Tuesday, April 2, 2019
The Student Newspaper of Jones College Preparatory High School
From start-up to state
Across the pond
Robotics club’s journey to the state finish line
Water polo temporarily moves practices to UIC
JACK O’LEARY ‘20 School Staff SAM TEDROWE ‘21 Lifestyles Staff A club somewhat unknown amongst the masses at Jones, Robotics Club has fought its way into the spotlight by competing at the Illinois State Finals, a far cry from its humble beginnings in 2016. The club was started by Joshua Koch ‘20 and Josh Blustein ‘20 at the beginning of their freshman year in search of an innovative and collaborative space for students A LONG TIME COMING The first statewide Illinois robotics competition interested in robotics. Now including was sponsored by Motorola in 1997. 20 members, the group has grown to represent all classes while main- they ended in fourth place. University of Chicago. The FTC chalThis school year, the lenge is a larger competition, with a taining their close-knit community. club is attending more competi- more complicated challenge for the “I [hadn’t] really been tions and excelling at robot build- Robotics Club members to tackle. into Robotics before, but I deciding and testing, and will also “It is a large national game, ed that this year I would like to competing in multiple internawhere every year the game or chalget into it,” said Andre Balanzar tionally sponsored competitions. lenge is different, but there are some ‘21. “The others on the team are “We are really kicking similarities,” said Blustein. “There is all friendly, welcoming people.” it into high gear,” said Blustein. a 12 by 12 arena, and it’s about manip Despite the original chal“We are competing in three differulating things where the robot comlenge of finding club members and ent robotics competitions: MATE petes against another team to win.” funding for their robots, the team Robotics Club receives most found Science teacher Steven Clay- again; Argonne, which is an au- tonomous vehicle challenge; and of its funding from grants, but will ton to sponsor the growing club. we’re doing the First Tech Chalexpand fundraising efforts next year. “I have been with the club lenge (FTC). We are a rookie team “We don’t do that much in for three years and I sponsored a for those last two competitions.” the way of fundraising; most of our robotics club for four years at Air The Argonne Competition money comes from sponsorships Force Academy High School,” Clayton said. “They [the club] does is sponsored by the Argonne National and grants from FOJ [Friends of a really good job of doing their Laboratory, which is operated by the Jones],” said Blustein. “We’re going to have to start making more own research and money next year because we’re overcoming their not a rookie team anymore, so they own obstacles.” will probably give us less money.” Robot As competitions like the ics Club did not state finals approach, the atmoparticipate in any sphere within the club becomes competitions their more chaotic, as expected, but the first year, but they overall environment stays positive. competed in the “We really didn’t expect to Marine Advanced do this well,” said Blustein. “We’re Technology Educareally happy about the surprise. tion (MATE) UnI think that it says that the future derwater Competi- SHOW OFF In many of the rounds, the robots have to perof Robotics looks really bright.” form various tasks to display their levels of functioning. tion in 2017, where Photos courtesy of Steven Clayton
BY THE NUMBERS: SPENDALOT Racking up bills, Spamalot has become one of Jones’ most expensive musicals under Director Brad Lyons. “We’re renting things all the way from Los Angeles to New York. That’s one of the reasons it’s very expensive.” said Lyons, “We’re renting armour and props that were being used in the Broadway Production and other places of New York. There are weird props, everything from killer rabbits and fish and a trojan rabbit.” This nearly 13,000 dollar dif-
Volume 4, Issue 5
ference in the cost of productions is due, mainly, to the costumes and props that have been all been rented from companies on both coasts of the country, as well as to the cost of licensing in order to put on the show. Graphics by Sam Wojcik ‘19, James Conde ‘19, and Maggie Trovato ‘19 Photos courtesy of KK Cleland
CHARLOTTE MANIER ‘21 Lifestyles Staff Jones-Payton water polo teams will be practicing in the University of Illinois at Chicago pool for the first six weeks of their season due to a change in the filtration system of Jones’ pool. “The company that made [the former filtration system] went out of business, so their filters are no longer made,” said Rob Heselton, Department Chair of Physical Education. “A new filtration system had to go into the pool.” “We’re training in the later evening, and off campus,” said Girls Water Polo Coach Mac Varilla. “Kids will have to adjust their time if they really want to compete.” With the rescheduling and relocation, there is concern that team members who live far away or are struggling with school will not be able attend practice due to how late they would return home. “My only fear is that kids who were on the fence about water polo from the beginning might be deterred from joining the team,” said Smith. “We have a couple of kids who come all the way from Beverly, so I know UIC is going to be a pretty big commute for them.” Team members also have their doubts about how the new schedule will work. “I live in Wrigleyville, so I knew it was going to be a hike for me to get back after practice,” said Olivija Stephens ‘19, one of the goalies for varsity Girls Water Polo. After speaking with coaches, Stephens and her teammates realized how fortunate the team was to have a place to practice. “We became aware that most other schools wouldn’t have a team for this year,” said Stephens. “The administration helped us out by getting pool space at UIC.” Varilla also worries how this change of location will affect the performance of the team at home games. “Jones has been the hub for CPS games, and now all our home games will be away,” said Varilla. “We won’t have any home pool advantage.” Jones-Payton Girls Water Polo has overcome many challenges in recent years to achieve their current level of prowess. “When I first started in 2011, we had maybe nine or ten girls,” said Varilla. “Last year, Girls Water Polo won our first City Championship.” Similarly to Varilla, Smith sees the relocation to UIC as possiblity for improvement. “I’m really excited for this season, and I know that our boys and girls are really capable,” said Smith. Graphic by Abby Teodori ‘19
PAGE 2
School Improvement
No school on Fri., April 5, School Improvement Day.
