distort their own image. According to a 2014 study done by Heather R. Gallivan at the Park Nicollet Melrose Center, over 80 percent of 10-year-olds are afraid of being fat, and 40-70 percent of middle school girls are dissatisfied with two or more parts of their body. Body positivity campaigns such as Dove’s “Real Beauty Pledge” encourage girls to build body confidence and look up to “real women” instead of models. As nice as it is to see diversity in the beauty industry, a marketing campaign is not going to impact the mental health of girls growing up in the age of the internet. Young boys, however, are often left out of the conversation entirely. They don’t get a feel-good billboard to tell them their body is valid. The beauty standard for men is shifting in a different way; the “skinny guy” image has had a surge in popularity on Tiktok. I’ve seen dozens of comments and videos promoting the “malnourished look.” Boys are being told that looking like they “smoke a pack a day” is attractive, but also to be strong and masculine.
Adults need to have healthy conversations with young people about mental health to prevent them from developing eating disorders, which affect 9 percent of the population. According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD), “eating disorders are among the deadliest mental illnesses.” But how do we learn to love ourselves? Is it possible to find comfort in our bodies? Yes, but developing a healthy relationship with your body is not an overnight transformation. Blocking out negative selftalk is difficult, and oftentimes not something an individual can achieve alone. Reaching out for help from family, friends, or a licensed therapist are all great ways to combat repetitive negative thoughts. However, this is not always an option for everyone. Deleting apps, distancing yourself from toxic people, and meditating are great ways to prioritize your mental health and build up self esteem when things are hard. In a study about body image, the UK Mental Health Foundation concluded that we should all be aware of the ways we casually speak about our own bodies in our daily lives. Learning to love our bodies as they are starts with practicing and promoting positive self-talk. There are no shortcuts when it comes to matters of the mind, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. That light is attainable, and you are worthy of basking in it. Graphics By: Guinevere Maclowry ‘22
Lasting the test of time
The importance of implementing Black History Month efforts year round When Carter G. Woodson created the idea of Black History Week in 1926, he wanted it to be a week to highlight the accomplishments of Black Americans in a society that undermines them. However, he didn’t want this history to be confined into a week, but eventually, be highlighted year-round. This year, Jones has been more involved in recognizing Black History Month. Administration has been lifting up the concerns and demands the Black Coalition addressed in their open letter to the Jones community and fervently promoting Black Coalition events. Teachers have also been highlighting important Black figures and achievements that pertain to their respective fields. While these efforts are impressive and have been well-received, teachers and students want to make sure that these efforts aren’t in vain. The conversations shouldn’t just be reserved for Black History Month and Black History Month only. In the classroom, teachers should still be covering Black history from a holistic approach. Students and teachers alike should be made aware of the heinous inequalities the Black community has faced and how those inequalities are still present in society today. At the same time, the focus shouldn’t solely be on the struggles the Black community faces. The content should be equalized with education on Black achievements and debunking false narratives created
within European and American history. Students should also receive the same training as teachers on different subjects such as microaggressions vs. macroaggressions and how to curb their own discriminatory actions and beliefs. The Jones community needs to
maintain the same momentum year-round to uplift Black voices as they do during the month of February. By not following through with an anti-racist agenda, the Jones community would be upholding an empty promise to its own. Administration and teachers should put more effort into establishing relationships with their Black students. They shouldn’t just check in with their progress inside the classroom, but outside as well. Fostering these relationships will help create a safe space for Black students where they feel their needs are being met. While action can’t be taken overnight, the Black students and Black teachers in the Jones community should be directly involved in the push for change.
Graphics By: Fiona Kogan ‘22
PAGE 7 Soccer Tryouts! Interested in playing girls soccer? Email dsbylsma@cps.edu for info.
JONESBLUEPRINT.COM @JONESBLUEPRINT FEBURARY 26, 2021
Week in the life of a COVID-19 athlete What this crazy season is truly like TOMMY CLELAND ‘21 Sports Staff
tice to get in shape. On top of that, we had to learn a whole week of plays in about 20 minutes. MONDAY: Monday, the school was closed so we planned to come back Tuesday, Feb. 16. However, CPS made a decision that day that the preschools would not be going back in person, which meant all CPS schools would be closed.