JONESBLUEPRINT.COM @JONESBLUEPRINT APRIL 2, 2019
Let’s “Bring in Light”
Prepared for Preckwinkle
Senior supports Lori Lightfoot
Senior advocates for Toni Preckwinckle
OSCAR ESTRADA ‘19
Chicago style politics has not served anyone in this city well except for those part of the Chicago Democratic Political Machine. A history of shady backroom deals, corrupt aldermen, patronage, and nepotism have ruined this great city and its residents. The people at the top of the Cook County Democratic Party have dominated Chicago politics for far too long and have done nothing to save the sinking and forgotten wards of the city. As mayor, Lori Lightfoot will “bring in the light” to the city’s corrupt politics and change our city for the better. She proposes an elected school board, tougher police reform, and a freeze on new charter schools. As President of the Chicago Police Board, Lightfoot had many responsibilities under her administration. Her main duty was to oversee and take action on cases of police misconduct. Under her leadership, Lightfoot’s administration became more punitive and held more police accountable, which resulted in firing officers in 72 percent of its cases. Although Lightfoot was appointed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, she always stood her ground and pressed Emanuel for more serious police reform especially when Emanuel wanted to reach a deal with the Trump Justice Department about police
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reform in Chicago. She publicly went against him and weeks later after resigning from the board she announced her candidacy. Lightfoot stood against Chicago’s top man and decided it was time for change. Not only has Lightfoot helped prosecute corrupt aldermen Ambrosio Medrano, Allan Streeter, Jesse Evans, Lawrence Bloom, Virgil Jones, Percy Giles but she wants to shine a light on Chicago style politics and what they have caused the city. During her campaign she called for reform and has been a reformer long before all these scandals came out. Voters cannot trust people tied to 14th Alderman Ed Burke who was charged with extortion for encouraging Burger King executives to attend a fundraiser for Toni Preckwinkle. Chicago’s broken political machine hasn’t served anybody, with Lightfoot as mayor of this great city she will bring light to forgotten communities and expose city hall’s cockroaches who have done nothing but enrich themselves and ruin neighborhoods where gun violence has ripped them apart. As mayor, Lightfoot will get to the root of issues that affect Chicago such as gun violence, lack of access to healthcare, police brutality, and much more that she is prepared to take on. When Lightfoot is elected it will be a fresh start for Chicago and the remnants of the Chicago Political Machine will be left in the dust where they belong.
When I look at the candidates for this upcoming mayoral runoff I see two very similar candidates. Both are African American women with progressive policies, resumes that qualify them for the job, and a passion to serve and fill the office. However it was easy to see the main differences between the two candidates when they met to debate on March 8th, and highlighted why I support Preckwinkle over Lightfoot. Preckwinkle used her position in the debate to talk about her experiance as an alderman, and how she instituted progressive caucuses when she made it into city council. Both of these are immense accomplishments, as beating the 4th ward alderman wasn’t an easy task. Timothy C. Evans, the incumbent, served for 17 years, and it took her three different elections before she could beat him. To me this shows persistence, something that’s important for our mayor to have. This really is the main point in my eyes separates Preckwinkle and Lightfoot in the mayoral race. When looking at their histories, Lightfoot comes from a police background, with lots of support for police academies and the police force who continue to fail marginalized groups in this system. On the opposite end is Preckwinkle who has served as an alderman for the people, working with communities personally to help change the landscape. I trust
Preckwinkle and her background more. When looking at someone who’s fit to be mayor I’m also looking for someone who takes support from people I respect and trust. But for Lori Lightfoot to get the support of two of the most conservative aldermen in Alderman Nick Sposato and Alderman Anthony Napolitano does not sit well with me, especially if she’s going to try to gain their votes. Lightfoot in the debate then followed up Preckwinkles concern over the support from the conservative alderman by calling her a liar. This also does not resonate with me as name-calling and sporadic outbursts do not strike me as something a mayoral candidate should do. In the end it’s hard to make or break these candidates just by looking at their policies. While they are different in some areas, it’s really the personalities that strike me the most. Lightfoot is a good person, and I’m sure would do a fine job, however Preckwinkle has the experience, support, and poise in all the right ways, and because of that she’s my pick for mayor. Graphic by Sam Wojcik ‘19
What’s the point?
Protesting without punishment is just a half-day for Jones students For the third time, Jones students have proudly exercised their First Amendment right to take initiative and walk out. This time, though, the protest was on a Friday, and all you needed to miss class was a note. By letting students walk out of class without repercussions, a crucial part of the protest gets left behind: authenticity. Being able to walk away scot-free after a conscious decision to leave school completely defeats the purpose of a protest. On Friday, March 15, students began lining up at the security desk to scan their IDs and show “parent-written notes” to leave school without consequence. At one point, the line to walk out the front door stretched through the lobby and almost to the doors leading to the North Building. When given the chance, most students would do anything to leave school early, especially on a Friday. Many students who walked out on Friday did not even know about the protest until an email was sent out by administration regarding how they would organize departing students. With administration facilitating walkouts, passion can get lost in the shuffle; it becomes much easier for people to take advantage of signing out of school to do other things rather than
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advocating, or taking part in protest. Walking out becomes less of a choice to fight for what you believe in, and more of an excuse to miss class. No student who walked out is at fault. What high schooler wouldn’t take advantage of an opportunity to miss school and get a head start on St. Paddy’s weekend? Teachers also had to deal with the fallout of hundreds of students being absent during the protest. Homework wasn’t handed in, tests weren’t taken, and a lot of zeros showed up in gradebook. Still, many students were able to make up the assignments and assessments they missed the following week, but again, that feeds into the soft environment being fostered at Jones. Without the threat of punishment for leaving school in the middle
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of the day, there is no risk, and therefore no true reward. History has taught us that democratic change does not come easily, and students are being led to believe that fighting for what you believe in comes without sacrifice. Yes, hundreds of young people from across the city came together to support a serious issue, but they did not forfeit anything to get there. The point made wasn’t as sharp as it should have been. Actions have consquences-what did you actually take for climate change to just go hangout at Panda Express. Graphic by Abby Teodori ‘19
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PAGE 3 Get Out and Vote
Today is election day for the Chicago mayoral runoff election.
JONESBLUEPRINT.COM @JONESBLUEPRINT APRIL 2, 2019
Two students shine light on underrated bites around Jones INDIA ROSE DANIELS ‘20 Many students often flock to the same spots for lunch Sports Staff and afterschool grub, but a few of the best places to grab a DIA GIBBS ‘20 Sports Staff
bite can be found in unexpected places. Here are our picks for the best eateries that fly under the radar in the Jones community.
HAROLD’S CHICKEN SHACK
Harold’s Chicken is a Chicago staple, especially for the South side. The Jones community has the luxury of having one right near us. Although people probably know about Harold’s, they are ordering
MELI CAFE This French-inspired, modern café includes your very basic pancakes, waffles, and eggs, but also has meals for people who are open to exploration. This includes meals like avocado toast with jalapenos, or flavorful options like the spicy flamenco omelet that includes chicken chorizo, jalapenos and more. Meli Café also offers vegan and vegetarian options, so that the whole gang is able to eat. The downside: Meli Café is a sit-down restaurant, so it probably isn’t the best option for off-campus. It also falls on the pricey side of things, but the portions of food are pretty big, so I say it’s worth your buck. I am a pretty basic eater, so I’m pushing for the pancakes and the chicken sausage. The pancakes are huge and the chicken sausage is impeccable, probably in the top three I’ve ever tasted. I’m sure if these basic breakfast items are good, the rest of the menu is great too.
PAT’S PIZZERIA Don’t be turned away by the ugly decor. The food makes up for its lack of color, tables, and chairs to sit. Although this American-Italian place is called Pat’s Pizzeria, they also have wings, salads, pasta, burgers and other
STANDING ROOM ONLY Standing Room Only, known as SRO, serves American fast food with a retro sports diner vibe. Though their prices run a
finger foods and bites to choose from. Pat’s is the perfect place to go and grab some food before an after-school extracurricular. Pricewise, it ranges from about $7 to $8 for a burger or sandwich (without fries), about $15 for a full pizza, and $12 for pasta. My personal favorite is the turkey burger with fries. The total comes out to be $10 and it is delicious.
bit high, they offer a 10 percent discount for students. I still say the food is totally worth it, and better than the salty burgers from Epic Burger down the street. My personal favorite from SRO is the chicken tenders, which comes with five chicken tenders, and fries. It doesn’t come with a drink, but if you get a water cup, you can fill it out with a drink of your choice. They don’t pay attention.
wrong! There is really no use in getting Harold’s if you do not get the mild sauce put on your chicken. Not on the side, I repeat, NOT ON THE SIDE. Harold’s is not Harold’s without the mild sauce. And beyond chicken, they have mozzarella sticks with mild sauce, a tilapia dinner with mild sauce, and the catfish nuggets with mild and hot sauce. The sauce is crucial. My favorite thing to order from this Harold’s is the fourpiece mozzarella sticks with mild sauce, a kiwi strawberry Calypso, and a large fry with mild sauce, salt, and lemon pepper.
LUNA CAFE Luna Café is a cozy restaurant only open from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. known for its delicious and affordable breakfast food. They have a special on their menu called the Pancake Combinations where you can get two pan-
HAX HOPS & HAMBURGERS Hax offers it all. The atmosphere is chill and trendy, with a variety of breakfast and lunch options. By the front door, there are cute little couches and coffee tables with FREE sweet pickles. Popular items to order
cakes, eggs, and sausage or bacon for only $7.50. I personally have never tasted the lunch items on their menu, but they are there. If you are not a pancake person, that’s okay, because they have both waffles and amazing French toast! Luna’s is the perfect place to go before school with your friends or on a B day Friday as a nice way of treating yourself after a long week.
off of the menu are the Wisconsin cheese curds ,handspun milkshakes, and a single Burger Hax, which includes options for veggie, turkey, and chicken patties and lettuce buns. The deals for the shakes are a hit! Every day from 1 to 4 p.m., they usually have two different $2 shakes of the day. The only complaint I have with Hax is that everything is a la carte, so your bill can add up quickly. After your meal, if you want dessert, you can easily walk to Gordo’s next door and try homemade ice cream bars and donuts.
When in doubt, pick ‘C’
PAGE 4
Juniors will take the SAT on Tuesday, April 9. Freshmen, sophomores, and seniors will have the day off of school.
JONESBLUEPRINT.COM @JONESBLUEPRINT APRIL 2, 2019
Twins open up about what makes them unique ANNA HEYSE ‘19 Lifestyles Staff INDIA ROSE DANIELS ‘20 Sports Staff JOSHUA LAZAR ‘21 Sports Staff
Though not identical, twins Faith Mckenzie ‘19 and Charity Mckenzie ‘19 have always shared a bond as close to “twin telepathy” as it comes, from sharing a room growing up to aspiring to attend the same college. “ I
wouldn’t say [twin telepathy] is real in the fact that we know exactly what each other is thinking, but we do know how each oth er is feeling and we often react the same in situations,” said Faith. Having only an older brother ten years their senior, Faith and Charity were always seen as birds of a feather. “We got one big gift, one room to share, we had to share everything,” said Charity. “Even when we got our first phone, our mom was trying to make us share.” Their perpetual sharing was unwillingly applied to their clothes, parties, and treatment altogether, but voluntarily when choosing their high school. “Going to Jones, we didn’t know anyone coming in, and we were able to be each other’s best friends,” said Faith. Attending the same school proved both convenient and enjoyable, and the Mckenzie twins are hoping to attend the same college next fall. “We have the same first choice, but they offered [Charity] things they didn’t offer me at first,” said Faith. “Hopefully I get into the school, but if not I will go to a school in a totally different region.” Despite the benefits of being inseparable twin sisters, Faith and Charity also have to deal with encountering stereotypical twin remarks. “I hate when people say when your twin is hurting you can feel it,” said Charity. “It’s not like if you hit her arm I’ll feel it, but if I know she’s in emotional pain I will feel that with her. And I hate when people refer to us as twins, not Faith and Charity.” Despite occasional annoying comments they both laugh about, the Mckenzie twins have maximized the advantages of being the same age. “We wouldn’t be as close if we weren’t born at the same time,” said Faith. “We get along
Ready, Set, Test
with different types of people and we have mostly the same friends, but can still gravitate towards different people in that group.” Matching outfits, talking at the same time, and secret languages are some of the first things that come to mind when thinking about twins. But despite their similar a p pearthere differcould
PAGE 5
Sophomores will take the PSAT on Wednesday, April 10. Freshmen, juniors, and seniors will have the day off of school.