When Chicago Public Schools (CPS) finally gave us the go ahead to play basketball, I knew this was not going to be like any other season. With a shortened schedule starting in February and ending on March 20th, a lack of fans, and the absence of a tournament, it has certainly been a crazy experience to be an athlete during COVID-19. Before we could even have our first game, the Illinois High School Sports Association (IHSA) required our team to have seven practices, so we had to practice almost everyday. Our first two games were scheduled to take place Feb 19 and 20. We had tryouts on Feb. 11 and 12. We played a lot of scrimmages for the coach to see who he liked, and did a lot of running. After practice on the 12th, our coach told us the 15 guys who made it. SATURDAY: The first day of practice AND ONE: Tommy Cleland ‘21 goes up for the layup in a match against Lindblom was Saturday Feb. 13. It was very odd to walk into the building with no one in it, surrounded by ele- Unfortunately, because of the practice requirements, we vator capacity signs and follow the arrow stickers that had to cancel our first game on Friday the 19th, so we traffic on one side of the staircase directing you where started to prepare for our first game on Satto go. On top of that, each day I have to fill out a sur- urday against Holy Trinity. vey saying I do not have any symptoms and I have to We were then wonget my temperature checked. When we practice, we all dering h o w have to wear masks. Other than that and being really out of shape, practices were not any different than before. SUNDAY: On Sunday, Feb. 14, we ran for about half the prac-
many more bumps in the road there will be to affect our shortened season. Instead of practice that day, our coach had us watch film of Holy Trinity for Saturday’s game. WEDNESDAY: We went right back to it on Wednesday, Feb 17. We drilled in those plays the whole practice and implemented defenses and rotations for the game. THURSDAY: Thursday was very similar to Wednesday. The only difference was that it was one day closer to game day. FRIDAY: Friday was a walk through. Our coach had us run through the plays and defenses a couple times just to make sure we had it ingrained in our heads. One more day. I could not sleep. SATURDAY: Game day arrived. It was finally the day. It was very unusual to first be playing on a weekend and not have my mom there to take photos and cheer at the top of her lungs. It was so different breathing through cloth with no fans. It was very eerie. The game went well though. We ended the first half tied at 21. It was a hard fought game by my fellow Eagles and me that went into overtime. We eventually won with clutch free throws, 55-51. I am so happy I am able to have a season no matter how jam packed the schedule it is. Even though the mask can be a pain, the schedule is all over the place, and each day I wonder If I will have another game. However, it is 100% worth it. Playing a game every day is tiring but in the end it is so fulfilling to hear that buzzer noise and the screeching of the shoes. Being an athlete at this time is sort of stressful and chaotic, but it is so worth it. It’s just an experience that cannot be mimicked anywhere else. It truly is one of the best games in the world. Even though there is a small danger to playing and basketball is considered a high-risk sport, the precautions of having no fans and making each player wear a mask while playing makes us players feel safe. There is no reason not to let a kid get out of the house and do something they truly love to do. Photo by Tommy Cleland ‘21
Satire: It’s fight night Jones students fight as a remedy to the school’s lack of football LEO NECHELES ‘22 Associate Editor, Print *Interview names are anonymous to ensure their identity and safety **Satire is not meant to be taken seriously
In recent times, various Jones students have chosen to draw inspiration from the famous movie “Fight Club” and host various fights of their own. Although the first rule of “Fight Club ‘’ famously states, “You do not talk about Fight Club,” these students chose to skip the rule portion of the event and get straight to the fighting. “[Fight Club] is a coalition of people who enjoy the art of boxing and want to practice it on one another,” said fight club participant George Kanter ‘22. While it appears straightforward at first sight, the roots of this fight club are planted much deeper than it may initially seem. The source of these roots: Jones’ lack of a tackle football team. “It’s violence, so it lets out anger and passion and physical roughness that you otherwise would see in football,” said Jaden Daniels ‘22, another fight club participant. “The reason we do fight club is because we don’t have a football team.” For many years, Jones students have complained about the school’s absence of a football team. With seemingly every other Chicago Public School boasting a team for the sport, Jones has continuously been left in the dust with no spirit-filled, action-packed football games to at-