JONESBLUEPRINT.COM @JONESBLUEPRINT APRIL 2, 2019
classes separated so we would not see each other that much.” The twins did not interact much at home or in school. “People would ask me what Taylor is doing and I would have no idea,” said Jamie. “We did not talk at home.” As they grew older, though, Jamie and Taylor have been able to interact more. “Now, coming to Jones, we see each other a lot more,” said Taylor. “We are definitely a lot closer.”
ances, are subtle ences one use
to tell Julia Baker ‘20 and Sophie Baker ‘20 apart. “When we were first born my mom drew an X on my foot with Sharpie,” said Julia. “When I was ten I had to have surgery, and it left scar tissue so now I have a dimple only on [one] side of my face. Also, Sophie has a few freckles on her chest. For a while, I was the only one with a nose ring and then she pierced hers, so now I have the one with the hoop and she has the stud.” With being a twin comes powers, or at least a unique connection the twins have with one another. “We sometimes will start singing a song or will look at each other at the same time,” said Julia. “One time we had the same dream on the same night. Also, people sometimes asked us if we could read each other’s minds so much that we made up fake things that we would always t e l l t he m w e were thinking
about.” The twin powers in real life are not like the ones depicted in the movies. “Things that seem like twin powers are usually just because we think very similarly and have had most of the same experiences, so we are reminded of the same things at the same times,” said Sophie. Although outsiders think twins look alike or even identical, this is not always the case when it comes to how the twins view themselves. “I think we look very similar sometimes but sometimes I think we look really different,” said Julia. “To me, it seems weird that people can’t tell us apart.” Having a twin is not all peaches and cream, however. It would not be wrong to say that many have been the culprits of twin stereotypes. “A lot of the time people will see us as one unit and not as individuals, and also the constant comparison is irritating,” said Sophie. These stereotypes from others can pervade their own relationship. “It causes us to fight with each other, which can be kind of upsetting,” said Julia. However, Julia and Sophie still spend much of their time together. They started performing in the circEsteem Circus five years ago to help provide a circus community to disenfranchised children to help keep them off the streets. “That’s the primary time that we’re competing because there will be a lot of tricks or pyramids that we both want the same part because we’re the same size,” said Sophie. “Sometimes there can only be one so there’s like a competition of who can do that part better.” Growing up as a person that seems to look, act, and think the same as another person could potentially limit someone’s individuality. “The reason why I pierced my nose was that people would always think of us as exactly the same and it was an easy way to make something be different about us appearance-wise,” said Julia. “Also, when I was younger I chopped off all of my hair, so I feel like there has always been this battle to be different from
each o t h e r , but also we have such similar interests that it’s hard to be different from each other.” Circus is not only a place where they compete with one another, but it is an opportunity for them to express their originality. “Doing circus is one of the major areas where I feel like I’ve tried to diverge from Sophie and tried to focus on something specific that she doesn’t,” said Julia. “For example, I do trapeze more and she does silks more.” And because most can’t tell them apart, they are able to pull tricks on people like “The Parent Trap.” “When I was little, I was at this summer camp and I got in trouble with my counselor, but I said ‘That wasn’t me that was Julia’ and she got in trouble for it,” said Sophie. “[But] she also did the same exact thing another time.” Separated in elementary and middle school and rarely ever talking to each other, Jamie and Taylor Schaller ‘21 have grown closer than ever i n
high school. “When we were younger we just were not that close,” said Taylor. “At our old school we had all of our
The twins have been competitive since birth, when Jamie was born 13 minutes prior to Taylor. “She has a huge ego because of that,” said Taylor. “She thinks she is so much better because of that.” As the two grew up, their competitiveness and comparison became more intense. “That is the bad part about [being a twin], that it is e x -
tremely competitive,” said Jamie. “We compete over grades, friends, and everything else.” Jamie and Taylor would also play the same sports when they were younger. “Our parents would try to have us do the same things and it was not good because there [was] a lot of competition to be number one,” said Taylor. The competition got to their head, and when one pulled ahead, it only reinforced the idea of competition with the other twin. “We would play the same sports, and when I outshined [her] she was very upset,” said Jamie. But the initial competition eventually subsided as Taylor and Jamie became more different. “She would go off to volleyball, I would go off to dance, and we did not really talk,” said Tay-
lor. “But when high school started we became close.” Their relationship has built upon their past competition and fights, and has become a support system for each other. “I feel more comfortable around her than anyone in the world,” said Taylor. “More than my parents and my closest friends.” That doesn’t mean their relationship is always perfect, however. “We get in a lot more fights than we used to.” said Taylor. “We are either best friends or we are slamming doors yelling at each other.” Even though the twins fight, Jamie and Taylor’s comfort around each other has turned into friendship. “At times it feels like a built in best friend,” said Taylor. “When everyone is making you mad, you, for the most part, can count on your twin to talk to.” For Rebecca and Sam McCain ‘22, growing up as twins has been far more coincidence than convenience, stirring countless bickerings between the pair. “Being at the same school is kind of weird because people look at us as being ‘Sam’s sister’ or ‘Becca’s brother,’” said Rebecca. “Our parents wanted us to go here. It’s the best option for both of us. I would like it if we didn’t, but it’s not that big of a deal.” Having to exist in each other’s everyday worlds proves annoying for both siblings, which affects the basic trivialities that come with being twins.