tend during the fall sports season. “It’s b u l l sh---,” said Daniels. “I wish we had a team. It would bring a lot of publicity to Jones and we’d be a better school overall.” With a need to take out their anger, and no football team to do it with, students are finding fight club to be an ideal solution. “In football, whenever you’re mad you take it out on your defender or the person guarding you. But now, we don’t have the opportunity to do that,” said fight club member Darryl Brady ‘22. “We have to take out that anger on other people through fight club.” The thirst for violence in today’s high schools has driven students to entirely new levels. In most schools, kids are granted opportunities to take out their anger on the football field, or even in school hallways. However, with Jones’ high-tech security system, also known as Marge, fighting at school is not an option. This forces students to fight without the oversight of adults off of school property. Although the dangers of fighting without adults may appear drastic upon first sight, the students participating do their
best to ensure things don’t get too out of hand. “There’s been a mix in the fights between MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) and boxing,” said Kanter. “The most common fights we’ll see are boxing because people don’t want to get too messed up.” While “safety first” is always a priority, the members of the fight club still hold nothing back in their fights. Rules for the fights are relatively broad, but they still ultimately declare a winner each time. “It’s usually by hits and knockdowns, but it’s also about who looks the worst after,” said Kanter. “They go two full minutes and they decide from there if they want to go more rounds.” In a world of violence and sports, Jones students have managed to channel the two together to create a hobby unlike any other. With the institution of a fight club, students can take out their anger from so many societal issues in a safe and friendly manner. Graphics by Fiona Kogan ‘22 and Leo Necheles ‘22
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JONESBLUEPRINT.COM @JONESBLUEPRINT FEBUARARY 26, 2021
Indoor sports return to CPS
Basketball and boys swimming begin practices
NIKOLA BILAVER ‘21 School Sports Association (IHSA) al- ical condition or shape that I’d like a Sports Staff lowed their sports to return on Jan 27. team to be going into a season, just the On Feb. 9, Chicago Public “I was very excited. Un- chance to see the guys interact with each Schools (CPS) made an announcement fortunately it’s been like the third other, joke with each other, smile, and allowing or fourth time that we’ve been told feel a for winlittle bit ter sports normal to return. made it CPS said the best that bowlfirst day ing, basof a seaketball, son I’ve badminton, e v e r competihad,” tive cheer s a i d and dance, b o y s and boys swimswimming m i n g and diving coach practices P a u l could beA n d e rgin Feb. 11. s o n . “We startHowed practice ever, last Thursit’s not day, the just the first day experiwe could enced BASKETBALL COVID-19 STYLE Devin Boston ‘22 goes for a layup at the Eagle Nest. athletes get back on all levparticels freshmen through varsity, and it’s returning so at first it was like ipating in this new season. it’s been great,” said boys basket- some hesitancy,” said Kavalauskas. For some students, this is ball coach Richard Kavalauskas. “I Although the circumstances of their first year participating in a sport. think the guys are all excited to be this season aren’t perfect for many CPS “This year we have a lot of back in the gym with one another.” sports teams, for a lot of teams, mo- new faces around, we have three fresh Many coaches and athletes rale is high now that athletes are able men, four sophomores, two seniors and were waiting for CPS to allow prac- to reunite with their team members. three juniors on the varsity team,” said tices for weeks, after the Illinois High “While we aren’t in the phys- girls basketball coach Nicholas Teich.
Photo by Tommy Cleland ‘21
Basketball season trimmed
Basketball players, coaches provide perspective on a month long season ADRAIN ZAMUDIO ‘21 Sports Staff Once Chicago Public Schools (CPS) announced that basketball would have a shortened season this year, different members of the Jones sports teams reacted positively to the news. Rebekah Robinson ‘21, a member of the girls basketball team, said she was grateful for the news and began thinking of logistics for the season. “I was excited, but I just knew I was gonna be out of shape,” said Robinson. “I was just hoping that I would have a good return but I was excited about havi n g a senior season.” Richard Kavalauskas, t h e boys basketball coach, explained how this season would look for the boys team. “We’re playing the season in basically five weeks, and we’re still playing just about half of a normal schedule. We were able to get about 15 games scheduled,” said Kavalauskas. “The way that CPS has this broken down is that we can only hold 15 players per level so we have a 15 roster, a 15 person roster for each level freshman JV and varsity.”