“I want t o have my own birthday,” said Sam. “When my friends give me a shoutout on Snapchat they know I have a twin sister so it’s ‘Happy birthday, Sam and Becca’. It bothers me because it’s one day, but it’s an important day.” However, despite their disagreements, the McCain twins agree that there are some perks to going through the same things at the same time. “You know the other one really well,” said Sam. “I can tell when she’s lying. She goes quiet and makes this weird look on her face and is really quick with how she speaks. My parents don’t notice it, but I do.” If they did not go to the same school, their ability to read each other would not be nearly as strong, considering both of their busy schedules. “We wouldn’t see each other,” said Sam. “We already don’t see each other that much because the days she doesn’t have ballet, I have track. We come home at different times and relax by ourselves.” The idea they may not see each other much outside of school will likely become a reality as they head toward different schools “[Being together] is not what we’re thinking about,” said Rebecca. “We want to make the best decision for us. If the same school is the best decision then okay, but probably not.” Photos courtesy of the twins Graphics by Sam Wojcik ‘19
PAGE 6 Report Card Pick-Up
There will be no school on Thursday, April 12 for parent-teacher conferences.
JONESBLUEPRINT.COM @JONESBLUEPRINT APRIL 2, 2019
A school divided will not stand
Intercultural club aims to connect students of color
JACK O’LEARY ‘20 School Staff ELI TOLEFREE ‘21 Lifestyles Staff
Diversity is a virtue Jones prides itself on, but with that diversity has come divisions between different cultural and ethnic groups. The Association for Latin American Students (ALAS) for representation Latin culture, Black Student Union (BSU) for Black representation, and Asian American Club (AAC) for Asian representation. Through Affinity Alliance for Students of Color, that barrier of isolation is coming down. The club was founded by Jasmine Ng ’19, in order to foster new ties between the cultural clubs with the first official meeting having taken place in early March. “First off, the cultural clubs have always been divided and they have always had their own performances every year. The people that go to that are mainly the people in the clubs, their friends, and people of that race,” said Ng. “There is never cross communication and we never get to share our experiences as people of color, as an Asian person or a black person or a Latinx person, with each other at this school.” A f f i n - ity Alliance aims at community buildi n g w i t h in
Graphic courtesy of Mendy Kong
the ethnic groups and to coordinate their activities as well. “It’s an effort by the clubs at Jones to unite clubs that are typically representing minority groups in order to make us more of a community as we are all separate. We meet in our separate groups and we never really interact,” said spanish teacher and ALAS sponsor, Michele Timkang. The club’s main goals are not only based around improving communication, but also generating opportunities and providing resources to students of color. “Affinity Alliance also acts as a safe space for members, supplying information on scholarships, afterschool matters, and art programs. Cultural clubs having a way to communicate, as there has been no central way of communication before and it is important for cross-cultural exchanges,” said Ng. “This includes resources not related to academics such as mental health, having discussions about communication between races, how being a person of color in [Jones’] environment looks for different races since it is predominately white.” Black Student Union is one of the predominant cultural clubs at Jones and has many similar goals as Affinity Alliance. “BSU is a club that has a primary goal of providing students with positive representation of the African American community, which is ultimately good for Jones,” said BSU Treasurer Tashya Kyles’20. “It [Affinity Alliance] does a great job of uniting all the different cultural clubs at Jones and it also builds solidarity between these clubs, which is a great thing.” Moving forward, the club hopes to host and international fest celebrating all cultures. “We as students of color need to find ways to support other students of color.”