Kavalauskas elucidated how the basketball team is taking the necessary precautions to prevent more COVID-19 cases in the Chicago Public Schools student body. “They have to fill out the health screener, then the screener security checks the men,”said Kavalauskas. “When they come upstairs they walk up the stairs, they don’t take the elevator.” Students wondered if the shortened season would influence senior players to decrease their performance beexclusion of the normally grant “I say committed ath110% in whether so I hope not. to play basself, not or anyinson. Presshared a h o w
cause of the season rewards ed to seniors. no, if you’re a lete. You put we have a season, You are supposed ketball for yourfor any rewards thing,” said Rob-
ences student athletes’ work ethics. “I think we’ll try just as hard to succeed this year as we would in the years prior, despite not having playoffs,” said Crockett. “It’s definitely harder motivation wise to know that you’re not really playing for like a championship or a title.” Crockett and Robinson shared a similar experience between the boys and girls teams when having masks on during practices. “In terms of just like, it being like annoying stuff? It hasn’t been that bad... It’s not like it gets in the way or anything, but when you’re tired, it hurts,” said Robinson To accomodate for social distancing, players must separate by age group. “There’s a certain amount of people that can only be in a gym, so he [Coach Kavalauskas] generally separates it by age group,” said Crockett.
ton Crockett ‘21 message about COVID influ-
Graphic by Fiona Kogan ‘22
Sports tryouts resume
Uncertainty looms around impending sports seasons
LEO NECHELES ‘22 Associate Editor, Print After the Illinois High School Sports Association’s (IHSA’s) recent announcement for sports to return, high school sports coaches have been left scrambling to fill up their teams. On Jan. 27, the IHSA released their updated schedule for Illinois sports, revealing that some winter sports could resume immediately, and spring sports would be allowed to begin starting inApril. Chicago Public Schools (CPS) approved the schedule. “The IHSA has provided a statewide season softball start date,” said Head Softball coach Andrew Pickett. “However, there has been no guidance offered by CPS Sports Administration.” Left with only an assumption that sports will be resuming, some coaches have been struggling to send out efficient methods of communication to prospective athletes. “This is especially hard this year as we typically spread information through word of mouth, announcements, and posters,” said Derek Bylsma, head coach for the girls soccer team. “We usually have several meetings during the year and typically begin conditioning after winter break.” Because of the pandemic, teams haven’t been able to prepare for the season under normal circumstances. This has left many athletes- specifically freshmen- without the opportunity to bond with the team and prepare for tryouts. “I haven’t been able to practice how I usually practice,” said Theo Williams ‘24, a freshman who plans on trying out for the basketball team. “It’s been quite different.” Even Williams, who’s been playing basketball competitively since he was 5, has expressed concerns surrounding his ability to make the team. Williams said he has no clue what type of competition he’s up against or what to expect. “I know a few other [freshmen], but I don’t know how they operate or what I’m going to be competing against for a spot on the team,” said Williams. “I’m kind of scared because I don’t want to get embarrassed in front of the seniors.” However, some coaches will take what they can get when it comes to freshman participation. This is especially true for the boys basketball team, who are worried about contacting and getting to know their freshmen. “So far, the freshmen boys class has been emailed on three separate occasions, with the first dating back in the fall,” said boys head basketball coach Richard Kavalauskas. “It has been a challenge to contact or get to know freshmen from afar.” Pickett and the girls softball team have expressed similar concerns. Their season is traditionally a spring season; however, it was moved to the “summer” season under new COVID-19 scheduling. “Being remote has brought many challenges related to recruiting. In previous years the softball program would have been hosting open gym contact days for several months at this point,” said Pickett. “Communication is a struggle.” Many teams are still working to schedule their tryouts at the same time as any year. Coaches aim to move forward with hopes of using tryouts as a rare feat of consistency in this chaotic year. “Our plan is to hold tryouts the same as we do every year,” said Byslma. “We will have about a week of playing so we can assess everyone properly.” Regardless of the uncertainty surrounding this season, coaches remain excited to see their players back on the field. “Extra curricular activities build community and bring people together,” said Pickett. “We all need to feel connected and part of something.”