Learning to cope
Spectrum club helps kids deal with grief and loss DONIYA BOYD ‘21 School Staff
Coping with the loss of a loved one is something that many people can not even imagine having to deal with. Students may struggle with being able to juggle coping and school. With the heavy workload and extracurriculars that students have to worry about, it can be hard to take time for yourself. Spectrum Club is an in-school resource for students who have lost a loved one. Not just through death, but also “living losses”, things like divorce, deportation, and deployment. Spectrum club was started by spanish teacher Michelle Parada, who was inspired by Rainbows for All Children, an organization started in Evanston that helps kids deal with grief and loss. “Spectrum club doesn’t replace therapy or any other type of professional help but serves as an additional resource to those who need it. For some students, this club is all they need to start coping, for others, it just assists in helping them heal,” said Parada. Parada started this club because she saw a few students in her classes dealing with a loss, and thought it could be great to bring a
program similar to Rainbows for All Children to Jones. “I was already aware that resources like Spectrum existed, but the number of organizations for small children was much bigger than the programs for teens,” said Parada. Parada’s personal experiences motivated her to bring resources like this to Jones so that stu-
dents can have the help that they need. “I know that during my parent’s divorce, I would have benefited from having something like Spectrum to give me advice and help me through,” said Parada. For students that may not think the club is for them, Parada wants everyone to know that all grief is valid. “Everyone had their own personal journey with grief,” said Parada. “No matter the time period, 5 days or 5 months, it is important to get help, and Spectrum Club is one resource to get you started.” Counselors have even begun to recommend stu-
dents who are dealing with grief to Spectrum. “Our job really is to refer students to the club, if we see that they are dealing with these issues,” said Schnatterbeck. “I think students like it when they are surrounded by their peers when dealing with a difficult situation.” Students who participate in the club value having a place where they can go to express their feelings and be comforted by other students. With all of the other responsibilities students have, taking care of yourself can come last. Spectrum allows students to deal with their loss and get back on track. “When my mom passed away, I couldn’t keep up with my school work, and everything was going downhill,” said Rene Maldonado ‘19. “Ms. Parada asked me to join. We talked about ways to handle grief, when and how to do things to help us grieve.” Students also enjoy the fact that the club welcomes all people dealing with some sort of grief. “You can come no matter what type of loss you’re dealing with,” said Maldonado. “It’s a great safe place to go to relate with students who are going through the same things that you do.” Graphic by Abby Teodori ‘19
Best in show
Tech coordinator JoAnne Troesch trains her dogs in agility MAX KROLL ‘19 School Staff Though JoAnne Troesch is mainly known around Jones as tech coordinator and gatekeeper to the mysterious server room, she also holds another title many aren’t aware of: Agility Dog Handler. Above a table full of tech equipment in the server room, there is a picture of a gray dog with splotches of brown marking its face and ears. Troesch is never far from her dogs. “That one is Motley,” said Troesch, pointing out the picture on the wall. “She will turn four this year!” Troesch has one other dog, Chip, named for his chocolate chip colored coat. Troesch started training with Chip first, but he no longer runs agility. “Chip got injured, he tore his ACL on both legs,” said Troesch. “It wasn’t during running, he was just built bad. He has hip dysplasia, and he’s getting surgery in April.” F o r those unfamiliar with the sport, dog agility involves a handler direct-
ing a dog through multiple obstacles such as tun- er told me agility would help build confidence in a dog. nels, hoops, and jumps on a timed course. He was not a fast dog, but he took home a few ribbons.” “The objective is to finish the course in what they call Though Chip received some awards as an ‘standard course time’ with less than the amount of er- amatuer agility dog, nothing would prepare Trorors you are allowed for the course,” said Troesch. esch for Motley’s capacity to take home the gold. Training dogs is no small feat, and even the most “Up until recently, all of Motley’s wins have been experienced dog owners have to put in a lot of work to get first places,” she said. “You can walk alongside Chip, but their dogs to learn even basic you can’t keep up tricks. Mia Mangia ‘19, who with Motley. Chip has done work with the Amertaught me to love ican Society for the Prevenagility, but Mottion of Cruelty to Animal and ley is teaching me has owned rescue dogs for to run agility.” years, notes the challenges Troesch leads an that come with teaching dogs. impressive team, “My dogs knows but it was once a tricks like ‘give me your little bigger. Unforpaw’, roll over, sit, stay. We tunately, Troesch even trained them to had to put down balance a treat on one of her dogs, their nose,” Gia, after a rough said Mangia. PRANCING PUP Chip jumps his first obstacle course and races to the battle with cancer. “When we next hurdle. ................................................................................................... Mangia, who also trained them we lost a dog recentactually had to show them what to do, and when- ly, has found that one of the best ways to cope with ever they did it right we would give them a treat.” the pain of losing a pet is keeping their memory alive. Even though Troesch now has two Troesch recognizes the spirit-liftdogs with multiple awards in agility to their ing ability of agility training, and she holds names, she had no intention to train them the belief that it can get her through hard times. for agility when she started training dogs. “I’ve gone through some rough patches, but “Chip was afraid of trucks, especially gar- my dogs have gotten me through all of it,” she said. bage trucks, and I just wanted to find a way to build confidence in him,” said Troesch. “My trainPhotos courtesy of JoAnne Troesch
PAGE 7 Take a Break
Spring break begins April 15 and lasts through April 19. JONESBLUEPRINT.COM @JONESBLUEPRINT APRIL 2, 2019
Students speak on inspiration behind their unique body art MAGGIE TROVATO ‘19 Lead Reporter MAX KROLL ‘19 School Staff
“It’s a reminder that I don’t need people who don’t treat me well or substances to feel better,” said Dotzert.
Alex Koenigsberg ‘19
Ashton Marion ‘19 values kindness and goodwill; one might say she wears her heart on her sleeve. But when it comes to tattoos, that heart can be found on her collarbone. Marion sees her tattoo as a reflection of the values she sees most important in life: love and friendliness. “It’s kind of a reminder to spread love, and only accept genuine love,” said Marion. Marion’s tattoo is a small black heart that can be found on the right side of her collarbone, near her shoulder. It’s her first tattoo, but she doesn’t see it being her last. “I want to get a half sun, half moon on my left back shoulder,” said Marion. “I feel like the sun and the moon represent me, and they’re really important to me.” Marion didn’t try to hide her tattoo, and made sure her mom was on board with it before she got it. She made sure to do this after an incident with her sister and a surprise tattoo. “My sister went out late one night and came back with a tattoo of a literal piece of cheese,” said Marion. “When I told my mom I wanted one, she said ‘just don’t get a cheese tattoo.’” Ultimately, Marion’s tattoo is a representation of what she brings to Jones everyday: positivity. To Marion, the small size of her tattoo isn’t representative of how much love she has to give. “I was going through a hard time, so the heart tattoo is a reminder to me to continue to spread genuine love,” said Marion. “Why not celebrate that?”
With six tattoos across her body, Alex Koenigsberg ‘19 takes her ink very seriously. Being an artist, Koenigsberg sees her tattoos as an extension of her passion, and therefore herself. “There’s an emotional release to it,” said Koenigsberg. “It hurts a lot, but it creates something beautiful at the same time, and that’s kind of empowering to me.” Koenigsberg has tattoos on her collarbone, ankle, stomach, wrists, and forearm. Of these, one of the most significant is on her ankle. “The tattoo on my ankle is matching with my best friend,” said Koenigsberg. “It’s a pinkie swear. I love Ali, she’s really important to me.” Being Jewish, Koenigsberg understands that her religion forbids her from tattooing her body, or else she can’t be buried in a Jewish cemetery. With this in mind, Koenigsberg decided to tattoo her collarbone with a Hebrew phrase that translates to “with all your might.” “I knew I wanted my first tattoo to have something to do with my identity,” said Koenigsberg. “If I was going to get a tattoo, I wanted to make sure it wouldn’t be something that separated me from my religion.” Koenigsberg already has more tattoos than most Jones students, and she doesn’t plan to stop anytime soon. “I’ll absolutely get more; I’m going to have a lot of tattoos,” she said. “I’ll have them everywhere- on my thighs, going down my arm, the top of my back, my shoulder blades, and maybe even my spine.”
Hunter Dotzert ‘19 Like a warrior with scars from a difficult battle, Hunter Dotzert ‘19 sees tattoos as a physical reminder of what he has overcome. “It’s almost like I’ve killed certain demons, and this is the gravestone,” said Dotzert. Dotzert sports his tattoo on his upper arm, which initially made it easy to conceal from his parents. “My parents were upset at first, as I assumed they would be,” said Dotzert. “But I told them. They didn’t just find out.” This tattoo isn’t the last for Dotzert either, as he is already planning to get a tattoo based on the inside cover of the Rolling Stones album, Their Satanic Majesties Request, which has a lot of significance to him. “I want the flowers from the inside of the vinyl cover,” said Dotzert. “They’re just so beautiful.” At first glance, his current tattoo is a bit abstract. The curious observer might just see an angry face or a dress, but the tattoo holds a deeper meaning for Dotzert. “Sophomore year I was really in love with this girl and I idolized her,” said Dotzert. “She treated me badly, and I eventually turned to substance abuse.” Dotzert doesn’t see the tattoo as a representation of his past relationship, but rather as a point of current strength for himself.
Ashton Marion ‘19
Max Parchem ‘19 and Genesis Yamat ‘19 A few months after getting a scorpion tattooed on her ribcage over the summer, Genesis Yamat ‘19’s boyfriend, Max Parchem ‘19, got the same tattoo on his left hand during winter break. The design, which was tattooed in red ink, is the zodiac symbol for Scorpio, the astrological sign. “I’m a Scorpio,” said Yamat, laughing. “So I got it first and then he got it…” “Because that’s my ‘wifey’ and I’ve got to rep her,” said Parchem, without missing a beat. The pair’s tattoos were met with different responses from their parents. “My mom didn’t talk to me for a long time, but his parents didn’t care,” said Yamat. Yamat doesn’t plan on the scorpion being her last tattoo. Both Yamat and Parchem hope to get more tattoos in the future, and maybe even another matching one. For right now, Yamat has plans to get a baby angel tattooed on her arm. While the red scorpion is the pair’s only matching tattoo, they each have a total of three tattoos. Parchem has the year his grandparents were born on his arm, as well as the Latin phrase “memento mori” written on his neck. “[It means] remember that you have to die,” said Parchem. “Personally I think it’s cool just cause it keeps you in line as a person.” Next fall, the pair will attend Loyola University. “[I’m excited that I’ll] get to see her a lot more often,” said Parchem.
Mauricio Gonzalez ‘19 Most people spend weeks, months and years, even, contemplating a design that will be permanently etched onto their skin. For Mauricio Gonzalez ‘19, however, it takes only a matter of hours. “I always [decide what to get] on the day that I get them,” he said. Worries about one day regretting his six tattoos are nonexistent for Gonzalez, who plans to eventually get both
arms covered in tattoos. H i s tattoos range from “stay focused” written on his wrists (the only tattoo that f a c e s him), to a hand holding the planets, to the chemical form u la for THC. “It is more of inspiration for myself,” said Gonzalez of his “stay focused” tattoo. Gonzalez’s first tattoo, a long narrow tree that lies on his forearm, took some convincing from his parents. “I paid for my mom’s first and only tattoo,” he said. “She got a sun on her back. That’s how I convinced her to let me get a tattoo.” While Gonzalez got the tattoo at 17, it wasn’t illegal because he had parental consent. Like the others, Gonzalez got his first tattoo on an impulse. “It’s impulsive stuff that I got for the first time,” he said. “[The tree tattoo] was just me wanting to get [a tattoo]. My older brother has tattoos and I like how they look. A lot of my friends have tattoos.” From there, Gonzalez was hooked. “I like how it feels,” he said. “It sort of [hurts]. It’s more like stinging and burning and scratching.”
Karla Biery ‘19 Unbeknownst to her parents, tattooed on Karla Biery’s ‘19 ribcage is a lemon tree spanning about four inches in height. If her parents found out, Biery doesn’t know how they would react. “My mom, I feel like, would be disapproving,” said Biery. “My dad, I don’t think, would care very much.” Though her parents don’t officially know about the tattoo, her dad did get a glimpse of the top leaves of the lemon tree once. “He [asked], ‘is that a tattoo?’” said Biery. “[I said], ‘Oh no my friend just drew on me.’ He didn’t ask any further questions.” Biery’s tattoo, ironically, is closely connected to her family and their history. With Italian grandparents originally from Sicily, lemons are an important fruit for Biery. “My family makes limoncello,” she said. “That is something that we do with my uncle. I’ve been to Italy multiple times. I have memories as a young child of picking lemons. I also love lemons and citrus so this has meaning.” For Biery, this lemon tree is just the beginning. She plans to get more tattoos. “I have some little ones on my fingers and my hips that are just stick and pokes,” she said.
Graphics by Abby Teodori ‘19
PAGE 8 Batter Up
Boys Baseball vs. Kenwood on April 3 at McGuane Park.
JONESBLUEPRINT.COM @JONESBLUEPRINT APRIL 2, 2019
Stepping up to the plate
Boys baseball hoping to build on last season’s success JACK BROOKS ‘19 Sports Editor Following a strong year in which the team achieved a 28-8 record and claimed the number one seed heading into the city playoffs, Jones has cemented itself as one of CPS’ baseball powerhouses. Following a devastating loss to Gwendolyn Brooks Academy in the semifinals of the CPS playoffs last season, the team is heading into the new year confident that they will hoist the city championship trophy in late May. Despite being overlooked by many of the other top programs in the city, all of the players are looking forward to proving the doubters wrong. “I think the team has grown more confident and more driven because we know what we’re capable of now and we know how close we were last year to winning a city championship,” said Captain Dennis Barber ‘20. The Eagles will have to make a title run without the help of some key pieces, however. With three senior captains graduating last season, the team will be without former ace Dylan Spector ‘18, and fielders Nick Nelly ‘18 and Michael Keller ‘18.
“Last year’s seniors were a huge part of the team. We relied on them every game and they always came through in big moments,” said Scott Deja ‘19. In spite of the major losses, however, Deja is confident that others will step up. “At this point in the season we have position battles going on all over the field,” said Deja. “But in particular sophomore Jaden Jones ‘21 has been our team’s best player to start the year.” The team has also been aiming to make up for the losses with conditioning and practices since the fall. “We have had an absurd YOU’RE OUT! John Gadomski ‘20 picks off a baserunner at first. amount of guys show up to the optional workouts,” said Frank Kalemteam showed glimpses of their offensive capabilities. ba ‘19, a returning starter and captain. “Not only was “We had some really good showings at the varsity in there as a team, but multiple freshman came plate,” said Margolis. “Ted had a nice triple, Frank as well, setting the tone for the future years to come.” hit really well and Jaden showed out for us.” The team started their season on As for the team’s attitude, Florida played a big role in their annual trip to Florida, going 3-1-1 giving the eagles a tight-knit relationship with one another. over the course of their four day road trip. “The trip allowed us to all make connections Backed by good performances in the we did not have before,” said Kalemba. “Comfield and on the plate, Jones outscored ing back from Florida we have the utmost confitheir opponents by a combined ten runs. dence that we can beat anyone on any given day.” “Our work in the field and on the Barber felt the same way about the trip. bump [pitcher’s mound] was really good,” ”We’ve just bonded through that along with being said captain Joseph Margolis ‘19. “We good friends and hanging out a lot off the field,” he said. had very few errors which will transThe Eagles open conference play vs Kenwood this late big time to city play in the cold.” Wednesday, April 3, aiming to reclaim their spot at the top of The Eagles also excelled with the Jackie Robinson South Division, and earn the school’s the bat. Behind big performances from first ever city championship come the end of the season. FUN IN THE SUN The team enjoyed a 3-1-1 record in the SunTed Fludas ‘19, Jones, and Kalemba, the shine State.
Starting off on the right foot
Photos courtesy of Tony Gadomski
Girls soccer looking to capture elusive city title LUCAS VOGEL ‘19 Sports Staff Last year, the girls varsity soccer team finished the season trophyless after losing to Lane Tech in the semi-finals of the city tournament. It’s hard to not feel like it was a disappointing end to the season as the team had posted an impressive 13-8-3 record during the regular season and had made it that far in the tournament.
NUTMEG Avery Kaplan ‘19 leads her team to a 4-0 victory against Northside College Prep. Although the season did not end the way the team had hoped, the team looked young and dangerous last spring, with then junior Avery Kaplan ‘19 notching a team high 15 goals and eight assists on the season.
Hopes are high heading into this year with the team shining bright with potential. Their season opener against Hancock didn’t disappoint, where the Eagles delivered with provodo, winning the game 2-0. Two more consecutive wins followed, with the Eagles blowing out their opponents in the first three games with a combined score of 13-0. From there they fell to a difficult Saint Ignatius team 2-0, before having their own second half rally cut short in a 3-2 loss to Lane Tech. They quickly came back with a monster of a performance against Northside, beating the usual powerhouse 4-0 on March 27. “When I first got here we lost to Payton 13-0,” said head coach Derek Bylsma. “We’re a different group now. Now we’re one of the teams that people look out for.” The Northside win couldn’t have embodied the flaming hot start to the season better for the girls, as it showed an array of fantastic offense and defense. Notably, none of the four goals scored were by seniors, showing the younger side of the team stepping up when they needed them most. Their stifling defense has been on display this season as well, only allowing a total of five goals to opponents compared to their 19 goals scored. This can be largely credited to a change in formation, one that slightly pulled back the attack in an attempt to strengthen the defense. This move has been successful so far this year, as goalkeeper Devin Barry ‘19 only had to make one stop during the Northside shutout. “We went to four at the back, but pushed two out far wide,” said Bylsma. “Even though we can only start four players, we’ve really got five starting [worthy] players that are in defense.” Barry has also been a rock in the net for the girls, building on an already impressive resumé from last year’s soccer season. This year, she’s already netted 20 saves, averaging a whopping 3.3 saves per game.
OVERHEAD Haylee West ‘19 inbounds the ball to her teammates. With only allowing 0.83 goals per game, she’s been a core reason the team has started off so hot, and has shown why she’s worthy of her captain band. Kaplan was also named a captain for this season along with Natalie Loos ‘20. Kaplan continued where the left off last season, already netting two goals in the first six games of the year. “[Being a captain] means a lot. It means an awful lot,” said Kaplan, “It’s kind of a dream.” With a hot start to the season, a young core, and eager captains, for Bylsma it certainly feels like the season can be a breakthrough. “This, talent wise, is the best team I’ve ever coached,” said Bylsma. “I will be disappointed if we don’t win the city championship.” Photos by Lucas Vogel ‘19